US: Del Monte "exploring sale of canned food unit"

By Michelle Russell | 14 June 2013

Del Monte Foods is understood to be exploring the possible sale of its canned food business.

The US food firm is reported to be gauging interest from potential acquirers, people familiar with the matter toldThe Wall Street Journal. The process, however, is in the "early stages", the publication noted.

Centerview Partners and Morgan Stanley are understood to have been hired to assist in the sale of the business, the sources said.

Del Monte had not returned a request for comment when contacted by just-food at the time of writing.

A sale of Del Monte's canned food business, which comprises vegetables and fruit, would allow the firm to focus solely on its pet food business, which includes brands such as Milk-Bone and Kibbles 'n Bits.

Last month, the company signed a merger agreement with Natural Balance Pet Foods, a maker of super-premium pet food for dogs and cats sold throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The deal, Del Monte said, was consistent with its long-term strategy of further strengthening its pet food and snacks brand portfolio.

In its nine-month results in March, the firm saw pet product sales grow by 8% compared to a 0.7% increase in its consumer products division.

A sale of the canned food business could net the company around US$2bn, The Wall Street Journal suggested.

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New Additives: FSSAI proposes amendment to FSS Act ( Food Products Standards & Additives Standards )

 Friday, June 14, 2013 08:00 IST 
Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified Draft Regulations to amend the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.

In the said Draft Regulations, certain food additives have been proposed to be used in certain food products / ingredients in the quantity specified for those food products / ingredients.

The food additives proposed in the Draft Regulations to be used in certain food products are as under:

Polydextrose @ GMP in “Carbonated and Non-Carbonated Beverages”

Methyl Cellulose
max. 3% in “Salad Dressing / Mayonnaise”;
max. 2% in “Biscuits”;
max. 2% in “Preserved Chapatis”;
max. 3% in “Cakes”

Carboxymethyl Cellulose
@ GMP in “Dressing and Sauces”;
@ GMP in “Chocolates”;
@ GMP in “Sauces”

Potassium Iodate - max. 50 mg / kg in “Bread”
Gellan gum @ GMP in “Sterilised and UHT dairy-based drinks.”

These additives were not in use for the said products earlier. But now the food authority has included these additives and invited objections or suggestions from the food and beverage industry on the use of these additives.

D V Malhan, executive secretary, All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA), told FnB News that the industry was looking into the draft amendment as it was recently made public. He added that these additives were there in the market but not allowed to be used for the said products.

“The authority must have done some study and documentation on the issue of these additives and we’d asked our members to comment on the issue. After getting comments we’ll discuss it and present suggestions before FSSAI,” he stated.

Meanwhile, FSSAI has also issued a clarification note as per suggestions received from various stakeholders and discussion during the meeting held on June 04, 2013, at FSSAI for issuing of state / central registration and licensing.

A revised table has been prepared clarifying the items covered under Central / state licensing & registration, and the earlier criteria of storage capacity have been replaced by ‘Annual Turnover.’

Dr D S Yadav, deputy director enforcement, stated that there were suggestions from the stakeholders that the earlier criteria were a bit confusing because it set different benchmarks on storage capacity and annual turnover.

“So therefore, the food authority has decided to replace the storage capacity by annual turnover for the food business operators and rest of the criteria remains unchanged,” said Dr Yadav.

Delhi told to get tough after high pesticide levels found in produce

By RJ Whitehead,03-Jun-2013

A government panel has called for stringent checks for pesticides in fruit and vegetables brought into Delhi after discovering that most of the produce it tested contained dangerous chemical residues.

The All India panel had been looking at the impact of pesticide residues on produce sold in the capital as a result of a demand by the High Court in August last year for the Center to form a committee to frame a policy of periodic checks.

In its report, the panel found that most of the vegetables sourced from Delhi’s mandis – and especially okra, cabbage and cauliflower – were found to have pesticide residues higher than the maximum residue limit. Cypermethrin, chlorpyriphos were found to be the chemicals most often found in the city’s vegetables.

All produce checked

Sandhya Kulshrestha of the Central Health Education Board, and chair of the panel, said that checks had become essential.

"No fruit or vegetable consignment should be allowed to enter into the country without a pre-dispatch pesticide testing report by the exporter,” said Kulshrestha.

“Samples of imported fruits and vegetables should be drawn at international arrival points and monitored for pesticide residues. For this, guidelines may be drafted on a priority basis," the panel said.

It also recommended that the Delhi government consider establishing a pesticide residue management cell. Under the control of the state’s food commissioner, it should be given the power to co-ordinate with other authorities and be responsible for handling all issues related to pesticide residue in food articles, the report said.

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