1.   

Govt may introduce food security Bill in monsoon session

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is expected to introduce the National Food Security Bill, a proposal that aims to provide subsidized foodgrain to the poor, in the monsoon session of Parliament even as the procurement of rice and wheat touches a record high.

2.   

E. coli crisis: Sales of fruits and vegetables plunge, prices fall in EU

Losses in the European agriculture industry are mounting as the crisis over the deadly E. coli outbreak in Germany does not seem to have subsided. With consumer confidence in salad produce plummeting across the European Union (EU), vegetable sales have plunged. There has been a dramatic fall in prices, with farmers forced to dispose of large quantities of unwanted produce.

3.   

Potentially Unsafe Food Entering U.S. from China

While Europe suffers from a “super toxic” E. coli outbreak, a national advocacy group warns that potentially unsafe food from China could provide the next food safety scare in the United States. Whether it’s frozen or canned produce, seafood, candy, vitamins, or any type of processed food, these products or their ingredients increasingly come from China, where food manufacturers are legendary for cutting corners, substituting dangerous ingredients, and compromising safety in order to boost sales.

4.   

EU office dismisses claims brand quality differs by country

An EU Commissioner’s office has defended global food companies against claims by consumer groups that they use “lower quality” ingredients for global brands sold in Eastern European countries.