EU plans new food authority

The European Union is set to have its own food authority to help improve safety standards across the 15 nation bloc under plans published by the European Commission earlier this month. Already the proposals have the backing of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and will now be examined by EU member governments.

The initiative follows several food scares in recent years ranging from Listeria, contaminated wine, and dioxins to the ongoing concerns over beef and “mad cow …