General News

FSADelight Foods is withdrawing Periyar Fish Pickle and Periyar Prawn Pickle due to incorrect labelling. The products contain sesame oil, which has been listed as gingelly oil. The Food Standards Agency has issued an Allergy Alert.
Press release & links
 
FSAAsda is recalling its Frozen Extra Special (twin packs) Cheesecake White Chocolate and Raspberry due to a packaging error.  The label doesn’t list egg and sulphur dioxide in the ingredients list.  The Food Standards Agency has issued an Allergy Alert.
Press release & links
 
MoD: Building on the success of previous years, Families' Activity Breaks (FAB) are returning in the summer of 2012 to offer bereaved military families fun & challenging activity-based holidays.  

The holidays are designed for families with children up to 19 years of age who have suffered the loss of a loved one serving in the Armed Forces. They offer an adventure for all the family and a welcome break to meet & socialise with others who have experienced a similar loss.
Press release & links
 
DH:  People could soon be directed to free or cheap apps by their GPs to allow them to monitor & manage their health more effectively.   The latest innovations in smartphone technology will help patients and the public to find & use NHS services, manage conditions and make better lifestyle choices in a way that is very convenient for them.
 
It follows a call to find the best new ideas & existing smartphone apps that help people & doctors better manage care which received nearly 500 entries and over 12,600 votes & comments.
Press release & links
 
MoD: Soldiers from 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh preparing to deploy to Afghanistan next month have been supplementing their military training with combat cooking lessons.
Press release & links
 
PCS: A petition started by a PCS member calling on ministers to reverse a damaging switch in the way public sector pensions are recalculated every year will be debated by MPs it was announced last week. 

The petition by Jim Singer (which currently has more than 109,000 signatories) says the imposed switch from using the retail price index to the traditionally lower consumer price index to determine annual pensions increases is unfair and should be reversed.
Press release & links
 
MoD: Data collected by Royal Navy submarines, as part of standard operations, is set to provide clues on Arctic climate change.  Little is known about the areas of water underneath the Arctic ice, as sensors are difficult to place for the long-term.
 
Environmental data such as water temperature & salt content is routinely monitored by all Royal Navy vessels, including submarines, and so the data set from a UK submarine mission can provide a snapshot of conditions under the ice and shed light on the changes taking place in the Arctic.
Press release & links
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