French growers up in arms over EU's pending label requirements for lavender
2014-10-15
(Press-News.org) Next year, the European Commission is set to release guidelines for warning labels on products made with lavender oil, which reportedly can cause allergic reactions for some people. But lavender growers in France are putting up a fight, and some are even threatening to quit the business altogether if the rules go into effect, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.
Alex Scott, a senior editor at C&EN, writes that at least one lavender producer has notified the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) that the essential oils from the plant can cause allergic reactions. These oils have been valued widely, however, since ancient times for their fragrance and are now in an amazing array of consumer products from soap to honey. The oils also are also used as a mild antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent.
ECHA has responded to the allergy concern by saying it will classify the oils as a "skin sensitizer." Officially categorized as such, the European Union will have to require warning labels on associated products starting in 2018. In response, an industry group representing 1,500 growers of fragrant and medicinal plants in France launched a campaign this summer to fight the labeling requirements. Some have said if the guidelines go into effect, they would rather switch to growing a different plant than put a warning label on their lavender-oil products. But so far, regulators are moving forward as planned, working on what the labels should say. They expect to conclude discussions next year.
INFORMATION:
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 161,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.
Follow us: Twitter Facebook
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2014-10-15
As medical personnel and public health officials are responding to the first reported cases of Ebola Virus in the United States, many of the safety and treatment procedures for treating the virus and preventing its spread are being reexamined. One of the tenets for minimizing the risk of spreading the disease has been a 21-day quarantine period for individuals who might have been exposed to the virus. But a new study by Charles Haas, PhD, a professor in Drexel's College of Engineering, suggests that 21 days might not be enough to completely prevent spread of the virus.
Haas's ...
2014-10-15
The phase-out of traditional incandescent bulbs in the U.S. and elsewhere, as well as a growing interest in energy efficiency, has given LED lighting a sales boost. However, that trend could be short-lived as key materials known as rare earth elements become more expensive. Scientists have now designed new materials for making household LED bulbs without using these ingredients. They report their development in ACS' Journal of the American Chemical Society.
LED lighting, which can last years longer than conventional bulbs, is an energy-efficient alternative. Switching ...
2014-10-15
New Rochelle, NY, October 15, 2014—Chronic inflammation caused by activation of the human immune system contributes to a large and rapidly growing list of diseases including some cancers, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune diseases. Significant advances in understanding the role that the cytokine-mediated JAK/STAT signaling network and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play in regulating immune responses and their potential as novel targets for developing potent new therapies are presented in a Review article in Journal of Interferon & ...
2014-10-15
DARIEN, IL – A study of hospitalized cardiac patients is the first to show that effective treatment with positive airway pressure therapy reduces 30-day hospital readmission rates and emergency department visits in patients with both heart disease and sleep apnea. The results underscore the importance of the "Stop the Snore" campaign of the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Research Society and other partners.
Results show that none of the cardiac ...
2014-10-15
Napa, California—October 15, 2014—Although recent trends show a decline in anesthesia-related deaths, a study published today by the Journal of Healthcare Risk Management concludes that risks are evolving and both physicians and patients can take steps to reduce injuries.
The study, "Analysis of Patient Injury Based on Anesthesiology Closed Claims Data from a Major Malpractice Insurer," is based on 607 anesthesia-related claims reported by The Doctors Company, the nation's largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer. Three prominent Harvard Medical ...
2014-10-15
Crocodiles which roamed the world's seas millions of years ago developed in similar ways to their modern-day relatives, a study has shown.
Fresh research into a group of prehistoric marine crocs known as Machimosaurus reveals key details of how and where they lived.
Each species adapted features that enabled them to live and hunt in a range of habitats, just like modern-day crocodiles. They varied in body length, body skeleton, skull and lower jaw shape, and in their teeth.
The ancient croc group included a nine-metre long saltwater species, which was adapted for ...
2014-10-15
University of Cincinnati geologists will be well represented among geoscientists from around the world at The Geological Society of America's Annual Meeting and Exposition. The meeting takes place Oct. 19-22, in Vancouver, Canada, and will feature geoscientists representing more than 40 different disciplines. The meeting will feature highlights of UC's geological research that is taking place globally, from Chile to Costa Rica, Belize, Bulgaria, Scotland, Trinidad and a new project under development in the Canary Islands.
UC faculty and graduate students are lead or ...
2014-10-15
A University of Cincinnati research project is taking a groundbreaking approach to monitoring groundwater resources near fracking sites in Ohio. Claire Botner, a UC graduate student in geology, will outline the project at The Geological Society of America's Annual Meeting & Exposition. The meeting takes place Oct. 19-22, in Vancouver.
Botner's research is part of UC Groundwater Research of Ohio (GRO), a collaborative research project out of UC to examine the effects of fracking (hydraulic fracturing) on groundwater in the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. First launched ...
2014-10-15
ANN ARBOR—Lake Erie has become increasingly susceptible to large blooms of toxin-producing cyanobacteria since 2002, potentially complicating efforts to rein in the problem in the wake of this year's Toledo drinking water crisis, according to a new study led by University of Michigan researchers.
Since the detection of the toxin microcystin left nearly half a million Ohio and Michigan residents without drinking water for several days in early August, discussions of ways to prevent a recurrence have largely focused on the need to reduce the amount of phosphorus fertilizer ...
2014-10-15
As our ability to assess the pandemic risk from strains of influenza virus increases with the latest scientific developments, we must not allow ourselves to become complacent that the most substantial threats have been identified, argue an international consortium of scientists.
Influenza pandemics arise when a new virus strain – against which humans have yet to develop widespread immunity – spreads in the human population. There have been five such pandemics in the past 100 years, the worst of which – the 1918 Spanish Flu – cost 50 million lives ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] French growers up in arms over EU's pending label requirements for lavender
