Elizabeth Hyde, a solicitor at Eversheds LLP, on new health and safety legislation

The Food Standards Agency has been warning consumers not to eat certain peanut butter products from the US, due to a salmonella outbreak. There have so far been 474 reported cases across 43 different states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a list of recalled products including various cookies and chocolate bars. The list includes Middlesex-based company Lärabar, which has recalled some of its own-brand Peanut Butter Cookie flavoured snack bars (51g) and Peanut Butter Cookie flavoured mini snack bars (21g).

"Salt will continue to be a major industry issue in 2009. The Federation of Bakers is very concerned that the new Food Standards Agency (FSA) targets likely to be set for 2012 will be technically impossible for the industry to achieve. The Federation is committed to an ongoing constructive dialogue with the FSA and is voicing its concerns. We hope the FSA will develop some practical proposals moving forwards.

== Pine nuts: ==

by Paula Tallon, a partner of BDO Stoy Hayward, chartered accountant

Coconut: There is little to no shortage of coconut worldwide. Demand has reduced at the higher levels so we are quite confident that, currency permitting, we should see prices ease into 2009.