Almost 250 Salmonella infections in the United Kingdom since the start of 2023 have been linked to travel to Turkey.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has shared steps to reduce the risk of common infections when going abroad in summer.
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EFSA's Unit on Feed and Contaminants has launched a public consultation on the draft scientific opinion on the update of the risk assessment of inorganic arsenic in food. This document presents a re-evaluation of the toxicity of inorganic arsenic, and, using the results from an EFSA report on exposure to inorganic arsenic published in 2021, an assessment of the health risks to the EU population. Interested parties are invited to submit their comments by the indicated deadline. When submitting the comments, specific reference to the line and page numbers to which the comments relate must be made.
Additional data or files to support the comments may be submitted using the relevant function in the digital form. The name of any attached file shall include reference to the comment it refers to (e.g., comment identifier, topic, etc.). The file shall be in a searchable format and accessible to allow downloading. Scanned documents will not be considered.
Scientific Data Steward: EFSA is looking for Scientific Data Stewards who are familiar with collecting, collating and validating scientific data and are confident in... more info
Data Officer: EFSA is looking for data officers, who are familiar with working in the scientific & corporate data ecosystem and can tailor data and IT... more info
FSA and FSS are requesting data on the levels of T-2 and HT-2 toxins present in food.
Download now the Food Safety and Control Newsletter from the FAO/IAEA Programme.
Newsletter here
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee for Food Additives (JECFA) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have independently assessed the risks associated with aspartame and published a summary of their findings.
IARC has assessed the strength of evidence that aspartame could cause cancer in humans, while JECFA has assessed the risks to the public from the use of aspartame in food. The JECFA risk assessment includes a review of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and evaluation of the dietary exposure to aspartame from food.
Spanish health officials are investigating four confirmed and three probable foodborne botulism cases.
The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) said cases have occurred in several different regions.
There is a common link to consumption of different packaged brands of Spanish omelet (tortilla de patata), which is made with potatoes and eggs, purchased in different supermarkets in the days before illness onsets.
Remote audits have a place in ensuring food safety but should not replace onsite visits, according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Based on case studies and an OECD survey, the report examines the cost, benefits and effectiveness of remote audits. For case studies, interviews were between May and November 2022 with authorities in 10 countries and five other stakeholders including Critereon, Tesco and Red Tractor. The survey received 163 responses between mid-October and early December 2022.
The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) was established to ensure the exchange of information between EU Member States, so that food safety authorities could respond as swiftly as possible to risks to public health. DG SANTE’s Team Leader - Rapid Alert Systems Jan Baele - sat down to discuss this food safety tool, how it works and how it benefits citizens’ lives.
The number of outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in pigs and cases reported in wild boar in the European Union (EU) fell considerably in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to a new report published today by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The disease was notified in eight EU countries in pigs and eleven EU countries in wild boar.
After the success of the first Science Meets Policy virtual conference in September 2020 (over 500 participants from 49 countries), EFSA and the European Commission’s Inter-European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) Working Group on Whole Genome Sequencing are jointly organising the second event in the series. EFSA will host the event in its premises in Parma, Italy on 5 and 6 September 2023.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a new consultation seeking opinions from the public, public health professionals and food sector partners on proposed additional investigatory powers for the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU).
Sweden has recorded an increase in Campylobacter patients with contaminated chicken suspected to be driving the problem.
In recent weeks, there has been a rise in people with Campylobacter infections. The spike in cases in late June and early July came after an increase in Campylobacter in broiler flocks. Broilers are chickens raised for their meat.
A Salmonella outbreak in England that sickened more than 60 people earlier this year has been linked to eggs from Poland.
Samples from patients are also similar to previously reported isolates that fall into a cluster that is part of several national and international investigations.
Italian authorities are investigating a case of fish fraud that led to several people suffering from histamine poisoning.
Carabinieri NAS Bari was part of a team that carried out court orders involving 18 people earlier this month. Five people were detained and six were placed under house arrest.
Today, the Commission adopted a package of measures for a sustainable use of key natural resources, aimed at safeguarding our environment and food systems for future generations. Deputy Director-General responsible for Food Safety at DG SANTE Claire Bury took some time out to go over the package and implications of the food proposals.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee for Food Additives (JECFA) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) are concurrently assessing the risks associated with aspartame.
IARC has assessed if aspartame could pose a cancer risk, while JECFA will assess the risks to the public from the use of aspartame in food. The JECFA risk assessment will include a review of the acceptable daily intake[1] and dietary exposure assessment for aspartame.
The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) has launched an updated code of practice.
Version 8 of the Lion Code incorporates the latest scientific and veterinary advice and industry expertise. The British Lion Code of Practice is independently audited. Duck eggs are not included.
WHO is looking for experts to work on the burden of disease caused by foodborne exposure to cadmium, methylmercury, arsenic, and lead.
It is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Nutrition and Food Safety’s process to collect and assess evidence to estimate the global burden of foodborne diseases.
Most foodborne infections rose in Sweden in 2022 compared to the year before, according to the latest figures.
A report by the National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Folkhälsomyndigheten (the Public Health Agency of Sweden), Livsmedelsverket (the Swedish Food Agency) and Jordbruksverket (Swedish Board of Agriculture) showed a rise for Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli infections. Some of this was because of increased travel and more people being infected abroad.
