Shiga toxin-producing E. albertii and children overdosing on Vitamin D are among topics on the radar of European authorities, according to a recent report.

Eighteen potential emerging issues were discussed in 2021 and eight were judged to be emerging risks, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

EFSA networks contributing to the topic include the Emerging Risks Exchange Network (EREN), the Stakeholder Discussion Group on Emerging Risks, EFSA’s scientific units, scientific panels and the Scientific Committee.

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The United Kingdom is dealing with a serious outbreak of E. coli and several strains of Salmonella Enteritidis, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

One more case has been added to the ongoing Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O183 outbreak, bringing the total to 25 sick since May.

One person has died; while most patients live in England, others are sick in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

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Two sampling projects have found issues with meat substitution and undeclared allergens despite an overall high level of compliance.

Findings come from targeted surveillance sampling of products in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland for the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

In 2020, the program focused on commodities and hazards where intelligence suggested that the impact of COVID-19 on the global food chain could potentially impact safety or authenticity.

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The objectives of the framework contract resulting from this procurement procedure are as follows: estimate the dual burden (zDALYs) of nine foodborne zoonoses in the EU Member States and EEA/EFTA countries (campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, listeriosis, infection with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), zoonotic tuberculosis, brucellosis, trichinellosis, echinococcosis, and yersiniosis), estimate the possible tangible (direct and indirect costs) and intangible costs of human and animal disease, which are not considered in zDALYs, for the nine specified foodborne zoonoses, develop a methodological framework to combine the zDALYs and costs estimators into an overall estimator, for the specified nine foodborne zoonoses.

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Officials in Finland remain stumped by a large outbreak linked to school meals.

The Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto), National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), and local agencies are investigating the outbreak, which affected more than 800 people. The incident occurred in mid-August in Mikkeli, with mainly children falling sick.

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A recall of meat products as part of an E. coli outbreak in Norway has been expanded.

Nordfjord Kjøtt issued the extended recall this past week. It now covers certain shelf life dates of nine products, including Hamburger Classic, Prima Hamburger, Bacon Burger, ground (or minced) meat, and Big Beef burger.

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FAO and WHO have published the full report of an analysis looking at reducing the risk of microbiological hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) document covers leafy vegetables and herbs, berries and tropical fruits, melons and tree fruits, and seeded and root vegetables.

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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), based in Parma, is looking to expand its pool of scientists with expertise in the areas of 
Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies.

 Are you a motivated scientist seeking to make a difference and contribute to protecting public health in Europe? Would you like to harness your passion for science by working for the cornerstone of food safety risk assessment in Europe?

Scientists with the required expertise are invited to express their interest by applying to this call and may be considered for participation in one of EFSA’s Working Groups.

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Scientists from a food research center in Wales are handing out fridge thermometers as part of a food safety research project.

Researchers from the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University will be giving out thermometers during the Amgueddfa Cymru Food Festival in Cardiff on Sept. 9.

As part of the “Is your fridge cold enough?” project, 1,000 people will get a free thermometer to take home. They will be asked to upload information about the temperature of their fridge to an online portal.

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The risk of corruption exists at every stage of the food supply chain, according to an analysis by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The UNODC publication highlights some of the main potential risks along the supply chain and discusses how they could be mitigated. It also mentions how the issue can impact government trust, weaken control systems, and threaten trade relationships.

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Norwegian officials have named the suspected source of an E. coli outbreak that affected 15 people.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) said the same type of E. coli O26:H11 had been detected in all those infected.

Two hamburger products that are the likely source of the ongoing outbreak have been recalled.

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The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) are set to hold an expert meeting on viruses in food later this month.

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) event, at FAO headquarters in Rome on Sept. 18 to 22, will work on food attribution, analytical methods, and indicators of viruses in foods.

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FSA has published updates to their food allergen labelling and information technical guidance. This best practice technical guidance aims to support food businesses when applying allergen labelling, whilst helping to keep consumers safe. 

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The United Kingdom’s top food microbiology lab has continued to see a drop in communications with European counterparts after Brexit.

Findings come from a report covering work of the UK’s national reference laboratory (NRL) for food microbiology between April 2022 and March 2023.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides the service for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS). It covers Listeria monocytogenes, coagulase-positive staphylococci, E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and antimicrobial resistance.

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A new study conducted by Belgian researchers indicates that drinking straws made from paper and bamboo contain higher levels of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) than their plastic counterparts.

Often dubbed "forever chemicals," PFAS are widely used in everyday goods, from outdoor gear to non-stick cookware, due to their ability to resist water, heat, and stains. However, these chemicals can potentially cause harm to humans, wildlife, and the environment.

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Changes to sampling requirements at low-throughput slaughterhouses are unlikely to result in a significant shift in the number of Campylobacter cases in the UK, according to a report.

Researchers did not detect a significant difference in the proportion of highly contaminated samples from low- and high-throughput slaughterhouses. High contamination is above 1,000 colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g).

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The Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit (SFCIU) has developed this Food Crime Risk Profiling Tool to support Food Business Operators (FBO) to understand their risk from food crime and the measures they can take to reduce this risk.

The Food Crime Risk Profiling Tool is intended to be completed by those responsible for setting the strategy and direction. You'll be asked to answer a number of statements to evaluate your business and identify areas for improvement against four key areas:

* Strategy
* Performance
* Organisation
* Culture

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The Government in the United Kingdom has confirmed a delay to import inspections until January next year.

Reports in early August suggested post-Brexit border controls were to be pushed back for the fifth time.

Sanitary and phytosanitary controls were delayed for three months and will now be introduced beginning Jan. 31, 2024. This includes health certification on imports of medium risk animal products, plants, plant products and high risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the EU.

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Manufacturers are also being advised to tell retailers that they should not offer free refill promotions to under-10s, to prevent young children being exposed to excessive amounts of glycerol. 

The updated guidance follows an FSA risk assessment which found that children below this age may suffer from headaches and sickness caused by exposure to glycerol. 

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