Contaminated shellfish are continuing to cause illnesses in several European countries and Hong Kong.
At least 170 people have fallen ill in Helsinki, Finland, after eating oysters in various restaurants in February and March. Cases have also been reported in other Finnish cities.
A short video covering the main highlights of the event and a scientific article describing the outcomes of the conference and the key role the RARA network plays in shaping the future of research and policy agendas have been released.
A total of 7,363 queries and complaints were handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Advice Line in 2022. Announcing details today of the complaints and queries last year, the FSAI stated that there were 4,058 complaints from consumers, with 31% of complaints relating to unfit food and 28% to poor hygiene standards. Overall, the 2022 complaints saw a 18.9% increase compared with 2021 figures, continuing an overall upwards trend over the past decade.
EFSA experts provisionally concluded that mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) do not pose a health concern. They also confirmed that some substances in the group known as mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) are a possible health concern.
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?
EFSA is still looking for experts in the areas of: pharmacology, ecology, genetics, bioinformatics, human medicine, epidemiology, and social science. The application will close on 3 April 2023.
The PATH-SAFE programme, led by the FSA (Food Standards Agency), connects over 40 partners who collaborate regularly to knowledge-share, deliver and advise on how we can best monitor and combat foodborne diseases.
Scientists have looked at a range of interventions related to Campylobacter in poultry meat.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Microbial Risk Assessment (JEMRA) reviewed recent data and evidence and provided scientific advice on control measures for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in the broiler production chain.
Campylobacter was behind more than 95 million illnesses and 21,374 deaths in 2010 according to WHO estimates.
Moldova has been given permission to export processed poultry meat and table eggs to European countries.
The decision follows a February meeting of the Controls and Import Conditions section of the Plants, Animals, Food, and Feed (PAFF) Committee, during which member states voiced their support for the EU Commission’s draft legislation to list Moldova for these animal products.
The fifth World Food Safety Day (WFSD) will be celebrated on 7 June 2023 to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agricultural production, market access, tourism and sustainable development.
This publication is a guide for all those who want to get involved.
The FAO and WHO have called for experts and data on two different subjects as well as announcing a webinar on cell-based food.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) call for experts covers the risks and benefits of fish consumption.
Interested parties are invited to share knowledge: The European Commission requested EFSA to produce an opinion in accordance with Article 29 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, on new developments in biotechnology applied to microorganisms. This work is related to i) microorganisms and products of category 4 (see below) to be released into the environment or placed on the market as or in food and feed; ii) products of category 3 (see below) to be placed on the market as or in food and feed.
EFSA has just republished a call for tender “Monitoring and Surveillance Data for Future Chemical Risk Assessment Needs in EFSA: Exploring New opportunities”.
The project aims to:
• identify and prioritise EFSA’s data needs for advancing human health risk assessment, animal health risk assessment and environmental risk assessment of chemicals
• identify, and map relevant data sources
• provide recommendations for data access and generation
Maximum budget for the direct contract during the 24 months is 300,000 €.
Deadline for receipt of offers: 09/05/2023 at 14:30 UTC+02:00.
The tender specifications and relevant documents are available here
You can also find the EFSA post on LinkedIn: here
The European Commission has tightened the rules on the presence of arsenic in food products.
The allowed concentration of inorganic arsenic in white rice is lowered, while there are new limits for arsenic in some rice-based food items, infant formula, baby foods, fruit juices, and salt.
Arsenic is present at low concentrations in rocks, soil, and natural groundwater, with food and drinking water being the principal routes of human exposure. The inorganic forms of arsenic are more toxic than organic arsenic.
Resistance of Salmonella and Campylobacter to commonly used antimicrobials is frequently observed in humans and animals, reveals a report issued today by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). However, simultaneous resistance to critically important antimicrobials for humans was generally detected at low levels, except for some Salmonella types and Campylobacter coli in several countries.
The latest data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of bacteria from humans, animals, and food shows there is still plenty of room for improvement in Europe.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said resistance of Salmonella and Campylobacter to commonly used antimicrobials is frequent in humans.
A public-private consortium has been created to investigate the potential food safety and quality issues posed by microbial contaminants in plant-based food products.
Partners in the project will look at microbes that are common in plant-based ingredients, their ability to survive processing, and the risk of growth and toxin production in foods containing such ingredients.
Most food companies feel leaving the European Union has affected operations while many said COVID-19 didn’t impact their ability to meet regulatory requirements, according to a survey.
The poll, commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), included 400 businesses in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, plus interviews with 60 companies. Work took place between June and August 2022.
People in Germany often eat raw or unheated food and are not fully aware of the related risks, according to a survey.
Findings come from a special edition of the consumer monitor by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) that focused on raw foods.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a call for scientific experts wishing to become members of its Scientific Panels and Scientific Committee in 2024. The members of the Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels of EFSA are appointed for a five-year term. This call for expressions of interest is open from 1 February to 3 April 2023.
If you are interested in applying, please visit the EFSA website for more information.
EFSA website here
The latest wave of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) Food and You 2 survey, conducted between April and July 2022, shows that most people surveyed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland had made changes to their eating habits in the last year, with financial reasons being the biggest driver.
