As transparency becomes ever more important to consumers, Nina Constantine from Eurofins Genomics discusses the new frontiers in food safety and traceability.
Traceability, food fraud and food safety have never been more interlinked; we are seeing a growing demand from consumers for transparency on the provenance and safety of products.
As such, we are turning to Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) methods, combined with other emerging technologies, such as blockchain, in order to help respond faster, more accurately and more effectively than ever before.
REF: IRC259676
DEPARTMENT: Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Northern Ireland (AFBI)
LOCATION: AFBI Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3SD
The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Northern Ireland (AFBI) seeks to appoint a Project Leader: Microbiologist, Foodborne Pathogens - Senior Scientific Officer. The successful applicant will contribute to AFBI’s key theme of ‘Protecting animal, plant and human health’. They will also have access to AFBI’s cutting edge scientific platforms and will work in multi-disciplinary teams delivering excellent science and applied solutions to many of the challenges facing agriculture.
The successful applicant will join the Food Microbiology Unit of AFBI’s Bacteriology Branch and will play a key role in supporting the delivery of public health aspects of environmental water quality, food safety and animal health commitments and will develop and manage innovative scientific research, statutory and analytical services on the microbiology and control of foodborne pathogens. The successful applicant will actively contribute to current work programmes that include the development of a predictive model for bathing water quality, the capability to investigate short-term pollution sources using microbial source tracking (MST), innovative research around the gut microbiome and novel approaches to the control of foodborne pathogens.
EFSA's Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) has launched today, 7th October 2020, an open consultation on several sections of the draft scientific opinion on “maximum levels of cross-contamination for 24 antimicrobial active substances in non-target feed”. These sections include the description of the methodology proposed to answer the term of reference 1 of the mandate, which is related to antimicrobial resistance development, the uncertainties associated with it, and the data gaps/other considerations identified.
Additional sections of the draft opinion are shared to provide the background, contextualize the methodology, and to provide an example of the assessment if the methodology would be used (e.g. tetracyclines). These additional sections are provided only for information and are not submitted for consultation.
More than 40 people are sick and almost a third have needed hospital treatment as part of a foodborne Shigella outbreak in Denmark.
From the end of August, 42 people have been registered with shigellosis in the country.
The outbreak is being investigated to try to pinpoint the source of infection and help stop it with experts doing final traceback investigations ahead of plans to reveal results next week.
The Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) and Food Standards Scotland’s Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit (SFCIU) have today published an assessment of food crime threats to the UK.
Food Standards Scotland’s Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit (SFCIU) has published its food crime priorities for 20/21, alongside a joint UK Food Crime Strategic Assessment with the Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit.
The SFCIU has taken an evidence and intelligence-based approach, working with partners and industry to identify key areas of concern which have previously and continue to be targeted by criminals, to the detriment of consumers and responsible businesses. The priorities are
The factory of a sandwich producer in England linked to an illness was contaminated by Listeria for almost three years, a report into the incident has found.
In July 2017, Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from the blood of a 53-year-old in a hospital in Yorkshire and Humberside with an underlying health condition. The man had eaten sandwiches made by the company while in the hospital at least 12 times in the three weeks prior to illness.
The Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) are looking for an Agrifood Livestock and Aquaculture Intern - it's open to PhD students with a focus on innovation in the Livestock and Aquaculture industry.
Interested in joining our Senior Leadership Team to help deliver on our Strategic Plan and on our vision of “The Marine Institute as a global leader in ocean knowledge, empowering Ireland and its people to safeguard and harness ocean wealth”?
Organisation Description:
The Marine Institute is the national agency responsible for Marine Technical & Scientific Advice & Services, Research, Technology, Development and Innovation. The Institute provides government, public agencies and the maritime industry with a range of scientific, advisory and economic development services that inform policy-making, regulation and the sustainable management and growth of Irelands’ marine resources. The Institute also undertakes, coordinates and promotes marine research and development, which is essential to achieving a sustainable ocean economy, protecting ecosystems and inspiring a shared understanding of the ocean.
The Institute works closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) and a network of other Government Departments, Semi-State Agencies, national and international marine partners.
Research by scientists in Australia could help open up new possibilities to treat enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) infections.
University of New South Wales (UNSW) microbiologists discovered a molecular pathway that controls Shiga toxin production. The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
What counts as a composite food product, and the rules you’ll need to follow to export these products from 1 January 2021.
The UK has left the EU, and the transition period after Brexit comes to an end this year.
This page tells you what you'll need to do from 1 January 2021. It will be updated if anything changes.
For current information, read: Export food, drink and agricultural products
You can also read about the transition period.
safefood is responsible for promoting food safety and healthy eating on the island of Ireland.
To support our knowledge base, we would like to invite tenders for research for the following specific project:
Project Ref 02A-2020
“Fiscal and pricing policies related to food and non-alcoholic drinks: a review of the evidence”
The closing date for receipt of tenders is 4pm Friday 23rd October 2020
safefood is committed to promoting equality of opportunity.
With many E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce in 2017, 2018, and 2019, food safety experts are concerned that another outbreak could occur in 2020. Let’s take a look at how romaine lettuce is contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in the first place.
Opening: 17 September 2020 Deadline: 26 January 2021
Code: LC-GD-8-2-2020:
Call link: H2020 EU Green Deal call
Testing and demonstrating systemic innovations in support of the Farm-to-Fork Strategy
Opening: 17 September 2020 Deadline: 26 January 2021
Code: LC-GD-6-1-2020
Call link: H2020 EU Green Deal call
The World Health Organization (WHO) is requesting data on methylmercury and total mercury in certain fish species.
Fish types for which maximum limits have already been established are excluded.
People are mainly exposed to methylmercury when they eat fish and shellfish that contain the compound. It can adversely affect a baby’s growing brain and nervous system.
The resurgence of a hepatitis A outbreak linked to strawberries underlines the importance of complete traceback of implicated products during outbreaks, according to researchers.
Following outbreaks linked to frozen strawberries in Sweden and Austria in 2018, 65 cases of the same hepatitis A virus (HAV) strain were detected in Germany between October 2018 and January 2020.
An introduction to product shelf life for small food businesses - Online Training
Location: Online
Date/Time: Oct 8, 2020 from 10:30am - 12:00pm
Venue: Online
Duration: 90 minutes
This online training will explore what needs to be considered when determining a product’s shelf life, including:
-Understanding the characteristics of the food.
-The microbiology of pathogens (for safety) and indicator organisms (for hygiene) and their characteristics, which allow for their growth and their association with different types of food.
-Food quality issues
-Role of packaging
-Role of reasonably foreseeable conditions following manufacturing and to the point of consumption
-The type of shelf life studies, validation and monitoring and the role of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
-The role of the laboratory
-Interpretation of the results – who and/or how.
To register for this event please email knevents@safefood.net.
Please note places will be limited to 30 maximum, therefore registration will be on a first come first serve basis (one place per food business) and after this a waiting list will be in operation.If you cannot attend this training, please let us know 2 days before the event to allow another participant to attend.
Please note this is only open to those working in food businesses on the island of Ireland.
