safefood Knowledge Network 's Posts (1033)

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French authorities have again reported hundreds of poisonings linked to wild mushroom consumption.

The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) said more than 400 cases had been recorded since July. Figures from the Directorate General of Health (DGS) put the number of people affected at 1,179 since the beginning of July. This includes 32 serious cases of mushroom poisoning.

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The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has a history of strong engagement with industry through its well-established Retail, Food Service, Artisan, and Molluscan Shellfish Safety Committee Fora, which provide platforms to build firm connections and enable timely information exchange to stay abreast of evolving regulatory affairs. Due to the rapid expansion of the food industry’s eCommerce landscape, the FSAI has recently established a new industry liaison group, the ‘eCommerce and Online Food Business Forum’.  We are looking to receive expressions of interest from representatives in suitable organisations in this sector to participate in the newly formed Forum. 

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Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have called on government to work with regulators to address the ongoing shortages of key professionals in the food system.

The potential impacts of these shortages are highlighted in their annual ‘Our Food’ report, which is an evidence based assessment of food standards across the UK for 2023.

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The consultation comes after extensive engagement with consumers, local authorities and industry, along with evidence from research (Opens in a new window) to better understand how food businesses could improve written information for consumers with a food hypersensitivity.

In current law, food businesses such as restaurants, cafes and canteens, are required to tell customers if the food they are serving contains any of the 14 mandatory allergens, choosing how they provide this information whether in writing or verbally.

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Germany has been hit hardest in a multi-country Salmonella outbreak linked to rocket from Italy.

As of late September, there are 98 cases in Germany. The Robert Koch Institut (RKI) believes this number may go up. There are 16 patients in Austria and 23 in Denmark.

The first cases were reported in Germany at the end of July. Since the beginning of August, there has been a significant increase in patients, with 16 to 18 cases per week. All federal states except Bremen and Saarland are affected.

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Fraud and non-compliance issues discussed in August by European countries were at their lowest level since reporting began in early 2024.

The number of food and other fraud suspicions raised by EU member states declined in August. The 222 alerts are down from 325 in July, 265 in June, 281 in May, 341 in April, 345 in March, and 318 in February. There were 277 in January.

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The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has been involved in four E. coli outbreak investigations so far this year in the United Kingdom.

A Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O145 outbreak was linked to unpasteurized milk cheese produced by Mrs. Kirkham’s in Lancashire. APHA contributed to the incident management team investigation, including an advisory visit and epidemiologically relevant sampling.

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Today, the European Commission published its 2023 report on the Alert and Cooperation Network, which facilitates cooperation and information exchange between Member States on official controls in the agri-food chain. The report reveals a significant increase in notifications compared to 2022 – a sign of the growth in cooperation between Member States in this area.

The Alert and Cooperation Network is composed of four sub-networks, each with an individual focus.

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Pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables are the top food safety fear among consumers in five countries.

Scientists from the not-for-profit group CABI used survey data from 8,644 people in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, and Uganda. They assessed concerns about food safety risks, attitudes toward pesticide use in fruit and vegetable production, and how pesticide concerns and socioeconomic factors affect outlet choices.

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Scientists have revealed that lettuce contaminated by animal waste during flooding was the likely vehicle of infection in an E. coli outbreak in 2022.

In September 2022, a large outbreak of STEC O157:H7 was identified in the United Kingdom. It was one of the biggest E. coli outbreaks since the early 1980s.

In late August and early September, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit (GBRU) reported a substantial increase in submitting certain fecal samples and isolates that were presumptive for STEC.

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Ethylene oxide, Sudan dyes, and products skipping border controls are examples of recent possible frauds and other non-compliances raised by EU member states.

The number of food and other fraud suspicions discussed by European countries increased in July. The 325 alerts are up from 265 in June and 281 in May, similar to the 341 in April, 345 in March, and 318 in February. There were 277 in January.

The issues identified are potential frauds. Listed non-compliances may prompt investigations by authorities in EU member states. Details come from a monthly report published by the European Commission.

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The FSAI Food Safety Consultative Council (FSCC) is a statutory consultative council established under Section 14 of the FSAI Act, 1998. The purpose of the Council is to facilitate consultations and discussions, for to promote higher standards and other matters relating to the functions of the FSAI with representatives of consumers, producers, retailers, distributors, caterers, manufacturers the food inspectorate and academia. 

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The European Commission has proposed legislation requiring EU countries to do whole genome sequencing (WGS) during foodborne outbreaks.

Officials said the plans would facilitate investigations into outbreaks and the timely detection of the source, which would limit the number of people sick and food recalls and withdrawals.

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