he majority of Codex members are satisfied with the reach and usefulness of Codex texts, according to a survey.

Findings come from the first survey undertaken in 2022 on the use and impact of Codex texts.

Ninety-eight of 189 Codex members responded to the poll. It focused on the following texts: General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed; General Principles of Food Hygiene; General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods; and General Principles for the Addition of Essential Nutrients to Foods.

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The number of Listeria infections went up in 2021 in England and Wales, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

A total of 160 cases of listeriosis were reported in England and Wales compared to 124 infections in 2020.

National surveillance in England and Wales is coordinated by the Gastrointestinal Infections and Food Safety (One Health) Division at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), with support from Public Health Wales.

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There’s not going to be any lab -grown meat in Europe until the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says so.  

But according to Wolfgang Gelbmann, a senior scientific officer at EFSA in the novel foods area, Europe has not received any applications for review of cell-culture-derived food.

Speaking recently on EFSA’s podcast “Science on the Menu,”  Gelbmann said his agency is ready to conduct a scientific evaluation If it receives a novel food application.

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In today’s fast-paced world, ensuring food safety and efficiency is crucial for food businesses. Fortunately, technological advancements, including the Internet of Things (IoT), have revolutionized the way the food industry operates. By leveraging IoT, food businesses can drive efficiency, enhance food safety, mitigate risks and boost transparency throughout the supply chain. All food businesses should be embracing IoT innovations to optimize their operations, improve efficiency, maximize safety and drive key performance indicators (KPIs), including consumer satisfaction, loyalty and sales.

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The number of recalls declined in 2022, but there was a rise in food incidents, according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)’s annual report.

In 2022, 77 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses by the FSAI and through other agencies. This included 65 closure orders, 12 prohibition orders, and six prosecutions. Although prosecutions were down compared to 2021, other orders and notices were up.

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The European Commission’s health and safety unit has published findings from two assessments looking at controls on aflatoxins in nuts in Egypt and India.

A DG Sante audit in Egypt in September 2022 was due to continuing Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifications for aflatoxins in peanuts. There were 41 in 2021 and at least 34 in 2022. A few operators are behind the majority of rejections, said auditors. Local officials said the rise in alerts was related to increased exports.

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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a call for expressions of interest (Ref. EFSA/WG/NANO/2023/01) for Working Group Experts in Nanotechnologies.

This opportunity is open to experienced, independent experts with relevant scientific expertise in nanomaterials/nanotechnologies and a motivation to contribute to the work of EFSA through participation in its working groups.

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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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