DENMARK – The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fdevarestyrelsen) and the DTU National Food Institute have detected the environmental pollutant per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in organic egg yolks from Danish chicken farms, posing a risk to consumers. PFAs, which are classified as fluorinated chemicals, do not break down in the environment. Instead, the 4,700 synthetic compounds in this group…
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Slovenia’s food safety authority links Salmonella outbreak to steak tartare
SLOVENIA – The Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection (UVHVVR) and the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) has finally linked a 2022 Salmonella outbreak that sickened 130 people to a steak tartare from Fingušt Mesnine Štajerske company. Steak tartare includes raw ground (minced) beef. According to a recent report, inspectors from…
READ MOREOfficials in Argentina prioritize botulism, E. coli outbreaks
ARGENTINA – Recently, botulism and E. coli have been the subject of warnings from public health authorities in Argentina. In order to prevent foodborne botulism, the National Food Safety and Quality Service (Senasa) has advised the safe and responsible consumption of canned food and other packaged items of animal and vegetable origin, particularly during the summer when high temperatures favor…
READ MOREFAO leads evaluation of Eswatini’s national food control system
ESWATINI – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has kicked off its “Strengthening of Capacities and Governance in Food and Phytosanitary Control,” in Eswatini to improve the kingdom’s food control system. The 5-million-euro project funded by the European Union, which began just two months ago, is set to provide technical support and work with Competent Authorities and other leading institutions…
READ MOREUSDA Food Safety and Inspection Service releases 2023-2026 Strategic Plan
U.S – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) has released its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, the foundation document for both the long range and day-to-day operations of the agency. The agency announced that the updated plan continues to emphasize the importance of science and data to implement advanced and innovative approaches to food safety.…
READ MOREStudy finds double contamination on 2020 dried sausages Salmonella outbreak
FRANCE – A study published in the journal Eurosurveillance has found that dried sausages made by one French company at the same time were responsible for two Salmonella outbreaks that impacted about 44 people. 33 individuals were infected with Salmonella bovismorbificans between September and November 2020, while 11 patients were infected with monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium between October and December 2020.…
READ MOREAOAC International appoints new Deputy Executive Director and Chief Science Officer, promotes some staff
U.S – AOAC International has appointed Dr. Katerina (Kate) Mastovska as the new Deputy Executive Director and Chief Science Officer. AOAC International is a well-known, impartial, third-party, not-for-profit organization that creates voluntary chemical and microbiological consensus standards. “I’m delighted to join the AOAC staff and lead the team of dedicated scientists. AOAC has a critical role in food safety, and…
READ MOREStudy connects nitrites, nitrates to increased risk of type 2 diabetes
FRANCE – An increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes has been connected to the use of nitrites and nitrates, according to a new study that was published in the peer-reviewed weekly medical journal PLOS Medicine. Nitrites and nitrates are substances that occur naturally in food and water. They are also used as food additives to increase shelf life.…
READ MORENordic food safety regulatory representatives identify hazards in seaweed
EUROPE – A collaborative Nordic initiative that began in 2020 with the aim of creating a unified Nordic approach to seaweed food safety risk management has just come to an end, and its final report focuses on the chemical and microbiological risks connected to the commodity. Representatives from the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden who oversee food safety…
READ MOREFrank Yiannas bows out from his role as FDA’s Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy and Response
U.S – Frank Yiannas, Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy and Response, FDA has submitted his resignation from the agency citing his concern that the decentralized structure of the foods program significantly impaired the FDA’s ability to operate as an integrated food team and protect the public. Yiannas took the mantle as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food Response and Policy in…
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