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EUROPE – As part of its “Europe’s Fighting Cancer Strategy,” which aims to reduce or eliminate the carcinogenic risk from chemicals in food in EU member states, the European Union (EU) has established new limitations on the amount of arsenic permissible in some food items, including infant formula. The new regulations, which are based on a scientific report from the…
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EUROPE – The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has estimated that 0.05 mg/kg is the highest concentration for grayanotoxins, a natural compound found in honey, that would not negatively affect honey consumers. EFSA conducted a risk assessment on the risks to human health posed by the presence of grayanotoxins in honey following a request from the European Commission. The study…
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EUROPE – Latest data from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has shown that residues of veterinary medications and other compounds discovered in animals and animal-derived products continue to drop in the EU and that compliance levels are increasing. Data from EU Member States, Iceland, and Norway are included in the EFSA’s annual report for 2021 on veterinary chemical residues…
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EUROPE – The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has declared that aged meat does not pose any additional dangers to fresh meat if it’s aged under controlled conditions. Following a request from the European Commission, the Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards(BIOHAZ) was asked to provide a scientific opinion on the impact of prolonged ageing of meat using the dry-ageing process…
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EUROPE – The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Scientific Committee has concluded that no retention of copper is expected to occur with an intake of up to 5 mg per day and established an acceptable daily intake (safe level) of 0.07 milligrams per kilogram of body weight for the adult population. EFSA had earlier given room for public consultations which…
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EUROPE – The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released its scientific protocol for the hazard assessment of plasticizer substances used in food contact materials (FCMs). which lays out the guidelines for how the study will be done. The protocol is the most recent development in its preparatory work to reevaluate the health concerns associated with plasticizers used in various FCMs…
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EUROPE – The EU’s One Health zoonosis report published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has revealed an increase in reported cases of zoonotic diseases and foodborne outbreaks in 2021 compared to the previous year. However, according to the report, the levels are still much below those of the…
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EUROPE – In their latest assessment of sulfur dioxide (E220) and sulfites, the experts at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have concluded that dietary intakes of sulfites could pose a safety risk for high users of food products containing the additives (E221-228). The Panel found evidence of adverse health effects on the central nervous system such as a delayed…
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EUROPE – The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) GMO Panel has declared herbicide-tolerant maize MON 87429 safe for import, processing, and food and feed uses within the European Union (EU). On 2 October 2019, Bayer Agriculture submitted the EFSA-GMO-NL-2019-161 application under Regulation (EU) No 503/2013, requesting that the EFSA GMO Panel provide a Scientific Opinion on the safety of GM…
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EUROPE – The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has identified the presence of resistant bacteria in animals before transport as one of the main risk factors contributing to the transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This is after an assessment requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) on the risk of resistant zoonotic…
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