FSAI | Food Safety Africa Magazine

Ireland Consumers sickened after consuming cannabis gummies containing dangerous THC knockoffs

Jan 12, 2023Jan 16, 2023

IRELAND – The Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) has raised an alarm about synthetic cannabinoids masquerading as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) edibles, in sweets and candies that have led to a few hospitalizations. In December 2022, the HSE’s National Social Inclusion Office (NSIO) reported that the hospitalizations resulted from consuming fake Jolly Rancher gummies in Ireland’s Tipperary Region. Forensic Science Ireland’s investigation…

Ireland records ongoing adherence to permitted residues in food

Nov 25, 2022Nov 25, 2022

IRELAND – The National Residue Control Plan (NRCP) tests conducted in 2021 by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) have revealed that 99.89% of the food samples taken were compliant and contained no indications of permitted or banned pollutants. The NRCP involves testing for banned substances, approved veterinary medicines, approved animal feed additives, and environmental contaminants. Over…

FSAI urges public to be cautious of cannabis edibles like jelly sweets

Oct 28, 2021Oct 28, 2021

IRELAND – The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has urged the public to be extremely vigilant to the dangers of inadvertent consumption, particularly by children, of cannabis edibles, products such as jelly sweets containing the psychoactive cannabis component known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The FSAI issues this warning in advance of the Halloween festivities next week where small children, teenagers…

FSAI Audit of Halal Claims on meat, poultry proves satisfactory

Oct 6, 2021Oct 7, 2021

IRELAND – The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has revealed that its Audit of Halal Claims on Meat and Poultry outcome proved satisfactory despite a number of legislative breaches. The Audit of Halal Claims on Meat and Poultry aimed to assess the validity of claims made by Food Business Operators (FBOs) regarding the halal status of the meat and…

FSAI publishes guidance note for unpasteurized fermented plant-based products

Oct 6, 2021Oct 6, 2021

IRELAND – The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has published a new guidance note on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for the Production of Ready-to-eat (RTE) Unpasteurized Fermented Plant-based Products to assist producers to produce safe products. The guidance was developed in light of a survey carried out by the FSAI on unpasteurized plant-based fermented beverages such as kombucha, kefir…

FSAI urges regular fact-checking of breakfast cereal nutrition labels to ascertain credibility

Sep 30, 2021Sep 30, 2021

IRELAND – The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has revealed that consumers cannot be dependent on breakfast cereal nutrition labels to indicate true food composition and should be regularly verified. The report was carried out to assess the use of nutrition labels on breakfast cereals to see whether they can be relied upon to monitor food reformulation of food…

FSAI announces appointment of new Scientific Committee

Jul 22, 2021Jul 22, 2021

IRELAND – The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has announced the appointments to its new Scientific Committee which will offer expert scientific advice on all aspects of food safety and nutrition. The Scientific Committee comprises of 15 members from a variety of backgrounds, appointed by the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly T.D. Where deemed appropriate, sub-committees are formed to…