Other risks

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has completed the first ever review of the safety of 11 smoke flavourings used in the European Union. Based on EFSA’s work, the European Commission will establish a list of smoke flavouring products authorised for use in foods.

List of opinions on smoking flovours
Smoking flavours opinions

Among Salmonella isolates, resistance to the commonly used antimicrobials of tetracycline, ampicillin and sulfonamide were frequently reported, and the proportion of resistant isolates in animals varied between 13%-47% in the reporting MS group. The resistance levels were higher in isolates from pigs and cattle compared to isolates from fowl. However, resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid was highest among Salmonella isolates from Gallus gallus where it reached 18%-19%, at reporting MS group level.

Antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter isolates was more common than in Salmonella isolates from food and animals. Resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid varied between 34%-62% in the reporting MS group, and were highest among Campylobacter isolates from Gallus gallus and broiler meat.

EFSA report on Antimicrobial Resistance

EFSA conduct a review of the available information on the potential of transmission of the new (2009) nH1N1 human influenza pandemic virus to humans via food (pork and turkey meat and by-products).

Report main conclusions:

Swine are fully susceptible to the nH1N1 virus and may become infected after contact with infected humans, but no contact infections have been reported from swine to humans;

The infection in swine is purely respiratory with no viraemia or virus dissemination to muscles or edible organs;

1. Low virus quantity contamination of food, including pork or pork products could be introduced by respiratory secretions containing nH1N1 virus during slaughter or handling;
2. If ingested with food, the number of viable influenza virus particles will be reduced by acidic pH in the stomach and bile salts in the duodenum;
3. There is no evidence that the human gastro-intestinal tract tissues can serve as a portal of entry or as a target organ for mammalian type A influenza viruses, including nH1N1;
4. As oropharyngeal tissues are known ports of entry for mammalian influenza viruses, food that passes such tissues, if contaminated with nH1N1 virus, could hypothetically transmit an infection to humans; normal cooking procedures inactivate the virus in food;
5. Commercially available disinfectants used for sanitation of food processing equipment rapidly destroy influenza viruses;
6. Overall, food contaminated with nH1N1 influenza viruses does not appear to be a vehicle for infection in humans.

nH1N1 EFSA report

This report summarized the 2008 results from the monitoring of veterinary medicinal product residues and other substances in food of animal origin in the Member States.

A total of over 750,000 targeted samples were reported, of which less than 2,000 (0.27%) results were found to be over the legal limits. The frequency of non-compliant results (i.e. those which exceeded maximum limits) was similar to that found in previous years for most regulated veterinary medicines.

EFSA Report

CONTAM Panel has set a new TDI of 0.2 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight. Due to this new TDI, It is recommended that the current SML for melamine from food contact materials is reconsidered in the light of the TDI of 0.2 mg/kg b.w. taking into account all sources of exposure.

CONTAM Opinion

The report summarises data collected in 2007 from across the UK for a range of bacterial organisms of medical and veterinary importance in the UK. It brings together data on antimicrobial consumption, significant pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibilities across the fields of human health, animal health and food.

Report

EFSA News
Statement

INFOSAN issued a Information Note on the current state of knowledge and future actions by WHO and FAO on Bisphenol A . Daily dietary intakes, based on concentrations measured in food, vary widely, but have been estimated in Europe to be about 0.2μg/kg body weight in breast-fed babies, 2.3μg/kg body weight in formula-fed babies using non-PC bottles, 11μg/kg body weight in formula-fed babies using PC bottles, and 1.5μg/kg body weight in adults.EFSA noted that the conservative estimates of exposure were less than 30% of this TDI in all population groups considered, including infants fed using PC bottles.

INFOSAN 5/2009

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued new advice to pregnant women on daily caffeine consumption. The amount of caffeine in food and drink will vary, but as a guide each of these contains roughly 200mg or less of caffeine: 2 mugs of instant coffee (100mg each), 1 mug of filter coffee (140mg each), 2 mugs of tea (75mg each), 5 cans of cola (up to 40mg each), 2 cans of ''''energy'''' drink (up to 80mg each) or 4 (50g) bars of plain chocolate (up to 50 mg each).

COT Report

The International Life Sciences Institute ILSI reviewed the criteria for identifying allergenic foods of public health importance. This criteria include clinical issues (diagnosis, potency of allergen, severity of reactions), population elements (prevalence, exposure) and modulating factors (food processing). In the framework, data providing evidence for these criteria are weighted according to quality, using a ranking derived from evidence-based medicine.

Review