News

The antimicrobial resistance data among zoonotic and indicator bacteria in 2011, submitted by 26 European Union Member States, were jointly analysed by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Data covered resistance in zoonotic Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates from humans, food and animals, and in indicator Escherichia coli and enterococci isolates from animals and food.

EFSA antimicrobial resistance report 2013

The Catalonian Food Safety Agency (ACSA) has published the results of the exposure assessment of Patulin in food during the period 2008-2009, and analyzed the associated human health risk. In this forth chapter, ACSA has published the results of intake of Patulin present in apple food and beverage products.

The results showed that the exposure of Catalonian population to Patulin is below the safety levels established by TDI.

Patulin assessment

Methodology

Food consumption

The Interagency Risk Assessment - Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens provides a scientific assessment of the risk of foodborne illness associated with consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods commonly prepared and sold in the delicatessen (deli) of a retail food store.

The risk assessment evaluates the extent to which retail practices may increase or decrease the relative exposure to L. monocytogenes in RTE foods, and the subsequent public health risk of listeriosis from these RTE foods (e.g., deli meats, cheeses, or deli salads sliced, prepared, or packaged in grocery delis).

The key findings from this assessment of risk of listeriosis associated with RTE foods prepared and served in retail deli operations include:

• Control Growth. Employing practices that prevent bacterial growth dramatically reduced the predicted risk of listeriosis, as observed in other L. monocytogenes risk assessments.
• Control Cross Contamination. Cross contamination of L. monocytogenes in the retail environment dramatically increases the predicted risk of listeriosis.
• Control Contamination at its Source. Increasing the concentration and transfers of L. monocytogenes from incoming products, the environment, or niches directly increases the predicted risk of illness.
• Identify Key Routes of Contamination. The slicer (for deli meats and cheeses) and the salad utensils (for deli salads) are sources of L. monocytogenes cross contamination to RTE foods.
• Continue Sanitation. Sanitation practices that eliminate L. monocytogenes from the deli area food contact surfaces results in a reduction in the predicted risk of illness.

QRA -Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens

The Dutch Institute for Pubic Health and the Environment (RIVM) has developed a risk profile of the virus that can be transmitted to humans through food, for what you have collected all available information on three types of food virus :

• Hepatitis A in seafood
• Norovirus in fruits and vegetables
• Hepatitis E in pigs

Risk profile

The European Commission has adopted on Monday 6 May 2013 a package of measures to strengthen the enforcement of health and safety standards for the whole agri-food chain.

The package of measures provide a modernised and simplified, more risked-based approach to the protection of health and more efficient control tools to ensure the effective application of the rules guiding the operation of the food chain.

The current body of EU legislation covering the food chain consists of almost 70 pieces of legislation. The package of reform will cut this down to 5 pieces of legislation and will also reduce the red-tape on processes and procedures for farmers, breeders and food business operators (producers, processors and distributors) to make it easier for them to carry out their profession.

Businesses will benefit from simpler, science and risk-based rules in terms of reduced administrative burden, more efficient processes and measures to finance and strengthen the control and eradication of animal diseases and plant pests. Consumers will benefit from safer products and a more effective and more transparent system of controls along the chain.

Package of measures

EFSA was asked by the European Commission to deliver a Scientific Opinion on guidance on methodological principles and scientific methods to be take n into account when establishing Reference Points for Action (RPAs) for non - allowed pharmacologically active substances in food of animal origin.

Full report

The presence of unauthorised substances, residues of veterinary medicinal products or chemical contaminants in food may pose a risk factor for public health.

Report - EFSA

The present methodological study was executed to assess how the compatibility of existing consumption data as well as the representativeness of food dietary exposure and risk estimates at the European level could be improved through the development of a “Compiled European Food Consumption Database”.

Full report

For the assessment of multiple residues in regulatory practice, the BfR recommends that the cumulative risk be evaluated by means of the determination and addition of hazard indices (HI) for the individual active substances. This is a simple and fast method which provides consumers with adequate protection at the same time and which can be refined step-by-step if necessary by including additional toxicological information. The hazard index is a measure of the extent to which the residue of an active substance ingested via food reaches its toxicological limit values (ADI, ARfD). In addition, the cumulative assessment groups to which the individual substances are classified due to their toxicological effect should not be too big. It would be preferable to use deterministic methods to estimate cumulative exposure

BfR cumulative risk of pesticides

The aim of the site is to promote scientific cooperation and networking in Europe by enabling countries to share information on risk assessment activities in food and feed safety. This includes notifying when a risk assessment has started and sharing outputs of risk assessment activities. This report provides information on the Use of the IEP by Member States, EEA/EFTA and EU candidate countries, the number and type of Documents uploaded in 2012.

During 2012, a total of 254 documents have been uploaded by 21 countries, reaching a total of 1212 documents that were uploaded. The vast majority are RA Outputs (995) and the rest are Workplans (83), RA Mandates (69) and Country Specific Info (65). In 2012 year some 500 users have paid a total of 1600 visits and performed almost 1900 downloads.

Different countries use the IEP to a different extent, and though the platform has been used by most of the countries and has functioned as a cooperation tool, it seems that the restricted access to the IEP is resulting to a limited number of visits and downloads.

Considering the non-confidential nature of the documents that are shared within the IEP it would be advisable to open access.This wider access is expected to increase awareness of the already comprehensive set of risk assessment outputs and documents that have been shared by the Member States, so that other users would be stimulated to share other relevant outputs.

Annual IEP Report 012

Based on samples taken from 300 products collected between November 2011 to December 2012 (294 were analysed for acrylamide and 113 analysed for furan), the survey gives a snapshot of the range of acrylamide and furan levels in UK retail foods.

For this 2011- 2012 period, the number of products found to contain acrylamide levels that exceeded the ‘indicative value’ for their food group was 17. Where an acrylamide level has exceeded an indicative value, the Agency has asked the relevant local authority to investigate.

The levels of acrylamide and furan reported do not increase concern about the risk to human health and the Agency has not changed its advice to consumers. The Agency advises that consumers follow Department of Health advice on eating a balanced diet and follow Agency advice on acrylamide minimisation.

As with previous years, the survey results for acrylamide and furan will be sent to EFSA for collation, trend analysis and, in the case of furan, a risk assessment.

Acrylamide and furan levels in food

During 2007-2010, 13 545 confirmed human VTEC infections and 777 haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) cases were reported in the EU; isolates from 85 % of cases were not fully serotyped and therefore could not be classified using the Karmali seropathotype concept.

Seropathotype group D covered 5 % of isolates from fully serotyped cases; 14 cases (0.7 %) belonged to seropathotype group E, defined by Karmali et al. (2003) as non-human only. Isolates from around 27 % of cases could not be assigned. There were no HUS cases reported for the serotypes in groups D and E but 17 HUS cases could not be assigned. The health outcome was reported for only a fraction of confirmed cases. About 64 % of patients presented with only diarrhoea; VTEC infection resulted in HUS in around 10 % of cases. The new ISO/TS 13136:2012 standard improves the detection of VTEC in food. An alternative concept based on the detection of verocytotoxins alone or genes encoding such verocytotoxins does not provide a sound scientific basis on which to assess risk to the consumer.

EFSA VTEC

The present study was set up as an extensive literature review aimed at evaluating biological hazards associated with FoNAO (Food-borne diseases caused by food of non-animal origin) with high water content.

Data were extracted from 432 publications to identify the most critical FoNAO/pathogen combinations. The number and severity of outbreaks of disease provided the basis for a primary evaluation, and qualitative criteria relating to pathogen prevalence, food/pathogen interaction, and the production of FoNAO items were used for defining three priority groups:

Priority group 1: leafy green vegetables (in particular lettuce and spinach) in combination with pathogenic E. coli. Salmonella spp. on/in leafy greens and on/in tomatoes, respectively, were also given priority one for EU and non-EU countries, respectively. In the EU, berries (in particular frozen strawberries) linked to Norovirus were also attributed level 1 priority. In non-EU countries, the level 1 priority group included also melon (cantaloupe) with Salmonella and tropical fruit (mango and papaya) with Salmonella.

Priority group 2: for EU countries comprised the combinations lettuce/Norovirus and fresh herbs (basil)/Salmonella spp., while semidried tomatoes combined with Hepatitis A virus, grated carrots combined with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. For non-EU countries, priority group 2 included lettuce/Norovirus, spinach/pathogenic E.coli and cantaloupe melon/Listeria monocytogenes.

Priority group 3: For Eu countries, cucumber in combination with parasites. Hepatitis A virus both in unpasteurized orange juice and on/in green onion for non-EU-countries.

The study provides a broad scientific database that will be instrumental in the conceptualisation of specific measures for improving the safety of FoNAO. Ultimately, it may contribute to the prevention and a better control of food borne diseases.

Microbiological hazards linked to food of non-animal origin

Report

Fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables are treated during production to decrease the numbers of harmful microorganisms. This will extend the produce’s shelf life and will reduce the numbers of pathogenic microorganisms on the food. These treatments are especially effective for the inactivation of bacteria, thereby reducing the risk of consumers becoming ill. However, viruses are not efficiently inactivated when treatment is performed with the doses currently used in the food industry. Higher doses may be more effective but adversely affect the quality, color and texture of the product. This has emerged from a literature review conducted by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) on the effectiveness of disinfection processes for viruses in the food industry. The study was commissioned by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).

One of the possible treatments is the washing of produce in water containing disinfectants, such as chlorine compounds, hydrogen peroxide or ozone. Other treatments that are applied on a small scale, such as treatment by UV or gamma rays or high-pressure processing, have the advantage that they not only affect the surface of produce but penetrate the produce to inactivate pathogens sheltered in e.g. crevices or seed pockets. However, they are most effective at doses that induce undesirable structural changes and deteriorate food quality.

A promising solution is a combination of treatments (‘hurdle technology’). This enables each treatment to be applied at low intensity, thus preserving the freshness and structure of produce but giving it a longer shelf life. The selection of hurdles needs to be made carefully to obtain effective virus inactivation while preserving the quality of the fresh produce.

Report

This guidance is intended for primary seafood processors who purchase reef fish such as grouper, amberjack, snapper, lionfish, king mackerel, and barracuda. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is recommending that primary seafood processors take measures to minimize the risk of ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) from fish that they distribute.

Guidance

The purpose of this assessment was to identify public health risks linked to mechanically separated meat (MSM) types from pork and poultry and compare them with fresh meat, minced meat and meat preparations (non-MSM); and to select, rank and suggest objective measurement methods and values for parameters to distinguish MSM types.

EFSA Risk Assessmment linked to mechanically separated meat

A total of 2183 food samples collected between 2007 and 2012, and with analytical data on the four aflatoxins of interest, were available in the database. Among the samples, 1341 corresponded to cereals and their milling products and 842 to processed cereal products. Rice (636 samples) and breakfast cereals (346 samples) were the categories with the highest number of samples reported. Some 1964 samples (90%) did not report quantified values for any of the four aflatoxins.

EFSA Report on Aflatoxins in Europe

The Catalonian Food Safety Agency (ACSA) has published the results of the exposure assessment of perfluorinated compounds in food during the year 2008-2009, and analyzed the associated human health risk.

The results showed that the intake of those chemical persistant contaminants for Catalonian adult population is quite below the safety levels established by EFSA.

Assessment exposure to perfluorinated compounds

In the context of modernising post-mortem meat inspection (PMMI) to make it truly risk-based and food chain-orientated, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is currently assessing existing official EU meat inspection including PMMI procedures for a range of livestock species. EFSA´s scientific opinions on meat inspection of swine and poultry have already been published1, and those on meat inspection of ruminants, farmed game animals and solipeds are under development.

Full report

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the risk of entry of Aethina tumida (small hive beetle, SHB) and Tropilaelaps spp. in the European Union (EU) and the identification and evaluation of risk reduction options.

Based on the results of the pest risk assessment and the evaluation of risk reduction options, the AHAW Panel identified a need for validated rapid detection methods for SHB and Tropilaelaps and a need for handling and sampling of imported bees in an insect-proof environment at the designated place of final destination. Education and training of people involved in beekeeping, or trade in or transport of bees, by improving awareness, skills and expertise, could help to monitor the distribution of SHB and Tropilaelaps in third countries and to prevent entry of both pests into the risk assessment area. It is recommended that research be carried out to ascertain the risk of SHB entry via products such as ripe fruits and soil associated with plants as well as the harmful effects of Tropilaelaps infestation. At present, there are only limited data available on the harmful effects of Tropilaelaps infestation and the current view is at least partially based on extrapolations from Varroa infestations.

Input risk bee diseases-EFSA

Data published in recent years show clearly that norovirus occur on deep-frozen berries and that they can cause outbreaks of illness. Laboratory detection of norovirus in the batch of deep-frozen strawberries that caused the outbreak in autumn 2012 has now also confirmed this insight for Germany.

Berries can come into contact with norovirus at different points of their production, for example through improper irrigation or fertilisation. In addition, persons infected with norovirus can spread the virus to the berries during the harvest or packaging. In the case of deep-frozen berries, norovirus also comes into contact with the berries through contaminated water which is added as part of the freezing process.

Noroviruses cause acute diarrhoea with vomiting in humans of all age groups, with the illness leading to a considerable loss of fluids. For babies and young children as well as old and ill persons, the illness can be severe and end in death in some cases.

According to the current state of knowledge, it is to be assumed that a high risk of infection is posed not only by raw but also by briefly or unevenly heated dishes made from deep-frozen berries, if they are contaminated with norovirus. However, heating to a core temperature of over 90 °C seems sufficient to completely inactivate any viruses that may be present.

BFR

The latest available Europe-wide testing programme of pesticides in food has found that over 97% of samples contained residue levels that fall within permissible limits, said the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The European Union Report on Pesticide Residues in Foods also assessed dietary exposure and concluded the chemical residues on the foods analysed did not pose a long-term risk to consumer health. The evaluation of short-term dietary exposure excluded a risk to consumers from 99.6% of food samples.

The fourth annual report, published today, gives an overview of pesticide residues found in food in 2010 in the 27 EU Member States, as well as Iceland and Norway[1]. As part of this analysis, EFSA tested an innovative approach to dietary exposure known as cumulative risk assessment. In contrast to established techniques that evaluate pesticide residues individually, this approach considers the potential effects of combined exposure to a number of chemicals that have similar toxicological properties.

EFSA Pesticides Unit head Herman Fontier said: "This annual report on pesticide residues makes important recommendations for improved monitoring at national and EU level. It ensures risk managers have the most accurate and relevant information upon which to make decisions."

EFSA

Spanish food compsumption 2012 stats

The Catalonian Food Safety Agency (ACSA) has published the results of the exposure assessment of Ocratoxin A in food during the period 2008-2009, and analyzed the associated human health risk. In this second part, ACSA has published the results of intake of ocratoxin A present in cereals and derivated products (beer, infant food, sliced bread), coffee and wine.

The results showed that the exposure of Catalonian population to Ocratoxin A is below the safety levels established by EFSA.

Ocratoxin A assessment

Methodology

Food consumption

ECDC’s new Annual Epidemiological Report provides a comprehensive review of more than 50 communicable diseases currently notifiable under EU legislation.

ECDC Annual Report 2012

FSA is looking forward to another busy year as it prepares to deliver around 690 scientific outputs in 2013. Specific aspects of the risk assessment programme will include advice on the use of animal-based welfare indicators and meat inspection. Work related to public health will covers areas such as dietary reference values for micronutrients, mycotoxins and acrylamide. Other key outputs will include bee health and pesticides, bisphenol A and aspartame to name a few. The full programme will reflect EFSA’s broad remit to protect consumers, animals and the environment while supporting innovation in the agri-food sector.

Work Plan 2013- EFSA

This document provides the global status of scientific knowledge on exposure to and effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).

The work is based on the fact that endocrine systems are very similar across vertebrate species and that endocrine effects manifest themselves independently of species. The effects are endocrine system related and not necessarily species dependent. Effects shown in wildlife or experimental animals may also occur in humans if they are exposed to EDCs at a vulnerable time and at concentrations leading to alterations of endocrine regulation. Of special concern are effects on early development of both humans and wildlife, as these effects are often irreversible and may not become evident until later in life. The third and final chapter of this document discusses exposure of humans and wildlife to EDCs and potential EDCs.

Full report