News Headlines: 27 March


Home \| Text Size \| Tell a Friend \| Search \| MEMBER LOGIN

News

Feature Articles

Useful Links

Food Safety Matters

Fact-Sheet Index

Microbial Hazards

Parasites

Biological Toxins

Contaminants

Food allergens

Legislation & HACCP

About Membership

Member Login

About this Site

Who are we?

Help

home | News | News Headlines: 27 March - 01 April . . .

News Headlines: 27 March - 01 April 2010

Survey results for dioxin contamination published; Europe consults on bisphenol A safety; FSAI publishes food law guide for small businesses; International conference examines Campylobacter reduction strategies; A new alternative to antibiotic treatment for food poisoning? ; Consumers warned over raw milk health risk; USDA invites comments on new food safety rule

Survey results for dioxin contamination published

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a new report presenting an analysis of the levels of dioxins and related compounds such as PCBs in food and feed across Europe.

The report is based on results from the testing of more than 7000 samples collected in 21 European countries between 1999 and 2008. Approximately 8% of the samples exceeded maximum levels permitted by EU legislation. But some of these were taken to investigate specific instances of contamination and the report concludes that no overall trend could be seen in terms of changes in background levels of dioxins and other contaminants over time. Highest levels were seen in animal liver and liver products, especially fish liver.

The report recommends that continuous random testing of samples from each food and feed group is needed to ensure accurate assessments of dioxin and dioxin-like PCBs in the future.

The report can be found on the EFSA web site via the link below.

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/datex100331.htm

Europe consults on bisphenol A safety

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been holding consultations with experts from 19 European countries and with several international risk assessment authorities on possible health problems posed by the industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which is used in some packaging.

At a meeting in Parma on 26 March members of the EFSA food contact materials panel and European Commission representatives met with 25 nominated European experts to discuss a draft opinion on BPA and the results of a recent literature review on the topic. National safety assessments from Denmark, France and Germany were also presented. The Danes have announced a temporary ban on the use of BPA in packaging for products aimed at young children because of concerns that low level exposure to the chemical could affect development of the nervous system.

Similar discussions took place on the 29 March during a telephone conference involving EFSA, the FDA, Health Canada, FSANZ, The Japanese Food Safety Commission and WHO.

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/cef100331.htm

FSAI publishes food law guide for small businesses

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has published a guide to food law aimed at artisan and small food producers, especially those planning to set up new businesses.

The Authority says that the publication of the new guide, entitled Guide to Food Law for Artisan/Small Food Producers Starting and New Business, coincides with rising interest from members of the public in starting new food businesses.

The guide includes information on what business operators must do to operate within the law, including requirements on food safety management, traceability and food safety training. It also summarises food legislation on food hygiene, microbiological criteria, additives and contaminants, as well as labelling and general food law.

The guide is free and can be downloaded from the FSAI web site at the link below.

http://www.fsai.ie/assets/0/86/204/ddd8c357-62df-4e70-b705-086e5f31f630.pdf

International conference examines Campylobacter reduction strategies

The UK Food Standards Agency is hosting an international conference in London this week to discuss the various methods used around the world to tackle the problem of Campylobacter contamination in poultry meat.

A recent survey of Campylobacter in chicken meat in the UK showed that about 65% of samples were contaminated. The Agency has convened this week's conference to see what can be learnt from the experiences of other countries and to help inform future strategies to reduce contamination rates.

Among the controls being considered by the conference are anti-microbial washes, steam treatments and freezing, all of which have been used successfully in certain countries.

http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2010/mar/campylobacter

A new alternative to antibiotic treatment for food poisoning?

New research by a team at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has discovered a compound that can disrupt the chemical sensing system that can trigger toxin production in some foodborne pathogens.

Pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella are known to recognise their environment by detecting adrenaline produced by their host. They do this using a receptor called QseC, which is bound to the surface of the bacterial cell. When adrenaline binds to the receptor it triggers a sequence of events, which can lead to toxin production.

The Texas team, led by Dr Vanessa Sperandio, have identified a molecule called LED209, which prevents adrenaline binding to the QseC receptor, disrupts cell signalling, reduces toxin production and also inhibits attachment to the host's gut epithelial cells. It is hoped that the discovery could lead to the development of a novel class of antimicrobial agents.

The research findings were presented to a meeting of the Society for General Microbiology in Edinburgh on 28 March.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-03/sfgm-tf032410.php

Consumers warned over raw milk health risk

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and several state health agencies are warning consumers about an outbreak of campylobacteriosis in Michigan associated with drinking raw milk.

The outbreak has so far affected at least 12 people and is being investigated by the FDA and state agencies from Michigan, Illinois and Indiana. The contaminated raw milk is thought to have originated from Forest Grove Dairy in Middlebury, Indiana.

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm206311.htm

USDA invites comments on new food safety rule

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced that it is seeking comments on new proposals designed to improve food safety.

The proposed new rule would require that regulated establishments: notify FSIS promptly if any unsafe, unwholesome, or misbranded meat or poultry has entered commerce; prepare and maintain current recall procedures; document every reassessment of control plans or HACCP plans.

The rule has been drawn up in response to the recommendations of President Obama's Food Safety Working Group, set up last year with the express intent of improving food safety in the USA.

Comments must be received before 24 May 2010 and more information can be found at the link below.

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2010/03/0150.xml