Alternative Methods – RAPID´Chromogenic Media
Bio-Rad
Consumers received confirmation this week that food safety remains a top priority for Europe when ministers met under the auspices of the EU agriculture council.
The council reached a political agreement on the second of the five proposals on simplification of the EU hygiene rules. David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, welcomed the measure which was proposed by the Commission as part of its general hygiene package.
Food of animal origin is particularly prone to microbiological and chemical hazards and this new measure aims to prevent hazards to human health arising from such food. The legislation aims to focus on setting objectives while leaving business flexibility in deciding which safety measures to take.
On the subject of additives in animal nutrition, also recently a major concern for new GMO labelling proposals , the council reached an agreement on new rules for the authorisation of feed additives. The new legislation aims to strengthen the control of all types of additives in animal feed, but in particular it completes the EU's drive to phase out antibiotics as growth promoters. The Commission stressed that strengthening rules on the safety of animal feed is one of the cornerstones of the EU's food safety strategy. Banning the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in feed is also vital to efforts to combat anti-microbial resistance, the institution continued.
A thorny issue between Europe and the US, where growth promoters are legal, the Council reached a political agreement on the Commission proposal of May 2000 to amend current legislation prohibiting the use of all hormones as growth promoters. Scientific opinion has repeatedly confirmed, the Commission underlined, that such use of hormones in cattle poses a health risk to consumers.
A further hot topic in food safety today is the presence of acrylamide, a potential carcinogen, in foodstuffs. In response to emerging concerns over acrylamide, Germany asked for an EU-wide strategy to combat acrylamide in foodstuffs.
The Commission responded by stating that "it is well aware of the early findings on acrylamide in food". David Byrne said this week that the Commission had initiated a series of actions in response to concerns, in particular a consultation of the Scientific Committee on Food and an exchange of information and data collection with the Member States' experts and other stakeholders. One principal objective, added Byrne, is to understand how to reduce the levels of acrylamide formed during the processing and cooking of food.
To this end, the Commission has decided to establish a database, which will summarise activities in relation to acrylamide in food in the EU, on the basis of submissions by the Member States and other stakeholders. The database will aim to provide a complete picture of all work in the EU on this issue and will be a critical element, claims the Commission, in ensuring a co-ordinated approach. The database is due to be up and running in a few weeks and will be accessible to all parties. The Commission hopes that this move should contribute to establishing guidelines for good practice to reduce levels of acrylamide in food. Time will tell if this is the case, but the move is certainly a step in the right direction.
