The EU's food regulator has chided Nestlé and Tetra Pak for what it
says are their misinterpretations of its preliminary advice about
the safety of using the chemical ITX (isopropylthioxanthone) in
food packaging.
Sue Davies' appointment as chair of the EFSA's Stakeholder
Consultative Platform is one more step towards the achievement of a
coordinated food safety policy in the EU.
A report by the EU's food regulator not only indicates that it is
moving to recommend that table eggs be washed in the bloc, but also
provides insight to the different methods and equipment food plants
use to handle procedure.
Europe's watchdog continues to wade through the risk assessment of
1000 flavouring substances, concluding that seven out of eight in
the latest batch need more data to determine 'reliable exposure'.
Improving communications in food science and safety Europe's food
agency is calling for feedback from scientific organisations to
form a formal scientific network.
EFSA executive director Geoffrey Podger is stepping down to take up
a new post as chief executive of the British Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) on 28 November 2005, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
Reports from a fresh Italian study alleging aspartame could pose a
cancer risk are not in harmony with the extensive research that
exist on aspartame, say suppliers of this popular sweetener.
Overall there is no difference in health risks to consumers between
farmed and wild salmon according to scientists at the European food
safety regulator.
European scientists agree that efforts to reduce the potential
carcinogen acrylamide from the European food chain must continue,
and that science must focus on long-term studies to build a
stronger picture of the impact this genotoxic...
Improving communication between food scientists working on the
harmful chemical acrylamide identified in starch-rich fried foods
two years ago, Europe's food agency this week publishes an
'information base' with updated...
A joint development with O-ring specialist Eriks and Milliken
Chemical has come up with a range of sealing rings for the dairy
industry that aim to minimise the presence and effects of bacteria
and microbes.
As Europe's food agency finally makes the permanent move to Italy,
a framework plan for 2005 consolidates the key objectives for the
EU's major risk assessor.
Australia's food watchdog reassures consumers on the safety of a
genetically modified corn refined for use in a range of food
products after new research sparks rumours.
In a bid to gauge the popularity and concerns of new European rules
on food allergens the UK's food watchdog has launched a public
consultation on the regulations that will mean food labels will
have to list certain potentially...
The countdown begins to new food allergen labelling rules in Europe
that herald an end to the 20 year old '25 per cent' rule. Taken
together with escalating incidences of food allergies, new
opportunities have arisen in...
Europe's food watchdog gives the green light to a genetically
modified maize designed by US firm Monsanto, but fails to reach a
conclusion on the safety of a second GM hybrid maize application
from the biotech giant. The risk...
Biotech firms, consumer groups and environmental campaigners have
the opportunity to voice their concerns about the framework for the
risk assessment of GM food in the EU with the European food
watchdog inviting comments on a new...
The newly-established European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is not
about to 'abandon Brussels,' according to executive director
Geoffrey Podger, and transparency and independence will be the
defining characteristics of the...
After months of risk assessment scientists at Europe's first food
safety agency have given the green light to Monsanto's
herbicide-tolerant GM maize. NK 60 is as safe as conventional
maize, they declare.
If traceability is at the heart of new food labelling rules in
Europe then the life blood keeping it beating must be risk
management. On the eve of the first ever risk assessment on
genetically modified organisms delivered by Europe's...
Calls to food manufacturers to develop alternative methods for
sealing jars of food were voiced by the UK Food Standards Agency
this week following a European scientific review on the presence of
semicarbazide - a weak carcinogen...
How can Europe's infant food safety body function without staff?
For the newly elected board of the European food Safety Authority
this question was the central debate when they met yesterday in
Brussels.
The European Food Safety Authority has said that scientific
analysis indicates that semicarbazide may have been found in some
plastic sealing gaskets used in lids of glass jars and in some
packaged foods.
As Ireland prepares to take over the EU Presidency from Italy at
the start of 2004, Food safety promises to be a major issue with an
international conference organised by the Food Safety Authority of
Ireland scheduled for March.
The advisory forum of the new European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
was the guest of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in
Berlin this week.
The management board of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
met on Wednesday for the first time after the setting up of - in
the words of the chairman Stuart Slorach - the "main
cornerstones of the Authority" But a...
The European Food Safety Authority's scientific committee says that
its panels have now been appointed, opening the way for the body to
start work on streamlining safety within the European food and
drinks industry.
After a period of silence, the European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA) commented on Thursday that its newly appointed management
board had selected a number of scientific experts to make up the
EFSA's yet to be formed Scientific...
Geoffrey Podger, the recently elected executive director of the
European Food Safety Authority, this week gave the green light for
the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration to evaluate flavours
for an EU-wide initiative that is...
As promised last year, the European Commission is now offering
online access to a new database that compiles research efforts on
several topics related to the issue of acrylamide in food.
Last week we reported on the distinctly sloth-like installation of
the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), but newly installed
executive director of the EFSA, Geoffrey Podger, reports that the
first meeting of its Advisory Forum...
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is slowly taking form -
several months behind schedule - with the announcement this week
that it is currently on the look out for scientists to join its
scientific committee and scientific...
Do you remember the following words from European Commissioner for
health and consumer protection David Byrne? : "I am determined
to ensure that the momentum we have created on food safety
continues… the Commission is forging...
The creation of a new European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is a
major component of the legal and organisational reforms to tackle
food safety in Europe. When the Council of Ministers recently
announced the composition of the new...
A further step towards the implementation of the new European Food
Safety Authority (EFSA) took place this week when the European
Commission announced a short list of 30 candidates, from which 14
members of the Management Board of...
The European Commission moved one step closer this week to
establishing the food safety edifice for the European consumer with
the launch of the hunt for an Executive Director to head up the new
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The chairman of Anglo-Dutch food company Unilever has called on the
new European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to take the lead in the
matter of food safety and to simplify the licensing of novel foods,
in order to encourage innovation.
The incapacity of European leaders at the Laeken summit this
weekend to make a decision on the location of the new European Food
Safety Authority (EFSA) means that the new food safety edifice
will, for the moment, be based in Brussels.
