Pesticide residues in vegetables? Contaminants in palm oil? Traces of veterinary medicines in meat? This report provides an overview of data collected by EU Member States and stakeholders and analysed...

EFSA has shared the raw data that was used in the EU safety evaluation of the pesticide glyphosate. The information has been sent to a group of MEPs who submitted an official request to see the...

EFSA and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) are developing scientific guidance to enable identification of endocrine disruptors. Earlier this year the European Commission proposed science-based...

EFSA has published its first EU summary report on the monitoring of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) in cattle, sheep and goats. Previously, the annual reports on TSEs were compiled by...

EFSA has discussed input received during a public consultation on its draft guidance document on allergenicity of genetically modified (GM) plants with interested stakeholders. More than 60 scientific...

New outbreaks of avian influenza have been reported among wild birds and poultry across Europe since the end of October 2016. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 virus has been...

EFSA has published two guidance documents on novel food and traditional food from third countries to help ensure that these foods are safe before risk managers decide whether they can be marketed in...

Erucic acid – a naturally occurring contaminant present in vegetable oil – is not a safety concern for most consumers as average exposure is less than half the safe level. But it may be a long-term...

EFSA has set dietary reference values (DRVs) for the intake of vitamin D. EFSA provides this advice to risk managers in European countries who use it for making recommendations to consumers. The Panel...

Seven countries have reported human cases of Salmonella Enteritidis between 1 May and 12 October 2016 (112 confirmed and 148 probable). Cases have been reported by Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the...

Ninety-seven per cent of food samples collected in the European Union are free of pesticide residues or contain traces that are within legal limits. The conclusion is part of EFSA’s latest annual...

People, animals and the environment can be exposed to multiple chemicals from a variety of sources. EFSA is launching a ground-breaking initiative to propose methods for carrying out risk assessment...

EFSA has set dietary reference values for potassium as part of its review of scientific advice on nutrient intakes. Potassium is an essential mineral in the human diet and plays an important role in...

EFSA has published a scientific report on the outcomes of a scientific workshop on foodborne viruses organised jointly by EFSA and the UK Food Standards Agency . The workshop took place earlier this...

EFSA’s plant health experts have reviewed new evidence regarding the categorisation of Vitis (grapevine), Citrus, Quercus ilex (holm oak) and Phoenix roebelenii (ornamental dwarf palm) as host plants...

New data confirm EFSA’s previous conclusion that bisphenol A (BPA) might affect the immune system in animals, but the evidence is too limited to draw any conclusions for human health. Following a...

EFSA is to release the raw data used in the recent EU safety evaluation of glyphosate, as part of its commitment to open risk assessment. The information will be shared with a group of MEPs following...

EFSA has completed its re-evaluation of all food colours permitted for use in the European Union before 2009. For the final re-evaluation, EFSA’s experts concluded that available data on titanium...

From jellies to jams, from desserts to drinks, food colours are added to many foods to make up for colour loss, enhance naturally occurring colours or add colour to foods that would otherwise look...

Watch our news video report to find out what was discussed at this week’s open meeting of EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazards. EFSA is constantly looking at ways to make its scientific work more open...

There is no proof that multiple types of Xylella fastidiosa are present in Apulia, southern Italy, according to recently available scientific evidence examined by EFSA. The opinion from EFSA’s Panel...

EFSA has set dietary reference values for choline as part of its review of scientific advice on nutrient intakes. Choline plays an important role in the human body, in particular for the maintenance...

Vaccination of cattle is the most effective option for controlling the spread of lumpy skin disease, EFSA experts say. This is one of the main findings of a scientific statement on the effectiveness...

EFSA has proposed modifications to the maximum levels of copper in feed for some animal groups. It recommends a reduction in the maximum copper content in feed for piglets, cattle and dairy cows, and...

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has updated its maps on the presence of invasive mosquitoes in Europe with new information on the geographical distribution of Aedes...

Malachite green is a dye that is both carcinogenic and genotoxic (i.e. damaging to DNA). It has been used globally for therapeutic treatment in aquaculture, but is unauthorised for use in food...

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has updated its 2013 scientific advice on the use in animals of the antibiotic colistin. The new advice was requested by the European Commission following the...

EFSA has launched a public consultation on its draft guidance for the allergenicity assessment of genetically modified (GM) plants. Interested parties have until 25 September to submit comments on the...

EFSA experts have updated a 2005 scientific opinion on the risks to public health related to Bacillus cereus and other Bacillus species in food. The Bacillus cereus group comprises eight species. One...

EFSA’s Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) adopted a scientific opinion revising maximum levels of copper in animal feed. Watch our news video report to find out...

EFSA assessed the impact of time and temperature on the growth of spoilage bacteria in fresh beef, pork, lamb and poultry. Its experts used predictive models to compare the growth of spoilage bacteria...

EFSA has set dietary reference values for vitamin B6 as part of its review of scientific advice on nutrient intakes. The Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) set daily population...

Watch our news video report to find out what was discussed and decided at this week’s open meeting of EFSA’s Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues. EFSA is constantly looking at ways...

There is global interest in the impact of plastic waste in seas and waterways on natural habitats and wildlife. EFSA has taken a first step towards a future assessment of the potential risks to...

EFSA has set up a working group of international experts to evaluate new scientific evidence on the potential effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on the immune system. The experts will follow up a first...

Newly available information on citrus black spot supports advice issued by EFSA in 2014, the Authority’s plant health experts have concluded. The Authority will not therefore update its existing...

EFSA’s food additives experts want your input before they revise guidance on submitting scientific information for the safety evaluation of nutrient sources used as ingredients in manufactured food...

Watch our news video report to find out what was discussed and decided at this week’s open meeting of EFSA’s Panel on Plant Health in Brussels. EFSA is constantly looking at ways to make its...

EFSA’s data report summarises the monitoring data from 2014, including compliance rates with EU residue limits, for a range of veterinary medicines, unauthorised substances and contaminants found in...

Brussels, 11-12 May 2016 EFSA and the European Commission jointly organised a workshop to strengthen the regional cooperation in south-eastern Europe and the Middle East for the prevention and control...

A new EFSA external scientific report is “a useful contribution to the scientific debate” on non-monotonic dose response (NMDR) results from toxicity studies, according to Prof Anthony Hardy, Chair of...

Glycerol-based process contaminants found in palm oil, but also in other vegetable oils, margarines and some processed foods, raise potential health concerns for average consumers of these foods in...

Eating more than three small raw apricot kernels, or less than half of one large kernel, in a serving can exceed safe levels. Toddlers consuming even one small apricot kernel risk being over the safe...

EFSA is setting up a working group of international experts to evaluate new scientific evidence on the potential effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on the immune system. EFSA is conducting the review...

Treatments being tested on olive trees in Apulia reduce the symptoms of disease caused by Xylella fastidiosa but do not eliminate the pathogen from infected plants. This is the main conclusion of an...

A cooperation project on ciguatoxin food poisoning involving 13 organisations from six Member States and EFSA is taking shape. Representatives of Spain and EFSA signed a Framework Partnership...

EFSA presented draft guidance documents on novel and traditional food to stakeholders this week. EFSA developed the documents following last year’s adoption of a new European regulation on novel food...

The current combined safe level for seven sulfites used as additives in wine and other foods is sufficiently protective for consumers. But EFSA will revisit this conclusion when data from new studies...

An outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection associated with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and affecting mostly young children has been reported in February and March in...

A study commissioned by EFSA to prioritise future work in the area of food safety has identified 28 key topics. The results of this study will guide collaboration between EFSA and EU Member States and...

Xylella fastidiosa is responsible for the disease that is destroying olive trees in southern Italy, a new study has confirmed. Oleander and myrtle-leaf milkwort also succumb to the Apulian strain of...

Watch: Dealing with Uncertainty EFSA’s experts are to begin trialling draft guidance proposing a toolbox of methodologies for analysing, explaining and accounting for uncertainties in scientific...

What are the main ideas that emerged at EFSA’s scientific conference in October 2015 and can advance EFSA’s work in the field of food safety? A panel comprising representatives of international...

EFSA has revised its 2012 and 2013 European Union Summary Reports on Trends and Sources of Zoonoses, Zoonotic Agents and Food-borne Outbreaks to reflect updated datasets submitted by some Member...

EFSA and the World Health Organization (WHO) have published a report on the joint workshop they held to review the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) approach to chemical risk assessment. The...

New pesticides guidance has been finalised that harmonises the way terrestrial field dissipation studies (TFDs) are conducted in different regions of the world. The guidance was developed for the...

The risk from emerging pests and pathogens has increased as a consequence of global changes to the way food is produced and consumed. In addition, climate change is likely to increase pressure on the...

A new version of VectorNet has been launched that allows experts to submit data on vectors – such as ticks, mosquitoes, sand flies and biting midges – directly online. VectorNet is an online tool for...

Bacteria in humans, food and animals continue to show resistance to the most widely used antimicrobials, says the latest report on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic bacteria in Europe. Scientists...

The safety assessment of chemicals is traditionally based on experimental animal tests. But society is increasingly resistant to this approach and the results are not always satisfactory. Regulatory...

EFSA has updated its database of plants that are reported to be hosts for the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa, which has been present in Europe since October 2013. The updated list consists of 359...

Rapid developments in science and technology mean that our understanding of the link between nutrition and health continues to grow. These advances may help to prevent non-communicable diseases and...

EFSA has published two Scientific Opinions on environmental risk assessment (ERA), with a third to follow shortly. Reinhilde Schoonjans explains the issues at the heart of this major project. How is...

The Zika virus epidemic continues to spread in the Americas. On 1 February 2016, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern...

EFSA’s experts recommend refining the safety assessment of substances used in food contact materials, including the introduction of a more comprehensive approach to estimate consumer exposure...

EFSA and its European partners have taken a major step forward in their work on assessing the cumulative risks from exposure to pesticides. A software tool has been developed for carrying out exposure...

Openness in science is not new, but society is demanding that science opens up more. Public bodies, consumers and other stakeholders want a voice in risk governance as a whole, from the beginning...