News
EFSA recommendations on the prevention and reduction of animal diseases transmissible to humans (zoonoses)
At the end of last year the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its first annual report[1] on infectious diseases transmissible from animals to humans (zoonoses) which affect over 380,000...
News
EFSA completes 2nd stage of EU-wide pesticides peer review process
EFSA has completed its work on the 2nd stage of the EU-wide peer review of active substances used in plant protection products (commonly referred to as pesticides) , and issued conclusions on 50...
News
'Enhancement of the exchange of scientific information amongst the Advisory Forum Members and EFSA', 18th Meeting of the EFSA Advisory Forum, Berne
Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle Dear Colleagues, It is with great pleasure that I am here in Berne today at the kind invitation of the Swiss Authorities in my new capacity as the Executive Director of EFSA...
News
EFSA's GMO Panel provides reply to European Commission request on GM rice LLRICE601
The GMO Panel has evaluated the available scientific data on LLRICE601. According to the Statement of the Panel issued today there is insufficient data to provide a full risk assessment in accordance...
News
EFSA re-assesses safety of noni juice
Today, EFSA’s Panel on dietetic products, nutrition and allergies (NDA) issued an opinion on the safety of noni juice, a fruit juice made from the fruit of “noni”. EFSA was asked for scientific advice...
News
EFSA recommends continuation of EU sheep breeding programme to reduce risk of scrapie and BSE
The Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has provided an evaluation of the present European Union (EU) sheep breeding programme for resistance against TSEs...
News
EFSA launches public consultation on developing a harmonised approach for the environmental risk assessment of additives used in animal feed
Today, EFSA’s Scientific Panel on additives and products or substances used in animal feed (FEEDAP) launched a public consultation aimed at establishing a harmonised scientific approach in Europe to...
News
Management Board paves the way for EFSA's future developments: Key recommendations reviewed following EFSA Evaluation
The EFSA Management Board discussed today recommendations arising from the report on EFSA’s evaluation following public consultation on the document earlier this year. The Board focused on key...
News
EFSA welcomes summary opinions covering main scientific principles adopted by its pesticides panel during its first three years
On the eve of the inaugural meeting of its renewed[1] Panel on Plant protection products and their residues (PPR Panel), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) welcomes the publishing of two major...
News
Renewal of EFSA Management Board
Today, the Council has appointed seven members to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Management Board. The Management Board is a fundamental pillar of EFSA’s organisational structure. It...
News
EFSA evaluates ochratoxin A in food and derives a Tolerable Weekly Intake
The Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published today an opinion on ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin naturally produced by certain fungi such...
News
EFSA assesses new aspartame study and reconfirms its safety
The AFC Panel[1] of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated the new long-term study on the carcinogenicity of aspartame conducted by the European Ramazzini Foundation[2] in Bologna...
News
EFSA publishes a scientific statement on the role of migratory birds in the spread of avian influenza amongst bird populations in the European Union
The Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has adopted a scientific statement on the role of migratory birds in the spread of the H5N1 form of avian...
News
EFSA update on TSE in sheep
The Community Reference Laboratory (CRL) has notified the European Commission (EC) of the results of a second level of testing for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE)[1] of samples from one...
News
EFSA opinion on welfare of laboratory animals
The Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an Opinion on aspects of the biology and welfare of laboratory animals. The Opinion includes...
News
EFSA report on animal diseases transmissible to humans
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its first annual report on infectious diseases transmissible from animals to humans. These diseases, called zoonotic diseases, affected over 380...
News
Aspartame: EFSA receives data requested from the Ramazzini Institute Scientific experts to start the evaluation
Today the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has received the data of the new study on the sweetener aspartame from the Ramazzini Foundation in Bologna. EFSA’s Scientific Panel on Food Additives...
News
EFSA provides advice on the safety of ITX: ITX considered of low health concern
The Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has adopted an opinion on the possible health...
News
ITX: update on EFSA Risk assessment
EFSA's Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) is currently assessing all data available on ITX and expects to publish its final...
News
EFSA reaffirms present position on ITX
Contrary to statements being made by third parties, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has not carried out a risk assessment on ITX to date. EFSA has not been able to determine the safety of...
News
Non-dioxin like PCB contaminant levels decreasing in food and animal feed - continuing effort needed to further reduce possible risks to human health
The Panel on contaminants in the food chain (CONTAM) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an Opinion on non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCBs) in food and feed...
News
EFSA urges the Ramazzini Institute to release data on aspartame
In light of the recent publication in Environmental Health Perspectives* of a new study carried out on aspartame by the Ramazzini Institute (Bologna, Italy), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)...
News
EFSA undertakes risk assessment on ITX
ITX (Isopropylthioxanthone), a substance utilised in printing inks for certain packaging materials has been recently found in foods including infant formula. On the basis of the very limited data...
News
EFSA's Scientific Committee proposes harmonisation of risk assessment methodology
The Scientific Committee of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) proposes, in its opinion published today, a harmonised and transparent scientific approach for the risk assessment of substances...
News
EFSA provides update on avian influenza and food safety
The presence of H5N1 avian influenza in parts of continental Europe has raised public concern with respect to the safety of poultry products and eggs for human consumption. The European Food Safety...
News
EFSA defines the risks of Avian Influenza for poultry and makes recommendations to prevent its introduction and spread amongst flocks in Europe
The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) has published today a scientific opinion and report on the risks of Avian Influenza (AI) entering and spreading...
News
EFSA reviews toxicological data of illegal dyes in food
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a review of the toxicological data on illegal dyes found in food to date in the EU and on other unauthorised dyes which could raise concern in...
News
Avian Influenza: EFSA to provide scientific update on animal health and welfare
The Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is presently carrying out an scientific evaluation on the animal health and welfare aspects of...
News
EFSA consults widely on risk assessment of GM Microorganisms
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has today launched an open consultation on its guidance document for the risk assessment of Genetically Modified Microorganisms (GMMs). EFSA’s guidance...
News
EFSA assesses safety of GM maize hybrids: no adverse effects expected on human and animal health and on the environment
The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO Panel) has published today four opinions on genetically modified (GM) maize hybrids relating to food...
News
New research data on the sweetener aspartame to be considered by EFSA’s scientific experts
A scientific institute in Bologna* has carried out a new study on the sweetener aspartame. The first results of the study conducted in rats to assess the possible carcinogenicity of aspartame have...
News
EFSA provides advice on the safety and nutritional contribution of wild and farmed fish
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an opinion on the health risks related to the consumption of wild and farmed fish. EFSA’s Opinion says that there are no consistent differences...
News
EFSA publishes further evaluation on semicarbazide in food
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has adopted a new opinion on the occurrence and risks associated with the chemical substance semicarbazide (SEM) in food. This follows earlier advice issued...
News
EFSA provides further assessment on health risks of goat meat and goat meat products with regard to BSE
Following the suspected case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in a goat in France, which was subsequently confirmed*, the European Commission requested that EFSA carry out a quantitative risk...
News
EFSA provides advice on adverse effects of sodium
The Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published today an opinion concerning the establishment of a Tolerable Upper...
News
EFSA follows up on Bt10 maize
On 12 April 2005 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released a statement on the lack of data available to assess the risks of Bt10[*] following the inadvertent release in the United States of a...