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EFSA’s scientific experts meet applicants on health claims process
Experts from EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic products, nutrition and allergies (NDA) met health claims applicants and industry experts in Brussels on 15 June for an exchange of views on the presentation of...
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EFSA evaluates antibiotic resistance marker genes in GM plants
An EFSA statement[1] has been published today that provides a consolidated overview of the use of antibiotic resistance marker genes (ARMG)[2] in GM plants, including a joint scientific opinion of the...
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EFSA updates advice on 4-methylbenzophenone in breakfast cereals
EFSA’s expert Panel on food contact materials (the CEF Panel) considers there to be no health risks from the short-term consumption of breakfast cereals contaminated with 4-methylbenzophenone at...
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EFSA’s Scientific Committee promotes alternatives to animal testing
EFSA’s Scientific Committee has underlined the importance of risk assessment approaches in the area of food and feed safety which not only minimise the use of experimental animals and their suffering...
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EFSA evaluates bacteriophages
In a recent opinion, EFSA’s BIOHAZ Panel concluded that under specific conditions, bacteriophages[1] may be very effective in the elimination of specific pathogens from foods. However, based on data...
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EFSA assesses health risks linked to nicotine in wild mushrooms
EFSA has provided scientific advice to the European Commission on the risks of eating wild mushrooms following reports of nicotine contamination in samples from the 2008 crop of dried wild mushrooms...
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EFSA-ECDC report for 2007: Salmonella remains most common cause of food-borne outbreaks
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published their Community Summary Report on Food-borne Outbreaks in the EU in 2007. It...
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EFSA updates on its work on ARMGs
EFSA has asked its GMO and BIOHAZ Panels to further consider the issue of antibiotic resistance marker genes (ARMG)[1] in GM plants following the adoption of their joint scientific opinion. Two...
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Novel influenza virus in the United States and Mexico
EFSA is following the recent human cases of swine influenza notified to WHO by the United States and Mexico. EFSA is in close contact with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)...
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EFSA completes 30 risk assessments on undesirable substances in animal feed
EFSA’s Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) has just completed the final opinion in a series of 30 risk assessments undertaken over the last 5 years looking at undesirable substances in...
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EFSA consults on guidelines on food enzymes
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation on draft guidelines for the safety evaluation of food enzymes. Public consultation on Guidance of the Scientific Panel on...
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EFSA evaluates safety of Ractopamine in feed
EFSA’s FEEDAP Panel has just published an opinion on the safety of ractopamine, a growth promoter used in animal feed in some countries outside the EU. Ractopamine is a drug belonging to the ‘β...
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EFSA publishes first four opinions on smoke flavourings
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published the first in a series of opinions on flavouring products which are added to foods to give a “smoked” flavour. EFSA’s CEF Panel[1] concluded that...
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EFSA evaluates risk of MRSA in food and animals
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an opinion on the public health significance of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in animals and foods. EFSA’s Panel on...
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EFSA sets lower tolerable intake level for cadmium in food
The European Food Safety Authority’s Panel on contaminants in the food chain has set a reduced tolerable weekly intake (TWI)[1] for cadmium of 2.5 micrograms per kilogram of body weight (µg/kg bw)...
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EFSA’s work on active substances used in pesticides
In 2008, EFSA has completed an important milestone in its work on the safety review of existing active substances used in pesticides, as foreseen in the context of Council Directive 91/414/EEC. EFSA’s...
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EFSA publishes opinion on the potential risks arising from nanotechnologies on food and feed safety
EFSA is today publishing its scientific opinion on nanoscience and nanotechnologies in relation to food and feed safety. EFSA’s Scientific Committee (SC) has concluded that established international...
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EFSA issues statement on 4-methylbenzophenone in some breakfast cereals
Following a request for rapid advice from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a statement on the risks arising from the migration of the substance 4...
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EFSA adopts opinion on two ingredients commonly used in some energy drinks
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has adopted a scientific opinion on two ingredients commonly used in so-called energy drinks. Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA’s Panel...
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EFSA recommends revised maximum vitamin A levels in feed for main food producing animals
EFSA’s FEEDAP Panel has adopted an opinion on the consequences for consumers of the use of vitamin A in animal feed, and recommended revised maximum levels in feed intended for the main food producing...
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EFSA-ECDC report shows Campylobacter cases in humans on the rise, while salmonellosis is in decline; listeriosis remains of concern
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published their Community Zoonoses Report for 2007, which analyses the occurrence of...
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EFSA evaluates citrus black spot
The European Food Safety Authority’s Plant Health (PLH) Panel has published a scientific opinion on Guignardia citricarpa Kiely, a fungus that causes citrus black spot (CBS) disease. The Panel...
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EFSA evaluates Salmonella contamination of pigs at slaughter
EFSA’s Task Force on Zoonoses Data Collection has today published an analysis of the risk factors related to Salmonella in slaughter pigs within the European Union (EU). Whilst the results revealed...
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EFSA initiates pan-European research project on bee decline
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has awarded a grant of €100,000 to a consortium of European scientific institutes [1] to study so-called “Colony Collapse Disorder” (or CCD [2]) in honey bees...
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EFSA responds to Commission’s urgent request on dioxins in Irish pork
EFSA has today published its statement in response to a request received from the European Commission on 8 December 2008 for urgent scientific and technical assistance following the discovery of...
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EFSA to provide scientific assistance on dioxins in Irish pig meat
EFSA received a request from the European Commission on 8 December for urgent scientific and technical assistance following the discovery of contamination by dioxins in pig meat from 10 farms in...
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EFSA recommends lower MRLs for several active substances used in pesticides
EFSA has recommended lower Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs)[1] for several active substances used in pesticides which the European Commission considered could have possible safety concerns for human...
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EFSA assesses risks linked to transmission of bluetongue during animal transit
The European Commission asked EFSA’s Animal Health and Welfare Panel to look at the risk of transmission of the bluetongue virus (BTV) when animals are in transit from or through restricted zones...
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EFSA’s scientific advice on aquatic species susceptible to certain diseases
The Animal Health and Welfare Panel (AHAW) of the European Food Safety Authority has reviewed the available scientific data on a number of fish and shellfish (mollusc and crustacean) species in order...
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EFSA evaluates TSE risk from small ruminants’ milk
In an opinion published today, EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) assessed the human and animal exposure to Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSEs) agents from milk and milk products...
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EFSA sets out goals for contributing further to animal health in Europe
EFSA has just published a paper on its role in contributing further to the improvement of animal health in Europe. The paper sets out EFSA’s key objectives under the four pillars of the EU Animal...
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EFSA identifies risk factors for Salmonella infections in turkey flocks in the EU
EFSA’s Task Force on Zoonoses Data Collection has today published an analysis of risk factors related to Salmonella in flocks of turkeys within the European Union (EU). The document will serve as a...
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EFSA begins work on health claims list
EFSA’s NDA Panel[1] has started evaluating the scientific substantiation of health claims indicated in the draft list received from the European Commission in July[2] and which have passed the pre...
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EFSA assesses possible risks related to melamine in composite foods from China
Following recent events in China, the European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to provide urgent scientific advice on health risks for European consumers related to the...
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New EFSA body to coordinate pesticide risk assessment
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is setting up a new committee to further strengthen its role in reviewing the safety of active substances used in pesticides together with the European...
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EFSA adopts first opinions on health claims made on foods relating to disease risk reduction and children’s health
EFSA’s Panel on dietetic products, nutrition and allergies (NDA) has adopted its first series of opinions on claims referring to the reduction of disease risk, and children's development and health[1]...