Category: European Food Safety Authority
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EFSA Accepting Comments on Sodium and Chloride Intake
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is accepting comments on draft dietary reference values for sodium and chloride. The draft values deem 2 grams of sodium and 3.1 grams of chloride per day to be “safe and adequate, considering evidence on the risk of cardiovascular disease on the one hand and nutrition adequacy on the…
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EFSA Issues Opinion on PFAS in Food
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released an opinion proposing a revision to tolerable intakes of per- and polyfluoroalykl substances (PFAS), which food packaging can contain. The authors reportedly observed high levels of PFAS in “meat and meat products” as well as “fish and other seafood.” In addition, PFAS was “detected in blood samples…
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EFSA Issues Report on Foodborne Parasites
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a scientific opinion on “the occurrence and control of three parasites that may be transmitted via food, namely Cryptosporidium spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Echinococcus spp.,” which cause the diseases “cryptosporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) and cystic echinococcosis (CE), respectively.” EFSA identified “many gaps in our knowledge…
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EFSA Releases Report on Improving Risk Assessments
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released a scientific report identifying potential areas of improvement in the agency’s emerging risks identification procedure. The report highlights “weaknesses with respect to data collection, analysis and integration” and suggests that broader analyses would improve the system. Recommendations include (i) integrating social sciences “to improve understanding of interactions…
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EFSA Releases Results of Glyphosate Review
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed data on glyphosate residues on crops and determined that “current exposure levels are not expected to pose a risk to human health.” The review includes two reports examining crops grown for human consumption as well as crops used in animal feed. EFSA reportedly relied on comparisons between…
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EU Proposes “New Deal for Consumers”
The European Commission has proposed changes to directives governing food safety, marketing and distribution. According to an EU news release, the proposal would update the General Food Law, “which dates back from 2002 and thus needs an update,” and “will give citizens greater access to information submitted to the European Food Safety Authority [(EFSA)] on…
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EFSA Reevaluates Silicon Dioxide Safety
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a scientific opinion reevaluating the safety of silicon dioxide used as a food additive, concluding that the available information is insufficient to confirm the current acceptable daily intake. The panel reportedly found no indication of adverse effects or genotoxicity, but it questioned a long-term study indicating silicon dioxide…
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EFSA Seeks Public Comment on Nanotechnology
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has opened a public consultation period on draft guidance for the agency’s risk assessment of nanoscience and nanotechnology applications in human and animal food. The draft, intended to update the 2011 guidance, will include coverage of novel foods, food contact materials, food and feed additives and pesticides. It also…