The third Science Meets Policy conference will take place September 2–3 in Rome, Italy, focused on helping EU competent authorities and industry members effectively implement new WGS data-sharing requirements for foodborne pathogens.
EFSA has created new online portals where guidances are described and sorted for accessibility and ease of use by scientists, industry applicants, and other stakeholders. Additionally, future guidance documents will be developed following a new, standardized process.
Following the EU ban on BPA in food contact materials (FCMs), which specified FCM manufacturing applications where other “hazardous” bisphenols may be used, EFSA issued a draft statement on related safety data requirements.
With the goal of supporting stronger risk assessments to address emerging food chemical risks, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed existing data sources; data gaps and challenges; and recommendations for improving data availability, quality, and interoperability.
The three-year partnership will focus on driving food safety, sustainability, and resiliency, aligned with One Health principles, by leveraging advanced technological tools and science.
Amid the ongoing global infant formula recall due to possible cereulide contamination, some countries have reported cases of mostly mild gastrointestinal illness in infants who had consumed infant formula, but confirming cereulide exposure is a challenge.
A high proportion of Campylobacter and Salmonella from food-producing animals across Europe are resistant to antimicrobials that are important to human medicine. Escherichia coli resistance to last-resort carbapenems is growing.
EFSA conducted a safety reevaluation for the sweetener sucralose, resulting in no change to the acceptable daily intake (ADI). EFSA also considered a proposed extension for the use of sucralose in fine bakery wares, but was unable to determine its safety.
An EFSA survey found that only one in ten respondents reported awareness about the health risks of seafood, and one-third of seafood consumers ate species high in mercury three or more times a week.
Per EFSA’s latest annual report on veterinary drug residues in food-producing animals and their products, only 0.13 percent of samples were non-compliant in 2024.
