The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) said the EU health-based guidance value for acute glycerol exposure from beverages can also be applied to solid foods, adding to recent discussions around glycerol intoxication in young children and safe levels of exposure.
Prompted by a global food safety incident and infant formula recalls spanning 99 countries, the European Commission has drafted a regulation that would set a limit of 1 µg/kg cereulide toxin in dried formula products. The draft regulation is open for public feedback.
Regulation (EU) 2026/1825 expands MLs for 3-monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl fatty acid esters, and Regulation (EU) 2026/1890 establishes new MLs for furan, 2-methylfuran, and 3-methylfuran.
Acrylamide is a harmful contaminant that forms during thermal processing. An analysis of 17 years of EU RASFF data showed that UPFs accounted for 85 percent of related notifications. Cereals, baked goods, and potato chips were most frequently implicated.
Regulation (EU) 2025/179, which came into effect on August 23, requires EU Member States to conduct WGS on five key pathogens during foodborne illness outbreak investigations. An interview with EFSA’s Dr. Frank Verdonck unpacks the new rule and previews the upcoming Science Meets Policy conference.
The microbiological quality of most ready-to-eat (RTE) plant-based meat, dairy, and fish substitutes was satisfactory, but elevated levels of pathogens and indicators in some commodities raised process and hygiene concerns. An analysis of the products’ physico-chemical properties suggested they could support microbial growth.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) lowered the acceptable daily intake for trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to a quarter of the previously established level, and also set an acute reference dose for the chemical for the first time.
Overall, 72 percent of targeted surveillance samples were deemed satisfactory. FSA flagged imported, niche products, like Dubai-style chocolates, South Asian snacks, and ashwagandha supplements, as especially problematic.
The label claim “STABILIZED” would indicate that a ready-to-eat (RTE) product had been formulated or processed to inhibit Listeria monocytogenes growth. The researchers advocate for formulation and process changes as listeriosis rates climb in Europe and stricter EU Listeria regulations come into effect.
A new European Commission report identified inconsistencies in how EU Member States conduct official controls for histamine (scombrotoxin) in fishery products, highlighting gaps in inspection procedures, staff training, and harmonization of testing methods.
