EFSA Developed Pesticide Data Visualization Tool
EFSA has released its latest pesticides report. Which products are in the focus? Which countries analyse the majority of samples, which countries found most samples above MRL?
Getting High on Milk?
Can one get 'high' by drinking milk produced by hemp-fed cattle? Most jurisdictions debate if hemp (Cannabis sativa) should be available for either medicinal and/or recreational purposes. But hemp has also a number of good things going for it in agriculture. How much THC can be expected in the milk of hemp-fed cows? Is it safe? What about infants drinking this milk?
High Levels of Arsenic in Famous Brands’ Bottled Water
According to some documents released under the freedom of information act show that US FDA knew for several years that some well-known bottled water brands have higher than permitted arsenic levels . Now two consumer watchdogs, Consumer Reports and Center for Environmental Health, have published data showing that arsenic levels are still high. Legal letters were sent to manufacturers for failing to comply with Prop 65. Read the full story and see the documents.
Chinese Organic Products under Surveillance in Europe
Organic produce imports are in the focus of the Surveillance Program of the European Commission. From Jan 1 to Dec 31 of this year, cereals, oil-plant products and Goji berries originating from China will undergo special inspections when arriving at any European port.
Campylobacter on the Rise in Germany – Every Second Chicken in Germany is Contaminated
According to a request to the Germany parliament, every second chicken is contaminated with the pathogenic campylobacter bacterium. Levels of campylobacter in slaughterhouses almost doubled from 2011. Can the amended regulation help to reduce occurrence?
Higher Levels of Mycotoxins in Milk to Be Expected in the USA?
States of the corn belt in the U.S.A., as well as regions in Canada, have reported seeing high levels of mycotoxins. Authorities and organizations urged farmers to monitor mycotoxin levels in feedstuff. Will we be seeing high levels of mycotoxin in dairy products this winter? Aflatoxins and fumonisins are the ones typically found.
Food Safety Analysis 2018 – Highlights
The Food Safety Analysis 2018 conference in Singapore provided an update with numerous world-renown speakers from QUB, FERA, FOCOS, Eurofins, Intertek, GfL, Danone, Nestlé, Mars as well as excellent vendor talks from Agilent, Sciex, Phenomenex, Waters, Gerste, Restek, Merck, Shimadzu. Bruker, Axel Semrau, AnalytikJena.
FoodIntegrity is Dead – Long Live FoodIntegrity!
The FoodIntregrity project was funded with approx nine million Euros by the European Commission and is coming to an end. During the final conference in Nantes, the outcomes were reported. The project with all its 62 partners has come a long way, but there is still a lot more to do. Will there be a continuation of FoodIntegrity?
Big 8 or Big 9? Will the US FDA add Sesame to its Allergen List?
The US FDA considers adding sesame to the list of regulated food allergens. The presumed prevalence of sesame allergy is 0.1%, about 10-fold lower than peanut or tree nut allergies. Why would it still make sense to add sesame to the list?
