The European Food Safety Authority’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) has rejected a health claim dossier submitted by Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., that sought to link consumption of its products to a reduced risk of urinary tract infection (UTI) in women. Ocean Spray asserted that dried cranberries and juice drinks containing 80 milligrams of cranberry proanthocyanidins (PAC) lessened UTI risk in women older than age 16 by “inhibiting the adhesion of certain bacteria in the urinary tract.” Although NDA acknowledged that some in vitro trials have supported this claim, the panel ultimately cited a lack of convincing clinical trials and ruled that the evidence failed to establish “a cause and effect relationship” between the product and the purported health benefit. Of the 12 studies presented by Ocean Spray, NDA dismissed six because they did not involve normal populations; one because it referenced a higher PAC dosing; and…
Category Archives Europe
The European Commission’s (EC’s) Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health reportedly deadlocked on February 16, 2009, over whether France and Greece should be forced to lift their bans on a genetically modified (GM) corn seed that is the only one approved for planting in the European Union. According to a biotechnology industry spokesperson, the increase in votes favoring the cultivation of GM crops signals a new momentum in Europe to open markets to these controversial crops. EU environmentalists and consumers have long opposed their introduction, citing environmental risks and the unwelcome intrusion of large corporate interests into agriculture. A larger vote next week may, say biotech industry executives, lead to the approval of two additional GM corn seeds for marketing in the EU. Mike Hall, a spokesperson for the developer of one of them, has reportedly indicated that the company is waiting to see if the EU…
British sheep farmers have reportedly threatened to resist an EU proposal that would require them to implement an electronic animal identification system starting in January 2010. With 30 million sheep in the United Kingdom, many farmers have described the plan as prohibitively expensive and unnecessary. Designed to track livestock movement in the event of an epidemic, the system would rely on ear tags costing between £0.50 and £1.50 each with an additional £5,000 or £6,000 per scanning machine. But farmers have argued that their current method of tracking sheep is adequate and avoids the technological issues associated with Internet and broadband use in remote areas. “When you consider that the average sheep farmer only makes something like £6,000 a year, this could see a significant number of farmers deciding it is just too much,” one farmer was quoted as saying. The proposal has drawn similar criticisms from farming organizations in…
The Irish government this week recalled all pork products from pigs slaughtered in the country after testing revealed high levels of dioxin in animal feed and pork fat samples. Authorities have thus far linked the carcinogen to 10 pig farms that received feed from Millstream Power Recycling Limited, a Carlow company which reprocesses foodstuffs to make livestock meal. In addition, Ireland’s Department of Agriculture has placed 45 cattle farms under restrictions because they may have received feed potentially contaminated with dioxins. Health officials stated that three cattle herds of 11 tested had “technically non-compliant” dioxin levels, but stressed that there is “no public health concern” with regard to Irish beef. The government has also declared 490 pig farms “dioxin-free,” although the prohibition on the sale of domestic pork products has remained in effect. See CNN, December 8 and 9, 2008; The Associated Press, December 9, 2008. Meanwhile, the European Commission…
The European Commission this week abolished more than 100 pages of rules and regulations governing the size, shape and color of various vegetables and fruits sold in member countries. The rules reportedly included prescriptions dictating that green asparagus must be green for 80 percent of its length and a cauliflower head must exceed 11 centimeters in diameter. Although it retained the marketing standards for apples, pears, citrus fruits, strawberries, and tomatoes, the commission repealed those pertaining to apricots, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, cherries, chicory, courgettes, cucumbers, cultivated mushrooms, eggplant, garlic, hazelnuts in shell, headed cabbages, leeks, melon, onions, peas, plums, rubbed celery, spinach, walnuts in shell, and watermelon. Organic farmers have greeted the demise of the regulations as a boon to their niche market, which is “about inner quality, not outer appearance,” according to Soil Association Director Patrick Holden. Large retailers like Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda also…
The U.K. Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised pregnant women to reduce their daily caffeine consumption to 200 milligrams – or approximately two mugs of coffee. The agency previously suggested a maximum intake of 300 mg, but lowered its recommendation after the British Medical Journal published an FSA-funded study concluding that a further reduction would lessen the health risks to unborn children. “This is because too much caffeine might result in a baby having a lower birth weight than it should, which can increase the risk of some health conditions later in life,” stated FSA in a November 3, 2008, press release. FSA has since issued guidelines intended to help expectant mothers gauge their caffeine consumption. The agency has calculated that 200 mg is roughly equal to (i) two mugs of instant coffee; (ii) one mug of filtered coffee; (iii) two mugs of tea; (iv) five cans of cola; (v) two…
The EFSA Scientific Committee is seeking comments on a draft scientific opinion that addresses engineered nanomaterials (ENM) used in food and feed applications. Acknowledging the limitations of currently available methods, the draft concludes that “established international approaches” are “a suitable starting point for case-by-case risk assessment of ENMs,” but warns against extrapolating scientific data derived from conventional chemical use. “Possible risks arise because ENM have particular characteristics, due in part to their small size and high surface areas,” the committee stated in an October 17, 2008, press release. “There is limited information on absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, as well as the toxicity of ENM.” Comments will be accepted through the EFSA website until December 1, 2008. See GMA Biotechnology Digest, October 20, 2008.
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) recently convened a board meeting to discuss reducing the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) testing requirement for cattle. The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) “recognized an increase in the age at which cattle intended for human consumption are BSE tested would represent a ‘minimal to negligible increase in the risk to human health,’” according to an October 15, 2008, press release. FSA has consequently agreed to “support a move to increase the age at which UK cattle are BSE tested from 30 months to 48 months, subject to a review of current and continued BSE surveillance.” FSA Chief Scientist Andrew Wadge also emphasized that other BSE controls offer sufficient consumer protection. “Prevention of exposure to BSE rests primarily with SRM [specified risk material] controls and not BSE testing,” he was quoted as saying. See FSA Press Release, October 15, 2008.
A recent FSAI report addresses the application of nanotechnology to the food industry and urges the European Union (EU) to provide a legislative framework for regulating nanotechnology in food. Citing a general lack of information concerning the purported risks of nanoparticles in food, FSAI recommends the following: (i) “food business operators should conduct risk assessments on all foods involving introduction of new nanoparticles into foods and packaging”; (ii) “legal provisions should be considered at EU level to ensure that food and feed should be re-evaluated in terms of safety whenever the properties are changed/re-engineered to the nanoscale”; (iii) “the FSAI should promote the establishment of a publicly available inventory of nanotechnology-based food products and food contact materials”; (iv) “urgent consideration should be given to whether additional controls are required on the disposal and/or recycling of nanoparticle-containing food and other materials”; and (v) “food surveillance programmes should include investigation of the…
