Category Archives: EFSA

Research – Update and review of control options for Campylobacter in broilers at primary production

EFSA

 

The 2011 EFSA opinion on Campylobacter was updated using more recent scientific data. The relative risk reduction in EU human campylobacteriosis attributable to broiler meat was estimated for on‐farm control options using Population Attributable Fractions (PAF) for interventions that reduce Campylobacter flock prevalence, updating the modelling approach for interventions that reduce caecal concentrations and reviewing scientific literature. According to the PAF analyses calculated for six control options, the mean relative risk reductions that could be achieved by adoption of each of these six control options individually are estimated to be substantial but the width of the confidence intervals of all control options indicates a high degree of uncertainty in the specific risk reduction potentials. The updated model resulted in lower estimates of impact than the model used in the previous opinion. A 3‐log10 reduction in broiler caecal concentrations was estimated to reduce the relative EU risk of human campylobacteriosis attributable to broiler meat by 58% compared to an estimate larger than 90% in the previous opinion. Expert Knowledge Elicitation was used to rank control options, for weighting and integrating different evidence streams and assess uncertainties. Medians of the relative risk reductions of selected control options had largely overlapping probability intervals, so the rank order was uncertain: vaccination 27% (90% probability interval (PI) 4–74%); feed and water additives 24% (90% PI 4–60%); discontinued thinning 18% (90% PI 5–65%); employing few and well‐trained staff 16% (90% PI 5–45%); avoiding drinkers that allow standing water 15% (90% PI 4–53%); addition of disinfectants to drinking water 14% (90% PI 3–36%); hygienic anterooms 12% (90% PI 3–50%); designated tools per broiler house 7% (90% PI 1–18%). It is not possible to quantify the effects of combined control activities because the evidence‐derived estimates are inter‐dependent and there is a high level of uncertainty associated with each.

UK – Europe – Brexit – Food safety issues unclear as UK nears Brexit

Fresh Plaza

The United Kingdom will lose access to RASFF after Brexit and Britain’s future relationship with EFSA remains unclear, says the British public health minister. Britain’s future trade with US food companies is also uncertain, with some in the UK saying certain food safety practices in the United States are unacceptable.

Questioned by the British Parliament’s Energy and Environment Committee this week, Minister Steve Brine, MP, confirmed the UK would not be able to vote in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed or have access to the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) after the UK’s exit from the European Union later this month.

Brine admitted it is not known what the UK’s relationship with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be, and whether Britain will retain access to food safety risk assessment work.

Lord Robin Teverson, chair of the committee, has said the lack of clarity is deeply concerning in the scenario that an agreement is reached and there is a transition period.

Europe EFSA – EFSA Evaluates Molecular Typing Methods for Food-Borne Pathogens

EFSAimagesCAUH2MPP

Molecular typing methods are  laboratory techniques, such as whole genome sequencing, that enable the  classification and comparison of strains of disease-causing bacteria. EFSA’s  Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) has reviewed the methods for typing the  food-borne pathogens Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Listeria and Campylobacter, and has evaluated the effectiveness of these methods for:

  • Detecting and  identifying food-borne outbreaks;
  • Estimating the  contribution of various sources to food-borne illnesses;
  • Predicting which  strains of food-borne pathogens may potentially cause epidemics.

EFSA – Helps to Investigate Hepatitis A Outbreaks

EFSAefsa

EFSA is working closely with the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumers, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and Member States to help identify the origin of the recent outbreaks of Hepatitis A virus infection in humans. The outbreaks occurred in Italy, Ireland, and the Netherlands. In particular, EFSA will analyse information on the outbreaks provided by Member States. Hepatitis A is an infectious disease that can be transmitted through consumption of contaminated food or water or direct contact with an infectious person.

Europe – Report into Listeria Prevalence in RTE Foods

EFSAefsa

The first part of EFSA’s analysis of an EU-wide baseline survey on Listeria monocytogenes published today provides valuable insights  into the presence of this bacteria in certain ready-to-eat foods (fish, cold  meats and soft cheeses[1]). The proportion of food samples exceeding the legal  food safety limit was low. However, given the popularity of these foods and the  severe implications that Listeria infections (listeriosis) can have on human  health, overall vigilance regarding the possible presence of the bacteria in  food is warranted. To prevent listeriosis,  EU legislation lays down specific rules for  food business operators including the need to follow  good manufacturing practices, appropriate food  hygiene programmes, and effective temperature control throughout the food chain.  Experts highlighted the importance of these  measures as well as proper storage of these foods in the home, keeping  refrigerator temperatures low.

EFSA Report Link

RASFF Alerts – Hepatitis A – Frozen Berries

RASFF – Hepatitis A virus in frozen berries mix from Italy, with raw material from Canada, Serbia, Bulgaria and Poland, via Switzerland in Italy

RASFF – Hepatitis A virus (presence) in frozen berries mix from Italy, with raw material from Romania, Poland and Bulgaria

EFSA – Hepatitis A

EFSA – VTEC E.coli Strains

EFSAefsa

EFSA’s scientific experts say that it is currently not possible to identify which VTEC bacteria strains have the potential to cause human diseases. In order to help risk managers to identify human health risks, EFSA has proposed a scheme to categorise VTEC strains according to their potential to cause disease. This work has been carried out in response to a request of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health.

VTEC (verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli) is a group of pathogenic E. coli bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhoea and haemolytic uremic syndrome in humans, a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and be fatal [1].

EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) has evaluated data from the EU on different VTEC strains with respect to their reported frequency, severity of human disease caused by the strains, and association with outbreaks. The Panel concluded that it is currently not possible to fully predict the potential of a VTEC strain found in food to cause human disease.

However the Panel has provided guidance to assist public health authorities in assessing risks related to VTEC strains. They proposed a scheme that considers the detection of specific genes in VTEC strains from humans, food and animals. EFSA will regularly review this scheme to improve future risk assessments.

Due to under-reporting of human cases and the unavailability of complete information, EFSA’s scientific experts also recommended that all Member States collect comprehensive data on VTEC strains when these are detected. Accurate reporting will help in predicting the factors responsible for the severity of human infections and outbreaks.

To carry out this evaluation, the Panel used data from the European Surveillance System (TESSy data) provided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and from the EU Summary Report on Trends and Sources of Zoonoses, Zoonotic Agents and Food-borne Outbreaks in 2011published today as well as data from relevant scientific literature.

Research – EFSA – ECDC – The European Union Summary Report on Trends and Sources of Zoonoses, Zoonotic Agents

EFSA

The European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control analysed the information submitted by 27 European Union Member States on the occurrence of zoonoses and food-borne outbreaks in 2011. Campylobacteriosis was the most commonly reported zoonosis with 220,209 confirmed human cases. The occurrence of Campylobacter continued to be high in broiler meat at EU level.

The decreasing trend in confirmed salmonellosis cases in humans continued with a total of 95,548 cases in 2011. Most Member States met their Salmonella reduction targets for poultry, and Salmonella is declining in these populations. In foodstuffs, Salmonella was most often detected in meat and products thereof.

The number of confirmed human listeriosis cases decreased to 1,476. Listeria was seldom detected above the legal safety limit from ready-to-eat foods.

A total of 9,485 confirmed verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) infections were reported. This represents an increase of 159.4 % compared with 2010 as a result of the large STEC/VTEC outbreak that occurred in 2011 in the EU, primarily in Germany. VTEC was also reported from food and animals.

The number of human yersiniosis cases increased to 7,017 cases. Yersinia enterocolitica was isolated also from pig meat and pigs; 132 cases of Mycobacterium bovis and 330 cases of brucellosis in humans were also reported. The prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle increased, and the prevalence of brucellosis decreased in cattle and sheep and goat populations.

Trichinellosis and echinococcosis caused 268 and 781 human cases, respectively and these parasites were mainly detected in wildlife. The numbers of alveolar and of cystic echinococcosis respectively increased and decreased in the last five years. One imported human case of rabies was reported. The number of rabies cases in animals continued to decrease.

Most of the 5,648 reported food-borne outbreaks were caused by Salmonella, bacterial toxins, Campylobacter and viruses, and the main food sources were eggs, mixed foods and fish and fishery products.

 

© European Food Safety Authority, 2013

European Research – Afaltoxins – Cereals and Cereal Derived Products

EFSA efsa

An ad-hoc request was received from the European Commission to provide data on levels of aflatoxins

(sum of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2) in food samples of cereals and cereal-derived products from the

EFSA chemical occurrence database.

A total of 2183 food samples collected between 2007 and 2012, and with analytical data on the four

aflatoxins of interest, were available in the database. Among the samples, 1341 corresponded to

cereals and their milling products and 842 to processed cereal products. Rice (636 samples) and

breakfast cereals (346 samples) were the categories with the highest number of samples reported.

Some 1964 samples (90%) did not report quantified values for any of the four aflatoxins.

For cereals and their milling products, the maximum mean value at Lower Bound (LB) was found in

samples of unspecified grain milling products (2.21 μg/kg) while the maximum mean value at Upper

Bound (UB) was found in oat milling products (2.60 μg/kg). For processed cereal products the

maximum mean value at the LB was found in fine bakery wares (0.45 μg/kg), while the maximum

mean value at the UB was found in raw pasta (1.87 μg/kg).

EFSA Fact Sheets –

Antimicrobial Resistance

Campylobacter

Foodborne Zoonoses

Salmonella