The ACMSF, an independent advisory committee which provides expert advice to the FSA, set up a group to revisit the issue of foodborne viruses in light of developments in this area. The final report considered the most important viruses associated with foodborne infections – norovirus, hepatitis A, and hepatitis E.
The report makes a number of recommendations for government departments, including the need for more research in certain areas, and for clear advice for consumers, for example on cooking shellfish and pork products and information on washing leafy green vegetables and soft fruit. The government will respond in due course when the recommendations have been considered in detail.
In anticipation of the publication of the ACMSF review, the topic of foodborne viruses was chosen for the first report from the FSA’s Chief Scientific Advisor. These regular updates from Professor Guy Poppy will aim to give a greater understanding of the FSA’s science, with each edition focusing on a topical scientific issue.
This first report explores what viruses in food are, how they cause disease, how the FSA is working with others to use science to understand them, and some of the challenges around reducing the risks.
Professor Guy Poppy, FSA Chief Scientific Advisor, said: ‘I’m pleased to have published the first in my series of science reports. Science is at the heart of what we do at the FSA and these regular summaries will lift the lid on the cutting edge work that goes on, often in the background, and I hope it encourages debate on the issues.
‘It is fitting to have chosen foodborne viruses as the first subject, as it provides a background to the ACMSF’s important review and highlights the work the FSA is already doing to address this major issue. These two reports demonstrate how the science and evidence collected by the FSA and our collaborators informs our advice to the public and helps us to understand how we can better protect UK consumers.’
Professor Sarah O’Brien, Chair of the ACMSF, said: ‘Until recently it has been difficult to assess accurately the impact of foodborne viruses on public health. However, significant advances in our ability to detect viruses in food, coupled with up- to-date estimates of the burden of illness, highlighted in the ACMSF’s latest update, show us that viruses are very important, preventable causes of foodborne illness.’
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