FSA News Item, 31 July 2012

CONTAMINANTS / NOVEL FOODS / ADDITIVES / FLAVOURINGS - FSA July 2012 update on Chemical Safety

Chemical Safety Update (July 2012). This latest issue of our update bulletin will provide you with information on key developments in the area of chemical safety.

A copy of the full update is available on this site.  See: July 2012 Chemical Safety Update  The following is a list of the topics covered in this Update.

CHEMICAL SAFETY UPDATE: JULY 2012

SUMMARY OF NEWS ITEMS

Food Contact Materials (Science & Policy)

• Science (Research)
• Policy

Environmental Contaminants (Inorganic)

• EU Commission proposed revisions to Cadmium limits
• Cadmium in the brown meat crabs
• Mercury
• Lead
• Lead in Game Meat
• Arsenic
• Nickel and Chromium (trivalent and hexavalent)

Process Contaminants

• Acrylamide
• Acrylamide and Furan survey
• Glycidyl esters

Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC)

• New EU Guidelines

Environmental Contaminants (Organic)

• Dioxins and PCBs
• Dioxins in sheep liver
• Dioxins and PCBs in Organic Eggs
• Brominated flame retardants (BFRs)
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
• Summary of calls for data

Mycotoxins and Plant Toxins

Developments on EU policy

• EU recommendation on T2 and HT2 toxins in cereals and cereal products
• Regulatory provisions for temporary derogations for Fusarium toxins in cereals and cereal products
• Alternaria toxins in foods
• Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in foods
• Opium alkaloids in poppy seeds
• Possible amendment of Regulation (EC) 401/2006 on sampling and analysis methods for mycotoxins in foods.
• Regulation (EU) 274/2012, amending Regulation (EC) 1152/2009
• Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs as regards aflatoxins in figs.

EFSA Developments

• Scientific opinion on the risks for animal and public health related to the presence of phomopsins in feed and food
• Survey on ergot alkaloids in cereals intended for human consumption and animal feeding
• Scientific Opinion on the risks for public and animal health related to the presence of citrinin in food and feed
• EFSA opinion on ergot alkaloids

FSA Publication of New Research Requirement

• C03061 - Investigation of the loss of parent fumonisin mycotoxins during food processing

Nitrate

• Consultation on European Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1258/2011, as regards maximum levels for Nitrate in Foodstuffs, Amending Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006

Coccidiostats and Histomonostats- undesirable carry –over from feed to food

• Commission Regulation (EU) No 610/2012 amending Regulation (EC) No 124/2009 setting maximum levels for the presence of coccidiostats or histomonostats in food resulting from the unavoidable carry-over of these substances in non-target feed

Food Allergy Update

• Food Information Regulation
• Allergen management thresholds
• Food Allergy research programme

Novel Foods

Genetically Modified (GM) Foods

• European Court of Justice (ECJ) opinion on GM pollen in honey
• Formalising data requirements for GM food application dossiers
• Low level presence of unauthorised GM materials in food
• Consumer research on GM labelling

Novel Foods

• New EU regulation on novel foods
• Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)

Nanotechnologies

• Intelligence gathering on nanotechnology in food production

Food Additives

• Specifications
• Sunset Yellow, Quinoline Yellow and Ponceau 4R
• Food additives containing aluminium
• Amendments to Annex II to Regulation 1333/2008
• Food Enzymes
• Flavourings
• Consolidation of legislation on food additives, flavourings , enzymes and extraction solvents