Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) on the nutritional status of women of childbearing age, during pregnancy and lactation with respect to adequate iodine intake

*This record is given in both English and Spanish Iodine is an essential element involved in the synthesis of thyroid hormones, being essential for pre- and postnatal brain development and for cellular metabolism throughout life. On the other hand, iodine deficiency is one of the most easily preventable public health problems affecting the largest number of people in the world. The spectrum of deficit disorders is very broad, results in clinical symptoms of varying severity, and can lead to impaired brain function and development in the fetus and/or child. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that it is the major cause of preventable mental impairment. Therefore, adequate iodine nutrition is necessary, which is especially important in childhood, during pregnancy and lactation and in women of childbearing age who may want a pregnancy. The most important sources of iodine are iodized salt, dairy products and fish. Iodine requirements increase during pregnancy and lactation, and the risk of deficiency increases, especially in women who do not consume iodized salt. The nutritional status of iodine in Spain is, in general, adequate; however, this situation may be due to the use of supplementation with drugs or food supplements that provide iodine, so it is necessary to evaluate the contribution through natural foods or iodized salt in our population. In this context, the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has carried out a review of the existing evidence on the nutritional status of iodine in our environment in women of childbearing age, pregnancy and lactation and the situations that may cause a higher risk of deficiency or toxicity.ES; PDF; [email protected]

Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) on the available evidence in relation to the potential obesogenic activity of certain chemical compounds that may be present in foods

*This record is given in both English and Spanish According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity and overweight have reached epidemic proportions globally. In Spain, the prevalence of obesity is high, especially in childhood, with an upward trend in the last two decades. While improving dietary habits and increasing physical activity has been the main focus on reducing obesity, its rapid increase in countries with different dietary habits and physical activity patterns suggests the possible existence of environmental factors, such as exposure to chemicals with obesogenic activity. Obesogens have been defined functionally as chemical compounds that promote obesity by increasing the number of adipose cells and/or the accumulation of fat in existing adipocytes. Among the most studied obesogens are substances used in the plastic industry such as bisphenols and phthalates, organotin compounds, flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins, pesticides and metals, among others. Because the term obesogens includes a large number of compounds, exposure to them can occur by different routes such as inhalation, dermal exposure or ingestion, the latter being the main route of exposure. The mechanisms of action of obesogens are diverse, and they can act by activating or antagonizing the action of nuclear hormone receptors that directly regulate the expression of genes involved in the differentiation of adipocytes, body weight and metabolism, such as oestrogen, androgen and thyroid hormone receptors, and the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ, among others. They can also act in the regulation of different immune-neuroendocrine metabolic pathways, which can lead to pathophysiological consequences in adipogenesis, lipogenesis, lipolysis, immunity, in the influence on the central regulations of appetite and energy expenditure, and changes in the intestinal microbiota, among other processes. It is important to highlight that the most critical periods of exposure to obesogens are preconception, pregnancy and childhood given their importance for metabolism, and may result in permanent changes in adolescence and in adulthood. In this context, the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency of Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has carried out a review of the evidence that exists on food exposure to obesogens and its possible effect on health. Scientific literature shows in in vivo and in vitro studies the obesogenic effect of some chemical compounds present in food, and epidemiological studies reinforce this hypothesis. The Scientific Committee recommends that a greater number of studies be carried out to assess the effect of exposure to these compounds, standardizing biomarkers of exposure and effect in order to predict and evaluate their obesogenic capacity and the possible transmission of the effect to other generations through epigenetic mechanisms. Once all the necessary evidence is available, there must be coordination and communication between scientists, clinicians and national and international regulatory bodies, in order to develop a global and efficient strategy in the implementation of risk management measures to reduce exposure to these substances as much as possible.ES; PDF; [email protected]

Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) on the establishment of shelf-life of certain ready-to-eat foods sliced or cut and packaged before sale in retail establishments

*This record is given in both English and Spanish Royal Decree 126/2015, of 27 February, approving the general rule on food information on foodstuffs presented unpackaged for sale to the final consumer and to mass caterers, those packaged in places of sale at the request of the purchaser, and those packaged by retail trade operators (BOE, 2015), states that it is mandatory to mention, among other information, the date of minimum shelf-life or expiry date, in the case of foods packaged by retail trade operators for immediate sale in the establishment or establishments owned by them. The indication of dates on packaged foods is also regulated by Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (EU, 2011). The shelf-life of such products may vary depending on the type of food and method of preservation. Accordingly, the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has assessed the shelf-life, in relation to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes, of certain products (cheeses, cooked meat products, including pâtés, and cured meat products) which are divided up or sliced and packaged (vacuum packed or not) before sale, in retail establishments, in order to ensure consumer safety. In addition, for vacuum-packed foods, the potential risk due to the possible presence of Clostridium botulinum, as well as other possible biological hazards, has been taken into account. For this purpose, factors associated with the presence and growth of biological hazards (water activity (aw), pH, ripening time) have been established for each of the product categories considered and published predictive microbiology models have been used to establish shelf-life. Based on the available information, it is concluded that to control the risk of L. monocytogenes, the acceptable shelf-life for cooked meat products (such as cooked ham or cooked shoulder) stored at 4 °C with aw levels of 0.995 or higher and pH of 6.71 or higher (worst case conditions assessed) is maximum 5 days for both air-packed and reduced oxygen atmospheres. For pâtés that are divided up, air-packed and stored at 4°C, with aw values of 0.988 or more and pH values of 6.5 or more is maximum 6 days. And in the case of divided up or sliced cheeses, with a maturation period of at least 2 weeks and less than 2 months, stored at 4 ºC, the admissible shelf-life is a maximum of 10 days, both for products conserved in the air and in reduced oxygen atmospheres. Products with aw and pH values that limit the growth of L. monocytogenes (such as cured ham, chorizo, salchichón or cheeses matured for more than 2 months) can be stored at room temperature. The estimated shelf-life for these products would be related to parameters not directly associated with the growth of L. monocytogenes. The manufacturer may establish alternative shelf-lifetimes to those reflected in the report if he is able to demonstrate to the competent health authority that the product has a combination of factors and/or packaging and storage conditions that ensure that the concentration of L. monocytogenes is less than 100 CFU/g at the time of consumption. The risk associated with the presence of Clostridium botulinum in vacuum-packed products and enteric viruses has also been assessed and concluded that it would not affect the stated recommendations. Finally, it is recommended that establishments ensure adequate hygienic and sanitary conditions during the slicing, cutting and packaging of food to prevent contamination by food-borne pathogenic organisms that may pose a risk to consumer health.ES; PDF; [email protected]

Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) on fruits and vegetables that have a risk of spoilage when presented for sale to consumers in bulk

*This record is given in both English and Spanish In recent years, Spanish legislation has promoted the implementation of a circular economy to minimise the negative effects of waste generation and management. Thus, Royal Decree 1055/2022 of 27 December on packaging and packaging waste establishes measures aimed at the prevention of waste, the promotion of bulk food sales, the increase of reusable packaging and the promotion of recycling and marking of products. In particular, paragraph 4 of Article 7 states that food retailers shall take the necessary measures to present fresh fruit and vegetables marketed whole in bulk. This obligation shall not apply to fruit and vegetables packed in lots of 1.5 kg or more, fruit and vegetables packed under a protected or registered variety or bearing an indication of differentiated quality or organic farming, as well as fruit and vegetables that present a risk of spoilage or depletion when sold in bulk. A report has been requested from the Scientific Committee to determine which fruits and vegetables are most at risk of spoilage when presented in bulk for sale to the consumer and the possible food safety risks arising from this. The report identifies mechanical damage, water loss and microbial contamination as the main causes of spoilage in vegetables and mushrooms marketed in bulk. In terms of food safety, increased mechanical damage and risk of cross-contamination by viruses and pathogenic bacteria, which may proliferate during the shelf life of the product, are expected in bulk marketed vegetable and mushroom products. Such contamination may have a greater impact on vegetable products that are consumed raw and unpeeled. Although an advanced stage of maturity leads to a higher susceptibility to mechanical damage, and consequently to microbial spoilage, it is difficult to objectify a risk maturity level to be applied across the board to all vegetables, especially fruits. Cleaning, conditioning and cutting of external parts of vegetables marketed in bulk can lead to an increased likelihood of microbial contamination, as well as increased water loss, so it is recommended to reduce or limit these actions. A non-exhaustive list of the most commonly consumed fruits, vegetables, tubers or mushrooms that may present a risk of spoilage or depletion when sold in bulk is proposed, based on the risk of mechanical damage, water loss and microbial spoilage by pathogenic or spoilage microorganisms, without prejudice that other plant products of less common use at present may, at a later stage, be included in this list. It is concluded that no tubers present a significant risk when sold in bulk. In order to minimise the occurrence of defects in bulk vegetable products it is recommended that good hygienic practices are followed in primary production, storage and distribution of the products and to minimise the post-harvest period. In the retail trade it is also recommended to observe good hygiene practices, to prevent mechanical damage and microbial contamination, and to encourage customers to follow them. In order to reduce the amount of packaging waste, it is recommended that, where possible, the materials necessary to present products in bunches, without the need for additional packaging material, be prioritised. It is recommended that reusable and/or recyclable materials be used in packaging.ES; PDF; [email protected]