Palm Oil on the Edge

Internationally recognized Spanish experts in the food industry, nutrition, toxicology, sustainability, and veterinary science met in Madrid on July 2018 to develop a consensus about palm oil (PO) as a food ingredient. Their aim was to provide a useful, evidence-based point of reference about PO. Scientific evidence about the role of PO in food safety, nutrition and sustainability was analyzed. Main conclusions were: (1) RSPO foundation responded to the environmental impact of palm crops. The Amsterdam Declaration pursues the use of 100% sustainable PO in Europe by 2020. Awareness about choosing sustainable products will help to maintain local economies and environments in the producing countries; (2) evidence shows that a moderate intake of PO within a healthy diet presents no risks for health. No evidence justifies any change fat intake recommendations; (3) food industry is interested in assuring safe, sustainable and high-quality products. The use of certified sustainable PO is increasing; and (4) there is no evidence associating PO consumption and higher cancer risk, incidence or mortality in humans. Tolerable daily intake (TDI) for toxic contaminants (2-and 3-monochloropropanediols (MCPDs), glycidyl esters (GEs)) have been established by JECFA and EFSA. Consequently, the European Commission has modified the Contaminants Regulation for GEs and it is still working on 3-MCPDs’

Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) in regard to the levels of mercury established for fish products

En el pescado y los mariscos el mercurio (Hg) se encuentra mayoritariamente en forma de metil mercurio (MeHg), la forma más tóxica. Los mayores contenidos se encuentran en los peces predadores. La FAO/OMS (2003) ha establecido la ingesta semanal tolerable provisional (PTWI) para el MeHg en 1,6 g/kg peso corporal. Las mujeres en edad fértil, embarazadas o en periodo de lactancia y los niños son los grupos más vulnerables. Ante la imposibilidad de minimizar el riesgo únicamente mediante el establecimiento de contenidos máximos más estrictos de Hg en pescados, la Comisión Europea (2008) ha instado a los Estados miembros a formular recomendaciones para proteger la salud de los consumidores. Así, se han estimado los tamaños de ración de pescado y las frecuencias de consumo de estas raciones que proporcionan aportes inferiores a la PTWI y que, por tanto, pueden considerarse seguras. Los datos disponibles de contenidos de Hg y MeHg en el pescado consumido en España, las ingestas estimadas y las evaluaciones de exposición al Hg en la población española, en especial entre los consumidores pertenecientes a los grupos de riesgo, no recomiendan aumentar los límites máximos de Hg establecidos por la Unión Europea (UE, 2006) para los pescados.In sh and shell sh, mercury (Hg) is mostly found in the form of methyl mercury (MeHg), its most toxic form. The highest contents are present in predators. The FAO/WHO (2003) has provisionally established a tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for MeHg of 1.6 g/kg of bodyweight. Women of child-bearing age, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and children are the most vulnerable groups. In view of the impossibility of establishing stricter Hg contents in sh, the European Commission (2008) has urged Member States to draft recommendations in order to protect these groups. Thus, attempts have been made to estimate the portion sizes and consumption frequencies that would provide intakes in consumed sh in Spain lower than the PTWI and therefore can be considered as safe. The available data on Hg and MeHg contents, the estimated intakes and the assessments of exposure to Hg, particularly among consumers belonging to the risk groups, do not recommend any increase in the maximum Hg limits established by the European Union (EU, 2006) for fish

Palm Oil on the Edge

Internationally recognized Spanish experts in the food industry, nutrition, toxicology, sustainability, and veterinary science met in Madrid on July 2018 to develop a consensus about palm oil (PO) as a food ingredient. Their aim was to provide a useful, evidence-based point of reference about PO. Scientific evidence about the role of PO in food safety, nutrition and sustainability was analyzed. Main conclusions were: (1) RSPO foundation responded to the environmental impact of palm crops. The Amsterdam Declaration pursues the use of 100% sustainable PO in Europe by 2020. Awareness about choosing sustainable products will help to maintain local economies and environments in the producing countries; (2) evidence shows that a moderate intake of PO within a healthy diet presents no risks for health. No evidence justifies any change fat intake recommendations; (3) food industry is interested in assuring safe, sustainable and high-quality products. The use of certified sustainable PO is increasing; and (4) there is no evidence associating PO consumption and higher cancer risk, incidence or mortality in humans. Tolerable daily intake (TDI) for toxic contaminants (2-and 3-monochloropropanediols (MCPDs), glycidyl esters (GEs)) have been established by JECFA and EFSA. Consequently, the European Commission has modified the Contaminants Regulation for GEs and it is still working on 3-MCPDs’

Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) in relation with the use of nanotechnology in the food industry

Dado el actual potencial de las aplicaciones de la nanotecnología en la industria alimentaria, este informe hace referencia al uso de los nanomateriales producidos de forma intencionada en el laboratorio o a nivel industrial y denominados manufacturados (engineered nanomaterials, ENM), que se introducirán deliberadamente en la cadena alimentaria y, por tanto, pueden ser consumidos. Existe una gran variedad de ENM, destacando las nanopartículas, nanofibras, nanoemulsiones y nanoarcillas. En la industria alimentaria se han identificado tres grandes áreas en las que se considera que la nanotecnología puede contribuir de forma beneficiosa: la producción primaria, el procesado y el envasado de alimentos. Debido a su tamaño, los ENM presentan a menudo propiedades físicas y químicas únicas, las cuales difieren significativamente de las correspondientes al mismo material a mayor escala, lo que implica que no es posible inferir su toxicocinética y perfil de toxicidad por extrapolación a partir de datos de sus equivalentes no nanoestructurados. Estos estudios son imprescindibles para una correcta evaluación del riesgo, la cual se puede realizar mediante el modelo convencional, pero teniendo en cuenta las propiedades específicas de los ENM. Son muchas las limitaciones existentes para completar el proceso, destacando la necesidad de disponer de información sobre la caracterización de los ENM, la bioacumulación, los posibles efectos tóxicos tras su ingestión u absorción por otras vías, en particular de forma crónica, sus repercusiones a largo plazo en la salud pública, la aplicación de las técnicas analíticas adecuadas para este tipo de materiales, etc. Además, no se dispone de bases de datos con los ENM de uso en la actualidad y de los productos que los contienen. Por todo ello, se considera necesario el profundizar en todos estos aspectos con la finalidad de establecer una legislación específica que proteja al consumidor de los riesgos tóxicos derivados de la exposición a ENM.In view of the current potential for the application of nanotechnology in the food industry, this report refers to the use of nanomaterials deliberately produced in the laboratory or at an industrial level and known as “engineered nanomaterials” (ENM) for their intentional introduction into the food chain and, therefore, potentially consumed. There is already a great variety of ENM, in particular nanoparticles, nanofibres, nanoemulsions and nanoclays. In the food industry, three main areas have been identified as having potential for nanotechnology to make a positive contribution: primary production, processing and food packaging. Due to their size, ENM often present unique physical and chemical properties, significantly different from those corresponding to the same material at a larger scale, implying that it is not possible to infer their toxicokinetics and toxicity profile by extrapolation from data on their non-nanostructured equivalents. These studies are essential for a correct risk assessment, which can be done using the conventional model, but bearing in mind the specific properties of the ENM. There are many limitations on the completion of the process, particularly the need to have information available about the characterization of the ENM, their bioaccumulation, the possible toxic effects after intake or absorption through other routes, in particular chronically, their long-term repercussions on public health, the application of adequate analytical techniques for this kind of material, etc. In addition, there are no databases with information on ENM in current use or the products containing them. For all these reasons, it is considered necessary to go deeper into all these aspects in order to establish specific legislation to protect consumers from the toxic risks derived from exposure to ENM

Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art

Histamine intolerance, also referred to as enteral histaminosis or sensitivity to dietary histamine, is a disorder associated with an impaired ability to metabolize ingested histamine that was described at the beginning of the 21st century. Although interest in histamine intolerance has considerably grown in recent years, more scientific evidence is still required to help define, diagnose and clinically manage this condition. This article will provide an updated review on histamine intolerance, mainly focusing on its etiology and the existing diagnostic and treatment strategies. In this work, a glance on histamine intoxication will also be provided, as well as the analysis of some uncertainties historically associated to histamine intoxication outbreaks that may be better explained by the existence of interindividual susceptibility to ingested histamine

Revalorization of Cava Lees to Improve the Safety of Fermented Sausages

The revalorization of food processing by-products not only reduces the environmental impact of their disposal, but also generates added economic value. Cava lees consist of inactive cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and though regarded as a valueless winery by-product, they are rich in fiber and phenolic compounds. In this study, a challenge test was performed to assess the effect of cava lees and a phenolic extract (LPE) derived therefrom on the behaviour of technological microbiota (lactic acid bacteria used as a starter culture) and the foodborne pathogens Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes during the fermentation and ripening of pork sausages. Ten batches of fermented sausages were prepared with and without cava lees or the LPE, and with or without different strains of Latilactobacillus sakei (CTC494 or BAP110). The addition of cava lees reduced the pH values of the meat batter throughout the fermentation and ripening process. No growth-promoting effect on spontaneous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) or the starter culture was observed. In contrast, the presence of cava lees prevented the growth of the tested pathogens (Salmonella and L. monocytogenes), as did the starter culture, resulting in significantly lower counts compared to the control batch. In addition, the combination of cava lees with L. sakei CTC494 had a bactericidal effect on Salmonella. LPE supplementation did not affect the pH values or LAB counts but reduced the mean counts of Salmonella, which were 0.71 log10 lower than the control values at the end of the ripening. The LPE did not exert any additional effect to that of the starters applied alone. The revalorization of cava lees as a natural ingredient to improve the microbiological safety of fermented sausages is a feasible strategy that would promote a circular economy and benefit the environment.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio