Risks for public health related to the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and TTX analogues in marine bivalves and gastropods

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Risks to human and animal health related to the presence of deoxynivalenol and its acetylated and modified forms in food and feed

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Scientific Opinion on the presence of dioxins (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) in commercially available foods for infants and young children

EFSA was asked by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) to deliver a scientific opinion on the presence of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in commercially available foods for infants and young children. It was requested to describe the relation of important parameters of the distribution of the occurrence data to the new EU maximum levels (MLs), and to assess whether these MLs are sufficient to aim to decrease the dietary exposure of infants and young children to dioxins and DL-PCBs. The CONTAM Panel did not perform an exposure or risk assessment, but evaluated whether the enforcement of the new EU MLs will result in a decrease in the concentration of dioxins and DL-PCBs in foods for infants and young children, and thus in a potential decrease in exposure of this population group. A total of 516 samples was included in the evaluation, reported by 13 European countries and covering the period 2003 to 2011. All accepted data (upper-bound) were below the current MLs for foods for infants and young children of 0.1 pg WHO2005-TEQ/g w.w. for dioxins and 0.2 pg WHO2005-TEQ/g w.w. for the sum of dioxins and DL-PCBs. Therefore, the CONTAM Panel concluded that, based on the available data, the current MLs are not an incentive to decrease the concentrations of dioxins and DL-PCBs in the relevant foods. From the reported data, it is not possible to conclude on any time trend concerning the dioxin and DL-PCB levels in foods for infants and young children. The Panel recommended that more occurrence data on representative samples are needed, particularly for those foods for infants and young children where only a few results are available so far. Moreover, the sensitivity of the analytical methods should be improved, if lower MLs were to be considered in the future

Risk to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances in food

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.The European Commission asked EFSA for a scientific evaluation on the risks to human health related to the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in food. Based on several similar effects in animals, toxicokinetics and observed concentrations in human blood, the CONTAM Panel decided to perform the assessment for the sum of four PFASs: PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS. These made up half of the lower bound (LB) exposure to those PFASs with available occurrence data, the remaining contribution being primarily from PFASs with short half-lives. Equal potencies were assumed for the four PFASs included in the assessment. The mean LB exposure in adolescents and adult age groups ranged from 3 to 22, the 95th percentile from 9 to 70 ng/kg body weight (bw) per week. Toddlers and ‘other children’ showed a twofold higher exposure. Upper bound exposure was 4- to 49-fold higher than LB levels, but the latter were considered more reliable. ‘Fish meat’, ‘Fruit and fruit products’ and ‘Eggs and egg products’ contributed most to the exposure. Based on available studies in animals and humans, effects on the immune system were considered the most critical for the risk assessment. From a human study, a lowest BMDL10 of 17.5 ng/mL for the sum of the four PFASs in serum was identified for 1-year-old children. Using PBPK modelling, this serum level of 17.5 ng/mL in children was estimated to correspond to long-term maternal exposure of 0.63 ng/kg bw per day. Since accumulation over time is important, a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 4.4 ng/kg bw per week was established. This TWI also protects against other potential adverse effects observed in humans. Based on the estimated LB exposure, but also reported serum levels, the CONTAM Panel concluded that parts of the European population exceed this TWI, which is of concern.Peer reviewe

Evaluation of the health risks related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in foods other than raw apricot kernels

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EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to monacolin K in SYLVAN BIO red yeast rice and maintenance of normal blood LDL - cholesterol concentrations pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

Following an application from Sylvan Bio Europe BV, submitted for authorisation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of the Netherlands, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to monacolin K in SYLVAN BIO red yeast rice and maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations. The food, monacolin K in SYLVAN BIO red yeast rice, that is the subject of the health claim is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect, maintenance of normal blood LDL cholesterol concentrations, is a beneficial physiological effect. A claim on monacolin K from red yeast rice and maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations has already been assessed with a favourable outcome at daily intakes of 10 mg monacolin K from any red yeast rice preparation (which would include SYLVAN BIO red yeast rice). The evidence provided by the applicant for the present application does not establish that monacolin K in SYLVAN BIO red yeast rice is different from monacolin K in other red yeast rice preparations with respect to its effect on blood LDL-cholesterol concentrations

International Frameworks Dealing with Human Risk Assessment of Combined Exposure to Multiple Chemicals

The development of harmonised terminology and frameworks for the human risk assessment of combined exposure to multiple chemicals (“chemical mixtures”) is an important area for EFSA and a number of activities have already been undertaken, i.e. in the fields of pesticides and contaminants. The first step prior to a risk assessment of combined exposure to multiple chemicals is problem formulation defining the relevant exposure, hazard and population to be considered. In practice, risk assessment of multiple chemicals is conducted using a tiered approach for exposure assessment, hazard assessment and risk characterisation. Higher tiers require increasing knowledge about the group of chemicals under assessment and the tiers can range from tier 0 (default values, data poor situation) to tier 3 (full probabilistic models). This scientific report reviews the terminology, methodologies and frameworks developed by national and international agencies for the human risk assessment of combined exposure to multiple chemicals and provides recommendations for future activities at EFSA in this area

EFSA BIOHAZ Panel (EFSA Panel on Biologicial Hazards), 2013. Scientific Opinion on the public health hazards to be covered by inspection of meat (solipeds)

A risk ranking process identified Trichinella spp. as the most relevant biological hazard in the context of meat inspection of domestic solipeds. Without a full and reliable soliped traceability system, it is considered that either testing all slaughtered solipeds for Trichinella spp., or inactivation meat treatments (heat or irradiation) should be used to maintain the current level of safety. With regard to general aspects of current meat inspection practices, the use of manual techniques during current post-mortem soliped meat inspection may increase microbial cross-contamination, and is considered to have a detrimental effect on the microbiological status of soliped carcass meat. Therefore, the use of visual-only inspection is suggested for “non-suspect” solipeds. For chemical hazards, phenylbutazone and cadmium were ranked as being of high potential concern. Monitoring programmes for chemical hazards should be more flexible and based on the risk of occurrence, taking into account Food Chain Information (FCI), covering the specific on-farm environmental conditions and individual animal treatments, and the ranking of chemical substances, which should be regularly updated and include new hazards. Sampling, testing and intervention protocols for chemical hazards should be better integrated and should focus particularly on cadmium, phenylbutazone and priority “essential substances” approved for treatment of equine animals. Implementation and enforcement of a more robust and reliable identification system throughout the European Union is needed to improve traceability of domestic solipeds. Meat inspection is recognised as a valuable tool for surveillance and monitoring of animal health and welfare conditions. If visual only post-mortem inspection is implemented for routine slaughter, a reduction in the detection of strangles and mild cases of rhodococcosis would occur. However, this was considered unlikely to affect the overall surveillance of both diseases. Improvement of FCI and traceability were considered as not having a negative effect on animal health and welfare surveillance