EFSA is closely monitoring the situation regarding the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that is affecting a large number of countries across the globe. There is currently no evidence that food is a likely source or route of transmission of the virus. EFSA’s chief scientist, Marta Hugas, said: “Experiences from previous outbreaks of related coronaviruses, such as severe acute respiratory… Read more »
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is authorised as the food additive E 171 and can be used as a white colour pigment in sweets and coatings, e.g. in dragees and chewing gum. The substance is also contained in cosmetic products such as toothpaste or as nanoparticles in sunscreen under the name CI 77891. The majority of titanium dioxide is used in technical applications,… Read more »
Foodwatch has launched a petition urging the food maker to cut titanium dioxide from its ingredients list. Although it is considered safe by European regulators, the contentious ingredient has been linked to negative health consequences, including damage to the intestinal flora and – in the form of very small nanoparticles – the development of cancer. E171 is a colouring used… Read more »
During the last days, the recent ”Re-evaluation of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471) as food additives” conducted by an EFSA panel has attracted attention also in food magazines and websites. Previously on this blog, the US FDA evaluation of various emulsifiers was discussed and in that context it was mentioned that other studies are pending. Now, the European Food… Read more »
EFSA will provide scientific advice on the daily intake of added sugar in food by early 2020. The Authority aims to establish a science-based cut-off value for daily exposure to added sugars from all sources which is not associated with adverse health effects. The work will be carried out following a request from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Prof. Christopher Portier sent a letter to Vytenis Andriukaitis, the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, on behalf of a consortium of nearly 100 academics, in which he raised a number of objections to the process and the conclusions of EFSA’s assessment. Prof. Portier is a scientist who contributed to a report on glyphosate by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Experts from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have finalised and adopted their scientific opinion on the risks to public health from bisphenol A (BPA) in foodstuffs.
Following EFSA’s earlier positive recommendation, the European Commission has granted marketing authorisation for Lallemand Inc.’s Vitamin D baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). This development helps make bread and other yeast-leavened bakery products to become even healthier foods for European consumers by being new daily sources of vitamin D when baked with Lallemand’s VitaD baker’s yeast.
The European Food Safety Authority has said it has no safety concerns about the use of two substances in food contact materials following requests from the UK.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said that two artificial flavours, a sulphur substituted pyrimidin-derivative and its hydrochloride salt (FL-no 16.116 and 16.120), can be used in food and drink products as they do not give rise to any safety concerns.
