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Marinating beef in beer or red wine 'may cut cancer risk' 
Grape-seed extract kills leukaemia cells
Vitamins C and E and β-carotene again fail to reduce cancer risk
New EU legislation on food improvement agents
Probiotics help with alcohol-damaged liver and bowel flora 
Red meat allergy linked to IgE antibody for galactose moiety 
Umami taste receptor
"Detox" products dismissed by scientists as a myth
Product recalls and alerts
Food safety
Legislation headlines
Other headlines (07/01/09)

Marinating beef in beer or red wine 'may cut cancer risk' 

A recent study by a team of researchers at the University of Porto, Portugal, has found that marinating beef in beer or red wine can reduce the number of heterocyclic amines (HA) formed when it is fried or grilled.  Heterocyclic amines are compounds suspected to have mutagenic and carcinogenic properties.

Heterocyclic amines have been found in cooked food particularly in the crust of cooked fish and meat which has been fried or grilled.  The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has stated that some HAs are possible carcinogens and that humans should reduce their exposure to these substances.  HA formation is influenced by numerous factors such as the type of meat, cooking method, water transport, time and temperature.  Previous research has found that compounds containing antioxidants can reduce the amount of HAs in cooked meat.  These have included tea, red wine, olive oil and garlic. 

Isabel Ferriera and her colleagues from Porto, stated that their objective was to compare the effect of red wine and beer marinades in the reduction of two classes of HAs, aminoimidazole-azarenes (AIAs) and amino-carbolines (ACs).  AIAs are formed when there is a reaction that involves creatine, free amino acids and carbohydrates through the Maillard reaction. (The Maillard reaction involves a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar, usually requiring heat).  ACs are produced from pyrolysis of proteins or amino acids heated at high temperatures.

The study involved 20 beef samples, 8 marinated in a pilsner beer (5.4% alcohol made from water, malt, unmalted cereals and hops), 8 marinated in a red wine (13% alcohol) and 4 control samples (unmarinated). The samples were marinated for 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours at 18 ^oC. The samples were then fried (no oil added) for 4 minutes on each side. The temperature was monitored during cooking, and ranged from 180 to 200^oC. After cooking, the steaks were cut up and ground with a blender and stored at -20^oC.  270 beef samples were also used for sensory testing, including training, and evaluation.  Analysis was carried out using liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection (HPLC-DAD/FLD) to separate and quantify HAs.

Two trained panels of 27 members conducted descriptive analysis evaluating the sensory characteristics of the samples.  Results showed that there were decreased levels of HAs in the samples which were marinated with beer or with red wine.  After 6 hours of marinating, the amount of  the carcinogens 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (Trp-P-1) and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (PhIP) were reduced by 88 and 40%, respectively.  Beer and wine marinades both significantly reduced the amount of MeIQx after 2, 4 or 6 hours of marinating and whilst the researchers found that there was a higher reduction of MeIQx in the beer marinades after 6 hrs compared with the wine marinades, the difference was not statistically significant. It was suggested that the different carbohydrate content of the red wine and beer may have influenced the formation of HAs such as MeIQx.  The samples marinated in the beer at 1, 2 and 4 hrs were found to have a significant reduction in 4,8-DiMelQZ. There was no significant difference between the wine samples or the controls for this substance.

The sensory analysis was carried out on control pan-fried steaks and on steaks marinated for 2 hours in wine or beer. This was because steaks marinated for longer than this had an unpleasant odour, strong red colour and poor overall quality.  The steaks marinated for 1 hr had high levels of HAs.  The panel found that there was no significant difference in the control steaks and beer-marinated pan fried steaks with respect to red/brown colour, overall appearance, quality, astringency and strange aroma.  In comparison, the sensory scores for the wine-marinated were lower.

It was concluded that the AIAs and ACs were affected by beer and red wine marinades. Overall, beer marinades were shown to be effective in reducing some HAs and did not adversely affect the usual appearance and quality of the cooked samples. (Melo et al. J. Agric. Food Chem., 2008, 56: 10625-10632).

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Grape-seed extract kills leukaemia cells

Dr Xianglin Shi and his team from the University of Kentucky have showed that grape seed extract (GSE) caused apoptosis (programmed cell death) in laboratory experiments with human leukaemia cells. The study, published in Clinical Cancer research investigated the cell signaling pathway associated with the kind of cell death that is influenced by GSE.

In 2006 leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma accounted for approximately 9% of cancers diagnosed in the US.  These blood related cancers also led to nearly 54,000 cancer deaths in the US that year.  Since it is now well established that consumption of fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of various cancers, the  focus of recent cancer research has been moving towards the isolation of active agents from fruit and vegetables.  GSE contains many phenols such as proanthocyanidins which have shown promise as anti-cancer agents in various cell culture and animal models. Although it had recently been reported that GSE could induce programmed cell death in human leukemia cells, the detailed mechanism by which this occurred had not been explored.  Shi and his team, therefore, aimed to characterise the functional role of c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase (JNK) and related pathways using pharmacological and genetic approaches to elucidate the role of GSE in human leukemia cell apoptosis. 

The study involved treatment of Jurkat , U937, HL-60 human leukemia cells with various concentrations of grape seed extract for 12 and 24 hours or with a fixed concentration of GSE for various time intervals.   Following treatment, apoptosis, caspase (a family of cysteine proteases, which play essential roles in apoptosis) activation and cell signaling pathways were evaluated by various means including Annexin V/propidium iodide assays and western blot analysis.  Results showed that exposure to GSE resulted in dose and time dependent increases in cancer cell apoptosis and caspase activation.  They further discovered that the extract did not affect normal cells but were not able to say why. 

Following this discovery Shi and colleagues investigated the mechanisms by which GSE caused the increase in apoptosis. They found that GSE had a strong effect on the activation of JNK.  In order to check this finding the researchers used both a pharmacological and a genetic approach.  Firstly they added an agent that blocked JNK. This resulted in the extract's effect on apoptosis being inhibited.  Secondly Shi showed that silencing the JNK gene also removed GSE's ability to increase apoptosis.  Dr Shi is quoted as saying that these results could have implications for the incorporation of agents such as GSE into therapies for the prevention or treatment of haematological malignancies and even other cancers.  He also stated that what everyone seeks is an agent that has an effect on cancer cells but leaves normal cells alone and that this research shows that GSE fits into this category.  Shi concluded that although these results were promising, it was not advanced enough to suggest that humans should eat grapes, grape seed or grape skin in excess to prevent cancer.(Summary in Eurekalert.org 31/12/08).

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Vitamins C and E and β-carotene again fail to reduce cancer risk

Jennifer Lin, PhD and colleagues from the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, US  have conducted a randomised controlled trial to determine if women who took beta carotene or vitamin C or E or a combination of the supplements lowered their chances of contracting cancer.  It was reported that the intake of antioxidant supplements offered no overall benefits in the primary prevention of cancer incidence or cancer mortality.  The trial was reported in the December issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Numerous epidemiologic studies have suggested that a diet high in fruits and vegetables and thus in antioxidants may be associated with a reduced risk of cancer.  It has also been reported that antioxidants may be able to suppress tumour growth and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).  It has been suggested that ROS may cause oxidative damage to cells, leading to an enhanced risk in the development of cancer.  These properties have led to the conclusion that antioxidants may have a major preventative role against cancer. Despite this, results from randomised trials that test this theory have so far been inconsistent and have rarely supported the efficacy of antioxidants in the prevention of cancers.

In the current study, Lin and co-workers evaluated the impact of antioxidant supplements on cancer incidence in a randomised controlled trial.  A total of 7627 women who were free from cancer at a specific site were selected for this study. These women were randomly assigned to take vitamin C (500 mg of ascorbic acid daily), natural-source vitamin E (600 IU of α-tocopherol every other day), or beta carotene (50 mg every other day).

During an average of 9.4 years of treatment, there were no statistically significant benefits of use of any antioxidant vitamins on total cancer incidence compared with placebo in terms of disease risk or mortality due to cancer.  During the trial period, 624 women were diagnosed with invasive cancer and the total number of cancer deaths was 176.  Compared with the placebo group, the relative risk was 1.11 in the vitamin C supplement group, 0.96 in the vitamin E group, and 1.00 in the beta carotene group.

In conclusion, the authors were quoted as saying that neither duration of treatment nor the combination of the three antioxidant supplements had effects on overall fatal or non-fatal cancer events.  (Summary in Food Consumer (01/01/09); full text in Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2009, 101: 14-23).

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New EU legislation on food improvement agents

The European Union finally published its new Food Improvement Agent Package (FIAP) on 31 December 2008. It comprises four new regulations providing a common authorisation procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings, and individual regulations on enzymes, additives and flavourings. All the regulations enter into force on 20 January 2009, with the majority of measures applying from 20 January 2010. 

Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 establishes a common authorisation procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavourings which it is claimed will be effective, time-limited and transparent so as to facilitate their free movement within the Community market. The Regulation does not apply to smoke flavourings which are already covered by Regulation (EC) No. 2065/2003. The essence of the regulation is the formation of a Community List of Substances, which can be updated by adding or removing a substance from the list, or by changing the conditions, specifications or restrictions associated with the presence of a substance on the Community List. The procedure for updating the list can be initiated by the Commission or following an application from a Member State or by an interested party who may represent several interested parties. The Commission must first acknowledge the receipt of any application made to it within 14 working days. Next, it must seek the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) , which must provide an opinion within 9 months of receipt of a valid application. If the EFSA requires more information from the applicant, then this 9-month period can be extended. Within 9 months of the EFSA giving its opinion, the Commission must draw up a draft regulation updating the Community List of Substances. To assist it in this task the Commission may seek the advice of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health. The confidentiality of certain aspects of an application are to be maintained during the authorisation procedure for a food additive except with respect to the safety of a substance where data from toxicological studies"....should under no circumstances be confidential". (Article 12 gives details of the information which can be kept confidential).

Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008 covers food enzymes and makes amendments to Council Directive 83/417/EEC, Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, Directive 2000/13/EC, Council Directive 2001/112/EC and Regulation (EC) No 258/97.  It is stated that the Regulation covers only enzymes that are added to food to perform a technological function in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport or storage of such food, including enzymes used as processing aids. It does not cover enzymes intended for human consumption for nutritional or digestive purposes or microbial cultures traditionally used in the production of foods such as cheese and wine. Food enzymes used exclusively in the production of food additives covered by Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (see below) are also excluded, unless they are used as such in food, when they are covered. Food enzymes used in the production of processing aids are also excluded from the scope of Regulation 1332/2008. The Regulation requires a  Community List of Approved Enzymes to be drawn up, and conditions are laid down for the inclusion of enzymes on such a list. The entry in the list must give the name of the enzyme, its origin and purity criteria, the foods to which it can be added, the conditions under which it should be used, and any restrictions which should apply if the enzyme is sold direct to the final consumer. Foods in which enzymes have been used must be labelled so that the consumer is made aware of the physical condition of the food or the specific treatment is has undergone. Any enzyme for which no maximum level of use is set must used in accordance with the quantum satis principle. A food enzyme falling within the scope of Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 on the labelling and traceability of genetically modified organisms can be included in the Community List of Approved Enzymes, provided it is covered by an authorisation in accordance with Regulation 1829/2003.   In general, the Community List of Approved Enzymes should be drawn up following the procedures laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008. 

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives provides comprehensive legal measures relating to the safe use of food additives, and definitions of substances which are and are not considered to be food additives. A "food additive" means any substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not normally used as a characteristic ingredient of food, whether or not it has nutritive value...."  Annex 1 to Regulation 1333/2008 contains definitions of 26 different kinds of food additives. Amongst the substances excluded from the definition of a food additive are mono-, di and oligosaccharides used for their sweetening properties, substances used in covering or coating materials, products containing pectin and derived from dried apple pomace or citrus peels, chewing gum bases, amino acids and their salts other than glutamic acid, glycine, cysteine and cystine and their salts having no technological function, caseinates and casein, inulin, blood plasma, edible gelatin, protein hydrolysates and their salts, milk protein and gluten. Flavourings and enzymes covered by Regulations 1334/2008 and 1332/2008 are also excluded from the scope of the food additive regulations.

Article 24 of Regulation 1333/2008 requires that food colours listed in Annex V to this regulation be labelled in a particular way in food containing them.  The colours are Sunset Yellow (E110), Quinoline Yellow (E104), Carmoisine (E122), Allura Red (E129), Tartrazine (E102) and Ponceau 4R (E124). The E-number or name of the colour must be accompanied by the words "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children".

Although food additives permitted under Directives 94/35/EC, 94/36/EC and 95/2/EC can still be used under transitional arrangements made under Regulation 1333/2008,  nevertheless, Article 32 requires food additives permitted before 20 January 2009 to be subject to a new risk assessment carried out by the European Food Safety Authority.

Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008  lays down the legal requirements which apply to flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in and on foods. 37 recitals attempt to convey the intentions of the European Commission in drawing up such comprehensive provisions on food flavourings. Annex I will eventually contain the Community List of flavourings and source materials approved for use in and on foods.

Article 3 contains a definition of "flavourings", "flavouring substance", "flavouring preparation", "thermal process flavouring", "smoke flavouring", "flavour precursor", "other flavouring", "food ingredient with flavouring properties", "source material", and "appropriate physical process". Annex II gives full details of traditional food preparation processes which can be used in the preparation of food flavourings.

Annex III, Part A lists the following substances which shall not be added as such to food: agaric acid, aloin, capsaicin, 1,2-benzopyrone, coumarin, hypericine, beta-asarone, 1-allyl-4-methoxybenzene, estragole, hydrocyanic acid, menthofuran, 4-allyl-1,2-dimethoxybenzene, methyleugenol, pulegone, quassin, 1-allyl-3,4-methylene dioxy benzene, safrole, teucrin A and thujone (alpha and beta). A number of these substances also appear in Part B of Annex III, where maximum levels (mg/kg) are set for their presence in various compound foods. For example, hydrocyanic acid must not exceed 50 mg/kg in nougat, marzipan or its substitutes or similar products, 5 mg/kg in canned stoned fruits and 35 mg/kg in alcoholic beverages.

Articles 14 - 18 of Regulation 1334/2008 lay down the rules for the labelling of flavourings not intended for sale to the final consumer and intended for sale to the final consumer and include some rules on the use of the word "natural" which are intended to make sure the consumer is not misled. In a similar manner to food enzymes, a flavouring or source material falling within the scope of Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 on the labelling and traceability of genetically modified organisms can be included in the Community list to be given in Annex I,  provided it is covered by an authorisation in accordance with Regulation 1829/2003.   Articles 19 and 20 contain provisions which should help the European Commission monitor the level of use of food flavourings and source materials in the EU. Indeed, after consultation with the European Food Safety Authority, the Commission will adopt a common methodology to be used by Member States in gathering information on the consumption and use of  flavourings set out in the Community list. 

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Probiotics help with alcohol-damaged liver and bowel flora

A joint study by doctors at the Northern State Medical University in Russia and the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky, US, has shown that heavy drinkers, given probiotics for five days had better liver function and a higher number of beneficial gut bacteria than subjects given the standard therapy (abstinence plus vitamins).

In this research, 66 adult Russian men who had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital with alcoholic psychosis were enrolled into a prospective, randomised, clinical trial to evaluate the effects of probiotics on bowel flora and alcohol-induced liver injury. The men were randomised to received 5 days of  treatment with Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus plantarum 8PA3, or the standard therapy alone.  24 healthy, matched controls who did not consume alcohol were also included in the study. Stool cultures and liver enzyme function were examined for controls and study participants at baseline and after the probiotic and standard therapy.

At baseline, compared to the healthy controls, the alcoholic patients had significantly lower numbers of bifidobacteria, lactobacilli and enterococci. Also, the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were significantly raised in the blood of the alcoholic group, compared to the control group, which suggested that they did have some alcohol-induced liver injury.

Compared to the alcoholic patients who received the standard therapy, those who were treated for 5 days with the probiotic bacteria had a significant increase in the numbers of both bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in their stools.   Furthermore, a subgroup of 26 patients with mild alcoholic hepatitis (defined as AST and ALT greater than 30U/L with AST-to-ALT ratio greater than one) who had been given the probiotic therapy showed a significant end-or-treatment reduction in ALT, AST, GGT, lactate dehydrogenase and total bilirubin, compared with those given the standard therapy. (From a very brief report in the Daily Mail (29/12/08) and authors' summary in Alcohol, December 2008, 42 (8): 675-682).

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 Red meat allergy linked to IgE antibody for galactose moiety 

A team of authors from the University of Virginia Health System, US, investigated whether IgE antibodies to galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) were present in the sera of patients who reported anaphylaxis or urticaria after eating beef, pork or lamb.

In the summary of their study, Scott P Commins and his colleagues note that carbohydrate moieties are frequently encountered in foods and can sometimes elicit allergic reactions in sensitive individuals which are severe or even fatal. To find out more, detailed histories were taken from patients who attended the University of Virginia Allergy Clinic, with skin prick tests, intradermal skin tests and serum IgE antibody analysis carried out for common indoor, outdoor and food allergens.

Amongst the patients tested, 24 were found to have antibodies to α-gal. These all described a similar history of anaphylaxis or urticaria which occurred 3 - 6 hours after they had eaten meat. No allergic incidents occurred if they avoided meat. Skin prick tests produced consistent wheal responses in these patients and CAP-RAST testing revealed the presence of specific IgE antibodies to beef, pork, lamb, cow's milk, cat and dog but not to turkey, chicken or fish. The authors say that absorption experiments showed that this pattern of sensitivity was linked to the presence of an IgE antibody specific to α-gal.( From Commins et al. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, articles in press 15/12/08).

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Umami taste receptor

Jess Halliday, writing in FoodNavigator,  highlights research carried out at Senomyx and Biopredict Inc. in the United States, which is beginning to shed more light on the fifth taste sensation "umami".  Umami is the tasty savoury flavour of monosodium glutamate first discovered by K. Ikeda in 1908, but only relatively recently accepted as a basic taste quality alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter.

Sweet, umami and bitter tastes are mediated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) , with receptors for the umami and sweet tastes being closely related to each other. The three subunits of the T1R family form two heteromeric receptors: umami (T1R1/T1R3) and sweet (T1R2/T1R3). The T1R receptors belong to class C GPCRs, along with metabotropic glutamate receptors, (mGluRs), γ-aminobutyric acid receptor B (GABA_bR), and calcium sensing receptors (CSR).

In an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Zhang et al report the identification of the ligand binding sites of human umami taste receptors.  Using sweet-umami chimeric receptors, mutagenesis analysis and molecular modelling, the authors have managed to demonstrate a unique mechanism for the synergy between glutamate and inosine monophoshate (IMP) (a purinic ribonucleotide) in activating the umami taste receptor. As a result of this work, the umami taste receptor is described as having a structure reminiscent of the Venus Flytrap plant in which there are two globular sub-domains, the N-terminal upper lobe and the lower lobe which are connected by a 3-stranded flexible hinge, which can be in an open or closed position. L-glutamate is thought to bind close to the hinge region, while 5' ribonucleotides bind to an adjacent site, close to the opening of the flytrap. Purinic ribonucleotides are known to strongly potentiate the umami taste whilst not eliciting any umami taste themselves. It therefore appears that by binding close to the opening of the flytrap, they may help stabilise the closed conformation, allowing the glutamate to stay in the "mouth" of the receptor for longer, so potentiating the umami taste.  (Zhang, et al. PNAS, 2008, 105 (52): 20930-20934).

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"Detox" products dismissed by scientists as a myth

A team of young scientists working for the charitable trust Sense About Science have dismissed products promoted as "detox" agents, highlighting a significant lack of evidence and a misleading use of scientific terminology. The team was comprised of members of the Voice of Young Science network who have begun a campaign to highlight the use of meaningless scientific-sounding words and phrases. They reviewed 15 products ranging from vitamins, shampoo, detox patches and body brushes all sold in a variety of outlets and considered representative of what is to be found throughout the marketplace.

The term "detox" is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as the removal of toxic substances or qualities.  However none of the companies approached by the scientists were found to share a common definition of "detox". It was reported to be interpreted as having many meanings, all of which concerned the somewhat ambiguous action of the removal of toxins or impurities from the surface of, or within the body. What was regarded as a toxin or impurity also varied between the companies interviewed.

For example, research into a Garnier face wash product which claimed to detoxify the skin by removing toxins revealed it to have no more functionality than cheaper cleansers since the "toxins" it was claimed to remove emerged as being dirt, make-up and skin oils. All a detox brush, marketed under the Boots brand removed, were dead skin cells. This product also made the claim that the brushing action stimulated the immune and lymphatic system.  However a Boots spokesperson admitted that they had not proven the effectiveness of these claims and that the same effects were likely to be achieved by using a relatively abrasive flannel. Amongst other products found to be significantly lacking in scientific evidence to support their claims were Vitabiotics Detoxil which was claimed to be a unique formulation of 26 bio-active minerals and compounds and that individual research had been conducted on its constituents. The company further suggested that these constituents (also present in a healthy diet) acted "in synergy" despite having no scientific evidence of their effectiveness when used in combination.

In addition to the lack of peer-reviewed evidence and controlled trials data, some companies chose to cite confidentiality as a reason for being unable to comment. Some claims have been found to be potentially misleading, but the advertising watchdogs have said that issues will be addressed on a case-by-case basis upon receipt of a complaint. A notable example is the Natural Detox Smoothie manufactured by Innocent. In this case the Advertising Standards Agency ruled against the company's claim that it had a detoxifying effect and this claim  has since been removed from the packaging.  The product has since been rebranded as a "superfruit smoothie".

Of the companies approached for further information and clarification by the scientists most were resigned to admitting that the term "detox" has simply been used as a substitute for processes such as cleaning and brushing - a marketing gimmick in response to consumer trends. The common theme amongst all the products investigated was that if they were to have any action upon the body at all, the same could be achieved by drinking plenty of water, having a healthy balanced diet and plenty of sleep. (Summary in BBC Health News).

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Product recalls and alerts

**Imperial Snack Foods Ltd recalls own-brand Brazil nuts
**The Health Store recalls dried apricots
**Waitrose recalls some chicken with pilau rice
**From Canada
**From the US
**European Rapid Alerts for week 1
**Links to recall web sites
**Recall web sites for halal and kosher foods

**Imperial Snack Foods Ltd recalls own-brand Brazil nuts
Imperial Snack Foods Ltd has recalled one batch of its own brand brazil nuts, due to the presence of Salmonella. Product recall notices will appear in stores nationwide. The Food Standards Agency has issued a Food Alert.

**The Health Store recalls dried apricots
The Health Store is recalling a batch of its own-brand Whole, Dried Apricots due to incorrect allergen information. The batch contains sulphites, which are not declared on the label and make this batch of apricots a potential health risk for people who are sensitive to sulphites. The Food Standards Agency has issued an allergy alert.

**Waitrose recalls some chicken with pilau rice
Waitrose has recalled some of its Low Saturated Fat Chicken Tikka Masala with Pilau Rice (400g), because some packs may contain Chicken Korma with Pilau Rice, which contains nuts (cashew nut puree) that is not mentioned on the label. The product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to nuts. The Food Standards Agency has issued an allergy alert.

**From Canada

• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising consumers to be cautious of a possible choking hazard associated with various brands and flavours of imported mini-cup jelly products containing konjac. The affected product was sold in a 1 Kg Bear shaped plastic jar containing assorted flavours of Three Fish Bidrico coconut/fruit jelly cups.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Groupe St-Hubert, Division Détail are warning people with allergies to milk not to consume certain St-Hubert brand Bar-B-Q Sauce can. The affected product may contain milk which is not declared on the label.

**From the US

• CA--KRC Food Trading Inc is recalling its Fish Cake sushi with production date of December 19 and December 22 due to the label not declaring eggs. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The Fish cake Sushi was distributed in California in coffee shops, bakeries, and Korean markets in Los Angeles, CA including two retail stores owned by the firm.
• Patrick Cudahy, a Cudahy, Wisc., firm, is recalling approximately 3,590 pounds of bacon bit products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
• Home Fresh Sandwich Distributors, Inc., a Denver, Colo., firm, is recalling approximately 172 pounds of burrito products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

**EU rapid alerts for food and feed for Weeks 51 and 52 (2008) and Week 1 (2009)
Week 51 - up to 19/12/08
Week 52 - up to 26/12/08
Week 1 - up to 02/01/09.

**Links to recall web sites
For UK product recalls visit the Food Standards Agency's  Food Alerts and Allergy Alert web sites.
For US product recalls visit the USDA's  Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) web sites.
For product recalls in Australia and New Zealand visit the FSANZ web site.
For Canada go to The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
For Ireland go to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

**Recall web sites for halal and kosher foods
Food e-News does not cover product recalls and mislabelling alerts for Kosher or Halal products. If you need information on these please go to the London Beth Din Kashrut Division where there is a facility on the home page to access the  kosher alerts system.  For US Kosher alerts please go to  Kashrut.com  and follow the link labelled 'Consumer Kashrut Alerts' for Kosher alerts. For Halal alerts go to the Muslim Consumer Group web site, which also outlines the criteria used to judge if products are halal or not.

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Food safety

**Salmonella rule for turkey producers
**Enzyme key to fighting E.coli bug
**Agency consulting on sustainable fish advice
**Food terrorism tops 2009 safety scare list in US
**Christmas Spirit
**FDA requires more disclosure of bug-based colours
**Climate change and food research needed
**Wheat-based infant formula safer reconstituted with juice
**Food firms urged to make sources clearer
**Food fears trigger new safety scheme
**X-Ray irradiation can protect delicate vegetables
**EFSA evaluates Salmonella contamination of pigs at slaughter
**Pathogenesis of Campylobacter jejuni-related disease
**EPA urged to examine safety of phthalates
**EU Measures expected to reduce human salmonellosis caused by eggs
**Animal diseases updates and food poisoning outbreaks
**The Food Safety Network

**Salmonella rule for turkey producers
From January 2010 turkey producers will be legally required to test for Salmonella.  Turkey businesses are now being urged to start preparing for new Salmonella testing and monitoring, as it becomes the next sector targeted by the EU Zoonoses Directive. From January 2010 DEFRA will require all fattening flocks with more than 300 birds to test for salmonella three weeks before slaughter. Before being moved to a laying unit, breeding flocks for rearing will have to be tested at a day old, four weeks old, and two weeks, with adult laying flocks of more than 50 birds tested every three weeks during lay and three weeks before slaughter. (Farmers Weekly Interactive).

**Enzyme key to fighting E.coli bug
Researchers from the Universities of Essex and Sheffield have traced how an enzyme helps E.coli.  The study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology found that the cytochrome bd enzyme neutralises nitric oxide gas.  The body's immune system uses high levels of nitric oxide gas to attack the bacteria,  but the E. coli  enzyme can replace it with oxygen which encourages E.coli growth. The lead researcher Professor Chris Cooper is quoted as saying that as E.coli  can cause several serious diseases, understanding how it resists attack by the host's immune system is an important discovery.  He also states that no protein resembling cytochrome bd exists in the human body. Therefore future research might be able to target cytochrome bd with specific drugs and kill invading bacteria, whilst not harming the human patient. (BBC)

**FSA consultation on sustainable fish advice
The Food Standards Agency has launched a public consultation on proposals to review its advice to consumers on eating fish in the light of sustainability issues. The Agency says it is committed to taking wider sustainability issues into account in its advice on nutrition and food safety. The current advice by the FSA is that we should eat at least two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily.  The key areas highlighted in this consultation are: (1) the evidence regarding the health benefits and safety of eating fish is established and has not been re-examined; (2) discussion of environmental concerns regarding the Agency's dietary advice on fish consumption and (3) the proposal that the Agency should develop an 'information hub' within its dietary advice. This would offer links to other sources of information and advice to enable choices that take into account other aspects of sustainability. The emphasis would be on facilitating access to information rather than interpreting or duplicating it on the Agency's website.  Comments should be sent to Verity Kirkpatrick, Nutrition Division, Food Standards Agency; Tel: 020 7276 8681 by 31 March 2009.

**FDA requires more disclosure of bug-based colours
A final rule has been released by the US Food and Drug Administration requiring that foods and cosmetics that contain insect-based colourings, called carmine or cochineal extract be listed by name on labels.  The colourings, which are extracted from cochineal beetles are currently included under "artificial colour" or "colour added".  The rule takes effect in about 24 months. According to medical documentation prepared by the Center for Science the Public Interest the extract has been found to produce allergic reactions and they petitioned the FDA 10 years ago to require labelling disclosure, conduct scientific investigation and if necessary ban the colour. (Marketing Daily).

**Food terrorism tops 2009 safety scare list in US
According to the law firm Marler Clark which represents victims of food-borne illness outbreaks, economic terrorism and deadly strains of E. coli are among the main food safety issues that manufacturers could face in the US in 2009. It is stated that Marler Clark predict that due to expanding globalization of the food supply and the challenges of oversight/infrastructure in developing countries there will be more recalls and outbreaks. They highlighted a lack of regulation for certain E. coli strains.  They also predicted that there would be more outbreaks linked to local food and/or farmer's markets and more contamination events involving the whole food chain. (Food Production Daily)

**Christmas Spirit
The national pub chain Spirit Group, which has been charged with 87 food safety offences and 25 health and safety offences since 2003, was fined £32,250 after admitting eight charges.  Spirit Group, which was ordered to pay costs of £11,784, admitted failing to keep the Castle Hotel in Droitwitch, clean, ensure the safety of its staff and implement an enforcement notice. The district judge is quoted as saying that the Spirit Group had the 'most appalling track record' he had ever seen and it was only a matter of 'good luck' that the pub's customers and staff had avoided food poisoning and injury. (CIEH)

**Climate change and food research needed
The Food Standards Agency is advertising for researchers to carry out a systematic review of the effect of climate change on food and the Agency's remit. The Cross Cutting Themes Programme has been created by the Agency's Chief Scientist in order to deal with issues that fall across the Agency's remit.  The review will aim to identify the evidence the Agency will need to continue to deliver strategic objectives such as continue to reduce foodborne disease  and to reduce further the risks to consumers from chemical contamination of food.  For further information contact PK Khaira, Chief Scientist Team tel 02072768785.

**Wheat-based infant formula safer reconstituted with juice
The results of a study published in Letters in Applied Microbiology show that Cronobacter species do not grow in wheat-based infant formula stored at 4 ^o C. Reconstitution of the formula with apple or grape juice, rather than with  water or milk tends to further suppress the growth of the Cronobacter. Cronobacter is a recently defined genus of bacterium previously known as Enterobacter sakazakii. This bacterium has been associated with infant meningitis, enteritis and septicaemia. (Summary in Eurakalert).  See also: J Clin Microbiol. 2007 November; 45(11): 3814-3816 for details of the re-classification of this organism.

**Food firms urged to make sources clearer
The UK's environment secretary Hilary Benn has stated that food companies and supermarkets must be more honest about where their food comes from.  He has said that the label should clearly state the country of origin for the products prime ingredients instead of where the product was last processed and this will help consumer make a more informed choice about what they eat buy and eat. Benn is quoted as saying that the EU moves a lot slower than consumer demand and that UK Processors and retailers could voluntarily introduce country of origin labeling. The Food and Drink Federation responded to Benn saying there were already regulations to protect consumers from being misled. FDFs director of food safety and science Helen Munday said it supported food companies who wanted voluntarily to put country of origin labeling on products and suggested there was a big difference between primary foods, where the country of origin was a bigger issue for consumers and generic products such as meat pies, pizzas and lasagnes, which used a number of ingredients from a range of suppliers. (Guardian)

**Food fears trigger new safety scheme
Havant council has set up its own food safety scheme after an increase in food poisoning cases.  The scheme funded by the Food Standards Agency is called Havant Safer Food Project and will target 300 businesses including takeaway shops and seasonal caterers like burger vans.  A total of £50,000 is to be invested in providing extra training on hygiene and food preparation.  The scheme aims to target businesses that have not improved since routine inspections by environmental health officers. (Portsmouth.co.uk)

**X-Ray irradiation can protect delicate vegetables
Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) claim that x-rays can kill bacteria and extend the shelf life of delicate vegetables without causing changes in product quality. Other types of irradiation have been used to protect ground meat and other products for many years and the FDA has recently allowed the use of irradiation for lettuce and spinach. The MSU scientists indicate that by using a lower dose than other techniques, though higher than medical x-rays,  they can kill pathogens such as E. coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella and preserve food quality. The technology is being tested in the university's pilot processing plant and commercialised by Rayfresh Foods. The researchers are also undertaking investigations into using the techniques to kill Salmonella on almonds. (Food Production Daily)

** EFSA evaluates Salmonella contamination of pigs at slaughter
The European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) Task Force on Zoonoses Data Collection has published a very comprehensive analysis of the risk factors related to Salmonella in slaughter pigs within the European Union.  Pigs were randomly selected from those slaughterhouses that together account for 80% of the pigs slaughtered within each Member State. All participating Member States (and Norway) sampled lymph nodes from the selected slaughtered pigs. The lymph node results reflected the Salmonella infection status of the pigs. Moreover, 13 Member States additionally sampled pigs' carcasses by swabbing in order to define the external contamination risk of carcasses. The analysis revealed some similarities between the Salmonella types most frequently reported in humans and those found in slaughter pigs, indicating that pigs and pig meat do contribute to Salmonella infections in humans. The results showed that Salmonella contamination of pig carcases was more likely to happen in some slaughterhouses than others, and that some factors related to Salmonella infections varied considerably between countries. Full report on the EFSA web site.

**Pathogenesis of Campylobacter jejuni-related disease
A research group from Nottingham University Hospital, UK, has investigated the mechanisms by which Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni ) causes inflammation and diarrhea. C. jejuni is a food borne organism presence in untreated water, milk, meat and poultry, whose mechanism of action has proved hard to understand.  The Nottingham team compared C. jejuni strains from community patients with acute bacterial enteritis with the laboratory strain 12189.  All strains translocated across monolayers but only a minority invaded human colonic HCA-7 cells. Two distinct patterns of interaction between clinical isolates of C. jejuni and a colonic epithelial cell line were seen. Strains that invaded epithelial cells were shown to destroy them, as demonstrated by a fall in transepithelial resistance and release of lactate dehydrogenase. These processes were accompanied by release of inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-8  and prostaglandin E2. Strains that did not invade epithelial cells did not affect epithelial barrier properties or increase mediator production. (From  World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2008; 14(48): 7345-7352. Summary in Eurekalert.org  (31/12/08).).

**EPA urged to examine safety of phthalates
The US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has urged the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to examine whether combined exposures to phthalates could cause adverse health effects. In addition this analysis should be a cumulative risk assessment considering other chemicals which might cause the same health effects as phthalates, rather than focussing on chemicals which are similar in structure to phthalates, which is the EPA's current practice. More details at NAS News 18/12/08.

**Infection detected in Scottish farmed salmon
BBC News (04/01/09) reports that there has been an outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) at a salmon farm in the Burra area of the Shetland Isles in Scotland. The disease is also suspected at two further sites in Burra. So far the authorities have acted very quickly to control the spread of the disease, which caused the loss of 200 jobs and £100 million during a previous serious outbreak in 1998/1999.

**EU Measures expected to reduce human salmonellosis caused by eggs
As of January 1 2009 all eggs from flocks of laying hens, not monitored for the presence of Salmonella or found positive to Salmonella Enteritidis or Salmonella Typhimurium, cannot be sold as table eggs but must be processed as egg products and pasteurised in order to eliminate all risks for consumers. In particular, the measure is expected to reduce considerably the number of human salmonellosis infections. Restrictions on table eggs from flocks of layers infected with Salmonella were first adopted in 2003 through Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003, with restrictions due to enter into at the end of 2009. However, high Salmonella prevalence was recorded in flocks during an EU survey in 2005-2006, and in 2007 it was decided to accelerate the regulations' enforcement. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1237/2007 set January 1 2009 as the new date to enforce these restrictions. According to the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) annual reports on zoonoses, eggs and egg products are responsible for more than half of all outbreaks of human salmonellosis in the EU where the source of infection was demonstrated. The measures also apply to eggs imported from third countries. Only Croatia, Norway and Switzerland have provided equivalent guarantees on the safety of eggs. Therefore, only imports of table eggs from these countries are authorised in the EU. (European Commission Midday Express 05/01/09).

**Animal diseases updates and food poisoning outbreaks
Regular global updates on food poisoning outbreaks and animal diseases, such as avian influenza, foot and mouth, Ebola, SARS, and Anthrax can be found on the International Society for Infectious Diseases 'ProMED-mail' web site. 

**The Food Safety Network
The International Food Safety Network (iFSN) at Kansas State University provides research, commentary, policy evaluation and public information on food safety issues.  An international repository of food safety-related information, FSN offers consumer, student and industry outreach services, information research, on-line resources, collaborative projects, evaluation and analysis, and a capacity to address current and emerging food safety concerns.

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Legislation headlines

**EU maintains ban on US chicken over chlorine wash
**European Parliament draft report on food labelling proposal
**EFSA provides update on Article 13 health claims
**Black tea claim over focus and alertness not substantiated
**EFSA reasoned opinions on pesticide MRLs
**Standard for organic certification bodies
**Recent PGI/PDO applications in the EU
**FDA takes action over illegal drug residues at New Mexico dairies
**FDA warns over adulterated weight loss tablets
**FSANZ calls for comment of use of phytosterols in fruit juice drinks
**EFSA continues its review of flavouring materials
**New controls on imports of meat from Botswana and Brazil
**EU marketing standards for sardines
**Corrigendum to purity criteria for colours
**FSA update on food supplements directive

**EU maintains ban on US chicken over chlorine wash
EU agriculture ministers voted to continue to keep U.S. poultry out of the European market because of U.S. cleaning practices. Eighteen of 26 agriculture ministers voted against the attempted move by the European Commission to lift the ban, in place since 1997, and arising from the fact that US poultry can be rinsed with chlorine which is not allowed in the EU. United Press International article.

**European Parliament draft report on food labelling proposal
The European Parliament's (EP) Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee recently released its draft report on the European Commission's proposal for a new food labelling regulation.  The EP Committee has deleted the proposed 3mm minimum font size requirement for all mandatory information on food labels based on the argument that font size alone does not guarantee legibility and it is its legibility by a "normally-sighted consumer" which is of importance.  The EP committee has also amended the proposed requirement to include mandatory nutrition declaration on the front of the package.  Only the energy content (calories kcal kJ) would be required to be given in the bottom right hand corner on the front of the package, and surrounded by a rectangular border.  The amount of energy and nutrients must be given per 100g or 100ml and may be expressed per portion provided the number of portions contained in the package is stated and that the portion sizes are realistic. It is recommended that the European Commission should develop guidelines concerning the indication of realistic portion sizes.  Details on nutrients and ingredients providing the energy content should be given in a table format and include, in the following order: energy, protein, fat (with specific reference to saturates), carbohydrates (with specific reference to sugars and starch), sodium from salt.   (US Gain Report).

**EFSA provides update on Article 13 health claims
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has provided an update on the progress it is making in carrying out risk assessments on various Article 13 nutrition and health claims. The document "Statistical overview of deadlines" presents the different types of claims that EFSA has received and the deadline by which they will be assessed. EFSA aims to finalise the evaluation according to the below timeline:
By end of July 2009: about 1,000 main entries - claims originally submitted in July 2008, which have passed the pre-screening stage and have not been subsequently modified.
By end of November 2009: about 470 main entries - claims originally submitted in July 2008 and subsequently amended, and new claims sent in November 2008. All these claims have passed the pre-screening stage. 
Deadline to be determined: about 2,700 main entries - new claims received in December 2008, claims previously submitted for which changes were received in December 2008, and all claims which have not passed the prescreening stage and require further information prior to evaluation by the Panel.

**Black tea claim over focus and alertness not substantiated
The European Food Safety Authority's expert panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) has decided that the data presented by Unilever plc/NV for its black tea (Camellia sinensis) could not be used to substantiate a claim that black tea "helps to focus attention and enhances alertness". Black tea contains, amongst other things, theanine and caffeine. But although one study showed that theanine and caffeine tended to improve accuracy across the tasks,  the effects on reaction times were inconsistent. The cumulative doses of theanine and caffeine used in this study (69-147 mg theanine, 147 mg caffeine) were higher than the cumulative doses in the conditions of use as proposed by the applicant (46 mg theanine and 100 mg caffeine from two to three typical cups of black tea). The Panel therefore considered that this study provided only limited evidence to support the claimed effect of black tea under the conditions of use proposed by the applicant.

**EFSA reasoned opinions on pesticide MRLs
Reasoned Opinion of EFSA: Modification of the existing MRL for thiram in bananas.
Reasoned Opinion of EFSA: Modification of the existing MRL for fluroxypyr in leeks.
Reasoned Opinion of EFSA: Setting of an import tolerance for trifloxystrobin in passion fruit

**Standard for organic certification bodies
Communication 2008/C 323/09 from the European Commission relates to the competent authorities which deal with the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 on organic production and the labelling of organic products and the repeal of Regulation  (EEC) No 2092/91.  The Communication notes that EN 45011:1998 E defines the general requirements for bodies operating product certification systems (ISO/IEC Guide 65:1996).

**Recent PGI/PDO applications in the EU
Applications have been made for protected geographical indications (PGI)  for the following speciality products:
'Pan De Cruz De Ciudad Real' (Spain) which is defined as a compact and dense loaf of bread made from wheat flour.
'Batata Doce De Aljezur' (Portugal) is a sweet potato, which when eaten raw has the taste of chestnuts.
'Ciauscolo' (Italy) is a special type of sausage encased in natural pig or bovine gut and produced by farming families in the Provinces of Ancona, Macerata and Ascoli Piceno.

**FDA takes action over illegal drug residues at New Mexico dairies
The U S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken action against two dairies in New Mexico for illegally treating animals with veterinary drugs and for allowing animals to be sent for slaughter knowing they had been treated with illegal drugs. FDA inspections of the dairies since 2005, have revealed repeated breaches of the law by Do-Rene and Clover Knolls Dairies and their owners, Douglas B. Handley and Irene Handley.

**FDA warns over adulterated weight loss tablets
The US Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers and seeking a recall of various weight loss tablets which contain prescription medications.  According to an FDA press statement,  analysis has found that the undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients in some of these products include sibutramine (a controlled substance), rimonabant (a drug not approved for marketing in the United States), phenytoin (an anti-seizure medication), and phenolphthalein (a solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer causing agent). Some of the amounts of active pharmaceutical ingredients far exceeded the FDA-recommended levels, putting consumers' health at risk. These weight loss products, some of which are marketed as "dietary supplements," are promoted and sold on various Web sites and in some retail stores. Some of the products claim to be "natural" or to contain only "herbal" ingredients, but actually contain potentially harmful ingredients not listed on the product labels or in promotional advertisements. These products have not been approved by the FDA, are illegal and may be potentially harmful to unsuspecting consumers. 

**FSANZ calls for comment of use of phytosterols in fruit juice drinks
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has invited public comment on a request to approve the use of phytosterols, derived from vegetable oils, in fruit juice and fruit juice drinks.  Phytosterols (also known as plant sterols) are classified as a 'novel food' for food regulation purposes, which means that they are not a traditional part of the Australian and New Zealand diet and they have not been used before in fruit juice or fruit juice drinks. FSANZ has, however, already approved the use of phytosterol ingredients in edible oil spreads (i.e. margarines), breakfast cereals, low-fat milk and low-fat yoghurt to reduce the absorption of cholesterol from food.  Coca-Cola South Pacific Pty Ltd is seeking approval from FSANZ for the use of phytosterols derived from vegetable oils as a novel food ingredient in fruit juice and fruit juice drinks (minimum 20% juice) to a maximum level of 4.5 grams per litre. The products will be specifically marketed to adult consumers, generally over the age of 40, with concerns about their blood cholesterol level.  Comments on the use of phytosterols in fruit juice products should be submitted to FSANZ by 11 February 2009.

**EFSA continues its review of flavouring materials
Flavouring Group Evaluation 35, (FGE.35)[1] - Three quinine salts from the Priority list from chemical group 30 - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food .
Flavouring Group Evaluation 9, Revision 1, : (FGE.09 Rev1)[1] - Secondary alicyclic saturated and unsaturated alcohols, ketones and esters containing secondary alicyclic alcohols from chemical groups 8 and 30, and an ester of a phenol carboxylic acid from chemical group 25 - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food.
Flavouring Group Evaluation 49, (FGE.49)[1] - Xanthin alkaloids from the Priority list from chemical group 30 - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food.

**New controls on imports of meat from Botswana and Brazil
Commission Decision 2009/4/EC of 18 December 2008 amending Annex II to Council Decision 79/542/EEC as regards the entry for Botswana and Brazil in the list of third countries or parts thereof from which imports into the Community of certain fresh meat are authorised.

**EU marketing standards for sardines
Commission Regulation (EC) No 1345/2008 of 23 December 2008 amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 laying down common marketing standards for preserved sardines and trade descriptions for preserved sardines and sardine-type products.

**Corrigendum to purity criteria for colours
Corrigendum to Commission Directive 95/45/EC of 26 July 1995 laying down specific purity criteria concerning colours for use in foodstuffs. Colours affected by the changes are riboflavin (E101), riboflavin-5'-phosphate (E101), copper complexes of chlorophyllins (E141), lycopene (E160d), beta-apo-8'-carotenal (E160e) and the ethyl ester of beta-apo-8'-carotenoic acid (E160f).

**FSA update on food supplements directive
Dr Clair Baynton, head of novel foods, additives and supplements at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has provided an update for interested parties on the situation on food supplements other than vitamins and minerals in relation to the Food Supplements Directive  2002/46/EC. The Directive obliged the European Commission to submit a report to the European Parliament and Council on the need for specific rules to control the use of substances in food supplements other than vitamins and minerals.  The Commission's report was published in December 2008 and concluded that the existing European legislative framework was satisfactory and that additional legislation was not justified or feasible at this stage.

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Other headlines (07/01/09)

**EFSA initiates pan-European research project on bee decline
**EFSA feedback on nanotechnology
**High fat diet linked to body clock disruption
**Food regulation threat if obesity plan fails
**Coffee may protect against oral cancer

**EFSA initiates pan-European research project on bee decline
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has awarded a grant of €100,000 to a consortium of European scientific institutes to study so-called "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD) in honey bees. The nine-month project is being co-ordinated by EFSA's Assessment Methodology Unit (AMU) and is due to begin in January 2009. Honey bees play an important role in the pollination of crops and a decline in bee populations could have a serious impact on agricultural production. Brief notes on the EFSA web site give some background information on CCD and on data already collected from 22 EU Member States plus Norway and Switzerland on the health of the bee populations in their countries. A special web site, COLOSS,  has been set up.

**EFSA feedback on nanotechnology
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has received some 200 submissions as part of the public consultation on its draft opinion on risks arising from nanoscience and nanotechnologies on food and feed safety. EFSA will now finalise the opinion, taking into account the comments received. Meanwhile, following requests from the European Commission, the ANS and CEF Panels have looked into the safety of two specific nano materials used in food supplements and plastic drinks bottles respectively.

**High fat diet linked to body clock disruption
Scientists at the Hebrew University of Israel have noted a link between a high fat diet and disruption of circadian rhythms - the 'body clock' - which regulate activity of hormones and enzymes involved in metabolism in mice. They also indicate that such disruption may lead to obesity and metabolic disorders including hormone imbalance, psychological and sleep disorders and some forms of cancer. The researchers wanted to understand if the biological clock controlled the adiponectin signaling pathway in the liver of mice and to see if this control was affected by fasting and/or a high fat diet. They found that under normal conditions, the pathways showed circadian rhythmicity but under fasting conditions, phases were advanced while under a high-fat diet, phases were delayed. These results, if they could be applied to humans, would show a cause and effect relation between diet and biological clock imbalance. (From FoodNavigator.com)

**Food regulation threat if obesity plan fails
The UK Government has indicated that if the recently launched three-year Change4Life health lifestyle campaign does not reduce obesity levels, it will consider regulating the food industry. Forecasts indicate that by 2050, if the rate of obesity is unchecked, 4 out of 10 children and 9 out of 10 adults will be overweight or obese. Government targets aim to reduce child obesity back to 2000 levels over the next 11 years. Health Minister Ben Bradshaw indicated that the government wanted to work with food manufacturers and supermarkets rather than legislate but that legislation wouldn't be ruled out if the campaign didn't succeed. Health lobby groups have criticised the involvement of food companies in the campaign and National Obesity Forum board member Tam Fry was quoted as saying that greater regulation of the food industry was needed to tackle rising obesity. (From ReutersHealth.com).

**Coffee may protect against oral cancer
New research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology by a team from Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, suggests that drinking coffee may protect the mouth, pharynx and oesophagus from cancer. Study leader, Dr Toru Naganuma, said that although giving up smoking and drinking alcohol was the best way to reduce the risk of developing these kinds of cancers, coffee could be a preventive factors in both high- and low-risk populations.  (From Flex-News.com and American Journal of Epidemiology 2008 168 (12):1425-1432; doi:10.1093/aje/kwn282).

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This Newsletter was posted on: 07 January 2009

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