Food Safety Watch

Today’s batch of EFSA scientific opinions on novel food applications includes the first completed assessment of a proposed insect-derived food product. Our safety evaluations are a necessary step in the regulation of novel food, as our scientific advice supports EU...

The new regulation aimed at increasing the transparency of risk assessment in the food chain becomes applicable on 27 March 2021. As part of the implementation process, EFSA has published detailed arrangements for how the new rules and measures specified in the...

EFSA has published new guidance on the information applicants need to include in their dossiers for the renewal of the authorisation of feed additives.Feed additives are authorised for 10 years. Subsequently, applicants must submit a new request showing that the...

Vittorio Silano, one of EFSA’s most longstanding and highly respected scientists, has died at the age of 80.Vittorio had been a stalwart of EFSA since its inception, having served as chairman of the Scientific Committee from 2003 until 2012, as member of the Panel on...

EFSA is to assess a number of emergency authorisations granted by Member States for the use of neonicotinoids in sugar beet in 2020. The request from the European Commission covers 21 emergency authorisations of clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and thiacloprid...

EFSA has developed a tool to help food business operators decide when to apply the ‘use by’ or ‘best before’ date to their products.The ‘use by’ date on food is about safety – foods can be eaten until this date but not after, even if they look and smell fine. ‘Best...

Genome editing techniques that modify the DNA of plants do not pose more hazards than conventional breeding or techniques that introduce new DNA into a plant, an EFSA assessment concludes.The scientific opinion focuses on plants produced using different genome editing...

The risk of avian influenza moving into previously unaffected European countries is high, according to an update published today by EFSA which shows that the virus is spreading rapidly across the continent.Within the past month more than 300 cases have been reported...

EFSA’s social scientists have completed a draft assessment of risk communication theory and best practice. The work will support the European Commission implement a new provision of the 2019 Transparency Regulation, namely a ‘General plan for risk communication’ on EU...

EFSA’s existing guidelines for the risk assessment of genetically modified animals are adequate for evaluating risks associated with gene drive modified insects. However, further guidance is needed for some areas, such as molecular characterisation, environmental risk...