WHAT’S NEXT

ON FOOD SAFETY
April 2005

Paola Testori Coggi

Directorate D/Food Safety
DG SANCO
European Commission

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 WHAT’S NEXT
ON FOOD SAFETY
“SAFER FOOD FOR A HEALTHIER
DIET”

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1. Open chantiers on food safety

2. New instruments for better

implementation

3. Completion of the White Paper on

Food Safety

4. Healthier Diet

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 « OPEN CHANTIERS » ON
FOOD SAFETY
 Zoonoses
 Microbiological criteria
 Contaminants
 Hygiene
 Pesticides
 Residues

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 ZOONOSES
 Division North/South MS
 Salmonella and Campylobacter most common
food-borne zoonoses
 2002: 145.000 human cases salmonellosis
and 149.000 campylobacteriosis notified
through EU reporting system
 France: each year about 30000 cases, about
7000 cases needed hospitalisation, more
than 100 deaths

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 Estimated sources of human
salmonellosis

 39% eggs
 25% pigs
 21% chickens
 11% cattle
 4% other sources

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 TARGET DATES
Predefined measures

 Table eggs: have to originate from

poultry flocks tested negative for relevant
salmonella (end 2009)
 Poultry meat: criterion of absence of
salmonella in 25g to eliminate salmonella
(end 2010)

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 MICROBIOLOGICAL
CRITERIA
 New legislation on Salmonella; Listeria,
Staphylococcies, E. Coli: 2nd quarter 2005
 Fixation of limits + analytical methods
 Actions by operators in case of non respect
of criteria:
- corrective measures
- withdrawal from market in certain
cases
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 CONTAMINANTS
(limits already set for those in red)

 Nitrates

 Mycotoxins: aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, Fusarium-

toxins, ergot alkaloids ...

 Heavy metals: lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic,...

 Processing contaminants (contaminants formed during

processing of food): 3-MCPD acrylamide, furan

 Other industrial and environmental contaminants:, dioxins, tin,

PAH, PCBs, BFRs(= brominated flame retardants), PFOS
(perfluoro octane sulfonates and its salts)...

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 CONTAMINANTS
Communication

 Besides legislation =>=>=>

 NEED for RISK COMMUNICATION = risk

management tool

Eg: - mercury in fish (last May)

- acrylamide => not an issue of cross-

contamination but of manipulation and processing so
=> guidance for producers, advice on preparation of
food, target levels
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 FOOD HYGIENE

 Implementing measures by 1.01.2006

- HACCP / Small businesses
- Technical measures - safety of
meat (parasites)

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 PESTICIDES
 Evaluation of pesticides
Existing: about 1000 on the market - before 1993
New: ongoing process

– Finalization by 2008 of a EC list

 About 400 eliminated
 99 already evaluated and authorized
 Other 85 by the end of 2005
– New legislative framework to be developed (data protection,
EC authorization for geographical zones)

 Setting Maximum residues limits:

– A limit for each pesticide
– New legislation (second reading)
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 RESIDUES of substances used in farming
(veterinary medicines, additives, biocides, illegal substances)

Balances
World Trade

Protection of the
Consumer honest user of
veterinary medicines

Animal health and

welfare
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 NEW INSTRUMENTS FOR
BETTER IMPLEMENTATION

 Food and Feed Control Regulation

 Training
 BIPs
 Testing and Labs
 Worldwide RASFF

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 Training Centre:
- communication « better training for
safer food »: end 2005

 BIPs:
- improve control of the BIPs
- options vary from stronger coordination
to a EC BIPS system

 Testing and Labs:

- reinforce existing CRLs
- create one CRL for all areas
(eg: pathogenic agents, feedingstuffs)
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 Worldwide RASFF:
=> promote a RASFF to other
regions of the world

(1) help developing countries to set

up a system equivalent to ours

(2) interconnect existing systems

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COMPLETION OF WHITE PAPER
FOOD SAFETY
 Additives
 Enzymes
 Flavourings
 Packaging:
- innovative packaging
- plastics

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 HEALTHIER DIET
 Nutritional health claims
 Fortification
 Nutrition labelling
 General revision of the labelling

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 Healthier diet
Four key initiatives:

 Nutrition and health claims: new Regulation to allow

science-based messages regarding health benefits of foods/diets
& define nutrient content claims

 Addition of nutrients to foods: new legislation to harmonise

national rules on voluntary addition of vitamins and minerals.

 Nutrition labelling: revision of current rules to facilitate

consumer understanding and selection of healthy diets

 Food labelling evaluation: how can legislation be improved

to better address consumer needs?

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 Nutritional health claims
 Nutrition claims
EU harmonised list ex. low fat (less 3/100 gr), fat free (less 0,5/100 gr)
High fibre (more 6/100 gr)

 Health Claims
1) Role of nutrient : well established claims ex.: Vit.A improves vision,
Vit.D fortifies your bones, fibres facilitate intestinal transit

2) Reduction of a disease risk subject to specific scientific assessment

ex.:Calcium reduce risk of osteoporosis, fruit and vegetable reduce risk
of certain cancers

 Nutritient profile
Restriction on the use of claims for products according to the content
of certain nutrients such as fats, sugars and salt

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 Nutrition labelling
 Nature of the present labelling scheme:
• Nutrition labelling is voluntary
• It becomes compulsory when a nutrition claim is made

 Nutrition labelling should:

• Become compulsory
Or
• Remain Voluntary?

 If nutrition labelling became compulsory which elements

should be declared?
• Energy
• Fat
• Saturates
• Carbohydrates
• Sugars
• Salt/sodium
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Do we need a clearer labelling?
 Balance between request for more information on label and
need to have clear and meaningful labels
 EC rules only for packaged food:
– Non pre-packaged Member States
– What about cantines & restaurants nothing
(Up to 30% of our meals outside home)
 Indication of origin Now is only for fruits and vegetables,
beef, fish, eggs and GM. Need to cover other foodstuffs?
Voluntary or compulsory?
 List of ingredients for alcoholic beverages?
 Misleading statements such as “fresh”, “traditional”,
“homemade”, “pure”, “natural”, need to regulate?

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