European Commission plans 249 food safety audits in 2013

The European Commission is planning to conduct 249 food safety audits in 2013, which includes an emphasis on animal health and animal welfare as part of a “farm to fork” approach.
The majority of animal welfare audits cover welfare during transport and the implementation of the Council of Europe requirements for major farmed species. On animal transport, fact-finding missions will identify best practices and focus on certain regional problems (with the aim of achieving real improvements on the ground). Further audits are planned for laying hens and sow stalls.
In 2013, 64 percent of the audits will take place in the European Union. Five percent of audits will take place in candidate countries and 31 percent in other third countries. Taking into account that about one tenth of the audits in the EU deal with Member States' import control systems, overall, controls with respect to third countries' export of feed, food, plants and animals amount to 43 percent of the program.
The Food and Veterinary Office, FVO, also will start a new series on emergency preparedness in 2013 because of lessons learned from the 2011 E. coli outbreak in Germany. The FVO will address contingency planning in the animal feed and food chain, coordination and cooperation between different authorities including public health authorities, traceability of animal feed and food, alert systems and recall procedures.

European Food Safety Authority opens engineered nanomaterial guidance document to public

The European Food Safety Authority has launched a public consultation on its draft guidance document for engineered nanomaterial applications in food and feed.
According to the guidance document, prepared by the Scientific Committee in response to a request from the European Commission, it is essential to characterize ENM following classical risk assessment practices. The draft guidance also mentions several uncertainties related to test methodologies and the availability of data and makes recommendations about how risk assessments should reflect such uncertainties. “Building on the EFSA’s previous scientific opinions in the area of nanotechnologies, we are now in the position to provide practical guidance on the risk assessment process," said Professor Vittorio Silano, chair of the EFSA’s Scientific Committee. "The EFSA recognizes the importance of developing risk assessment methodologies in this area of science, supporting innovation whilst ensuring the safety of food and feed. This is the first time that risk assessment guidance on nanotechnologies related to the food chain has been developed, making this public consultation very important to EFSA.”
Comments on the draft opinion can be submitted until Feb. 25, 2011. The final guidance document will be adopted by the EFSA’s Scientific Committee, which will consider the comments received, following the public consultation.

EU survey reports on MRSA in pigs

The European Food Safety Authority has published the first EU-wide survey on MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcusaureus) in breeding pigs. The results indicate that MRSA, a bacterium resistant to many antibiotics, is commonly detected in holdings with breeding pigs in some EU member states.
The survey provides estimates of its occurrence and makes recommendations for further monitoring of pig holdings in the EU.
The survey was carried out in 24 member states, 17 of which found some type of MRSA in their holdings with breeding pigs, and seven found none at all. On average, different types of MRSA were found in one out of four holdings with breeding pigs across the EU, but the survey also says that figures vary greatly between member states. MRSA ST398 was the most reported type of MRSA among the holdings with breeding pigs in the EU; some member states also reported other types, but their prevalence was much lower.
MRSA is a major concern for public health, and its various types are recognized as an important cause of hospital-acquired infections in humans. The specific type MRSA ST398 has been identified in some domestic animals and is considered an occupational health risk for farmers, veterinarians and their families, who may become exposed to it through direct or indirect contact with these animals.