About this blog

This blog is all about how to keep food safe. The facts area contains descriptions about food safety topics, while posts links to issues, incidents or events. The blog covers a broad range of relevant topics with a particular focus on industrial and environmental contaminants and natural toxins. It tries to translate complex scientific issues into everyday language. Some areas are controversial with polarised views, but we will stick to known facts when drawing conclusions. Risks are part of normal life. Even water can be dangerous in very high doses. But as a leading light we believe that food for sale should be safe to eat and this will be reflected in the topics covered.

We are aiming at synthesising information provided by the following official organisations:

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) which is the central European Union (EU) risk assessment body on food and feed safety. In close collaboration with national authorities and in open consultation with its stakeholders, EFSA provides independent scientific advice and clear communication on existing and emerging risks.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA’s organisation consists of the Office of the Commissioner and four directorates overseeing the core functions of the agency: Medical Products and Tobacco, Foods, Global Regulatory Operations and Policy, and Operations.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) which is a bi-national Government agency. Their main responsibility is to develop and administer the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which lists requirements for foods such as additives, food safety, labelling and GM foods.

Health Canada’s Food Directorate which is a Federal authority providing policies, standards, advice and information on the safety and nutritional value of food for Canadians.

Livsmedelsverket (SLV) which is the Swedish national food agency responsible for protecting the interests of the consumer by working for safe food, fair practices in the food trade, and healthy eating habits. Fair practices in the food trade imply that the consumer can rely on the labelling as regards the composition, weight, keeping qualities and origin of the food.

DTU Fødevareinstituttet which is the Danish national food institute of the Technical University of Denmark responsible for food safety and serving as a national reference laboratory for chemical food contamination, nutrients, microbiological food contamination and risks as well as GMOs in food products.

The Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) which is the scientific agency of the Federal Republic of Germany responsible for preparing expert reports and opinions on food and feed safety as well as on the safety of substances and products.

L’Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (ANSES) which is the French agency responsible for the protection of human health with respect to the environment, the workplace and food.

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) which is an international expert scientific committee administered jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). JECFA serves as an independent scientific committee which performs risk assessments and provides advice to FAO, WHO and the member countries of both organisations. The requests for scientific advice are for the main part channelled through the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in their work to develop international food standards and guidelines under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.

Feel free to provide comments and contributions.