The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has shared the transcript of FSA Chair Professor Susan Jebb’s speech to the Global Conference for Food Safety Regulation and Sustainability on Wednesday 10 November.

The speech focused on how climate change will impact on diet and what is the regulatory responsibility. Professor Jebb noted her disappointment at “how little of the conversation at COP 26 has focused on food”. She stated that “rising temperatures mean food and feed chains are at greater risk from pathogens and other hazards like aflatoxins, the toxic substances caused by fungus. Extreme weather conditions are disrupting harvests and supply chains, increasing the risk of food incidents and food crime.” Professor Jebb called for a less wasteful system, reducing the environmental harms of food production (particularly meat production and consumption), and “find solutions that are kinder to the planet and that will require a culture of innovation”.

To read the full transcript, click here.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has opened a consultation on the draft Scientific Opinion advising on the development of harmonised mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling and the setting of nutrient profiles for restricting nutrition and health claims on foods.

The consultation will close on 9^th January 2022, so all comments must be returned prior to the closing date.

To access the consultation, click here.

The European Commission have released the findings of the first coordinated control plan on the authenticity of herbs and spices in the EU market. The most susceptible, with 48% of samples being adulterated was oregano and it was found that olive leaves were the most common adulterant.

Other spices included in the coordinated control were cumin, turmeric, paprika/chilli, pepper and saffron as these have previously been reported to be the subject of adulteration.

Over 10,000 assays were performed on 1,885 samples using a variety of cutting-edge analytical methods. The proportion of samples suspected of adulteration was 48% for oregano, 17% for pepper, 14% for cumin, 11% for turmeric, 11% for saffron and 6% for paprika/chilli. The bulk of questionable samples included unidentified plant material and in 2% of the spice samples that were analysed, unapproved colorants were also discovered along with copper compounds exceeding the applicable maximum residue level defined by Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 were identified in 2 cumin, 45 oregano, and 4 pepper samples.

Fraudulent manipulation can occur at any stage of the supply chain, at manufacturing, transportation, processing etc until the product reaches the market. The overall rate of questionable samples was 17% (323 samples out of a total of 1885), which is lower than previously published in the scholarly literature or by national food control agencies.

Legislation has been laid that will see Scotland ban some of the most environmentally damaging single-use plastic items, with the ban coming into force on 1^st June 2022.

The ban will apply to single use plastic cutlery, plates, straws and drinks stirrers, as well as food containers made of expanded polystyrene and cups and other beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, including the covers and lids.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said:

“We are turning promise into action and banning some of the most problematic single-use plastic items in Scotland. Every year, hundreds of millions of pieces of single-use plastic are wasted in this country. They litter our coasts, pollute our oceans and contribute to the climate emergency. That has to end and this ban will be another step forward in the fight against plastic waste and throwaway culture. This is another example of the sort of bold action that is needed if we are to deliver on the commitments that are being made at COP26.”

“Crucially, the legislation includes exemptions for single-use plastic straws, to make sure that those who need them for independent living or medical purposes can still get access to them.  However, the ban is at risk from the UK Internal Market Act, which effectively exempts any items that are produced in or imported via another part of the UK.  I will be writing to the UK government to ask that they take the necessary steps to ensure the integrity of this ban.”