A review of worldwide research on infant weaning has concluded that the introduction of certain food allergens before the age of 11 months could decrease the likelihood of developing some food allergies.

The Complementary and Allergenic Food Introduction in Infants: An Umbrella Review looked at studies examining the introduction of complementary or allergenic foods before the age of one, and the long and short-term health outcomes.

The review screened 4015 articles, including 32 systematic reviews. There was moderate evidence that peanut and egg should be introduced from 4 to 11 months to prevent food allergy. Complementary food introduction was not associated with food allergy.

A copy of the review in full, as well as a video abstract, can be obtained here.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a safety alert regarding exposure to Diacetyl vapour.

Diacetyl, also known as 2,3-butanedione, is a naturally occurring organic compound but is also manufactured synthetically. It is often used as a flavouring and is a by-product of coffee roasting, but the HAS warns that even when used at low concentrations within mixtures or flavourings, exposure to its vapour may be above safe workplace exposure limits (WELs) and can lead to severe and irreversible lung disease.

HSE scientific studies have shown that airborne concentrations and the potential for exposures above safe workplace limits is significantly increased if flavour mixtures containing diacetyl, even at low concentrations (below 5%) are heated, added to hot processes or spray dried.

Risk of exposure can occur during:

• opening of diacetyl or flavouring containers

• decanting and weighing

• mixing

• spray drying to produce powdered mixtures

• packaging

• cleaning of vessels or spillages

What you should do:

The HSA recommend that if your processes include the use of diacetyl, food flavourings that contain diacetyl, or are likely to produce diacetyl, then you must carry-out a risk assessment to help you to identify the hazards associated with the potential for exposure, understand who might be harmed and how, evaluate the risks and decide on precautions.

If diacetyl is not mentioned on a safety data sheet for food flavourings (which are likely to contain it) you should contact the supplier to confirm if it is present or not.

If there is a potential for diacetyl exposure use sampling and analysis to verify whether exposure is likely to be above the WEL.

Substitute to a safer alternative product.  Substitutes should not contain compounds similar to diacetyl such as 2,3-pentanedione.

If substitution is not a viable option (for example if diacetyl is a natural by-product), then strict controls must be implemented.

You will find more detail of how to control the risk here

Defra have recently issued the annual summary of the work carried out by the Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF).

The Expert Committee is made up entirely of independent members with a wide range of expertise and advises the government on the pesticide residues in food monitoring programme.

This is the eleventh annual report from PRiF, which shows that out of 3530 samples collected from GB and NI, only 2.55% contained a residue over the MRL.

From 2021 onwards, the results of the pesticide testing programme have been published in the UK competent authorities for pesticide residues in food: annual report.

You can access the PRiF report here as well more about the PRiF here.

A recent study carried out by scientists in the US has claimed that eating just one serving of certain freshwater fish could equate to drinking water for a month contaminated with high levels of Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are both part of a class of synthetic compounds called perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Due to their resistance to water and lipids they are often found in products such as pesticides, adhesives, cleaning products, grease-proof food packaging and heat resistant tape.

However, they resist degradation when used and are increasingly detected as environmental pollutants in groundwater, surface water and soil. Some are also linked to negative effects on human health. According to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)  some PFASs are toxic for reproduction, can harm the unborn child, may cause cancer, and are suspected of interfering with the human hormonal system. This has led to many PFAS groups being banned globally or being restricted in the EU, with further restrictions of use currently being proposed.

Scientists at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analysed data from more than 500 samples of fish filets collected in the US from 2013 to 2015 under monitoring programs by the EPA, the National Rivers and Streams Assessment and the Great Lakes Human Health Fish Fillet Tissue Study.

Results showed that the median level of total PFAS in fish filets was 9,500 nanograms per kilogram, with a median level of 11,800 nanograms per kilogram in the Great Lakes. This was 280 times greater than those detected in some commercially caught and sold fish.

“People who consume freshwater fish, especially those who catch and eat fish regularly, are at risk of alarming levels of PFAS in their bodies,” said David Andrews, Ph.D., EWG Senior Scientist and one of the study’s lead authors.

You can access the full report here