A study from the University of Michigan has identified a potential new treatment for food allergies in inulin, a naturally occurring plant fibre commonly used as a supplement, a prebiotic in soda, a replacement for sweeteners and for other products and purposes. 

A paper published in ‘Nature Materials’ describes the inulin gel-based oral immunotherapy’s success in stopping allergic reactions in mice by, in part, targeting bacteria in the gut. The gel prevented severe allergic reactions during and even after being administered, including reactions to common triggers such as peanuts, egg white and milk. 

The research found that inulin gel, specifically formulated with an allergen, normalized the imbalanced intestinal microbiota and metabolites in allergic mice. This normalization led to the establishment of allergen-specific oral tolerance, effectively suppressing allergic reactions to various food allergens. 

You can read more here  

The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), have recently published an updated position paper on bisphenol A (BPA) .  

BPA is used and authorised in food contact materials (FCMs) such as reusable bottles, tableware, and storage containers, in thermal printing in certain paper products and for protective linings of food and beverage cans and vats. It is prohibited in coatings and varnishes applied to FCMs intended for infants and young children. Where it is permitted, operators must ensure that BPA observes the specific migration limit (SML) of 0.05 mg/kg (EFSA, 2021). The SML set in the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) was based on the EFSA 2015 evaluation of BPA. 

A temporary TDI (tTDI) was established by EFSA in 2015 of 4 µg/kg body weight (bw) per day However, whilst at the time EFSA concluded there were no concerns from dietary exposure, they were more uncertain about the exposure estimate from non-dietary sources. Therefore, in 2016, EFSA received a mandate from the European Commission (EC) to re-evaluate the risk to public health related to the presence of BPA in foodstuffs. The COT discussed the draft EFSA opinion at their extraordinary meeting in February 2022 and provided comments to EFSA. The final EFSA opinion and diverging opinions by the European Medical Agency (EMA) and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) were then discussed at the May 2023 meeting. 

In this latest review the Committee considered the new evidence available on BPA, and while it is possible that the TDI would need to be revised to account for this new evidence, the weight of evidence did not support the conclusions drawn by EFSA, or a TDI as low as that derived by EFSA. The Committee had concerns about the intermediate endpoint selected in EFSA’s assessment as the basis of their TDI. It concluded that the endpoint selected and approach applied by BfR were more scientifically robust and appropriate than those used by EFSA. Therefore, the Committee agreed to adopt the TDI of 0.2 ug/kg bw per day derived by BfR. It will publish a supplementary statement in due course. 

Last week, King Charles outlined the new Labour government’s legislative plans in a speech to Parliament.

Outlining more than 35 bills that ministers want to pass over the next parliamentary session, some include bills originally tabled by the previous government but were not passed before the election took place.

Some of the main points are summarised below:

Martyn’s Law
Legislation will be introduced to improve the safety and security of public venues to “keep the British public safe from terrorism”. This is a reference to ‘Martyn’s Law’ (the Terrorism (Protection of premises) Draft Bill), which was put forward in draft by the previous government.

Crime and Policing Bill
This will give police new powers to tackle antisocial behaviour and make assaulting shop workers a specific crime.

Employment Rights Bill
‘Exploitative’ zero-hours contracts will be banned through a new Employment Rights Bill. Through this Bill, the government would ‘legislate to introduce a new deal for working people to ban exploitative practices and enhance employment rights.’ The Bill, the details of which have yet to be issued, is likely to cover several of the workers’ rights pledges that were contained in Labour’s pre-election manifesto. For example: making flexible working a default right from day one, and giving greater protection to whistleblowers.

Other highlights

Other highlights include:

• A Renters’ Rights Bill which will ban so-called no fault evictions and extend a series of building safety rules for social tenants, known as Awaab’s Law, to private renters.
• Legislation to streamline the process for approving critical infrastructure, and overhaul rules on the compulsory purchase of land.
• Reintroduction of plans already set out relating to tobacco and vaping, meaning anyone who turns 15 or younger in 2024 will never legally be sold tobacco products. On vaping, it will give ministers the power to restrict the flavours, packaging and product presentation of vaping products.
• Legislation on mental health will lead to a wide-ranging reform of the 1983 Mental Health Act.
• A Race Equality Bill will extend the right to make equal pay claims under the Equality Act to ethnic minority workers and disabled people, and bring in new pay reporting requirements for bigger firms.
• Legislation to deliver a pledge for a ‘Hillsborough Law’, placing a legal duty of candour on public servants.
• A Digital Information and Smart Data Bill will allow people to use digital ID to buy age-restricted products and for things like pre-employment checks.
• The establishment of publicly-owned Great British Energy to invest in renewable energy.
• Train operators will be brought into public ownership, and local leaders will be allowed to “take control” of local bus services.

The House of Lords debate the different subject areas over the six days following the speech. The final day of debate takes place on 25 July.

The HSE released its annual statistics for GB which are derived from RIDDOR for 2023/2024, these show 138 workers killed in work related accidents.

These statistics on fatalities really don’t show much improvement from recent years, this time we see falls from height being the biggest cause of fatal injury again, this is followed by struck by moving vehicle. These two causes alone represent 70% of all fatal injuries to workers in 2023/24.

The construction and agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors continue to account for the greatest number of workers killed in fatal accidents each year, between them accounting for just over half of all fatal injuries to workers in 2023/24.

Male workers continue to account for the vast majority of fatal injuries, with 95% of workers fatally injured in 2023/24 being men, a similar proportion to earlier years.

Deaths to workers aged 60 and over continue to account for a third of the total (34%) in 2023/24 which indicates an aging workforce.

BFFF urges its members to focus on safety for working at height, workplace transport and let’s not forget asbestos which statistics are off the scale.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm