On September 23, 2020, the European Commission issued Regulation (EU) 2020/1322  amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of 3‐monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD), 3-MCPD fatty acid esters and glycidyl fatty acid esters in certain foods.

3-MCPD and its fatty acid esters are process contaminants which can be formed during the refinement process of vegetable oils and have been shown to be genotoxic carcinogens. For most consumers, the consumption level of 3-MCPD in food is safe, but there are potential health risks in infants and young children with high consumption levels, especially infants who only consume formula milk powder.

It was therefore considered appropriate to establish maximum levels for the presence of 3-MCPD and its fatty acid esters in vegetable oils and fats placed on the market for the final consumer or for use as an ingredient in food.

Given the possible health concern for infants and young children, stricter maximum levels for vegetable oils and fats, destined for the production of baby food, processed cereal-based food, infant formula and follow on formulas for infants and young children have been set.

Furthermore, it has recently become evident by scientific publications and occurrence data received, that fish oil and oils from other marine organisms can contain high levels of glycidyl fatty acid esters and 3-MCPD and its fatty acid esters. Therefore, a maximum level for glycidyl fatty acid esters and 3-MCPD and its fatty acid esters in fish oil and oils from other marine organisms has been set.

Note: As virgin olive oils do not contain glycidyl fatty acid esters, 3-MCPD and its fatty acid esters, it is appropriate that neither these new maximum levels for 3-MCPD and its fatty acid esters or the existing maximum level for glycidyl fatty acid esters apply to virgin oils

The new maximum levels will apply from 1^st January 2021 but products not complying with the new maximum levels which are placed on the market before that date will be allowed to remain on the market until their date of minimum durability or use-by-date. However, the regulation states that given that glycidyl fatty acid esters are genotoxic carcinogens, they should only be allowed to remain on the market for a limited period.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have published its Work Streams around Chemicals in Food. This comprises of a drafted joint position paper from EFSA and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) as a contribution to the ‘European Green Deal’ around the idea of ‘one substance – one assessment’.

This paper proposes solutions such as simplification, cost savings and improved regulatory predictability as a result of analysis of current situation. Key proposals are for a central coordinated mechanism with better distribution/co-ordination between agencies of tasks (including chemical mixtures) and subsequently access to all available data in the same structured format.

The ‘European Green Deal’ was published by the European Commission in December 2019 as a chemical’s strategy for sustainability. The Commission aims to simplify and strengthen legal framework and review how EU agencies and scientific bodes move towards the ‘one substance – one assessment’.

The EFSA carry out risk assessments and this includes substances deliberately added to food and feed, any chemical residues present in food and feed, packaging, consumption, distribution and any that may be present through contact with the environment.

Risk Managers take EFSA’s scientific advice into account with other factors when making decisions around the safety of substances for human and animal health and the environment.

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A meat cutting plant and cold store in Bristol has been prosecuted for six breaches of hygiene regulations which took place in 2019.

At a hearing on 2nd November 2020, Elite Poultry Ltd were found guilty of failing to apply ID marks, breaching temperature requirements, and re-using cardboard boxes for the storage of meat. Consequently, Bristol Magistrates’ Court ordered the business to pay a £53,000 fine, plus costs of £9,425 and a £181 victim surcharge.

During an unannounced visit on 24^th April 2019, officials from the FSA had found poultry meat in bags which were due to be transported from the plant without ID marks, some of which was in reused cardboard boxes. A separate visit on 3rd October 2019 also revealed meat in the cutting plant above the legal minimum temperature.

The company had received previous warnings in January 2019 for failing to apply health marks and re-using carboard boxes as well as a further warning in August 2019 for temperature breaches. The business was served Remedial Action Notices, which required the business to take immediate action to comply with regulations, as a further warning.

Simon Tunnicliffe, FSA Head of Field Operations, said:

“We take all breaches of hygiene regulations seriously. We always aim to work with a business to help them resolve issues first where possible. However, where a business fails to uphold acceptable food hygiene standards, we will take action and look to prosecute to protect public health.”

On the 8^th October 2020, the European Court of Justice dismissed a case brought against France for banning five neonicotinoid group pesticides in 2018. The French Crop Protection Association filed the case against France for banning these pesticides. The panel stated that France had not violated EU Law with the court ruling, “After officially informing the commission of the need to take urgent action, a member state may take interim protective measures.”

The five pesticides: acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam, have been outlawed for use in France, both outdoors and in greenhouses. These Neonicotinoids attack the bees’ central nervous system by causing confusion – making them lose their way to food sources or home – as well as making them less resistant to disease. These pesticides have been linked to ‘colony collapse disorder’ which is a mysterious phenomomen where honeybees disappear from their hives.

The Union of Sugar Beet Growers have experienced crops being plagued by green aphids since the ban was imposed. The insects bring a leaf-yellowing virus that dramatically reduces yield but Freddie-Jean Richard, a biologist at the University of Poitiers, stated that natural alternatives to pesticides do exist, such as ladybirds – aphids are their natural prey.

The United Nations have warned that nearly half of all insect pollinators, including bees and butterflies, are at risk of global extinction.

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An unique opportunity has arisen for a study to be undertaken by the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) and Dublin’s Children’s Hospital at Temple Street to examine whether babies born in Ireland during Lockdown, between March and May 2020, are more or less likely to develop allergies. Most of the babies will have been exposed to better air quality and had less exposure to viral infections during lockdown.

Allergy is described as being the ‘most common chronic disease in Europe’ by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology with the NHS stating that the number of people developing allergies ‘is increasing every year’. It is thought that this may occur ‘as a result of living in a cleaner, germ-free environment which reduces the number of germs our immune system has to deal with.’.

Once outside the womb the babies’ immune systems should develop after being exposed to life – playing on the floor, getting dirty, exposure to lots of people and lots of different environments.  Professor Jonathan Hourihane, study lead and Professor of Paediatrics at RCSI University and Health Sciences, said, “The outcome of this is usually a stronger immune system, linked to a healthy population of gut bacteria, called the microbiome.”

Professor Hourihane also added that, “We have seen less than half the usual number of attendances at paediatric emergency departments and rates of seasonable influenza and other late spring upper respiratory viruses seemed much lower than usual during this time.”

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