May 2008

Last week, colleagues from the Animal Feed Unit in the FSA’s Primary Production Division hosted a successful conference on silage agents organised by the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Panel on additives and products or substances used in animal feed (FEEDAP).  The main purpose of the event was to enable the feed additive and animal feed sectors to gain a better understanding of the assessment and authorisation processes for this category of feed additives.  Speakers included members of the FEEDAP panel and secretariat, and representatives of the silage agent manufacturers.

The Canadian government looks to be moving towards restricting the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact plastics. BPA is a chemical used in the manufacture of plastics and resin. These materials are then widely used to make many things from baby bottles to food containers and tableware.

Very small amounts of BPA can migrate from these materials into foods and beverages and may have the potential to interact with hormone systems in the body. That said, despite extensive research world-wide, there is no conclusive evidence of a link between adverse trends in human reproductive health and exposure to these chemicals. In addition, levels of chemical migration are already strictly monitored and controlled within the EU.

I was criticised in an earlier blog for taking an ‘inappropriate’ position on nanotechnology and hiding behind the EU – when in fact I was merely pointing out that it was a new technology that would need discussing in the food context. Clearly, such a development would be discussed with our European colleagues too. 

You may have seen some alarming headlines over the past few weeks regarding arsenic in rice products so what is the science behind these claims? The headlines have stemmed from two research papers by the same scientist who has published limited data on the analysis of rice milk  and baby rice. I have spoken to Agency scientists to ask them to explain what the real concerns are and if we as consumers should consider changing our eating habits.