Food Alerts from Europe, week 11

Here is the summary of food alerts issued by Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) last week
On 11/03/2014, too high count of Escherichia coli (16.000 MPN/100g) was discovered in chilled clams (Tapes philippinarum) from Italy. The product was distributed to Germany, Netherlands, France,...
Read more RASFF Food Alerts, Week 11

Impacts of climate change in Switzerland: adaptation and climate change mitigation must go hand in hand

 
Cows will in future be at risk of heat stress. There are major regional differences, however, in the consequences of climate change. Tessin will be particularly affected by the negative consequences of a rise in temperature. (Picture: G. Brändle, Agroscope)

Southern Switzerland ...
Read more Researchers Report Impacts Of Climate Change In Switzerland

Pig farmers on red alert over Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea virus (PEDv) is harmless to humans but is killing up to 100% of very young piglets on affected pig farms in the United States, says the National Pig Association (NPA). It is not yet known how the highly infectious virus spread to the States from China, and how it has...
Read more British Pig Industry On Red Alert Due To PEDv

New powers in food safety body bill

Food Standards Scotland (FSS), a new food safety body for Scotland which will replace the UK Food Standards Agency, will introduce extra measures as a result of the horsemeat scandal.
Food Standards Scotland will be given specific powers to seize food that does not meet labelling rules.
Public...
Read more Extra Measures In Scottish Legislation To Prevent Horsemeat Scandal

Spare Ribs Recalled

BELGIUM – Delhaize is recalling Spare Ribs Sate (froid) (cold) and Spare Ribs Sate Chaud (hot) because they contain mustard, which is not mentioned in the allergen information on the product labels. This makes the products a possible health risk for anyone who has an allergy or intolerance to m...
Read more Delhaize Spare Ribs Recalled

Mazza tinned sweet products recalled

UNITED KINGDOM – RS UK Foods Ltd is recalling two Mazza tinned sweet products because they contain wheat (gluten), which is not mentioned in the allergen information on the product labels. This makes the products a possible health risk for anyone who has an allergy or intolerance to wheat...
Read more RS UK Foods Recalls Two Mazza Tinned Sweet Products

Eating Fish, Nuts May Not Help Thinking Skills After All

A new research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may not benefit thinking skills. The study is published in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Omega-3s are found in fatty fish such as salmon and in nuts.
“There has been a lot of interest in...
Read more Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Not Benefit Older Women Memory

New Raisin Research Shows Several Health Benefits

There have been relatively few studies conducted on the health benefits of dried fruits; however, over the past few years there have been many advances regarding the health benefits of raisins.
The review showed that raisins contain significant amounts of the flavonols quercetin and kaempferol...
Read more Health Benefits Of Consuming Raisins

Gut Ponholz Delikatess Münchner Weißwurst Recalled

GERMANY – Südbayerische Fleischwaren GmbH is recalling Gut Ponholz Delikatess Münchner Weißwurst (Gut Ponholz Delikatess Munich white sausage) because some of the batches may be contaminated with foreign body, red plastic. Therefore the product may pose health hazard.
The recalled product i...
Read more Südbayerische Fleischwaren GmbH Recalls Gut Ponholz Delikatess Münchner Weißwurst

Herbal and Weight Loss Supplements, Energy Drink Associated with Liver Damage and Liver Failure

Severe liver damage, and even failure, has been associated with the consumption of weight loss supplements, an herbal supplement and an energy drink, according to four separate case reports presented at the American College of Gastroenterology. Use of herbal and dietary supplements is...
Read more Energy Drink Linked To Liver Damage

Tropical grassy ecosystems under threat

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that tropical grassy areas, which play a critical role in the world’s ecology, are under threat as a result of ineffective management.
According to research, they are often misclassified and this leads to degradation of the land which has a d...
Read more Ineffective Management Leads Tropical Grassy Areas To Degradation

Gut Ponholz Delikatess Teewurst Recalled

GERMANY – Windau GmbH & Co. KG is recalling Gut Ponholz Delikatess Teewurst because some of the batches may be contaminated with Salmonella.
Salmonella is a group of bacteria which causes of food poisoning. Usually, symptoms last 4-7 days and most people get better without treatment....
Read more Windau GmbH & Co. KG Recalls Gut Ponholz Delikatess Teewurst

Tart Cherries Linked to Reduced Risk of Stroke

For the millions of Americans at risk for heart disease or diabetes, a diet that includes tart cherries might actually be better than what the doctor ordered, according to new animal research from the University of Michigan Health System.
A class of drugs called PPAR agonists that help...
Read more Cherries Linked To A Reduction In Stroke-Related Symptoms

Recall of Shellfish De La Mer Cooked Mussel Meats Due to Associated Illnesses

IRELAND – Following reports of illnesses associated with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) in Ireland, Shellfish De La Mer, Castletownbere, Co. Cork is recalling the above two batches of frozen cooked mussel meats, which were sold by Dunnes Stores and Tesco Ireland.  The implicated ...
Read more Shellfish De La Mer Cooked Mussel Meats Recalled

Africa's pollution in the spotlight

Human activity in Africa significantly contributes to air pollution. However, no detailed data regarding country-by-country pollutant emissions in the continent was available until now. To remedy this, a joint French-Ivory Coast team headed by the Laboratoire d’Aérologie (CNRS / ...
Read more Researchers Map Pollution In Africa

Tabaluga Croissant Vanille Recalled

AUSTRIA – Chipita is recalling Tabaluga Croissant Vanille (Tabaluga vanilla croissant) because some of thebatches may be contaminated with mould. Therefore a potential health hazard exists and it is strongly advised against the consumption of this product.
The recalled product is Tabaluga C...
Read more Chipita Recalls Tabaluga Croissant Vanille

Heritable variation discovered in trout behaviour

Populations of endangered salmonids are supported by releasing large quantities of hatchery-reared fish, but the fisheries’ catches have continued to decrease. Earlier research has shown that certain behavioural traits explain individual differences in how fish survive in the wild. A new...
Read more Brown Trout Shows Personality

Healthy Food Options Trims Fat and Costs

Henry Ford Health System cut 7 tons of fat from food and increased fruit and vegetable purchases by 10 percent annually in an effort to offer patients more healthy food choices.
In addition, the hospital system removed all fryers and committed to removing all deep fried fat products, promotes...
Read more Henry Ford Health System Helps Promoting Healthy Food Choices

Blu-ray technology detects microorganisms, toxins

A novel adaptation of Blu-ray technology is enabling researchers at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (PUV), Spain, to discover if a sample contains Salmonella or other toxic substances. This simple and cheap analytical system can be applied to clinical diagnosis and environmental ...
Read more Pathogens Detected Using Blu-ray Technology

Azti-Tecnalia Desarrolla Una Metodología Para Autentificar La Especie De Atún En Conserva En 24 Horas

Azti-Tecnalia, centro tecnológico especializado en investigación marina y alimentaria, ha desarrollado un nuevo método para autentificar el atún en conserva que permite detectar en tan solo 24 horas si el producto se trata de bonito del norte, yellowfin o patudo. Hasta ahora, las metodologías g...
Read more Azti-Tecnalia Desarrolla Una Metodología Para Autentificar La Especie De Atún En Conserva En 24 Horas