FSAI News September-October 2016
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FSAINEWS September/October 2016 Vol 18 Issue 5 ISSN 1393-6972 In this issue Page 2 > Correct Allergen Labelling Vital for Allergy Sufferers Page 3 > FSAI Updates its Sodium and Potassium Monitoring Data Page 4 > Legislation Update Page 6 > Event Round-up Page 8 > FAQ Page 9 > Cold Store Training; DNP Seizure; Food Safety Risks - The Three Rs Page 10 > EFSA Updates Page 11 > FSAI and LAVs - National Meeting; FSAI hosts Delegation from Denmark; Food Safety Training Skills Workshop; Sea-fisheries and Seafood Information Events Page 12 > Recent Publications Features in focus Page 3: FSAI Updates its Sodium and Potassium Monitoring Data Page 6: Your Business and EFSA Catherine Fulvio, celebrity chef and author, at the launch of the new FSAI MenuCal digital promotional campaign. Catherine Fulvio Demonstrates MenuCal Celebrity chef and author, Catherine Fulvio, recently launched a new initiative with the FSAI to encourage food businesses across the country to avail of MenuCal. The new initiative will see food businesses, owners and chefs reached through a digital campaign across social media channels, Page 8: sharing insights and reasons for using the free online resource. Do Staff have to be Trained in Food Research from the FSAI has found that 95% of Catherine Fulvio demonstrated to an audience how Safety/Hygiene? consumers would like calorie labelling on menus in she uses MenuCal routinely by preparing two of all or some food outlets. MenuCal is a free online her favourite dishes, modifying both recipes as she calorie calculator that was developed to address cooked using it. She stated that she finds the tool the food industry’s concern about the lack of the invaluable in the kitchen as it is so easy and quick expertise and resources to accurately calculate to input ingredients and save recipes. calories for display on menus and the associated costs involved. It was further enhanced recently to With the legal requirement for all food businesses identify the 14 categories of allergens in food, and to display allergens and with the Government’s therefore to help food businesses comply with their proposal in the obesity policy and action plan to legal requirements to display allergen information have calorie posting legislation coming down the on menus. track, MenuCal is an important tool for every food service kitchen to use. FSAI News Correct Allergen Labelling Vital for Allergy Sufferers In Ireland, it is estimated that approximately 5% of children and, on average, 3% of adults have food allergies. For people who have been medically diagnosed, a food allergy is not a lifestyle choice but an incurable condition that can lead to health consequences ranging from mild to severe, or even fatal. A food allergy requires life-long management by the strict avoidance of a food or foods that give rise to the allergy. Accurate and reliable information on the allergenic ingredients in a food is critical for people with food allergies and is legally required by EU and Irish law, whether the food is sold in prepacked or loose form. Most people are aware of someone who has a food allergy or intolerance and so an understanding of their plight has grown in recent years. However, mitigation of the risks from allergenic foods remains inconsistent across the food industry which puts vulnerable consumers at greater risk. The vision of the FSAI is to ensure safe and trustworthy food for everyone and we are achieving this by providing information for all stakeholders on our website; responding to queries and complaints from consumers on our advice line; providing timely information on food allergen alerts for consumers on our website; carrying out science-based risk assessments; ensuring food businesses have the information they require to comply with the law; giving inspectors the knowledge they need to enforce the law; and by carrying out audits of food businesses. There is no doubt that with the growing awareness of food allergies and the significant risks faced by a sizeable minority of consumers, our role in the risk assessment and management of food allergens has become more important. Under EU law, 14 categories of allergens must be declared by food businesses either on the label for prepackaged food or on associated material for foods sold loose. The 14 categories of allergens are cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soyabeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, lupin and molluscs. Providing this information for consumers allows them to make informed choices, for themselves or for those they care for, about the food they choose to purchase and eat. The FSAI acknowledges that the food industry has made significant efforts in implementing and improving allergen risk management practices in recent years, however, more needs to be done to ensure safe and trustworthy food is available for all consumers. Precautionary allergen labelling, i.e. the use of ‘may contain …’ type statements, is a voluntary practice utilised by the food industry which can enhance consumer choice when used judiciously. However, experience from Irish and international studies lead us to believe that such voluntary declarations are used more as a means of safeguarding against potential legal action than accurately informing consumers. Not alone does this reduce the already restricted food choice available to those consumers with food allergies, but it can also result in increased risk taking. Precautionary labelling regarding possible cross-contamination with allergens is only justifiable on the basis of a robust risk analysis in the food manufacturing premises or the food service environment. The FSAI provides a free email and SMS text service which directly informs people with a food allergy who are registered with FSAI of the undeclared presence of allergens in foods – interested consumers can sign up online at www.fsai.ie/subscribe. The FSAI also has an information leaflet on food allergies and intolerance which is available to download from our website www.fsai.ie. A guidance note and information leaflet to assist food businesses with the implementation of the requirements of EU and Irish law (S.I. 489 of 2014) is also available on our website. Consumers need to be able to make informed choices about the foods they purchase and eat. There is a legal obligation on food businesses to make sure that food allergen information is easily available to consumers in a way that is consistent with legal requirements and of use to consumers. We need to ensure safe and trustworthy food for everyone. Dr Pamela Byrne Chief Executive Page 2 September/October 2016 FSAI News FSAI Updates its Sodium and Potassium Monitoring Data The FSAI has recently published updated across products sampled in 2015. What this of 29% and 42% respectively were recorded monitoring data on the sodium and means for consumers is that across this between 2003 and 2015, which are higher potassium content of processed foods category the sodium content of the different than the reductions recorded between 2003 for the period September 2003 to July product brands has become similar and and 2013. more consistent. However, exceptions at 2016. Included in this update are new the high and low sodium content extremes Reductions across many products in the data on levels of sodium and potassium remain. breakfast cereal category continue to remain in processed meats, bread, breakfast significant with 63%, 48%, 39% and 38% cereals and spreadable fats. In total 530 In the breads category, while there remains reductions recorded over the period 2003 to samples were sampled and analysed significant reductions in sodium levels 2015 in cornflake, rice, bran and multigrain during 2015 (Table 1). across many products, the level of reduction cereals, respectively. Furthermore, like in has slowed in some products. In brown the processed meats category, the range In relation to the processed meats category bread there was actually an increase in the of sodium content across cereal products there has been significant reductions in average sodium content when compared has narrowed significantly during the period sodium levels across rasher, cooked ham to 2013. In white bread a significant 17% 2003 to 2015. and sausage products. Reductions of 27%, reduction in sodium content between 2003 15% and 11% respectively, were recorded and 2015 was recorded. However, this For 2016 the FSAI with its colleagues in the between 2004 and 2015. Likewise, the was less than the 18% reduction recorded Public Analysts Laboratory Galway planned range of sodium content across these between 2003 and 2013. Likewise in to sample and test 200 food products for processed meat products has also wholemeal breads, a significant 25% sodium and potassium content across the decreased substantially since 2004. For reduction in sodium between 2003 and food categories of snacks and cooking example, in rashers the range of sodium 2015 was recorded. However, this was less sauces. This work is on-going and results content has narrowed from between 650 than the 30% reduction recorded between will be published on the FSAI website when to 2,040 mg/sodium per/100g in 2004 to 2003 and 2013. In the wholegrain and available. between 550 to 1,310 mg/sodium per/100g speciality products, significant reductions Table 1: Overview of Sample Numbers: FSAI Salt Surveys 2003 to 2016 Category 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016d Total Soup Products 126 114 42 103 385 Ready Meals 51 51 181 283 Cooking Sauces 52 71 48 100e 171 Snack Products 136 97 137 102 100e 472 Processed Meats 267 194 98 127 148 834 Bread Products 100 178 186 123 142 729 Breakfast Cereals 88c 119 330 150 687 Spreadable Fats 72 90 90 252 Natural Cheese 34 56 90 Processed Cheese 36 173 209 Unreported Dataa 122 82 12 2 218 Totalb 188 492 208 520 191 97 292 114 743 231 267 457 530 200e 4330f a Unreported data relates to: Processed meat products 2004 (n=122), 2006 (n=12) and 2009 (n=2).