With the spread of avian flu through Europe and worries over exports of beef from Brazil where foot and mouth disease has again been identified, food safety issues once again are increasing in importance. Brazil, the world's largest beef exporter, is finding its industry devastated and there have been calls from EU farmers to ban imports. Many countries have already banned Brazilian beef, including Colombia, Bulgaria, Angola and Romania. There has been widespread vaccination to prevent the spread of the disease in Brazil, but there is concern over the health of EU cattle if it spreads. The UK is particularly sensitive as the industry is still reeling after the recent outbreak here. The Scientific committee of the Italian based European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) plays a pivotal role in assessing risks and provides updates on food health issues, including the risk of avian flu. There are suggestions that they should charge fees for the work carried out by them. However, there is opposition to the payment of fees, which it is thought could undermine its role as an independent body. It is not just health safety that the EFSA is involved in. It is going to hold a colloquium on nutrients next March, and the authority will open a scientific dialogue focussing on nutrient profiles and the use of such profiles on labels. The industry is being asked to put forward its own views. Further, the EFSA wants a harmonised and transparent scientific approach to risk assessment of substances thought to be either carcinogenic or genotoxic.
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