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June 2007
Allergies
29.06.2007: EU Council of Ministers postpones its decision on approval of GM Amflora potato from BASF
The
Council of Ministers postponed the decision over whether GM potato
Amflora may be commercially cultivated in Europe in December.
On
14. July 2007 the trade commissioner Peter Mandelson delivered a strong
exhortation to the EU to take a lead in shaping global rules on GM
trade warned about the economic consequences. Na statesman can take the
risks of acting hastily and place financial and trade interests in
front of safety. The trade commissioner Mandelson would be well advised
to look after his trade and leave the biotechnology to the board of
scientific advisers whose job is to look after food and environmental
safety. [1]
Amflora is deeply modified in the starch it
produces. Non-GM potatos produce two components starch. 80% are
amylopectine with a long molecule with thickening properties. and 20%
amylose with short molecule with gelling character. Amflora produces
only amilopectin, wich is more useful for the industry as amylose.
[1]Biotechnology: EU Trade Commissioner needs GM food to increasing world trade. www.ourfood-news.com : 17.06.2007
29.06.2007 EFSA reaffirms its risk assessment of genetically modified maize MON 863 [1]
The
EFSA has examined a paper by Séralini et al. on the statistical
evaluation of a 90-day feeding study in animals with genetically
modified maize MON863, to identify any consequences for EFSA’s risk
assessment of the safety of MON 863. The paper presents an alternative
statistical analysis of the 90-day rat study that was considered in the
original risk assessment.
Following a detailed statistical
review and analysis by an EFSA Task Force, EFSA’s GMO Panel has
concluded that this re-analysis of the data does not raise any new
safety concerns.
The main conclusions are:
- The statistical analysis made by the authors of the paper did not take into account certain
important statistical considerations. The assumptions underlying the statistical methodology
employed by the authors led to misleading results.
- EFSA considers that the paper does not present a sound scientific justification in order to question
the safety of MON 863 maize.
-
Observed statistically significant differences reported by Monsanto,
Séralini et al., and EFSA, were considered not to be biologically
relevant. Therefore, the GMO Panel sees no
reason to revise its
previous Opinions that the MON 863 maize would not have an adverse
effect in the context of its proposed use.
Prior to this most recent work, MON 863 maize has been subject to a comprehensive risk assessment by EFSA and by other authorities which did not identify any adverse effects on human and animal health or the environment. The 90-day rat study analysed by this paper is one element of the comprehensive risk assessment of MON863 maize. In addition to the original Opinion in April 2004, this study has been reviewed again twice since then, prior to this recent work.
other related documents:
Letter to the Commission
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/about_efsa/structure/who_is_who/home
_cgl/correspondence.html
The GMO Panel statement
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/gmo/statements0/gmo_statement_mon863
_ratfeeding.html
EFSA statistical analysis of the Monsanto data
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/scientific_reports/statistical_analyses
_MON863.html
[1] EFSA reaffirms its risk assessment of genetically modified maize MON 863. Press release 28.06.2007.
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press_room/press_release/pr_efsa_maize_Mon863.html
29.06.2007: Western root worm, a pest spread by global traffic and monoculturing [1]
Intensive
air traffic, monoculturing, mild winters force agriculture to look
after GM organisms to counter new coming pests in Europe.
The
Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera) widely spread in American
has now moved to Europe. It is responsible for massive crop yield
losses in USA. The rootworm larvae chew the aerial roots of maize
stalks, penetrate roots and enter the inner stalk. Adult beetles emerge
in the summer between July and September feeding on aerial plant parts,
especially such as pollen and silk reducing fertility of the maize
plantation.
Agriculture combated the rootworm with costly
insecticides. In 2003, the US approved GM maize MON 863 and was
authorised for food and feed by the EU Commission and regarded as safe
by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2006, together with the
authorisation for import and industrial use of MON 810. Three more
western corn rootworm resistant maize lines joined MON 863 and are
currently Awaiting approval: are line MIR 604, line 59122, and line MON
88017. The line, 59122, is awaiting approval for cultivation in Europe.
GM maize is seen as a possible counterfeit to the plant disease.
The
pest native to Central America moved to the maize monoculture regions
of North America finding there a perfect habitat. Massive Air traffic
bulk loaded maize freight has transported the beetle over the Atlantic.
The insects are probably attracted by the light of aircraft cargo
compartments. They are therefore seen in the proximities of destination
airports starting with the Belgrade airport.
EU measures 2003
In October 2003, the European Commission has set measures to slow down the spread of the western corn rootworm:
Traps
with pheromones to attract female beetles are distributed. In case the
western corn rootworm is found, a one kilometre radius surrounding the
site of incidence is declared a zone of infestation, and a five
kilometre radius is declared a security zone.
The affected sites may not be planted with maize the following year. In addition, the sites must be treated with soil insecticides, soil and plant parts are not allowed to leave the controlled zone. Only after a certain period of time is harvesting permitted.
Crop
rotation is not enough as the long term pest management. In USA the
beetles have adapted to the crop rotation between corn and soy. The
larvae can also survive on wild plants and weeds of test fields.
Stefan
Vidal says that chemical control methods and transgenic maize are the
only management strategies that can be effective in regions of
intensive maize cultivation. This is urgent, because of continual
invasion and its potential establishment in Italy of the new pest will
threaten maize production areas in other EU member countries in the
immediate future. [2]
Tactics to avoid resistance [3]
The
American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed what is known
as resistance management comprising the refuges zones.
A strips of
four meters of non-GM maize must be planted around the GM maize field.
The so called refuges from exposure to toxin enable survival of
susceptible individuals, which decreases the intensity of selection.
Ideally, relatively large numbers of susceptible individuals from
refuges survive and mate with few resistant survivors from transgenic
plants.
Unexpectedly,
the estimated resistance allele frequency did not increase and Bt
cotton remained extremely effective against pink bollworm. The same
effect was noted later with bt Maize. [4]
The delay in resistance
can be explained by refuges of cotton without Bt toxin, recessive
inheritance of resistance, incomplete resistance, and fitness costs
associated with resistance. [5]
[1] Naar aanleiding van de adviesvraag betreffende het dossier EFSA/GMO/NL/2005/12,
maislijn 59122 voor de import en verwerking van genetisch gemodificeerde mais
door Pioneer Hi-Bred International, adviseert de COGEM
http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cogem.net%2Fpdfdb
%2Fadvies%2FCGM051122-01.pdf&ei=MOyERrzfNorG0QS_ksHKAg&usg=
AFQjCNE8OPGdl6eRbk3SqOo93DIjvxrwLA&sig2=86d7FT18eRtlRZvfInBoWA
[2]
Biomatnet: Threat to European maize production by invasive quarantine
pest, Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera): a new
sustainable crop management approach. QLK5-1999-01110
http://www.biomatnet.org/secure/FP5/S1217.htm
[3]
Tabashnik, Bruce E.: Seeking the root of insect resistance to
transgenic plants. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 94, pp. 3488–3490,
April 1997
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/94/8/3488?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=
&fulltext=Tabashnik&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&volume=94&issue=8&resourcetype=HWCIT
[4]
Tabashnik, Bruce E.; Patin, Amanda L.; Dennehy, Timothy J.; Liu,
Yong-Biao; Carriere, Yves; Sims, Maria A.; Antilla, Larry.: Frequency
of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in field populations of pink
bollworm PNAS 2000 97: 12980-12984
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/97/24/12980.
[5]
Tabashnik, B. E.; Dennehy,T. J.; Carriere, Y.: Delayed resistance to
transgenic cotton in pink bollworm. PNAS, October 25, 2005; 102(43):
15389 - 15393.
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/102/43/15389
29.06.2007: Nutrition
terminology databank available now [1]
Access: http://iate.europa.eu
A single database for all EU-related terminology (InterActiveTerminology for Europe) in 23 languages opens to the public. It is useful to solve many queries related to nutrition and Eu-related terminology.
28.06.2007: Wild birds infected by avian flue virus found in Germany [1]
Six
wild birds in Bavaria and three swans in Saxony found dead due to
infection with the H5N1 virus on end of July 2007. The Federal Minister
of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Horst Seehofer calls for
vigilantness on this matter.
Safety rules concerning dead or
diseased wild birds according to the Federal association of practicing
veterinary surgeons ( Bundesverband Deutscher Tierärzte) [2]
- Merciness with sick wild birds should not invite to incautiosness. Never touch wild animals with bare hands.
-
Dead animals or wild birds with signs of disease must be reported
immediately at the next veterinary office or official health department.
- No free run for dogs and cats should be allowed for dogs and cats in epidemic areas
[1] Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection: Neue Fälle von Vogelgrippe nachgewiesen
http://www.bmelv.de/cln_045/nn_754188/DE/07-SchutzderTiere/Tierseuchen/Vogelgrippe
/Chronologie.html__nnn=true
[2] AHO Aktuell 27.06.2007: Vogelgrippe: Hinweise zum Umgang mit kranken oder verendeten Tieren
http://ticker-kleintiere.animal-health-online.de/20070627-00000/
27.06.2007 Low-Carbohydrate diets, like the Atkins diet may reduce beneficial gut bacteria [1]
Sylvia
Duncan and colleagues 2007 found in a study that prolonged use of very
low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets may decreased concentrations of
butyrate and butyrate-producing bacteria (mainly bifidobacteria) in
faeces.
According to the authors butyrate production is determined
by the content of fermentable carbohydrate in the diet. Other studies
had found that butyrate stops cancer cells from growing, and so helps
prevent colorectal cancer.
The authors stress that plenty of
sources of fibre found in fruit and vegetables are important to provide
the right sort of carbohydrates for the beneficial bacteria if low
carbohydrate diets are to be consumed for long periods of time.
Other critics concerning this type of diet is the higher risk of clogged arteries and heart attack in the long-term.
[1]
Duncan, Sylvia H.; Belenguer, Alvaro; Holtrop, Grietje; Johnstone,
Alexandra M.; Flint, Harry J.; Loble Gerald E.: Reduced Dietary Intake
of Carbohydrates by Obese Subjects Results in Decreased Concentrations
of Butyrate and Butyrate-Producing Bacteria in Feces. Applied and
Environmental Microbiology Volume 73, Number 4, Pages 1073-1078
doi:10.1128/AEM.02340-06
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/73/4/1073
27.06.2007: The Aspartame controversy
The 2005 Ramazzini publication: Aspartame linked to increased risk of leukaemia, lymphomas and breast cancer:
In 2005 Morango Soffritti and colleagues at the Ramazzini Foundation
found aspartame to increase lymphomas and leukaemias in females. They
write in their publication of 2005:”The results of this mega-experiment
indicate that Aspartame is a multipotential carcinogenic agent, even at
a daily dose of 20 mg/kg body weight, much less than the current
acceptable daily intake. On the basis of these results, a reevaluation
of the present guidelines on the use and consumption of APM is urgent
and cannot be delayed.” [1]
The 2007 Ramazzini publication: Foetal life and children at increased cancer risc due to Aspartame [2]
In
their second long-term carcinogenicity bioassay on APM the authors
conclude that when lifespan exposure to Aspartame begins during foetal
life, its carcinogenic effects are increased.
On the basis of the present findings, the authors believe that a review of the current regulations
governing the use of aspartame cannot be delayed. This review is particularly urgent with regard to
aspartame-containing
beverages, heavily consumed by children. The authors stress that other
studies were made on aged people and did not consider pregnancy and
infants. [2]
What consumer can do: Avoid Diet Pepsi, Diet Cola, yoghurt light soft drinks light, diet yoghurt [3]
This
has led some consumer groups, particularly in the US, to call for a
review of the safety data on aspartame and for consumers to avoid
products that contain the ingredient. Aspartame is used in carbonated
and powdered soft drinks, hot chocolate, chewing gum, candy, desserts,
yogurt, tabletop sweeteners, and vitamins. As a result of the new
study, for the first time CSPI downgraded aspartame on its online
Chemical Cuisine directory from a “use caution” rating to “everyone
should avoid.” CSPI also urges everyone to avoid the artificial
sweeteners acesulfame potassium and saccharin. It rates sucralose, also
known by the brand name Splenda, as safe. [3]
On The Early Show
24.April 2007, medical contributor Dr. Mallika Marshall said: “ ... I
think we should probably be a little less cavalier about giving our
children tons of foods with artificial sweeteners and probably should
go back to the basics of milk and water and fruits and vegetables
instead of diet soda and reduced calorie foods." OurFood strongly
supports this statement. [4]
Official food regulators: USA FDA and European EFSA find no reason to reconsider the approval of Aspartame [5]
FDA: The
Acceptable Daily Intake of aspartame in the United States is 50 mg per
kg of body weight. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that it
finds no reason to alter its previous conclusion that aspartame is safe
as a general purpose sweetener in food. The FDA alleges that the
conclusions of the two Ramazzini studies are not consistent with other
studies evaluated by FDA.
According to FDA Aspartame was first
approved in the United States in 1981 and is one of the most widely
used artificial sweeteners. When metabolised by the body, aspartame is
broken down into two common amino acids, aspartic acid and
phenylalanine, and a third substance, methanol. These three substances
are available in similar or greater amounts from eating common foods.
European Union EFSA: the
first Ramazzini study in May 2006 the EFSA responded to the 2005
Ramazzini report stating that there was no need for a further safety
review of aspartame nor a revision of the acceptable daily intake of 40
mg/kg body weight. [6]
CSPI calls for urgent review of the study:
In the US, consumer group the Center for Science in the Public Interest
(CSPI) called on the FDA to urgently review the study, regarding the
fact that aspartame-containing beverages are heavily consumed by
children. [3]
No risk of cancer linked to saccharin, aspartame and other sweeteners: The Milan case-control study 2007 [ 7]
The
epidemiological study in Milan, Italy concluded that there was no
indication of an association between sweetener consumption and cancer
risk . A Gallu and colleagues 2006 found no association between
saccharin, aspartame and other sweeteners and the risk of several
common neoplasms.
The NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study on aspartame [8] [9]
Unhee
Lim and colleagues 2006 of the National Cancer Institute in a study on
people found no increased cancer risk in a group aged 50 to 71,
consuming 2 cans of soda per day ( 400 mg aspartame/day).[8]
Aspartame consumption: [9]
In the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, aspartame consumption ranged
from 0 to 3400 mg per day about 19 cans of soda at the high end. There
are 180 mg of aspartame in a 12 ounce can of diet soda.
FDA's
Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of aspartame is 50 mg per kilogram of
body weight or about 3,750 mg (21 cans of diet soda) for an adult
weighing 75 kilograms (165 lb).
The average aspartame
consumption among diet beverage consumers in the NIH-AARP Diet and
Health Study was 200 mg per day, or about 7 percent of the ADI.
An
animal study that fed aspartame to rats saw lymphoma/leukemia increase
in female rats, starting from 20 mg per kilogram of body weight (a
person weighing 75 kilograms or 165 lbs, consuming 1500 mg aspartame,
or about 8 cans of diet soda.
[1] Soffritti, Morando;Belpoggi,
Fiorella; Esposti,Davide Degli; Lambertini, Luca; Tibaldi, Eva; Rigano,
Anna: First Experimental Demonstration of the Multipotential
Carcinogenic Effects of Aspartame Administered in the Feed to
Sprague-Dawley Rats. Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 114,
Number 3, March 2006
http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2005/8711/abstract.html
[2]
Soffritti, Morando; Belpoggi, Fiorella; Tibaldi, Eva; Esposti, Davide
Degli; Lauriola, Michela: Lifespan Exposure to Low Doses of Aspartame
Beginning During Prenatal Life Increases Cancer Effects in Rats.
Environmental Health Perspectives. On-line 13 June 2007, doi:
10.1289/ehp.10271
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2007/10271/10271.pdf
[3]CSPI:
FDA Should Reconsider Aspartame Cancer Risk, Say Experts. New Rat Study
Links Artificial Sweetener with Lymphomas, Breast Cancer
http://www.cspinet.org/new/200706251.html
[4] CBS News New York, April 24, 2007Aspartame's Safety Questioned Again. Another Study Suggests It Heightens Cancer Risk
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/24/earlyshow/health/main2721195.shtml?source
=RSSattr=Health_2721195
[5] FDA: FDA Statement on European Aspartame Study. CFSAN/Office of Food Additive Safety
April 20, 2007.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fpaspar2.html
[6]
The EFSA Journal (2006) 356, 1-44.: Opinion of the Scientific Panel on
Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in contact
with Food (AFC) on a request from the Commission related to a new
long-term carcinogenicity study on aspartame Question number
EFSA-Q-2005-122 Adopted on 3 May 2006
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/afc/afc_opinions/1471.html
[7]Gallu,
S.; Scotti L.; Negri, E.R Talamini R.; Franceschi S.; Montella M.;
Giacosa, A.; Dal Maso, L.; La Vecchia, C.: Artificial sweeteners and
cancer risk in a network of case–control studies(The Annals of
Oncology, doi:10.1093/annonc/mdl346)
http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/1/40
[8]
Lim, Unhee, Subar A.F., Mouw T., Hartge P., Morton L.M.,
Stolzenberg-Solomon R., Campbell D., Hollenbeck A.R., Schatzkin A.:
Consumption of aspartame-containing beverages and incidence of
hematopoietic and brain malignancies. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers
Prev. 2006. Vol. 15.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/05/health/webmd/main1473654.shtml
[9] National Cancer Institute: Aspartame and Cancer: Questions and Answers.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/AspartameQandA
23.06.2007: GM maize Herculex RW import approval on the EU agenda
Representatives
from the 27 EU member states will vote on the 25 of June 2007 to
authorise imports GM Maize 59122 known as Herculex RW with the bt
protein resisting the maize rootworm. Approval will be for use in food,
feed and processing.
Herculex RW has been planted for the first
time in US in 2006 and was approved . Australia, New Zealand, Canada,
China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Philippines and Taiwan.EFSA approved it in
March 2007. Only Austria and Luxenburg may block the vote. Overrunning
Austria and Luxenburg will not be to difficult for Herculex RW which
will contaminate the whole European feed (meat, eggs, aquaculture), the
glucose-fructose syrup (broadly used in all fruit yoghurt and dairy
products, bakery products).
The European Green Party is against
the authorisation claiming that there are serious and legitimate health
concerns about Herculex RW maize as changes in the blood parameters and
in liver weight in rats fed with this GM variety were found in a
research.
This is being sustained by the Italian Green Party
and the Italian farmers' union which also protested against the plans
to test GM versions of GM olives and tomatoes. Organic associations
strongly protest against an increasing contamination of their products
by GM intrusion.
23.06.2007: The European Green Airplane [1]
At
the Paris Air Show in June 2007, European Science and Research
Commissioner Janez Potočnik presented plans for a major public/private
partnership for a greener air transport system "Clean Sky" Its
objectives are to reduce CO2 emissions by around 40%, NOx emissions by
60% and noise by 50%. applying to three main aircraft categories (long
range, regional, rotorcraft). The EU will contribute €800 million.
Clean
Sky Initiative aims to develop advanced technologies for the next
generation of aircraft in order to establish an innovative and
competitive Air Transport System.
It is well understood that US will not join this initiative. It is well understood that the European Union hat signed the open air pact with USA hoping to double air traffic which is good for business. However, it is also well understood that air traffic must be reduced to a very minimum. Tourism, food and unnecessary air transportation should be phased out. Infrastructure and local production in underpriviledged EU regions where these €800 million could help hightech production as well improve agrartechnology.
Please do not use “green” and “clean” related to aviation. It demonstrates the decay of the meaning of the green movement.
[1] EU Press Room: Research project for greener aviation takes off at Paris Air Show
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/854&format=HTML&aged
=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
23.06.2007 US cisgene French fryes trying to solve the acryamide issue [1]
Caius Rommens, working for the US potato leader J. R. Simplot [2] has created a new Russet Ranger potato variety.
He
calls it a cisgene potato to distinguish from the transgene varieties
of GM food. Cigenesis differs from the trangenic technique in that no
alien gene is introduced in the plant. Some of its own genes are
inverted so they silence their expression. Rommens inverted three genes
of the Russet Ranger.
There
are more than 50,000 genes in a potato. The scientists removed three of
those genes and introduced reversed replicas that silence their
activity.
One gene producing asparagin and two other genes which transform potato starch in sugar when stored frozen.
These peaces of the potato genome were inversely rewritten and reintroduced in the genome. These new genes have now a terminator activity, they block the code of the cell which is now unable to produce asparagine and sugar and less acrylamid can be formed when fried.
The
reconfigured gene structure will be invisible to the consumer because
the government does not require labels as do most countries in Europe.
Company
officials stress that unfortunately the new potato is in a preliminary
research stage. It will be five to 10 years before Simplot markets. [1]
Cisgenesis should not be treated as GMO [3]
According
to Schouten, Krens and Jacobsen 2006 the European legislative framework
on GMOs regards mutagenesis and the fusion of cells from sexually
compatible plants as methods of genetic modification, the resulting GM
plants are excluded from that framework by the GMO Directive (European
Parliament, 2001).
The authors claim that the products of
cisgenesis are more similar to plants derived by mutagenesis or
traditional breeding methods, cisgenesis should also be excluded from
GMO frameworks and regulated in the same way as traditional breeding.
The position of other organisations [1]
CSPI:
Jaffe, of the Center for Science in the Public Interest calls for
regulations and the need to make sure there are no food safety risks,
and if there are health benefits, the Ceter could support that.
FDA:
According to Alan Bennet from FDA in Portland, Oregon, Goovernment
regulators would likely be a smaller obstacle. With all genetically
modified foods, the agency examines the final product to ensure it does
not differ in taste or health effects from what the customer expects.
Our concern is not how it's produced, but what the end product is.
However,
the side effects of the inversion of genes are unpredictable. Instead
of waiting 5 to 10 years for the new potato to be put on market it
would be wiser to change nutritional habits right now , for instance
the consumer could be advised to accept healthy light yellow French
fries (fried at 130°C instead of 180-230°C) which are not so crisp as
the brown ones laden with acryalamid.
[1] Agbioworl: Jessy Harlan Alderman: Scientists Search for the Perfect Potato. The Oregonian , Jan 7,2007.
http://www.agbioworld.org/newsletter_wm/index.php?caseid=archive&newsid=2638
[2] Simplot: Bringing Earth´s Resources to Life
http://www.simplot.com/
[3]
Schouten, Henk J.; Krens, Frans A.; Jacobsen, Evert: Cisgenic plants
are similar to traditionally bred plants International regulations for
genetically modified organisms should be altered to exempt cisgenesis
European Molecular Biology Organization , Vol 7, (8) 2006
doi:10.1038/sj.embor.7400769
http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/sj.embor.7400769
22.06.2007: Rapid post mortem tests to detect TSE (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy) in small ruminants not safe. [1]
The
situation of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) of small
ruminants like goats and sheep in Europe is analysed by the EU Food
Safety in its release “ new information about TSE in goats”. [2]
Evaluation
of the validated TSE tests found that they do not perform equally
toward atypical cases and that difference in performance result in
under- or non recognition of various types of scrapie. Moreover, a new
type of TSE (atypical scrapie cases/NOR98) not previously recognized in
the EU, was detected in small ruminants.
Currently
atypical/Nor98 has been detected in a large number of European
countries and approximately constitutes 80% of test positive cases
identified in EU.
New tests have to successfully pass all
stages of a new evaluation process. New tests should detect classical
scrapie, atypical scrapie and BSE in sheep and detection of preclinical
cases and comply with criteria on limitations posed by analytical
sensitivity in comparison with bioassay.
The criteria set higher standards than have previously been approved for validation of small ruminant post mortem TSE tests for classical scrapie and BSE as well as for atypical scrapie. Considering data available about abnormal PrP distribution in the three recognized small ruminants TSE forms (BSE, classical scrapie and atypical scrapie) the use of brainstem appears to be the best compromise for detection of all TSE agents in small ruminants. In consequence, officially confirmed (by CRL and NRL) positive/negative brainstem will be used for the evaluation of tests.
The
BIOHAZ panel recommends that tests already approved for the detection
of TSE in small ruminants should be required to participate in the new
evaluation in order to confirm their robustness and their ability to
fulfil the additional performance requirements (e.g. atypical cases and
analytical sensitivity).
[1] EFSA: Opinion of the Scientific
Panel BIOHAZ: Protocol for the evaluation of rapid post mortem tests to
detect TSE in small ruminants.
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/etc/medialib/efsa/science/biohaz
[2] EFSA Food Safety from Farm to Fork: BSE/Scrapie- TSE in goats http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biosafety/bse/goats_index_en.htm
22.07.2007: Omega-3 Eggs claims deceive consumer [1]
The
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) urged the FDA to stop
seven egg producers from implying that their eggs can reduce the risk
of heart disease. In fact, says CSPI, egg producers should not be
making heart-healthy claims, because the FDA specifically prohibits
such claims on eggs and other foods high in cholesterol or saturated
fat.
Egg
producers take advantage of consumers’ limited knowledge of the
different types of omega-3s. While the FDA permits claims for a
possible reduced risk of heart disease linked to two kinds of omega-3s,
DHA and EPA, the agency does not allow such claims for other omega-3s.
CSPI commissioned a lab test that found that less than half of the
advertised 350 mg of omega-3s in a Land O Lakes egg came from EPA and
DHA.
“The
most beneficial omega-3 fatty acids come from fish, fish oil, and
algae,” said CSPI senior staff attorney Ilene Heller. “Even if eggs had
the ‘right’ kind of omega-3s, they still contain significant levels of
saturated fat and cholesterol, which increase the risk of heart
disease.”
Products named in the CSPI complaint include:
• Land O Lakes
claims that “omega-3 All-Natural Eggs” are a “good source of
heart-healthy nutrition” despite the fact that FDA has not defined the
term “good source” for omega-3s and that the eggs contain too much
saturated fat and cholesterol to meet FDA’s definition of healthy.
• Eggland’s Best uses
unapproved nutrient content claims for omega-3s on its carton and on
its Web site. In addition, the company claims that its eggs have 25
percent less saturated fat than regular eggs. But that difference is
less than half a gram—an amount that the FDA considers trivial for
purposes of nutrition labeling.
• Safeway Specialty 3 Eggs
misleadingly boasts “100 mg of omega-3s” even though the FDA has not
set standards for such omega-3 claims. In addition, the principal
source of omega-3s in the hens’ diets is likely not a source that may
be associated with heart benefits.
• Gold Circle Farms
claims that its eggs contain “450 mg of omega-3s.” The claims are based
on two eggs even though the official FDA serving size for eggs is one
egg.
• The Country Hen
illegally claims “the difference is an egg that is simply healthy” even
though the product does not meet regulatory requirements for “healthy,”
and also makes its claims based on two eggs.
• Full Spectrum Farms boasts
that its product has “30 mg” of unspecified omega-3s even though one
ordinary egg, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, contains
37 mg of omega-3s, 20 mg of which are DHA and EPA.
• Giving Nature asserts
that the company feeds its hens flax seed which “has been known to hold
high levels of DHA omega-3.” But, according to the Flax Council of
Canada and others, the omega-3s that FDA considers healthful (DHA and
EPA) are not found in plants such as flax seed.
[1] Center for Science in the Public Interest: Egg Producers Deceive Consumers, Violate Law with Bogus Omega-3 Claims
http://cspinet.org/new/200706211.html
22.06.2007: EU rises the threshold of "GM Free" labelling causing indignation in UK [1]
Natural
normal grown food is acute endangered to be contaminated by the genetic
engineering escapades of a handful global enterprises. Governments bow
their head to their lobby and rise the threshold labelling of
contamination instead of combating the underlying cause which would be
to phase out GM food.
EU agriculture ministers last week
agreed that food accidentally contaminated with up to 0.9% genetically
modified content could be labelled "GM free". But the Soil Association
and Organic Farmers and Growers, which together certify more than 90%
of the UK's organic food, today pledged to keep their own criteria at
the current 0.1 per cent.
On 21 June 2007, a delegation
representing 70 organic businesses, urged the Secretary of State for
the Environment not to make organic consumers pay for GM contamination.
The Government currently proposes to allow up to 0.9% GM in organic
food without the GM companies being liable for this damage. This is
despite the fact that in European law, 0.9% is not a general GM
threshold, but rather a threshold below which accidental contamination
does not have to be labelled.
The UK ognanic associations
confirmed that they would maintain their current non-GM standards for
organic food, at the effective minimum detectable level of 0.1% GM,
whatever the Government decides.
During their consultation,
the Government met with a number of GM companies, including
AstraZeneca, BASF Plant Science, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences,
Du Pont (UK) Ltd, Monsanto UK Ltd, and Syngenta Ltd. Not one organic
business was consulted directly, and this is the first meeting the
Government has had with representatives of organic businesses.
[1]
Organic consumers should not pay for GM contamination – representatives
of 70 organic companies tell Miliband Press Release 06/21/2007
http://www.soilassociation.org/
20.06.2007: Copper may reverse cardiac hypertrophy caused by high blood pressure [1] [2]
A study on mice with unhealthy enlarged hearts found that the condition reversed itself with supplementation of copper.
The
researchers hope this could also humans be applied in humans using 3 mg
dosis/ day.The current recommended daily intake for humans, however, is
only 0.9 mg/day. Although high, the dose was nevertheless below safe
upper limits for copperthat were fed the equivalent of three times the
amount of copper recommended for human health.
According
to the list of copper-rich foods of the US Agricultural Research
Service (ARS) some foods rich in copper which could help people with
cardiac hypertrphy are: [3] Food Mg Cu/100g Mollusks, oyster 2,50 Baking chocolate, bitter 2,00 Mushrooms 0,40 Crustaceans, crab, blue, canned 1,18 Tomato paste 0,40 Barley, pearled, raw 0,10 Cashew 3,70 Beans, white, canned 0,80
[1]
Jiang, Youchun; Reynolds, Corey; Xiao, Chang; Feng, Wenke; Zhou,
Zhanxiang; Rodriguez, Walter; Tyagi, Suresh C.; Eaton, John W.; Saari,
Jack T. ; Kang Y. James: Dietary copper supplementation reverses
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy induced by chronic pressure overload in
mice J. Exp. Med. 2007 204: 657-666. doi:10.1084/jem.20061943.
http://www.jem.org/cgi/content/abstract/jem;204/3/657
[2] Bashyam, Hema: Heavy metal for a troubled heart. J. Exp. Med. 2007 204: 455.
http://www.jem.org/cgi/content/full/jem;204/3/455a
[3] USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17 Nutrient Lists
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR17/wtrank/wt_rank.html
20.06.2007: New researche on snacks[1]
Marie-Pierre
St-Onge and colleagues 2007 in a study found that replacing low-fat and
high-fat snacks with snacks rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
and low in saturated and trans fatty acids improves cardiovascular
health.
The authors found in their study that the reduction of LDL-
and total cholesterol concentrations were greater with the low-fat and
the high-PUFA diets than with the high-fat diet The high-PUFA diet
tended to reduce triacylglycerol concentrations, and this change was
greater than that with the low-fat and high-fat diets. In addition the
PUFA diet was the only one that tended to reduce triacylglyerol
concentrations. However this that low fat diets may lead to reduction
in high density lipoprotein (HDL /good cholesterol), and increase
triacylglycerol concentrations. Some high fat foods such as nuts and
avocados are therefore considered as healthy.
The authors
concluded that snack type affects cardiovascular health. Consuming
snack chips rich in PUFA and low in saturated or trans fatty acids
instead of high-saturated fatty acid and trans fatty acid or low-fat
snacks leads to improvements in lipid profiles concordant with
reductions in cardiovascular disease risk.
According to the
authors the consumption of snacks above balanced meals should not be
promoted as healthy, but this research adds to the evidences that
snacks, fast food and restaurant meals should be reformulated to reduce
unhealthy trans fatty acids and to increase polyunsaturated fatty
acids. Organisations like the Center for Science in the Public Interest
(CSPI) are working hard on this issue
[1]
St-Onge,Marie-Pierre; Aban, Inmaculada; Bosarge, Aubrey; Gower,
Barbara; Hecker , Kari D.; Allison, David B.: Snack chips fried in corn
oil alleviate cardiovascular disease risk factors when substituted for
low-fat or high-fat snacks. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
Vol. 85, No. 6, 1503-1510, June 2007
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/85/6/1503
19.06.2007: Not enough nutritional evidence to recommend organic foods over other foods.[1]
According
to Claire Williamson 2007 writing in an article in the Journal of the
Science of Food and Agriculture there are limited data claiming that
organic foods are more nutritious than conventionally produced foods.
In
this review no overall differences in nutritional profiles for food
grown conventionally or organically were reported. Only few exceptions
were found, such as organic potatoes and leafy organic vegetables which
were richer sources of vitamin C than their conventionally grown
vegetables.
No differences were found in nutrients of main
concern in dairy products such as calcium, zinc, vitamin B2 or vitamin
B12. Only in milk less sought-after nutrients like linoleic acids ,
vitamin E, beta- carotene and poyunsaturated fatty acids were found
higher in organic milk. However these items are sourced from other
foods.
The world market of certified organic foods is
growing rapidly. Behind the marketing efforts of retailers
international exporters a huge interest of the international business
groups is flourishing. Transportation over long distances and even air
freight is being considered by the certification boards. [2] [3]
Avoiding
pollution of the environment with pesticides and chemical fertilisers,
using crop rotation and good animal husbandry to control pests and
diseases are the basics of a sustainable method of agriculture. The
primary goal is the protection of the environment. A side-product is
the food which is harvested in such environment.
Buying
organics grown far away you are doing the best for your supermarket
corporation but its not better for your health or the environment than
choosing cheaper conventional produces.
If you want to go
organics look for small organic farmers, small organic stores which
have their ware supplied by surrounding farms, and look for weekly
markets of your town.
Ingredients: Organic products of the
shelves of your supermarket often do not differ from conventional ones
such as organic fruit yoghurt. It has the same addition of 10 per cent
of sugar-glucose syrup increasing the risc of obesity and diabetes.
Organics
is a philosophy of cohabitation of mankind and nature. On the other
hand supermarket shelf ware organics is a genial marketing effort to
boost business, the contact with the roots of organics are blurred.
Soil Association Standards dept: Airfreight consultation [3]
From: Karl Heinz Wilm
Muelenweg 5
26419 Schortens
Germany
author@ourfood.com
To: Soil Association Standards dept.
South Plaza,
Bristol
BS1 3NX
Subject: Airfreight consultation Shortens, 05.06.2007
Dear Sirs!
I
appeal to you to stay firm in banning airfreight from organics.
Allowing airfreight destroys the foundation of the organic movement,
adapting it to the supermarket logistics. This will undermine the
confidence of the consumer on the producers and make certification
watery.
Organic eyewash
Here are some of your arguments and my comment:
-Isolated
initiatives like Tesco and Mark & Spencer: These initiatives are
bound to specific produces and are not part of an all round organic
label. Only clear commitment to guidelines bringing all products and
all producers in one boat.
- Air freight has the highest
global warming potential of any form of transport: It is opposed to the
deepest principles of organic philosophy. Opening the door for niche
products, the whole organic segment will be questionable.
-
Air freight enables producers in some of the poorest regions of the
world to supply high value fresh fruit and vegetables to Europe.: This
is not true, as the poorest have no access to the high technical
logistic of air traffic. Only the Australian lobby, specialised on air
traffic to USA is interested to sell their surplus to Europe, after a
sudden wave of US own produces.
- Empty shelves: Worse than empty shelves is the loss of confidence of the consumer. Airfreighting organics is a scandal.
Your Questions
1-
If no ban of air freight is possible the declaration “ Transported by
Air” in close proximity to the word ORGANIC should be compulsory.
2- But, a ban is indispensable.
3- The next certification renewal should withdraw the approval of the product.
You are doing a good job, and stay firm to the principles of the organic movement
Best regards
Karl Heinz Wilm
www.ourfod-news.com
[1]
Williamson, Claire S.: Is organic food better for our health?;
Nutrition Bulletin, June 2007, Volume 32, Issue 2, Pages 104-108
[2]
Ourfood-News: 31.05.2007 UK food sector is the world leader in food
health and environment movement, an example to be looked upon by the
leaders of the G 8 meeting.
http://www.ourfood-news.com/Archives_May_2007.html
[3] http://www.soilassociation.org/airfreight
18.06.2007: Gellan film enhancing stability of vitamin C [1]
Paula
Leona and Ana Rojas found that an edible film based on 1% gellan and
glycerol in water enhanced the stability and non-enzymic browning
resistance of vitamin C having an application as antioxidant in various
formulations. Natural antioxidants like ascorbic acid are increasingly
used in place of synthetic ones.
[1] Leona, Paula G. and Rojas,
Ana M.: Gellan gum films as carriers of l-(+)-ascorbic acid. Food
Research International (Elsevier). June 2007, Volume 40, Issue 5, Pages
565-575. Doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2006.10.021
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2006.10.021