Current News 11/2015
Jun 16, 2017 - Foods
Current News 11/2015
Notification Letters from Regulatory Authorities on Zoonoses
Currently, some regulatory authorities are sending notification letters regarding the procedure for positive findings of zoonotic pathogens. They refer to obligations under the "Zoonoses Regulation" (ZoonoseV). This regulation and its resulting obligations are not new but date back to 2007. Food business operators are thereby obligated during their microbiological self-controls to:
- report positive findings to their responsible authority
- store retention samples of the specimen and the isolate of the pathogen for a maximum of 3 months
- retain documentation of self-controls for 2 years.
The BAV Institute will store isolates and retention samples for you for 3 months in such cases, so that they can be presented to the authority upon request. Simply contact your customer service representative in such an event!
Zoonoses are diseases or infections that can be transmitted directly from animals to humans. Zoonotic pathogens include bacteria (e.g., Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, EHEC…), viruses, fungi, and parasites. Zoonoses Regulation
Amendment to the EU Drinking Water Directive
The EU Commission has issued a newly amended directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption (e.g., drinking water). This directive regulates the framework for the frequency of testing and analytical methods for drinking water. It aims to make it possible to reduce the frequency of analysis through risk assessment under certain conditions, such as when it can be shown that the likelihood of exceeding this parameter is very low.
The corresponding analytical methods are prescribed for laboratories. However, it will be possible to apply equivalent procedures if they are validated according to certain standards. This is intended to take technical progress into account more quickly.
The regulations no longer apply to water intended for bottling and selling in bottles and other containers, as these fall under Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002. For these, the HACCP principles and the principles of official controls according to Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 apply. The federal government now has until October 27, 2017, to implement this directive into national law. We will keep you updated with any news... EU Drinking Water Directive
New Control Team for Food in Baden-Württemberg
In Baden-Württemberg, a new control team for food safety is starting its work. Triggered by several food crises and the insights gained from the "EHEC Epidemic" in 2011, new teams have already been formed in various federal states. These are intended to support the responsible authorities in the event of "food scandals" across state borders, allowing them to respond to "crises" more quickly. Press Release
Revision of BLL Guidelines for Soups and Sauces
The BLL has published the revision of the BLL Guideline for the Assessment of Soups and Sauces on its website. The purpose of these guidelines is to describe the general consumer acceptance of the respective products, as long as there are no legal requirements or guidelines from the German Food Code. These economic guidelines are not legally binding but are considered "significant expert opinions." BLL Guideline