Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety最新文献

The international working group “Development of methods for identification of foodstuffs produced by means of genetic engineering techniques” was established pursuant to § 64 of the German Food and Feed Code (LFGB). It has developed a guideline for implementing and verifying digital PCR methods previously validated as real-time PCR techniques. While event-specific methods in testing of genetically modified organisms (GMO) have traditionally relied on real-time PCR, new digital PCR technologies offer significant advantages and therefore, leading to an increased use by control laboratories. This guideline provides practical recommendations for transferring the real-time PCR to digital PCR and for verifying the digital PCR method. The guideline is applicable to analysis of GMO in food, feed and seed and is freely available on the website of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL).

Nineteen cannabinoids, including Δ⁹-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), were quantified in 22 CBD oils, 2 CBG (cannabigerol) oils, and 2 CBN (cannabinol) oils, marketed as food supplements, aroma oils, or cosmetic preparations. Analyses were conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The declared concentrations of CBD (or CBG, CBN) in the oils ranged from 2.5 to 20%. Actual concentrations compared to declared concentrations ranged from 81 to 226%. CBD concentrations of up to 9 mg per drop were found. Δ⁹-THC was detected in 20 of 26 samples, with concentrations ranging from 5 to 1576 mg/kg (mean = 536 mg/kg). Considering the highest daily intake suggested by one manufacturer (20 drops) and a body weight of 70 kg, the measured Δ⁹-THC concentration in 50% (n = 13) of the products would exceed the acute reference dose (ARfD) of 1 µg/kg body weight (bw) derived for Δ⁹-THC by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). For 7 samples, only 2 drops of oil would be sufficient to exceed the ARfD of Δ⁹-THC.

Regulations on nutrition and health claims are useful to protect consumers from deceptive practices of unscrupulous food manufacturers. Consumer protection is best achieved when relevant regulations are available and enforced. So far, no study has analyzed the robustness of regulations on nutrition and health claims in Malawi. In the present study, Malawi’s regulation was compared with Codex Alimentarius as well as European, U.S American, and the Republic of South Africa’s (RSA) regulations on nutrition and health claims. The study revealed that Malawi does not have regulations or guidelines on health claims and therefore, any health claim can be made. Likewise, Malawi’s regulation on nutrition claims was found to be the least demanding and less elaborate. Out of 11 nutrition claims related requirements, the Malawi regulation satisfied only 3. The lack of comprehensive nutrition and health claims regulations in Malawi may give an opportunity to dishonest manufacturers to mislead and deceive consumers. False claims can also derail government’s efforts towards addressing some nutrient deficiencies through food fortification programs. Currently, it is difficult to effectively regulate nutrition and health claims in Malawi. Therefore, the findings are a wake-up call for Malawi and other countries that may be in a similar situation to take the necessary remedial actions.

This article presents a future workshop on agricultural livestock farming, which—as part of the SocialLab II project—developed and applied innovative methods including participating interest groups in the political transformation of livestock farming. This future workshop examines the desirable developments for agricultural livestock farming from the perspective of all interest groups. The interests in animal welfare, environmental and climate protection were taken into account, as well as the economic and practical requirements of the companies. Challenging for dialogs in the field of transforming animal husbandry are the sheer number of different demands from social groups. On the one hand, more and more interest groups are voicing new demands, for example in the area of climate protection. On the other hand, previously homogeneous interest groups, such as those from agriculture and from animal welfare, are becoming increasingly diversified in terms of goals, strategies and values. Animals are increasingly recognized as a group affected by politics with their own demands, although their political representation is still hardly regulated. This paper includes methodological features of the future workshop on agricultural livestock farming, the identified target images for agricultural livestock farming, effective approaches to stakeholder dialog and insights into the aspects of appreciation and communication in dialog between stakeholders. From a large number of positions and submissions, 3 future scenarios of livestock farming in Germany were identified: (i) higher standards, (ii) system change and reduction and (iii) alternatives to livestock farming. In future, policy measures and dialog formats in the field of livestock farming should disclose where they fit into this spectrum of objectives. Alliances and compromises between the visions of the future are possible in various combinations. Agreement on minimum legal requirements in animal welfare seems particularly urgent, as these form the starting point of the debate. In future, dialog formats should be more open about their contribution to the debate, whereby three functional areas of dialog formats can be distinguished.