The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority have signed the first U.S.-European agreement to assess food safety risks.
Officials said the pact is the first formal international cooperation agreement the EFSA has signed and the first formal step in cooperation between the two organizations.
"Food safety knows no national boundaries and the food chain is today truly a global one," said Catherine Geslain-Laneelle, EFSA's executive director. "We need to work with the best scientific minds from across the world and extend scientific co-operation to assess food safety risks and protect consumers even more. Sharing data and knowledge across our two organizations is an important first step in achieving this goal."
Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach, the FDA's commissioner, said scientific cooperation is vital for the success of the FDA's mission.
The agreement signed Monday is designed to facilitate sharing of confidential scientific and other information between the two agencies, such as methodologies to ensure that food is safe. The agreement ensures protection of such confidential information under the applicable legal frameworks in both the United States and the European Union.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Related stories:
Newly approved ocular safety methods reduce animal testing
Federal regulatory agencies have accepted recommendations of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) for two methods that can reduce live animal use for ocular safety testing, the committee announced today. ICCVAM is a permanent interagency committee composed of representatives from 15 federal regulatory and research agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that use, generate or disseminate toxicology testing information.
Walking tall to protect the species
The transition from apes to humans may have been partially triggered by the need to stand on two legs, in order to safely carry heavier babies. This theory of species evolution presented by Lia Amaral from the University of São Paulo in Brazil has just been published online in Springer’s journal,
Naturwissenschaften.
Edible food wrap kills deadly E. coli bacteria
Researchers have improved upon an edible coating for fresh fruits and vegetables by enabling it to kill deadly E. coli bacteria while also providing a flavor-boost to food. Composed of apple puree and oregano oil, which acts as a natural antibacterial agent, the coating shows promise in laboratory studies of becoming a long-lasting, potent alternative to conventional produce washes, according to a team of scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the University of Lleida in Spain.
Findings Suggest New Method to Fight Staph Infections
School districts in middle Tennessee recently have reported several cases of staph infection among students and school workers. A biology professor at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is involved in research that holds the promise of helping to reduce the number of these infections. The research may also point to new ways to combat other pathogens such as anthrax, SARS and avian flu.
Plotting the road ahead for wireless sensor networks
Wireless sensor networks consisting of multiple objects, each capable of simple sensing, actuation, communication and processing have tremendous potential. To better realise their full capabilities researchers are developing a broad vision of innovative future applications.
Ranks Of 'Environmental Refugees' Swell
Amid predictions that by 2010 the world will need to cope with as many as 50 million people escaping the effects of creeping environmental deterioration, United Nations University experts say the international community urgently needs to define, recognize and extend support to this new category of 'refugee'.
Limit on cold remedies for kids was FDA's idea
(AP) -- When drug makers made a surprise announcement this week that they no longer recommend cough and cold remedies for youngsters under 4, they didn't let on that it was the government's idea.
10,000 Chinese children still sick from milk
(AP) -- More than 10,000 children remained hospitalized after being sickened in China's tainted milk scandal, eight of whom were in serious condition, officials said.