Aktualności

Hier finden Sie Kurznachrichten aus dem Lebensmittelsektor.
Here you will find news in brief from the food sector.

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Deutsch:
Können ultrahoch verarbeitete Lebensmittel das Gehirn verändern?

Der Begriff "ultrahoch verarbeitet" taucht derzeit in vielen Nachrichten auf. Allerdings gibt es noch keine eindeutige Definition. Es ist daher schwierig, ernsthafte wissenschaftliche Studien von medialer Panikmache zu unterscheiden. Vor kurzem wurden die Ergebnisse einer internationalen Studie mit über 30.000 Teilnehmern veröffentlicht. Die Studie wurde im Vereinigten Königreich in einer finnisch-kanadischen Kooperation von Wissenschaftler*innen auf Grundlage der UK Biobank durchgeführt.

Erste Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass es einen Zusammenhang zwischen dem Verzehr ultrahoch verarbeiteter Lebensmittel und Veränderungen im menschlichen Gehirn gibt. Die Neurologen sehen in einer ersten Hypothese den hohen Anteil an chemischen Hilfsstoffen wie Emulgatoren in solchen Produkten als mögliche Quelle für die mit bildgebenden Techniken festgestellten Veränderungen der Gehirnstruktur der Probanden.

Die Ergebnisse wurden im renommierten Wissenschaftsmagazin "Nature" veröffentlicht: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44324-025-00056-3

English:
Can ultra-processed foods change the brain?

The term ‘ultra-processed’ is currently appearing in many news reports. However, there is still no clear definition. It is therefore difficult to distinguish serious scientific studies from media scaremongering. The results of an international study involving over 30,000 participants were recently published. The study was conducted in the United Kingdom in a Finnish-Canadian collaboration between scientists based on the UK Biobank.

Initial results suggest that there is a link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and changes in the human brain. In an initial hypothesis, neurologists see the high proportion of chemical additives such as emulsifiers in such products as a possible source of the changes in the brain structure of the test subjects detected using imaging techniques.

The results were published in the renowned scientific journal Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44324-025-00056-3

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English:
New Handbook on Food Microbiology Published

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has officially published the Handbook on Food Microbiology, replacing the former "Information Sheet 85". It outlines microbiological food safety requirements for FBOs.

Key revisions:
Clarification on sampling requirements: The handbook says that sampling frequencies must adhere to HACCP principles unless explicitly defined by legislation. Pooling five subsamples (125 g in total) for a single analysis is permitted for quality verification within bulk oil and fat streams. However, reducing the number of subsamples for microbiological criteria without scientific justification is still unacceptable.

Proper Use of Legal Terminology: Following feedback, ambiguous phrasing that could imply a 'zero-tolerance' approach to food safety hazards (e.g. 'only safe food may be placed on the market') has been amended. The handbook now more closely aligns with the wording of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002: 'Food that is unsafe must not be placed on the market.'

‘Ready-to-eat’ product definition: The NVWA has confirmed that products must be classified as 'ready-to-eat' based on the producer's intended use and any foreseeable misuse by consumers. Ultimately, the enforcement authority will assess whether microbiological risks are sufficiently mitigated.

MAP Packaging and Consumer Guidance: Producers must clearly indicate storage instructions after opening, particularly where there is potential for pathogen growth. Vague statements such as 'consume shortly after opening' are no longer sufficient.

Handling of Outbreak Tracing: In a foodborne outbreak, whole genome sequencing (WGS) is used to establish links between patients and food products. The NVWA has updated its policy to include clearer procedures for international coordination and interpretation of clusters of genetically related organisms.

No Expansion of Legal Obligations: The handbook now clarifies that businesses do not have to inform suppliers/customers of "NVWA's Meldwijzer" duties, unless a direct food safety risk is identified.

Link to the Handbook (in Dutch): 

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Autor/Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger, AGROLAB GROUP