European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) – Committed to ensuring that Europe's food is safe

In Focus: Scientific Colloquium XVIII

Experts gather to debate risk assessment and bees
International experts on bee health are gathering in Parma, Italy, this week to debate the most recent findings surrounding the risk assessment of multiple stressors in bees. Following the opening plenary session and keynote speeches, the meeting will divide into discussion groups to look in detail at four themes: tools and challenges for the protection of bees and pollination services; monitoring bee populations and stressors; testing and assessing stressors in bees; and holistic approaches to the risk assessment of stressors in bees. The results of the colloquium will assist the work of EFSA’s internal task force on bees, which was set up to identify cross-cutting issues, gaps in knowledge and research needs in the area of risk assessment and bees. Recent work News story: EFSA assesses risk of entry of bee pests into EU Press release: EFSA identifies risk to bees from neonicotinoids	Understanding Science
EFSA’s work in context Topic: Bee health News story: Pesticides and bee health: EFSA reviews the science News story: EFSA reviews work on bees

News
Aspartame opinion rescheduled until November 2013 EFSA and the European Commission have agreed to extend the timeframe for the Authority’s full re-evaluation of aspartame to allow sufficient time to consider and address feedback, including new information, resulting from the public consultation on its draft opinion. EFSA’s experts have identified aspects of their draft opinion and key steps in their scientific approach that they would like to clarify further, including the expression of uncertainties, before finalising their conclusions.
EFSA welcomes 500 visitors as Europe celebrates unity EFSA opened its doors to the people of Parma last Saturday as part of the celebrations for Europe Day (9 May). More than 500 people visited the Authority’s premises for the annual Porte Aperte (Open Doors) event to hear how EFSA helps to protect Europeans through its scientific risk assessment work and to debate the future of the European Union. Europe Day takes place this year in the context of the EU’s Year of Citizens 2013, which aims to highlight the rights that come with EU citizenship.
Register for the FEEDAP and ANS Plenary meetings Registrations for those interested in attending as Observers the Plenary meetings of the FEEDAP and ANS Panels close respectively on 3 June 2013 and 17 June 2013. As part of EFSA’s commitment to openness and transparency, the Authority is giving access to some scientific plenary meetings either in total or in part in its 2012/2013 programme.
Public consultations: dietary reference values for fluoride and molybdenum EFSA has launched a public consultation on its draft scientific advice on dietary reference values (DRVs) for fluoride. EFSA is also currently consulting on its draft scientific opinion on DRVs for molybdenum. The opinions will be the first pieces of advice from EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies on intake of micronutrients. Interested parties are invited to submit comments by 13 June 2013.
Acrylamide – EFSA launches call for recent analytical data EFSA would like food business operators and other stakeholders to submit analytical data on acrylamide occurrence levels in foods and beverages and collected outside official controls from 2010 onwards. This information will support development of EFSA’s risk assessment on this process contaminant. Acrylamide is a chemical substance that forms in starchy foods during heat treatment, e.g. roasting, baking and frying.