Technical meeting with stakeholders - Safety of conventionally smoked food

Background

EFSA received a mandate from the European Commission to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety of smoked meat and meat products, smoked fish and smoked fishery products and smoked cheese and smoked dairy products, in particular as regards the components assessed to be of concern in the evaluated smoke flavouring primary products and other contaminants of potential health concern of conventional smoking processes, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). 

The assessment will consider smoked food products produced through conventional smoking processes in accordance with the Codex Alimentarius Code of Practice for the reduction of contamination of food with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from smoking and direct drying processes (CXC 68-2009). The use of smoked ingredients such as smoked spices and smoked salt as alternatives for the use of smoke flavouring primary products will also be considered in the assessment.

Objectives of the meeting

The purpose of the event was to meet interested parties and other stakeholders willing to contribute to this assessment. The event was also an opportunity for EFSA to present the call for data aimed at collecting documented information (published or unpublished) relevant for the determination of contaminants of concern, and occurrence data for such contaminants of conventionally smoked food in EU, which is part of EFSA’s annual call for data open from 24 February 2025. 

EFSA aimed for the event to be interactive; therefore, stakeholders were invited to indicate in the registration form their availability to deliver a presentation. The presentations addressed the occurrence of contaminants in conventionally smoked foods, and focused on issues related to the scientific mandate, notably on relevant data and data sources that may inform EFSA’s scientific advice. EFSA selected speakers, ensuring a balanced representation of interests. An open microphone Q&A session was held at end of each session to engage with participants beyond the speakers.

Contact

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