World Food Safety Day: science in action!

Have a look at some of the latest FAO knowledge products on the topic, highlighting the Organization’s unique, 360° vision on food safety. 

Food safety in personalized nutrition – A focus on food supplements and functional foods 
This publication outlines potential safety concerns associated with food supplements and functional foods. It sheds light on regulatory frameworks across different regions, highlighting differences in classification, labelling, composition, registration and claims. The report also explores consumer perceptions of these products, analysing the motivations behind their use. 

State of research on the interactions between food additives, the gut microbiome and the host – A food safety perspective 
This review assesses the state of research on the impact of select food additives on the gut microbiome and their potential health implications. It highlights the need to improve the research design rigour, standardize methodologies, employ realistic exposure research scenarios, and investigate causality and underlying mechanisms. This can be accomplished by using multidisciplinary approaches throughout all research levels, from study design to the peer review process. 

Exploring the future landscape of new food sources and production systems – A foresight exercise 
This publication reports on an FAO multiphase foresight exercise to explore potential food safety implications of emerging new food sources and production systems (NFPS). It revealed opportunities and challenges associated with the 44 innovations identified and outlined steps to ensure their safe development and implementation while protecting public health. These steps include improving communication on the safety implications of NFPS and encouraging collaboration between regulators and industry.  

But there’s a lot more to discover. For more titles: