MINUTES OF THE 36TH PLENARY MEETING OF THE SCIENTIFIC PANEL ON BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS HELD IN PARMA ON 5-6 DECEMBER 2007 AGENDA: 1 Opening, apologies for absence 2 Adoption of the agenda 3 Declarations of interest 4 Update on TSE issues from the European Commission 5 Requests to EFSA/BIOHAZ 6 Discussion and possible adoption of opinions 6.1 The monitoring of Yersinia spp. and the identification of human pathogenic Yersinia types 6.2 TSE risk assessment of the use of bovine blood in feeds for fish, in consideration of a report produced by the European Animal Protein Association 6.3 MRA on Salmonella in meat and meat preparations 6.4 Reviewing the Community summary report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents, antimicrobial resistance and foodborne outbreaks in the EU in 2005 6.5 Update of scientific data on Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eatfoods 6.6 Pig Welfare - Food safety issues 7 Progress reports and discussion on the following mandates 7.1 Foodborne antimicrobial resistance as a biological hazard 7.2 QMRA on Salmonella in slaughter and breeding pigs 7.3 Microbiological risk assessment in feedingstuffs for food-producing animals 7.4 BSE related risk in bovine tongue 7.5 ABP Spanish dossiers 8 Feed back from the Scientific Committee and from other WGs 9 Standing items on the agenda: 9.1 Networking with Member States 9.2 Food safety issues of Avian Influenza 9.3 Emerging risks 9.4 TSE testing 9.5 QRA on Tallow 9.6 ABP alternative method from European Lime Association 10 Any Other Business 11 Closure of the meeting European Food Safety Authority - Largo N. Palli 5/a, I - 43100 Parma Tel: (+39) 0521 036 111 Fax: (+39) 0521 036 110 info@efsa.europa.eu www.efsa.europa.eu
PARTICIPANTS Panel Members: Olivier Andreoletti, Herbert Budka, Pierre Colin, John D Collins, Aline De Koeijer, John Griffin, Arie Havelaar, James Hope, Günter Klein, Hilde Kruse, Simone Magnino, Miguel Prieto Maradona, Antonio Martínez López, Christophe Nguyen-The, Birgit Noerrung, Terence Roberts, Ivar Vågsholm and Emmanuel Vanopdenbosch. EFSA: Marta Hugas, Bart Goossens, Fulvio Barizzone, Coralie Bultel, Fabrizio de Massis (AHAW 1, item 6.4), Michaela Hempen, Ernesto Liebana Criado, Tobin Robinson, Pietro Stella, Eirini Tsigarida, Luis Vivas-Alegre (Scientific Staff), Angela Cohen, Bianca Bottoni, (Administrative staff), Simone Gabbi (Legal staff). European Commission (EC): DG Health and Consumer Protection: Taina Sateri. Koen Van Dyck (am, 5 December) 1. OPENING, APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE The Chair welcomed everyone. Apologies were received from Sava Buncic, Karsten Noeckler and James McLauchlin. On behalf of the Panel, the Chair and Vice- Chair thanked Bart Goossens for his valuable contribution at EFSA in the field of BSE-TSE and wished him well in his new position. 2. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA The agenda was adopted. As the agenda was very full, a number of progress reports were deferred until the next Plenary in January 2008. 3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no new declarations of interest. 4. UPDATE ON TSE ISSUES FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION Koen Van Dyck presented the development of the TSE Regulation in the light of the TSE Roadmap 2 of 2005. 1 2 AHAW - Panel on Animal Health and Welfare http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biosafety/bse/index_en.htm Page 2 of 6
5. REQUESTS TO EFSA/BIOHAZ 5.1. ASSESSMENT OF THE POSSIBLE EFFECT OF THE FOUR DECONTAMINANT SUBSTANCES ON THE EMERGENCE OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE The mandate was presented to the Panel and relates to the environmental impact and effect on antimicrobial resistance of four substances used for the removal of microbial surface contamination of poultry carcasses. The BIOHAZ Panel will address the Terms of Reference (ToR) on food safety aspects and SCENIHR 3 will address the ToR on environmental impact. The BIOHAZ Panel and SCENIHR will liaise on matters of common interest when developing the two opinions. 5.2. REQUEST FOR A SCIENTIFIC OPINION ON SPECIAL MEASURES TO REDUCE THE RISK FOR CONSUMERS THROUGH SALMONELLA IN TABLE EGGS - E.G. COOLING OF TABLE EGGS A request was received by EFSA from BfR 4. The request was presented to the Panel for information. EFSA will contact BfR to ask for clarification regarding the background and the ToR. 5.3. ABP ALTERNATIVE METHODS RECEIVED FROM ITALY EFSA received a request from the Italian Ministry of Health on two applications for alternative methods of disposal of animal by-products under regulation EC 1774/2002. The request was presented to the Panel. 5.4. CLARIFICATION ON A PREVIOUS BIOHAZ OPINION ON CERTAIN ASPECTS RELATED TO THE RISK OF TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHIES (TSES) IN OVINE AND CAPRINE ANIMALS The EC invited EFSA to provide scientific and technical support regarding the interpretation of the BIOHAZ opinion of 8 March 2007 on certain aspects related to the risk of TSEs in ovine and caprine animals 5. The deadline for the mandate is 25 January 2008. A Working Group (WG) has been established. 6. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF OPINIONS 6.1. THE MONITORING OF YERSINIA SPP. AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF HUMAN PATHOGENIC YERSINIA TYPES The draft opinion was approved at the October Plenary subject to adoption by written procedure. However, quorum was not attained during the written procedure. The opinion was adopted. 3 4 5 SCENIHR Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks BfR - Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung www.efsa.europa.eu/efsa/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178620775196.htm Page 3 of 6
6.2. TSE RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE USE OF BOVINE BLOOD IN FEEDS FOR FISH, IN CONSIDERATION OF A REPORT PRODUCED BY THE EUROPEAN ANIMAL PROTEIN ASSOCIATION The opinion was adopted. 6.3. MRA 6 ON SALMONELLA IN MEAT AND MEAT PREPARATIONS The WG met on 30 November. The document was split into a draft opinion to address the ToR, and an additional paper on source attribution approaches. It was agreed to table both opinions for adoption at the next Plenary meeting. 6.4. REVIEWING THE COMMUNITY SUMMARY REPORT ON TRENDS AND SOURCES OF ZOONOSES, ZOONOTIC AGENTS, ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND FOOD- BORNE OUTBREAKS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION IN 2005 The opinion was provisionally adopted by the BIOHAZ Panel pending some editorials. 6.5. UPDATE OF SCIENTIFIC DATA ON LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IN READY-TO-EAT- FOODS The WG met on 18-19 October. The opinion was adopted ahead of the deadline which was March 2008. 6.6. PIG WELFARE - FOOD SAFETY ISSUES The opinion was adopted. This opinion related to three opinions adopted by the AHAW Panel on Welfare where the BIOHAZ Panel has considered possible food safety issues arising from welfare. 7. PROGRESS REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ON THE FOLLOWING MANDATES 7.1. FOODBORNE ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AS A BIOLOGICAL HAZARD The WG met on 19 November. The draft opinion will be tabled for adoption at the next Plenary meeting. 6 MRA - Microbiological Risk Assessment Page 4 of 6
7.2. QMRA 7 ON SALMONELLA IN SLAUGHTER AND BREEDING PIGS 7.3. MICROBIOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT IN FEEDINGSTUFFS FOR FOOD- PRODUCING ANIMALS 7.4. BSE-RELATED RISK IN BOVINE TONGUE The translation of the scientific paper was verified by the author. Some additional data are now available. A WG has been formed. 7.5. ABP SPANISH DOSSIERS 8. FEED BACK FROM THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE (SC) AND FROM OTHER WGS The 27 th Plenary was held on 19 November 8. 9. STANDING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA: 9.1. NETWORKING WITH MEMBER STATES 9.2. FOOD SAFETY ISSUES OF AVIAN INFLUENZA There had been no indications of food safety concerns. 9.3. EMERGING RISKS The establishment of the EFSA Scientific Cooperation (ESCO) Working Group on Emerging Risks was noted. 9.4. TSE TESTING The secretariat informed the Panel on the publication of the call by the EC. 9.5. QRA ON TALLOW The Panel was briefed on the meeting between BfR, FLI 9 and EFSA on 26 November 2007. 7 8 9 QMRA - Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment www.efsa.europa.eu/efsa/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178637648399.htm Friedrich-Loeffler Institut (FLI) Page 5 of 6
9.6. ABP ALTERNATIVE METHOD FROM EUROPEAN LIME ASSOCIATION 10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 10.1. PLENARY SEPTEMBER 2008 The venue and date of the Plenary of September 2008 will be confirmed at the January Plenary. 11. CLOSURE OF THE MEETING The meeting closed at 14.45. Page 6 of 6