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An explanation is required for the re-emergence of COVID-19 outbreaks in regions with apparent local eradication. Recent outbreaks have emerged in Vietnam, New Zealand and parts of China where there had been no cases for some months. Importation of contaminated food and food packaging is a feasible source for such outbreaks and a source of clusters within existing outbreaks. Such events can be prevented if the risk is better appreciated.

During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic global expansion in fish farming, with both positive and negative consequences. Although commercial aquaculture has contributed positively to the economies of many producing countries, there are considerable negative environmental and social impacts. In intensive and semi‐intensive systems, artificial feeds supplemented with antibiotics are used to prevent the spread of disease and to improve feed conversion ratios. Current knowledge of the health and environmental impact of antibiotics used in aquaculture is poor, particularly in tropical regions. Residues may remain in fish used for human consumption and antibiotics released into the environment can lead to the development of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria in the food chain. The accumulation of waste feeds in ponds stimulates the growth of bacteria, including human pathogens, which can contaminate products and lead to foodborne disease and the rejection of products in export markets. In extensive systems, where fish are produced mainly for the domestic market, different food safety concerns exist. The consumption of aquatic plants and raw or partially cooked freshwater fish has been associated with foodborne trematode infections. These are a major public health problem in East and South East Asia and occur when products that are contaminated by the infective stages of the parasites are consumed. This paper reviews food safety hazards associated with products from aquaculture and proposes the application of principles of the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) system as a general strategy to control the hazards identified.

Brominated flame retardants - polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and others - have been measured in 11 pooled breast milk samples from 109 first-time mothers in Ireland. Additionally, the study has measured levels of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PBDD/Fs), mixed halogenated dioxins (PXCC/Fs) and biphenyls (PXBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) in these samples. The mean sum of 19 PBDEs including BDE-209 was 4.85 ng g(-1) fat, which is comparable with that found in other European countries. BDE-47, BDE-153, BDE-209, BDE-99 and BDE-100 were found at the highest concentrations. The only PBBs detected consistently were BB-77, BB-126 and BB-153, with highest concentrations being found for BB-153 (mean = 0.13 ng g(-1) fat). The mean sum of HBCD enantiomers was 3.52 ng g(-1) fat, with α-HBCD representing over 70% of the total. Of the other brominated flame retardants - tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A), hexabromobenzene (HBB), decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) and bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxyethane) (BTBPE) - examined, only TBBP-A was detected above the limit of detection (LOD), in two of the 11 pools analysed. All measured PBDF congeners were observed (at 0.02-0.91 pg g(-1) fat), but 2,3,7,8-tetrabromo-dibenzodioxin (TeBDD) was the only PBDD detected, with a mean concentration of 0.09 pg g(-1) fat. The occurrence of the mixed chlorinated/brominated dibenzodioxins, dibenzofurans and biphenyls, 2-B-3,7,8-CDD, 2,3-B-7,8-CDF, 4-B-2,3,7,8-CDF, PXB 105, PXB 118, PXB 126 and PCB 156 in breast milk in the current study may indicate that levels of these contaminants are increasing in the environment. Polychlorinated naphthalenes were detected in all samples, but not perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and other PFAS. The pattern of occurrence of these brominated and fluorinated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Irish breast milk shows a general relationship to their occurrence in food, as reported in a number of surveillance studies carried out by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

Adequate intake of folic acid by women during very early pregnancy can markedly reduce risk of the development of neural-tube defects (NTD). The effectiveness of advice to women to take folic acid supplements is limited, mainly because 50 % of pregnancies are unplanned. However, mandatory folic acid food fortification programmes in North America have been very successful in reducing NTD rates. In Ireland higher rates of pregnancies are affected by NTD and the option of termination is illegal. Consequently, the much higher burden of disease makes primary prevention of NTD an important public health issue in Ireland. During 2006 a decision was taken in Ireland to initiate mandatory folic acid fortification of most bread to prevent NTD. Priority work was immediately undertaken to establish reliable and comprehensive baseline information on factors that will be affected by fortification. This information included data on: the national prevalence of pregnancies affected by NTD; the current extent of voluntary folic acid fortification of food on the Irish market and how it affects folic acid intakes; blood folate status indicators assessed for various subgroups of the Irish population. In addition, scientific developments that have arisen since 2006 relating to the risks and benefits of folic acid intake are under ongoing review. The present paper summarises the rationale for mandatory folic acid food fortification in Ireland and recent scientific developments relating to risks and benefits of folic acid intake. In this context, preliminary findings of baseline monitoring investigations in Ireland are considered.

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