This report of the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control presents the results of the zoonoses monitoring activities carried out in 2013 in 32 European countries (28 Member States and four non-Member States). Campylobacteriosis was the most commonly reported zoonosis. After several years of an increasing European Union (EU) trend, the human campylobacteriosis notification rate has stabilised. In food and animals no EU trends were observed and the occurrence of Campylobacter continued to be high in broiler meat at EU level. The decreasing EU trend in confirmed human salmonellosis cases observed in recent years continued. Most Member States met their Salmonella reduction targets for poultry. In foodstuffs, the reported EU-level Salmonella non-compliance in fresh poultry meat decreased. Human listeriosis increased further, showing an increasing EU trend in [2009][2010][2011][2012][2013]. In ready-to-eat foods Listeria was seldom detected above the legal safety limit. Also during 2009-2013, a decreasing EU trend was observed in confirmed yersiniosis cases. Positive findings for Yersinia were mainly reported in pig meat and products thereof. The number of confirmed verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) infections in humans increased. VTEC was reported from food and animals. A total of 5,196 food-borne outbreaks, including waterborne outbreaks, were reported in the EU. Most food-borne outbreaks were caused by Salmonella, followed by viruses, bacterial toxins and Campylobacter, whereas in 28.9 % of all outbreaks the causative agent was unknown. Important food vehicles in strong-evidence food-borne outbreaks were eggs and egg products, followed by mixed food, and fish and fish products. The report further summarises trends and sources along the food chain of tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis, Brucella, Trichinella, Echinococcus, Toxoplasma, rabies, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) of findings from Croatia, who reported data for the first time in 2013. Campylobacter was also detected in turkey meat at moderate level and in other foods at low to very low levels. AnimalsThe majority of the tested broilers were reported by the Nordic countries, where the Campylobacter prevalence in broilers is generally at a low to moderate level due to control programmes. Overall, Campylobacter was found in 29.6 % of the tested slaughter batches, 15.1 % of the tested flocks and 30.4 % of the tested animals. The prevalence in the investigations varied greatly between MS. Campylobacter food-borne outbreaksIn 2013, 414 Campylobacter outbreaks were reported, of which 32 were strong-evidence outbreaks. The sources of these strong-evidence outbreaks were, in decreasing order of importance, broiler meat and products thereof; other, mixed or unspecified poultry meat and products thereof, and milk and mixed food. Salmonella HumansIn 2013, a total of 82,694 confirmed salmonellosis cases were reported by 27 EU MS, resulting in an EU notification rate of 20.4 cases per 100,000 popula...

Chronic and acute dietary exposure to pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) was estimated in the European population via the consumption of plant-derived foods. This resulted in highest estimates of mean chronic dietary exposure of 34.5-48.4 ng/kg body weight (bw) per day in 'Toddlers' (LB-UB) and 154-214 ng/kg bw per day in the highly exposed population (LB-UB, also in 'Toddlers'). Following a rather conservative scenario, the highest estimates of acute mean exposure and 95th percentile exposure were calculated for 'Toddlers', with mean exposure up to 311 ng/kg bw per day and 95th percentile exposure up to 821 ng/kg bw per day. Tea and herbal infusions were by far the main average contributors to the total exposure to PAs. Among consumers only, in the adult population, the mean chronic exposure via the consumption of honey ranged between 0.1 and 7.4 ng/kg bw per day (minimum LB-maximum UB), while for high consumers, it was between 0.4 and 18 ng/kg bw per day (minimum LB-maximum UB). In the young population, for the average consumers of honey, estimates were between 0.3 and 27 ng/kg bw per day (minimum LB-maximum UB), and between 0.7 and 31 ng/kg bw per day (minimum LB-maximum UB) among the high consumers. Ad hoc exposure scenarios for food supplements via consumption of pollen-based supplements showed chronic exposure to PAs that ranged between 0.7 and 12 ng/kg bw per day (minimum LB-maximum UB), while acute exposure was between 2.8 and 44 ng/kg bw per day (minimum LB-maximum UB), in both cases among consumers only. Likewise, the consumption of 150 mL infusion of 2 g of selected plant extracts can lead to exposures to PAs up to 890 ng/kg bw per day (e.g. infusion of Borage).

Following an application from VAB-nutrition, submitted for authorisation of a health claim pursuant to The scope of the application was proposed to fall under a health claim referring to children's development and health.The food constituent that is the subject of the health claim is vitamin D, which is an essential nutrient and is measurable in foods by established methods. Vitamin D occurs naturally in foods and is authorised for addition to foods and for use in food supplements. The Panel considers that vitamin D is sufficiently characterised.The claimed effect proposed by the applicant is that vitamin D "contributes to the normal function of the immune system". The target population proposed by the applicant is children from 3 to 18 years of age. The Panel considers that contribution to the normal function of the immune system is a beneficial physiological effect for children.The Panel had previously assessed a claim on vitamin D and contribution to the normal function of the immune system with a favourable outcome. The target population was the general population. The Panel considered that vitamin D plays a regulatory role in the functioning of the immune system. The Panel considers that the role of vitamin D in the functioning of the immune system applies to all ages, including children.The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has been established between the dietary intake of vitamin D and contribution to the normal function of the immune system.

Following an application from Specialised Nutrition Europe (formerly IDACE), submitted for authorisation of a health claim pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of France, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to biotin and contribution to normal energy‐yielding metabolism. The Panel considers that biotin, the food constituent that is the subject of the health claim, is sufficiently characterised. Contribution to normal energy‐yielding metabolism is a beneficial physiological effect. The Panel has previously assessed a claim on biotin and contribution to normal energy‐yielding metabolism with a favourable outcome. The target population was the general population. The Panel considers that the role of biotin in contributing to normal energy‐yielding metabolism applies to all ages, including infants and young children (from birth to three years). The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has been established between the dietary intake of biotin and contribution to normal energy‐yielding metabolism. The following wording reflects the scientific evidence: ‘Biotin contributes to normal energy‐yielding metabolism.’ The target population is infants and young children up to three years of age.

The food enzyme considered in this opinion is a lipase (triacylglycerol lipase; EC 3.1.1.3) produced with a genetically modified strain of Aspergillus oryzae. The genetic modifications do not raise safety concern. The food enzyme contains neither the production organism nor recombinant DNA. The lipase is intended to be used in a number of food manufacturing processes, such as oils, fats and eggs processing. The dietary exposure was assessed on the basis of data retrieved from the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database. The food enzyme did not induce gene mutations in bacteria nor chromosome aberrations in human lymphocytes. Therefore, there is no concern with respect to genotoxicity. The systemic toxicity was assessed by means of a 90‐day subchronic oral toxicity study in rodents. A No Observed Adverse Effect Level was derived, which compared with the dietary exposure results in a sufficiently high Margin of Exposure. The allergenicity was evaluated by searching for similarity of the amino acid sequence to those of known allergens. The Panel considered that the likelihood of food allergic reactions to the enzyme is low and therefore does not raise safety concern. Based on the genetic modifications performed, the manufacturing process, the compositional and biochemical data provided and the toxicological studies, this food enzyme does not raise safety concern under the intended conditions of use.