Science on the Menu: A Food Safety Podcast by EFSA

Tiny killers. Mosquitoes are the most dangerous creatures on our planet. Millions of humans and animals die each year from diseases spread by mosquitoes and other insects. How do they spread these diseases? And how does climate change affect the trend? Join us as we explore the lives of some of the planet’s least popular insects and learn what we can all do to protect ourselves from bites. We also look at ways health authorities are working to combat these vector-borne diseases. Tune in to find out what the buzz is all about!

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What is the reality of being a female scientist in Europe? In celebration of the International Day of Girls and Women in Science on 11 February, we’re exploring women in science. How far have we come in ensuring women’s voices are the norm in science? What does the journey toward greater female representation look like from the perspective of someone living it every day? To find out, we turned to our own Océane Albert, who shared her experiences as a former researcher, now scientist in EFSA’s novel food team, and a new mum. 

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Oceans have long captivated our imagination. Think of swashbuckling pirates or bold explorers seeking far off lands. Today the oceans represent a new frontier. Beneath the seafloor lie precious minerals that could drive technological innovation. Ocean aquaculture could address sustainability issues from farming on land. Climate change is opening new sea routes for trade. But what are the risks for food safety? How could changing uses of the oceans affect our food supply? Join us as we explore the ocean deep! 

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Food is always a key part of the festivals we celebrate at the end of the year. But what’s the meaning behind the traditions we attach to them? What foods are thought to bring wealth and good fortune? Why are some foods avoided? Join us as we journey through different countries and their culinary traditions. Listen in for some curious facts and even a few red herrings. You’ll also gather food safety tips along the way! 

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We’ve been looking for ways to preserve food for millennia. Salt helped many civilisations develop. We pickled food in vinegar and stored fruit in honey. But for what purpose are food additives used today? And how did the emergence of supermarkets change this? What about health risks? Join us as we take some foods off the shelves to investigate! Listen out for tips on maintaining a healthy diet and how to decipher what’s on your food labels.

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Olive trees are an iconic feature of the landscape and cultural heritage in southern Italy. But a deadly bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa, has left parts of the Apulia region looking like a wasteland. Is there any hope? Millions of trees are dead, and the bacterium threatens to spread further north, to other plant species too. What’s being done to stop its spread? What lessons can we learn? Join us to find out how scientists are fighting back and how green shoots of resistance mean olives trees may return once more!  

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We love our pets. But how well do we understand their diets? What role do additives play in their feed? From improving animal nutrition and welfare, to boosting production on farms, to changing an animal’s appearance, feed additives have a huge range of uses and are a fascinating element of our animal’s diets. They even provide hope in the fight against climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. Come explore with us what’s on our animal’s menus and why this matters!  

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Avian flu has decimated poultry and wild birds around the globe in recent years. The virus has now spread extensively among mammals, affecting more than 50 species from cats to sea lions. The disease was recently discovered in dairy cows in North America and some farm workers were infected, causing widespread alarm. Could this be the next pandemic? Can we stop it spreading? Will vaccination help? Join us as we investigate why avian flu is making headlines and what we can do about it.

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The EU has one of the safest food systems in the world. But food safety incidents can always happen. If they do, the EU is prepared to react quickly with immediate action. Identifying the source of foodborne disease outbreaks is crucial and national authorities act to ensure consumers are protected. Preparing for the unexpected is the theme of this year’s world food safety day. Join us to learn about the teams in place that respond to food safety incidents and how we stay prepared.

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Over 5 million people in the EU live with celiac disease, a condition for which the only treatment is a gluten-free diet. Why do some people have it? We still don’t fully know. A tool for screening for proteins in foods is a new milestone. As we celebrate celiac disease awareness day, join us on this exploration of the gut and how research is shedding new insight into our diets, which could give hope for celiac disease and allergy patients.  

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Food safety has come a long way since the years of numerous crises in the 1990s. The EU established an independent risk assessor at EU level and developed new ways of working. But is the current system enough to manage future threats to the health of humans, animals and the environment? Fake news, new technologies, future pandemics – what challenges and opportunities do they bring? Tune in to hear the views of one of the EU's leading figures on food safety.

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Our wellbeing depends on the health of animals, plants and our environment. What affects one affects all the others, and increasingly so. A One Health perspective is about joining forces to find integrated solutions to common challenges such as climate change and antibiotic resistance. Join us for part II of o joint podcast episode on One Health with four other EU scientific agencies. Whether it's safeguarding access to life-saving medicines or combating the next pandemics, a One Health approach will be essential to how our society navigates the future.

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Our wellbeing depends on the health of animals, plants and our environment. What affects one affects all the others, and increasingly so. A One Health perspective is about joining forces to find integrated solutions to common challenges such as climate change and antibiotic resistance. Join us to hear from experts at five EU scientific agencies about how we can put One Health into practice. Whether it's safeguarding access to life-saving medicines or combating the next pandemics, a One Health approach will be essential to how our society navigates the future. 

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Animal testing has helped keep us safe for over 60 years since it was first introduced. But recent advances in data modelling now offer a better and more ethical alternative. Tune in to find out more! Join us on a journey that starts with a tragic incident resulting in birth defects, to laws requiring animal tests on new substances, to a glimpse of a future without animal testing.

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Invasive alien species can cause serious problems when they enter new territories, for example as pests in agriculture and forestry. In this episode, we shine a spotlight on our work on plant health and the risks posed by these unwelcome guests. Join our scientific experts Agata Kaczmarek and Sara Tramontini, and communications expert Irene Zanetti, as we explore the stealthy invaders that can infiltrate our landscapes, and the impact they can have. You will also learn about EFSA's Plant Health for Life campaign and the practical steps that each of us can take to help protect the environment.

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Contaminants can enter our food through various pathways, including cooking and processing methods, pollution from human activities and naturally occurring sources. At EFSA we assess the risk posed by all these types of contaminants and give recommendations to policy makers or consumers on how to reduce risks. In this episode our expert, Mary Gilsenan, guides us through these considerations together with ECHA’s scientist Bastian Zeiger, who features a cameo on PFAS.

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Our food and drinks encounter all kinds of materials – plastic, metal, glass, and ceramics to name a few. But what are the health risks? And faced with the growing problem of plastic pollution, how is food packaging changing? Tune in to find out more! We’ll take you on a journey from plastic to metal to bamboo, from recycling to new intelligent materials. Grab your reusable drinking bottle and join us for this latest edition of Science on the Menu.

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Ever wondered what a lab-grown steak tastes like? Or how to grow one? Listen in to find out! From cultivated chicken nuggets to cell-based beef burgers, food derived from cell culture has been making headlines around the world. We look at the motivations behind it, the challenges that producers face and whether it could ever become an alternative to traditional meat. Our expert Wolfgang Gelbmann explains how we will assess the safety and the process for gaining approval in the EU. Grab a snack and join us for this latest episode of Science on the Menu.

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What happens to us when we get dehydrated? How can we prevent it? It’s not just about drinking water. Listen in to find out! We also look at how elite sportspeople maintain optimum performance and why older adults and parents should pay particular attention to hydration. Our expert, Silvia Valtueña, gives us her tips and talks us through EFSA’s scientific conclusions on daily water intake. Grab yourself a cool beverage and join us on this latest edition of Science on the Menu.

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Harmless to humans, but deadly to pigs and wild boars, African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease for which there are neither vaccines nor cures. In recent years it has spread across Europe and worldwide, causing serious socio-economic consequences in the affected regions. Join us for this episode of Science on the Menu, in which our expert Lina Mur explains the state of play.

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