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Horizon 2020: EFSA's Priority Research Topics
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This report summarizes the five priority research topics identified by EFSA for food and feed safety, developed from expert consultation as part of Horizon 2020 planning. Emerging contaminants including microplastics were identified as a priority area requiring further research before adequate risk assessments can be made.
This technical report summarises the results of this consultation. It identified five priority research topics in the food and feed safety area. The selection of the priority topics was from a total of 60 proposals received after screening against the following criteria: Horizon 2020 prioritisation strategy, innovation and EFSA's 2020 strategy and existing priorities. The following priority topics were identified: 1. Microplastic and nanoplastic particles in food; 2. Honey bee health; 3. Foodborne viruses; 4. Risk assessment methodologies; 5. Development of European Cloud-based integrated data collection, data management, data analysis and reporting system for food safety.
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EFSA Scientific Colloquium 25 – A coordinated approach to assess the human health risks of micro‐ and nanoplastics in food
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An EFSA colloquium on micro- and nanoplastics in food brought together researchers and risk assessors to review current knowledge, identifying key gaps in human exposure data, toxicological endpoints, and detection methods, and recommending a coordinated European research agenda to underpin future health risk assessments.
Microplastics Pollution as an Invisible Potential Threat to Food Safety and Security, Policy Challenges and the Way Forward
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This review synthesized studies from 1999 to 2020 on microplastics in aquatic ecosystems and human food products, documenting toxic effects from animal studies and identifying major policy gaps in plastic use and disposal regulation, particularly regarding human health risk assessment.
Micro- and Nanoplastics Impact on Food Safety and Security
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This review examined how micro- and nanoplastics enter food systems in India—including packaging leaching, contaminated water, and seafood—and their implications for food safety and security at scale. With India generating millions of tons of plastic waste annually, the findings reveal a growing risk of direct dietary microplastic exposure for one of the world's most populous nations.
The measurement of food safety and security risks associated with micro- and nanoplastic pollution
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Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastic pollution enters the human food chain through agricultural systems, raising concerns for food safety and security. They identified major gaps in our ability to assess the risks of plastic contamination in food and feed sources. The study calls for interdisciplinary approaches and better analytical methods to understand and address this growing challenge.
Microplastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: A Challenge for Food Safety
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This review examines microplastics as an emerging contaminant in the food supply, covering how they enter the food chain, their characteristics, and the challenges of assessing their health risks. Researchers found that while microplastics have been detected in a wide range of food products, current scientific data is insufficient to complete a thorough risk assessment of dietary exposure. The study calls for standardized detection methods and more research to establish safe exposure thresholds for microplastics in food.
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