Professor Patrick Wall

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Controls proportionate to the Risks for the
European meat Industry Dream or Reality?

• Professor Patrick Wall
• School of Public Health and Population Sciences
• University College Dublin
• Chairperson EFSA

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Food Safety
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Farm to Fork ??
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New Cases of BSE
Media amplification of risk
Super-bugs in imported chickens

Carcinogens in processed meat
Political Response often in proportion to the
media interest rather than health risk?
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BSE Was the Switch
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We wouldnt eat beef! Far too dangerous!!
HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
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The New European
I Dont eat Beef ! BSE !
I Dont eat chicken ! Bird Flu
Public Politicians Policy makers
Probability Neglect
Globesity
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Nutritional Advice?
Eat more Fruit Vegetables Fibre
Reduce Saturated fat Sugar Salt
Take More Exercise
Confused consumers
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Relationship between the Regulators and The
Meat Industry ? Collaboration or Co-operation
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Cooperation
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Evidence Based Policy?
EFSA MISSION

• Risk Assessment
• Provision of Scientific Advice and Scientific
  Opinions.
• Scientific and technical support for the
  Communitys legislation and policies in all
  fields which have a direct or indirect impact on
  food and feed safety.
• Risk Communication
• Risk Communication related to food and feed
  Safety
• Not Risk Management

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Risk Assessment- Panels
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Increasing Scientific Capability

• Fingerprinting bugs
• New compounds?
• Lower levels of detectablility - parts per
  trillion
• New techniques-eg cloning, nanotechnology

Improved Risk Assessment
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The Major Food Poisoning Pathogens are
Zoonoses!
Control in the animal reservoirs!
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Zoonosis Directive- Community Summary Report

• Brucellosis
• Campylobacteriosis
• Echinococcosis
• Listeriosis
• Salmonellosis
• Trichinellosis
• Tuberculosis (M bovis)
• VTEC
• Foodborne outbreaks
• Antimicrobial Resistant
• Salmonella Campy

ECDC
Danish Institute of Food Veterinary Research
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Zoonotic agents not necessarily from meat
E coli O157

• Climate Change-contaminated water

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Danish pigs are special?
More Science in Meat Inspection
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Animal Welfare?
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http//www.youtube.com/
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Largest Recall of Ground Beef Is Ordered
Published February 18, 2008

• A meatpacker accused of animal cruelty is
  making the largest U.S. meat recall on record --
  143 million lbs, the U.S. Agriculture Department
  said on Sunday.
• Most of the meat, probably has already been
  consumed, said USDA officials at a briefing. Some
  37 million lbs were bought for school lunches.

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Identifies a range of problems across all
categories of foods suggesting that all is not
well in the global village and equivalents
standards are not being applied
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Global Village-Global Problems
Consistent science
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Divergance of political opinion
We are All for it
Some Time In Future
What about GMOs?
Yes! But Politicans will Say No!
Need Further Discussion
Absolutly Not
Should Be Banned
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EFSA under attack

1. Too slow
2. Not rigorous enough

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One Ship tonnes of trouble.
Asynchronous Authorisations
Zero Tolerance
DG Agri Report Economic impact of unapproved GMOs
on EU Feed Imports and livestock production
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Your Standards must protect your weakest
customers
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EFSA Advisory Forum
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• EFSA is a resource for everyone in the EU, so
  use it!
• Your taxes are paying for it!