Latest news with #EuropeanFoodSafetyAuthority
Irish Examiner
26-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Safety first when it comes to firing up the barbecue
Is there anything more joyful than the aroma of a sizzling barbecue wafting through your neighbourhood on a sunny summer's day? It's that time of year when we dust off our BBQs and cook up some summer vibes with food, family and fun. While enjoying your time outdoors, it is important to keep on top of your BBQ food safety. To help guide you through this summer season, Safefood has all you need to know to cook with confidence on the BBQ. Take a quick read through the Safe2Eat advice, a major EU-wide campaign empowering consumers with science-backed food safety information to make smarter, safer food choices. To highlight the need for safety while enjoying the BBQ weather, Ireland has launched Safe2Eat, part of a major EU-wide campaign empowering consumers with science-backed food safety information to make smarter, safer food choices. Led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Safe2Eat has expanded from 18 to 23 countries in 2025, with Safefood representing Ireland as part of this growing European initiative. Here is a recipe for 'Citrus summer chicken' that is sure to be a hit. Just follow the preparation steps for a delicious, safe and healthy outdoor treat. Citrus summer chicken Zing up your chicken for the BBQ with this easy marinade. Marinades are a great way to introduce flavour to meats without adding a lot of extra calories. Servings 4 Preparation Time 60 mins Cooking Time 30 mins Total Time 1 hours 30 mins Course Main Ingredients 4 chicken breasts Zest and juice of 1 orange Zest and juice of ½ lime 1-inch of fresh ginger 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed 1 tablespoon of olive oil Small bunch of coriander, chopped Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Method Place the zest and juice of the orange and lime in a bowl. Peel the ginger, grate it finely and add it to the bowl along with the garlic Whisk in the olive oil and then stir in the chopped coriander and black pepper Using a large knife chop each breast in half. Add to the marinade and make sure that each portion is well coated Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. For a better flavour marinate the chicken overnight Cook the chicken over a hot barbeque for 25 to 30 minutes, turning it frequently and basting the meat with the marinade Barbeque meats must be cooked thoroughly to protect yourself and others from food poisoning. If you have a meat thermometer, take the chicken off the heat and insert the thermometer in the thickest part. The chicken is ready when the thermometer reaches 75 degrees. Trish Twohig, director of food safety with Safefood, says: "As someone who works year-round to promote safe food practices, I'm proud that we at Safefood are supporting Safe2Eat — a major EU-wide campaign led by the European Food Safety Authority that empowers consumers with science-backed food safety information. "Through this and beyond, we're here to help ensure your guests are in safe hands every time you serve. Below are the most common mistakes I see every year at summer BBQs, and what you can do to avoid them." Clean your BBQ before you start First things first — give your BBQ grill a good clean. Do this by scrubbing the metal rack of your BBQ with an oven cleaner or a damp brush dipped in bread soda. Always rinse with hot soapy water afterwards. Light your barbecue well in advance. If you are using a charcoal BBQ, the flames should have died down before you start cooking. Defrost frozen foods the night before If you plan on having any frozen food, make sure they are fully thawed before you start cooking. Do this by defrosting them the night before on a plate on the bottom shelf of your fridge. Keep them there until you are ready to cook. If you are on the go, keep them in a cool box until you are ready to cook. Cook your BBQ meat thoroughly BBQ foods like chicken, burgers, sausages and kebabs must be cooked thoroughly to protect yourself and others from food poisoning. You will know when your food is well cooked when it is piping hot, has no visible pink bits and the juices run clear. Using a meat thermometer will help check that meat is safe to eat. To use a meat thermometer, take your food off the heat and insert a clean thermometer probe into the thickest part of the meat or poultry, checking that the temperature reaches 75°. Make sure to clean your meat thermometer between uses with hot soapy water or a disposable disinfectant wipe. Steaks on a BBQ can be cooked to preference as harmful bacteria are on the outside only and not in the centre. Store your side dishes in the fridge If you are serving any side dishes, like salads or coleslaw, keep them in the fridge until you need them. Same goes for any sauces you plan on having. Store these foods on the top shelf of your fridge away from any raw food. Update your grilling techniques When cooking on the BBQ, turn food regularly while also moving it around on the grill. This ensures all sides are cooked evenly. When cooking, try not to cook the food too close to the coal. This will prevent charring of your food. Stay clean to avoid cross-contamination Keep your hands, utensils and surfaces clean to help avoid cross-contamination. Wash your hands regularly with hot soapy water before and after handling food. Always use different utensils, like spatulas or tongs, when handling raw and fresh food. Clean as you go by washing surfaces and chopping boards with hot soapy water. Store and use your BBQ leftovers As you start to pack up your BBQ, take leftovers inside to cool as you don't want to leave them outside in direct sunlight or where insects could get at them. Any leftovers should be covered and allow to cool completely before putting them into your fridge. Leftovers should be in the fridge within two hours of cooking and used within three days. When reheating BBQ leftovers, only do it once and until they are piping hot. If you are unsure about the safety of any leftovers, throw them out. For more information on how to BBQ safely this summer, visit
The Sun
03-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Kids hooked on energy drinks for breakfast left ‘bouncing off walls' & unteachable – signs parents must watch for
Graeme Culliford Alethea Farline Published: Invalid Date, SCHOOL children are consuming so many addictive high-caffeine energy drinks they are 'bouncing off the walls' and unteachable in class, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. A new report has shown that 15 per cent of people in Britain now have the fizzy beverages with breakfast — and experts say a proposed ban on selling them to under-16s must be brought in as a matter of urgency. 4 4 Energy drinks are becoming more popular in deprived areas and lower-income households while decreasing in affluent communities, a study by The Nutrition Society has shown. Kids are knocking them back without realising they can affect their psychological, physical, educational and overall wellbeing, plus cause hyperactivity and inattention. The European Food Safety Authority says the average consumption of energy drinks in Europe is two litres a month. Adolescents in the UK consume one litre more than that. School safeguarding officer Lauren Morley told The Sun on Sunday: 'The impact is scary, it's an epidemic.' The drinks are packed with an addictive mix of caffeine, sugar and stimulants and can cost less than a bottle of water at just 30p a can. 'High-level anxiety' Excessive caffeine can lead to hyperactivity, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, stomach pains and sleep disturbances. The drinks can also contain additives such as the herb guarana, which is twice as strong as coffee beans. Lauren, 32, from Worthing, West Sussex, added: 'For a lot of students, their breakfast is a can of Monster energy drink, often on an empty stomach. 'The caffeine and sugar goes straight into their bloodstream. TEENS are stripping supermarket shelves of an energy drink that has become a TikTok craze 'On one occasion, I stood outside an exam hall and 80 per cent of the students were drinking energy drinks. 'They thought it would boost their energy but it can lower their grade by 20 per cent. 'They struggle to concentrate. 'Their behaviour is off the charts. 'Many have depression and high-level anxiety attacks. 'Energy drinks are the common denominator. 'When they stop drinking them for two weeks, they drastically improve.' Before Labour came to power, the party promised to outlaw selling drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre to under-16s, but the only UK-wide change has been a voluntary ban introduced by supermarkets. Councils can restrict or ban the sale of energy drinks, particularly to children, through exclusion zones around schools. Lauren says: 'They need to be banned completely.' Professor Amelia Lake, a dietitian and public health nutritionist with Teesside University, points out that although more adults than ever are using them for shift work or driving late at night, 'they have no place in a child's diet whatsoever'. She said: 'We've heard horror stories of kids literally bouncing off the walls at school after drinking energy drinks in the morning. 'A group of ten-year-olds were high as kites during lessons and then barely able to sit up straight when the effects wore off. 'There have been assaults by 13-year-old pupils that resulted in their energy drinks being confiscated.' For a lot of students, their breakfast is a can of Monster energy drink, often on an empty stomach. The caffeine and sugar goes straight into their bloodstream Lauren Morley Darren Northcott, from teaching union NASUWT, said: 'Teachers can restrict them at lunch and break times. 'But before and after school, we see excess consumption that impacts kids' ability to learn. 'They aren't getting enough sleep, so to counteract that effect, they have another energy drink. 'That becomes a vicious circle.' In 2023 Luan Tusha's eight-year-old son from Edmonton, North London, 'nearly died' after drinking a £2 can of Prime. His heart rate reached 145 beats per minute when it should only go up to 110. Luan said: 'He couldn't breathe.' In some areas, one in three kids are drinking them every week. We've heard horror stories of kids literally bouncing off the walls at school after drinking energy drinks in the morning Professor Amelia Lake When that rises to five days a week, the effects on their mental and physical health are devastating. And research by Best Western Hotels has found that energy drinks are overtaking orange juice as the morning drink of choice. Professor Lake says experts 'don't know the long-term health effects'. The drinks provide short bursts of energy that are followed by a massive crash, which makes it difficult to carry out basic tasks. But when they were first introduced in the late Nineties, they were advertised as vitamin-packed mood boosters. A strong association with star athletes — former England striker Jamie Vardy downs a few cans of Red Bull before every game — has added to their appeal. 4 4 Red Bull is the most widely recognised brand. Nearly 13billion cans were sold worldwide last year. But £1.85 cans of Monster Energy, which is part-owned by Coca-Cola, are so popular they have protection caps on them in supermarkets to try and combat shoplifters. When Prime arrived in the UK in 2022, there was a frenzy to buy a limited supply after being hyped by social media influencers Logan Paul and Britain's Got Talent judge KSI, who have a 20 per cent stake in the brand. By that year, sales of Prime hit $1.2billion. A 330ml can of Prime Energy contains 140mg of caffeine — four times as much as Coca-Cola at 35mg. A single shot of espresso contains between 47 and 75mg. Greg Stafford, the Conservative MP for Farnham and Bordon, who is also a member of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, fears for pupils who are not even drinking energy drinks. He said: 'It's disruptive for the other children in the class, who aren't going to learn as well. 'We need to move rapidly to put an age limit on energy drinks because the protection of children is absolutely paramount.' Prime declined to comment. 'Sick at party' TEENAGER Felix Marsh quit buying energy drinks when he realised they stopped him sleeping. The 16-year-old from Balham in South London, said: 'This time last year I was waking up tired and groggy every morning and thought a can of Monster was a quick fix on the way to school. 'I pass cornershops who all sell them to kids in school uniform, without asking for ID although I think they are supposed to. 'I'd have to down it fast, though, because teachers confiscate those types of drinks. 'My mates thought energy drinks would help us focus while revising for our GCSEs but I would be really fidgety and distracted in lessons. 'Then at a friend's party last summer I had four or five cans of Monster and felt really sick. My heart was racing and I couldn't get to sleep for ages when I got home. 'I haven't touched them since.' 'Get 'em canned' AFTER seeing children chugging energy drinks at the gates, mum Petra Williams decided to change the secondary school she was going to send her ten-year-old daughter Emelia to. The full-time mum from Newcastle said: 'It was the one her primary school feeds into so it was the obvious choice. 'But we drove past and saw children as young as 11 outside with energy drinks and vapes.' Petra, 36, who is also mother to Layla, eight, and Bailey, seven, added: 'I immediately decided she would not be going there and started looking for another school. 'Energy drinks should be banned for children – it is just common sense. 'There are so many chemicals in them that are not suitable for kids.'
RTÉ News
03-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Planning a BBQ? Check out these 5 food safety tips first
Trish Twohig, Director of Food Safety with Safefood, shares five important BBQ safety tips. Whether you're a seasoned host or just someone who loves to fire up the barbecue, there are some essential rules you should never ignore when handling food safely in summer. As someone who works year-round to promote safe food practices, I'm proud that we at Safefood are supporting Safe2Eat — a major EU-wide campaign led by the European Food Safety Authority that empowers consumers with science-backed food safety information. Through this and beyond, we're here to help ensure your guests are in safe hands every time you serve. These are the most common mistakes I see every year at summer BBQs, and what you can do to avoid them. 1. Clean equipment If you're digging out the barbecue for the first time in a long time, be sure to give it a clean. Grease and old food residue can linger on your grill from last summer. Give the metal rack a good scrub with oven cleaner or a damp brush dipped in baking soda. Rinse it thoroughly with hot, soapy water. A clean grill helps reduce contamination risks and ensures your food tastes great and cooks evenly. And give it a clean before you tidy it away. It's easier to clean when it's warm or cooling down than when the residue is baked onto it! 2. Timings and leftovers One of the many food safety challenges in summer is keeping perishable food at safe temperatures. When entertaining guests, we might want to serve little bites or snacks while they wait for the burger or hot dog to be served. But when showing up to a barbecue, I never want to see salads or dips sitting in the sun. When food is sitting outside in the sun, the direct sunlight and warmer temperatures are ideal for harmful germs to grow quickly. My tips would be to: Keep perishable foods like salads, coleslaw and dips in the fridge until just before serving. Use cool boxes with ice packs to transport and store chilled foods if you're not serving them immediately. Keep raw meat chilled until you are ready to grill. Don't leave it sitting out while you are lighting your barbecue. And who doesn't love leftovers? Once everyone's had their fill, pack up any leftovers quickly. Leaving them on the garden table isn't just an invitation for bacteria to multiply, but insects, too. Cover any leftovers and let them cool in the kitchen. Do this within two hours of cooking. Eat them within three days then it's time to throw them out. If you want to reheat them, do so until it is piping hot and only reheat them once. If I have any doubts about a leftover and its safety, I play it safe and throw it out! No leftover is worth the risk of food poisoning. 3. Prep your food When planning a BBQ, I always prep the food I am cooking beforehand. That includes any frozen food. Cooking frozen meat straight from the freezer is a guaranteed way to end up with a raw centre and burned edges. Always fully defrost meat before grilling. It should be done on a plate covered overnight, on the bottom shelf of the fridge. This helps prevent any drips that could contaminate other foods. And when you are cooking meat on the barbecue, make sure the grill is ready. When using a charcoal BBQ, light it well in advance. You may want to throw on your burgers or sausages as soon as you see the flames, but don't. Wait until the flames have died down before you start grilling. It allows for even and safer cooking. 4. Avoid cross-contamination Cross-contamination is one of the most common causes of food poisoning at BBQs. Raw meat juices contain harmful bacteria that can easily spread if you're not careful. There are simple but effective ways to stop the spread of bacteria. When having a barbecue, make sure to always: Use separate utensils, plates, and cutting boards for raw and cooked meat. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling food. Never place cooked meat back on a plate that holds raw meat. Keep ready-to-eat items like salads, dips, and sauces well away from raw meat. I would recommend doing a check of your fridge before you do your shop for your barbecue. When storing food in the fridge for a barbecue, it can be difficult to organise foods separately and safely. So, check your fridge and make some space! 5. Finding the right temperature I can't emphasise this enough: just because it looks cooked doesn't mean it is. This is important especially with poultry, pork, minced and skewered meat, such as burgers, sausages and kebabs. While the outside may look cooked (and in some cases burnt), the inside can still be raw. The best tool I can ask you to use is a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat and check that it reaches 75°C. No meat thermometer? No problem. You can check to see if the meat is cooked by cutting into it and seeing that: They are piping hot all the way through There is no pink meat left The juices run clear On the day of the barbecue, I will most likely be busy running around. That's why I like to pre-cook the meat in the oven, then I can pop it on the grill for that classic BBQ flavour. It's a time saver and gives me confidence in knowing the meat is fully cooked. Hosting a BBQ should be enjoyable, not stressful. A little planning and common sense go a long way when it comes to food safety. By taking the time to prep to avoid these common mistakes, you will be a grill master in no time. Most importantly, you'll be protecting your guests from any unwanted surprises, and they will remember your BBQ for all the right reasons.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Seeds and pits of THESE fruits are NOT SAFE to eat
Fruits are one of the most wholesome foods you could add to your diet. Not only do they offer numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, improving digestion, and providing essential vitamins and minerals, but they are also a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, all of which contribute to overall well-being. In fact, several fruit seeds are beneficial for health, offering various nutritional advantages. These include pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. These seeds are rich in essential nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants, which can support heart health, digestion, and overall well-being. However, not all fruit seeds are good for health. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Neurologist: 97% of people with neuropathy don't know this crucial thing Active Nexus Undo In fact, some of them might have quite harmful effects on our health. Seeds and pits that are harmful: The seeds and pits of certain fruits are not safe to eat due to the presence of cyanogenic compounds, like amygdalin, which can release hydrogen cyanide when ingested. Specifically, seeds from apples and pits from cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, and pears are examples of fruits with potentially dangerous seeds or pits. Here's a more detailed look: Apple seeds: While apples can be a healthy snack or ingredient, it is not advisable to eat the seeds, as they contain small amounts of a chemical that produces cyanide, which is highly toxic. Eating one or two apple seeds by accident, or drinking juice that contains a few pulverized seeds, is unlikely to cause problems. However, eating a large quantity of pulverized apple seeds could be dangerous. As per studies , apple seeds contain low amounts of a compound known as amygdalin. If a person crushes or chews the seeds, this releases the amygdalin inside. In the stomach, the amygdalin then reacts with enzymes to produce a toxin known as hydrogen cyanide. Cyanide is well-known to be very poisonous. However, it is important to note that for there to be any harmful effects, a person would have to eat a significant amount of crushed apple seeds, which is unlikely to occur. Stone fruit pits (Apricots, Cherries, Peaches, Plums): These fruits have pits containing kernels with amygdalin, which also converts to cyanide. The European Food Safety Authority estimates that adults should not eat more than three small apricot seeds in one sitting. Cherries have a small, hardened pit that surrounds their seed, also called a kernel. The kernels of cherry pits and other stone fruits contain the chemical amygdalin, which is a cyanogenic glycoside — a chemical that your body converts into the toxic compound hydrogen cyanide . Hydrogen cyanide interferes with oxygen transport, potentially damaging essential organs like your brain, heart, and lungs. Lychee Seeds: Lychee is a tree fruit with a floral flavor that is native to Southeast Asia. It's a member of the soapberry family and contains antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols that attach to free radicals and lower inflammation. It is also a good source of fiber, which supports digestive health. Although lychee fruit is safe to eat, it's important to make sure the berries are ripe before consuming them. However, Lychee seeds contain hypoglycin-A, the chemical that restricts the body's ability to maintain a normal blood sugar range, leading to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). In rare cases, particularly when consumed in large quantities, hypoglycin-A can lead to severe hypoglycemia, which includes symptoms such as vomiting, seizures, and even coma. Best dry fruits for winter and why you should consume them every day
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Factbox-Bird flu spreads to mammals, fears of human transmission
(Reuters) -Highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has increasingly spread to mammals and infected hundreds of people, raising concerns that it may lead to human-to-human transmission and turn into a new pandemic. Cases of the disease in mammals have mostly been detected in the Americas and Europe. Sheep were added to the list on Monday with the UK government announcing a first case had been detected at a farm in northern England. Some of the mammals such as dairy cows and sheep are farmed and so interact closely with humans, increasing the threat of transmission, while others have much less contact with people. Pigs represent a particular concern for the spread of bird flu because they can become co-infected with bird and human viruses, which could swap genes to form a new, more dangerous virus that can more easily infect humans. Here is a list of the types of mammals, other than humans, in which the virus - which has also infected hundreds of wild and captive bird species - has been detected between 2016 and 2025, according to data gathered by the European Food Safety Authority and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Each category can include several species. Updated data is preceded by a star *. Mammal Country Alpaca U.S. Badger Netherlands Bear Canada, France, U.S. Beech and pine marten Netherlands, Germany * Bobcat U.S. * Canadian lynx U.S. Caracal Poland Cat Canada, France, Italy, Korea, U.S. * Cheetah U.S. Coati Germany, Uruguay Cow U.S. Coyote U.S. * Crabeater seal Antarctica Dog Canada, China, Italy Dolphin Canada, Chile, Peru, UK, U.S. Domestic pig France, Italy * Ermine U.S. * European pine marten Netherlands Ferret Belgium, Slovenia Fisher U.S. Fox Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Netherlands, United Kingdom, U.S. Goat U.S. Leopard U.S. Lion Peru Lynx Finland, U.S. Mink Canada, Finland, Spain Mountain lion U.S. * Mouse U.S. Opossum U.S. Otter Chile, Netherlands, Finland, U.S. * Pig China, Indonesia, U.S. Polar bear U.S. Polecat Belgium, Netherlands Porpoise Chile, Sweden, United Kingdom Prairie vole U.S. * Rabbit U.S. Racoon Canada, U.S. * Rat U.S. * Ringed seal Canada Sable Finland Sea lion Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay * Seal Antarctica, Argentina, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom, U.S. Seal (fur) Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Russia, Uruguay * Serval U.S. * Sheep UK Skunk Canada, U.S. Squirrel U.S. * Southern elephant Antarctica seal * Stoat U.S. Tiger U.S. Wild dog Finland, Japan, UK
