Background information

The term dioxin refers to a large family of chemicals. They are polychlorinated aromatic compounds with a similar structure and similar chemical and physical properties. They are not produced intentionally, but are formed as a by-product of chemical reactions that span the spectrum from natural events such as volcanic eruptions and forest fires to anthropogenic processes such as the manufacture of chemicals, pesticides, steel and paint, the bleaching of pulp and paper, or exhaust emissions and waste incineration. For example, emissions from uncontrolled incineration of chlorinated waste in a waste incineration plant contain dioxins.

Of the 210 different dioxin compounds, only 17 are of toxicological concern. The most toxic dioxin that has been studied most thoroughly is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, abbreviated 2,3,7,8-TCDD. Dioxin is measured in "parts per trillion" (ppt).

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Assess meal in context

Table values ​​for the glycemic index - the so-called glyx factor - are not a reliable measure of the blood sugar effectiveness of meals. This is the result of a study by the University of Frederiksberg in Denmark.

The researchers recorded the course of blood sugar in 28 healthy young men after eating 13 different breakfast meals that are typical in Europe and compared the measured data with values ​​calculated from tables. The meals had the same carbohydrate content but differed in their fat, protein and energy content.

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Experts for health and nutrition discussed the growth market "Functional Food" on October 27.10.04th, XNUMX in the Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Potsdam.

Over a hundred participants from science, business and the media learned about new findings from nutritional research. "Functional foods" are foods that, in addition to their nutritional and enjoyable value, are intended to offer additional health benefits, such as the prevention of diseases or the strengthening of the immune system. "The potential of nutrition to prevent life-shortening and cost-intensive diseases such as diabetes, dyslipidemia and their cardiovascular complications is high. However, it not only depends on the additional benefit of a new food, but also on its acceptance!" emphasizes Prof. Dr. Hans Joost from the German Institute for Nutrition Research in Potsdam.

The global market for functional foods represents a growth potential of 230 billion US dollars. The sales volume in Germany is almost one billion euros, and the trend is rising. The market potential is estimated at 5,5 to 6 billion euros, which would correspond to a share of 5-10 percent of the total food volume. In the EU, dairy products in particular account for the largest share of the "functional food" market at 65 percent.

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Around half a year after eight Central and Eastern European countries joined the EU, the ZMP took stock in mid-October at the ZMP Eastern Europe Forum in Berlin. The focus was also on the effects of the eastward expansion of the EU on the poultry market.

Many market participants in the old EU had expected that the eastward expansion of the EU would lead to a sharp increase in deliveries from the Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) to the countries of the old EU-15. However, all the information available to date shows that, overall, these fears have not materialized. Apparently, EU accession was anticipated by the association agreements concluded in advance between the old EU and the candidate countries. These agreements initially provided for significantly reduced import duties and in some cases duty-free imports in the year before accession. Because of these agreements, the EU-15's imports of eggs and poultry meat from the CEEC had already increased before the eastward enlargement.

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Around 6.000 tons of organic beef and 400 tons each of organic lamb and organic veal are currently consumed in France every year. This means that only around 20 percent of an organically produced carcass is also marketed as “organic”. Around 2.500 organic meat producers are currently active.

According to press reports, the French state product agency for livestock and meat Ofival, together with the interprofession for livestock and meat Interbev, is planning a six-week communication campaign for organically produced meat this autumn. The aim of the campaign is to gain new distributors of organic meat as regular customers and thereby increase sales of organic meat.

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Agriculture Minister Dr. Till Backhaus emphasizes the importance

Hunting in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania yields game worth around 6 million euros. In addition, around 130.000 hoofed game are killed every year. A total of seven game processing companies are based in the state, including the corresponding facilities in the forestry offices in Schildfeld and in Torgelow. "This means that further processing and thus value creation remain in the country," said Minister of Agriculture Dr. Till Backhaus (SPD) at the parliamentary evening in the state representation of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Berlin. Hunting is a very important economic factor for the country. The theme of the event in Berlin was "Forest and hunting in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania face new challenges".

With a varied and well-structured landscape, the game has optimal living and feeding conditions in the country. One focus of hunting is on the care and hunting of hoofed game. Around 10.500 hunters are active in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. There are also around 1.000 hunting tenants. In addition, several thousand hunting guests from other federal states visit Mecklenburg-West Pomerania every year. Many bring their families with them for a short vacation. "There is potential for tourism here," said Minister Backhaus.

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The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Brazilian pork and poultry meat producer Seara Alimentos SA by US company Cargill. Although the takeover will affect the European market, it is harmless from a competition law perspective.

On September 27, 2004, the Commission was informed under the Merger Regulation that Cargill wanted to acquire a majority stake in Seara Alimentos SA (Seara). Both companies are active both in the European Economic Area (EEA) and worldwide as poultry meat suppliers.

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European Commission presents French research findings on TSE in a goat to expert panel

After a research group in France found a suspicion of TSE infection in the brain of a goat, which tests cannot distinguish from BSE, the European Commission has sent the data received from the French authorities to the Community Reference Laboratory (CRL) for TSE based in Weybridge, England, for consideration by a panel of experts. TSEs are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies that occur as BSE in cattle and as scrapie in goats and sheep. Over the next two weeks, the panel of experts will evaluate the scientific findings and check whether they prove BSE in goats. This single incident does not pose a threat to public health as the goat and her flock did not enter the food and feed chain.

BSE has never been found in ruminants other than cattle under natural circumstances. It was theoretically thought possible that the disease could also occur in goats or other ruminants, but this has never actually been established. However, for many years, safety measures have been applied to all farmed ruminants (cattle, goats, sheep) in order to protect the health of the population as much as possible. These safety measures include the ban on feeding animal proteins in the form of meat and bone meal, the removal of specified risk materials from the food and feed chain (ie the removal of tissues such as the brain, spinal cord and parts of the intestine), the Slaughter of herds infected with scrapie (a BSE-like disease found in goats and sheep but not contagious to humans) and a TSE surveillance and control program in all Member States.

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After an investigation in France, the confirmed suspicion arose that a goat had contracted TSE. Various institutions in the EU are currently reviewing the French research material. The federal government provides information on the current state of affairs in a questions and answers catalogue. What are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs)?

TSE is a family of human and animal diseases characterized by the breakdown of brain tissue, resulting in a spongy appearance. This family includes diseases such as B. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle and scrapie in sheep and goats. BSE has only recently been identified, while scrapie has been known for centuries and, according to the available data, is neither transmissible nor dangerous for humans. However, as a precaution, EU rules to prevent the spread and transmission of BSE also apply to sheep and goats.

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Source: Int. J. Food Microbiol. 91 (2004), 31-41.

Arcobacter species have been described as causing foodborne illnesses and were formerly referred to as aerotolerant Campylobacter. They are phenotypically similar to the Campylobacter species, with which they also have phylogenetic similarities. They can be distinguished from Campylobacter by their ability to grow at temperatures of 15 to 25 °C and in the presence of atmospheric oxygen. The species Arcobacter (A.) butzleri, A. cryaerophilus and A. skirrowii have been implicated in animal diseases such as mastitis, abortion and diarrhoea. A. butzleri is the most common species and can also cause diseases such as enteritis and septicemia in humans. Arcobacter can be ubiquitous and can therefore also occur in waste water, surface water and drinking water. For meat products, they have been isolated from poultry meat rather than red meats. Because little is known about the occurrence of these bacteria in Australian meat products and their role in foodborne infections, RIVAS et al. Meat samples from various producers in Australia (L. RIVAS, N. FEGAN, P. VANDERLINDE: Isolation and characterization of Arcobacter butzleri from meat. Isolation and characterization of Arcobacter butzleri from meat).

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During slaughter and subsequent processing, pathogenic strains of gut bacteria such as Escherichia (E.) coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Citrobacter can get onto products such as beef. Fast and practical detection methods for pathogenic bacteria as well as bacteria that cause spoilage are therefore necessary to ensure food safety.

For this purpose, detection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) seems to be a suitable, specific and sensitive method. At present, however, only PCR methods are available for the individual germs. In previous studies, a common homologous DNA sequence (phoP) was described in Salmonella, E. coli, Shigella and Citrobacter species and primers were developed that detected these four species in a PCR assay. In a further work, LI and MUSTAPHA investigated the specificity of these phoP primers for the 4 species just mentioned (Y. LI, A. MUSTAPHA: Development of a polymerase chain reaction assay to detect enteric bacteria in ground beef. Development of a PCR method for detection of gut bacteria in beef).

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