The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation until 27 July on a draft scientific opinion on the risk assessment of nitrate and nitrite in feed.
In this project, EFSA experts consider that, based on a limited data set, both the transfer of nitrate and nitrite from feed to food products of animal origin and the nitrate- and nitrite-mediated formation of N-nitrosamines and their transfer into these products are likely to be negligible.
This draft opinion has been prepared by the Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain in response to a request from the Commission. It presents an estimate of dietary exposure of farm animals (sheep, cattle, goats, pigs) and domestic animals and the estimated health risks associated with this exposure.
Due to the limited data available, the CONTAM Panel could not characterise the health risk for species other than ruminants and pigs from nitrate, and in all livestock and companion animals from nitrite, EFSA said.
To view the draft opinion and participate in the consultation: https://bit.ly/2URvQlQ (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)