The EFSA has found that only heat treatments used for canning of low acid foods can ensure the complete destruction of the bacteria Bacillus cereus, which was found to be especially prevalent in heated foods such as pasta and rice

The EFSA has found that only heat treatments used for canning of low acid foods can ensure the complete destruction of the bacteria Bacillus cereus, which was found to be especially prevalent in heated foods such as pasta and rice. The discovery was made as part of an investigation into the risk of food poisoning to the consumer by Bacillus cereus.

The EFSA has found that only heat treatments used for canning of low acid foods can ensure the complete destruction of the bacteria Bacillus cereus, which was found to be especially prevalent in heated foods such as pasta and rice. The discovery was made as part of an investigation into the risk of food poisoning to the consumer by Bacillus cereus. It could strengthen metal packaging manufacturers’ claims as providing the best protection against food spoilage. The European Commission asked a group of scientists, housed under the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), to identify the categories of foodstuffs, and the food manufacturing and preparation processes, where Bacillus cereus or other Bacillus may pose a risk to human health. Bacillus cereus, a spore-forming bacterium, is a cause of foodborne illness (vomiting and diarrhoea), particularly noted for doing so in rice. While several member states already criteria for controlling B. cereus in their national legislation or guidelines, current European legislation does not include any specific provisions on B. cereus or other Bacillus found in foodstuffs. Community legislation on food hygiene is currently under revision, and so identifying an opportunity to bring in some regulations on Bacillus cereus into the European law, Brussels asked EFSA for a risk assessment on the bacteria.