Summary
Sesame seeds within the European Union (EU) are classified as foods not of animal origin. Two food safety issues associated with sesame seeds have emerged in recent years, i.e., <i>Salmonella</i> contamination and the presence of ethylene oxide. Fumigation with ethylene oxide to reduce <i>Salmonella</i> in seeds and spices is not approved in the EU, so its presence in sesame seeds from India was a sentinel incident sparking multiple trans-European product recalls between 2020-2021. Following an interpretivist approach, this study utilises academic and grey sources including data from the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) database to inform a critical appraisal of current EU foods not of animal origin legislation and associated governance structures and surveillance programs. This is of particular importance as consumers are encouraged towards plant-based diets. This study shows the importance of collaborative governance utilizing data from company testing and audits as well as official regulatory controls to define the depth and breadth of a given incident in Europe. The development of reflexive governance supported by the newest technology (e.g., blockchain) might be of value in public-private models of food safety governance. This study contributes to the literature on the adoption of risk-based food safety regulation and the associated hybrid public-private models of food safety governance where both regulators and private organizations play a vital role in assuring public health.
Outcomes reported
Source report: UK Farming: Grasping the Opportunities - OFC 2026 File: OFC 2026 Report - FINAL.pdf Ref#: OFC 2026 Report - FINAL.pdf #42; UK Farming: Grasping the Opportunities - OFC 2026 #42 Original: Kowalska, A., & Manning, L. (2022). Food safety governance and guardianship: The role of the private sector in addressing the EU ethylene oxide incident. Foods, 11(2), 204. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11020204
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