Annual Report 2006 - International Nut and Dried Fruit Council

International Workshop “Preventionand Control of Brazil NutContamination by Aflatoxins”The INC Scientific and Government AffairsCommittee contributed in the InternationalWorkshop "Prevention and Control of Brazil NutContamination by Aflatoxins", held in Rio Branco,Brazil, on July 2006, within the framework of theStandards and Trade Development Facility project,SafeNut, which has now released the main resultsand conclusions.The purpose of the STDF project SafeNut is tovalidate and transfer to the different key stakeholdersof the Brazil nut production chain a sustainableand effective aflatoxin management system forrecovering and consolidating export markets, particularlyin Europe. The project is a joint initiativeof the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),the World Organization for Animal health (OIE),the World Bank, the World Health Organization(WHO) and the World Trade Organizations(WTO). The objective of the workshop was to discussthe current situation of the Brazil nut sector inthe three main producing countries (Brazil, Boliviaand Peru) before initiating the SafeNut project. Thereport contains the major technical and socio-economicalobstacles identified for controlling aflatoxincontamination, actions and projects of preventionand control already implemented, and suggestedactions and future research works.“Nuts: Nutrition and HealthOutcomes” SupplementThe supplement "Nuts: Nutrition andHealth Outcomes", funded by theINC through Nucis Foundation, hasbeen published in the British Journal ofNutrition, Volume 96, with the followingcontents:Nuts: nutrition and health outcomesNuts consumption in Spain and other countriesConsumption and portion sizes of tree nuts,peanuts and seeds in the EuropeanProspective Investigation into Cancer andNutrition (EPIC) cohorts from 10 European countriesHealth benefits of nuts: potential role of antioxidantsNuts and coronary heart disease: an epidemiologicalperspectiveEFSA Scientific Conference on Healthand Nutrition ClaimsNuts: source of energy and macronutrientsFatty acid composition of nuts - implications forcardiovascular healthOther relevant components of nuts: phytosterols,folate and mineralsDietary fibre, nuts and cardiovascular diseaseTree nuts and the lipid profile: a review of clinicalstudiesNuts, body weight and insulin resistanceThe potential of nuts in the prevention of cancerFood allergy: nuts and tree nutsThe INC Scientific & Government AffairsCommite attended the scientific conference onHealth and Nutrition Claims organized by theEuropean Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on 8-10November 2006 in Bologna, Italy.The main objective of this conference was to providenational food safety agencies, experts, internationalorganisations, consumer organisations,industry, NGO's and other stakeholders with theopportunity to exchange views on differentapproaches to address nutritional profiles andnutrition and health claims, as well as to gain ashared understanding of EFSA's role in view ofthe new Regulation of the European Parliamentand of the Council on nutrition and health claims.The conference was focus on scientific questionslinked to the regulatory procedure set out in thenew legislation.42Inter national Nut and Dried Fr uit Council Foundation www.nutfr uit.orgCalle Boule 2, planta 3 · 43201 REUS, Spain · Tel.: +34 977 331 416 · Fax: +34 977 315 028 · E-mail: inc@nutfr uit.orgInter national Nut and Dried Fr uit Council Foundationwww.nutfr uit.orgCalle Boule 2, planta 3 · 43201 REUS, Spain · Tel.: +34 977 331 416 · Fax: +34 977 315 028 · E-mail: inc@nutfr uit.org43