Food and nutrition

The arrival of autumn marks the beginning of the wild mushroom picking season. Although wild mushrooms are popular delicacies, some species are nevertheless toxic or even fatal to humans. In 2021, four people died after mistaking a toxic species for an edible species. Whether you are a connoisseur or an occasional picker, you should remain vigilant and comply with good practices to ensure safe consumption.

Escherichia coli (E. coli ) is a bacterium found in the digestive tract of humans, other mammals and birds. Although the majority of E. coli strains are harmless, some of them can cause serious cases of diarrhoea and even, less often, death. ANSES has developed a faster and more targeted method for detecting pathogenic E. coli in food, in particular in raw milk products.

Turmeric is a plant that is used as a spice and is also found in a wide variety of food supplements on account of its digestive, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Following several reports of hepatitis in Italy and France, ANSES is drawing attention to the risk of adverse effects occurring in association with the consumption of food supplements containing turmeric.

In partnership with ANSES, the Université Côte d'Azur is pleased to invite you to the 17th annual meeting and 11th conference of HEPA Europe. The conference is organised jointly with WHO/Europe, in partnership with the City of Nice and the French Public Health Society (SFSP). This year's HEPA Europe conference will focus on "An ecosystem-based approach to promoting health-enhancing physical activity". The conference themes cover a wide range of issues including policy, active transportation, sport, determinants of physical activity, results for health, sedentary behaviour and many others. The aim of the conference is to engage policy makers, professionals, scientists and other stakeholders, as well as citizens, in the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity. The conference will be an opportunity to target and connect these different groups. The Nice meeting is a unique opportunity to meet with experts and influencers face-to-face; to network, mix and mingle; to learn from leaders in the field and to keep abreast of scientific, practical and policy developments in Europe and beyond. The event includes plenary conferences, concurrent discussion sessions, poster sessions and symposia. It will also include the annual meeting of HEPA Europe and concurrent sessions by most of its working groups. The conference has existed since 2005 and will be held for the first time in France, at the Palais de la Méditerranée in Nice, from 31 August to 2 September 2022.

Salmonella, enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes – a wide range of bacteria can be found in the raw-milk cheeses and other raw-milk dairy products we consume. These are sometimes involved in cases of food poisoning, leading them to be recalled or withdrawn from the market. In order to further improve the control of these risks, ANSES has identified the types of raw-milk cheeses on which efforts should focus as a priority.

When out foraging, people sometimes confuse toxic wild plants with edible ones. Mistaking autumn crocus for wild garlic can cause serious or even fatal poisoning. Follow our advice to ensure safe picking.