DDT — dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane — is a perfect example of what was initially considered a chemical solution to age-old problems. 

It seems as a nation, we’re just not eating our greens — or our oranges, or bananas, or much of what is good for us.

With hepatitis, e-coli, listeria, and other foodborne illnesses increasing across Europe, fresh produce has been identified as a potential source of food poisoning.

Beekeepers and environmentalists globally are increasingly concerned about the threat posed to honey bees and other important pollinators by insecticides.

Q&A: Glyphosate: EU approval

The food safety watchdog is warning against eating apricot kernels because of cyanide poisoning risks.

The approvals process for the widely used but controversial herbicide glyphosate has hit another stumbling block en route to its possible re-authorisation in June.

EU Commission plans to renew the licence for the glyphosate weed killer for another 15 years faced a new challenge last week, with MEPs delaying the process.

The world’s most popular weedkillers should be safe to use, EU scientific advisers have said.

Consuming more than five espressos worth of caffeine a day could be damaging to your health, European food safety experts claim.

I wish to respond to some of the comments and misrepresentations made by Professor June Nunn, Prof Martin Kinirons, Dr John Walsh and Dr Peter Gannon, President of the Irish Dental Association, in their letter published in the Irish Examiner (Oct 1).

A campaign for the drink Lucozade Sport has been banned in Britain following complaints about its central claim that the product “hydrates and fuels you better than water”.

Irish beekeepers have welcomed an EU ban on three pesticides which are being blamed for the deaths of millions of bees worldwide.

One step forward on tackling poverty

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has challenged Italy’s attempts to ban a genetically modified maize product from biotech group Monsanto.

It is said to be 70,000 times more toxic than DDT to bees, with a coating on each seed to kill 200,000. Europe correspondent Ann Cahill reports on the EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticide

Three insecticides blamed for killing huge numbers of bees and endangering food crops throughout the world will be partially banned by the EU.

IT’S three months into the horsemeat saga and we might finally have run out of decent jokes.

The Irish grain and feed industry has been credited with a leading role in opening the way for high-protein feed ingredient imports from North and South America.

The European Food Safety Authority has stalled a dual study which linked tumours developed by test rats to potential toxicity in one species of genetically modified maize and a herbicide containing glyphosate.

France will seek an immediate EU ban on imports of a genetically-modified maize made by Monsanto, if a study linking it to cancer in rats is deemed credible, said Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault last week.

Ten EU “quangos” costing taxpayers nearly €440m a year could be abolished with little or no impact on European policy, a new report claimed today.

Genetic advances a political football

Farmers have been warned to be on the look-out for a new virus affecting mainly sheep, but also cattle and goats across Europe.

INVESTIGATIONS are ongoing to identify the source of the E coli outbreak in Germany, with Egypt yesterday seeking to remove itself from suspicion.

LEADING chef and television presenter Clodagh McKenna has warned that the Government’s U-turn on genetically modified (GM) foods will damage Ireland’s reputation.

A HOST of popular health drinks in the multi-billion euro pro-biotic market could be banned because they are inadequate, ineffective and cannot prove their medical claims, the EU has ruled.

Food supplements designed to speed up weight loss do not work, experts said today.