EFSA 2025 Annual Report on Emerging Risks

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 identification and horizon scanning is out. And there is plenty of all, from food contact materials to fraudulent practices in the fishery sector.

Over the year, 55 issues were examined. Of these, 43 underwent further analysis, and 25 were subject to structured assessment through European networks of experts and stakeholders.

🔴Four issues were classified as emerging risks:

• 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐬 in livestock;
• 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐝 in fermented foods;
• 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 the growing use of 𝐛𝐢𝐨-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝-𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬;
• the illegal use of 𝐂𝐚𝐟𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬.

🕵‍♀️ EFSA says also that find benefits from AI application to food fraud patterns detection and will continue applying this approach to information from the JRC Food Fraud Monthly Reports and EU agri‑food fraud suspicion reports, leveraging advanced methods such as weighting, generative AI, and logistic regression to identify and prioritise food safety risks and to support horizon scanning activities

For several other issues – including inorganic arsenic in plant-based alternatives, unexpected risks linked to vertical farming, the spread of zoonotic microorganisms, antimicrobial resistance in probiotics and new food technologies – EFSA considers that further data are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn.

Horizon-scanning activities also examined technological innovation, environmental change and geopolitical developments as factors capable of altering exposure to hazards.

Finally, the report underscores that effective anticipation depends on cooperation between agencies, Member States and international organisations, as well as on the establishment of a European early-warning system for emerging chemical risks.