Episodes
S01 /
E11
- 18 October 2023
Our food and drinks encounter all kinds of materials – plastic, metal, glass, and ceramics to name a few. But what are the health risks? And faced with the growing problem of plastic pollution, how is food packaging changing? Tune in to find out more! We’ll take you on a journey from plastic to m...
S01 /
E10
- 20 September 2023
Ever wondered what a lab-grown steak tastes like? Or how to grow one? Listen in to find out! From cultivated chicken nuggets to cell-based beef burgers, food derived from cell culture has been making headlines around the world. We look at the motivations behind it, the challenges that producers f...
S01 /
E09
- 17 August 2023
What happens to us when we get dehydrated? How can we prevent it? It’s not just about drinking water. Listen in to find out! We also look at how elite sportspeople maintain optimum performance and why older adults and parents should pay particular attention to hydration. Our expert, Silvia Valtue...
S01 /
E08
- 17 July 2023
Harmless to humans, but deadly to pigs and wild boars, African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease for which there are neither vaccines nor cures. In recent years it has spread across Europe and worldwide, causing serious socio-economic consequences in the affected regions. Join us for this epis...
S01 /
E07
- 15 May 2023
Most of us will be familiar with the impact climate change has on the environment – biodiversity loss, rising sea levels, higher temperatures and much more. But it also has direct and indirect effects on the safety of our food and this is something that EFSA has to take into account when assessin...
S01 /
E06
- 17 April 2023
Antibiotics are nowadays very important. They protect human and animals from a wide range of infections, but this precious resource is to be used with care. A growing number of bacteria are able to survive or multiply in the presence of antibiotics, some of them widely used to treat common diseas...
S01 /
E05
- 13 March 2023
The situation regarding avian influenza continues to evolve in Europe and globally, with new outbreaks reported in birds, occasional infections in mammals and sporadic cases in humans. Join us for this episode of Science on the Menu, in which our expert Francesca Baldinelli explains the state of...
S01 /
E04
- 14 February 2023
Animal welfare affects us all. Did you know your health is directly linked to the well-being of animals? Listen in to find out why! Welfare is not only an ethical issue, it's a scientific one. Our scientists at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are investigating the latest scientific evid...
S01 /
E03
- 16 January 2023
What’s your idea of a tasty snack? Fruit, biscuits, bread and jam perhaps? What would you say if you were offered something more adventurous – fried crickets or grasshoppers? Popular in some countries such as Thailand and Mexico, they are often eaten with chili and lime. In Europe, reactions are...
S01 /
E02
- 13 December 2022
Are you looking forward to the holiday season to savour the finest traditional dishes with your friends and loved ones? The second episode of our podcast “Science on the menu” is the perfect soundtrack.Valentina Rizzi, Head of EFSA’s Biological Monitoring team, walks us through the risks l...
About Science on the Menu: A Food Safety Podcast by EFSA
Is it safe to eat insects? How many cups of coffee can I have per day? How are human, animal and plant health connected? Can we determine animal welfare standards based on scientific evidence? Take a closer look at some of the key topics that EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, works on to ensure safe food, through providing independent scientific advice to policy makers.