Press Area

Since early 2025, outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been reported in Germany, and more recently in Hungary and Slovakia. We provide an update on this highly contagious disease and ANSES's role as the European Union Reference Laboratory, a mandate it shares with the Sciensano Institute in Belgium.

The wild asparagus season is here. Although considered to be edible, this plant can cause potentially serious poisoning: swelling of the throat, difficulty swallowing, etc. These symptoms generally occur three to four hours after consumption. Laboratory analysis of wild asparagus samples has revealed the presence of numerous calcium oxalate raphides, microscopic crystals known for their irritating effect.

The rise of digital platforms has been accompanied by changes in working patterns that are raising health issues for workers such as food delivery couriers. In its expert appraisal, ANSES highlights the health consequences for workers who deliver food on two wheels in urban areas while being subject to algorithmic management. These couriers experience both short- and long-term effects related in particular to constant pressure, isolation and a difficult working environment; for example, they are prone to road accidents, stress, exhaustion and musculoskeletal disorders. To protect the health and improve the safety of food delivery couriers in France, ANSES recommends that the application of the health and safety provisions set out for employees in the French Labour Code be made mandatory for these workers.

ANSES is publishing two expert appraisals on vegetarian diets. In the first, it studied the health benefits and risks associated with these diets. To do this, it carried out a systematic review of the available epidemiological studies. In the second, it proposed specific dietary guidelines for people who are on or are considering adopting a vegetarian diet. The aim is to help them optimise their nutritional intake while taking account of their eating habits and limiting their exposure to contaminants.

Scientists from INRAE and ANSES have been studying changes in field margin vegetation on 500 agricultural plots in mainland France, to understand how climate change and farming practices are affecting these plants. Their results, published in Ecology Letters, show that in 10 years the average temperature in these plots has risen by 1.2°C and soil moisture has fallen by 14%. The work shows that the plant communities in field margins have changed as a result, with more species tolerant to heat and aridity to the detriment of ruderal species (i.e. those able to withstand the disruption associated with farming practices). Climate change mitigation practices, such as plant cover and agroforestry, or reducing the use of agricultural inputs, would help preserve the ability of this biodiversity to adapt.