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ANSES and its Belgian counterpart Sciensano have just renewed the long-standing agreements between them, first signed in 2009. The two agencies will continue their joint activities, mainly in the areas of diagnosis, research and reference relating to the pathogens responsible for epizootic diseases and zoonoses, and chemical agents likely to contaminate the food chain.

Five European research projects in which ANSES is taking part have just been selected for funding. The Agency is coordinating four of them and is a participant in the fifth. They are being carried out as part of the first ERA-NET ICRAD call for projects on infectious animal diseases.

Although Melaleuca leaves have not traditionally been used for food purposes in France, they have given rise to tea tree, niaouli and cajeput essential oils found in multiple food supplements. Despite the fact that use of these essential oils is discouraged or even banned in some European countries due to their potential neurotoxic effects, there are consumers who misuse them as auxiliary therapies to treat certain infections. ANSES therefore received a formal request to study the risks associated with their ingestion, and confirms that in the current state of knowledge, the oral absorption of certain compounds in Melaleuca essential oils poses neurological (niaouli and cajeput), carcinogenic, genotoxic and potentially reprotoxic risks. To prevent these risks, the Agency is issuing recommendations regarding the storage, dosing, avoidance and even banning of these essential oils. It above all advises against their use by children and pregnant and breastfeeding women.