FSNET AUGUST 26, 2003

Aylmer Packers probed by OPP; the agriculture ministry has closed the plant
and pulled its licence.
Ontario public health officials recommend disposal of Aylmer Meat Packers
beef products
Warning - health hazard alert - mandatory recall of various Capo food
products
Health warning issued for illegally sold white cheese
Alberta to build new lab for mad cow tests
Health officials are now investigating six confirmed cases of E coli
Gruesome findings in food probes: rodent found in bread wrapper, E. coli in
clams
Bandi's Restaurant gets a clean bill of health
Smith speaks about OFO restructure
Dr. Murano at NMA's 2003 summer conference: a rising sun shines on all!
USDA unveils new regional training centers
Local schools won't buy irradiated beef: despite agriculture dept. approval,
safety questioned


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AYLMER PACKERS PROBED BY OPP; THE AGRICULTURE MINISTRY HAS CLOSED THE PLANT
AND PULLED ITS LICENCE.
August 26, 2003
London Free Press/Globe and Mail
Federal inspectors, according to these stories, swooped down on 27
London-area retailers yesterday to stop sales of beef products from an area
beef plant that's under a criminal probe.
Consumers are being warned not to eat beef or beef products from Aylmer
Packers Inc., but authorities aren't saying what health hazards, if any,
consumers may face.
Health officials said there has been no indication so far of contamination
or illness cause by beef from the plant.
But, the stories say, the problem and the probe remain shrouded in mystery.
OPP kept media away from the plant yesterday.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials visited 104 retailers and
processors from Windsor to Toronto that bought beef from the plant.
Mel Fruitman, president of the Consumers Association of Canada, was cited as
saying the recall is ambiguous and liable to confuse consumers and
retailers, adding, "I don't understand the rationale for issuing the
statement if they're not giving any information. It doesn't tell me as a
consumer what it is, what the health hazard is, how significant it is."
In January, Aylmer Meat Packers was charged with illegal disposal of liquid
waste, and in June, the plant was charged with illegal discharge of material
into a drain that may impair water quality.
The January charge comes up before a St. Thomas court Thursday, the latest
charge in a Brantford court today.
Toronto public health found Aylmer meat in five of the city's 18 listed
stores.
The list contains some errors: Some stores have closed since it was compiled
and others no longer buy from the Aylmer plant.
Jim Chan, manager of Toronto's food-safety program, said it was difficult to
locate some businesses listed because the province did not include all
address and correct names.
There appears to be some confusion as to what stores are to do with the
meat. Mr. Chan said his inspectors told owners to dispose of it, an
authority granted them by the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act.
He said inspectors will return today to ensure it was thrown out.
But Don Scharback, the owner of Kohn Meat Market in London, Ont., said an
inspector told him to keep his nine kilograms of ox tails in the freezer
until advised what to do with it.



ONTARIO PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS RECOMMEND DISPOSAL OF AYLMER MEAT PACKERS
BEEF PRODUCTS
August 25, 2003
>From a press release
TORONTO - Ontario public health officials continue to work with the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to ensure the effective recall of beef
products from Aylmer Meat Packers Incorporated.Public Health Division,
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care confirms that there have been no
reports of illness associated with consumption of products from this
facility. However, as a precautionary measure, public health officials are
recommending that consumers dispose of all beef or beef products originating
from Aylmer Meat Packers Incorporated, a meat packing facility in Aylmer,
Ontario.
The products from Aylmer Meat Packers were processed into cuts of beef,
ground beef and sausages and have been distributed throughout Ontario. There
are 104 known retail outlets in Ontario where these products have been
shipped. There are 18 local public health units with affected stores which
include Brant, Chatham-Kent, Durham, Elgin-St.Thomas, Grey-Bruce, Hamilton,
Lambton, Middlesex-London, Niagara, Oxford, Peel, Perth, Simcoe, Thunder
Bay, Toronto, Waterloo, Windsor-Essex and York.
The list of these retail outlets as noted below is available on the Ministry
of Health and Long-Term website at
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/advise/advise_082503.html and
from those affected local public health units. Consumers should check with
the store where they purchased the product if the source of the meat packing
facility is unclear.
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food has provisionally suspended the
license of Aylmer Meat Packers Incorporated and put all products at the
company site under detention. A criminal investigation by the Ontario
Provincial Police is underway.
List of retailers available at:
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/advise/advise_082503.html




WARNING - HEALTH HAZARD ALERT - MANDATORY RECALL OF VARIOUS CAPO FOOD
PRODUCTS
August 26, 2003
Canada Newswire
OTTAWA- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning consumers not
to consume various Capo Food Ltd. products because these products were
manufactured with beef originating from Aylmer Meat Packers Inc., Aylmer,
Ontario, that are believed to pose a risk to public health and were subject
to a recall order on August 24, 2003.
All package sizes of the following Capo Food Ltd. products are affected
by this alert:
Cannelloni Dry Pack
Cannelloni with Tomato Sauce
Meat Lasagna
Penne al Forno
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Meat Sauce
The manufacturer, Capo Food Ltd., London, Ontario is conducting a mandatory
recall of the affected products from the marketplace. These products are
known to have been distributed in Ontario.  There have been no reported
illnesses associated with the consumption of the affected products.
The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
The previous alert can be viewed at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2003/20030824e.shtml



HEALTH WARNING ISSUED FOR ILLEGALLY SOLD WHITE CHEESE
August 23, 2003
Corpus Christi Caller Times
http://www.caller.com/ccct/local_news/article/0,1641,CCCT_811_2204800,00.html
Texas state and local health departments were cited as issuing a warning to
consumers about eating illegally sold unpasteurized, soft white cheese,
often called queso fresco, queso blanco or Mexican cheese. The bacteria
found in some of the cheese have been linked to the death of two infants in
South Texas and the Houston area.
David Auzenne, an epidemiologist with the Corpus Christi-Nueces County
Public Health District, was quoted as saying, "It's brought here illegally
and it hasn't been inspected. Usually it's labeled in Spanish."
The cheese can contain listeria, bacteria found in soil and water. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 2,500 people become
seriously ill with listeriosis each year in the United States.
The cheese has been linked to listeriosis in six pregnant women and seven
babies in South Texas and in the Houston area over the past few months.
Two of the babies died, health officials said.



ALBERTA TO BUILD NEW LAB FOR MAD COW TESTS
August 26, 2003
Reuters/Globe and Mail/National Post
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - The Alberta government was cited as saying on Monday it
will build a new biosecure lab to handle rapid tests for mad cow disease
after a single case in the province halted Canadian beef trade for the past
14 weeks.
Shirley McClellan, Alberta's agriculture minister, was cited as saying the
province expects it will be asked to test about 25,000 cattle per year for
the disease, up dramatically from 850 last year, and the new lab will allow
the province to test for the disease quickly, with results available in 24
to 48 hours instead of the current 10 days, adding, "This will ensure our
citizens that we can increase our surveillance and that we'll have the best
animal disease and food safety surveillance system worldwide."
McClellan was further cited as saying the Edmonton lab will be complete next
summer, at a cost to the provincial government of C$10 million ($7.14
million) for the lab and to upgrade existing facilities, and C$5 million on
extra testing. The provincial government also plans to hire up to 18 new
staff.
The new level 3  lab will have special air handling and filtering
capability, special waste handling structures, back up power systems and
require advanced worker training.



HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE NOW INVESTIGATING SIX CONFIRMED CASES OF E-COLI
August 25, 2003
Broadcast News
FREDERICTON -- Health officials are, according to these stories, now
investigating six confirmed cases of E. coli in a small area of western New
Brunswick.
The first three cases from Lower Hainesville were reported August 3rd, and
included a child sent to hospital in Halifax.
Now, Chief Medical Health Officer Wayne MacDonald says three new, separate
cases have been reported over the past week; two people were in hospital.
He says a field epidemiologist from Health Canada will assist in the
investigation.



GRUESOME FINDINGS IN FOOD PROBES: RODENT FOUND IN BREAD WRAPPER, E. COLI IN
CLAMS
August 26, 2003
The Vancouver Sun
B1 / Front
Larry Pynn
According to this story, a Kelowna, B.C. bakery is fined after a mouse fetus
is found in a bread wrapper. A Richmond importer is found with E.
coli-tainted clams illegally imported from Fiji. A Vancouver company spikes
harp seal reproductive organs with the active ingredients of Viagra. And an
Abbotsford slaughterhouse boils hundreds of turkeys alive.
Those are, the story says, among the stranger and more gruesome
investigations that led to successful prosecutions by the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency over the past year or so.
Ken Lowe, an investigator with the agency in New Westminster, was cited as
saying an inspections staff of 350 in B.C. enforces about a dozen federal
statutes dealing largely with food importation, processing and
interprovincial trade. As such, the agency works closely with Health Canada,
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.
Much of the agency's work takes place at airports, border crossings and
slaughterhouses, monitoring food for public safety and protecting against
the importation of diseases such as foot-and-mouth and Newcastle, which
could devastate Canada's farming industry.
Michel LaBrosse, national import operation manager for the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency based in Montreal, was cited as saying the number of
violations has increased because the number of imported foods coming into
the country has gone up, adding, "It's a cultural trend that keeps growing.
People have a taste for exotic food. There are new recipes on the Internet.
People expect to find these foods now."



BANDI'S RESTAURANT GETS A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH
August 26, 2003
The Vancouver Sun
A11
Andrew Rinkhy, owner, Bandi's Restaurant, Vancouver, writes regarding,
Cleanliness is main key to compliance, Aug. 25, to say that having been in
the restaurant business for many years, he understands it is often true that
greater precautions can be taken in the handling and preparation of food.
Food safety infractions are usually the result of neglect on the part of the
kitchen, service or cleaning staff, and are easily avoided by following
simple, logical safety guidelines.
In a city infested with rodents and bugs, Rinkhy says it is unlikely such a
creature would never set foot upon one's property. As long as all food is
always kept in sealed containers, these creatures will pose no risk to
health whatsoever even if they enter a building. They do not stay where
there is no food supply.
While quoting one negative paragraph from the inspection report on Bandi's
Restaurant, your article makes no mention of the rest of the comments, which
said: "Well done. The kitchen is clean and well maintained. Soap and towels
are well stocked at sinks with hot water.
"[F]ridges are operating at the required temperatures, are clean and well
maintained. The dishwasher is operating with a final rinse temperature of
77C, as required."
As well, no return visit by an inspector was deemed necessary, so obviously
there was no health risk to our guests.
Nick Losito of the Vancouver Health Authority told Rinkhy he is well aware
of Vancouver's rodent problems and that many restaurants do not take proper
precautions -- but Bandi's is not one of them.
Bandi's has no history of food- borne illness and has had zero health
infractions in 22 years of business. The article singled out the only
negative comment in an otherwise pristine record and used it grossly out of
context by including Bandi's in a list of places where there are real health
concerns.



SMITH SPEAKS ABOUT OFO RESTRUCTURE
August 25, 2003
Herd On The Hill
Edited by Kiran Kernellu
Mr. William C. Smith, Assistant Administrator, FSIS, Office of Field
Operations (OFO) was the guest speaker at NMA's Food Safety Committee,
Summer Conference at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  Smith first discussed the new
Directive 5000.1 entitled "Verifying an Establishment's Food Safety System."
Specifically, Smith indicated its comprehensiveness as it addresses HACCP,
SSOPs, SPS, generic E. coli and Salmonella performance standards.  In
addition, Smith stated that the Directive contained methodologies utilized
by
Consumer Safety Inspectors (CSIs) and Consumer Safety Officers (CSOs).  Mr.
Smith also discussed the functions of the front line supervisor in
conjunction
with conducting field performance determinations based on the application of
inspection methodologies set forth in the Directive.
Next Smith discussed several staff reorganizations such as Compliance
Officer
personnel being assigned to either administrative support for the District
Offices under the direction of the OFO or Program Enforcement Evaluation and
Review (PEER) Staff which function as program investigators. He discussed
further plans as to new field positions including an Investigative Analyst
Officer, which appears to be a combination of a CSO and a Compliance Officer
(CO).  The Investigative Analyst Officer would be trained to conduct
scientific food safety assessment as well as conduct investigation for
regulatory enforcement purposes.  Smith stated that the front line
supervisors
would directly supervise these new Investigative Analyst Officers.
Smith concluded his discussion by indicating the future use of a team
concept
approach to verify food safety systems, defining roles for the Technical
Service Center for analysis and technical support and addressed several
questions from Food Safety Committee Chairman Todd Waldman of United Food
Group.



DR. MURANO AT NMA'S 2003 SUMMER CONFERENCE: A RISING SUN SHINES ON ALL!
August 25, 2003
Herd On The Hill
Edited by Kiran Kernellu
While there are always representatives from USDA at NMA events, it is rare
that one causes the stir and approval that Undersecretary of Food Safety Dr.
Elsa Murano inspired as our special guest speaker in Wisconsin on Friday
August 22.  Dr. Murano outlined the recently released 2003 Food Safety and
Inspection Service Food Safety Vision.  The bottom line of the vision is
that food safety must be based on the idea of enhancing public health.  The
following five-goal outline is the "road map" of the food safety mission:
improve the management and effectiveness of regulatory programs; ensure
policy decisions are based in science; improve coordination of food safety
activities with other public health agencies; enhance public education
efforts; and protect meat, poultry, and egg products against intentional
contamination.  Even in those five goals, quoted from the vision paper,
communication is the priority.  Words such as coordination, education, and
decisions all involve communi cation from all affected parties.  Dr. Murano
made it clear in her speech that this is really the ultimate goal.
Under Dr. Murano, the USDA has already established a New Technology Approval
Office whose staff is in place to speed up the process of approving useful
and progressive food safety interventions.  However, what really caught the
attention of her appreciative audience was her proclamation of, "I promise
you that we will do training with the industry."  She went on to say that
this signifies a "paradigm shift" in the agency.  It was evident when she
stated, "I'd rather come up with solutions together," that she believes that
only through partnership with the industry can America continue to have the
safest food supply in the world.
The highlighted issues in the FSIS Food Safety Vision are ones that can only
be dealt with through a concerted effort at communication from both the meat
industry as well as USDA.  If USDA is going to be able to anticipate new
risks and hazards through enhanced data collection, link USDA programs with
public health outcomes, and improve documentation of food safety problems to
look for trends, the industry must be a part of program development.  Dr.
Murano pointed out that the industry has a wealth of testing information and
knowledge that is not shared with USDA for very good reasons, the most
prevalent being fear of retaliation.  The Undersecretary of Food Safety
seemed committed to developing some way that the industry could share this
data while not proverbially hanging itself.  An idea that was discussed was
perhaps using trade associations like NMA as a data-clearing house.
So there is the challenge.  On the surface, USDA has already given itself a
mighty challenge in its new Food Safety Vision, but there is also a
challenge of trust that the USDA has issued to itself and to the industry.
For the USDA's vision to work, it has to reach out a hand, and not a hammer
to a wary industry.  However, the industry's challenge is to overcome its
wariness and work towards improving public health even further.  Dr. Murano
clearly stated that it is "the industry that makes the food safe."  The
industry has to continue on the path of safe food, but broaden that path so
that different entities can work together.
She ended with a Cuban proverb that when translated into English means, "A
rising sun shines on all."  In other words, working together benefits all.
Contact our government relations liaison at Shawna@nmaonline.org for copies
of the FSIS Food Safety Vision or visit the FSIS website at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/programs/vision071003.htm.



USDA UNVEILS NEW REGIONAL TRAINING CENTERS
August 26, 2003
Meatingplace.com
Eric Hanson
The Agriculture Department announced the creation of new regional training
centers that will bring comprehensive workforce training programs to Food
Safety and Inspection Service field employees.
The centers will be established in Atlanta, Dallas, Philadelphia, Des
Moines, and Boulder, Colo.
"We are committed to aggressively addressing the training and education of
the men and women who work every day to keep America's meat, poultry and egg
products safe," said FSIS Administrator Dr. Garry L. McKee. "The most
effective way to provide comprehensive training to our field employees is to
bring our training to them."
The regional centers are designed to train more inspectors each year and
enhance their technical and regulatory skills in facilities closer to their
work and homes.
As well, FSIS announced Lynn Hodges, commander of the Public Health Service,
would serve as coordinator of the comprehensive training program at these
sites.
Training will begin Oct. 1 for all entry-level slaughter establishment
inspectors and veterinary medical officers and will include instruction in
technical, regulatory and public health methods.



LOCAL SCHOOLS WON'T BUY IRRADIATED BEEF: DESPITE AGRICULTURE DEPT. APPROVAL,
SAFETY QUESTIONED
August 23, 2003
San Diego Union Tribune Online
Alex Lyda
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20030823-9999_7m23beef.html
Ground meat zapped by bacteria-killing gamma rays could soon be used in
school lunches nationwide, but districts in San Diego County have, according
to this story, said they will not buy any of the irradiated beef this school
year.
The story says that the pros and cons of trying to stamp out E. coli has
particular significance in San Diego because of the Jack in the Box outbreak
of 1992.
One of the first to die from an E. coli infection was 6-year-old Lauren
Rudolph, who ate a contaminated burger at a Carlsbad franchise. Two other
children died, and about 500 in several Western states as far north as
Washington were hospitalized.
Concerns of a similar epidemic eventually making its way into the school
lunch system have made irradiation a hot topic among school health
officials.
Most school districts in San Diego County have banded together to form the
South State Co-op, which purchases large amounts of foods at a discount from
suppliers. Those suppliers include Inglewood-based Don Lee Farms and
Cincinnati-based Pierre Foods.
To date, no co-op members have requested irradiated beef products.
San Diego Unified, the county's largest school district with about 140,000
students, is big enough to buy food on its own. The district doesn't plan to
buy irradiated beef, either, for the 100,000 meals a day it serves.
Brenda Reynosa, a dietitian for San Diego Unified, was cited as saying since
irradiated meat is designed for districts that usually handle raw meat, San
Diego Unified is avoiding the issue by continuing to order precooked patties
and other so-called convenience foods.


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