FSnet Aug. 19/08 -- III
NEW JERSEY:
Illness prompts DEP to ban shellfish harvesting
US alert on
Cork firm's cooked mussels
Fewer melons
expected from Honduras because of consequences Salmonella
outbreak
Take
responsibility for the safety of your food: Buy KENTUCKY
proud
US: Wash E.
coli out of the hide
US: What's
coming from your tap?
US: FDA
releases Food Protection Plan progress report
ILLINOIS AND
KANSAS: Nature's Premium Brand first fresh pork in North
America to carry DNA TraceBack seal of authenticity
COLORADO:
Beef checkoff: It tastes great! Let’s keep it safe!
RHODE ISLAND
firm recalls Chicken Noodle products due to undeclared
allergens
CANADA:
Conservatives hide food safety cuts, risk health and safety
how to
subscribe
NEW JERSEY:
Illness prompts DEP to ban shellfish harvesting
19.aug.08
The Star-Ledger
Dunstan McNichol
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/following_reports_of_two_peopl.html
Following reports of two people stricken by illness after
eating New Jersey oysters, the state Department of
Environmental Protection today suspended oyster, clam and
mussel harvesting from 130 square miles of Delaware River
Bay water.
The emergency suspension is in response to the state
Department of Health's confirmation that two oyster
consumers were stricken by illness caused by Vibrio
parahaemolyticus, a naturally occuring bacterium that can
cause diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, headaches or blood
infections.
According to a press release announcing the temporary
suspension, the shellfish harvesting waters will be closed
to allow DEP time to test shellfish for the bacteria.
US alert on
Cork firm's cooked mussels
20.aug.08
Irish Times
Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0820/1219158421160.html
A West Cork shellfish company which was the subject of a
European food safety alert, is at the centre of another
alert in north America, following two cases of suspected
food poisoning in Washington state.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned
consumers in north American against eating "certain frozen
cooked mussel products made by Bantry Bay Seafoods, imported
from Ireland" as they may be contaminated with azaspiracid
toxins (AZA).
AZA toxins are naturally occurring, and are known to cause
nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
Last April, the European Commission issued a rapid food
safety alert relating to Bantry Bay Seafoods mussel
products, following reports of illness among consumers in
France. This was followed in early May by a Food Safety
Authority of Ireland (FSA) alert, when it emerged that some
alleged contaminated batches were also sold on the market
here through the Aldi supermarket chain.
The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is still
investigating the cause of those cases of alleged
contamination, and said it could not comment yesterday on
the FDA alert.
However, it is understood that the SFPA has challenged the
need for a recall of the specific batch in the US, based on
"available facts".
Fewer melons
expected from Honduras because of consequences Salmonella
outbreak
19.aug.08
Fresh Plaza
http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=26904
The area for melons in Honduras is expected to be quite a
bit smaller than last year. Exporters in Honduras blame the
heavily increased producers price, but according to
importers in the Netherlands the outbreak of Salmonella
would have played an important role in this. The United
States have declared an import prohibition for melons from
Honduras, as these could have caused a Salmonella outbreak,
which made more than fifty people sick.
The import prohibition is of course not for aways and will,
because of pressure from the government of Honduras, which
at the time reacted very agitated and alert, probably be
rescinded at the start of the new season. It is, however, to
be expected, that more will be exported to Europe and that
production will be smaller.
"I am convinced, that they will be able to control the
cultivation and the inherent problems, but a large number of
growers is afraid. It could well be possible that a number
of them stop growing melons and change for instance to
sugar-cane for bio-fuel. Many Brazilian mango growers have
already changed to sugar-cane. We should of course not
forget the extreme increase in the producers price over the
last few years" says an importer.
"Costs have risen enormously. In the past we had ninety days
to pay for plant protection media, but these costs are now
payable in advance. In addition to this the transport cost,
both by sea and over land, have increased greatly" according
to general manager Enrique Miselem of Exportodora Costa, a
daughter company of Fresh Quest Produce.
Take
responsibility for the safety of your food: Buy KENTUCKY
proud
15.aug.08
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Bill Clary
http://www.kyagr.com/pr/kanonline/August152008/column.htm
The Kentucky Proud movement is more popular than ever. Not
since the “inflation gardens” of the 1970s have people shown
so much interest in food raised not just in the state but in
their local communities. The term “locavore,” used to
describe one who actively seeks local food, is part of our
language. Farmers’ markets throughout the Commonwealth are
enjoying record sales. Retailers are selling millions of
dollars worth of Kentucky Proud products; Save-A-Lot just
joined the roster of more than 1,300 Kentucky Proud members,
and they report that Kentucky products are flying off their
store shelves.
Retail prices for food from out of state have shot up
dramatically in large part because it costs much more to
transport food across the country now than it did five years
ago or even one year ago. That makes local food more
competitive.
But what really seems to be driving the growth of local food
is the newfound emphasis on food safety. The current
salmonella outbreak is in its third month, and the Food and
Drug Administration still hasn’t pinned down the source,
although it has traced salmonella-positive jalapeno peppers
back to Mexico. That followed the massive meat recall last
winter and an outbreak of E. coli in spinach in the fall of
2006. More than ever, people want to know where their food
came from and what went into producing it. That’s good for
the local farmer, but it’s also good for Kentucky families
that want and deserve nothing but the safest and most
nutritious food.
We can never stop being vigilant about the safety of our
food. There’s a proposal to ship cooked pork rinds into the
country from Brazil, where livestock suffer from
foot-and-mouth disease and various swine diseases. I’ve
written letters to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) and Agriculture Secretary Schafer asking
them to reconsider letting these products on our shores. It
makes no sense to threaten the well-being of Kentucky’s $3
billion livestock and poultry industry with products
produced and packaged in a country that has disease
problems. It also makes no sense to set strict food safety
standards for domestic products – as we should – but accept
lower standards for food from overseas.
Food safety is everyone’s responsibility. A good place to
start is your local farmers’ market or Kentucky Farm Bureau
roadside stand or anywhere you see the blue, green and red
Kentucky Proud logo.
US: Wash E.
coli out of the hide
19.aug.08
Wilson County News
Pat Kopecki
http://www.wilsoncountynews.com/article.php?id=20261&n=agriculture-today-wash-e-coli-out-of-the-hide
Following a 1993 outbreak, the U.S. Meat Animal Research
Center in Clay Center, Neb., launched a massive
investigation into the E. coli pathogen. The researchers
started examining ways to remove the pathogen before the
hides are removed, so as to reduce the chance of carcass
contamination.
Research by the center has found a method that significantly
improves the safety of U.S. beef, thus saving the beef
industry millions of dollars each year. The solution — a
hide-washing tool — has reduced the incidence of E. coli in
ground beef samples by about 43 percent by using the washing
cabinets.
Developed by the U.S. Agricultural Research Service, the
system works by using a high-pressure-water wash that
removes excessive amounts of organic matter from the
bovine’s hide. This is then followed by an antibacterial
compound. Several chemical compounds have been found to be
effective for pathogen removal.
Prior to this discovery, the emphasis has been focused on
eliminating the pathogenic bacteria from feces. The findings
led to discovering that pathogens tend to gather on cattle
hides, possibly contaminating the meat during the removal of
the hide.
The beef-processing industry has spent $750 million over the
past 10 years to increase the safety of beef products.
“The United States consumes more than 27 billion pounds of
beef every year and exports another 450-500 million pounds
abroad. This multibillion-dollar industry owes its success
in part to the research projects that ensure that our
country’s beef producers are providing the safest, highest
quality products possible,” said Laura McGinnis, a staff
member of the U.S. Agricultural Research Service.
US: What's
coming from your tap?
19.aug.08
Wall Street Journal
Anjali Athavaley
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121910526011851511.html?mod=hpp_us_inside_today
America's latest drinking problem isn't about alcohol.
Concerned about the cost of bottled water -- and its
environmental consequences -- many people are turning back
to tap water to quench their thirst. But as evidence mounts
of contaminants in public systems, unease about the water
supply is growing.
Engineers say that U.S. water quality is among the world's
best and is regulated by some of the most stringent
standards. But as detection technology improves, utilities
are finding more contaminants in water systems. Earlier this
year, media reports of trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in
water across the country drew attention from U.S. senators
and environmental groups, who are now pushing for regulation
of these substances in water systems.
Of particular concern, experts say, are endocrine-disrupting
compounds -- found in birth-control pills, mood-stabilizers
and other drugs -- which are linked to birth defects in
wildlife. Also alarming are antibiotics, which if present in
water systems, even in small amounts, could contribute to
the rise of drug-resistant strains of bacteria, or so-called
super bugs.
US: FDA
releases Food Protection Plan progress report
19.aug.08
CleanRooms
http://cr.pennnet.com/display_article/336762/15/ARTCL/none/none/1/FDA-releases-Food-Protection-Plan-progress-report/
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unveiled its
Food Protection Plan just months ago with the intention of
maintaining a safe food supply for Americans.
FDA’s Food Protection Plan Progress Report, released on July
2 in conjunction with the Interagency Working Group on
Import Safety Action Plan Update, demonstrates areas of
activity to further improve the safety of the nation’s food
supply (see “Food safety plan emphasizes ‘effective action’
to prevent food supply contamination,” CleanRooms, December
2007, page 8).
The FDA Food Protection Plan focuses on prevention (building
safety in from the start), intervention (using targeted
risk-based inspections and testing), and response
(responding rapidly when problems are identified). FDA has
been working with federal, state, and local partners as well
as foreign governments to execute a number of the action
steps laid out in the plan.
Activity progress in report
Prevention. FDA’s prevention activities highlighted in the
progress report include implementing FDA’s landmark China
Memoranda of Agreement (MOA). FDA has provided registration
materials to the Chinese government, identified points of
contact for the MOA, and drafted the first five-year work
plan. FDA held its first bilateral meeting in March 2008 in
Beijing, China. The meeting solidified the relationship with
the General Administration of Quality, Supervision,
Inspection, and Quarantine (AQSIQ). Verbal agreements were
made to focus the present efforts in fulfilling the MOA to
aquaculture (five species plus Tilapia) and ingredients
(wheat gluten, corn gluten, and rice protein). FDA is moving
forward to establish an FDA presence in China.
An FDA delegation has also visited Indian counterparts to
discuss requirements for an FDA presence in India. In
addition, the agency is exploring current existing
third-party certification programs.
In 2007, FDA began working in collaboration with the State
Health and Agriculture departments in Virginia and Florida,
several universities, and the produce industry on a
multi-year Tomato Safety Initiative. As part of the
initiative, FDA says, it has led assessments of grower
practices focusing on the factors believed to be associated
with contamination of tomatoes with Salmonella. FDA has
conducted assessments in Virginia and began assessments in
Florida in April.
The agency is also developing ingredient, processing, and
labeling standards for pet food, as well as developing
ingredient and processing standards for animal feed.
Intervention. Activities that have begun to take place
include working with New Mexico State University to develop
a prototype system for improving electronic screening, using
open-source intelligence, of imported products offered for
entry into the U.S. The evaluation of the prototype system,
PREDICT (Predictive Risk-Based Evaluation of Dynamic Import
Compliance Targeting) has been completed and the final pilot
evaluation document is under review.
A rapid detection method has been developed using flow
cytometry to identify E. coli and Salmonella in food. This
system is being used in poultry processing facilities to
detect and prevent bacterial contamination during food
processing.
FDA has completed a three-year plan to increase state
inspections and will hire at least an additional 130
employees to conduct food field exams, inspections, and
sample collections using FY08 appropriated dollars. It also
plans to conduct an additional 327 state contract food
inspections in FY09 over the FY08 estimate. In FY09, the
agency plans to conduct an additional 20,000 food import
field exams above the FY08 performance goal.
Response. FDA is collaborating with other federal agencies;
state, local, tribal, and foreign governments; and industry
to develop the science and tools necessary to better
understand the current risks of the food supply and to
develop new detection technologies and improved response
systems that rapidly react to food safety threats, including
traceability.
The agency issued a Request for Applications (RFA) for
funding to establish state Rapid Response Teams to
investigate foodborne illness outbreaks, perform tracebacks
of implicated foods, and evaluate data from investigations
to identify trends.
FDA says it is currently exploring the use of multiple and
targeted channels to quickly alert consumers of a threat to
food safety.
For additional information on the Food Protection Plan
Progress Report, visit
www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/advance/food/progressreport.html.
ILLINOIS AND
KANSAS: Nature's Premium Brand first fresh pork in North
America to carry DNA TraceBack seal of authenticity
19.aug.08
IdentiGEN Ltd.
Ronan Loftus
Northfield, Ill. and Lawrence, Kan. -- Nature's Premium
Brand, a leader in premium, all-natural fresh pork, is the
first North American pork company to track DNA for reliable
and accurate traceability back to the farm where the animals
were raised. Nature's Premium will use IdentiGEN's DNA
TraceBack® system, a USDA Process Verified, DNA-based
traceback system, for indisputable product verification.
Nature's Premium Brand pork packages will carry IdentiGEN's
DNA TraceBack seal at the meat case to guarantee to
consumers that each cut came from the unique Nature’s
Premium production and processing system. Retailers carrying
Nature's Premium pork with DNA TraceBack include Kowalski's
Markets of Minneapolis, Minn.; Sendik's Food Markets of
Milwaukee, Wisc.; New Leaf Community Markets of Santa Cruz,
Calif.; Dave's Marketplace stores of Rhode Island; Donelan's
Supermarkets of Boston, and Bogopa, a food distributor
serving several international foods markets in greater New
York. Nature's Premium Pork is also available through select
foodservice distributors nationwide.
The Nature's Premium breed-specific Duroc pigs are raised by
family farmers in the Midwest on a strict vegetarian diet
with no animal byproducts. Animals are never administered
antibiotics (what if they are sick? – dp) or growth
promotants. The company's participating farms offer
exceptional animal healthcare, sanitation and humane
treatment. Its ultra-modern processing facility is unique in
the industry for its small size, eco-friendliness and
dedication to safe processes.
“Simply put, this program equates to trust,” said Nature's
Premium Brand founder and CEO John D. Stewart. “We take
samples of the actual DNA of every animal in the program to
assure that we are delivering the premium quality assurances
customers expect.”
Nature's Premium began conducting internal trials of the DNA
TraceBack system with IdentiGEN's U.S. lab in Lawrence,
Kan., in May. The Nature’s Premium / DNA TraceBack
partnership means that grocery retailers can offer Nature’s
Premium Brand pork with confidence, knowing that, in the
event of a question about the safety or integrity of the
product, its source can be definitively verified, Stewart
added.
Boyd Oase, Meat and Seafood Director of Kowalski's Markets,
said, “From a food-safety standpoint, DNA TraceBack is
extremely valuable to my department. And for my customers,
it provides 100 percent reassurance that Nature's Premium
Pork is a safe, wholesome, all-natural product.“
"DNA is a uniquely accurate, permanent and tamper–proof
identification tool," said IdentiGEN CEO and President
Donald R. Marvin. "Because it uses nature's bar-code — the
unique DNA of every animal — DNA TraceBack is the ultimate
proof of product integrity."
IdentiGEN’s DNA TraceBack system is an approved USDA Process
Verified Program (PVP). PVP designation signifies that the
USDA has verified the IdentiGEN system as a consistently
reliable program in which meat processors, meat producers,
retailers and consumers can have confidence. There are
currently 36 approved USDA Process Verified Programs.
Additional information can be found at
http://processverified.usda.gov/
www.identigen.com and www.dnatraceback.com
COLORADO:
Beef checkoff: It tastes great! Let’s keep it safe!
19.aug.08
Cattle Network
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=245904
Centennial, CO -- Ah, the allure of the sizzle, the smell of
a flaming grill wafting in through the windows, the
anticipation of that juicy steak or scrumptious burger.
Taste buds tango at the thought – but, is it both safe and
savory? September marks the 13th Annual National Food Safety
Education Month and the beef checkoff is supporting the
efforts of agencies such as the Food & Drug Administration,
U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease
Control in promoting beef safety through educational
activities. Why? Of 26 factors consumers were asked to rank
in a recent survey, “being extremely safe to eat” ranked
number two in importance; taste topped the charts.
“While the media tends to focus on the adverse and the
dramatic, America’s beef producers continue to communicate
the message that we are dedicated to producing a product
that is of highest integrity, quality and safety,” says Mark
Riechers, Cattlemen’s Beef Board member and farmer/feeder
from Darlington, Wisc., and vice chair of the Joint Beef
Safety Committee. “We have a well-regulated system in place
to protect the American food supply. Taking it one step
further in the supply chain, the checkoff is now working to
educate consumers about the safety of the U.S. beef supply,
ultimately helping our consumers feel more confident in
choosing and safely preparing beef for their families.”
Beef producers alone have invested more than $27 million in
beef safety research since 1993. The checkoff effort
continued this summer with two additional checkoff-funded
research projects conducted to better understand consumer
attitudes about safety and the factors influencing
thermometer use, thus completing the beef safety education
circle from farm to fork.
Since safety alone does not motivate thermometer use, the
first of the two studies looked deeper into consumer
attitudes and everyday practices when cooking ground beef
patties at home and tested consumer reactions to the Safe
and Savory at 160° message being used as part of consumer
beef safety communications.
“What man doesn’t want to be the ‘king of the grill’?
However, the checkoff wants to make sure that king comes
equipped with a thermometer and 160 degrees cooking
instructions,” continues Riechers. “We have found after
looking deeper that through ongoing, frequent exposure to a
message promoting the use of thermometers to ensure both a
safe and delicious eating experience, consumer behavior
could be changed. Again, at every step of the production
chain, producers are investing in checkoff programs that
ensure our product IS fit for a king.”
Panelists at a safety summit earlier this year concluded
that when food safety issues are local, consumer awareness
is heightened to the level they may modify their purchase
decisions. In an effort to curb any potential consumer
concerns, the beef checkoff educates consumers and producers
on the latest safety information about the industry’s
commitment to safety best practices, important E. coli
research, and safe cooking education.
RHODE ISLAND
firm recalls Chicken Noodle products due to undeclared
allergens
19.aug.08
FSIS News Release
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_032_2008_Release/index.asp
Washington -- Simmering Soup, Inc., a Cumberland, R.I.,
establishment, is recalling approximately 987 pounds of
ready-to-eat chicken noodle products because they may
contain soy, a known allergen, which is not declared on the
label, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and
Inspection Service announced today.
The following products are subject to recall: [View Label,
PDF Only]
* 12-ounce boxes of "TRADER MING'S Yakisoba Noodles with
Sesame Chicken Breast." Each box bears the establishment
number "P-21166" as well as a "SELL BY" date of "8/26" or
earlier.
The ready-to-eat chicken noodle products were produced
between July 1, 2008, and Aug. 15, 2008, and were
distributed to Trader Joe's stores in Connecticut, Delaware,
District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
The problem was discovered by the company. FSIS has received
no reports of illness due to consumption of these products.
Anyone concerned about an allergic reaction should contact a
physician.
Media and consumers with questions should contact company
Operations Manager Shawn Early at (401) 333-8848, ext. 228.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the
FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at
AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and
Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern
Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages
are available 24 hours a day.
CANADA:
Conservatives hide food safety cuts, risk health and safety
19.aug.08
Liberal.ca
http://www.liberal.ca/story_14275_e.aspx
OTTAWA -- After two days of meetings of the Standing
Committee on Agriculture, the Conservative government has
yet to reveal the contents of its secret plan to cut the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Liberal critics Dr.
Carolyn Bennett and Wayne Easter said today.
“This government has been caught cutting programs at the
expense of food safety and it hasn’t got the courage to
admit what it’s doing,” said Dr. Bennett, Liberal Public
Health Critic. “But we do know that cutting back on food
inspection and handing it over to industry strikes at the
heart of public concerns of truth in labelling, public
health and public safety and opens the door to dangers such
as BSE and Avian Influenza - dangers we know are out there.”
Government officials appearing before the committee refused
repeated requests from MPs to confirm that the plan was
produced. Media reports earlier this year say the plan,
which was approved by Treasury Board in November 2007, was
not released because of what the government deemed
“significant communications risk.” Government employees who
have seen the plan say it includes cuts to BSE testing and
Avian Influenza preparedness, the downloading of inspection
to industry, as well as the elimination of the approvals
system for companies to prove the accuracy of their labels.
“Leading food safety experts say the plan is a recipe for
disaster. This plan may lead to another Walkerton and Aylmer
Meat Plant incident, brought to us again by the Mike Harris
gang in this Conservative government,” said Wayne Easter,
Liberal Agriculture critic. “Cutting this government service
will mean the downloading of more costs onto farmers.
“This also jeopardizes markets for Canadian food products.
With just one rogue incident, our reputation will be
tarnished costing farmers billions, just like the BSE
crisis.”
In an effort to provide transparency for Canadians,
opposition members of the committee unanimously passed a
motion demanding the federal government table its secret
report outlining the cuts. Conservative members objected to
the meeting and abstained from voting on the motion for
transparency.
Concerns about the future of the CFIA have been circulating
since earlier this year when Luc Pomerleau, a scientist at
the agency with a 20-year unblemished record, discovered the
plan on a non-secured, shared server and forwarded it on to
his union. Mr. Pomerleau was summarily fired in July.
“This plan was approved in November, 2007 and this
government still roadblocks its public release,” said Dr.
Bennett. “They’ve muzzled civil servants who only wish to
speak out for the public interest. Conservatives talk about
protecting consumers and being a transparent, accountable
government but their actions show the exact opposite.
Canadians deserve to know the truth.”
FSnet is produced by the
International Food Safety Network at Kansas State
University, and is supported at the Gold Fork level by:
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FSnet is supported at the Sterling Fork level by: CropLife
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Affairs , New Zealand Food Safety Authority, Monsanto
Canada, and the Ontario Cattlemen's Association.
Fsnet is supported at the Silver-plate Fork level by: The
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Giant Fresh, Feedlot Health Management Services, McDonald's,
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The Food Safety Network presents a unique opportunity to
bring together all those associated with agriculture and
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financial support to the Food Safety Network, please visit
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