FSnet Aug. 19/08
CALIFORNIA:
Mexican peppers posed problem long before outbreak
NEW MEXICO:
State investigates salmonella cases in Santa Fe
EU:
Salmonella outbreak spreads to Sweden and France
SCOTLAND:
Call for ban on superbug gels in hospitals
OHIO: Pools
ordered to 'hyper-chlorinate' to battle water parasite
NEW ZEALAND:
Minister getting feedback on food control
Ottawa
Update: The end of the second session of the 39th Parliament
is a good opportunity to reflect on the past year
ONTARIO:
Statement by the Minister of Agriculture on food safety
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CALIFORNIA:
Mexican peppers posed problem long before outbreak
18.aug.08
Associated Press
Garance Burke
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jFyDyMJjsAW0XxBNGpIldKhhToOgD92KVLH00
FRESNO, Calif. -- Federal inspectors at U.S. border
crossings repeatedly turned back filthy, disease-ridden
shipments of peppers from Mexico in the months before a
salmonella outbreak that sickened 1,400 people was finally
traced to Mexican chilies.
Yet no larger action was taken. Food and Drug Administration
officials insisted as recently as last week that they were
surprised by the outbreak because Mexican peppers had not
been spotted as a problem before.
But an Associated Press analysis of FDA records found that
peppers and chilies were consistently the top Mexican crop
rejected by border inspectors for the last year.
Since January alone, 88 shipments of fresh and dried chilies
were turned away. Ten percent were contaminated with
salmonella. In the last year, 8 percent of the 158
intercepted shipments of fresh and dried chilies had
salmonella.
On Friday, Dr. David Acheson, the FDA's food safety chief,
told reporters peppers were not a cause for concern before
they were implicated in the salmonella outbreak.
"We have not typically seen problems with peppers," Acheson
said. "Our import sampling is typically focused on areas
where we know we've got problems or we've seen problems in
the past, which is why we're now increasing our sampling for
peppers."
On Monday, the FDA said Acheson's comment was in relation to
outbreaks or illness associated with Mexican peppers, not
the rejection of pepper shipments at the borders. Calls to
the FDA seeking elaboration were not immediately returned.
"If the fact that they were showing up on problem lists for
a year doesn't make them high-risk, I don't know what does,"
said Ami Gadhia, policy counsel with Consumers Union, the
nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine. "If it's
across the board, then that's a systemic problem that FDA
needs to be able to nimbly respond to."
The agency initially suspected that fresh tomatoes had
caused the outbreak. Then officials determined in mid-July
that jalapenos could also be sickening people and eventually
traced implicated pepper shipments all the way back to two
farms in Mexico.
The agency doesn't keep count of what percentage of the
nearly 491,200 metric tons of Mexican peppers imported last
year were turned away at the U.S. border. In general, the
federal government inspects less than 1 percent of all
foreign food entering the country.
According to the Department of Agriculture, 84 percent of
all fresh peppers eaten in the U.S. come from Mexico.
Bob Buchanan, a former senior science adviser at FDA, said
part of the problem may be that the agency sets its
priorities for the food it considers to be high-risk years
in advance.
"Somebody could have picked up a box and looked at peppers
if they wanted to, but I'm not sure that would have been a
high priority," Buchanan said. "It would require a big leap
to think that salmonella in dried peppers could be related
to problems in fresh chilies."
On Friday, Acheson said the agency had stepped up testing of
certain Mexican produce and uncovered more cases of
salmonella contamination — just not the same strain that
caused this particular outbreak — in jalapenos, basil and
cilantro.
In July, six separate shipments of fresh jalapenos and
serranos were stopped after inspectors found they were
contaminated with salmonella, FDA data shows.
One crate detained on July 29 came from Agricola Zaragoza, a
Mexican packinghouse that handled produce from two farms
where chilies linked to the outbreak were traced.
"If so many of the peppers we eat in the U.S. come in from
Mexico, you'd think we would want to pay more attention,"
said Mike Doyle, director of the University of Georgia's
Center for Food Safety, which works with industry to improve
growing and packing practices. "Something isn't working."
NEW MEXICO:
State investigates salmonella cases in Santa Fe
18.aug.08
Associated Press
Las Cruces Sun-News
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_10239104
SANTA FE -- State health officials are investigating nine
salmonella cases involving people who ate at one Santa Fe
restaurant.
Officials said Monday the people ate at Diego's Restaurant
from late July to early August.
The patients, ranging in age from 5 to 62, reported becoming
sick between Aug. 2 and 7. Eight of them live in Santa Fe
County and one lives in San Miguel County.
Health officials said two of the people were hospitalized.
The investigation is ongoing and involves interviews and
laboratory testing of patients, food handlers and food from
the restaurant.
EU:
Salmonella outbreak spreads to Sweden and France
19.aug.08
The Irish Times
Dr. Muiris Houston
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/0819/1218868120742.html
The Salmonella outbreak possibly linked to a meat plant in
Co Kildare has now spread to Sweden and France, bringing to
five the number of European Union countries affected.
The latest figures for the outbreak of salmonella agona,
released last night, show some 132 people have now been
infected by the bug. Sweden has reported its first two
cases, while France has confirmed one person has been
infected by the relatively rare strain of the bacterium.
There has been one death linked to the salmonella outbreak.
A 77-year-old British woman died from complications thought
to be associated with the infection.
The genetic fingerprint of the microbe has been linked to a
particular production line at the Dawn Farm Foods plant in
Naas.
Of the 132 people with salmonella-induced food poisoning,
some 125 have the same genetic fingerprint as samples taken
from the meat plant. Final test results are awaited on a
further seven cases.
Dawn Farm Foods decided to close the entire plant for a week
last Friday. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland said
yesterday that this decision was the company's own and not
based on specific advice from the authority.
The European Centre for Disease Control has reported that
the Finnish case arose after the person ate beef strips
contained in a sandwich.
As a result of the outbreak, beef strips, chicken, lamb and
pork supplied to at least eight European countries and to
Kuwait have been withdrawn by Dawn Farm Foods.
SCOTLAND:
Call for ban on superbug gels in hospitals
17.aug.08
Scotland on Sunday
Jeremy Watson and Kate Foster
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/health/Call-for-ban-on-superbug.4398723.jp
One of Scotland's most senior doctors has called for alcohol
gel hand-rubs to be removed from hospitals because they are
ineffective against the deadly C diff superbug.
Alcohol hand-rub dispensers have been placed in wards and
clinical areas throughout the country at a cost of more than
£1m, largely to combat another superbug, MRSA. However, they
do not provide a defence against C diff, which has killed
hundreds of patients in Scotland in recent years.
But Dr Charles Saunders, head of the British Medical
Association's Consultants' Committee in Scotland, said most
doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals are
unaware that the gels were ineffective and they must wash
their hands with soap and water between dealing with each
patient.
He said the dispensers should be scrapped because they are
causing confusion about the best method of infection
control.
However, the Scottish Government has insisted that the
dispensers – introduced to most hospital bedsides over the
past three years – will remain on wards as part of the
strategy against hospital-acquired infections.
OHIO: Pools
ordered to 'hyper-chlorinate' to battle water parasite
15.aug.08
Columbus Local News
Eileen Ryan
http://www.snponline.com/articles/2008/08/15/multiple_papers/news/colcrypto%20_20080815_0334pm_2.txt
Columbus and Franklin County have reported 51 cases of
cryptosporidium so far this year, compared to 27 cases in
all of 2007. Thirty-one of those cases have been reported
since July 1, prompting the health department to alert
medical providers, pool operators, child care providers,
schools, and the public.
Cryptosporidium, the chlorine-resistant parasite responsible
for crypto, is primarily associated with treated swimming
places, said health commissioner Teresa Long. On Friday,
Aug. 15, Long ordered the largest 28 pools in Columbus to
hyper-chlorinate their facilities immediately.
Investigations have not yielded a definitive link between
the 51 reported cases, according to Columbus Public Health.
NEW ZEALAND:
Minister getting feedback on food control
18.aug.08
Newstalk ZB
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=142977
New rules on food safety systems are likely to be served up
by the government.
Food Safety Minister Lianne Dalziel is visiting food
businesses in Waikato today to get feedback on how prototype
food control plans being trialled are working out. The new
approach changes food safety rules from an inspection based,
to a risk based approach and means responsibility is shifted
from inspectors to operators to identify and fix problems.
The system is set to be implemented nationwide when
Parliament passes a new Food Bill later this year, or early
next year.
Ottawa
Update: The end of the second session of the 39th Parliament
is a good opportunity to reflect on the past year
18.aug.08
Food Law
Ronald L. Doering
Unlike the calendar year, Ottawa works on a September to
June cycle. Parliament recessed until Sept. 15, and now the
government and its public service take a breather and get
ready for the next year. This is a good time to provide a
status report on a number of federal initiatives.
Bill C-51 – This Bill to amend the Food and Drugs Act would
provide some useful modernization. It has been caught up in
a write-in campaign regarding its purported impact on
Natural Health Products (NHPs), and as a sop to this the
government announced shortly before the House recessed that
NHPs would no longer be a sub-category of drugs. The Bill is
still in second reading and has yet to be referred to
Committee. If there is an election in the fall, this Bill is
dead. If not, it will still have a rocky ride because of the
NHP provisions.
The New Lobbying Act (Replacing the Lobbyists Registration
Act) – This Act came into force on July 2, 2008. There are
now strict new monthly reporting obliga¬tions when lobbying
Designated Public Office Holders (DPOH), generally ADM and
above. Fines are doubled and enforcement is likely to be
more aggressive – don’t get caught by the new Lobbying Act.
Product of Canada – The rules are now essentially law but
there will be no enforcement for a while. Now “Product of
Canada” will be limited to use by producers and processors
where “all or virtually all” of the components,
ingredi¬ents, processing and labour used to make the product
are Canadian. “Made in Canada” will be for processed
products and would carry one of two qualifications: either
“Made in Canada from domestic and imported ingredients” or
“Made in Canada from imported ingredients.”
Additive Law Modernization – Compliments to the Bureau of
Chemical Safety for its release of a guidance docu¬ment on
processing aids, but there is still no progress on the
promised modernization that would finally eliminate the
completely unacceptable delays. Another year has gone by
(six and counting) without any politician or public servant
explaining to me why you can add calcium lactate to a can of
peas but if you want to add it to a can of beans, the
cumber¬some process of full regulatory change is required,
including reference to Cabinet twice, legal drafting delays
and at least two years of cost, paperwork and frustration.
Until I get an answer, I repeat: the Health Canada minister
and senior offi¬cials do not care that our food regulatory
system undermines investment, innovation and
competitiveness. Apparently Health Canada senior management
is hiding behind “legal problems.” This is only a convenient
excuse – lawyers, even government lawyers, take
instructions. Just do it.
Health Claims – More workshops, more dithering; no changes
for the foreseeable future.
Mandatory Pre-market Registration of Meat Product Labels –
This perennial problem persists. The meat industry continues
to complain vehemently about delays and rigidity, and yet
for no apparent reason it is unwilling to agree to accept
the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) kind offer to
have the government get out of the business. The industry
should either accept the CFIA’s offer or stop whining.
CFIA Ministerial Advisory Board – Another year has gone by
and still no Board appointments. By Section 10 of the CFIA
Act, the minister “shall appoint an advisory board” to
advise him on “any matter within the responsibilities of the
Agency.” The Board was specifically created to provide
stakeholder input into CFIA policies and to enhance
accountability considering the broad legal and enforcement
powers granted to the Agency. Moreover, there is virtually
no effective administrative recourse available to a company
that has been adversely affected by a CFIA decision. The
Board played an important role in the early days of the
Agency. The complacency of the food industry is remarkable.
New Compositional Standards for Cheese – These will require
dairy processors to use more raw full-fat milk to pro¬duce
cheese by limiting or prohibiting the use of ingredients
made from milk such as whey protein and whey protein
con¬centrate. The government has calculated that this
represents a transfer of over $100 million of value from
processors, and their consumers, to farmers. Cheese
importers will have to register. Processors were seriously
out-lobbied by the dairy farmers, again. Regulations come
into force on Dec. 13, 2008.
Have a good summer!
Ronald L. Doering, BA, LL.B, MA, LL.D, is a past president
of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. He practices food
law in the Ottawa offices of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP,
and can be reached at: Ronald.doering@gowlings.com
ONTARIO:
Statement by the Minister of Agriculture on food safety
18.aug.08
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
Alan Sakach
http://www.emediaworld.com/press_release/release_detail.php?id=136512
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada Gerry Ritz issued the following statement today:
"The Liberals are playing a dangerous game by making false
accusations that undermine confidence in Canadian food
products, all for the sake of trying to distract attention
away from Liberal Leader Stephane Dion's tax scheme that
will hike the cost of these products and hit farmers hard.
The Liberal tax grab would increase farmers' costs for
diesel fuel, chemicals and fertilizers.
"Irresponsible political rhetoric by the Liberal Party is an
insult to Canada's agri-food business and our
internationally recognized food safety system.
"The health and safety of Canadians is, and will always be,
the highest priority of the Stephen Harper Conservative
Government. Today, we have 200 more inspectors than when we
formed the government two years ago, and our Government has
invested $113 million dollars in our Food and Consumer
Safety Action Plan so that Canadians will be better
protected by the enhanced safety and reliability of
consumer, food and health products.
"Working cooperatively with agri-business, our Government is
continuing to ensure Canada has one of the world's most
stringent food safety systems that meets or exceeds the
standards of our trading partners.
"Liberal Agriculture Critic Wayne Easter and his colleagues
have launched a frivolous and baseless attack on the
reputation of Canada's top-quality food safety system. Their
unfounded accusations and fear-mongering will threaten the
well-placed confidence Canadians have in the safety of
Canadian products, and it will also have negative
consequences on exports from our agri-business if their
falsehoods and rumours are believed.
"I would hope the Liberals exercise greater responsibility
in their political rhetoric. But their selfish motivation is
transparent. The Liberal Agriculture critic has admitted his
leader's tax grab scheme will deal a hard blow to farmers in
this country and the Liberals 'know there are problems with
this,' but rather than abandon their ill-conceived tax-grab
scheme they are instead trying to scare the public with
baseless rumours. This is politics at its worst.
"I am pleased the Liberals have asked Parliament's
Agriculture Committee for a hearing on Canada's food safety
system so the Liberals will have no excuse to continue
spreading their misinformation.
"I also look forward to the Committee proceeding with its
study of the impact of a carbon tax on farming, as was
agreed to by the Liberal Agriculture critic and two of his
colleagues in a recorded vote."
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