Tag Archives: FOOD SAFETY

FDA Releases Second Installment of Intentional Adulteration Draft Guidance

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FDA released the second installment of a draft guidance designed to support compliance with the Intentional Adulteration (IA) rRule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The first installment was published in June 2018, and a third installment is to follow. The second installment outlines two flexible methods for how facilities can conduct vulnerability assessments … Continue Reading

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Resigns

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On Tuesday, March 5, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced he would resign at the end of the month. Gottlieb, a physician and former deputy commissioner in the George W. Bush administration, was confirmed as FDA Commissioner in May 2017. The resignation was not sought by the White House, as confirmed by a senior White House … Continue Reading

EFSA Report Indicates Antimicrobial Resistance in EU Is Increasing

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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDPC) have issued a joint summary report on antimicrobial resistance in the EU based on data from its 28 Member States. The 278-page report summarizes findings that antimicrobial resistance is increasing in bacteria that cause disease when transmitted from animals … Continue Reading

FDA Publishes Findings from Investigation of Romaine Lettuce E. coli Outbreak

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As previously reported on this blog, in November 2018 FDA, in conjunction with the CDC, state officials, and Canadian food and public health officials, investigated an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections in multiple US states and Canadian provinces. The investigation determined the cause of the outbreak was the consumption of contaminated romaine lettuce. Indeed, … Continue Reading

FDA Takes Action on Dietary Supplements Claiming to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Serious Conditions

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FDA has issued warning letters and online advisories to a number of dietary supplement companies whose products claim to prevent, treat, or cure Alzheimer’s disease and other serious conditions.  The disease claims cause the supplements to be considered unapproved new drugs that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The products in question include … Continue Reading

Raw Turkey Pet Food Linked to Human Illness in Minnesota

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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has issued a recall notice for three lots of raw turkey pet food manufactured by Woody’s Pet Food Deli after linking a human case of Salmonella Reading infection to the product. The infected person served the recalled food to a pet, which also tested positive for Salmonella but a … Continue Reading

NGO Publishes Report on Food Safety

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The United State Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) published “How Safe is Our Food? Recent trends and case studies, and what they mean for our health”, a review and commentary of the food safety system in the United States.  PIRG reviewed trends in food safety, with an emphasis on recalls, as well as case studies … Continue Reading

FDA Resumes Inspections of High-Risk Food Facilities

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As previously reported on this blog, the partial federal government shutdown stalled FDA’s ability to conduct routine inspections of domestic food facilities.  However, as of January 15, FDA resumed inspections of food facilities that produce high risk foods, such as cheeses, other dairy products, seafood, produce, and infant formula, which had been stopped as a result of … Continue Reading

New Canadian Food Safety Law Takes Effect in One Week

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The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations will become effective one week from today, on January 15, 2019. As previously reported on this blog, Canada proposed these regulations in January 2017 to implement the Safe Foods for Canadians Act (SFCA), which was adopted on June 7, 2012. The final Safe Food for Canadians Regulations were published … Continue Reading

EFSA Releases Evaluation of Cyanide Risk from Foods

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The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) has opened a public consultation into a draft opinion on the health risks of cyanogenic glycosides in foods other than raw apricot kernels. Cyanogenic glycosides contain chemically bound cyanide and are present in foods such as apricot kernels, almonds, linseed, or … Continue Reading

Multistate E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Romaine Lettuce Grown in California

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As we reported on this blog last week, FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with state and local agencies, were investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that was likely linked to romaine lettuce. On November 20, the CDC advised consumers not to eat any romaine lettuce, and … Continue Reading

FDA and CDC Investigate Multistate E. coli Outbreak Linked to Romaine

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The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with state and local agencies, are investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that are likely linked to romaine lettuce. On November 20, the CDC advised consumers not to eat any romaine lettuce, and retailers and restaurants not to serve or … Continue Reading

CDC Issues Update on Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Raw Turkey

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An outbreak of Salmonella Reading linked to raw turkey that began in November 2017 continues to sicken Americans in 35 states.  Raw turkey pieces, ground turkey, whole turkey, and turkey pet food have been linked to illnesses in humans. A total of 164 people have been infected, 47% of whom have been hospitalized.  There has … Continue Reading

New Report Reveals Sources of Foodborne Illnesses

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On November 9, 2018, the Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaborations (IFSAC) released a report on foodborne illnesses caused by four pathogens. The data in the report, titled, “Foodborne illness source attribution estimates for 2016 for Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter using multi-year outbreak surveillance data, United States,” came from 1,255 foodborne disease … Continue Reading

FDA Releases Initial Findings on Food Safety in Restaurants

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of foodborne illness outbreaks that occur each year are associated with food from restaurants. CDC has identified five major risk factors related to food safety practices within the retail food industry that contribute to foodborne illness: (1) poor personal hygiene; (2) improper … Continue Reading

United Airlines Faces Multiple Food Safety Whistleblower Lawsuits

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United Airlines is facing three whistleblower lawsuits filed by employees who reported food safety concerns at its Newark catering facility.  The suits have been filed by United’s former senior manager of food safety, Marcia Lee; the General Manager of the Newark catering facility, Eliot Mosby; and Newark Food Safety Manager, Gustavo Moya—who allege that, after … Continue Reading

Ostroff Retires as FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Vet Medicine; FDA to Undergo Food Safety Reorganization

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As reported by multiple outlets, Stephen Ostroff, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food and Veterinary Medicine, will retire January 5. Ostroff assumed the role of Deputy Commissioner in 2016, previously serving as the acting FDA Commissioner on two occasions. Walmart’s Vice President for Food Safety and Health, Frank Yiannas, is set to replace Ostroff. Yiannas will … Continue Reading

USDA Secretary Signals USDA Role Over Animal Cell Culture Technology Regulation Ahead of Joint USDA-FDA Meeting

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As previously reported on this blog, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they will hold a joint meeting on October 23-24, 2018, to discuss the use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry. The meeting will focus on potential hazards, regulatory … Continue Reading

USDA Updates Poultry Line Speed Standards

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On August 21, 2014, USDA-FSIS published a final rule called the “Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection” (79 FR 49566, Aug. 21, 2014) which amended the Agency’s poultry regulations to establish an inspection system for young chicken and turkey slaughter establishments, called the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS). Under the final rule, the maximum line speed for young … Continue Reading

FDA Issues Policy and Related Draft Guidance on Publicizing List of Retailers in Certain Food Recall Situations

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FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced on September 26, 2018 a new FDA policy on disclosing retail information for products subject to food recalls—particularly in Class I recall situations, where consumption of the food has a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals.  Historically, the agency has not released … Continue Reading

FDA Commissioner Discusses FDA’s Efforts to Prevent Foodborne Cyclospora Outbreaks

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FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has issued a press release in the aftermath of this summer’s Cyclospora (C. cayetanensis) outbreaks in fresh produce, highlighting the Agency’s efforts to prevent outbreaks of this foodborne illlness.  Cyclospora is an intestinal parasite that is spread through contamination of food with human waste. FDA has been surveying the food supply … Continue Reading

USDA and FDA Announce Joint Meeting on Animal Cell Culture Technology

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Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they will hold a joint meeting on October 23-24, 2018, to discuss the use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry. As we previously reported on this blog, FDA held a public meeting on … Continue Reading
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