Posts from the "Latest News" category
AU: It’s almost Food Safety Week – quiz now available
Click here to read the media release from the Food Safety Information Council: Only a few more sleeps until Australian Food Safety Week, 8 to 15 November 2015. The theme is ‘Did you know?’ (busting the food safety myths). We’ll be releasing our consumer research findings and busting those most common myths on Sunday 8 November.
We are encouraging everyone to take time with their family, friends and colleagues to do our online food safety mythbusting quiz which is now available in an online version or as a printable version without answers and you can check your answers here.
Read Article →NZ: Food forum panel discussion on food safety culture
New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries: Defined as “the collective food safety practices used within an organisationâ€, a culture of food safety is built on a set of shared assumptions, behaviours, and values that organisations and their employees embrace to produce and provide safe food and also meet consumers’ expectations.
This panel discussion focuses on how New Zealand can progress its own journey. Panelists: Frank Yiannas (Author of ‘Food Safety Culture’ and VP Food Safety Wal-Mart), Prof Alan Reilly (Adjunct professor, Institute of Food and Health, University College, Dublin and former Chief Executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland) and Katherine Rich (Chief Executive, Food and Grocery Council)
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US: Food safety and the perception of risk
Click here to read the full article from Food Safety News: In the latest issue of Food Safety Magazine published Nov. 3, 2015, there is an article about the terms “hazard analysis†and “risk assessment.†I wrote that article to highlight the fact that these terms, which have different origins but may have similar meanings, are not really the same and do not produce the same results.
Briefly, hazard analysis is the assessment of the hazards that may be associated with a food commodity in a particular food processing establishment, with the final output of finding out which hazards are “significant†and have to be addressed in a HACCP (hazard analysis critical control points) plan. Risk assessment is more complex and requires the use of more sophisticated data analysis to characterize the risk for a given pathogen/food commodity combination.
Read Article →NZ: Taking a risk-based approach
NZ Ministry for Primary Industries: NZFSA scientists are always re-evaluating the weight of scientific evidence relating to food safety, looking to see if it fits into the New Zealand context, and are ready to act if it does.
Good science follows the accepted scientific process: observe, develop hypothesis, undertake repeat research and refine it. It involves peer review and robust systems of analysis methodology and interpretation. The work can take decades and rarely makes gripping reading.
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FJ: FSSA promotes food hygiene
Scoop.co.nz: Timed to coincide with the European Union’s Month of Food Safety, [was] the official launch of the Fiji Food Safety Association (FSSA), a non-profit organisation that brings together a group of professionals to represent the interests and views of everyone involved in food hygiene, across all disciplines.
The FFSA consists of food manufacturers, retailers, caterers, Environmental and Health Officers, consultants, research organisations, training bodies and students. “Our focus is to integrate local know-how with international standards and best practices, to deliver safe and quality products and services that meet local and international requirements, †said FFSA President, Ms Deepa Lal.
Read Article →US: German court: compensate cucumber grower wrongly accused in E. coli outbreak
Food Safety News: A court in Hamburg, Germany, has decided that a Spanish vegetable grower and distributor should be compensated for losses sustained after its cucumbers were wrongly named as the likely source of a 2011 outbreak of the rare and deadly E. coli O104:H4.
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US: Modern outbreak detection challenges produce food safety
The Packer: DNA fingerprinting and other scientific methods — as well as social media — are changing the face of food illness outbreaks.
Panelists participating in an Oct. 23 food safety workshop at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit learned that and as scientific methods which can link foodborne illness cases in Oregon to one in the middle of the country, social media can link rare and sporadic spoilage issues.
Read Article →AU/NZ: FSANZ annual report sums up a year of food recalls
Food Safety Magazine: An annual report released by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) reveals that most of both countries’ food recalls throughout 2014-15 have been due to undeclared allergens and microbiological contaminations–primarily Listeria.
FSANZ–the leading authority on food safety regulation in Australia and New Zealand–announced a total of 58 recalls during that time. This was a 12 percent decrease compared to the 66 recalls issued in 2013-14. Here’s a brief breakdown of the recall causes:
Read Article →AU/NZ: FSANZ reminds importers about mandatory allergen labelling requirements
Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today reminded all businesses, including importers, about the need to meet mandatory allergen labelling requirements.
FSANZ Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon said there has been a number of coconut product recalls due to a lack of mandatory allergen (milk and milk products) labelling.
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