Posts from the "Latest News" category

NL: Food safety a source of constant vigilance for retail

Fresh Plaza: Out of all the things consumers take into consideration when they’re at the supermarket, food safety rarely gets much attention. But for the people who are entrusted with providing that food, food safety is of paramount concern, and the ways fresh produce suppliers and retailers ensure the food they provide is safe has had to adapt to new challenges.

“In the 1970s, availability was a major issue, then taste was in the 1980s, like the environment was in the 1990s and social responsibility was in the 2000s,” said Leon Mols from Ahold while speaking during the recent PMA Fresh Connections held last week in Rotterdam.

NZ: Food sellers face tighter regulations

Wanganui Chronicle: Food outlets should find it easier to operate under changes included in the Food Act 2014 – but that should not be seen as a licence to flaunt the rules. And while the regulations are effective from March 1 next year, there is a transition phase to bring all businesses into line.

Essentially, the rules require businesses that prepare and sell meals – hotels, restaurants, cafes, takeaway businesses and caterers – to have a “food control plan”. That plan will show how they manage food safely and they will have to record their processes, which will then be audited by council environmental health staff.

US: Dole Fresh Vegetables announces allergy alert and voluntary limited recall of DOLE-branded spinach due to possible contamination by walnuts

Dole Fresh Vegetables: Although no illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported, Dole Fresh Vegetables is initiating a limited voluntary recall of DOLE Baby Spinach products. This recall is due to possible contamination of these products by walnuts. The walnuts fell from a tree into spinach bins being delivered from a field and were discovered at the plant. No illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported. However, people who have an allergy to tree nuts may have a serious or life- threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products or products containing walnuts.
Food safety is the first priority of Dole Fresh Vegetables, so although the contamination is not confirmed, this recall is being initiated in an abundance of caution for the benefit of our customers.
Click here to read the full media release from Dole Fresh Vegetables.

GLOBALG.A.P. TOUR 2015 – We’re on our way to New Zealand

globalgap.org: The GLOBALG.A.P. TOUR takes place every two years and is part of our campaign to engage leading stakeholders around the globe. Our aim is to unite them behind our common purpose of creating private sector incentives for agricultural producers worldwide to adopt safe and sustainable agricultural practices.
Join the GLOBALG.A.P. Team at our TOUR 2015 event in Rotorua [on 29th July 2015] organized by Horticulture New Zealand, and learn more about the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices in your region. Don`t miss the opportunity to get in contact with other professionals from your sector!
Click here to find full details of the GLOBALG.A.P. event.

AU: Almond export boost

Stock and Land: The Andrews Labour Government will establish an experimental orchard in Mildura to boost almond research and training and drive production and export growth.
Additional scientists will be engaged to expand research and development into disease management, food safety, water efficient production systems and increased quality and volumes.
Research at the Mildura facility will focus on enhancing the quality of almond crops, while also helping to minimise pest and disease damage and meeting export food safety standards.
Click here to read the full article from Stock and Land.

US: Inactivation dynamics of Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in wash water during simulated chlorine depletion and replenishment processes

Food Microbiology: Maintaining effective sanitizer concentration is of critical importance for preventing pathogen survival and transference during fresh-cut produce wash operation and for ensuring the safety of finished products. However, maintaining an adequate level of sanitizer in wash water can be challenging for processors due to the large organic load in the wash system. In this study, we investigated how the survival of human pathogens was affected by the dynamic changes in water quality during chlorine depletion and replenishment in simulated produce washing operations.
Click here to read the Abstract from Science Direct.

CA: Sliced apples recalled in Canada for Listeria risk, 1 illness reported

Food Safety News: Sun Rich Fresh Foods Inc. is recalling from the marketplace sliced apples and products containing sliced apples produced in its Brampton, Ontario, facility due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. One illness has been reported associated with consumption of these products, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Click here to read the full article from Food Safety News.

US: 8 things food-safety experts never eat

Women’s Health: You know which foods nutritionists steer clear of, but what about the people whose job it is to stop foodborne illnesses in their tracks? Eating healthy doesn’t just mean chowing down on things that might affect your waistline—it also encompasses making sure the food you’re eating won’t send you running to the porcelain throne, thanks to vicious bacteria. Check out the items food-safety experts don’t let pass their lips, then follow their advice for keeping yourself safe.
Click here to read the full article from Women’s Health.