Posts from the "Topics" category
NO: An outbreak of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infection in Norway, 2012: a reminder to consider uncommon pathogens in outbreaks involving imported products
Epidemiology and Infection: We investigated an outbreak of gastroenteritis following a Christmas buffet served on 4 – 9 December 2012 to ~1300 hotel guests. More than 300 people were reported ill in initial interviews with hotel guests. Imported chives added fresh to the scrambled eggs were the suspected source of the outbreak but were unavailable for testing. Following this outbreak, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority recommended that imported fresh herbs should be heat-treated before use in commercial kitchens.
Click here to read the full Summary at Cambridge Journals Online.
NZ: Fruit producers to face higher fees
Farmers, fruit-growers and other food producers could feel a pinch, with the government looking to hike its fees for biosecurity and food safety services.
The Ministry for Primary Industries is consulting on a plan to recover an extra 12.8 million dollars a year for its pest-prevention and safety systems. Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew says the changes will vary between food sectors.
Click here to read the full article from Newstalk.
Click here to read the media release from the Ministry for Primary Industries.
US: Scared By The Apple Recall? These 5 Fruits And Veggies Are Even Bigger Risks
Yahoo health: Apples are the second most popular fruit in America, according the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. But apple contamination is rare because the fruit has a hard surface, which prevents bacteria from entering the fruit, says Doug Powell, PhD, a former professor of food safety in the U.S. and Canada who publishes barfblog.com.
“Fresh fruits and vegetables are probably the biggest source of foodborne illness today in North America, and that’s because they’re fresh — we don’t cook them — so anything that comes into contact has the potential to contaminate,” Powell tells Yahoo Health.
Powell is especially careful with the following five fruits and vegetables, which have been linked to a significant number of foodborne illness outbreaks over the past few years. (And no, apples didn’t make the list.)
Click here to read the full article on Yahoo Health.
A-NZ: Consultation on proposed approach to next stage of a review on micro limits
​Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today released a consultation paper on the proposed approach to the next phase of a review of microbiological limits in the Food Standards Code.
FSANZ Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Marion Healy said the aim of the review was to ensure the limits are practical and clear for both industry and enforcement agencies and consistent with contemporary practices.
“The limits in the code were set before 2000 and since that time approaches to food safety have evolved, along with our understanding of how to manage pathogens in the food chain,” Dr Healy said.
Click here to read the full media release and to access the consultation paper and directions for making a submission.
Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) recognises SQF Scope Extension for Storage and Distribution
The GFSI Board of Directors is pleased to announce that SQF has achieved recognition against the Guidance Document Sixth Edition for the scope of Storage and Distribution (J). This is in addition to the scopes for which SQF has already achieved GFSI recognition (AI, BI, C, D, EI, EII, EIII, EIV, F, L and M). The GFSI Guidance Document’s Scope J, Provision of Storage and Distribution Services, is the latest extension to the scopes covered by the GFSI benchmarking requirements, and includes the management of safety schemes for storage facilities and the distribution vehicles for food and feed.
Click here to read the full article from the Global Food Safety Initiative.
US: Bidart Bros. Works with Federal and State Officials to Determine Source of Listeriosis-Associated Outbreak
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating with public health officials … to investigate an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections (listeriosis) linked to commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples. As of January 10, 2015, a total of 32 people infected with the outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes had been reported from 11 states. Thirty-one ill people have been hospitalized, and seven deaths have been reported. Listeriosis contributed to at least three of these deaths. To date, 25 (89%) of the 28 ill people interviewed reported eating commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples before becoming ill.
Today, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the results of findings from additional tests performed on samples collected from Bidart Bros. apple processing plant. Test results confirm two strains of Listeria monocytogenes were found at the apple processing facility and are believed to be the same strains associated with the [caramel apples] outbreak. Those same strains were also found in Bidart Bros. apples collected from a retailer by the FDA. Bidart Bros. has instituted a voluntary recall of all Granny Smith and Gala apples still available in the marketplace.
Click here to read the US FDA media release and here for the latest CDC update.
BRC publish revised Global Standard for Food Safety
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has published the seventh issue of its internationally recognised BRC Global Standard for Food Safety on 7 January 2015, and audits against Issue 7 will begin in July 2015.
The BRC Global Standards are internationally recognised as the market leaders setting the benchmark for good manufacturing practices in food, packaging, storage and distribution, agents and brokers, and consumer products. Certification enables customers to have confidence in their suppliers, and helps suppliers by allowing them to show they are maintaining high standards of safety, quality and legal compliance.
Click here to read the full article from the British Retail Consortium.
US: 2011 Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak Still Lingers in 2014
In evaluating some of this year’s top stories in food safety, it’s been found that news originating two to three years ago still made headlines in 2014.
One of those stories was that of the 2011 Jensen Farms (Holly, CO) Listeria monocytogenes outbreak traced back to contaminated cantaloupes that ultimately caused 33 deaths and one miscarriage. The cantaloupes were shipped after a July 2011 audit conducted on behalf of food safety audit firm PrimusLabs Corporation, giving the packing facility a “superior” rating of 96 out of 100.
Click here to read the full article in Food Safety Magazine.
Getting Your Claims Right – A guide to complying with the Nutrition, Health and Related Claims Standard of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
This document, developed by the Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR), provides guidance on how to comply with the Nutrition, Health and Related Claims Standard (Standard 1.2.7) in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Food Standards Code).
Click here to download a copy of the guide from the FSANZ website.
AU: Irradiation of Specific Fruits & Vegetables
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has assessed an application made by the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to irradiate apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, plum, honeydew, rockmelon, scallopini1, strawberry, table grape and zucchini (courgette) for phytosanitary purposes.
On 28 August 2014, FSANZ sought submissions on a draft variation and published an associated report. FSANZ received forty six submissions. FSANZ approved the draft variation on 4 December 2014. The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation2 (Forum) was notified of FSANZ’s decision on 15 December 2014.
Click here to download the Approval Report for Application A1092.