Red Apple

Nano-encapsulated Wax Coatings Protect Produce from Pathogens

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Red Apple

Researchers from Texas A&M have developed a wax coating with nano-encapsulated essential oils for use on produce that provides both immediate and delayed antibacterial effects. Mustafa Akbulut, professor of chemical engineering, worked with horticultural science professor Luis Cisneros-Zevallos to engineer a nano-encapsulated cinnamon-bark essential oil that was then imbibed into a food-grade wax commonly applied on produce surfaces.

They tested the coating on red apples and compared it to traditional wax coatings. Results, published in Current Research in Food Science (vol. 8, 2024), showed that the wax coating with the encapsulated essential oil produced a significant reduction in viable bacterial counts compared to controls coated with paraffin wax after 24 hours of exposure, with reductions of 1.8 ± 0.4 log10 CFU/mL (PBS) and 3.5 ± 0.3 log10 CFU/mL (TSB) for S. aureus, and 1.2 ± 0.2 log10 CFU/mL (PBS) and 1.4 ± 0.4 log10 CFU/mL (TSB) for E. coli.

The nano-encapsulated essential oil made it harder for bacteria to attach and survive on fruits or vegetables. The delayed release of the essential oil increased the half-life of active ingredients and produce compared to its unencapsulated counterparts, according to the study.

The antibacterial effect persisted even after 72-hour immersion in water followed by bacterial exposure. “Furthermore, our novel coatings exhibited significantly reduced bacterial attachment compared to pristine wax-coated substrates. The coatings also showed a great aversion toward A. flavus with the initial zone of inhibition measuring 13.5 ± 0.15 mm and no hyphae and conidiophores growth on the substrates (with coatings) even after 10 days,” the authors wrote.

“This coating was also inhibiting the fungal attachment,” said doctoral student Yashwanth Arcot who ran experiments to support the research. “We have tested this system against Aspergillus, a fungus responsible for the spoilage of food commodities and the onset of lung infections in humans. We were successful in preventing its growth on the hybrid coatings, and these hybrid wax coatings are easily scalable and can be implemented in food processing industries.”

 

James Walter

James Walter Appointed Neogen Vice President of Global Operations

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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James Walter

Neogen Corporation has appointed James “Jim” Walter to the position of Vice President, Global Operations. In this role, he will lead and manage Neogen’s global manufacturing and logistics functions.

Walter graduated with honors from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in mathematics and engineering, then served in the Navy as a nuclear engineer. He comes to Neogen after having spent most of his career at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, serving most recently as Executive Director of Manufacturing Excellence. Previously at Mallinckrodt, he worked in various operations disciplines, helping to execute a wide range of initiatives to drive operational improvement and integration activities, and support growth initiatives. Prior to joining Mallinckrodt, Walter worked in the clean energy industry as Senior Vice President of Operations and Engineering at Tinuum and Vice President of Operations at Catalent Pharma Solutions, where he helped to stabilize and grow the company’s oral and specialty delivery operations worldwide.

“We are excited to welcome Jim to Neogen and add his wealth of operational knowledge to our global leadership team,” said John Adent, President and CEO, Neogen. “Jim brings a great deal of operations and supply chain excellence experience to the company, which will be a significant asset for us, particularly as we continue to integrate the former 3M Food Safety Division into our business.”

2024 Food Safety Consortium logo

Registration Open for the 2024 Food Safety Consortium

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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2024 Food Safety Consortium logo

Registration for the 12th Annual Food Safety Consortium, which will take place October 20-22, 2024, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, is now open.

Presented by Food Safety Tech, the Program starts with several pre-conference workshops and training which leads into two full days of high-level panel discussions, educational presentations, and networking opportunities.

Registration options are available for in-person and virtual attendance.

The Consortium will begin with a keynote presentation from James “Jim” Jones, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, followed by a Town Hall with Jones and USDA regulators.

Other agenda highlights include:

Navigating Global Food Systems: Insights and Strategies for Compliance with FDA’s Food Traceability Rule
Panelists: Sara Bratager, Sr. Food Safety and Traceability Scientist at IFT; John Crabill, Director of Food Safety & Quality at Chipotle; Adam Friedlander, Policy Analyst, Coordinated Outbeak Response, FDA; and Julie McGill, VP of Supply Chain Strategy and Insight, Trustwell

Food Allergen Controls and the Need for Advisory Labels
Presenter: Dr. Steven Gendel, Gendel Food Safety

Understanding Corrective Actions, Nonconformities and Root Cause Analysis
Presenter: Heather McLemore, Senior Accreditation Officer, A2LA

The Internal Audit: Going Beyond the Certificate
Presenter: Cameron Prince, Executive VP, Regulatory Affairs, The Acheson Group

Using a Food Safety Culture “GPS” to Determine Where You Are and Where You Need to Go
Panelists: Tia Glave and Jill Stuber, Catalyst; Cameron Prince and Benjamin Miller, The Acheson Group

View the full agenda here.

Event Hours

Sunday, October 20: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm (Pre-conference Workshops)

Monday, October 21: 8:00 am – 6:30 pm

Tuesday, October 22: 8:30 am – 3:45 pm

Register now.

For sponsorship and exhibit inquiries, contact RJ Palermo, Director of Sales.

 

Bill Marler

Marler Clark Launches Investigation into Deadly Listeria Cheese Outbreak

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Bill Marler

Marler Clark, Inc., The Food Safety Law Firm, is investigating the Rizo Lopez Foods cheese Listeria outbreak that has sickened 26 people in 11 states, including deaths in California and Texas.

According to the CDC and FDA, as of February 12, 2024, a total of 26 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 11 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Two deaths have been reported, one from California and one from Texas. The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, have linked this multi-year, multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to queso fresco and cotija cheeses manufactured by Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc., of Modesto, California. This outbreak includes cases dating back to 2014 and is currently ongoing. CDC investigated this outbreak in 2017 and 2021.

A sample of Rizo Bros Aged Cotija tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes during sampling conducted by the Hawaii State Department of Health’s Food and Drug Branch in January 2024. In response to that finding, Rizo Lopez Foods voluntarily recalled one batch of Rizo Bros Aged Cotija Mexican Grating Cheese (8oz) on January 11, 2024. CDC and FDA reopened the investigation in January 2024 after new illnesses were reported in December 2023 and whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis of the cotija cheese sample showed that it is the same strain of Listeria that is causing illnesses in this outbreak. FDA initiated an on-site inspection at Rizo Lopez Foods. FDA’s inspection is still ongoing; however, an environmental sample collected during that inspection tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. WGS analysis of that sample showed that it is the same strain of Listeria that is causing illnesses in this outbreak.

In response to this investigation, Rizo Lopez Foods has recalled all sell by dates of its dairy products. The recalled products include cheese, yogurt, and sour cream sold under the brand names Bright Farms, Campesino, Casa Cardenas, Dole, Don Francisco, Don Pancho, Dos Ranchitos, El Huache, Food City, Fresh Express, H-E-B, La Ordena, Marketside, President’s Choice, Ready Pac Bistro, Rio Grande, Rizo Bros, Rojos, San Carlos, Santa Maria, Tio Francisco, Trader Joe’s, and 365 Whole Foods Market. The firm has temporarily ceased the production and distribution of these products.

In addition, the USDA has issued a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing Rizo Lopes Foods dairy products that may be contaminated.

“In the U.S. there are an estimated 255 deaths due to Listeria monocytogenes every year, and a case fatality rate of 15-30%. Due to the fatality rate and severe complications, Listeria is a pathogen of significant public health concern,” said William Marler of Marler Clark. “Companies that manufacture high risk foods need to do a far better job at eliminating the risk of a resident Listeria bacteria.”

In 2011, Marler Clark represented the families of 33 people who died after consuming Listeria tainted cantaloupe. In 2023, Marler Clark was profiled in the Netflix documentary “Poisoned.”

Image: William “Bill” Marler

Seafood

FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Sampling for Seafood Subject to DWPE

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Seafood

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a draft guidance for industry titled “Recommendations for Collecting Representative Samples for Food Testing Used as Evidence for Release of Certain Fish and Fishery Products Subject to Detention Without Physical Examination (DWPE) and Removal of a Foreign Manufacturer’s Goods from DWPE.” The draft guidance provides recommendations for collecting representative samples for seafood products subject to Detention Without Physical Examination (DWPE) under an Import Alert because of the appearance of adulteration caused by pathogens, unlawful animal drugs, scombrotoxin (histamine), and/or decomposition.

The draft guidance, once finalized, will help foreign manufacturers and other processors of seafood products subject to DWPE submit evidence to the FDA to support a request to have their products removed from DWPE. It also addresses the concern that industry may experience challenges in supporting their arguments about the safety of seafood products subject to DWPE.

Per the draft guidance, foreign manufacturers or other interested parties requesting removal of product from DWPE should provide information to FDA to adequately demonstrate that the conditions that gave rise to the appearance of the violation have been resolved. This may include evidence of a root cause analysis, relevant corrections to the manufacturing process, and/or other controls that have been implemented to address the violation, and hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) documents, in addition to testing results for consecutive non-violative shipments.

The number of consecutive non-violative shipments required is guided by the FDA’s Regulatory Procedures Manual (RPM), Chapter 9, Sections 9-8-15 and 9-8-16. Typically, five to 12 shipments help demonstrate that the conditions that gave rise to the appearance of the violation have been resolved, per the FDA.

The testing submitted should be from a statistically robust number of samples based on the size of the article and representative of the affected article. The draft guidance includes recommended analytical methods for testing, as well as sampling schedule recommendations with the amount (by weight) of product recommended for collection to represent each sample unit.

Download the draft guidance here.

Stakeholders can submit comments on the draft guidance by April 12, 2024, using docket number FDA-2023-D-5303.

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FDA Identifies Suspect in Lead Contamination Investigation

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On Tuesday, the FDA announced a suspect in the WanaBana cinnamon-applesauce pouch contamination investigation. Per the FDA, Ecuadorian officials in Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (ARCSA) have reported that Carlos Aguilera of Ecuador, the processor of the ground cinnamon supplied by Negasmart to Austrofoods and later used in recalled apple cinnamon products, is the likely source of contamination. According to ARCSA, the unprocessed cinnamon sticks used in recalled products were sourced from Sri Lanka and were sampled by ARCSA and found to have no lead contamination. ARCSA’s investigation and legal proceedings to determine ultimate responsibility for the contamination are still ongoing.

The FDA noted that it has limited authority over foreign ingredient suppliers who do not directly ship product to the U.S. This is because their food undergoes further manufacturing/processing prior to export. Thus, the FDA cannot take direct action with Negasmart or Carlos Aguilera.

As of February 2, there were 100 confirmed cases of lead poisoning, 277 probable cases and 36 suspected cases of for a total of 413 cases from 43 different states. As of February 5, 2024, no additional cases had been reported, and the FDA stated that it has no indication that this issue extends beyond these recalled products nor has it received any confirmed reports of illnesses or elevated blood lead level adverse events reported for other cinnamon-containing products or cinnamon. Confirmed complainants, or people for whom a complaint or adverse event was submitted and met FDA’s complainant definition, are between zero and 53 years of age and the median age is one year old.

CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health is conducting case finding efforts in collaboration with state and local health departments. CDC’s case definition for state partners includes a blood lead level of 3.5 µg/dL or higher measured within three months after consuming a recalled WanaBana, Schnucks, or Weis brand fruit puree product after November 2022.

 

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FDA Withdraws Guidance on Enforcement of Human Food with Chlorpyrifos Residues

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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The FDA is withdrawing a 2022 guidance document titled Questions and Answers Regarding Channels of Trade Policy for Human Food Commodities with Chlorpyrifos Residues: Guidance for Industry, following a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to vacate, or void, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) final rule that revoked all tolerances for the pesticide chemical chlorpyrifos.

In April 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ordered EPA to issue a final rule either revoking all chlorpyrifos tolerances or modifying the chlorpyrifos tolerances, provided EPA could make a determination that those modified tolerances met the safety standard mandated by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). As a result of the short timeframe, EPA found that, based on the available data and anticipated exposure from registered uses of chlorpyrifos, it could not determine that there was a reasonable certainty of no harm from aggregate exposure, including food, drinking water and residential exposure. Consequently, on August 30, 2021 EPA issued a final rule amending 40 CFR 180.342 to revoke all tolerances for residues of chlorpyrifos.

Gharda Chemicals and several grower groups challenged EPA’s revocation of the tolerances in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. On November 2, 2023, the Eighth Circuit issued its decision, vacating EPA’s final rule and remanding the matter to EPA for further proceedings. As a result of this ruling, EPA issued the final rule to reinstate previous tolerances for chlorpyrifos; 40 CFR 180.342 reflects the current legal status of the tolerances for chlorpyrifos. The FDA guidance was intended to explain the agency’s enforcement policy for foods containing chlorpyrifos residues after the tolerances expired, per the 2021 final rule, which is now void.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FDA Releases Foods Program Priorities

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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The FDA has launched a new webpage listing food-related regulations that it plans to publish by October 2024 as well as longer-term regulations it is prioritizing for publication at a later date. The list includes 22 Foods Program regulations ranging from Certifications Concerning Imported Foods to Nutrient Content Claims and Amendments to Exemption Provisions in the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption Regulation.

The three long-term action items relate to color and food additives.

The FDA also updated the list of guidance topics that it is considering and expects to publish by the end of 2024 to include five new guidances. They include:

  • Notifying FDA of a Permanent Discontinuance in the Manufacture or an Interruption of the Manufacture of an Infant Formula; Draft Guidance for Industry
  • Action Levels for Lead in Food Intended for Babies and Young Children: Guidance for Industry
  • The Food Traceability Rule: Questions and Answers; Draft Guidance for Industry
  • Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food; Chapter 12: Preventive Controls for Chemical Hazards: Draft Guidance for Industry
  • Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals: Target Mean and Upper Bound Concentrations for Sodium in Commercially Processed, Packaged, and Prepared Foods (Edition 2): Draft Guidance for Industry

Public comments on the list of guidance topics can be submitted to www.regulations.gov using Docket ID FDA-2022-D-2088.

 

Tracegains and NutriCalc Logos

TraceGains Acquires NutriCalc

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Tracegains and NutriCalc Logos

TraceGains, a developer and provider of compliance and networked product development software, has acquired NutriCalc, a developer of product labeling and nutrition calculation software that helps professional food businesses reach their recipe nutrition targets and allergen labeling requirements.

“Since developing NutriCalc 30 years ago, it has become the industry standard in nutrition labeling across the globe at companies both large and small. Our acquisition by TraceGains fuels the development of future innovations to the product and provides an immediate benefit to customers today by linking them to a robust ingredient marketplace and streamlining their processes. The combination of these products is powerful,” said Dr. David Bartley, Founder of NutriCalc.

With this acquisition, TraceGains inherits NutriCalc’s technology and wealth of nutritional information. In turn, NutriCalc will have access to TraceGains’ network of more than 70,000 supplier locations and a database of more than 500,000 searchable ingredients and items.

Greg Heartman, VP of Product Management at TraceGains, stressed the significance of integrating NutriCalc into the TraceGains networked ecosystem. “This move enriches TraceGains’ offerings in the Food and Beverage sector, focusing on simplifying and automating processes, integrating AI solutions and enabling manufacturers and suppliers to leverage digital transformation,” he said.

“We’re excited about this acquisition because it offers a unique opportunity to drive industry advancement by merging top-tier nutritional calculation, reporting and labeling solutions with TraceGains’ established compliance and product development leadership,” said Gary Nowacki, CEO of TraceGains.

 

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USDA Launches Remote Beef Grading Pilot Program

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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On January 19, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a pilot program to allow more cattle producers and meat processors to access better markets through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) official beef quality grading and certification. The Remote Grading Pilot for Beef, developed by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), matches simple technology with data management and program oversight to allow a USDA grader to assess beef carcass characteristics and assign the official quality grade from a remote location, reducing costs and location as barriers to participation in voluntary grading services.

The pilot program is part of USDA’s comprehensive approach to increase competition in agricultural markets, create a fairer playing field for small- and mid-size farmers and ranchers, and provide producers more options to market their products.

“On average, a beef carcass that grades as USDA Prime is valued at hundreds of dollars more than an ungraded carcass, but costs for this voluntary USDA service often prevents smaller scale processors and the farmers and ranchers they serve from using this valuable marketing tool,” said Secretary Vilsack. “This remote grading pilot opens the door for additional packers and processors to receive grading and certification services allowing them to access new, better, and more diverse marketing opportunities.”

While more than 90% of America’s fed beef supply is officially graded by USDA, most users are large beef packing operations. USDA’s meat grading and certification services are significantly underutilized by small, independent processors, in large part due to the expense of paying for a highly trained USDA grader to travel to their facility to perform service in-person for a relatively small number of cattle that may not require a full day of the graders’ work. Experience with remote grading so far has shown it dramatically reduces travel-related expenses, which makes the service more accessible to smaller processors.

In this pilot, trained plant employees capture specific images of the live animal and beef carcass. These images are submitted electronically to a USDA grader already stationed elsewhere in the U.S., who reviews the images and accompanying plant records and product data, assigns the USDA Quality Grade and applicable carcass certification programs, and communicates the official grade back to the plant to be applied to the carcass. Plants can then use this information in their retail marketing and transmit carcass performance information back to producers.

The pilot will build on lessons-learned during AMS’ feasibility study of a “remote grading” process conducted during the second half of 2023. AMS will expand its testing by engaging a larger and more diverse number of beef packers to participate in the development of this procedure. Through the pilot, AMS will gather additional information on actual cost and the level of in-person surveillance needed to ensure program consistency and integrity to formalize this service option as part of the USDA Quality Grading Service.

The Remote Grading Pilot for Beef is limited to domestic beef slaughter facilities operating under federal inspection and producing product that meets the eligibility criteria for the USDA grading program.

For more information about the Remote Grading Pilot for Beef, visit www.ams.usda.gov/remote-beef-grading. The USDA will host a webinar this Thursday, January 25 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time to provide additional information about the program. To register, visit the signup webpage. A recording will be made available following the live broadcast.