USDA Approves Browning-Resistant GM Apples

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The agency has described that the GE apples are “unlikely to pose a plant pest risk to agriculture and other plants in the United States and that “deregulation is not likely to have a significant impact on the human environment.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has decided to approve new types of apples that have been genetically modified to not brown soon after after being cut. The company that has developed the Arctic Granny and Arctic Golden varieties – Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. – is currently engaging in a voluntary food safety assessment consultation with the Food and Drug Administration regarding the varieties.

According to USDA, the decision to deregulate the apples and allow them to be commercially planted after assessments showed that “the GE apples are unlikely to pose a plant pest risk to agriculture and other plants in the United States” and that “deregulation is not likely to have a significant impact on the human environment.”

According to the company, Arctic apples will age, turn brown and rot like any other fruit, but produce less of the substance that causes browning. So when the apples are sliced or bruised, the fruit’s flesh retains its original color longer instead of turning brown.

Consumer groups opposed to genetically modified foods have indicated their disapproval of USDA’s decision. “Pre-sliced apples are a frequently recalled food product,” noted the Center for Food Safety. “Once the whole fruit is sliced, it has an increased risk of exposure to pathogens. Since browning is a sign that apples are no longer fresh, ‘masking’ this natural signal could lead people to consume contaminated apples.”

These groups are also concerned about the lack of standardized labeling for genetically modified crops and their processed forms. The Environmental Working Groups said that the approval of Arctic apples “underscores the need for a transparent and consistent national labeling standard.”

USDA’s announcement came the day after Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) reintroduced legislation to label genetically engineered food.

Eating Organic Produce Lowers Pesticide Exposure

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A recent study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, concluded that we consume fewer pesticides when we eat organic foods compared to their conventionally grown counterparts.

University of Washington’s Cynthia Curl and her fellow authors surveyed nearly 4,500 people about what they eat. They combined this information with average residue levels in those items from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program to estimate their intake of organophosphate pesticides (OPs). Organophosphates are a group of manufactured chemicals that are the most widely used insecticides today but are not allowed for use in organic farming.

Symptoms of sudden poisoning by organophosphates include headache, dizziness, weakness, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, salivation, watery eyes and small pupils. Severe symptoms include seizures, slow pulse, difficulty breathing and coma.

Long-term exposure to organophosphates can cause confusion, anxiety, loss of memory, loss of appetite, disorientation, depression and personality changes. After exposure, people can also develop nervous system problems such as muscle weakness and numbness and tingling of the hands and feet, and some studies in adults and children have linked organophosphate exposure to lymphoma and leukemia.

In their study, Curl and her team also collected urine samples from 720 people to test for dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites — common byproducts of the body metabolizing most OPs. DAP concentrations supported the estimated pesticide exposure, and the researchers also found that the 240 participants who said they ate more organic produce had “significantly lower” DAP concentrations.

This isn’t the first study relating to chemical residues and food consumption, but it is the first to include information on organic food consumption habits. “The food composition — chemical residue method described in the present study may prove useful in future epidemiological studies of long-term dietary OP exposure, particularly if paired with information on organic food consumption, which may modify the observed exposure-response relationship,” the authors wrote. “As concern grows regarding potential effects of low-level OP exposures, the need increases for more sophisticated exposure assessment methods.”

Jennifer McEntire Joins GMA as VP of Science Operations

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McEntire currently serves as The Acheson Group’s vice president and chief science officer, focusing on supply chain risks and mitigation in the changing regulatory landscape and global food safety system.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has announced that Jennifer Cleveland McEntire will take over as the organization’s new vice president of science operations beginning March 3rd.

McEntire currently serves as The Acheson Group’s vice president and chief science officer, focusing on supply chain risks and mitigation in the changing regulatory landscape and global food safety system. Before then, she was a senior staff scientist and director and science and technology projects with the Institute of Food Technologists. This work allowed her to partner with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

“Product safety is the number one priority for GMA and its member companies, and Jennifer’s appointment is part of our continued commitment to strengthen our world class food safety practice,” says Leon Bruner, GMA’s chief science officer. “Her considerable expertise and experience will no doubt strengthen our scientific and technical capabilities as well.”

McEntire earned her Bachelor of Science (magna cum laude) in food science from the University of Delaware. This was followed by a Doctor of Philosophy from Rutgers University where she was also a USDA National Needs Fellow in Food Safety. Her academic research focused on Listeria monocytogenes.

“It is an honor and pleasure to join GMA, whose accomplishments and leadership in food safety are widely recognized,” McEntire said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues at GMA and its member companies to further strengthen the safety of our food supply chain, both here at home and abroad.”

Canadian Poultry Products Recalled for Lack of Import Inspection

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The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “Canada 591”. These products were shipped to retail locations in Washington.

Sunrise Poultry Processors of Lethbridge, Alberta, is recalling approximately 2,705 pounds of poultry products that were not presented at the U.S. point of entry for inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following poultry items, produced on Feb. 2, 2015, are subject to recall:

  • 40-lb. bulk cases of “Sunrise Poultry CHICKEN THIGHS.”
  • 25-lb. cases of “Sunrise Poultry CHICKEN THIGHS BONELESS.”
  • 25-lb. cases of “Sunrise Poultry BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST.”
  • 2.5-lb. cases of “Sunrise Poultry CHICKEN WHOLE FRYER.”
  • 4-lb. cases of “Sunrise Poultry CHICKEN WHOLE FRYER.”
  • 3.25 to 3.75-lb. cases of “Sunrise Poultry CHICKEN WHOLE FRYER.”

The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “Canada 591”. These products were shipped to retail locations in Washington.

The problem was discovered when the import facility reported to FSIS that product with an estimated date of arrival of Feb. 4, 2015, had not been received at that location.

FSIS and the company have received no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

Neogen Responds to Cumin and Spice Blend Contamination Involving Peanut

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The company has announced that its comprehensive line of food allergen tests includes quantitative and screening test kits that can quickly and accurately detect peanut and almond allergens in cumin and spice blends.

In response to recent recalls of products containing cumin found to be contaminated with peanuts and almonds, Neogen has announced that its comprehensive line of food allergen tests includes quantitative and screening test kits that can quickly and accurately detect peanut and almond allergens in cumin and spice blends.

Neogen’s AOAC-approved Veratox® for Peanut Allergen has been validated to detect and fully quantify peanut residues in cumin in about 30 minutes, with minimal training and equipment. Neogen also offers its Alert® for Peanut Allergen, which screens samples at 5 parts per million (ppm), and is based on the same technology of its Veratox test. The company offers the same options to test samples for the presence of almonds. In addition, the Reveal® for Peanut Allergen test kit is an effective screening tool for the presence of peanut residues in these sample types.

For companies that prefer not to do their own on-site testing, Neogen also offers a rapid laboratory testing service at its locations in Lansing, Mich., and Ayr, Scotland.

“Both food allergic consumers and food producers rely on the accurate labeling of food products to protect themselves from the consequences of the accidental ingestion of food allergens,” said Tony Lupo, Neogen’s Director of Technical Services. “Testing that we have done with numerous raw ingredient and finished product samples containing cumin have detected the presence of peanuts, in high levels in some cases. Tests can protect businesses in the food value chain — and their consumers.”

Neogen’s tests detect both the nut and residual protein remaining in shell components of peanuts and almonds.

Neogen has created a special website where processors, producers and test labs can go for further information, including a new white paper on contaminated cumin. The address is www.neogen.com/CuminResponse. On the site you will find information on contacting Neogen to speak to a specialist, and be able to download our new white paper, our allergen supplier checklist, and our Food Allergen Control Handbook.

Neogen’s food allergen testing products have been developed in close cooperation with the University of Nebraska’s Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP). FARRP is a food industry and university partnership that was formed to provide research and resource tools to the food industry. It is the leader in training and educating the industry on allergen awareness.

Neogen Corporation develops and markets products dedicated to food and animal safety. The company’s Food Safety Division markets dehydrated culture media, and diagnostic test kits to detect foodborne bacteria, natural toxins, food allergens, drug residues, plant diseases and sanitation concerns. Neogen’s Animal Safety Division is a leader in the development of animal genomics along with the manufacturing and distribution of a variety of animal healthcare products, including diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, veterinary instruments, wound care and disinfectants.

FDA Commissioner Hamburg to Step Down

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Hamburg, one of the longest-serving FDA commissioners in the modern era, told Reuters in an interview that her decision was prompted by the heavy demands of the job and the sheer length of time she has held the position.

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who for almost six years has overseen public health initiatives ranging from tobacco control and food safety to personalized medicine, disease control and drug approvals, is stepping down, Reuters News Agency has reported.

Hamburg, 59, is one of the longest-serving FDA commissioners in the modern era. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2009 and last year was named the world’s 51st most powerful woman by Forbes.

Hamburg, one of the longest-serving FDA commissioners in the modern era, told Reuters in an interview that her decision was prompted by the heavy demands of the job and the sheer length of time she has held the position. “This is a very challenging job full of opportunities to make a huge and enduring difference,” she said, “but it is 24/7 and there are really really difficult decisions to make.”

Late last month, the agency named Dr. Robert Califf, a prominent cardiologist and researcher from Duke University, to oversee its drug, medical device and tobacco policy. Reuters adds that Califf may be a potential successor to Hamburg.

A long-time public health official with extensive experience fighting AIDS and tuberculosis, Hamburg, who graduated from Harvard Medical School, previously served at the National Institutes of Health before becoming New York City’s health commissioner.

Click here to read the Reuters article.

Funding Critical for FSMA, Says FDA’s Taylor

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In an FDA blog, the Deputy Commissioner for Foods describes that work must be done right now to ensure that FSMA rules are implemented smoothly and effectively in late 2016 and 2017, and lists several areas in need of additional funding that, through FSMA, will transform the food safety system into one that prevents hazards instead of just responding to them.

President Obama’s FY 2016 budget request would provide an additional $109 million for FSMA implementation. In the current fiscal year, FDA received an additional $27.5 million. And at this juncture as Congress considers the funding that will help transform all the plans and preparations for FSMA into protections that will greatly reduce the number of illnesses caused by contaminated foods and greatly increase consumer confidence in the safety of our food supply, this additional investment would be critical for the success of FSMA and its implementation, writes Michael R. Taylor is FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine.

In an FDA Voice blog, Taylor describes that work must be done right now to ensure that the FSMA rules are implemented smoothly and effectively in late 2016 and 2017, and lists the areas in need of additional funding that, through FSMA, will transform the food safety system into one that prevents hazards instead of just responding to them.

  • Approach to food safety inspections and compliance will be fundamentally different. FDA will deploy inspectors who are specialized in specific food commodities, rather than covering a broad range of FDA-regulated products. Backed by technical experts, they will assess the soundness and performance of a facility’s overall food safety system. Achieving this will require a major reorientation and retraining of more than 2,000 FDA inspectors, compliance officers and other staff involved in food safety activities.
  • For vast majority of food producers want to comply and keep their products safe. FDA will be issuing guidance documents that will be essential to helping industry meet FSMA requirements. Funds are needed now for FDA to recruit additional experts who can ensure that guidance development is based on the best science and knowledge of industry practices.
  • Education and technical assistance to help farmers, processors and importers—especially small businesses—implement the new standards. FDA would use a large portion of these resources to provide financial support to state agencies and public-private-academic collaborative entities, such as the Produce Safety Alliance and the Preventive Controls Alliance. FDA has also joined with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in providing grants that will fund food safety training for small, sustainable and organic farm owners and food processors.
  • State partnerships. There are more than 3,000 state, local and tribal government agencies involved in food safety. To align state programs with FDA’s new facility inspection and compliance approach, the agency will provide states with funds for inspector training, information sharing capacity with FDA and other states, state laboratory coordination, and inspector certification programs, and these preparations must be accelerated in 2016.
  • Modernize how we ensure the safety of imported foods. The Foreign Supplier Verification Program will require a substantial regulatory development process, increased staffing and the training of more than 400 investigative and compliance personnel within FDA to enforce the regulation. It will also require extensive training and technical assistance for importers.

Those are just the highlights; there’s much more to be done. The bottom line is that without investment now, and sustained funding afterwards, there is the risk that the implementation of FSMA will be uneven or even delayed. This would be bad for everyone, including those who must meet the new standards and those who must enforce them. Most importantly, it would be bad for consumers, who want to be sure that the foods they are eating and serving their families are safe.

Click here for the full blog. 

NSF International Strengthens Global Food Division’s European Team

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Global public health organization NSF International has appointed Kevin Swoffer as Technical Director of its Global Food Safety Division. Additionally, NSF promoted Stephen Cox to Global Managing Director, NSF Agriculture and Grace O’Dwyer to Director of Operations for NSF’s Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

With nearly 40 years of experience in the food retail and manufacturing sectors, Swoffer has held a number of senior executive positions, including Head of Technical Services at British Retail Consortium, where he was instrumental in developing the BRC series of standards and the Safe and Local Supplier Approval scheme (SALSA). He has also worked at Nestlé UK and Safeway UK in several technical roles, and most recently served as a consultant to a number of global organisations.

“Kevin, Stephen and Grace have a great deal of technical experience in the industry,” said David Richardson, Vice President of NSF International’s Global Food Division’s EMEA region. “I have no doubt our clients will benefit from the changes we have made to our senior management team, adding a unique level of expertise and experience to the services NSF International provides.”

“I have worked with NSF International over many years and welcomed their professional input into standards development and certification services. NSF International has also developed a number of unique solutions to food safety issues. I have long respected their leadership and approach within a very demanding industry,” said Swoffer. “I’m confident we will continue to bring innovative technical services to clients and further enhance our consulting proposition.”

In his role, working as a member of the NSF Technical Services and Consulting Leadership Group, Swoffer will be responsible for developing, implementing and continuously improving services consistent with corporate strategy and meeting the needs of NSF clients. He will provide technical support, advice and guidance to members of NSF teams in the EMEA region.

Swoffer has been involved with the development of food safety standards since 1993. He has authored a number of industry publications including editing the UK Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice: Retail Guide, 2nd Edition and writing BRC Product Recall Guidelines. He was appointed as an expert on food quality and safety private standards for UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) in 2009 and as the Chairman of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Technical Committee in December 2007. He was one of the founding members of the GFSI in 1999 and has been actively involved with GFSI development in recent years. He holds a degree in food science and is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Stephen Cox, formerly NSF Agriculture International Development Director, moves to Global Managing Director, NSF Agriculture. In this new role he is developing new services for traditional and emerging agricultural markets in addition to further developing the business’ role. In his earlier role as Business Development & Quality Director for NSF Certification, Cox and his team managed many of the technical and integrity issues for a variety of pre- and post-farm gate assurance standards in addition to liaising with the global network with specific responsibilities for the U.S., Spain, Italy and South Africa.

Grace O’Dwyer has been promoted to the role of Director of Operations EMEA from her previous position as Director of Operations for NSF Agriculture. In her new role, O’Dwyer will focus on developing the European infrastructure of offices, technical expertise and administration support across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. This includes putting in place innovative IT platforms and systems and strengthening operating processes and systems to provide best-in-class customer service support. With a background of technical services provision and business development in the agri-industry, O’Dwyer has significant experience developing customer-led solutions and operating practices in international supply networks.

To learn more about the NSF Global Food Division, visit the NSF Food Safety website.

Four Large Retailers Asked to Stop Selling ‘Mislabeled’ Herbal Supplements

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The New York Attorney General’s office has ordered Walmart, Target, Walgreens and GNC to stop selling “mislabeled” herbal supplements, after independent lab tests of these supplements have revealed that they do not contain ingredients as stated on the labels.

NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has sent cease-and-desist letters to all four companies demanding that they stop selling their store-brand herbal supplements because DNA barcoding showed that 79 percent of them either didn’t contain the stated ingredient(s), or were contaminated by other filler materials such as rice and wheat to which some people might be allergic. The companies have been asked to respond by February 9, with information about how their store-brand supplements are processed, according to a NY Times report.

“The topic of purity (or lack thereof) in popular herbal dietary supplements has raised serious public health and safety concerns, and also caused this office to take steps to independently assess the validity of industry and advertising,” the letters stated, adding that “Contamination, substitution and falsely labeling herbal products constitute deceptive business practices and, more importantly, present considerable health risks for consumers.”

Tests were done at the request of the New York AG’s office on the following store-brand supplements: Ginkgo Biloba, St. John’s Wort, Ginseng, Echinacea, Valerian Root, Garlic and Saw Palmetto. Three to four samples of each supplement purchased in different parts of the state were tested. Each sample was tested five times, for a total of 390 tests on 78 samples.

Only 4 percent of Walmart’s supplements (“Spring Valley” brand) actually contained the ingredients listed on the label, while 18 percent did at Walgreens (“Finest Nutrition” brand), 22 percent at GNC (“Herbal Plus” brand), and 41 percent at Target stores (“Up & Up” brand). Only the GNC garlic consistently tested as advertised, according to the AG’s office.

A Walmart spokesperson has said that the retailer is immediately reaching out to the suppliers of these products to learn more information and will take appropriate action. Walgreens agreed to remove the products from its stores across the country, even though only New York was requiring it to do so. GNC confirmed that the products in question had been removed from its store shelves.

Creighton R. Magid is a partner at the international law firm Dorsey & Whitney and head of its Washington DC office, supported Attorney General Schneiderman’s actions and described that “he is taking aim at these herbal supplements not by attacking their efficacy or health risk, which would be more difficult to prove, but by alleging false labeling – something that can presumably be proved with a lab test to establish the actual ingredients.”

“Unless the manufacturers or retailers can show that the ingredients of these products are as shown on the labels – and not merely powdered versions of a junior high lunch – these products will probably start disappearing from store shelves rather quickly,” Magid added.

Metagenomics, Food Safety

Mars Inc. and IBM Research Partner for Food Safety Genome Sequencing Project

By Maria Fontanazza
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Metagenomics, Food Safety

In a novel large-scale collaboration by IBM and Mars, Inc., researchers are harvesting and sequencing the DNA and RNA of simple food samples to determine where anomaly and mutations occur when paired with common organisms or genes, toxins, and heavy metals.

Resulting in a “microbial baseline,” or a benchmark representing normal microbe communities, the index produced from this study will be a gold standard for food and health officials globally to understand what triggers contamination and the spread of disease.

This Consortium for sequencing the food supply chain will study the microbial ecology of foods and their processing environments, and hopes to have a deeper understanding of the populations in these ecologies — bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microorganisms — and how they interact with each other can then be used to develop new methods for keeping food safe.

“Investigating the genetic fingerprints of food ingredients and their environments will help us unearth genomic keys to healthy food and people,” describes Jeff Wesler, Vice President and Lab Director for IBM Research.

IBMResearchGenomesequecingFeb2015One of the goals of the consortium is to see if there are any actions that food producers can take in respect to microbiomes that can reduce risk and make production safer. And Mars, with more than 130 factories worldwide, can help map the flow of microorganisms into and through the supply chain on a global level. An informatics infrastructure developed in the IBM Accelerated Discovery Lab, a data and analytics hub for IBM researchers and their clients and partners, will help the team parse and aggregate terabytes of genomic data from Mars and apply decades of refined analytics to uncover new insights. Adding relevant weather, transport and other contextual data could help define a targeted breakout, marking on the index a warning for food producers and distributors at the outset of a processing cycle.

Mars and IBM are looking to partner with industry, academics, regulators and some NGOs on the project. For more information, click here.