USDA Appoints New Members to Food Safety Advisory Committee

By Food Safety Tech Staff

The USDA has appointed 21 new members and nine returning members to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). The purpose of the committee is to provide impartial scientific advice and recommendations to federal food safety agencies. Members of the committee are chosen based on their expertise in microbiology, risk assessment, epidemiology, public health, food science and other relevant disciplines. One individual affiliated with a consumer group is included in the membership of the committee and five members are federal government employees representing the five federal agencies involved in NACMCF—USDA FSIS, FDA, CDC, the Department of Commerce National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Department of Defense Veterinary Services.

“NACMCF members bring a wealth of expertise and dedication to the critical mission of ensuring the safety of our nation’s meat and poultry products,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Their contributions will help us continue to strengthen our nation’s food supply and protect the health and well-being of American consumers.”

The newly appointed NACMCF members, who will serve two-year terms are:

Dr. Bledar Bisha. University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
Dr. Heather Carleton. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Dr. Anna Carlson. Cargill Protein, Wichita, Kansas
Dr. Hayriye Cetin-Karaca. Smithfield Foods, Springdale, Ohio
Dr. Ben Chapman. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
Dr. Vik Dutta. bioMérieux, Chicago, Illinois
Dr. Larry Figgs. Douglas County Health Dept., Omaha, Nebraska
Dr. David Goldman. Groundswell Strategy, Arlington, Virginia
Dr. Michael Hansen. Consumer Reports, Yonkers, New York
Dr. Arie Havelaar. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Dr. Ramin Khaksar. Clear Labs, San Carlos, California
Lieutenant Colonel Noel Kubat. Department of Defense, U.S. Army Veterinary Corps, Fort Knox, Kentucky
Dr. KatieRose McCullough. North American Meat Institute, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Indaue Giriboni de Mello. Newman’s Own, Westport, Connecticut
Dr. Eric Moorman. Butterball, LLC, Garner, North Carolina
Dr. Abani Pradhan. University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
Mr. Shivrajsinh Rana. Reckitt, Parsippany, New Jersey
Dr. Marcos Sanchez Plata. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
Dr. Kristin Schill. University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
Dr. Nikki Shariat. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Dr. Abigail Snyder. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

The returning NACMCF members are:

Dr. Yaohua (Betty) Feng. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
Ms. Janell Kause. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Elisabetta Lambertini. Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Washington, D.C.
Ms. Shannara Lynn. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Seafood Inspection Laboratory, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Dr. Maxim Teplitski. International Fresh Produce Association, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Bing Wang. University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska
Dr. Benjamin Warren. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, College Park, Maryland
Dr. Randy Worobo. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Dr. Teshome Yehualaeshet. Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama

NACMCF will hold a virtual public meeting of the full committee and subcommittees from November 14, 2023, to November 16, 2023. In addition to welcoming the new members, the committee will introduce a new charge from FSIS on genomic characterization of pathogens and continue working on the response to the FDA’s charge on Cronobacter spp. in Powdered Infant Formula. Register here to attend the meeting.

October 24, 2023

Highlights from the 2023 Food Safety Consortium

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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Last week, hundreds of food safety professionals, members of the FDA and USDA, and leaders in academia, food safety testing and cybersecurity met in Parsippany, New Jersey, for the 2023 Food Safety Consortium.

Keynote speaker Sandra Eskin, Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety at USDA FSIS, and Erik Mettler, Assistant Commissioner for Partnerships and Policy in the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs, opened the Consortium to discuss their agencies’ priorities for 2024 and took part in a town hall Q&A with attendees.

Eskin and Mettler — Sandra Eskin and Erik Mettler

In April, the USDA FSIS declared salmonella an adulterant in raw breaded chicken products. The agency is now reviewing comments and finalizing a framework for other poultry products and examining how to substantiate claims, such as “Pasture Raised,” “Grass Fed” and “Raised without Antibiotics.” Cell-cultured meat is another key focus for FSIS, and it is requiring labeling of “Cell Cultivated” on the packaging of these products.

Mettler discussed the “mass reorganization” of the FDA that is currently underway following the 2022 Reagan Udall report, noting that Jim Jones, the new Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods will have full control of policy and resources of the Human Foods program. A key focus will be risk management prioritization. Expect to see full reorganization in late summer or early fall of 2024.

Reorganization of the FDA’s Human Foods program was a hot topic that was also discussed in depth during Modernizing the U.S. Food Safety System with panelists Stephen Ostroff, former FDA commission, Barbara Kowalcyk, faculty at Georgetown University, and Bill Marler, food safety attorney with Marler Clark.

Session Highlights

This year, attendees had the opportunity to take part in full-day pre-conference workshops, including Food Safety Auditor Training with Trish Wester, president of the Association for Food Safety Auditing Professionals, and the Food Safety Culture Design Workshop with Gina Nicholson Kramer, Associate Director of Partnerships, Policy, & Learning at The Ohio State University, and Richard Fleming and Austin Welch of Sage Media.

Sessions during the two-day Consortium covered everything from data analytics to risk mitigation, grassroots food safety culture and recall trends.

Attendees were able to take part in a Panel Discussion with the Producer and Food Safety Experts Behind “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food” Documentary with producer Kristin Lazure and featured members of the film, including Dr. Darin Detwiler, CEO of Detwiler Consulting Group, and professor at Northeastern University, attorney Bill Marler, and Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports.

Steven Gendel spoke on regulatory guidance, thresholds and best practices for Allergen Advisory Labeling, followed by Tracie Sheehan of Mérieux Nutrisciences who presented Protecting Allergic Consumers through Audited and Validated Allergen Control Plans.

Cybersecurity panel FSC2023 — Food Safety and Cybersecurity panel discussion

Two sessions highlighted the growing threat of cyber attacks. Attendees gained valuable insights from Mark Wittrock, Assistant Director – Health, Food, and Agriculture Resilience Office of Health Security, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in Re-Imagining Food Protection as a National Security Issue – DHS Perspective, and Scott Algeier of the Food-Ag ISAC, who led a panel discussion on Food Safety and Cybersecurity.

“We’d like to thank all of our attendees, speakers and sponsors for helping make this year’s Food Safety Consortium a success. Through discussion, sharing of knowledge and building industry connections, the food industry will be better prepared to tackle the biggest challenges facing food safety, ensuring a safer and more resilient food supply for consumers,” said Rick Biros, founder and program director of the Consortium and publisher of Food Safety Tech. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to next year’s program in Washington, DC.”

Save the Date: The 2024 Food Safety Consortium will take place October 20-22 in Washington, DC. The call for abstracts is now open.

About the Food Safety Consortium: Organized by Food Safety Tech, the Food Safety Consortium Conference, launched in 2012, is an educational and networking event that has food safety, food integrity and food defense as the foundation of its educational content. With a unique focus on science, technology, best practices and compliance, the “Consortium” features critical thinking topics that have been developed for both industry veterans and knowledgeable newcomers.

October 13, 2023

Nature’s Touch Acquires Sunrise Growers Frozen Fruit Operations

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Nature’s Touch has acquired the frozen fruit operations of SunOpta Inc., a subsidiary of Sunrise Growers. Nature’s Touch, founded in 2004, is a leading retail supplier of frozen organic and conventional fruits worldwide. The company operates freezing and packaging facilities in both Canada and the U.S. and recently invested in a new facility in Virginia. Sunrise Growers frozen fruit operations are located in Edwardsville, Kansas, and Jacona, Mexico.

In a release announcing the acquisition, Nature’s Touch stated that the acquisition will help create value for consumers through synergies in scale, product diversity, innovation, geographic reach and growth prospects. “This acquisition is more than just a business transaction—it marks a deliberate step towards a future that is more integrated, innovative and impactful. By welcoming the Sunrise Growers’ frozen fruit operations into our family, we are bolstering our unwavering commitment to offering unparalleled value to our customers and stakeholders,” said John Tentomas, CEO of Nature’s Touch. “This acquisition puts us in the unique position of providing North American consumers with the most expansive network of freezing and distribution on the continent. Together, our combined strengths will propel us to new heights, quicker and with renewed vigor.”

October 10, 2023

With Newsom’s Signature, California Bans Four Food Additives

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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On October 7, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed California Assembly bill AB 418 into law. The bill, which was authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) and co-sponsored by Consumer Reports and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) bans the use of brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propyl paraben and Red Dye No. 3 as additives in food and drink products sold in the state. The chemicals are currently banned in the European Union due to alleged links to serious health problems, including higher risk of cancer, harm to the reproductive system and hyperactivity.

The bill will go into effect on January 1, 2027. Violators face a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a first violation, and not to exceed $10,000 for each subsequent violation.

In a statement following the signing of the bill, Governor Newsom acknowledged concerns relates to the state’s actions as well as his reasons for supporting the legislation, stating:

“Californians trust that the food products they consume are safe. I appreciate the author and stakeholders for working on amendments, which advance our shared public health objectives while maintaining consumer choice. The additives addressed in this bill are already banned in various other countries.

Signing this into law is a positive step forward on these four food additives until the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews and establishes national updated safety levels for these additives.

There have been many misconceptions about this bill and its impacts. For example, attached to this message is a bag of the popular candy “Skittles,” which became the face of this proposal. This particular bag of candy comes from the European Union – a place that already bans a number of chemical additives and colorants. This is demonstrable proof that the food industry is capable of maintaining product lines while complying with different public health laws, country-to-country.

Further, this bill’s implementation is delayed until 2027 – significant time for brands to revise their recipes to avoid these harmful chemicals. Californians will still be able to access and enjoy their favorite food products, with greater confidence in the safety of such products.”

October 9, 2023

FDA Releases Updated Compliance Program for Infant Formula

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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The FDA has updated its infant formula compliance program for FDA investigators, laboratory analysts and compliance officers. The updates build on lessons learned over the last several years to elaborate on FDA’s approaches for inspections, sampling, laboratory analysis and imported infant formula products. For example, updates include instructions for annual environmental sampling of Cronobacter and Salmonella at powdered infant formula facilities and instruction for FDA notification should a sample test positive for Cronobacter or Salmonella, or if a sample is found to have nutrients that are above or below required levels per the agency’s infant formula regulation.

The compliance program also includes instructions for how product or environmental positives identified during records reviews should be immediately escalated to the appropriate subject matter expert within the Human Foods Program.

Additional background on the risks associated with Salmonella and Cronobacter in infant formula products, and the conditions that could lead to environmental contamination within the manufacturing facilities, are also included in the updated compliance program.

Inspectors are directed to perform environmental sampling once a year at each domestic powder infant formula manufacturing facility during annual or compliance follow-up inspection for both Cronobacter and Salmonella analysis if there are no significant adverse supply-chain implications.

The Division of Field Programs and Guidance (DFPG) and ORA Critical Foods Coordination Team will prioritize the annual inspection schedule based on:

the facilities’ previous inspection results
number of consumer complaints since the last inspection
number of violative samples collected by FDA in the last twelve months
the previous environmental sampling results performed by FDA

Per the instructions, environmental sampling should focus on zone two sites near potential product exposure points in the process (i.e., transfer points, fluid bed, sifters, rotary valves, man doors into drying system, filling lines, blending equipment, raw material handling equipment, etc.) including any areas indicating water accumulation. Additional sampling should also be done from zone three sites which may suggest a route of contamination (i.e., doorways, traffic routes, etc.) to dry production areas, finished product or food contact surfaces. Zone one sites should not be swabbed as these zones can be hard to reach and may introduce contamination during swabbing of a closed system. Unless conditions observed indicate a possible route of contamination, FDA does not recommend swabbing zone four areas at a high frequency.

Inspectors are advised to collect between 100-300 environmental swabs for Cronobacter spp. and 100-300 environmental swabs for Salmonella spp. at each firm, depending upon the size of the facility.

October 3, 2023

FDA Releases New Draft Guidance Chapters on Food Allergens and Acidified Foods

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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The FDA has released two new chapters to the Draft Guidance for Industry: Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food.

Chapter 11—Food Allergen Program—explains how to establish and implement a food allergen program that ensures protection of food from major food allergen cross-contact and how to ensure that food products are properly labeled with respect to the major food allergens. It provides examples of ways to significantly minimize or prevent allergen cross-contact and undeclared allergens using current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs) and preventive controls. The chapter also discusses circumstances in which, despite adherence to appropriate CGMPs and preventive controls, allergen presence due to cross-contact cannot be completely avoided and provides options to consider in these scenarios, including the voluntary use of allergen advisory statements when appropriate.

Chapter 16—Acidified Foods—applies to manufacturers of acidified foods (such as some processed sauces, beans, cucumbers or cabbage that have an overall pH of 4.6 or below). It provides procedures, practices and processes to meet requirements in the acidified foods regulations and to meet requirements under the preventive controls for human foods rule.

Stakeholders can submit comments on the new chapters at Regulations.gov (Docket No. FDA-2016-D-2343). Comments should be submitted within 180 days of September 26, 2023, to ensure the FDA receives comments before it begins work on the final versions of the guidance documents.

September 25, 2023

California Proposed Ban on Food Additives Moves to Governor

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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California Assembly bill AB 418, authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) and co-sponsored by Consumer Reports and the Environmental Working Group (EWG), has passed the state Senate and Assembly is now in the hands of Governor Gavin Newsom. If signed into law, the bill would ban the use of brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propyl paraben and Red Dye No. 3 as additives in food and drink products sold in the state. The chemicals are currently banned in the European Union due to alleged links to serious health problems, including higher risk of cancer, harm to the reproductive system and hyperactivity.

“We are thrilled to move A.B. 418 to Gov. Newsom’s desk. This marks a major step forward in our effort to protect children and families in California from dangerous and toxic chemicals in our food supply,” said Gabriel, chair of the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection. “It’s unacceptable that the U.S. is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to banning these dangerous additives.

The bill, if signed by Gov. Newsom, will go into effect on January 1, 2027. Violators would face a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a first violation, and not to exceed $10,000 for each subsequent violation.

Some have expressed concern that passage of the bill would create a patchwork of regulations in the country. In an Opinion article, Frank Yiannas, former FDA Deputy Commissioner of Food Policy and Response, urged Newsom to think carefully about the ban, noting that three of the five original ingredients targeted by the California ban are currently under review by FDA. “In the case of brominated vegetable oil (BVO), the FDA has already initiated steps to remove BVO from the U.S. food supply, thereby making the California action unnecessary,” he argued, adding that “a state-by-state patchwork of different, emerging regulatory standards that would weaken our nation’s food system and food safety efforts. Our nation is better when each state can help feed the rest of the states with a uniform standard of safe, available food.”

September 19, 2023

USDA FSIS Implements Quantitative Chemical Residue Testing Method

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) has developed a new method to quantify chemical residues using beef muscle samples and modern chemistry instrumentation. The agency’s laboratory system plans to implement the new quantitative method for veterinary drug residue analysis in bovine muscle samples on October 1, 2023. The method, “Quantitation of Animal Drug Residues by High-Resolution, Accurate-Mass Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HRAM LC-MS)” (CLG-MRQ1), has the ability to:

Quantitate multiple veterinary drug residue amounts simultaneously in a single analysis with high mass accuracy.
Quantitate several veterinary drugs that were previously difficult to measure.
Archive several single analyte or specific drug class quantitation methods that use older technology.
Archive traditional residue bioassay for several analytes.
Align detection limits with established drug residue tolerances.
Decrease time to result for presumptive positive residues.

In addition to this change, FSIS has recently updated three methods that will be posted to the new Chemical Laboratory Guidebook no late than September 30, 2023. They include: Quantitation of Salt (CLG-SLT); Quantitation of Fat (CLG-FAT); and Screening, Quantitation, and Confirmation of Beta-Agonists by UHPLC-MS-MS (CLG-AGON1).

September 19, 2023

GFSI Specialist Capuchino Joins Kiwa-ASI

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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Alfonso Capuchino, a food industry certification professional with more than 20 years’ experience, is joining the Kiwa Group as Global Technical Director for Food, Feed and Farm, and ASI, a member of the Kiwa Group, as Vice President of Certification. Capuchino specializes in management systems, HACCP, third-party auditing and GFSI certification, and has experience in developing multi-standard services. He is a certified instructor and auditor for GFSI standards in the scope of food handling, packaging, storage and distribution, and brokering.

“Alfonso’s background in GFSI benchmark standards will provide great value in increasing our already strong presence working with standards like BRC, FSSC, SQF, GlobalGAP, PrimusGFS, IFS, etc. We are happy to welcome him to the global team with open arms,” said Richard Stolk, President of the Board of Directors at ASI, and Global Business Sector Director of Food Feed Farm at Kiwa Group.

“We are excited to have Alfonso on board as a part of our growing Kiwa-ASI family. His vast industry knowledge and experience will be crucial as we work to continuously improve and expand our existing certification programs,” said Tyler Williams, CEO of ASI.

For more than 30 years, Capuchino has served multiple industries in various roles, including consulting, auditing and directing teams in quality, food safety, environmental safety, occupational safety and sustainability. He earned an industrial engineering degree from the Technological Institute of Tlalnepantla in Mexico City. Before joining the Kiwa Group, Capuchino was the Vice President of Certification Services at AIB International.

September 15, 2023

Frank Yiannas Joins iFoodDS Board of Directors

By Food Safety Tech Staff

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Frank Yiannas, former Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the FDA, has joined the iFoodDS Board of Directors. iFoodDS is a provider of connected traceability, quality and food safety solutions. Yiannas will advise the company on strategy.

During his time at the FDA, Yiannas was responsible for a broad range of priorities, including implementing the Food Traceability Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Prior to joining the FDA, he spent more than 30 years in food safety leadership roles with Walmart and the Walt Disney Company.

Yiannas has long been a champion of supply chain innovation and technology, making technology-enabled food traceability in the global supply chain a priority in the FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative.

“Frank is a visionary in the food supply chain, using his insight, knowledge and passion for innovation to enhance food safety and safeguard public health,” said Scott Mathews, CEO of iFoodDS. “We are excited to welcome him to the iFoodDS board of directors. His insights will be invaluable as we pursue our vision of a connected food value chain, enabling better collaboration between trading partners and providing insights on product safety, quality and freshness, ultimately reducing food waste and benefiting food companies and consumers alike.”

“I believe that technology will transform the food supply chain, making it safer for consumers, optimizing it, and creating shared value for all supply chain participants,” said Yiannas. “I’m excited to join the iFoodDS board of directors, and to be part of a company that has the food industry expertise, solution capabilities, and vision to not only help companies comply with FSMA 204 regulation, but to help them ensure continued business success by enabling a safer, more predictable food supply and transparency that protects brands and consumers.”

Session Highlights

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