The CDC website reported that there is a Listeria Outbreak Linked to Meats Sliced at Delis. Many people in this outbreak are reporting eating meats that they had sliced at deli counters. Investigators are collecting information to determine the specific products that may be contaminated. Products sold at the deli, especially those sliced or prepared at the deli, can be contaminated with Listeria. Listeria spreads easily among deli equipment, surfaces, hands and food.
As of July 19, 2024, a total of 28 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 12 states (see map). Sick people’s samples were collected from May 29, 2024, to July 5, 2024 (see timeline). Of 28 people with information available, all have been hospitalized. One person got sick during their pregnancy and remained pregnant after recovering. Two deaths have been reported, 1 in Illinois and 1 in New Jersey. The investigation is still active and there has been no recall.
Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. USDA-FSIS is working to identify the suppliers of deli meats, sliced at deli counters, purchased by people in this outbreak.
On July 2, the Beijing News reported that the state-run oil and grain company, Sinograin was using the same tanker trucks to transport both fuel and food oil products, without any cleaning process between. According to the website, ChinaMediaProject.org, the tankers were transporting soybean oils and syrups together with coal-to-oil (CTL) products, which use coal as a raw material to produce oil and petrochemical products through chemical processing. The scandal has implicated other major Chinese companies including Hopefull Grain and Oil Group, a private conglomerate as reported in the Guardian.
In the Beijing News report, an undercover reporter interviewed a trucker who had driven a tanker of coal-derived fuel from Ningxia, a region in the west of China, to the east coast city of Qinhuangdao in Hebei, a journey of more than 800 miles (1,290km). The trucker told the journalist he was not allowed to return with an empty vehicle, and subsequently drove to a facility in another part of Hebei to load up with nearly 32 tons of soya bean oil, without cleaning the tanker. Several other tankers featured in the article made similar journeys without any washing or sanitizing of the tank in between.
The Beijing News is a state-run newspaper under Beijing municipal propaganda office that into the early 2010s was among the country’s more outspoken professional outlets. Stories like this have become a true rarity in the Xi Jinping era, as the leadership has emphasized “positive propaganda” and the need for media to abide by “correct public opinion guidance.”
There is no mandatory national standard at present for the transportation of edible oil in China. There is only a recommended Code for Bulk Transport of Edible Vegetable Oil, which mentions that special vehicles should be used for the transportation of edible vegetable oil in bulk. Because it is a recommended national standard, this means that it has limited binding force on manufacturers.
This week the office of the food safety commission under China’s State Council said it was investigating the claims and that “individuals found violating the law through improper use of tanker trucks will face severe punishment”.
It is not clear where the cooking oil in the fuel-contaminated tankers ultimately ended up. Follow-up reports tracking the truckers identified in the Beijing News article suggested that the tankers delivered oil to packaging facilities run by household brand names in China, intensifying concerns that people could be consuming toxic oil. The article also quoted an industry insider as saying that some of the oil may ultimately be packaged into small bottles for foreign sales.
Last week, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico said two employees of the U.S.D.A.’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service were assaulted and detained while traveling in the Mexican state of Michoacán, where they had been surveying orchards and packing plants. The employees were later released, but the episode led to a temporary halt of inspections of avocados and mangoes destined for the United States. A “satisfactory” proposal on worker safety allowed the inspectors to return to work, Ken Salazar, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, said last Monday.
Inspectors employed by a unit of the U.S.D.A. vet producers and packing plants in Mexico as part of a program designed to make sure orchards and other facilities that handle the crops are free of pests and comply with food safety standards.
According to the Embassy’s website, security incidents in Mexico have not been limited to the avocado program. In 2020, a USDA employee who carried out screening and eradication activities in support of fruit and pest and citrus disease programs in northern Mexico was killed. In the case of concern, an APHIS inspector questioned the integrity of a particular shipment, and refused to certify it on the basis of specific issues. The USDA inspector’s supervisor later received a telephone threat against him and his family.
The food allergy safety company, MenuTrinfo has selected over a dozen award-winning organizations and brands that made major strides this year to protect the health of consumers with food allergies and food intolerances.
In its eighth year running, MenuTrinfo’s 2024 Allergy Awards expanded from 10 categories to 13, recognizing industry innovators’ dedication to food allergy safety, training, and spreading overall awareness. The competitive selection process kicked off in early May and winners were selected from a public nomination pool of qualified candidates.
“The competition was incredibly stiff this year, which is a major testament to the growing number of unstoppable organizations fighting for the livelihood of 33 million US residents suffering from food allergies,” said Betsy Craig, CEO of MenuTrinfo.
MenuTrinfo is dedicated to ensuring safe food service by providing allergen and nutritional information for restaurants, universities, and brands across the United States. Based in Colorado, this woman-owned company also helps manufacturers provide product transparency to today’s food allergic consumer through the accredited Certified Free From™ program.
MenuTrinfo’s ANAB accredited AllerTrain® program has trained over 100,000 participants internationally, including food service staff members from restaurants, universities, and more. MenuTrinfo’s college map lists all AllerTrained campuses, including the University of Maryland (UMD).
UMD Dining Services was recognized as this year’s ‘Best Overall Food Allergy Program for Universities’ for their efforts to communicate and make accommodations for the 1,600 self-reported UMD students with allergies and intolerances. The UMD Dining Services Food Allergy program is spearheaded by Nutritionist & Certified Allergen Trainer, Sister Maureen Schrimpe, Executive Allergen Chef, Chris Inboden, and Senior Executive Chef, John Gray.
For Thomas Silvera, Co-Founder and Vice President of the Elijah-Alavi Foundation, the ‘Best Food Allergy Advocacy Group,’ This recognition amplifies the voices of those living with life-threatening food allergies, highlighting their struggles and advocating for their needs. The Elijah- Alavi Foundation is a non-profit offering diverse food allergy and asthma resources for childcare facilities, daycares and schools, regardless of socio-economic status, cultural background, or socioeconomic class.
“This award not only acknowledges our hard work and dedication but also reinforces our commitment to raising awareness and advocating for those affected by food allergies, especially within underserved communities. I dedicate this honor and award to my son, Elijah-Alavi, and to everyone who believes in the work we do,” said Silvera.
According to the June 28, 2024 USDA Constituent Update, FSIS evaluated commercially available pathogen screening technologies and will adopt a new rapid screening test for adulterant Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Specifically, FSIS will use the bioMérieux GENE-UP® Pathogenic E. coli (PEC) platform to screen enriched samples received on or after September 16, 2024, for adulterant STEC. This screening method adds efficiency by employing a novel molecular diagnostic target to rapidly identify samples containing STEC. FSIS expects that adoption of this new screening method will reduce the number of potential–and presumptive–positive STEC results that do not confirm positive with our current method. FSIS expects that industry will see reduced product holding times while waiting for laboratory results.
According the the FDA’s website, Totally Cool, Inc. of Owings Mills, Maryland is recalling multiple brands of ice cream products, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Products were distributed nationwide, and available in retail locations and direct delivery. No illnesses have been reported to date.
The brands involved were Abilyn’s Frozen Bakery, Amafruits, Chipwich, Cumberland Farms, Dolcezza Gelato, Friendly’s, Hershey’s Ice Cream, Jeni’s, LaSalle, Marco, Taharka Brothers, the Frozen Farmer and Yelloh. More than 65 products were recalled, including ice cream cakes and sandwiches, as well as sorbets, according to a list published by the FDA that includes expiration dates.
Totally Cool, Inc. has ceased the production and distribution of the affected products due to FDA sampling which discovered the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The company continues its investigation and is taking preventive actions. No other products produced by Totally Cool, Inc. are impacted by this recall.
There is only one week left to submit your comments to the docket on the New Era of Smarter Food Safety. FDA is seeking feedback on topics discussed during the public meeting as well as specific questions they have identified in the topics for consideration document on FDA’s meeting page. FDA encourages anyone interested in submitting comments to
the docket, to please do so by the June 24, 2024 deadline. Comments can be submitted at www.regulations.gov [2] to docket number FDA-2024-N-1744.
USDA announced that the agency has awarded bioMérieux’s Gene-Up® Campylobacter as the method of
choice for Campylobacter Detection in USDA FSIS Labs. GENE-UP® CAMPYLOBACTER is a real-time PCR-based solution that delivers results in under an hour and is AOAC validated for a variety of enrichment medias.
“We are thrilled to be awarded this contract by the USDA-FSIS. With the inclusion of GENE-UP® CAMPYLOBACTER, bioMérieux now has the most FSIS methods of choice for microbiology than any other diagnostics provider,” says Miguel Villa, Sr. Vice President, Americas, Industrial Applications, at bioMérieux. “This is a testament to our continued dedication to providing innovation within the animal protein sector and the food industry at large, reinforcing GENE-UP® as the full solution for all molecular testing needs in one place.”
The GENE-UP® CAMPYLOBACTER assay is the latest of bioMérieux’s molecular diagnostic solutions to be recognized by food safety regulatory bodies in the United States. Earlier this year, bioMérieux announced a research collaboration to improve microbial detection of food-borne pathogens with the Food and Drug Administration, and in 2022,
the USDA named bioMérieux’s GENE-UP® QUANT Salmonella quantification method of choice in all FSIS laboratories, with both GENE-UP® QUANT Salmonella and TEMPO® solutions currently included in the USDA Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG).
“Our Augmented Diagnostics approach helps food industry leaders go beyond the test results and harness data, genomics, and diagnostic insights to solve the toughest problems,” says John Shultz, Sr. Director, Sales and Marketing, Industrial Applications, at bioMérieux. “The recognition of GENE-UP® CAMPYLOBACTER as the method of choice of the USDA is yet another way that bioMérieux helps facilitate and advance the science of food safety and protect public health.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the White House announced the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics as part of President Biden’s whole-of-government approach to tackle climate change, feed people, address environmental justice, and promote a circular economy.
According to the USDA’s press release, the strategy released on June 12 provides tangible goals that the U.S. government partners along with retailers and consumers can work toward to help further prevent the loss and waste of food, increase recycling of food and other organic materials to support a more circular economy for all, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, save households and businesses money, and build cleaner, healthier communities.
“USDA is committed to reducing food loss and waste, facilitating many programs and activities to engage farmers, producers, communities and businesses in this collective effort,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This National Strategy charts a course to reduce our nation’s food loss and waste by 50% by 2030, and I am encouraged by the actions outlined for USDA and our federal partners. Everyone has a role to play in reducing food loss and waste, and I hope that these federal commitments will inspire and catalyze action in the private sector and communities around the U.S.”
“The FDA is committed to completing the actions outlined in the National Strategy that incentivize and encourage food loss and waste prevention and organics recycling,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “Along with the FDA, USDA and EPA efforts, U.S. consumers and retailers play an important role in meeting the National Strategy’s goal of reducing food loss and waste by 2030. As part of the release of this strategy, the FDA has made important resources available to guide, support, and accelerate their food loss and waste activities including the 2022 Food Code, Tips to Reduce Food Waste and the Food Loss and Waste Social Media Toolkit. We encourage all stakeholders to take advantage of these resources as we work together to reduce food loss and waste.”
The strategy drives progress toward the National Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal to reduce the loss and waste of food by 50% by 2030.
The strategy highlights four objectives:
Objective 1: Prevent food loss.
Objective 2: Prevent food waste.
Objective 3: Increase the recycling rate for all organic waste.
Objective 4: Support policies that incentivize and encourage the prevention of food loss and waste and organics recycling.
For each objective, the strategy highlights actions that USDA, EPA, and FDA could take. Some of the priority USDA actions include:
* Investing $2.5 million from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to rigorously test and measure the effectiveness of different consumer messages to encourage households to reduce food waste, in preparation for a National Wasted Food Prevention Campaign.
* Funding a new NIFA $1.5 million Center for Research, Behavioral Economics, and Extension on Food Loss and Waste to create meaningful momentum on food loss and waste prevention among land-grant universities, their partners and external stakeholders.
* Funding research and development on new food loss and waste innovations, such as innovative new packaging technology and cultivars to extend the shelf life of food and prevent loss.
* The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is working with farmers, crop insurance agents, and gleaning organizations to encourage the reduction of on-farm food loss.
The strategy also highlights the importance of public-private partnerships in reducing food loss and waste. On June 1, the three agencies renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA), which is comprised of the Consumer Brands Association, FMI – The Food Industry Association, and the National Restaurant Association. This public-private partnership will explore actions to reach industry sectors, through efforts such as targeted industry resources, tools, and guidance.
Additionally, USDA and EPA have been actively growing the U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions pledge, through which food business have publicly committed to reducing food loss and waste by 50% by 2030 in their U.S. operations. 2030 Champions include industry giants such as Starbucks, Hilton, and Kroger.
The National Strategy builds on USDA’s prior work to reduce food loss and waste, including over $60 million in investments and activities that USDA has undertaken to reduce food loss and waste, including those announced in May.
For more information about Food Loss and Waste Reduction activities visit:
* USDA: Food Loss and Waste
* FDA: Food Loss and Waste
Learn more about The Impacts of Food Loss and Waste (FLW) and Food Donation at the Food Safety Consortium Conference, October 20-22 in Washington DC. This session will discuss how unique solutions such as thorough data tracking and predictive analytics in addition to a focus on food safety ultimately provides bottom-line benefits and positive community health outcomes. Presenters:
Al Baroudi, MS, Ph.D. Vice President, QA & Food Safety, The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated
Glenda Lewis, MSPH, Supervisory Consumer Safety Officer Director, Retail Food Protection Staff, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The GFSI Steering Committee has suspended recognition of certification programmes owned by the Equitable Food Initiaive until evidence of re-alignment to GFSI Benchmarking requirements v 2020 is provided by the Certification Programme Owner EFI. This suspension took effect on 7th June 2024.
As a reminder, the scope of GFSI recognition applies to the following certification programme owned by Equitable Food Initiative:
Food Safety Standards, Guidance, & Interpretations Version 2.0, November 30th, 2018, specifically against GFSI scopes:
● BI Farming of Plants (other than grains and pulses)
● BIII Pre-process Handling of Plant Products.
As part of the GFSI Governance Rules, EFI has a right to appeal this decision. The decision to suspend EFI will remain in effect unless and until any appeal is successful.
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