Gluten free

FDA Project Finds Gluten-Free Labeled Products Meeting Standards

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Gluten free

Accurate labeling of gluten-free products is a big deal for consumers who have celiac disease, as they can suffer potentially serious health issues when they eat gluten. FDA set standards for the labeling of gluten-free products in August 2013 (with a compliance date of August 5, 2014) and recently announced results of a sampling assignment that was conducted to assess compliance with the final rule.

Of the 702 samples taken from 250 products labeled as “gluten-free”, FDA found that more than 99.5% of the samples to be in compliance with the agency’s requirement.

“Of the total number tested, five samples from one product source contained gluten in excess of the regulatory limit of 20 parts per million (ppm), for a product-based rate of compliance with that requirement greater than 99.5 percent. A voluntary recall was conducted to address concerns related to the violative samples. In addition to carrying out the recall, the manufacturer conducted an extensive root cause analysis and immediately implemented additional corrective actions to prevent recurrence.” ­ – FDA

The analytical results are available on FDA’s website.

Golden Gourmet recall

Industry Hit with More Meat Recalls

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Golden Gourmet recall

Over the past few days, there have been two more large meat recalls. In both cases, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to product consumption.

Golden Gourmet Recall

Golden Gourmet has recalled more than 5,000 pounds of frozen waffle and turkey sausage products over concerns of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The issue was uncovered when the company received a letter of notification from US Foods, its supplier, that products had been recalled. The Class I recall involves products that were produced and packaged on December 21, 28, 29 and 30, 2016 and shipped to locations in Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Armour Eckrich Meats Recall

FSIS also announced a Class II recall initiated by Armour Eckrich Meats, LLC over concerns of metal contamination. The company recalled nearly 91,000 pounds of ready-to-eat fully cooked pork, turkey and beef breakfast sausage products that were produced and packaged from April 26 through April 28, 2017 and shipped to distribution centers in Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Armour Eckrich Meats discovered the problem when it was notified by an FSIS-regulated establishment that pieces of metal were embedded in the sausage product produced by Armour Eckrich.

FSMA Brief: Industry Challenged by Training and Produce Safety Rule

By Maria Fontanazza
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With several FSMA compliance dates now in effect, much of the focus is on where companies need help. According to Kathy Gombas, former deputy director at CFSAN, the industry is struggling with FSMA training. Many companies don’t understand the FSMA rule exemptions and supply chain requirements, and they just don’t know where to start. “Industry needs affordable and timely resources,” said Gombas during a panel discussion at the Food Safety Summit earlier this month. “There are a lot of tools out there, but they’re costly.”

Efforts are underway to address these challenges. FDA has issued more than a dozen guidance documents pertaining to the rule. In addition, tools such as model plans and templates can help companies with their food safety plans, and the agency is almost ready to publish a web-based food safety plan builder that will be freely accessible on FDA’s website, according to Gombas. Several sources of technical assistance are available, including state and trade associations, academia, and the technical assistance network (TAN). However, when companies have inquiries, the key is to provide them with a response in a timely manner, said Gombas.

The Produce Safety rule is another hot spot for hurdles. Although 90% of it aligns with Good Agricultural Practices that have been in place for more than a decade, industry’s response to the rule remains one of fear and confusion, said David Gombas, former vice president of technical services for the United Fresh Produce Association. “Water testing is probably the most complicated aspect of the regulation,” he said. The rule calls for testing procedures that many produce companies never had to conduct before. Some testing must be done within a certain period of time, and the lower number of testing labs in rural areas of the United States will pose a problem for some producers, warned David Gombas.

There is also confusion among producers regarding whether they should follow the Produce Safety Rule or the Preventive Controls rule, which could significantly impact the steps they must take to be in compliance of either rule. To further complicate matters, Gombas pointed out that many foreign suppliers aren’t even aware that they have to be in compliance with the rule. Finally, the Produce Rule does provide a lot of room for flexibility, so Gombas predicts much of the responsibility will fall on the agency inspectors and how they expect rule to be met.

 

Hot dog recall

Recall: Metal May Have Contaminated 210,000 Pounds of Hot Dogs

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Hot dog recall

Following three complaints of metal objects found in product packages, John Morrell and Co. has recalled about 210,606 pounds of ready-to-eat hot dog products. The following franks subject to the Class II recall were distributed to retail locations nationwide and produced on January 26, 2017: 14-oz sealed film packages containing Nathans Skinless 8 Beef Franks (use by date of August 19, 2017) and 16-oz sealed film packages of Curtis Beef Master Beef Franks (use by date June 15, 2017).

Thus far there have been no reports of adverse reactions or injury as a result of consuming these products.

Indicon Gel, biofilm

Spray Gel Detects Biofilm on Surfaces

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Indicon Gel, biofilm

The food processing environment is ripe with hot spots where biofilm can hide. A rapid biological hygiene indicator in the form of a spray gel has been developed to provide companies with a visual indication of biofilm on a surface. Once the gel makes contact with biofilm it produces foam within two minutes. Manufactured by Sterilex, Indicon Gel does not require mixing and is appropriate for seek-and-destroy missions. It enables detection of microorganisms that include Listeria, E.coli and Salmonella on both large surfaces as well as niches that cannot be accessed by a swab.

Fast Facts about Biofilm

FoodLogiQ Recall Response, SaaS

New Technology Helps Companies Respond to Recalls Faster

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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FoodLogiQ Recall Response, SaaS

A recent survey found that many consumers expect a recall to be resolved within one to two days. Today one company released a product touted as the first real-time software as a service (SaaS) platform for managing recall and stock withdrawal with the goal of helping food companies respond to recalls faster.

Recall + Response, launched by FoodLogiQ, allows food companies to implement a targeted recall strategy across the supply chain and track the progress of the recall. An automated communications function (via phone, email and text) sends notifications that can accelerate the delivery of information throughout the supply chain during a recall. The platform can initiate stock withdrawals and recalls, as well as mock recalls. Its features include withdrawal templates that the user can define and create to prepare for recalls and stock withdrawals, and a mock recall feature to test the recall readiness of a user’s supply chain. It also has an automatic escalation function if no action is taken by a location or no contact is made in a specific timeframe.

FSMA, Food Safety Tech, FDA

FDA Releases New Guidance on Foreign Supplier Verification Program

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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FSMA, Food Safety Tech, FDA

With the first FSVP compliance rule just two weeks away, FDA has published a new guidance to help importers that are subject to the rule. “Guidance for Industry: Compliance with Providing an Acceptable Unique Facility Identifier for the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs Regulation” specifically provides information on the following:

  • How an organization identifies itself as an importer of food at entry into the United States
  • Requirement to provide a unique facility identifier that is acceptable by FDA
  • Information on what to do if the importer cannot obtain a Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System number in time for the compliance date

FDA also identified the importers that fall under the May 30, 2017 compliance date. The foreign supplier would fall into one of the following categories:

  • The supplier will not be covered by the FSMA PC or Produce Safety rules
  • The supplier is subject to the Preventive Controls for Human Food rule and is not a small business, qualified facility or subject to the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance
  • The supplier is subject to CGMP requirements in the FSMA Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule and is not a small business or qualified facility

For importers that are unsure as to whether they are required to comply with the FSVP rule, the agency released a one-page chart, “Am I Subject to FSVP?”, along with a fact sheet about the final rule and the requirements under it, compliance dates and additional information.

American beef

USDA Announces American Beef to Return to Chinese Market

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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American beef

Today U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue praised a trade agreement reached between the United States and China that is allowing the return of American beef to the Chinese market for the first time in 13 years. The ban has been in place since 2003 following a case of mad cow disease. However, China’s domestic cattle population is not keeping up with the increased consumer demand.

“This is tremendous news for the American beef industry, the agriculture community, and the U.S. economy in general.  We will once again have access to the enormous Chinese market, with a strong and growing middle class, which had been closed to our ranchers for a long, long time.  I commend the persistence of President Trump, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the U.S. Trade Representative’s officials, and our own USDA professionals.  I also thank our Chinese counterparts, who worked so hard to get this agreement into place.  When the Chinese people taste our high-quality U.S. beef, there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll want more of it.” – Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

Under the trade agreement, cooked Chinese poultry may be imported into the United States once issues related to safety and hygiene are addressed.

Imports

Panama Canal Expansion Helps Boost Produce Imports

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Imports

Following the expansion of the Panama Canal, a massive construction project that intended to double the cargo capacity of the canal, U.S. ports on the East Coast are enjoying an import boom. In Philadelphia, the Parker Avenue Marine Terminal in South Philadelphia (ranked the 12th nationwide) experienced a 28% bump in April alone.

Over the past year, the Philadelphia port has brought in additional imports of fresh produce from several companies, including Walmart, according to The Inquirer. Since last summer, Mediterranean Shipping Co. has been shipping grapes, blueberries and other fruits from Chile, Peru and Ecuador to Philadelphia on a weekly basis. The company’s cargo ships are the largest to ever have sailed up the Delaware River. Fyffes, a European fresh produce company, began delivering bananas, plantains and pineapples from Costa Rica, Columbia and Guatemala in January.

Scott Gottlieb, M.D., FDA

Scott Gottlieb Confirmed to Lead FDA

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Scott Gottlieb, M.D., FDA

Yesterday Scott Gottlieb, M.D., President Trump’s nominee who has been criticized for his ties to the pharmaceutical industry, was confirmed by the Senate to lead FDA as its next commissioner. The vote was 57 to 42.

Gottlieb has extensive experience in healthcare and has been outspoke about the long approval process, along with the Medicare coverage process. However, he has not been vocal about food safety issues, so his impact on the food industry remains to be seen.

He previously served as deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs during the George W. Bush administration and was most recently a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a venture fund that invests in life sciences, medical technology and healthcare services.