Campylobacter Enrichment Broth

3M Launches New Molecular Method to Detect Campylobacter

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Campylobacter Enrichment Broth

3M Food Safety has launched the 3M Molecular Detection Assay 2 – Campylobacter with 3M Campylobacter Enrichment Broth. Poultry producers now have a complete solution for simultaneous monitoring of poultry for both Salmonella and Campylobacter. It can perform up to 96 tests of multiple types in a 60-minute run.

The Enrichment Broth requires just five steps and eliminates the need for microaerophilic incubation, supplements, blood, organic solvents or autoclaving the broth, only requiring the addition of sterile water.

For more information, visit 3M’s product website.

Target, Kroger

Rumor Mill: Target and Kroger Talk Merger

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Target, Kroger

Rumor has it that Target and Kroger are talking about a merger. Citing unnamed sources, an article by Fast Company reports that the companies started discussing the prospect last summer, as the deal would be a boost to Target’s grocery business, while Kroger would reap the benefits of more merchandise and e-commerce.

However, CNBC is reporting that the two companies are not in talks to merge but rather are discussing Target’s acquisition of Shipt, a same-day delivery company, which occurred in December.

Fake news

Find the fake news: This article is part of the Food Safety Tech April Fool’s edition. To find out which stories are fake and which are real, log onto our site on Monday afternoon (April 2) and click on each story for the update.You can also sound off in the comments section.

Think this is the fake news? Wrong! Here’s our April Fool’s story.

New Handheld Scanner Detects Pathogens, Puts Curators at Ease

 

DNVGL MyStory, blockchain

MyStory: DNV GL’s Blockchain Labels Tell It All

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DNVGL MyStory, blockchain

Italian wine makers are the first to use DNV GL’s blockchain solution MyStory, which allows consumers “to have instant and in-depth access to key products characteristics such as quality, authenticity, origin, ingredients, water and energy consumption and more, all verified by DNV GL along the entire transformation process,” says DNV GL’s Business Assurance CEO Luca Crisciotti. By scanning a QR-code, consumers can see the full history of the product and its journey from grape to bottle.

Recall

Johnsonville Recalls Nearly 110,000 Pounds of Smoked Pork Sausage

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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Recall

Yesterday the USDA announced a Class I recall of Johnsonville’s smoked pork sausage products due to contamination with extraneous materials. The company received three consumer complaints of pieces of hard, green plastic in the sausage. The 14-oz plastic packages contain six pieces of Jalapeno Cheddar Smoked Sausage and were produced on January 4 and shipped to locations nationwide.

The recall affects about 109,603 pounds of product.

Thus far there have been no reports of adverse reactions or illnesses as a result of the contamination. Consumers who have purchased the products are urged to throw away the sausages or to return them to the place of purchase.

FDA

FDA Releases 2017 Retail Food Program Standards

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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FDA

FDA has released the 2017 edition of the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. These retail program standards offer recommendations for designing and managing retail food regulatory programs, help regulatory agencies pinpoint areas of improvement for the programs, and enable effective strategies for inspections and foodborne illness prevention.

“The FDA encourages government agencies responsible for regulation or oversight of the retail food establishments that sell, serve or vend food directly to the public to enroll in the Retail Program Standards. Enrollment in the Retail Program Standards conveys a jurisdiction’s intent to actively use the Retail Program Standards as a tool to assess and improve its retail food regulatory program.” – FDA

Changes to the 2017 edition of the retail program standards include:

  • Updates to the definition of the training standard
  • Clarifying the standardizing and re-standardizing criteria for food safety inspection officers
  • Aligning program elements between the Retail Program Standard 4 and Retail Program Standard 2 regarding performance elements and competencies
  • Incorporating more methods of communication efforts with industry and the community
  • Consolidating report forms and FDA forms 3519 and 3520 into one FDA Form 3598
sugar cubes

Update to Nutrition Facts Label Sheds More Light on Added Sugars

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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sugar cubes

Yesterday FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. issued a statement about updates to the Nutrition Facts label for foods. The latest label uses evidence-based information about nutrients, including added sugars, to heighten consumer awareness related to the amount of added sugars in foods, especially as it relates to dietary guidance recommendations.

One of the important factors in ensuring successful implementation of the label is that FDA provides food manufacturers with clear guidance on how to make the required changes to their labels to meet the compliance deadline. Last year FDA proposed extending the compliance date from July of this year until January 1, 2020 for large manufacturers ($10 million+ in annual sales) and January 2021 for small companies.

“We’re equally committed to providing industry the information they need to effectively implement the new version of the Nutrition Facts label in a timely fashion. Today we issued practical guidances that provide further clarity on several key elements, including fiber, added sugars and serving size declarations.” – Scott Gottlieb, M.D., FDA

FDA also released the final guidance, “Food Labeling: Serving Sizes of Foods That Can Reasonably Be Consumed At One Occasion; Dual-Column Labeling; Updating, Modifying, and Establishing Certain Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed; Serving Size for Breath Mints; and Technical Amendments; Small Entity Compliance Guide”, along with a draft guidance to assist manufacturers in declaring added sugars on labeling honey, maple sugar and certain cranberry products.

Eurofins and Orion Assessment Partner to Expand Auditing and Certification Services

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Eurofins Food Safety Systems and Orion Assessment Services have announced a partnership that will expand their auditing and certification services on a global scale.

“The partnership will allow Eurofins to broaden their BRC Global Standards and GFSI scheme auditing resource base and provide them additional expertise in BRC to utilize. It will also allow Orion Assessment Services to operate under the Eurofins accreditation for BRC, SQF and FSSC 22000 schemes,” according to a Eurofins news release. “As a certification body, this collaboration will enhance the standards currently offered through Orion Assessment Services’ accreditation for ISO 17065 and ISO 17021, as well as offering brand new opportunities in the various GFSI schemes, for both existing and new clients internationally.”

FDA

FDA Collaborates with AMA on Foodborne Illness Education

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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FDA

FDA and the American Medical Association (AMA) have joined forces to release continuing medical education videos for doctors about foodborne illness. FDA and AMA felt that the globalization of the food supply as well as the growth of foodborne pathogens necessitated more medical education and patient counseling on foodborne illness.

“These changes create a need for physicians to guide patients in protecting themselves from foodborne illness, especially those who are among the most vulnerable to serious consequences and who are most likely to be in a physician’s care: the very young whose immune systems are not yet fully developed; individuals whose immune systems are weakened by pregnancy, age, chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer and HIV/AIDS; and persons with organ transplants taking immuno-suppressive medications,” according to an FDA release.

The two videos, “What Physicians Need to Know About Foodborne Illness: Suspect, Identify, Treat, and Report” and “Preventing Foodborne Illness: Talking to Patients About Food Safety” are available on FDA’s Food Safety and Nutrition Resources for Healthcare Professionals webpage.

HACCP, hazard analysis and critical control points

A Guide to HACCP

By Food Safety Tech Staff
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HACCP, hazard analysis and critical control points

HACCP is discussed often by food safety professionals. While the industry is well aware of the program and its necessity, the cannabis industry is far greener in this area. Food safety consultant Kathy Knutson, Ph.D. developed a series on HACCP for the cannabis industry for our sister publication, Cannabis Industry Journal. It also serves as a great primer for the novice in the food industry. You can read the article, “Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) for the Cannabis Industry: Part 1”, by following the link below.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) for the Cannabis Industry: Part 1