The
FDA, CDC and USDA have jointly launched a food defense training kit for
first line food industry employees. The "FIRST" Kit has five main
points that are based on the acronym. The training focus is to prevent
food contamination.
The
Kit is free to employees and includes a DVD and training posters in both
English and Spanish. They may be ordered at the FDA website:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/fooddefense, In addition, several
other useful booklets and training materials pertaining to the "ALERT"
program for food industry supplies and ingredients security may be obtained,
free of charge on the same site.
There were more recalls in the month of February than in any other month for several years, due to the Peanut Corporation of America Salmonella issue. There were approximately 287 recalls due to peanuts, that effected well over a thousand different products. In addition there were 2 recalls for Listeria, one in Queso Fresco and one in fresh sliced apples. Chechon dried fish was recalled because of potential for Botulism, and Elk tenderloin was recalled due to one animal’s confirmed Chronic Wasting disease. There was one recall of whole wheat flour for possible contamination with a dairy allergen.
For more
detailed information about food recalls, go to FDA's "Recalls,
Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts".
Some dried garlic coming out of Asia, where coal fired driers may be used, have been found to have high levels of sulfites, sufficiently high to require labeling. Until recently, analytical method used to test the garlic (the Monier-Williams Method) converted some of the naturally accruing Allicin in the garlic to sulfites, thus making a determination of added sulfites difficult. A newer method, now used by S&S Labs converts a much smaller amount of Allicin to Sulfites, so gives a much more accurate result for added Sulfites. The method is called Reversed-Phase Ion-Pairing Liquid Chromatography with Post-Column Detection.
At each trade show where S&S Labs exhibits, we challenge you to "Test Your Taste" by tasting then guessing the Scoville Heat of the salsa we have that day. We do give hints, so anyone has a chance to win. The person who guesses closest to the actual laboratory result (see Scoville Heat Analysis) wins a cash prize! If you want to know who has won over about the last year, check out the very prestigious "Wall of Flame"!
A new guidance document is now available from the FDA regarding the use of electronic communications during a recall. The document can be found at: www.fda.gov/oc/guidance/electronic.html. In our current era, dominated by electronic communications, FDA recognized the usefulness and speed of e-communications for the delivery of safety information when a recall or withdrawal of a product is required. The document is of value for all FDA-regulated products.
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