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With its $9.5 billion tourist industry mostly built around food and music, the safety of Louisiana restaurant food is a subject of interest far beyond its borders, especially with anyone who has a taste for crawfish, gumbo, and jambalaya. The report says that according to the Louisiana State Epidemiologist, accurately quantifying foodborne illness cases is difficult because not all cases are reported, and because many foodborne illnesses can be transmitted through a means other than food served at a restaurant. With that caveat , the state Epidemiologist estimates the state has 163,357 cases of foodborne illness annually with an estimated 28,000 illnesses originating at restaurants. During the last year, the state took about 2,930 reports of foodborne illness, with 498 or 17 percent coming from restaurants or other retail food establishments. The audit focuses specifically on the Office of Public Health (OPH) , the retail food safety unit of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH). Among its most significant findings are:
Louisiana's retail food establishments are regulated by an $11 million a year program with 86 authorized positions. It currently permits about 16,000 retail establishments and conducted about 98,000 inspections over the two years that were the focus of the audit. During that period, about 20 percent or 88,290 critical violations were discovered among a total of 444,825. Critical violations are generally through of as problems poising an immediate threat to human health. Examples in Louisiana are food stored at improper temperatures, poor employee hygiene, no water, chemical contamination and sewage backup. The audit findings were especially critical of OPH for granting permits to establishments where a critical violation was discovered but was not addressed before the opening. Further, Louisiana did not inspect 81 percent of the high-risk establishments in accordance with its own risk model. For example, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, OPH failed to inspect 2,079 of the 2,516 high-risk establishments. The auditor suggests OPH come up with a penalty or "some other condequence" for establishments with repeat critical violations. The Department of Health and Hospitals basically agrees with that recommendation, but says it will need legal advice on its options. The auditor also recommends a re-inspection fee system be developed. It suggested one revenue model that would raise another $718,500 for the program. Currently, restaurants in Louisiana pay an annual permit fee of just $100 each. To illustrate it point on how some restaurants run up critical violations without concern, the audit includes "Exhibit 4," listing "Restaurants with Most Violations by Region." Topping that list are three restaurants in Lafayette with total and critical violations for the two year period: Royal Panda (687 total including 133 critical violations or 19.4 percent) ; Charles Seafood (566 total including 102 critical violations or 18 percent0; and Crown Plaza Lafayette South (532 total including 98 or 18.4 percent). © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Local Food  |
12.13.2012
Legislative Audit Questions Effectiveness of Louisiana Restaurant Inspections
DeLauro to Obama Admin: Don’t Weaken Food Safety in Canada Trade Intiatives
| Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) is urging the Obama administration to not weaken food safety protections in initiatives with Canada as the two countries work to hash out the details of the Regulatory Cooperation Council and the Beyond the Border program. "There are significant differences between the two countries' food safety systems and easing the way for Canadian products to bypass traditional safeguards and enter U.S. markets could put public health at risk," said DeLauro's office in a statement released on Thursday. The released accompanied a letter sent to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Jeffrey Zients, Acting Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, and John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. In the letter, DeLauro points to the recent E. coli O157:H7 XL Foods recall in Canada — the largest in Canadian history — to argue that achieving greater alignment between US and Canadian regulatory approaches would have "the potential to weaken public health protections in the United States and impede USDA's ability to prevent foodborne illness." "Facilitating trade should not supersede public health protections," added DeLauro, who is a senior member of the subcommittee on agriculture appropriations. DeLauro also outlined several key differences between the US and Canadian food safety regulatory systems, which she believes are problematic: • "The United States has zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes in all Ready-to-Eat products and product contact surfaces, while the Canadian system allows for a tolerance level of less than 100 colony forming units. As you know, listeriosis is a serious infection that may be caused by consuming contaminated foods like deli meats and hot dogs. This grave foodborne illness primarily affects pregnant women, older adults, and newborns. Moreover, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that hospitalization rates and case fatality rates for listeriosis are among the highest seen for foodborne illnesses. • Earlier this month, nearly 5,000 pounds of frozen butter chicken imported from Canada were recalled because the product may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Although the product is frozen, it is considered 'Ready-to-Eat' as defined by Canadian standards. While it is obvious that frozen products need to be heated before being consumed, there are non-frozen products that require additional cooking but can still be described as 'Ready-to-Eat' by the Canadian definition. Meanwhile, USDA defines 'Ready-to-Eat' as products that can be consumed without additional cooking or preparation, as the term implies to consumers. • In the United States, before a meat or poultry facility is permitted to ship its product into commerce, it is required to review its hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) records to ensure that all of the plant's critical control points have been met. Canada does not require this pre-shipment review of a plant's HACCP records. • Perhaps most importantly, FSIS requires a continuous inspection presence at meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities. Canada does not require a daily or continuous inspection presence at its meat and poultry slaughter facilities. This significant difference could explain how the 'high-event period' at XL Foods went undetected for an extended period of time until identified by FSIS testing." The letter continues: "It is alarming that the BtB Action Plan establishes a pilot program that would allow a Canadian establishment to ship fresh beef and pork products directly to an FSIS-inspected facility, bypassing border inspection. The XL Foods recall underscores the importance of border testing and demonstrates that there are questions as to whether the Canadian food safety system for meat is truly equivalent to the U.S. system…I strongly urge you to prevent any food safety-related measures from being included in these initiatives." © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Food Politics |
Seafood Fraud: A Threat to Your Health, or Just Your Pocketbook?
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The results of this study – released last week by ocean advocacy group Oceana – add New York to a growing list of major cities in which widespread seafood fraud has been discovered by DNA testing of samples. A recent investigation by the Boston Globe found that 48 percent of fish from restaurants, supermarkets and fish markets in Boston were mislabeled. Oceana unearthed a similar situation in Los Angeles this spring when it tested 119 samples of fish from area retailers and found that 55 percent were not the species consumers thought they were buying. This most recent round of testing in New York City found that tuna was the most likely to be mislabeled. A full 94 percent of fish labeled "white tuna" were revealed to be escolar, a fish banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because of the laxative effect it can have on those who consume it. The group also found two instances in which tilefish was substituted for other types of fish. Tilefish, notes the report, is "on the FDA's do-not-eat list because of its high mercury content." A total of 15 substitutions for snapper were found out of 19 "snapper" samples taken. All 16 of the sushi restaurants included in the study were found to be selling mislabeled fish. Seafood Fraud: A Health Threat? How concerned should consumers be about these findings? Does seafood fraud put people at risk or just cheat them out of better quality fish? "The use of a false or misleading name may prevent correct species identification and thereby affect the ability of processors and consumers to make accurate assessments of the potential safety hazards associated with seafood," says FDA in its introduction to the Seafood List, a list of all names it accepts as seafood species. "Hazards such as allergenic proteins and scombrotoxin formation are associated with some species but not others, presenting potential food safety risks if the food is not accurately labeled." While it is possible that mislabeling fish could mean that an at-risk consumer eats the wrong fish, seafood fraud does not generally pose a major public health threat, says Ken Gall, a Seafood Technology Specialist at for the New York Sea Grant at Cornell University Extension. Subbing one fish for a similar type of fish – such as tilapia for snapper – is relatively harmless, he says, since white fish such as these generally have the same safety requirements for processing. "It's only a price issue, because from a taste and quality standpoint they're essentially the same, and from a public health standpoint there's no issue at all," says Gall of subbing other white fish for snapper. Dark-flesh fish, on the other hand, can be more dangerous because they contain histidine. When bacterial spoilage occurs, histidine produces enzymes that can convert to histamine and cause an allergic reaction. For this reason, dark-fleshed fish such as makarel, tuna or mahi mahi are subject to different controls. They must be monitored more often to make sure they are kept at low temperatures to control for bacteria. If one dark-flesh fish is replaced with another, it will still be subject to the same histidine controls under the company's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plan (HACCP), which every processor is required to have in place, explains Gall. And dark-flesh fish is nearly impossible to pass off as white fish, he notes. "Even though you might substitute one type of mackerel for another, it's still going to be recognizable as a mackerel to almost everyone in the industry and they will know that it has to be handled in a HACCP plan for the histamine fish." As for the tilefish found in two samples – a fish that is purportedly dangerous to pregnant women – Gall says the tilefish found in New York City was likely a different tilefish from the kind subject to FDA's warning, which is harvested from the Gulf of Mexico. Tilefish from the Hudson Canyon are not considered dangerous to pregnant women. Replacing an illegal fish like escolar for tuna, however, poses a mild health threat. "The issue with escolar is the purgative effect," says Gall. "It could be an uncomfortable thing, but it's generally not a big health issue." Roger Tollefsen, President of the New York Seafood Council, questions the validity of the Oceana study, pointing out that "white tuna" is not a type of fish under FDA's list of accepted fish labels. "How many people were buying 'white tuna' that was legitimate? None. Because there's no such thing," says Tollefsen. "If 94 percent of the tuna that was tested was escolar, what was the other 6 percent? They just found a new species," he jokes. "The clear message to the consumer is don't buy white tuna. To me right now, what white tuna is is escolar. It's a generic name that was given to this fish." Gall concurs: "The only reason people might use that term is because white meat, or albacore tuna, is something people are familiar with in the can, but there really is no species called white tuna and so you can pretty much bet that that's a substitute." Nevertheless, mislabeling fish is foul play, says Gavin Gibbons, a representative for the National Fisheries Institute, a trade association that launched the Better Seafood Bureau in 2007. BSB members pledge their commitment to safe and correctly labeled seafood and agree to more extensive inspections. "Even though it's not really a food safety issue, if a company is willing to defraud its customers, what else is it willing to do?" asks Gibbons. In the past, some seafood producers who were subbing one fish for another were also found to have been changing the expiration date on packaging to make fish seem fresher than it was, points out Kimberly Warner, Senior Scientist at Oceana and lead author of the New York City seafood study. This allows more time for histidine to develop into histamines as the fish decays. "The perishability of seafood is a huge issue," says Warner. "Chances of scromboid poisoning (illness from decaying fish) increases the longer the fish is out of the sea," she says. Tackling the Problem Whether it is an economic or health issue, or both, seafood fraud is an illegal, punishable crime — one that can be hard to detect. "Seafood is so much more complicated than any other food commodity," says Gall. "When you think about the possibility that there are 500 different species of fish and shellfish out there in the marketplace, it's very difficult for even experts a lot of times to identify correctly what species they're handling." FDA has been maintaining a list of all accepted fish names since 1988, and expanded that list to include invertebrates such as mussels and clams in 1993. The National Fisheries Institute acts as a self-regulator for industry, providing a stamp of legitimacy to those who subscribe to the Better Seafood Bureau and closely monitoring members. BSB works with FDA and the enforcement arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to detect seafood fraud and prosecute perpetrators. Over the past few years, the government has been cracking down on fraudulent fish sales. Several dealers have been convicted of seafood fraud and most have been sentenced to jail time. Earlier this year a California company was fined $1 million for selling Asian catfish as grouper. In a 2010 case, three seafood dealers pled guilty to illegally importing 283,500 pounds of Vietnamese catfish, labeling the fish as sole and grouper and distributing it to over 65 restaurants, military installations and supermarkets in the Southeast. The perpetrators served a combined total of nearly 6 years in prison. However, as recent studies show, the problem persists. In July of 2012, following the Boston Globe's report, U.S. Representatives Edward Markey (D-MA) and Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced the Safety and Fraud Enforcement for Seafood (SAFE Seafood) Act, which would require full traceability for all seafood sold in the United States. "Without strict accounting of the supply chain, a tracking number that follows the fish, you don't really know where it's coming from," says Warner of Oceana. "And fish have a very complex and obscure supply chain." A full 91 percent of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, according to NOAA, meaning it can often be difficult to trace mislabeled product to its origins. In 2009, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said there was more that FDA and other agencies responsible for seafood safety could do to combat fraud. "FDA examines only about 2 percent of imported seafood annually, and its primary seafood oversight program does not address economic fraud risks, which limits its ability to detect fraud," GAO said in the document. "Because of the limited scope of FDA's seafood oversight program, its mismanagement of the Seafood List, and its failure to update its guidance to reflect the allergen labeling requirement, consumers have less assurance that the seafood they purchase is correctly labeled." Gibbons says the right regulations are already in place, but must be put into practice. "The way we feel is that this is really an enforcement issue. There are rules and there are regulations already in place, but enforcement has been lacking. And as soon as we start to see a renewed focus on enforcement, we'll start to see this issue turn around." "If you have a DNA test, a menu and an invoice, you should be able to tell where the fraud happened," he says. "You don't have to test every piece of fish that's on the market. You just have to let people know you're testing a percentage. For people who are committing fraud, that will serve as a strong deterrent." Tollefsen suggests simply using the recent evidence of seafood fraud to educate inspectors about what to look for. "That's just a memo on the board. Okay, inspectors, when you go out, look for white tuna." Experts agree that wholesalers are less likely to be fooled than a restauranteur. "If I buy fish from a harvester, I know what I'm buying," says Tollefsen, who was formerly in the fish business. "I have to know. Just like a diamond dealer knows what he's buying. If I was a wholesaler and I bought a tilefish and had no idea it was something else, shame on me. I have no place in the business." Gall explains that by the time a fish gets to the restaurant, it might be in filet or steak form and less recognizable. "There's really few problems on the part of the fishermen and the wholesalers who sell those fish, they are experts, they have experience. But there are unscrupulous dealers." "It's just really hard to get a handle on because the only way you can be sure is this kind of DNA testing," Gall says. In his opinion, it's a matter of putting limited public health funds where they'll make the most difference. "These agencies have to prioritize their resources and they're going to focus on high public health risk types of issues," he says. Even given what's going on, probably much more of an economic issue than a public health issue." Consumer Detection While a restaurant patron or grocery store shopper will be the least likely to recognize fraudulent fish, there are some warning signs consumers can look out for. First, consumers can ask where the seafood they're buying came from, says Warner. Another sign of fish fraud is a label that describes a type of fish not on FDA's seafood list, such as "white tuna." The full list is available here. "The other issue that people need to be tuned into is price," says Gall. "When you see a label like white tuna and a price that's so much lower than other kinds of tuna, it's a red flag that something's probably going on." And for those who wish to be more proactive: "We need consumers to be able to demand that the fish we buy and feed ourselves is honestly labeled and ask questions about where it's from and say that you care, that you would support having a traced seafood product available to you so that you can be sure that what you're ordering is what you're getting," says Warner. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Food Policy & Law |
WY Restaurant Outbreak Likely from Norovirus
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The evidence points to a Norovirus contamination at a buffet-style Golden Corral restaurant in east Casper as the source, health department director Robert Harrington told Food Safety News. Thus far, none of the 167 self-reported cases have been clinically diagnosed. Results from tests should begin coming in next week. The emergency room of the local hospital reported a "remarkable spike" last week in illnesses featuring symptoms of Norovirus infection, Harrington said. Those suffering from infection may experience diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. Around 1 p.m. Mountain Time, Golden Corral announced a voluntary 24-hour shutdown to sanitize the premises. Harrington cautioned management that a temporary closure cannot guarantee eliminating the contamination, but praised the move as "doing the right thing." The restaurant opened approximately one month ago, Harrington said. Local health officials performed their first operational inspection of the facilities on Wednesday following the spate of illness reports. A news story published Wednesday in the Casper Star-Tribune featured an interview with a Golden Corral patron who noted dirty plates being served to customers. When he addressed the concern to an employee, he was told that the restaurant's dishwasher was broken. Harrington said that the dishwasher was functioning properly when officials inspected the restaurant on Wednesday. Inspectors did not note any unclean plates, either. Health officials will be back at Golden Corral Friday to inspect the facility once again before it re-opens for dinner. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Foodborne Illness Investigations |
Taylor Farms Romaine Lettuce Recalled for Possible Listeria
| Taylor Farms is recalling 110 cases of Taylor Farms Hearts of Romaine 10 oz. bags of romaine lettuce due to possible contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. The affected product bears a UPC of 0-30223-04032-3 and features a best-by date of today, Dec. 13, 2012. The product was sold in California and Florida. No reported illnesses have yet been associated with this product. However, until the isolate can be further characterized, it is not possible to say if any known cases of illness match it.
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Burgers Recalled in Canada for Possible E. Coli
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The affected product is frozen in 1.13 kg packages bearing the UPC 0-60383-89363-7, with a best-before date of March 2013. The product was distributed nationally across Canada. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the recall has resulted from an ongoing investigation into a number of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Canada. The recall may be expanded as additional products undergo testing. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Food Recalls |
12.12.2012
Ex-BPI Employee Sues Media Over LFTB Controversy
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In the suit, Bruce Smith targets ABC News and a number of media personalities, including ABC anchors Diane Sawyer and Jim Avila, who aired a segment called "Pink Slime and You" during the March 7, 2012 edition of ABC World News with Diane Sawyer. Other individuals named in the lawsuit include celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and blogger Bettina Siegel. On April 12, 2011, Oliver featured a segment on his TV show "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" deriding 'pink slime'. Siegel, author of The Lunch Tray blog, gained national attention on March 6, 2012, when she started a petition on Change.org titled "Tell USDA to STOP Using Pink Slime in School Food!" More than 250,000 people signed Siegel's petition, which ultimately resulted in the USDA giving school districts the choice of whether or not to include LFTB-supplemented beef in their menus. In the weeks that followed, grocery chains such as Safeway, Supervalu Inc., Kroger and Food Lion announced that they would discontinue sales of ground beef containing LFTB. BPI closed three of its four plants in the months following the media coverage. Smith worked as an environmental health and safety officer at BPI for more than four years. He was one of nearly 90 corporate employees laid off by the company in May, the Sioux City Journal reports. A licensed Nebraska attorney representing himself in the lawsuit, Smith is seeking $70,000 in damages for "extreme emotional distress" and "hardship and pain and suffering." In Nebraska, suits seeking $70,000 or less cannot be transferred to federal court, and Smith wishes the case to be heard by a jury in Dakota County, the Journal reports. BPI operates its one last plant there, and it is where many current and former BPI employees reside. "For the time being," Siegel wrote on her blog, "I'll have no further comment except to say that I'm confident the First Amendment protects the rights of all Americans, including bloggers like myself, against meritless attempts at censorship like this one." Smith is also self-publishing a book about the controversy, titled "Pink Slime Ate My Job," available now in eBook format and coming in paperback Christmas Day. Smith said that if the book sells at least 100,000 copies, he will donate $1 from each sale to his fellow ex-BPI employees. In September, BPI filed suit against ABC News, former U.S. Department of Agriculture officials, and a former BPI employee for allegedly defaming its products. The company is seeking $1.2 billion in damages as well as punitive damages for a "sustained a vicious campaign" against LFTB that resulted in "enormous financial harm." ABC News Senior Vice President Jeffrey Schneider has said the organization will defend its news coverage against the allegations "vigorously," saying the lawsuit "is without merit." Food safety law firm Marler Clark has been retained by ABC News for its defense in the suit. Marler Clark underwrites Food Safety News. Read Smith's full complaint here. More comprehensive 'pink slime' coverage from Food Safety News can be found here: BPI and 'Pink Slime': A Timeline The Rise to Fame of 'Pink Slime' BPI Sues ABC News, Former USDA Officials for 'Pink Slime' Defamation © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Lawsuits & Litigation |
FDA Names New Zealand First Food Safety System Comparable to US
As agency builds import safety system, foreign assessments will play key roleThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday signed a "systems recognition" agreement with New Zealand – the agency's first formal acknowledgement that a foreign country has a food safety system comparable to the U.S. In an interview with Food Safety News, Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor touted the agreement—which is the culmination of more than two years of work—as the first step in what will soon be a key part of the agency's import safety system as it rolls out the Food Safety Modernization Act. "FSMA is looking for higher levels of assurance, in a very comprehensive way, about the safety of food coming into [the US]," said Taylor. "Looking to the future, the more that we can formally recognize what's happening in other countries and incorporate that into our targeting of resources…the more we can target our efforts, the more the private sector can target its efforts, the more we build on what we're doing and avoid duplication of efforts." Avoiding duplication and stretching scare resources is key as the agency has failed to keep up with the flood of imported food. According to FDA, food imports to the U.S. have increased by 300 percent over the last decade, now accounting for 15 percent of the food Americans consume each year. The products come from more than a quarter of a million food facilities in over 200 countries and territories and enter the U.S. through more than 300 ports. Assuring all of this food is safe for consumers is an enormous task for an agency trying to rebuild a new, preventive food safety system both at home and abroad. FDA currently has 48 staff posted in 10 countries. According to the agency's most recent annual report to Congress, in 2011, it spent about $33 million to inspect 995 foreign food facilities out of the 254,088 that are registered. FDA said it physically examined around 2.3 percent, or 243,400 import lines out of 10,439,236. In 2010, New Zealand accounted for about 2 percent of U.S. food imports (by value), including meat products, according to USDA. The agency believes that establishing which countries are comparable to the U.S. when it comes to food safety will help stretch scarce resources as the agency implements FSMA. Recognizing that a trading partner is essentially equivalent to the U.S., for example, would almost certainly mean that FDA inspections of food facilities in that country will be less frequent than they will be elsewhere. FDA officials say they will also be more likely to trust the follow-up work performed by local officials if there is a food safety problem. "We're not saying there will never be problems with New Zealand products," said Camille Brewer, the Director of International Affairs at FDA's Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine. "We are saying that we'll look to New Zealand to take a stronger and very active role in follow up." To determine that the two countries' systems are comparable, FDA is using what it calls the International Comparability Assessment Tool (ICAT). The system, which includes an extensive in-country audit, looks at several elements, including regulatory foundation, inspection and enforcement capabilities, training, verification and audit programs, illness outbreak response capability, program and laboratory resources, industry and consumer outreach programs and international engagement. "We've been developing the concept of systems recognition as a way to formalize our understanding that there are countries around the world who have very developed food safety systems and who are, generally speaking, aligned with us in terms of the movement toward a focus on prevention and using science to ensure the safety of food," said Taylor. The new scheme sounds a lot like establishing equivalency, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture has long required before foreign countries can send meat or poultry to the U.S. "It's analogous, but it is quite different," said Taylor. "The FSIS system is based upon demonstrating, at a very detailed level, equivalence with very specific inspection mandates and requirements that FSIS administers for meat and poultry plants for this country and it focuses on meat and poultry, specific commodities. Our systems recognition is at a broader and more general level and doesn't require the same degree of [detailed] verification that equivalence does." Taylor also noted that the agreement does not have legally binding consequences, like equivalency does, and that it will just be one part of the FDA's import safety system. "It's a harbinger of what's to come over the long term in terms of building partnerships, collaboration, and mutual reliance with other countries' food safety systems," he said. Another key element is the Foreign Supplier Verification Program, which is one of the key rules that has been stuck under review at the White House Office of Management and Budget for a year. When asked when the rules will be released from their lengthy review, Taylor said: "I hope soon. The process is active – we hope we'll be able to get our proposals out very soon." © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Food Policy & Law |
London Officials Crack Down on Rare Burgers
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The reaction comes after food safety inspectors ordered Davy's Wine Bar in St. James's to stop serving its burger undercooked — an order the eatery is challenging in court. While the council said it has not placed an outright ban on rare burgers, restaurant managers say they have been advised to cook only medium and well-done burgers. Some have stopped serving rare burgers altogether to avoid a similar situation to Davy's. The law firm representing Davy's has stated that the bar's burgers are produced with "high-quality ingredients" and that the restaurant "has safe measures in place to serve rare or medium-rare burgers to customers who request them." The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). E. coli and other fecal contaminants on the surface of a meat cut will be transferred to the center of a burger when grounded, and they can survive inside burgers cooked to lower temperatures. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Food Policy & Law |
Pennsylvania Testing Cows for Salmonella After Raw Milk Illnesses
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The cows thought to be responsible for those illnesses are being tested for Salmonella by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Samantha Elliott Krepps, the department's press secretary, told Food Safety News that the test results are not yet available. Dutch Meadows Dairy at Paradise, PA and Camphill Village Kimberton Hills Dairy at Kimberton, PA both had their raw milk pulled from store shelves. Retail sales of raw milk are legal in Pennsylvania with regulatory responsibilities split between local or regional health departments and the state Department of Agriculture. The two dairies were persuaded to pull their raw milk dairy products by the Chester County Health Department after several people became ill after drinking it. The department has not provided any further information. According to Kimberton Whole Foods, a four-store local chain, Dutch Meadows was planning to resume sales this week, while Camphill Kimberton will not be found back on store shelves until January 5. In a notice posted on its website, the retailer said Camphill Kimberton is having its milk tested for Salmonella. Dutch Meadows produces certified organic raw milk from Dutch-belted cows, a heritage breed. Camphill Village Kimberton is a 210-acre dairy farm with about 90 Brown Swiss and Milking Short Horn cows. Its raw milk is used by the nearby Steven Stars Farm to produce yogurt. The two dairy farms are about 160 miles apart on opposite sides of Harrisburg. The area allows dairy cows to feed on diverse pastures from April to November. The four Kimberton Whole Foods stores are located in the Pennsylvania towns of Kimberton, Douglassville, Downingtown and Ottsville. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Foodborne Illness Investigations |
Rich’s grows portfolio
| Advertisement Rich Products Corp. has announced three recent additions to its United States-Canada portfolio: the acquisition of Goglanian Bakeries Inc. and f'real® foods LLC, as well as the establishment of a joint venture, Twin Star Bakery, with the Stolbun Group. These moves will expand Rich's product offering and establish inroads into new markets, such as convenience stores. The acquisition of family-owned Goglanian Bakeries will significantly expand Rich's current pizza offering with par-baked pizza crusts, flatbreads and pitas. Goglanian also has a significant manufacturing network with facilities in Santa Ana, Calif., Fountain Inn, S.C., and Rochester, N.Y., as well as a state-of-the-art facility outside Chicago, Ill., which is expected to open in the first quarter of 2013. The addition of f'real foods, Orinda, Calif, provides Rich's with a new product line and greater penetration into the convenience store segment. Founded in 1995, f'real sells milkshakes, smoothies and frozen coffee beverages, along with patented blending equipment, to more than 9,000 convenience store and foodservice locations across the United States and Canada. The company will be managed as a separate subsidiary business. Twin Star Bakery is a new joint venture partnership between Rich's and the Stolbun Group, led by Sam Stolbun, who previously owned Camelot Desserts. Twin Star recently opened a state-of-the-art dessert manufacturing facility near Houston, Texas, that produces fully finished cakes, and baked and iced cookies. The Stolbun Group will manage Twin Star's research and development and production, while Rich's will oversee product marketing and sales, primarily through its in-store bakery division. "The acquisitions of Goglanian Bakeries and f'real foods, and establishment of our Twin Star joint venture, are consistent with our ongoing commitment to shape and reshape our diverse portfolio to keep Rich's focused on a path of long-term growth," Bill Gisel, Rich's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. |
Barry Callebaut to acquire top Asian cocoa supplier
| Advertisement Barry Callebaut has inked an agreement with Petra Foods Ltd., Singapore, to acquire their Cocoa Ingredients Division, the largest cocoa products supplier in Asia. With sales revenue of $1.3 billion, 405,000 metric tons of bean-grinding capacity in seven processing facilities and four sales offices, Petra Foods' Cocoa Ingredients Division has a significant global footprint across four continents. This acquisition will make Barry Callebaut the largest global cocoa processor. The transaction also includes a long-term agreement with Petra Foods' branded consumer division to supply it with cocoa products covering 75 percent of its total needs. It is expected to close in summer 2013, pending approval by Petra Foods' shareholders as well as regulatory authorities. All told, the acquisition will cost $950 million cash, to be financed by a bridge loan from banks that will be replaced within 12 months by the issuance of a combination of equity and debt. "The acquisition marks a major step forward in the implementation of our four-pillar growth strategy," Barry Callebaut CEO Juergen Steinemann said in a statement. "A stronger integrated position in sustainable cocoa sourcing and processing is important to keep growing our chocolate business over proportionally, especially in emerging markets. The deal also allows us to become a strategic supplier of specialty cocoa powders and meet the growing integrated value chain requirements of our customers and partners." |
More Nuts Recalled for Salmonella in Canada
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The first recall in this series was published on November 30 for walnuts imported from California. Then on December 2, Loblaws Companies Ltd. recalled nationally distributed in-shell hazelnuts, also for possible Salmonella contamination. The hazelnuts were imported from the United States. That recall was updated twice in the following two days to include mixed nuts containing the hazelnuts, or filberts, and then more bulk varieties of the potentially dangerous filberts. This most recent recall affects Golden Boy brand Inshell Mixed Nuts sold in 1.36 kg (3 lb) mesh bags marked with UPC 0 64684 10948 0. The product was distributed nationally in Canada by Burnbay, BC-based Golden Boy Foods Ltd, according to CFIA. "Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled," CFIA reminds consumers in the recall announcement. "Consumption of food contaminated with these bacteria may cause salmonellosis," a foodborne illness. Symptoms of salmonellosis include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea that can sometimes be bloody. No illnesses have been reported in connection with any of the recently recalled nuts. The nut recalls can be found on CFIA's website. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Food Recalls |
Kansas City Star Publishes Series on US Beef Industry
Discusses tenderization risks, antibiotics in livestock
The work follows a yearlong investigation during which The Star was given rare access to tour the processing plants of two of the four major U.S. beef suppliers, as well as packing plants and a large-scale cattle feedlot. The resulting stories highlight issues such as non-therapeutic antibiotic use in livestock, the industry's funding and propagation of pro-beef research, and the safety risks of mechanically tenderized steak. The Star's investigation into mechanical tenderization determined that the use of the technology exposes consumers to an increased risk of foodborne illness. A significant amount of beef consumed in the U.S. is sent through machine that feature dozens of needles or blades that puncture and sometimes marinate the steak in an effort to improve the texture cuts sometimes considered cheaper and tougher. When the steaks are punctured, however, fecal contaminants on the surface may get driven down further into the meat. When these steaks are cooked on the rarer side, pathogens such as E. coli have the chance to survive within them and eventually infect diners. In many cases, consumers, restaurant staff, and supermarket managers do not know — and cannot tell — when a steak has been mechanically tenderized. A 2008 U.S. Department of Agriculture survey found that 90 percent of beef producers are using the technique on at least some cuts, though the practice does not require any additional labeling. Speaking to The Star, Margaret Lamkin said she had no idea the steak she ordered from an Applebee's restaurant three years ago was mechanically tenderized. She fell ill with a severe E. coli O157:H7 infection several days later. The 90 year-old grandmother must now wear a colostomy bag for the rest of her life. Ashley Ashbrook, a 17 year-old high school senior, faced a similar ordeal when she contracted an E. coli infection after eating a medium-rare steak at another Applebee's. That steak, too, was tenderized without the knowledge of Ashbrook or her parents. Ashbrook's illness developed into hemolytic uremic syndrome, a kidney disease associated with severe E. coli infections. Three years later, she still suffers from high blood pressure and anemia, along with kidney abnormalities. The Star's McGraw told Food Safety News that the paper's investigation unfolded during a fascinating year for the beef industry. Cattle herds were at their smallest since the 1950s. Beef prices were on the rise. And then there was the controversy over lean finely-textured beef — the product derided as 'pink slime' — that hijacked mainstream headlines shortly after The Star's research began. "I should point out that I'm not a vegetarian or a vegan," McGraw added. "I love beef." The beef industry, however, may not be feeling the love. On Monday American Meat Institute President J. Patrick Boyle issued a statement reacting to the series, calling it "a huge disappointment." "This was truly unprecedented access to the industry and its operations," Boyle wrote. "Industry executives provided countless interviews. AMI did its best to answer any question posed and even plotted charts when asked for additional data presented in ways that we didn't have readily available." "We believed that by cooperating, he would see what we saw: a beef industry that provides the safest and most affordable beef supply in the world," Boyle continued. "We know that we cannot rest on the progress achieved and must always strive to do better, but we find it impossible to reconcile the conclusions reached by the Star with data from CDC, FSIS, OSHA and other agencies." McGraw said he did not want to contest the AMI's statement. The Star provides responses from industry spokespeople within its featured articles. Accompanying the feature on mechanical tenderization is a response that highlights the millions of dollars industry has invested in reducing E. coli contamination rates. According to federal data, E. coli contamination rates in ground beef fell 72 percent between 2000 and 2010, while infections in humans fell 52 percent from 2000 to 2011. McGraw said that The Star was upfront with its industry subjects when first contacting them about access to their facilities and records. "I was very clear with the industry early on," he said. "I said 'I've got a year to look at the beef industry. I don't really know yet what I'm going to find or what I'm going to do. I'll tell you right now that I'll likely trip across some things you won't like me writing about, but if you want to help me with this I would be appreciative.'" Spokespeople for the AMI did not respond to an inquiry from Food Safety News for further comment. The USDA is currently conducting an assessment of mechanically tenderized beef to estimate the true risk associated with the product, but so far all findings remain under wraps. McGraw said he calls the USDA every day to ask about that assessment. It's part of a job that fewer journalists are able to undertake these days. "I think that consumers and the food industry would benefit from more journalism," McGraw said. "I think it's a shame that we used to have agriculture reporters at most daily newspapers in the Midwest and we don't anymore." © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Food Politics |
Brazil Works to Minimize Reaction to Mad Cow Incident
| Brazil continues to downplay its first and belated report of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or Mad Cow disease and its strategy may be working. Except for Japan, Brazil's Mad Cow incident is not resulting in trade bans against its beef. To make sure it stays that way, the government in Brasillia Tuesday said it was sending out 20 trade missions to countries that buy its beef to make sure there are no Mad Cow worries about beef from Brazil. It currently is the world's second largest beef exporter and home of the world's biggest beef producer, JBS, SA.
Nor is it likely that Brazil will lose, from this single incident, it's status as one of 19 countries where the BSE risk is "negligible," a status determined by OIE's governing body. Meanwhile, the U.S. is one of 30 countries with a BSE risk that is only "controlled." Brazil, in a Dec. 7 dispatch to the OIE, reported what it said was its first occurrence of a listed disease, a sub-clinical infection of the prion responsible for BSE. The report stemmed from an incident on a farm in the State of Parana on Dec. 18 and 19, 2010, involving the death of a 13-year old beef-breeding cow out of a herd of 148. "On 18 December 2010, the Official Veterinary Services (OVS) were informed by the owner of a holding in the municipality of Sertanópolis (State of Paraná) on a recumbent bovine showing limb stiffness which was detected during routine inspection," Brazil's report to OIE says. "Next day, when the OVS were going to visit the holding, they were informed by the stockman that the animal was dead. The OVS went to the holding to collect information and samples for the diagnosis of the cause of the death, " it continued. "As it is an area where rabies is present in herbivores, samples were taken for the diagnosis of this disease and for differential diagnosis, as recommended by the national protocol." "The animal was properly buried on site. The animal was a beef breeding cow almost 13 years old at the time of death, according to information obtained during the epidemiological investigations. " "According to regulations and routine procedures to be implemented in case of suspected neurological diseases, the sample was tested for rabies and it was negative. "As it was an adult animal negative for rabies, the sample was sent for laboratory analysis within the surveillance system for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). On 11 April 2011, a negative histopathological result for BSE was obtained in a laboratory accredited by the OVS. "The sample was sent to the National Reference Laboratory, National Agricultural Laboratory (LANAGRO-PE), Recife, Pernambuco, for BSE diagnosis and it tested positive on 15 June 2012 by immunohistochemical test. "The delay between the two tests was caused by an incident occurred in one of the laboratories of the accredited network for the diagnosis of BSE. That led to overload the system and to prioritize the diagnosis of samples which met BSE-risk characteristics, as established by the OIE. "The sample belonged to the group "fallen stock" and to the age group "over 9 years", according to the Article 11.5.22 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code. This classification led to consider the sample as showing a low diagnosis priority level, which resulted in a longer than expected delay from histopathological to immunohistochemical tests." "According to the procedure manual on response to the occurrence of a BSE event in Brazil and as it is the first occurrence in the country, the sample was sent for confirmatory diagnosis to the OIE Reference Laboratory for this disease, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), Weybridge, United Kingdom. "The sample tested positive in immunohistochemical test on 6 December 2012. The epidemiological investigation shows that the animal's death was not caused by BSE and suggests that it may be an atypical case of the disease occurring in the oldest animals. Information collected during the epidemiological investigation shows also that the animal was reared in an extensive system on grazing." The Montana-based national cattlemen's group, R-CALF USA, has asked Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to immediately suspend imports of ruminants and ruminant products from Brazil, but USDA has been silent on the issue. R-CALF says Brazil must now be listed as a country where BSE is known to exist, meaning the South American country should no longer be able to export ruminants to the U.S. The OIE says "the occurrence of a new BSE case implies a re-assessment of the official risk status only in the event of a change in the epidemiological situation indicating failure of the BSE risk mitigating measures in place." OIE's Scientific Committee makes investigations, advises the OIE Director General, and then are adopted by the organization's World Assembly by resolution each May. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Nutrition & Public Health |
12.11.2012
Norovirus from Oregon Zoo Event Sickens 90
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The meeting was attended by 220 members of the Women's Healthcare Associates group last Wednesday morning. After the event, nearly 100 people became sick with what officials believe was Norovirus infection, according to The Oregonian. "Norovirus is the most likely culprit," Dr. Kristina Hedberg, a state epidemiologist, told the paper. While Norovirus is highly contagious and easily spread via fecal matter, Hedberg says this cluster of illnesses was unusually large. "We tend to see outbreaks this time of year. This one does seem to be larger than many that we see," Hedberg told The Oregonian. Health officials are currently looking for the source of the virus, which remains unclear. According to Hedberg, the most probable scenario is that an infected food worker contaminated a food that then passed the virus on to other people. The private event was catered by zoo staff. Offerings included typical breakfast fare, such as pastries, muffins, fruit, bagels and cream cheese and spreads, coffee, tea and ice water. Hedberg says the fruit was the most likely source of contamination. Since it was thoroughly washed before serving, it may have been contaminated in the kitchen where it was prepared, she told The Oregonian. The Women's Healthcare Association says it is working with investigators to determine the source of the virus. ""We have taken every precaution to protect the health and well-being of our employees and patients," said Brian Kelly, CEO of the organization in a statement. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Foodborne Illness Investigations |
FDA Renews Agreement to Collaborate With China on Food Safety
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The initial agreement was struck in 2007, and the new accord extends the formal cooperation for another five years. According to FDA, the agreement includes: -Enhancement of FDA's ability to identify high-risk food products entering the United States from China -Collaboration to facilitate inspections of facilities that process and produce food -A focus on high-risk foods frequently exported from China to the United States, including canned and acidified foods, pet food and aquaculture -The creation of processes for FDA to accept relevant, verified information from AQSIQ regarding registration and certification After the last agreement was signed, FDA opened offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. "These offices have enhanced public health protection by strengthening FDA's relationship with Chinese food safety authorities, performing inspections, conducting outreach to Chinese industry representatives regarding FDA requirements, and gathering information on trends and events that affect the safety of food exported from China to the United States," said the agency in statement. FDA noted that the agency has made progress in several areas since the agreement was first signed five years ago: -The agency has increased the number of facility inspections in China, from no inspections in 2007 to 85 in 2011. -In conjunction with AQSIQ, FDA experts have conducted workshops for members of the Chinese industry on FDA requirements for several categories of high-risk foods, including low-acid canned foods and farm-raised fish. As a result, Chinese regulators have implemented more stringent oversight of canneries shipping products to the United States. -FDA and AQSIQ have also worked jointly to identify strategic ways to address problems associated with use of unsafe drugs in growing ponds at Chinese fish farms. The agency also said it has greatly improved the relationship between food safety officials in both countries by regularly holding meetings and workshops. FDA is also helping Chinese food safety officials understand the impact the Food Safety Modernization Act will have on their food industry. © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Government Agencies |
Modern Baking December 2012
| Consumers turned out in droves for the third annual Small Business Saturday on Nov. 24. Some bakeries offered deals to entice consumers to shop, while others had mixed feelings about the holiday, which was created by American Express....More |
Top 50 foodservice bakeries: New concepts set to shake things up
| Advertisement Although many of the top 50 foodservice bakeries remained largely unchanged in terms of sales and unit rankings from 2011 to 2012, beneath the surface the industry is undergoing a sea change amid changing consumer habits and an ever-shrinking globe. Consumers worldwide want good quality products at a fair price, prepared fresh throughout the day, according to a recent global survey of 6,400 consumers' attitudes about bakery, patisserie and chocolate by Puratos and Insights Consulting. They demand authentic experiences when they interact with "brands," whether that means opening a box of cookies or smelling and touching a freshly baked baguette. Operators and manufacturers are tasked with delivering this feeling of authenticity through a whole brand experience. "Consumers want higher quality but they want to pay less," says Matt Crumpton, vice president of marketing for Puratos. "How do we get around that paradox? By offering a sense of holistic quality. They start reading the story behind the product and getting emotionally engaged in the product or bakery as a whole, and that rationale of paying less goes out the window. That's a very strong point. I've tested that strong emotional engagement outside of food, but it's not the same with products like laundry detergent."
Among the list of bakeries to watch in the United States are two internationally based companies: Sydney, Australia-based Pie Face and Korean SPC Group's Paris Baguette. The other foodservice bakeries on the radar include Magnolia Bakery, Sprinkles Cupcakes and Crumbs Bake Shop–three chains that hit it big with the surging cupcake movement and are now looking to grow through such avenues as international franchising, expanded product lines and increased focus on beverages. Also making the list (and new to the Top 50 this year) is Bay Bread Group's La Boulange Bakery, which is on the cusp of nationwide expansion after its acquisition by Starbucks this summer. International concepts bet on U.S. success Pie Face made its U.S. debut in the spring of 2012 in New York City, with a 24-hour shop in Time Square specializing in handheld savory and sweet pies that also appeal to the late-night crowd. A second location opened in Murray Hill this fall, a few months after Steve Wynn, chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts Ltd. in Las Vegas acquired 43 percent of shares in Pie Face USA's common stock for $15 million.
Supplied by a central commissary in Brooklyn, N.Y., the stores feature savory pies including chunky steak, Thai chicken curry and BBQ pulled pork in 7.7-oz. and 3.8-oz. sizes. A face baked into the crust of each pie denotes the flavor. The menu also features sweet pies, pastries, sandwiches, wraps, soups and coffee. Although Homschek anticipates an uptick in coffee sales in the U.S. compared to Australia, the savory pies are expected to be the main draw, with 45 percent of sales. In addition to the uniqueness of the concept and branding and the quality of the food, Homschek says the product appeals to American palates. "Americans love comfort food, like chunky steak and chicken mushroom. All these flavors hit center of the mark for American tastes, like pot pie in a gourmet, portable way," he says. "It's kind of adventurous but not really because all the flavors are very well known. And people have reacted extremely well to it." The chain plans to have 10 locations in Manhattan by June 2013, with more than one per month slated to open after that. "We tend to think big," Homschek laughs. "It's a pretty aggressive plan but New York itself is aggressive. We learned that the hard way." Paris Baguette has exported the powerful brand experience of a Parisian baguette with overwhelming success in Asia–the chain has 2,900 stores in Korea and another 50 in China. While the bakery carries classic French items, such as croissants, feuilletee chocolate (chocolately puff pastry twists), and, of course, baguettes, the standout products are those featuring Korean twists, such as redbean donuts, sesame tapioca bread, green tea-infused cakes and sweet potato puff pastry filled with ginger potato paste. The chain currently has 24 U.S. locations throughout California, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Several more are slated to open in the coming months as parent SPC Group, a leader in Korea's foodservice franchise and bread bakery markets, looks to grow its presence in the United States. |
6,000 Pounds of Expired Apple Slices Recalled for Listeria
| Freshway Foods is recalling 6,671 pounds of sliced apples that were packaged on November 12. The apples all used the same packing machine, which may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The company said they are not aware of any illnesses linked to their product, but the recall was initiated after a routine and random retail sample of sliced green apple product, taken by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, tested positive for the bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. The recall includes: 2.4 oz red apple slices with a use by date of November 30 (shipped to AL, FL, GA, KY, NY, TN, WI), 14 oz red apple slices in a Motts Interlocking Bag with a use by date of December 3 or December 6 (shipped to FL, GA, NC), and 14 oz green apple slices in a Motts Interlocking Bag (shipped to NC). Freshway is advising consumers who may have recalled products to not consume them and to throw them away. The company also said it is notifying retail customers and food service distributors who received the recalled product directly from the company and requesting that they remove from commerce any of the expired products that they still have in inventory. "As an extra precautionary measure we are also asking our direct customers to notify their customers of this recall," read the release. "Freshway Foods is issuing this precautionary voluntary recall because we are committed to our customers and the well-being of the consumers who enjoy our products every day," said Phil Gilardi, president of Freshway Foods. "We follow industry and federal food safety regulations and guidelines, and are working to carry out this recall in an effective and efficient manner in order to reduce even the slightest risk to public health." © Food Safety NewsMore Headlines from Food Recalls |