CNN reported that two people convicted of intentionally adding melamine to milk were executed today in China. Several others are serving 15 years to life.
The operators of the peanut butter plant in Georgia, that was implicated in a massive recall this year went out of business. I am not suggesting that we need to have the extreme that happened above in China. However, I do believe that those individuals involved in the food chain in the US need to take it seriously. It is a matter of life and death.
Unilever issued a recall on Shedd's Country Crock Chilled Side-Dish items. After a reported illness, they discovered that a co-packer had not informed them that an ingredient in the product contained sulfites. Persons with allergies or sensitivity to sulfites can have life threatening reactions.
Recalls for allergens are on the rise. Some are due to improper labelling and some are discovered by the lack of understanding of the ingredients used. Others are caused by inadequate sanitation. Do HACCP plans protect the consumer?
Another recall for salmonella in produce happened this week. This time cantaloupes sold by Five Crowns Marketing in Brawley, California discovered a positive test on a lot of product from November 4. The cantaloupes were shipped to several states.
There are new procedures initiated in produce since the spinach debacle in 2008. These procedures should reduce the chance for contamination and improve the recall procedures. Is testing fast enough? Are recalls initiated soon enough?
In this holiday season, take special precautions. Thoroughly wash all produce. Thoroughly cook your turkey. Don't let raw meat come in contact with produce or cooked foods. Refrigerate items that need refrigeration.
We can all do better as scientists, as producers, as manufacturers, as consumers. Let's take our responsibility seriously and keep our families safe from food borne illness and contamination.
Rudy
rudy@powerinlearning.com
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
IFT Releases Traceability Repot
The FDA and CFSAN contracted with the Institute of Food Technologists to evaluate the food sector and make recommendations to improve traceability and speed of recalls.
IFT released that report. I am not sure of the cost, however, the recommendations were those that were expected. The two biggest pieces for necessary requirement are to generate consistent lot codes so that they could more easily fit into a computerized search "Google like" scheme. This was similar to the findings of an independent, no cost to the government, evaluation by industry and private individuals and developed in coordination with WorldFoodTrace.org . www.worldfoodtrace.org
The second piece that will find extensive push back from industry unless the expense can be controlled, is that the information must be available for regulatory audits in an electronic form. The mechanism is not recommended so as to leave room for private industry to develop the software tools for this. It allows for individual firms to do their own conversion to electronic form or hire a third party to do it for them. So get ready to move from paper and pencil to electronic form and get ready to do it soon. When this recommendation is adopted, inspectors will be asking to see your electronic versions and so will your Global Food Safety Initiative Auditor.
I recommend researching technology now. The universal data base that will make this piece useful was not added to the report.
If you have a uniform length and format lot code, if you link lot codes of raw materials with finished products, if you record lot code shipments and quantities leaving your plant to each customer, and if this gets entered into a universal data base, then and only then will the United States have a useful workable system that will allow the CDC and regulatory agencies to pinpoint the source of a food borne illness.
Speed of recall is a life and death issue.
Identification saves lives, saves industry, saves jobs, saves our economy.
Ask your food industry representatives, your regulators, your representatives to use your tax dollars effectively and do the job right, and do the job right now!!
Be safe out there,
Rudy
rudy@powerinlearning.com
IFT released that report. I am not sure of the cost, however, the recommendations were those that were expected. The two biggest pieces for necessary requirement are to generate consistent lot codes so that they could more easily fit into a computerized search "Google like" scheme. This was similar to the findings of an independent, no cost to the government, evaluation by industry and private individuals and developed in coordination with WorldFoodTrace.org . www.worldfoodtrace.org
The second piece that will find extensive push back from industry unless the expense can be controlled, is that the information must be available for regulatory audits in an electronic form. The mechanism is not recommended so as to leave room for private industry to develop the software tools for this. It allows for individual firms to do their own conversion to electronic form or hire a third party to do it for them. So get ready to move from paper and pencil to electronic form and get ready to do it soon. When this recommendation is adopted, inspectors will be asking to see your electronic versions and so will your Global Food Safety Initiative Auditor.
I recommend researching technology now. The universal data base that will make this piece useful was not added to the report.
If you have a uniform length and format lot code, if you link lot codes of raw materials with finished products, if you record lot code shipments and quantities leaving your plant to each customer, and if this gets entered into a universal data base, then and only then will the United States have a useful workable system that will allow the CDC and regulatory agencies to pinpoint the source of a food borne illness.
Speed of recall is a life and death issue.
Identification saves lives, saves industry, saves jobs, saves our economy.
Ask your food industry representatives, your regulators, your representatives to use your tax dollars effectively and do the job right, and do the job right now!!
Be safe out there,
Rudy
rudy@powerinlearning.com
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