FDA Warning Letter - MN Warehouse with Egregious GMP Violations

FDA issued a Warning Letter to the owner of a warehouse facility in Minnesota due to egregious GMP violations.  Hard to imagine food being stored in these conditions.

1. Did not take effective measures to exclude pests from your packing and holding areas to protect against contamination of food on the premises by pests - dead rodents, gnaw marks and holes in product, rodent droppings and live birds.
2. Did not maintain your building, fixtures, and other physical facilities of your plant in a clean and sanitary condition and in repair adequate to prevent food from becoming adulterated - leaky roof with damp/wet product below, product spillage in multiple locations
3. Did not store food under conditions that protect against biological, chemical, and physical contamination - improper chemical storage with the potential for contamination of food, refrigated food stored at ambient temperatures.
4. Failed to properly store equipment, remove litter and waste, and cut weeds and grass that may constitute an attractant, breeding place, or harborage for pests within the immediate vicinity of the plant,

FDA Warning Letter
https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm624404.htm
Gold Star Distribution., Inc. 10/19/18

Display Case LED Lighting Negatively Impacts Milk Quality

Researchers have found that LED lights now being used in more display cases may have a negative impact on milk quality.  As the industry moves to LED lighting for energy savings, milk producers will need to look at packaging materials that will prevent the specific wavelengths that can cause deterioration.

In the release it states that "Riboflavin and other photosensitive components in milk are activated when struck by light energy, releasing a cascade of electrons that can degrade proteins and oxidize fats........LED lighting produces a pattern of wavelength that differs from the fluorescent bulbs that have been used to illuminate display cases. LEDs typically emit in the blue spectrum, around 460 nanometers, and produces a broader emission peak than fluorescents. That peak in LED light is near the narrow band where riboflavin absorbs light, a fact the researchers surmise could be selectively destroying the nutrient and damaging the perceived quality of the milk."

So is LED lighting having an impact on other food products?

EurekAlert
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-06/cu-cso060916.php
Consumers sour on milk exposed to LED light
Public Release: 9-Jun-2016
Cornell University

USDA Releases 'FoodKeeper' App for Food Storage Information

 USDA released a smart phone app dubbed 'FoodKeeper'.  The app provides insight on food - how long it can be stored, how it can be cooked, and some FAQs for food preparation.  One noble goal for the app is to reduce food waste.

Initially a bit skeptical, I went through a number of items and found that it was decent.  While it is always difficult to capture all situations, the ball park numbers provided can be useful for those who provide information to consumers.  Of course, there are limitations.   There are a number of different package types that will impact how long product can be held.  Additionally, the ingredients, including preservatives, and how the product was processed will come into play.  But for ball park estimates on shelf-life, it is worth the download.  And coming from USDA, it can be considered validation support.  (But nothing matches the support of a good Extension professional).

Shelf Life Advise is another good on-line resource for shelf life information.

USDA News Release

 http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2015/04/0086.xml&contentidonly=true

USDA Announces 'FoodKeeper' Application in Advance of World Health Day

 

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2015 – The U.S. Food Waste Challenge calls on organizations and businesses across the food supply chain to join the fight against food waste. In advance of World Health Day on April 7th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reaffirming its commitment to reduce food waste with the launch of a new food application.