FDA Proposes Exempting More Food Establishments from Required Food Safety Plans

FDA has proposed a rule change that will exempt more food establishments from registration requirements and thus the FSMA Preventive Controls rule.  This will primarily affect farms that sell food directly to the consumer.

 

A retail food establishment is currently defined as an establishment that sells food products directly to consumers as its primary function. .............The proposed rule would clarify that, in determining the primary function of an establishment, the sale of food directly to consumers from an on-farm establishment includes sales by the establishment at such direct sales platforms as roadside stands, farmers’ markets, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.

 

HACCP based systems can be used by any sized business for better ensuring the safety of the food they make and sell.  While it would be good for FDA in having less establishments to visit, it means that there will probably be a few less companies taking that step to better understanding safe food processing.  Of course we know....small local businesses always make safe food and don't need no stinkin' new fangled food safety plans.


FDA News Release
http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm440983.htm
FDA Proposes to Amend Regulation on Registration of Food Facilities; Changes to Definition of Retail Food Establishments Would Expand Exemption
Constituent Update

April 8, 2015

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing a proposed rule to amend and update its regulation on registration of food facilities. The proposed rule would provide for improvements to the food facility registration system, and would also implement certain provisions of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which adds new provisions to the requirements for food facility registration.

Under the current regulation, food facilities that manufacture/process, pack, or hold food for consumption in the United States must register with FDA. Notably, establishments that are “retail food establishments,” farms, restaurants, and certain other entities are exempt from the requirement to register. The proposed rule would amend the definition of a retail food establishment in a way that would expand the number of establishments that are considered retail food establishments, and that are therefore not required to register.

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.

Blue Bell Creamery Expands Recall, Suspends OK Operation

Blue Bell Creamery shut down their Oklahoma operation and expanded their recall in light of FDA test that indicated additional products produced on the same manufacturing line had Listeria.  As of 4/8/15, the CDC  reports that 8 individuals have become infected, 3 additional illnesses in Texas to those 5 that have already been reported in the hospital related illnesses that started the investigation.  A number of samples have been found to be positive for Listeria.

One question that can be asked is why all product from that production line was not recalled initially.   If a manufacturing line has contamination for Listeria, one can bet that the contamination will have a good likelihood of being in a little of all product produced on that manufacturing line.  Like so many other Listeria recalls that have occurred in the past, companies issue the first recall, and then a second and even third recall expanding the scope of the recall to eventually get all product produced in that facility.  

FDA Recall Noticehttp://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm441620.htm
Blue Bell Creameries Expands Recall of Products Produced in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Due to Possible Health Risk

Contact:  Consumer: 979-836-7977
Media: Gene Grabowski 202-270-6560

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — April 7, 2015 — Brenham, TX — Blue Bell Creameries is expanding its recall of products that were produced in the Broken Arrow, Okla., plant to include Banana Pudding Ice Cream pints which tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, and additional products manufactured on the same line. These items have the potential to be young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Increased Number of Shigella Cases Occurring in US

CDC is reporting that there has been an increase in the number of Shigella infection cases in the US.  Of the 243 cases,  45 cases were reported in Massachusetts. California had 25 cases and there were 18 cases in Pennsylvania.   The strain is resistant to the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin, a second generation antibiotic, which does cause the medical community a little concern.

Shigella causes diarrhea, sometimes bloody, that can last for 5 to 7 days.  It is highly infectious and is spread from a person who is sick to another person via the fecal oral route.  So hand washing is important.  It is considered a foodborne pathogen, so food that has been handled by someone with Shigella can serve as a vector.

 

Keys to prevention - Exclusion of people who have the symptoms or who have been diagnosed, and proper hand washing.

 

 

US News and World Report

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/04/02/drug-resistant-stomach-bug-spreading-across-the-us

Drug-Resistant Stomach Bug Spreading Across the U.S.

By Kimberly Leonard April 2, 2015 | 5:26 p.m. EDT

Travelers are infecting Americans when they return home.

A recent, rapid spread of a diarrhea-causing bug that is immune to medicine has caused government health officials to issue a warning to travelers about their hygiene.

Allergen Control - USDA Increasing Scrutiny

 In March, USDA announced (7230.1) that they will be stepping up their attention on allergens within establishments.....starting April 12, 2015.

FSIS will begin an ongoing, monthly verification task beginning April 12, 2015, to determine whether establishments accurately control and label the "Big 8" food allergens

Indeed, allergen issues have triggered a number of recalls of both USDA and FDA regulated products.  For USDA regulated establishments, conducting a reassessment of the allergen control program may be a good measure to ensure issues are discovered and corrected before the inspector does.

Tightening control of allergens should get increased focus regardless.  Extra control can be a huge cost savings compared to having to conduct a recall.

 There are a number of good resources to assist:
FARRP
FSIS
FDA
Food Allergy.org

Edible Marijuana Being Tied to Suicide

A young man shot himself and the family is blaming legal edible marijuana.  This case, as well as two other deaths, come after the individual ate more than the recommended dose.

Hard not to see that there will be issues here when you put marijuana in the form of cookies or candy.  'One is tasty, and two are even tastier'....before you know it, you have exceeded what you should have eaten.  It is hard to regulate how much someone will eat unless you control the dosage in the food so that you would have to eat your fill before you achieve a maximum dosage.  Clearly, that may be an issue here.  I guess I just don't understand why you would want to put it in a form that is easy to over indulge.  Even more so, would be form that children may consume if left in a accessible location.

One misconception is that it is not the overdose killing the person (toxic affecting physical function) but the fact that when one overdoses, they act in a manner that may be harmful...that is, it affects mental function.  And each person may be different in how it affects them.



USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/26/marijuana-edibles-suicide/70503914/
Family thinks death of man was tied to edible pot
Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY 6:01 p.m. EDT March 26, 2015

KEYSTONE, Colo. — An Oklahoma man shot himself while on a ski vacation with his family, which blames his death on an overdose of marijuana-infused candy.

Luke Gregory Goodman, 22, of Tulsa, Okla., died Tuesday after two days on life support, officials said. Goodman ate the marijuana candies Saturday afternoon then shot himself about 10 p.m. MT, officials said.

An autopsy has not yet been completed, but the Summit County Coroner's Office said his death was "consistent with a suicide."

Toxicology reports are pending in Goodman's death. Goodman's family said he bought the legal edibles at a nearby marijuana store in this town about 60 miles west of Denver and ate five pieces, the equivalent of five doses.

Foodborne Illness Outbreak at Philly Restaurant Sickens Dozens of ....Lawyers

A Philly restaurant is being linked to dozens of illness that occurred during a banquet for law students.  The City of Philadelphia has not released much information.  The report indicated the illness was due to a Norovirus infection, which would mean that it was a personal hygiene issue, specifically an employee related issue, probably one was ill. On the other side, it could have been one of the attendees or another patron who may have contaminated a food bar.  (The symptoms and duration appeared to be more similar to Salmonella).

The City of Philadelphia recently had another issue with a restaurant that continued to operate even though it had a leaking sewer line.


Philly.com
http://www.philly.com/philly/health/special_reports/clean-lates/20150327_Dozens_sickened_at_banquet.html#MFD0yCxQSVvttJi1.99

Dozens sickened at banquet, but city can say little
It is one of Philadelphia's largest outbreaks, but officials are allowed to say little.

Sam Wood, Philly.com
Posted: Friday, March 27, 2015, 5:00 AM

In one of the largest outbreaks of suspected foodborne illness in Philadelphia, nearly 100 lawyers and law students were sickened last month after attending a banquet celebrating the Lunar New Year in Chinatown.

But even though the restaurant has a history of food-safety problems stretching back several years, the city Health Department says it cannot publicly discuss details of its investigation, citing a 1955 state law.

That law hasn't silenced the outbreak's victims.

About 250 people attended the feast Feb. 27 at Joy Tsin Lau, the venerable dim sum restaurant at 10th and Race Streets. Dozens of the diners reported that they felt the first symptoms two mornings later.