New Poll: Many U.S. Adults Unaware of Key Food Safety Practices

From our informal polling, we know that most people do not use a thermometer when cooking burgers - either poultry, beef, or pork (also known as porkies).  Unfortunately, there is a real risk of foodborne illness when ground meat is undercooked.  This can be life threatening if the organism is STEC E.coli and product contaminated with that organism is consumed by a child.

Buy a thermometer.  Stick it in your burger. Cook your burger to the correct temperature (Beef and Pork – 160F, Poultry – 165F)

New Poll: Many U.S. Adults Unaware of Key Food Safety Practices

http://www.meatami.com/ht/d/ReleaseDetails/i/72056/mo_person_id/00077412/mo_mailing_id/MO-02082

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Eight in 10 adults who cook hamburgers or poultry burgers do not use thermometer to determine doneness

Contact: Tom Super at tsuper@meatami.com or 202/587-4238

Washington, D.C. September 1, 2011 – Summer may be waning, but with Labor Day cookouts, NCAA college football tailgates and the NFL season right around the corner, September’s 17th annual National Food Safety Education Month is the perfect time to remind food preparers about proper procedures when cooking meat and poultry products.

A new poll commissioned by the American Meat Institute (AMI) and conducted by Harris Interactive found that while almost nine out of 10 U.S. adults (88 percent) cook hamburgers or poultry (chicken or turkey) burgers, only 19 percent of those who do use an instant read thermometer to determine that the burgers are safely cooked and ready to eat (i.e.,“doneness”). Approximately 73 percent of adults who cook hamburgers or poultry burgers incorrectly rely on sight to determine doneness and 57 percent incorrectly rely on cooking time.

Of concern: only 13 percent of adults aged 18-34 who cook hamburgers or poultry burgers, many of whom may prepare food for small children at home, use an instant read thermometer to determine doneness when cooking hamburgers or poultry burgers. Seventy-eight percent of this age group rely on sight, which is not an accurate indicator of doneness, to determine if the burger is cooked properly.

In terms of proper cooking temperatures, only one in five U.S. adults (20 percent) knows a hamburger should be cooked to 160 degree F to ensure it is safe to consume, while 41 percent mistakenly believe that hamburgers should be cooked to a temperature less than 160 degrees F, according to the poll.

Nearly half of U.S. adults (47 percent) believe that poultry burgers should be cooked to a temperature less than 165 degrees F. Only 13 percent know that a poultry burger should be cooked to 165 degree F to ensure it is safe to consume.

“Meat and poultry companies use many food safety strategies to make our products as safe as we can, and it is our responsibility to empower our customers with the information that they need to ensure that the products are safe when served,” said AMI Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Janet Riley. “Our poll reveals that a significant knowledge gap still exists about proper cooking temperatures and thermometer use. U.S. meat and poultry products are among the safest in the world, but like all raw agricultural products, they can contain bacteria, and that is why it is important to take time to remind consumers about safe handling and cooking practices.”

Riley urged consumers to follow the four basic food safety steps that are included on safe handling labels on meat and poultry products: clean, separate, cook and chill. Consumers should make sure that surfaces and hands are clean when preparing food, separate raw products from cooked products, cook the product to the proper temperature and keep the product properly chilled.

“While we recognize September as National Food Safety Education Month, food safety is a priority year-round,” Riley concluded. “By making a habit of cooking hamburgers to 160 degrees F and chicken or turkey burgers to 165 degrees F and using an instant read thermometer, consumers can feel confident that they will enjoy a safe and delicious eating experience every time.”

For more information and additional resources to safely prepare meat and poultry visit http://www.meatsafety.org/.

Deer confirmed as E. coli source in Oregon Strawberry Outbreak

Deer dropping are the reported source of E.coli that contaminated strawberries.  For those who deal with fresh, ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables, this case puts additional pressure on addressing the movement of wild animals onto agricultural fields.

Deer confirmed as E. coli source in Oregon

http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-enewsletter/packer-daily/Deer-confirmed-as-E-coli-source-in-Oregon-127966683.html

08/17/2011 4:24:36 PM  The Packer
Coral Beach

State officials announced test results that confirmed deer as the source of E. coli O157:H7 that contaminated fresh strawberries in Oregon, causing one death and making at least 14 other people sick in July.

Oregon’s Public Health epidemiologist Katrina Hedberg reported the results in a news release Aug. 17. Six samples positively matched the E. coli that was found in the people who were infected, Hedberg stated in the release.

More than 100 samples were taken Aug. 6 from five fields where the berries were grown at Jaquith Strawberry Farm in Newberg, Ore. Those samples included deer droppings, soil and strawberry plants. Growers Joe and Jerri Jaquith have been cooperating with state officials, who have said that no sub-standard or problematic conditions were found when the farm was inspected.

Oregon health and agriculture officials remain concerned that some of the strawberries may remain in consumers’ hands. They repeated warnings Aug. 17 that uncooked strawberries used for “freezer jam” or frozen for later use should be thrown out. The strawberries were sold at roadside stands and farmers markets. Harvest at the farm ceased July 29.

“At this time, the Oregon Department of Agriculture believes it has identified those operators and locations that possibly sold Jaquith strawberries,” Hedberg stated in the Aug. 17 release. A list of the 57 locations and 36 vendors is on the department website.

This outbreak, which sickened people from July 10-29, marks the second time in Oregon that E. coli O157:H7 carried by deer has been implicated in human illness.

The bacteria is most often associated with beef and dairy products, but in 1997 Oregon epidemiologist William Keene confirmed that venison jerky was contaminated with the pathogen. Since that time, E. coli has also been confirmed in wild elk.

There is an outbreak of E. coli O157 related to fresh strawberries in Oregon.  13 people have become ill from eating strawberries that came from a particular farm in NW Oregon.  No source has been identified on how the strawberries came to be contaminated.   This is the first outbreak of STEC E.coli related to strawberries.

Recall -- State / Local Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and safety alerts from states as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA is not responsible for the content of these notices.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm267667.htm

Fresh Strawberries From Washington County Farm Implicated In E. coli O157 Outbreak In NW Oregon

Contact:
Media:
Jonathan Modie
503-758-4914 (Primary)
971-673-1102 (Desk)
jonathan.n.modie@state.or.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 8, 2011 - Oregon Public Health officials have identified fresh strawberries from a Newberg farm as the source of a cluster of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections that sickened at least 10 people last month, including one person who died.

The strawberries were produced last month by Jaquith Strawberry Farm located at 23135 SW Jaquith Road in Newberg. Jaquith finished its strawberry season in late July, and its strawberries are no longer on the market. Jaquith sold its strawberries to buyers who then resold them at roadside stands and farmer’s markets.

Health officials are urging consumers who may have purchased strawberries grown on this farm to throw them out. Strawberries that have been frozen or made into uncooked jam are of particular concern. Cooking kills E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.

“If you have any strawberries from this producer—frozen, in uncooked jam, or any uncooked form—throw them out,” says Paul Cieslak, M.D., from Oregon Public Health Division. He says people who have eaten the strawberries, but remain well need take no action. The incubation period for E. coli O157:H7 is typically two to seven days.

None of the following have been implicated in this outbreak:

• Berries other than strawberries.
• Strawberries sold since Aug. 1.
• Strawberries sold south of Benton County or east of Multnomah County.
• Strawberries sold in supermarkets.
• Strawberries picked at Jaquith Strawberry Farm’s U-pick field.

Ten people have confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infection caused by a single strain. They include residents of Washington, Clatsop, and Multnomah Counties. Six other people in northwest Oregon also have recently developed E. coli O157:H7 infection and appear to be part of this outbreak.

Of the confirmed cases, four have been hospitalized, and one elderly woman in Washington County died from kidney failure associated with E. coli O157:H7 infection. There were twelve females and four males among the cases, and their ages ranged from 4 to 85. They fell ill between July 10 and July 29.

Cieslak, manager of the Oregon Public Health’s communicable disease section, said his team has been working with county public health officials and the Oregon Department of Agriculture on tracking the infection cases. When a potential outbreak is investigated, public health officials ask those who’ve been sickened, family members and health care providers a slate of questions to find common exposures and “trace back” to the source.

“If someone gets sick, we ask questions about everything from what they’ve eaten, to whether they’ve been to common gatherings, to whether they’ve been swimming in a particular place, and then out of this we try to find commonalities,” he said. “The commonality among these cases has been strawberries at roadside stands and farmer’s markets supplied by this one farm last month.”

E. coli is a common inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract and is usually harmless. But E. coli O157:H7 is a strain of the bacterium carried by some animals, that can contaminate food and water, and that produces toxins that can cause mild to severe intestinal illness, including severe cramps and diarrhea that is often bloody. Some patients develop complications that require hospitalization. About 5 percent of infected persons, especially young children and the elderly, suffer serious and potentially fatal kidney damage.

Antibiotics are not recommended for treatment of E. coli O157:H7 infection, and they may actually make kidney failure more likely. People infected with E. coli O157 should rest and drink plenty of fluids to reduce fatigue and dehydration.

Public health officials emphasize that fruits and vegetables are still important to a healthy diet; at least five servings per day are recommended. However, people need to take the following precautions with any uncooked produce:

1. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them.
2. Keep fruits and vegetables and other raw food separated from cooked food
3. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling raw foods, as well as before eating, after using the toilet, and after changing diapers.

 

Owner of Jaquith Strawberry Farm saddened by E. coli outbreak

http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/08/owner_of_jaquith_strawberry_fa.html

Published: Wednesday, August 10, 2011, 9:42 AM Updated: Wednesday, August 10, 2011, 1:23 PM

Deer suspected as source of nation's first E. coli outbreak traced to tainted strawberries

Published: Monday, August 08, 2011, 8:38 PM Updated: Tuesday, August 09, 2011, 10:55 AM

http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/08/deer_suspected_as_cause_of_nat.html

Salmonella outbreak linked to Ground Poultry

(My comments are in parenthesis and italicized.)

Cargill Meat Solutions is recalling 36 million pounds of ground turkey products that has been linked to a Salmonella outbreak with 79 infected individuals in 26 states.  Of that, 22 have been hospitalized and there has been one death.

Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, a Springdale, Ark. establishment, announced the recall on August 3^rd after learning their product may be contaminated with a multi-drug resistant strain of Salmonella Heidelberg.  (One probable reason for the delay is the wide distribution of the cases and more importantly, the long time period over which the cases occurred.  CDC receives many reports each day, and it can be difficult in identifying trends when there is only a case or two coming in at a time).

The products subject to recall today bear the establishment number "P-963" inside the USDA mark of inspection

According to the CDC on August 1^st, a total of 77 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 26 states between March 1 and August 1, 2011. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows:AL (1), AZ (2), CA (6), GA (1), IA (1), IL (7), IN (1), KY (2), LA (1), MA (1), MI (10), MN (1), MO (2), MS (1), NC (1), NE (2), NV (1), NY (2), OH (10), OK (1), OR (1), PA (5), SD (3), TN (2), TX (9), and WI (3).

The most common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight to 72 hours of eating a contaminated product. It can be life-threatening to some with weakened immune systems.

It is important that all poultry products be cooked to the proper temperature of 165ºF.  It is also important to prevent cross contamination through thorough hand washing after handling raw meat products such as poultry and to clean any surfaces that have come into contact with raw poultry including knives and cutting boards. Consumers with questions about this recall should contact Cargill's consumer relations toll free telephone number at 1-888-812-1646. (People tend to undercooked or mishandle ground meat, whether it is ground beef or ground turkey.  Additionally, it is very difficult to use color or firmness as an indicator of doneness when cooking raw ground poultry – the safest way to measure doneness is to use a thermometer, making sure ground poultry has reached 165ºF).

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_060_2011_Release/index.asp?s_cid=w_c_sms_cont_001

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/heidelberg/080111/index.html

 

http://www.cargill.com/news-center/news-releases/2011/NA3047807.jsp

Do Farmers Markets` Provide Safer Food?

Here is a Washington Post article on food safety at Farmers` Markets.  Thanks to Ray Eckhart for sending it along.

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-farmers-markets-highlight-an-array-of-food-safety-issues/2011/07/18/gIQAROXZTI_story.html

Farmers` Markets seem to be everywhere these days and more and more people are buying their food there. And the scope of products range from fruits and vegetables to raw meat to hoagies to barbeque chicken.   But is that food sold at a Farmers` Markets safer because it comes from a small farm? Evidence would indicate that this is not necessarily the case.

I have a positive view of Farmers Markets` in that they promote local agriculture and get people a little closer to the source of the food (so the kids know their apples are not grown in the grocery store).   However, all it takes is one outbreak related to a Farmers` Market purveyor and that can dampen the enthusiasm of many shoppers. It would be in the best interest of the Famers’ Market coordinators as well as the farmers themselves to ensure the safety of the food sold.   Are purveyors licensed and inspected?  Do they know the basics of food safety including proper cooking temperatures and proper holding temperatures of food?  Are they practicing proper handling of the food they are selling?  If selling raw meat, are they conveying the right information to the consumer that the product must be properly cooked for safety?

How comfortable are you about buying meat or further processed food at a Farmers’ Market when it is 100ºF outside?

Botulism and Potato Soup - CDC Report 7/8/11

In two separate cases this year as reported by CDC,  individuals became ill with botulism following consumption of improperly stored potato soup.  In each case, refrigerated RTE potato soup was purchased from retail and then tasted by the consumer after prolonged storage at room temperature (even though the label stated Store in Refrigerator). 

A few interesting notes:

1)    It is becoming more common for retailers as well as manufacturers to make refrigerated RTE products with no secondary hurdles (preservatives) to prevent Clostridium botulinum growth. So thus refrigeration is the only control factor. This creates a huge risk with regard to temperature abuse….spores of Clostridium, surviving the heat treatment used in making soup, will grow if the product is stored at temperatures greater than 50ºF to 54ºF. (for Proteolytic strains such as Type A.  Non-proteolytic strains can grow as low as 38F, but have less heat resistance so would not survive the initial boil when making soup).

2)    Both persons suffered severe illness for weeks even though they just tasted the soup, a testament of the toxicity.  Botulinum toxin is regarded as one of the most potent toxins known to man. (If they had hard boiled the soup for ~10 min before consuming, it would have inactivated the toxin, and although it would have tasted bad, it would probably not have caused botulism)

3)    Consumers do crazy things – First, refrigerated product was stored at room temperature for a long time, and two, even though it smelled bad and was swollen, they still tried it.  Reminds me of an old Cheech and Chong skit.

Notes from the Field: Botulism Caused by Consumption of Commercially Produced Potato Soups Stored Improperly --- Ohio and Georgia, 2011

Weekly

July 8, 2011 / 60(26);890

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6026a5.htm?s_cid=mm6026a5_w

In January and April 2011, CDC provided antitoxin for treatment of two persons with toxin type A botulism associated with consumption of potato soup produced by two companies. On January 28, 2011, an Ohio resident, aged 29 years, was hospitalized after 5 days of progressive dizziness, blurred vision, dysphagia, and difficulty breathing. The patient required mechanical ventilation and botulism antitoxin. On January 18, he had tasted potato soup from a bulging plastic container, noted a bad taste, and discarded the remainder. The soup had been purchased on December 7, 2010, from the refrigerated section of a local grocer, but it had been kept unrefrigerated for 42 days. He was hospitalized for 57 days and then was transferred with residual weakness to a rehabilitation facility.
On April 8, 2011, a Georgia resident, aged 41 years, was hospitalized after 4 days of progressive dizziness and dysphagia. The patient developed respiratory distress, required mechanical ventilation, and was treated with botulism antitoxin. On April 3, she had tasted potato soup purchased from a local grocer, noted a sour taste, and discarded the remainder. The soup, stored in a plastic container labeled "keep refrigerated" in letters 1/8 inch tall, had been purchased on March 16, but had been left unrefrigerated for 18 days. She was hospitalized for 16 days and then was transferred with residual weakness to a rehabilitation facility.
Botulism is caused by a paralyzing toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. C. botulinum spores are present in soil and can be found on raw produce, especially potatoes and other root vegetables (1). If a low-acid food such as potato soup is stored unrefrigerated in an anaerobic environment (e.g., a sealed container), without a barrier to bacterial growth, spores can germinate, resulting in bacterial growth and botulinum toxin production (2). Because heating food to a temperature of 185°F (85°C) for 5 minutes inactivates the toxin, proper preparation also is an important safeguard (3).
Improper storage has been documented in previous botulism outbreaks associated with commercially produced, chilled foods. Since 1975, 19 U.S. botulism cases were linked to six such products. Demand for prepared, chilled foods is increasing (4). Labels advising refrigeration might be ignored or not noticed, and do not warn about the danger of consuming unrefrigerated food. The Food and Drug Administration is reexamining labeling requirements. Storage at an improper temperature also can occur before products reach consumers (5). To inhibit the growth of C. botulinum and other microbes, an acidifying agent or other microbial inhibitor, such as citric or phosphoric acid, can be added to prepared, chilled foods before they are sealed in a package. This procedure was used successfully to reduce the danger of botulism from commercial garlic-in-oil products after two outbreaks (6).

Reported by

Mandy P. Seaman, Alana C. Sulka, Gwinnett County, Georgia Board of Health. Melissa Tobin D'Angelo, Georgia Dept of Community Health. Mitchell A. Blass, St. Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. Randy L. Mills, Ohio State Univ Hospitals East, Columbus; Jane Carmean, Ohio Dept of Health. Carolina Lúquez, Susan Maslanka, Kelly A. Jackson, Barbara E. Mahon, Patricia M. Griffin, Div of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; Katherine A. O'Connor, Ethel V. Taylor, EIS officers, CDC. Corresponding contributor: Katherine A. O'Connor, kaoconnor@cdc.gov, 404-639-0195.

References

1. Angulo FJ, Getz J, Taylor JP, et al. A large outbreak of botulism: the hazardous baked potato. J Infect Dis 1998;178:172--7.
2. Sheth AN, Wiersma P, Atrubin D, et al. International outbreak of severe botulism with prolonged toxemia caused by commercial carrot juice. Clin Infect Dis 2008;47:1245--51.
3. Sobel J. Botulism. Clin Infect Dis 2005;41:1167--73.
4. Peck MW. Clostridium botulinum and the safety of minimally heated, chilled foods: an emerging issue? J Appl Microbiol 2006;101:556--70.
5. Kalluri P, Crowe C, Reller M, et al. An outbreak of foodborne botulism associated with food sold at a salvage store in Texas. Clin Infect Dis 2003;37:1490--5.
6. Morse DL, Pickard LK, Guzewich JJ, Devine BD, Shayegani M. Garlic-in-oil associated botulism: episode leads to product modification. Am J Public Health 1990;80:1372--3.

Salmonella and Summer - Sprouts, Cantaloupes, and Baby Chicks

What would summer be like without some Salmonella…nice. However, Salmonella does not take a summer vacation. There are three current issues in the US related to Salmonella. (Links below).

1) Sprouts – The conditions for growing sprouts are also good for growing Salmonella. This outbreak has affected 20 or 21 people thus far. After the outbreak in Germany that was related to sprouts, people should probably rethink about their fondness of sprouts, especially if they have a condition that makes them more susceptible to foodborne illness.
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/sprouts-enteritidis0611/062611/
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/sprouts-enteritidis0611/index.html

2) Cantaloupes – Like sprouts, cantaloupe is another culprit with regard to carrying Salmonella. Harvested from the ground, it is subject to contaminants in the soil, especially when manure is used. The rough surface then makes removal of those contaminants, namely Salmonella, difficult. Consumers need to scrub those melons and be sure to refrigerate once sliced. There have been no reported illnesses to date.
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/panama0311/062311/index.html


3) Baby Chicks – As we know, poultry can carry Salmonella, and if a hatchery does not have Salmonella control procedures in place (remember the outbreak related to eggs from earlier this year), chicks will be infected with Salmonella. Pet reptiles pose the same risk regarding Salmonella. Why not get a puppy, a kitten, or a rabbit? 49 unlucky individuals have been diagnosed with Salmonella, 39% of those people are less than 5 years old.
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/altona-baby-chicks/062911/index.html

Are You Ready for Man-Made Meat?

I guess this is one way to eliminate the risk of E. coli in meat.

Man-made meat may be just around the corner, say scientists

By Nathan Gray, 28-Jun-2011 Food Navigator.com

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Product-Categories/Meat-fish-and-savory-ingredients/Man-made-meat-may-be-just-around-the-corner-say-scientists

Facing an ever-increasing population, and a growing demand for meat products, the world’s first in vitro meat may offer the beginning of a new solution to the problem, say researchers.

Researchers hope to produce a burger from lab grown meat within twelve month's.

 

A team of scientists, led by Dr Mark Post, a professor of physiology at Maastricht University in The Netherlands, are currently developing meat products grown from stem cells extracted from cattle. The in vitro process involves growing muscle tissue from a small number of stem cells taken from healthy cows.
Researchers believe the so called ‘test tube meat’, which is grown from stem cells could eventually lead to the reliable, sustainable production of low cost food, without the need for livestock.
Growing population
The researchers said that as the global population grows over the next few decades, the world’s meat consumption is also expected to double by around 2050.
As a result, lab grown meats such as beef, chicken and lamb could become commonplace.
Man-made meat
The researchers are currently working on producing a burger from around 10,000 stem cells extracted from cattle. The cells are left to multiply by more than a billion times, producing muscle tissue that will then be used to make burgers.

In 2009 researchers from Maastricht University also grew strips of pork using similar methods, whilst fish fillets have previously been grown in a New York laboratory using cells taken from goldfish muscle tissue.
The research team said that the first in vitro burger could be ready to be taste tested in less than twelve month's time.
Sustainable?
A study by researchers at Oxford University previously suggested that that the process of in vitro meat production could mean a 35 to 60 per cent reduction in energy consumption, in addition to requiring 98 per cent less land and producing between 80 and 95 per cent less greenhouse gas than conventional farming.

FDA enacts new strategy to ensure safety of imported foods

The FDA’s news release regarding their new import strategy comes at the same time as a NY Times report that is critical of the FDA’s performance on handling of questionable food at port.  Clearly, the ever increasing level of imports into the US is challenging FDA’s ability to monitor and react to questionable food.  FDA will begin to focus on becoming a more global organization – extending its reach through developing partnerships with foreign regulators and developing systems to share real time information.  It will use information to focus on higher risk situations.

This is all fine and dandy, but still, someone in the US – a broker, a food company, or food retailer – has to bring that product into the US. These folks also need to be held responsible and pay the price of ensuring compliance of these imported foods to US standards…and I would argue that they are in a better position to do so than the FDA .  If that adds cost to the imported product (through the broker inspecting their foreign supplier), then so it should.  Why should foreign product have a price advantage over domestic product when it comes to questionable standards?   

FDA unveils new global strategy to help ensure safety and quality of imported products

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm259848.htm

Strategy calls for coalitions of international regulators, increased data sharing
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today unveiled a new strategy to meet the challenges posed by rapidly rising imports of FDA-regulated products and a complex global supply chain in a report called the "Pathway to Global Product Safety and Quality."
“Global production of FDA-regulated goods has exploded over the past ten years.  In addition to an increase in imported finished products, manufacturers increasingly use imported materials and ingredients in their U.S. production facilities, making the distinction between domestic and imported products obsolete,” said Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.  "There has been a perfect storm - more products, more manufacturers, more countries and more access.  A dramatic change in strategy must be implemented." 
The FDA report calls for the agency to transform the way it conducts business and to act globally in order to promote and protect the health of U.S. consumers. Highlights of the report include four key elements needed to make the change:
1. The FDA will partner with its counterparts worldwide to create global coalitions of regulators focused on ensuring and improving global product safety and quality.
2. The coalitions of regulators will develop international data information systems and networks and increase the regular and proactive sharing of data and regulatory resources across world markets.
3.  The FDA will build in additional information gathering and analysis capabilities with an increased focus on risk analytics and information technology.
4. The FDA increasingly will leverage the efforts of public and private third parties and industry and allocate FDA resources based on risk.
"FDA regulated imports have quadrupled since 2000,” Hamburg said. "The FDA and our global regulatory partners recognize this new reality and realize we must work proactively and collaboratively to address the challenges we face.  The FDA must further collaborate and leverage in order to close the gap between our import levels and our regulatory resources. This report is an important step in ensuring we are able to fulfill our critical public health mission."
The change in strategy will address trends expected to be seen worldwide in upcoming years:

• Western economies will increase their productivity to compete with emerging markets and economies, leading to more imports and increased pressure to reinvent manufacturing processes.
• Money, goods, data and people will increasingly and more quickly cross borders. Today, a typical U.S. manufacturing company relies on more than 35 different contract manufacturers around the world.
• Growing demand, constrained supply, and increased regulatory and social scrutiny will determine what resources are used, how they are used, and the cost. Manufacturers will adopt new manufacturing processes and emerging technologies in response.
• Governments worldwide will increasingly be called upon to mitigate the sometimes negative impacts of globalization on their citizens, making the operating environment for companies more complex.

The new strategy also builds on changes already set in motion by the FDA. The FDA increased the number of foreign drug manufacturing inspections by 27 percent between 2007 and 2009 and has opened a series of international offices in key locations.  FDA has also collaborated with its counterparts in the European Union and Australia on drug inspections, worked to harmonize certain aspects of drug regulation via the International Conference on Harmonization, and joined the Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperation/Scheme (PIC/S) which is an organization of the drug manufacturing inspectorates from 39 countries.  The FDA and other global leaders are also creating an expanded global regulators forum for medical devices. 
The FDA is also broadening its food safety efforts under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This new law creates a new foods safety system, in which FDA has a legislative mandate to require comprehensive preventive controls across the food supply chain and has new tools to hold players in the supply chain responsible.  There are also new inspection mandates, including a mandate leading to the inspection of more than 19,000 foreign food facilities in the year 2016.
The FSMA recognizes the importance of partnerships in the success of this new food safety system, particularly in the area of imports.  For example, importers now have an affirmative obligation to verify the safety of the food they bring into the United States.  In addition, the FDA will establish a program for qualified third parties to certify that foreign food facilities are in compliance with U.S. requirements and can require certification as a condition of entry into the United States.  And, FSMA explicitly encourages arrangements with foreign governments to leverage resources.
“In order to cope with the fundamental global shifts on the horizon, the FDA will have to substantially and fundamentally revise our approach to global product safety.  We can no longer rely on historical tools, activities and approaches,” said Acting Principal Deputy Commissioner of Food and Drugs John M. Taylor, J.D.  “Implementing this strategy is vital to the public health.”
For more information, visit:

• Pathway to Global Product Safety and Quality¹
• FDA Food Safety Modernization Act²

FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

Recalls of Imported Foods Are Flawed, a Government Audit Reports

By GARDINER HARRIS  NY Times

Published: June 21, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/business/21recall.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Government food officials are often sloppy and inattentive in their efforts to ensure that contaminated foods from abroad are withdrawn promptly and completely from the nation’s food supply, according to government investigators.

In an audit of 17 recalls, investigators found that the Food and Drug Administration often failed to follow its own rules in removing dangerous imported foods from the market, according to Daniel R. Levinson, inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services. The products included cantaloupes from Honduras contaminated with salmonella, frozen mussel meat from New Zealand infected with listeria and frozen fish from Korea that contained the bacterium that causes botulism.

(go to link for complete news story).