FDA Reminder - Choose Legitimate Source When Purchasing Pet Meds Online

The FDA reminds us that it is important then when purchasing pet medications online, ensure they are from a legitimate source.  They suggest that you should look for pharmacy websites ending in “.Pharmacy.”  It is also advisable to work in conjunction with your veterinarian.

FDA.gov
https://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm048164.htm
Buying Pet Medicines Online: Ensuring Products are Safe

In Virginia, Chili Cook-off is Site for Salmonella Outbreak

In Virginia, a Volunteer Fire Company's Chili Cook-off is being blamed for dozens of people becoming ill from Salmonella.  The exact food source responsible for the Salmonella contamination has not yet been identified.

You always wonder about eating food at these events - 1) do these cooks, the people making the food, really understand food safety principles, have they been trained in any way, 2) are they implementing those principles - have they taken the necessary precautions to transport and prepare the food for an onsite event such as this, 3) do their normal kitchen handling and preparation procedures adapt in order to make the larger quantities needed for this event, and 4) is the food protected at the event from cross contamination.

While regulations do not require training for these events, training is available.  Penn State offers the Volunteer Food Safety - Cooking for Crowds training.

Virginia Pilot - Local News
https://pilotonline.com/news/local/salmonella-found-in-food-from-chincoteague-chili-and-chowder-cook/article_41d118d2-db5a-57e2-b2e4-2326f39cb161.html
Salmonella found in food from Chincoteague Chili and Chowder Cook-off
By Ryan Murphy
The Virginian-Pilot
Oct 10, 2017 Updated 10 hrs ago

Ohio Firm Recalls Raw Meat Products After Processing Water Found to Be Non-Potable

An Ohio establishment is recalling raw meat products after thier water tested positive for coliforms (not E. coli). "Therefore, the non-potable water supply resulted in the potential creation of insanitary conditions and potential direct product contamination leading to adulteration of the products processed in the facility during this time period."

 Using non-potable water is an issue...whether pathogens are detected in teh sample or not.  With coliforms, all one can tell is that water source has been compromised, so there is an uncertainty what else can be there including chemicals.

It is important to know the ultimate source of your facility's water.  It is also important to know what to do in the event of a water emergency whent that water becomes contaminated.  It would be interesting to know in this case whether the facility had warning or was the testing done afterwards.

NewsJournal.com
http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/local/2017/10/08/shilohs-newswanger-meats-recalls-more-than-one-ton-meat/744192001/
Shiloh's Newswanger Meats recalls more than one ton of meat

FSMA Compliance Date Reference Sheet from FSPCA

FSPCA has published a nice reference sheet that lists the FSMA compliance dates for the various rules.    That sheet can be found here LINK.

Frozen Peas Recalled for Possible Listeria Contamination

Pinnacle Foods is recalling frozen peas for potential Listeria contamination after "testing indicted the presence of Listeria in the retail environment".   Recalls were issued by the Department of Defense, Publix, and possibly other retailers, but nothing has yet been posted on the FDA website.

The fact the contamination was found at retail would indicate that it was not found by the company.  This may be the reason for the delay as the company tries to understand the scope of the recall.  Perhaps their own internal testing has not found anything, which can be certainly possible if the contamination level is low.

More will come on this issue.

Department of Defense News Room
https://www.commissaries.com/our-agency/newsroom/news-releases/birdseye-peas-recalled-due-possible-listeria-contamination
Birdseye Peas recalled due to possible Listeria contamination
October 2, 2017

This Week in Mislabeled Product - 10/6/17

Dean Dairy is voluntarily recalling one-gallon size Tampico® Tropical Punch sold in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin and bottled and distributed by Dean Dairy that has the “Best By” code date of 12-27-17 because this product may contain milk, an undeclared allergen. "Due to a manufacturing error, milk became mixed with the Tropical Punch with the “Best By” date of 12-27-17. To date, no complaints or reactions have been reported."

A WA establishment is recalling Royal Asia Shrimp Wonton Noodle Soup, because it may contain undeclared egg. "One allergic reaction complaint has been CONFIRMED to date. The recall was initiated after the product was tested for presence of egg, and was confirmed. Because the packaging does not reveal the presence of Egg..."

A MA company is voluntarily recalling Dried Chili De Arbol Peppers because it does not have the proper allergens identified, being peanuts.  "During repacking, the peanut contamination was discovered in the sealed bulk containers of the product."

A San Antonio, Tex. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,150 pounds of diced chicken thighs due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the product contains wheat, a known allergen which is not declared on the product label.  "The problem was discovered on Oct. 2, 2017 when a consumer noticed an incorrect label and notified the company, which then notified FSIS."

An Ill. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,222 pounds of ready-to-eat beef products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens - the products are mislabeled as beef pot roast but the package actually contains beef meatloaf....whichh contains wheat and soybean oil, known allergens, which are not declared on the product label. The problem was discovered on October 4, 2017, when a consumer reported that they purchased a product labeled as beef pot roast but actually contained beef meatloaf.


FDA Recall Notice
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm578435.htm
Dean Dairy Conducts Voluntary Recall of Tampico® Brand Tropical Punch in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin Because It May Contain Undeclared Allergen (Milk)
For Immediate Release
October 2, 2017

FDA Warning Letter - Bakery with 'Love' Listed in Ingredient Statement - Nasty Food Operations Exposed

A MA bakery received a Warning Letter from FDA.  While the bakery violated most all basic GMPs, the one item that has caught the eye of the press is the fact the the company listed 'love' as an ingredient.  "Ingredients required to be declared on the label or labeling of food must be listed by their common or usual name [21 CFR 101.4(a)(1). "Love" is not a common or usual name of an ingredient, and is considered to be intervening material because it is not part of the common or usual name of the ingredient."  But this was just a minor issue compared to the vast array of GMP violations.  That is, unless they refer to nastiness as 'love',..,..then there was plenty.

Now, if I am overseeing a bread operation, and seeing this as well as this Warning Letter in August for a NM bakery, I am getting a sense that FDA will probably be looking at bakeries a little more critically than they have in the past, and thus, it may be time to tighten up the ship a bit more.

There were a ton of issues, but as a sampling:

• Food residue on equipment that was stated as being clean and sanitized including "empty color-coded barrels designated for use with different allergens including tree nuts and cheese with apparent dough residue inside and out, and stacked inside one another."  It was stated that the "firm does not have a procedure or production schedule to ensure cleaning and sanitation is done before production or in between changes to prevent cross-contamination of different allergen products."
• Failed to maintain equipment and utensils and finished product containers in an acceptable condition through appropriate cleaning and sanitizing  - bread residues on screens, totes, etc.
• failed to maintain buildings, fixtures, and other physical facilities in a sanitary condition - ceilings, air intakes etc coated with stuff.
• Failed to ensure equipment, containers, and utensils used to convey, hold, or store raw materials, work-in-process, rework, or food shall be constructed, handled, and maintained during manufacturing or storage in a manner that protects against contamination
• failed to provide, where necessary, adequate screening or other protection against pests - flies and crawing bug in processing area.
• Personnel not following basic GMPs. - wearing jewelry, eating in operational areas.

FDA Warning Letter
https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2017/ucm577393.htm
Office of Human and Animal Food Operations East
Division 1

WARNING LETTER
CMS# 532236

Nashoba Brook Bakery, LLC 9/22/17
September 22, 2017

Auditor General - FDA Follow-up to Inspections Found to Be Slow and Lacking

In a report by the Auditor General to the FDA, there was criticism that FDA was not taking enough action fast enough.  "Auditors examined data from 2011 to 2015 and determined the agency was on pace to conduct the required inspections, but hadn’t made sure that all problems were corrected."  In defense, many of the inspections that were longer in response were for dietary supplements - the wild west of FDA's regulatory world.  And with new regulations just coming upon implementation date, there is a huge gap in knowledge for both the firms and the inspectors.

• In the time frame analyzed, inspectors found significant dificiences in 1245 establishments.
• While some type of actions was taken in 78% of the inspctions, in 22% nothing was done.
• "Almost half of the warning letters were sent after the agency’s goal of four months [which is still a long time]. Twenty percent were sent after more than six months, and 2 percent were sent more than a year after the inspection."
• "The agency took an average of 6.7 months to initiate judicial action, the audit said. In one case, a seizure didn’t occur for more than a year, and an injunction didn’t occur for nearly two years."
• "Of 766 facilities that received “advisory” actions, about 1 in 5 were found to have significant violations on follow-up inspections. In about three-quarters of them, the violations were identical to those previously discovered."

The Morning Call (Allentown, PA)

http://www.mcall.com/news/watchdog/mc-nws-food-safety-inspection-problems-watchdog-20171003-story.html
Food safety oversight not well done
by Paul Muschick•Contact Reporter
The Watchdog
October 4, 2017, 8:55 PM

FDA - Impact of Gluten Free Labeling Standard

From the FDA website, a conversation about the impact of the gluten free labeling standard.  Three years ago, FDA rolled out what it means for a label to say "Gluten Free".  In short, it must have less than 20 PPM of gluten.  Overall, it has been successful in helping people with celiac disease - a serious ailment that damages the lining of the small intestine gut that prevents the body from absorbing nutrients.

FDA has been conducting testing on products labeled "Gluten Free".  "Earlier this year we released the results of a sampling assignment in which 702 samples from more than 250 products labeled “gluten-free” were analyzed. Only one of those products did not comply with our labeling requirements."  FDA plans to continue testing.

FDA Website
https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/Allergens/ucm577489.htm
Updated 10/04/17
Three Years Later, What is the Impact of the Gluten-Free Labeling Standard?