Bread Company Takes Allergen Labeling Stand Against FDA and Consumer Groups

An article this week about Bimbo Bakeries holding off against FDA on an allergen labeling issue.

Meeting allergen labeling requirements can be difficult for some operations that handle formulations with different allergens.  Sesame, a allergen recently added to the list of allergens requiring labeling, has been a challenge for some companies like Bimbo Bakeries.  To address this, Bimbo along with some other companies have started adding  small amounts of sesame to foods that didn't have it previously — and then listing it as an ingredient.  These companies said "they did that because it was too difficult and expensive to keep sesame used in one part of a baking plant out of another and they wanted to avoid liability and cost. The FDA has said that such actions are legal, although they violate the spirit of the law [Allergen Labeling}"

But CSPI and other food safety advocates said the standoff [by Bimbo] continues a practice that misleads the estimated 33 million Americans with food allergies and results in limited choices for the more than 1.6 million who are allergic to sesame.

What are your thoughts on this practice?




https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2024/10/09/fda-sesame-warning-bimbo-bakeries/75585660007/
Bakery that makes Sara Lee and Entenmann's pushes back on FDA sesame warning
by Jonel Aleccia
Associated Press
October 9, 2024

A top U.S. commercial bakery is pushing back on a Food and Drug Administration warning to stop using labels that say its products contain sesame — a potentially dangerous allergen — when they don't.

California Co-manufacturer Recalls Bottled Juice That Missed the High Pressure Processing Step

Youngstown Grape Distributors Inc., Reedely, CA co-manufacturer for Happy Moose Juice, is voluntarily recalling Happy Moose Tropical Roots Juice (Lot# H240903-E BEST BY 12/02/2024) and Happy Moose Strawberry Fields (Lot# H240903-H, BEST BY 12/02/2024) because a portion of the production made did not complete the High Pressure Processing (HPP) treatment, which is used to prolong the product shelf-life, prevent spoilage, and significantly reduce the risk of pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and diarrheagenic E. coli.

Youngstown Grape Distributors Inc. Recalls Happy Moose Juice Tropical Roots and Happy Moose Strawberry Fields Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  October 04, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  October 07, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Juice
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Foodborne Illness
Company Name:  Youngtown Grape Distributors Inc
Brand Name:  Happy Moose
Product Description:  Tropical Roots and Strawberry Fields, 12 oz bottles

Minnesota Firm Recalls Dip Product After Mold Found in Product

Lunds & Byerlys, of Edina, Minn., is voluntarily recalling approximately 500 containers of L&B Lone Star Dip because of potential mold growth contamination.  No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this recall. This product concern was first noticed by store employees, and they notified the company’s Quality Assurance team.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/lunds-byerlys-voluntarily-recalls-lb-lone-star-dip-due-potential-mold
Lunds & Byerlys Voluntarily Recalls L&B Lone Star Dip Due to Potential Mold
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  October 04, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  October 04, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential mold contamination
Company Name:  Lunds & Byerlys
Brand Name:  L&B
Product Description:  Lone Star Dip

Wisconsin Sprout Operation Recalls Product After Positive Listeria Test

Jack and the Green Sprouts, Inc. of River Falls, WI is recalling its 5 ounce packages of Alfalfa and Alfalfa Onion sprouts because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The produce was sold in MN, WI and Iowa at grocery store and local Co-ops.  The potential for contamination was noted after routine testing by the company revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in 5 ounce packages of Alfalfa sprouts.  The production of the product has been suspended while the company continues to investigate the source of the problem.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/jacks-and-green-sprouts-recalls-alfalfa-and-alfalfa-onion-sprouts-because-possible-health-risk
Jacks and the Green Sprouts Recalls Alfalfa and Alfalfa Onion Sprouts Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  October 04, 2024
FDA Publish Date:  October 04, 2024
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Listeria monocytogenes
Company Name:  Jack and the Green Sprouts, Inc.
Brand Name:  Jack & the Green Sprouts
Product Description:  Alfalfa and Alfalfa & Onion Sprouts

FDA Reorganizes to Create Human Foods Program; Introduces Updated Complaint Portal

The FDA announced the reorganization creating the Human Foods Program, "a new model for field operations and other modernization efforts is now in effect."  According to the release, this "is is the single largest reorganization in the agency’s modern history, as it impacts more than 8,000 employees and touches almost every facet of the FDA."

The goal is to better "zero in on those issues where intervention has the greatest opportunity for the prevention of disease and for the promotion of wellness."  FDA states that "An important part of this reorganization also includes restructuring and renaming our field operations unit to focus on inspections, investigations and imports as its core mission. Restructuring the Office of Inspections and Investigations, formerly known as the Office of Regulatory Affairs, extends beyond foods and has an impact on how the FDA oversees all FDA-regulated products. We have created an enterprise-wide structure that will enhance collaboration between our field investigators and other subject matter experts throughout the agency and modernize and strengthen the entire agency to work more cohesively and collaboratively in accomplishing our collective public health mission."

FDA also announced "a new, streamlined approach for processing complaints, including whistleblower complaints, that will improve the Agency’s ability to detect and respond to problems related to FDA-regulated products and better protect public health. A complaint may be about an illness, injury, allergic reaction, or other health-related issue or about defects in the quality or safety of an FDA-regulated food, dietary supplement, or cosmetic product. Now, the public will be able to direct complaints about foods and dietary supplements to HFP by using our online reporting forms."

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fdas-unified-human-foods-program-new-model-field-operations-and-other-modernization-efforts-go
FDA’s Unified Human Foods Program, New Model for Field Operations, and Other Modernization Efforts Go into Effect
The following is attributed to Robert M. Califf, M.D., FDA Commissioner, and Jim Jones, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods and Michael Rogers, Associate Commissioner for Inspections and Investigations

For Immediate Release:
October 01, 2024

Soup Temperature - What is the best serving temperature?

An article in Food Republic provides a short review of impact of serving temperature on soup.  While the article was not overly researched, it does provide something to ponder....what temperature do you like to have your soup?  And here, we are focusing on heated soups rather than cold soups.

There are a few hard numbers.

- For hot hold, the temperature has to be at 140F (135F professionals) for hot hold.

- For safety, reaching a temperature of at least 165F instantaneous for meat containing soups, although we are more likely to bring them to a boil.

-  The pain threshold of the tongue is around 152 to 153 degrees (according to this article).

There are other factors that come into play, including our perception of saltiness, sourness, and sweetness, among others.  Then there is our emotional response (article below).

Provide me your thoughts on this.


https://www.foodrepublic.com/1664166/best-temperature-for-soup/
What's The Best Temperature For Serving Soup?
BY LOUISE RHIND-TUTT•SEPT. 25, 2024 8:15 AM EST

Texas Meat Processor Recalls Fried Pork Skin For Undeclared Soy

Pork Dynasty Inc., a Houston, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 469 pounds of ready-to-eat fried pork skin products due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen - the product contains soy, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.  The problem was discovered during routine FSIS in-plant verification activities when FSIS personnel observed that a seasoning containing soy, a known allergen, was being used as an ingredient and soy was not declared on the finished product label.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/pork-dynasty-inc--recalls-ready-eat-fried-pork-skin-products-due-misbranding-and
Pork Dynasty Inc. Recalls Ready-to-Eat Fried Pork Skin Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergen

Pork Dynasty, Inc.
FSIS Announcement

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2024 – Pork Dynasty Inc., a Houston, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 469 pounds of ready-to-eat fried pork skin products due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains soy, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

On Passing Gas

"A person produces about 30 to 91 cubic inches (500 to 1,500 milliliters) of flatus every day regardless of their diet, and over 99% of those gases are odorless".    But what happens when we hold that gas in?  What causes some gas to be really smelly?  Two articles posted on Live Science address these important questions.

First, when hold gas in, it will eventually come back out.  "The external anal sphincter is the only part of the digestive process we have conscious control over. So, if we decide the time is not right to pass gas, we constrict the sphincter and the fart is trapped. Without a backdoor to escape from, the gases recede back into the colon.  But primarily, the body is trying to push gas out. So farts that are ignored during the day are mostly released during bathroom breaks or as the body relaxes in sleep at night."

What causes that anally-expelled gas to smell?  There are many variables that affect this including that person's intestinal microbiota.  One major culprit is "Sulfur-rich foods include legumes (such as lentils, beans and peas) and brassicas (such as broccoli and cabbage). These fibrous veggies also contain insoluble carbs that bacteria in the colon may convert into stinky gas."


https://www.livescience.com/health/what-happens-when-you-hold-in-a-fart
What happens when you hold in a fart?
News
By Sierra Bouchér published 9/28/24

We all hold in farts from time to time, but where does the gas go?.

FDA Reminds Food Companies That It Is Time to Renew Registration

FDA issued a reminder that FDA regulated food facilities must renew their registration.  "Owners, operators, or agents in charge of a domestic or foreign facility engaged in manufacturing/processing, packing, or holding food for consumption by humans or animals in the U.S., are required to register the facility with the FDA. The registration and renewal period is open between October 1 and December 31, 2024."

"All facilities must include a unique facility identifier (UFI) recognized as acceptable to the FDA with the food facility registration (FFR) submission. The UFI is used to verify that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with the facility’s registration."

If you are not responsible for registration, you may want to pass this reminder to whoever is responsible.

https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-reminds-animal-and-human-food-facilities-register-or-renew-their-food-facility-registration-ffr?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
FDA Reminds Animal and Human Food Facilities to Register or Renew their Food Facility Registration (FFR) between October 1 and December 31, 2024
Constituent Update

September 27, 2024

Owners, operators, or agents in charge of a domestic or foreign facility engaged in manufacturing/processing, packing, or holding food for consumption by humans or animals in the U.S., are required to register the facility with the FDA. The registration and renewal period is open between October 1 and December 31, 2024.