Gulf Spill Altering Food Web

In an article dated July 14, 2010 Food Manufacturing reported that scientists are observing early signs that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is altering the marine food web by killing or tainting some organisms and spurring the growth of others more suited to a polluted environment.

If such impacts continue, scientists warn of a severe reshuffling of sealife that could over time cascade through the ecosystem and imperil the region's multibillion-dollar fishing industry. Although federal wildlife officials say the impacts are not irreversible, and no tainted seafood has yet been found, Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who chairs a House committee investigating the spill, warned that the problem is just unfolding and toxic oil could be entering seafood stocks as predators eat contaminated marine life.

The BP spill also is altering the food web by providing vast food for bacteria that consume oil and gas, allowing them to flourish while at the same time, the surface slick is blocking sunlight needed to sustain plant-like phytoplankton, which under normal circumstances would be at the base of the food web.

So far seafood safety tests are turning up negative for oil contamination, but the situation remains bleak.

Click here to read the entire news article

Reusable Grocery Bag Contamination Risk

According to a joint food safety research report issued by the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University, reusable grocery bags can be a breeding ground for dangerous foodborne bacteria and pose a serious risk to public health.

The research study that tested shoppers in Tucson, Los Angeles, and San Francisco found that consumers were unaware of the need to regularly wash their reusable shopping bags.

The report, "Assessment of the Potential for Cross Contamination of Food Products by Reusable Shopping Bags," offered the following policy recommendations for lawmakers, as well as tips for consumers who use reusable grocery bags:

• States should consider requiring printed instructions on reusable bags indicating they need to cleaned or bleached between uses.
• State and local governments should invest in a public education campaign to aler t the public about risk and prevention.
• When using reusable bags, consumers should be careful to separate raw foods from other food products.
• Consumers should not use reusable food bags for other purposes such as carrying books or gym clothes.
• Consumers should not store meat or produce in the trunks of their cars because the higher temperature promotes growth of bacteria, which can contaminate reusable bags.

Read the full article in UANews here.

Food Recall and FoodShield

With all the news generated by food recalls and foodborne illnesses in the last couple of years, it is a positive sign that serious action is being taken by government, organizations and corporations to improve food safety. Here are two recent articles from FoodBusinessNews.net demonstrating the serious steps being taken to protect the public and improve reporting and processes.


1) Food Recall:

A report intended to improve the recall process and provide recommendations for better recall execution was jointly released by the Grocery Manufacturers Association, Food Marketing Institute and GS1, a group working with the two trade associations to develop consistent standards.

The report, “Recall Execution Effectiveness: Collaborative Approaches to Improving Consumer Safety and Confidence,” is an effort to establish best practices for product recalls. The need to identify challenges associated with recalls and make recommendations on how best to meet them was inspired by many issues affecting the food industry, according to the report.

Read the full article here

2) FoodShield:

Officials with the Food and Drug Administration are developing a pilot program to coordinate food recalls. FoodSHIELD is an on-line platform for federal, state and local public health officials, state laboratory personnel and regulatory authorities to use during food safety emergencies and to collaborate on preparedness and response plans. The platform is sponsored by the National Center for Food Protection and Defense (N.C.F.P.D.), a part of the Department of Homeland Security.

F.D.A. officials put FoodSHIELD through its paces in May 2009 during a simulation of a recall audit check using the platform to coordinate the effort, said Jacqueline Little, team leader in the Office of Enforcement within the F.D.A. Office of Regulatory Affairs. Using data from a recent recall, officials from seven states uploaded audit check information into FoodSHIELD. Then, F.D.A. field officials reviewed the information and either approved it or asked for additional information. According to F.D.A., the pilot successfully demonstrated the use of FoodSHIELD as a data sharing and communications tool in food recalls.

Read the full article here

U.S. food safety annual report recommended

Last week two articles came out about the Produce Safety Project (PSP), an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts at Georgetown University, recommending an annual food safety report as well as looking at European food safety reforms to make the U.S. system more effective. Here are brief summaries and links to the articles:

FoodBusinessNews.net reported that the PSP has issued a report recommending the publication of an annual report that tracks foodborne pathogens in humans, animals and feed. The report would be a joint project between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and analyze surveillance data on human foodborne illness and pathogen contamination in domestic and imported animals, food and feed.

“Not only will an analysis give us a consolidated examination of the current state of affairs throughout the country, it will also require our food safety agencies to gather, organize and analyze data in a consistent and timely manner,” said Michael Batz, head of Food Safety Programs, Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and co-author of the report.

Read the full report here


US review gleans ideas from European food safety reforms

FoodProductionDaily.com reported that a US review has looked to some of the most effective European food safety systems for ideas on how to make the American system more effective. Researchers from the Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida, J. Glenn Morris, director of the institute, and Michael Batz, head of Food Safety Programs, examined changes in approaches to food safety in Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom over the past decade.

The report, released by the Produce Safety Project, concentrated on reforms in the three European countries that are well-respected for their food safety systems, and where reforms have been based on developing strong scientific analysis and risk assessment of food safety efforts. Researchers found that European reporting of food safety issues has become increasingly centralized and the European Union now releases annual reports detailing foodborne illness across the 27 member states, a system that could also be used effectively in the U.S.

Read more here

In the News: Beef Safety & E. coli

Walmart recently announced that it will implement additional beef safety measures designed to further protect their customers against foodborne illnesses. The new process controls standards and goals are additions to a food safety program that already requires ground beef suppliers to test for E.coli O157:H7 and achieve prevention-based certification against one of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) internationally recognized standards.

“In light of recent beef recalls, we determined it was prudent to require an additional layer of protection for our customers,” said Vice President for Food Safety Frank Yiannas.

Read more here

In other E. coli news, Food Safety News reported on May 3, 2010 that investigators were slow to name the E.coli strain source in the latest outbreak. The outbreak appears to have claimed victims in three states, New York, Ohio, and Michigan. Public health officials in those states say laboratory work has confirmed 15 cases with another 32 suspected.

Click here to read more

What are your thoughts... should more grocery stores take Walmart's lead and require food safety measures? Are authorities working quickly enough when outbreaks occur?

Latest in Food Tradeshows

Idaho Technology recently participated in two industry tradeshows: Food Safety Summit was held in Washington, DC April 12-14 and United Fresh was held in Las Vegas April 20-22. We were able to debut our new booth and new Idaho Technology logo and tagline.

United Fresh 2010 had a dedicated area focused exclusively on food safety solutions for growers to retailers and offered attendees a unique Food Safety Demo Center. The center displayed food safety products, innovations and solutions, and the latest in food safety regulatory activities. Idaho Technology was thrilled to be a part of this event and showcase our real-time PCR instrument the R.A.P.I.D.® LT Food Security System with kits for testing Salmonella, Listeria and E.coli O157:H7.

The 12th Annual Food Safety Summit featured a full program of intensive educational seminars, industry and government keynote speakers, workshops, networking events and a large trade show exhibition. This year the Summit addressed the challenges of the Global Food Community. Idaho Technology participated as an exhibitor and also presented our poster on:

	Development of High Volume Reagent Kits for Idaho Technology’s R.A.P.I.D.® LT Food Security System to Increase Sample Throughput

To see the poster and all Idaho Technology posters please click here

Meat Safety and Accountability Act introduced

On March 26, 2010 MeatPoultry.com published an article on Senator Jon Tester's efforts in introducing the Meat Safety and Accountability Act. This proposed legislation is designed to have the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service implement a program to trace contaminated meat back to the original source of contamination. In addition, the bill also seeks to improve testing at meat suppliers and individual meat processors in the case of an outbreak.

According to Senator Tester, “this bill puts more common sense and fairness into the equation as our food travels through the supply chain to the kitchen table. This bill will make our food safer to eat by ramping up accountability. And it will help small meat processors in rural America that too often get blamed for contamination that didn’t begin with them.”

The Meat Safety and Accountability Act will next go to the Senate Agriculture Committee. Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/yg9tqzk