Keeping our Imported Food Safe in the US: CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION OPENS IMPORT FOOD SAFETY CENTER

A recent press release from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) details the opening of a new testing center by the Department of Homeland Security, the Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC), which is committed to ensuring the safety of foods imported to the United States. This center operates under the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and was created by the recommendation of President Obama’s Food Safety Working Group.

The CTAC is located in Washington, D.C. and is one of CBP’s six commercial centers in the United States specifically targeting imported cargo, including food, for potential safety violations. Other government agencies such as the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Food & Drug Administration and Consumer Product Safety Commission will also offer on-site expertise at the center.


To read more, visit the USDA website

Senator Feinstein on Processed Food Safety Act

The Food Poison Journal reports that on December 1st Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to require that food producers take responsibility for keeping food free from harmful pathogens. The bill aims to amend the Poultry Products Inspection Act, the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to prevent the sale of any food that is not certified to be pathogen free.

The Processed Food Safety Act requires everyone in the food chain to take responsibility for keeping food free of harmful pathogens. Here are the details of the bill:

• Amends the Poultry Products Inspection Act, the Meat Inspection Act and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the sale of any processed poultry, meat and FDA-regulated food that has not either undergone a pathogen reduction treatment, or been certified to contain no verifiable traces of pathogens.
• Requires that labels on ground beef, or any other ground meat product, specifically name every cut of meat that is contained in the product, and;
• Does away with loopholes in current laws that allow for producers to add coloring, synthetic flavorings and spices to their products without informing the consumer.

Senator Feinstein maintains that serious reform is needed and lists the number of recalls just in the past month. To read the full article visit:

http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/2009/12/articles/food-policy-regulation/senator-feinstein-on-processed-food-safety-act/

Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips

Thanksgiving is here once again and with it comes my favorite, the traditional turkey dinner. This year to keep us all safe from foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, here are some tips to avoid the improper storing, cooking, and serving of roast turkey and other Thanksgiving delights...

There are 3 ways to defrost a frozen turkey safely :

• Defrost turkey in the refrigerator (40°F) approximately 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of turkey
• Submerge turkey in its original package in a pan of cold water enough to cover the turkey. Change the water every 30 minutes, and allow 30 minutes thawing for every pound. Cook the turkey immediately.
• Remove any packaging and keep turkey in a microwave-safe pan to catch any juices. Thaw in the microwave oven. Cook the turkey immediately.

Preparation Tips:
• Do not thaw on the kitchen counter.
• Cook fresh turkeys within two days, thawed ones within four days.
• Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling raw poultry. Wash all knives, cutting boards and utensils also after using for raw poultry.

Cooking Tips:
• Read and follow the cooking directions on the label. Cook turkey until it is done (165°F). Check to make sure every part of the turkey reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, even if your turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator. Check the innermost part of the thigh and wing, and the thickest part of the breast.
• Let turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to set.

Other Tips:
• Stuffing should not be prepared a day ahead and the turkey should not be stuffed until ready to cook. An alternate (and safer) method is to cook the stuffing separately in a casserole, using some of the pan juices to flavor and moisten the stuffing.
• Store left-over food within two hours after serving, including pumpkin pie.
• Store in the refrigerator if eating left-over food within 3 days. Label and date.
• Keep in the freezer for longer storage time. Label and date.

Distributor Training Nov 4-5, Salt Lake City

Thanks to our distributors Anatech, iMeth, JMC, and JKI who came out to our distributor training November 4-5. We had a great time getting to know all of you!

29th University of Wisconsin – River Falls Symposium

Current Concepts In Foodborne Pathogens and Rapid and Automated Methods in Food Microbiology, October 18-21, 2009

Idaho Technology was proud to participate in this year’s University of Wisconsin River Falls Symposium where speakers from academia, industry and regulatory agencies provided an overview and update on the pathogens, toxins, and contaminants that occur in food, water, and the environment.

The emphasis of the workshop was on the practical applications to solve food microbiological safety and quality problems. In addition, technical representatives from selected companies, such as Idaho Technology, involved in developing and marketing instruments and assays for microbiological analysis of food participated in the program by presenting and demonstrating the latest technologies in food safety.

Topics ranged from approaches to food allergens to consumer attitudes toward food, nutrition, and health and of course food safety trends and risk management. Our own Adam Greer attended and presented on our R.A.P.I.D. ® LT Food Security System and its sensitivity, accuracy and high speed. To learn more about the R.A.P.I.D. LT FSS visit: http://www.idahotech.com/FoodSecurity/index.html.

Food Safety Tip of the Week: Always wash fresh fruits and vegetables under cool running tap water before eating. This removes any lingering dirt while also removing or reducing any bacteria or other substances.

E. coli Happenings

Following a recent story in The New York Times titled “E. coli path shows flaws in beef inspection” there has been a flurry of statements and proposals by various agencies to help the public understand what is being done to ensure the safety of ground beef. This has ranged from the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, to the president of the American Meat Institute commenting on what both government and private industry are doing to take action. Additionally, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York is planning to introduce the “E.coli eradication act” which is legislation requiring all ground beef facilities to test product regularly both before and after it is ground. To read more about these latest happenings visit http://tinyurl.com/yh3547j and to read the article that started all the recent activity click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Idaho Technology, Inc. is also committed to helping eradicate foodborne pathogens and recently released our AOAC approved E. coli O157:H7 kit which uses real-time PCR technology to rapidly identify the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef and uncooked spinach in less than an hour after only 8 hours of enrichment. To read more about our food security system please visit: http://www.idahotech.com/FoodSecurity/

Food Safety Tip: Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within 2 days; other beef, veal, lamb or pork, within 3 to 5 days.

Idaho Technology Inc. Receives AOAC-RI Validation For E.coli O157:H7 Test

On October 6, 2009 ITI was proud to announced that we have been granted Performance Tested Methods Status by the AOAC Research Institute (Certificate No. 100901) for our E.coli O157:H7 test used with the R.A.P.I.D.® LT Food Security System (FSS). The assay uses real-time PCR technology to identify the presence of E.coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef and uncooked spinach food samples.

The system marks a milestone in real-time PCR testing of foodborne pathogens as this platform enables detection of E.coli O157:H7 in less than one hour after only 8 hours of enrichment. The validation studies on ground beef and spinach prove that the R.A.P.I.D. LT FSS performed as well or better than traditional culture methods with faster time to result. The complete system provides the easiest end-to-end protocol for PCR-based detection methods, and the E.coli O157:H7 test joins the Idaho Technology Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. assays as AOAC-RI approved.

The validation of this rapid screening tool for E.coli is an important development for all food manufacturers since E.coli O157:H7 is a major health problem and is estimated to cause infection in more than 70,000 patients a year in the United States alone. The use of an E.coli O157:H7 screening tool that is both rapid and accurate will permit earlier release of products without fear of potential outbreaks or possible food recalls. The assay is intended for use by trained laboratory personnel.

To read more visit our website at: http://www.idahotech.com/ContactUs/Media.html

Food Safety Tip: Check the temperature of your unit with an appliance thermometer. To slow bacterial growth, the refrigerator should be at 40° F; the freezer, 0° F.