Regulatory

FSS 2022: Regulators Highlight Policy, Technology Advances at Town Hall

BlumeA@bnpmedia.com (Adrienne Blume, M.A.) — Fri, 13 May 2022 11:49:00 -0400

During the Thursday morning Town Hall at the 2022 Food Safety Summit, top food safety regulators from FDA, USDA, CDC, and AFDO discussed initiatives and advances in food traceability, food safety policy, recalls, pathogen monitoring, food safety culture, and a number of other timely areas.

PSSI Chemical Innovations Earns Excellent SQF Quality Certification For Third Year in a Row

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0500

PSSI has announced their chemical division, PSSI Chemical Innovations, has earned its SQF Quality Certification for its third year in a row.

FDA extends comment period for food traceability proposed rule, info collection provisions

spielmans@bnpmedia.com (Sharon Spielman) — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 09:08:00 -0500

The FDA has extended the comment period for the proposed rule entitled “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods” and reopened the comment period for the information collection provisions until Feb. 22, 2021.

FSIS corrects egg products plants final rule

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 16:05:00 -0500

FSIS has corrected a final rule that published on October 29, 2020, which requires official plants that process egg products to develop and implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (Sanitation SOPs) and to meet other sanitation requirements consistent with the agency’s meat and poultry regulations.

Canadian government launches comment period for simulated protein products guidelines

labsw@bnpmedia.com (Wayne Labs) — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 10:18:00 -0500

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has launched a public consultation to seek feedback on the proposed guidelines for simulated meat and simulated poultry products. The consultation opened for a 30-day period from November 3, 2020 and closes on December 3, 2020.

FDA requests info for labeling foods with cultured seafood cells

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 09:00:00 -0500

The FDA is requesting information for the labeling of foods made up of cultured seafood

FDA extends comment deadline to submit information on expansion of the rarely consumed raw list for uncommonly consumed produce

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 11:03:00 -0500

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Request for Information (RFI) in August 2020 to open a docket for data and information related to produce known to have no or low reported consumption.

FDA releases additional resources related to the Food Traceability Proposed Rule

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 14:50:00 -0500

Recently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a proposed rule to establish additional traceability recordkeeping requirements for certain foods.

FSIS posts annual foodborne illness outbreak investigation summary reports

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

FSIS has posted on its website an outbreak investigations overview and summaries of outbreaks investigated during fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019.

State of the Industry in Food Safety: Facility Management & Design in the COVID-19 Era

peckenpaughd@bnpmedia.com (Douglas Peckenpaugh) — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 15:00:00 -0400

On December 31, 2019, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, Wuhan City, China, reported several pneumonia cases with unknown causes, eventually identifying a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.

Food Safety Summit - Town Hall: Q&A with Top Regulators and Public Health Leaders

parkere@bnpmedia.com (Liz Parker) — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 09:00:00 -0400

The Food Safety Summit continued on Wednesday, October 21, with a town hall entitled “Q&A with Top Regulators and Public Health Leaders.”

Meat Institute and AMPS Innovation send joint letter to USDA on mandatory labeling for cell-based/cultured meat & poultry products

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Organizations call on agency to support mandatory labeling of cell-based/cultured meat and poultry products and to solicit input on what that labeling should look like.

FDA launches voluntary pilot program to evaluate third-party food safety standards, meeting another milestone in the New Era of Smarter Food Safety

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 11:31:25 -0400

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is launching a voluntary pilot program to evaluate alignment of private third-party food safety audit standards with the food safety requirements in two regulations under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)—the Preventive Controls for Human Food (PC Human Food) and the Produce Safety rules.

USDA releases plan to decrease Salmonella in meat, poultry, eggs

spielmans@bnpmedia.com (Sharon Spielman) — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 09:00:00 -0400

The USDA releases a plan to reduce Salmonella infections from meat, poultry and eggs.

FDA establishes U.S. Agent Voluntary Identification System for food facilities

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 15:01:15 -0400

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing guidance establishing a U.S. Agent Voluntary Identification System (VIS) for food facility registration.

FDA to hold webinar on The First 100 Days: New Era of Smarter Food Safety

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 11:53:34 -0400

Please join FDA for a webinar on Monday, October 26, 2020 from 3 to 4 p.m. on the highlights of the first 100 days since FDA issued its blueprint for the New Era of Smarter Food Safety.

The state of food safety 2020: making sense of the chaos

andrew@werfoodsafety.com (Andrew Lorenz) — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:00:00 -0400

COVID-19 has been brutal on the industry. We have seen major producers temporarily shut down, entire segments put out of business, regional disruptions and politicians getting involved in the manufacture and distribution of meat and poultry.

FDA updates health and personal hygiene handbook for food employees

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 09:42:00 -0400

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an updated version of the Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook for retail food managers and food employees.

USDA seeks nominations for membership on Food Safety Advisory Committee

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 15:13:13 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is soliciting nominations for membership to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF).

FDA, Mexican counterparts enhance food safety partnership

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 09:05:52 -0400

On Monday, October 5, during a virtual ceremony, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its regulatory counterparts in Mexico enhanced a partnership to work together on food safety in both countries.

Some decaf coffees face contaminant and label issues

labsw@bnpmedia.com (Wayne Labs) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 09:00:00 -0400

The Clean Label Project pushes for the use of decaffeination processes using carbon dioxide or the Swiss water process.

Implementing FSMA

parkere@bnpmedia.com (Liz Parker) — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 12:14:00 -0400

According to FDA, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is “transforming the nation’s food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it.”

FDA releases results on sampling of dairy-free dark chocolate for milk allergen

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 12:05:00 -0400

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today released results from sampling of domestically manufactured dark chocolate bars and dark chocolate chips labeled as “dairy free” or with similar claims.

Outbreak investigation of Cyclospora: Bagged salads (June 2020)

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 10:57:14 -0400

As of September 25, 2020, CDC has announced this outbreak is over.

Outbreak investigation of Salmonella Stanley: Wood ear mushrooms - Dried fungus (September 2020)

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 09:36:10 -0400

The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, is investigating an ongoing multistate outbreak of Salmonella Stanley infections likely linked to wood ear mushrooms imported by Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. of Santa Fe Springs, CA.

FDA finalizes first Food Safety Equivalence Determination: Resumption of shellfish trade with Spain

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 11:37:39 -0400

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission (EC), have taken important steps to open the market for the sale of molluscan shellfish, including oysters, clams, mussels and scallops, from both the United States and the European Union to their consumers.

FDA announces FSMA food traceability proposed rule, a major milestone in the new Era of Smarter Food Safety

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 13:58:00 -0400

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a proposed rule to establish additional traceability recordkeeping requirements for certain foods.

USDA completes appointments to Food Safety Advisory Committee

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 10:54:11 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of 10 members to the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI).

USDA releases roadmap to address Salmonella

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 10:49:46 -0400

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Food Safety (OFS) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have released a plan to decrease Salmonella, one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses.

FDA provides additional flexibility regarding nutrition and supplement facts labels

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 11:23:22 -0400

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing additional flexibility for manufacturers who need to comply with updated Nutrition and Supplement Facts label requirements by January 1, 2021.