EdNet December 2009
EdNet, the National Food Safety Educator’s Network, is a monthly, multi-agency electronic news journal from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). EdNet provides up-to-date information about food safety and nutrition programs and activities for educators, consumer advocates, government officials, and industry representatives.
If you have questions or comments about this issue of EdNet, send e-mail to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA).
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In this issue:
Advisories, Alerts, and Warnings
- FDA, CDC, and States Investigating Norovirus Illnesses Linked to Oysters
- USDA Consumer Alert: Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
- Unilever Conducts Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Slim-Fast® Ready-to-Drink Products in Cans Due to Possible Health Risk (FDA)
Resources for Educators
- FDA Expands Presence Outside U.S. with Opening of Mexico City Post
- FDA Debars Convicted Virginia Seafood Dealer from Importing Food for 20 Years
- USDA and HHS Continue Food Safety Working Group Efforts; Customs and Border Protection Opens Import Food Safety Center
- “Trichinellosis Surveillance --- United States, 2002—2007”—MMWR, Volume 58 Surveillance Summary
- “Amber Waves Magazine," December 2009 (ERS)
- FDA’s Food Safety Tips for Healthy Holidays
- FDA Takes Action Against Maryland Veal Calf Dealer
- FDA Seeks Permanent Injunction Against Sharkco Seafood International Inc.
- Notification of Stolen Mead Johnson Infant Formula Products (FDA)
Meetings, Conferences, and Workshops
- USDA to Host 2010 Food Safety Education Conference — Update
- FDA Announces Dietetics and Nutrition Workshop
Industry
- FDA Guidance for Industry: Factors that Distinguish Liquid Dietary Supplements from Beverages, Considerations Regarding Novel Ingredients, and Labeling for Beverages and Other Conventional Foods
- Food Defense Tool from FDA and APHIS Helps Farmers, Producers Assess Vulnerabilities
- FSIS Issues Notices and Directives
- USDA Launches Toll-Free Help Desk for Small Meat and Poultry Processors
Advisories, Alerts, and Warnings
FDA, CDC, and States Investigating Norovirus Illnesses Linked to Oysters
The FDA is advising consumers to avoid eating oysters harvested from the San Antonio Bay on or after Nov. 16 due to reports of norovirus-associated illnesses in some people who had consumed oysters harvested from this area, which is located on the Gulf of Texas. The FDA, along with the CDC and the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas, are investigating about a dozen reports of norovirus-related illnesses from South Carolina and North Carolina consumers who ate oysters recently harvested from the San Antonio Bay.
For more information about why consumers are advised to avoid oysters harvested from San Antonio Bay, visit
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm193129.htm
USDA Consumer Alert: Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
On December 9, 2009, the USDA issued a consumer alert providing food handling recommendations to those affected by strong winds, heavy snow and rain, ice, blizzards, or bitter cold weather in New Mexico and states in the Midwest, Great Lakes area, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.
To read this consumer alert in its entirety, visit
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_120909_01/index.asp
Unilever Conducts Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Slim-Fast® Ready-to-Drink Products in Cans Due to Possible Health Risk (FDA)
On December 3, 2009, Unilever United States, Inc., in cooperation with the FDA, announced that it is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of all Slim-Fast® ready-to-drink (RTD) products in cans, due to the possibility of contamination with Bacillus cereus, a micro-organism, which may cause diarrhea and possibly nausea and/or vomiting. The probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. The products were sold in stores nationwide.
For more information about the recall, visit
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm
Resources for Educators
FDA Expands Presence Outside U.S. with Opening of Mexico City Post
On December 15, 2009, the FDA announced the opening of its Mexico City post as part of its continuing effort to buttress food and medical product safety in this country by working with its regulatory partners overseas. This is the Agency’s third post in Latin America and its tenth international post in the past 13 months.
“The opening of this office represents an important step as we re-design our product safety strategy. We, like our partners in the Mexican Government, realize that prevention is the key. For example, more than a third of the fresh fruits and vegetables we eat come from Mexico as do a large amount of our medical devices. Having FDA experts located permanently there will be mutually beneficial to both our countries and respective citizens,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.
To view entire news release, go to
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm194165.htm
FDA Debars Convicted Virginia Seafood Dealer from Importing Food for 20 Years
On December 11, 2009, the FDA reported that a Virginia man sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to import catfish from Vietnam for fraudulent sale to avoid paying federal import tariffs has been barred from importing articles of food or offering such articles for import into the United States for the next 20 years. This action represents the Agency’s first debarment of a food importer.
For detailed information about the Agency’s first debarment of a food importer, visit
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm193846.htm
USDA and HHS Continue Food Safety Working Group Efforts; Customs and Border Protection Opens Import Food Safety Center
On December 9, 2009, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius commended the Department of Homeland Security for opening a center devoted to ensuring the safety of foods imported to the United States. The Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC) for Import Safety is operating under the direction of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It was created on the recommendation of President Obama’s Food Safety Working Group, which is charged with advising the President on how to upgrade the U.S. food safety system for the 21st century.
Read the entire news release at
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm193668.htm
“Trichinellosis Surveillance --- United States, 2002—2007”—MMWR, Volume 58 Surveillance Summary
On December 4, 2009, the CDC issued a MMWR Surveillance Summary titled “Trichinellosis Surveillance --- United States, 2002—2007.”
Read this report in its entirety at
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5809a1.htm?s_cid=ss5809a1_e
“Amber Waves Magazine," December 2009 (ERS)
The December 2009 issue of the "Amber Waves Magazine" from USDA's Economic
Research Service is now available online at
http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/
FDA’s Food Safety Tips for Healthy Holidays
Parties, family dinners, and other gatherings where food is served are all part of the holiday cheer. But the merriment can change to misery if food makes you or others ill.
Typical symptoms of foodborne illness are vomiting, diarrhea, and flu-like symptoms, which can start anywhere from hours to days after contaminated food or drinks are consumed.
To view food safety tips for healthy holidays, go to
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm092815.htm
Also, a new video on the topic, produced in English and in Spanish, is available for viewing at FDA's Holiday Food Safety page
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm188807.htm
FDA Takes Action Against Maryland Veal Calf Dealer
The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the FDA, has filed a complaint for permanent injunction against William F. Nickle of North East, Md., for allegedly selling veal calves for human consumption that contained illegal drug residues in edible tissues.
Entire news release can be found at
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm191446.htm
FDA Seeks Permanent Injunction Against Sharkco Seafood International Inc.
The FDA is seeking a permanent injunction against Sharkco Seafood International Inc., located in Venice, La. The injunction is intended to stop the seafood processing company from distributing scombrotoxin-forming fish in interstate commerce. Consumption of scombrotoxin-forming fish that are not properly preserved or refrigerated can result in scombroid food poisoning, a foodborne illness that results from eating spoiled or decayed fish. Scombrotoxin-forming fish most commonly include mackerel, sardines, tuna, bluefish, and mahi mahi.
To read about Sharkco’s history of violations that prompted the FDA to seek court action, visit
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm191966.htm
Notification of Stolen Mead Johnson Infant Formula Products (FDA)
November 20, 2009: Mead Johnson Nutrition is working with the FDA, its Office of Criminal Investigations, and other law enforcement officials to recover cases of infant formula products that were stolen from a truck stop in Jeffersonville, Ohio, on November 13, 2009.
To read more about the products stolen, go to
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/ucm191658.htm
Meetings, Conferences, and Workshops
USDA to Host 2010 Food Safety Education Conference — Update
USDA and NSF International are hosting the Food Safety Education Conference, “Advancements in Food Safety: Trends, Tools and Technologies,” March 23-26, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta. A preliminary agenda as well as pre-conference workshops and hotel accommodations are posted on the FSIS Web site.
For more information, visit
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Atlanta2010
FDA Announces Dietetics and Nutrition Workshop
The FDA has scheduled a Dietetic and Nutrition Workshop for Tuesday, February 2, 2010 from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM, at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Harvey W. Wiley Building, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, Maryland. The Workshop is designed for dietetic interns, students and faculty in dietetics and nutrition, practicing dietitians and nutritionists, and all other interested parties. The purpose of the Workshop is to communicate FDA’s nutrition and regulatory activities that are relevant to the practice of dietetics and nutrition.
For registration information, visit
http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm161695.htm
Industry
FDA Guidance for Industry: Factors that Distinguish Liquid Dietary Supplements from Beverages, Considerations Regarding Novel Ingredients, and Labeling for Beverages and Other Conventional Foods
FDA is issuing this guidance to assist dietary supplement and beverage manufacturers and distributors in reaching a determination as to whether a liquid product may be labeled and marketed as a dietary supplement. The guidance describes factors that can be used to identify liquid products that are excluded from being dietary supplements because they are represented as conventional foods. Further, this guidance reminds manufacturers and distributors of beverages and other conventional foods, particularly those that contain novel ingredients, about the requirements of the “Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act” (the FFDCA) regarding ingredients and labeling.
To access this guidance for industry document, go to http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/ucm192702.htm
Food Defense Tool from FDA and APHIS Helps Farmers, Producers Assess Vulnerabilities
The FDA and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have created an online tool to help farmers and producers assess and mitigate vulnerabilities in their production processes. The risk assessment tool called Agriculture CARVER + Shock is designed to help the food industry at the farm level implement food production security methods.
Read this entire news release at
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm193091.htm
The software is free and available at
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodDefense/CARVER.
FSIS Issues Notices and Directives
FSIS has issued the following policy updates:
- FSIS Directive 6910.1: “District Veterinary Medical Specialist (DVMS) – Work Methods - Revision 1”
- Notice 80-09: “Importation of Canadian Cattle, Bison, Sheep and Goats into the United States”
- Directive 6020.1: “Enhanced Inspection of Poultry Related to a Notification of a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Outbreak by FSIS”
All Notices and Directives are available at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/index.asp
USDA Launches Toll-Free Help Desk for Small Meat and Poultry Processors
On December 7, 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the opening of its new small plant help desk, which will provide direct access to knowledgeable staff specialists for operators of small and very small meat, poultry and processed egg products establishments.
Read this announcement at
http://www.usda.gov/2009/12/0601.xm
