Top Stories: Expanded egg recall; price hikes likely; U.S. FDA to give restaurants more time on calorie counts; Desalting the food grid; Take part in the IFT Live survey
August 25, 2010
Expanded egg recall; price hikes likely
An outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis that has sickened hundreds of people across the United States has led to a recall of shell eggs. Working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed epidemiologic and environmental investigation documents and identified 3 best-case clusters of Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses. Tracebacks revealed Wright County Egg in Iowa as the common shell egg supplier in these clusters.
On Aug. 13, Wright County Egg voluntarily conducted a nationwide recall of shell eggs on three of its five farms. Further epidemiologic and traceback information led to Wright County Egg expanding its recall on Aug. 18 to cover all 5 farms and 380 million eggs (according to company figures).
The FDA has activated its emergency operations command center with scientists, investigators, epidemiologists, and communication experts. In addition, the FDA deployed an initial team of 10 investigators to Wright County Egg in Iowa to inspect the farms and determine the source of the contamination. More investigators are being deployed to help on-site, looking to find the source of the contamination. Investigators are performing environmental assessments of farm conditions and practices, including pest and rodent controls, biosecurity plans, environmental monitoring, sanitary controls, and feed sources.
The FDA is initiating effectiveness checks of the recall, conducting checks at retail stores, wholesalers, and distributors to make sure the recalled shell eggs are being removed from the market.
The FDA is in ongoing communications with Wright County Egg to ensure that appropriate preventive measures are put in place to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Shell eggs under the Aug. 13, 2010 recall are packaged under the brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms, and Kemps. Shell eggs are packed in 6-egg cartons, 12-egg cartons, 18-egg cartons, and loose eggs with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413, and 1946.
Recalled shell eggs affected by the expanded recall are packaged under the brand names: Albertsons, Farm Fresh, James Farms, Glenview, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma, Lund, Kemps, and Pacific Coast. Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (6-egg, 12-egg, and 18-egg cartons, and loose eggs for institutional use and repackaging) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 229 and plant numbers 1720 and 1942.
The recall affects eggs shipped since May 16, 2010 that were sent to food wholesalers, distribution centers, and foodservice companies in California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa.
According to the USA Today, wholesale egg prices are up about 40% since the start of the recall, and consumers will likely see increases at the store. Retailers may not have passed all or any of the increases on to consumers. But they will, predicts Len Steiner, Industry Analyst with SteinerConsulting.com. “We know the prices will go up. We don’t know how much,” said Gene Gregory, CEO of the United Egg Producers.
The recalled product, about 550 million eggs, accounts for less than 1% of U.S. production, United Egg Producers says. However, supply disruptions can have a big impact on prices if demand doesn’t drop as fast, because eggs can’t be frozen or stored for long, said Dave Harvey, an Agriculture Department Economist. He doesn’t think the recall will have a major impact on prices and demand if it’s limited.
Press release
USA Today article
U.S. FDA to give restaurants more time on calorie counts
According to Reuters, U.S. health regulators plan to give restaurant companies more time to comply with new rules that require clear calorie and nutritional information on menus. Under the healthcare law passed in March, restaurants must clearly post calories and other nutrition details on their menus. The rules target restaurants with 20 or more locations, as well as other retail food outlets, and would affect huge national chains like McDonald’s Corp. and Yum Brands Inc., the operator of the KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut fast-food chains.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has until March 2011 to put these rules into effect. But the agency said on Aug. 24 it would hold off on enforcing them for an unspecified time period so that companies could make the changes. It also asked for public comment on how long to refrain from enforcement.
Consumer advocates and some public health experts praise menu disclosures as a way to help diners make better food choices and, hopefully, to help improve health in a nation where two out of three people are overweight or obese.
Some industry critics have argued that menu labeling rules—particularly if they were to involve a patchwork of different state and local laws—would be a burden that would add operating costs.
Dan Roehl, Public Affairs Specialist for the National Restaurant Association, which often takes the lead on regulatory issues, said the industry supports a national standard for disclosing nutrition information. “Once FDA completes the regulatory process, the industry will have all it needs to comply with the federal law ... It’s important for our members to know what they need to do,” said Roehl.
Most major chains have resisted posting such information without legislation and the threat of fines. Several states, counties, and cities have proposed or passed laws requiring menu labeling, but only a handful—including New York City—have put them into effect.
Reuters article
FDA draft guidelines
Desalting the food grid
Since the 1970s, the sodium content of restaurant and processed food has escalated along with steady increases in portion sizes. As a result, Americans now consume in excess of 3,400 mg of sodium every day, exceeding the recommended daily allowance of 2,300 mg, which is less than a teaspoon of salt. More than 70% of that excessive sodium intake comes from restaurant and commercially processed foods. Product developers are responding to public health concerns about the sodium content of processed foods. What sodium-reduction tactics are they using? Find out in Food Technology’s August issue.
Desalting the Food Grid
Take part in the IFT Live survey
IFT Live is the web-based show daily for IFT's Annual Meeting & Food Expo. During the show, which took place July 17-20, 2010 in Chicago, Ill., articles were written and posted online at ift.org/iftlive. As a registered attendee of the show or a subscriber to The Weekly newsletter, you received an e-newsletter highlighting the top articles from IFT Live all three days of the show.
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Study to determine if food stamp discount improves nutrition
According to The Boston Globe, more than two dozen cities and towns in Western Massachusetts will be the focus of a major federal initiative to increase low-income families’ consumption of fruits and vegetables, as part of the nation’s efforts to combat obesity.
The Agriculture Department awarded $20 million to Massachusetts and a Cambridge-based research firm to test whether providing subsidies for buying produce will encourage food stamp recipients to eat more nutritious meals.
Of the 50,000 households in Hampden County that rely on food stamps, several thousand will be offered a 30-cent discount for every dollar spent on fresh fruits and vegetables, while other families will continue to pay full price. Households will be tracked for 15 months to see whether their eating habits change and health outcomes, including obesity rates, improve. State officials hope to begin the program in fall 2011.
This initiative will be the first large-scale study that has a rigorous methodology for measuring the impact of financial incentives on food consumption. However, earlier this year a study was published in Contemporary Economic Policy looking at different ways in which alternative strategies could be used to increase consumption of under-consumed foods, such as fruit, vegetable, and dairy products for participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
Using econometric models, price elasticity estimates, and nutrition recommendations based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the researchers first examined how a 10% subsidy on fruit, vegetables, and milk would affect current low consumption of these foods.
They found that such a subsidy couldclose the deficiency of these foods by 4–7%. In addition, they found that a price subsidy of 22% would be required in order to close the consumption gap by 10% for vegetables. The authors estimated the cost of a 10% price subsidy at an annual $293 million for vegetables, $281 million for fruits (including $184 million for non-juice fruits and $97 million for fruit juice), and $160 million for fluid milk, or a total of $734 million a year.
The researchers also examined the possibility of raising the level of the food stamp benefit, and whether that would have a positive effect on nutrition. They found that to acquire the same increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables, the food stamp benefits would have to increase by about $100 per household per month. This would come to an annual cost of $14 billion—a much more expensive option.
Some experts argue that the discount in the Massachusetts study is not obvious enough to the consumers. The regular prices will show up on the cash register receipt, but the discount will be immediately credited back to the customer’s food stamp debit card. Kevin Volpp, Director of the Center for Health Incentives at the University of Pennsylvania, believes incentives work best when they are immediate and as visible as possible. Volpp has suggested that the distribution of a discount coupon for future fruit and vegetable purchases might be a more effective way to influence behavior and increase consumption of healthy foods. Either way, the Massachusetts initiative is definitely a step forward in learning how to increase consumption of nutritious food among a nation that is facing an obesity epidemic.
The Boston Globe article
Study abstract
Milk may lessen garlic’s malodorous effects
A study published in the Journal of Food Science shows that drinking milk while eating garlic-heavy food can reduce the malodorous breath associated with garlic consumption. The effect of milk and milk components on the deodorization of diallyl disulfide (DADS), allyl methyl disulfide (AMDS), allyl mercaptan (AM), allyl methyl sulfide (AMS), and methyl mercaptan (MM) in the headspace of garlic as well as in the mouth- and nose-space after garlic ingestion was investigated using selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS).
The researchers found that fat-free and whole milk significantly reduced the head-, mouth-, and nose-space concentrations of all volatiles. Water was the major component in milk responsible for the deodorization of volatiles. Due to its higher fat content, whole milk was more effective than fat-free milk in the deodorization of the more hydrophobic volatiles diallyl disulfide and allyl methyl disulfide. Milk was more effective than water and 10% sodium caseinate in the deodorization of allyl methyl sulfide, a persistent garlic odor, in the mouth after garlic ingestion. Addition of milk to garlic before ingestion had a higher deodorizing effect on the volatiles in the mouth than drinking milk after consuming garlic.
The researchers concluded that ingesting beverages or foods with high water and/or fat content such as milk may help reduce the malodorous odor in breath after garlic ingestion and mask the garlic flavor during eating. To enhance the deodorizing effect, deodorant foods should be mixed with garlic before ingestion.
Abstract
Food Channel releases top 10 snack trends
The Food Channel has released its top 10 snack trends, one of its regular trend reports prepared in conjunction with CultureWaves, Mintel International, and the International Food Futurists.
“These trends are meant to inspire your back-to-school snacking,” said Kay Logsdon, Editor-in-Chief of The Food Channel. “But they also show how people are eating today, with smoothies and energy bars functioning as meal replacements, and grazing with small bites throughout the day—sometimes never even sitting down to a meal.”
According to foodchannel.com editors, the top 10 snack trends are:
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Chip and Dip 2.0. New varieties and new flavors give us something different. It is likely that you will have hummus and falafel chips or pretzel crisps at your next party instead of the traditional chip-and-dip duo. The dips are healthier, spicier, and often served hot.
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Small and Sensational. We are eating more substantial snacks packed with protein as meal replacements, and eating them more often. For pick-me-ups, we grab a slider at Steak ’n Shake, or a Big Mac Wrap at McDonald’s. Come dinnertime, we may graze some more, but by today’s definition, snacks may be all we need.
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The Drink Shift. This trend is all about the “halo of health” around drinks made with fruit or antioxidants. We have a shift in snack beverages away from colas and energy drinks and more toward teas, lemonades, fruity organic waters, and carbonated fruit drinks with interesting flavor combinations.
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Goin’ Nuts. Snacking habits are adjusting to talk about how good nuts are for you, with nuts and granola, nuts and fruits, and smoked nuts. Unique flavor combinations give us the feeling that we are eating healthily: for example, cashews with pomegranate and vanilla, and dark chocolate with caramelized black walnuts.
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Fruits: The Low-Hanging Snack. The trend here is the mainstreaming of new types of fruit, and the redefinition of locally grown to mean locally sourced. When it comes to fresh, blackberries have been in abundance, and white peaches and white cherries have given us a choice when it comes to some old standards. Fresh fruit is now the number one snack among kids aged two to 17.
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Cruising the Bars. While it is mainstream that the granola bar is an acceptable emergency meal, bars are now offered in dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, organic, soy-free, cholesterol-free, trans fat-free, and casein-free varieties. There are even versions specifically for women and for kids.
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Sweet and Salty. Until recent years, the only way sweet or salty snacks mixed was when we ate something sweet then craved something salty, or vice-versa. What we’re seeing now is that the barrier is removed. We dip pretzels in Nutella and eat fruit with a side of popcorn. These tastes are filling up the new-style vending machines too, where our choices are increasing and more information is available.
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Yogurt, Redefined. The new gold standard for yogurt is the increased health value found with probiotics. Acknowledging our trend toward global flavors, there is Greek yogurt, among the healthiest snacks we can eat. Icelandic yogurt is starting to emerge as yet another world player and new self-serve frozen yogurt shops are popping up everywhere too. Although not new, yogurt continues to redefine itself and is definitely trending up.
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Bodaciously Bold. Bold flavors are almost becoming regular, satisfying an urge for something unordinary.
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Nostalgia’s New Again. Any decent tribute to snacking has to mention the traditional Snack Cake. The Hostess Twinkie, the Ding Dong, the TastyKake, the Little Debbie. Anything that has lasted this long deserves a mention in the snacking hall of fame, even if it isn’t good for you. And, truth be told, we all snack on some of these from time to time.
Article
Cinnamon extracts may reduce diabetes, heart disease risk factors
A study led by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Chemist Richard Anderson suggests that a water-soluble extract of cinnamon, which contains antioxidative compounds, could help reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease.
The work is part of cooperative agreements between the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC) operated by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) at Beltsville, Md.; Integrity Nutraceuticals International of Spring Hill, Tenn.; and the Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France.
For the study, conducted in Ohio, coauthor Tim N. Ziegenfuss enrolled volunteers and collected samples. Twenty-two obese participants with impaired blood glucose values—a condition classified as “prediabetes”—volunteered for the 12-week experimental research study. Prediabetes occurs when cells are resistant to the higher-than-normal levels of insulin produced by the pancreas (in an attempt to help remove elevated glucose levels from blood).
The volunteers were divided randomly into two groups and given either a placebo or 250 mg of a dried water-soluble cinnamon extract twice daily along with their usual diets. Blood was collected after an overnight fast at the beginning of the study, after six weeks, and after 12 weeks to measure the changes in blood glucose and antioxidants.
The study demonstrated that the water-soluble cinnamon extract improved a number of antioxidant variables by as much as 13–23%, and improvement in antioxidant status was correlated with decreases in fasting glucose, according to Anderson.
Only more research will tell whether the investigational study supports the idea that people who are overweight or obese could reduce oxidative stress and blood glucose by consuming cinnamon extracts that have been proven safe and effective. In the meantime, weight loss remains the primary factor in improving these numbers, according to ARS scientists.
Press release
Watercress may help fight cancer
A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that eating watercress could help prevent the development of breast cancer while also helping recovering breast cancer patients avoid a recurrence of the disease. Scientists at Southampton University in the United Kingdom found that volunteers who ate 80 g of watercress a day had elevated levels of cancer-fighting molecules in their blood within hours of eating the salad leaves.
The researchers said chemicals found in watercress, known as isothiocyanates, appeared to interfere with the growth of cancer cells. They said: “This pilot study suggests that dietary intake of watercress may be sufficient to modulate this potential anti-cancer pathway.”
The researchers added that the mechanism by which the isothiocyanates from watercress helped to inhibit cancer growth was unclear and said that further work needed to be done with larger numbers of patients to confirm their results.
The pilot study used four women, all of whom were breast cancer survivors, and monitored changes in their blood of key molecules involved in the growth of cancer cells. The participants were asked to fast on the day of the tests and had blood samples taken before and after eating a portion of watercress.
The scientists found that 6 hrs after they had eaten the leaves, the women experienced a drop in the activity of a molecule called 4E binding protein, which is thought to be involved in helping cancer cells survive. Laboratory studies also showed that extracts taken from watercress leaves inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells.
Abstract
Wellness foods for prevention
According to Adweek, a report released by The Hartman Group shows that the idea of “wellness” is now a mainstream preoccupation and affects the way consumers feel about certain food products.
The report emphasizes that consumers are more apt to see foods as useful in preventing than in treating health problems. For instance, 56% said they’re using foods to prevent high cholesterol, vs. 30% using foods to treat it. Similarly, respondents were much more apt to be using foods to prevent than to treat cancer (46% vs. 10%), high blood pressure (41% vs. 15%) and osteoporosis (27% vs. 10%). Excessive weight is an exception to this pattern, as nearly equal numbers of respondents said they’re using foods to prevent it (57%) or treat it (59%).
Sometimes, consumers’ pursuit of wellness brings a burst of attention to a particular element in food. Vitamin D is a current case in point. The report says “interest in Vitamin D has exploded” this year.
“The mainstream media has been all over vitamin D in the past year,” said Shelley Balanko, VP of Ethnographic Research at The Hartman Group. “People have been hearing about it on Oprah, or at the supermarket checkout, or from their babysitter.” The upshot, according to the report’s survey data, is that 60% of respondents said they’re adding more vitamin D to their diets.
More broadly, interest in wellness (and the products and services that link themselves to it) is prompted or intensified by different factors, depending on one's circumstances. “Aging and changing health are key triggers for older cohorts,” says the report, “while energy and stress trigger awareness for younger cohorts.”
Adweek article
The Hartman Group
Nestlé wins global food industry award
The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) has honored Nestlé with its prestigious President’s Award, which is given in recognition of efforts to advance global food science and technology for the benefit of everyone.
Nestlé was specifically praised for its leadership in providing quality, safe, nutritious food products and services and in particular its food safety efforts and support of young scientists in IUFoST. Werner Bauer, Nestlé’s Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, received the award at IUFoST’s Global Food Industry Award ceremony on Aug. 23, held during its two-day congress in Cape Town, South Africa.
“It is a great honor that the IUFoST has recognized Nestlé’s leadership, and especially our commitment to food safety,” said Bauer. “Food safety is absolutely non-negotiable. We have a global network of specialists, including the people in our factories who, every day, deliver around 200,000 analytical results for product release. This commitment to food safety is essential for gaining the trust of our consumers, and for establishing and maintaining our global leadership.”
Press release
Danisco acquires South African Research Solutions
Danisco has acquired the shares in the company Research Solutions in Cape Town, South Africa. Research Solutions is a South African-based company with expertise in offering customized ingredients solutions, in particular to the dairy industry.
“With this acquisition we are creating a new center of excellence for Danisco’s dairy and frozen desserts activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. We are pooling the local skills and relationships from Research Solutions with Danisco’s local production and international backup of Danisco and aim to create the most competitive ingredients supplier in Sub-Saharan Africa, both in terms of quality, cost, and responsiveness,” said Søren Olsen, Vice President, Systems, Danisco.
Research Solutions is situated very close to Danisco’s production and sales facility in Cape Town and will be integrated into this facility.
South Africa makes up 85–90% of all sales in Sub-Saharan Africa with Nigeria and Kenya contributing second and third.
The acquisition price was not disclosed.
Press release
Purdue renames Food Science Building to honor Nelson
The Purdue University Board of Trustees has approved renaming the Food Science Building in honor of Philip E. Nelson, who developed the program into one of the strongest in the United States and became an international laureate for his work in improving the world’s food supply.
Nelson, who retired in May at age 75, ended a 50-year career at Purdue, most recently as the Scholle Chair Professor in Food Processing. He was the food science department’s first chairman when it was created in 1983 and served in that position for 20 years.
The building, dedicated in 1998 after a campaign that Nelson led for its construction, will be called the Philip E. Nelson Hall of Food Science. Largely designed by Nelson, it has been a model for other food science buildings in the United States.
“Renaming this building in honor of Dr. Nelson is a fitting tribute to an innovative researcher and teacher who was instrumental in creating one of the most distinguished food science programs in the country,” said university President France A. Córdova. “His name on the building will serve as a lasting symbol of the prestige he has brought to this university in food science education and research.”
Nelson built the food science program from a small department of 30 undergraduate students, 10 graduate students, and 10 faculty members into the largest in the country, with a peak of 150 undergraduates, 50 graduate students, and a faculty of 19. Nelson also provided leadership to the food science profession and food industry through its professional organization, the Institute of Food Technologists, of which he was President in 2001–2002.
His work in food science brought Nelson international acclaim as recipient of the World Food Prize in 2007. Created by Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman E. Borlaug and often called the “Nobel Prize for Agriculture,” the award honored Nelson for his aseptic processing innovation. The system revolutionized food trade by reducing postharvest waste and making seasonal fruits and vegetables available year-round and easier to transport worldwide. The technology was used to bring potable water and emergency food to survivors of the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia and to victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It continues to be employed for safe and economical food processing, shipping, and storage globally.
Press release
Reynolds Group acquires Pactiv
Pactiv Corp., a leader in the consumer and foodservice packaging markets, has announced it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Reynolds Group Holdings Ltd., a global manufacturer and supplier of consumer food and beverage packaging and storage products headquartered in Chicago, Ill., in a transaction valued at approximately $6 billion. Reynolds is a wholly owned subsidiary of New Zealand-based Rank Group Ltd., which is owned by Graeme Hart.
Pactiv’s board of directors unanimously approved the merger agreement and will recommend that Pactiv’s common shareholders approve the transaction. Completion of the transaction is subject to Pactiv’s shareholder approval, regulatory approvals, and customary closing conditions, and is targeted to occur by the end of 2010.
“Pactiv has been a leading performer in its industries since it became publicly held in 1999. We are proud of what we have accomplished, and we are excited to join with Reynolds’ consumer and foodservice businesses to grow and add more capabilities for our customers. All of the Pactiv team takes pride in the fact that we have been able to create the shareholder value released by this transaction, and we are pleased to join a group that is committed to the growth of both its packaging and consumer businesses,” said Richard L. Wambold, Pactiv’s Chairman and CEO.
Press release
Extra Credit Reading
Chip eaters make noise about a crunchy bag
Frito-Lay’s latest “green” effort—making the Sun Chips bags from biodegradable plant material instead of plastic—is creating a racket. Chip eaters are griping about the loud crackling sounds the new bag makes. Some have compared it to a “revving motorcycle” and “glass breaking.”
Ganeden Biotech, Agostoni Chocolate announce private label probiotic chocolates
Ganeden Biotech Inc., maker of the patented probiotic strain GanedenBC30, and Agostoni Chocolate, an Italian farm-to-bar producer of all natural premium chocolates, have announced Chocolate Plus Private Label, the first store brand functional snack program to bring together GanedenBC30 probiotic with an award-winning premium Italian dark chocolate.
Chiquita opens banana label competition to consumer choice
Chiquita Brands International Inc. is inviting you to choose the best consumer-created designs that will grace the company’s iconic blue sticker on millions of Chiquita bananas. The call for votes is a continuation of a sticker competition announced in June, when Chiquita requested design submissions.
Elisabeth Hagen appointed Under Secretary for Food Safety
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the appointment of Elisabeth Hagen to Under Secretary for Food Safety.
Prior to her nomination as Under Secretary for Food Safety, Elisabeth Hagen served as the USDA’s Chief Medical Officer and Senior Executive at USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, where she played a key role in developing and executing the agency’s scientific and public health agendas. Before joining the federal government in 2006, Hagen taught and practiced medicine in both the private and academic sectors, most recently in Washington, D.C. She holds a M.D. from Harvard Medical School, and a B.S. from Saint Joseph’s University. In addition to several hospital and university appointments, her experience includes research and publications and infectious diseases and providing medical care to underserved populations.
“There is no higher priority at USDA than ensuring that Americans have access to a safe and healthy food supply, and Dr. Hagen’s background as the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Executive within USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service will enable her to successfully lead the effort to develop and execute the agency’s scientific and public health agenda, and continue to build the coordination with public health partners at federal, state, and local level needed to achieve the objectives of President Obama’s Food Safety Working Group,” said Vilsack.
Press release
U.S. Marshals seize food from rodent-infested Ga. warehouse
U.S. Marshals, acting under a court order sought by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have seized packaged food products from a rodent-infested warehouse in Athens, Ga. A variety of products, including crackers, cookies, and potato chips, were intended for sale to jails and prisons throughout the southeastern United States.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia issued a warrant for the seizure of all of the food in the warehouse that the FDA and the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) determined to be susceptible to contamination by rodents. The food was valued at $859,000. The government’s complaint alleges that the products are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they have been held under insanitary conditions, whereby they may have become contaminated with filth.
The two agencies investigated the Mid-States Services Inc. facility from July 14 through July 21, 2010, and found “widespread active rodent infestation both inside and outside the facility” according to the government’s complaint.
Investigators found 14 live rodents, seven dead rodents, 23 gnaw holes on multiple food containers, multiple containers of food containing rodent pellets, four rodent nests, and apparent rodent pellets too numerous to count, on and around food packages, as well as finding structural defects making the facilities accessible to rodents.
“This is an example of quick action by the FDA and our state partner to prevent contaminated food from reaching consumers,” said Michael A. Chappell, Acting Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. “The FDA took this action because the company failed to provide adequate safeguards to ensure that products they produce or hold for sale remain free of contamination.”
On July 15, 2010, GDA placed all food in the warehouse under a stop sale order. Four days later, the firm voluntarily destroyed some of the food but, as alleged in the complaint, a significant amount of food was not destroyed. On July 21, 2010, FDA investigators provided the warehouse manager a list of inspectional observations documenting the violations, but the company did not formally respond.
Press release
New York firm recalls deli meats for possible Listeria contamination
Zemco Industries, Buffalo, N.Y., is recalling approximately 380,000 lbs of deli meat products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Aug. 23. These products were distributed to delicatessens where they were further processed into sandwiches.
The products subject to recall include:
- 25.5-lb cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches Black Forest Ham with Natural Juices Coated with Caramel Color” with the number 17800 1300.
- 28.49-lb cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches Hot Ham, Hard Salami, Pepperoni, Sandwich Peppers” with the number 17803 1300.
- 32.67-lb cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches Virginia Brand Ham with Natural Juices, made in New York, Fully Cooked Bacon, Sandwich Pickles, Sandwich Peppers” with the number 17804 1300.
- 25.5-lb cases of “Marketside Grab and Go Sandwiches Angus Roast Beef Coated with Caramel Color” with the number 17805 1300.
The packages also bear vendor number “398412808” and the USDA mark of inspection. The meat products were produced on various dates from June 18 to July 2, 2010, and have various “Use By” dates ranging from Aug. 20 to Sept. 10, 2010. The products were distributed throughout the United States to a single retail chain.
The problem was discovered as a result of a retail sample collected by the State of Georgia that confirmed positive for Listeria monocytogenes. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product.
Press release
Live Q&A sessions for Science Behind Food & Health course to begin Sept. 10
There’s still time to register and participate in “Ask the Expert” sessions to deepen your understanding about the impact that nutraceuticals may have on cognitive, cardiovascular, and bone/joint health. You’ll also receive an overview of the differences between foods and pharmaceuticals, the interplay between food and drugs, and the regulatory approval process. Learn more and register today. When registering, please enter this code: 0810EM1959.
Webcast: Formulation and Utilization of Supplementary Foods in Developing Countries
Sept. 15, 9:00–10:30 a.m. CDT
Explore the formulation, production, and impact of ready-to-use supplementary foods. This webcast will review the strategies and challenges related to the development of supplementary foods for developing countries such as Africa. Learn more and register. When registering, please enter this code: 0810EM1960