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Utah Firm Recalls Assorted Meat And Poultry Products Produced Without Inspection

11/17/2009

USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service
press release
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_062_2009_Release/index.asp
WASHINGTON, November 17, 2009 - Thrive Foods, a Lindon, Utah, establishment, is recalling approximately 3,790 pounds of assorted meat and poultry products because they were produced without the benefit of federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The following product is subject to recall: [View Label PDF Only] - 17-ounce cans of "THRIVE PREMIUM FREEZE DRIED Diced Roast Beef." Each product bears the establishment number "39967" inside the USDA mark of inspection. - 28.8-ounce cans of "THRIVE PREMIUM FREEZE DRIED Sausage Crumbles." Each product bears the establishment number "39967" inside the USDA mark of inspection. - 20-ounce cans of "THRIVE PREMIUM FREEZE DRIED Diced Turkey." Each product bears the establishment number "P-39967" inside the USDA mark of inspection. - 17-ounce cans of "THRIVE PREMIUM FREEZE DRIED Chopped Chicken." Each product bears the establishment number"P-39967 inside the USDA mark of inspection. - 29-ounce cans of "THRIVE PREMIUM FREEZE DRIED Ground Beef." Each product bears the establishment number "39967" inside the USDA mark of inspection. - 1.25 lb. cans of "THRIVE PREMIUM FREEZE DRIED Diced Ham." Each product bears the establishment number "39967" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The meat and poultry products were produced on October 12, 2009, October 19, 2009 and October 21, 2009. All products were packaged as assortment packs with six cans in each case. The "PREMIUM PACK" case contains "Diced Roast Beef" (2), "Chopped Chicken" (2), and "Ground Beef" (2) products. The "DELUXE PACK" case contains "Diced Roast Beef" (1), "Sausage Crumbles" (1), "Diced Turkey" (1), "Chopped Chicken" (1), "Ground Beef" (1), and "Diced Ham" (1) products. The products were distributed to wholesale and retail stores in the State of Utah and through Internet sales. For the complete recall notice, please visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_062_2009_Release/index.asp

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Nebraska Firm Recalls Fresh Ground Beef Products Due To Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination

11/17/2009

USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service
press release
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_063_2009_Release/index.asp
WASHINGTON, November 17, 2009 - Fairbury Steaks, Inc. a Fairbury, Neb., establishment, is recalling approximately 90 pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The products subject to recall include: - 10-pound packages of "BULK FRESH GROUND BEEF." The packages were placed in boxes and bear the establishment number "EST. 5726" inside the USDA mark of inspection on a label. The products were produced on November 16, 2009, and were distributed to a restaurant in Ruskin, Neb. For the complete recall notice, please visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_063_2009_Release/index.asp

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SNACKS ON RACKS, INC. Issues Nationwide Allergy Alert because of Undeclared Allergens in Their Gourmet Snacks Pack Product Line

11/17/2009

US Food & Drug Administration
recall notice
www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm191010.htm
November 17, 2009 - Snacks on Racks, Inc. of Parkville, Missouri is recalling products from their line of Gourmet Snacks Packs because they may contain undeclared milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, egg, sulfites or wheat. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, sulfites, soy or wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The complete list of recalled products are listed at the end of this press release. Gourmet Snack Packs are distributed throughout the continental United States to food service establishments at hospitals, colleges, universities and corporate cafeterias and kiosks. Gourmet Snack Packs are not sold to convenient stores, gas stations, grocery or mass market retailers. Gourmet Snack Packs are packaged in clear, rectangular-shaped, safety sealed, plastic container with a blue Snacks on Racks label adhered to the top of the product. The retail packaging is not marked with any codes, UPC numbers, or expiration dates. A date code is stickered on the case packaging only. Consumers will be able to distinguish between the recalled product and the correctly-labeled new product because the new product will have the recycling symbol located in the bottom right corner of the label. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. For the complete recall notice, please visit http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm191010.htm

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Make Food Safety Part of Your Holiday Menu; Have a Safe, Successful Holiday Feast

11/17/2009

USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service
press release
www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_111709_01/index.asp
Nov. 17, 2009 - The Thanksgiving feast traditionally marks the beginning of the holiday season. This season, consumers can be thankful for many things including a new Web site, www.holidayfoodsafety.org, that puts food safety in the context of all the planning and preparation families put into their holiday celebration. The site includes food shopping and preparation tips, recipes, and food safety advice and activities — all in one convenient location. The Holiday Food Safety Success Kit — developed by the non-profit Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) — joins consumer support efforts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address consumer concerns about safe food preparation. And on Thursday, November 19 at 3 p.m. ET, the USDA will host a live Facebook chat featuring a holiday food safety expert from the Food Safety and Inspection Service who will discuss how to safely prepare turkey, stuffing and other Thanksgiving meal favorites. Members of the public can submit and get live answers. For more information about the chat or to submit questions in advance, visit the USDA Live page at http://www.usda.gov/live. For the complete press release, please visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_111709_01/index.asp

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USDA reports highest food insecurity since reporting began in 1995

11/16/2009

The Meatingplace.com
Rita Jane Gabbett
www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=14487
USDA released its annual report on household food security in the U.S., which revealed that in 2008, 17 million households, or 14.6 percent, were food insecure and families had difficulty putting enough food on the table at times during the year. This is an increase from 13 million households, or 11.1 percent, in 2007. The 2008 figures represent the highest level observed since nationally representative food security surveys were initiated in 1995. The report also showed that one-third of food-insecure households had very low food security (food intake of some household members was reduced and their eating patterns disrupted at times during the year). This is 5.7 percent of all U.S. households or about 6.7 million, up from 4.7 million households (4.1 percent) in 2007, and the highest level observed since nationally representative food security surveys were initiated in 1995. For the complete news item, please visit http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=14487

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Confusion about N-60 Testing

11/16/2009

The Meatingplace.com
James Marsden
www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/blog/BlogDetail.aspx?topicID=5107&BlogID=11
In a recent letter to the Inspector General's Office at USDA, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn) asked for an investigation of the scientific merits and potential shortcomings of N-60 testing, the "protocol used by meat processors and USDA to verify ground beef is free from E. coli O157:H7". In the letter, she states that "To protect the public health, verification testing must be robust and ensure that adulterated product is not sold to the American consumers". She notes in the letter that the Fairbank Farms, the company linked to the recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and major ground beef recall employs a test and hold policy and tests finished ground beef every 10-20 minutes and that these procedures which are likely more frequent than the industry average failed to prevent contamination. She goes on to specifically ask about statistical validity, procedures for sample collection and analysis and application of N-60 test results. For the complete blog post, please go to http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/blog/BlogDetail.aspx?topicID=5107&BlogID=11

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The Long-Term Health Outcomes of Selected Foodborne Pathogens

11/16/2009

Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention
Tanya Roberts, Ph.D., Barbara Kowalcyk, M.A., Patricia Buck, M.S.
www.foodborneillness.org/CFIFinalReport.pdf
Foodborne disease is a serious public health issue that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), causes tens of millions of acute illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and thousands of deaths each year in the United States. While the severity of acute foodborne disease varies greatly, depending on the pathogen and the vulnerability of the person infected, the impact of foodborne illness on children, as well as for the elderly and immunesuppressed (e.g., pregnant women, people undergoing chemotherapy, organ-transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients), is more likely to be serious and/or long-lasting. For the complete report, please visit http://www.foodborneillness.org/CFIFinalReport.pdf

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Federal Register: Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Paracoccus Pigment

11/16/2009

Federal Register, November 16, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 219)
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-27394.htm
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Part 73 [Docket No. FDA-2007-C-0456] (formerly Docket No. 2007-C-0245) Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Paracoccus Pigment AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Final rule. ---------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the color additive regulations to provide for the safe use of paracoccus pigment as a color additive in the feed of salmonid fish to enhance the color of their flesh. This action is in response to a petition filed by Nippon Oil Corp. DATES: This rule is effective December 17, 2009, except as to any provisions that may be stayed by the filing of proper objections. Submit electronic or written objections and requests for a hearing by December 16, 2009. See section X of this document for information on the filing of objections. ADDRESSES: You may submit electronic or written objections and requests for a hearing identified by Docket No. FDA-2007-C-0456, by any of the following methods: Electronic Submissions Submit electronic objections in the following way: Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Written Submissions Submit written objections in the following ways: FAX: 301-827-6870. Mail/Hand delivery/Courier [For paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions]: Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. To ensure more timely processing of objections, FDA is no longer accepting objections submitted to the agency by e-mail. FDA encourages you to continue to submit electronic objections by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, as described previously, in the ADDRESSES portion of this document under Electronic Submissions. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this rulemaking. All objections received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. For detailed instructions on submitting objections, see the ``Objections' heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or objections received, go to http://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into the ``Search' box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Division of Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mical E. Honigfort, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-265), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740-3835, 301-436-1278.

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Poultry processing reduces pathogens on raw chicken: USDA survey

11/16/2009

The Meatingplace.com
USDA
www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=14491
Cold water immersion and other antimicrobial interventions in poultry processing substantially improve the microbiological profile of raw chickens, according to a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "We observed a substantial reduction in the number of samples positive for Salmonella . . . and Campylobacter, suggesting that the anti-microbial interventions had an effect," USDA scientists wrote in their report on a nationwide data collection program. The survey found that five percent of the raw chickens in the survey had salmonella after chilling and 11 percent had campylobacter, down from 41 percent and 71 percent, respectively, prior to evisceration. Additionally, the actual number of bacteria on each raw chicken was greatly reduced, by about 99 percent on average with respect to campylobacter and 66 percent on average for salmonella. For the complete news item, please visit http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=14491

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Research uses X-ray to reduce foodborne pathogens on leafy greens

11/16/2009

The Packer
Bob Luder
thepacker.com/Research-uses-X-ray-to-reduce-foodborne-pathogens-on-leafy-greens/
A researcher at Mississippi State University has developed a procedure that uses X-ray technology to greatly reduce the presence of foodborne pathogens like E. coli, salmonella, shigella and listeria on leafy green vegetables. Barakat Mahmoud, assistant professor of food safety and microbiology at Mississippi State and a spokesman for the Institute of Food Technologies, said the procedure is a form of irradiation, only without the use of radioactive compounds like Cobalt-60 and Cesium-137 used to generate gamma radiation. “This is just an X-ray machine, electricity converted to photons,” Mahmoud said. “I believe consumers will accept X-ray more than gamma because everyone is more familiar with X-ray.” For the complete news item, please visit http://thepacker.com/Research-uses-X-ray-to-reduce-foodborne-pathogens-on-leafy-greens/Article.aspx?articleid=941138

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Food safety news is compiled from a number of sources and is provided only for informational purposes. Many of the news stories have been compiled, selected, and edited by the Food Safety Network at the University of Guelph with permission. News stories from other sources are added as appropriate. Accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed by Iowa State University. Headlines are sometimes rewritten for clarity or to fit space. Original sources are indicated whenever possible and full stories may not be posted to honor the original author copyright.

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