Never a major player in the FDA heirarchy, the CVM has been formally excluded from the Human Foods Program, with only a dotted line connecting it to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner.
Although the CVM will report directly to the Office of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, its relatively small budget and political profile will leave this essential element of food safety and nutrition with little voice or influence at the table.
Why does this matter?
The CVM is responsible for oversight of animal feed, pet foods and veterinary medicines.
If animal feeds are not properly regulated and supervised, animal nutrition–and ultimately human nutrition–suffers.
If veterinary medicines are not properly regulated and supervised, the health of livestock and the safety of the human diet suffers.
If pet foods are not properly regulated and supervised, the health of companion animals suffers.
Pet health matters
Pets play an important role in the mental and physical health of their human companions.
Those of us who have lost a dog, cat, or other pet to illness, accidents, or simply old age, understand the grief that this loss entails.
In addition, if an animal develops a gastrointestinal illness such as salmonellosis as a result of contaminated pet food, this illness can be passed along to people in the same household.
This is not speculation.
Kibble, raw pet foods, and pet treats contaminated with Salmonella have caused several outbreaks of human illness large enough to attract the attention of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Without a strong voice at the budget table, the CVM will not have the resources to oversee the pet food industry.
We have seen what has happened in the past when a pet food manufacturer has been allowed to operate on a “voluntary compliance” basis. More often than is healthy, the emphasis is on voluntary, and compliance falls by the wayside.
Can this be fixed?
I realize that the CVM has elements both of food and of pharmaceuticals in its regulatory portfolio.
Nevertheless, every component of the CVM’s mandate–animal feed, animal medications, pet food–indirectly supports the safety and nutriton of human or animal food.
I would propose that the scope of the proposed new directorate be expanded to include the CVM, and that the word “Human” be dropped from the title of the new Deputy Commissioner.
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“Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News
Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?
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Kerry, Inc., manufacturer of the breakfast cereal that was responsible for a 2018 Salmonella outbreak that sent thirty-four victims to hospital, has pled guilty in federal court to a charge that it manufactured the cereal under insanitary conditions.
According to a news release from the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the company has agreed to pay a criminal fine and forfeiture amount totaling $19,228,000.
The plea agreement has not yet been accepted by the court.
According to the DOJ’s news release, if the agreement is accepted, “…the $19.228 million fine and forfeiture will constitute the largest-ever criminal penalty following a criminal conviction in a food safety case.”
The company shut down operations at its Gridley, Illinois, facility in December 2018 due to a drop in demand for the products manufactured at that location.
In October 2022, Ravi Kumar Chermala, Kerry’s former Quality Assurance Director, pled guilty to three misdemeanor counts of introducing adulterated food into Interstate Commerce.
Kerry Inc. released a statement on February 3, 2023, in which the company regretted “…the unacceptable practices and failures that occurred at Gridley.”
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On the Q-T
The FDA’s investigation into this Salmonella outbreak–and the subsequent actions taken against the manufacturer–have been surrounded by a veil of silence from the beginning.
Honey Smacks cereal was manufactured by Kerry Inc. under a third-party contract with the Kellogg Company. At the time of the initial investigation, the FDA declined to reveal the name of the manufacturer it believed to be responsible for the Salmonella outbreak.
It was only after the CDC had declared the outbreak to be over that the FDA revealed the name of the manufacturer.
The FDA also declined to identify the Salmonella serotype it had discovered during the inspection of Kerry’s manufacturing facility and declined to reveal whether the strain it found was a genetic match to the strain recovered from outbreak victims.
In July 2018, Kerry initiated a recall of 82 tons of Soy Honey Cluster. Two days later, General Mills recalled six production batches of Cheerios Protein Oats and Honey cereal. In both cases, the potential for Salmonella contamination was given as the reason for the recall. Yet, no public notice was posted on the FDA website in either case.
What next?
The next step in this process will be for the Court to decide whether or not to accept the plea agreement.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid and Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley in Peoria, Illinois, and a sentencing date of March 14, 2023, has been set.
Here is today’s list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.
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United States
Allergy Alert: FSIS issues Public Health Alert for ready-to-eat (RTE) meat snack products containing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated chocolate wafers due to undeclared peanut in the wafers. Please refer to the FSIS notice for a complete list of affected products.
Food Safety Recall: Delight Foods USA LLC recalls Seafood delight FRESH FROZEN CATFISH STEAK IF (908g (2 lb; Imported from India) because India is ineligible to export Siluriformes products to the United States.
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Canada
Allergy Alert: Nutrifresh West Ltd. recalls Nutrifresh brand Falooda Drink with Almond Flavour (290 ml; All batch and date codes where milk is not declared on the label; UPC 8 859032 700790) due to undeclared milk. The recalled product has been sold in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.
Allergy Alert: Apetito HFS Limited recalls Apetito HFS brand and Heart to Home Meals brand meatball products due to undeclared egg, milk and wheat (gluten). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.
Food Safety Recall / Allergy Alert: La Fraîcheur Tropicale (Montréal, QC) recalls Chicktay de hareng / Herring chicktay and Marinade d’épices / Spice marinade (500g; Sold up to 1 February 2023) due to lack of storage temperature labeling on the menu and undeclared soy and sesame.
Food Safety Recall: Groupe Phoenicia Inc. recalls Cedar Phoenicia brand Pindjur Vegetable Spread (500 ml; Lot code L 21231 EU; Best before 2024 AU 19; UPC 0 62356 50221 8) due to foreign matter contamination (pieces of glass). The recalled product was sold in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and Quebec.
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Europe
Allergy Alert (France): MONOPRIX recalls MONOPRIX brand Galettes de blé noir / Buckwheat pancakes (4/pack; Lot 016; Use by 05/02/2023) due to undeclared gluten (wheat), milk and egg.
Allergy Alert (France):LA COMPAGNIE DU RIZ recalls Autour du Riz brand Sucre en poudre complet issu de fleurs de coco / Whole powdered sugar from coconut blossoms, organic and free trade (500g & 12 kg; Lot FT0821BM2; Best before 28/08/2023 & 20/04/2025) due to undeclared sulphites.
Allergy Alert (France):NUTRITION ET SANTE recalls Soy brand Falafels vegan bio / Organic vegan falafels (15 pieces; Use by 28/03/23) due to undeclared wheat and soy.
Allergy Alert (France):ECOIDEES recalls BIOSAGESSE brand SUCRE DE COCO / Coconut sugar (bulk and 200g bag; Lot AG1221; Use by 01/10/2025, 01/01/2026 & 01/11/2025) due to undeclared sulphites.
Allergy Alert (Germany): Hai Yen Supermarket GmbH & Co. KG recalls MUT DUA CAM – Mischung von 5 kandierten Früchten bzw. Gemüse / Mixture of 5 candied fruits or vegetables (Best before 20.09.2023) due to undeclared sulphur dioxide.
Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Dirk and DekaMarkt recall Mom’s finest petit panini (4-pack; Best before 12-04-2023) due to undeclared milk.
Allergy Alert (Netherlands): Udea, Ekoplaza and Odin recall Machandel mayonnaise (Best before 23-03-2024 and 28-01-2024) due to undeclared egg, wheat (gluten) and mustard.
Food Safety Recall (Belgium): AFSCA orders recall of Mira brand crème de sésame – EXTRA Tahine / Tahini Sesame paste (18 kg; Lot 003; Expiry date 16/12/2023) due to possible Salmonella contamination.
Food Safety Recall (France):LDC SABLE recalls Grignottes de poulet à l’indienne / Indian style chicken nuggets (250g; Lot 27; Use by 18/02/2023) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Food Safety Recall (France):GAEC SERVAIN DE VOS recalls Les Vaches de Fadainville brand Tomme de Fadainville cheese (Date codes from 22-12-2022 to 24-01-2023) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Food Safety Recall (France):PASO recalls PASO brand Mini Préfou saison (210g; Lot 130330018; Use by 28/02/2023) due to foreign matter contamination (hard plastic).
Food Safety Recall (France): CARREFOUR FRANCE recalls Carrefour brand GRIGNOTTES DE POULET ROTIES SAVEUR CHORIZO / Roasted chorizo-flavor chicken nuggets (250g; Lots 026 & 027; Use by 17/02/2023 & 18/02/2023, respectively) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Food Safety Recall (France): LDC SABLE recalls Le Gaulois brand Emincés de cuisse de poulet rôti / Sliced roasted chicken thighs (180g; Lot 24; Use by 15/02/2023) due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Food Safety Recall (France):SOCIETE LAITIERE DE VICHY recalls SOCIETE LAITIERE DE VICHY brand MINI COMTESSE LAIT CRU / Raw milk cheese (150g; Lot 010; Use by 01/03/2023) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Food Safety Recall (France):JEAN HERVE recalls JEAN HERVE brand Sésame noir Bio / Organic black sesame seeds (various package sizes, lot codes and Best before dates) due to foreign matter contamination (metal wire and pieces). Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.
Food Safety Recall (Germany): Sahara Pioneer Ltd. recalls NINA International Egusi Ground – Ground Melon Seeds (227g; Best before 01/01/2024) due to Salmonella and aflatoxin contamination.
Food Safety Recall (Germany): GARTENFRISCH Jung GmbH recalls Snack Time Salatcup Käse & Schinken / Cheese and ham salad cup (300g; Use by dates up to and including 08.02.2023) and Snack Time Salat-Menü Quinoa-Salat mit Ziegenfrischkäse / Quinoa salad with goat cream cheese (350g; Use by dates up to and including 08.02.2023) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
Food Safety Recall (Ireland): Western Brand recalls various raw chicken products due to possible Salmonella contamination. Please refer to the recall notice for a complete list of affected products.
Food Safrety Recall (Netherlands): Albert Heijn B.V. recalls AH Tiger whole wheat whole and half oven fresh bread (Pack dates up to and including 2/2/2023) due to foreign matter contamination (pieces of plastic).
Food Safety Recall (New Zealand): Source and Supply Co Limited recalls Hobson’s brand Sandwich Ham (1 kg; Batch 1SA4; Date code 3/03/2023) due to possible Listeria contamination.
“Reads like a true crime novel” – Food Safety News
Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?
Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.
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