Category: food safety

More Arguments For ‘Hold and Test’

On December 10th, I praised the introduction of the new ‘Hold and Test’ policy announced that day by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) while, at the same time, lamenting its limitations. And I asked eFoodAlert readers to respond to a survey on what FSIS should do to improve food safety.

Here are the results of that survey:

  • Mandate ‘hold and test’ for all meat and poultry processors: 35%
  • Add Salmonella to the list of beef adulterants: 21%
  • Increase USDA’s sampling frequency at meat and poultry establishments: 19%
  • Test every shipment of meat or poultry imported into the USA: 22%

Three readers submitted their own suggestions, which were:

  • Publish in stores for customers to view
  • Fruits and veggies need HOLD too
  • Ensure meat and poultry used for pet food is completely safe as well.

I thank everyone who took the time to respond to the poll, especially, those who submitted their own suggestions. I have long thought that giving maximum publicity to recalls – including posting recall information in stores – would both improve the effectiveness of recalls and encourage food manufacturers to undertake preventative measures in order to avoid the adverse publicity that such recall notices would mean.

I also endorse completely the extension of ‘hold and test’ to all foods, including perishable produce. As I’ve stated in the past, current lab methods provide fast answers. And the tests continue to improve as kit manufacturers compete to develop and market the fastest possible lab tests. Finally, as the human companion of a ten-year-old Australian Labradoodle, I am always mindful of the importance of ensuring the safety of ingredients used in the manufacture of pet food.

Since my December 10th post, there have been at least two more recalls that illustrate the value of ‘hold and test’ as a fundamental food safety policy.

  • On December 14, 2012, Ocean Beauty Seafoods LLC recalled two brands of Nova Cold Smoked Salmon after “…internal testing by the company revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in samples…” of the recalled products. The Nova Salmon was imported into the USA from Chile.
  • On December 28, 2012, the French cheesemaker Fromagerie de Jussac recalled nearly two months worth of cheese production after Listeria monocytogenes was found in “certain lots” of nearly twenty varieties of its cheeses. The cheeses were sold in France and were exported to a number of countries, including: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Vietnam.

Although no illnesses were reported in connection with either of these recalls, there is no question whatsoever that releasing food into the retail market before test results are available places consumers at risk unnecessarily. If the food industry and its regulators make just one resolution for the New Year, it should be to ‘Hold and Test’ all batches of finished product.

Recalls and Alerts: December 26, 2012

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: Haig’s Delicacies (Hayward, CA) recalls Tzatziki (8 oz retail containers & 5-lb bulk foodservice cases) due to undeclared milk, Falafel (5 oz rectangular deli containers & 5-lb bulk foodservice cases) due to undeclared wheat, Spanakopita (bulk foodservice containers) due to undeclared wheat, milk and eggs, and Tyropita (bulk foodservice containers) due to undeclared wheat, milk and eggs. The recalled products were sold nationwide.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sales USA, Inc. (Gladewater, TX) that an August 2012 inspection of the company’s manufacturing facility revealed serious violations of the juice Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for food.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Seapak O.C.I. (Masset, Canada) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Koon Cheong Lung (Panyu, China) that a July 2012 inspection of the company’s food manufacturing facility found serious violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) Regulation for foods and the Seafood HACCP Regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Ocean Pier, Inc. (Scoudouc, New Brunswick, Canada) that a June 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns All American Trading of Houston, Inc. (Houston, TX) that a September 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood distribution establishment found serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sterling USA Neutraceutical Lab, LLC (Glendale, CA) that a May 2012 inspection of the company’s dietary supplement manufacturing facility found significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) in Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements.
  • FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns GM Manufacturing, Inc. (Gardena, CA) that a January-February 2012 inspection of the company’s dietary supplement manufacturing facility found significant violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for dietary supplements.

Canada

Europe

  • Food Safety Recall (Switzerland): Coop recalls Bio Nussbrot/Organic Nut Bread (400g; Product code 7610846856667), Bio Buurebrot/Organic Buurebrot (450g; Product code 7611654685142) and St. Gallen halbweiss/St. Gallen Half white (500g; Product code 7610800647119), because the breads may contain very small aluminum particles. The affected loaves of bread were sold before 10:00 am on December 21, 2012 in affected Coop stores in Northwest Switzerland (Aargau, Basel-Land, Basel-Stadt and Solothum).

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

  • Outbreak Alert (Taiwan): The China Post reports that health experts have recorded an unusually high number of norovirus-related diarrhea cases so far this winter. The tally of 10,108 reports of watery diarrhea at emergency departments last week was a five-year high.
  • Food Safety Enforcement (Abu Dhabi): The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority has closed down the Musaffah Electrical Bakery (License No. 1038138) due to repeated non-compliance with food safety rules and regulations.

Australia and New Zealand

  • Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Australia): GlaxoSmithKline and Alphapharm recall Ventolin Inhalers (Batch Numbers KN7170, KN7173, KN7178, and KN7179) and Asmol Inhalers (Batch Numbers KL6790, KL6795, KL6796, KL6797, KL6798, and KL6799) due to a fault in the delivery mechanism of a small number of inhalers that can lead to less than a full dose being delivered for each puff. The inhalers are used to treat asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. To find the batch number of your inhaler, remove the canister from the coloured tube and read the bottom of the canister label.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket’s recall web site.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.
**Includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save.

USDA Embraces ‘Hold and Test’ For Meat and Poultry Products

Beginning 60 days from now, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will require producers and importers of raw beef – and of all ready-to-eat products containing meat or poultry – to hold these products until they pass FSIS tests for adulterants.

Products affected by this new policy will not be permitted to enter commerce until negative test results are received. FSIS estimates that, had this policy been in place between 2007 and 2010, 49 out of 251 recalls of meat, poultry and processed egg products could have been avoided. Based on the information contained in the FSIS Recall Archive and list of Current Recalls, the new ‘hold and test’ policy could have prevented the recall of more than 200 tons of meat, poultry and processed egg products in 2011, and more than 175 tons in 2012.

Although finished product testing is not, of itself, a guarantee of food safety, any reduction in the quantity of pathogen-contaminated or adulterated food in the marketplace also reduces the risk of food-borne illnesses. There are, in addition, economic benefits to a ‘hold and test’ policy, including a reduction in the expenses associated with recalls. Not the least of these expenses is the effect of a major recall on the image of the recalling company.

‘Hold and test’ is a sensible policy that should be part of every company’s food safety program. Are you listening, Unilever? Are you listening, Spence & Co.? Are you listening, Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese? Are you listening, J.M. Smucker?

Are YOU listening, FDA?