The Texas Department of State Health Services said the recalled SanGar Produce & Processing Co. items include fresh cut fruit and vegetables in sealed packages that are distributed to restaurants, hospitals and schools. Click here for the full article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39776599/ns/health-food_safety/
SAN ANTONIO — Texas health officials investigating five deaths have closed a San Antonio food processing plant and ordered a recall of all products shipped from there since January.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said the recalled SanGar Produce & Processing Co. items include fresh cut fruit and vegetables in sealed packages that are distributed to restaurants, hospitals and schools. Click here for the full article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39776599/ns/health-food_safety/
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A number of major countries exporting fresh vegetables and fruit into the United States have modernized food-safety laws and regulations over the past two decades to emphasize preventive measures, according to new report released today by the Produce Safety Project (PSP) at Georgetown University.
The report, "Legal and Regulatory Frameworks Governing the Growing, Packing and Handling of Fresh Produce in Countries Exporting to the U.S.," presents a series of case studies examining five of the top 10 U.S. produce trade partners – Canada, Chile, China, Mexico and Peru. The report was written by Monachus Consulting, an international agricultural industry consulting firm based in Canada. "This report is particularly timely, as Congress considers food-safety reform legislation that includes provisions geared toward improving the safety of produce and imports in general," said Jim O'Hara, director of the Produce Safety Project. "While the United States is considering whether to adopt food-safety rules for produce, many of our trading partners already have produce laws and regulations on the books that are intended to prevent contamination at the source – long before they reach the American consumer." Over the last two decades, the imports of fresh produce have grown substantially in the United States with other countries supplying U.S. consumers with billions of dollars of fresh fruits and vegetables each year, according to the report. For the five countries analyzed, this report details:
"In the early 1990s, many foreign governments responded to the series of food contamination incidents with the 'first wave' of new legislative and regulatory requirements," said Albert F. Chambers, the report's author. "Over the last decade, in addition to implementing legal reforms related to food-safety matters, many U.S. trade partners have also reorganized how food-safety policies and regulations are set." The study indicates that reform of food-safety oversight for countries exporting to the United States will continue to evolve. For example, Mexico, Peru and China have indicated that more regulations will be implemented in the coming years, and Canada and Chile indicated additional legislative measures are currently in process. The report highlights the limited available information on the implementation of these public and private initiatives. To view the full report visit, www.producesafetyproject.org. The Produce Safety Project at Georgetown University seeks the establishment by the Food and Drug Administration of mandatory and enforceable safety standards for domestic and imported fresh produce, from farm to fork. Our families need to have confidence that federal food safety regulation is based on prevention, scientifically sound risk assessment and management, and coordinated integrated data collection. For more information online, visit www.producesafetyproject.org. SOURCE Produce Safety Project I'm sure by now everyone is aware of the massive egg recall and increasing USDA food safety inspections facing the egg industry. I thought the article below (obtained from the FDA website) was a very interesting and thought provoking. What steps is your organization taking to ensure something like this doesn't happen in your industry? Is increased Federal involvement really what the industry needs? I am very interested in your opinions. Over the next 15 months, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators will team up with state and local partners to visit about 600 egg producers—those with 50,000 or more laying hens—to determine if their facilities are in compliance with an egg safety rule that went into effect in July. Michael Taylor, FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, says the rule sets safety standards that are intended to prevent outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis like the one that has led to the recall of more than 500 million eggs. ”We think that the industry’s compliance with this rule will significantly reduce the risk of (Salmonella Enteritidis) infections and outbreaks in the future,” Taylor said during a conference call with reporters. Since the egg safety rule went into effect on July 9, FDA officials have been moving forward with plans aimed at ensuring the safety of the nation’s egg supply. Now, facilities with 50,000 or more laying hens must implement controls to prevent contamination, including: refrigeration of eggs within 36 hours of laying, ensuring chicks are from uninfected flocks, and testing hen houses for Salmonella Enteriditis. Under the rule, egg producers are legally responsible for implementing measures that will prevent egg contamination. Taylor says the rule came too late to prevent the current outbreak, “but we think it is going to be a powerful tool for preventing outbreaks like this in the future.” Since Aug. 12 when the inspections first began, FDA investigators have observed and documented conditions at facilities operated by the two Iowa companies at the center of the egg recall—Hillandale Farms of Iowa and Wright County Egg. David Elder, FDA's director of regional operations, says inspectors found "significant objectionable" conditions at poultry houses, including live and dead flies that were "too numerous to count," live rodents, maggots, and structural damage that allowed animals to enter poultry houses. He says inspections over the next 15 months and beyond will ensure egg producers are meeting FDA standards under the new rule. To get the latest information about the outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak, go to http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/WhatsNewinFood/ucm222684.htm." (FDA website) Over the past few months we have been very busy fixing condensation issues brought on by the heat of summer. The excessive condensation experienced in the summer heat only magnifies the problems caused by a faulty thermal envelope. If this problem is ignored you may be looking at more serious issues down the road such as: bacteria growth, high energy expenses, ice build-up causing workplace hazards and insulation malfunction due to water damage. What types of condensation issues are you currently experiencing?
Hello everyone and welcome to the new and improved website for Food Industry Maintenance Services, we are currently working on developing an e-commerce portal which will allow you the ability to purchase maintenance materials easier than ever before....stay tuned. It is our goal that this blog will provide relevant industry information, thought provoking articles/topics, how-to tips & tricks as well as an interactive forum that provides value for everyone in the Food Industry. We are very excited for the opportunity get to know YOU.
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