On Friday, May 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published an update on its ongoing investigation into pet illnesses and deaths in animals that ate jerky pet treats. The update includes the latest information about complaints of illnesses, FDA’s collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a new case control study, and new findings revealed through the agency’s testing.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that Wolverine Packing Co., Detroit, MI, is recalling 1.8 million pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recall follows an investigation into an E. coli outbreak that has sickened five Michigan residents; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a total of 11 case-patients in four states.
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will provide a more comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to address foodborne health hazards associated with meat, poultry and processed egg products.
In today's USDA Blog, Brian Ronholm, acting under secretary for food safety, announced that this summer, FSIS will begin new testing of ground beef to improve safeguards against Salmonella.
To fight peanut allergies, scientists at North Carolina State University are developing a new kind of flour that could help allergy sufferers tolerate offending foods.
The United Fresh Produce Association and 21 other organizations have asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to extend the comment period for 90 days – to Aug. 29, 2014 – for the proposed rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food.
The UK's Food Standards Agency is seeking views on draft technical guidance primarily aimed at food businesses that are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The guidance gives SMEs information about changes in European Union food allergen labeling for prepacked foods and allergen information for non-prepacked foods.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) today announced that it has completed the first safety assessment of a food enzyme as part of a plan by European Union decision-makers to set up an authorized list of these substances.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the European Commission today released the first progress report of the Transatlantic Taskforce on Antimicrobial Resistance (TATFAR). The report touts the organization's successes and "renews the commitment of U.S. and European Union (EU) health authorities to pursue specific goals in their joint battle against antimicrobial resistance, a complex, dynamic and multi-faceted concern not bound by borders."