The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced that on Friday, Jan. 10, from 2 to 3 p.m. (EST), they will present a webinar on progress toward attributing foodborne illnesses to food sources. The webinar is open to the public at no charge.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) today published a scientific opinion paper, written by the agency's Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ), which reviews various molecular typing methods for the four major foodborne pathogens (Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Listeria and Campylobacter) and evaluates the effectiveness of those methods.
Charm Sciences announced Dec. 16 that its ROSA (Rapid One Step Assay) WET (Water Extraction Technology) XR Aflatoxin Quantitative test has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) for the detection, in a single five-minute assay, of 0–100 ppb aflatoxin in feed and grain.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Dec.17 extended the period for submission of comments, scientific data and other information related to its draft document titled, “Draft Risk Profile on Pathogens and Filth in Spices.” The new deadline is March 3, 2014.
A new agreement between Marshfield Food Safety, LLC, and PathoGenetix, Inc., provides for independent testing of the RESOLUTION Microbial Genotyping System for use in pathogen confirmation and identification for food industry applications.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has decided to extend the comment period by 60 days, to March 8, 2014, on its preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils, the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in food.
InstantLabs, a Baltimore-based molecular diagnostic device company, is launching a food safety blog on its website, www.instantlabs.com/blog. The blog will focus on issues related to food safety, micro and molecular biology, lab technique and other topics.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today is implementing a plan to help phase out the use of medically important antimicrobials in food animals for food production purposes, such as to enhance growth or improve feed efficiency. The plan would also phase in veterinary oversight of the remaining appropriate therapeutic uses of such drugs.
Aspartame and its breakdown products are safe for human consumption at current levels of exposure, EFSA concludes in its first full risk assessment of this sweetener.
Sysco Corp., the nation's biggest foodservice distributor, announced yesterday that it will acquire its largest competitor, US Foods, for $3.5 billion.