In This Week’s Edition:
- FDA on Online Grocery Labeling
- USDA Announces New National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director
- National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection Meeting
- FSIS Updates Labeling Directive with Instructions for Verifying Transferred Labeling
- USDA Proposes Salmonella as an Adulterant in Not-Ready-To-Eat Breaded Stuffed Chicken Products
- FDA Issues Report Highlighting Salmonella Outbreak in Cantaloupe During Summer of 2022
- USDA Kicks-off Effort to Expand Market Opportunities for Climate-Smart Commodities and Learn from Pilot Projects
- Marketing Order Regulations for Almonds Grown in California
- Good Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetic Products; Request for Comments
- FTC Releases Speaker List for May 4 Informal Hearing on Government and Business Impersonation Rule
- FDA to Host Two Webinars on Infant Formula Food Ingredients and Packaging Requirements
- FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
- FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
- FDA Import Alerts
- FDA Warning Letters
FDA on Online Grocery Labeling
FDA is requesting information on food labeling in online grocery platforms. The purpose of this request is to obtain current information on the content, format, and accuracy of food label information that is presented to consumers through online grocery shopping platforms. FDA intends to use the information submitted in response to this notice to help improve consumer access to consistent and accurate nutrition, ingredient, and allergen information for packaged foods sold through e-commerce.
USDA Announces New National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director
USDA announced the appointment of Manjit K. Misra as the new Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The NIFA Director leads the agency’s work in advancing agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges. Dr. Misra will start his new role on Monday, May 8, 2023.
National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection
FSIS is announcing a virtual meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection June 21-22. The purpose of the Committee is to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on State and Federal meat and poultry inspection programs, food safety, and other matters that fall within the scope of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.
FSIS Updates Labeling Directive with Instructions for Verifying Transferred Labeling
This directive supplements the instructions for performing the Public Health Information System General Labeling tasks in FSIS Directive 7221.1, Prior Labeling Approval by adding instructions for verifying that any transferred labels are properly used. FSIS is revising this directive in its entirety to align the tasks in this directive with PHIS.
USDA Proposes Salmonella as an Adulterant in Not-Ready-To-Eat Breaded Stuffed Chicken Products
FSIS is proposing to declare that not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) breaded stuffed chicken products that contain Salmonella at levels of 1 colony forming unit per gram or higher are adulterated within the meaning of the Poultry Products Inspection Act. Although the labeling of these products has undergone significant changes over time to better inform consumers that they are raw and to provide instructions on how to prepare them safely, NRTE breaded stuffed chicken products continue to be associated with Salmonella illness outbreaks.
FDA Issues Report Highlighting Salmonella Outbreak in Cantaloupe During Summer of 2022
FDA has released a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that caused 87 reported illnesses and 32 hospitalizations in the U.S. between July and September 2022. The FDA worked with the CDC and state partners to investigate the outbreak, which was linked through epidemiology and traceback to cantaloupe grown in Southwest Indiana during the summer of 2022. The report includes an overview of the traceback investigation, investigation results, and various factors that potentially contributed to the contamination of cantaloupe with Salmonella.
USDA Kicks-off Effort to Expand Market Opportunities for Climate-Smart Commodities and Learn from Pilot Projects
USDA announced the official kick-off of the implementation phase for projects funded through the $3.1 billion Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities effort. Project partners are beginning work on formal implementation of the climate-smart production practices, marketing, and quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas benefits that are funded through the effort as agreements are finalized on a rolling basis.
Marketing Order Regulations for Almonds Grown in California
This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Almond Board of California to make changes to multiple provisions in the administrative requirements prescribed under the Federal marketing order regulating the handling of almonds grown in California. This action would amend administrative requirements regulating quality control, exempt dispositions, and interest and late charges provisions.
Good Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetic Products; FDA Listening Session
FDA is announcing a virtual listening session on June 1, 2023, entitled “Good Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetic Products Listening Session.” The purpose of the listening session is to consult cosmetics manufacturers, including smaller businesses, consumer organizations, and other experts, to inform Agency efforts to develop regulations to establish good manufacturing practices for facilities that manufacture or process cosmetic products distributed in the United States.
FTC Releases Speaker List for May 4 Informal Hearing on Government and Business Impersonation Rule
The Federal Trade Commission will hold an informal hearing on its proposed rule prohibiting government and business impersonation at 1 p.m. on May 4, 2023. Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell will preside over the hearing, which will be held virtually and livestreamed on ftc.gov. See the full list of speakers here.
FDA to Host Two Webinars on Infant Formula Food Ingredients and Packaging Requirements
FDA will host webinars on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, and Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at 2pm ET, to provide stakeholders with information on regulatory requirements and considerations for infant formula ingredients and packaging.
FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
This week’s updates are:
- For the outbreak of hepatitis A virus (ref #1143), cases have increased from 7 to 8. This change has been made on the advisory for this outbreak.
- A new investigation has been added to the table (ref#1152). Although the pathogen/cause of illness and products linked to illnesses is not yet identified, there are 13 illnesses from one state linked to a single restaurant that has suspended operations. FDA has initiated traceback in coordination with state partners.
FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
FDA Import Alerts
The latest FDA import alerts include food products that appear to be misbranded, foods that contains major allergens that fail to properly label major food allergens, and more.
FDA Warning Letters
Hot Grabba LLC d/b/a Buttas Hot Grabba |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Accra-Pac, Inc. dba Voyant Beauty |
CGMP/Finished Pharmaceuticals/Adulterated |
Spartan Enterprises Inc. dba Watershed Wellness Center |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |
Pop Daddy Popcorn, LLC |
CGMP/Food/Prepared, Packed or Held Under Insanitary Conditions/Adulterated |
Pharmaplast S.A.E. |
CGMP/Finished Pharmaceuticals/Adulterated |
Five Star Trading IL, Inc. |
Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) |
Medivance Instruments Ltd. |
Medical Device/Adulterated/Misbranded/Lacks PMA and/or 510(k) |
Nose Slap LLC |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |
Medolife Rx D/B/A MedoLife Corp., AELIA, Inc. and Quanta Inc. |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |