In This Week’s Edition:
- FSIS Salmonella Control in Poultry Establishments
- FDA Issues Revised Guidance on Labeling of Certain Beers to Add Sesame as a Major Food Allergen
- Retail Exemptions Adjusted Dollar Limitations
- FDA Actions are Reducing Exposure to Contaminants in Our Most Vulnerable Populations
- Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List
- USDA Appoints New Members to Food Safety Advisory Committee
- FSIS Grants Modified Waivers to Poultry Establishments
- FSIS Posts FY 2022 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations Annual Report
- FSIS Posts FY 2022 Sampling Summary Report
- FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
- FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
- FDA Import Alerts
- FDA Warning Letters
FSIS Salmonella Control in Poultry Establishments
As a part of FSIS’ ongoing efforts to reduce foodborne illnesses caused by Salmonella, FSIS invited poultry slaughter and processing establishments to submit proposals for pilot projects to test different strategies for Salmonella control in poultry products. FSIS is granting a pilot project to an establishment to examine the merits and logistics of excluding Salmonella poultry vaccine strains from the FSIS Salmonella performance categorization calculation. The data collected during the pilot will be shared with and analyzed by FSIS to determine whether it supports changes to existing FSIS Salmonella control strategies.
FDA Issues Revised Guidance on Labeling of Certain Beers to Add Sesame as a Major Food Allergen
FDA has issued a revised guidance “Labeling of Certain Beers Subject to the Labeling Jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration” to add sesame to the list of major food allergens that are part of mandatory label information that must appear on the label, in addition to other minor changes. Sesame joined the list of major food allergens defined by law as the result of the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act, which was signed into law April 23, 2021.
Retail Exemptions Adjusted Dollar Limitations
FSIS is announcing the dollar limitations on the amount of meat and meat products and poultry and poultry products that a retail store can sell to hotels, restaurants, and similar institutions without disqualifying itself for exemption from Federal inspection requirements.
FDA Actions are Reducing Exposure to Contaminants in Our Most Vulnerable Populations
FDA has prioritized reducing levels of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal. This has resulted in close to a 30% reduction followed by the agency’s establishment of a 100 ppb (part per billion) action level for infant rice cereal. Additionally, FDA’s proposed action levels to reduce levels of lead in foods in processed foods intended for babies and young children, could result in as much as a 24-27 % reduction in exposure to lead from these foods.
Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List
The ICSSL is published monthly, see the April list here.
USDA Appoints New Members to Food Safety Advisory Committee
USDA is announcing the appointment of 15 new members and five returning members to the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection. See the full list of new and returning members here.
FSIS Grants Modified Waivers to Poultry Establishments
In July 2022, FSIS announced that it was contracting with a team of third-party worker-safety experts to conduct a study with select poultry establishments to measure the impact of increased line speeds on worker safety. Poultry establishments with existing line speed waivers that opted into the study and agreed to provide worker safety information were eligible to apply for a modified line speed waiver as part of the study. FSIS has completed its evaluation of the submissions from eligible poultry establishments. Today, FSIS issued letters granting modified line speed waivers. A list of the establishments receiving modified line speed waivers can be found on FSIS’ website.
FSIS Posts FY 2022 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations Annual Report
A summary of foodborne illness outbreaks investigated during fiscal year (FY) 2022 is now available on the FSIS website. This report summarizes outbreaks investigated by FSIS during FY 2022, including the number of outbreaks, the number of outbreaks that resulted in a product recall, implicated products, as well as information on pathogens and illnesses. The annual report also highlights lessons learned from outbreak after-action reviews.
FSIS Posts FY 2022 Sampling Summary Report
FSIS has posted the FY 2022 Sampling Summary Report, which includes results from the domestic microbiological and chemical sampling programs for raw and ready-to-eat beef, pork, Siluriformes, and poultry products, as well as RTE egg products. The report also includes results from import residue and microbiological testing programs, whole genome sequencing information, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System sampling, and data from other sampling programs and special projects.
FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
This week’s updates are:
- There are no updates for this week’s table.
FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
FDA Import Alerts
The latest FDA import alerts include human and animal foods for pesticides, color additive violations, food products that appear to be misbranded, and more.
FDA Warning Letters
VC of Montgomery, LLC d/b/a Vapor Craft of Montgomery |
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act/Adulterated/Misbranded |
Aspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
CGMP/Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements/Adulterated |
Synovo Production, Inc. |
CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated |
Old Europe Cheese, Inc. |
CGMP/Food/Prepared, Packed or Held Under Insanitary Conditions/Adulterated |