In This Week’s Edition:
- Economic Adulteration of Food; Import Alert
- FDA Releases FDA Activities for the Safety of Imported Seafood
- FDA Commemorates 30 Years of the FDA Food Code to Enhance Safe Handling of Food in a Retail Setting
- Petition on Pasture Raised Claims Submitted by Perdue Farms, LLC
- FDA Works to Further Improve Nutrition, Reduce Diet-Related Chronic Disease with Dietary Guidance Statements on Food Labels
- Filing of Color Additive Petition From Center for Science in the Public Interest
- United States Standards for Soybeans
- FDA Highlights U.S. Top Ranking on Food Safety
- FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
- FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
- FDA Import Alerts
- FDA Warning Letters
Economic Adulteration of Food; Import Alert
FDA has published a new import alert on products adulterated for economic gain (aka food fraud). Products placed on the list will be subject to detention without prior examination at the border.
FDA Report on Activities for the Safety of Imported Seafood
FDA released a report entitled Activities for the Safety of Imported Seafood. The report reviews the approach the FDA is taking to ensure that imported seafood consumed in the U.S. meets food safety requirements and the standards of domestically produced seafood.
FDA Commemorates 30 Years of the FDA Food Code to Enhance Safe Handling of Food in a Retail Setting
FDA is commemorating 30 years of the FDA Food Code (Food Code), a model code that provides regulators and industry partners of retail and food service establishments (restaurants, supermarkets, nursing homes) scientifically accurate information regarding food safety. The food code addresses diverse areas such as cooking temperatures, maintaining equipment and employee health and is intended for jurisdictions to adopt as regulations. Food Code recommendations aim to reduce the risks of foodborne illnesses within retail food establishments and protect consumers.
Petition on Pasture Raised Claims Submitted by Perdue Farms, LLC
The petition requests that FSIS conduct rulemaking to define separate “free range” and “pasture raised” claims for meat and poultry products. The petition also requests that FSIS update its guidance on claims related to living/raising conditions to ensure that the claims align with consumer expectations.
FDA Works to Further Improve Nutrition, Reduce Diet-Related Chronic Disease with Dietary Guidance Statements on Food Labels
FDA issued draft guidance that provides food manufacturers with recommendations on how and when to use Dietary Guidance Statements on the label of food products to ensure the label statements promote good nutrition, provide greater consistency in labeling, and assist consumers in making informed choices.
Examples of Dietary Guidance Statements include: “Make half your grains whole grain,” and “Eat leafy green vegetables as part of a nutritious dietary patten.” The draft guidance provides the agency’s thinking about the use of such statements, including recommendations that products contain a meaningful amount of the food, or category of foods, that is the subject of the statement, and that they also not exceed certain amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
Filing of Color Additive Petition From Center for Science in the Public Interest
FDA is extending the comment period for the color additive petition for which they published a notice of filing in the Federal Register of February 17, 2023. In the notice, FDA requested comments on a filed color additive petition submitted by Center for Science in the Public Interest, et al., proposing that FDA repeal the color additive regulations providing for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in foods (including dietary supplements) and in ingested drugs.
United States Standards for Soybeans
AMS proposes to revise the United States Standards for Soybeans by removing soybeans of other colors as an official factor. In addition, AMS proposes to revise the table of Grade Limits and Breakpoints for Soybeans to reflect this change.
FDA Highlights U.S. Top Ranking on Food Safety
The Economist regularly updates a report that measures the Global Food Security Index, which considers food affordability, availability, quality and safety, and sustainability and adaptation, across 113 countries. The U.S. has moved up 25 positions for the food safety indicator since 2012 and is ranked a joint first for the food safety indicator in 2022.
FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
This week’s updates are:
- For the outbreak of Salmonella Infantis (ref #1141), the product linked to illnesses has been updated to raw flour. At this time, a specific brand(s) has not yet been confirmed. On 3/30/2023, CDC issued an Investigation Notice reminding consumers to not taste or eat any raw dough or batter, to not let children eat raw dough or batter, and to bake or cook raw dough or batter before eating. This investigation is ongoing and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
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, food products due to the presence of Salmonella, foods due to heavy metal contamination, and more.
FDA Warning Letters
Wise Spice Catering Company |
CGMP/Food/Prepared, Packed or Held Under Insanitary Conditions/Adulterated |
NuGeneration Technologies LLC |
CGMP/Finished Pharmaceuticals/Adulterated |
Robert J. Hayashi, M.D./Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics |
Bioresearch Monitoring Program/IRB |
Nara Company Ltd. |
Seafood HACCP/CGMP for Foods/Adulterated |
Vanlaw Food Products, Inc |
Food Labeling/Misbranded |
Todos Medical Ltd aka Todos Medical USA Inc |
Unapproved and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) |
Tyrone L. McCall, M.D./Cornea Associates of Texas |
Clinical Investigator (Sponsor) |