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In this Week’s Edition:
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FDA Addresses Industry on Chemical Hazards in Baby FoodFDA has issued a letter to industry reminding manufacturers of baby food of their existing responsibilities to control chemical hazards. Secondly, the agency is announcing that they will soon be putting into action a plan aimed at reducing toxic elements in foods for babies and young children to levels as low as is reasonably achievable. More details here. FDA Update on Hispanic-Style Fresh and Soft Cheese OutbreakFDA is advising industry and the public to not sell, eat or serve recalled Queso Fresco, Quesillo (Oaxaca, string cheese) or Requeson (ricotta) cheeses from El Abuelito Cheese, Inc. The latest information on the Listeria recall on these products is here. FSIS Updates Notice on Receipt of Adulterated or Misbranded ProductThe directive instructs inspection program personnel (IPP) when to enter data into the Public Health Information System (PHIS) Adulterated Product Monitoring (APM) module. FSIS is revising this directive to reflect that the PHIS APM is a digital mechanism to complete FSIS Form 8140-1, Notice of Receipt of Adulterated or Misbranded Product and to add information on how the Office of Field Operations (OFO) District Offices (DOs) and Office of Investigation, Enforcement, and Audit (OIEA) personnel are to use the APM to document industry reports required by 9 CFR 418.2. FSIS Proposes to Require Internet Access at Official EstablishmentsFSIS is proposing to amend its regulations to require official meat and poultry establishments and egg products plants and businesses receiving voluntary inspection services from FSIS that have an internet connection to provide FSIS access to it for the purposes of conducting and recording inspection verification activities. FSIS views internet service as a necessary utility, like lighting, heating, and laundry services, that should be provided by establishments as a regulatory condition of receiving inspection. Under this proposal, FSIS would not require establishments without internet access to purchase it or to upgrade the internet services they have, if inadequate for FSIS use. |
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FSIS Revises Directives on Sampling of Raw Poultry for Salmonella and Campylobacter and Salmonella Performance StandardsThe directive revises the Salmonella and Campylobacter sampling instructions for raw poultry products that FSIS has issued to inspection program personnel (IPP). FSIS is revising and reissuing this directive to incorporate updated project codes and instructions from previously issued notices for the continuous verification sampling of poultry carcasses, chicken parts, and comminuted poultry products. FSIS has also moved non-sampling information related to these samples, including performance standards and categorization, to FSIS Directive 10,250.2 Performance Standards: Salmonella Verification Program for Raw Poultry Products. FSIS removed all references to set-based sampling, including obsolete instructions for sampling meat products. NOTE: FSIS intends to update the Campylobacter performance standards; therefore, although FSIS continues to test product for Campylobacter, it does not assess whether establishments meet the performance standards. APHIS Proposes Elimination of the Voluntary Trichnae CertificationAPHIS is taking this action because of low producer participation. AMS Increases Assessment Rates for Pistachios, Proposes Decrease for WalnutsAMS has issued a final rule that increases the assessment rate from $0.00010 per pound of assessed weight pistachios, the rate that was established for the 2017-18 and subsequent production years, to $0.00015 per pound of assessed weight pistachios for the 2020-21 and subsequent production years for pistachios grown in California, Arizona and New Mexico. AMS has issued a proposed rule which would decrease the assessment rate from $0.0400 per kernelweight pound assessable walnuts, the rate that was established for the 2017-18 and subsequent marketing years, to $0.0250 per kernelweight pound of assessable walnuts handled for the 2020-21 and subsequent marketing years. FNS Publishes Revised Income Eligibility Guidelines for WIC ProgramThe rates for 2021/2022 are available here. FDA Import AlertsThe latest FDA import alerts are available here and include misbranding, allergens, pesticides and more. FDA Warning LettersThe latest FDA warning letters are: 03/05/2021 Adulterated and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/05/2021 Adulterated and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/04/2021 Device Adulterated and Misbranded 03/04/2021 Device Adulterated and Misbranded 03/04/2021 Unapproved and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/04/2021 Unapproved and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/04/2021 Unapproved and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/04/2021 Adulterated and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/04/2021 Opgal Optronic Industries Ltd. Adulterated and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/04/2021 Adulterated and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/04/2021 Adulterated and Misbranded 03/02/2021 KDunn and Associates, P.A. dba HealthQuilt Clinical Investigator 03/02/2021 Yara Elena De La Garza Perez Nieto Finished Pharmaceuticals/Unapproved New Drug/Misbranded/Adulterated 03/02/2021 Asesores en Mantenimiento Hidraulico e Industrial, S.A. de C.V. Finished Pharmaceuticals/Unapproved New Drug/Misbranded/Adulterated 03/02/2021 Finished Pharmaceuticals/Unapproved New Drug/Misbranded/Adulterated 03/02/2021 Adulterated and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/02/2021 Adulterated and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 03/02/2021 Unapproved and Misbranded Products Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Please contact Erik Lieberman at elieberman@usfoodimports.com if you have questions or for additional information |
