Food Industry Regulatory Update October 8, 2021

In This Week’s Edition:

Federal Officials Seize Spices and Food Additive Products Held in Filth from a Florida Warehouse
FDA Announces Public Meeting on Impact of Toxic Element Exposure and Nutrition on Young Children
October Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List Update
USDA To Launch Loan Guarantee Initiative
Report on the Certification of Color Additives
FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
Meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee
FSIS-FOIA Monthly Report
FDA Announces Signing of Domestic Mutual Reliance Agreements with California, Florida, Utah and Wisconsin
USDA Announces Plan to Integrate Climate Adaptation Into its Missions and Programs
Eligibility of the Republic of Poland To Export Poultry and Poultry Products to the United States
Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Typhimurium: BrightFarms Packaged Salad Greens
USDA Announces More Than $146M Investment in Sustainable Agricultural Research
Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Silver Nitrate
FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
FDA Import Alerts
FDA Warning Letters

Federal Officials Seize Spices and Food Additive Products Held in Filth from a Florida Warehouse

FDA announced that, on behalf of the agency, the U.S. Marshals Service conducted a mass seizure of FDA-regulated spices and food additive products held for sale under insanitary conditions. Specifically, these food products were exposed to widespread rodent infestation as well as other pests, such as live and dead insects.

FDA Announces Public Meeting on Impact of Toxic Element Exposure and Nutrition on Young Children

The meeting will occur on November 18 and is the first of several expected meetings on the Closer to Zero (C2Z) action plan to receive stakeholder input. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the scope of our action plan as it relates to the impacts of toxic element exposure and nutrition at different crucial developmental stages on growth and development.

The meeting will be held via webcast.

October Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List Update

View the October list update here.

USDA To Launch Loan Guarantee Initiative

As part of the Administration’s efforts to address food systems challenges arising from the pandemic as well as those going back decades, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the agency plans for another $100 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The funding would leverage hundreds of millions more in lending through community and private sector lenders to expand meat and poultry processing capacity and finance other food supply chain infrastructure. These investments will help deliver more opportunities and fairer prices for farmers and address bottlenecks in the food supply chain revealed and exacerbated by the pandemic.

FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update

This week’s updates are:

An outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes has been added to the FDA Outbreak Investigation Table and a traceback investigation has been initiated.
The case count for the outbreak of Salmonella Thompson has increased.
The outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium linked to Salad Greens has ended. The FDA investigation has concluded.

CORE Investigation Table

Report on the Certification of Color Additives

View the 4th Quarter, Fiscal Year 2021, July 1-September 30 report here.

Meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

AMS is announcing a meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC). The meeting is being convened to examine the full spectrum of fruit and vegetable industry issues and provide recommendations and ideas to the Secretary of Agriculture on how USDA can tailor programs and services to better meet the needs of the U.S. produce industry.

FSIS-FOIA Monthly Report

More information here.

FDA Announces Signing of Domestic Mutual Reliance Agreements with California, Florida, Utah and Wisconsin

FDA has announced that California, Florida, Utah and Wisconsin have entered into domestic mutual reliance agreements with the agency. These Mutual Reliance agreements facilitate a coordinated effort between the FDA and individual states with goals to reduce human foodborne illness outbreaks, reduce duplication of regulatory oversight and increase public health protection by focusing on areas of higher risk.

USDA Announces Plan to Integrate Climate Adaptation into its Missions and Programs

As part of President Biden’s whole-of-government approach to confronting the climate crisis, USDA released its climate adaptation and resilience plan describing how USDA will prepare for current and future impacts of climate change.

Eligibility of the Republic of Poland To Export Poultry and Poultry Products to the United States

FSIS is announcing that the Republic of Poland (Poland) is eligible to export poultry products to the United States. Therefore, poultry products derived from poultry slaughtered and processed in certified Polish establishments are now to the United States. All such products will be subject to reinspection at United States points-of-entry by FSIS inspectors.

FDA Outbreak Investigation of Salmonella Typhimurium: BrightFarms Packaged Salad Greens

More information here.

USDA Announces More Than $146M Investment in Sustainable Agricultural Research

USDA announced an investment of more than $146 million in sustainable agricultural research projects aimed at improving a robust, resilient, climate-smart food and agricultural system.

Listing of Color Additives Exempt From Certification; Silver Nitrate

More information here.

FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.

Spain