In This Week’s Edition:
- FDA Mexico Food Safety Cooperation
- USDA Announces Approval of D-SNAP for Hawaii Disaster Areas
- FTC Staff Paper Details Potential Harms to Kids from Blurred Advertising, Recommends Marketers Steer Clear
- Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
- FDA New Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Product Codes
- 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 Mexico Food Safety Cooperation
FDA and its regulatory counterparts in Mexico reported continued progress in strengthening food safety at the third annual executive meeting of the Food Safety Partnership. The partnership includes the FDA, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Public Health Safety and Quality and the Federal Commission for the Protection from Sanitary Risks. Leadership from the three agencies participated in the meetings.
The September 13 FSP annual meeting focused on laboratory collaboration, food safety training and outreach to industry, as well as outbreak prevention and response. Among the accomplishments cited were progress to validate a new methodology capable of detecting the presence of the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis; expanded use of Whole Genome Sequencing technology; and visits by SENASICA and COFEPRIS to a total of 60 onion farms and packinghouses, in response to last year’s onion outbreak, to learn detailed information on the industry’s production practices and address any food safety knowledge gaps.
FTC Staff Paper Details Potential Harms to Kids from Blurred Advertising, Recommends Marketers Steer Clear
A new Federal Trade Commission staff paper recommends that businesses, social media influencers and others who market or promote products online to children should avoid blurring advertising by clearly separating advertising and entertainment, educational, and other content to help limit potential harms to children. The paper further warns that for younger children in particular, disclosures are unlikely to be effective.
USDA Announces Approval of D-SNAP for Hawaii Disaster Areas
USDA announced that low-income Hawaii residents recovering from the devastating wildfires beginning August 8, 2023, could be eligible for assistance from the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or D-SNAP.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said that approximately 16,000 households that may not normally be eligible under regular Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, rules may qualify for D-SNAP if they meet certain criteria.
Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on October 18, 2023, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. EDT. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 46th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will meet in Rome, Italy from November 27, 2023 to December 2, 2023.
FDA New Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Product Codes
FDA has created a new Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) Subclass Code for the Industry Codes. The Subclass Code is listed here.
FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Status Update
This week’s updates are:
- For the outbreak of Salmonella Newport (ref #1179) in a not yet identified product, FDA has initiated on-site inspection and sample collection.
FSIS Updates Lists of Foreign Establishments Eligible to Export to U.S.
FDA Import Alerts
The latest FDA import alerts include coconuts due to microbiological contamination, imported food products that appear to be misbranded, and more.
FDA Warning Letters
Del Valle Import & Export 3, Inc. DBA El Progreso Imports |
Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) |
Natural Ophthalmics, Inc. |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |
Boiron, Inc. |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |
DR Vitamins, LLC dba DR Vitamin Solutions |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |
TRP Company, Inc |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. |
Unapproved New Drugs/Misbranded |