Monthly Archives: October 2015

FDA

Skipanon Brand Seafoods LLC of Warrenton, Oregon is voluntarily recalling ALL LOTS, ALL SIZES of ALL Skipanon brand seafoods canned products because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

There have been no reported cases of illness to date.

Food Safety News

At least 30 people were reportedly sickened following a recent community meal at a church northwest of Weatherford in Parker County, TX. Several of them, including children, were admitted to local hospitals, according to family members. Symptoms being reported included kidney problems and dehydration.

The Bethesda United Methodist Church calendar indicates that a “covered dish luncheon” was planned for Saturday, Oct. 3.

CDC 

October 15, 2015, marks the 8th annual Global Handwashing Day. This observance increases awareness and understanding of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent disease around the world.

Handwashing with soap has an important role in child survival and health. About 1.8 million children aged <5 years die each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, the top two causes of death among young children globally (1). Handwashing with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrhea among this age group by about 30% (2) and respiratory infections by about 20% (3).

Although persons around the world clean their hands with water, very few use soap to wash their hands because soap and water for handwashing might be less accessible in developing countries. Even when soap is available, it might be reserved primarily for laundry and bathing instead of for handwashing. Washing hands with soap removes bacteria much more effectively (4).

Additional information on Global Handwashing Day and handwashing in general is available from CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing. Information on water-related hygiene is available at http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene.

EFSA

FSANZ 

The purpose of the Proposal is to amend the Code to include food safety microbiological criteria for infant formula, aligning with international (Codex) standards.

• Supporting document 1 – Scientific evidence informing the proposed microbiological criteria (pdf 298 kb) | (word 132 kb)
• Supporting document 2 – Process hygiene criteria in powdered infant formula products (pdf 300 kb) | (word 70 kb)

RASFF-deoxynivalenol (DON) (16.18 mg/kg – ppm) and zearalenone (1.029 mg/kg – ppm) in corn flour from Serbia in Switzerland

RASFF-glutenfree ravioli pasta with ricotta and spinach filling from Sweden infested with moulds in Denmark

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 44.8 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in the UK

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 3.64 µg/kg – ppb) in basmati rice from Germany in Germany

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 39.2; Tot. = 45.0 µg/kg – ppb) in chinese peanuts in shell from China in Bulgaria

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = > 24 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled almonds from the United States in Spain

RASFF-high count of Escherichia coli (6200 CFU/g) in fresh cockscomb mint from Cambodia, via Vietnam in the UK

RASFF-shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx1+ /25g) in raw milk cheese from France in Germany

RASFF-excessive humidity of black pepper seeds (Piper nigrum) from Brazil infested with moulds in Spain