Category Archives: Uncategorized

FSAI 

Sous vide, which is French for ‘under vacuum’, is a method of cooking where food is vacuum-packed in a plastic pouch and heated in a temperature controlled bath for a defined length of time. This cooking method can present some food safety risks which should be identified and controlled. These include the potential for survival and growth of bacteria that can grow under the anaerobic (absence of oxygen) conditions created by the vacuum packaging, e.g. Clostridium botulinum.

Due to the rise in the use of the sous vide cooking in restaurants and catering establishments, the FSAI has prepared a factsheet which highlights the risks associated with this method of cooking. It provides guidance on managing these risks, in particular guidance on cooking temperatures and times. It also makes recommendations for cooling, storing and reheating food that has been cooked by sous vide.

The factsheet is available on our website at: www.fsai.ie/publications_sous_vide

FSANZ 

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today released a consultation paper on a review of Safe Food Australia.

Safe Food Australia is an explanatory guide to the food safety standards in Chapter 3 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon said Safe Food Australia is used as a practical tool, by both industry and regulators, to help understand and implement safe food handling practices.

“This key document is used by food businesses to help them produce safe food,” Mr McCutcheon said.

“Safe Food Australia is being reviewed to address current food safety issues and trends, provide new guidance for mobile vendors and home-based vendors and to update the evidence referenced in the guide,” Mr McCutcheon said.

“FSANZ will also consider the format and delivery of the publication, for example by providing it in mobile friendly formats.”

The period for comment closes on 18 September 2015.

More information

Read the current version of Safe Food Australia

Comments can be provided through submissions@foodstandards.gov.au

Food Safety Magazine

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 14; Tot. = 50 µg/kg – ppb) in hot chili coated peanuts from China in Denmark

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 11.2; Tot. = 21.0 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachios from Turkey in Italy

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 13.4; Tot. = 41.3 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnut kernels from Turkey in the UK

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 7.4; Tot. = 36.08 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled peanuts from China in Spain

RASFF-aflatoxins (Tot. = 10.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts in shell from China

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 35; Tot. = 39 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled pistachios from the United States in France

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 13; Tot. = 14.7 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled peanuts from the United States

RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 8.1; Tot. = 12.1 / µg/kg – ppb) in shelled peanuts from China in Italy

RASFF– Listeria monocytogenes (presence /25g) in sesame pasta from Belgium in the Netherlands

RASFF-Listeria monocytogenes (>10 CFU/g) in chilled raw milk cheeses from France in France

RASFF-red cheddar cheese from the United Kingdom infested with moulds in Denmark

RASFF – Bacillus cereus ( 2.3 x 10^6, 2.6 x 10^6, 5.3 x 10^6, 2.3 x 10^7, 1.6 x 10^7 CFU/g) in sesame beancurd sauce from China in the UK

RASFF -shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC O26 stx1+) in raw cow’s milk cheese from Ireland in Ireland

RASFF-Salmonella in betel leaves from India in UK

RASFF-Attempt to illegally import and Salmonella (2 out of 5 samples /25g) in betel leaves from India in UK

RASFF-Salmonella enteritidis (present /25g) in frozen chicken breast from Romania in Croatia

RASFF-Salmonella (present /25g) in frozen cherries from Belgium in France

RASFF-Salmonella group C1 (present /25g) in dried bitter leaf from the Netherlands in Germany

Neogen Blog 

Thought to be transfer through contaminated surfaces, fecal matter, vomit, or through contaminated food, Norovirus is one of the most common causes of viral gastroenteritis in humans. However, new research is showing that the bacteria that causes this virus really only needs air to transfer from one person to another.