Loch Arthur Creamery has initiated a recall of all its dairy products because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that causes food poisoning. The Food Standards Agency has issued a second updated Product Recall Information Notice.
East Midlands food businesses that make, distribute and sell chilled, ready-to-eat products are to be given help and advice to help them keep their products safe from Listeria.
According to data from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) serious cases of laboratory-confirmed Listeria infection in the UK almost doubled between 2000 and 2009. In 2010 numbers decreased but were still higher than during the 1990s.
The Food and Drink iNet, which is run by trade organisation The Food and Drink Forum, is funding a six-month collaborative research and development project at The University of Nottingham working with the food hygiene specialists Diversey, to turn the spotlight on the issue.
As part of the project, a seminar is being run to give small and medium-sized businesses in the chilled food sector, guidance and advice about how to manage the risk of Listeria. The seminar will be held in the Plant Sciences Building at the University’s Sutton Bonington campus between 4 pm and 6.45 pm on Wednesday February 13.
The Food and Drink iNet, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is managed by a consortium, led by the Food and Drink Forum and including Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and The University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region to offer a range of support to small and medium-sized enterprises that work in the sector.
To book places at the seminar email iNet advisor Jo Murphy at jo.murphy@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk and for more information visit www.foodanddrink-inet.org.uk
The Food Standards Agency has published its Forward Evidence Plan for 2013. The plan outlines priority science and evidence activities for the coming year, including potential areas for research funding and workshops that will help develop the Agency’s evidence base.
Posted in Food Safety, Food Standards Agency, Research
Tagged evidence base, food standards agency, priority, research, science
The Food Standards Agency warned that around two thirds of all raw, shop-bought chicken in the UK is contaminated by campylobacter, which affects an estimated 500,000 people a year and kills around 100.
It said not enough was being done by manufacturers to prevent the spread of the bacteria and has called a “summit” meeting of food retail leaders at which it will ask them to plough more money into fighting the problem, rather than treating the current contamination levels as acceptable.
The Food Standards Agency is issuing a second updated Food Alert for Action on the Koon Yick Wah Kee rose bean curd (tofu) and chilli bean curd (tofu) originating from China via The Netherlands, because of confirmation that further tofu from the same company has high levels of Bacillus cereus.
The affected products have a best before date of 30 December 2013 but there are currently no distributions details available. The levels of the bacteria detected can cause vomiting or diarrhoea.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is warning consumers not to eat certain peanut butter and peanut-based products which have been imported from the US because of possible contamination with salmonella. Salmonella is a bacterium that causes food poisoning. The Agency has issued a Food Alert for Action.
An outbreak of a strain of salmonella called Salmonella Bredeney in the US has been linked to peanut butter produced by a company called Sunland Inc. As a result, the manufacturer is recalling a wide range of peanut butter and peanut-based products. Other products containing nuts and seeds are also being recalled.
Posted in Bacteria, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Hygiene, Illness, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Recall, Salmonella
Tagged food, food alert, food standards agency, nuts and seeds, sunland inc
The Food Standards Agency is warning people not to eat a certain batch of Italian olives sold in jars after one person became ill with botulism poisoning after eating them. The Agency has now received further information from the Italian Authorities confirming that 60 jars of the affected Divini Di Chicco Francesco olives product were distributed to one supplier in the UK.
The Agency has issued an updated Food Alert for Action. The news story about the original Food Alert for Action, which was issued on 25 July 2012.
The UK supplier has confirmed that the implicated product was distribution to three independent delicatessens in the UK between July 2011 and July 2012. These delicatessens have been visited by the supplier and any remaining stock of the product has been removed from sale.
Posted in Bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Standards Agency, Food Testing, Foodborne Illness, Microbiology, Pathogen, Recall
Tagged food, food alert, food standards agency, italian authorities
The Food Standards Agency in Wales is reminding consumers how they can protect their shopping when packing raw and ready-to-eat food products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Information published today by the Welsh Government shows there has been a 96% reduction in the use of carrier bags in some retail sectors since charges for plastic bags were introduced in Wales in October 2011.
With more and more consumers reusing carrier bags, either for sustainability or as a result of charging, there are some important tips to help prevent bacteria spreading to ready-to-eat food.
The Food Standards Agency has today published the third edition of the Q&A on its guidance document E.coli O157: control of cross-contamination.
This new version of the Q&A addresses a number of issues that have arisen since the publication of the second edition in November 2011.
Among the issues addressed are:
The Food Standards Agency’s shellfish monitoring programme has successfully completed a move away from tests using mice for the detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and lipophilic toxins in commercially harvested shellfish.
The phasing out of animal testing in the shellfish monitoring programme has been a long-term goal of the FSA. Without an approved alternative method available, tests on mice had previously been the most suitable way of detecting toxins in shellfish. However, the FSA and Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science) have spent a number of years developing alternative testing methods that do not rely on mice.
Andrew Wadge, Chief Scientist at the Food Standards Agency, said: ‘This is a significant milestone in meeting the UK’s commitment to reduce the burden of animal testing and has been achieved after years of FSA-funded research.
‘PSP and lipophilic toxins can cause severe illness if people consume them, so it is important that our shellfish monitoring programme is as effective as possible at detecting them. In order to meet our commitment, we have had to ensure suitable alternative methods are introduced in all our statutory biotoxin testing.
FoodWorld 