Food Safety News and Resources | April
April 2024
29th April | Food Safety News and Free Resources1 |
Recall: Tortillas tampered with and containing “metal” (UK) |
Farmed fish and parasites - new data |
SQF Edition 10 drafting has started |
Tool: Risk Ranger, a simple Excel-based spreadsheet for Calculating Food Safety Risk (FAO) |
Webinar - Elevating Performance: Achieving Continuous Improvement through Internal Auditing Practices |
Webinar - Mineral Oil Contamination Analysis: The New Challenges |
Webinar - Impact of Water Use and Reuse in Food Production and Processing on Food Safety |
Webinar - How Can We Effectively Reuse Water End-to-End |
⚠ Recall: Tortillas tampered with and containing “metal” (UK)
Tortilla wraps are being recalled in the United Kingdom, a process that began in March 2024. The recall is due to metal contamination. Suggestions of deliberate tampering or adulteration are now being made, and the manufacturer of the tortillas is "working with the relevant food and police agencies to investigate the cause of the contamination", according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/aldi-food-recall-tortilla-wraps-b1153308.html
🐟 Farmed fish and parasites - new data
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed data on parasites in farmed fish and concluded that fish grown in close recirculating aquaculture systems and fed only heat-treated feed are almost certainly free of parasites that could cause human illness. Low-risk species include Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, gilthead seabream, turbot, meagre, Atlantic halibut, carp, and European catfish. Fish produced in open off-shore cages and flow-through tanks are more likely to contain parasites, and these include Anisakis pegreffii, Anisakis simplex, Cryptocotyle lingua, Pseudamphistomum truncatum and Paracoenogonimus ovatus parasites in European seabass, Atlantic bluefin tuna and/or cod, and tench.
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8719
📋 SQF Edition 10 drafting has started
The SQFI has released a draft time line for the publishing of the next edition of their food code, edition 10. The proposed implementation date will be Q3 2025. They are currently in the stakeholder feedback phase.
🔧 Tool: Risk Ranger, a simple Excel-based spreadsheet for Calculating Food Safety Risk (FAO)
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has shared Risk Ranger, a tool for food safety professionals which can be used by people without extensive risk modelling experience. The food safety risk calculation tool can help determine relative risks from various product/pathogen/processing combinations and is presented as a Microsoft® Excel spreadsheet. The Risk Ranger has been around for many years, but this is the first time I have seen it promoted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
https://www.fao.org/food-safety/resources/tools/details/fr/c/1191489/
🎓 Webinar - Elevating Performance: Achieving Continuous Improvement through Internal Auditing Practices, 3rd May
Hosted by IFSQN, the webinar will cover best practices, real-world examples, challenges, and future trends, emphasizing internal auditing as a powerful catalyst for sustained performance improvement.
Register here: Elevating Performance: Achieving Continuous Improvement through Intern (webinarjam.com)
🎓 Webinar - Mineral Oil Contamination Analysis: The New Challenges, 7th May
New Food will be hosting a webinar wherein participants will gain insight from SGS experts into mineral oil contamination in foods, the latest regulatory changes and much more.
Register here: Mineral Oil Contamination Analysis: The New Challenges (on24.com)
🎓 Webinar – Addressing Food Waste and Food Loss: Balancing Sustainability and Food Safety (on-demand))
This webinar, hosted by IFSQN and available to watch on-demand addresses food waste prevention and the conflicts between food waste and food safety.
🎓 Webinar – Impact of Water Use and Reuse in Food Production and Processing on Food Safety at the Consumer Phase: Focus on the Dairy Products Sector, May 23
Organized by the Dairy Quality and Safety PDG (of IAFP), the International Food Protection Issue PDG, and the Water Safety and Quality PDG, this webinar is the third of a three-part series and talks about how essential water is for the production, handling, and processing of dairy products.
Registration is free; advance registration is required. Go here for more information.
🎓 Webinar – How Can We Effectively Reuse Water End-to-End: Creating Equitable Future, June 17
Organized by the Beverages and Acid/Acidified Foods PDG (of IAFP), this webinar will include a discussion from a panel of leaders on how water reuse can be a critical tool in promoting sustainability and water security.
Registration is free; advance registration is required. Go here for more information.
In this week’s food fraud news:
📌 Emerging risks: Table grapes;
📌 Methods: sake authentication, moringa, honey;
📌 Analytical strategies for GMO and NGT detections;
📌 Fraud in Easter chocolates, smuggled pears, fake sugar, dodgy coffee and more.
Become a paid subscriber to access The Rotten Apple’s food fraud news.
22nd April | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
Recall: Gin recalled for potential styrene contamination (Australia) |
Recall: Fresh basil for Salmonella (USA) |
Recall: Raw juice due to unlicensed manufacture (New Zealand) |
Mystery buckwheat outbreak update (India) |
Toxoplasma gondii detected in ready-to-eat, dry-cured meat products and sheep meat (Spain) |
Listeria persistence in small- and medium-sized dairy processing facilities – new research |
Webinar - Mastering the Unannounced Regulatory Inspection |
Webinar - The Importance of Critical Thinking in Food Safety: A Journey Through “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know!” |
Webinar - Ahead of the Curve: Managing Global Pesticide Maximum Residue Levels |
⚠ Recall: Gin recalled for potential styrene contamination (Australia)
Products from a batch of gin (alcoholic beverages) have been recalled due to potential chemical contamination with styrene.
https://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/news/recalls/oxford-arms-london-dry-gin-37-700ml
⚠ Recall: Fresh basil for Salmonella (USA)
Twelve people have been sickened and one has been hospitalised after eating fresh basil.
⚠ Recall: Raw juice due to unlicensed manufacture (new Zeland)
Raw, unpasteurized juice has been recalled because it was made by an unregulated and unregistered manufacturer and seller. The juice was sold in unlabelled bottles of “different shapes and sizes” and in 20 L plastic containers.
❓ Mystery buckwheat outbreak update (India)
In last month’s food safety news roundup, we reported on a massive food poisoning outbreak linked to the consumption of foods made from buckwheat flour. The company that manufactured the flour is now subject to legal action, after tests revealed “a high amount of moisture and alcoholic acidity in the flour, leading to bacterial and fungal growth.”
🧬 Toxoplasma gondii detected in ready-to-eat, dry-cured meat products and sheep meat (Spain)
A survey of 552 ready-to-eat dry-cured meats including hams, sausages and chorizo revealed approximately 10% of samples contained detectable Toxoplasma DNA and 1% of samples contained viable Toxoplasma gondii parasite. All but one of the samples with viable Toxoplasma were commercially packaged sliced products. In a separate study, sheet meat was found to contain Toxoplasma gondii DNA at a rate of 25% of samples.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713523004796
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405676623000161
🦠 Listeria persistence in small- and medium-sized dairy processing facilities – new research
A one-year longitudinal study has assessed Listeria prevalence in environmental samples in 8 small- and medium-sized dairy facilities. It found Listeria typically persists for the long term and suggests that simplified environmental monitoring programs may be valuable for improved Listeria control in such facilities.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24000383
🎓 Webinar - Mastering the Unannounced Regulatory Inspection, 26th April
In this webinar hosted by SafetyChain Software, participants will learn what critical areas to prepare for should an unexpected regulatory inspection occur, along with training tips to help empower your team to navigate inspections with confidence.
Register here:
[FSMA Friday] Mastering the Unannounced Regulatory Inspection (safetychain.com)
🎓 Webinar - The Importance of Critical Thinking in Food Safety: A Journey Through “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know!”, 30th April
This will be an interactive webinar hosted by SQF Institute that will outline the “disciplined process” of critical thinking in food safety and its application throughout the food safety management system.
Register here:
🎓 Webinar - Ahead of the Curve: Managing Global Pesticide Maximum Residue Levels, 30th April
Food Safety Magazine will be hosting a webinar wherein attendees will gain insights on the following topics:
· The critical role of managing pesticide MRLs in the food industry
· Recent examples of violations and impacts
· Why lack of harmonization creates barriers to managing regulations for multiple markets
· Proactive strategies to streamline compliance management
Register here:
In this week’s food fraud news:
📌 Food safety officials involved in extortion scheme;
📌 Seafood fraud legal approaches;
📌 New test methods for olive oil, black tea, herbs and spices;
📌 Horsemeat fraud comes to Australia? Plus potato risks, sunflower oil smuggling and more.
Become a paid subscriber to access The Rotten Apple’s food fraud news.
15th April | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
Deaths from bongkrekic acid food poisoning (Taiwan) |
Unusual recall: zero sugar beverage recalled because it contains sugar (USA) |
Recall: Elevated lead levels in tequesquite (food seasoning/condiment) (USA) |
Recall: More cinnamon for lead (USA) |
Recall: Pea protein powder, for Salmonella (USA) |
Salmonella illnesses in Denmark – a Review |
Food safety survey results (UK) |
Webinar - Creating Effective Training Programs for Multicultural Food Manufacturing Workforces |
Webinar - How to Get a Clean Break: Decontaminate your Facility |
Webinar - SQF Training Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide to Compliance |
Webinar - Lessons Learned When Employees Work Sick |
💀 Deaths from bongkrekic acid (Taiwan)
Thirty-four people have been hospitalised with multiple patients requiring intensive care, and two people have died from suspected bongkrekic acid poisoning. The food poisoning toxin has not been detected in the country previously. All patients ate at a Malaysian restaurant and the food source is thought to be flat rice noodles in char kway teow. Fermented coconut, fermented corn products and rice noodles have previously been linked to bongrekic acid poisoning in other countries. For more on bongrekic acid poisoning, see this week’s main issue of The Rotten Apple.
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/bongkrekic-acid-suspected-behind-death-of-diners-at-malaysian-restaurant-in-taiwan-4731907.html and https://newbloommag.net/2024/04/02/xinyi-food-contamination/
⚠ Unusual recall: zero sugar beverage recalled because it contains sugar (USA)
Products labelled zero sugar ginger ale are being recalled because the packages actually contain full sugar product.
⚠Recall: Elevated lead levels in tequesquite (food seasoning/condiment) (USA)
Tequesquite, a natural salt containing sodium chloride, sodium carbonate and sodium sulphate, used as a food seasoning in Mexico, is being recalled in the USA for high lead content.
⚠Recall: More cinnamon for lead (USA)
Another brand of ground cinnamon, this one imported from Vietnam has been recalled because it contains elevated levels of lead.
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/04/cinnamon-recalled-over-elevated-lead-levels/
⚠Recall: Pea protein powder, for Salmonella (USA)
Pea protein powder has been recalled because it may contain Salmonella.
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/04/pea-protein-recalled-over-possible-salmonella-contamination/
🦠 Salmonella illnesses in Denmark – a Review
Food poisoning outbreaks and cases from Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica in Denmark between 2013 and 2022 were examined and a paper has been published summarising prevalence, patient demographics, proportion of invasive infections, prior travel risk factors and serotypes with higher invasiveness.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10096-024-04808-9
📊 Food safety survey results: consumers know what to do but don’t consistently do it (UK)
The market research company Ipsos polled British people asking about food safety knowledge and habits. The survey revealed gaps in knowledge and also gaps in practices. For example, 88% of those surveyed agreed that “You should not use the same cutting board for raw meat and vegetables without washing it in between” but only 18% said they always do that.
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/food-hygiene-myths-survey-ipsos-observer-2024
🎓 Webinar - Creating Effective Training Programs for Multicultural Food Manufacturing Workforces, 17th April
Hosted by Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA), this Technical Webcast will equip you with best practices for crafting an impactful training program, how to address regulations and certifications, navigate cultural differences, and understand the key distinction between training and coaching.
🎓 Webinar - How to Get a Clean Break: Decontaminate your Facility, 25th April
Hosted by Food Safety Magazine, this webinar will discuss how pathogens like Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli can impact your food safety program and what you can do now to prevent long downtimes or crises for your organization.
Register here: How to Get a Clean Break: Decontaminate Your Facility Registration (onlinexperiences.com)
🎓 Webinar - SQF Training Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide to Compliance, 25th April
The Intertek Alchemy and SQFI will be hosting a webinar that will provide valuable insights and practical guidance to help you navigate the intricacies of SQF training requirements to ensure compliance and take your food safety initiatives to the next level.
Register here: Registration (gotowebinar.com)
🎓 Webinar - Lessons Learned When Employees Work Sick, 23rd April
This webinar will address the critical issue of employees working while sick in the retail and food service industry, highlighting the legal risks associated with permitting sick employees to work and drawing insights from experts on lessons learned during their experiences.
Registration is free: advance registration is required. Go here for more information.
📌 Food Fraud News 📌
In this week’s food fraud news:
📌 Honey fraud in the USA;
📌 Cocoa powder, surimi authenticity tests;
📌 Dairy foods (USA) long term vulnerability;
📌 Drug cartels branch into food supply chains, cumin adulteration, confectionery seizures, wheat trading and more.
Become a paid subscriber to access The Rotten Apple’s food fraud news.
8th April | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
Recall and deaths: yeast supplements recalled (Japan) |
Recall: Apricot seeds and apricot kernels for cyanide poisoning (Canada) |
Recall: Flaked almonds recalled for Salmonella (UK) |
Recall for metal: Unilever recalls Magnum icecream sticks (UK) |
Emerging food hazard alert: Mercury released from permafrost in fish |
New food safety hazards: Clostridium perfringens toxins in clams and boiled clams (China) |
Older beer lines are more susceptible to biofilms and are harder to clean |
Guidance: Food Defense Book Chapter (open access) |
Webinar - The Ultimate FSMA 204 Playbook: Integrating Traceability, Quality, and Food Safety |
Webinar - The Traceability Rule: How to Prepare and What to Expect from Buyers |
💀 ⚠ Deadly yeast supplements recalled (Japan)
Five people have died, 680 are being treated and 114 have been hospitalised due to “health damage” including kidney problems linked to ingestion of red yeast rice dietary supplements (beni koji) in Japan. Three products have been recalled.
The illnesses and deaths may have been caused by puberulic acid*, a naturally occurring chemical which is also used as an antimalarial pharmaceutical, which the manufacturer suspects could have come from “blue mould” contamination of the beni koji.
The manufacturer has admitted that their beni koji manufacturing line did not have a GMP certification but did have a food safety certification from the government. GMP certifications for dietary supplement manufacturing are not a legal requirement in that area of Japan.
and
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15215168
*Puberulic acid is not a known mycotoxin but is a metabolite of Penicillium puberulum and is thought to be produced by Penicillium aurantio-virens.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/70879 and https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/jb.93.5.1737-1738.1967
⚠ Recall: Apricot seeds and apricot kernels for cyanide poisoning (Canada)
This is one of those times when ‘natural’ does not equate to ‘good’. Apricot seeds (kernels) are sometimes marketed as a health food. They naturally contain significant quantities of cyanide. Two brands are being recalled in Canada because they “may cause cyanide poisoning”
⚠ Recall: Flaked almonds recalled for Salmonella (UK)
Salmonella was found in flaked almonds from two batches in the United Kingdom. These have been recalled.
https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/alert/fsa-prin-10-2024
⚠ Recall for metal: Unilever recalls Magnum icecream sticks (UK)
These days it’s uncommon for large brands to experience metal contamination recalls. Unilever is recalling 5 batches/lots of ice cream sticks because “they may contain pieces of metal”.
https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/alert/fsa-prin-12-2024
🐟 Emerging food hazard alert: Mercury released from permafrost in fish
The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) of Switzerland has published a report exploring the risks to the Swiss population from mercury released from permafrost.
It concludes that the melting of permafrost has and continues to release previously sequestered mercury into the environment. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) were chosen for monitoring for mercury contamination because the former is frequently imported from arctic areas and the latter has a significant position in the Arctic food chain. The monitoring takes the form of consulting databases (e.g. Canada contaminants in fish database) to look for trends in mercury concentrations.
🦠 New food safety hazards: Clostridium perfringens toxins in clams and boiled clams (China)
Researchers in China have warned they detected Clostridium perfringens toxin type G in clams and suggest that C. perfringens could be an emerging hazard in seafoods. Some of the strains the researchers found were resistant to antibiotics, with 45% resistant to tetracycline.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168160524000862?via%3Dihub
🍺 Older beer lines are more susceptible to biofilms and are harder to clean
A study to determine whether vinyl beer tubing’s susceptibility to biofilm growth and removal would change during exposure to repeated cycles of chemical cleaning was conducted. The study included simulations of up to five years of constant use of the beer lines. Aged beer lines were better able to accumulate biofilms and the biofilms recovered faster after caustic cleaning compared to newer beer lines.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160524000746?via%3Dihub
📖 Guidance: Food Defense Book Chapter (open access)
The food defense chapter of Building the Future of Food Safety Technology (2020) (book) is publicly available for reading and download.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7561600/pdf/main.pdf
🎓 Webinar - The Ultimate FSMA 204 Playbook: Integrating Traceability, Quality, and Food Safety, 9th April
This webinar hosted by Food Safety Magazine, will cover how to not only meet but also excel in FSMA 204 compliance. Learn about the FDA’s upcoming FSMA 204 requirements and how to ensure that you are prepared for the new rule.
Register here:
🎓 Webinar - The Traceability Rule: How to Prepare and What to Expect from Buyers, 16th April
Hosted by Virginia Tech, this webinar will discuss how to prepare for inspection related to the Traceability Rule and what you can expect from your buyers.
Register here:
📌 Food Fraud News 📌
In this week’s food fraud news:
📌 Food industry insurance and food fraud;
📌 Food crime head interview (video);
📌 Wine counterfeit warning, imported seafood warning;
📌 Illegal grouper fishing, undeclared sulphites cause an allergic reaction, expiry date tampering and more.
Become a paid subscriber to access The Rotten Apple’s food fraud news.
Past Issues of Food Safety News
Food Safety News, February 2024
Food Safety News, January 2024
Food Safety News, December 2023
Click here for important information about the news and resources provided by this publication. Note: No food safety news was published on 1st April 2024.