Food Safety News and Resources | November

November 2024

Nov 04, 2024

Recall roundup |
Deadly Mcdonalds Burger-Onion Outbreak Update (USA) |
PFAS in tap water and bottled water (UK and China) |
Peanut allergies linked to air pollution exposure (Australia) |
Guidance: How to Mitigate Heavy Metals in Foods |
Webinar - Revolutionizing In-house Food Safety Training: Harnessing Innovation for Effective Staff Education and Compliance, 8th November |
Webinar - Bridging GFSI and GMPs: Roadmap to Continuous Food Safety Success, 13th November |

📢 Recalls: Just the usual sad story this week

No unusual recalls or large outbreaks crossed my desk this week, just the usual sad roundup of (mostly) preventable problems 😒, including another brand of cinnamon with elevated levels of lead, foods recalled for foreign objects like glass, wood and insects, labelling errors such as sugar-free labels on sugar-containing products, E. coli in soft white cheese and Listeria in salads and taco kits

💀 Deadly McDonalds Burger-Onion Outbreak Update (USA)

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that case numbers have increased to 90, with hospitalisations increasing to 27 since last week. The FDA has confirmed that slivered onions, served raw on burgers including Quarter Pounders, but not diced onions, are the likely source of the outbreak.

https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/e-coli-O157.html and https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024

🚰 PFAS in tap water and bottled water (UK and China)

A new study explored the presence of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in tap water and bottled water in the United Kingdom and China and found perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in more than 99 percent of samples of bottled water purchased in the UK and China (n = 112). In tap water, Chinese samples had higher concentrations of PFAS compared to the UK. Most samples had concentrations below health advisory levels.

https://www.newfoodmagazine.com/news/243898/researchers-discover-10-pfas-chemicals-in-tap-and-bottled-water-across-uk-and-china/

🥜 Peanut allergies linked to air pollution exposure (Australia)

A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology explores the link between the exposure of babies and young children to air pollution and their food allergies. Peanut allergies were linked to air pollution but egg allergies were not.

https://www.mcri.edu.au/news-stories/air-pollution-linked-to-peanut-allergy-during-childhood

📖 Guidance: How to Mitigate Heavy Metals in Foods

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has published a white paper that explores solutions to reducing heavy metals in the food supply chain. “From farmers measuring soil concentration to consumers cooking at home, reducing dietary exposure to heavy metals is a challenge that will require all facets of the global food system to solve,” said IFT Chief Science and Technology Officer Bryan Hitchcock. “This white paper offers potential solutions to this issue that impacts every part of the farm-to-fork journey.”

https://info.ift.org/heavy-metals

🎓Webinar - Revolutionizing In-house Food Safety Training: Harnessing Innovation for Effective Staff Education and Compliance, 8th November

Hosted by IFSQN, the webinar will discuss innovative strategies for enhancing staff education and ensuring compliance.

🎓Webinar - Bridging GFSI and GMPs: Roadmap to Continuous Food Safety Success, 13th November

AIB International is offering a free webinar on how one company seamlessly integrated GFSI audits with its GMP program to drive lasting food safety excellence, achieve exceptional food safety standards, and build a culture of continuous improvement.