Food Safety News and Resources | July
Children poisoned with lead paint in food, tropane alkaloid contamination in cereals and more
27 July | Food Safety News and Free Resources1 |
⚠Recall: Pasta salads for Salmonella (UK)
🧪Tropane alkaloids in cereals – new research
🔰 PCQI Version 2 released (USA)
🎓Webinar - Pesticide Compliance at Risk: How to Avoid Pesticide MRL Violations and Steps to Take if One Occurs, 30th July
🎓Webinar: Collaborating on Food Safety Culture: How to Turn a Problem into an Opportunity, 3rd Sept
⚠Recall: Pasta salads for Salmonella (UK)
Pasta salads are being recalled because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.
https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/alert/fsa-prin-36-2025
🧪Tropane alkaloids in cereals – new research
Researchers who were testing a method based on LC-MS/MS discovered a small but significant proportion of cereal samples contained atropine and scopolamine above the EU maximum level of 1 μg kg−1 The levels were above the EU maximum for One in 80 millet or corn samples, 18 in 269 soybeans, 20 in 62 soymeal and 20 in 42 Super Cereals samples. They discovered that atropine and scopolamine from Datura stramonium seeds can be transferred to food grains (soybeans) through mixing with the seeds or through long-term contact between the Datura seeds and the cereal.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12403-025-00718-z
🔰 PCQI Version 2 released (USA)
The training syllabus for Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQI) has been updated, and training providers are now delivering version 2.0.
Version 2.0 includes
Updates to the hazard analysis methodology
Expanded examples
More guidance on documentation and FDA inspection readiness.
https://www.fspca.net/pchf-pcqi-v2-0
🎓Webinar - Pesticide Compliance at Risk: How to Avoid Pesticide MRL Violations and Steps to Take if One Occurs, 30th July
Gain key insights on how to prevent a pesticide MRL violation and what to do if one occurs in this upcoming webinar hosted by FoodChain ID.
Register here:
🎓Webinar: Collaborating on Food Safety Culture: How to Turn a Problem into an Opportunity, 3rd Sept
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness have commenced Series 2 of their food safety culture webinar series, starting with How to Turn a Problem into an Opportunity on 3 September.
More information here: Register here: Webinar Registration - Zoom
In this week’s food fraud news
📌 Good news for eggs in one region, and bad news for another
📌 Nuts warning
📌 New animal welfare label requirements create a vulnerability
📌 Incidents with sugar, coffee, chestnuts and cheese.
14 July | Food Safety News and Free Resources |
⚠Recall: bread for undeclared hazelnuts after consumers raise alarm (USA)
⚠Recall: mineral water for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (USA)
🐟 Withdrawal: Tuna in brine for extreme levels of histamine (Italy)
⚖ Update: Intentional contamination incident perpetrator pleads guilty
🎓Webinar - Hygienic Design Risk Management: Industry Challenges and EHEDG Guidance, 15th July
🎓Webinar - Ensuring Your Environmental Monitoring Program Is Fit For Purpose, 17th July
🎓Webinar - Meeting Retailer Requirements with X-ray Inspection, 18th July
🎓Webinar - Beyond the Binder: Digital Management of Food Safety, 22nd July
☠Lead paint added to food poisons 233 children (China)
Children have high levels of lead in their bodies, with 233 being treated in hospital, after chefs at their kindergarten allegedly used paint to colour their food. Police allege that kitchen staff were asked to purchase the paint online by the operator of the kindergarten. The paint was allegedly used to colour steamed red date cake and sausage corn bun. After the children fell ill, police discovered the paint, which had been hidden and was clearly marked as inedible.
CCTV footage from inside the kindergarten’s kitchen showed staff adding the paint to the food. The foods contained more than 1,000 mg/kg of lead, far exceeding the national limit of 0.5 mg/kg. Some parents believe the adulteration had been ongoing for three months. Eight people were arrested.
https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4n7wn8l58o.amp
⚠Recall: bread for undeclared hazelnuts after consumers raise alarm (USA)
Bread from six batches was recalled after consumers complained the artisan white bread contained visible hazelnuts. The manufacturer revealed that the bread was hazelnut-containing bread that had been packed into packaging for white bread.
⚠Recall: mineral water for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (USA)
The Coca-Cola Company has recalled carbonated mineral water because it may contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The product appears to have been subject to a market withdrawal but was accidentally shipped by a distributor, despite the product having been placed on hold.
🐟 Withdrawal: Tuna in brine for extreme levels of histamine (Italy)
Tuna from Ecuador has been withdrawn from the market in Italy as it contains 5,900 mg/kg of histamine, which is 10 to 20 times the legal limit.
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/774022
⚖ Update: Intentional contamination incident perpetrator pleads guilty
A restaurant employee who posted videos online of himself contaminating food more than 20 times over a period of three weeks has pleaded guilty to charges relating to criminal threat involving food. The restaurant has been served with dozens of civil lawsuits. More than 130 diners reported illnesses.
🍏 We covered this story, describing the perpetrator’s unusual motivations, in Issue 139 and broke the initial news in our Food Safety News of May 2024 🍏
🎓Webinar - Hygienic Design Risk Management: Industry Challenges and EHEDG Guidance, 15th July
Food Safety Magazine will host a webinar on the challenges food processors face in acquiring and maintaining hygienically designed equipment. The discussion will draw from a global survey and highlight the importance of hygienic design risk management (HDRM).
Register here:
Hygienic Design Risk Management: Industry Challenges and Global Insights Registration
🎓Webinar - Ensuring Your Environmental Monitoring Program Is Fit For Purpose, 17th July
Join Neogen for an insightful webinar that explores key principles and best practices for designing, implementing, and maintaining a robust food manufacturing environmental monitoring program (EMP) tailored to your specific operational and regulatory needs.
Register here:
Ensuring Your Environmental Monitoring Program Is Fit For Purpose
🎓Webinar - Meeting Retailer Requirements with X-ray Inspection, 18th July
Hosted by IFSQN, the webinar will cover how x-ray inspection contributes to meeting the safety requirements effectively, including features such as performance verification routines and full traceability.
Register here:
Meeting Retailer Requirements with X-ray Inspection
🎓Webinar - Beyond the Binder: Digital Management of Food Safety, 22nd July
Explore the role of digital tools in food safety management, best practices for utilizing digital systems, and the importance of comprehensive training to combine technology with human expertise in this Food Safety Magazine webinar.
Register here:
Beyond the Binder: Digital Management of Food Safety Registration
In this week’s food fraud news:
📌 Bulk sugar fraud - insider’s warning;
📌 Methods for vegetable oil, roasted coffee beans, fresh v frozen poultry;
📌 Warnings for perppermine oil;
📌 Incidents with artificial milk, cinnamon and seasoning.