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Inorganic Arsenic Detected in Cooked Chicken

2013-05-29T15:03:00Z

Use of arsenic-based drugs in poultry production increased the level of inorganic arsenic in chicken meat, posing a potential increase in the lifetime risk of bladder and lung cancer in consumers, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

Keeping Deli Food Listeria-Free: New USDA/FDA Report

2013-05-29T14:59:00Z

Nearly one in every 10 cases of listeriosis caused by retail deli products could be prevented if all refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods were stored at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below, as the FDA Food Code recommends.That’s one of several key findings from a major new study on food safety in retail delis issued by the FDA and the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS).

Anti-Bacterial Technology for Stainless Steel

2013-05-29T14:50:00Z

Given that visual inspection remains the first line of defence in many food preparation facilities and serveries, it is not surprising that there has been intense interest in developing a way of conferring inherently bactericidal properties on stainless steel surfaces and utensils—making them in effect “self-disinfecting.” And in view of recent high profile problems with hospital acquired superbug infections, the healthcare sector has a shared interest with the food safety community in the search for this anti-bacterial “holy grail.”

Evidence-Based Approach to Farm Practices Urged

2013-05-21T14:42:00Z

Farm practices meant to improve food safety should rely on science-based management approaches in order to conserve biodiversity in surrounding areas, a recent study suggests. Pressure from produce buyers to adopt additional precautions not mandated by government or industry may damage local ecosystems without clear increases in food safety, the study’s authors say.

Could Radiation Make Seafood Safer?

2013-05-21T14:33:00Z

Electron-beam pasteurization could reduce the risk of infection with viral pathogens from raw shellfish by 26 percent to 91 percent, depending on the pathogen, according to new research from scientists at Texas A&M University.

Behind the European Food Industry’s Horse Meat Scandal

2013-05-21T14:21:00Z

Since Irish food inspectors detected horse meat in beef burgers at the end of last year, similar incidents have occurred in 13 European countries. Retailers have removed beef products from their shelves as concern over the contamination and the origin of the horse meat has escalated.

3 Steps in Preparing a Recall Risk Mitigation Plan

2013-05-14T13:14:00Z

With food contamination on the rise, even food companies that maintain strict quality control mechanisms and perform extensive due diligence on their suppliers may face the prospect of a recall or product liability claims...even problems experienced by small ingredient manufacturers can lead to, and recently have resulted in, widespread recalls causing millions of dollars in recall costs and potential tort liability for numerous other food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers.

Rat Meat Sold as Lamb in China

2013-05-14T12:27:00Z

The Chinese government has arrested 904 people in a crackdown on food safety violators, according to news reports. Those arrested include 63 people involved in an operation that bought rat, mink, fox, and other meat that had not been tested for quality and safety, added gelatin, nitrates and pigment, and sold it as lamb, the Associated Press and other news outlets reported.

FDA Spares Food Inspections from Sequester Chopping Block

2013-05-14T12:25:00Z

Pulling back from an April 25 report that as many as 2,100 food inspections—or approximately 18% of the total conducted by the agency—would be eliminated this year as a result of the government sequester, FDA officials announced on May 5 that it would reconfigure its budget to avoid reducing inspections.

Expanded Recall Includes Food Products Distributed to Schools

2013-04-19T13:24:00Z

A recall encompassing 10.5 million pounds of frozen food products includes some items that may have been served in schools, according to the manufacturer of the recalled products. Rich Products Corp., of Buffalo, N.Y., recalled all products produced at its Waycross, Ga., plant with “best by” dates of January 1, 2013 through September 29, 2014 due to possible contamination with Escherichia coli 0121 bacteria