- Food Safety News
- Washington, District of Columbia
- @hbottemiller
- hbottemiller@foodsafetynews.com
Contributing Writers
Helena Bottemiller
Articles Written by Helena Bottemiller
Subscribe to this author via RSSHouse Ag Committee Votes to Repeal USDA Catfish Inspection
The House Agriculture Committee voted to repeal a controversial catfish inspection program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture late Wednesday night – a sign the program, which was mandated by the 2008 farm bill to help protect U.S. catfish farmers from cheap imports, may be headed for the chopping block. In the last attempt at… Continue Reading
After Latest Scandals, Chinese Premier Urges Tighter Food Safety Controls
During a nationwide teleconference on Monday Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urged “strict market supervision and harsh penalties” to improve food safety and assure costumers that something like the melamine milk scandal will never happen again. “Perpetrators must pay such a high price that they can not afford,” said Keqiang, according to official news outlet Xinhua…. Continue Reading
USDA, FDA Issue Major Report on Reducing Deadly Listeria in Deli Products
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have released a detailed draft risk assessment aimed at reducing Listeria monocytogenes in deli products reaching consumers’ plates. The 179-page document, posted online Friday evening, outlines several ways retail delis can reduce the risk of Listeria contamination. Listeria… Continue Reading
Democrats Urge White House to Release FDA Guidance on Arsenic in Juice
Nearly two years after Consumer Reports and Dr. Oz sparked national concern after finding arsenic in popular brands of children’s apple juice, a handful of Democrats in the House and Senate are asking the White House Office of Management and Budget to release a long-delayed voluntary guidance on limiting arsenic, a known carcinogen, in juice… Continue Reading
Food Safety Inspections Dodge the Sequester
Just two months after the White House warned that across-the-board budget cuts, known as the sequester, could have dire consequences for the country, in part because they could weaken food safety protections, it seems food safety has escaped the worst of the impact. According to the Obama administration, the sequester could have resulted in 11… Continue Reading
Hagen, Taylor Urge Public to Engage in Lengthy Policymaking Process
Next FSMA rules could be out this summer
The public should not hesitate to be more involved in the food safety policymaking process, Dr. Elisabeth Hagen and Michael Taylor, the nation’s two leading food safety officials, told an audience at the Food Safety Summit in Baltimore late last week. Dr. Hagen is Under Secretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture… Continue Reading
Study Finds Antibiotic-Free Turkey Less Likely to Harbor Resistant Bacteria
Ground turkey from birds raised without antibiotics is less likely to be contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria than conventional ground turkey, according to a new study published by Consumer Reports today. The group tested 257 samples of raw ground turkey meat and patties, purchased from major retailers nationwide, for Enterococcus, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and… Continue Reading
Senators Ask FDA to Be More Transparent with Food Animal Antibiotics Data
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators this week asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be more transparent when they publish data regarding the use of antimicrobial drugs in food animal production. The lawmakers, including Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), most of… Continue Reading
Bill Introduced in House and Senate to Require Labeling of GE Foods
Following state-level initiatives on the West Coast, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) on Wednesday introduced legislation that would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “clearly label” all genetically engineered (GE) foods, including foods that are made from GE grains and GE salmon, if it is approved by the agency. The… Continue Reading
Federal Court Works to Iron Out Key Details Ahead of PCA Trial
ALBANY, GA – U.S. District Court Judge W. Louis Sands on Tuesday approved a schedule for discovery and heard arguments over whether or not former Peanut Corporation of America CEO Stewart Parnell’s co-counsel should remain his lawyer even though concerns have been raised about conflicts of interest. Ironing out such details will set the stage… Continue Reading
As FDA Seeks Fees to Fund Food Safety, Much of Industry Remains Opposed to Idea
While the Obama administration continues to make it clear that it will look to registration, inspection, and import fees to fund food safety efforts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the future, much of the food industry continues to make it known that they are downright opposed to the idea. The president’s FY… Continue Reading