The U.S Food and Drug Administration has filed its rule on intentional adulteration under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), keeping to a court-ordered deadline of Dec. 20. “Focused Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration” will require domestic and foreign food facilities to address hazards that may be intentionally introduced by acts of terrorism. “The goal is to protect the food supply from those who may attempt to cause large-scale public health harm,” said Michael Taylor, FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine. “Such events, while unlikely to occur, must be taken seriously because they have the potential to cause serious public health and economic consequences.” The rule targets certain processes within a facility that are most likely to be vulnerable to attack: bulk liquid receiving and loading, liquid storage and handling, secondary ingredient handling (where ingredients other than the primary ingredient of the food are handled before being combined with the primary ingredient), and mixing and similar activities. Food facilities will be required to have a written defense plan addressing these vulnerabilities. This is the sixth proposed rule issue under FSMA, and it is the first time FDA has proposed a regulatory approach for preventing intentional adulteration of the food supply. The rule will be published in the Federal Register on Dec. 24, and a comment period on the rule will be open through March 31, 2014.
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Motions for class certification were filed against the company relating to harm allegedly caused to the public, associated with positive tests for Salmonella.
A year after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. encouraged food companies to voluntarily phase out their use of synthetic dyes, little action has been taken.
According
Chinese authorities have issued penalties against seven e-commerce platforms for violations including food safety.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) imposed fines for a series of "ghost kitchen&
Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. of Grand Rapids, MI, is recalling a single lot of Frederik’s by Meijer Vanilla Bourbon Trail Mix because it may contain undeclared wheat and
French Broad Chocolates PBC is recalling Bette’s Bake Sale Bonbon Collection boxes with batch numbers 260414 and 260417 because of the potential to contain undeclared walnuts.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reporting that Ayco Farms Inc., recalled 8,302 cartons of whole cantaloupes because the fruit may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The cantaloupes
