On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) started collecting public comments on cheese made from unpasteurized milk. Agency officials want any information or scientific data that would help them identify and evaluate measures that might minimize the impact of pathogens in raw milk cheese. The action is partly based on the findings from a joint FDA/Health Canada Quantitative Risk Assessment released Friday that included estimates for both countries of the number of servings resulting in one case of invasive listeriosis, prevalence of contaminated servings, and level of increased risk of invasive listeriosis per serving of raw milk cheese. The potential health risks associated with consumption of cheese made from unpasteurized milk are greatest for people with weakened immune systems, older adults, pregnant women and children. “The FDA recognizes that there is broad diversity in cheese manufacturing operations and approaches and that many factors go into ensuring the safety of the food,” the agency stated Friday in announcing the data call. “In issuing this call for data and information, we are interested in learning more about the standards and practices in use by a wide variety of producers, including the growing artisanal cheese manufacturing community.” The public comment period will remain open for 90 days from Aug. 3. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
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Plans to create Scottish-specific pathogen thresholds have been dropped, according to an update on foodborne illness in the country.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) said it would follow the approach
Microbiological risks and mycotoxin levels in plant-based dairy alternatives are generally low but consumer storage practices and product ingredients can significantly impact safety, according to research in Finland.
Findings
A food testing program in Scotland has revealed a high level of compliance but also showed examples of microbial contamination and meat substitution.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) funds an annual
The Food and Drug Administration has released a 54-page report on the Occurrence of Foodborne Illness Risk Factors in Retail Food Store Delis.
The report includes findings from data
Todd’s Seeds LLC of Cookeville, TN, is recalling 37,481 units of sprouting seeds because they may be contaminated with Salmonella and/or E. coli.
The recalled seeds were
A company in Chile has again expanded a recall of its frozen organic berries because of a link to an E. coli O145:H28 outbreak.
The outbreak has been declared
Gias Foods of New York, NY, is recalling all lot codes of bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The
Inexport Logistics LLC of Miami, FL, firm, is recalling 189 pounds of potato chip products containing chicharrón (pork cracklings) because they were produced in the Republic of Colombia, a country
