Four years ago, Thomas Gremillion of the Consumer Federation of America petitioned USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on behalf of the Safe Food Coalition. The petition sought an FSIS rulemaking to revise the regulations that prescribe mandatory safe handling instruction (SHI) labeling for raw and partially cooked meat
Editor’s note: Following is a letter signed by a coalition of organizations and sent to Janet Woodcock, M.D., FDA Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
Dear Dr. Woodcock,
The undersigned organizations, representing the food industry, consumers, and state and local food safety regulators, write to express our support for
Continue Reading Organizations tell FDA they want it to continue with inspection mandate
The non-profit group Stop Foodborne Illness has extended the application deadline for the Dave Theno Food Safety Fellowship until June 15.
The fellowship program is a partnership with the Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program. The fellow will live in Chicago and work with Stop Foodborne Illness while completing
Continue Reading Application deadline extended for Dave Theno Fellowship
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is making a peculiar argument for transferring the U.S. Codex Office from food safety to trade.
Perdue is claiming the move will better ensure that the international standards are “grounded in science,” which is the peculiar part. The U.S. Codex Office has long reported to
Continue Reading Perdue’s plan pleases business, concerns food safety experts
The finalized labeling requirements for mechanically tenderized beef were released Wednesday and will go into effect in May 2016. Under the new rule, raw or partially cooked beef products must bear labels that state that they have been mechanically, blade or needle tenderized. The labels must also include cooking instructions
Continue Reading Mechanically Tenderized Beef Label Goes Into Effect May 2016
Organizations representing workers and consumers want the Department of Agriculture to follow the Food and Drug Administration’s lead by releasing the revised poultry inspection rule for public comment. Last week, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) submitted a draft final version of its Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection
Continue Reading Groups Ask OMB, USDA to Release Revised Poultry Rule for Public Comment
Members of a food-safety coalition are gunning for two amendments to the Farm Bill they say would delay implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FMSA) and impede a state’s ability to protect its citizens from foodborne illness. Eight consumer groups comprising the Make Our Food Safe Coalition and the
Continue Reading Food-Safety Coalition Asks Farm Bill Conferees to Reject Two Amendments
A coalition of consumer groups has demanded that the U.S. Department of Agriculture ask chicken producer Foster Farms to recall chicken products from three central California processing plants that have been linked to an ongoing Salmonella outbreak. At least 317 people in 20 states have been sickened in the
Continue Reading Consumer Groups Request Foster Farms Recall
The U.S. Department of Agriculture should withdraw a proposal to modify its poultry slaughter inspection program, the Safe Food Coalition urged on Friday. The coalition members say they are concerned the proposal could have serious repercussion on food safety. They have also asked USDA to withdraw equivalency determinations of foreign
Continue Reading Consumer Coalition Urges USDA to Cancel Proposed Poultry-Inspection Program
A group of food safety advocates is calling on the Obama Administration to make good on its proposal to require labeling for mechanically tenderized meat. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Friday, the Safe Food Coalition called on the agency to require that mechanically tenderized meat bear
Continue Reading Food Safety Advocates to USDA: Require Labeling for Tenderized Meat
