Food safety

Brother’s Produce – Paterson, NJ

Worker at US fresh produce company positive for hepatitis A: alert issued

A food handler has tested positive for hepatitis A, spurring a public alert for anyone who bought fresh fruits or vegetables from a specific Brother’s Produce location in…

Until now 71 people infected

Tomatoes linked to Salmonella outbreak in Sweden

Tomatoes are the probable source of a Salmonella outbreak in Sweden, according to public health officials. Folkhälsomyndigheten (Public Health Agency of Sweden) identified 71…

‘Buenas Brand frozen grated coconut’

Coconut product from Philippines recalled for Salmonella

Hayward, a California-based Global Commodities Corporation, has recalled one lot of Buenas Brand frozen grated coconut, a product of The Philippines. The California Department…

Aimed at reducing Listeria formation

UMAS Project looks at surface changes & coatings to reduce biofilms

A University of Massachusetts research group has teamed up with the USDA to look at whether combining physical changes to food contact surfaces with Food and Drug…

Onion grower joins PMA Gold Circle Campaign

Onions 52 said it is aiming to reinforce its commitment to food safety through the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Gold Circle Campaign for Food Safety. By participating in the PMA Gold Circle Campaign for Food Safety, Onions 52 joins more than 350 fresh produce suppliers and buyers—from growers and…

Italy rejects imports of Uruguayan oranges with banned pesticide residues

As reported by the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), Italy has rejected the import of oranges from Uruguay because they contained traces of a pesticide that is…

Potential contamination with Norovirus

Cornerstone Premium Foods recalls frozen blackberries

Cornerstone Premium Foods of Syracuse, New York is recalling a specific lot of product containing frozen blackberries (noted below) due to the potential of being contaminated with Norovirus. FDA testing of frozen blackberries was reported to have tested positive for Norovirus. Norovirus is a highly contagious…

Taiwan: Excessive pesticide residue on fruit and veg in Taipei

According to the Taipei Department of Health, an intensive inspection of fresh fruit and vegetables sold in Taipei found -last month- that 21.6 percent of the tested items had pesticide residue exceeding the maximum residue limits (MRLs). A total of 88 samples were collected in August, and test found…

New mobile app aims to make industry-wide food traceability a reality

iTradeNetwork, provider of supply chain management and intelligence solutions for the food and beverage industry, announced a pilot program with grower/shippers of select…

Outbreak traced to basil from Mexico

CDC: 241 confirmed victims in Cyclospora outbreak

Last Monday, the CDC waited declared an end to a cyclosporiasis outbreak that was traced to basil from Mexico. The tally of laboratory-confirmed patients stands at 241, with…

Listeria risk prompts recall of salad kits and bagged kale

Randsland Farms Inc. is recalling bagged salad kits and kale because federal inspectors found they are potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. “This recall was triggered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) inspection activities,” according to a recall notice on the agency’s…

Funding will secure research on PSHB and deadly fungus

Hortgro is in the final stages of securing funding for a new research project that will look at the ability of the fungus carried by the polyphagous shot hole borer beetle to infect deciduous fruit trees as well as common windbreak tree species. The polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) with its deadly…

FDA launches initiative to research risk factors for E.coli contamination

Following the largest E.coli O157:H7 outbreak in the United States since 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched a new initiative to better understand the…

Results of FDA sampling of fresh herbs and processed avocado

Fresh cilantro, parsley and basil are typically eaten without having undergone a ‘kill step,’ such as cooking, to reduce or eliminate bacteria. These herbs are grown low to the ground and therefore are susceptible to contamination (e.g., from irrigation water splashing off the soil). As of July 1, 2019,…

Investigating outbreak of intestinal infections in Sigulda

Latvian Food and Veterinary Service suspends operations of vegetable processing plant

Investigating the outbreak of intestinal infections in Sigulda, the Latvian Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) suspended operations of a vegetable processing plant in Jelgava.…

International Food Policy Research Institute study:

GMO eggplant developed by Bangladesh government cuts pesticide use

Genetically modified insect-resistant eggplants (Bt brinjal) have successfully reduced pesticide use and improved livelihoods among the Bangladeshi farmers who grow it.…

Food safety report gives picture of issues in Austria

The number of food businesses found to be violating the law during audits last year was around the same as the year before, according to Austria’s annual food safety report.…

Products recalled after spinach found to be potentially contaminated with E. coli

Urban Remedy, a California-based producer and retailer of ultra-fresh, organic meals, is voluntarily recalling 76 salads and wraps that contain spinach that may be contaminated with E. coli. Seventy-six salads and wraps are still unaccounted for. No juices or any other products are being recalled. “In an…

CDC announces end to Salmonella outbreak in papayas

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local partners, investigated a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Uganda illnesses linked to Cavi Brand whole, fresh papayas. According to the CDC, this outbreak appears to be over; however,…

All-Russian Plant Quarantine Center shows off Risk Management System

Last week,  a theoretical part of the risk management system (RMS), created on the basis of the «Argus-Fito» Federal State Information System, was demonstrated. It came to pass…

Shipment of bananas with cholera infected flies detected in Russia

Russian health authorities have intercepted a shipment of bananas from Ecuador infested with humpback flies, potential carriers of the cholera vibrio, at the port of…

Papaya importer fires back at FDA

Agroson’s says it isn’t linked to US salmonella outbreaks

A firm that the government says has been importing contaminated papayas since at least 2011 is vehemently denying statements made in an FDA warning. This denial comes despite…

The European Commission will propose the prohibition of chlorpyrifos as of January 2020

Following the publication in early August of a report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which confirmed the risk posed by chlorpyrifos and methyl chlorpyrifos at a…

Directorate for St. Petersburg, the Leningrad and Pskov Regions

Rosselkhoznadzor supports AIPP's position on avoiding paper workflow in port

In St. Petersburg, at the site of the Kirov District Administration, public discussions of the Rosselkhoznadzor Office for St. Petersburg, the Leningrad and Pskov regions of…

No excessive pesticide residues detected in Romanian fresh produce

The Romanian Ministry of Agriculture announced in a press release that 2,080 samples of both fruits and vegetables have been analyzed, and a first conclusion is that no…

Mostly because of residues violations

Taiwan rejects/destroys 23 shipments of US agri products in 2019

Taiwan rejected or destroyed 23 shipments of U.S. agricultural products in the first six months of 2019 according to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA). Chemical residues were cited as the reason for 15 of the 23 recorded rejections. The second largest source of violations was food additives,…

Kenyan growers pay the price for using Europe’s toxic agrochemicals

Kenya’s horticulture farmers have for long lived in fear of their products being rejected by the European market. They have good reason for this, as Kenyan produce in many instances was blocked from accessing the European market. In some cases, the European Union (EU) has warned Kenya that its food and…

FDA statement

Calling on the papaya industry to better protect consumers

Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs - Food and Drug Administration Norman E. Sharpless and Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response - Food and Drug Administration, Frank Yiannas, put out this statement on food safety in the papaya industry. “Every day, Americans enjoy an abundant food supply…

Still afraid of listeriosis

Rwanda maintains ban on agricultural imports from South Africa

The Rwandan Government says it does not have immediate plans to lift the ban, which was imposed on meat, dairy and vegetable imports from South Africa nearly two years ago.…

The Challenge of Change

City governments are realising they cannot continue growth by pushing away the 'Green Belt'

People living in cities are set to become major policy makers and ultimately the drivers of sustainability changes, according to global tech company Priva. The company's CEO and co-owner Meiny Prins told the Protected Cropping Conference on the Gold Coast that every three months, a new city of nine…

EU threatens to impose new ban on Ugandan Agro exports

The European Union (EU) has threatened to ban Uganda’s Agro Exports to Europe. This was revealed by the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF)…

Unapproved pesticides on basil from two Oahu farms

The state of Hawaii has ordered two Oahu farms to stop selling fresh basil that tested positive for unapproved pesticides during routine sampling. It concerns Chun Lian Yuan…

AVA-Asaja demands greater phytosanitary control measures

140 shipments of South African citrus intercepted because of pests since 2015

The fears of Valencian citrus growers of a spread of pests imported from third countries are increasing ahead of the arrival of the first batches of South African citrus. Recently, the Association of Perishable Exporters of South Africa announced its intention of exporting 9,000 containers of oranges to…

Research finds:

Harmless bacteria create biofilm that protects foodborne pathogens

Pathogenic bacteria that stubbornly lurk in some apple-packing facilities may be sheltered and protected by harmless bacteria that are known for their ability to form…

Rosselkhoznadzor and Serbian government consider stone fruit exports to Russia

On August 15, phytosanitary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor held talks with Nebojša Milosavljević, Director of the Plant Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture,…

Founder of Organic Knowledge Alasdair Smithson

Is organic produce really worth it?

Australians have long paid a premium for produce from the organic aisle, and not every household has space in its grocery budget for luxury organic fruit and veggies. Some argue however that by purchasing cheaper, non-organic items, customers could be doing their health more harm than good due to…

Pesticide residues found in Quebec strawberries

Despite the many efforts from the strawberry producers in Quebec to distance themselves from the American strawberries which rank among the most highly contaminated by pesticide residues,…

Cyclosporiasis outbreak hit patients in 11 states

22 people sick in Florida- linked to basil

A parasitic illness outbreak has sickened at least 22 Florida restaurant customers in the last month. The cyclosporiasis outbreak has hit patients in 11 states, sending four…

Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health study

Report: Highly contaminated Ugandan tomatoes

Up to eight harmful pesticide contaminants have been found in tomatoes sold in major markets in Kampala and other parts of Uganda. The study by the Uganda National Association…

Consumer study shows:

Pre-cut salads should always be washed before use because of germs

Practical and delicious: Pre-cut lettuce (also known as "fresh cut") are often presented as a side dish during summer barbecues. But ready-to-eat salad mixes from the bag that were cut, washed and packed days before are among the most perishable foods. Although refrigerated, there is a possibility that they…

Canadian government invests to reduce pesticide applications

Today, Jean-Claude Poissant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, on behalf of the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of…

New traceability technology can give consumers peace of mind

While the traceability of retail items in the consumer goods industry has been in place for some time, the industry is now moving to serialised and unique identification at…

16% increase in number of interceptions of harmful organisms in the EU

According to the agricultural organization Asaja Málaga, in 2018, the number of interceptions of harmful organisms in the European Union grew by 15.9% compared to the previous…

10,000 t of peas held up until the facts are verified

England: Employee urinates on the frozen pea line on his last day of work

An employee at a frozen food factory in Hull, England, is suspected of having urinated on the pea production line and of having recorded a video committing the alleged crime.…

No processing facilities were tested

FDA releases results of romaine lettuce sampling assignment in Yuma

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released the results of a sampling assignment that tested romaine lettuce grown in the Yuma, AZ agricultural region for pathogenic…

Dole Fresh Vegetables announces precautionary limited recall of baby spinach

Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a limited number of cases of baby spinach. The products being recalled are 6 oz Dole Baby Spinach bag, Lot code W20308A…

Fyffes release statement on TR4 situation in Latin America

Fyffes released a statement in the form of a Q&A session on its website. In the statement, Fyffes addressed the TR4 situation in Latin America, claiming none of their farms…

Health concerns not addressed

Six US states sue EPA over pesticide

Several states sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday over the agency's decision to allow further use of a pesticide linked to brain damage. California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland and Vermont argued in court documents that chlorpyrifos, a common pesticide, should…

Russia bans Chinese fruit due to contaminated products

Russia will suspend imports of pome and stone fruits from China starting August 10 due to cases of contaminated products’ deliveries. A representative of the country’s veterinary and phytosanitary watchdog Rosselkhodnadzor told reporters on Wednesday the ban will be extended on plums, nectarines,…

Consumer Reports finds listeria on leafy greens sold in major US supermarkets

Recent tests done by Consumer Reports found listeria on six samples of greens randomly purchased at grocery stores. The consumer watchdog tested 284 samples of lettuce, spinach, kale and other leafy greens purchased between June 3 and 19 at grocery chains in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York including…

US food-safety inspectors begin visits to produce farms, packing houses

The 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act calls for inspectors to visit produce farms and packing houses under the act’s Produce Safety Rule. The rule opens the way for inspections, which began in July this year, for farms and orchards making more than $500,000 in annual gross product sales. Smaller farms…

Steaming process effect on carotenoids and folate in sweet pootato roots

Carotenoids and folate are two mandatory supplying micronutrients for children or pregnant women. Inadequate intake of these two nutrients is relevant to a higher mortality of both children and pregnancies. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are still about 250 million preschool…

New Zealand: Northland kiwifruit orchards tested for chemical Hi-Cane

WorkSafe will conduct spot testing of Northland kiwifruit orchards over the use of a toxic chemical.  The chemical spray, known as "Hi-Cane", is legal but locals claim it's not…

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