Sicural develops quick Covid-19 test for surfaces and processing lines

Sicural has developed a molecular biology test to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (which causes Covid-19) for environmental samples. These tests are important to detect the presence of the virus on work surfaces in order to monitor and assess the effectiveness of sanitation processes. Companies can…

New process allows remote food safety audits for leafy greens farms

Mandatory government food safety audits of leafy greens farms under the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement are continuing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Western Growers and the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement announced the availability of a new process developed through a…

US: FDA report provides clues to prevent future outbreaks

California leafy greens growers are pledging to incorporate findings from a report issued today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) into its ongoing process to…

Hydrogen Peroxide vapour technology gains global acceptance for food preservation

ChillSafe® is a simple to use sachet that produces a low dose hydrogen peroxide vapour to treat spaces where food is packaged, stored or transported for safer, longer lasting produce. Fifteen years of development, university and government research combined with HACCP and Organic certifications, has…

EU to impose stricter measures on Kenyan beans

The European Union will impose stricter measures on Kenyan beans starting May 26, tightening its checks on residue levels, raising the price and threatening access if the…

Trinidad & Tobago: Health Ministry warns of contaminated ginger

Citizens of Trinidad and Tobago are being warned of contaminated ginger being sold in local markets. In a statement issued May 10, 2020, the Ministry of Health said it has…

Stricter controls on Turkish citrus imported into the EU

The European Commission (EC) has included Turkish citrus fruits in the list of foods from third countries that will be subject to stricter temporary controls on entry to the European Union. This decision has been made after pesticide residues were detected in various batches of oranges, mandarins,…

EVFTA poses challenges to Vietnamese agricultural products

Since the EVTFA was approved, experts have been analysing the opportunities for Vietnam to penetrate deeper into the high-value foreign markets. However, the implementation of…

Mikhail Abramov

Weekly Report: 'US is failing basic food safety’

Attempts to reduce food poisoning are failing as the US incidence of foodborne illnesses continues to increase. Infections from five of eight pathogens tracked by the CDC are on the rise. Initial analysis of data comparing the period from 2016-2018 with numbers for 2019 (see table below) shows that the…

Finnish Customs blocks 100 tons of Israeli oranges due to pesticide levels

Finnish Customs has -so, far this year- rejected about 104,000 kg of oranges imported from Israel due to the discovered presence of bromopropylate, a pesticide banned in the…

Hanoi Irradiation Centre allowed to irradiate fruits for export to Australia

Mango, longan and lychee exporters have received a boost now that a facility in Hanoi has been given the all clear to irradiate products before they are shipped to Australia.…

Bulgaria: Food Safety Agency bans almost 25 tons of imported vegetables

The Bulgarian Food Safety Authority (BFSA) has identified and banned 24,478 kg of imported vegetables from third countries over excessive pesticide residues, said the Agency’s…

Don't waste any time protecting your IP rights in the international market

Australian growers and producers are being encouraged to register any new Intellectual Property (IP) and trademarks as quickly as possible, before entering international markets. David Bennett, Councillor (Intellectual Property) at the Australian Embassy in Beijing, provides advice for growers entering…

Pesticide usage in New Zealand below Compliance Safety Guidance

A survey released today confirms that the Kiwi diet is safe and that any pesticide residues on food are extremely low, far below recommended safety levels. The Ministry for Primary Industries released results of the Food Residues Survey Programme which tests for residues in plant-based foods. The survey…

New coating prevents bacterial cross-contamination in fresh produce

Over the course of their journey from the open fields to the produce displays at grocery stores, fresh vegetables and fruits can sometimes become contaminated by microorganisms. These items can then spoil other produce, spreading the contamination further and increasing the number of food items that can…

Freshcare's Quality Standard opening up global opportunities for growers after benchmarking

The recognition of Freshcare's certification program by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) reflects global best practice in food safety management and provides Australian growers and packers with better access to international markets, according to the team co-ordinating Australia's on-farm food…

EU audits US controls to ensure safety of non-animal origin food

European officials have evaluated the way the United States controls microbiological contamination in food of non-animal origin that is destined for Europe. The review by DG…

H&C Food Inc. recalls enoki mushrooms due to possible Listeria contamination

H&C Food Inc. of Brooklyn, NY is recalling 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms imported from Green Co. located in Korea, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled 7.05OZ (200G) Enoki mushrooms was distributed to NY, MD and VA areas through Great Wall Supermarket between…

"We are far too ready to throw foods away because we go by the use-by date"

Food can be eaten for up to six months after the best-before date and weeks beyond its use-by date, according to consumer watchdogs. The research also found that ignoring some…

Pesticide residues in food: track trends with EFSA's browsable charts

EFSA has published its annual report on pesticide residues found in food in the European Union. The report is based on data from the official national control activities carried out by EU Member States, Iceland and Norway and includes both targeted and random sampling. A total of 91,015 samples were…

Thailand recognizes that sanitary standards remain vital for fruit exports

Thai fruit exporters have urged growers and business operators to ensure high sanitary standards to protect the industry from effects of the pandemic. Despite the crisis…

North Queensland's unemployed urged to consider farm work to address the labour shortage

A North Queensland Federal Member of Parliament is concerned that a critical proportion of Australia’s fresh produce supply is at risk unless due to a shortage of fruit picking jobs in his region. Independent Kennedy MP, Bob Katter says his office has been contacted by concerned farmers and…

Kazakhstan: 175 tons of plant products from Russia and Vietnam not allowed into the country

Phytosanitary control state inspectors have turned away 175 tons of plant products from Russia and Vietnam, the Kazakh Agriculture Ministry’s press service reports. Since February 24 to March 3, 2020 the state inspectors of Atyrau, Almaty, East Kazakhstan, West Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Mangistau regions curbed illicit import…

EWG calls for consumer and farmworker protection from pathogens and pesticides

EWG calls on the members of the board of directors of the agribusiness front group Alliance for Food and Farming as well as the entire industry to step up and do a much better…

Kenyan retailers to face stricter pesticide residue regulations

Starting on May 1, supermarkets will be required to comply with new regulations that require them to ensure fresh produce, which they buy is tested for higher pesticide…

California company recalls enoki mushrooms due to possible Listeria contamination

Guan’s Mushroom Co of Commerce, CA, is recalling all cases of its 200g/7.05 ounce packages of Enoki Mushroom (product of Korea) because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products were distributed from CA, NY, and PA, in retail stores through produce distributors…

Series of salad recalls in Australia due to Salmonella

In Western Australia, a number of salad products have been recalled because of Salmonella contamination. These recalls involve the Loose Leaf Lettuce Co., Supreme Salads, Fresh Frontier and Quality Produce International. There have been no reports of illness associated with the products. The Loose Leaf…

Australian and New Zealand governments strengthen COVID-19 response

Australia and New Zealand have significantly stepped up measures to try and contain the rapid spread of the global Coronavirus pandemic. Australia has enforced new Stage 1 restrictions on social gatherings, with the closures of non-essential services, such as restaurants, bars, cafes, gyms and libraries…

Australian rock melon growers get best practice guide regarding food safety

Australian melon growers have been given an extra resource to help ensure the safety of their products as the NSW Department of Primary Industries has released a best practice…

Number of people infected with E.coli O103 rises to 39

The FDA identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O103 in samples of Chicago Indoor Garden products that contain sprouts. On March 16, 2020, Chicago Indoor Garden recalled all products containing red clover sprouts. FDA’s traceback investigation has shown that a common seed lot was used to grow the sprouts…

Aptar presents anti-pathogenic food packaging solution

US-based Aptar Food and Beverage, a part of AptarGroup, has unveiled an anti-pathogenic packaging solution to protect fresh cut produce. The InvisiShield platform can be…

Canada: Sobeys recalls vegetable mix due to possible salmonella contamination

Sobeys Inc. has recalled Sobeys and Foodland brand Asian Vegetable Mix due to possible salmonella contamination. Ctvnews.ca reported that, according to a notice from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the recall affects products with an expiration date of March 15 that were distributed in…

Chicago Indoor Garden recalls all products containing Red Clover sprouts

Due to an abundance of caution, Chicago Indoor Garden is issuing a voluntary recall of all products that contain Red Clover sprouts per recommendation by the FDA. The recall includes the following products: Red Clover 4oz. clamshell Red Clover 2lb. boxes Sprouts Salad 6oz. clamshell Mixed Greens 4oz. clamshell…

"There are good reasons to package produce"

Now more than ever we are reminded of the importance of food security. All around the globe consumers are preparing for the threat of the Corona virus and in many places panic purchases have ensued. A picture that can be seen in many places are empty shelves in fruit and vegetable sections of…

Ghana: Taskforce to ensure food safety inaugurated

A Food Safety and Certification Taskforce to ensure food security in Ghana has been inaugurated in Accra. The initiative was set up under the auspices of HortiFresh, a programme supported by the Netherlands Embassy, that is aimed at developing strategies and activities to address current and emerging…

Frozen blackberries and berry medley recalled

WinCo Foods, LLC. of Boise, ID is recalling frozen Blackberries in a 16 oz. bag and frozen Berry Medley in 16 oz. and 32 oz. bags, manufactured by Rader Farms of Lynden, WA, because both products have the potential to be contaminated with Norovirus. WinCo Foods has removed the recalled products from…

US: Listeria fatalities reportedly traced to imported Korean mushrooms

Four people are dead and at least 36 people across 17 US states have been sickened in a three-year Listeria outbreak linked to mushrooms imported from Korea. The virulent strain has hospitalized at least 30 of the patients. In the outbreak announcement, the FDA reported that Sun Hong Foods Inc. has…

Recall on enoki mushrooms due to possible listeria contamination

Sun Hong Foods, Inc 1105 W Olympic Blvd, Montebello, CA 90640 is recalling All Cases Enoki Mushroom (Product of Korea) Net Wt 7.05/200g because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. The product was distributed…

DPR takes action on Santa Barbara county grower

The US Department of Pesticide Regulation has fined a small Central Coast grower $15,000, destroyed four tons of fruit, and shutdown the grower’s production for three months.…

More than 20 tons of illegally-shipped fruit seized and destroyed

Cincinnati officials have confiscated and destroyed 4,248 pounds of Strophanthus fruit in the past two months. Fresh fruit flying into the US has to have specific documentation; there was no paperwork with these shipments. The fruit is regulated because it might introduce foreign pests and diseases.…

Northern Italy goes into "lock down" but fresh produce sector continues with caution

After the 5000 cases of contagion, in Italy the Lombardy region and 14 other provinces (Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano Cusio Ossola, Vercelli, Padua, Treviso and Venice) were put in the red zone for the Coronavirus alarm. The…

Maltese to help set up phytosanitary labs in Ghana

Yofi Grant is the Chief executive officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPC). He recently hinted of plans to establish phytosanitary lab in Ghana, aided by…

Catalytic Generators supports PMA's Gold Circle food safety campaign

Catalytic Generators is reinforcing their commitment to food safety through the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Gold Circle Campaign for Food Safety.  By participating in the…

UK survey shows slight rise in concern about British food safety

The concern of consumers about food safety in the United Kingdom has gone up based on results of a survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Findings from late last year show that 45 percent of respondents had concern about food safety in U.K. restaurants, pubs, cafes and takeaways and 40 percent were concerned about…

New method for defence against noroviruses on fruit & veg

A research team led by Prof. Dr. Barbara Becker at the Technical University of East Westphalia-Lippe in Lemgo has been working on an innovative possibility: As part of a project funded by the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (IGF), the team investigated whether and to what extent noroviruses…