US berry and avocado grower speaks at GLOBALG.A.P. SUMMIT 2018

Naturipe’s Director of Food Safety and Social Responsibility Donna Lynn Browne, spoke on several panels at GLOBALG.A.P. SUMMIT 2018 in Lima, Peru. “The GLOBALG.A.P. SUMMIT introduces opportunities to educate our industry,” says Donna Lynn Browne, Director of Food Safety and social responsibility. “We are at the…

Twin cities - Minneapolis and Saint Paul situation

Romaine recall still troublesome for US restaurants

Romaine lettuce is slowly making its way back to the salad bar, but that doesn’t mean business is back to normal quite yet for Twin Cities salad restaurants and grocers. Nearly two weeks after a nationwide recall of romaine lettuce due to an E. coli outbreak, the FDA says most romaine is safe to eat, as long as…

Punjab Food Safety dept tells traders: No stickers on fruits or vegetables

The Punjab Food Safety department has asked traders not to paste stickers on fruit and vegetables, as these can pose health hazards to consumers. The Food Safety Teams have…

Listeria finding prompts nationwide recall of kale salad in Canada

Eat Smart kale salad kits are under recall in Canada. Government sample testing returned positive results for Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Canadian officials did not report how may pounds or packages of the kale salad mixes are subject to the recall. The CFIA notice says retailers nationwide received the implicated…

USDA GAIN report

Japan holds US romaine lettuce in ports

On November 22 2018, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) notified Japanese ports to hold imports of U.S. romaine lettuce until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notify the public of a change in the regulatory status of romaine…

Blockchain and what it has to do with Romaine Lettuce and food safety

Blockchain is the technology and approach that allows people to share a database, which is duplicated across a network of many, many, many computers and other devices. This is…

US: Yuma growers adopt safety labels for romaine lettuce

In the US, romaine lettuce is being tagged with new consumer-protection labels to help reassure people that it is safe to eat after a nationwide E. coli outbreak. Lettuce…

South African court close to certifying 'class action' listeriosis outbreak

Prominent South African trial attorney Richard Spoor is close to having a judge certifying as a class people who can sue Tiger Brands over the largest listeriosis outbreak in…

US lettuce producers agree on transparency

Lettuce producers are preparing a label change, according to the Wall Street Journal . Dole Fresh Vegetables, Taylor Farms, and Fresh Express, among others, sent a letter to the FDA…

FDA: "Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine lettuce safe"

Romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak narrowed down to California

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) having narrowed down the origin of contaminated romaine lettuce, experts urge consumers to be vigilant in determining…

Romaine lettuce industry grapples with fallout from illnesses

CDC update on E.coli outbreak US

US growers and suppliers are just beginning to grapple with the fallout from an E. coli outbreak related to romaine lettuce that has sickened 32 people in 11 states. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…

Canadian test kit promises to identify E. coli-contaminated lettuce

A new rapid testing kit developed at Western University in London, Ontario, can detect E. coli in romaine lettuce long before shipments hit grocery shelves. The Public Health Agency of Canada has warned against eating romaine lettuce because of an E. coli outbreak, forcing retailers to pull supplies from their stores. Researchers said…

Less plastic, more pre-cut produce?

Supermarkets are currently eliminating -or trying to eliminate- plastic bags, but their produce sections are overflowing with disposable clamshell cases, Styrofoam trays and…

Canadian and US agencies

No common source of contamination identified so far in E. coli cases

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is collaborating with provincial public health partners, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, as well as the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Food and Drug Administration. The aim is to investigate an outbreak…

Another needle found inside supermarket fruit

Strawberry saga continues

The strawberry contamination saga that rocked Australia in September is still not over, after a needle was found inside fruit purchased from a supermarket on Saturday. The needle was discovered in a strawberry punnet…

India: DuPont held responsible for pesticide residue in grapes

The Nashik District Consumer Complaints and Redressal Forum has held a pesticides company responsible for the rejection of Indian grapes in the international market because of…

New E. coli cases linked to 2017 outbreak

North Texas stores still selling romaine, despite CDC warning

Some grocery stores have not yet stopped selling the romaine lettuce the CDC issued a warning about. The CDC does not yet know the origin of the contaminated romaine lettuce, it says, that sickened 32 people in 11 states. On Tuesday, we learned of this new outbreak that has infected 32 people in the United States and…

Australian strawberry needle case: Accused granted bail

The DNA found on a needle in a strawberry punnet is extremely likely to belong to Queensland farm supervisor My Ut Trinh, prosecutors have told a Brisbane court. Ms Trinh was arrested earlier this month after a major police investigation into how needles came to be placed in strawberries that were shipped around the…

Russia: Quarantine pest found in fresh fruit from China

Specialists of the plant quarantine supervision department at the state border of the Russian Federation discovered a quarantine object (Mulberry scale) in seven batches of…

Zambia street vending ban problematic for farmers

The Zambian government has banned the selling of produce on the streets due to a cholera outbreak. This is despite the fact that the capital, Lusaka, was home to perhaps more than 10,000 street vendors. Now, farmers say they struggle to sell their crops. Zambian farmer Mumba: “Business has been slow. We are all…

Potentially contamination with Listeria

Pictsweet Farms Steam'ables Asparagus recall

The Pictsweet Company has announced a recall of 1,872 cases of Pictsweet Farms 8-ounce Steam'ables Asparagus Spears because they are potentially contaminated with Listeria. The recall affects only the Pictsweet Farms 8-ounce Steam'ables Asparagus Spears identified by UPC code 0 70560 97799 9 with production codes beginning…

For vegetables and fruits

Togo to spend CFA478 million to boost its phytosanitary control and certification system

In Lomé, Togo’s minister of agriculture, Ouro-Koura Agadazi, officially launched a project to improve the system for phytosanitary control and certification of fruits and…

Australian biosecurity risks minimised with new x-ray unit

At Melbourne International Airport a 3D x-ray unit that will help detect biosecurity risks faster and more effectively has been installed. It should help minimise the risk of…

Recall at Aldi Nord: Asparagus could contain glass splinters

Aldi Nord supplier “MERKUR Aussenhandel” is recalling “King’s Crown Asparagus Sections” in the 314 ml jars. The best before date is 30.06.2021 and the products have batch…

Australia: Farm worker put needles in strawberries over workplace grievance

This Monday, a former strawberry farm supervisor was accused in court of retaliating over a workplace grievance by putting needles into the fruit. The woman’s actions sparked…

South African fruit and veg found in Gauteng province could be dangerous

Apples, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, peaches, pears, plums, spinach, strawberries, table grapes and tomatoes found at produce markets in the South African province of Gauteng…

Possibly mixed up with jimsonweed leaves

Bulgaria: Food safety agency recalls bagged spinach

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) has issued a recall for a spinach product on suspicion that it might be mixed with jimsonweed leaves. The agency did some urgent checks after receiving…

US industry statement:

"Arizona leafy green industry has gone to ‘unprecedented lengths’ following E.coli outbreak"

Arizona’s leafy green industry is responding to the recent report by the FDA, issuing the following statement on November 2: “During the seven months it has taken the U.S. Food & Drug…

Jordan: Safety concerns as Syrian produce floods market

Since Syrian fruits and vegetables started to flood the local market following the reopening of the Jordanian-Syrian borders last month, consumers have expressed concern over the safety of food imported from the war-torn country. The shiny red Zabadani apples and the yellow-hued Syrian pears can now be found in…

US: Food and Drug Administration to beef up mandatory food recalls

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced plans to make greater use of its mandatory recall authority. The goal would be to quickly remove unsafe food from the shelves.…

Dead end for police investigation into Auckland strawberry scare

New Zealand: 'All avenues exhausted'

The hunt for the person -or persons- putting needles into strawberries in an Auckland supermarket has proved fruitless. Police launched an inquiry in September when the…

Southwest US: Lettuce growers face more test measures

Lettuce growers in the desert valleys of the US Southwest will face more federal scrutiny during the winter growing season. The aim is to prevent the type of contamination…

Western Canada: Five more salmonella cases linked to long English cucumbers

A salmonella outbreak that has stricken 42 people in British Columbia since mid-June has been linked to long English cucumbers, according to the Public Health Agency of…

FDA’s Weekly Enforcement Report:

"McCain officials ignored signs of Salmonella, Listeria contamination"

For more than 2 1/2 years, management at the Colton, California facility of McCain Foods USA ignored positive test results for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella , apparently choosing to ship the potentially contaminated fruit and vegetable products without conducting confirmation tests. This pattern of behavior was…

Singapore reaches top of Global Food Safety List

The Economist Intelligence Unit recently announced the "Global Food Safety Index". It ranks the food safety level of 113 countries based on an investigation of food origin, product quality, and safety. Singapore moved from fourth place to the top of the list. This announcement explained that this…

Penn State research:

US farmers markets’ food safety inadequate - E. coli and Listeria abound

Penn State researchers, after completing the final phase of an innovative five-year study, have concluded that many vendors at farmers markets take inadequate precautions to…

Canadian Food Inspection Agency:

Canada herb brand Culantro recalled due to Salmonella

Canada Herb is recalling Canada Herb brand Culantro from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. Individuals should not consume the recalled product…

US (AZ): Leafy greens industry "ready for a safe and successful harvest season"

During the seven months it has taken the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Center for Disease Control to analyze and complete its final investigative report on last spring's E.coli outbreak, Yuma's agriculture community has worked to ensure the safety of its produce. "Even before the FDA showed up on the ground…

US: FDA announces measures to prevent future E. coli outbreaks

Earlier this year, the US experienced the largest E. coli O157:H7 outbreak the country has seen in the last decade, leaving hundreds sick and claiming the lives of five people…

Import risk analysis for US-apples commences

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) has formally commenced an import risk analysis for apples from the Pacific Northwest States (Oregon, Idaho and…

Saudis select 30 Indian labs that may approve produce for import

From November 2018 onwards, exporters of fruits and vegetables from all over India need to obtain approval to import their produce from 30 labs, accredited by the Saudi Food…

Food and Drug Administration helps farmers address produce safety

As agricultural regulations for produce growing become more rigid, the FDA is seeking out ways to educate produce growers at the commercial and local level. Local produce…

Avocado implicated in food protein-induced Enterocolitis Syndrome cases

According to results of a recent study, the prevalence of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) due to avocado consumption appears to be higher than previously…

Perth strawberry grower bounces back after needle crisis

Australian strawberry growers, injured by the needle crisis, are getting back on their feet. In part, this is due to the positive response from supermarkets. Minh Tran, of Neerabup, is one of eight growers who supplies to WA’s Farmer Jack’s stores that benefited from the supermarket’s pledge to return its profits to…

Onion content possibly contaminated with salmonella and listeria

US: Millions of pounds of meat and poultry taquitos recalled

A Texas company announced the recall of more than two million pounds of meat and poultry taquitos, as these may have been contaminated with salmonella and listeria. The recall was announced…

Healthy Powerfood GbR.:

Five sprout varieties recalled because of E.Coli

For reasons of consumer protection, Healthy Powerfood Gbr. is recalling a total of 5 varieties of sprouts with a shelf life up to and including 29.10.2018. it concerns the…

McCain food security breach spreads throughout US

A recall of pre-made salads and ready meals by McCain Foods in the US has snowballed to involve more than 24 chain stores and 13 food companies – including Wal-Mart, Whole…

“It’s not enough to just meet the mandatory guidelines"

Completely combating recalls and contaminations might seem like a hopeless task, but much can definitely still be gained in the field of risk limitation. “It’s not enough to just meet the mandatory guidelines. Continuing to observe the regulations regarding technical aspects of management (HACCP) is…

Crucial to find contaminations early in the process

With the rising number of recalls and contaminations, food safety is becoming an ever more important theme. Companies choose to do tests early in the process more and more often, to limit risks. “You can intervene much earlier, and this trend is now also breaking through in the food sector,” says Leo van…

Lithuanian food watchdog receives four complaints over needles in food

This week, Lithuania's State Food and Veterinary Service has received four complaints on needles found in foodstuffs. Three complaints were related to needles found in…

Australia: Needles in strawberries new case reported

Another case has been reported of a needle being embedded in a piece of fruit. The latest incident happened in Melbourne, when a 9-year old discovered a needle in her…

'Sentinel Wrap'

Canada: Smart packaging can reduce food safety incidents

For the last 30 years, the packaging industry has been promising to come up with packaging that would flag foods and beverages that contained harmful bacteria or contaminants.…

US: Corn, diced onions and vegetables cited in dual contamination recalls

Envolve Foods in Corona, California is recalling approximately 292,764 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken and beef products containing a vegetable ingredient that may be…

New steps to help produce farmers, processors more effectively comply with food safety requirements

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb releases statement

"Fruits and vegetables are a key part of a healthy diet. But because of the way produce is grown, handled and consumed – often raw – it can become contaminated with foodborne…

Potential Salmonella/Listeria contamination

US salad recall includes Whole Foods 365 brand

A California-based grocery chain is recalling almost half a ton of ready-to-eat salads, including the 365 brand sold by Whole Foods, because they contain corn from a third-party supplier that is under recall for potential contamination from Salmonella and Listeria bacteria. GH Foods CA LLC of Sacramento initiated the…

Kuwait: Halting food imports from Iraq over cholera fears

Kuwait has halted all foodstuff imports from Iraq, after reports of cholera in Basra and other parts of the country seemed to come more frequently. The Iraqi ambassador to Kuwait has filed…

US: Trader Joe’s salads & Mary’s Harvest wraps recalled

Mary’s Harvest Fresh Foods Inc. is recalling its branded wrap sandwiches and Trader Joe’s brand salads because they include corn from a third-party supplier that might be contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Several other companies have posted recalls this week citing a potentially contaminated corn…

Kazakhstan bans import of 20 tons of Kyrgyzstan grapes

From October 10 to 12, quarantine inspectors of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan have foiled 29 attempts to illegally send 165.5 tons of products of a high…

Queensland police scale back Australian strawberry investigations

“A lead investigator is coordinating the ongoing QPS investigation with the support of a number of officers attached to the Drug and Serious Crime Group within State Crime Command,” the QPS said in a statement. Which means the investigations have been scaled back to quite an extent. The Queensland Police Service remains…

Austrian Hepatitis 'A' cases match strains of Swedish outbreak

Austria has become part of a multi-country Hepatitis A outbreak with 31 confirmed cases linked to frozen strawberries imported from Poland. The Austrian outbreak of hepatitis A virus…

Health citations in Houston restaurants: “Roaches in bags of onions”

As Health Inspectors found food debris and improperly stored food at several other restaurants during an inspection tour from October 8 to 15, at least two Houston restaurants…

Risk of Listeria and Salmonella

Prime Deli Corp. recalls 7-Eleven salads

Prime Deli Corp. of Lewisville, Texas, which prepares food for 7-Eleven stores, is recalling more than 200 pounds of ready-to-eat salads because of potential contamination with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Prime Deli produced the salads on October 13th. The salads have the “best-by” date of Oct.…

US: FDA investigates more Cyclospora outbreaks

Although Cyclospora outbreaks in the US happen less frequently than those caused by typical pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria, the recent salad mix outbreaks…

South Goa district

India: Artificially colored green peas sold in Margao market

Even as the government has proposed to form a South Goa branch of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to counter the use of formalin in fish, vegetables and legumes, some Margao residents are finding green peas mixed with a coloring agent sold in the market. According to three residents from the city of Margao,…

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report

US: New numbers on foodborne illness outbreaks

In 2016, 839 foodborne disease outbreaks were reported to CDC, according to a recently released annual summary from the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS). The data come from reports that state, local, and territorial public health agencies submitted to the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance…

New study:

Africa: Irrigating vegetables with wastewater may spread disease

Urban farmers growing vegetables to feed the millions of people in Africa's ever-growing cities could unwittingly be helping to spread disease by irrigating crops with wastewater, a new study reveals. Experts discovered that wastewater collected from canals used for urban agriculture in Burkina Faso was rich in…

Traders claim it's a hoax

Malaysia: Viral message warns of needle found in banana in Penang

A text message about a needle that was allegedly found in a banana in Penang has gone viral. The WhatsApp message, made by a woman speaking in the Hokkien dialect, warned…

Australian rockmelon listeria investigation:

'Outbreak that killed seven was largely caused by dust storms'

An investigation into a series of deaths linked to listeria on rockmelons has concluded the contaminated fruit came from a single farm in New South Wales, and the outbreak was largely caused by the weather. Between January 16 and April 10 of this year, 22 cases of listeriosis occurred across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland…

NAFDAC Nigeria warns:

“Consumption of rotten tomatoes causes cancer”

This weekend, the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), warned its countrymen against the consumption of rotten tomatoes, claiming…

Michel Witmer:

“I’m surprised by the number of recalls”

Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, incorrect labels: in recent months, the number of recalls has been considerably higher than in previous years. Michel Witmer of Groen Agro Control is surprised by this. “How is it possible these things still happen?” he wonders. As a product manager of food, he sees a…

Lessons learnt after deadly E. Coli outbreak

California growers change safety practices

A group that oversees food safety programs for big California lettuce growers has changed its protocols in the wake of an E. coli outbreak last spring which caused five deaths…

Latin-American, Caribbean, USDA experts discuss future of food safety

Food Safety News reported on a meeting of experts from 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries, discussing food safety ahead of the upcoming Codex Alimentarius meetings. Mary Frances Lowe, manager for Codex Alimentarius at the USDA said countries need to participate to achieve future collaboration, ensure integrated decision-making…

Official bodies ensuring that recalled lettuce not allowed back in Malaysia

Malaysia will monitor all checkpoints to ensure exported vegetables pulled off the shelves in Singapore are not allowed back into the local market. The Agriculture and…

Possible Listeria contamination

Sobeys packaged vegetable products recalled

Various Sobeys brand packaged vegetables products are being recalled in the Maritimes due to possible Listeria contamination. The Canadian Food and Inspection Agency says the recall includes 19 different Sobeys vegetable products sold in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The agency says the products…

Chemical residue warning on fruit and vegetables Thailand

A medical researcher at a leading Thai university has warned that some fruit and vegetables in Thailand contain high levels of pesticides. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives have singled out six items containing high levels of chemical residue. The Ministry of Health and the…

Singapore recalls Malaysian iceberg lettuce over pesticide content

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has issued a recall for iceberg lettuce after it detected high levels of pesticide in the vegetable imported from a Malaysian farm. In a press release on October 4, the AVA said that the product is imported by Go Fresh Impex, and is sold at NTUC…

'Fruzio premium mixed berries'

Frozen berries recalled because of foreign matter, says New Zealand Ministry

A brand of frozen mixed berries has been recalled because of "foreign matter", namely metal, found in the product. The Ministry for Primary Industries said Nelson-based FSL…

Fresh Produce Safety Conference

Listeria in fresh produce: Are we any the wiser?

‘The role of food safety staff must go beyond compliance and keeping the regulatory guys happy,’ said Suresh DeCosta, Director of Food Safety, Lipman Family Farms (USA) and…

Food safety conference delivers key learnings to the fresh produce industry

The theme of this year’s Fresh Produce Safety Conference, hosted by the Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia & New Zealand in Sydney last week was ‘Food Safety: It’s Your…

Listeria fears

Spinach recalled from Lidl, Aldi, Dunnes Stores, Tesco and Supervalu

Spinach is being recalled from Lidl, Aldi, Dunnes Stores, Tesco and Supervalu over listeria fears. A recall was announced this morning urging customers who purchased the affected products to return them to the store. The affected products were on shelves in Lidl, Aldi, Dunnes Stores, Tesco and Supervalu. Retailers are advising customers to…

Twiga Foods

New Kenyan initiative: Fruits & vegetables to be tested for pesticides

A local, Kenyan food company has launched a Sh23 million (€197.000) initiative to test fruits and vegetables sourced from farmers for pesticide residues in an attempt to…

Fighting against strawberry needle crisis

Aussie brewers turning strawberries into beer

More than 100 cases of fruit contamination have been reported with incidents of needles and other objects being found in strawberries across Australia. But now, Australian…

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