Food Safety News and Research

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AJMS journal provides research update on new infectious pathogens

Newly recognized disease-causing viruses, bacteria, and other infections are continually emerging around the world, posing difficult challenges for patient diagnosis and treatment and for public health responses. A special symposium section of the September issue of The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (AJMS), official journal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, provides a research update on important new infectious pathogens.

24 Sep 2010

Prescription only baby formula proposal

It has been known and recommended for some time now that breast milk is the best food for a new born. However for mothers who cannot breast feed, this has been a serious issue related to guilt and anguish. The controversy took a new turn as a Melbourne doctor of midwifery called for infant formula to be made available only by prescription. RMIT University expert Dr Jennifer James wants infant formula banned from supermarket shelves.

23 Sep 2010

Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law named regional office for national Public Health Law Network

The Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University has been named a regional office for the national Public Health Law Network, which launches today to provide legal and policy solutions to professionals grappling with complex public health challenges such as food safety, health reform and emergency preparedness.

21 Sep 2010

PositiveID prepares to commence exchange offer to acquire control of DIGA

PositiveID Corporation commented today on Digital Angel Corporation's response to the Company's proposal to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of DIGA through a merger transaction. Prior to the commencement of trading on September 16th, PositiveID made a firm offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of DIGA's common stock at an exchange ratio of .67 shares of PositiveID for each share of DIGA, representing a 60 percent premium to DIGA's average closing price for the 20 trading days ending on September 14th.

18 Sep 2010

China-Biotics files two new patent applications

China-Biotics, Inc., the leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of probiotics products in China, today announced that it has submitted two new patent applications to the State Bureau of Intellect Property.

17 Sep 2010

Canberra restaurants put on notice over hygiene

According to health authorities some of the ‘shabbier’ Canberra restaurants have been put on notice after a court quadrupled the fines imposed on an inner north eatery caught preparing food in “Third World” conditions.

9 Sep 2010

Lactic acid fermentation reduces acrylamide formation during production of potatoes and coffee

A small research-based Norwegian company has developed a method to reduce the formation of the carcinogenic compound acrylamide during industrial production of potatoes and coffee. International food giants are paying attention.

9 Sep 2010

Health reform politics: GOP campaigning against law; Dems have mixed strategy

The Associated Press: "Even if Republicans succeed beyond any current predictions and capture both the Senate and the House, they wouldn't have enough GOP votes to overcome President Barack Obama's veto." But, they could exercise the "congressional power of the purse, denying the administration billions of dollars ... Faced with an opposition Congress 'defunding' his health care plan, would Obama make a stand?

9 Sep 2010

Researchers develop rapid screening test for mycotoxin detection

After close cooperation with researchers at the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (Bioforsk), Norwegian grain dealers are implementing a newly devised computational model and rapid screening tests to improve control of toxins in Norwegian cereals.

8 Sep 2010

Consumers misinterpret low carbohydrate claims to have health benefits: Study

Food manufacturers advertise a variety of foods on grocery store shelves by using nutrient claims on the front of packaging. A study in the September/October issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior evaluates how consumers are interpreting certain carbohydrate-related content claims and the effects of claims on consumer perceptions of food products. Findings from this study reveal that consumers misinterpret low carbohydrate claims to have health benefits and weight loss qualities beyond their nutrition facts.

7 Sep 2010

Food industry, USDA criticized for recent salmonella outbreak, egg recall

USA Today reports that food safety groups are slamming how well U.S. Department of Agriculture regulated the farms implicated in the salmonella outbreak.

4 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 3, 2010

Today's headlines contain reports on a new study showing that employers are shifting the increasing costs of premiums onto workers, efforts to get Congress to weigh in on the controversy about federal funding on stem cell research and the difficulty getting uninsured children enrolled in state Medicaid and CHIP programs.

3 Sep 2010

Egg recall raises questions about FDA

The recent salmonella outbreak/egg recall is raising questions about whether the FDA is fulfilling its regulatory role, PBS' NewsHour reports. "For the past few years, it's been one food safety scare after another. There was E. coli-laced spinach, salmonella-tainted peppers. ... There have also been problems with drugs. The ingredients in a contaminated blood thinner came from China.

3 Sep 2010

Cargill recalls four tons of ground beef products due to E. coli O26 recent outbreak

The recent outbreak of E. coli O26 linked to three illnesses and the recall of four tons of ground beef products produced by Cargill Meat Solutions is the precise reason these pathogens need to be monitored, says Seattle food safety attorney Bill Marler.

30 Aug 2010

New methodologies for protein measurement needed to address adulteration in infant formula and pet food

Recent incidents of adulteration involving infant formula, other milk products and pet food with the industrial chemical melamine revealed the weaknesses of current methods widely used across the domestic and global food industry for determining protein content in foods. The possible utility of alternative existing and emerging methods is the subject of a new paper published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, a peer-reviewed journal of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

27 Aug 2010

Coalition of organizations request FDA to govern antibiotic usage in food animal production

Today a broad coalition of organizations hand-delivered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more than 180,000 letters responding to the agency's request for comments on rules governing the use of antibiotics on industrial farms.

27 Aug 2010

Current egg recall highlights shortcomings in food safety system, sets up call for Senate action in September

Politico: Problems in the nation's response to the current salmonella outbreak and the resulting recall of 600 million eggs is related to the Senate's year-long stall of pending food safety legislation, according to consumer groups and experts. "The House approved its version of the food safety bill in July 2009 — that was more than 60 recalls of Food and Drug Administration regulated products ago, according to a report by the Make Our Food Safe Coalition.

25 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 24, 2010

In today's headlines, a federal court judge blocks the Obama administration's stem cell policy. Meanwhile, state action related to health reform and health policy continues.

24 Aug 2010

Cornell University experts comment on recall of 380 million eggs

Cornell University experts on farm animals and food safety comment on the recall of at least 380 million eggs in the past week due to concerns over salmonella contamination.

21 Aug 2010

New FDA laws on egg safety would have prevented salmonella outbreak, Feds say

The Washington Post: "Salmonella-infected eggs traceable to a large egg producer in Iowa may have caused as many as 1,200 cases of intestinal illness … The eggs went to distribution companies in 17 states, mostly west of the Mississippi River, but were then sold nationwide. ... Many states, as well as egg-producer associations, have voluntary 'egg quality assurance' programs with guidelines similar to those that are now mandatory. … In healthy people, it rarely causes severe illness.

21 Aug 2010