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Some 'pharma' advocates want FDA split into two agencies

Some pharmaceutical industry officials and congressional lawmakers are pushing for splitting FDA into two agencies that would focus separately on food and medical products, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports.

23 Mar 2009

FDA shuts down a flour tortilla manufacturer for repeated violations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Del Rey Tortilleria Inc., Chicago, Ill., its president, and two general managers have entered into a consent decree of permanent injunction that prevents Del Rey Tortilleria from manufacturing and distributing soft-shell flour tortillas until the company obtains FDA approval.

8 Mar 2009

NRL partners with industry to develop compact biosensor for wide-ranging applications

Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) are partnering with industry to develop a sensor system for biomolecules that could make a significant contribution to a variety of fields such as healthcare, veterinary diagnostics, food safety, environmental testing, and national security.

3 Feb 2009

New insights into a avian pathogenic E. coli and its risks to human health

Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University associate research scientist Melha Mellata, a member of professor Roy Curtiss' team, is leading a USDA funded project to develop a vaccine against a leading poultry disease called avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC).

29 Jan 2009

Most Australian food recalls due to 'foreign matter'

While consumers in the U.S. seem to be grappling to deal with an almost continuous parade of food recalls and alerts, Australian consumers will be heartened to hear that since 2000 the number of Australian food recalls has fallen to its lowest level in 8 years.

21 Jan 2009

U.S. patent for NanoLantern diagnostic technology

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) has received a U.S. patent for a diagnostic technology that can rapidly and accurately screen for organisms such as bacteria and other infectious agents.

9 Jan 2009

Intralytix awarded U.S. patent for bacteriophage treatment of colonization by pathogenic bacteria

Intralytix, Inc., announced today that it has been issued a patent by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office covering the use of bacteriophages to reduce the risk of bacterial infection in persons colonized with pathogenic bacteria including MRSA.

10 Dec 2008

New guidelines for tolerable daily intake of melamine

International experts have established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for melamine, the chemical found recently in contaminated milk products. The TDI is the outcome of a meeting organized by WHO held this week in Ottawa, Canada. The TDI is lower than previous TDIs suggested for melamine by some national food safety authorities.

5 Dec 2008

Cholera outbreaks in Zimbabwe

As of 1 December 2008, the Ministry of Health in Zimbabwe has reported a total of 11 735 cholera cases with 484 deaths since August 2008, affecting all provinces in the country. The overall case fatality rate is 4% but has reached up to 20¨C30% in remote areas. Out of the total number of cases, 50% have been reported from Budiriro, a high density suburb of the capital city, Harare.

2 Dec 2008

Health problems associated with mineral oil contamination

From a quantitative standpoint, mineral oil is probably the largest contaminant of our body. That this contaminant can be tolerated without health concerns in humans has not been proven convincingly.

24 Nov 2008

Food scientists study link between pathogens and illness

No food processor wants pathogens contaminating the product in the plant for at least one obvious reason; the product on sale at retail might carry the risk of foodborne illness.

20 Nov 2008

If avian flu hits poultry consumption could decline

If a case of avian flu is discovered in a U.S. poultry flock, it's likely that poultry consumption would decline.

20 Nov 2008

Improper cooking linked to 32 cases of Salmonella in the U.S.

Following another outbreak in the United States of salmonella, Americans have been warned to follow the cooking instruction on the labels of some prepared chicken products.

6 Oct 2008

FDA issues interim safety and risk assessment of Melamine and Melamine-related compounds in food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the results of its interim safety and risk assessment of melamine and melamine-related compounds in food, including infant formula.

5 Oct 2008

Chocolate giant Cadbury latest victim in Chinese poisoned milk scandal

The British chocolate giant Cadbury has become the latest victim in China's poisoned milk scandal - the company has reported finding melamine in its Chinese-made chocolates.

30 Sep 2008

New research puts FDA under pressure over BPA

The results of a new study which has linked a chemical commonly used to make plastic containers, to human diseases, is adding to an already heated debate about he safety of such products.

17 Sep 2008

NAMPA statement regarding JAMA study on bisphenol A

As with any new research regarding potential health effects associated with bisphenol A (BPA), the North American Metal Packaging Alliance, Inc. (NAMPA) takes seriously the findings of this latest study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

16 Sep 2008

U.S. spinach and lettuce to be irradiated to stop outbreaks of foodborne bacteria

Following an increasing number of outbreaks of foodborne illnesses over the last few years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States is about to allow food producers to irradiate spinach and iceberg lettuce to kill foodborne bacteria.

25 Aug 2008

New antimicrobial coatings from single-walled carbon nanotubes and lysozyme

A team of researchers in Auburn University's Samuel Ginn College of Engineering has produced new antimicrobial coatings with potential to prevent diseases from spreading on contaminated surfaces - possibly solving a growing problem not only in hospitals but also in schools, offices, airplanes and elsewhere.

9 Jul 2008

FDA food protection plan shows improvements

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Food Protection Plan Progress Report, released today in conjunction with the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety Action Plan Update, shows significant areas of activity to further improve the safety of America's food supply since unveiling its Food Protection Plan in November 2007.

2 Jul 2008