Wildlife Products- Paper highlights zoonotic risks associated with illegally imported wildlife products
13 Jan. 2012
Plosone.org [edited] [CAHFS-DailyNews]
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0029505
A new study details the findings of a pilot project to establish surveillance methodology for zoonotic agents in confiscated wildlife products (focusing on the illegal bushmeat trade). Products illegally trafficked included animal parts from baboons, chimpanzees, mangabeys, guenons, green monkeys, and cane rats. The samples were tested for a host of zoonotic risks including leptospirosis, anthrax, filoviruses, etc.

China to ban antibiotics as growth promoters
13 Sept. 2011
Wattagnet [edited]
http://www.wattagnet.com/China_to_ban_antibiotics_as_growth_promoters.html
China's Ministry of Agriculture has announced a forthcoming ban on antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed. It is estimated that today China produces 400,000 tons of antibiotics annually. The ban is supported by the academic community, which believes that without antibiotics in animal feed, the health of animals will be better promoted, microbes' resistance to antibiotics will be lowered and food will become safer to eat. Statistics show that in 2006, China produced 210,000 tons of antibiotics, and 97,000 tons were added to animal feed.

Broad-based Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue Proposes Tighter Controls of Antimicrobial Use on the Farm
June 29, 2011
CSPI
Last week in Brussels, Belgium, consumer organizations representing both American and European consumers approved a resolution calling on governments to reduce their use of antimicrobials in farm animals to ensure the continued effectiveness of those drugs for treating human illnesses. The resolution urged governments to ban the use of antimicrobials for non-therapeutic purposes in food-producing animals and to adopt policies requiring veterinarians to determine when the use of the drugs is needed.
The resolution states that a number of factors contribute to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, including the use of antibiotics in human medicine and its excessive use in animal husbandry. It states, “With regard to animal farming, antimicrobials are not just used to cure infections, but also routinely added to livestock feed and/or water to prevent infections in healthy animals and as growth promoters.” The Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) is a forum for consumer organizations in the United States and Europe to develop consumer policy recommendations on important food and trade issues. The 12th Annual Meeting of the organization was held in Brussels on June 21, 2011. Ensuring the safety of food was a priority area discussed at the meeting. Caroline Smith DeWaal, the Director of Food Safety for the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and the Co-Chair of the TACD Food Policy Committee, discussed the resolution at a plenary session with Commissioner John Dalli, the European Commissioner of Health and Consumer Affairs. “The recent outbreak of foodborne illnesses in Germany illustrated the enormous challenge of food safety. That tragedy is a reminder that the biological world does not stand still or wait for sensible new policies to be adopted.” DeWaal said. “It is constantly moving, and governments must develop policies that anticipate problems before they erupt into major outbreaks.”
The resolution on the use of antimicrobials adopted by TACD follows the recommendations issued during World Health Day 2011 by the World Health Organization (WHO), which called for governments to reduce the need for antimicrobial use on the farm through better policies and animal husbandry practices. The TACD resolution urged that the use in animals of drugs that are critically important to human medicine be significantly reduced or eliminated, along with a total ban on the non-therapeutic use of antimicrobials in animal and food production. In addition, the resolution calls on governments to create and fund systems to monitor the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals. National surveillance systems should operate farm-to-table and integrate the findings of public health, veterinary, and food safety laboratories.
Also discussing food policy challenges related to food safety was Sue Davies, the Chief Policy Adviser for Which? (a consumer advocacy organization based in the United Kingdom) and the EU Co-Chair of the TACD Food Policy Committee. Davies remarked, “[it is] a critical time for food policy as many issues are coming together and need to be tackled effectively to ensure that consumers can make healthy and safe food choices – whether that’s expectations of quality, origin, or the ability to act on ethical or other concerns.” She also mentioned the significance of the recent E. coli outbreak in Germany in highlighting how food safety must be addressed. She stated that governments need to be alert to new and emerging risks, especially in the face of an increasingly complex and globalized food supply chain.
http://cspinet.org/new/201106291.html


China- 14 people jailed in tainted milk case
30 April 2011
New Zealand Herald News [edited] [BITES]
Chinese courts have sentenced 14 people to prison terms (up to life in prison) for producing or selling melamine-tainted milk powder. The sentences imposed on Friday underscore China's struggle to stop sales of tainted food despite repeated crackdowns.

S. Korea- Emergency Inspections of Milk
29 April 2011
Xinhuanet.com [edited] [CAHFS-DailyNews]
South Korea has decided to conduct emergency inspections of milk sold in the market by four major dairy companies to check for formalin (a liquid form of formaldehyde), according to the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS). Formalin was largely used in the past as a disinfectant and bactericide for preservation of biological specimens, but its use has decreased over the years due to health concerns.


FDA Screening of Imported Food from Japan
21 April 2011
FDA.gov [edited] [CAHFS-DailyNews]
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is processing all food products from Japan in four categories:
Category 1: consists of products that the Government of Japan has restricted for sale or export. Authorities will prevent these products from entering the U.S. These products cannot gain entry by providing sample results. As of April 20, 2011, these include:
- Spinach, lettuce, celery, cress, endive, escarole, chard, collards, and other head-type leafy vegetables from the Fukushima Prefecture. - Turnips and other non-head type leafy vegetables, as well as broccoli, cauliflower, flower head brassicas (i.e. broccoli and cauliflower), and mushrooms from the Fukushima Prefecture. - Milk from the Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures. - Spinach and kakina from the Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures.
Category 2: consists of products from the Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba or Saitama Prefectures that the Government of Japan has not currently banned for sale or export. These specific products include dairy products and fresh produce. Under Import Alert 99-33, authorities may detain these products when they arrive in the U.S. Authorities will release these products from detention if the importer can show the products are compliant.
Category 3: consists of food and feed products not covered by FDA’s Import Alert that come from these ten Japanese prefectures: Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa, Miyagi, Niigata, and Tokyo. FDA will examine these products, sampling and testing as needed, to determine if they are safe to enter the U.S. Category 4: consists of all other FDA-regulated food products from Japan that are not listed in the Import Alert and do not belong to one of the other categories. Authorities will review these products using standard procedures, and as part of this may monitor and sample products as resources permit.

Japan- A look at food safety with VETCOM
17 April 2011
Dvids [edited] [BITES]
The Army Veterinary Command (VETCOM) does more than just take care of Soldiers’ pets, they have another mission: food safety and quality assurance for U. S. Forces in Japan. Units in Japan work to ensure food coming into the commissary (restaurants located on post and the dining facility) is within regulations and standards set by the Army, the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture. Food safety and crop contamination has been a large concern in all the communities in Japan since the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. The food protection officer of Japan’s District VETCOM, has assured the community that the food consumed by residents and military personal at Camp Zama and the surrounding area is within regulations and safe for consumption.

WHO- INFOSAN progress report: 2004-2010
22 March 2011
WHO [edited] [BITES]
Ensuring food safety and preventing foodborne diseases is an international public health concern. It is critical that food safety authorities around the globe collaborate and share information and experiences. The International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), is a joint program between the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and has been providing a mechanism to facilitate sharing of information since 2004. While its full potential remains to be realized, significant progress has been made in building the Network and establishing partnerships. In May 2010, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution on Advancing Food Safety Initiatives re-enforcing the importance of INFOSAN. The resolution encourages participation of all Member States in INFOSAN and its related activities. It calls for further development of INFOSAN and encourages communication and technical exchange of risk assessments and best practices among Network members. It also supports the strengthening of the emergency functions of INFOSAN, recognizing the Network as a critical component of WHO’s preventive and emergency operations related to food safety. The progress report provides an overview of INFOSAN by describing why and how it was formed and its aims and objectives.

Australia- Health concerns in wake of flood
14 Jan. 2011
AAP [edited] [BITES]
As floodwaters subside in southern Queensland, health authorities are concerned about food safety, water quality and mosquitoes. States and territories had agreed to provide officers with expertise in environmental health.

Netherlands- Dutch plan to get tough on antibiotics
29 Dec.2010
Meatingplace [edited] [BITES]
The Dutch Minister of Agriculture has written to the Dutch Parliament confirming support for a new plan to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock by 50 percent by 2013. The core of the plan is the central registry of the use of drugs by both veterinarians and farmers. Currently, there is an investigation by the Health Ministry on the risks of using antibiotics in livestock for human health. If the results of this investigation indicate that further tightening of the use of antibiotics is necessary then the Minister of Agriculture will take further action.

Ukraine- E. coli in Polish meat exports
2 Dec. 2010
thenews.pl [edited] [BITES]
The Ukrainian state veterinary committee has expressed concern over the quality of Polish meat exports, claiming some items have been discovered carrying traces of E coli. A ban on meat exports from Poland is not yet being considered. It was reported that quantities of Polish bacon were contaminated with antibiotics and E. coli. Also, over 20 tons of Polish meat has been exported to Slovakia and was discovered to be contaminated with salmonella.

First global guidelines for aquaculture certification finalized
1 October 2010
FAO [edited] [BITES]
The first global guidelines for aquaculture certification have been adopted by the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of the Committee on Fisheries, part of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Over 50 countries attended the meeting of the sub-committee, which is the only global intergovernmental forum discussing aquaculture development. The guidelines, which are non-binding, cover animal health, food safety, the environment and socio-economic issues relating to aquaculture workers. They will now go to the Committee on Fisheries when it meets in Rome in January 2011 for approval. If the guidelines are followed in full by countries, certification will enable consumers standing at the fish counter to know whether the shrimp they are considering buying were raised without damaging a coastal mangrove swamp, whether the fish farm worker was paid a fair wage, and whether the shell fish is free of contamination. Although aquatic animal health and food safety issues have been subjected to certification and international compliance for many years, the new guidelines mark the first time animal welfare, environmental issues and socio-economic aspects have been subjected to compliance or certification.

Food safety and risk governance in globalized markets
01 July 2010
Discussion Paper [edited] [BITES]
A new generation of food safety policy is emerging in OECD countries and international public health forums. The United States has actively contributed to the thinking and scientific research underlying this new generation of policy. A consensus has emerged among nations about the basic components of an effective food safety system based on modern science and management practices. In shorthand, the vision is of a farm-to-fork, risk-based, scientifically supported safety control system. This system is built on several decades of experience with risk management in national governments, particularly in U.S. environmental and occupational and consumer safety policy.
Food safety policy and economics – A review of the literature
01 July 2010 Discussion Paper [edited] [BITES]
This paper provides an overview of developments in food safety policy in major industrial countries and of economic analysis of this policy. It describes the elements of a risk-based, farm-to-fork food safety system as it is emerging in OECD countries guided by discussions through Codex Alimentarius and traces its roots in the development of risk management policy in the United States.

Food safety is critical to nutrition security
20 Jan 2010
SciDev.net [edited][FSNet]
WHO's Jørgen Schlundt writes that food safety as well as nutrition needs to be focused on to feed the hungry — but there are many barriers to safe eating.
The concept of nutrition security — ensuring access to food that is nutritious as well as sufficient — is increasingly being used to stress the importance of the quality of food for people of all ages.
Poor nutrition weakens immune systems and contributes to half the deaths associated with infectious disease among children aged under five in developing countries. Undernutrition in the early years of life can also impair long-term cognitive development and productivity at work.
Micronutrient deficiencies also have severe health impacts — vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of blindness in children, affecting up to half a million children each year. Iodine deficiency causes brain damage and iron deficiency is responsible for anaemia in two billion people worldwide.
Safety and nutrition links
But there is another aspect of food quality that is equally important — safety.
Nutrition and food safety are inextricably linked, particularly in places where food supplies are insecure. When food becomes scarce, hygiene, safety and nutrition are often ignored as people shift to less nutritious diets and consume more 'unsafe foods' — in which chemical, microbiological, zoonotic and other hazards pose a health risk.
Unsafe food, whether arising from poor quality supplies or inadequate treatment and preparation, increases the risk of foodborne infections such as diarrhea. These infections have a much higher impact on populations of poor nutritional status, where diarrhoea can easily lead to serious illness and death.
Indeed, poor nutrition and foodborne disease often join hands in a vicious cycle of worsening health. For example, poor nutritional status weakens resistance against diarrhoea, which, in turn, leads to the uptake of fewer nutrients and poorer nutritional status.
Food safety must be systematically integrated into policies and interventions to improve nutrition and food availability.
The first step is for all countries to adopt and adhere to international standards on food safety, such as those developed by the WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization through the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Efficient food safety interventions often require coordinated action throughout the food safety chain. For example, if chickens are infected with Salmonella at a farm, how they are then treated at the slaughterhouse, in the shop or market and in the kitchen all determine the number of bacteria that reach consumers, and so the number of people getting sick (or dying).
Likewise, if the level of a hazardous chemical can be followed in the different stages of food production we will also learn where to introduce the most efficient prevention measures.
Importantly, international standards are non-negotiable and should apply equally to populations — an acceptable level of food contamination is not higher for starving people than for others.
There should not be one framework for food that is exported and another for food consumed locally as has previously been the case even in some developed countries. By the same token, there should not be one framework for populations with sufficient nutrition and another for hungry ones.
Coherent and holistic national food safety systems would not only improve health in countries with insecure food supplies — they would also help development and boost food trade. A national system that can live up to international standards will ensure that local products can be exported to other markets.
There are many obstacles to building efficient food safety systems, not least the lack of political awareness. Food safety as a local health and development problem is still rarely acknowledged by decision makers in many developing countries, and is often given little priority by major donors.
Recent food safety scandals and a growing knowledge base are slowly making a change. When the BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) scandal hit Europe in the 1990s, it led to a major overhaul of the system. Likewise, new data on antimicrobial resistance has led to the discontinuation of antimicrobial growth promoters in some countries.
It is also clear that one major obstacle to improving food safety systems, particularly in developing countries, is the lack of data on the burden of foodborne diseases both globally and within nations. Such data are critical to establishing evidence-based national and international food safety policies.