China-Unlicensed food factory in Wong Tai Sin raided
10 Nov 2009
News.gov.hk [edited][FSNet]
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) this morning (November 10) raided an unlicensed food factory in the market of Wong Tai Sin Shopping Centre and seized about 700 kilograms of raw and cooked food, including roast suckling pigs, BBQ pork, cooked chicken and roast ducks.

 A man was charged with operating a food factory business without a licence.

 Under the Food Business Regulation, the maximum penalty for operating an unlicensed food factory is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.

China-Food safety goes high-tech
10 Nov 2009
Shanghai Daily [edited][FSNet]
Local food authorities will adopt advanced technologies like radio-frequency labels, instant bacteria testing machines and a real-time temperature monitoring system to ensure food safety for the millions coming to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
The RFID technology, or radio frequency identification, will be deployed across the entire Expo food supply chain, from the source and manufacture of raw food to storage, picking and packaging, and on to distribution and the serving of customers.
All food-delivery vehicles and food containers will be tagged with RFID labels for automatic check-in at entrances and food enterprises inside the Expo site, officials from the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration told a food-safety forum yesterday.
The Expo will also adopt a rapid testing system for food processing, checking high-risk foods and investigating questionable incidents.

Chinacalls for mutual trust, deeper cooperation in food safety issues
04 Nov 2009
Window of China [edited][FSNet]
China's quality watchdog called for mutual trust and deeper cooperation between nations concerning the food safety issue at an international meeting held Wednesday in Beijing.
Speaking at the annual China International Food Safety & Quality Meeting, Wang Yong, director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ), said food safety is a difficult issue faced by all nations and that the food safety situation is severe around the world.
He said food safety is not just limited to one region, or one country, adding that understanding, policies, and management by each country over food safety vary.

New Zealand:How should we rate restaurants?
01 Nov 2009
NZFSA Food Focus [edited][FSNet]
People like to know the food they eat when dining out is safe. Short of staking out the kitchen, a reliable way of doing this is to check the restaurant for a glowing grade.
But New Zealand's inconsistent use of grading systems means this is not possible in all cities and towns – yet.
As part of the new Food Bill, NZFSA is sponsoring a year-long project headed by a Kansas State University Masters student to investigate options for a national food business or restaurant grading system.
Internationally, there is also a variety of grading systems in use. Canada subscribes mainly to pass and fail cards, while in the United Kingdom, 'Scores on Doors' is gaining popularity. The 'Scores on Doors' programme uses a variety of codes including star ratings, smiley faces and letter grades to communicate inspection results to consumers.

October

Australia:Independent food safety experts to cut red tape
28 Oct 2009
Packaging [edited][FSNet]
A new Government scheme to allow independent experts to review food safety management systems will cut red tape and costs for food businesses while maintaining food safety standards.
Suitably qualified, skilled and accredited independent auditors can now apply to the Food Authority for registration as eligible third-party auditors.
To maintain safety standards, qualified third-party auditors will have to be accredited by the Food Authority and subject to rigorous reporting requirements and reviews.

Hong Kong-95% of meat passes safety test in Hong Kong
27 Oct 2009
Xinhua News Agency [edited][FSNet]
The Center for Food Safety of Hong Kong Tuesday said 95 percent of 222 samples of meat have passed a test on the use of sulphur dioxide.
The center collected samples of pork, beef and mutton from local meat stalls. Nine fresh beef and two fresh pork samples were found to contain the preservative at levels exceeding the legal limit.
The test was conducted after repeated detections of the use of non-permitted chemicals in fresh meat in recent years.

Indonesiasays no policy change on bird flu samples
24 Oct 2009
Reuters [edited][FSNet]
Indonesia does not intend to resume sharing bird flu samples with other countries until there is a global mechanism for virus sharing in place, the newly appointed health minister was quoted as saying.
Indonesia, which has suffered the most confirmed deaths from the H5N1 bird flu virus, has been holding out for guarantees from richer nations and drugmakers that poor countries get access to affordable vaccines derived from their samples.
But the move has drawn global concern, since experts say it is vital to have access to samples of the constantly mutating virus, which they fear could change into a form easily transmissible among humans and sweep the world in months, killing millions of people.

AUSTRALIAalters food safety guidelines for imported beef
21.oct.09
AFN [edited][FSNet]
Australia is adjusting its imported food policy settings for beef and beef products, with controversial changes to come into effect from 1 March, 2010. An update of the science of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), mad cow disease, and consideration of the risks associated with importing the beef and beef products was undertaken by a professor to guide the alterations. The report concludes that the risk to human health from imported beef remains extremely low, provided the appropriate risk mitigation strategies are put in place.
As such, Australia will now permit beef imports from countries where there have previously been outbreaks of BSE. However, all products will be subject to food safety checks.

New Zealandleads world on controlling dangerous bacteria
16 Oct 2009
NZFSA [edited][FSNet]
New Zealand’s efforts to drastically reduce the effects of the dangerous bacteria found in chicken have seen it lead global efforts to improve the safety of poultry for human consumption.
The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is taking the lead for the International Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) in developing standards to combatCampylobacterin broiler chickens.
The highly-regarded Codex guidelines are also often used by international bodies, like the World Trade Organization, to settle trade disputes over food safety issues.
New Zealand had the world’s highest rate of campylobacter infection, which can be caused by eating raw or undercooked poultry.
NZFSA’s science director, Steve Hathaway says New Zealand’s cutting-edge research and innovative controls have made huge inroads into decreasing the country’s campylobacter infection rate.

Hazards and critical control points for traditional sago starch production in Papua New Guinea: implications for food safety education
13 Oct 2009
Food Control [edited][FSNet]
A.R. Greenhill, W.A. Shipton, B.J. Blaney, B. Amoa, E. Kopel, D. Pelowa, M. Gena and J.M. Warner
Sago starch is an important food in lowland Papua New Guinea (PNG), however cases of severe illness following its consumption have been documented. A hazard analysis of traditional sago starch production and consumption was conducted, based on observations of the preparation process, and findings from sociological and microbiological studies. Hazards identified included common pathogenic bacteria and toxigenic fungi. Critical control points (CPP) were identified at various stages of the production process, including tree selection, starch extraction, sago storage and cooking. Storage methods that promoted spontaneous fermentation were deemed the most important risk reduction process in the production of safe sago starch. The CCPs formed the basis of an education campaign that was developed to provide guidance on how to maximise the safety of sago starch within the cultural and socioeconomic context of rural PNG.

Mad cow fear: JAPAN suspends beef from US plant
10.oct.09
Associated Press [edited][FSNet]
Japan has suspended beef shipments from an American meat-packing plant after finding cattle parts banned under an agreement to prevent the spread of mad cow disease, the agriculture ministry said Saturday.
Japanese quarantine inspectors found bovine spinal columns in one of 732 boxes sent by Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., which arrived in Japan last month, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said in a statement. The box contained 35 pounds (16 kilograms) of chilled short loin with spinal bones.
The suspension only affects Tyson's factory in Nebraska, one of 46 meat-packing plants approved to export beef to Japan.
The Japanese ministry also asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate how the box containing the banned parts ended up in Japan.

New Zealand-Food review has green light
08 Oct 2009
NZFA [edited][FSNet]
Replacing the 28-year old Food Act with up-to-date legislation is good news for both business operators and consumers, NZFSA’s policy director was quoted as saying.
The proposed Food Bill will encourage food operators to take direct responsibility for providing their customers with safe food by giving them nationally consistent information about how to manage food safety in their business.
Some parts of the proposed arrangements have been piloted for over a year. Restaurateurs and caterers in 68 of the country’s 73 local council areas have had the chance to join a voluntary scheme to register Food Control Plans. A recent survey showed most of them liked the plan. Operators have commented that the plans help them to produce higher quality food for their customers by highlighting weaknesses in procedures and letting them concentrate on what is most important in the business.
The new law also has provision for a national restaurant grading scheme to be developed. Although some councils already have grading schemes in place, they differ across the country in the way they grade restaurants.

Australia-NSW cracks down on backyard butchers
08 Oct 2009
Sydney Morning Herald [edited][FSNet]
A NSW crackdown on backyard butchers has caught unlicensed operators producing and selling smallgoods from homes in Sydney.
The NSW Food Authority has been targeting illicit meat processors and confiscated almost 120 kilograms of homemade nem chua - a Vietnamese-style fermented pork.
The authority made 10 seizures of the product from illegal processors operating out of homes that were then selling the meat to butchers' shops, restaurants and private consumers.

September

Hong Kong-Government concerned about food safety of vegetables imported from Mainland
30 Sep 2009
HKSAR Government [edited][FSNet]
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said today (September 30) that the Government attached great importance to the food safety of the vegetables imported from the Mainland. The spokesman said the Government had all along been conducting inspections at various levels, including import, wholesale and retail levels, to ensure that all the imported vegetables were up to the safety standards.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) conducts strict inspection on imported vegetables and has strengthened its relevant measures in the past year. From 2007 to July this year, CFS has taken 32,900 vegetables samples at the Man Kam To checkpoint for tests of pesticide residues. The passing rate of the test results is 99.9 per cent. According to the information from the Department of Health, no cases of food poisoning caused by pesticide residues were found in the past four years.

Chinamaintains pork restrictions
23 Sep 2009
Sky Canaves [edited][FSNet]
China stuck to its position of imposing new requirements on pork imports from several European countries Wednesday, following a meeting between the European Union's health chief and Chinese food safety officials in the Chinese capital.
Last week, China announced new measures on imports of pork from four EU states -- Denmark, France, Italy and Spain -- as well as Canada, requiring certification that the animals used for the meat were free of the H1N1 influenza virus. Pork imports from Northern Ireland were earlier subject to restrictions.

New Zealand-Outdated Food Act set to be replaced
22 Sep 2009
New Zealand Food Safety Authority [edited][FSNet]
The Government will undertake a complete overhaul of the Food Act 1981 to make it more relevant to New Zealand businesses and consumers, the Minister for Food Safety was reported as announcing today.
The new Food Bill is expected to be introduced to Parliament within the next year and be in place by late 2010 or early 2011.
Proposed changes include:
- provision of an enhanced imported food regime;
- mandated risk based tools and a shift in onus of responsibility from Government to food business operators;
- clarification of the New Zealand Standard for all food sold within, and exported from, New Zealand;
- providing for a national restaurant grading system;
- replacement of the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974; and
- improvement of penalty provisions.
The food sector has an estimated annual turnover of $22 billion and employs more than 20 percent of working New Zealanders.
Food accounts for exports of $18 billion and this is expected to continue to grow over the next 10 years with the support of a new Act.
Related stories
23 Sep 2009-FSANZ invites comment on proposed changes to food laws
Australian Food News [edited][FSNet]

Hong Kong:Food Safety charter promotes five keys to food safety
17 Sep 2009
Info.gov.hk
It was reported that the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene commended food traders for their positive response to the promotion of Five Keys to Food Safety.
Speaking at the Food Safety Charter 2009 presentation ceremony today (September 17), the official was quoted as saying 21 food trade associations and 1,700 licensed food premises, supermarkets and convenience stores had signed the Food Safety Charter this year. He said the charter signatories had not only pledged to disseminate the messages of Five Keys to Food Safety to their staff but also put the food safety measures into practice.
Through the tripartite efforts of the trade, the public and the government to strengthen food safety, public health could be protected, he added.
 The Five Keys to Food Safety are - choose: choose safe raw materials; clean: keep hands and utensils clean; separate: separate raw and cooked food; cook: cook thoroughly; and safe temperature: keep food at or below four degrees Celsius or above 60 degrees Celsius.
Adopting proper food handling practices would reduce the risk of foodborne diseases. The public are also encouraged to follow the Five Keys to Food Safety. To gauge people's knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards these Five Keys, the CFS conducted a survey last year. About 1,200 people were interviewed.
Findings indicated that the public acknowledge the effectiveness of the Five Keys in ensuring food safety. It was found that 96% of the people surveyed agreed on the food safety measures concerning choose, clean, separate and cook, and about 80% agreed on the safe temperature measure. Although the public had a fair knowledge about the Five Keys, few of them knew the 20-second rule for washing hands (24%) and the 75 degrees Celsius minimal core temperature of food to ensure thorough cooking (27%).

In practice, most people had adopted proper food safety measures concerning choose (82%), clean (81%) and cook (96%). However, nearly half of them had neglected the other two keys - separate (48%) and safe temperature (45%). To further promote the Five Keys to Food Safety, the CFS has been engaged in publicity and education activities, including production of announcements of public interest, display of posters, distribution of leaflets, stickers and souvenirs, and organisation of roving exhibitions and a Food Safety Day.

New Zealand-Drinking unpasteruized milk is risky
14 Sep 2009
NZFSA [edited][FSNet]
With the dairy season in full swing the New Zealand Food Safety Authority is highlighting the dangers of drinking unpasteurised or raw milk.
NZFSA’s principal adviser for public health was quoted as saying drinking unpasteurised milk is risky because it hasn’t been heat treated to kill any harmful bacteria that might be in the raw product, such asSalmonella, E. coli, CampylobacterandListeria monocytogenes.
The general retail sale of raw drinking milk is not permitted in New Zealand, though under the Food Act 1981 people are allowed to purchase up to five liters from the farm gate if they intend to drink it themselves or provide it to their family. It is important to note that such milk must have been harvested in accordance with an approved Risk Management Programme (which is appropriate for milk for direct human consumption) under the Animal Products Act 1999.
Outbreaks of foodborne disease such as salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis andE. coliinfection have been attributed to drinking raw milk.
While illness caused by harmful bacteria in raw milk can be a mild bout of vomiting or diarrhoea, people sometimes develop symptoms that are chronic, severe or even life-threatening.
It is very easy for harmful bacteria to get into raw milk during the milking process. They can cross into milk while it is still in the udder (via unrecognised mastitis) or milk can be contaminated from the dairy farm environment during milking. Once contaminated, raw milk is not subjected to any step between collection and consumption that will rid milk of the harmful bacteria; unlike pasteurised milk, which receives a heat treatment that kills them. In addition, bacteria may grow if the raw milk is stored improperly, and even if stored at refrigeration temperatures, some, likeListeria monocytogenes, are still able to grow.

New Zealand-Raw milk cheeses get the green light
02 Sep 2009
Voxy [edited][FSNet]
Cheesemakers will be allowed to craft a range of raw or unpasteurised milk products for sale in domestic and international markets under new standards to be introduced in October, says Minister for Food Safety.
Previously, only a small range of raw milk cheeses have been allowed to be imported into New Zealand, but could not be made here.
The level of bacteria in cheeses made from raw milk means they are not suitable for at-risk people such as pregnant women, young children and the elderly.

New Zealand-Horse meat venders under investigation
01 Sep 2009
New Zealand Herald [edited][FSNet]
Market vendors and a pet food abattoir in Auckland are under investigation by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority after a television news investigation alleged horse meat was being sold illegally for human consumption.
The abattoir was approved to process horse meat as pet food only, but a news source found the products were being sold by some Otahuhu and Mangere market vendors, who were apparently telling people it was OK to eat. One product on sale was loi hoosi, a Tongan dish which features horse meat.
The markets had come under investigation two months ago and it was found the horse meat was correctly labelled as being unfit for human consumption, NZFSA director of compliance and investigation said.
However, the footage from the news source revealed the market vendors had been telling customers that the horse meat was actually fit to be eaten by humans - which the official said was misrepresentation, and breaking the law.
The official said the meat sold by the abattoir was acceptable to be used for pet food, but humans consuming it would be same as putting 95 octane petrol into an aeroplane.

New Zealand-Collaboration boosts food safety on both sides of the Tasman
01 Sep 2009
NZFSA [edited][FSNet]
Food safety on both sides of the Tasman will be boosted by the renewal of an agreement signed by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) and the New South Wales Food Authority (NSWFA).
In the past NZFSA has learnt a great deal from NSWFA’s approach to working with councils who inspect food businesses in New South Wales. In this regard, NZFSA has borrowed NSWFA’s approach of creating regional council groups, the so-called clusters. NZFSA meets regularly with the New Zealand cluster groups in order to ensure good communication, standardised inspection audit practices and to train council staff.
Both authorities have a consumer-focused, science-based approach to food safety and plan to work closely on developing policy, standards, systems and science. They will also share information on communications, operations, compliance and enforcement.
Andrew says collaborating in these areas could have a significant impact on the delivery of a safe and suitable food supply in each country. ”Our working relationship will benefit consumers both here and across the Tasman.”
NSWFA chief executive Alan Coutts said both agencies were unique in their scope as they were responsible for ensuring food safety from primary production through to consumers.
“Food safety goes beyond national and state borders, so it makes sense to work closely with our neighbours to share knowledge and intelligence to combat the threat of foodborne illness,” Mr Coutts said.
Australia is New Zealand’s biggest trading partner and New South Wales is Australia’s most populated state.
NZFSA has similar agreements with the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency, Health Canada and Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

August

Chinato formulate new system of food safety standards
31 Aug 2009
China.org.cn [edited][FSNet]
China is now working on a new system of food safety standards that is expected to guarantee people's health and be more compatible with international norms, said a senior health official Saturday in Beijing.
According to official sources, the new system will integrate existing food safety standards, eliminate areas that overlap or contradict each other, and establish new standards for areas that previously lacked regulation.
The official promised transparency in the making of the new system and encouraged experts and enterprises to submit suggestions. The new system will also be subject to the opinions of international organizations and other countries, in line with a request from the WTO, he said.

Singapore:NEA praised itself for raising hygiene standards in aftermath of Indian Rojak food poisoning disaster
29 Aug 2009
Temasek Review [edited][FSNet]
The National Environment Agency has given itself a pat on the shoulder for raising the hygiene standards of Singapore’s food stalls.
More than 90 percent of Singapore’s food stalls have achieved either an A or B grading for hygiene standards, and there was no stall with D grading, it said.
NEA officers have been actively visiting stalls and distributing educational pamphlets on hygiene to the stall holders in the aftermath of Singapore’s worst mass food poisoning outbreak in April this year.
Three Singaporeans died from eating contaminated food from an Indian Rojak stall which was graded a “B” by NEA. There was one miscarriage and over 100 casualties.
It turned out that it was in fact graded a “C” but somehow the stall holder did not receive the new label. The lapse in surveillance had dealt a blow to NEA’s reputation.

Vietnam-Food contamination rampant on lack of expertise, equipment, experts admit
27 Aug 2009
Saigon [edited][trans.][FSNet]
Translated by Uyen Phuong
Dangerous additives, heavy metal, and unknown chemicals are increasingly being found in foodstuffs because of a shortage of skilled investigators and equipment to detect them, delegates said at an online conference on food hygiene held by the Ministry of Health in Hanoi on August 27.
Local preventive health agencies only have the capability to do simple tests the deputy head of the Vietnam Food Administration, said.
Some cannot even detect pesticide residues, she said.
There are 12 centers carrying out checks of imported foodstuffs in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and near international ports and border crossings.
Of them seven do not have the expertise to find antibiotic residues exceeding regulated levels, four cannot trace heavy metals, and five cannot find oxidants.
The head of the administration admitted that a shortage of skilled investigators and modern devices stymied efforts to detect food contamination.
Only 22 percent of personnel working at food testing centers are doctors and half are food technicians.
Other delegates accused health inspectors of merely looking up information about products in documents or on their packaging rather than actually examining the products. Many do not know regulations thoroughly and overlook some violations, they said.

Vietnam:Health ministry urges consumers to report food safety violations
26 Aug 2009
Viet Nam News [edited][FSNet]
Consumers in Viet Nam should be encouraged to speak up about companies that violate food safety laws, the deputy health minister said during a special TV show broadcast live nationwide on Monday.
Speaking during a two-hour show on food safety and hygiene, the official said educational campaigns about food safety had raised consumer awareness but more work needed to be done.
The broadcast featured a panel of speakers, including business executives and members of the HCM City People’s Committee, who spoke about the urgent need to enforce food safety regulations.
The official said the State planned to invest more funds and offer more training to food safety inspectors.
A shortage of inspectors and funds in some provinces had limited successful implementation, he added.

Australia-FSANZ provides microbiological risk assessment training in Malaysia
20 Aug 2009
FSANZ [edited][FSNet]
FSANZ recently completed a consultancy with the World Health Organization to provide expertise and training to staff from the Food Safety and Quality Division of the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) on quantitative microbiological risk assessment. The training activity involved an initial workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in March 2009 to provide participants with a general understanding of the Codex Risk Analysis framework and practical examples of microbiological risk assessment. The 25 participants from state food and public health laboratories and staff from MOH developed a conceptual model and identified data requirements for a case study onBacillus cereusinfried rice prepared and served in school hostels. Fried rice is frequently served in Malaysian schools and has been associated with outbreaks of foodborne illness due toB. cereus.
An outcome of the initial workshop was development of a work plan to gather data on:
(a) Prevalence and levels ofB. cereusvegetative cells and spores in raw rice, cooked rice and fried rice.
(b) Information on practices undertaken for the preparation and serving of fried rice in Malaysian school hostels.
A total of 150 secondary school hostels throughout Malaysia were surveyed.
A follow-up workshop was held in Langkawi, Malaysia in July 2009 whereby the results from the surveys were analyzed and incorporated into a probabilistic model that predicted changes ofB. cereusconcentrations during fried rice production and serving. Participants gained hands-on experience of quantitative microbiological risk assessment and there was a genuine desire to further develop and utilize skills developed during the training activity. Furthermore, data gathered during the survey of school hostels provides additional information on practices that may influence the safety of food prepared in school hostels in Malaysia.

Vietnam-Officials firm on irradiation ban of contaminated meat
13 Aug 2009
Thanh Nien Daily [edited][FSNet]
Animal health authorities on Wednesday flatly rejected complaints by meat importers, saying no changes will be made to the regulation that prohibits irradiation of tainted or spoilt imported meat for human consumption.
The deputy director of the Animal Health Agency Zone No. VI was quoted as saying all imported meat from August 20 onwards have to be tested by animal health agencies before they are transported out of international ports.
The products that fail to pass the inspections would have to be sent back, destroyed or used to make animal feed.
Products that pass will also undergo strict inspections by local animal health agencies when they are stored in freezers by the importers, he said.
Until now, most imported meat found contaminated with bacteria had been irradiated as a sterilizing measure before being sold as food.
However, several studies found the quality of meat could not be retained thus, leading to the new regulations banning irradiation of tainted meat.

New ZealandListeriaa threat for vulnerable New Zealanders
12 Aug 2009
NZFSA [edited][FSNet]
In the wake of concerns over a suspected outbreak and a general increase in cases of listeriosis in Australia, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is reminding vulnerable consumers to avoid high risk foods and take extra care when handling food.
Listeriosis is a foodborne disease caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteriumListeria monocytogenes(Listeria).Listeriais common in the environment and is extremely hardy. It can be introduced to the food chain through contact with contaminated surfaces or kitchen utensils.
NZFSA’s principal advisor for public health says age, low immunity, ongoing illness, pregnancy and some medicines can make people more susceptible to listeriosis.
Listeriais destroyed by cooking but can survive and grow at temperatures down to 0ºC. Ready-to-eat foods such as deli meats, smoked seafoods, raw milk products, soft cheeses and salads prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator present a high food safety risk as they are generally not cooked before eating.
In 2008 there were 27 notified cases of listeriosis in New Zealand, three of which resulted in death. More than a third of the cases occurred in people over 70 years of age.
Although the reported incidence of listeriosis is low in New Zealand, it continues to be a high priority for industry and NZFSA due to the severity of illness caused and high mortality rate.
NZFSA has a detailed risk management strategy in place which aims to achieve ‘no increase in the reported incidence of foodborne listeriosis after five years’.
Vulnerable people can reduce their risk of getting listerioisis by following good food hygiene practices such as washing and drying hands, eating foods that are freshly prepared and well washed, and cooking foods thoroughly to kill anyListeriabacteria.

New Zealand-Chief Executive's column: Organic or conventional- our food has to be safe
05 Aug 2009
NZFSA [edited][FSNet]
The publication of two British studies which found no significant differences in the health effects or nutritional value of organic and conventional foods has produced the predictable flurry of heated media and blog commentary.
NZFSA’s British counterpart, the Food Standards Agency (FSA), commissioned the independent studies as part of its role to provide accurate, scientifically-robust information so people can make informed choices about food.
The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA), like the FSA, has no view one way or the other about whether people should choose between organic or conventional produce. Consumers make food purchasing decisions based on one or a variety of reasons that matter to them. Choices might be based on the price and availability of food, health and nutrition considerations, country or region of origin of the product, environmental sustainability, corporate responsibility, cultural importance, animal welfare, and labour practices in the production of, and trade in, food.
As a science-based government regulator, NZFSA’s concern is that decisions based on the risks to one’s physical health from any foods – no matter how they are produced – are based on solid scientific evidence and that potential risks are identified and managed. Indeed, the agency provides official government assurances around organic produce for export, just as they do for conventional produce. Their role is the same for both – to ensure the food is safe and suitable for its intended use, and that it complies with New Zealand rules and with the agreed requirements of the importing countries.
NZFSA treats organic food in the same way as all other foods. The same risk management framework for assessing safety and suitability is applied to all food for sale here, including organic food and all products used in its production such as agricultural and veterinary compounds, which NZFSA regulates.
Just because organic production uses ‘natural’ as opposed to synthetic agricultural compounds does not make it inherently safer. Organic agriculture uses composted manures as fertilisers. And, while composting is effective in reducing the levels of harmful bacteria such asE. coli0157, it is not always failsafe.
Labelling a product ‘organic’ is optional but under New Zealand consumer protection laws must, if used, be truthful. What this means in reality is that there is an expectation that if a product is represented as organic, all ingredients used to make the product should be 100% organic.

APEC reaffirms commitment to improving food safety
03 Aug 2009
Xinhua News Agency [edited] [FSNet]
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies have agreed to continue their efforts in strengthening food safety capacity building activities and improving food safety information sharing across the region.
Briefing on Monday about the outcome of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum (FSCF), which was held here in the margins of the APEC Senior Officials Meeting on July 30, participants of the forum said that APEC economies have agreed to reaffirm its commitment to working together to build robust food safety systems so as to accelerate progress towards harmonization of food standards with international standards to improve public health and to facilitate trade.
In addressing the challenges facing the food safety system, the FSCF said in a statement that APEC economies will focus the attention on strengthening coordination of food safety capacity building activities, utilizing a broad range of government, industry and academic stakeholders.

Vietnam-Food safety checks let consumers down
03 Aug 2009
Bernama [edited] [FSNet]
A shortage of food hygiene and safety inspectors nationwide has contributed to 29 deaths from food poisoning and more than 2,500 people hospitalized in the first six months of this year, the Ministry of Health's Food Hygiene and Safety Department has revealed.The main reason was contamination with coliform bacterial such asE. coli,B. cereus,C. perfringensandS. aureus, indicating that products were kept for a long time before being processed.E. colican cause urinary tract infections whileB. cereusbacteria can also lead to diarrhea.Products were usually contaminated during processing or by the use of preservative substances, such as borax or artificial colours, an official was quoted as saying.

July

Fiji-Stop raw milk consumption: Ministry
31 Jul 2009
FBCL [edited][FSNet]
The Health and Agriculture are advising people to stop raw milk consumption straight away.
A health spokesperson was quoted as saying the public should also refrain from consuming products made from raw milk because they can be infected withBrucella abortus, a form of the brucellosis.

Vietnam-Health officials ban import of most internal animal organs
26 Jul 2009
Viet Nam Net [edited][FSNet]
The Department of Animal Health (DAH) has issued new regulations for importing frozen animal meat to ensure food safety and hygiene, including bans on certain organs.
The HCM City Division of Animal Health said many companies were found importing and selling meat that failed to meet hygiene requirements in the last few months. Some were contaminated with bacteria and others did not have expiry dates.
As a result, the Zone VI Animal Health Agency, the meat import regulator, announced the new regulations at a press conference held on Thursday.
They ban the import of the animal penises and internal organs except the heart, liver, and kidney.

Chinapublicizes regulation to implement Food Safety Law
24 Jul 2009
Xinhua News Agency [edited][FSNet]
Chinese food producers must record all the information on raw material procurement and food processing procedures and keep the record for at least two years, under a new regulation to ensure food safety.
The requirement is detailed in the Regulation on the Implementation of the Food Safety Law, which was published Friday.
The regulation, effective Monday, details the requirements on food manufacturers and wholesalers in food processing and distribution and the importance of supervision by health authorities highlighted in the Food Safety Law, which took effect on June 1.
Passed on July 8 at a meeting of the State Council, the regulation also gives specifics on food safety risk assessments.

Japansuspends beef shipments from Kansas company after finding bovine spinal columns
23 Jul 2009
Los Angeles Times [edited][FSNet]
A Kansas meat packer that fought U.S. authorities to test its entire herd for mad cow disease was hit with a suspension by Japan this week for shipping banned animal parts.
The decision came after Japanese inspectors Tuesday found bovine spinal columns — prohibited under a bilateral trade agreement — in two of 810 boxes sent by a U.S. beef company.
No problems were detected in the remaining 808 boxes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Under the terms of the trade agreement, U.S. beef shipped to Japan can come only from cattle age 20 months and younger, which are thought to pose less of a risk of the mad cow disease.
U.S. exporters must also remove spinal columns, brain tissue and other parts considered "risk materials."

New Zealand-Improved auditing and labeling for pork
22 Jul 2009
ONE News [edited][FSNet]
New Zealand's pork industry says it will step up its focus on animal welfare and will improve product labeling.
The pork industry was thrust into the media spotlight in May following a documentary in which a comedian broke into a pig farm with animal activists.
Shocked at the farming conditions, he called on the Minister of Agriculture to investigate pig farming practices.
The industry's board New Zealand Pork on Wednesday said it would begin an industry-wide animal welfare audit of every commercial pig farm in New Zealand.
The audit scheme will be based around an independent annual review of compliance with the Pig Welfare Code as well as regular vet visits that commercial pig farmers have in place.

Korea:Two noodle makers use industrial ethanol
17 Jul 2009
Korea Times [edited][FSNet]
Two noodle makers were found making noodles with industrial ethanol and distributing them to restaurants in Seoul and the metropolitan area.
A 58-year-old head of a noodle-making company was arrested on suspicions of making 390 tons of noodles with the chemical, which is banned from use in food, and supplying them to restaurants since April, according to the Korea Food and Drug Administration Friday.
The head of another food-production company is also under investigation on similar charges.
The industrial ethanol, made by distilling petroleum, is usually used for paint and ink, and can be harmful if consumed, as noxious substances such as benzene and methyl alcohol are included.
Australia-Pesticide too risky for chemical giant- but not for Australia
17 Jul 2009
The Sidney Morning Herald [edited][FSNet]
The multinational Bayer is expected to end global sales of endosulfan, replacing the toxic pesticide with safer alternatives.
But the Federal Government's pesticides authority continued yesterday to maintain the chemical was safe for use on a wide range of crops.
More than 60 countries have banned endosulfan. The chemical has been linked to reproductive and developmental damage in animals and humans, and residues have been detected in breast milk and placentas.
In October, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, to which Australia is a signatory, will consider elevating endosulfan to the final stage of assessment, which if passed would trigger a gradual global ban.
Endosulfan is approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority for use on many crops, including tomatoes, citrus fruit and cotton.
Its possible use in a nut plantation at Noosa has still not been ruled out by an investigation into an outbreak of two-headed bass larvae at a neighboring hatchery.

Chinatakes measures to ensure food safety for National Day
16 Jul 2009
China CSR [edited][FSNet]
The Beijing Food Safety Administration will conduct a three-month campaign on food safety from July 13 on to ensure food safety during the National Day celebrations.
An official from BFSA was quoted as stating that, under the leadership of the municipal government; the health department; the department for industry and commerce; the quality supervision department; and the agricultural department of the city will each take measures that are complementary to each other to guarantee the food safety of the city by combining their daily duties with this campaign. The official told local media that departments would work to crack down of the illegal use of food additives and focus on the supervision of 11 kinds of food including vegetables, fruit, children's food, dairy products, poultry and meat products, aquatic products, and bean products.

Australia-FSANZ invites public comment on food safety regulations for production of seed sprouts
15 Jul 2009
FSANZ [edited][FSNet]
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today invited individuals and organisations with an interest in the regulation of food to provide information and comment on a proposal to develop measures to maximise seed sprouts safety.
The proposal is considering the development of a food safety standard for the production of seed sprouts (e.g. alfalfa, mung beans) for human consumption in Australia. Such a standard would be incorporated into the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
FSANZ is progressively developing national food safety standards for Australia’s primary industries. The intention is to improve food safety from farm to table by extending existing food safety requirements in the Food Standards Code for the processing, handling and retail sale of food to the primary production and processing of food commodities.
Seed sprouts could be contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms - such asSalmonella- and, if contaminated, could present an unacceptable health risk to consumers. FSANZ has assessed the risks to human health from hazards introduced at various stages of the production process and is proposing several management options to minimise food safety risks associated with consumption of seed sprouts.

Australia-Food safety failures
12 Jul 2009
Sydney Morning Herald [edited][FSNet]
Forty percent of all restaurants and other food businesses in New South Wales routinely breach food safety laws, with some councils recording rates more than twice that figure, according to the first detailed food-safety data ever released.
Figures compiled by the NSW Food Authority on the performance of all 150 councils reveal some found more than 90 percent of their food businesses were breaching critical food-handling practices when first inspected by their staff. The data reveals that the frequency of breaches of laws covering rodent infestation, cross-contamination of food, personal hygiene and temperature control, is far greater than the number of fines issued by councils, which until now has been the only publicly available indicator of compliance.
Concern over food safety problems prompted the Government to introduce new food laws last year, requiring councils for the first time to inspect all businesses and provide detailed information about the number and nature of them, the frequency of inspections, results of inspections and action taken to fix problems.
The law also allowed the Food Authority to publish names of food businesses fined for breaching food laws.
The document reveals consumers made 1933 complaints to councils about food businesses in the first six months of the new law - with food quality and hygiene the main issues - although there were also more than 200 about "foreign matter" found in food.
Related stories
12 Jul 2009-Public benefits in food safety transparency
Sydney Morning Herald [edited][FSNet]
It has been about three years since the Herald began its campaign to let NSW diners find out what's really going on in kitchens across the state.
Now, with the release under Freedom of Information laws of the first comprehensive details of what councils are doing - and too often are not doing - to ensure food safety, they at least have some idea of where the problems are.
With 40 percent of all restaurants, takeaways and other food businesses in NSW caught breaching one or more of the critical food handling practices when first visited by an inspector, it is clear there are major issues to address.
Many councils are not carrying out regular inspections and many that do are not taking them seriously, as the document from the Food Authority makes clear.
By making this information public we can now expect improvements in standards that transparency and public scrutiny of government information can bring.
Leichhardt Council is a fine example of why making information public works. For years Leichhardt did only cursory inspections in the heartland of Italian dining and almost never penalised any breaches.
It's an important addition to the name and shame list which was the first concession by the Government to making more information public. That list of the names and other details of restaurants fined for food breaches was established by the Government under pressure from the Herald and a public appalled when it learned the State Government and the City of Sydney kept secret the fact a sushi factory was fined 11 times for rat infestations.
With its website and release of the statewide data, NSW has gone further than any other state.
Yet it is still lags behind many cities in Britain and the US, where the results of every restaurant inspection are posted online. New York City even allows consumers to search restaurants according to their number of violation points.
12 Jul 2009-Why eating out remains a geographical lottery
Sydney Morning Herald [edited][FSNet]
Dozens of NSW councils rarely check if food businesses are complying with food laws while many others inspect businesses but take no action where breaches are observed, according to government data providing the first insight into the state of food regulation.
Detailed results of the first batch of information councils have provided to the Food Authority under new laws reveal huge inconsistencies over how councils carry out their responsibilities to ensure restaurants and takeaway businesses are not putting the health of customers at risk.
Some councils inspected most of their food businesses once in the six months after the laws came into effect on July 1 last year. Others, especially in country areas, told the Food Authority they inspected none or hardly any, making dining safety a geographical lucky dip.

New Zealand:Roguefort-esque cheese could soon be permitted
08 Jul 2009
The National Business Review [edited][FSNet]
New Zealand’s own version of Roquefort cheese could soon be gracing platters throughout the nation.
What started as a request to allow the importation of Roquefort cheese into New Zealand has led to a review of food safety regulations that could lead to the manufacture of products made with non-pasteurized milk.
So far 12 submissions have been received by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) on a proposal that would lead to the manufacture of non-pasteurized milk products.
Up until now, products make from non-pasteurized raw milk have not been permitted in New Zealand with a few exceptions.
Currently, Roquefort cheese can’t be imported into New Zealand from France, where it’s made. However, Australia does allow the importation of Roquefort. Under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement, products including raw milk extra-hard grating cheeses and Roquefort can be sold here, although regulations prevent similar products been made in New Zealand.
Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson said a proposal to amend food standards to allow the cheese imports to happen directly would also allow for the manufacture of raw milk cheeses.
While she has yet to delve into the submissions received by the NZFSA, she said none of them rejects the proposal.
Related stories:
15 Jun 2009-New Zealand notifies WTO of proposed new raw milk rules
Feedstuffs [edited][FSNet]
The New Zealand government notified the World Trade Organization's Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures June 11 of a "proposed framework for the manufacture, importation and sale of raw milk products."
The government said in its notice that the 87 page proposal "provides details of a regulatory framework, being proposed by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA), which would further facilitate the New Zealand manufacture, domestic sale, and export of unpasteurized milk products for human consumption, and the importation of a similar range of such products. This is the second discussion paper that NZFSA has released on unpasteurized milk products. An earlier discussion paper was released in August 2008." The government's plan is to ratify the proposal and have it in place by the "latter part of 2009."

New Zealandand United Kingdom agree to closer links
07 Jul 2009
NZFSA [edited][FSNet]
Stronger scientific links between New Zealand and Britain will result from the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) signing an agreement with its British counterpart.
NZFSA signed an arrangement with the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency (UKFSA) last month. The UKFSA has a similar role to NZFSA and is responsible for protecting consumer interests in relation to food safety and food standards.
Under the arrangement, NZFSA and the Food Standards Agency will cooperate in areas of mutual interest, such as science, nutrition, and composition and labeling. We will share information and expert networks, and host study tours and staff exchanges.
Food Standards Agency’s chief executive was quoted as saying the UKFSA was delighted to have its close working relationship with NZFSA formally recognized.

China-illegal additives still blight food
07 Jul 2009
Reuters [edited] [FSNet]
Chinese dairy products, flour, meat and other foods remain dangerously tainted with illegal additives despite a crackdown, the country's health ministry said Tuesday.
Vice Minister of Health, Chen Xiaohong, told a video conference for officials some food and liquor makers continued to use banned additives.
China's problems with tainted foods and medicines came under international spotlight from 2007 through a string of scares over toxins in exports.

New Zealand-Government rules out further milk safety probe
01 July 2009
The New Zealand Herald [edited] [FSNet]
The Government says it won't honor the previous administration's plan to convene a group of experts to discuss the safety of A2 milk, relative to "ordinary" A1 milk.
The European review canvassed claims that milk containing A2 beta casein is less likely to cause health problems than the usual milk containing the A1 form of the casein, but concluded that both types of milk were safe to drink.
A1 milk - the form found in ordinary milk in many western countries - is high in the protein beta-casein A1, which contains the peptide or protein fragment beta-casomophin-7 (BCM7), which some studies have linked with diabetes, heart disease, autism and milk intolerance.
The EFSA concluded that a formal risk assessment was not needed.

June

China-Restaurants get food safety alerts
24 Jun 2009
Shanghai Daily [edited] [FSNet]
Thousands of restaurants in the city received short messages yesterday advising them there was a 15 to 24-percent possibility of bacterial food poisoning in the city for the day.
The yellow alert was sent out by Shanghai's food safety and weather authorities as part of a new warning system.
The alert level has been lowered to blue or normal for today and tomorrow.
A red alert, the highest, means there is a 25-percent or higher risk of bacterial food poisoning.
The alerts can be found on the Website of the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration but there is no English service yet.
It's the third time that the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration has linked with the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau to issue food poisoning alerts since the system began on June 1.
The plum rain season is prone to attract bacterial food poisoning with high temperatures and humidity, said an official from the Shanghai FDA.

Vietnam-Food safety at "alarmingly" low levels
11 Jun 2009
Thanh Nien Daily [edited] [FSNet]
Calling for new laws and more money to enforce rules, National Assembly (NA) members agreed at a meeting Wednesday that food safety measures in Vietnam are atrocious.
An expert said the Health Ministry was responsible for the problems, and added that she was worried tainted meals were showing up on the tables of local families.
An official of Lam Dong Province said local agencies knew about the violations but were doing nothing about it.
A delegate from Hanoi, said regulations needed to state much more clearly and exactly what local agencies’ responsibilities were on the issue.
Many deputies agreed and said the government needed to expedite the drafting of new law on food safety and hygiene.
An expert also proposed stricter punishments for food safety violations, arguing that current fines were too low to act as a deterrent.

New Zealand:Food watchdog pleads for help
11 June 2009
NZPA [edited] [FSNet]
New Zealand's sole food safety watchdog says a lack of funding has left it reliant on the public - and law-abiding industry members - to report unsafe producers and businesses.

New Zealand: Court slams unhygienic poultry processing
10 Jun 2009
NZFSA [edited] [FSNet]
An Auckland woman whose company slaughtered thousands of poultry in what a judge described as stomach-turning conditions has been fined more than $23,000 in a case brought by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA).
The judge convicted and discharged the company as it was no longer trading.
The court heard that on 12 October 2007, an NZFSA animal products officer found four people slaughtering poultry for the company in a barn in Ardmore.
Under the Animal Products Act, primary processors of animal material must operate under a registered risk management program. The premises had no risk management program. It also had no electricity, running water, refrigeration or sanitation.
The officer served a Notice of Direction that stopped the company from producing, processing and storing poultry. He then condemned and disposed of 100 kgs of dead birds.

May

China-Authorities vow to ensure food safety as new law goes effective
31 May 2009
Xinhua News Agency [edited] [FSNet]
Chinese authorities Sunday pledged to use the new Food Safety Law as a platform to intensify monitoring and law enforcement, hoping to curb repeated food scandals battering the industry's reputation and consumer confidence.
The law, approved by China's legislature three months ago, will go effective on Monday to replace the current Food Hygiene Law.
It aims to improve the efficiency of the food safety monitoring network through tougher standards, strict supervision, a recall system for substandard products and severe punishment of offenders.

Malaysia-National Food Safety Agency Needs to be Set up Soon- Liow
31 May 2009
Bernama.com [edited] [FSNet]
The Health Ministry is expected to submit a memorandum to the Cabinet on a proposal to set up a national Food Safety Agency by year end, its minister was quoted as saying.
He added that the setting up of such an agency quickly was important to increase food safety and quality of imported food in the country.
He added that currently, the monitoring of food products was done by the Food Information System of Malaysia (FoSIM).

New Zealand:Unpasteurized cheeses come step closer for New Zealand consumers
25 May 2009
New Zealand Herald [edited] [FSNet]
Food safety experts may allow the sale of some locally made unpasteurized milk cheeses.
Cheese aficionados claim heating and pasteurizing milk destroys the cheese's flavor-giving bacteria and that dangerous bacteria such asListeriacan live in any soft cheeses, including those that are pasteurized.
Until now pasteurization has been held up as the chief bulwark against pathogens such asListeria monocytogenes,E. coli, Salmonella, Coxiella burnetiiandMycobacterium bovis.
The Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) has proposed new rules which would allow the production, sale, export and import of unpasteurized milk products that have an acceptable bacterial safety level.
Related stories
22 May 2009Greater cheese choice on the cards for Kiwis
NZFSA [edited] [FSNet]
Locally-made unpasteurized milk cheeses may soon be available in New Zealand under new rules proposed by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA).
Only a small range of unpasteurized milk products are imported and sold. The proposed rules released today for discussion would allow the production, sale, export and import of unpasteurized milk products that have an acceptable bacterial safety level.
The proposed framework recognizes some unpasteurized milk products can be produced so they pose a low food safety risk to the general population. However, vulnerable consumers – such as babies and toddlers under three, the frail elderly, expectant mothers and people with weakened immune systems – need to avoid eating them. The proposals include strategies to manage risks for vulnerable consumers by making them aware unpasteurized milk products can pose a higher risk than traditional pasteurized products.
Products able to be made under the proposed system would have special physical or chemical characteristics and/or be subjected to processing techniques that mean any surviving bacteria would be at safe levels.
05 Jun 2009Cheese please
Hospitality [edited] [FSNet]

Australia:Thousands of outlets face food crackdown
24 May 2009
Sydney Morning Herald [edited] [FSNet]
Every restaurant and cafe in NSW will receive a random health inspection in the next 12 months after Government health bosses were left reeling by the results of their latest food safety crackdown.
Health and safety inspectors have issued 160 fines in four weeks. The NSW Food Authority launched a "name and shame" website in July to try to improve hygiene standards. Department officials expected to uncover kitchen nightmares but did not envisage dishing out 1000 fines to 600 businesses in 10 months.
The Primary Industries Minister was quoted as saying 40,000 food service premises would be the subject of about 50,000 inspections a year.
The name-and-shame list is updated on Tuesdays and has had more than 1.5million hits since it was put on the internet.
Related stories:
07 Jun 2009Blacklisted eateries cry foul
Sydney Morning Herald [edited] [FSNet]
27 May 2009-Food outlets fail to heed safety message
ABC News [edited] [FSNet]
19 May 2009-Live crabs stored in restaurant loo
Sydney Morning Herald [edited] [FSNet]
A Sydney restaurant with a dead rodent in its storage area and a fish market that stored crabs in a toilet cubicle are new additions to the NSW Government's name and shame list.
A restaurant in Sydney's east has been slapped with three fines worth $1980 for having a dead rodent in the storage area, as well as vermin activity and unclean premises.
Primary Industries Minister was quoted as saying a restaurant in the city's inner west, was hit with two fines of $660 for storing live crabs in a toilet cubicle.
Another of the 45 additions to the website this week include a restaurant fined $1980 for having containers of raw foods encrusted with food waste and cockroach activity.
A restaurant was fined $990 for evidence of pests in the premises, failing to store food correctly and misuse of hand-washing facilities.
The full list can be found at the NSW Food Authority's website at www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/penalty-notices.
13 May 2009: More named and shamed
Great Lakes Advocate [edited] [FSNet]
Inspectors who fined a retail store for stocking out-of-date food say it was to guard customers againstSalmonella.
The store’s shelves were found to contain 11 products past their use-by date on the day of inspection. Two breaches were deemed serious enough for fines, for prepackaged chicken slices and a meat pie.
The inspection was in December, but the offences have only just been added to the NSW Food Authority’s web list.
Most of the products - including the pie and chicken - were about a day overdue, though inspectors also found a tub of yogurt a month past its use-by. The other offending products were sausages, packaged salads, fruit juice and sausage rolls.
11 May 2009-Unhygienic restaurants to be named and shamed
AdelaideNow [edited] [FSNet]

China:Investigation finds several problems with food safety
21 May 2009
Taipei Times [edited] [FSNet]
Control Yuan members yesterday called on government health officials in charge of food safety to pay attention to potentially harmful food additives following a report that suggested they are widely used.
The report, which included tests on 50 food products, was written by Control Yuan members. It suggested that local governments should exercise sufficient supervision over food safety.
A researcher was quoted as saying at a press conference yesterday that 44 percent of selected dried shrimp, 77 percent of selected dried radishes and 40 percent of selected cold noodles on the market did not meet standards.

New Zealand:Northland oyster farms to reopen
19 May 2009
Radio New Zealand [edited] [FSNet]
Oyster farms in Northland's Waikare Inlet are to reopen, eight years after contamination shut off one of the area's main income sources.
Commercial farms in the middle and lower reaches of the inlet were closed after people who had eaten oysters became ill with norovirus.
Farmers of New Zealand blamed the Kawakawa sewage plant but were unsuccessful in an attempt to sue the Far North District Council.
Health, fishery and environmental organizations have now deemed the water to be safe following the upgrade of sewage systems in the area.

April

China-Food exports to be passed by AQSIQ
24 April 2009
China Daily [edited]
Foreign food producers who want to sell their products to China might have to register with China's inspection and quarantine authorities every four years, according to a new draft rule released yesterday to solicit public opinion.
The food safety law, to take effect on June 1, requires all foreign food exporters to register with General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) to ensure their products are safe.
The draft implementation rule of the law, released on the website of the State Council Legislative Affairs Office (http://www.chinalaw.gov.cn/), states such registration is valid for four years.
If products cause any major food safety incidents, or companies are found offering fake materials, their registration will be revoked, the draft rule says.
Currently, only foreign meat products manufacturers need to register, without requiring renewals, with China's quarantine authorities, according to rules and regulations from the AQSIQ.
Under current rules, foreign food exporters must offer at least five categories of documents to get registered, including evaluation reports from their local governments and detailed information on the production process.
In addition, the draft rule also stipulates that importers of foreign food products, on which China has no safety standards, will have to get a safety certificate from China's Ministry of Health (MOH) before entering China.
The State Council Legislative Affairs Office said drafting of the 57-article rule is meant to ensure implementation of the food safety law, and the rule is expected to take effect together with the law.
Since last year's melamine scandal, in which at least six babies died and about 300,000 other children fell ill, food safety draws much public attention.
Figures released yesterday by the Ministry of Health show that a special campaign against illegal food additives started last December uncovered 5,832 relevant cases and seized unsafe food products worth 17.9 million yuan ($2.6 million). Twenty-one people have been arrested.

South Korea -Tons of beef suspected of mad cow disease sold
14 Apr 2009
Korea Times - Kim Rahn [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, about 13 tons of American beef were falsely sold as Australian products five years ago in defiance of a disposal order issued after a case of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), was reported in the United States.
The prosecution indicted two men, Monday, for having hoarded the American beef from a discount store where one of the men worked and having supplied it to big discount store chains and department stores. In December 2003, when cows suspected of having the disease were found in the U.S. and the man's company was ordered to dispose of all American beef, he allegedly destroyed seven tons and falsely reported to the company that he had destroyed the entire 29 tons in the store.

Japan -Supermarket investigator exposes slipshod quality management
14 Apr 2009
Japan Today [edited][iFSN]
How fresh is the food you buy? It’s common enough to see “Super Sale” and “Special Discount” products at supermarkets, but how much do shoppers know about the quality of the food they buy? “Consumer awareness of food safety has risen since the chain of food-related incidents such as the contaminated gyoza dumplings from China, left-over food served by the restaurant Senba Kiccho and deceptive labeling of origin of eels. But there is a major problem that many overlook … the fact that local supermarkets are also involved in various kinds of falsifications,” says Hirokazu Kawagishi. Kawagishi has been in the food industry for 25 years and currently works for a leading distributive firm, specializing in quality and hygiene management. He conducted his own investigation of over 500 supermarkets throughout Japan and will publish his book “Supa no Uragawa” (The Seamy Side of Supermarkets) this month.

Philippines -DOH hit for burning tainted peanut butter products
13 Apr 2009
GMANews.TV - Katrina Elaine Alba [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, a coalition of some 50 environmental groups on Monday scored Health Secretary Francisco Duque III for supposedly violating the incineration ban by burningSalmonella-tainted peanut butter products in Taguig City last Tuesday.
Duque supervised the incineration of some 3,000 bottles of Yummy Sweet and Creamy peanut butter and Ludy's Sweet and Creamy peanut butter, which were pulled out from the market last month after they were tested positive forSalmonellacontamination. The products were manufactured by Samuya Food Manufacturing, Inc. In a statement, the Ecological Waste Coalition, Inc. (EcoWaste Coalition) said the groups sent a letter to the Department of Health (DOH) regarding the “despicable disregard of the law against incineration."

Australia -Salmonellaspike blamed on poor food handling
09 Apr 2009
Sydney Morning Herald - Louise Hall [edited][Promed]
According to this story, the number ofSalmonellainfections reported to NSW health authorities has jumped by 37 percent and poor handling of food, particularly raw eggs, is being blamed.
The Director of Communicable Diseases at NSW Healthsaid there have been 1020 notifications of salmonellosis so far this year. "Because only a small proportion of people seek care and are tested for salmonellosis, this represents an estimate of approximately 7000-8000 infections in NSW," he said. NSW Health and the NSW Food Authority said investigation into recent outbreaks indicates the cause of infection is most likely poor handling of food. It is reported that five of the outbreaks investigated identified unsafe handling of foods containing raw eggs as the source, infecting more than 170 people. Other culprits included mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, fried ice cream, egg butter and custard where raw or undercooked eggs have been used.

New Zealand -Food firm cleaning up act after nightshade scare, says watchdog
07 Apr 2009
NZPA - New Zealand Herald [edited][iFSN]
Food company Talley's is tightening its processes after nightshade berries were discovered among packets of frozen vegetables, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority says.
The South Island company received complaints from consumers who found the currant-like black berries in their food.
The variety differs from deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) which is highly toxic, but rare in New Zealand.
Scott Barnard, of Christchurch, contacted the authority after finding the berries in a packet of frozen beans he was about to serve his 19-month-old son several weeks ago.
Authority director of compliance and investigation Geoff Allen said black nightshade growing among pea crops was a common problem and Talley's crops were particularly hard hit in the 2007/2008 harvest.
"In most years it's relatively low-level and they're able to identify and remove most of the contamination," Mr. Allen said.
The tail end of affected product grown that season was withdrawn this year but some still ended up in people's freezers.
Mr. Allen said Talley's had put in place additional safety processes to reduce the amount of contamination hitting the factory as well as systems to better detect contamination.
Related stories
06 Apr 2009 -NZFSAinvestigates contaminated pea products
NZFSA
The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is investigating how black nightshade berries got into some bags of frozen vegetables.
While it is very unlikely a person could eat enough to be at risk, the unripe green berries can be mildly toxic and should be avoided.
Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) berries have been found in several packets of frozen vegetables. The plant is distinct from deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) which can be fatal but is rare in New Zealand.
NZFSA Director of Compliance Dr. Geoff Allen says it is likely the contamination occurred when the berries were harvested with peas.
”This is a food quality issue. NZFSA is working with manufacturers to find out how many products are affected, and ensure their quality systems are improved to prevent the berries from ending up in food products again.”
Unripe black nightshade berries are similar in size, shape and color to peas but have star-like scales (the calyx) where the berry originally connected to the stem. An easy way to tell a berry from a pea is by squashing it – a berry will reveal seeds.
Dr. Allen says consumers should remove the berries from the food product or return it to their supplier. If a large number of berries are found, people should alert their local public health unit. People with health concerns should contact their doctor.
Under the Food Act, food sold must not contain any extraneous thing that would be unexpected and unreasonable in food of that description.

Philippines -Customs alerted on banned meat items
2 Apr 2009
Manila Bulletin [abridged, edited] [Promed]
Enforcement agents of the Bureau of Customs will be on alert for imported cattle and meat products from Taiwan and Lebanon following the reported outbreak of foot and mouth disease [FMD] in the 2 countries.

March

China –Food safety
March 27, 2009
China view
According to the Ministry of Health, there were 431 food poisoning incidents reported in China last year, causing 13,095 illnesses, and 154 deaths.
Then there was the scandal that broke last September, in which dairy products, including baby milk powder, were adulterated with melamine. At least six Chinese infants died and almost 300,000 developed kidney problems and other symptoms.
In this case, the former board chairwoman and general manager of the Sanlu diary group, was sentenced to life in prison. Earlier this month, eight senior government officials from food quality supervision departments and agriculture ministry were fired or disciplined for supervisory failure in the scandal. Last year, the director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) resigned.
In mid-March, 15 people were arrested in the southern Guangdong Province on charges of selling pigs that had been given fodder containing banned additives -- ractopamine and clenbuterol -- which help pigs produce leaner pork. The latter chemical is banned as an additive in pig feed in China because it can be harmful and even fatal to humans.
There has also been lost export business for small producers of cooked food, seafood, pet food and even medicine, when these companies found they could not meet the safety requirements of foreign countries.
Related stories
27 Mar 2009 –As CHINA grapples with food safety, consumers wonder and worry
Xinhua News Agency - Liu Min [edited][iFSN]
No single agency or ministry in China is solely responsible for food safety, and it's often difficult for the shopper to know what's allowed, what's banned, and what's safe. Labels sometimes contain correct but obscure chemical descriptions, which are confusing to the ordinary consumer. Packaging isn't always safe, either.
Pesticides, industrial chemicals, excessive or banned additives and suspected carcinogens show up in many food products.
The safety of Chinese food isn't just a domestic issue. With food exports of 31 billion U.S. dollars from January to November 2008, up 13.8 from the same period in 2007, Chinese produce, fish and dairy items, among other foods, are rapidly becoming part of the global food chain.
Supervising the industry is a huge undertaking. Statistics show that as of 2008, China had an estimated 500,000 "large-scale", 350,000 small- and medium-sized food processing enterprises, and more than 20 million privately owned businesses that producing and selling food products.
Last year, authorities investigated an average of 200 fake food cases a day, which were mostly involved in small enterprises and businesses.
In response to these concerns and problems, China has stepped up its efforts to ensure food safety and quality, with new labeling laws and a Food Safety Law that will take effect June 1. The new law, among other provisions, calls for the State Council to establish a food safety commission but does not give a deadline for that.

Australia -NSW restaurants forced to study food safety
26 Mar 2009
ABC News Online (Australia) [edited][iFSN]
According to this story, every restaurant in New South Wales will be forced to have a designated food safety officer under new laws aimed at reducing food poisoning outbreaks. At least one staff member at each hospitality business will have to complete a certified course in food handling from next year. The NSW Primary Industry Minister says the State Government is introducing the laws after a spate of outbreaks. The State Government described it as the worst food poisoning outbreak in NSW history.

Philippines -Bakeries ‘fight’Salmonellascare with homemade spreads
25 Mar 2009
GMA News [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, following the recall order for some tainted peanut butter products, some bakeries in Pasay City are coping with theSalmonellascare by using “homemade" peanut butter.
A report by dzBB’s Manny Vargas said some bakeries also get their supply of peanut butter from Batangas province. But the report said many bakeries have also started to remove their supply of Ludy’s and Yummy peanut butter from their shelves, saying they learned of the matter only recently.
Meanwhile, officials in Marikina City started a campaign to have local businesses pull out tainted peanut butter products from their shelves.
Related stories
23 Mar 2009 –Peanut-butter firm told to stop operations
Business Mirror - Sara D. Fabunan [edited][iFSN]
It is reported that the Health Secretary ordered an immediate halt to the operations of Samuya Food Manufacturing Inc. for “continuously failing” to comply with the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) after two of its peanut- butter products tested positive forSalmonellacontamination. The one-page suspension order said the results of the laboratory examinations show that samples of Yummy Sweet and Creamy Peanut Spread and Ludy’s Sweet and Creamy Peanut Butter products were contaminated. Pursuant to Article 10 of Republic Act 7394, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the manufacturer was directed to immediately recall or cease from public sale or distribution all of its food products. Its license to operate was also immediately suspended. “This is the second time the company failed [to comply with BFAD standards],” BFAD Director said partly in Pilipino during the monitoring inspection. She added that the manufacturer was given 15 days to recall all its products in the market. According to this story, the peanut-butter manufacturer also conducted its own investigation of the source of contamination in its production. It will release the report on Friday.

New Zealand - NZFSA certification standard goes global
25 Mar 2009
NZFSA [edited][iFSN]
More countries will use a paperless system to clear goods at the border now the United Nations has released an international electronic certification standard built on work by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.
The United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business, which develops standards for information exchange, has issued a data standard to be used for the electronic certification (E-cert) of agricultural products.
E-cert is an internet-based tool that provides government to government assurances about the safety of imported and exported food, replacing the paper certificates traditionally issued to help clear products at borders.
The standard sets out what information goes where in an electronic certificate. Once the certificate is approved in the exporting country, it is turned into an internationally recognized message format and can be loaded into an importing country’s system.
NZFSA’s Director of Standards Carol Barnao said the United Nations’ adoption of the standard was a major coup for NZFSA, industry, and the New Zealand economy.
“NZFSA has led the pack when it comes to electronic data exchange and messaging for trade of food, and E-cert has been at the forefront of this exciting development. Now our data standards have been accepted by the UN, every country will have a clear path to follow.
“This provides greater certainty for New Zealand’s interaction with other countries, and enables other countries to more easily adopt E-cert, which is great news for New Zealand’s exporters.”
NZFSA has used E-cert since it was launched in 1998. The system offers increased speed, security and accuracy, and guarantees the origin of a certificate.
“The direct electronic exchange of information makes it difficult for traders to use forged documents to clear goods, and easier for governments to detect counterfeit certificates or illegal shipments,” Carol says.
“As more countries get on board, it will also reduce the cost of paperwork and certification for our exporters.”

Australia -Nanotechnology regulations must be strengthened– Choice
24 Mar 2009
News.com.au- AAP [edited][iFSN]
Australia needs to toughen regulations on nanotechnology in food and food packaging, Choice says.
A new report by the consumer group says consumers can't tell which foods and packaging use sub-microscopic nanotechnology to improve shelf life or taste because Australia lacks adequate regulations and safety checks. It says an estimated 150-600 nanofoods and 400-500 nanofood packaging applications are in use around the world. Choice says it does not know for sure if they are present in Australia but given the global prevalence believes they could already be on sale here in confectionery packaging, bottle coatings and PET drink bottles. Choice said reliable studies had raised concerns about the potential for nanomaterials to cause damage to human cells and tissues. There is also a lack of research into how nanoparticles in food react once inside the human body, it said. The Australian Food and Grocery Council said it was not aware of nanotechnology being used in any Australian food and grocery products.

Vietnam – Philippines -ADB loan to improve VN food safety
24 Mar 2009
Viet Nam News [edited] [iFSN]
According to this story, a US $95 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will be used to improve the safety, quality and quantity of Viet Nam’s commercial food crops, and provide alternative and clean energy supply to households through biogas development. The Manila-based bank’s Board of Directors has approved the loan for the Quality and Safety Enhancement of Agricultural Products and Biogas Development Project. The project will improve food regulations and quality control systems to meet both domestic and export standards. New infrastructure and facilities to support safe food products will be established, and biogas plants will be built to reduce health hazards from livestock waste.

China fires8 top regulators over milk scandal
22 Mar 2009
New York Times - David Barboza [edited][iFSN]
China said Friday that eight senior regulators were fired last week for “slack supervision” in a tainted milk scandal that killed at least six children and sickened over 300,000 last year.
It is reported that the government said high-ranking regulators in the country’s major food supervisory agencies, including the ministries of health and agriculture and the top food safety watchdog, were stripped of their positions and their membership in the Communist Party.

Japan -High food hygiene costs choking export growth
13 Mar 2009
The Japan Times- Mariko Kato [edited][iFSN]
It is reported by experts at a recent symposium set up by the Organization to Promote Japanese Restaurants Abroad, or JRO. that strict hygiene criteria in importing countries and the high cost food producers have to shoulder to meet such requirements are limiting the export of Japanese food.
It is explained in this story that only four factories nationwide match the food management standards set by recipient countries to handle Japanese beef, and it can cost ¥30 million to equip a factory appropriately. Export of beef, among the most popular of Japanese foods overseas, is further restrained by import bans imposed since the first case of mad cow disease Moreover, according to JRO, only 21 companies that handle processed marine products, including frozen tuna, dried bonito shavings and scallops, are authorized to export to the European Union, as they do not comply with the EU's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system.

Australia -Food company under investigation
13 Mar 2009
ABC News Online (Australia) [edited] [iFSN]
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
According to this story, National Foods has been investigated for allegedly failing to inform Tasmanian health authorities after finding a pathogen in one of its cheese products.
It is reported that the company could be facing charges under the Public Health Act. It is understood that routine testing by National Foods at its Burnie laboratory foundListeriapresent in samples of feta cheese, on at least one occasion between March 2007 and June 2008, but the company failed to report it. As yet, there is no indication anyone has been harmed by the products. The company is yet to comment.

Australia -KFC defends operator of filthy Sydney stores
12 Mar 2009
The Epoch Times - AAP [iFSN]
According to this story, KFC has defended a franchisee that repeatedly ignored warnings to clean up its act at two filthy stores in Sydney's south.
It is reported that one store at Miranda was so dirty that inspectors ordered it to close after an improvement notice was ignored.
The other at Hurstville had "extensive cleanliness problems" and a serious issue with pests. Franchisee QSR Pty Ltd has been convicted of 11 charges of breaching food hygiene laws between May 2007 and February 2008 and has been fined $73,000.
The NSW Primary Industries Minister said the potential health issues were compounded by the fact the company ignored directives to lift its game.

Vietnam -People’s Council grills City officials over food safety
11 Mar 2009
VietNamNet
According to this story, the HCM City People's Council yesterday called on agricultural authorities to improve food safety and hygiene and continue the fight against epidemics.
Legislators blamed them for allowing many backyard farms and abattoirs to operate outside the view of official agencies.
The deputy director of the council's Culture and Society Department, said there are thousands of backyard farms and many unsafe slaughterhouses in the city.
Many cattle and poultry raised by household farms are not even vaccinated, he said.
Only 2,000 out of 11.000 ha on which vegetables are grown in the city are suitable for farming hygienically.
The deputy head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said though several epidemics broke out in neighboring provinces last year, none was reported in the city.

Thailand-Maintaining high levels of food safety
11 Mar 2009
Bangkok Post - Chris Catto-Smith [edited] [iFSN]
The demand for food safety is growing. Consumers and authorities increasingly demand that the food we eat should offer high levels of quality and security. If a problem occurs, the source of error needs to be found quickly and the problem rectified.
Demands are typically directed to the retail trade first, but responsibility now spreads through the entire food chain to include food producers, primary producers and transporters.
Thai product safety initiatives:The Thai Parliament recently passed the country's first product liability legislation which came into operation on Feb 23. The Unsafe Goods Liability Act B.E. 2551, also known as the Product Liability Law, will impose potential liability for unsafe products on manufacturers, sellers, importers, and others in the distribution chain, irrespective of whether or not the injury occurs from deliberate action or actions amounting to negligence. This law, along with the Consumer Case Act B.E. 2551, which has also come into operation, will affect both Thai and Foreign business operators.
New European standards: A number of food quality and safety standards have also been introduced by European retail trade groups.
Any company wishing to supply its food products to those retailers must meet the required standards. The retailers request that an independent third party approve the quality and food safety system of the supplier - who then is deemed to meet the standards of participating retailer.
British Retail Consortium:The BRC standard is published by the union of British supermarket chains requires documented approval to ensure food quality and safety. The main retailers supporting this program include Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's.
International Food Standard: The IFS food quality and safety standard is published by the Union of German Supermarket Chains, HDE (Hauptverband des Deutschen Einzelhandels). It has been adopted by the French equivalent, the FCD (Fe'de'ration des Entreprises du Commerce et de la Distribution). The participating retail chains include Aldi, Lidl and Metro.
The differences between BRC and IFS:Both standards are aimed at retailers' suppliers. Their goal is the same but the paths to achieve that same goal are different. The base of each audit is quite similar but the criteria and their levels differ. A scoring and ranking system exists for IFS but not for BRC. These similarities enable a third party to perform combined audits. However, the required reports are so different, there is no potential time saving in reporting on both standards.
The 15-20% difference between BRC and IFS can be considered to come from cultural differences. For example, BRC will allow certification of a supplier with a major non-conformity, provided this supplier submits objective evidence that the non-conformity has been corrected within 28 days. On the other hand, IFS will never allow the delivery of a certificate if there is a single major non-conformity.
What are the key benefits?
- access to new markets in the UK, Germany and France;
- strengthened relationships with retail distributors;
- increased transparency;
- reinforced customer confidence;
- streamlined production;
- minimization of significant food risks;
- effective control of internal processes and minimizing risk of failure;
- signal sent about a proactive approach to food safety.
Combining food safety principles: The ISO 22000 standard, for example, can dynamically combine the HACCP principles and application steps with other prerequisite program (PRP) to ensure hazard control using a combination of control measures.
Key steps in achieving certification: For food exporters there are a number of steps required for certification:
- Pre-audit (optional); gap analysis and diagnosis of the current position against the standard;
- Initial audit to verify the implementation of the basic structure of the management system (applying legislation and regulations);
- Certification audit (certificate issued);
- Surveillance audits to follow the continual improvement.
After each step, a straightforward and complete report is quickly delivered allowing for continuous improvement of food safety management performance.

Australia -Food businesses urged to update food recall plans as new FSANZ protocol launched
10 Mar 2009
FSANZ - Daniel Palmer [edited] [iFSN]
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has today launched an updated version of the protocol for conducting a recall - ‘Food Industry Recall Protocol: a Guide to Writing a Food Recall Plan and Conducting a Food Recall’ - to assist food manufacturers in the quest for improved food safety.
“The national system for managing food recalls in Australia relies heavily on food businesses having appropriate plans in place to respond quickly and effectively to food safety and related issues,” Steve McCutcheon, FSANZ’s Chief Executive Officer, said. “Each year, there are 50 to 60 food recalls in Australia in response to potential food safety issues. In addition, food businesses themselves initiate withdrawals of products for a range of reasons.”
“I urge all food businesses to get a copy of this protocol from the FSANZ website as you never know when something could go wrong with the food you produce. It is full of useful tips about how to conduct a recall or withdrawal including an updated attachment detailing what information should be included in press advertisements.”
“The FSANZ website has a downloadable press advertisement template to help affected businesses,” he added. “FSANZ also offers a 24 hour a day seven days a week recall emergency contact to help food businesses with after hours recalls.”
The updated recall protocol incorporates:
* a new section to describe the roles and responsibilities of food retailers during a food recall
* a requirement for food businesses conducting the recall to provide a list of the types of premises or stores likely to carry the food product, as well as the distribution lists, to assist with the recall process
* a clearer explanation of what a voluntary recall means (that is, when the manufacturer conducts a voluntary recall, it is not optional for industry customers to recall or not)
* clarification that government authorities require notification of all recalls - but not withdrawals
* elaboration of what the term ‘goods’ refers to in the Trades Practices Act
FSANZ has updated the protocol after extensive consultations with the food industry, the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the state and territory jurisdictions and other stakeholders.
“We began the review of the food recall coordination process and food recall protocols in mid-2007 as part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to keeping all our food safety processes up to date,” Mr. McCutcheon explained. “The review has been exhaustive and we have consulted widely. Thanks to this consultation, we have been satisfied to find that the existing protocol already largely meets the needs of industry and we have not had to make substantial changes to our internal processes. We found that the comments from stakeholders were mainly very positive.

China -Governments urged to thoroughly enforce food safety law
10 Mar 2009
Xinhua News Agency
According to this story, China's cabinet Tuesday ordered local governments and central governmental departments to carefully prepare for the implementation of newly-adopted Food Safety Law, with special focus on the safety of dairy products.
General Office of the State Council, or the Cabinet, said in a circular to the departments and local governments that the law, which goes into effect on June 1, must be enforced in a "down-to-earth" manner in order to ensure food products safe to consume.
The law, adopted by the national legislature on Feb. 28, has been widely seen as a new push to improve food safety in the country through stricter monitoring and supervision, tougher safety standards, recall of substandard products and severe punishment on offenders.
Related stories
08 Mar 2009 –Overlapping, administration, lax supervision blamed for food scandals
Xinhua News Agency
A political advisor today blamed overlapping administration among different government departments and lax supervision as "major ills" for the repeated food safety scandals in China.
"A spate of incidents including poisonous rice and infant formula scandal in recent years have brought food safety into the spotlight," a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said at a plenary meeting of the top political advisory body. "People's concern on food safety rises with each passing day," he said.
China's top legislature approved the Food Safety Law last month, providing a legal basis for the government to strengthen food safety control "from the production line to the dining table."
The law, which goes into effect on June 1, 2009, said the State Council, or Cabinet, would set up a state-level food safety commission to oversee the entire food monitoring system, whose lack of efficiency has long been blamed for repeated scandals.
2 March 2009 -Food Safety Laws
WSJ-Gordon Fairclough
It is reported that Chinese lawmakers passed new food-safety legislation meant to tighten supervision of manufacturers and impose tougher penalties on those who make bad products as the government seeks to restore public confidence after a spate of problems with tainted food.
The new law, approved by the standing committee of the National People's Congress on Saturday after years of drafting and revision, also sets up a system to recall problem products and authorizes the enforcement of uniform nationwide standards for everything from allowable additives to nutritional labeling. According to this story, food safety consistently ranks among the top concerns of Chinese citizens in opinion polls. Under the new law, which takes effect on June 1, companies that produce substandard products will face higher fines. Those whose licenses are revoked because of illegal conduct will be banned from food manufacturing for five years. Companies also will be legally liable for any harm they cause consumers. Celebrities that endorse faulty products also can be held liable under the new law. The story goes on by explaining that other provisions of the law require farmers to adhere to safety rules governing the use of pesticides, fertilizers, veterinary drugs and feed additives in growing crops and raising animals. Farmers will also be required to keep detailed records on raising crops and livestock for human consumption. It is also explained in this article that the standing committee of the National People's Congress, which passed the law, has the power to approve some legislation on its own.
1 Mar 2009 –CHINA says food safety situation still grim