After months of COVID-19-related delays, the FDA has just released its “New Era of Smarter Food Safety: Blueprint for the Future.” Part of that blueprint focuses on recall modernization – a process that actually has been ongoing even without FDA’s close attention. But now that it is top priority for the agency, you can expect your regulatory obligations to change.
Continue ReadingNews about Blue Bell Creameries’ guilty plea and $19 million in federal fines linked to a deadly 2015 listeria outbreak that led to a series of ice cream recalls serves as a cautionary tale for all food companies operating in today’s punishing media and regulatory environment. Blue Bell, whose former CEO is also charged by the Justice Department with conspiracy to cover up safety problems at its plants, started with the best of intentions.
Continue ReadingFood means joy, comfort – and frankly, employment – for many. But these days, food has too often become synonymous with uncertainty, stress, and fear. As coronavirus began to spread in the U.S., consumers rushed to supermarkets to stock up on food and other necessary groceries. Suddenly, store shelves were empty, and grocery store workers, forced to work in their essential industry, found themselves unable to keep up with consumer demand.
Continue ReadingAs the number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase worldwide, numerous questions and a tremendous amount of misinformation cloud the issue. Many remain confused about how the virus is transmitted, how dangerous it is, and what treatments for it may be available. The good news is that the safety of our food has been given a clean bill of health so far. Research indicates that food and food ingredients aren’t a transfer source for coronavirus.
Continue ReadingIn the aftermath of widespread romaine lettuce, flour, and chicken-strip recalls in 2019, the U.S. PIRG Education Fund is calling for upgrades to food-safety regulation in the 2020 edition of its food safety report, “How Safe is Our Food?” In most cases, regulations U.S. PIRG wants aren’t groundbreaking, and are already on the industry’s radar.
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