In the news

The FDA announced that the intended enforcement discretion period for the harvest and post-harvest agricultural water provisions for covered produce (other than sprouts) in the Produce Safety Rule ends on January 26, 2023, for all businesses other than small and very small businesses. To help prepare growers, the FDA has released a fact sheet with questions and answers on the requirements. The FDA proposal rule from December 2021 did not include changes to agricultural water harvest and post-harvest requirements. Subsequently, the FDA issued a supplemental notice to extend the compliance dates for the pre-harvest requirements and announced end dates for the intended enforcement discretion. The key dates are January 26, 2025, for very small businesses; January 26, 2024, for small businesses; and January 26, 2023, for all other businesses. During the first year after the end of the intended enforcement discretion period, the FDA will work closely with international, state, and industry partners to advance training, technical assistance, educational visits, and on-farm readiness reviews to prepare farmers and regulators for implementing these provisions. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-releases-fact-sheet-reminds-produce-stakeholders-upcoming-end-intended-enforcement-discretion

The FDA reported that Utopia Foods Inc of Glendale, NY, expended the recall of its 200g packages of “Enoki Mushrooms” imported from China because they could potentially be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The product comes in a 200g, clear and blue plastic package with the brand name “UTOPIA” and bar code 8928918610017 marked on the packaging. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. The recalled “Enoki Mushrooms” were distributed in NY, NJ, and CT to produce wholesale companies. This is another recall of Enoki mushroom due to Listeria monocytogenes.  @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/utopia-foods-expands-recall-enoki-mushrooms-because-possible-health-risk

Fullei Fresh voluntarily recalled Alfalfa Sprouts due to the detection of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). No known illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this product. The affected Fullei Fresh brand alfalfa sprout lot number is 336. They were shipped to distributors and retailers in Florida between December 9-23, 2022. No other lots or products are affected. In January 2023, the FDA conducted an unannounced inspection. 108 listeria swabs were taken, and all were negative. They also pulled 34 samples of bean sprouts and 34 samples of alfalfa sprouts. The bean sprouts were all negative. @ https://www.usrecallnews.com/fullei-fresh-recalls-alfalfa-sprouts-because-of-possible-health-risk/

In the CORE table the FDA reported closing its investigation of an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium that sickened 274 people. No source for the outbreak was identified. The FDA conducted a trace back analysis and onsite inspection during the outbreak. No food was identified as the source of the outbreak. The FDA did not report the name of the company involved in the onsite inspection.  @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks