In the news

The FDA released a new user-friendly online Agricultural Water Assessment Builder to help farms understand the proposed requirements for an agricultural water assessment. If finalized, the rule would require farms to conduct systems-based agricultural water assessments to determine and guide appropriate measures to minimize potential risks associated with pre-harvest agricultural water. The assessment would include evaluating the water system, agricultural water use practices, crop characteristics, environmental conditions, and the impacts on source water by activities on adjacent and nearby land. Farms would be required to conduct pre-harvest agricultural water assessments annually. The tool prompts users to answer questions and/or fill in information specific to their farms. Information entered into the tool is not shared with the FDA and will not be saved. However, users have the opportunity to save or print the information they provide to their local computers. @ https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-launches-agricultural-water-assessment-builder-help-farms-understand-agricultural-water-proposed

The FDA collected and tested processed avocado and finished guacamole. The assignment began in November 2017 and ended in September 2019. The FDA collected and tested 887 samples of processed avocado and guacamole (domestic and imported product) for Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. The FDA directed its field staff not to collect products that had undergone high-pressure processing (HPP) or products intended for HPP. The FDA detected Salmonella spp. in two samples later determined to be distinct samples of the same brand of domestically manufactured guacamole from different lots. The agency detected Listeria monocytogenes in 15 samples from nine different firms. Of those 15 samples, eight had not been HPP treated. The HPP-treatment status of the other seven samples could not be ascertained. The FDA conducted WGS analysis on the positives but could not determine whether processed avocado or guacamole was the food vehicle associated with any known human illnesses. The data show that the prevalence of Salmonella and Listeria in the non-HPP-treated samples was higher than in the HPP-treated samples. @ https://www.fda.gov/media/156846/download

The CFIA recalled oysters from the marketplace due to possible norovirus contamination. The recall was triggered by findings of the CFIA during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. The recalled products have been sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario and may have been distributed in other provinces and territories. The impacted oysters were harvested in Deep Bay, which is off the east coast of Vancouver Island. The Vancouver Coastal Health said it had seen an increase in norovirus cases associated with eating raw B.C. oysters. More than 50 people reported having “acute gastrointestinal illness” after ingesting raw oysters, VCH said in a news release Friday. Several oyster-harvesting areas were temporarily shut down following an investigation by government authorities and the shellfish industry. They will reopen “when contamination is cleared,” officials said. VCH warned the public against eating raw oysters. @ https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/certain-stellar-bay-shellfish-brand-oysters-recalled-due-norovirus?utm_source=r_listserv

The USDA/FSIS reported that Boyd Specialties, LLC (Colton, California) recalled approximately 1,634 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) jerky products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. The multiple jerky products were produced on February 23, 2022. The items were shipped to retail locations in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. FSIS discovered the problem during follow-up procedures after a routine FSIS product sample confirmed positive for Listeria monocytogenes. No confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. @ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/boyd-specialties-llc-recalls-jerky-products-due-possible-listeria-contamination