In the news

The FDA reported that Farm Fresh Produce LLC (Vernon, CA) recalled all of the 14.11 ounce packages of “TWA AGRICULTURE MIXED MUSHROOMS” due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product was distributed in retail stores nationwide. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this product. Routine testing by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in 14.11 ounce packages of the product. The product’s production was suspended while the FDA and the company continued to investigate the source of the problem. @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/farm-fresh-produce-llc-recalls-twa-agriculture-mixed-mushrooms-because-possible-health-risk

The frozen pizza brand Buitoni (Nestlé, France) announced on Friday, March 18 the immediate recall of the entire Fraîch’up range (16 products) after being informed of the presence of Escherichia coli in the dough of a product. In a press release, Nestlé asks consumers who bought Fraîch’Up frozen pizzas before March 18, 2022, not to eat them and throw away the products. The press release does not specify the volumes or the countries concerned. According to the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF), the withdrawal affects the entire French territory. The health authorities announced that the resurgence of cases of severe contamination with the E. coli bacterium had caused the death of two children in France since the beginning of the year. As of March 17, 27 cases of HUS, or severe infection associated with E. coli bacteria with similar characteristics, had been identified, and 31 other cases are being investigated. @ https://blazetrends.com/escherichia-coli-recall-of-buitoni-pizzas-throughout-france/

The FDA released Form 483s from three inspections conducted at Abbott Nutrition’s facility in Sturgis, MI on September 16-24, 2019, September 20-24, 2021, and January 31-March 18, 2022. Important observations from the 2022 form 483 include the failure to establish a system that prevents contamination of microorganisms in the formula or in the processing environment. Abbott Nutrition did not ensure that all surfaces that contacted infant formula were maintained to protect infant formula from being contaminated by any source. The FDA has reported that this year’s inspection showed positive test results from environmental samples for Cronobacter. The organism was found on environmental surfaces in the packaging room and on the floor near a dryer. Cronobacter sakazakii was found by the company lab in a sample of infant formula in September of 2019, and in another sample in June of 2020 @ https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigation-cronobacter-infections-powdered-infant-formula-february-2022?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

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