In the news

The Australian authorities announced that O’Brien’s Wholesale Meats Pty Ltd recalls O’brien’s Full Boneless leg of ham (various sizes) due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The products have been available for sale at independent food retailers, including IGA and butcher shops in South Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales, Victoria, and Foodlands in South Australia. The products involved are Full boneless leg ham, Champagne leg ham, Half leg ham, Full leg ham, Half boneless leg ham, and Third leg ham, with use-by dates in April 2021. O’Brien’s Wholesale Meats detected the bacteria during routine testing and is now working to remove any potentially affected product from the supply. The Department for Health and Wellbeing’s Acting Director, Food and Controlled Drugs Branch, Karen Ferres, said no Listeria cases had been reported to South Australia Health linked to the product. @ https://wwwhttps://www.productsafety.gov.au/recall/obriens-wholesale-meats-pty-ltd-obriens-leg-hams-various-weights

Aanika Biosciences has developed a technology that is claimed to be able to quickly identify the source of foodborne contaminations by using genetically engineered bacterial spores that attach to food. They insert to spores of Bacillus subtilis a DNA barcode that can be “scanned” to identify a food’s origin, down to a plot of land on a farm. The Bacillus is genetically engineered with a unique DNA barcode. The spores grown from the genetically engineered Bacillus can be added to water and attached to crops as they are being washed. The genetic barcodes within each spore can be “scanned” to identify where each plant came from. Researchers at Harvard Medical School took 18 different plants in a similar approach and sprayed each of them with bioengineered spores containing unique, genetic barcodes. A month later, the scientists were able to pinpoint the specific plant that each leaf came from. The challenge for Aanika’s technology will be to convince farmers and consumers to adopt the technology. While Bacillus subtilis is found in probiotic yogurts sold on the market, consumers might be worried about eating products containing such spores. Farmers will have concerns regarding adopting a new tracing technology, including privacy concerns and fears of food tampering by consumers. @ https://thecounter.org/bioengineered-spores-trace-foodborne-outbreaks-safety-experts-skeptical/amp/

The FDA has been using a new data analysis tool, called 21 FORWARD, to help inform their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Through a partnership between the FDA, members of Operation Warp Speed, the CDC, and the USDA, data from 21 FORWARD is also being made available to assist states with their planning efforts for vaccine distribution.  The FDA contributes information from its 21 FORWARD tool on the estimated numbers and distribution of food and agriculture sector employees who work at FDA regulated food facilities. On December 22, the CDC recommended that food and agriculture workers be among the essential front-line workers covered in the second phase of the vaccine rollout. The 21 FORWARD tool was designed to enable the FDA to use the CDC forecast data to track the incidence of COVID-19 across the country and identify areas in which its spread.  21 FORWARD will allow a better understanding of the food supply chain and its vulnerabilities. The FDA is using the power of data and employing analytical skills to help keep food industry workers safe and support the food supply chain. @ https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/unleashing-power-fda-data-support-covid-19-vaccine-distribution-food-and-agriculture-workers

The FDA announced that Lancaster Foods LLC had initiated a voluntary recall of its processed butternut squash items because they can be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with these products. The recalled items were distributed in NC, VA, DC, MD, PN, NY, NJ, CT, RI, MA, NH, and VT, mainly through retail stores. The product recalled include 16 oz Autumn Medley, 12 oz Butternut Squash Noodles, 21 oz Butternut Squash Planks, 20 oz Squash Noodle Medley, 2.5#, 20 oz, 24 oz and 12 oz Butternut Squash Chunks, and 15 oz Veggie Rice Blend. Lancaster Foods has temporarily stopped producing these items as the FDA, and the company investigates the source of contamination.  @ https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/lancaster-foods-recalls-all-conventional-butternut-squash-items-were-processed-between-dates-122220?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery