The FDA issued the first injunction against a company for the violation of the Produce Safety Rule enacted under FSMA. The injunction was issued against Fortune Food Product, Inc., an Illinois-based processor of sprouts and soy products. Inspections by the FDA found that the company failed to comply with Produce Safety and Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations. The FDA conducted multiple inspections and documented unsanitary conditions showing that sprouts and soy products may have become contaminated with filth or rendered injurious to health. The FDA issued a warning letter identifying significant evidence of rodent activity and insanitary conditions and practices throughout the farm mixed-type facility. U.S. District Judge entered the consent decree of permanent injunction on September 15, 2020, between the U.S. and Fortune Food Product, Inc., its majority owner Steven Seeto and its supervisor Tiffany Jiang. The settlement prohibits the company from growing, harvesting, packing, holding sprouts and soy products at or from their facility, or any other facility until specific requirements are met. The FDA is not aware of any confirmed illnesses related to Fortune Food’s products. @ https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-first-injunction-under-produce-safety-rule-illinois-based-food-manufacturer-repeated-food?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
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FDA issues first injunction under Produce Safety Rule to Illinois-based food manufacturer for repeated food safety violations
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A study by researchers from the Center of Food Safety at the University of Georgia, published in Food Control (Vol. 119, Jan 2021), suggests that applying sanitizers to tomatoes, pre-harvesting can reduce foodborne pathogens. The treatment is better than the current post-harvest treatment. A new bactericide comprised of two chemicals, levulinic acid and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was evaluated. Results obtained from inoculation studies on tomato plants confirmed that this bactericide reduced the count of Salmonella, STEC, and L. monocytogenes populations substantially (P<0.05) when compared with water and chlorine treatment. Results showed that the application of this organic bactericide was effective for the reduction of foodborne pathogens and microbial loads in pre-harvest tomatoes. The approach described is a practical, easy-to-use, labor-cost-effective, and environmentally friendly approach for control and reduction of foodborne pathogens that may contaminate the surface of the produce at the pre-harvest stage.@ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713520303856
A new bactericide comprised of two chemicals, levulinic acid and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was evaluated for its efficacy on tomatoes to reduce coâ¦
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The list of hand sanitizers on the “do-not-use” list keeps growing. The FDA continues to warn consumers not to use 176 hand sanitizer products due to potential methanol contamination. The FDA says the recalled hand sanitizer products are considered unsafe due to methanol contamination or because they contain low levels of ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, which are active ingredients in hand sanitizer products. CDC reported adverse events associated with the listed hand sanitizer products, including adults and children who ingested products contaminated with methanol that led to blindness, hospitalizations, and death. New products are added to the list very frequently. The investigation by the FDA into the use of methanol in hand sanitizers is ongoing. @ https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/09/11/176-hand-sanitizers-recalled-after-reports-of-blindness-and-hospitalizations-fda-reports/?outputType=amp
The list of recalled hand sanitizer products that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use due to potential methanol contamination has grown to nearly 150.
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A new COVID-19 rapid test was developed by Graphene Leaders Canada (GLC) Inc. (Alberta, Canada) together with its subsidiary GLC Medical (GLCM) Inc. The device is claimed to deliver accurate and reliable results in seconds using a graphene-enhanced sensor that produces a signal when exposed to COVID-19 viral antigens. The GLCM’s test directly detects the virus, ensuring no false positive/negative results, unlike other tests that detect only the byproducts of infection and are therefore unreliable. The device produces a signal when exposed to COVID-19 viral antigens. The GLCM’s test has been developed to indicate a positive result only when the COVID-19 virus is present, allowing for direct and clear interpretation by the user. GLCM’s rapid test is an “at the door” technology, which is perfect before boarding a plane, entering a venue for a concert or sporting event, as it delivers instant results, regaining the confidence to bring us back to our “normal” before the pandemic. @ http://news.rapidmicromethods.com/2020/09/rapid-covid-19-test-uses-graphene.html
A new COVID-19 rapid test delivers accurate and reliable results in seconds using a graphene-enhanced sensor that produces a signal when exp…