In the news

The White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, on June 21 introduced a reorganization plan. The plan proposes creating a single food safety agency under the Agriculture Department, decreasing the Food and Drug Administration’s role in regulating the food industry. Mulvaney said “Because of the Byzantine nature of the way we regulate in this country…if you make a cheese pizza, that is governed by the Food and Drug Administration, if you put pepperoni it, that’s governed by USDA. If you have a chicken, it’s governed by the USDA. If that chicken lays an egg, it’s governed by the FDA, but if you break the egg and make it into an omelet, that is now covered again by USDA.”Under the plan, food safety regulations would shift from FDA to USDA and FSIS, instead of having duties split between the FDA and the USDA. It’s an idea that the Obama administration proposed in 2015. It will create a new branch called the Federal Food Safety Agency. @ https://harvestpublicmedia.org/post/white-house-plan-would-move-food-aid-out-usda-combine-food-safety-efforts

NOW Health Group, Inc. (NOW), of Bloomingdale, Illinois, recalled its NOW Real Food® Zesty Sprouting Mix –because its primary ingredient, Crimson Clover Seeds, has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Approximately 10,000 units of Zesty Sprouting Mix were distributed online and in retail stores nationwide since December 2017. Evidence of potential contamination was implicated in ongoing FDA and CDC investigations into multistate outbreaks of Salmonella infections. @ https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm611388.htm?utm_campaign=Now%20Health%20Group%20Inc.%20Recalls%20Select%20Now%20Real%20Food%C2%AE%20Zesty%20Sprouting%20Mix&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today the recall of Texas Natural Meats, a Lott, Texas, recalled approximately 489 pounds of frozen raw, ground beef products, produced almost a year ago, because they may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O103. The products were shipped to a retailer who sold the product at a farmer’s market in Roger, Texas. The problem was discovered on June 19, 2018, by FSIS during routine inspection activities. The product was found to be positive for STEC O103. FSIS is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers, Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. @ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-051-2018-release

Biosynth, a Swiss-based developer of reagents and biologically active chemicals, and RAMOT, the Tel Aviv University Business Engagement Center, have announced the incorporation of a Joint Venture, NEMIS Technologies. The jointly developed technology platform AquaSparkTM develops diagnostic kits and solutions for rapid pathogenic bacteria detection in food safety. AquaSpark™ enables highly sensitive chemiluminescence probes for research and diagnostic applications. The technology requires only 5-6 hours pre-incubation followed by reading in a luminometer. The company announced that just after six months of intensive work together the first products have been launched. These are the most sensitive substrates for the detection of phosphatase activity on the world market today. @ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-joint-venture-nemis-technologies-formed-by-biosynth-and-ramot-at-tel-aviv-university-develops-rapid-diagnostic-tests-for-pathogenic-bacteria-in-food-safety-and-clinical-applications-683701451.html