In the news

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that Erie Meat Products Ltd. recalled Druxy’s Fresh Deli Revolution brand Seasoned Cooked Roast Beef that was sold at Druxy’s Famous Deli restaurant locations. The product has been portioned and served at the restaurant locations without a label or coding, and consumers are being advised to contact the restaurant if they believe they may have consumed the beef. The recall follows last week’s hospitalization of 3 people who may have contracted Listeria infections after eating deli sandwiches at a Druxy’s restaurant in Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. @ http://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/78808

The U.S. Department of Agriculture gave the go-ahead to a handful of crops that have been genetically engineered using CRISPR (the DNA editor). This week, the USDA made their position official. US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the decision. The logic is this: You can alter a plant’s genetics through classical breeding techniques like crossbreeding. So as long as scientists are tweaking plants in ways that hypothetically could have been achieved through more traditional means there is no more health risk to consumers than any other breeding method. Genetic alteration through CRISPR is just a faster, more direct way of obtaining the same outcome. The USDA believes that a mushroom that has simply had one of its genes deleted isn’t much of a threat. None of those CRISPR crops have yet made it to supermarkets, but with this endorsement from the USDA, they may soon be on an aisle near you. @ https://gizmodo.com/the-usda-just-gave-the-green-light-to-crisprd-food-1824213151/amp

The FDA found STEC (Shiga-toxin-producing) E. coli (O128) and Salmonella in raw pet food manufactured by Arrow Reliance. These samples were tested by FDA to show if Arrow Reliance had addressed the ongoing pattern of contamination with pathogenic bacteria. From October 17, 2016, to March 26, 2018, there were five recalls of and multiple complaints associated with Darwin’s Natural Selections and Darwin’s ZooLogics pet foods, manufactured by Arrow Reliance Inc. On March 26, 2018, Arrow Reliance/Darwin’s Natural recalled after FDA found that the products tested positive for Salmonella and/or Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. @ https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/ucm596555.htm?utm_campaign=3-26-2018-Arrow2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

King Arthur Flour Company recalled 6,300 cases of Organic Coconut Flour after one pouch of the flour tested positive for Salmonella. The recalled Organic Coconut Flour was distributed through retailers and distributors nationwide. King Arthur Flour has initiated an investigation to identify the source of the problem in their Supply Chain. @ https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm602489.htm