Fresh Produce Safety Centre e-News
March 2016
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The FPSC’s first professional development event—Fresh Produce Testing for Food Safety—was held on 1 March at Sydney Markets. It focused on best practice risk-based chemical and microbial testing, and using testing for verification and audit compliance.
The 45 attendees heard five presentations from various sides of the fresh produce industry, with time given to wide-ranging and informative Q&As. The final panel session tackled a strategic approach to addressing risk by testing. Speakers noted the value of the Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety for determining and following best practice.
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If you or your organisation would like to contribute to, host, or provide recommendations for future events, do let us know.
In other news from Australia and New Zealand, the new Food Standards Code has come into effect, as well as a new Food Act in New Zealand. Reflection on the recent Salmonella outbreak continues, with a FAQ from CSIRO and a business analysis from Inside FMCG. Overseas research is picking up steam, with a review of fresh produce associated listeriosis outbreaks, alongside examination of postharvest management of food safety in pistachio crops, and further information about feedlot setbacks from leafy greens. Find those stories and other latest news updates below.
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New stories at the FPSC website:
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NZ: New Food Act comes into force
New Zealand Government: The new food safety legislation, which comes into effect [1st March], will help protect public health and sustain a strong food industry for years to come, says Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew. “The Food Act 2014 will help us to future-proof the safety of our food, and to make compliance more efficient […]
[Full story]
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NZ: Total Diet Study to look into what’s in our food
Scoop.co.nz: The New Zealand Total Diet Study (NZTDS) [will] assess New Zealanders’ exposure to certain chemicals such as agricultural compounds, contaminants and nutrients and it is used to identify any potential food safety risks to consumers, as well as monitoring changes to what we eat over time.
[Full story]
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NZ: Golden apple industry on its way to $1 billion target
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NZ Herald: When Hawke's Bay orchardist Lesley Wilson began growing apples close to 30 years ago, "paperwork" meant keeping a cashbook and a box of receipts. Now, she says she could fill a room with compliance folders -- and that's part of the reason why the industry has performed so strongly in recent years. Wilson says […]
[Full story]
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AU: Audits in the Food Industry fact sheet
NSW Foodwise: The NSW Food Authority is responsible for regulating food production and food safety throughout NSW and has an obligation under the Food Act 2003 and Food Regulation 2015 to conduct audits in certain licensed food businesses.
More information regarding both audit models, including audit frequencies and priority classifications can be found on the Food Authority fact sheet Audits in the Food Industry
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AU: Barcodes: benefits, usage & getting it right
Food Magazine: A product’s barcode is a vital aspect of its manufacture, enabling traceability within the supply chain and facilitating the smooth flow of goods. Poor quality barcodes can cause severe disruption to the supply chain […]
[Full story]
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AU: Salmonella: what is it, and how can you protect against it?
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CSIRO: The recent Salmonella contamination of fresh produce has led to possibly more than 100 people becoming ill, sparking a nationwide recall of 30 bagged leafy green products and a nationwide drop in sales for other bagged-salad producers. Unfortunately, food-borne illness from Salmonella isn’t unusual. Meat and salad rolls from a Sydney bakery were the […]
[Full story]
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AU: Food safety – prevention is better than cure
CSIRO: This half day seminar, run by CSIRO's food innovation centre in collaboration with the Food Technology Association of Australia (FTAA), will discuss the importance of a food safety culture and a robust risk management program. A series of case study examples will discuss proactive approaches to predicting, managing […]
[Full story]
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AU: New tactics in war on toxins to prevent food poisoning
Weekly Times: One year on from Australia’s frozen berry food safety scare, producers are working harder than ever to make sure the food they produce is safe to eat. CSIRO food microbiologist Cathy Moir said if something did go wrong […]
[Full story]
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AU: New Food Standards Code
Food Standards Australia New Zealand: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today notified all stakeholders that a revised version of the Food Standards Code has now come into effect. There is no transition period between the old and the new version of the Code. FSANZ Chief Executive Officer, Steve McCutcheon, said […] [Full story]
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AU: Patties still feels pain from berry recall
Inside FMCG: The effects of the hepatitis A scare that led to the recall of its Creative Gourmet and Nanna’s frozen berry products in February 2015 lingers on despite tests finding no traces of the virus in recalled samples. Patties Foods’ first half profit declined almost 12 per cent to $7.3 million. This was largely due to a 62 per cent decline […]
[Full story]
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AU: Food police strike school lunches with watermelon, bananas and strawberries off the menu
Herald Sun: As schools and kinders grapple with spiralling food allergies, some are advising parents that even certain fruit and vegetables should be binned. Point Cook P–9 College has urged parents to avoid sending bananas, watermelon, soy, wheat, eggs, dairy, and nuts in lunches […]
[Full story]
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US: Fresh produce–associated listeriosis outbreaks, sources of concern, teachable moments, and insights
International Association for Food Protection: Foodborne transmission of Listeria monocytogenes was first demonstrated through the investigation of the 1981 Maritime Provinces outbreak involving coleslaw. […] This review discusses produce-related outbreaks of listeriosis with a focus on special trends, unusual findings […]
[Full story]
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US: Project assesses food safety impacts of delays between pistachio harvest and drying
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Center for Produce Safety: Even with the best-laid plans, delays can happen during pistachio harvest and post-harvest handling. Not only can the slowdowns reduce overall nut processing efficiency and quality, but they also may have food safety implications. A two-year research project […]
[Full story]
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US: Awareness, training, oversight keys to mitigating food safety risks
The Wall Street Journal: The recent food sickness problems at Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.—the chain suffered an E. coli outbreak that led to restaurant closures in nine states and a norovirus outbreak that sickened 140 people in Boston–placed a spotlight on risks faced by companies that sell food.
[Full story]
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US: Which food is most likely to give you Salmonella?
The Daily Meal: Salmonella poisoning, or salmonellosis, is an illness inspired by the consumption of one of over 2,000 foodborne salmonella strains. “Salmonella infection usually occurs when a person eats food contaminated with the feces of animals or humans carrying the bacteria,” says Foodborne Illness.
[Full story]
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US: Research shows feedlot link to E. coli O157:H7 on leafy greens
Food Safety News: Current guidelines for the minimum distance between cattle feed lots and fresh produce growing fields are likely inadequate to ensure leafy greens are not contaminated with E. coli from dust and manure. “Additional research is needed to determine safe set-back distances between cattle feedlots and crop production […]
[Full story]
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CA: Canada allows third-party audit results
Canadian Food Inspection Agency: While promising to retain its role in regulatory oversight and inspections, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will consider the results of third-party food safety audits. In a document, the CFIA said the policy will apply to both domestic and imported products.
[Full story]
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DE: Opinion: Could retailer pollinator policy jeopardize bee and grower well-being?
Fresh Fruit Portal: Following a retailer’s recent decision to ban eight allegedly ‘bee harming’ insecticides from its products, Christina Huxdorff from Greenpeace, Germany was quoted as saying, “This is just a beginning”. For growers worldwide who need these valuable tools to control potentially devastating pests in order to supply […]
[Full story]
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DK: The supermarket that wants everyone to buy food waste
Aol.com: Residents of Copenhagen can cut their grocery bills by as much as half thanks to a new supermarket that opened in the city this week. WeFood, started by the nonprofit DanChurch Aid, gets all of its products—from dairy to meat to dry goods—from supermarket chains that would otherwise throw the food away.
[Full story]
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