Information and resources on food safety practices and research for all stakeholders in the fresh produce industry.
View this email in your browser

What's new on our website

March 2015

New on our website:

Do you have a suggestion or want more information? Contact us at info@freshproducesafety-anz.com. We would appreciate your feedback.

Please let your QA and compliance staff plus external advisors know about our newsletter. They can subscribe too!

What's new on our website


AU/NZ: Submissions close soon for comment on Guidelines discussion paper

The Fresh Produce Safety Centre is seeking comments on the content, presentation structure and format of the Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety. Please submit your comments by 27 March 2015. Download the discussion paper and upload comments at the Guidelines website. The Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety has been sponsored by these organisations:

[Full story]

AU/US: Current issues in microbial contamination of horticultural produce

Dr Trevor Suslow, from UC Davis and Board member of the Center for Produce Safety, will present a seminar on current issues in microbial contamination of horticultural produce at the University of Sydney on Friday 20 March at 11.00am
[Full story]

AU: Are supermarkets safe? Berry crisis reveals poor food safety tests for imports

Australian Institute of Food Safety: Consumer confidence throughout Australia has suffered a serious hit recently as customers question the safety of imported foods after imported berries caused 26 suspected instances of hepatitis A. But the crisis isn’t limited to berries. Approximately 200 other imported foods destined for supermarket shelves in the last six months have […]
[Full story]

NZ: Food safety ‘key to new Chinese research agreement’

Lincoln University continues to develop its interests in China with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with South China University of Technology, from Guangdong Province. As well as offering exchange opportunities for academic staff and students, the MOU aims to establish joint research projects between the two institutions. Most significantly, the requirements for […]
[Full story]

AU: Food poisoning quiz

Recent events highlight that we can all be vulnerable to food poisoning so test your knowledge of the causes of food poisoning and how you can prevent getting sick in the first place. Click here to access the ABC Health & Wellbeing 7 Question Quiz.
[Full story]

US: New food safety protocols published for reusable grocery containers

Reusable plastic containers used to transport fruits and vegetables have proliferated across the grocery industry in recent years despite recent warnings from university research studies suggesting the containers may harbor and spread harmful pathogens over time. Responding to critics, the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) has issued comprehensive, science-based protocols for the use of grocery containers […]
[Full story]

AU: Chinese fraudsters rebrand citrus with Australian labels

The skyrocketing demand and reputation of Australian citrus in the Chinese market is giving fraudsters more incentives to fake Aussie fruit. Citrus Australia said Chinese counterfeiters had been rebranding Chinese fruit with Australian labels to collect higher prices and sales. It posed a major food safety threat, but citrus growers said this was not a […]
[Full story]

AU: Going nuts: Why are Australians allergic to everything?

Two generations ago, EpiPens were unheard of and taking peanut butter to school didn’t provoke hostile debate between parents. Now around one in 50 Australian children has a peanut allergy. A 2013 study by a team of researchers led by Katie Allen found that one in 10 children aged 12 months living in Melbourne had […]
[Full story]

NZ: New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre newsletter No. 2

New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre: With the help of the industry participants, we have completed the first round of sector workshops. These were aimed at understanding food safety research needs from an industry perspective. Five workshops were held (meat and dairy in Wellington, horticulture and processing and manufacturing in Auckland and seafood […]
[Full story]

AU: Price, fat and appearance … are more important than country of origin, production methods or other labelling claims

Shoppers may claim they are interested in how food is produced and its effect on the planet, but in the end it is looks and cost that matter most. Research from the University of Adelaide shows there are two standards to the way people shop. The first is called their "public values", which is where […]
[Full story]

EU: Journal dedicates issue to climate change and food safety

Food Research International has published a special issue dedicated to the impacts of climate change on food safety. The collection of research examined issues such as pesticide use, parasite transmission, mycotoxin production on tomatoes, paralytic shellfish poisoning, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and the relationship between flooding and leafy greens contamination. Click here to read the article in […]
[Full story]

AU: Suspected salmonella outbreak: 250 food poisoning cases linked to principals’ conference in Brisbane

ABC News: A total of 250 people are now sick after a suspected salmonella outbreak at a school principals’ conference in Brisbane last week, Queensland Health says. About 1,200 delegates gathered for the conference on February 26 and 27 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC). Chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said 250 […]
[Full story]
 

FPSC Conference Save the Date

11-12 August 2015

The FPSC will be holding its annual conference in Sydney on 11 and 12 August 2015. Tuesday 11 August will be a welcome event in the afternoon, with the full conference program on Wednesday 12 August. Information on sponsorship opportunities, the conference program and registration will be available soon.
 
Sign up to this FPSC mailing list
Visit the Fresh Produce Safety Centre website

Want more food safety blog posts?

Richard Bennett is the Technology Manager at PMA Australia-New Zealand and the FPSC. You can check out his Food Safety, Traceability and Technology blog on the PMA A-NZ website, here.
More about the Produce Marketing Association Australia-New Zealand
More about the University of Sydney Faculty of Agriculture & Environment
Share
Tweet
Forward
Share
Unsubscribe <<Email Address>> from this list.

Update your subscription preferences

Our most recent newsletter

Photo credit:
Joe Lodge / Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Our mailing address is:
Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia & New Zealand
Room 517, Level 5, Life Earth & Environmental Sciences Building, F22
City Road
The University of Sydney, NSW 2006
Australia

Add us to your address book

Copyright © 2015 Fresh Produce Safety Centre Australia & New Zealand, All rights reserved.


Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
The Fresh Produce Safety Centre has been funded by a Horticulture Innovation Australia project with co-investment from industry and funds from the Australian Government. We also thank the founding supporters and partners, listed at our supporters page.