FDA Webinar October 26:
The First 100 Days: New Era of Smarter Food Safety

Please join FDA for a webinar on Monday, October 26, 2020 from 3 to 4 p.m. on the  highlights of the first 100 days since FDA issued its blueprint for the New Era of Smarter Food Safety. During this one-hour webinar, Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas and leaders of the four Core Elements of the blueprint will discuss the new approach FDA is taking to food safety, leveraging technology and other tools to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system.

You will hear about:

• The people at FDA who are leading this effort, their vision for achieving the goals set forth in the blueprint, and an inside look at how they are doing that. 
• The milestones/achievements of the first 100 days since the blueprint was issued.
• Key next steps and priorities for the next two years – and beyond.
• Our plans to engage with stakeholders 

Remarks provided by:

• Frank Yiannas, Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, FDA
• Leaders of the Core Element teams: 
  • Core Element 1: Tech Enabled Traceability 
  • Core Element 2: Smarter Tools and Approaches for Prevention and Outbreak Response
  • Core Element 3: New Business Models and Retail Modernization
  • Core Element 4: Food Safety Culture

Date: Wednesday, October 26, 2020
Time: 3:00PM - 4:00PM EDT

Recording Available:
New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint: What Does It Mean for the Regulatory Community? 

FDA released the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint on July 13, outlining the agency’s plans over the next 10 years to create a more digital, traceable, and safer food system. Frank Yiannas, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food Safety and Response, took a deeper dive into the plan including areas of particular interest to state and local government staffs, and how AFDO members and stakeholders will play a role in its success. If you missed this hour of comments and questions, here is your chance to catch the insights Yiannas shared last Wednesday.
 

NACCHO and CFP Seeks Recruits for the 2020-2022 Food Safety Advisory Group

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the Conference for Food Protection (CFP) are seeking 10-15 state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) health department professionals, retail food industry professionals, and retail food association staff to join and launch a Food Safety Advisory Group (FSAG). The FSAG will help fulfill NACCHO’s and CFP’s two-year cooperative agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by advising these organizations on increasing retail food regulatory programs’ application of risk-based inspections, as well as increasing enrollment and active participation in/application of the Voluntary Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards by SLTT retail food regulatory programs. Learn more and apply to become a member by Friday, November 6, 5:00 PM ET.

Call for Applications: 2020-2022 Food Safety Advisory Group

Panel Discussion:
How Standards Help Cannabis Businesses 

Join AFDO this Tuesday as AFDO Executive Director Steve Mandernach is a guest on @greenflowermedia’s weekly webinar to learn more about the importance of standards for the cannabis business. Register now to save your virtual seat! 

Date: October 20, 2020
Time: 2:00PM EDT/11:00AM PDT

FDA Seeks Input on Labeling of Food Made with Cultured Seafood Cells 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing a Request for Information titled “Labeling of Foods Comprised of or Containing Cultured Seafood Cells,” to solicit information and data to help inform the agency and help determine what next steps may be needed to ensure that these foods are labeled properly.

Various companies, both domestic and foreign, are developing products using animal cell culture technology, and these products may soon enter the U.S. marketplace.  This technology involves the controlled growth of animal cells and their harvesting and processing into food, either alone or combined with other food.  The FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have agreed to jointly oversee the production of food products derived from the cultured cells of livestock and poultry while the FDA will regulate food products derived from the cultured cells of species under its jurisdiction, such as seafood (except Siluriformes fish, commonly known as catfish, which is regulated by the USDA).

The labeling of food derived from cultured seafood cells generally falls under the jurisdiction of the FDA while the labeling of food derived from cultured meat and poultry cells will be overseen by the USDA.  The FDA and USDA are working to develop joint principles for product labeling and claims to ensure that products are labeled consistently and transparently.

Further information available here

Webinar Announcement: 
Your Questions, Your Topics: Body Art Regulations and Innovations 

Join AFDO and the Body Art Committee for a one-of-a-kind thought-provoking body art adventure with a panel of body art experts including environmental health specialists, body artists that specialize in different techniques, FDA regulators past and present. 

This interactive session will answer your questions about the behind the scenes focus on COVID-19 in the body art world, color additives, FDA regulations impacting the body art industry, tattoo pigments, the overview of cosmetic tattooing and much more! 
 
YOU are in control of the content of this webinar. Please submit your questions at the link below by October 26, 2020, and every effort will be made to address topics you bring forward through your questions during this webinar.

Date: November 2, 2020
Time: 2:00PM - 3:30PM ET
Speakers: 
•    Hannah Wolf, Tattoo Artist
•    Katherine Martinez, Environmental Health Specialist, Kent County
•    Lou Rubino, Owner of World Famous Tattoo Ink, Tattoo Lous, United Ink, Ultimate Tattoo Supply, and Kuro Sumi Ink
•    Kay Lewis, U,S. Food and Drug Administration 
•    Michael Crea, Executive Director, Florida Environmental Health Association 
•    John Misock, Ceutical Labs

FDA to Hold Public Meetings to Discuss the Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods: Proposed Rule 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be holding a series of three virtual one-day public meetings to discuss the recently released proposed rule “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods.” The purpose of the public meetings is to discuss the proposed rule, which was issued under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. These public meetings are intended to facilitate and support the public's evaluation and commenting process on the proposed rule.

First Virtual Public Meeting
November 6, 2020, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST

Register for November 6, 2020

Second Virtual Public Meeting
November 18, 2020, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST

Register for November 18, 2020

Third Virtual Public Meeting
December 2, 2020, 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. EST

Register for December 2, 2020

Registration is required to attend one of the virtual meetings. Space is limited so please register early. For general questions about the meetings, contact Juanita Yates, FDA, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, e-mail: Juanita.Yates@fda.hhs.gov.
 
More information here!
 

40th Annual Food Safety & Sanitation (FSS) Workshop is FREE This Year!

The Northwest Food Safety & Sanitation Workshop addresses basic sanitation as well as cutting edge issues related to food sanitation and food safety. Topics having broad interest are covered in the general sessions. There are more specific subjects discussed in small breakout sessions, with basic and advanced tracks available.

You must register to receive the Zoom link.  All interested attendees are required to have their own registration.

Please visit our website for additional workshop information and registration:  http://ext100.wsu.edu/foodsanitation/ 

See more information here: 

Free Virtual Workshop on Listeria in the Retail Environment     

FRF’s Food Industry Council (FIC) is partnering with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) to host a virtual Listeria training workshop on October 19 and 20.
 
Florida’s Food Safety experts will lead attendees in a deep dive on the control and prevention of Listeria in the retail space, and what to do if you get a positive sample. Attendees will also have access to a live Q&A session with FDACS’s Division of Food Safety.

The workshop will run from 9am-12pm (EST) each day and will be offered complimentary to interested attendees, spaces are limited. 

Date: October 19 & 20, 2020
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm ET

View Agenda
Register Here

2020 AFDOSS Annual Business Meeting & Virtual Member Update 

Please join the upcoming Business Meeting & Membership Update on Oct. 27 at 9 a.m. ET. We are hosting this event to share important board updates and annual AFDOSS news with the entire membership, and we hope you can join us for this virtual event! Meet your new 2020-2021 AFDOSS Board and hear the latest updates on activities pertaining to AFDO and AFDOSS - see you then! 

Meeting Details: 

2020 AFDOSS Annual Business Meeting & Virtual Member Update
Hosted by Amy Bonsell

https://afdo.my.webex.com/afdo.my/j.php?MTID=m4d5f41cc71b83806866f8581477a743b
Tuesday, Oct 27, 2020 9:00 am | 1 hour | (UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Meeting number: 126 083 9581
Password: PPswS9pAC87 (77797972 from phones and video systems)
abec86a34cfa43858206f8e099e41a96

Join by video system
Dial 1260839581@webex.com
You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.

Join by phone
+1-510-338-9438 USA Toll
Access code: 126 083 9581

Milk and Shellfish Grant Program:
Grant Portal Closes October 27, 2020

The 2021 Milk and Shellfish Grant Program is open until October 27 so plan now! Here is what you can expect:
 

• A simple application process and easy reporting.
• Eligibility for all National Grade “A” Milk Safety Programs and National Shellfish Sanitation Programs.
• More than $2.4 Million is expected to be awarded for Calendar Year 2021 Training and Equipment Projects.
• As in the past, the portal uses a simple, online application and reporting process.

Funds are currently available for completing projects that assist programs in achieving and/or maintaining compliance with requirements and goals of the National Grade “A” Milk Safety Program and National Shellfish Sanitation Program for the following:

• 2021 Calendar Year Training Needs Grants: Please carefully review the CY 2021 Grant Guidance to be posted on the AFDO Milk and Shellfish Grant Program website for a list of additional training options, given the COVID-19 travel limitations that are expected to impact course deliveries for at least the first half of CY 2021.
• Milk and Shellfish Training Requests May Include: Courses or Seminars meeting the intent of the Milk and Shellfish Grant Program (with published dates for CY 2021), Regional Seminars (expected to occur), and alternative web-based training (with strong justification). In-state training, staff training meetings, university-based online courses, and other types of trainings will also be considered when adequate justification is provided describing how this grant program’s goals are supported.
• 2021 Calendar Year Equipment Needs Grants: The portal will open again in early 2021 for Equipment Grants and Additional Training Opportunities (to be announced for August through December 2021). More information is expected to be released late in 2020, with the portal opening in approximately January or February 2021.

Release of CIFOR Guidelines 3rd edition

On World Food Safety Day, June 5, 2020, the third edition CIFOR Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Outbreak Response was published on the CIFOR website! Due to the impact of COVID-19 response, CIFOR leadership approved the soft launch and promotion of the online version in favor of saving the larger promotions and printed release for the fall of 2020. 
 

• The Guidelines incorporate significant changes in the foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak investigation framework since the second edition of the Guidelines was published. The third edition highlights:
• The implementation of whole genome sequencing, advanced molecular detection and culture-independent diagnostic tests
• The integration of consumer complaint systems with pathogen-specific surveillance 
• The importance of sub-cluster investigations and epidemiologic tracebacks 
• The importance of environmental assessments 
• The importance of after-action reviews 
• More coordinated inclusion of communications sections.
• Elimination of CIFOR metrics and better referencing of existing program metrics.

The third edition can be accessed here: https://cifor.us/products/guidelines.  

Meijer Recalls Whole Cantaloupes and Select Cut Cantaloupe Trays Due to Potential Health Risk

Consumers Warned to Avoid Unlicensed Cranston Nutrition Center Juice Products

• Health is Wealth Sea Moss Drink. This juice is sold in a variety of flavors including but not limited to Blackberry, Fruit Punch, Soursop Guanabana, Strawberry, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Mango, Guava Guayaba, and Tamarind. These products are sold in 12oz and 16oz containers. 
• Health is Wealth Sea Moss Smoothie. This smoothie is sold in a variety of flavors including but not limited to Pina Colada, Peanut Punch, Soursop/Guanabana, Cinnamon Vanilla, and Mango.  These products are sold in 12oz and 16oz containers. 
• Health is Wealth Sea Moss Gel. This gel is sold in a variety of flavors including Sea Moss Bladderwrack Aloe Vera Gel, Sea Moss Bladderwrack Gel, and Sea Moss Gel. These products are sold in 16 oz containers.  
• Health is Wealth Sea Moss Protein Shakes. These shakes are sold in a variety of flavors including but not limited to Peanut and Cinnamon. These products are sold in 12oz and 16oz containers.  

New York - Director of Food Safety and Inspection

Preventive Controls for Human Foods and Foreign Supplier Verification Programs 

EAS Consulting Group Training 

The Food Safety Doctor LLC 

• ONLINE Preventive Controls for Human Foods (PCQI) Courses
  • November 3-5
  • December 1-3, 2020

• ONLINE Foreign Supplier Verification Courses (FSVP-QI) Courses
  • November 17-18

• Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Qualified Individuals (IAVA-QI) Courses
  • Online: October 22, 2020
  • Online: November 19, 2020
  • Online: December 4, 2020
  • Online: January 12, 2021
  • Face to Face: Singapore:  November 9, 2021

Click here to access the schedule of IAVA-QI courses

Laws and Regulations Committee Update

A collection of current food, drug, device, and consumer product regulatory issues and news