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Discover FoodSHIELD  
FoodSHIELD News of the Week – See Us at RRT

AFDO eNews is showcasing FoodSHIELD and its secure, online collaboration tools that are available to regulatory professionals at no cost. Except for this special notice, each installment of the eNews series will focus on one of the platform’s capabilities or tools, which are all designed with food safety and public health collaboration in mind.

Visit Us at the December Rapid Response Team Annual Meeting  

You’ve been reading about new FoodSHIELD tools and features every other week. We know that seeing is believing, so you are invited to see a FoodSHELD demonstration and information at the Rapid Response Team (RRT) annual Face-to-Face Meeting December 5-7, 2022, in Long Beach, California. Meeting attendees will be the first to view new informational brochures about FoodSHIELD and the popular tools that are available at no cost through the FoodSHIELD platform. During the meeting breaks, stop by the FoodSHIELD booth to get specific questions answered and see a demo of specific tools.

If you are not attending the RRT Face-to-Face meeting, you can reach out to AFDO’s Randy Treadwell to ask specific questions, request a demo, or talk about the various tools available. 
Not a FoodSHIELD member? Go to foodshield.org/members.cfm to sign up. Contact Treadwell at rtreadwell@afdo.org with any questions or to request a demo.

Posted 11/28/2022

Applications Due This Week 
Summer Internship Grants Available for State Programs

 

AFDO and FDA have collaborated to offer state manufactured food programs grant funding to cover the salary and related expenses of college-level student interns. (Yes, this means free help for your program for the summer!) State food programs can apply from now through December 2 for one or two interns for Summer 2023. Get all the details on the funding announcement and apply through the grant portal by visiting afdo.org/student-internship-grant/. The grant portal will accept applications from now through December 2 at 7:59 p.m., with awards announced by December 15 for Summer 2023 funding.

AFDO will support the project by marketing internship openings with our increasing network of college and university connections, and providing states with tools and resources for the summer. Want to learn more? Check out this recording from an information session hosted on November 15 for a walk-through of the funding opportunity announcement, the application process, and a few ideas for projects that interns can help with next summer. Have more questions? Email Jessica Badour at jbadour@afdo.org.

Link to watch the info session:
https://www.zoomgov.com/rec/share/6YYZcwMJUPeC4anRseO4b0A6S8hPN8CAacXo56HRIcIg-UOq8QGv7c8DZgCB9ZI.Zhqf-t4KDVcafewf
Passcode:   =Zp.P00N

Updated 11/21/22

Partners Announce Grant Opportunity 

Conference Grants Are Available for Attending Milk and Shellfish Conferences  

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC), the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS), and the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) have announced that grant funds are available for attending the ISSC and NCIMS in 2023.

Key dates and other details:
  • Grant portal opens December 9, 2022, through January 20, 2023.
  • Awards will be capped at $5,400 per application, allowing three or four attendees per agency.
  • Award notices will go out in late February/early March.
  • Funds cannot be used to cover registration fees.
  • Funds cannot be used to cover car rentals.
  • Grant guidance for this portal opening will soon be posted on the AFDO Milk and Shellfish Grant Program website. 

How to Apply for Funding

To find the most up-to-date information about this funding opportunity, visit the AFDO Milk and Shellfish Grants website at https://www.afdo.org/grants/msgrants. The portal will open for CY 2023 equipment applications in February/March 2023.
Posted 11/28/2022

SAFHER Implementation Position Is Open

 
 

AFDO is looking to add a team member to the System for Agriculture, Food, Health, E-Inspections, and Registrations (SAFHER) team. The position is SAFHER Implementation Manager. This key position will be a strategic and supportive partner for state programs through the entire implementation of SAFHER, including pre-project needs assessment, project planning, execution, closure, and ongoing customer care. Candidates must have experience working in one or more of the following regulatory programs: animal food, fertilizer, seeds, or pesticides. Qualified persons can be inspectors, administrators, or program managers in these areas.

The position is remote. Candidates can expect to start sometime in January 2023. The position is full-time with benefits (401K, healthcare, paid vacation days); a salary range is available upon request.

If interested, please send your resume and cover letter to AFDO CIO/SAFHER Director Kellie Isaac at kisaac@afdo.org and SAFHER Deputy Director, Jennifer Pierquet at jpierquet@afdo.org by December 9, 2022.

For more information, see job description.

Food Traceability Rule Announced



On November 16, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule on food traceability designed to facilitate faster identification and rapid removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and/or deaths. 

Foods subject to the final rule requirements appear on the Food Traceability List (FTL). The FTL includes fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, shell eggs, and nut butters, as well as certain fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, ready-to-eat deli salads, cheeses, and seafood products.

Persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the FTL must maintain records including Key Data Elements (KDEs) related to Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) in the supply chain for the food. Covered entities – including farms, manufacturers, distributors, retail food establishments, and restaurants – will be required to provide this traceability information to the FDA within 24 hours of an official request, or within some reasonable time to which the FDA agrees.

Please access the links below for further information:

FDA Announces the Final Rule for Food Traceability Under FSMA | FDA

FSMA Final Rule: Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods | FDA

Posted on 11/21/2022

Formula Safety Strategy Follows Recall 



On November 16, 2022, the FDA released an outline of a prevention strategy under development to prevent Cronobacter sakazakii illnesses associated with consumption of powdered infant formula. This prevention strategy follows a large-scale recall of powdered infant formula earlier this year. Powdered infant formula was recalled because FDA investigators found insanitary conditions in a manufacturing facility, which possibly contributed to Cronobacter sakazakii infections in four infants. The outline released today is intended to guide discussions during further development of the FDA’s strategy to prevent Cronobacter sakazakii illnesses associated with consumption of powdered infant formula. In the coming weeks, teams from across the FDA will meet with stakeholders to further discuss, hear ideas, and finalize the prevention strategy. Following this engagement, release of an updated summary of the powdered infant formula strategy is expected on FDA.gov.

Read More

 
Posted 11/21/2022

FDA Evaluates Animal Cell Culture Technology


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) completed its first pre-market consultation for a human food made from cultured animal cells with safety information submitted by UPSIDE Foods. The firm will use animal cell culture technology to take living cells from chickens and grow the cells in a controlled environment to make the cultured animal cell food.
 
The FDA’s pre-market consultation with the firm included an evaluation of the firm’s production process and the cultured cell material made by the production process, including the establishment of cell lines and cell banks, manufacturing controls, and all components and inputs. The voluntary pre-market consultation is not an approval process. Instead, it means that, after careful evaluation of the data and information shared by the firm, there are no further questions at this time about the firm’s safety conclusion.

The FDA is committed to sharing information about oversight of human food made from cultured animal cells and today released:

In addition to meeting the FDA’s requirements, including facility registration for the cell culture portion of the process, the firm will need a grant of inspection from the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) for the manufacturing establishment. Additionally, the food itself requires a mark of inspection from USDA-FSIS before it can enter the U.S. market. As this product comes closer to entering the U.S. market, there is close coordination with USDA-FSIS to ensure it is properly regulated and labeled.

Read More

For more information:

Posted 11/21/22

Nominations Due This Week

Nominations for Innovations Award Sought 


     

The FMI Food Safety Innovation Award is presented annually in conjunction with the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) to a company, organization, or regulatory agency for demonstrating a commitment to the advancement of food protection through performance, practice, creation, sustainment, or leadership. The purpose of this annual award is to recognize companies, organizations, or regulatory agencies that have made an innovative contribution or commitment to food safety and to encourage others in industry, government, and academia to search for creative solutions and implement new practices in continuing to keep food as safe as possible. To keep food safety awareness and practice consistently high, FMI awards innovation throughout the supply chain as a way to advance best practices and increase consumer confidence.

Nominees must be a retail, wholesale, or food company engaged in food production, packing, manufacturing, distribution, retailing, or wholesaling or a regulatory agency of such retail, wholesale, or food companies at the local, tribal, territorial, state, or federal level. Nominees who submitted innovations in previous years but were not awarded remain eligible and may resubmit prior innovations. Previous recipients of the Food Safety Innovation Award may submit nominations for new innovations. FMI membership is not required for participation. Self-nominations are accepted.
Nominations may be submitted electronically to Hillary Thesmar (hthesmar@fmi.org) no later than Friday, December 2, 2022.
Posted 10/31/2022
Nomination Form

Survey Covers Generational Impact on Staffing

Krisden Ingram from the current International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) Fellowship Cohort is requesting input from food protection professionals at the local/state/federal level. You can support her research by completing the survey yourself and sharing a brief, anonymous 10-minute survey with your team. The goal of the data is to research whether generational differences have any impacts on government food safety professional staff retention. You can find the survey at https://forms.gle/2XVZBeiUhFDqWqN39
Posted 11/14/2022
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Job Opportunities

AFDO has launched a career platform, www.foodsafetycareers.org, to highlight regulatory food safety job postings for state and federal agencies (and LHDs if submitted). The site offers state-by-state general hiring specifications and a heat map of regulatory food jobs. State agencies are able to sign up for job manager accounts for direct adding/editing of agency job postings, and to search resumes for potential candidates. Please email any current local, state, or federal government job postings directly to careercenter@afdo.org. Include the following information: (1) a link to the job post, (2) a few sentences to describe the position(s), and (3) the closing deadline date. For questions or support on job postings, please contact Jessica Badour, jbadour@afdo.org.

These Just In
New Position Opening Additions

Washington State Dept. of Agriculture’s Animal Feed Program seeks one enthusiastic candidate to fill a Program Analyst position (Management Analyst 4). The recruitment is open until filled with the first review of applications beginning November 21. The candidate has the option to work completely from home (anywhere in Washington) or from WSDA headquarters in Olympia, or a hybrid mix of both. The incumbent in this position analyzes, develops, manages, and maintains deliverables required for Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS) + Implementation of Preventive Controls (PC) regulatory activities; develops or assists with overall program analysis, improvement, enhancement and monitoring; develops and conducts internal training and external outreach; and provides other program support and leads various projects. If you’re interested in learning more, contact aferguson@agr.wa.gov, and please share this announcement with colleagues who may be interested. Apply today!
 
Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture seeks a Plan Review Unit Supervisor in the Food and Feed Safety Division. The incumbent effectively directs and supervises areas relating to facility new construction, remodel, and conversion plans, retail HACCP plans, and code variances under the Food and Feed Safety Division (FFSD) Retail Food Program jurisdiction to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations; provides administrative direction for the Plan Review Unit and manages the development of plan and code variance review related policies and procedures to meet Retail Food Program and FFSD objectives; advises Program and Division management on unit related activities; assists clientele with the interpretation of applicable retail food laws and regulations and provides guidance on compliance and enforcement options and other questions and collaborates with clientele to carry out the FFSD outreach and regulatory objectives. This position reports to the Retail Food Program Manager and supervises several staff. Learn more and apply by 12/07/22.
 
Chicago Dept. of Public Health currently has eight (8) openings for Sanitarian II positions. The positions are open to existing public/current city employees covered under the City’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid. To apply on the bid site: https://chicago.taleo.net/careersection/103/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en, search for job #358642, then:
1. Check the box on your profile titled “Currently employed by the City of Chicago”
2. Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled ‘payee/employee number’)
3. Select your correct bargaining unit
Incumbents will inspect the physical condition of food establishments (e.g., restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, wholesalers, special or summer food events or programs, and kitchens in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, etc.) to enforce food safety and sanitation codes and licensing requirements; and inspect the physical condition of swimming pools and spas (e.g., indoor, outdoor) to enforce environmental health codes and licensing requirements; and more. Apply by 12/09/22.

King County (Washington) Environmental Health Services Division is seeking to hire two Health & Environmental Investigator I/II
as limited term, special duty assignment positions. The incumbents will provide outreach, technical assistance and regulatory oversight in conducting inspections at retail food establishments, water recreational facilities, and schools; and/or providing regulatory oversight and outreach for solid waste handling facilities, illegal dumping and rodent investigations, waste screening, and pet business inspections. Learn more and apply by 12/08/22.

NYSAGM Food Laboratory Specialist recruitment - Civil Service Exam
The Professional Career Opportunities (PCO) examination is one test that state agencies can use to fill more than 150 different entry-level professional job types across a wide range of disciplines such as Human Resources and Training; Service Regulation and Compliance; Corrections and Criminal Justice; Environment; Natural and Physical Sciences; Accounting, Auditing and Finance; Health and Human Services; Communications, Marketing and Public Relations; Transportation, Administrative Operations; Economics, Research and Statistics.

Job seekers with a bachelor's degree from a qualifying institution can take the PCO examination for consideration of employment with New York State government. Job seekers that anticipate having a bachelor's degree from a qualifying institution by June 30, 2023 can be admitted to the test but will not be considered for appointment until the date the degree is received. More information regarding the PCO can be found at this link: https://www.cs.ny.gov/pco/.

 

Other Training Opportunities

Paster Training, Inc. is now Cenza+

Cenza, Inc. —  Food and Alcohol consulting and training for every sector of the food and alcohol industries
The education you need from experienced consultants and trainers.

FSMA Training - VIRTUAL and CLASSROOM AVAILABLE  Dates and Times available on the Paster/Cenza+ website.
  • Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF), Full and Part 2
  • Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessment (IAVA)
  • Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), Full and Part 2
  • Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs)
Retail Training – VIRTUAL and CLASSROOM AVAILABLE  Dates and Times available on the Paster/Cenza+ website.
  • Certified Protection Food Manager (CPFM)
  • Food Handler/Food Employee
  • HACCP Manager
  • HACCP Employee
  • Food Defense
  • Seafood HACCP
  • SPANISH TRAINING AVAILABLE
Not seeing what you need? Visit PasterTraining.com/www.CenzaSmart.com or call 610-970-1776 to inquire about consulting services or any public/private food safety class.

The Food Safety Doctor LLC 

Promoting Public Health and Food Safety through Training and FSMA Awareness
 

    ONLINE Preventive Controls for Human Foods (PCQI) Courses

  • December 6-8, 2022
  • December 13-15, 2022
  • January 10-12, 2023

               Click here to access the schedule of PCQI courses

   ONLINE Foreign Supplier Verification Courses (FSVP-QI) Courses

  • November 8-9, 2022
  • January 17-18, 2023

                Click here to access the schedule of FSVP-QI courses

Online Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Qualified Individuals (IAVA-QI) Courses

  • November 17, 2022
  • January 24, 2023

                   Click here to access the schedule of IAVA-QI courses

 

Federal Register Updates 

Federal Register Update

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


November 21 - 22, 2022
November 23 - 25, 2022
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