EdNet

January 2014

EdNet, the National Food Safety Educator’s Network, is a monthly, multi-agency electronic news journal from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). EdNet provides up-to-date information about food safety and nutrition programs and activities for educators, consumer advocates, government officials, and industry representatives.  

If you have questions or comments about this issue of EdNet, send e-mail to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN-FDA).

In this issue:

Advisories, Alerts, and Warnings

• FDA Warns Consumers Not to Eat Oysters From Copano Bay in Aransas County, TX
• Can a Dietary Supplement Treat a Concussion? No (FDA)
• FDA Warned Consumers Not to Use Muscle Growth Product

Resources for Educators

• USDA Blog: Super Bowl, Slow Cookers, and Food Safety: An Unbeatable Team
• Are You Ready for the Big Football Game? (FDA)
• American Adults are Choosing Healthier Foods, Consuming Healthier Diets (USDA)
• FACT SHEET: A Strong Nutrition Program to Help Hardworking American Families (USDA)
• USDA Seeks Public Review and Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Herbicide-Resistant Corn and Soybeans
• USDA Makes Permanent Meat and Grain Serving Flexibilities in National School Lunch Program
• January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month (FDA)
• USDA Blog: Resolve to Fight Foodborne Illness in 2014
• Agricultural Research Magazine, January 2014, Vol. 62, No. 1                      

Meetings, Conferences, and Workshops

• FDA to Hold Additional Public Meetings on FSMA Proposed Rule to Address Intentional Adulteration of Food  
• Public Meeting to Address Agenda Items for Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
• Webinars Scheduled to Discuss Final Rule on New Generic Labeling
• USDA Announces Speakers for the 2014 Agricultural Outlook Forum: The Changing Face of Agriculture
• Transcripts Are Now Available From FSMA Public Meetings (FDA)

Industry

• FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) Initiatives
• Nationwide Survey on Carcass Baseline (FSIS)
• FDA to Reopen Comment Period on the Cosmetics and Foods Portions of Its Guidance on Determining if Human Research Studies Require an Investigational New Drug Application
• FDA Issues the 2013 Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards
• FDA to Establish a List of U.S. Milk Product Manufacturers and Processors Interested in Exporting to China
• FDA Issues Industry Guidance to Clarify Requirements for Beverages Versus Liquid Dietary Supplements
• FDA Initiates New Online Reporting Method for Dietary Supplement Adverse Events to Facilitate Reporting
• FSIS Updates Several Residue Test Methods
• FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Changes to How Manufacturers of Acidified and Low-Acid Canned Foods Will Submit Information to FDA
• FDA to Extend Comment Period on Measure to Further Reduce Trans Fat in Processed Foods – Update
• FSIS Policy Updates                                        

Advisories, Alerts, and Warnings  

FDA Warns Consumers Not to Eat Oysters From Copano Bay in Aransas County, TX

FDA warned consumers not to eat raw or partially cooked oysters from Copano Bay, in Aransas County, TX, harvested between December 26, 2013 and January 9, 2014. Shellfish harvested from Copano Bay during this time period may contain norovirus.

For more detailed information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm382247.htm

Can a Dietary Supplement Treat a Concussion? No

FDA warned consumers to avoid products marketed as dietary supplements that claim to prevent, treat or cure concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. These claims are not backed by scientific evidence and FDA is concerned that false assurances of a faster recovery will convince someone who has suffered a concussion to resume activities too early to be safe.

To read this Update in its entirety, visit: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm378845.htm

FDA Warned Consumers Not to Use Muscle Growth Product

On December 23, 2013, FDA advised consumers to immediately stop using a product called Mass Destruction, marketed as a dietary supplement for muscle growth. The product is labeled to contain at least one synthetic anabolic steroid and has been linked to at least one reported serious illness.

For more detailed information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm379711.htm

Resources for Educators  

USDA Blog: Super Bowl, Slow Cookers, and Food Safety: An Unbeatable Team

FSIS issued a blog titled Super Bowl, Slow Cookers, and Food Safety: An Unbeatable Team.

Read this blog:

http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/01/29/super-bowl-slow-cookers-and-food-safety-an-unbeatable-team/#more-49699

Are You Ready for the Big Football Game?

With proper preparation, you can be creative and tempt your party guests with an array of delicious platters while still keeping food safety in mind.

Find some easy tips for food safety when entertaining at the following link:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/BuyStoreServeSafeFood/ucm328131.htm

American Adults are Choosing Healthier Foods, Consuming Healthier Diets

On January 16, 2014, USDA issued a news release to announce that American adults are eating better, making better use of available nutrition information, and consuming fewer calories coming from fat and saturated fat, consuming less cholesterol and eating more fiber, according to a new report from the USDA’S Economic Research Service: Changes in Eating Patterns and Diet Quality Among Working-Age Adults, 2005-2010.

Read this new release:

http://www.usda.gov/2014/01/0008.xml

FACT SHEET: A Strong Nutrition Program to Help Hardworking American Families

On January 9, 2014, the USDA issued a news release to announce Agriculture Under Secretary

Kevin Concannon and Anne Alonzo, Administrator for the Agricultural Marketing Service joined

George Jones, CEO of Bread for the City to highlight the need for a new Farm Bill that adequately invests in America's nutrition safety net. Food assistance programs, along with the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, provide a critical means to provide healthy food for Americans who are working hard but struggling to fill their plate.

Read this news release:

http://www.usda.gov/2014/01/0004.xml

USDA Seeks Public Review and Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Herbicide-Resistant Corn and Soybeans

USDA Makes Permanent Meat and Grain Serving Flexibilities in National School Lunch Program

Meetings, Conferences, and Workshops 

FDA to Hold Additional Public Meetings on FSMA Proposed Rule to Address Intentional Adulteration of Food  

FDA announced two additional public meetings on the Food Safety and Modernization Act Proposed Rule to address intentional adulteration of food.  These meetings are the second and third in a series of meetings announced in the December 20, 2013 Federal Register notice.

For additional information about the meetings, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm383588.htm

Public Meeting to Address Agenda Items for Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

FSIS, and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), are sponsoring a public meeting to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 18th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV). The 18th session will be held in Thailand, Feb. 24-28, 2014. The public meeting will be held January 30, 2014, from 1 p.m.

to 3 p.m. at USDA Headquarters, Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250. To join the public meeting by conference call, dial 1 (888) 844-9904 and use participant code: 512-6092.

For more details, visit FSIS at:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/newsroom/news-releases-statements-transcripts/news-release-archives-by-year/archive/2014/nr-012814-01

Documents and agenda items related to the 18th session of CCFFV will be accessible at the Codex website:

http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/

Webinars Scheduled to Discuss Final Rule on New Generic Labeling

Effective January 6, 2014, FSIS expanded the circumstances in which labels may be considered generically approved. This new rule will allow establishments to label a broader range of products without first submitting the label to the agency for approval. FSIS will continue to verify that labels are accurate, not misleading and in compliance with all labeling features. FSIS will host a webinar on this subject (in addition to one held January 28, 2014) on February 11, 2014, all at 2 p.m. ET. Access the webinar, by going to the link below and follow the on-screen instructions. Please be sure to log on as a participant. For registration questions, contact Kristin Goodwin at (301) 504-0878 or kristin.goodwin@fsis.usda.gov   https://connect16.uc.att.com/usda/meet/?ExEventID=85277207

See the related FSIS Constituent Update: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/newsroom/meetings/newsletters/constituent-updates/archive/2014/ConstUpdate011714

USDA Announces Speakers for the 2014 Agricultural Outlook Forum: The Changing Face of Agriculture

On January 8, 2014, the USDA announced speakers for the 2014 Agricultural Outlook Forum, The Changing Face of Agriculture, to be held on February 20-21, 2014, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel, Arlington, VA. Secretary Tom Vilsack to Moderate Two Panels on the Future of Agriculture. USDA has hosted the Agricultural Outlook Forum since 1923 to provide farmers and ranchers, government, and agribusinesses with sound information for decision-making. Attendees are expected to include members of farm organizations, food and fiber firms, academia, foreign governments, and the news media.

A program schedule and registration are available at:

http://www.usda.gov/oce/forum/

Transcripts Are Now Available From FSMA Public Meetings

The following transcripts are available:

• September 19 and 20, 2013: Proposed Rules on Foreign Supplier Verification Programs and the Accreditation of Third-Party Auditors/Certification Bodies - Washington, DC

Transcript can be found at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ucm364950.htm

• October 22 and 23, 2013: Proposed Rules on Foreign Supplier Verification Programs and the Accreditation of Third-Party Auditors/Certification Bodies - Long Beach, CA

Transcript can be found at:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ucm368320.htm 

Industry

FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) Initiatives

CFSAN shares some noteworthy initiatives accomplished over the past year and some important initiatives that will be worked on in 2014.

To view these initiatives, go to: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofFoods/CFSAN/WhatWeDo/ucm381318.htm

Nationwide Survey on Carcass Baseline

FSIS will launch a 12-month Nationwide Beef and Veal Carcass Baseline Survey (B-VCBS) to sample establishments that slaughter and process beef and veal carcasses. During this survey, FSIS will collect samples from the carcasses of steers, heifers, cows, bulls, stag, dairy cows and veal, including heavy calves, bob veal and non-formula fed and formula fed veal. Samples will be collected at two locations in the slaughter process, immediately after hide removal (pre-evisceration) and at pre-chill (after all anti-microbial interventions). Overall, approximately 4,000 samples will be scheduled.

The FSIS Notice for the shakedown portion of the survey is at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/fb84ff2f-bc84-4890-af67-3826f65d52a9/83-13.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Read more at FSIS’s January 17, 2014 Constituent Update:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/newsroom/meetings/newsletters/constituent-updates/archive/2014/ConstUpdate011714

FDA to Reopen Comment Period on the Cosmetics and Foods Portions of Its Guidance on Determining if Human Research Studies Require an Investigational New Drug Application

FDA has reopened, for 60 days, the comment period for specific portions of its final guidance for clinical investigators, sponsors, and institutional review boards (IRBs), entitled Investigational New Drug Applications (INDs) -- Determining Whether Human Research Studies Can Be Conducted Without an IND, which was announced in the September 10, 2013 Federal Register.

To read about this guidance visit:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm381474.htm

FDA Issues the 2013 Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards

The 2013 Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (Retail Program Standards) are intended to help reduce foodborne illnesses associated with retail food and foodservice and serve as a guide for retail food managers.

To learn more about this visit:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm381889.htm

FDA to Establish a List of U.S. Milk Product Manufacturers and Processors Interested in Exporting to China

FDA is establishing a list of U.S. milk product manufacturers and processors (the list) interested in exporting milk products to China.  FDA is taking this step to help U.S. manufacturers comply with new requirements of the Chinese government for the importation of milk products into China.

For more information, go to:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm380545.htm

FDA Issues Industry Guidance to Clarify Requirements for Beverages Versus Liquid Dietary Supplements

FDA published two final guidances for industry to help dietary supplement and beverage manufacturers determine whether a liquid food product is properly classified as a dietary supplement or as a beverage, and to remind the industry of legal requirements regarding the substances that may be added to either type of product.

This information is available at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm381566.htm

FDA Initiates New Online Reporting Method for Dietary Supplement Adverse Events to Facilitate Reporting

FDA is now accepting online submission of voluntary and mandatory dietary supplement adverse event reports. The manufacturer, packer, or distributor of a dietary supplement whose name appears on the label of a dietary supplement marketed in the U.S. is required to report to the FDA any serious adverse events received regarding their dietary supplement products when used in the U.S. 

To learn more about the new online reporting method visit: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm381317.htm

FSIS Updates Several Residue Test Methods

FSIS intends to implement several Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook Methods for additional classes of animal tissue. The agency intends to begin using the methods after February 10, 2014.

To review the revisions to the guidebook, visit:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/science/laboratories-and-procedures/guidebooks-and-methods/chemistry-laboratory-guidebook/chemistry-laboratory-guidebook

FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Changes to How Manufacturers of Acidified and Low-Acid Canned Foods Will Submit Information to FDA

FDA issued draft guidance to alert manufacturers of acidified and low-acid canned food products of changes to the procedures to submit information to FDA regarding the processes that are used to ensure their food is safe.

Detailed information about the draft guidance can be found at:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm378397.htm

FDA to Extend Comment Period on Measure to Further Reduce Trans Fat in Processed Foods – Update

The Federal Register notice extending the comment period on FDA’s preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are not generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in food published on December 31, 2013. FDA issued a Constituent Update on December 17, 2014, notifying the public that it had made the decision to extend the comment period and that publication of a Federal Register notice was being expedited.

For more information, go to:  

http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm379916.htm

FSIS Policy Updates

FSIS issues Notices and Directives to protect public health. The following policy updates were recently issued:

• FSIS Notice 08-14:Temporary Suspension of Poultry Checklist
• Directive 8091.1 Revision 1: Procedures for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Health Hazard Evaluation Board (HHEB)
• Directive 10,240.4 Revision 3: Verification Activities for the ‘Listeria monocytogenes’ (Lm) Regulation and the Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Sampling Program
• FSIS Notice 04-14: Notification of Availability for the First Edition of the Guideline for Controlling Salmonella in Market Hogs
• FSIS Notice03-14: Documenting Sample Source When Collecting Samples for Shiga Toxin-Producing ‘E. Coli’ (STEC) Verification Testing
• FSIS Notice 02-14: Verification of Carcasses That an Establishment Further Processes Without an Official Inspection Legend

All Notices and Directives are available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/index.asp