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EdNetJUNE 2014EdNet, 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, contact the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN-FDA) 
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In this issue: Advisories, Alerts and Warnings Resources for Educators
Meetings, Conferences, and Workshops Industry
Advisories, Alerts and WarningsUSDA Food Safety Tips for Areas Affected by Severe WeatherOn June 17, 2014, FSIS issued food safety recommendations for the Midwest and Great Plains affected by tornadoes, high winds, hail and flash floods moving across the country. Read this news release: Resources for EducatorsHong Kong Market Reopens for U.S. BeefOn June 17, 2014, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the United States and Hong Kong have agreed on new terms and conditions that pave the way for expanded exports of U.S. beef and beef products to Hong Kong. Read this news release: http://www.usda.gov/2014/06/0124.xml Fish Consumption: FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Issue Draft Updated Advice and FDA Issues Net Effects StudyFDA and EPA issued draft updated advice on fish consumption. The two agencies have concluded pregnant and breastfeeding women, those who might become pregnant, and young children should eat more fish that is lower in mercury in order to gain important developmental and health benefits. The public can provide comment on the draft advice and the supplemental questions and answers. For additional information regarding the draft updated advice and submitting comments, go to: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm397929.htm FDA issued a study titled, Quantitative Assessment of the Net Effects of Fetal Neurodevelopment from Eating Commercial Fish (As Measured by IQ and also by Early Age Verbal Development in Children) (Net Effects Assessment). The purpose of the study was to estimate the effects on the developing nervous system of the fetus from a pregnant woman’s consumption of commercial fish during pregnancy. It also reviews the evidence on the effects of fish consumption by young children and their own neurodevelopment. For additional information regarding the study, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm396784.htm Federal Partners Create Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC) Web ResourceThe CDC, FSIS, and FDA developed a Web resource about IFSAC that highlights their work and creates an ongoing resource to share information with the public. IFSAC was established in 2011, the goal of this collaboration is to improve coordination of federal food safety analytic efforts and address cross-cutting priorities for food safety data collection, analysis, and use. For additional information, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/ifsac/overview/index.html USDA Blog: Working with Serbian Meat Industry to Facilitate TradeUSDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has the vital mission helping market American agricultural products competitively in the marketplace. One way AMS meets this mission is through our globally recognized meat standards. Read this entire blog: http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/06/20/usda-working-with-serbian-meat-industry-to-facilitate-trade/ June is National Dairy MonthMilk and milk products provide many nutritional benefits; however find out the risks raw milk may pose to you and your family. For additional information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/BuyStoreServeSafeFood/ucm079516.htm June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable MonthFruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. Follow safe food handling tips as you enjoy your fresh produce this month. To view safe food handling tips, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/BuyStoreServeSafeFood/ucm114299.htm USDA Blog: June is Dairy Month – A Time to Say Thanks to America’s Milk ProducersThe next time you eat a cheese sandwich, drink a glass of cold milk, have an ice cream cone or a cup of yogurt on a walk through the park, thank the dairy farmers who made it all possible. Now is a great time to do that because June is Dairy Month Read this blog: FDA’s Read the Label Youth Outreach Campaign Empowers Tweens to Make Healthy Food ChoicesAn enhanced outreach campaign by FDA is helping teach young people (ages 9 to 13) to use the Nutrition Facts Label to make healthy food choices. The campaign, titled Read the Label, is the next generation of the FDA’s Spot the Block campaign for tweens, and for the first time includes an after-school component for educators in schools, summer camps, scout troops and community organizations. To learn more about the program, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm399670.htm USDA Blog: US – EU Organic Equivalence Trade Arrangement Opens New MarketsTwo years ago this month of June 2013, the United States and the European Union (EU) implemented an organic equivalence arrangement, meaning products that are certified as organic in the U.S. can also be sold as organic in the EU, and vice versa. Read the entire blog: http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/06/20/us-eu-organic-equivalence-trade-arrangement-opens-new-markets/ USDA Blog: Creating a Healthier Next Generation and Supporting a Healthier School DayThanks to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, students across America are being served meals with more fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy. Parents can send their kids to school knowing that the healthy habits they teach at home are being reinforced at school, with breakfast and lunch menus that provide more of the foods we should eat, and less of the foods that we should avoid. Read this blog: USDA Announces Funding, Issues Federal Order to Combat PEDvOn June 5, 2014, in response to the significant impact porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) are having on U.S. pork producers, USDA announced $26.2 million in funding to combat these diseases. Additionally, USDA issued a Federal Order requiring the reporting of new detections of these viruses to its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) or State animal health officials. These viruses do not pose any risk to human health or food safety, and they are commonly detected in countries around the world. Read this news release: http://www.usda.gov/2014/06/0113.xml FSIS: Report a Problem with FoodSeparate government agencies are responsible for protecting different segments of the food supply. If you have experienced a problem with a food product, be sure to contact the appropriate public health organization. For more information, visit: CDC:Vital Signs: Foodborne Norovirus Outbreaks — United States, 2009–2012, MMWR, June 3, 2014/63Norovirus causes an estimated one in 15 U.S. residents to become ill each year as well as 56,000–71,000 hospitalizations and 570–800 deaths, predominantly among young children and the elderly. CDC analyzed 2009–2012 data on suspected and confirmed norovirus outbreaks reported by state, local, and territorial health departments through the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) to characterize the epidemiology of foodborne norovirus outbreaks. This Vital Signs report summarizes that analysis. Read this report at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm63e0603a1.htm?s_cid=mm63e0603a1_e Amber Waves Magazine: May-June 2014Amber Waves presents the broad scope of USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) research and analysis on the economics of food, farming, natural resources, and rural America. Read the latest articles of the Amber Waves Magazine from the ERS online: Meetings, Conferences, and WorkshopsFSIS Public Meetings in JulyThe following are upcoming meetings for the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods’ Subcommittees:
View upcoming meetings and associated meeting materials listed by date on FSIS’ Public Meeting and Events website at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/newsroom/meetings IndustryClarification on Using Wood Shelving in Artisanal CheesemakingYou may have heard some concerns suggesting the FDA has taken steps to end the long-standing practice in the cheesemaking industry of using wooden boards to age cheese. To be clear, FDA has not and is not prohibiting or banning the long-standing practice of using wood shelving in artisanal cheese. Nor does the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) require any such action. Reports to the contrary are not accurate. For additional information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm400808.htm FDA Issues Final Rule Setting Manufacturing Standards for Infant FormulaFDA announced a final rule setting standards for manufacturers of infant formula to help ensure that the formulas made for the U.S. market continue to be safe and support healthy growth for infants who consume formula. FDA also is publishing a final guidance document explaining how certain eligible infant formula manufacturers can demonstrate that their products meet the quality factor requirements of the final rule. For additional information regarding the final rule and final guidance document, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm400182.htm FSIS: Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program Web Page is Now AvailableThe Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program Web page is now available. To view, please visit: FDA Issues Final Compliance Policy Guide on Food Facility RegistrationFDA announced the availability of Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 100.250 Food Facility Registration – Human and Animal Food (the CPG). In April 2013, FDA published a draft of the CPG and received two comments, both of which did not recommend significant changes to the draft CPG. No substantive changes were made from the draft to final version of the guide. For additional information regarding the CPG, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm399381.htm FSIS to Implement New Poultry Muscle Analysis MethodAfter August 1, 2014, FSIS will implement a new method for the analysis of poultry muscle titled Screening and Confirmation for Nitrofuran Metabolites in Poultry Muscle by LC/MS/MS. This method builds upon an existing nitrofuran methodology. The method will be available at: FSIS Expands Testing PesticidesThe FSIS Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook method, Screening for Pesticides by LC/MS/MS and GC/MS/MS, has been updated. The method now analyzes for 88 different pesticides in muscle of several species: beef, pork, poultry, sheep, goat and horse. The agency will begin using this method after July 6, 2014. The method will be available at: FSIS Policy UpdatesFSIS issues Notices and Directives to protect public health. The following policy updates were recently issued:
All Notices and Directives are available at: Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: http://www.foodsafety.gov/news/educators/ednetjune2014.html Source Agency: Health and Human Services (HHS) Captured Date: 2014-12-11 03:50:44.0
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