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EdNetAugust 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 WarningsFDA Investigates Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup linked to Nut Butter Products Manufactured by nSpired Natural Foods Inc.The FDA, CDC, and state and local officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup illnesses linked to nut butter products manufactured by nSpired Natural Foods, Inc. of Ashland, OR. A total of four people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Braenderup have been reported from four states since January 1, 2014. On August 19, 2014, nSpired Natural Foods, Inc. recalled certain retail lots of Arrowhead Mills (R) Peanut Butters, MaraNatha (R) Almond Butters and Peanut Butters and specific private label nut butters packaged in glass and plastic jars because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. For detailed information about this outbreak and the products involved, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm410881.htm FDA Investigated Outbreak of Salmonella Newport, Salmonella Hartford, and Salmonella Oranienburg Linked to Organic Sprouted Chia Seed PowderThe FDA, Canadian health officials, the CDC, and state and local officials investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Newport, Salmonella Hartford and Salmonella Oranienburg illnesses linked to products containing organic sprouted chia seed powder. According to the CDC, the outbreak appears to be over as of August 13, 2014, however these products have a long shelf-life and may still be in people’s homes. Consumers unaware of the recall could continue to eat the products and potentially get sick. For detailed information about this outbreak and the products involved, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Outbreaks/ucm399235.htm USDA Food Safety Tips for Areas Affected by Tropical Storms Iselle and JulioOn August 6, 2014, FSIS issued a news release with food safety recommendations for the state of Hawaii due to the forecast for severe weather conditions related to Tropical Storms Iselle and Julio. Read this news release: Resources for Educators4 Tips for a Healthy and Stress-Free LunchboxWhether your child is an athlete who needs extra calories for that after-school game, or a teenager trying to maintain a healthy weight, here are four tips for making a nutritious lunch. To read the tips, go to: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm411663.htm FSIS: Back-To-School Food Safety Tips for ParentsOn August 20, 2014, FSIS issued a news release titled Back-To-School Food Safety Tips for Parents. Read this news release: Foods Labeled Gluten-Free Must Now Meet FDA’s DefinitionAs of August 5, 2014, all foods labeled gluten-free must meet all requirements of the gluten-free labeling final rule published in August 2013. The final rule ensures that gluten-free claims on food packages are reliable and consistent and provides a clear definition of the term. For more information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm407867.htm Allergies to a Legume Called Lupin: What You Need to KnowWhat is lupin, and why should you care? The answers to these two questions could have an important impact on your health. Lupin is a legume belonging to the same plant family as peanuts. Studies show that people who are allergic to peanuts, in particular, appear to have a greater chance of being allergic to lupin. For additional information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm409836.htm USDA Announces Additional Food Safety Requirements, New Inspection System for Poultry ProductsOn July 31, 2014, FSIS announced a critical step forward in making chicken and turkey products safer for Americans to eat. Poultry companies will have to meet new requirements to control Salmonella and Campylobacter, and up to 5,000 foodborne illnesses will be prevented each year as a result of the New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS), an updated science-based inspection system that positions food safety inspectors throughout poultry facilities in a smarter way. Read this news release at: http://www.usda.gov/2014/07/0163.xml To view the final rule that will soon publish in the Federal Register, visit the FSIS website at: www.fsis.usda.gov/poultryinspection USDA Blogs: Working Together to Improve Water Quality Along the Lake Erie Shore; and The Last Frontier’ is on the Cutting Edge of On-Farm TechnologyOn August 21, 2014 the USDA issued 2 blogs:
Read these blogs: and http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/08/21/the-last-frontier-is-on-the-cutting-edge-of-on-farm-technology/ Health Department Use of Social Media to Identify Foodborne Illness — Chicago, Illinois, 2013–2014 - MMWR - 63(32); 681-685According to a MMWR Report by CDC issued on August 15, 2014, an estimated 55 million to 105 million persons in the United States experience acute gastroenteritis caused by foodborne illness each year, resulting in costs of $2–$4 billion annually. Many persons do not seek treatment, resulting in underreporting of the actual number of cases and cost of the illnesses. To prevent foodborne illness, local health departments nationwide license and inspect restaurants and track and respond to foodborne illness complaints. New technology might allow health departments to engage with the public to improve foodborne illness surveillance. Read the full report: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6332a1.htm?s_cid=mm6332a1_e USDA Blog: Uniting Industry Leaders to Propel Agricultural ResearchEvery day at USDA, we work to ensure that American agriculture delivers safe, nutritious food and clean, plentiful water. But we’re facing serious challenges worldwide affecting agriculture and natural resources. With our agricultural system under stress, we must partner to find new ways to approach solutions to these challenges. Read this entire blog: http://blogs.usda.gov/2014/08/12/uniting-industry-leaders-to-propel-agricultural-research/ Nutrition Basics Help Fight Child ObesityUsing the nutrition facts label and the list of ingredients on packaged foods are key components to healthier eating. For more information, go to: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm229990.htm August is National Back to School MonthWhat will you prepare for your child’s lunch the first day of school? Discover how to make healthful food choices by using the nutrition facts on the food label. To learn more about the nutrition facts on the food label, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm079449.htm Have you made plans for dinner? It’s Family Meals Month in AugustBefore you start cooking learn some facts about safe food handling. For more information about safe food handling, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/BuyStoreServeSafeFood/ucm255180.htm USDA’s FSDZ on the Road AgainThe USDA’s Food Safety Discovery Zone (FSDZ) is back on the road! The FSDZ will be in Allentown, Penn., at the Allentown Fair from August 26, 2014 through September 1, 2014. The FSDZ is a 40-foot interactive vehicle that educates consumers about the four food safety messages --Clean, Cook, Separate and Chill-- from the Food Safe Families campaign. Some of the features in the vehicle include a Hand Washing Station, where visitors can learn the proper techniques to washing hands, and the Microscope Station that magnifies harmful bacteria. Watch for announcements of upcoming events. For dates, times and more information, go to: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fsdz-schedule. Meetings, Conferences, and WorkshopsFSIS: Food Safety 101 Webinar SeriesWebinars will introduce the basics of food safety and educate participants on how pathogens, such as Salmonella, can affect them. Two online Webinars have been scheduled for September 10, 2014 and September 17, 2014. For more information or to register: FSIS: New Generic Labeling Overview Webinar Scheduled; Updated Generic Labeling Q & A’s PublishedEffective January 6, 2014, in the final rule, FSIS expanded the circumstances in which labels may be considered generically approved, allowing establishments to label a broader range of products without first submitting the label to the agency for approval. FSIS recently expanded a series of questions and answers clarifying the new generic labeling regulations. The Q & A’s can be found on the FSIS website at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/regulatory-compliance/labeling/labeling-policies/faq-generic-labeling FSIS will host webinars on this subject on September 9, 2014 and September 23, 2014, at 2 p.m., EST. The updated webinar will provide an overview of the new generic labeling regulations, including additional information related to generic label approval. Please be sure to log on as a participant. For questions, contact Kristin Goodwin at 301-504-0878 or kristin.goodwin@fsis.usda.gov See also FSIS’ Constituent Update: FDA Announces Dietetics and Nutrition Webinar Co-Sponsored with the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN)FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) and JIFSAN are jointly sponsoring a Dietetics and Nutrition webinar September 22-23, 2014, from 11:30 AM until 3:30 PM EDT. The purpose of the webinar is to communicate FDA’s nutrition and regulatory activities that are relevant to the practice of nutrition and dietetics. For additional information about the webinar, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm411632.htm Register Now for the Consumer Food Safety Education Conference 2014Together: A Food Safe America, the Consumer Food Safety Education Conference 2014, will bring together food safety educators from all sectors and all levels to share strategies and tactics that promote more effective consumer food safety behaviors. If you educate consumers on food safety, you need to be here! The early bird rate expires November 1, 2014 – reserve your spot today!
For more information: http://www.teamfoodsafety.org/registration?eventId=1&controller=event&task=individualRegister The Conference is scheduled for October 4-5, 2014 in Alexandria, VA, Read more about Together: A Food Safe America at: USDA Sponsors Public Meeting to Address Agenda Items for Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and VegetablesOn August 6, 2014, FSIS and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) issued a news release to announce sponsoring of a public meeting on August 12, 2014, in preparation for the 27th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV). The purpose of the public meeting was to provide information and seek public comments on the agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 27th Session of the CCPFV, which will be held September 8-12 in Philadelphia, PA. Read this news release: USDA-FSIS, FDA-CFSAN: Codex Scheduled MeetingsThe following Codex meetings have been scheduled:
For more information and to register, visit: http://1.usa.gov/1ufFyrj IndustryFSIS Expands Hormone TestingAfter September 15, 2014 FSIS will begin implementing a new FSIS Chemistry Laboratory Guidebook method, Determination of Multiple Hormones in Beef Muscle by LC/MS/MS, The method analyzes for four hormones in bovine muscle. The method will be available the week of August 11, 2014, at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/science/laboratories-and-procedures/guidebooks-and-methods/chemistry-laboratory-guidebook/chemistry-laboratory-guidebook. About FSISFSIS is the public health agency in the USDA responsible for ensuring that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry and processed egg products is safe, wholesome and correctly labeled and packaged. To learn more, visit: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/informational/aboutfsis 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/ednetaug2014.html Source Agency: Health and Human Services (HHS) Captured Date: 2014-12-11 03:50:44.0
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