California Bill Would Ban Foods Containing Some Synthetic Dyes in Public Schools
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by FQ&S Staff
3d ago
A California assembly member has introduced legislation that would prohibit the state’s public schools from serving foods that contain certain additives. In particular, Assembly Bill (AB) 2316, introduced by Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), would prohibit schools from serving foods containing six synthetic food dyes—Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3. Currently, products containing these dyes are required by the EU to carry a warning label. The introduction of AB 2316 follows the 2023 passage California Food Safety Act – which banned the use of four chemicals from foods sold in ..read more
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USDA Finalizes “Product of USA” Label Rule
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by FQ&S Staff
3d ago
USDA has finalized a rule to align the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim with consumer understanding of what the statement means. Tom Vilsack USDA agriculture secretary, also says the agency is awarding $9.5 million to 42 projects through the Local Meat Capacity grant program to expand processing options for the meat and poultry industry and new actions to ensure transparency and a fair and competitive market in the U.S seed industry. These actions build on President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy and the Biden-Harris Administration’s Action Plan ..read more
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FDA Warns of Lead Contamination in Additional Cinnamon Products
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by FQ&S Staff
1w ago
On March 6, FDA sent a letter to all cinnamon manufacturers, processors, distributors, and facility operators in the U.S. reminding them of the requirement to implement controls to prevent contamination from potential chemical hazards in food, including ground cinnamon products. The agency is also recommending the voluntary recall of certain ground cinnamon products sold by a number of brands at six different retail chains that were found to contain elevated levels of lead. The agency also notified the distributors and manufacturers of six specific products found to contain elevated levels of ..read more
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Study: Standard Test for Raw Organic Milk Not Sufficient
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by Keith Loria
1w ago
A group of food scientists from Cornell University in New York have concluded that a standard quality test often used for raw organic milk is not sufficient for differentiating between specific groups of bacteria and should be updated. The research appeared in January in the Journal of Dairy Science (doi: 10.3168/jds.2023-24330). Nicole Martin, PhD, senior author of the study and assistant research professor in dairy foods microbiology and the associate director of the Milk Quality Improvement Program in the Department of Food Science at the institution, says that the present test, known as t ..read more
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FDA: PFAS No Longer Used in U.S. Food Packaging
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by FQ&S Staff
1w ago
FDA has announced that grease-proofing materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer being sold for use in food packaging in the U.S. This means the major source of dietary exposure to PFAS from food packaging like fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, take-out paperboard containers, and pet food bags has been eliminated. PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” are a diverse group of thousands of chemicals that resist grease, oil, water, and heat. FDA has authorized certain of these substances for limited use in cookware, food packaging, and food processi ..read more
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USDA Secretary Says Vaccine for Bird Flu Is Close
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by Keith Loria
1w ago
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), more commonly known as bird flu, remains a serious issue and Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary, testified at a congressional hearing on February 14 that the U.S. was close to finding a vaccine for poultry to combat the disease. “We are probably 18 months or so away from being able to identify a vaccine that would be effective for this particular (avian flu) that we’re dealing with now,” Vilsack said. In 2023, USDA found HPAI in eight commercial flocks and 14 backyard flocks, which has impacted 530,000 poultry so far. More than 81 million U.S. poultry and aq ..read more
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FDA Says Applesauce Contamination May Have Been Deliberate
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by Samara Kuehne
1w ago
FDA has confirmed that lead and chromium detected in the cinnamon in applesauce pouches imported from Ecuador are from lead chromate. Three brands of applesauce pouches, manufactured in Ecuador and sold under WanaBana, Weis, and Schnucks brands, were recalled last November due to lead contamination. Historically, lead chromate has been illegally added to certain spices increase to their weight and enhance their color, which increases the monetary value of the adulterated spices, the agency said in a February 29 statement. FDA’s leading hypothesis remains that this was likely an act of economi ..read more
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New Wax Coating for Fresh Produce May Provide Pathogen Protection
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by Keith Loria
1w ago
A new wax coating technology for produce could provide enhanced protection against foodborne pathogens, according to new research publishd in Current Research in Food Science. The idea was the brainstorm of Mustafa Akbulut, PhD, a professor in the department of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University in College Station, who teamed Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, PhD, a professor in the department of horticultural sciences at the same institution, to design longer-lasting and bacteria-free produce. “Our collaborative research group combining cutting-edge engineering, food science, and horticu ..read more
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Vision Inspection Technology Can Improve Baking Quality, Safety
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by Andrew McGhie
3w ago
Today’s industrial bakery looks much different than it did 40 years ago. Baked goods that were once mixed, proofed, shaped, and decorated manually by the baker are now meticulously produced by automated machines. Several factors compel bakeries toward automation; a growing competitive landscape and diverse consumer demands are only part of the industry-wide drive to innovate and automate. While much of the baking process is mechanized, most bakeries today still employ manual inspectors as their core line of defense to ensure top-quality baked products that are safe to consume. Despite these p ..read more
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DOL Seeks Injunction Against Sanitation Company Over Allegations of Child Labor
Food Quality & Safety Magazine
by Samara Kuehne
3w ago
The U.S. Department of Labor has asked a federal court to issue a nationwide temporary restraining order and injunction against Fayette Janitorial Service to stop the Tennessee-based company from illegally employing children while the department continues investigations into the company’s labor practices. The company provides contract sanitation and cleaning services for meat and poultry processing facilities in approximately 30 states and employs more than 600 workers. The request for a restraining order was prompted by investigations that found Fayette employed minors to clean and sanitize ..read more
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