The management systems community
17th Mar 2009 by Alex Briggs
Each year, about 76 million people in the United States are sickened by contaminated food, hundreds of thousands are hospitalized and about 5,000 die, public health experts estimate.
US President Barack Obama has named a new FDA head and deputy, as well as outlined budgetary plans that will place Food Safety at the top of the agenda.
11th Jan 2009 by Alex Briggs
For 2009, Bill Marler, food safety advocate and managing partner of law firm Marler Clark, asked the food safety community to weigh in on the most pressing food safety challenges.
Top of the list was globalization, including the possibility of “economic or chemical terrorism”, which may not directly intend to scare people but is the intentional adulteration of the food supply motivated by profit, as in the case of the recent melamine scare in China.
17th Dec 2008 by Alex Briggs
Genetically modified? Organic? Country of Origin?
Those are some of the questions that US regulators and food producers are sorting through in their push to increase transparency in food product labelling.
This article highlights some of those issues, with an in-depth look at the organic debate, genetically modified products and the labelling of country of origin of food products.
18th Nov 2008 by Alex Briggs
72% of Americans want the federal government to establish new safety standards for the growing, harvesting, processing and distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables even if they increase costs, according to a national survey commissioned by the Produce Safety Project (PSP).
“Consumers don’t want the produce section of their grocery stores to be casinos where they roll the dice on their family’s health and safety,” said Jim O’Hara, PSP director.
14th Oct 2008 by Alex Briggs
This New York Times Media Group article raises the question “Is there more tainted food out there?”
The melamine scandal has heightened fears that the food business is racing ahead of the ability of governments to detect health-threatening contamination, whether accidental or deliberate.
23rd Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs
The melamine scare that has engulfed China has spilled over into the rest of the world. Nestle spent yesterday responding to media reports that there were concerns with Nestle Growing Up Milk, a product that seeks to bridge a toddler’s move from mother’s milk to cow’s milk.
Nestle has been very proactive and firm in denying the reports that have appeared in Hong Kong media, stating “”Nestle is confident that none of its products in China is made from milk adulterated with melamine.”
22nd Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a proposed rule to reduce the practice called “port shopping,” or trying to gain entry at different ports when a potential import has already been rejected. The F.D.A. requires such foods must be exported or destroyed.
The rule would require denied imports to bear a label that would read, “United States: Refused Entry.” The rule would also implement a provision of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.
16th Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs
This link is to a flash movie on the key issues surrounding food safety and supply chain security.
The presentation is from O. Keith Helferich, Ph.D. -Professor, Supply Chain Management at Central Michigan University and
Instructor, Supply Chain Management, Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, and John Spink, MS., Director
Packaging for Food and Product Protection Initiative.
7th Aug 2008 by Alex Briggs
This Food Business Daily article looks at the ever increasing amount of labels on food products. Are consumers paying attention to these claims and understanding what the claims mean? Or are there better ways to reach consumers?
11th Jul 2008
Thirty-five new international food standards were adopted during last week’s 31st session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, including guidelines on the use of flavourings and gluten-free products.
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