June 7, 2022, is World Food Safety Day – Quality Assurance & Food Safety

The World Health Organization's event aims aims to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development.
GENEVA — World Food Safety Day (WFSD) aims to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development.  
The United Nations General Assembly established World Food Safety Day in 2018 to raise awareness of this important issue. WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly facilitate the observance of World Food Safety Day, in collaboration with Member States and other stakeholders.
This year’s theme, “Safer food, better health,” highlights the role that safe, nutritional food plays in ensuring human health and well-being and calls for a set of specific actions to make food safer.
In addition to campaign materials such as virtual backgrounds, posters and infographics found here, this year’s World Food Safety Day includes calls of action to specific groups.
Policy Makers
Food Businesses
Educational Institutions and Workplaces
Consumers
There’s also a webinar at 8 a.m. EDT.
The panel discussion under the theme “Safer food, better health” is hosted by the WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Codex Secretariat.
The first half of the event will focus on the need to transform food systems to deliver better health, through an online moderated panel with WHO Assistant Director-General Naoko Yamamoto and Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in Geneva Dominique Burgeon. The speakers will also take audience questions.
The second half of the event will explore, in a moderated panel, how different players ensure the sustainable production and consumption of safe foods in different settings in order to improve health outcomes.
Interpretation will be available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Register here.
The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of California in San Diego County, against FreshKampo/Meridian Fine Foods on behalf of David Arthur and Michelle Brown and their daughter.
SAN DIEGO — The first lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of California in San Diego County, against FreshKampo/Meridian Fine Foods on behalf of David Arthur and Michelle Brown, and their daughter. The Arthur-Brown family became ill with hepatitis A after consuming FreshKampo branded strawberries. The plaintiffs are represented by Marler Clark, a Seattle based food safety law firm, and local counsel, Frederic L. Gordon. 
The Arthur-Brown family purchased and later consumed FreshKampo strawberries on April 16, 2022, and April 25, 2022. Michelle Brown began to experience symptoms of a hepatitis A infection on or about May 5, 2022, and her daughter followed soon after on May 8, 2022. They both suffered from diarrhea, loss of appetite, fatigue and digestion issues. 
David Arthur began to experience symptoms related to his infection on or about May 8, 2022. His initial symptoms included clammy skin, stomach upset and body aches and progressed to lethargy, pain, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, dark urine and jaundice. While Michelle and their daughter recovered, on May 19, 2022, David’s symptoms worsened, and his medical condition progressed to acute liver failure. David was hospitalized, and fortunately, with significant medical testing and intervention, he was discharged from the hospital on May 20, 2022.
“Strawberries grown outside the United States have been a source of hepatitis A infections in the past,” said William Marler, managing partner at the food safety law firm Marler Clark. “The FDA and retailers need to do a far better job of inspecting so we can avoid human fecal contamination.”
On May 27, 2022, the FDA, CDC, Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that they are investigating 27 outbreak-associated cases of hepatitis A in Canada and the United States. The agencies will consider these hepatitis A illnesses linked to organic strawberries, branded as FreshKampo and HEB, and purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022.
Victims of hepatitis A outbreak in the United States and Canada
The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) will present awards recognizing excellence in food safety to the following organizations and individuals at IAFP 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Des Moines, Iowa — The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) will present awards recognizing excellence in food safety to the following organizations and individuals at IAFP 2022, July 3-Aug. 3, in Pittsburgh, Pa.
The IAFP Fellow Award is awarded to professionals who have contributed to IAFP and its affiliates with distinction over an extended period of time. This year’s recipients are David Blomquist, DFB Consulting, Hastings, Minn.; James Dickson, Iowa State University, Ames; Lynn McMullen, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; George-John Nychas, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece; and Manan Sharma, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland.
Katherine M. J. Swanson, KMJ Swanson Food Safety Inc. (retired), Mendota Heights, Minn., will be awarded the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award. This award, given at the discretion of the IAFP President, recognizes an individual who has made a lasting impact on advancing food safety worldwide through a lifetime of professional achievements in food protection.
The Honorary Life Membership Award will be presented to Zeb Blanton, SGS North America, residing in Longwood, Fla.; Leon Gorris, Food Safety Futures, Nijmegen, Netherlands; Dale Grinstead, Diversey (retired), residing in Highlands, N.C.; Paul Hall, AIV Microbiology and Food Safety Consultants, Inc., Lakeland, Fla.; Elliot Ryser, Michigan State University, East Lansing; and Edith Wilkin, Laprino Foods (retired), residing in Castle Rock, Colo. This award recognizes IAFP Members for their dedication to the high ideals and objectives of IAFP and for their service to the Association. 
The Harry Haverland Citation Award will be awarded to Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, University of Georgia, Griffin, for his years of devotion to the ideals and objectives of the Association. 
bioMérieux, Hazelwood, Mo., will receive the Food Safety Innovation Award, given for the development of Predictive Diagnostics, its innovative new approach to food safety and quality testing.
The International Leadership Award will be presented to Arie Havelaar, University of Florida, Gainesville, for his dedication to the high ideals and objectives of IAFP and for promotion of the mission of the association in countries outside of the United States and Canada. 
Ann Marie McNamara, U.S. Foods, Hoffman Estates, Ill., will receive the Food Safety Award in recognition of a long history of outstanding contributions to food safety research and education.
The Frozen Food Foundation Freezing Research Award will be presented to Jeff Farber, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. This award honors an individual, group or organization for preeminence and outstanding contributions in research that impacts food safety attributes of freezing.
The Maurice Weber Laboratorian Award will be presented to Kali Kniel, University of Delaware, Newark, to recognize her service for outstanding contributions in the laboratory and recognizing a commitment to the development of innovative and practical analytical approaches in support of food safety. 
Yaohua Feng, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., will be presented the Larry Beuchat Young Researcher Award. This award is presented to a young researcher who has shown outstanding ability and professional promise in the early years of his or her career.
The James M. Jay Diversity in Food Safety Award will be presented to Haley Oliver, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. This award recognizes an individual who has made exceptional contributions to enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion in the field of food safety.
Darin Detwiler, Northeastern University, residing in Los Angeles, Calif., is the recipient of the Ewen C.D. Todd Control of Foodborne Illness Award. This award recognizes an individual for dedicated and exceptional contributions to the reduction of risks of foodborne illness.
Charles Giambrone, Rochester Midland Corporation, New Hope, Pa., will receive the Sanitarian Award to recognize his dedication and exceptional service to the profession of sanitarian, serving the public and the food industry.
The Elmer Marth Educator Award will be presented to Lawrence Goodridge, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, to recognize his dedication and exceptional contributions to the profession of the educator.
The two infographics cover FSMA's FSVP rule and the proposed 204 rule on traceability.
NOVATO, Calif. — SafetyChain has published two infographics that aim to provide summarized information about the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA) proposed 204 rule and how to avoid a 483 for your Foreign Supplier Verification Program.
See both infographics below. 

 

Micro-encapsulated, slow-release insecticide aims to protect poultry from common pests.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Neogen Corporation announced that it has added a new insect control solution for poultry producers to its Prozap product line.
Prozap Gamma-Defense is a micro-encapsulated, slow-release insecticide for use in and around poultry and other livestock housing, buildings and structures for the control of litter beetles, flies, fleas, ticks and other listed pests. The highly concentrated insect control solution is formulated with gamma-cyhalothrin, the newest and most potent pyrethroid available, Neogen said.
“Prozap Gamma-Defense is a powerful insect control solution for poultry producers,” said Coyee Hunt, an animal safety product manager at Neogen. “This formula is proven effective against adult and immature darkling, hide and carrion beetles, common pests that can have a significant impact on poultry production. Prozap Gamma-Defense provides strong protection against pests while offering a versatile label for application and control of problem insects on the farm.”
When treating for litter beetles, one quart treats up to 48,000 square-feet and can be applied in 21-day cycles. The versatile formula can be applied within poultry housing structures at clean out or in between flocks, and can be utilized as a barrier treatment outside the structure. Prozap Gamma-Defense can be used on the entire footing, cracks and crevices, or in banded applications.

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