Recalls are bound to happen in the food industry. While no organization wants to be at the center of a major outbreak or Class I recall, all organizations throughout the food supply chain must be prepared for this reality. In 2018, we witnessed several high-profile recalls with nationwide impact. From raw foods to cereal snacks, the recalls of 2018 had a major impact on nearly all product categories. This is a major concern.
2019 event features workshops focused on food safety and how to ‘double down on listeria prevention’
The first annual AFFI (American Frozen Foods Institute) Leadership Conference came to a close yesterday in San Diego following a three-day gathering of food safety professionals from around the country.
The conference theme - ‘Doubling Down on Listeria’ - provided informative educational programming on the topic of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), a harmful bacteria that can hide in many foods like dairy products and produce. Our own Food Safety Solutions Engineer Bryan Cohn shared his thoughts on the programming after attending this inaugural Leadership Conference.
FoodLogiQ recently spoke with Dr. Darin Detwiler, Assistant Dean at Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies. His work at the university includes quality assurance supervision for all undergrad and graduate programs. He is also a Professor of Food Regulatory Policy, responsible for the development and instruction of courses related to food safety, global economics of food & agriculture, and food policy, for graduate students who work in the food industry. He additionally advises industry and government agencies, addressing food safety and authenticity issues in the U.S. and abroad.
While price and taste certainly still rank high among consumers when it comes to purchasing behavior, they also want a deeper understanding of exactly what it is they are eating. According to the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, U.S. consumers want to learn more about the origins of their food and its entire journey from farm to fork.
“Americans have a growing appetite for more information about their food, and technology is enabling eaters like never before,” said Joseph Clayton, CEO of the IFIC Foundation. “It’s also driving transparency across the food supply chain.”
“When issues arise that would put consumers at risk, we won’t hesitate to mandate the removal of a product from the market using the full extent of our authorities. It’s our responsibility. And it’s critical to our mission to ensure the safety of Americans.” - Excerpt from Nov. 9 statement by FDA Commission Scott Gottlieb, MD
Back in October, FoodLogiQ alerted you to the FDA’s new food recall policies; specifically, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s statement about the disclosure of retailer information and its subsequent ‘Draft Guidance’ aimed at setting criteria for making previously-confidential information public for certain types of recalls.
