Items of Interest Nutrition Labeling Information
The FDA CFSAN web site has an excellent resource on-line called "A Food Labeling Guide." It can be accessed at:
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/label.htmlFederal food labeling regulations are within Title 21 Part 101 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and can be accessed at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/21cfrv2_00.html
Food Safety Survey Flunks Majority
Scientists put cameras in the kitchens of 100 families in Logan, Utah, and caught citizens of this middle-class, well-educated college town making multiple food safety fumbles, reported Associated Press. People skipped soap when hand-washing. Used the same towel to wipe up raw meat juice as to dry their hands.Surveys show most Americans blame restaurants for foodborne illnesses. Asked if they follow basic bacteria-fighting tips listed on the Internet most insist they're scrupulous in their own kitchens. But FDA consumer research chief Alan Levy says most food poisonings probably occur at home. Utah State University nutritionist Janet Anderson was quoted as saying, "People have no idea they're messing up. You just go in the kitchen and it's something you don't think about."
In the study, 30 percent didn't wash the lettuce; others placed salad ingredients on counters where they had placed raw meat; 35 percent who made the meat loaf undercooked it; 42 percent undercooked the chicken; and 17 percent undercooked the fish.
Food Recalls: How can you Prepare? Insurance Brokers Service Offers Advice to Businesses
A series of food recalls in December prompted Insurance Brokers Service, Inc. (IBS) president and CEO Bob Greenebaum to offer the following advice to food companies: Get coverage. "The truth is, for big and small food producers alike, recalls can cost millions of dollars in product losses and operational delays, not to mention intangible losses to a company's reputation and customer confidence," Greenebaum said. "Protecting the consumer is the number one priority in a product recall. But can you do so without crippling your business?"Greenebaum, whose company offers product recall insurance for food companies, stresses that while manufacturers and processors may have an understanding of the operational aspects of a recall-which regulators to notify, how to contain the exposed product and how to track a problem–they may not have a plan that incorporates these logistical requirements with reputation-saving communications efforts. He suggests that companies must be prepared to deal with a recall from several angles, including financial protection, logistical planning and effective communication with the public and media.
Currently, there are a number of different insurance products on the market offering financial coverage for both accidental contamination and products tampering. For example, IBS's Total Recall PLUS product includes a unique crisis management component that assists companies both with logistics and communications considerations, as well as real-time crisis support to safeguard the insured's reputation.
Again emphasizing the growing number of recalls, Greenebaum advises companies to prepare for a worst case scenario. "It's an up-front investment that can save your company."