FDA Unveils Plan to Bring New Oversight of Food Distribution

[IDemo]

Source: NBC News

The Food & Drug Administration unveiled details of a new food safety proposal Friday that would establish guidelines for food distributors.

Many in the industry have described food transportation as the Wild West because of how little federal oversight there is. A patchwork of state laws currently regulate food transportation. Now, that’s expected to change with the FDA’s proposed Rules on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food.

The change is part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which the FDA calls “the most sweeping reform of our food safety laws in more than 70 years.” The FDA estimates it will affect 83,609 businesses engaged in food transportation.

Highlights of the new rules include training for employees in sanitary practices and keeping detailed records of sanitary procedures and equipment cleanings, which will be available for inspectors to review. Companies will also be required to maintain proper transport conditions and temperature controls to keep food from becoming contaminated or spoiled. That means refrigeration for perishable products like meat and eggs. Food and non-food items will have to be separated.

Read more: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/FDA-unveils-plan-new-oversight-of-food-distribution-transportation-243023981.html

[NCarolinawoman]

1. Long overdue.

A while back, I remember I noticed, along with some other people, that Kroger orange juice was tasting funny. Never bought it again.

Lately it's been milk. Who knows what goes on between the place of origin and where it is destined to go.

[kickysnana]

2. Regulate the bankers and Wall St first, please! n/t

[kristopher]

3. They should make irradiating food a mandatory part of processing.

Food irradiation (the application of ionizing radiation to food) is a technology that improves the safety and extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects. Like pasteurizing milk and canning fruits and vegetables, irradiation can make food safer for the consumer.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating the sources of radiation that are used to irradiate food. FDA approves a source of radiation for use on foods only after it has determined that irradiating the food is safe.

Why Irradiate Food?
Irradiation can serve many purposes.
Prevention of Foodborne Illness – irradiation can be used to effectively eliminate organisms that cause foodborne illness, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Preservation – irradiation can be used to destroy or inactivate organisms that cause spoilage and decomposition and extend the shelf life of foods.
Control of Insects – irradiation can be used to destroy insects in or on tropical fruits imported into the United States. Irradiation also decreases the need for other pest-control practices that may harm the fruit.
Delay of Sprouting and Ripening – irradiation can be used to inhibit sprouting (e.g., potatoes) and delay ripening of fruit to increase longevity.
Sterilization – irradiation can be used to sterilize foods, which can then be stored for years without refrigeration. Sterilized foods are useful in hospitals for patients with severely impaired immune systems, such as patients with AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy. Foods that are sterilized by irradiation are exposed to substantially higher levels of treatment than those approved for general use.

Debunking Irradiation Myths
Irradiation does not make foods radioactive, compromise nutritional quality, or noticeably change the taste, texture, or appearance of food. In fact, any changes made by irradiation are so minimal that it is not easy to tell if a food has been irradiated.

How Is Food Irradiated?
There are three sources of radiation approved for use on foods.
Gamma rays are emitted from radioactive forms of the element cobalt (Cobalt 60) or of the element cesium (Cesium 137).
Gamma radiation is used routinely to sterilize medical, dental and household products and is also used for the radiation treatment of cancer.
X-rays are produced by reflecting a high-energy stream of electrons off a target substance (usually one of the heavy metals) into food. X-rays are also widely used in medicine and industry to produce images of internal structures.
Electron beam (or e-beam) is similar to X-rays and is a stream of high-energy electrons propelled from an electron accelerator
into food.

Did you know?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts eat meat that has been sterilized by irradiation to avoid getting foodborne illnesses when they fly in space.
Food Irradiation: Launch

Is Irradiated Food Safe to Eat?
FDA has evaluated the safety of irradiated food for more than thirty years and has found the process to be safe. The World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have also endorsed the safety of irradiated food.

Food Irradiation: 3 column foods

What Foods Have Been Approved for Irradiation?
FDA has approved a variety of foods for irradiation in the United States including:
Beef and Pork
Poultry
Molluscan Shellfish
(e.g., oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops)
Shell Eggs
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Lettuce and Spinach
Spices and Seasonings
Seeds for Sprouting (e.g., for alfalfa sprouts)

How Will I Know if My Food Has Been Irradiated?



Food Irradiation: LogoFDA requires that irradiated foods bear the international symbol for irradiation. Look for the Radura symbol along with the statement "Treated with radiation" or "Treated by irradiation" on the food label. Bulk foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are required to be individually labeled or to have a label next to the sale container. FDA does not require that individual ingredients in multi-ingredient foods (e.g., spices) be labeled.

It is important to remember that irradiation is not a replacement for proper food-handling practices by producers, processors and consumers. Irradiated foods need to be stored, handled and cooked in the same way as non-irradiated foods, because they could still become contaminated with disease-causing organisms after irradiation if the rules of basic food safety are not followed.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm261680.htm

[bananas]

5. Sorry, no - that would be a huge step backwards.

There was a time when it was hard to find organic produce or even whole wheat bread in a supermarket.
Now these are standard items in almost all grocery stores.
The days when the only bread in a supermarket was Wonderbread are long gone, and good riddance to them!
People want good wholesome food which has been handled with care.
People don't want to eat fecal matter that's been irradiated to make it "safe".
Shit isn't food, whether it's been irradiated or not.
The motivation of the food industry in pushing irradiation is to cut costs by not handling food properly.
That has been soundly rejected time after time.
There were discussions about this on DU a few years ago,
when the food industry was once again trying to foist this on people.

[paleotn]

6. It's not just fecal matter....

that causes food contamination, though most pathogens are fecal related. Even in the best of conditions, it's impossible to completely eliminate all fecal material and fecal born pathogens, no matter if you're big meat packing or a smaller, organic meat suppliers. With respect to human health, it's a matter or quantity (pathogen load) not whether or not pathogens are there. Trust me, they are there. They will always be on and in your food to some degree or another. The relatively low pathogen load in what you call "wholesome" food is not a problem for health adults and causes no discernible symptoms of disease, but for someone who's immunocompromised that may be a different story. Properly regulated, irradiation is meant as a compliment to, not an elimination of good farm and factory hygiene. It simply adds an extremely effective line of defense against food born illness, particularly if someone screws up somewhere in the supply chain and even very well meaning, organic suppliers occasionally screw up and food picks up a high pathogen load. The Europeans have been doing it for certain foods for years now, with no problems.

http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biosafety/irradiation/index_en.htm

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_packaging/l21117_en.htm

[bananas]

7. That's right - it's a matter of quantity, and they want to increase the quantity.

They want the FDA to allow increased quantities of shit in the food.

[bananas]

9. EPA: food irradiation does cause problems

http://www.epa.gov/radtown/food-irradiation.html

<snip>

However, food irradiation does not eliminate all food dangers and does create some problems:

• It does not inactivate dangerous toxins which have already been produced by bacteria prior to irradiation. In some cases, such as C. botulism, it is the toxin produced by the bacteria, rather than the bacteria itself, which poses the health hazard.
  
  
• It does not prevent the aging of the fruit and vegetables that can lower their nutritional value, taste and flavors. Irradiating fruit and vegetables to extend their shelf life can make “old” food look “fresh”.
  
  
• Irradiation also unavoidably kills off bacteria that produce the smells that warn you when food is going "bad."
  
  
• Irradiated food does not meet the definition of organic.
  

<snip>

[kristopher]

10. I don't agree.

Compare stats of food poisoning between the US and a country like Japan that does irradiate food. Your position simply isn't valid and amounts to little more than wishful thinking. The objections you've offered aren't related to irradiating food, they are food handling and processing problems that have nothing to do with irradiation.

To say that irradiating food precludes better sanitation or the development of local/organic farming is absurd.

[fasttense]

4. I wonder how this will affect small farmers

who transport recently harvested foods to farmer's markets?

Will we have to pass inspections and get costly permits?

And irradiation is just plain silly. I pick and eat most of my fruits and vegetables right off the plant or out of the ground. All I ever do is rinse it off. I've never gotten a food born illness and my customers have never gotten ill. We load our produce onto a truck (not refrigerated) and take it to market. Except for eggs and meats, none of our vegetables ever see the inside of a refrigerator before they are sold. But then most our produce is less than 24 hours old when we sell it.

[bananas]

8. San Diego County has more small farms than any other county in the nation.

And we love our farmer's markets.

http://www.sandiego.org/articles/shopping/san-diego-farmers-markets.aspx

With a year-round growing season and plenty of consistent sunshine, it stands to reason San Diego has the potential to produce a wealth of agricultural product. However, travelers lured by more than 70 miles of sparkling coastline and a glittering downtown nightlife might still be surprised to learn that the region is in fact home to more than 6,500 farms, and agriculture is the region"s fourth largest industry. In fact, San Diego County has more small farms than any other county in the nation.

Given the high cost of land and water in Southern California, San Diego farmers have learned to specialize in valuable niche crops. Compared with other American counties, San Diego is the top producer of avocados and second in terms of acreage devoted to guavas, pomegranates, limes, and macadamias. San Diego also is number three in honey production, number five in lemons, number nine in strawberries and ranked tenth in number of egg-laying hens.

Visitors can sample these wares fresh from the farm at San Diego farmers markets held daily in neighborhoods throughout the county. These certified markets specialize in showcasing produce from regional farmers and tasty treats from artisans around the region. Mingle with the locals and meet the farmers while you nibble on sweet, ripe fruit, listen to live music, stroll through colorful booths and sample San Diego's delicious lifestyle. At some markets, cooks whip up crepes, kettle corn and tamales; vendors sell garlic-stuffed olives, olive oil, cheese and honey, all prepared locally.

<snip>

[bananas]

11. There may be an exemption for small farmers

Here's some sections from wikipedia, it's unclear from this what actually was passed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FDA_Food_Safety_Modernization_Act

The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010 (H.R. 2751) was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011.

<snip>

[hr]
Response to contaminants/ violations

<snip list of new rules on this>

Small farms that sell locally or sell less than $500,000 a year are exempt from these new rules.[19]

<snip>

[hr]
Reaction

According to maplight.org,[24] large trade organizations have joined public health advocates in supporting the bill, while groups aligned with individuals and small farms have generally opposed it. However, after Senate adoption of Jon Tester's amendment, which allows for the possible exemption of producers that sell less than $500,000 a year,[25] many large food companies objected, arguing that the exemption puts consumers at risk.[26]

[hr]
Tester-Hagen Amendment

Senators Jon Tester and Kay Hagan sponsored two amendments that removed vital local food growers and processors from federal oversight, leaving them –as they currently are – within the existing regulatory framework of state and local health and sanitation laws and rules.[31]

The amendment will offer protections for operations (a.k.a. “qualified facilities”) that make less than $500,000 a year and sell most (greater than 50%) of their products directly to consumers in the same state and within a 400-mile radius.[32] The amendment also applies to all operations that the FDA classified as a "very small business." Small, local farmers would not necessarily need to comply with some of the requirements and produce safety regulations implemented under S. 510.[32] Instead, these small-scale producers (like those who sell their goods at farmers' markets or roadside stands) would continue to be regulated by local and state entities. In addition, consumers would know whom they are buying from either by direct sales or clear labeling .[32]

Farmers who qualify must provide documentation that the farm is in compliance with state regulations.Documentation may include licenses, inspection reports, or other evidence that the farm is in compliance with State, local, county, or other applicable non-Federal food safety law.[33] The farm must also prominently and conspicuously display the name and address of farm/facility on its label. For foods without a label then by poster, sign, or placard, at the point of purchase or, in the case of Internet sales, in an electronic notice, or in the case of sales to stores and restaurants, on the invoice.[33]

[hr]

Jon Tester is an organic farmer.
Jon Tester and Kay Hagen are both Democrats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Tester

<snip>

Tester grew up in Chouteau County, near the town of Big Sandy, Montana, on land that his grandfather homesteaded in 1912.[3] At the age of 9, he lost the middle three fingers of his left hand in a meat-grinder accident.[4] In 1978, he graduated from the University of Great Falls with a B.S. in music.[5]

Tester then worked for two years as a music teacher in the Big Sandy School District before returning to his family's farm and custom butcher shop.[6] He and his wife continue to operate the farm; in the 1980s, they switched from conventional to organic farming,[7] raising wheat, barley, lentils, peas, millet, buckwheat, and alfalfa.[5] Tester served five years as chairman of the Big Sandy School Board of Trustees and served on the Big Sandy Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Committee and the Chouteau County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) Committee.[8]

<snip>

http://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=biography

BIOGRAPHY
Senator Tester's Official Portrait

Senator Jon Tester is third-generation Montana farmer, a proud grandfather and a former school teacher who has deep roots in hard work, responsibility and accountability.

Jon and his wife Sharla still farm the same land near the town of Big Sandy, Mont. that was homesteaded by Jon’s grandparents in 1912. Jon’s parents believed public education and family agriculture are the cornerstones of democracy—and those values had a tremendous role in shaping Jon’s leadership.

After earning a degree in music from the College of Great Falls, Jon took over the Tester farm in 1978. He also taught music at F.E. Miley Elementary and eventually was elected to the Big Sandy School Board. Fired up by the Montana Legislature’s decision to deregulate Montana’s power industry (resulting in higher power costs), Jon ran for and was elected to the Montana Senate in 1998.

In 2005, Jon’s colleagues chose him to serve as Montana Senate President. The people of Montana elected Jon to the U.S. Senate in 2006 and again in 2012.

<snip>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Hagan

Janet Kay Ruthven Hagan (/ˈheɪɡən/; born May 26, 1953) is the junior United States Senator from North Carolina, in office since January 2009. Previously she served in the North Carolina Senate from 1999 to 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party.[1]

When Hagan defeated Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole in the 2008 United States Senate election, she became the first woman to defeat an incumbent woman in a Senate election.

<snip>

Hagan also spent summers on her grandparents' farm in Chesterfield, South Carolina, where she helped string tobacco and harvest watermelons.[1] As a child, Hagan engaged in her earliest political activity: placing bumper stickers on cars for her uncle, Lakeland native and U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles (D-FL), who later became Florida Governor following his service in the U.S. Senate. In the 1970s, she was an intern at the Capitol, operating an elevator that carried senators, including her uncle, to and from the Chamber.[1]

<snip>