Civil Law

Ferrero passes probation at Salmonella-hit factory

Ferrero has received the all-clear at a factory behind a Salmonella outbreak after no problems were found during the initial approval period.

The company revealed it had been given final authorization for production at the plant in Arlon from the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) in Belgium.

The monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak from Kinder chocolate sickened more than 450 people. Children were particularly affected and many of those ill were hospitalized. People fell sick between … Read the rest

Civil Law

Consumer groups encourage USDA secretary to continue efforts to make chicken products safer

Several groups, including Consumer Reports and STOP Foodborne Illness, have written to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in support of increased food safety efforts regarding Salmonella in poultry.

The groups describe current regulations as “antiquated” and encourage the secretary to move forward to develop new and enforceable standards that are product based. They say such changes are “a commonsense approach” and will help protect consumers from dangerous Salmonella-contaminated poultry.

“These reforms are urgently needed. Salmonella illness rates in the United States … Read the rest

Civil Law

Funding urged for fatal allergy recording system

Groups have called for a system that monitors fatal allergic reactions in the United Kingdom to receive continued support.

The British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI) is leading the request for additional funding for the UK Fatal Anaphylaxis Registry (UKFAR). Anaphylaxis is a serious, and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.

In 2020, BSACI and Manchester Foundation Trust received a one-off grant of £100,000 ($ 116,000) from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to support the Fatal Anaphylaxis Registry. 

Fiona Rayner, BSACI … Read the rest

Civil Law

Members of FDA review panel named

The Reagan-Udall Foundation has announced five members of an independent expert panel who will conduct an operational evaluation of the Food and Drug Administration’s human foods program. Dr. Jane Henney, former FDA Commissioner, was named as chair of the panel last month.

Joining Henney are Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, James Jones, Barbara Kowalcyk, Shiriki Kumanyika, and John Taylor.

“This team brings the right combination of FDA and other government experience along with deep subject matter expertise and first-hand systems and operations knowledge,” said … Read the rest

Civil Law

New Allegations in World-first Lawsuit Over Clean Energy and Zero Emissions Claims

On 25 August, 2022, the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (“ACCR”) expanded its case against the Australian gas company, Santos Ltd. (“Santos”), with new and more detailed allegations around greenwashing.

Last year, ACCR filed a consumer protection lawsuit with the Federal Court of Australia regarding certain misleading or deceptive statements Santos made relating to its clean energy claims and net-zero representations in the 2020 Annual Report (which we reported here).  This was the first lawsuit in … Read the rest

Civil Law

Food safety talks between U.S. and Mexico focus on building partnership

This past week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its regulatory counterparts in Mexico — the Federal Commission for the Protection from Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) and the National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) — held the second annual Food Safety Partnership (FSP) Meeting as part of ongoing efforts to help ensure the safety of food imported from Mexico and to advance protections for consumers in both countries.

“We are building on the longstanding partnership for the … Read the rest

Civil Law

Producers warned of potential strike impact on Salmonella samples

Egg and poultry meat producers in England have been told to prepare for disruption to sampling deliveries because of strike action.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) said producers need to take appropriate contingency measures to ensure that time-sensitive Salmonella samples reach their destination on time.

Members of the Communication Workers Union who collect, sort, and deliver parcels and mail plan to strike on Aug. 26 and 31 and Sept. 8 and 9. Royal Mail has warned of potential disruption to … Read the rest

Civil Law

Officials criticized for gap in controls at firm behind Listeria cases

A political party in Germany has criticized the time it took for a long-running Listeria outbreak to be solved.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Bayern said it was shocked by the lack of checks at the implicated company. The opposition group had previously called on the governing Christian Social Union and Free Voters of Bavaria parties to provide clarity on the incident.

In July, the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) said it helped identify a … Read the rest