Package 2 Resources - GM Foods

Dear Friends

I've included some links for you to look up. I hope these are useful for you :)

Wikipedia (skim through for BASIC info...)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_engineered_food

ProQuest CSA (Information company) Very, very concise :)
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

Biotech Food Safety
http://groups.ucanr.org/sbc/Outreach/Biotech_Food_Safety.htm

Public Citizen Food Agriculture
http://www.citizen.org/cmep/foodsafety/

GE Food Alert
http://www.gefoodalert.org/

The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods
http://www.thecampaign.org/

Genetic Engineering Action Network (links to many organisations on GE issues/debate etc.)
http://www.geaction.org/

GM and Novel Foods (UK)
http://www.food.gov.uk/gmfoods/

True Food Now ! (rather opiniated..activist related)
http://www.truefoodnow.org/

GeneWatch
http://www.genewatch.org/


saddiq

Food Recall

What is Food Recall?


Food Recall Procedures

1. Product coding – Allow product lot to be identified as to date, batch product personnel production records, and ingredient records.
   
2. Raw materials record – Records of raw materials, packaging materials and finished product along with any supplier guarantees and certifications.
   
3. Processing and production records – Records showing adherence to scheduled processes inclusive of pH measurement and other critical factors.
   
4. Departures from scheduled processes – A record of all departures, actions taken to rectify them and disposition records of the portion of product involved.
   
5. Records from initial distribution – Adequate to facilitate separation of food lots which may have become contaminated or unfit to use.
   
6. Key contacts & phone numbers – Preparation of list of names and contacts in an event of a recall.
   
7. Sample notification form – Include product, container size and code of affected lots. Instructions for consumers and distributors for product recovery and information feedback.
   
8. Plans of recovery of recalled product - Include procedures for segregation of affected lots, storage, warehousing and control. Procedures in place shall allow determination of the effectiveness of the recall.

Resources for Food Safety

Dear Friends

Here are some links to the various food safety websites. I'll be adding a short summary for each link; but for now I hope the headings would suffice.

List of Organisations that promote food safety

International Association for Food Protection
http://www.foodprotection.org/main/default.asp

Food Standards Agency
http://www.food.gov.uk/

American Dietetic Society
http://www.homefoodsafety.org/index.jsp

Food Safety Authority of Ireland
http://www.fsai.ie/

Chilled Food Association
http://www.chilledfood.org/Content/home.asp

National Restaurant Association
http://www.restaurant.org/foodsafety/index.cfm

Food Standards: Australia & New Zealand
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/thecode/foodsafetystandardsaustraliaonly/index.cfm

Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
http://www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/index.html

Centre for Food Safety
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/

Food Safety Network
http://www.foodsafetynetwork.ca/

AVA Poster on Food Safety
http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/5BC01CCC-890D-434F-B91C-A1A15E28A2BC/8850/Attach2_FoodSafetywhileShoppingEng.PDF

AVA: List of Legislation
http://www.ava.gov.sg/Legislation/ListOfLegislation/

NEA Brochure
http://www.nea.gov.sg/cms/ccird/pg_48_53.pdf

Food Regulation
http://www.foodregulation.com/

Centre for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html

Seafood HACCP
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/haccpsea.html
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/haccp4.html


Saddiq

Fruits & Vegetables

Resources
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/98fr/97n0451a.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/06d-0079-gdl0001.pdf

Vegetables & Fruits

Commonly subjected to chemical pesticides, fertilizers (may be potent enough to harm humans)
Generally not washed post-delivery (doing so will encourage rot). Traces of microbial load may increase in size.
Even when washed, water might be re-used to save on costs. This may increase the microbial load of the water.
Storage conditions of veg. Fruits & vegetables quickly deteriorate even if temp. fluctuation is minimal. Thus, it is important to ensure that the storage temp. is appropriate.
Workers also a source of contamination. Personal hyigiene very important.
Air quality of production floor. Terrible air quality often allows dirt to setlle on cut surfaces of veg.
Transportation & storage of veg. & fruits. Low temp. is impt. as fruits and veg. deteriorate quickly in high temp.

Introduction to Food Safety

Food Safety- What is That?

Food safety in interested in the safe supply of foods to consumers. In a fast-paced world, food safety has become even more important as the masses purchase ready-made foods regularly. This can be done by checking foods for signs of deterioration; improper packaging or even the presence of potentially harmful glass chips in a food.

In short, food safety aims to reduce the possibility of harmful agents contaminating foods.

The food industry loses more than US$ 1 billion a year due to cases of food poisoning (which in turn forces the "culprit" company to recall all their food products). Or, customers might complain about the presence of physical/biological contaminants within the food. Examples include pieces of metal in cakes or cockroaches in soya sauce.

To minimise this, food companies employ various means of safety procedures. Among these include inplementing HACCP guidelines. Other means involve daily cleaning procedures to minimise the amount of contaminants present in the environment.

Common food spoilage microorganisms/pathogens:

Most people have the mistaken notion that spoiled foods must, in some way or the other, emit a disgusting smell. In fact, most people consume foods that looks alright externally. However, the poisons secreted by the pathogenic microbes often lies beneath the surface. This makes it hard to distinguish foods harbouring pathogens from foods that are truly safe.

Do read up more of them :)

Campylobacter jejuni; Clostridium botulinum; Clostridium perfringens; Bacillus cereus; Escherichia coli 0157:H7; Listeria monocytogenes; Staphylococcus; Shigella


Some simple steps to ensure food safety:

Wash hands before handling food; don gloves
Separate raw foods from cooked foods (prevents cross-contamination) especially those in the
refrigerator
Keep hot foods hot & cold foods cold
Reheat food thoroughly to kill microbes
Wash foods (vegetables etc.) thouroughly before eating. This helps to minimise the bacterial load
Buy frozen foods last. This allows for some "grace" time to rush back home in time to store the
foods


For more info, do visit:
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1442.pdf

My Thoughts on Food Safety

Hi

This is my first post...

When I first heard the word food safety, images of spoiled foods and related foodbrone illness conjured in my mind. I was under the impression that food safety deals primarily with spoiled foods and the consequent results.

However, food safety encompasses more than just spoiled food.

In essence, food safety is the science of ensuring the safe supply of foods from harvest to consumption. In order to achieve that, Food manufacturers must cooperate with food safety organisations or statutory boards.

Many nations come up with strict legislation that seeks to limit the passage of unsafe foods to their people. An example of food safety legislation is the Sales of Food Act (Singapore). These legislations may include the microbiological limit for specified foods; the amount of contaminants (i.e pesticides) permitted in foods; and so on.