Food Protection Trends - September 2009 - 587

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN FOOD SAFETY This particular strain of Salmonella, Salmonella Typhimurium DT104, is resistant to many commonly prescribed drugs, which can increase the risk of hospitalization or possible treatment failure in infected individuals. Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within eight to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days. received the Leadership Service Award for outstanding service to 3-A SSI voluntary standards development and significant contributions to the mission of 3-A SSI. Mr. J. Mel Jolly (Consultant) received the Advancement Award for outstanding accomplishments on behalf of 3-A SSI. Mr. Stuart Salvador (Paul Mueller Co.) received the Next Generation Award, made to an individual who has been engaged in 3-A SSI standards development activities for less than five years and has demonstrated leadership, dedication and significant contributions to the development of 3-A Sanitary Standards or 3-A Accepted Practices. suffer mild to severe gastrointestinal illness, short term or chronic arthritis, or even death. Implementing the preventive measures would reduce the number of Salmonella Enteritidis infections from eggs by nearly 60 percent. The rule requires that measures designed to prevent Salmonella Enteritidis be adopted by virtually all egg producers with 3,000 or more laying hens whose shell eggs are not processed with a treatment, such as pasteurization, to ensure their safety. Details about the regulation can be found at www.fda.gov. • • Jim Gorny, Jenny Scott, and Kathy Gombas Join FDA as Senior Advisors 3-A SSI Announces 2009 Volunteer Service Awards and Progress Report -A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3-A SSI) announced the recipients of its 2009 Volunteer Service Awards and the release of a special progress report, The Symbol of Assurance, at the 3-A SSI Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, WI. Introduced in 2008, the new 3-A SSI Volunteer Service Awards recognize the extraordinary dedication and commitment of individuals who contribute to the development of voluntary standards and the mission of 3-A SSI. Nominations for the awards are made by fellow volunteers among the three stakeholder groups in 3-A SSI regulatory sanitarians, fabricators, and processors and others. Winners of the 3-A SSI Volunteer Service Awards for 2009 announced at the meeting included: • Mr. Donald Wilding (Dairy Equipment Specialist, Illinois Dept. of Public Health, Div. of Food, Drugs and Dairies) L 3 Highlights of 3-A SSI progress in the latest year are now available in the 2009 Annual Report, The Symbol of Assurance. The report is available at the 3-A SSI Web site under News & Events at http://www.3-a.org. news/2009annualreport.pdf or upon request from 3-A SSI. FDA Egg Safety Final Rule T he US Food and Drug Administration has announced a regulation expected to prevent each year approximately 79,000 cases of foodborne illness and 30 deaths caused by consumption of eggs contaminated with the bacterium Salmonella Enteritidis. The regulation requires preventive measures during the production of eggs in poultry houses and requires subsequent refrigeration during storage and transportation. Egg-associated illness caused by Salmonella is a serious public health problem. Infected individuals may ongtime produce industry safety expert Jim Gorny recently joined the Food and Drug Administration. Sebastian Cianci, spokesman for the FDA, confirmed that Mr. Gorny started his new position as an advisor in mid-July. Jenny Scott, of the Washington, D.C.-based Grocery Manufacturers Association, also joined FDA in early August. “Jenny has served the members of GMA for nearly 30 years,” Mr. Cianci said. Kathy Gombas has also joined the agency. She worked at Dean Foods and has previously worked for FDA. “All three join the agency as senior advisors in the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition’s Office of Food Safety,” Mr. Cianci said. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Names Jerold R. Mande as Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety A griculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the appointment of Jerold R. 587 SEPTEMBER 2009 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS

http://www.fda.gov http://www.3-a.org.news/2009annualreport.pdf http://www.3-a.org.news/2009annualreport.pdf

Food Protection Trends - September 2009

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