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News Headlines: 27 February - 5 March 2010

Report estimates annual foodborne illness cost at $152 billion; Contaminated HVP prompts recalls; Concern over antimony in juice drinks; Studies highlight confusion between risk and hazard; US Salmonella Montevideo outbreak - latest update; Listeria contamination prompts recall

Report estimates annual foodborne illness cost at $152 billion

A new report published by the Produce Safety Project, a Pew Charitable Trust initiative, has estimated the total economic impact of foodborne illness across the USA to be $152 billion each year, with $39 billion being attributed to produce.

The report, titled Health Related Costs from Foodborne Illness in the United States, was written by Robert L. Scharff, a former FDA economist who is now an Assistant Professor of Consumer Sciences at Ohio State University. Scharff estimated the total cost of foodborne illness by ranking each state according to their total costs per case of illness and cost per case for an individual. This gave an average figure for the whole country of $1,850 per case. By combining this figure with CDC estimate of 76 million new cases of foodborne disease annually, he arrived at an overall economic cost.

Copies of the report can be obtained from the link below.

http://www.producesafetyproject.org/media?id=0009

Contaminated HVP prompts recalls

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a number of product recalls associated with hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP) produced by Basic Food Flavors Inc. of Las Vegas, which is subject to a recall because of possible contamination with Salmonella.

The FDA investigated the Basic Food Flavors facility and found Salmonella Tennessee present in the food manufacturing environment, including on food contact surfaces. HVP is used in a variety of products as a flavouring and the FDA is now working to identify all the potentially contaminated products manufactured by the Company's customers. So far, recalls have affected several manufacturers and a number of different products, including soup bases, snacks and dips.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/WhatsNewinFood/ucm202989.htm

Concern over antimony in juice drinks

A recently published research study carried out by a team from the University of Copenhagen claims to have found elevated levels of the potentially toxic metalloid element antimony in samples of commercial juice drinks and cordials.

The researchers examined ready-to-drink juices and cordials packed in glass or PET bottles and in cartons (42 beverages of 16 different brands) and determined the concentration of antimony present in each. Eight juices were found to contain the element at levels above the legal limit for potable water (5 micrograms/litre) and the highest level found was in a sample of sour cherry juice from Greece (13.6 micrograms/litre). High levels were also found in blackcurrant cordial products packed in PET bottles and in cartons.

Antimony has toxic properties similar to those of arsenic and some antimony compounds are probable carcinogens. One of these, antimony trioxide, is widely used as a catalyst in the manufacture of PET. It has been shown that antimony may leach from PET bottles into mineral water and fruit juices and this is thought to be the source of some of that found in this study. However, the authors are concerned that their findings may also reflect an increase in background levels of antimony in the environment as a result of its industrial use.

The report is published as an advance article online in the Journal of Environmental Monitoring and can be found in full at the link below.

http://www.rsc.org/delivery/_ArticleLinking/DisplayHTMLArticleforfree.cfm?JournalCode=EM&Year=2010&ManuscriptID=b926551a&Iss=Advance_Article

Studies highlight confusion between risk and hazard

Two studies conducted by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Germany have identified different interpretations of the terms 'risk' and 'hazard' by different groups as a possible cause of misunderstandings in the communication of consumer health protection issues.

Risk assessment experts clearly differentiate between risk and hazard, with hazard describing the "harmfulness" of a substance and risk being a "combination of hazard and exposure" from a toxicological viewpoint. However, the studies found that stakeholders from industry and NGOs and lay people do not necessarily make this distinction and may apply very different definitions. It is concluded that this needs to be taken into account when communicating risks, especially to the public and to industry.

More information can be found at the link below.

http://www.bfr.bund.de/cd/48569

US Salmonella Montevideo outbreak - latest update

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an update on the nationwide outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infection linked to peppered salami products.

The outbreak is now known to have affected at least 238 people in 44 states and has sparked a major recall of various salami and other Italian-style sausage products by the manufacturer, Daniele International Inc. The recalled products were linked to the outbreak by epidemiological investigation and the link has been confirmed by microbiological testing. Cases of infection by another serovar, S. Senftenberg, may also be linked to the recalled products.

The FDA has been investigating the supply chains of black and red pepper, used in the manufacture of the recalled salamis, and suspected by Daniele International of being the source of the contamination. So far, 153 composite samples representing over 4,000 individual samples have been collected for analysis. Samples from two lots of crushed red pepper taken from Daniele International have tested positive. On the basis of these results, the supplier of the pepper, Wholesome Spice, is recalling 25-pound boxes of crushed red pepper sold between April 6 2009 and January 20 2010.

A recall of 'coarse ground black pepper' has also been initiated by Heartland Foods Inc of Indianapolis, because of possible Salmonella contamination. But as yet there is no indication of a link to the Salmonella Montevideo outbreak, or the supply chain for Daniele International products.

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm202128.htm

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm202575.htm

Listeria contamination prompts recall

The UK Food Standards Agency has announced that Pro-Pak Foods has recalled some batches of two sliced chicken roll products, because they are contaminated with Listeria.

The two recalled products are Country Store Chicken Roll, sold in 125g packs with various 'use by' dates from 28 February to 14 March 2010 and Netto Chicken Roll, sold in 400g packs and with use by' dates from 27 February to 12 March 2010. Both products have been distributed nationwide, but not in Northern Ireland.

http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2010/feb/listeria

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