Additional regulatory action is needed to control Campylobacter in New Zealand, according to researchers. Scientists proposed a national inquiry to identify an effective response to Campylobacter in chicken meat, which they said was the largest food safety problem in the country. Responsibility for managing food safety also needs to shift to an independent regulator, potentially as part of a revitalized public health agency, according to the accepted manuscript in the journal Epidemiology and Infection.…

A documentary based on Jeff Benedict’s 2013 bestseller “Poisoned” has officially been announced. The 2011 book, Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak that Changed the Way Americans Eat, chronicles a deadly 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak and the rise of Bill Marler as a food safety attorney. The documentary is being executive produced by award-winning author and journalist Jeff Benedict. Benedict is joining forces with Ross Dinerstein’s…

A recall initiated by Pero Family Farms Co. LLC of possible Listeria contamination of certain butternut squash ingredients has resulted in multiple recalls. Publix Super Markets Inc. is recalling select Publix “Steam In Bag” products prepared in-store containing a specific butternut squash ingredient provided by Pero Family Farms Co.. Two Pero products are recalled: Butternut Squash Cubed Tray expiration dates from 01/15/2021 to 01/20/2021; and Butternut Squash Veggie Spirals Tray, expiration dates from 01/15/2021 to 01/20/2021.…

The possible presence of sanitizers in some half-pint containers of Hiland Dairy brand milk spurred the company to recall 240,000 servings from “institutional customers” in Oklahoma and Texas. A company recall notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration does not specify what kind of institutional customers are involved. Generally institutional kitchens are defined as anything from schools and prisons to hotels and nursing homes. The implicated half-pint containers of 1 percent chocolate milk were…

Farmworkers exposed to agricultural pesticides need additional information on how to protect themselves, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Since 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has had a Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for agriculture that permits farmworkers to identify someone who can request a farm’s pesticide information for their benefit.    In a new 34-page report to Congress, GAO addresses how the so-called “designated representative” provision is being used or misused. The  standard covers…

The European Commission is developing steps to be followed in times of a crisis based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. The contingency plan is a set of procedures to be put in place in times of crises to ensure food supply and food security across the EU. It will cover different food system-related sectors that may be affected including food safety. A permanent forum will be created by the Commission including member states and,…