Help Wanted - FDA CFSAN Advisory Committee

A Fresh Produce Discussion Group reader noted this in the Federal Register today.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting that any industry organizations interested in participating in the selection of nonvoting industry representatives to serve on its Food Advisory Committee for the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) notify FDA in writing. A nominee may either be self-nominated or nominated by an organization to serve as a nonvoting industry representative. Nominations will be accepted for current vacancies effective with this notice.

Any industry organization interested in participating in the selection of an appropriate nonvoting member to represent industry interests must send a letter stating that interest to the FDA by July 11, 2007, for vacancies listed in this notice. Concurrently, nomination materials for prospective candidates should be sent to FDA by July 11, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Jeletic, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition; Office of Regulations, Policy, and Social Sciences (HFS-24); Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740; 301-436-1719; carolyn.jeletic@fda.hhs.gov


TK: It doesn't sound like a new advisory committee, but certainly the need for produce interests to be heard at FDA is greater than ever before.

Coming up

While some skeptics might think we will be lucky to have a farm bill by Thanksgiving, the House Agriculture Committee is certainly doing their part to keep things moving along.

On Thursday this week, the House Agriculture subcommittee on nutrition and forestry will consider food stamps, the f/v program for schools and other nutrition programs.

On June 19, Tuesday, the House Ag subcommittee on general farm commodities and risk management will consider the heavyweight topics of farm programs and crop insurance.

The pivotal dates for the entire committee will be June 26-28, when the full committee will consider the entire farm bill package. It is there that hort subcommittee chair Rep. Dennis Cardoza will have to make the case for expanding funding for f/v priorities.

FVIAC - food safety discussion

Here is the audio link of the committee's food safety discussion on the morning of June 5. Admittedly, you may have to be a produce junkie to listen to the rough audio of the committee's deliberations, but I think you will find thoughtful discussion here about regional vs. national food safety standards, the role of USDA in providing food safety services, the industry's current fragmented approach to produce safety and a discussion of unavoidable if unwanted food safety audits.

The China card

While fresh exports to the U.S. are limited, China is the number one fruit and vegetable exporter in the world. China has not had an unblemished record for food safety. Ergo, any industry attempts to derail country of origin labeling must answer the China question. Exactly why don't you want consumers to know where their fresh fruits and vegetables come from? While we would like to believe COOL is not about food safety, the argument has been reduced to that level because of FDA's credibility gap and China's well publicized problems.

Here is another piece from Canada's CBC detailing some of China's food safety challenges.

From the story:

But it's not just gluten people are worried about - China is now the world's No. 1 exporter of fruits and vegetables. If you're eating frozen peas, fresh garlic, or drinking apple juice, there's a good chance that food was grown in China. Then there's the additives. If you're chewing gum sweetened with Xylitol, for example, chances are the sweetener comes from China. If your food has been fortified with Folic Acid ... chances are that Vitamin B comes from China. And of course, you'll never know it from reading the label.
China has defended the integrity of its food supply, of course. But there are signs it is responding to international pressure - everything from the dramatic death sentence imposed on the head of its food and drug agency, to this week's announcements about new food recall programs. At stake economically? A 30 billion dollar a year export trade in food and drugs. The questions remain however. With China the world's new bread basket, just how safe is our food?


TK; With elections coming up in 2008, I can't believe members of Congress want to touch the mandatory COOL law with a 10-foot pole. It may be a longshot to think the industry can get a voluntary replacement law, even with mandatory triggers.

Total recall

Here is a story forwarded by the Food Safety Network at K-State about product recalls, and it highlights the fact that a recall is bad business. Brand Week says:

According to the survey, while 55% of people said they would switch brands temporarily in the case of a safety and health recall on a product they usually purchase, a full 15% said they never again purchase the recalled brand. Additionally, 21% of those polled said that they would avoid using any brand made by the manufacturer of the recalled product.

Later...

Peter Pan wasn't so fortunate. Of those polled, 42% correctly identified Peter Pan as the recalled brand, and 4% singled out Great Value (which was also a subject of the recall). But that didn't mean others didn't get dragged into the fire: 8% of respondents thought Jif brand peanut butter was the offender and 4% pointed their fingers at Skippy.

TK: No fresh produce examples in the story, and the proliferation of private labels for packaged produce also muddies the waters in terms of consumer impact. A general recall of a fresh produce commodity - as the spinach scenario demonstrated - is a catastrophe for all brands and growers.