Category: Issue 308
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European Regulators Conclude MRSA-Tainted Food Poses Little Risk
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) have published a joint report on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), concluding that “food-producing animals such as pigs, veal calves and broiler chickens often carry without symptoms a specific strain of MRSA called CC398.” The…
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Stakeholders Expand Parameters of American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture
According to a report from the organization that launched the concept of a voluntary consensus standard for sustainable agriculture, nearly 50 committee members met in late May 2009 in Illinois to address issues raised by task forces considering various aspects of the proposed standard. The Leonardo Academy initiated the effort with a draft “trial-use” standard,…
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United States and Canada Reach Agreement on Organic Equivalency
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have agreed to recognize each other’s organic certifications. As of June 30, 2009, Canada will have national organic standards in place that have been determined to be the equivalent of U.S. National Organic Program requirements. Thus, products meeting U.S. standards can be sold…
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FDA Announces Emergency Processing for Draft Guidance of Reportable Food Registry
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that emergency processing is underway for the draft guidance titled “Questions and Answers Regarding the Reportable Food Registry as Established by the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007.” When finalized, the guidance will assist industry in complying with the Reportable Food Registry requirements prescribed by…
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EPA to Move Scientific Peer Review to Independent Panels
An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deputy administrator reportedly told a House science oversight subcommittee that the agency plans to rely more often on independent peer review panels when seeking scientific advice or conflict resolution. According to a news source, this could potentially speed external review of EPA studies and cut agency costs. Such review would…
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CSPI Calls on Congress to Impose Soft Drink Tax as Part of Health Care Reform
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has written to Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) requesting that the federal government “levy a tax on non-diet soft drinks to recoup some of the costs incurred by the government from the consumption of these drinks, as well as to reduce consumption.” Others signing…