Full traceback coming because of too many Recalls

[PORKER]

Lawmaker Pushes System to Trace Food to Source
Posted on: Tuesday, 26 August 2008, 03:00 CDT

WASHINGTON - The food industry must drop any remaining opposition to electronic record-keeping and back an effective system for tracing contaminated food to its source, a lawmaker investigating food safety said Friday.

"It is my hope that the food industry will drop its opposition to these commonsense safeguards and move forward with implementation," said Rep. Bart Stupak, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's investigative subcommittee.

Mr. Stupak, D-Mich., has been conducting an investigation since January 2007 into the Food and Drug Administration's ability to protect the nation's food and drug supply. He will lead a hearing next week on the current outbreak of salmonella.

"This latest salmonella outbreak has shown us that it is necessary to have electronic record-keeping and trace-back systems in order to quickly detect the source of food-borne illnesses," Mr. Stupak said.

The food industry is seeing the truth of the adage, "Be careful what you wish for because you might get it."

The industry pressured the Bush administration years ago to limit the paperwork companies would have to keep to help U.S. health investigators quickly trace produce that sicken consumers, according to interviews and government reports reviewed by The Associated Press.

The White House also killed a plan to require the industry to maintain electronic tracking records. Companies complained the proposals were too burdensome and costly, and warned they could disrupt the availability of consumers' favorite foods - especially fresh produce.

More recently, parts of the industry said they would support a more effecting tracing system, but insisted that businesses in the food chain - not the government - should devise the method that works.

The chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., said the industry has brought on its own troubles.

"The food industry is learning the hard way that having a strong FDA and common-sense regulation makes good financial sense," he said.

"FDA's inability to pinpoint the source of the recent salmonella outbreak has resulted in devastating illnesses across the country, caused a financial blow to American growers and producers, and highlighted the need for strong food safety legislation."

The apparent but unintended consequences of the lobbying success: a paper record-keeping system that has slowed investigators, with estimated business losses of $250 million. So far, nearly 1,300 people in 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada have been sickened by salmonella since April.

Originally published by Associated Press.

(c) 2008 Augusta Chronicle, The. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

[nenmrancher]

Can you say HELLO Manditory ID and premise ID and more than likely a law that will end up putting the burden on the producer instead of the processor. Everyone that has been doing their best to kill it had better watch out, this thing is about to get a bunch of lawmakers, with good intentions, to fix everything.

[PORKER]

The COOL law is a Traceback Law . On page 45108 of the Federal Register vol 73 No.149 it states that products must contain sufficient supplier information to allow USDA to traceback the product to the supplier initiating the claim. Its Food Safety and Country of Origin together.

nenmrancher, you are right but without NAIS regs as COOL can't use a mandatory government tracking system.

[PORKER]

Lettuce Leads to E. Coli Outbreak

Last Update: 11:10 am

(WXYZ) Michigan health officials might be closing in on the source of an E. coli outbreak that sicked 26 people.

The Department of Community Health issued a public health alert yesterday as a precaution. It says the recent E. coli illnesses are thought to be associated with bagged, industrial-sized packages of iceberg lettuce sold to restaurants and institutions.
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Some of the people who got sick ate lettuce supplied by Detroit-based Aunt Mid's Produce Company. There is no evidence that bagged lettuce sold at grocery stores is affected.
Some of the E. coli cases occurring this month are at Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and the Lenawee County Jail.

Lansing – As a precautionary measure, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is issuing a public health alert due to illnesses from the 26 cases of E. coli strain O157:H7 that are thought to be associated with bagged, industrial-sized packages of iceberg lettuce sold through wholesale venues to restaurants and institutions.

There is no evidence that the bagged lettuce at grocery stores is affected.

Some of the 26 Michigan cases consumed shredded or chopped iceberg lettuce in restaurants or institutions purchased from Aunt Mid’s Produce Company, a Detroit-based wholesale distributor; and other distributing outlets could be identified. Product trace back and additional tests results are still in progress.

“Our top priority at the Michigan Department of Community Health is to protect the public,” said Dr. Gregory Holzman, chief medical executive for MDCH. “We appreciate all of the assistance from Aunt Mid’s. They have been very helpful in this investigation. We want to ensure that the public’s health and well-being is protected. Even though the investigation is ongoing, available evidence is strongly pointing to iceberg lettuce.”

The 26 genetically linked cases are present in eight Michigan counties including seven at Michigan State University (Ingham County), five inmates at the Lenawee County Jail, three students at the University of Michigan (Washtenaw County), four in Macomb County, three each in Wayne, two in Kent counties, and one each in St. Clair and Oakland counties. Of the E. coli O157:H7 cases that are genetically linked, 10 have been hospitalized. These linked cases range in age from
11 to 81 years old. Symptoms of these confirmed genetically linked E. coli patients began on Sept. 8. More confirmed cases could surface as the investigation continues.

The symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 may include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is not very high (less than 101˚F/less than 38.5˚C). Most people get better within 5–7 days. Some infections are very mild, but others are severe or even life-threatening.

In connection with the E. coli outbreak, Detroit based produce company Aunt Mid's released this statement:


Friday, September 26, 2008

The Michigan Department of Community Health has recently issued a public health alert in connection with 26 cases in Michigan of e coli contamination related to iceberg lettuce. The health alert has identified Aunt Mid's as one of the wholesale processors who sold institutional-sized iceberg lettuce product to the establishments which served the affected persons. It is expected that other wholesale suppliers will also be identified as and when product traceback measures are finalized.

Aunt Mid's is cooperating fully with the State's efforts to actually identify the source of contamination and has already voluntarily initiated testing procedures by an independent laboratory of its processing facility and processing methods. The initial test results have indicated no contamination and Aunt Mid's is conducting ongoing testing to confirm those initial results.

Once those testing procedures are completed, Aunt Mid's will provide an update of the results. In the meantime, Aunt Mid's is voluntarily suspending any processing and sale of its iceberg lettuce product line.