Former Kraft Exec: Government Must Reform Food Industry

In a New York Times (3/16, Mudd, Subscription Publication, 1.68M) op-ed, Michael Mudd, former executive vice president of global corporate affairs for Kraft Foods, wrote that the food industry has “strayed from the honorable business of feeding people appropriately to the deplorable mission of ‘increasing shareholder value’ by enticing people to consume more and more high-margin, low-nutrition branded products.” 

Mudd believes that “food companies must be made to change their worst practices” as “it’s obvious the industry won’t change on its own. Quite simply, change will have to be forced — by public pressure, media attention, regulation and litigation.” 

Mudd proposed levying “federal and state excise taxes on sugared beverages and a few categories — snack foods, candy, sweet baked goods — that most undermine health mandatory” and making mandatory “federal guidelines for marketing food to children that were proposed in 2011” and “written jointly by the Federal Trade Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Agriculture.”

Bumble Bee Expands Recall Of 5-Ounce Tuna Products

In continuing coverage, ABC World News (3/8, story 5, 0:35, Sawyer, 7.43M) reported, “An iconic American brand in millions of kitchens, Bumble Bee Tuna: Tonight, the recall of their tuna” has expanded to “2.4 million cans.”

Reuters (3/8, Sutton) reported Bumble Bee Foods LLC issued the recall for some of its Chunk White Albacore and Chunk Light Tuna products in 5-ounce cans, because the cans did not meet seal-tightness standards, according to a notice that the Food and Drug Administration posted on its website.

The San Diego, California-based company said the cans with loose seams could result in product contamination and spoilage, although so far, no reports of illness have been received.

The products under the recall were shipped to retailers across the nation, between Jan. 17 and March 6, and they are stamped with “best-by” dates from Jan. 14, 2016 to Jan. 18, 2018. USA Today (3/8, Painter, 1.71M) also covered the Bumble Bee recall as was well as the similar recall for Chicken of the Sea brand tuna products.

Study: Salsa, Guacamole Pose Safety Risks

The Packer (3/12, Nelson) reports that a new study shows, "Fresh salsa and guacamole can pose significant food safety risks," because they "often contain diced raw produce, are often made in large batches and are often poorly refrigerated, fresh salsa and guacamole can be prone to contamination that can cause food-borne illness."

The study, published in the journal Food-borne Pathogens and Disease, found "136 outbreaks in which salsa or guacamole was reported as a possible vehicle. Those outbreaks resulted in 5,658 illnesses," 24% of which were norovirus, and 19% of which were salmonella.

Many restaurants use Cambro's fractional food pans for condiments and salsas and the best way to prevent cross-contamination is to use Cambro's GripLids that have a molded-in polyurethane gasket on the lid that grips the side of the food pan also reducing spills. Another economical option for light storage are the seal covers.

Monster Beverage Refutes Lawsuit Alleging Energy Drink Is Responsible For Death

The AP (3/5) reports Monster Beverage responded to a lawsuit “alleging its energy drinks were responsible for the death of a 14-year-old Maryland girl” by arguing that the girl never received a blood test to confirm she died of caffeine toxicity.

The family of Anais Fournier filed a lawsuit last year against the energy beverage maker, claiming she went into “cardiac arrest after drinking two, 24-ounce cans of Monster drinks in a 24-hour period.”

The FDA is currently “investigating reports of deaths linked to energy drinks, including five that cite Monster beverages,” but noted there is no proof that the drinks are responsible for the deaths. An attorney for Monster told the AP that physicians hired by the company to review medical records in the case concluded that the girl’s death was likely due to natural causes related to pre-existing cardiac conditions.

FDA: Benefits Of Salmon Hormone May Not Outweigh Cancer Risks

Bloomberg News (3/1, Edney) reported that according to a Food and Drug Administration report, a “salmon hormone used to treat post-menopausal osteoporosis may not reduce bone fractures enough to outweigh the drug’s cancer risks.”

The agency said “three studies on oral, injectable and nasal calcitonin-salmon formulations sold by Novartis AG (NOVN), Upsher-Smith Laboratories Inc. and other companies showed unreliable or disappointing results.” FDA staff said, “This lack of effectiveness when combined with the potential for a cancer risk associated with calcitonin salmon therapy raises concerns about the overall risk and benefit assessment.”

Reuters (3/1, Clarke) reported that an advisory panel to the FDA will meet on March 5 and make a recommendation to the agency on the continued marketing of products containing calcitonin salmon to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. European regulators recommended last July that the extended use of calcitonin be reduced after evidence revealed a link between the hormone and an small, elevated risk in cancer.

Study: Certain Foods May Contain High Levels Of Phthalates

HealthDay (2/28, Storrs) reports, “Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, two types of chemicals in plastics that have been linked to a number of health effects, could still find their way into your body even if you avoid foods that are shipped, stored or cooked using plastic materials.”

In a study published Feb. 27 in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, the researchers “detected high levels in milk, butter and cream, and also in some of the spices, such as cinnamon and ground coriander.” The Food and Drug Administration “approved phthalates for use in food packaging back in the 1960s, and has not reevaluated their safety since then, said Dr. Sarah Janssen, a senior scientist in the Health and Environment program of the Natural Resources Defense Council.” The FDA “has been reviewing the safety” of BPA, but “its evaluation has depended heavily on studies funded by the chemical industry, Janssen said.”

Cambro, a manufacturer of Food Pans and Food Storage Containers for the restaurant and catering industry provided the following information in regards to BPA in their polycarbonate products:

Recent news coverage regarding baby bottles, has suggested that all plastic containers and bottles labeled with the number "7" contain BPA. While all polycarbonate plastics containing BPA are labeled with the number "7" recycling category, not all number "7" contain BPA.

Based on the combination of materials used, some of Cambro products that do not contain BPA fall into category "7" for recycling. Cambro certifies that the food contact products made from the polycarbonate resins meet all applicable requests and regulations in the U. S. regarding food and safety. Bisphenol-A is key building block used to make the polycarbonate resin. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation prescribing safe conditions of use can be found at 21 CFR 177.1580.

Products produced with the polycarbonate plastic based resin are meant for its intended use as specified in Cambro’s written materials (e.g. instructions and product labels). The resin meets the FDA regulations to be used safely with food. The Polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins made with bisphenol-a (BPA) have been rigorously tested and safely used for more than 40 years. They have been repeatedly found to be safe for consumer use by governments around the world.

Further information can be found at www.bisphenol-a.org.