Safety & Quality: Page 146

AFIA commends Congress on enacting landmark food safety legislation

The American Feed Industry Association is commending Congress for its diligence in enacting the sweeping changes in FDA oversight of American food safety in more than 70 years. The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010 carries several firewalls to ensure human food regulations are not inappropriately applied to animal feed and petfoods and gives FDA first-time mandatory recall authority, but with administrative protections for regulated industry.

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Appeals court rules in class-action petfood lawsuit

A 3rd District US Court of Appeals ruled that a US$24 million class-action lawsuit settlement over melamine-contaminated petfood was a "fair, reasonable and adequate" deal, but sent the case back to a New Jersey district court judge for more information. The appeals court sent the case back to New Jersey US District Court Judge Noel Hillman, who originally approved the deal in November 2008, for more information supporting the purchase-claim limit of US$250,000.

Senate unanimously approves food-safety overhaul legislation

The Senate unanimously approved a food-safety overhaul bill that would give the US government greater authority to set and enforce safety standards for farmers and food processors. The legislation would affect nearly all whole and processed foods, including petfood, with the exceptions of meat, poultry and some egg products that are regulated by the US Department of Agriculture.

Kroger recalls select petfoods in 19 states

The Kroger Co. recalled select petfood packages in 19 states due to concerns that the products may be contaminated with aflatoxin, a chemical by-product from fungus that could be harmful to animals. The recall involves select bags of Pet Pride Cat Food, Pet Pride Kitten Food, Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food, Kroger Value Cat Food and Kroger Value Chunk Food.

Food safety legislation rides on US government funding bill

The US House of Representatives has tied major food safety legislation to a government funding bill for the Senate's consideration before Congress concludes its final session of 2010. The legislation would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to order a food recall and increase the frequency of its inspections.

Lobbyists influence FDA's food safety overhaul

More than 221 organizations hired 77 lobbying firms to fight over details in the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act recently passed by the US Senate, according to The Washington Post. Nearly all of Washington, DC,USA's largest lobbying firms registered to lobby on the overhaul, but it was smaller firms that represented clients' interests most often, The Post reported.

Market Trends and Reports

Why you should read 'Feed Your Pet Right'

I met Drs. Marion Nestle and Malden C. Nesheim, the authors of Feed Your Pet Right (Free Press, 2010), at Petfood Forum 2010. Admittedly, prior to their presentation, I was quite skeptical about what I was going to hear, as both authors were self-proclaimed outsiders to the petfood arena.

Compared to other consumer-directed books on the topic, 'Feed Your Pet Right' is refreshingly candid but strives to be balanced and fair.

Pet Food Recalls

Killing Salmonella in petfood

Petfood processors have become increasingly aware of the need to control Salmonella during production due to the risk of associated pet and human illness. Processors know how problematic this pathogen can be but may not fully understand the scientific dynamics surrounding effective elimination and potential for recontamination during processing based on heat resistance and persistence in low-moisture products such as petfood.

Ideally, validation of targeted process control points can be simulated in a laboratory setting so appropriate Salmonella strains could be used for the evaluation.

Pet Food Market

Something to Chew On: Petfood safety: what’s next

Food safety in the US seems to have taken a big step last month with passage of S. 510, also called the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010, which will also affect regulation of petfood. (Whether the step taken is forward or backward depends on your point of view regarding the bill and, possibly, legislation in general.)

Pet Food Ingredients

The GRAS process for petfood ingredients

The implementation of a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) notification process for animal feed ingredients has been eagerly awaited for years. It is not surprising, then, that the announcement by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) of its intent to start accepting notifications this past summer was met with great enthusiasm by the petfood industry.

Pet Food Safety

Testing for toxins

Petfood manufacturers and the testing labs hired by them are under increasing pressure to take petfood testing to a new level. How should expectations for petfood testing be raised and enforced in the global ingredients supply chain?

Technology for petfood contaminant testing is changing for the better. Technical advancements are unfolding as government policy-makers devise new frameworks for ensuring petfood safety.

Pet Food Regulations

What the future holds for petfood and supplements

The pet market continues to grow as a result of a constant stream of new and innovative products, a steadily growing aging animal population and the expanding role that pets play as family members. Further, the "humanization" of pets is exaggerating consumer demand for products and services that are as good (and sometimes better) as those available for people themselves.

Organic Pet Superfood is a line of whole-food pet supplements specifically formulated to help stimulate pets' immune systems, using natural and organic therapies, according to the company.

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