Food Safety
FDA Issues Voluntary Plan to Limit Antibiotics in Agriculture
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking its biggest step yet to rein in the indiscriminate use of antibiotics that help food animals grow bigger, faster. The agency said Wednesday it is asking veterinary drug makers to voluntarily phase out medically important drugs from being available over the counter in the hope that the shift will help combat growing antimicrobial resistance.
Under FDA’s proposal, these antimicrobials will still be allowed in animal agriculture but, if veterinary drug companies agree to change the labels, farmers will be allowed to use the drugs only to prevent, control, or treat diseases and under the supervision of a veterinarian and not for promoting growth or improving feed efficiency.
The agency said it was taking the voluntary action to “preserve the effectiveness of medically important antimicrobials for treating disease in humans.”
According to the most recent estimates, around 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in the United States are given to animals. FDA said it doesn’t know what percentage is used for growth promotion or so-called production uses, which the agency is trying to limit.
The reaction in the public health, veterinary pharmaceutical and animal agriculture community was mixed, but mostly negative.
The Pew Charitable Trusts, which has been lobbying for limiting antibiotic usage in food animal production for years, gave the move a tepid thumbs up.
“This is the most sweeping action the agency has undertaken in this area, as this covers all antibiotics used in meat and poultry production that are important to human health,” said Laura Rogers, director of the Pew’s Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming. “There are some gaps in these measures that we will urge FDA to address and, because this is voluntary, we will have to monitor antibiotic usage and resistance rates carefully. If these measures do not bring down antibiotic use and drug-resistant bacteria, then FDA will have to take additional steps.”
The Animal Health Institute, which represents veterinary pharmaceutical companies, also said it supports the FDA’s voluntary stakeholder approach, but has reservations.
“We strongly support responsible use of antibiotic medicines and the involvement of a veterinarian whenever antibiotics are administered to food producing animals,” said AHI. “While we agree with this direction and the collaborative, stakeholder process, there are details that must be addressed to make this approach practical and workable. We will continue to work with FDA through the comment process to address these details.”
Most consumer and pubic health groups expressed disappointment that the proposal is voluntary and seems toothless. ….
Two More Illnesses Confirmed in Missouri E. Coli Outbreak
Outbreak Potentially Linked to Sushi Expands to 116 Cases
A multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly that had previously sickened 100 has expanded to include at least 116 victims across 20 states, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
California Company Will Keep Seafood Off Market
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Recalls
Imported Fish Recalled
E. Coli Tests Spur Recall of Tenderized Beef in Maine
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Articles of Interest
Beijing Looks to Stiffen Food Safety Penalties
Those convicted of a food safety-related crime in Beijing will soon be barred from investing in or running a food business, according to new proposal.
Bloomberg News reported that the draft rules would “regulate the use of edible additives in the catering industry, and crack down on the illegal use of inedible substances and mislabeling of production and sell-by dates.”
Under China’s new food safety regulations, which took effect in 2007, businesses that violate food safety laws have their licenses revoked for three years; the Beijing rule would extend that ban to five years. Individuals convicted of crimes would be banned from the food industry for life…..
Consumer Advocate Seeks Poultry Inspection Gig
After sharply criticizing a proposal to expand the HACCP Based Inspection Models Project (HIMP) pilot to more poultry plants, Food & Water Watch is asking for unfettered access to a HIMP plant to better evaluate the idea.
In a letter to the National Chicken Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, Tony Corbo, a lobbyist for Food & Water Watch, asked that he be permitted to work as a company sorter on a slaughter line in the HIMP program.
“I would like for you to start making arrangements so that I may work in a HIMP plant for at least one week,” wrote Corbo. “As you know, Food & Water Watch has been especially critical of HIMP and the proposed rule to expand this inspection model to all poultry plants…We do not support the privatization of inspection. However, both FSIS and the poultry industry claim that the HIMP inspection model is superior to the one that is used in the non-HIMP plants.”….
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