========================================================================= Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 10:21:40 -0500 Reply-To: EdNet@FOODSAFETY.GOV Sender: National Food Safety Educator's Network From: National Food Safety Educator's Network Subject: Ednet Update November 2004 * * * * National Food Safety Educator's Network * * * * * * * * EdNet-L@foodsafety.gov * * * * EdNet is an electronic newsletter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), providing updates on food safety activities to educators and others concerned about food safety. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ EdNet November 2004 IN THIS ISSUE CONSUMER ADVISORY * FDA Warns Consumers About Risks Associated With Unpasteurized Juice RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS * USDA to Award an Additional $1.5 Million to States for a National Animal Identification System * Statement by Andrea Morgan, Associate Deputy Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA, Regarding Inconclusive BSE Test Result * 'Qualified' Claim Links Olive Oil to Reduced Heart Disease Risk (FDA) * "How to Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act: A Guide for Restaurants and Other Food Service Employers" (EEOC) * FDA Announces Major Initiatives for Dietary Supplements * USDA Offers Tips on Safe and Easy Thanksgiving Cooking * New Video News Release -- "USDA Hotline Offers Safe Holiday Turkey Basics" * "Protect Your Baby and Yourself from Listeriosis" -- New Fact Sheet from FSIS * USDA Food Safety Mobile Schedule * "Healthy Animals" Newsletter (ARS) * Nominations Sought for Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (USDA) * "The Power of Choice" (FDA, FNS), Updated November 2004 * ARS' "Food and Nutrition Research Briefs" -- October 2004 * How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label, Updated November 2004 (FDA) * "FDA & You" -- Informative, Free Newsletter is for School Health Educators and Students * FDA's Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements * "FDA Consumer" Magazine NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION INFORMATION CENTER * Your Mother Was Right. Wash Your Hands. PEOPLE IN THE NEWS * Statement of Dr. Elsa Murano USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety * Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman Resigns MEETINGS/CONFERENCES/COURSES * Food Handler's Safety Course(C) * Agricultural Outlook Forum 2005 INDUSTRY INFO * FDA's Draft Guidance for Industry: "Substantiation for Dietary Supplement Claims Made Under Section 403(r) (6) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act" * FDA's "Registration of Food Facilities Compliance Policy Guide" Revised November 2004 * FDA's "Compliance Policy Guide" for Prior Notice of Imported Food (Revised) * New Features in the Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI) Version 1.5 (Release Date November 6, 2004) (FDA) CONSUMER ADVISORY * FDA Warns Consumers About Risks Associated With Unpasteurized Juice FDA has issued a reminder to consumers that there are health risks associated with drinking juice or cider that hasn't been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. Such juices may be sold in bottles or by the glass in supermarkets, at farmer's markets, at roadside stands, or in juice bars. FDA advises consumers who don't want to risk illness to avoid them or to boil them to kill any harmful bacteria. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/tpjuice2.html RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS * Statement by Andrea Morgan, Associate Deputy Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA, Regarding an Inconclusive BSE Test Result "Early this morning, (November 18, 2004) we were notified that an inconclusive BSE test result was received on a rapid screening test used as part of our enhanced BSE surveillance program. "The inconclusive result does not mean we have found another case of BSE in this country. Inconclusive results are a normal component of screening tests, which are designed to be extremely sensitive so they will detect any sample that could possibly be positive. To view the press release, go to: http://www.aphis.usda.gov Click on News and then November 2004 Press Releases. * USDA to Award an Additional $1.5 Million to States for a National Animal Identification System On October 28, 2004, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that an additional $1.5 million is available for national animal identification system (NAIS) cooperative agreements with states. To view the press release, go to: http://www.aphis.usda.gov Click on News and then go to October 2004 Press Releases. * 'Qualified' Claim Links Olive Oil to Reduced Heart Disease Risk On November 1, 2004, FDA announced the availability of a "qualified health claim" for monounsaturated fat from olive oil and reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). There is limited but not conclusive evidence that suggests that consumers may reduce their risk of CHD if they consume monounsaturated fat from olive oil and olive oil-containing foods in place of foods high in saturated fat, while at the same time not increasing the total number of calories consumed daily. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fpolive.html * "How to Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act: A Guide for Restaurants and Other Food Service Employers" The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is frequently asked questions about whether restaurants and other food service employers risk violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) if they base employment decisions, such as whether to exclude an employee from the workplace, on local public health rules modeled on the Food and Drug Administration's "Food Code." The EEOC issued a "Guide" titled "How to Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act: A Guide for Restaurants and Other Food Service Employers" ("Guide"), to assure employers that they can follow rules based on the "Food Code" and also comply with the ADA. The "Guide" also explains how the ADA applies to food service employers and people with disabilities who work in restaurants. A summary is available at: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/restaurant_guide_summary.html The complete "Guide" is available at: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/restaurant_guide.html * FDA Announces Major Initiatives for Dietary Supplements On November 4, 2004, FDA announced three major regulatory initiatives designed to further implement the "Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994" (DSHEA). These initiatives -- a regulatory strategy, an open public meeting, and a draft guidance document for industry -- are significant steps FDA has taken in the implementation of DSHEA. To view the FDA press release and related information, go to: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fpsupp.html * USDA Offers Tips on Safe and Easy Thanksgiving Cooking On November 8, 2004, FSIS announced an array of information available to help consumers prepare a safe, easy, and delicious Thanksgiving Day meal. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_110804_01/index.asp * New Video News Release -- "USDA Hotline Offers Safe Holiday Turkey Basics" USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline has answers to common questions about how to safely prepare a holiday turkey. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/video_releases/index.asp * "Protect Your Baby and Yourself from Listeriosis" -- New Fact Sheet from FSIS Pregnant women are at high risk for getting sick from "Listeria," harmful bacteria found in many foods. "Listeria" can lead to a disease called listeriosis. Listeriosis can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, serious sickness, or death of a newborn baby. Pregnant women need to know what foods are safe to eat. Available online in English and in Spanish on the FSIS Web site: English version: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Protect_Your_Baby/index.asp Spanish version (PDF): http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Protect_Your_Baby_Spanish.pdf To order hard copies in English or Spanish, e-mail your request to: Fsis.outreach@fsis.usda.gov * USDA Food Safety Mobile Schedule The USDA Food Safety Mobile continues to travel throughout the continental United States, appearing at State and county fairs, food events, media events, schools, libraries, grocery stores, community events, parades, festivals, health and safety expos, conventions, trade shows, FSIS District Offices, and at FSIS events in conjunction with visits and presentations by USDA officials. FSIS is no longer taking Mobile visit requests for 2004 but you are encouraged to make your requests as early as possible for 2005. The Mobile will be taking a holiday maintenance break in December but will be ready to travel in January 2005. November 2004 4 Metropolitan Inner-Faith Association, Memphis, TN 9 Defense Commissary Agency, Fort Gordon, GA 13 Females in Science and Technology Conference, High School, Silver Spring, MD 15 Elementary School, Roanoke, VA 18 Elementary School, Beltsville, MD 20 Baltimore's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Baltimore, MD Look for updates to the Mobile schedule on the FSIS Web site: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/foodsafetymobile New requests may be sent to FSIS at foodsafetymobile@fsis.usda.gov, or by calling (301) 504-9605. We look forward to partnering with you as we work together to promote public health through food safety education! http://www.fsis.usda.gov/foodsafetymobile * "Healthy Animals" Newsletter This quarterly online newsletter compiles USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) news and expert resources on the health and well-being of agricultural animals and fish. Each quarter, one article in "Healthy Animals" focuses on a particular element of ARS animal research. The current issue looks at avian and swine influenza viruses. Scientists are now learning more about the behavior of flu viruses in poultry and pigs, and how animals can be hosts for the viruses that affect humans. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2004/041025.2.htm * Nominations Sought for Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods On November 4, 2004, the USDA announced that it is seeking nominations for membership on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. Nominations are being sought for scientists with expertise in epidemiology, food technology, microbiology, risk assessment, infectious diseases and biostatistics and other related sciences. Nominees may be currently employed by State and Federal governments, industry, academia or other scientific pursuits. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_110404_02/index.asp * "The Power of Choice" -- An Educational Program Designed to Guide Young Adolescents Toward a Healthier Lifestyle (FDA, FNS), Updated November 2004 "The Power of Choice" is a healthy lifestyle, after-school program targeted towards adolescents (ages 11-13). It is designed to help build decision-making skills that promote healthier eating and activity choices in real-life settings. This program motivates both the preteen and the leader by focusing on positive behavioral changes that promote their personal development and improved lifestyles related to food and activity choices. The HHS, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) collaborated to produce and distribute this publication. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/lab-poc.html * ARS' "Food and Nutrition Research Briefs" October 2004 The October issue of USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) "Food and Nutrition Research Briefs" has been posted. Read about new findings about nutrition and important discoveries in food safety and quality. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/fnrb/fnrb1004.htm * "How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label," Updated November 2004 The FDA's consumer publication, "How to Understand and Use Nutrition Facts Label," has been updated. The intent is to help consumers use information on food labels more effectively and easily. View the publication at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html * "FDA & You" -- Informative, Free Newsletter is for School Health Educators and Students The FDA Center for Devices & Radiological Health publishes "FDA & You," a free, informative, quarterly electronic newsletter that school health educators will find is a great resource for a variety of health topics, from antibiotics to weighing in on obesity. The articles in "FDA & You" are written in clear, non-technical language and cover a variety of current topics that are sure to interest today's middle-school and high-school level readers, such as the safety of decorative contact lenses, hair dyes, reptilian pets, and digital wireless phones. In addition, there are fun quizzes, links to additional resources, searchable indexes, past issues, and an events calendar. Go to the "FDA & You" home page at: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/fdaandyou/index.html To view the table of contents for the most recent issue (Fall 2004), go to: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/fdaandyou/articles.html Free subscriptions are available at: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/fdaandyou/issues.html * "FDA Consumer" Magazine The November-December 2004 issue of "FDA Consumer" magazine is available online at: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/604_toc.html Subscribe to the "FDA Consumer:" http://www.fda.gov/fdac/orderform/fdap.html * FDA's Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements (Newly Realigned) The Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements (ONPLDS) is currently headed by Dr. Barbara Schneeman, Director, with Ms. Camille Brewer as Associate Director. Housed within the Office of the Director are the Education and Outreach Team and several Special Assistants. ONPLDS is responsible for developing policy and regulations for dietary supplements, nutrition labeling, and food standards, infant formula and medical foods, as well as for scientific evaluation to support such regulations and related policy development. Read more about the ONPLDS realignments, responsibilities and advisory committee meetings at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/onplds.html NEWS FROM THE USDA/FDA FOODBORNE ILLNESS EDUCATION INFORMATION CENTER * Your Mother Was Right. Wash Your Hands. Good hand hygiene can go a long way to avoiding sickness as we head into flu season. Taking care of your hands (and thus your health) is an easy thing to do, but one that many people still ignore. The good news is that plenty of resources exist for you to use in your hand hygiene educational programs -- materials designed for kids, adults, food service workers, schools, everyone. It's A SNAP: It's A SNAP (School Network for Absenteeism Prevention), a grassroots, education--based effort to improve health by making hand cleaning an integral part of the school day, is designed to get the entire school community talking about clean hands by providing tools for incorporating hand hygiene into multiple subject areas and activities. http://www.itsasnap.org NSF Scrub Club(TM): The NSF Scrub Club(TM) from NSF International is an educational Web site that teaches children the proper way to wash their hands. The site consists of a Webisode (Web-based episode), interactive games, educational music, downloadable activities for kids, materials for teachers, and program information for parents. http://www.nsfscrubclub.org Handwashing for Life: The Handwashing for Life Institute provides background and risk information, the language-free video "Handwashing for Life: The Why, the When, the How," and other resources to help change the behavior of food workers. http://peaches.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/fbidb/fbidbsearchdetails.asp?ForFBINo=493 Handwashing for Life Web site: http://www.handwashingforlife.com But wait, there's more, so much more. For more curricula, videos, signs, posters, Web sites, fact sheets, guides, and literature database searches on handwashing and hand hygiene, visit: http://peaches.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/fbindex/Handwashing.asp For more food safety information, visit the USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center's Web site at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/ PEOPLE IN THE NEWS * Statement of Dr. Elsa Murano, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety, Dr. Elsa A. Murano, has accepted the multi--titled position of Vice Chancellor of Agriculture for the Texas A&M University System, Dean of the College of Agriculture at Texas A&M University-College Station and Director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Murano submitted her resignation to President Bush, effective December 3, 2004. * Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman Resigns Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman, the first woman to hold the position, resigned on Monday, November 15. Veneman leaves a legacy of contributions to food safety, including improving safeguards against bioterrorism. Secretary Veneman, originally from California, served in other posts at the Department of Agriculture from 1986 to 1993 in the Reagan and first Bush Administrations. She has not publicly stated her future plans. MEETINGS/CONFERENCES/COURSES * Food Handler's Safety Course(C) Created and developed by Health Media Lab, the Food Handlers' Safety Course(C), is the first Web-based program designed to teach the basics of food safety sanitation. Created with National Institutes of Health research and development grants, Food Handler's Safety Course(C) offers complete entry level training, as well as booster training for all food service workers. Evaluation has shown this course to be effective in improving food handlers' knowledge, skills, and practices in safe food handling. The course covers basic HACCP topics in ten modules. http://www.healthmedialab.com * Agricultural Outlook Forum 2005 Sharpen your strategy for 2005 by attending the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Outlook Forum 2005. Count on the Forum for the latest farm and commodity prospects and insight into to top-burner issues affecting U.S. agriculture. The meeting will take place February 24-25, 2005, in Arlington, Virginia, convenient to Washington, D.C. Leading commodity analysts will be on hand to debate planting, trade, and price prospects for farm commodities in the year ahead. The program will feature the impact of science on farming, farm policy and agricultural markets. Speakers also will discuss issues such as BSE and beef trade, prospects for energy prices and ethanol, international trade talks, market integration in North America, early debate on the next Farm Bill, and new dietary guidelines. There will be ample time for networking at this popular event, which attracted 1,400 people last February. Attendees will receive a set of new USDA long--term commodity projections to 2014. The Forum is sponsored by the Office of the Chief Economist and other USDA agencies. Program details will be posted shortly at: http://www.usda.gov/oce/forum INDUSTRY INFO * FDA's Draft Guidance for Industry: "Substantiation for Dietary Supplement Claims Made Under Section 403(r) (6) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act" This draft guidance document is intended to describe the amount, type, and quality of evidence FDA recommends a manufacturer have to substantiate a claim under section 403(r) (6) of the Act. It does not extend to substantiation issues that may exist in other sections of the Act. FDA's guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities. Instead, guidances describe the Agency's current thinking on a topic and should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited. View draft guidance for industry, questions and answers, fact sheet, and more at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dsclmgui.html * FDA's "Registration of Food Facilities Compliance Policy Guide" Revised November 2004 This is a revision of the compliance policy guidance document issued in December 2003. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on FDA's strategy for enforcing and otherwise achieving compliance with the requirements of the interim final rule for "Registration of Food Facilities Under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002." This guidance document represents the Agency's current thinking on registration of domestic and foreign facilities manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding food for human or animal consumption in the United States. View updated document at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~furls/cpgreg2.html * FDA's "Compliance Policy Guide" for Prior Notice of Imported Food (Revised) FDA's "Compliance Policy Guide for Prior Notice of Imported Food Under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002" was revised November 2004. This guidance document represents the Agency's and Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) current thinking on this topic. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on FDA's and CBP's strategy for enforcing and otherwise achieving compliance with the requirements of the interim final rule for submitting prior notice for food imported or offered for import into the United States. This document also contains Information about importing gift packs and prior notice. (click on URL below and scroll down to #5 under Policy).View revised guidance document at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pn/cpgpn4.html * New Features in the Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI) Version 1.5 (Release Date November 6, 2004) Version 1.5 of the Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI) with new features was released November 26, 2004. View the new version at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pn/pnsirev.html#v1-5 ARCHIVED EDNET NEWSLETTERS Interested readers can access EdNet newsletters archived since October 1997 from the Web site: http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/ednet.html SUBSCRIBE Please forward this issue to colleagues and friends and tell them how to subscribe. Thank you for sharing. 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