This information is included here with permission of Food Standards Australia New Zealand

1. Quorn Classic Burger
Simplot Australia Pty Ltd has recalled Quorn 4 Classic Burgers from Woolworths, Coles and Bi-Lo Supermarkets nationally, due to the presence of foreign matter (hard blue plastic pieces). Food products containing hard plastic may cause injury if consumed. Consumers should not eat this product and it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Date notified to FSANZ – 26/09/2014

Product name – Quorn 4 Classic Burgers

Food type – Vegetarian patties (frozen product)

Package description and size – Cardboard box, 240g

Date marking – Best Before 31 DEC 2014

Country of origin – United Kingdom

Reason for recall – The presence of foreign matter (hard, blue, plastic pieces)

Distribution – Woolworths, Coles and Bi-Lo Supermarkets nationally

Consumer advice
Food products containing hard plastic may cause injury if consumed. Consumers should not eat this product and it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Contact – Simplot Australia Pty Ltd 1800 061 27 www.simplot.com.au

2. Homebrand Regular Beef Mince

Woolworths Ltd has recalled Homebrand Beef Mince Regular from Woolworths supermarkets in WA due to the presence of foreign matter (soft blue plastic). Food products containing plastic may pose a choking hazard if consumed. Consumers should not eat this product and should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Date notified to FSANZ – 25/09/2014

Food type – Fresh minced beef meat

Product name – Homebrand Beef Mince Regular

Package description and size – Plastic tray with clear plastic film, 500g

Date marking – Best Before 29.09.14

Country of origin – Australia

Reason for recall – The presence of foreign matter (soft blue plastic)

Distribution – Woolworths supermarkets in WA

Consumer advice
Food products containing plastic may pose a choking hazard if consumed. Consumers should not eat this product and should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Contact – Woolworths Ltd 1800 103 515 www.woolworths.com.au

3. Woolworths Macro Nut Spreads

Woolworths Ltd has recalled a variety of Macro Natural and Macro Organic nut spreads (Almond Spread, Cashew Spread and Peanut Butter) from Woolworths and Thomas Dux stores nationally due to the presence of undeclared allergens. Peanut allergens are present in the Almond Spread and Cashew Spread; tree nut allergens are present in the Peanut Butter products. Consumers who have a peanut or tree nut allergy or intolerance should not consume these products and may have a reaction if these products are consumed. The products can be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Date notified to FSANZ – 30/09/2014

Food type – Nut spreads

Product name
• Macro Natural Almond Spread 250g
• Macro Natural Cashew Spread 250g
• Macro Organic Peanut Butter Crunchy 375g
• Macro Organic Peanut Butter Smooth 375g
• Macro Organic Peanut Butter Crunchy 800g
• Macro Organic Peanut Butter Smooth 800g

Package description and size

• A clear glass jar with a metal cap (250g and 375g products)

• Plastic tub with lid (800g products)

Date marking – All best before dates currently in the marketplace

Country of origin – Australia

Reason for recall
The presence of undeclared allergens. Peanut allergens are present in the Almond Spread and Cashew Spread; tree nut allergens are present in the Peanut Butter products.

Distribution – Woolworths Supermarkets and Thomas Dux stores nationally

Consumer advice
Consumers who have a peanut or tree nut allergy or intolerance should not consume these products and may have a reaction if these products are consumed. The products can be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Contact – Woolworths Ltd 1800 103 515 www.woolworths.com.au

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

A recent study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry has found that low doses of fish oil may be beneficial in reducing the frequency of epileptic seizures, especially when no conventional treatment is effective.

The small study involving 24 people was conducted by the UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California, and found that even though low doses are beneficial, high doses are no different to placebo doses.

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have been found to cross into the heart from the bloodstream. They have been found to stabilise heart rhythm and therefore provide protection from heart attacks. Those with epilepsy have a higher risk of heart attack and therefore this ability of omega-3 to protect against them is especially important to these people.

However it was the results of the 3 separate test samples given to the 24 people over the test that were of the most interest. Each daily dose sample was given to the test subjects for 10 weeks with a six week break between each. The first sample was the low dose fish oil (equivalent to 1080mg omega-3), the second was high dose (equivalent to 2160mg omega-3) and the third was the placebo of corn oil.
Each of the 24 people were epileptics who were no longer responding to conventional drug treatments.
It was found that over the test period, the low dose averaged only 12 epileptic seizures per month, whilst the high dose averaged 17 and the placebo around 18.In fact, over the trial two of the test subjects displayed no seizures at all whilst on the low dose fish oil.

The study was only small and will need more work, but it also found that over the trial the low dose fish oil reduced blood pressure by nearly 2mm Hg whilst the high dose increased it by slightly less than 2 mm Hg.

The next step is obviously a much larger study to clarify and confirm the results but low doses of fish oil do not seem to cause any harm and may in fact be very beneficial, especially to those with epilepsy.

One thing that seems to come out of this study is a confirmation that sometimes we only need to have a little of something to make a big difference.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

A recent Federal Court ruling has once again reinforced that labelling must tell the truth and be representative of what is in the package.

In this case, the ruling was about the term “Free Range” and the use of it with eggs.

The Court imposed a penalty of $300,000 on the business involved for engaging in misleading conduct and making misleading representations on it’s labelling and promotion of eggs.

The case was part of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s current investigation into the use of the term “Free Range’.

It is acknowledged that free range eggs will attract specific consumers and therefore increase sales, so ensuring that it is only used on the packaging of those eggs that actually are free range is important.

The following are the basic farming conditions which contribute to whether eggs are free range and will vary from producer to producer;
• the internal stocking density of sheds
• the conditions of the internal areas the hens are housed in
• the number, size and location of any openings to an outdoor area
• the time of the day and how regularly the openings are opened
• the size and condition of the outdoor area, including any shaded areas, the presence of food, water and different vegetation and ground conditions
• the stocking density of any outdoor area
• whether the hens have been trained or conditioned to remain indoors

ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said; “Credence claims such as free range claims are powerful tools for businesses to distinguish their products. However, if they are false or misleading, they serve to mislead consumers, who may pay a premium to purchase such products. This decision provides very clear guidance that any free range egg claim must be backed by farming conditions and practices implemented by suppliers under which hens actually move about on an open range each day.”

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

As we would all expect Coca Cola remains as the most valuable brand of soft drink in the world, and also as expected, Pepsi – Cola comes in second in the latest research for 2013 by the market research organisation, Canadean.

However it is not the top spots that are of most interest in this research, it is the movement of energy drinks and the Chinese brands on the top 20 list that has sparked the big conversations.

The entire soft drink market as of 2013 is now valued at US$937billion, which is an increase of under two percent from the previous research.
The biggest energy drink brand, Red Bull, has risen to number six on the list and is valued at US$12 billion worldwide. It is expected to continue to increase it’s ranking and has ridden through the global financial situation very well.

Monster, another energy drink brand, is a rapidly moving star and is now sitting at 19 on the Top 20 list and is set to move higher. It was at 20 in the previous list. Monster is now partly owned by Coca-Cola, so it will be interesting to see how much this brand’ value increases with the help of the Coca-Cola distribution network.

There are three Chinese soft drink brands in the Top 20, with the highest on the list being Kangshifu at number seven, with an estimated value of near $10 billion. This was the only brand in the 2008 Top 20 and now there are three. The Chinese brands seem to be on the move.

So here is the Top 20 soft drink brands by value for 2013;
1. Coca-Cola
2. Pepsi-Cola
3. Sprite
4. Minute Maid
5. Fanta
6. RedBull
7. Kangshifu
8. Gatorade
9. Lipton
10. 7-Up
11. Mountain New
12. Dr Pepper
13. Powerade
14. Jiaduobao
15. Nestea
16. Tropicana
17. Minnida
18. Schweppes
19. Monster
20. Wahaha

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

The Nestle Golden Chef’s Hat competition for 2014 has been won by a team from Brisbane.

Tara Bain and Rachel Male competed with seven other teams to create a three course meal in only four hours, to take out the national title.

The team was awarded a gold medal for each course, to win the competition.

The competition is intended to give young chefs a chance to showcase their talents and move their career forward rapidly.

The team are now off to Lyon in France to compete at the Bocuse d’Or World Final, the world’s most prestigious chef competition.

The competition this year had 30 percent more entries than last year, which is a record since the competition started in 1965.

Entries can come from apprentices from any type of food business from cafés and clubs to fine dining restaurants.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

The Healthy Star rating for food packaging was approved by the Australian Health Ministerial Council earlier this year. Previous to the approval a Federal Government website was set up to assist the public understand the rating system.

Unfortunately the website was pulled down and there has been nothing to assist us with the system since then, until now.

The George Institute for Global Health has now developed and launched a website which rates 55000 packaged foods using the Healthy Star Rating system.

The system uses salt, saturated fat, sugar and kilojoules plus any positive nutrients to determine the number of stars each food is allowed to show on it’s packaging. The more stars (up to five) the healthier the product.

Professor Bruce Neal, a senior director at the institute, said; “We got sick of waiting for the Government’s website. Poor diet is now the leading cause of premature death and disability in Australia. One of key changes over past 50 years has been the progressive addition of salt, fat and sugar in our food. We wanted to give people the chance to see how many stars their favourite products get and compare it to other products.”

The information shown on the new website is from data that was accurate to December 2013 and will be updated regularly or as needed.

Showing a Healthy Star Rating on a product’s labelling is voluntary at this point and some businesses are already moving toward it.

Here is a link to the new website 

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

Around 42 tonnes of a Caesar Salad Kit with Cooked Chicken is currently being recalled in the USA, due possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

It is huge nationwide product recall for a product that was being sold in the cafes of a bulk warehouse chain.
It is the cooked chicken that has tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, although the whole kit is being recalled. There have been no reported illnesses to date.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause a condition called Listeriosis, which mainly affects the elderly and those who are immune compromised, as well as pregnant women and babies. Healthy adults rarely contract Listeriosis.

Unfortunately one of the typical characteristics of Listeriosis is that symptoms may not show for up to three months after eating the contaminated food, depending upon the person, pathogen and situation.

The bacteria prefers cold temperatures and low oxygen environments, so vacuum packed meats and cheeses are likely foods for growth. The increase in popularity of these foods has resulted in more of this bacteria being involved in food poisonings worldwide, and also increased product recalls.

Typical symptoms of Listeriosis are; fever, headache, confusion, stiff neck, muscle aches, convulsions and loss of balance. There can also be diarrhoea. Miscarriages, stillbirths and premature deliveries are also potential symptoms in pregnant women, as well as newborn infection.

The good news is that Listeriosis can be treated with antibiotics, but it is best that it simply does not occur in the first place and this involves food businesses managing their food safety correctly, including raw materials and suppliers.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

A functional beverage is a drink which has confirmed health or other benefits. There are essentially three types of drinks; sports, health and energy.

They are typically consumed by students studying for exams, busy professionals and sports people.

There are several brands now available in supermarkets, service stations, bars, restaurants and other outlets, and the number seems to be increasing, with a surge of new varieties taking over the market. Interestingly it is the Australian made brands that are now dominating the market according to the latest review.

IBISWorld is a large market research organisation and has recently released results of a review of sales of functional drinks in Australia.
According to the report from IBISWorld, revenue in 2013-14 increased by around 2.5 percent to $1.1 billion and is forecast to get to $1.3 billion by 2018-19.

The IBISWorld General Manager, Mr Dan Ruthven said; “Whether you are a student, sportsperson or someone trying to balance work with other commitments, chances are that you have reached for a functional drink designed to boost alertness, improve digestion or enhance on-the-field performance. Increasingly, this drink is less likely to be a traditional coffee or caffeine-rich cola, but rather an energy drink or other functional beverage.”

The energy drinks have grown from about 30 percent of the functional drink market in 2008-09 to nearly 40 percent in 2013-14.
The sports drink segment has actually had a decrease in the functional drink market from 58 percent in 2008-09 to about 49 percent in 2013-14. IBISWorld believe this is due to reduced innovation during that time, although it is forecast that there will be sales of around $458 million by 2018-19.

By 2018-19 the health drink segment is forecast to be at least 58 percent of the functional drink market.

Mr Ruthven said; “Consumers are increasingly using health-related functional beverages as supplements to aid digestion, decrease hunger and manage weight. Health drinks, such as probiotic drinks and others with antioxidants or herbal ingredients, are expected to become increasingly popular with health-conscious, time-poor professionals.”

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

I was taught an idiom when I first started in food safety – “if it is in the business, it is in the food”.

When I say this to clients, they immediately start thinking about contamination and cross contamination. They then start to talk about what they are doing to stop it.

In food factories, few of those I talk to think or do anything about every potential contamination and cross contamination source in their business.

The immediate contamination and cross contamination culprits are poor cleaning, poor pest control, poor handwashing and poor hygiene, including uniforms and contractors.

The one potential contamination and cross contamination source that is not usually considered in food factories is compressed air.

It is used to move things, clean things, as part of the process and in packaging. It is the quiet food safety problem because it is often the things that are right in front of us like compressed air which we see doing it’s thing every day, that we don’t actually see when it comes to food safety.

If the air being used is dirty, the next thing we have contaminated surfaces and product.The air used for compressed air can become dirty through the equipment being used or if it is coming from a poor source.

FoodProcessing.com.au now has a brilliant guide available to assist all food businesses ensure that their compressed air does not become a contamination or cross contamination issue. With the advice this guide contains, you can make sure that compressed air is not the quiet food safety problem of your business.

You can download the guide right here –
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BymVqFfrtUpkdGVJZ0F5NmdCbnM/edit

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

This information is included here with permission of Food Standards Australia New Zealand

1. Right Start Fruit and Fibre
Date notified to FSANZ – 13/09/2014
Food type – Breakfast Cereal
Product name – Coles Right Start Fruit and Fibre
Package description and size – Cardboard Box, 600g
Date marking – Best Before 11 07 15
Country of origin – New Zealand
Reason for recall – The presence of foreign matter (glass)
Distribution – Coles supermarkets, Coles online and Bi-Lo stores nationally
Consumer advice – Food products containing glass may cause injury if consumed. Consumers should not eat this product and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Contact – Coles Supermarkets, 0427 454 49658

2. Honey Poppas
Date notified to FSANZ – 12/09/2014
Food type – Breakfast cereal
Product name- Homebrand Honey Poppas 250g
Package description and size- Clear LLDPE Pillow pack bag 250g
Date marking – All best before dates from 07/07/2015 through 01/08/2015 inclusive
Country of origin – New Zealand
Reason for recall -The presence of foreign matter (glass)
Distribution -Woolworths and Safeway stores nationally
Consumer advice – Food products containing glass may cause injury if consumed. Consumers should not eat this product and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Contact -Woolworths Limited 1800 103 515 www.woolworths.com.au

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.