The following is included with permission from Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

Product – Calendar Cheese (Microbial – Listeria monocytogenes)

Calendar Cheese has recalled MAURI BONTA’ZOLA GORGONZOLA DOP (Blue Cheese) from Thomas Dux Grocer, David Jones and Coles Supermarkets in NSW, VIC, WA, QLD, SA and TAS due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Listeria monocytogenes may cause illness in pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly and people with low immune systems. Consumers should not eat this product. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

Date notified to FSANZ –  1 February 2013

Food type – Cheese

Product name – MAURI BONTA’ZOLA GORGONZOLA DOP

Package description & size –  Random weight between 1.3kg and 1.5kg; triangular section of a wheel in gold foil encased in a clear plastic tub

Date marking – Best Before 17/01/13 and 21/02/13

Country of origin – Italy

Reason for recall – Microbial (Listeria monocytogenes) contamination

Distribution – Thomas Dux Grocer, David Jones and Coles Supermarkets in NSW, VIC, WA, QLD, SA and TAS

Consumer advice

Listeria may cause illness in pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly and people with low immune systems. Consumers should not eat this product. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice. Customers should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Contact – Calendar Cheese Company   03 8645 4666

The following is a media release from Food Standards Australia New Zealand about the new Standard for Health and Nutrition Claims. It is included with permission.

A new standard to give consumers confidence that nutrition content claims and health claims on food labels and in advertising are backed by scientific evidence became law from 18 January.

Announcing the new standard, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing Catherine King said it aims to support industry innovation and help consumers make informed food choices.

“For example, with a ‘good source of calcium’ nutrition content claim, the food will need to contain at least the minimum amount of calcium specified in the Standard,” Ms King said.

“Health claims, such as ‘calcium is good for bones and teeth’, are only permitted on foods that meet specific eligibility criteria, including nutrition criteria.

“There are more than 200 pre-approved food-health relationships to support a health claim or food businesses can self-substantiate according to the Standard.”

Ms King said food businesses have three years to meet the requirements of the new Standard 1.2.7 – Nutrition, Health and Related Claims.

“Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and state and territory government agencies will continue to work with the food industry during the implementation period to ensure the system is operating effectively and food labels are compliant,” Ms King said.

In addition to the gazettal of the health claims standard, country of origin labelling has been extended in Australia only to include unpackaged beef, sheep and chicken meat. Businesses have six months to meet the requirements.

“Mandating additional country of origin labelling requirements ensures consumers are provided with access to this information consistently across the retail sector,” Ms King said.

Ministers responsible for food regulation agreed to these changes in December 2012.

More information: contact Ms Kings office on 02 6277 4230

The following is a media release from the Food Safety Information Council as many homes across Australia prepare for the beginning of the 2013 school year. It is included here with permission.

A concerted effort to make sure school lunches are kept out of the temperature danger zone and that the workplace fridge is food-ready make excellent starts to a hopefully food poisoning free year suggests the Australian Food Safety Information Council.

Council Chairman, Dr Michael Eyles, says although some results from the latest Council commissioned Newspoll Food Safety Attitude and Behaviour Survey show minor improvement, almost a tenth of the more than three quarters (78%) of adult Australian workers who take a packed lunch admit, even on warm days, they make no attempt to cool it through the use of office refrigerators or cooler boxes.

The results covering school lunches are “even more concerning” according to Dr Eyles.

“Perishable food becomes unsafe to eat if in the temperature danger zone (5°C-60°C) for 4 hours − about the time between leaving home and lunchtime!

“Despite clear scientific evidence that lowering the temperature decreases bacteria growth, the survey found more than a quarter (28%) of the 94% of households with children which pack school lunches don’t include a frozen drink or ice brick to help keep the packed lunch cool. Alarmingly this figure is significantly higher (+8%) than found in the previous 2011 survey.

“Those living in the major capital cities appear to be the worst offenders when it comes to keeping children’s lunches cool, with 29% in these areas saying they don’t include a frozen drink or ice brick compared with 25% in the regional andrural areas.

“Those packing lunches for children need to understand how vulnerable young ones can be, and that food poisoning can have horrific long-term consequences including reactive arthritis.

“Other key lunchbox tips are to ensure you prepare food with well washed hands and utensils and always wash your hands before eating lunch. Lunchboxes and reusable drink bottles must be thoroughly washed and dried daily. If cracked,split or crazed, replace as bugs will grow in any cracks. Avoid risky foods such as soft cheeses, sprouts, pate, etc.

“Children’s lunchboxes kept inside the school bag will keep cooler longer especially if the bag is kept away from heat sources such as direct sunlight.”

As for the workplace, Dr Eyles congratulates the vast majority (93%) of workers who cool their lunches in the workplace fridge or an esky-style cooler box.

As for the others he suggests a detour to the office fridge on the way to your desk could be the smartest work move you’ll make all year, as it will ensure your lunch is fit to eat so you’re at the top of your game not on sick leave for whoknows how long.

“Packing a lunch to take to work is a healthy and cost effective option, but leaving that lunch out of the workplace fridge or not in a cooler if you work outside, can lead to food poisoning bacteria growing quickly during hot weather. Bacteriaespecially like to grow in the healthier foods, such as salads and cold meats,’ Dr Eyles says.

“The Council’s advice line indicates that at least a few who don’t use the workplace fridge have their reasons, feeling it is more of an incubator of food disasters rather than the clean, well packed, below 5°C environment it should be.

“So step up and rather than avoid it, make friends with that fridge at work that no one seems to own. Make sure it is clean and not packed with ageing food. Put in a fridge thermometer and check it is running at 5°C or below.

“Begin the working year by everyone getting together to clean out the fridge and giving it at least one owner – a person responsible for setting up a workplace roster for keeping fridges and kitchens clean. Pens and labels should be available for people to label containers with name and date.

“Employers can assist by making refrigerators and coolers are available and in good order. Handwashing soap and drying facilities should be made available in kitchens and handwashing posters put up. This could lead to a reduction in sick leave, not just from food poisoning but also viruses such as norovirus and influenza which are currently taking a toll in the Northern Hemisphere.

“If you or your child has food poisoning don’t go to work or school, and avoid handling food for others until 48 hours after symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea stop. If food poisoning symptoms persist, visit a doctor,” Dr Eyles concludes.

Food poisoning in Australia results, on average, in 120 deaths, 1.2 million visits to doctors,300,000 prescriptions for antibiotics, and 2.1 million days of lost work each year.

The estimated annual cost of food poisoning in Australia is $1.25 billion.

The Food Safety Information Council is Australia’s leading disseminator of consumer- targeted food safety information. It is a non-profit entity supported by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing, state and territory health and food safety agencies, local government, and leading professional, industry and community organisations.

The biggest food poisoning event in history to date was caused by sprouts – a fresh produce. About 3000 cases of food poisoning were involved in this event and around 50 people died.

Most people, when asked about the foods most likely to cause food poisoning, will say either chicken or meats. Cut fruit and vegetables are also considered to be potentially hazardous foods, and this huge food poisoning outbreak highlights how significant fresh produce is.

To recognise this, a new centre has been set up to do research on and set up plans for how the fresh produce industry will handle food poisoning outbreaks and other food safety issues.

It will be run by the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Agriculture and Environment and PMA (Produce Marketing Association) Australia-New Zealand. The funding has been matched from the Australian Government through Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL).

It has three objectives;

One – to plan how the fresh produce industry will handle major food safety outbreaks in the region, with a focus on management and communication.

Two – to identify research needs that are specific to the industry in both Australia and New Zealand. It will work to set up collaborations with other bodies around the world to assist in developing best practice and standardisation

Three – it will take research done in other countries, and especially from the Center for Produce Safety at the University of California-Davis, and translate it to the Australian and New Zealand industry.

To find out more about the new Centre – http://freshproducesafety-anz.com/

The following is a Recall Notice and media release from Food Standards Australia New Zealand and is included here with permission.

Date notified to FSANZ: 18/01/2013

Food type: Dairy products

Product brand names:

• Aida Valley
• Blue Cow
• Coles Finest
• Dynasty
• Emporium
• Enterprize
• G&K
• Harris Farm
• International
• Jindi
• Jindi Reserve
• Kenilworth
• Kingaroy
• Old Telegraph Road
• Raw Materials
• Siena
• Tomewin Farm
• Tomme Farm
• Top Paddock
• Wattle Valley
• Willow Grove

Package description and size: Various sizes and various packages foil wrap – gold and silver, shrink wrapped, cardboard box, white paper wrapped

Date marking: Various Best Before dates

Country of origin: Australia

Reason for recall: Potential microbial contamination (Listeria spp)

Consumer advice: Consumers should not eat these products. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice

Contact: Lactalis Jindi Pty Ltd 1800 680 175

Food recall on soft cheeses

Food Standards Australia New Zealand today released details of recalled Jindi cheeses.

The recall, which involves a variety of brands sold in different packaging, follows an announcement by Victoria’s acting Chief Health Officer, Dr Michael Ackland that more cases of illness had been linked to soft and semi-soft cheese products.

Dr Ackland said there were now 18 cases of listeria infection nationally, and a link to batches of Jindi manufactured cheeses sold at delicatessens and supermarkets had been identified.

The Jindi Cheese company is now recalling all its cheeses manufactured up to and including 6 January which have a range of best before dates under a range of brand names.

Victorian Department officials visited the Jindi factory in Jindivick on Wednesday, and were satisfied that appropriate food processing, hygiene and monitoring practices were being followed for the manufacture of products from January 7.

Consumers should not eat the recalled products and should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Others who have purchased a cut portion of camembert or brie from a supermarket or deli and are unsure of the brand should also dispose of it.

Dr Ackland said “The infection will cause minor or no symptoms in the vast majority of healthy people who may contract it, but is particularly dangerous for some vulnerable groups. Listeria can cause miscarriages in pregnant women and death in elderly people and those with compromised immune systems. Early symptoms of listeria include fever, headache, tiredness, aches and pains.”

If you think you or your family might have become ill from eating affected cheese, you should consult your doctor.

Consumers should check their fridges for recalled cheese. A list of recalled product can be found on the FSANZ website. This list will be updated as further information becomes available.

In 2012 there was an outcry, which is still echoing, about the decision by the two big retailers in Australia to dramatically reduce the price of their home milk brand to just a $1 per litre.

This was effectively the first salvo in the price reduction war that has now had Coles permanently reducing 100 products in it’s supermarkets and now having the same price reduction for Milk in it’s convenience store outlets.

For customers this can amount to significant savings each week and has driven prices of items at other supermarkets down as well, making the budget just a little less stretched for most homes. So it is a win, right?

The problem is that the lower prices are either meaning that suppliers are now going to be paid less so that the supermarkets can keep their normal margins, or the supermarkets are absorbing the loss in order to drive traffic into their stores.

If suppliers are being paid less and costs like grain and feed are going up (as they have over the last year due to a rise from the US), how are businesses like the milk farmers to continue to grow or even survive?

The outcry that has been heard about the price drops has been coming not only from farmers and their associations but also from consumer groups. One of the questions being asked by all of these critics is “if the farmers go, where is the product going to come from?” The answer is obviously overseas.

Australians are inherently bias toward purchasing Australian products, so this price reduction could be a long term gamble on the part of the retailers. There is also a strong feeling in the community that they do not want to have cheaper prices if it means that farmers and others suffer as a result.

Therefore is the reduction of prices actually a good thing for all of us?

With this new price drop on the 100 products by Coles, the Merchandise Director, John Durkan, is certain that it will be good for suppliers as people rush to buy the lower priced items. This will cause increased demand and therefore sales for the suppliers. The basic principle seems to be that there may be a lower price being paid to the suppliers but because of the increased demand the suppliers will still be fine.

There is an Australian saying “that the proof of the pudding is in the eating”. This means that we simply have to wait to find out whether the prediction of increased sales is actually going to have the beneficial effect that is being predicted or if the farmers and their associations are right.

We have all seen movies or programs where the wizard digs into a special pouch and pulls out a handful of powder and then sprinkles it around and, voila, suddenly things change – it’s magic.

A small group of University of Queensland scientists are about to make big changes in the fresh fruit industry with their own magic powder.

The public expect that fruits will be available all year around, which is an issue because not all fruit grows all year. Most fruit grows in seasons and that is when it was traditionally only available. Today using what is known as Postharvest Technology, most fruit can be in our supermarkets and fruit shops when we want it.

Fruit is still grown in it’s season but with the correct control of storage conditions and the use of ethylene gas for controlled ripening, it can now be on the shelves for most of the year. This is good for consumers, as they can have their favourite fruit most of the time during the year.

It is good for the fruit industry because product can be harvested and then held so it can be distributed throughout the year, thus preventing massive loss and waste at the end of the growing season when all the available ripe fruit has no market.

There are some people who object and disagree with this storage and treatment of fruit, but it is the reality of our lives and consumer demands. If consumers were happy to only have their fruit in specific seasons, then this technology would not be the vital part of our lives that it is today.

The new powder has been developed by Professor Bhesh Bhandari and PhD student from UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences. Mr Binh Ho, said it is “a food grade, environmentally friendly biological powder that can release the ethylene gas very quickly in humid and high temperature conditions.”

It is set to make a huge change to the current process of ripening by making it safer and more efficient and will certainly reduce the distrust and fear that currently exists about it. It will allow for only small batches of fruit to be treated and could even be used directly in the trucks transporting the fruit, so the product arrives at the markets ripe and ready for immediate sale.

So it could be called a magic powder because it seems like it will certainly have magic powers to make change.

It is well known that people like to eat foods that are good for them or do something good for them. Examples are wholegrain foods or high calcium foods. We know that calcium is good for our bones and teeth, so we can feel good when we eat foods that have labels saying that there is a high amount of calcium.

Food companies know this and also recognize that by having foods that are good for us, the business also has increased sales.

All food made and sold in Australia must comply with the requirements of the Food Standards Code and that includes what claims a business can make about it’s foods.

This is called the Health Claim Standard of the Code and has been under review by Food Standards Australia New Zealand for some time. There has been much feedback from industry, the public, state and territory governments as well as consumer groups about the whole issue of what can be put onto food labels and what must be done to support those claims.

At a Ministerial Council meeting in December, the review report for the draft Standard for Nutrition, Health and Related Claims by Food Standards Australia New Zealand was considered. It was agreed that the new Standard should be enacted in early 2013.

It breaks claims down into three categories; nutrition, general health and higher level health. All three will require that the business has scientific evidence and will only be permitted on foods that meet specific eligibility criteria, including nutrition criteria. The nutrition claims will be specific like “low fat” and will include the “front of pack labelling system” that was a key part of the Food Labelling review led by Dr Neal Blewett that was done in 2011.

General Health claims like “contains calcium for healthy bones” should be supported by either pre-approved or industry self-substantiated food health relationships where possible. The higher level health claims will need to be approved by Food Standards Australia New Zealand before use.

Other issues were also discussed at the Ministerial meeting, including the current review on the addition of caffeine to food. This Policy Guideline will be likely to go to public consultation in March 2013. The meeting also agreed that Country of Origin Labelling must also apply to all unpackaged meats, although a single sign for Australian product is allowed as long as all imported product is specifically labelled.

The ongoing issue of low THC Hemp as food or a food product ingredient was also discussed and as this is a complicated issue, it was agreed to seek advice from the Standing Council on Police and Emergency Services.

As I sit here at my desk, the temperature is rising and is expected to hit 39C today. This is typical, and expected, in Australia at this time of the year.

It is also expected that flies are part of our life in this country. They are the uninvited guest to the BBQs and the picnics. They hang out in our kitchens. Those that live here learnt the “Australian Wave” at a very early age, or very quickly when they moved here. We automatically do a back handed wave without even knowing we are doing it.

We see the fly as an enemy that needs to be eliminated and we have sprays as well as screens on our buildings to keep them out or kill them.

But is the Fly the baddie we have long seen it as?

Jason Drew, a British born South African-based ‘environmental capitalist’ or ‘eco-entrepeneur’, believes that we should take advantage of this insect instead of trying to kill it.

He believes that “fly farming” may be a key part of our future food supply. It seems a contradiction to say that we may need flies to help with our food, but by utilizing the fly’s natural cycle we may be able to produce more food at significant profits and all whilst reducing waste. In other words, sustainability.

There is business in South Africa that is producing two tons of fly larva (“magmeal”) per week, that is then being used in fish farms. This is significantly reducing the impact on fish bait and is making fish farming sustainable. The meal is also being fed to chickens on chicken farms, which replaces the fish meal that is currently being used in many places. The magmeal is a natural source of food for the fish and chickens.

The true beauty of this business is that the flies are fed on the waste from chicken processing, which then produces the fly larvae, which is then fed to chickens. In other words, it is a sustainable system that makes money and reduces waste considerably.

So is the fly the enemy? No,  it most certainly should not be in the kitchen or at the BBQ, but it most certainly should be used to make life better.

Jason Drew is the author of two recent bestsellers “The Protein Crunch – Civilization on the brink” (June 2011) and “The Story of the Fly and how it could save the world” (December 2011).

It is rare now to find a person in our Australian society who does not have at least one mobile phone. Everywhere you look people have iPhones. It seems to be the one to have.

The number of applications (apps) that are now available for these phones is just extraordinary. You can download an app to do just about anything from reading food labels to check them against your shopping list to working out whether a specific food meets your diet.

Now, with the attachment of a small device, an iPhone can now detect if there is any peanut in a food product

The iTube and it’s app can detect not only peanuts but other allergens as well, to laboratory level.

This amazing device and technology has been developed by US researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

The test takes about 20 minutes and uses supplied chemicals, including a solvent. The sample has to be ground up prior to testing, so is not something that can be done whilst standing in the supermarket aisle.

The smart phone camera provides an image that is converted by the app into a measurement of the exact amount of an allergen present in the food.

This is not the only testing device available to the public but it is smaller and uses a device that many people already have, the iPhone, as it’s basis. This makes it a very user friendly option for those that have a food allergy.