THIS SECTION IS FOR NEWS AND INTERESTING STORIES RELATED TO FOOD, NUTRITION AND FOOD PROCESSING. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO KOSHER BUT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE KOSHER CONSUMER, MANUFACTURER OR MASHGIACH.
November 15, 2022 - from VinNews:
"Romanian authorities adopted a law that recognizes and gives specific protection to shechitah, or kosher ritual slaughter of animals, the Conference of European Rabbis said in a statement, hailing the move as a “landmark” example for other countries in Europe.
"The new legislation, which the Romanian parliament passed Thursday, comes roughly a year after the Court of the European Union upheld the bans of both the Muslim and Jewish traditional methods slaughter of animals for food in two Belgian states.
"Jewish leaders and organizations decried the ruling, which the Israeli ambassador in Belgium called “catastrophic and a blow to Jewish life in Europe.
"Many European countries ban the slaughter of animals without stunning them first, a move that animal-rights activists say is more humane but which is not permitted under Jewish law. Many countries grant exceptions for shechitah, according to the Conference of European Rabbis, and Romania had previously allowed such an exception. But the new law enshrines the right to shechitah more formally.
"Animal rights activists historically were most vehement advocates of the bans, but in recent years, European anti-immigration right-wing parties have joined the campaigns against ritual slaughter, mostly due to their opposition to Muslim immigrants.
"In the rest of the EU, ritual slaughter is illegal in countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Slovenia and parts of Belgium. The Netherlands and Poland joined the list years ago but later reversed the bans."
November 1, 2022 - from the Food Safety News:
"There are just 10 more days to comment before USDA can finalize the Organic Livestock and Poultry rule for the National Organic Program. If enacted, new animal welfare standards would apply to animals raised under the USDA Organic label.
"If it all sounds familiar it should. The rule is similar to one that was withdrawn during the Trump Administration. Annually, USDA’s National Organic Program oversees the handling of more than 186 million farm animals.
"Animal rights groups, such as the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) are at the forefront of the lobby pushing for the rule.
"It is anticipated that USDA will give existing organic farmers up to 15 years to comply with the new outdoor space requirements. That is intended to give them time to finance and build the infrastructure that is supposed to be more to the liking of the affected farm animals.
"Oral Comments: Oral comment registration is closed. The deadline to register for an oral comment slot is 11:59 p.m. EDT on Nov. 10. The deadline has been extended 30 days from the initial date of Oct. 11. This extension was made to ensure that all stakeholders and individuals have adequate time to formulate their comments and suggestions about the proposed rule.
"Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting written comments. The deadline to submit written comments is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Nov. 10. The deadline has been extended 30 days from the initial date of Oct. 11. This extension was made to ensure that all stakeholders and individuals have adequate time to formulate their comments and suggestions about the proposed rule.
"Mail: AMS strongly prefers comments be submitted electronically. However, written comments may be submitted (i.e., postmarked) via mail to Erin Healy, MPH., Director Standards Division, National Organic Program, USDA-AMS-NOP, Room 2646-So., Ag Stop 0268, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-0268. Mailed comments must be postmarked by Nov. 10.
"For access to the docket, including background documents and comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov (search for docket “AMS-NOP-21-0073”)."
August 8, 2022 - from the Food Safety News:
"Celebrating the USDA’s move on Aug. 5 to reinstate organic animal welfare standards, organic advocates are hailing this as a “resounding victory” for organic farmers, their livestock, and organic consumers.
"As such, it reverses the withdrawal by the Trump Administration in 2018 of the 2017 Organic Livestock and Poultry rule.
"The 2017 rule, which took 10 years to develop, governed the living conditions, transport and slaughter of organic livestock.
"The United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend the organic livestock and poultry production requirements by adding new provisions for livestock handling and transport for slaughter and avian living conditions; and expanding and clarifying existing requirements covering livestock care and production practices and mammalian living conditions.
"The proposed rule:
"The proposed rule would update the USDA organic regulations for livestock production. The proposed changes would address a range of topics related to the care of organic livestock, including:
"A listening session: USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will host a virtual listening session on Aug. 19 from noon to approximately 2 p.m. EDT to hear comments regarding this proposed rule. The deadline to register for oral comment is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Aug. 15. Access information will be published on the AMS website prior to the listening session at https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/listening-session-organic-livestock-and-poultry-standards."
Nobember 2, 2022: from Healthy Canadians
This recall involves the instructions for the Thermomix TM6 measuring cup supplied with the Thermomix TM6 appliance and which can also be used with the Thermomix TM5 appliance. Thermomix is a multi-purpose kitchen appliance with functions that include weighing, mixing, chopping, milling, kneading, blending, steaming, cooking, beating, precise heating, stirring and emulsifying.
In rare cases, when the TM6 measuring cup is inserted into the Thermomix TM5 or TM6 and the cooking temperature is set to exceed 95˚C / 200˚F, excess pressure can build in the mixing bowl causing the sudden spillage of hot food; leading to increased risk of burns. This risk is increased when the recommended fill level (as set out in the instructions and indicated on the inside of the mixing bowl) is exceeded.
As of October 12, 2022, the company has received no reports of incidents in Canada. There have been 36 incidents reported to the company worldwide.
Consumers should immediately stop using the Thermomix TM6 measuring cup instructions and contact Vorverk to obtain updated product instructions. Once the updated product instructions have been reviewed, consumers may continue to use the TM6 Measuring Cup in accordance with the updated instructions. Customers do not need to return the product. C
ustomers were informed directly via email by Vorwerk. Vorwerk has initiated a Global Information Campaign to reduce risk of user error with respect to the use of the TM6 measuring cup. Consumers can find information in relation to proper use and preventative measures at the following websites: www.thermomix.ca/thermomix-safety-instructions/ or https://service.thermomix.ca/hc/en-us/articles/8749490659091-Thermomix-Measuring-Cup-Safety-Announcement-August-2022.
For more information, consumers can contact Vorwerk by telephone at +1-855-867-9904, by email at service@thermomix.ca or visit the company website www.thermomix.ca.
October 27, 2022 from SUN News:
"A federal court has found Birdsboro Kosher Farms Corp. in contempt for failing to pay $162,359 in penalties after an OSHA inspection found numerous safety hazards, including willful, serious, and repeat violations.
"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Oct. 19, 2022 decision is the latest legal action spurred by two separate 2016 safety and health inspections at the Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, poultry processing facility.
"The inspections led OSHA to issue citations for violations related to federal lockout/tagout, hearing conservation, and personal protective equipment standards.
"The company contested the citations with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Following a full hearing on the citations’ merits, an administrative law judge affirmed the initial citations in a Sept. 23, 2019, decision that became the commission’s final order on Oct. 22, 2019.
"Birdsboro Kosher Farms petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for review, and the Secretary of Labor filed a cross-application for enforcement.
"In December 2020, the Court of Appeals denied Birdsboro’s petition for review and granted the Secretary’s cross-application for enforcement. The court ordered Birdsboro Kosher Farms to abate any unabated violations from the citations, submit abatement documentation to OSHA, and pay the remaining penalties.
"Birdsboro ignored the court’s order, failing to pay the penalties or provide abatement certification
"A subsequent OSHA inspection revealed violations of some of the same standards underlying the court’s 2020 order and enforcement decree.
"In response, the Secretary of Labor filed a petition on March 18, 2022, for judgment of civil contempt.
"The court granted the petition and ordered Birdsboro to pay the outstanding penalties of $162,369 plus interest and fees or agree to a payment plan, and certify abatement of the violations, all within 20 days.
"Failure to comply will subject Birdsboro to sanctions the court deems necessary to compel compliance with its judgment." Share this:
October 26, 2022 from The Washington Post:
"With Thanksgiving fast approaching, turkey farmers from California to Pennsylvania are watching in horror as a virulent new strain of avian influenza wipes out their flocks, killing birds practically overnight and forcing hundreds of thousands more to be euthanized to prevent further infection.
"The rampant spread of the virus has already eliminated more than 6 million turkeys nationwide, about 14 percent of the nation’s total turkey production, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. It is leaving farmers short of their usual offerings and pushing up prices for those that remain, forcing consumers already walloped by inflation to pay an additional 20 percent or more per pound for Thanksgiving turkeys compared with prices last year, according to several estimates."
October 25, 2022 from the CPSC
Pine-Sol® Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean®, Sparkling Wave®, and Lemon Fresh scents, CloroxPro® Pine-Sol® All Purpose Cleaners, in Lavender Clean®, Sparkling Wave®, Lemon Fresh, and Orange Energy® scents, and Clorox® Professional™ Pine-Sol® Lemon Fresh Cleaners. Original Pine-Sol® (Pine scent) is not included in this recall.
The recalled products may contain bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an environmental organism found widely in soil and water. People with weakened immune systems or external medical devices who are exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment. The bacteria can enter the body if inhaled, through the eyes, or through a break in the skin. People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria.
Remedy: Refund
To date, testing has identified bacteria in certain recalled products, including those produced between January 2021 and September 2022. Clorox produced approximately 37 million recalled products in that period.
Consumer Contact: Pine-Sol toll-free at (855) 378-4982, by email at PineSolRecalls@inmar.com, or online at pinesolrecall.com and Pinesol.com by clicking on “Recall Information.”
Description: This recall involves Pine-Sol Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, and Lemon Fresh scents, CloroxPro Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaners, in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, Lemon Fresh, and Orange Energy scents, and Clorox Professional Pine-Sol Lemon Fresh Cleaners, with date codes beginning with the prefix “A4” and followed by a five-digit number less than 22249. The products are sold in bottles of 28, 48, 60, 100, 144, and 175 fluid ounces. In an abundance of caution, Clorox is recalling all of the above-described products manufactured at its Forest Park, Georgia facility through September 2022.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using Pine-Sol Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, and Lemon Fresh scents, CloroxPro Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaners, in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, Lemon Fresh, and Orange Energy scents, and Clorox Professional Pine-Sol Lemon Fresh Cleaners that have date codes printed on the bottle beginning with “A4” and followed by a five-digit number less than 22249, which represents products produced prior to September 2022. Consumers should take pictures of the 12 digit UPC code and the date code, dispose of the product in its container with household trash, and contact Pine-Sol for a full refund of the purchase price, with receipt, or of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, without receipt.
Sold At: Online at Amazon.com and additional retailer websites and at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Dollar General, Target, Home Depot, BJ’s, Kroger, Dollar Tree, Lowe’s, Publix, and other major retailers nationwide, for between $2.50 and $12.50.
October 21, 2022 - from JTA
"European Union officials in Brussels invited Jewish and Muslim community leaders to discuss meat production, in what some of the guests characterized as progress toward ensuring religious freedom.
"The event, which was convened by the EU’s point person for fighting antisemitism, Katharina von Schnurbein, included Jews and Muslims concerned about a two-pronged attack on their traditional methods for slaughtering animals for food that has resulted in bans in some countries. About 30 EU officials and about 20 community leaders were present, according to people who were there.
"Animal rights activists say shechitah and zabiha, the Muslim method for slaughtering animals for food, are cruel because both methods preclude stunning before the animal’s necks are cut. Advocates of the customs say they result in no greater suffering to animals than mechanized slaughter methods with higher malfunction rates and less attention to individual animals.
"n recent years, opposition to shechitah and zabiha has widened as right-wing parties began adopting this stance as part of their commitment to reducing the presence in society of Islam, and in some cases also Judaism.
"When Jewish community leaders challenged recent bans in two of Belgium’s three states at the Court of the European Union, the court dealt them a major defeat when it upheld the bans in a 2021 ruling that Israel’s ambassador to Belgium called “catastrophic and a blow to Jewish life in Europe.”
"The ruling added Belgium to a number of EU countries where ritual slaughter is illegal, including Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Slovenia. In 2011, the Netherlands briefly joined the list, but the Dutch Senate reversed the ban in 2012, citing freedom of worship. Poland also outlawed ritual slaughter in 2013 but has since scaled back the ban to include only meat for export.
"The office of von Schnurbein, who in 2015 became the first European Commission coordinator on combatting antisemitism, had stayed out of the debate on shechitah for most of her tenure. But she has become increasingly outspoken on the issue since the bans in Belgium, which were initiated by a right-wing party and advanced by a socialist party. In January, she said during an EU meeting that the bans risk painting Jews and Muslim minorities as 'medieval.'
"Shimon Cohen, the director of the British-Jewish advocacy group Shechitah UK, also referenced the connection between antisemitism and bans on religious slaughter during his speech at the event Thursday. Cohen noted that the first ban on shechitah in Europe occurred in Switzerland in the 19th century to make the country less hospitable to Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia.
"The Nazis, too, enacted a ban on kosher slaughter early on, Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. special envoy charged with monitoring antisemitism abroad, said in her speech at the conference. She said the United States recognizes the importance of allowing ritual slaughter and urged European lawmakers to include exemptions for religious groups in any legislation about meat production.
"In his comments at the conference, Cohen argued that existing laws about religious freedom are not enough to ensure that shechitah remains legal.
"'Freedom of religion was designed for people who believe stuff, not for people who do stuff,' Cohen said. 'And shechitah is a positive practical action as part of our faith. So too, would kneeling be for Christians, and the idea of banning kneeling would be impossible. I would hope that this meeting can be the first step towards ensuring there should be no provision allowed within European Union law to ban shechitah.'"
October 13, 2022 from the CPSC
U-Line Outdoor Series 24-inch Built-In Convertible Freezers have been recalled because the outdoor freezers can overheat, posing a fire hazard.
Consumer Contact: U-Line toll-free at 833-614-7788 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, at www.U-Line.com/safetyrecall or at www.u-line.com and click on “Product Recall Information” under “Support” at the bottom of the page for more information.
This recall involves U-Line Outdoor Series 24-inch Built-In Convertible Freezers with model number U-1224FZRSOD-00A and manufactured between 2017-2018. They have serial number ranges between 1745627020001-1745627020009; 1746096040001-1746096040077; 1850469050001-1850469050003; and 1850469059001-1850469059003. The model number, serial number, and “U-Line” brand name are printed on a plate located in the top right interior of the unit.
Remedy: Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug the recalled outdoor freezers and contact U-Line to schedule a free pickup of the recalled freezers and installation of a free replacement unit. Replacement options include a freezer, refrigerator drawers or refrigerator.
U-Line has received three reports of freezer fires. No injuries have been reported.
Sold At: Independent distributors including Tri State Distributors, Milestone Distributors, Purcell-Murray Company and Almo Distributing NY, who sold them to retailers nationwide from April 2017 through February 2020 for about $2,600.
October 13, 2022 from the CPSC
Magic Chef Air Fryers have been recalled because the air fryer can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards.
Consumer Contact: Newair toll-free at 833-715-1021 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday https://www.newair.com/pages/newair-magic-chef-digital-air-fryer-recall or https://www.newair.com/pages/recall-registration for online registration.
This recall involves the Magic Chef Air Fryer Digital Air Fryer oven with model numbers MCAF56DB (black) and MCAF56DW (white). Magic Chef is printed on the top of the fryers and the rating label on the bottom has the brand name Magic Chef along with the model number. The air fryers measure about 13 inches by 15 inches by 14 inches.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled air fryers and provide a picture of the rating label to the firm to receive instructions to disable the air fryer and receive a refund in the form of a newair.com credit. The credit amount will be $50 or the amount on the purchase receipt if higher. No receipt is needed to get the $50 credit. Consumers can also register to participate in the recall at https://www.newair.com/pages/recall-registration.
Sold At: Online at Newair.com, Walmart.com, Wayfair.com, Amazon.com, and Target.com from July 2018 through September 2020 for between $115 to $138.
September 22, 2022 from the CPSC
Ceramic Mugs with Cork Bottoms have been recalled because the coffee cup can crack or break when hot liquid is poured into it, posing a burn hazard.
Consumer Contact: Accompany USA collect at 909-595-0178 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email at rain@accompanyusa.com or online at http://accompanyusa.com/About.aspx?ClassID=27 or at www.accompanyusa.com and click on “Recalls” at the bottom of the page for more information.
This recall involves Accompany USA Ceramic Mugs with Cork Bottoms sold as and/or given out for free as promotional products with company or other logos. The ceramic mugs are white with cork bottoms. They measure about four inches high and four inches wide.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ceramic mugs and contact Accompany USA to receive a full refund.
Sold At: Online at www.accompanyusa.com, https://logomark.com, www.vision1usa.com, https://nccustom.com/brand/lanco, https://infinityiwc.square.site, and https://admartproducts.com from February 2022 through August 2022 for about $2.
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