Results for: USDA

ConSup North America Inc. is recalling 85,984 pounds of ready-to-eat sliced prosciutto ham produced in Germany and distributed to eight states due to a lack of equivalent quality checks in the U.S. The affected products were made between September 25, 2023, and March 6, 2024, and sold in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. Consumers are advised not to consume the ham and either throw it away or return it to the store. The recall follows a notification from Germany’s Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety that the products were produced without the required equivalent inspections.

In response to the recent detection of H5N1 avian flu fragments in the U.S. milk supply, the USDA has implemented a new order requiring all lactating dairy cows that are moved between states to undergo testing for the virus. This measure aims to enhance surveillance efforts and prevent the potential spread of H5N1 through the dairy industry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has mandated that all dairy cows transported across state lines be tested for bird flu. This comes after the Food and Drug Administration detected fragments of the virus in pasteurized milk samples. The FDA, in collaboration with the USDA, is conducting a nationwide survey to locate the source of the contaminated milk. Despite directives to discard sick cows’ milk and test symptomatic ones, the virus’s presence in the commercial milk supply indicates these measures were insufficient. Scientists are uncertain about the virus’s prevalence and duration, raising concerns about its potential spread. The CDC emphasizes that despite the H5N1 strain’s severity in humans, there is no current threat to public health, with only one reported mild case in a Texas dairy worker.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) implemented a federal order requiring negative H5N1 bird flu virus tests for interstate cattle movement, laboratory reporting for positive cases, and herd investigations in infected farms. The order applies to lactating dairy cows initially. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed H5N1 RNA traces in milk products but emphasized that pasteurization eliminates the virus. Research suggests the PCR-positive milk may not contain live viruses. The National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supports the findings. Despite resistance from some farmers, the USDA aims to improve information gathering and access with the order. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) faces challenges in investigating worker health on infected farms but explores wastewater surveillance for H5N1 detection.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced new nutrition standards for school meals that will limit added sugars and sodium. The rule, which goes into effect in the 2025-2026 school year, aims to improve nutrition and align with U.S. dietary guidelines. The changes include reducing added sugars to no more than 10% of total calories per week and trimming sodium levels in breakfasts by 10% and in lunches by 15%. Flavored milks will still be allowed with less sugar.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced new nutrition standards for school meals. The final rule focuses on reducing added sugars and sodium in kids’ meals. Added sugars will be limited to no more than 10% of total calories per week by the 2027 school year. Sodium levels in breakfasts will be reduced by 10% and in lunches by 15% by the 2027-2028 school year. The aim is to improve nutrition and align with U.S. dietary guidelines in the program that provides breakfasts to more than 15 million students and lunches to nearly 30 million students every day.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has withdrawn its plan to restrict flavored milk sales in schools, opting instead to enforce a limit on added sugars starting in 2025. The proposal to ban flavored milk due to its high sugar content was met with resistance from industry groups and parents. In response, the International Dairy Foods Association pledged to reduce added sugar in flavored milk to 10 grams per 8-ounce serving by 2025. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack attributed the policy shift to the industry’s voluntary commitments.

A bird flu outbreak is spreading through dairy herds in the United States, prompting warnings from experts and concerns about the potential for human infections. As of Monday, 32 dairy herds in eight states have been affected, raising questions about the origin and transmission of the virus. The USDA has not confirmed whether the infections are part of a single outbreak chain, and the spread of the virus between cows remains unclear.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for raw ground beef products produced by Greater Omaha Packing Co. on March 28, 2024, due to possible E. coli contamination. The products have a “Use/Freeze by” date of April 22, 2024, and packaging date of “032824,” and bear establishment number “EST. 960A” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products were shipped to food service institutions and retail locations nationwide. No confirmed illnesses have been reported, but consumers are urged to check their freezers for the affected products and discard or return them immediately. Consumers should practice safe food handling and cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for raw ground beef products from Greater Omaha Packing Co. that may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. These products were shipped nationwide to food service institutions and retail locations. Consumers who have purchased these products or food service institutions that have these products are urged not to consume or serve them and to dispose of them immediately.