TRAZA receives favorable result from ENAC for the extension of the scope in its agrifood product test laboratory

/en , , /por

This new technical competence recognition allows TRAZA to expand its analytical control offer to companies in the food sector (agricultural, industrial and retail) that need results of maximum reliability and rigor, in accordance to the most demanding standards with international recognition.

The National Accreditation Entity -ENAC- is the entity designated by the Government to operate in Spain as the only National Accreditation Body.

Founded 14 years ago, TRAZA has the mission of protecting the health of the final consumer through implementation, consulting and auditing Food Safety and Quality management systems (BRC, IFS, ISO), in all the operators of the food chain, as well as the training of the food handler and the analytical control of the processed foods.

In Vicente de Pablos’ own words, partner of TRAZA, «the extension of the scope of accreditation shows the firm commitment of our company to provide quality services, allowing us to be a reference in the control of Food Safety, from primary production to the final consumer»

The accreditation annex can be consulted on the company’s website www.traza.net as well as on ENAC’s website www.enac.es. Standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 (ENAC N.º 1242/LE2264).17025 (ENAC No. 1242 / LE2264).

Brazilian companies accused of exporting rotten meat internationally

/en , /por

Brazilian police raided last 17th March BRF and JBS companies as part of Operation Weak Flesh. BRF and JBS are Brazil biggest meat exporters. Both companies are facing charges for bribing Health inspectors and politician to make them overlook unsanitary practices like processing rotten meat or shipping export with traces of salmonella. Police has also presented evidence of the companies forging paperwork to export their products to Europe, China and Middle East.

JBS is the most important meat producer internationally, whereas BRF is the greatest exporter of poultry meat, booking net revenue of 170 billion reais and 39 billion reais respectively.

The fraudulent meat was being processed with acid and chemical products to hide its characteristics and it was being exported to more than 150 countries.

For further information, check out the complete text

A guideline through EFSA’s new retailers plan

/en , /por

Nowadays, food hygiene regulations are tricky and challenging to handle for most of the small businesses. Considering retailers are normally under a budget and none of the staff hired is an expert on the matter, food safety management becomes a heavy burden. In this context, the European Commission demanded the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to develop a new approach adapted to these retailers needs.

EFSA has tried to simplify Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Pre-Requisite Programs (PRP) and biological hazards identification and ranking. Their food safety management system (FSMS) is based on the needs of a butcher, fishmonger, bakery, grocery, and an ice cream shop. However, according to EFSA’s staff, it should be considered for wider application within the food industry.

It is thought and designed to keep the work derived from the FSMS low and easy for those who scarcely have time or resources to spend on it.

This ‘simplified approach’, as EFSA named it, highlights the stages of identifying hazards and taking action to counter them, rather than the stages of ranking and prioritizing hazards, as the classical approach does.

Flow diagrams, a simple Y/N questionnaire, an Ishikane diagram and some pre-designed easy-to-go-through tables will be the main items used on the approach.

There are five basic steps that set the system: a) Hazards Analysis, b) Hazard Identification, c) Identifying activities that may increase/decrease occurrence of hazard, d) Control Measures, e) Corrective Actions.

There are many notorious differences between EFSA’s plan and the current regulation.

Unlike now, this simplified approach considers that no ranking of the hazards identified is needed. Likewise, record keeping and documentation will not be compulsory –except for those issues with non-compliances or issues that require some work.

Following this simplicity, EFSA proposes to batch every possible hazard in four different groups: biological, chemical, physical and allergen. This way, a butcher won’t have to know if Salmonella can be present on poultry –they will just need to be aware that a biological hazard can occur when receiving the food.

This is just an example of what EFSA published last Monday. If you would like to know more about EFSA’s retailers plan, check out the complete text here or contact us at [email protected]

Article written by Vicente De Pablos, Food Safety Consultant and Managing-Director at TRAZA.

New ways to increase the shelf life of milk

/en , /por

Brazilian agribusiness Agrindus, has increased the shelf life of grade A pasteurised fresh whole milk from seven to 15 days by incorporating silver-based nanoparticles with bactericidal, antimicrobial and self-sterilising properties into the rigid plastic bottles used as packaging for the milk.

Full text

Throw away food? Not any more!

/0 Comentarios/en , /por

A new treatment method for waste products from the production of fruit and vegetables can turn some or all of the products that we usually throw out into delicious and exciting food products

Full text

BEUC new report unveils dishonest meat labels in EU

/0 Comentarios/en , /por

Croquettes containing half the quantity of meat declared on the label, sulphites used to make minced beef look fresher and chicken sold as veal in kebabs are but a few of the deceptive practices unveiled in BEUC’s

Some of these preparations, however, have nothing truly “traditional”. As such, their description –often vague – can capture very similar products manufactured in some other EU countries – so far with less additives.

sold in Belgium (supposedly meeting the description of “breakfast sausages”). Similarly, Spanish and Belgian producers of “hamburguesa” and “hamburger” only need to add 4% vegetable and/or cereals to their product –so that it meets the “burger meat” definition” – to be allowed to use sulphites.

Full text

China: An Overview of the New Food Safety Law

/en , /por

The revisions to the Food Safety Law in China are wide-ranging, imposing stricter controls and supervision on food production and management.

Full text

#honestmeatlabels BEUC new report unveils dishonest meat labels in EU

/0 Comentarios/en , /por

Croquettes containing half the quantity of meat declared on the label, sulphites used to make minced beef look fresher and chicken sold as veal in kebabs are but a few of the deceptive practices unveiled in BEUC’s

Some of these preparations, however, have nothing truly “traditional”. As such, their description –often vague – can capture very similar products manufactured in some other EU countries – so far with less additives.

sold in Belgium (supposedly meeting the description of “breakfast sausages”). Similarly, Spanish and Belgian producers of “hamburguesa” and “hamburger” only need to add 4% vegetable and/or cereals to their product –so that it meets the “burger meat” definition” – to be allowed to use sulphites.

Full text

More plastic packaging can mean less waste, say experts

/en , /por

According to a new research, the use of plastic in food packaging in a smart new way can reduce spoilage in food and drink products, reducing waste.

Full text

EC authorizes recycled hot water to remove microbiological surface contamination from carcases

/en , , /por

The European Commission approved EU regulation 2015/1474 last august concerning the use of recycled hot water to remove microbiological surface contamination from carcases.

Its decission is taken based on a EFSA statement on 2010 according to which «the risk of using recycled hot water is not higher than using drinkable hot water» and its use can have «additional value due to environmental and energy-saving reasons». Therefore, food companies will be able to use recycled hot water to remove microbiological surface from carcase following the next conditions:

  1. Recycled hot water must be obtained from heating and recycling potable water in a closed and separated system.
  2. The recycled water must be submitted to:
    • a minimal heating temperature/time regime before its application on carcases which must ensure compliance with microbiological parameters of the potable water;
    • a renewal regime at the appropriate frequency including, where necessary, skimming of gross particles, filtration and addition of potable water, which must ensure compliance with the chemical parameters of potable water.
  3. The recycled hot water must only be applied on entire carcases or half carcasses of domestic ungulates and farmed game, under controlled and verified conditions.
  4. The recycled hot water must not be applied on carcases with visible faecal contamination.
  5. The application of recycled hot water on carcases must not result in any irreversible physical modification of the meat.
  6. The application of recycled hot water on carcases must be performed before the carcases are placed in the chilling or refrigerating room.
  7. The conditions in points 2 and 3 of this paragraph must be integrated in the procedures based on the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) principles including at least following:
    1. Sampling of carcases for the purpose of assessing compliance within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 must be carried out before the application of recycled hot water on carcases.
    2. The minimal heating temperature/time regime applied to recycled water before its application on carcases must be continuously monitored by instrumental measurements, documented and recorded.
    3. The compliance of the recycled water applied on carcases with the microbiological and chemical parameters set up for potable water must be verified periodically by testing of water, documented and recorded.
    4. The compliance of the recycled water applied on carcases with indicator parameter of Clostridium perfringens set up for potable water be verified by periodic monitoring, documented and recorded.

Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1474