Tag: recalls

Is Your Food Safe? (non-US English-speakers)

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kitchen scene with a person washing fresh vegetables
Food Safety

In Is Your Food Safe? (US) we discussed the three main departments that help keep food safe in the United States. Other countries have similar programs in place. We’ll cover English-speaking countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. If you would like to submit information on non-English-speaking countries, please contact us!

United Kingdom

In the UK, three main organizations help keep food safe, both for humans and pets: the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

  • Food Standards Agency (FSA):
    The FSA makes sure food is safe to eat, properly labeled, and handled the right way. It also works with local authorities to check shops and restaurants.
    The FSA website has easy-to-read food safety information, including alerts and recalls.
  • Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra):
    Defra helps oversee farming, food production, and animal welfare. It works to keep the food supply safe and reliable.
  • UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA):
    UKHSA studies and tracks food-related illnesses. It looks into outbreaks and helps stop them from spreading.

Canada

Three main organizations help keep food safe in Canada: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Health Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

  • Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA):
    CFIA checks food products, enforces safety rules, and makes sure labels are correct. It also handles recalls.
  • Health Canada:
    Health Canada sets the rules for food safety. It decides what is safe to use in food and how it should be labeled.
  • Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC):
    PHAC tracks foodborne illness and investigates outbreaks. It works with local health groups to respond quickly.

Australia

Three main groups help keep food safe in Australia: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and state and territory health departments.

New Zealand

Food safety in New Zealand is mainly handled by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), and local public health services.

  • Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ):
    FSANZ sets the rules for food safety, including labeling and ingredients.
    FSANZ provides food safety information and recall notices for the public.
  • Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI):
    MPI makes sure food is safe to eat. It oversees food production, imports, and exports, and manages recalls.
    MPI provides simple food safety guidance and a list of recalls for consumers.
  • National Public Health Service (NPHS): NPHS is responsible for preventing illness and disease, protecting population health, and promoting wellbeing and hauora. NPHS has teams in all regions of Aotearoa New Zealand.
  • Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora:
    Local health services track foodborne illness and respond to outbreaks.

U.S. Food Safety

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kitchen scene with a person washing fresh vegetables
Food Safety

In the United States, several government agencies work together to help keep people safe from foodborne illnesses and unsafe products. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each have different jobs related to food safety. The sections below explain what each agency does and list recent recalls.

  • Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS):
    FSIS is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It makes sure meat, poultry, and egg products are safe to eat, healthy, and labeled and packaged the right way.
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
    The FDA protects people’s health by making sure most foods are safe, clean, and labeled correctly. The FDA also checks that medicines, vaccines, medical devices, cosmetics, and supplements are safe. It also regulates tobacco and protects people from harmful radiation.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
    The CDC studies and tracks food-related illnesses. It investigates outbreaks and works to stop them from spreading. The CDC also helps state and local health departments improve how they detect and respond to foodborne illnesses.

FoodSafety.gov is a consumer-friendly gateway to the food safety information provided by these government agencies. The Recalls and Outbreaks page has a list of recent recalls, duplicated below:

Current Food Safety Recalls

U.S. Pet Food Recalls

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Despite pet food companies emphasis on quality foods for pets, things can go wrong. Here is a list of recent recalls collected from around the web.

Is Your Food Safe? (US)

~ Mr. Breeze ~ 1 Comment
kitchen scene with a person washing fresh vegetables
Food Safety

Three main departments help keep food – both for humans and pets – safe in the United States: FSIS, FDA, and CDC.

  • Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS):
    FSIS is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It makes sure meat, poultry, and egg products are safe to eat, healthy, and labeled and packaged the right way.
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
    The FDA protects people’s health by making sure most foods are safe, clean, and labeled correctly. (FSIS handles meat, poultry, and some egg products.) The FDA also checks that medicines, vaccines, medical devices, cosmetics, and supplements are safe. It also regulates tobacco and protects people from harmful radiation.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
    The CDC studies and tracks food-related illnesses. It investigates outbreaks and works to stop them from spreading. The CDC also helps state and local health departments improve how they detect and respond to foodborne illnesses.

FoodSafety.gov is a consumer-friendly gateway to the food safety information provided by these government agencies. The Recalls and Outbreaks page has a list of recent recalls, duplicated below:

Food Safety Recalls