In conjunction with CDC, NEHA is offering this no-cost opportunity to learn about Environmental Public Health Tracking and earn free CEU, CNE, and CHEC.
Visit www.nehacert.org to register and take the course.
For more information, contact Christl Tate at ctate@neha.org or (303)756-9090 x305.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Ping Pong Food Safety Legislation - 12/20/2010
The Senate unanimously approved the Food Safety legislation Sunday evening. It now heads back to the House for another approval and then on to the President. This is the same legislation that they have approved once before, but were unable to get up enough votes the second time because of the taxes and special interest projects that had been attached to it. This bill has been in the danger zone so many times, a health inspector would quarantine it! Let's cross our fingers this time.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
CDC Reports 1 in 6 Get Sick from Foodborne Illnesses Each Year -12/15/2010
New estimates more precise
About 48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The figures are the most accurate to date due to better data and methods used. The data are published Wednesday in two articles in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The papers provide the most accurate picture yet of what foodborne pathogens are causing the most illness, as well as estimating the proportion of foodborne illness without a known cause. The reports are the first comprehensive estimates since 1999 and are CDC's first to estimate illnesses caused solely by foods eaten in the United States.
"We've made progress in better understanding the burden of foodborne illness and unfortunately, far too many people continue to get sick from the food they eat," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D, M.P.H. "These estimates provide valuable information to help CDC and its partners set priorities and further reduce illnesses from food."
CDC's new estimates are lower than in the 1999 report. The difference is largely the result of improvements in the quality and quantity of the data used and new methods used to estimate foodborne-disease. For example, it is now known that most norovirus is not spread by the foodborne route, which has reduced the estimate of foodborne norovirus from 9.2 to approximately 5.5 million cases per year. Because of data and method improvements, the 1999 and current estimates cannot be compared to measure trends.
CDC's FoodNet surveillance system data, which tracks trends among common foodborne pathogens, has documented a decrease of 20 percent in illnesses from key pathogens during the past 10 years. However, these FoodNet pathogens make up only a small proportion of the illnesses included in the new estimates.
Of the total estimate of 48 million illnesses annually, CDC estimates that 9.4 million illnesses are due to 31 known foodborne pathogens. The remaining 38 million illnesses result from unspecified agents, which include known agents without enough data to make specific estimates, agents not yet recognized as causing foodborne illness, and agents not yet discovered. In both the 1999 and current estimates, unspecified agents were responsible for roughly 80 percent of estimated illnesses.
"Foodborne illnesses and deaths are preventable, and as such, are unacceptable," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. "We must, and can, do better by intensifying our efforts to implement measures that are prevention-oriented and science-based. We are moving down this path as quickly as possible under current authorities but eagerly await passage of new food safety legislation that would provide us with new and long overdue tools to further modernize our food safety program."
Among the additional findings for foodborne illness due to known pathogens:
•Salmonella was the leading cause of estimated hospitalizations and deaths, responsible for about 28 percent of deaths and 35 percent of hospitalizations due to known pathogens transmitted by food.
•About 90 percent of estimated illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths were due to seven pathogens: Salmonella, norovirus, Campylobacter, Toxoplasma, E.coli O157, Listeria and Clostridium perfringens.
•Nearly 60 percent of estimated illnesses, but a much smaller proportion of severe illness, was caused by norovirus.
"People expect food to nourish them, not to harm them. So we need to intensify efforts to decrease the number of illnesses and deaths due to foodborne diseases," said Christopher Braden, M.D., director of CDC's Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases. "We now know more than ever what pathogens are causing the most harm, and we will continue our work to help protect people from these illnesses. Much that remains unknown about how and why people get sick and we are committed to learning more in the future."
CDC continues to encourage consumers to take an active role in preventing foodborne infection by following safe food-handling and preparation tips of separating meats and produce while preparing foods, cooking meat and poultry to the right temperatures, promptly chilling leftovers, and avoiding unpasteurized milk and cheese and raw oysters.
The full report is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/eid. For more detailed information on the estimates and methods, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden. To learn more about foodborne illness trends, visit the FoodNet site at http://www.cdc.gov/FoodNet/. To learn about how to prevent foodborne illness, visit http://www.foodsafety.gov.
About 48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The figures are the most accurate to date due to better data and methods used. The data are published Wednesday in two articles in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The papers provide the most accurate picture yet of what foodborne pathogens are causing the most illness, as well as estimating the proportion of foodborne illness without a known cause. The reports are the first comprehensive estimates since 1999 and are CDC's first to estimate illnesses caused solely by foods eaten in the United States.
"We've made progress in better understanding the burden of foodborne illness and unfortunately, far too many people continue to get sick from the food they eat," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D, M.P.H. "These estimates provide valuable information to help CDC and its partners set priorities and further reduce illnesses from food."
CDC's new estimates are lower than in the 1999 report. The difference is largely the result of improvements in the quality and quantity of the data used and new methods used to estimate foodborne-disease. For example, it is now known that most norovirus is not spread by the foodborne route, which has reduced the estimate of foodborne norovirus from 9.2 to approximately 5.5 million cases per year. Because of data and method improvements, the 1999 and current estimates cannot be compared to measure trends.
CDC's FoodNet surveillance system data, which tracks trends among common foodborne pathogens, has documented a decrease of 20 percent in illnesses from key pathogens during the past 10 years. However, these FoodNet pathogens make up only a small proportion of the illnesses included in the new estimates.
Of the total estimate of 48 million illnesses annually, CDC estimates that 9.4 million illnesses are due to 31 known foodborne pathogens. The remaining 38 million illnesses result from unspecified agents, which include known agents without enough data to make specific estimates, agents not yet recognized as causing foodborne illness, and agents not yet discovered. In both the 1999 and current estimates, unspecified agents were responsible for roughly 80 percent of estimated illnesses.
"Foodborne illnesses and deaths are preventable, and as such, are unacceptable," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. "We must, and can, do better by intensifying our efforts to implement measures that are prevention-oriented and science-based. We are moving down this path as quickly as possible under current authorities but eagerly await passage of new food safety legislation that would provide us with new and long overdue tools to further modernize our food safety program."
Among the additional findings for foodborne illness due to known pathogens:
•Salmonella was the leading cause of estimated hospitalizations and deaths, responsible for about 28 percent of deaths and 35 percent of hospitalizations due to known pathogens transmitted by food.
•About 90 percent of estimated illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths were due to seven pathogens: Salmonella, norovirus, Campylobacter, Toxoplasma, E.coli O157, Listeria and Clostridium perfringens.
•Nearly 60 percent of estimated illnesses, but a much smaller proportion of severe illness, was caused by norovirus.
"People expect food to nourish them, not to harm them. So we need to intensify efforts to decrease the number of illnesses and deaths due to foodborne diseases," said Christopher Braden, M.D., director of CDC's Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases. "We now know more than ever what pathogens are causing the most harm, and we will continue our work to help protect people from these illnesses. Much that remains unknown about how and why people get sick and we are committed to learning more in the future."
CDC continues to encourage consumers to take an active role in preventing foodborne infection by following safe food-handling and preparation tips of separating meats and produce while preparing foods, cooking meat and poultry to the right temperatures, promptly chilling leftovers, and avoiding unpasteurized milk and cheese and raw oysters.
The full report is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/eid. For more detailed information on the estimates and methods, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden. To learn more about foodborne illness trends, visit the FoodNet site at http://www.cdc.gov/FoodNet/. To learn about how to prevent foodborne illness, visit http://www.foodsafety.gov.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Be HACCP Ready for New Food Safety Laws
New Legislation in Congress will require more HACCP compliance.
HACCP: Managing Food Safety Hazards at the Retail Level
HACCP: Basics for Processors and Manufacturers
These courses provide you with the necessary steps for writing and implementing a food safety management system based on hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) principles. By developing and implementing a food safety management system like the one suggested, you can take a proactive role in ensuring that the food served or sold in your establishment is safe. Rather than responding to a foodborne illness when it occurs, you can prevent it by taking active steps to eliminate, prevent, or reduce to an acceptable level food safety hazards that cause someone to be sick or injured.
If you already have an existing food safety management system, you may use the concepts in this course to upgrade the system you have in place. Whether you are developing a new food safety management system or merely upgrading the one you currently have, this book encourages operators and regulators of retail and food service to partner together to make the greatest impact on food safety.
This 6-8 hour course is self-paced course is divided into easily digestible modules. Once purchased, you may access the course for 6 months.
2009 / online course / $139 course only
To purchase these courses and for detailed course outline, click here
To purchase NEHA’s Managing Food Safety Hazards at the Retail Level book for printed version to follow course, click here
Monday, December 13, 2010
What to give the environmental health aficienado? - 12/13/2010
A little help for you if you looking for the right gift for anyone in the EH field or anyone wanting to learn more about everything enviromental health.
1. NEHA Bookstore - excellent assortment of topics from Food Safety to Sustainability to Healthy Homes. Order this week and we'll ship the day you order!
2. Credentials - credentials show everyone (bosses included) that you have dedicated yourself to your field. Give yourself a gift - you deserve it! They require a lot of work and studying, but the knowledge gained is invaluable.
3. Study Material - Already know someone who is aiming at the Certified Professional of Food Safety (CP-FS) or the Registered Enviromental Health Specialist (REHS/RS) credentials. There is excellent study material and online courses available.
4. For the Chef in your life - An assortment of food safety training to further their body of knowledge.
1. NEHA Bookstore - excellent assortment of topics from Food Safety to Sustainability to Healthy Homes. Order this week and we'll ship the day you order!
2. Credentials - credentials show everyone (bosses included) that you have dedicated yourself to your field. Give yourself a gift - you deserve it! They require a lot of work and studying, but the knowledge gained is invaluable.
3. Study Material - Already know someone who is aiming at the Certified Professional of Food Safety (CP-FS) or the Registered Enviromental Health Specialist (REHS/RS) credentials. There is excellent study material and online courses available.
4. For the Chef in your life - An assortment of food safety training to further their body of knowledge.
President Obama Signs Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act - 12/13/2010
President Obama Signs Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 Into Law
First Lady Michelle Obama, Administration Officials and Let’s Move! Advocates Reaffirm Commitment to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids
•Read the fact sheet (pdf)
•See a sample school lunch menu (pdf)
“Today is a great day for kids throughout our country as they will soon have healthier, and more nutritious food in their schools. As we continue to focus on the twin issues of childhood obesity and hunger, we will increase access to good, quality meals in school cafeterias so the nutritional needs of our youngsters are better met. The President and First Lady have advocated strongly for passing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, and, this bill, along with the resources and the powers provided under it, are going to allow USDA to be much more effective and aggressive in responding to obesity and hunger challenges for America’s kids.”
- U.S. Secretary Of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is a significant step forward in our effort to help America's children thrive and grow to be healthy adults. Thanks to the dedication of this Congress and First Lady Michelle Obama, more kids will have access to healthy, balanced, nutritious school lunches. By increasing the number of students eligible to enroll in school meal programs and improving the quality of food served, this legislation simultaneously tackles both hunger and the obesity levels currently affecting too many communities across this nation.”
-U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius
"The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes the most significant investment in the National School Lunch program in more than 30 years. I look forward to continuing to work with the First Lady and Secretary Vilsack to combat our national childhood obesity epidemic and increase students access to the nutritional food they need to help them learn.”
- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
“As Vice Chair of the Partnership for a Healthier America, I join President Obama and the First Lady in celebrating the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This bi-partisan legislation will significantly enhance the quality of food for our children for generations to come and is a dramatic step forward in reducing childhood obesity. As a physician, I know smart nutrition leads to healthy and productive lives. With 36.5% of our children in Tennessee being overweight, this act goes a long way in ensuring that kids in Tennessee and around the country will have the healthy nutrition they deserve.”
“As Vice Chair of the Partnership for a Healthier America, I join President Obama and the First Lady in celebrating the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This bi-partisan legislation will significantly enhance the quality of food for our children for generations to come and is a dramatic step forward in reducing childhood obesity. As a physician, I know smart nutrition leads to healthy and productive lives. With 36.5% of our children in Tennessee being overweight, this act goes a long way in ensuring that kids in Tennessee and around the country will have the healthy nutrition they deserve.”
- U.S. Senator Bill Frist (R-TN)
“Childhood and adult obesity are national problems and growing epidemics, but the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will help end this epidemic by improving the quality of food served to our children in schools across the nation. Here in Newark, we are defeating childhood and adult obesity, by partnering with organizations and community leaders to create local-based change that empowers families, neighborhoods and youth to embrace a healthier lifestyle. I applaud First Lady Michelle Obama’s commitment to the children of our city and across the country.”
- Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark, New Jersey
“On behalf of Mission: Readiness and over 100 retired generals and admirals who support child nutrition legislation as a matter of national security, we are very pleased that the nation has taken this important step in addressing the nation’s obesity epidemic. Being overweight or obese is the No. 1 medical reason why young men and women are unable to join the military. Research shows that up to 40 percent of what children consume every day takes place during school hours and that 80 percent of children who were overweight between the ages of 10 to 15 were obese by age 25. The final bill includes provisions that can get junk food out of schools, nourish more kids who need healthful meals and motivate them and their parents to adopt healthful eating and exercise habits. Military concerns about the fitness of American children are not new. When the National School Lunch Act was first passed in 1946, it was seen as a matter of national security. At the time many military leaders recognized that poor nutrition was a significant factor reducing the pool of qualified candidates for service. Our country is facing another serious health crisis. Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our military. We must act, as we did after World War II, to ensure that our children can one day defend our country, if need be.”
-Retired Army Generals John M. Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton, Former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
“Congratulations to First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and to the bi-partisan support in the Congress to pass the Healthy, Hunger Free Children Act. By passing a bill that addresses the nutritional quality of school lunches, an important step is being taken to give children choices that will make them healthier and more productive.”
-Mike Huckabee, Governor of Arkansas 1996-2007
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes significant progress toward ending child hunger and obesity by expanding access to federal child nutrition programs and improving the nutritional value they provide. In addition to reauthorizing federal child nutrition programs, the act will help address childhood obesity by reducing the fat and calorie content of school meals. Reversing the childhood obesity epidemic in a single generation – as First Lady Michelle Obama has called upon our nation to do – won’t be easy. It will require a long-term, sustained commitment to attacking this issue across multiple fronts. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes great strides toward eliminating this threat to our children's health.”
- O. Marion Burton, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
“The historic signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act helps schools become part of the solution to the childhood obesity epidemic. It is a victory for American parents working to make sure their kids grow up healthy, and for schools wanting to provide students with more nutritious meals and a healthier environment. With the implementation of this law, our nation's kids will be less likely to grow up with early risk factors for heart disease and stroke.”
-Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer, American Heart Association
“Today marks a major step forward in efforts to prevent both childhood obesity and hunger among our nation’s children. The signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law is a long-awaited victory for the 31 million students who participate in federal school meal programs. By giving the USDA the authority to update standards for all foods and beverages in schools, this new law says unhealthy foods have no place in our nation’s schools. And schools finally will have more resources to serve nutritious and appealing meals.”
- Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
“Getting junk food out of schools has been ten years in the making. This bill is a historic step toward reducing childhood obesity and helping parents' feed their children better. It's the result of the hard work of many, but would not have passed without this Administration. The President's leadership and First Lady's tireless advocacy brought the child nutrition bill back to life a number of times as it made its way through Congress.”
-Margo G. Wootan, Director of Nutrition Policy, Center for Science in the Public Interest
“The School Nutrition Association joins families nationwide in thanking President Obama, the First Lady and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for their sustained efforts to pass child nutrition reauthorization and expand children’s access to healthy school meals. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act recognizes the importance of school meals to the health and academic success of America’s children and gives school nutrition programs critical resources to bring more fresh produce, whole grains and low-fat dairy products into cafeterias. School nutrition professionals look forward to working with the Administration, parents, principals and community leaders to meet new nutrition standards for school meals and explore new avenues for promoting healthy lifestyles for our children.”
- Nancy Rice, M.Ed., RD, LD, SNS, President, School Nutrition Association (SNA)
“The provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will support efforts already underway in Dallas. The additional funding will help with continuing to improve our school meals and creating a healthier school environment. We appreciate the fact that child nutrition has been placed as a high priority by the First Lady and the President. New USDA meal patterns and professional standards will assure improved quality child nutrition programs for our children which in turn will support student academic performance in the classroom.”
-Dora Rivas, MS, RD, SNS, Executive Director, Food & Child Nutrition Services, Dallas Independent School District
“Our kids aren’t hungry because we lack food or because of a lack of food and nutrition programs. They are hungry because they lack access to programs that provide the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive. I would like to thank the President and First Lady for making Child Nutrition a top priority. Through their leadership and commitment we now have the first significant change in school meals in thirty years. This legislation is historic and will allow me to continue to offer more real foods to the kids in our schools.”
- Timothy Cipriano, Executive Director of Food Services, New Haven Public Schools
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signals a deep commitment to our nation's children and provides increased access to the food and nutrition programs that often go underutilized. Our kids aren't hungry because we lack food or because of a lack of food and nutrition programs. They are hungry because they lack access to the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive. The First Lady’s persistence made all the difference between this legislation’s good intentions and its becoming the law of the land.”
-Bill Shore, Founder and Executive Director, Share Our Strength
“This bill is an acknowledgement that in a nation as bountiful as ours, no child should worry about when their next meal will be. We are grateful for the hard work of our coalition partners, the White House, and Congress.”
-Rabbi Steve Gutow, President, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Co-Chair Fighting Poverty with Faith
"This bill is an exciting victory for hungry children. After a largely gridlocked year, passage of this bill is a positive sign that Congress can work together in the best interests of Americans."
-Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
“This critical legislation ensures that more of our nation’s children have access to healthy nutritious food and reaffirms our commitment as a nation to addressing the problem of childhood hunger. It is unacceptable that one in four children in poverty in America are hungry. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is an essential step in helping the 43.6 million American families who struggle every day to feed their children.”
- Father Larry Snyder, President, Catholic Charities USA, Co-chair Fighting Poverty with Faith
“Today's signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is something to celebrate, whether you are one of the 31 million schoolchildren who stand to benefit from it, or their parents, or America’s farmers. The bill establishes sensible nutrition standards for the food sold in school that will help push the junk food out of the building and make it easier for kids to have access to a nutritious meal or snack in school. The increase in funding for school lunch may be modest, yet it is also the first such increase in sixty years—a long-overdue recognition of the importance of the school lunch program in assuring the health of our children. The bill also recognizes the value of linking farms directly to schools as a way to get the freshest, tastiest vegetables and fruits into the cafeteria—a boon to both children and local farmers. The bill represents an important achievement for the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign, and the First Lady and her team are to be congratulated. It is also a victory for all the grass roots organizations and activists who work so hard to improve access to healthy food for everyone. There is still much to be done, but what has happened today marks a significant step forward, toward a food system that puts the health of our children first.”
–Michael Pollan, Author and Journalism Professor
“The way we feed our children today will dictate the country we have tomorrow. This was much more than a bipartisan effort. With the First Lady’s leadership, parents, teachers, child advocates and chefs all helped to pass a bill that will provide a children with what should be a fundamental right: the right to be fed in a healthy way. While I am happy we were able to squeeze a few more dollars for school lunch programs, I think we can do better. We need to band together on these issues to make sure we don’t shortchange our kids.”
- José Andrés, Principal, Think Food Group
“From the First Lady’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative to the President’s Childhood Nutrition bill, the Obama Administration has instigated a much-needed attitude change towards proper nutrition. As a chef and as a mother of four, I understand the importance of providing my own children with wholesome meals and firmly believe that all of our nation’s children should be afforded the same opportunity to grow up healthy which is why this legislation is so important.”
-Cat Cora, Founder, “Chefs for Humanity” and UNICEF spokesperson
“I am pleased to support President and Mrs. Obama and the efforts of their Administration in securing healthier nutrition for this nation's children. We still have much work to do to guarantee that all Americans have access to adequate, high-quality food, but the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is an important first step in that direction."
-Tom Colicchio, Chef/Restaurateur and Host of Top Chef
First Lady Michelle Obama, Administration Officials and Let’s Move! Advocates Reaffirm Commitment to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids
•Read the fact sheet (pdf)
•See a sample school lunch menu (pdf)
“Today is a great day for kids throughout our country as they will soon have healthier, and more nutritious food in their schools. As we continue to focus on the twin issues of childhood obesity and hunger, we will increase access to good, quality meals in school cafeterias so the nutritional needs of our youngsters are better met. The President and First Lady have advocated strongly for passing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, and, this bill, along with the resources and the powers provided under it, are going to allow USDA to be much more effective and aggressive in responding to obesity and hunger challenges for America’s kids.”
- U.S. Secretary Of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is a significant step forward in our effort to help America's children thrive and grow to be healthy adults. Thanks to the dedication of this Congress and First Lady Michelle Obama, more kids will have access to healthy, balanced, nutritious school lunches. By increasing the number of students eligible to enroll in school meal programs and improving the quality of food served, this legislation simultaneously tackles both hunger and the obesity levels currently affecting too many communities across this nation.”
-U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius
"The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes the most significant investment in the National School Lunch program in more than 30 years. I look forward to continuing to work with the First Lady and Secretary Vilsack to combat our national childhood obesity epidemic and increase students access to the nutritional food they need to help them learn.”
- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
“As Vice Chair of the Partnership for a Healthier America, I join President Obama and the First Lady in celebrating the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This bi-partisan legislation will significantly enhance the quality of food for our children for generations to come and is a dramatic step forward in reducing childhood obesity. As a physician, I know smart nutrition leads to healthy and productive lives. With 36.5% of our children in Tennessee being overweight, this act goes a long way in ensuring that kids in Tennessee and around the country will have the healthy nutrition they deserve.”
“As Vice Chair of the Partnership for a Healthier America, I join President Obama and the First Lady in celebrating the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This bi-partisan legislation will significantly enhance the quality of food for our children for generations to come and is a dramatic step forward in reducing childhood obesity. As a physician, I know smart nutrition leads to healthy and productive lives. With 36.5% of our children in Tennessee being overweight, this act goes a long way in ensuring that kids in Tennessee and around the country will have the healthy nutrition they deserve.”
- U.S. Senator Bill Frist (R-TN)
“Childhood and adult obesity are national problems and growing epidemics, but the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will help end this epidemic by improving the quality of food served to our children in schools across the nation. Here in Newark, we are defeating childhood and adult obesity, by partnering with organizations and community leaders to create local-based change that empowers families, neighborhoods and youth to embrace a healthier lifestyle. I applaud First Lady Michelle Obama’s commitment to the children of our city and across the country.”
- Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark, New Jersey
“On behalf of Mission: Readiness and over 100 retired generals and admirals who support child nutrition legislation as a matter of national security, we are very pleased that the nation has taken this important step in addressing the nation’s obesity epidemic. Being overweight or obese is the No. 1 medical reason why young men and women are unable to join the military. Research shows that up to 40 percent of what children consume every day takes place during school hours and that 80 percent of children who were overweight between the ages of 10 to 15 were obese by age 25. The final bill includes provisions that can get junk food out of schools, nourish more kids who need healthful meals and motivate them and their parents to adopt healthful eating and exercise habits. Military concerns about the fitness of American children are not new. When the National School Lunch Act was first passed in 1946, it was seen as a matter of national security. At the time many military leaders recognized that poor nutrition was a significant factor reducing the pool of qualified candidates for service. Our country is facing another serious health crisis. Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our military. We must act, as we did after World War II, to ensure that our children can one day defend our country, if need be.”
-Retired Army Generals John M. Shalikashvili and Hugh Shelton, Former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
“Congratulations to First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and to the bi-partisan support in the Congress to pass the Healthy, Hunger Free Children Act. By passing a bill that addresses the nutritional quality of school lunches, an important step is being taken to give children choices that will make them healthier and more productive.”
-Mike Huckabee, Governor of Arkansas 1996-2007
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes significant progress toward ending child hunger and obesity by expanding access to federal child nutrition programs and improving the nutritional value they provide. In addition to reauthorizing federal child nutrition programs, the act will help address childhood obesity by reducing the fat and calorie content of school meals. Reversing the childhood obesity epidemic in a single generation – as First Lady Michelle Obama has called upon our nation to do – won’t be easy. It will require a long-term, sustained commitment to attacking this issue across multiple fronts. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act makes great strides toward eliminating this threat to our children's health.”
- O. Marion Burton, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics
“The historic signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act helps schools become part of the solution to the childhood obesity epidemic. It is a victory for American parents working to make sure their kids grow up healthy, and for schools wanting to provide students with more nutritious meals and a healthier environment. With the implementation of this law, our nation's kids will be less likely to grow up with early risk factors for heart disease and stroke.”
-Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer, American Heart Association
“Today marks a major step forward in efforts to prevent both childhood obesity and hunger among our nation’s children. The signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law is a long-awaited victory for the 31 million students who participate in federal school meal programs. By giving the USDA the authority to update standards for all foods and beverages in schools, this new law says unhealthy foods have no place in our nation’s schools. And schools finally will have more resources to serve nutritious and appealing meals.”
- Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
“Getting junk food out of schools has been ten years in the making. This bill is a historic step toward reducing childhood obesity and helping parents' feed their children better. It's the result of the hard work of many, but would not have passed without this Administration. The President's leadership and First Lady's tireless advocacy brought the child nutrition bill back to life a number of times as it made its way through Congress.”
-Margo G. Wootan, Director of Nutrition Policy, Center for Science in the Public Interest
“The School Nutrition Association joins families nationwide in thanking President Obama, the First Lady and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for their sustained efforts to pass child nutrition reauthorization and expand children’s access to healthy school meals. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act recognizes the importance of school meals to the health and academic success of America’s children and gives school nutrition programs critical resources to bring more fresh produce, whole grains and low-fat dairy products into cafeterias. School nutrition professionals look forward to working with the Administration, parents, principals and community leaders to meet new nutrition standards for school meals and explore new avenues for promoting healthy lifestyles for our children.”
- Nancy Rice, M.Ed., RD, LD, SNS, President, School Nutrition Association (SNA)
“The provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will support efforts already underway in Dallas. The additional funding will help with continuing to improve our school meals and creating a healthier school environment. We appreciate the fact that child nutrition has been placed as a high priority by the First Lady and the President. New USDA meal patterns and professional standards will assure improved quality child nutrition programs for our children which in turn will support student academic performance in the classroom.”
-Dora Rivas, MS, RD, SNS, Executive Director, Food & Child Nutrition Services, Dallas Independent School District
“Our kids aren’t hungry because we lack food or because of a lack of food and nutrition programs. They are hungry because they lack access to programs that provide the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive. I would like to thank the President and First Lady for making Child Nutrition a top priority. Through their leadership and commitment we now have the first significant change in school meals in thirty years. This legislation is historic and will allow me to continue to offer more real foods to the kids in our schools.”
- Timothy Cipriano, Executive Director of Food Services, New Haven Public Schools
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signals a deep commitment to our nation's children and provides increased access to the food and nutrition programs that often go underutilized. Our kids aren't hungry because we lack food or because of a lack of food and nutrition programs. They are hungry because they lack access to the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive. The First Lady’s persistence made all the difference between this legislation’s good intentions and its becoming the law of the land.”
-Bill Shore, Founder and Executive Director, Share Our Strength
“This bill is an acknowledgement that in a nation as bountiful as ours, no child should worry about when their next meal will be. We are grateful for the hard work of our coalition partners, the White House, and Congress.”
-Rabbi Steve Gutow, President, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Co-Chair Fighting Poverty with Faith
"This bill is an exciting victory for hungry children. After a largely gridlocked year, passage of this bill is a positive sign that Congress can work together in the best interests of Americans."
-Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
“This critical legislation ensures that more of our nation’s children have access to healthy nutritious food and reaffirms our commitment as a nation to addressing the problem of childhood hunger. It is unacceptable that one in four children in poverty in America are hungry. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is an essential step in helping the 43.6 million American families who struggle every day to feed their children.”
- Father Larry Snyder, President, Catholic Charities USA, Co-chair Fighting Poverty with Faith
“Today's signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is something to celebrate, whether you are one of the 31 million schoolchildren who stand to benefit from it, or their parents, or America’s farmers. The bill establishes sensible nutrition standards for the food sold in school that will help push the junk food out of the building and make it easier for kids to have access to a nutritious meal or snack in school. The increase in funding for school lunch may be modest, yet it is also the first such increase in sixty years—a long-overdue recognition of the importance of the school lunch program in assuring the health of our children. The bill also recognizes the value of linking farms directly to schools as a way to get the freshest, tastiest vegetables and fruits into the cafeteria—a boon to both children and local farmers. The bill represents an important achievement for the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign, and the First Lady and her team are to be congratulated. It is also a victory for all the grass roots organizations and activists who work so hard to improve access to healthy food for everyone. There is still much to be done, but what has happened today marks a significant step forward, toward a food system that puts the health of our children first.”
–Michael Pollan, Author and Journalism Professor
“The way we feed our children today will dictate the country we have tomorrow. This was much more than a bipartisan effort. With the First Lady’s leadership, parents, teachers, child advocates and chefs all helped to pass a bill that will provide a children with what should be a fundamental right: the right to be fed in a healthy way. While I am happy we were able to squeeze a few more dollars for school lunch programs, I think we can do better. We need to band together on these issues to make sure we don’t shortchange our kids.”
- José Andrés, Principal, Think Food Group
“From the First Lady’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative to the President’s Childhood Nutrition bill, the Obama Administration has instigated a much-needed attitude change towards proper nutrition. As a chef and as a mother of four, I understand the importance of providing my own children with wholesome meals and firmly believe that all of our nation’s children should be afforded the same opportunity to grow up healthy which is why this legislation is so important.”
-Cat Cora, Founder, “Chefs for Humanity” and UNICEF spokesperson
“I am pleased to support President and Mrs. Obama and the efforts of their Administration in securing healthier nutrition for this nation's children. We still have much work to do to guarantee that all Americans have access to adequate, high-quality food, but the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is an important first step in that direction."
-Tom Colicchio, Chef/Restaurateur and Host of Top Chef
Friday, December 10, 2010
New FDA Emergency Report Phone Number - 12/10/2010
Office of Emergency Operations has moved to FDA’s White Oak Campus
As of December 10, 2010, the former FDA 24-hour emergency number, 301-443-1240, will be disconnected. The new numbers for the Office of Emergency Operations will be 1-866-300-4374 or 301-796-8240.
These numbers can be used to report the following types of problems to FDA:
A serious, life-threatening event involving an FDA-regulated product, i.e., foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics, human drugs, animal drugs, medical devices, biological products, and radiation-emitting electronic products
Requests from medical professionals for approval for the use of an emergency investigational new drug, device or biologic.
Notifications to FDA from government agents acting in an official capacity about an urgent matter.
Reports of an emergency involving an FDA employee or an FDA employee's family member.
Reports of a non-life threatening adverse reaction to an FDA-regulated product that requires immediate reporting.
As of December 10, 2010, the former FDA 24-hour emergency number, 301-443-1240, will be disconnected. The new numbers for the Office of Emergency Operations will be 1-866-300-4374 or 301-796-8240.
These numbers can be used to report the following types of problems to FDA:
A serious, life-threatening event involving an FDA-regulated product, i.e., foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics, human drugs, animal drugs, medical devices, biological products, and radiation-emitting electronic products
Requests from medical professionals for approval for the use of an emergency investigational new drug, device or biologic.
Notifications to FDA from government agents acting in an official capacity about an urgent matter.
Reports of an emergency involving an FDA employee or an FDA employee's family member.
Reports of a non-life threatening adverse reaction to an FDA-regulated product that requires immediate reporting.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Food Protection Taskforce Webcast 12/01/2010
Food Protection Taskforce Webcast
December 2, 2010 (Thursday) at 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Please join FDA’s Division of Federal-State Relations on Thursday, December 2, 2010, from 2:00-3:30 pm EST as we host our first live webcast concerning the Food Protection Taskforces.
The Food Protection Taskforce Conference Grant program, funded by the Division of Federal-State Relations, supports meetings that foster communication, cooperation, and collaboration among all stakeholders of the food protection system: regulatory agencies, academia, industry, consumers, state legislators, boards of health and agriculture, in an effort to enhance food safety and defense capabilities. Twenty-seven states currently receive the grant award up to $10,000.
Participants will include the Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Dara Corrigan, Joe Reardon, Director, Division of Federal-State Relations, and Mike Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods. This webcast will also feature representatives of Food Protection Taskforces from Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Indiana who will discuss topics including, but not limited to:
· Value and effectiveness of Taskforces within food safety system
· Structure; how to market and promote membership of Taskforces
· Expectations of the Taskforce and its members
To participate in the webcast, follow the link: Taskforce Webcast. (Please note this link will only be live 30 minutes prior to 2:00 PM EST on December 2.) For Closed Captioning, click on the link in the upper right hand corner. For those unable to watch the event live, it will also be recorded and made available for viewing on the Internet at a later date.
If you are unable to view the Webcast via the Internet, there are a limited number of phone lines set up where you will be in listening mode only. Call-in number: Toll Free: 1-888-843-6167, Participant Passcode: 6328674, then press the # key. You may email your questions to: tvquestion@cdrh.fda.gov.
For technical assistance during the Webcast, please call: 1-888-626-8730.
For questions, contact: catherine.mcdermott@fda.hhs.gov.
Below are the system requirements for the best presentation viewing experience. We urge that everyone visit the "test link" below prior to December 2 to ensure their computer is capable of viewing the webcast.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mediasite Requirements:
Test Link: http://fda.yorkcast.com/webcast/Viewer/?peid=923be54452164da89862c1e41bfaa042The following system requirements for the best presentation viewing experience with Mediasite Viewer:
Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, or Windows Vista
Minimum display resolution of 800 x 600
Windows-compatible sound card
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 and later
Windows Media Player 9.0 and later
Broadband Internet connection (256k minimum)
Java versions 1.2 and later (for captioning)
December 2, 2010 (Thursday) at 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Please join FDA’s Division of Federal-State Relations on Thursday, December 2, 2010, from 2:00-3:30 pm EST as we host our first live webcast concerning the Food Protection Taskforces.
The Food Protection Taskforce Conference Grant program, funded by the Division of Federal-State Relations, supports meetings that foster communication, cooperation, and collaboration among all stakeholders of the food protection system: regulatory agencies, academia, industry, consumers, state legislators, boards of health and agriculture, in an effort to enhance food safety and defense capabilities. Twenty-seven states currently receive the grant award up to $10,000.
Participants will include the Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Dara Corrigan, Joe Reardon, Director, Division of Federal-State Relations, and Mike Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods. This webcast will also feature representatives of Food Protection Taskforces from Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Indiana who will discuss topics including, but not limited to:
· Value and effectiveness of Taskforces within food safety system
· Structure; how to market and promote membership of Taskforces
· Expectations of the Taskforce and its members
To participate in the webcast, follow the link: Taskforce Webcast. (Please note this link will only be live 30 minutes prior to 2:00 PM EST on December 2.) For Closed Captioning, click on the link in the upper right hand corner. For those unable to watch the event live, it will also be recorded and made available for viewing on the Internet at a later date.
If you are unable to view the Webcast via the Internet, there are a limited number of phone lines set up where you will be in listening mode only. Call-in number: Toll Free: 1-888-843-6167, Participant Passcode: 6328674, then press the # key. You may email your questions to: tvquestion@cdrh.fda.gov.
For technical assistance during the Webcast, please call: 1-888-626-8730.
For questions, contact: catherine.mcdermott@fda.hhs.gov.
Below are the system requirements for the best presentation viewing experience. We urge that everyone visit the "test link" below prior to December 2 to ensure their computer is capable of viewing the webcast.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mediasite Requirements:
Test Link: http://fda.yorkcast.com/webcast/Viewer/?peid=923be54452164da89862c1e41bfaa042The following system requirements for the best presentation viewing experience with Mediasite Viewer:
Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, or Windows Vista
Minimum display resolution of 800 x 600
Windows-compatible sound card
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 and later
Windows Media Player 9.0 and later
Broadband Internet connection (256k minimum)
Java versions 1.2 and later (for captioning)
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