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Over the years, there have been a significant number of Africa's food exports rejected at the European Union (EU) borders due to their non-compliance with EU food safety standards. This paper, therefore, provides an in-depth investigation of the potential causes of the non-compliance of Africa's food exports to EU food standards and the subsequent rejection of such food exports at its borders. We contribute to the literature by investigating the roles played by trade facilitation measures and institutions in food export rejections and also exclusively provide a more detailed analysis and specific evidence at the product level. Our results indicate that poor trade facilitation measures, particularly inefficient border and food logistics procedures in African countries, increase the incidence of food rejection at the EU border and add to Africa's challenges in accessing EU markets. Thus, non-compliance with EU food safety standards can be addressed by African governments through the strengthening of their domestic institutions and trade facilitation measures, with policies that improve logistics and border procedures as well as measures that align their food standards to international ones. This will ensure an efficient food supply chain that meets international food safety standards and facilitates food trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Establishment Salmonella share relative to own mean predicts recalls better than Salmonella share. • Salmonella shares at ground beef standard makes establishment 12 percent more likely to have recall. • Establishments with multiple recalls have high Salmonella shares and may need a food safety audit by FSIS. • Typical ground beef establishments with recalls have Salmonella shares 80 percent greater than the mean. • Establishments with firm initiated recalls or are small have industry average Salmonella shares. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) initiated 1,073 recalls of meat and poultry products that could cause severe illness or death over 2000–2019. These recalls led to substantial drops in demand that vary by the characteristics of the recall (Zhou and Liu, 2023) and incentivized firms to invest in food safety (Ollinger and Houser, 2020). Following Zhou and Liu (2023) and Ollinger and Houser (2020) , this paper examines differences in food safety process control for establishments with different recall characteristics and contrasts that performance with establishments without recalls. Results show that (1) Salmonella share relative to an establishment's own mean Salmonella share outperforms Salmonella share alone in estimating the likelihood of a recall, (2) 27 percent rather than 12 percent of establishments would have failed to meet the Salmonella standard if a proposed but not yet mandated more stringent standard had been in effect, and (3) most establishments return to normal operating conditions after a recall, but establishments with multiple recalls struggle to regain control of food safety, suggesting they may benefit from an audit of their food safety systems by FSIS or an auditor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Food Safety and Modernization Act rules require that food producers implement and validate processes that sufficiently reduce the risk of known hazards, such as those posed by microbial pathogens. Investments in food safety technology choices are ultimately business decisions, and current decision-making methods make it difficult to quantify financial value associated with food safety risk reduction. Predicted financial loss is a tangible way to quantify how a recall might affect the manufacturer. The hypothesis of this study was that class I recalls of low-moisture foods due to the presence of microbial pathogens have a significant negative economic impact on the affected manufacturers, which can be quantified in terms of loss in market capitalization. Financial impacts of the recalls were analyzed over a 10-year period by computing the cumulative abnormal return (CAR) in stock values over a recall event period for 22 low-moisture foods made by publicly held companies. Abnormal returns were aggregated over an event window (0 to 20 days) to compute the CAR, which was multiplied by prerecall market capitalization to compute monetary losses due to the recall event. The CARs for a 20-day postrecall period were −26.5 to 8.4%, with a mean of −5.1%. These CARs translated to a median loss in corporate value due to a recall of $243 million for the recall events analyzed in this study. If implementation of a food safety technology could reduce risk of a recall by fivefold, the mean annual economic benefit would be >$2 million in reduced risk for companies such as those included in the study. Such analyses can positively impact business decisions to invest in food safety technologies. Class I recalls of low-moisture foods are economically important events. Mean corporate value declined significantly over the 20 days postrecall. Reductions in recall risk could be monetized as benefits of food safety investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of undeclared allergens represents a matter of great concern, being the subject of many alert notifications by the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed portal of the European Commission, often leading to food recalls. The availability of reliable analytical approaches able to detect and quantify hidden allergens in processed foods is increasingly requested by the food industry, food safety authorities and regulatory bodies to protect sensitive consumers' health. The present review discusses the fundamental role of incurred materials for method development and analytical performance assessment in a metrology perspective on testing for undeclared allergens in processed foodstuffs. Due to the nature of the analytes and their susceptibility to various processing effects, reliability and comparability of results have posed a great challenge. In this context, the use of incurred samples as reference materials permits simulation of the effects of food processing on target analyte structure affecting analyte extractability and detectability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food Allergy Awareness Week was created with the purpose of placing a spotlight on the seriousness of food allergies. Recognized in the United States in mid-May every year, Food Allergy Awareness Week serves as a reminder of the over 15 million Americans who suffer from food allergies. The importance of allergies and allergen labeling can be seen when looking at U.S. Food and Drug Administration recall data: of the 764 recalls in 2016, 305 (representing more than 40%) were due to undeclared allergens. However, recalls for undeclared allergens are a complex issue with numerous factors. The implementation of prevention-based systems with the necessary management components and further errorproofing the systems, along with allergen awareness embedded throughout a company's food safety culture, can likely help reduce the number of recalls for undeclared allergens. As a resource to manufacturers, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program have developed several resources to assist with developing robust allergen management programs. By reducing the number of recalls for undeclared allergens, the food industry will likely increase and maintain consumer confidence and trust of the food-allergic community. This enhanced consumer confidence and trust could eventually open the door for further collaboration with the food-allergic community and, potentially, advance allergen-related policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undeclared allergen(s) in commercial food products are responsible for many food recalls, as reported by regulatory agencies in various countries, including the United States. Correct allergen labeling practices are essential for the safety of food-allergic consumers. However, this practice may be hindered by the introduction of allergens all along the food supply chain, including unintentionally through cross-contact. To understand the pervasiveness of undeclared allergen(s) in commercial food products, the objective of this review is to summarize the prevalence of undeclared milk, egg, hazelnut, peanut, soy, and gluten as detected by ELISA from previously published surveys. The prevalence of undeclared allergen(s) in products with or without an advisory statement was also summarized and compared. As compiled by this review, there are some food categories that may be at higher risk for containing undeclared allergen(s). However, the data on prevalence and amount of allergen present may vary widely within any particular allergen or food category. Factors, such as food survey product selection, geography, awareness of allergen/gluten issues, and/or the choice of ELISA method, may be responsible for such differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a food company faces recalls, their crisis communicators need to direct their message to those most likely to be affected- consumers and provide them with information on how to deal with the recall. The study here by Monique Farmer and Ming Wang demonstrates that a focus on "instructional messaging" correlates with a positive tone in newspaper coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food recalls have been an issue of great concern in the food industry. Stakeholder responses to food safety scares can cause significant economic losses for food firms. Assessing the overall impact that may result from a food recall requires a thorough understanding of the costs incurred by firms. However, a direct measurement of a firm’s total private costs and losses of revenue associated with a food recall requires firm-level data that is not available. The method utilized in this study overcomes this limitation. Using an event study, the impact of meat and poultry recalls is quantified by analyzing price reactions in financial markets. A unique contribution of this study is evaluating whether recall and firm specific characteristics are economic drivers of the magnitude of impact of recalls on stock prices. On average, shareholders’ wealth is reduced by 1.15 percent, equivalently to $109 million, within 5 days after a firm is implicated in a recall involving a serious food safety hazard. However, when recalls involve less severe hazards, stock markets do not react negatively. Firm size, firm’s experience handling a recall, media information and recall size are drivers of the economic impact of meat and poultry recalls. Findings from this study provide essential information to the meat industry. In particular, understanding the likely impact of food recall events is critical for firms investing in food safety technologies and protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Traceability in the Mexican dairy processing industry was studied to understand drivers behind its implementation. A questionnaire was applied to 33 plants. Data were analyzed using univariate and tabulate procedures of SAS. All plants operated Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, ISO or other food safety system. The 85.7% of respondents had traceability operating. Motivations to implement traceability were legal responsibility, and risks/worries of product recall; the enterprise problems were lack of supplier and customer feedback, and ability to manufacture new products; among benefits were regulatory requirements met, enterprises' image and reduced product recall/withdrawal. Economic and market reasons are important for traceability systems of the Mexican dairy processing industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Given the importance of traceability in domestic and international markets, especially the quality of raw materials used in the food processing sector, this study reports the first baseline information for the Mexican dairy processing sector. The results will allow improving the traceability systems in order to have a better market positioning both in the domestic and international markets. A higher number of Mexican suppliers could be incorporated into this food chain, because the most important quality requirements to be met will be available for this group of enterprises that process dairy products. Another impact is to determine the consumer preference, and a better positioning in foreign markets that require traceability systems in dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing frequency of product recalls within the agri-food industry has led many to question food safety. Research studies also often focus on biological hazards without considering how past, present and emerging risks change over time. We undertake a systematic review of the different biological, operational and chemical hazards within the agri-food industry using a dataset of 2070 registered food recalls in the USA, UK and Republic of Ireland between 2004 and 2010. We show product recalls have become more frequent over time and operational hazards, rather than biological and chemical hazards, are the most frequent recall type within the agri-food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International masterbatch major Ampacet has introduced a new product that, when added to plastic parts, enables them to be identified by conventional metal detectors. Masterbatch 1000818-E is designed for use in the manufacture of plastic products and tools used in food processing applications, where they represent a potential risk of food contamination in the event of breakage or leakage of small plastic fragments into raw ingredients or finished products. The new metal detectable masterbatch can therefore enhance food safety and minimize costly food recalls for plastic contamination, the company claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the U.S. Congress held a series of hearings secretly recorded video of animal abuse and food safety violations at a Chino, California, slaughter plant sparked and largest beef recall in U.S. history. The video showed cows and too sick or injured being dragged by chains, rolled with forklifts and shot with high-intensity water hoses by employees of Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co.

The article reports on the growing scrutiny for food processing plants with the outbreak of Salmonella in the U.S. The recall of several peanut butter has criticized the consumers and food safety experts in the country. The Congress has reacted to make reforms for this epidemic after 9 people died and 150 hospitalized. The Institute of Medicine also request to take the food away from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop a single food safety entity. One of the affected companies is Peanut Corp. of America on which the faults of its food chain has been exposed to the nation.

The article reports that the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department of the University of Florida, Gainesville, has assembled a manual to assist food businesses, at all stages of the food chain, in learning to conduct rapid and effective product recalls. The recall procedures discussed in the manual are based on traditional industry practices for all foods in all levels of commerce. The procedures comply with the expectations of both state and federal regulatory authorities, and they apply to domestic and international commerce in all food products.