Latest news with #Cyclospora
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The FDA Just Suspended Milk Quality Testing for Avian Flu and Other Viruses
Consumers look to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for guidance and oversight regarding a number of issues, including food safety. However, recent staff reductions and budget cuts have sparked discussion about the agency's ability to fulfill its mission as it continues to operate at a reduced capacity. As talk of additional reductions looms, it has been revealed that a FDA program that tests milk quality has now been suspended. On April 21, the FDA suspended one of its programs that oversees the safety of dairy products nationwide. This week, Reuters reported on an internal email addressed to "Network Laboratories" from the FDA's Division on Dairy Safety stating that the Moffett Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory is "no longer able to provide proficiency testing and data analysis." This change is due to reduced capacity in its food safety and nutrition division. The suspension includes quality testing for Grade "A" milk, which has the highest sanitary standards, and includes both raw milk and finished products, such as pasteurized milk and cheese. This news comes after it was announced earlier this month that the FDA would also be suspending the programs that oversee testing accuracy regarding avian flu in milk, as well as parasites such as Cyclospora, which can affect raw milk. It is believed that the suspensions are the result of staff shortages after nearly 20,000 U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employees were terminated in March. It's unclear what, if any, effects the disruption will have on consumers. However, the pause is expected to be temporary. Emily Hiliard, Deputy Press Secretary for HHS, told Allrecipes in a statement that testing is expected to continue once the department's transition is completed. "The Food Emergency Response Network Proficiency Testing Program is currently paused but will resume once transferred to another FDA laboratory—an effort that is actively underway," Hiliard continues, "In the meantime, state and federal labs continue to analyze food samples, and FDA remains committed to working with states to protect the safety of the pasteurized milk supply." At present, no official timeline has been given regarding the program's resumption. The FDA says it will continue to work with state and federal labs to ensure food safety. Additionally, prior FDA research has shown that pasteurization is effective in killing the H5N1 (Avian flu) virus, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that "consuming raw milk can lead to serious health risks, especially for certain vulnerable populations." Consumers can additionally seek brands that utilize independent, third-party testing. Some milk brands have their products evaluated by third parties to ensure they meet safety standards and are free from viruses and bacteria, even beyond what state and federal guidelines require. This information is typically available on the brand's website, but if you can't find it, don't hesitate to reach out to the company for more information on its internal testing practices. A USDA Organic certification does not necessarily mean a product is safer or that it has undergone additional food safety testing. In the meantime, it's also crucial to stay up to date on recalls and public health alerts on the FDA and USDA websites. Read the original article on ALLRECIPES
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is Your Milk Still Safe? FDA Puts Dairy Testing on Hold
Before you reach for that next bowl of cereal, consider this: A major change in food safety oversight is underway. On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration announced a pause on a key quality control program that monitors milk and other dairy products. The decision follows widespread layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, as part of the Trump administration's broader initiative to streamline the federal government. But that downsizing is already hitting essential operations. Among the programs being scaled back: testing for bird flu in dairy products and screening for harmful pathogens like Cyclospora in other foods. Here's what's changing, plus what it could mean for your next trip to the supermarket. The FDA has paused its testing of Grade A dairy, which includes both pasteurized and raw milk as well as cheese and yogurt. Until now, these products were required to meet the agency's strictest sanitary criteria before hitting shelves at your local grocery store, but that oversight is currently on hold. to confirm that these products meet the agency's strictest sanitary criteria before hitting shelves at your local grocery store. But now, the oversight that verified these crucial safety benchmarks has hit a wall. that meets its strictest sanitary criteria to finished products like pasteurized milk, cheese, and yogurt headed for store shelves. Until now, these products were required to meet strict safety benchmarks. But that oversight has hit a wall. The agency's food safety and nutrition division has been hit hard by workforce cuts. Most affected is the Division of Dairy Safety, housed in the FDA's Moffett Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory, which announced it can no longer support key testing and data analysis. In an internal email obtained by Reuters, the agency said it's now 'actively evaluating alternative approaches for the upcoming fiscal year' and promised to keep partner labs in the loop as plans develop. This isn't the only rollback in food safety oversight. On April 18, Reuters reported that the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) — a joint program between the FDA and the Department of Agriculture — suspended its quality control program for food testing labs through at least September 30, citing staff shortages. In an internal email, FERN's National Program Office noted that recent layoffs at the FDA's Human Food Program Moffett Center — including the loss of a quality assurance officer, an analytical chemist, and two microbiologists — are having an 'immediate and significant impact' on the program's operations. The pause affects quality standards across nearly 170 laboratories, many of which conduct testing for contaminants like Cyclospora, a parasite that can show up in spinach, and glyphosate, a widely used pesticide found in crops like barley. Unlike the FERN program, it's unclear how long the FDA's fluid milk testing program will remain on pause. Though no official timeline has been announced, an HHS spokesperson told The Independent 'that the proficiency testing was only being paused because of a transition to a new laboratory, and insisted that dairy product testing would continue.' Whether these changes are truly temporary or just the beginning, one thing is clear: The future of food safety is suddenly less certain. The post Is Your Milk Still Safe? FDA Puts Dairy Testing on Hold appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
FDA milk quality testing program suspended after job cuts
(NewsNation) — The Food and Drug Administration is suspending a quality control program for testing of milk and other dairy products due to a size reduction in its food safety and nutrition division. According to Reuters, an internal email from the FDA's Division of Dairy Safety stated that the agency was suspending its proficiency testing program for Grade 'A' raw milk and finished products effective Monday. The suspension comes after the termination and departure of 20,000 employees from the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the FDA, as part of the Trump administration's plans to shrink the federal workforce. Which food dyes are expected to be eliminated in the US? HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously said that while there would be job cuts across the health department, food and drug safety inspectors would not be impacted. The FDA began hiring contractors to replace some fired workers. Earlier this month, the FDA also suspended programs that ensured accurate testing for bird flu in milk and cheese and pathogens like the parasite Cyclospora in other food products. The Trump administration has proposed cutting billions of dollars from the health department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
FDA Suspends Milk Testing: What It Means for Your Health
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended its quality control program for testing fluid milk and other dairy products, citing reduced capacity in its food safety and nutrition division. This decision follows the termination and departure of 20,000 employees from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), part of a broader federal workforce reduction initiative. Reuters reported, effective April 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has suspended its quality testing program for Grade 'A' milk and other dairy products, citing massive staffing losses tied to federal budget cuts. While the move may seem bureaucratic, it carries potential health implications for anyone who regularly consumes dairy. The program, which tested raw and finished milk products for contamination and safety compliance, was halted due to staffing shortages at the Moffett Center Proficiency Testing Laboratory. That facility played a central role in ensuring food labs across the country met high standards and could reliably detect harmful pathogens in your milk. The FDA's proficiency testing programs are essential for ensuring consistency and accuracy across the nation's network of food safety laboratories. These quality control tests are also critical for laboratories to meet accreditation standards. The agency stated it is actively evaluating alternative approaches for the upcoming fiscal year and will keep participating laboratories informed as new information becomes available. In addition to the milk testing program, the FDA has also suspended efforts to improve testing for bird flu in milk as well as for foodborne pathogens such as Cyclospora. Without the FDA's oversight and routine quality testing, there's now a potential blind spot in the nation's food safety net—particularly when it comes to milk-borne illnesses. Contaminants like Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and Cyclospora can sneak into dairy products during production or packaging. Although rare, these pathogens can cause serious illness, especially for people with weakened immune systems, children, and the elderly. And with recent headlines about bird flu particles detected in pasteurized milk, the timing isn't great. The FDA has also paused efforts to improve testing for bird flu in dairy, meaning any early-warning system is now effectively sidelined. The FDA insists that milk sold in grocery stores is still safe. However, consumer advocates worry this rollback could reduce the agency's ability to catch emerging threats early, and that could mean less protection for you and your family. Until full testing resumes, experts recommend sticking to well-refrigerated, pasteurized dairy products and watching expiration dates carefully.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tough to swallow: The Trump administration's approach to food safety keeps getting worse
The good news is that the Trump administration's controversial approach to food safety only matters to Americans who eat food. For everyone else, however, there's cause for some concern. Reuters reported: The Food and Drug Administration is suspending a quality control program for testing of fluid milk and other dairy products due to reduced capacity in its food safety and nutrition division, according to an internal email seen by Reuters. ... The FDA this month also suspended existing and developing programs that ensured accurate testing for bird flu in milk and cheese and pathogens like the parasite Cyclospora in other food products. Though the report hasn't been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, there have been a variety of related reports of late. In fact, it was just last week when Reuters also reported that the Trump administration was 'suspending a quality control program for its food testing laboratories as a result of staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services.' That news came two weeks after The New York Times reported that Donald Trump's Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the department's conspiratorial secretary, announced 'wide-ranging cutbacks at federal health agencies,' including 'scientists who tested food and drugs for contaminants or deadly bacteria.' That news came two weeks after the Times also reported that the FDA delayed — by nearly three years — implementation of a requirement that food companies and grocers 'rapidly trace contaminated food through the supply chain and pull it off the shelves.' The article quoted Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, saying, 'This decision is extremely disappointing and puts consumers at risk of getting sick from unsafe food because a small segment of the industry pushed for delay, despite having 15 years to prepare.' Sarah Sorscher, director of regulatory affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, added, 'This is a huge step backward for food safety.' That was true, but making matters worse is the number of huge steps backward for food safety. Indeed, at the risk of belaboring the point, the day before the Times published that report, the newspaper ran a related article that noted, 'At the Food and Drug Administration, freezes on government credit card spending ordered by the Trump administration have impeded staff members from buying food to perform routine tests for deadly bacteria. In states, a $34 million cut by the F.D.A. could reduce the number of employees who ensure that tainted products — like tin pouches of lead-laden applesauce sold in 2023 — are tested in labs and taken off store shelves.' The same article went on to note that at Trump's Agriculture Department, 'a committee studying deadly bacteria was recently disbanded, even as it was developing advice on how to better target pathogens that can shut down the kidneys. Committee members were also devising an education plan for new parents on bacteria that can live in powdered infant formula.' This came on the heels of multiple reports that the Trump administration disbanded two federal committees tasked with advising policymakers on food safety, the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods and the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection. Alas, the list keeps going. The Times also reported that the administration has 'slowed or stopped some testing of grocery items for hazardous bacteria and monitoring of shellfish and food packaging for PFAS, chemicals linked to cancer and reproductive harm.' And did I mention that the administration appointed Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting buddy to lead the FDA's Human Foods Program, overseeing all nutrition and food safety activities? Because that happened, too. I suspect many Americans who supported the Republican ticket last fall didn't realize they were voting to scale back food-safety safeguards, but that's what they're getting. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on
