The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a regulation expected to prevent each year approximately 79,000 cases of foodborne illness and 30 deaths caused by consumption of eggs contaminated with the bacterium Salmonella Enteritidis.
The regulation requires preventive measures during the production of eggs in poultry houses and requires subsequent refrigeration during storage and transportation.
Egg-associated illness caused by Salmonella is a serious public health problem. Infected individuals may suffer mild to severe gastrointestinal illness, short term or chronic arthritis, or even death. Implementing the preventive measures would reduce the number of Salmonella Enteritidis infections from eggs by nearly 60 percent.
The rule requires that measures designed to prevent Salmonella Enteritidis be adopted by virtually all egg producers with 3,000 or more laying hens whose shell eggs are not processed with a treatment, such as pasteurization, to ensure their safety.
Berlaymont building european commission (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Here there is another interesting notification to the European Commission, regarding a Czech measure implementing mandatory labelling of spirits. The standstill period is expired on 9 August 2013.
“Czech Republic: Draft decree implementing certain provisions of the act on compulsory labelling of spirits
Recent notification to the European Commission* under Directive 98/34/EC*
◊ Notification Number: 2013/454/CZ– End of Standstill Period: 09-Aug-2013:
The draft decree is a follow-up to the statutory authorization under Section 75 of the draft act on compulsory labelling of spirits (passed by the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic in August 2013). The decree will address the issues below, which relate to the compulsory labelling of spirits:
• the design, dimensions, requisites and protective elements of an inspection stamp,
• the properties, composition and method of creation of the identification code on the inspection stamp,
• the method of placement and affixation of the inspection stamp to consumer packaging of spirits,
• the method of ordering, taking delivery of and selling inspection stamps,
• the content and design of an inspection stamp order,
• the data on the inspection stamp identical with the data allowing the excise duty base to be determined,
• the method and form of record-keeping on inspection stamps,
• the method of returning inspection stamps and the sample form for the return of inspection stamps,
• the content and a sample of the report on the results of inspection stamp inventory,
• the content of inspection stamp transport documents,
• the sale price of an inspection stamp as a total of the cost associated with the production of inspection stamps and the cost of storage, record-keeping and distribution thereof,
• the expiry of validity of an inspection stamp, including the method and period for clearing the unused inventory of inspection stamps.
* Compiled and edited by Cristina Vidreras, cristinavidreras@yahoo.es. We publish this news for the purpose of disclosing information about notifications to the European Commission under Directive 98/34/EC. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, errors may occur in the communication from time to time because of unavoidable difficulties caused by technical difficulties. In all such instances, we assume no responsibility for any damages or losses that may be suffered by any party as a consequence of such inaccurate information or misprints.
** Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations.”
(Courtesy of Mr. Luis Gonzalez Vaque and Cristina Vidreras,“Sociología y Derecho del Consumo y de la Alimentación”- Barcelona”).
