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ASTA's 2012 Annual Meeting - Register today!
Registration is now open for ASTA's 2012 Annual Meeting at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island on Sunday, April 22 through Wednesday, April 25. This is the premier event for our association.
Online registration as well as the registration form are available on the ASTA Web site along with hotel reservation information. We are now accepting Sponsors and Exhibitors.
Coming Soon….Web Seminars on FSMA Rules
FDA is expected to release proposed rules for preventive controls and the foreign supplier verification early in 2012. These rules will impact all food facilities in the U.S. and those overseas that export to the U.S. The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) and The American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) are partnering to develop a series of educational Web seminars to ensure your company understands the new requirements and how to comply with them.
These Web seminars will offer unique insight focused on areas of interest to the flavor and extract and spice industries. The sessions will focus on the proposed rules one at a time, allowing for a deeper dive into the details. This will also serve as an opportunity for ASTA and FEMA to hear your concerns about the proposed rules to shape feedback to FDA as the final rules are written.
The rules are being developed under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the most sweeping reform of food safety legislation in recent history. All companies need to be prepared to comply with the new rules. The Web seminars will be scheduled approximately three weeks after the proposed rules are published, expected sometime in January 2012.
Check back frequently and watch your email for dates and times of the Web seminars.
New Guidance from ASTA: Clean Safe Spices - Recording Now Available
The American Spice Trade Association has issued a guidance document aimed at reducing the risk for contamination of spices with Salmonella and other pathogens. The guidance contains five key recommendations. Copies of the guidance documents can be downloaded. Printed versions are available from the ASTA office.
On Sunday, April 3, 2011 as part of ASTA's 2011 Annual Meeting, a workshop was held on ASTA's new guidance document. Free recordings of the sessions are now available for download. The sessions can be viewed at no cost, however, registration is required.
Microbial Safety in Spices
A number of well publicized salmonella outbreaks traced to food have heightened public awareness of the need to ensure food safety programs are in place. This white paper looks at the role microbiological testing can play.
ASTA Responds to FDA, HHS Request for Comments - New
ASTA submitted comments under the "Request for Comments - Preventative Controls for Registered Human Food and Animal Food and Animal Food/Feed Facilities", 76 Fed. Reg. 29767 (May 23, 2011). To see the letter, click here.
FDA Issues Two New Regulations Related to Food Safety
The FDA issued two new regulations as a result of the new authorities in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Both rules take effect July 3, 2011
The first regulation allows the FDA to administratively detain food the agency believes has been produced under unsanitary or unsafe conditions. Previously, the FDA could only detain food products when there was credible evidence that a food product was contaminated or mislabeled in a way that presented a threat of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals. Beginning in July, the FDA will be able to detain food products that it has "reason to believe" are adulterated or misbranded for up to 30 days. The products will be kept out of the marketplace while the agency determines whether an enforcement action such as seizure or federal injunction against distribution of the product in commerce, is necessary.
The second rule requires anyone importing food into the United States to inform the FDA if any country has refused entry to the same product. This new reporting requirement will be administered through the FDA’s prior notice system for incoming shipments of imported food.
For more information, click here.
