Monthly Archives: January 2014

The Food Safety Modernization Act: Para Todo el Mundo!

Posted by Mathew J. Bartkowiak, Ph.D.  –  Food Safety
January 29, 2014

globeWe’re in it together; all of us in the food industry are making sense of and getting used to the continuing change brought forth by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Now, the process can be even more inclusive. The FDA has launched a “Translations of Key FSMA Resources” site. Various “About” documents and “Rules” are available in several languages including Spanish and numerous others (depending on the document).  You can also check out some key “Speeches and Statements” and a “For Consumers” section.

Obviously, the FSMA truly has a global scope thanks to import standards established for the U.S. Domestically, the documents better represent and speak to the vast array of people and backgrounds that are represented in the total population touched by the Act’s reach. You can check out this cadre of resources aimed to meet the increasing demand for background and knowledge about the FSMA amongst a diversity of groups both here and abroad by clicking on this link.

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OSHA Lays Out Top 10 Violations

Posted by Carol Blakey  –  General, Safety & Personnel
January 22, 2014

14885What are your top safety concerns at your operation? Do you have short-term or long-term goals in mind when it comes to your safety program? Well, if you do, you may want to consider the following.

The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has released figures for their “Top 10” violations list in 2013 (most frequently issued citations for fiscal 2013, ending Sept. 30.):

“1926.501 — Fall Protection 8,241 total violations

1910.1200 — Hazard Communication 6,156 total violations

1926.451 — Scaffolding 5,423 total violations

1910.134 — Respiratory Protection 3,879 total violations

1910.305 — Electrical, Wiring Methods 3,452 total violations

1910.178 — Powered Industrial Trucks 3,340 total violations

1926.1053 — Ladders 3,311 total violations

1910.147 — Lockout/Tagout 3,254 total violations

1910.303 — Electrical, General Requirements 2,745 total violations

1910.212 — Machine Guarding 2,701 total violations”

Nelson-Jameson is ready to help you address workplace safety with a wide line of Safety and Personnel products. We offer a range of safety signs & markers, respirators, lockout & tagout products, training videos, and many other products to address your facility’s and workers’ needs.  Check out our website, catalog, or give us a call at 1-800-826-8302 to learn more about the many options we offer when it comes to safety!

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Product Focus: UDY Protein Analyzer

Posted by Mathew J. Bartkowiak, Ph.D.  –  Dairy Farm, Laboratory & QA/QC
January 15, 2014

calfOn the blog, we have dealt with the topic of protein numerous times. Why? Well, protein is on our customers’ minds. This nutritional focal point is not only about our diets; it is also about the food production processes that bring these products to our plates.

For example, farmers want to make sure that their livestock is getting the best nutrition available. The proper nutrition of animals not only assists in their well-being, but also helps to create quality food end-products. Protein, as it is for humans, is an essential in animal diets and in the growth and maintenance of livestock, including in the feeding/raising of calves.

That is one of the reasons that our Lab area features the UDY Protein Analyzer, a tool used by many feed operations and farms. The UDY measures protein using Acid Orange Dye.   It also differentiates between non-protein nitrogen, vestigial pieces of intact protein molecules, and functional proteins. Instead of measuring via digestion methods based on nitrogen, the technology is based on functional binding sites of amino acids lysine, histidine, and arginine, considered essential amino acids in the diet of the non-ruminant calf.

An exclusive to Nelson-Jameson, the UDY is aimed at farmers and small businesses where on-site testing is ideal. Are you interested in getting your hands on this “hands-on approach”? You can check out the UDY Protein Analyzer on our website.  For further information, contact our Laboratory Products Department at 800-826-8302.

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A Salmonella Action Plan: A New USDA Approach

Posted by Mathew J. Bartkowiak, Ph.D.  –  Food Safety, Laboratory & QA/QC
January 8, 2014

bacteria3 (2)In the food industry’s efforts to take on food safety, progress has been made. Yet, so much remains to be done. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) this December in their “Salmonella Action Plan” discussed that: “Salmonella illness estimates have continued at a steady high or slightly increased rate despite FSIS interventions” in the past several years. This new action plan sets up a list of priorities that the agency will actively take on in 2014 to combat Salmonella in meat and poultry products.  You can check out the full report right here.

By upping the ante, it is hoped that the “estimated 1.3 million illnesses…attributed to Salmonella every year” will start to decrease each year by the thousands. Regulatory agencies and food industry producers can be sure that Salmonella will no doubt be a key focus in the coming months  thanks to such measures. So, what can you do in this larger fight? One method of potentially changing the tide is in your hands and the hands of the employees in your operation: quality testing.

Nelson-Jameson, working with 3M, is proud to offer 3M™ Petrifilm™ Salmonella Express Count Plates. This system utilizes 3M Food Safety’s Petrifilm™ technology, an industry standard, and delivers an all-in-one test and biochemical confirmation method in as little as 44 hours. These rapid tests provide your operation with a level of cost-effective, prompt peace-of-mind in assuring a quality product. Along with comprehensive initiatives like the “Salmonella Action Plan,” these local efforts such as testing for Salmonella using 3M™ Petrifilm™ Salmonella Express Count Plates in your operation can help us all gear up and take on Salmonella in 2014!

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