March 16, 2009
Food/Drug
Toy/Children's Products
Regulation Updates
Responsible Sourcing
Company News
Events & Seminars
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Specialized Technology Resources, Inc.
Raising
the world𠏋 expectation of product quality, safety and supply
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Food/Drug
• President Obama to Propose Over $1 Billion
in Food Safety Improvements
President Obama has
formed a Food Safety Working Group to help bring fundamental
changes to the nation's food-protection system. The
administration plans to propose $1 billion in spending on
food-safety efforts, nearly twice what was spent in 2007, to
pay for increased inspections, domestic surveillance,
laboratory capacity and illness prevention efforts. Read
more.
• FDA Issues Guidance to Prevent Salmonella
Contamination in Peanut Butter
The recent
salmonella-contaminated peanut butter scandal resulted in nine
deaths, sickened 22,500, and is predicted to cost the U.S.
peanut industry over $1 billion. To help prevent future
outbreaks, the FDA issued "Guidance for Industry: Measures to
Address the Risk for Contamination by Salmonella Species in Food Containing a Peanut-Derived Product as an
Ingredient." Click
here to access the document.
• China Announces New, Stricter Food Safety
Laws
In response to the recent melamine
contamination issues, the Chinese government has passed new
food safety regulations. This is good news for U.S.
manufacturers and retailers, as the recent product recalls
have caused a decline in consumer confidence. Read
more.
• Ensuring Value from Third-Party
Audits
As a recent article, "Food
Problems Elude Private Inspectors" illustrated, audits are
a critical part of a comprehensive and safe food testing and
sourcing program. But to add value, they must be conducted by
independent, experienced and certified audit specialists. With
experienced auditors in all the major producing countries, STR
can effectively audit every aspect of the production process. Read
more.
• COOL Rule Attempts to Close Meat
Loophole
The Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)
rule, which goes into effect on March 16, 2009, will include
new voluntary guidelines for meatpacking companies not to tag
U.S. products with mixed-origin labels. The rule, as currently
written, contained a loophole that would allow meatpackers to
group U.S. products with mixed-origin products and mark both
with "multiple country" labels, thus circumventing the
original intent of COOL. Click
here for link to article.
Toy/Children's Products
• Revisions to U.S. Toy Safety Standard ?ASTM
F963-08
A new edition of the U.S. Toy Safety
Standard ?ASTM F963-08, approved in December 2008, was
officially published on February 17, 2009. This has been
submitted to CPSC and is expected to become a consumer product
safety rule mandated by Consumer Product Safety Improvement
Act. Read
more.
• STR Participates in Effort to Clarify Lead
Testing Standards
Susan DeRagon, Associate
Director of the Toy and Premium Division, recently brought
together the major testing labs to meet with the CPSC to
discuss lead testing and related CPSIA topics. Working with
the Toy Industry Association, the laboratory technical
workgroup created a clear, effective and efficient test
protocol for composite testing to determine lead in surface
coating compliance with the CPSIA regulations. The protocol is
expected to be submitted to the CPSC later this month. Read
more.
• New ASTM Standard Possible on Children's
Magnetic Jewelry
STR's Sue DeRagon and Linda
Root recently attended the ASTM F15.22 Subcommittee Meeting
where a new ASTM standard to address the potential hazards
related to children's magnetic jewelry was discussed. As with
hazardous magnets used in toys, the potential for magnet
ingestion and serious infections and even death exists. Linda
Root will participate on this committee.
Regulation Updates
• Implementation Plan for Lacey Act
Declaration Requirements Revised
The U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) has announced revisions to its plan to enforce
the declaration requirement of the amended Lacey Act. Read
more.
Responsible Sourcing
• China Implements "Environmentally Friendly"
Indices for Foreign Investments
China recently
implemented two "environmentally friendly" indices as part of
its evaluation of foreign investments. Foreign-funded
enterprises will be evaluated against an environmental
protection index and a land-use intensity index as part of an
effort to tighten scrutiny of energy-intensive and polluting
facilities. Read
more.
• New Standard Aims to Improve Sustainability
Reporting
AccountAbility recently issued a
revised corporate accountability assurance standard, AA1000AS
2008, to enhance the credibility and effectiveness of
sustainability reporting. Read
more.
Company News
• STR Expands Softline Business Development
Team
STR is pleased to announce that Mr. Ben
DeVito has joined our business development team and will focus
on our softline business. He has over 20 years of experience
in the apparel industry and has held positions in production,
sourcing and quality control in a variety of companies,
including divisions of Sara Lee (now Hanes Brands), Lane
Bryant and Carole Hochman Design Group, and holds an MBA from
Baldwin-Wallace College. Mr. DeVito can be reached at mailto:Ben.DeVito@STRQuality.com
Events & Seminars
• STR To Exhibit At World Trade Group's Food
Technology & Innovation Forum in May
STR
will participate at the World Trade Group𠏋 Food Technology
& Innovation Forum being held May 12-13, 2009 at the Hyatt
Regency O'Hare in Chicago, IL. ... [Full Article]
• STR To Exhibit at The National Restaurant
Association, Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in
May
STR will participate at the NRA Show,
exhibit booth #4706, being held May 16-19, 2009 at McCormick
Place in Chicago. IL. ... [Full Article]
• STR to Exhibit at CHINAPLAS
2009
STR will participate at the upcoming
CHINAPLAS 2009 Exhibition, on May 18-21 at the China Import
& Export Fair Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, PR China. Please
visit us at booth N21 in Hall 9.2. Read
more.
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