The International Trade Administration is initiating an anti-circumvention inquiry to determine whether Malayisan company Reztec Industries Sdn Bhd’s uncovered innerspring units are circumventing the antidumping duty order on uncovered innerspring units from China (A-570-928).
On May 22, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
During the week of May 14 through May 20, 2012, the Food and Drug Administration modified the following existing Import Alerts (not otherwise listed on the FDA's new and revised import alerts page) on the detention without physical examination of:
The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to Italian company BTS S.p.A., which said the FreeEMG and PocketEMG medical devices manufactured by that firm are adulterated because the methods used in, or the facilities or controls used for, their manufacture, packing, storage, or installation are not in conformity with the current good manufacturing practice requirements of the Quality System regulation. FDA said that, although it previously received a response from the company concerning its investigation, the response was not adequate. According to FDA, U.S. federal agencies may be advised of the issuance of Warning Letters about devices so that they may take this information into account when considering the award of contracts. Additionally, premarket approval applications for Class III devices to which the Quality System regulation deviations are reasonably related will not be approved, and Requests for Certificates to Foreign Governments will not be granted, until the violations have been corrected.
The Food and Drug Administration found serious deviations from the acidified food regulations during an inspection of the Zory, Poland facility of Polish Company Smak Sp. z o.o., FDA said in a warning letter issued May 15. According to the warning letter, Smak intentionally made changes to the thermal processing method of its acidified food products and failed to submit revised scheduled process filings to FDA before manufacturing and shipping such acidified food products as red beets grated, pickled mushrooms, sauerkraut, sauerkraut with carrots, and pickled cucumbers. FDA acknowledged receipt of revised process filings in February 2012, but said that these filings were returned as inadequate as they were missing critical processing information.
Indonesianfoodmart.com of Rockville, MD, is recalling all packages of "Tempeh Starter Yeast" because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, the Food and Drug Administration said. The recalled "Tempeh Starter Yeast "and “Super Starter Yeast” were distributed nationwide and internationally through direct mail orders. The product was also distributed to the following areas: Australia, Canada, Slovenia, New Zealand, Brunei, Poland and Croatia. The product comes in sealed, clear plastic packages marked with a small computer printed label. The following sizes were sold: 30gm, 50gm, 250 gm, and 1000 gm. Several illnesses have been reported to date that may be in connection with this problem. Upon being notified of the risk by the FDA, the Indonesianfoodmart.com immediately discontinued their operations. Indonesianfoodmart.com did not manufacture the product which was imported from Indonesia.
On May 22, 2012, the Foreign Agricultural Service issued the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued emails May 22, 2012, announcing changes to some Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service said the Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) established two electronic Working Groups (eWGs) on the alignment of food additive provisions of commodity standards with the relevant provision of the General Standard on Food Additives, and to consider proposals for changes or additions to the International Numbering System. Details follow:
Food Safety Inspection Service inspection program personnel are to condemn an entire carcass if a sample collected and analyzed under the National Residue Program is positive, and there is no Food and Drug Administration or Environmental Protection Agency established tolerance for the identified residue in muscle, said FSIS in Notice 32-12 issued on May 22, 2012. Inspection program personnel are to condemn the carcass as well as the parts in such circumstances.