No More 'Large-Scale' Sampling of Raw Milk Cheese Imports, FDA Says
The Food and Drug Administration “does not anticipate additional large-scale sampling of raw milk cheese” based on the results of a recently completed sampling program that found few samples contaminated with harmful bacteria, it said (here). After testing over 1,600…
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samples of imported and domestic cheese (see 1503110026), the agency found a contamination rate of less than 1 percent for salmonella, listeria and shiga-toxin producing E. coli, it said. However, FDA plans to “continue to utilize its Domestic and Imported Cheese Compliance Program for routine sampling of cheeses” due to continuing concerns over listeria in raw milk cheese. Meanwhile, of 1,600 samples of imported and domestic hot peppers and cucumbers collected under a sampling program FDA began in November (see 1511250010), FDA has tested 452, finding 13 tested positive for salmonella. “This testing is still underway and no conclusions can be drawn at this time,” FDA said.