Sudan Red is an industrial dye which is used for colouring solvents, fats, oils and waxes, hair dyes, shoe and floor polish and temporary tattoos. Before the Sudan Red issue was raised, the food colouring was an ingredient in almost 500 food products containing Worcester sauce (including sauces, salad dressings and ready meals). In Europe and many other Western countries the use of Sudan Red was banned after EFSA claimed that the substance could be carcinogenic and toxic. Imported dry, ground or crushed chilli from Asia (where Sudan Red is still used to colour chilli, curry and chutney in some areas) must now be accompanied by a food safety certificate.

Sudan Red has recently also become an issue in China, when almost 1,200 kg of eggs had to be pulled from the market, as the red colour of the egg yolk, which consumers thought to be a sign of superior quality of the eggs, was caused by dye with the help of Sudan Red, which had likely been added into the chicken feed. This and other food poisonings and scares have recently led to the Chinese government contemplating taking action and establish a country-wide Chinese Food Safety Authority.

In June 2006 a major chocolate manufacturer was forced to withdraw over a million chocolate bars from stores in Ireland and the UK, when the UK Food Standards Agency discovered a rare stain of salmonella in one of its factories. As the UK Health Protection Agency recorded a large number of consumers that were taken ill with salmonella, investigations were led which identified the strain of bacteria as the one that had been present at the chocolate manufacturer's plant. Since only the most severe cases are reported to the HPA, it is likely that many more people experienced health-related problems due to the salmonella contamination.

The Advisory Committee on Microbiological Safety in Food (ACMSF) advised that there was no safe level for salmonella in food. One cell forming unit is sufficient to cause illness, in particular in children and the elderly. It is thought that salmonella in chocolate could be particularly harmful, as chocolate may help protect the salmonella from acid attack in the stomach and facilitate the bacteria's infiltration into the intestines, where they can multiply and cause damage.

Salmonella in Peanut Butter

In the last six months, various food scares have shaken the American population. In September 2006, uncooked spinach was found to be contaminated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) in 26 US states. Lettuce, tomatoes and onions were also suspected of spreading the strains of E. coli. The E. coli outbreak was traced back to packaged spinach that originated in the state of California. According to officials, the E. coli strain that led to the outbreak was found in a stream and in wild pigs and cattle faeces close to a Californian spinach plantation. According to US FDA estimates, food borne diseases kill 5,000 people and cause illness in 76 million Americans every year. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that action was needed in order to prevent pathogen cross-contamination.

How You Can Handle Food Safety Crises Using CREMe

CREMe's detailed ingredient analysis can enable you see the full picture for all ingredients, additives, flavourings and sweeteners that are contained in products on the market. More importantly, the levels of consumption of the population of these ingredients and chemicals can be quickly and easily assessed.

Scenario analysis allows you to be prepared for a range of potential occurrences. Where are the links in your food chain that are most susceptible to food safety issues? How will these impact your consumers? CREMe Food Safety allows you to efficiently perform analyses to allocate resources for optimal consumer health and safety.

In the case where a contamination issue arises or a legal framework change occurs, your target market will be affected. You will want timely and detailed information. With CREMe Food Safety, you can quickly process the data in order to obtain the rapid answers you need in a crisis.

Furthermore, with CREMe Food Safety you can protect your company's reputation and assure your company's directors that you are using the best tools and the most detailed and up-to-date information available to determine the impact of potential food safety hazards.