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January 2017

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CONTENTS

ABOUT SINO SILLIKER ····································································································································· 1

Arrangement of Sample Testing for 2017 Spring Festival ························································································································ 1

FOCUS ON CHINA ············································································································································· 1

China-UK rail shipments to be twice as fast as by sea ······························································································································ 1

New Version of "The National Food Safety Standards China's Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Food" has issued ······················ 2

INTERNATIONAL NEWS ··································································································································· 2

Global G.A.P. releases new FSMA guide ·················································································································································· 2

UK is the largest importer of EU fresh fruit and veg ································································································································ 2

USDA investment in research pays off with E. coli defenses ···················································································································· 3

Trump to name Georgia’s Sonny Perdue to run the USDA ······················································································································· 4

SAFETY ALERTS ··············································································································································· 5

ENTERPRISE NEWS ·········································································································································· 7

World fresh apple forecast 2016/17 ························································································································································· 7

Frozen ‘@ease’ chicken meal starters recalled in seven states ················································································································ 8

MARKET NEWS - REPLY ···································································································································· 9

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January 2017

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About Sino Silliker

Arrangement of Sample Testing for 2017 Spring Festival

Dear Sir/Madam,

2017 Chinese New Year just around the

corner, we will celebrate the spring festival

from Jan.27th to Feb.2rd. In order to

decrease the effect on the test cycle, Sino

Silliker make the test arrangement as

follows:

If the samples are received before

12:00 AM of Jan.20th, we will issue

your report in time before Jan.26th ;

Some special tests such as micro testing, considering the positive results or

incubation time, test report may be sent to you after Feb.3rd ;

If the samples are received after 12:00 AM of Jan.20th, we will issue your

report in time after the holiday;

Micro testing in Shanghai lab and Beijing lab will go ahead as usual if the test

is arranged before Jan.26th , report will be issued after Feb.3rd according to

actual working days;

We provide special urgent service, so please inform your business

representative at least a week in advance.

In order to ensure that you can get reports timely, please deliver your

samples in advance! Any question, please call 400-627-8088 or contact with

your business representative. Please forgive us for the inconvenience

brought to you.

Best Regard!

Focus on China

China-UK rail shipments to be twice as fast as by sea

The new rail route, which will traverse Kazakhstan, a part of Russia, Belarus, and the EU

before entering the UK via the Channel Tunnel, is part of a rapidly growing network that

now consists of 39 rail lines, now linking 15 cities in Europe with 15 in China. London

became the 15th European city in the ever growing Eurasian rail network.

The economic advantage of these trains justifies the massive investments required to

fund the construction. These trains and routes will cut the travel time of products

between Europe and China in half when compared to shipping by sea. Also, compared

to shipping by air it will be drastically cheaper. Currently the rail and trains are to be

used for high-value products that need to be transported as quickly as possible such as

premium agricultural goods, fresh meat, electronics and others.

While these direct trans-Eurasian block trains were initially developed by commercial

entities purely for economic reasons, they soon took on a geopolitical dimension of

their own. In 2013, China announced its Belt and Road initiative (BRI), which pledged

over a trillion dollars to bolster the development of transportation, energy, and trade

infrastructure from the west of China to the east of Europe, and the establishment of

these rail lines soon became its vanguard -- which is attested to by the fact that the

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January 2017

MARKET NEWS

entire network is subsidized by the Chinese government.

New Version of "The National Food Safety Standards China's Maximum

Residue Limits for Pesticides in Food" has issued

Recently, 2016 Version of "The National Food Safety Standards China's Maximum

Residue Limits for Pesticides in Food" has been enforced. The new standard set

out 4140 residue limits of 433 pesticides in 13 categories, 490 items are added

compared with 2014 version, covering the certified commonly used pesticides

and the main crops.

International News

Global G.A.P. releases new FSMA guide

Global G.A.P. has published a new guide for compliance with the Food Safety

Modernization Act (FSMA).

The Glogbal G.A.P. User’s Guide and Self Assessment for FSMA Produce Safety

Rule Compliance supports Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) users in efficiently

meeting Produce Safety Rule (Produce Rule) requirements. IFA is one of the the

most widely utilized good agricultural practice scheme for fresh produce in the

world.

Where differences in approach and requirements were identified, GLOBALG.A.P.

developed an explanation in the form of this Guide. It includes a Self Assessment,

highlighting specific differences between Global G.A.P. IFA coverage and the

Produce Rule. The Self Assessment allows the IFA user to make the necessary

adjustments to comply with the Produce Rule. The Guide provides an extra table

that details exactly how IFA requirements address those in the Produce Rule.

The Self Assessment is not audited as part of the Global G.A.P. IFA certification

process at this time by Global G.A.P.’s independently accredited and licensed

certification bodies. Producers can receive help with the Guide and Self

Assessment from Global G.A.P.’s USA-based and international technical support

staff.

Dr. Kristian Moeller, CEO of Global G.A.P., expressed his gratitude to the many

individuals who contributed to this Guide’s development: “At Global G.A.P., we

are committed to an inclusive process for developing our standards and

guidelines. We wish to thank the technical staff, National Technical Working

Group members, producers, retailers and other stakeholders who contributed to

the development of this Guide over the past year. Your contributions of time and

knowledge ensure that Global G.A.P. reflects your needs, making IFA your

standard.”

"Global G.A.P. has created a practical management tool for Global G.A.P. IFA

users all over the world to help ensure FSMA Produce Rule compliance with the

publication of this guidance document,” said Walter Ram, VP of Food Safety at

the Giumarra Companies and Chairman of the Global G.A.P. USA Crops National

Technical Working Group.

Mr. Ram added: “As a supplier of fresh produce from the USA and many other

countries, we want to maximize the efficiency of our food safety and regulatory

controls and this tool helps our growers to use Global G.A.P. IFA to ensure

Produce Rule compliance. It addresses the unique requirements in the Produce

Rule without compromising IFA’s global identity and recognition.”

UK is the largest importer of EU fresh fruit and veg

The UK's fresh fruit and vegetable imports from the EU amounted to 6.1 million

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January 2017

MARKET NEWS

tonnes worth 7,172 million Euro in the period from January to September 2016,

which makes it the largest importer within the EU horticultural market,

according to the latest data, updated by the European Statistical Office,

Eurostat.

During the period at hand, the United Kingdom imported 2.8 million tonnes of

EU vegetables and 3.3 million tonnes of fruit worth 3,316 million Euro and 3,856

million Euro, respectively. The UK imports a wide range of vegetables; it is the

largest importer of EU tomatoes, with 568,042 tonnes worth 880.7 million Euro

and the second largest importer of potatoes, with 447,178 tonnes worth 185

million Euro. Also noteworthy are the imports of pepper, with more than

400,000 tonnes; cucumber, with 346,159 tonnes; lettuce, with 208,157 tonnes;

onion, with 208,772 tonnes, and cabbage, with 192,642 tonnes.

The main fruits imported by the UK from the EU are citrus fruits, with 694,820

tonnes worth 690.7 million Euro; bananas, with 537.383 tonnes and 451.5 million

Euro, and apples and pears, with 499.4 million tonnes worth 471 million Euro.

During the period under analysis, intra-EU trade in fruit and vegetables totalled

28.4 million tonnes worth 26,006 million Euro.

Exports of fresh fruit and vegetables from the United Kingdom to the EU during

the period at hand amounted to 277,046 tonnes, of which 190,895 tonnes

corresponded to vegetables and 86,192 tonnes to fruit, worth 204 million Euro,

of which 111 million Euro corresponded to vegetables and 93 million Euro to

fruits. These data reflect the United Kingdom's strong deficit in its trade balance

with the EU in the fruit and vegetable sector.

For Spain, the United Kingdom is the third most important export market.

During the period analysed, up to September 2016, Spain exported 1.1 million

tonnes to the United Kingdom, 12.5% of the total, for which it received 1,312

million Euro. In 2015, Spanish exports totalled 1.4 million tonnes worth 1,614

million Euro, having grown by 40% over the last five years.

FEPEX considers it highly important for the United Kingdom to remain in the

single market in the fruit and vegetable sector, given the volumes handled and

the market interdependence.

USDA investment in research pays off with E. coli defenses

A $25 million research project that

has already produced improved

detection and eradication techniques

for toxic E. coli is beginning its

seventh year with the continued goal

of reducing public health risks.

Scientists and educators at 18

institutions have been working on the project, funded with a grant from the U.S.

Department of Agriculture that was awarded in 2011. The investment has already

generated data for 77 refereed journal articles for use by anyone interested in

combatting the potentially deadly Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) strains

that are so prevalent in beef.

In the Nebraska laboratory of Rodney A. Moxley, intern Kenda Jackson examines

blood agar plates while researching the effect of certain antibiotics on the

detection of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria in cattle. Jackson, a recent

graduated from Tuskegee University in Alabama, was part of a team supported

by a USDA Coordinated Agricultural Project grant.

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January 2017

MARKET NEWS

“The researcher’s findings will save lives and stop people from getting sick,”

said Isabel Walls, national program leader for food safety with the National

Institute of Food and Agriculture. “And there is a substantial economic benefit,

not only in reducing the cost of foodborne illness and associated productivity

losses, but the cost of food recalls, lost brand reputation and business failures.”

Though E. coli is widespread in cattle and people, harmful strains can be difficult

to detect, according to a news release from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

where research project director and professor of medicine and biomedical

sciences Rodney Moxley is based.

The E. coli O157:H7 strain was first linked to food poisoning after an outbreak

involving McDonald’s restaurants in 1982. In 1993, more than 730 people became

ill and four died after eating hamburger patties tainted with the Shiga

toxin-producing bacteria.

The federal government declared O157:H7 and six other strains to be adulterants

when present in beef and industry did much to address the problem. Those

seven strains, plus another that caused an outbreak in Germany and other parts

of Europe, have been investigated by Moxley and the other researchers.

“The whole goal is to reduce the occurrence and public health risks from Shiga

toxin-producing strains in beef,” Moxley said in the university news release.

“These tests we’re developing are a big step forward, but there’s still a lot of

progress to be made.”

Moxley and scientists from Kansas State University, Nebraska, the Los Alamos

National Laboratory in New Mexico and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in

Boston are using genetic and immunological science to quickly detect the

presence of toxic strains of E. coli in cattle and beef. The new methods and

reagents could be applied to human patients as well. The goal is to identify

illness-causing contaminants before they lead to food recalls or make people

sick.

Developments expected in the coming year include the commercialization of the

researchers’ tests so that industry will have access to them.

The scientists also are working on packing-house interventions, such as organic

acid sprays, high-pressure processing to kill bacteria and electrostatic sprays that

enable antimicrobials to more efficiently cling to meat surfaces.

In addition to paying for the hard science, the USDA grant has also paid for

experts at Nebraska and Kansas State to develop educational materials for

teachers and beef industry workers. The project has also provided support for

high school students to learn about food safety careers and supported 80

internships for college students.

Trump to name Georgia’s Sonny Perdue to run the USDA

The next secretary of agriculture is expected to be former Georgia Gov. Sonny

Perdue.

President-elect Donald J. Trump plans to announce the Perdue appointment

Thursday, according to multiple media reports. As head of the U.S. Department

of Agriculture, Perdue’s responsibilities would include overseeing the Food

Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which is the food safety agency for meat,

catfish, poultry and eggs.

Perdue, 70, is a veterinarian whose political career saw him elected as the first

Republican governor of Georgia since Reconstruction. He was governor from

2003-2011.

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January 2017

MARKET NEWS

The secretary of agriculture is the last of 15 Cabinet members to be named by

Trump. He has interviewed almost two dozen candidates for the job,

representing a broad range of policy perspectives from an industry that does not

always march in unison.

Gary Baise, who helped Trump put together his 70-member agricultural advisory

committee, told Politico.com the former Georgia governor should please that

group.

“They want someone who will go in there and kick some ass. And Sonny is that

guy,” Politico.com reported Baise said.

Tom Vilsack, the outgoing secretary of agriculture, stepped down Jan. 13. He

served longer in the job than anyone in about 50 years and was President Barack

Obama’s longest serving Cabinet member.

On Jan. 17, the U.S. Dairy Export Council announced it had hired Vilsack as its

president and chief executive officer to succeed the retiring Tom Suber.

Prior to his appointment, Vilsack served two terms as the governor of Iowa, was

in the Iowa State Senate and was the mayor of Mt. Pleasant, IA.

If Perdue’s appointment is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he will become the

nation’s 31st secretary of agriculture. The position commands the U.S.

Department of Agriculture including the Food Safety and Inspection Service

(FSIS), the food safety agency for meat, catfish, poultry and eggs.

Safety Alerts

Date Brand Name Product

Description

Reason/

Problem

Company

01/22/2017 Trader Joe’s Bread Undeclared milk Athens

Baking

Company

01/21/2017 Specialty

Commodities

Almonds Undeclared

cashew

Specialty

Commodities,

Inc.

01/20/2017 King's Pastry,

Bakewell

desserts

Various cakes:

tuxedo bar,

chocolate bar,

cappuccino

Undeclared tree

nuts (hazelnut)

King's Pastry

01/20/2017 Chip’n Dipped Dark Chocolate

Bars

Undeclared Milk Chip’n Dipped

01/13/2017 Pictsweet Farms Breaded Okra May contain

glass fragments

The Pictsweet

Company

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January 2017

MARKET NEWS

01/13/2017 Blue Ridge Beef Raw Dog and Cat

food

Listeria

monocytogenes

Blue Ridge

Beef

01/12/2017 Hy-Vee Candy Trays Salmonella Name Hy-Vee,

Inc.

01/10/2017 Chip’n Dipped Dark chocolate

crunch bar

Undeclared milk Chip’n Dipped

01/10/2017 Mann Packing Organic Veggies

with Organic

Ranch Dip

Undeclared Milk Mann Packing

01/09/2017 Hostess Brands,

LLC

Holiday White

Peppermint

Hostess®

Twinkies

Salmonella Hostess

Brands, LLC

01/09/2017 Palmer, Publix,

Trails End and

others

Chocolate

coated candy

Salmonella Palmer Candy

Company

01/09/2017 Everroast Chicken Caesar

Wrap

Undeclared

anchovy

Harris Teeter,

LLC

01/06/2017 9LivesTM,

EverPetTM, and

Special KittyTM

Canned cat

food

Possible low

levels of

thiamine

(Vitamin B1)

J.M. Smucker

Company

01/05/2017 Whole Foods

Market

Croissants Undeclared egg Bakers of

Paris

01/04/2017 Whole Foods

Market

Tarts Undeclared

almond

Whole Foods

Market

01/04/2017 Dutch Valley Food

Distributors, Inc.

Cappuccino

Snack Mix

Salmonella Dutch Valley

Food

Distributors,

Inc.

01/03/2017 9LivesTM,

EverPetTM, and

Special KittyTM

Canned cat

food

Possible low

levels of

thiamine

(Vitamin B1)

J.M. Smucker

Company

12/29/2016 Mikesell’s Nacho Cheese

Tortilla chips

Salmonella Mikesell’s

Potato Chip

Company

12/27/2016 Farm To Market

Foods

Green Bean

Casserole,

Holiday Smoked

Turkey and Ham

Dinner Kits

Undeclared

Peanut

Texas Best

Protein DBA

Farm To

Market Foods

12/27/2016 Roland Manzanilla olives

stuffed with

anchovies

Product quality

issue (the

presence of

microorganisms

)

American

Roland Food

Corp

12/23/2016 JES Premium 40 Tubs

(beef cattle

feed)

Elevated levels

of non-protein

nitrogen

Whitestone

Feeds, Inc.

12/23/2016 Southeastern

Mills and Shore

Lunch

Biscuit, gravy,

and breading

mixes

Salmonella Southeastern

Mills Inc.

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January 2017

MARKET NEWS

Enterprise News

World fresh apple forecast 2016/17

World

Total World apple production in marketing year 2016/17 is forecast to rise 1.2

million metric tons (tons) to 77.6 million as Chile rebounds and China continues

its upward trend. Global trade is forecast up slightly to 6.6 million tons as higher

exports for Chile, China, and the United States more than offset the continuing

effect of Russia’s ongoing ban on fruit from certain countries.

China

Chinese production is forecast to rise again, up 900,000 tons to 43.5 million tons,

as additional bearing trees are expected to more than offset weather-related

losses in top growing provinces Shaanxi and Shandong. Exports are also

projected up 150,000 tons to 1.3 million as lower prices trigger higher shipments

to price-sensitive markets in Asia, especially Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Imports are forecast up 7,800 tons to 85,000 on sustained demand for

higher-quality fruit from the United States and Southern Hemisphere suppliers.

Europe

Production in the EU is expected to

decline slightly to 12.6 million tons as

significant weather-related losses in

Central and East European Member

States offsets record production in

Poland. EU exports are forecast to

remain unchanged at 1.6 million tons on sustained shipments to Belarus, the

Middle East, and North Africa, as Russia continues its ban through 2017. Imports

are anticipated to continue their slow recovery from 2014/15, rising 11,000 tons to

460,000 tons on higher shipments from Southern Hemisphere countries.

United States

The production in the United States is forecast up 147,000 tons to 4.6 million as

greater production in the Western and Central states more than offsets losses

suffered in the Eastern states from damaging April frost and summer drought.

Higher available supplies are expected to boost exports 77,000 tons to 855,000

and lower imports to 170,000 tons.

Turkey

Production in Turkey is projected unchanged at 2.7 million tons on good growing

conditions. Exports are forecast up 16,000 tons to 125,000 on higher exports to

Iraq.

Russia

Production is expected to rise a modest 2 percent to 1.3 million tons on favorable

growing conditions in Russia this year. This includes a 4-percent increase in

commercial production to 572,000 tons, which accounts for near 40 percent of

total production. Imports are anticipated to decline further as Russia continues

its ban on products from certain countries, sliding 21,000 tons to 720,000, their

lowest level in 11 years. However, Russia remains the world’s top apple importer.

South Africa

South African production is anticipated to reach a new record of 980,000 tons as

growing conditions return to normal and as new plantings come into full

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January 2017

MARKET NEWS

production. The increase in available supplies is expected to propel exports up

21,000 tons to a record 550,000.

Mexico

Production in Mexico is forecast to decline slightly to 730,000 tons due to

unfavorable growing conditions and hail in main producing state Chihuahua.

Imports are forecast down 28,000 tons to 190,000 as the depreciation of the

peso against the dollar slows purchases from the United States.

New Zealand

New Zealand production is forecast to show a modest gain, rising to a record

567,000 tons as orchards enter the on-year of the biennial bearing cycle and

weather conditions are conducive to successful blossom and pollination. Exports

are also expected to continue their upward trend, reaching a record 365,000

tons on expanded trade to Asian markets. New Zealand has focused on Asia, and

varieties purpose-grown for Asia have started to come into production.

South America

Chile is expected to see a rebound in production from last year’s weather-related

shortfall, rising 130,000 tons to 1.4 million on a higher level of chill hours in

winter and on uniform blooming. Higher production is expected to propel

exports up 90,000 tons to 750,000 with higher shipments to top markets EU and

the United States.

While Chile sees a rebound, Argentina’s production is projected to remain nearly

flat at 650,000 tons as acreage continues to decline and because some orchards

were hit by a September frost. Exports are expected to be unchanged at

100,000 tons on stable shipments to top markets Brazil, Russia, and the EU.

Frozen ‘@ease’ chicken meal starters recalled in seven states

More than half a ton of “@ease” brand frozen chicken meal starter products are

under recall because they contain undeclared allergens that could cause serious

or life-threatening reactions in people with sensitivities to eggs, milk or wheat.

Mountain View Packaging LLC or Boise, ID, packed the 18-ounce packages of

“@ease Sweet Chili Chicken Meal Starter” on Dec. 23 and 30, 2016, according to

the recall notice on the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service website. A

distributor in Utah bought the products and sent them to Arizona, Colorado,

Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.

There is concern that consumers may still have the recalled product in their

homes because of its long shelf life. The recalled, frozen “@ease Sweet Chili

Chicken Meal Starter” can be identified by the “Best By” date of 5/17/2018 and

UPC number of 36800-38348. The recalled products also have the establishment

number “EST. P-39904” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

“The problem was discovered on Jan. 13 by a customer who was attempting to

scan the items to place them into inventory at their store. Specifically, the UPC

numbers did not match the UPC codes. The firm notified FSIS of the problem on

Jan. 17,” according to the recall notice.

“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume

them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of

purchase. Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Gary Shaw,

chief administrative officer, at 208-344-1183 Ext. 106.”

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January 2017

MARKET NEWS

MARKET NEWS - REPLY

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