finally, here is a copy of the letter:
To: Commercial bakeries, home food processors, eating establishments and commercial florists
from: Maine department of agriculture and maine department of health and human services, maine cdc
subject: Cut flowers intended to be used on or in contact with food.
We understand that some bakers of wedding and special occasion cakes, caterers, and floral shops are using cut fresh flowers as decoration on cakes. We are concerned that this practice albeit beautiful to look at, may inadvertently pose a potential public health risk. We understand that local commercial florists provide the flowers for these decorations. Under the maine food code, administered by the department of agriculture and the department of health and human services, maine cdc to insure food safety, local commercial florists are not considered approved food sources which means that we cannot assure that cut flowers provided by commercial florists are grown and harvested according to recognized public health standards.
We understand that these flowers can originate from other countries. In many cases we do not know the types of fertilizers, pesticides, and post harvest treatments used to preserve these flowers nor do we know if these flowers were ever intended for use on food items or in and around food preparation areas.
The addition of these flowers may provide a potential for adulteration of food items (wedding and special occasion cakes) potentially posing a serious public health risk from exposure to unknown chemicals, pathogens and insects. Please be advised per the maine food code, section 3-201.11(a) states, “food shall be obtained from sources that comply with law” and section 3-101.11 states, “food shall be safe, unadulterated, and honestly presented.”
flowers used on or in food items must be obtained from an approved supplier such as a food distributor that is duly licensed or permitted and can assure they were grown using acceptable good agricultural practices, and are safe for human food and/or food contact.
We respectfully ask that you immediately stop using cut flowers purchased from local florists for uses on cakes or in foods unless you can assure that the flowers have come from a safe source.
If you have further questions or concerns regarding this issue, please contact steve giguere, department of agriculture at 287-4456 or lisa brown, department of health and human services, maine cdc at 287-5691.
Sincerely,
steve giguere lisa brown
compliance supervisor program director
division of quality assurance & regulation health inspection program
maine department of agriculture maine cdc, department of health and human services
cc: Consumer protection inspectors
district health inspectors
hal prince, division director of quality assurance & regulations
nancy beardsley, division director of environmental health
dora mills, md mph public health director, maine cdc
and there you go........
The company "sysco" supplies flowers to many restaurants etc and are procured from many of the same sources as "local florists"....again there is no response from the dept of health from local florists questioning this edict.
