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Why So Many Recalls?
By Mike Hurley It seems like every time you pick up a newspaper, there’s another food recall for pathogenic bacteria. Have you ever wondered why? Are food plants getting worse in sanitation? Are Salmonella and E. coli mutating to make super bugs? I believe food processing facilities in the U.S. are more sanitary and cleaner than ever. Across the country there are exceptions to this, but food manufacturing facilities do a good job. We know ACFSQ/DFA members have outstanding sanitation programs, our sanitation team confirms this thru audits. But we still encourage all companies to continue to improve. But if this is the case, why then are we having so many problems? The answer revolves around two new changes in food safety procedures. They are communication and technology. About a dozen years ago, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Association for Public Health Laboratories (APHL) thought it would be a good idea to talk to each other. Together they coordinated a program entitled Foodborn Disease Active Surveillance Network (FOODNET). FOODNET is a collaborative project of CDC, USDA, and FDA. When public health labs had a pathogenic bacteria confirmation in a stool sample (boy there’s a great job!), they inform the other agencies. FDA and USDA also communicate with CDC about any food born illnesses or positive samples in their routine testing. If a number of people in an area became ill, CDC will investigate what they all ate and possibly find a source. This epidemiology data did not need to find a "smoking gun" positive sample. They just needed to put together what they all ate. This alone was a major break- through. The second major change was technology. A laboratory program called PulseNet was developed that used a new technique called Pulse-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). This technology allowed labs to confirm that the Salmonella outbreak in Denver was the same exact bacteria that caused an outbreak in Seattle. It looks at the genetic make up of the pathogenic bacteria. It is definitive. There are thousands of strains of Salmonella, but the electrophoresis technique definitively confirmed the exact critter. The technique is not limited to Salmonella, but can be used on all food bacteria pathogens. The analyses are conducted in field labs across the country, now in every state. The decentralized analyses do not tie up CDC labs. The beauty of this program allows the CDC to confirm and connect just a few illnesses that could be spread out across several states. Pathogens are now known to survive for long periods of time, over a year, and they can be identified and linked to one source. The CDC manages the electrophoresis data and keeps the other agencies aware of positive hits. This program was especially poignant during a recent peanut butter outbreak. Salmonella can survive for more than a year in the finished product. Because of the wide distribution of the peanut butter, the outbreak occurred not only over an extended period of time but over many states. There were hundreds of illnesses over a wide distribution over many months. Prior to these government programs this outbreak would not likely have been found. I hope this helps in clearing up some of the questions about the recent number of food born outbreaks. The first line of defense is to not allow pathogens in your plant. Your sanitation program is very important to the success of not only your facility, but the industry as a whole. Feel free to contact ACFSQ/DFA staff at any time for more helpful suggestions. |
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Comments, questions or story ideas? Please contact newsletter editor Richard Cherrix at 916.561.5900 ext. 107 or richc@agfoodsafety.org  View Newsletter Archive IN THIS ISSUE Member Spotlight: Valley Fig Growers 24th European Dried Fruit Meeting ACFSQ/ DFA Board Members: Don Soetaert, Chairman Shoei Foods USA, Inc. Susan Brauner Blue Diamond Growers Sam Keiper Diamond Foods, Inc. Jack Mariani Mariani Nut Company George Sousa, Sr. Mariani Packing Company, Inc. Barry Kriebel Sun-Maid Growers of California Mark Dalrymple Sunsweet Growers Inc. Mike Emigh Valley Fig Growers Pete Turner Wilbur Packing Company SCTC Board Members: Michael Cassidy, Chairman Sun-Maid Growers of California Chip Litten CalDak International, LLC Bruce Higton California Food Connections Craig Duerr Campos Brothers Farms N. Leon Dermenjian Derco Foods Martin Mariani Mariani Nut Company Jim Zion Meridian Nut Growers, LLC Everett Golden Otis McAllister, Inc. Linda Robbins Pacific Century Trading, Inc. President’s "E" Award By Erika Tarr Known as one of the oldest and most widely trusted companies dealing in global trade of food products, Otis McAllister, Inc. is truly a shinning star. Founded in 1892 by James Otis, Jr., M. Hall McAllister and Everett N. Bee, their mission was simple: to provide their global customers the widest breadth of sources for high quality and reasonably priced foods, beverages and food ingredients and to conduct business with all suppliers and clients in an ethical manner. This practice has continued for one hundred and sixteen year history as a key company in the worldwide food industry. <read more> Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC) 2010 Ag Shipper Workshops By Erika Tarr The Specialty Crop Trade Council works closely with The Agricultural Transportation Coalition (AgTc). The AgTC monitors government and commercial activity on ocean shipping and other transportation issues and keeps AgTC members up-to-date on how these will impact their business. To view Ag Shipper Workshop Dates and Locations, please visit http://www.agtrans.org/Section.asp?article_id=1989 American Shipper <view PDF> |
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