Current Issues in Food Sanitation

Presented to University Safety Council April 18, 2007 Curt Speaker, EHS

Foodborne Illness
Results

from eating food contaminated with bacteria (or their toxins) or other disease-causing organisms such as parasites or viruses. range from upset stomach to diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and dehydration.

Symptoms

Foodborne Illness - statistics

Most

foodborne illnesses are undiagnosed and unreported estimates that every year about 76 million people in the US become ill from pathogens in food. these, about 5,000 die

CDC

Of

Foods of Concern
Any

food can be a vehicle for fooodborne illness High protein foods are most often responsible for foodborne illness Includes milk & milk products, eggs, meats, poultry, seafood (fish, shellfish, crustaceans), cooked potatoes, tofu and other soy-protein foods, heat-treated plant foods, raw seed sprouts

Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

In

the past, most outbreaks were associated with improper food processing, preparation or storage Recently, outbreaks have been associated with contamination at the source
Green onions Hepatitis A Spinach E. coli Peanut butter - Salmonella

The Food Safety Thermometer

Trends
The

nationalization of food distribution has made widespread outbreaks of foodborne illness much more likely Locally grown produce is not likely to be safer than national brands due to limited processing and cleaning Food irradiation is still meeting with resistance from some consumer groups

Prevention
Clean Separate Chill Cook

Current Topics in Food Sanitation

Produce

Cleanliness Food Irradiation Food Preparation and Process Engineering What PSU is doing Take Home Lessons

Cleaning Produce

Produce may be contaminated:

Physically (dirt) Chemically (pesticides) Biologically (bacteria, viruses)

A 1996 report by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that pesticides are consumed at such low levels that they pose little threat to human health The benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables far outweigh any pesticiderelated risks

Cleaning Produce
Bleach,

detergent or soaps should not be used; they are not food-grade and may cause more harm than good Wash produce under cold running water to remove residual dirt Firm fruits and vegetables can be scrubbed with a brush if additional cleaning is needed

Cleaning Produce
Specially

made fruit and vegetable washes may be of some value in removing dirt and pesticide residues from items that are purposely waxed, such as cucumbers, apples and oranges No evidence to suggest that organic produce is any safer; same risk of microbial contamination

Food Irradiation
Food

Irradiation is not a new phenomena

Wheat flour was first approved for irradiation in 1963 to control mold growth Potatoes were approved in 1964 to prevent sprouting Spices have been irradiated since 1986 to sterilize them

Typical Food Irradiator

Benefits of Food Irradiation

Disease-causing

or eliminated Food does not become radioactive Dangerous substances do not appear in the foods The nutritional value of the food is essentially unchanged

germs are reduced

Disadvantages of Food Irradiation

Not

all pathogens are eliminated Not particularly effective against viruses (at current doses) Some high risk foods do not irradiate well
Some fresh produce becomes mushy (Live) shellfish are killed by irradiation Egg whites become milky
Slight

reduction in vitamin content

Food Irradiation Symbol

Food Preparation and Process Engineering

Servesafe

is a food sanitation program based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) HACCP was originally developed by NASA to prevent foodborne illness in astronauts while in space Looks at food preparation as a process with essential steps where sanitation must be controlled

Moving Forward
Good

Agricultural Practice (GAP) is an extension of the HACCP idea into the growing, picking and processing of produce and other agricultural materials which emphasizes personal hygiene & sanitation, food security, sustainability and integrated pest management on the farm

What PSU is Doing

All

full-time food service employees (managers, cooks, dishwashers) are trained in SERVESAFE and recertify every 5 years Has specifications for produce providers
Certain countries excluded due to use of pesticides and/or handling practices Transportation requirements (no coshipment with chemicals, refrigeration temperatures, closed trucks)

What PSU is Doing

Food

Science Dept. and Extension provide numerous SERVESAFE courses throughout the state Also have numerous publications on proper handling of game meats, home canning and preservation EHS-lead foodborne illness committee established to evaluate allegations of illness from PSU eateries and dining halls

What PSU is Doing

University

Policy AD-26 limits student food sales event to:

Materials prepared by PSU HFS Products that do not require refrigeration Foods that are prepackaged for resale

List

of approved caterers for University events (at all locations) that have adequate liability insurance

Take Home Lessons

Keep

temperature requirements in mind for pot lucks and food events

Crock pots or chaffing dishes for hot foods Ice baths or coolers for cold foods

Do

not keep foods at room temperature for more than 2 hours Even properly prepared foods will go bad if mishandled

Take Home Lessons

Make

sure that food purchased for College or Departmental functions (either from PSU Food Services or from a caterer) is handled appropriately
Have appropriate equipment to maintain hot or cold foods at the appropriate temperature(s)

Take Home Lessons

At

home, follow proper procedures when canning meats, fruits and vegetables
Adjust salt and acid levels as needed

Purge

your fridge of leftovers on a periodic basis When in doubt, throw it out! For hunters, follow appropriate cleaning and dressing practices with game

Current Events
The

current pet food poisoning incident represents a slightly different aspect of this problem Foreign materials found in cat and dog food include aminopterin (a rat poison and cancer treatment drug) and melamine (a material used in the manufacture of plastics) Foodborne illness is not just a people problem!

Current Events
In

September of 2006, several individuals in Georgia and Florida came down with foodborne botulism from unrefrigerated carrot juice
Juice not heat-processed Has low acidity (pH~6) Low salt

Conditions

listed above coupled with warm temperatures allowed bacteria to grow and produce botulism toxin

The Bottom Line

The

food supply in the United States is very safe Proper handling and storage of foodstuffs can further reduce the risk of potential foodborne illness More control and inspection of at-risk foods throughout production and distribution can also help

What if

it Happened to a Hollywood Icon?

The End
Questions?