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 diseaseorganisms 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

 CDC

estimates that every year about 76 million people in the US become ill from pathogens in food. these, about 5,000 die

 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 soyfoods, heat-treated plant foods, raw heatseed 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
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
 The

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 pesticidepesticiderelated risks


Cleaning Produce
 Bleach,

detergent or soaps should not be used; they are not food-grade foodand 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 Disease-

germs are reduced

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

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 (H 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

fullfull-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 cocoshipment 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 EHScommittee established to evaluate allegations of illness from PSU eateries and dining halls

What PSU is Doing

 University

Policy AD-26 limits ADstudent 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
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!
 The

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 heat 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

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 atfoods throughout production and distribution can also help
 The

What if

it Happened to a Hollywood Icon?

The End
Questions?