For Safety's Sake • Food Safety Newsletter • December 2007
Information and Tips for Keeping it Fresh!
Volume 1 • Issue 10
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Focus on Food Safety
The Year in Food Safety
2007 has been a significant year regarding food safety in the United States. It seemed as though something new concerning food safety hit the headlines on a daily basis, some good, some not so good. However, as the year comes to a close, it is only fitting to share some events that have greatly impacted and advanced food safety.
Safe Food Act
Sen. Richard Durbin of Ill. and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Conn. re-introduced the Safe Food Act in February, which aims to intensify food-inspection practices, calls for more frequent inspections and suggests the consolidation of food inspection that is currently spread out through 12 government agencies. While this legislation was proposed early in the year, currently pieces of the proposal are attached to other legislation, such as, the FDA Reauthorization Act and the Farm Bill, which calls for creating a Congressional Bipartisan Food Safety Commission dedicated to revamping and updating the U.S. food safety system.
Food Service Permits Required at Summer Public Events
In the summer of 2007, Lake County, Ill. health officials tightened its oversight of food preparation at summer public events such as festivals, fairs and carnivals. Vendors at such events were required to complete an application and pay a fee to obtain a food service permit. Inspectors were also on-sight and made spot checks on any food service provider ensuring proper hand washing facilities were available and that food was properly stored and prepared. While this example only touches on one county in the country, it demonstrates a step in the right direction and sets an example for health officials everywhere.
California Food Code
The California Food Code (CalCode), effective July 1, 2007, is an updated combination of the best facts and science available today to protect the food supply and consumer health and safety in California. It provides a system of prevention and overlapping safeguards designed to minimize food-borne illness, ensure employee health and ensure safe food, among other safeguards. Beyond requiring many handling and processing protocols for eggs, the CalCode establishes a standard that eggs should be cooked to a minimum of 145 degrees F. for at least 15 seconds to be safe from salmonella bacteria. As an alternative, the CalCode recommends food operators use pasteurized eggs or eggs products whenever these times and temperatures are not possible. The CalCode also calls for the use of pasteurized shell, liquid, frozen, or dry eggs or egg products in food preparation in any licensed healthcare facilities as well as public or private schools.
National Food Safety Education Month
Every year, September is National Food Safety Education Month, however, this year the month of recognition drew more attention than ever due to news making recalls. National Food Safety Education Month was created in 1994 by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's International Food Safety Council to heighten awareness of the importance of food safety education throughout the restaurant and foodservice industry. We continue to salute this organization in its efforts.
Food Protection Plan
In November, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed a comprehensive Food Protection Plan to address the changes in food sources, production, and consumption that we face in today's world. Building upon and improving an already sound food safety protection capability, the new plan presents a robust strategy to protect the nation's food supply from both unintentional contamination and deliberate attack. The FDA's Food Protection Plan builds on prevention first, then intervention, and finally, response.
Eat Safe Act
Just this month, another piece of legislation was proposed to improve food safety oversight. The Eat Safe Act of 2007, proposed on Dec. 5, 2007, would require additional funding for food-safety agencies and tighter oversight of private labs that test some imported foods. Food-safety laboratories that test some imported foods would be required to submit all test results to federal regulators, regardless of outcome. (Read more about this in the "Food Safety in the News" section.)
2008 is sure to be a year with a continued Focus on Food Safety. Along with your support , we will maintain our involvement in the continued education on safe food practices, food supply and food preparation.
Happy Holidays and best wishes for a Happy New Year to you and yours!
Greg West
President of National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc.
Food Safety in the News
Lawmakers Seek More Food Safety Oversight
Food safety laboratories that test some imported foods would be required to submit all test results to federal regulators, whether good or bad, lawmakers recently proposed. The Eat Safe Act of 2007 would include additional funding for food safety agencies and require tighter oversight of private labs that test some imported foods.
The labs test imported foods that have had safety problems in the past and which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) won't allow into the USA unless the importer proves them safe. Typically, importers hire private labs to test the products and those results then go to the FDA.
The FDA in 2004 proposed that labs be required to submit all test results to the agency, but it never implemented the change. The concern is that unscrupulous importers might try to sneak bad products into the USA by hiding failing test results, getting another lab to test the shipment and then giving the FDA only that test if it came up clean.
The labs, which test thousands of food products a year, are not formally regulated by the FDA. In addition to full reporting of test results, the bill proposes that the FDA certifies and inspects the labs and that the labs pay a fee to fund the extra work.
Source: USA Today - Posted: Dec. 6, 2007
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Food Safety Crackdown in China
China said that it had demolished the facilities of more than 2,800 rural food makers as part of its effort to crack down on shoddy, fake or substandard food, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Beijing has been moving aggressively in recent months to complete a six-month long campaign to root out fake and substandard food, drugs, toys and other consumer goods, after a year of scandals involving product safety.
While the government has insisted through much of the year that the country's products are safe, the government has acknowledged uncovering tens of thousands of problem or dangerous operations over the past six months.
Source: New York Times - Posted: Dec. 6, 2007
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Bush Veto Could Threaten Food Safety For Millions
Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Conn. who leads the House panel responsible for FDA funding, called on President Bush to lift his objections to the Agriculture Appropriations Bill, in which there is a drastic increase in money for the FDA. Without the infusion of cash, DeLauro said, U.S. consumers would be at great risk regarding food and drug safety.
On Dec.3, 2007, a panel known as the Science Board declared that the FDA - which overseas 80 percent of the nation's food - is in disrepair, suffering from a "plethora of inadequacies." The agency has too few capable scientists and too many "obsolete" information-technology systems, according to the report's authors. Food-makers are inspected only once every 10 years. Since 1972, FDA inspections of the food supply have dropped 78 percent due to soaring numbers of products and inadequate funding. Moreover, despite a huge growth in the agency's responsibilities, the FDA staff has remained the same size over the last 15 years.
Source: The Huffington Post - Posted: Dec. 4, 2007
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Food Safety Q & A
If you have a question you would like us to address in a future e-newsletter, please contact us at 4safetyssake@gmail.com.
Q. What are the symptoms of food-borne illness?
A. Food-borne illness often presents itself as flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, so many people may not recognize the illness is caused by bacteria or other pathogens in food.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Safe Serving Spotlight
Who is leading the pack in food safety? In this section, we highlight foodservice entities that hold the highest standards and can teach all of us a thing or two. If you believe your organization deserves to be recognized, please e-mail us 4safetyssake@gmail.com and let us know. We'd love to share your story, too.
Gold Country Casino & Hotel
Oroville, Northern California
Keeping It Safe
Running any food and beverage operation is a challenge, large or small. However, when it includes a 24 hour casino operation encompassing a buffet, a family-style cafe, a premium steak house, a bakery, three lounges, a large bingo area, banquet & conference facilities, as well as a Bowling Center complete with snack bar, and a staff member dining room, odds-makers are sure to say things might get a bit hectic.
However, keeping the food and beverage operation safe is all in a day's work for Jason Westerfield, hospitality director of the Gold Country Casino & Hotel in Oroville, Calif., and that's something he's not about to gamble on.
"Food safety is our number one priority," says Westerfield. "We serve approximately 2,500 guests each week day in our outlets and that number can easily double on the weekends."
Westerfield's team is constantly monitoring all aspects of its food. For example, as soon as a food delivery arrives on the dock they are taking the food temperature and logging it to make certain it is the right temperature from arrival, through storage and preparation up until it is enjoyed by the guest. They don't take any chances on impacting the safety of their guests.
All of the food staff, which numbers close to 150 associates, is committed to following proper protocol regarding food safety. Additionally, the food and beverage operation has 30 members of management serve safe certified, something that Westerfield is indeed proud of.
To learn more about the Gold Country Casino & Hotel, visit its website at www.goldcountrycasino.com.
From the Food Safety Expert
Are you an expert in food safety? If you are, we'd like for you to be part of our expert team. Email 4safetyssake@gmail.com and let us know about you.
Food Defense: The New Food Safety
Today's food safety manager must defend not only against a growing range of bacteria, viruses, and other food-related hazards, but also against food-related terrorism. How does a foodservice operator go about tackling the new food safety threats?
The answer lies in the hazard analysis & critical control point (HACCP) approach. At heart, HACCP is a system for sizing up risks and heading them off before trouble can occur. It is a perfect fit in the arena of food defense. It begins with an assessment of risks.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises evaluating risks using an acronym called CARVER.
- Criticality: What impact would an attack have on public health and the economy?
- Accessibility: How easily can a terrorist access a target?
- Recoverability: How well could a system recover from an attack?
- Vulnerability: How easily could an attack be accomplished?
- Effect: What would be the direct loss from an attack, as measured by loss in production?
- Recognizability: How easily could a terrorist identify a target?
Together, these attributes define the level of risk for any operation. They also point to where and how the food safety plan can build in protection.
Wearing a "HACCP hat," every foodservice manager can put control systems into place. Some steps are as simple as controlling access, keeping personal items out of the foodservice operation, checking people against schedules, defining the flow of communications, monitoring service areas, and ensuring that every person on site wears a name badge. Vigilance in areas such as facility, staffing, customers, receiving, and storage all work together as preventive tactics.
For more information, download the free CARVER software from the FDA website by clicking here, and review FDA food security guidance at www.cfsan.fda.gov.
About Sue Grossbauer, R.D.
Sue Grossbauer, R.D., building on a career in hospital food service, is active in educational support, marketing communications, and internet development within the foodservice industry. She writes the Food Protection Connection column for Dietary Managers Association (DMA) and has authored several textbooks and online courses, including Behind the Food Code, offered by DMA. Grossbauer is President of The Grossbauer Group in Chesterton, Ind. She can be contacted at sue@ggnet.net.
Did You Know?
The same pathogens that cause food poisoning can cause arthritis, kidney failure, meningitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that about two to three percent of all food poisoning cases lead to secondary long-term illness such as these.
Source: American Dietetic Association
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