For Safety's Sake • Food Safety Newsletter • September 2009
Information and Tips for Keeping it Fresh!
Volume 2 • Issue 7
Welcome to For Safety's Sake - an informational newsletter dedicated to food safety. We hope you enjoy this issue and share it with others who are concerned about food safety. Sign up to receive this newsletter by email >
Focus on Food Safety
September is a great month for us at National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc. (NPE). In addition to being National Food Safety Education Month, I just returned from the official ribbon cutting ceremony of our newest plant in Flandreau, South Dakota. Food safety leaders along with state officials and customers joined us to celebrate this significant milestone for our company. Thanks to this new state-of-the-art facility we will more than double our production of pasteurized eggs that are free from dangerous egg-related Salmonella-enteritidis.
The Flandreau facility, which will add up to 60 new jobs to South Dakota, is being operated in conjunction with Dakota Layers, LLP, a cooperative egg laying farm founded by more than 120 farm families predominantly from South Dakota. We are proud to be working with them and appreciate the farms' dedication to poultry health and safety.
That said, we will produce more than 240 million safe pasteurized shell eggs annually, marketed under the Davidson's Safest Choice brand name and marked with our trademarked red circle "P."
Our award-winning pasteurized shell eggs are processed using an FDA-approved patented pasteurization process recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to inactivate Salmonella and avian influenza virus. Between our new plant and our corporate headquarters in suburban Chicago, we will pasteurize more than one million Salmonella-free shell eggs daily.
Perhaps you already know but the pasteurized egg category is the fastest growing segment in the egg industry, and food safety-conscious hotels, restaurants and hospitals that serve breakfast are making the proactive choice to use the very safest eggs possible, regardless of whether or not they serve immune-compromised populations.
Thanks to your support we are able to continue the upward growth of the company. We are proud to be in South Dakota and we are firm in our commitment to promote food safety at every possible opportunity. Check out our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for the latest happenings.
Greg West
President of National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc.
Food Safety in the News
USDA Considers New Food Safety Rules for Spinach
Federal food safety officials plan to hold public hearings about a new proposal backers say will help keep bacteria-tainted spinach and lettuce from reaching grocery shelves.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to gauge public support for an industry proposal to create a new structure that would enforce standards for producing, handling and inspecting leafy greens nationwide.
The proposed voluntary guidelines are an attempt to prevent another disaster like the massive E. coli outbreak in spinach in 2006, which killed three people, sickened 200 and cost the industry $80 million in lost sales.
Some consumers' groups have criticized the plan, which includes some elements they say could force smaller growers out of business.
Source: Associated Press - Posted: Sept. 3, 2000
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Food Safety Tips for Tailgating
High school football season is under way and the college season has begun with weekend games. For many fans, a trip to the game is not complete without tailgating in the stadium parking lot.
For fans who do not handle their tailgating fare safely, a trip to the game can be followed by one to the doctor's office, seeking treatment for a food-borne illness. Teresa McDonald, Colbert County coordinator for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, shares some tips for tailgating food safety.
Source: Timesdaily.com - Posted: Sept. 4, 2009
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Parenting 101: Food Safety Warning for All Parents
With the perilous news of tainted Chinese imports, many parents are hyper-aware of where their children's consumer products come from. But how about foods? Think of the staples in your pantry and your child's lunch box. Now go read each label thoroughly; because even items like fruits are imported from China.
Source: Orlando Early Childhood Parenting Examiner - Posted: Sept. 5, 2009
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FDA Opens New Portal for Food Safety Reporting
The Food and Drug Administration introduced its "Reportable Food Registry" electronic portal for the food industry, along with new requirements for reporting food-safety threats.
With the launch of the RFR portal, food and feed companies up and down the production chain are now required to alert FDA within 24 hours of determining any of their products could sicken or kill people or animals. Reporting that has been voluntary now becomes mandatory. Failure to report a known, reportable problem will place a company in violation of the Food Safety Act and subject to enforcement and penalties from the FDA.
The requirements apply to any person who has to submit registration information to the FDA for a food facility that manufactures, processes, packs, or holds food for human or animal consumption in the United States.
Source: Bovine Veterinarian - Posted: Sept. 8, 2009
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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 is the appropriate length of time to save leftovers for those students who wish to stretch their dollars by reusing food?
A: Refrigerate or freeze perishables right away. Foods that require refrigeration should be put in the refrigerator as soon as you get them home. Stick to the "two-hour rule" for leaving items needing refrigeration out at room temperature. Never allow meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or produce or other foods that require refrigeration to sit at room temperature for more than two hours-one hour if the air temperature is above 90° F. This also applies to items such as leftovers, "doggie bags," and take-out foods. Also, when putting food away, don't crowd the refrigerator or freezer so tightly that air can't circulate.
Food Safety 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 at 4safetyssake@gmail.com and let us know. We'd love to share your story, too.
University of Wisconsin - Stout
Menomonie, Wisconsin
Assistant Director of University Dining Services Jim Selz
Self Service for Students Gets Safer
The University of Wisconsin - Stout's dining service is always looking to accommodate the requests and stomachs of students on campus. The goal of the food service operation is to provide its clients with quality ingredients at affordable prices. Thus, the university prides itself in saying that the dining service is driven by customer satisfaction, rather than by profits. With three separate dining facilities on the college's campus, consistent commitment to food safety is a top priority and one of the many responsibilities of Jim Selz, assistant director of university dining services.
Selz oversees many aspects of the university's dining services, which is comprised of a staff of 35 full-time employees and approximately 400 student employees, given the time of year. His tasks include menu development management, tracking costs expenses, as well as purchasing.
Allowing students to prepare their own breakfast meals is an innovative aspect of the dining services at the University of Wisconsin - Stout. Initially, students were provided with liquid pasteurized eggs and unpasteurized eggs in the shell. However, in order to comply with requests for more diverse egg dishes such as over easy and sunny side up eggs, dining services decided that safer ingredients were a necessity. The solution was simple; begin buying pasteurized eggs in the shell. The university has been using the pasteurized shell eggs since the fall of 2008 with favorable results. Students can now safely create a greater variety of egg dishes without fear of illness or contamination.
"We strive to ensure that students are presented with safe and healthy meal options," said Selz. "We buy ingredients in varying stages; they may be raw, fresh, or already prepared and fully cooked. Safety is a big factor in all of our purchasing decisions, from fruit to hamburger meat to eggs."
"Breakfast has been a dying meal for younger crowds who are busy with school, as well as other activities. However, with the slowing economy, we are seeing more students eating on campus and remaining at school on the weekends, rather than traveling back home," said Selz. "With students preparing their own eggs now, it is vital that the ingredients we offer do not pose as a problem or a liability to well-being. In this situation there were two choices: switch to pasteurized shell eggs or remove the option for student self service."
With less students traveling home on weekends, it is reassuring to know that they can prepare food resembling a home cooked meal. The pasteurized shell eggs provide the student body with a taste of home and the familiar feel of cracking an egg for a delicious breakfast.
Pasteurized shell eggs have also allowed a wider range of dessert options to be served in the school's dining facilities. To appeal to the students' sweet tooth, a chef was hired to make upscale dessert dishes. However, his preference for using raw, unbroken eggs posed a concern. This issue was easily resolved with the introduction of pasteurized shell eggs, which could be incorporated into these delectable creations.
It is the willing nature of the University of Wisconsin - Stout food service operation that allows unique experiences such as student self service to continue. As changing needs arise, Selz and his dining service employees work to find the best solutions while still providing quality service and food. With the need for more and more students to remain at school on the weekends, it seems that self service for breakfast will continue to be a favorite for student cooking enthusiasts.
For more information about the University of Wisconsin - Stout dining services click here
Did You Know?
United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service reports that the same rules cover the mail order industry also apply to foods prepared and mailed from home. Make sure perishable foods are not held at temperatures between 40 and 140 °F, the "Danger Zone", for longer than 2 hours. Pathogenic bacteria can grow rapidly in the "Danger Zone", but they may not affect the taste, smell, or appearance of a food. In other words, you cannot tell that a food has been mishandled or is unsafe to eat.
Source: USDA - Posted: January 25, 2008
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