Food Safety

Foreign object detection is a critical step for food processors, with inspection personnel experiencing increased pressure to ensure food safety regulatory compliance without hindering productivity. This pressure has only increased as food processors are faced with accelerated timelines to meet changing supply chain demands for more at-home meals, including frozen and processed, shelf-stable foods as buying habits have changed during the COVID-19 crisis.

The integration of sanitation is a critical part of the food manufacturing process. This week’s episode of the 2020 Food Safety Consortium Virtual Conference Series will focus on effective approaches, best practices and lessons learned. The following are some highlights:

Sanitation Methods, Day-to-Day Operations and Applying It to a Pandemic (Now and Future Outbreaks), with Elise Forward, Forward Food Solutions; David Shelep, Paramount Sciences; and Bill Leverich, Microbiologics, Inc. The Critical Nature of a Good Environmental Program: The Story Behind Sabra’s Recall, Experience with the FDA, and Environmental Monitoring Journey, with Rob Mommsen, Sabra Dipping Company Surrogates & Emerging Applications: Their Role in Validation, Verification and Compliance, with Laure Pujol, Ph.D. and Vidya Ananth, Novolyze Tech Talks from Sterilex and Romer Labs.

Extensive federal import restrictions on romaine lettuce and salad mixes from California’s Salinas Valley are an indication of problems in the U.S. agricultural system that supplies British Columbians with more than half their fresh vegetables. Lawrence Goodridge, director of the Canadian Research…

Listeria was detected in almost a quarter of frozen vegetable samples in England. Between December 2018 and April 2019, 1,050 frozen fruit and vegetable samples were collected for a health study. Listeria monocytogenes or other Listeria species were detected in 167 samples of vegetables, with Listeria…

New Canadian food safety import requirements for U.S. romaine lettuce could cost the Canadian industry between $11 million and $13 million per week, and the mandate to test Salinas Valley romaine for E. coli add to costs for California shippers. 

Even more concerning, industry leaders say, is the precedent the testing mandate will have on future trade between the two countries.

“CPMA will continue to work with both industry and government to endeavor to mitigate this impact as much as possible; our goal is to avoid a similar situation as we all move forward,” said Ron Lemaire, president of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association.

Jane Proctor, vice president of policy and issue management for CPMA, said CPMA is developing a task force made up of approximately 10 industry food safety experts from both Canada and the U.S.

"The intended task is to review the CFIA requirements for romaine imports from the U.S., as currently written, to identify issues including with sampling and testing as included in the requirements, including how the current requirements will affect the supply chain," Proctor said.

The task force will also provide suggestions back to CFIA on how to make the procedure workable for industry, she said in an e-mail Oct. 9.

The health agencies of Mexico and the United States have signed the Declaration of Intent to build an Alliance on Food Safety in order to strengthen the safety of food that is produced, marketed, and consumed in Mexico and the United States. This document will replace the Declaration of Intent signed in…

In January 2017, Chilean Customs inspectors acted on a tip from a whistleblower: The country’s prized crop of raspberries was under threat. Inspectors raided the offices of Frutti di Bosco, a little-known fruit trading company on the second floor of a tower block in downtown Santiago. The files, company…

The pandemic has heightened the need for a new hygiene standard at food manufacturing sites. On August 19, OSHA and FDA released a health and hygiene checklist for food manufacturers to increase employee safety and help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at sites. This checklist reinforces the importance of elevating hygiene standards, but it can be difficult to know where to start—especially for food manufacturers aiming to maintain productivity while maximizing hygiene compliance and safety.

For food manufacturers seeking to navigate OSHA and FDA’s new guide, it’s important to remember that no matter the environment, the basics of hygiene remain true. You can kick-start your updated hygiene plan by implementing simple hygiene best practices and establishing comprehensive and clear protocols to achieve compliance on the road ahead. Remember, employee health and productivity begins with a safety-first mindset. Start by establishing a strong foundation with these tips that will help you maintain your food manufacturing site’s hygiene checklist amid COVID-19 and beyond.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is instituting stronger restrictions around the import of romaine lettuce. Starting Wednesday, importers will have to prove that their product does not come from California's Salinas Valley or that their lettuce has "below-detectable" levels of E. coli.

I don’t have to tell you that COVID-19 is a crisis, and the consequences have been immediate and difficult. But as I speak to clients and look beyond the immediacy of the problems the food industry is facing, I am seeing positive insights that can help us now and in the future.

Food safety culture hasn’t always been clearly defined, nor has it been a “must” in many food safety systems. But the reality is that food safety culture—and the buy-in that needs to happen in your entire organization—is a direct and important element for staying up to date with new rules and being consistent and compliant at every location.

Last week we were joined by experts in pest management for Episode 2 of the 2020 Food Safety Consortium Virtual Conference Series. Although pest management may not be seen as the most exciting topic, all food plants are required to have an integrated pest management program. In addition, the digital transformation fast-tracked by COVID-19 is also driving innovation in the remote monitoring of pests.

Barney Debnam, global agriculture strategy lead at Microsoft kicked off the conversation with some key themes driving change within the global food system, which have also been accelerated by COVID: Geopolitical forces, consumerization, democratized biology, sustainability, shifting economics and food security. As technology continues to evolve and is adopted at a faster pace (think artificial intelligence and how accessible it is now), businesses will be able to transform their outcomes by becoming more predictive. The key technology enablers in the process include:

Internet of Things and edge computing Advanced analytics Artificial intelligence and cognitive computing Graph technology Blockchain Digital workplace Mixed reality

The most significant benefit of implementing technology such as remote monitoring into an IPM program is its ability to provide visibility and the data to back up what is happening in a facility.

At the end of the season, there is relief in sight and the promise of a reward for the hard work and care given to a crop. If crops are not handled properly all the hard work put into growing the crop will be in vain. Improper storage and handling of horticultural crops can lead to major loss in product…

Nature Fresh Farms takes food safety very seriously. "We believe that our overall success depends on our ability to supply food to our customers that meets or exceeds the highest standards for product quality and safety. Now more than ever, people are acutely aware of the foods they eat, where those foods come from, and the…

The CEA Food Safety Coalition, which represents controlled-environment agriculture operations that include greenhouses and indoor vertical farms, has added members and is preparing to release food safety metrics by the end of the year.

“The coalition’s members collaborate by establishing standards and sharing insights to protect consumers,” Paul Lightfoot, coalition founder and chairman, and president of BrightFarms. “The more members, the safer the industry, so I’m thrilled that all the major players in our space have joined the coalition.”

The group is developing food safety standards tailored to controlled environment growing, and the group plans to release this year a set of criteria supporting a “no need to wash” label for members, and food safety metrics for members (in addition to underlying external food safety audits), according to a news release.

“Along with the growth of the CEA leafy greens industry comes the need to evaluate food safety risks specific to these commodities,” Jennifer McEntire, senior vice president of food safety and technology at the United Fresh Produce Association. “The coalition is playing a critical role in convening the industry and facilitating these discussions, and United Fresh Produce Association is pleased to contribute to this public health-focused effort.”

The newest members are:

The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, today praised the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission as a driving force for ensuring international food safety and trade standards, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ball’s Food Stores announced the certification of 100 employees by the American National Standards Institute and the Conference for Food Protection.  Ball’s Foods employees participated in an intensive, seven-hour training course focused on proper food handling, food preparation and food storage along with food safety and sanitation standards that are required by the FDA and USDA through the Food Safety Modernization Act.

After passing the certification test, department managers, store managers and senior leadership earned accreditation and a certificate from the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals. "The company is committed to ensuring all guests receive the best possible shopping experience in the safest environment," Gregg Frost, vice president of human resources for Ball’s Food. "Every Balls Price Chopper, Hen House Market, Balls Sun Fresh Market and Payless Discount Foods have at least one manager on duty during all hours of operation who are a Certified Food Protection Manager.”

Kansas City based Ball’s Food Stores operates 26 supermarkets under the Hen House Market, Price Chopper, Sun Fresh and Payless Discount Foods banners in Kansas City and surrounding markets.

In the webinar 'Food Safety in CEA Systems', presented by GLASE on September 24, 2020, Dr. Gioia Massa, plant scientist at NASA, will highlight some of the unique aspects of space crop production and the microbial food safety considerations of space-grown produce. Data will be presented on space-grown leafy green vegetables, as…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that Fortune Food Product, Inc., an Illinois-based processor of sprouts and soy products, has agreed to stop production until it, among other things, undertakes remedial action and complies with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The action…

Help consumer handle #produce safely. September is #NationalFoodSafetyMonth, and @fightBAC has many free resources on produce! fightbac.org/food-safety-ed… pic.twitter.com/jYZddhlO4j

Posted by Produce Marketing Association (pma) on Friday, September 11th, 2020 2:21pm 3 likes

500Foods shared this story from HD.com. The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $7.9 million through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to help farmers improve their business operations and bring more safe, high-quality foods to markets. This funding will support more than 670 projects across Ontario for eligible…

When vegetable farmers harvest crops, they often rely on postharvest washing to reduce any foodborne pathogens, but a new University of Georgia study shows promise in reducing these pathogens — as well as lowering labor costs — by applying sanitizers to produce while it is still in the fields.…

The Industry Advisory Group (IAG) of the IPPC ePhyto Solution calls on governments to support the adoption of ePhyto to facilitate international agricultural trade, which would be crucial in safeguarding global food security beyond the Covid-19 recovery period.  Global trading operations of plant products…

Although pineapples are rich in vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants, and are considered one of the most important fruits in the world, the harvesting of this delicious and healthy fruit results in tons of pineapple leaves waste. Left to rot or burning it, this waste can release harmful chemicals and…

Consumers are currently able to purchase one of the most famous peaches in the Spanish region of Aragon: the one under the PDO Melocotón de Calanda, which is known for ripening inside a paper bag. This protects it from pests, making it possible for it to receive practically no phytosanitary treatments.…

Recent instances of salmonella contamination in some products have led to widespread recalls and heightened consumer concern over food safety. “Occasionally, fresh fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with harmful bacteria or viruses, which are also known as pathogens,” said Juan Anciso, Ph.D.,…

“Some people tend to have a myopic view that water safety is only a third world problem, however that isn’t the case. Understanding water composition is mission-critical to people and businesses around the world, so we need to start with water quality in our own backyard “. - Meena Sankaran  Predictable water insights Indoor farms…

The Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, and his French counterpart, Julien Denormandie, held a virtual meeting in which they agreed on the need to guarantee food security in the European Union, support community agri-food strategies, and defend competitive and sustainable…

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a national consumer advisory on President's Choice gluten-free chicken strips for possible undeclared of gluten.

The Moyer family settled in Ontario in 1799 and have been farming in the Niagara Peninsula ever since. In keeping with tradition, Paul Moyer is the 9th generation of Moyer farmers, but he went far beyond the tradition when he became the co-founder of Clēan Works Corporation: a produce cleaning technology…

Bye bye plastic: At REWE and PENNY, more and more fruits and vegetables are offered unpackaged. But completely dispensing with packaging is not always sensible, as a long-term test has shown. Despite the ongoing corona crisis and its severe impact on supermarkets, supply chains and agriculture, REWE is…