A&M’s Acuff tells Ontario better HACCP, not more inspectors, for food safety

18.nov.09
Ontario Farmer
Jim Romahn
MISSISSAUGA –- Food inspection needs to become more science based, Dr. Gary Acuff, a food microbiologist from the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M told the 51st annual meeting of the Ontario Food Protection Association here recently.
He said much of what’s being done, such as increasing the number of federal meat inspectors in packing plants, isn’t doing much to improve the safety of the food supply.
Nor is much of the sampling and testing done by companies and government inspectors, he said.
What works is close attention to the processes in the packing plants, he said. That’s what the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points programs are supposed to do.
Acuff said it’s neither practical nor possible to eliminate food poisonings by testing foods at processing plants.
Not every package or patty heading for sale can be tested, and even if a sample was drawn from every one, harmful bacteria might still slip through.
So, for example, a New York company that was testing the hamburger patties it was making every 15 minutes missed serious E. coli 0157:H7 contamination that resulted in two deaths and 28 sick people.
The company had to recall 546,000 pounds of ground beef, Acuff said.
It thought it was doing a great job on food safety, he said.
“They were testing probably more than anybody else in the industry,” Acuff said, and both the beef trimmings coming in and the meat patties going out.
“They were devastated they didn’t detect it,” he said of the E. coli that poisoned people.
What this plant needs is a much more rigorous HACCP program.
“If you can’t prove with your HACCP program that you have a safe product, then you don’t have a good HACCP program,” he said.
He did not comment on any of the Canadian on-farm food-safety programs that claim they are based on HACCP principles.
Acuff said that the New York ground beef processor likely can’t prove its products are safe without using irradiation, yet the public is unlikely to accept irradiated meat.
That leaves temperature controls as the main alternative.
Acuff said his team at Texas A&M wanted to try tight controls so fresh beef could be delivered to customers in Japan. They got grudging approval from a beef-packing plant to slow down the slaughter operation for their trial which involved greater care in removing the hide and guts and keeping the surroundings clean.
They turned off the fans so there would be less bacteria swirling in the air, the staff donned gloves and increased the frequency of sanitizing knives.
However, the whole project came to a screeching halt when the federal meat inspector pointed to condensation that was forming on the ceiling.
Acuff said that condensation was irrelevant to food safety, yet an inspector working with rules based on traditions stopped the project.
That, he suggested, is what’s wrong with much of today’s meat inspection system. Every time there’s an outbreak of food poisoning traced to meat, the public demands more inspectors, more testing and stricter enforcement, he said.
That’s precisely the government and company response to the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak at Maple Leaf Foods two years ago. Acuff said what’s required is a science-based examination of the process, and a risk-based regulatory system.
But the public is wary of any changes in the regulatory inspection system, he said.
There is a strong reaction to science underway across North America, he said, and people are embracing traditions and old ways of doing things – raw milk, organics, raw vegetables, etc.
He said people are just as likely to believe testimonials as science-based systems, such as letters to the editor extolling the virtues of raw milk from people who say they no longer suffer allergies or need antibiotics.
He showed a picture of a poster advertising a raw milk symposium in Toronto featuring “from production to consumption.”
“Consumption is what we used to call tuberculosis,” he said, and showed a number of reports of cases where people have been sickened by drinking raw milk and eating cheddar cheeses made from raw milk.
Dr. Scott Weese of Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph outlined what’s been learned so far about Clostridium difficile in beef cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry and possible links to serious human illnesses and deaths.
In a nutshell, he said much remains to be determined, but it is clear that this stubborn bacteria is almost everywhere, including in many cattle and hogs and even in vegetables and drinking water.
But what degree of risk that poses to the health of people has been difficult to determine. What might be possible is that people get this bacteria, don’t get sick, but spores develop a stick around in their digestive system for weeks or months.
If and when those spores develop at a time when the person is vulnerable, or some condition is right for the bacteria to greatly multiply and produce toxins, the person can become deadly ill, Weese speculated.

The 2010 Food Safety Summit will take place April 12 - 14, 2010 at the Washington DC Convention Center. It will provide educational programming, networking receptions and a valuable exhibition hall for industry professionals who are charged with the protection of our food supply chain. Those professionals include personnel from the processing, retail/food service, academia, government sectors and more. For more information visit their web site: http://www.foodsafetysummit.com/

OFPA Past President Honours (click for bigger format)

Gail (Evans) Seed resigns as Executive Director of the OFPA

It is with mixed emotions that the Executive of the OFPA announces the resignation of Gail (Evans) Seed as the Executive Director (a post she has held for six years). We are pleased for Gail that she is now pursuing other exciting career interests but her hard work and dedication as Executive Director will be sadly missed. We hope that everyone will join us in wishing Gail the very best as she starts another chapter in her career. Please be sure to wish Gail well at our annual meeting on November 18th, as this will be one of Gail’s last formal activities as our Executive Director.
With this change comes a new opportunity. The OFPA is now in search of a new Executive Director to carry on the great work that Gail has done. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about the position or applying, please contact one of the following:

Mike Cassidy
mike.cassidy@ontario.ca
Judy Greig
Judy_Greig@phac-aspc.gc.ca
Joseph Odumeru
Joseph.Odumeru@ontario.ca
Paul Baxter
paulbaxter@sympatico.ca

Applications for the position must be received by Friday, Oct. 9th, 2009.

Pictures of Past OFPA Events added on our Site!

On our Web Site, please visit the Events page, then click Past Events, to access hundreds of archived pictures from past OFPA events. You can find pictures from past Fall & Spring Meetings as well as Golf Tournaments.

Mark your Calendar!!!

OFPA Awards 2009

Visit our web site for more info!!

Golf Tournament A Great Success!

I want to be the first to congratulate Darcy Segin, Marc Charlton, and Waylon Sharp for putting together a perfect golf tournament. It ran tickity boo!!! And no hitches, and lots of happy golfers. Lots of smiles, good food and good company….

Special thanks to Darcy and the team arranging for the handouts: cookies, golf tees, sunscreen, dry pepperonis, two bite brownies, reusable shopping bags and on and on. Thanks to Darcy for arranging for the water bottles and trophies, and the dinner (steak was great). And, with Marc, Debra and Darcy preparing the promotions and handouts, the registration was a smooth and quick process.

Also a special thanks to Heidi Hesch who was the perfect public relations rep for the OFPA. Heidi handled the photographs, and getting the teams’ pictures printed and distributed; collected the golf cards, co-ordinated the draw tickets, and more..... As a whole she did a great job!!!

Many hands make light work. So, my thanks to all. (Because the day was seamless, if I missed anyone, my apologies). As an aside, I actually had time to enjoy the festivities. Thank you.

It was a total success, and I heard many say they were looking forward to next year’s event – using the same programme!!! Well done.

Gail (Evans) Seeds

Dinner and Technical Meeting - Dr. Randall Huffman - Listeria Policy

A Dinner Meeting and Technical Session is hosted by the Guelph Section of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology (CIFST). Dr. Randall Huffman, the new Chief Food Safety Office at Maple Leaf Foods will be speaking on “Listeria Policy: Food safety initiatives at Maple Leaf Foods”. The event is being at the Delta Guelph Hotel on Wednesday, June 17th at 6 p.m. Payment is due (cheque only) by June 10, discounted early registration ends May 25th.
Follow this link for more info: https://secure.cifst.ca/default.asp?id=921

CONGRATULATIONS OFPA!

The Int'l Association for Food Protection (IAFP) has selected the OFPA to receive the 2009 C.B. Shogren Memorial Award for our overall, exceptional achievement in promoting the mission of the IAFP!
I want to congratulate Gail Seeds and all the members of the Board for their contributions and hard work during 2008 which was necessary to achieve this honour. I will be pleased to accept the Award on behalf of the OFPA at the 2009 IAFP Awards banquet in Grapevine, Texas.
Again, my sincere congratulations and thanks - we are very proud of this accomplishment!

Mike Cassidy
President of the OFPA

Following the April 1st, 2009 announcement of Growing Forward, we are pleased to launch the Food Safety and Traceability Initiative (FSTI), part of the Best Practice Suite. As you are aware, Growing Forward supports the development and implementation of best practices in four key areas:
· environment and climate change
· food safety and traceability
· business development
· biosecurity.

Participants are encouraged to develop strategies across all these areas to meet their business goals through a variety of information sessions and workshops, as well as one-on-one training and technical assistance. In addition, an Innovation and Science Suite encourages and supports ongoing research and the commercialization of research.

The Food Safety and Traceability Initiative is a cost-share funding program, developed to assist agriculture and agri-food facilities improve food safety practices and traceability systems in their operations. Improvements to food safety and traceability will strengthen Ontario’s ability to provide safe, high quality food and provide economic advantages to our farmers and food processors.

The FSTI was developed by the Food Safety Programs Branch and will be administered jointly with the Rural Community Development Branch. For more details about the FSTI please contact us by:
· phone: 1-888-479-3931
· website: www.ontario.ca/foodsafety
· e-mail: fsti.omafra@ontario.ca

If you would like more information on Growing Forward, the Best Practice Suite and/or the Innovation and Science Suite, please contact us by:
· phone: 1-888-479-3931
· website: www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/growingforward/index
· email: growingforward@ontario.ca

Infection Control in the Workplace eLearning...

Infection Control in the Workplace eLearning...

Deb Canada today announced the launch of a new eLearning initiative starting with its Infection Control in the Workplace Program.

Available across Canada, this on-demand and interactive series was developed to help educate the importance of effective hand hygiene practices in the workplace.

Flash Presentation....

The 50th Annual Meeting Was A Complete Success!!!!

The Ontario Food Protection Association 50th Anniversary meeting held at the Mississauga Convention Center on November 20-21st 2008 was a COMPLETE success!!!

Stay tuned on our web site for pictures, presentation slides and summary of the event!