Whos Minding the Store - The Current State of Food Safety and How It Can Be Improved

Devon Zagory, Ph.D.Senior Vice PresidentFood Safety & Quality ProgramsNSF Davis Fresh

University of Seattle School of LawApril 11-12, 2008

What Is The Problem With Produce?

More outbreaksBigger outbreaksMore media attentionLess confidence on the part of buyers and consumers

Why the increase?Increased consumptionMore raw, less cookedLarger scale production, widespread distributionIncreasing size of outbreaks and ability to detect themIncrease in public and scientific awarenessMore severe illnessGreatly improved methodologyMore aggressive investigation

1998 2006 Produce OutbreaksTop 5 produce items make up 76% of outbreaks

Produce Outbreaks 1973-97 (190)54% pathogens identifiedFrom presentation to produce associations, January 2004, Lynch and Tauxe, CDC

Percentage of outbreaks due to fruits and vegetables: 1990-1998, by origin of product

Routes of ContaminationBeuchat, 1996

Washing Doesnt Eliminate PathogensAt best 1-3 log (1 to 1000-fold) reductions can be expected under commercial conditions regardless of antimicrobial used

IssuesComplexityStem scar area Hydrophobic nichesInternalization of pathogens

Tomatoes Washed with Chlorinated WaterS. montevideoLog CFU/cm2012345060110210320Chlorine (ppm)Zhuang et al, 1995

Good Agricultural Practices

FDA, 1998 guidance documentGuide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Not a regulation - guidelines onlyFocus on prevention of contamination and redundant reductionsCommodity-specific guidance increasingly availableLettuce and Leafy Greens Marketing AgreementProvides metrics for key factors

Commodity Specific GuidelinesMelonsSproutsLettuce and Leafy GreensTomatoesStrawberriesFresh-cut Food Safety Guidelines

California Leafy Greens Marketing AgreementInitiated by Western Growers Assoc.Signatories are handlers, not growersNearly 100% of CA handlers have voluntarily signedOnce signed, terms are obligatoryMust buy only from suppliers meeting the termsMetrics were developed by a committee of expertsSuppliers and handlers are audited by the CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture

Lots of Audits!Internal self-auditsCustomer auditsThird party auditsRegulatory auditsUSDA AMSCA Dept. Food and Ag.Organic auditsSustainability audits

Micro TestingTesting of irrigation water for generic E. coli required by CA LGMAEnvironmental testing in facilities validates cleaning and sanitationProduct testing required by many buyersRaw product testing Finished product testing

Is Testing Product Effective?Negative Tests Dont Prove AbsenceWhat will you test for?Coliforms (Inaccurate Indicators)Viruses PathogensNo Government StandardsQuality Assurance & SanitationValidate HACCP System

Is testing product effective?

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Probability Of Microbial Detection

Percent Contaminated

10%5%2%1%0.1%

Number of Samples Analyzed

5 10 15 20 30 6041 65 79 88 96 >9933 40 54 64 79 95 10 18 26 33 45 70 5 10 14 18 26 45 1 1 2 2 3 6

Lawyers and Risk AversionLarge buyers are driving food safety requirements and programsJudgments can be very large in food borne illness casesDamage to brand identity can be even greaterProminent retailers and food service companies are very risk averse about food safetyIn the absence of scientific data about risks, buyers are asking their suppliers to eliminate anything that COULD present a riskThis sometimes leads to wasted resources, and environmental costs

Where is the FDA?Historically FDA has been little involved with fresh produceFDA is reluctant to issue regulationsProduce is extremely diverseThere is a lack of knowledge and dataWhat should the regulations be?What steps would insure safety?There are lots of unknownsThere is a lack of resources

How Can We Fix It?More and better dataLevel the playing field - RegulationMake the producer/handler responsible for the process, not just the resultBase actions on analysis of hazardsImprove knowledge of food safety throughout the systemReduce regulatory ambiguity

QUESTIONS?Devon Zagory, Ph.D.Senior Vice PresidentFood Safety & Quality ProgramsNSF Davis Freshdzagory@nsf.org530-219-7489