FOOD SAFETY FROM FARM TO FORK

Transcription

1 FOOD SAFETY FROM FARM TO FORK Dr. Elizabeth Bihn, Ph.D. Director, Produce Safety Alliance Institute for Food Safety at Cornell University

2 OVERVIEW Food Safety Modernization Act Overview Extensive need for outreach and education programs Novel technologies Staying on the cutting edge

3 DO YOU EAT? Do you think about food safety? If you think about food safety, what do you think about? Does it matter if YOU think about food safety? Or do you think someone else is already thinking about it, so, no worries? Why does it matter? Personal health, public health, economy, productivity and the list goes on

4 THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT (FSMA) Preventive Controls for Human Food Sept 15, 2015 Preventive Controls for Animal Food Sept 17, 2015 Produce Safety Rule Nov 27, 2015 Foreign Supplier Verification Programs Nov 27, 2015 Accreditation of Third-Party Auditors/Certification Bodies Nov 27, 2015 Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food April 6, 2016 Prevention of Intentional Contamination/Adulteration May 27, 2016 First major overhaul of the U.S. food safety system in over 70 years Still not one federal health or food safety agency, so it is complicated

5 FOOD SAFETY HAZARDS Physical Chemical Biological Hazards are reasonably likely to cause illness or injury in the absence of control.

6 GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (GAPS) Any procedure or activity that reduces microbial risks to fruits and vegetables on the farm or in the packinghouse Makes the most sense on the farm Applicable to all farms regardless of size or commodities or production practices Foundation for FSMA PSR

7 GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICES Code of Federal Regulation 21 CFR 117* (*Update from 21 CFR 110) Some level of control over the environment Common in food processing plants HACCP Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Developed for the space program to help ensure safe food FSMA Human Foods Rule slightly altered the typical HACCP process Essentially the same process with a different name A slight half truth but not enough time to explain the details

8 LET S FOCUS ON PRODUCE SAFETY Approximately 121,116 farms in the U.S. grow produce Conveniently located in rural areas with limited broadband Financial assets highly variable Average age of growers >55 Educated but not necessarily about food safety Estimated 35,029 farms will be covered by the FSMA PSR Buyer demand may make this irrelevant 70,395 foreign farms that will offer covered produce for import into the U.S.

9 Produce Safety Challenges Fresh produce is often consumed raw (i.e., not cooked) Microbial contamination on produce is extremely difficult to remove once present Natural openings, stem scars, bruises, cuts Rough surfaces, folds, netting Preventing Contamination is the Goal Contamination is often sporadic Bacteria can multiply on produce surfaces and in fruit wounds, provided the right conditions are present but viruses and parasites are also concerns

10 Contamination Sources Humans Soil Maybe not true of every farm Think about Controlled Environment Agriculture Produce...but they still have risks Animals Buildings Equipment Tools Water

11 Cornell University Institute for Food Safety and Health International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) National Farmers Union South UF West OSU North Central Iowa NE UVM University of Arkansas

12 PSA Curriculum Development June May 2012 March - June 2012 July - December 2012 Jan July 2016 Finally launched in September 2016 Like a ROCKET!

13 PSA GROWER TRAINING CURRICULUM One way to satisfy (c) At least one supervisor from the farm must complete food safety training at least equivalent to the standardized curriculum recognized by the FDA ~Seven hours of dedicated instruction time Completion of course results in certificate from Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) Curriculum modules include: Introduction to Produce Safety Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training Soil Amendments Wildlife and Domesticated Animals Agricultural Water: Production & Postharvest Postharvest Handling & Sanitation How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

14 PSA TRAIN-THE-TRAINER COURSE Build a cadre of qualified instructors Expect those interested in training will come with experience and knowledge of: Produce safety; produce production; training; FSMA Encourage PSA Trainers to become PSA Lead Trainers Conduct PSA Grower Training Courses to support industry Collaborate on training, domestic and international

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16 COLLABORATION IS KEY TO SUCCESS Extension Educators Building bridges Supporting existing extension programs Developing programs that lack expertise and experience Regulators State and Federal Research Incorporating new research Identifying areas that need research answers Responding to industry as they begin implementation

17 The PSA Website But Wait There s More... You can even friend us on Facebook! Let s Talk Novel Technologies Join the listserve! Gretchen L. Wall, M.S., Coordinator, glw53@cornell.edu, Elizabeth A. Bihn, Ph.D., Director, eab38@cornell.edu,

18 High Pressure Processing Validation Center Cornell University, Geneva, NY Biosafety Level 2: work with pathogens

19 FOOD APPLICATIONS OF HPP Microbial inactivation and shelf life extension for: Vegetable products: 36% Meat products: 30% Shellfish and fish: 16% Juices and beverages: 12% Other products: 6%

20 FOOD APPLICATIONS OF HPP

21 Validation Study: To provide the pressure and time capable of achieving a 5-log reduction in pathogen activity. Following FDA guidelines, a cocktail of 5 strains will be used to inoculate the products received from a manufacturer. Following HPP treatment, the samples will be analyzed immediately for surviving pathogens. The pressure and time capable of achieving this reduction will be reported in a formal report to the client.

22 Physicochemical Evaluation: To provide information on the color, texture and product quality, following HPP treatment of the packaged, un-inoculated product at varying pressures for varying times, or at the pressure/time combination showing a 5-log reduction of pathogens for that product. NO consumption of product will be permitted, and the samples must be retained in the facility until disposal. The color, texture and product quality, including key nutrients, under various conditions will be reported in a formal report to the client.

23 Shelf-life Study: To provide microbiological evaluation for spoilage bacteria, yeast and molds following HPP treatment of the packaged, un-inoculated product at varying pressures for varying times or the pressure/time combination showing a 5- log reduction of pathogens for that product. The microbiological findings will be reported based on the product being held at typical refrigerated temperatures and accelerated shelf-life temperatures.

24 LIVING ON THE EDGE THE CUTTING EDGE

25 VISION STATEMENT To be the global leader of research, training, and outreach in food safety

26 Vision Collaboration Opportunities

27 DEMAND FOR FOOD SAFETY ACROSS ENTIRE FOOD SYSTEM Opportunity to fill training needs Farmers, processors, retailors, regulatory personnel Help industry meet regulatory requirements Education, Training, Research Needs go beyond regulatory requirements Buyer demand Quality Economic development Grow agricultural and other food enterprises by leading the way in quality and safety

28 PLAYING TO OUR STRENGTHS NY has agricultural resources and population to support the food industry Long history of productive collaboration Growers, Processors, Retailers, Cornell, NYSAES, CCE, NYSDAM, Policy Makers, Consumers Food safety training from farm to table GAPs training, PSA Training, Dairy Training Juice HACCP, Better Process Control School, FSPCA Training Home canning, preservation Applied Research Breeding, plant protection, product development, novel food safety processing 28

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30 Thanks for Your Attention and Participation! 30