Food Safety- What We Know and Don’t Know

1. Food Safety- What We Know and Don’t Know Faith Critzer, Ph.D. Food Safety Extension Specialist The University of Tennessee

2. Overview • Farm to School Program • Foodborne illness associated with produce • Ways to minimize food safety risks with fresh produce • Upcoming food safety regulations • Food safety and small to medium growers • What does this all mean?

3. Farm to School Program • Efforts put forth to increase per capita consumption of fruits and vegetables • Healthy People 2020 • USDA Economic Research Service has estimated that fruit consumption will increased by 24-27% between 2000 and 2020 (Lin, 2004)

4. Farm to School Program • Farm to School Program began in late 90’s • Promote incorporation of local foods into the school nutrition program • Expanded over past years to include learning experiences • School gardens • Farm field trips • Agriculture-based curricula

5. Foodborne Illness Linked to Produce • It has been estimated that harmful foodborne bacteria “pathogens” account for 47.8 million illnesses annually in the United States (Scallan, 2011) • 3 out of every 20 people • Outbreaks linked to consumption of fresh cut fruits and vegetables are increasing (Sivapalasingam, 2004). • 1973 to 1997, the % of outbreak-associated cases attributed to fresh produce increased from <1% to 6% while the median size of these outbreaks doubled

6. Foodborne Illness * Quality Adjusted Life Years Batz 2011

7. Minimizing Produce Food Safety Risks • Produce is a very important part of a well-rounded diet • Important to increase per capita consumption of all produce • Fresh fruits and vegetables do not have a heating step which can inactivate foodborne pathogen • Shift emphasis to practices in cultivation, harvesting, processing, and storage to prevent contamination with pathogens

8. Food Safety for Produce • Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) • Cultivation and harvesting practices that minimize the risk of fruits and vegetables being contaminated with pathogens • Example areas of focus: worker hygiene, irrigation water quality, manure and compost use, pesticide use, animal exclusion, and pest control

9. Food Safety for Produce • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) or Good Handling Practices (GHPs) • Processing practices to reduce the risk of fruits and vegetables being contaminated with pathogens • Example areas of focus: worker hygiene, processing water quality, sanitary operations during packing and storage, pest control, cleaning and sanitation of food contact surfaces and environment

10. GAPs GMPs

11. Food Safety Plans for Produce • Increasing demand for fruit and vegetable growers to develop food safety plans outlining their: • Practices • Training • Documenting their adherence to these practices

12. Food Safety Plans for Produce • Each grower will conduct a risk assessment for their site- identify biological, chemical, and physical hazards • Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points(HACCP)- based system • Develop practices specific to their farm and produce types based on GAPs and GMPs • Buyers will require independent third party audits of the food safety plan • If passed, growers become GAP certified • Audits conducted on an annual basis

14. Food Safety Plans- GAP Certification • Voluntary for growers, but many would see significant reduction in market if not adopted • Now required by the majority of foodservice and retail grocers

15. Upcoming Produce Safety Regulations • Food Safety Modernization Act • Signed into law January 2011 • Preventative Controls and Produce Safety Regulations to be developed by FDA • Draft Regulations soon to be announced • Comment period • Final regulation will be established by FDA

16. Produce Safety Regulation will require development of produce safety plans- cultivation and harvesting Preventative Controls Regulationwill require development of preventative controls plan- packing/processing facilities

17. Food Safety Modernization Act Exemptions • Small growers will be exempt (Tester Amendment) if: • <$500,000 in total sales • Majority of sales direct market • Sold within 275 miles or the same state • Many of the small to medium growers that may be selling directly to schools in the Farm to School Program will be exempt from these regulations

18. A Survey of Practices for Small to Medium Growers • >25% of respondents were inappropriately using raw manure on fields as a soil amendment • Nearly 15% used untested well water for irrigation • 16% used untested well water and 0.4% used surface water for processing fruits and vegetables • >5% did not have handwashing or bathroom facilities near the field or packing area • >40% did not use sanitizers on food contact surfaces (Harrison 2011)

19. Size Doesn’t Matter… • August 2011, 15 people sickened and 1 person died from E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to Jaquith Strawberry Farm • 35-acre strawberry farm • Most products sold at roadside stands and farmers’ markets • Deer in field most likely cause of contamination • 10% of environmental samples testing positive Terry 2011

20. Farm to School Produce Safety • Produce which will receive a “kill step” such as heating by the school system during production will inactivate foodborne pathogens present • Chemical (e.g. pesticide) and Physical (e.g. glass) hazards still a concern • Fresh fruits and vegetables do not have any steps that effectively reduce biological, chemical, or physical hazards

21. Farm to School Produce Safety • USDA Farm to School Team 2010 Summary Report (LaCorte 2011) • 15 school districts active in farm to school • Food service directors identified food safety as a key concern for all foods • None of the 15 districts required GAP certification • Directors indicated that they did not have the training or knowledge base to adequately evaluate food safety practices of growers

22. What We Don’t Know • What type of food safety practices are in place at various produce farms if they are not independently audited • No farmer would intentionally sell contaminated product, yet it still occurs • How school nutrition directors will address food safety concerns with fresh produce • They must evaluate the risk and determine what food safety requirements will be required for locally sourced produce

23. What We Know • Children are more susceptible to foodborne pathogens • Produce does cause foodborne illness • 1.1 million illnesses annually • Market has driven produce safety standards up until now • GAP Certification opens many markets for farmers • Must rely on appropriate food safety practices being implemented to reduce risk of contamination • All the food safety practices in place in the cafeteria/central kitchen are negated when contaminated fresh produce enters the supply chain

24. Resources • Faith Critzer- Food Safety Extension Specalist, UT Department of Food Science, faithc@utk.edu or (865)974-7274 • Annette Wszelaki- Extension Vegetable Specialist, UT Department of Plant Sciences, awszelaki@utk.edu or (865)974-7274 • Matthew Young- Chief Field Inspector, Tennessee Crop Improvement Association, matthewyoung@superiorseeds.org or (615)242-0467 • Produce Safety Alliance- http://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/edu-mat.html • On Farm Food Safety Project- http://onfarmfoodsafety.org/

25. References • Lin, B. 2004. Fruit and Vegetable Consumption-Looking Ahead to 2020.InUnited_States_Department_of_Agriculture-ERS (ed.). • Scallan, E., P. M. Griffin, F. J. Angulo, R. V. Tauxe, and R. M. Hoekstra. 2011. Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United States-Unspecified Agents.Emerging Infectious Diseases. 17:16-22. • Scallan, E., R. M. Hoekstra, F. J. Angulo, R. V. Tauxe, M. A. Widdowson, S. L. Roy, J. L. Jones, and P. M. Griffin. 2011. Foodborne Illness Acquired in the United • Sivapalasingam, S., C. R. Friedman, L. Cohen, and R. V. Tauxe. 2004. Fresh produce: A growing cause of outbreaks of foodborne illness in the United States, 1973 through 1997.Journal of Food Protection. 67:2342-2353.

26. References • Batz, M., S. Hoffmann, J.Glenn Morris. 2011. Ranking the risks the 10 pathogen-food combinations with the greatest burden on public health.In University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute • Harrison, J. A., J. Gaskin, M.A. Harrison, R.R. Boyer, G. Zehnder, and J.L. Cannon. 2011. Survey of food safety practices on small to medium-sized farms and in small farmers' markets.In, International Association for Food Protection Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI • Terry, L. 2011. Tests reveal E. coli in deer droppings found in Oregon strawberry field.In, The Oregonian. • LaCorte, L., C. Parrott, M. Russell, J. Kupcha, K. Horton, K. Quanbeck, J. Kwit, C. Conell, S. Barnes. 2011. USDA Farm to School Team 2010 Summary Report.In United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Agriculture Marketing Service, http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/f2s/pdf/2010_summary-report.pdf.