FOOD SAFETY NEWS
FEBRUARY 2000
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY MANHATTAN, KANSAS 66506—3403
Food SafetyCURRENT NEWS
On the World Wide Web
Food Irradiation http:// www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/background/irrad_final.htm http://www.ift.org
USDA Approves Irradiation of Meat and Poultry
On December 23, 1999, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced regulations to permit the use of ionizing radiation to treat refrigerated and frozen meat, meat byproducts, certain other meat food products, and poultry products. This ruling will allow meat processors to irradiate meats to reduce foodborne pathogens and extend shelf life. Food irradiation exposes food to radiant energy to reduce or eliminate bacteria. There are several forms of radiant energy. They include microwave, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation. Consumers are exposed to radiant energy in many ways. Medical bandages, dressings and other sanitary products are treated. A visit to the doctor may involve an x-ray which exposes the person to radiation. The level of radiation in this case is much lower than what has been determined as safe for food. Irradiation of meat does not make it radioactive. In fact, during safety testing much higher levels were used than those that were approved. Even at high levels, no toxic or cancer-causing effects were noted. All meat and poultry establishments are now required to have a HACCP program implemented. FSIS is requiring that those establishments wanting to use irradiation should comply with the HACCP program. In most cases, irradiation would be a Critical Control Point in the HACCP plan. Items to be monitored include dosage, ambient temperature, oxygen levels, or other factors that may affect antimicrobial activity. It is important to note that irradiation does not replace sanitation programs. Irradiation is a tool to ensure safe, wholesome food products. All irradiated products will display the radura symbol. The petals represent food, and the broken circle represents the rays from the energy source. All packaged meat products irradiated in their entirety must bear this symbol. If the word irradiated is not part of the name, there must be a statement declaring radiation along with the symbol. Large un-packaged meats must have the symbol and declaration statement in a prominent location. As far as worker or consumer safety, there is no evidence that treated meats show increased exposure to harmful substances. It does not reduce nutritional quality or change the taste, texture, or appearance of the food. Consumers should handle and prepare the meat the same as nonirradiated meats. This includes cooking to proper temperatures and times.
Source: www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/ background/irrad_final.htm
Upcoming Events
April 5-6, 2000 Serving Safe Food Lawrence, KS Douglas County Extension Office Contact: Susan Krumm 785-843-7058 April 10-11, 2000 Serving Safe Food Wichita, KS Sedgwick County Extension Education Center Contact: Teresa Lang 316-722-7721 April 10 & 17, 2000 Serving Safe Food Chanute, KS Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center Contact: Lois Carlson 316-244-3826 April 12, 19, 26, 2000 May 3 & 10, 2000 Serving Safe Food Salina, KS Saline County Extension Office Contact: Sherrie Mahoney 785-826-6645 April 18-19, 2000 Serving Safe Food Atchison, KS Contact: Diane Nielson 913-764-6300 May 9-10, 2000 Serving Safe Food Overland Park, KS Kansas City Regional Office Training Center Contact: Nada Thoden 913-764-6300 May 31-June1. 2000 Serving Safe Food Manhattan, KS Pottorf Hall Contact: Sharolyn Flaming Jackson 785-537-6350 June 5-6, 2000 Serving Safe Food Pratt Community College Contact: Jean Clarkson-Frisbee 316-672-6121 June 7-8, 2000 Serving Safe Food Oskaloosa, KS Contact: Cindy Williams 785-863-2212
Food Irradiation: A Safe Measure http://www.fda.gov/opacom/ catalog/irradbra.html Kitchen Food Safety http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov?~dms/ fdkitchn.html http://www.FoodSafety.gov/ ~fsg/ceggs/html K-State Research and Extension Food Safety http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ foodsafety
FEBRUARY 2000 Volume 3, Number 1
Published Bi-Monthly by K-State Research and Extension Animal Sciences and Industry
Karen P. Penner Extension Specialist Food Science Animal Sciences and Industry kpenner@oz.oznet.ksu.edu (785) 532-1672
Contributors Karen P. Penner, Editor Professor, Food Science Animal Sciences and Industry Karen Blakeslee Rapid Response Coordinator Animal Sciences and Industry Sponsored in part by Kansas Department on Aging Cooperative Extension Service K-State Research and Extension Animal Sciences and Industry 2 Call Hall 16 Manhattan, Kansas 66506
K-State, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating All educational programs and materials are available without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
For more Serving Safe Food classes, see the KSU Food Safety Web site
Answers to Food Safety Knowledge Quiz: 1. f. 2. e. 3. d. 4. a. 5. g. 6. j. 7. i.
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8. b.
9. c.
10. h.
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION AND COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
FOOD SAFETY NEWS
FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2000 2000
Food SafetyRESEARCH
Egg Safety from Farm to Table
The President’s Council on Food Safety, in its effort to protect the public through food safety, has identified egg safety as a critical food safety issue. The Council’s goal is to eliminate eggs as a source of human Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) illness. The timeline to reach this goal is to have a 50% reduction by 2005 and to completely eliminate the illness by 2010. It is estimated that one out of 20,000 eggs produced will contain the SE bacteria. Eggs can become contaminated internally from the hen. Therefore, common egghandling practices are now unsafe. These common practices include temperature abuse, inadequate cooking, and pooling eggs. Pooling of eggs is the practice of preparing large volumes of food containing eggs which are subjected to temperature abuse or inadequate cooking. In August of 1999, the President’s Council met and concluded that the federal government should develop a set of standards for egg safety. The standards include: (1) providing consumers the assurance that egg safety standards are uniform across the U.S. and; (2) egg producers and processors be subject to a level playing field industry-wide. Several government agencies are responsible for different stages of egg production and processing. The FDA will develop producer standards with each state being responsible for inspection and enforcement at the farm level. The FSIS will develop standards for shell egg packers and egg product processors. The FSIS will also provide inspection and enforcement for both operations. (Egg Safety continued Page 3)
Food Safety at Home
Picture this. You want to make a sandwich and set out the tub of margarine. You get distracted, and while you are away, your cat jumps on the counter and licks the margarine. Not knowing this, you come back and continue to make your sandwich. OR... You are preparing a meal and your child pulls the dish towel to the floor. The towel is rubbed on the floor, stepped on, spilled on, etc. It is then picked up and used to wipe off food preparation surfaces and placed over a cooked roast. These two scenarios are examples of the many unhygenic practices observed in a study by an Australian Laboratory that surveyed 40 home kitchens. Participants were given a food safety questionnaire to assess their knowledge and were then videotaped to observe what really happens in the kitchen. Results show a significant difference between stated and observed food handling practices. The most common violations were: 1. Infrequent hand washing. 2. Poor hand washing technique. 3. Lack of hand washing prior to food preparation. 4. Inadequate cleaning of kitchen surfaces. 5. Involvement of pets in the kitchen. 6. Touching of the face, mouth, nose, and/or hair during food preparation. 7. Lack of separate hand and dish towels. All of these violations lead to cross-contamination and foodborne illness, showing that there is a necessity for food safety education in homes, not only in Australia but also in the United States. Many people may know basic food safety practices but do not actually use them in their home.
Source: J. of Food Prot. 62(11) 1999.
Improving Safety of Fresh Produce
In recent years, the concern about pathogens in fresh produce has increased. There have been reports of foodborne illnesses traced back to minimally processed foods such as fresh produce. Consumers are demanding minimally processed foods that are fresh, whole or cut, but unfortunately, this has also increased human illnesses from these pathogens. Produce can become contaminated at several points when moving from the farm to the table. Variations in texture, size and shape, along with many environmental components can contribute to contamination. Research is being conducted to test the effects of antimicrobials to enhance the safety of produce. Effectiveness will depend upon the type of chemical, food, and type of target microorganisms. The key to maintaining the safety of produce is a fresh look, high quality, and acceptable sensory qualities. The pathogens of most concern include, Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella, Clostridium botulinum, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio species, Hepatitis A, Norwalk viruses, and parasites such as Crytosporidium and Cyclospora. The goal of the food industry is to obtain a 5log kill recommendation set forth by the FDA. Chemicals such as chlorine and chlorine dioxide have been tested but only acheive a 1-2 log reduction. Hydrogen peroxide and ozone can acheive a 3-log reduction. Other chemicals such as bromine, iodine, and quaternary ammonium compounds are used for cleaning and sanitizing in processing plants. Other methods such as using naturally-derived biological compounds and essential oils are also being studied. This is a complex issue for researchers. They must also adhere to HACCP principles, good agricultural and manufacturing practices, and industry guidelines for microbial safety. It is a problem that can and will be solved in the near future. Consumers will benefit from these industry efforts.
Source: Food Tech. 53(11) 1999.
Egg Safety
Continued from Page 2
The FDA and CDC combined will provide surveillance and monitoring of activities from a food safety perspective. The Action Plan describes two strategies to give some flexibility for the egg industry. The first strategy involves testing for SE on the farm and diverting the contaminated eggs. The second strategy involves using a lethal treatment, or kill step during processing. At the distribution and retail stages, the Plan specifically identifies safe handling practices so consumers are purchasing a safe product. This Plan will involve the cooperation of many government agencies, feed producers, chick breeders, egg producers, egg processors, researchers and consumers. The goal of eliminating illnesses resulting from eggs by 2010 has eight objectives to accomplish this goal. They include: - reducing the number and exposure of eggs containing SE to the consumer, - upgrading and improving surveillance systems for SE infections in poultry and humans, - accelerate SE outbreak detection and complete investigations quickly, - improve communication between all parties involved, - provide adequate and accurate information based on research and sound science, and; - provide the farm-to-table education needed to ensure the safety of eggs and prevent a SE related illness from occurring.
Source: http:// www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/ ceggs.html
Food Safety Education for Consumers at Home
Test your food safety knowledge! (Answers on back page)
1. Two Hour Rule 2. Personal Hygiene 3. Perishable Food 4. Cross-Contamination 5. Contaminated Food 6. Danger Zone 7. Foodborne Illness 8. The Thaw Law 9. Sanitation 10. Thorough Cooking a. The transfer of harmful bacteria from one food to another. Harmful bacteria can also be transferred to food from another source, such as hands. b. Defrost foods in the refrigerator, microwave, or under running water. Never defrost food on the kitchen counter. c. Keeping work areas free from dirt or bacteria. d. Foods that can become unsafe or spoil quickly if not refrigerated or frozen. e. Cleanliness, keeping yourself clean. f. Perishable food should not be left at room tempreture longer than two hours. g. Food that contains harmful bacteria. h. Cooking food to a safe internal tempreture. i. Sickness caused by eating contaminated food, sometimes called food poisoning. j. The range of tempretures at which most bacteria mulitply rapidly - between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Fig. 1. Mechanisms by which fruits and vegetables may become contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. From Beuchat, 1996.
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