Food Safety and Food Safety and ProduceProduce

AEC 317AEC 317

November 14, 2013November 14, 2013

Unit Two

Where did this tomato come from?Where did this tomato come from?How was it handled?How was it handled?

How do I know it’s safe?How do I know it’s safe?I thought fresh produce was good for my I thought fresh produce was good for my

health.health.

Food Food SafetySafety 22

33

Focus of the PresentationFocus of the Presentation

Increasing link for consumers Increasing link for consumers between food and healthbetween food and health

Produce lightening rodProduce lightening rod Managing food safetyManaging food safety

– Government (FDA)Government (FDA)– Industry supply chain strategiesIndustry supply chain strategies

Marketing Food SafetyMarketing Food Safety

Health Costs of Foodborne illnessHealth Costs of Foodborne illnessA recent study estimated total health costs of food safety outbreaks at $152 billion in the U.S.

Physician services

Hospital services

Medicines

Quality of life lossesoDeaths

oPain and suffering

oDisabilities

This does not include agricultural losses

55

The big pictureThe big picture Between 6 and 33 million people affected by Between 6 and 33 million people affected by

foodborne illness each year (all foods)foodborne illness each year (all foods) Post Sept 11 expanded to include biosecurityPost Sept 11 expanded to include biosecurity Deaths as high as 8,000 in a single yearDeaths as high as 8,000 in a single year Main food safety challenges in produceMain food safety challenges in produce

PathogensPathogens (bacteria, etc.) (bacteria, etc.)Chemical residuesChemical residuesForeign matterForeign matter (glass, staples, etc.) (glass, staples, etc.)Pathogens by far the largest source of Pathogens by far the largest source of

riskrisk

The big pictureThe big picture Produce quality assurance regulated by the Food & Produce quality assurance regulated by the Food &

Drug AdministrationDrug Administration 639 outbreaks and over 31,000 reported illnesses 639 outbreaks and over 31,000 reported illnesses

connected with produce  connected with produce   Class I recallClass I recall—The product poses a reasonable —The product poses a reasonable

probability of probability of serious adverse health serious adverse health consequences or deathconsequences or death. Example: E. coli in . Example: E. coli in spinach. spinach.

Class II recallClass II recall—The product may cause temporary —The product may cause temporary or medically or medically reversible adverse health reversible adverse health consequencesconsequences, or the probability of serious adverse , or the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. Example: health consequences is remote. Example: undeclared milk allergens in soup. undeclared milk allergens in soup.

Class III recallClass III recall—The product is —The product is not likely to cause not likely to cause adverse health consequencesadverse health consequences. Example: Soda . Example: Soda labeled “caffeine-free” is found to contain caffeine.labeled “caffeine-free” is found to contain caffeine.

An interesting fact…An interesting fact…

There is no evidence that anybody There is no evidence that anybody has ever died from pesticide residues has ever died from pesticide residues on food from lawful application of on food from lawful application of pesticidespesticides

An interesting problem….An interesting problem….

The science to detect the smallest The science to detect the smallest threats is far ahead of the science to threats is far ahead of the science to protect a food system from these protect a food system from these threatsthreats

The degree of safety is highly The degree of safety is highly subjective and hazards characterized subjective and hazards characterized more by “uncertainy” (the unknown) more by “uncertainy” (the unknown) than by “risk” (observed actuarial).than by “risk” (observed actuarial).

79

69

33

Kentucky Other U.S. Imports

0

20

40

60

80

100

“More safe”

“Less safe”

Food Safety RatingBy Kentucky Producers

Source: Woods, 2003

Grower Safety Perceptions

8373

36

5949

21

Kentucky Other U.S. Imports

0

20

40

60

80

100

Conventional OrganicFarmers Farmers

Perceptions of the safety of produce in U.S. markets

10

40

8 7

21

15

3

37

1310

22

10

FarmsProcessors

WarehouseSupermarket

RestaurantHome

05

10152025303540

KY Farmers US Consumers

Where do most food safety problems occur? Farmers vs Consumers

5.3

6.9

KY Farmers US Consumer

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

High risk

Risk of Pesticide Related Death

S

R

Q

P

O

N

M

L

actuarial

System wide supply chain System wide supply chain prioritiespriorities

Percent of participants rating issue as a high priority

Issue Retailer Grower/shipper

Food safetyQuality specificationsCold chain maintenanceHACCP standardsInventory turnsVendor partnershipsProduct traceabilityDecreased order timeE-commerceVMIFlow through/cross dock

100.0100.0100.0

97.595.090.087.560.052.542.545.0

90.995.577.281.870.091.095.561.986.486.460.0

Source: Perisio, et al., 2001

Current Industry Best Current Industry Best Management PracticesManagement Practices

Preserving the cold chainPreserving the cold chain Worker/facility sanitationWorker/facility sanitation (clean, (clean,

healthy workers)healthy workers) Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Hazard Analysis of Critical Control

PointsPoints (HACCP) (HACCP)– Implemented in most fresh cut and Implemented in most fresh cut and

packing/shipping operationspacking/shipping operations Lower inventories and accelerated Lower inventories and accelerated

time to markettime to market Produce Traceability InitiativeProduce Traceability Initiative

CertificationCertification Many industry safety guidelines are Many industry safety guidelines are

voluntaryvoluntary Third party certificationThird party certification Hinton Strawberry FarmsHinton Strawberry Farms Primus LabsPrimus Labs

American Food Safety InstituteAmerican Food Safety Institute Signals of quality assurance increasing in Signals of quality assurance increasing in

importance to most retail and foodservice importance to most retail and foodservice customerscustomers

CertificationCertification Signals of quality assurance increasing in Signals of quality assurance increasing in

importance to most retail and foodservice importance to most retail and foodservice customerscustomers

Global Good Ag PracticesGlobal Good Ag Practices California Leafy Greens – toward a California Leafy Greens – toward a

mandated order?mandated order?

Marketing Food SafetyMarketing Food Safety

Growth in organicsGrowth in organics– Major retailersMajor retailers– Natural foods storesNatural foods stores– USDAUSDA

Eco-labelingEco-labeling– Ecolabeling StandardsEcolabeling Standards

Traceback systems – Radio frequency id Traceback systems – Radio frequency id tags – Dole, WalMarttags – Dole, WalMart

Growth in direct marketing and Growth in direct marketing and association of ‘local’ with ‘safe’?association of ‘local’ with ‘safe’?

Marketing “Green” Marketing “Green” PackagingPackaging

Recyclable containersRecyclable containers

Marketing “Green” Marketing “Green” PackagingPackaging

Recyclable containersRecyclable containers

Food Safety Modernization Food Safety Modernization Act (2011)Act (2011)

Mandatory food safety programs for Mandatory food safety programs for produce and other food processorsproduce and other food processors

Includes farm-level third party auditsIncludes farm-level third party audits Exempts small firms under $500,000Exempts small firms under $500,000 Fairness and effectiveness Fairness and effectiveness

questionedquestioned