Food Safety From Farm to Table By Allison Weis www foodsafety gov I Foodborne pathogens contaminants and resulting illnesses II Governing Agencies III Food Safety Regulation IV Example of Government Initiative Pathogens Contaminants which cause foodborne illness Natural toxins Bacteria Parasites Viruses prions Chemical and physical contaminants Natural toxins Naturally occurring in fungi and reef fish for example aflatoxin http www healthline com blogs outdoor health uploaded images amanita muscaria 770480 jpg Bacteria Infect intestinal tissues directly or produce toxins Escherichia Coli Salmonella Listeria monocytogenes Vibrio strains http www sflorg com sciencenews images imscn080706 01 01 jpg Parasites Cyclospora Trichinella http www latech edu ans graphics trichinella jpg Viruses Prions Avian Flu Hepatitis A Norovirus Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy BSE Chemical Physical Contaminants Pesticides Heavy metals Dioxins PCBs Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Governing Agencies U S Department of Agriculture USDA Food Safety Inspection Service FSIS Department of Health and Human Services DHHS Food and Drug Administration FDA CDC State health agencies FSIS Mission to ensure that the nation s commercial supply of meat poultry and egg products is safe wholesome and correctly labeled and packaged FDA Enforces food safety laws governing all other domestic and imported food Regulates 417 billion domestic and 49 billion imported food each year only about 80 of total General responsibilities of FSIS and FDA Inspect food production establishments and food warehouses Establish standards for practices and production Conduct research Educate FSIS Regulations Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point HACCP systems have been in place since 1998 Seven principles of HACCP Analyze hazards Identify critical control points Establish preventative measures Establish procedures to monitor critical control points Establish corrective actions Establish procedures to verify that system is working properly Effective recordkeeping FSIS continued Performs 22 000 inspection procedures each day 1 4 non compliance over the past year Approved products are given the USDA mark of inspection Non compliance Seize products Condemn animals for disease or contamination FSIS Enforcement If FSIS withholds the mark of inspection the operation in question is effectively shut down http www brookings edu gs cps ga images usda sm gif And in recent news The FDA s new Food Protection Plan was signed on November 6 2007 last Tuesday It presents a practical modern strategy to protect the nation s food supply from unintentional contamination and deliberate attack FDA Food Protection Plan 1 Prevention a Increased corporate responsibility b Identification of vulnerabilities and risk 2 Intervention a b c Inspections New detection technology Risk based surveillance 3 Response a Improve communication to lower reaction time http www fda gov oc initiatives advance food html Food Protection Plan gives FDA increased power FDA can now issue a mandatory recall FDA has better access to food records during emergencies A government initiative for food safety Problem Numbers of E coli cases have been on the rise FSIS response 75 increase in number of tests for E coli in ground beef Accelerated review of suppliers and processors Testing earlier in production chain Plants held accountable Rapid recalls More frequent and comprehensive tests Follow up testing program We can t provide zero risk because it doesn t exist What we want to do is make sensible use of the resources available to minimize that risk to consumers to the extent that we can Paul Mayers CFIA http www cbc ca news background foodsafety SOURCES http www latech edu ans graphics trichinella jpg http www healthline com blogs outdoor health uploaded images amanita muscaria770480 jpg http www sflorg com sciencenews images imscn080706 01 01 jpg http www msnbc msn com id 17349427 page 2 http www ag network chile net Fruits 20and 20Vegetables 205 jpg http fsrio nal usda gov path contam php http www fda gov oc initiatives advance food plan html summary http www fda gov oc initiatives advance food html http www fsis usda gov News Events NR 102307 01 index asp http www cfsan fda gov lrd bghaccp html http www fsis usda gov Frame FrameRedirect asp main http www fsis usda gov oa haccp hidguide htm http www fsis usda gov regulations policies regulatory enforcement index asp http www fsis usda gov PDF QER Q3 FY2007 pdf http www foodsafety gov dms fs toc html inspect http www cfsan fda gov ear retail html