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PLUS New USDA Swine Slaughter Rules ■ Robots Speed Up Food Distribution ■ Allergen Awareness in Restaurants Volume 26 Number 6 DECEMBER 2 2019 / JANUARY 2020 Seafood Safety The latest in foodborne pathogen testing WWW.FOODQUALITYANDSAFETY.COM
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Contents DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 • VOLUME 26 NUMBER 6 • www.foodqualityandsafety.com Features Around the World 24 with Seafood COVER STORY Pathogen Testing State-of-the-art technologies and international collaborations are making a splash with seafood safety BY LINDA L. LEAKE, MS COVER: ©CLOUD7DAYS - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©GIOVANNI CANCEMI - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©PRIMOPIANO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM Safety & Sanitation 28 30 Optimize Clean in Place Best Practices for Software-guided power ultrasound can make Clean in Place the process more efficient The equipment you need to BY CLÉMENT CHAPPUIS design an ideal system BY MIMI CARTEE AND PATRICIA NHAN Food Quality & Safety (ISSN 1092-7514) is published 6 times a year in Feb/Mar, Apr/May, Jun/July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov, Dec/Jan by Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., a Wiley Company, 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774. Periodical postage paid at Hoboken, NJ, and additional mailing offices. Print subscriptions are free for qualified recipients. Annual paid subscriptions are available to European readers at €144, U.K. readers at £117, and rest of the world readers at $219. For subscription questions in the U.S., call 844-862-9286. For outside the U.S., call 856-255-5537. Or email customer services at customerservice@d3data.net. Food Quality & Safety is a proud member of: United Fresh Produce Association APEX, Folio Ozzie, and ASBPE award winner for editorial and graphics excellence. POSTMASTER: Returns and address changes to Food Quality & Safety magazine, PO Box 986, Levittown PA 19055-0986 4 F O O D Q U A L I T Y & SA F E T Y www.foodqualityandsafety.com
32 CLEAN OUT OF PLACE Manufacturing & Washington Report TO COMPLEMENT YOUR CLEAN IN PLACE Distribution 12 THE FDA SETS A PATH TO SMARTER FOOD SAFETY The best cleaning programs 44 BEST PRACTICES IN involve both processes The agency is incorporating REFRIGERATED FOOD technology to trace foods and BY MEGAN MORAN TRANSPORT respond to outbreaks more quickly Ensure optimal food quality BY TED AGRES with these tips Quality BY TOM KAMPF 33 50 YEARS OF GLYCEROL ESTER OF WOOD ROSIN 46 TACKLE DAIRY CHALLENGES Market Initiatives WITH THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT Why this beverage-weighting agent 15 THE SPICES OF LIFE continues to be a safe additive Pneumatics can improve cleanliness and increase efficiency Spice industry professionals are BY BRIAN MERCK AND KEN KENNEDY devoted to safety and quality BY AMIT PATEL throughout the supply chain 36 HOW AUTOMATION CAN FIGHT BY LINDA L. LEAKE, MS THE CLOCK ON SHELF LIFE 51 SAFETY IN TECH A new breed of robotic systems Software can help you make sure can accelerate fulfillment your suppliers are compliant with BY DEREK RICKARD FDA regulations Legal Update BY DAVID ISAACSON 18 A PRIMER ON THE NEW USDA SWINE SLAUGHTER RULES Everything you need to know about Testing the first major overhaul of the 40 MYSTERY FISH swine slaughter inspection system in half a century Why fraud is rampant in the seafood industry and challenging Food Service & Retail BY JOEL S. CHAPPELLE, ESQ. AND SHAWN K. STEVENS, ESQ. to address 54 ALLERGEN AWARENESS BY STEVEN WILSON Are restaurants and food service doing enough? BY RICHARD F. STIER Food Defense 20 THE ROLE OF MONITORING IN FOOD DEFENSE PLANS Columns Learn how to operate in compliance with FDA requirements Book Review BY DAVID K. PARK In The Lab 11 FOOD SCIENCE FOR ALL 42 EXTEND THE SHELF LIFE OF WINES A new book explains food preservation and processing in a Departments Automated titration systems can way that the general public can improve sulfite monitoring understand and enjoy 6 FROM THE EDITORS BY GAYLE GLEICHAUF BY PURNENDU C. VASAVADA, PHD 7 NEWS & NOTES ©NEW AFRICA - STOCK.ADOBE.COM / © ANATOLIR - STOCK.ADOBE.COM 58 SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS Visit us online! Other articles available at www.FoodQualityandSafety.com include: 60 ADVERTISER DIRECTORY • In Memoriam: Daniel Y.C. Fung, PhD BY PURNENDU C. VASAVADA, PHD 61 NEW PRODUCTS • Chemical in Food Packaging Is Dangerous, Environmental Groups State in FDA Lawsuit BY KEITH LORIA 63 EVENTS • Salmonella Outbreak Stirs Transparency Debate BY KAREN APPOLD facebook.com/FoodQualityandSafety @FQSmag December 2019 / January 2020 5
From The Editors PUBLISHER Lisa Dionne Lento, ldionne@wiley.com SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Bob Zander, bzander@wiley.com PROFESSIONAL EDITOR Stephanie Cajigal DESIGN Maria Ender, mender@wiley.com PRODUCTION Claudia Vogel, cvogel@wiley.com F Jörg Stenger, jstenger@wiley.com ood safety management is con- Elli Palzer, palzer@wiley.com stantly evolving—just when we CO-INDUSTRY EDITORPurnendu C. Vasavada, PhD, feel we have it under control, purnendu.c.vasavada@uwrf.edu something else crops up to CO-INDUSTRY EDITOR Richard Stier, rickstier4@aol.com alter the equation. A bit over 100 years Advertising Director ago, the canning industry thought it Dan Nicholas understood how to can food safely. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (716) 587-2181, dnicholas@wiley.com Botulism outbreaks attributed to black olives changed that and lead to the Sales Office development of canning as a science U.S./CANADA/INTERNATIONAL Bob Zander thanks to persons like Dr. Karl Meyer (312) 925-7648 and Dr. C. Olin Ball. The botulism out- bzander@wiley.com breaks attributed to vichyssoise in 1971 lead to the establishment of Editorial Office low-acid canned food regulations in the United States. These regula- 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, USA tions were based on those that were already in place in California. Reprints: E-mail dsurdel@wiley.com Another watershed year for food safety was 1985, during the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that was attributed to a soft-ripened cheese made with raw milk. This outbreak added Listeria to the list Editorial Advisory Panel of significant food pathogens the industry needed to control, which included updating analytical methods to quickly isolate and identify Ellen Bradley, CFS Vijay K. Juneja, PhD Principal Food Scientist, Lead Scientist, the organism. River City Food Group LLC Predictive Microbiology for Food Safety, Thirty years ago, Dr. Steve Taylor was a voice in the wilderness USDA-Agricultural Research Service John N. Butts, PhD crying out that allergens were a significant food safety hazard that Founder and President, Hasmukh Patel, PhD needed to be addressed. Today, allergen management is an integral FoodSafetyByDesign, LLC; VP of Research and Development, Advisor to CEO, Whitehall Specialties part of most food processors’ food safety management systems. Al- Land O’Frost lergens were also included in the preventive controls for human food Mary Ann Platt Cliff Coles President, regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations, under 21 CFR President, CNS/FoodSafe and RQA, Inc. Part 117, which mandates that processors establish programs to both Clifford M. Coles Food Safety Consulting, Inc. Manpreet Singh, PhD keep undeclared allergens out of foods and properly label those that Professor, Dept. of Poultry Science, are in foods. University of Georgia Virginia Deibel, PhD The trend has continued throughout the world. Among the food Chief Scientific Officer, Shawn K. Stevens Deibel Laboratories Food Industry Attorney, safety issues that have cropped up are acrylamide in baked and fried Food Industry Counsel, LLC foods, adulterants such as melamine in dairy foods, and bovine spon- James Dickson, PhD Professor, Patricia A. Wester giform encephalopathy in beef. Food safety issues also are often com- Department of Animal Science, CEO, The Association for Food Safety plicated by consumer misinformation on topics such as genetically Iowa State University Auditing Professionals, AFSAP engineered foods. Steven Gendel, PhD Steven Wilson One of the new challenges in food safety will go hand-in-hand Senior Director, Director of Seafood Commerce and Food Science, Certification, Office of International Affairs with the push for sustainability and a greener world. Many cities and Food Chemicals Codex at USP and Seafood Inspection some states have banned plastic bags at supermarkets to minimize plastic contamination. This means that consumers must bring reus- able bags to stores, which can be manufactured from many different materials including plastic and fibers like jute and cotton. This sounds Printed in the United States by Dartmouth Printing, Hanover, NH. like a great idea, but there have already been outbreaks attributed to Copyright 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley Company. All rights reserved. No part cross-contamination from one bag to another. Think about it: You have of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior a cotton grocery bag that you bring to the market. You load it up with written permission of the publisher, or authorization through the Copyright Clearance groceries including chicken breasts. The chicken leaks and contami- Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923: (978) 750-8400: fax (978) 750-4470. All materials published, including but not limited to original research, clinical notes, nates the bag. Will you wash that bag? editorials, reviews, reports, letters, and book reviews represent the opinions and views of And, we have another issue on the horizon: plastic. Hundreds of the authors and do not reflect any official policy or medical opinion of the institutions with different foods are packaged in it, yet both land and sea plastic pollu- which the authors are affiliated or of the publisher unless this is clearly specified. Materials published herein are intended to further general scientific research, understanding, and tion are significant problems. Plastic packaging is used because it’s discussion only and are not intended and should not be relied upon as recommending or safe and effective. Can we replace plastic packaging and still ensure promoting a specific method, diagnosis or treatment by physicians for any particular patient. that foods remain safe? Or will we go back to metal or glass containers? While the editors and publisher believe that the specifications and usage of equipment and devices as set forth herein are in accord with current recommendations and practice Or will someone come up with a biodegradable container or material at the time of publication, they accept no legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, that will protect food but not react with it? Stay tuned …. and make no warranty, express or implied, with respect to material contained herein. Publication of an advertisement or other discussions of products in this publication should Richard Stier not be construed as an endorsement of the products or the manufacturers’ claims. Readers are encouraged to contact the manufacturers with any questions about the features or Co-Industry Editor limitations of the products mentioned. 6 F O O D Q U A L I T Y & SA F E T Y www.foodqualityandsafety.com
NEWS & NOTES CEA Food Safety Coalition Welcomes First-Ever Executive Director The New York City-based CEA Food Safety Co- alition has named Marni Karlin as the group’s first executive director. Karlin is charged with strengthening food safety standards and ensur- ing they are appropriate for the controlled-envi- ronment agriculture (CEA) leafy greens sector. The CEA Food Safety Coalition comprises CEA leafy greens producers, including those that use hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic methods. “I am always seeking opportunities to use my skills and expertise to create a healthier, more sustainable food system,” Karlin says. “I’ve done that through work with the organic sector, and in nutrition education, and now I’m excited to bring my skills, expertise, and expe- Crayfish Linked to Sweden Salmonella Outbreak rience in policy, advocacy, and coalition man- T he European Centre for Disease Prevention infectious disease departments, and the agement to bear for the controlled environment and Control (ECDC) reported in November Swedish Food Agency is investigating the agriculture leafy greens sector.” that there have been 33 known cases of Sal- Swedish outbreak. Cases are being inter- Previously, Karlin served as VP of govern monella Mikawasima in Sweden and seven viewed by the regional infectious disease ment affairs and general counsel for the Or- other European countries. departments to find out what those cases ganic Trade Association, representing the “There is an ongoing investigation of ate before falling ill.” interests of the organic food, fiber, and agri- Salmonella Mikawasima cases, which have culture sector in Washington, D.C. She also been identified through exceedance analy- There have been was counsel to Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., on the sis and whole-genome sequence analysis,” 33 known cases of Sal- Senate Judiciary Committee, advising the Susana Barragan, a spokesperson for the legislator through her engagement with coali- ECDC, told Food Quality & Safety “ECDC is monella Mikawasima in tions of government, nonprofit, and for-profit collecting further epidemiological and WGS Sweden and seven other stakeholders. [whole-genome sequencing] information European countries. In her new role, Karlin will seek to grow the from the countries in order to assess the ex- coalition’s membership, educate consumers tent of this event.” The two dozen or so sick in Sweden live and regulators about this growing sector, and Although the majority of cases were across 12 counties. The most recent known work with members, government agencies, reported in Sweden, others have been re- date of illness onset is Oct. 24, with those and industry experts to strengthen food safety ported in the U.K., France, Denmark, and infected in an age range of 4 to 89 years. standards. Ireland. The Public Health Agency of Sweden “As a growing sector, it’s critical that we Moa Rehn, an epidemiologist for the is performing a case-by-case study, com- build a coalition of engaged stakeholders to ad- Public Health Agency of Sweden, says it’s paring the food history of outbreak cases vocate, educate, and work with external stake- investigating an outbreak of Salmonella to non-outbreak cases from the same time holders now,” she says. “It’s important to have Mikawasima in the country as people have period. They believe the probable source of a seat at the table when standards and regula- been sick with the same Salmonella strain infection is large crayfish sold at retailer ICA, tions are being discussed, and I’m excited to that has popped up throughout those Euro- according to Rehn. ensure that our sector has just that. We have ©MIKAEL DAMKIER - STOCK.ADOBE.COM pean countries. After being made aware of the alleged a great opportunity to help people understand “We suspect that there is a common problem by Folkhälsomyndigheten, the re- what we do—whether they’re parents choosing food source that has been distributed to tailer has withdrawn all packages from their to put our products on their children’s plates, or several countries in Europe,” Rehn told Food stores, though it released a statement that regulators making important decisions to pro- Quality & Safety. “A national outbreak team it randomly checked the Chinese crayfish it tect food safety and people’s health.” with participants from the Public Health has in stock and did not detect Salmonella. by Keith Loria Agency (Folkhälsomyndigheten), regional by Keith Loria (Continued on p. 8) December 2019 / January 2020 7
(Continued from p. 7) Report Reveals Food Authenticity Market Headed for Exponential Growth A new report projects that the global food The food authenticity market is led by and authenticity confirmation as being a key authenticity market is on a big upswing and Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific contributor to the projected increase in the will reach record numbers in the years ahead. region, with the last recording the highest years ahead. In 2017, the global food authenticity mar- growth rate last year thanks to an increase The meat speciation segment is pro- ket was valued at $5.312 billion, according to in processed foods production and the gov- jected to grow at the highest compound an- research by KD Market Insights, Albany, N.Y. ernments’ implementation of new safety nual growth rate during the forecast period, Researchers reported it should reach $9.84 regulations. due to the increase in the number of frauds in billion by 2025, growing at a compound an- KD Market Insights credits the U.S. for meat products and adulterations. nual growth rate of 8.1%. its regulations on labeling requirements by Keith Loria Food authenticity, defined in the report, is driven by numerous factors, including vol- atility in food prices, availability of raw mate- rials and ingredients, economic conditions, regulatory developments, and large environ- mental impacts. According to the UK’s Food Standards Agency, food fraud is rampant and causes significant negative effects on both consum- ers and businesses. This includes everything from damage to brand reputations and reve- nue for retail businesses and processing es- tablishments to health complications for the ©DUSAN ZIDAR - STOCK.ADOBE.COM consumer due to its impact on food safety. That has given rise to innovative technology that’s utilized to monitor food authenticity and tackle food fraud head on so more labs can confirm the food source and stop potential problems. Beyond Vegan Burgers: Next-Generation Protein Could Come from Air, Methane, Volcanic Springs ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – It accounted for 23% of total net man-made As the liquid thickens, it is dried into a may sound like science fiction, but in a few greenhouse gas emissions from 2007 to very fine powder that is about 65% protein short years the family dinner table may be 2016, soaring to 37% when pre- and post-pro- and tastes much like wheat flour. laden with steak from a printer and other pro- duction activity were factored in. In September, Solar Foods struck an teins produced from air, methane, or volcanic Livestock meanwhile are responsible agreement with Nordic food company Fazer microbes. for about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas to develop products using Solein, which can With the explosive success of vegan beef emissions, according to the U.N. Food and be used in existing plant-based products or and burger substitutes developed by Beyond Agriculture Organization. future offerings such as lab-grown meat. Meat and Impossible Foods, the alternative Enter Solar Foods, a Finnish company Solein will cost about €5 per kilo ($2.50 a protein sector just keeps growing. working on an edible protein powder called pound) to produce and will hit the market by According to investment bank Barclays, Solein that uses water, air, and renewable 2021, Vainikka said. alternative meat sales could reach $140 bil- electricity as a way to separate food produc- “There’s a lot of climate anxiety,” he said. lion—or 10% of the global meat industry— tion from agriculture. “And people are looking for hope and solu- within a decade, or a 10-fold increase from “You avoid land use impacts like clear- tions and they’re happy to see companies current levels. ing forests for agriculture, use of pesticides like ours, so that’s encouraging.” A new generation of products in the and use of fertilizers that release green- works melds cutting-edge technology with house gases and so on,” co-founder and Fermentation, Fermentation, Fermentation age-old fermentation processes to turn oth- CEO Pasi Vainikka told the Thomson Reuters Another company tackling agriculture’s erwise harmful or everyday elements into Foundation. emissions through fermentation, Banga- essential food ingredients, with the aim Solein is made by putting microbes into a lore-based String Bio, is working to convert of reducing agriculture’s massive carbon liquid and feeding them small bubbles of hy- methane, a greenhouse gas more potent footprint. drogen and carbon dioxide, a process similar than carbon dioxide as it traps 28 times more According to the United Nations, agricul- to making beer or wine, apart from the lack of heat, from waste and natural sources into ture, forestry, and other land use activities grapes or grains, Vainikka explained. protein powder—initially for animals. 8 F O O D Q U A L I T Y & SA F E T Y www.foodqualityandsafety.com
is based on microbes found in volcanic hot springs at Yellowstone National Park. In that barren, other-worldly, and dan- gerous landscape, researchers “discovered a bunch of life forms that across millennia evolved to survive in this environment,” he said. Having raised $33 million in February, ©SOLAR FOODS/THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION the company plans to produce “a hamburger equivalent” next year through a “novel fer- mentation” of the microbes. At full capacity its 35,000-square-foot (3,250 square meters) plant in Chicago could produce burgers equivalent to those made from cows grazing on 15,000 acres (6,100 Finnish company Solar Foods’ protein powder Solein. hectares) of land, Jonas said. For investors like Altschuler Malek, alter- native proteins are all about options for con- “We said this is probably the best im- cial 3D printer to produce steak that can sumers, with three essential caveats: pact we humans can have in this world, mimic the taste and texture of meat. “It needs to taste great, it needs to meet where we take something that we don’t The printers produce three-dimensional certain price points, and it needs to be able need for the environment and convert it into vegan steaks using cartridge-style syringes to be manufactured in large volume,” he said. something we do need,” said Vinod Kumar, that extrude plant-based proteins. “There are amazing chefs all over the who with his wife Ezhil Subbian set up the world that are doing plant-based products. company. Volcanoes and Tiny Organisms But if you cannot convert that into mass man- Such environmental considerations, Some have criticized plant-based alterna- ufacturing it’s really hard to see how that can along with concerns over animal welfare and tives flooding store shelves as highly pro- actually make a change in the world.” human health, have driven both demand and cessed and high in sodium, and Harvard It is also an opportunity for a radical shift supply of alternative proteins, said Dan Alt- scientists recently questioned their role in a in agriculture which, despite incremental im- schuler Malek, managing partner at invest- healthy diet. provements, has remained much the same ment firm Unovis Partners. Others such as the Center for Consumer for centuries, Jonas said. Just 10 years ago he said retailers saw al- Freedom, which is backed by the food and “Fundamentally we are surviving on this ternative proteins as a risky bet, but “today beverage industry, have launched cam- planet based on an agricultural system that they realise there is a huge demand for all paigns decrying so-called “fake meat” as has barely changed in the past 11,000 years . these products.” loaded with chemicals. . . when we domesticated a handful of plants Unovis manages New Crop Capital, a Proponents counter that burgers have and animals.” fund that invests exclusively in start-ups de- always been laden with fat and sodium and “New technologies are really giving us veloping meat, seafood, and dairy replace- were never exactly considered health food. tools for a second domestication–things that ments, including Beyond Meat. The new generation of proteins are also we didn’t even know were there.” New Crop has also invested in Nova less processed, said Thomas Jonas, CEO of –Thin Lei Win, Thomson Reuters Meats, a Spanish company that uses a spe- Sustainable Bioproducts, whose protein Foundation FDA Extends Deadline for Supply-Chain Approval With the clock ticking toward the implemen- tation of its new supply-chain rules, the FDA announced it is extending its deadline for food producers to implement supply-chain control programs to approve hazard-con- trol systems in place with their ingredients suppliers. ©BSD555 - STOCK.ADOBE.COM Under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), food producers will become responsible for abiding by a series of sup- ply-chain rules (located in the Code of Fed- eral Regulations, Title 21, Subpart G). These (Continued on p. 10) December 2019 / January 2020 9
(Continued from p. 9) rules require producers that receive foods ©J-MEL - STOCK.ADOBE.COM and food ingredients from other suppliers (called “co-manufacturers”) to keep track of their suppliers’ compliance histories, and only work with suppliers that consistently meet U.S. food-safety standards. In November 2017, the FDA announced an initial enforcement discretion policy for the new rules. That policy was to last two years, until November 6, 2019, after which producers were expected to be compliant with the new guidelines. “The complexity of the supply chain and the number of suppliers that manufacturers have, including facilities that manufacture presents: Beyond the non-disclosure/con- FDA to develop a long-term resolution for under a brand name (i.e., co-manufactur- fidentiality elements, producers are bound this issue.” ing), necessitated that food companies by a series of other contractual demands the In a statement, the AFFI specified it “re- were given additional time to adjust specifi- associations argued the FSMA would force quested an extension to the enforcement cations and contract details to help facilitate them to breach. The industry associations discretion to allow for further consultation compliance with the rule,” Adrienne Seiling, also argued that verifying all suppliers would between FDA and industry to resolve these vice president of strategic communications require companies to hire more staff than compliance challenges.” for the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), they could afford. On the day that the discretion policy told Food Quality & Safety. “We commend FDA’s 2017 decision to was to end, the FDA announced its decision Some producers complained the de- provide industry with an additional two to continue its enforcement discretion pol- mands of the new supplier-verification rules years to implement the Preventive Controls icy in reflection of the challenges industry might force them to breach confidentiality supply-chain program requirements in cer- faces in becoming FSMA compliant on these agreements by requesting that ingredients tain situations involving contract manufac- issues. The FDA will soon publish a notice manufacturers disclose specific processing turing,” wrote the signatories. “However, in the Federal Register explaining the terms details that might otherwise be considered even with this additional time, there remain of the enforcement discretion policy exten- trade secrets. In a letter to the FDA, signa- numerous compliance hurdles that have not sion, but no new compliance deadline has tories from 12 food industry associations been resolved. An extension of the compli- been set. explained the series of challenges the rule ance date will allow time for industry and by Jesse Staniforth ‘Creeping Silent Crisis’ Seen Menacing World’s Crops ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – A Scientists say water supplies are threat- On Monday, the think tank launched “creeping, silent crisis” is menacing the ened by many factors, including climate an online tool called Aqueduct Food, which world’s food supply as water shortages could change and mismanagement, but farming maps water risks for more than 40 crops, in- jeopardize up to 40% of all irrigated crops by is one of the largest factors, using 70% of cluding banana, coffee, soybean, and cotton. 2040, a U.S. think tank said on Monday. freshwater. Among irrigated crops, it found nearly Erratic rainfall caused by climate 67% of wheat, 64% of maize, and 19% of change also threatens the water sup- rice could be in areas with extremely high ply for a third of crops that rely on water stress by 2040. monsoon, said the World Resources The three crops together account Institute (WRI). for more than 40% of the world’s calorie “Humankind is not very good at supply, according to the United Nations’ acting before crisis happens. We’re Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). really good at crisis management but Urgent action is needed, be it to that’s very reactive,” said Rutger Hof- improve irrigation and soil, better crop ste, an associate at WRI. choices, or reducing food loss and waste, REUTERS/P.J. HUFFSTUTTER/ “This is a creeping, silent crisis it said. and we would like to ring the alarm Reporting By Thin Lei Win @thinink bells before it’s too late,” he told Editing by Lyndsay Griffiths the Thomson Reuters Foundation by A crop scout walks through a soybean field to check on crops during Thomson Reuters Foundation phone. the Pro Farmer 2019 Midwest Crop Tour in Allen County, Indiana. (Continued on p. 38) 10 F O O D Q U A L I T Y & SA F E T Y www.foodqualityandsafety.com
Book Review Food Science for All A new book explains food preservation and processing in a way that the general public can understand and enjoy Molecules, Microbes, and Meals: The Surprising Science of Food by Alan Kelly Oxford University Press, 2019 ISBN 978-0-19-068769-4 REVIEWED BY PURNENDU C. VASAVADA, PHD T oday’s consumer wants to know everything derstand manner. Kelly describes the chem- flavor, texture, and qualities of food, and the about food: what to eat for weight loss, en- ical structure of casein and its role in cheese transformations that occur when the prod- ergy, or a myriad of other health benefits. making in fascinating prose without the use ucts are cooked. The book also explores the Consumers are also interested in safety and of a complex diagram one would find in dairy convergence of science and art in food and suitability as well as where foods come from chemistry textbooks. In explaining the many the history of food. In this context the author and how they’re processed. The same is true types and roles of microorganisms, the author describes the work of Nicholas Appert, who for food industry professionals and artisanal invokes the famous Clint Eastwood western, developed the art of appertization, a process food processors looking for basic information “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” stating that of preserving food by placing it in a glass bot- about food science and technology. Finding (cue Ennio Morricone music and distinctive tle, removing as much air as possible, and credible and scientifically sound information, whistling) bacteria in food can be good (like heating the sealed bottles in boiling water however, isn’t easy. Opinions, commercially probiotics), bad (like pathogens), or ugly (like for a long period of time. biased information, and myths and miscon- the type that cause spoilage). He discusses Finally, Kelly describes recipe develop- ceptions about food and food processing spoilage bacteria, pathogens, spore-forming ment, formulations, and the sensory prop- abound. While there is substantial scien- bacteria, and viruses in sufficient detail to ex- erties of foods, including appearance, flavor, tific literature on the various aspects of food plain what makes them grow and how we can texture, and taste. In this section he also in- chemistry, food microbiology, food process- control their growth or kill them to preserve cludes information about the future of sen- ing, engineering, and technology, very little and assure food safety. He also explains the sory science. He covers the popular topic of credible, non-nonsense, and understandable Hurdle concept of food preservation in which molecular gastronomy, which, he explains, information is available for lay consumers. salt, temperature, or preservatives are used to resulted from collaborations between chefs In his recent book, Molecules, Microbes, prevent the growth of microorganisms. and scientists. and Meals: The Surprising Science of Food, This books covers the principles of com- Molecules, Microbes, and Meals argues Alan Kelly provides an overview of the sci- mon food processing methods such as fer- that “every food product is a highly complex ence of food, exploring all aspects of how mentation, concentration and dehydration, scientific entity and our understanding of the the foods we purchase and consume have and freezing in a succinct yet effective way. science of food can enhance our apprecia- come to have the characteristics they do. The Thermal processing such as pasteurization, tion and wonder at it.” I couldn’t agree more. author starts with a confession,“ I am a food including ultra-high-temperature and com- This book is full of interesting references to scientist,” but presents the science of food in mercial canning, are explained thoroughly, history and culture while explaining techni- a unique style that’s clear, credible, and en- including the principles of thermal lethality: cal aspects of food chemistry, microbiology, joyable. Using common foods such as yogurt – D- and Z- values. Kelly also covers novel and preservation and processing. It is an and cheese, the book explains the basics food processing methods such as membrane excellent introduction to food science and about the chemical components of food and filtration, high-pressure processing, and mi- technology. I highly recommended it for ingredients and their role in the character- crowave heating. A separate chapter is de- anyone interested in information and under- istics, flavor, texture, and qualities of food. voted to discussing food packaging, includ- standing about all things food. ■ The book discusses key aspects and ing active, intelligent, and edible packaging. Dr. Vasavada is professor emeritus of food science at the Uni- complexities of carbohydrates, proteins, One of the main focuses of the book is versity of Wisconsin-River Falls and a co-editor of Food Quality fats, and other constituents in an easy-to-un- to explain the scientific underpinning of the & Safety. Reach him at Purnendu.C.Vasavada@uwrf.edu. December 2019 / January 2020 11
Washington Report The FDA Sets a Path ernment agencies in the U.S. and UK at- tended a full-capacity meeting on Oct. 21. “Smarter food safety is people-led, to Smarter Food Safety FSMA-based, and technology-enabled,” Frank Yiannas, deputy FDA commissioner The agency is incorporating technology to trace foods for food policy and response, told attend- and respond to outbreaks more quickly ees in opening remarks. While much prog- ress has been made to improve safety and BY TED AGRES efficiency, “today’s food system has one major Achilles’ heel, and that’s a lack of I traceability and transparency,” he said. n early 2020, the FDA will unveil a and data analytics to improve root cause Prior to the meeting, the FDA had “blueprint” outlining plans to mod- analyses and respond to contamination. asked more than 100 agency staffers to ©TAKOBURITO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ernize its approach to regulating food To help refine its analytical approach, brainstorm ideas for turning the smarter safety under the Food Safety Mod- the agency has solicited feedback through food safety vision into reality. The four ernization Act (FSMA). These plans will a federal docket and convened a public broad areas were tech-enabled traceabil- include use of technology-enabled trace- meeting. Representatives from the food ity, smarter tools and approaches for pre- ability tools such as blockchain, new pre- and technology industries, consumer vention, new business models, and food dictive analytical measures to assess risk, groups, academia, and officials from gov- safety culture. These then served as focal 12 F O O D Q U A L I T Y & SA F E T Y www.foodqualityandsafety.com
points for discussion during the meeting, about food, how it’s produced, and how it ance document on traceability would be with the FDA and industry experts giving flows from farm to table is a game-changer hugely helpful,” she said. short presentations prior to simultaneous for food safety,” Yiannas said in a recent Sarah Sorscher, deputy director for breakout sessions during which attendees FDA publication. regulatory affairs at the Center for Science offered comments and suggestions. But there are serious hurdles to over- in the Public Interest, noted that the FDA come if blockchain is to be widely adopted needs to use its existing authority as well Tech-Enabled Traceability by the food industry, said Alex Manders, as potential new regulatory tools to pro- Traceability and foodborne outbreak re- head of blockchain services at Information mote progress. “The FDA has yet to deploy sponse involve technologies, data streams Services Group, a Stamford, CT-based con- additional authorities [granted] under and processes to reduce the time needed sultancy. These include incomplete knowl- FSMA, key among these long-delayed to track and trace the origin of a contam- edge of blockchain vendors, available water testing requirements of the produce inated food and respond to public health technology solutions, collaboration mod- safety rule,” she said. risks. Much of the discussion at the FDA els, and a lack of industry and governance meeting involved the need for clear data frameworks, he said at the FDA meeting. Focus on Blockchain standards, challenges to implementing In announcing the smarter food safety ini- blockchain technology, ensuring protec- tiative earlier this year, the FDA said gov- tion of proprietary data, and enhancing “Today’s food system ernment and industry should cooperate to outbreak response activities. leverage advances in digital technologies. Currently, most food companies keep has one major Achilles’ These include blockchain to enhance records of one step back to identify the heel, and that’s product traceability, artificial intelligence source and one step forward to where the a lack of traceability and and machine learning to facilitate food food has gone, as required by federal law. import inspections, and new packaging And many companies keep these records transparency.” and transportation approaches to help on paper, not electronically. Federal and —FRANK YIANNAS, modernize the food industry and meet the state investigators found this especially deputy FDA commissioner growing demands of e-commerce. frustrating in 2018 as they sought to deter- for food policy and response The FDA will launch a pilot project mine the source of E. coli-tainted romaine using artificial intelligence to enhance its lettuce from the Yuma growing region. ability to review imports at ports of entry to Had growers and shippers used electronic ensure they meet U.S. food safety require- records and blockchain technology, trac- Manders urged the FDA to commis- ments. The agency will also tap into its pro- ing the origin might have taken minutes sion research to help industry facilitate grams related to tracking the drug supply or even seconds, instead of weeks and blockchain implementation. But he cau- chain to see whether similar approaches months. tioned against over-regulation. “New might be adapted to tracking the nation’s Blockchain uses a decentralized, se- requirements … could slow the adoption food supply. cure ledger that’s shared by all parties in of real-world blockchain track-and-trace “When you look at how other in- the supply chain to provide transparency solutions,” he said. dustries digitally track the movement of on a product’s origins. It can greatly assist planes, ride sharing, and delivery of pack- in warning consumers about risks with Perspectives on the FDA’s Role aged goods, it becomes clear that we must specific foods and in implementing more While most panelists and attendees ap- explore how these types of technologies targeted and efficient recalls. While the plauded the FDA’s initiative to formulate could improve tracking when it comes to FDA does not intend to create a govern- the new era smarter food safety, some food,” acting FDA Commissioner Norman ment-run blockchain platform, it will en- noted that the agency should do more with “Ned” Sharpless, MD, and Yiannas said in courage industry to adopt this and other the tools it already has. a joint statement at the time. digital technologies to facilitate rapid “I think ‘smarter’ means more effec- Tracing is only one area where technol- traceability through the food distribution tive, that we’re doing a better job, all of us, ogy can enhance food safety. “We’ll also chain, Yiannas said. in reducing contamination and reducing be looking at how to leverage emerging Prior to joining the FDA in December the burden of food-borne illness,” said technologies and other approaches that 2018, Yiannas had been responsible for Sandra Eskin, director of food safety at are being used in society and business implementing blockchain technology the Pew Charitable Trusts. “That may in- sectors all around us, such as distributed for tracing produce sold at Walmart. In volve some shiny new technologies and it ledgers, sensors, the Internet of Things, speeches to industry groups, he often may involve some lower-tech but no less and artificial intelligence,” the two officials tells how he was able to reduce the time important tools,” she told the conference. explained. needed to trace a package of sliced man- “I don’t think [the] FDA has to wait,” According to Natalie Dyenson, vice goes from farm to store from nearly seven Eskin added. “[The] FDA has to do some- president for Food Safety & Quality at days using traditional methods to a mere thing now. And that something is guid- Dole Food Co., Inc., “blockchain is a 2.2 seconds using blockchain. “An ability ance to industry. What are those key data journey. There is no one single provider to deliver accurate, real-time information elements? What are best practices? A guid- (Continued on p. 14) December 2019 / January 2020 13
WA SH I N GTO N R E P O RT (Continued from p. 13) The FDA has taken a leaf from its own that will be the silver bullet for the in- book. In late September 2019, the agency dustry. But there is a lot of potential in launched its Food Safety Dashboard, de- the system already,” she told the FDA signed to monitor and track the agency’s conference. and industry’s progress in implementing Major industry players have FSMA implementation. Initial metrics been eager to gain a foothold in are available for the preventive control this burgeoning field. Walmart and of human and animal foods rules and other retailers are partnering with for the Foreign Supplier Verification IBM Food Trust for blockchain ser- Program. Data for additional FSMA vices. Nestle is also partnering with rules will be added over time, the IBM in a pilot traceability program in agency said. Europe for packaged instant mashed “We know that we can’t stop every potatoes. outbreak of foodborne illness,” Dr. Shar- Financial services powerhouse Mas- pless and Yiannas said in a statement. terCard is looking to extend its block- “However, reducing the incidence of ill- chain-based Provenance Solution system, ness and death attributed to contaminated designed to combat money laundering, food is a shared goal of growers, manufac- ©Delphotostock - stock.adobe.com into food safety. Toward this end, Master- “The identity of things is becoming turers, packers, suppliers, importers, and Card is partnering with Envisible LLC, a even more important as consumers raise regulators alike.” ■ food supply chain system vendor, to pilot demands for transparency,” said Deborah a seafood blockchain traceability program Barta, senior vice president for innovation Agres is an award-winning writer who covers food safety regulatory and legislative issues from the nation’s capital with Topco Associates LLC, a leading U.S. and startup engagement at MasterCard, in in the Washington Report column. Reach him at tedagres@ food cooperative. a statement. yahoo.com. CONNECT AT 2020 IPPE WHERE YOUR INDUSTRY MEETS THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY JAN. 28 - 30, 2020 ATLANTA, GA USA The 2020 IPPE is the only exposition of its kind showcasing the latest solutions R EG I STER N OW AT and technologies for the global animal food and protein industries. Experience, WW W. I PPEX PO. O RG Learn and CONNECT with more the 32,000 animal food, meat and poultry industry professionals at this powerhouse of a show in January! 14 F O O D Q U A L I T Y & SA F E T Y www.foodqualityandsafety.com
Market Initiatives The Spices of Life the U.S. that grow spices and ship them to the U.S. and other companies associated with the U.S. spice industry. “ASTA mem- Spice industry professionals are devoted to safety and quality bers manufacture and market the major- throughout the supply chain | BY LINDA L. LEAKE, M S ity of spices sold in the U.S. for industrial, food service, and consumer use,” Shumow elaborates. Shumow points out that most spices require tropical or subtropical conditions to grow. “That means spices are typically grown in developing countries where san- itation and food handling practices may not always be adequate,” she says. “Like all agricultural products, spices are com- monly exposed to dust, dirt, insects, and animal waste before they are harvested. Then there are additional opportunities for contamination during primary processing, storage, and transportation. Much of the spices imported into the United States are essentially a raw agricultural commodity that will undergo extensive cleaning, pro- cessing, and treatment for pathogens once they enter the U.S. to ensure they are clean V and free of microbial contamination.” ariety is the spice of life, and eign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricul- spices add so much variety to tural Trade System. (A metric ton equals Salmonella Control Is Essential life. Treasured as trade goods 2,204.6 pounds.) As with other food prod- Foodborne illness attributed to spices is for thousands of years, spices ucts, especially ones that are exchanged rare. But relative to potential microbial are used not only to season and preserve globally, spices are subject to food safety hazards that can affect spices, Shumow food, they have been embraced as medi- and quality concerns. says that Salmonella, in particular, is a cines, dyes, and perfumes dating back to pathogen that must be controlled by treat- ancient times. The word spice comes from Microbial Hazard Concerns ment. “Spice companies use a variety of the Latin species, which means “wares.” The most important food safety issue that treatment methods to control for Salmo- In the culinary world, spices are aromatic the spice industry deals with today is the nella, including ethylene oxide, propylene flavorings originating from seeds (fennel, need to manage the potential for contami- oxide, steam, and irradiation,” Shumow mustard, nutmeg, and black pepper, for nation by microbial hazards, according to notes. “This treatment is an essential food example), fruits (cayenne pepper), bark Laura Shumow, MHS, executive director safety step in the spice supply chain. Spice (cinnamon), flower buds (cloves), stigmas of the American Spice Trade Association companies must comply with the Preven- (saffron), roots (turmeric and ginger), and (ASTA). tive Controls for Human Food rule under other plant parts. Founded in 1907, the Washington, D.C.- the Food Safety Modernization Act.” Spices were a primary driver for early based ASTA bills itself as “the voice of the The FDA basically defaults to a 5-log maritime and land trade routes devel- U.S. spice industry in the global market.” reduction of pathogens, Shumow says. oped between Europe and Asia, and re- “ASTA represents the interests of approxi- “However, the FDA has advised ASTA it ©MONTICELLLLO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM main a significant focus of international mately 200 members including companies would accept a different approach if sci- trade. In 2018, more than 22,000 metric that grow, dehydrate, and process spices,” entific evidence demonstrated the process tons of spices valued at $111 million were Shumow relates. would adequately control the hazard, and exported from the U.S., while imports of ASTA’s members include U.S.-based conversely could require a 6-log reduction nearly 412,000 metric tons were valued at agents, brokers, and importers. There are if it would be reasonably foreseeable that $1.76 billion, according to the USDA For- also member companies based outside of (Continued on p. 16) December 2019 / January 2020 15
M arket I nitiatives (Continued from p. 15) “Much of the spices imported into the United States the food could be contaminated with more than 100 colony-forming units per gram,” are essentially a raw agricultural commodity that will she explains. undergo extensive cleaning, processing, and treatment Quality issues related to spices include for pathogens once they enter the U.S. to ensure they the potential to contain foreign material, as well as low levels of environmental con- are clean and free of microbial contamination.” taminants, Shumow says. “These issues —LAURA SHUMOW, MHS, do not usually present a food safety issue, executive director of the American Spice Trade Association but are managed to ensure products meet quality and regulatory standards,” she ex- plains. “Spice companies may rely on sup- ply chain controls such as sampling and and good agricultural practices for spice the U.S. “We test for most all of the ASTA testing, specifications, and supplier audits farmers and processors.” members, as well as spice companies to mitigate these types of quality issues. Publicly available resources include throughout the world,” he relates. The spice industry also employs a variety ASTA’s Identification and Prevention of A long-time ASTA member, Mitchell of equipment to physically clean spices, Adulteration Guidance Document, Good has served on the board of directors, and including air separators, sifters, and spi- Manufacturing Practice Guide for Spices, is a member and former chair of the Food ral gravity separators that separate sticks, Good Agricultural Practices Guide, and Safety Committee. He was also a member stones, hair, insects, and other debris from HACCP Guide for Spices and Seasonings. of the ASTA Methods sub-committee that the spice. These techniques are designed “Likewise, ASTA offers several resources developed and approved the official ASTA to ensure finished product complies with for non-member purchase, including an testing methods for spices. industry and regulatory specifications. analytical methods manual and recorded “In the early 2000s, there was some “The highest priority of ASTA is en- webinar series,” Shumow adds. talk in the industry about Salmonella, but it suring clean, safe spice for American Educational and training resources for was not universally accepted as a concern, consumers,” Shumow emphasizes. “The member companies are another offering in especially since Salmonella does not pro- association facilitates food safety in a the ASTA toolbox, Shumow adds. “Webi- liferate on dry spices,” Mitchell says. “But number of ways, including the develop- nars and workshops are regularly offered it has evolved to a major effort to control ment of technical guidance, white papers, for the industry,” she relates. “Recent bacterial contamination, since by the mid- research, analytical detection methods, topics covered by expert speakers have 2000s Salmonella and other pathogens and education.” included whole-genome sequencing, new were traced to spices. At that time most To this point, another ASTA offering is research on allergens, traceability/block- spices came into the country untreated and its Check Sample Program, which is profi- chain technology, and validation of spice any bacteria present were not necessarily ciency testing designed to evaluate spice process controls.” treated upon arrival.” laboratories for a common range of anal- Most imported spices are now cleaned yses that are significant to the spice trade, Changing Concerns and subjected to a kill step by the U.S. Shumow explains. “Proficiency testing Issues with spices have changed over the processors when they take possession, is the analysis of samples in conjunction years, says Martin Mitchell, chairman Mitchell continues. “And there are now with other laboratories testing the same emeritus of Certified Laboratories, Inc. industry expectations for a validated kill sample type at the same time,” she elab- “Prior to the 2000s, 90 percent of spice step, documented sanitation controls, orates. “The program allows individual industry concerns focused on product and pathogen testing for all spices, so they laboratories to evaluate their performance quality parameters, like cleanliness, color are sold to food manufacturers, food ser- and set goals for improvement and consis- values, and volatile oil content,” he re- vice customers, and consumers pathogen tency in analyses.” lates. “Today, as Laura Shumow points free,” he emphasizes. out, bacterial contamination, particularly Guidance for Industry with Salmonella, is the major concern. Adulteration Issues ASTA publishes Clean, Safe Spice Guid- Based in Melville, N.Y., Certified Lab- Mitchell concurs with Shumow that adul- ance, which includes references to FSMA oratories is an independent laboratory teration is another major concern in the and information related to the FDA’s Re- specializing in microbiological and chem- spice industry. “Some imported ground portable Food Registry, Shumow says. ical analyses of numerous foods and bev- spices from Third-World countries are “ASTA has worked and continues to work erages, including spices. The firm also coming in adulterated,” he elaborates. with companies and other associations to maintains operations in Aurora, Ill., Tur- “For example, lead and lead chromate disseminate this guidance throughout the lock, Calif., and Buena Park, Calif. Certified have been found in cumin and turmeric, supply chain,” she relates. “ASTA also col- participates in the ASTA Check Sample and Sudan dyes have been identified in red laborates with organizations in spice-pro- Program, Mitchell notes. pepper. Herbs such as sumac have been ducing regions of the world to provide Mitchell says Certified does the major- added to ground oregano.” education and resources on food safety ity of the independent testing of spices in (Continued on p. 63) 16 F O O D Q U A L I T Y & SA F E T Y www.foodqualityandsafety.com
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