Food Safety: Healthy Populations Block 5 Exam

food safety definition

prevent unintentional contamination and foodborne illnesses

food defense definition

protect food from intentional contamination to cause harm or economic disruption

food security definition

access to safe and nutritious food

food protection definition

all necessary actions to keep food safe, prevent contamination, and ensure quality

farm to fork definition

entire food production process from growing/raising food on farm to ending up on plate

Food supply veterinarians description

focus on health of food animals and ensure safety, wholesomeness, and security of entire food chain, by preventing animal diseases, monitoring production, inspecting products, and controlling hazard for public health

Key roles of Food Supply Veterinarians

• animal health and welfare

• disease prevention

• food safety

• public health

• regulatory oversight

• research and development

Daniel Salmon

• named first chief of Bureau of animal industry

• first graduate of US veterinary school

• described Salmonella choleraesuis

Barnard Bang

• described tuberculin test allowing widespread testing of dairy cattle

• identified brucella abortus as cause of bovine brucellosis

FDA Food Safety Responsibilities

• regulates most of the food supply

• regulates Grade A milk

• regulates whole eggs

• regulates livestock feed additives

• regulates produce

• discusses drug withdrawal times and recordkeeping

FSIS Food Safety Responsibilities

• enforces through physical inspections

• regulates egg products

• regulates cow, sheep, pig, chicken, turkey, and goat meat products

• conducts antemortem inspections

• inspect meat, poultry, and eggs imported into US from other countries

Federal acts and regulations for food safety

• federal meat inspection act

• federal poultry inspection act

• humane methods of livestock slaughter act

Federal requirements for food safety

• ante and post mortem inspection

• sanitation standard operating procedures

• hazard analysis critical control points plan

• microbiological and residue testing

Federal mark of inspection for food safety

US inspected and passed + establishment number

federal shipments for food safety once inspected

• interstate commerce

• international

State authorities for food safety

sate code and regulations

State requirements for food safety

at least equal to federal requirements

State shipment of food safety once inspected

intrastate commerce

Exception to state food safety requirements

custom-exempt slaughter, personal use of owner, physical inspection not required

foodborne illness

• preventable public health challenge

• causes 48 million illnesses and 3000 deaths each year in US

• comes from eating contaminated food

• symptoms occur within minutes to weeks

• YOPI at risk

common microorganisms that cause foodborne illness

• camplyobacteriosis

  • bacteria associated with kittens, puppies, poultry, livestock, and unpasteurized milk

• cryptosporidiosis

  • parasite associated with calves, goat kids, and lambs

• E coli 0157 and hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

  • bacteria associated with cattle, goats, sheep, and unpasteurized milk

• Salmonellosis

  • bacteria associated with reptiles, baby chicks, adult poultry, livestock, dogs, cats, and unpasteurized milk

• Listeria

  • bacteria associated with ruminants, rodents, dogs, cats, and birds. Found in soil, water, silage, milk, cheese, feces, sewage, and foodstuffs

Camplyobacter

• one of most common bacterial causes of diarrheal illness in US

• cases occur as isolated sporadic events, not large outbreaks

• outbreaks associated with poultry, raw dairy, seafood, untreated water, produce, and puppies

• many food animals show no signs of illness when carrying disease

• carried in intestines, liver, and organs of animals and transferred when slaughtered

• Animal feces contaminates milk, fruits, vegetables, and water

Cryptosporidium

• parasite causes diarrheal illness

• common waterborne illness

• most common cause of recreational water illness in US

• passed in stool of an infected person or animal

• parasite protected by outer shell allowing it to survive outside body for long periods of time (highly resistant to chlorine)

E coli 0157:H7

• illness associated with eating undercooked contaminated ground beef

• produce items contaminated through contact with cattle feces in field

• person-to-person contact common cause of spread

• infection occurs after drinking raw milk or swimming in contaminated water

Salmonella

• bacterial infection

• live in intestinal tract of animals (birds)

• transmitted to humans by eating food contaminated with feces

• found in water, food, soil, or contaminated surfaces

• chicks and ducks

Listeria

• hardy pathogens

• spread to and from food

• once gets in facility difficult to remove

• replicates in food kept in refrigerator

• killed by heating food

• common foods contaminated

  • soft cheese, ice cream, raw milk, deli meat, prepared meats, pate and cold-smoked fish, sprouts, melons

• invasive vs intestinal illness

three times to prevent foodborne illness

1. pre-harvest

2. processing

3. post-harvest

sources of pathogens that cause foodborne illness

• personnel

• vectors

• rodents

• insects

• birds

• feed

• water

• compost

farm level interventions to prevent foodborne disease

• biosecurity

• vaccines

• competitive exclusion

• environmental controls

• feed contamination reduction

livestock quality assurance programs characteristics

• producer-driven

• ensure production of safe, high quality, and wholesome meat and dairy products

• prioritize animal welfare

• aide in consumer confidence

• enhances herd health and reduces losses from injuries or illness

• processors require QA certification for purchased animals

Livestock Quality Assurance Programs

• Beef Quality Assurance

• Youth for the Quality Care of Animals

• Pork Quality Assurance Plus

• Sheep Safety and Quality Assurance

• Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization

Quality Assurance Core Components

• animal welfare

• food safety

• traceability and record-keeping

• biosecurity

Good agriculture practices

• food safety program addresses interventions to reduce pathogens

• eliminate pathogens from irrigation water

• restriction of cattle near sources of irrigation water

Critical Control Point

• step in manufacturing process where food safety hazard can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels

• fundamental part of hazard analysis critical control point plan

• requires monitoring and documentation

• differ based on food type and identified hazards

Common CCP’s in pre-harvest

• water quality monitoring

• agriculture chemicals/pesticides

• manure application management

• poultry/livestock interventions

• supplier/field audits

• pre-slaughter inspection

Residue avoidance goal

preventing illegal drug or antibiotic residues in meat, milk, and eggs

Ways to comply with residue avoidance

• withdrawal times

• record keeping

• veterinary oversight

• extra-label drug use control

• identification

• food animal residue avoidance database

• national residue program

antimicrobial stewardship practices

• judicious use in livestock

• veterinary client patient relationship

• pre-harvest food safety interventions

• on-farm monitoring and surveillance

criteria for fitness to ship

• must bear weight on all four legs

• BCS >2

• fever free

• withdrawal periods respected

• don’t ship within last 10% of gestation or those likely to give birth

• lactating cow should be milked just prior to transport

custom slaughter considerations

• exempt from meat and poultry inspection act

• must own animals at least 30 days before slaughter

• cannot sell meat

• should be clean, cold, and cover

custom slaughter risk prevention practices

• clean and sanitize equipment

• separate carcass from contaminants

• animal prep

• contamination check carcass

• safe handling and PPE

Farm to Fork Food Chain

1. primary production

2. transformation into food

3. transport

4. food production

5. distribution retail

6. consumer

Pre-Harvest Goal

prevent pathogens and other hazard from contaminating produce, meat, milk, and/or eggs before harvest of slaughter (on-farm)

Harvest Goal

prevent contamination through strict hygiene, temperature control, pest management, and process controls and interventions (in-plant)

Post-Harvest Goal

Ensure safe food storage, transport, and handling to limit pathogens and other hazards (food preservation and safe food handling)

Fitness for Transport definition

animal’s ability to withstand transportation, including length of trip, weather conditions, stocking density, and other factors, without compromising welfare

Things to consider for fitness for transport

• body condition and lameness scores

• anticipated distance of travel

• possibility of residues

• likelihood of condemnation

How many days after leaving farms are most cows slaughtered

84% are slaughtered within 2-5 days of leaving farm

What is the role of public health veterinarian in the slaughter and processing plant?

• animal health surveillance

  • brucellosis

  • tuberculosis

• animal welfare

  • humane handling

  • stunning and euthanasia

• food safety

  • inspection

  • residue testing

  • food safety assessments

Beef slaughter process steps

1. ante-mortem inspection

2. stunning

3. exsanguination

4. head removal

5. hide removal

6. evisceration

7. carcass split

8. carcass wash

9. chiller

Ante-mortem Inspection

• required by law

• animals observed at rest and in motion

• outcomes:

  • passed for slaughter

  • passed for slaughter but tagged as suspect (slaughter last)

  • condemned

    • non-ambulatory cattle

    • comatose or semi-comatose

    • swine with temp <106

    • cattle, sheep, goats with temp > 105

    • CNS disorders

Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act of 1978

• mandatory, required by law

• USDA FSIS enforces

• Does NOT cover poultry

• two methods deemed humane

  • render insensible to pain before shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut

  • ritual slaughter

Stunning

• action of causing unconsciousness in animal

• insensible to pain by single blow

• four approved methods

  • chemical - carbon dioxide

  • mechanical - captive bolt

  • gunshot

  • electrical - electric current

exsanguination

• act of bleeding to death from severe blood loss

• sever jugular beins and carotid arteries

Hide removal and evisceration

• hide wash

• hide pullers

• hot water washes for knives

• knife trimming and/or steam vacuuming

  • remove surface contamination from carcass surface

• bung tie

  • sealing animals rectum using bag, string, or elastic to prevent fecal matter contamination

post-mortem inspection

• required by law

• visually inspect, palpate, and incise

  • hide

  • viscera

  • carcass

• all ID’d to individual animal to trace

Post-mortem inspection outcomes

• PHV determines final disposition

• four dispositions

  • condemned

    • only vet can condemn

  • partially condemned

  • pass

  • pass for cooking

Post-mortem inspection for retained carcasses

• any carcass or part in which lesion or condition is found that render meat unfit for human food must be retained for veterinary dispostion

• food safety and food suitability

• residue and/or micro test performed

• plant inspector may retain

Post-mortem inspection conditions

• localized condition

  • trim affected tissue

  • ex: contamination, injection site lesion, abscess

• generalized condition

  • retain for veterinary inspection

  • condemn if generalized

  • ex: enlarged lymph nodes, cancer eye

Carcass wash

• chemical/antimicrobial washes

  • organic acid rinses (lactic acid; acetic acid)

  • chlorine/hypobromous acid

  • peroxyacetic acid

• thermal treatments

  • hot water washes

  • thermal pasteurization chamber

Residue testing

• verification test for veterinary drug residues, pesticide residues, and chemical contaminants

• adulterants (not suitable for food)

• cooperate with FDA and EPA

• surveillance sampling and inspector generated sampling

• KIS test for antimicrobials

  • swab kidney of carcass

    • if positive retain carcass and send kidney, liver, and muscle samples to FSIS lab

microbiological testing

• verification test for pathogens and/or indicator organisms

• adulterant

Microbiological testing in raw beef products

• shiga toxin-producing E coli = adulterant

• salmonella

Microbiological testing in raw pork products

salmonella

Microbiological testing in raw poultry products

• salmonella = adulterant

• camplyobacter

microbiological testing in ready-to-eat products

listeria monocytogenes = adulterant

pasteurization definition

treat with mild heat to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life

What is pasteurized

• milk

  • high-temp short-time = 72C/161F for 15 sec

  • coxiella burnetti is target to kill

• liquid eggs

• shell eggs

Key Post-Slaughter Safety Measures

• antimicrobial interventions

  • carcass wash

• thermal/physical decontamination

  • steam pasteurization and steam vacuuming

• hygienic processing

  • HACPP

Benefits to pasteurization

• eliminates 99% pathogens responsible for diseases like tuberculosis and Q fever

• extends freshness of refrigerated milk

• does not significantly alter nutritional value or taste of product

What foods are pasteurized

• dairy products

  • fluid milk, cream, ice cream, soft cheese

• beverages

  • fruit juices, cider, beer, wine, and soft drinks

• others

  • liquid eggs, almonds, canned foods, pickled items

Types of pasteurization

• High temperature short time

• ultra high temp

• vat/batch

HTST pasteurization

• most common method

• heating to 161F for 15 sec

UHT pasteurization

• heats to 280F for 2 sec

• allows for longer, unrefrigerated shelf life

• used for milk, juices, soaps, and sauces

• can alter flavor

Vat/Batch pasteurization

• heating to 145F for 30min

• often used for cheese, yogurt, and small scale dairies

high pressure processing

• cold pasteurization technique

• uses extreme water pressure to inactivate foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in packaged foods (listeria, salmonella, e coli, mold, and yeast)

• extends shelf life and ensures safety while maintaining original taste, texture, and nutritional value of fresh products without heat or preservatives

• foods processed in final packaging

• water is medium and pressure is applied uniformly and instantaneously throught product

• commonly used in meat and poultry ready-to-eat meals, seafood, guacamole, dips, sauces, fruit juice, vegetable puree, and smoothies

Four steps of food safety

• clean

• separate

• cook

• chill

Clean

• wash hands, utensils, and surfaces often

• wash surfaces and utensils after each use

• wash fruit and vegetables but not meat, poultry, or eggs

Separate

• Don’t cross contaminate

• use separate cutting boards and plates for produce, meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs

• keep certain types of food separate

Cook food to right temperature

• use food thermometer

  • place in thickest part of food and don’t tough fat or bone

• if not serving food right after cooking, keep it out of temperature danger zone (40F to 140F)

Minimum internal temp for cooking

• beef = 145-160

• chicken = 165

• eggs = 160-165

• pork = 145-160

• seafood = 145

Chill

• refrigerate and freeze food properly

  • within 2 hrs or 1hr if above 90F

• refrigerator should be at 40F and freezer at 0F

• don’t thaw food on counter

Food and Drug Administration and pet food

regulates can food, dry food, and treats or snacks

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

requires all animal foods, like human foods, be safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled

FDA recall classes

• Class I

  • dangerous or defective products that could cause serious health problems or death

• Class II

  • products might cause temporary health problem of pose a slight threat of serious nature

• Class III

  • products unlikely to cause any adverse health reaction but violate FDA labeling laws

Pet food recalls

• alerts to confirmed problem

  • consumer complaints

  • identification of adulterant/contaminant by approved FDA lab or firm

  • effectiveness checks

• potential contamination

  • mycotoxicosis

  • chemical adulterants

  • bacterial contamination

mycotoxins

• in cereal grains, corn, and nuts

• clinical signs include anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhea caused by renal and hepatic damage

• cause acute toxicosis in people

• carcinogenic

melamine-cyanuric acid

• largest chemical contamination of pet food

• reports of acute renal failure in pets

• FDA investigation determined contamination of pet foods with melamine-cyanuric acid

• deliberately added to wheat gluten by Chinese suppliers to falsely increase protein content

What is a common pathogen found in pet food

salmonella

Raw meat based diets contaminants

• salmonella and E coli

• T gondii and cryptosporidium

• asymptomatic shedding

What are some common misconceptions with pet food

• brand X must be safe as hasn’t been involved in recall

• smaller companies produce safer food

• all companies follow same testing and quality assurance

CDC tips for staying healthy when handling pet food

• wash

  • don’t use pet’s bowl to scoop food use dedicated clean scoop

• store

  • follow storage instructions

  • keep dry pet food and treats stored in cool dry place

  • promptly discard, refrigerate, or store any leftover food