Food Protection Trends - November 2008 - 811

the disadvantage of sample destruction has been realized and alternative methods have resulted, including the pulsifier. Mark Carter of Silliker Inc. discussed the importance of sample compositing and challenges associated with it. Compositing is designed to save time and reduce the number of tests needed. The goal is to develop a method that has an equivalent performance to the reference method in terms of precision and accuracy. There should be a holistic approach to development and quality controls must be in place to monitor changes in the system. David Golden from the University of Tennessee discussed surface sampling methods. For effective surface sampling, the target organism needs to be located, extracted from the surface, and removed from the sampling device before detection. The first swab/rinse procedure was developed in 1917 as a surface sampling technique and several advances have been continually introduced with this technique since then. The symposium was concluded by Lee-Ann Jaykus from North Carolina State University who discussed both new and future perspectives in the field of sample preparation. She presented information on nucleic acid amplification, which seems to be the most promising detection approach to date. This method has the advantage of increased sensitivity, specificity and speed that could result in the linking of detection and confirmation. New ligands such as nucleic acid aptamers, which can fold into unique 3-dimensional structures allowing them to show specificity for a target, could be used as alternatives to antibodies. S6 – new and Innovative Ways to Derive risk-Based Management Options Arpan Bhagat, Purdue University Dr. Whiting initiated the session with regulatory perspectives for driving risk management options. He explained the reasons for the development of predictive microbiology being a more specific risk assessment. Risk assessment is the best evaluation of risks possible under given set of scientific calculations. However setting food safety objective (FSO) and acceptable level of protection (ALOP, # illnesses per year) are ultimately value judgments and not scientific calculations i.e., a numerical value for ALOP can be based on societal values and expectations. Jeanne-Marie Membre explained the process involved in setting industrial process parameters on basis of risk-based metrics. Key areas that are to be considered while setting industrial process parameters include hurdle effects (using mild heat treatment, natural food preservatives, pH, organic acid) and supply chain characteristics (storage temperature, product shelf life and consumer habits). Risk assessment and risk-based metrics can be used to solve operational problems. They bring more confidence of decision making through transparency and scientific judgment. However a limitation to this is that it makes it obvious that zero risk does not exist and is resource intensive and specific rather than generic. Greenfield risk-based approach to managing C. botulinum was discussed by Martin Cole. He explained that even though there has been a 90-year excellent safety record for thermal processing/canning, market demand for freshness, health and convenience along with an increase in trade of processed foods is driving innovation in development of new technologies, heat delivery and packaging. Hence there is a need to develop a FSO framework to ensure product safety through review of scientific data viz. C. botulinum outbreaks in carrot juice, Castleberry and green beans. Thus to set up FSO the approach should be based on products with well established safety records e.g., shelf-stable products and risk management framework should be used to compare equivalency. The alternators of resistance should also be taken into account such as food constituents that affect the delivery of treatments (pH, salt, and nitrite). This approach allows comparison of different control measures and provides basis for the control authorities and industries to assess acceptability. Tom Ross went over the scenario analysis in supporting management of Listeria in readyto-eat meats. The development of model in this case is restricted to risk from L. monocytogenes in Australian processed meats. The efforts have been put in by international team of well credentialed risk modelers, food microbiologists and industry experts. The data has been obtained from diverse resources and the model is microbiology ecology “rich.” The conceptual model includes detailed steps from production to consumption. This exposure system model was then combined with a dose response model to plot the predicted number of illnesses per serving. Predicted number of cases per year was then calculated through critical assumptions from the model output. The rate of growth of L. monocytogenes in distribution was found to be influenced by a number of different scenarios and this model combines all the different scenarios. S7 – Food Safety Issues in Food transportation — Keeping It Cold and Keeping It Clean Akafete Teklu, Addis Ababa University Veny Gapud began the session with the talk “What Do we Expect from Our distributors?.” Consumers expect no danger from pathogenic microorganisms and naturally occurring toxins. NOVEMBER 2008 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS 811

Food Protection Trends - November 2008

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