Food Protection Trends - October 2009 - 686

probes require the identification of “cold” and “hot” spots in order to obtain relevant results. Cold spots are important because their connection with pathogen destruction and safe heating processes. Hot spots are important from a packaging integrity and consumer safety point of view. Thermal imaging can provide useful information for identification of cold and hot spots in a food product, although only related to surface temperature. Thermal imaging can also help identify heating patterns inside the oven, defrosting uniformity, packaging performance, cooking instructions development, among others. Steve Vlock, from ConAgra foods, then went on to present the idea of creating a microwave validation lab. A microwave validation lab would provide the ability to test microwave oven performance factors such as size, wattage, voltage, oven brand and others. Microwave ovens would be stacked on individual shelves as opposed to on top of one another to avoid interference. Only one microwave oven per electrical outlet should be an efficient setup when testing voltage and wattage patterns. A lab with a large number of ovens would be more efficient as fewer experimental repetitions would need to be made. Microwaves should be grouped according to wattage and as many different microwave brands as possible should be tested. Mr.Vlock recommended that thin probe instant read thermometers be used to probe cold spots. A fiber optic system could be used with several advantages; however Mr.Vlock also mentions several disadvantages including cost. Data collection should include trial number, oven used, cavity size, brand, labeled versus actual wattage, time of treatment, and special or extra steps taken. Robert Garfield, senior VP of the American Frozen Food Institute, concluded the symposia with a discussion on the frozen food industry’s response to microwave oven safety. He explained the main challenge of the industry: maintaining confidence in the consumer. He proposed many ideas that could be used on food packages to help aid the consumer in cooking a safer product. Microwave food packages should be labeled with the final temperature that should be reached when cooking. Packages could also provide the consumer with visual cues that may help in determining if a product is fully cooked. Supportive statements such as “Do not allow product to thaw” should also be added. In the kitchen, refrigeration magnets could demonstrate and remind the consumer of proper use of a microwave oven. In grocery stores, templates could be displayed for consumers to review while shopping and before purchasing a product. For more information on microwave oven safety please visit microwaveovenfacts.com. cheeses unlike commercial cheeses. Consequently 4–8% of the cheeses are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This is mainly because farmstead cheese has close connection between animals and cheese making in terms of air and water quality. Thus regulators, consultants, academia and suppliers need to work closely. Layout of the plant needs to be taken into consideration along with construction (in accordance with PMO and GMPs), equipment and sanitation program because retrofitting is expensive. Also training should be provided to the personnel regarding GMPs, SSOPs and microbial hazards such as raw milk quality. A hurdle approach should be used for cheese such as pH and rate of acid development, salt, aw, temperature, live cultures and ripening time and temperature. The draft guidance of Feb. 7, 2008 by FDA discussing the formulation of foods, storage practices, and controls for personnel and facility is available to the public as docket FDA 2008D0096. Dr. Jeffery Farber provided an update on new Listeria initiatives in Canada. In 2008 Canada saw its first meatborne Listeria outbreak that spread to 7 provinces. According to CFIA meat and poultry directive, production facilities must implement food contact surface testing for Listeria monocytogenes. In addition there are requirements for increasing the frequency of end product and environmental testing (4 per month per line) and trend analysis. The required environmental sampling plan recommends the testing of non contact food surfaces in addition to food contact surfaces. The definition of risk alternatives is similar to FDA’s alternative 1. Risk based sampling and verification has been proposed to update operation and sampling guidelines for enhancing the ability to detect Listeria monocytogenes. Health Canada and CFIA plan to focus on dairy industry, fish and seafood followed by produce industry as the next steps to enhance control of Listeria. Martin Cole spoke about the Codex Listeria standards for RTE foods. The probability of detecting a microbial or other hazard in a food lot cannot ensure its absence. Two class attribute sampling plans have been to accept/reject a sample lot based on producer’s risk vs. consumer’s risk. The risk analysis by Codex helps to better link food safety activities by relating criteria to risk management metrics. Codex Alimentarius meets every 2 years and uses an eight step procedure to elaborate a code for new work using a consensus process to advance the code. The Codex Listeria standard for RTE foods was proposed in 1998 and accepted in 2009. Vast majority of cases of listeriosis have been associated with consumption of foods that don’t meet the current standards (25 g or 100 CFU/g). No growth of Listeria would occur in product having a pH < 4.4 and aw < 0.92. Compliance to standards is the biggest public health driver. GHP and HACCP are more important than testing. Codex Listeria standards are based on whether product supports the growth of Listeria and is science/risk-based. S7 – Listeria monocytogenes Controls from Local to Global—Are They Working? Amrita Pathania, Auburn University Arpan Bhagat, Purdue University Lisbeth Goddik started off the session with Listeria prevention practices in small farmstead operations. Artisan cheese manufacturing is increasing with the demand for it. However there are holes in food safety of farmstead S8 – Effect of Climate Change on Food Availability and Safety Rachel McEagen, University of Florida Anderson D’Souza, University of São Paulo This session began with M. Christina Tirado, presenting for Renata Clark, presenting an overview of the effects of climate change and impacts on agricultural production and food safety. Climate change can affect food safety in several 686 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | OCTOBER 2009

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Food Protection Trends - October 2009

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