Food Protection Trends - October 2009 - 753

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN FOOD SAFETY NMC Update:To Pasteurize or Not to Pasteurize? ew food safety issues have had such a long history and intensity as the debate over the question: “Milk, to pasteurize or not to pasteurize?” The pros and cons of pasteurization have been debated since 1908 when Chicago required the pasteurization of all milk unless it came from tuberculin-tested cows. Recently, the debate has resurfaced, with several states examining their requirements related to the direct sale of raw milk to consumers. Earlier this year, the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), in collaboration with the Raw Milk Subcommittee of the Dairy Quality and Safety PDG, organized a session devoted to “Raw Milk Consumption: An Emerging Public Health Threat?” which was held in Arlington,Virginia. An excellent summary of the session can be found here . The NMC Research Committee, at the request of the NMC Board of Directors, is currently developing a proposed position statement on the consumption of raw milk. The document will go back to the Board for further review. The plan is to use the current health care provider network – enrolling private providers to give the vaccine. The state currently has requests for the vaccine that total 65,000 doses. The CDC’s main message has been for everyone experiencing flulike symptoms this fall to stay home, and for school systems and employers to allow that to happen without negative consequences. Melon Acres Announced the Recall of Cantaloupes Distributed through FarmWey Produce of Lakeland FL, Due to Potential Health Concerns T CDC Official Recommends Hand Sanitizers to Avoid Flu f you want to combat both varieties of flu this season, keep the hand sanitizer ready and your work spaces clean, officials with the Centers for Disease Control said. Lisa Koonin of the CDC told a Newnan audience that alcoholbased hand gels work well – in fact, the CDC keeps it handy around its Atlanta offices. I he cantaloupes were shipped August 13th and 14th and were identified as 41 MG 10, Bin Numbers 4753-4980. These bins were distributed to Aldi’s in Greenwood, Indiana and Meijer in Lansing, Michigan, Newport, Michigan, and Tipp City, Ohio. The recall was issued following a testing on August 11, 2009 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that revealed one of a sample of twenty cantaloupes taken by that Agency tested positive for Salmonella. The FDA reported the positive test to Melon Acres on, August 21, 2009. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. As of this date, there have been no reports of illness. Further, the FDA and Melon Acres identified the field in which the contaminated sample was grown. No further shipments will be made from the source field. Melon Acres is currently working with the FDA to identify the source of contamination. Melon Acres sincerely regrets this situation and wishes to assure the public that stringent food safety programs are in place at its shipping locations and fields. On August 7th, Primus Labs, a third party food safety auditing firm specializing in produce, inspected Melon Acres’ fields and facilities regarding its food safety practices. Melon Acres received grades of excellent/good, respectively, in this audit. FDA Issues Draft Guidances for Tomatoes, Leafy Greens and Melons T he US Food and Drug Administration has published three draft guidances designed to help growers and others across the entire supply chain minimize or eliminate microbial contamination in tomatoes, leafy greens, and melons. The guidances are, in part, based on those originally developed by the produce industry with assistance from FDA. They represent the first step in a fundamental shift in strategy for the agency in the prevention of foodborne hazards associated with fresh fruits and vegetables. “These guidances embody the Obama Administration’s and OCTOBER 2009 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS

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Food Protection Trends - October 2009

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