Food Safety

CMG Buttery MB BS MPH

Updated – May 2012

Why is this a problem?

Background: In the United States, contaminated food causes approximately 1,000 reported disease outbreaks and an estimated 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths annually. This report summarizes 2010 surveillance data and describes trends since 1996.

Preventing foodborne illness and death remains a major public health challenge.  

MMWR_June 10, 2011 / 60(22);749-755

What diseases are Transmitted by Food?

Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia enterocolitica Cryptosporidium parvum, Cyclospora cayetanensis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)

Food Net Data

Preliminary Data for 2010A total of 19,089 infections, 4,247 hospitalizations, and 68

deaths were reported from FoodNet sites in 2010. Salmonella infection was the most common infection reported (17.6 illnesses per 100,000 persons) and was associated with the largest number of hospitalizations (2,290) and deaths (29); no significant change in incidence of Salmonella infection has occurred since the start of surveillance during 1996--1998. Shiga toxin--producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 infection caused 0.9 illnesses per 100,000. Compared with 1996--1998, overall incidence of infection with six key pathogens in 2010 was 23% lower, and pathogen-specific incidence was lower for Campylobacter, Listeria, STEC O157, Shigella, and Yersinia infection but higher for Vibrio infection. Compared with a more recent period, 2006--2008, incidence in 2010 was lower for STEC O157 and Shigella infection but higher for Vibrio

infection.

Where should you look?

Almost 100% of foodborne illnesses are preventable.

Sources Start with the farm

▪ Cattle▪ Swine▪ Poultry▪ Vegetables

After the Farm

Look to the Factory / Packer Hygienic conditions:

▪ The facility▪ The workers▪ The packaging

▪ Frozen foods▪ Packages/dehydrated▪ Irradiation▪ Crating of vegetables

Transportation

How Where How Long Temperature maintenance Handling

Retailers

Where do you find the standards National Standards

FDA Dept. Agriculture EPA CDC

State Standards Local Standards

Certified Food Managers

In the Community

The Local Health Department Environmentalist

Hiring Standards Training Certification (standardization)

The Weakest Link

The Food Handlers

Cooks Servers

Cleaners

The Inspection

How often Critical elements Do not forget elements

The Corpus Christi Approach

Why the change The Partners The Emphasis The Community Oversight Results

Read the description of the program in this week’s attached essay from Dr. Buttery.

References

CDC ‘s Food Safety Activities

Guidelines in using HACCP Principles

Food Safety Europe Farm to Fork