Harkin - salmonella statement

From the office of Sen. Tom Harkin:

Statement of Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA)

National Trace-Back System, Better FDA Techniques
Could Have Identified Salmonella Culprit Sooner

Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), the Chairman of Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today issued the following statement after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified jalapeno peppers as the source of the recent Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Leavitt last week, Harkin said that the outbreak demonstrated the need for better coordination and communication among federal agencies, industry, and the states, as well as a strong trace-back system to determine the source of food-borne illness outbreaks. To view the letter, click here.

“Nearly three months have lapsed since the first case of Salmonella Saintpaul was diagnosed. While the number of cases grew to over 1200 sick people and consumers began questioning the safety of our food supply, it is only now that the FDA has been able to identify the source of contamination. This is far too long for an outbreak to spread unresolved and it is unacceptable for public health, farmers and the food and produce industry.

“It is long past time for the government to take comprehensive steps to improve our response to food-borne illness outbreaks. It is time for a national trace-back system and better FDA techniques, which could have identified the Salmonella culprit sooner.”


TK: Harkin's interpretation of events may be slightly different than the FDA's. Whether the FDA has assigned blame to jalapenos can only be inferred at this point. In any case, traceability moves to the legislative front burner.

FDA: Nationwide warning: Jalapenos

The jalapeno market is at serious risk today.

FDA's David Acheson announced a breakthrough in the case today. (Find link to audio of FDA teleconference here) A small distributor was identified in Texas (watch for David Mitchell's coverage on The Packer's news site for that name) from which a pepper was tested positive for Salmonella Saintpaul by an FDA lab. That has prompted the FDA to issue a nationwide warning for consumption of fresh jalapeno peppers. The pepper came from Mexico, FDA believes, but the warning is nationwide and includes jalapenos of all origins.

As far as where the trace-forward goes, the FDA is looking at distribution records, but said it won't release the names of retailers or foodservice distributors/operators who might have sold peppers from the distributor.

The FDA said all tomatoes are now safe to eat, but still won't exonerate tomatoes in the outbreak investigation as a possible cause earlier on.


Developing......

Fresh Express Fresh Produce Safety Conference

Check out the Fresh Talk calendar at the bottom of the page for info on the Fresh Express Fresh Produce Safety Conference, to be held Sept. 11 in Monterey. Sounds like this show will pack a punch for a modest fee. From an email from Barbara Hines of Fresh Express:

You may recall that Fresh Express was first to commit funds for critically needed E. coli research through a broad initiative and funds of $2 million. And, while other organizations are still defining their research, the Fresh Express initiative has already yielded important findings that Fresh Express IS SHARING WITH INDUSTRY. Everyone will have the opportunity to hear the results/findings at the same time and place

Here is background on the research priorities identified by Fresh Express, from the email from Barbara:

Research Priority Areas Summary
Five research priorities were identified for funding by the voluntary Fresh Express Scientific Advisory Panel. Each research project was expected to address one or more of these priorities. Of the 65 proposals received, nine research projects were selected independently by the Fresh Express Scientific Advisory Panel, totaling $2 million dollars. The research priorities are:
1. Determine the potential for the internalization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 into lettuce and/or tissue spinach during the growth of plants and their subsequent harvesting, cooling, processing and transport/distribution. This work should include the consideration of factors affecting internalization as a function of plant varieties, plant age, growing conditions, plant variety, growing season, method of harvest, etc;
2. Identify new mitigation strategies and technologies or significant improvements in existing technologies for improved intervention to reduce the levels/frequency of E. coli O157:H7 and other enteric pathogens both on and in fresh leafy green produce;

3. Conduct field studies to identify sources and vectors/vehicles for E. coli O157:H7 in the environment and factors that affect the degree and extent of contamination into the produce (particularly lettuce and spinach) field or processing locations. These studies should consider some or all of the following factors on the risk of contamination of ground-grown leafy green produce: the impact of production field flooding, water source (well, irrigation source) and method of water distribution (furrow, sprinkler or drip irrigation), the role of wild animals present in the fields and the presence of cattle and other agricultural animals in locations near production fields;
4. Determine the ability of E. coli 0157:H7 to multiply in the presence of normal background flora during transportation from harvest field to the cooler, while at the cooler, and during transportation either as finished packaged salads or cored product in a low oxygen, high carbon dioxide atmosphere, or in open 20 pound returnable plastic totes in temperature regimes commonly used, as well as, temperatures considered abusive; and
5. Determine the ability of E. coli O157:H7 and other enteric pathogens to survive composting processes, including those for “green compost” and leafy green field waste and potential for multiplication of the surviving pathogens in composted materials in the fields under optimal conditions.

Who is most to blame? Survey says: consumers

The latest Fresh Talk poll has ended, and not without a little controversy. Here is the question and the results.

Who do you think is to blame for most cases of foodborne illness?


Growers 11 (26%)
Retailers 5 (12%)
Foodservice operators 10 (24%)
Consumers 15 (36%)

TK: For a complete reading of this issue, you must turn to a discussion of this question at the the Food Safe Group. Find that thread here. I found that I should have added "lawyers" and "transportation" to the list of suspects. Here is one thoughtful response from that discussion group:

Carl Hansen wrote:

Consumers and patients have no way of knowing if the food they receive is provided free of contamination and handled in a safe manner. Production schedules and practices go against food safety in many restaurants and health facilities. If employees do not work fast enough they receive warnings and termination notices from their employer. Training offered on Monday is often forgotten and not in application by Thursday. The management principles of Deming are rarely in practice. Safety strategies are not given a prime position by the leaders and people controlling the money. Plants, animals as well as humans have immune systems that do poorly when they are malnourished, stressed, inadequately or inappropriately supplemented or poorly treated. How to manage pests and microbes in truck produce is well established gives the best guarantee that consumers will enjoy healthy food. It comes down to safe food handling being a realistic practice in a hygienic environment with built-in failsafe systems on ongoing monitoring of quality measures and hazards established and funded by corporate leaders.

National School Lunch: Background and issues

An ERS report on the national school lunch program can be found here. From the summary page:


One of the main goals of NSLP as identified by Congress is to promote the health and well-being of the Nation's children. In recent years, questions have been raised about the program’s ability to meet this goal, especially as the main nutrition problem has shifted from undernutrition to overweigh and obesity. Public concern for the program has focused on whether it is contributing to the growing problem of childhood obesity and on the quality of foods available to schoolchildren. In response, many States and localities have imposed stricter nutritional requirements on both NSLP meals and “competitive foods” (other foods and beverages available in the school). School meal providers have wrestled with meeting these restrictions and other program requirements while covering rising costs and encouraging student participation. Meanwhile, issues at the Federal level include how to help school meal providers improve the nutritional quality of foods served as well as how to balance program access and integrity, particularly in regard to ensuring that ineligible students do not receive free or reduced-price lunches.

What Did the Study Find?
Most issues related to the NSLP touch upon, in one way or another, two, if not all three, components of a school meal “trilemma” involving the meal’s nutrition, program cost, and student participation in the program. This trilemma applies to competitive foods as well because revenues from these foods can be important to the budgets of both the cafeteria and the school as a whole. A change to one component of the trilemma can have unintentional effects on either or both of the other components.
Nutritional quality of foods. Results are inconclusive from the best designed studies comparing the weight gain of NSLP participants with that of nonparticipants. One study shows no effect of program participation on children’s obesity, and another study shows a small effect. The most rigorous study of nutrient intake shows similar calorie intakes for participants and nonparticipants but higher fat and sodium intakes for participants.


TK: here is a telling graph:

Improving the nutritional quality of school meals and competitive foods may, in principle, be a goal of many NSLP stakeholders, including schools, parents, the nutrition community, FNS, and Congress. But meeting this goal may raise program costs for parents, localities, or the Federal Government. Moreover, even if more nutritious foods are provided, that does not guarantee that students will eat them.


TK: It's no guarantee that they won't eat them, either. Finding creative ways to comply with Dietary Guidance is the only path that can and should be pursued.

All about sweet corn

Here is a link to a July 16 report about sweet corn from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. A description:

U.S. and State data on acreage, yield, production, and value. Additional statistics such as per capita use, price indexes, shipments, arrivals, U.S. exports and imports by country, world production, world harvested acreage, world trade, and selected cost of production budgets are included.

TK: Everything you want to know about sweet corn - more than 100 spreadsheets worth of data - can be accessed with the report.

Recall - Firm press release

From the FDA this morning:


NOTE: "According to the Texas and North Carolina Departments of Health, the strain of Salmonella found in this company's jalapeño and serrano peppers and in its avocado is not Salmonella Saintpaul, and is not believed to be related to the current Salmonella outbreak.
The recall is a result of sampling not by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but by the Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Health) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (North Carolina Health ) which revealed that these products contained the bacteria.
The company has voluntarily initiated a recall of its already distributed products and has stopped future distribution while the FDA, Texas Health, North Carolina Health and the company continue to investigate to determine the source of the problem."

Recall -- Firm Press Release
FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.
Grande Produce, LTD.CO Recalls Jalapeno Peppers, Serrano Peppers, and Avocados Because of Possible Health Risk
Contact:Raul Cano956- 843-8575
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- July 19, 2008 -- Grande Produce, LTD. CO of Hidalgo, Texas (hereinafter referred to as Grande Produce) is recalling Jalepeno Peppers and Serrano Peppers distributed between May 17th and July 17th, 2008; and Avocados, all sizes, with lot #HUE08160090889 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, 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.
The Jalapeno Peppers, Serrano Peppers and Avocados were distributed to the following states: TX, DE, NC, GA, OK, IA, MN, IL, FL, IN, MD, NY, MS, AR, KS, and KY.
The avocados being recalled were shipped in boxes labeled "Frutas Finas de Tancitaro HASS Avocados, Produce of Mexico," all sizes, with lot number HUE08160090889. The Jalapeno Peppers and Serrano peppers being recalled were shipped in 35lb. plastic crates with no brand name or label.
No illnesses associated with this recall have been reported to date.
The recall is a result of sampling by the Texas Department of State Health Services and The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which revealed that these products contained the bacteria. Distribution of these products has been suspended while FDA, the Texas Department of State Health Services, The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the company continue their investigation as to the source of the problem.
Consumers who purchased Avocados, Jalapeno Peppers and Serrano Peppers should contact their supplier to determine if their products are involved in the recall. Consumers with questions may contact the company at (956) 843-8575.

Gary Fleming on traceability and DeGette's legislation

Traceability is a big topic for the industry right now, and no person is better positioned to know where the industry stands on the issue than Gary Fleming of PMA. Here is a link to an audio file with a July 11 interview of Fleming, vice president of industry technology and standards for the Newark, Del.-based Produce Marketing Association.

Fleming discusses Congresswoman DeGette's legislation, the work of the Produce Industry Traceability Initiative and more in our interview, available on the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group board.