Blockchain - Opportunities and Challenges from a Food Safety Perspective

Blockchain is a term receiving a lot of hype as the must-have for food safety.  Well, at least the IT folks are pushing food safety as a main reason for investing into the technology.  There are benefits of having verifiable and seamless transactions

So what is blockchain - it is a tool by which each segment of the supply chain, or block, is identified from raw material through to the time is is sold.  The blockchain technology records each interaction with an item and assigns it a digital certificate so that the information associated with that block, or supply chain segment, can not be changed or adulterated later.  This prevents company form hiding the true origin and movement of the material as it moves through the chain.  

Traceability and recall are the real benefits.  Having such a system would allow quick identification of  recalled ingredients, and then coupling that with where those ingredients were used, and where that product was distributed or stored.

There can be endless amounts of information recorded with each transaction.  This can include 1) source information such as specific producing company, harvesting fields, or varieties harvested, 2) safety parameters such as temperatures, pH, or Aw, and 3) quality parameters.

One can establish validated contacts, or smart contacts, that help ensure product sourcing and provide means for seamless transactions.  For example, one can ensure that suppliers were indeed certified organic.  "Transactions can be verified and approved by consensus among the community, [theoretically] making fraud more difficult and significantly lowering the costs of validation and authentication" (PMA)

Are there limitations?  Sure. 1) Blockchain is not a specific thing but a process, and requires integration into a a company's existing systems....not always easy to do. How does a company's own procedures mesh into the system.  2) Coding issues, whether there are input issues or deletions, may create confusion, delays, or refusals due to misinformation.. 3) The information collected is only as good as the data input into the system. 3) It does create visibility, so what impact does that have on confidentiality of a company's process and to what degree does a company want to keep their supply chain information away from others, including potential competitors?  For example, maybe I don't want my downstream customer seeing my upstream supplier with the thought that my customer may cut me out so that they can make the product themselves.

So this is a tool that improves visibility and transactions along the supply chain.  No doubt a time saver for the food professional who has to hunt down supplier information.  It will help validate suppliers and ensure sourcing information.  But A savior for food safety?  That may be a stretch. Certainly IBM would like you to believe it.  In the end it still comes down to the basics - the blocking and tackling of people ensuring food safety basics.

To what degree are consumers demanding transparency to know exactly where their food comes from?  There are probably some out there who really, really care, but for me, I'm good with knowing my pizza is from Gigiarelli's or Pizza Perfect, my beer is from Troegs (Nugget Nectar), and my sub is from Giovanni's using those Amoroso's buns.

Supply Chain Quarterly.com
http://www.supplychainquarterly.com/news/20171201-lets-rein-in-the-blockchain-exuberance/
Forward Thinking
Commentary: Let's rein in the blockchain exuberance
By Mark Solomon | December 1, 2017

Salmonella in Turkey Likely Cause of Catered Thanksgiving Luncheon Outbreak

As a follow-up to a Salmonella outbreak associated with a catered Thanksgiving event in GA, the source of the outbreak is reported as......turkey.   In the outbreak, 5 were hospitalized and 70 received medical treatment.

The event was catered by a pizza shop / bistro. While this shop produces many different Italian specialty dishes, turkey is not one of the items listed on the catering menu.  So with the large number of people attending (1800) and preparing an item not normally prepared, perhaps the demands of this event were beyond the capability of the bistro?  Small misses, an undercooked bird or cross contamination from unclean food contact surfaces, could have led to Salmonella being in the served product.

The Daily Tribune News
http://www.daily-tribune.com/newsx/item/9520-food-source-identified-in-toyo-tire-salmonella-outbreak
Food source identified in Toyo Tire salmonella outbreak
06 Dec 2017  Written by  Staff Report

State of USDA Organic - Growing Demand, But Beware of Fraud

USDA released summary of Investigation Reports for the USDA Certified Organic program.  While the demand for organic foods is increasing, so do the number of certified organic operations.  As with any financial opportunity, there will be those who take advantage of the situation through fraud, or those who will fail to meet the requirements needed to remain certified.

According to the Organic Trade Association, "Organic sales in the U.S. totaled around $47 billion in 2016, reflecting new sales of almost $3.7 billion from the previous year. Organic food now accounts for more than five percent of total food sales in the U.S. Organic food sales increased by 8.4 percent from last year, blowing past the stagnant 0.6 percent growth rate in the overall food market. Sales of organic non-food products were up 8.8% in 2016. "

To get a sense of the issue, we took summary data from USDA Enforcement Activity Reports  as well as the data posted for fraudulent organic certificates.  While there are those who say the issues involving organic are getting worse, this assertion may or may not be accurate.  It is difficult to tell how fraud and noncompliance are trending because it is difficult to know the reasons for the number of investigations being conducted and whether procedural changes in these investigations has changed over the past years.  But, it is clear that fraud and noncompliance issues do occur regularly.

In comes down to this.  For those purchasing organic, whether to redistribute or to use for processing, it is important to determine that the supplier is compliant and is currently listed in good standing.  This is especially important for imported products where bribes and fraudulent claims may be a bigger issue. 

For consumers, a big issue is someone calling produce organic without the official designation.  And of course there are those that say that USDA Organic is too full of loopholes allowing 'less then true organic' to meet the USDA standard.

Organic labeling fraud is booming
While organic market growth is at a double-digit pace, not all that’s labeled organic is so. Fraud and food safety issues abound.
John Vogel | May 30, 2017

Vaccinated Form of Brucella Causes Illness from Consumption of Raw Milk

While raw milk can be a risk for natural contamination from organisms such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, but there is also a concern from the vaccinated form of Brucella, RB51. RB51 is a weakened strain of Brucella that is given to cows to create immunity. In September, a woman became ill with Brucella after drinking raw milk from a vaccinated cow. "In rare cases, a cow's milk can contain traces of the vaccine. The only way to avoid this risk is by pasteurizing the milk, the CDC says. "

From, "Adverse events in humans associated with accidental exposure to the livestock brucellosis vaccine RB51" (J.Vaccine.2004.02.041)

Brucella spp. are small, non-motile gram-negative coccobacilli known to cause disease in a number of vertebrate species including humans. B. abortus is one of four Brucella species associated with systemic disease in humans. Human brucellosis was once a common public health problem in the United States, but it is now rare with approximately 100 cases reported yearly through national surveillance. Brucellosis in humans is a systemic disease that can manifest with an acute or an insidious onset. Signs and symptoms of the disease include: continued, intermittent, or irregular fever of variable duration; headache; weakness; chills; arthralgia; depression; weight loss; and generalized body aches. The disease can persist for periods ranging from days to years.

CBS News
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/udder-milk-company-raw-contamination-brucella-bacterial-cdc/
Raw milk contaminated with bacteria could make people sick, officials warn
By Sarah G. Miller Livescience.com November 21, 2017, 3:34 PM

If you consumed raw milk in the past six months, you may need antibiotics. "People who bought and drank raw milk from a company called Udder Milk may have been infected with a rare but potentially serious germ called Brucella abortus RB51" and should seek medical care, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Tuesday in a statement.

Water For Infants Recalled after Company Receives Complaints of Mold

The Kroger Company has recalled one gallon containers of Comforts FOR BABY Purified Water with Fluoride Added after receiving complaints about mold in the product.  The mold may or may not be visible.  The main issue with this mold,Talaromyces penicillium, is that some can have an allergic reaction to it.   Infants with impaired immune systems can be susceptible to infection.

The water in this case was steam distilled water and then minerals and fluoride were added back.  Minerals include potassium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride.  These are not items that we would expect to support mold growth.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm587618.htm
FDA Alerts Consumers to Recall of Certain Comforts FOR BABY Water with Fluoride
For Immediate Release
December 4, 2017

In Minnesota, Two Burger King Restaurants Closed After Numerous Cases of Salmonella Infection Linked

In Minnesota, two Burger King restaurants were shut down after at least 27 cases of Salmonella infection have been linked.

Very unusual to have a national brand, fast-food burger operation involved in an outbreak.  The article indicates cases since September, with 4 more cases now.  This would tend to indicate more of an environmental point source contamination in the restaurant rather than a particular food (unless the food supplier has a point source environmental contamination issue).

CBS Minnesota Ch 4
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2017/12/03/salmonella-burger-king-bemidji/
Salmonella Outbreak Closes 2 Burger Kings In Bemidji [Minnesota]
December 3, 2017 1:13 PM

In OR, Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Sliced Melons

Eighteen people have been reported as becoming infected with Salmonella after eating store-bought, pre-but watermelon, canteloupe, and mixes containing those fruits.

Companies producing cut melon products normally have tight controls over this type of RTE operation, including a fruit washing/sanitizing step and then tight sanitary controls to prevent contamination after washing/sanitizing, through slicing and then packaging - good line sanitation and hygienic zoning.  So to have Salmonella contamination, one would guess either the washing/sanitizing was inadequate or there were some lapses in sanitation/hygienic zoning.

Oregon Live
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2017/12/salmonella_outbreak_in_oregon.html
Salmonella outbreak in Oregon, Washington linked to pre-cut fruit
Updated Dec 1; Posted Dec 1
By Brad Schmidt, bschmidt@oregonian.com
The Oregonian/OregonLive

Article Summary - Five Techniques to Manage Supply Chain Risk

Supplier control can be difficult, and the results of not having the proper checks in place can have huge financial costs on the company, as well as impact the safety of product they sell to consumers.  Saw this article link on United Fresh Weekly News (they provide great information) and thought it would be good to repost for those involved in supplier oversight.

In summary, the author provides five important considerations for managing supply chain risk.  While stated, to move forward in this world, avoiding risk is impossible, so we have to take intelligent risk.  These are:

• innovation and efficiency in contracting management;
• strategic requirements for supplier insurance, indemnification and limitations of liability;
• provider optimization and redundancy;
• supplier financial stability visibility; and
• proper diligence in operational supplier assessment reviews.

Here are those components from a food safety perspective.

Innovation and efficiency in contracting management - it is important to review contracts regularly, updating to current systems of management, and incorporating information such as updated specifications, required controls.  Goal is to avoid outdated information on contracts.

Strategic requirements for supplier insurance, indemnification and limitations of liability - Are they
required to support, and can they financially support an issue that they cause to the product you sell.

Provider optimization and redundancy - Does the supplier have a back-up plan to get you product or do you have a back-up plan (secondary supplier).

Supplier financial stability visibility - Do you know that your entire supply chain can remain financially viable.  This is especially important when we work internationally.

Proper diligence in operational supplier assessment reviews - this is one where the technical people are most actively involved.  Sure we can review audits, but are we following up on those audits to obtain verifiable proof that our suppliers are responding to the audits.

SupplyChain Management Review
http://www.scmr.com/article/five_techniques_to_manage_supply_chain_risk
Five Techniques to Manage Supply Chain Risk

This Week in Mislabeled Product - Ending December ,. 2017

Temporary Breakdown Leads to Undeclared Milk - Colorado Nut Company of Denver, CO is recalling Cashew Cranberry Cherry Jubilee, Oat Bran Nutty Crunch, Honey Nutty Granola, Peanut Delight, and Frontier Trail Mix, because they may contain undeclared Milk. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that product containing “Milk” was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of (Milk). Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the company's production and packaging processes."

More Issues with Milk in Dark Chocolate - Farrell Farms, Inc. of Goldsboro, NC is recalling 7 oz Dark Chocolate Almonds, 7 oz Dark Chocolate Cashews, and 7 oz Dark Chocolate Pecans, because these products may contain undeclared milk. The recall was initiated after the supplier, Dutch Valley Food Distributors, Inc. of Myerstown, PA notified Farrell farms on November 18th, 2017 that the product was being recalled due to undeclared milk in the chocolate raw material used to coat the various nut products.

In Allergen Labeling, Cashews are Different than Peanuts - Virginia Diner, Inc. is voluntarily issuing a recall of 10 oz. cans of Plow & Hearth Chocolate Covered Cashews at Plow & Hearth’s locations and nationwide (Mail Order) as a precaution because they may contain peanuts and peanut allergens.  A label mix up was discovered by a consumer who received and opened a Cashew Tower Set (3 individual cashew cans) of which one can, the 10 oz. Chocolate Covered Cashews, were found to have Salted Peanuts.

Customer Finds Egg Missing on Label - A N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 46,810 pounds of beef meatball products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens - egg, The problem was discovered when the establishment’s customer noticed that the label did not include eggs in the ingredient statement.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm586430.htm
Food Co. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Allergen (E.G. Milk) in Product
For Immediate Release
November 22, 2017