Research - Scheduling Impacting Outcomes of Inspections

In a research article published by Harvard Business School (09 May 2018), investigators evaluated the impact of food inspector scheduling on the outcome of food safety audits.
The primary findings:

• "On average, inspectors cited fewer violations at each successive establishment inspected throughout the day, the researchers found. In other words, inspectors tended to find and report the most violations at the first place they inspected and the fewest violations at the last place."
• "They also found that when conducting an inspection risked making the inspector work later than usual, the inspection was conducted more quickly and fewer violations were cited."
• "The level of inspector scrutiny also depended on whatever had been found at the prior inspection that day. In short, finding more violations than usual at one place seemed to induce the inspectors to exhibit more scrutiny at the subsequent place.On the other hand, finding fewer violations than usual at one site had no apparent effect on what the inspector uncovered at the subsequent establishment." 

They concluded: "The researchers estimate that tens of thousands of Americans could avoid food poisoning each year simply by reducing the number of establishments an inspector visits on a single day. Often, inspectors will cluster their schedule to conduct inspections on two or three days each week, saving the other days for administrative duties in the office. While this may save travel time and costs, it might be preventing inspectors from doing their jobs more effectively."

Nothing we probably wouldn't have guessed ourselves.  I bet the inspectors would love to do less audits then they currently have to do.  And while this applies to food service inspection, there are things food processing facilities have used to their advantage over the years in dealing with inspectors or auditors - pushing the plant walk-through until later in the day....taking the auditor into the best parts of the facility first.

Harvard Business School
Working Knowledge - Business Research for Business Leaders
 Research & Ideas
 https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/a-simple-way-for-restaurant-inspectors-to-improve-food-safety
A Simple Way for Restaurant Inspectors to Improve Food Safety
09 May 2018
by Carmen Nobel
Basic tweaks to the schedules of food safety inspectors could prevent millions of foodborne illnesses, according to new behavioral science research by Maria Ibáñez and Michael Toffel. 

Case Count of E. coli Infection Continues to Increase in Outbreak Associated with Romaine Lettuce

There are now 149 reported cases of E. coili infection associated with romaine.  Cases were reported from 29 different states.  There have been 64 hospitalizations and one death.

The romaine lettuce is no longer being harvested from the suspected areas of Yuma AZ.  While one farm has been linked to a set of illnesses in Alaska and this through consumption of whole heads, product from this farm does not seem to be linked to the vast majority of cases which were linked to chopped romaine.

https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-04-18/index.html
Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce
Posted May 9, 2018 1:45 PM EST

This Week in Mislabeled Product - Week Ending 5/4/18

Undeclared Milk in Tortilla Chips - Utz® Quality Foods, LLC, is voluntarily recalling select expiration dates of some Golden Flake, Good Health, Utz and Weis Brand Tortilla Chip items due to potential contamination of undeclared milk allergen.

Wrong Label on Pesto - Stonewall Kitchen is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of 10.25oz Basil Pesto Aioli with an Enjoy By date of 28 Sep 2019 which may contain the undeclared allergen egg.  They state that they inadvertently placed the label for Basil Pesto on a small portion (no more than 732 units) of our most recent production run. Basil Pesto Aioli contains the dairy allergen egg, whereas Basil Pesto does not. [So actually, they are recalling the Basil Pesto, because that is label people will see.  Operations error - labeling]

Product with Gluten Labeled as Gluten Free - Van's Foods is voluntarily recalling approximately 1,584 cases of Van's Gluten Free Waffles  because they were packaged in the Van's Gluten Free Waffle box contains gluten and undeclared milk.  [Operations error - packaging/labeling]

NY State Ag Finds Peanut in Snack Mix - Ethnic Foods Inc. of 76 South Bayles Avenue, Port Washington, NY 11050, is recalling its 19 ounce package of Bhavnagri Mix snack mix because they may contain undeclared peanuts. The recall was initiated after routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis by Food laboratory personnel revealed that the peanut-containing product was distributed in packages that did not reveal the presence of peanuts. [Operations - Cross contact during processing]

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm606576.htm
Voluntary Recall of Certain Golden Flake, Good Health, UTZ and Weis Brand Tortilla Chips Because of Possible Milk Allergen
For Immediate Release
May 2, 2018

Complying With Licensing Requirement and SFCR for Shipping Food To Canada

Food companies shipping food products into Canada are going to be required to obtain a license from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CFIA.  It can be obtained by using the online portal.   Who needs a license:

"Generally speaking if you are doing any of these activities, you would need a licence: importing, manufacturing, processing, treating, preserving, grading, packaging, or labelling a food that will be exported or moved between provinces and slaughtering a food animal."

There are some exemptions - alcoholic beverages, food additives, among others (see 48)

Like the recently enacted FSMA regulations in the US, Canada has updated their food regulations - Safe Food for Canadians Regulations or SFCR.  CFIA has a webpage, Understanding the Proposed Safe Food for Canadians Regulations: A Handbook for Food Businesses, that provides more information on the regulation.

There are many similarities between FSMA and SFCR including the use of Preventive Controls in food manufacturing operations. This document states (19c):

Preventive control Measures: This Part would set key food safety controls that must be met by all food businesses. It would also outline the requirements for developing, implementing, and maintaining a written preventive control plan that documents how you meet food safety and marketplace fairness requirements (e.g. for labelling, packaging, standards of identity, grades, humane treatment and net quantity).

 While there are some differences the SFCR preventive controls from FSMA , especially in terms of market fairness requirements such as humane treatment, standards of identity, and net quantity (In the US, these are handled by regulations outside of FSMA), the two systems will be viewed as compatible.

Ground Meat Recalled After a Complaint of Foreign Material in the Form of Hard Plastic

A N.C. establishment, is recalling approximately 35,464 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically hard plastic.  The problem was discovered after the firm received a complaint from a consumer [one complaint?] who found blue, hard plastic pieces in one of the products. 

USDA Recall Notice
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-035-2018-release
JBS USA, Inc. Recalls Ground Beef Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Class II Recall 

035-2018
Health Risk: Low 

May 2, 2018

CDC Report - Diseases Transmitted by Ticks and Mosquitoes on the Rise

In a recent article in MMWR on tick, flea and mosquito transmitted diseases from bacteria, viruses and parasites,  CDC reports an increasing number of cases in the years analyzed, 2014 to 2016.  These are categorized as vectorborne diseases.  Vectors are blood-feeding insects and ticks capable of transmitting pathogens between hosts.  From the report:

• Nearly 650,000 cases of vectorborne disease were reported during 2004–2016 
• There were 16 diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites transmitted through the bites of mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas were reported 
• Ticks - Tickborne diseases more than doubled in 13 years and were 77% of all vectorborne disease reports. Lyme disease accounted for 82% of all tickborne cases, but spotted fever rickettsioses, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis/ehrlichiosis cases also increased. 
• Mosquitoes - West Nile Virus (WNV) was the most commonly transmitted mosquitoborne disease in the continental United States. Its most notable epidemic during 2004–2016 occurred in 2012, especially in Texas. [Overall however, the cases of WNV have remained steady.]  Epidemics of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses were mostly confined to the U.S. territories
• Fleas - the plague, average about 7 cases per year.
• The data indicates persistent, locality-specific risks and a rising threat from emerging vectorborne diseases

As the NY Times article on the report states, "Farewell, carefree days of summer."

So you may be thinking....what about drinking alcohol, perhaps that will ward off bloodsuckers.  Unfortunately, alcohol may be an attractant for bloodsuckers.  In a study in the Journal of  the American Mosquito Control Association - "Our study demonstrated that percent mosquito landing on volunteers significantly increased after beer ingestion compared with before ingestion, showing clearly that drinking alcohol stimulates mosquito attraction. However, ethanol content in sweat and skin temperature did not show any correlation between alcohol ingestion and mosquito landings."

CDC MMWR
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6717e1.htm?s_cid=mm6717e1_e
Vital Signs: Trends in Reported Vectorborne Disease Cases — United States and Territories, 2004–2016

FDA Issues Warning Letters on Sale of E-cigarette Liquids Made to Look Like Candy

FDA issued warning letters against manufacturers, distributors, and retailers who are selling e-cigarette liquid that was made to look like candy products.  According to the report, "This use by children and teens is especially concerning to the FDA because of evidence that youth exposure to nicotine affects the developing brain and may rewire it to be more susceptible to nicotine addiction in the future."

So one wonders whether manufacturers make this product attractive to kids because it looks 'fun', or is it more attractive to teens because it is easier for them to carry in public without detection.  A teen has to have the a vap pen before they can buy the liquid.

https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm605507.htm
FDA, FTC take action against companies misleading kids with e-liquids that resemble children’s juice boxes, candies and cookies
Warning letters are part of joint effort to protect youth from dangers of nicotine and tobacco products and part of FDA’s new Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan

For Immediate Release

May 1, 2018

E. coli Outbreak in Romaine - 121 Now Ill, One Farm Identified for Alaska Cases, but FDA Still Investigating Entire Distribution Chain

There are now 121 cases of E. coli infection from romaine lettuce with 52 hospitalizations and one death. Cases have occurred in 25 different state throughout the country.

FDA has identified one farm linked to whole head romaine lettuce involved with cases in Alaska, but have not yet identified where the contamination occurred. "The FDA has identified one farm as the source of the whole-head romaine lettuce that sickened several people at a correctional facility in Alaska. However, the agency has not determined where in the supply chain the contamination occurred. The agency is examining all possibilities, including that contamination may have occurred at any point along the growing, harvesting, packaging, and distribution chain before reaching the Alaska correctional facility where it was served." The farm was identified as Harrison Farms of Yuma AZ.

FDA further states that harvesting of romaine lettuce from Yuma is done and product would not be past its shelf-life. "All of the lettuce in question from this farm was harvested during March 5-16 and is past its 21-day shelf life. Because the growing season in the Yuma region is at its end, the farm is not growing any lettuce at this time."

CDC Outbreak Update
https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-04-18/index.html
Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Linked to Romaine Lettuce
Posted May 2, 2018 2:30 PM EST

At A Glance
Case Count: 121   (https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-04-18/epi.html)
States: 25    (https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-04-18/map.html)
Deaths: 1
Hospitalizations: 52
Recall: No

CA Health Warns Consumers about Norovirus Outbreak Linked to Canadian Raw Oysters

There is an ongoing norovirus outbreak associated with raw oysters from British Columbia, Canada. "In California, as of April 27, approximately 100 individuals have reported illness after they consumed raw British Columbian oysters sold by restaurants and retailers throughout the state. 

California Department of Public Health
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR18-027.aspx
CDPH Warns Californians about the Risk of Norovirus Infections from Raw British Columbian Oysters
Date: May 1, 2018
Number: 18-027