FDA launches multi-year food safety initiative
FDA launches multi-year food safety initiative
SALINAS, CA -- The U.S. Food & Drug Administration launched a multi-year food-safety initiative in the Salinas Valley in an effort to identify and prevent reoccurring E. coli 0157:H7 outbreaks linked to leafy greens in recent years.
FDA officials alerted local growers and agricultural trade representatives about the inspections during a day-long food-safety summit held here Aug. 29. The inspections cover local fields, coolers and packing plants.
Field and plant visits in Monterey County will be conducted by FDA representatives and inspectors from the California Department of Health Services and the California Department of Food & Agriculture.
Companies will be alerted in advance of food-safety inspections, and employees will guide regulators around their fields and inside their facilities. The growers, harvesters and packers also will fill out questionnaires detailing their practices. In the past, the FDA has only inspected local processing plants during surprise visits.
Federal and state regulators will conduct inspections through November. The inspections may continue for several growing seasons and will include all types of lettuce. Investigators can take samples for testing, but that circumstance would not require companies to throw out their lettuce.
At present, the Salinas Valley is the only lettuce-growing area in the country targeted for these inspections.
According to FDA, dating back to 1995, there have been 19 outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7 nationwide resulting in two deaths and more than 400 people becoming ill.
Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Eric Lauritzen said that FDA believes there are problems at the field and processing levels. However, determining a source of E. coli 0157:H7 is akin "to finding a needle in a haystack," he said, adding that FDA's initiative is aimed at looking at 40 locations in the Salinas Valley.
To date, FDA has not found a "smoking gun" -- such as tracing the pathogen to a Salinas Valley field.
"The [agriculture] industry has driven guidelines and regulations," Mr. Lauritzen said.
Tom Stenzel, president and chief executive officer of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association, accompanied FDA regulators as they toured local farms and facilities on Aug. 24. The next day, Messrs. Stenzel and Lauritzen joined members of the local agriculture community along with Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) for a roundtable discussion.
"It's not about [public relations] - this industry has to push research," Mr. Stenzel said. "No one can cut corners."
Mr. Stenzel said that 6 million bagged salads are sold daily in the United States.
Jim Bogart, president and general counsel of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, said that the industry is "trying to shrink the haystack," where that E. coli "needle" could be found.
FDA officials alerted local growers and agricultural trade representatives about the inspections during a day-long food-safety summit held here Aug. 29. The inspections cover local fields, coolers and packing plants.
Field and plant visits in Monterey County will be conducted by FDA representatives and inspectors from the California Department of Health Services and the California Department of Food & Agriculture.
Companies will be alerted in advance of food-safety inspections, and employees will guide regulators around their fields and inside their facilities. The growers, harvesters and packers also will fill out questionnaires detailing their practices. In the past, the FDA has only inspected local processing plants during surprise visits.
Federal and state regulators will conduct inspections through November. The inspections may continue for several growing seasons and will include all types of lettuce. Investigators can take samples for testing, but that circumstance would not require companies to throw out their lettuce.
At present, the Salinas Valley is the only lettuce-growing area in the country targeted for these inspections.
According to FDA, dating back to 1995, there have been 19 outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7 nationwide resulting in two deaths and more than 400 people becoming ill.
Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Eric Lauritzen said that FDA believes there are problems at the field and processing levels. However, determining a source of E. coli 0157:H7 is akin "to finding a needle in a haystack," he said, adding that FDA's initiative is aimed at looking at 40 locations in the Salinas Valley.
To date, FDA has not found a "smoking gun" -- such as tracing the pathogen to a Salinas Valley field.
"The [agriculture] industry has driven guidelines and regulations," Mr. Lauritzen said.
Tom Stenzel, president and chief executive officer of the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association, accompanied FDA regulators as they toured local farms and facilities on Aug. 24. The next day, Messrs. Stenzel and Lauritzen joined members of the local agriculture community along with Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) for a roundtable discussion.
"It's not about [public relations] - this industry has to push research," Mr. Stenzel said. "No one can cut corners."
Mr. Stenzel said that 6 million bagged salads are sold daily in the United States.
Jim Bogart, president and general counsel of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, said that the industry is "trying to shrink the haystack," where that E. coli "needle" could be found.
