NSF lays out initiatives following E. coli outbreak
NSF lays out initiatives following E. coli outbreak
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA -- In the wake of the national outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in spinach that has been linked to Natural Selection Foods LLC, the company will take its food-safety program from "fork to fields," company Chief Operating Officer Charles Sweat told the media at a press conference held here Sept. 28.
Following the recall announcement, the California Department of Health Services and the Food & Drug Administration conducted tests at Natural Selection Food's facilities, here, to try to determine the origin of the contamination. The tests all came back negative, as did all the tests conducted by the company's third-party laboratory, Mr. Sweat said. As a result, Natural Selection is confident "the source did not originate in our facilities," he said.
Mr. Sweat said that the company is rigorous in its sanitation practices and water-quality monitoring, conducting daily tests of all surfaces and monitoring the water quality in its facilities constantly throughout each day. In its 20-year history, the company has never experienced anything like this E. coli outbreak, he noted.
Mr. Sweat outlined a set of initiatives that Natural Selection will implement immediately. He said that the company would work with its growers from seed to harvest, addressing seed, irrigation water, soil, soil amendments, plant tissues and wildlife. With the obvious exception of wildlife, all will be tested, monitored and certified.
The company plans to enhance and monitor existing sanitation protocols for farm equipment, packaging supplies and transportation vehicles. Also, the company will test all the raw produce that comes in from the fields before it enters its facilities. Mr. Sweat said that this approach mirrors the successful program implemented by the beef processing industry.
"It's like a firewall to not introduce product from our fields" that may cause problems in its facilities, Mr. Sweat said.
Natural Selection does not grow spinach or any other produce, so its initiatives will require close cooperation and support from its farming partners that provide the company with fresh-cut product. Those partners "are on board with these initiatives," Mr. Sweat said.
"Everything we learn we'll be sharing with the industry," Mr. Sweat said. Natural Selection sanitizes, washes and packs fresh produce, and then ships it to stores across the country. Of the five bag codes thus far identified in the outbreak, all are "Dole Baby Spinach."
On behalf of Natural Selection Foods, Mr. Sweat extended his sympathy to the individuals and families harmed by the contaminated spinach packed at its facility. He said that the company would work "one-on-one" with the affected people confirmed through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention as having eaten the products packed by Natural Selection Foods and would be "offering reimbursements for medical costs." A toll-free phone number will be established for that effort, he said.
Through this difficult time that has led to a sharp drop in sales of Natural Selection Foods branded products, the company has not had to lay off any employees, he said.
"Our employees are our single best asset," Mr. Sweat said.
Mr. Sweat said that the company is preparing to move its growing to Yuma, AZ. That move is a standard occurrence for the company and the industry as a seasonal shift in growing regions.
Natural Selection has hired several of what it refers to as "leading experts" -- microbiologists, epidemiologists, lab and food-safety experts. One of those experts -- Mansour Samadpour, an independent food-safety expert and microbiologist - was on hand at the Sept. 29 press conference. Mr. Samadpour referred to this E. coli O157:H7 outbreak as probably the biggest one after the outbreak that affected Jack In the Box restaurants in 1992-93. That outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 was not the same "fingerprint" as this recent outbreak in spinach but is in the same family, he said.
Mr. Samadpour said that seeds, land use, livestock, wild animals, water used for irrigation and runoff after irrigation are the areas being investigated. He said that livestock or wildlife are the "ultimate source" of this E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach, but how and where it made its way into farming operations is at yet unknown.
To date, 183 cases of illness due to E. coli O157:H7 infection related to spinach have been reported to the CDC, including 29 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, 95 hospitalizations and one death.
Following the recall announcement, the California Department of Health Services and the Food & Drug Administration conducted tests at Natural Selection Food's facilities, here, to try to determine the origin of the contamination. The tests all came back negative, as did all the tests conducted by the company's third-party laboratory, Mr. Sweat said. As a result, Natural Selection is confident "the source did not originate in our facilities," he said.
Mr. Sweat said that the company is rigorous in its sanitation practices and water-quality monitoring, conducting daily tests of all surfaces and monitoring the water quality in its facilities constantly throughout each day. In its 20-year history, the company has never experienced anything like this E. coli outbreak, he noted.
Mr. Sweat outlined a set of initiatives that Natural Selection will implement immediately. He said that the company would work with its growers from seed to harvest, addressing seed, irrigation water, soil, soil amendments, plant tissues and wildlife. With the obvious exception of wildlife, all will be tested, monitored and certified.
The company plans to enhance and monitor existing sanitation protocols for farm equipment, packaging supplies and transportation vehicles. Also, the company will test all the raw produce that comes in from the fields before it enters its facilities. Mr. Sweat said that this approach mirrors the successful program implemented by the beef processing industry.
"It's like a firewall to not introduce product from our fields" that may cause problems in its facilities, Mr. Sweat said.
Natural Selection does not grow spinach or any other produce, so its initiatives will require close cooperation and support from its farming partners that provide the company with fresh-cut product. Those partners "are on board with these initiatives," Mr. Sweat said.
"Everything we learn we'll be sharing with the industry," Mr. Sweat said. Natural Selection sanitizes, washes and packs fresh produce, and then ships it to stores across the country. Of the five bag codes thus far identified in the outbreak, all are "Dole Baby Spinach."
On behalf of Natural Selection Foods, Mr. Sweat extended his sympathy to the individuals and families harmed by the contaminated spinach packed at its facility. He said that the company would work "one-on-one" with the affected people confirmed through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention as having eaten the products packed by Natural Selection Foods and would be "offering reimbursements for medical costs." A toll-free phone number will be established for that effort, he said.
Through this difficult time that has led to a sharp drop in sales of Natural Selection Foods branded products, the company has not had to lay off any employees, he said.
"Our employees are our single best asset," Mr. Sweat said.
Mr. Sweat said that the company is preparing to move its growing to Yuma, AZ. That move is a standard occurrence for the company and the industry as a seasonal shift in growing regions.
Natural Selection has hired several of what it refers to as "leading experts" -- microbiologists, epidemiologists, lab and food-safety experts. One of those experts -- Mansour Samadpour, an independent food-safety expert and microbiologist - was on hand at the Sept. 29 press conference. Mr. Samadpour referred to this E. coli O157:H7 outbreak as probably the biggest one after the outbreak that affected Jack In the Box restaurants in 1992-93. That outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 was not the same "fingerprint" as this recent outbreak in spinach but is in the same family, he said.
Mr. Samadpour said that seeds, land use, livestock, wild animals, water used for irrigation and runoff after irrigation are the areas being investigated. He said that livestock or wildlife are the "ultimate source" of this E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach, but how and where it made its way into farming operations is at yet unknown.
To date, 183 cases of illness due to E. coli O157:H7 infection related to spinach have been reported to the CDC, including 29 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, 95 hospitalizations and one death.
