Fresh Express conference pushes food-safety goals forward
Fresh Express conference pushes food-safety goals forward
MONTEREY, CA -- As Jim Lugg, Fresh Express' executive vice president for science and quality, said, "Whenever you do research, it leads to more research."
Still, the Fresh Express 2008 Fresh Produce Safety Research Conference, held here Sept. 11 in an open forum at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, likely advanced the industry's efforts toward coming up with solutions to lessen the occurrence of foodborne illness outbreaks.
Salinas, CA-based Fresh Express was the catalyst behind a research initiative launched at the beginning of 2007 into studying E. coli 0157:H7, with a focus on contamination of leafy greens. The company donated $2 million to what turned out to be nine separate research projects out of more than 60 proposals. Details and results of those projects were shared during the forum.
Some of the results shared reconfirmed previously notions, such as views shared by several panelists that while using chlorine is preferable to using non-chlorinated water in trying to combat E. coli 0157:H7 during processing of leafy greens, it may be even a less effective deterrent than the industry believes. Chlorine is not considered a "kill step," and the industry recognizes that there's no magic bullet "kill step" in place at present that eliminates the threat of foodborne illnesses.
Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, said that chlorine "was no better than water for elimination of E. coli for field coring" of lettuce.
However, a separate research project headed by Mark Harrison, a professor at the Center for Food Safety, Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of Georgia, found that washing fresh-cut Iceberg lettuce and spinach with chlorine "was found to be significantly better than washing without chlorine, and washing without chlorine was significantly better than no washing, in terms of reducing the numbers of E. coli 0157:H7."
While not dismissed, there appeared to be a consensus among the researchers that the threat of E. coli 0157:H7 entering lettuce and/or spinach plants through their root systems is relatively inconsequential. Jeff Farrar, branch chief of the Food & Drug Branch of California Department of Health Services, said that researchers "can shove root contamination systems down on the list" of potential threats.
In one project, attempts to inoculate the leaves of Iceberg, Romaine and leaf lettuces with five strains of E. coli failed, showing no internalization of E. coli in the leaf tissue.
But one threat that caught the attention of those in attendance was the threat posed by flies -- so-called "filth flies" -- for their interaction with manure. Jacqueline Fletcher of the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University said that "flies do pick up E. coli and move it to plant surfaces." She also said that mature lettuce "attracts filth flies much more than baby lettuce." Compost piles and rotting vegetation were cited as potential breeding grounds for filth flies.
There were proponents for ozone and irradiation among enlisted researchers. Ahmed Yousef, a professor of microbiology in the Food Science & Technology Department at Ohio State University, said that ozone "is the strongest sanitizer."
Craig Hedberg, a professor in the division of environmental health sciences at the University of Minnesota and member of the voluntary Fresh Express scientific advisory panel, echoed the sentiment shared by many that the industry's main focus should be at the farming level and "keeping E. coli out of the field at the start of the process."
Jorge Giron, an assistant professor with the Department of Immunobiology at the University of Arizona, said that bacteria in plant tissue resist water- cleansing efforts. He also said that removing leaves in a processing plant "is more hygienic than coring and processing in the field."
There was strong sentiment expressed that temperature control throughout various stages of the post-harvest process is a critical component in lessening the incidence of harmful pathogens.
Salinas Valley and surrounding areas provided the focus for the nine research projects. Robert Buchanan, director of the Center for Food Systems Security & Safety at the University of Maryland, commended Fresh Express for enabling the research projects but said "it needs to look beyond [the] Salinas Valley." Mr. Buchanan said that the Salinas Valley needs a set of parameters, but that separate sets of parameters are needed in locations such as New Jersey, Maryland and Florida.
Still, the Fresh Express 2008 Fresh Produce Safety Research Conference, held here Sept. 11 in an open forum at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, likely advanced the industry's efforts toward coming up with solutions to lessen the occurrence of foodborne illness outbreaks.
Salinas, CA-based Fresh Express was the catalyst behind a research initiative launched at the beginning of 2007 into studying E. coli 0157:H7, with a focus on contamination of leafy greens. The company donated $2 million to what turned out to be nine separate research projects out of more than 60 proposals. Details and results of those projects were shared during the forum.
Some of the results shared reconfirmed previously notions, such as views shared by several panelists that while using chlorine is preferable to using non-chlorinated water in trying to combat E. coli 0157:H7 during processing of leafy greens, it may be even a less effective deterrent than the industry believes. Chlorine is not considered a "kill step," and the industry recognizes that there's no magic bullet "kill step" in place at present that eliminates the threat of foodborne illnesses.
Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, said that chlorine "was no better than water for elimination of E. coli for field coring" of lettuce.
However, a separate research project headed by Mark Harrison, a professor at the Center for Food Safety, Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of Georgia, found that washing fresh-cut Iceberg lettuce and spinach with chlorine "was found to be significantly better than washing without chlorine, and washing without chlorine was significantly better than no washing, in terms of reducing the numbers of E. coli 0157:H7."
While not dismissed, there appeared to be a consensus among the researchers that the threat of E. coli 0157:H7 entering lettuce and/or spinach plants through their root systems is relatively inconsequential. Jeff Farrar, branch chief of the Food & Drug Branch of California Department of Health Services, said that researchers "can shove root contamination systems down on the list" of potential threats.
In one project, attempts to inoculate the leaves of Iceberg, Romaine and leaf lettuces with five strains of E. coli failed, showing no internalization of E. coli in the leaf tissue.
But one threat that caught the attention of those in attendance was the threat posed by flies -- so-called "filth flies" -- for their interaction with manure. Jacqueline Fletcher of the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University said that "flies do pick up E. coli and move it to plant surfaces." She also said that mature lettuce "attracts filth flies much more than baby lettuce." Compost piles and rotting vegetation were cited as potential breeding grounds for filth flies.
There were proponents for ozone and irradiation among enlisted researchers. Ahmed Yousef, a professor of microbiology in the Food Science & Technology Department at Ohio State University, said that ozone "is the strongest sanitizer."
Craig Hedberg, a professor in the division of environmental health sciences at the University of Minnesota and member of the voluntary Fresh Express scientific advisory panel, echoed the sentiment shared by many that the industry's main focus should be at the farming level and "keeping E. coli out of the field at the start of the process."
Jorge Giron, an assistant professor with the Department of Immunobiology at the University of Arizona, said that bacteria in plant tissue resist water- cleansing efforts. He also said that removing leaves in a processing plant "is more hygienic than coring and processing in the field."
There was strong sentiment expressed that temperature control throughout various stages of the post-harvest process is a critical component in lessening the incidence of harmful pathogens.
Salinas Valley and surrounding areas provided the focus for the nine research projects. Robert Buchanan, director of the Center for Food Systems Security & Safety at the University of Maryland, commended Fresh Express for enabling the research projects but said "it needs to look beyond [the] Salinas Valley." Mr. Buchanan said that the Salinas Valley needs a set of parameters, but that separate sets of parameters are needed in locations such as New Jersey, Maryland and Florida.
