Unit 16 -- Part 3 Public Health Concerns Food Safety

When dealing with food producing animals, one must always be cognizant of the end product -- safe and wholesome food for human consumption. Whatever we do with regard to the care and management of these animals must also assure that food products from them are safe and wholesome. Concerns with regard to food safety are:

• the presence of residues, chemical and/or antibiotic
• the presence of zoonotic infectious agents (Salmonella, E. coli O157-H7, Campylobacter, BSE)
• the presence of toxins (bacterial, fungal, algal, seafood associated)
• the presence of drug resistant bacteria

Packing/Processing Industry Role in Food Safety

Concern over food safety is not new, the first laws in the United States dealing with meat inspection to assure safe and wholesome foods were enacted in 1906. These laws were revamped in the United States HACCP/Pathogen Reduction Act of July 1996.

The original meat inspection laws emphasized the identification of tainted meat and it's removal from the food chain; ie, visual inspection of live animals and animal carcasses to remove those carrying disease agents. In the new act, emphasis is being placed on prevention with the "Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point" (HACCP) approach to food safety. Under these regulations, all federally inspected meat and poultry plants will be required to:

• develop plans to identify critical points in the processing of animals and food products whereby products are likely to become contaminated by pathogenic organisms
• establish critical limits for contaminants
• establish corrective actions to prevent contamination
• monitor the plant procedures to assure corrective measures are being followed
• document and verify that the procedures are being followed

Meat processing plants are being required to regularly test carcasses for generic E. coli as an indicator of the control of fecal contamination. In addition, processing plants are being required to institute procedures to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in meat and poultry products. Target acceptable levels of E. coli and Salmonella have initially been set, and will likely be moved to lower levels as the targets are routinely met. Preliminary reports after the first year of HACCP implementation in large packing plants indicated that salmonella contamination of broiler chicken and swine carcasses was cut in half.

Producer Role in Food Safety

Although the current United States HACCP/Pathogen Reduction Act of July 1996 is directed solely at the meat and poultry processing industries, there is a clearly stated "from farm to table" concern for food safety.

Many of the bacteria responsible for foodborne diseases can exist in apparently healthy animals, and consequently are impossible to detect by visual examination of the animal. Much research is currently being done to identify animal management practices that are associated with increased risk of infection and shedding of these organisms from apparently healthy animals, such as the use of probiotics in feeds.  In addition, there is concern that use of antibiotics in food-producing animals may result in an increase in drug resistance in these organisms.  This has prompted a proposal by the FDA to withdraw approval of the new animal drug application for the use of the fluoroquinolone antimicrobial enrofloxacin in poultry.

A consortium of interested parties (WVA representing veterinary profession, FIP/IFAP representing farmers, and COMISA representing the animal health industry) has developed the following guide for antibiotic use to reflect the concern for development of antibiotic resistant organisms:

Prudent Use of Antibiotics in Food-Producing Animals

• Antibiotics are health management tools to be used for the purposes of:

1. disease prevention
2. disease treatment
3. production enhancement

• Codes of Good Practice, Quality Assurance Programs, Herd Health Surveillance programs and education programs should promote the responsible and prudent use of antibiotics

• Antibiotics should be used under the supervision of a veterinarian

• Therapeutic antibiotics should be used when it is known or suspected that an infectious agent is present which is susceptible to therapy (veterinary clinical judgment)

• Bacteriologic Diagnosis with sensitivity testing, whenever possible, should be part of the informed professional clinical judgment

• Follow label instructions carefully! Off-label use should be exceptional and only under veterinary authority

• Therapeutic antibiotics should be used for as long as needed, over as short a dosage period as possible, and at the appropriate dosage regimen

• Records should be kept of all antibiotic use

• Co-ordinated susceptibility surveillance should be conducted and the results provided to the prescriber, supervising veterinarians and other relevant parties

• Efficacious, scientifically proven alternatives to antibiotics are needed as an important part of good husbandry practices

The USDA/FSIS (Food Safety Inspection Service) is hopeful that voluntary "Quality Assurance" certification programs for Dairy, Beef, Pork and Poultry (1) will be sufficient to control the farm source of foodborne pathogens and additional regulations will not have to be instituted. The current quality assurance programs address proper drug use, prevention of drug residues, and overall animal health management. As research suggests additional management practices to control of these pathogens of food safety concern, they will be incorporated into the certification programs.  

Consumer Role in Food Safety

The "Bad Bug Book" published by the US Food & Drug Administration Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition provides basic facts regarding foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins that may be present in food. While meat and poultry products are important sources of foodborne pathogens, the animals from which these foods are derived are by no means the only source of foodborne pathogens. Contaminated water (human, wild and domestic animal source contamination), fruits and vegetables, as well as humans carrying these pathogens and improperly handling foods can all be sources of foodborne pathogens.

Basic food handling steps can eliminate the possibility of foodborne illness.

• thoroughly wash hands with soap and water before starting food preparation, before working with a new food or a new tool and before serving food
• never let raw meat, poultry, or their juices come in contact with other food -- cooked or raw
• use single use towels to clean kitchen surfaces, or soak towels and sponges in bleach solution (1 teaspoon/quart of water) after use
• clean cutting boards, knives, counters and other utinsels thoroughly with soap and water and/or bleach solution after use
• serve prepared foods on clean plates
• cook meat thoroughly (beef/pork - heat to 160^oF internal temperature; poultry - heat to 185^o F internal temperature)
• keep hot dishes hot and cold dishes cold
• promply refrigerate any food that is not consumed immediately after preparation

|| HOME || SYLLABUS || NOTES || PRESENTATIONS || RESOURCES || ANNOUNCEMENTS ||