Yearly Archives: 2015

Pittsburgh says no to restaurant grading system

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Toronto, New York and Los Angeles have all figured out how to do restaurant inspection grading and make it available on the door.

health_dept_stickerPittsburgh? Not so much.

The restaurant grading system plan went down in Allegheny County Council by a vote of 12-1. And that’s what local restaurant owners were hoping.

“I’m pretty happy. It’s a big weight off a lot of people’s shoulders, I’m sure,” said Robert Storms, the owner of Storms Restaurant.

The plan was approved by the Allegheny County Health Department last September.

The Allegheny County Board of Health thought grades would give diners more food safety informationthan the current pass-fail system.

But restaurants fought the plan every step of the way right up to Tuesday night’s vote.

“This discussion is not about increasing the knowledge and training of food service workers, rather it is about catching, punishing and embarrassing,” said Kevin Joyce, of The Carlton.

Some feared a couple of minor infractions could result in a “B” grade, giving diners the wrong impression.

“I firmly believe that if one of my restaurants receives a grade lower than an ‘A,’ that it will not simply affect that particular restaurant, but it will affect our entire brand,” said Mike Mitcham, of Primanti Bros.

larry.the_.cable_.guy_.health.inspector-213x300The health board’s motive was to incentivize restaurants to strictly follow the rules.

Ryan Bidney, of Irwin, who was visiting Station Square Tuesday, backs that.

“The restaurant, knowing that that letter grade is gonna be presented, I believe that they’ll feel stronger about, you know, wanting to keep up with their standards and keep their standards higher,” said Bidney.

Pittsburgh, there is research on this stuff.

 Filion, K. and Powell, D.A. 2009.

The use of restaurant inspection disclosure systems as a means of communicating food safety information.

Journal of Foodservice 20: 287-297.

Abstract

barf.o.meter_.dec_.12-216x300The World Health Organization estimates that up to 30% of individuals in developed countries become ill from food or water each year. Up to 70% of these illnesses are estimated to be linked to food prepared at foodservice establishments. Consumer confidence in the safety of food prepared in restaurants is fragile, varying significantly from year to year, with many consumers attributing foodborne illness to foodservice. One of the key drivers of restaurant choice is consumer perception of the hygiene of a restaurant. Restaurant hygiene information is something consumers desire, and when available, may use to make dining decisions.

 Filion, K. and Powell, D.A. 2011. Designing a national restaurant inspection disclosure system for New Zealand. Journal of Food Protection 74(11): 1869-1874
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The World Health Organization estimates that up to 30% of individuals in developed countries become ill from contaminated food or water each year, and up to 70% of these illnesses are estimated to be linked to food service facilities. The aim of restaurant inspections is to reduce foodborne outbreaks and enhance consumer confidence in food service. Inspection disclosure systems have been developed as tools for consumers and incentives for food service operators. Disclosure systems are common in developed countries but are inconsistently used, possibly because previous research has not determined the best format for disclosing inspection results. This study was conducted to develop a consistent, compelling, and trusted inspection disclosure system for New Zealand. Existing international and national disclosure systems were evaluated. Two cards, a letter grade (A, B, C, or F) and a gauge (speedometer style), were designed to represent a restaurant’s inspection result and were provided to 371 premises in six districts for 3 months. Operators (n = 269) and consumers (n = 991) were interviewed to determine which card design best communicated inspection results. Less than half of the consumers noticed cards before entering the premises; these data indicated that the letter attracted more initial attention (78%) than the gauge (45%). Fifty-eight percent (38) of the operators with the gauge preferred the letter; and 79% (47) of the operators with letter preferred the letter. Eighty-eight percent (133) of the consumers in gauge districts preferred the letter, and 72% (161) of those in letter districts preferring the letter. Based on these data, the letter method was recommended for a national disclosure system for New Zealand.

Going public (sort of?): FDA issues draft guidance on mandatory food recalls for comment

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has published a notice in the Federal Register that a draft guidance for industry on mandatory food recalls is available for public comment.

communicationThe FDA has the authority to order a responsible party to recall a food if there is reasonable probability that the food (other than infant formula, for which FDA has separate recall authority) is adulterated or misbranded under certain provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and that the use of or exposure to that food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

This authority for mandatory food recalls was provided by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act to better protect public health by strengthening food safety measures and providing more effective enforcement tools. Before the enactment of FSMA in January 2011, the FDA had to rely on manufacturers to voluntarily recall food products.

In February 2015, the FDA reported to Congress that it has used this new authority twice. In both cases, the FDA issued letters to the responsible party warning that if the firm did not voluntarily cease distribution and conduct a recall, FDA may, by order, require the firm to cease distribution and give notice to other parties.

The draft guidance is in the form of questions and answers that focus on common questions that might arise about how FDA will use this mandatory recall authority. They include:

What foods are subject to FDA’s mandatory food recall authority?

What are the criteria for a mandatory recall? 

What is the process FDA must follow for a mandatory recall?

The draft guidance will be available for public comment for 60 days starting May 7, 2015. The FDA will consider all comments before completing a final version.

For More Information:

Do people cook ice cream?

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Foodborne illness outbreaks are teachable moments: people are paying more attention to a particular topic.

listeria4Listeria in Blue Bell ice cream is one of those moments in the news cycle where people may pay attention.

So what does the U.S. Institute of Food Technologists tell people?

IFT Spokesperson Kantha Shelke, PhD, CFS offers four tips consumers can use to avoid getting sick from Listeria:

  • cook animal products thoroughly to make sure bacteria is killed;
  • wash raw vegetables and fruits very well in order to reduce bacterial pathogens;
  • keep uncooked meat and any utensils or cutting boards that touch the uncooked meat separate from cooked products and anything else you might be eating raw like fruits and vegetables; and,
  • avoid raw milk or food products that have been made with raw milk as they don’t adhere to proper temperature and hygiene standards.

It’s reworded cook-clean-chill-separate dogma and would do nothing to prevent Listeria in ice cream.

Listeria and public health

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Friend of the barfblog and rock’n’roller Roy Costa writes on his safefoodsblog.com that Listeria monocytogenes are hardy infectious bacteria, widely distributed in nature, and difficult to control. Listeria monocytogenes previously known to veterinary science as a pathogen of sheep, first came to light as a major foodborne agent when the largest and most deadly outbreaks in U.S. history occurred in queso fresco cheese manufactured in Los Angeles, California. It claimed the lives of approximately 50 persons and infected 86 known victims.

listeria4From this time forward the public health response has been to actively track cases identify outbreaks and to put into place initiatives to reduce incidence. The U.S. Department of Agriculture was instrumental in developing protocols for the meat industry to follow to control the organism in USDA regulated products. Listeria monocytogenes is considered to be so pathogenic that in the US there is no tolerance for its presence in food. There has been some success in controlling Listeria monocytogenes in USDA commodities, but over the last 3 years or so we have seen this agent get thorough the public health safety net an alarming number of times.

We have seen Listeria monocytogenes in cantaloupe (2011) kill 30 people, and infect 146 known cases, and outbreaks and or recalls involving several brands of ice cream, sliced apples, candy apples and pasta salad.

Listeria monocytogenes is a uniquely challenging pathogen with novel characteristics. It is psychrotropic, growing at temperatures below 32°F. This important ability gives the bacteria a competitive advantage, as the less hardy spoilage organisms and other competitors are not able to grow, or grow as quickly. Long periods in the cold chain during distribution of a product coupled with a long shelf life are important factors that increase the risk of growth.

Once the organism enters a food production environment, it can create environmental niches that allow for propagation on surfaces such as floors, drains, walls, and equipment. Bio-films are complex substrates of adherent cells frequently embedded within a self-produced matrix of an extracellular polymeric substance. Listeria monocytogenes can establish itself in such substrates further reducing the ability for normal cleaning and sanitizing to remove it. The colonization by Listeria monocytogenes of food processing equipment is an associated factor in many outbreaks. In the cantaloupe outbreak of 2011, investigators found the packinghouse’s packing line to be contaminated, in the 2015 ice cream outbreak in involving the Blue Bell Ice Cream Company; the bacteria were also found in the company’s equipment.

roy.costaAfter a food is processed, the bacteria can remain for extended periods in the food and survive to a customer. Ready-to-eat prepared foods then become the vehicle for one of the most hazardous of all bacteria, with a mortality of around 30%; especially at risk are the elderly, and those with underlying medical conditions. Pregnant women are often included in the victims of outbreaks along with the their unborn, a very tragic consequence. The foods implicated in outbreaks are varied, and include hot dogs, luncheon meat, meat spreads, smoked fish, cantaloupe, and ice cream and candy apples. Attempting to warn at risk persons is made almost impossible, as almost all processed foods and many fruits and vegetables are prone to infection.

Given the growing magnitude of this public health challenge, we need a strong public health response targeted specifically to deal with Listeria monocytogenes. The following recommendations are offered:

• A multidisciplinary committee is needed to create a coordinated national response. This group should advise the food processing industry and other at-risk points of the food supply chain about controls such as environmental sanitation and verification.

• The medical profession must play an increased role in co-ordinated efforts to better inform consumers and at-risk persons about the prevention of listeriosis.

• A unilateral requirement is needed to require all food processors to perform effective and ongoing testing of equipment and environments. This should be coupled with encouraging the application of in-plant micro-assay methods of detection using QT-PCR and other rapid techniques.

• The eventual implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act and Preventive Controls rules will provide the needed support to strengthen the current public health response.

How skipping a private equity deal made it easier for Jeni’s to deal with Listeria crisis

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John Lowe, the CEO of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, with more than 20 locations and distribution in 1,800 retail stores across the U.S., temporarily closed its stores and shut down production late last month after a pint of its Dark Chocolate ice cream at a store in Nebraska was found to have Listeria.

jenis-ice-cream-leadjpg-3107e469ad83e50eLowe, a part owner in the well-regarded and fast-growing ice cream company, is addressing the crisis head on. He did not back out of an appearance at Columbus Startup Week Tuesday, even talking about how the company is addressing the setback.

His candor is an example of how entrepreneurs should address a crisis, with members of the food safety industry citing it as the proper way to respond.

Lowe and his team did not waver. With uncertainty around the product, they shut down operations until they could gather more information.

“There are points in leadership where the decision is pretty clear, and as we looked at ourselves around the table with very foggy info, but enough facts that we thought: ‘We can’t open the stores.’ If we can’t answer why there is one pint that reportedly got listeria in it, then we can’t open the stores. We can’t serve pregnant women and grandmas. That is just not acceptable. We are not going to have to look in the mirror and decide that we blinked at a crucial time, ensuring the safety of our consumers. In a lot of ways, it was a very simple decision. There was no debate. There was nobody around the table arguing the other way…. We are not sure what comes next. We don’t know what is going to cost, or how we are going to fund it. We are not sure what it leads to in terms or how long we will be closed, and the like.”

Lowe said the company encountered a similar situation not too long ago when the executive team decided to walk away from a private equity transaction. And that decision plays right into the handling of the crisis around the listeria recall. Lowe pointed out the importance of making the right decision, even though it created an uncertain future.

“We didn’t know what walking away would entail. We didn’t know what the next steps would be, but we knew it was the right thing to do and we’d just go figure it out. … Looking back at our decision to walk away from the one private equity deal, we are so glad we did because we are so confident now that it enabled us to handle that situation the right way and we would have other people at the table — voting, not voting, they would not have had the ability to make the decision — but we are not 100 percent sure they would have seen it as clear as we saw it. It was just easier and better for us to look at each other and make that decision.”

Cameras everywhere (and sometimes TMI): Georgia Waffle House employee pleasures himself in restaurant

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One man is no longer an employee at a popular chain restaurant in Macon for a sexual act caught on video.

cigar.waffle.austin.powersThe man is out of a job at Waffle House — fired for what can only be described as lewd behavior.

41NBC received video from a concerned citizen where an employee was shown in his Waffle House uniform, pleasuring himself inside the restaurant’s dining area while another employee watched.

41NBC believes the video is too graphic to show. Waffle House took immediate action and they have chosen not to identify the man. We received a statement from Waffle House’s corporate office about the issue. A spokesperson says in part that the issue is disgusting…

“In addition, we are cooperating with local authorities to explore if charges will be brought against this individual.”

Health officials say the act, while unusual, would be treated no differently than blood or other bodily fluid exposure in the restaurant. 

“Basically any general protocol that would follow clean up for wash, rinse, and sanitize would work. You’d want to increase the strength of the sanitizer to the level that it would be a disinfectant,” Donna Cadwell with the Macon-Bibb County Health Department said.

 

Editorial: USDA must tighten up its oversight at chicken processing plants

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According to this editorial, if you ever doubted the capacity of the federal government to function in a timely manner in protecting those to whom it is sworn to protect, consider that hundreds oFunkyChickenHif people in Oregon and Washington got sick from eating chicken over the last decade despite detailed reports by state health officials to federal officials that they could.

Consider, too, that product recalls of the sort that could prevent salmonella-exposure illnesses are few and far between, in part owing to the inability of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to order them.

An exhaustive report by Lynne Terry of The Oregonian/OregonLive shows state health officials linked salmonella outbreaks in 2004, 2009 and 2012 to the chicken producer Foster Farms, with a Kelso, Washington, processing plant fed by chicken farmers from across the Pacific Northwest. Among other things, Terry unmasks caution on the part of factory inspectors and outright fear among agency brass. She attributes to union officials who represent inspectors nationally the assertion that on-site inspectors at chicken plants are “pressured to go easy on food processors, citing one notable case in which the USDA transferred an inspector after Foster Farms complained he wrote too many citations.” Separately, she writes: “USDA officials are so worried about being sued by companies that they’ve set a high bar for evidence, even rejecting samples of tainted chicken that state health agencies believed would help clinch their case….”

Most galling is USDA’s toothlessness. In a 2012 salmonella outbreak that surged in Oregon and Washington, chicken from Foster Farms’ Kelso plant, as well as another in Fresno, California, was persuasively implicated after sample collection and testing by a Washington inspector. Terry reported: “A supervisor in the USDA’s district office in Denver questioned whether the salmonella test results were ‘necessarily the silver bullet’ in an investigation. In a separate email a few minutes later, the supervisor had a different message: ‘Reason I asked is that apparently Foster Farms brought the heavy hitter law firm in. I don’t know the name but I understand they are not taking this lightly.'”

Nobody’s taking it lightly. Foster Farms insists it leads the industry in cleanliness. But state-level public health officials, quick to respond to calls indicating foodborne illness, report their findings to federal authorities who allow weeks and months to pass and consumers to fall ill.

 

Handwashing in never enough: 42 now sick with E. coli O157 linked to farm visit in Wash.

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The Whatcom County Health Department (WCHD) is investigating an outbreak of shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157 associated with the Milk Makers Fest that was held at the Northwest Fairgrounds in Lynden on 4/21 – 4/23/15.

cow.hug.cumberlandOver 1,000 primary school children from all of the school districts in Whatcom County attended the event. Most of the cases involve children who attended the event. Several older children involved with the event and some adults and close contacts of cases have also become ill.

WCHD is continuing to interview cases to determine if there was a common food or water source or activity, such as the petting zoo or other contact with livestock. Washington State Department of Health Communicable Disease Epidemiology is assisting with the outbreak investigation.

Cumulative total: 22 cases* (7 cases have been hospitalized), 20 probable cases ** Change since last report of 5/2/15: no new cases, +1 probable cases, no new hospitalizations

*Cases include those with positive labs (preliminary presumptive positive O157 and final confirmed positives), and clinical cases with close contact with a case with positive or presumptive positive labs.

** Probable cases are cases with clinical symptoms and were associated with the event, but lab results are not available or labs were not done.

The state public health lab is testing confirmed E. coli O157 isolates for serogroup (to determine if O157:H7 or another related serogroup). Preliminary positive O157 isolates are regrown and have further testing done at a commercial lab to confirm O157. We expect to get the first results of serogroup testing from the state public health lab this week.

Cameras everywhere: Student filmed allegedly spitting in roommates’ food, adding poison

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Police say a University of South Carolina student has been arrested after her roommates set up a camera and caught her spitting and putting window cleaner in their food.

security-camera-iconInvestigators told media outlets the roommates set up the camera because they had several arguments with 22-year-old Hayley King and she refused to leave their off-campus apartment.

Columbia police say the camera caught King taking several containers of food out of a refrigerator in February and spitting or spraying window cleaner into them. Authorities say one of the roommates ate out of one of the containers before seeing the video.

King is charged with unlawful, malicious tampering with human drug product or food. Her lawyer didn’t respond to a request to comment.

‘We need to go way beyond state and federal guidelines’ Jeni’s CEO after Listeria found

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According to the Columbus Dispatch, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is fighting to get back in business after testing in Nebraska more than a week ago showed that a pint of the company’s ice cream was tainted by listeria.

jenis-ice-cream-leadjpg-3107e469ad83e50eListeria also was found later at the company’s Columbus production plant, which had been inspected 17 times by the Ohio Department of Agriculture over a two-year period and as recently as early March.

Not many food-production companies test for listeria, said Sanja Ilic, a food-safety specialist for Ohio State University Extension and an assistant professor of human nutrition. Producers concentrate on prevention, or keeping the bug out altogether.

“Testing out the pathogen is almost impossible to do,” Ilic said.

Lots of companies test for listeria.

John Lowe, the company’s CEO, said, “We now realize we need to go way beyond state and federal guidelines so that we can ensure our customers are safe.”