FOOD SAFETYGovernment and Industry Controlling

Food Safety Risks

Gary MoultonN.S. Dept. of AgricultureEducational Showcase 2006

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Nova Scotia Food Safety

Health Inspection Program

Department of the Environment

Food Safety moved to Department of Agriculture and Marketing

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Department of Agriculture

New Risks

Aging population - baby boomers and parents

Global village - their problem quickly becomes your problem

Production technology - fewer making more

Medical advances - people of all ages can be high risk

Allergic individuals

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WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 10 to 20 YEARS

EMERGING DISEASES BECAME A COMMON TERM

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We Now Have:

• Law firms prosecuting only food borne illness claims

• Millions spent in recalls

• Entire food production industries sustaining huge losses

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• Insurance Companies demanding Food Safety Plans

• World wide import restrictions

• Billions lost to industry and stock markets

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PLUS

Angry and Active Consumers

Safe

Tables

Our

Priority

7.6 million gastrointestinal illnesses

32,500 serious illnesses resulting in hospitalizations,

500 deaths

COST---- BILLIONS

Where We Were

• Floors, walls, and ceilings

• Regulations inflexible

• Outbreaks due to gross negligence

Changes in Nova Scotia

• Dedicated department for food safety

• New restaurant regulations

• Using science based rational

• Increased knowledge base

IN RECENT YEARS

New pathogens

Have found new ways

To contaminate new or different foods

New or Emerging Pathogens

• Ecoli 0157 H7

• Listeriosis

• Norwalk or Norovirus

• Cyclospora parasites

• Toxoplasmosis

New Foods now Implicated

• Sprouts

• Baked potatoes

• Melons

• Cooked vegetables

• Salad ingredients

• Prepared meats

What is Being Done

Research

• Finding all there is to know about

pathogens

• Devising ways to detect pathogens on

site

• Devising new packaging

Inventing new ways and means of control

Governments

Working together to develop agreements and priorities from farm food safety to consumer

Working with industry to develop uniform and practical standards across the country

Industry

Unprecedented involvement

• Irradiation proposal in Canada

• Applying new technologies in plants

• HACCP programs• New farming methods

• Insurance industry

Two ways to achieve greater food safety

ENFORCEMENT

and

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

Changing diseases

Changing methods

Changing emphasis

Education

Ignorance is not an excuse

Trained food handlers know what to doManagement encourages them to do it

Nova Scotia and fellow provinces are adamant on food handler training

Education is vital to combat outdated ideas that dirt is the primary concern

5% DIRT

20% CROSS CONTAMINATION

75% TEMPERATURE ABUSE

As disease causing pathogens will get into an establishment, food safety is summarized in FOUR words:

CLEAN

SEPARATE

Cook

CHILL

Food Handling

Cleaning

Hand washing

Utensil and surface washing

Washing of food

Handwashing

• Cannot be overdone

• Single most important factor in prevention of disease transmission

• Gloves are only a tool

• Hand sanitizers are not a replacement for hand washing

Food Handling

Separate

Raw and cooked foods

Clean and sanitize cutting boards

Wash hands

Arrange kitchen flow

Allergies and how to deal with them

Know the ingredients used

Use the same ingredients each time

Separate areas to prevent cross-contamination

Respond properly to customer requests

Food Safety

Cook

Heat to proper internal temperature

Use food thermometers

Re-heat to 740C (1650F)

Food Safety

Cooling

Keep Cold foods cold at 40C (400F)

Cool foods properly

Store cold foods properly

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Cooling of food in #1 problem

THEREFORE

Cooling methods and batch methods have changed

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New Initiatives In Food Safety

High Risk Eating Establishment, Audit Inspection System

Changes in outbreaks and pathogens

Changes in inspection protocol

Management involvement

Accountability

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Nova ScotiaFood Handler Training

Mandatory food handler training

Existing Establishments Nov. 1, 2007

Training level based on responsibility

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FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS

Regulations can request systems

to identify, implement, monitor

and verify critical factors

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Regulatory Details

• Regulations are more generic therefore we are utilizing CFISIG Food Retail and Food Services Code

• Now 76 page, Nova Scotia Food Retail and Food Services Code

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Authority

• Permit requirements

• Suspension or canceling of Permit

• Closure

• Summary Conviction

• Destruction or holding of food

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Food Handler Education

Mandatory Food Handler Education

Interpretation

Recognized Training Program

Retraining criteria

On-site requirements

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Policies and Procedures Required

• Programs to control ill personnel

• Receiving and supplier requirements

• Processing and preparation system with controls

• Maintenance, sanitation programs

Audit Questionnaire

Follows Flow of food

Receiving Storage

ThawingPreparation Cooking

CoolingHot / cold holding Reheating

Followed By:

Premises

Equipment

Personnel

Sanitation

Audit Goals

• Assess overall food safety status

• Identify areas that require immediate attention

• Develop ways and means to work towards long term demands

What is happening now?

Owners and operators put in place their own food safety controls.

• have someone in charge to oversee food safety

• address all issues of inspection by NSDAF

• standardize methods

More things to do

• assess time and temperature of each method

• ensure staff have thermometers and know how to use and calibrate

• inservice staff on required times and temperatures

• start a system of recording temperatures

And Finally

• Train staff to recognize time and temperature problems

• Empower staff to correct or report problems

Document your efforts in such a way that you can prove to anyone from inspectors, to

customers or lawyers that you are doing your best to protect the health of the public.

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On-going Issues

• Develop our own Policy and Procedures

• Advance our audit inspection system

• In-service all inspection staff

• Work with and educate food service industry

Reasons for HACCP

P Cost of foodborne illness

P Population at risk increasing

P Changes in eating habits

P Production technology

P Consumers more informed

P Inspection resources limited

P Inability for constant surveillance

P Global village

P Emerging pathogens

More Reasons for HACCP

Prerequisite Issues

P Must be in place for initial licensing

P Involve inspection staff

P Develop written policies and programs

Uniformity

Standardize your methods and menus

# Present staff know exactly what to do

# New staff are easily trained

# Allows you to put controls in place

# Allows modifications or changes

# Allows proper response in allergy issues

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