Amy N. BryantFlorida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services
15th Annual PulseNet Update Meeting/ 7th Annual OutbreakNet ConferenceSeptember 19th-September 23rd 2011
• General overview of the Bureau of Food Laboratories
•Gain Insight on the programs the Food Laboratories participate in and what types of test we run.
• General overview of our Lab/Epicommunication flow
• Describe how FDACS ensures quality and integrity of our data
•Gain insight on the impact the of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) on state food testing laboratories
Primary food safety laboratory for the State of Florida
FDACS Bureau of Food & Meat Inspection conducts routine regulatory surveillance of retail stores
Laboratory staff of 31 employees
Comprised of three sections: Chemistry, Microbiology and Molecular
Ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of food and other consumer products through inspection and testing programs
Food Laboratories and Bureau of Food & Meat Inspection helps FDACS carry out this mission by doing routine inspections throughout the state year round and testing approximately 10,000 samples collected from those inspections.
Within FDACS: Division of Food Safety Agriculture Environmental Services Bureau of Dairy Industry
Within Florida: Department of Health Law Enforcement
Federal Agencies: USDA: AMS for the PDP and MDP FERN: FDA and USDA
Inspected for integrity of sample and custody seal upon receipt
Chain-of-custody records maintained electronically
Samples stored and processed to protect the interests of the customer and the Food Laboratories
Chemistry SectionFood Safety Testing
Consumer Protection Testing
Food Safety Testing
Decomposition- Indole, Histamine
Toxins- Aflatoxin, Fumonosin, Patulin
Metals- Mercury, Lead, Tin
Allergens- Egg, Milk, Soy, Wheat, Shell/fin fish andPeanuts
Dietary Supplements- Ephedrines, Caffeine
Preservatives- Sulfites, Nitrites, Sorbate
Food Colors- Blue 1,2 Red 3,40 Yellow 5,6
Vanilla Flavoring- Coumarin
Foreign Material- Insects, Feces, Hair and Foreign objects
Consumer Protection Testing
Authenticity Claims- Fruit Juices, Sugars, Honey, Species ID (Fish and Meat), Vanilla Flavor
Nutritional Claims- No, Low, Reduced, High (Total fat, Trans fat ,Total Carbohydrates, Sugars, protein, Calories, Sodium, Calcium, Iron, Vitamins)
% Fat Claims
Microbiology SectionRegulatory Survey Sample Testing
Microbiological Data Program
Examples of Types of Samples Tested: Most Ready To Eat Products
Deli Sandwiches Lunch meat Prepared Salads
Soft Cheese Canned Food Vended Water and Ice Smoked Fish Fresh Produce Fresh Squeezed Juices Sprouts and Vegetables
Samples are tested by a combination of advanced technology in conjunction with cultural methodology
Aerobic Plate Count Anaerobes Staphylococcus aureus and Staph Entertoxin Bacillus cereus Escherichia coli E. coli O157:H7 Salmonella species Listeria monocytogenes Vibrio species Shigella species Yeast and Mold Count Coliforms & Fecal coliforms
VIDAS System(bioMérieux )
Tempo System(bioMérieux ) BAX System Q7
(Applied Biosystem)
Vitek 2 Compact System
Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay- VIDAS System
Automated Quality Indicator Testing- Tempo System
Staph Express Count System
Polymerase Chain Reaction- BAX System
Rapid biochemical Testing- VITEK Compact 2 System
In 2001 USDA was charged with implementing a monitoring program to collect information regarding the incidence, number, and species of important foodborne pathogens and indicator organisms on domestic and imported fresh fruit and vegetables.
USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) created Microbiological Data Program (MDP).
MDP Began collecting and analyzing samples in April 2001
Data collection and testing activities are carried out with the support of approximately 8 states through cooperative agreement with their respective Departments of Agriculture.
Types of Samples Tested: Fresh Produce Lettuce Spinach Cantaloupe Sprouts Hot Pepper Cilantro Tomatoes
Tests Performed: Pathogenic E. coli ( STEC) E. coli O157:H7 Salmonella spp
Illustration by Scott Pearson
Molecular LaboratoryRapid Response and Preparedness Section
• Cultural Tests Performed (CDC-LRN and FERN protocols):
• Bacillus anthracis• C. botulinum toxin• Staph Enterotoxin• Ricin Toxin • Francisella tularensis•Yersinia pestis• Brucella species
Participating in USDA/FERN Cooperative Agreement Program.
Participating in FDA/FERN Cooperative Agreement Program (M/CAP).
CVM Special Project: Pet Food Testing for Selected Microbial Organisms (Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli and EHEC)
Currently using DiversiLab (provided by FDA M/CAP) in our laboratory for Quality Assurance testing.
Diversilab System(bioMérieux )
ABI Veriti(Applied Biosystems)
CHEF-DR® III Pulse Field System (BioRad)
CHEF Mapper XA (BioRad)
•Tests Performed: •Entertoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)• Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)•Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC) • Salmonella spp• Listeria monocytogenes
FoodLaboratory
Bureau of Food & Meat Inspection
DOH
USDA
FDA
ISO 17025 is the internationally recognized standard for analytical laboratories
The Bureau of Food Laboratories gained accreditation to ISO 17025, for the specific tests listed in A2LA certificates 2534.01 and 2534.02 on March 31, 2007.
Accreditation provides international credibility that testing is performed by competent staff and that data is accurate and reliable.
Contact Information•Main phone: (850) 617-7550•Email addresses:
[email protected] Mark French (Chemistry); Environmental Administrator
[email protected] Sun Kim (Microbiology); Biological Administrator II
[email protected] Maria Ishida (Molecular); Biological Administrator I
Yvonne Salfinger; Bureau Chief
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Potential Impact on State
Laboratories
FSMA Impact on State Laboratories
1. Does your lab currently have any type of accreditation ?
N = 17
YesNo
65%
35%
FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…2. What is the accrediting body?
N=17
7
1 1
3
5
012345678
Series1Num
ber o
f R
epon
ses
FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…
3. If you have to initiate the accreditation process for your laboratory what are you main concerns?
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
Staffing Funding Amount of Work
Resources Time Already Accredited
Series1
N=15
Perc
ent
FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…
4. If you have an accredited quality management system are you concerned that you may not comply with the FSMA regulations?
12%
35%
12%6%
35%
N/A
Yes
No
Possibly
Do Not Know
N=17
FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…
5. Do you foresee that the enhanced partnership will cause you to increase laboratory staff and/or funding?
44%
31%
25%
Maybe
Yes
NoN=15
FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…6. What are any other concerns you may have concerning the
enhanced partnership? Even with federal funding assistance the funding is not promised for
multiple years. States don’t like to hire full time employees on soft money.
Not enough funding Sustainability Increased FDA paperwork. Which methods will be accepted for
testing. Who will be in charge? Time needed to maintain accreditation and QA standards Different requirements for documentation not currently
accounted for in a new LIMS; adequate ability to transmit necessary data electronically.
Special thanks to:
-Susan Humphries
Stacie Hammack
-Maria L. Ishida
-Yvonne Salfinger
-All the laboratories that participated in the survey
-SurveyMonkey.com
Acknowledgments