PLUS PEST MANAGEMENT ▪ CANNABIS AND MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION ▪ DETECTING PATHOGENS IN DAIRY

Volume 28 Number 2 APRIL / MAY 2021

FUNCTIONAL FOODS Consumers are increasingly­ seeking out food and ­beverages with functional ingredients. Will the trend stick?

WWW.FOODQUALITYANDSAFETY.COM Kills 99.9999% of 26 Tested Pathogens in 15 Seconds • Atomized spray provides better coverage • Engineered to meet the requirements of food handlers • Formulated with moisturizers to keep hands soft and healthy • NSF certified E3 classification • Kosher, Pareve and Halal certified • 71% Ethanol formula • Made in America

Alpet® E3 Plus Hand Sanitizer Spray is an atomized alcohol hand sanitizing formula engineered to meet the requirements of the Food Industry. Alpet E3 Plus meets all current FDA and USDA requirements for hand sanitizers in food handling environments. Alpet E3 Plus is a powerful, yet gentle ethanol-based formula which has been tested and proven effective against 26 pathogens. For a trial sample of Alpet E3 Plus, call Best Sanitizers at 888-225-3267 or visit www.bestsanitizers.com. APRIContentsL/MAY 2021 • VOLUME 28 NUMBER 2 • www.foodqualityandsafety.com Features THE RISE OF 18 ­FUNCTIONAL COVER STORY FOODS Fortified food and beverages gain traction as consumers choose to eat with health in mind BY LORI VALIGRA ©ANUCHID - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Washington Report Safety & Sanitation 9 22 ©NEW AFRICA - STOCK.ADOBE.COM Congress to Investigate Pest Management COVID-19 Cases at in Food Processing Meatpacking Plants Warehouses Probe to include three processing Protecting food by protecting giants, OSHA its surroundings

BY KAREN APPOLD BY ANNA BERRY, MS

Food Quality & Safety (ISSN 2572-8644) is published 6 times a year in Feb/Mar, Apr/May, Jun/July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov, Dec/Jan by Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., a Wiley Company, 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774. Periodical postage paid at Hoboken, NJ, and additional mailing offices. Print subscriptions are free for qualified recipients. Annual paid subscriptions are available to European readers at €152, U.K. readers at £123, and rest of the world readers at $230. For subscription questions in the U.S., call 844-862-9286. For outside the U.S., call 856-255-5537. Or email customer services at [email protected]. Food Quality & Safety is a proud member of: United Fresh Produce Association APEX, Folio Ozzie, and ASBPE award winner for editorial and graphics excellence.

COVER: ©ALONA DUDAIEVA - STOCK.ADOBE.COM COVER: ©ALONA DUDAIEVA POSTMASTER: Returns and address changes to Food Quality & Safety magazine, PO Box 986, Levittown PA 19055-0986

April / May 2021 3 Contents

(Continued from p. 3) Safety & Sanitation In The Lab Cannabis Corner 26 PEST MANAGEMENT 36 THE IMPORTANCE 16 MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION DOCUMENTATION OF E. COLI DETECTION OF CANNABIS-INFUSED FOODS Be prepared for your next METHODS Testing infused food and beverages food safety audit How laboratories can ensure for microbial contamination should safe and efficient testing BY FRANK MEEK be done, whether or not FDA BY NEVIN PERERA insists upon it BY JESSE STANIFORTH Quality 28 FLAVOR LABELING IN 2021 What’s new in the regulatory landscape

BY GWEN BUFFINGA

Columns Legal Update Departments 12 CANNABIS UPDATE Will 2021 be the year of 6 FROM THE EDITORS cannabis reform? 8 NEWS & NOTES BY JOEL S. CHAPPELLE, ESQ., AND SHAWN K. STEVENS, ESQ. 40 NEW PRODUCTS 41 ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Global Interests 41 EVENTS 42 SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS Testing 14 FOOD WASTE DURING 30 IS YOUR PATHOGEN DATA COVID-19 GIVING YOU THE FULL STORY? How the pandemic has impacted How pathogen load measurements food waste at the consumer level deliver a deeper dive for meat BY AURORA A. SAULO, PHD Food Quality & Safety and poultry food safety ­magazine welcomes letters to the editor on any relevant BY CHRISTINE ALVARADO, PHD industry topic. Letters should be no longer 34 DETECTING PATHOGENS than 350 words. IN DAIRY Submit letters to: Pathogens in these products Samara E. Kuehne, can be difficult to find due to Professional Editor their complex matrices Email: [email protected] BY ANDREA TOLU (Letters may be edited for space and style.)

Visit us online! Other articles available at www.FoodQualityandSafety.com include: Correction: In the article “A Psocid-­ • U.S., Canada Team Up on New Swine Fever Protocol Free Facility,” which published in the February/March 2021 issue, we used an • Food Quality & Safety Blog: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Food Safety incorrect image of a psocid. The image • New Legislation Aims to Add Sesame to Federal Allergen List has been updated in the online version of the article. ©RICKA_KINAMOTO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM / ©KATERYNA_KON - STOCK.ADOBE.COM / ©ANDREY POPOV - STOCK.ADOBE.COM / ©KATERYNA_KON - STOCK.ADOBE.COM - STOCK.ADOBE.COM / ©ANDREY POPOV ©KATERYNA_KON ©RICKA_KINAMOTO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM / ©KATERYNA_KON

facebook.com/FoodQualityandSafety @FQSmag

4 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com 1/18/21 9:33 AM

2900 100th Street, Suite 309 Des Moines, Iowa 50322-3855, USA +1 515.276.3344 | Fax 515.276.8655 Register today at Register today The Leading Food Safety Conference The Arizona sun will shine bright on attendees at the world’s The Arizona sun will shine bright on attendees at the world’s Our Professional Development Group meetings provide leading food safety conference, where professionals will soak up unlimited rays of knowledge in Phoenix throughout hundreds of informative symposia, roundtables, and technical presentations. additional opportunities to bask in the heat wave of food safety. QUENCH YOUR THIRST FOR FOOD OF THE SU N SAFETY IN THE VALLEY foodprotection.org

The Leading Food Safety Conference The Leading Food Safety Conference QUENCH YOUR THIRST FOR FOOD QUENCHSAFETY YOUR THIRST IN THE FOR FOOD VALLEY OF THE SUN SAFETY IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN The Arizona sun will shine bright on attendees at the world’s The Arizonaleading sun will food shine safetybright on attendeesconference, at the world’s where food safety professionals leading foodwill safety soak conference, up unlimited where food safetyrays professionals of knowledge in Phoenix throughout will soak hundredsup unlimited rays of of informativeknowledge in Phoenix symposia, throughout roundtables, and technical hundredspresentations. of informative symposia, roundtables, and technical presentations. Our Professional Development Group meetings provide Our Professionaladditional Development opportunities Group meetings to bask provide in the heat wave of food safety. additional opportunities to bask in the heat wave of food safety. Register today at Register today at foodprotection.orgfoodprotection.org

2900 100th Street, Suite 309 2900 100th Street, Suite 309 Des Moines, Iowa 50322-3855, USA Des Moines, Iowa 50322-3855, USA+1 515.276.3344 | Fax +1 515.276.8655 +1 515.276.3344 | Fax +1 515.276.8655

IAFP 2021 Food Quality ad.indd 1 1/18/21 9:33 AM

IAFP 2021 Food Quality ad.indd 1 1/18/21 9:33 AM IAFP 2021 Food Quality ad.indd 1

The Leading Food Safety Conference

QUENCH YOUR THIRST FOR FOOD SAFETY IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN The Arizona sun will shine bright on attendees at the world’s leading food safety conference, where food safety professionals will soak up unlimited rays of knowledge in Phoenix throughout hundreds of informative symposia, roundtables, and technical presentations. Our Professional Development Group meetings provide additional opportunities to bask in the heat wave of food safety. Register today at foodprotection.org

2900 100th Street, Suite 309 Des Moines, Iowa 50322-3855, USA +1 515.276.3344 | Fax +1 515.276.8655

IAFP 2021 Food Quality ad.indd 1 1/18/21 9:33 AM PUBLISHER Lisa Dionne Lento, [email protected] SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Bob Zander, [email protected] From The Editors PROFESSIONAL EDITOR Samara E. Kuehne, [email protected] DESIGN Maria Ender, [email protected] PRODUCTION Claudia Vogel, [email protected] Jörg Stenger, [email protected] The State of the Chicken Elli Palzer, [email protected] ast editorials I have written CO-INDUSTRY EDITOR Purnendu C. Vasavada, PhD, [email protected] for FQ&S have focused on CO-INDUSTRY EDITOR Richard Stier, [email protected]

how the publication can Advertising Director help processors build and/ Dan Nicholas Por upgrade their food quality, safety, 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (716) 587-2181, [email protected] and sanitation programs. The mantra Sales Office for doing this is simple: develop, doc- U.S./Canada/International ument, implement, and maintain. Bob Zander (312) 925-7648 When developing protocols, [email protected] the people doing the work need to Editorial Office understand the goals. What are we 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, USA doing? Why are we doing it? Who will do the work? How will it Reprints: E-mail [email protected] be documented? Once development is done, it is time to commit these thoughts to paper. What gets drafted should clearly describe what’s to be done and must be detailed enough so that those read- Editorial Advisory Panel ing the protocol can clearly understand what is expected. Consider John N. Butts, PhD Hasmukh Patel, PhD sharing draft procedures with non-technical staff, the rationale Founder and President, VP of Research and Development, being that if the non-technical people can understand it, it should FoodSafetyByDesign, LLC; Whitehall Specialties Advisor to CEO, Land O’Frost pass muster in actual practice. Mary Ann Platt Cliff Coles President, Occasionally, things get lost in translation. For example, one President, Clifford M. Coles CNS/FoodSafe and RQA, Inc. Food Safety Consulting, Inc. concern when designing aircraft is to protect the canopy or win- Manpreet Singh, PhD dows from bird strikes. An outfit developed a procedure during Professor, Virginia Deibel, PhD Dept. of Poultry Science, which they would launch a chicken carcass at the windows and Chief Scientific Officer, University of Georgia Deibel Laboratories evaluate results. They were asked to share the procedure with an- Shawn K. Stevens other group, who reported no success. The chickens were shat- James Dickson, PhD Food Industry Attorney, Professor, Food Industry Counsel, LLC tering the canopies and often ended up embedded in the pilot’s Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University Patricia A. Wester seat. The group who developed the method responded as follows: CEO, Steven Gendel, PhD The Association for Food Safety “Thaw the chickens first.” Once they did this, testing moved for- Senior Director, Auditing Professionals, ward. While it may be a silly example, it emphasizes the need Food Science, AFSAP Food Chemicals Codex at USP for proper documentation and asking questions if something is Steven Wilson Vijay K. Juneja, PhD Director of Seafood Commerce unclear. Lead Scientist, and Certification, An essential element for implementation is education and Predictive Microbiology for Food Safety, Office of International Affairs USDA-Agricultural Research Service and Seafood Inspection training, i.e., making sure that those performing the work under- stand what they are doing and why. Implementation is also the time when procedures may be tweaked. The people who are being briefed on the protocols may have additional insights. If manage- Printed in the United States by Dartmouth Printing, Hanover, NH. Copyright 2021 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley Company. All rights reserved. No part ment has created an environment where communication flows in of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, except as permitted all directions, the opinions of line workers and others are valued under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the publisher, or authorization through the Copyright Clearance and appreciated. Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923: (978) 750-8400: fax (978) 750-4470. Maintenance is the final part of the equation. Once procedures All materials published, including but not limited to original research, clinical notes, editorials, reviews, reports, letters, and book reviews represent the opinions and views of are in place, it is imperative that they be adhered to. There are the authors and do not reflect any official policy or medical opinion of the institutions with many different elements that make up maintenance, including which the authors are affiliated or of the publisher unless this is clearly specified. Materials published herein are intended to further general scientific research, understanding, and record review, internal audits, and GMP checks. While this would discussion only and are not intended and should not be relied upon as recommending or promoting a specific method, diagnosis or treatment by physicians for any particular patient. seem to be easy, it is often found to be a root cause for problems— While the editors and publisher believe that the specifications and usage of equipment people simply get sloppy or try to take short cuts, or take a task for and devices as set forth herein are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication, they accept no legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, granted and something gets ignored. and make no warranty, express or implied, with respect to material contained herein. Publication of an advertisement or other discussions of products in this publication should Richard F. Stier not be construed as an endorsement of the products or the manufacturers’ claims. Readers are encouraged to contact the manufacturers with any questions about the features or Co-Industry Editor limitations of the products mentioned.

6 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com 2021 Call for Entries 2021 Annual Food Quality & Safety Award

Is your company a food processor, service or retailer? Do you uphold the highest food standards supported by quantifiable results? This prestigious award honors the dedication and achievement of a food quality and safety assurance team that has made exceptional contributions to their company’s commitment in supplying safe food products. Add your company to the mix.

Learn more at foodqualityandsafety.com/award NEWS & NOTES

FDA Releases New Actions Designed mont Law School, notes that while this is an to Reduce Toxins in Baby Food important first step and signals a stronger commitment to address the issue of heavy BY KEITH LORIA metals in baby foods than we’ve seen from In response to a February 2021 report FDA over the past few years, these actions released by the U.S. House of Representa- are not enough. “A few years ago, FDA con- tives Committee on Oversight and Reform vened a Toxic Elements Working Group to

Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer reduce exposure to toxic elements across ©HANDMADEPICTURES - STOCK.ADOBE.COM Policy, FDA has issued a letter to baby and FDA’s regulated product categories,” she toddler food manufacturers reminding them tells Food Quality & Safety. “The working of their obligations under the FSMA Preven- group prioritized lead, arsenic, cadmium, Study: Ultrasonic Cleaning of tive Controls for Human Food Rule to consider and mercury, as these metals present the Leafy Greens Could Reduce Instances chemical hazards in foods when engaged in highest public health risk when individu- of Foodborne Illness their required hazard analysis of food prod- als are exposed at high levels. However, to According to a new study, streams of water ucts. date, FDA has only issued voluntary guid- carrying sound and microscopic air bub- FDA says it will also seek “impactful solu- ance to address inorganic arsenic in rice bles can clean microbial contaminants from tions for reducing toxic elements in foods cereal, meaning it contains nonbinding spinach leaves more effectively than current commonly consumed by babies and young recommendations that can’t be enforced washing methods. children.” The agency also committed to by the agency in the same way a binding Researchers used acoustic water streams engaging in a process to set standards and regulation can.” to clean spinach leaves directly sourced from limits for the presence of heavy metals in Janilyn Hutchings with StateFoodSafety, the field crop and compared the results with baby foods. a food safety education organization, says leaves rinsed in plain water at the same ve- The new actions include issuing guid- that, in addition to taking the new actions locity. The results showed that the microbial ance to manufacturers for “key foods”; plan- it just announced, FDA could also work on load on samples cleaned with the acoustic ning to finalize its action level for inorganic drafting action levels for inorganic arse- streams for two minutes was significantly arsenic in infant rice cereal, which it started nic and lead in other baby foods. “It could lower six days after cleaning than on those working on in 2016; and working to finalize its also consider appropriate action levels for treated without the added sound and bub- draft guidance for an inorganic arsenic action cadmium and mercury,” she says. “As more bles. The acoustic cleaning also caused no level in apple juice and release a draft guid- testing and studies are available and more further damage to the leaves. ance for lead action levels in juices. widely used, the FDA will likely implement Timothy Leighton, a professor of ultra- Laurie Beyranevand, director of the Cen- more changes to ensure the safety of babies sonics and underwater acoustics at the Uni- ter for Agriculture and Food Systems at Ver- and children.” versity of Southampton in the U.K., invented the technology and led the research. “Our streams of water carry microscopic bubbles and acoustic waves down to the leaf,” he says. “There, the sound field sets up echoes at the surface of the leaves, and within the leaf crevices, that attract the bubbles towards the leaf and into the crevices. The sound field also causes the walls of the bubbles to ripple very quickly, turning each bubble into a mi- croscopic ‘scrubbing’ machine. The rippling bubble wall causes strong currents to move in the water around the bubble and sweep the microbes off the leaf. The bacteria, bio- films, and the bubbles themselves are then rinsed off the leaf, leaving it clean and free of residues.” The report was published in Ultrasound

in Medicine and Biology. ©LSTOCKSTUDIO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

8 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com Washington Report

Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC), chair- Congress to ­ man of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, sent a letter Investigate COVID-19 Cases to OSHA and to Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, and JBS USA, which are three of the nation’s largest meatpacking companies. at ­Meatpacking Plants Each company has had multiple COVID-19 Probe to include three processing giants, OSHA outbreaks. “Public reports indicate that under the BY KAREN APPOLD Trump Administration, OSHA failed to ad- equately carry out its responsibility for en- U.S. Congressional subcom- a labor union representing approximately forcing worker safety laws at meatpacking mittee launched an inves- 1.3 million workers, say that plants should plants across the country, resulting in pre- tigation into widespread have done more to protect workers. Mean- ventable infections and deaths,” Clyburn coronavirus infections at while, the Occupational Safety and Health wrote. “It is imperative that the previous Ameatpacking plants on February 1, 2021. Administration (OSHA) is making efforts administration’s shortcomings are swiftly The investigation follows reports that to improve worker safety, while the North identified and rectified to save lives in the nearly 54,000 workers at 569 plants tested American Meat Institute (NAMI) and the months before coronavirus vaccinations positive for the coronavirus, and at least three food manufacturers named in the are available for all Americans.” 270 died. letter say that they have gone above and In response, Marc Perrone, president of Some organizations such as United beyond to ensure employee safety during UFCW International, said in a statement,

©BANNAFARSAI - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©BANNAFARSAI Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the pandemic. (Continued on p. 10)

April / May 2021 9 Washington Report

(Continued from p. 9) erational gaps regarding how to prevent Wester says COVID-19 exposed OSHA’s “Chairman Clyburn’s investigation will further spread when a worker tests positive weaknesses, just as it did in healthcare and bring the transparency needed to hold the for the virus, such as eliminating the com- so many other infrastructure areas. “Un- meatpacking industry accountable for the mon practice of temporarily storing PPE on derfunded and under resourced, OSHA safety failures that resulted in hundreds of a crowded, shared coat rack when workers was most likely unprepared for the scope, workers dying and thousands continuing leave production areas for breaks. scale, and consumer impact of the out- to get sick from this virus every month.” “In the days ahead, these gaps will breaks, making it even more susceptible to Policy expert Patricia A. Wester, CEO need to be closed and enforcement lan- prioritizing operational needs over worker and founder of the Association for Food guage strengthened to prevent continued safety. Added political pressure from the Safety Auditing Professionals in Gaines- outbreak events in these facilities,” Wester White House to reopen as essential busi- ville, Fla., also believes Congress’ letter was says. nesses would certainly have tipped the justified and says that it highlights a serious The letter from Congress criticized scales even further to placing production regulatory and jurisdictional gap between OSHA for fining meatpacking companies needs over employee safety,” she says. OSHA and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspec- based on a company’s annual revenue tion Service (FSIS). She says food facilities and how much they pay their executives. Meatpacking Plants should have followed CDC Guidance for In response, an OSHA spokesperson tells Tout Their Efforts Businesses and Employers Responding FQ&S that OSHA cites based on the hazard Despite the Congressional subcommit- to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to and the maximum penalty amount set by tee’s criticism, spokespeople for meat- combat outbreaks, and expanded them to Congress. When setting a penalty amount, packing plants say their companies made cover activities not addressed by that docu- OSHA begins with the maximum penalty, extensive efforts to keep workers safe. ment, which would allow others to benefit then makes adjustments based on various In a February 1, 2021 statement, Keira from their experiences. Furthermore, FSIS factors outlined in Chapter 6 of the Field Lombardo, chief administrative officer of has well-defined boundaries for enforce- Operations Manual. “While monetary Smithfield Foods in Smithfield, Va., said, ment action options during food safety fines are effective enforcement tools, the “From early in the pandemic, we have events that OSHA appears to lack; the meat most important outcome of an OSHA cita- taken extraordinary measures to protect industry might have been able to exploit tion is that it requires the employer to abate our team members from the virus and that knowledge gap to further minimize the underlying workplace hazard, remov- we have met or exceeded the prevailing OSHA’s enforcement actions. ing workers from dangerous situations,” federal, state, and local health and safety the spokesperson says. guidance.” OSHA’s Response In addition to Congress’ letter, in January 2021, President Biden issued an executive Why Meatpacking Plants and Their Communities order calling on OSHA to increase protec- Can Be COVID-19 Hotspots tions for workers. In response, OSHA pub- lished new guidance to help employers While the total number of COVID-19 cases • Worker socioeconomic status and and workers identify risks of exposure to and deaths associated with the proxim- meatpacker labor practices. Among contracting COVID-19 in the workplace. ity to livestock plants is estimated to be U.S. front-line meat-processing work- The agency is currently reviewing its en- between 236,000 and 310,000 (6% to 8% ers, 45% are categorized as low in- forcement efforts related to COVID-19 to of all U.S. cases) and 4,300 to 5,200 (3% come, 80% are people of color, and identify any changes that could better to 4% of all U.S. deaths), respectively, 52% are immigrants, many of whom as of July 21, 2020, the vast majority of are undocumented and lack ready protect workers and ensure equity in en- these cases are likely related to commu- ­access to healthcare and other worker forcement, an OSHA spokesperson tells nity spread outside these plants, says protections that could facilitate Food Quality & Safety. Chris Boulos, MBA, who co-authored an COVID-19 prevention and treatment. The agency is also working to estab- ­article published in the Proceedings of the In addition, employees at these facil- lish a new national emphasis program to ­National Academy of Sciences about live- ities may face incentives to continue focus OSHA’s efforts on violations, such as stock plants and COVID-19 transmission. working, even while sick, through those at meat processing plants, that put The research cites multiple characteris- company policies. the largest number of workers at risk for tics that make meat plants susceptible contracting COVID-19. to local outbreaks of respiratory viruses, The study also found evidence of com­ In commenting on OSHA’s new guide- including: munity transmission outside the plants. lines, Wester says that the new document • Long work shifts in close proximity to The data suggest that meatpacking coworkers, difficulty in maintaining plants feature a particularly high inten- aligns with CDC’s COVID-19 guidance proper face covering due to physical sity of COVID-19 transmission among in- document, although gaps remain in both demands, and shared transportation dustrial facilities or along transportation documents. As guidance documents, they among workers. routes, which increases the likelihood are only recommendations, not enforce- • Cold temperatures and powerful HVAC that people infected within the plants in able requirements, handicapping OSHA’s systems inside slaughtering plants, turn spread the disease throughout local enforcement authority. There are also op- which may increase transmission risk. communities, Boulos says.—KA

10 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com Lombardo said the company invested than $200 million in health and safety in- centives that emphasize attendance over more than $700 million in critical mea- terventions, provided more than $160 mil- worker health need to be eliminated,” sures to protect employees, including lion in bonuses and permanent increased she says. “Testing platforms that provide on-site COVID-19 pre-screening and test- pay, and donated more than $50 million real-time results need to be deployed in- ing facilities; air purification systems; ex- to support local communities, said Nikki dustry-wide to prevent asymptomatic tensive physical barriers at work stations; Richardson, a spokesperson for the com- transmission among workers. Better track employee protective equipment; signifi- pany, in February. and trace systems are needed to detect cant facility modifications and expansion JBS USA has also implemented hun- community spread as early as possible.” to ensure distancing in key areas, such as dreds of safety measures, including of- Wester says it’s also worth noting that break and lunch rooms; thousands of san- fering unlimited PPE, constructing per- meat packaging plants made little mention itation stations and prominent banners manent physical barriers, establishing of reduced line speed as a mitigation step. and signage that outline and encourage physical distancing protocols, and install- “Instead, barriers were placed between safe practices in multiple languages; and ing hospital-grade ventilation systems in workers that appear to be a sanitation night­- additional new employees dedicated to all facilities. JBS USA provides immediate mare, raising the question of increased ensuring that distancing and sanitation testing to all symptomatic team members food safety hazards in the future,” she says. practices are implemented correctly. and close contacts and has conducted Carl S. Custer, MS, a retired food micro- Smithfield Foods has also imple- more than 45,000 surveillance tests of as- biologist in Bethesda, Md., also believes mented liberal leave and pay policies that ymptomatic team members to date. It has that meatpacking facilities should have guaranteed pay for nearly 13,000 employ- voluntarily removed vulnerable popula- done more to protect employees from ees who were quarantined but did not test tion groups with full pay and benefits, cov- COVID-19 when it became evident that positive for COVID-19. ered 100% of all COVID-19 related health plants were hot spots. “I’ve seen floor man- During a February 9, 2021, earnings expenses for team members and family agers impede plant management safety call, Tyson Foods’ President and CEO Dean members enrolled in its health plan, and policy to improve production because their Banks announced the hiring of a chief med- offered a $100 incentive bonus for any U.S. bonus is based on productivity,” he says. ical officer to ensure that the organization team member willing to get vaccinated. “I’ve also seen workers disregard plant continues to remain vigilant and aggressive In response to the congressional let- safety policy out of ignorance and the urge toward overall team member wellness. The ter, NAMI, a voice for the meat and poultry to speed up.” company also hired 200 new nurses and industry, issued a statement on February UFCW’s Perrone said in statement, administrative staff, bringing the total oc- 1, maintaining that more than $1.5 billion “Under President Trump, OSHA was asleep cupational health staff to almost 600 team in comprehensive protections have been at the switch and consistently failed to en- members. “With these resources, we’re ad- instituted since the spring, successfully force the safety standards needed to pro- vancing our health and safety priorities to cutting average case rates for meat and tect America‘s meatpacking workers. This support our vaccine rollout and build our poultry workers five times lower in Decem- new investigation will help to shine a light wellness programs,” Banks said. ber 2020 than they were in May 2020, while on these failures and ensure the industry In addition, Banks said Tyson, head- infections rocketed up by nine times for the and regulators take the steps necessary to quartered in Springdale, Ark., has ex- general population in the same period. better protect these essential workers as tended an ongoing partnership with a clin- “The meat and poultry industry is the pandemic continues. As the union for ical services provider to prepare for broad focused on continuing these effective pro- our country‘s meatpacking workers, UFCW vaccine distribution and to ensure that U.S. tections, reaffirmed by the Biden Admin- is calling on every CEO in the industry to team members are educated across multi- istration, and ensuring frontline meat and fully cooperate with this investigation so ple languages about the COVID-19 vaccine. poultry workers are vaccinated as soon the American people learn the truth about Meanwhile, thousands of team members as possible, as employers, unions, civil these safety failures and can trust that continue to be tested every week; approx- rights leaders, and governments around immediate action will be taken to ensure imately half of its workforce was tested as the world agree these workers should be these outbreaks never happen again.” of February 9. among the first vaccinated after health- As the congressional investigation Tyson Foods has also invested hun- care workers,” the organization’s state- continues, Custer expects that establish- dreds of millions of dollars during the pan- ment said. ments will insist that workers and super- demic to transform its U.S. facilities with visors follow and impose CDC guidelines protective measures, from walk-through Others Cite Room for Improvement regarding COVID-19. If not, they risk litiga- temperature scanners and workstation In contrast to the meatpacking plants and tion and regulatory interventions. ■ dividers to social distance monitors and NAMI, some organizations and policy ex- always-on testing, and also provided addi- perts had different opinions on how plants Appold is a freelance writer based in Pennsylvania. Reach her at [email protected]. tional team member pay and benefits, says have handled the pandemic. Gary Mickelson, a company spokesperson Wester says the meat industry needs to for Tyson Foods. assess the real impact of ever-increasing What Do You Think? Since the onset of the pandemic, JBS line speeds and finally prioritize worker Have something to say? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. USA, in Greeley, Colo., has invested more safety over production demands. “In-

April / May 2021 11 Yet, regardless of how many states en- act permissive cannabis laws, antiquated and scientifically unsupported federal pol- icy continues to stymie industry growth. Legal Update Perhaps the biggest hurdle for the indus- try is that marijuana remains classified as a schedule I substance under federal law. Schedule I substances are defined as having a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. The impact of that designation, from a legal and business per- spective, is difficult to overstate. It outlaws the interstate transport of marijuana, bans banks from doing business with legitimate marijuana businesses, and generally pro- hibits federally funded institutions from conducting marijuana research, among many other restrictions. Predictably, de- scheduling marijuana is at the top of the agenda for those who support legalization. Achieving that goal has proved ex- ceedingly difficult, despite the unsup- portable designation of marijuana as a schedule I substance and the widespread national support for legalization. Accord- ing to a recent Gallup Poll, nearly 70% of Americans support legalization. This is more than at any point in the past five decades. Last year, every state that held a legalization referendum approved it. Despite the widespread support, how- ever, Congressional Republicans remain largely opposed to legalization. As a result, efforts to enact reform have languished in Congress, and key hurdles remain in place.

Recent Legislation Cannabis Update The lack of reform is not due to a lack of legislation. Last September, the Se- Will 2021 be the year of cannabis reform? cure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act BY JOEL S. CHAPPELLE, ESQ., AND SHAWN K. STEVENS, ESQ. (“SAFE Act”), the first version of which was drafted in 2013, passed the House with 76% support. It was the first time a annabis legalization in the Less than a decade after Colorado and stand-alone cannabis law was voted on United States is continuing to Washington became the first states to le- by the full House. The SAFE Act would sweep across the country at a galize it, Virginia will become the 16th not legalize cannabis, but it would allow breakneck pace. Even amidst a state to legalize adult-use cannabis. In to- financial institutions and insurance com- Cpandemic, a shaky economy, and histori- tal, thirty-six states (nearly three quarters) panies to provide financial services to can- cally unprecedented division and partisan have legalized marijuana for medical and/ nabis businesses, opening up an ability to rancor, ballot measures and legislation or adult use, and that number is certain to secure commercial loans and access credit to legalize marijuana continue to enjoy increase, with another dozen States con- transactions. The bill stalled however, be- widespread bipartisan support. Arizona, sidering adult-use legalization measures cause Senate Majority Leader Mitch McCo- Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota in 2021. While not all of these states will nnell (R-Ky.) refused to bring it up for a vote all approved ballot initiatives in Novem- enact legalization measures this year, at in the Senate. ber 2020 to legalize adult-use marijuana, least five states (New Mexico, New York, In December 2020, the House of Rep- joining 11 other states that had already le- Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Florida) resentatives made history again when it

galized it. appear likely to do so. passed comprehensive legislation that - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©1STUNNINGART

12 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com would federally legalize cannabis. The likely remain on the back burner for the duces high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and time being. Even so, reform remains likely. (THC)—the psychoactive compound that Expungement Act (“MORE Act”) would Consider, for instance, that Vice President produces a “high” when consumed— transform U.S. cannabis law and funda- Kamala Harris was one of the original hemp does not. Hemp produces only triv- mentally expand the opportunities avail- co-sponsors of a previous iteration of the ial amounts of THC, generally insufficient able to cannabis businesses. MORE Act. to cause impairment. Hemp is also utilized Specifically, the law would remove Certainly, cannabis issues are extraor- for a range of nutritional and industrial marijuana from the list of scheduled sub- dinarily complex, transcending legal, purposes. stances under the Controlled Substances social, geographical and economic bar- While there are currently no federal Act and eliminate federal criminal pen- riers. Despite (or perhaps because of) the standards for cannabinoid hemp proces- alties for individuals who manufacture, rapid legal and cultural shift, confusion sors or retailers, and cannabinoid prod- distribute, or possess marijuana (states ucts are not federally approved as dietary would still have criminal jurisdiction over supplements or food additives, that will marijuana offenses and would be able to While there are currently likely change in the future. Given the fed- enact the laws they deem appropriate). The no federal standards eral government’s lack of action, states MORE Act would also create a 5% federal have been active in developing regulatory tax on cannabis products, which would for cannabinoid hemp frameworks governing CBD products. be applied toward small business loans ­processors or retailers, New York, for instance, recently en- and support for law enforcement. It would and cannabinoid products acted comprehensive regulations govern- make Small Business Administration loans ing the manufacture and sale of canna- and services available to cannabis-related are not federally approved binoid hemp products. Among the most legitimate businesses or service providers as dietary supplements notable shifts in the New York framework and establish a process to expunge convic- or food additives, that will are an allowance for more permissive THC tions and conduct sentencing review hear- levels and the requirement that cannabi- ings related to federal cannabis offenses. likely change in the future. noid hemp processors maintain qualified The MORE Act was passed by the third-party GMP certifications. These are House of Representatives, again with bi- both common sense, reasonable mea- partisan support. The historic vote repre- and misinformation regarding cannabis sures. The more permissive THC allow- sented the first time that either chamber abound. But, as laws across the country ances will improve outcomes for business of Congress voted to legalize cannabis. become more permissive, people see first- by allowing them to address marginally Following passage in the House, Senator hand how beneficial cannabis legalization higher THC levels rather than destroying Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) commented: “I can be. Even those who are not interested the products. Likewise, the new certifica- have long believed that any effort to reform in consuming cannabis are benefitting tion requirements will promote enhanced our nation’s marijuana laws should also from the massive tax windfall generated consumer safety and confidence, giving include significant measures to undo the by cannabis sales. Excise and sales taxes consumers better assurance that the prod- harms that too many families and commu- on cannabis raised more than $1.9 billion ucts they purchase contain what they say. nities have suffered as a result of the war in 2019. Those dollars can be applied to The New York regulations provide what is on drugs.” With Sen. McConnell as Major- much needed education and infrastruc- broadly expected to be a successful frame- ity Leader in the Senate, however, the bill ture improvements. By contrast, enforcing work that will likely be adopted by other would not receive a vote in the Senate. At cannabis prohibition laws costs taxpayers states, and perhaps even federally. the time, it appeared the Senate would re- approximately $3.6 billion a year. Addi- Only time will tell whether 2021 is the main under Republican control, in which tionally, legal cannabis sales totaled $9.5 year that comprehensive cannabis reform case, meaningful reform was unlikely. billion in 2017 and are projected to reach finally occurs at the federal level. But at Following the surprise sweep by Dem- $23 billion by 2022. a minimum, we are closer than we have ocrats in the January 2021 runoff elections ever been. We have never before seen, as in Georgia, hope for comprehensive can- HEMP and CBD Products we have with cannabis, such a rapid emer- nabis reform was revived. In a February On the hemp front, the FDA is still in the gence of an entire industry. Consequently, statement issued by Sen. Schumer, along early stages of creating its own rulemak- it is impossible to predict what might with fellow Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and ing process governing non-psychoactive come next. But given the rapid adoption Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the senators asserted: cannabinoids in hemp, like cannabidiol and popularity of cannabis legalization “Ending the federal marijuana prohibition (CBD), a compound widely credited for initiatives across the U.S., it appears that is necessary to right the wrongs of this treating a variety of ailments, including cannabis is here to stay. ■ failed war [on drugs] and end decades of stress, pain, and seizure disorders, among harm inflicted on communities of color others. As a reminder to readers, the term Chappelle is a food industry lawyer and a consultant at across the country.” Nevertheless, given “cannabis” includes both hemp and mar- Food Industry Counsel, LLC. Reach him at chappelle@ foodindustrycounsel.com. Stevens, also a food industry the immediate health and economic cri- ijuana. The two share many properties, attorney, is a founding member of Food Industry Counsel, ses facing the nation, cannabis reform will but whereas marijuana typically pro- LLC. Reach him at [email protected].

April / May 2021 13 Global Interests

retail, foodservice, and household levels, and costing more than €140 billion ($168 billion) yearly when accounting for asso- ciated financial costs. Households contrib- uted the most to the total EU-28 food waste at about 53%, while processing added about 19% . Global food waste is estimated at 1.3 billion tons per year, per the FAO, or more than one-third of worldwide food production. Fresh fruits and vegetables lead global food waste at 45% of the global food production, with food waste from residential homes one of the largest rates. Most of this waste goes to landfills, where conditions support generating greenhouse gases such as methane, which contribute to global warming. Those food wastes may occur due to improper handling, lack of proper storage, unsold stock, and pro- cessing (e.g., peeling, washing, drying). Other factors contributing to food losses and waste in the food supply chain include no raw materials in the farm, no labor in Food Waste During COVID-19 the farm, limitations on transportation, or problems due to infestations, microbial How the pandemic has impacted food waste spoilage, over ordering, equipment mal- at the consumer level | BY AURORA A. SAULO, PHD function, food culls, failure to meet prod- uct specifications, seasonal foods, bulk size packaging, overstocking, overproduc- ood waste is a complicated con- stitute of Food Science & Technology, the tion, and human error, which often results cept. There are various definitions lead professional society of food science from lack of worker training. from different respected units us- and technology in the U.K., follow FAO At the consumer level, a consumer’s ing data from varying sources and definitions. different understanding of product expira- Fstudies using different methods. USDA In this article, I focus on food waste, or tion dates, product storage at inappropri- defines food loss as the loss of edible food the loss of food that occurs at the consumer ate temperatures, shopping and cooking in that occurs in the food supply chain start- level. excess of actual need, inappropriate food ing from post-harvest and including losses management, lack of cooking skills, and at the retail and consumer levels. The Food Waste Estimates and Causes lack of knowledge of preservation prac- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) The USDA Economic Research Service esti- tices further contribute to food waste. of the United Nations defines food loss as mates that, in 2010, food loss in the United the decrease in the quantity or quality of States comprised 31% of the food supply at Influence of COVID-19 food that occurs in the food supply chain the retail and consumer levels, or approx- on Food Waste from harvest/slaughter/catch, but doesn’t imately 133 billion pounds of food, with Did COVID-19 lead to an increase or a de- include loss from retailers, foodservice an estimated retail value of $162 billion. crease in food waste? providers, and consumers. FAO defines The European Union’s (EU-28) total edible Researchers of a study published in food waste as the decrease in the quantity and inedible food waste is estimated at 88 Environment, Development and Sustain- or quality of food that occurs in the retail million tons in 2012, with about 62 mil- ability (2020) reported that during a crisis and consumption levels of the food sup- lion tons (or about 70% of the total food there is a preference to save rather than

ply chain. The United Nations and the In- waste) coming from the wholesale and to throw, as consumers did during severe ©ANDREY POPOV - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

14 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com recessions in Greece and Italy, leading to COVID-19 resulted in limited food supplies, higher reduced waste. But the same research- ers also contend that pandemic-driven food prices, limited employment opportunities, and disruptions such as lockdowns, storage reduced take-home pays; however, increased time limitations, and stockpiling, coupled with in the home improved consumer cooking practices the lack of consumer cooking skills and practices, could have increased household and food management skills, leading to improved food waste during COVID-19. efficiency in food production at the consumer Research results published in the level that may have led to reduced food waste. journal Food Policy in 2015, before the pandemic, indicated that countries that are most developed and have higher in- come per capita produced larger amounts home mandates, food shopping with in- benefiting the world. UFA claims that of food waste. For example, those living creased and deliberate planning, inten- more than 100 company members have in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithua- tionally decreasing shopping time at the committed to upcycling food products nia, and Poland produce less food waste supermarket, and food shopping without into new safe products. The organization than those from Denmark, Ireland, and family members who were prone to im- has also developed a certification scheme Sweden. People aged 65 and older tend to pulse purchasing. that labels food using upcycled food in- produce less food waste than their younger Concerns about the stability of the gredients or products, which will support counterparts. Since females are most likely food supply were heightened during the their vision to “build the sustainable food to be the primary food preparers at home, pandemic, and no clear answers could system of the future.” This trending as- they are more familiar with and produce be obtained from those who supplied sociation of food waste with the growing less food waste than males, according to food to the consumers. People with high global concern for the environment is very the same researchers. Unemployment is levels of NFC (need for cognitive closure) attractive to Millennials and the younger associated with producing less food waste during these stressful times depended on generations. than employment. Those with a higher clear answers, devoid of ambiguity or con- COVID-19 resulted in limited food level of education tend to have higher earn- fusion, to manage stress. They perceived supplies, higher food prices, limited em- ings and produce more food waste than that they needed more food than usual and ployment opportunities, and reduced those with a lower level of education. Peo- characteristically stockpiled food without take-home pays; however, the increased ple living in rural areas produce less food necessarily using it, resulting in a potential time in the home improved the consumer’s waste than those in urban areas, and living increase of food waste and associated food cooking practices and food management in areas with less litter tends to encourage packaging materials. skills, leading to an improved efficiency residents to produce less food waste. In its advertisement during Super in food production at the consumer level In 2017, before the pandemic, India Bowl LV, Unilever hired a celebrity to offer that may have led to reduced food waste. had one of the lowest food waste rates per tips on how to avoid food waste at home. In addition, because employment, rather capita (51kg, 112 lb.) in the world. On the Food waste became trending news. But than unemployment, is correlated with other end of the scale, Australia reached The Hartman Group clarified that food increased food waste, decreased employ- 361 kg (796 lb.) while the United States had waste has already been in the forefront of ment and income may likewise have led to 278 kg (613 lb.), the highest rates per capita consumer concerns, even prior to the pan- a decrease in food waste. And, perhaps, worldwide—more than the combined re- demic. The group explained that, during due to the scarcity of food supplies during ported food waste rates of the United King- the pandemic, consumer awareness in- the pandemic, consumers consciously dom, Germany, France, Italy, and Sweden. creased such that more than half (56%) increased their awareness of what they During the pandemic, when researchers of those they interviewed were willing to should use without waste. interviewed respondents of similar de- increase composting food waste. Those Thus, available research data seem mographics and gender distribution from were in addition to the 16% who were al- to demonstrate that food waste has been the U.S. and Italy about their perceived ready composting food waste. Thus, a de- reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. rates of food waste during COVID-19, the crease in food waste during COVID-19 was respondents thought their rates of food expected. Mitigation Strategies waste had decreased, with a higher rate A formal association between food To develop meaningful and relevant strat- of reduction among U.S. respondents waste and the environment was estab- egies, it’s necessary to have a harmonized than those from Italy. The researchers ex- lished by the Upcycled Food Association global definition of food waste. To date, plained that these decreases in food waste in 2020, resulting in another trending ini- strategies recommended to reduce food may have resulted from targeted shopping tiative. The new trend is called upcycled waste at the consumer level (as presently or purchasing foods that address specific food products and is defined by UFA as defined) include ways that many consum- issues, such as those that strengthen the “new, high-quality products from other- ers are already practicing because of the immune system, increased cooking time wise wasted—but perfectly nutritious—in conditions imposed on them by COVID-19. at home due to lockdowns and stay-at- gredients” for the world community while (Continued on p. 38)

April / May 2021 15 Cannabis Corner

centrated. The majority of the mold should be killed by extraction, but it remains to be seen whether toxins that may be produced by the microbes growing on moldy product can still be detected in extracts.” Kevin McKernan, the chief science officer of Beverly, Mass.-based cannabis biotechnology firm Medicinal Genomics, concurs, noting that CO2 or ethanol ex- traction processes sterilize the cannabis flower, but may also enrich mycotoxins and pesticides in the process. “Not all mi- crobial contaminants are flower derived, and regulators are still looking to ensure the infused products have not been con- taminated downstream of the extraction process,” he says.

Oversight What kind of a threat do such processed Microbial Contamination mycotoxins pose for consumers? Charles T. Deibel, president of food safety testing of Cannabis-Infused Foods firm Deibel Laboratories, acknowledges Testing infused food and beverages for microbial contamination should be done, whether or not FDA insists upon it Microbial Pathogens Particular to Cannabis BY JESSE STANIFORTH Though two dozen or more pathogens may infect the cannabis plant, Zamir annabis-infused food products the cannabis plant to contaminate prod- Punja, PhD, says there are roughly usually look just like any other ucts downstream. seven that affect cannabis flower buds. foodstuff. In many cases, an in- Zamir Punja, PhD, a professor of plant Fortunately for most cannabis produc- fused product may taste quite biotechnology at Simon Fraser University ers and consumers, buds can undergo Csimilar to its non-infused counterpart. in Burnaby, B.C., Canada, was lead author an electrobeam irradiation treatment, which essentially eliminates all patho- Yet on a food safety level, the two stand of a 2019 study that cataloged pathogens gens, he says. distinctly apart. Though cannabis flower and molds affecting the cannabis plant. He The problem is that some pathogens contains a number of potentially active notes that most of the seven or so patho- may have the capacity to do lasting dam- compounds, such as flavonoids and ar- gens affecting cannabis flower buds would age before they’re irradiated. Dr. Punja omatic terpenes, the term “cannabis” in not survive any solvent extraction, liquid says that researchers are not yet certain cannabis-infused product refers primarily carbon dioxide, or temperatures higher of how microbes that produce toxins may to the addition of active cannabinoids— than 60º C. affect a contaminated bud. chiefly, tetrahydrocannabinol and/or “I would consider these methods to Among the fungi that produce tox- cannabidiol, but also cannabigerol and have eliminated living microbes,” Dr. ins are Botrytis, Fusarium, Penicillium, cannabinol. Such cannabinoids are usu- Punja says. “What we don’t yet know is and Aspergillus, all of which may afflict a cannabis plant. Importantly, the toxins ally received from cannabis extractors in what would happen if a contaminated bud these fungi produce are heat stable and the form of cannabinoid distillate. Due to has [fungal] growth on it and the microbe may survive solvent extraction. However, the heat and chemical extremes required produces a toxin. Some of these toxins can Dr. Punja stresses, the science surround- to extract cannabinoids to distillate, this is survive solvent extraction and are heat ing the understanding of these fungi in good news for those worried about the po- stable. So, they may survive through the cannabis is emerging and has not yet

tential for microbial pathogens endemic to extraction process, and possibly be con- been settled.—JS - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©KATERYNA_KON

16 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com Dr. Punja’s and McKernan’s concerns, more likely that the pathogen is introduced “In California, each batch of cannabis but he’s not certain how much we should from the food product itself rather than the is tested for E. coli, Salmonella, Aspergillus, worry about them. “Aspergillus produces cannabis component.” and mycotoxins, says Glauser. “In Oregon, an extremely heat-stable toxin aflatoxin,” It’s the food product, not the cannabis, there is no requirement for microbial test- Deibel says. “[Aflatoxin] is an extremely that makes infused products so compli- ing yet, but that is expected to change in stable toxin structure, and it can absolutely cated, because, while infused foods com in 2021. In other states, product is tested for survive some of the processing to make dis- an increasingly wide variety of shapes, fla- yeast and mold. In Massachusetts, product tillate, but it’s rare. You’re just looking at a vors, and permutations, infused products is tested for all of the above, plus coliforms numbers game. Bacteria are a hell of a lot are not subject to FDA oversight. “As soon and certain bacteria.” more prevalent in recalls and [incidences as you put THC in a food product, the FDA But even between states that test for of] foodborne [illness] than some of these says, ‘Not my jurisdiction,’” says Deibel. the same pathogens, differences may arise, oddball toxins like aflatoxin.” When it comes to infused food prod- says McKernan, who stresses that the sam- Not just bacteria, says Lori Glauser, co- ucts, FDA treats them more like medicine ple size requirements, targets, and thresh- founder and interim CEO of Nevada canna- than like food, says Glauser. “The FDA olds for failure differ from state to state. bis testing firm EVIO Labs. Before infused requires that manufacturers have ‘reason- All that testing is less demanding foods and beverages go to market, produc- able assurance that food is not adulter- than that required of food products un- ers are also testing for a variety of patho- ated,’ and will perform sampling of certain der FDA, adds Deibel, who says that food gens. “We test the final product, not just the commodities.” But the safety of THC-in- producers subject to FDA oversight must cannabis ingredient,” Glauser says. “When fused foods is overseen at the state level test many more batches of higher weights testing for yeast, mold, E. coli, Salmonella, alone, and the differences in requirements than are ever demanded of edible cannabis and mycotoxins in infused products, it is from state to state vary widely. products. (Continued on p. 38)

For more information and to see how our products can be incorporated into testing workfl ows, visit our website: bio-rad.com/cannabis

Bio-Rad is a trademark of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. in certain jurisdictions. All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owner.

April / May 2021 17 THE RISE OF ­FUNCTIONAL FOODS Fortified food and beverages gain traction as consumers choose to eat with health in mind BY LORI VALIGRA

18 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com onsumers have been purchasing that up to one-third of consumers think they are not get- foods, ingredients, and beverages ting enough nutrients. “The lesson here for marketers is, that provide added health ben- if you have something that is nutritionally important, you efits since the 1980s, but these need to flaunt it, or it is a missed opportunity,” she adds. “functional foods” have gained prominence during the CCOVID-19 pandemic, when homebound people began What Is a Functional Food? cooking more often and seeking healthier ingredients. Japanese academics were among the first to promote Functional foods claim to offer a broad array of ben- the concept of functional foods in the early 1980s, defin- efits, including stress reduction, anti-aging, pain relief, ing them as having nutrition, sensory satisfaction, and heart health, brain function, and increased energy. Al- physiological functions. Japan established regulations most any food in the grocery store that offers more than the recommended dietary allowance of a nutrient could be considered a functional food. COVID-19 reminded More than half of consumers say they are eating more healthily than before the pandemic, and 63% of grocery con­sumers about the impor- shoppers regularly buy foods for specific health benefits, tance of taking specific says A. Elizabeth Sloan, PhD, CEO and owner of Califor- nia-based nutraceutical consultancy firm Sloan Trends. ­nutrients, especially those Consumers are particularly interested in vitamins and related to ­immunity, ­driving minerals, immunity-boosting products, pediatric health, and support for individuals at higher risk for getting more ­consumers to look for severe COVID-19, such as those with hypertension, obe- more fortified foods. sity, or diabetes. In 2019, immunity ranked 18th among the health is- —A. ELIZABETH SLOAN, PHD sues of greatest concern, but now it ranks third, Dr. Sloan says. Sales of products with an immune claim, whether they be fresh, frozen, or refrigerated, rose 21% in 2020. In for functional foods in the early 1990s, followed by the the second half of 2020, foods and beverages that help European Union a decade later (see “Regulating Func- control diabetes rose 14%, obesity 13%, and hyperten- tional Foods Internationally, p. 21). sion 9%, she says, quoting statistics from IRI, a data re- In the U.S., there is no clear definition for what a search firm based in Chicago. functional food is, apart from those created by industry “COVID-19 reminded consumers about the impor- organizations (see “Defining Functional Foods,” p. 20). tance of taking specific nutrients, especially those related Because FDA doesn’t have a statutory or legal definition to immunity, driving consumers to look for more forti- for functional foods, it does not specifically regulate fied foods,” Dr. Sloan says. Fortified foods, which con- them, says Sarah Johnson, PhD, assistant professor in tain added nutrients, are considered functional foods, the department of food science and human nutrition at whereas enriched foods, which only add back original Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Food quality ingredients removed during processing, are not. and safety for functional food products are regulated the The demand for fortified foods runs counter to a mar- same way as for any other food; however, FDA does over- keting trend over the last few years. Food marketers had see health claims made for these foods. pursued a naturally healthy formulation strategy and The definitions provided by industry organizations did not label specific nutrients or fortify products such have a common theme, that a functional food provides as breakfast cereals, Dr. Sloan says. That strategy is back- benefits beyond meeting the basic nutritional needs of

©ALONA DUDAIEVA - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©ALONA DUDAIEVA firing now, she says, with some market research showing (Continued on p. 20)

April / May 2021 19 COVER STORY: THE RISE OF FUNCTIONAL­ FOODS

Hutt, PhD, chief science and regulatory officer at Sloan Trends. Both older and younger people want to protect themselves from aging poorly. “Young people really are concerned about hav- ing the energy to do what they need to do,” Dr. Hutt says. They also are concerned about stress, sleep, and digestion. She says that protein is used in a lot of functional foods because it can increase lean body muscle. Sustainably produced functional foods also are in big demand, Dr. Johnson says. That in- cludes foods produced with less of an environ- mental footprint, which includes growing and packaging the food. Clamshell packages that are fully recyclable have become popular, she says. One food she studies is microgreens, small edible greens that take less space to grow and are grow- ing in popularity. CBD One area getting a lot of attention is cannabis-de- rived cannabidiol (CBD), which claims to offer ©KLEVERLEVEL - STOCK.ADOBE.COM (Continued from p. 19) relaxation and pain reduction, among other ben- calories, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. efits. While FDA acknowledges there are products on the market Functional foods add bioactive components such as nutrients or that contain CBD, it is still illegal at the federal level to infuse it into plant-based chemicals that affect one or more physiological func- food and beverages. FDA says CBD products may put the health tions in the body to improve health, reduce disease risk, or improve and safety of consumers at risk because its effects and safe dos- disease outcomes, Dr. Johnson says. Some of the better-known age still are not known. However, FDA currently is “taking steps to functional foods include teas that can reduce stress, orange juice improve the efficiency of regulatory pathways for the lawful mar- fortified with calcium, high-protein yogurt, detoxifying water, and keting of appropriate cannabis and cannabis-derived products,” fermented foods rich in probiotics. according to its website. That’s good news to those making and Functional foods are eaten by people of all ages for different wanting to consume the products. “Many food companies, large reasons. People tend to look for foods that will help them maintain and small, are sitting with products at the ready, hoping FDA will the ability to do things as they age, including enhancing mobility, take such an action,” Dr. Hutt says. mental function, immunity, and energy, says Catherine Adams

Defining Functional Foods

FDA doesn’t have a statutory definition for functional foods, so it does not regulate them, but industry groups have given some guidance with their own definitions. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics defines functional foods as whole foods and fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods that have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis at effective levels. The Institute of Food Technologists says they are foods and food components that provide a health benefit be- yond basic nutrition (for the intended population). Exam- ples may include conventional foods; fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods; and dietary supplements. Functional foods provide essential nutrients beyond quantities nec- essary for normal maintenance, growth, and development, and/or provide other biologically active components that impart health benefits or desirable physiological effects. The International Life Sciences Institute defines them as foods and food components that have the ability to benefi- cially influence body functions to help improve the state of well-being and health and reduce the risk of diseases.—LV ©MAKISTOCK - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

20 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com COVER STORY: THE RISE OF FUNCTIONAL­ FOODS

FDA Regulation are easier to gauge. For a functional food aimed at boosting iron, a FDA oversees misbranding of food that might claim medical ben- blood test three to six weeks into eating it will show whether or not efits. There are specific rules for health claims on food packages it is effective, says Kantha Shelke, PhD, principal at Corvus Blue, a or in advertising, Dr. Hutt says. Claims have to be truthful and not Chicago-based food science and nutrition research firm. misleading, and they cannot be disease claims. “A good example is Cream of Wheat. Expecting moms and In a well-publicized effort to clamp down on what it saw as nursing moms who cannot hold their iron can eat Cream of Wheat misbranding, FDA, in May 2009, issued a warning to General because it’s fortified [with iron], and that particular form is really Mills about claims for its Cheerios cereal at the time. The agency gentle on your stomach,” Dr. Shelke says. “When they go for their said that language on the cereal’s label, including a claim that next blood test, they can see it. And word has gotten around over the cereal is clinically proven to lower cholesterol, made the the years, so people trust it.” cereal sound like a drug that could prevent, mitigate, and treat Another way to gauge the effect of a fortified food is in a prod- high cholesterol and heart disease, according to WebMD. “Food uct such as a fortified energy drink, where an effect is immediately is supposed to support optimal health or maintain health,” Dr. palpable, she says. “People trust it, they have no doubt, and they Hutt says. “It is not intended to treat diseases. She says consumers buy it,” she says. should be able to trust what they see on products as health claims. Measuring Results One of the first steps in creating a functional food is making sure people will consume it, Dr. Johnson says. It has to taste good, be- cause even if it has healthful ingredients, consumers won’t buy it if it tastes bad. Another important aspect is making sure the prod- ©GOODLUZ - STOCK.ADOBE.COM uct is not just trendy, with an ingredient that consumers link with improved health, but that it contains enough of the ingredient to provide a benefit. It can be difficult for consumers to measure results from a functional food, but there are some functional ingredients that

Regulating Functional Foods Internationally

While functional foods are not regulated separately by FDA in the United States, other countries have taken a more specific approach to the scientific merit of benefits listed on functional food labels. In 1991, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare set up a regulatory system for functional foods called “Foods for Specified Health Use,” or FOSHU, to eval- uate foods for their effectiveness and safety. FOSHU also approved statements on food labels about how the food af- fects the human body, and qualifying foods could include the FOSHU seal on their labels. Functional Foods By the Numbers In Europe, the International Life Sciences Institute ini- tiated the Functional Food Science in Europe, or FUFOSE, • 65% of consumers seek functional benefits from their project in 1995 to establish a science-based approach for food and beverages. assuring that specific nutrients and food components pos- • $64.9 million: Value of the global functional foods market itively affected their targeted functions in the body. Over in 2018. a period of three years, the effort involved about 100 Euro- • $99.9 million: Estimated value of the global functional pean experts in nutrition and medicine who critically as- foods market in 2025. sessed the state of the art in functional foods. Sources: Zion Market Research, Kerry. The work by FUFOSE led to a project called PASSCLAIM, or Process for the Assessment of Scientific Support for Claims on Foods, in the early 2000s to produce a pan-Euro- People have come to expect function from practically every pean generic tool that could scientifically assess health- food or drink, she says. She thinks the trend could continue. “Hu- related claims on foods or drinks. In 2006, the European man beings are creatures of habit,” she says, noting that office Union adopted a regulation on nutrition and health claims workers who moved to working remotely during the pandemic may made on food. not have continued their habit of picking up coffee and a donut in The European Food Safety Authority is charged with the morning and may instead have formed new habits with food. verifying the scientific substantiation of submitted claims “Some of the newer habits may stick.” ■ regarding general health, disease risk reduction, child ­development or health, and criteria for setting nutrient profiles.­ —LV Valigra is a freelance writer based in Maine. Reach her at [email protected].

April / May 2021 21 Safety &PEST SanitationMANAGEMENT

duction lines, but from unlikely, low-pro- Pest Management in file areas of the facility that have the po- tential for pest infestations. The building Food Processing Warehouses design, process flow, structural and san- itation resources, storage practices, and Protecting food by protecting its surroundings even neighboring facilities can all directly BY ANNA BERRY, MS impact whether the production line feels pest pressure. Additionally, warehousing and receiving areas where ingredients and ommercial pest management home. That consumable item is the last final products are stored tend to be near can be synonymous with brand step of a complicated, multi-faceted pro- production lines, which harbor their own protection, ensuring that a cus- cessing system that takes all different set of pest risks. tomer never associates pests types of ingredients and turns them into Cwith a particular food processor or restau- something crave-worthy through the Stored Product Pests rant. As commercial pest management magic of food science. It’s that final prod- Dry ingredients, such as baking mixes, professionals (PMPs), our jobs often are uct that is worthy of protecting. cocoa, nuts, and flour, may enter a food to protect the food supply. This is a seri- The production lines on which these processing facility infested with stored ous undertaking that involves protecting products are created are at the forefront of product pests such as Indianmeal moths food through all stages of its processing, sanitation and pest management protec- (Plodia interpunctella), cigarette bee- including in the retail environment, in tion efforts; however, many of the real risks tles (Lasioderma serricorne), warehouse

restaurants, and often in a consumer’s to that product do not stem from those pro- (Continued on p. 24) ©NEW AFRICA - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

22 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com A Different AppROACH Pest populations can explode quickly if they find a good habitat. Our approach starts with understanding their biology and implementing an integrated plan to prevent infestations. For over 80 years, we have made it our mission to stop pests from ruining reputations and destroying bottom lines.

Our pest experts are standing by! Call 800.477.4432 or visit indfumco.com

24 S harborage. legs andguards, providing anexcellent beams of the racking and in the racking Product andingredient spillscollect inthe uct pestinfestationswithinawarehouse. also beacommon source ofstored prod product thatisnotinfested. Racking can escaping an infested container and protect storage containers canprevent pestsfrom minimize risk.Well-sealed plasticor metal exiting thefoodcanbeanexcellent tool to that prevent thesepestsfrom entering or the warehouse. Using storage containers harborage to infestandspread throughout ally to apointwhere theyneedto findnew uct andgrowing theirpopulation,eventu pests thatare quietly devouring theprod may hold generations of stored product Forgotten totes orpalletsofingredients first-in first-out stock rotationisessential. generations willdevelop. For thisreason, container in warm temperatures, the more perature. Thelonger apopulationsitsin velopment isafunctionoftimeandtem- destination facility. infestation, which caninturninfestthe they are shipping outmay have thatsame product pestinfestation,theproduct that packaging these ingredients have a stored their home.Ifthefacilitiesprocessing and pests live inthefoodtheyeat;is beetles (Tribolium spp .). Stored product beetles (Trogoderma variabile ), andflour (Continued fromp.22) afety

Stored product pestpopulationde- FOOD QUALITY &QUALITY SAFETY FOOD & S anitation

Pest Management - - - can findthatinfestationfaster. inspection, butwithmonitoring data,we replacement foradetailedandsystematic ourattention. ity andwarrant There isno eas ofthewarehouse have themostactiv guide ourinspection,telling uswhat ar pheromones. Themonitoring traps will stored product pestsdohave synthesized pests. Fortunately, themostdamaging we cannotmonitor forallstored product to them, soitisimportant remember that have hadpheromones synthesized for ing targeted. Not allstored product pests traps, depending onwhich speciesare be- or kairomones are placed intent orpitfall pheromone program. Pheromones and/ product pests, canimplementa PMPs anywhere. To assistwithfinding stored as though stored product pestscanloom with susceptible ingredients, itmay seem daunting. With rows ofpalletspacked high fested product in a warehouse can be outdoor pestsontheexterior. management, andsealing to keep those to focusonexclusion, using fans, light building. In such cases, a facility may need (ILTs), butthesource may beoutsideofthe pheromone traps and/orinsectlight traps are often monitored ontheinterior through exterior ofabuilding. Thesepopulations warehouse beetle, have populations onthe several stored product pests, such asthe product pestsasinternal infestations, Monitoring andcontrol: Finding in- Though we tend to think of stored - - ing dock doors. Rodents are drawn to the proppeddoors openandnotfully clos employee practices, such asleaving man vulnerable to rodents asaresult ofpoor the mostperfectly sealedfacilitycanbe levels canbedifficult and costly. Even pletely sealing dock doors, plates, and susceptible to rodent entry, because com- Warehouses withdocks are particularly of the buildingsealed parts or in apallet. typically enter awarehouse through un- Theserodents Norway androof rat. rat, facilities. Theyinclude thehousemouse, actively attempt to get into andlive inour Commensal rodents are therodents that RodentsCommensal reinfestation. Sanitation mustbepresent to prevent these strategies are typically temporary. solutions inthesesituations, buteven Fumigation, or freezing heat, may be where we cannotremove allsources. spread. ithasspread Sometimes to apoint and, once inside,immediately lookforar shelter orfoodthesefacilitiesmay provide to ­ spection andmonitoring mustcontinue also thebulkofinfestationitself.In- food thattheinsectsare consuming, but and itscontents willremove notonly the moving anddisposing ofthecontainer is typically aforgotten ingredient. Re- sential to remove In a warehouse, this it. determine where theinfestation has Once theinfestationisfound,it’ses www.foodqualityandsafety.com - - -

©ERNI - STOCK.ADOBE.COM eas to hide. Balers, unused equipment, be related to structural or sanitation issues and other dark spaces make great homes associated with sewers, drains, or cleaning for rodents. If not discovered quickly rooms. However, they may also be associ- through inspection and monitoring traps, ated with liquid ingredients that are stored they can move, spreading throughout the in the warehouse. A thorough inspection facility. based on the food preferences of the spe- Rodents, particularly mice, are also cies identified will identify the source and often brought into a facility in infested dictate the proper control method. pallets. They are called “pallet mice,” Facilities that process liquid ingredi- and they make their homes deep within ents with spill potential may have more a pallet of ingredients. They usually enter frequent and long-term infestations, par- from the underside and may not be visi- ticularly if that material seeps onto the ble from the outside of the pallet. When Warehouses with floor or into grates. these pallets come into the facility and Monitoring and control: ILTs are of- are placed for use, the mice begin to leave docks are particularly ten considered a universal flying pest mon- the pallet and spread throughout the fa- ­susceptible to rodent itoring tool. While they are very effective cility. This can be particularly frustrating entry, because completely for some species, others do not respond as for a facility with excellent sealing and strongly to the light. Nonetheless, an ILT is employee practices, who are unknow- sealing dock doors, a good first line of defense and monitoring ingly letting in a Trojan horse containing plates, and levels can tool to determine what species are in the mice. be ­difficult and costly. facility. Monitoring and control: Multi-catch Flies are generally not cryptobiotic, traps are the standard monitoring tool for meaning they do not try to hide the way rodents inside a facility. Sometimes, it may rodents and cockroaches do. This can make sense to place them on the exterior Flies make inspection easier, as adult flies are of a facility if the PMP needs to know how Flies that impact a warehouse are typ- often very visible. The challenge is finding big a population is or if they cannot risk a ically divided into two broad catego- them in the juvenile stages, which may be poisoned mouse dying inside the facility. ries: small flies and large (or filth) flies. hundreds of feet away from where we are Otherwise, it’s common to trust exterior Though similar in so many ways, there seeing the adults. Once the PMP is able to rodent stations to inform whether or not is an important difference between the find the source, insecticide may need to be the exterior population is present and ac- two. Small flies typically come from the applied (if appropriate) where the juvenile tive. This is judged by the amount of bait interior, while large flies usually come in flies are harboring. Insecticides geared to- or monitoring blocks that are digested, from the exterior. We may find both in- wards the adults will provide relief but will droppings left behind, or gnaw marks on side a facility, but when we are looking not eliminate the problem. the station. for the source, it will vary based on which Renowned urban rodentologist Bobby The key to control, particularly for fly is present. Small flies are a group that Corrigan, PhD, a consultant with with RMC pallet mice, is inspection at receiving. includes many species, and each has its Pest Management, has said that there must Employees trained to look for evidence of preferred habitat and needs. Identifying be lines of defense in rodent work. That rodent activity may be able to identify in- the fly in the warehouse is an essential same philosophy holds true when protect- festations and reject infested pallets before first step, because it will dictate whether ing food processing products. If PMPs can they enter the facility. the PMP should look primarily inside or keep the areas surrounding food produc- When there is evidence inside the fa- outside for the source. This may also lead tion pest free, then they are more likely cility, whether that is droppings, live or us to a particular food source. Identifica- to keep dedicated food production areas dead rodents, nesting evidence, or other tion, therefore, really gears the PMP’s pest free. Likewise, if the exterior of a fa- ­damage, PMPs can start to develop a con- inspection in the right direction. cility can be kept pest free, it is more likely trol strategy. Snap traps with attractive Large flies in a warehouse are typically that the interior of the building will remain lures are an excellent choice for quick con- there due to open doors and docks, much pest free. trol. The success of a snap trap program in like commensal rodents. Light manage- It is important to look at the facility as a warehouse will be dependent on place- ment can play an important part in this a whole when developing pest programs, ment, lures used, and competing foods. A too, as these pests are drawn to the light paying attention to all the areas that may good snap program requires equal parts on both the interior and exterior of the fa- not be as highly sensitive, but may be high patience and creativity; placing the same cility. Dumpsters and spills are typically risk. Doing so will keep high sensitivity traps in the same place with the same the source of these flies, though any moist areas safe, ensuring that the overall food lure will rarely get your population under organic material can provide an acceptable supply is protected. ■ control. An aggressive snap trap program exterior harborage. may need to be supplemented with roden- Small flies typically come from the inte- Berry is a training manager and board-certified ento- mologist at McCloud Services. Reach her at annaberry@

©WANCHAI CHAIPANYA - STOCK.ADOBE.COM CHAIPANYA ©WANCHAI ticides, where safe and legal. rior of the facility. In a warehouse, that may mccloudservices.com.

April / May 2021 25

26 F food safetymeasures, andproper prepa - help ensure are thatoperators practicing out issues. Third-party foodsafetyaudits while delivering goods ontimeandwith- ventable pestissues. you want to doisfail anaudit due to pre- demanding job already, and the last thing Operating afoodprocessing facilityisa pandemic, remaining prepared iscrucial. or haspaused in-person audits during the usual, has adjusted to a hybrid version, has continued to participate inaudits as ities, unnoticed. Whetheryour facility for peststo enter andmultiply infacil may have provided theperfectconditions limitations to interior pestcontrol service held. Unfortunately, understaffing and ensure that food safety standards are up third-party audits remain apriorityto conducted infoodprocessing facilities, required changes to theway audits are to your success. orarein person heldremotely, isessential forthesevisits,ration whether theyoccur SAFETY &SANITATION Be prepared for your next food safety audit | Documentation Management Pest

While theCOVID-19 pandemichas FOOD QUALITY &QUALITY SAFETY FOOD meet regulatory requirements, quality andrunatight shipto know theimportance ofproduct ood processing facilitymanagers

PEST MANAGEMENT - - trol. Additionally, your provider needsto requirements forfood safety andpest con- stands your businessandyour industry’s reliable pestcontrol provider who under your finalscore, it’simportant to havea your audit accounting of forup to 20% profits. With thepest control of portion reputations to canceled orders andlost your business, ranging from tarnished audit—could have damaging effectson sure your facilityisprepared. Partnering for pests, isoneof thebestways to make techniques thanreactive rather treatment program, which focuses onpreventive product pestscanstilldisrupt operations. such ascockroaches, rodents, andstored itation andsafetymeasures inplace, pests inthesefacilitieshaveoperators strictsan- they willalways beprone to pests. Although ter, water, idealtemperatures andfood— ample resources neededforsurvival—shel Because foodprocessing facilities­ Your Management Pest Program ual requirements are. in are useandwhat theirspecific,individ be aware ofthevarious audit schemes that A pooraudit score—or worse, afailed An integrated pestmanagement (IPM)

BY FRANK MEEK provide provide - - -

taining a proper sanitation and cleaning your pestpressures facility’s andmain- with your pestcontrol provider to assess demonstrate thatcommitment. sures. Thefollowing documentscanhelp mitment to upholding foodsafetymea- facility. Theywant to seeanongoing com - pest monitoring devices andapest-free insufficient orpoordocumentation. could stilllosepointsonanaudit due to cause, even withapest-free facility, you documentation updated be- isimportant of yourportion food safety audit. Keeping well ofthepestcontrol asanessentialpart also necessary to ensure IPMsuccess, as program. schedule are key steps to asuccessful IPM • • • Your auditor doesn’t just want to see visits and will provide the auditor with reports ofyour pestcontrol provider’s documentation:Theseare Service occurrences. the actionstaken to prevent future sighting, location, and typeofpest, tries should include the date of the able and updated at all times. En- and staffshouldhaveers this avail sightingPest log: Facility manag facility.or recent changes to your IPMprogram (at leastannually) andaddress any these documentsare kept updated and your Make sure riskassessment. pest management foodsafetyrules cludes your written IPMprogram, IPM plan:Thisdocumentationin- Maintaining proper documentation is www.foodqualityandsafety.com - -

©RHJ - STOCK.ADOBE.COM more details about any pest findings, the expert when it comes to pests, you reports and paperwork, but keeping pest pressures specific to the facility, know your facility better than anyone. them digitally is also a good idea. Most and whether any corrective measures Taking a proactive role in the partner- pest control providers have digital taken by your facility were successful. ship will help prevent pest issues in the systems for documentation that even • Pesticide documentation: While long run. provide trend reports and analysis the use of pesticides in food process- • Involve your entire staff in the IPM your auditor will appreciate. It’s also ing facilities is often limited, your pest plan; they know the most about your easier to share documentation digi- control provider should keep a record facility and may spot pests or other is- tally when there are so many required of any pesticides used, along with la- sues before you do. items. bels for the products and safety data • Conduct annual assessments, regular • Your pest control provider should have sheets. These will show your auditor inspections, and risk assessments with proof of their training available for that you’re maintaining a safe and en- your pest control provider to ensure your records as well. vironmentally friendly facility. your IPM plan remains effective and In this time of heightened public health proper. concern, food safety audits shouldn’t be ig- Be Prepared • Make sure you’re aware of any changes nored in an effort to keep the supply chain Now that you know what information is to your pest control service, and be moving at all costs. Even if your audit is needed for your food safety audit, be sure sure to document them. The pandemic conducted virtually, your documentation you stay prepared. Audits can be unan- altered the way many facilities were still will be required. Working with the nounced, so staying ready will help pre- able to work with their pest control right pest control provider for your busi- vent any unpleasant surprises. The goal is providers, so document any changes ness and being a proactive partner will help to be ready every day for an audit. prior to your audit. ensure that your next food safety audit is a To make sure you’re prepared for an • Don’t wait until the last minute to get success.■ audit: your documentation in order, because • Communicate with your pest control it takes time to compile the informa- Meek is a technical services manager for Rollins and a board-certified entomologist with 30 years in the field of provider on an ongoing basis through- tion. Your pest control provider should pest management. Reach him at [email protected], or visit out your partnership. While they are have hard copies of all the essential orkincommercial.com for more information.

DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE FOREIGN OBJECT CONTAMINATION

METAL DETECTABLE PLASTIC CLEANING EQUIPMENT

FIND OUT MORE HILLBRUSH.COM

Hillbrush Inc. | hillbrush.com/us | [email protected]

April / May 2021 27 discontinuation of COVID-19’s status as a national emergency. While the vaccine for COVID-19 has already started to roll out, supply chain obstacles may affect the immunization timetable needed for QualityLABELING manufacturers to return to pre-pandemic operations. Under the interim guidance, food man- ufacturers can use their existing labels when applying minor changes to their for- mulas, which would otherwise cause man- datory label changes. The FDA provided the following details about appropriate changes to formulas that fall under the guidance scope. Use of existing labels is possible when the ingredient is minor and is present at less than 2% of the formula, the ingredient is not a significant ingredi- ent (characterizing) or a source for a label claim, or the ingredient does not affect the finished product in function or nutrition. The temporary changes apply to fla- vors if manufacturers want to replace them with appropriate substitutes meeting the same common name. For example, man- ufacturers must replace a natural flavor with a natural substitute and manufactur- ers must replace an artificial flavor with an artificial alternative. FDA gave additional clarification about flavor changes that fall outside the guidance and would require applicable label changes, including situations when the change affects a characterizing flavor, such as chocolate, and when it’s a primary, recognizable flavor in the food or beverage, Flavor Labeling in 2021 such as chocolate milk; the source of an identity claim for a finished product for fla- What’s new in the regulatory landscape vors with widely known taste profiles such BY GWEN BUFFINGA as strawberry, banana, or watermelon; and when it is associated with a standard of identity which, in the world of flavors, lthough typically less than 3% foodservice providers faced in 2020 have only includes vanilla flavorings. of a finished product’s volume, extended into 2021. And, as consumer de- FDA also reminded manufacturers flavors play a significant role in mand for safe food expands, new food and about the Food Allergen Labeling and delivering complete and accu- flavor labeling regulations are on the hori- Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), which Arate on-package communication. Getting zon. Fortunately, insights about upcoming states that any ingredient change affecting flavor labeling right is essential for food changes can make it easier to navigate the allergen or sensitive ingredient presence in and beverage manufacturers to meet FDA labeling landscape. a product requires a modification to a man- guidelines for safety and fulfill consumer ufacturer’s label. needs for transparency. Regulatory teams Temporary Labeling Changes know they must address flavor labeling Due to COVID-19 Organic Certified Flavors complexities to reduce the risk of FDA en- Pandemic-driven supply chain disrup- A 2018 ruling from the National Organic forcement or consumer litigation if label- tions led FDA to provide interim guid- Program (NOP) went into effect at the end ing is incorrect. ance for relief to manufacturers at the of 2019, requiring manufacturers to use cer- Some of the flavor labeling challenges end of May 2020. This allowance of the tified organic flavors whenever commer-

that food and beverage manufacturers and temporary flexibility will cease with the cially available. The ruling is a response to ©RICKA_KINAMOTO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

28 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com a 2014 petition from the Organic Trade As- use their own experienced inspector, ver- Notable points of the NBFDS include: sociation (OTA) that pointed to the growing ification of compliance with certified -or • Disclosure of highly refined foods availability of certified organic flavors due ganic requirements adds assurance to the and ingredients derived from bioengi- to use of technologies by flavor providers flavor company’s NOP listing or website. neered (BE) crops, such as soy sauce or that increase production efficiency of -or Finally, you’ll want to assess the availabil- corn syrup, isn’t required; ganic options, more monitoring by USDA ity of R&D teams and organic suppliers for • Incidental additives such as enzymes that helps flavor manufacturers find and custom flavors and ingredients that meet or yeast are exempt from BE disclosure source ingredients from certified organic regulatory requirements. and align with the ingredient declara- producers, and detailed guidance about Certified organic flavor suppliers must tion requirements under applicable the documentation flavor houses must ob- meet the same requirements as other or- FDA regulations; tain to verify flavor ingredient authenticity. ganic products. The NOP understands the • Manufacturers with sales lower than Flavors that make organic claims must transition from natural flavors to certified $2.5 million annually and foodservice meet the same standard as the end-prod- organic flavors is continuous but expects providers are exempt; uct. The flavor must contain 95% or more flavor manufacturers to demonstrate their • Foods certified under the NOP are ex- organic ingredients and 5% or less of process for finding organic replacements empt because the organic certification non-organic ingredients. for non-organic natural flavors used in process already requires manufac- The material list in the organic stan- organic products and to show that they’re turers to prove they aren’t using BE dard provides manufacturers with guide- actively looking for organic alternatives to ingredients; lines for flavor ingredients and identifies natural flavor ingredients. • Foods from animals that consumed substances that don’t comply. An ingredi- bioengineered feed are not considered ent such as an amino acid, for example, National Bioengineered bioengineered food products; would meet requirements for a natural Food Disclosure Standard • Food companies may use one of four flavor, but it doesn’t fit within the rules for In early July 2020, USDA’s Agricultural options for disclosure on food labels: certified organic flavors. Marketing Service (AMS) issued four doc- Text using the words “bioengineered Labeling for organic flavors is more rig- uments informing manufacturers about food” or “bioengineered food ingredi- orous than for natural flavors. An organic the National Bioengineered Food Disclo- ents”; a symbol with accompanying flavor manufacturer must create and affix sure Standard (NBFDS). The guidance words; the use of electronic disclo- a lot number to bulk or non-retail packag- offers manufacturers insights about the sures, such as a hyperlink or QR code, ing, just as with any other flavor. It must validation and test methods related to along with a telephone number to call also share any non-organic natural flavors refinement procedures and detection of for more food information; or a state- that are part of the formula with the certi- modified genetic materials in foods and ment offering a phone number where fier and use the word “organic” properly beverages. Food and beverage manufac- consumers can send a text message as a modifier. For example, a CPG manu- turers have until the end of 2021 to align to get the disclosure. Small packages facturer using a blueberry-type flavor with labeling with the new ruling. and food sold in bulk receive special no organic blueberry derivatives in the for- The documentation includes infor- exemptions; mula could label it “organic flavor,” but not mation about the proper determination • The final BE rule establishes a thresh- “organic blueberry flavor.” of test methods, clarifications for limits of old for the inadvertent or technically When searching for certified organic detection, terms definitions, and general unavoidable presence of BE sub- flavor manufacturers, USDA’s NOP Or- steps to validate if a genetic modification stances of up to 5% for each ingredient; ganic Integrity Database, which lists is undetectable in an ingredient or finished there’s no threshold allowance for any certified organic operators, is a useful re- product. BE presence that is intentional; and source. A robust vetting process for flavor In addition to offering validation guid- • The compliance date set by USDA for manufactures includes asking whether an ance, the AMS clarified that the NBFDS is BE disclosure is January 1, 2022. operator has accurate and accessible doc- solely for educational purposes and re- Consumers use on-package informa- umentation with evidence about the iden- moved sections of the standard that explic- tion to understand the health implications tity, purity, strength, and composition of itly referenced food safety. Importantly, of the food and beverages they purchase flavor ingredients. Certificates of analysis, “regulatory oversight by USDA and other and eat. Federal law requires the ingredi- environmental certificates, and any import federal government agencies ensures that ent statement and nutrition facts panel to documents are also essential. Gathering food produced through bioengineering include essential details about nutritional insights into the supply chain used for or- meets all relevant federal health, safety, content, ingredients, and known aller- ganic flavor ingredients is also important. and environmental standards.” gens. Continuing to monitor the regulatory Supply-chain stability and expertise with USDA defines a bioengineered food as landscape and adhere to flavor and food la- logistics will help manufacturers manage one that “contains genetic material that beling guidelines will help manufacturers any substitutions needed to meet launch has been modified through in vitro rDNA maintain consumer trust and build brand schedules. It’s also important to conduct or techniques and for which the modification loyalty in 2021. ■ review onsite inspection results. Whether could not otherwise be obtained through Buffinga is a regulatory manager at FlavorSum. Reach her CPG manufacturers rely on a third party or conventional breeding or found in nature.” at [email protected].

April / May 2021 29

E 30 vice (FSIS) uses pathogen prevalence, as The USDA Food Safetyand Inspection Ser Understanding Pathogen ­ prove foodsafetymanagement. face and,ultimately, uncover ways to im- managers dive more deeply under thesur suring pathogen loadcanalsohelp plant terial pathogens- . Mea such asSalmonella measure prevalence—or presence—of bac Essentially, allprocessing facilitiesalready measurements inmeatandpoultry plants. underneath.” for meat and poultry food safety How pathogen load measurements deliver adeeperdive Giving You the Full Story? Is Your Pathogen Data BY BY

The samecould besaidforpathogen CHRISTINE ALVARADO, PHD FOOD QUALITY &QUALITY SAFETY FOOD surface butpaddling like heck ducks? ver hearwhat theysay about “Calm andunruffledonthe Testing

Prevalence - - - indicated byperformance standards, asthe vorable to thegrowth. This ofSalmonella nutrients andtemperature conditions fa- an enrichment process thatprovides alence, the collected samplegoes through one cell ormany cells. To determine prev cate whether thepositive result isdue to pathogen presence, butitdoesnotindi- 20%. positive, theprevalence forSalmonella is testing 100 poultry test carcasses, and 20 age ofsamplestested. For example,ifyou’re Prevalenceit’s not. isexpressed asapercent ­either yes, thepathogen ispresent orno, the safetyofmeatandpoultry products. primary process control measure to evaluate prevalenceSalmonella indicates Prevalence isayes orno answer—it’s

- -

increases, thatmay signal aproblem re - presence atevery step. Ifprevalence firm thedesired decrease inpathogen product. Prevalence testing willcon - post-pick, post-chill, pre-chill, andfinal from five ormore areas, such as rehang, poultry processor might take samples testing to assist withprocess control. A the outgoing finalproduct. birds coming into theplantallway to prevalence atevery step, from animalsor for processing plants to reduce pathogen sample. initial cell are Salmonella numbers lowinthe a positive prevalence result, even ifthe be detected. Thismethodology produces and reach alevel thatallowspresence to cellsSalmonella to replicate over time enrichment step allowsthenumberof versus anumericalscale.For instance, 101 cally, loadisexpressed viaalog10 scale ofpathogenlow numbers cells. technology, loadtesting candetect very pathogen present inasample.With new suring thenumberofcells ofaparticular the prevalence yes-or-no answer bymea- loaddatasupplements as enumeration, pathogen prevalence. Alsoreferred to measuring pathogen loadinadditionto Recently, more companies have started What Is Pathogen Load? process. ment in the management of a system or step oritmay indicate aneededimprove quiring anadditionalintervention atthat of the carcasses test positive but each one presence andlowpathogen load,ifmany of what’s happening intheplant. cangeters arobust andreal-time picture both prevalence andload,plantmanag cially atthefinalproduct. Bymeasuring higher thepotential foodsafetyrisk,espe ence. Thehigher thepathogen load,the bacteria inthesystem, notjust theirpres plant manager thenumberofactual Pathogen load measurements tell the Why Pathogen Matters Load 1,000 cells, andsoon. equals 100cells, 103 log CFU/g equals10cells, 102 Plant managers often useprevalence To protect publichealth, FSIS looks Since bacterial cells grow logarithmi- It’s possible to have high pathogen www.foodqualityandsafety.com log CFU/g equals (Continued onp.32) log CFU/g - - - -

©MIRSAD - STOCK.ADOBE.COM one integrator Help protect your business from beingresponsible for aSalmonella outbreak. Amulti-year studyat FIGHT FROM DAY ZERO AT GROUND ZERO, Confidence raised. raised. Confidence 1 or itsaffiliates. AviPro, Megan, Elanco andthediagonal bar logo are trademarks ofElanco directions for use. cautions andwarnings. Always read, understand andfollow the label and FOR ALLPRODUCTS: Thelabel contains complete useinformation, including Elanco Animal Health. Data onfile. overall reduction in the prevalence of Contact your Elanco representative orvisitElanco.us/Megan to learn more. Take thepressure offyour processing plants by moving thefightagainst Salmonella upstream. © 2021 Elanco oritsaffiliates. PM-US-21-0032 1 showedthatusingAviPro® Megan® vaccines onthefarm from day zero resulted in: 76% SALMONELLA Salmonella reduction inserogroup BandDSalmonella spp., themostdangerous to humans 96.6%

Confidence raised.

FIGHT SALMONELLA AT GROUND ZERO, FROM DAY ZERO Help protect your business from being responsible for a Salmonella outbreak. A multi-year study at one integrator1 showed that using AviPro® Megan® vaccines on the farm from day zero resulted in: 76% 96.6% overall reduction in the prevalence of Salmonella reduction in serogroup B and D Salmonella spp., the most dangerous to humans

Take the pressure off your processing plants by moving the fight against Salmonella upstream. Contact your Elanco representative or visit Elanco.us/Megan to learn more.

1 Elanco Animal Health. Data on file. FOR ALL PRODUCTS: The label contains complete use information, including cautions and warnings. Always read, understand and follow the label and directions for use. AviPro, Megan, Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates.© 2021 Elanco or its affiliates. PM-US-21-0032 Testing

(Continued from p. 30) Table 1. Example Salmonella Load at Various Production Stages carries only a few cells. If only a few car- Flock #1 Flock #2 casses carry high levels of contamination, Poultry house 106 log CFU/g 104 log CFU/g a plant might have low pathogen presence Rehang 105 log CFU/g 103 log CFU/g and high pathogen load. Each of these sce- narios may require further investigation to Pre chill 103 log CFU/g 101 log CFU/g determine if the process is under control Post chill 102 log CFU/g Non-detectable and to identify solutions to reducing prev- alence and/or load to ensure final product food safety. In this situation, it can be difficult to of Salmonella on incoming birds. Research Load measurements can provide ad- pinpoint what went wrong. Prevalence shows that live production controls, in- ditional data to help managers determine data does not distinguish between birds cluding proper probiotics to help optimize both what’s working well and where im- that were positive for Salmonella com- gut health, may help reduce Salmonella provements may be needed. Understand- ing into the plant, and those that were prevalence in the poultry house and in cross-contaminated. The plant manager ceca of the birds. just knows Salmonella is present. By deter- The benefits of reducing loads on Understanding and mining load and presence, the plant man- incoming birds can be seen throughout ­reducing the pathogen ager is able to detect the problem location the entire processing system to the final load throughout the and apply a potential solution. product. In a real-world example, flocks from system, including at Lower Load = More Effective two different houses in the same complex preharvest, can ­identify ­Interventions enter the processing system with different hot spots and areas It’s difficult, if not impossible, for an anti- levels of Salmonella. (See Table 1, above.) microbial to achieve zero pathogen prev- As these birds are processed, those from to improve control. alence in meat and poultry processing. the house with a lower incoming load This is because all live animals enter the register less Salmonella throughout the plant carrying bacteria, and end prod- entire slaughter process. The house with ing load can identify areas to apply antimi- ucts are not commercially sterilized. But, the lower load was able to see the benefits crobials, areas where process control may processing plants can focus on incoming from multi-hurdle antimicrobials more be failing, or areas where equipment or pathogen loads, process controls, and than the house that had a higher starting system management could be improved. the effectiveness of their food safety sys- load. This concept is especially true when vali- tems by measuring pathogen load and dating an antimicrobial. Reducing load is prevalence. Continuous Improvement the goal of an antimicrobial, and this can When it comes to Salmonella, the in- from Farm to Fork be easily measured with pre- and post-in- dustry rule of thumb for a successful in- In meat and poultry processing, USDA tervention sample testing. This method plant antimicrobial intervention is a 1 log performance standards continue to ™ of validating an antimicrobial also takes reduction in load. The lower the incoming tighten as regulatory bodies work to im- DuraShield Natural Food Protection into consideration variation that exists in pathogen load, the better the chances are prove product safety and consumer trust. processing. that an antimicrobial will successfully re- Allowable pathogen prevalence percent- Blends save the day. duce the pathogen. ages continue to decrease. Using Pathogen Load Data For example, animals or birds may Processors have successfully re- You can now improve shelf life and product safety with the Finding sources of cross-contamination come into the plant with a Salmonella load sponded to and met every new perfor- is one way for managers to use enumer- of 105 CFU/g. A multi-hurdle combination mance standard; however, for continued scientifically proven efficacy of Kalsec’s naturally sourced ation or load data. Cross-contamination of antimicrobials and process controls improvement, the industry has reached a antioxidant and antimicrobial blends. can be an issue in meat and poultry pro- may achieve a three-log reduction in the point where it’s necessary to incorporate duction: One animal or group of animals final product, lowering the load to 102. live production factors with processing When you use DuraShield for your food protection needs, can contaminate others, and improperly But imagine if the incoming load is only data. Measuring and understanding over- adjusted equipment can potentially create 103. That means the multi- hurdle combi- all pathogen loads is one way the full food your product is sure to be a blockbuster. a cross-contamination issue. nation of interventions will reduce load to chain can work together. Communication This can happen, for example, if the less than 101 and lower the potential food and coordination between processors and Discover the science behind DuraShield Natural Food first group of birds entering the plant for safety risk. live-side managers will help the meat and Protection Blends at kalsec.com/durashield. the day comes in from a flock that has a Understanding and reducing the poultry industry continue to deliver a high load or prevalence of Salmonella. pathogen load throughout the system, safe, reliable food supply. ■ That one flock–or even one bird–could including at preharvest, can identify hot leave Salmonella cells on the picker, spots and areas to improve control. Dr. Alvarado is technical services manager at Arm & Hammer cross-contaminating all other birds being Good management systems through- Animal and Food Production. She can be reached at christine. processed for the rest of the day. out production can help decrease the load [email protected].

32 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com DuraShield™ Natural Food Protection Blends save the day.

You can now improve shelf life and product safety with the scientifically proven efficacy of Kalsec’s naturally sourced antioxidant and antimicrobial blends.

When you use DuraShield for your food protection needs, your product is sure to be a blockbuster.

Discover the science behind DuraShield Natural Food Protection Blends at kalsec.com/durashield.

34 F in use.With milkanddairyproducts, the tamination through thetesting methods and howdifficult itis todiscover the con- sumption, headds. ish andmake aproduct unsuitable forcon conditions inwhich athird onecanflour produces asubstance or otherfavorable tities. As this second pathogen grows, it was already there, butinvery small quan- environment foranotherpathogen that lowers thepHinmilk,creating aperfect ample, says is a pathogen Holmquist, that for the growth of another one. A typical ex croorganism creates theright conditions metabiosis, which happens when ami- this interaction isaphenomenoncalled ent microorganisms. Oneoftheeffects matrices andtheinteraction among differ difficult todetect because oftheir complex ther: Pathogens indairyproducts canbe between 32º and34ºC.” and isdrawn from thecow atatemperature perfect combination: It’s liquid,nutritious, right temperature, andfood.Milkhasthe bacteria to grow, you need humidity, the of businessdevelopment atEurofins. “For Dino Demirovic vice Holmquist, president that canharbordifferent pathogens,” says ing happens inanon-sterile environment higher than withotherfoods. probability offood safety incidentsmuch combination ofthesetwo factors make the TESTING due to theircomplex matrices | Pathogens inthese products can bedifficult todetect Detecting Pathogens inDairy

The othervariable isnotfavorable ei- attheveryThe riskstarts source. “Milk FOOD QUALITY &QUALITY SAFETY FOOD product to become contaminated how easy itisforaparticular depends ontwo major variables: ood contamination generally

- - - - -

BY tion often useslacticacidbacteria,” says standard plating techniques. “Fermenta - keeping bacteria undetected when using actions may have theopposite effectof with therest oftheformulation,or whether on theirpathogenic risk,their interaction ents allthetime,you might nothave data week: “Ifyou’re introducing newingredi- products and formulations launched every segments inthefoodindustry, withnew further, dairyisoneofthemostdynamic able information,”says Thevenet. detection, itisnotgoing to provide valu hasn’t grown to levels above thelimitof the besttechnology, butifthepathogen standard plating methods. “You canhave that thepathogen isthere, butinvisible to tion between microorganisms, theresult is Hygiena. To, regional technical sales manager at rate ofmolecularplatforms,” says Celina which affectsthedetection and recovery pathogens to survive andgrow rapidly, ment isnotconducive of forlownumbers method. Their low-water-activity environ ference ifusing anunvalidated detection recover pathogens from andprevent inter ably one of the most difficult matricesto dairy powders: “Powdered dairyisprob ing to preventing detect, itfrom growing.” sources withthepathogen thatyou’re try microbial compounds that compete forre - canproducespecialist at3M.“These anti- Luke Thevenet, a pathogen technical sales ANDREA TOLU In fermented products, theseinter To complicate thissituationeven Whether itismetabiosis orcompeti- The samephenomenonoccurs in

------for thepathogen.” promoting apositive growth environment get thecompeting microorganisms, while to adjust thepHorselectantibioticsto tar example, says Thevenet, “You might have ment process canalways be found. For With theright strategy, theright enrich- less valid because ofthesechallenges. To besure, plated methodsare notany Need The forSpeed become even more important.” state. With theclean label trend, thishas milk andkeep itvery close to itsnatural ways claimed to interfere very littlewith What’s more, the dairy industry has al buy milkanddairyproducts thesedays. the taste, which isthemainreason we sugarsand caramelize [and]willchange “Ultra-high temperatures oxidize lipids be aviable solution, says Holmquist: sterilize milk in all products would not such asultra-high temperature (UHT) to for thatnewmatrix,”says Thevenet. the tests you’ve beenrunning are stillvalid safety program isamatter ofpreparation, forklifts, carts, oremployees.” can bespread around processing plants by with environmental detection.” and swab. Thisisoneofthemajor hurdles to lookforareas thatare difficult to clean pling plan,where technicians are trained bust andeasy-to-use environmental sam- pend on whether the dairy facility has a ro that creates challenges; rather, thesede- “Also, it’s not thetypeofdairyprocessing saysthe methodforthatdairyfacility” To. without any preliminary testing to validate result, alotcan happen: Microorganisms and ifyou’re waiting several days fora “Processing environments are dynamic, release products,” says To. facilities can’t wait thatlong to holdand days to bedetectable onplates. Butmany conditions, thesecantake upto 10to 14 before. Even with theright enrichment in extended shelflifeandasepticdairies stearothermophilus dairy formulations, while Geobacillus Clostridium cansurvive inplant-based resistant and spore-forming bacteria like “Any ingredient could beproblematic Using anaggressive heattreatment The real problem istime:“Heat- For dairy processors, asuccessful food “Speed iscrucial,”says Thevenet. www.foodqualityandsafety.com has beendetected - - -

©PETRRGOSKOV - STOCK.ADOBE.COM says Thevenet: “A lot of money is invested in a product and peo- ple’s lives could potentially be at risk, so picking the right patho- STERAMIST® gen test is extremely important. You need to consider the matrix POWERED BY BINARY IONIZATION TECHNOLOGY and size of the sample you’re testing, the manufacturing and lab environments, the available technical resources, and the exper- tise levels of your technicians. You also need the data to prove that DISINFECTION a method is appropriate for your samples.”

A Holistic Approach PREVENT Because speed is crucial, detection solution providers are striv- CROSS-CONTAMINATION ing to make tests faster, either with improved enrichment media ® or with alternative methods. 3M has developed methods based WITH STERAMIST on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), while Hy- giena’s methods focus on ATP and DNA-based PCR technology. Making test execution faster will also become more import- FAST & POWERFUL FOR ant, says To: “Lab automation and optimized, reliable, and validated methods will help reduce staff turnover and allow QUICK TURNAROUND technicians to allocate their time to other tasks, making results more reliable and repeatable. Also, with cloud-based software, a NON-CORROSIVE WITH lab can quickly identify process challenges onsite and make da- ta-driven decisions, from environmental monitoring to pathogen NO TOXIC BYPRODUCTS identification.” Improved speed and accuracy, however, are just part of the solution. One of the most recent advancements in pathogen detection is using next generation sequencing (NGS) to look more deeply into complex food matrices: “With standard plat- ing techniques, you have to know what to look for, while NGS can be used both for identification and characterization,” says Holmquist. “The first approach is called shotgun metagenomic sequencing, where you sequence the DNA of all microorganisms in a sample and see in what proportion they are present. The other is called targeted metagenomics, or barcoding, where you identify family genus, species, serotype, type, and strain of a known microorganism.” Targeted metagenomics is proving very useful for tracing outbreaks of foodborne illness and can be applied successfully inside the processing plant, too. “When you find a pathogen in your plant, the challenge is to determine whether it’s a transient microorganism that comes from the outside or a persistent one,” says Holmquist. “Some of the recent recalls were based on the same pathogen that had caused a recall from the same facility several years before.” Shifting the mindset from pathogen detection to strain track- ing, says Holmquist, makes it possible to know what is really going on in a facility, instead of just sampling random points throughout the processing chain. An important piece to this holistic approach, says Thevenet, is to integrate existing data points and technologies other than pathogen testing, such as data from raw ingredients and season- ality, to build predictive models. “This way, you would know with LEARN MORE AT what product, or pathogen, or at what time of the year you’re more susceptible to having a contamination,” he adds. “For scientific vendors, the next step will be to create software that is able to track TOMIMIST.COM and integrate data from different platforms and make these types of predictions.” ■ 800.525.1698 Tolu is freelance writer who specializes in covering the food industry. Reach him at andrea@ andreatolu.com.

April / May 2021 35 laboratories. By examining processes cur- rently in place, members of the food sup- ply chain can make the changes needed to ensure that their testing processes are safe, efficient, robust, and economical. In ThePATHOGEN CONTROL Lab

Examine the Food Safety Plan To solidify a well-rounded food safety plan, food processors and producers need a clear roadmap tracing every item. Sam- ples need to be tracked in detail, including their source of origin, how they’re stored at source, mode and route of transporta- tion, how long they’re transported for, and points of primary and secondary interac- tion throughout the supply chain. It’s also imperative to have a plan of action in case of a product recall. Producer plants need quicker recall procedures and rapid sam- ple traceability, along with notification systems, to implement as soon as contam- inated samples are identified by the food processor. Effective sample monitoring systems ensure that if the food processor can iden- tify exactly where the outbreak occurred, it can also identify what specific samples have been contaminated. Because this out- break could trace back as far as the slaugh- terhouse, meticulous sample tracking is essential for every member of the food supply chain. E. coli O157 testing carried out in pro- cessing facilities is only as strong as the chosen test technology of the certified method developer. This will ensure reli- The Importance of able sample tracking and fundamentally allows the method developer to work with E. coli Detection Methods each individual customer to create a novel internal monitoring plan of their materials How laboratories can ensure safe and efficient testing using their specific methodology. For opti- BY NEVIN PERERA mum success in this process, laboratories need a method developer with both reli- able testing results and robust customer ith the demand for beef processes in place to keep up with this services. products continuing to rise demand safely and efficiently. This may and research activities in- require putting a critical eye to the supply Implement a Sustainable creasing in North America, chain to create an effective and sustainable Testing Solution Wthe E. coli O157 testing market is growing food safety plan. Many food testing labs currently use PCR rapidly. In North America, this market is Foodborne pathogen outbreaks such or culture methods for their testing pro- expected to nearly double to more than as those caused by E. coli O157 are not just cedures. These systems are not without a trillion dollars, by 2027. Such demand problematic for consumers; food produc- their drawbacks. While PCR is a proven necessitates streamlined, cost-effective, ers and processors feel the effects as well. technology and an accurate testing appli- and—most importantly—accurate E. coli Considering lost revenue, product recalls, cation, ELISA testing methods are just as O157 testing to prevent outbreaks as much clean-up costs, and potential lawsuits, the reliable as PCR and culture-based testing as possible. Food producers and proces- monetary ramifications of an E. coli O157 methods. ELISA tests also offer additional

sors need to ensure they have the best outbreak can be catastrophic for testing benefits, making them a better option for - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©SETTAPONG

36 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com many labs looking for increased automa- best way to circumvent that outcome is to tion, improved overall turnover of sample ensure your labs are using testing methods results, and cost savings. less likely to create false positive results. Labs may find that the multiple liquid- Since PCR testing can detect non-vi- transfer steps associated with PCR testing able target cells, there’s an increased leave many opportunities for errors, and chance for false positive results, which because a high level of skill is necessary to could lead to delays in shipping product complete the process, a great deal of time and loss of capital for the supply chain. and money needs to be spent on training. ELISA tests are less likely to result in false High throughput immunoassay ELISA positive notifications, which can save time testing challenges the shortcomings of PCR and money. testing. ELISA tests are easier to automate ELISA tests also have minimal cold and require less training time to operate, storage requirements and need less fridge meaning testing labs can onboard em- space than molecular or culture-based ployees more quickly and cost effectively. methods for the same number of samples, Pre-installed protocols with onscreen step- which reduces the overall cost of running by-step directions to set up and run assays a lab. results in walk-away automation that frees Ultimately, the best way to reduce lab- up time for lab testers to multitask, allow- oratory costs is to look for testing solutions ing tests to be run in the background while that increase automation throughout the employees complete other necessary tasks ELISA testing methods entire testing process. Look for solutions throughout their shift. can increase lab output that require fewer manual steps, fewer ELISA testing methods can also in- liquid-transfer steps, less capping and crease lab output dramatically; in some dramatically; in some uncapping of tubes—all small time savers cases, certain immunoassay diagnostic cases, certain immuno­ that can add up to more output and bigger kit devices can even double the through- assay diagnostic kit cost savings. put of some PCR or culture-based testing services. Therefore, while time to result devices can even double The Bottom Line can be comparable between PCR testing the throughput of some It’s up to each individual laboratory to find and ELISA testing, the volume of results PCR or culture-based and implement the testing procedures that in one run may be vastly different between work best for its needs. Lab technicians the two technologies, depending on the testing services. should study current workflows with a number of handling steps utilized in the critical eye for areas of potential improve- different methods, the number of reactions ment. Look at the testing process as a able to be processed per automated instru- provide hands-on support and training, whole: Is your lab taking advantage of the ment run, and the number of instruments remote trainings if need be, and access to automation advancements in the patho- that can be overseen by a single operator. appropriate entities to provide both assay- gen testing space? Is your throughput as Ultimately, this difference can impact op- and machine-related inquiries. high as it could be? Does your method pro- erational key performance indicators and vider offer you the technical and customer affect productivity margins by lowering the Look for Cost-Saving Solutions support you need? base cost per reaction. When evaluating cost savings in the E. Adoption of a particular method tech- In addition, confirmation procedures coli O157 testing supply chain, every min- nology, including any of the immunoassay, can start up to one full day earlier when ute aspect counts. If a product is proven molecular, or cultural technologies avail- compared with PCR protocols, which to be contaminated and is subsequently able to a facility processor, may be pre- require a subculture step prior to confir- destroyed, the producer ultimately loses ferred based on operational and historical mation, saving time in identifying con- out on the supply’s full profit margin. parameters. However, no one technology taminated product. With ELISA testing, However, even a false positive can create is universal for all the requirements of the labs have the flexibility to run any number stalls in the supply chain, necessitating a E. coli O157 testing market. A willingness of samples with ultimate efficiency, so product pull or quarantine. to be open-minded and allow methodolog- smaller labs can batch test for maximum In a best-case scenario following a pos- ical diversification could be advantageous automation and output. itive test, the product is ultimately proven to a processor, resulting in benefits rang- When deciding on a testing provider, to be safe, but the time needed to confirm ing from cost savings to lower sample false it’s also essential to evaluate the compa- a potential positive contamination means positive incidence rates, leading to greater ny’s customer service and technical sup- the shelf life of that product is reduced. brand protection and service recognition. ■ port to ensure your lab tests will not be Stores may not have enough time to sell the disrupted by a lack of technical response. product before its shelf life expires, result- Dr. Perera is research and development manager for

©KATERYNA_KON - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©KATERYNA_KON Labs should look for service providers that ing in a full profit loss for that supply. The PerkinElmer. Reach him at [email protected].

April / May 2021 37 Food Waste During COVID-19 (Continued from p. 15)

I described these practices in my most re- ration date without determining existing the aim for a sustainable food system with cent article in “Global Interests,” which food condition, resulting in increased food “core principles” consisting of “reusing published in the December 2020/January waste. food and food waste and composting food 2021 issue of Food Quality & Safety, on the Several researchers have prominently to recycle nutrients.” eating and buying behavior of consumers recommended communication as a miti- These strategies are not new, but during COVID-19. For example, most con- gation strategy. Roe and colleagues (in the rather all align under the same global is- sumers now plan their meals ahead and journal Applied Economic Perspectives and sues—economic, social, and environmen- prepare shopping lists of specific foods. Policy in 2021) emphasized that consumer tal. Consumers currently practice some of They read food labels and choose foods education should focus on food manage- these strategies during the stressful times such as canned and frozen products, ment and food preservation skills. Sharma of the COVID-19 pandemic. But, will the which have a shelf life longer than those and colleagues (in the journal Resources, consumer continue this behavior when of fresh fruits and vegetables. They have Conservation & Recycling in 2020) reiter- the world has satisfactorily managed increased their food storage capacities at ated these areas for consumer education COVID-19 and returned to some semblance home; many have purchased freezers and and added that there is a need to teach the of pre-pandemic living? Or will consumers additional refrigerators. public the relationship between shelf life selectively choose practices that they find Although consumers are aware of food information and food waste. most convenient but produce the results expiration dates, there needs to be con- Brizi and Biraglia (in Personality and that they are searching for, such as saving sumer education on the correct interpre- Individual Differences in 2021) encouraged money, managing their health, and even tation of “use by ...,” “best by ...,” or other policy makers to meet the needs of NFC by improving their appearance and feel? And food expiration terms. Some consumers using precise and reassuring information which practices will those be? interpret food expiration dates printed on rather than emphasizing distressing situa- Only time will tell. ■ the food package as absolute dates and tions (e.g., the pandemic). These strategies Dr. Saulo is the principal/owner of Food Science Interests, throw foods away the day after the expi- are then pulled together to communicate LLC. Reach her at [email protected].

Microbial Contamination of … (Continued from p. 17)

Risk on the Rise produce], and spices. Well, you’ve got raw tivars that exhibit pathogen resistance. “In While the chances of getting Salmonella ag in the form of fruit, and nuts, and spices, [the] absence of fungi-resistant cannabis,” from a cannabis-infused gummy are fairly and those are all going on top of chocolate. McKernan says, “testing for pathogen load low, says Deibel, that relative safety is only Really fancy chocolates with curry spices throughout the cultivation process as op- for the time being. Producers may begin or whatever, they are getting out onto the posed to just at the end is consistent with shifting norms and ingredients that have market, but they are not going through the GMP. Gambling an entire crop on a single made previous gummies shelf stable. same rigor of testing that the food industry test at the end of the long growth and har- Meanwhile, with so many hoping to strike would have subjected them to.” vest process is not advised.” gold selling cannabis-infused foods and He concludes that many food safety Beyond that, McKernan joins Glauser beverages, the variety of food types is ex- insiders are waiting for the first big Salmo- in stressing that testing infused food and panding dramatically beyond gummies, nella or Listeria recall in the in the canna- beverages for microbial contamination is cookies, and brownies. bis market. “It’s going to happen,” he adds. done in the same manner as it is for non- The problem with savvy consumers “It’s just a matter of time.” infused foods, and that it should be done, looking for high-end quality and flavors whether or not FDA insists upon it. is that they want nothing to do with the GMPs Companies producing food products mass-produced ingredients that have To avoid becoming the company that suf- must expect to encounter pathogens even- proven themselves safe for consumers in fers that recall, Deibel advises producers tually, says Deibel, whether FDA is testing large numbers. They want new and inven- of infused foods to adhere to good manu- the products or not. “Even the best com- tive flavors, and they often want them in facturing practices (GMPs) supplemented pany with all the right programs working chocolate products. with aggressive sanitation programs, ex- in concert, they’ll still find a pathogen, “Chocolate, and especially some of tensive training, and routinely validated Salmonella or Listeria, in their finished the toppings—fresh fruit, nuts—those can equipment. product, maybe once every five years—10 absolutely have Salmonella in them,” Dei- McKernan goes back even further: He years if they’re lucky. But they find it. The bel says. “If I were to name my five biggest suggests food producers source ingredi- pathogen is always waiting at your door.” ■ concerns for Salmonella, they’d be: choco- ents from cannabis cultivators offering Staniforth is a freelance writer based in Montreal. Reach late, nuts, raw meat, raw ag [agricultural “good genetics,” such as the cannabis cul- him at [email protected].

38 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com MAY 11 –13 2021 JOIN US ONLINE! TACKLE THE FOOD SAFETY LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC! BEYOND COVID Let’s Work the Problem People — A Guide to Flexible Crisis Planning Every incident or crisis requires Will Daniels management. Learn how to build and take President, Produce an incident management plan beyond Division, IEH what’s on the page to create a program that is taught, practiced, and continuously managed to ensure that your company Mary Lynn Walsh can handle any incident with fl exibility, Regional Director, agility, and success. Food Safety, Sysco

Learn the elements of a written program, Glenn Stolowski how to conduct mock drills, and tips for Manager Retail Quality leveraging communication and continuous Assurance, HEB improvement during the entire process.

Register Now at www.FoodSafetySummit.com

GOLD SILVER BRONZE MEDIA OWNED AND SPONSOR SPONSORS SPONSOR PARTNERS PRODUCED BY:

THE AUTHORITY ON THE BUSINESS OF MEAT AND POULTRY PROCESSING SFWB

FSS21_April_FQSM_FP.indd 1 3/24/21 9:13 AM NEW PRODUCTS

Glove Dispensing System The Choice: A Green Initiative is a glove dispensing system that features a reusable, recyclable glove dispenser. Designed to be an eco-friendly solution, the system is intended to replace cardboard box holders for gloves with a reusable container that can be fitted with bulk pack bags of gloves. The system offers keyhole-style mounting for flexibility to position in various locations for easy accessibility, both in the front or in back-of-house areas. The reusable box has a double latch closure with hinged lid to keep gloves sanitary and a textured surface for a secure grip. Additionally, the box was designed to withstand industrial washing to extend the usage life. The front opening allows for easy dispensing of a pair of gloves. Tronex Company, tronexcompany.com.

Mass Spectrometer Vegan and Halal Food Testing Assays The Acquity RDa Detector featuring SmartMS Thermo Fisher has added assays for vegan is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for and halal testing to its RapidFinder Meat small molecule analysis. The detector can and Fish ID Kit range. The real-time PCR- be quickly deployed and operated and is based species detection and quantification optimized for small molecule applications. solutions fit within existing RapidFinder It operates on Waters Connect, an open-soft- workflows. The workflow allows for DNA ex- ware platform, which provides an audit trail traction from samples of up to 20 g, using ei- for data acquisition, processing, and report- ther a manual or automated procedure for the ing. Waters Corporation, waters.com. higher throughput of multiple samples. The identification targets mitochondrial DNA for increased sensitivity and specificity. The kit, which tests for pork, records a sensitivity rate of 0.0005%. The new assays follow the same sample preparation and PCR procedures as other RapidFinder Meat ID assays, enabling them to be run together with existing work- flows. Thermo Fisher, thermofisher.com/ Steam Sanitizing Device food-species-pcr-testing. The SaniZap line of antimicrobial steam cleaners safely sanitizes almost any surface, leaving no residue, moisture, or harmful chemicals. The process is 600 times faster IoT Supply Chain Monitoring Devices than chemical sanitization, making it ideal Sensitech has expanded its suite of Internet for following CDC guidelines that call for fre- of Things (IoT) devices to include air-carrier quent sanitization. The portable equipment approved and non-lithium battery models for is available in different models to accommo- real-time tracking of shipments when cargo is date a range of facilities and price points. traveling by plane. Data flows directly from the It can be used at lower steam temperatures TempTale GEO and VizComm View products to with soap or detergent to quickly clean vis- a cloud-based visibility solution, alerting us- ible dirt and grime and can also be used at ers to in-transit events such as temperature higher steam temperatures for antimicrobial excursions or trends, location delays, or light sanitizing. Bayzi Corporation, bayzi.com. events indicating that a truck or trailer door has opened. The platform’s analytics engine provides real-time evidence and dashboard reporting to assess compliance and the trip’s performance. Sensitech, sensitech.com.

40 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com Advertiser Directory

ADVERTISER PAGE ADVERTISER PAGE Best Sanitizers 2 IFC 23 Bio-Rad Laboratories 17 Kalsec 33 Elanco Animal Health 31 Saltworks 44 Food Safety Summit 39 Hillbrush 27 TOMI-SteriMist 35 IAFP 2021 5 Wiley 7, 43

AUGUST 2021 OCTOBER 2021 15-20 18-19 Conference for Food Protection European Food Sure Summit Virtual Event Milan, Italy Visit foodprotect.org. Visit foodsureeurope.com.

24-26 NAMI Meat Industry Food Safety JANUARY 2022 Conference 25-27 Chicago, Ill. International Production Visit meatinstitute.org. & Processing Expo (IPPE) Atlanta, Ga. August 27-September 2 Visit ippexpo.org. AOAC Annual Meeting and Exposition Boston, Mass. MARCH 2022 Events Visit aoac.org or email [email protected]. 5-9 Pittcon Atlanta, Ga. APRIL 2021 JULY 2021 SEPTEMBER 2021 Visit pittcon.org. 27-28 18-21 22-24 IAFP European Symposium IAFP Annual Meeting Petfood Forum on Food Safety Phoenix, Ariz. Kansas City, Mo. OCTOBER 2022 Virtual Event Visit foodprotection.org/ Visit petfoodforumevents.com. 23-26 Visit foodprotection.org/ annualmeeting. Pack Expo International europeansymposium. 28-29 Chicago, Ill. 19-21 North American Food Safety Visit packexpointernational.com. IFT Annual Meeting & Quality MAY 2021 Virtual Event Chicago, Ill. 11-13 Visit iftevent.org. Visit foodsafetyna.com. Food Safety Summit Virtual Event Visit food-safety.com/food-safety- summit. Have an Upcoming Event to Promote? If you have an upcoming industry event that you would like ­considered for inclusion in our online and print listings, go to foodqualityandsafety.com/events for info or contact Bob Zander at [email protected].

April / May 2021 41

SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS

For access to complete journal articles mentioned below, go to “Food Science Research” in the April/May 2021 issue at foodqualityandsafety.com, or type the headline of the requested article in the website’s search box.

An Overview of Craft Beer waste. In this research, we developed a val- This article details issues concerning the ue-added flavoring gel to use in food prepa- history and legal definition, market, fiscal ration, using lemon peels as the primary policy, innovation, safety, healthiness, ingredient. The study evaluated opaque consumer profile, and sustainability of iota carrageenan as an effective thickening craft beer. The term “craft brewery” gener- agent, with a 0.1% antioxidant as the most ally refers to a brewery able to produce low effective formulation for this product. The volumes of beer, often made with traditional investigators created a small scale-up of

ingredients, but also with the addition of Food Flavoring three batches of varying size using thermal VOLKOV - STOCK.ADOBE.COM ©VALENTYN nontraditional ingredients as a distinctive Prepared with a Lemon Byproduct processing and the hot-fill-hold method. The sign of the master brewer. In many coun- Food loss/food waste totals a trillion dollars, resulting final product was analyzed for yield, tries, the importance of the company size is and recent research shows minimal effort to pH, texture, and color. The findings of this redirect food waste/loss to improve the agri- study showed that lemon gel was thermally food industry. Lemon peels are a solid by- stable, safe, and high quality. Journal of Food product generated during lemon processing Processing and Preservation. Published and are frequently discarded as agricultural March 26, 2021; doi: 10.111/jfpp.15462.

Effects of Different Sweeteners on Wheat Starch Gelatinization and Cookie Baking A variety of sucrose replacers (SRs) are in- paste viscosity (peak and final) and granule creasing in popularity for reducing sucrose swelling, unlike the larger SRs, and did not usage in low-moisture baked goods (cook- increase Tgel as much as larger SRs. The SRs ies, biscuits, etc.). The goal of this study was with similar performance to sucrose in model to link SR physicochemical properties to their cookie baking and effects on starch proper- observed effects on starch thermal proper- ties were yacon, Sukrín, date syrups, and co-

ties, including results from differential scan- conut palm sugar. The results linking sweet- - STOCK.ADOBE.COM LTD. ©RAWPIXEL related to the opportunity to take advantage ning calorimetry, rapid viscoanalysis, parti- ener physicochemical properties to their of reduced excise rates for low production cle size analysis, and model wire-cut cookie effects on starch gelatinization, pasting, and volumes. In several countries, another im- baking performance. The 12 SRs examined swelling can be used to guide reformulation portant requisite of a craft brewery is repre- in this study were Truvia, Splenda, Swerve, strategies for potentially reducing sugar and/ sented by its independence from other alco- coconut palm sugar, monk fruit, erythritol, or increasing fiber content in foods. Journal hol industry members. Even in the presence Benefiber, Miralax, blue agave syrup, yacon of Food Science. 2021;86:687–698. of a great heterogeneity of the size of craft syrup, Sukrín Fiber Syrup Gold, and date breweries in various countries, their number syrup. The onset gelatinization temperature in the world is around 17,000. Craft beers are (Tgel) of wheat starch increased significantly often not filtered or not pasteurized and, for as sucrose and SR concentration increased these reasons, they are beverages rich in (0 to 60% w/w), with significant variations health compounds but have a reduced shelf in Tgel found between different sweetener life. As in the case of larger breweries, the types at the same concentration. Generally, environmental impact of craft breweries is as solution concentration increased, the mainly represented by water consumption larger SRs decreased paste viscosity (peak and production of liquid and solid wastes. and final), decreased granule swelling, and Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science increased Tgel compared with the control

and Food Safety. 2021;20:1829–1856. (water). The smaller SRs increased both ©PIXEL-SHOT - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

42 FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY www.foodqualityandsafety.com Now serving a fresh new website

We’ve updated our website to make it easy to reach must-read information that impacts food safety professionals. www.foodqualityandsafety.com

WE TAKE IT OUT SO YOU DON’T PUT IT IN.

QUALITY | RELIABILITY | INNOVATION

Call our salt experts today! 800-353-7258 | [email protected] | seasalt.com Learn More

CERTIFIED