Risk-based management has been the on-trend phrase of the past decade within the food safety community. Globally, numerous regulations and food safety standards have adopted language that requires food-producing entities to assess their process and product, and then apply risk-based measures appropriate for the risk. This is a logical and scientifically supported theory – it makes complete…
The Western Growers Science team has been working on applied research projects in the produce industry. Most recently, we have worked to evaluate a new technology, the CytoQuant (Romer Labs), on its utility as an additional tool to monitor food contact surface cleanliness and cleaning programs. CytoQuant is a mobile flow cytometer unit that measures intact microbial cells in as little as…
The promise of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data is expanding, with stated implications ranging from making our lives a bit easier with automatic orders by our refrigerators for items running low, to the slightly more complex problem of solving climate change and world peace. As with most things, the truth of what AI will offer us (especially in the foreseeable future) largely lies…
This is part two of a two-part series on food safety and sustainability. You can read the first part of this series in the March/April edition of the Western Grower & Shipper. Risk-based management requires that we design systems that consistently and efficiently identify risk so that appropriate measures can be implemented to reduce it. Preventing the first step of identification…
Risk-based management has been the on-trend phrase of the past decade within the food safety community. Globally, numerous regulations and food safety standards have adopted language that requires food-producing entities to assess their process and product, and then apply risk-based measures appropriate for the risk. This is a logical and scientifically supported theory – it makes complete…
In food safety and, well, really anything in life, it is always good to check if the actions we are taking are characterized as a valuable activity or just simply an activity. For example, if trying to lose weight and you go to the gym, that activity may be valuable (aka if you run on a treadmill, lift weights, etc.), or it may only be an activity if you simply walk around, chat with other…
Understanding Salmonella In our first installment of “Meet the Pathogens” we focused on Listeria species. A genus of bacteria that frequently challenge the food industry with their ubiquitous nature (found almost everywhere) and capacity to grow in wet cold environments common in the food industry. While Listeria is often spoken about in the context of wet processing plants (though, it…
Why should I understand microbial hazards? In food safety, the first important step in designing/revising a food safety program is to take time to do an in-depth analysis of the hazards that a process or product may have. When it comes to microbial hazards, that means taking time to understand the organisms, learning their characteristics and trying to understand and predict their capacity…
Life involves three types of decisions: must do, could do and should do. Among these, the "must" decisions are the easiest because external forces often make them for us. These are actions that must be completed due to obligations or rules. For example, paying taxes in the United States is a "must" decision. Regardless of personal feelings, people comply to avoid penalties or jail time. It’s…
Over the past few posts and articles, we have put out a couple of briefs about the considerations for STEC/EHEC testing, and overall risk management in the produce industry. STEC/EHEC is a diverse group of organisms, and a major contributor to outbreaks and recalls. While there are notable serogroups (O157, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145) that most frequently lead to outbreaks and illness,…
Practical: focused on actual use or practice rather than theory or ideas; concerned with what is effective, useful or realistic in a given situation. Prudent: acting with or showing care and thought for the future; being cautious and wise to avoid unnecessary risks while also imparting feasibility. There’s a complicated relationship with the word practical. Practical is an important…
In a previous article on Shiga toxin-producing E.coli detection in the food industry, it was discussed how STEC/EHEC is somewhat of a “choose your own adventure” screening test. Since this is a broad group of organisms, variations in the methodology determine what a positive may include regarding both pathogenicity and gene targets. Often, the food industry defaults to the method and…
A recent article highlights an emerging use of wastewater monitoring and microbial detection to assess the true impact of foodborne illnesses in our communities. Wastewater monitoring has long been a component of public health monitoring; however, this type of community monitoring increased in use during the COVID-19 pandemic as a means for public health officials to help curtail rising cases of…
A tree falls in a forest, and no one is around to hear it. Does it make a sound? When thinking about food safety, we spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about how we improve, and that’s extremely important. Just as important is making sure we design the systems to know whether we did. Blindly implementing and adopting best practices aimed at reducing the risk of foodborne illness is…
Western Growers facilitated a panel on the Nexus of Food Safety and Sustainability at the 10th annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 20-21. This session was selected from over 150 applications, highlighting the interest and importance of this topic in the industry. Joining Western Growers’ Science team members, Jeana Cadby and Joelle Mosso, were Gina…
This is part two of a two-part series on food safety and sustainability. You can read the first part of this series in the September/October edition of the Western Grower & Shipper. Climate change is rapidly changing ecosystems worldwide, and there are increasing concerns about the long-term impacts that these changes may have on the stability, sustenance and growth of…
Headlines frequently report foodborne illnesses and recalls, prompting many business leaders to wonder what they need to do to prevent it happening to their company. When problems occur, investigators conduct a root cause analysis – don’t let that investigation lead to the top. Building a strong food safety culture is commonly discussed but difficult to implement and measure. It’s…
This is part one of a two-part series on food safety and sustainability. At what point in time does a plant become food? Why would that moment in time matter, and how would we know when it occurs? Food, by the nature of its purpose, should nourish the body and not introduce negative health outcomes. Fresh produce is one of the healthiest food categories, supplying vitamins, antioxidants…
Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a group of pathogenic E.coli that has been found to contaminate leafy greens and other fresh produce items. These contamination events contribute to the overall burden of foodborne illnesses and represent a primary challenge in the goal to improve produce food safety. STEC is a broad and diverse category of E.coli, with an estimated number of…
Join us for a webinar hosted by the Western Growers Science, featuring Dr. Florence Wu of Aemtek Laboratories and Dr. Eric Wilhelmsen of Fremonta. This webinar will explore new ways to approach microbial pathogen testing in the produce industry. Learn more about novel options that help you get more from your efforts and testing dollars. Details Thursday, June 13, 2024 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.…