[July/August News]

Scientists Test New Method for Sanitizing Leafy Produce

WASHINGTON — Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are studying new sanitizing methods to enhance the safety of leafy greens — technology that may result in safer salads.

Food technologist Yaguang Luo, with the ARS Produce Quality and Safety Laboratory (PQSL) in Beltsville, Md., first focused on reformulating a new sanitizer that works better than chlorine as a wash-solution ingredient. Chlorine solutions have been used by the food industry to help control microbes on fresh-cut greens, such as lettuce, but chlorine doesn’t eliminate all the organisms that can be present.

Luo has been collaborating with colleagues at the University of Illinois to test combining the use of several sanitizers, including the new formulation, with ultrasound as a means to enhance the efficiency of sanitization prior to bagging. They conducted a study to determine the effects of selected sanitizer ingredients, with or without ultrasound, on the reduction of Escherichia coli populations on spinach.

The highest E. coli reduction was 4.5 logs — meaning the bacteria decreased from about 300,000 colony-forming units to less than 10. This reduction was achieved through combining the newly formulated wash solution treatment with ultrasound treatment.

The combination of a new sanitizer with ultrasound can potentially be used to enhance the microbial safety of leafy green produce before the bagging process, according to Luo.

ARS scientists also have found that proper storage temperatures are essential to minimize bacterial growth and adaptability inside sealed, bagged salads. They have been studying the safety of new technologies that extend the shelf life of bagged salad greens.

The work was conducted by microbiologist Arvind Bhagwat with the ARS Produce Quality and Safety Laboratory in Beltsville, Md. He first investigated differences in bacterial growth levels on cut lettuce leaves that had been bagged under very low oxygen levels — an atmosphere known to extend the time that bagged salad appears fresh.

Bhagwat investigated whether the lack of oxygen would make it harder for the bacteria to survive a synthetic gastric juice shock, which mimics the challenge of exposure to human stomach acids. It turns out that the bacteria sitting on vegetables packed in low-oxygen atmospheres were more likely to survive such a shock.

Annual Methyl Bromide Alternatives Conference Aims to Enhance Technology Transfer Processes

ORLANDO, Fla. — Methyl Bromide Alternatives Outreach presents its annual conference Nov. 11-14 in Orlando, Fla.

The conference aims to support the gathering of data on potential alternatives to methyl bromide for future evaluation and prioritization; enhance technology transfer processes needed to economically and commercially implement methyl bromide alternatives; enhance scientific information and data exchange regarding current research on methyl bromide alternatives and emissions reduction; have interdisciplinary scientific exchange on methyl bromide alternatives and related issues; and develop and distribute conference proceedings as an information source on state-of-the-art methyl bromide alternatives for use by researchers, users of methyl bromide, legislators, government policy officials and all other interested parties.

For more information or to register, visit www.mbao.org.

QA Professionals on the Move

Pacific Ozone has hired Jeff Mitchell as its new vice president of finance and operations. The company also named Brian Lowe as its new director of sales for Latin America. 

Sara Goetz has been promoted to chemistry laboratory supervisor at Cincinnati-based Q Laboratories.

Pierre Sbabo will serve as managing director, NSF Asia-Pacific, at the company’s new regional headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. Peter Bracher will serve as managing director, NSF-CMi Asia-Pacific.

Mettler-Toledo Safeline has promoted Dora Arroyo to the position of human resources manager.

FSNS Co-hosts TAFS Workshop

SAN ANTONIO — Food Safety Net Services co-hosted the International Forum for Transmissible Animal Diseases and Food Safety (TAFS) Workshop in San Antonio in June. 

More than 40 industry experts from around the world gathered for the workshop in order to discuss bovine Paratuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (MaP) at the animal and product level. 

The attendees also participated in a mock crisis situation based on emerging issues relating to MaP. 

New Hide Wash Helps Promote Meat Safety

CLAY CENTER, Neb. — When it comes to the safety of the U.S. beef supply, everything works out in the wash — the hide wash, that is.
Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) developed a hide-washing tool that has significantly improved the safety of U.S. beef while saving the beef industry millions of dollars each year.

An estimated 50 percent of U.S. feedlot-raised beef cattle undergo the washing treatment, which has reduced the national incidence of pathogenic Escherichia coli in ground beef samples by about 43 percent.

The tool was developed by ARS scientists at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) in Clay Center, Neb. The research team included microbiologists Terry Arthur and Joseph Bosilevac, food technologists Steven Shackelford and Tommy Wheeler, and center director Mohammad Koohmaraie, formerly with ARS.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that E. coli O157:H7 causes nearly 73,000 illnesses every year in the United States. Following a 1993 outbreak, the U.S. MARC scientists launched a massive investigation into the pathogen. Their work was the first to show that the principle source of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef is fecal contamination on cowhides.

Before, most intervention efforts had focused on eliminating the pathogenic bacteria from feces. The new findings led to a paradigm shift and the development of improved, hide-targeted intervention techniques to reduce and eliminate pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 and other dangerous microorganisms.

The hide-washing system works by using a high-pressure water wash that removes excess organic matter from the cattle’s hides, which are then sprayed with an antibacterial compound.

The scientists also have demonstrated that several chemical compounds can be effectively used for pathogen removal.

Mettler-Toledo Safeline Launches New Educational Web Site

TAMPA, Fla. — Mettler-Toledo Safeline has launched a new educational Web site designed to share information, solutions and ideas about detecting physical contaminants in products spanning a number of industries.

The new Web site, www.contaminationdetection.com, will discuss topics and issues important to those in the food, beverage and packaging industries. The idea behind the site is to offer an educational forum in which those from all affected industries can come together to learn about solving problems and achieving solutions.

Contaminationdetection.com will feature news stories of interest to manufacturers and retailers relating to product contamination including recalls, as well as information on governmental regulations. The site will include stories on the company’s training programs, expert Q&A postings with key company leaders, case studies and testimonials, and stories on Safeline’s educational and training sessions. The site also will showcase how-to articles and inspection tips across the various industries. Visitors to the site also will be able to post comments and exchange ideas.

The online news and educational portal is viewed as an integral part of relaying Safeline’s critical message of food and product safety, company leaders said.
“This educational Web site is the first of its kind to offer straight advice without pushing products or the company,” said Oscar Jeter of Mettler-Toledo Safeline.  “It’s a completely innovative and neutral site.”

A semimonthly e-newsletter is part of the company’s latest educational initiative and will be sent to subscribers.

By the Numbers

A recent survey shows how recent recalls have impacted Americans’ view of their food supply.

57%
Percent of Americans who say they have actually stopped eating a particular food, temporarily or permanently, as a result of a recent recall.

76%
Percent of Americans who are more concerned about the foods they eat than they were five years ago.

78%
Percent of consumers who say they are most concerned by beef recalls. That was followed by chicken recalls (67 percent), recalls of fresh fruit and vegetables (53 percent) and recalls of dairy products (53 percent).

The survey was commissioned by Deloitte and polled 1,110 consumers. The margin of error is ± 3 points.