Listeria has been in the headlines a lot this year. In 2016, Listeria outbreaks have affected several major brands and have been linked to at least three deaths.
The FDA recently released its final FSMA rule, which applies specifically to food transportation. FSMA compliance concerns many aspects of food production, transportation of that food being one of them. While many food safety professionals have implemented HACCP or similar plans, they’ll need to review their current plans to ensure they comply with FSMA.
The FDA has been releasing final rules to govern various links in the food safety chain since 2015. Their latest announcement, the sixth set of rules, covers food transportation safety. While food transporters have been aware of these changes and taken proactive steps to move toward compliance, many may not be ready for some or all of the changes, which includes documenting temperature controls.
fDo you know where your food has been before you ate it? No? You’re not alone. For many consumers, the questions of where their food originated from (and the travel route it took), was processed, or was handled, is not a consideration. There is a faction of consumers that will research the country of origin, but recent action by the U.S. Congress on meat products now discloses that information to the public.
The spotlights and microscopes are on Chipotle’s response to outbreaks of E. coli, salmonella and norovirus that continue to make national headlines. Early outbreaks led to the closing of affected stores, cleaning and employee training, and reopening. Continuing outbreaks have led to the company’s stock falling from highs over $700 per share to $400 over a three month period.
When The New York Times headline reads U.S. Makes Final Array of Rules on Food Safety, readers pay attention. And when Fox News promotes the same topic in its piece FDA issues final rules on produce safety, imported foods, readers expect they won’t be reading about Salmonella outbreaks linked to imported cucumbers such as the multi-state warning issued by the FDA.
