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The Food Safety & Modernization Act of 2011~What It Means To You

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Responding  to the overwhelming evidence of food bourne illnesses in the first decade of the 21st century and the need to protect American consumers, President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act into effect in 2011, first piece of new food safety legislation since 1938.

Rather than just respond to outbreaks of illness due to food contamination, this piece of legislation sets out a  series of new measures and guidelines whose intention is prevention of illness in the first place. In the past, the Food and Drug Administration had to rely on voluntary recalls from growers and processors of food in regard to illness outbreaks due to food contamination. Now, the FSMA gives the FDA  the power to issue mandatory recalls of products, a first for this agency. The FSMA will also have greater power to regulate  the manner in which food is grown, harvested and processed. This new  legislation will require more inspections of facilities based on risk. Companies  which process foods more prone to contamination will be subject to more frequent inspections. Within 5 years of the bill’s enactment, each high risk food processing facility must be inspected and moving forward, inspections will occur every 3 years.

In the global market of the 21st century, 15% of the food Americans eat comes  from other countries into the U.S. for processing and consumption. In response to the increased incidents of food bourne illness and contamination concerns outside of the country, the FSMA now gives the FDA increased authority to reject food shipments for importation from producers who refuse inspection  in accordance to FDA standards. Within one year of enactment, the law directs the FDA to inspect at least 600 foreign facilities and double those inspections every year for the next five years.

For the first time, the FDA will set the standard for the food safety of fruits and vegetables taking into account intentional and unintentional hazards within the food chain so that everything from  hygiene, packaging, temperature controls, animals in the growing area and water are taken into account.

Food facilities must now have a formal strategic plan to combat contamination, detailing issues which could specifically effect the safety of the products they process and methods by which they will follow in order to insure food safety.  They will also need to demonstrate accurate recordkeeping of their safety methods and specific the steps needed to correct any food safety issue. These new processes can give every segment of food production prevention-focused tools for increasing food safety, thereby saving  businesses millions of dollars in lost revenue and protecting consumers from illness, injury or death.

The FSMA will also establish partnerships with other internal US agencies as well as reach out to foreign food safety counterparts to work more closely to monitor food safety so that by working together, sharing information and improving their processes, governmental professionals can contribute their expertise in the service of increasing food safety. At the state level, there will be a series of grants available to facilitate enhanced implementation of food safety, and internationally, the FDA will partner with other countries so that foreign food processors can receive food safety education and training from US sources.

 Based on science guided data for the safe growth, harvesting and production of food, the FSMA is a huge step in consumer protection. But  it takes every food professional to make the commitment at the “front end” of food service to prevent food contamination and illness in the first place. The days of simply responding to a food bourne illness after the fact are in the past. We are now required to be the strongest first line of defense when it comes to food safety. As a food professional, your  up- to -date knowledge of food safety is a must. We at A Training Company are excited about the opportunities we can provide to you as you contribute your own part to this important issue. Food safety is not just good for business, it’s the law of the land.

Eggs~ Respectfully

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Loved the world over in every culture they are consumed, eggs provide what can only be described as the perfect food—packaged excellently by nature, abundant in production, loaded with an affordable source of protein, versatile to cook with and tasty as can be. Eggs are an elegantly simple food, and as such, we can sometimes overlook the fact that handling and using eggs must be done with respect for food safety.

Every year, there are reports of food poisoning due to the misuse of eggs during the cooking process. As recently as October of this year, the Food and Drug Administration issued warnings about a recent Salmonella Enteritis outbreak concerning infected organic eggs distributed throughout several states.  Salmonella can cause very unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms in most people, but among the very young, the elderly and the sick, its health risk can have deadly results. Taking care when cooking with eggs will greatly reduce the risk of Salmonella infections. A raw egg will sometimes be infected with the bacteria without our knowledge, and there’s no way to detect this with the naked eye, so properly cooking eggs will ensure that they’ll be safe to eat, and here’s how:

When making scrambled eggs, make sure that they are cooked to firmness and never served “runny”.

For fried, boiled, poached or baked eggs, cook them until both the yolk and the white are firm.

When using eggs as binders in recipes such as casseroles, cook the dish until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees F.

Whenever possible, look for pasteurized eggs or egg products.

Serve cooked eggs or recipes containing eggs immediately after cooking. Refrigerate the remaining leftovers and consume them within 3-4 days of cooking.

Eggs are great picnic and tailgating food, but remember to store your eggs in an insulated cooler with enough gel packs or ice to keep them cold, and consume any leftover hard-boiled eggs within 7 days of cooking.

 Food safety is the first line of defense when considering how to best protect yourself and those you feed so that eggs can continue to be enjoyed as a healthful bounty at the table. Food safety education is our specialty at A Training Company. We can provide you a powerful knowledge base with which to continue your food service career with assurance.