Intervention during an outbreak
Kansas City Processors of meat and poultry don’t wait for requests from the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to test or recall food items that could endanger consumer food safety. Instead, in order to protect consumers from food safety issues, producers and processors are conducting their own testing or even removing products from the market. Although different stakeholders in the food business have different explanations for recall rates, most would agree that both the quantity and scope of recalls have gradually increased recently.
According to Mike Clark, worldwide marketing manager for molecular food diagnostics at Bio-Rad Laboratories and a microbiologist, there are several reasons why recalls have been increasing over the course of several years. The Hercules, California-based diagnostic business Bio-Rad creates technology for checking food safety. Clark claims that one of the main causes of the increase in recalls is the use of environmental and product testing, which can identify potential problems with food safety either before or after food products are put on the market or sold to the general public.
“There seems to be fewer recalls over the last couple of years compared to 2016,” Mr. Clark stated. “Recalls have increased over the last five years.”
He noted that one of the main causes is as follows: more food is produced now than it was in the past. As more food is produced, there are more potential for contamination and hence more risks of foodborne illness.
Accordingly, businesses in the sector are responding to it, which is excellent, according to Mr. Clark. “They’re taking a more aggressive approach to that. In certain instances, greater vigilance is being observed through the testing of food products or plant processing environments. They aim to prevent the release of goods that pose a risk to food safety from the market. When more testing reveals a product to be dangerous for the public’s health, companies are choosing to voluntarily recall those products. Before the U.S.D.A.’s Food Safety and Inspection Service asks the business to begin a recall, that is the situation with poultry and meat. More of a reactive recall would be that.
Options testing
PCR testing and chromogenic media testing are the two main areas of expertise for Bio-Rad when it comes to food pathogen testing technology.
The technique known as PCR is used to determine whether food contains pathogens including Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, and others. Its quick pathogen detection in meat and poultry products is one of its greatest strengths in food testing. It is based on the pathogen’s DNA.
Agar plates are used in chromogenic media testing, which uses an enzymatic reaction to cause bacteria and pathogens to change color.
Let’s say you’re searching for microorganisms other than Salmonella. Mr. Clark stated that different colors would demonstrate the differentiation.
Additionally, this technology is quick—certainly quicker than traditional techniques for testing technologies.
Bio-Rad Laboratories introduced its dd-Check food safety testing product three months ago. Droplet Digital PCR powers the kit, which verifies positive results more quickly than culture-based conventional techniques and examines the genome of each individual E. coli bacteria to look for virulence genes linked to pathogenic (disease-producing) STEC (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli). Additionally, the business sells iQ-Check Real-Time PCR kits, which are quick PCR tests for a variety of diseases.
Prevention versus detection
Mr. Clark pointed out that while testing equipment aids in the detection of diseases, it does not stop them from appearing in food products or processing facilities. Using HACCP, sanitation, or other good manufacturing procedures, prevention is achieved.
According to Raj Rajagopal, senior global technical service specialist at 3M Food Safety, the firm develops and provides cutting-edge solutions that assist food and beverage makers in optimizing the quality and safety of numerous goods.
In addition to being included in the USDA’s Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook, he claimed that “our 3M Molecular Detection System solution for pathogen testing receives a high level of attention due to its unique chemistry, simplicity, and ease of use.”
While a variety of organisms can result in foodborne diseases, Mr. Rajagopal stated that in the meat and poultry business, E. Coli (both O157 and non-O157 STEC), Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter pose the greatest risks.
More recalls are possible due to a number of circumstances, according to Mr. Rajagopal. These include more pathogens in meat and poultry, faster detection of food safety issues, and processors initiating recalls to remove faulty goods from the market rather than waiting for the F.D.A. or U.S.D.A. to do so.
You may also like:
Food security in emerging nations: issues and remedies
Are drinks the secret to increasing cannabis use among consumers?
Managing the lack of labour for mushroom picking
According to Mr. Rajagopal, “more and more food processors and labs are requiring and implementing molecular detection methods for pathogen detection.” “Molecular methods offer higher detection sensitivity and specificity when compared to immunoassay-based methods or traditional culture methods.”
“Processors can thoroughly analyze their ingredients, finished products, food contact surfaces, and other potential sources to identify root causes and prevent recurrences in the event that some contamination is uncovered.”
Speaking of 3M’s latest testing technique, he talked about two distinct genetic tests for E. coli that produces Shiga toxin. In addition to quickly identifying genes for Shiga toxin types 1 and 2, the new 3M Molecular Detection Assay 2 – STEC Gene Screen (stx and eae) also includes aea, a crucial gene that permits the bacteria to adhere to intestinal cells.
“Shiga toxin genes are specifically detected by the second assay, which is the 3M Molecular Detection Assay 2 – STEC Gene Screen (stx).” They enable producers to check for non-O157 STECS, such as the O104:H4 strain that caused a significant outbreak in Europe.
The 3M Petrifilm Rapid Aerobic Count Plate and the 3M Petrifilm Rapid E. coli/Coliform Count Plate, which provide faster results than conventional agar plates, were recently introduced by the business. He stated, “We are always trying to shorten the duration of our rapid test procedures.”
Managing infections
The goal of Columbia, Maryland-based biotechnology startup Intralytix Inc. is to find, produce, and commercialize bacteriophage-based products that manage bacterial infections in food processing, the environment, and other settings.”A natural method of controlling pathogens in meat and poultry products, bacteriophages are bacteria-eaters,” stated Greg Strang, director of the company’s food safety section.
The business created two brand-new natural products: EcoShield PX, which the FDA recently approved, works well against six STEC strains and E. Coli O157:H7.
Mr. Strang stated, “It is entirely natural and contains no known allergenic substances or preservatives.” “Beef carcasses, primal and sub-primal cuts, parts, trim, and ground red meat—some of the hardest-to-treat products in the meat industry—are significantly less contaminated when using this product.”
It is also authorized for usage in the halal and kosher meat sectors to utilize EcoShield PX.
To lower or completely eradicate the danger of foodborne salmonellosis, SalmoFresh was created. Naturally occurring bacteriophages are the active ingredients; they kill Salmonella strains, including those from the most prevalent and highly virulent serotypes. Prior to grinding, red meat and poultry can be processed to significantly lower the risk of Salmonella contamination.”The best thing about SalmoFresh is that it can be applied directly to poultry and is a safe, appropriate antimicrobial that can be used as a processing aid in the production of poultry products,” stated Mr. Strang. It is now authorized for beef. It has been certified by kosher and halal certifying bodies because it is entirely natural. It works well as an ingredient in dishes made organically as well.Phages are unique to a species. They cannot impact other bacteria; they only target the bacteria they were designed to destroy. We include several phages in our goods because of this.
ListShield addresses contamination from Listeria monocytogenes in food and processing plants. Another new treatment, called CampyShield, will target Campylobacter during the next four to six months.
“Processors increased the usage of chemicals after discovering that Salmonella outbreaks were occurring again. However, the more they tried, the less successful it was, Mr. Strang stated. “Processors who produce ground chicken and turkey were having problems due to the new U.S.D.A. restrictions regarding percent positives. Our phages are quite effective, and there has been a significant demand for them. And the phages shed their skin after a day. For this reason, our products are 100% organic processing aids.
We at Intralytix have created a cutting-edge technology. Our track record with small and medium-sized businesses is positive. The major processors are now taking us on board.