Two weeks ago, we saw again a recall of an ingredient that affected many different products. One manufacturer of a commonly used ingredient can affect the finished products of many different companies. Fortunately most companies processed their end product further with additional heating that could destroy salmonella. Most companies took no chance of having a sick customer and having to deal with potential litigation.
They recalled their products.
BFF is now saying they were only following FDA protocol. When they discovered salmonella in one lot of product, because of notification by their customer that received the ingredient and notified BFF and notified the FDA as per the Reportable Food Registry.
They tested additional product lots, which allegedly tested negative for salmonella. This occurred on September 17, 2009. The company notified its customers on February 26. The FDA announced the recall one week later.
The FDA noted that after notification of the presence of Salmonella in their plant on January 21, they continued to manufacture ingredients until February 15th, without changing their process to ensure that Salmonella was removed from the facility and subsequent product.
At the end of the day, manufacturers need to ensure that their facilities and products are adequately tested to ensure that they are not contaminated. When you test and find positive results, you must change your procedures, get your source of contamination located and removed. You must ensure that you cannot contaminate product that will be leaving your facility.
More training needs to occur in food processing facilities, so that procedures are developed and followed to detect and eliminate any possible contamination. The onus of this falls on the manufacturer.
Err on the side of caution and consumer protection. You will be doing the right thing and controlling your liability.
Be safe out there.
Rudy
rudy@powerinlearning.com
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Salmonella Contaminates Your Flavor Enhancer
This past week an alert came out from FDA that Basic Food Flavors was recalling it's Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein ingredient. Why? Salmonella!
HVP is used in many seasonings, soups, dips, chilis, sauces, and a host of products as a flavor enhancer. It is a very common ingredient. Check in your pantry, your refrigerator and at your local supermarket and in a review of ingredients labels it will be there.
The contamination was discovered by one of the customers of Basic F. F. through sampling and testing. As required in the Food Registry reporting, FDA was alerted and subsequently went to the plant to find the source of contamination. Allegedly, they did find Salmonella in the plant.
Now a rash of recalls is occurring. Companies, such as McCormick, are recalling products that used this ingredient from Basic Food Flavors.
If there was a bacterial kill step in the further processing, customer exposure is unlikely. But, companies will err on the side of consumer safety, as they should.
Thankfully, a company discovered this by testing ingredients that go into their products.
What is needed to correct this at plant level?
Was the equipment able to be properly cleaned?
Were the correct procedures in place to properly clean and sanitize the equipment?
Did the company have a HACCP plan?
Did the company have appropriate Pre-requisite plans?
Did the company have appropriate testing procedures in their plant?
Bacterial contamination and re-contamination must be controlled from the farm to your kitchen table. At every step of the process controls must be in place.
When you decide to be a part of the food industry and that food chain, then assume responsibility for the health of the end customer. You have the moral and legal responsibility to protect the public. Take that responsibility seriously. Lives depend on it!
Rudy
rudy@powerinlearning.com
HVP is used in many seasonings, soups, dips, chilis, sauces, and a host of products as a flavor enhancer. It is a very common ingredient. Check in your pantry, your refrigerator and at your local supermarket and in a review of ingredients labels it will be there.
The contamination was discovered by one of the customers of Basic F. F. through sampling and testing. As required in the Food Registry reporting, FDA was alerted and subsequently went to the plant to find the source of contamination. Allegedly, they did find Salmonella in the plant.
Now a rash of recalls is occurring. Companies, such as McCormick, are recalling products that used this ingredient from Basic Food Flavors.
If there was a bacterial kill step in the further processing, customer exposure is unlikely. But, companies will err on the side of consumer safety, as they should.
Thankfully, a company discovered this by testing ingredients that go into their products.
What is needed to correct this at plant level?
Was the equipment able to be properly cleaned?
Were the correct procedures in place to properly clean and sanitize the equipment?
Did the company have a HACCP plan?
Did the company have appropriate Pre-requisite plans?
Did the company have appropriate testing procedures in their plant?
Bacterial contamination and re-contamination must be controlled from the farm to your kitchen table. At every step of the process controls must be in place.
When you decide to be a part of the food industry and that food chain, then assume responsibility for the health of the end customer. You have the moral and legal responsibility to protect the public. Take that responsibility seriously. Lives depend on it!
Rudy
rudy@powerinlearning.com
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