Food Protection Trends

Abstracts - April 2006

A Methodological Approach for Assessing the Microbial Contamination of Fresh Produce from Harvest to Retail  

Changes in Microbiological Populations on Beef Carcass Surfaces Exposed to Air- or Spray-chilling and Characterization of Hot Box Practices 

Perceptions of Risk Communication Messages: Applications in a Food Processing Environment  

A Methodological Approach for Assessing the Microbial Contamination of Fresh Produce from Harvest to Retail

Réjeanne Dallaire-1, Liette Vasseur-1,2, Denyse I. LeBlanc-3, Carole C. Tranchant-4, and Pascal Delaquis-5

1-Biology Department, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada E1A 3E9
2- Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, Canada P3E 2C6
3-Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Food ResearchCentre, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada E1A 3E9
4-School of Food Science, Nutritionand Family Studies, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada E1A 3E9
5-Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Summerland, BC, Canada V0H 1Z0

SUMMARY
Fresh fruits and vegetables are vehicles for pathogens associated with foodborne illness. This paper describes a methodological framework for following specific lots of produce in order to monitor their microbial contamination as they move through the production and distribution system (under commercial operations, from field to
retail display). The success of this methodology depends on: (1) proper scheduling of replicates and sampling; (2) a color-coded tagging system to track the samples; and (3) close collaboration among the participants involved (researchers, growers, wholesalers and retailers). The color-coded tagging system allows easy access to information about the grower, the field, and the time and date of harvest. The monitoring of microbial contamination throughout the food supply chain can provide better understanding of the sources of contamination and of the ecology of foodborne pathogens, which will contribute to development of methods or techniques to prevent contamination. The sampling methodology proposed is designed to assess the microbiological load of fresh produce, but it could also easily be used to track other aspects of produce quality (e.g., nutrient content) or to obtain information on biological, environmental and management factors needed by the produce industry and by food inspection or public health departments.

Changes in Microbiological Populations on Beef Carcass Surfaces Exposed to Air- or Spray-chilling and Characterization of Hot Box Practices

Catherine A. Simpson, Justin R. Ransom, John A. Scanga, Keith E. Belk, John H. Sofos, and Gary Smith

Colorado State University, Center for Red Meat Safety, Department of Animal Sciences, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1171, USA

SUMMARY
This study: (i) evaluated changes in Aerobic Plate Counts (APC), Total Coliform Counts (TCC), Escherichia coli Biotype 1 Counts (ECC), and prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 on samples from beef carcasses subjected to spray-chilling or air-chilling, (ii) compared APC, TCC and ECC recovered from the upper region (round and
flank) vs. the lower region (brisket) of carcasses before and after chilling (~ 48 h), and (iii) characterized carcass hot box practices by comparing carcass handling and chilling procedures at different plants. Carcasses at Plants A and B received both treatments (spray-chilling and air-chilling), whereas carcasses at Plant C
received only the spray-chilling treatment. Overall, cold carcass APC, TCC and ECC were similar (P > 0.05), regardless of chilling treatment, at Plants A and B. Hot carcass APC were lower (P < 0.05) for upper carcass sites (3.5 log CFU/100 cm2) than for lower ones (4.2 log CFU/100 cm2); hot carcass TCC and ECC did not
show this site difference (P > 0.05). Of the hot carcass samples in plants A and B, 0.4 and 6.3% tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, respectively; no carcass samples tested positive after chilling. At Plant C, 1.5 % of prechilled samples were positive for E. coli O157:H7, compared to 4.9% of the samples collected from carcasses
after chilling. Average time for carcass surface to reach ~ 4°C during chilling was 11.0, 9.33, and 21.7 h at Plants A, B, and C, respectively, regardless of chilling treatment.

Perceptions of Risk Communication Messages: Applications in a Food Processing Environment

Julie M. Novak-1, Timothy L. Sellnow-1, Steven J. Venette-1, and William E. Nganje-2

1-North Dakota State University, Box 5075, Fargo, ND 58105, USA;
2-North Dakota State University, Box 5636 Fargo, ND 58105, USA

SUMMARY
Risk communication includes the interactive process between employees within an organization for identifying risk, projecting its relevance and potential impact, and enacting practices to eliminate or minimize the threat. Outbreaks and scares of foodborne illness beginning in the 1990s have catapulted risk communication and food
safety issues into the public arena and have resulted in demands to elevate standards and improve safety in food processing plants. This research examined perceptions related to risk communication to determine to what extent mindful risk communication, as conceptualized by the high reliability organization (HRO) model, functions within an exemplary processing plant in the food industry. Employees at a Midwestern turkey processing plant completed a survey that measured their perceptions of mindful risk communication in practice. The results indicated that employees generally perceived the plant as a high reliability organization. One-way ANOVA results revealed that employees shared this overall perception regardless of job position. Likewise, for nine of ten HRO characteristics, employees in different job categories reported similar perceptions. The high reliability model helps to explain the plant’s consistent performance and provides a solid base on which plants can implement mindful risk communication aimed at co-constructing and renegotiating workplace dialogue and interactions capable of improving safety and quality in the food processing industry.