{"title":"Adenosine Triphosphate Bioluminescence is a Poor Indicator of Listeria spp. Presence in Distribution Centers Handling Fresh Produce","authors":"Laurel L. Dunn","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-019","url":null,"abstract":"Monitoring for residual ATP is a rapid method used throughout the food industry to verify the efficacy of cleaning procedures for removing organic material prior to sanitation. Efforts to use ATP readings as a predictor of foodborne pathogens within the food environment were examined with mixed results. Therefore, ATP was investigated as an indicator for the presence of Listeria species in 17 U.S. food distribution center environments. Environmental surface samples (n = 300) were collected concurrently with ATP swabs to determine Listeria spp. presence and ATP relative light units (RLU) at given sampling sites. The number of Listeria spp.-positive samples were 13 (4.3%) of 300. ATP RLU varied widely across individual distribution centers, with an average of ca. 559 RLU and an overall range of ca. 0 to 8,690 RLU. Logistic regression to predict Listeria spp.-positive sample versus log(x + 1) transformed RLU data provided an odds ratio of 0.34; this indicates that ATP bioluminescence was a poor predictor of Listeria species presence in the sampled distribution centers. Although ATP does not appear to be a predictor of Listeria spp., it still may be an important tool to monitor and verify the efficacy of sanitation programs.","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49297775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Case Study of Food Safety Training Delivery Methods in Dairy Processing Plants","authors":"C. Stevenson","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-017","url":null,"abstract":"Computer-based and supervisor-led trainings are the most common approaches to training employees on food safety across the food industry. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of training format on changes in food safety knowledge, intentions, and compliance. Individualized and group trainings were developed using behaviorism and constructivism learning theories on four food safety topics. The training programs were implemented at 66 dairy processing plants. Pre- and posttest evaluations were received from 793 employees at 22 dairy plants using a validated evaluation method. Data were collected in the form of 14 pre- and posttraining supervisor audits and employee surveys. Group trainings that involved direct instruction and social learning methods were more effective for increasing knowledge than were individual trainings utilizing programmed instruction. The change in noncompliance associated with receiving training was not significantly different, however, possibly due to the limitations of the study such as the small sample size. Regressions also revealed that knowledge was a significant positive predictor of compliance, whereas intention was not.","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43603091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On-Farm Produce Safety: A Review of Needs Assessments of Small- and Medium-Sized Growers in the United States","authors":"Elizabeth Newbold","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-013","url":null,"abstract":"With the voluntary adoption of good agricultural practices and the regulatory requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act, produce growers have a continued need for educational programming. To understand these needs, the administration of produce safety needs assessments has increased. A summary of all available needs assessment research is needed to inform educational programming that addresses the complexity and range of produce safety requirements based on farm size and market access. This semisystematic review of 34 needs assessments from 2005 to 2020 summarized known produce safety needs and how those were influenced by a variety of factors among small- and medium-sized producers in the United States. Although growers face the needs of training, knowledge, time, capital, and mindset, the factors of farm size, region, market, and farm type influence how growers prioritize and are impacted by these needs. Therefore, educational programming cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach. It is essential to tailor education to the specific needs of producers while considering the various ways in which those needs can differ among specific groups of stakeholders because of influencing factors.","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45397365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Survey of Implemented Mitigation Strategies and Further Needs of the U.S. Food Industry to Control COVID-19 in the Work Environment in Early 2021","authors":"S. Llanos-Soto","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-012","url":null,"abstract":"Our objective was to determine the needs of the U.S. food industry to control COVID-19 in the work environment and what mitigation strategies are being implemented. A Web-based needs assessment survey was distributed in early 2021, targeting professionals in management positions at food industry facilities and operations. Statistical analyses were conducted on the self-reported adoption of mitigation strategies against COVID-19 in the participants’ facilities and operations and the perceived needs of the industry regarding COVID-19. A total of 79 usable responses were received (those with data on the participant’s industry sector), including 38 (48%) from the dairy, 17 (22%) from the fresh produce, and 24 (30%) from a mixture of other food industry sectors. Two usable responses were from the beef and pork sector, but none were from the poultry sector. Analyses revealed widespread implementation of mitigation strategies in the participants’ facilities and operations. Participants perceived that collaboration between the food industry and government agencies, contingency plans and appropriate training, and new technologies are needed to control COVID-19 in the food industry. Subject to limitations associated with low participation, these findings will aid efforts in the represented U.S. food industry sectors to protect workers’ health in the event of the emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant or similar future disaster.","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43182144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessing Food Safety Culture: A Comparative Study between Independent and Chain Mexican and Chinese Restaurants","authors":"Basem Boutrous","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-021","url":null,"abstract":"This study aimed to assess the food safety culture in independent and chain Mexican and Chinese restaurants based on food handlers’ demographics and operational characteristics. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to collect data on-site from a stratified random sample of 300 food handlers, with the goal of having 75 food handlers from each stratum of independent and chain Mexican and Chinese restaurants. A total of 106 restaurants agreed to participate. This included 31 independent Chinese restaurants, 28 independent Mexican restaurants, 16 chain Chinese restaurants, and 31 chain Mexican restaurants. Independent t-tests and a one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. There were significant differences in food handlers’ perceptions of leadership and environmental support in Mexican versus Chinese restaurants. Significant differences were found between the food handlers who received food safety training and those who did not. The respondents’ perception of leadership was significantly different among restaurants with different types of service. Perception of commitment to food safety was significantly different among food handlers of different ethnicities. Restaurant operators are recommended to focus on leadership styles, enhanced food safety training, and a physical environment more supportive of a positive food safety culture.","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47680378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Knowledge and Current Practices Related to Agricultural Water Microbial Quality among Kansas and Missouri Produce Growers","authors":"Londa Nwadike","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-001","url":null,"abstract":"Kansas State University and University of Missouri Extension educators have been providing training and information on agricultural water microbial quality to help produce growers reduce risk. However, we recognized the need to determine knowledge gaps among Kansas and Missouri growers related to agricultural water quality and best practices. A survey was developed to determine future extension outputs and activities to encourage growers to improve their practices related to water quality. The survey was distributed to Kansas and Missouri produce growers attending in-person or online produce-related events in late 2020 and early 2021 and was also distributed through email lists of produce growers from both states. Survey results (n = 101) indicate that 13.9% of the respondents tested their water for generic Escherichia coli more than once a year, whereas 38.6% of the participants had never tested their water. Approximately half (59.3%) of respondents indicated they used municipal water for postharvest uses, whereas 6.7% indicated the use of untreated surface water for postharvest activities. To address potential water contamination risks, researchers suggest that further training and educational resources would help growers improve practices related to water quality and produce safety.","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47250752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Review of Food Safety Violations: Urban School Foodservice","authors":"J. Reynolds","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-008","url":null,"abstract":"In the United States over 29 million elementary and high school students, a potentially higher risk population, consume school lunches each day, and the need for proper food safety is paramount. Though numerous interventions have been implemented in school foodservice, foodborne illness continues to be an issue in the United States. Ultimately, an understanding of recurring food safety violations would inform development of targeted food safety training interventions that could mitigate the number of foodborne illness outbreaks. The aim of this study was to analyze food safety violation trends from 2010 to 2019 in a large urban school system to explore research and educational opportunities. Over 20% of food safety inspections resulted in failure; 9.0% of all violations were critical, 11.9% were serious, and 79.1% were minor. These findings underscore the need to reevaluate current food safety educational interventions and food safety handling practices. Key critical and serious violation trends were lack of food safety knowledge, lack of temperature controls throughout the food preparation process, and lack of appropriate supplies. Recurring minor violations pertained to cleanliness of the facility (ventilation, flooring,","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41570176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On-Farm Readiness Review Tool and Training Curriculum to Help Farmers Assess Their Readiness to Comply with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule","authors":"M. Melendez","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-009","url":null,"abstract":"A team of extension professionals and state and national regulatory staff convened by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture developed the On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR) to support farm personnel on compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR). The OFRR tool was created to align the FSMA PSR provisions with relevant farming practices in time and space; it also linked recommendations for implementation of PSR requirements and offered evaluation criteria to assess PSR compliance before inspection. The developed tool is composed of a decision tree, walk-around questions, and a resource manual. The tool is the foundation of the training curriculum. The tool and curriculum were piloted and evaluated by participants to inform additional development of the final product. OFRR trainings were held nationally, and participants were trained on how to use the tool to conduct a confidential on-farm assessment of a farm’s readiness for a FSMA PSR inspection. The tools and training have had a beneficial impact on participants understanding of the FSMA PSR, have increased the assessors’ ability to apply the PSR to the farm, and have developed trained assessor teams that are able to evaluate inspectional readiness in their home state.","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49142372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Inactivation of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in Surface Agricultural Water Using a Commercial UV Processing Unit","authors":"Jessie Usaga","doi":"10.4315/fpt-22-003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-22-003","url":null,"abstract":"Treatment of agricultural water aids in the prevention of foodborne disease outbreaks linked to contaminated fresh produce. UV light is a suitable alternative for treating drinking water but is not always effective for surface irrigation water due to interference caused by turbidity and high microbial loads. The effectiveness of UV treatment for reducing Escherichia coli and Salmonella in surface water used in agriculture was evaluated. Six pond water samples were collected on each of 16 sampling dates over a 3-year period. On each corresponding testing date, three samples were inoculated with Salmonella enterica serovars Hartford, Montevideo, and Gaminara and the other three samples were inoculated with E. coli ATCC 25922, targeting a concentration of 7 log CFU/mL. Inoculated water was UV treated with a commercially available juice processing UV device at a constant UV dose of 14.2 mJ/cm2 and a turbulent flow regime. The effects of date, initial bacterial counts, and water pH and turbidity on log reductions of both microorganisms were determined. Initial bacterial counts and test date significantly predicted microbial reduction (multivariate P < 0.001), but neither pH nor turbidity influenced microbial reductions (P > 0.05). UV treatment reduced both Salmonella and E. coli by a mean of >6 log CFU/mL.","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45680745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Michael Ablan, Mary Pomeroy, Neha Jaggi Sood, Katherine E Marshall
{"title":"A Qualitative Content Analysis of Responses to CDC's Foodborne Outbreak Messages on Facebook.","authors":"Michael Ablan, Mary Pomeroy, Neha Jaggi Sood, Katherine E Marshall","doi":"10.4315/fpt-21-028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4315/fpt-21-028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coordinates investigations of multistate foodborne outbreaks. To better inform future communication efforts with the public during these outbreaks, we conducted a qualitative content analysis of comments on multistate foodborne outbreak Facebook posts distributed on the CDC's Facebook page September to December 2018. The CDC created 27 Facebook posts for nine multistate foodborne outbreaks (one to eight posts per outbreak), and 2,612 comments were analyzed. The CDC used two Web tools to deliver outbreak information: food safety alerts (FSAs) and investigation notices (INs). Qualitative analyses were conducted separately for Facebook posts resulting from FSAs and INs. Using an inductive coding approach, we identified nine categories of comments: information sharing (e.g., tagging others), actions (e.g., discarding contaminated food), convictions and beliefs (e.g., food-related preconceived notions), questions (e.g., clarifying outbreak location), emotional responses (e.g., worry), blame (e.g., responsibility for outbreak), food specific (e.g., repackaging ground beef and losing identifying information), promoting another cause (e.g., vaccine hesitancy), and unrelated. No differences were found between FSAs and INs. Facebook users helped further disseminate important outbreak information but identified barriers that prevented them from taking recommended actions. Real-time evaluation of social media during outbreaks provides opportunities to refine messaging and improve communication.</p>","PeriodicalId":38649,"journal":{"name":"Food Protection Trends","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10174219/pdf/nihms-1852387.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9467566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}