... A Compilation of Progress Reports III
Page 1
Summer 2003
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DENVER - The Division convened a Foodborne Illness/Food Safety Task Force
meeting in Glendale on February 5, 2003. The goal of this meeting was to
build local capacity and improve communication among public health professionals
so that foodborne illness investigations could be conducted in a more effective
manner. The participants included representatives from FDA, USDA, and the
Disease Control/Environmental Epidemiology Division. Also in attendance
were public health nurses, environmental health specialists, regional epidemiologists/bio-terrorism
planners, and laboratory personnel. The afternoon session featured a tabletop
exercise during which outbreak procedures and agency/partner roles and
responsibilities were reviewed. Input was solicited on how to improve state
and local epidemiologic response so that the risk factors most often associated
with foodborne disease could be quickly identified and corrected. This
coordinated response would provide better protection for constituents by
preventing additional people from contracting foodborne illness. This exercise
enabled participants to become actively engaged in the mutual decision-making
process needed to effectively respond to a foodborne illness outbreak.
Approximately 80 professionals attended this meeting. Attendee evaluations
were extremely favorable, and many participants expressed the desire to
attend future meetings where they could interact with colleagues and become
better prepared for a bio-terrorism or foodborne illness incident.
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Georgia
By Van Harris and Tammi Stigger
ATLANTA - The Georgia Food Safety Task Force continues to be proactive
by providing food safety information and materials throughout the state.
The meetings were conducted with emphasis on current food safety topics
and issues. During 2002; meetings were held on January 22, April 17, and
August 7.
The most recent meeting was held on January 7, 2003 at the Georgia Public
Health Laboratory in Decatur, Georgia. Captain Charles Otto discussed
the CDC Food Safety Icon project. He informed the group that the CDC
conducted
a food safety focus group in the fall of 2002 to determine which international
food safety icon is the clearest. The icons may be used for training
and signage. Some icons will be featured on the IAFP website in March.
Dr.
Paul Williams discussed GEMA initiatives: ESF11 to include food safety
issues, development of a national model plan to deal with Botulism and
a system to report animal diseases. Dr. Daryl Rowe discussed the USA
Patriot Act: student records and electronic media (open), limits persons
conducting
research and demands to increase Bio Security. The duty of a responsible
official was also discussed. Cindy Burnett reported that the state is
experiencing outbreaks of Norovirus in Nursing Homes, Vibro outbreak
in Chatham County,
Clostridium perfringens outbreak in Coffee County. Obtaining stool samples
is a challenge for epidemiology.
Van Harris discussed the need for a team member with grant writing expertise.
The individual will be able to assist the group with grant opportunities
in order to continue food safety projects. The group agreed to publish
additional food safety brochures in English and Spanish. The first
supply was distributed to consumers throughout the state utilizing
the various
public health agencies and public affairs divisions. Mr. Cameron Smoak
discussed his trip to Florida as a guest speaker promoting State Food
Safety Task Forces. He was invited by FSTEA (Food Safety Training Education
Alliance).
The Georgia Food Safety Task Force completed the first food safety training
on December 22, 2002 with members of the China Restaurant Association.
Dr. Yao-Wen Huang conducted the two hour training. Fifty-two individuals
were awarded certificates at the conclusion of the program. A second
food safety training program is scheduled for the group in the spring.
The GFSTF
is looking for a Spanish translator versed in food safety. The individual
will conduct food safety training and seminars in the Hispanic community
in cooperation with team members. Volunteers are needed for future
food safety training and seminars. Team members were encouraged to
contact
Kim Livsey or Van Harris to volunteer.
The USDA/FSIS awarded GFSTF a $15,000.00 grant to continue food safety
education of small, independent, and ethnic retail food establishments.
Equipment was purchased to conduct workshops and seminars.
The next meeting will be held on May 2, 2003 at the Georgia Department
of Human Resources / Epidemiology in Atlanta.
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FRANKFURT - The Kentucky Department for Public Health has developed through
the Kentucky Food Safety Task Force, a Food Safety-Security Information
Sheet. This enclosed information sheet was developed in response to the
terrorist acts on our country on September 11, 2001. We wish to provide
you with pertinent food security information which will help you ensure
the safety and security of the foods you manufacture, store, distribute
and serve. This information sheet will help management and workers be aware
of the growing importance of food security issues such as: keeping outer
doors closed and locked, knowing your food distributors, policing public
access buffet lines, and restricting entry to food preparation areas by
unauthorized persons. Although these and other food security measures appear
to be common sense, they can be easily overlooked during busy workdays.
The enclosed Guidance for Industry Document developed by the Food and
Drug Administration is a timely and appropriate tool for owners and management
to review and incorporate into the workings of your business.
This office does not expect terrorist acts against our food supply in
Kentucky, however education, awareness and preparation for possible events
will help further ensure the safety of our food supply.
The enclosed documents are not regulations, but are simply tools provided
to you to better address food security-safety issues at your facility.
We urge that your agency review the attached Food Safety-Security Information
Sheet and Guidance For Industry document and discuss the contents with
your appropriate staff. We further urge you to post the Food Security Information
sheet document in your establishment for all staff to view, and keep in
mind during day-to-day activities.
This office and all Kentuckians appreciate the extra measures you have
taken thus far to ensure the security and safety of the food supply under
your jurisdiction. Additional measures, such as what is included in the
attached Food Safety-Security Informational Sheet and Guidance For Industry
document will help further protect your food products and the health and
well being of our Commonwealth citizens. Thank you again for taking a proactive
role in preventing or reducing the likelihood of terrorism in Kentucky.
If this office may be of further assistance, please contact the Food Safety
Branch at (502) 564-7181.
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Ohio
By Paul Panico
REYNOLDSBURG - The Ohio Food Safety Task Force (Council) is co-chaired
by the Director of Agriculture and the Director of Health. The remaining
membership of the Council includes the following: six Retail Food Industry
(three Food Service, three Retail Food Establishment), one Consumer; one
Academia and four local health representatives. The duties of the Council
are spelled out in Ohio statute. The Council is charged with the following
responsibilities:
- Making recommendations for the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code;
- Examining specific food safety issues raised by the director of agriculture
or the director of health and making recommendations regarding
those issues;
- Mediating unresolved issues among state agencies about the interpretation
of rules adopted under this chapter and making recommendations
regarding the issues;
- Making recommendations to the director of agriculture and director
of health with respect to improving the food safety awareness of
consumers and their confidence in the state's food supply;
- Making recommendations to the director of agriculture and director
of health regarding the licensing categories and inspection frequencies
to
be used in regulating retail food establishments and food service
operations;
- Making recommendations to the director of health with respect to
the program for certification of individuals in food protection and
approval of courses in food protection.
- Reviewing comments on and requests for interpretation of the Ohio
Uniform Food Safety Code (Food Code), as submitted by any holder
of a licensed
issued.
- Making recommendations to the director of agriculture and the
director of health for issuing joint letters of opinion pursuant
to the Ohio
Uniform Food Safety Code. A letter of opinion is to be issued
not later than sixty
days after the date the recommendation is received from the council.
Each letter of opinion provides a detailed interpretation of
the rules that
are the subject of the council’s recommendation. The interpretation
is binding and is to be applied uniformly throughout the state.
The Council met six times during the past year and has established a
quarterly schedule for the remainder of this year.
Council Accomplishments
Survey Methodology – Local Health Department Retail Food Safety
Programs
Survey Methodology is used by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the
Ohio Department of Health to evaluate the retail food establishment and
food service operation programs of local health departments in Ohio. Ohio
law requires the Directors of Agriculture and Health to survey each local
health department’s retail food safety program at least once every
three years. The purpose is to determine if each local health department
is qualified and has capacity to administer and enforce the retail food
establishment and food service operation programs. The Council reviewed,
commented, and heard testimony from the local health departments on the
proposed state methodology to be used to survey health districts. As a
result, a pilot survey methodology was agreed to. The following is a summary
of the Council’s recommendations.
The standards for the evaluation of the local health department retail
food safety programs are established in three categories: (1) administrative
aspects, (2) rules requirements as they apply to the inspection of facilities,
and (3) performance standards.
- The administrative aspects subject to state review include cost
analysis, fee setting, licensing, inspections, procedures and methods,
facility layout
and equipment approval, and enforcement. Within each of these broad
categories are specific items that will be evaluated
- At the state level an initial statewide field survey using a random
sample of retail food establishment and food service operations in
Ohio is to be performed to provide the agencies with the initial baseline
needed
to provide a comparison benchmark to look at the level of control of
risk factors and sanitation in facilities.
- Performance standards while not specifically in the law and rules,
facilitate a quality program.
The health district, at the end of the survey, should have an unbiased
view of the status of their food safety program and the directors of agriculture
and health will know which departments are acceptable. The survey has three
possible outcomes: approval; provisional (items that are critical need
correction); disapproval (health district has been on provisional and has
failed to make necessary corrections).
The agency protocol for beginning the process will commence with the state
agency scheduling the survey; a follow-up letter will be sent to confirm
the appointment with a listing of the information they need to have ready
for the state survey to allow a more efficient use of time.
Deficiencies will require an action plan to be developed by the health
district. The plans of action need to include a reasonable timeline, that
must be acceptable to the Director. A health district has 45 days to submit
the plan of action. Some items will automatically rate a health district
as provisional if they are not met.
At the recommendation of the local health departments in Ohio, the field
portion of the survey will incorporate evaluating the local health department’s
inspecting personnel. This process will also be used to determine whether
or not a local health department is properly applying the food code. Five
operations will be inspected with each sanitarian. During these inspections,
the state surveyor will be evaluating the sanitarian’s:
- Communication Skills: This includes interaction with operators,
persons in charge and food employees, questioning of personnel when necessary
during
inspections and that public health principles and code requirements
are clearly explained.
- Code Knowledge and Application of It: The agencies will evaluate
the sanitarian’s knowledge and understanding of the Ohio Food Code, its
requirements and application. The sanitarian’s inspection
should focus on those items that are most likely to result in
a food safety
hazard.
- Demonstration of Good Inspection Practices: This is the sanitarian’s
nonverbal method of communicating (washing hands prior to inspecting,
hair restraint use, etc.).
- Inspection and Report Writing: This part of the field evaluation
will focus on the inspection report being written legibly, completely
and signed.
- Inspection Equipment and Its’ Proper Use.
Since we cannot directly measure the amount of foodborne illness prevented
we will utilize another means of doing this. CDC has established that there
are certain behaviors that are more likely to lead to foodborne illness.
These include foods from an unsafe source, inadequate cooking, improper
holding of foods, contaminated equipment, poor personal hygiene and other
foreign substances. The survey will allow us to examine how well a health
department is progressing in the control of these behaviors in their establishments
by applying the Food Code intervention strategies.
The survey has been initiated as a Pilot and will be reevaluated by the
Council when enough data has been collected by the state agencies.
Food Code Update:
Ohio is currently operating under the 1999 FDA Food Code (adopted in Ohio
in March 2001). The Council reviewed all the changes that FDA introduced
in the 2001 Food Code, information from the 2002 Conference for Food Protection,
and agency recommendations. After several meeting they approved updating
Ohio’s code to the 2001 FDA Food Code with slight modifications.
Staff have prepared the rule amendments and project an effective date of
March 1, 2004.
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Iowa
By Judy Harrison The Iowa Food Safety Task Force meets quarterly to discuss current food
safety issues.
The Task Force is made up of regulators, industry, academia and consumers.
Meetings during this period were held on July 9, 2002, October 8, 2002,
January 14, 2003, and April 15, 2003. At the initial meeting of the Iowa Food Safety Task Force, the following
four food safety issues were identified as their focus:
Enhancing consumer food safety education, awareness and information:
- Promoting new methods for food safety
- Increasing resources for food safety
- Improving communication and information sharing on food safety
issues
In keeping with the focus on enhancing food safety education, one of the
projects for this year was to contact non-profit organizations that serve
food to the public. Packets of food safety information were sent to religious
and civic organizations in Iowa. The USDA “Cooking For Your Community” booklet
was mailed, along with a list of food safety websites and other relevant
information. Typically, many of the non-profit organizations that serve
food to the public at special events are not licensed or inspected.
The reduction of substantiated foodborne illness complaints is another
goal of the Iowa Food Safety Task Force. The group discusses each foodborne
illness outbreak in the state, and examines what efforts can be taken to
reduce the potential for additional outbreaks. One of the benefits of the
Task Force is the interaction and teamwork between the members when dealing
with common issues, such as foodborne illness.
Adoption of the 2001 Food Code for Iowa was a goal of the Task Force this
year. Legislation was introduced to adopt the latest version of the Code,
mostly due to the “no bare hand contact” issue. Iowa adopted
the 1997 Food Code in 1998, but did not adopt the “no bare hand contact
with ready-to-eat foods” section. Many of the documented outbreaks
in Iowa are related to noroviruses, and the “no bare hand contact” provision
of the Code would provide a secondary barrier to the transmission of pathogenic
organisms. Another legislative issue that was supported by the Task Force
was a re-inspection fee for establishments that have three or more critical
violations on their initial inspection. The Task Force supported these
legislative issues, however neither of them passed in the 2003 Legislative
session. Plans are to reintroduce these issues next year.
Bioterrorism is a concern of everyone, and several efforts were initiated
by the Iowa Food Safety Task Force regarding this area. Many of the task
force members are serving on a Food Security Work Group, in cooperation
with the Department of Public Defense and the CDC Bioterrorism initiative.
The Task Force is planning a Food Security Symposium, which is scheduled
for September 2003. Grant funds will be used to support this effort. National
speakers have been invited.
September, Food Safety Month is a project the task force always enjoys.
Governor Tom Vilsack signed a proclamation declaring September Food Safety
Month. The Task Force members conducted interviews and public service announcements,
and food safety materials were distributed at the Iowa State Fair.
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ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Food Safety Task Force is a statutorily created
task force with the members appointed by the Governor. Members and regular
visitors include representatives from the MN Department of Agriculture
(MDA), FDA, USDA, food retailers, food processors, the University of Minnesota,
Farm Bureau, commodity groups, local health departments, consumers and
other food safety and health professionals. The MDA provides staff assistance
to the Task Force. The Task Force has three active subcommittees, Training
and Education, Irradiation, and Consumer Education, which meet in addition
to the Task Force.
The Task Force met six times over the past year (7/1/02-6/30/03). The
meetings generally include presentations on current food safety and security
issues as well as subcommittee reports and information from attendees on
food safety and security activities. Speakers and issues addressed at the
task force meetings include:
Dr. Jeff Bender, University of Minnesota, on Antimicrobial Resistance
Issues and the Use of Antimicrobials in Animals,
Dr. Harry Hull, State Epidemiologist, Minnesota Department of Health,
on Bioterrorism and Epidemiology,
Paul Strandberg, Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, Antibiotic Resistance
Efforts at the MDA,
Fred Hegele, Senior Regulatory Officer at General Mills, presented an
update on the research and findings regarding acrylamide in foods,
Dr. O. Peter Snyder, Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management
on food temperature measurement procedures,
Dr. William Hueston, Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, University
of Minnesota, made presentations at several Task Force meetings on the
topics of Chronic Wasting Disease, BSE, and food safety research and educational
programs at the University of Minnesota.
Annette Byrne, Food and Drug Administration, gave an overview of the regulations
proposed to implement the Bioterrorrism Act,
Mike Starkey, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, described the MDA’s
all hazard emergency response program,
Craig Watz, Federal Bureau of Investigation, on the Criminal Aspect of
Terrorism,
Tom Gallagher, USDA Technical Service Center, on the Reassessment of E.
coli 0157:H7 and the Listeria Directive for Ready-To-Eat food,
Dr. Richard Danilla, Assistant State Epidemiologist, Minnesota Department
of Health, with an update on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS),
Dr. Hershell Ball, Vice President of Research and Development, Michael
Foods, on Innovations for Safe Eggs and Egg Products, and
Colleen Paulus, Minnesota Department of Health, on the activities of the
Minnesota Food Safety Partnership.
Governor Jesse Ventura proclaimed September, 2002, to be Food Safety Month
in the State of Minnesota. The proclamation was officially presented at
the September Task Force meeting by Lieutenant Governor Mae Schunk, who
personally thanked the commissioners of agriculture and health for their
agency’s partnership efforts in food safety education.
The three Task Force subcommittees: Consumer Education, Irradiation, and
Training & Education, meet several times a year and report on their
activities during the Task Force meetings. The Consumer Education Subcommittee has played a strong role in the implementation of the Safe
or Sorry Program,
a new food safety curriculum for middle school students. This statewide
effort to educate young people about food safety uses humorous skits and
innovative props – from glowing “germs” to rubber chickens – to
illustrate basic principles of food safety. Tool kits ($200 each) to cover
the 343 school districts in the state were donated by public and private
sponsors within the state of Minnesota.
The Irradiation Subcommittee has promoted efforts to increase
the availability and visibility of irradiated meat. Minnesota based Dairy
Queen Stores and
Embers Restaurants are now offering irradiated ground beef. Many of the
larger grocery stores in the state have also made these products available
to consumers and visitors to Minnesota.
The Training & Education Subcommittee has promoted educational efforts
statewide. A HACCP seminar was held that addressed Chronic Wasting Disease
and its relationship to meat processors. The subcommittee promotes Food
Manager Certification by distributing information on course location and
scheduling and is working on developing educational materials regarding
food safety and food irradiation.
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PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Food Safety Task Force held several meetings
this year in addition to the Ninth Annual Food Safety conference. A considerable
amount of the task force’s time remains devoted to developing the
program for the annual conference. This year’s conference was held
on October 2, 2000 in Warwick, RI. The conference’s focus was food
security and was titled Food Security: The “Dark” Side of Food
Safety. The agenda was as follows:
- Risk communication for food security issues to the public:
Alvin Chun, US EPA
- Bio-security and its impact on the food industry: Linda Doherty, New
Jersey Food Council and Mike Ambrosio, Wakefern Food Corp
- RI industry perspectives: Anita San Antonio, RI Food Dealers Association
- FDA guidance and perspectives for food security: FDA
- FSIS-Food security and preparedness response: Louis Leny, USDA/FSIS
- Overview of state bio-terrorism planning: Greg Banner, RI Dept. of Health
-
RI wrap-up – What are we doing and what is planned?: Ernest Julian,
PhD., Dept. Of Health
Other activities and accomplishments of the RI Food Safety Task Force
for 2002-2003 are as follows:
- Forty (40) volunteer food service workers received temporary
food event food safety training. These workers represented 15 volunteer
groups.
The curriculum has been revised and is now available on the University
of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension Food Safety Education web site.
- A tentative 5-year plan for the Food Safety Task Force has been
drafted. Target audiences were broken down into those already targeted
by existing educational programs and those who need to be targeted for
future educational outreach efforts. Areas of concern for targeted audiences
and approaches to these concerns were proposed. The main approach to areas
of concern is to use the “multiplier effect”. This means
utilizing resources such as instructors of the food safety manager
certification
courses, secondary education teachers in consumer education and the
University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Department of Health web
sites to disseminate
information regarding food safety to more people. The 5-year plan includes,
but is not limited to, the following: Revision of the legislation for
manager certification/recertification, training for instructors, redesign
of manager
recertification courses.
- A tentative agenda has been developed for the tenth annual Rhode
Island Food Safety Conference to be held in September 2003. The conference
will be titled Food Allergies – What You Need To Know “In a
Nutshell”.
COLUMBIA - South Carolina’s food safety taskforce has become a rather
formalized entity known as the SC Interagency Food Safety Council. Quarterly
meetings of the Council are held, a newsletter is published and most recently
a web page has been established to further publicize the food safety agenda
of the Council. Council membership has grown to include some eighty eight
correspondents comprised of regulatory officials (43%), government non-regulatory
persons (8%), academic people (20%) and industry participants (28%). Quarterly
meeting attendance averages around 35 people. Regulatory members attending
include representatives from South Carolina’s Departments of Agriculture
and Health, FDA, USDA/APHIS and FSIS.
Quarterly meeting formats include an agenda of food safety related legislative
and current issues followed by an educational seminar on a food safety
and security topic. Participation by all Council members remains lively
and active. Industry participants are particularly pleased with meetings
and appreciative of the opportunity to exchange information and ideas with
regulators. Such exchanges have proven valuable in helping both regulatory
and industry partners to deal with the still evolving matters of how to
protect the food supply from terrorist attacks.
Activities of the SC Interagency Food Safety Council have greatly facilitated
collaboration among the State’s food safety partners. One such collaboration
is an FSIS grant to deliver retail level meat and poultry food safety training.
The grant provides for a collaboration among the SC Department of Agriculture,
SC Meat and Poultry Inspection Service and Clemson University’s Food
Science Department and Extension Services in delivering “ServSafe” based
training to supermarket chain meat and deli employees. The strategy is
to achieve a multiplier effect by training store personnel who then provide
similar training back at their various store locations. All training materials
as well as instruction by University teachers is paid for out of the FSIS
grant fund.
In the South Carolina situation the FDA Food Safety Taskforce grant program
has proven it’s merit and continues to be a positive force for improving
on all aspects of food safety protection and related regulatory efforts.
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Texas
By Dan Sowards
AUSTIN - The Texas State Food Safety Task Force held a 1.5 day “Food
Safety and Security” Symposium September 11-12, 2002, at the Hilton
Hotel in Arlington, Texas. A copy of the agenda is enclosed. There were
over 150 in attendance, ranging from state and local food safety personnel
from all over the State, to FDA and USDA officials from the Dallas area,
to representatives from regulated industry, to representatives of several
consumer groups. Subjects ranged from food security issues, to up-to-date
food safety issues, including new technologies. Out of over 100 evaluations
completed by participants, not a single negative comment was received.
Funds from this FDA Small Conference Grant, and from a similar grant from
the previous year (during the planning stages) were instrumental in enabling
the Task Force to provide this high caliber symposium, especially for local
health department personnel who cannot always participate. The FDA funds
were combined with funds provided by a grant from USDA, which enabled the
Task Force to “scholarship” these local health department personnel. The next Task Force meeting was held in El Paso, Texas, on January 23-24,
2003. It has been the Task Force’s position to spread the meetings
around the State to enable local health department attendance at the meetings.
Once Task Force local representative is from El Paso. Prior to this meeting,
a major assignment was agreed upon among the members of the Task Force.
That assignment was to provide TWO recommendations to EACH OF THE OTHER
GROUPS represented on the Task Force (federal, state, and local government;
the four segments of industry; academia, and consumers), for IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE FOOD SAFETY CONTINUUM. Therefore, the majority of the meeting was
used for a detailed discussion of the (78 total) recommendations submitted
by the Task Force members. The next several months will be used to fine
tune the recommendations and decide which ones are feasible.
A special guest speaker for the Task Force was Mr. Joe Corby, Director
of Food Safety for the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Mr. Corby provided and overview of how his agency regulates foods in New
York, including sampling, recalls, inspections, evidence development, and
their working relationship with industry. This enabled the Task Force members
to put into perspective the common aspects with Texas and the differences,
and to perhaps make recommendations for improvements in food safety in
Texas based upon how another highly regarded program in another state operates.
Results of this Grant:
- Training/Education of 150 federal, state, and local regulatory officials,
representatives from industry and academia, and consumer advocates
on food security issues and up-to-date food safety issues and processes.
- Opportunity to compare food safety regulation from one state to
another, and make recommendations based upon that comparison.
- Opportunity to share ideas for improvements in the food safety continuum
between all stakeholders, and to develop concrete solutions over time.
The next Task Force meeting is scheduled for September 2003 in Lubbock,
Texas.
Note: The Task Force is composed of regulatory officials from FDA, USDA/FSIS,
Texas Department of Health, and the cities of Lubbock, El Paso, Houston,
and Tyler; industry representatives from the Texas Food Processors Association,
the Texas Food Industries Association, the Texas Retailers Association
and the Texas Restaurant Association; academia (Texas A&M University
Extension Service); and Consumers Union. We also have special advisors
from the Texas Animal Health Commission and Texas A&M University (professor).
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Virginia
By Jennifer Moore
RICHMOND – The Virginia Food Safety Task Force held its most recent
meeting on April 9, 2003. In early April 2003, the Task Force sponsored
food safety training on the application of HACCP at the retail level to
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (VDACS)
Food Safety Specialists and Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH)
Environmental Health Specialists, as part of a USDA grant, and in cooperation
with FDA’s Division of Human Resource Development. Everyone who attended
gave the training excellent reviews. A third and final training session
is tentatively scheduled to take place next spring for VDACS, VDH, and
food industry representatives. The topic for the training is still being
discussed.
The Task Force is also in the process of developing stickers and magnets
for distribution to the food industry. The stickers are vinyl and display
the words “Wash, Rinse, and Sanitize” in both English and Spanish
along with international food safety symbols for each process. The magnets
make use of the same animated design used last year for the laminated temperature
safety poster and visually show the proper hot and cold holding temperatures,
along with the danger zone on a thermometer. These materials are currently
in the production stage and should be completed by mid July. Equal amounts
will be allocated to VDACS and VDH for distribution to the food industry
in the fall of this year.
The Task Force anticipates becoming involved with food security endeavors
in addition to its current food safety activities in the near future. As
the focus moves more towards providing both a safe and secure food supply
to consumers, it is very likely that the Task Force will be referred to
as the Food Safety and Security Task Force.
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MADISON – The Wisconsin Food Safety Task Force
meets quarterly at the Prairie Oaks State Office Building, Madison, Wisconsin.
The mission
of the Task Force is to provide united leadership for food safety issues
by encouraging and promoting input from and in cooperation between consumers,
producers and regulators. The Task Force has discussed the following issues
over the last year:
- Developed a guidance document for industry and regulators to
use in making recommendations on security, sanitation and temperature
issues
associated with the distribution of food items between the processor
and the food establishment.
- Gathered information and made recommendations to state agencies on the
irradiation of food for the consumer. Coordinate information effort between
the Wisconsin Beef Council and the consumer to provide improved education on
the
issue of irradiated foods.
- Discussed the issue of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the wild deer
herd in Wisconsin. How will it impact meat and retail food processors in
Wisconsin. How will it impact game farms both in Wisconsin or other states?
- Discussed how to evaluate the effectiveness of requiring food manager
certification in retail and food service establishments. Does this requirement
improve food safety in licensed establishments?
- The Food Safety Task Force continues to promote Wisconsin university
system graduates to consider Public Health careers.
The Wisconsin Food Safety Task Force is considering reorganizing into
a standing advisory council with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture,
Trade and Consumer Protection. Advantages for the Task Force would be statewide
recognition, official rotation of membership and expansion of members that
function within the Task Force.
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Wyoming
By Laurie Leis
CHEYENNE - The Governor’s Food Safety Council met several times
during the year 2002. The Council spent three meetings reviewing and considering
proposed changes to the 2000 Wyoming Food Safety Rule. The Wyoming Department
of Agriculture was proposing to amend the 2000 Wyoming Food Safety Rule
due to new scientific and technological advances related to food safety
and to remain current with updates reflected in the Food & Drug Administration’s
2001 Model Food Code. In late November 2002, the 2002 Wyoming Food Safety
Rule was adopted.
The Council charged Dean Finkenbinder, a program supervisor with the WY
Dept of Ag, Consumer Health Services section with developing critical item
vs non-critical item violation guidelines.
The Council discussed and recommended the Wyoming Department of Agriculture
go forward with legislative efforts to amend the Wyoming Food Safety Law
to broaden a regulatory agencies ability to revocate a license for chronic,
noncompliant food establishment operators. Even though we seldom have the
need to take this measure, regulatory agencies should have an intermediary
step. The 2000 Wyoming Food Safety Law revocation provisions only allowed
for revocation of a food license as an emergency action or via criminal
prosecution. Laurie Leis, program manager for the WY Dept of Ag, Consumer
Health Services section successfully garnered support from the Joint Agriculture,
Public Lands and Water Resources Interim Committee. The bill successfully
passed the 2003 legislative session and took effect on July 1, 2003. The
bill modifies procedures and reasons for license revocations, with the
specific language noted below:
Section 35-7-126 - License Revocation
- The regulatory authority may initiate revocation proceedings for
an establishment license:
- For failure to correct conditions for which a summary
suspension was issued;
-
For failure to correct critical violations from routine inspections;
-
For multiple critical violations on multiple occasions;
-
For a refusal to grant access pursuant to W.S. 35-7-121.
- The regulatory authority shall issue notice of a hearing to the
license holder. The notice and the hearing shall be governed by the provisions
of the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act, W.S. 16-3-101 et seq.
- Upon completion of the hearing and consideration of the record,
the regulatory authority shall issue an order which shall include findings
of fact and conclusions of law.
- The decision of the regulatory authority may be appealed to the
district court pursuant to the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act,
W. S. 16-3-101
et seq.
Other Business:
The Wyoming Food Safety Coalition was recently recognized for their outstanding
work related to the food safety education efforts conducted in the state.
The Council held discussion related to problems associated with vendors
at farmer’s market selling potentially hazardous foods, such as sauces,
humus, jams’s & jellies, etc., which are not prepared in a licensed
facility. The Council agreed to prepare and send a letter outlining requirements
associated with Farmer’s Markets, including licensing requirements
and types of foods allowed for sale to the public.
The Council was briefed by representatives who attended the Conference
for Food Protection.
New Members - 2003
David Pellatz, Chairman
Casper
Lander
307-237-3526
Industry - Term expires 7/1/05
Regulatory - Term expires 7/1/06
Pamela Hall, Robert Harrington
Sheridan
Casper
307-674-6022
Consumer - Term expires 7/1/06
Regulatory - Term expires 7/1/06
Kenneth McMillan
Laramie
307-742-2984
Regulatory - Term expires 7/1/04
Consumer - Term expires 7/1/04
Dr. Brent Sherard
Cheyenne
307-777-6340
Regulatory - Term expires 7/1/05
Industry - Term expires 7/1/05
Bill Longino
Cheyenne
307-778-3040
Industry - Term expires 7/1/04
Dale Yamnik
Lone Tree
303-360-4300
Industry - Term expires 7/1/04
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