Retail food safety risks for populations of different races, ethnicities, and income levels

Research has found that populations with low socioeconomic status (SES) and minority populations have greater access to small corner markets and less access to supermarkets than high-SES and Caucasian populations. This represents a significant difference in the farm-to-fork continuum that these populations experience. This research examined whether differential retail access to foods results in different food safety risks at the retail level for consumers with different demographics. U.S. Census Bureau census tracts with high African American, Asian, Hispanic, Caucasian, low-SES, and high-SES populations were identified in Philadelphia, PA. Approximately 60 retail food establishments were sampled in each census tract category from June 2008 to June 2010. Food samples collected at stores included milk, eggs, lunchmeat, sandwiches, and ready-to-eat (RTE) fresh fruit, greens, and herbs, when available. With the exception of milk and eggs, only food that had been handled and/or prepared at the retail level was sampled. Food samples were tested for temperature, aerobic plate count, coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. The results indicated that internal egg temperatures were higher in samples from low-SES census tracts than in eggs from Caucasian census tracts, and eggs were more often found unrefrigerated in markets in low-SES and Asian census tracts. Milk samples from markets in Hispanic and low-SES census tracts had higher aerobic plate counts than high-SES census tract samples. Sandwiches from markets in high-SES census tracts had higher coliform counts than sandwiches from markets in all other census tract categories. Markets in Asian census tracts had a higher incidence of fecal coliform contamination on sandwiches than markets in Caucasian census tracts. Fecal coliforms were present in a percentage of RTE greens from markets in all census tracts except African American, with the highest percentages of RTE greens positive for fecal coliforms in low-SES (100%), Asian (71.4%), and Caucasian (45.5%) markets.     

DO CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS PREDICT POOR RESTAURANT INSPECTION SCORES? THE EXPERIENCE IN ALEXANDRIA,VIRGINIA, 2004–2005

Routine inspections of retail food service facilities by public health authorities serve as a major method of ensuring food sanitation. The objectives were to determine whether customer complaints received by restaurants in Alexandria, VA, during 2004 predicted the number of critical violations issued on subsequent food safety inspections. Using a retrospective cohort study design, we defined “exposed” restaurants as those that received ≥1 complaints from January 1 to December 31 of 2004 and “unexposed” restaurants as those that received none. We then counted the number of critical violations cited on food safety inspections conducted immediately after receipt of customer complaints (exposed restaurants) or on the first inspection conducted in 2005 (unexposed restaurants). A total of 144 exposed and 233 unexposed restaurants were enrolled in the study. Compared with unexposed restaurants, exposed restaurants were less likely to have received one or more critical violations (relative risk = 0.84, 95% confidence interval of 0.74–0.96, P = 0.01). Restaurant inspections conducted specifically in response to customer complaints may not identify critical violations any more often than inspections conducted at restaurants free from such complaints.     

Sustainable smallholder poultry interventions to promote food security and social,agricultural, and ecological resilience in the Luangwa Valley,Zambia

In Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, highly variable rainfall and lack of education, agricultural inputs, and market access constrain agricultural productivity, trapping smallholder farmers in chronic poverty and food insecurity. Human and animal disease (e.g. HIV and Newcastle Disease, respectively), further threaten the resilience of poor families. To cope with various shocks and stressors, many farmers employ short-term coping strategies that threaten ecosystem resilience. Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO) utilizes an agribusiness model to alleviate poverty and food insecurity through conservation farming, market development and value-added food production. COMACO promotes household, agricultural and ecological resilience along two strategic lines: improving recovery from shocks (mitigation) and reducing the risk of shock occurrence. Here we focus on two of COMACO’s poultry interventions and present data showing that addressing health and management constraints within the existing village poultry system resulted in significantly improved productivity and profitability. However, once reliable productivity was achieved, farmers preferred to sell chickens rather than eat either the birds or their eggs. Sales of live birds were largely outside the community to avoid price suppression; in contrast, the sale of eggs from community-operated, semi-intensive egg production facilities was invariably within the communities. These facilities resulted in significant increases in both producer income and community consumption of eggs. This intervention therefore has the potential to improve not only producers’ economic resilience, but also resilience tied to the food security and physical health of the entire community.     

Designing a national restaurant inspection disclosure system for New Zealand

The World Health Organization estimates that up to 30% of individuals in developed countries become ill from contaminated food or water each year, and up to 70% of these illnesses are estimated to be linked to food service facilities. The aim of restaurant inspections is to reduce foodborne outbreaks and enhance consumer confidence in food service. Inspection disclosure systems have been developed as tools for consumers and incentives for food service operators. Disclosure systems are common in developed countries but are inconsistently used, possibly because previous research has not determined the best format for disclosing inspection results. This study was conducted to develop a consistent, compelling, and trusted inspection disclosure system for New Zealand. Existing international and national disclosure systems were evaluated. Two cards, a letter grade (A, B, C, or F) and a gauge (speedometer style), were designed to represent a restaurant's inspection result and were provided to 371 premises in six districts for 3 months. Operators (n = 269) and consumers (n = 991) were interviewed to determine which card design best communicated inspection results. Less than half of the consumers noticed cards before entering the premises; these data indicated that the letter attracted more initial attention (78%) than the gauge (45%). Fifty-eight percent (38) of the operators with the gauge preferred the letter; and 79% (47) of the operators with letter preferred the letter. Eighty-eight percent (133) of the consumers in gauge districts preferred the letter, and 72% (161) of those in letter districts preferring the letter. Based on these data, the letter method was recommended for a national disclosure system for New Zealand.     

结合GB 14881-2013、食品生产许可审查通则谈 食品生产许可现场对申请资料审核的内容和方法

深入理解食品生产相关法令法规和标准,逐步统一各级执行者的认识,提高一线监管的专业水平,是食品安全监管工作发展的当前迫切需求和今后必经之路。为了逐步整合同类标准和文件之间的异同,便于监管人员和审核人员从实际工作需求角度去理解GB 14881和审查通则的要求,本文以食品生产许可审查通则(2010版)为基本框架,结合GB 14881-2013的相关内容以及笔者以往的审核经验,对申请材料审核部分各条款核查的内容和方法进行细化、分析和归纳,包括组织领导、人员职责和要求、技术性文件、采购及验证、过程管理、关键质控、产品防护、检验管理等13个方面的内容,可作为食品生产许可现场核查和日常监管的具体工作实施的技术参考材料。     

结合GB 14881-2013、食品生产许可审查通则谈 食品生产许可现场对生产场所核查的内容和方法

深入理解食品生产相关法令法规和标准,逐步统一各级执行者的认识,提高一线监管的专业水平,是食品安全监管工作发展的当前迫切需求和今后必经之路。为了逐步整合同类标准和文件之间的异同,便于监管人员和审核人员从实际工作需求角度去理解GB 14881和审查通则的要求,本文以食品生产许可审查通则(2010版)为基本框架,结合GB 14881-2013的相关内容以及笔者以往的审核经验,对生产场所核查部分各条款核查的内容和方法进行细化、分析和归纳,包括厂区要求、车间要求、库房要求、生产设备、检验设备5个方面的内容,可作为食品生产许可现场核查和日常监管的具体工作实施的技术参考材料。     

2016~2017年全国食品安全监督抽检结果分析

目的 分析我国当前食品安全的整体情况。方法 对2016~2017年全国食品安全监督抽检结果进行汇总, 分析各季度监督抽检完成情况及抽检发现的主要食品安全问题。结果 2016~2017年全国共完成3863983批次食品样品的监督抽检, 其中检验项目合格的样品3773847批次, 总体合格率为97.7%, 检出不合格样品90136批次。监督抽检样品涉及33个食品类别, 其中粮、油、肉、蛋、乳、食用农产品等大宗食品的合格率普遍较高, 婴幼儿配方食品合格率为99.4%, 但淀粉及淀粉制品、蔬菜制品、餐饮食品和酒类的合格率偏低。抽检发现的主要食品安全问题是超范围、超限量使用食品添加剂和微生物污染, 且微生物污染问题在每年的第3季度更为严重。结论 我国当前的食品安全形势总体平稳, 存在的主要问题是超范围、超限量使用食品添加剂和微生物污染。     

中国出台进出口食品包装新规

食品包装安全卫生已受到越来越广泛的重视。2005年1至10月,欧盟向我国通报了54起食品包装及接触材料的安全卫生问题。2005年7月1日,欧委会健康和消费者保护总司司长马德林专门就我国出口欧盟与食品接触材料频繁被检出安全卫生问题致函我国驻欧盟大使,提出如果中方不在7月底前采取有效措施,将对中国的此类产品采取进一步措施。食品包装及接触材料已经成为发达国家设立技术壁垒的新领域。近年来,欧盟、美国、日本等对直接与食品接触的包装及包装材料都制定了详细的法规。如FDA长期以来遵循的美国联邦法规,详细规定了各种与食品直接或间接接触的包装材料及其中所使用的各项物质的要求。欧盟在2004年新拟定的草案“食品接触物质超级指令”则进一步综合了过去所有与食品接触物质相关的旧法规,使其成为欧盟对食品包装材料最主要而且最具影响力的新法规。     

Standardized inspections of food premises during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games: descriptive analysis and risk factors for unsatisfactory results

Standardized inspections of food premises are part of environmental health systems implemented worldwide. The food safety strategy for the 2004 Olympic Games included standardized inspections to ensure uniformity and consistency of procedures and effective electronic management of data. Inspections were carried out by 196 inspectors in the five Olympic cities: Athens, Thessalonica, Volos, Iraklio, and Patra. From January 2003 to September 2004, a total of 1,249 food premises were inspected. An unsatisfactory inspection result (C grade) was received by 347 (27.8%) food premises, a relatively satisfactory result (B grade) was received by 332 (26.6%), and a satisfactory result (A grade) was received by 570 (45.6%). About 16% of inspected premises did not hold a valid permit. Unsatisfactory inspection results were more frequent for premises located in the two largest Greek cities in comparison with the other smaller cities (relative risk = 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36 to 2.80). Based on logistic regression analysis, unsatisfactory inspection results were positively associated with food premises that were not located on a ground floor (odds ratio [OR] = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.39 to 4.73) and negatively associated with application of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) principles (OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.71). Food hygiene education through formal training programs should be encouraged to improve compliance of food premises. Food premises located on hotel floors and serving buffet meals are at higher risk for unsatisfactory conditions. Businesses that implemented a HACCP system within their operations to ensure food safety operated under more hygienic conditions. Future inspections by Public Health Authorities should involve elements of audit after the legislation for the application of HACCP principles.     

A risk-based restaurant inspection system in Los Angeles County

The majority of local health departments perform routine restaurant inspections. In Los Angeles County (LAC), California, approximately $10 million/year is spent on restaurant inspections. However, data are limited as to whether or not certain characteristics of restaurants make them more likely to be associated with foodborne incident reports. We used data from the LAC Environmental Health Management Information System (EHMIS), which records the results of all routine restaurant inspections as well as data regarding all consumer-generated foodborne incidents that led to a special restaurant inspection by a sanitarian (investigated foodborne incidents [IFBIs]). We analyzed a cohort of 10,267 restaurants inspected from 1 July 1997 to 15 November 1997. We defined a "case restaurant" as any restaurant with a routine inspection from 1 July 1997 to 15 November 1997 and a subsequent IFBI from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. Noncase restaurants did not have an IFBI from I July 1997 to 30 June 1998. We looked for specific characteristics of restaurants that might be associated with the restaurant subsequently having an IFBI, including the size of restaurant (assessed by number of seats), any previous IFBIs, the overall inspection score, and a set of 38 violation codes. We identified 158 case restaurants and 10,109 noncase restaurants. In univariate analysis, middle-sized restaurants (61 to 150 seats; n = 1,681) were 2.8 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0 to 4.0) and large restaurants (>150 seats; n = 621) were 4.6 times (95% CI = 3.0 to 7.0) more likely than small restaurants (< or =60 seats; n = 7,965) to become case restaurants. In addition, the likelihood of a restaurant becoming a case restaurant increased as the number of IFBIs in the prior year increased (chi2 for linear trend, P value = 0.0005). Other factors significantly associated with the occurrence of an IFBI included a lower overall inspection score, the incorrect storage of food, the reuse of food, the lack of employee hand washing, the lack of thermometers, and the presence of any food protection violation. In multivariate analysis, the size of restaurant, the incorrect storage of food, the reuse of food, and the presence of any food protection violation remained significant predictors for becoming a case restaurant. Our data suggest that routine restaurant inspections should concentrate on those establishments that have a large seating capacity or a poor inspection history. Evaluation of inspection data bases in individual local health departments and translation of those findings into inspection guidelines could lead to an increased efficiency and perhaps cost-effectiveness of local inspection programs.     

集成改进AHP与XGBoost算法的食品安全风险预测模型:以大米为例

近年来,我国在食品质量安全管控方面已有较大提升,但伴随着食品产业规模的增大,检验需求量的增多,食品安全检测数据出现高维、复杂且非线性等特征,这些特征会导致定量分析数据利用率低,从而直接影响以数据为载体的风险预测模型的准确性.为提高风险预测模型的准确性,以食品安全检测数据为基础,提出了一种集成层次分析法与极端梯度提升树算...     

A Comparison of Canadian and Colombian Food Inspection Systems

This article compares food inspection systems of Canada and Colombia. The Canadian Processed Products Establishment Inspection Manual (PPEIM) for products of plant origin is used as a model. The Canadian food inspection system has the advantage of including specific regulations per product type, making the establishment inspection more precise. Colombia lacks a sound health risk model to establishment inspection. The Canadian Health Risk Assessment Model might serve as a basis for building a health risk model. In Canada, establishment registration is mandatory and is a requisite for food product marketing. In Colombia, establishment inspection is mandatory but not requisite for product registration and marketing. Colombian regulations should be reviewed to make the food inspection system stronger and more soundly based on preventive dispositions, specifically establishment inspection as a prerequisite for product registration and marketing.

In Canada, specificity of inspection instruments such as the PPEIM increases food safety. In Colombia, the Food Processing Establishment Check List (FPECL) is not specific about product or process type. There is no specificity in regards to the control process, making this inspection instrument weak when inspecting different process types. In Colombia, there is a need for guide instruments such as a manual to support the FPECL assessment criteria used during establishment inspections. In Colombia, the FPECL does not include inspection of a recall system and process records.     

A prolonged outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections associated with multiple locations of a restaurant chain in Phoenix, Arizona, 2008

An outbreak of Salmonella serotype Montevideo infections associated with multiple locations of restaurant chain A in Phoenix, AZ, was identified in July 2008. One infected individual reported eating at a chain A catered luncheon where others fell ill; we conducted a cohort study among attendees to identify the vehicle. Food and environmental samples collected at six chain A locations were cultured for Salmonella. Restaurant inspection results were compared among 18 chain A locations. Routine surveillance identified 58 Arizona residents infected with the outbreak strain. Three chain A locations, one of which catered the luncheon, were named by two or more case patients as a meal source in the week prior to illness onset. In the cohort study of luncheon attendees, 30 reported illness, 10 of which were later culture confirmed. Illness was reported by 30 (61%) of 49 attendees who ate chicken and by 0 of 7 who did not. The outbreak strain was isolated from two of these three locations from uncooked chicken in marinade, chopped cilantro, and a cutting board dedicated to cutting cooked chicken. Raw chicken, contaminated before arrival at the restaurant, was the apparent source of this outbreak. The three locations where two or more case patients ate had critical violations upon routine inspection, while 15 other locations received none. Poor hygiene likely led to cross-contamination of food and work areas. This outbreak supports the potential use of inspections in identifying restaurants at high risk of outbreaks and the need to reduce contamination of raw products at the source and prevent cross-contamination at the point of service.     

餐饮服务日常监督检查工作量化模型研究

基于餐饮服务食品安全事件不断发生,餐饮检查内容多,食品安全监管人员数量缺乏和在推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化新时期的背景下,强调食品安全战略,强化餐饮服务日常食品安全监管,对促进食品安全社会共治具有重要意义。本文研究以《食品生产经营日常监督检查管理办法》为依据,基于有限食品安全监管资源,实现最优化分配为主要目标,以日常监督检查的工作天数、检查企业次数、检查项数量、检查人员数量等因素构建食品生产经营餐饮服务日常监督检查工作量化模型,形成餐饮服务日常监督检查工作量与基层人员工作能力效率量两者之间的关系枢纽,为监管部门制定科学制定监管计划和检查事项提供理论参考依据,有助于提升食品安全监管部门日常监督检查的效率和实现基层监管力量合理配置。最后,基于实际餐饮服务日常监督检查调研进行实证分析和计算,发现餐饮服务日常监督检查工作量超过基层工作效率,需要进一步优化监督检查的流程,提高工作效率。     

Assessment of factors influencing visitation to rodent management devices at food distribution centers

Rodent management programs at food distribution centers in the United States and Canada often adhere to interval-based spacing of control devices, with traps spaced 6–12 m apart on the interior perimeter, and exterior bait stations spaced 15–30 m apart. However, this design is based only on rodent foraging ranges, and does not consider the influence of rodent behavior or biology on movement patterns. Therefore, this study evaluated characteristics of food distribution centers that influence rodent behavior to determine their impact on interior trap capture and exterior bait feeding by rodents. We found that rodent interactions with control devices was not uniform in facilities, and less than half (45.2%) of all interior devices trapped at least one mouse. Rodent feeding at exterior bait stations was similarly not uniform, with 56.1% of observations representing minor feeding (one corner of bait or less consumed). Furthermore, we found that certain ecological and structural characteristics of device location were associated with higher trap capture and/or bait consumption. Results of this investigation suggest that rodent management at food distribution centers can be improved with assessment-based placement of traps and bait stations. In addition to reducing food safety threats through improved trap capture, this approach can reduce the number of devices to service and redirect service time toward pro-active inspections, rather than trap checking. Finally, device locations that are assessment-based align with the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act that mandates preventive controls to protect human food.     

广东省冷藏冷冻食品经营环节储存温度现状调查分析

目的研究广东省冷藏冷冻食品经营环节温度控制现状及存在的主要问题。方法采用实地调查记录和数据分析及2种形式对冷藏冷冻食品储存温度控制现状、设备维护频率及监督抽检数据进行调查与数据分析。结果 31.6%冷藏冷冻食品实际储存温度高于标示温度,且在大中小型超市均普遍存在。17.4%的超市和24.4%的设备存在不维护的情况,冷藏冷冻食品抽检不合格项目主要是微生物。结论冷藏冷冻食品经营环节温度控制不到位,存在一定食品安全风险,需要制定统一冷链物流标准规范,加大抽检力度,加强标准的宣贯加强食品安全监管。     

生猪屠宰HACCP体系的建立

通过对南京肉联厂生猪屠宰分割线上的工序、设备和工人的微生物污染状况的检验以及大量的资料查询，确定了候宰检验、麻电击昏、刺杀放血、入库快速冷却和分割这5个工序为关键控制点，并建立了相应的生猪屠宰分割线上的HACCP计划。     

餐饮服务环节使用食品添加剂的监管对策

在餐饮服务环节,使用食品添加剂越来越广泛。食品添加剂在给消费者带来方便和美味的同时,一些滥用食品添加剂的行为却对消费者的身体健康造成严重威胁,成为重大食品安全隐患。本文针对现阶段餐饮服务环节使用食品添加剂存在的主要问题,从监督管理一线的角度探悉切实可行的监管对策。     

Netchain coordinator services in pork supply chains including inspections according to the AMOR principle

This paper presents a mutual inspection concept between livestock production and processing, coordinated by a netchain coordinator acting as the service provider. The concept is based on an analysis of demand and offer with respect to the coordination of livestock health status certificates. Surveys have been conducted amongst piglet producers and pig fatteners (n_farmers = 206) to reflect the demand for coordination services. Another survey amongst service providers (n_providers = 21) determines the availability of these services. The results show a clear demand amongst farmers for the netchain coordinator services of livestock health status certificates. It has also been found that some service providers offer audit and monitoring procedures to enable certification with highly varying degrees of service quality. Based on the surveys, the joint organisation of livestock health status certificates between producer, fattener and service provider will be presented. It will be shown that for greater efficiency, coordination should be based on the principles of Alliances for the Mutual Organisation of Risk oriented inspection strategies (AMOR). To enable the mutual organisation of inspections, four key steps have been identified to develop and test AMOR as an innovative form of cooperation: (i) inspection design, (ii) responsibilities and tasks, (iii) information and communication structures, and (iv) shared cost and benefit model.     

Identifying vulnerable populations through an examination of the association between multipollutant profiles and poverty

Recently, concerns have centered on how to expand knowledge on the limited science related to the cumulative impact of multiple air pollution exposures and the potential vulnerability of poor communities to their toxic effects. The highly intercorrelated nature of exposures makes application of standard regression-based methods to these questions problematic due to well-known issues related to multicollinearity. Our paper addresses these problems by using, as its basic unit of inference, a profile consisting of a pattern of exposure values. These profiles are grouped into clusters and associated with a deprivation outcome. Specifically, we examine how profiles of NO(2)-, PM(2.5)-, and diesel- (road and off-road) based exposures are associated with the number of individuals living under poverty in census tracts (CT's) in Los Angeles County. Results indicate that higher levels of pollutants are generally associated with higher poverty counts, though the association is complex and nonlinear. Our approach is set in the Bayesian framework, and as such the entire model can be fit as a unit using modern Bayesian multilevel modeling techniques via the freely available WinBUGS software package, (1) though we have used custom-written C++ code (validated with WinBUGS) to improve computational speed. The modeling approach proposed thus goes beyond single-pollutant models in that it allows us to determine the association between entire multipollutant profiles of exposures with poverty levels in small geographic areas in Los Angeles County.