American Society for Quality Report Outlines Outbreak Solutions

Eliminating outbreaks of foodborne illness is possible but it won’t happen by increasing inspections alone, say food safety experts in the latest report from the American Society for Quality.

The answer, the report finds, is in prevention.

“The problem is that we can’t inspect the defect out of the product,” said Steve Wilson, chief quality officer for the U.S. Commerce Department and ASQ board member. “Since we each can’t have our own food tasters — like the medieval nobles did — our best option is to take more proactive steps in earlier stages of food production.”

Key trends are pushing the industry toward a more preventative approach to food safety, said John Surak, a food safety consultant and member of ASQ’s Food, Drug and Cosmetic Division who works with major food manufacturers around the U.S.

“Consolidation of food processing to fewer plants with increased output has guaranteed that if you’re going to have a glitch, it’s going to be a big one,” Surak said. “More health-conscious consumers demanding ready-to-eat fresh fruits and veggies year-round also increase pressure for the industry to look at new ways to grow, harvest and process safe produce.”

The report outlines these steps to improve quality:

• Reinforce maintenance procedures. Constant reinforcement of personnel training and hygiene practices, cleaning sanitation and maintenance, effective recall programs, provisions for safe water supply and product handling all are essential.
• Emphasize consumer education. Improper proper food handling at home and at retail food establishments accounts for more reported cases of foodborne illness than does failure at the processing level.
• Strengthen regulatory agencies in high risk areas. It’s important for U.S. regulators to increase protections against accidental and intentional contamination.
• Increased diligence by food companies. The recent sickening of pets from toxic ingredients blended into pet foods was more a failure of corporate supplier quality programs than a failure of regulatory systems.
• More effective inspection — not more inspection. Inspection resources are limited and need to be targeted where they are needed most. Food producers and processors — domestic and foreign — that don’t comply with federal standards and those dealing with higher-risk food should receive closer evaluation. 

To read the full report, click here.