Having driven the direction of QA since its near beginning, I’ve seen many of my food industry peers change direction — switching companies for upward movement; moving to a different segment within the food industry; 和, more 和 more frequently, taking an early retirement of sorts to move into more of a consulting position.
即使是自发的,这些变化也可能会使人产生矛盾的情绪-从沉迷于同事和朋友的沉闷到开始新事物的期待。
但是,尽管如此,改变是好的。对于一个人,一个人所领导的公司以及一个被遗忘的人来说,这可以振兴人心。这恰恰是我降低我在QA杂志中的职位并接受The Acheson Group(as seen by the changed author description at the end of this column, 和 all the 文章s I wrote in this issue)。
But I am thrilled to say I will still be a small part of that new direction. As I shift to Senior Advisor, I will continue have a strong presence through year-end as we bring on a new editor. Then as we move through 2021, I will be a member of the 质量检查顾问委员会; you will continue to see “by 丽莎·卢波(Lisa Lupo)” on some features; 和 you may hear from me with a Cover Story request, for citation in an 文章, or to write your supplement or advertorial.
Testing is one of those. Take, for instance, the increased discussion of test “sensitivity” 和 “specificity.” With the continuing introduction of new viral 和 antibody tests for COVID, these words have become increasingly important to distinguish the efficacy of the various tests. And the concepts are just as critical in microbiological testing.
In simple terms, “The sensitivity of a test tells us how well the test identifies a pathogen, 和 the specificity of a test tells us how well it determines the absence of a pathogen,” said Auburn Health Strategies President Robin Stombler. “Both are important factors to consider when utilizing a test for detection of specific food pathogens 和 spoilage microorganisms.”
Providing further definition, Safe Food Alliance Senior Director of Analytical Services Thomas Jones explained: Analytical sensitivity refers to the lowest number of organisms that a method can detect; sensitivity can also refer to the inclusivity of the method, or its ability to detect all of the microorganisms in the category being tested (ex: all of the strains of 沙门氏菌)。 Specificity is the ability of the method to distinguish the target from similar but genetically distinct non-target organisms (ex: 沙门氏菌 from other enteric microbes).
DETECTION DIFFICULTIES. The greatest challenges of COVID-19 testing tend to be related to all the unknowns of the newly emerged virus. But in food, the difficulties often revolve around the challenges of detection within the food. As 不ed in the USDA 食品安全 和 Inspection Service (FSIS) presentation, “Understanding 和 Evaluating Microbiological Sampling 和 Testing,” pathogens are hard to detect because:
They are typically 不 evenly distributed.
They occur at low levels.
They are often injured when found in the product.
Detection may be inhibited by material in the food product; its food matrix.
The fact that pathogens are typically low in number 和 sporadic in distribution makes sampling a major challenge, Jones said. And because the specific food types or matrices can interfere, the analytical methods must be validated for each food type. Additionally, he said, “Pathogens can enter into a dormant state where they may still be viable 和 capable of causing disease, but 不 capable of growing 和 being detected by the test method.”
Similarly, during processing of the product, bacterial cells are typically injured, which can add another layer of difficulty in testing, Ellie said. Other obstacles can be related to product type that includes the presence of antimicrobial compounds, such as natural or added preservatives, oily product types, 和 products with a lot of particulate matter, she said.
Even monitoring of the environment of food facilities to assure recognized testing standards are followed can cause challenges, Stombler said.
As such, Stombler said, “Accurate 和 reliable test results should be the foundation for every food laboratory. While laboratory standards exist, there is no mandate or assurance that food laboratories follow them.” As such, she recommends that food manufacturers ask any laboratory which is testing its food for human consumption, “Are you accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017?”
This is becuase laboratories that are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 demonstrate an adoption of recognized standards, including the use of quality controls, proficiency testing, 和 competence assessment, she said. “Accreditation to this standard also indicates that a laboratory has proven its ability to perform tests consistently.”
Whether your lab is in-house or outsourced (and whether testing for pathogens or COVID-19), it is critical that you always strive for accurate 和 reliable test results — no matter how challenging the course. Even in the fast-paced world in which we live where time is money, there is no short cut when dealing with food safety.
The author is Senior Advisor 和 Former Editor of QA magazine. She can be reached at [email protected]
Why has the term “voluntary recall” been used extensively? It may imply that the recalling firm is “doing the right thing” 和 protecting public health by choosing to recall a product. However, if that product has been linked to illness, tests positive for a pathogen, contains an undeclared allergen, or is otherwise violative, it would be completely irresponsible for a firm to 不 recall. Doing the “right thing” should be the default; it should 不 be voluntary.
Now, FDA does have mandatory recall authority — but this is seldom used 和 is a last resort. Additionally, this authority only applies to “registered facilities” 不 farms. Facilities need to be given the opportunity to recall on their own (e.g., “voluntarily”). It is only if a firm refuses to recall that FDA can initiate a process to mandate a recall. The industry does 不 want “mandatory recalls” to become commonplace.
In addition to being a nuisance, cockroaches pose serious health risks to humans. If they contact any food processing equipment or goods, they can transmit 33 kinds of bacteria, including 大肠杆菌 和 沙门氏菌;六种寄生虫;以及其他七种人类病原体。此外,它们的唾液,粪便和分解的身体部位还含有蛋白质,这些蛋白质可引发过敏并增加哮喘症状的严重性。
To protect your facility 和 product, managers 和 employees need to be vigilant in spotting the telltale signs of a cockroach infestation. Aside from spotting an actual cockroach, another sign is droppings, especially in dim areas where these pests are likely to hide. But because the droppings of certain cockroach species resemble those of rodents, it is important to work with a licensed pest control professional for proper identification.
蟑螂 eggs are also a sign of an infestation 和 may be found stuck to furniture or appliances near food sources or in moist, dark areas. Musty odors also have been reported in cockroach infestations, so be alert for any unusual odors as this could signify a larger problem is brewing within the facility.
Seal any cracks or holes on the outside of the building using an appropriate sealant, paying close attention to points where utilities 和 pipes enter.
Properly ventilate storage areas 和 machinery to prevent moisture buildup.
Keep food products sealed 和 stored properly in air-tight containers.
Clean high-volume areas often, including employee break rooms, bathrooms, 和 lobby areas where crumbs 和 trash accumulate daily.
Dispose of garbage regularly 和 store it in sealed receptacles placed at a distance from any building entrances.
蟑螂es are nimble pests that will adapt to survive. While following the steps above can help reduce the likelihood of an infestation, it is important to work with a licensed pest control company to perform regular pest inspections as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) plan designed specifically for your facility’s location 和 needs. Using a three-part practice of inspection, identification, 和 treatment, pest professionals will assess the facility 和 pinpoint 和 address any problem areas — to help protect your employees, facility, 和 products from the threats that cockroaches pose to public health.
辛迪·曼尼斯(Cindy Mannes) Vice President of Public Affairs, National 害虫管理 Association
Please allow me to again start by saying thank you to all you heroes who are still going to work at the manufacturing plants, providing consumers with safe 和 consistent quality products. You risk more exposure to the coronavirus than those who are able to home quarantine, 和 for your willingness to do that, I salute you. You are my heroes.
In my world where I’m 不 able to provide in-person consulting services, I am now able to provide training classes 和 courses using virtual means. And this has me rethinking training.
In the January/February 2020 issue of 质量检查 I discussed training 和 the development of training programs. But now, I’m having to dig deeper into the topic because more training is taking place in a virtual world. We use Teams, Zoom, Adobe Connect, 和 other platforms to provide our training to employees 和 even to guests in the facility. So I’ve been thinking about how we ensure this new paradigm of virtual training is effective.
I think I can be a reasonably good teacher in-person, but I’ve had to go “back to school” 和 learn how to teach 和 be effective in a virtual environment. Let’s think about a public training class on the topic of, for example, HACCP principles: A lot of what happens in the in-person class is interaction with other learners. We use class time to learn about how we each work through a risk assessment, how we set critical limits 和 confirm validation of those.
Can this interaction take place in a virtual class?
Imagine that you are sitting in front of your computer screen for eight hours straight attending a training course. Most of us have trouble sitting that long, especially if the leader is monotonous. How can a virtual class be interesting enough for two days straight? In addition, as a learner, how difficult is it to get engaged with the class virtually? Do you have to sit 和 listen all day as the instructor reads their PowerPoint slides?
Certainly, all of these things need to be considered when you are creating a virtual class.
To be engaging, we need to be encouraging 和 build the confidence of the learners. We need to create value for the learners while assuring that the message is interpreted 和 understood.
In the plant, this also may mean that you need to assure that the right subject matter expert (SME) is used to present the virtual class.
I’ve also learned that the virtual course should be condensed. The teaching part should be condensed so that the engaging part can be expanded. I need to stop talking so much 和 get the class engaged with breakout groups or assignments, maybe even a game to help the knowledge sink in better.
I need to break it up, so that the learner stays virtually engaged. Maybe the eight-hour class can be reduced to six hours 和 the learners left with time to engage with their teammates.
Another consideration for in-plant virtual training is to assure the right platform is used. Is Zoom the right place to have these classes? Is there a more accessible platform that is easier to use 和 understand? Can you save all your virtual classes on an in-house server, or do you need to post them to a cloud-based location so that they are easily accessed by remote learners? There is much to think about to ensure learners learn.