FOSC 4091 Food Safety and Biotechnology /

FOSC 6336 Adv. Food Hygiene and Public Health

Winter Term 2011

Laboratory Assignment 1: Design of a HACCP plan.

HACCP and control of microbial pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella

and Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Several pathogenic microorganisms make it into the media regularly in association with product
recalls. Many times these recalls are caused by the lack or incorrect use of quality assurance
systems based on the Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points concept.

Just last week, yet another recall was issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
due to the presence of Salmonella in produce:

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QUEEN VICTORIA BUNCHED FRESH SPINACH MAY CONTAIN SALMONELLA

BACTERIA
OTTAWA, September 18, 2009 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the
public not to consume the Queen Victoria brand bunched fresh spinach described below because
the product may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The affected spinach was sold in bunches held together with a twist tie bearing the Queen
Victoria logo, Product of USA, PLU 4090 and UPC 33383-65200. Distribution and dates of sale
for the affected spinach are as follows:

Province of distribution Dates of sale

Ontario September 8 to 17, 2009, inclusive.
British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba September 5 to 17, 2009, inclusive.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.
Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food
contaminated with this bacteria may cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. In young children,
the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, salmonellosis may cause serious and
sometimes deadly infections. In otherwise healthy people, salmonellosis may cause short-term
symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Long-term complications may include severe arthritis.

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The importers are voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is
monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-
800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
For information on Salmonella, visit the Food Facts web page at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/salmonellae.shtml
For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at
www.inspection.gc.ca.
-30-
Media Inquiries:
CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600

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In the past, at one point the American Food and Drug Administration found it necessary to issue
a health advisory (FDA, September 13, 2002) regarding a rise in the findings of the pathogenic
Listeria monocytogenes in a number of ready-to-eat food products. In this advisory, people at
risk for listeriosis and their family members are warned not to consume the following products:

* Hot dogs and luncheon meats, unless reheated

* Soft cheeses, such as feta, brie and camembert
* Refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads
* Refrigerated smoked seafood, including salmon, trout, white fish and cod
* Unpasteurized milk

As a Canadian specialist in food safety and independent consultant, you have been contacted by
a local company which packs either fresh produce products at risk for Salmonella/E. coli
O157:H7 or produces one of the listed products at risk for the occurrence of L. monocytogenes.
The company has a number of different questions regarding Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and/or
L. monocytogenes and how to design or improve their HACCP plan to properly address this
biological hazard. The company wants to hire you as a consultant to help them out.

You accept the challenge and soon have a contract as a consultant to do the following tasks:

1. First, define the product by describing it in terms of ingredients and product

characteristics
2. Define its intended end use(s)
3. Make up a (hypothetical) process flow diagram and plant floor plan.

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 4. Find out which laws and regulations apply to this product. Is HACCP mandatory for this
product in Canada?
5. List the different elements of the prerequisite plan which applies to the product. Why is
it important to have a prerequisite plan in place before moving on to creating a HACCP
plan?
6. Perform a hazard analysis on your product.
7. Determine the Critical Control Points using either the QMP questionnaire forms or the
decision tree. Make specific comments as to how you are going to address the microbial
problem known to exist in this type of products.
8. Establish critical limits and a monitoring system for each CCP.
9. Suggest corrective actions.
10. Finally, please comment on the current practice for production of this particular product.
Would a change in the process make this product more safe and hazard-proof?

References.

1. FDA News (FDA September 13, 2002)

2. Acts and Regulations. CFIA, Canada (www.inspection.gc.ca/english/reg/rege.shtml)

3. Quality Management Program. CFIA, Canada

(http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/fispoi/qual/quale.shtml)

4. Food Safety Enhancement Program. HACCP generic models. CFIA, Canada

(http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/fssae.shtml)

5. Mayes, A. and S. Mortimore, S. 2009. The effective implementation of HACCP systems in

food processing. In: Foodborne Pathogens - Hazards, Risk Analysis and Control. 2nd Edition. Ed.
Blackburn, C.W. and P.J. McClure, Woodhead Publishing, UK, pp 229-256.

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