This week we look at the difference between a mock recall and a mock crisis, check out some refresher training in identifying CCPs and identify different scenarios you can use when you test your business contingency plans. We will also do a wrap up of this week’s food recalls and food poisoning outbreaks.
Food Poisoning Outbreaks
A listeria outbreak linked to ricotta cheese imported from Italy into the USA continues this week with 18 people now being hospitalized.
Forever Cheese of Long Island City, NY has recalled all lots of its Ricotta Salata Frescolina cheese over the course of the past month after the product was linked to a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes.
Salmonella in Peanuts
Peanut butter is in the news again with a multistate outbreak in the US linked to Salmonella in Trader Joe’s Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter. This product is manufactured by Sunland, Inc and may be potentially linked to other brands of peanut and almond butters made by this company.
The flow on affect of this contamination has resulted in food recalls by several food manufactures who have used the affected peanut butter as an ingredient in their own products.
Training
If you need direction or a good refresher on CCPs check out The Food Training Institute’s training on “How to identify your Critical control points”. The training gives you a step-by-step process to ensure that you have identified your hazards and CCPs correctly.
What is the difference between a mock recall and a mock crisis?
A mock recall and mock crisis are two very different things. A recall relates to testing the traceability and removal off affected product from the market-place where a mock crisis is about testing business contingency procedures.
Recalls 
- Salmonella in Beef bully sticks
- Undeclared sesame allergen in First Grain Bars
- Listeria in Champs sliced mushrooms
- Salmonella in Energy Nuggets
- E.Coli in XL Foods ground beef
- Undeclared milk and soy allergens in jams and jellies
- Plastic pieces in Foster Clark’s Snak Packs and custard cups
- Undeclared allergens in Whey Protein Concentrates which milk, shellfish and coconut.
- E.Coli in KIRKLAND brand BEEF STEAKS
- Undeclared peanuts in Almond Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars
- Listeria in Chopped Hearts of Romaine
- Insect infestation in Heera brand Dry Dates
For information on each of these recalls visit www.foodproductrecalls.com
Upcoming Events
The SQF International Conference is being held in Cincinnati, USA from the 6-8th November. The program is very comprehensive and includes my presentation on ‘Using critical thinking to prevent HACCP failures’. For more information and to register, check out the SQF website.
Testing your crisis management plan
The majority of food safety GFSI standards require that you test your crisis management plan. The reason to test the system is to make sure if it really happens you will be as prepared as possible. In saying this, you should be testing all of your procedures around your emergency management and contingency planning.
Off the top of my head, some scenarios to consider in your test could be:
- What would you do if half your work-force couldn’t show up to work tomorrow because of bird-flu or some natural disaster?
- What if your major raw material supplier went into administration tomorrow
- What if the truck that transports your product to market rolled on the free-way and killed other motorists?
- What if a disgruntled employee started sabotaging your product that then gets released to the market?
Whatever scenario you decide to use, remember to go back to the basics of “what do we want to achieve out of this process”.
Iphone App
If you are into technology and you have an iphone, check out this app called iAuditor. It allows you to develop inspection checklists that you can complete directly into your phone and then sync back to your computer. I think it is definitely useful for GMP audits and the reporting of these. I have put a link in the notes to this episode.
Questions?
If you have a question you would like answered by HACCP Mentor, just send me an email.
