Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/622402
10 JANUARY 15, 2016 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com when it comes to food safety," Glass said. Fruit growers didn't have as much to worry about then, she said, but the new regulations will require additional precautions. "The learning curve will be much quicker than it was in other industries, just because they have the benefit of other industries' mistakes," she said. Listeriosis Each year, one in six people will be stricken with a food-borne illness, with Listeriosis being among the most serious. The Listeria monocytogenes pathogen sickens some 1,600 people each year and is one of the leading causes of death related to food-borne illness: Some 20 to 30 percent of those who contract the illness die, an estimated 260 people annually. Elderly people, those with compromised immune systems and women who are pregnant are most susceptible. A couple of consecutive outbreaks with ready-to-eat meat products led to significant changes in cleaning and sanitation in that industry, Glass said, as well as the addition of growth inhibitors to meat products so that Listeria can't grow during the normal shelf life. The changes sparked a 42 percent decrease in cases from 1996 to 2012. The World Health Organization estimates an infectious dose of Listeria at about 10,000 cells or more. "Just a couple of Listeria in our food products probably is not going to make us sick. That means we need to focus on foods that support growth — perishable things you should refrigerate, those with the right amount of moisture and the right acidity level," Glass told growers and packers at December's Washington State Tree Fruit Association Annual Meeting in Yakima, Washington. The case of the caramel apples Investigators eventually tied the Jan. 6, 2015, Listeria outbreak to a specific supplier of Granny Smith and Gala apples in California, marking the first direct tie of fresh whole apples to a serious food safety outbreak. But there were some novel things about the case, Glass said. Healthy children were getting sick from an unusual food source: caramel apples. The apples were sanitized, dipped in hot caramel, and the pH of the apples was too low for minimum growth of the pathogen, which raised several questions. Is this the work of a superbug? Are conditions present to allow growth? Could damage to the apple contribute? Preliminary studies suggest that damage to apples could encourage microbial growth, Glass said. In this case, puncturing the apple with a stick allowed Listeria to translocate to the core. In addition, deep depressions in apples may protect Listeria from hot caramel. Storage temperature also is an issue, with the apples stored at room temperature at retail, enabling Listeria growth. Positive Listeria tests came back in several areas, including polishing brushes, drying brushes, a packing line drain, and the inside of an unpainted wooden bin at the packing house, said Kate Woods, vice president of the Northwest Horticultural Council. This case, along with two other recalls of fresh whole apples in which no illnesses were reported, highlights the immediate need for hands-on training in packing houses and for additional research on industry best practices. The federal requirements will likely create the need for changes, she said, "but we will not have to start from scratch. It's adding to the things you already do." What's known Several things have been tried to control Listeria. However, none has been validated on a large scale, Glass said. Ultraviolet light might not be effective if there are stems or shadowing on the apple, or if the quality of the apple is low. Chlorinated water at low levels is not known to reduce Listeria, though higher concentrations will do more. "A lot of things may have been used in a laboratory setting and you can get a certain amount of kill, but what happens in a laboratory can be so different because we have more control," she said. "Listeria is an insidious bug, and you're going to have to keep looking where those niches are for concentrations. Find it and fix it." With that in mind, Glass and others toured packing houses, an orchard and an apple slicing facility following the annual meeting to get a better sense of the industry. Claudia Coles, policy and external affairs advisor for the Washington State "Listeria is an insidious bug, and you're going to have to keep looking where those niches are for concentrations. Find it and fix it." —Kathleen Glass Announcing the second annual . . . Winter AG Academy Series !! Pre-Registration is Required Choose from the from the following three event dates/venues: • January 20th, 2016 @ the Yakima Convention Center • February 4th, 2016 @ the Three Rivers Convention Center • February 9th , 2016 @ the Wenatchee Convention Center Contact Maegen at G.S. Long Company for more information and to register: (800) 338-5664 or maegen@gslong.com www.gslong.com Choose from one of three all day professional training opportunities in one quality event Choose from one Choose from one of three all day of three all day professional training professional training of three all day professional training of three all day of three all day professional training of three all day professional training opportunities opportunities opportunities opportunities in one quality event in one quality event in one quality event Choose from one of three all day professional training opportunities in one quality event Choose from one of three all day professional training opportunities in one quality event Workers - Training to the Worker Protection Standard (Spanish) Learn about important changes to the Federal Worker Protection Standard. If you have employees working directly with or even just around pesticides who are not licensed as Private Applicators, this workshop is an excellent opportunity for you to provide them with Accredited and Documented Training. All Hands On Training is given directly by experienced WSDA and L&I trainers and all participants will receive a WSDA Handler Card upon course completion – no testing required. Six WSDA Pesticide recerti cation credits will be available for licensed participants. Crew Leaders - Leadership Skills (Spanish) Focusing on personal development and peer interactions, this course will teach and reinforce the leadership qualities that cultivate a healthy workplace. Topics will include dealing with workplace harassment, general con ict resolution, and promoting common goals within your organization. Owner/HR – Labor Law (English) This course o ers important legal information speci c to managing your most important asset - labor. Discussion will focus on current and upcoming Labor Issues , including Piece Rate Pay/Breaks, Government Surveys, Workplace Harassment, Information on Labor Contractors, and much more.