ABC Food Safety Symposiums Look at Public Perceptions, New Technologies

Almond industry members broke all attendance records at the recent Food Quality and Safety Symposium, presented by the Almond Board of California (ABC), which was held this year in Lodi. Speakers at the 11th annual event reminded attendees that food safety is currently a high priority issue for consumers and legislators, but also praised the almond industry for being ahead of the curve by taking steps to protect consumers with a number of food safety programs.

"Consumer confidence in food safety is undermined by outbreaks or recalls, and by taking initiative as an industry and implementing a food safety and pasteurization program we were "able to avoid federal and local regulatory agencies telling us how to deal with a looming Salmonella threat," said the ABC's Tim Birmingham, Associate Director, Quality Assurance and Industry Services. "In fact," he added, "in the wake of recent nut outbreaks, the FDA has advised other industries to contact the Almond Board to help guide them in their efforts to address Salmonella, and to create a similar, robust pathogen reduction program that includes independent expert review by a panel such as our Technical Expert Review Panel."

Listen to Birmingham discuss ABC food safety programs being used as a model for other food crops.

Nevertheless, with a number of food safety bills pending on the Hill that have direct implications to the almond industry, an ongoing effort to improve food safety systems will be necessary to continue to build confidence in almonds as a safe, wholesome, nutritious product, Birmingham told the audience.

According to speaker Dr. Roger A. Clemens, Associate Director of the Regulatory Science Program and Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences with the USC School of Pharmacy, new legislation is being triggered by an "under-funded, overwhelmed food safety system." Among the provisions of bills under consideration are additional and regular inspections of food-processing facilities by regulatory agencies, required food safety plans, FDA authority to conduct recalls, and beefed-up traceability programs.

Consumers perceive our domestic food supply as "100% safe," said Mike Mason, chairman of the Food Quality and Safety Committee of the Almond Board, "which is why we must continue to be the leader in food safety and diligently pursue new methods of detection and treatment of food pathogens."

Pathogen treatment was the subject of the Pasteurization Technology Symposium, held in conjunction with the Food Quality and Safety Symposium. More than a dozen manufacturers described their technologies for almond pasteurization, including currently approved methods, systems now undergoing the approval process, and emerging technologies such as infrared radiation and a "cold pasteurization" process using ozone that has organic status.