It is clear that many people and many businesses are sympathetic to protecting public health, and also understand the risks they face trying to conduct business as usual during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are too many people not practicing social distancing, and not wearing face coverings in the
Continue Reading Florida needs to get on with enforcement of COVID-19 rules
The foodservice industry is remarkable for many reasons, the hard work, the long hours, the fierce competition, and the sheer number of operations. Making a go of a restaurant has many challenges; around 60 percent of new restaurants fail within the first year. And nearly 80 percent shutter before
Continue Reading COVID-19: Can the restaurant industry step up to the plate?
If anything should restore the confidence of the American people in our governmental agencies and institutions, it is the leadership of our medical and public health professionals in this time of crisis. We should all appreciate the diligent response to the COVID-19 pandemic coming from our public health
Continue Reading Hidden public health benefits of the COVID-19 experience
The food industry and our public health agencies have long recognized that they share the same responsibility to protect consumers from unsafe food. The modern food industry is, however, growing more diverse, dynamic, and complex. making the application of food protection throughout the broad spectrum of operations a challenge
Continue Reading Can we have a culture of prevention in a toxic sea of division?
To better understand my recent opinion piece on Rose Acre Farms, let me further clarify a few things. I am a sanitarian by training, I am not per se an expert in all aspects of poultry or egg production.
I have a bias toward sanitation, which is the maintenance of
Continue Reading Egg-borne disease is preventable: So why aren’t we doing It?
The disgusting truth about industrial egg production is “it stinks”. Sanitation in such environments stretches the imagination when you think of a million birds trapped in cages in huge shed-type structures called “laying houses” and the tons of fecal material produced daily.
While a high degree of cleanliness may be
Continue Reading Rose Acre Farms: Another Bad Actor, Or a Deeper Problem?
Provisions of the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration, were enacted in 2015. They mandate that foreign suppliers provide the same level of food safety protection for their products as domestic suppliers are required to provide for theirs.
This is needed as
Continue Reading FSVP compliance with FSMA achievable with A, B, C approach
Outbreaks of Salmonella and other pathogens in fresh produce are unfortunately relatively frequent occurrences. This is true, particularly with imported Mexican papaya.
Neither the Food and Drug Administration nor the Centers for Disease Control have disclosed potential root cause in the latest outbreak, however, the factors that lead to contamination
Continue Reading Could the ongoing Salmonella outbreak have been prevented?
The new rule-79 FR 42464 will be in full effect starting on June 21 2016. This new rule will alter the way both inspected (official) and exempt facilities grinding beef control the beef grinding process. Overall, the new requirements will impact an estimated 71,000 companies employing about 100,000 persons. 
Retail-exempt
Continue Reading USDA’s new take on the daily grind
Water is an essential component of many types of food products. Processors, manufacturers, and packers use water to clean, cool and even transport foods during production (in flumes for example). Water is, of course, also used to make ice and beverages of many types. 
Cantaloupe are
Continue Reading Recent events highlight need for safe water for food production
