IBIE - 2019 Special Edition & Show Preview - 64

FOOD SAFETY

AIB International can
help bakeries navigate
compliance with FSMA
through education,
inspections, supply
chain research and
other services.
AIB International

role in facilitating that training," FDA stated in its guidance for FSMA Training. "For the agency, this means
joining with public and private partners in state, federal,
tribal and international governments, industry and academia in the development and delivery of training."
AIB International is committed to helping companies
move beyond basic food safety compliance to create a
proactive, strong food safety culture, noted Stephanie
Lopez, vice-president of operations, AIB International.
FSMA should be a good starting point - a baseline -
for the industry, she said. As consumers demand more
transparency, only companies with strong food safety
plans in place will endure. "Strong food safety cultures
and quality programs build strong relationships of trust
between brands and consumers, and that fosters brand
loyalty," she said.

Protecting against pathogens
Foodborne illnesses are caused by 31 known pathogens
and unspecified agents. Pathogens cause the most foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths each year. A
pathogen is a microorganism (bacteria, parasite, virus or
fungus) that causes disease in humans, and a foodborne
pathogen is an organism that causes disease through
food. According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, the top five pathogens contributing to
domestically acquired foodborne illnesses are norovirus, nontyphoidal salmonella, Clostridium perfringens,
Campylobacter and Staphylococcus aureus.
After several outbreaks were caused by consumption
of raw flour products, major flour milling companies developed ready-to-eat flour, which is typically heat-treated and has been available in the market for several years.
In addition, flour mills have taken steps to establish a
safe flour supply.
Thermal processing such as baking or frying is the
most widely used method to kill pathogens in food
products and is generally controlled by setting a timetemperature target required for the destruction of

64 PreShow Guide IBIE 2019

pathogenic and food spoilage microorganisms, inactivation of enzymes, and desired changes to product flavor,
color and texture. However, the effectiveness of the thermal process primarily depends on the heat resistance of
microorganisms and varies depending on factors such as
water activity, pH and fat content.
The time and temperature used to bake products are
set to achieve a quality product. "A consequence of this
is that vegetative microorganisms, including yeast used
to raise bread, are killed," explained Phil Voysey, PhD,
Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association.
However, sometimes spore-formers can survive.
Under FSMA, every food manufacturing facility registered with FDA must scientifically demonstrate and
document evidence of the kill-step in baked food production, according to AIB International. Through this
scientific validation, bakers can confirm that the thermal
process is consistently delivering a desired lethal effect
to ensure pathogenic microorganisms' destruction.
AIB International collaborated with the American
Bakers Association (ABA) and researchers at Kansas
State University and University of Georgia to create the
Baking Process Kill Step Calculators. Baked food producers can use these calculators to increase food safety,
comply with FSMA's regulation for hazard analysis and
preventive controls, and avoid conducting foundational
research, which can cost upwards of $50,000 per product. Currently, there are 10 calculators for salmonella in
different bakery products.

Charting separate paths
One of the most important ways to keep food safe is to
avoid cross-contamination. Harmful substances or disease-causing microorganisms can be transferred from
one surface to another by hands, food-contact surfaces,
sponges, cloth towels, equipment, storage and utensils.
While there are many scenarios that might cause
food contamination, most fall under one of three categories: biological, chemical or physical contamination.

IBIE - 2019 Special Edition & Show Preview

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