Meat&Poultry - March 2013 - 8

Commentary
BY KEITH NUNES

knunes@sosland.com

Food-safety déjà vu

EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor

Joel Crews
Executive Editor

nyone who was working in or

time for the meat-processing sector.

Keith Nunes

observing the US meat-process-

In 1993 four children from the Pa-

Bryan Salvage

ing industry in 1996 must have ex-

cific Northwest died after consum-

Kimberlie Clyma

perienced a sense of déjà vu on Jan.

ing E. coli O157:H7-tainted hamburg-

4 when the Food and Drug Admin-

ers from a fast-food restaurant. Little

istration issued its proposed rules to

was known about the E. coli O157:H7

require food processors to develop

pathogen and the illnesses it caused.

and implement food-safety preven-

The fall-out from the children’s deaths

tion plans that follow the model of

led the USDA to develop and imple-

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control

ment its HACCP regulations.

A

Senior Editor
Managing Editor
Contributing Editors

Richard Alaniz
Donna Berry
Steve Kay
Leo Quigley

Larry Aylward
Dr. Temple Grandin
Steve Krut
Bernard Shire

Internet Editor

Erica Shaffer
Graphic Designer

Fiona Rogers

PUBLISHING STAFF
Chairman and Group Publisher

Point (HACCP) programs. Because

A key lesson to be taken from the

Charles S. Sosland

the meat-processing industry pio-

meat industry’s experiences is that

L. Joshua Sosland

neered the development, implemen-

differences exist between tradition-

tation and management of regulatory-

al HACCP and HACCP programs

based HACCP programs, the meat

that are developed and implemented

North American Sales Director

industry has established the standard

to comply with government regula-

Publisher Emeritus

for food and beverage manufacturers

tions. HACCP is a program that re-

Mike Alaimo

now attempting to comply with the

quires manufacturers to review their

BUSINESS/PRODUCTION STAFF

FDA’s pending regulations.

operations, identify where hazards are

Vice-Chairman
President, Publishing Director

Mark Sabo
Publisher

Dave Crost
Bruce Brown

Vice-President & Chief Financial Officer

Melanie Hepperly

Similarities will appear between

most likely to occur, develop controls

Audience Development Director

the FDA’s program and the USDA’s

to ensure the hazards are prevented,

Director of E-Business

effort. The principles that guide the

create a paper trail to track whether

Director of On-line Advertising and Promotions

development of HACCP plans do not

the controls are working properly and

change based on the product pro-

develop contingency plans if a control

Don Keating
Jon Hall
Carrie Fluegge
Circulation Manager

Judy Arnone
Design Services Manager

duced. It should also be noted the

fails. It is a form of continuous im-

official leading the development of

provement that may be customized to

Manager of Advertising Design

FDA’s regulations played an integral

individual manufacturing processes.

Classified Sales Representative

role in the USDA program.

What made HACCP challenging

Michael Taylor was USDA’s act-

for meat processors is the regulatory

ing undersecretary of food safety in

environment under which the pro-

1996, playing the key role in the de-

grams will be implemented and man-

velopment of the meat and poultry

aged. While the prevention concept is

industry’s food-safety regulations.

flexible, the FDA will have its own set

Today, Taylor is the FDA’s deputy

of biases about what constitutes a haz-

commissioner for foods and veter-

ard in a specific manufacturing pro-

inary medicine, and he once again

cess and what type of documentation

fi nds himself at the nexus of events

is appropriate to ensure compliance.

that will reshape how food and bev-

The good news is that resources

erage manufacturers approach food

at the university level and in the pri-

safety. One hopes Taylor has taken

vate sector can help companies com-

to heart lessons he learned working

Lily O’Kane
Classified Designer

Steve Piatt
Digital Systems Analyst

Marj Potts
Advertising Manager

ing from history should help ensure

The mid-1990s were a difficult

8

Becky White

ply with the new regulations. Learn-

with the USDA.

Sadowna Conarroe

a smooth transition. ■

• Meat&Poultry • March 2013 • www.MeatPoultry.com

Nora Wages
Advertising Materials Coordinator

Sharon Alexander
Sales: dcrost@sosland.com
Editorial: jcrews@sosland.com
www.MeatPoultry.com
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content and clarity.
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Meat&Poultry - March 2013

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