Keeping America's Food Safe: A Blueprint for Fixing the Food Safety System at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Summarizes Health and Human Services' food safety programs, highlights concerns about current laws and policies, and outlines reform proposals. Suggests creating a Food Safety Administration to coordinate policy, inspection, and enforcement activities

Blockchain Meets Genomics: Governance Considerations for Promoting Food Safety and Public Health

Foodborne illness remains an ongoing public health challenge in both the developing and industrialized worlds. In the United States, almost 50 million reported cases of infectious disease occur every year from a food product, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality with economic burdens to health care and productivity. Despite recognition as a leader in food safety, the U.S. experiences longstanding and novel issues in food safety. Advances in whole genome sequencing (WGS) promise to bolster food safety regulators’ capabilities to identify pathogens and determine their source. However, inefficiencies in tracing food products through the supply chain remain

TRACEABILITY IN THE U.S. FOOD SUPPLY: ECONOMIC THEORY AND INDUSTRY STUDIES

This investigation into the traceability baseline in the United States finds that private sector food firms have developed a substantial capacity to trace. Traceability systems are a tool to help firms manage the flow of inputs and products to improve efficiency, product differentiation, food safety, and product quality. Firms balance the private costs and benefits of traceability to determine the efficient level of traceability. In cases of market failure, where the private sector supply of traceability is not socially optimal, the private sector has developed a number of mechanisms to correct the problem, including contracting, third-party safety/quality audits, and industry-maintained standards. The best-targeted government policies for strengthening firms' incentives to invest in traceability are aimed at ensuring that unsafe of falsely advertised foods are quickly removed from the system, while allowing firms the flexibility to determine the manner. Possible policy tools include timed recall standards, increased penalties for distribution of unsafe foods, and increased foodborne-illness surveillance.traceability, tracking, traceback, tracing, recall, supply-side management, food safety, product differentiation, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Industrial Organization,

Food Safety in the US: Regulation, Liability, and Tracing

This dissertation addresses three issues related to food safety. First, it examines the economic efficiency of irrigation water quality guidelines of Food Safety Modernization Act. Second, it estimates the value of traceability in the U.S. lettuce supply chain. Third, it uses state-level data and panel regression models to examine the relationship between product liability laws and reported foodborne illnesses in the U.S. The second chapter develops a theoretical framework and a corresponding empirical analysis to analyze the Food and Drug Administration\u27s irrigation water quality regulatory standard pursuant to the Food Safety Modernization Act. We develop a stochastic, price endogenous partial equilibrium model with recourse to examine the standard\u27s efficacy under various scenarios of foodborne illness severity, standard implementation, demand response to foodborne outbreaks, and irrigation costs. The stringency of regulation is evaluated with endogenous producer response to regulatory requirements and corresponding implications for economic surplus. Lettuce industry in California and Arizona is used as a case study. The baseline results show that in the case of the lettuce market, the proposed microbial irrigation water quality regulation is not cost-effective relative to the existing Leafy-Greens Marketing Agreements (LGMA) and results in 2.57% and 1.84% increases in head and leaf-romaine lettuce prices, respectively. The third chapter estimates the value of traceability in the U.S. lettuce industry using a stochastic price endogenous partial equilibrium model. Using irrigation water as a potential pathogen source we show that if the average cost per foodborne illness is $8,500, then the annual benefits of traceability in the lettuce industry vary between$680,000 and $2 million, depending on the length of produce shelf life. Also, the number of avoided symptomatic cases of foodborne illness due to traceability is between 81 and 232 cases. We also observe that the benefits of traceability depend on microbial die-off rate, monetary value of foodborne illness damages, pathogen transmission from source water to crop, and pathogenicity of water per unit of Generic E. coli. The fourth chapter examines the relationship between product liability laws and reported foodborne illnesses in the U.S. using state-level data and panel regression models. We find a positive and statistically significant relationship between strict liability with punitive damages and the number of reported foodborne illnesses. Most evidence, however, shows no statistically significant relationship between strict liability with punitive damages and the number of foodborne illness-related hospitalizations and deaths. Thus, the results suggest that strict liability with punitive damages encourages reporting but does not necessarily prevent serious foodborne illnesses

Climate Change, Foodborne Pathogens, and Illness in Higher Income Countries

Purpose of review: We present a review of the likely consequences of climate change for foodborne pathogens and associated human illness in higher income countries. Recent findings: The relationships between climate and food are complex and hence the impacts of climate change uncertain. This makes it difficult to know which foodborne pathogens will be most affected, what the specific effects will be, and on what timescales changes might occur. Hence, a focus upon current capacity and adaptation potential against foodborne pathogens is essential. We highlight a number of developments that may enhance preparedness for climate change. These include: • Adoption of novel surveillance methods, such as syndromic methods, to speed up detection and increase the fidelity of intervention in foodborne outbreaks • Genotype based approaches to surveillance of food pathogens to enhance spatio-temporal resolution in tracing and tracking of illness • Ever increasing integration of plant, animal and human surveillance systems, one-health, to maximize potential for identifying threats • Increased commitment to cross-border (global) information initiatives (including big data) • Improved clarity regarding the governance of complex societal issues such as the conflict between food safety and food waste • Strong user centric (social) communications strategies to engage diverse stakeholder groups Summary: The impact of climate change upon foodborne pathogens and associated illness is uncertain. This emphasises the need to enhance current capacity and adaptation potential against foodborne illness. A range of developments are explored in this paper to enhance preparedness

The Future Of The Agricultural Industry – Is Blockchain A New Beginning?

As we advance into a digital era, we begin to depend on technological innovations to rapidly help develop and update processes and methods within different industries. Blockchain technology—popularized by cryptocurrency—is slowly making its debut in the agricultural supply chain. Implementing a blockchain requirement for suppliers would be beneficial because it would allow agricultural suppliers and distributors to track their products in a more efficient manner. However, there are four potential legal issues that are foreseeable: (1) preemption, (2) overlapping regulatory authority, (3) applying current legal rules to new technology, and (4) contracting. This Note will specifically focus on issues of preemption, overlapping regulatory authority, and applying current legal rules to new technology, and will address why a blockchain requirement should be implemented into the agricultural supply chain. Part I of this Comment addresses the primary problems with the current state of the agricultural supply chain. Part II discusses legal regulatory issues with blockchain and how the implementation of a federal act aimed to improve traceability and transparency has affected the prescription drug industry and supply chain. Part III addresses the intended benefits of a proposed solution regarding the complete implementation of blockchain into the agricultural supply chain, the use of companies piloting blockchain technology to track and trace cattle, and a possible regulatory approach called “soft law.

Guidelines for foodborne disease outbreak response. 3rd ed.

cdc:23373Foodborne diseases and outbreaks remain a substantial cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. It is estimated that over 9 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the United States each year. Of these, only a small fraction are associated with recognized outbreaks. It is widely believed, however, that outbreaks are substantially under-recognized and under-reported, and as our ability to detect and investigate clusters of illness improves, the proportion that are due to outbreaks or an identified source will inevitably increase. This is of great importance, as outbreaks provide an opportunity to identify food safety practices, environmental and other contributing factors, clarify attribution of illness to specific commodities, and improve mitigation and prevention of future events.The Council to Improve Foodborne Outbreak Investigations (CIFOR) is a multidisciplinary collaboration of national associations and federal agencies working together since 2006 to improve methods to detect, investigate, control and prevent foodborne disease outbreaks. Council members represent large agencies and groups with substantial expertise in epidemiology, environmental health, public health laboratory activities and food regulation at the local, state and federal levels. While a variety of discipline-specific materials are available, these Guidelines are intended to be a unique resource combining the perspectives of multiple disciplines and jurisdictional levels, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, coordination, and communication that are critical for rapid, efficient and successful outbreak response.This 3rd Edition of these Guidelines provides important updates and a more streamlined format compared to earlier versions. It also addresses rapid and continuing changes in many aspects of food safety, including laboratory technology, data sharing, improved disease detection methods, increasing centralization of food production, and changing eating habits.The first edition of the Guidelines was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 1U38HM000414-01 from CDC. The second edition was supported by Cooperative Agreement Numbers 1U38HM000414-05 and 1U38OT000143-01 from CDC. The third edition was supported by Cooperative Agreement Numbers 5U38OT000143\u201005 and 1 NU38OT000297-01-00 from CDC. The findings and conclusions in this document are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.CIFOR-Guidelines-Complete-third-Ed.-FINAL.pdf1. The Evolving Challenge of Foodborne Outbreak Response -- 2. Legal Preparedness for the Surveillance and Control of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks -- 3. Planning and Preparation: Building Team -- 4. Foodborne Illness Surveillance and Outbreak Detection -- 5. Cluster and Outbreak Investigation -- 6. Control Measures and Prevention -- 7. Special Considerations for Multijurisdictional Outbreaks -- 8. Performance Metrics for Foodborne Illness Programs.2020Cooperative Agreement Numbers 5U38OT000143\u201005 and 1 NU38OT000297-01-001002

Food Traceability in School Foodservice Operations: Benefits and Challenges

Purpose/Objectives: This study explored food traceability systems in school foodservice in the United States and the potential benefits and challenges to their implementation. Methods: An online questionnaire was developed and used to collect data. A mixed-mode approach was followed to recruit the participants. A convenience sample of 500 school nutrition professionals from Qualtrics panel was targeted for data collection with the goal of having responses from 300 participants. Due to low response rate from the initial panel, the contact information of a second convenience sample of 200 child nutrition professionals with no geographic representation was obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics database. The individuals were invited to participate by email with a link to the questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics were computed to screen and summarize the data. Factor analysis was performed to categorize and identify potential benefits of, and challenges to implementing food traceability systems in school foodservice. Results: A total of 427 respondents accessed the questionnaire. Only 124 completed questionnaires were retained for a response rate of 24.8%. The findings showed that traceability systems in the investigated districts involve either paper-based or manually entered data systems. The top identified benefits of implementing food traceability systems were supporting food safety, preventing bioterrorism, and cost reduction. Among the top reported challenges to implementing food traceability systems were the unexpected substitution of food by vendors and high cost of implementing advanced traceability systems

NCEZID accomplishments 2015

Responding to outbreaks in the United States and around the world is an important part of the mission of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID). During a multistate foodborne outbreak, for example, NCEZID often serves as lead coordinator between public health partners to detect the outbreak, define its size and extent, and identify the source.In fiscal year (FY) 2015, NCEZID received 24 requests from states and other countries to assist in the investigations of outbreaks of infectious disease. These requests, known as Epi-Aids, involved NCEZID\u2019s support for health departments or ministries of health through epidemiological investigations, laboratory analyses, and technical assistance.CS261540-Ancezid-accomplishments-2015.pdfPublication date from document properties.US outbreaks -- Global outbreaks -- Food -- Bugs -- Fungal infections -- Ebola -- Antibiotic resistance -- Healthcare-associated infections -- Healthy travel -- Dangerous pathogens -- Discoveries -- The next five years

Traceability Adoption by Specialty Crop Producers in California

Surveys were sent to specialty crop producers in California, predominantly grower-packer-shippers, during the first half of 2006 to better understand the motives for traceability adoption. The questions in our survey allowed respondents to consider the benefits of tracing. A representative tracing system for melons was developed and costs for the system were collected from industry sources. Values were assigned to the benefits of traceability based on the cost of the representative system, responses collected in our survey, and using Borda’s rule. Results suggest that litigation concerns and firm reputation are the key drivers for maintaining traceability.Borda’s rule, California, partial budget, specialty crops, survey, traceability, Agribusiness, Crop Production/Industries,