Food Safety

(Microbiology, Sanitation and HACCP)

Frank T. Jones
Extension Poultry Specialist
Cooperative Extension Service
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
 Presentation Outline
• Sanitation Definitions
• Microorganisms – Overview
• Public Health Background
• Sanitation on Farm
• Sanitation in Plants
• HACCP Overview
 What is Sanitation?
• World Health Organization (WHO) – “All
precautions and measures which are
necessary in production, processing,
storage and distribution, in order to
assure an unobjectionable, sound and
palatable product which is suited for
human consumption.”
• Sanitation from Greek Sanitas – Health
• N. G. Marriott – “The creation and
maintenance of hygenic and healthful
conditions.”
 Sanitation Basics

Exclude
Kill Contamination
Organisms

Prevent
Multiplication
 Microorganisms

Fungi
Bacteria Molds Yeasts Viruses
 Beneficial Microorganisms
• Fermentation
– Cheese, Beer, Wine, Bread, Yogurt
• Enzymes
• Aids to Human Metabolism
• Decay
– Waste treatment, composting, decomposition
 “The Enemies”
• Pathogens – Food Safety
– Illness, Disease and Death

• Spoilage – Food Quality

– Poor Quality, Short Shelf Life, Off Flavors,
Customer Dissatisfaction
Bacteria
• Microscopic single cells
• Lots of moisture required
• Cause most food illness
• Three basic shapes
– Rod
– Cocci (spheres)
– Spiral
• Some spore formers
• Grow, grow, grow
– Binary Fission
 Generation Cell
Bacterial Reproduction Numbers
– Binary Fission 1 100
2 200
3 400
Generation
Time 4 800
5 1,600
6 3,200
7 6,400
8 12,800
9 25,600
10 51,200
Generation 11 102,400
Time (Min)
10 30 60 90
12 204,800
Hours from
100 to 1 Million
2.4 7.1 14.2 21.3 13 409,600
14 819,200
15 1,638,400
What Bacteria Need for Growth?
FAT TOM
• F ood
• A cid (pH)
• T ime
• T emperature
• O xygen
• M oisture
 The Spore Cycle

• Spores VERY resistant

• Two species form spores
– Bacillus
– Clostridium
• Difficult to destroy –
reduce strategy
• Problem in cooked foods
Fungi (Molds and Yeasts)
• Require less moisture
• Can grow in acid pH
• Very adaptable
• Grow slower than
bacteria
• Molds – multicellular
• Form spores that are
less resistant than
bacterial spores
• Yeasts bud
Basic Virus Structure

Genetic Material (DNA or RNA)

Protein Coat
Tail Fibers
Hollow Protein Tail
 Viruses

• Tiny
• Simple
structure
• Must grow in
Virus cells
• In foods –
Life Cycle fecal contam.
• Personal
sanitation to
prevent
• Living?
 Our Losses…
• Every year (based on CDC data):
• Over 250 billion meals are prepared
• An estimated 76 million foodborne
illnesses occur
• >5,000 foodborne associated deaths
• Costs = $7.7 to 23 billion

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003)

 Foodborne Illness
“... when a person becomes ill after
ingesting a contaminated food...”

Foodborne illness can be caused by:

• Biological hazards (bacteria, viruses, fungi)
• Chemical hazards (cleaning agents, toxins)
• Physical hazards (bone, glass, metal)
 Foodborne Hazards
Hazard Est. Cases Deaths
Norwalk virus 23,000,000 na
Campylobacter 2,453,926 0.1%
Salmonella 1,412,498 0.8%
C. perfringens 248,520 .05%
S. aureus 185,060 .02%
E. coli O157:H7 73,480 .83%
L. monocytogenes 2,518 20%
C. botulinum 58 8.6%

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001)

 FOOD BORNE PATHOGENS:
• USDA – FSIS “Target Pathogens”
• Four major pathogens of food bone illness
– Salmonella
– E. coli 0157:H7
– Campylobacter
– Listeria monocyctogens
 SALMONELLA
• Most frequently reported
• Introduced anywhere within the food chain
• Grown on any food under the right
conditions: Moisture and Temperature
• Ideal growth temperature 40-140 ° F
• Cook temperature essential to kill-160 º F
• Safe handling of food by consumer essential
 E COLI 0157:H7 &
Campylobacter
• Natural inhabitant of the GI tract of all
animals
• Sanitary practices throughout the Farm to
Table essential for control
• Consumer education of safe handling
practices for food, raw and cooked,
essential for control
 LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENS
• Commonly found in GI tract of all animals
• Can survive for long periods in SOIL,
SEWAGE, DUST, VEGATATION AND
WATER
• Resistant to cool temp - Cold storage
• Can form biofilms on surfaces to resist
cleaning and sanitizing
• Biggest threat:Pregnant women-
miscarriages and birth defects
 Sanitation in Live Production

• Will never be sterile but don’t give up!

• 7 Basic Steps in Live Production Sanitation
– Obtain Clean Stock
– Proper Bird Care
– Vermin Control
– Moisture Control
– Feed Storage
– Biosecurity
– Water Sanitation
 Obtaining Clean Stock
• Know the seller
• Don’t look for bargains
• Isolate birds for 2 wks
• Monitor birds daily and separate sick
ones
 Proper Birds Care
• Healthy birds are more resistant
• Pay attention to bird behavior
• Collect dead at least daily
• Provide ventilation
 Vermin
• Damage facilities
• Eat feed
• Contaminate facilities
• Entry for other pests
• May kill animals
Moisture is often THE SINGLE
Most Important Factor in
Determining Microbial Growth
 Moisture Control
• Litter moisture related to pathogens
• Moisture control related to:
– Addressing obvious sources
– Ventilation
– Control of Drinkers
 Feed Storage
• Protection from Rodents & Wild Birds
• Protection from Moisture
• Protection from Heat and Sunlight
– Moisture Migration
– UV Destruction
• Feed Freshness
Moisture Migration in Food
 Moisture Migration in Feeds
12% 12% 12%

12% 12% 12%

12% 12% 12%

16% 13% 10%

16% 13% 10%

16% 13% 10%

20% 12% 8%

20% 12% 8%

20% 12% 8%
 Effect of Temperature on Feed Moisture
18 Swine
16 Cattle
14 Pig
Moisture (%)

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
50 70 90
From Headley 1969 Temperature (F)
 Effect of Relative Humidity on Feed Moisture

30 Pig Starter
Feed Moisture (%)

25 Cattle Ration

20
15
10
5
0
25 40 58 75 82 93
From Headley, 1969 Relative Humidity (%)
 Effect of Feed Age on Aflatoxin Concentration.

30
25
20
Aflatox
(ppb)

15
10
5
0
1 to 5 6 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 20
Age in Days
From Jones et al.1982
 How Feeds Age on Farm
Birds prefer
to eat pellets
rather than fines

Feed older than

average and high
in fines
 Biosecurity
• Procedures that work for bird pathogens also
keep out human pathogens
• Basic Steps
– No Visitor Policy – Have Farm Clothes
– Protect Personnel – Clean Vehicles
– Clean Equipment – No Contact Other Birds
– Proper Dead Disposal – No Borrowed Equip
– No Visits to Problems – No Wild Game
– Locks & Security
– Avoid Mixing Animal Species
 Footbaths – The Good, The Bad
and The Ugly
• Can be effective BUT
• MUST pay attention
• Use correct
disinfectant
• Contaminated baths
spread disease and
pathogens
 Basics Steps in Sanitizer Use
• Avoid mixing sanitizers PARTICULARLY
Chlorine @ pH<4 = Chlorine Gas
• In general, clean, scrub, rinse THEN sanitize
• Store sanitizers away from feed and birds
• Protect sanitizers from heat and light
• Avoid long storage times
• Use for Approved Purposes
– General Sanitation
– Food Contact Surfaces
Disinfectant Types and Qualities
Type Activity Organic Cost Human Comments
Mattter Toxicity
Effect
Alcohols Wide no Reduces Exp Low Non Corrosive, Fire
spores effects Hazard, conc 70-95%,
Hypochlorite Wide no Kills Low Low Can be corrosive
spores effects
Iodophors Wide no Reduces Mod Low May stain clothing,
spores effects porous surfaces
QAC Limited Reduces Low Low Soaps, detergents
(Quaternary no effects and hard water limit
Ammonia
Compounds)
spores effectiveness

Phenolic Wide no Little to Mod Low Good residual activity

spores none
Aldehyde Wide Limits Mod Mod Gets everything, but
effects can be highly toxic
Oxidizer Mod. No Kills Mod Low Limited residual,
spores effects Mod corrosive
 A Broad Look at Disinfectants
Type Examples Uses
Alcohols Rubbing Alcohol, Isopropyl, Small objects,
Ethanol hands
Hypochlorite Chlorox, Chloramine-T, Water, Clean
Halazone surfaces
Iodophors Betadine, Iofec, Isodyne, Water, Hands,
Tamed Iodine, Weladol Equipment, Walls
QAC Roccal, Germex, Hi-Lethol, Hatcheries, with
(Quaternary Ammonia San-O-Fec, Warden, Zephiran some soaps
Compounds)

Phenolic Lysol, Pine-Sol, Cresi-400, Hatcheries,

Environ, Tek-Trol Equipment,
Footbaths
Aldehyde Formaldehyde, Fumigation, clean
Glutaraldehyde surfaces
Oxidizer Hydrogen Peroxide, Peracetic Clean surfaces
Acid
 Water Sanitation
• Water – A GREAT organism transmitter
• Consider closed line systems – Nipples
or cups
• Clean open waterers often, but don’t
dump water in the litter
• Proper height adjustment
 Bacterial Counts from
Poultry Water Systems
5000000 4775000
4500000
4000000
Bacterial Counts

3500000 Source
3000000 Line End
2500000 2340000
2000000
1500000
1000000
26600 282000
500000 203000
0 2700 600 0
Farm A Farm B Farm C Farm D

From: Watkins. 2003

Used with permission from: The Center for Biofilm Engineering at
Montana State University – Bozeman
http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/bf-basics-99/bbasics-01.htm
Used with permission from: The Center for Biofilm
Engineering at Montana State University – Bozeman
http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssentials-SW/bf-basics-99/bbasics-01.htm
Biofilm in a Municipal Water Line
Water Line Cleaners for Use Once a
Week When Birds are Present
Clear Household White Iodine
Household Bleach Household (18.05%)
Ammonia Vinegar

½ teaspoon ½ teaspoon 1 oz per ¼ teaspoon

per gallon per gallon gallon of per gallon
of water of water water of water
Cleaning Closed Watering Systems
with Birds in the House
Prepare a stock solution
Clear Household Clear Iodine
Household Bleach Vinegar (18.05%)
Ammonia
6 oz per 6 oz per 128 oz per 2 oz per
gallon gallon gallon gallon

Meter stock solution at 1 oz / 128 oz (gal) water

 Basic Steps in Poultry Processing

Pre-slaughter

Immobilize

Feather Removal
Air Flow

Separation Wall

Evisceration

Chilling

Further Processing or
Packaging
Sanitation in Small Processing
• Work indoors if possible
• Avoid the use of wood surfaces
• Use sanitizers labeled for Food Contact Surfaces
• Clean and sanitize equipment before use
• Separate slaughter and picking from
evisceration and cut up -- Job Specialize
• Avoid long delays
• Keep things as clean as possible (insects)
• Don’t spare the water
• Cool processed carcasses quickly and keep
them cool
• Clean and sanitize equipment before storage
Wood Should be Avoided in Processing Areas

Loblolly Pine 100μ Birch

Staphylococcus - 1.0μ Clostridium - 0.4 x 3μ Treponema 0.2x 11μ

Sanitizers for Food Contact Surfaces
Category Advantages
Chlorine, Broad Act., Not temp.
sensitive, Cheap, No Foam
Dioxides
Iodophores Broad Act., Low Tox., Stable,
Color, Good Residual
QAC Stable, Innocuous, Some
Residual
Acid-Anionic Stable, W/ Organic Matter,
Non Corrosive, Odorless
Carboxylic Broad Act., Stable, W/
Organic Matter, High Temp
Acid
Peroxy Acid Broad Act., Degrade, Non
Corrosive, Temp. Tolerant
Disadvantages
Cl gas, Corrosive,
Organic material,
Degrades, THM’s, pH
range
Stains, Hard water,
Temps (High & Low),
Odor, Cl cheaper
Low temps, Hard water,
Little effect on gram
negative bacteria
Cost, pH
Low Temp., Corrosive
Co, Cu, Ti, Mishandling
Danger, Concentrate
Odor
 Natural Disinfecting Agents
• Sunlight (Ultraviolet rays)
• Heat (>85°F)
• Cold (Freezing or below)
• Drying (Aided by wind, light and heat)
• EFFECTIVE, But are they reliable?
 HACCP -What is it?
• HACCP -(HAS-SIP)
• H azard
• A nalysis and
• C ritical
• C ontrol
• P oints
• HACCP often misused term.
• A systematic method of documenting
that food safety hazards have been
addressed.
 HACCP - What is it?
• HACCP involves only food safety issues.
• Out of control = unsafe food produced.
• Plans unique for each unit and product.
 HACCP – What is it?
Step Meaning
1. Hazard Analysis What are the controllable food
safety hazards?
2. Establish Critical Where do things go wrong and
Control Points how can we reliably control it?

3. Establish Critical Limits What value indicates the

process is in control?
4. Establish Monitoring Who, what, when , where and
Procedures how will CCP’s be monitored?

5. Establish Corrective What happens if we exceed a

Actions Critical limit?

6. Establish a Record If you don’t write it down it

Keeping System doesn’t exit.

7. Establish Verification How do you know the system

Procedures works?
 HOW DOES HACCP WORK?
• Processors must take the following steps:
– assemble a HACCP team to design their plan
– describe the product and its method of
production, distribution and intended
consumer.
– Develop and verify process flow diagrams
 How does HACCP Work?

• Identify at each step of the production

flow chart any hazard to food safety as to:
– Chemical
– Physical
– Bacterial
• Support the hazard with a decision
making document and scientific data
 How does HACCP Work?
• If a CCP deviation is found the
following must take place:
– Identify the cause of deviation
– Describe how the critical limit was
restored
– Describe how the deviation can be
prevented from happening again
– Describe how the adulterated product was
reconditioned or what happened to the
product
FARM TO TABLE FSIS GOALS
• FSIS has made a commitment to
expanding into the pre harvest areas of
the food chain, working in a non
regulatory capacity, to promote food
safety.
• Commitment to utilize the knowledge,
skills and abilities of FSIS veterinary
medical expertise to contribute to the
goal of food safety.