Food Safety Magazine - June/July 2013
Food Safety Magazine - June/July 2013
Food Safety Magazine - June/July 2013
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(% of P<br />
10%<br />
5%<br />
0%<br />
Protein Dairy Fruit/Veg Processed<br />
NA EU Asia ROW<br />
MICROBIAL TESTING<br />
100.0%<br />
80.0%<br />
60.0%<br />
40.0%<br />
Campylobacter — Methods by Geography<br />
geneous. There are important variations<br />
by organism, by food segment, by geographic<br />
region, by where samples are<br />
collected and by the method used for<br />
analysis.<br />
Given these inconsistencies, how do<br />
we consistently keep our food safe? The<br />
best way to start is to acknowledge and<br />
understand the variances and then use<br />
that knowledge to specify and require<br />
that all inputs to your product be monitored<br />
using a well-defined, consistent<br />
and clearly documented approach. As<br />
we know, problems can occur even at<br />
factories utilizing optimum food testing<br />
programs. Given this, it is imperative to<br />
minimize the risks associated with the<br />
testing variances that exist globally. •<br />
20.0%<br />
0.0%<br />
Figure 4.<br />
NA EU Asia<br />
Traditional Convenience Antibody Molecular Automated<br />
America, 25 percent of protein plants<br />
test for Campylobacter, but no other food<br />
segment tests for this pathogen. In Asia,<br />
however, every food segment but fruit/<br />
vegetable tests for the organism (Figure<br />
3).<br />
Across those plants testing for<br />
Campylobacter, the test methods vary<br />
regionally. In total, 76 percent of Campylobacter<br />
tests worldwide are performed<br />
using traditional culture methods, with<br />
the next leading analytical method,<br />
antibody-based tests, representing just<br />
12 percent of test volume.<br />
On a geographic basis, Asian plants<br />
use only traditional methods for Campylobacter<br />
analysis, and in the EU, only<br />
traditional and antibody-based methods<br />
are used. In North America, the majority<br />
of analysis is done with newer, rapid<br />
methods. The regional variation in<br />
test methods seen for Campylobacter is<br />
like that seen with other pathogen test<br />
methods. Different methods can result<br />
in different food safety decisions since<br />
method-to-method equivalency is not<br />
always perfect (Figure 4).<br />
In spite of the increasing incidence<br />
of foodborne illness from Campylobacter,<br />
it appears that minimal pathogen-specific<br />
testing is done for the organism.<br />
Even when Campylobacter testing<br />
is done, there are considerable differences<br />
among the geographic regions,<br />
food segments and where samples are<br />
collected.<br />
If we were to draw one overall conclusion<br />
about global food pathogen<br />
testing practices, it would be that food<br />
testing worldwide is far from homo-<br />
Tom Weschler is president and<br />
founder of Strategic Consulting Inc.<br />
Over his 30-year career in international<br />
industrial management,<br />
he has created, implemented and<br />
redirected numerous businesses,<br />
with demonstrable successes in venture capital-backed<br />
start-ups, publicly traded companies, transformation<br />
of underachieving companies and technology<br />
acquisitions. He can be reached at 802.457.9933 or<br />
weschler@strategic-consult.com.<br />
Reference<br />
1. Strategic Consulting Inc., <strong>2013</strong>. <strong>Food</strong> Micro,<br />
Eighth Edition: Microbiology Testing in the<br />
Global <strong>Food</strong> Industry.<br />
www.strategic-consult.com.<br />
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