ROLE OF VETERINARY SERVICES IN FOOD SAFETY

ROLE OF VETERINARY SERVICES IN FOOD SAFETY MEDITERRANEAN ZOONOSES CONTROL PROGRAMMENikolas Charisis, WHO/MZCC,Head of PH & Food safety Department Stournari 24, 10 682, Athens, Greece. Telephone:+30-210-3814 703, Fax: +30-210-3814 340, e-mail: mzcc@ath.forthnet.gr holistic approach continuum

Veterinary Contribution into Food Safety • animal feed origin and quality • animal identification • animal health • animal welfare • animal waste disposal • HACCP and GHP/GHP/SSOP • meat inspection • traceability • official controls • central database and record keeping • Producers roles and responsibilities

Demand for SAFE FOOD • Emerging food pathogens, • Increased detectionof minute amounts of contaminants • Industrialization • Intensive rearing of animals - Environmental pollution of animal origin no 1 problem in Public Health

Changing peoples lifestyles • Tourism, Business trips • Freshand undercooked food • Contaminationof the environment • Degradation of Environment, destructions of ecosystems • Need for consumers confidence(competition) • Globalization of Trade & Legislation

3.000.000 people because of diseases associated with FOOD and WATER Are all FB diseases dangerous ?

Modern Foodborne Problems D i o x i n s Listeria B S E Hormones Residues Antibiotic resistance

Modern Role of Veterinarians 1. In primary production Exercise Animal welfare Implement Preventive medicine, Implement Animal Health Programs Advise farmers for the Correct use of antibiotics Watch over the control of Residues

January 2000 WHITE PAPER FOR FOOD SAFETY ¨ 1. Public health 2.Animal health ¨ 3.Animal welfare(Transport, Handling, slaughter),

- PRIMARY PRODUCTION - Electronic ID Animal identificationin - transport- + (Rapid Alert System) + (Early Warning System) Animal feed Should be fully traceable Usual ID card BSE D I O X I N S

2. In Slaughtering and meat processing • Ante mortem inspection • Traceability • Post mortem inspection

3. In Retail level 4. In the Community Consumer education

Consumer’s Education Here responsibility passes out of the hands of the professional even the best product may become risky to the consumer if stored in high temperatures

Modern Role of Veterinarians cont…. • Measures taken in Primary Production • Safeguard feed given to food-producing animals(Dioxins, BSE) • Implement safe practices at the level of primary production • (Animal Health Programmes, Disinfections, rodenticides, insecticides etc) • Create laboratories of excellence (for monitoring food safety). • Measures adopted should be based on • RiskAnalysis(and especially on Risk Assessment) Latest scientific information National data collection

CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS or CCPs (Are steps where control can be applied. CCPs are essential to prevent or eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level) Most Food borne problems are created in the Farm Level Page 4 • The Veterinarian in the FARM • All animals entering the farm should originate from establishments free of communicable diseasesQuarantine may be useful • Regular clinical examinationsare strongly advised • Random but regular, serological examinationsCleaning and disinfecting of stables, warehouses, tools and milking machines • Control of insects and rodentsSpecial attention should be given to health and cleanliness of the personnel

THE ROLE OF VETERINARIANS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HACCP Governmental inspectorsor AUDITORS FREE TRADE ? FOOD INSPECTOR may have 3 roles ENFORCER TRAINER FACILITATOR From the Document “HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS - CONCEPTS AND APPILICATION”, edited as a draft in 2002, by N. Charissis, DVM - WHO/MZCC, Athens, GREECE.

Food Safety, First Level Second Level, hygienic requirements Third LevelHACCP FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM HACCP system GMP + GHP+ SSOP General principles of food hygiene (Codex Alimentarius)

COMPARING in the old and in Modern Times Food Safety Assurance Systems

Inspection in the Old Time relied on Organoleptic methods, Domestic experience, and limited Scientific experimentation Food was consumed before irregularities were detected. Therefore, the traditional food control system was “retroactive” providing little health protection

Food Safety in the Old Time Was relied on end product testing + VISUAL INSPECTION • But, • End-product testing proved to be: • time consuming in microbiological analysis, • costly and • not reliable • So, knowing that • testing foods offer little protection • (even when large numbers of samples are examined), We prefer modern techniques and practices based on Prerequisites and HACCP systems

Disadvantages of Old Regulations regulations with GMP, GHP or SSOP are using very often, vague terms such as: “appropriate” or “when necessary” legislation leaves much to free translation with little distinction between trivial and important matters of safety.

Old & New Systems Old system New system

Modern Food Safety Systems relyon two actions 1stACTION - Provision of secure raw material, - proper processing & manufacturing, - cleaning of premises & tools, - transport, - storing i.e. Pasteurization of milk in 72.60 C for 15” 2nd ACTION Testing of End-product(internal and external control) hazards at this point have been already anticipated, avoided, prevented

H A C C P systems The HACCP(as a method) Identifies, Detects, Evaluates & Controls all possible hazards in the Food-production chain

H =Hazard A = Analysis C = Critical C = Control P = Point HACCPas • a system • Recognizes Hazards & • Establishes Measures acronyms Is the self-control in Food Safety • a tool • ensures the • Hygiene • Safety

Concept 1950, W.E. Deming Total Quality Management system (TQM) 1973, Pillsbury Companypublished HACCP for NASAand U.S Army Laboratories 1993,International Recognition

Principles and Phases of HACCP There are 7 principles in HACCP. The first principle, “Hazard Analysis” is distinguished in 7 phases PHASES PRINCIPLES • Define the subject • Assemble the HACCP team • Describe the product • Describe Intended use • Develop a flow diagram • Verify the flow diagram • Identify and list potential hazards and preventive measures 1. Hazard Analysis 2. Determine the CCPs 3. Establish targets and critical limits for every CCP 4. Establish monitoring procedures for every CCP 5. Establish corrective actions for every CCP 6. Establish verification procedures of the HACCP study 7.Establish a documentation system * See Phases and Principles

HAZARDS & RISKS H A Z A R D is everything that affects health and life by causing symptoms ranging from discomfort, to severe illness, or death.

“Foodborne Hazard” for the consumermeans something inapprehensive, difficult to say or it is a matter of individual perception for the scientists isa serious possibility for Food- poisoning

HAZARD = biological, chemical,physical agent (or condition) that may cause a health problem (Codex Alimentarius Commission definition of Hazard Analysis (1997) Hazard analysis collection + interpretation of information on hazards in order to decide Whether they are significant for food safety and should be examined in the HACCP plan Scrapies BSE vCJD EXAMPLE: Hazard analysis for a Feed of animal origin goes back to BSE problem

HAZARD’S CATEGORIES Biological agents (bacteria, viruses, moulds, parasites and toxins) Chemicals agents (paints, pesticides, insecticides, antibiotics, growth promotants) Foreign material (glass, cork, wire, clothes) Harmful agents are present in many raw materials in low levels. They become dangerous whentheir level increasesto a point where they may cause disease.

R I S K • Is the chance(?) of encountering some form of Harm, Loss or Damage • it has two components • Chance(probability)and, if it happens the resulting • Consequences • (but because of the element of chance we can’t predict what will happen) inFood-Business we assess “RISK” through objective, scientific, and quantifiable methods

RISK ANALYSIS cont… Risk analysis:

In General, RISK ANALYSIS • is the framework of (risk)-based approaches used for the management of Food-borne Hazards • Risk Analysis is based • on • Science (Modern Lab techniques), • Research (Lab. experiments) • Bibliography

EXAMPLE: Aspergilus flavuswere found in stockpiles of corn to be used for a starving Governorate in India Risk Assessment: Aspergilus flavus(symptoms-severity for starving population) Risk Management: Stockpiles should be destroyed? Heat Treated? delivered to the starving population with a warning? Given to dairy cows? Risk Communication: Take advise from scientists, inform politicians to take the decisions.

? Can A. flavus produce always and under any circumstances aflatoxin? Can the toxin be destroyed by heat treatment? What is the content(amount) of corn in aflatoxin? What is the infective dose? Optimal Conditions for Toxin production aW 0.85 - Temperature 25-40 C It is a heat resistant toxin 10 ppb 15 ppb RISK ANALYSIS cont.. Usual Questions • How serious can be if given to the population in this concentration? • What can be done to reduce likelihood and seriousness?

“PrecautionaryPrinciple” is the process which takes under consideration all possible harmful effects on health +scientific uncertainty leading to a provisional RISK and the taking of management measures as precautions (i.e prohibiting import of rice from a third country) but These measures shall be reviewed within a reasonable period of time! (evaluation of risk and new scientific data help to conduct a more comprehensive risk assessment). Aflatoxin may cause cancer (?) Cancer is harmful to health

BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS can cause in food Health Problems Spoilage of food off - flavors

The presence of any pathogenic microorganism in food may result in foodborne illness. For this reason, pathogenic organisms found in food, are considered biological hazards. Grouping the pathogens: Microorganisms consist of four main groups of varying complexity. Bacteria and mouldsare most familiar to us since we can either seethem, (e.g. mouldy fruit), or we can see the effects of their activities (e.g. spoiled meat). Viruses and parasitesare less evident but, as with bacteria, we are aware of their effects when we suffer from an infection.

Major identified foodborne pathogens • Bacterial: • Bacillus cereus • Brucella • Campylobacter jejuni • Clostridium botulinum • Clostridium perfringens • Enterohaemoragic E. coli O157:H7 • E. coli, non-O157 STEC • E. coli, other diarrheagenic • Listeria monocytogenes • Salmonella Typhimurium DT104, resistant to antibiotics • Salmonella enteritidis • Salmonella non-typhoidal • Shigella • Staphylococcus • Streptococcus • Vibrio cholerae, toxigenic • Vibrio vulnificus • Vibrio, other • Yersinia enterocolitica • Parasitic: • Cryptosporidium • Cyclospora • Giardia • Toxoplasma • Trematodes • Trichinella • Viral: • BSE virion • Norwalk-like viruses • Rotavirus • Astrovirus • Hepatitis A * Recognized as foodborne in last 30 years

Spoilage • Useful • Pathogenic We have seen that microorganisms can be dangerous. As already mentioned, some organisms are not dangerous but may spoil foods. Some microorganisms are used to ferment food and drinks.

The main spoilage organisms are bacteria, yeasts and moulds. They may cause food to deteriorate, producing undesirable changes in flavour, odour or taste. Sometimes, these changes may be seen as desirable. In some cheeses, moulds are essential to the production process. However, we would not consider bread or fruit with mould growing on the surface to be fit to eat.

SPOILAGE or DECAY are changes incolor, taste, essence, texturenot approved by the consumer EXAMPLES Pseudomonas turns the color of food to green or red Moulds create white colonies in meat products or red in fish food Bacillus turns meat to dark color Bacteria create a clamminess (greasy) appearance in meat

SPOILAGE – DECAY cont… Undesirable odours, flavours and colours bacteria use glucose Glucose is utilised by bacteria on the surface and replenished by the deeper tissues. When glucose diffusion declines, lactate and amino acids are utilised instead. Degradation of amino acids results in the production of ammonia, hydrogensulphide, indole, skatole, amines, resulting in undesirable odours,flavours and colours.

SPOILAGE – DECAY cont… When Spoilage Starts ? When the number of bacteria at the surface reaches: 107 colony forming units/cm2 In 108 cfu/cm2, the muscles become slimy, representing the first stage of slime formation Slime Formation Bacteria form polysaccharides, which gradually create a sticky layer on the surface of the tissue

Useful microorganisms Useful microorganisms Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) ferment carbohydrates into organic acids Organic acids inhibit Salmonella u Staphylococcus Plants, Soil, Animals, Human gut u Listeria u Clostridium u E. coli u LAB are found in mh 1 Lactic acid bacteria are very common in the natural world and are probably some of the first organisms to grow as plant matter decays. Many natural traditional fermentations contain these organisms. These organisms produce not only lactic acid but other organic acids as by-products of carbohydrate breakdown. They are found in soil, on plants and are natural inhabitants of the human gut. The organic acids reduce the pH of the surroundings. This inhibits the growth of many microorganisms and may help lactic acid bacteria compete in their environment. Organic acids also inhibit many pathogens. Some traditional fermentations were used by ancient peoples to preserve food. Many of these methods are still used today.

Food products made with useful microorganisms • - Fermented meats • Yoghurt • Cheese • Leavened bread • Soy sauce • Fermented soybean (tofu) mh 1

PARASITES (protozoal and helminthic) Parasites can include bacteria and viruses, but in general, this term is applied to protozoal and helminthic organisms. These parasites sometimes have complicated life cycles in which the human host is only one stage. To make the proper interventions to prevent transmission to humans, it is important to understand these life cycles. to understand their Life Cycles What is Important for Public Health?

Oysters should remain in tankswith chlorinated sea water for 48 hours Viruses cannot be cultivated outside a living host They are smaller than bacteria and can be seen only with an electron microscope. Foodborne viruses originate from the human gut Shellfish harvested in polluted water are common causes of foodborne viral infections all over the world.

CHEMICAL & PHYSICAL HAZARDS in Food Adaptation from HACCP Principles and Practice, Teacher’s Handbook, A WHO/ICD Training manual in collaboration with FAO

Chemicals toxins 1. Natural 2. Manufactured NaturalChemical compounds,(organic or inorganic) Manufactured chemicals: Additives, Disinfectants, sludge from factories, insecticides, paints etc Are all chemicals dangerous to health? NO ! Natural chemicals in proper doses are essential for growth Calcium Amino acids iron Vitamins Phosphorus

ROLE OF VETERINARY SERVICES IN FOOD SAFETY