California FFA News Fall 2015 | Page 12

Food Safety: Whose fault is it anyway? Can you name your favorite Starbucks™ beverage? Maybe it’s a caramel Frappuccino® with extra whip and drizzle before a livestock auction, or five shots of espresso anytime you get in the car with your advisor. Perhaps you are more of a shaken-passion-tea-lemonade at a contest kind of person. We each may have different tastes when it comes to our food and drink, but one thing each of these beverages has in common… they don’t make us sick. In a perfect world, we can enjoy any coffee without fear of food-borne illness, but in all reality, some foods from time to time, become unsafe which poses the question: whose fault is it? The initial answer may be “producers.” After all, farmers, processors, and distributors have incredible responsibility. These agriculturists take a number of precautions throughout production to prevent this risk. Some products are treated with sprays while others are irradiated. Production facilities use barcodes for produce and ear tags for livestock to trace the steps food items take, minimize potential risk factors, and decrease outbreak response time. Additionally the industry of agriculture sets standards through Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans and legislation to ensure safe food operations. So who comes next in the blame game? In many instances bacteria can contaminate food in our own kitchen. Many consumers do not follow protocols such as using separate surfaces and utensils for meat and veggies, cooking foods through at the proper temperature, or maintaining good refrigeration, freezing, and thawing practices. These necessary household lessons are no longer taught as commonly as before since it is easier to throw some instant macaroni and cheese in the microwave than it is to make a cheese and pasta casserole. Consumers may purchase contaminated food products from a store at some point. In many of these situations, illness can be prevented through proper food preparation at home. Another way producers ensure safety is through third party auditors. Starbucks uses EcoSure, a company that sets standards in addition to the state and federal regulations. At quarterly intervals, an inspector goes through a safety checklist, ensuring that all standards are met. So, By: Emma Jones, Bear River FFA 2015 California State, Prepared Public Speaking Champion try inspecting your own kitchen and see if you as a consumer, meet household standards. Household food safety checklist: 1. Do you designate separate cutting boards for meat, poultry, and vegetables? 2. Is there a working meat thermometer available to ensure temperatures of cooked meats 3. Is the temperature in the refrigerator above 32°F and below 40°F? 4. Does your sink get washed and sanitized every day? 5. Is your kitchen free from expired foods (per expiration date)? If you answered yes to at least 4 of these questions, you are likely following pretty safe standards. If the answer was “no” to more than one question, you may want to re-evaluate your own “operation” to play your role in food safety. Photo Captions: top left; Barcodes are used to track produce back to identify how it was shipped, where it was packaged or processed, where it was picked, and even the crew that picked it. Top right; EcoSure takes opportunities to coach on food standards and implementation when there is an opportunity to do so. Right; Logical as they may seem, many consumers do not follow standards, such as these, in their home. Do you? California FFANEWS • Page 12 • Fall 2015