Food product recalls

Definition of a food recall FSANZ defines a Food Product recall as action taken to remove from distribution, sale and consumption, food that may pose a health and safety risk to consumers.

Why might a food recall be necessary? Foods have been incorrectly labelled. A batch of food may contain a contaminant. Food items may be contaminated with a bacterium. Food has been chemically contaminated. Food for which a problem has arisen during processing.

So what gives suggestion to needing a recall? Consumer complaints to the manufacturer. Health authorities that undertake testing. Medical practitioners. Q what would the consumer do? Q what might the medical practicitoner do? What might the health authority do?

If there is a problem, who initiates the recall? If the manufacturer becomes aware of the problem, they may initiate a voluntary recall. Where there is significant risk to public health, and the problem becomes evident to medical practitioners or the health authorities- then the Commonwealth Minister responsible for consumer affairs has the legislative power to issue a mandatory recall of the food.

National level: FSANZ Development of food recall standard: FSANZ has developed Food Safety Standard 3.2.2 to ensure the recall of unsafe food. Development of recall protocols for food industry. ROLE Coordination of food product recalls- liaises with manufacture, state authorities to gather and collect all information about the recall.

State level: Department of Human Services (DHS) Must appoint a food recall action officer who will oversee the recall of the product. Notifies local councils of any actions required of the recall of this product. Monitors the effectiveness of the recalls and provides scientific and technical advice. ROLE The state and Territory governments have mandatory powers to legally recall food products If a severe health and safety risk arises.

Local level: Municipal councils Employing environmental health officers may be involved in overseeing the destruction and disposal of recalled foods. Employing EHO’s who may issue a statement to certify that the food has been destroyed. ROLE Enforce food product recalls in conjunction with information provided by the state government.

A recall scenario

So what may have happened here? Suggest 3 reasons how the listeria outbreak was first bought to attention. Create a flow chart that outlines the steps in a food recall and identify the roles and responsibilities that FSANZ and each level of government would have carried out in this process. Consumers may have bought cheeses and then became ill. They then visitied a doctor. Details logged of illness and listeria identified. Two deaths with traces of listeria. Health authorities investigate and conduct tests on Jindi cheese which was consumed by a growing number of people who were ill. Health authories initiate food recall and notify manufacturer Jindi to recall all products from distribution and sale.