Allison Smathers A Successful Season – 2011: Marketing Your Market March 11, 2011 Creating a food safety culture at the market

Foodborne illness in the US 48 million cases of foodborne illness 55,961 hospitalizations 1,351 deaths -in-

Food-as-foe 22 year-old Stephanie Smith “I ask myself every day, ‘Why me?’ and ‘Why from a hamburger?’” Travis Cudney 2010 Champion Child Blind since age 2 Complications from a pathogenic E. coli infection

Food safety culture

WHO factors contributing to foodborne illness Improper cooking procedures Temperature abuse during storage Lack of hygiene and sanitation by food handlers Cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods Foods from unsafe sources All human factors, behavior based WHO, 2002

It tells a story….

Farmers’ markets in NC 89% willing to support local for extra $ 62% in favor of organic 92% rate their market as at least an 8 Likert scale (1-10) rating safety Name the 3 main reasons you shop at a farmers' or roadside market Safety not one of them Fresh, local, community support Shopper-based survey (10 markets, 988 responses)

Farmer’s Market Outbreak In 2000, Escherichia coli O157:H7 linked to produce samples offered at a farmers' market in Fort Collins, CO. 14 people were ill and two elementary school-aged children required dialysis.

Outbreak at multiple Farmers’ Markets In 2010, Salmonella linked to guacamole, salsa and uncooked tamales at two farmers’ markets in Iowa. 9 confirmed cases and 44 linked cases.

Creating a food safety culture Manager has to be a leader Provide the tools/resources/expectations Help the vendors explore risks and how to address them There are a set of shared values that everyone works towards It’s all about protecting the market and businesses associated with it

Farmers’ Market product Outbreaks Escherichia coli O157:H7 Lettuce Unpasteurized Juices Cheese samples Salmonella Melons Fresh salsa/guacamole Cryptosporidium Berries Lettuce Clostridium botulinum Improperly canned products Garlic/herbs-in-oil Gast et al

What foods sold at a farmer’s market are of concern?

What we know about NC markets Sampling (storage and preparation) Improper holding temperatures Contaminated Equipment Handwashing and handling Labeling Thermometer use Improper holding temperatures

Know the risks What products at your market have been historically linked to foodborne illness outbreaks? What are the best practices for the production of the types of foods GAPs Acidified/canned foods Baked goods Ready-to-eat foods Samples

Traceability Water source Farm Vendor’s relation to food product Grown Produced Sold Defining Safe Source

Being GAPS certified means… Grower has a written and documented food safety program Annual certification (visit) with “surprise” annual visit Structured to encompass on-farm operations Costs depend on areas of certification, size of farm, commodities 20

Handwashing Best way to prevent the spread of disease Hand sanitizers are not a replacement but can be used as a supplement Hand washing stations Running water Soap One-use disposable towels Waste container

Sample Preparation Cross-contamination Food preparer Consumers’ hands Clean and sanitized utensils Proper thawing of potentially hazardous foods

Sample Storage Use a thermometer for potentially-hazardous foods Hot food maintained at 135°F or above Cold food maintained at 41°F or below Can apply for time in lieu of temperature Storing ready-to-eat foods in direct contact with ice can be risky Avoid storing raw foods in the same container as ready-to-eat foods

Processed foods Safe processing/preparation Recipes evaluated/better processing school Any packaged or processed food should have a label Common name for the food product List of ingredients Quantity specifications ie: weight, volume, or pieces Name and complete address of the business

Things to concentrate on Asking questions from vendors about their practices and having a system to know what the right answers are Provide tools/resources Share what the market’s food safety values are with all vendors And when you get good at it (or if you already are), market it

Importance of Protection The question at hand If I am a small, niche marketer/producer of a food product, who will help me identify, manage and reduce risks?

Questions Allison Smathers chapmanfoodsafety.wordpress.com Foodsafetyinfosheets.com