President's Message
By John Calcagno, Institute President
 I am happy to report the successful completion of
negotiations for the General Industry Contract and the Wholesale Meat Contract. Both
contracts were signed within the last few weeks.
I would like to thank the efforts of the Institute's Management Labor Committee
and our lead labor attorney, Andrew John Calcagno. After much work, we were able to hammer
out a difficult agreement.
I’m sure you’ve been reading about all the latest recalls and bad
press regarding listeria contamination in meat and other food products.
The problem has gotten so bad – at least in the eyes of politicians and
the press – that USDA is scrambling to come up with new regulations and/or guidelines
for meat and food plants.
This issue of Meat & Poultry has some important information on the listeria
issue. Once again, I'd like to re-cognize the great contribution that Robert Gravani has
made in recent years as we go through major regulatory changes at USDA. His article on
this page is a necessary read.
I would also like to take this time to express my deepest condolences to the
family and friends of Henry Leibowitz who passed away recently. He was one of the earliest
and most active members of the Institute and will be missed by all.
As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give the
Institute office a call.
Strategies for Controlling Listeria in
Meat Processing Plants
By Robert B. Gravani, Ph. D.
Institute of Food Science, Cornell University
Recent news reports have focused attention on the six product recalls due to
Listeria monocytogenes (L.m.). These recalls signal a need to review our knowledge of this
organism and determine appropriate strategies for its control in meat processing plants.
Listeria monocytogenes is a common bacterium found in and on livestock, in dust, soil,
water, sewage, decaying vegetation including silage and other animal feeds. It is
widespread in the environment and can be readily isolated from humans, domestic animals,
raw agricultural commodities and food processing environments. L.m. can adhere to food
contact surfaces and together with organic materials it can survive and grow in a moist,
refrigerated, environment. (1)
Companies producing processed meat products must assume that all incoming raw
meat is potentially contaminated with listeriae, including L.m. Since most Listeria
contamination of finished product appears to result from post processing contamination
rather than from the organism surviving various processing treatments, it is essential to
segregate raw and finished products as well as employees working in raw and finished
product areas of the plant. Although there is no magic bullet for Listeria control, the
incidence of listeriae in all areas of the plant can be greatly reduced through
conscientious enforcement of an effectively designed and stringently conducted cleaning
and sanitizing program. (2)
Several years ago, the American Meat Institute developed guidelines for
controlling the incidence of listeriae and other microbial contaminants during the
production of ready-to-eat meat products. It may be useful to obtain a copy of these
guidelines and review them for your operation. There are several important items to
consider in the control of listeriae in meat processing facilities. They are broken down
into several areas and briefly discussed below (2).
Facility Design
The principles of sanitary design should be used when building, renoaccumulate.
It’s also very important to keep all processing and packaging equipment and walls,
floors and ceilings as condensate-free as possible.
Aerosols provide another means for spreading listeriae and other
microorganisms. High pressure sprays should never be used in processing and packaging
areas for cleaning floors or drains since both are major sources of microbial contaminants
and the resulting aerosols can contaminate food contact surfaces.
Cleaning and Sanitizing (2)
Every meat processing facility needs to institute and enforce an effective
cleaning and sanitizing program that will ensure production of safe products. Floors,
drains, walls, ceilings, and each piece of equipment in the plant should be cleaned and
sanitized on a regular basis.
The frequency of cleaning and sanitizing depends on the extent to which the
particular item becomes contaminated during normal operation and whether or not a product
is likely to come in contact with the item during processing and packaging.
All food-contact surfaces such as tables, slicers, overhead shielding,
conveyors, conveyor belts, chain rollers, supports, and other intricate equipment directly
associated with processing, filling, and packaging operations need to be cleaned and
sanitized daily and in some instances more often, particularly around filling and
packaging operations. A regular cleaning and sanitizing schedule also must be adopted for
non-food-contact surfaces such as floors, walls, ceilings, floor drains, pipes, blowers,
HVAC ducts, coils and pans from dehumidifying and air-conditioning units, light fixtures,
material handling equipment, and wet and dry vacuum canisters.
Listeria species, including L. monocytogenes, have been most frequently
isolated from drains and floors, suggesting that these areas may be reservoirs for
listeriae in food-processing facilities.
Although all floors and drains, including drain covers and baskets, in
production and refrigerated storage areas should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized
daily, high-pressure hoses should never be used in these areas, since such practices
readily promote the spread of listeriae to nearby equipment and other areas of the factory
through splashing and the production of aerosols.
Traffic Patterns
Employee movement within a food processing facility also can have a major
impact on the microbiological quality of finished products. Traffic patterns that
eliminate the movement of workers between raw, processing, filling, packaging and shipping
areas need to be developed and enforced.
Personal Cleanliness
Good employee hygiene is also a must and plant managers and supervisors need to
set a good example for other workers.
Employees should always wash their hands thoroughly before starting work, or
returning to work and after touching floors, walls, light switches, any other unclean
surfaces and garbage. Handwashing facilities should be properly designed and equipped and
be conveniently located near work stations.
Special attention also is needed to assure that street clothes do not enter the
processing facility and that factory clothing, including footwear, remain inside the
plant.
Controlling Listeria in a meat processing plant requires a carefully designed
plan, an attention to details and a well trained staff to complete the tasks in an
effective manner.
Industry Mourns Passing of Henry
Leibowitz
The meat and poultry industry was recently saddened by the death of Henry
Leibowitz who passed away on May 2, 1999.
Henry is survived by his wife, a son, two daughters, two grandchildren any by
his two brothers.
Henry was a long time member of the Greater New York Meat Trade Institute. He
was in the business for over twenty five years and was a former Institute Board Member.
Henry will be missed by both his family and the industry.
FSIS Clarifies "Time/Temperature
Guidelines
for Cooling Heated Products"
In a recent issue of a trade association newsletter (not the Meat Trade
Institute), there was an inaccurate statement about FSIS rescinding Directive 7110.3 --
"Time/Temperature Guidelines for Cooling Heated Products," which was referred to
in the newsletter as the "cooling directive."
FSIS has not rescinded Directive 7110.3. The Directive contains guidelines
applicable to products not covered under the final rule, "Performance Standards for
Certain Meat and Poultry Products" which appeared in the Federal Register on January
6, 1999. Establishments producing products covered by the final rule must meet the
stabilization (cooling) performance standard.
Although the Directive contains dated information from the mid-1980’s, the
Agency is not withdrawing this Directive at this time because most products covered by the
Directive do not yet have a performance standard regulation established for stabilization.
Proper cooling of heated products remains a serious public health issue. Based upon
questions coming into FSIS from the meat and poultry industries, many manufacturers of
heated products do not clearly understand that both Clostridium botulinum and Clostridium
perfringens are the two primary organisms of concern.
For more complete and current guidance regarding safe stabilization procedures,
FSIS recommends that manufacturers of heated products follow the "Compliance
Guidelines for Cooling Heat-Treated Meat and Poultry Products (Stabilization) -- Appendix
B to the Final Rule." FSIS updated this guidance and posted it on the FSIS Web site
in June 1999.
Copies are available from the FSIS Docket Clerk or through the FSIS Web site:
www.fsis.usda.gov, access "HACCP Implementation, Guidance Documents."
Copies may also be obtained by faxing requests to: Barbara O’Brien, CPA
Constituent Affairs Specialist at: (202) 720-5704.
IBP Inc. to Buy Thorn Apple Valley
Thorn Apple Valley Inc. said it agreed to sell its operating assets to IBP Inc.
for about $112 million.
Thorn Apple Valley, which declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 5, said the
proceeds of the sale are not expected to be enough to provide any distribution to its
shareholders.
The deal came as no surprise in the hog industry, where analysts and traders
had expected such a sale. "It’s been pretty much rumored that was going to
happen. The only question was when," said David Maher, an analyst with Securities
Corp. of Iowa.
Thorn Apple Valley said in April it suffered "enormous damage" to its
reputation when USDA condemned 30 million pounds of hot dogs produced at its Arkansas
plant as unfit for human consumption.
Thorn Apple had issued a costly recall of the meat products in January on
suspicion of possible contamination by the deadly listeria bacteria, the largest such
recall on record.
Thorn Apple Valley, based in Southfield, Michigan, said IBP plans to continue
to operate Thorn Apple Valley plants with current management and personnel. IBP is based
in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota.
Thorn Apple Valley currently has processing plants in Oklahoma, North Carolina
and Michigan that make bacon, hams, hot dogs and other meat products.
Maher said the purchase was good for IBP because it will provide the company
with such brand-name meat products as Wilson, Colonial and Thorn Apple Valley.
Maher also applauded the deal because it should keep meat plants open that
otherwise might have been closed. "It keeps the demand there (for hog farmers) and
that’s what’s important," he said.
The sale to IBP remains subject to the approval of the federal Bankruptcy Court
and other regulatory bodies, IBP’s completion of its review of Thorn Apple’s
properties, Thorn Apple’s continuing to operate in the ordinary course of business
and there being no material adverse change in Thorn Apple’s operations prior to the
closing of the sale, Thorn Apple said.
Thorn Apple said its debt is currently well in excess of the proposed purchase
price. "We look forward to completing this sale and providing stability to our valued
employees, customers and suppliers," Joel Dorfman, Thorn Apple president and chief
executive officer, said.
"The bankruptcy process has been a difficult one for all concerned, and we
believe that the sale of assets to IBP provides the best result obtainable for Thorn Apple
Valley and all those associated with it," he said.
A&P Launches "Master
Choice" Beef Line
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. announced the launch of its
Master Choice line of beef. Catapulting off of the success of the Master Choice Pork line,
the proprietary line of beef boasts all-natural products that are minimally-processed and
contain no preservatives or artificial ingredients. The premium beef is aged for
tenderness, and every package has cooking instructions for the ultimate in taste and
convenience for A&P customers. The Master Choice beef line currently offers all cuts
of USDA choice grain-fed beef and provides customers with more variety while maintaining
the highest quality.
This program underscores A&P’s emphasis on fresh foods and its
strategic initiatives to increase private label penetration as a means of enhancing
margins and continuing to cultivate destination shoppers. "Our research shows that
consumers want fresh foods that are healthier and more convenient in their local
supermarket," says Joe Hoffman, VP of Meat Merchandising and Procurement at A&P.
"The success of the Master Choice pork line validated that research. Our
chef-endorsed, Master Choice pork program received approval from the American Heart
Association, driving a 20% increase in pork sales. We expect a similarly favorable
response to the Master Choice Beef program."
"To be the supermarket of choice we must continue to be industry
innovators in the areas of product development, service and ease-of-shop," added
Christian Haub, President and CEO of A&P. "The Master Choice Beef program is just
another example of our commitment to fresh foods, providing customers with yet another
reason to shop A&P regularly and exclusively. With products this tempting, we will
continue to attract destination shoppers looking for superior food with superior
taste." Master Choice Beef is available at all A&P banner stores nationwide.
Certain State Wholesale Supply Assets
Acquired
by Performance Food Group
Performance Food Group announced that it has acquired certain assets of State
Hotel Supply Company, Inc., a privately-owned meat processor based in Newark, New Jersey.
Terms for the acquisition were not announced.
Robert C. Sledd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Performance Food
Group, remarked, "The acquisition of State Hotel expands the operating base we
initially established in this geographic area through the purchase of the stock of AFI
FoodService Distributors, Inc. in 1997.
State Hotel is a highly regarded operation that provides processed meat to many
of the leading restaurants and food retailers in New York City and the surrounding region.
Combining State Hotel’s operations with the resources of AFI will give us further
expertise in the center-of-the-plate category. Adding custom-cut steaks to our product
offering will allow us to broaden our customer base and increase our penetration with
existing accounts."
Sledd indicated that State Hotel is expected to add approximately $25 million
in net sales annually. Performance Food Group reported net sales of $1.6 billion in 1998.
Performance Food Group markets and distributes more than 25,000 national and
private label food and food-related products to approximately 20,000 restaurants, hotels,
cafeterias, schools, healthcare facilities and other institutions.
Return to HOME PAGE |
