HACCP is a food safety program that tends to be more preventive in nature, focusing on preventing hazards that could cause food-borne illnesses by applying science-based controls, from raw material to finished products. HACCP is based on seven principles: analyzing potential hazards associated with food; identifying critical control points in its production cycle; establishing preventive measures with critical limits for each control point; establishing procedures to monitor the critical control points; establishing corrective measures when the critical limits are not met; establishing testing procedures and finally ensuring the HACCP system is well documented through recordkeeping (FDA 1). New challenges to the U.S. food supply have prompted FDA to consider adopting a HACCP-based food safety system on a wider basis.
The issue of food safety came into the limelight when recently successful top food companies like Kellogg and General Mills recalled cookies and crackers containing peanut butter due to contamination with the bacteria salmonella (Siegel 1). The recall began on Jan. 13th, 2009 when the Peanut Corporation of America issued a recall for products it had made over the past six months after five people had died and more than 400 had fallen ill with salmonella poisoning as a result of contamination (Minor 1). Within the next two weeks later, the toll from the contamination increased leaving eight dead and more than 500 people, mostly children, sick across 43 states (Minor 1). As a result, the recall was extended to more than 400 consumer products made since Jan. 1, 2007, including Jenny Craig nutritional bars and Keebler Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers (Minor 1). Presently, there is a nationwide recall of peanut butter products from well-reputed companies such as Eillien’s Candies Inc of Green Bay, Wis., Walgreen Co. of Deerfield, Ill., Kroger Co. of Cincinnati, Werner Gourmet Meat Snacks Inc of Tillamook, Ore., and Genisoy Food Company (AP, 2009). According to the Wall Street Journal “At the center of the investigation is Georgia Peanut processing plant” where HACCP standards were not followed.
The HACCP system is implemented by most peanut butter manufacturers and the Critical Control Point (CCP) for microorganisms in most peanut butter operations is the roaster (FDA 1). According to the HACCP standards, raw peanuts are kept separated from the cooked products to prevent cross-contamination and after cleaning they are sent to the roaster. The temperature and duration of time the peanuts are exposed to the heat are continuously monitored and verification is done on the roasting zones at an established interval. The roasted peanuts are then ground and then proceed through the rest of the grinding and packaging process. The minimal heat treatment that most dry roasters subject peanuts to is greater than 270 °F for 30 minutes (FDA 1). This exceeds the temperature known to kill even the most resistant of the Salmonella strain. Studies show that the most heat resistant strain Salmonella senftenberg shows significant destruction at 130°F when exposed for 2.5 minutes (GPC 1). However, according to a study by Burnett et al (2001), it has been found that it is possible for the pathogen to be introduced in the post process period through contaminated containers or other ingredients used to make peanut butter and remain active throughout the shelf period of the peanut butter product (Burnett et al, 472). Hence it is important that peanut butter operations follow Federal Regulation 21 CFR 110 for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to support the HACCP system. These include “sanitation, training, equipment maintenance, personnel hygiene, pest control, building, and facilities construction and maintenance, process controls, and warehousing and distribution” (GPC, 2). When such care is taken in production, there is no way that peanut butter will get contaminated by salmonella bacteria.
Investigation of the Peanut Corporation America has revealed the shocking news that the company has found salmonella in its products at least a dozen times since 2007. It was also found that there was no adequate separation of the raw and finished products according to HACCP requirements (Minor 1). Federal inspectors reported violations of good manufacturing practices on finding roaches, mold, a leaking roof and other sanitary problems (Rubenstein 1). Instead of dumping the tainted foods, and improving manufacturing conditions, the company had resorted to retesting and getting the desired results (NYT Editorial 1). This has been the reason behind the contamination of a wide range of peanut butter-based products.
Thus in the case of peanut butter, the problem likes not in the HACCP system but in the way it is implemented and the lack of controls to ensure its implementation.
Works Cited
AP (Associated Press) (2009). Recalls of peanut butter products. Web.
Burnett, S.L.; Gehm, E. R.; Weissinger, W. R.; and Beuchat, L.R. (2001). Survival of Salmonella in peanut butter and peanut butter spread. Journal of Applied Microbiology, Volume 89, Issue 3, pages 472-477.
FDA (2001). HACCP: A State-of-the-Art Approach to Food Safety. Web.
GPC (Georgia Peanut Commission) (2009). Salmonella. Web.
NYT Editorial (2009). Hazardous Peanut Butters. The New York Times. Web.
Rubenstein, Sarah (2009). Mold and Roaches Found in Peanut Butter Plant Linked to Salmonella. Wall street Journal. Web.
Siegel, Marc (2009). Peanut butter problem isn’t isolated. Newsday. Web.