RAW MILK PRODUCTS UPDATE

FROM THE GOURMET RETAILER

Agency backs off some of its most criticized stances

Dr. Nega Beru, director of FDA’s Office of Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, spoke to attendees at the 2016 American Cheese Society (ACS) Conference in Des Moines on July 29. His clarifications should help raw-milk cheesemakers be more certain about what to expect from FDA, which in turn will allow retailers to feel more confident that safe, healthy raw-milk cheeses will be available for sale.

TGR last looked at FDA’s stance in our 2016 Cheese Guide.

Between FY 2014 and FY 2016, FDA adopted a new sampling protocol for raw-milk cheeses. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), E. coli 157:47, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and generic E. coli. The study consisted of 1606 samples, primarily softer types because, said Beru, they are more likely than hard types to harbor Lm. The samples were 30 percent domestic and 70 percent imported.

Once the sampling was done, the data were examined to determine common factors, such as origin, variety and manufacturing processes, and in the case of positive readings, necessary action was taken.

The overall contamination rate was less than 1 percent. There were 473 domestic samples, of which five tested positive for Lm and one for STEC. Of the 1606 samples, 87 tested positive for generic E. coli; 18 were domestic and 69 were imported. Only one of the 1606 samples tested positive for both generic E. coli and Lm. A summary of the study can be found here.

The less than 1 percent contamination rate means there was a limited ability to discern patterns; existing regulatory action was taken in the case of all violations. FDA does not anticipate further large-scale raw-milk cheese sampling.

Beru said that Lm still remains a concern, primarily as an environmental pathogen, and he advised the industry as a whole to focus on sanitation.

FDA environmental assessments would include 1) evaluating the potential for Lm in domestic manufacturing, 2) conducting good manufacturing practice (GMP) inspections, 3) collecting environmental samples and 4) collecting documented evidence to support any action. He further stated that environmental sampling of cheese facilities would be done for cause; the focus will shift to ready-to-eat facilities.

As of Feb. 19, 2016, FDA has paused testing for generic E. coli in raw-milk cheeses as it considers implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Under FSMA, there will be a shift from reacting to preventing.