Best practices to keep Salmonella at bay

If you’ve been keeping your eyes on the food safety news of the last few months, you’ll have noticed that an outbreak of Salmonella is ongoing in the United States. As of Oct. 28, 2021, 37 states have been affected and more than 650 people have been reported sick, with 129 hospitalizations. No deaths have been recorded as of that date. Although the number of illnesses attributed to this outbreak is high, it is possible the actual number is much higher in that some people did not report their symptoms.

The outbreak is being traced back to whole, raw, red, white and yellow onions from ProSource Produce LLC and Keeler Family Farms. These onions were imported to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico. Since onions typically feature a shelf life of up to three months, there is a possibility of product still being in commerce. The contaminated product is being sold in mesh sacks ranging from 50 to 2 lbs.; and cartons ranging from 50 to 5 lbs.

Salmonella infection causes an illness called salmonellosis. The symptoms can show up anywhere between six hours and six days after infection. Symptoms typically last between 4-7 days and usually can be resolved without medical treatment. Thus, it’s particularly difficult to track and accurately count the number of people affected. Salmonella lives in the intestines of humans and animals. People can become infected by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, or via direct contact with infected animals.

How do processors help consumers from becoming infected? First, it is important for both processors and consumers to be aware of pathogen growth and have controls in place to prevent growth from occurring.

Things processors can do include: meeting lethality requirements, receiving COAs, maintaining storage conditions, have pest control plans in place, monitor air quality, have an employee health policy, and ensure proper water drainage.

We all know raw poultry and eggs are known sources of Salmonella, and that reaching lethality during processing will destroy it. However, Salmonella is also common in dry conditions. and difficult to detect there. It can be killed by heat, but that won’t help prevent contamination if it is present in ingredients applied to already cooked product. Therefore, it’s crucial that processors know their dry-goods suppliers and receive COAs, to prevent contamination of already cooked product.

Another thing to be aware of is pest control. Pigeons, rats and mice are known carriers of Salmonella in the food industry. Even if you don’t have these pests in your facility, be aware that Salmonella can still enter the plant via employees’ boots or forklifts that drive outside and back inside. Use of boot wash stations and cleaning of forklift tires can help maintain sanitary conditions and keep pathogens like Salmonella from infiltrating the facility.

The environment of the facility is also a big factory. Plants located in rural areas may need to monitor air quality at a higher level and change filters more often. This is particularly important if the plant is near a farm, as contaminants could enter the plant via the ventilation system.

Humans can also be a source of Salmonella entering the plant if they are infected and continue to work. All employees should be washing their hands properly and staying home if they are sick. Facilities should log employee health, and if an employee went home sick, the reason they went home should be recorded. This is confidential information that should not be shared, but it may turn out to be helpful should a recall happen.

Water is not a source of Salmonella, but it can aid in the survival of the pathogen in the plant environment. Proper drainage that prevents water from pooling decreases the chances that Salmonella will survive and grow.

For consumers there are a few key things to do to help prevent getting sick. Processors should always remind their consumers to follow these guidelines. Consumers should clean, separate, cook and chill.

Washing hands, utensils, and any produce reduces the risk of cross-contamination. All produce should be washed prior to cutting or peeling to reduce pathogens. Hands and utensils should be washed in between contact with raw and cooked foods.

Separating food that won’t be cooked from raw meat, poultry and seafood limits chances of cross-contamination. Not only is this important during meal preparation, but it should be considered when putting groceries away. Raw products should be kept on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent any leakage from dripping on to ready-to-eat foods.

Cooking food thoroughly eliminates the chances of obtaining Salmonella from raw product.

Chilling perishable foods within two hours of being out, and thawing food in the fridge instead of at room temperature, both limit the possibility of pathogen growth.

Salmonella is a common, pesky pathogen that is difficult to eliminate should it enter your plant. It is easier to be aware of how Salmonella can enter your facility and have controls in place to limit the ability for it to grow. By instituting and installing as many of the preventative measures mentioned above, processors and consumers can safely enjoy foods without as much concern for getting sick from Salmonella.

— Sam Bibbs, food safety consultant, sam@werfoodsafety.com