Amy N. BryantFlorida Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services

15th Annual PulseNet Update Meeting/ 7th Annual OutbreakNet ConferenceSeptember 19th-September 23rd 2011

• General overview of the Bureau of Food Laboratories

•Gain Insight on the programs the Food Laboratories participate in and what types of test we run.

• General overview of our Lab/Epicommunication flow

• Describe how FDACS ensures quality and integrity of our data

•Gain insight on the impact the of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) on state food testing laboratories

Primary food safety laboratory for the State of Florida

FDACS Bureau of Food & Meat Inspection conducts routine regulatory surveillance of retail stores

Laboratory staff of 31 employees

Comprised of three sections: Chemistry, Microbiology and Molecular

Ensuring the safety and wholesomeness of food and other consumer products through inspection and testing programs

Food Laboratories and Bureau of Food & Meat Inspection helps FDACS carry out this mission by doing routine inspections throughout the state year round and testing approximately 10,000 samples collected from those inspections.

Within FDACS: Division of Food Safety Agriculture Environmental Services Bureau of Dairy Industry

Within Florida: Department of Health Law Enforcement

Federal Agencies: USDA: AMS for the PDP and MDP FERN: FDA and USDA

Inspected for integrity of sample and custody seal upon receipt

Chain-of-custody records maintained electronically

Samples stored and processed to protect the interests of the customer and the Food Laboratories

Chemistry SectionFood Safety Testing

Consumer Protection Testing

Food Safety Testing

Decomposition- Indole, Histamine

Toxins- Aflatoxin, Fumonosin, Patulin

Metals- Mercury, Lead, Tin

Allergens- Egg, Milk, Soy, Wheat, Shell/fin fish andPeanuts

Dietary Supplements- Ephedrines, Caffeine

Preservatives- Sulfites, Nitrites, Sorbate

Food Colors- Blue 1,2 Red 3,40 Yellow 5,6

Vanilla Flavoring- Coumarin

Foreign Material- Insects, Feces, Hair and Foreign objects

Consumer Protection Testing

Authenticity Claims- Fruit Juices, Sugars, Honey, Species ID (Fish and Meat), Vanilla Flavor

Nutritional Claims- No, Low, Reduced, High (Total fat, Trans fat ,Total Carbohydrates, Sugars, protein, Calories, Sodium, Calcium, Iron, Vitamins)

% Fat Claims

Microbiology SectionRegulatory Survey Sample Testing

Microbiological Data Program

Examples of Types of Samples Tested: Most Ready To Eat Products

Deli Sandwiches Lunch meat Prepared Salads

Soft Cheese Canned Food Vended Water and Ice Smoked Fish Fresh Produce Fresh Squeezed Juices Sprouts and Vegetables

Samples are tested by a combination of advanced technology in conjunction with cultural methodology

Aerobic Plate Count Anaerobes Staphylococcus aureus and Staph Entertoxin Bacillus cereus Escherichia coli E. coli O157:H7 Salmonella species Listeria monocytogenes Vibrio species Shigella species Yeast and Mold Count Coliforms & Fecal coliforms

VIDAS System(bioMérieux )

Tempo System(bioMérieux ) BAX System Q7

(Applied Biosystem)

Vitek 2 Compact System

Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay- VIDAS System

Automated Quality Indicator Testing- Tempo System

Staph Express Count System

Polymerase Chain Reaction- BAX System

Rapid biochemical Testing- VITEK Compact 2 System

In 2001 USDA was charged with implementing a monitoring program to collect information regarding the incidence, number, and species of important foodborne pathogens and indicator organisms on domestic and imported fresh fruit and vegetables.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) created Microbiological Data Program (MDP).

MDP Began collecting and analyzing samples in April 2001

Data collection and testing activities are carried out with the support of approximately 8 states through cooperative agreement with their respective Departments of Agriculture.

Types of Samples Tested: Fresh Produce Lettuce Spinach Cantaloupe Sprouts Hot Pepper Cilantro Tomatoes

Tests Performed: Pathogenic E. coli ( STEC) E. coli O157:H7 Salmonella spp

Illustration by Scott Pearson

Molecular LaboratoryRapid Response and Preparedness Section

• Cultural Tests Performed (CDC-LRN and FERN protocols):

• Bacillus anthracis• C. botulinum toxin• Staph Enterotoxin• Ricin Toxin • Francisella tularensis•Yersinia pestis• Brucella species

Participating in USDA/FERN Cooperative Agreement Program.

Participating in FDA/FERN Cooperative Agreement Program (M/CAP).

CVM Special Project: Pet Food Testing for Selected Microbial Organisms (Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli and EHEC)

Currently using DiversiLab (provided by FDA M/CAP) in our laboratory for Quality Assurance testing.

Diversilab System(bioMérieux )

ABI Veriti(Applied Biosystems)

CHEF-DR® III Pulse Field System (BioRad)

CHEF Mapper XA (BioRad)

•Tests Performed: •Entertoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)• Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)•Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC) • Salmonella spp• Listeria monocytogenes

FoodLaboratory

Bureau of Food & Meat Inspection

DOH

USDA

FDA

ISO 17025 is the internationally recognized standard for analytical laboratories

The Bureau of Food Laboratories gained accreditation to ISO 17025, for the specific tests listed in A2LA certificates 2534.01 and 2534.02 on March 31, 2007.

Accreditation provides international credibility that testing is performed by competent staff and that data is accurate and reliable.

Contact Information•Main phone: (850) 617-7550•Email addresses:

Mark.French@freshfromflorida.com Mark French (Chemistry); Environmental Administrator

Sun.Kim@freshfromflorida.com Sun Kim (Microbiology); Biological Administrator II

Maria.Ishida@freshfromflorida.com Maria Ishida (Molecular); Biological Administrator I

Yvonne.Salfinger@freshfromflorida.com

Yvonne Salfinger; Bureau Chief

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Potential Impact on State

Laboratories

FSMA Impact on State Laboratories

1. Does your lab currently have any type of accreditation ?

N = 17

YesNo

65%

35%

FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…2. What is the accrediting body?

N=17

7

1 1

3

5

012345678

Series1Num

ber o

f R

epon

ses

FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…

3. If you have to initiate the accreditation process for your laboratory what are you main concerns?

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

Staffing Funding Amount of Work

Resources Time Already Accredited

Series1

N=15

Perc

ent

FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…

4. If you have an accredited quality management system are you concerned that you may not comply with the FSMA regulations?

12%

35%

12%6%

35%

N/A

Yes

No

Possibly

Do Not Know

N=17

FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…

5. Do you foresee that the enhanced partnership will cause you to increase laboratory staff and/or funding?

44%

31%

25%

Maybe

Yes

NoN=15

FSMA Impact on State Laboratories cont…6. What are any other concerns you may have concerning the

enhanced partnership? Even with federal funding assistance the funding is not promised for

multiple years. States don’t like to hire full time employees on soft money.

Not enough funding Sustainability Increased FDA paperwork. Which methods will be accepted for

testing. Who will be in charge? Time needed to maintain accreditation and QA standards Different requirements for documentation not currently

accounted for in a new LIMS; adequate ability to transmit necessary data electronically.

Special thanks to:

-Susan Humphries

Stacie Hammack

-Maria L. Ishida

-Yvonne Salfinger

-All the laboratories that participated in the survey

-SurveyMonkey.com

Acknowledgments