In This Section:
IAFP Holding Symposium On Salad Safety
IFMA Issues Call For Silver Plate Entries
'Napkin' Could Soon Detect Food Contaminants
Chemistry Professor Invents E. Coli Sensor Technology
Salmonella, E. Coli Test Strips Hit Market
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Regulatory ReportSponsor: Franke Foodservice Systems
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IAFP Holding Symposium On Salad Safety
Mark Oct. 6 on your calendar. That's when the Int'l Association for Food Protection is holding a timely one-day seminar on the safety of leafy greens at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Va. The symposium will bring food safety experts together to discuss the E. Coli outbreak that's been in the news. The recent outbreak, linked to bagged fresh spinach, is one of 19 outbreaks of foodborne illness caused by E. Coli in leafy greens since 1995.
The IAFP Rapid Response Symposium will address the latest risk management strategies and learnings from the current outbreak. For a program schedule or more information on registering, call 800/369-6337 or go to www.foodprotection.org.
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IFMA Issues Call For Silver Plate Entries
Know somebody really, really good? The Int'l Foodservice Manufacturers Association is accepting nominations for the 2007 Silver Plate Awards competition. The annual awards program recognizes operators in nine categories for extraordinary accomplishments in the areas of management, marketing, human resources, and industry and civic participation.
Anyone actively engaged in ownership, management, supervision or employment in business & industry/foodservice management, chain fast service, chain full service, colleges & universities, elementary & secondary schools, health care, hotels & lodging, independent restaurants, and specialty foodservices is eligible. Winners will be awarded at IFMA's Gold & Silver Plate dinner in Chicago on May 21, 2007.
To nominate a candidate go to www.ifmaworld.com for a nomination form. Or for more information contact IFMA at 312/540-4400.
'Napkin' Could Soon Detect Food Contaminants
A Cornell University researcher has found a way to detect foodborne illness-causing microbes with a swipe of a napkin. Margaret Frey, PhD., an assistant professor of fiber science at Cornell, and her research team developed nanofibers made with a biodegradable corn-based polymer compound. The composition of the fibers allows them to carry antibodies to specific microbes such as E. Coli or Salmonella or chemicals.
If the fibers were incorporated into a paper wipe or napkin, you could wipe a surface to detect biohazards. If microbes were detected the wipe would change color or exhibit some other effect (a great way to see if employees are properly cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces). Frey and her colleagues are working on ways the fabric might signal the presence of biohazards. A real-world product, she says, may still be a few years away.
The research, announced at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting in San Francisco last month, was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Extension Service.
Chemistry Professor Invents E. Coli Sensor Technology
Cornell's not the only university working on food safety projects these days, of course. A Drexel University chemical engineering professor in Philadelphia has developed technology that can sense the presence of E. Coli quickly and inexpensively.
Unlike current test methods that can take 24 hours for results, the "intelligent" sensor can provide a result within 10 minutes and can detect other pathogens in addition to E. Coli with a sensitivity of four cells per milliliter, according to Dr. Raj Mutharasan. The sensor uses antibodies specific to a pathogen like E. Coli affixed to a narrow sliver of glass. The glass is attached to a layer of ceramic. When voltage is applied to the ceramic, the glass vibrates, and the antibodies change the resonate frequency of the glass if the pathogen is present.
Mutharasan is working with a company to commercialize a palm-sized device, and expects it to be available to food safety experts and the food industry relatively soon.
Salmonella, E. Coli Test Strips Hit Market
A medical testing service says it has test strips that can detect the presence of Salmonella or E. Coli in your food. Magna Medical Services, with offices in Las Vegas and in Longwood, Fla., is making the test strips available to operators through online retailers and select distributors.
The test strips, one for 50 strains of Salmonella and the other for potentially harmful strains of E. Coli, are priced about $2.50 each. When submerged in food samples, the strips will change color in less than 20 minutes if bacteria is detected.
For more information, call MMS at 407/260-9094 or go to www.magnamedicalservices.com.
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