As early as 1982, author John Nesbitt stated “our society is drowning in a sea of information, but starved for knowledge.” According to the latest figures, over 900 million pages currently exist on the World Wide Web, and one billion users are expected to be on-line by 2005.
Internet access in the United States is no longer a luxury item for a few Americans, but is now an integral element of our daily life. Immediate access to accurate and relevant information is crucial for the success of any business or industry, but even more so in the food industry.
Staying abreast of new pathogen-control measures, federal and state safety regulations, and consumer trends is a full-time job for many processors, retailers, and distributors. The Web has become an invaluable resource for them in acquiring knowledge and data critical to strategic decision-making.
The following article will address the value of the World Wide Web for the food industry as a tool to monitor foodborne illness data, food safety trends, and emerging e-commerce opportunities.
The ultimate value of foodborne-illness surveillance data for the food industry is the identification of potential risks, allowing companies to implement actions to prevent illness or the potential of product recall. In particular, QA and sanitation personnel use foodborne-illness surveillance data to identify vehicles of transmission, etiology, and contributing factors (e.g., improper cooking, hygiene, and contaminated equipment).
In late 1990s, surveillance data collected from around the country was instrumental in forging a coalition of processors, regulators, and industry groups to combat Listera monocytogenes in red meats. Sweeping Listeria-control initiatives, the culmination of the coalitions’s efforts, are expected to be finalized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the near future.
Efforts to track foodborne illness data and trends have increased in the last decade due to improved methods of surveillance, amplified consumer interest in food safety, and the development of new communication technologies. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and surveillance systems, such as FoodNet, provide the most accurate analysis of foodborne illness data and trends.
FoodNet is a collaborative effort of the CDC, Food and Drug Administration, and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). FoodNet data is extrapolated from the health-surveillance data of nine states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, New York, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Tennessee), and involves 25.4 million individuals, or 10 percent of the U.S. population. The FoodNet web site (www.cdc.gov/foodnet/) provides unrestricted access to annual surveillance reports, presentations, and information on specific foodborne pathogens. At this time, annual reports are available from 1996-1999, and the 2000 report is expected to be released later this year.
Recalls and Regulations
Whereas FoodNet is a respected source of illness trends, our federal food-recall system provides unparalleled insight into potential problems related to pathogens, labeling issues, or ingredients. Recall data is available on-line at the FDA (www.fda.gov/opacom/enforce.html) and FSIS (www.fsis.usda.gov) web sites. The active evaluation of these reports provides companies with important insights into problems pertaining to production practices, good manufacturing practices, labeling issues, emerging pathogens, and more.
While recall data can help keep food companies on their toes for potential problems, new food-safety regulations have a direct impact upon current production practices. Regulations drive change in the food industry. Proactive companies seeking to remain ahead of the regulatory curve must monitor proposed federal rules and notices published on-line in the Federal Register (www.access.gpo.gov). In the coming year alone, a number of important regulations, including mandatory testing of eggs for Salmonella enteritidis, are expected to be released.
Beyond its role as an archive of data and regulations, the world Wide Web continues to evolve into a dynamic source of exciting opportunities for business and education.
New Opportunities
E-commerce and business-to-business ventures are resulting in new opportunities for monitoring food-quality and safety issues. As supplier-manufacturer-retailer-consumer relationships continue to evolve, on-line business ventures are exploiting the power of the web to communicate food quality and safety data.