The Food Safety Unit 

Established November 2004 2006 Annual Report 

 

VISION: 

To eliminate all 

food safety 

hazards in foods 

provided 

through the 

USDA nutrition 

assistance 

programs. 

MISSION: 

To increase 

awareness, 

visibility, and 

impact of food 

safety on USDA 

nutrition 

assistance 

programs and 

represent FNS 

programs in the 

wider Federal 

and State food 

safety 

community. 

The FNS Food Safety Unit Advances the USDA 

Strategic Goals: 

Goal 4: Enhance Protection and Safety of the Nation’s Agriculture 

 and Food Supply 

Goal 5: Improve the Nation’s Nutrition and Health 

Highlights of 2006: 

I. Support Special Nutrition Programs: 

 Food Distribution Programs 

3⁄4 Manage Hold and Recall Procedures 

3⁄4 Commodity Food Safety Complaint System 

3⁄4 Recall Bulletins and Food Safety Messages on ECOS 

 Child Nutrition Programs:

3⁄4 Resources for the School Food Safety Program based on HACCP 

Principles per the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 

3⁄4 Education and Outreach to Regulators on Mandatory Food Safety 

Inspections 

II. Overall Agency Support 

3⁄4 Regional Office Support on Recall and Food Safety Matters 

3⁄4 Data Analysis 

3⁄4 Education and Outreach at State, Regional, and National Meetings 

3⁄4 Avian Influenza and Pandemic Planning 

III. Food Defense Activities: White House Directives: Homeland Security 

Presidential Directives (HSPD) 7 & 9 

HSPD 7: 

3⁄4 Vulnerability Assessments on Specific USDA Commodities 

3⁄4 Strategic Partnership Program on Agroterrorism (SPPA) 

HSPD 9: 

3⁄4 FERN (Food Emergency Response Network) Project 

3⁄4 Surveillance and Communication 

3⁄4 Food Defense Training and Tools 
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Introduction: November 2006 marked the two-year anniversary of the Food and 

Nutrition Service (FNS) Food Safety Unit (FSU) as a focal point for cross-agency food 

safety initiatives that emphasize the Department’s commitment to food safety and food 

safety education for operators and recipients of FNS nutrition assistance programs. 

This report highlights the contributions of the FSU to the missions of the Agency and 

the Department. 

FSU Supports Food Distribution Programs: 

Recall Management: 

In 2006, the FSU handled four administrative recalls using the Rapid Alert System: 

March: canned chicken (A562) was recalled due to a packaging problem that caused 

the lids and bottoms of cans to bulge. It involved 10 states with direct shipments and 

11 states with multi-food shipments. 

August: hams (A693) were recalled because the packaging was split on the processing 

line while being boxed. The recall involved 13,000 cases of product in 7 States. 

November: 235 cases of diced chicken (A517) were recalled in Colorado due to the 

presence of generic E. coli. 

December: 9,300 cases of frozen, whole eggs (A568) were replaced or disposed of in 

4 states due to organoleptically unacceptable smell. 

Commodity Food Safety Complaint System: 

The FSU monitors and analyzes food safety complaints for indicators of vendor 

performance; whether commodity specifications need modification; and whether and 

what food handling or safety messages are needed. When the FSU receives a 

complaint that might be a food safety concern, it: 

3⁄4 Determines whether it is a food safety concern, and if so, how serious 

3⁄4 Contacts the appropriate procurement and regulatory agencies 

3⁄4 Follows-up with complainant for resolution to the problem 

3⁄4 Records the information in a database for further analysis 

Number of Food Safety Complaints 

Compared to Total 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

2005 2006

All

Food Safety
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Posting Non-commodity Recall and General Food Safety Messages on the 

Electronic Commodity Ordering System (ECOS) Home Page

In the fall of 2006, the FSU posted two significant recalls on spinach and peanut butter 

to the ECOS home page. Although these were not commodity products, ECOS users 

were given current information and links to other web postings by the Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA). 

3⁄4 Spinach recall, contaminated with E. coli 

3⁄4 Peanut butter, contaminated with Salmonella 

In September, 2006, food safety messages were posted on the ECOS home page to 

highlight food safety messages in honor of Food Safety Education Month and National 

Chicken Month: 

3⁄4 Poultry safety messages posted on ECOS throughout September 

How to salvage canned goods after a flood was an important topic after Hurricane 

Katrina, but multiple federal agencies issued conflicting messages. The FSU triggered 

and coordinated a multi-agency effort with the Food Safety and Inspection Service 

(FSIS), FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to construct a consistent 

message on handling canned foods affected by flood waters. The message was 

released prior to the 2006 hurricane season. 

3⁄4 How to salvage canned goods after a flood posted to ECOS 

3⁄4 Also posted to the Food Safety link on the FNS home page 

FSU Supports Child Nutrition Programs:

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 mandated a school food 

safety program based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) 

principles. In 2005, the FSU developed and distributed “Guidance for School Food 

Authorities: Developing a School Food Safety Program Based on the Process 

Approach to HACCP Principles.” In 2006, the FSU and the National Food Service 

Management Institute (NFSMI) developed the following companion materials: 

3⁄4 Self-instructional video with complementary workbook and template 

for program cooperators to help schools develop and implement their 

own plans. It can be downloaded at: 

http://www.nfsmi.org/Information/school_fs_program.html. 

Mandatory second inspections also stemmed from the Child Nutrition and WIC 

Reauthorization Act of 2004. In 2006, the FSU provided: 

3⁄4 On-going education and outreach to regulators concerning the 

requirement for two health inspections 

3⁄4 A total of 19 presentations around the country informing States and 

health officials of the new requirement in addition to the 135 

presentations made to school officials by the NFSMI under a grant 

provided by the FSU. 
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Overall Agency Support:

 Regional Office Support 

 Data Analysis 

 Education and Outreach (Presentations) 

 Avian Influenza and Pandemic Planning 

Regional Office Support: 

The FSU holds a monthly conference call with representatives from the regional 

offices (ROs) to share up-to-date food safety information; review commodity 

complaints from the previous month; and report on all food safety activities occurring 

at headquarters, some of which involve RO participation, such as recalls or special 

projects. Additionally, the FSU sends daily food safety information bulletins; notifies 

them of commodity and non-commodity recalls; and maintains a food safety mailbox 

to handle questions from the field. 

Data Analysis: 

The FSU conducts analyses of school foodborne illness from the CDC Electronic 

Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System (eFORS) database that captures the causes of 

foodborne illness in schools. This information indicates what educational and training 

messages are needed to instruct schools about how to mitigate these hazards. 

3⁄4 Findings of the first analysis of these CDC data revealed that norovirus is the 

leading cause of foodborne illness in schools, as depicted in this graph: 

NUMBER OF OUTBREAKS OF CONFIRMED ETIOLOGY IN SCHOOL 

SETTINGS BY PATHOGEN (2000-2004)

0 20 40 60 80 100

Salmonella-all serotypes

S. typhi

Shigella-all species

Staphylococcus aureus

C. perfringens

C. jejuni

 B. cereus

E. coli O157:H7

Norovirus

Vibrio-all species

Metal

Pathogen

No. of Outbreaks

2004 Sum of

Confirmed

Etiology

2003 Sum of

Confirmed

Etiology

2002 Sum of

Confirmed

Etiology

2001 Sum of

Confirmed

Etiology

2000 Sum of

Confirmed

Etiology

Education and Outreach through Presentations: 

The FSU made 16 presentations across the country to promote food safety and food 

defense, including: 

3⁄4 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting 

3⁄4 National Environmental Health Association Annual Meeting 

3⁄4 Rocky Mountain Food Safety Conference 

3⁄4 FSIS Food Safety Education Conference 

3⁄4 Three FNS Regional Office State Directors’ meetings 

3⁄4 School Nutrition Association (SNA) Annual National Conference 

3⁄4 Several State SNA meetings. 
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Avian Influenza and Pandemic Planning: 

To support the Agency’s activities in the early discussions on avian influenza and 

pandemic planning, the FSU: 

3⁄4 Brought in a physician to speak to several representatives of various FNS 

programs about pandemics and potential strategies for planning 

3⁄4 Made a presentation to the Associate Administrator and members of the Food 

Stamp Program Office, and other areas of the Agency 

3⁄4 Helped plan and execute an agency sponsored stakeholders meeting on 

pandemic planning issues 

The FSU follows Departmental avian influenza issues closely by sending a 

representative to weekly Departmental level meetings, which keeps the Agency 

updated on new developments and voices agency concerns on the topic. 

FSU Supports FNS Food Defense Activities and Homeland Security:

White House Directives: Homeland Security Presidential Directives 7 & 9 

HSPD 7 established a national policy for Federal departments and agencies to 

identify and prioritize United States critical infrastructure and key resources 

and to protect them from terrorist attacks. Activities related to HSPD 7: 

3⁄4 Vulnerability Assessments 

3⁄4 Strategic Partnership Program on Agroterrorism (SPPA) 

The FSU participated in a vulnerability assessment on bagged lettuce with the 

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), FDA, and FSIS and partnered with the 

American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA) subcommittee on food 

safety/food defense to develop a handbook for States on what to do in a homeland 

security emergency. 

In addition, the FSU was integral in participating in a SPPA exercise with the Federal 

Bureau of Investigations (FBI), FSIS, AMS, and the State of North Carolina that 

conducted an in-depth vulnerability assessment of a school food service central 

kitchen. After the exercise, the FSU assisted with the classification of the document. 

HSPD 9 identified the agriculture and food sector as critical infrastructure 

and further established a national policy to defend this sector against terrorist 

attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. Activities related to HSPD 9: 

3⁄4 Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) Project 

3⁄4 Surveillance and Communication 

3⁄4 Food Defense Training and Resource Development for FNS Programs 

FERN: The Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) project tested laboratory and 

communication networks for the prevention of and reaction to terrorist attacks 

involving the food and agriculture sector, specifically in the National School Lunch 

Program. This exercise involved three States (MN, NJ, and SD). Samples of fine 

ground beef were taken at the processing plant and at the respective State warehouse 

and tested for threat agents. The results were communicated to all parties involved. 
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Surveillance of the commodity food supply is accomplished by constant monitoring of 

the food safety complaints in ECOS that alert the FSU to potential threats to 

commodity foods. In 2006, the FSU noticed a complaint of possible tampering in 

chicken fajita meat and alerted other agencies to the problem, which resulted in a full 

investigation by FSIS and OIG and removal of the product from service to students. 

 

Food Defense Training is covered through the FSU speaking engagements for 

program operators. In 2006, the FSU made many presentations on food safety and 

food defense and, in cooperation with NFSMI, developed and distributed a Food 

Defense Resource Kit containing a video and an interactive CD-ROM to more than 

20,000 school districts. 

Projected Outputs for 2007: 

 Food Safety Education and Outreach 

3⁄4 On-going education (in conjunction with NFSMI) 

3⁄4 Support FNS regional offices (presentations, requests) 

3⁄4 Target messages derived from complaint and CDC eFORS data 

 Food Defense 

3⁄4 Food Defense Surveillance Assignment 

3⁄4 Table Top Exercises 

3⁄4 On-going outreach and education 

 Holds and Recalls

3⁄4 Revise “Responding to a Food Recall,” originally released in 2002 

3⁄4 Append food defense procedures to the Hold and Recall document 

3⁄4 Delineate procedures for Administrative Recalls 

3⁄4 Work with States to develop a tracking system for commodities 

Projects Beyond 2007, subject to availability of funds: 

 Conduct further research on the causes of foodborne illness in schools using 

CDC eFORS data 

 Develop educational messages based on findings from FSU analyses of CDC 

eFORS data 

 Submit requests to federal partners for research on sanitizers for fresh fruits and 

vegetables used in schools 

 Support educational initiatives on foodborne norovirus prevention and control 

 Develop validated parameters for heating and cooling in school food service 

operations 

 Investigate the identified trouble areas in school food service, such as hot/cold 

holding, cooling, transportation, and receiving 

 Expand the Rapid Alert System to be a two-way notification system 

 Develop milestones in conjunction with Healthy People 2010 to reduce 

anaphylactic reactions to food among susceptible school children and work 

with FDA to develop instructional materials for schools per the Food Allergen 

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. 
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