Food Safety Staff 

Established November 2004 2007 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. 

Highlights of 2007: 

I. Commodity Food Safety: 

3⁄4 Manage Hold and Recall Procedures 

3⁄4 Posting Non-Commodity Recall Bulletins on the Electronic Commodity 

Ordering System (ECOS) Home Page 

3⁄4 Commodity Food Safety Complaint System 

II. Technical Assistance 

3⁄4 Reviewing Food safety Information in Child Nutrition Program 

Materials 

3⁄4 Resources for Residential Child Care Institutions to develop School 

Food Safety Programs based on HACCP Principles 

3⁄4 Organize and Lead CN Labeling Stakeholders Meeting 

3⁄4 Avian Influenza and Pandemic Planning 

III. Outreach 

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

3⁄4 Cooperative Agreement with the National Food Service Management 

Institute 

3⁄4 Education and Outreach through Presentations 

3⁄4 Education and Outreach through Partnerships 

3⁄4 Education and Outreach through Publications 

IV. Food Defense Activities 

3⁄4 Strategic Partnership Program on Agroterrorism (SPPA) 

3⁄4 Food Defense Surveillance Assignment (FDSA) 

3⁄4 Table-Top Exercises 

3⁄4 Food and Agriculture Sector Specific Plan 

3⁄4 Guidelines for Food Recovery and Emergency Preparedness 

Introduction: 

November 2007 marked the three-year anniversary of the Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS) Food Safety Staff (FSS) as a focal point for 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. In October 2007, the 

FSS joined the newly created Office of Emergency Management and Food Safety 

(OEMFS). This report highlights the contributions of the FSS to the mission of the 

Agency and the Department in 2007. 
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Commodity Food Safety: 

Manage Hold and Recall Procedures: 

The FSS handles food recalls of USDA purchased commodities for FNS Programs. To 

meet procedural requirements for 24 hour notification in the event of a recall, the FSS 

initiated the Rapid Alert System (RAS) as an integral part of the Electronic 

Commodity Ordering System (ECOS). The RAS allows the FSS to disseminate hold 

and recall information to State Agencies through a call down notification system and 

provides a response form so the FSS can track the disposition of the affected product. 

In 2007, the FSS handled 3 administrative recalls using the RAS: 

May: 1650 cases of beef stew (A590) were recalled from 2 states due to bulging and 

exploding cans from post-process contamination. 

July: 80,000 cases of beef stew (A590) and bison stew (A611) from 44 states, 1 

Territory, and the District of Columbia were returned to the vendor or destroyed in a 

precautionary recall, when products manufactured at the same facility were implicated 

in an investigation of botulism cases. The USDA-purchased beef and bison stew was 

not found to contain botulinum toxin. 

December: 6,500 cases of potato rounds (A204) from 5 states were placed on hold 

after two samples from the same production lot failed re-inspection for odor, taste, and 

texture. There was a concern about the safety of the product but the determination was 

made that the problem was a quality issue not a food safety issue. 

Posting Non-Commodity Recall Bulletins on the Electronic Commodity Ordering 

System (ECOS) Home Page:

The FSS helps ensure that all foods served by FNS program operators are safe and 

wholesome. When the FSS is notified of significant recalls of non-commodity 

products that may have been procured by States or schools from commercial sources, 

the recall information is posted to the ECOS home page. ECOS users are given a 

summary and links to further information posted by the Food and Drug Administration 

(FDA) and USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). In 2007, the following 

recalls were posted to ECOS: 

3⁄4 Ground beef, contaminated with E. coli 

3⁄4 Tortillas, unidentified contamination

3⁄4 Chicken and turkey pot pies, contaminated with Salmonella 

3⁄4 Canned beans such as green beans, lima, kidney and other varieties, 

contaminated with C. botulinum 

3⁄4 Beef Patties, contaminated with Listeria 

3⁄4 Frozen meat pizzas, contaminated with E. coli 

Commodity Food Safety Complaint System: 

The FSS monitors and analyzes complaints about USDA purchased commodities for 

potential food safety concerns. Complaints are entered into ECOS and automatically 

flagged for a food safety review based on the problem description. When a complaint 

is received, it is reviewed by the FSS to determine whether it is a food safety concern, 

or is part of a larger trend. If necessary, the FSS contacts the appropriate procurement 

and regulatory agencies, follows up with the complainant for additional information, 

and works closely with the Food Distribution Division’s Complaint Team to ensure 
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resolution. Periodically, complaint data are reviewed for indicators of vendor 

performance; whether commodity specifications need modification; and whether and 

what food handling or safety messages are needed. 

Number of Food Safety Complaints Compared to 

Total Complaints in ECOS

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2005 2006 2007

All

Food Safety

Technical Assistance:

Reviewing food safety information included in Child Nutrition Program 

materials: 

The FSS provided food safety expertise to the Child Nutrition Programs and reviewed 

food safety information included in materials generated for these programs: 

3⁄4 Child and Adult Care Food Program Recipes – food safety section 

3⁄4 Child and Adult Care Food Program Recipes CD containing food safety 

information and resources 

3⁄4 Summer Food Service Program Handbook for 2008 – food safety section 

3⁄4 Menu Planner for Schools – food safety chapter 

Resources for Residential Child Care Institutions to develop School Food Safety 

Programs based on HACCP Principles: 

Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs) must develop Food Safety Programs based 

on HACCP principles. The FSS provided assistance to the University of Rhode Island 

and the University of Massachusetts in their successful bid for a USDA Cooperative 

State Research, Education, and Extension Service grant to develop materials for 

RCCIs. The project results will be available to inform the process of developing 

HACCP-based Food Safety Programs for RCCIs in other states. 

Organize and Lead CN Labeling Stakeholders meeting: 

The FSS led a project identified at the FNS Senior Leaders Meeting in January 2007 to 

assess options for the future of the Child Nutrition (CN) Labeling Program that would 

make the most efficient use of agency resources. The FSS created and chaired the CN 

Labeling Program Work Group, planned and conducted a Stakeholders Meeting, and 

coordinated the discussion of potential options resulting in a decision memo for the 

Under Secretary with a recommendation to address current challenges for the program. 
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Avian Influenza and Pandemic Planning: 

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

planning, the FSS: 

3⁄4 Reviewed State Pandemic Influenza Operational Plans 

3⁄4 Sent a representative to weekly Departmental level avian influenza meetings, 

keeping the Agency updated on new developments and voicing Agency 

concerns on the topic 

Outreach:

Regional Office Support on Recall and Food Safety Matters: 

Regional Office (RO) representatives join an FSS-led monthly conference call to share 

up-to-date food safety information; review commodity complaints from the previous 

month; and report on all food safety activities at headquarters, some of which involve 

RO participation, such as recalls or special projects. The FSS also sends daily food 

safety information bulletins; notifies the Regions of commodity and non-commodity 

recalls; and maintains a food safety mailbox to handle questions from the field. 

In 2007, FSS assisted ROs in handling a variety of questions from States: 

3⁄4 The safety of bovine growth hormone in milk 

3⁄4 The safety of plastic cutlery manufactured in China 

3⁄4 A purported ‘USDA/FDA Compliance Journal’ being shipped to schools with 

billing included 

3⁄4 FDA warning letters to State warehouses regarding registration of food 

facilities 

3⁄4 An ammonia leak in a warehouse in Texas 

3⁄4 Alleged contamination of commodity salsa by a student 

Cooperative Agreement with the National Food Service Management Institute 

The FSS works with the National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI) on 

food safety education and training for Child Nutrition Programs nationwide. In 2007, 

NFSMI conducted the following cooperative agreement activities: 

3⁄4 held a meeting of food safety experts to review existing materials and provide 

recommendations for the Emergency Preparedness/Food Defense Network 

The materials are currently under revision 

3⁄4 met with the Center for Educational Research and Evaluation at The University 

of Mississippi to plan a comprehensive evaluation of the food safety activities 

conducted under all Cooperative Agreements 

3⁄4 conducted food safety and HACCP training at State Agency and School 

Nutrition Association conferences/ meetings from October 1, 2006, through 

September 30, 2007 as follows: 36 sessions presented to 2069 participants in 

12 different states 

Education and Outreach through Presentations: 

The FSS uses presentations at professional and educational meetings to get food safety 

messages out to FNS Regional and State partners and program operators. The FSS 

addressed groups across the country to promote food safety and food defense: 

3⁄4 American Commodity Distribution Association National Conference 

3⁄4 National Environmental Health Association Annual National Conference 

3⁄4 School Nutrition Association Annual National Conference 
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3⁄4 Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools National 

Conference 

3⁄4 USDA Cooperative States Research, Education and Extension Service’s 

National Research Initiative on Food Safety 

3⁄4 Commodity Supplemental Food Program Association Annual Conference 

3⁄4 Minnesota School Nutrition Association Annual Conference 

3⁄4 Illinois Food Safety Symposium 

3⁄4 California School Nutrition Association Annual Conference 

3⁄4 Five Regional FNS Meetings for States 

3⁄4 Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting - presentation by the Food 

Safety and Inspection Service on behalf of FNS to describe the FNS Strategic 

Partnership Program in Agroterrorism 

In addition to presentations made by staff, the FSS expanded its outreach by sharing 

slides and scripts with a number of partners, including States and the network of Food 

and Drug Administration Public Affairs Specialists. 

Education and Outreach through Partnerships: 

Partnerships with other agencies and organizations help the FSS disseminate messages 

about food safety and food defense. In 2007, the activities were: 

3⁄4 Participated in the Annual Planning Meeting for the Partnership for Food 

Safety Education 

3⁄4 Helped sister USDA agencies answer public inquiries, such as a question posed 

to AMS regarding melamine in school lunches 

3⁄4 Participated in the Annual ARS/FSIS Research Meeting 

3⁄4 Staffed a booth twice on epidemiology and foodborne illness outbreaks for 

elementary school children at the FSIS Food Safety Education Summer Camp 

3⁄4 Distributed a selection of food safety materials to States at no charge 

3⁄4 Led the National Coalition for Food Safe Schools resulting in the reprint of the 

Food Safe Schools Action Guide for distribution at workshops and meetings 

3⁄4 Created an FNS food safety resource sheet for the American Public Health 

Association (APHA) Food and Nutrition Section booth at the APHA Annual 

Meeting 

Education and Outreach through Publications: 

The FSS includes food safety messages in newsletters and publications of partner 

groups. Titles included: 

3⁄4 “Establishment Number: The Key to Locating the Correct Product for a Hold 

or Recall,” School Programs Commodity Update, FNS Food Distribution 

Division, September 2007 

3⁄4 “Holds and Recalls: The Importance of Tracking Food,” School Programs 

Commodity Update, FNS Food Distribution Division, April 2007 

3⁄4 “What You May Not Know About National School Lunch Program Food 

Safety Requirements,” The Preventive Measure, National Capital Area 

Environmental Health Association, September 2006 

3⁄4 “Food Safety and Food Defense for Schools,” ERCMExpress, Department of 

Education, Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical 

Assistance Center, June 2006 
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Food Defense Activities: 

Strategic Partnership Program on Agroterrorism: 

The FSS attended Strategic Partnership Program on Agroterrorism (SPPA) exercises 

held in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), FSIS, AMS, FSA, 

States and industry to conduct in-depth vulnerability assessments of different food and 

agricultural sub-sectors, such as food warehouses and the food transportation sector. 

Food Defense Surveillance Assignment: 

FSS joined FSIS and AMS in an FDA project called the Food Defense Surveillance 

Assignment, which simulated a threat on the food supply and provided an opportunity 

for multiple agencies to work together to exercise systems related to preparedness and 

response to a credible food and agriculture sector related threat. 

Table-Top Exercises: 

The FSS participated in three table-top exercises. 

3⁄4 The Los Angeles County Health Department conducted an exercise involving 

terminal food markets and distributors and invited the LA Unified School 

District and FSS to participate 

3⁄4 The FSS was on the planning committee and served as an exercise evaluator for 

a school lunch based table-top exercise conducted by the Florida Department of 

Agriculture under a Department of Homeland Security grant 

3⁄4 The FSS planned and conducted a school lunch table-top exercise with the 

State Department of Education in Iowa and Des Moines Public Schools. This 

exercise is the first of a series that will lead to the development of a table-top 

exercise resource package that any State or School Food Authority could use to 

test their own food defense and/or emergency preparedness plans 

Food and Agriculture Sector Specific Plan: 

The Food and Agriculture Sector Specific Plan (SSP) is part of the National 

Infrastructure Protection Plan coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security. 

In December 2006, FNS completed its portion of the plan that described how food in 

our nutrition assistance programs is protected from intentional contamination when it 

is under our control. In 2007 the FSS solicited State input to the SSP and received 

information from eight States about their food defense strategies for the commodity 

foods under their control. 

Guidelines for Food Recovery and Emergency Preparedness: 

The FSS served on two committees of the Conference for Food Protection: the Food 

Recovery Committee and the Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee. The 

Food Recovery Committee revised and released the Comprehensive Guidelines for 

Food Recovery Programs, involving the collection foods from commercial production 

and distribution channels and their redistribution to people in need. The Emergency 

Preparedness and Response Committee revised the Emergency Guidance for Retail 

Food Establishments, providing recommendations on planning for natural disasters 

and other emergencies that have the potential to create health hazards. FSS staff 

contributions especially assured that both documents contained food defense 

information and provided valuable technical assistance for operators of FNS programs. 
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Projected Outputs for 2008: 

 Commodity Food Safety 

3⁄4 Develop guidance on commodity food inventory management and 

product tracking 

3⁄4 Release updated web-based Hold/Recall Resource Kit and provide 

training through NFSMI 

 Technical Assistance 

3⁄4 Provide food allergy and anaphylaxis resources to schools and work 

with partners to develop instructional materials 

3⁄4 Will develop an addendum on food allergies in the document 

Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in the School 

Nutrition Programs

3⁄4 Initiate a project to study proper cooling of foods served in schools

3⁄4 Respond to technical assistance requests by Child Nutrition, Food 

Distribution, and WIC program staff 

 Outreach 

3⁄4 Continue education (in conjunction with NFSMI) including 

presentations at conferences, meetings and workshops 

3⁄4 Support FNS Regional Offices (presentations, requests, etc.) 

 Food Defense Activities 

3⁄4 Revise the Food Safe Schools Action Guide to include a food defense 

component 

3⁄4 Conduct additional Table Top Exercises 

Projects Beyond 2008: 

3⁄4 Increase education on food allergies and anaphylaxis in schools through 

partnerships 

3⁄4 Develop an educational campaign on the prevention of foodborne 

norovirus in schools

3⁄4 Create guidance for schools on the safe handling and sanitizing of fresh 

produce

3⁄4 Continue a project to provide guidance to schools on proper cooling of 

foods

3⁄4 Coordinate with CDC on refinement of data analysis from eFORS 

(Electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System) and increase 

reporting of school food-borne outbreaks 

3⁄4 Coordinate with State Extension Staff on a project to evaluate the Food 

Safe Schools Action Guide 

3⁄4 Develop and promote a recognition program for schools for food safety 

efforts 

3⁄4 Assist with transition of the Rapid Alert System to be a component of 

the Web Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system 

3⁄4 Develop a turn-key Table Top resource for State Agencies and School 

Food Authorities that would meet DHS criteria for grant funding