The Food Safety Staff 

Established November 2004 FY2009 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. 

Summary of FY2009 

I. Major Initiatives 

3⁄4 Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis

3⁄4 Norovirus Control and Prevention

3⁄4 Produce Safety

3⁄4 Cooling Practices in Schools 

3⁄4 Food Defense Tabletop Exercises

II. Commodity Food Safety 

3⁄4 Hold and Recall Events

3⁄4 Non-commodity Recall Bulletins Posted to ECOS

3⁄4 Improving the Hold and Recall Process

3⁄4 Commodity Food Safety Complaints

3⁄4 Participation in GAO Investigations 

III. Technical Assistance 

3⁄4 FNS Program Offices 

3⁄4 Other Federal Partners 

IV. Outreach, Education, and Training 

3⁄4 National Food Service Management Institute

3⁄4 Presentations

3⁄4 Partnerships 

3⁄4 Publications

V. Future Activities 

Introduction 

In FY 2009, the Food Safety Staff (FSS) of the Office of Emergency Management and 

Food Safety (OEMFS) received $2.51M in funding from Congress that allowed the 

initiation of new projects in addition to the continuation of existing projects. FSS made 

significant progress on projects related to food allergies in schools, norovirus control, 

and the cooling dynamics of foods. Norovirus and improper cooling are the two 

leading causes of foodborne illness outbreaks in schools according to CDC data. FSS 

staff responded to FNS program operators and other agency partners on topics such as 

bisphenol-A, food allergies, safety of fresh produce, and food defense. Lessons learned 

from the Hallmark/Westland beef recall of 2008 will be incorporated into a revision of 

the 2001 Hold and Recall Procedures that will be completed in calendar year 2010. 
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STAFF: 

Brenda Halbrook 

Director 

Marion Hinners 

Food Safety 

Specialist

Stephanie 

Mickelson 

Epidemiologist

Jeannie Sneed 

Food Safety 

Specialist 

New Initiatives 

Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis 

The FSS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of 

Adolescent and School Health, the FNS Child Nutrition Division, and the School 

Nutrition Association collaborated on a work group meeting to address food allergies 

in schools entitled “CDC Expert Panel and USDA Work Group on Managing Food 

Allergies in Schools,” which was held in February 2009. Nationally recognized 

professionals from the National School Boards Association, the Food Allergy and 

Anaphylaxis Network, and others came together to review food allergy guidance for 

schools, which was under development by CDC and its partners, and identify best 

practices and educational gaps for schools and school foodservice operators. FSS 

ultimately will create an appendix on the subject for inclusion in USDA’s 

Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in School Programs: Guidance 

for School Food Service Staff and develop educational materials based on this 

workshop in collaboration with the National Food Service Management Institute 

(NFSMI).

FSS hosted a webinar series and preconference session in conjunction with the School 

Nutrition Association at their Annual National Conference June 28, 2009.. The 

webinar series, entitled Managing Food Allergies in Schools, consisted of three 60-

minute webinars that addressed different aspects of managing food allergies in schools: 

understanding the fundamentals, developing policy, and implementing policy. A total 

of 2,177 participated in the webinars or viewed the archives as of December 15, 2009, 

and approximately 30 attended the 8-hour preconference session entitled, “Solving the 

Food Allergy Problem.” Four 15-minute podcasts will be produced in 2010. 

Norovirus Control and Prevention 

Both FSS and CDC analysis of CDC data show that norovirus is the primary cause of 

foodborne illness in schools. Norovirus spreads extremely rapidly and the use of 

proper cleaning techniques that destroy the virus is a critical intervention strategy. 

FSS provided scientific content and funding for an educational project with the 

National Education Association Health Information Network (NEA HIN) to develop 

and distribute The Stomach Bug Book, an easy-to-read, illustrated educational tool that 

addresses appropriate sanitation methods to prevent or limit an outbreak. FSS will 

distribute 50,000 copies to State Agencies in 2010. The booklet also will be distributed 

to foodservice personnel, custodians, nurses, and other support staff through NEA 

HIN. The Stomach Bug Book is available at 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/safety/stomach_bug_book.pdf. 

Produce Safety 

Increased funding for fresh produce in schools raises the potential for an increase in 

foodborne illness. To help mitigate these risks and alleviate the concerns of school 

foodservice operators, FSS partnered with the Agricultural Marketing Service Fresh 

Produce Branch to create “Produce Safety University” (PSU). PSU will be a week 

long, hands-on training in all principles of produce: how it is grown, harvested, 

processed, packaged and shipped before reaching school foodservice where it is 

prepared and served, sometimes using novel delivery systems outside of the school 

cafeteria to children. Special emphasis will be placed on farm-to-school and school 
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garden programs. Three sessions will be offered beginning in late summer of 2010. 

FSS partnered with the University of Maryland’s Joint Institute for Food Safety and 

Applied Nutrition to host a one-day workshop in October 2009 to address the food 

safety implications associated with fresh produce in schools and identify current gaps 

and determine appropriate research and educational projects needed to address them. 

Cooling Practices in Schools 

FNS is collaborating with the FDA’s National Center for Food Safety and Technology, 

the Moffett Center at Illinois Institute of Technology, and the Agricultural Research 

Service on a research project designed to evaluate cooling methods used in school 

foodservice and their efficacy and develop recommendations for best practices. The 

first year of this two-year project was completed in fiscal year 2009 and included site 

visits to schools, laboratory studies for two food items using three cooling methods, 

and computer cooling simulations. Based on the findings of this study, the National 

Food Service Management Institute will develop a series of fact sheets and other 

educational resources for school foodservice staff. 

Food Defense Tabletop Exercises 

FSS is developing a do-it-yourself Tabletop Exercise (TTX) to assist school districts in 

testing their response to an intentional food contamination event. Participants learn to 

work with appropriate community entities such as emergency services, local and state 

health departments, local medical facilities, and law enforcement agencies. The first 

pilot test of the scenario was conducted in October 2009 in a large school district. 

Two additional pilot tests will be conducted in small and medium-sized school districts 

in 2010. The pilot tests will be converted into a multimedia tool kit that will be 

completed in late 2010 and subsequently field tested. The final package will qualify for 

Department of Homeland Security grants and can be used by school districts to 

augment their emergency management plans. 

Commodity Food Safety 

Hold and Recall Events 

Spaghetti Sauce: 3,752 cases of spaghetti sauce (A243) from three states were put on 

hold by AMS and FDA after one warehouse reported that a few cans were bulging and 

exploding. FDA laboratory analysis revealed isolated closure problems in affected 

cans. The products were replaced. 

Peanut Butter: 212,004 lbs of peanuts and peanut butter (B473, B474, B480, B498, 

B501) from 16 States, 9 Indian Tribal Organizations, the District of Columbia, and 

Puerto Rico were destroyed as part of the Peanut Corporation of America recall 

announced by FDA and the Texas Department of State Health Services of peanut 

products potentially contaminated with Salmonella. 

Frozen Blueberries: 7200 cases of frozen blueberries (A387) from five states were 

held following one complaint of foreign material. An investigation by FDA and the 

USDA Office of the Inspector General revealed no potential health threat due to the 

blueberries, which were released. 
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Non-Commodity Recall Bulletins Posted to the Electronic Commodity Ordering 

System (ECOS) 

Recalls of public health significance that do not affect foods purchased by USDA for 

its nutrition assistance programs, but which may have been procured by states or 

schools from commercial sources are posted to the ECOS home page in summary form 

with links to further information posted by FDA or FSIS. In FY 2009, recall 

information for ground beef, peanut products, and hot dogs was posted to ECOS.

Commodity Food Safety Complaints 

The FSS monitors and analyzes complaints about USDA-purchased commodities for 

potential food safety concerns. State Agencies enter complaints into ECOS, which 

automatically flags an item for a food safety review based on the problem description. 

The FSS determines whether it is an isolated incident or part of a larger trend. If 

necessary, the FSS contacts the appropriate procurement or regulatory agencies, 

follows up with the complainant for additional information, and works closely with the 

FNS Food Distribution Division’s Complaint Team to ensure resolution. 

Participation in GAO Investigations 

In 2009, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report addressing 

food recalls in school meals programs. FSS and other federal partners, AMS and FSIS, 

participated in meetings and conference calls with GAO to answer questions about 

recent school food recalls and how the recall process unfolds for USDA-purchased and 

commercially purchased foods. FSS also provided extensive comments on the GAO 

draft report. The final report was issued in August and is available at: 

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09649.pdf. 

Technical Assistance for FNS Programs

Assistance Provided to Special Nutrition Programs: 

Food Distribution Division 

3⁄4 Clarified information for a GAO review of domestic and international food 

irradiation uses and practices, including irradiated beef products offered in 

2004-2005 in the National School Lunch Program.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Number of Food Safety Complaints Compared 

to Total Complaints in ECOS

Total

Food Safety
5 

3⁄4 Contacted FSIS about a question on the use of antibiotics in poultry feed.

3⁄4 Responded to a Freedom of Information Act request on a commercial beef 

recall. 

Child Nutrition Division 

3⁄4 Reviewed farm-to-school guidance materials under development by the 

Child Nutrition Division and provided two appendices that address food 

safety. 

The Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) 

3⁄4 Provided technical assistance for responses to perchlorate and bispehenol-A 

questions. These two chemical contaminants are of interest and concern to 

FNS program participants, especially pregnant women, infants, and 

children.  

Assistance Provided to the Office of Program Service and Support, including 

Regional Offices: 

3⁄4 Led monthly conference calls with FNS Regional Office (RO) representatives 

to discuss current and upcoming food safety information, resources, and 

projects. 

3⁄4 Sent food safety information bulletins and notifications of commodity and noncommodity recalls to RO representatives when needed. 

3⁄4 Assisted FNS RO staff with a question from a State Agency about the labeling 

of bread.

3⁄4 Answered questions about the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) for 

RO staff members.

Assistance Provided to FNS Office of Research and Analysis: 

3⁄4 Submitted questions on traceability of inventory and food safety criteria for 

procurement in the upcoming School Food Purchase Study III.

Collaboration with Federal Partners: 

3⁄4 Participated in creating the Food Safety objectives for Healthy People 2020 

along with staff from FDA, FSIS, and CDC. 

3⁄4 Participated with FSIS and AMS in reviewing and updating the 2005 

Vulnerability Assessment of Chicken Nuggets/Patties Used in the National 

School Lunch Program and in the organizational meeting of the catfish 

production system vulnerability assessment work group. 

3⁄4 Provided an educational station designed for elementary students who 

participated in the 2009 USDA Food Safety Education Camp, sponsored by 

FSIS and held in April at the George Washington Carver Center in Beltsville, 

MD. 

3⁄4 Assisted FSIS in the development and execution of a simulated flood disaster 

that included a foodborne illness event caused by a USDA Food that was 

served at a shelter. 

3⁄4 Represented FNS at a special meeting of the Food Sector Federal Inter-Agency 

Workgroup partners to preview and provide comments on a Department of 

Homeland Security Benchmarking Toolkit that will incorporate the school 

foodservice community into the final toolkit.
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Outreach, Education, and Training

National Food Service Management Institute 

FSS worked closely with NFSMI on food safety education and training for Child 

Nutrition Programs (CNP). Throughout the year, NFSMI presented three train-thetrainer sessions on emergency preparedness and food safety, with representatives from 

20 states. NFSMI also presented other food safety education programs to 170 

individuals from five states. Two assessment projects were initiated: one to determine 

the usefulness of food safety education materials from NFSMI; the other to determine 

the extent to which the food safety programs based on HACCP principles have been 

implemented. A task force will examine the NFSMI technical assistance service and 

suggest ways to improve it. 

Presentations 

Presentations allow FSS to reach a national audience of FNS Regional and State 

partners, FNS program operators, and industry groups at professional and educational 

meetings across the country to promote food safety and food defense in FNS nutrition 

assistance programs. The FSS presented at these meetings in 2009: 

3⁄4 National Center for Food Protection and Defense Annual Meeting 

3⁄4 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Fall Conference for Child 

Nutrition Programs 

3⁄4 Texas Region 4 Child Nutrition Services Showcase 

3⁄4 American Peanut Council Spring Conference 

3⁄4 Special Nutrition Programs 2009 Southwest Regional Conference 

3⁄4 American Commodity Distribution Association Annual Meeting 

3⁄4 Commodity Supplemental Food Program Annual Meeting 

3⁄4 FNS Mid-Atlantic Region Special Nutrition Programs State Directors 

Conference 

3⁄4 School Nutrition Association Annual National Conference 

3⁄4 National Environmental Health Association Annual Education Conference 

3⁄4 Department of Education Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools 

Grantee Meeting 

Partnerships 

FSS disseminates messages about food safety and food defense in USDA’s nutrition 

assistance programs through partnerships. 

3⁄4 Led the National Coalition for Food Safe Schools (NCFSS), an alliance of 

representatives from a variety of national organizations, professional 

associations, and government agencies 

3⁄4 Participated in the Partnership for Food Safety Education quarterly meetings as 

a federal stakeholder, worked on a subcommittee to develop materials on recall 

basics, and helped with annual planning. 

3⁄4 Member of the Steering Committee for the 2010 FSIS Food Safety Education 

Conference; contributed funding to the conference. 

3⁄4 Member of the Interagency Risk Assessment Consortium 

3⁄4 Member of the USDA Food Safety Risk Assessment Committee 

3⁄4 Participated in the USDA Sector Specific Plan Sub-Working Group as part of 

the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, which is coordinated by the 

Department of Homeland Security to provide a unifying structure for the 
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integration of critical infrastructures and key resources protection efforts into a 

single national program 

3⁄4 Participated on the Steering Committee of the CDC Environmental Health 

Service Network (EHS-Net) 

3⁄4 Member of the National Academies of Science Institute of Medicine Food 

Forum. 

Publications 

The FSS provided or reviewed articles for the following publications of partner 

groups: 

3⁄4 Article on Salmonella for the National Education Association Health 

Information Network newsletter 

3⁄4 Article on food allergies for the Food Distribution Division’s School Programs 

Commodity Update newsletter 

3⁄4 Article on safety of fresh produce for the Food Distribution Program on Indian 

Reservations (FDPIR) newsletter 

3⁄4 Article review on providing school meals during H1N1-related school 

dismissals for the School Nutrition Association 

Future Activities for 2010 and Beyond 

Project Development: In fiscal year 2010, FSS will address the following initiatives: 

3⁄4 Assess current State Agency recall notification and communication processes 

and develop performance criteria to support a grants program in 2011 that will 

upgrade State Agency communication to local recipient agencies. 

3⁄4 Initiate evaluation and revision of the Food Safe Schools Action Guide to 

include food allergies and food defense.

3⁄4 Complete the revision of USDA Hold and Recall Procedures. 

3⁄4 Establish a Center of Excellence for School Food Safety Research at a 

university that will conduct food safety research specific to school foodservice 

and other FNS nutrition assistance programs. 

3⁄4 Complete food defense tabletop exercises and develop toolkit for State 

Agencies and School Food Authorities that would meet DHS criteria for grant 

funding. 

3⁄4 Complete a Memorandum of Agreement with FDA to improve communication 

between FDA and USDA (FNS, AMS, and FSA) regarding USDA Foods. 

Education and Training: 

3⁄4 Work with the NFSMI to develop and disseminate educational materials 

addressing effective cooling practices in school foodservice programs, food 

allergies, employee health and hygiene for school foodservice and child care 

employees, produce safety, inventory tracking and management, and norovirus. 

3⁄4 Begin training at Produce Safety University in collaboration with AMS to teach 

State Agencies and school foodservice directors and operators about the safe 

handling of fresh produce in schools. 

3⁄4 Train State Distributing Agencies and local Recipient Agencies on the new 

food recall education and guidance materials once they are developed.