An Expert’s View on Food Safety: Answers from Mark Carter

Mark Carter is the owner of MC2E, a private, U.S. based consulting firm. According to the company’s website, “Since our company was founded in 2010, we have focused on providing unique technical insights focused on public health improvement. Our job is to help companies and entrepreneurs create, market, evaluate and deploy technologies.” With a background in business and microbiology as well as leadership at McKee Foods, Kraft Foods, and Silliker, Mark has been involved in food safety for nearly 20 years. We recently asked Mark to share his insights on the current and future direction of food safety. Q.: How has the food safety landscape changed in recent years? What types of issues continue to be hurdles for food laboratories, even in light of newer technologies? Food safety has changed over the last ten years as technology has helped us gain a better understanding of the chemical, microbiological and physical hazards in foods. The increased use of molecular technologies, improvements in antibody-based methods and improvements in our ability to process large amounts of data rapidly have all contributed to the advances. Chemical detection methods continue to grow by leaps and bounds, becoming increasingly sensitive and extending the breadth of analytes detected in single runs. The pace of change makes it hard for labs to keep up with the newest advances. Contract labs as well as in-house company labs make significant technology investments to provide the best service to clients and protect public health. In addition, even with all of the new technology and advances, food managers can only analyze for what they know is an issue. The emergence of new pathogens or chemical contaminants that can affect public health but are unrecognized as hazards create headaches for lab managers. Q. What current trends, either positive or negative, are influencing food safety most? Why? There are multiple trends that are influencing food safety. The push for standardization of food safety programs through Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has been a big influence on food safety program development. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and other legislative changes are having their effect. Globalization of the food supply has created a need for the globalization of methods and validation protocols. Harmonization between International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Association Of Analytical Communities (AOAC) and others continues to improve. In the long run this has the potential to help create test data that can be verified because of “method concurrence.” I think time will tell the overall effect of these trends but for now they are creating significant changes throughout the food chain. Q. Is there any area of food safety that you believe is not getting sufficient attention? I think detection methods, programs for auditing, and compliance are improving. However, I still feel there is a gap in the sampling and sample prep arena. Determining sample plans, taking proper samples, and preparing the samples for analysis to facilitate the most accurate testing outcome is still a challenge. Many solutions exist but improving their ease of use, reliability and cost effectiveness can still be improved. Sample concentration and analyte extraction methods need more investment and acceptance. Q. In your opinion, is food becoming safer? Why or why not? I think the processes involved with making food safe are getting better. Analysis techniques as well as support programs are aiding our fight against foodborne illness. That being said, the globalization of our food supply will continue to present challenges to existing and future systems. The systems that have been built to support the globalization of our food supply as well as increased awareness of consumers, regulators, academics and businesses have helped increase overall food safety. Industry continues to embrace processing technologies such as HPP that can provide safe food while maintaining many of its healthy characteristics. Q. Businesses and governments today seem to be more stretched for resources than any time in the past – everyone is trying to do more with less. How does food safety laboratory management balance the desire to deliver strong results with the need to maintain standards and protect public health? Food laboratories in general have always had to balance their operational costs with a mandate to produce safe food. It’s not an easy task but many labs evaluate everything from sampling plans to technology to information management systems to make sure they meet standards, produce safe food and deliver the best data possible for decision making. They use technology to understand and validate the safety of manufacturing processes. The have a keen awareness of the cost to generate data and analyze data as well as the value of that data to influence public health decisions.   Do you think food is becoming safer? What trends do you think are influencing food safety the most? Leave your comments below.