Photo credit: www.consumerreports.org/issue/food-safety

Starting the new year, I could write about plans or best intentions. Instead, I decided to reflect on what it was like to grow up with a father who is a food microbiologist. Most people wouldn’t know what that was like. Let me tell you, it took a lot of the fun away from indulging in some foods, but it has allowed me to appreciate the impact that food safety professionals have on our health and wellbeing.

From a young age, I understood that there were certain foods that presented health risks. Raw cookie dough, sunny-side-up eggs, sushi, hollandaise sauce, and raw milk, of course, were all on the list. However, I knew that I could eat my favorite brand of weeks old yogurt in the fridge, because Dad said they had a “good operation.” Little did I know then what that meant; I just trusted what he told me.

My father is a humble, easy-going man. However, as soon as you mention the idea of eating raw oysters, his skin begins to itch. Better yet, threaten a glass of raw milk; that gets an immediate reaction. If I wanted a bigger reaction, I would whip up some cookie dough and suggest eating it, just to get a comment like, “you can drive yourself to the hospital,” or “good luck with the toilet.” Growing up with the threat of getting sick if certain foods were consumed shapes the way you see food.

The reason he reacts so strongly is that he spent his entire professional life going into dairy processing plants to help identify sources of contamination. He has seen how salmonella or listeria has hurt both vulnerable populations and the sources of the contaminants.

When you chase these bugs, you can’t look at food the same way.

For my dad, it really hit home in 1985 with a listeriosis outbreak in California from Mexican-style cheese. 142 cases were identified. 28 died, including 10 newborns and 18 adults. There were also 20 miscarriages.

The tragedy made the food safety industry question the way it monitored pathogens. My dad was able to come in as a consultant with his aseptic sampling tools and testing expertise to develop an effective process monitoring system. Accurate data results in accurate monitoring to identity and prevent contamination.

Read a Food Safety News article about the outbreak

Fast forward to today. It is now my turn to visit dairy plants and farms to create sampling plans that don’t only prevent tragic outbreaks but empower Quality Managers and farmers with confidence and accurate data. Foodborne illnesses in dairy are still a concern, but the way we manage the risks has significantly reduced those concerns. Much dedicated time and many resources are invested in food safety. QualiTru’s sampling systems and procedures are designed to support that hard work and make it worth the time and effort.

It is a powerful legacy to know that the work of our company continues to support the production of healthy and safe foods from the farmer to the plant. When my dad or I walk in a grocery store, we can both feel proud when we see that our partners’ product lines are stamped with Quality.

By Anne Bigalke
VP of International Markets, QualiTru Sampling Systems
anne@qualitru.com   Follow Anne on LinkedIn