Feb 29, 2012

Contaminated sprouts: FDA establishes Alliance to improve food safety

A new Sprouts Safety Alliance (SSA) has been formed to help sprout producers identify and implement best practices in the safe production of sprouts.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in cooperation with the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH), created the alliance to develop a core curriculum and training and outreach program for the sprout production community. Funded by a one-year, $100,000 grant to the IFSH, the alliance will be composed of representatives of the FDA, local and state food protection agencies, the food industry and academia.

Sprouts have been in the spotlight lately with outbreaks of E. coli connected to raw clover sprouts eaten at Jimmy John’s locations in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Michigan, Arkansas and Wisconsin. Jimmy John’s, meanwhile, has pulled sprouts from its menu, as have a couple of other sandwich chains. At least two of those sickened have filed suits against Jimmy John’s.

Modeled after other alliances for seafood, juice and produce, the Sprouts Safety Alliance is charged with developing training materials that will help sprout growers adopt best practices for the safe production of sprouts based on available FDA guidance. Other goals include to provide tools for conducting self-audits of sprouting operations and production practices; develop training materials; serve as a network hub and resource; develop a technical assistance network for the sprout industry; and collaborate with USDA, states, trade associations and Extension services to provide classroom and distance training and workshops across the United States.