Listeria Scare Isn't Over For Wawona Packing

By Laurel Maloy, contributing writer, Food Online

Wawona Packing recalled fruit packaged between June 1 and July 12, but much of it was most-likely consumed before the recall was announced on July 19. With an incubation period lasting up to 70 days, the company isn’t out of the woods just yet

In the wake of the most recent fruit recall, announced by California’s Wawona Packing, a number of questions have arisen. Why was the Listeria contamination discovered in Australia and not in the U.S.? Why did it take so long to get the word out? Why is the information so imprecise regarding where the fruit went and who sold it? And the one question consumers are most concerned about: What happens if I’ve already eaten the fruit?

White Paper: Food Traceability — Solving The Imperative Of Compliance

Let’s answer the last question first. Consumers are not out of the woods yet. Listeria has an extended incubation period and is an incredibly tenacious pathogen. It can survive both the heat and the cold, which means freezing it or cooking it will not destroy the nasty bug. A person infected with Listeria may take up to 70 days to exhibit symptoms, one of the reasons Listeria is so very hard to trace back. Add to that the amount of time that passed before the pathogen was identified, by a lab in Australia, and you have a recipe for possible disaster.

Listeria can be deadly, especially for pregnant women, newborn babies, aging adults, or anyone with a compromised immune system. For example, take the case of Jensen Farms in Colorado. First discovered on Sept 12, 2011, the outbreak was not considered over until Dec 8 the same year, almost three months later. The cantaloupe growers were responsible for 147 listeria-related illnesses, 33 deaths, and one miscarriage in 28 states. However, there are 10 other deaths not attributed to Listeriosis at the time that have since come under review, with the latest death occurring on Feb 29, 2012.

But, back to Wawona Packing. Why wasn’t the pathogen discovered in the U.S.? Because testing on fresh fruit is poorly lacking. There was once a program, the Microbiological Data Program (MDP), which did 80 percent of fresh fruit sample testing from 2001 to 2012 — the FDA did the remaining 20 percent. MDP’S 2009 Annual Summary, published in Jan 2011, explains that the population of the participating State determines the number of samples collected. Therefore, in 2009, California’s collection number was 14, while Colorado’s collection number was 2. To further break it down, 64 sites are expected to be sampled, with three samples collected from the same lot at each site. This amounts to 16,986 samples from 390 sites across the country processed by MDP. The numbers may seem large, but when considering the amount of fruit and produce consumed each year, the rate of testing seems to be incongruous.

Tips For Complying With New Food Safety Regulations

The MDP is now defunct. Congress withheld funding for the $5 million program after it was lambasted by growers for not providing timely results. The major complaint was that recalls were being instituted after consumers had already eaten the produce. A similar program has not been adopted, so can we assume the FDA has picked up the slack and is now doing 100 percent of the testing? The very nature of fresh produce suggests testing must be accomplished quickly, the most effective results being achieved with on-site testing. An article published in Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation suggests that since Listeria monocytogenes is a common, soil-borne pathogen, environmental testing, as well as processing testing, should be completed. With the proper sanitary conditions, there is no reason for the pathogen to make it to the consumer’s table.

Why does it take so long for the testing to catch up to the tainted produce? Again, it boils down to the fact that it is fresh produce with a short shelf life. This makes it seem almost ridiculous to go through the testing process as it stands now. Obviously, this particular lot was not tested by the FDA, or if it was, the results were not received in a timely manner. In the case of Wawona Packing, the Australian importer discovered trace amounts of Listeria on three peaches.

Unlike the FDA, which has a zero tolerance policy, Australia and New Zealand have tolerance levels for the pathogen and the fruit tested within those limits. However, the discovery required Wawona to require more testing. Wawona closed its doors for five days, between July 12 and July 17, while an outside laboratory did further testing. The lab found one nectarine and two peaches contaminated with Listeria, though it did not quantify the levels. This prompted further testing by Wawona; at this time, all of the results, from the fruit, the processing equipment, and the packinghouse came up negative for Listeria contamination. Wawona issued the recall regardless, compelled to do so by the FDA’s no tolerance policy.

Are you prepared for a recall? Here are seven tips to help your company be ready for one

Wawona ships directly to retailers and wholesalers who, in turn, resell the produce. The nationwide recall was issued because Wawona doesn’t know who bought from direct customers. The direct customers who could be identified are ALDI stores, Costco, Kroger, Sam’s Clubs, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart. Additionally, Wegman's has issued a recall for bakery items made with the tainted fruit and for nectarines, peaches, and plums that may also be contaminated. It is expected that more retailers may announce recalls as they realize the association with Wawona products.

This brings us to the necessity for much better product traceability. FSMA, under FDA guidance, will soon be initiating final rules on the recordkeeping requirements for those foods known to be at high-potential risk for contamination. The FDA’s proposed draft for designating high-risk foods, as required by Section 204 of FSMA, can be viewed here.