Minnesota Department of Health (MDH),
Food Safety Partnership (FSP) and
PWDU Quarterly Update
Volume 8, Issue 1, January 6, 2014
Note from the Editor ........................................................ 1
Training Calendar ............................................................ 1
Training Calendar
Training Events ............................................................... 3
Date
Org.
Details
Jan. 8,
2014
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Jan. 22
and 23
MDH/FPLS
Pool Operator Training
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
MDH Freeman Bldg.
Room B144
full
Jan. 30
MEHA
Winter Conference
Continuing Education
and Conference Center
U of MN
St. Paul Campus
Feb. 5
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Do you like puzzles? Need
something to keep your mind sharp
while snowed in this winter? Try your
hand at solving a Mystery Outbreak!
in the Bug of the Quarter section,
and then download CDC’s Solve the
Outbreak app for some interactive
Disease Detective sleuthing.
Feb. 5
FSP
9:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Backflow Basics, Cathy
Tran, DOLI
Plumbing for
Foodservice, Mandy
Sedlak, Darden
Preventing CrossConnection, TBA
Looking for ways to advance your food safety knowledge
this year? Take a glance through the training calendar
for upcoming training opportunities from FSP, MEHA
and others.
Mar. 5
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Bug of the Quarter: Mystery Outbreak! ........................... 4
Tip of the Quarter ............................................................ 5
Food Code Revision: Six Stakeholder Meetings Held,
Additional Meetings Planned........................................... 6
Minnesota Food Charter ................................................. 6
Emergency Management ................................................ 7
Patulin: A Mycotoxin Found in Apples ............................ 8
In the News ..................................................................... 9
Conference for Food Protection Issue Submission....... 10
Partnership and Workforce Development Unit Staff
Contact Information ....................................................... 11
Note from the Editor
Sometimes Food Safety is All Fun and Games
Happy Reading, Sarah and the PWDU team
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Date
Org.
Details
Date
Org.
Details
Apr. 2
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
July 7 to
10
NEHA
Apr. 2
MDH/FPLS
FSP+
9:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Tentative Agenda:
Pulse Field Gel
Electrophoresis
(PFGE), Traceback
Investigations
Annual Educational
Conference &
Exhibition
Las Vegas, NV
July 9
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Aug. 6
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Aug. 6
MDH/FPLS
FSP+
9:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Agenda TBA
Sept. 10
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Oct. 1
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Oct. 1
FSP
9:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Agenda TBA
Nov. 5
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Dec. 3
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Dec. 3
MDH/FPLS
FSP+
9:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Agenda TBA
May 1
and 2
MEHA
Spring Conference
Arrowwood Resort
Conference Center
Alexandria
May 7
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
May 8
and 9
MDH/FPLS
Food Safety
Classroom Training
Food Code
May 15
and 16
MDH/FPLS
Food Safety
Classroom Training
Food Code,
Equipment,
Communicating,
Report Writing
May 29
and 30
MDH/FPLS
Food Safety
Classroom Training
Risk-Based
Inspections
June 4
MDH/FPLS
Regulators’ Breakfast
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
June 4
FSP
9:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Agenda TBA
View the updated PWDU training calendar
at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/pwdu/training.ht
ml
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Food Safety Classroom Training
Training Events
Minnesota Department of Health, Food, Pools, and
Lodging Services Section (MDH FPLS) has developed
and provides Food Safety Classroom Training sessions
on a regular basis to inspection
and management staff from MDH
and local delegated health
agencies. This training is
provided to advance knowledge,
encourage standard procedures
and promote uniformity between
inspection staff. It is considered
“Core” training and topics covered include:
FSP Videoconferences
The Food Safety Partnership
(FSP) is a consortium of
environmental health
professionals, industry partners,
and other stakeholders, founded in
2001. FSP members work together to protect public
health in the area of food safety.
The first of three scheduled FSP videoconferences this
year will be held on Wednesday, February 5, 2014.
Speakers include representatives from the Minnesota
Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) and the
foodservice industry on the topic of plumbing in
foodservice establishments.
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FSP videoconferences originate from the Freeman
Building in St. Paul (B107) and are available for live
streaming and at videoconference sites throughout the
state.
FDA and MN food codes; statutes, rules and
regulations
Proper equipment use (e.g., thermocouples and
pH meters)
Effective communication and report writing
Risk-based inspections
Over the six days of classroom training, we build upon
the learning. The last day we take what has been
learned and in teams, document a complex flow chart,
identify hazards and critical control points (CCPs),
determine applicable MN food code rules, practice
demonstration of knowledge in relation to the food
identified in the flow chart and write a risk control plan
using the examples provided.
FSP agendas are available online
at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/pwdu/fsp/index.h
tml.
For contact hours or site information, contact Jennifer
Rief, 651-201-5408, [email protected].
FSP+ Videoconferences
The next series of classes is scheduled for May 8 and 9,
15 and 16, and 29 and 30, 2014.
Food Safety Partnership Plus (FSP+) videoconferences
are opportunities for the regulatory community, industry
and consumers to meet and learn about current issues
impacting various environmental health issues.
Contact Jim Topie ([email protected]; 218-3026154) for more information.
Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) Training
FSP+ videoconferences originate from the Freeman
Building in St. Paul (B107), and are available for live
stream and at videoconference sites throughout the
state.
The AFO course is an educational training program for
persons managing, operating, and maintaining aquatic
facilities. The two-day course provides in-depth
instruction in: filtration, disinfection, water testing and
treatment, calculating volumes and flow rates, problem
solving/trouble shooting, main
drain laws, new technologies,
design considerations and
special case pools.
Regulators’ Breakfast
The purpose of the Regulators’ Breakfast is to establish
a forum that will contribute to statewide uniformity and
consistency amongst regulatory agencies (local agency
and MDH) in the interpretation and application of
statutes, rules and procedures. This event is for
regulatory agencies. Contact Sarah Leach for more
information [email protected], 651-201-4509.
MDH will host the AFO certification course on January
22 and 23, 2014. Pre-registration was required by
December 13, 2013 and the class is full.
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Bug of the Quarter: Mystery Outbreak!
During the outbreak investigation, a sanitarian visited the
catering establishment and stressed the importance of
proper handling of food and beverages, use of gloves or
utensils when handling ready-to-eat foods, good
handwashing, and exclusion of ill foodworkers.
Banquet Food Sickens 25 Police Reserve Officers
On May 2, 2012, the
Minnesota Department of
Health (MDH) foodborne
illness hotline received a
complaint of gastrointestinal
(GI) illness in people who
attended a police reserve
banquet on April 27. The
banquet was held at a park,
and food was provided by a local caterer.
The Solution
Did you think this outbreak was caused by norovirus?
Surprise! This outbreak was caused by sapovirus, a
close cousin of the infamous “noro.”
In Minnesota, this outbreak was one of two confirmed
sapovirus outbreaks in 2012.
Pathogen Resources
Forty-three attendees were interviewed, and 25 (58%)
were ill. The median incubation period for the cases was
39 hours (range, 2 to 111 hours). Three cases had an
incubation of 2 hours. The median duration of illness
was 25 hours. Twenty-four (96%) cases reported
diarrhea, 14 (56%) reported cramps, 11 (44%) reported
fever, 8 (32%) reported vomiting, and none reported
bloody stools. Four stool specimens from cases were
submitted to the MDH laboratory for testing, and were
positive for a foodborne pathogen.
Sapovirus was first detected in 1977 as the cause of GI
illness in a home for infants in Sapporo, Japan, and was
thereafter reported primarily among young children.
The MDH lab does not routinely test for sapovirus. A
study conducted by the Oregon Public Health Division
and MDH found that sapovirus and norovirus outbreaks
are clinically and epidemiologically similar enough to be
indistinguishable without lab testing. In the study, fecal
samples from 93 norovirus-negative GI illness outbreaks
were tested. Twenty-one of these outbreaks were
caused by sapovirus. A conclusion from this study was
that future investigations of GI illness outbreaks that look
like viral gastroenteritis should include testing for
sapovirus.
In the two sapovirus outbreaks in Minnesota in 2012, the
number of cases reporting fever was greater than the
number reporting vomiting, which is inconsistent with the
clinical definition of a norovirus outbreak.
What do you think caused these illnesses?
Our data, together with a recent study in Canada,
demonstrate that sapovirus has been circulating among
the institutionalized elderly since at least 2002 and that
sapovirus outbreaks increased in 2007 as part of a
worldwide surge in GI illness outbreaks.
Looking Deeper
Food items prepared for the banquet by the caterer
included roast beef, baked chicken, au gratin potatoes,
Italian pasta salad, vegetable tray, cheese tray, buns,
chocolate-covered strawberries,
coffee, water, and soda. No food
items were significantly associated
with illness. However, consuming
baked chicken had an elevated odds
ratio.
Sapovirus outbreaks have the same seasonal
distribution (winter peak) as norovirus outbreaks.
Read the article, Sapovirus Outbreaks in Long-Term
Care Facilities, Oregon and Minnesota published online
at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/5/111843_article.htm.
No food workers reported having had GI illness in the
two weeks prior to or on April 27, 2012.
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Tip of the Quarter
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Cleaning Orders for Food-Contact and Non-FoodContact Surfaces
The objective of cleaning food-contact surfaces focuses
on the need to remove organic matter so that
sanitization can occur. Cleaning non-food-contact
surfaces removes soil and prevents accumulation of
pathogenic microorganisms and attraction of insects and
rodents.
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Food Code Requirements
The following are
examples of nonfood-contact
surfaces:
Risks posed by dirty food-contact surfaces vary from
those for non-food-contact surfaces, and the proper food
code citations vary as well. Sanitarians must use
judgment when evaluating equipment during an
inspection. To help determine the proper citation, answer
these questions:
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What type of equipment?
Where is equipment located?
Is equipment in use?
Is equipment stored?
Take care to match the particulars of conditions
observed during the inspection with the applicable
language in the cited sections of Minnesota food code.
What is a Food-Contact Surface?
The following are examples of food-contact surfaces:
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Dough sheeter (rollers)
Beverage dispenser nozzles
Stainless steel work tables
Food prep sinks (RTE foods / produce)
Cold well pans
Reach-in cooler surfaces & shelving
Steam table pans
Countertop of a
work top cooler
Panini grill
cooking surface
Meat slicer
Can opener blade
Cutting boards
Mixer: bowl, beaters, undercarriage of stand
Interior of ice machines
Pizza oven tray
Iced tea brewer or dispenser
Grills, griddles
Interior surfaces & gaskets of rice cookers
Coffee pot
French fry cutter
Tomato cutter
Mandolin slicer
Inside of microwave
Can opener base
Equipment door gaskets
Equipment door handles
Mixer: the stand (except for the undercarriage)
Dough sheeter (the stand)
Dry storage shelving
Walk-in cooler/freezer surfaces
Walk-in cooler/freezer shelving
Exterior surface of a fryer
Interior surfaces of ovens, broilers
Range burners
Equipment legs, casters
Utility lines
Dishmachines
Reach-in cooler surfaces & shelving
A Note on Reach-In Coolers
For reach-in coolers, use your judgment to determine
whether there is a public health risk involved. If the
cooler is holding packaged, covered food, it is unlikely
that food will come into contact with cooler surfaces or
condensate dripping from surfaces. In this case, shelving
and interior surfaces of reach-in coolers may be
considered non-food contact surfaces. However, if it is a
chef’s working cooler, a refrigerated drawer unit where
the food is a working supply, or a display cooler wherein
the food is likely uncovered, the interior surfaces may be
considered food-contact-surfaces.
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Food Code Revision: Six Stakeholder
Meetings Held, Additional Meetings
Planned
at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/code/2009revisi
on/draftprule/index.html. The chapters will be updated
periodically, so you should check back often.
If you want to comment (request a change or addition or
ask a question) on the proposed updates, please use the
comment form on that Web page.
Minnesota is currently in the
process of revising the Minnesota
food code, Minnesota Rules,
chapter 4626. Opportunities are
provided throughout the process
for stakeholders to provide input.
Additional stakeholder informational meetings will be
scheduled in Winona and St Cloud. If you would like a
meeting in your area, please contact Linda Prail, Rule
Coordinator, FPLS, EH, MDH at
either [email protected] or 651-201-5792. Any
questions about the food code updates can be directed
to Linda.
MDH and MDA staff presented information on proposed
updates to the Minnesota food code at six recent
stakeholder informational meetings. The meetings were
held in Minnetonka, Maplewood, Mankato, Duluth,
Fergus Falls and Minneapolis. Anyone affected by or
interested in the proposed updates were invited to
attend. Approximately 200 people attended the
meetings.
Staff presented information about the rulemaking
process and key proposed updates to each chapter of
the code. Some of these updates include:
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Minnesota Food Charter
Removing the nail brush requirement from the
basic handwashing procedures.
Adding requirements for non-continuous
cooking of raw animal food.
Decreasing the hot holding temperature from
140 degrees F to 135 degrees F.
Adding a consumer advisory requirement for
animal foods that are raw, undercooked or not
otherwise processed to eliminate pathogens.
Prohibiting the use of three compartment sinks
and food preparation sinks as dump sinks.
The Minnesota Food Charter is a statewide initiative
funded by the Minnesota Department of Health. This
past year, a public engagement process of more than
2,000 people generated invaluable feedback about
barriers and strategies around healthy food access for
Minnesotans. This input, combined with evidence-based
best practices, will result in the Food Charter document,
which will spell out Minnesota’s principles and priorities
about food. The document also will shape food-related
policies and practices that will improve access to healthy
food for all.
The Minnesota Food Charter MindMixer site
(http://mnfoodcharter.mindmixer.com/) will provide
healthy food advocates in Minnesota with an opportunity
to interact and have productive, collaborative
conversations about healthy food access. This Webbased platform will be used through January 31, 2014, to
share what people said about healthy food access
during the public input phase of the Minnesota Food
Charter and ask residents throughout the state to help
prioritize strategies that will strengthen our access to
affordable, healthy food for all.
The entire PowerPoint presentation can be found on the
MDH website
at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/code/2009revisi
on/stkhldrmtgppt.pdf. Some of the items discussed at the
meetings were ventilation requirements, reduced oxygen
packaging and sampling at farmer’s markets. A
“Frequently Asked Questions” section will be added to
the website after January 1, 2014.
The Departments are proposing many more updates to
the code than are included in the presentation. Draft
proposed chapters can be reviewed
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Emergency Contact
Participants in the Minnesota Food Charter MindMixer
site will respond to questions, interact with each other,
and generate additional feedback from Minnesotans
about systems and policies that can create better access
to healthy food in our state. The interaction coming from
this 10-week engagement process will be compiled and
used to help shape the content and priorities of an
effective Food Charter document.
Food business owners can help ensure timely receipt of
emergency information by providing an accurate
emergency contact name and phone number.
Remember, natural disasters and other emergencies
don’t wait for your business to open, so provide a phone
number that will be answered 24/7.
To update the emergency
contact information for your
business, contact your local
sanitarian or email Namik
at [email protected].
Include the following
information:
Please sign up for
MindMixer, keep visiting
and sharing your great
ideas, and encourage
your peers and
interested stakeholders
to do the same! We
have helpful talking points available to promote
participation in MindMixer, as well as a robust outreach
effort through Facebook and electronic communications.
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Minnesota Duty Officer
Emergency Management
Be Prepared!
During emergencies, public health protection
depends—in part—on quick and accurate
communication between government,
businesses and the public. Working together,
we can respond to challenging situations
effectively, minimizing the public health impacts
arising from natural disasters, power outages,
and food product recalls.
Establishment name and complete address
License number
Emergency contact name
Emergency contact phone number
The Minnesota Duty Officer Program provides a single
answering point for local and state agencies to request
state-level assistance for
emergencies, serious accidents or
Contact the Duty Officer
incidents, or for reporting hazardous
Weekdays: (651) 649-5451
materials and petroleum spills. The
Toll-Free: 1-800-422-0798
duty officer is available 24 hours per
day, seven days per week.
Fax: (651) 296-2300
Notification System
Emergency Preparedness Resources
MDH Food, Pools, and Lodging Services Section (FPLS)
and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Dairy
and Food Inspection Division (DFID) use an automated
call-out system to notify food establishment operators of
wide-spread, time-sensitive food safety concerns.
Being prepared for emergencies starts with educating
yourself and your employees.
You can access resources to help your business prepare
for and cope during emergencies at the MDH
website: www.health.state.mn.us/foodsafety/emergency/
. Fact sheets specific to food businesses are located on
the FPLS Web page
(www.health.state.mn.us/foodsafety/emergency/) and
include:
If your business might be affected by an emergency, you
could receive a call notifying you of the situation and
where to turn for more information.
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Safe Operation of a Food Establishment
Food Safety During Power Outages in Food
Establishments
Food Safety After a Fire
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Control Measures
Food Safety Guidelines for Onsite Feeding
Locations, Food Shelves and Food Banks
Testing Positive for E. coli/fecal Coliform
Bacteria
Testing Positive for Total Coliform Bacteria
Growers and producers can implement several tools to
best control the risk of mold and patulin contamination of
fruit, juice and cider.
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) include:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
has training modules available
at www.fema.gov/training.
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CDC has resources and information about hygiene and
handwashing during water-related emergencies and
outbreaks
at: www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/hygiene/index.
html.
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Good hygienic practices by field workers.
Using only tree-picked fruit.
Using clean containers to harvest and transport
apples.
Proper chemical use.
Follow applicable state and federal laws, including:
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Patulin: A Mycotoxin Found in Apples
Background
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Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by fungi commonly
found on apples. Certain species of Penicillium,
Aspergillus and Byssochylamys molds all produce
patulin when growing on fruit, grains, and cheese.
Higher levels of the mycotoxin are found in rotting,
moldy, or fallen apples, and in improperly stored apples.
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Food Safety Concerns
Minnesota Rules, chapter 4626 (retail food
code) contains provisions applicable to retail
processors of juice and cider.
21 CFR Part 110 contains Good Manufacturing
Practices (GMPs) applicable to wholesale
processors of juice and cider.
21 CFR Part 120 contains Juice Hazard Analysis
and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
requirements applicable to wholesale
processors of juice and cider.
Pasteurization Pros and Cons
Based on adverse effects due to patulin in animal
studies, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
believes that humans may be at risk of harm at
some level of exposure to patulin. While
not confirmed, it is possible that
patulin may be carcinogenic in
humans if there is a high level of
exposure over a long period of
time. FDA has established an
action level of 50 parts per billion
(ppb). The FDA action level is the
level at which FDA would consider
taking legal action against apple juice
products bearing patulin under Section 402(a)(1) of the
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act. Apple juice
containing more than 50 ppb patulin would be
considered “adulterated,” because it contains a
poisonous or deleterious substance which may render it
injurious to health.
While pasteurization or ultraviolet (UV) treatment of juice
and cider products will control for pathogenic bacteria
such as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Listeria
monocytogenes, and the protozoan parasite
Cryptosporidium parvum, it is not an
effective treatment for patulin
contamination.
Both retail and wholesale producers of
juice and cider can control the risk of
patulin in their product by:
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Using only tree-picked fruit.
Culling and sorting apples.
Refrigerating fruit at 41F or below.
Monitoring fruit for core rot.
In the News
work that real-life Disease Detectives do every day to
keep us safe.
Food Safety on Twitter
As soon as a new outbreak is suspected, you race to the
scene and need to figure out what’s happening, why,
how it started, and how it’s spread. Act fast and you can
save a whole town, or a state, or even a country. Come
up with the wrong answers and, well… You can always
try again!
On Friday, October
18, 2013, the Food
and Drug
Administration
(FDA) launched a
new Twitter
account called
@FDAfood. The
@FDAfood
account is open to
all Twitter users and FDA plans to use Twitter’s free
social network on a regular basis to keep consumers,
industry, and state and local government officials up-todate by tweeting the latest news and information on the
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), food, nutrition,
food additives, and dietary supplements.
And if you haven’t tried the app yet, now’s the perfect
time to get started! Scientists and experts from across
CDC have put their expertise and know-how into a
realistic, exciting app that turns your iPad into its own
version of CSI.
Download the free app today!
USDA Helps Schools Buy Local
To sign up for this new Twitter account, go
to www.twitter.com/fdafood.
On November 18, 2013,
USDA announced grants
for 71 projects spanning
42 states and the District
of Columbia that support
the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's (USDA)
efforts to connect school cafeterias with local farmers
and ranchers through its Farm to School program. "In
rural and urban communities across the country, Farm to
School programs teach students where food comes
from, while providing healthy foods that are grown locally
on farms and ranches across the nation," said
Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack.
Minnesota Department of Health is the state’s lead
public health agency, responsible for protecting,
maintaining and improving the health of all Minnesotans.
Follow MDH (@mnhealth) on Twitter by signing up
at https://twitter.com/mnhealth. MDH is also on
Facebook.
MDH tweets, re-tweets and posts about:
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Public comment and grant announcements
Consumer-related health promotion topics
Public health alerts
News reports, newsletters and other
publications
Announcements made through GovDelivery
New or updated Web pages
Other public health related topics
Selected projects will serve more than 13,000 schools
and 2.8 million students, nearly 45 percent of whom live
in rural communities. Two grants were awarded in
Minnesota.
Independent School District 197, Mendota Heights, MN
Grant Type: Planning; $20,693
Independent School District 197 will implement a farm to
school program in order to establish the capacity within
the district to increase the procurement of local foods
used in our breakfast, lunch, and afterschool meal
programs.
Solve the Outbreak
Whether you’re a teen considering a career in the
sciences, a teacher looking for a great
new way to show epidemiology at work,
or a germ nerd of any age, Solve the
Outbreak is a fascinating peek into the
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The focus of the activities will include:
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populate the database of farmers who supply school
districts, making it easier for other districts to source
locally even after this project comes to a close.
Requested grant funds are matched with staff time from
seasoned professionals who have a wealth of farm to
school experience and connections with schools as well
as farmers.
Establishing a planning
committee comprised
of school and
community members.
Researching and
establishing
relationships with
local farmers,
ranchers, and
distributors necessary
to establishing supply partners.
Participating in trainings aimed at increasing
our knowledge and confidence in coordinating a
farm to school activities.
Creating a farm to school implementation plan.
FSIS Food Defense, Recall Preparedness ScenarioBased Exercise Tool
This scenario-based tool highlights the importance of
having a voluntary functional food-defense plan and
written recall procedures. The tool identifies key
components of a food-defense plan and recall
procedures that are relevant to an organizations’
business. The exercise is designed to be completed
within an hour’s time.
The tool is available for free download
at www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/fooddefense-defense-and-emergency-response. It is also
located in FSIS’ Guidance Documents
at www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/fooddefense-and-emergency-response/preparation-andprevention/guidance-documents.
These activities will allow this school district to bridge
healthy food and nutrition efforts with the greater context
of the food system and educate students on this
connection.
FSIS is hosting webinars for industry to explain the
purpose of the tool and demonstrate how to use it on:
Minnesota Department of Agriculture, St. Paul, MN
Grant Type: Support Service; $90,761
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This project leverages the experience and expertise of
two well established programs within the Minnesota
Department of Agriculture: the Minnesota Grown
Program and the Minnesota Ag in the Classroom
Program. By doing so, MDA will create linkages between
classrooms, school gardens, cafeterias.
Thursday, January 9, 2014, at 2 p.m. ET
Wednesday, February 19, 2014, 10 a.m. ET
March 2014 (TBA)
Participants can register for the webinars
at https://webtraining.rti.org/fsis.
Questions regarding the tool and webinars can be
directed to [email protected].
Project funds will allow MDA to hire an employee to
assist schools in implementing the new Minnesota
School Garden Guide and the Farm to School Youth
Leadership Curriculum, and work one on one to match
school foodservice districts with local farmers who can
meet their requests for specific products.
Conference for Food Protection Issue
Submission
What is the Conference for Food Protection?
The tie to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s
existing programs ensures that the work of this project
will be sustained into the future. For example, the work
of matching foodservice staff with farmers will further
Though federal, state, and local governments are
primarily responsible for setting food safety standards,
many other organizations share a stake in carrying out
enforcement of the standards. The Conference for Food
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Protection (CFP) brings together representatives from
the food industry, government, academia, and consumer
organizations to identify and address emerging problems
of food safety and to formulate recommendations. The
Conference seeks to balance the interests of regulatory
and industry people while providing an open forum for
the consideration of ideas from any source. The
Conference meets at least biennially to provide this
forum.
Meetings are tentatively scheduled for:
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•
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Issue Submission and Discussion
April 10; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; OLF B362 –
Council 1
April 16; :00 a.m. to Noon; OLF B361 – Council 2
April 22; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; OLF B362 –
Council 3
April 28; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; OLF B149 –
remaining issues (only if needed)
Check the April edition of the Newsletter for more
information regarding conference call-in numbers and
links to the CFP Issues Web page.
The 2014 CFP will be held May 1 through 7 in Orlando,
Florida. Anyone with an interest in food safety and
related regulation may submit an issue for consideration.
Issue submission is open January 6 through 24, 2014.
You MUST use the process, checklist, and forms from
the CFP website when preparing your issue submission.
We expect that submitted issues will be posted to the
CFP website in early April.
For More Information
Instructions for issue submission can be found
at: www.foodprotect.org/about/issue-submission/.
More information about the Conference and how to
register can be found at: www.foodprotect.org/biennialmeeting/.
MDH and MDA will host a series of meetings to discuss
the issues. Interested persons may attend in person at
the Freeman Building or via telephone conference call.
Partnership and Workforce Development Unit Staff Contact Information
Angie Cyr, acting PWDU supervisor
[email protected]
651-201-4843
Kim Carlton, training, program evaluation, standardization
[email protected]
651-201-4511
Nicole Koktavy, epidemiologist, EHS-Net coordinator
[email protected]
651-201-4075
Sarah Leach, newsletter, communication, education
[email protected]
651-201-4509
Michelle Messer, training, program evaluation, standardization
[email protected]
651 201-3657
Jennifer Rief, administrative support
[email protected]
651-201-4508
Denise Schumacher, web, communication, education
[email protected]
507-537-7162
Jim Topie, training, program evaluation, standardization
[email protected]
218-302-6154
Division of Environmental Health
Food, Pools, and Lodging Services Section
P. O. Box 64975
St. Paul MN, 55164-0975
651-201-4500 or 1-888-345-0823
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