Medium-impact Milk quality and safety

Plainview serves as a wake-up call

Ford Motor Co. made “Quality is Job 1” a household slogan in the 1980s, but it could apply to the dairy business just the same. Quality and safety form the backbone of the consumer’s trust in dairy products.

That’s why it was troubling when Plainview Milk Products Cooperative, based in Plainview, Minnesota, in June announced a voluntary recall of dry dairy ingredients made over a two-year period due to potential salmonella contamination. Because those ingredients were used in processed foods, the company advised its customers to recall any products made with the affected ingredients as well.

The incident resulted in about 30 recalls of nearly 300 products, ranging from hot chocolate and instant oatmeal to popcorn topping. Fortunately, no illnesses were reported, and salmonella was never found in product from the plant. The recall was precautionary, and the company has worked with regulators in the months following the recall to address plant infrastructure issues that may have compromised food safety.

Although the product recalls generated media coverage over a month-long period, consumer awareness remained low and dairy demand was not impacted. Nevertheless, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program, put its crisis plan into action.

The joint industry crisis communications team (DMI, U.S. Dairy Export Council, National Milk Producers Federation, International Dairy Foods Association and Milk Processor Education Program) issued an alert to key audiences with a situation overview and key messages. It also identified industry and third-party spokespeople, and monitored food industry concerns through the dairy ingredients technical hotline. The team monitored media coverage and online conversation to track developments and gauge consumer reaction. And it ramped up www.dairyresponse.com and other crisis response tools in case the situation escalated.

This year, DMI developed a Crisis Preparedness Toolkit for dairy processors, which gives them everything they need to develop customized crisis communications plans. DMI is also conducting a series of crisis simulation drills with co-ops and processors around the country to help them respond effectively in the event of a food safety compromise.

More broadly, the Plainview incident raises questions about the U.S. food safety and traceability system. To address this, DMI is cultivating support for an enhanced dairy traceability system that would more efficiently identify implicated ingredients in the food chain. An 80-page “Quality, Safety, Traceability” roadmap has been circulated among industry partners for their input and consideration. PD

Should I respond?

Yes. You can help reassure the public that pasteurized milk and dairy foods are safe. Remind consumers that food quality and safety is a top priority of U.S. dairy producers. Tell them how your dairy operation contributes to this.

• Milk and dairy foods undergo extensive testing before they reach the grocery store.

• Milking machines deliver milk directly from the cows to a refrigerated holding tank to preserve freshness and safety. The milk is then quickly transported to processing plants for continued freshness and safety.

• Since its introduction over a century ago, pasteurization has been recognized around the world as an essential tool for ensuring that milk and dairy products are safe.

• U.S. dairy farms and plants must meet stringent federal and local regulations, including those developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state regulatory agencies.

The dairy plants we ship to also take quality and safety very seriously.

• Ingredient safety and quality testing protocols in the plant include an integrated and multi-layered system of checks and balances starting with plant certification and inspections by the USDA and the FDA and adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems that complement the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO).

• The PMO is a set of requirements for milk production, milk hauling, pasteurization, product safety, equipment sanitation and labeling.

• Milk is routinely sampled and tested at the plant by state regulatory authorities according to stringent procedures outlined in the PMO. Government regulators monitor PMO compliance by the dairy industry on a nationwide basis.

Related resources

The dairy checkoff’s Dairy Response Center:
www.dairyresponse.com

Dairy Farming Today quality and safety information page:
www.dairyfarmingtoday.org/DairyFarmingToday/Quality-And-Safety/Farm-To-Fridge/

National Dairy Council’s Food Safety Fact Sheet:
www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NationalDairyCouncil/Nutrition/Safety/foodSafetyfactsheet.htm

FDA’s Plainview Recall Information:
www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/MajorProductRecalls/Milk

FDA’s Milk Safety References:
www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/MilkSafety

Test your answer

What measures do you take to prevent salmonella and ensure milk quality and safety?

ANSWER: Good nutrition, housing and overall cow comfort are critical to helping prevent salmonella on my farm. We also implement careful day-to-day sanitation and biosecurity protocols.

To help ensure milk quality and safety on my farm, milking equipment is thoroughly cleaned before and after each use to preserve a sanitary environment. We also [insert specific practices on your farm, such as providing clean water for washing the animals before milking, keeping our milking shed clean and free of contaminants, and properly chilling the milk, etc.