The Power and the Value of Inspections | Episode 62
Francine Shaw, CP-FS, FMP
CEO @ Savvy Food Safety l Co-Host @ "Don’t Eat Poop" Podcast ??? l Food Safety Expert ?? l Advisor-Consultant ????♀? l Published Author ?? l Keynote Speaker ?? l ? Goddess of Food Safety ?????
In episode 62 of Don't Eat POOP! A Food Safety Podcast , Matt Regusci and I are talking about the very concerning fact that the FDA is considering cutting funding for state food inspection programs, which is how a big part of the country’s inspections happen. As usual, food safety is not being prioritized by the government, in fact, it’s being put last.
Tune in as Matt and I try to understand why this budget cut involved inspections and audits and as we contemplate the possible (and scary) consequences of getting rid of these inspection programs by removing their funds.
You will also hear a story from my book ‘Who Watches the Kitchen?’ . It is truly one of the craziest things that’s ever happened to me while I was doing an inspection, and trust me there have been many.
In this episode:
A Signal to the Industry
When the FDA chooses to cut funding for state food inspection programs, they may not be thinking this, but it certainly gives the idea to the industry that the FDA does not see value in audits and inspections.
And if that's the case, it leaves us with questions such as these: Is that where the industry is going? And if that is where the industry is going, what is going to backfill or replace the audits and inspections??
What about you? I’d love to hear from you too. Do you also see this as a signal the FDA is sending the industry? If so, where do you think we go from here? Drop your opinion in the comments and let me know.
The Value of Audits and Inspections
Regardless of what this move by the FDA means, the fact remains that audits and inspections are indeed very valuable.
To better understand that let’s talk about outbreaks.
A couple of episodes back we raised the question “Where will the next major food safety crisis come from?” Well, in 2024, we’ve had one multi-state outbreak per month so far. We’re also constantly reminded that low risk doesn't mean no risk. For example, who would’ve thought that infant formula which is considered to be low risk would be killing babies because of a bacteria?
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It turns out that we can’t actually predict where the next big outbreak is going to come from, but we can catch the problem before it breaks out with proper audits and inspections.
One example of this is if they had properly tested the cinnamon used in the WanaBana applesauce pouches hundreds of children wouldn’t have gotten lead poisoning. (For more on this case, listen to Episode 51: Stanley Cups vs. Cinnamon Applesauce: Which Is More Likely To Give You Lead Poisoning? )
Sometimes, it’s that independent third-party auditor or inspector that will come into the facility, and by bringing in their fresh perspective they will finally be able to identify some issue or danger that’s been there for a while but had gone unnoticed by those who were there every day.
When conducted properly, audits and inspections also guarantee that the food safety standards are being followed.
For example, in today’s episode, Francine mentioned walking into a walk-in freezer while inspecting a restaurant and coming face to face with little animal legs strewn all over the floor. Later, she identified them to be baby goat legs and that they were not only not properly stored, but they were also in fact not USDA-approved. The problem here is that previous inspections had not been done correctly and the restaurant thought it was okay to continue disregarding procedures that would make sure the food they produce is safe.
In all these cases, a properly conducted audit or inspection can make a world of difference and, most importantly, save lives.
That’s why audits and inspections have got to be done. We've got to find a way to do them regardless of what happens with the funding and I hope that we do.
We'd love to hear from you!
Connect with Francine , Matt , and the "Don't Eat Poop! " podcast on LinkedIn!?
Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.
?? Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon !
#FoodSafety #Food #FoodSafetyAndHygiene #AuditsAndInspection #SaveLives
Experienced Sales Manager Specialising in Organic Baby Food & Smoothies | Driving International Growth & Partnerships
6 个月It's alarming that the FDA is considering cutting funding for food inspection programs. Your podcast sounds intense and informative. #FoodSafety
Food Safety & Quality Assurance Manager, bp US Convenience
6 个月"The Food and Drug Administration is being forced to reduce its 2025 financial assistance to state/local food safety inspection programs because the agency can no longer rely on carryover funding to bolster annual appropriations, Commissioner Robert Califf said Thursday, April 18th. During a hearing of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, Rep.?Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., told Califf he had heard “troubling rumors” that the agency plans to cut almost $34 million in funding to state and local safety inspection programs next year. Bishop, the subcommittee's top Democrat, questioned why the agency would do this given gradual increases to its budget authority.? “State and local inspectors are FDA’s right hand when it comes to inspections, and they conducted nearly 5,700 inspections in 2023, at a very modest cost,” Bishop told Califf." - AgriPulse News Modest cost? $34M/5,700 = $5,965 per inspection! ??State/local programs receiving these funds have limited jurisdiction (and therefore limited travel) so...this average cost-per-inspection seems absurd when compared to corresponding annual licensing fees (which in theory are supposed to cover licensing/inspection program costs). Just sayin'. ??