December is a time to look back on the year and reflect on both accomplishments and disappointments. As the end of the year approaches, we switch mindsets to look forward to the year to come. I would like to take a moment to reflect on some of the Food Safety events of 2022 and look forward to how these events can shape our upcoming year. Please add your thoughts about what was important to you from a food safety perspective.

First and foremost, the foodborne pathogen of the year award goes to Salmonella! It was the focus of the government and industry and drove academic research. The FSIS announcement of Salmonella as an adulterant in raw, stuffed, ready-to-eat chicken breasts this summer by FSIS came with a lack of defining parameters leaving room for much speculation and uncertainty. As we all know, there was a public meeting on Salmonella that was held by the FSIS which opened up discussions about the data gaps, along with the challenges that need to be addressed to move forward on this topic. Looking ahead, I see both the industry and academia investing in research to fill the gaps needed to make informed decisions that will have a public health impact. ’ll end this on a positive note, saying that I have seen great strides across all platforms in addressing this pathogen and look forward to the impact this will have in the years to come.

Another issue that continues to be a struggle is the supply chain and the impact on both food safety and food security. Residual shortages from the pandemic continue to be an issue for our industry, whether it be for packaging supplies, antimicrobial interventions or ingredients (among other things). Highly pathogenic avian influenza has impacted the poultry supply chain, and we look forward to this being contained and alleviated. Labor continues to be an issue for the industry, but this year I have seen movement towards automation that is exciting and can hopefully help move things forward in a positive way in the future. Government investment in workforce development programs through grant funding also show promise in training and providing us with strong workforce. Our industry is resilient, and I think in 2023 we will continue to overcome the supply chain issues that we face.

On the regulatory side, we have had to pivot to a the new “Appendix A and B” for our cooking and stabilization parameters, which I view as an extremely positive development. While there are still data gaps, we know where we need to go to fill those and need to invest resources to get that done! The data gaps impact the small processor the greatest, and I hope that industry and government funding opportunities will keep this in mind as we want to have diversity in our food processing systems.

Finally, I’ll end the blog with what I perceive to be the greatest tragedy of 2022 in terms of food safety for the meat and poultry industry, and that is a lack of final senate confirmation for Emilio Esteban as Under Secretary for Food Safety at FSIS. This is a critical position to have filled in order to have a strong voice for food safety with Congress, as well as within the Executive Branch and with other agencies. Dr. Esteban is an outstanding scientist with a clear record to move forward for confirmation. It is unfortunate that the politics get in the way of his confirmation. I genuinely hope this can be done by the end of the year. If it’s not, then the entire process starts over with a new senate and literally he will have to be re-nominated and go through everything again. I know from first-hand experience how frustrating and exhausting this process is. Hang in there, Emilio! We are cheering for you!

Again, please post your thoughts and comments on looking back and forward. It has been a pleasure blogging with you this year, and I look forward to the year to come. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Looking back and looking ahead

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