10/18/2017 International Debate on Regulatory International Debate on Regulatory Status Status Citizens petition to change US Two additional arguments against zero regulations tolerance -Argument:If Listeria..... 1.FDA has legal authority based on sound science 1.cannot grow in the food -incidence of listeriosis in 2.is not held at temperatures that Europe with a low tolerance is support its growth the same as that in the US 3.has a low probability of making 2.International trade requires someone sick harmony with microbial specifics 4.then there is no justification for -Preventing the import of food zero tolerance based on tolerance is not legal Human Carriers Foodborne Outbreaks First demonstrated outbreak Listeria monocytogenes is identified in in 1981 in Nova Scotia feces of 6%of healthy people with no ·6-month period symptoms Coleslaw was implicated 21%of patients with listeriosis had >104 cabbage fertilized with manure from sheep bacteria per gram of feces suspected to have meningitis The same strain was shed by 18%of cabbage was stored over the winter and housemates of a patient spring in an unheated shed Fecal carriers amplify outbreaks cold provided a growth advantage for Lm through secondary transmission 34 pregnant women,7 non-pregnant adults Lm isolated from unopened coleslaw packages10/18/2017 9 International Debate on Regulatory Status • Citizens petition to change US regulations - Argument: If Listeria …… 1. cannot grow in the food 2. is not held at temperatures that support its growth 3. has a low probability of making someone sick 4. then there is no justification for zero tolerance International Debate on Regulatory Status • Two additional arguments against zero tolerance 1. FDA has legal authority based on sound science - incidence of listeriosis in Europe with a low tolerance is the same as that in the US 2. International trade requires harmony with microbial specifics - Preventing the import of food based on tolerance is not legal Human Carriers • Listeria monocytogenes is identified in feces of 6% of healthy people with no symptoms • 21% of patients with listeriosis had >104 bacteria per gram of feces • The same strain was shed by 18% of housemates of a patient • Fecal carriers amplify outbreaks through secondary transmission Foodborne Outbreaks First demonstrated outbreak in 1981 in Nova Scotia • 6-month period • Coleslaw was implicated - cabbage fertilized with manure from sheep suspected to have meningitis - cabbage was stored over the winter and spring in an unheated shed - cold provided a growth advantage for Lm • 34 pregnant women, 7 non-pregnant adults • Lm isolated from unopened coleslaw packages