A32-Umcastef Farming, Saturday, May 27, 2000 Cider Workshop Updates Producers On Safe Processing Methods, Pending Regulations GENEVA, N.Y. When food scientists at Cornell Uni versity’s New York State (NYS) Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva planned a workshop on “Approved Processing Op tions for Safe Apple Cider Pro duction” Feb. 17, they thought low attendance might be a prob lem. As it turned out, Randy Worobo and Olga Padilla- Zakour had to extend the work shop a second day to accommodate the nearly 70 pro ducers who signed up. “The workshop was intended to be a hands-on demonstration of proper sanitation steps at each point in the apple cider production as well as the differ ent processing options currently available to cider marketers to ensure a safe and wholesome product,” said Worobo, who helped test the re cently approved ultra violet light processing method. “The goal was to inform produc ers of proven and/or approved methods for safe cider production and FDA proposals that might affect their industry,” Joe Corby, director of food safety and in spection at the New York State Depart ment of Ag and Mar kets, opened the workshop with an overview on new regu latory initiatives. He noted that many re tailers are reluctant or unwilling to buy fresh fruits and vegetables directly from growers without some kind of official inspection that certifies quality and safety. In response to this concern, a Na tional Food Safety System is in the plan ning stages. Under the plan, state agencies will coordinate their inspection efforts with the FDA to allow greater coverage and minimize duplication. Most food inspec tion occurs at the state and local levels. NYS Ag & Markets has a staff of 80-90 inspec tors covering approxi mately 30,000 establishments. Last year they conducted 200 inspections of cider facilities, licens ing 182. After outlin ing the deficiencies inspectors encoun tered, Corby indicated that the cider industry has done a good job of policing itself and up grading its sanitation. The most common critical deficiency was cooper contamination introduced by brass fittings on equipment. Although the FDA has m 2-Day Reined m H _ ~ , M m Cow Horse ►< H Clinic M m June 30, July 1 M M M Frederick, MD K f<l3ol-698-098*] [< banned the use of brass fittings, NYS has adopted a wait-and-see attitude until re search findings verify a need for stricter regulations. Because consumers prefer the taste of unpasteurized juice, many producers were curious whether the FDA had approved ultraviolet exposure as a safe al ternative to pasteurization. Al though UV treatment does alter the taste of the cider a bit, many consider it preferable to heat treatments, which can dramatic ally affect taste. In the absence of an FDA ruling, New York has recognized that UV-treated cider satisfies the 5-log reduc tion requirement, which means cider so processed can be sold without the warning label advis ing consumers of the potential risks associated with consuming cider that has not undergone some kind of microbial treat ment. Corby, also briefed the group on the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system (HACCP). In the near future, all cider pro ducers will likely be required to submit a HACCP plan that out lines the steps they take to moni tor, document, and verify the safety of their cider-production process. Corby predicts that ail food products will have a HACCP protocol. Ag & Markets is eager to help producers de velop a HACCP plan. He also emphasized the important role that producers play in keeping food safe. “The government isn’t going to improve food safety by itself,” he said. Padilla-Zakour and Worobo provided a hands-on demonstra tion of cider-production in the Fruit and Vegetable Processing Pilot Plant, highlighting the crit- ical points and proper sanitation cider evaluation and documen methods at every step of the pro- tation procedures. cess. In the afternoon, they dem- During lunch, Shelley Page, onstrated various processing of the New York Apple Associa options to achieve the mandated tion, led a discussion on the 5-log reduction, the role of merits of forming a cider pro preservatives, bottling, and stor- ducers’ guild in New York State, age recommendations, as well as
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