The Industry testing program: Rebooted!
Written By: Dr Jenny Ekman
TESTING TO PROVE, OR TESTING TO IMPROVE?
Among the seemingly endless list of compliance requirements that all fresh produce businesses face, verification testing is often questioned from both a cost and value perspective. “Why do we have to test” is a common question, and for most, the answer would be “because our customers say we have to”. While the answer is not wrong, the driver for compliance is misguided.
Anyone in the business of growing and supplying food to consumers understands that consumers trust the food they buy is safe and rely on the integrity of both process and product.
The seemingly endless range of testing for heavy metals, chemical residues and microbial contamination won’t itself make the product safer. However, it will provide assurance and surety that the processes followed deliver a product that is free from residues and safe to eat, factors that are critically important at a business, industry and ultimately customer level.
The Testing Program
For some years now, the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association (AMGA) has organised competitively priced testing of fresh mushrooms and inputs (water, compost) for members. The testing commenced in the early 2000s, with the program including all the microbial, chemical residue and heavy metal tests required by food safety certification programs.
As well as providing keen pricing, the advantage of using the industry program is that all test results are reviewed and reported back accompanied by an explanation of what they mean. In other words, whether any of the results raised concerns and what should happen next if they did.
The de-identified results gathered through the program over the last 15 years are also a valuable resource for the industry as a whole. For example, from 186 tests of fresh mushrooms in the previous five years, there has been only a single detection of E. coli (which was <100 CFU/g), no detections of Salmonella spp. and no detections of Listeria monocytogenes.
Such data provides objective, defensible evidence that growers are following good practices and mushrooms are safe to eat.
Until now, the on-request testing procedure was that growers downloaded a form from the AMGA website, filled it in and sent it back to the Association. A request would then be made for a test kit to be sent to the grower from the lab. The grower took the samples, filled in the analysis request form, and returned it to the lab for testing. While this has worked well enough, it certainly added unnecessary steps in the process, an extra layer of complexity and, therefore, an opportunity for error.
Now, with the support of levy-funded project MU20000 - Extension and Adoption for Food Safety, Quality and Risk Management, every mushroom business can conduct one full suite of chemical and microbial tests each year – for FREE.
The testing on fresh mushrooms includes chemical residues (CR006), heavy metals (ESM-02) and microbial contamination (E. coli, Salmonella spp and L. monocytogenes). The program also includes a water test for E. coli (CFU/100ml).
This industry-wide service is designed to encourage verification testing to support individual businesses. It will also strengthen the pool of de-identified test data available, helping identify and manage potential risks.
The Process
Simply email your request to the Food Safety (FS) project team, and the kit will arrive in the mail accompanied by instructions, a pre-filled analysis request form and a return pre-paid satchel.
This new system also means that absolute confidentiality is ensured regarding the results. Only the FS project team will know which grower code links to which individual farm.
Again, results will be accompanied by an interpretation of what they mean. For efficiency, testing through this program will be available three times a year. The first round of free testing will commence at the start of April. The following testing rounds will be in August and December.
Email Dr Jenny Ekman to receive your FREE chemical, microbial and heavy metal test kit, helping the industry demonstrate the high standards of Australian mushrooms and providing you with the data you need for an audit.
The current testing program arrangements will continue for those businesses who need to test other inputs or test more frequently. This will now follow the new and improved administrative process.
An updated cost schedule will be available on request.
Lessons from chemical and heavy metal testing
Just like forensic investigators on TV, chemical residue or heavy metal test results can provide vital information on inputs such as compost and compost ingredients, supplements and chemicals.
When residues are detected, they are usually well below the maximum residue level (MRL). However, when there are detections, it is worth considering at what percentage of the MRL they are and reviewing factors such as inputs, use patterns and application rates. this approach ensures total control of products and processes, in the most cost-effective way.
Lessons from microbial testing
Close monitoring of microbial test results can often pre-empt an issue before it becomes a problem. Indicator organisms detected at low levels in products or inputs can help identify issues with infrastructure, cleaning and hygiene practices.
A problem understood is a problem solved, and testing produces the opportunity for this understanding
This article was originally published in the 1st issue 2022 edition of the Australian Mushrooms Journal
