Food testing and analysis is a career field receiving growing attention as concerns are raised about the quality and safety of the food supply. Outbreaks of illness caused by contaminated food are on the rise, and headlines are reminders of the vulnerability of food supplies to accidental or deliberate contamination. Microbiological analysis labs are playing a leading role, along with government authorities, in helping to respond to and prevent threats to the food supply.

Whether you are looking to secure a job in the microbiological analysis of food products, or are already employed but in need of continuing education to keep up with developments in food microbiology, there are many opportunities to tailor food safety and testing microbiological analysis education and training to your needs.

1. Seek formal education in food microbiology.

2. Take advantage of continuing education and on-the-job training opportunities to advance your career in food testing and analysis.

3. Stay on top of the latest scientific advancements in microbiological food analysis.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Prepare for a career in food safety and testing microbiological analysis

Formal food safety and testing microbiological analysis education and training is available from a number of sources. Depending on your career track, you may wish to explore certification or degree programs, at the undergraduate or graduate level. Education in food microbiology will prepare you to take advantage of growing job opportunities at microbiological analysis labs and in food processing.

I recommend: Earn an M.S. or an MAS professional degree in Food Safety and Technology or Food Process Engineering from the National Center for Food Safety and Technology, in conjunction with the Illinois Institute of Technology. For convenience, the distance education program of the Food Science Institute at Kansas State University offers undergraduate and graduate certification, among other options, as well as a specialized program in Food Safety and Defense.

Obtain continuing education in the microbiological analysis of food

Whether you are a restaurant chef, a food testing and analysis expert in the food processing industry or a microbiological analysis labs employee, you can benefit from continuing education in the microbiological analysis of food products. Short courses and online learning opportunities such as webinars help you learn while you continue to earn.

I recommend: The Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison offers online access to Food Research and Education Seminar Highlights (FRESH). Click to view a video or download a PDF of the latest educational presentations on issues of food microbiology. The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station offers food science education opportunities, including food testing microbiological courses, for chefs, product developers and food safety technicians.

Educate yourself with links to the latest developments in microbiological food analysis

You'll find a online resources to keep yourself current with issues pertaining to the microbial analysis of food. When you read professional publications, study reports and white papers and attend conferences and seminars, you're educating yourself in food microbiology on an ongoing basis.

I recommend: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a great professional resource. Get free electronic access to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service's quarterly journal, beFoodSafe: The FSIS Magazine. Search the Pathogen Detection and Monitoring Database of the USDA Food Safety Information Office for reports, fact sheets, newsletters and conferences on food testing and analysis. Check the calendar at Rapid Microbiology for comprehensive listings of food microbiological analysis meetings, conferences, events and training courses.

Food safety and testing microbiological analysis has become an essential part of food production and distribution. With 5,000 food-borne pathogens related deaths each year in the United States alone, with 25 percent of those caused by common pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma, microbiological analysis of food products is not only a top quality control concern, but also a public health responsibility.

The best plan for microbiological analysis of foods is to use a multi-tiered strategy. This gives several layers of coverage to provide multiple safeguards for pathogen detection. The following are possible approaches to attain this sort of multi-level protection:

1. Acquire microbiological analysis equipment for your own use for optimum control of basic analysis needs.
2. Use a microbiological food analysis provider for more complex analysis.
3. Train your employees about food microbiology to further heighten your quality control.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Obtain fast food microbiological analysis through on-site equipment and supplies

Certain parameters, such as those linked to hygiene and sterility, need fast analysis. You need to be able to monitor and detect any anomalies quickly, to avoid the waste of disposing of contaminated product as well as the risk of contaminated products reaching your consumer. The best way to do this is to have the food testing and analysis equipment and supplies readily available for ongoing monitoring.

I recommend: FOSS offers various analytical equipment for a wide range of food business areas, including confections, meat, dairy, grains, and alcoholic beverages. BioControl offers a vast library of fast and easy to read pathogen, hygiene monitoring and quality assurance testing supplies.

Utilize microbiological analysis laboratories for more complex microbiological testing

Some pathogens may require involved incubation processes that are beyond on-site control. There also may be several different things you wish to test for and having on-site equipment for all of them could prove cost prohibitive. Independent laboratories can provide these services and add independent confirmation of your own results

I recommend: The laboratories at Strasburger & Siegel provide microbiological analysis as well as other services such as nutritional, antibiotic, and chemical analyses. EMSL Analytical, Inc. will customize their testing to match your microbiological analysis needs. They also offer nutritional and chemical analyses, as well as allergen testing.

Educate your employees on food microbiology and safety to provide a solid frontline defense

Even the most elaborate testing supplies and services can only detect contamination not prevent it. The main course of prevention is a well-educated workforce. Train your employees on proper sterilization and hygiene procedures and educate them on the dangers of cross contamination.

I recommend: For an at-work training session, you can obtain training videos and materials. Silliker, Inc. provides a multitude of individual training videos and CDs, as well as box sets which include handouts, quizzes, and facilitators guides. You may also want to offer your employees a more intensive training course. Food Safety Net Services offers a two day accredited Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)course that will educate your employees in developing, implementing, and managing HACCP systems.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Each type of food product has different sets and levels of contamination and pathogen risks. Educate yourself on the risks to your food product and focus and prioritize your microbial analysis and HAACP plans accordingly.

Food safety and the microbiological testing of consumer products is a federally regulated business and is essential to the safety of consumers. Food products not only need to be tested for harmful contaminants, but also for potential allergens that could affect a specific part of the population. It is important that all food products go through a series of testing as products can pick up pathogens at any time during the production process. All food products need to go through many steps before being approved for release to the public to avoid potential food safety hazards.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Contaminant

A contaminant is anything found in a food or beverage that should not be there. Contaminants can either be harmful or may just effect the flavor or texture of the food. Contaminants include everything from chemicals that are transferred to the food during processing to the wrong added flavoring.

I recommend: ExtoxNet explores some of the more harmful food contaminants.

Pathogen

Pathogens are harmful contaminants that can cause food-borne illnesses. These microorganisms, like Salmonella and Listeria, can be devastating to the intestinal tract or, at times, even be fatal if the body's immune system cannot combat them.

I recommend: The Pathogen Detection and Monitoring Database, maintained by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, details some of the most common food pathogens.

Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxins released by fungi into the food supply and can, in turn, affect food products. The most common mycotoxins are found in grains, nuts and feeds.

I recommend: The Botany Department at The University of Hawaii at Manoa describes mycotoxins as well as how they can affect our food supply.

Food allergen

Only proteins are considered food allergens. Even trace amounts of residue from things such as peanuts, eggs and milk can trigger a reaction in people with food allergies, some of which can be severe. Due to the nature of reactions by some, the FDA requires proper labelling on products that contain possible food allergens.

I recommend: EMSL Analytical outlines the top food allergens they test for in food products.

GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)

GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) refers to the approved status of food ingredients or additives. This recognition is determined by the FDA as to whether an ingredient or additive is safe for its intended use.

I recommend: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration explains how it identifies GRAS ingredients.

Turbidity

Turbidity is used to describe the lack of clarity in a liquid, oftentimes water. Turbidity refers to the cloudiness of a liquid caused by sediment that is either suspended or has been stirred up.

I recommend: Free Drinking Water details why turbidity shouldn't be ignored.