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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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After E. Coli Outbreaks, Food Industry Looks to Tracing Tech

Labeling system would pinpoint the source

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(Newser) – In the wake of health scares like the 2006 E. coli outbreak traced to tainted spinach, the food industry is scrambling to reassure the public—and hoping to head off a congressional response, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Voluntary efforts are under way to make tracing easier. For example, one new labeling system gives each product a unique identification code, allowing consumers to trace it to its point of origin.

The system, HarvestMark, is a spin-off of an effort to fight counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals and electronics. "This was a perfect application we had never thought of," a parent company co-founder said of agricultural use. The E. coli scare convinced growers and supermarkets tracing is valuable. “That was really the first time the FDA issued a blanket advisory against a commodity,” says one agricultural researcher. “A lot of growers who couldn’t possibly have been responsible were greatly affected.”

A melon is scanned at a HarvestMark scanner.
A melon is scanned at a HarvestMark scanner.   (HarvestMark)
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If there is a product recall, you want to be able to identify and communicate to the government, to the retailer and to the public that this product does not have to be pulled from the shelves. - Gordon Robertson, a vice president with fruit shipper Sun World

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4 comments
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ruserious
Aug 3, 09 1:44 PM CDT
Yes, this will be quite helpful when the E.Coli H0157:H7 strain, which is associated with ground beef and unpasteurized milk, shows up in cookie dough. Yummy, I know I love ground beef with my cookies. Our food system is too large and out of control when cross contamination instances like this occur. Reply
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JonmarkP
Aug 3, 09 1:46 PM CDT
Maybe PREVENTION of toxic food would be a good idea. You know, socialist things like restoring funding for the inspection of food factories so the leading indicator isn't a few dozen dead children, followed a mad scramble to trace the source in order to limit their liability. Oh, I forgot - we can't have tax breaks for the rich and protect our kids at the same time. What was I thinking? Reply
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Toon
Aug 3, 09 4:21 PM CDT
Lord knows we couldn't find a low tech solution like feeding the cows grass for three or four days so their digestive systems can naturally purge the e coli that builds up when they are fed corn. That would make the mad cows stand out like sore thumbs. Reply
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ruserious
Aug 4, 09 12:16 PM CDT
Yes, yes, and another yes. Ruminants were not intended to eat mashed up corn--they're ruminants for a reason--to eat GRASS. Strange, I know.
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