Foodborne Virus Recalls @ what cost?
Worldwide,
about 1 out of every 5 cases of acute gastroenteritis (diarrhea & vomiting
illness) is caused by norovirus. Globally, norovirus is estimated to be the
most common cause of acute gastroenteritis, indicates the CDC
Cost of Foodborne Illnesses
The overall cost of foodborne illnessescomprises :
1.
Household Costs (Mortality, Medical care, Work loss, Pain and
suffering, Caregiver)
2.
Food Industry Costs (Product recalls, Plant closing/cleanup, Product liability,
Reputation costs, Administrative Costs, Costs from regulation)
3.
Public Health Sector (Disease surveillance, Outbreak response,
Regulation, Consumer Information)
Number of food recalls and their costs to
business & society are rising
Globally,
the SwissRe report finds
that demographic change is also exposing more sensitive consumer groups to the
dangers of contaminated food. Ageing societies, an increase in
allergies in the overall population and the fact that malnourishment as a
source of weak body defences is still prevalent in many countries are
significant drives for the increase in exposure. As an example, the number of
recalls coordinated byFSANZ each year
between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2016 averages 61 per annum, increasing
slightly since 2014.
Underestimated time, effort and expense
Companies without a recall believe that the
cost recovery process was a quick one and that they could recover most of their
losses, indicates a report from GMA.
Even companies with recall experience underestimated the time, effort and expense associated with the recovery
efforts. Factors that point to more frequent and more comprehensive recalls
in the future include:
·
Just-in-time global manufacturing
·
Fewer suppliers and complex supply chains
·
Improved product traceability and detection of food-borne illness
·
Increasing regulatory authority and enforcement
Norovirus, $64 BILLION a YEAR
According to a study published in PLOS One in April
2016 norovirus cost globally $64 billion yearly in direct health system costs
and societal.
Fruit Distributor and Processors
·
Norovirus Recall : AUD 14 M
·
Hepatitis A Virus Recall : USD 7.5 M
Oyster Producers : US$
28 M cleaning
The discovery of the norovirus
at Hammersley Inlet resulted in a recall of shellfish in April 2017.
State officials said the norovirus could have gotten into the water as a result
of failing septic systems, malfunctioning wastewater treatment plants, boat
discharges or directly from an infected person, indicates the News Tribune
Restaurant
·
Norovirus : 3-years of earning
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.’s food safety crisis
cost the company three full years of earnings growth, according to J.P. Morgan
analysts & Marketwatch. The July 2017 norovirus incident
showed their stocks tumble.
·
Hepatitis A Virus : US$25,000 to US$75,000
Four families with members became ill with
hepatitis A Virus after eating at the restaurant; their claims resolved for high amounts.
Foodborne Pathogens Jury Verdicts 1979-2004
The success rate among plaintiffs that alleged
illness from a specific pathogen was 44.8. By contrast, plaintiffs that did not
implicate a specific pathogen were successful in only 27.1% of cases. The
expected award when a specific pathogen
was identified was also significantly higher (US$ 432,000 mean award) than in
cases where the pathogen was unspecified.
Over the period 23 Hepatitis Virus (A, B, C) =
4.49% [Rank 3rd] of the total & 4 norovirus = 0.78% of the total court
awards were registered. With the increasing technology
capacity, investigators will have more chance to determine the precise
pathogens.
NOVI Product Recall Cost Estimator
A web-based service to
estimate the cost of a recall incident
Anticipate to better prevent
"Companies must proactively implement
supplier verification programs, preventative food processing control plans and
environmental monitoring systems" says Seth Keller
For foodborne viruses specifically, an ISO
15216 Standard is now available (Publication March 2017)
to ease the detection and identification of Norovirus and Hepatitis A Virus in
food matrices (stoneless edible fruit, bivalve molluscs, bottled water, leafy
greens, stems and bulbs, food surfaces).
Complete workflow for foodborne virus
detection
Complete integrated solutions
are available for industries and contract laboratories to implement and hence
ensure a consistent, reliable monitoring and identification of foodborne
viruses in food matrices from various origin.
GAP, GHP, GMP & HACCP
A 2014 EFSA report,
following a large EU hepatitis A Virus outbreak with edible stoneless fruits
indicated : "Based on the findings of the investigation that HAV
contamination could be occurring at the freezing processor or in primary
production of berries, compliance with Good Hygiene Practice (GHP), Good
Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) is
recommended for countries producing berries for freezing."
Conclusion
Emerging risks such as foodborne viruses have
to be taken into account by food businesses to minimize and prevent the risks.
Upstream actions with producers and processors (GAP, GHP, GMP) should be
implemented. Integrated in their HACCP plan, foodborne virus risk can be better
managed and controled to protect the consumers, and anticipate financial loss.
Sources :
1.
GMA ONLINE
2.
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
3.
PLOS One
4.
MARKETWATCH
5.
CDC
6.
SWISS RE
7.
News Australia
8.
Natlaw Review
9.
AIG
10.
Food Safety MxNs
11.
ISO
12.
bioMérieux Industry
13.
EFSA
