Purdue researchers identify infrastructure and communication challenges as barriers to food safety in the low-moisture food industry

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Low-moisture foods such as dried fruits, seeds, tree nuts and wheat flour were once considered to carry minimal microbial risks. However, the increased number of outbreaks linked to bacteria-contaminated low-moisture foods has resulted in product recalls, lawsuits and financial losses. Despite these growing concerns, there have been limited studies into the food safety research and Extension needs for the low-moisture food sector. Purdue University researchers are stepping in to fill this gap.

Yaohua Feng, associate professor and Extension specialist in Purdue University’s Department of Food Science and principal investigator in the Food Safety Human Factor Lab, leads a research team that has identified key challenges in ensuring the safety of low-moisture foods. These hurdles include issues with hygienic design, risk communication, behavioral change and limited resources.

Feng and PhD student Han Chen, along with colleagues at other institutions, developed a two-part needs assessment in collaboration with the Center for Low-Moisture Food Safety, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The team’s goal was to better understand food safety culture, research and education needs, and barriers to adopting food safety-enhancing technologies. Their findings were published in the Journal of Food Protection in October.

As part of the center’s multistate research group — comprised of food engineers, microbiologists, economists and risk assessors from seven universities and one government agency — Feng’s lab focused on the human factors influencing food safety, specifically people’s expectations, perceptions and behaviors surrounding low-moisture food handling.

The first study involved online interviews and a debriefing discussion session with upper management in dry food production, while the second study distributed an anonymous online survey to a separate group of experts with industry experience. The participants included professionals from government agencies, food industry companies and academia.

When it comes to food safety, unfortunately, we usually react instead of being proactive. And, for a long time, sanitation technologies and validation data were developed based on high-moisture food matrix. There’s more literature on those foods — how to conduct validation studies and sanitize properly. For example, while water is essential for washing and sanitizing equipment in a facility producing high-moisture foods, you wouldn’t want to introduce water into low-moisture food processing — it can cross-contaminate and create more problems.” — Yaohua Feng

Stakeholders were eager to contribute insights and collaborate on the project. “We don’t often see the industry being so open, especially bigger players. Having stakeholders willing to participate and talk about their weaknesses is a new approach,” noted Feng. “As researchers and Extension specialists, we are glad to have this opportunity to form a consortium where we are partners. We want to put our efforts together to solve a problem.”

Based on feedback from the 25 participants, a conceptual framework for food safety culture was developed that includes three key components: infrastructure conditions; an individual’s food safety knowledge, attitudes and risk perceptions; and organizational conditions. 

The study also revealed several infrastructure-related challenges, noting that food safety is often not prioritized when facilities are first designed. “In the past, microbial food safety in low-moisture foods wasn’t a focus for consumers and most manufacturers. Hygienic design was not being considered in many legacy manufacturing facilities when building plants,” Feng explained. “On the other hand, low-moisture food safety to consumers is also even newer than to the industry. There are no inspectors to regulate or educate consumers in their home kitchen.”

Another critical finding is the challenge of communicating food safety risks within the industry. Since low-moisture foods are often perceived as inherently safe, convincing upper management and employees to invest in food safety initiatives can be difficult. “With these communication challenges, you should tailor the risk-communication messages to your target audiences. For example, upper management is usually the decision-maker of resources spent on changes toward food safety. The consequences of being involved in an outbreak or recall can be emphasized when communicating the risks with them,” advised Chen. “One outbreak could have a detrimental impact on the company and even on the entire industry.”

While the study does not provide best practices, it serves as a road map for future food safety research and Extension efforts.

The needs have been identified, and now we’re addressing the needs. In the future, we aim to create a united forum for collaboration across industry, government and academia to solve food safety problems. We need the right technology, assessment, decision-making tools and a shared commitment from all stakeholders. Everyone needs to work in the same direction.” — Yaohua Feng

Additional contributors to the research include: Bradley P. Marks and Felicia Wu (both Michigan State University), Elizabeth M. Grasso-Kelley and Nathan M. Anderson (both U.S. Food and Drug Administration), Jeyamkondan Subbiah (University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture), Juming Tang (Washington State University), Linda J. Harris (University of California, Davis), Lindsey McGowen (North Carolina State University), and Robert L. Scharff (Ohio State University).