Crisis Prevention

Protect against food-borne outbreaks

IEH was founded on a simple idea: It is far better to prevent food-borne outbreaks than to try to detect them after they happen. IEH works with food producers to design and implement food safety and risk management programs to prevent recalls and outbreaks. Examples of IEH crisis prevention programs are described below.

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Beef Industry

2001

The first fully validated food safety system for American Foods Group, Wisconsin.

2001

2002

Design and implementation of the first 100% trim testing program, ConAgra Beef. This eventually led to the industry wide implementation of the program after FSIS asked the industry to include an acknowledgment in their HACCP program that the presence of E. coli O157 in beef trim was a hazard reasonably likely to occur. The program has saved the beef industry from constant outbreaks and recalls, and is credited with reduction of reported human cases of E. coli o157 infections to the CDC by about 40%.

2007

Implementation of the single combo test program for IEH clients in the beef industry. This resulted in much higher confidence levels for negative results, while reducing the amount of beef trim going to cookers. While more positives were found, lots were 200 pounds not 10,000.

2011

Development of a patented Carcass Certification program for slaughter operations. This pathogen testing program received regulatory approval and eliminates the trim testing requirement for the beef industry.

2012

IEH collaborated with the USDA Animal Research Center to develop a Lymph Node Removal Protocol to reduce the risk of Salmonella in ground beef.

Produce Industry

2006

Implementation of the first comprehensive food safety program for the produce industry after the spinach outbreak. The program included developing a risk based GAP program, implementation of field testing, raw material and finished product testing programs, and full validation of intervention processes.

2006

Pet Food Industry

2012

IEH instituted the first comprehensive high resolution finished product testing program for the pet food industry. This program relies on the use of the IEH Process Control Testing Platform to monitor 6 classes of pathogens in each segment of production. IEH performs raw material qualification for pet foods, to monitor for chemical and biological contaminants, including dyes, veterinary residues, microbial pathogens, and mycotoxins.

2012

Peanut Butter Industry

2009

Development of the first comprehensive approach to food safety for the peanut butter industry.

2009

Poultry Industry

2013

In response to a major outbreak, IEH conducted a risk assessment and designed a comprehensive food safety program. IEH conducted the first comprehensive validation of chicken processing facilities.

2013

Tree Nut Industry

2019

Development of the first comprehensive approach to food safety for the almond and pistachio industries.

2019

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