How New EPA Municipal Water Rules Impact Food Safety: Session at 2015 Dairy Show
Atlantium Technologies Ltd., global leader in UV water disinfection solutions, announced today that Ms. Phyllis Posy, Atlantium VP for Strategic Services & Regulatory Affairs, will be presenting an educational session for dairy and food & beverage processors entitled "What Do the New EPA Municipal Water Rules Mean to Dairies?" at the International Dairy Show, co-located with Process Expo and InterBev, at McCormick Place Chicago, on September 16, 2015. Ms. Posy will discuss two ground-breaking changes for food processors, both due to be implemented during 2016, and how the one impacts the other.
On the one hand, EPA revisions of the Total Coliform Rule change the definition of water contamination and the requirements for public notification. On the other hand, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) shifts the focus from response to prevention of food contamination. Even so, under the proposed FSMA rules, the requirement for a risk-based hazard analysis is satisfied when a food processor's water is "supplied by a municipal water authority that monitors the water and alerts its customers of any safety problems".
"New data developed by the State of Minnesota, the USDA and the USGS confirms how microbial contaminants could be in municipal water that passes all EPA drinking water standards, including testing negative for e.coli although positive for total coliform. That means that a food plant could unknowingly incorporate contaminated water into their system and their product, which could be on the shelves before they are notified of an anomaly", Ms. Posy said.
Posy insists that this is not an indictment of the quality of US drinking water which is among the best in the world. "The point is that EPA views water quality very differently than food processors. Current rules provide safe drinking water based on a risk assessment. Municipal suppliers are held to a 95% standard and illness is unlikely in most cases. In contrast a food manufacturer has a very different risk profile with lots of great opportunities for pathogens to grow. Learning how to evaluate the real risk is important."
Food processors, engineers and quality assurance managers are invited to attend this important session taking place on September 16 at 3pm, Classroom 1.
About Atlantium: Atlantium Technologies Ltd., founded in 2003, provides highly regulated industries such as dairy, food & beverage, pharmaceutical and aquaculture, as well as municipalities, with UV (ultraviolet) based solutions, taking water bio-security to levels never before achieved without chemicals. Atlantium's Hydro-Optic system is field proven and validated to the highest regulatory standards including EPA and FDA. The company has an international customer base with installations all over the world. For more information, go to www.atlantium.com.