8/1/2010 Lab – Path Helping the Farmer Helps the Regulator, Retailer, Consumer, and Environment: E Everybody b d Wins Wi Presented by Danit Klein, MSc What is LabLab-Path? • Lab-Path specializes in creating and implementing food safety programs for domestic and international manufacturers for fresh produce. • Lab-Path’s innovation is expressed in : a. “Safety Suit” according to customer’s needs b. Scientific insight and laboratory tools c. Designing and applying food safety programs for a third party 1 8/1/2010 Lab--Path Clients Come From Lab all Sectors Exporters: Lab-Path supervises fresh produce exported around the world, and is in direct contact with European retailers such as: Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's, Waitrose and more. Government: Lab-Path supervises food products and fresh produce supplied to all Israeli Police stations. Retail Chains: Lab-Path supervises all fresh produce supplied to Israel’s largest retail chain (roughly 40% of Israeli growers). Our Path and Destination Our health and quality q y assurance plans are designed to guarantee food safety by verifying that food products comply with any and all regulations specified. specified 2 8/1/2010 Challenges in the Market Place • Multiple and constantly changing regulations • Lack of cooperation between growers, manufacturers, buyers, retailers and authorities • Lack of organized documented sampling plans • Analytical services are often not in sync with the situation in the field • Demand for traceability • Consumer confidence We Connect the Missing Links 1. Sources of risk in the field - raw materials, air, soil, water, potential pollutants sources, etc. 2. Testing – diverse, precise, frequent and representative 3. Information processing – integration between the various standards, implementing methodical updating of information 4. Findings and actions – understanding, internalizing and finding solutions: creating a suitable monitoring program and implementing preventive ti actions ti that th t workk 5. Optional – labeling produce with our registered Stamp of Approval 3 8/1/2010 Standards for Testing and Approval Lab Path works exclusively with analytical laboratories which comply with the most stringent standards: – ISO 17025 compliant – FAPAS Ring Test approved – Accredited and approved laboratory by The Israeli Plant Protection and Inspection Services Why Our Path is Unique Grower – 100 tons of grapes 60,000€ Logistics 24,000€ Importer Center Illegal pesticide residues REJECTION! Total Loss: 84,000€ per 100 tons Total Profit Loss: 146,000€ per 100 tons 4 8/1/2010 We teach the man how to fish! f How the program works Characterization in Agriculture Tap # Hazard Plot # 5 8/1/2010 Characterization of a Logistic Center :‫אזור הבחלה‬ ‫ נקודות דיגום‬3 ‫אזור‬ :‫מדפים‬ ‫אזור פירות‬ 2 : ‫יבשים‬ ‫נקודות דיגום‬ Disinfecting a Contaminated Food Storage Refrigerator pre-sanitization post-sanitization 6 8/1/2010 Critical areas for potential contamination in apple packing house Safety program components: • Lab Path Implements a safety programs designed for products marketed for the local and export market which consists of: – Composing C i off a pesticide ti id manuall tto comply l with ith llocall and export standards – Scheduling and sampling produce for pesticides and microbes in all varieties prior to harvest and throughout the entire supply chain (from field to fork). – Implementing methodical updating of information – Implementing Irregularity Procedures 7 8/1/2010 Pesticide Manuals for Grapes • Pesticide manuals are composed together with exporter’s quality assurance department according to: - Grape variety - Israeli I li standards t d d - EU standards - specific destinations - customer specifications - data analysis from last season • Manuals are passed on to all growers. • Marketer and g growers are updated p regularly g y with regards g to changing standards 8 8/1/2010 Pesticide control menu in correlation to the growing field Chlorpyrifos • Chl Chlorpyrifos if b breaks k d down slowly l l iin cases off llow temperatures, low radiation and when grapes are grown in covered fields. • Covered Fields: 40 harvest intervals • Open fields: 28 harvest intervals • This information is based on accumulated data Sampling and Inspection • R Reviewing i i spraying i protocols l prior i to sampling li • Sampling from critical areas within inspected plot (e.g. adjacent plots with early and late varieties) • Reviewing lab analyses according to local and export standards g and comparing p g lab analyses y to field • Recording inspections and spraying protocols 9 8/1/2010 Customizing of Sampling Program Taking into consideration the level of risk in each produce: • • • • Avocado – low risk – rarely sprayed Fresh cut herbs – high risk – leafy crops Table Grapes – high risk – many pests and disease Carrots – high risk – tendency to absorb pesticide residues from contaminated soil Processing Accumulated data into Knowledge Knowledge is gained from collection of information into a database, which serves as a statistical tool. This knowledge is helpful in decision making. 10 N o ic a tri ls f flo ou te xys nd bu tro co bi na n sp zole i qu noz in a py ox d rim yfe pe et n nc ha n m on i l m yc az et lo ole ho bu xy ta fe n i no l m zid et e a kr m lax es al yl ox ath im io n ip m e ro th va y li c l ip ar ro b in dio do n e im xac id ar he ac b xa lop co ri na d zo le f flu olp si et la flu zo di le o flu xon a il et zin of am en c pr cy ypr ox pe od rm ini ch et l lo hri rp n yr br i om c fos op apt ro an py bi lat fe e nt hr in ch em 136 115 67 9 21 12 14 3 1 4 2 6 2 3 1 2 1 1 4 140 120 77 100 61 48 64 2 58 80 20 1 9 60 40 20 Count per chemical 8/1/2010 Pesticides used in grapes 2008 Counts of chemicals found in grape samples 160 0 Chemical found *Out of ~300 field samples 11 8/1/2010 Pomegranates - 0 Rejections in Europe • Full cooperation with growers, including transparency and traceability. • Harvest H t agenda d iis provided id d b by th the exporter t tto L Lab b Path for pre harvest sampling • Spray records are checked before harvest (positive release) • Analysis in GCMS+LCMS for all plots and varieties • Sampling by Lab Lab-Path Path agronomist: prior picking picking, during harvest, during and after sorting and from cool chambers Conclusions in Pomegranates . Lambda cyhalothrincyhalothrin One spray only 2. Methoxyfenozide- One spray only 3. Thiacloprid, Bifenthrin- max. 2 application a season. 4. Most MRL are at LOD. Pesticide residues (0.01-0.02 ppm) are found after more than 100 days. days 12 8/1/2010 Count per Chemical found in Pomegranates Lab Analysis 2009 100 Not Approved Approved 80 70 60 50 Count per Chemical 90 40 30 20 10 0 Chemical found Irregularities found per Variety in Pomegranates 2009 50 45 35 Not Approved Approved Count 40 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Pomegranates Varieties 13 8/1/2010 Actual enforcement Implementing irregularity procedures: • Residues of forbidden pesticides • Residue exceedances above MRL Actual enforcement Inspection and Sampling Results Not Approved Results Approved Release and approve for marketing Report to manger at Lab Path and agronomist Report to grower/manufacturer/ distributor Initiate recall process Halt marketing if necessary Seek alternative destination Repeat inspection within 48 hours to identify the faults; collect new samples and spray records Faulty results Proper results Release and approve for marketing Corrective actions Repeat inspection upon correction 14 8/1/2010 Added Values By practicing frequent and adequate inspection • Farmer’s education for good agricultural practice • Limiting the use of pesticides cuts down on costs and is environment friendly to soil and water • Encouraging the use of integrated pest management on the farm Thank you for taking a stroll down our path 15