IOWA FOOD SAFETY TASK FORCE MEETING
Iowa Food Safety and Protection Task Force website: http://ia.foodprotectiontaskforce.com/
The Iowa Food Safety and Defense Task Force met on Friday, February 7, 2014 at
9:30 a.m. in Room 209 at the State Hygienic Laboratory/Ankeny DMACC Campus in
Ankeny, Iowa.
Those in attendance:
Katie Coyle, Iowa Egg Council
Steven Day, USDA
Susan Dixon, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division
Ann Garvey, Iowa Department of Public Health
Mark Glover, FDA
Sandy Heinen, Black Hawk County Health Department
Joyce Hoppes, Iowa Pork Producers Association
Gretta Irwin, Iowa Turkey Federation
Kevin Klommhaus, FDA
Steven Mandernach, Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals
Mary Montgomery, Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals
Kristin Obbink, Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals
Carlene Russell, Iowa Department of Aging
Cindy Jordan, Iowa Restaurant Association
Angela Shaw, Iowa State University, Food Science
Mark Shearer, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division
Heather Snyder, Iowa State University, Food Science
Amanda Steffen, Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals
Cathy Strohbehn, Iowa State University
Neal Vaughn, Iowa Department of Agriculture
Aubrey Williams, US Department of Agriculture
1. Welcome: Steven Mandernach welcomed the group. Due to time constraints, the
meeting immediately progressed to the first speaker presentation.
2. New Food Data System Demonstration: Mark Speltz, DIA Food and Consumer Safety,
Retail Program Lead, introduced the Department’s new licensing and inspection data
system. The public portal has not yet been made available; it will be located at
food.iowa.gov. Mark demonstrated search features within the system for public access,
online licensing for establishments and other features. The system went live January 6,
2014 with a few glitches yet to work out.
Iowa Food Safety Task Force Meeting
February 7, 2014
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3. Cyclospora Presentation: Dr. Ann Garvey, IDPH and Dr. Kristen Obbink, IDPH,
presented to the group concerning this foodborne illness issue. The Cyclospora infection
causes watery, and sometimes explosive, diarrhea with the average illness lasting 57
days. The rare intestinal parasite that causes Cyclospora infection can enter your body
when you ingest contaminated food or water. This illness is normally found in
tropical/sub-tropical areas. Fresh produce is the culprit in many cases of Cyclospora
infection.
Because diarrhea can be caused by many things, it can be difficult to diagnose
Cyclospora infection. A specialized test is required to identify the Cyclospora parasite in
stool samples. Treatment for Cyclospora infection is antibiotics. Food safety precautions
may help to prevent the disease
Prior to 2013, only ten total cases of Cyclospora were reported in Iowa.
4. SafeBeef© for County Grill: Dr. Stohbehn, ISU Extension and Outreach Food Safety
Specialist, shared information and some handouts concerning the fundamentals of safe
handling of beef at county events. (See attached handout.)
5. New Business: None.
6. Information Sharing from Task Force Members:

There was an inquiry concerning school concession stands. Larger schools have a
nutrition director in charge of overseeing concession stands and the proper protocol
for operation, etc. Steve shared that Fareway corporate had approached DIA with an
interest to help fund and work together with DIA on training projects for those
individuals coordinating concession stands for all schools.

Dr. Shaw, Iowa State University, Food Science, gave a quick update on the school
community garden modules.
School garden websites: http://www.safeproduce.cals.iastate.edu/elementary/
She also indicated there are upcoming HACCP Plan workshops.
Website with all programming: http://www.fshn.hs.iastate.edu/angela-shaw-foodsafety/#events/

Aubrey Williams, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, shared with the group that the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food
Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have produced a major study to better
understand the risk of foodborne illness associated with eating certain foods prepared
Iowa Food Safety Task Force Meeting
February 7, 2014
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in retail deli’s and what changes in current practices may improve the safety of those
products.

Cindy Jordan, Iowa Restaurant Association, provided a list of ServSafe Classes
available through June 2014. There is one Spanish only class scheduled for
March 3, 2014. (See handout.)

Mark Glover, FDA, informed the group that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
has filed its rule on sanitary transportation under the Food Safety Modernization Act
(FSMA) that would require certain shippers, receivers and carriers who transport food
by motor or rail vehicles to take steps to prevent the contamination of human and
animal food during transportation.
Mark also indicated FDA is in the process of reorganizing to become more vertically
aligned in specialty areas.

Mark Shearer, Iowa Dept. of Public Defense. The FEMA Region is working to build
an Agriculture and Food Response plan for the region that will then be used across
the country as a model.

Joyce Hoppes, Iowa Pork Producers Assoc., stated that the pork industry is concerned
and very involved with traceability of all products from production to the consumer.
Joyce shared talking points concerning residential proximity to swine in feeding
operations and an increased risk of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
(MRSA). (See handout.)
Last May, the pork industry was faced with a new disease, Porcine Epidemic
Diarrhea Virus (PEDv). There is no implication with consumers at this time but it is
hitting producers very hard. (See handout.)
7.

Dr. Obbink, IDPH, informed the group on the Epi-Ready Course for Response Teams
recently held at the Drury Inn in West Des Moines on Feb 4 – 6, 2014. Exercises
included foodborne outbreak and various indicators leading to foodborne illness
investigation, tracebacks and recalls.

There was brief discussion on tentative dates for our next Food Safety Task Force
Meeting; likely sometime late April/early May with an emphasis on pork producers.
Adjourn: The meeting adjourned approximately 12:15 p.m.
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February 7, 2014
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Handouts attached:
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Cyclospora PowerPoint Presentation
Food Safety Tips for Food Event Volunteers
Iowa Restaurant Association: ServSafe Classes Available
Talking Points: (MRSA)
Iowa Pork Producer Headlines: (PEDv)