44 Producers encouraged to monitor


irrigation water quality Chance of foodborne illness like “winning the lottery”


by MYRNA STARK LEADER ABBOTSFORD – Most cases


of foodborne illness linked to produce have occurred in the US but Canada isn’t without risk. From 2001 to 2009, there were 29 outbreaks in Canada with 1,600 cases of illness, according to Justin Falardeau, a PhD student in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia.


The statistic underpinned


research Falardeau conducted into the microbial quality of irrigation water in the Lower Mainland building on previous studies by UBC researchers and scientists at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Falardeau shared his findings with growers at the Pacific Agriculture Show in Abbotsford at the end of January in preparation for the upcoming growing season. Falardeau wants growers to test their irrigation water with the aim of preventing further cases of foodborne illness. “Leafy greens or fresh


vegetables are the concern when they’re eaten raw. Once cooked, the pathogens are typically killed with heat,” he explains. In BC, where the popularity


of buying local is growing and producers also ship to the US, reducing risk is important, particularly since some pathogens can’t be easily washed off vegetables. Kale is one example. “The leaves are covered in a


waxed coating to save the plant’s moisture, but once the bacteria are inside that waxed coating, the water isn’t going to penetrate it either,” he explains.


This enables pathogens –


the microscopic organisms that cause disease – to be trapped and eaten. Falardeau looked at three pathogens: Verotoxigenic E. coli, salmonella and listeria. He collected two water samples each month for 18 months in six locations in the Sumas and Serpentine watersheds. Of the 223 samples, about 20% contained one or more pathogens. “The distribution of


pathogens is highly variable so it’s important to know the quality of the water at your specific testing site,” he says. “One thing it’s important to note is that we can tell that pathogens are in the sample but we can’t tell what concentrations they’re at.” Although Falardeau was doing more extensive testing,


he advised producers to sample for indicator organisms – fecal coliform, or E. coli. E. coli is associated with contamination from animal manure.


Samples can vary a lot


throughout the season, so collecting a single sample isn’t advised. Falardeau recommends frequent testing in the same location during the growing season.


Regulations outline limits “People often ask me why


do we need to collect samples and the question should be, ‘what does the information tell me?’” says Elsie Friesen, food safety specialist with the BC Ministry of Agriculture. “Our goal is to lower the risk of illness. The BC Ministry of Environment sets the good agricultural practices (GAP) guidelines which are less than 77 E. coli per 100 ml of water and less than 200 fecal coliforms in 100 ml of water.” Canada GAP, the national


food safety program for the horticulture sector, recommends that producers sample irrigation water. Under the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), growers exporting to the US must avoid using untreated water in direct contact with produce and regularly


monitor water quality to ensure it meets drinking water standards.


Under the Safe Food for


Canadians Act adopted in 2011, Canada is harmonizing its regulations with US rules. Canada GAP, for example, has zero tolerance for E. coli in water used for ice, handwashing, direct contact with handling surfaces and the produce itself. Friesen says consistent sampling is important. She says samples should be taken regularly and then averaged to get a truer picture of water quality. “The more tests you can get, spaced over time, the better. The US did suggest over four years is certainly better than a pass-or-fail one- time test,” she says, adding that producers can call for help. “We don’t expect them to have all the knowledge.” Falardeau says the actual risk of anyone getting sick from produce is equivalent to winning the lottery. “You’re not going to win the lottery but someone somewhere is going to win the lottery. So, our job is to prevent it, but I don’t think there’s a need to panic,” he says. “What we’re trying to do is minimize the risk as much as possible.”


BURY EVERYTHING! Don’t use yesterday’s plows to meet today’s tillage needs.


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • MARCH 2018 Water


sampling tips


1. Ensure hands are clean before collecting the sample and avoid touching the rim or inside of the sample container.


2. Run water from the sample ports for three minutes or sprinklers for 15 minutes before taking the sample as old water in pipes can lead to contaminated samples.


3. Take four samples as research shows that levels of indicator organisms in agricultural water are highly variable over time. Long-term sampling is more indicative of the risk than individual samples.


4. Sample at the same location each time, ideally as close to the system output as possible. This can include the water leaving the sprinkler, sample ports on the pump, or from source water as close to the intake as possible. 5. Be cognizant of weather conditions. Don’t take samples during a storm and take them throughout the seasons. 6. Sample for E. coli because it’s more generic and is an indicator organism for other foodborne pathogens such as salmonella.


7. Record and keep sample records for longer-term analysis. 8. Review the lab report. The BC Ministry of Agriculture has a list of approved labs and can be reached at 1-800-221-7141 or [agriservicebc@gov.bc. ca].


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