Food inspections one of DGMC's Public Health office's many duties

  • Published
  • By 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
  • 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  In light of recent media reports concerning recalls of food items made with contaminated peanut butter products, the David Grant USAF Medical Center's Public Health office would like all Team Travis members to know that none of the base dining halls or Commissary carry any foodstuffs containing recalled peanut butter products. 

"The duties of a Public Health Inspector are extensive," stated Capt. Tomas Widemond, 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron's force health management and public health officer. "We inspect and monitor all things that have to do with food and food service." 

According to Captain Widemond, many of Public Health's roles start with the managers by providing food-handlers training on an annual basis and as needed. "We provide training to booster clubs and special interest groups doing a special event on base," he said. "We monitor and inspect all food establishments on base, monthly and some quarterly." 

"Our roles are not limited to just 'food service' establishments," added Captain Widemond. "The Travis Commissary, Base Exchange and base theater are also included in our inspections. We build a rapport with the establishments to help bring them to excellence." 

Public Health's main role is to protect and prevent food-borne illnesses from affecting Travis' daily Air Force mission. "Any suspected illness from any food item, is put on medical-hold," said Senior Airman Salvador Gutierrez, 60 AMDS public health journeyman. "This is accomplished by an All Food and Drug Acts alert which is a notice sent out to all military bases of a suspected item that may be in question." 

As Airman Gutierrez explained, once an ALFOODACT is initiated, Public Health personnel will contact all food managers on base and relay the information to put suspected items on medical hold and out of the reach of the general public. Items are released from medical hold if they're determined to be safe for consumption and destroyed or returned to the company if determined to be unsafe for consumption. "The Public Health staff at DGMC and the Team Travis managers participate in helping keep Travis free from any food-borne illness," said Captain Widemond. 

Captain Widemon also pointed out a number of ways individuals can find out if food products have been recalled. One way, is by visiting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recall list at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm or the DoD Food Safety Office's website at http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/fso/alfood/alfood.asp. 

You can also visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium/ or contact their 24/7 toll-free public inquiries hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) to get phone assistance in looking up particular foods appearing on the recall list.