Page 10 - Food&Drink magazine April-May 2023

PRODUCT RECALLS
What a national recall taught me
In 2022, Harris Smokehouse experienced a brand’s worst nightmare, a product recall.
Chr. Hansen worked with owner Adam Harris on
the company’s recovery.
THE impact of product recall can be devastating, including financial loss due to recovering stock and lost future sales, damage to brand reputation, and risking the health and safety of consumers.
Adam Harris, from Harris Smokehouse, a fourth generation, family-owned business, and manufacturer of high quality seafoods walked this path in August 2022.
Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogenic bacteria, was discovered during routine testing of their product.
Fortunately for Adam, his business is now back, stronger and better, with improved safety hurdles, while retaining the natural product positioning,
integral to his brand and expected by consumers of smoked salmon.
Pivotal to Adam’s recovery and success was hard work, diligence, and partnership with a supplier who could step him through the process to keeping his smoked salmon safe from listeria and his labels free from artificial additives or preservatives.
Harris Smokehouse is known for their premium quality, delicious smoked seafoods, steeped in the tradition of 60 years of heritage. Now owned by Adam Harris and based in the Adelaide Hills, his business is based on the core values of “Ethical, Sustainable and Natural”.
When listeria was picked up during routine testing, two national recalls ensued. In Adam’s words, it was a horrific experience.
SA Health supported Adam and the business, providing them with three choices – try to continue to eliminate listeria as they had previously been doing, add a chemical preservative, or find a natural solution.
The first two choices were not real options for Adam. The experience of the recall had been the worst time in his life and the thought of adding chemical preservatives would go against his promise to consumers for the product to be transparent, honest, and clear.
Adam chose the third option and decided to work with global biosciences company
Chr. Hansen with its expertise in fermentation and the science and supply of good bacteria.
Harris says, “We basically now have a team of good bacteria working for us, and we don’t pay them. We are fighting the bad guys with good guys.”
Carlo Mason, business manager for Chr. Hansen in Australia explains, “By putting specially selected cultures, our good bacteria, on the surface of the food in really high numbers they are able to outcompete
spoilage or pathogenic bacteria and suppress their growth.
“It is nature’s way of keeping food safe and fresh and they do it through slow fermentation.
“By adding these cultures, what we are doing is adding an extra layer of protection, that wouldn’t otherwise be there. That is especially important with ready-to-eat packaged foods like salads, ham, hotdogs and of-course, smoked salmon, like how we worked with Adam and the team at Harris Smokehouse.”
Fermentation has been happening for thousands of years, turning milk into yoghurt and grapes into wine.
Chr. Hansen is expanding the know-how and process of fermentation for bioprotective effect beyond traditional spaces like dairy, where the process is well established internationally.
This innovative approach is helping the wider food industry reduce reliance on food acids, chemicals and preservatives and help keep food fresh and safe for longer.
Harris says Chr. Hansen provided a natural solution that wouldn’t alienate customers. The company’s reputation for having done the research meant they were respected for their science and trusted.
“They steered us out of our troubles. You don’t know what you don’t know, and I don’t want anyone to go through this experience. If I could take lessons from this and share, it would be – just take this proactive and preventative approach. Now we have learnt this, learn from us.
“You feel very alone when you go through this and very overwhelmed. When you engage with people who have the knowledge and understanding of what you’re going through, it is very comforting and rebuilds your confidence.”
Harris Smokehouse is
now back up and running at full capacity, with Harris likening the Chr. Hansen team to the company’s knight in shining armour. ✷
10 | Food&Drink business | April/May 2023 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au