The recent outbreak of E. coli in spinach from California exposed a weakness in the nation’s food chain.
DEADLY EFFICIENCY: A system that quickly delivers meat, fruits and vegetables to consumers just as easily can spread potentially deadly bacteria.
NATIONWIDE OUTBREAK: Like most food, spinach travels from the field to a central facility where it
Dennis Avery and Alex Avery of the Indianapolis Star report that it’s a bad moment for believers in the mystical wonders of organic and natural foods. Deadly E. coli bacteria, lurking in spinach from one of the biggest organic farms in America, just killed one woman and hospitalized at least 29 other people with kidney failure. In all, the contaminated spinach sickened nearly 200, in at least 23 states and Canada.
Meanwhile, several California kids are on kidney dialysis with permanent organ damage from the same virulent strain of E. coli O157: H7 after consuming raw, unpasteurized milk or colostrum from the Organic Pastures Dairy of Fresno, Calif.
Tragically, the victims were all seeking greater food safety and the promised health benefits of vegetables and milk produced the "old-fashioned way."Continue Reading ‘Organic’ doesn’t mean safer or more nutritious
Amy Simonne, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Food Safety and Quality, reports that many condiments, sauces, and side items to accompany foods are available in the U.S. Despite this, the information regarding these items as far as food safety with regard to time and temperature has not been readily available. In a normal situation, most people place these items in the refrigerator for storage after opening. However, during an emergency situations such when natural disaster or power outage occurred, consumers had a hard time deciding if some of these items are safe to use or which item to keep and which item to discard.
Safe handling information for some common condiments is available from various sources. For example, according to the current USDA/FSIS emergency preparedness document, certain condiment items such as relish, taco sauce, mustard, catsup, olives, pickle, Worcestershire, soy, barbecue, and Hoisin sauces, and opened vinegar-based dressing, are considered safe even if they are opened, and at above 50ºF (10ºC) for over 8 hours. On the other hand, items such as opened fish sauces, oyster sauce, or creamy-based dressing found in that condition must be discarded (1). Still, handling information for many more condiment items are lacking.Continue Reading Are Commercially Manufactured Shelf-Stable, Dairy-based, Pourable Salad Dressings Potentially Hazardous Foods?
Will you ever feel comfortable eating fresh spinach again? All raw agricultural products carry a minimal risk of contamination, said a University of Illinois scientist whose research focuses on keeping foodborne pathogens, including the strain of E. coli found recently on spinach, out of the food supply.
That won’t keep Scott Martin, a U of I food science and human nutrition professor, from eating bagged greens or other produce although he can see why it gives consumers pause. "I definitely wouldn’t eat spinach from the three California counties implicated in this latest outbreak of E. coli H0157:H7, but there have been no problems with spinach grown in other parts of the country," Martin said.
Martin said that food companies have recalled the particular products implicated in the outbreak, and that the contaminated spinach had a sell-by date of September 20, so none should remain on the shelves at this time. If his reassuring tone makes the scientist sound less than aggressive toward E. coli 0157:H7 and other foodborne pathogens, you’re mistaken. Martin and fellow U of I professor Hao Feng are dedicated to discovering ways to keep these microorganisms out of the food supply.
Martin’s research is focused on finding ways to eliminate the biofilms that attach to produce and cause illness. "Once the pathogenic organism gets on the product, no amount of washing will remove it. The microbes attach to the surface of produce in a sticky biofilm, and washing just isn’t very effective," he said.Continue Reading US: foodborne pathogens hard to remove from produce, research is ongoing
While packaged spinach has been removed from store shelves nationwide following an E. coli outbreak that has been linked to at least one death and a number of illnesses, how safe is that prepackaged salad mix or fresh produce, such as lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, strawberries, etc., you just purchased?
According to a Kansas State University food microbiologist, you may be getting more than you bargained for. Daniel Y.C. Fung, a K-State professor of animal sciences and industry and of food science, said although the recent spinach incident is an isolated case and should not be an indication of the safety of all fresh produce in the United States, consumers should take precautions before eating any produce — prepackaged or not.
"Once consumers buy these packages, often they just open them up and eat them," Fung said. "With hamburger, we can tell people to cook to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and it will be sure to kill salmonella or E. Coli, but with salads, we have no idea. You go to supermarket, buy the bagged produce, dump out and eat. You don’t know if it has E. coli."Continue Reading K-State food microbiologist recommends washing produce
Zero-tolerance on food poisoning – that is the Health Ministry’s call to both state authorities and consumers in the run-up to Ramadan. Ministry deputy director-general Datuk Dr Shafie Ooyub said the early preparation of meals and a lack of hygiene had been cited as the main causes for the rise in food-poisoning cases recorded during
Per the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, foodborne illness results from eating food contaminated with bacteria (or their toxins) or other pathogens such as parasites or viruses. The illnesses range from upset stomach to more serious symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and dehydration. Although most foodborne infections are undiagnosed and unreported, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year about 76 million people in the United States become ill from pathogens in food. Of these, about 5,000 die.
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The Sunday Telegraph reports that Sydney’s filthiest restaurant has remained open for business despite being caught with a rats’ nest in its kitchen, live cockroaches in noodles and rat droppings in a serving bowl.
The Sun Garden Chinese Restaurant, at Lidcombe, has been caught seriously breaching food safety laws three times in three years –
People’s Daily reports that Chinese experts warned here Sunday that foodborne diseases rather than chemical pollutants are the top menace to the food safety of Chinese consumers.
Liu Xiumei, a research fellow with the Food Safety Institute of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that foodborne disease threats were expanding in China.
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A foodborne illness or sometimes incorrectly referred to as food poisoning, is any illness resulting from the consumption of food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, toxins, viruses, prions or parasites. Such contamination usually arises from improper handling, preparation, or food storage. Good hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting