Penn State Food Safety Blog

Cola, BPA, and Our Aversion to Risk

2012-03-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

Recently, Campbell Soup made the decision to move away from cans that contain BPA the lining. Was it justified? FDA initially concluded that BPA was not a risk, but after public pressure, they are reevaluating its safety.

Another controversy brewing is the caramel color that gives cola soft drinks their brown color. The chemical, 4-methylimidazole (4-MI), is formed when the caramel color is manufactured. According the FDA, the levels found in soda are well below any concern. The FDA spokesman, Doug Karas stated "A consumer would have to consume well over a thousand cans of soda a day to reach the doses administered in the studies that have shown links to cancer in rodents”. However, the consumer watchdog group, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), doesn’t agree. They have petitioned FDA to have 4-MI banned.

How do the risks associated with certain chemicals in our food stack up against non-food related risks? For the consumer, this question is difficult to answer. In evaluating the risk associated with a chemical, numerous studies are completed. The scientists issue reports and from these reports, numerous interpretations are made, including ones by industry associations, consumer advocacy groups, and government agencies. Then some of these interpretations make their way to the consumer, either through the mass media (TV, newsprint) or through social media (websites, blogs).

The studies that are conducted to determine risk are rarely perfect. Animal models, where large quantities are injected into small animals such as rats, are often used for toxicity determinations. With these, there is always a question of how realistic it is when compared to humans and their normal living conditions. When large scale human surveys are used to determine risk, it is often difficult to control all of the variables including what people eat, their daily habits, and their genetic makeup. In the end, we hope that conclusions that are drawn are done are unbiased and done in the best interest of the public.

Public opinion polls have been done that show that that is an increasing concern in the consumers’ perception of food hazards. The apparent lack of trust on these technical risk assessments and this can be linked to a number of factors. One is the stories that are reported in the news media and how they are reported. In addition to television and print news, many people now use the internet for their information. On the internet, we see the whole gamut of information, from the scientific studies themselves to the totally unscientific opinion pieces.

One of the primary fears that people have is cancer. Certainly past tragedies provide an underpinning for the public’s concern. Asbestos and tobacco are two examples of cancer related items that have received a high level of media coverage and have led to people being skeptical. So when a linkage is made between a chemical in food and cancer in the news or the media, it will get attention. The question of the level of risk, however, is often more difficult to discern.

How should one respond? First, consumers should inform themselves as best they can by using valid sources of information. It is also important to understand the bias of those providing the information, and try to obtain a balance in what is read. Remember that the information out there is rarely clear cut, so it is important for consumers to make a determination where they feel comfortable.

Links

http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/06/soda-wars-can-the-color-in-your-cola-give-your-cancer/?iid=hl-main-lede?xid=gonewsedit#ixzz1oRRVsFCH
http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/03/05/under-pressure-from-parents-advocacy-groups-campbells-goes-bpa-free/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrymiller/2011/10/25/bpa-is-still-ok/

Social Media Taking Over for Mom

2012-03-05T09:23:00.001-08:00

The Progressive Grocer discusses a study" Clicks & Cravings: The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture, which finds social/digital media is replacing Mom as the go-to culinary source of knowledge for many people." These surveys are great references - we sense that more people are using social media as a tool for deciding what to eat, how to prepare it, and then chatting about it with others, but here is a study to support those notions.

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/consumer-insights/id34891/social-media-redefining-our-relationship-with-food/

"The study was jointly developed and conducted by consumer research firm The Hartman Group and Publicis Consultants USA, a food and nutrition marketing agency. Study results show almost half of consumers learn about food via social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, and 40 percent learn about food via websites, apps or blogs."

Impact on food safety - the internet is the wild west of information, where anyone can write anything. It is alway important for people to use trusted sites, and to review information provided in that recipe against validated information (foodsafety.gov for example). If a recipe suggests that you undercook an item, for example to cook chicken to 150F instead of 165F, you should consider not using that recipe.

Avoiding High Risk Foods

2012-02-28T07:20:00.000-08:00

Consumers who want to reduce the risk of foodborne illness should consider avoiding these foods.

Avoid high-risk foods, food-safety expert recommends
Friday, February 24, 2012
http://live.psu.edu/story/58000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- It seems that hardly a week goes by without another reported case of some food being blamed for causing people to get sick. Most recently, a national restaurant chain's clover sprouts were linked to a Midwestern outbreak of pathogenic E. coli, and dozens of cases of Campylobacter in four states have been linked to the consumption of raw milk from a Pennsylvania dairy.

As consumers, we start to ask whether any foods are safe to eat.

While it is unlikely that we can completely eliminate the risk of foodborne illness, we can certainly identify a few food items that pose a higher risk of making us ill and avoid them, advises a food-safety expert with Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"One just needs to look through U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports to see that there are certain foods that show up time and again," said Martin Bucknavage, extension food-safety specialist. "In my opinion, these are foods we certainly should consider removing from our diet if we are interested in reducing our chances of contracting foodborne disease."

Following are a few foods Bucknavage suggests avoiding:

-- Raw sprouts. In the last 15 years, there have been at least 30 reported cases of foodborne illness linked to raw sprouts.

"Pathogenic bacteria come in on the seeds or beans, and during the sprouting process, the conditions are right for these bacteria to multiply," he explained. "Processors will sanitize seeds to remove bacteria, but that measure has not been foolproof."

-- Raw milk. People have consumed raw milk for ages, but from time to time, pathogenic bacteria make their way into the milk, Bucknavage noted.

"In the recent outbreak of foodborne illness related to raw milk sold in southern Pennsylvania, 77 people became infected by Campylobacter, which will cause severe diarrheal conditions for as long as a week or more."

Bucknavage conceded that there are avid proponents of drinking raw milk, who point to the fresh taste and the perceived health benefits.

"However, these health benefits have not been scientifically proven, and the working part of the cow, the udders, are close to the ground and can become contaminated with pathogenic organisms such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria and E. coli," he said.

"While most of those who sell raw milk keep the dairy environment as clean as they can and regularly test the health of the cows, a long history of outbreaks shows that there is a real risk of dangerous bacteria making their way into milk. This is why pasteurization became a standard practice in the late 1800s."

-- Raw oysters. These are another food that has a loyal following, Bucknavage pointed out. But he explained that oysters are filter feeders and can capture pathogenic bacteria and viruses if they are harvested in contaminated waters.

"A process such as depuration -- allowing oysters to live in cleaned water for a period of time -- can help, but use of this practice is limited," he said.

-- Undercooked ground beef. While some people undercook hamburgers intentionally, the majority do it because they do not use the correct endpoint for cooking, according to Bucknavage. They should measure the recommended internal temperature of 160 F using a meat thermometer.

"It would be fair to say that most people measure whether something is cooked by visual evaluation -- the lack of pink color," he said. "But this is an unreliable method.

"Some people will point out that they eat steak with pink in the middle. But this is different than hamburger. In the process of making hamburger, the meat is ground, and the exterior parts where the bacteria reside are mixed throughout the meat. Because of this, we need to achieve a higher cooking temperature in the center of the meat."

Chicken is another example of a food that often is undercooked, whether on purpose or by accident, Bucknavage lamented. Poultry has been shown to have a high prevalence, or contamination rate, of Campylobacter, he noted.

"To properly cook poultry, an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher is required," he said. "Otherwise, organisms such as Campylobacter can survive."

Along with avoiding high-risk foods, it is also important to practice effective cleaning and sanitizing of food-preparation surfaces and cooking utensils, Bucknavage said, as well as storing food under proper conditions. "Doing this, we can go a long way in protecting ourselves and our families from contracting foodborne illness."

Norovirus Outbreaks 2012

2012-02-24T05:53:00.001-08:00

The leading cause of foodborne disease is making its mark this winter. Just this February, Norovirus caused more than 200 attendees at a cheerleader camp in Washington State to become ill. In St. Maarten, a cruise ship returned to port as 31 became ill. In Virginia, an elementary school was closed because so many students were ill. And in New Jersey, more than 400 college students become ill at three universities located in the same county.

There are some important reasons that lead to so many people becoming ill from Norovirus. One is the virus’s low infectious dose. It is estimated that it may take only 10 viral particles to make someone ill. Then, there is the ability of the virus to survive for up to two weeks on dry surfaces and in water for months. The virus can be spread through a number of ways including through contaminated food or water, from contaminated surfaces, directly from a sick person, or from the intake of aerosolized droplets of vomitus.

The main symptom of Norovirus infection is another factor for its spread – acute-onset vomiting. This prevents people from becoming sick in a secure location. Rather, rapid onset can occur at a dinner table, on a carpet, or on the bus. People usually become ill within 24 hours of exposure, although longer incubation periods do occur. Once someone is sick, they can experience symptoms for 24 to 72 hours, and can remain contagious for up to 3 days.

Because of this short incubation time, low infectious dose, and ease of spread, one can see why it spreads through a school or a cruise ship so quickly. While rarely fatal, people who become ill need to watch so that they do not become dehydrated.

The most important key in preventing infection is frequent, but correct hand washing – scrubbing hands with soap and warm water. Additionally, it is important for people to stay home when ill, especially when they may have been exposed to someone who has had the illness. They should also stay home for at least 48 hours after systems have subsided. Contaminated surfaces must be cleaned using a strong chlorine bleach solution, 1 cup of bleach o one gallon of water. Cooking will destroy the organism.

CDC link for additional information
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus.htm

Outbreak cases
http://www.inquisitr.com/193064/norovirus-outbreak-2012-washington-state-cheerleading-competition/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/13/crown-princess-departs-af_0_n_1272706.html
http://www.nbc12.com/story/16958672/norovirus-outbreak-causes-school-to-close
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2012/02/mercer_county_colleges_report.html

E. coli O26 infections linked to Clover Sprouts

2012-02-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

Raw sprouts are responsible for another outbreak of foodborne illness and at least the fourth outbreak linked to the same restaurant chain, Jimmy Johns. In this latest case, there are 12 people infected with STEC O26 (CDC and AP link below).

After the last outbreak linked to the restaurant chain in late 2010 where close to 120 people became ill with Salmonella, the chain switched from alfalfa sprouts to clover sprouts. But sprouts are sprouts – they are a higher risk food item in that it can be difficult to remove organisms such as Salmonella and E.coli from the seeds, and the process that allows the seed to sprout also may allow the organism to grow. Now, it appears the chain will drop sprouts from its menu (http://www.kirksvilledailyexpress.com/news/x1793836666/Jimmy-Johns-permanently-pulls-sprouts-from-menu).

Tainted sprouts again linked to Jimmy John’s, outbreak is fourth linked to restaurantBy Associated Press, Published: February 15
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/tainted-sprouts-again-linked-to-jimmy-johns-outbreak-is-fourth-linked-to-restaurant/2012/02/15/gIQAGxFVGR_story.html

WASHINGTON — Raw sprouts from the sandwich chain Jimmy John’s have been linked to an outbreak of foodborne illness — again.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that 12 cases of E. coli poisoning in five states are linked to raw clover sprouts eaten at Jimmy John’s restaurants. The outbreak comes a year after raw alfalfa sprouts from one of the chain’s suppliers were linked to 140 salmonella illnesses. Sprouts from the chain’s suppliers were also linked to a 2009 salmonella outbreak in several Midwestern states and were suspected in an E. coli outbreak in Boulder, Colo. in 2008.

Illinois-based Jimmy John’s declined to comment on the outbreak. After the salmonella outbreak a year ago, the company said it would switch from using alfalfa sprouts to using clover sprouts because they are easier to clean. But federal regulators warn against eating all raw sprouts, which are one of the most frequent perpetrators of foodborne illness.

Though they are often touted as a health food, sprouts need warm and humid conditions to grow, encouraging bacterial growth. Many restaurants have stopped serving them after multiple outbreaks, and the government recommends that the very young, elderly, pregnant and others with compromised immune systems stay away from raw sprouts completely. Fully cooked sprouts are safe to eat.

According to the CDC, there have been at least 30 outbreaks associated with raw or lightly cooked sprouts in the United States in the last 15 years and even more around the world, including a 1996 outbreak in Japan that sickened thousands of people with E. coli. Fenugreek sprout seeds from Egypt are thought to have caused a major outbreak of E. coli poisoning in Europe last year that killed more than 50 people.

Illnesses in the current outbreak were reported in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Wisconsin. The illnesses occurred between Dec. 25 and Jan. 15 and two of the victims were hospitalized.

In most sprout outbreaks the restaurant is not to blame for the contamination itself. Contamination usually happens when the seeds are grown or harvested and is often impossible to wash off.

Food safety lawyer Bill Marler has represented victims in the three previous sprout outbreaks potentially linked to Jimmy John’s. He has pushed the FDA to require warning labels on sprouts and praises restaurants that have taken them off the menu.

“You have to wonder what this company is thinking,” he said.

Investigation Announcement: Multistate Outbreak of Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26 Infections Linked to Raw Clover Sprouts at Jimmy John's Restaurants
CDC.gov Posted February 15, 2012 1:30 PM ET
http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2012/O26-02-12/index.html

Highlights
· Read the Advice to Consumers »
· A total of 12 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 have been reported from 5 states.
· The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Arkansas (1), and Wisconsin (1).
· Two ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
· Preliminary results of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicate eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants is the likely cause of this outbreak.
· FDA's traceback investigation is ongoing. Traceback information on sprouts has identified a common lot of clover seeds used to grow clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurant locations where ill persons ate.
Initial Announcement
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in multiple states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serogroup O26 (STEC O26) infections likely linked with eating raw clover sprouts. Public health investigators are using DNA "fingerprints" of E. coli bacteria obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. They are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

The type of bacteria responsible for this outbreak are referred to as STEC. STEC bacteria are grouped by serogroups (e.g., O157 or O26). The STEC serogroup found most commonly in U.S. patients is E. coli O157. Other E. coli serogroups in the STEC group, including O26, are sometimes called "non-O157 STECs." Some types of STEC frequently cause severe disease, including bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Others, such as common strains of STEC O26, typically cause milder illness. Currently, there are limited public health surveillance data on the occurrence of non-O157 STECs, including STEC O26; therefore, STEC O26 infections may go undiagnosed or unreported. Because non-O157 STEC infections are more difficult to identify than STEC O157, many clinical laboratories do not test for them. The STEC O26 PFGE pattern in this outbreak has rarely been seen before in PulseNet.

Initial Case Count

A total of 12 persons infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 have been reported from 5 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Iowa (5), Missouri (3), Kansas (2), Arkansas (1), and Wisconsin (1). Among persons for whom information is available, illness onset dates range from December 25, 2011 to January 15, 2012. Ill persons range in age from 9 years to 49 years old, with a median age of 25 years old. One hundred percent of ill persons are female. Among the 12 ill persons, 2 (17%) were hospitalized. None have developed HUS, and no deaths have been reported.
The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of people who became ill each day. This chart is called an epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after January 27, 2012, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks. All epi curves for this investigation are available on the epi curve page. Please see the E. coli Outbreak Investigations: Timeline for Reporting Cases for more details.
Initial Investigation Information

Epidemiologic and traceback investigations conducted by officials in local, state, and federal public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies have linked this outbreak to eating raw clover sprouts. Among the 11 ill persons with information available, 10 (91%) reported eating at a Jimmy John's sandwich restaurant in the 7 days preceding illness. Ill persons reported eating at 9 different locations of Jimmy John's restaurants in 4 states in the week before becoming ill. One location was identified where more than one ill person reported eating in the week before becoming ill. Among the 10 ill persons who reported eating at a Jimmy John's restaurant location, 8 (80%) reported eating a sandwich containing sprouts, and 9 (90%) reported eating a sandwich containing lettuce. Currently, no other common grocery stores or restaurants are associated with illnesses.

FDA's traceback investigation is ongoing. Preliminary traceback information has identified a common lot of clover seeds used to grow clover sprouts served at Jimmy John's restaurant locations where ill persons ate. FDA and states conducted a traceback that identified two separate sprouting facilities; both used the same lot of seed to grow clover sprouts served at these Jimmy John's restaurant locations. On February 10, 2012, the seed supplier initiated notification of sprouting facilities that received this lot of clover seed to stop using it. Investigations are ongoing to identify other locations that may have sold clover sprouts grown from this seed lot.

This investigation is ongoing, but preliminary results of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations indicate eating raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John's restaurants is the likely cause of this outbreak. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing laboratory surveillance through PulseNet to identify additional ill persons and to interview ill persons about foods eaten before becoming ill. FDA is continuing to work closely with CDC and state partners during this investigation. CDC will update the public on the progress of this investigation as information becomes available.

Based on previous outbreaks associated with sprouts, investigation findings have demonstrated that sprout seeds might become contaminated in several ways. They could be grown with contaminated water or improperly composted manure fertilizer. They could be contaminated with feces from domestic or wild animals, or with runoff from animal production facilities, or by improperly cleaned growing or processing equipment. Seeds also might become contaminated during harvesting, distribution, or storage. Many clover seeds are produced for agricultural use, so they might not be processed, handled, and stored as human food would. Conditions suitable for sprouting the seed also permit bacteria that might be present on seeds to grow and multiply rapidly.

In 1999, FDA released guidance to help seed producers and sprout growers enhance the safety of their products. Specific measures recommended in the guidelines include a seed disinfection step and microbiologic tests of water that has been used to grow each lot of sprouts. The microbiologic tests currently recommended under this guidance would not identify the presence of STEC O26.

Initial Laboratory Testing Information

Preliminary results indicate that this strain of E. coli produces Shiga toxin type 1 and does not produce Shiga toxin type 2.

Raw Milk Testing Requirements - Outbeak of Campylobacter in Family Cow Raw Milk

2012-02-17T07:29:00.000-08:00

In a recent report (below), there are now 77 cases of campylobacterosis from the consumption of raw milk associated with Family Cow. What standards are in place for a dairy to sell raw milk? Attached is the section on testing schedule from Pennsylvania's guidenance for those selling raw milk. Note that there is no requirement for continuous testing. In general, APC, coliform, and somatic cell counts are required twice per month and these parameters serve as indicators of sanitary quality, However, actual pathogen testing is only required once every six months. Now, dairies selling raw milk may be testing more frequently. Probably a good question for the producer of your raw milk.

Raw Milk Testing Standards
Guideance -
PERMITS ALLOWING THE SALE OF
RAW MILK FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_24476_10297_0_43/AgWebsite/Files/Publications/Draft_-_Revision_of_Raw_Milk_Guidance_Doc_Final.pdf
9. Regular Testing of Raw Milk.
a. Responsibility. A raw milk permit holder is responsible to arrange for the regular sampling and testing required with respect to the raw milk permit, and to pay for this testing.

9b.
Pennsylvania Approved Dairy Laboratories. All raw milk samples submitted for testing must be analyzed at an official laboratory (a laboratory which is under the direct supervision of the Department) or a Pennsylvania approved dairy laboratory (a laboratory authorized or designated
by the Department as allowed to perform specific milk testing).
c. Testing Schedule. A raw milk permit holder must coordinate raw milk testing on the following
schedule, and the raw milk samples must meet the following standards:

Another illness case linked to The Family Cow's raw milk

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/localnews/ci_19984720

CHAMBERSBURG - The number of cases of sickness linked to The Family Cow raw milk stands at 77 in four states.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday added another case from Chester County. State totals: Pennsylvania 67, Maryland five, West Virginia three and New Jersey two.
The outbreak of campylobacteriosis is the largest linked to raw milk in Pennsylvania in five years. The two prior record outbreaks since 2006 were both in 2008 - 72 cases during an outbreak originating in Lancaster County and 68 from Montgomery County raw milk. More than 250 people in Pennsylvania have become ill after drinking raw milk during the past five years, according to the state health department. Campylobacter bacteria caused six of the seven outbreaks during that time.
Shankstead EcoFarm, trading as The Family Cow, is among 153 farms in Pennsylvania and 12 local farms permitted to sell raw milk or cheese from cows or goats. Proponents of raw milk say the unpasteurized product has health benefits.
Raw milk bottled at the Family Cow about Jan. 16 has been blamed for the recent outbreak. The farm began selling raw milk again on Jan. 27 after passing a state Department of Agriculture inspection.
Edwin Shank said the farm has improved its handling of raw milk.

Expanding the list of bad [foodborne disease causing] bacteria?

2012-02-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

There is currently a push to put a zero tolerance on four strains of drug-resistant salmonella in uncooked meat (link below). This comes after the 2011 outbreak of Salmonella linked to ground beef where 20 people were reported to become ill. (http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium-groundbeef/020112/index.html). The responsible organism was a multi-drug resistant strain of Salmonella Typhimurium.

Another recent expansion was the addition of 6 strains of E. coli non-O157 STEC. Although the testing program was to go into effect in March of 2012, it was pushed pack to June of 2012. The reason relates to the lack of validated test methods to detect the specific pathogenic strains (link below).

Looking for a given bacterial species is difficult enough, but when we have to look for strains of bacteria containing specific genes, reliable testing is not always easy. Throw in the fact that the product being tested is raw, and that the prevalence of bacteria is very low, and it makes one question to what degree can we track and eliminate the sources. (For example, FSIS reports the prevalence of Salmonella in ground beef is about 2% (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Progress_Report_Salmonella_Testing.pdf), and in a 2009 study by ARS, the level for MDR Salmonella was only 0.6% (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19201965)).

Will consumers benefit? Will public health be better served? Will regulatory requirements for zero tolerance be enforceable or achievable?

Interesting note, a consumer group recently requested that FDA put a zero tolerance of Vibrio vulnificus on oysters (http://cspinet.org/new/201202091.html) to help protect those who choose to consume raw oysters. Vibrio vulnificus is a natural contaminate in waters where oysters are harvested, especially in the warmer months. In most all cases, the organism affects those who have underlying medical condition, primarily past or present alcohol abuse. Are oyster fisherman going to start testing oysters before delivering to the local shuck house? Why not just make it illegal to consumer raw oysters?

Salmonella Outbreak Spurs Call to Expand List of Banned Bacteria
February 08, 2012, 1:59 PM EST
Bloomberg Businessweek
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-08/salmonella-outbreak-spurs-call-to-expand-list-of-banned-bacteria.html
By Stephanie Armour

Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) -- A public health group is pressing the Obama administration to ban sales of uncooked meat containing drug-resistant salmonella after an outbreak sickened 20 people in seven states.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture now allows sales of unprocessed food with the bacterium because it’s usually killed in cooking. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington nonprofit, says consumers who may not cook meat properly can’t be responsible for maintaining food safety, noting foodborne outbreaks involving “superbugs” resistant to antibiotics sickened 19,897 and killed 26 between 1973 and 2009.

The center is petitioning the USDA to ban four strains of salmonella, including one type found in ground beef sold by the Hannaford Bros. Co. supermarket chain that were recalled in December after sickening people in the U.S. northeast. Drug- resistant and normal salmonella causes about 1 million illnesses a year in U.S. at a cost of about $365 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

“We want to think of microbial resistance in food as an emerging issue, but it’s here now,” said Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director at the consumer group, in an interview. Her group first petitioned the agency last May.

A spokesman for the agency, Neil Gaffney, declined to comment on the petition in an e-mail. Efforts to prevent salmonella contamination -- including drug-resistant strains -- are being strengthened by encouraging food processors to increase testing, he said.

E. Coli Ban
The government now bans a single pathogen in unprocessed meat: a strain of E. coli called O157:H7 that triggered a 1994 outbreak involving Jack in the Box hamburgers that killed four children and sickened another 700 people. Federal officials plan to add six more E. coli strains this year under a 2011 rule the American Meat Institute in Washington estimates will cost processors as much as $300 million annually. E coli is so toxic that even a few microbes that get on meat during processing can make people violently ill, the government said.

Several outbreaks from superbugs occurred last year. Minneapolis-based Cargill Inc. in August recalled nearly 36 million pounds of ground turkey in an outbreak of multidrug salmonella that sickened 136 people in 34 states, according to the CDC.

Hormel Foods Co.’s Jennie-O-Turkey Store in Willmar, Minnesota on April 1 recalled nearly 55,000 pounds of raw turkey traced to drug-resistant salmonella that infected 12 people in 10 states, according to the CDC.

The U.S has been unable to identify ground beef suppliers that may be subject to recall after examining Hannaford’s “limited” records, according to the USDA. Seven of the 20 victims were hospitalized. The supermarket recalled products on Dec. 15.

“We’re cooperating fully with government officials,” said Eric Blom, a Hannaford spokesman, in an interview. “We’ve worked closely with investigators on this matter.”
Kidney Damage
Brian DiGeorgio went into a coma that affected his kidneys after eating ground beef purchased from Hannaford, Donald Boyajian, an Albany, New York lawyer representing him in a Dec. 21 lawsuit against Hannaford, said in an interview. He sued the company seeking more than $75,000 in federal district court in Syracuse, New York.

Hannaford declined to comment on the lawsuit or the USDA’s assessment of its record-keeping, said Hannaford’s Blom.

“The time to address this problem is long overdue,” Susan Vaughn Grooters, director of research and education at Chicago- based STOP Foodborne Illness, an advocacy group, said in an e- mail. “How many more cases are needed before someone in our government shows some leadership and acts to protect us?”

Mutating To Survive
Drug resistance linked to inappropriate antibiotic use is a growing concern in public health circles. Since drug-resistant pathogens are constantly emerging, doctors often switch medicines to thwart resistance as new treatments become available.

Antibiotics are given to livestock to encourage growth or cure or prevent illnesses. The drugs kill bacteria or thwart their ability to reproduce.

In a battle to survive, bacteria can mutate in ways that make them resistant to a drug and can then pass those traits to offspring or to other microbes. The pattern can create a pathogen with multiple immunities that takes more time and medicine to put down, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

A lawsuit filed by public-health groups against the FDA last May seeks restrictions on penicillin and most tetracyclines fed to animals that aren’t sick.

‘Free-Range Society’
“Everyone out there wants to live in this free-range society, but the cost of everything will go up and increase the final cost to consumers,” said Jay Wenther, executive director of the Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania-based American Association of Meat Processors, North America’s largest meat trade organization, in an interview. “There’s this perception that animals are being overmedicated. It’s sensationalism.”

Federal regulation of food is largely split between the USDA overseeing meat and the FDA responsible for fruit, vegetables and seafood.

The FDA is developing final guidelines on limiting the use of newer drugs in animals to prevent resistance, said Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods at the FDA, in an interview. Rescinding approval for drugs used in livestock is a laborious process, he said. Voluntary guidelines will lead to faster results and will be more effective, he said.
Limiting Antibiotics

A May lawsuit by the Natural Resources Defense Council in federal district court in New York sought to limit certain antibiotics in the food of animals that aren’t ill, known as subtherapeutic use.

Experience shows that a voluntary approach doesn’t work for reducing antibiotic use in livestock, Avinash Kar, a lawyer with the Council, said in an interview.

“The FDA is expecting the industry to solve the problem,” he said. “Why would they suddenly stop out of the goodness of their hearts?”

Producers are voluntarily curtailing the use of drugs linked to antibiotic resistance, Liz Wagstrom, chief veterinarian for the National Pork Producers Council, which represents 43 state associations, said in an interview. Steps include heating barns and improving ventilation to reduce illnesses or need for medications, she said.

“The industry has had ongoing awareness of antibiotic use and responsible use,” said Wagstrom. “They say they are using less antibiotics than they used to.”
--Editors: Adriel Bettelheim, Reg Gale

FSIS to Extend Implementation Date on Testing Program for Non-O157:H7
Wednesday, February 8, 2012

http://www.meatami.com/ht/display/ArticleDetails/i/75564
(American Meat Institute)
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced that it is extending for 90 days the implementation date for sampling of six additional STEC serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145).

FSIS stated that the purpose of the extension is to provide additional time for establishments to validate their test methods and detect these pathogens prior to entering the stream of commerce.
In a statement, AMI Executive Vice President Jim Hodges commended FSIS for the delay, but argued that research should proceed public policy.

“Even with a 90 day delay, imposing this new regulatory program in June puts the cart before the horse and will needlessly cost tens of millions of federal and industry dollars – costs that likely will be borne by taxpayers and consumers. In short, the policy is not likely to yield a significant public health benefit and given that research should precede and dictate the policy, the process that FSIS has followed in this matter is no way to develop good public policy.”

To view the FSIS update click here: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Const_Update_020812/index.asp

Recall of Cooked Eggs Highlights Need for Tight Food Safety Control of RTE Foodservice Product

2012-02-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

The Cooked Egg recall this month once again shows how one glitch in a food safety system at one facility can have a ripple effect throughout the food chain. In this case, positive test results for Listeria on cooked eggs necessitated that the company recall up to 1 million cooked eggs. This in turn, has resulted in a dozen or so associated product recalls where these eggs were used as an ingredient as well as the removal of eggs from salad bars where eggs were served sliced, diced, or crumbled.

Consumers demand fresh, already-prepared foods, and so refrigerated ready-to-eat (RTE) foods are now a staple in many retail and convenience food stores. Most stores would be hard pressed to prepare every prepared RTE food item from scratch. They rely on their suppliers to pre-prepare many of these items, such as cooked eggs, to be mixed in as an ingredient to make a product or directly served as the finished product. Even many restaurants now use pre-prepared food items, some fully cooked, some partially cooked. Because of this, suppliers of these pre-prepared RTE items must have excellent food safety systems in place. These systems must account for the shipping, handling, and serving of foods without any additional cook step by the retail or foodservice company. Throw in the fact that consumers also want foods without preservatives , including lower salt, and one can see the increased challenges.

Listeria is one hazard associated with ready-to-eat refrigerated foods. This organism grows at refrigeration temperatures, so it can be found in the food plant environment that is not adequately cleaned. In addition to Listeria, there can be other hazards if there is temperature abuse of the product, such as Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium botulinum, and Staphylococcus aureus.

Hopefully this case raises the flag to all those who prepare RTE foods or food components as well as those who buy them. A small glitch in the system, such as this case where there was a repair in the packaging area, can produce a chain reaction of issues downstream, and more importantly, have the potential to produce illness in those who consumer the contaminated food.

Recall Reveals An Egg's Long Path To The Deli Sandwich

by Nancy Shute NPR February 9, 2012

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/02/07/146540839/recall-reveals-an-eggs-long-path-to-the-deli-sandwich

What did a Cobb salad and a chicken salad have in common that have made them the latest entries in a big ongoing food safety recall?

The answer is eggs. Hard-boiled eggs, to be precise. More than 1 million eggs bound for supermarkets, delis and convenience stores have been recalled since late January for possible contamination with listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that causes fever, nausea and diarrhea, and can be deadly in children and the elderly. No illnesses have been reported.

But the fact that the suspect eggs have made their way into products in 34 states — from packaged egg salad sandwiches in Walgreens in California to garden salads at Wegmans stores in New York state — says a lot about the twisting paths that prepared foods can take on the way to the plate.

The recalled whole peeled eggs were sold packed in brine in 10- and 25-pound buckets by Michael Foods in Minnetonka, Minn.

Diane Sparish, a spokesperson for the company, tells The Salt her customers were food distributors, food service operators, delis and food manufacturers. They liked the convenience of not having to cook the eggs themselves, she says. "Typically those products would be used as hard-cooked eggs in and of themselves, or in a finished product such as a salad."

The eggs were packed at the firm's facility in Wakefield, Neb., and shipped under six brand names, including Columbia Valley Farms and Wholesome Farms. The shelf life on the eggs is 45 days as long as the bucket hasn't been opened, according to the firm's website.

That seems like an awfully long wait to get to the plate, or the egg-salad sandwich.

Food-safety experts say that selling pre-cooked eggs in brine isn't in itself a risky undertaking. But all processed refrigerated foods are at risk of contamination. Listeria is a particular worry.

"Listeria grows extremely well in these types of foods," says Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. The problem is amplified because deli foods like cold cuts and the hard-boiled eggs involved in this recall are often in the refrigerator for weeks before they are used, and listeria grows like wildfire at refrigerator temperatures.

"You will see growth from a few cells to millions or billions within a few weeks," Doyle told The Salt. He's done research to test that in deli meats like chicken and turkey, and says the growth of the pathogens was "incredible."

In recent years deli meat processors have taken steps to reduce the risk of contamination, including heat-processing packaged meats, and adding two chemicals, potassium lactate and sodium diacetate, that together curb the growth of the bug.

Michael Foods identified a repair project in the packaging room as the likely source of contamination, according to Sparish. "Since then we've taken corrective steps to address the issue."

Doyle says that "in general I think deli products are safe." But he says eaters should be aware that just because something is fresh, it doesn't mean it hasn't had a lengthy wait in the wings.

Eli Manning and E.coli

2012-02-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

In an article in International Business Times, a doctor (and poet) "makes an arm-chaired" diagnosis that that Eli Manning had an E. coli infection prior to the playoff game with San Francisco.( http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/293025/20120204/eli-manning-sick-coli-flu-super-bowl.htm). There are two issues with this - first, being sick for a day or so with diarrhea is insufficient evidence for calling Eli's bout of diarrhea an E. coli related illness. E. coli infections are extremely serious and will last for more than a day or two. It is unlikely that Eli would have ever made it to the playoff game if he truly had an E.coli infection.

Second, and more importantly, when we call everything a foodborne disease, (such as a day of having diarrhea), we lose the importance of why food safety is so important. It is not until someone is sitting on the pot for 3 or 4 days straight not knowing whether they will live another day, or they end up in the hospital due to severe dehydration, do people grasp what a foodborne infection is. When people trivialize foodborne illness, they are less likely to take actions to prevent it.

So my "arm-chaired" analysis.......viral infection.

Outbreaks in the News this week (2/7/12)

2012-02-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

There have been some interesting foodborne illness outbreaks in the news this week (Feb 7, 2012). Here is a quick summary.

Clostridium perfrigens outbreak due to taco meat served at N.D. basketball game. How it probably happened - the spore-forming organism survived the heat treatment and then grew in the taco meat when that cooked meat was not held at the proper temperature. Temperature control of cooked food can be an issue in venues like this. Unfortunately, people are not willing to question servers when they receive meat products that are not hot. People preparing and handling food may not have been trained.

http://www.ksfy.com/story/16689309/clostridium-perfringens-cause-of-pierre-outbreak

Watermelon the likely source for Salmonella outbreak – Over 35 people became ill (it occurred in England, so they became unwell) from eating ready-to-eat (pre-sliced) watermelon. How it probably happened - during the watermelon slicing operation Salmonella was transferred from the outer surface to the interior surface. This Salmonella could have originated on the raw fruit, and then been spread through the wash water. If the sliced water melon was not refrigerated, Salmonella could grow on the more pH neutral fruit, making the situation worse.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9056645/One-person-dies-after-salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-watermelons.html

Update – Outbreak of Campylobacter from consumption of contaminated raw milk affects 43 people in 4 states. The dairy has resumed sales. (That raw milk group is a dedicated bunch).

http://www.therecordherald.com/news/x962217783/Raw-milk-sales-resume-at-The-Family-Cow-in-Chambersburg

3 cruise ships disinfected after norovirus outbreak

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/ship-with-stomach-virus-outbreak-sets-sail-from-port-everglades-with-new-passengers/2012/02/06/gIQAc8aztQ_story.html?tid=pm_lifestyle_pop

Salmonella and Taco Bell - CDC to release or not to release

2012-02-04T19:54:00.000-08:00

CDC released the final report on a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis which was associated with eating food from a Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain, Restaurant Chain A. This report, issued on January 19, 2011 (http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/restaurant-enteriditis/011912/index.html) indicated that 68 individuals from 10 different states became ill from October, 2011 through November, 2011.

Much of the controversy now is that CDC or the FDA did not release the name of the restaurant which we now know is Taco Bell. It is not agencies’ policy to release the name of establishments when it is determined that the release of this information will have no impact on other people becoming ill. (http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/hidden-outbreak-restaurants-stay-anonymous/story?id=15505386). Having been to many food safety conferences over the years where CDC and FDA presented case study reports, I have seen that they never state the name of the company involved in the case being presented.

On one side, I can see the value in not releasing this name. Often, the case is ongoing, so they need cooperation from the establishment. Additionally, releasing this information can have a huge financial impact on the company. We assume these investigations are air-tight, but that is absolutely the case. We just need to look at how tomatoes were wrongly blamed in 2008 when peppers were actually the source. In that salsa outbreak, the tomato industry was devastated. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&refer=columnist_skrzycki&sid=agA9XKef6P20). In many investigations, the indictment of a food and associated producer is based on a statistical analysis without actual product testing, as was the case with Taco Bell.

On the other side, as a consumer, I want to know which establishments present a likely risk to me and my family. The fact that an given establishment is involved indicated that they have a insufficient food safety system. An added concern is the fact that there seems to be no clue as to the actual cause of the Salmonella contamination. So, to what degree do we look at this company and question whether they have a potential condition under control? In a statement, (http://blogs.ajc.com/business-beat/2012/02/02/taco-bell-salmonella-outbreak-remains-mystery/?cxntfid=blogs_business_beat) Taco Bell indicates that it is probably at the suppler level. Is that giving you any confidence in the safety of their food?

Man treated for rabies after field dressing infected deer

2012-02-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

A Pennsylvania man was treated for rabies after exposure from an infected deer he had shot and field dressed.
A few important points:
Hunters should avoid field dressing deer that look abnormal or that had acted abnormally (including hides with large or multiple lesions, internal organs with abscesses or that are foul smelling, or an animal that has exhibited unusual behavior, such as this case where the animal is growling.) In most all cases, the hunter should still take down the animal and then contact the Game Commission.
Always wear latex gloves when field dressing a deer, being sure to keep fluids from contracting your own skin. (That includes refraining from spreading blood on your face as you pretend to be the Great Hunter.)
A little more on rabies from the CDC:

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. The early symptoms of rabies in people are similar to that of many other illnesses, including fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort. As the disease progresses, more specific symptoms appear and may include insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, hypersalivation (increase in saliva), difficulty swallowing, and hydrophobia (fear of water). Death usually occurs within days of the onset of these symptoms
People usually get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal. It is also possible, but quite rare, that people may get rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.
Scratches, abrasions, open wounds, or mucous membranes contaminated with saliva or other potentially infectious material (such as brain tissue) from a rabid animal constitute non-bite exposures. Occasionally reports of non-bite exposure are such that postexposure prophylaxis is given.

Hunters risk run-in with rabieshttp://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120203/NEWS/202030348/-1/NEWS01

By Chad Smith

Pocono Record Writer

February 03, 2012

A hunter who killed a deer in Chester County was treated for rabies after the deer tested positive for the disease, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The commission is recommending hunters wear gloves when they field-dress a deer or any other mammal they've killed.

The Chester County hunter had field-dressed the deer and had cuts on his hands. The commission recommended the hunter be treated for post-exposure rabies.

The incident occurred Jan. 20 in Valley Township. No other instances of rabid deer have been reported in Pennsylvania since then, said Game Commission spokesman Jerry Feaser.

According to the commission statement, the hunter had seen the deer standing by a creek, "straining and growling."

"He thought there was a coyote nearby from the sounds the deer was making," the commission said.

After the hunter shot the deer, he decided to contact the commission. The deer later tested positive for rabies. Every year, one or two cases of rabid deer are reported to the commission, Feaser said.

Though all mammals are susceptible to rabies, deer are usually less likely to contract the virus because their behavioral patterns are different from animals that are often more associated with the disease, like raccoons.

Feaser also said hunters shouldn't kill an animal that looks like it has rabies. It's best to leave it alone and call the commission. Once an animal dies, it becomes harder to tell whether the animal was infected with rabies, and officials want to keep track of rabies cases.

Terry Hill, archery manager at Dunkelberger's sporting goods store in Stroudsburg, said Thursday that he wears latex gloves when he field-dresses an animal. He said he recommends latex gloves to hunters who come into the store. However, he said some hunters mock the practice.

About 104 cases of rabid deer have been reported in the United States since 1990, according to a 2012 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Recall of cooked eggs due to Listeria postive test results

2012-02-03T13:39:00.000-08:00

Recall of cooked eggs and products made from those eggs due to Listeria contamination. Eggs were sold by Michael Foods under the brand names Columbia Valley Farms, GFS, Glenview Farms, Papetti's, Silverbrook and Wholesome Farms. These were institutional sized pails sold to other companies to be used in further packaging or used in foodservice. They were not sold directly to consumers. There have been no associated illnesses.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (link below), “

"The recall was initiated after lab testing revealed that some of the eggs within the recalled lot dates may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. A recall of three lot dates was announced on Thursday, January 26. As a precautionary measure, the recall was expanded today to include additional lot dates. Michael Foods reached the decision to expand this recall after a thorough investigation which indicated a specific repair project that took place in the packaging room as the likely source of the contamination. The company has taken a number of corrective steps to address the issue and prevent recurrence"

Interesting to note was that work was done in the packaging room. This is a common issue – repair work either introduces Listeria, or releases it from some location where it has been in an inactive state, probably for some time. Whenever work is done, in a kitchen or a processing room, extra attention must be paid to cleaning and sanitizing the area where the work occurred. Additionally, heavy verification testing is recommended to ensure that an organism like Listeria is not present.

Also, this is another case where positive results obtained through a third party testing laboratory, perhaps done on behalf of a customer, has triggered a recall that has affected a widening number of other customers.

FDA recall notices:
Michael Foods, Inc. is recalling specific lot dates of hard-cooked eggs in brine sold in 10- and 25-pound pails for institutional use that were produced at its Wakefield, Nebraska facility because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm289920.htm
Allison’s Gourmet Kitchens Recalls Prepared Salads that Contain Hard Cooked Eggs - The recalled Prepared Salads that contain hard cooked eggs were distributed in Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Kansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida, Tennessee and Missouri.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm290212.htm

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is recalling hard-cooked eggs, as well as prepared foods that contain hard-cooked eggs, sold between January 23 and February 1, 2012 because the eggs have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. …products sold in Wegmans prepared foods and deli departments….
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm290198.htm

Michael Foods Recalls Hard-Cooked Eggs Packed in Brine Sold in 10- and 25-Pound Pails Because of Possible Health RiskFeb. 1, 2012, 1:03 p.m. EST Wall Street Journal Market Watch
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/michael-foods-recalls-hard-cooked-eggs-packed-in-brine-sold-in-10-and-25-pound-pails-because-of-possible-health-risk-2012-02-01

MINNETONKA, Minn., Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Michael Foods, Inc. is recalling specific lot dates of hard-cooked eggs in brine sold in 10- and 25-pound pails for institutional use that were produced at its Wakefield, Nebraska facility because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The recalled eggs were purchased by food distributors and manufacturers located in 34 states (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WV). The recall is limited to hard-cooked eggs in brine in 10- and 25-pound pails produced at its Wakefield, Nebraska facility, which are labeled under six brand names (Columbia Valley Farms®, GFS®, Glenview Farms®, Papetti's®, Silverbrook®, Wholesome Farms®) and bearing lot codes of 1 LOT 1350W through 1 LOT 2025W and expiration dates ranging from 1/30/2012 to 3/10/2012.

Only lot codes immediately preceded by a "1" AND ending in a "W" are affected, please see the following example:

Here is an example of the lot codes on the packaging: USE BY 11 FEB 12 1 LOT 1362 W USE BY 11 FEB 12 = Use by Date1 = line impacted by recallLOT 1362 = Lot NumberW = Wakefield

None of the eggs were sold directly by Michael Foods to retailers or consumers. However, food distributors and manufacturers who purchased the eggs could have used them in products that were sold to retail outlets or used in foodservice settings. Michael Foods is working with customers who purchased eggs from these lots to ensure that all product is removed from the market. Consumers who believe they might have purchased product affected by the recall, or those who are unsure, should contact the original place of purchase.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness in connection with this product.

The recall was initiated after lab testing revealed that some of the eggs within the recalled lot dates may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. A recall of three lot dates was announced on Thursday, January 26. As a precautionary measure, the recall was expanded today to include additional lot dates. Michael Foods reached the decision to expand this recall after a thorough investigation which indicated a specific repair project that took place in the packaging room as the likely source of the contamination. The company has taken a number of corrective steps to address the issue and prevent recurrence.

For further questions regarding this recall, please call Michael Foods at 877-367-3447, Monday through Friday, 8am - 5pm EST.

SOURCE Michael Foods, Inc.

Raw Milk and Campylobacter - Outbreak in PA

2012-02-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

There are now close to 40 cases of Campylobacteriosis related to raw milk sold by a Pennsylvania dairy (Franklin County). Although the Campylobacter bacteria has been isolated from bottles of the milk, proponents march on in defense of raw milk – either denying it was the milk, or claiming their right to drink raw milk (read comment on the bottom of page by an advocate).

Campylobacter is a very serious illness. From the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/campylobacter/):
Campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Campylobacter. Most people who become ill with campylobacteriosis get diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain, and fever within two to five days after exposure to the organism. The diarrhea may be bloody and can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The illness typically lasts one week. Some infected persons do not have any symptoms. In persons with compromised immune systems, Campylobacter occasionally spreads to the bloodstream and causes a serious life-threatening infection.
I believe that people do have the right to drink raw milk, eat raw eggs, and eat raw oysters. But, people need to understand the real risk associated with these products AND society should not pick up the cost once they become sick, or perhaps even ensuring compliance of raw milk producers (that should be built into the cost of product).

Number of people with illnesses linked to raw milk rising in Pa., Md. W.Va.
Lab tests confirm bacteria's presence in raw milk from Chambersburg dairyFebruary 02, 2012|By JENNIFER FITCH | waynesboro@herald-mail.com
http://articles.herald-mail.com/2012-02-02/news/31019695_1_raw-milk-unpasteurized-milk-dairy-farm

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Maryland health officials say laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of the illness-causing bacteria, Campylobacter jejuni, in two unopened samples purchased from the Family Cow farm in Chambersburg
The number of people in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and New Jersey stricken with illness after consuming raw, unpasteurized milk from the same farm has risen to 37, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed Thursday.

Pennsylvania officials said their tests for bacteria in samples had not yet yielded results.

Later Thursday, the Berkeley County (W.Va.) Health Department reported that two Eastern Panhandle residents were stricken with the Campylobacter bacteria, according to a news release. The health department attributes the cases to the Family Cow farm outbreak, the release said.

The Family Cow farm sells raw milk at its farm store and at drop-offs, grocery stores and markets around Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley and southcentral Pennsylvania. According to the Family Cow website, the farm has decided to temporarily stop selling milk.

Thirty states, including Pennsylvania, allow raw milk sales, according to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

Sales are prohibited in Maryland.
In Pennsylvania, 153 facilities hold raw milk permits from the state agriculture department, agency spokeswoman Samantha Krepps said.

Five farms in Franklin County appear on a permits list on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s website.

“They have to pass an inspection by the department of agriculture,” Krepps said of farms seeking a permit.

The inspection involves the milking parlor, storage areas, temperatures and distribution practices, Krepps said. Farmers also are required to ensure there are consumer notices on containers and displays, she said.
After the initial inspection, permitted farms are required to submit to four inspections each year. They must file veterinary documents ensuring herd health with the agriculture department’s food safety division.

Phil Wagner grew up on a dairy farm and spent 36 years as a Penn State Cooperative Extension educator before retiring in 2010.

Wagner said he saw raw milk sales start to become trendy about five or six years ago when consumers started seeking “natural” foods.

“There have been people selling raw milk for years. ... It’s nothing new,” Wagner aid.

However, farmers who sold to neighbors 20 years ago got away from the practice because of permitting, he said.

“It’s a very niche market, and you only have a certain amount of consumers,” Wagner said.

Logan Horst, who was raised on a Chambersburg-area dairy farm, is a Penn State Cooperative Extension dairy educator in Franklin County.

Horst said selling raw milk gives farmers an opportunity to control their own marketing, rather than selling to a cooperative and having their pasteurized milk fall under regulated prices at the grocery store.

“People are willing to spend more for (raw milk) for whatever benefits they perceive it has,” he said.

Horst consumed raw milk in his youth. He feels it did not cause him illness because it was only hours old and his body was tolerant to it.

“I grew up on raw milk, never got sick off it or thought about safety,” he said.

Milk-drinkers cannot see or smell the harmful bacteria, according to Martin Bucknavage, a senior food safety extension associate for Penn State.

“It’s a pretty severe disease when people get it,” Bucknavage said, saying symptoms often last four to six days.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns about harmful bacteria in raw milk on its website. However, organizations like the Weston A. Price Foundation say raw milk builds a person’s immune system.

The milk industry started pasteurizing its products by heating them when it realized longer shipping times were sickening entire blocks of people decades ago, Bucknavage said.

Campylobacter jejuni can be ingested by mishandling food, particularly poultry, at home. Bucknavage said periodic outbreaks are not uncommon in the United States, although having more than two dozen people involved is rare.

“Everybody has to recognize there is a risk when consuming raw milk,” he said.

Campylobacter affects the intestinal tract and can sometimes affect the bloodstream and other organs. It is one of the most common causes of gastroenteritis, which includes vomiting and diarrhea.

The Berkeley County Health Department recommends that anyone who has consumed raw milk in the past few weeks and is experiencing the above symptoms contact their health provider.

Raw milk facilities in Franklin County
Five farms that have a permit to sell raw milk:
1. BMB Farm, St. Thomas-Edenville Road, Chambersburg, Pa.,
2. Son Rise Farm, Amberson Road, Spring Run, Pa.
3. Stoney Ridge Farm, Swamp Fox Road, Chambersburg.
4. Family Cow LLC, Old Scotland Road, Chambersburg.
5. Wadel’s Dairy, White Church Road, Shippensburg, Pa.
Link to Maryland State Laboratory release:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/80245522/Official-press-release-from-Maryland-Department-of-Health-and-Mental-Hygiene

Raw-milk advocates say they won't change dairy habits, even as state probes possible illness link to Chambersburg-area farmPublished: Wednesday, February 01, 2012, 5:00 AM
By SUE GLEITER, The Patriot-NewsThe Patriot-News
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/02/raw-milk_advocates_say_they_wo.html

Lisa Carter is a raw-milk convert.

Eleven years ago, medical issues prompted her to change her diet to organic foods and raw milk. Unlike regular milk, raw milk is not pasteurized. It is preferred by many who say it has more enzymes and nutrients that promote good health.

Raw milk has surged in popularity. Those who drink it say they like the natural taste. It reminds them of the milk, delivered by milkmen, that they grew up drinking.
“I just got healthy again,” said Carter, general manager of The Healthy Grocer in Hampden Township.

Raw-milk advocates such as Carter say they aren’t about to change their dairy habits, even as state health officials investigate the possibility that raw milk from a Chambersburg-area farm is linked to 20 confirmed cases of an intestinal infection.

The state Department of Health is awaiting results of tests on raw milk from The Family Cow.

The Health Department said 16 people in Pennsylvania and four in Maryland who drank the milk from the farm came down with a bacterial infection known as campylobacter. Some people have been hospitalized, but none have died, state officials said.

The state Department of Agriculture will continue testing raw milk from the farm.

The Family Cow voluntarily stopped selling the milk at The Healthy Grocer and other outlets late last week.

“For the most part, the people that buy raw milk understand that there may be some risks associated with it,” said Tom Maurer, owner of Palmyra Real Food Emporium in Palmyra. “But the benefits are so far ahead of those minuscule risks that they are going to buy it. It tastes better, and it’s better for you.”

He sells raw milk from two suppliers in Myerstown, Lebanon County, in his small market, which focuses on locally produced foods. The milk sells for $5.25 a gallon.

Those who buy it range from young families to senior citizens. Older customers are less intimidated by raw milk, mainly because they drank it while growing up, Maurer said.

It is when the milk is improperly handled that it becomes dangerous, Maurer said.

“Farmers who produce raw milk are producing it because their customers want a really high-quality product. Sometimes things happen, but you also fall down the steps, too. People decide if they want to buy the raw milk. We’re not forcing them to buy it,” he said.

The popularity of raw milk troubles many health officials.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prior to pasteurization becoming widespread before 1950, many people regularly contracted illnesses transmitted in milk. The CDC views pasteurization as one of the most important food-safety developments ever made.

The agency warns that raw milk — and cheese and yogurt made with raw milk — can become contaminated with bacteria that can cause severe illness and even death.

The CDC says there are no proven health benefits in drinking raw milk.

“There is always a risk when it comes to raw milk, and that is why pasteurization was put into place,” said Martin Bucknavage, senior food safety extension associate at Penn State University.

The risk comes with the various bacteria connected to cows, he said. Some people build a tolerance to certain bacteria, but some bacteria prove to be very dangerous, Bucknavage said.

“When you consume raw milk, there is just a higher risk of contracting a foodborne illness, and that’s the risk you take,” he added.

Twenty states prohibit sales of raw milk.

Raw milk retains passionate supporters. Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has argued that consumers should have the choice of drinking raw milk.

Demand for raw milk has escalated in the last decade. The number of Pennsylvania farms with permits to sell raw milk has grown from about 20 to between 130 and 150, said Brian Snyder, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture.

“If you think about it, it is consistent with the whole local food trend. It’s a nonprocessed product, which is what the local food trend is about,” he said.

Amy Leber, who runs Shared Earth Farm in Silver Spring Township, sells raw milk from Apple Valley Creamery in East Berlin to those who sign up to buy shares of produce she grows on her farm.

She converted to raw milk about five years ago after suffering stomach issues she thought were linked to drinking pasteurized milk.

“More of us are realizing there are things we can use that don’t cause stomachaches,” she said.

At The Healthy Grocer, Carter said people are turning to raw milk for various reasons, including allergies. The store sells milk from Kingfisher, a dairy in Elizabethtown, and has sold Family Cow products.

In recent days, many customers have called the store concerned about the raw milk.

“I don’t want raw milk to get a bad name,” Carter said.

Illness cases increase
The state Department of Health said Tuesday that 20 people might have been sickened by raw milk from a Chambersburg-area farm.

The state was still awaiting test results to determine whether milk from the Family Cow caused the illnesses.

The department said it had 20 confirmed cases of people with a bacterial infection called campylobacter — an increase from a dozen cases on Monday. The infection can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting. Some had to be hospitalized, the Health Department. None had died.

The company has voluntarily stopped selling the milk, and the Health Department advises customers to discard any Family Cow products purchased after Jan. 1.

Comments from article:
“I am just amazed at the amount of ignorance that people are displaying here. Those who fear raw milk are having an emotional reaction based on what they *think* might be true. There is a general lack of knowledge about the history of pasteurization and the process of producing milk intended to be consumed raw. Educate yourselves, people! Not only that, but compared to outbreaks of food borne illnesses from other foods, raw milk has a great track record. But essentially the issue comes down to freedom. Why does the government have the right to tell me I can't drink it because there is a very small possibility I will get sick? Slap a warning label on it and be done. I am an adult and can make my own decisions. Full disclosure, I am customer of that farm in Chambersburg. I drank a lot of the milk currently under scrutiny, and didn't get sick. I have nothing but respect for my farmer. And if it turns out the illness did come from their milk, I will STILL drink it in the future. And that is nobody's business but mine.”http://connect.pennlive.com/user/christine_ten_eyck_myers/index.html

Revisiting Third Party Food Safety Audits

2012-02-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

Once again third party audits take heat for an outbreak, in this case, the Listeria outbreak in Jenson Farms Cantaloupes.. In the USA Today, two viewpoints are presented. Both present valid points, but there is more that can be said. Third party food safety audits provide a snapshot evaluation of the food safety system of an organization and give an assessment of whether that facility is following that food safety system. One important limitation is that audits, as currently completed, are not as good at determining the validity of that system, in other words, how well that system is actually working to make safe food. An astute auditor can see signs that the plan is valid through results of pathogen testing, through the process parameters that are set up, but there are factors that limit this.

Auditors often cover a broad range of facilities and process types (even within the same commodity) and so it is difficult to have an in depth understanding of every process in every facility an auditor visits. They will not have the vast knowledge of a given pathogen as compared to a PhD who has studied that pathogen for years.
Audits are often one day in duration, so there is little time to get into the nuts and bolts of the process. Audits will look at the broad systems that are in place and make sure they are being followed (such as GMP’s, supplier control, pest control, HACCP), but to look at the validity of a process can take days, especially when there is the lack of support documentation such as pathogen testing.
In most cases, auditors are not conducting microbiological analysis of the environment or of the finished product. They may look at results that are on file, but they themselves are not swabbing surfaces or pulling product from the end of the line and sending to a qualified laboratory. As was seen in the PCA case, a company may only show select results from a less reputable laboratory. So to what degree can an auditor, in a day or so, evaluate the laboratory being used, the methods that laboratory is using, and the sampling scheme used by the plant?
Auditors will count, in part, that the facility actually knows what it is doing. If a facility has been processing cantaloupes for years, it is easy to make the assumption they must have some clue of what they are doing. They can question why a change was made, in this case the change in process, but to make a call on the safety of that change is more difficult.
Companies being audited do want to pass the audit. Their business depends on it. When they hire an auditor, it is less likely they will put themselves in a position to fail….and that may mean hiring someone they know who will not put them through the ringer. Indeed, this a conflict of interest. But this practice of having the supplier pay for their own audit was started years ago by the purchasing companies requiring the audits. To get out of paying for audits of every supplier, they had the idea to make the supplier pay for the audit. Sure, the customer company provides a list of audit firms or auditors from which the supplier can choose, but still, the supplier still hires that person.

Because of these limitations associated with third party audits, they are not a guarantee of product safety. Rather, they are just a part of the entire food safety system that a company uses to ensure safe food. If a company uses the fact that they passed an audit as sole reason for why they believe their food is safe, then that company probably does not have true food safety systems in place. The goal of the audit for the food company is to assess their systems and provide feedback on where improvement is needed. Each aspect of the audit is there for a reason, so food companies need to embrace the intent of the requirement, not just to throw something in place to pass the audit.

While there has been a ratcheting up of requirements through GFSI (SQF and BRC) on both what is required in audits and what is required for someone to be a qualified auditor, some of these issues still exist. Even with government based inspection, there are similar shortcomings. Audits are an important part of our food safety system, whether internal, second party, third party , or government, but the responsibility for food safety ultimately falls on the company producing the food. Food companies must use these audits as guideposts for continual improvement. Employees, managers, and just as importantly, executive management must thoroughly understand their process and product. They must challenge themselves, with the help of auditors, to ensure their food safety system has addressed all possible food safety hazards.

by Martin Bucknavage 12/1/12

Editorial: Food safety auditors too tied to industry

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/story/2012-01-24/contaminated-cantaloupe-food-auditors/52780580/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+News-Opinion+%28News+-+Opinion%29

USA Today 1/24/12

The first hints of trouble came last Sept. 2. Trackers who watch for outbreaks of dangerous diseases noticed that seven people in Colorado had come down with listeriosis, a potentially fatal food-borne illness. Within two weeks, federal authorities had tracked the culprit — contaminated cantaloupe — to Jensen Farms, a small Colorado grower.

By November, people in 28 states had fallen ill. By the time federal authorities declared the outbreak over in December, 146 people had been stricken, including a woman who had a miscarriage, and 30 were dead.

You'd think that the deadliest food-borne outbreak in nearly 90 years would change the way business is done in the produce industry. No such luck.

The first line of defense remains independent auditors hired by food producers to monitor their performance, much as companies hire outside auditors to certify their financial statements. But just six days before the Colorado outbreak, Jensen's auditor gave the company stellar ratings.

The system has an inherent conflict of interest: While retailers generally require audits before buying from a supplier, the suppliers often hire and pay the auditors who evaluate them. It's like authors hiring their own book reviewers.

A similarly flawed system contributed to the nation's 2008 financial meltdown. Credit-rating agencies, which are supposed to objectively rate the risk of debt securities for investors, gave AAA ratings to bundles of toxic mortgages. Guess who hired and paid them? The sellers of the shaky securities. At least toxic mortgage debt can't kill. Listeria can.

Primus Labs audited sanitation practices at Jensen's packing house immediately before the outbreak and gave the company a 96% rating. The Food and Drug Administration later cited problems — including the facility's design and flawed sanitizing procedures — as potentially contributing to the contamination. Primus also gave passing grades to 98.7% of those it reviewed in 2010, according to a House Energy and Commerce Committee report released this month.

In 2009, another major auditing firm, AIB International, gave the Peanut Corp. of America a "superior rating" at its Texas plant even as it was churning out salmonella-tainted peanut paste. PCA'S products ultimately sickened 600 people and might have killed as many as nine.

If retailers paid for audits, as a few do, there'd be more incentive for impartial audits. Retailers could also demand that auditors be assigned randomly to jobs from a pool. That, too, would reduce the conflicts.

Outbreaks of food-borne illness have prompted change in the past, but only when industries have stepped up to take responsibility. After contaminated spinach sickened scores of people in 2006, producers agreed to make leafy greens less vulnerable to bacteria. In 2004, after a salmonella outbreak in almonds, California growers researched a pasteurization process to make their products safer.

As government shrinks, more of the nation's food supply will depend on private audits. They won't provide much comfort as long as auditors are evaluating the folks who pay their bill.

Opposing view: Food safety is more than about audits

By Bob Whitaker

USA Today

Food safety has always been the highest priority for the people who grow, ship and sell our nation's fresh fruits and vegetables. Recognizing there is no one solution, we take a holistic approach to food safety, constantly strengthening best practices, identifying knowledge gaps, creating new guidance on growing, handling and processing, and developing new "field to fork" training programs.

While the industry is constantly in search of new ideas to enhance the safety of our products, the concept of creating a system led by industry to randomly choose third-party auditors is flawed.

If objectivity is the concern, consider that audits are only one tool in a comprehensive food safety program. It is already standard industry practice to rotate auditors to avoid potential familiarity issues. In some cases, it's the buyer who actually chooses a grower's auditing firm.

The concerns about objectivity also assume that the only goal of the grower paying for the audit is to achieve a passing grade. Nothing could be further from the truth. Audits, like other current safeguards, are one tool among many used to ensure the safety of our fresh produce. Further, audit results are routinely used to improve food safety performance.

Everyone has a role in food safety. Rather than debate the merits of a single approach, let's broaden the dialogue and work in partnership with industry, consumers and the government to set the framework to create more effective food safety solutions not only for today, but also tomorrow.

The produce industry's commitment to protecting public health and building consumer trust influences every decision made from farm to table. The industry has been, and will continue, taking aggressive action to chart a course to ensure a better future for produce safety. While we recognize that audits are a critical part of a food safety program, they are but one piece of that commitment.

Bob Whitaker is the chief science and technology officer for the Produce Marketing Association.

Food facility audits largely ignore FDA guidance

By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press–15 hours ago

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iNUquIdpjkOdsRwfZHcrxaKu5HyA?docId=09c493be1bf1435399503560770a6835

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional investigators looking into an outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe linked to 30 deaths last year found that third-party auditors who gave Colorado's Jensen Farms a "superior" rating just before the outbreak largely ignored government guidance on food safety.

A bipartisan report released Tuesday by the House Energy and Commerce Committee quotes a representative of an auditing company that graded the facility two months before the outbreak as saying audits are not intended to help clients improve food safety standards. Retailers often rely on such audits to make sure food they buy is safe.

Democrats on the panel asked the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on such third-party auditors, who often are the only outside entities to inspect food facilities. A food safety law signed last year will boost FDA inspections of such facilities, but money to carry out those inspections is not guaranteed from Congress.

"Weaknesses in third-party auditors represent a significant gap in the food safety system," the Democrats said. Republicans on the committee signed the report but did not echo the Democratic call for more oversight.

The FDA currently does not regulate third-party auditors. The food safety law requires the agency to improve third-party audits of food facilities abroad that export to the United States, but does not address domestic audits.

Siobhan Delancey, spokeswoman for the FDA, said in a statement that new standards under the law enacted last year will still go a long way toward improving food safety.

"There are a number of elements of the proposed rule that, had Jensen Farms been in compliance, would have significantly reduced the risk of that outbreak occurring," she said.

The congressional report notes that Primus Labs, the auditor hired by Holly, Colo.-based Jensen Farms, is one of the nation's largest food facility auditors. The company told the committee that the vast majority of the thousands of audits it completes each year receive passing grades — 98.7 percent in 2010, 97.5 percent in 2009 and 98.1 percent in 2008.

The president of the company, Robert Stovicek, told the investigators that Primus Labs would be "a rogue element if they tried to pick winners and losers" and that the company does not have the expertise to determine which practices should be pushed by industry. A subcontractor who audited the cantaloupe farm told the committee that auditors dock points if a facility is not following specific FDA regulations but do not account for the agency's many guidances on how best to keep food safe.

The outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe this fall was the deadliest outbreak of foodborne illness in 25 years. Thirty people died, 146 people were sickened and one woman suffered a miscarriage after eating the tainted cantaloupe, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The FDA said in October that pools of dirty water on the floor and old, hard-to-clean equipment at Jensen Farms probably were to blame. Government investigators found several positive samples of listeria bacteria on equipment in the Jensen Farms packing facility and on fruit that had been held there. The farm also had stopped using antibacterial washes and did not "pre-cool" cantaloupes off the fields to reduce bacteria growth, the FDA said.

The Republican-led committee declined to hold a hearing on the outbreak but released the bipartisan report — including summaries of interviews with the FDA, the owners of the farm and the auditors — instead. The report noted that many in the food industry have required better audits since the cantaloupe outbreak, and did not call for the FDA to step up action. Democrats, who had called for a hearing on the matter, wrote the separate letter to the agency after the report was released asking for stricter oversight.

Bill Marler, a food safety lawyer who is suing Jensen Farms on behalf of several of the victims, said government inspectors should be present at food facilities more often.

"The present audit system is fraught with conflicts and is designed not to find safety problems, but to keep food — regardless of quality — flowing from farm to fork," he said.

Colorado listeria probe by Congress points many fingers

Posted: 01/10/2012 01:24:29 PM MST

Updated: 01/10/2012 05:34:57 PM MST

By Michael Booth

Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

A Congressional committee investigating deaths from the Colorado cantaloupe listeria outbreak points fingers at Jensen Farms, third-party auditors, and lax FDA regulations on sanitation.

Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver, also asked the FDA to step up regulation of outside auditors, who they say bring numerous "conflicts of interest" to the food safety system.

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce staff report echoes the FDA in pointing to key changes in the Jensen Farms packing process that launched the outbreak, which killed 30 people.

In testimony from the Jensen brothers, though, the farm said it was taking advice from an auditor meant to reassure grocery stores on safe growing conditions. Eric and Ryan Jensen told the committee that the farm had also been visited many times by its much larger distributor, Frontera Produce, and no one had faulted their new packing system.

The report highlights a switch to a pass-through washing system that used fresh water but no chlorine to kill bacteria. Jensen had used a chlorine bath system in 2010, but changed it for 2011 and also bought used potato-harvesting equipment later deemed inappropriate for melons.

The staff also questioned the auditors, Bio Food Safety, which were hired as a subcontractor by Primus Labs of California. Jensen received high marks in both its 2010 and 2011 audits; the 2011 audit, just before harvesting began, noted the change to a non-chlorine wash but did not ask Jensen to address it.

Bio Food Safety told committee staffers that the audit was a checklist-style audit, and that there is no set FDA regulation requiring chlorine sanitation for melons. The FDA has said it has guidelines encouraging a sanitary wash, but they are not codified in regulations.

The Jensens, Frontera and the auditors face numerous lawsuits from families of the dead and dozens more made ill by listeria. The FDA and federal prosecutors have also said they reserve the right to add penalties to their investigation of the case, possibly through criminal charges using laws in food safety acts.

Venison and STEC E. coli

2012-01-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

In this CDC report, high school students became infected with STEC E. coli from the mishandling / undercooking venison. Here, a group of students collected deer, processed them, and then prepared them as kebobs…..at school. 2 of them were hospitalized with STEC E.coli, (29 were ill, most were not E.coli related, rather some other type of illness).

Studies have shown that deer do carry pathogenic E. coli. From the linked CDC report: “A study of white-tailed deer feces in Minnesota and Wisconsin found non-O157 STEC in 5% of samples (9). … Prevalence rates of E. coli O157 in deer have ranged from 0.25% to 2.4% (10–12). Previous outbreak investigations and case reports have linked E. coli O157 infections to deer (13–15).”

STEC E. coli is a very serious pathogen that can result in kidney failure and death. It is important for those processing, handling, and preparing venison to follow accepted practices of cooking, cleaning, chilling, and preventing cross contamination. In regard to cooking, wild game meat such as venison should be cooked o 165ºF.

Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–producing Escherichia coli Associated with Venison

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/2/11-0855_article.htm

We investigated an outbreak of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli at a high school in Minnesota, USA, in November 2010. Consuming undercooked venison and not washing hands after handling raw venison were associated with illness. E. coli O103:H2 and non-Shiga toxin–producing E. coli O145:NM were isolated from ill students and venison.

Non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are emerging pathogens (1,2) but are underrecognized because relatively few clinical laboratories routinely use culture-independent testing methods necessary for their identification (3,4). Ruminants (e.g., cattle, goats) can be colonized by non-O157 STEC and are reservoirs of these organisms. Non-O157 STEC outbreaks have been associated with contaminated food and recreational water and with direct contact with infected animals or humans (2,4,5). However, much is still unknown about sources and risk factors for non-O157 STEC infection.

The Study

On December 1, 2010, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) was notified that 2 students from the same high school were hospitalized with bloody diarrhea. As part of a physical education/environmental science class, 7 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) had been processed on school grounds on November 16, and venison kabobs were grilled and consumed in class on November 23.

MDH and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) staff interviewed the course instructor and the butcher who processed the deer. The school provided names and contact information for students enrolled in the class. A case–control study was conducted; students were interviewed about illness, food consumption, and venison handling in class. A case-patient was defined as a class enrollee in whom diarrhea (>3 loose stools in 24 hours) developed after November 16 and lasted >3 days. Diarrhea duration was included in the case definition to exclude possible background norovirus infections.

Stool specimens from 6 students were submitted to MDH. Specimens were tested for E. coli O157 and Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter spp. by culture and for norovirus genogroups I and II by PCR. Non-O157 STEC testing was conducted by using sweep PCR for Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2), hlyA, and eaeA (6) and by culture using immunomagnetic separation.

If Shiga toxin genes were detected by sweep PCR but not in isolated colonies, hlyA- and eaeA-positive colonies were serotyped. Leftover raw venison was tested at MDA for STEC by PCR for stx1, stx2, and uidA; by immunomagnetic separation for STEC O103; and by O145 isolation (7). SAS software version 9.2 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA) was used for analyses. p <0.05 was considered significant.

Of 225 students from 5 class periods, 117 (52%) were interviewed. Twenty-nine case-patients (25%) were identified. Twenty additional students reported gastrointestinal symptoms that did not meet the case definition and were excluded from analysis. Twenty (69%) case-patients were male. Median incubation from the November 23 class date for 28 case-patients with illness onset after that class was 53.5 hours (range 22–121 hours) (Figure 1). All 29 case-patients reported diarrhea, 21 (72%) reported cramps, 5 (17%) vomiting, 5 (17%) bloody stools, and 2 (7%) fever. Median duration of illness was 5 days (range 4–12 days). Two case-patients were hospitalized for 2 and 3 days, respectively. No case-patients showed development of hemolytic uremic syndrome and none died.

All 6 stool samples were negative for stx2, E. coli O157, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter spp. Five samples were positive for stx1, 5 for hlyA, and 4 for eaeA by sweep PCR (Table 1). Two of these samples did not yield additional findings. An stx1-positive E. coli O103:H2 was isolated from 2 samples (from the 2 hospitalized students). Both E. coli O103:H2 isolates were indistinguishable by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) (Figure 2). In another sample that was stx1 positive by sweep PCR, stx1 was not identified in isolated colonies, but serotyping of hlyA- and eaeA-positive colonies identified E. coli O145:NM (Table 1). A sixth sample was negative for stx1 and stx2 by sweep PCR but positive for hlyA and eaeA; serotyping of hlyA- and eaeA-positive colonies identified E. coli O145:NM (Table 1). Both E. coli O145:NM isolates were indistinguishable by PFGE (Figure 2). One of the samples that yielded E. coli O145:NM was also positive for norovirus genogroup II.

Six deer were shot and field dressed during November 12–14. A seventh deer was obtained after being hit by a vehicle. Students brought the deer to the school where they were stored in a shed packed in ice. On November 16, a butcher processed each deer by using tools that had never been used to butcher domestic ruminants. Tables, cutting boards, and tools were reportedly cleaned with a 10% bleach solution. Venison was wrapped in plastic, covered in ice, and stored overnight in the shed.

On November 17, students cut selected pieces of meat into cubes, which was wrapped in butcher paper and frozen. Remaining large cuts were returned to students who had provided deer. Students could have received venison from any of the 7 deer. On November 22, the venison was thawed and marinated in 5-gallon buckets. On November 23, several students used wooden bamboo skewers to assemble venison kabobs. The kabobs were grilled by several students on a gas grill for consumption during each class period. Students were instructed to wear gloves and wash their hands after handling raw venison on November 17, 22, and 23.

In the case–control study, consuming undercooked or pink venison was associated with illness (Table 2). Among students who handled raw venison or helped clean up on November 23, students who reported handwashing afterwards were less likely to become ill. Numerous students reported instances of potential cross-contamination or other food handling errors, including using the same plate for raw and cooked venison, using the same tongs to handle raw and cooked venison, and not washing hands after bare-hand contact with raw venison.

Venison butchered at the school and collected from 2 households was positive for E. coli O103:H2, which was indistinguishable from the isolates from the 2 case-patients by PFGE. One sample of venison butchered at the school was positive for E. coli O145:NM and was indistinguishable from the isolates from the 2 case-patients by PFGE (Figure 2).

Conclusions

This outbreak of non-O157 STEC was associated with handling and consumption of venison from wild white-tailed deer in a high school class. Venison butchered at the school was positive for the outbreak PFGE subtype of STEC O103:H2 and non-Shiga toxin–producing (stx–) E. coli O145:NM.

The role of stx– E. coli O145:NM is unknown. Although E. coli O145:NM strains isolated from patients 3 and 4 and venison were stx–, other virulence factors, clinical illness, and an enterohemorrhagic E. coli serotype suggest a potentially pathogenic strain. Human infections with stx– E. coli serotypes may cause bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (8). Further characterization of virulence determinants and phylogeny of these strains may shed light on their pathogenicity.

Multiple potential routes of transmission from venison to case-patients were identified, included consumption of venison and cross-contamination from raw to cooked venison. Handwashing after touching raw venison or contaminated surfaces was protective. Interviews with the butcher ruled out cross-contamination from domestic ruminants to venison during butchering. Therefore, we conclude that >1 deer were colonized with non-O157 STEC.

A study of white-tailed deer feces in Minnesota and Wisconsin found non-O157 STEC in 5% of samples (9). Studies have found non-O157 STEC contamination of deer meat ranging from 7.5% of roe deer meat in Germany to 22% of fallow deer meat in Belgium (5). Prevalence rates of E. coli O157 in deer have ranged from 0.25% to 2.4% (10–12). Previous outbreak investigations and case reports have linked E. coli O157 infections to deer (13–15). This outbreak indicates that white-tailed deer are a source of human non-O157 STEC infections. Venison should be handled and cooked with the same caution recommended for other meats.

Mr Rounds is an epidemiologist with the Minnesota Department of Health. His research interests include improving foodborne disease outbreak investigations and disease control efforts.

Prevening Allergen Related Recalls Due to Mislabeling

2012-01-13T07:39:00.000-08:00

The leading cause of recalls is allergens. Case in point, 3 allergen-related recalls over the last two days due to mislabeling. In two cases, the wrong preprinted label was placed on the food item, in the other, the wrong sauce mix packet added to the food package.

Prevention – making labeling a CCP – a critical control point to prevent a chemical hazard – allergens. There are many companies that use multiple labels with varying allergens on each. Having the additional attention that goes along with designating a process step as a CCP will require more thorough monitoring, verifying, and reporting. For example, the label operator must sign-off on each pack or case of labels by reviewing the days production sheet as well as the formulation sheet in order to check for compliance with the label. In addition, there would be verification of labels and formulation by QC and production supervisors, as well as daily sign-off by the HACCP coordinator. All would be need to be trained in label review with an eye towards allergen identification. I would argue that this step must be a CCP because based on industry history, hazards are not being prevented. From a cost savings standpoint, although this added step will require operator time, it is cheaper than conducting a recall.

Blount Fine Foods Announces Rip Roar'N Crab Soup Recall For Undeclared Milk, Wheat And Crab Allergens

01/11/2012 03:04 PM EST

Blount Fine Foods of Fall River, MA is recalling a single date code of Blount Fine Foods branded Rip Roarin’ Crab Soup in 16 ounce retail cup pack size because of undeclared milk, wheat and crab allergens. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk, wheat or crab run the risk of suffering serious or life-threatening reactions if they consume this product.

Product Labels: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm286848.htm

D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co., Inc. Issues Allergy Alert and Voluntary Recall on Safeway Snack Artist Sugar Free Bite-Sized Chocolate Chip Cookies Due to Mislabeling and Undeclared Allergens

01/11/2012 01:52 PM EST

D. F. Stauffer Biscuit Co., Inc. is voluntarily recalling one specific lot of Safeway Snack Artist Sugar Free Bite-Sized Chocolate Chip Cookies because they contain undeclared milk and eggs. People with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk or eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume this product. Symptoms may include itching, hives, wheezing, vomiting, anaphylaxis and digestive problems, such as bloating, gas or diarrhea.

Product Labels: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm286752.htm

Gilster-Mary Lee, Corp. Announces Recall Of Hill Country Fare Brand Of Lasagna Dinner Mix Due To The Presence Of Undeclared Soy

01/12/2012 05:06 PM EST

Gilster-Mary Lee of Chester, IL is recalling some packages of dry lasagna dinner mix. The only brand involved is Hill Country Fare 6.4 oz. Lasagna Dinner which has a Best By date of NOV 21 12 Y18. (UPC# 41220-78102) Consumers should return to store for full refund.

CDC lists Multistate Foodborne Outbreaks for 2011

2012-01-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

CDC has updated their Multistate Foodborne Outbreak listing for 2011 (http://www.cdc.gov/outbreaknet/outbreaks.html). This is a nice reference page for reviewing major food outbreaks that have occurred over the past 6 years. (An outbreak, as defined by CDC is “When two or more people get the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink”)

A few things to note:

This does not include recalled products – products recalled due to only the presence of pathogens (pathogens were detected in the product, but there were no illnesses reported). There have been many recalls that have occurred due to positive analysis for a pathogen, especially now with the Reportable Registry (http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/foodsafetyprograms/rfr/default.htm). And so it follows, it does not include recalls for allergens – the major cause for companies to conduct recalls.
This list does not include single state outbreaks – so this list is manly large companies that produce products. This does not mean that smaller establishments do not have issues.
A few items were actually not food, but rather pets (frogs and chicks/ducklings in 2011, and water frogs and frozen rodents, which are used to feed slithering pets, in 2010). One item was dog food, which we will count as food – you dog food eaters know who you are.
There appears to be an increase in the number of entries each year on this listing. I don’t suspect things are getting worse, but rather detection and reporting are getting better.
Of the 41 entries over the 6 year period where a cause can be found (dropping the pet related entries and the laboratory entry), fresh ground meat had 6 entries, alfalfa sprouts had 5, leafy greens had 5, and cantaloupe had 3.
Salmonella related outbreaks accounted for roughly 2/3 of the entries. This is due to the wide prevalence of Salmonella in the enviornment.
FDA regulated product entries accounted for 25 entries, USDA for 11, and I suspect that two of the outbreaks were from facilities that had both USDA and FDA oversight.
Roughly 27 are what one would consider ready to eat (no required consumer cooking step). 14 entries were products would be considered products that required cooking, that if done sufficiently by the consumer, would have prevented illness (reasons why vary - cookie dough traditionally eaten raw, pot pies – poor cooking instructions, raw meat – no thermometer use).
As a consumer, I avoid alfalfa sprouts, use a thermometer to cook my ground meat, really wash my cantaloupes, pray my chopped lettuce was not harvested from a farm located next to a cow barn, cook my cookie dough to have crunchy cookies, and refuse to buy my kids turtles, frogs, and snakes (that have to fed frozen rodents.) I have also ceased from eating dog food.

Multistate Foodborne Outbreaks

http://www.cdc.gov/outbreaknet/outbreaks.html

When two or more people get the same illness from the same contaminated food or drink, the event is called a foodborne outbreak. Public health officials investigate outbreaks to control them, so more people do not get sick in the outbreak, and to learn how to prevent similar outbreaks from happening in the future.

CDC and partners ensure rapid and coordinated surveillance, detection, and response to multistate foodborne outbreaks.

Outbreaks by Year

2011

· Ground Beef - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Romaine Lettuce - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Kosher Broiled Chicken Livers - Salmonella Heidelberg

· Turkish Pine Nuts - Salmonella Enteritidis

· Jensen Farms Cantaloupes - Listeria monocytogenes

· Ground Turkey - Salmonella Heidelberg

· Whole, Fresh Imported Papayas - Salmonella Agona

· African Dwarf Frogs - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Alfalfa and Spicy Sprouts – Salmonella Enteritidis

· Travel to Germany - Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104

· Chicks and Ducklings - Salmonella Altona and Salmonella Johannesburg

· Microbiology Laboratories - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Turkey Burgers - Salmonella Hadar

· Lebanon Bologna - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Del Monte Cantaloupe - Salmonella Panama

· Hazelnuts - Escherichia coli O157:H7

2010

· Alfalfa Sprouts - Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-

· Shell Eggs - Salmonella Enteritidis

· Cheese - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Cheesy Chicken Rice Frozen Entrée - Salmonella Chester

· Frozen Mamey Fruit Pulp - Salmonella Typhi (Typhoid Fever)

· Restaurant Chain A - Salmonella Hartford and Salmonella Baildon

· Frozen Rodents - Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-

· Alfalfa Sprouts - Salmonella Newport

· Shredded Romaine Lettuce from a Single Processing Facility - Escherichia coli O145

· Red and Black Pepper/Italian-Style Meats - Salmonella Montevideo

· Water Frogs - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Beef from National Steak and Poultry - Escherichia coli O157:H7

2009

· Beef from Fairbank Farms - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Beef from JBS Swift Beef Company - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Prepackaged Cookie Dough - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Alfalfa Sprouts - Salmonella Saintpaul

· Peanut Butter - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Pistachios - Salmonella (multiple types)

2008

· Raw Produce - Salmonella Saintpaul

· Beef from Kroger/Nebraska Ltd - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Malt-O-Meal Rice/Wheat Cereals - Salmonella Agona

· Cantaloupes - Salmonella Litchfield

2007

· Totino's/Jeno's Pizza - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Banquet Pot Pies - Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-

· Topp's Ground Beef Patties - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Dry Pet Food - Salmonella Schwarzengrund

· Veggie Booty - Salmonella Wandsworth

· Peanut Butter - Salmonella Tennessee

2006

· Taco Bell - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Tomatoes - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Fresh Spinach - Escherichia coli O157:H7

Outbreaks by Pathogen

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

· Romaine Lettuce - Escherichia coli O157:H7

· Travel to Germany - Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104, 2011

· Lebanon Bologna - E. coli O157:H7, 2011

· Hazelnuts - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2011

· Cheese - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2010

· Shredded Romaine Lettuce from a Single Processing Facility - Escherichia coli O145, 2010

· Beef from National Steak and Poultry - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2010

· Beef from Fairbank Farms - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2009

· Beef from JBS Swift Beef Company - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2009

· Prepackaged Cookie Dough - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2009

· Beef from Kroger/Nebraska Ltd - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2008

· Totino's/Jeno's Pizza - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2007

· Topp's Ground Beef Patties - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2007

· Taco Bell - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2006

· Fresh Spinach - Escherichia coli O157:H7, 2006

Listeria

· Jensen Farms Cantaloupes - Listeria monocytogenes

Salmonella

· Ground Beef - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Kosher Broiled Chicken Livers - Salmonella Heidelberg

· Turkish Pine Nuts - Salmonella Enteritidis

· Ground Turkey - Salmonella Heidelberg

· Whole, Fresh Imported Papayas - Salmonella Agona

· African Dwarf Frogs - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Alfalfa and Spicy Sprouts - Salmonella Enteritidis

· Chicks and Ducklings - Salmonella Altona and Salmonella Johannesburg

· Microbiology Laboratories - Salmonella Typhimurium

· Turkey Burgers - Salmonella Hadar

· Del Monte Cantaloupe - Salmonella Panama

· Alfalfa Sprouts - Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-

· Shell Eggs - Salmonella Enteritidis, 2010

· Cheesy Chicken Rice Frozen Entrée - Salmonella Chester, 2010

· Frozen Mamey Fruit Pulp - Salmonella Typhi (Typhoid Fever), 2010

· Restaurant Chain A - Salmonella Hartford and Salmonella Baildon, 2010

· Frozen Rodents - Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-, 2010

· Alfalfa Sprouts - Salmonella Newport, 2010

· Red and Black Pepper/Italian-Style Meats - Salmonella Montevideo, 2010

· Water Frogs - Salmonella Typhimurium, 2009 – 2010

· Alfalfa Sprouts - Salmonella Saintpaul, 2009

· Pistachios - Salmonella (multiple types), 2009

· Peanut Butter - Salmonella Typhimurium, 2008 – 2009

· Raw Produce - Salmonella Saintpaul, 2008

· Malt-O-Meal Rice/Wheat Cereals - Salmonella Agona, 2008

· Cantaloupes - Salmonella Litchfield, 2008

· Banquet Pot Pies - Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-, 2007

· Dry Pet Food - Salmonella Schwarzengrund, 2007

· Veggie Booty - Salmonella Wandsworth, 2007

· Peanut Butter - Salmonella Tennessee, 2007

· Tomatoes - Salmonella Typhimurium , 2006

Regrouping after Listeria on Cantaloupe

2012-01-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

One bad cantaloupe [farmer] can spoil the whole bunch….in the LA Times article (below), we see another example of negative impact on an entire industry caused by a producer using less-than-good practices. Interestingly stated, “…California shipped more cantaloupe in a day than Colorado[where the incident occurred] in their whole season. Millions and millions of cantaloupe, healthy and fine." Now these California producers are not planting as much while trying to spin the story as best they can.

In this digital news age where any tragedy is reported instantly, and then pounded on for days, while often providing little or no information to the specifics, we can’t expect consumers to act much differently. Consumers want to avoid risk, and if that means forgoing an entire commodity item, then so be it. There are other, perceivably safer alternatives in the marketplace for consumers to choose.

The point that is hard to understand is how do producers or processors not choose to follow best practices. Do they know what best practices are for their industry? Do they truly understand the risks associated with their product and process?

Because of this gap in what is done and what should be done by a some less-than-good companies, and this is probably a small group, government steps in with regulations such as those to be enacted by the new Food Safety Modernization Act legislation. And still, many companies and industry groups fight against new legislation or having to comply with the proposed regulation. Granted, some components of the regulation may be initially overkill or not well thought out, but this is where the comment period provides a chance for those with issues to voice their objections. And the better industry groups work with the agencies to iron out the rough spots within the proposed regulation.

In the news, we hear of companies who decide to get out of the business rather than comply with new regulations. Some see this loss of a local employer at tragic. Not me. If companies are not willing to keep up, if they are not willing to continually update themselves and their employees on the science and technology associated with making safe food, then it is best for the industry that they leave it to those who are. Certainly, there is a cost to continual improvement, but resources are available through industry groups, government agencies, and academic institutions (including Extension). It’s not “get big or get out”, it’s “get smart or get out”.

California cantaloupe farms regroup after listeria outbreak

California's Central Valley is 1,300 miles from the Colorado farm linked to a deadly listeria outbreak. But that hasn't registered with the public. Cantaloupe growers hope to change that.

By Diana Marcum, Los Angeles Times
January 5, 2012, 3:53 p.m
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cantaloupe-crop-20120106,0,6658258.story?page=1&utm_medium=feed&track=rss&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20latimes%2Fbusiness%20%28L.A.%20Times%20-%20Business%29&utm_source=feedburner

Reporting from Mendota, Calif.—

A tragedy 1,300 miles away changed a way of life in this Central California farm town that proudly calls itself the Cantaloupe Center of the World.

This would normally be the season when farmers plan the summer crop that in good years is valued at nearly $200 million, according to the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board.

Instead, they are cutting acreage devoted to the fruit and scrambling for ways to reassure a nervous public that cantaloupes are safe to eat.

In the fall, the deadliest food-borne illness outbreak in the United States since 1924 was traced to listeria-tainted cantaloupe in Colorado. Thirty people died and at least 146 became ill, with cases spread over 28 states.

No matter that the tainted cantaloupes were all traced to one farm operation in that state. Consumer demand plummeted and in California's Central Valley, which produces 90% of summer-harvested cantaloupes in the U.S., the 2011 harvest abruptly halted. Hundreds of workers were let go. Farmers left fruit in the fields.

"The tragedy still keeps me awake at night," said Stephen Patricio, chairman of the advisory board. "People shouldn't have to fear their food. But the irony is that California shipped more cantaloupe in a day than Colorado in their whole season. Millions and millions of cantaloupe, healthy and fine."

The stigma has only partially lifted since the fall. Cantaloupe consumption is down nationwide 53% from before the outbreak, according to consulting firm Perishables Group.

"During the crisis I was watching the local news, and right here in the valley they were telling people that if they felt uneasy about their cantaloupe to throw them out," said Jim Malanca, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Westside Produce, a farming and packing operation that has been producing cantaloupes since the 1940s.

"You're not going to find one Colorado cantaloupe in California or Arizona, but that's the perception we're fighting. It's overwhelming."

If perceptions don't turn around quickly, Patricio estimated, cantaloupe acreage in the Central Valley this coming season could be down as much as 30%.

A nationwide marketing campaign aimed at calming fears and promoting the product is probably out of the reach of the cantaloupe industry, which is far from being one of the giants of agriculture.

In 2010, for example, the top vegetable or fruit commodity in California was grapes, with a crop worth about $3.2 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That year, the state's cantaloupe crop was worth about $134 million.

It had been on a downward trajectory even before the outbreak in the fall. In 2010, cantaloupe was planted in 40,500 acres in the state, according to the USDA. In 2001, the crop took up 55,500 acres and was valued at $252 million. The shrinking acreage was due, at least in part, to the increased planting of crops that didn't need as much water.

"Look, this isn't an industry with a lot of money to do a national print and radio campaign," Malanca said. "There are no corporate growers of cantaloupe. It's going to come down to individual owners figuring out how to tell their customers their cantaloupes are safe."

This month the Center for Produce Safety will host a closed-door symposium in San Diego for cantaloupe growers, shippers, agricultural researchers, government regulators and others to create guidelines for best growing practices.

"The main question will be, 'What are the gaps in our knowledge?'" said Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, executive director of the UC Davis-based center. "Do we need to do research or is it a matter of the cantaloupe industry implementing and enforcing best practices?"

Patricio said that pressure will be on buyers to not do business with any growers who do not abide by the guidelines that come out of the meeting.

Linda Welter Cohen is chief executive of Caliber Group, a marketing and public relations firm that represented a large tomato company after a 2008 salmonella outbreak in that crop. She said the guidelines-setting meeting is a step in the right direction.

"With produce, the best PR is the product itself," she said. "It all starts with 'Is it fresh and flavorful and can the consumer depend on it being safe?'"

Continues (click link above).

Study: Cost of Foodborne Illness in US Estimated at $77 billion

2012-01-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

This study gives us an idea of the costs related to foodborne illness, and is great to use in presentations, but as the author points out, the numbers are limited in their application to justify any particular action in reducing foodborne illness.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/jan0312cost.html

Impact of FSMA on Recalls through Improved Prerequisite Programs

2011-12-14T08:18:00.000-08:00

It is amazing to see the number of recalls that are issued each week. I put put together the listing of the recalls that occurred within the last week (Dec 6 to 12, 2012). There are a range of items, most, if not all, related to prerequisite program issues (allergen control and labeling, supplier/ingredient control, environmental control).

In an article written by David Acheson, http://leavittpartnersblog.com/20113304/david-acheson/fda%E2%80%99s-views-on-preventive-control-requirements-beginning-to-emerge-time-to-go-beyond-haccp, he provides a view of FDA official comments, specifically that FSMA will go beyond HACCP. He suggests that FDA will put in more specific guidance to address key elements of food safety programs, pointing out that environmental monitoring and training will be two highlighted areas. Looking at the recalls we are seeing, it is hard to argue that prerequisite programs have become the primary issue with regard to outbreaks and recalls. Companies should begin looking at all programs that are responsible for controlling hazards to ensure they address monitoring, corrective actions, and verification.

While some will bristle at additional requirements, the cost of conducting a recall due to lack of control is worth the effort for improving low risk hazards are controlled.

UNCLE BEN’s™ Whole Grain White Rice Garden Vegetable due to an undeclared milk allergen - An ingredient supplier improperly included an undeclared milk ingredient in the seasoning mix used for this product. Product distributed in 31 states.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm282679.htm

Ocean Spray Voluntarily Recalls Limited Quantity of Original Flavor Craisins Dried Cranberries due to the possible presence of very small hair-like metal fragments that are unlikely to cause consumer injury. Distributed in 8 states.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm282755.htm

Cargill Animal Nutrition today announced a voluntary recall of two regional brands of its dry dog food – River Run and Marksman – due to aflatoxin levels that were detected above the acceptable limit. Distributed in 1 state.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm282753.htm

Pacific International Marketing (“Pacific”) is recalling cases of Cilantro for potential contamination with Salmonella. Recall is a result of an FDA test done at distributor level. Product distributed in 7 states.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm283288.htm

Fair Oaks Dairy Products, LLC is recalling certain one half pound retail packaged cheeses and cheese gift boxes produced under the Fair Oaks Farms Fine Cheese label due to the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Discovered through laboratory analysis. 3 states.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm282898.htm

Tejava® Premium Iced Tea in 12 oz glass bottles are being recalled nationwide due to the possible presence of glass fragments.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm283241.htm

Advanced Animal Nutrition today announced a voluntary recall of its dry Dog Power Dog Food- due to aflatoxin levels that were detected above the acceptable limit. 3 states.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm283362.htm

See’s Candies, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif., is recalling one code of 8 ounce Almond Clusters, because they may contain peanuts. Distributed in 21 states.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm282933.htm

Silva Sausage Co., a Gilroy, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 2,290 pounds of a chorizo sausage product because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen. FSIS discovered the problem during a label review at the establishment. The review revealed that cereal, which contained wheat, was used in the product and was inadvertently left off the product labels.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_098_2011_Release/index.asp

House of Raeford Farms, a Raeford, N.C. establishment, is recalling approximately 4,140 pounds of cooked chicken breasts that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The problem was discovered after a customer's laboratory sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Product shipped to 4 states.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_097_2011_Release/index.asp

Is your Organic considered Authentic Organic?

2011-11-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

Large companies continue to move into the growing organic marketplace, often through the purchase of small organic companies, in order to capitalize on the growing demand of organic-buying consumers, but to also capture larger margins associated with organic. There are organic watchdog groups, such as Cornucopia Institute, defining what is true organic , or ‘authentic organic’ and which brands meet that definition, and those that don’t (‘Greenwashers’). According to this group, brands such as Kashi and Hain Celestial are practically the same as their non-organic counterparts.

For dairy, they have issued an Organic Dairy Ratings (cow star ratings…the more cows, the more ‘organic’).

http://www.cornucopia.org/dairysurvey/index.html

Cornucopia also has an extensive report on cereal products

http://cornucopia.org/cereal-scorecard/docs/Cornucopia_Cereal_Report.pdf

I personally do not buy organic, or better stated, do not pay more for an item because it is organic, so I find this concept of ‘authentic organic’ interesting. Large corporations push the boundaries of organic to make it more available, but in doing so, they have the organic police crying foul. So, on one side, if you’re are buying a mass produced organic brand, is it really any better than non-organic? On the other side, is there that much difference between authentic organic and ‘greenwashed’ products for someone to search out the true organic products? Clearly, the plight of the mindful organic consumer is not an easy one.

Source (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/19/mark-kastel-cornucopia-good-food-movement.aspx?e_cid=20111119_DNL_art_1)

Recall of Refrigerated Processed Products with the Potential for C. botulinum

2011-11-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

It is interesting to see the same company involved in two recalls due to potential Clostridium botulinum. In both cases, there were no illnesses, just refrigerated products that were stored at room temperature, creating the favorable growth conditions for C. botulinum. After a further look, the olive product was first recalled due to the fact that this refrigerated product sat at room temperature for a month. In addition to the olives, Tabatchinick Yankee Bean Soup was also recalled (this is a frozen soup product which appears to me to be higher risk since the ingredient statement does not have any secondary inhibitors). According to the report – ‘These items have been recalled due to a lack of temperature control during the distribution process. UNFI inadvertently subjected the recall items to temperature ranges above those directed by the manufacturer. ‘

Three days later, United Natural Foods recalled Black Bean Torillas, also due to lack of refrigeration. This is a vacuum packed product. If one had to guess, it was probably discovered during the investigation of the olives.

The related recalls bring attention to the concerns of refrigerated or frozen products that are not properly distributed and stored.

Issues

1) Products look like shelf-stable products, so handlers may not recognize the need for refrigerated storage.

2) Many ‘natural products’ do not have secondary inhibitors (sorbate, etc).

3) Vacuum packaged heat processed products (black beans and possibly the soup) provide good growth conditions for C. botulinum.

As the demand increases for prepared, natural food items, we may see more cases like this.

United Natural Foods, Inc. Announces Updated Information For Recall
Related to Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas Due to Possible
Health Risk

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm280465.htm

Contact:
Consumer:
Lisa Madsen
401-528-8634

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 17, 2011 – United Natural Foods, Inc. today announced a correction to its previously announced recall of selected types of Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas, specifically to correct the previously stated date code of 12 7 11 to the revised date code of 11 6 11. United Natural Foods, Inc. is recalling this product dated 11 6 11 because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

The following product has been recalled:

GENTES FOODS 10 OZ GORDITA BLACK BEAN TORTILLAS UPC 618032102021

As previously announced, Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas were distributed to the Safeway and Pak N Save stores in California listed below. Our previous notification, with date code of “12 7 11” was incorrect, and product with this date code is safe to consume. The revised date code, which is on a white sticker applied to the packaging, reads “11 6 11.” These date codes sold at other retail outlets have not been affected because the products were not exposed to a lack of refrigeration controls.

SAFEWAY #1110	1546 N MAIN	SALINAS	CA
SAFEWAY #2840	2010 FREEDOM BLVD	WATSONVILLE	CA
PAK N SAVE #3116	2255 GELLERT BLVD	S SAN FRANCISCO	CA
PAK N SAVE #3125	3889 SAN PABLO AVE	EMERYVILLE	CA

Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas are packed as 6 tortillas in a vacuum packaged clear sleeve. The package is approximately 10oz in size and an orange label is on a clear wrapper with white lettering.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

These items have been recalled due to a lack of temperature control during the distribution process. UNFI inadvertently subjected the recall items to temperature ranges above those directed by the manufacturer.

Consumers who have purchased Gentes Foods Gordita Black Bean Tortillas from the stores listed above with the date code mentioned should not consume these products, and are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Lisa Madsen of the Company at 1-401-528-8634, Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm.

United Natural Foods, Inc. Expands Recall Of Foodmatch Inc. Divina Olives Due To Possible Health Risk

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm279855.htm

Contact:
Consumer
Lisa Madsen
401-528-8634

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 14, 2011 - United Natural Foods, Inc. is recalling selected types of FoodMatch, Inc. Divina Stuffed Olives, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

The following products have been recalled:

DIVINA 4 OZ OLIVES,FETA CHEESE STUFFED UPC 63172352780
DIVINA 4 OZ OLIVES,BLUE CHEESE STUFFED UPC 63172352790

Divina Olives Stuffed with Feta Cheese were distributed to the stores identified below. The date codes affected states: Best Used By: 11 JAN 2012 and Best Used By: 1 FEB 2012.

SAFEWAY #0583	1606 N AVE	SPEARFISH	SD
SAFEWAY #1577	6520 S ACADEMY ROAD	COLORADO SPRINGS	CO
SAFEWAY #1615	3325 28TH STREET	BOULDER	CO
SAFEWAY #1644	7655 MCLAUGHLIN RD	FALCON	CO
SAFEWAY #2761	1165 MAIN ST	LANDER	WY
SAFEWAY #2792	27152 MAIN ST	CONIFER	CO
SAFEWAY #2910	1632 HOVER ROAD	LONGMONT	CO

SAFEWAY #0853	7625 OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD	BETHESDA	MD
SAFEWAY #0942	12 WEST WASHINGTON ST	MIDDLEBURG	VA
SAFEWAY #1283	8646 RICHMOND HIGHWAY	ALEXANDRIA	VA
SAFEWAY #1606	9596 OLD KEENE MILL RD	BURKE	VA
SAFEWAY #1668	5510 NORBECK ROAD	ROCKVILLE	MD
SAFEWAY #1956	14939 SHADY GROVE ROAD	ROCKVILLE	MD
SAFEWAY #2650	43150 BROADLANDS PLAZA	ASHBURN	VA
SAFEWAY #4002	5727 BURKE CENTER	BURKE	VA
SAFEWAY #4205	415 14TH STREET SE	WASHINGTON	DC

Date codes Best Used By: 11 JAN 2012 and Best Used By: 1 FEB 2012 sold at other retail outlets have not been affected because the products were not exposed to a lack of refrigeration controls.

Divina Olives Stuffed with Blue Cheese were distributed to the following states: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington DC through the following retail stores: Genuardis, Carrs, Safeway, Pavilion and Vons. The following date codes were affected:

Best Used By: 11 JAN 2012, Best Used By: 15 DEC 2011, Best Used By: 30 DEC 2011, Best Used By: 1 FEB 2012

These date codes sold at other retail outlets have not been affected because the products were not exposed to a lack of refrigeration controls.

Divina Feta Cheese Stuffed Olives are packaged in plastic 4oz cup containers with a blue and yellow label.

Divina Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives are packaged in plastic 4oz cup containers with a blue label.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

Consumers who have purchased FoodMatch Inc. Divina Feta Cheese Stuffed Olives, or FoodMatch Inc. Divina Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives should not consume these products and are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Lisa Madsen of the Company at 1-401-528-8634, Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm.

FoodMatch Details UNFI Recall

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/foodmatch-details-unfi-recall-133630808.html

NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The FDA announced that United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) Recalls Divina Olives. FoodMatch Inc. recommends that the following products be withdrawn from the market to ensure the safety and health of our customers.

United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is recalling:

· 7 cases of 4 oz. refrigerated deli cups of Divina Olives stuffed with Feta Cheese with a best by date 11JAN2012 sold exclusively to Safeway stores in Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming

· 46 cases 4 oz. refrigerated deli cups of Divina olives stuffed with Blue cheese with best by dates 11JAN2012, 15DEC2011, and 30DEC2011 sold exclusively to Carrs, Safeway, Pavilion, and Vons stores in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada , South Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming

The above 53 cases are the only Divina products affected by this recall.

As noted in the FDA alert, "UNFI inadvertently subjected the recall items to temperature ranges above those directed by the manufacturer." No illnesses have been reported to date.

The Quality Assurance Manager at FoodMatch Inc. is Ms. Jari Buechler and can be reached at 212.244.5050 for additional information.

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2011/11/blue-cheese_stuffed_olives_sol.html

Smucker Peanut Butter recall due to possible Salmonella

2011-11-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

J. M. Smucker announced a multistate recall due to possible Salmonella contamination. There have been no reported illnesses.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm280281.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/smuckers-natural-peanut-butter-chunky-recalled-because-of-possible-salmonella-contamination/2011/11/17/gIQAPJw5TN_story.html

The J.M. Smucker Company Announces a Limited Voluntary Recall on Two Specific Best-If-Used-By Dates of 16 oz. Smucker’s® Natural Peanut Butter Chunky Due to Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Consumer
888-550-9555

Maribeth Badertscher
Vice President, Corporate Communications
330-682-3000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 16, 2011 - The J.M. Smucker Company today announced a limited voluntary recall on two specific Best-If-Used-By dates of 16 oz. Smucker’s® Natural Peanut Butter Chunky because it may be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. For more information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at www.cdc.gov¹.

This product was distributed in: Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

The affected product, which is packaged in 16 oz. jars, is as follows:

UPC: 5150001701 (located on the side of the jar's label below the bar code)
Production Codes: 1307004 and 1308004
Best-If-Used-By dates: August 3, 2012 and August 4, 2012
Chunky product only (not creamy)
Impacted product would have been purchased between November 8 - 17, 2011

No other products of The J.M. Smucker Company are affected by this recall.

No illnesses related to this issue have been reported and the product is being recalled out of an abundance of caution for consumer safety.

The recall was initiated as the result of a routine sampling program by the company, which revealed that these finished products may contain the bacteria.

Consumers who have purchased Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter Chunky with the above Production Code and Best-If-Used-By dates are urged to discard the product immediately and call the company at 1-888-550-9555 for a replacement coupon. The company may require proof of purchase. Consumers with questions can contact the company to speak to a customer service representative at 1-888-550-9555 between Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA

Auditing and the Food Safety System - Post Listieria-in-Cantaloupe

2011-10-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

In the post-analysis of the Listeria outbreak related to cantaloupes, many have questioned how an auditor could have given passing scores to a facility responsible for so many illnesses, especially in light of the FDA audit of that facility during the outbreak investigation. Face it, when an issue occurs in a facility, those auditors are going to find a lot of issues.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19225591

The recent outbreak of Listeria from cantaloupes should become one of those significant events with regard to food safety in the United States. While this was the first for this pathogen in the produce related item, it certainly was not an issue that defied logic. In the FDA investigation report, there appears to be a reasonable explanation behind the contamination scenario – product produced in an environment that allowed for the growth of listeria, a system that did not prevent contamination of the food item, and conditions that allowed it to grow on the product. But its significance was that it is yet another tragedy that demonstrates the problems in our food chain.

As we have seen in other outbreaks, the companies that produced the food had recently passed a food safety audit. They not only passed it, but passed with high scores. Cleary, this is an issue. However, is it right to put a beat-down on this auditor, and put all responsibility on them?

Clearly, it is the responsibility of the company management to ensure the safety of the product. Companies should know their process better than anyone. How can you expect an outside auditor, who is unlikely to know everything about every process they encounter, to hold full burden on passing judgment for the safety of a process during a one day audit?

The problem is that some company decision makers do not know their own processes as well as they should, and often time, they are not willing to spend the time or money to do so.

· Training – Are people trained in HACCP? Do they understand the true risks associated with the process and the product? Do these companies have people on staff trained in food science and technology, or if not, are they willing to hire a consultant with the proper training and experience to perform a real risk assessment?

· Verification testing – Do companies do ample testing to ensure the products they make are safe? Are they testing their equipment to make sure that it is operating as it should? Are they testing their environment for the presence for hazards that can be associated with the product or process?

· Validation – Do companies properly validate their processes when they put them in place or make changes? Do they have scientifically based research to support what they are doing? Has in-plant testing been done when they commission the process?

Third-party audits are part of the food safety system, but they are by no means the entire system, especially when it comes to verification of food safety of the process. Currently, third-party audits should provide a snapshot of how well a company is meeting the auditing standard, and hopefully will be able to catch glaring food safety issues. Granted, with additional training, they will be better able to identify if validation documentation is present for the process and if it appears to make sense, but until these companies are willing to make the effort to truly understanding their process, there will be those companies who experience the ‘unexpected food contamination issue’.

So it is easy to pile-on the food safety auditor or even a government inspector after the fact. Perhaps we can give them some extra training so they can identify issue better, or have them paid by someone besides the company they are auditing. But it is important to remember that the company who makes the product is responsible for the safety. And until that message is received by owners and company presidents who make final decisions for the products and processes, we will continue to face these same issues regardless of who pays for the audit.

Local foods and organic foods face food safety issues too.

2011-10-26T05:51:00.000-07:00

While we have known this and have been saying it for some time, it is good to see the media is communicating this type of information.

Interesting statement from the article – “The FDA has reported at least 20 recalls due to pathogens in organic food in the last two years, while the Agriculture Department, which oversees meat safety, issued a recall of more than 34,000 pounds of organic beef last December due to possible contamination with E. coli.”

Local, organic, natural foods not always safer as many small farms are exempt from laws

By Associated Press, Published: October 25

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/local-organic-and-natural-food-not-always-safer-as-smaller-farms-are-exempt-from-laws/2011/10/25/gIQAPoEhGM_story.html

WASHINGTON — Shoppers nervous about foodborne illnesses may turn to foods produced at smaller farms or labeled “local,” ‘’organic” or “natural” in the hopes that such products are safer. But a small outbreak of salmonella in organic eggs from Minnesota shows that no food is immune to contamination.

While sales for food produced on smaller operations have exploded, partially fueled by a consumer backlash to food produced by larger companies, a new set of food safety challenges has emerged. And small farm operations have been exempted from food safety laws as conservatives, farmers and food-lovers have worried about too much government intervention and regulators have struggled with tight budgets.

The government has traditionally focused on safety at large food operations — including farms, processing plants, and retailers — because they reach the most people. Recent outbreaks in cantaloupe, ground turkey, eggs and peanuts have started at large farms or plants and sickened thousands of people across the country.

“While it’s critical that food processors be regularly inspected, there is no way the Food and Drug Administration would ever have the resources to check every farm in the country, nor are we calling for that,” says Erik Olson, a food safety advocate at the Pew Health Group. “Unfortunately, there are regulatory gaps, with some producers being completely exempt from FDA safeguards.”

The FDA, which oversees the safety of most of the U.S. food supply, often must focus on companies that have the greatest reach. A sweeping new egg rule enacted last year would require most egg producers to do more testing for pathogens. Though the rule will eventually cover more than 99 percent of the country’s egg supply, small farms like Larry Schultz Organic Farm of Owatonna, Minn., would not qualify. That farm issued a recall last week after six cases of salmonella poisoning were linked to the farm’s eggs.

A new food safety law President Barack Obama signed earlier this year exempts some small farms as a result of farmers and local food advocates complaining that creating costly food safety plans could cause some small businesses to go bankrupt. The exemption covers farms of a certain size that sell within a limited distance of their operation.

Food safety advocates unsuccessfully lobbied against the provision, as did the organic industry. Christine Bushway of the Organic Trade Association, which represents large and small producers, says food safety comes down to proper operation of a farm or food company, not its scale.

“How is the farm managed? How much effort is put into food safety?” she asks. “If you don’t have really good management, it doesn’t matter.”

Smaller farms do have some obvious food safety advantages. Owners have more control over what they are producing and often do not ship as far, lessening the chances for contamination in transport. If the farm is organic, an inspector will have to visit the property to certify it is organic and may report to authorities if they see food being produced in an unsafe way. Customers may also be familiar with an operation if it is nearby.

But those checks aren’t fail-safe. The FDA has reported at least 20 recalls due to pathogens in organic food in the last two years, while the Agriculture Department, which oversees meat safety, issued a recall of more than 34,000 pounds of organic beef last December due to possible contamination with E. coli.

Egg safety is equally ambiguous. While many people like to buy cage-free eggs, those chickens may be exposed to bacteria on the grounds where they are roaming.

So what can a consumer do? Experts say to follow the traditional rules, no matter what the variety of food. Cook foods like eggs and meat, and make sure you are scrubbing fruit and cleaning your kitchen well.

Do your part, and hope for the best, the experts say.

“Labels like organic or local don’t translate into necessarily safer products,” says Caroline Smith DeWaal of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “They are capturing different values but not ensuring safety.”

Bushway of the Organic Trade Association says one of the best checks on food safety is the devastating effect a recall or foodborne illness outbreak can have on a company’s bottom line.

“It’s just good business to make sure you are putting the safest products on the market,” she says.

Deadly food bugs a threat to gardens

2011-10-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

Dr. LaBorde speaking about garden food safety

Deadly food bugs a threat to gardens

Daily American

DAN DiPAOLO Daily American Sunday Editor

9:32 p.m. EDT, October 1, 2011

http://www.dailyamerican.com/news/somerset/da-ot-deadly-food-bugs-threat-to-gardens-20111001,0,6768497.story

The rising death toll in the cantaloupe listeria outbreak in Colorado has thrown into sharp relief the need for safe food growing, harvesting and processing.

While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is working to determine the exact mechanisms and extent of the outbreak, local and state officials are releasing tips on how home gardeners and canners can avoid foodborne illnesses.

Luke LaBorde, an associate professor of food science at the Pennsylvania State University, said that there a number of resources available for new growers and canners.

“What we’re hearing from the agricultural people is that we have seen an increased interest in backyard gardens and canning,” he said. “Often, it’s a product of the economy when we see an increase like this.”

According to the CDC, the listeria outbreak traced to Jensen Farms has killed 15 people and sickened 84 throughout the nation.

Knowing how pathogens like listeria, E. coli, salmonella and campylobacter get into foods and how they cause sickness is the first step in prevention, said Dr. Stephen Ostroff, the state’s acting physician general and the director of the Bureau of Epidemiology at the Department of Health.

The current outbreak of listeria is unusual because the bacteria is normally found in cheeses, processed meats and dairy products, Ostroff said.

The bacteria thrives in the intestinal tracts of animals and can be passed into food products through poor processing. Another method commonly seen is when cows bearing the bacteria on their udders pass it into the harvested milk.

“That’s why there are so many regulations and tests in the state for farmers producing and selling raw milk. The pasteurization process is designed to eliminate organisms like that,” Ostroff said.

The Colorado outbreak might have been caused by the least common form of listeria transfer — from soil contaminated by feces or other animal products that have been absorbed into the growing fruit.

“That’s something they haven’t determined yet, but are working toward,” he said.

E. coli is commonly found in the feces of cows, other similar animals and even people. The feces can come into contact with food as it is being processed, work it’s way into the water supply or again be absorbed into produce through contaminated soil.

Salmonella is found in the intestines of birds, reptiles and mammals. The butchering process can put the contaminated feces into contact with the meat. In the case of eggs, the bacteria is passed directly into the forming egg from an infected bird.

Illness commonly occurs when raw meats and eggs are undercooked or come into contact with raw fruits and vegetables. Salmonella can also be passed on through improper canning, Ostroff said

Campylobacter is the most commonly identified bacterial cause of diarrheal illness in the world, according to the CDC. These bacteria live in the intestines of healthy birds, and most raw poultry meat has bacteria on it.

Eating undercooked chicken, or other food that has been contaminated juice from the bird is the most common source of this infection.

The good news for backyard garden and canning enthusiasts is that a few simple safety procedures will greatly reduce the risk of illness, LaBorde said.

The easiest way to keep you and your family healthy is simply to cook meats and vegetables thoroughly. In the case of ground beef it is best to make sure the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees before serving.

Keeping meats and vegetables away from each other while preparing the food is also important. “Too many people cut and prepare their food on the same surface,” LaBorde said.

Owning separate cutting boards for meats and vegetables is a smart tactic. In fact, many affordable cutting boards come in different colors, making it easy to maintain separation.

When it comes to gardens, keep animals out. “Keep the garden neat, use fences or discourage animals from foraging there,” he said. That includes pets. Congregating animals can cause soil contamination through feces droppings.

“Also, don’t use any composted animal manure,” he said. “Not only can there be bacteria, but also parasites present,” he said.

When choosing a site for the garden keep in mind that any flooding from nearby water sources can lead to contamination. Plant away from creeks or ponds that can overflow, he said.

“Don’t plant where there’s been a history of flooding,” he said. “When it comes to floodwater, there’s no way of knowing what the crop is being exposed to.”

Floods can bring bacteria, parasites, pesticides, toxic chemicals and a myriad of other harmful substances into contact with your food supply.

“If your garden gets flooded, the best — really, the only course of action — should be to abandon that crop,” LaBorde said.

Finally, wash your hands before picking and the produce before preparation. Dirty hands can contaminate the food during canning and regular cooking.

“There are many resources like our website on food safety. People should always learn as much as possible before going down that road,” he said.

“In some cases we offer courses and demonstrations on how to properly prepare and can food. Contact your local (cooperative) extension to see if they are available in your area.”

For more information, visit http://extension.psu.edu/food-safety online.

Recalls of Romine Lettuce and Organic Grape Tomatoes

2011-10-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

Two produce companies are recalling product because they tested positive for a potential pathogen – romaine lettuce for Listeria, and organic grape tomatoes for Salmonella. No illnesses were reported.

· True Leaf Farms is expanding its voluntary recall of romaine to include 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine because of the potential of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Product was delivered to 19 states.

· Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce is expanding the geographic scope of its voluntary recall of organic grape tomatoes. Although the volume of cases from the original production lot has not changed, the company recognizes the possibility that some customers may have distributed the organic grape tomatoes beyond the original 18 states to include all states in the U.S and Canada.

True Leaf Farms Expands
Voluntary Recall of Bagged, Chopped Romaine

FDA Release 9/29/11

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm274075.htm

Contact:
Consumer:
True Leaf Farms
800-799-9475

Media:
Steve Church
831-760-620
steve@churchbrothers.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 29, 2011- True Leaf Farms is expanding its voluntary recall of romaine to include 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine because of the potential of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The initial recalled product was shipped between September 12 and 13 to a retail food service distributor in Oregon who further distributed it to at least two additional states, Washington and Idaho.

At the request of the US Food and Drug Administration the recall notification is expanded to cover additional product shipped to wholesale food service distributors in 19 states and Alberta, Canada. The states include Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Vermont. All the romaine affected by this recall has a "use by date" of 9/29/11.

No illnesses related to this finding have been reported.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The only outlet where the romaine was available for direct consumer purchase was at Unified Grocers, Inc. Cash & Carry Smart Food Service stores in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The product at those outlets was packed in True Leaf Farms cardboard cartons. All bags carry a "use by date" of 9/29/11. This product was labeled as follows:

2# bags, chopped romaine- Bag and box code B256-46438-8

Photos of the label on these bags can be viewed at www.churchbrothers.com/recall¹. FDA notified the company that a sample taken as part of a random check from a single bag of chopped romaine tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. True Leaf Farms is working with FDA to inform consumers of this recall. In addition, the company is working with its food service distribution customers to ensure that other romaine products that may be implicated are pulled from the market.

"We are fully cooperating with the FDA, and we are contacting all of our customers to ensure prompt removal of any product potentially associated with the recall," said Steve Church, True Leaf Farms. "We are committed to conducting this recall quickly and efficiently to reduce any risk to public health."

Anyone who has in their possession the recalled romaine as described above should not consume it, and should either destroy it or call Church Brothers, LLC for product pickup.

Consumers with questions or who need information may call Church Brothers, LLC, the sales agent for True Leaf Farms, at 1-800-799-9475, or may visit www.churchbrothers.com² for updates.

Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce Expands Possible Distribution Area of Voluntary
Organic Grape Tomato Recall Recall
Still Confined to Original Production Lot

FDA Release 9/28/11

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm273948.htm

Contact:
Consumer
619-661-6000
info@andrew-williamson.com

Media
Mark Munger
619 661-6004 (office)
831 345-6937 (mobile)
info@andrew-williamson.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 28, 2011 - Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce is expanding the geographic scope of its voluntary recall of organic grape tomatoes. Although the volume of cases from the original production lot has not changed, the company recognizes the possibility that some customers may have distributed the organic grape tomatoes beyond the original 18 states. Therefore, the company is extending the recall to all states in the U.S. The recall includes Canada, as initially indicated.

The recall notice is being issued out of an abundance of caution because one clamshell of Limited Edition organic grape tomatoes tested positive for Salmonella in a random sample collected and tested by the United States Department of Agriculture in Michigan.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

All customers who received the organic grape tomatoes directly from the company were notified on September 28 and advised to discard any existing product. No illnesses have been reported in association with this product.

The organic grape tomatoes are sold in 10.5 oz. plastic “clam shell” containers containing UPC code 033383655925, located on the front of the package, below the barcode. The containers also have the words “LIMITED EDITION” and “Product of Mexico” printed on the label. The organic grape tomatoes are also sold in 7 oz. plastic “clam shell” containers with Barcode 20025465, and marketed under the “Fresh & Easy” brand.

The voluntary recall only involves Limited Edition and Fresh & Easy™ labeled organic grape tomatoes and does not involve any other Limited Edition or Fresh & Easy™ branded produce items. Consumers who have any remaining product with UPC code 033383655925 or Barcode 20025465 should not consume it, but should instead discard it. As an added safety measure, retailers are encouraged to check their inventories and store shelves to confirm that product is no longer available for purchase. Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce customer service representatives are contacting retailers to confirm that the recalled product is removed from commerce.

“At Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce our highest priority is the safety and welfare of the consumer. We are committed to the highest standards of food safety and will continue to rigorously pursue the highest food safety levels possible,” said Fred Williamson, President and CEO.

Consumers with questions may contact Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce at 1 (619) 661-6000, Monday-Friday, 8am–5pm pacific time, or email questions to info@andrew-williamson.com.

Update on Listeria contamination of cantaloupes

2011-09-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

There are currently 72 illnesses and 13 deaths reported to be linked to the Listeria contamination of Jensen Farms Cantaloupes. This product has been shipped to at least 22 states.
·        Scientists are still searching to determine how the Cantaloupes became contaminated.
·        Because of the complexity of the supply chain, that is selling and reselling of produce, government officials found the designated cantaloupes in more states than previously reported.
·        In addition to concerns on the cantaloupes themselves, consumers are also advised to clean and disinfect refrigerators and other food contact surfaces.   Being that Listeria can grow at refrigeration temperatures, contaminated melons can lead to Listeria contamination of other foods stored in the refrigerator or other surfaces that contacted the melons.
·        Listeria is particularly harmful to high risk populations (elderly, young, and pregnant women). It infects white blood cells and leads to septicemia (blood infection), meningitis, and abortion. Because of the high mortality rate, it is important for consumers to take appropriate precautions.
·        Incubation times can range from 1 to 3 weeks or longer, so there is the potential for additional illnesses. Cantaloupes have a short shelf-life, approximately two weeks.

Consumer Safety Information on the Recalled Whole Cantaloupes by Jensen Farms

FDA Release Updated September 28, 2011

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/CORENetwork/ucm272372.htm#investigation

FDA and its state partners are conducting checks at retail stores, wholesalers and distributors to make sure they have received notification about the Jensen Farms’ whole cantaloupe recall and that they have taken appropriate action to notify their customers and remove the recalled whole cantaloupes from the shelves.

Because some of the wholesalers and distributors may have further distributed the recalled cantaloupes to food processers, it is possible that additional products that contain cantaloupe from Jensen Farms could be recalled. There is no indication of foreign distribution at this time. Should FDA discover any information that contaminated cantaloupe is still in the marketplace, the Agency will work with the necessary parties to facilitate voluntary recalls of the product and take the necessary steps to protect the safety of the public’s health.

Consumer Safety Information

Listeria can grow at refrigerator temperatures, about 40^◦ Fahrenheit (4^◦ Celsius). The longer ready-to-eat refrigerated foods are stored in the refrigerator, the more opportunity Listeria has to grow.

It is very important that consumers clean their refrigerators and other food preparation surfaces. Consumers should follow these simple steps:

Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.
Wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards and countertops; then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used.
Wipe up spills in the refrigerator immediately and clean the refrigerator regularly.
Always wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and sanitization process.

The FDA advises consumers not to eat the recalled cantaloupes and to throw them away. Do not try to wash the harmful bacteria off the cantaloupe as contamination may be both on the inside and outside of the cantaloupe. Cutting, slicing and dicing may also transfer harmful bacteria from the fruit’s surface to the fruit’s flesh.

Listeriosis is rare but can be fatal, especially in certain high-risk groups. These groups include older adults, people with compromised immune systems and unborn babies and newborns. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and serious illness or death in newborn babies, though the mother herself rarely becomes seriously ill. A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches. Persons who think they might have become ill should consult their doctor.

Jensen Farms Recall

Jensen Farms voluntarily recalled¹ its whole cantaloupes on Sept. 14 in response to the multi-state outbreak of listeriosis. Cantaloupes from other farms have not been linked to this outbreak.

The recalled cantaloupes were shipped from July 29 through September 10, 2011 to the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming. There is no indication of foreign distribution at this time.

For more information on the epidemiologic investigation, please refer to CDC’s Investigation on the Multi-State Listeriosis Outbreak².

FDA’s Investigation

The FDA is conducting a root-cause investigation, which includes an environmental assessment, into the multi-state outbreak of listeriosis linked to the recalled whole cantaloupes by Jensen Farms. The FDA is working with its partners, including the State of Colorado, to determine how these recalled whole cantaloupes became contaminated with Listeria.

These types of investigations, in most cases, lead to preventive practices. When the FDA has new information in its investigation, the Agency will share its findings with consumers, industry and other federal, state and local health and regulatory agencies.

Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Whole Cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, Colorado

CDC Release

http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/index.html

Today's Highlights, September 27, 2011

· As of 11am EDT on September 26, 2011, a total of 72 persons infected with the four outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported to CDC from 18 states. All illnesses started on or after July 31, 2011. The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows: California (1), Colorado (15), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (2), Kansas (5), Maryland (1), Missouri (1), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (10), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (8), Texas (14), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (1).

· Thirteen deaths have been reported: 2 in Colorado, 1 in Kansas, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 4 in New Mexico, 1 in Oklahoma, and 2 in Texas.

· Collaborative investigations by local, state, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate the source of the outbreak is whole cantaloupe grown at Jensen Farms’ production fields in Granada, Colorado.

· On September 14, 2011, FDA issued a press release to announce that Jensen Farms issued a voluntary recall of its Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes after being linked to a multistate outbreak of listeriosis.

· CDC recommends that persons at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, do not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms.

· Other consumers who want to reduce their risk of Listeria infection should not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms.

· Even if some of the cantaloupe has been eaten without becoming ill, dispose of the rest of the cantaloupe immediately. Listeria bacteria can grow in the cantaloupe at room and refrigerator temperatures.

· Cantaloupes that are known to NOT have come from Jensen Farms are safe to eat. If consumers are uncertain about the source of a cantaloupe for purchase, they should ask the grocery store. A cantaloupe purchased from an unknown source should be discarded: "when in doubt, throw it out."

· Go to September 27, 2011 for a full report.

· More information about listeriosis and recommendations to reduce the risk of getting listeriosis from food are available at CDC’s Listeriosis webpage.

· For more information on food outbreaks, please visit CDC’s Multistate Foodborne Outbreaks page.

Deadly Cantaloupes Have Colorado Scientists Searching for Clues

September 29, 2011, 12:23 AM EDT

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-09-29/deadly-cantaloupes-have-colorado-scientists-searching-for-clues.html

Everything (almost) you might want to know about the listeria outbreak

Comments 0

September 28, 2011 4:42 PM

The Gazette

http://www.gazette.com/articles/listeria-125833-call-outbreak.html

Listeria and Cantaloupes

2011-09-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

This is the first case of Listeria that has been reported to be related to Cantaloupes. Cantaloupes have been related to other foodborne illness outbreaks, with Salmonella most often being the agent. Much of this is due to the fact that cantaloupes are grown on the soil surface and they have a rough exterior surface that can retain organisms such as Salmonella. The interesting thing about this case is that unlike an infection due to Salmonella, the infectious dose of Listeria is higher. This would seem to indicate that either there was a high level of listeria on the product to start, or the cantaloupe was held at room temperature for a long time in order for this bacterium to grow. Makes one question the transport vehicle or the use of manure as fertilizer.

Cantaloupes should be washed before slices by scrubbing the exterior surface with a brush under clean running water. After cutting with a clean knife, it is important to store the cantaloupe at refrigeration temperatures.

To date, there have been at least 15 cases in CO, TX, NE, and OK.

FDA STATEMENT

For Immediate Release: September 13, 2011
Media Inquiries: Siobhan DeLancey, 202-510-4177, siobhan.delancey@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 1-888-INFO-FDA

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm271634.htm

FDA investigates multistate outbreak of listeriosis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health agencies to investigate a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis.

At least 15 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported in Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

State and local public health officials have interviewed most of the patients and discovered that the majority of them consumed whole cantaloupes, most likely marketed from the Rocky Ford growing region of Colorado.

FDA investigators along with state health officials are working quickly to determine where in the supply chain the contamination most likely occurred and where potentially contaminated product may have been distributed.

Both FDA and state public health officials have collected product and environmental samples. Laboratory testing is underway.

Listeriosis is a rare and serious illness caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria. People who think they might have become ill should consult their doctor.

A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches. Almost everyone who is diagnosed with listeriosis has "invasive" infection, in which the bacteria spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract.

Listeriosis can be fatal, especially in certain high-risk groups. These groups include older adults, people with compromised immune systems and certain chronic medical conditions (such as cancer). In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and serious illness or death in newborn babies, though the mother herself rarely becomes seriously ill.

As FDA’s investigation continues, the agency will provide updates as warranted.

CDC: Deadly Listeria outbreak linked to cantaloupe

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-09-13/CDC-Deadly-Listeria-outbreak-linked-to-cantaloupe/50389936/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomHealth-TopStories+%28News+-+Health+-+Top+Stories%29

DENVER–Health officials have issued a warning for cantaloupes from a revered melon-producing area of Colorado amid a bacteria outbreak blamed for four deaths in the state and New Mexico, troubling farmers who depend on sales of the fruit.

The warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came after 15 cases of a strain of Listeria were reported from four states, including 11 from Colorado, two from Texas, and one each from Nebraska and Oklahoma. Suspected cases were being investigated in other states.

The agency said it was the first Listeria outbreak linked to cantaloupe in the United States.

Rocky Ford cantaloupes are famous throughout the country, drawing travelers to roadside stands. Piles of the coveted melons are featured on postcards. W.C. Fields reportedly said bald guys have "a head shaped like a Rocky Ford cantaloupe," and Lucile Ball had the melons delivered to her dressing room.

"This is really silly. You can get Listeria any place. I eat those melons every day," said Kent Lusk, a fifth-generation cantaloupe farmer from Rocky Ford.

Colorado Agriculture Commissioner John Salazar said it might not be the cantaloupes, but a contaminated truck or other source. He said no recalls have been issued, but several Colorado grocery chains pulled their supplies as a precaution.

Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems.

Colorado health director Chris Urbina said people who are at high risk included people 60 and older, those with weakened immune systems from transplants and people with chronic diseases. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion and convulsions. Listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Urbina said the department was expecting more test results this week that might help identify the specific source of the cantaloupe sickening people.

Lusk said this year's growing season was almost over and that he doesn't believe the outbreak will have a lasting impact.

"I think there were just a few bad ones," said Adela Licano, a Chamber of Commerce board member who added that about a dozen roadside stands were still open.

"This is a major industry. We hope there is no permanent impact. We're going to get to the bottom of this," Salazar said.

In New Mexico, the fatal cases included a 93-year-old man from Bernalillo County, a 61-year-old woman from Curry County and a 63-year-old man from Bernalillo County. State Environmental Health Bureau inspectors were collecting cantaloupe samples from grocery stores and distributors across New Mexico for laboratory analysis.

Mark Salley, spokesman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said the person who died in Colorado was not being identified.

"We extend our sympathy to the families and friends of those who have died from this infection," said Colorado Health Secretary Dr. Catherine Torres. "At this time, based on the preliminary findings in Colorado, we are cautioning people who are at high risk for Listeria infection to avoid eating cantaloupe."

Investigation Announcement: Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Rocky Ford Cantaloupes

http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/listeriosis/091211.html

CDC

September 12, 2011

Introduction

CDC is collaborating with public health officials in several states, including Colorado, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate a multistate outbreak of listeriosis. Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Investigators are using DNA analysis of Listeria isolated from patients to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. The Listeria bacteria are obtained from diagnostic testing; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is used to determine DNA fingerprint patterns. Investigators are using data from PulseNet, the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.

A total of 15 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported from 4 states. All illnesses started on or after August 15, 2011. The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows: Colorado (11), Nebraska (1), Oklahoma (1), and Texas (2). Listeriosis illnesses in several other states are currently being investigated by state and local health departments to determine if these illnesses are part of this outbreak.

Among persons for whom information is available, illnesses began on or after August 15, 2011. Ages range from 38 to 96 years, with a median age of 84 years old. Most ill persons are over 60 years old or have health conditions that weaken the immune system. Seventy-three percent of ill persons are female. All 15 (100%) patients were hospitalized, and one death has been reported.

The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of persons who became ill each day. This chart is called an epidemic curve or epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after August 26, 2011, might not be reported yet due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. Please see the description of the steps in a foodborne outbreak investigation for more details.

About 800 cases of Listeria infection are diagnosed each year in the United States, along with 3 or 4 outbreaks of Listeria-associated foodborne illness. The typical foods that cause these outbreaks have been deli meats, hot dogs, and Mexican-style soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Produce is not often identified as a source, but sprouts caused an outbreak in 2009, and celery caused an outbreak in 2010.

Investigation of the Outbreak

Ongoing collaborative investigations by local, state, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate the likely source of the outbreak is a type of cantaloupe, called Rocky Ford cantaloupes, which are grown in the Rocky Ford region of southeastern Colorado. These cantaloupes were harvested in August and September, distributed widely in the United States, and are currently available in grocery stores. Ill persons were interviewed about exposures during the month before becoming ill; investigators compared their responses to persons with listeriosis reported through the CDC Listeria Initiative, whose illnesses were not part of this outbreak. Preliminary results strongly suggest that illnesses are linked to consumption of cantaloupes. Several ill persons who remembered the type of cantaloupe said they were Rocky Ford cantaloupes. Product traceback information indicated these cantaloupes were marketed as cantaloupes harvested in the Rocky Ford region.

Laboratory testing by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified Listeria monocytogenes bacteria on cantaloupe collected from grocery stores and from an ill person’s home. Product traceback information from Colorado State officials indicated these cantaloupes were harvested in the Rocky Ford region. FDA is working closely with CDC, the firms involved, and public health authorities in states where illnesses occurred to determine the exact source of contamination.

On September 9, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment [PDF - 2 pages] advised persons in Colorado at high risk for severe listeriosis to avoid eating cantaloupes. CDC now advises persons throughout the mainland United States and at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, to not eat cantaloupes marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado.

Top of Page

Clinical Features/Signs and Symptoms

Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns. Rarely, persons without these risk factors can also be affected.

A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Almost everyone who is diagnosed with listeriosis has "invasive" infection, in which the bacteria spread from the intestines to the blood stream or other body sites.

The symptoms vary with the infected person:

· Persons other than pregnant women: Symptoms, in addition to fever and muscle aches, can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

· Pregnant women: Pregnant women typically experience only a mild, flu-like illness. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

More general information about Listeriosis can be found at the CDC's Listeriosis webpage

Advice to Consumers

Contaminated cantaloupes may still be in grocery stores and in consumers' homes.

· CDC recommends that persons at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, do not eat cantaloupes marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado.

· Consumers who have cantaloupes in their homes can check the label or inquire at the store where they purchased it to determine if the fruit was marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado.

· Listeriosis primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and newborns. Persons who think they might have become ill from eating possibly contaminated cantaloupes should consult their doctor immediately.

· Cantaloupes marketed as coming from the Rocky Ford region should be disposed of in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people or animals from eating them.

Food items other than cantaloupes can also carry Listeria bacteria. People at high risk for listeriosis and those who prepare their meals can take steps to lower the risk.

· Rinse raw produce, such as fruits and vegetables, thoroughly under running tap water before eating. Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel before cutting them up.

· Thoroughly cook raw meat and poultry.

· Heat hot dogs, deli meats, and cold cuts until they are steaming hot just before serving.

· Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk and do not eat fresh soft cheeses that have unpasteurized milk in them, especially Mexican style cheeses like queso fresco.

· Be sure that your refrigerator is at or below 40 degrees F, and your freezer at or below 0 degrees F by using a refrigerator thermometer.

· Follow general food safety guidelines for preparing food, such as those at FoodSafety.gov .

General Melon Safety Advice:

· Consumers and food preparers should wash their hands before and after handling any whole melon, such as cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew.

· Wash the melons and dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel before cutting.

· Cut melon should be promptly consumed or refrigerated at or less than 40 degrees F (32-34 degrees F is optimal for storage of cut melon).

· Cut melons left at room temperature for more than 4 hours should be discarded.

More information about Listeriosis and recommendations to reduce risk of getting Listeriosis from food can be found at the CDC's Listeriosis webpage.

New Poll: Many U.S. Adults Unaware of Key Food Safety Practices

2011-09-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

From our informal polling, we know that most people do not use a thermometer when cooking burgers - either poultry, beef, or pork (also known as porkies). Unfortunately, there is a real risk of foodborne illness when ground meat is undercooked. This can be life threatening if the organism is STEC E.coli and product contaminated with that organism is consumed by a child.

Buy a thermometer. Stick it in your burger. Cook your burger to the correct temperature (Beef and Pork – 160F, Poultry – 165F)

New Poll: Many U.S. Adults Unaware of Key Food Safety Practices

http://www.meatami.com/ht/d/ReleaseDetails/i/72056/mo_person_id/00077412/mo_mailing_id/MO-02082

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Eight in 10 adults who cook hamburgers or poultry burgers do not use thermometer to determine doneness

Contact: Tom Super at tsuper@meatami.com or 202/587-4238

Washington, D.C. September 1, 2011 – Summer may be waning, but with Labor Day cookouts, NCAA college football tailgates and the NFL season right around the corner, September’s 17th annual National Food Safety Education Month is the perfect time to remind food preparers about proper procedures when cooking meat and poultry products.

A new poll commissioned by the American Meat Institute (AMI) and conducted by Harris Interactive found that while almost nine out of 10 U.S. adults (88 percent) cook hamburgers or poultry (chicken or turkey) burgers, only 19 percent of those who do use an instant read thermometer to determine that the burgers are safely cooked and ready to eat (i.e.,“doneness”). Approximately 73 percent of adults who cook hamburgers or poultry burgers incorrectly rely on sight to determine doneness and 57 percent incorrectly rely on cooking time.

Of concern: only 13 percent of adults aged 18-34 who cook hamburgers or poultry burgers, many of whom may prepare food for small children at home, use an instant read thermometer to determine doneness when cooking hamburgers or poultry burgers. Seventy-eight percent of this age group rely on sight, which is not an accurate indicator of doneness, to determine if the burger is cooked properly.

In terms of proper cooking temperatures, only one in five U.S. adults (20 percent) knows a hamburger should be cooked to 160 degree F to ensure it is safe to consume, while 41 percent mistakenly believe that hamburgers should be cooked to a temperature less than 160 degrees F, according to the poll.

Nearly half of U.S. adults (47 percent) believe that poultry burgers should be cooked to a temperature less than 165 degrees F. Only 13 percent know that a poultry burger should be cooked to 165 degree F to ensure it is safe to consume.

“Meat and poultry companies use many food safety strategies to make our products as safe as we can, and it is our responsibility to empower our customers with the information that they need to ensure that the products are safe when served,” said AMI Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Janet Riley. “Our poll reveals that a significant knowledge gap still exists about proper cooking temperatures and thermometer use. U.S. meat and poultry products are among the safest in the world, but like all raw agricultural products, they can contain bacteria, and that is why it is important to take time to remind consumers about safe handling and cooking practices.”

Riley urged consumers to follow the four basic food safety steps that are included on safe handling labels on meat and poultry products: clean, separate, cook and chill. Consumers should make sure that surfaces and hands are clean when preparing food, separate raw products from cooked products, cook the product to the proper temperature and keep the product properly chilled.

“While we recognize September as National Food Safety Education Month, food safety is a priority year-round,” Riley concluded. “By making a habit of cooking hamburgers to 160 degrees F and chicken or turkey burgers to 165 degrees F and using an instant read thermometer, consumers can feel confident that they will enjoy a safe and delicious eating experience every time.”

For more information and additional resources to safely prepare meat and poultry visit http://www.meatsafety.org/.

Deer confirmed as E. coli source in Oregon Strawberry Outbreak

2011-08-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

Deer dropping are the reported source of E.coli that contaminated strawberries. For those who deal with fresh, ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables, this case puts additional pressure on addressing the movement of wild animals onto agricultural fields.

Deer confirmed as E. coli source in Oregon

http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-enewsletter/packer-daily/Deer-confirmed-as-E-coli-source-in-Oregon-127966683.html

08/17/2011 4:24:36 PM The Packer
Coral Beach

State officials announced test results that confirmed deer as the source of E. coli O157:H7 that contaminated fresh strawberries in Oregon, causing one death and making at least 14 other people sick in July.

Oregon’s Public Health epidemiologist Katrina Hedberg reported the results in a news release Aug. 17. Six samples positively matched the E. coli that was found in the people who were infected, Hedberg stated in the release.

More than 100 samples were taken Aug. 6 from five fields where the berries were grown at Jaquith Strawberry Farm in Newberg, Ore. Those samples included deer droppings, soil and strawberry plants. Growers Joe and Jerri Jaquith have been cooperating with state officials, who have said that no sub-standard or problematic conditions were found when the farm was inspected.

Oregon health and agriculture officials remain concerned that some of the strawberries may remain in consumers’ hands. They repeated warnings Aug. 17 that uncooked strawberries used for “freezer jam” or frozen for later use should be thrown out. The strawberries were sold at roadside stands and farmers markets. Harvest at the farm ceased July 29.

“At this time, the Oregon Department of Agriculture believes it has identified those operators and locations that possibly sold Jaquith strawberries,” Hedberg stated in the Aug. 17 release. A list of the 57 locations and 36 vendors is on the department website.

This outbreak, which sickened people from July 10-29, marks the second time in Oregon that E. coli O157:H7 carried by deer has been implicated in human illness.

The bacteria is most often associated with beef and dairy products, but in 1997 Oregon epidemiologist William Keene confirmed that venison jerky was contaminated with the pathogen. Since that time, E. coli has also been confirmed in wild elk.

2011-08-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

There is an outbreak of E. coli O157 related to fresh strawberries in Oregon. 13 people have become ill from eating strawberries that came from a particular farm in NW Oregon. No source has been identified on how the strawberries came to be contaminated. This is the first outbreak of STEC E.coli related to strawberries.

Recall -- State / Local Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and safety alerts from states as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA is not responsible for the content of these notices.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm267667.htm

Fresh Strawberries From Washington County Farm Implicated In E. coli O157 Outbreak In NW Oregon

Contact:
Media:
Jonathan Modie
503-758-4914 (Primary)
971-673-1102 (Desk)
jonathan.n.modie@state.or.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 8, 2011 - Oregon Public Health officials have identified fresh strawberries from a Newberg farm as the source of a cluster of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections that sickened at least 10 people last month, including one person who died.

The strawberries were produced last month by Jaquith Strawberry Farm located at 23135 SW Jaquith Road in Newberg. Jaquith finished its strawberry season in late July, and its strawberries are no longer on the market. Jaquith sold its strawberries to buyers who then resold them at roadside stands and farmer’s markets.

Health officials are urging consumers who may have purchased strawberries grown on this farm to throw them out. Strawberries that have been frozen or made into uncooked jam are of particular concern. Cooking kills E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.

“If you have any strawberries from this producer—frozen, in uncooked jam, or any uncooked form—throw them out,” says Paul Cieslak, M.D., from Oregon Public Health Division. He says people who have eaten the strawberries, but remain well need take no action. The incubation period for E. coli O157:H7 is typically two to seven days.

None of the following have been implicated in this outbreak:

Berries other than strawberries.
Strawberries sold since Aug. 1.
Strawberries sold south of Benton County or east of Multnomah County.
Strawberries sold in supermarkets.
Strawberries picked at Jaquith Strawberry Farm’s U-pick field.

Ten people have confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infection caused by a single strain. They include residents of Washington, Clatsop, and Multnomah Counties. Six other people in northwest Oregon also have recently developed E. coli O157:H7 infection and appear to be part of this outbreak.

Of the confirmed cases, four have been hospitalized, and one elderly woman in Washington County died from kidney failure associated with E. coli O157:H7 infection. There were twelve females and four males among the cases, and their ages ranged from 4 to 85. They fell ill between July 10 and July 29.

Cieslak, manager of the Oregon Public Health’s communicable disease section, said his team has been working with county public health officials and the Oregon Department of Agriculture on tracking the infection cases. When a potential outbreak is investigated, public health officials ask those who’ve been sickened, family members and health care providers a slate of questions to find common exposures and “trace back” to the source.

“If someone gets sick, we ask questions about everything from what they’ve eaten, to whether they’ve been to common gatherings, to whether they’ve been swimming in a particular place, and then out of this we try to find commonalities,” he said. “The commonality among these cases has been strawberries at roadside stands and farmer’s markets supplied by this one farm last month.”

E. coli is a common inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract and is usually harmless. But E. coli O157:H7 is a strain of the bacterium carried by some animals, that can contaminate food and water, and that produces toxins that can cause mild to severe intestinal illness, including severe cramps and diarrhea that is often bloody. Some patients develop complications that require hospitalization. About 5 percent of infected persons, especially young children and the elderly, suffer serious and potentially fatal kidney damage.

Antibiotics are not recommended for treatment of E. coli O157:H7 infection, and they may actually make kidney failure more likely. People infected with E. coli O157 should rest and drink plenty of fluids to reduce fatigue and dehydration.

Public health officials emphasize that fruits and vegetables are still important to a healthy diet; at least five servings per day are recommended. However, people need to take the following precautions with any uncooked produce:

Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them.
Keep fruits and vegetables and other raw food separated from cooked food
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling raw foods, as well as before eating, after using the toilet, and after changing diapers.

Owner of Jaquith Strawberry Farm saddened by E. coli outbreak

http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/08/owner_of_jaquith_strawberry_fa.html

Published: Wednesday, August 10, 2011, 9:42 AM Updated: Wednesday, August 10, 2011, 1:23 PM

Deer suspected as source of nation's first E. coli outbreak traced to tainted strawberries

Published: Monday, August 08, 2011, 8:38 PM Updated: Tuesday, August 09, 2011, 10:55 AM

http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2011/08/deer_suspected_as_cause_of_nat.html

Salmonella outbreak linked to Ground Poultry

2011-08-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

(My comments are in parenthesis and italicized.)

Cargill Meat Solutions is recalling 36 million pounds of ground turkey products that has been linked to a Salmonella outbreak with 79 infected individuals in 26 states. Of that, 22 have been hospitalized and there has been one death.

Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, a Springdale, Ark. establishment, announced the recall on August 3^rd after learning their product may be contaminated with a multi-drug resistant strain of Salmonella Heidelberg. (One probable reason for the delay is the wide distribution of the cases and more importantly, the long time period over which the cases occurred. CDC receives many reports each day, and it can be difficult in identifying trends when there is only a case or two coming in at a time).

The products subject to recall today bear the establishment number "P-963" inside the USDA mark of inspection

According to the CDC on August 1^st, a total of 77 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 26 states between March 1 and August 1, 2011. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows:AL (1), AZ (2), CA (6), GA (1), IA (1), IL (7), IN (1), KY (2), LA (1), MA (1), MI (10), MN (1), MO (2), MS (1), NC (1), NE (2), NV (1), NY (2), OH (10), OK (1), OR (1), PA (5), SD (3), TN (2), TX (9), and WI (3).

The most common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight to 72 hours of eating a contaminated product. It can be life-threatening to some with weakened immune systems.

It is important that all poultry products be cooked to the proper temperature of 165ºF. It is also important to prevent cross contamination through thorough hand washing after handling raw meat products such as poultry and to clean any surfaces that have come into contact with raw poultry including knives and cutting boards. Consumers with questions about this recall should contact Cargill's consumer relations toll free telephone number at 1-888-812-1646. (People tend to undercooked or mishandle ground meat, whether it is ground beef or ground turkey. Additionally, it is very difficult to use color or firmness as an indicator of doneness when cooking raw ground poultry – the safest way to measure doneness is to use a thermometer, making sure ground poultry has reached 165ºF).

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_060_2011_Release/index.asp?s_cid=w_c_sms_cont_001

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/heidelberg/080111/index.html

http://www.cargill.com/news-center/news-releases/2011/NA3047807.jsp

Do Farmers Markets` Provide Safer Food?

2011-07-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a Washington Post article on food safety at Farmers` Markets. Thanks to Ray Eckhart for sending it along.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-farmers-markets-highlight-an-array-of-food-safety-issues/2011/07/18/gIQAROXZTI_story.html

Farmers` Markets seem to be everywhere these days and more and more people are buying their food there. And the scope of products range from fruits and vegetables to raw meat to hoagies to barbeque chicken. But is that food sold at a Farmers` Markets safer because it comes from a small farm? Evidence would indicate that this is not necessarily the case.

I have a positive view of Farmers Markets` in that they promote local agriculture and get people a little closer to the source of the food (so the kids know their apples are not grown in the grocery store). However, all it takes is one outbreak related to a Farmers` Market purveyor and that can dampen the enthusiasm of many shoppers. It would be in the best interest of the Famers’ Market coordinators as well as the farmers themselves to ensure the safety of the food sold. Are purveyors licensed and inspected? Do they know the basics of food safety including proper cooking temperatures and proper holding temperatures of food? Are they practicing proper handling of the food they are selling? If selling raw meat, are they conveying the right information to the consumer that the product must be properly cooked for safety?

How comfortable are you about buying meat or further processed food at a Farmers’ Market when it is 100ºF outside?

Botulism and Potato Soup - CDC Report 7/8/11

2011-07-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

In two separate cases this year as reported by CDC, individuals became ill with botulism following consumption of improperly stored potato soup. In each case, refrigerated RTE potato soup was purchased from retail and then tasted by the consumer after prolonged storage at room temperature (even though the label stated Store in Refrigerator).

A few interesting notes:

1) It is becoming more common for retailers as well as manufacturers to make refrigerated RTE products with no secondary hurdles (preservatives) to prevent Clostridium botulinum growth. So thus refrigeration is the only control factor. This creates a huge risk with regard to temperature abuse….spores of Clostridium, surviving the heat treatment used in making soup, will grow if the product is stored at temperatures greater than 50ºF to 54ºF. (for Proteolytic strains such as Type A. Non-proteolytic strains can grow as low as 38F, but have less heat resistance so would not survive the initial boil when making soup).

2) Both persons suffered severe illness for weeks even though they just tasted the soup, a testament of the toxicity. Botulinum toxin is regarded as one of the most potent toxins known to man. (If they had hard boiled the soup for ~10 min before consuming, it would have inactivated the toxin, and although it would have tasted bad, it would probably not have caused botulism)

3) Consumers do crazy things – First, refrigerated product was stored at room temperature for a long time, and two, even though it smelled bad and was swollen, they still tried it. Reminds me of an old Cheech and Chong skit.

Notes from the Field: Botulism Caused by Consumption of Commercially Produced Potato Soups Stored Improperly --- Ohio and Georgia, 2011

Weekly

July 8, 2011 / 60(26);890

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6026a5.htm?s_cid=mm6026a5_w

In January and April 2011, CDC provided antitoxin for treatment of two persons with toxin type A botulism associated with consumption of potato soup produced by two companies. On January 28, 2011, an Ohio resident, aged 29 years, was hospitalized after 5 days of progressive dizziness, blurred vision, dysphagia, and difficulty breathing. The patient required mechanical ventilation and botulism antitoxin. On January 18, he had tasted potato soup from a bulging plastic container, noted a bad taste, and discarded the remainder. The soup had been purchased on December 7, 2010, from the refrigerated section of a local grocer, but it had been kept unrefrigerated for 42 days. He was hospitalized for 57 days and then was transferred with residual weakness to a rehabilitation facility.
On April 8, 2011, a Georgia resident, aged 41 years, was hospitalized after 4 days of progressive dizziness and dysphagia. The patient developed respiratory distress, required mechanical ventilation, and was treated with botulism antitoxin. On April 3, she had tasted potato soup purchased from a local grocer, noted a sour taste, and discarded the remainder. The soup, stored in a plastic container labeled "keep refrigerated" in letters 1/8 inch tall, had been purchased on March 16, but had been left unrefrigerated for 18 days. She was hospitalized for 16 days and then was transferred with residual weakness to a rehabilitation facility.
Botulism is caused by a paralyzing toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. C. botulinum spores are present in soil and can be found on raw produce, especially potatoes and other root vegetables (1). If a low-acid food such as potato soup is stored unrefrigerated in an anaerobic environment (e.g., a sealed container), without a barrier to bacterial growth, spores can germinate, resulting in bacterial growth and botulinum toxin production (2). Because heating food to a temperature of 185°F (85°C) for 5 minutes inactivates the toxin, proper preparation also is an important safeguard (3).
Improper storage has been documented in previous botulism outbreaks associated with commercially produced, chilled foods. Since 1975, 19 U.S. botulism cases were linked to six such products. Demand for prepared, chilled foods is increasing (4). Labels advising refrigeration might be ignored or not noticed, and do not warn about the danger of consuming unrefrigerated food. The Food and Drug Administration is reexamining labeling requirements. Storage at an improper temperature also can occur before products reach consumers (5). To inhibit the growth of C. botulinum and other microbes, an acidifying agent or other microbial inhibitor, such as citric or phosphoric acid, can be added to prepared, chilled foods before they are sealed in a package. This procedure was used successfully to reduce the danger of botulism from commercial garlic-in-oil products after two outbreaks (6).

Reported by

Mandy P. Seaman, Alana C. Sulka, Gwinnett County, Georgia Board of Health. Melissa Tobin D'Angelo, Georgia Dept of Community Health. Mitchell A. Blass, St. Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. Randy L. Mills, Ohio State Univ Hospitals East, Columbus; Jane Carmean, Ohio Dept of Health. Carolina Lúquez, Susan Maslanka, Kelly A. Jackson, Barbara E. Mahon, Patricia M. Griffin, Div of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; Katherine A. O'Connor, Ethel V. Taylor, EIS officers, CDC. Corresponding contributor: Katherine A. O'Connor, kaoconnor@cdc.gov, 404-639-0195.

References

Angulo FJ, Getz J, Taylor JP, et al. A large outbreak of botulism: the hazardous baked potato. J Infect Dis 1998;178:172--7.
Sheth AN, Wiersma P, Atrubin D, et al. International outbreak of severe botulism with prolonged toxemia caused by commercial carrot juice. Clin Infect Dis 2008;47:1245--51.
Sobel J. Botulism. Clin Infect Dis 2005;41:1167--73.
Peck MW. Clostridium botulinum and the safety of minimally heated, chilled foods: an emerging issue? J Appl Microbiol 2006;101:556--70.
Kalluri P, Crowe C, Reller M, et al. An outbreak of foodborne botulism associated with food sold at a salvage store in Texas. Clin Infect Dis 2003;37:1490--5.
Morse DL, Pickard LK, Guzewich JJ, Devine BD, Shayegani M. Garlic-in-oil associated botulism: episode leads to product modification. Am J Public Health 1990;80:1372--3.