This is reprinted from Modern Farmer and thought it a nice summary of recent cases where company owners received prison sentences for shipping tainted product. The reasons listed below are a little short in terms of the details, but it is a nice review.
Modern Farmer
https://modernfarmer.com/2017/09/dirty-deeds-recent-food-safety-crimes/
Dirty Deeds: Recent Food Safety Crimes
By Brian Barth on September 20, 2017
Showing posts with label foodborne illness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foodborne illness. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
CDC Report on Foodborne Illness Associated with Fish
Each year people become ill from eating contaminated fish. CDC issued a report on data from their surveillance system on the agents and the types of fish in the period 1998 to 2015. Table 2 from that report (ref below) provides a nice summary of those findings that link agent and the source of fish:
Scombrotoxin is the leading agent of foodborne illness associated with fish and it is found in tuna and mahi-mahi. Scombrotoxin is due to histamine formation as a byproduct of microbial activity as that fish meat spoils when it is temperature abused. The symptoms are similar to what you would have during an allergic reaction. This toxin is not destroyed by heating.
Ciquatoxin is found associated with tropical predator fish such as grouper and barracuda when those fish eat smaller fish that have eaten a particular types of dinoflagellate (type of plankton). The toxin bioaccumulates in the predator fish. There are gastrointestinal issues, but the biggest issue are the neurological affects that include headaches, muscle aches, numbness, and cold allodynia - a burning sensation on contact with cold. These symptoms can persist for weeks to months. The toxin is heat stable.
Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2017 Jul 6. doi: 10.1089/fpd.2017.2286. [Epub ahead of print]
Fish-Associated Foodborne Disease Outbreaks: United States, 1998-2015.
Barrett KA1, Nakao JH1, Taylor EV2, Eggers C3, Gould LH1.
Friday, October 28, 2016
Rancidity of Tortilla Chips Leads to Outbreak of Gastrointestinal Distress
Approximately 77 people became ill in a correctional facility in Wyoming after eating rancid tortilla chips. Rancidity is the breakdown of oils and fats that occurs when fats and oils were extensively heated. Debris and moisture in the oil facilitates that breakdown. This oil breakdown impacts flavor and quality, and as seen here, can lead to gastrointestinal distress. In this case, the tortilla chips were probably fried in oil that had been used too long.
Generally indicators of rancidity are measured to detect the level of rancidity, in this case, hexanal and peroxide. By measuring these indicators, firms know when oil is beginning to go bad and then replace the oil. For smaller firms without the capability of conducting measurements, they replace oil after a certain time or amount of usage. Others replace oil when the oil in the fryer begins to darken, smoke or smell 'off'. Continuing to use oil after it goes rancid leads to off-flavors in the food, and more importantly, illness.
As noted in the MMRW article, this is one of the first documented cases of illnesses related to rancid oil. But a good guess would be that this happens more frequently than reported. How many times have you gone to a fair or a greasy spoon burger joint and ate fried food that had an off-flavor? Then a hour or two later your stomach starts to roll. Too often, purveyors try to use oil longer than it should be used. In some cases, the consumer notices the flavor and throws the food out, but in other cases, when really hungry, they choke it back.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6542a4.htm?s_cid=mm6542a4_w
Gastrointestinal Illness Associated with Rancid Tortilla Chips at a Correctional Facility — Wyoming, 2015
Weekly / October 28, 2016 / 65(42);1170–1173
Tiffany Lupcho, MPH1; Alexia Harrist, MD, PhD1,2; Clay Van Houten, MS1
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Although consumption of rancid food can cause gastrointestinal illness, few outbreaks have been documented.
Generally indicators of rancidity are measured to detect the level of rancidity, in this case, hexanal and peroxide. By measuring these indicators, firms know when oil is beginning to go bad and then replace the oil. For smaller firms without the capability of conducting measurements, they replace oil after a certain time or amount of usage. Others replace oil when the oil in the fryer begins to darken, smoke or smell 'off'. Continuing to use oil after it goes rancid leads to off-flavors in the food, and more importantly, illness.
As noted in the MMRW article, this is one of the first documented cases of illnesses related to rancid oil. But a good guess would be that this happens more frequently than reported. How many times have you gone to a fair or a greasy spoon burger joint and ate fried food that had an off-flavor? Then a hour or two later your stomach starts to roll. Too often, purveyors try to use oil longer than it should be used. In some cases, the consumer notices the flavor and throws the food out, but in other cases, when really hungry, they choke it back.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6542a4.htm?s_cid=mm6542a4_w
Gastrointestinal Illness Associated with Rancid Tortilla Chips at a Correctional Facility — Wyoming, 2015
Weekly / October 28, 2016 / 65(42);1170–1173
Tiffany Lupcho, MPH1; Alexia Harrist, MD, PhD1,2; Clay Van Houten, MS1
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Although consumption of rancid food can cause gastrointestinal illness, few outbreaks have been documented.
Monday, September 28, 2015
The Cost of Foodborne Outbreaks - And Blue Bell as an Example of Mishandling an Outbreak
Foodborne outbreaks can have a devastating effect on those who become ill, but also will huge financial impact on those companies in terms of lawsuits, recall, and loss in sales. Mishandling an outbreak can magnify those costs.
Fortune Magazine published two articles on the topic (links and excerpts below). One looked at how Blue Bell was slow to act after their product was linked to Listeria...both knowing they had an issue and not solving it, and then with the recall in terms of performing 'recall creep' - where a series of recalls are issued where each subsequent recall entails increasing scope of products. Recall creep has occurred often because companies fail to understand the extent of the risk. The downside is that it drags out the recall and gives a worse perception of the company. Comes back to the old saying - 'the first loss is your best loss'.
The other Fortune article looks the total cost of a foodborne outbreaks, which they estimated at $55.5 billion. Recalls can cost companies from $30 million to $99 million, and in 5% of the cases, greater than $100 million.
Fortune Magazine
http://fortune.com/2015/09/25/blue-bell-listeria-recall/
How ice cream maker Blue Bell blew it - Excerpts
by Peter Elkind @peterelkind September 25, 2015, 12:00 PM EDT
Fortune Magazine published two articles on the topic (links and excerpts below). One looked at how Blue Bell was slow to act after their product was linked to Listeria...both knowing they had an issue and not solving it, and then with the recall in terms of performing 'recall creep' - where a series of recalls are issued where each subsequent recall entails increasing scope of products. Recall creep has occurred often because companies fail to understand the extent of the risk. The downside is that it drags out the recall and gives a worse perception of the company. Comes back to the old saying - 'the first loss is your best loss'.
The other Fortune article looks the total cost of a foodborne outbreaks, which they estimated at $55.5 billion. Recalls can cost companies from $30 million to $99 million, and in 5% of the cases, greater than $100 million.
Fortune Magazine
http://fortune.com/2015/09/25/blue-bell-listeria-recall/
How ice cream maker Blue Bell blew it - Excerpts
by Peter Elkind @peterelkind September 25, 2015, 12:00 PM EDT
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
CDC Release 2013 Foodborne Illness Report
CDC released 2013 Report – Surveillance for Foodborne Disease Outbreaks United States. 2013: Annual Report. http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/pdfs/foodborne-disease-outbreaks-annual-report-2013-508c.pdf
The main findings as listed in the report:
- In 2013, 818 foodborne disease outbreaks were reported, resulting in 13,360 illnesses, 1,062 hospitalizations, 16 deaths, and 14 food recalls.
- Outbreaks caused by Salmonella increased 39% from 2012 (113) to 2013 (157). Outbreak-associated hospitalizations caused by Salmonella increased 38% from 2012 (454) to 2013 (628).
- Fish (50 outbreaks), mollusks (23), chicken (21), and dairy (21, with 17 due to unpasteurized products) were the most common single food categories implicated in outbreaks.
- As reported in previous years, restaurants (433 outbreaks, 60% of outbreaks reporting a single location of preparation), specifically restaurants with sit-down dining 351, 49%), were the most commonly reported locations of food preparation.
818 foodborne outbreaks impacting 13360 people. Not too bad when you consider there are 320 million people in the US eating hopefully 3 meals a day, 365 days/year...not bad unless you are one of those poor souls who happens to get ill, then really bad is what you are feeling. And if you take the 48,000,000 as the real number for number of cases, then the vast majority of cases must not be reported.
Salmonella is tops among bacteria, but Norovirus is still the leading etiological agent. I know we like to blame those commercially processed foods, but in the end, a restaurant or a banquet hall is a more likely place for contracting illness. For foods, seafood and mollusks…and there are a lot of cases due to mollusks especially if we could see the rate (number of cases/number of people eating). So if you can combinine a few of these…how about eating fish or mollusks (ie raw oysters) in a restaurant?
As far as rates of foodborne illness per state, the average was 3.3 outbreaks per million people. Nice to see that our fair state of PA rates below this average. Ohio and Minnesota, not so good.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Impact of Rapid Clinical Testing of Foodborne Pathogens on Outbreak Investigations
It is easy to make the assumption that rapid diagnostics, CIDT or Culture Independent Diagnostic Tests, would help in determining the cause of an outbreak, but this may not be the case. While rapid testing may help with the treatment of a patient by determining the type of organism that caused the illness, without isolating the organism through good old fashion culture methods, the investigation essentially stops there. To go beyond diagnosis of the illness to a point where the exact strain of the organism can be determined for matching purposes, isolation and cultural confirmation is needed.
An increasing number of tests completed by clinical laboratories are using CIDTs. In some cases where a positive is found, no further isolation was attempted, and in other cases, the lab was not able to isolate the organism. In the past, the isolated organisms would then be forwarded to the public health laboratories for further identification and characterization, including if an organism was antibiotic resistant. The organism could be subtyped and this information is used in determining if this illness/organism is part of a wider outbreak.
The inability to culture a CIDT positive sample may also indicate a false positive, especially where the type of CIDT used was an antigen based technology.
CDC MMWR
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6409a4.htm?s_cid=mm6409a4_e
Bacterial Enteric Infections Detected by Culture-Independent Diagnostic Tests — FoodNet, United States, 2012–2014
Weekly
March 13, 2015 / 64(09);252-257
Martha Iwamoto, MD1, Jennifer Y. Huang, MPH1, Alicia B. Cronquist, MPH2, Carlota Medus, PhD3, Sharon Hurd, MPH4, Shelley Zansky, PhD5, John Dunn, DVM6, Amy M. Woron, PhD6, Nadine Oosmanally, MSPH7, Patricia M. Griffin, MD1, John Besser, PhD1, Olga L. Henao, PhD1 (Author affiliations at end of text)
The increased availability and rapid adoption of culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) is moving clinical detection of bacterial enteric infections away from culture-based methods. These new tests do not yield isolates that are currently needed for further tests to distinguish among strains or subtypes of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli, and other organisms. Public health surveillance relies on this detailed characterization of isolates to monitor trends and rapidly detect outbreaks; consequently, the increased use of CIDTs makes prevention and control of these infections more difficult (1–3). During 2012–2013, the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet*) identified a total of 38,666 culture-confirmed cases and positive CIDT reports of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, Vibrio, and Yersinia. Among the 5,614 positive CIDT reports, 2,595 (46%) were not confirmed by culture. In addition, a 2014 survey of clinical laboratories serving the FoodNet surveillance area indicated that use of CIDTs by the laboratories varied by pathogen; only CIDT methods were used most often for detection of Campylobacter (10%) and STEC (19%). Maintaining surveillance of bacterial enteric infections in this period of transition will require enhanced surveillance methods and strategies for obtaining bacterial isolates.
An increasing number of tests completed by clinical laboratories are using CIDTs. In some cases where a positive is found, no further isolation was attempted, and in other cases, the lab was not able to isolate the organism. In the past, the isolated organisms would then be forwarded to the public health laboratories for further identification and characterization, including if an organism was antibiotic resistant. The organism could be subtyped and this information is used in determining if this illness/organism is part of a wider outbreak.
The inability to culture a CIDT positive sample may also indicate a false positive, especially where the type of CIDT used was an antigen based technology.
CDC MMWR
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6409a4.htm?s_cid=mm6409a4_e
Bacterial Enteric Infections Detected by Culture-Independent Diagnostic Tests — FoodNet, United States, 2012–2014
Weekly
March 13, 2015 / 64(09);252-257
Martha Iwamoto, MD1, Jennifer Y. Huang, MPH1, Alicia B. Cronquist, MPH2, Carlota Medus, PhD3, Sharon Hurd, MPH4, Shelley Zansky, PhD5, John Dunn, DVM6, Amy M. Woron, PhD6, Nadine Oosmanally, MSPH7, Patricia M. Griffin, MD1, John Besser, PhD1, Olga L. Henao, PhD1 (Author affiliations at end of text)
The increased availability and rapid adoption of culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) is moving clinical detection of bacterial enteric infections away from culture-based methods. These new tests do not yield isolates that are currently needed for further tests to distinguish among strains or subtypes of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli, and other organisms. Public health surveillance relies on this detailed characterization of isolates to monitor trends and rapidly detect outbreaks; consequently, the increased use of CIDTs makes prevention and control of these infections more difficult (1–3). During 2012–2013, the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet*) identified a total of 38,666 culture-confirmed cases and positive CIDT reports of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, Vibrio, and Yersinia. Among the 5,614 positive CIDT reports, 2,595 (46%) were not confirmed by culture. In addition, a 2014 survey of clinical laboratories serving the FoodNet surveillance area indicated that use of CIDTs by the laboratories varied by pathogen; only CIDT methods were used most often for detection of Campylobacter (10%) and STEC (19%). Maintaining surveillance of bacterial enteric infections in this period of transition will require enhanced surveillance methods and strategies for obtaining bacterial isolates.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
CDC Report - Attribution of Foodborne Illnesses, Hospitalizations, and Deaths
The CDC issued a report that attributes foodborne illness cases to different foods. Calculations, based on known cases over the period from1998 to 2008, are used to estimate the number of cases caused by each disease causing agent as well as to attribute to one of 17 food types.
There are some big assumptions that are made in the report that I feel limits what headlines will report. 1) It applies known outbreaks to apply to sporadic cases. Because of this, it underestimates the number of cases caused by organisms that have illnesses which tend to be more sporadic in nature, such as Campylobacter. 2) Along those same lines, mass distributed product where a single contamination event results in a large number of illnesses, such as in bagged produce, outweighs foods that may are considered high risk for contamination. 3) In the cases where mixed food caused an illness, the blame is put on the item commodity that they determined to have caused the biggest
proportion of illnesses, rather than the real risk. 4) Some organisms don't even show up, such as Taxoplasma spp.. even though that organism is claimed to be one of the major pathogens associated with meat....(although owning multiple cats is probably a bigger risk).
The headlines from some of the major news outlets give the impression that certain foods are risky.
Philly.com - U.S. Officials Pinpoint Common Sources of Foodborne Illnesses
Reuters - U.S. government report outlines foods most prone to pathogens
Time - Here’s What Foods Are Most Likely To Have E. Coli or Salmonella
It is hard to get a real sense of real risk there is no calculation associated with the units consumed. Without this, many will jump on items that show to have a caused a higher percentage of the number of illnesses caused, but not the real risk.
My takeaways:
There are some big assumptions that are made in the report that I feel limits what headlines will report. 1) It applies known outbreaks to apply to sporadic cases. Because of this, it underestimates the number of cases caused by organisms that have illnesses which tend to be more sporadic in nature, such as Campylobacter. 2) Along those same lines, mass distributed product where a single contamination event results in a large number of illnesses, such as in bagged produce, outweighs foods that may are considered high risk for contamination. 3) In the cases where mixed food caused an illness, the blame is put on the item commodity that they determined to have caused the biggest
proportion of illnesses, rather than the real risk. 4) Some organisms don't even show up, such as Taxoplasma spp.. even though that organism is claimed to be one of the major pathogens associated with meat....(although owning multiple cats is probably a bigger risk).
The headlines from some of the major news outlets give the impression that certain foods are risky.
Philly.com - U.S. Officials Pinpoint Common Sources of Foodborne Illnesses
Reuters - U.S. government report outlines foods most prone to pathogens
Time - Here’s What Foods Are Most Likely To Have E. Coli or Salmonella
It is hard to get a real sense of real risk there is no calculation associated with the units consumed. Without this, many will jump on items that show to have a caused a higher percentage of the number of illnesses caused, but not the real risk.
My takeaways:
- Produce - Because of the way that produce is processed and distributed, a contamination event involving produce will impact many and thus gets seen as having a big impact in this report. However, if we look at the number of units sold, produce is a much smaller risk than it appears to be in this report when compared to other commodities. Not to say that there is not work that needs to be done, especially in preventing contamination events that can impact thousands of units. However, people should not be discouraged from produce due to the potential for foodborne illness.
- Dairy - raw milk should be considered the highest risk dairy product, and on the further processed side, cheese accounts for many of the cases of Listeria recently seen.
- Mollusks - raw shellfish is a high risk item, especially when you consider the small number of people that eat raw shellfish (compared to produce)
- Poultry - because it has a natural association with Salmonella and Campylobacter, there have been outbreaks. Looking at USDA monitoring records, while the levels of Salmonella in whole chicken are low, for ground poultry and parts, it is higher. So while the industry is working to lessen the prevalence of these pathogens in poultry products, elimination is unlikely.
- Meat - ground meat is the primary source of STEC E.coli. USDA testing indicates that about 0.5% of ground meat tested was positive.
- As for pathogens, Salmonella is a pathogen that seems to find its way to the consumer via a number of different food products. As for Campylobacter, it has a high prevalence on chicken, but we don't necessary see the cases; probably, because most cases are sporadic. In recent outbreaks, raw milk has been the culprit.
CDC - Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume 19, Number 3—March 2013
Research
Attribution of Foodborne Illnesses, Hospitalizations, and Deaths to Food Commodities by using Outbreak Data, United States, 1998–2008
John A. Painter
(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/19/3/11-1866_article#comment) , Robert M. Hoekstra, Tracy Ayers, Robert V. Tauxe, Christopher R. Braden, Frederick J. Angulo, and Patricia M. Griffin
(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/19/3/11-1866_article#comment) , Robert M. Hoekstra, Tracy Ayers, Robert V. Tauxe, Christopher R. Braden, Frederick J. Angulo, and Patricia M. Griffin
Author affiliations: Author affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
Abstract
Each year, >9 million foodborne illnesses are estimated to be caused by major pathogens acquired in the United States. Preventing these illnesses is challenging because resources are limited and linking individual illnesses to a particular food is rarely possible except during an outbreak. We developed a method of attributing illnesses to food commodities that uses data from outbreaks associated with both simple and complex foods. Using data from outbreak-associated illnesses for 1998–2008, we estimated annual US foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths attributable to each of 17 food commodities. We attributed 46% of illnesses to produce and found that more deaths were attributed to poultry than to any other commodity. To the extent that these estimates reflect the commodities causing all foodborne illness, they indicate that efforts are particularly needed to prevent contamination of produce and poultry. Methods to incorporate data from other sources are needed to improve attribution estimates for some commodities and agents.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Breaded Chicken Product Recalled After Linked to Cluster of Salmonella Illnesses
A Chicago based firm is recalling partially prepared breaded chicken breast product - Chicken Kiev after that product was linked to cluster of Salmonella illnesses.
Although this product is partially cooked by the processor (in order to set the breading), it still needs to be further cooked by the consumer as per the cooking instructions.
But it is easy to see where consumer issues can occur regarding undercooking. For one, the product is frozen, so when the consumer begins with frozen product, they may not cook it long enough in order to achieve the proper internal temperature. Along with this, many people do not use a thermometer in order to ensure that temperature is met.
Another issue can be related to the fact that breaded products often look like they are fully cooked. This is because the par-cooking that sets the breading gives it a finished cooked appearance.
Salmonella enteritidis is a strain most often associated with eggs, although we can see it in chicken meat as well.
USDA News Release
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2014/recall-073-2014-release
Illinois Firm Recalls Chicken Products Due to Possible Salmonella Enteritidis Contamination
Class I Recall 073-2014
Health Risk: High Oct 24, 2014
Congressional and Public Affairs Benjamin Bell (202) 720-9113
WASHINGTON, October 24, 2014 – Aspen Foods Division of Koch Meats, a Chicago, Il., based establishment, is recalling 28,980 pounds of chicken products that may be contaminated with a particular strain of Salmonella Enteritidis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. FSIS requested Aspen Foods conduct this recall because this product is known to be associated with a specific illness cluster.
Although this product is partially cooked by the processor (in order to set the breading), it still needs to be further cooked by the consumer as per the cooking instructions.
But it is easy to see where consumer issues can occur regarding undercooking. For one, the product is frozen, so when the consumer begins with frozen product, they may not cook it long enough in order to achieve the proper internal temperature. Along with this, many people do not use a thermometer in order to ensure that temperature is met.
Another issue can be related to the fact that breaded products often look like they are fully cooked. This is because the par-cooking that sets the breading gives it a finished cooked appearance.
Salmonella enteritidis is a strain most often associated with eggs, although we can see it in chicken meat as well.
USDA News Release
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2014/recall-073-2014-release
Illinois Firm Recalls Chicken Products Due to Possible Salmonella Enteritidis Contamination
Class I Recall 073-2014
Health Risk: High Oct 24, 2014
Congressional and Public Affairs Benjamin Bell (202) 720-9113
WASHINGTON, October 24, 2014 – Aspen Foods Division of Koch Meats, a Chicago, Il., based establishment, is recalling 28,980 pounds of chicken products that may be contaminated with a particular strain of Salmonella Enteritidis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. FSIS requested Aspen Foods conduct this recall because this product is known to be associated with a specific illness cluster.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Cheese recalled after it was linked to illness
UPDATE - April 4, 2014, CDC issued Notes from Field report.
Whole Foods is recalling Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese in response to a recall issued by the manufacturer, Crave Brothers, when their cheese was linked with 5 illnesses and one death.
Whole Foods is recalling Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese in response to a recall issued by the manufacturer, Crave Brothers, when their cheese was linked with 5 illnesses and one death.
According to the company website, the type of cheese, Les Freres, is a semi-soft cheese.
(http://www.cravecheese.com/our-cheese.php?Cheesecyclopedia-5)
Description
This European style farmstead cheese was developed with great care to reflect the Crave Brothers' Irish-French heritage. This one-of-a-kind washed-rind cheese has an earthy, mushroomy, fruity flavor and a creamy texture that is softer than Brie and has a nutty aftertaste. It is available in a small version-- Le Petit Frère®.
Appearance
It has a light-colored paste that does not become too runny, and holds its shape well.
Texture
Semi-soft.
Flavor
It is a rich, rind washed cheese with an earthy, fruity flavor. It has just a mildly mushroomy appeal.
The product sold at Whole Foods was packaged pre-cut wedges. Crave Brothers is also recalling - Les Frères (LF225 2/2.5#) with a make date of 7-1-13 or prior, packaged in white plastic with a green and gold label; Petit Frère (PF88 8/8 oz) with a make date of 7-1-13 or prior, packaged in small round wooden boxes; and Petit Frère with Truffles (PF88T 8/8 oz) with a make date of 7-1-13 or prior, packaged in small round wooden boxes.
FDA News Release
Whole Foods Market Recalls Cheese Because of Possible Health Riskhttp://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm359697.htm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 5, 2013 -Whole Foods Market announces that it is recalling Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese in response to a recall by the Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Company of Waterloo, Wisconsin. The cheese is being recalled because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, 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. To date, one illness and one death have been reported. Crave Brothers was informed by regulatory agencies of an ongoing investigation related to potential health risks associated with Listeria monocytogenes. The company immediately ceased the production and distribution of the products.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Cucumbers linked to 73 becoming ill from Salmonella
UPDATE 5/8/13 CDC - 81 people infected from 18 states with 29% hospitalized.
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/saintpaul-04-13/index.html
CDC is reporting that 73 people have become ill from eating cucumbers contaminated with Salmonella. The cucumbers are from one Mexican producer, and that producer has been put on an import alert by FDA.
According to the CDC report (below): A total of 73 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Saintpaul have been reported from 18 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (9), California (28), Colorado (1), Idaho (2), Illinois (3), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Maryland (1), Minnesota (8), Nevada (1), New Mexic0 (2), North Carolina (1), Ohio (1), Oregon (2), South Dakota (2), Texas (6), Virginia (2), and Wisconsin (2).
Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul Infections Linked to Imported Cucumbers
Posted April 25, 2013 12:30 PM ET http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/saintpaul-04-13/index.html
Highlights
· Read the Advice to Consumers »
· A total of 73 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Saintpaul have been reported from 18 states.
o 27% of ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
· State public health officials are interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.
o Preliminary information indicates that consumption of imported cucumbers is the likely source of infection for the ill persons.
· On April 24, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration placed Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse of Culiacán, Mexico on Import Alert .
o Cucumbers from these two firms will be denied admission into the United States unless the suppliers show that they are not contaminated with Salmonella.
· Currently, there is no evidence that contaminated cucumbers supplied by Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse are still on the market.
o Due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported, additional ill persons may be identified.
o Consumers and retailers should always follow safe produce handling recommendations .
· 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 with before becoming ill.
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/saintpaul-04-13/index.html
CDC is reporting that 73 people have become ill from eating cucumbers contaminated with Salmonella. The cucumbers are from one Mexican producer, and that producer has been put on an import alert by FDA.
According to the CDC report (below): A total of 73 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Saintpaul have been reported from 18 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (9), California (28), Colorado (1), Idaho (2), Illinois (3), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (1), Maryland (1), Minnesota (8), Nevada (1), New Mexic0 (2), North Carolina (1), Ohio (1), Oregon (2), South Dakota (2), Texas (6), Virginia (2), and Wisconsin (2).
Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul Infections Linked to Imported Cucumbers
Posted April 25, 2013 12:30 PM ET http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/saintpaul-04-13/index.html
Highlights
· Read the Advice to Consumers »
· A total of 73 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Saintpaul have been reported from 18 states.
o 27% of ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
· State public health officials are interviewing ill persons to obtain information regarding foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before illness.
o Preliminary information indicates that consumption of imported cucumbers is the likely source of infection for the ill persons.
· On April 24, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration placed Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse of Culiacán, Mexico on Import Alert .
o Cucumbers from these two firms will be denied admission into the United States unless the suppliers show that they are not contaminated with Salmonella.
· Currently, there is no evidence that contaminated cucumbers supplied by Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse are still on the market.
o Due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported, additional ill persons may be identified.
o Consumers and retailers should always follow safe produce handling recommendations .
· 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 with before becoming ill.
Reporting the Risks of Foodborne Illness
This past week, two reports relating to the topic of food risk were issued resulting in a media frenzy.
One of those reports was CDC’s annual Trends in Foodborne Illness in the United States 2012 (below). CDC analyzes data from FoodNet, a system that tracks foodborne illness in roughly 10 states, and then projects these numbers for the entire country. News stories that were issued, including this Time article (http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/22/cdc-food-safety-report-card/), point out that the rates of foodborne illness have largely remained unchanged.
Salmonella still remains one of the most common causes of foodborne illness and the number of cases remained roughly the same.
The report indicated that there was an increase in the rate of Campylobacter infection I think it can be argued however, that this may be the result of increased testing for Campylobacter and that the methodology for testing has improved. Campylobacter has traditionally not been an easy organism to culture, so as methodologies have improved, one would guess that labs will find it more often. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/3/11-1266_article.htm.
Raw poultry is a main source of Campylobacter, and while the industry is working to reduce levels on poultry, at this time there is no magic bullet for eliminating it from poultry at the processing level. So it comes down to the consumer controlling it through proper preparation (cooking it to the right temperature), as well as proper handling (preventing cross contamination of food items with the raw product).
Vibrio is another pathogenic organism that has seen an increase. The primary vehicle for Vibrio is raw oysters. There are not many cases reported, probably because there are not many people who eat raw oysters. If consumers ate raw oysters as much as they ate bagged leafy greens, the numbers for Vibrio infections would dwarf all others.
So have the numbers of foodborne illness changed? We know that there are foods that are risky (raw oysters), and that practices for handling and preparing food need to improve throughout the food chain from the farm to the table, but perhaps we can look for a sign from the businesses that aid victims of foodborne illness - the food illness lawyers. According to a posting by one of the preeminent firms from that group….business is down. http://www.marlerblog.com/legal-cases/foodborne-illness-rates-continue-to-fall-and-that-is-a-good-thing/
The other report that garnered media attention, Risky Meat: A CSPI Field Guide to Meat & Poultry Safety (http://cspinet.org/foodsafety/riskymeat.html), was issued by Center for Science in the Public Interest. I think the title of this should have been title….Meats that Pose a Risk for Those Who Fail to Properly Cook and Clean. The strength of the CSPI report is that it reminds us that raw meat has the potential to carry pathogenic bacteria. But the sound bite heard over and over in the media was that chicken and hamburger are high risk meats. Well, these meats are only risky if they are not properly handled and prepared.
While the meat and poultry industry works to reduce the levels of pathogenic microorganisms on raw meat products, those items still have the potential to carry pathogenic microorganisms. But the risk is for people who mishandle or improperly prepare them. CSPI did provide guidance on proper handling and preparation.
One of those reports was CDC’s annual Trends in Foodborne Illness in the United States 2012 (below). CDC analyzes data from FoodNet, a system that tracks foodborne illness in roughly 10 states, and then projects these numbers for the entire country. News stories that were issued, including this Time article (http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/22/cdc-food-safety-report-card/), point out that the rates of foodborne illness have largely remained unchanged.
Salmonella still remains one of the most common causes of foodborne illness and the number of cases remained roughly the same.
The report indicated that there was an increase in the rate of Campylobacter infection I think it can be argued however, that this may be the result of increased testing for Campylobacter and that the methodology for testing has improved. Campylobacter has traditionally not been an easy organism to culture, so as methodologies have improved, one would guess that labs will find it more often. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/18/3/11-1266_article.htm.
Raw poultry is a main source of Campylobacter, and while the industry is working to reduce levels on poultry, at this time there is no magic bullet for eliminating it from poultry at the processing level. So it comes down to the consumer controlling it through proper preparation (cooking it to the right temperature), as well as proper handling (preventing cross contamination of food items with the raw product).
Vibrio is another pathogenic organism that has seen an increase. The primary vehicle for Vibrio is raw oysters. There are not many cases reported, probably because there are not many people who eat raw oysters. If consumers ate raw oysters as much as they ate bagged leafy greens, the numbers for Vibrio infections would dwarf all others.
So have the numbers of foodborne illness changed? We know that there are foods that are risky (raw oysters), and that practices for handling and preparing food need to improve throughout the food chain from the farm to the table, but perhaps we can look for a sign from the businesses that aid victims of foodborne illness - the food illness lawyers. According to a posting by one of the preeminent firms from that group….business is down. http://www.marlerblog.com/legal-cases/foodborne-illness-rates-continue-to-fall-and-that-is-a-good-thing/
The other report that garnered media attention, Risky Meat: A CSPI Field Guide to Meat & Poultry Safety (http://cspinet.org/foodsafety/riskymeat.html), was issued by Center for Science in the Public Interest. I think the title of this should have been title….Meats that Pose a Risk for Those Who Fail to Properly Cook and Clean. The strength of the CSPI report is that it reminds us that raw meat has the potential to carry pathogenic bacteria. But the sound bite heard over and over in the media was that chicken and hamburger are high risk meats. Well, these meats are only risky if they are not properly handled and prepared.
While the meat and poultry industry works to reduce the levels of pathogenic microorganisms on raw meat products, those items still have the potential to carry pathogenic microorganisms. But the risk is for people who mishandle or improperly prepare them. CSPI did provide guidance on proper handling and preparation.
Friday, September 28, 2012
USDA Issues Alert for Meat Products from Canadian Firm XL Foods
USDA is expanding the health alert for beef products produced by a Canadian firm, XL foods. This product may have made its way to as many as 30 states and to a number of different retailers including Walmart and Safeway.
The issue began as product samples tested at the US border were found to be E. coli O157:H7 positive. Increased testing by the US resulted in more positives and this resulted in a CFIA investigation followed by the plant recalling over 250 products.
Also this week, steaks produced at the XL plant have been linked to 4 cases of E. coli infection in Canada. The XL steak product was purchased from Costco in Edmonton. It is interesting to note that the products were tenderized in-store by Costco. Tenderization, of course, will serve to drive any E. coli located on the surface of the steak down into the interior of the steak. Unfortunately, many people cook tenderized steaks as they would regular steaks, towards the rarer side. When cooked this way, there may be insufficient heat to destroy E. coli that had been pushed into the interior portion of the meat during tenderization. Tenderized steaks should be cooked to the same temperature as hamburger (consumer 160F, foodservice 155F).
While the CFIA has shut down the XL plant, there is criticism of the reaction time from when the first positive was seen until the time the recall took place – about 12 days. Another issue was the inaction of the plant during what is considered a high event period – a high event period is a time when higher levels of E. coli are found.
USDA News Release
FSIS Expands Public Health Alert for Imported Canadian Beef from XL Foodshttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_092812_01/index.asp
WASHINGTON, September 28, 2012 – The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is expanding the Public Health Alert for XL Foods (Canadian Establishment 038) to include all beef and beef products produced on August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5. FSIS was notified this evening that XL Foods has expanded their recall to include all beef and beef products produced on the above dates.
Information for Consumers
Because FSIS has been informed that all beef and beef products produced on the above dates are being recalled by XL Foods, the Agency is using this public health alert to make the public aware that these products are considered adulterated and should be returned to the place of purchase or destroyed. Products subject to the recall include, but are not limited to, steaks, roasts, mechanically tenderized steaks and roasts, and ground beef.
Additional information for consumers and an updated retail distribution list are posted on FSIS' website at www.fsis.usda.gov/
The issue began as product samples tested at the US border were found to be E. coli O157:H7 positive. Increased testing by the US resulted in more positives and this resulted in a CFIA investigation followed by the plant recalling over 250 products.
Also this week, steaks produced at the XL plant have been linked to 4 cases of E. coli infection in Canada. The XL steak product was purchased from Costco in Edmonton. It is interesting to note that the products were tenderized in-store by Costco. Tenderization, of course, will serve to drive any E. coli located on the surface of the steak down into the interior of the steak. Unfortunately, many people cook tenderized steaks as they would regular steaks, towards the rarer side. When cooked this way, there may be insufficient heat to destroy E. coli that had been pushed into the interior portion of the meat during tenderization. Tenderized steaks should be cooked to the same temperature as hamburger (consumer 160F, foodservice 155F).
While the CFIA has shut down the XL plant, there is criticism of the reaction time from when the first positive was seen until the time the recall took place – about 12 days. Another issue was the inaction of the plant during what is considered a high event period – a high event period is a time when higher levels of E. coli are found.
USDA News Release
FSIS Expands Public Health Alert for Imported Canadian Beef from XL Foodshttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_092812_01/index.asp
WASHINGTON, September 28, 2012 – The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is expanding the Public Health Alert for XL Foods (Canadian Establishment 038) to include all beef and beef products produced on August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5. FSIS was notified this evening that XL Foods has expanded their recall to include all beef and beef products produced on the above dates.
Information for Consumers
Because FSIS has been informed that all beef and beef products produced on the above dates are being recalled by XL Foods, the Agency is using this public health alert to make the public aware that these products are considered adulterated and should be returned to the place of purchase or destroyed. Products subject to the recall include, but are not limited to, steaks, roasts, mechanically tenderized steaks and roasts, and ground beef.
Additional information for consumers and an updated retail distribution list are posted on FSIS' website at www.fsis.usda.gov/
Monday, June 4, 2012
Insurance and Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
When a foodborne illness outbreak occurs, having insurance, and enough insurance, can be the difference between a company surviving or not. Below is an article on liability insurance with regard to Jensen Farms and the cantaloupe outbreak.
Many firms carry liability insurance, which helps to cover claims in the event of a foodborne illness case. In some cases, such as with the cantaloupe outbreak, Jensen Farms had an insufficient amount of insurance to cover the deaths resulting from Listeria infection.
Liability insurance is different from recall insurance, which is needed to cover the cost of a recall. Recalls can be extremely costly, especially when large amounts of product must be recalled. Topps Meats (E. coli O157:H7) had insufficient recall insurance to cover the massive recall (21.7 million pounds of ground meat) after their product was linked to a foodborne illness outbreak.
It is hard to plan for the worst, and even to plan for the unthinkable. Of course, investing in the company’s food safety program could go a long way in preventing issues like this in the first place.
Liability insurance: How much is enough? by Tim Linden The Produce Newshttp://producenews.com/index.php/news-dep-menu/test-featured/7945-liability-insurance-how-much-is-enough
Colorado-based Jensen Farms, which was the source of the Listeria-tainted cantaloupes that sickened and killed scores of people last year, recently filed for bankruptcy protection as there is no way its liability insurance coverage will cover the claims arising from the case.
Bill Marler of Marler Clark, a well-known Seattle-based attorney who specializes in foodborne illness cases, said that if all 146 people sickened or killed file claims, the damages would be in the neighborhood of $150 million. Though it baffles him as to why, in these types of cases, typically less than half of the victims do file claims.
In this case about 50 claims have been filed so far, representing about two-thirds of the deaths and only about 25 percent of the illnesses. Virtually everyone who fell ill was hospitalized, he said, so basically every one of the 146 people have legitimate expenses caused by the eating of those cantaloupes.
Still, he estimates that the total damages for the 55 or so claims that will be filed would be about $75 million — only half of the potential damages but still much more than the $2.5 million liability insurance coverage that Jensen owns.
Mr. Marler said that as part of the bankruptcy proceedings, Jensen Farms will put that $2.5 million in a trust fund that will be administered by a special master and distributed to the claimants in some equitable way.
In this case, Greg Nelson, director of commercial lines for Western Growers Insurance Services, based in Irvine, CA, said it was virtually impossible for the Colorado firm to have enough liability insurance to cover the damages.
“In the first place, it would be very difficult to find an insurance company to write that large of a policy for a company of that size,” he said. “And secondly, it would be very expensive.”
Mr. Nelson said that general business liability insurance, which covers product liability, costs about $1,000 to $2,000 per year for each $1 million in coverage. So even if Jensen Farms could have found a policy for $100 million, it would have cost them between $100,000 and $200,000 per year.
The Western Growers executive said that for most companies of that size, it would not be a prudent business decision. “How much a company buys is strictly a business decision,” he said.
While he said that there is no rule of thumb, most produce firms have policies in the $1 million to $2 million range, though it is not uncommon for some of the mid-size or larger companies to have $5 million to $10 million in liability coverage.
And Mr. Nelson said that the largest companies in the industry might have $25 million to $50 million policies, especially if they sell to the larger retailers, which demand that type of coverage from some of their customers.
He said that the average company should start with the value of their firm when determining how much coverage to buy. A firm with about $10 million in assets might have a $10 million general business liability policy. More coverage than that might be difficult to justify as a business decision when what is being protected against is a very rare occurrence.
After all, a catastrophic event like the Listeria outbreak tied to cantaloupes is almost a one-in-a-million occurrence.
“I’d rather see them spend the money on prevention so that they don’t have a problem,” he said.
Many firms carry liability insurance, which helps to cover claims in the event of a foodborne illness case. In some cases, such as with the cantaloupe outbreak, Jensen Farms had an insufficient amount of insurance to cover the deaths resulting from Listeria infection.
Liability insurance is different from recall insurance, which is needed to cover the cost of a recall. Recalls can be extremely costly, especially when large amounts of product must be recalled. Topps Meats (E. coli O157:H7) had insufficient recall insurance to cover the massive recall (21.7 million pounds of ground meat) after their product was linked to a foodborne illness outbreak.
It is hard to plan for the worst, and even to plan for the unthinkable. Of course, investing in the company’s food safety program could go a long way in preventing issues like this in the first place.
Liability insurance: How much is enough? by Tim Linden The Produce Newshttp://producenews.com/index.php/news-dep-menu/test-featured/7945-liability-insurance-how-much-is-enough
Colorado-based Jensen Farms, which was the source of the Listeria-tainted cantaloupes that sickened and killed scores of people last year, recently filed for bankruptcy protection as there is no way its liability insurance coverage will cover the claims arising from the case.
Bill Marler of Marler Clark, a well-known Seattle-based attorney who specializes in foodborne illness cases, said that if all 146 people sickened or killed file claims, the damages would be in the neighborhood of $150 million. Though it baffles him as to why, in these types of cases, typically less than half of the victims do file claims.
In this case about 50 claims have been filed so far, representing about two-thirds of the deaths and only about 25 percent of the illnesses. Virtually everyone who fell ill was hospitalized, he said, so basically every one of the 146 people have legitimate expenses caused by the eating of those cantaloupes.
Still, he estimates that the total damages for the 55 or so claims that will be filed would be about $75 million — only half of the potential damages but still much more than the $2.5 million liability insurance coverage that Jensen owns.
Mr. Marler said that as part of the bankruptcy proceedings, Jensen Farms will put that $2.5 million in a trust fund that will be administered by a special master and distributed to the claimants in some equitable way.
In this case, Greg Nelson, director of commercial lines for Western Growers Insurance Services, based in Irvine, CA, said it was virtually impossible for the Colorado firm to have enough liability insurance to cover the damages.
“In the first place, it would be very difficult to find an insurance company to write that large of a policy for a company of that size,” he said. “And secondly, it would be very expensive.”
Mr. Nelson said that general business liability insurance, which covers product liability, costs about $1,000 to $2,000 per year for each $1 million in coverage. So even if Jensen Farms could have found a policy for $100 million, it would have cost them between $100,000 and $200,000 per year.
The Western Growers executive said that for most companies of that size, it would not be a prudent business decision. “How much a company buys is strictly a business decision,” he said.
While he said that there is no rule of thumb, most produce firms have policies in the $1 million to $2 million range, though it is not uncommon for some of the mid-size or larger companies to have $5 million to $10 million in liability coverage.
And Mr. Nelson said that the largest companies in the industry might have $25 million to $50 million policies, especially if they sell to the larger retailers, which demand that type of coverage from some of their customers.
He said that the average company should start with the value of their firm when determining how much coverage to buy. A firm with about $10 million in assets might have a $10 million general business liability policy. More coverage than that might be difficult to justify as a business decision when what is being protected against is a very rare occurrence.
After all, a catastrophic event like the Listeria outbreak tied to cantaloupes is almost a one-in-a-million occurrence.
“I’d rather see them spend the money on prevention so that they don’t have a problem,” he said.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Outbreak of Salmonella paratyphi B linked to Organic Tempeh
For Update (http://pennstatefoodsafety.blogspot.com/2012/05/updates-on-salmonella-linked-to-tempeh.html)
A North Carolina company, Smiling Hara Tempeh, is recalling unpasteurized Tempeh (fermented bean product) which has tested positive for Salmonella and linked to at least 34 cases of salmonellosis. The company has taken complete responsibility for this outbreak, and is recalling the product. The product was produced in a shared commerical kitchen of a food incubator.
I think this case shows that no matter the size of the company, or the image they have (see website excerpt below), there is the potential for foodborne illness if all necessary preventive measures are not enacted. Too often, companies that are local, or that claim organic status, or that process foods in a traditional way consider themselves as being inherently safer than larger or conventional companies. Many consumers believe this as well. Salmonella does not read the internet, nor does it care about where those food products are made. If there is an opening, whether it is a processing error, less than hygienic personnel pracitces, or contaminated raw materials, Salmonella will simply take advantage of it.
The strain responsible for this illness was Salmonella paratyphi B which causes an illness similar to Typhoid Fever. It is a very serious infection with symptoms that include a high, sustained fever, headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and enlarged liver or spleen. Symptoms can last up to a week or longer, and patients are usually treated with antibiotics. There is also a longer incubation period (time of consumption to the time symptoms are seen) of 7 to 14 days or longer. (Because of this, there may be additional cases.)
Some people eat tempeh raw, but it is normally cooked, often through frying cubes cut from the block. One would expect the cause to be either cross contamination (raw product contaminating clean surface or other food item) or through undercooking of the product.
Excerpt from Smiling Hara Tempeh website:
http://www.smilingharatempeh.com/
Smiling Hara(meaning “happy belly”) was created in 2009 and spawned from a passion to provide Western North Carolina with an organic, GMO-free, UNpasteurized, local source of Tempeh. We are committed to providing the most nutritious and fresh Tempeh possible, giving our customers the healthiest option and at the same time providing a market for local, organic farmers. We have developed a unique line of Tempehs, including not only the traditional soy Tempeh, but also a variety of legumes such as Black Bean and Black-Eyed Peas! We produce our Tempeh fresh every week right here in Asheville, NC.
Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or omnivorous, do your body a favor and incorporate local, unpasteurized Tempeh into your regular diet.
A Intro to Tempeh From Wikipedia
Tempeh (English pronunciation: /ˈtɛmpeɪ/; Javanese: témpé, IPA: [tempe]), is a traditional soy product originally from Indonesia. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form, similar to a very firm vegetarian burger patty.
Tempeh begins with whole soybeans, which are softened by soaking and dehulled, then partly cooked. Specialty tempehs may be made from other types of beans, wheat, or may include a mixture of beans and whole grains.
A mild acidulent, usually vinegar, may be added in order to lower the pH and create a selective environment that favors the growth of the tempeh mold over competitors. A fermentation starter containing the spores of fungus Rhizopus oligosporus is mixed in. The beans are spread into a thin layer and are allowed to ferment for 24 to 36 hours at a temperature around 30 °C (86 °F). In good tempeh, the beans are knitted together by a mat of white mycelia.
Salmonella traced to Asheville tempeh
Tests confirm bacteria in Smiling Hara product as outbreak worsenshttp://www.citizen-times.com/article/20120501/NEWS/305010037/Salmonella-traced-area-tempeh?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage
10:08 PM, Apr. 30, 2012
Joel Burgess Citizen-Times.com
ASHEVILLE — A local maker of fermented bean product confirmed Monday evening that its product tested positive for salmonella. as an outbreak caused by the bacteria worsens.
Smiling Hara Tempeh, which makes a soy, black bean and black-eyed pea version of the product, according to its website, had pulled the food from shelves earlier Monday.
Tests by the N.C. Department of Agriculture confirmed the bacteria was present in a sample collected from a routine inspection by the Food and Drug Protection Division, according to a statement from Smiling Hara Tempeh. Further testing is being done, it added.
A North Carolina company, Smiling Hara Tempeh, is recalling unpasteurized Tempeh (fermented bean product) which has tested positive for Salmonella and linked to at least 34 cases of salmonellosis. The company has taken complete responsibility for this outbreak, and is recalling the product. The product was produced in a shared commerical kitchen of a food incubator.
I think this case shows that no matter the size of the company, or the image they have (see website excerpt below), there is the potential for foodborne illness if all necessary preventive measures are not enacted. Too often, companies that are local, or that claim organic status, or that process foods in a traditional way consider themselves as being inherently safer than larger or conventional companies. Many consumers believe this as well. Salmonella does not read the internet, nor does it care about where those food products are made. If there is an opening, whether it is a processing error, less than hygienic personnel pracitces, or contaminated raw materials, Salmonella will simply take advantage of it.
The strain responsible for this illness was Salmonella paratyphi B which causes an illness similar to Typhoid Fever. It is a very serious infection with symptoms that include a high, sustained fever, headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and enlarged liver or spleen. Symptoms can last up to a week or longer, and patients are usually treated with antibiotics. There is also a longer incubation period (time of consumption to the time symptoms are seen) of 7 to 14 days or longer. (Because of this, there may be additional cases.)
Some people eat tempeh raw, but it is normally cooked, often through frying cubes cut from the block. One would expect the cause to be either cross contamination (raw product contaminating clean surface or other food item) or through undercooking of the product.
Excerpt from Smiling Hara Tempeh website:
http://www.smilingharatempeh.com/
Smiling Hara(meaning “happy belly”) was created in 2009 and spawned from a passion to provide Western North Carolina with an organic, GMO-free, UNpasteurized, local source of Tempeh. We are committed to providing the most nutritious and fresh Tempeh possible, giving our customers the healthiest option and at the same time providing a market for local, organic farmers. We have developed a unique line of Tempehs, including not only the traditional soy Tempeh, but also a variety of legumes such as Black Bean and Black-Eyed Peas! We produce our Tempeh fresh every week right here in Asheville, NC.
Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or omnivorous, do your body a favor and incorporate local, unpasteurized Tempeh into your regular diet.
A Intro to Tempeh From Wikipedia
Tempeh (English pronunciation: /ˈtɛmpeɪ/; Javanese: témpé, IPA: [tempe]), is a traditional soy product originally from Indonesia. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form, similar to a very firm vegetarian burger patty.
Tempeh begins with whole soybeans, which are softened by soaking and dehulled, then partly cooked. Specialty tempehs may be made from other types of beans, wheat, or may include a mixture of beans and whole grains.
A mild acidulent, usually vinegar, may be added in order to lower the pH and create a selective environment that favors the growth of the tempeh mold over competitors. A fermentation starter containing the spores of fungus Rhizopus oligosporus is mixed in. The beans are spread into a thin layer and are allowed to ferment for 24 to 36 hours at a temperature around 30 °C (86 °F). In good tempeh, the beans are knitted together by a mat of white mycelia.
Salmonella traced to Asheville tempeh
Tests confirm bacteria in Smiling Hara product as outbreak worsenshttp://www.citizen-times.com/article/20120501/NEWS/305010037/Salmonella-traced-area-tempeh?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage
10:08 PM, Apr. 30, 2012
Joel Burgess Citizen-Times.com
ASHEVILLE — A local maker of fermented bean product confirmed Monday evening that its product tested positive for salmonella. as an outbreak caused by the bacteria worsens.
Smiling Hara Tempeh, which makes a soy, black bean and black-eyed pea version of the product, according to its website, had pulled the food from shelves earlier Monday.
Tests by the N.C. Department of Agriculture confirmed the bacteria was present in a sample collected from a routine inspection by the Food and Drug Protection Division, according to a statement from Smiling Hara Tempeh. Further testing is being done, it added.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Update - Salmonella linked to tuna used in sushi
Update 5/3/12
CDC reports that there is now close to 260 people infected with two different strains of Salmonella.
CDC Release 5/2/12
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bareilly-04-12/index.html
Based on an epidemiologic link and results of
laboratory testing, CDC has combined this Salmonella Bareilly investigation with an ongoing
multistate outbreak investigation of Salmonella serotype Nchanga infections. The two
associated PFGE patterns have been grouped together as the "outbreak strains."
A total of 258 persons infected with the outbreak
strains of Salmonella Bareilly (247 persons)
or Salmonella Nchanga (11 persons) have been
reported from 24 states and the District of Columbia.
4/17/12
According to the CDC, the Salmonella Bareilly that caused close to 150 illnesses has been linked to tuna used in sushi. The raw tuna served was frozen, but of course, was not cooked. While freezing will eliminate parasites, it will not eliminate Salmonella. The majority of tuna linked to this outbreak was from India. The US importer, Moon Marine, has begun recalling close to 59,000 lbs of tuna.
When producing a ready-to-eat food such as sushi grade tuna, the highest degree of sanitation and operating cleanliness must be maintained. This requires that the producer maintain tight production controls and procedures each and every day. This tuna meat, or tuna scrape, is a lower grade product and is essentially meat that was scrapped from the backbone of the tuna and had the look of a ground product.
A lawsuit has already been filed against the importer. As an importer, they have the responsibility for ensuring the processing plants they purchase from have adequate quality and safety systems in place.
Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly Infections Associated with a Raw Scraped Ground Tuna Product
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bareilly-04-12/index.html
CDC Release 4/17/2012
A total of 141 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly have been reported from 20 states and the District of Columbia.
The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (6), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (6), Illinois (13), Louisiana (3), Maryland (14), Massachusetts (9), Mississippi (2), Missouri (4), New Jersey (8), New York (28), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (6), Rhode Island (5), South Carolina (3), Texas (4), Virginia (8), and Wisconsin (14). 21 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, known as Nakaochi Scrape, from Moon Marine USA Corporation is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infections. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat that is scraped from the bones of tuna and may be used in sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and similar dishes. The product looks like raw ground tuna.
Consumers should not eat the recalled product, and retailers should not serve the recalled raw Nakaochi Scrape tuna product from Moon Marine USA Corporation.
This investigation is ongoing. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing surveillance to identify new cases.
U.S. NEWS WSJ
Updated April 16, 2012, 6:48 p.m. ET
Tuna Blamed in Salmonella Outbreak Is Recalled
By BILL TOMSON WSJ 4/15/12
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304299304577348030392954406.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
The Food and Drug Administration said Monday a California supplier of raw tuna used in sushi was behind a salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 100 people in 20 states.
Moon Marine USA Corp. in Cupertino, Calif., has begun recalling 58,828 pounds of raw yellowfin tuna because it may be contaminated, the FDA said. Many of the people who became ill reported eating an item known as spicy tuna, the agency said, and most of the illnesses occurred in New York.
CDC reports that there is now close to 260 people infected with two different strains of Salmonella.
CDC Release 5/2/12
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bareilly-04-12/index.html
- 32 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
4/17/12
According to the CDC, the Salmonella Bareilly that caused close to 150 illnesses has been linked to tuna used in sushi. The raw tuna served was frozen, but of course, was not cooked. While freezing will eliminate parasites, it will not eliminate Salmonella. The majority of tuna linked to this outbreak was from India. The US importer, Moon Marine, has begun recalling close to 59,000 lbs of tuna.
When producing a ready-to-eat food such as sushi grade tuna, the highest degree of sanitation and operating cleanliness must be maintained. This requires that the producer maintain tight production controls and procedures each and every day. This tuna meat, or tuna scrape, is a lower grade product and is essentially meat that was scrapped from the backbone of the tuna and had the look of a ground product.
A lawsuit has already been filed against the importer. As an importer, they have the responsibility for ensuring the processing plants they purchase from have adequate quality and safety systems in place.
Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly Infections Associated with a Raw Scraped Ground Tuna Product
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/bareilly-04-12/index.html
CDC Release 4/17/2012
A total of 141 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Bareilly have been reported from 20 states and the District of Columbia.
The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (6), District of Columbia (2), Florida (1), Georgia (6), Illinois (13), Louisiana (3), Maryland (14), Massachusetts (9), Mississippi (2), Missouri (4), New Jersey (8), New York (28), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (6), Rhode Island (5), South Carolina (3), Texas (4), Virginia (8), and Wisconsin (14). 21 ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health agencies indicate that a frozen raw yellowfin tuna product, known as Nakaochi Scrape, from Moon Marine USA Corporation is the likely source of this outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infections. Nakaochi Scrape is tuna backmeat that is scraped from the bones of tuna and may be used in sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and similar dishes. The product looks like raw ground tuna.
Consumers should not eat the recalled product, and retailers should not serve the recalled raw Nakaochi Scrape tuna product from Moon Marine USA Corporation.
This investigation is ongoing. CDC and state and local public health partners are continuing surveillance to identify new cases.
U.S. NEWS WSJ
Updated April 16, 2012, 6:48 p.m. ET
Tuna Blamed in Salmonella Outbreak Is Recalled
By BILL TOMSON WSJ 4/15/12
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304299304577348030392954406.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
The Food and Drug Administration said Monday a California supplier of raw tuna used in sushi was behind a salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 100 people in 20 states.
Moon Marine USA Corp. in Cupertino, Calif., has begun recalling 58,828 pounds of raw yellowfin tuna because it may be contaminated, the FDA said. Many of the people who became ill reported eating an item known as spicy tuna, the agency said, and most of the illnesses occurred in New York.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
FDA releases 2nd edition of Bad Bug Book
FDA has recently released the second edition of the Bad Bug Book.
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/UCM297627.pdf
This is a great online reference for foodborne pathogens and toxins (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and natural toxins). There are 5 new chapters in this book – below is a quick summaries of each (as well as grayanotoxin). Each chapter also has an insert – For Consumers: A Snapshot – that provides an overview of each pathogen.
Cronobacter - Causes illness, including bacteremia and meningitis, primarily in infants and immocompromised adults. Can survive in low moisture foods, and has been an issue in powdered infant formulas. “The illness it causes is rare, but when it occurs, infants younger than 2 months old are at highest risk. The death rate is high, from 10 percent to 80 percent… It can then multiply after liquid is added to the formula, especially if the formula is stored at an incorrect temperature, and cause illness in babies who drink it..” To avoid illness in infants, it is important to follow food safety instructions when preparing infant formula.
Enterococcus, “Anyone can become infected with the Enterococcus bacterium, but the people most likely to suffer serious problems are those who already have other serious illnesses. In otherwise healthy people, it may cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills, starting 2 to 36 hours after they eat contaminated food. Enterococcus can be passed to people in different ways, and not much is yet known about how often it’s transmitted by food. But it is known that meat and milk that aren’t processed or cooked properly or that are handled in unsanitary ways are among the foods that can transmit it. A major concern about Enterococcus is that it has become resistant to some antibiotics that were used to treat it – that is, those antibiotics no longer kill it. You can help protect yourself from getting foodborne illness from this and other bacteria or viruses by following basic food-safety tips; for example, by not using unpasteurized (“raw”) milk or certain cheeses and other food made from it, by thoroughly cooking meat or food that contains meat, and by washing your hands, kitchen equipment, and other surfaces before and after you handle food.”
Francisella tularensis, “The bacterium Francisella tularensis causes a disease called tularemia (nicknamed “rabbit fever”). Tularemia can take different forms, depending on how the bacterium enters the body. If it enters through the mouth when a person eats or drinks contaminated food or water, it can cause tularemia that affects the throat or intestines, although this is an uncommon form of the disease. Symptoms of this type range from mild to severe in otherwise healthy people, and it rarely causes death. In the more serious cases, untreated throat infection may spread to vital organs (such as the lungs, brain, or liver), and may cause extensive bowel damage, with bleeding and infection of the bloodstream, especially in people with weak immune systems. People can develop tularemia of the throat or intestines by eating undercooked meat from an infected animal (particularly rabbits) or drinking contaminated water. Eating food or drinking water contaminated by animal waste, such as rodent droppings, also can cause this form of tularemia and many other diseases. Cooking food well is one of the safety tips that can help protect you from getting this form of tularemia, especially if you eat the kind of wild animals known to be carriers, such as rabbits.”
Phytohaemagglutinin, “Eating undercooked bean can cause you to have extreme nausea, severe vomiting, and diarrhea. They contain a protein that’s found naturally in many plants (and animals, including humans), where it performs important functions. But when it reaches high levels in some plants, particularly kidney beans, the protein can act as a toxin. Cooking the beans properly destroys the toxin. Don’t use slow cookers (the kinds of pots that you plug in and that cook food at low temperatures for several hours) to cook these beans or dishes that contain them. Slow cookers don’t get hot enough to destroy the toxin in kidney beans. Studies done by British scientists suggest that beans should be soaked in water for at least 5 hours, the water poured away, and the beans boiled in fresh water for at least 30 minutes.”
Venomous fish, “lionfish (Pterois volitans), a known venomous species from the Pacific Ocean, recently has become invasive and over-abundant along the U.S. south Atlantic coast and in the waters surrounding several Caribbean island countries, presenting new opportunities for human consumption.”
Grayanotoxins – “If bees make their honey from the pollen and nectar of flowers from some types of rhododendron, the honey may contain grayanotoxin, a substance poisonous to humans. Other plants from the same family that may contain it, in the Eastern part of the U.S., include mountain laurel and sheep laurel. Sickness that results from eating honey that contains grayanotoxin is sometimes called “mad honey” poisoning. It has occurred in the past in the U.S., but now appears to be very rare here. Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of grayanotoxin poisoning. A rarer symptom is burning, tingling, and numbness around the mouth. The toxin affects nerve cells, including not only the nerves that affect the brain, but also those that affect the heart and other muscles. For this reason, grayanotoxin poisoning causes not only problems like dizziness, weakness, confusion, vision disturbances, and heavy sweating and saliva flow, but also irregular or very slow heartbeat, low blood pressure, and fainting. These poisonings are rarely fatal.”
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/UCM297627.pdf
This is a great online reference for foodborne pathogens and toxins (bacteria, viruses, parasites, and natural toxins). There are 5 new chapters in this book – below is a quick summaries of each (as well as grayanotoxin). Each chapter also has an insert – For Consumers: A Snapshot – that provides an overview of each pathogen.
Cronobacter - Causes illness, including bacteremia and meningitis, primarily in infants and immocompromised adults. Can survive in low moisture foods, and has been an issue in powdered infant formulas. “The illness it causes is rare, but when it occurs, infants younger than 2 months old are at highest risk. The death rate is high, from 10 percent to 80 percent… It can then multiply after liquid is added to the formula, especially if the formula is stored at an incorrect temperature, and cause illness in babies who drink it..” To avoid illness in infants, it is important to follow food safety instructions when preparing infant formula.
Enterococcus, “Anyone can become infected with the Enterococcus bacterium, but the people most likely to suffer serious problems are those who already have other serious illnesses. In otherwise healthy people, it may cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills, starting 2 to 36 hours after they eat contaminated food. Enterococcus can be passed to people in different ways, and not much is yet known about how often it’s transmitted by food. But it is known that meat and milk that aren’t processed or cooked properly or that are handled in unsanitary ways are among the foods that can transmit it. A major concern about Enterococcus is that it has become resistant to some antibiotics that were used to treat it – that is, those antibiotics no longer kill it. You can help protect yourself from getting foodborne illness from this and other bacteria or viruses by following basic food-safety tips; for example, by not using unpasteurized (“raw”) milk or certain cheeses and other food made from it, by thoroughly cooking meat or food that contains meat, and by washing your hands, kitchen equipment, and other surfaces before and after you handle food.”
Francisella tularensis, “The bacterium Francisella tularensis causes a disease called tularemia (nicknamed “rabbit fever”). Tularemia can take different forms, depending on how the bacterium enters the body. If it enters through the mouth when a person eats or drinks contaminated food or water, it can cause tularemia that affects the throat or intestines, although this is an uncommon form of the disease. Symptoms of this type range from mild to severe in otherwise healthy people, and it rarely causes death. In the more serious cases, untreated throat infection may spread to vital organs (such as the lungs, brain, or liver), and may cause extensive bowel damage, with bleeding and infection of the bloodstream, especially in people with weak immune systems. People can develop tularemia of the throat or intestines by eating undercooked meat from an infected animal (particularly rabbits) or drinking contaminated water. Eating food or drinking water contaminated by animal waste, such as rodent droppings, also can cause this form of tularemia and many other diseases. Cooking food well is one of the safety tips that can help protect you from getting this form of tularemia, especially if you eat the kind of wild animals known to be carriers, such as rabbits.”
Phytohaemagglutinin, “Eating undercooked bean can cause you to have extreme nausea, severe vomiting, and diarrhea. They contain a protein that’s found naturally in many plants (and animals, including humans), where it performs important functions. But when it reaches high levels in some plants, particularly kidney beans, the protein can act as a toxin. Cooking the beans properly destroys the toxin. Don’t use slow cookers (the kinds of pots that you plug in and that cook food at low temperatures for several hours) to cook these beans or dishes that contain them. Slow cookers don’t get hot enough to destroy the toxin in kidney beans. Studies done by British scientists suggest that beans should be soaked in water for at least 5 hours, the water poured away, and the beans boiled in fresh water for at least 30 minutes.”
Venomous fish, “lionfish (Pterois volitans), a known venomous species from the Pacific Ocean, recently has become invasive and over-abundant along the U.S. south Atlantic coast and in the waters surrounding several Caribbean island countries, presenting new opportunities for human consumption.”
Grayanotoxins – “If bees make their honey from the pollen and nectar of flowers from some types of rhododendron, the honey may contain grayanotoxin, a substance poisonous to humans. Other plants from the same family that may contain it, in the Eastern part of the U.S., include mountain laurel and sheep laurel. Sickness that results from eating honey that contains grayanotoxin is sometimes called “mad honey” poisoning. It has occurred in the past in the U.S., but now appears to be very rare here. Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of grayanotoxin poisoning. A rarer symptom is burning, tingling, and numbness around the mouth. The toxin affects nerve cells, including not only the nerves that affect the brain, but also those that affect the heart and other muscles. For this reason, grayanotoxin poisoning causes not only problems like dizziness, weakness, confusion, vision disturbances, and heavy sweating and saliva flow, but also irregular or very slow heartbeat, low blood pressure, and fainting. These poisonings are rarely fatal.”
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Avoiding High Risk Foods
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."
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."
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sick Food Workers a Concern
In a research article published in the February, 2011 edition of Journal of Food Protection, a survey was conducted among foodservice workers that found that about 12% said that they had come to work while sick, suffering from symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting. This is alarming in that these people could have potentially spread disease to the people who consume the foods their establishments were serving. Foodborne pathogens such as Norovirus, Hepatitis A, and Shigella are often spread by sick workers to the restaurant patrons through the food.
In July of 2009, a worker in Illinois continued to work at an Illinois fast food restaurant chain after she had been diagnosed with Hepatitis A. In the week that she worked, she had potentially exposed up to 10,000 people to the virus. Even though many of these patrons immediately went to get vaccinated when the news story was released, 20 patrons who had not became ill with that virus.
Why do people still go to work while ill? One issue is that many workers as well as their managers don’t fully understand the implications of foodborne illness, either on their patrons, or on the business where they work. When an employee calls in sick and the restaurant is really busy, it is often the case that the employee is told to come to work anyway.
Another reason is that these are hard economic times and with so many people work paycheck to paycheck, it is financially difficult for those people to stay home from work. They need the money so they come into work and try to hide the fact that they are ill. I also think that many look at working while sick as a badge of courage. They have this need to “tough it out”. In reality, these folks may be doing far more harm than good.
It is important when someone has the symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, or jaundice that they stay away from the workplace, and if they have a sore throat and fever, they should be restricted from preparing and serving food. Retail and foodservice establishments must make sure that employees know that when ill, they should not be working with food. At the very least, they should contact their managers and inform them of their illnesses.
It is important that managers include this as part of employee training, both when employees are new and then regularly after that as a reminder. Managers should also be observant of their employees, looking out for any of these symptoms. If illness is suspected, the employee should be sent home immediately. After that, it is important to follow-up with the sick employee so that if it is indeed a foodborne pathogen, the manager will need to contact the local health department.
This recommendations are not just for the foodservice or retail food establishments, but also important for those who prepare food for their families, or those who work in childcare or elderly care facilities, and in food processing. Children and elderly are especially susceptible to foodborne illness, so we need to take extra precautions when working with these groups.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Reportable Food Registry First Year Report
One of the major regulatory initiatives for preventing foodborne illness in the US is the Reportable Food Registry. FDA regulated companies and regulatory officials are required to report food safety issues associated with food and feed. For example, if Company B receives a RTE ingredient from Company A, and this ingredient has Listeria, Company B must report it. This registry will certainly impact FDA’s ability to get involved in cases where there is probable contamination.
In this report, there were 2240 acceptable submissions. Of this number, 229 were primary reports and the rest were subsequent reports. Of the 229, Salmonella and allergens accounted for the majority of cases. Import products accounted for 53 of the primary reports, and the report stated that additional emphasis will be placed in this area. One of the success stories was that this registry was responsible for the recall of HVP early last year when Salmonella was detected (There were no know illnesses. )
The Reportable Food Registry was established by FDA and requires FDA regulated companies to report any “food/feed for which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, such article of food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals. All foods under FDA's jurisdiction, including animal feed/food (including pet food) may be reportable foods, except for dietary supplements and infant formula.”
The Reportable Food Registry is “an electronic portal by which reports about instances of reportable food must be submitted to FDA within 24 hours by responsible parties and may be submitted by public health officials. These reports may be primary, the initial submission about a reportable food, or subsequent, a report by either a supplier (upstream) or a recipient (downstream) of a food or food ingredient for which a primary report has been submitted.”
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodSafetyPrograms/RFR/ucm200958.htm#pr
In this report, there were 2240 acceptable submissions. Of this number, 229 were primary reports and the rest were subsequent reports. Of the 229, Salmonella and allergens accounted for the majority of cases. Import products accounted for 53 of the primary reports, and the report stated that additional emphasis will be placed in this area. One of the success stories was that this registry was responsible for the recall of HVP early last year when Salmonella was detected (There were no know illnesses. )
The Reportable Food Registry was established by FDA and requires FDA regulated companies to report any “food/feed for which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, such article of food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals. All foods under FDA's jurisdiction, including animal feed/food (including pet food) may be reportable foods, except for dietary supplements and infant formula.”
The Reportable Food Registry is “an electronic portal by which reports about instances of reportable food must be submitted to FDA within 24 hours by responsible parties and may be submitted by public health officials. These reports may be primary, the initial submission about a reportable food, or subsequent, a report by either a supplier (upstream) or a recipient (downstream) of a food or food ingredient for which a primary report has been submitted.”
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodSafetyPrograms/RFR/ucm200958.htm#pr
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
CDC Releases New Numbers for Foodborne Illness Cases Each Year
Finally, we can stop quoting the ole ‘76 million people get stick each year from foodborne illness, with 300, 000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths’. Now it is 48 million sick, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths. They claim the number is more accurate, which means the number we have been quoting for the last umpteen years was not accurate. I think most of us guessed that, but in conference after conference, news report after news report, that number was laid out there. All hail the new number, but think of the number of PowerPoint’s that will need to be changed.
CDC Reports 1 in 6 Get Sick from Foodborne Illnesses Each Year
New estimates more precise
About 48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The figures are the most accurate to date due to better data and methods used. The data are published Wednesday in two articles in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The papers provide the most accurate picture yet of what foodborne pathogens are causing the most illness, as well as estimating the proportion of foodborne illness without a known cause. The reports are the first comprehensive estimates since 1999 and are CDC's first to estimate illnesses caused solely by foods eaten in the United States.
"We've made progress in better understanding the burden of foodborne illness and unfortunately, far too many people continue to get sick from the food they eat," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D, M.P.H. "These estimates provide valuable information to help CDC and its partners set priorities and further reduce illnesses from food."
CDC's new estimates are lower than in the 1999 report. The difference is largely the result of improvements in the quality and quantity of the data used and new methods used to estimate foodborne-disease. For example, it is now known that most norovirus is not spread by the foodborne route, which has reduced the estimate of foodborne norovirus from 9.2 to approximately 5.5 million cases per year. Because of data and method improvements, the 1999 and current estimates cannot be compared to measure trends.
CDC's FoodNet surveillance system data, which tracks trends among common foodborne pathogens, has documented a decrease of 20 percent in illnesses from key pathogens during the past 10 years. However, these FoodNet pathogens make up only a small proportion of the illnesses included in the new estimates.
Of the total estimate of 48 million illnesses annually, CDC estimates that 9.4 million illnesses are due to 31 known foodborne pathogens. The remaining 38 million illnesses result from unspecified agents, which include known agents without enough data to make specific estimates, agents not yet recognized as causing foodborne illness, and agents not yet discovered. In both the 1999 and current estimates, unspecified agents were responsible for roughly 80 percent of estimated illnesses.
"Foodborne illnesses and deaths are preventable, and as such, are unacceptable," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. "We must, and can, do better by intensifying our efforts to implement measures that are prevention-oriented and science-based. We are moving down this path as quickly as possible under current authorities but eagerly await passage of new food safety legislation that would provide us with new and long overdue tools to further modernize our food safety program."
Among the additional findings for foodborne illness due to known pathogens:
· Salmonella was the leading cause of estimated hospitalizations and deaths, responsible for about 28 percent of deaths and 35 percent of hospitalizations due to known pathogens transmitted by food.
· About 90 percent of estimated illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths were due to seven pathogens: Salmonella, norovirus, Campylobacter, Toxoplasma, E.coli O157, Listeria and Clostridium perfringens.
· Nearly 60 percent of estimated illnesses, but a much smaller proportion of severe illness, was caused by norovirus.
"People expect food to nourish them, not to harm them. So we need to intensify efforts to decrease the number of illnesses and deaths due to foodborne diseases," said Christopher Braden, M.D., director of CDC's Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases. "We now know more than ever what pathogens are causing the most harm, and we will continue our work to help protect people from these illnesses. Much that remains unknown about how and why people get sick and we are committed to learning more in the future."
CDC continues to encourage consumers to take an active role in preventing foodborne infection by following safe food-handling and preparation tips of separating meats and produce while preparing foods, cooking meat and poultry to the right temperatures, promptly chilling leftovers, and avoiding unpasteurized milk and cheese and raw oysters.
The full report is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/eid. For more detailed information on the estimates and methods, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden. To learn more about foodborne illness trends, visit the FoodNet site at http://www.cdc.gov/FoodNet/. To learn about how to prevent foodborne illness, visit http://www.foodsafety.gov.
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