Food for thought: Eight tips for making good choices at farmers markets

PSU News
https://news.psu.edu/story/526731/2018/06/28/impact/food-thought-eight-tips-making-good-choices-farmers-markets
Food for thought: Eight tips for making good choices at farmers markets
Amy Duke
June 28, 2018

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Traveling throughout Pennsylvania in the summer and fall, you don't have to go far to find a roadside stand or farmers market touting baskets of colorful fruits and vegetables.

However, as with any food purchase, a little know-how can go a long way in keeping you and your family safe from foodborne illness, advises a food safety educator with Penn State Extension.

"Farmers markets are undoubtedly an important — and historical — part of agriculture," said Sharon McDonald, senior extension educator and food safety specialist, when referring to the 310 markets in the state. "As these food venues continue to blossom – fueled by demand for locally grown and produced foods – so does the need to educate consumers about potential food safety hazards."

Outbreak of Salmonellosis at State College Church Picnic

A Salmonella outbreak has affected 50 people who attended a picnic held by a State College, PA church over the weekend.  No specific food has been yet identified.

https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/community/state-college/article214622710.html
At least 50 people treated at Mount Nittany after salmonella infection
By Lauren Muthler And Jeremy Hartley
lmuthler@centredaily.com
jhartley@centredaily.com
July 10, 2018 03:23 PM

Raw Meat Cat Food Recalled Due to Pathogens

Radagast Pet Food, Inc. of Portland, OR is recalling raw cat food after internal testing found pathogens present on the product. 

• Three lots of Rad Cat Raw Diet Free-Range Chicken Recipe because testing results indicate they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. 
• One lot of Rad Cat Raw Diet Pasture-Raised Venison Recipe because testing results indicate it has the potential to be contaminated with Shiga Toxin producing E. coli O121. 
• The Company discovered these lots were potentially contaminated during enhanced quality testing it conducted as a follow-up to its March 2018 recall.

As for the chicken, it appears the company is using HPP treated chicken as an ingredient.  While the HPP will reduce the level of pathogens associated with the raw chicken - Salmonella and Campylobacter,  the product is still subject to contamination after the bags are opened, mixed, and then packed.  The concern of course will be Listeria monocytogenes contamination as an environmental contaminate.

Venison meat is a risk for  STEC E. coli. Trim can be a concern and may be surface treated by the venison processor.  Even if so, not a guarantee to eliminate venison.

As with any raw pet food, there is the risk of pathogen contamination.  It would be best to consider using a HPP process on the finished product as a pathogen reduction step.  Instead, the company is relying on ingredient control as well as environmental control.  Monitoring is good for verification, but may not catch low level contamination.

Some components of the quality systems from the company website.
Raw Cat Raw Diet Safety and Quality
http://www.radfood.com/education/safety_and_quality

EU - Frozen Vegetables Linked to Listeria Outbreak with Nine Deaths

In Europe, frozen vegetables, primarily corn, from a Hungarian processing facility have been linked to a Listeria outbreak where 47 have become infected including 9 deaths.

It appears that the same strain of Listeria has persisted in this plant for at least the last three years.

While corn has been the primary food associated with illness, it can be likely that more products are contaminated especially when similar equipment is used to pack the product.  Perhaps there was more of a tendency to under-cook the corn before eating or using frozen corn in ready-to-eat applications, such as using it in a salad or fresh salsa.

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/180703
Listeria monocytogenes: update on foodborne outbreak
3 July 2018

Frozen corn and possibly other frozen vegetables are the likely source of an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that has been affecting Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom since 2015.

CDC Update on Cyclospora Outbreak Associated with Trays of Cut Vegetables

CDC released an update of the cyclospora outbreak associated with cut vegetable trays.  There are  185 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in persons who reportedly consumed pre-packaged Del Monte Fresh Produce vegetable trays containing broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and dill dip.  The outbreak has been centered in 4 states.   Seven people have been hospitalized,.

https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/2018/a-062018/index.html
Multistate Outbreak of Cyclosporiasis Linked to Del Monte Fresh Produce Vegetable Trays — United States, 2018

Low-tech food-safety training still best for some audiences

https://news.psu.edu/story/527080/2018/07/02/research/back-future-low-tech-food-safety-training-still-best-some-audiences
Back to the future: Low-tech food-safety training still best for some audiences

Jeff Mulhollem
July 2, 2018

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — While current training for food safety and sanitation usually incorporates high-technology presentations, such as videos and slide shows, there is still a need for low-tech approaches, according to Penn State researchers.

FDA Commissioner Discusses the Impact of New Technologies on Outbreak Detection

In light of a number of recent outbreaks making headlines, the FDA commissioner released a statement stating that it is not that the food is less safe, but the fact that our ability to identify outbreaks has improved dramatically thanks to new technology.  Now, we have the ability to link widely scattered cases from across the county.

 "The FDA, in concert with the CDC and other partners, are now able to link illness investigations to products in the marketplace more often than ever before, including discovering multistate outbreaks that couldn’t previously be detected."

"While there have been many advances over the past years, one of the most powerful of the new technologies we employ is whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS is a technique that can sequence and determine the entire genetic blueprint of a foodborne pathogen."

"By using this technology, public health investigators can link illnesses in different people and locations to reveal outbreaks with a level of precision never previously available. Simply put, this means we’re better at identifying outbreaks and their source."

So our food is not less safe just because it appears there are more announced outbreaks.

Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on developments in the romaine outbreak investigation, recent outbreaks and the use of modern tools to advance food safety
For Immediate Release
June 28, 2018

NJ Firm Recalls Canned Product After Swollen Cans Detected

A NJ firm is recalling gravy product after bulging cans were noted during labeling.   Product was produced in April and recall was not made until June.

Underprocessing is likely the issue, which allowed the survival of a few a thermophilic sporeforming organisms.  (If a mesophile, cans would have likely exploded or swelling would have been noted sooner. Ambient temperatures would probably only allow minimal growth).  However, Clostridium botulinum is always a concern when can swells are noted.

In canning operations, labeling is not always immediate.  Cans are stored unlabeled (termed bright stack), and then labeled later.  This time allowed swelling to occur.


https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2018/recall-056-2018-release
Aunt Kitty's Foods Inc. Recalls Canned Chicken Products Due to Possible Processing Deviation 

Washington Processor Recalls Bottled Beverage Due to Complaints of Off-Flavor

Talking Rain®, a Washington state based company,  is voluntarily recalling lots of its Sparkling Ice® Cherry Limeade beverage in response to a small number of customer complaints.  The issue was off-taste and off-odor in the recalled product. The Company made the decision to recall the product out of an abundance of caution.

These types of issues are often controlled through an on-site sensory analysis to evaluate each batch of product.   This would represent a quality issue, unlikely to impact safety of the product.

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm612182.htm
Talking Rain® Voluntarily Recalls Sparkling Ice® Cherry Limeade in Response to Customer Complaints
For Immediate Release
June 28, 2018