Tuesday, May 31, 2011

YOU CAN MAKE THOSE CUCUMBERS SAFER TO EAT


I have just enjoyed a delicious cucumber salad, prepared the way I prefer it: with non-fat yogurt and fresh dill. It was left over from a party on the weekend, but still delicious.

Yes, I am continuing to eat raw cucumbers in spite of that outbreak of "cucumber illness" in Europe, mainly centered in Germany. But I live in North America, not in Europe. True, a couple of Americans returning home from travel to Germany have become ill with similar symptoms, but as far as we know at present, none of the suspect cucumbers from Spain are actually being sold in the U.S. or in Canada.

But I do take some precautions, not just to avoid any pathogenic E.coli, but also those common Salmonella bacteria, and parasites.

First, I buy carefully, not just checking to see how the cucumbers were grown (organic/conventional) but also where they came from. This information should be available. Mandatory "Country-of-Origin" (COOL) for fresh produce went into effect in the U.S. in 2008. If it's not actually on the cucumber, I look for information on the crate.

Secondly, I make sure the cucumbers I pick are firm and the skin is undamaged, which would allow easier entry of contaminants.

Thirdly, once in my home and before I let a knife anywhere near them, I wash the cucumbers well. Unless you are buying cucumbers in a farmers' market, these days most are covered with a layer of wax rather than dust or dirt, but I do it anyway.

Thirdly, I peel the cucumbers. Years ago, I used to eat them with the peel on, but now I remove it - pleasanter to eat with any waxed produce, and safer, although I am aware that I am losing some of the nutritional value.

Will this avoid any dangerous bacteria in my cucumbers, including those deadly E.coli 0104 that are popping up in Europe? No, but it is likely to reduce how many are present in what I eat. Realistically, some may be left in the actual flesh of the cucumber, and so may the toxins they produce.

Let's face it, as I stress in The Safe Food Handbook, raw is always riskier than cooked - including in the case of vegetables such as cucumbers. But at least you can reduce your risks a bit by making some smart decisions and actions.

To your good health!
TSF

THE "CUCUMBER BUG" COMES TO THE U.S.

It was simply a matter of time before it happened. Many of the illnesses from the very dangerous E.coli bacteria sweeping through Europe have been among visitors to Germany. And, Americans also travel, including to Germany. And there we have it - now the first two possible cases among Americans who have just returned from a trip there.

Notice that I said "possible." To my knowledge the tests haven't yet been finished. And there must be a lot of hysteria out there, particularly among people who have been in the Hamburg region eating salads. Secondly, notice that I said "first two." After all the correct predictions I made about radiation-contamination of food in the Fukushima area of Japan, I am on a bit of a roll. So let me make another "food safety prophecy." There will be more cases reported in the US in the next few days.

Let's see if I am right.

But if you are just back from Europe, and were in fact eating salads or eating raw cucumbers, keep yourself healthy and keep a watch on your symptoms. If you have diarrhea and it goes on for more than a few days, or is bloody - go see a doctor or go to the emergency room. Also, make sure you do not pass on bacteria to any of your relatives and friends. Practice good hygiene.

To your good health!
TSF

UPDATE ON THE "KILLER CUCUMBER BUG."


There have now been 16 confirmed deaths from pathogenic E.coli 0104:H4 bacteria in food in Europe - probably raw contaminated organic cucumbers that were imported from Spain. We are still not 100% positive. The number of illnesses is reported to be around 1,200.

But remember two things. First, there is always a time delay in reporting of food borne illnesses, so, while an outbreak is still ongoing, they are always a bit behind the actual numbers. Secondly, only a fraction of food borne illnesses are actually ever reported. Some people, who have a milder case - and they do exist, even in this outbreak, may never go to a doctor or a hospital, and never enter the reporting system. Let's assume the number is actually double, triple - or even more.

It looks to me as though about a quarter to a third of the cases of this illness are resulting in complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is very serious and can be fatal when the kidneys are badly affected. If true, that is a very high incidence - much higher than usual with outbreaks of the more common E.coli 0157:H7 (closer to 10%). In other words, this is a very, very virulent bacteria.

As mentioned, the definitive cause of the illness is still largely unknown, although stories and rumors are flying. It has also become a political battleground, with every country that is accused - not just Spain, but also the Netherlands and Denmark, loudly denying any guilt, issuing threats and demanding apologies.

What we do know is that this is one of the deadliest food borne outbreaks that has ever occurred. Quoting Dr. Robert Tauxe, Deputy Director of foodborne, waterborne and environmental diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC): "There has not been such an outbreak before that we know of in the history of public health."

Please be careful. If you live in Europe, follow government advice and avoid raw cucumbers for a while - and raw tomatoes and lettuce as well. Don't even use raw cucumber slices on your eyes or your sunburn!

To your good health!
TSF

Monday, May 30, 2011

ARE U.S. CUCUMBERS SAFE TO EAT?


2011 seems to be the year of the cucumber. In food safety terms, that is. Three hazards have surfaced in cucumbers in just the past two months. Where does that leave us with eating raw cucumbers in the U.S.?

First there was the concern about radiation in cucumbers from the Fukushima area in Japan (see post of May 7). Yes, according to the latest government statistics I found (for 2009), Japan is eligible to export cucumber to the United States. But it is a very small player. Besides, as I said in the earlier blog, a small dose of radionuclides in a cucumber or two is not likely to cause permanent damage to your health. Although yes, pregnant women and young children should be extra careful.

The next cucumber-related safety issue that has surfaced this year is our old friend Salmonella bacteria. In early May there was a recall of cucumbers by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because of Salmonella contamination (see post for May 3). The infective dose for Salmonella bacteria is usually fairly low. Most likely you could just have eaten one of these Salmonella-infected cucumbers, or even a few slices and become ill. But in all, this seems to have been a fairly small outbreak.

Now there is the very frightening E.coli 0104:H4 outbreak in Europe, that appears to have originated in cucumbers exported from two growers in Spain. So is the U.S. importing cucumbers from Spain? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data I found suggests that Spain is indeed eligible to export cucumbers to the U.S. But do we get them from the two cucumber producers in Spain that seem to be implicated in this outbreak? I don't know. But I am trying to find out.

In the meantime, if you are nervous about it, I would suggest that you buy local wherever possible. Personally, I have not stopped eating raw cucumbers. But until we know more, I check to make sure they are not imported from Spain. And as soon as mine are large enough to eat (if the squirrels don't get them first) I'll eat those.

To your good health!

TSF

ACTION TO STOP THE CUCUMBER-LINKED OUTBREAK

This cucumber-associated outbreak of food borne illnesses in multiple countries in Europe is really frightening, mainly, because of the virulence of the hemorrhagic E. coli involved. A large percentage of people - around three fourths women - are not just having a few miserable days with diarrhea, but actually developing complications of Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) and ending up in the hospital. As of today, at least ten have died. There will be more.

But don't panic. Action is being taken all over Europe to stop the outbreak of illnesses. Everywhere, the culprit food (that is, if it's only the Spanish cucumbers) is being withdrawn from the market - Germany, the Czech Republic, Luxemburg, Hungary and elsewhere. National authorities everywhere in Europe are checking what was imported, where it went, and trying to catch every vegetable before any more people eat them. The public is also being advised not to eat them and restaurants and consumers have been told to throw out any they might have bought.

Restrictions have been imposed on the two suspect Spanish cucumber growers, even before conclusive proof is available that the problem started with them. So, there won't be any more coming in from those sources. In parallel with these activities an investigation is ongoing. Interviews are being done with victims, laboratory testing is being performed on actual vegetables (including others, as well as cucumbers), and every point along the distribution line is being checked and examined for possible failures which could have resulted in contamination.

Assuming we have the right culprit vegetable (and that it's not eggplant or tomatoes or lettuce as well), and assuming that there is no other grower anywhere with the same problem, new illnesses should soon stop occurring since the incubation period for this bacterium is usually less than a week.

But then, there is the problem of secondary illnesses(people becoming ill from someone else - usually a family member - who did eat the food), or other indirect routes, as through swimming pool water (see previous post). Some studies have found around 10% of pathogenic E.coli illnesses to be secondary. But a few case studies I looked at had a higher incidence. Given the rarity of this particular E.coli 0104:H4, we don't really know what will happen.

To your good health!
TSF

CUCUMBER TRAVEL ADVICE FOR BRITONS - AND OTHERS


A couple of weeks ago, vacationing or business travel in Germany would have been considered very safe. Not any more. Particularly around Hamburg. This is the center of the "cucumber crisis." Most of the over-thousand hermorragic E.coli-related illnesses have been linked to eating food here. A considerable number have occurred among people from other countries such as Sweden, Denmark, France, visiting this area, or, residents of Germany who ingested the cucumbers and at home and then went abroad and became ill.

Britain is the latest country to be hit by cucumber fears. At least three cases among visiting Germans are suspected to be part of this outbreak, one of them confirmed. In fact, the advice to Britons now is not to eat raw cucumbers - or, raw lettuce or tomatoes (see earlier post) - when visiting Germany. And remember, washing or peeling is not guaranteed to solve the problem. If the cucumber has been sliced up or otherwise prepared in a restaurant or hotel, the risk could be even greater, as it could also be contaminated by a food worker who is a carrier of the bacteria (or others).

The "incubation" period for pathogenic E.coli (the time between ingesting it and developing symptoms of illness) can be as little as one day or a week or even longer. That means that you can feel perfectly well for a while after eating that deadly cucumber, keep working or vacationing and get on that plane and then become ill.

And yes, the bacteria are contagious. That is, they can be passed along not only in food or water, but also from person to person and even from the water in a swimming pool where it can survive for weeks, particularly if not well chlorinated. So I will add a bit more advice to travelers: don't let the water from a public swimming pool enter your mouth - not even a few drops. Don't dive in, don't dive under, and in fact, you may want to think twice about using the pool at all.

To your good health!
TSF

Sunday, May 29, 2011

COULD TOMATOES OR LETTUCE ALSO BE CONTAMINATED?


The large outbreak of foodborne illness in Europe caused by Enterohemorrhagic E.coli 0104:H4 (EHEC) has been attributed to contaminated organic cucumbers imported from Spain. But keep an open mind. It could be another fresh vegetable as well, one such as tomatoes or lettuce.

In fact, German authorities have advised people to be careful when eating any of these vegetables raw. Why? Well, at least one study of women who had become ill (adult women are the main victims) found that a slightly higher percentage had eaten raw tomatoes than had eaten cucumbers in the preceding days. Lettuce also scored well in this survey.

So why were cucumbers pinpointed as the culprit vegetable? Actual testing did find the identical EHEC bacteria to be present in those imported whole cucumbers. To date, no testing has turned it up in tomatoes or in lettuce. But that doesn't mean it won't be found tomorrow, or in a week's time.

It wouldn't be the first time that the initial identification of a culprit food wasn't quite accurate. This happened with a large outbreak of Salmonella illnesses (Salmonellosis) in the United States in 2008. For weeks tomatoes were believed to be the cause, but later it was found that the culprit vegetable was Jalapeno and Serrano peppers (with "maybe" tomatoes as well). In other incidents strawberries have been blamed when it was actually raspberries. And so on. Nor is it impossible that more than one fresh vegetable is involved. This is quite likely if they came from the same farm or even the same area. The same improperly prepared organic fertilizer, E.coli 0104:H4 contaminated irrigation or processing water, or even packing ice could have been used.

So yes, if you live in Germany, and especially Northern Germany (where most of the illnesses have occurred) or are visiting there, I would avoid all three of these fresh vegetables for a little longer, until the investigation comes up with more answers. Washing may help a bit, but it may not work completely.

To your good health,
TSF

Saturday, May 28, 2011

MORE WOMEN THAN MEN ARE BECOMING ILL AND DYING FROM CONTAMINATED CUCUMBERS

The bacteria causing the outbreak of cucumber-linked foodborne illness in Europe is E.coli 0104:H4. It is relatively rare. In fact, to my knowledge there has never before been a large outbreak caused by this particular E.coli. But E.coli 0104:H4 is one of the more deadly ones, since an illness can progress to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). This complication can be fatal, particularly for the elderly or the very young.

Usually it is children who are most likely to develop complications of HUS when they have one of these types of E.coli infections. The odd thing is that in the case of the currently ongoing outbreak in Europe, especially in Germany, most of those being hospitalized with HUS are adults. And, there are many more women than men. The reported illnesses change from day to day, but one analysis I did showed 78% to be female. Other earlier estimates were slightly lower. Of the ten people that have died to date in this outbreak, nine were women.

Why are more women becoming seriously ill than men? I doubt the explanation is very complicated. Women probably eat more raw vegetables such as cucumbers and are therefore statistically more likely to ingest the bacteria.

To your good health!
TSF

HOW DID SPANISH CUCUMBERS BECOME CONTAMINATED?


At the moment there seems to be a distinct possibility that the European Union could fall apart over cucumbers. I am not serious, of course, but the current E.coli contamination of cucumbers from Spain is certainly creating some tensions. Germany is blaming Spain for sending them deadly cucumbers. The Spanish authorities are saying "it's not us" and "this isn't our kind of bacteria." There are even some reports - which may not be true -that a source of cucumbers in the Netherlands is also involved. The Dutch authorities are denying any connection.

The bottom line: we don't know yet at what point in time or even in which country the bacteria got into the culprit cucumbers. Normally, in the case of a whole (that is, not cut up) vegetable such as a cucumber, one would suspect contamination at the farm level. It could be that the organic fertilizer was not properly treated, that the water used in irrigation was contaminated, or that the bacteria were in the soil. Of course, they could also have entered during washing (from contaminated water) or packing or transportation.

One argument that in my opinion does not hold much water is that of the agriculture minister of Spain, who is basically saying that because the strain of E.coli involved is very rare in Spain, the contamination could not have originated there. Just a moment - a strain can be rare and then suddenly it is everywhere. With microorganisms such as bacteria it happens all the time.

The culprit cucumber shipment has been destroyed and investigation is ongoing. But it could take weeks, even months, to get all the answers. But one thing we do know is that at some point the bacteria originated in animal feces. This kind of enterohemorrhagic E.coli can come from farm animals such as cattle, sheep and pigs. Wild animals roaming the fields such as rabbits may also carry it. They would not show symptoms of disease, but would shed it in their feces.

UPDATE: This was a misidentification. Cucumbers were later eliminated as the suspect. Considerable hardship resulted for innocent farmers all over Europe, and especially in Spain.

To your good health!
TSF

E.COLI CONTAMINATED CUCUMBERS CAUSE ILLNESSES IN EUROPE


There has been an outbreak of deadly foodborne bacteria in the European food market. It's one of the most dangerous E.coli - a bacteria which we usually associate with meat. And, the culprit food? Those innocent-looking cucumbers - organic ones. On May 26, the European Commission triggered its Rapid Alert System, which is does not happen very often.

It seems that the cucumbers originated in provinces of Almeria and Malaga in Spain and were exported. Many of the illnesses have occurred in Germany. Spain is one of Germany's largest suppliers of cucumbers (accounting for about 40% of all cucumbers imported). As of today, probably at least ten Germans have died of the infection, and hundreds are seriously ill with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). Not everyone who gets a case of E.coli-caused foodborne illness will get complications of HUS. Maybe one out of ten, or even less. Usually it will develop in people who are weaker - such as children and the elderly. HUS affects the kidneys, other body organs and sometimes even the brain. It requires hospitalization, and can be fatal. I should know. I almost died of it - although not from these cucumbers.

These cases of cucumber-related foodborne illness have also been reported in Sweden, Denmark, Britain, Netherlands, many of them among people who had travelled to Germany. People in other European countries which import cucumbers, such as Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Luxemburg, are also becoming very nervous. Oddly, no illnesses have been reported in Spain. (Send your deadly food overseas!). There is also a possibility that lettuce, and maybe tomatoes may be contaminated as well.

My advice if you live in one of the countries that imports cucumbers from Spain: toss out any still in your home. If you have already eaten some of these raw cucumbers recently, don't panic. It is very unlikely that every cucumber will carry enough bacteria to make you ill. But watch out for symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, weakness, stomach cramps. If you do become ill and don't get better in a few days, and particularly if you have bloody diarrhea, go and see your doctor.

UPDATE: Cucumbers were mistakenly identified as the culprit food by the German investigators, and too quickly announced to the public by the officials. It turned out to be locally grown sprouts.

To your good health!

TSF

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

WILL RADIATION-CONTAMINATED SEAWATER REACH THE UNITED STATES?

Looking at the statistics for this blog, I notice that quite a few people in the United States have been searching about radiation in food, including in fish. I don't think they are just worried about imported fish from Japan (although some people are certainly avoiding that). They are also wondering whether radiation in the sea near the crippled Fukushima power plant will reach U.S. waters and contaminate the fish here.

Japanese officials have now raised the severity of the Fukushima disaster to that of Chernobyl - a level 7. But, in terms of its impact on oceans, the effect is actually greater. Certain radionuclides have been found at higher levels in the Pacific than they were after Chernobyl in the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. They got into the Pacific not only from the hundreds of thousands of tons of very radioactive water discharged into the ocean, but also from the air. So where does all this water go? To answer that question, I did a bit of searching to see what the oceanographers are predicting.
Yes, it does seem that the main currents from the Fukushima area of Japan move across the Pacific towards the west coast of the United States. I think they are the Kuroshio and the Oyashio, which converge (see NASA photo taken 100 miles north of the Fukushima plant). The contaminated seawater is expected to reach Hawaii in about a year and get as far as California in two to three years. It takes a while.

In the meantime, it will get more and more diluted. So it seems that Americans - including people here in California - shouldn't be too worried.

Let's just stick to focusing more on our home-grown toxins in seafood , such as those found the the San Francisco Bay and Santa Monica Bay of California - PCBs, DDT, dieldrin, chlordane and dioxins. And, any that our own nuclear plants discharge into the environment.

To your good health!

TSF

Monday, May 23, 2011

UPDATES ON RADIATION IN SEAWEED AND FISH NEAR FUKUSHIMA


No one seems to really know how much radiation has entered the sea near the crippled Fukushima power plant, just how far this water will drift, or how badly radiation will contaminate ocean fish and sea vegetables such as seaweed. What we do know is that hundreds of thousands of tons of highly radioactive water has been dumped in the sea, or flown from the land to the sea. And, we haven't reached the end of it yet.

But, as I predicted in my post on April 15, seaweed has indeed been found to be contaminated. On May 13, the environmental activists group, Greenpeace announced that it had found much higher than normal levels of radiation contamination in seaweed off the coast of Japan, as much as 65Km from the crippled Fukushima power plant (their vessel was reportedly not allowed into territorial waters to do its sampling). It has called on Japan's government to undertake a comprehensive testing of the seaweed along the coast, just as seaweed harvesting is beginning.

And, as I also predicted - March 27th post "Radiation in Fish?" which is now 40 posts ago, abnormally high levels of radiation have turned up in seafood in the Pacific waters near the Fukushima plant. But but so far they have only been detected in only one species of fish. But I can promise you that more will be found - especially in fish that are predators, eating contaminated smaller fish (as I blogged earlier) and in fish from lakes and probably rivers as well. Longer term, radiocaesium rather than iodine will be of more concern.

The trouble is that people who eat fish and seaweed from those waters have no way of knowing which fish is contaminated, and which seaweed is contaminated. On the positive side, a few meals are unlikely to hurt you.

To your good health,
TSF

Sunday, May 22, 2011

ARE MOLDY DONUTS UNHEALTHY?

Earlier this month there was a recall of donuts in the U.S. Rather unusual. We tend to think of food recalls in terms of meat, produce or dairy products - but donuts? The reason was also not a common one. Bimbo Bakeries, USA, recalled several lots of its Entenmann’s Pop ‘Ems Donuts and Bimbo Donitas distributed in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyomin because of mold. Reportedly some consumers not only reported odd appearance and smell, but illness. Were they imagining it, or can mold actually cause food poisoning?

In most cases, moldy food is not dangerous. In fact, "good mold" is used to make many kinds of foods, including certain cheeses. But some molds produce dangerous mycotoxins some of the time - when the conditions are right. The best known of these mycotoxins is aflatoxin, but there are plenty of others, including fumonisin, vomitoxin, zearalenone and ochratoxin. These molds and their toxins can potentially pop up in anything we eat, including grains and grain-based foods like bread and donuts, nuts, peanuts, spices, dairy and even produce.

It is unlikely that you will get a big enough dose of a mycotoxin from a single serving of moldy food to become suddenly and violently ill. But mycotoxins in your food could have a longer-term effect. In fact, some of these toxins have been linked to several forms of cancer and other diseases as well. The research is at a very early stage, except in the case of aflatoxin. Who knows what we'll find out in the future.

And, the trouble is that you can't tell when one of the fungi like Aspergillus, Claviceps, Penicillium or Fusarium takes it into its fuzzy mind to start spitting out these toxic byproducts. So, if you find moldy food in your refrigerator or on your kitchen shelf, throw it out. That's what I did with some bread today. Even though I hate wasting food, it is better than ruining your health.

TSF

P.S.: The Safe Food Handbook provides more detail on how you can avoid mold on food, and also how you can save some of the moldy food by careful removal of mold.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

"PURE" BOTTLED WATER, CHIVES AND MORE GRAPE TOMATOES RECALLED

(Here's another note I managed to forget to post a few days ago). You could have lunch on recalled food on a day like today: a "healthy" veggie plate with maybe Salmonella-contaminated tomatoes in it, chives with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria to sprinkle on top for extra flair and contaminated water to drink. Perhaps by the end of today we'll have some fish or meat product recalled as well. Welcome to industrialized food in the United States. Eat at your own risk!

Here are the facts.

Bottled Water - So you thought that "pure" bottled water was uncontaminated, and better than the stuff that comes out of the tap? Think again. And never trust labeling. Specific lots of Mountain Pure water are being recalled because of "biological contamination" (not spelled out..My guess, is that the bacterial count is too high, but I am checking further). If you have a weakened immune system avoid drinking 16.9 fl. oz. (506 ml.) size bottles, with Best By date of 2-27-2013 MPWA or 2-28-2013 MPWA. Healthy people should be OK, but you may want to play it safe.

Platters with grape tomatoes - I said the Six L Packing Company recall would spread even further. Here we go again. Mann Packing is voluntarily recalling certain vegetable platters and Snacks on the Go products because the grape tomatoes used in them came from the Six L lot that have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Ah yes..and as of today, that includes Safeway’s Eating Right Veggie Party Platter (see next post for specifics, and the earlier one on Safeway and Grape Tomatoes).

Chives - Goodness Gardens, Inc. of New Hampton, NY is voluntarily recalling Chives Lot # 0201111, because these chives may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Watch out pregnant women!

To your good health!

TSF

"EATING RIGHT" WITH SAFEWAY VEGGIE PARTY PLATTERS

(I was wondering why no one was reading this post, until I realized today that I had left it in draft, without posting. Here it is..though a bit late.)

That big U.S. supermarket chain, Safeway, has realized that marketing healthy food can translate into profits. It hasn't been doing badly compared to its grocery peers, but let's face it, not nearly as well as Whole Foods Market (in fact, last year it only had about half of WFM's earnings-per-share - EPS -growth rate). So here's a chance to catch up: market to the healthy food image, just as Whole Foods Market is doing.

The result: we have the "Eating Right" Safeway food line: it includes entrees, juices, fresh bagged salads - and party trays. Unfortunately, the name did not protect it. There's now a recall of Safeway Eating Right Veggie Party Platters because Mann's Packing - the food company that made them for Safeway - used those recalled (potentially Salmonella-contaminated) grape tomatoes from Six L Packing Company.

The recall affects Eating Right Veggie Party Platter, UPC Code 79893-10708, sold from 04-29-2011 to 05-07-2011 with “Best if Used By” dates ranging from 05-09-2011 to 05-16 2011.
It is packaged in a clear, plastic, clamshell container.These party trays were sold at all Safeway and Safeway-owned stores, including Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save stores.

Poor Safeway. It really has been hard hit by these teeny cute grape tomatoes - salads, kabobs, and party trays.

So how about "eating right" with a little Salmonella ? Raw is risky - much as we love it.

To your good health!

TSF

Monday, May 16, 2011

WORKER LACK OF HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRIBUTES TO FOODBORNE ILLNESS IN NURSING HOMES

The New York Times reported today that Nursing Homes in the United States are seeking a reprieve from having to pay health insurance to their workers, claiming they can't afford it. Nor can their workers, given their low wages (about $10-$12 an hour)

I am against such special exemptions for nursing homes. Let me tell you why.

More foodborne illness outbreaks originate in food service operations, such as restaurants, private catered events, schools, hospitals and nursing homes, than in homes (some estimates say it is a 7:2 ratio). Studies have found nursing homes - where people are particularly vulnerable - to be among the most hazardous places to eat (see earlier posts on 2/23/11 and 9/27/10).

There are a number of reasons. A major one is the fact that many food service workers in such places work while they are ill, passing on germs to the people who eat the food they have touched or breathed or coughed or sneezed onto. They don't stay home because they have no insurance, and can not afford to lose the pay. A recent study by the U.S. Environmental Health Service, found that in such food service facilities many more managers (66%) received paid sick leave than did the lower-paid workers (35%).

The fact that a large percentage of workers have no health insurance will also mean that they don't get treatment. As a result, their illness will drag on longer than it should, not only exposing the patients, but also often their fellow workers, who will, in turn, also expose the patients.

This situation needs to be changed. People in nursing homes need safe food.

To your good health!
TSF

Saturday, May 14, 2011

ANOTHER RECALL OF DELI MEATS BECAUSE OF LISTERIA BACTERIA


The post on this blog with the most views, although it is only three months old, is "Foods Pregnant Women Should not Eat." There have been very few days when it has not headed the "most viewed" list, consistently beating out the other 140 or so posts. Some 600 people have read it. One of the items on the "beware list" in that post is the following:

• Deli meats, including hot dogs and salami, unless you re-heat them to a temperature of 165 degrees.

The reason is that there are frequent incidents of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in deli meats. This bacterium is a great survivor, and can even multiply in the refrigerator. Although with some people it may cause nothing more than a very mild illness, in about a fifth of cases this bacterium can be fatal. According to the CDC, about one third of Listeriosis cases occur during pregnancy. Although the disease rarely kills the pregnant woman herself, it can result in miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth and infection of the newborn. The bacterium is also very dangerous for people with AIDS, and others with a weakened immune system.

Fast forward to the present and the U.S. food supply. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has just announced that Rose & Shore Meat Co., of Vernon, Calif., has recalled a number of its deli meat products because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products include:

• "OLYMPIC GOLD BEEF PASTRAMI" with the lot number "20911" and a "04-05-11" pack date.
• "ROSE AND SHORE N.Y. STYLE PASTRAMI" with the lot number "20911" and a "04-05-11" pack date.
• "COOKED ANGUS ROAST BEEF" with lot number "20941" and a use by date of "05-17-11."
• "TOGO'S PASTRAMI" with the lot number "20911", a "04-05-11" pack date and a use by date of "05-23-11."

These products were all shipped in large boxes (with smaller packages inside) to distribution centers in California for further distribution to food service establishments in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The FDA reported that there have been no retail sales. Those who would have been exposed to these deli meats would be people eating in restaurants, delis, hospitals, nursing homes, schools and similar places that use such products. Apparently one of the food service clients asked the company to test the meat in response to a consumer complaint (obviously someone getting ill, since you can't smell or see the difference in the meat). And - there we are - the testing turned up Listeria monocytogenes.

To your good health,

TSF

Friday, May 13, 2011

WHY ARE GRAPE TOMATOES CONTAMINATED?


An old friend in Australia asked me on my Facebook site whether I thought their grape tomatoes were also unsafe to eat. After I answered the question, something occurred to me. Perhaps she - and some other people - are thinking that the recently discovered Salmonella-bacteria contamination of some U.S. grape tomatoes has something to do with the nature of grape tomatoes themselves. That is, that grape tomatoes are less safe than other kinds of tomatoes.

That isn't the case. As far as I know, grape tomatoes are no more likely to carry pathogenic bacteria. And remember, in the current U.S. outbreak, all the tomatoes came from just one Florida farm which sent them to one Florida packer. Other grape tomatoes from other farms - as far as we know - are currently safe.

Any kind of tomato can become contaminated. Who knows, tomorrow we may hear of a recall of cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes or Roma tomatoes. Over the years, we have had many incidents of contaminated fresh tomatoes, and Salmonella has been a common culprit. While they are growing, bacteria can get into growing tomatoes through contaminated irrigation water, fertilizer (especially if composting has not been properly done), from birds or insects or wildlife (such as those squirrels which are always trying to take a bite out of mine). While being sorted and packed, workers who are carriers of bacteria, viruses or parasites can also contaminate them. There have been cases when even the washing water was found to be the cause. Although fresh tomatoes are most likely to cause food poisoning, processed, as well as fresh tomatoes can carry bacteria and viruses. In 2010 there was a somewhat unusual small outbreak of Hepatitis A in France caused by sun-dried tomatoes (imported from Turkey). Basically, anything can happen.

So how can you keep eating those delicious fresh tomatoes and still be safe? There is no magic answer. Growing your own would certainly help (the photo is of one of my heritage tomatoes). And if you can't do that, there are studies which have shown that tomatoes still on the vine are safer than those off the vine.

TSF

"PURE" BOTTLED WATER, CHIVES AND MORE GRAPE TOMATOES RECALLED

You could have lunch on recalled food on a day like today: a "healthy" veggie plate with maybe Salmonella-contaminated tomatoes in it, chives with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria to sprinkle on top for extra flair and contaminated water to drink. Perhaps by the end of today we'll have some fish or meat product recalled as well. Welcome to industrialized food in the United States. Eat at your own risk!

Here are the facts.
Bottled Water - So you thought that "pure" bottled water was uncontaminated, and better than the stuff that comes out of the tap? Think again. And never trust labeling. Specific lots of Mountain Pure water are being recalled because of "biological contamination" (not spelled out..My guess, is that the overall bacterial count is too high, but I am checking further). If you have a weakened immune system avoid drinking 16.9 fl. oz. (506 ml.) size bottles, with Best By date of 2-27-2013 MPWA or 2-28-2013 MPWA. Healthy people should be OK, but you may want to play it safe.

Platters with grape tomatoes - I said the Six L Packing Company recall would spread even further. Here we go again. Mann Packing is voluntarily recalling certain vegetable platters and Snacks on the Go products because the grape tomatoes used in them came from the Six L lot that have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Ah yes..and as of today, that includes Safeway’s Eating Right Veggie Party Platter (see next post for specifics, and the earlier one on Safeway and Grape Tomatoes).

Chives - Goodness Gardens, Inc. of New Hampton, NY is voluntarily recalling Chives Lot # 0201111, because these chives may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Watch out pregnant women!

To your good health!
TSF

"EATING RIGHT" WITH SAFEWAY VEGGIE PARTY PLATTERS

That big U.S. supermarket chain, Safeway, has realized that marketing healthy food can translate into profits. It hasn't been doing badly compared to its grocery peers, but let's face it, not nearly as well as Whole Foods Market (in fact, last year it only had about half of WFM's earnings-per-share - EPS -growth rate). So here's a chance to catch up: market the idea of healthy eating, just as Whole Foods Market is doing.

The result: we have the "Eating Right" Safeway food line: it includes entrees, juices, fresh bagged salads - and party trays. Unfortunately, the name did not protect it. There's now a recall of Safeway Eating Right Veggie Party Platters because Mann's Packing - the food company that made them for Safeway - used those recalled (potentially Salmonella-contaminated) grape tomatoes from Six L Packing Company.

The recall affects Eating Right Veggie Party Platter, UPC Code 79893-10708, sold from 04-29-2011 to 05-07-2011 with “Best if Used By” dates ranging from 05-09-2011 to 05-16 2011.
It is packaged in a clear, plastic, clamshell container.These party trays were sold at all Safeway and Safeway-owned stores, including Vons, Pavilions, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs and Pak N’ Save stores.

Poor Safeway. It really has been hard hit by these teeny cute grape tomatoes - salads, kabobs, and party trays. But in spite of everything, and the down market, it's share price was up today. Beats me. Maybe there is some kind of reverse psychology at work here.

So how about "eating right" with a little Salmonella ? Raw is risky - much as we love it.

To your good health!
TSF

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

DEADLY FLORIDA OYSTERS BEING RECALLED

The Safe Food Handbook calls oysters one of the most dangerous foods you can eat. I never eat raw oysters or even lightly cooked ones. But they are an easy food for me to give up, as I really find that slithery feeling unpleasant when a raw oyster wriggles down my throat.

The two main risks in oysters are Norovirus and bacteria from the Vibrio genus. Norovirus is no big deal, but those Vibrio bacteria are. Their members include the cholera bacterium. And that's what's been found in Florida oysters harvested from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Fla. between March 21 and April 6, 2011 - toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O75. (By the way, notice how late this recall is coming..It's now May). Area 1642 is a zone that stretches from north to south in Apalachicola Bay just on the east side of the bridge that goes from Eastpoint, Fla., to St. George Island, Fla. This is not the first time Vibrio bacteria have turned up in oysters from Florida.

As of today, nine people have been reported to be ill (as always, many cases do not get reported). All ate raw or lightly steamed oysters. So far no one has died, but the more toxic Vibrio certainly can prove fatal if the bacteria enter your bloodstream and multiply there.

Here are the typical symptoms: nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. You would start to feel ill anywhere from a few hours up to five days after eating the raw or lightly cooked oysters. There may also be blood or mucus in your stools. In worst cases, the bacteria can get into your bloodstream. If so, the symptoms can be truly horrible and may include loss of skin, kidney failure and excruciating pain. Believe me, this is one of the worst possible kinds of food poisoning.

Certain kinds of people are much more at risk for becoming seriously ill from Vibrio than others: those who have cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, hepatitis or a suppressed immune system for other reasons (such as AIDS. In fact the FDA warns anyone with a liver disease never to eat raw or lightly cooked oysters. Some studies also suggest that others who are more susceptible include people with hemachromatosis, diabetes mellitus, kidney disease - and those taking a lot of antacid pills.

If you still have any of those recalled oysters in your refrigerator, throw them out! (They shouldn't be kept that long anyway). No oyster is worth your life.

To your good health,
TSF

Monday, May 9, 2011

CHECKING THE GRAPE TOMATOES IN MY LOCAL STORES

Labelling of produce can help to keep us safe. By U.S. law, fresh produce should be labeled according to its country-of-origin- U.S.A, Mexico,Canada, or whatever. This "COOL" law has applied to product since 2008 (it applies to other food products as well). All retailers, big and small, are supposed to comply. Packaged fresh produce items (in plastic bags, clam-shell containers, or whatever) are meant to have the country of origin on the label. Loose produce is supposed to show that information somewhere - as on a packing case underneath, or sign. That is, in theory.

So since I was out shopping a couple of days ago, I decided to pop into a few local stores and see how their grape tomato sales were doing. The answer - very well indeed. No one seemed to be worried about Salmonella.

My local Safeway was still selling them, with the country-of-orgin and distributor name visible on the packaging, and in the case of loose ones, readable if you more or less stood on your head. The small "local" produce market across the way (which, I have noticed, also sells a lot of products from Mexico, and even Asia) had some in those aqua plastic baskets (bought in bulk, and then repackaged, I assume) with no label or country-of-origin visible. I asked, and was told that "they were probably from the USA." No one in the store seemed to know who the distributor was. (By now we know that some loose tomatoes are being recalled as well).

At Trader Joe's they were still there, in the clam-shell packages that I had pictured in an earlier post. While Trader Joe’s, a national grocery chain, has indeed recalled certain lots of its Splendido Trader Joe's Little Tomatoes - for instance - in Ohio, I was told that these ones had come from a different farm. Well, we shall see. Let's hope they didn't even share the same packing line with the recalled ones.

To your good health!
TSF

THE GRAPE TOMATO RECALL EXPANDS


As I predicted (See post on "A Recall of Grape Tomatoes"), the recall of grape tomatoes in the U.S. has expanded. Today information about two more recalls of grape tomatoes landed in my mail box. Yes, Six L Packing Company, the Florida-based distributor, has been selling them to other clients in addition to Taylor Farms Pacific, Inc. of Tracy, California, and Mastronardi Produce of Ontario, Canada. After all, it packs over 15 million tomatoes a year. That's big business.

Here are two more. Although they don't have the large geographic coverage of the previous ones, they show that in this kind of recall, new risky items can keep popping up, and you can't predict where.

* Del Monte Fresh Produce is recalling a limited number of Vegetable Trays and Veg. Trio sold in Roche Bros. Supermarkets in the state of Massachusetts under the brand ROCHE BROS. because they may also have used Salmonella-contaminated tomatoes.

* Northeast Produce Inc. of Plainville, CT has also bought and used some of these potentially contaminated grape tomatoes from Six L. It is now recalling a number of clam-shell packaged and loose tomatoes. Presumably, these were sold locally, but I'm checking further. You never know. And of course, we run up against the usual confusion of different brand names - "Cutie Brand," "Fancy Sweet," and "Cherry Berries." (I am wondering whether I might try a new career in branding...). If you want the specifics, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm254548.htm.

Here's my advice for what it's worth. In any case of an outbreak at the level of a large food producer or distributor, I immediately assume that it is going to expand. What I therefore do, is to stop eating that particular kind of food (e.g. grape tomatoes, cilantro, cucumbers, or whatever) for a week or two, to give the government testing laboratories time to catch up and the company to come clean about all its clients. You may want to do the same. There are plenty of other kinds of good tomatoes.

To your good health!
TSF

Saturday, May 7, 2011

ARE FUKUSHIMA CUCUMBERS SAFE?


I just checked my blog statistics for search keywords, and found this exact phrase: "Are Fukushima cucumbers safe?" I have been thinking about cucumbers lately anyway, so this prompted me to address the issue.

A few days ago, while involved in my daily reading of The New York Times, and as always, checking on the situation in Japan, I came across an interview with a Fukushima Prefecture farmer. He was not farming inside the evacuation zone, but nearby. (In the Nakadori area which is the agricultural center of the prefecture). He was saying that he had to throw out his entire crop of cucumbers because no one would buy them. How sad. Having worked with small farmers much of my professional career, I know how devastating the loss of an entire crop can be. And growing some vegetables myself, I know what hard work it is, with so many climatic and wildlife risks involved. And on top of all this, who needs radiation?

But could his cucumbers have been contaminated with radiation, even tens of kilometers from the evacuation area? Yes, they could have been. The radiation waste is spreading much further than the evacutation area, though at lower levels, and any growing vegetables absorb and concentrate such toxic substances.

Back on April 28, I blogged "The Biggest Threat in the U.S. Food Supply." Wait - you are asking what this has to do with Fukushima cucumbers. Well, it does. Radiation in Fukushima cucumbers would be one of those longer term type of hazards in Japan's supply, especially relevant to people who are younger - and particularly children, who will have several decades of life ahead of them. But even then, someone would have to eat radiation-contaminated cucumbers regularly for a while before they were affected. How long it would take, would depend on how badly contaminated they were, and the eater's own age and health.

But take Salmonella bacteria in cucumbers (as occurred in the U.S. food supply - see Post of May 3). If cucumbers in Japan were carrying Salmonella, eating just half a contaminated cucumber could be enough to cause a case of food poisoning.

So particularly if you are older, I would not worry about eating a few Fukushima cucumbers. But wash it well and peel it, and don't eat a cucumber a day for several months.

To your good health,
TSF

Thursday, May 5, 2011

SAFEWAY AND THE TOMATO RECALL


Safeway shoppers check your refrigerators!

Safeway stores are one of the several supermarkets involved in the latest tomato recall (see previous posts) which began with a recall by Six L Packers in Florida. First, Safeway stores sold Taylor Farms Pacific Inc. ready-to-eat fresh salads at the deli counter, several of which may contain Salmonella-infected grape tomatoes. The states in which these products were sold by Safeway include Arizona, Oregon, California, Nevada, Washington, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.

Secondly, Safeway has discovered that the ready-to-cook kabobs (all kinds of fish, chicken, turkey, pork and sausage ones) in its full service meat counter were also made with Six L tomatoes, so a long list of kabobs are being recalled as well. These are likely to be less risky than the fresh salads because we would cook them.

The kabobs were sold between April 26 and May 3. The sell-by date on the packages are up to May 3. The kabobs were sold in Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, and Pak N Save stores in 10 states. If you don't want to return them to the store, you could also just pick off the tomatoes and throw them out.


TSF

A RECALL OF GRAPE TOMATOES

An industrialized food supply, such as the one in the United States, certainly makes food safety more difficult. Take the presently ongoing recall of grape tomatoes. It's Salmonella bacteria again (there are 30 posts on Salmonella already on this blog). Here are the facts so far - and I would guess that this recall will expand in the days to come.

It all started with a farm based in Estero, Florida, USA. They sent their grape tomatoes to Six L Packing Company, another Florida-based enterprise, that packages and distributes food products. According to Hoover's, Six-L packs and ships over 15 million boxes of tomatoes a year to other food companies and retailers in California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia, as well as Canada. In New York, a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector found that some of these tomatoes tested positive for Salmonella bacteria. As often happens, the test results came a little late. At least two of Six L's clients had already sent them to our stores.

Taylor Farms Pacific Inc., which is based in Tracy, California, had used them to produce some 60 kinds of fresh salads. They were being sold in plastic trays at deli counters in key supermarkets including Albertsons, Raley's, Safeway, Savemart, Sam's Club and Walmart stores across the West and some Midwestern United States. (See post May 3).

Wait - it gets weirder. Mastronardi Produce of Kingsville, Ontario (yes, that's Canada), also received some of the Six L grape tomatoes and is selling them under labels of "Aldi From the Vine (where else would they come from?) Grape Tomatoes", "Sunset Grape Tomatoes", and "Trader Joe's Splendido Little Tomatoes" all in neat little clamshell packages. And where are these being sold? Well, back we come across the border to the U.S. The Trader Joe's ones are being sold only in Eastern Seaboard and Midwest Locations. The others are sold in several other states (IL, MI, WI, FL, MA, MD, NJ, MD, OH, TX, WI). Did you notice, by the way, that some of those cute little grape tomatoes came right back to Florida again - presumably, from Ontario, Canada, under a new name?

Now comes my punchline. On April 26 - just about a week ago - representatives of Mastronardi Produce/SUNSET® were in Washington DC to accept the prestigious Dupont Food Quality Award for 2010. This award honors a North American business for outstanding food safety initiatives (There is a nice photo on their website of the award presentation). Mastronardi Produce won because “all aspects of the business appear to be aligned toward producing high quality, safe food within a sustainable environment.”

Hmm..Bad luck Mastronardi. You had better change the source for your grape tomatoes if you want to get the award next year.

TSF

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

NEW U.S. FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS - FINALLY!

They're out. Finally. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just announced the first two new regulations to be released under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This Act was signed into law by President Obama in January of 2011

Here they are:

The first rule will give the FDA the right to embargo "suspect" food so that it can not enter the marketplace. This refers to food for which there is proof that it has been produced under unsanitary or unsafe conditions (such as incorrect pasteurization or canning, unsafe storage, lack of testing) but which may not as yet have a specific contaminant identified. I have been listing some under "Alerts". Basically, this will give the FDA up to 30 days to see what other measures should be taken (hopefully the food will not go bad in the meantime).

The other rule relates to imported foods - both for humans and animals. This rule requires that anyone importing food into the U.S. has to inform the FDA if any other country has refused entry to this same product. Yes, it happens: a product refused entry by one country, because it is found to be harmful, is then sent off to another unsuspecting one, hoping no one will find out. There have been some embarrassing situations over the years.

Personally, I think these are good regulations, which should help to make the U.S. food supply safer. What I particularly like, is that we are going further upstream in terms of prevention.

Both rules will take effect July 3, 2011.

TSF

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

SALMONELLA OUTBREAK SEASON IS BEGINNING IN THE U.S.


Salmonella bacteria are a very common cause of food poisoning. Usually, the symptoms are ones like diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain or cramps, weakness, fever. These organisms can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, people with weakened immune systems and those who are frail or elderly. Some members of this family of bacteria are particularly vicious.

Most Salmonella outbreaks in the United States food supply, and particularly in fresh produce, occur in the spring or early summer…In other words, about now. And right on schedule, here we go. During the last 12 days, Salmonella has cropped up in several of those nice healthy foods most of us eat, which are now being recalled:

In cucumbers, distributed by L&M Companies, Inc. of Raleigh, North Carolina. There aren’t many recalls of cucumbers, so this is somewhat unusual.
In alfalfa sprouts, distributed by Jonathan's Sprouts of Rochester, MA. Alfalfa sprouts are one of the riskiest food you can eat, and every year there are a number of outbreaks and recalls.
In cilantro, distributed to food service customers, by Satur Farms of Cutchogue, New York. Salmonella in cilantro is also not unusual.
In grape tomatoes grown by Six L’s of Immokalee, Fla.. In turn, these tomatoes were used by Taylor Farms Pacific of Tracy, California, for some 70 different ready-to-eat salads for Albertsons, Raley's, Safeway, Savemart, Sam's Club, & Walmart. (Wouldn’t you think that a label which includes the word “Farms” would be growing their own produce instead of bringing it from Florida?). For the entire list of RTE products under recall, go to: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm253580.htm (It is too long to reproduce here).
And….......

There are more to come. Summer is just beginning. So is Salmonella season.

TSF

Sunday, May 1, 2011

CHILDREN ARE MORE AT RISK FROM RADIATION

I have a new hero. His name is Toshiso Kosako. Until recently, he held the very prestigious position of Senior Nuclear Adviser to the Government of Japan. But I don’t admire him because of his importance. I admire him because he gave it up, and for the reason he gave it up. That took a lot of guts and showed tremendous integrity.

Among the reasons he reportedly gave up the adviser post was that he could not go along with allowing children living near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to receive doses of radiation that are equivalent to levels established for adult nuclear power plant workers. He understands that they are more vulnerable. This greater vulnerability also applies to any nuclear (or other toxic) contaminants they receive from food.

When this crisis began, I blogged the special dangers pregnant women needed to be aware of. Maybe I should have given more attention to infants and young children. Their bodies are much smaller, and therefore a small quantity of a toxic substance can affect them as much as a larger quantity would affect an adult.
Their brains and bodies are also still developing and can be easily damaged. In addition, infants are sometimes more vulnerable to toxic substances in the environment because they crawl and put things in their mouth. In fact, they could be exposed from several sources - the atmosphere, direct contact with contaminated surfaces, and contaminated food and water.

But a final thought on the food issue: infants and young children can also be more exposed to toxic iodine and cesium from radiation-contaminated food, because they rely on a limited range of food and drink, day after day. This concentrates their risk. If one of these is contaminated - such as milk, apple juice, certain vegetables, it can be very bad news indeed.

Thank you Mr. Kosako, for speaking out for children.

TSF