By Monday, she was passing blood and had to be admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Kohl, sickened by E. coli O157:H7, was one of many who ate contaminated bagged spinach produced by Dole Brand Natural Selection Foods. The outbreak caused 205 reported illnesses, 103 hospitalizations and three deaths.  Kohl developed a complication, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), that threw her and her family’s life into chaos.

She spent almost three weeks in the hospital hooked up to machines, suffering from intense pain.

After being released from the hospital, Kohl worked to get her life back to normal, re-enrolling in graduate school the following semester and resuming running–something she had loved doing before her illness.

Although she tried to be positive and thankful that she had recovered, she eventually had to face what had happened to her–and going through a grieving process of denial, sadness, anger, guilt (for surviving while others didn’t), and finally, acceptance. “The whole experience made me grow up quite a bit,” Kohl told Food Safety News.

“I have gained such a great appreciation for everything that I experience in my life. It was quite the wake up call to eat a salad one day, and then almost have my life end because of it. You just never know. I am thankful for every day that I have now. I also pay a lot more attention to food recalls and food safety–something I didn’t think twice about before I got sick,”  she said.

After doing a TV interview about her experience, Kohl was contacted by S.T.O.P- Safe Tables Our Priority, the non-profit organization that advocates sound public policy to help prevent the suffering caused by foodborne illness. 

Kohl began volunteering for the group, sharing her story and writing letters to politicians.  Then last month Jillian decided to attempt a half marathon (13.1 miles), The Tyranena Beer Run in Lake Mills, WI, to raise money for S.T.O.P. as well as to raise awareness of foodborne illness.

Kohl’s initial goal was $500.  Then Bill Marler of the Seattle-based, food safety law firm Marler Clark, who had represented Kohl in her suit against Dole, pledged $5,000 if Jillian could achieve a new  PR (personal record).  To do that, she would need to beat her previous time of 1:57:41.

Kohl said, “I was very worried I wasn’t going to reach this goal, since I had found out that this race course had a lot of hills. But I tried my best anyway.  I wasn’t running for me that day, I was running for S.T.O.P. That made me push myself that much harder. The best part of the race was seeing my parents right before the finish line, cheering “go go go!”, and then looking over at the finish line clock and realizing that I really did just PR.”

Altogether, she raised $5,500 in the “Walk/Run for S.T.O.P.”

That was exactly what The Food Project, an organization that promotes sustainable urban agriculture, did in the Boston communities of Roxbury and Dorchester, where yard soils were found to have lead levels about the U.S. EPA limits of 400 micrograms of lead per gram (µg/g) of soil.

But then researchers and students from Wellesley College who were studying the community gardens project found that the imported soil in the raised beds, which started with as little as 110 micrograms of lead per gram of soil, rose to an average of 336 µg/g of lead in just four years.

According to an article in the Geological Society of America, solving this mystery was the subject of a presentation to the group at a recent meeting in Denver.

Lead contamination in the soils of most cities, the researchers noted, is primarily attributed to the residual effects of leaded gasoline and lead paint, but their use has been outlawed for years, so other factors had to be at work.

They concluded that lead was likely being transported into the raised beds by the wind and rain — for example, rain splattering on the ground was carrying contaminated material into the raised beds.

Fortunately, the article also stated, the lead found in the Boston-area raised beds was not particularly good at being absorbed by the human body.  Still, the researchers recommend that home gardeners scoop away the top inch or two of the soil every year from raised beds  in order to keep the lead out of garden produce.

To celebrate Thanksgiving here at Food Safety News we’re hosting our fourth virtual potluck (we’ve also held virtual picnics on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day).

We’ll be having turkey, of course, and for tips on how to cook a turkey, you can’t beat the Food and Drug Administration’s Keep Food Safe Blog.  For instance, did you procrastinators know it’s safe to cook a frozen turkey?  It will just take 50 percent longer than a fully thawed turkey.   Check out the FDA’s helpful Turkey Roasting Chart and reminders that no matter what method you use — roasting, brining, deep frying or smoking — the bird isn’t safe until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees (and that goes for the stuffing). 

In addition to the turkey, we’ve got two soups–Dan’s lentil and Marijke’s curry kale. Claire has contributed corn pudding, Gretchen made Brussels sprouts, and Helena suggests roasted squash and veggies. Alexa has shared Parmesan-rosemary potatoes and cranberry Waldorf salad.  For dessert there’s Michelle’s “that blueberry thing,” a variation on a crisp, and Suzanne is bringing an unusual-but-delicious concoction involving butternut squash and pretzels.

We’re sharing the recipes here, so you can join in our virtual potluck or use them at your next one.

Have a happy and food-safe Thanksgiving Day.

The Food Safety News team

Alexa’s Cranberry Waldorf Salad

Cranberry Waldorf Salad is a traditional holiday dish that goes well with either a formal or casual Thanksgiving dinner. Not only is it a fantastic salad, but it’s also a dish that adds a lot of color to the table.

Each year, my parents serve this salad with Thanksgiving dinner. It’s fairly light and is a nice accompaniment with some of the heavier food served.

This salad can quickly be thrown together and set aside while working on other parts of the meal. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

— 1/4 cup sour cream

— 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

— 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

— 1/4 tsp grated lime rind

— 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes)

— 3 medium Granny Smith apples, chopped

— 1 ripe red pear, chopped

— 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

— 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

— 1 1/2 cups chopped celery 

— 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Instructions

Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. 

Add apple and next 4 ingredients to sour cream mixture; toss well.

Cover and chill salad at least 1 hour. Stir in marshmallows just before serving.

 Makes 4-6 servings. 

In honor of Thanksgiving here at Food Safety News we’re hosting our fourth virtual potluck (we’ve also held virtual picnics on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day).

We’ll be having turkey, of course, and for tips on how to cook a turkey, you can’t beat the Food and Drug Administration’s Keep Food Safe Blog.  For instance, did you procrastinators know it’s safe to cook a frozen turkey?  It will just take 50 percent longer than a fully thawed turkey.   Check out the FDA’s helpful Turkey Roasting Chart and reminders that no matter what method you use — roasting, brining, deep frying or smoking — the bird isn’t safe until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees (and that goes for the stuffing). 

In addition to the turkey, we’ve got two soups–Dan’s lentil and Marijke’s curry kale. Claire has contributed corn pudding, Gretchen made Brussels sprouts, and Helena suggests roasted squash and veggies. Alexa has shared Parmesan-rosemary potatoes and cranberry Waldorf salad.  For dessert there’s Michelle’s “that blueberry thing,” a variation on a crisp, and Suzanne is bringing an unusual-but-delicious concoction involving butternut squash and pretzels.

We’re sharing the recipes here, so you can join in our virtual potluck or use them at your next one.

Have a happy and food-safe Thanksgiving Day.

The Food Safety News team

Alexa’s Parmesan-Rosemary Potatoes

Parmesan-Rosemary potatoes are a great variation from your traditional mashed potato. You can make these in place of mashed potatoes or as an extra side as my mom does.

The cheese and herb coating makes these potatoes extremely addictive. They are so flavorful and are a staple in my house around the holidays. They’re relatively easy to make and don’t require too much preparation. I strongly suggest you try these delicious potatoes and hope you like them as much as we do in my house!

Ingredients

— 3 pounds baking potatoes 

— 3 cups cold water

— 1 teaspoon salt

— 1 cup butter, melted

— Parmesan-Rosemary Coating

— Salt

— Garnish: fresh rosemary

Directions

Wash potatoes. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; slice potato halves crosswise into half moon-shaped wedges.

Combine water a 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; add potatoes, and let stand 5 minutes.

 Drain well; spread potatoes on paper towels to absorb water. Pat dry.

Dip potato wedges in butter; roll in Parmesan-Rosemary Coating.

Place in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

Sprinkle lightly with salt before serving. Garnish, if desired.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Parmesan-Rosemary Coating

— 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

— ½ cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

— 2 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

— 1 teaspoon salt

— ½ teaspoon garlic powder

— ¼ teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl

H. Morgan Scott, a professor in Kansas State University’s department of diagnostic medicine and pathology, said the research will focus on “the longstanding problem” of resistant enteric bacteria.

Antibiotics are commonly used to treat animals, but are also used as food supplements in the beef and dairy industry.  There have been increased calls for more regulation of the practices,  and growing concerns about whether pathogenic bacteria resistant to antibiotics are entering the food chain and may potentially affect human health.

“Threats to the continued use of several common agricultural formulations of antimicrobials are looming in the form of FDA guidance documents and draft federal legislation,” Scott said in the KSU news release.  “Having scientifically proven tools available to veterinarians and producers to counter bacterial resistance where and when it arises is essential to maintaining public trust in our abilities to manage threats to public health.”

The costs to animal agriculture will be tremendous if certain classes or uses of antibiotics are no longer available, Scott said.

“The use of antibiotics for treatment and prevention of bacterial infections in beef and dairy cattle is essential for producing safe and wholesome food for consumers, for maximizing the welfare of animals, and for sustaining profitability in animal agriculture,” he said.

The university reported that Scott will be working with researchers from University of Guelph, Angelo State University, Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, Cornell University, Colorado State University and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The research results, including effective and ineffective interventions, will be shared with industry principles.

Scott is also hopeful that the research will lead to improvements in the level of detection of early-resistant E. coli. 

According to Deborah Rolf, executive vice president, Americas-Smart Salt, Inc., USDA researchers have found that over half of all Americans are not getting enough magnesium in their diets.

That’s important in our sodium-dominant food culture, Rolf said, because nutritional magnesium is necessary not only for good energy and strong muscles, but also to properly metabolize salt.

Magnesium serves several functions in the body, among them contraction and relaxation of muscles, the functions of certain enzymes in the body, production and transport of energy, and production of protein.  Symptoms of magnesium deficiency can include headaches to high blood pressure and heart arrhythmias.

According to the Food and Nutrition Series by Colorado State University, more recent evidence suggests that dietary potassium may play a role in decreasing blood pressure. 

Potassium is involved in nerve function, muscle control and blood pressure. A diet low in potassium and high in sodium may be a factor in high blood pressure.  Increasing potassium in the diet may protect against hypertension in people who are sensitive to high levels of sodium.

Smart Salt is made with a patented ingredient called magnesal, using proprietory technology for a co-crystal primarily based on magnesium that is an alternative to sodium.

The company says that for those who consume two to three times more sodium than the (Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), who aren’t getting enough magnesium or potassium, Smart Salt can eliminate 60 percent of the sodium found in typical table salt, and has added potassium and magnesium to rebalance sodium-potassium and sodium-magnesium ratios.

According to the Stabroek News, samples of the food and beverages served at the lunch were submitted for testing.

About 350 people had attended the retreat at the Berbice High School.   An hour or so after lunch, which included fried rice and chicken, dozens of people became ill with abdominal pain and nausea.

Health officials in Berbice said approximately 100 people were examined at the nearby New Amsterdam hospital, according to the Guyana Chronicle.  While most of the people were in stable condition, about 40 were admitted.  Some were discharged and later had to be readmitted.

People at the New Amsterdam Hospital said the hospital was filled with patients seeking treatment, and many of them were lying on the floor crying out in pain.

The Starbroek News reported that a source close to the investigation said the food poisoning was likely the result of spoiled meat.  The newspaper said caterers and others had acknowledged slow cooking meat  hours before it was served.

London’s Daily Mail reported that Microban, which produces products with built-in microbial protection, took swab samples from highchairs in 30 restaurants and also from toilets.  Nicholas Moon, the company’s director of technical affairs, told the newspaper the average number of bacteria on the highchairs was 147 per square centimeter, compared with an average 8 per square centimeter on the toilet seats.

Moon also said the test results varied considerably, and although some of the highchairs were relatively clean, others had concentrations of bacteria as high as 1,200 bacteria per square centimeter.  Among the reported bacteria were E. coli and Staph aureus.

These were U.S. highchairs and U.S. toilets, and Moon had a rather disheartening word for British readers: “I would suspect that the highchairs in restaurants in this country would if anything be even dirtier as we tend to be less thorough about our hygiene than the Americans.”

The Daily Mail helpfully advised parents that they might consider sanitizing high chairs before putting their children in them.  Moon had just the answer for that, as he pointed out that high levels of bacteria were found on some high chairs that otherwise appeared to be clean. “…when staff cleared obvious spillages,” he said,  “they are not using antibacterial spray cleaners to ensure that the chair is thoroughly cleaned before the next child sits down.”

Microban manufactures disinfectants, along with its other products.

The Daily Mail noted that the cleanliness “or otherwise” of highchairs–including highchairs at home–has been questioned before, and cited a 2007 study by the United Kingdom’s Hygiene Council, which found coliforms on 60 percent of the high chair food trays it examined.

The Hygiene Council’s website highlights what it calls home “hot spots” and gives highchairs a hazard level of amber.  “Highchairs or places where children eat have worse levels of bacteria than toilet flushes.”

The Berkeley, CA-based center, a nonprofit dedicated to education for sustainable living, has proposed an endeavor called “Rethinking School Lunch,” 10 ways (or pathways, as it refers to them) in which parents, educators or concerned citizens revamp local school meal programs, depending on resources or interests.

With an emphasis on the farm-to-schools approach–connecting lunch programs to local farms and helping keep local farms economically viable–as well as integrating gardening and cooking instruction with classroom teaching, Rethinking School Lunch is a planning framework that aims to create “food literate graduates, invigorated local communities, sustainable agriculture, and a healthy environment.”

In an overview of its proposal, the center points out that the National School Lunch Program, which makes federally subsidized meals available in schools, was created after 150,000 young men were rejected for military service during World War II due to malnutrition, and another 150,000 died during the war because of nutrition-related, weakened conditions.

Today, poor nutrition is no less an issue, and the center says that 9 million young adults–27 percent of Americans between 17 and 24–are too overweight to be accepted for military service.

The center also says obesity-related medical costs account for nearly 10 percent of all annual medical spending in the U.S. and cites an Emory University researcher’s estimate that the nation will face $344 billion in yearly obesity-related medical costs by 2018 if current trends hold.

As a result of obesity, “the current generation of young people may have shorter life spans than their parents, a reversal of two centuries of increasing life expectancy, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Among the 10 things the Center of Ecoliteracy suggests schools do to address this problem by rethinking lunch are:  offering a variety of delicious, appealing and nutritious menu items; making the shift to fresh, seasonal food grown locally or regionally and prepared on site; adding hands-on learning  such as school gardens and kitchens; and making the cafeteria a central, pleasant dining room.

Nearly two-thirds of the students who get meals at school through the National
School Lunch Program come from low-income families, and often that food is their best opportunity to get a healthy meal.  In Berkeley, a consortium of groups helps low-income children gain more access to locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as physical activity, and funds school gardens and kitchen classes in the public schools.

Congress has since mandated that all schools participating in federal school lunches adopt similar wellness policies, although the Center for Ecoliteracy believes there is still much room for improvement.

According to a  survey, fewer than one-third of the school districts nationwide have a process in place for revising wellness policies.  About 9,000 schools in the United States participate in farm-to-school programs.

A recent three-year assessment of Berkeley’s School Lunch Initiative concluded that exposing elementary school students to gardening, cooking and nutrition instruction improved their eating habits, although similar improvements were not as evident in middle school.  But the study also found that most students whose schools were part of the initiative were generally more knowledgable about nutrition and had more positive attitudes about the taste and value of school lunch. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that school nutrition services have about $1 to spend on food per lunch.  A poll by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) revealed that a majority of nutrition services directors ranked money as the biggest obstacle facing their program.

Writing in the foundation’s newsletter, Castro says IT innovations could help public health officials identify and trace outbreaks more quickly.

“For example, if a nationwide system of interoperable electronic health records were made available in real-time for public research, this could allow epidemiologists to track outbreaks from unreported or undiagnosed illnesses by looking at data on reported symptoms,” Castro suggests.

He also points out that the FDA is developing new technologies to rapidly capture, analyze and share data on foodborne pathogens through a web-based, interactive system.  Updating the agency’s tools for monitoring food safety was among the initiatives announced Oct. 6 by FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg.

Castro notes that today’s big farms have embraced new technology, using wireless sensor networks to monitor moisture and soil conditions, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to track livestock production and GPS to automate plowing and seeding.  Technological innovation has encouraged consolidation in agriculture and the development of factory-scale farming, while at the same time widespread food distribution has increased the potential for foodborne illness outbreaks, such as the recent ones linked to eggs and peanuts, to effect consumers nationwide. 

He credits the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s PulseNet, the nationwide network of state and local health departments, and regulatory labs, for its role in identifying illness clusters.  PulseNet performs molecular subtyping, much like fingerprinting, that  allows strains of organisms to be distinguished from one another. These DNA “fingerprints” are then added to a CDC computer database, which permits quick comparison of patterns.

Castro predicts innovation will go beyond PulseNet, reminding policymakers, “IT has an important role to play in monitoring, detecting and responding to public health threats and protecting the safety of our food supply.”

A report published by the Winnipeg Health Region said 37 of the 40 people who were infected with the same strain of E. coli had either attended events at the pavilion or fell victim to secondary spread of the E. coli bacterium.   Only three of the 40 cases were not linked to the pavilion.

Five people were admitted to the hospital, one person required intensive care, 17 people  visited an emergency room and one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Investigators looked at items that had been served together on a “Russian Combination platter,” including borscht, meatballs, a rice dish and Russian juice (fruit compote).  They eventually singled out the compote as the likely source of contamination because it was served with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian platters.

Cross-contamination from raw or undercooked ground beef, which was being handled at the same time in the kitchen, was a plausible source of the E. coli.

Kitchen staff members told investigators that most of the food had been cooked in a pressure cooker, but the compote juice was prepared in a separate pot by boiling unpeeled apples, blueberries and blackberries, decanting the juice and then chilling it to serve cold.  The fresh fruit had been purchased at a local supermarket.

The amended lawsuits were filed Monday by Marler Clark and Wandro, Baer, and McCarthy.

“At the hearings in Washington it became clear that the DeCoster family has operated its businesses with willful and wanton disregard for the safety of the people who purchased and consumed its products,” said food safety attorney Bill Marler in a news release.  “It is no longer enough for them to pay for the medical bills they have cost our clients and hundreds of American consumers–the DeCosters will also have to face and pay punitive damages to the people they sickened.”

In August, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms together recalled 550 million eggs after health officials linked them to Salmonella that sickened more than 1,500 people.  Records presented Sept. 22 at the House Committee on Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing showed that Salmonella had been detected in Wright County Egg barns for years before the outbreak.

Photos shown at the hearing revealed filthy conditions, including barn doors pushed open by piles of manure and barns with dead chickens, rodents and flies.

Austin “Jack” DeCoster, founder of Wright County Egg, told lawmakers the situation was “complicated,” while Orland Bethel, president of Hillandale Farms, cited his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to testify.  

Plaintiff Sarah Lewis, a 30-year-old mother and wife from California, told the committee how she became critically ill after eating custard tarts at a graduation party.  She pleaded for more regulation of the egg industry.

Under Iowa law, Lewis is entitled to an award of punitive damages if Wright County Egg acted willfully and wantonly in disregarding the rights and safety of others. 

In his Marler blog, attorney Marler has questioned when prosecutors will step up, and noted the lack of prosecutions against corporations that have made consumers ill.

“It really is left to the blunt instrument of civil litigation, and punitive damages in particular, to punish these bad actors,” he wrote.

Elaine Barrett, from Galway, was born prematurely in 2003.  At less than six weeks old, while still in the hospital, she was given a special food supplement.  According to the Irish Independent News, the supplement contained magnesium levels 120 times above normal.

Dr.  Kevin Dunne, a consultant pediatrician at Galway University Hospital told the newspaper, “Two bags of TPN had been ordered but when the first of these were fed to Elaine on May 25, 2003, she became extremely agitated and her condition deteriorated.  She was not given the second bag of TPN.” 

B.Braun Medical, the  multinational corporation that manufactured the Total Parental Nutrition (TPN),  initially tried to blame the hospital, but an internal investigation later found that an error occurred when magnesium from the manufacture of a previous bag of supplement was left in the supply line and went into the fluid that Elaine received.  It went undetected and was shipped to Galway.

Earlier this month the Barrett’s received an apology from the German firm.  According to Irish Independent News, a civil action has been reached between the family and the medical company in recent weeks but is still waiting to be finalized by Ireland’s High Court. 

Frank and Eileen Barrett were told their daughter had little chance of survival after consuming the supplement, but Elaine lived until October of 2008.  Dr. Dunne said the reason she lived so long was because of the love and care she got from her parents.

Construction of the new $1.7 million, 5,000-square foot Southern Catskills Red Meat Processing Facility is expected to begin next spring.

“This federal investment will create jobs, promote economic development in our area and most importantly, help local family farms stay in business and grow,” Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) said in a prepared statement.

Hinchey praised the federal contribution as critical to supporting regional agriculture and said  the U.S. should continue to invest in programs that promote family farms and the economic opportunities they bring to rural areas such as Sullivan County.

Jonathan Rouis, chairman of the Sullivan County Legislature, which committed $150,000 to the project, said in a statement that the lack of a meat processing plants is a growing problem for small farmers across the nation.  The new slaughterhouse will be easily accessible for farmers from Sullivan County and nearby areas who no longer will have  to travel several hours with their livestock to process meats.

Investigators with the New South Wales Food Authority concluded that the cause of the January Salmonella outbreak at the Burger Bar in the town of Albury was a contaminated raw egg aioli product.

The take-out restaurant was fined for selling unsafe food as well as handling food in an unsafe manner.  The fine was $660 for each infraction.

According to Australian Food News, the New South Wales Food Authority was contacted by the Greater Southern Area Health Service after complaints of illness were reported in January.  The restaurant’s owner cooperated with the request to temporarily shut down the restaurant down while food and environmental sampling was conducted.

The Burger Bar’s failure to meet the Australian Food Standards Code will put it on the country’s Name and Shame list, a public website.  Placement on the list is considered punishment in itself because consumers can access the information and make informed decisions about restaurants’ food safety records.

NSF International, an independent public health and safety non-profit, says its survey reveals Americans are uncertain about some basic food handling and meal preparation practices. The goal of the survey was to better understand consumer behaviors and determine general knowledge of the best food safety practices.

The survey, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, was conducted over four days in July among a nationally representative sample.  It found that 78 percent of the respondents knew how to safely defrost meat and poultry, but only 20 percent said they use a meat thermometer to ensure food is thoroughly cooked.

According to the NSF International press release, leftovers stored correctly can be saved for up to 4 days, but 40 percent of those surveyed indicated they don’t save leftovers at all or throw them out after one to two days.

Ninety percent told the interviewers they wash their hands after touching raw meat or poultry, but 20 percent admitted they don’t use soap and warm water.

Additional survey results found that only 31 percent knew it is OK to refreeze foods that were thawed in the refrigerator.  Sixty percent of those surveyed said they always rewash pre-packaged, pre-washed fruits and vegetables and did not know rewashing isn’t necessary.

As might be expected, the survey results found that food safety practices vary depending on on income, age, and education and sometimes are based more on habit than science.

“Many of the food safety practices we learn at home when we’re young are carried with us through life and passed to the next generation,” said Cheryl Luptowski, Home Safety Expert for NSF International, emphasizing the need for consumer education.

Luptowski and NSF International think changing food safety behavior through simple, everyday practices could make a substantial difference in reducing the incidence of foodborne illness.

Among the recommendations suggested by the group are proper handwashing:  lathering hands for at least 20 seconds before rinsing and singing “Happy Birthday” twice while washing.   The group also says to avoid foods such as party platters that have been at room temperature for more than two hours and to always use a food thermometer, rather than rely on just sight or taste, to ensure that meat and poultry are properly cooked.

Aquaculture, the controlled production of seafood, is now the fastest-growing segment of agriculture worldwide and accounts for more than half of all fish produced.  The industry has grown by 11 percent each year over the past 20 years.

Eighty-five percent of the seafood consumed in the United States comes from more than 50 countries and, of that imported fish, 40 percent comes from aquaculture operations, according to the FDA.

A primary focus of the program, intended to eliminate health hazards in farmed fish, is on the dangers associated with shrimp production and FDA regulations concerning seafood imports, according to an FDA press release.

“Collaborating with other countries in this way not only helps to improve the quality and safety of their domestic product, but also what they export to the United States and other countries around the world,” said Dr. Murray Lumpkin, FDA deputy commissioner for International Programs.

The seafood safety training, which has been ongoing since 2006, includes demonstrations, lectures and group activities.  Similar training has been conducted in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Malaysia.

The trainees from Bangladesh are part of a group that participated in a Good Aquacultural Practices program in their home country last year.  They hope to further improve the safety of aquaculture in their country over the next five years and will be qualified to train others there.

The current training was conducted Sept. 15-18 in College Park, Md. and a second training session begins today through Sept. 24 in Princess Anne, Md., and Cambridge, Md.

An investigation began in March after workers complained of ammonia odors, cuts and stabbing injuries. When OSHA inspectors observed a large number of safety hazards, the investigation was expanded.

According to Meatingplace, Pilgrim’s Pride received two repeat safety violations for failing to use lockout procedures and not correctly labeling containers with appropriate warnings. Fall hazards, unmarked fire exits, unsecured chlorine cylinders; unsafe batteries that exposed workers to acid burns and electrical shock; lack of machine guarding; lack of hand protection and electrical deficiencies accounted for 24 more health violations.

A company spokesman told The Times Daily newspaper in Florence, AL that Pilgrim’s Pride is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace and would meet with OHSA to review the violations and correct deficiencies.

The company has 15 days to comply or then request a formal conference with the OSHA director or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

“Pilgrim’s is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for our employees.  We take these matters very seriously and we intend to meet with OSHA officials soon to review the violations and correct any deficiencies,” Pilgrim’s Pride told Food Safety News.

The Center for Food Safety criticized the FDA’s analysis as misguided and dangerous. Federal tests were “insufficient in determining the long-term, unforeseen consequences” of genetic engineering, said Wenonah Hauter, director of Food & Water Watch.

If environmental and health groups remain suspicious of bioengineered foods, what do consumers think? Although genetically modified salmon would be cheaper to produce and therefore cheaper for consumers, it appears many have their doubts.

The Washington Post polled its readers, asking, “If genetically engineered salmon wins FDA approval, will you buy it?”

Ten percent of those who responded to the unscientific survey said, “Maybe, I’d need to see more research about the possible health and environmental consequences,” while 17 percent selected, “Yes. We already eat genetically engineered crops like corn and soybeans.”

An overwhelming 78 percent responded, “No. I’m too concerned about potential health and environmental risks.”

The FDA will hold two public meetings on GM salmon Sept. 19-21 and then will decide whether to approve the fish.  If the salmon wins approval, AquAdvantage has said it could take up to three years before it would be marketed to consumers.

John Reganold, WSU professor of soil science, authored the strawberry study, which was published by the Public Library of Science in its online journal, PLoS ONE.  According to Reganold, “Our findings have global implications and advance what we know about the sustainability benefits of organic farming systems.”

The study received federal funding and was supported by The Organic Center, which promotes organic food and is sponsored by major organic companies.  Reganold’s team included Preston Andrews, an associate professor of horticulture, and seven other experts, mostly from WSU.

They compared the taste and nutrition of strawberries grown in 13 conventional and 13 organic commercial fields over two years in California, and also analyzed 31 chemical and biological properties and soil properties, in what they say was the most comprehensive study of its kind.

On almost every major indicator, Reganold and his team found the organic fields produced berries equal to or better than the conventional fields.  They found that the organic soils had more nutrients and the strawberries themselves had higher concentrations of antioxidants and vitamin C.

 Among the study’s findings, as reported in a press release by Washington State University:

• The organic soil was chemically and biologically superior, with key properties including carbon sequestration, nitrogen, enzyme activities and micronutrients.

• The organic strawberries remained mold-free and more appetizing about a half-day longer than the conventionally grown berries.

• The organic strawberries had more dry matter, or, “more strawberry in the strawberry.”

The study used testers, working at times under red light so the fruit color would not bias them, who found that one variety of organic strawberries was sweeter, had better flavor and, once a white light was turned on, better appearance. The testers judged the other two varieties to be similar.

California, which produces 90 percent of the nation’s strawberries, is at the center of a debate over the use of soil fumigants to prepare fields for planting.

Conventional farms in the WSU study used methyl-bromide, an ozone-depleting chemical, which is slated to be replaced by the highly toxic methyl iodide, despite protests from health advocates and members of the National Academy of Sciences.

The WSU study’s DNA analysis of the chemical-free organic soils found that they “had dramatically more total and unique genes and greater genetic diversity,” which the researchers explain are key measures of the soil’s resilience to stress and ability to grow crops.

Reganold said the study’s evidence that organic strawberries are superior berries shows that “you can have high quality, healthy produce without resorting to an arsenal of pesticides.”

“For the millions of consumers, fishermen, and stakeholders who will be affected by the FDA’s decision, FDA’s release of incomplete information … is simply too little, too late,” Andrew Kimbrell, executive director for the Center for Food Safety, said in the news release.  “FDA’s fundamentally flawed process flies directly in the face of President Obama’s executive order for openness and transparency in government.”

The Center for Food Safety, along with Food & Water Watch and the Consumers Union, criticized the data provided by the FDA on its Website as scant, considering the agency had 10 years to review and decide whether AquAdvantage transgenic salmon will be the first genetically modified (GM) animal to be approved for human consumption.

The groups expressed concern that the FDA analysis of changes in the morphology of the new GM salmon involved only 12 fish and that the study on its potential to cause allergic reaction involved only 6 fertile GE fish and 6 infertile fish.  They said the sample sizes were too small to give an accurate picture of the health and safety of such fish raised in a commercial operation.

Michael Hansen, senior scientist at Consumers Union, noted that FDA did not require data from long-term clinical feeding trials.  “Without the required testing and safety data we have no way to prove the transgenic salmon is safe to eat,” he said in the prepared statement.

Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, said that because the FDA used the animal drug process to review the GM fish, “basic health and safety data was kept a secret until just before the hearing on its approval.” 

Opponents have long feared the fast-growing fish could escape and out-compete or breed with wild salmon. “No new data relating to the environmental and economic risks that transgenic salmon will pose if they escape into the wild was included in the materials released today,” said Erich Pica, President of Friends of the Earth US.

Despite AquaBounty’s assurance that the fish would be raised inland and that only sterile females would be sold, the consumer groups called this “a flawed assessment completed by AquaBounty itself (that) wrongly assumes nothing will go wrong.”

The FDA will hold two public meetings on the GM salmon Sept. 19-21 and is then expected to make a decision on whether to approve the fish.  If it wins approval, AquaBounty has said it could take up to three years before the fish would be marketed to consumers.

The researchers, led by Dr. Chris Exley with Shelle-Ann M Burrell, found aluminum content to be very high in some of the UK’s most popular infant formulas, including a product designed for preterm infants and a soy-based product for infants with an intolerance to cow’s milk.

The researchers selected 15 different brands of infant formula for testing, including powdered and ready-made liquid formulas based on cow’s milk and the soy-based variety.  All products were stored according to packaging instructions and the samples were taken directly from their packaging prior to testing.

The effects of aluminum in infant formula–which include possible reduced skeletal mineralization in preterm infants, and growth retardation–have been well-publicized and manufacturers should be well aware of the potential consequences, the researchers noted.  Risks associated with infant formula include both the issue of the contamination by the aluminum and the heightened vulnerability of newborn and preterm babies.

Because consumers have been warned for decades about the potential for aluminum toxicity, the researchers said parents likely might expect that aluminum levels in infant formula have been reduced.  On the contrary, they concluded, the aluminum content in infant formulas remains too high.

According to the researchers, formulas prepared from powdered milk generally had a much higher aluminum content than ready-made milks.

According to Keele University’s Press Release, “The concentrations of aluminium in infant formulas are up to 40 times higher than are present in breast milk. These concentrations are all several times higher than are allowed in drinking water. They are clearly too high for human consumption and certainly too high for consumption by such a vulnerable group as pre-term and term infants.”

Many of the formulas were packaged using aluminum-based materials. As for the soy-based product, researchers believe the levels of aluminum in the soy-based product could be the result of prior aluminum accumulation in the soybean plant.

A newly developed rapid cooling system uses carbon dioxide to create a thin layer of ice on the inside of the shell that will cut the risk of Salmonella illnesses as well as extend an egg’s shelf life.

During the recent recall of at least a half billion eggs, Keener noted that “natural contamination” from shell eggs is somewhat rare and more likely to have arisen because of sanitation issues in the processing plant.

“There is a big discussion right now about how food safety in the US is regulated and cooling eggs is part of that debate,” he told Food Production Daily.

According to Keener, under current industry practices, it takes up to six days to cool eggs to 45 degrees F, the temperature at which Salmonella can no longer grow.

“The eggs in the middle of a pallet may take up to six days to cool, and if the one in 20,000 that has Salmonella is in the middle, the bacteria will grow,” Keener said. “In reality, some eggs don’t cool to 45 degrees until they’re in the refrigerator in your home.”

The rapid cooling system Keener and his colleagues have been working on at Purdue takes only 90 seconds to cool eggs.

“Studies from the Food and Drug Administration show that if eggs were cooled and stored at 45 degrees or less within 12 hours of laying, there would be an estimated 78 percent fewer Salmonella illnesses from eggs in the United States each year,” he added.

Keener hopes the practice will be adopted by the industry and is looking for a commercial partner to help with this.  In addition to costing only about 2 to 5 cents per dozen, the treatment will not slow down production.

Also, “the technology extends shelf life from the basic 6-8 weeks to 12-15 weeks depending on how the eggs are stored,” said Keener. “This extension would make the process commercially viable as the shelf life would be such that producers would have the potential to export.”

Grandin, arguably the world’s most well-known autistic person, is a New York Times best-selling author, a professor of animal science, a consultant to the leading food companies, and a noted speaker on animal behavior and autism.

“As a person with autism, it is easy for me to understand how animals think because my thinking processes are like an animal’s,” she told Food Safety News in a recent interview.

Claire Danes took home the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie award for her portrayal of Grandin.  Julia Ormand won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie; she played Grandin’s mother in the film.

Director Mick Jackson won the award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special.

The film, which was nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, has now won 7, including two Creative Arts Primetime Emmy Awards.

The processing and distribution of PCBs has been prohibited in almost all industrial countries due to their toxicity, however, they can still be released into the environment from paint as well as poorly maintained hazardous waste sites that contain PCBs. Most often, people are exposed to PCBs through contaminated food.

The European Food Safety Authority reports that several international agencies classify PCBs as probably carcinogenic to humans.  Some PCBs have been shown to cause neurological, endocrine, immunological, and carcinogenic effects, according to the EFSA.

Between 1995 and 2008 a total of 11,214 food and 1,349 feed samples from 18 EU Member States were kept for a detailed analysis. Overall, 18.8 percent of the results for single toxic chemicals were below the limit of quantification.

According to the research, the highest levels of contamination were found in several fish and fish product categories followed by terrestrial animal products. The lowest levels were found in fruits and vegetables.

The EFSA indicated further study is needed, stating:  “The current assessment includes results from both random and targeted monitoring but a clear separation of the two sampling groups was not possible. The lack of such sampling information and the irregular coverage of food and feed groups over time did not allow for an accurate time trend analysis to be performed. To improve the validity of any assessment of the presence of dioxins and PCBs in food and feed in Europe it is important to carry out random testing and separate reporting of a sufficient number of samples in each food and feed group. Targeted sampling during contamination incidences should be clearly indicated as such in the reporting.”

Before production can resume at the plant, Oregon health officials are waiting on test results to ensure the plant is safe.

Feldkamp said the dairy expects to be packaging its products again by the end of the week.

“Everyone here in the company has worked really hard to pitch in and do what we can to tear apart conveyors and sanitize,” Feldkamp told the News Review of Oregon.

Dr. Paul Cieslak of the state Public Health Division said officials are testing the cleaned surfaces and the results should be known soon.

As Food Safety News reported, Oregon public health officials reported 23 laboratory-confirmed DNA matches to the Salmonella Braenderup strain in an outbreak that dates back to October 2009.  Two people who were infected required hospitalization.  No one has died.

Since the recall was announced, no other cases have been reported to the health department.

Although the Roseburg milk plant remains closed, brands including Umpqua Dairy, Cascade, Great Value, Lady Lee, Market of Choice and Sherm’s are now back on the shelves with the help of four other packaging plants in Oregon and California.

“We want to reiterate that we are making sure the customer gets a wholesome dairy product,” Feldkamp said. “Our goal has always been to provide top quality. We want to make sure the customer understands the milk out there is perfectly safe.”

The replacement products that have been deemed safe for consumption have the following expiration dates:

• Sept. 6 or later for milk, flavored milk, half-and-half and cream

• Sept. 11 or later for buttermilk

• Sept. 16 or later for Umpqua Dairy brand orange juice and fruit drinks.

The cupcake lady, Kate Carrara, a 35-year-old former lawyer who sells 400-500 cupcakes throughout the city daily, says the rules are just too confusing.

“It’s just the laws,” said Carrara, who paid $200 to get her truck out of the lot and was back selling cupcakes at a plaza near City Hall on Wednesday. “I’ve been trying to figure out where I can go and where I can’t go.”

Last Tuesday when Carrara showed up in University City, she said city officials with badges were waiting for her. Although she thought she was outside the zone where permits were needed, the inspectors said they had received complaints that she wasn’t allowed to be there.

Fran Burns, the city’s Licenses and Inspections commissioner, said Carrara was warned several times and inspectors suggested she move locations or get one of the licenses.

“We don’t write the law, but we do enforce it,” Burns said. “We don’t get to be the arbitrators on whether we agree with the law.”

Carrara is sticking to JFK Plaza, a popular park near City Hall where she says she has a permit to operate every Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. through Jan. 11 because neither she nor her husband, Andy Carrara can figure out where exactly she is allowed to sell.

Many criticize the paperwork involved in getting permits at City Hall and ‘ridiculous’ taxes on businesses. According to The Boston Globe, last week, the blogosphere erupted over a business privilege license the city says is required of bloggers who make money.

Many customers of Carrara’s and residents of Philadelphia are sympathetic to her.

“Small business people are what drives the economy,” said one customer. “The Philadelphia government is very difficult to navigate as a small business.”

EFSA wants to ensure that its risk assessment reflects the most current scientific data and addresses the widest range of concerns from various groups.

During a 10 week public consultation, EFSA received 181 comments mostly addressing how to properly implement the general approach to identify allergens in GMOs. The comments came from 17 interested parties including national assessment bodies, non-governmental organizations, business associations, universities, and individual consumers.

Recommendations in the opinion are included to update and complement EFSA’s assessment of allergens in GM plants and microorganisms and derived food and feed.

It is possible that GM food and feed could contain proteins which may cause food allergies in both people and animals. Because of this, EU legislation requires that the possibility of allergens in GMOs and food and feed derived from GMOs be assessed before these products are placed on the market.

EFSA’s GMO Panel initiated the process in order to update the current assessment procedures based on the most recent scientific data. Although there is no exact science or single test on how to assess the possibility of allergens in GMOs, the Panel concluded that a case by case evaluation based on the weight of evidence is the most appropriate approach.

“In the opinion, the Panel describes how to analyze the sequence of the proteins in order to identify possible similarities with known allergens; how to test the potential of the proteins to bind with specific antibodies (suggesting they could trigger an allergic reaction); and how to assess the breakdown of the protein during digestion. In addition to assessing the new protein, the Panel recommends that for crops known to be allergenic, the whole GM plant is tested for allergens,” the EFSA stated in a press release.

The full text of the EFSA opinion can be accessed on the agency’s Website.

To date, 794 Healthier US School Challenge awards have been given to schools. 

In a USDA press release Vilsak said, “Even as Congress considers legislation to make historic improvements to school meals, there are also steps that moms and dads and others in the community can take to improve the health and nutrition of the meals their kids eat each day.”

“While many schools have made healthful changes to school meals, more can be accomplished. The Challenge encourages schools to take voluntary extra steps toward improving the nutrition of all foods offered in schools, enhancing the opportunity for children to be physically active during the school day and providing nutrition education to help them learn how to make healthy lifestyle decisions.”

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service have made it more appealing for schools to take the challenge by providing schools monetary incentives for earning Healthier US School Challenge certification, offering a toolkit to provide schools with the information necessary to carry out the program and providing schools with educational assistance.

“If you look at the health and nutrition of our nation’s children, you can see we need immediate action,” said Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon in the USDA press release.

“Obesity is growing faster than any other public health issue in the United States. The [Healthier US School Challenge] raises the bar and helps schools improve the quality of school meals and increase the participation in school meal programs. We can accomplish a number of these goals through rapid passage of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization now before Congress.”

The Obama administration has put strong emphasis on improving USDA’s child nutrition program. Currently, Congress is considering legislation to strengthen the Child Nutrition Act.

As a new school year begins, the USDA is also encouraging parents to take the time to educate their children about the importance of food safety and how to prevent foodborne illness.

“Children have a higher risk for foodborne illness, and they tend to have much more severe reactions to pathogens than adults,” said FSIS Administrator Al Almanza. “Teaching them how to protect themselves means we can reduce tragic illnesses now and continue to improve the public health of the next generation.”

FSIS suggests getting kids involved in making their lunches, which opens conversations about food safety.

Millard Refrigeration Services in Theodore, Ala., freezes poultry

for export. According to Millard’s website, the 240,000 square foot

plant has a private port and can handle 2.5 million pounds daily. The

plant appears on the FSIS list of plants eligible for trade with Russia.

Witnesses reported seeing a 60-foot plume of gas shooting up into the air after a 200 gallon tank sprung a leak. Evacuations and road closures followed accordingly. 

The leak has since been capped.  Information regarding any food product that may have been contaminated during the leak has not yet been released.

In 2002, 157 students and teachers at an Illinois elementary school became ill minutes after consuming chicken tenders. The storage facility where these chicken tenders had been kept had an ammonia leak in 2001.

An investigation into the students’ illness by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service verified very high ammonia levels in the chicken tenders through its own laboratory analysis. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the legal limit for such concentrations of ammonia is 15 ppm. The tests revealed contamination of the tenders with ammonia at 500-2,000 ppm.