Organic more better?

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From: Doug Powell
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 12:59:24 -0500
To: BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU<BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU>
Subject: [BITES-L] bites Sept. 7/09

bites Sept. 7/09

JAPAN: All 187 Pepper Lunch restaurants closed after food poisoning

Amid swine flu FRANCE kissing goodbye to 'la bise'

NORTH DAKOTA: Unconfirmed E. coli case reported at NDSU

FBD: Food Safety & Standards Authority of INDIA plans to introduce new regulation for procurement of raw materials

US: Allen Brothers: A family's commitment to quality and food safety

Recession drives U.S. restaurateurs, diners to trucks

AUSTRALIA: Another cow dies of anthrax

Organic is more nutritious according to the FRENCH

US AND FRANCE: Monsanto licenses use of Cellectis' innovative genome modification technology

TASMANIA: New hope for ancient plant

Alterations of outer membrane proteins and virulence genes expression in gamma-irradiated Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus

Pulsed light inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes through different plastic films

Is norovirus a foodborne or pandemic pathogen? An analysis of the transmission of norovirus-associated gastroenteritis and the roles of food and food handlers

Differences in Listeria monocytogenes contamination of rural Ohio residences with and without livestock

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JAPAN: All 187 Pepper Lunch restaurants closed after food poisoning
07.sep.09
Japan Today
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/pepper-lunch-restaurants-nationwide-closed-after-food-poisoning
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2009/09/articles/e-coli/11-sick-in-japan-with-e-coli-o157-steakhouse-chain-closes-all-187-outlets/
TOKYO -- Pepper Food Service Co said Monday it has closed all of its 187 Pepper Lunch steakhouses in Japan the same day after at least 11 customers developed food poisoning. The company, which runs 231 restaurants in Japan including Pepper Lunch steakhouses and others such as those that specialize in fried pork cutlet dishes, said it plans to clean each outlet and ensure hygiene controls are in place.
A total of 11 customers became ill from the O-157 strain of E. coli bacteria after eating diced beefsteak at Pepper Lunch steak restaurants in seven prefectures including Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, according to the restaurant chain operator and local governments. Kunio Ichinose, the company president, apologized, saying, ''We will reopen the restaurants as soon as we are fully prepared to do so.''

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Amid swine flu FRANCE kissing goodbye to 'la bise'
07.sep.09
Associated Press
Jamey Keaten
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hAnfP_AyRC7kEWS_aRG_rLNpG75QD9AIIIFO0
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2009/09/articles/handwashing/air-kissing-or-la-bise-discouraged-in-france-because-of-h1n1-flu/
PARIS -- It's a ubiquitous French tradition, as familiar as a baguette or an espresso at the neighborhood cafe. Now, "la bise," the cheek-to-cheek peck that the French use to say hello or goodbye, has come under pressure from a globalized threat: swine flu.
Some French schools, companies and a Health Ministry hotline are telling students and employees to avoid the social ritual out of fear the pandemic could make it the kiss of death, or at least illness, as winter approaches.
Mainland France has so far only counted three swine flu deaths. The tally is worse in French southern hemisphere holdings now in winter, like the South Pacific island of Nouvelle Caledonie, with seven deaths and 35,000 cases overall, according to local officials.
Across France, authorities and school officials are taking few chances — while trying to avoid stirring panic when the academic year started last week. In recent months, a few schools in France have been temporarily shut after cases of swine flu emerged.
For kids in two schools in the town of Guilvinec, in France's western Brittany region, the first lesson of the year came from local officials: no more cheek kisses to teachers or other students.

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NORTH DAKOTA: Unconfirmed E. coli case reported at NDSU
05.sep.09
INFORUM
http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/252005/
North Dakota State University officials were taking precautions Friday after an employee who works with E. coli bacteria became sick.
The staff member works in a lab in the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering and reported a gastrointestinal illness.
It had not been confirmed if the illness is associated with E. coli, but officials decided to warn the campus so people could take precautions, said NDSU spokeswoman Najla Amundson.
An e-mail alert was sent to the campus community Friday, warning them to wash hands frequently, promptly report illnesses to supervisors and to follow lab safety protocols.

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FBD: Food Safety & Standards Authority of INDIA plans to introduce new regulation for procurement of raw materials
07.sep.09
FoodBizDaily
Sabyasachi Samajdar
http://foodbizdaily.com/articles/92413-food-safety-standards-authority-of-india-plans-to.aspx
Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Government of India sponsored processed food regulatory organization, will soon to introduce a new regulation for procurement of raw materials for the food processing units in the country. This regualation shall also be imposed on imported food.
According to FSSAI official sources, in order to ensure safe food in the country the government will soon to introduce new regulations for the process food industry in the country under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Under this new regulation, no raw material or ingredient thereof shall be accepted by an establishment if it is known to contain parasites, undesirable micro-organisms, pesticides, veterinary drugs or toxic items, decomposed or extraneous substances, which would not be reduced to an acceptable level by normal sorting and/or processing.
In addition the raw materials, food additives and ingredients, wherever applicable, shall conform to the rules and regulations laid down under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006.
Records of raw materials, food additives and ingredients as well as their source of procurement shall be maintained.
Food storage facilities shall be designed and constructed to enable food to be effectively protected from contamination during storage, permit adequate maintenance and cleaning, un avoid pest access and accumulation.
Segregation shall be provided for the storage of rejected, recalled or returned materials or products. Such areas, materials or products shall be suitable if marked and secured. Raw materials and food shall be stored in separate area from printed packaging materials, stationary, hardware and cleaning chemicals.
Raw food, particularly meat, poultry and seafood products shall be stored separately from the area of work-in-progress, processed, cooked and packaged products. The conditions of storage in terms of temperature and humidity requisite for enhancing the shelf life of the respective food materials or products shall be maintained.
Storage of raw materials, Ingredients, work-in-progress and processed or cooked or packaged food products shall be subject to FIFO(First in, First Out) stock rotation system.
Containers made of non-toxic materials shall be provided for storage of raw materials, work-in-progress and finished or ready to serve products. The food materials shall be stored on racks and pallets such that they are reasonably well above the floor and away from the wall so as to facilitate effective cleaning and prevent harboring of any pests or rodents.

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US: Allen Brothers: A family's commitment to quality and food safety
02.sep.09
Meatingplace
James Marsden
http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/blog/BlogDetail.aspx?topicID=4615&BlogID=11
The area around the Chicago Stockyards has changed a lot recently. The famous Union Stock Yard Gate is still standing and has become a Chicago landmark since the yards closed in 1971. Today, the neighborhood is home to very few meat companies and instead features more and more expensive townhouses. One of the few companies still based on South Halsted in the Stockyards area is Allen Brothers. It has been in the same location since 1893. Allen Brothers is owned and operated by the Hatoff family. Until recently, Bobby Hatoff ran the business. His son, Todd is now in charge.
Allen Brothers is well known as a purveyor of prime steaks to fine restaurants. Their customers include Morton's, Delmonico's, Lawry's, The Prime Rib and many other legendary restaurants. They also have a thriving catalog business, whose customers include Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck.
Although Allen Brothers made its reputation through its commitment to quality, the company also has one of the most advanced food safety systems in the meat industry. There are technologies in place in their dry aging rooms that control microbiological pathogens and prevent mold. Environmental control technologies are also strategically placed throughout the manufacturing areas of the plant to reduce the risk of microbiological contamination during processing. Subprimals are treated using a technology based on Ultraviolet Light to address surface contamination before processing and cutting.
The results are impressive. Although the exterior is reminiscent of 19th Century Chicago, the interior is modern, efficient, clean and sanitary. The food safety technologies distinguish the facility and have been reviewed by customers, food editors, chefs and USDA officials.
During my visit, I toured the test kitchen with Bobby Hatoff and met the head of the Food Network. While we were there, the office staff was arranging for the regular Friday luncheon for all employees and their families. It is no wonder that Allen Brothers has almost no employee turnover.
This combination of quality and safety has attracted the attention of many of the nation's top chefs. Recently, Spike Mendelsohn (representing Allen Brothers) competed with Bobby Flay, Rick Bayless, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto and Katie Lee Joel at the 2009 South Beach Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash, hosted by Rachel Ray and the Food Network. The Allen Brothers entry won the first "Golden Grill" award at the contest.
At a time when the meat industry receives very little favorable publicity, Allen Brothers consistently inspires. Again, a family with vision and a commitment to safety and quality reminded me about what is good in the meat industry.

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Recession drives U.S. restaurateurs, diners to trucks
06.sep.09
New York Times
Reuters
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/09/06/business/business-us-usa-economy-foodtrucks.html?_r=3
LOS ANGELES -- A growing fleet of mobile food vendors that serve tasty and inventive fare, often organic.
The trend has drawn entrepreneurs looking for opportunities in the recession and diners seeking cheap eats.
The new vehicles raise the bar from the traditional "taco trucks" that sell mainly Mexican fare at construction sites and in neighborhoods in U.S. cities with big Latino populations.
Their menus are wildly different, attracting adventurous foodies with unusual items: tacos filled with Korean-style barbecued meat, vegan burgers, sushi, cupcakes, and architecturally inspired ice cream sandwiches.
Many operators use Twitter to tell customers where they're going next. 'Kogi,' which serves Korean barbecue tacos, was among the first to use the free social media site.

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AUSTRALIA: Another cow dies of anthrax
07.sep.09
ABC News
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/07/2678334.htm
A second cow has died as a result of an outbreak of anthrax in Victoria's Goulburn Valley.
The Department of Primary Industries says the animal died on Friday, four days after the first reported death.
Cattle in the area are being vaccinated.
The department's acting senior vet, Dr John Ryan, says the second cow to die was on its way to a knackery.

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Organic is more nutritious according to the FRENCH
03.sep.09
Food Magazine
http://www.foodmag.com.au/Article/Organic-is-more-nutritious-according-to-the-French/496876.aspx
A new report by the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA) has found that organic foods are better for you and contain less pesticides and nitrates, which have been linked to a range of health problems including diabetes and Alzheimer's.
Andre Leu, Chairman of the Organic Federation of Australia, says the up-to-date exhaustive and critical evaluation of the nutritional quality of organic food and has found organic foods have higher levels of minerals and antioxidants.'
"The AFSSA study has been published in the peer reviewed scientific journal Agronomy for Sustainable Development ensuring that it has met rigorous scientific standards," Leu said.
The major points of The French Agency for Food Safety study are:
1. Organic plant products contain more dry matter (more nutrient dense)
2. Have higher levels of minerals
3. Contain more anti-oxidants such as phenols and salicylic acid (known to protect against cancers, heart disease and many other health problems)
4. Organic animal products contain more polyunsaturated fatty acids (protect against heart disease)
5. Carbohydrate, protein and vitamin levels are insufficiently documented
6. 94–100% of organic foods do not contain any pesticide residues
7. Organic vegetables contain far less nitrates, about 50% less (high nitrate levels are linked to a range of health problems including diabetes and Alzheimer's)
8. Organic cereals contain similar levels of mycotoxins as conventional ones
In 2001, the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA) set up an expert working group to perform an exhaustive and critical evaluation of the nutritional and sanitary quality of organic food.
The AFSSA says they aimed for the highest quality scientific standards during the evaluation. The selected papers referred to well-defined and certified organic agricultural practices, and had the necessary information on design and follow-up, valid measured parameters and the appropriate sampling and statistical analyses.
After more than two years of work involving about 50 experts from all specific areas including organic agriculture, a final consensus report was issued in the French language in 2003.
The current study published in the peer reviewed journal, in English, is a summary of this report and the relevant studies that have been published since 2003.
The conclusions of this study are different from the recent UK Food Standard Agency Study that was widely criticised by international experts for using flawed methodology and a conclusion that contradicted its own data.
The full scientific report can be found at http://swroc.cfans.umn.edu/organic/ASD_Lairon_2009.pdf

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US AND FRANCE: Monsanto licenses use of Cellectis' innovative genome modification technology
07.sep.09
Monsanto Company
http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=745
ST. LOUIS and ROMAINVILLE, France -- Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) today announced a non-exclusive research and commercial license agreement with France-based Cellectis S.A. (Alternext: ALCLS), a biotechnology company specialized in genome engineering, for broad use of its meganuclease technology in plants.
Meganucleases are molecular scissors that can be directed to a single site in the genome of a plant cell, thereby allowing a wide range of precise genome modifications, including gene stacking, gene knock-out as well as modulation of gene function to develop new traits. Under the agreement, Monsanto will have access to Cellectis' intellectual property on meganucleases and its custom meganuclease production platform.
Cellectis will receive an upfront payment of euro 3 million, and subject to the approval of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Cellectis' shareholders, Monsanto will make an equity investment of euro 1 million to allow Cellectis to scale the technology for agriculture. Cellectis will also be eligible to receive fees for the development of each meganuclease, success-based milestones and may receive royalties on certain traits commercialized by Monsanto. Further financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
"Being able to make precise genome modifications could enable us to advance projects even more rapidly through our R&D pipeline," said Robert Fraley, chief technology officer for Monsanto. "This technology has the potential to accelerate delivery of our ever expanding trait pipeline to farmers in the form of value-added, multi-trait products."
"This agreement with Monsanto, the leader in agricultural biotechnology, could allow our meganuclease-based genome engineering technology to be put to use in developing the next generation of quality crops," said Andre Choulika, chief executive officer of Cellectis. "The number of meganuclease users in agricultural biotechnology continues to grow. This agreement confirms our leading position in targeted gene modifications."

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TASMANIA: New hope for ancient plant
07.sep.09
ABC News
Sarah Bester
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/07/2679005.htm
Tasmanian scientists have taken a leap forward in a battle to save a rare and endangered plant.
The tree species commonly known as King's Lomatia was first discovered 70 years ago by local tin miner Deny King, in a remote patch of Tasmania's south-west wilderness, with only about 500 stems of the plant in existence.
Botanist Natalie Tapson says the plant is a genetic freak that can only reproduce by cloning itself.
"The plant has been reproducing itself for over 43 000 years, it's probably the oldest living clone in the world."
She says it's under threat from the introduced phytophera fungus which is spreading rapidly through button grass plains surrounding its habitat.

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Alterations of outer membrane proteins and virulence genes expression in gamma-irradiated Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus
07.sep.09
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
Fethi Ben Abdallah, Amina Bakhrouf, Atef Ayed, Héla Kallel
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpd.2009.0331
Abstract
Gamma-irradiation technology sterilizes microorganisms and thereby prevents decay and improves the safety and shelf stability of food products. In this study we treated the foodborne pathogens Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus with γ-irradiation (0.5kGy) to evaluate their adaptative response. Outer membrane protein patterns of irradiated bacteria were found altered when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These modifications were manifested by the appearance and/or disappearance of bands as well as in the expression level of certain proteins. In addition, we searched for the presence of eight Vibrio cholerae virulence genes, toxR, toxS, toxRS, ctxA, zot, ace, toxT, and virulence pathogenicity island (VPI), in the genome of investigated strains. The expression of toxR, toxS, VPI, and ace genes in γ-irradiated bacteria, studied by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, was altered. These variations were manifested by an increase and/or a decrease in the expression level of tested virulence genes.

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Pulsed light inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes through different plastic films
07.sep.09
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
Manuela Fernández, Susana Manzano, Lorenzo de la Hoz, Juan A. Ordóñez, Eva Hierro
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpd.2009.0328
Abstract
The efficacy of decontamination by pulsed light technology through different plastic films has been assayed using Listeria monocytogenes Scott A as target microorganism. A 12-μm polyethylene film, a 48-μm polyamide/polyethylene/vinyl acetate–based copolymer, and a 60-μm polyamide/polyethylene copolymer were tested. Noble agar plates were surface inoculated and wrapped with different films. Unwrapped plates were also analyzed as control. Fluences of 0.175 and 0.35J/cm2 were applied. Pulsed light treatment achieved the same degree of inactivation (5–5.5log cfu/cm2) in either wrapped or unwrapped samples. All the polymers showed the same behavior. These results indicate that pulsed light technology could be suitable for decontamination of packaged foods.

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Is norovirus a foodborne or pandemic pathogen? An analysis of the transmission of norovirus-associated gastroenteritis and the roles of food and food handlers
07.sep.09
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
Moshe S. Dreyfuss
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpd.2009.0320
Abstract
This study examined the association of norovirus with foodborne disease outbreaks linked to food handlers and foodborne outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis associated with norovirus, in comparison to Salmonella foodborne gastroenteritis. Comparative analysis using χ2-tests showed no similarity between the outbreaks from norovirus and those from Salmonella. Odds ratios also showed a stronger similarity between the proportions of food handler–implicated norovirus outbreaks than from Salmonella-implicated outbreaks. An analysis of data found norovirus transmission to occur more frequently spread person-to-person, unlike Salmonella, but similar to influenza or rotavirus. Norovirus was also not shown to be associated with food consumption. The data collection tool that focuses on food handlers as a source of the virus may be better including the general human population. Such an enteric virus would be better understood through its similarity to the person-to-person transmission model resulting in pandemic spread.

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Differences in Listeria monocytogenes contamination of rural Ohio residences with and without livestock
07.sep.09
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
Ann L. Kersting, Lydia C. Medeiros, Jeffrey T. LeJeune
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpd.2009.0318
Abstract
To determine the contribution of on-site livestock to the environmental contamination of rural households with Listeria monocytogenes, a total of 1779 environmental and food samples were collected from 26 ruminant-farm households and 26 rural households in Ohio. L. monocytogenes isolates were identified and differentiated using sequence comparisons of the intragenic regions of inlB and inlC. L. monocytogenes was isolated from shoes, 9.6% (20/208); utility gloves, 5.4% (6/111); kitchen sinks, 1.5% (3/204); washing machines, 0.96% (2/204); food, 1.11% (7/631); and animal feces, 8.7% (9/104), over the course of four household visits at monthly intervals. Notably, L. monocytogenes–contaminated shoes were identified more frequently from ruminant farmhouses than from rural households that did not raise ruminants on site (odds ratio=4.8). L. monocytogenes isolated from animal feces was indistinguishable from strains recovered from shoes and gloves stored in several homes. Our results highlight the potential of the rural household environment as source of L. monocytogenes exposure.

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