Fw: [BITES-L] bites Sep. 24/10

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Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 06:43:27 -0500

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bites Sep. 24/10

Food safety auditors can suck: Salmonella-in-egg producer got A-OK from same auditor that OKed salmonella in peanut paste

US: GOP senator blocks food safety bill

Stephen Colbert to testify at House hearing on farm labor this morning

AUSTRALIA: Court to crack 'free-range' egg case

CANADA: Health hazard alert – Certain raw oysters may contain foodborne pathogens

Food poisoning, mussels – ITALY: (Turin) Request for information

UK: Warning against consumption of Miracle Mineral Solution

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Food safety auditors can suck: Salmonella-in-egg producer got A-OK from same auditor that OKed salmonella in peanut paste
23.sep.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144252/10/09/23/food-safety-auditors-can-suck-salmonella-egg-producer-got-ok-same-auditor-oked-
The same third-party auditor that approved salmonella-tainted peanut paste that killed nine and sickened 600 also gave DeCoster egg operations a "superior" rating and "recognition of achievement" in June 2010, just as thousands of Americans began barfing from salmonella in DeCoster eggs.
Beyond the theatre of yesterday's House hearing about the salmonella-in-eggs outbreak that has sickened well over 1,600 was the revelation that DeCoster's Iowa egg operations had been audited by the American Institute of Baking based in Manhattan (Kansas).
The N.Y. Times reports that documents released by the committee showed that Wright County Egg achieved a "superior" rating and "recognition of achievement" from AIB International, a private inspection company based in Manhattan, Kan., after a June inspection of its processing facility. That came just as the company was causing thousands of illnesses from contaminated eggs.
In 2008, AIB gave a "superior" rating to a Peanut Corporation of America plant in Blakely, Ga., that was later found to be riddled with salmonella that caused a nationwide outbreak and the largest food recall in American history. A spokesman for AIB could not be reached.
Elizabeth Weise of USA Today reported today that Wright County Egg, one of the Iowa farms at the center of this summer's recall of 550 million eggs, earned "superior" ratings for its facilities from a third-party auditor the past three years.
But the auditor was the same one that gave a superior rating to the Peanut Corp. of America, whose shipments were linked to a salmonella outbreak that sickened hundreds a few years ago.
AIB International, of Manhattan, Kan., audited Wright's egg-packing plant twice in 2008, four times in 2009 and at least once in 2010, and every time found it to be "superior," Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., said during the hearing. … Calls to AIB were not returned Wednesday.
AIB International also gave the Peanut Corp. of America's Plainview, Texas, plant a "superior" rating. An outbreak of salmonella linked to some peanut products shipped from that plant and another PCA plant in 2007 and 2008 sickened as many as 600 people and may have contributed to nine deaths.
This is beyond embarrassing. It's criminal.
A Kansas State student wrote in 2009 that after a March 6, 2009 article in the N.Y. Times sorta shattered the myth of third-party food safety audits, he couldn't get anyone at AIB to talk.
Since the release of the Times article, AIB now requires a minimum of two days or longer to complete an inspection at a food processing facility. AIB has also announced it will change the name of its Good Manufacturing Practices inspection certificates from "Certificate of Achievement" to "Recognition of Achievement."
Is that like Homer Simpson winning the First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence?
Apparently, the answer is yes, given the salmonella-in-eggs poopfest.
Third-party food audits, like restaurant inspection, are a snapshot in time. Given the international sourcing of ingredients, audits are a requirement, but so is internal food safety intelligence to make sense of audits that are useful and audits that are chicken poop.
The third-party food safety audit scheme that processors and retailers insisted upon is no better than a financial Ponzi scheme. The vast number of facilities and suppliers means audits are required, but people have been replaced by paper.
Audits, inspections, training and systems are no substitute for developing a strong food safety culture, farm-to-fork, and marketing food safety directly to consumers rather than the local/natural/organic hucksterism is a way to further reinforce the food safety culture.
After the salmonella-in-peanut paste crap, Costco, a retail store, which previously limited AIB's inspections to its bakery vendors, has now instructed suppliers to not use AIB at all.
"The American Institute of Baking is bakery experts," said R. Craig Wilson, the top safety official at Costco. "But you stick them in a peanut butter plant or in a beef plant, they are stuffed."
Or as Mansour Samadpour of Seattle said at the time,
"The contributions of third-party audits to food safety is the same as the contribution of mail-order diploma mills to education."
Who were the buyers of DeCoster eggs who used AIB audits to justify putting salmonella on grocery store shelves? Any retailers want to step forward?
Coincidentally, Enreco Inc., a maker of flaxseed flours, bragged in a press release yesterday they had earned a "superior" rating from a recent AIB inspection at its Wisconsin production facility.
Enreco president Sean Moriarty said, "We are absolutely pleased to have achieved AIB's highest rating for four consecutive years now, even while incidents of food product recalls in the last two years have caused AIB to toughen their inspections considerably."
Sean, you may want to rethink that PR.
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/blog/138487/09/02/05/finally-focus-fallacy-food-safety-audits
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/business/23eggs.html?_r=1
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2010-09-22-egg-companies-apology_N.htm
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2009/04/articles/food-safety-communication/audits-do-not-enhance-food-safety-culture/
http://www.kstatecollegian.com/aib-responds-to-accusations-of-potential-link-to-salmonella-outbreak-1.1713506
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2009/04/articles/food-safety-communication/thirdparty-audits-are-no-replacement-for-skilled-staff-food-safety-culture-bite-me-09/
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2009/03/articles/food-safety-communication/outstanding-achievement-in-the-leafy-greens-field-of-excellence/
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2009/03/articles/food-safety-communication/third-party-food-safety-audits-are-like-mailorder-diplomas/
http://www.foodproductdesign.com/news/2010/09/enreco-earns-superior-aib-rating.aspx

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US: GOP senator blocks food safety bill
23.sep.10
Associated Press
Mary Clare Jalonick
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ifI1woByWAcO_IIqfsv4o1i-PPPAD9IDRM9O0
WASHINGTON -- Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn has blocked consideration of a food safety bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration more power to prevent foodborne illness.
The legislation would give the agency more power to recall tainted products, increase inspections of food processors and require producers to follow stricter standards for keeping food safe. Coburn, a Republican, says he is objecting because the bill is not paid for.

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Stephen Colbert to testify at House hearing on farm labor this morning
24.sep.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144262/10/09/24/stephen-colbert-testify-house-hearing-farm-labor-morning
Real farming is not like Facebook's Farmville. It requires work – and a lot of it. Then nerds like me come along and say – hey, while you're doing that minimum-wage piece work that Americans won't do, make sure you stay healthy and be aware of all the food safety risks associated with fresh produce.
The Packer reports Stephen Colbert, star of The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, is scheduled to testify at the "Protecting America's Harvest," House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law.
Part II of Colbert's stint as a farm worker is below.
http://thepacker.com/Comedy-Central-star-testifies-on-farm-labor/Article.aspx?oid=1245032&tid=&fid=PACKER-TOP-STORIES

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AUSTRALIA: Court to crack 'free-range' egg case
24.sep.10
Courier Mail
AAP
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/court-to-crack-free-range-egg-case/story-e6freonx-1225929034224
A West Australian egg company that for more than four years allegedly falsely advertised their eggs as free-range will face charges in the Perth Federal Court.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has begun proceedings against the company C I & Co and its owners Antonio and Anna Pisano for allegedly contravening the Trade Practices Act.
The ACCC alleges that for two years between 2006 and 2008 the company labelled and marketed cartons of eggs using the words "free-range eggs" when the contents were not actually free-range.

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CANADA: Health hazard alert – Certain raw oysters may contain foodborne pathogens
23.sep.10
CFIA
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2010/20100923be.shtml
OTTAWA -- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the raw oysters described below because they may contain foodborne pathogens.
The following Effingham XSM (extra small) raw oysters are affected by this alert:
Processed By Size Code
Albion Fisheries Ltd.,
Vancouver, BC 5 dozen oysters per bag Lot # 172688
Albion Fisheries Ltd.,
Vancouver, BC 5 dozen oysters per bag Lot # 172929
Sea World Fisheries Ltd.,
Vancouver, BC 5 dozen oysters per bag NY-OY-10091401
In addition, these raw oysters may have been sold in smaller quantities at some retail seafood counters. Consumers who are unsure whether they have the affected product are advised to check with their retailer or supplier.
These raw oysters are known to be distributed in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. However, they may have been distributed in other provinces.
There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these raw oysters.
The CFIA is collaborating with its partners, Vancouver Costal Health (VCH), British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Health Canada to investigate these illnesses. This investigation is ongoing.
Food contaminated with foodborne pathogens may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these organisms may cause foodborne illness, sometimes called food poisoning. Symptoms vary by organism, but can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, dizziness and neck stiffness. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may be more at risk.
The processors of raw oysters are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
For more information consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
For information on the Common Causes of Foodborne Illness, visit the Food Facts web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/causee.shtml
For information on all food recalls, visit the CFIA's Food Recall Report at: http://active.inspection.gc.ca/eng/corp/recarapp_dbe.asp.
To find out more about receiving recalls by e-mail, and other food safety facts, visit: www.foodsafety.gc.ca. Food and consumer product recalls are also available at http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca.

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Food poisoning, mussels – ITALY: (Turin) Request for information
20.sep.10
La Repubblica, ANSA
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:856712685542586::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,84957
Increasing numbers of cases of people poisoned by spoiled or contaminated mussels are occurring, bought from the Porta Palazzo fish market, in neighborhood stores, and in the large distribution market for Turin and its province. Now the 1st analysis of the mussels is being done which should give more information on the cause or causes of the illnesses.
More than 30 people have experienced symptoms of food poisoning after eating mussels on Thursday and Friday evening [16-17 Sep 2010] and were forced to go to hospitals in the area. Still others have turned to the doctor by phone. Symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever have occurred.
"With only the symptoms and the incubation time is not possible to determine the common pathogen," explained the Gradenigo hospital. "In order to give definite answers, and not generate an alarm, it is necessary to wait for the outcome of the cultures. In theory, and we still do not know whether this the case, it could be bacterial enteritis." Another 6 cases of poisoning from mussels were recorded tonight [19 Sep 2010] in Turin. A report to the San Giovanni Bosco hospital related that gastrointestinal symptoms in recent days have affected dozens of people in Turin and its province, all who had bought the shellfish in supermarkets. None are in serious condition. Meanwhile all the other people in recent days who have gone to hospitals with symptoms of intoxication have been discharged.
[ProMED-mail awaits more information regarding the incubation periods and lengths of the illnesses and whether fever was a prominent symptom.
Since mussels are generally eaten cooked, it is less likely that a true infection was the cause (such as salmonellosis or norovirus illness). Staphylococcal enterotoxin is an example of heat stable enterotoxin which causes an illness of short (less than 6 hours) incubation and a_Bacillus cereus_ enterotoxin is also heat-stable.
Diarrheal shellfish poisoning (DSP), a toxin-associated illness associated with production in dinoflagellates, which can be associated with mussels may well be the diagnosis here. Diarrhea is the most commonly reported symptom (92 percent), closely followed by nausea (80 percent) and vomiting (79 percent), with onset 30 minutes to 12 hours from ingestion. - Mod.LL]

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UK: Warning against consumption of Miracle Mineral Solution
24.sep.10
Food Standards Agency
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2010/sep/mms
The FSA is urgently warning people not to consume Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS). This product is being sold as an oral supplement and is also known as Miracle Mineral Supplement. If you have any of this product you should throw it away. If you have consumed MMS and feel unwell you should consult your doctor.
MMS is a 28% sodium chlorite solution which is equivalent to industrial-strength bleach. When taken as directed it could cause severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, potentially leading to dehydration and reduced blood pressure.
If the solution is diluted less than instructed, it could cause damage to the gut and red blood cells, potentially resulting in respiratory failure.
MMS is available via the Internet. The FSA is warning local authorities that this product should not be on sale. If you are aware of MMS being sold in retail outlets, you should contact your local authority trading standards department. To find the contact details of your local authority, you can use our online search facility.
The US Food and Drink Administration and Health Canada have taken similar action to warn consumers about this product and their alerts can be found at the links below.

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bites is produced by Dr. Douglas Powell and food safety friends at Kansas State University. For further information, please contact dpowell@ksu.edu or check out bites.ksu.edu.

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