Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Friday, October 29, 2010

Fw: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 29/10

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From: Doug Powell <dpowell@KSU.EDU>
Sender: Bites <BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU>
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2010 07:19:12 -0500
To: BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU<BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU>
ReplyTo: Doug Powell <dpowell@KSU.EDU>
Subject: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 29/10


bites Oct. 29/10

A 20-year battle sparked by E. coli; after fighting for life, she died on own terms

Going public: People have a right to know about outbreaks

New egg safety plans unveiled by industry and government

Keeping Food Safe from Farm to Table: A report from the American Academy of Microbiology

Dirty dining in Vegas: Hot N Juicy Crawfish

Notes from the field: Vibrio mimicus infection from consuming crayfish --- Spokane, Washington, June 2010

FLORIDA citrus growers develop food safety standards

MINNESOTA: More illnesses tied to raw milk from Sibley County farm

CALIFORNIA: Research helps ensure safety of leafy greens

CANADIAN response to foreign animal disease scare sends positive message to trading partners

INDIA: Tiger park Salmonella outbreak response....weird

The microbiological quality of commercial herb and spice preparations used in the formulation of a chicken supreme ready meal and microbial survival following a simulated industrial heating process

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A 20-year battle sparked by E. coli; after fighting for life, she died on own terms
29.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144832/10/10/29/20-year-battle-sparked-e-coli-after-fighting-life-she-died-own-terms
Alisha Lewis died in June 2010.
The 22-year-old spent her final week on Earth paying a matter-of-fact visit to a funeral home to pick out a casket, choosing the white lilies that would rest atop it, and setting aside the hoodie and sweatpants she'd wear as mourners said their last goodbyes.
It was abject fear that coursed through her mother's veins in early June 1990 when she raced to the Alberta Children's Hospital, her sick twin toddlers crying in their baby seats. The week before, she had stopped at a fast-food drive-thru and picked up fries and a cheeseburger, which she split in two and handed to her daughters in response to their pleading.
Valerie Fortney of the Calgary Herald (that's in Canada) writes this morning that after being diagnosed with what was then called "hamburger disease" -- referred to today as E. coli infection-- Alisha and Aimee Lewis became little celebrities in the city.
The Herald ran stories and photos of their plight, and they were featured on several TV news broadcasts, mainly because the girls were said to have possibly contracted the disease from the fast-food establishment, although the Calgary medical examiner at that time expressed concern that the contamination might have occurred outside of the disease's normal incubation period.
Quickly, though, they slipped from the public eye. But the struggle had only just begun.
While Aimee quickly recovered, Alisha continued to suffer, and later went into complete renal, or kidney, failure.
When she was finally released from hospital six agonizing weeks later, her mother, Amanda Lewis, was told she'd suffered permanent kidney damage and might need a kidney transplant. "They first told me both of them might not make it," recalls Lewis, who not long after the crisis married her partner, Roger McLaren, who with their mom raised her two girls and boys, along with his two boys from a previous relationship.
Alisha later developed diabetic and autonomic neuropathy -- a nerve disorder that can cause intense pain -- and also had to have a feeding tube installed to keep nutrients in her body after being diagnosed with gastroparesis, a condition that affects the ability of the stomach to empty its contents.
Knowing all of her young life that she wasn't likely to live to see age 25, Alisha made the difficult decision at the end of 2009 to end treatment. "She was sick of hospitals," says Lewis, "and she was sick and tired of always being sick and tired." Alisha gave up the painful tube feed, and began eating food again, although she often wasn't strong enough to keep it in.
On June 8, 2010 -- almost 20 years to the exact day of her contracting E. coli-- Alisha died surrounded by her family, and cradled in the arms of her younger, by 12 minutes, twin sister. Thanks to accelerated osteoporosis and other life-threatening ailments, she was, says her mother, a young woman with the body of an 80-year-old.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/year+battle+sparked+coli/3745016/story.html




Going public: People have a right to know about outbreaks
29.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144831/10/10/29/going-public-people-have-right-know-about-outbreaks
Some public health types have long argued there is no point in making outbreaks of foodborne illness public – through media disclosure, for example – when the outbreak has passed or the food is gone and there is no on-going threat to public health.
I disagree.
Even if the threat has passed, public discussion of foodborne outbreaks enhances awareness, holds operators accountable, and builds trust and credibility for the investigating outfit (usually the local health department).
Oh, and as I told Jonathon Sher of the London Free Press (that's in Canada) people have a right to know about events where people got sick.
Sher reports this morning that Londoners were kept in the dark about a viral outbreak at the London Hunt and Country Club after at least 25 people were stricken with suspected norovirus after a Thanksgiving buffet Oct. 11 and at least four more became ill after attending an event for medical residents on the 13th.
Cathie Walker of the Middlesex-London Health Unit said,
"We were notified Oct. 14 by an attendee who was ill."
Public health officials didn't reported the outbreaks to the general public and instead relied on the Hunt Club, which had e-mailed a newsletter to its members about the incident, and the organizer of the event for medical residents.
Walker defends the lack of public notification, saying people who didn't attend the events weren't at risk and that the private club had taken over the task of notifying those who attended.
"Health Units are loathe to report it because it creates more work but there's value to reporting and the public has a right to know," said Doug Powell, an associate professor of food safety at Kansas State University.
In outbreaks such as these the cause is most often a food handler who is already sick, Powell said.
Barbara Kowalcyk, director of food safety for the U.S.-based Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention said, "(A worker) would be the logical place to look"
While kitchen staff worked at both events and some later reported be stricken with illness, it's not clear if any of the diners attending both events — health investigators never asked to compare the lists, the Hunt Club says.
The health unit instead interviewed 29 ill people, some who responded to the Hunt Club email and others mentioned by the initial people interviewed. But health investigators didn't speak to the roughly 370 other people who attended, Walker said.
That's a significant oversight, said Kowalcyk, who is a statistician completing a doctorate in Environmental Health with a focus in Epidemiology.
"If they don't even talk to people who weren't sick, I don't know how they can say they did an investigation," she said.
If a sick worker was the source it's possible he or she doesn't know it and may be still infecting people, she said.
"(The public) may want to know that," Kowalcyk said. "I'd think public health official would want that worker not to handle food."
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/blog/142465/10/06/04/lost-translation-time-end-don%E2%80%99t-ask-don%E2%80%99t-tell-food-safety-outbreak-reporting
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/10/28/15869801.html




New egg safety plans unveiled by industry and government
29.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144833/10/10/29/new-egg-safety-plans-unveiled-industry-and-government
Philip Brasher of the Des Moines Register reports exclusively this morning that egg producers and government regulators are separately taking steps to improve egg safety in the wake of a nationwide salmonella outbreak that was tied to farms in Iowa.
Producers "want nothing else to happen like what happened in Iowa," said Howard Magwire, vice president of government relations for the United Egg Producers. The trade group is developing safety standards for the industry that would go beyond federal regulations.
Good. Because government sets minimal standards that repeatedly cannot even catch the food safety outliers. Consumers, the ones who buy eggs, and producers, the ones who sell eggs and all suffer during an outbreak, deserve better, and the best way to do that is take charge and stop waiting for Godot or government.
The United Egg Producers is developing industry standards that will mirror the agency's production rules and go a step further by requiring participating producers to vaccinate all hens against salmonella. Because of contamination that the food agency found in feed at one of the Iowa operations, the producers' group also is considering writing sanitation standards for feed mills, Magwire said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced plans to inspect every major farm in the nation, starting with operations that have had past trouble with government officials, and it is working on coordinating oversight with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sixteen inspections had been carried out by midmonth. The agency expects to conduct about 600 inspections in the next 14 months.
Meanwhile, the USDA and FDA have given themselves until Nov. 30 to come up with a plan for training employees to spot food-safety problems, according to a Sept. 15 letter. "It is imperative that field employees are properly educated as to these responsibilities," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wrote in the letter.
Vilsack told The Des Moines Register that the food agency will train USDA egg inspectors to spot problems on egg farms.
About time.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101029/BUSINESS01/10290350/Register-Exclusive-New-egg-safety-plans-unveiled




Keeping Food Safe from Farm to Table: A report from the American Academy of Microbiology
29.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144834/10/10/29/keeping-food-safe-farm-table-report-american-academy-microbiology
A new report from the American Academy of Microbiology provides a thorough overview of food safety from farm-to-fork, highlighting the many opportunities for disease-causing organisms and other food safety hazards to enter the food supply.
Global Food Safety: Keeping Food Safe from Farm to Table is based on a colloquium convened by the Academy in 2009, reviews the current state of affairs in microbiological food safety around the world.
An essential take-home message is that most foodborne illness is not recognized or reported. Unless the illness is severe enough to require a visit to the doctor or hospital, it is unlikely that the source and identity of the pathogen will be determined. Only if many people are severely sickened by a single product are breaches in food safety likely to be detected. It is virtually impossible to know how many people are made sick by food, which foods are at fault, which pathogens are most widespread or dangerous, and where those pathogens entered the food production system. In such a situation, where should research, prevention and education efforts be directed?
In this report, each step in our complicated food production and supply system is described, making it clear that providing safe food is a shared responsibility.
Food safety is complex, and a perfectly safe food supply is an unrealistic goal. However, as this report explains, there are opportunities for improving food safety at each step of the production and consumption process and many areas where further research could help identify and quantify risks and generate solutions. The report also identifies food safety vulnerabilities that might be addressed through investments in new technologies or more effective education.
Here's a suggestion: drop the education bit and strive for food safety information that is compelling, based on stories, and is rapid, reliable, repeated and relevant.
The full report is available at
http://academy.asm.org/images/stories/documents/Global_Food_Safety.pdf.




Dirty dining in Vegas: Hot N Juicy Crawfish
28.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144830/10/10/28/dirty-dining-vegas-hot-n-juicy-crawfish
I'm not sure I understand the difference between crayfish and crawfish (wiki gives it a shot) but after posting about vibrio from crayfish, a devoted barfblogger sent this story from Las Vegas about the Hot and Juicy Crawfish.
KTNV reports the Southern Nevada Health District recently paid a visit to the restaurant and slapped it with 49 demerits, prompting its closure.
Inspectors found cooked crawfish being stored at the wrong temperature, live crawfish in a sink next to dirty dishes, dirty floors – including dead crawfish on the floor of a walk-in freezer - and dried food debris caked to shelves and "clean" kitchen knives.
Inspectors also say three employees were working without valid health cards, a requirement for anyone working with or around food, and a kitchen worker was cited for not properly washing his hands after handling the trash.
Open once again with an "A" grade after re-inspection, Channel 13 Action News stopped by Hot and Juicy Crawfish to speak with the manager about the restaurant's high number of demerits.
An employee interviewed by KTNV -- Channel 13 Action News -- said the owner was not available but subsequently added, "We're not the dirtiest restaurant in Las Vegas. It was a lot of little technicalities. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayfish
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/blog/144827/10/10/28/crayfish-cross-contamination-sickens-four-vibrio-spokane
http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13360581




Notes from the field: Vibrio mimicus infection from consuming crayfish --- Spokane, Washington, June 2010
29.oct.10
CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5942a5.htm?s_cid=mm5942a5_x
On June 24, 2010, the Spokane (Washington) Regional Health District (SRHD) was notified of two hospitalized patients under intensive care with severe dehydration whose stool specimens yielded Vibrio mimicus. CDC was asked to assist with the environmental and epidemiologic investigation. Investigators learned that both persons had consumed crayfish on June 20, 2010. The previous day, live crayfish obtained from an online seafood company had been boiled and served warm at a party. The chef reported that the boiled crayfish were served out of a cooler that had contained live crayfish, and the cooler had not been cleaned before being used to serve the cooked crayfish. After the party, the remaining crayfish were refrigerated overnight in different containers and served cold as leftovers the following evening on June 20.
Questionnaires were administered to 21 (95%) of 22 persons who had attended either the party on June 19 or the meal of leftovers on June 20. A case was defined as an illness in any person who had attended the party or the meal and experienced acute, watery diarrhea during June 19--25. Four cases were identified. Consuming leftover crayfish was associated with illness. Of eight persons who consumed leftover crayfish, four (50%) became ill compared with zero of the 13 persons who did not consume leftover crayfish (relative risk = 14; Fisher's exact test p value = 0.007). No other food items or environmental exposures were associated with illness. V. mimicus was isolated from cultures of stool specimens, and genes encoding cholera toxin were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in all three ill persons who submitted specimens. Two persons were hospitalized in an intensive-care unit with severe dehydration, metabolic acidosis, and acute renal failure. The two patients received intravenous fluid rehydration, bicarbonate infusions, and antibiotics; they recovered fully. The other two persons had mild, self-limited diarrheal illness. Frozen leftover crayfish samples submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 21 for testing did not yield V. mimicus by culture, nor were cholera toxin genes detected using PCR.
V. mimicus has been recognized as a cause of gastroenteritis transmitted by raw oysters, fish, turtle eggs, prawns, squid, and crayfish (1). V. mimicus, when carrying genes that encode cholera toxin, can cause severe watery diarrhea. Consumers and physicians should be aware that improperly handled marine and aquatic animal products can be a source of V. mimicus infections. Consumers should avoid cross-contamination of cooked seafood and other foods with raw seafood and juices from raw seafood and should follow FDA recommendations for selecting seafood and preparing it safely (3).
Reported by
D MacEachern, MS, J McCullough, MD, Spokane Regional Health District; J Duchin, MD, Public Health --- Seattle & King County; M Tran, K MacDonald, PhD, A Marfin, MD, Washington State Dept of Health. J Jones PhD, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Admin. A Newton, MPH, C Tarr, PhD, D Talkington, PhD, E Mintz, MD, EJ Barzilay, MD, Div of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; M Kay, DVM, E Cartwright, MD, EIS officers, CDC.
References
Oliver JD, Kaper JB. Vibrio species. In: Food microbiology: fundamentals and frontiers. 2nd ed. MP Doyle, LR Beuchat, TJ Montville, eds. Washington, DC: ASM Press; 2001:228--64.
Shandera WX, Johnston JM, Davis BR, Blake PA. Disease from infection with Vibrio mimicus, a newly recognized Vibrio species. Ann Intern Med 1983;99:169--71.
Food and Drug Administration. Fresh and frozen seafood: selecting and serving it safely. Silver Spring, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration; 2009. Available at http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm077331.htm. Accessed October 19, 2010.




FLORIDA citrus growers develop food safety standards
28.oct.10
The Packer
Doug Ohlemeier
http://thepacker.com/Florida-citrus-growers-develop-food-safety-standards/Article.aspx?oid=1277729&tid=&fid=PACKER-TOP-STORIES
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Florida citrus growers are preparing to hand Food and Drug Administration officials a good agricultural practices document showing how the industry is working to assure the fruit they pack is free of contamination.
Spearheaded by members of the Indian River Citrus League and Florida Citrus Packers Inc., the Lakeland-based fresh packers trade association, a group of growers and packers plan to submit the working document to the FDA within a month.
The document covers all the state's growers and packinghouses and includes citrus grown for fresh and processed markets, said Doug Bournique, the league's executive vice president.
Bournique said the project assembles all the safety practices growers follow, from planting citrus trees to shipping the fruit to domestic and overseas receivers.
"Knowing that this train is on the track and that FDA will be looking at our industry very hard, we thought we would engage the FDA in this process and show them that we want to work with them on development of GAPs for Florida citrus," he said. "Up to 90% of this is already being done but it hasn't been put together in one all-encompassing document."
Bournique said the group plans to have one more meeting and complete the document, patterned after a similar practices league members developed in the late 1990s for water and production best management practices.




MINNESOTA: More illnesses tied to raw milk from Sibley County farm
28.oct.10
Star Tribune
Paul Walsh
http://www.startribune.com/local/106089223.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciaec8O7EyUsl
The number of illnesses in Minnesota is growing from raw milk produced by a farm in Sibley County under orders to halt sales, state health officials said Thursday.
Seven new cases of people falling ill from unpasteurized milk were reported to the Minnesota Health Department by health-care providers, the department said.
The cases are believed to involve milk produced by the Hartmann farm and consumed from late July to late August, said Kirk Smith, foodborne diseases unit supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Health. Four of those who got ill specifically named the Hartmann farm as the source of their raw milk, and there is genetic evidence of three other cases also linked to the farm, Smith said.
In June, the state Agriculture Department impounded at the Hartmann farm several hundred tubs of milk, ice cream and other foods after an E. coli outbreak sickened eight people and sent some to the hospital.
"We're concerned that people are continuing to get sick after consuming products from this farm," Smith said. "We're also concerned that some people who became ill were given the Hartmann dairy product by friends or neighbors who did not tell them the source."
Hartmann's attorney, Zenas Baer, said that state health officials have so far released only "very skimpy evidence" tying the latest illnesses to his client's farm.
"The farm has been regularly testing its product," Baer said, "and until we see any more data from the Minnesota Department of Health, we do not believe there is any evidence of illnesses connected to products produced at the Hartmann farm."
Despite the state crackdown earlier this year, Baer said, Hartmann has "been in continuous operation" and selling its raw dairy products "to customers who want to buy raw milk."
In addition to the illnesses linked to Michael Hartmann's farm, state health officials have identified 47 other people this year who became ill after drinking raw milk from other sources around the state, Smith said.
None of 47 were part of a specific outbreak, meaning no two cases were traced to the same source. Most of the individual cases have been in children or young adults.
Public health officials recommend avoiding raw milk, but its advocates are passionate in its defense, saying it has health attributes that pasteurized milk doesn't. Many of Hartmann's customers have stood by him.
"This isn't just about one farm selling raw milk and making people sick," Smith said. "This also is about the inherent risk of any raw milk. People need to think carefully about those risks before consuming raw dairy products from any source, and people need to know that the risks are especially high for young children."




CALIFORNIA: Research helps ensure safety of leafy greens
27.oct.10
University of California
Jeannette E. Warnert
http://ucanr.org/Food_-_nutrition/?blogpost=3674&blogasset=10743
Four years ago, a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in fresh baby spinach gripped the nation. Nearly 200 people in 26 states came down with the disease. Two elderly women and a 2-year-old boy died.
The outbreak was also devastating for the industry. The contaminated spinach was traced back to Central California, where growers produce 80 percent of the nation's leafy greens. Scientists, farmers and regulators worked together to restore public confidence in products that are widely considered part of a healthy diet. Regulators and farmers created the California Leafy Green Marketing Agreement to establish a culture of food safety on leafy greens farms and researchers worked to close gaps in the body of scientific knowledge about the sources of E. coli O157:H7 in the region.
In 2006, UC and USDA researchers were already designing a four-year study of the possible sources of E. coli O157:H7 near Central California fresh produce fields when the high-profile spinach outbreak occurred. This month, data collection from rangeland and farmland, steams and irrigation canals comes to a close. The team of scientists is now analyzing the data to reach conclusions that will help prevent future food contamination.
Preliminary results reflect a diversity of E. coli O157:H7 carriers near Central Coast farms, according to Edward (Rob) Atwill, a UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine specialist in waterborne infectious diseases and co-principal investigator of the study. Early on, free-ranging feral swine were implicated as carriers of the deadly bacteria, but it wasn't known whether there were other sources in the environment. The researchers collected 1,233 samples of wild and feral animal scat from 38 Central Coast cattle ranches and leafy greens farms that were adjacent to riparian, annual grassland and oak woodland habitat. Eighteen of the samples were found to contain E. coli O157:H7.
The scientists found the bacteria in
* 3 of 60 brown-headed cowbirds
* 5 of 93 American crows
* 2 of 95 coyotes
* 1 of 72 deer mice
* 10 of 200 feral swine
E. coli O157:H7 was not found in scat samples from deer, opossums, raccoons, skunks, ground squirrels, or other bird and mouse species.
"Our goal over the next nine months is to finish analyzing this very large and comprehensive dataset and to identify various good agricultural practices that reduce the risk of foodborne pathogens for the produce industry," Atwill said.




CANADIAN response to foreign animal disease scare sends positive message to trading partners
28.oct.10
Farmscape (Episode 3445)
A veterinary advisor to the Canadian Swine Health Board says Canada's response to a foreign animal disease scare in June sends a positive message to Canada's trading partners.
In the early morning hours of June 21st a suspect case of foot and mouth disease was identified at the Olymel primary processing plant in Red Deer immediately halting processing and the movement of hogs to the facility.
The incident, which generated international media attention, lasted approximately two days before it was confirmed not to be foot and mouth and the movement of hogs and operations at the plant resumed.
Dr. Charles Rhodes, who reviewed the response on behalf of the Canadian Swine Health Board, told Swine Health Forum 2010 in Quebec City this was a real time event that offered an opportunity to test our system.
Clip-Dr. Charles Rhodes-Canadian Swine Health Board:
I think that most of our simulations that we think of and work through deal with identifying disease on a farm and then quarantining that farm and dealing with the communications and all of that.
This occurred at a busy packing plant in a significant size city with lots of people around, lots of people to observe what was happening, with a number of different producers, with trucks waiting and so it was a much different scenario than maybe we usually think about.
Overall at the end of the day our response was quite good but we certainly did identify gaps where there can be improvement.
I think hopefully we will learn from that and a year from now be well prepared.
I think that what happens is that the people that were intimately involved certainly will make improvements.
It's important that the industry across Canada also try to look at their own situation and make similar improvements.
Dr. Rhodes suggests the open and transparent response sends a positive message to Canada's trading partners that we are watchful and looking for foreign animal diseases that might be of concern to them as purchasers of our pork products or our breeding stock.
For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.
*Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council




INDIA: Tiger park Salmonella outbreak response....weird
29.oct.10
Worms & Germs Blog
Scott Weese
http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2010/10/articles/animals/other-animals/tiger-park-salmonella-outbreak-responseweird/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WormsAndGermsBlog+%28Worms+and+Germs+Blog%29
A somewhat strange report from MSN News India describes measures that are being considered following an outbreak of salmonellosis that killed 3 tigers at Bannerghatta Biological Park. The Zoo authority is investigating whether tests used by the Indian army to detect Salmonella in milk and milk products could be used to detect Salmonella in meat.
Testing of meat for Salmonella is a reasonable consideration, but it really depends on how often meat samples are contaminated.
* If most meat samples have Salmonella, what will be done with the results and the meat? The cats have to eat, and unless they have a plan to throw out all positive food or do something to it eliminate Salmonella (like cooking it), testing might be of limited use.
* Also, if Salmonella is usually there at low levels and problems only occur with sporadic high level contamination or contamination with particularly virulent strains, then using a test that just says 'Salmonella yes' or 'Salmonella no' may not help much.
It is also reported that "the authority is also in talks with some firms to come up with a microwave which has the capacity to kill microbes in 300-400 kg of meat at a time."
* This is questionable since it's probably a lot of expense to develop a large microwave, particularly since microwaving is not a reliable method of killing Salmonella. If there is a need to be able to treat meat to kill Salmonella, there are more reliable measures, such as cooking in a conventional oven, irradiation or high pressure pasteurization.
In another bizarre aspect, someone from the zoo authority stated "In Canada, when 7,000 pet dogs died on being fed infected beef last year, some firms there came up with a microwave with the capacity to kill microbes in 500 kg of beef in three to four minutes. We are exploring the possibility of similar technological innovation being implemented here, for which we are in talks with some technicians".
* I have no idea what this guy is talking about. I am not aware of any outbreak killing 7000 dogs in Canada (and if it really happened, I'm pretty sure I'd be well aware, if not in the middle of it).
On the good side, all of the tigers that survived have now completely recovered and no new cases have been identified.




The microbiological quality of commercial herb and spice preparations used in the formulation of a chicken supreme ready meal and microbial survival following a simulated industrial heating process
28.oct.10
Food Control
Anna M. Witkowska, Dara K. Hickey, Mercedes Alonso-Gomez and Martin G. Wilkinson
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6S-51BHH40-2&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F28%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=e62bd3efb63e612493576766c180a3c6&searchtype=a
Abstract
The microbiological status of thirty herb and spice preparations used in the manufacture of ready meals was determined. The effect of a simulated manufacturing process with subsequent cold storage was evaluated on spices having highest microbial loads either suspended in water, or added to a ready meal. Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria count indicated that 20% of the spices had >6 log CFU/g. Spore-forming bacteria and thermophiles (2-6 log CFU/g) were detected in 80% of samples. Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacteriaceae (2-6 log CFU/g) were detected in 33% or 23% of spices, respectively. Molds were detected in 50% of samples (1-3 log CFU/g), while yeasts were detected in two samples only. B. cereus was detected only in samples of marjoram. The simulated manufacturing treatment with subsequent cold storage indicated a degree of bacterial survival with a possible protective effect of the food matrix. Overall, the heat processing steps applied during manufacture of chilled ready meals may not always be sufficient to eliminate the indigenous microflora especially in spices of poor microbiological quality.


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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Fw: [Possible Spam] U.S. Marshals seize FDA-regulated food stored atrodent-infested warehouse in Georgia

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: CFSAN Trade Press Office <TradePress@cfsan.fda.gov>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:22:46 -0500
To: CFSAN Trade Press Office<TradePress@cfsan.fda.gov>
Subject: [Possible Spam] U.S. Marshals seize FDA-regulated food stored at rodent-infested warehouse in Georgia

FDA NEWS RELEASE

 
For Immediate Release: Oct 27, 2010
Media Inquiries: Doug Karas, 301-796-2805, douglas.karas@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
 
U.S. Marshals seize FDA-regulated food stored at rodent-infested warehouse in Georgia
Government actions keep approximately $700,000 worth of adulterated food from being distributed
 
U.S. Marshals, acting under a court order sought by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, today seized an estimated $700,000 worth of rice and other packaged food products from a rodent-infested warehouse in East Point, Ga. The FDA-regulated food products were stored in a warehouse operated by Sun Hong Kai Holding Inc., which does business as United Food Service.
 
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issued a warrant for the seizure of all FDA-regulated food stored in the warehouse in permeable containers. The federal government's complaint alleges that the products are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they have been held under insanitary conditions and may have become contaminated with filth.
 
An FDA inspection of United Food Service's facility between Sept. 22, 2010, and Oct 1, 2010, revealed "an active and widespread rodent infestation, including live and dead rodents within the warehouse where food products are stored," according to the complaint.
 
"United Food Service not only failed to protect the food in this warehouse, it failed to act promptly to correct the violations," said Dara A. Corrigan, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "This prompted the FDA, working together with its state partner, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, to take these aggressive enforcement actions to protect the health of consumers."
 
FDA investigators found 28 live rodents, one dead rodent, apparent rodent droppings, 26 apparent rodent gnaw holes in multiple packages of food products, rodent urine stains on food packaging and four rodent nesting sites. FDA laboratory analyses of samples collected during the inspection confirmed the investigators' observations. FDA investigators also found structural defects making the facility accessible to rodents. 
 
On Sept. 30, 2010, the Georgia Department of Agriculture placed all food in the warehouse under an order that prevents sale of the products. A day later, FDA investigators provided the warehouse manager a list documenting the violations.
 
For more information:
 
FDA Inspections, Compliance, Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations
 
 
#

 

 Sebastian Cianci
Public Affairs Specialist
Trade Press Liaison
(301) 436-2291
tradepress@fda.hhs.gov


Fw: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 27/10

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bites Oct. 27/10

Escherichia coli O157

HAITI: Cholera kills E. coli, salmonella

GERMANY: Professor Cesare Montecucco to receive the 2011 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize

NEW ZEALAND: Awards serve up 16 years of food safety in Hamilton

Antioxidant enrichment and antimicrobial protection of fresh-cut fruits using their own byproducts: looking for integral exploitation

Physical performance of biodegradable films intended for antimicrobial food packaging

Minimal effects of high-pressure treatment on salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium inoculated into peanut butter and peanut products

Temperature and bacterial profile of post chill poultry carcasses stored in processing combo held at room temperature

Preservation of chicken breast meat treated with thyme and balm essential oils

Detection of target staphylococcal enterotoxin b antigen in orange juice and popular carbonated beverages using antibody-dependent antigen-capture assays

NEW JERSEY: Good Earth Tea voluntarily recalls limited amount of caffeine free original blend due to possible health risk

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Escherichia coli O157
23.oct.10
The Lancet
Hugh Pennington
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2960963-4/abstract
Escherichia coli O157 is an uncommon but serious cause of gastroenteritis. This bacterium is noteworthy because a few, but significant, number of infected people develop the haemolytic uraemic syndrome, which is the most frequent cause of acute renal failure in children in the Americas and Europe. Many infections of E coli O157 could be prevented by the more effective application of evidence-based methods, which is especially important because once an infection has been established, no therapeutic interventions are available to lessen the risk of the development of the haemolytic uraemic syndrome. This Review takes into account the evolution and geographical distibution of E coli O157 (and its close pathogenic relatives); the many and varied routes of transmission from its major natural hosts, ruminant farm animals; and other aspects of its epidemiology, its virulence factors, the diagnosis and management of infection and their complications, the repercussions of infection including costs, and prevention.




HAITI: Cholera kills E. coli, salmonella
26.oct.10
CBC News
Emily Chung
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/10/25/cholera-antibiotic-ecoli.html
Cholera bacteria are deadly to other bacteria that cause gastrointestinal illness — a finding that may provide clues about how cholera survives between epidemics.
Cholera, a gastrointestinal disease transmitted through unclean water, often strikes in the wake of natural disasters.
An outbreak of cholera in Haiti had killed 259 people and sickened 3,342 people by Monday, according to the Haitian Health Ministry, although the situation appeared to be stabilizing. Worldwide, the disease kills 120,000 a year, the World Health Organization reported in 2005.
But new research by University of Alberta microbiologists shows cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, doesn't just kill people — it is also an effective killer of E. coli (Escherichia coli, responsible for the Walkerton, Ont., tainted water deaths in 2000), Salmonella typhimurium (which affects mice, but is related to the bacteria that cause salmonella food poisoning), and other bacteria that cause symptoms such as diarrhea.
The findings published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, help explain how outbreaks of cholera may sometimes recur six months or a year after the last reported case of the disease.
Cholera bacteria usually need a human host. But by killing other bacteria that compete with it for resources such as food, cholera may have a better chance at surviving in the harsh world outside the human body, said Dana MacIntyre, lead author of a paper.




GERMANY: Professor Cesare Montecucco to receive the 2011 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize
26.oct.10
Goethe University Frankfurt
Dr. Monika Moelders
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/guf-pcm102610.php
$139,000 awarded for contribution to the field of bacterial diseases
Frankfurt am Main. The chemist and biologist Professor Cesare Montecucco, 62, of the Department of Biomedical Research at the University of Padua, Italy, has won the 100,000 euro Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2011 for his contribution to research in the field of bacterial diseases, including tetanus, botulism, anthrax and Helicobacter pylori associated diseases. The award was conferred by the Scientific Board of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation. The Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize is among the most prestigious international awards granted in the Federal Republic of Germany in the field of medicine. The award ceremony will take place in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt on March 14, 2011, the birthday of Paul Ehrlich (1854-1915).
Cesare Montecucco is engaged in research into human diseases caused by different pathogens of bacterial and animal origin. He has provided important insights in the molecular pathogenesis of tetanus, botulism, anthrax and gastrointestinal diseases due to Helicobacter pylori. Major contributions were those regarding the mechanism of action the neurotoxins that cause botulism and tetanus and tetanus, caused by the tetanus bacterium Clostridium tetani and characterized by a muscular rigidity popularly known as "lockjaw." These neurotoxins provided a major evidence that the SNARE proteins are the core of the nanomachine which mediates neurotransmitter release at the synapse, and more in general of most events of vesicle fusion with the target membrane within the cell.
Professor Cesare Montecucco was born in Trento, Italy, in 1947 and studied chemistry and biology at the University of Padua, Italy, where he is currently Professor of Pathology and Deputy Director of the Scuola Galileiana. He also did research at Cambridge University in the UK, in the Dutch city of Utrecht, at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany and at the University of Costa Rica. Professor Montecucco has published over 250 articles and edited three books. He is a member of the board of various leading scientific journals and acts within the scientific committees of several institutes. In addition, he is a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization, the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti, the Academia Europaea and the American Academy of Microbiology. For his contributions to the field of infectious diseases, Cesare Montecucco was awarded the Shipley Award of Harvard Medical School in 1993, the Prize of the Italian Consortium for Biotechnology in 1998, the Prize of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie in 2000, the Prize of the Masi Foundation for Venetian Civilization in 2003, the Feltrinelli Prize for Medicine in 2004 and the Redi Award of the International Society on Toxinology in 2009.




NEW ZEALAND: Awards serve up 16 years of food safety in Hamilton
27.oct.10
Voxy.co.nz
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/awards-serve-16-years-food-safety-hamilton/5/69208
Eighty-nine Hamilton food businesses will be presented with excellence awards during the 2010 Hamilton Food Safety Awards at Wintec's The Atrium this afternoon.
It is the 16th year that Hamilton City Council has held the Food Safety Awards, which aim to recognise and reward businesses that maintain a standard of food safety excellence in their premises above that required by legislation.
In addition to the excellence awards, a second level of award, a merit, was introduced several years ago to recognise the achievement of a secondary level for food businesses that have maintained a high standard of food safety. This year 52 merit awards will be mailed out to local food premises.
Hamilton City Council environmental health manager Peter McGregor said that as well as providing customers with an indication of the standard of food safety they can expect at award-winning premises, the Food Safety Awards offer extra incentive for food businesses to improve their standard of hygiene and commitment to staff training in order to reach and maintain this level.
"Feedback from past recipients has told us that these awards have impacted positively on their businesses. This shows us that the Food Safety Award is recognised and valued by the public," he said.
Hamilton uses the Food Safety Award system instead of the grading system used by many other councils throughout the country - with an excellence award equivalent to an 'A grading' and a merit award equivalent to a 'B grading'.
All merit and excellence recipients receive a certificate and sticker outlining their achievement which can be displayed in their premises.
An award will also be presented this afternoon to the 'Top Food Safety Student' at Wintec's School of International Tourism, Hospitality and Events. Adam Thorley-Symes will receive the award for academic achievement and coursework, excellent kitchen hygiene standards and exemplary attendance.
A full list of this year's Food Safety Award winners is available on the Hamilton website at www.hamilton.co.nz/foodsafety.




Antioxidant enrichment and antimicrobial protection of fresh-cut fruits using their own byproducts: looking for integral exploitation
01.oct.10
Journal of Food Science
J.F. Ayala-Zavala, C. Rosas-Domínguez, V. Vega-Vega, G.A. González-Aguilar
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01792.x/full
Abstract:  Fresh-cut fruit consumption is increasing due to the rising public demand for convenience and awareness of fresh-cut fruit's health benefits. The entire tissue of fruits and vegetables is rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and vitamins. The fresh-cut fruit industry deals with the perishable character of its products and the large percentage of byproducts, such as peels, seeds, and unused flesh that are generated by different steps of the industrial process. In most cases, the wasted byproducts can present similar or even higher contents of antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds than the final produce can. In this context, this hypothesis article finds that the antioxidant enrichment and antimicrobial protection of fresh-cut fruits, provided by the fruit's own byproducts, could be possible.




Physical performance of biodegradable films intended for antimicrobial food packaging
01.oct.10
Journal of Food Science
Begonya Marcos, Teresa Aymerich, Josep M. Monfort, Margarita Garriga
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01785.x/abstract
Abstract:  Antimicrobial films were prepared by including enterocins to alginate, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), and zein films. The physical performance of the films was assessed by measuring color, microstructure (SEM), water vapor permeability (WVP), and tensile properties. All studied biopolymers showed poor WVP and limited tensile properties. PVOH showed the best performance exhibiting the lowest WVP values, higher tensile properties, and flexibility among studied biopolymers. SEM of antimicrobial films showed increased presence of voids and pores as a consequence of enterocin addition. However, changes in microstructure did not disturb WVP of films. Moreover, enterocin-containing films showed slight improvement compared to control films. Addition of enterocins to PVOH films had a plasticizing effect, by reducing its tensile strength and increasing the strain at break. The presence of enterocins had an important effect on tensile properties of zein films by significantly reducing its brittleness. Addition of enterocins, thus, proved not to disturb the physical performance of studied biopolymers. Development of new antimicrobial biodegradable packaging materials may contribute to improving food safety while reducing environmental impact derived from packaging waste.




Minimal effects of high-pressure treatment on salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium inoculated into peanut butter and peanut products
01.oct.10
Journal of Food Science
Elizabeth M. Grasso, Jeremy A. Somerville, V.M. Balasubramaniam, Ken Lee
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01807.x/abstract
Abstract:  About 1.2 billion pounds of peanut butter are consumed annually in the United States. In 2008 to 2009, an outbreak involving Salmonella Typhimurium in peanut butter led to a recall of over 3900 products by over 200 companies. More than 700 people became sick, 100 were hospitalized, and 9 people died from this outbreak. This study examines the efficacy of high-pressure processing (HPP) to decrease S. Typhimurium American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 53647 inoculated into peanut butter and model systems. The viability of S. Typhimurium in peanut butter stored at room temperature was investigated. A culture of S. Typhimurium (6.88 log CFU/g) was inoculated into peanut butter. Following 28 d at 20 °C there was a 1.23-log reduction. Approximately 106 to 107 CFU/g S. Typhimurium were inoculated into 4 brands of peanut butter, 3 natural peanut butters and peanut flour slurries at 2, 5, and 10% peanut flour protein in peanut oil and in distilled water. All were treated at 600 MPa for 5 min at 45 °C. While significant differences were found between natural peanut butter and peanut protein mixtures, the reduction was <1.0 log. The peanut flour/oil mixtures had a 1.7, 1.6, and 1.0-log reduction from HPP (2, 5, and 10% protein, respectively) whereas peanut flour/water mixtures had a 6.7-log reduction for all protein levels. Oil had a protective effect indicating HPP may not help the microbial safety of water-in-oil food emulsions including peanut butter.




Temperature and bacterial profile of post chill poultry carcasses stored in processing combo held at room temperature
01.oct.10
Journal of Food Science
John A. Handley, Irene Hanning, Steven C. Ricke, Michael G. Johnson, Frank T. Jones, Robert O. Apple
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01790.x/abstract
Abstract:  Post chill whole poultry carcasses from a commercial processing plant were stored in a processing combo at room temperature (70 °F/21 °C) for 54 h to mimic the scenario of temperature abuse before further processing. Temperature data were collected in 1-min intervals and averaged each hour by 9 temperature data loggers. Two linear regressions were developed for the combo and internal breast temperature and slopes were nearly identical. Microbial data was collected by performing whole bird carcass rinses that were enumerated for aerobic plate count (APC), Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, and total coliform. Samples were collected from the chiller chute at time zero for initial bacterial counts. Carcass sampling continued once the internal breast temperature achieved 45 °F (7 °C 10 h) and continued every 2 h until the final internal breast temperature was 63 °F (17 °C 54 h). Linear regressions were developed for the first 26 h, which exhibited no statistically significant growth except for Enterobacteriaceae. A 2nd linear regression (28 to 54 h) exhibited significant growth for all analyses. Overall, APC increased from a log10 colony forming unit (CFU)/mL count of 2.86 to 7.02, Enterobacteriaceae increased from 0.66 to 6.64, coliform increased from 0.72 to 4.81, and E. coli increased from 0.53 to 4.45. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was performed to detect changes in the bacterial populations, which indicated 95% similarity within sampled groups, but the overall percent similarity among samples collected over 54 h was 8%. From the data, microbial growth demonstrates a period of 26 h for minimal growth; therefore, the product could be further processed rather than designated as waste.




Preservation of chicken breast meat treated with thyme and balm essential oils
01.oct.10
Journal of Food Science
Florinda Fratianni, Laura De Martino, Antonio Melone, Vincenzo De Feo, Raffaele Coppola, Filomena Nazzaro
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01791.x/abstract
Abstract:  The present study evaluated the effects of thyme and balm essential oils on the 3-wk storage of fresh chicken breast meat at 4 °C. Thyme and, to a lesser extent, balm essential oils reduced DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical formation in the meat (25% to 30% and 20%, respectively). Treatment with the 2 essential oils also limited lipid peroxidation and the deterioration of sarcoplasmic proteins, helping to preserve the meat even after 2 wk of storage. Thyme and balm essential oils decreased the natural microflora present in the meat; total microbial content decreased down to 50% in comparison to the control samples. In addition, a clear effect on lactic acid bacterial growth was recorded. Balm essential oil significantly limited the growth of Salmonella sp., whereas thyme essential oil effectively inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli. Our data demonstrate that these 2 essential oils effectively reduced deteriorative processes in chicken meat and extended the shelf life of this fresh product.




Detection of target staphylococcal enterotoxin b antigen in orange juice and popular carbonated beverages using antibody-dependent antigen-capture assays
01.oct.10
Journal of Food Science
aryAnn Principato, Joyce M. Njoroge, Andrei Perlloni, Michael O' Donnell, Thomas Boyle, Robert L. Jones, Jr
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01806.x/abstract
Abstract:  There is a critical need for qualitative and quantitative methodologies that provide the rapid and accurate detection of food contaminants in complex food matrices. However, the sensitivity of the assay can be affected when antigen-capture is applied to certain foods or beverages that are extremely acidic. This study was undertaken to assess the effects of orange juice and popular carbonated soft drink upon the fidelity of antibody-based antigen-capture assays and to develop simple approaches that could rescue assay performance without the introduction of additional or extensive extraction procedures. We examined the effects of orange juice and a variety of popular carbonated soft drink beverages upon a quantitative Interleukin-2 (IL-2) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay system and a lateral flow device (LFD) adapted for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in foods. Alterations in the performance and sensitivity of the assay were directly attributable to the food matrix, and alterations in pH were especially critical. The results demonstrate that approaches such as an alteration of pH and the use of milk as a blocking agent, either singly or in combination, will partially rescue ELISA performance. The same approaches permit lateral flow to efficiently detect antigen.



NEW JERSEY: Good Earth Tea voluntarily recalls limited amount of caffeine free original blend due to possible health risk
26.oct.10
Good Earth Tea
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/good-earth-tea-voluntarily-recalls-limited-amount-of-caffeine-free-original-blend-due-to-possible-health-risk-105821358.html
MONTVALE, N.J. -- Good Earth Tea is voluntarily recalling a limited amount of its Caffeine Free Original blend due to the possible presence of salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.
Good Earth is issuing this voluntary recall notification out of an abundance of caution based on an instance discovered through routine microbial testing in which a minor ingredient had a positive result for salmonella.
This is a proactive, voluntary recall that is isolated to two retailers and to Caffeine Free Original blend only.
The affected blend was only distributed to a limited number of Costco retail locations in California, and Trader Joe's retail locations in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Pennsylvania. All affected product has been or is in the process of being removed from store shelves. Good Earth is working closely with the FDA and its customers on this matter.
The tea subject to this voluntary recall is limited to the following blend having UPC Codes with Best By Dates of 18AUG12 to 02SEP12 respectively:
* Good Earth Caffeine Free Original-25 count sold at Costco (UPC 2701830401); as part of the Costco 3-pack (UPC 27018 30169)
* Good Earth Caffeine Free Original-18 count sold at Trader Joe's (UPC 27018301356)
While no illness related to this voluntary recall has been reported to date, any potential health risk is significantly reduced when following the printed brewing instructions on the package. Consumers who have purchased these products should discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-888-625-8227 between 8am EDT and 8pm EDT, Monday to Friday.


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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Fw: Bayer Caves In to State AGs on One A Day Cancer Claims

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From: News from CSPI <cspinews@cspinet.org>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:41:47 -0500
To: News from CSPI<cspinews@cspinet.org>
Subject: Bayer Caves In to State AGs on One A Day Cancer Claims




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Wednesday, October 27, 2010  
Contact:
 Jeff Cronin, 202-777-8370, or Stacey Greene, 202-777-8316


Bayer Caves In to State AGs on One A Day Cancer Claims


Drug Company Must Pay $3.3 Million to States and Support Future Claims with Competent Scientific Evidence

WASHINGTON—Bayer will be barred from claiming that its One A Day multivitamins may cure, treat, or prevent any disease, including cancer, unless the company can back up such claims with competent and reliable scientific evidence.  As part of a settlement agreement reached yesterday with Attorneys General from Oregon, California, and Illinois, Bayer must also make a $3.3 million payment to those states.  A complaint, filed by Oregon Attorney General John Kroger, accused Bayer of "deceptively leveraging fear of prostate cancer" in order to market One A Day multivitamins for men.

        Bayer claimed that "emerging research" suggested that the mineral selenium in One A Day might reduce the risk of prostate cancer.  But according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, "emerging research" did no such thing.  In fact, a seven-year, $118-million study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that selenium does not prevent prostate cancer in healthy men. That massive trial, which involved 35,000 men, was abruptly halted when it became clear to researchers that selenium was not protecting the men from prostate cancer and may have been causing unexplained cases of diabetes.  Yet Bayer continued to claim a protective benefit from selenium.  

In October of 2009, CSPI sued Bayer in federal court in California over the selenium claims on One A Day, which a judge dismissed on technical grounds.  CSPI was planning on filing suit on behalf of a California consumer in another court.  But in the wake of the settlement agreement reached with the Attorneys General, CSPI is announcing that it will not move forward with the second suit.

"We are very glad that the Attorneys General have obtained a binding settlement prohibiting Bayer from exploiting men's fear of prostate cancer in order to sell more vitamin pills," said CSPI litigation director Steve Gardner.  "And we're also pleased that Bayer seems to have had a change of heart, since after CSPI publicly questioned the company's unsupportable claims on One A Day, its response then was to threaten us with a libel lawsuit."  Bayer has since backed off that threat, Gardner said.

The agreement reached yesterday is the latest in a long list of settlement agreements, fines, guilty pleas, and other enforcement actions involving the German pharmaceutical giant.  In 2001, Bayer paid $14 million to U.S. and state governments to settle allegations that the company's actions helped health care providers submit inflated Medicaid claims for drugs.  In 2003, Bayer pleaded guilty to a criminal charge and paid $257 million in fines and penalties after a whistleblower exposed a scheme by the company to overcharge for the antibiotic Cipro.  In 2004, Bayer pleaded guilty to a criminal charge and paid a $66 million fine after a Justice Department investigation into Bayer's role in a price-fixing conspiracy involving a chemical used to make rubber products. And in 2007, Bayer paid $8 million to resolve allegations by state attorneys general that the company failed to warn physicians and consumers about safety issues surrounding its now-withdrawn cholesterol-lowering drug Baycol.

Prior marketing for One A Day has also posed legal problems for Bayer.  In 2007, it paid a $3.2 million civil fine as part of a consent decree reached with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice.  The case centered on weight-loss claims that the FTC said violated an earlier order requiring that all health claims for One A Day be supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence.  And in 2009, Bayer was required to run a $20-million corrective advertising campaign about its birth control pill Yaz and to submit its ads for FDA approval, as part of a legal settlement secured by a number of state attorneys general and the FDA.

#   #   #



The Center for Science in the Public Interest is a nonprofit health advocacy group based in Washington, DC, that focuses on nutrition, food safety, and pro-health alcohol policies.  CSPI is supported by the
900,000 U.S. and Canadian subscribers to its Nutrition Action Healthletter and by foundation grants.  

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Fw: FRAC's Weekly News Digest - Issue #30, October 26, 2010

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From: Food Research and Action Center <mambrose@frac.org>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 08:08:27 -0500
To: Tom Karst<TKarst@vancepublishing.com>
ReplyTo: "mambrose@frac.org" <mambrose@frac.org>
Subject: FRAC's Weekly News Digest - Issue #30, October 26, 2010


The Weekly Food Research and Action Center News Digest highlights what's new on hunger, nutrition and poverty issues at FRAC, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around the network of national, state and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations, and in the media. The Digest will alert you to trends, reports, news items and resources and, when available, link you directly to them.


Issue #30, October 26, 2010

  1. Blog Gives Kudos to D.C., but Holds Applause for Congress
  2. D.C. Schools Now Serve Afterschool Meals
  3. Rhode Island Awarded for Improving SNAP/Food Stamp Participation
  4. Florida County Missing Out on SNAP/Food Stamp Funds
  5. California Food Bank Begins SNAP/Food Stamp Outreach
  6. Huge SNAP/Food Stamp Caseloads Cause Recipients in Nevada to Wait for Benefits
  7. New Hampshire Starts Mailing EBT Cards
  8. Two More California Farmers’ Markets Begin Accepting EBT Cards
  9. Florida Pilot Program Focuses on Seniors and SNAP/Food Stamps
  10. Florida County Sees Rise in Free and Reduced-Price School Meal Participation
  11. Study Forecasts Increased Obesity-Related Health Care Costs

1. Blog Gives Kudos to D.C., but Holds Applause for Congress
(The Washington Post, October 21, 2010)

“While the D.C. school district is moving forward on helping to curb childhood hunger, Congress adjourned…for next month’s mid-term elections without reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act,” writes Washington Post “The Answer Sheet” reporter Valerie Strauss in this blog post. D.C. schools launched a program recently to feed afterschool meals to about 10,000 more students. At the same time, the Child Nutrition Act currently moving through Capitol Hill takes money away from SNAP/Food Stamps in order to fund increases in child nutrition programs. “Anti-hunger advocates complained to the Senate, as did scores of House Democrats, noting that it makes no sense to help hungry people by taking money from one food program to fund another,” she writes. Hungry kids are more at risk of developmental delays in language, motor skills, and behavior and more likely to exhibit signs of depression, anxiety and loneliness. “Ideally all families would have the resources to make sure kids are properly fed, but in that absence, it really is incumbent on school and government officials to care as much about this…as much as they do about making sure the kids take standardized tests,” Strauss concludes.


2. D.C. Schools Now Serve Afterschool Meals
(The Washington Post, October 19, 2010)

In 99 of the 123 D.C. Public Schools, students can now receive an afterschool meal; the nutrition assistance now reaches an estimated 10,000 students, a quarter of the District’s total enrollment. D.C. joins 13 other states that can operate this meal program, coming at a time when concerns about childhood poverty and hunger are rising. At least once between 2008 and 2009, 40 percent of D.C. households with children lacked money to buy food, according to the Food Research and Action Center. And a 2009 D.C. Health Department study found that 43 percent of public school students were overweight or obese. D.C. schools have a number of goals in serving the meals: battling childhood hunger, reducing the high rate of obesity in the city’s children, and getting more students involved in afterschool programs. The District also is working to upgrade school meal nutrition by using fresh, locally-grown food. According to Jeff Mills, director of food services for D.C. Schools, “a lot of kids were only eating at school.” Some children have been “taking food home to feed their families,” said Alex Ashbrook, director of D.C. Hunger Solutions. D.C. is reimbursed $2.92 for each meal through the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. Students say the meals are an improvement.


3. Rhode Island Awarded for Improving SNAP/Food Stamp Participation
(Providence Business News, October 4, 2010)

USDA awarded the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) $501,701 for improving access to SNAP/Food Stamps. The agency recognized the state for having one of the most-improved Program Access Index, which measures the ratio of participants to the number of people below 125 percent of the federal poverty level. The state DHS intends to use the money to further improve access to the program. Currently about 149,000 residents receive SNAP/Food Stamps.


4. Florida County Missing Out on SNAP/Food Stamp Funds
(Daytona Beach News-Journal, October 6, 2010)

Although 56 percent of Flagler County, Fla. schoolchildren receive free or reduced-cost lunch, the county has 3,000 recipients who could receive SNAP/Food Stamps but have not signed up for the program. Resources are going unused, noted Doug Baxter, president of the county’s Chamber of Commerce & Affiliates; these resources include money coming to residents. To address the issue, the Chamber formed a coalition with the Department of Children and Families, the United Way, and Second Harvest.


5. California Food Bank Begins SNAP/Food Stamp Outreach
(Mydesert.com, October 19, 2010)

The FIND Food Bank in Indio, Calif. has hired a worker to find eligible SNAP/Food Stamp recipients in the area and help them apply for the program. In Coachella Valley, many of those eligible for SNAP/Food Stamps in Riverside County are not participating, according to a California Food Policy Advocates report. “Why does a food bank get involved with food stamps? It’s because we see it as the first line of defense in food hunger,” said Lisa Houston, FIND’s CEO. Increasing the number of participants in SNAP/Food Stamps not only will help take the pressure off emergency food providers, say hunger advocates, it will also help the local economy.


6. Huge SNAP/Food Stamp Caseloads Cause Recipients in Nevada to Wait for Benefits
(KTNV, October 6, 2010)

SNAP/Food Stamp caseworkers in Nevada are carrying between 800 and 900 cases each as the state’s 14.4 percent unemployment rate drives many to apply for the benefit. According to Rachelle Church of the state’s Department of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS), SNAP/Food Stamp participation increased 45 percent last year. One SNAP/Food Stamp recipient emailed Action News in Las Vegas because he hadn’t received his monthly SNAP/Food Stamp benefit – he said he called DWSS and was told there was a delay because they’re handling twice the caseload. New eligibility policies have added to these caseloads, and because of mandatory office furloughs, workers have fewer work hours to process applications. In addition, SNAP/Food Stsamp recipients must re-apply every three months, adding caseworker workloads. Although DWSS plans on hiring more workers in November and December, the lengthy training process means that these new workers won’t be starting to handle cases when they first come to work.


7. New Hampshire Starts Mailing EBT Cards
(Boston Globe, October 10, 2010)

New Hampshire’s SNAP/Food Stamp recipients, as well as recipients of other benefits in the state, will no longer be required to travel to the state welfare office to pick up their EBT cards. The state began mailing the cards to recipients recently. In addition, recipients can get a pin number and account information at
http://www.ebtedge.com or by calling 1-888-997-9777.


8. Two More California Farmers’ Markets Begin Accepting EBT Cards
(San Bernardino County Sun, October 16, 2010)

SNAP/Food Stamp recipients, and others who receive nutrition assistance benefits through EBT cards, can now use their cards at two more farmers’ markets in San Bernardino, Calif. EBT card users at these markets also get a 50 percent bonus, meaning a customer spending $10 in SNAP/Food Stamps through their EBT card gets an extra $5 to spend at the market. The Kaiser Foundation provided a $1,000 grant to the markets, hosted by the Patrons of the Roosevelt Bowl, to begin accepting EBT cards.


9. Florida Pilot Program Focuses on Seniors and SNAP/Food Stamps
(WDBO, October 11, 2010)

Low-income elderly residents of Florida will receive help signing up for SNAP/Food Stamps through a new three-year pilot project funded by a $500,000 grant from the state’s Department of Elder Affairs. Seniors will be able to call the Elder Helpline and have a trained expert assist them in applying online for the benefit. Previously, seniors had to either go online [without assistance] or visit a state office to apply for SNAP/Food Stamps. “As Florida government moves further into the electronic age, we must be careful to make sure out older residents don’t get left behind,” said Charles Corley, Elder Affairs Interim Secretary.


10. Florida County Sees Rise in Free and Reduced-Price School Meal Participation
(Hernando Today, October 9, 2010)

In Hernando County, Fla., the number of children receiving free or reduced-price school meals increased 74.7 percent since 2001-02 to a projected total of 13,688 this year. In the 2001-02 school year, 44 percent of students received free or reduced-price meals; that percentage climbed this year to 60.5 percent. Even though there’s been little decrease in the number of the county’s unemployed, many parents who have signed their children up for the meals are working two or three jobs, but are unable to make ends meet. Hernando County receives Title I funding, based partly on poverty numbers calculated from free and reduced-price lunch figures. This year, the county will receive an estimated $5.125 million in Title I funding, an increase from $4.025 million in the 2006-07 school year. Lunch and Title I data, according to Eric Williams, district accreditation facilitator and grant writer, were also used to gain the school more than $350,000 in E-rate telecommunications refunds, as well as garnering the school millions of federal dollars from the federal Race to the Top application.


11. Study Forecasts Increased Obesity-Related Health Care Costs
(Food Navigator, October 20, 2010)

A new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research ups the potential health care costs of obesity from the $147 billion in a previous Institute of Medicine study to as high as $168 billion a year, or 17 percent of total U.S. medical costs. According to the CDC, more than a third of the U.S. is obese, and nearly a third is overweight. The study, titled “The Medical Care Costs of Obesity: An Instrumental Variables Approach,” examined not only the correlation of obesity with health care costs, but possible causal effects as well. Previous studies relied on self-reported weight data, which many people underestimate. The researchers’ statistical methods minimized this effect.


About Us: The Food Research and Action Center (www.frac.org) is the leading national organization working for more effective public and private policies to eradicate domestic hunger and undernutrition. Visit our Web site (www.frac.org) to learn more. Click here to unsubscribe from this e-mail.

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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Fw: PRESS RELEASE: FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011: Trade fair with first-classconference programm

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From: "Schwetasch, Corinna" <Schwetasch@messe-berlin.de>
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 03:17:04 -0500
To: Tom Karst<TKarst@vancepublishing.com>
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011: Trade fair with first-class conference programm

FRUIT LOGISTICA Berlin – 9-11 February 2011

The World of Fresh Produce

International Trade Fair for Fruit and Vegetable Marketing, Berlin

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011

 

Trade fair with first-class conference programme

 

Berlin, 26 October 2010 – Once again next year, a first-class conference programme in conjunction with FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 Berlin (9-11 Feb.) will focus on the latest industry information for fresh produce specialists. In a series of conferences, seminars and panel discussions, the world's leading fresh produce trade event provides in-depth information on current industry issues problems and trends. The day before the exhibition opens (8 Feb.) the 30th Fresh Produce Forum will focus on the theme "The true value of food in the discount era". Six Hall Forums will be staged on the following three days of the trade fair. The themes in the lecture series sponsored by FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE (Dusseldorf) include "Retail – potential for profit in the fresh produce department" (9 Feb.), "Brands – creating and marketing a new brand" (9 Feb.), "Sustainability – value for the long term" (10 Feb.), "Water – making the most of a limited resource" (10 Feb.), "Logistics – the challenges for road transport" (11 Feb.), "Innovation in fresh produce – new sales and marketing channels" (11 Feb.). Outstanding performance from all segments of the produce trade will be honoured by industry awards, including the "Grüner Merkur" (8 Feb.), the FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Retail Award 2011 (8 Feb.) and the FRUIT LOGISTICA INNOVATION AWARD 2011 "FLIA" (11 Feb.).

 

30th FRESH PRODUCE FORUM

Tuesday 8 February 2011, 15.30–19.00, ICC Berlin, Saal 15.2

 

The true value of food in the discount era

What is our food worth? What we are worth? Healthy nutrition is an ever-important issue. But good sense seems to stop at the price. Why? What does this mean for the long-term quality and procurement of products? The Fresh Produce Forum focuses on prominent opinions from the food industry and political community related to the importance and value of food. Experts from the manufacturing, wholesale and retail trades will discuss how nutrition and its value can be permanently positioned in the eyes of consumers. Celebrity chef Alfons Schubeck, who is a well-known television personality, recognized nutrition specialist and an advocate of highest-quality food products, will be taking part in the discussion along with Dr. Margareta Büning-Fesel, CEO of the aid organization.

The FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Retail Award 2011" and the "Grüne Merkur" will be presented by Fruchthandel Magazine in conjunction with the Fresh Produce Forum. Simultaneous translations will be available in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish. The participation fee of EUR 85.00 includes a permanent pass to FRUIT LOGISTICA and FRESHCONEX. Registration forms and current information on the programme and speakers are available in the Events section at www.fruitlogistica.com.

 

Hall Forum programme

 

FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Hall Forum

Wednesday, 9 February 2011, 11.00

 

Retail – potential for profit in the fresh produce department

The first Hall Forum focuses on food retailing and the POS. Where can potential improvements be made in the fresh produce section? What is the best way to present the range of healthy food, fruit and vegetables, and modern convenience products, smoothies, etc.? How can the trend toward healthy nutrition be implemented more effectively to increase product sales and turnover? What is the best way to approach consumers? How can suppliers contribute? How can they build their image and optimise their positioning? Speaker: Prof. Hendrik Schröder, Faculty for Economics and Business Administration, Department for Trade and Marketing, University Duisburg-Essen

 

FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Hall Forum

Wednesday, 9 February 2011, 15.00

 

Brands – creating and marketing a new brand

A brand name promises unique, first-class quality. And consumers are willing to pay a higher price for more quality. Especially in times of low returns, a brand name is a valuable tool when it comes to portraying a positive image and position. It is also an effective way to add value. What makes a brand unique? How do commercial brands compare with private labels? What does it take to successfully develop and build up a brand – especially in the fresh produce sector? What key factors need to be considered and implemented? Speaker: Hermann Sievers, Sievers Marken und Konzeptberatung

 

FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Hall Forum

Thursday 10 February 2011, 11.00

 

Sustainability – value for the long term

The issue currently dominates many discussions and receives extensive coverage in the media landscape. Sustainable management is in demand – by consumers, organisations and the retail trade. Some retailers are already promoting this topic. It is also high on the agenda for more than a few companies. But many don't really know much about the concept. What is sustainability? In many cases, the meaning is different depending on the degree of understanding, the branch of business, company or trade level. This Hall Forum focuses on clarification and defining what sustainability can mean for the different levels of the fresh produce business. It also addresses the question: How can sustainability be implemented to create value?

 

FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Hall Forum

Thursday 10 February 2011, 15.00

 

Water – making the most of a limited resource

Water is a key theme in many countries. And it will continue to gain importance as the world population grows. Not only people have an enormous need for water. The production of food also requires vast quantities of this valuable resource. This is especially true for fruit and vegetables. Virtually everything depends on water. What is the situation today? How are things taking shape on a global level? Selected examples are used to outline what lies ahead in the future and how growers can gain insight into the subject of water. Speakers: Dr. Alberto Garrido, Professor of Agricultural and Natural Ressource Economics, Department of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid; Roberto Vega, Director of Sustainability, Dole Food Company

 

FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Hall Forum

Friday 11 February 2011, 11.00

 

Logistics – the challenges for road transport

Traffic and transport are important issues today. And they are likely to gain even more importance in the future as costs continue to rise and exert more pressure on businesses. Traffic density will increase further and make it more difficult to meet delivery deadlines. An international logistics expert will analyse the topic, present different scenarios and formulate potential dangers, solutions and alternatives. Logistics experts will report on current situations.

 

FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Hall Forum

Friday 11 February 2011, 13.00

 

Innovation in fresh produce – new sales and marketing channels

New sales channels and marketing opportunities. How can existing opportunities be improved? Where are promising niche markets? How can they be captured? Not only is the food retailing business responsible. What opportunities are offered by the different trade levels and formats? There is a need for initiative, joint ventures and new strategies. Speakers among others: Claus Anderson

 

The latest information on the FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 supporting programme is available in the Events section on www.fruitlogistica.com.

 

This press release is also available on the Internet: www.fruitlogistica.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press contact:

Messe Berlin GmbH

Michael T. Hofer

Director, Corporate Press and Public Relations

 

Wolfgang Rogall

Press Officer

Messedamm 22

14055 Berlin

Tel.: +4930 3038-2218

Fax: +4930 3038-2287

rogall@messe-berlin.de

 

Executive Board:

Raimund Hosch (CEO),
Dr. Christian Göke

Supervisory Board Chairman:
Hans-Joachim Kamp Commercial Registry:

Charlottenburg Admin. Court, entry no. HRB 5484 B

 

 

Additional information:

www.fruitlogistica.com

www.messe-berlin.com