Fw: [BITES-L] bites Nov. 25/10 -- II
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From: Doug Powell <dpowell@KSU.EDU>
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Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2010 20:54:52 -0600
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Subject: [BITES-L] bites Nov. 25/10 -- II
bites Nov. 25/10 -- II
Real-time turkey: stuffing and roasting the bird
Real-time turkey: using a thermometer to ensure safety
Real-time turkey: Carl Custer version
US: Beware E. coli when drinking raw milk: study
Food safety falsehoods from the free-range
Worst name ever for a group
EU: Survey of mycotoxins in cereal-based foods
New research results on EU consumers' perceptions on food-related risks
UK: Cloned meat is safe – hypothetically speaking
Avian influenza virus in MANITOBA confirmed to be low pathogenic
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Real-time turkey: stuffing and roasting the bird
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145302/10/11/25/real-time-turkey-stuffing-and-roasting-bird
I'm a fan of the stuffing. Not the stuff in the box but whatever's leftover in the fridge.
Included this year are some freeze-dried chestnut slices I got for Amy last year – she's a fan of the chestnuts – that never got used. For guidance, I use Google searches to find various recipes (my students, tiring of me asking to find this or that, finally showed me how to use Google about four years ago), and then I improvise, generally adding more vegetables.
This year, the stuffing contains leftover multigrain wheat bread ends, cubed and baked. Butter, onion, garlic, white wine, sage (lots), rosemary, zucchini squash, red pepper, celery, and chestnuts. Half goes into the cavity of the bird, the other half is baked in a dish separately for our vegetarian guests.
Cross-contamination is the big concern. Again, I prefer to handle the bird in the roasting pan to limit bug flow in the kitchen. Being prepped and having everything near the sink helps. Be the bug.
Safely back in the roasting pan, hands washed and counters cleansed, the turkey goes into a 450F oven for 30 minutes, the a tin-foil teepee is used to cover the breast and the temperature is lowered to 325F. The bird is regularly brushed and injected with a citrus-based glaze.
Next: Thermometers
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chestnut-Stuffing-10769
Real-time turkey: using a thermometer to ensure safety
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145303/10/11/25/real-time-turkey-using-thermometer-ensure-safety
Color is a lousy indicator. So are those pop-up thingies that Michele wrote about last night. There was one on my bird that I was apparently supposed to insert. Or not. It' popped after 20 minutes. Useless.
Poultry should be cooked to an end-temperature of 165F or 74C, as measure by a tip-sensitive digital thermometer. The problem with 15-pound turkeys is that the breast was creeping up to 140-150F, while the stuffing and other parts were languishing at 120. Foil over the breast helps, but it's always a problem. And why gravy was invented.
This isn't perfect, and cross-contamination is always a concern, but I removed the two turkey breasts, ensured they were fully cooked, scooped out the stuffing and brought it to a safe temperature in the microwave. The remainder of the bird went back in the oven.
A delicious meal was had by all. To avoid problems with Clostridium perfringens, I took the remainder of the turkey apart within an hour, the good meat in the refrigerator, the rest into the stock pot – turkey stock is really one of the best parts of the (subsequent) meal.
Stick it in.
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/blog/145297/10/11/24/pop-timer-your-belly-or-are-you-just-happy-see-me-ups-and-downs-turkey-temps
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/blog/144490/10/10/10/you-can't-overcook-turkey-that's-what-gravy-failures-food-safety-policy
Real-time turkey: Carl Custer version
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145304/10/11/25/real-time-turkey-carl-custer-version
Food safety sage Carl Custer (left, exactly as shown) shares his version of turkey time today from Bethesda, Maryland:
My nephew comes over with three gallons of peanut oil and a brined turkey to use my tamale steamer/turkey fryer. Instructions say 350°F oil for 52 minutes. At 35 minutes I pull it out and check deep thigh temperature with a Comark PDT 300.
It's 175°F. ¡Ay carumba! Into the kitchen and double check deep breast temperature: 145! Male puppy! Back to the fryer for another 10 minutes.
Deep breast temperature in several places is now >170°F.
Earlier, a brine injected turkey goes into the grill/smoker at 7:00 a.m. Yawn.
It's cold and drizzly so difficult to keep air temperature >200°F even with tarp and wind shields. Pull turkey at noon; it's 150°F. Put into a 350°F oven with an 8 cm "L-shaped" probe. I wrap the probe with a wet paper towel so it doesn't act as a "potato nail" and give a false high reading. An hour later it's 160°F and coasting up to 168°F.
Mmmm mmmm good and safe.
Time may be on your side but temperature is better.
Carl also notes the raw birds were handled with latex gloves, and sinks were washed with detergent & paper towels, followed by 70% ethanol.
Texas Aggie food microbiologist, Carl Custer, sojourning in Merryland for past 38 years, smokes turkey (and other animal parts) following scientific principles.
http://www.shadowriders.org/recipes/custersturkey.html
US: Beware E. coli when drinking raw milk: study
25.nov.10
Reuters
Frederik Joeiving
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AO2GE20101125
A government investigation published this month has tied raw milk consumption to a 2008 outbreak of E. coli in Connecticut, which landed four people in the hospital with life-threatening illnesses.
It also puts a price tag on the outbreak: $413,402. And it hints the infection spread beyond those who drank the allegedly tainted milk.
The report is the latest to warn against raw or unpasteurized milk, which experts say is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S.
"There has been a movement away from highly processed foods to organic foods," said Bill Marler, a Seattle-based lawyer who represented three of the sickened people in Connecticut. He recently settled the cases with the Simsbury farm that made the milk and the grocery store that sold it, but would not give the amount of the settlement.
"There are so many internet sites out there that talk about raw milk as if it cured everything from autism to erectile dysfunction," said Marler.
One such site is run by Randolph Jonsson, a raw milk proponent who was not involved in the Connecticut outbreak.
"Milk straight from the udder, a sort of 'stem cell' of foods, was used as medicine to treat, and frequently cure some serious chronic diseases," he notes on his website.
But researchers say there is scant support for such health claims, and that the risks are much clearer.
"There are no health benefits from drinking raw milk that cannot be obtained from drinking pasteurized milk that is free of disease-causing bacteria," said Hannah Gould, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. "Pasteurization can decrease the activity of some vitamins, including thiamine, vitamin B12, and vitamin C, but milk is a relatively minor source of these vitamins."
In the new study of the 2008 cases, Dr. Alice Guh, also at CDC, and colleagues identified seven cases of confirmed E. coli infection, either via lab tests for a toxic strain of the bacteria -- E. coli O157:NM -- or via diagnosis of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a disease caused by it.
Five people ended up at the hospital. Although none died, they racked up an average medical bill of almost $73,000 each.
"Children represent one of the population groups at highest risk for experiencing severe illness," Guh told Reuters Health by e-mail.
She said the farm had "acceptable milking and sanitation procedures," demonstrating that the contamination wasn't due to a lack of hygiene.
"You can absolutely do the best you can in producing raw milk, but because of the location of the cow's anus to the cow's udder, it makes it really difficult for the bacteria not to get into the milk," said Marler. "You can't tell a cow not to poop when it gets milked."
Food safety falsehoods from the free-range
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145306/10/11/25/food-safety-falsehoods-free-range
Fresh from the Michael Pollan school of "don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food," comes Joel Salatin of Virginia, telling Australian farmers that industrial-scale agriculture has created problems for farmers who want to slaughter on farm and sell locally.
"What's stimulating it is squiggly words, 30 years ago who heard of campylobacter, who heard of listeria, e-coli, salmonella, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, avian influenza."
From wiki, not the greatest source but certainly sufficient to quickly counter the claims of Salatin:
The symptoms of campylobacter infections were described in 1886 in infants by Theodor Escherich. These infections were named cholera infantum, or summer complaint. The genus was first discovered in 1963; however the organism was not isolated until 1972
Listeria monocytogenes was first described by E.G.D.Murray in 1926.
The genus Salmonella was named after Daniel Elmer Salmon, an American veterinary pathologist. While Theobald Smith was the actual discoverer of the type bacterium (Salmonella enterica var. choleraesuis) in 1885, Dr. Salmon was the administrator of the USDA research program, and thus the organism was named after him.
The verotoxigenic forms of E. coli were discovered in the late 1970s, and first identified as a source of human disease in 1982.
Campylobacter, listeria, E. coli and salmonella are all natural. So is small pox. Doesn't mean I want it.
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201011/s3077012.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campylobacter#History
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listeria_monocytogenes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonella
Worst name ever for a group
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145305/10/11/25/worst-name-ever-group
Maybe there's something lost in translation.
The First meeting of the High Level Forum for a better functioning of the food supply chain happened November 16 in Brussels.
"It will adopt a work plan to boost competitiveness and to promote best contractual practices in the European food sector, extending the work of the previous High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the Agro-Food Industry to the whole supply chain. Vice President Antonio Tajani is leading …"
Oh, never mind.
The organization sounds mildly interesting, in a caste-sorta way:
The work of the Forum will be developed along a three-tier structure, namely:
The High Level Forum (Ministers, CEOs, Presidents of associations, etc),
the Sherpa group which mirrors the memberships of the Forum and which will have as main task the preparation of the work of the Forum in close cooperation with the Commission services, several expert platforms (working groups), namely:
Business to business contractual practices in the food supply chain,
Food price monitoring tool,
Competitiveness in the agro-food industry,
Agro-logistics.
Who writes this stuff.
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/food/competitiveness/forum_food/index_en.htm
EU: Survey of mycotoxins in cereal-based foods
25.nov.10
FSA
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2010/nov/mycotoxinsurvey
The Agency has published the results of a survey investigating the levels of certain naturally-occurring chemicals called mycotoxins in a range of cereals and-cereal based foods. This is the first year's results from a four-year rolling surveillance programme.
The survey found that 97% of samples were below the legal limits for mycotoxins. Only 7 of the 220 samples analysed contained levels of mycotoxins above the legal limits. The Agency took immediate action to ensure any non-compliant products were withdrawn from the market.
The science behind the story
Mycotoxins are naturally-occurring chemicals produced by certain fungi. Some of these mycotoxins have been associated with a variety of human health problems and are therefore regulated within the European Union to minimise people's exposure. Mycotoxins can occur in a wide range of foods, including cereals, nuts, spices, fruit, coffee, milk and alcoholic beverages.
New research results on EU consumers' perceptions on food-related risks
25.nov.10
Eurosurveillance, Volume 15, Issue 47
http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19728
On 17 November 2010, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published the results of a recent Eurobarometer survey report on consumers' risk perception in the European Union (EU) [1]. The report, commissioned by EFSA, is based on interviews with nearly 27,000 European citizens from 27 Member States. It highlights consumers' perceptions in the following areas (i) perceptions of food and food-related risks, (ii) concerns about food-related risks, (iii) sources of information: public confidence and response, and (iv) the role and effectiveness of public authorities. Some of the findings are presented below.
* A majority of respondents associate food and eating with pleasure, and with enjoyment of meals with friends and family. The economic crisis and environmental pollution are viewed by more respondents as risks very likely to affect their lives than food-related problems.
* There is no single, widespread concern about food-related risks mentioned spontaneously by a majority of respondents. Nearly 20% of citizens spontaneously cite chemicals, pesticides and other substances as the major concerns. Fewer citizens are concerned about health and nutrition risks such as putting on weight or not having a healthy balanced diet.
* When asked to indicate the extent to which they feel confident about various information sources, citizens express the highest levels of confidence in information obtained from doctors and other health professionals (84%) and family and friends (82%). Other trusted information sources comprise consumer organisations, scientists and environmental protection groups.
* A majority of respondents (>80% ) believes that public authorities in the EU should do more to ensure that food is healthy and to inform people about healthy diets and lifestyles. The majority of EU citizens thinks that public authorities in the EU are doing a good job in protecting them from specific food-related risks, but the survey also shows that there is room for improvement.
The Eurobarometer report was the second such study to be carried out in five years. The research objectives were to gain insights into consumer concerns relating to food and risks associated with the food chain and to establish the level of consumer confidence in public authorities on food safety-related issues.
References
1. European Commission. Special Eurobarometer 354/Wave 73.5-TNS Opinion & Social. Food-related risks. Survey requested by the European Food Safety Authority. Brussels; 2010. Available from: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/factsheet/docs/reporten.pdf
UK: Cloned meat is safe – hypothetically speaking
25.nov.10
Food Standards Agency
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2010/nov/acnfcloned
At the open meeting of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) today, the committee considered a hypothetical application under the Novel Foods Regulations for the approval of meat and milk from cloned cattle and their progeny.
The committee was asked to consider whether the available evidence on clones and their offspring provides a sufficient basis for the evaluation of meat and milk from such animals under the Novel Foods Regulations.
The committee noted that:
* the evidence showed no differences in composition between the meat and milk of conventional animals, clones or their progeny and is therefore unlikely to present any food safety risk
* the current evidence on the composition of meat and milk is relatively limited, and further evidence is required on how the rearing of animals in different environments may affect the meat and milk
* any potential differences between conventional cattle and the progeny of a clone were unlikely to exist from the second generation onwards
* that consumers may want to see effective labelling of products from clones and their offspring
In responding to the committee's discussion, Food Standards Agency Chief Scientist Andrew Wadge said: 'In considering this hypothetical application, the ACNFP has confirmed that meat and milk from cloned cattle and their offspring shows no substantial difference to conventionally produced meat and milk and therefore is unlikely to present a food safety risk.
'The FSA Board will discuss this issue at its December meeting. The Board will consider the opinion of the ACNFP, the recent European Commission proposal to ban meat and milk from clones, and any other developments, before providing further advice to ministers.'
Avian influenza virus in MANITOBA confirmed to be low pathogenic
25.nov.10
CFIA
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/newcom/2010/20101125e.shtml
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed that the virus detected in a commercial poultry operation in the Rural Municipality of Rockwood, Manitoba is low pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza.
Pathogenicity refers to the severity of the illness caused in birds.
The infected farm remains under quarantine, and all birds in the operation will be humanely destroyed within days. As a precautionary measure, the CFIA has also quarantined a local hatchery and two poultry farms that had significant contact with the infected farm.
Avian influenza viruses do not pose risks to food safety when poultry and poultry products are properly handled and cooked. Avian influenza rarely affects humans, unless they are of specific types and there has been close contact with infected birds.
Animal health and public health authorities from the Province of Manitoba, local poultry specialists and industry are actively collaborating on the response to avian influenza in the Manitoba poultry operation, and in supporting the producer.
For information on safe food handling, please visit: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/concenrol/rolsafe.shtml
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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