Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Friday, October 8, 2010

Fw: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 8/10

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bites Oct. 8/10

FLORIDA food safety inspections shift again

Working with animals at petting zoo and then working in café in same clothes is bad idea

NYCs Cake Man Raven closed again

MICHIGAN: Illnesses spark food poisoning investigation at Shelby Twp. banquet hall

US: Egg inspections: The view from the F.D.A.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Listeria-tainted fish supplier failed past inspections

TEXAS: Restaurant violations

Bactericidal effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on Salmonella enterica during storage

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FLORIDA food safety inspections shift again
08.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144443/10/10/08/florida-food-safety-inspections-shift-again
Tampa Bay Online reports that changes in state laws on food safety inspections has led to mass confusion about jurisdiction, so much that health departments are now regaining powers to conduct kitchen hygiene inspections at child care facilities, at least for an interim period.
Marc Yacht, the retired former director of the Pasco County Health Department said he remains concerned about the "most vulnerable population" at nursing homes not having a regular food and hygiene inspection program.
Unintended consequences seem to have plagued the new law from the start, Yacht and other critics say.
Most Department of Children and Family inspectors have bachelor's degrees in social sciences, but they lack the training and experience for food inspections. The Department of Health inspectors have degrees in science or health and training in food safety.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/oct/08/pa-food-safety-inspections-shift-again/




Working with animals at petting zoo and then working in café in same clothes is bad idea
08.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144444/10/10/08/working-animals-petting-zoo-and-then-working-caf%C3%A9-same-clothes-bad-idea
The owners of a U.K. petting zoo accused of animal welfare offences and bad food safety have withdrawn their application for a zoo licence.
Northern Echo reports that Tweddle Children's Animal Farm, in Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, has also removed some of its more exotic animals.
Earlier this year, the council's environmental health officers and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs visited the farm following an undercover investigation by the Captive Animals Protection Society. The charity said it had found traces of E coli and dead animals decomposing near a children's play area.
It also said the bodies of dead animals, including a meerkat and tortoise, had been stored in a freezer on top of food for animals, while staff working with animals were working in the cafe wearing the same clothes.
Tweedle also did not have the required licence for a zoo.
The council said no traces of E coli were reported but head teachers who may have been planning school visits were warned about its investigation.
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/8440558.Owners_of_petting_farm_withdraw_zoo_licence_bid/




NYCs Cake Man Raven closed again
08.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144467/10/10/08/nycs-cake-man-raven-closed-again
Some New York City eateries suck at this food safety thing. GrubStreet reports that Cake Man Raven was closed by the Health Department a couple of years ago for using an unpermitted commercial kitchen for some of its cakes (mice droppings were also found), and on Wednesday, it was closed again.
This time, the inspection report cites "food from unapproved or unknown source or home canned" and/or "ROP foods prepared on premises transported to another site," which indicates that proprietor Raven Patrick De'Sean Dennis III is likely once again in trouble for transporting slices from off site (no one is picking up at the store). Add to that, the Cake Man apparently couldn't produce a food protection certificate or an operating permit.
Meanwhile in Manhattan, Market Table and BLT Steak recently racked up even more demerits than the Cake Man's 78 (they scored a whopping 94 and 91, respectively), but both remain open for business, with grades still pending. Everyone's favorite wedding-proposal spot, One if by Land, also rang up a surprising 64 demerits.
GrubStreet has a full list of the food safety infractions from the reports. Fine dining.
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/health-department-shuts-cake-man-raven/?partner=rss&emc=rss
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/10/cake_man_raven_is_shuttered_by.html




MICHIGAN: Illnesses spark food poisoning investigation at Shelby Twp. banquet hall
07.oct.10
The Detroit News
Maureen Feighan
http://www.detnews.com/article/20101007/METRO03/10070447/1361/Illnesses-spark-food-poisoning-investigation-at-Shelby-Twp.-banquet-hall
Shelby Township -- The Macomb County Health Department is investigating a possible food poisoning outbreak connected to a Shelby Township banquet hall after several patrons complained of vomiting and diarrhea.
Health Department Director Steven Gold said the department was contacted Tuesday by people who attended functions at Club Monte Carlo on Van Dyke Saturday and Sunday and later got sick with gastrointestinal symptoms.
Gold said roughly 100 people have been interviewed, with as many as 200 more to go before the agency wraps up its investigation. The health department tracked down patrons through wedding guest lists.
"We have no conclusions so far," Gold said.




US: Egg inspections: The view from the F.D.A.
07.oct.10
New York Times
Michael Taylor
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/opinion/lweb08eggs.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
Michael Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods, Food and Drug Administration writes regarding, "Oops! F.D.A. Error Is Talk of Henhouse" (Business Day, Sept. 30) to say that contrary to your article, Food and Drug Administration inspections of the egg industry are on track. In response to the salmonella outbreak that led to a recall of more than 500 million eggs, the agency will inspect all 600 of the nation's largest egg producers by the end of 2011. These inspections have already begun, starting with facilities considered at highest risk because of past problems.
We are learning already; the F.D.A. revised its training procedure to account for issues that emerged during an early training session and the August inspection of the Iowa facilities at the center of the recent outbreak. The agency is committed to ensuring the safety of the nation's egg supply, and passage of the pending food safety legislation would provide the agency with additional tools to accomplish this goal.




BRITISH COLUMBIA: Listeria-tainted fish supplier failed past inspections
07.oct.10
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/10/07/bc-fish-processor-listeria-violations.html
The Maple Ridge, B.C., fish processor that supplied salmon containing Listeria bacteria to a Granville Island retailer has been given a "high hazard" rating six times since 2004, according to the Fraser Health Authority.
Bruce's Country Market — which also operates under the name Sea Fresh Fish Limited, a separate company run out of the same location by the same owner — was shut down for one month in September 2009 after a health inspection.
"Health officers went in at that time and actually did issue a closure notice," Fraser Health spokesman Roy Thorpe-Doward said Thursday.
"[The company] did some renovations and cleaned the site and also reviewed and revamped their food safety and sanitation practices and were inspected and re-opened."
The company was cited for a high hazard rating in November 2004, January 2006, April 2008, September 2009 and twice in October 2009.
The rating is given to a restaurant or food processor when, "significant problems were observed related to food handling and/or operating practices," according to the health authority's website.
The September 2009 violation was for, "food contaminated or unfit for human consumption," the website said.
Most other violations involved utensils, equipment or food contact surfaces that were not properly washed and sanitized.




TEXAS: Restaurant violations
08.oct.10
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
http://lubbockonline.com/restaurants/2010-10-08/restaurant-violations
Restaurant reports for the week ending October 3:
No critical violations:
• Aramark Healthcare Support Services/UMC, 602 Indiana Ave.
• Achiever's Learning Center, 4539 34th St.
• All Saints School, 3222 103rd St.
• Amarillo German Roasted Nuts, 2023 S. Milam (Amarillo)
• Applebee's (Food Service), 4025 S, Loop 289
• Cancun Mexican Restaurant (Food Service), 7905 University Ave.
• Christ the King, 4011 54th St.
• CVS/Pharmacy No. 7272, 3402 Slide Road
• CVS/Pharmacy No. 7274, 3401 82nd St.
• CVS/Pharmacy No. 7811, 5805 82nd St.
• CVS/Pharmacy No. 7830, 5208 98th St.
• CVS/Pharmacy No. 8340, 6420 19th St.
• Domino's Pizza No. 6873, 5815 82nd St. No. 135
• Fast Stop No. 14, 7822 82nd St.
• Fox and Hound English Pub and Grill (Bar), 4210 82nd St. Ste. 240
• Jimmy John's, 2413 Broadway
• Krispy Kreme, 4301 S. Loop 289
• Lubbock Christian Concession, 2604 Dover Ave.
• Monterey High School, 3211 47th St.
• Nothin Butt Smokes, 1730 Parkway Drive
• Nothin Butt Smokes, 3712 Slide Road
• Nothin Butt Smokes, 5002 Ave. A
• Nothin Butt Smokes, 7402 82nd St.
• Nothin Butt Smokes No. 7, 2812 Fourth St. Ste. D
• Nothin Butt Smokes No. 14, 6702 19th St. Ste. A
• Sonic Drive In, 4401 Fourth St.
• Sonik Mart, 3908 Ave. Q
• South Plains Academy, 4008 Ave. R
• Texas Tech Early Parkway/Cherry Point, 515 N. Zenith Ave.
• VTS, 1802 E. 50th St.
• Walgreens Drug Store No. 4820, 1619 50th St.
• Walgreens Drug Store No. 4821, 3404 Indiana Ave.
• Walgreens Drug Store No. 5996, 2417 82nd St.
• Wheelock Elementary School, 3008 40th St.
One critical violation:
• Applebee's (Bar), 4025 S, Loop 289 — food contact surfaces found soiled. Corrected on site.
• Cancun Mexican Restaurant (Bar), 2905 University Ave. — food contact surfaces found soiled. Corrected on site.
• Chicken Express, 6720 82nd St. — food contact surfaces found soiled. Corrected on site.
• El Burrito Mariachi, 4250 Ave. A — thermometer in cooling unit not properly calibrated. Corrected on site.
• Kwik Stop No. 2, 5908 Ave. A — food contact surfaces found soiled. Corrected on site.
• Maracas, 1601 50th St. — inadequate dish-sanitation. Corrected on site.
• Nick's Sports Grill and Lounge (Bar), 9806 Quaker Ave. — food contact surfaces found soiled. Corrected on site.
• Nothin Butt Smokes, 904 Slide Road — inadequate handwashing facilities. Corrected on site.
• Elmbrook Smokes, 5301 66th St. — inadequate date-marking systems. Corrected on site.
• Slide Breakfast House, 2907 Slide Road — inadequate date-marking systems. Corrected on site.
• Walgreens Drug Store No. 4819, 5206 Fourth St. — observed numerous meat and dairy products past expiration. Corrected on site.
• Firehouse Subs, 411 University Ave. — cold hold food held at inadequate temperature. Corrected on site.
• Sonic, 1609 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. — cold hold food held at inadequate temperature. Corrected on site.
Two or more critical violations:
• Cattle Baron Restaurant (Food Service), 8201 Quaker Ave. — observed possible cross contamination. Food contact surfaces found soiled. Corrected on site.
• IHOP, 3911 S. Loop 289 — good hygiene practices not followed. Toxic items stored improperly. Corrected on site.
• Nick's Sports Grill and Lounge (Food Service), 9806 Quaker Ave. — improper employee handwashing. Observed no thermometer in cooling unit. Food contact surfaces found soiled. Corrected on site.
• Fox and Hound English Pub and Grill (Food Service), 4210 82nd St. Ste. 240 — good hygiene practices not followed. Toxic items stored improperly. Inadequate dish-sanitation. Food contact surfaces found soiled. Corrected on site.
Compiled from city of Lubbock
Environmental Inspection Services




Bactericidal effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on Salmonella enterica during storage
07.oct.10
Food Control
Concepción Pintado, Alicia de Miguel, Olga Acevedo, Leonor Nozal, José Luis Novella and Rafael Rotger
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6S-5161P8B-1&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F07%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=f2aff56314cc0b88919de7c83819c602&searchtype=a
Abstract
The presence of pathogenic bacteria in spices represents a public health risk as a possible cause of food contamination. Salmonella has been found in several spices and it has been involved in food-borne outbreaks, but this bacterium has not been reported as a contaminant of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). We examined a possible antibacterial effect of saffron using samples from Iran, Greece and Spain which were artificially contaminated with clinical isolates belonging to five different serovars of Salmonella. We detected a loss of viability during the room-temperature storage of the saffron samples, with bacteria being undetectable at day 16 except in the case of the DT104 strain of the Typhimurium serovar, in all of the samples, and of the Hadar serovar in the Iranian sample, both of which gave negative culture at day 32. The laboratory strain LT2 of the Typhimurium serovar was undetectable at day 4. To gain an insight into the basis for this bactericidal effect, we measured the inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of safranal and crocin, the main compounds responsible for the flavouring and colouring capabilities of saffron. They were in the order of 8–16 mg/mL and 64–128 mg/mL for safranal and crocin, respectively. These data suggest that these compounds, and probably their chemical relatives, are involved in the antibacterial activity of saffron, and that this effect can significantly reduce the risk of food contamination with Salmonella by this spice.


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Fw: [BITES-L] bites Oct. 7/10 -- II

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bites Oct. 7/10 -- II

Raw clams sicken 60 with campy in NY

Colbert Report skewers raw milk

Raw bean sprouts confirmed in UK salmonella outbreak; 169 sick

US: Living Foods Inc. initiates a voluntary market withdrawal of alfalfa sprouts because of possible health risk

MELBOURNE ex-mayor faces food safety charges

Swimmers barfing, condoms clogging toilets at Commonwealth Games

CHINA: Noodles found to violate food safety regulations

US: FDA seeks to stop juice company's processing, distribution

Life-saving in the bacterial world: How Campylobacter rely on Pseudomonas to infect humans

One quarter of MANITOBA pork producers using needle free injection technology

US: New study shows benefits of Bt corn to farmers

Transgenic corn suppresses European corn borer, saves farmers billions

In WISCONSIN, 75 percent of economic benefit of Bt corn goes to farmers who don't plant it

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Raw clams sicken 60 with campy in NY
07.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144434/10/10/07/raw-clams-sicken-60-campy-ny
The Onondaga County Health Department says 60 people have become ill because of raw clams served at an event at Hinerwadel's Grove in North Syracuse.
The Health Department says so far, all of the illnesses have been linked to a clambake September 15th for the CNY Builders Exchange. Approximately 3,800 members attended that clambake.
The reported symptoms are related to campylobacter, a bacterial infection that causes diarrhea, cramps, and fever. The incubation period for the infection is usually two to five days, but it can last as long as 10 days. Symptoms can last up to two weeks.
The Health Department is asking that anyone who ate at the facility and became ill to call (315) 435-6607.
http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/60-cases-of-illness-linked-to-Hinerwadels-Grove/5FtxSnY-s0-0ywn5Z79Z_w.cspx




Colbert Report skewers raw milk
07.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144438/10/10/07/colbert-report-skewers-raw-milk
The Colbert Report last night took some well-earned shots at raw milk last night (the segment is below).
Playing his Captain Freedom card, Colbert said "the nanny state is always sticking its nose into our business, from baby seats to motorcycle helments," and in response to the proprieters of Rawesome Foods in Venice, Calif., which was raided for selling raw milk and also now features raw camel's milk, Colbert deadpanned, "Raw milk, straight from the udder, just the way our founding fathers and their camels intended it."
The Colbert Report is satire, playing riffs on daily news events; it's not real news (although many think it is).
Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration food safety czar, David Acheson, was also interviewed for the piece and, according to Colbert, played the "bloody diarrhea" card, while Rep. Ron Paul said this is "pasteurization without representation."
There are lots of risky foods and Americans are free to pick their poisons. But no one wants bloody diarrhea from a staple food that is used to nourish children, especially when pasteurization offers a solution.
http://www.colbertnation.com/home




Raw bean sprouts confirmed in UK salmonella outbreak; 169 sick
07.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144439/10/10/07/raw-bean-sprouts-confirmed-uk-salmonella-outbreak-169-sick
Microbiologists at the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Infections (CFI) in Colindale have confirmed the link between contaminated bean sprouts and 141 cases of Salmonella Bareilly in the UK (The Daily Mail reports the number sickened as of today at 169).
Specialists in the CFI's Salmonella Reference Unit report that the strain of Salmonella Bareilly isolated from a bean sprout sample is indistinguishable from the strain of S. Bareilly isolated from human samples.
Bean sprouts had already featured strongly in a case control study in which people who had suffered from S. Bareilly infection and controls (people who did not become ill) were questioned about what they had eaten prior to the onset of illness.
However, both the HPA and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) stress that bean sprouts are safe to eat provided that they are washed and cooked until piping hot before consumption or are clearly labelled as ready-to-eat.
Such advice fails to account for potential cross-contamination in home or food service kitchens during preparation.
http://www.hpa.org.uk/NewsCentre/NationalPressReleases/2010PressReleases/101007BeansproutlinktosalmonellaBareilly/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1318459/Salmonella-alert-uncooked-bean-sprouts-169-people-fall-ill-UK-August.html?ITO=1490



US: Living Foods Inc. initiates a voluntary market withdrawal of alfalfa sprouts because of possible health risk
07.oct.10
FDA
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm228692.htm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Out of an abundance of caution, Living Foods, Inc. of Ionia, Michigan is recalling bulk and retail-size packages of Alfalfa Sprouts, because it has the potential to be contaminated with 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.
The alfalfa sprouts were distributed to retail and food service facilities through wholesale produce suppliers in Michigan.
The products subject to this market withdrawal include:
* Four (4) 1-pound bags of alfalfa sprouts, packaged in unlabeled 1-pound plastic bags in a box labeled as Living Foods, Inc. ALFALFA SPROUTS, with a SELL BY DATE of 10/2/2010.
* Five (5) Pound Bulk Container (bag in a box) of alfalfa sprouts labeled as, Living Foods, Inc. ALFALFA SPROUTS, with a SELL BY DATE of 10/2/2010.
* 4-ounce cup alfalfa sprouts labeled as Living Foods, Inc. ALFALFA SPROUTS, with a SELL BY DATE of 10/2/2010. UPC Code: 0 26684 10006 5.
* 4-ounce bag alfalfa sprouts labeled as Living Foods, Inc. ALFALFA SPROUTS, with a SELL BY DATE of 10/2/2010. UPC Code 0 26684 10004 1.
No illnesses have been reported to date.
A single package of Living Foods, Inc. ALFALFA SPROUTS tested positive for Salmonella spp. The company is working closely with the FDA and the State of Michigan to determine the cause of the problem.
Consumers who have purchased these products should discard them.
Wholesalers and retailers in possession of this product should remove the product from sale and cease distribution.
Consumers with questions may contact Living Foods, Inc. at the number listed above.




MELBOURNE ex-mayor faces food safety charges
07.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144440/10/10/07/melbourne-ex-mayor-faces-food-safety-charges
The lord mayor of Melbourne from 2001-2008, John So, has been charged with running a dirty restaurant by the council he used to lead.
Melbourne City Council has filed charges against Mr So and a company he is a director of, Doshay Pty Ltd, over food safety breaches at the Dragon Boat on the Yarra restaurant.
The case was adjourned in Melbourne Magistrates' Court yesterday because Mr So's barrister was unavailable to represent him, so details of the allegedly unhygienic practices could not be read out in the court.
But this is not the first time one of Mr So's restaurants has come under the glare of Melbourne Council for breaching food regulations.
The Herald Sun reports that on its website, the Dragon Boat on the Yarra claims to specialize in live seafood with "a team consisting of the best chefs in Melbourne."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/ex-mayor-john-so-faces-food-safety-charges/story-e6frfh4f-1225935691892




Swimmers barfing, condoms clogging toilets at Commonwealth Games
07.oct.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/144441/10/10/07/swimmers-barfing-condoms-clogging-toilets-commonwealth-games
The British swim squad at the Commonwealth games has been decimated by Delhi belly since arriving in India.
Rob Mancini wrote a couple of days ago about two instances; the number of sick British swimmers has now risen to 40.
The Telegraph reported that it later emerged that the Australian swimming team are testing the water quality at the aquatics complex. The problem could even stem from pigeon droppings which can swell contagious diseases. Pigeons have been nesting in the rafters since competition began here.
Whatever is causing swimmers to barf, toilets in the athletes' village are clogged with condoms.
Plumbers sent to unblock toilets said used condoms were the problem, with an un-named health official quoted as saying 2,000 of the 8,000 free contraceptives had been used so far.
Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell said the report was a positive, adding,
"I am not quite sure what the point is, if that is happening it shows that there is use of condoms and I think that is a very positive story, that athletes are being responsible.
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/blog/144397/10/10/05/australians-fall-ill-commonwealth-games
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/forty-british-swimmers-hit-with-delhi-belly-at-commonwealth-games/story-e6freonf-1225935468888
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/commonwealthgames/8047563/Commonwealth-Games-2010-Fran-Halsall-defies-illness-and-blocked-toilets-in-50m-heats.html
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/condoms-clog-athlete-toilets-report-20101007-169gg.html




CHINA: Noodles found to violate food safety regulations
07.oct.10
Taipei Times
Shelley Huang
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/10/08/2003484859
The Consumers' Foundation yesterday revealed the results of its latest inspection of noodles and noodle-related products, and found that several contained antiseptics and preservatives at amounts exceeding legal limits.
In July and August, the consumer rights watchdog purchased 60 types of uncooked noodles, Chinese pita, dumpling dough, wonton dough and noodle sausages from traditional food stalls, specialty noodle shops, supermarkets and retail chains nationwide to conduct sample testing.
The tests showed that three out of the seven types of noodle sausage and one type of udon noodle tested contained peroxide, which is used as a type of antiseptic, but is not allowed in foodstuffs because it harms the gastrointestinal system and can even heighten the risk of cancer, said Yu Kai-hsiung, publisher of Consumer magazine.
The type of food that had the highest rate of violations during testing was wonton dough, as seven out of eight types tested, or 87.5 percent, contained benzoic acid, Yu said.




US: FDA seeks to stop juice company's processing, distribution
07.oct.10
FDA
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm228695.htm
At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice today filed a complaint for permanent injunction against a Brooklyn juice company to prevent it from processing and distributing juice products.
Delores H. Campbell and Winston A. Fearon and their company, Juices Incorporated (also known as Juices International and Juices Enterprises), are charged with violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by failing to have a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan for certain juice products, such as the company's carrot and beet juice products. The FDA requires all juice processors to have and implement HACCP plans that identify and control food hazards associated with their juices.
Among the violations observed by FDA investigators were failures to:
· adequately heat and refrigerate low-acid vegetable juices to destroy or prevent growth of dangerous microorganisms
· properly clean food-contact surfaces
· maintain plumbing in a manner that avoids a source of possible food and water contamination.
Failure to identify and control food hazards could lead to the formation of Clostridium botulinum (C. bot.) bacteria that can germinate in the carrot and beet juices made by the company. The neurotoxin formed by C. bot., when ingested in even very small amounts, could cause paralysis, difficulty breathing and potentially death from asphyxiation. In 2006, six cases of botulism in the United States and Canada were linked to refrigerated carrot juice. However, the FDA is not aware of illnesses associated with Juices Incorporated's juice products.
The complaint also charges Juices Incorporated, Campbell and Fearon with failing to conform to current good manufacturing practice (GMP) requirements for making, packing, or holding human food. Juice products that are produced under conditions that do not comply with HACCP or GMP requirements are considered adulterated under the Act.
The FDA's most recent inspection of the Juices facility in March 2010 found the same or similar violations observed during previous inspections of the company. The agency issued warning letters to the company in April 2008 and October 2009, and the company promised to bring its operations into compliance but did not make the necessary changes.
"Today's action shows that FDA will seek enforcement action to make sure that those companies that must have preventative controls in place to ensure the safety of their products adhere to all applicable requirements," said Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Dara A. Corrigan.
"Consumers must have a comfort level that the products they buy in their markets are safe to eat and to drink," said Loretta E. Lynch, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. "We will continue to act with the FDA to ensure that companies that produce food and juice under dangerous conditions take corrective action."
The company purchases ingredients, such as carrots and beets, that originate outside of New York and sells products to food service establishments primarily in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Various violations involved the following brands: Double Trouble Carrot Punch, Carrot Juice Drink, Carrot & Ginger Drink, Beet Carrot Juice Drink, Agony Peanut Punch, Cashew Punch, and Irish Sea Moss. Other company products stored at the facility during FDA visits were: Front End Lifter Magnum Punch, Ginger Beer, Sorrell Drink, Pineapple Twist and Soursop Juice.




Life-saving in the bacterial world: How Campylobacter rely on Pseudomonas to infect humans
07.oct.10
University of Veterinary Medicine – Vienna
Friederike Hilbert
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/uovm-lit100710.php
Many a holiday is ruined by food poisoning, frequently caused by the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni. Although Campylobacter infections are rarely life-threatening they are extremely debilitating and have been linked with the development of Guillain-Barré syndrome, one of the leading causes of non-trauma-induced paralysis worldwide.
Campylobacter jejuni is well adapted to life in the guts of animals and birds, where it is often found in very high levels. However, to infect humans it also needs to be able to survive outside the gut, on the surface of meat that will be eaten by humans. It is known that C. jejuni cannot grow under normal atmospheric conditions – the levels of oxygen are too high for it – so how it survives was until recently unknown. The mystery has now been solved by Friederike Hilbert and colleagues at the Institute of Meat Hygiene, Meat Technology and Food Science of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna.
The surface of meat harbours a number of species of bacteria that – fortunately – are rarely harmful to humans, although they are associated with spoilage. It seems possible that the various species interact and Hilbert hypothesized that such interactions might help bacteria such as Campylobacter jejuni survive under hostile, oxygen-rich conditions. She thus tested the survival of C. jejuni in the presence of various meat-spoiling bacteria. When incubated alone or together with bacteria such as Proteus mirabilis or Enterococcus faecalis, Campylobacter survived atmospheric oxygen levels for no longer than 18 hours. However, when incubated together with various strains of Pseudomonas, Campylobacter were found to survive for much longer, in some cases over 48 hours, which would be easily long enough to cause infection.
There were differences in the extent of prolonged survival depending on the sources of the Campylobacter analysed but all isolates of all strains clearly survived significantly longer in the presence of Pseudomonas bacteria than when cultured alone. And the Campylobacter cells did not change shape when cultured together with Pseudomonas under oxygen-rich conditions, unlike when they were cultured alone, providing further indications of an interaction between the species. Interestingly, there is no evidence that the Pseudomonas benefit at all from the interaction, although they effectively save the lives of the Campylobacter.
Hilbert's findings show clearly that the presence of Pseudomonas bacteria is responsible for significantly enhanced survival of the disease-causing Campylobacter bacteria on the surface of meat. The results have implications for the control of meat, especially poultry, destined for human consumption. As Hilbert says, "On the basis of this study it should be possible to elucidate new mechanisms for limiting the level of Campylobacter on chicken meat and thus the incidence of food poisoning could be much reduced."
The paper Survival of Campylobacter jejuni under Conditions of Atmospheric Oxygen Tension with the Support of Pseudomonas spp. by Friederike Hilbert, Manuela Scherwitzel, Peter Paulsen and Michael P. Szostak is published in the September issue of the Journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology (Vol. 76, 5911-5917). The work was funded in part by the European Commission via an FP6 project, PoultryFlorGut (contract no. FOOD-CT-2005-007076).




One quarter of MANITOBA pork producers using needle free injection technology
07.oct.10
Farmscape
Bruce Cochrane
Manitoba Pork Council reports approximately one quarter of the province's pork producers have switched from needles and syringes to needle free administration of medications and vaccines.
Last November Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives introduced a program under which pork producers enrolled in the Canadian Quality Assurance Program are eligible for rebates of up to two thousand dollars for the purchase of a needle free injector.
Manitoba Pork Council quality assurance and labor programs manager Miles Beaudin says, of the approximately 620 farms on the CQA program in Manitoba, about 150 have purchased or are in the process of purchasing a gun.
Clip-Miles Beaudin-Manitoba Pork Council:
By not having a needle penetrate the skin of an animal you do bring at least three big areas of improvement.
Needleless injectors don't have needles so there's no needles to break in the animal.
Broken needles is a physical hazard and we try to do our best not to have broken needles in pork obviously.
Another big advantage of using needleless technology is that there is a significant reduction of disease transmission between injections.
Typically with a needle we recommend that you change the needle every 10 to 20 injections.
With a needleless injector there's no needles and you reduce disease transfer by 75 percent and that's not cleaning the orifice at the end.
We believe that if you clean the orifice at the end you could almost have maybe 100 percent reduction in disease transfer from one injection to the other.
The third area where there's a major improvement is there's a better uptake in medication from the animal so then the animal itself can respond better to the medication, equal or better than using a needle and syringe.
Beaudin expects money to be available under the program for the next two years and he hopes to see more farmers adopting the use of needle free technology.




US: New study shows benefits of Bt corn to farmers
07.oct.10
ARS News Service
Jan Suszkiw
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/101007.htm
WASHINGTON -- A group of agricultural scientists reported in today's issue of the journal Science that corn that has been genetically engineered to produce insect-killing proteins isolated from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) provides significant economic benefits even to neighboring farmers who grow non-transgenic varieties of corn.
"Modern agricultural science is playing a critical role in addressing many of the toughest issues facing American agriculture today, including pest management and productivity," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "This study provides important information about the benefits of biotechnology by directly examining how area-wide suppression of corn borers using Bt corn can improve yield and grain quality even of non-Bt varieties."
The researchers estimate that farmers in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin received cumulative economic benefits of nearly $7 billion between 1996-2009, with benefits of more than $4 billion for non-Bt corn farmers alone. The scientists estimated that in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin, borer populations in adjacent non-Bt fields declined by 28 to 73 percent, with similar reductions recorded in Iowa and Nebraska.
The researchers attribute the collateral benefits enjoyed by non-Bt farmers to areawide suppression of corn borers stemming from long-term plantings of Bt-protected crops. Potato, green bean and other host crops also stand to benefit from areawide reductions of corn borers, the researchers note. The team's Science report also highlights the importance of the use of refuge crops—the planting of non-Bt crops adjacent to fields of Bt crops, providing a refuge to which the pests can retreat—and other strategies to slow the corn borer's ability to develop resistance to Bt and thus maintain the insecticidal proteins' long-term effectiveness.
The Bt proteins provide the plant with a built-in defense against attacks by the larvae of European corn borers and other insect pests. Larvae that ingest the protein soon stop feeding and die, typically within 48 hours. In addition to reducing the use of insecticides that also can endanger beneficial insects, the Bt defense strategy helps prevent harmful molds from gaining entry to the plants via wound sites from borer feeding. Some of these molds, like Fusarium, produce mycotoxins that can diminish the value and safety of the crop's kernels.
Bt corn debuted in 1996, and by 2009 was planted on nearly 55 million acres in the United States, accounting for nearly 63 percent of the total U.S. corn crop of 87 million acres. But no research groups had previously investigated the long-term impact of such plantings on corn borer populations on a regional scale, nor had there been any assessment of whether the use of the crop provided any sort of collateral benefit to adjacent or nearby fields of non-Bt crops.
The team was led by William Hutchison of the University of Minnesota and included Rick Hellmich, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entomologist at the Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit operated at Ames, Iowa, by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency. The team gathered 14 years' worth of corn borer population data from Bt corn plantings and combined it with national corn production figures, including yields, prices and acreage planted.
In addition to ARS and the University of Minnesota, study participants included researchers from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Pennsylvania State University at State College, the University of Illinois at Urbana, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Iowa State University at Nashua, and industry researchers, among others.




Transgenic corn suppresses European corn borer, saves farmers billions
07.oct.10
University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Jennifer Shike
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/uoic-tcs100710.php
Transgenic corn's suppression of the European corn borer has saved Midwest farmers billions of dollars in the past decade, reports a new study in Science.
Research conducted by several Midwest universities shows that suppression of this pest has saved $3.2 billion for corn growers in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin over the past 14 years with more than $2.4 billion of this total benefiting non-Bt corn growers. Comparable estimates for Iowa and Nebraska are $3.6 billion in total, with $1.9 billion accruing for non-Bt corn growers.
Transgenic corn is engineered to express insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Bt corn has become widely adopted in U.S. agriculture since its commercialization in 1996. In 2009, Bt corn constituted 63 percent of the U.S. crop.
Corn borer moths can't distinguish between Bt and non-Bt corn, so females lay eggs in both types of fields. Once eggs hatch in Bt corn, young borer larvae feed and die within 24 to 48 hours.
The major benefit of planting Bt corn is reduced yield losses, and Bt acres received this benefit after the growers paid Bt corn technology fees. But as a result of areawide pest suppression, non-Bt acres also experienced yield savings without the cost of Bt technology fees, and thus received more than half of the benefits from growing Bt corn in the region.
"We've assumed for some time that economic benefits were accruing, even among producers who opted not to plant Bt hybrids," said co-author of the study Mike Gray, University of Illinois Extension entomologist and professor in the Department of Crop Sciences. "However, once quantified, the magnitude of this benefit was even more impressive."
Over the past several years, entomologists and corn producers have noticed very low densities of European corn borers in Illinois. In fact, Illinois densities have reached historic lows to the point where many are questioning its pest status, Gray said.
"Since the introduction of Bt corn, initially targeted primarily at the European corn borer, many entomologists and ecologists have wondered if population suppression over a large area would eventually occur," Gray said. "As this research shows, areawide suppression has occurred and dramatically reduced the estimated $1 billion in annual losses caused previously by the European corn borer."
This information also provides incentives for growers to plant non-Bt corn in addition to Bt corn.
"Sustained economic and environmental benefits of this technology will depend on continued stewardship by producers to maintain non-Bt maize refuges to minimize the risk of evolution of Bt resistance in crop pest species," Gray said.
This study titled, "Areawide Suppression of European Corn Borer with Bt Maize Reaps Savings to Non-Bt Maize Growers," will appear in the October 8 edition of Science. The lead researcher is Bill Hutchison of the University of Minnesota. Collaborating authors include Eric Burkness and Roger Moon of the University of Minnesota, Paul Mitchell of the University of Wisconsin, Tim Leslie of Long Island University, Shelby Fleischer of Pennsylvania State University, Mark Abrahamson of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Krista Hamilton of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Kevin Steffey and Mike Gray of the University of Illinois, Rick Hellmich of USDA-ARS, Von Kaster of Syngenta Seeds Inc., Tom Hunt and Bob Wright of the University of Nebraska, Ken Pecinovsky of Iowa State University, Tom Rabaey of General Mills Inc., Brian Flood of Del Monte Foods and the late Earl Raun of Pest Management Company.




In WISCONSIN, 75 percent of economic benefit of Bt corn goes to farmers who don't plant it
07.oct.10
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Paul Mitchell
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/uow-iw7100610.php
MADISON -- Widespread planting of genetically modified Bt corn throughout the Upper Midwest has suppressed populations of the European corn borer, a major insect pest of corn, with the majority of the economic benefits going to growers who do not plant Bt corn, reports a multistate team of scientists in the Oct. 8 edition of the journal Science.
In Wisconsin, 75 percent of the $325 million cumulative economic benefit linked to Bt corn's pest suppression between 1996-2009 went to non-Bt corn growers. Wisconsin currently has about 3.9 million corn acres, with approximately half in Bt corn.
"This study is the first to estimate the value of area-wide pest suppression from transgenic crops and the subsequent benefit to growers of non-transgenic crops. In this case, the value of the indirect yield benefits for non-Bt corn acres exceeded the net value of direct benefits to Bt corn acres," says co-author Paul Mitchell, a University of Wisconsin-Madison agricultural economist who conducted the economic analysis for the study.
Bt corn is genetically modified (GM) to contain a protein from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that kills insect pests. According to the team's calculations, the total economic benefit of Bt corn's pest suppression across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska between 1996-2009 adds up to about $6.9 billion. When the team broke the numbers out by Bt and non-Bt fields, they were initially surprised to find that 62 percent of Bt corn's economic benefit — about $4.3 billion — went to non-Bt corn fields.
On second thought, however, the finding made sense. The primary benefit of Bt corn comes in the form of reduced yield losses, a benefit that Bt corn growers pay for in the form of Bt technology fees. As a result of Bt corn's area-wide pest suppression, however, growers who plant non-Bt corn in their fields also experience yield savings without the cost of Bt technology fees, and thus receive more than half of the benefits from growing Bt corn in the region.
European corn borer moths cannot distinguish between Bt and non-Bt corn, so females lay eggs in both kinds of fields, explains University of Minnesota entomologist William Hutchison, the study's chief author. Once eggs hatch in Bt corn, young borer larvae feed and die within 24 to 48 hours.
Because it is effective at controlling corn borers and other pests, Bt corn has been adopted on about 63 percent of all U.S. corn acres. As a result, corn borer numbers have also declined in neighboring non-Bt fields by 28 percent to 73 percent in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin, depending on historical pest abundance and the level of Bt-corn adoption. The study also documents similar declines of the pest in Iowa and Nebraska. This is the first study to show a direct association between Bt corn use and an area-wide reduction in corn borer abundance.
The authors note that their analysis does not consider benefits for other important Midwestern crops affected by European corn borer, such as sweet corn, potatoes and green beans. "Additionally, environmental benefits from corn borer suppression are likely occurring, such as less insecticide use, but these benefits have yet to be documented," says Hutchinson.
The authors were able to document the suppression of European corn borer in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin because state entomologists have monitored pest populations for more than 45 years in those states. Pest suppression and similar benefits to adopters and non-adopters alike may be occurring as a result of the widespread use of transgenic insect-resistant crops in other parts of the U.S. and the world, but those benefits cannot be documented without adequate data.
Finally, the authors emphasize that sustaining the economic and environmental benefits of Bt corn and other transgenic crops for adopters and non-adopters alike depends on the continued stewardship of these technologies. Farmers, industry and regulators need to remain committed to planting non-Bt corn refuges to minimize the risk that corn borers will develop resistance to Bt corn. The Science study shows that Bt corn is more valuable to society than originally realized, which makes maintaining its effectiveness even more important.


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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