Fw: [BITES-L] bites Nov. 25/10
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Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:09:40 -0600
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Subject: [BITES-L] bites Nov. 25/10
bites Nov. 25/10
Real time turkey; bugs everywhere: the cross-contamination nightmare of prepping a turkey
Is that a pop-up timer in your belly or are you just happy to see me; the ups and downs of turkey temps
Mason's mum vows to fight for justice; FSA will try harder
Wedding guests ill in WISCONSIN
US: Editorial: Senate should fix food inspections
Cookiegate: health chief fired for eating cookie instead of answering questions
TEXAS: Food 4 thought - Willacy County restaurant inspection bombshells
US: Investigation update: Multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections associated with cheese
Inactivation of hepatitis A virus and norovirus surrogate in suspension and on food contact surfaces using pulsed UV light
Extended Staphylococcal Enterotoxin D expression in ham products
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Real time turkey; bugs everywhere: the cross-contamination nightmare of prepping a turkey
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145301/10/11/25/real-time-turkey-bugs-everywhere-cross-contamination-nightmare-prepping-turkey
Five days after purchasing a 15-pound frozen turkey for $0.68/pound, it's time to prep the bird for our 4 p.m ish Thanksgiving dinner in Manhattan (Kansas, so Central time)..
Using a combination of countertop and the front porch to thaw the bird in a covered roasting pan, the frozen turkey has a surface temperature of 47F and an interior temperature of 39F (I've been letting it sit on the counter to warm up in preparation for cooking).
There was at least an inch of melted turkey juice and water at the bottom of the roasting pan. Whoever said place a frozen bird on a plate in the refrigerator to thaw has never done it. There would be salmonella-and-campylobacter laden liquid everywhere, most likely on the fresh produce in the crisper drawer.
As I picked up the bird to begin removing the packing, there was a splash, and a few tablespoons of liquid splattered on the floor. Oops. Then there was a package of gravy mix in the cavity, covered in all sorts of bacteria. Got that into its own container, and the neck into the stock pot. Got me and the surrounding area cleaned up.
The bird is continuing to warm up at room temperature for another hour and then into the oven. The chestnut stuffing has to cool a bit.
Next, more cross contamination follies as the bird gets stuffed.
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145293/10/11/24/party-my-porch-how-i-thawed-my-turkey
Is that a pop-up timer in your belly or are you just happy to see me; the ups and downs of turkey temps
24.nov.10
barfblog
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145297/10/11/24/pop-timer-your-belly-or-are-you-just-happy-see-me-ups-and-downs-turkey-temps
Michéle Samarya-Timm, a registered environmental health specialist with the Somerset County Department of Health in New Jersey (represent) writes:
I roasted my first turkey as a teenager, long before I was smitten with public health as a career, and ages before I really learned to cook. I thought it was easy, especially since the pop-up timer told me dinner was ready. That bird – raw on the inside and burnt on the outside—looked okay to us. That meal was scarfed down by a group of very hungry – and very poor – college students. We knew nothing of food safety, and probably didn't care.
It was my first encounter with a pop-up timer. Perfect for the inexperienced cook, right? When the plunger pops the turkey is done, and safe to eat. Or is it? Was that experience unique?
Since a pop-up timer is embedded in 30 million of the 46 million turkeys Americans will be eating this holiday, I sought to be a little more informed. Here's what I found:
The pop-up timer found in turkey normally has four parts:
• The outer case (typically white or light blue)
• The little stick that pops up (typically red)
• A spring
• A blob of soft metal at the tip
The soft metal at the tip is solid at room temperature and turns to a liquid (melts) at about 185 degrees Fahrenheit . When the metal turns to a liquid, it frees the end of the red stick that had been trapped in the metal. The spring pops the red stick up and presumably the turkey is done.
Pop-up timers are thought to be relatively fool-proof because they are binary – a popped plunger means "Yes the turkey is done" and an unpopped plunger means "Nope, keep cooking." But as with anything, this is only true under optimal conditions. Since my first turkey experience, I've had pop-up thermometers pop up too soon or not at all, fall apart and even disappear.
While researching this, a colleague told me Butterball turkeys do not have pop-up timers this year. Turns out, they never did. A pleasant representative at the Butterball Turkey Talk line explained. The placement of a pop-up timer is usually mechanical. This mechanical placement of the pop-up is temperamental – depending on the machines and the turkey placement (they're slippery when raw!) -- so breast, leg or other body parts may be pierced. Variations in the pop-up placement can affect pop-up timing, and presumed temperature. White meat (done at 165ºF-170ºF) cooks quicker than dark meat (where 180ºF is recommended). So instead of including a maybe-not-so-accurate thermometer, Butterball recommends using a probe thermometer to assure proper cooking. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's meat and poultry hotline, and the Ask Karen online chat had similar information. A pop-up timer is calculated to pop when the breast meat measures about 180 degrees, which is when the leg and thigh area is most likely at the 165 degree temperature. Although pop-up timers are accurate to +/- 2ºF, they recommend verifying temperature of your bird with a thermometer that gives a numeric reading.
But what about foodsafe Thanksgiving temperatures for vegan friends? Meatless turkey substitutes are gaining in popularity, but how to best prepare a Tofurkey, a mock turkey product made of tofu, shaped like a roast? Tofu, a soybean curd that is protein-rich, meets the criteria to be classified as a potentially hazardous food. But what temperature should it reach to assure food safety? USDA didn't have an answer. Neither (not surprisingly) did Butterball. A call to the Tofurkey folks gave me an initial answer of 350ºF, which was later corrected to 165ºF to 180ºF. And pop-up timers are not included.
Back to my initial Thanksgiving cooking disaster. I really needed a numeric thermometer to assure my cooking techniques and ancient oven roasted the meat safely. My lesson learned is that plungers are for clogged sinks. Setting a binary temperature plunger in the turkey (or tofu substitute!) brings some awareness, but nothing beats proper use of an appropriate numeric thermometer, and clear, accurate cooking instructions. It would have been safer to have an overcooked entrée masked with gravy, then the food safety disaster I fed to my friends. Thankfully, they survived.
Hopefully my lesson and my writings will assure at least a few more safely cooked, thermometer checked, meals this holiday – be it tofu, turkey, or some other tempting dish.
This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful that I have happy faces around the dining table, an accurate thin-probe thermometer to verify that my turkey won't become the stuff of outbreak legends, and that I still have a job in public health.
Mason's mum vows to fight for justice; FSA will try harder
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145300/10/11/25/mason%E2%80%99s-mum-vows-fight-justice-fsa-will-try-harder
Although Coroner David Bowen said butcher William Tudor's disregard for food hygiene sparked an E. coli O157 outbreak that claimed the life of 5-year-old Mason Jones in 2005, the "horrific catalogue" of breaches was not enough for him to record the verdict as unlawful death.
While disappointed, Mason's mom, Sharon Mills, told the South Wales Echo she was grateful Mr Bowen called for tougher enforcement of food hygiene laws and better regulation of food businesses.
Steve Wearne, director of the Food Standards Agency in Wales, said,
"We are determined to ensure that lessons are learned from the tragic death of Mason Jones. We have provided guidance to local authorities that aims to ensure that each intervention in a food business – whether advice, inspection or enforcement – moves it towards full compliance with the law.
"We will shortly issue a public consultation on extending the use of Remedial Action Notices to all food premises. These notices would allow local authority enforcement officers to require a process or activity in a food business that poses a significant risk to human health to be stopped immediately, and would not allow it to recommence until specified action to reduce the risk had been taken."
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/11/25/mason-s-mum-vows-to-fight-for-justice-91466-27712174/
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2010/nov/inquestnov10
Wedding guests ill in WISCONSIN
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/blog/145298/10/11/25/wedding-guests-ill-wisconsin
The Franklin Health Department is investigating an illness that appears connected to a wedding last weekend. The bride's parents told Today's TMJ4 they feel terrible that the wedding guests became so ill, including the bride and groom.
At least 20 people came down with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, according to the health department. The bride's parents said they believe the number of victims may actually be much higher than 20.
The health department said it was unclear whether the illness came from food consumed at the wedding reception or some other location guests visited over the course of the weekend. The Franklin Health Officer said the department will contact guests who may have come in contact with the illness.
One health official, who is not connected to this investigation, questioned whether the illness could be norovirus which has recently spiked in northern Illinois.
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/110475334.html
US: Editorial: Senate should fix food inspections
25.nov.10
Sacramento Bee
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/25/3210767/senate-should-fix-food-inspections.html
On this Thanksgiving, Americans can be confident that their food is produced by ethical farmers and is safe, generally.
But Congress has a chance to improve public health in the final days of its lame-duck session by granting the Food and Drug Administration broader authority to inspect sources of domestic and imported food before it reaches your table.
The Food Safety Modernization Act, S 510, is a long-overdue update to the system of food inspection. The bill faces a crucial vote in the U.S. Senate next week. The chance may not come again for years.
President Barack Obama made food safety an important part of his agenda in the wake of the massive salmonella outbreak in 2009 from peanuts produced by the Peanut Company of America at its rodent-infested plant in Georgia. That outbreak left nine people dead and sickened more than 20,000.
The issue involves much more than peanuts. It affects all manner of products, from salmonella-tainted beef produced at a Fresno-based unit of Cargill and cookie dough tainted by E. coli last year, to Gorgonzola sold recently at Costco.
In August, there was a recall of 500 million eggs from plants in Iowa that caused 2,000 illnesses, followed by another recall earlier this month of 290,000 eggs.
Food-borne illness is a scourge. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 5,000 people die each year from tainted food. Another 325,000 are hospitalized, and 76 million people become ill annually.
As it is, the FDA must rely on producers themselves to voluntarily issue recall notices for foul products. Among its most fundamental changes, the legislation would permit the FDA itself to order recalls.
Importantly, the legislation, which has support from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, would require that food imported from any of the 150 countries meet the same standards as that of U.S. farmers and producers.
FDA officials would inspect no fewer than 600 foreign facilities in the first year, and double the number of inspections annually.
The overall number of inspections would rise, as would the amount of paperwork required of producers. According to the Congressional Budget Office, there would be 50,000 inspections by 2015, up from 7,400 in 2009.
The legislation has problems. There is little reason to treat an organic farmer in Capay Valley the same as a massive egg producer in Iowa. But an amendment by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, has drawn legitimate concerns by large farm organizations.
It exempts farmers who gross less than $500,000 and sell their products within a 275-mile radius of their farms. But that amendment overlooks a fundamental issue that the legislation seeks to address – risk. The risks associated with, say, lettuce, are greater than almonds, no matter the size of an operation.
Cookiegate: health chief fired for eating cookie instead of answering questions
25.nov.10
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://www.barfblog.com/blog/145299/10/11/25/cookiegate-health-chief-fired-eating-cookie-instead-answering-questions
Today's lesson in risk communication: don't brush off reporters with crazy gestures involving a cookie, and don't whine, "I'm still eating my cookie."
You'll get fired.
Professor Stephen Duckett, , 60, who had been headhunted from Australia in 2009 to take charge of the newly created Alberta Health Services, was fired after preferring to munch on a cookie rather than answer media questions as he left a meeting of senior healthcare advisers in Canada.
Following a recent meeting in Edmonton, Dr Duckett refused to talk to waiting media about the health crisis in the Canadian province of Alberta.
The Age reports that at one stage, as he tried to outpace the media, he prodded the cookie towards the face of a female reporter and said the only thing he was interested in was eating his cookie.
He was quickly dubbed the "Cookie Monster" after a video of the incident went viral showing him nibbling on the biscuit and repeatedly telling the pursuing media "I'm eating my cookie."
The former La Trobe University academic issued an apology the day after the incident on November 19, saying he deeply regretted his behavior and said he respected journalists' right to ask timely questions in the public interest.
Board chairman Ken Hughes told reporters that Dr Duckett was sacked because his ability to be effective in the role was compromised and the cookie video was "one of the elements" that led to the decision.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/ex-vic-health-official-is-sacked-in-canada-20101125-1886h.html
TEXAS: Food 4 thought - Willacy County restaurant inspection bombshells
24.nov.10
Valley Central
Ryan Wolf
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=546044
The Food Patrol dug up some of the worst health inspection reports for 2010, and the dirty dining all stems from one county Willacy County.
State inspection reports released to the Food Patrol for the period May 1st-August 31st, netted zero top performers with zero demerits.
As if the news wasn't bad enough, several restaurants with high demerits turned out to be repeat low performers this year on Food 4 Thought.
One restaurant called Mi Pueblito on 383 East Hidalgo Street in Raymondville scored the highest demerits with 53 on a May report.
Violations at the eatery included filthy conditions like insect and rodent contamination along with cross contamination violations.
A re-inspection cleared many of the problems.
The Food Patrol wanted to ask management how in the world a business that serves food to the public would ever let kitchen conditions get as bad as the original inspection report revealed.
Action 4's Ryan Wolf was immediately kicked out of the restaurant.
That's not the only shocker this week on Food 4 Thought.
Click on the video link to see which other restaurants we exposed for low performer scores out of Willacy County.
Weekly Top Performers (0 demerits)
None
Weekly Low Performers (total number of demerits) [date of inspection]
Raymondville
Casa Blanca FM 3168 (26) *Incorrect Temperature on Food, Cross Contamination Violations* [6/16]
China Star 100 N Hwy 77 (30) *Evidence of Rodent & Insect Contamination* [5/24]
Dairy Queen 534 Hidalgo St (33) *Evidence of Rodent & Insect Contamination* [7/20]
Mi Pueblito 383 E Hidalgo St (53, 11) *15 out of 27 Critical Violations* [5/24 & 5/25]
Subway 122 N Exp 77 (24) *Incorrect Food Temps, Improper Hand-washing* [7/20]
US: Investigation update: Multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections associated with cheese
25.nov.10
CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2010/cheese0157/
Today's Highlights
* Bravo Farms has expanded its recall to include all of its cheeses. This action follows laboratory testing by the California Department of Food and Agriculture that reveals the presence of Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 in cheese samples.
* Thirty-eight persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from five states since mid-October. The number of ill persons identified in each state with this strain is as follows: AZ (19), CA (3), CO (11), NM (3) and NV (2). There have been 15 reported hospitalizations, 1 case of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and no deaths. To date, no illnesses associated with L. monocytogenes in Bravo Farm cheese have been reported.
Investigation of the Outbreak
CDC is collaborating with public health officials in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to investigate a multistate outbreak of human infections due to E. coli O157:H7. This is a rare strain of E. coli O157:H7 that has never been seen before in the PulseNet database. PulseNet is the national subtyping network made up of state and local public health laboratories and federal food regulatory laboratories that performs molecular surveillance of foodborne infections.
Thirty-eight persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from five states. The number of ill persons identified in each state with this strain is as follows: AZ (19), CA (3), CO (11), NM (3) and NV (2). Dates of illness onset range from October 16, 2010 through October 27, 2010. Patients range in age from 1 to 85 years and the median age is 16 years. There have been 15 reported hospitalizations, 1 case of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and no deaths.
The outbreak can be visually described with a chart showing the number of persons who became ill each day. This chart is called an epidemic curve or epi curve. Illnesses that occurred after November 4, 2010 might not yet be reported due to the time it takes between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported. This takes an average of 2 to 3 weeks.
Current Status of the Investigation
Laboratory testing conducted by the New Mexico Department of Health on an unopened (intact) package of Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese purchased from a Costco retail location has identified E. coli O157:H7 matching the outbreak strain. This is the first confirmation from an unopened cheese sample, and is consistent with previous laboratory testing conducted on two opened packages of the Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese purchased at Costco, which also identified E. coli O157:H7 matching the outbreak strain. These opened packages were from two different case patients' homes. Testing on two additional opened packages from other case patients' homes is in process.
FDA is continuing to work with its state partners to investigate Bravo Farms and to identify potential sources of contamination. FDA has collected product samples for testing.
Additional investigative activities are ongoing and include:
* Conducting surveillance for additional illnesses that could be related to the outbreak.
* Gathering and testing food products that are suspected as possible sources of infection to see if they are contaminated with bacteria.
* Following epidemiologic leads gathered from interviews with patients, food purchase information, or from patterns of processing, production and/or distribution of suspected products.
* Investigating where in the distribution chain the point of contamination could have occurred.
Costco is cooperating and assisting with this ongoing investigation.
Recall Information
On November 23, 2010, Bravo Farms expanded its recall to include all of its cheeses. This action follows laboratory testing by the California Department of Food and Agriculture that reveals the presence of Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 in cheese samples. Bravo Farms sells a variety of cheeses at retail stores throughout the US, mainly on the West coast, including Gouda, Pepper Jack, Tulare Cannonball, and several different styles and flavors of Cheddar cheese. To date, no illnesses associated with L. monocytogenes in Bravo Farm cheese have been reported. For more information, please see the FDA Press Announcement.
Clinical Features/Signs and Symptoms
Most people infected with E. coli O157:H7 develop diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps 2-8 days (3-4 days, on average) after swallowing the organism, but some illnesses last longer and are more severe. Infection is usually diagnosed by stool sample culture. While most people recover within a week, some develop a severe infection. A type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can begin as the diarrhea is improving; this can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old and the elderly. Signs and symptoms of HUS may include: fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, decreased urination and swelling of the face, hands, feet, or entire body. Persons who experience these symptoms and believe they are at risk for HUS should seek emergency medical care immediately.
Advice to Consumers
Consumers who have any Bravo Farms Cheeses should not eat them. Instead, they should return the cheeses to the place of purchase or dispose of them in a closed plastic bag placed in a sealed trash can. This will prevent people or animals, including wild animals, from eating it.
CDC's Role in Food Safety
CDC leads federal efforts to gather data on foodborne illnesses, investigate foodborne illnesses and outbreaks, and monitor the effectiveness of prevention and control efforts. CDC is not a food safety regulatory agency but works closely with the food safety regulatory agencies, in particular, with FDA and FSIS. CDC also plays a key role in building state and local health department epidemiology, laboratory, and environmental health capacity to support foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response. Notably, CDC data can be used to help document the effectiveness of regulatory interventions.
Inactivation of hepatitis A virus and norovirus surrogate in suspension and on food contact surfaces using pulsed UV light
24.nov.10
Food Microbiology
Julie Jean, Rocío Morales-Rayas, Marie-Natacha Anoman and Safaa Lamhoujeb
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WFP-51J9DJF-2&_user=10&_coverDate=11%2F24%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=21037da0127cb759186f816fdb013d5c&searchtype=a
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the inactivation of murine norovirus (MNV-1) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) by pulsed ultraviolet (UV) light. MNV-1 was used as a model for human norovirus. Viral suspensions of about 106 PFU/ml were exposed to pulses of UV light for different times and at different distances in a Xenon Steripulse device (model RS-3000C). Inactivation studies were also carried out on 1-cm2 stainless steel and polyvinyl chloride disks with 105 PFU/ml. Inactivation of MNV-1 and HAV at 10.5 cm from the UV source was greater on inert surfaces than in suspension. The presence of organic matter (fetal bovine serum) reduced the effectiveness of pulsed light both in suspension and on surfaces. However, two-second treatment in the absence of FBS completely inactivated (5 log reduction) the viral load at different distances tested, whether in suspension (MNV-1) or on disks (MNV-1 and HAV). The same treatment in the presence of fetal bovine serum (5%) allowed a reduction of about 3 log. This study showed that short duration pulses represent an excellent alternative for inactivation of food-borne viruses. This technology could be used to inactivate viruses in drinking water or on food-handling surfaces.
Extended Staphylococcal Enterotoxin D expression in ham products
24.nov.10
Food Micorbiology
Dóra Márta, Nina Wallin-Carlquist, Jenny Schelin, Elisabeth Borch and Peter Rådström
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WFP-51J9DJF-3&_user=10&_coverDate=11%2F24%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3dae9fa3df8d604c73c244adb747cb6e&searchtype=a
Abstract
Staphylococcal enterotoxin D (SED) is one of the most frequently recovered enterotoxins in staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) outbreaks. The expression and production of SED were investigated in three ham products, i.e. boiled ham, smoked ham and dry-cured Serrano ham incubated at room temperature for seven days. Staphylococcus aureus was also, as a reference, grown in cultivation broth during optimal growth conditions for seven days. In boiled and smoked ham, continuous sed expression was observed throughout the incubation period with a second increase in sed expression found after five days of incubation. In smoked ham, nine times less SED per colony-forming unit of S. aureus was detected than in boiled ham. In boiled ham, the SED levels unpredictably decreased after three days of incubation. In the Serrano ham, SED was detected after five days of incubation although S. aureus growth was poor and sed expression was too low to determine. After five days of incubation, all three products contained enough SED to cause SFP. These results show that the specific production levels of SED vary in the different ham products, and that toxin production was in part uncoupled from bacterial growth.
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