January 2008

  • What it's really like to work for the Canadian government

    Posted: January 26th, 2008 - 10:49am by Doug Powell

    As the editor of a listserv that is distributed to thousands of people in 75 countries, I get lots of erroneous e-mail. You know, people mistakenly hit reply and send me their shopping list or something like that.

    This is no mistake. And is the best I'm-away-automatic-e-mail-response I've ever seen. Ah, to be a bureaucrat in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

    " I have finally been Paroled after 35 yrs with the Federal Government...and as such will not be accessing this email address EVER again."

    Best wishes, Mr. former Canadian government employee. You have been unsubscribed from FSnet. Please feel free to sign up from home.
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  • Uncommon salmonella traced back to raw ahi

    Posted: January 26th, 2008 - 9:21am by Doug Powell

    Hawaiian state health investigators have identified a relatively rare type of salmonella poisoning on Oahu that they linked to similar cases on the mainland through "fingerprints" of the bacteria's DNA.

    Dr. Paul Effler, state epidemiologist, said illnesses are believed due to raw ahi imported and distributed to Hawaii and other places, and that in Hawaii, it looks as though people became ill after eating raw ahi mostly in poke but also sashimi. A sushi restaurant was involved in some mainland cases, he said.

    Janice Okubo, state Health Department spokeswoman, was cited as saying about 30 cases have been confirmed on Oahu since October, and that five people were hospitalized but have been released, adding, "They have all recovered or are recovering."

    The unusual culprit is known as salmonella Paratyphi B. Okubo said usually, only about 10 cases of Paratyphi B occur annually.
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  • Bill Marler donates to International Food Safety Network

    Posted: January 25th, 2008 - 8:07am by Doug Powell

    Fifteen years ago this week, Seattle lawyer Bill Marler and
    Kansas State University professor Douglas Powell were drawn into the
    food safety arena when the Washington Department of Health announced
    that Jack in the Box restaurants were the source of a multi-state
    outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. Now, the two are teaming up to
    further promote awareness of food safety.

    Marler, who has represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other
    foodborne illness outbreaks since representing more than 100 victims of
    the Jack in the Box outbreak, has pledged to donate $25,000 to Powell's
    group, the International Food Safety Network -- iFSN -- at Kansas State
    University. The group, which was formed in 1993 when Powell began
    researching the impact and influence of food safety information on
    farmers, processors, retailers, consumers and regulators, produces
    several electronic mailing lists to disseminate food safety information
    across the globe. In addition, Marler has pledged to match all other
    donations made to iFSN in 2008, up to $25,000.

    In thanking Marler for the donation, Powell said,

    "All money donated to iFSN will be used to fund students in developing and carrying out a
    variety of projects. These will focus on the use of new media and new
    messages to compel individuals from farm-to-fork to take steps to
    reduce the incidence of foodborne illness.

    "Bill Marler is an outstanding advocate for food safety and understands
    that microbiologically safe food just doesn't happen," said Powell.
    "Any lawyer can talk the talk. Bill walks the talk."

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 76
    million Americans get sick and 5,000 die each and every year after
    consuming contaminated food and water. The Jack in the Box outbreak in
    the Pacific Northwest, which killed four and sickened over 600, was the
    tipping point for American public awareness of the risks posed by
    dangerous microorganisms in food.
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  • Weir withdraws from Buick Invitational due to illness

    Posted: January 24th, 2008 - 4:46pm by Ben Chapman

    The Canadian Press reports that Mike Weir, 2003 Master's winner from Bright's Grove, ON, didn't make it past the first nine today at the Buick Invitational in La Jolla, California. He shot 40 through his first nine holes, and cited that he was feeling ill as a reason.  Maybe he's got a touch of norovirus?

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  • Turtles still make people sick -- 103 since last May

    Posted: January 24th, 2008 - 3:05pm by Doug Powell

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports today that a salmonella outbreak that sickened and resulted in the hospitalization of children in 33 states has been traced back to the illegal sale of tiny pet turtles.

    At least 103 cases have been reported since May 2007, and many of those infected were children under the age of 10, the CDC said.

    In October 2007, the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) notified CDC of human infections caused by Salmonella serotype Paratyphi B L (+) tartrate (+) (Salmonella Paratyphi B var. Java) in several states. Salmonella Paratyphi B var. Java is a nontyphoidal strain of Salmonella that causes gastroenteritis.

    This report describes the results of the epidemiologic and laboratory investigation conducted by CDC and state and local health departments during October 2007--January 2008. The findings document an ongoing, multistate outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B var. Java infections, with the first reported illness onset occurring on May 4, 2007. Many of these infections have occurred in young children and have been associated with exposure to small turtles. Prohibiting the sale and distribution of small turtles likely remains the most effective public health action to prevent turtle-associated salmonellosis.

    You never know what kids will do with turtles.
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  • Naughty Nigella -- food and sex

    Posted: January 24th, 2008 - 2:55pm by Doug Powell

    My parents, hoping to escape the Canadian cold, are arriving in Manhattan (Kansas) this evening.

    It was -5 F this morning.

    They may be disappointed.

    But the sun is shining, things are warming, and by the time they hit southern Texas next week there are supposed to be highs in the 70s.

    My father was the inspiration for our 2004 cooking show paper which documented the food safety failures of the high-profile chefs on The Food Network, including Nigella Lawson.

    Marieke Hardy of Melbourne, Australia's The Age newspaper wrote a column yesterday that took aim at Nigella, including,

    "We like food, certainly. Some of us are also partial to boobies, and innuendo, and ladies with big. round bottoms, but even then Nigella seems to make selected members of the wymmyn's network slightly suspicious.

    Perhaps it's the chocolatey vowels and habit of rolling herself all over the preparation space in a fashion that would be considered deeply unhygienic by most food and safety officers."

    How about sexy and safe food?

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  • Farmer Jeff: Raccoons love sweet corn -- Bt or not

    Posted: January 24th, 2008 - 12:09am by Doug Powell

    Farmer Jeff explains some of the trade-offs involved in growing corn, and raccoon control, and why he didn't have time to get a haircut because of severe weather conditions in 2000 in Ontario.

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  • Use a meat thermometer

    Posted: January 23rd, 2008 - 8:03pm by Doug Powell

    Marc Bouchard of Hudson, the executive chef at Stellina Restaurant in Watertown, Mass., writes in The Nashua Telegraph that people may hesitate at handling raw chicken and tend to overcook it.

    Bouchard blames it on the media, "with its glorified tales of salmonella we've been scared into thinking that illness, disease and toxins lurk in every package."

    There's nothing glorious about salmonella.

    Bouchard says always keep a box of disposable latex or plastic gloves in the kitchen. Put them on whenever you handle any raw meats or fish. And immediately sterilize your cutting board and knife with a commercial disinfectant or a solution of diluted chlorine bleach before going on to any other task.

    OK.

    Bouchard also says the answer to the problem of overcooking is to use the sear-and-bake method of cooking.

    "In 15 minutes, we had perfectly cooked chicken, with the meat cooked through but still tender and juicy. The same cooking technique could be applied to cuts of pork, beef, turkey or even fish."

    Wrong. The only way to tell if meat like chicken is properly cooked is to use a tip-sensitive digital thermometer. And it will make you a better executive chef cause you won't overcook meat.

    Stick it in.

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  • Really, wash your damn hands

    Posted: January 23rd, 2008 - 6:43pm by Doug Powell

    Michele Samarya-Timm, a health educator with the Franklin Township Health Department and guest barfblogger, told New Jersey's Home News Tribune,

    "We need a national handwashing campaign. We need it on hand towels and billboards. We need to market it on video games and commercials. We need to have rock songs about handwashing."

    Couldn't agree more. Wash your hands. And if a restroom doesn't have the proper tools -- soap, water, paper towel -- be sure to let someone know. Proper handwashing requires access to proper tools.

    Don't eat poop. Wash your hands.
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  • Wash your damn hands (and don't eat poop)

    Posted: January 23rd, 2008 - 10:00am by Doug Powell

    Researchers were cited as saying on Wednesday that, based on a review of 14 different studies, encouraging people to wash their hands properly can reduce the rate of diarrhea by 30 percent, in rich and poor countries alike.

    Dr. Regina Ejemot of the University of Calabar in Nigeria, who led the study, said,

    "This is a huge benefit. For people in low-income areas this effect is comparable to providing clean water. The challenge is to find ways of promoting handwashing, as well as to set up long-term trials that test whether good practice has become part of a person's way of life."

    Don't eat poop.
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  • The story was so good, we made it into an infosheet

    Posted: January 23rd, 2008 - 8:34am by Ben Chapman

    Last week a few subscribers emailed us a story about inappropriate acts in a St. John's, NFLD Dairy Queen.   Seems that while managers weren't around staff were mooning, grabbing their body parts and then going back to food handling without washing up.  Sounded like a perfect infosheet to us, so here it is.

    If you have any stories that you think need infosheet attention, please send them on to bchapman@uoguelph.ca.
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  • The long-term effects of food poisoning

    Posted: January 21st, 2008 - 5:50pm by Doug Powell

    In 1984, the Pope visited the restored 350-year-old Jesuit mission of Ste. Marie-among-the-Hurons in Midland, Ontario. After departing,1,600 hungry Ontario Provincial Police officers who had worked the ropes gathered for a boxed lunch. Of those 500 officers who chose ones with roast beef sandwiches, 423 came down with salmonella.

    Those officers have shown, over the years, that a touch of the flu -- as foodborne illness is often mistakenly called-- is more than a couple of days praying at the porcelin goddess of foodborne illness. Some 5-10 per cent of those police officers have developed reactive arthritis that will plague them for life.

    Lauren Neergaard of Associated Press writes today about foodborne illness: the gift that keeps giving, sometimes years later.

    Donna Rosenbaum of the consumer advocacy group STOP, Safe Tables Our Priority, said,

    "We're drastically underestimating the burden on society that foodborne illnesses represent."

    The story says this month,  STOP is beginning the first national registry of food-poisoning survivors with long-term health problems - people willing to share their medical histories with scientists in hopes of boosting much-needed research.
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  • From the making poop on your desk file....

    Posted: January 21st, 2008 - 5:08pm by Ben Chapman

    Steph came across this really odd story from boingboing.net about a mini cloaca gadget which, I guess sits in your office, living room, or or on your desk and makes shit from food.

    The story says that this gadget is from artist Wim Delvoye, and is his latest installation of his Cloaca series.

    This model is called the "Mini Cloaca." Delvoye's machines take food, grind it up, add it to a slurry of digestive juices, and make—more or less—shit. While previous models were almost industrial-sized, the Mini consumes about as much food as a breakfast meal. 

    Delvoye's wiki entry says that The first Cloaca machine was exhibited at the MuHKA (Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp) in 2000.

    The machine was "fed" an exquisite meal twice a day, the feces coming out at the other end of the processing unit as a result of the "digestion" of the food.

    There are several Cloaca set-ups: the original setup is that of a series of containers in glass on a long table, while the more modern ones are comparatively shorter, digesting food through what looks like a series of washing machines.

    The logo and other promotional art work of the Cloaca project are a parody of the logos of Coca-Cola, Ford, Mr. Clean, and other brands. The feces produced by the Cloaca machines are sold vacuum-packed in translucent boxes.

    Check out his website at www.cloaca.be

    mmm.



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  • Food poisoning fells Thai badminton star

    Posted: January 21st, 2008 - 1:01pm by Doug Powell

    The Malaysia Star reported last week that Thai number one Boonsak Ponsana has been forced out of the Malaysian Open badminton tournament after coming down with food poisoning on the eve of his departure for Kuala Lumpur.

    Coach Udon Luangphetcharaporn said Boonsak's condition was not serious but he was weak and not in a good condition to play in the season-opening Super Series tournament at the Putra Stadium, adding, "It's unfortunate he is unable to play as he needs to fight for points to improve on his world rankings."

    The 25-year-old law student enjoyed a memorable season last year, winning the Singapore Open and the World University Games gold medal. He is the highest ranked Thai at number 12 in the world rankings.
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  • Blame consumers -- German style

    Posted: January 21st, 2008 - 12:38pm by Doug Powell

    Apparently it's International Green Week in Berlin, described as an Exhibition for the Food Industry, Agriculture and Horticulture, from Jan. 18 -- 27 (that seems longer than a week).

    Food News reports that the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is presenting its work so consumers can find out more about the risks lurking in their kitchens.

    The story says,

    around 200,000 food infections are reported every year in Germany. Experts believe that the actual number is far higher since by no means everyone who is affected goes to see a doctor. Most of the infections with Salmonella, Campylobacter or other germs are not contracted in canteens or restaurants but in the home.

    BfR President Professor Dr. Andreas Hensel said,

    "Many consumers have never learned how to store and cook food properly in the home. By following simple rules it is possible to avoid unpleasant food infections."

    Like Bill Marler wrote about the Chinese this morning, maybe the Germans are on to something as well.

    I'll stick with a farm-to-fork approach to food safety. There are outbreaks everywhere. Stop blaming consumers.
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  • If it's not Scottish, it's craaaaapp

    Posted: January 20th, 2008 - 7:28pm by Doug Powell

    After 19 years, the Scottish government is bent on asking the United States to overturn its ban on Scotland's traditional and national dish called 'haggis.'

    The U.S. implemented a ban on haggis from Scotland in 1989 amidst the bovine spongiform encephalopathy [mad cow] scare because the dish contains offal ingredients such as sheep lungs. Sheep can suffer from scrapie, which is in the same family of diseases as BSE.

    A Scottish government spokesperson told BBC News,

    "The market is massive because there are so many expat Scots there and once Americans try a good quality haggis, they can't get enough of it."

    A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture said,

    "We do not allow importation because of the U.K.'s BSE status. Sheep are susceptible to TSE's and thus the U.S. takes precautions on importing those ruminants from BSE-affected countries."

    A spokesman for Britain's Food Standards Agency said,

    "We see no reason at all why people cannot eat haggis safely, so long as manufacturers follow hygiene legislation."

    The story says that haggis is traditionally served with tatties and neeps (potatoes and turnips). It usually contains a sheep's lungs, liver and heart minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt mixed with stock. It is then boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours.


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  • Genetically engineered and conventional sweet corn -- Sept. 2000

    Posted: January 18th, 2008 - 3:09pm by Doug Powell

    Back in 2000, Farmer Jeff Wilson and I thought we'd try and figure out if the consuming public wanted genetically engineered crops or not. As Jeff would say, if people aren't going to buy it, why would I grow it?

    I recently discovered some of that old video. This was way before youtube, but the idea was, for those who couldn't visit the farm, we would bring the farm to them. The original press release can be found at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/news-details.php?a=3&c=29&sc=220&id=46895.

    We'll be releasing a bunch of Farmer Jeff videos on youtube over the next couple of months, to provide some insights into the food production trade-offs that farmers face every day.

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  • After baring your butt at Dairy Queen, " Oh man, you gotta wipe that now"

    Posted: January 18th, 2008 - 2:35pm by Doug Powell

    Would you like fries with that, as the employee drops his pants and bares his bottom outside the takeout window.

    That's apparently in a video from a St. John's, Canada, Dairy Queen franchise.

    "Oh man, you gotta wipe that now," a co-worker advises him, apparently in vain. The employee continues about his work, without — at least immediately — washing his hands.

    CBC News reports that the video also shows a snowball fight behind the counter, where food orders are prepared and served. Christmas decorations are visible in the video.

    Messages posted by former and current employees also made comments about the questionable handling of food at the restaurant.

    Franchise owner Albert Buott was quoted as saying, "Good God almighty. Where's my managers? Who's allowing this to happen?"

    A provincial food inspection official said dropping one's pants behind a restaurant counter is a health-code violation.
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  • Canadians learn to wash hands -- for $16 million

    Posted: January 17th, 2008 - 1:53pm by Doug Powell

    The Canadian province of Alberta will spend $16 million to promote handwashing.

    Calgary Herald columnist Don Braid says your mother always told you to wash your hands, but she never tried to charge you $16 million for the advice.

    Braid adds that the recipients of this advice will be the province's many thousands of health-care employees. Didn't they listen to their mothers?

    Asked what all that money would buy, Health Minister Dave Hancock shrugged, sort of, and said, "sinks."
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  • Meet iFSN: Danielle Dring

    Posted: January 17th, 2008 - 6:24am by Doug Powell

    When I started with the International  Food Safety Network a few months ago, I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I have actually only met one of my co-workers, Stephanie Maurer.

    She helped me get into to touch with Doug and the rest of the “Newsies” as I call them. I work for the Food Safety Network out of Omaha. And my educational background is actually in French. So to be honest this has been more than a just a job; for me the research for the Food Safety Network has helped me learn a lot about food safety.

    I have previously worked in the food service industry; and I can tell you that you really should know what you are eating when you choose to eat out. I have also decided to help out more in the kitchen at home; this is coming from the self-proclaimed “kitchen-illiterate” chef. You, and your contributions to the Food Safety Network, can help me reach more people and help them to learn as much as I have learned, ending “kitchen-illiteracy” with everyone who reads our blogs and listservs.
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