Yearly Archives: 2015

12 sick: E. coli leafy greens cone of silence, again

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The Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with federal and provincial public health partners to investigate an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7, commonly called E.coli, with a possible link to leafy greens. A specific product has not been identified yet, and the investigation is ongoing.

lettuce.skull.e.coli.O145At this time, the risk to Canadians is low. However, Canadians are reminded to follow safe food handling practices to avoid illness. (WTF are Canadians supposed to do with leafy greens?)

There have been 12 cases of E. coli with a matching genetic fingerprint reported in Alberta (9), Saskatchewan (1), Ontario (1), and Newfoundland and Labrador (1). The illness onset dates range from March 13 to March 31, 2015.

Based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to leafy greens has emerged as a possible source of illness. Leafy greens can include all varieties of lettuces and other green leaf vegetables such as kale, spinach, arugula, or chard. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s investigation into the food source is ongoing. If products are identified, the Agency will inform the public and ensure that they are promptly removed from the marketplace.

The following tips will help you reduce your risk of infection with E. coli or other food-borne illnesses:

Wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating them, clean counters and cutting boards and wash your hands regularly.

Bullshit. Packaged leafy greens are not to be re-washed.

Australian taxpayers and growers are led up a garden path

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(I and others applied for this, but knew it was an inside job. Here is the take from Australian Food News)

lettuce.skull.e.coli.O145The Fresh Produce Safety Centre (FPSC), which is an organisation established with government and industry support in 2013, has announced the winning tender bid for the conduct of a literature review of fresh produce safety research.

The announcement has produced some skepticism from commentators about the whole bureaucratic process involving the Fresh Produce Safety Centre’s role in improving the current Australian food safety regime for fresh produce.

The principal industry sector group supporting the establishment of the Fresh Produce Safety Centre has been the Produce Marketers Association Australia New Zealand (PMA A-NZ), which is the representative body of importers and international traders of fruit and vegetables.

The major supermarkets and food safety audit organisations already follow and monitor their own very strict food safety protocols at all points in the supply chain. Commentators are therefore asking why it ought be necessary for the FPSC to be ‘reinventing the wheel’.

Incidentally, the winning tender bid is a team consisting of TQA Australia Inc, RMCG, and the Institute of Environmental Science and Research in New Zealand, in concert with the Food Safety Centre at the University of Tasmania. The project has the support of the NSW Food Authority, Pip Fruit New Zealand, Golden State Foods and Snap Fresh Foods, and Fresh Select.

In 2009-2010, a process had been initiated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to incorporate food safety primary production and processing standards for horticultural produce into the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (Food Standards Code). However, the PMA and some of the major produce importers opposed the inclusion in the Food Standards Code of a set of food safety standards for their industry sector. Ultimately, the Federal Government relented and the FSANZ process for developing a new mandatory food safety standard was aborted.

The reasons given at the time for the abandonment of the proposals included: the fact that the majority of horticulture product grown in Australia is already grown under a food safety scheme, and that a better understanding of those products that were not grown under a food safety scheme was required before further regulation should be considered.

FSANZ proposed a collaboration between the horticulture industry and government – with suggested measures such as “targeted guidance, codes of practice, education materials and training” and better through-chain traceability measures.

The PMA took the initiative to establish the concept of a ‘fresh produce safety centre’ with government and industry backing.

Some commentators are now consider the whole process a ‘waste of time and industry resources, and taxpayer funds’, especially for growers, supermarkets and other operators in the horticultural supply chain within Australia.

Meat (and science) mythologies

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My latest for Texas A&M’s Center for Food Safety:

HomePage_Soliloquy_powellsworld_aprilOn September 11, 1998, the journal Science published a paper by Cornell and U.S. Department of Agriculture science-thingies that concluded the key to reducing E. coli O157 in cattle was to feed them hay instead of grain beginning five days before slaughter.

The PR writers and journalists had a hay day, saying “a simple change in cattle diets in the days before slaughter may reduce the risk of E. coli infections in humans” or this N.Y.Times headline, “E. coli bacteria can be eliminated from cattle, researchers find.”

Food safety isn’t that simple.

Science isn’t that simple.

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy and professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota wrote in 2007 that the frequently cited Cornell study, was “based on a study of three cows rotated on different diets and for which the researchers did not even test for E. coli O157:H7. Unfortunately, the authors extrapolated these incredibly sparse results to the entire cattle industry.”

In 1998, I helped Dale Hancock of Washington State University anchor an evidence-based response that was also published in Science, but the damage was done.

In the subsequent 17 years, the data on cattle feeding and E. coli risk has been a mess, and open to citation to prove one’s pre-existing viewpoint – that’s why the Internet exists.

As my former Canadian and Kansas colleague David Renter wrote in Sept. 2006,

powell.food.safe.apr.15“Cattle raised on diets of ‘grass, hay and other fibrous forage’ do contain E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in their feces as do other animals including deer, sheep, goats, bison, opossum, raccoons, birds, and many others.

“Cattle diet can affect levels of E. coli O157:H7, but this is a complex issue that has been and continues to be studied by many scientists.  To suggest switching cattle from grain to forage based on a small piece of the scientific evidence is inappropriate and irresponsible.”

Simplistically attacking one facet of livestock production may be politically expedient, but instead provides a false sense of security and ignores the biological realities of E. coli O157:H7. In 1999, for example, 90 children were felled at a fair in London, Ont. The source was a goat at a petting zoo.

Although there have been numerous outbreaks of shiga-toxin producing E. coli involving other ruminants – sheep, deer, goats, elk — the critics and the fashionably fashionable keep going back to cattle, especially feedlot cattle.

The San Francisco Chronicle recently joined the food pornographers at the N.Y. Times, and endless organic propaganda by saying – 17 years after the original, unrepeated study — that grass-fed beef is safer.

There is no evidence to prove this.

There’s some social media amplification going here, just like with the anti-vaxxers and raw milk fans.

I’m not sure how to address all the allegedly scientific nonsense that is out there.

I used to be a proponent of take it head on, but over time, it got tiring. Data has never convinced anyone who didn’t want to be convinced.

Dr. Douglas Powell is a former professor of food safety at the University of Guelph in Canada and Kansas State University in the U.S., who shops, cooks and ferments from his home in Brisbane, Australia.

 

 

It’s gross: fish and chip shop owner fined for sanitation issues

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I was explaining to an American friend what a chip butty was this weekend. The oh-so-British delicacy of white bread, butter and french fries all wrapped up into an artery stopping sandwich. The butty was a menu favorite of my grandfather (who introduced me to it when I was a kid) and you could only get one at real pubs (the ones that show Manchester U on Saturday mornings and illegally serve beer before 11) or traditional fish and chip shops.

Like the Nevill Street Chippy in Southport (that’s in England).JS61352288

According to the Liverpool Echo, Chippy owner Kim Paskin was recently fined for breaching local sanitation rules following an inspection.

They found the inside of the microwave that was used to heat up mushy peas and beans to be coated in grime, as well as the can opener being covered in ‘brown grime’ and the top lid of the chest freezer in the potato preparation room to be covered in flour and ‘not sufficiently cleaned or maintained.’JS61351526

Cigarette butts were found on the floor of a food storage area – indicating that people were smoking on the premises – where canned drinks and cans of beans and peas were kept.

The prosecution for Sefton Council noted a ‘tennis-ball sized hole’ in the wall which led out onto the yard, which inspectors said would be an access point for vermin into the kitchen and preparation areas – although there was no evidence to suggest there were any on the premises.

These are all nasty, but only one foodborne illness risk factors showed up:

Inspectors also found insufficient hand washing facilities, with the bottom of the wash basin covered in grime and no soap or hand drying facilities available.

The other stuff fits the yuck factor category, but no handwashing sink/equipment/soap is bad news.

 

 

 

The hands have it: Food safety through handwashing

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Handwashing is simple.

handwash_south_park(2)Science says otherwise.

Despite endless statements to just wash hands to be safe — in the kitchen, in food service, at the petting zoo —  little research has been done to quantify what actually works when it comes to handwashing.

U.S. government recommendations for 15-20 seconds of handwashing under vigorously flowing water after a potential contamination event may not be practical in a food service environment.

Dr. Donald Schaffner, a professor of food safety at Rutgers University, and colleagues, have attempted to add some science to the discussion.

“Many people seem to have strongly held opinions about handwashing, says Schaffner, “but the research base for those opinions is lacking. Our research begins to dispels some popular beliefs about handwashing.”

The researchers showed that even a minimal handwash (5 seconds, no soap) can remove about 90 per cent of bacteria on hands.

Further, the research showed that towel drying was much more effective than other methods because of the friction involved in physically removing bacteria from hands.

Schaffner says “Everyone has an opinion about handwashing, but our research is beginning to provide real data to help inform sensible policy.” 

 Contact: Dr. Donald Scaffner

schaffner@aesop.rutgers.edu

732-982-7475

Abstract

Quantifying the effect of hand wash duration, soap use, ground beef debris, and drying methods on the removal of Enterobacter aerogenes on hands

Journal of Food Protection®, Number 4, April 2015, pp. 636-858, pp. 685-690(6)

Jensen, Dane A.;Danyluk, Michelle D.; Harris, Linda J.;Schaffner, Donald W.

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iafp/jfp/2015/00000078/00000004/art00007

Hand washing is recognized as a crucial step in preventing foodborne disease transmission by mitigating cross-contamination among hands, surfaces, and foods.

This research was undertaken to establish the importance of several keys factors (soap, soil, time, and drying method) in reducing microorganisms during hand washing. A nonpathogenic nalidixic acid–resistant Enterobacter aerogenes surrogate for Salmonella was used to assess the efficacy of using soap or no soap for 5 or 20 s on hands with or without ground beef debris and drying with paper towel or air. Each experiment consisted of 20 replicates, each from a different individual with ∼6 log CFU/ml E. aerogenes on their hands. A reduction of 1.0 ± 0.4 and 1.7 ± 0.8 log CFU of E. aerogenes was observed for a 5-s wash with no soap and a 20-s wash with soap, respectively. When there was no debris on the hands, there was no significant difference between washing with and without soap for 20 s (P > 0.05). Likewise, there was no significant difference in the reductions achieved when washing without soap, whether or not debris was on the hands (P > 0.05). A significantly greater reduction (P < 0.05) in E. aerogenes (0.5 log CFU greater reduction) was observed with soap when there was ground beef debris on the hands. The greatest difference (1.1 log CFU greater average reduction) in effectiveness occurred when ground beef debris was on the hands and a 20-s wash with water was compared with a 20-s wash with soap. Significantly greater (P < 0.05) reductions were observed with paper towel drying compared with air (0.5 log CFU greater reductions).

Used paper towels may contain high bacterial levels (>4.0 log CFU per towel) when hands are highly contaminated. Our results support future quantitative microbial risk assessments needed to effectively manage risks of foodborne illness in which food workers’ hands are a primary cause.

 Quantifying the effect of hand wash duration, soap use, ground beef debris, and drying methods on the removal of Enterobacter aerogenes on hands

01.apr.15

Journal of Food Protection®, Number 4, April 2015, pp. 636-858, pp. 685-690(6)

Jensen, Dane A.;Danyluk, Michelle D.; Harris, Linda J.;Schaffner, Donald W.

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iafp/jfp/2015/00000078/00000004/art00007

handwash_infosht-2-7-08 copy (1)

Thank you Subway sandwich artists: Hep A exposure in Arkansas

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The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is warning of a possible Hepatitis A Virus (Hep A) exposure after a Subway employee in Morrilton tested positive for the virus. The Subway is located at 1812 AR-9 Bus, of off I-40 Exit 108, in Morrilton, Arkansas.

hepatitis.AAny individual, who has eaten food from the Morrilton, Ark. Subway between March 25, 2015 and April 5, 2015 and is experiencing symptoms, should contact their primary care provider immediately. Typical symptoms of Hep A include, but are not limited to: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Hep A is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the Hepatitis A virus. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months. A person can transmit the virus to others up to 2 weeks before and one week after symptoms appear.

Because when food safety is in question, ask a politician: UK raw milk producer back in business after ban

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The North Devon farming family banned last year by the Food Standards Authority from selling their raw milk and cheese is back in action after a six-month ordeal.

baton.farm_.dairy_-300x200And their return to production has won warm feedback from hundreds of well wishers.

But the Wrights of Barton Farm, Kentisbury, are still in the dark about the allegations made about their milk and any connection with cases of E coli food poisoning.

They sought the help of North Devon MP Nick Harvey to try to have restrictions on their farm lifted.

A report about the FSA investigation into half a dozen cases is due to be published at the end of April.

Meanwhile Barton Farm has just won a Good Dairy Award from Compassion in World Farming.

Linda and husband Gary were stopped from selling their raw milk and cheese six months ago when the FSA said it was investigating half a dozen cases of food poisoning which officials linked with the bacteria E coli.

Although the FSA attributed the sickness to raw milk bought from Barton Farm Gary and Linda have had no evidence to link the two.

They recently sought the help of North Devon MP, Nick Harvey, who has contacted the FSA to find out why the restrictions on Barton Farm were continuing so long.

“The lifting of restrictions came out of the blue,” said Gary. “I had gone to Nick Harvey who’s been following our case.

“I can’t say that’s the reason but it’s a coincidence.”

Fancy food ain’t safe food: Pennsylvania: Skytop Lodge edition

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The main kitchen and bakery at the historic Skytop Lodge reopened Tuesday after being shut down by the state Friday for food safety violations.

skytop.lodgeAn inspection by the state Agriculture Department’s Bureau of Food Safety resulted in 17 violations, including the order to close the kitchen and bakery. Skytop’s Windsor restaurant remained open despite the closure of its main kitchen.

A department sanitarian cited the Barrett Township resort for violations at several food locations. The inspection uncovered a dead mouse and mouse droppings, the presence of live roaches “too numerous to count,” and keeping foods at either too high or too low temperatures.

From the rerun files: norovirus hits cruise ships

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I’ve never been on a cruise. Sometimes we talk about taking one, hopping from island to island and relaxing on the open seas.

And then comes another round of norovirus outbreaks. Lots of news coverage, throwbacks to the poop cruises and pictures of the CDC Vessel Sanitation program officials boarding ships.

Restaurants are linked to 64 per cent of norovirus outbreaks. CDC says that cruise ships get a lot of the attention but onlyaccount for only about 1 per cent of norovirus outbreaks. But not everyone goes on a cruise. In 2013, according to the Florida-Carribean Cruise Association 11.7 million North Americans (out of a total of ~530 million residents) went on cruises.Screen Shot 2015-04-14 at 10.46.44 PM

It’s a numbers game: one per cent of the outbreaks happen in a setting that just two per cent of the population visit. Like Schaffner says, what’s the Crusies ?

But norovirus is everywhere. But being stuck on a ship with projectile vomiting doesn’t sound fun. According to the Guardian, two separate Royal Caribbean ships are experiencing outbreaks and are on their way back to San Diego.

Health officials are investigating what caused the outbreaks aboard the ships bound for California, both owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited. The ships docked on Monday and Tuesday in San Diego.

Celebrity Cruises reported 106 sick passengers on board the Celebrity Infinity, which arrived on Monday in California. The ill vacationers accounted for 5% of the 2,117 travelers on board. Six of the more than 900 crew members were also sick.

Epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease Control are investigating the outbreak, and collected eight stool samples on board. Crews are tightening sanitation and disinfection procedures. 

Crew members are planning a “staged disembarkation” to avoid exposing healthy passengers to sick ones, potentially contaminating them with the infectious stomach virus.