Category Archives: Email

From the BS files: UK luxury spa told guests its ‘apple crumble could help reduce cancer risk’

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Kevin Rawlinson of The Guardian writes the luxury spa chain Champneys is being taken to court over claims it told guests its apple crumble could help reduce the risk of cancer and other conditions.

The chain has also been accused of failing to tell guests about allergens, including gluten, mustard, eggs and soybean, in its restaurant food. And it allegedly sold diners a vegan tofu Pad Thai dish that contained milk.

It had been due to go on trial on Tuesday after West Sussex county council launched a prosecution against it on 19 charges relating to food safety, information, nutrition and consumer protection laws. If found guilty the firm could face an unlimited fine.

However, the case at Brighton magistrates court was adjourned at the last minute after neither Champneys nor the county council attended court.

Champneys has been accused of making a series of claims on its food menu and of failing to inform guests at its Forest Mere resort in Liphook, West Sussex, that it had a food hygiene rating of just two out of five.

The chain allegedly told guests, who paid up to £230 a night, that its apple crumble could cut the risk of “cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes”. Guests were also informed a black rice, quinoa and ginger salad was “anti-inflammatory”, it has been claimed.

The so-called wellness centre claims on its website it “steers away from all the fads and fallacies” to “keep things honest and enjoyable”. Champneys denies all the charges.

I love the berries but not the Hep A or noro

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Foodborne enteric viruses, in particular HuNoV and HAV, are the most common cause of the berry-linked viral diseases, and outbreaks around the world, and have become an important concern for health authorities. Despite the increased importance of berry fruits as a vehicle for foodborne viruses, there is limited information concerning the fate of foodborne viruses in the berry supply chain from farm to consumer.

A comprehensive understanding of berry-associated viral outbreaks – with a focus on contamination sources, persistence, survival, and the effects of current postharvest and processing interventions and practices – is essential for the development of effective preventative strategies to reduce risk of illness.

The purpose of this paper is twofold; (i) to critically review the published literature on the current state of knowledge regarding berry-associated foodborne viral outbreaks and the efficiency of berry processing practices and (ii) to identify and prioritize research gaps regarding practical and effective mechanism to reduce viral contamination of berries.

The review found that fecally infected food handlers were the predominant source of preharvest and postharvest pathogenic viral contamination. Current industrial practices applied to fresh and frozen berries demonstrated limited efficacy for reducing the viral load. While maintaining best practice personal and environmental hygiene is a key intervention, the optimization of processing parameters (i.e., freezing, frozen storage, and washing) and/or development of alternative processing technologies to induce sufficient viral inactivation in berries along with retaining sensory and nutritional quality, is also an important direction for further research.

Outbreaks, occurrence, and control of norovirus and hepatitis A virus contamination in berries: a review, 03 February 2020

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Hayriye Bozkurt,Kim-Yen Phan-Thien,Floris van Ogtrop,Tina Bell &Robyn McConchie

https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1719383

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2020.1719383?journalCode=bfsn20&mc_cid=4f462afa96&mc_eid=3d0743ebc0&

15 sick: Valentine’s Day outbreak at Washington restaurant linked to chicken liver mousse

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Because when I think love and romance, I think chicken liver mousse.

On February 25, 2020, the Grays Harbor County Environmental Health Division learned that a Grays Harbor County resident tested positive for Campylobacter jejuni.  The individual reported a meal at Rediviva Restaurant in Aberdeen, WA on February 14, 2020 as part of their food history.  During the subsequent investigation, Environmental Health learned of at least fourteen more individuals who became ill after eating the Valentine’s Day dinner meal.

Environmental Health believes that the illness was caused by chicken liver mousse.

A site inspection of the facility was conducted on February 26th that revealed multiple risk factors that could have contributed to illness.  Rediviva Restaurant was closed by Environmental Health on February 27th because the inspection resulted in the assignment of 75 or more “red point” violations. Further information regarding the inspection may be viewed on the Grays Harbor County Environmental Health website at https://healthspace.com/Clients/Washington/GraysHarbor/Web.nsf/home.xsp

Rediviva is cooperating with the outbreak investigation and remains closed at this time.

The Valentine’s Day dinner menu continued to be served at Rediviva Restaurant from February 13th through February 21st. 

Modern version of wash your mouth with soap: Florida teacher suspended for washing out student’s mouth with hand sanitizer

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Andrew Marra of USA Today writes a Florida science teacher has been suspended for 10 days after an investigation found she put hand sanitizer in the mouth of a misbehaving student.

The student, who attended Polo Park Middle School, told a school administrator that he was talking loudly in class Oct. 14 when teacher Guyette Duhart told him he needed to have his mouth washed out with soap, the investigation found.

Duhart then grabbed a bottle of hand sanitizer from her desk, investigators said, and told the student to approach her.

Six students told investigators that Duhart then pumped hand sanitizer into the student’s mouth, a district investigation found.

Duhart admitted to holding the sanitizer near his mouth but claimed the student grabbed the bottle himself and pumped it into his own mouth.

The student spit onto the floor and left the classroom, the investigation found. When he returned, Duhart let him go to a bathroom to rinse his mouth.

The school district concluded the allegation against Duhart was substantiated. The school board on Wednesday approved a 10-day suspension without pay.

The National Institutes of Health recommends that people who swallow it seek medical help.

Campy linked to poultry liver pate

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Despite a sizeable evidence base for the risk of campylobacteriosis associated with eating chicken liver pâté, associated outbreaks continue to occur. In January 2017, six cases of campylobacteriosis reported having eaten a Christmas set-menu meal at the same hotel in North Yorkshire, England on the same day. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken to test the null hypothesis that consumption of individual food items was not associated with an increased risk of illness.

There were 19 cases of campylobacteriosis linked to the outbreak; seven confirmed and 12 probable cases. Chicken liver pâté was the food item most strongly associated with illness (P < 0.001) with a corresponding high crude relative risk (12.95). This relationship was supported by multivariable analysis, sensitivity analyses and a clear dose–response relationship. Three cases reported an incubation period of <24 h, consistent with other outbreaks of campylobacteriosis associated with consumption of poultry liver. The findings were suggestive of a single point source exposure with a strong association between the consumption of chicken liver pâté and campylobacteriosis.

This outbreak highlights that despite evidence that simple cooking techniques can ensure that all campylobacter are killed during cooking, outbreaks continue to occur. Public and professional awareness needs to be raised through a strategic communication plan to reduce the risk of further outbreaks of campylobacteriosis linked to incorrectly cooked chicken liver dishes.

An outbreak of campylobacteriosis at a hotel in England: the ongoing risk due to consumption of chicken liver dishes

Epidemiology and Infection vol. 148 no. 32

Wensley (a1), S. Padfield (a1) (a2) and G. J. Hughes (a1

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S095026882000028X

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/an-outbreak-of-campylobacteriosis-at-a-hotel-in-england-the-ongoing-risk-due-to-consumption-of-chicken-liver-dishes/94DE2951174C2C652921BE05A9C20B6E

Reducing campy in poultry processing

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Campylobacter persistence through poultry processing is an important food safety issue in many developed countries. This investigation aimed to determine the effectiveness of peracetic acid (PAA) in reducing Campylobacter during processing. 

Campylobacter jejuni was tested against PAA using laboratory-based food matrices under conditions that mimicked commercial poultry processing interventions, including scalding and chilling. The assessments utilised two Campylobacter poultry strains (2674 and 2704) with testing performed in three different food matrices (Buffered peptone water (BPW), chicken breast meat and meat-based broth) and under eight processing conditions. Campylobacter inactivation was measured across eight processing conditions which mimicked scalding (3.5 min, 54.5 °C and 57 °C) and chilling (30 min, 4 °C, with/without 80 ppm PAA), and combinations of scalding and chilling (with/without 80 ppm PAA).

The organic matter in the meat-based broth protected Campylobacter against PAA, resulting in less Campylobacter inactivation compared to BPW and meat matrices. Processing conditions with PAA demonstrated a greater Campylobacter inactivation compared to those without PAA. Chilling with PAA, without prior scalding, led to a greater Campylobacter inactivation than any other processing conditions within BPW and with meat.

This suggests a potential mechanism that heat exposure cross-protects Campylobacter allowing them to better survive subsequent PAA treatment. Importantly, strain 2674, known to be relatively resistant to chlorine, was more susceptible to PAA than strain 2704. This investigation suggests PAA to be an effective processing alternative applicable to secondary immersion chilling tanks when little or no organic matter accumulates and may be able to achieve greater Campylobacter inactivation. The study demonstrates PAA could be beneficial in controlling Campylobacter during poultry processing.

Effect of peracetic acid on campylobacter in food matricies mimicking commercial poultry processing

Food Control

Stanley H.ChenabNarelleFeganaChawalitKocharunchittbJohn P.BowmanbLesley L.Duffya

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107185

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956713520301018

Alaska airman receives discipline for urinating in coffee maker

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Two of my four Canadian daughters are visiting for a couple of weeks to help take care of dad (and because I can’t fly, they came to me).

We spent the weekend on the beach at the Gold Coast and during the drive – it’s only an hour, pending traffic – we recounted our various automobile experiences including peeing into a coffee tin so progress would not be impeded (it wasn’t me).

David Aaro of Fox News reports an Alaska-based airman was punished for reportedly peeing in an office coffee maker.

The incident was reported in a newsletter written by the legal office of the Anchorage Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Feb. 13, although many of the details remained a mystery.

According to the newsletter, the Airman First Class violated two articles — one being Article 92, dereliction of duty, “for failure to refrain from urinating in the office coffee maker.”

The airman also allegedly violated Article 86, absence without leave, for five days away from duty.

Due to his actions, the airman received a reduction to Airman Basic — the lowest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force (USAF). The airman also received a reprimand, although it was not clear what that entailed, according to Task & Purpose, a military-focused website.

(It’s satire) Mississippi man arrested after selling jerky made of human meat

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(It’s satire)

Janice Ellsworth of The Daily Star writes that Arnold has been running his market store for the last 35 years and over time there became a cult following for his distinctive jerky. Most everyone who had the opportunity to visit the market day, would get some of Shep’s jerky.

It just so happened that an executive from Jack Links was staying in town for a family event. He decided to purchase some of Shep’s jerky and take it back to work and see if anyone there could see what it is that made Shep’s jerky so special.

When the jerky made its way back to the Jack Links factory, it was given to the in-house scientists to run tests on in hopes of deciphering what ingredients Arnold was using for his jerky. What they didn’t expect was that the meat wasn’t that of a cow, but of a human. Tests were ran by an independent lab to verify the results by Jack Links. Again human meat.

Local authorities arrested Arnold on suspicion of using human meat for his jerky that he sold to the public and police needed to find the supply of this meat.

Turns out about once a year in the summer, Shep hires a new helper for his store. “Summer is a busy time and I can use the extra help for a few months”, said Arnold. What he neglected to say, but was later found out by authorities, that 3 of these men have been reported missing.

It didn’t take much for the Butte authorities to put 2 and 2 together and place Shep Arnold under arrest for making and selling the human meat. While locked up authorities hope to connect the missing men via DNA extracted from the jerky to known samples of the missing men.

Jimmy Johns get’s a warning letter from FDA

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This warning letter from FDA to Jimmy John’s about continuous use of sprouts is unique. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. 5 outbreaks, at least 88 illnesses, all linked to sprouts, should lead to something different. The old approach doesn’t seem to be working.

Here’s my favorite part: “In May 2012, a meeting was held with FDA at your request. During that meeting, you expressed that you would offer only clover sprouts, and to only source clover sprouts from [redacted] suppliers.

Since that corrective action, your firm has been implicated in three additional sprout-related outbreaks. Documents from traceback investigations conducted by FDA, states and local partners demonstrate that in addition to [redacted] sprouts, Jimmy John’s restaurants are using multiple other sources of sprouts.”

Going to other suppliers, hell keeping sprouts on the menu and then taunting with sassy posters (Skull. Crossbones. Eat at your own risk. Nudge. Nudge.), was a brazen move by JJ’s. and not really in line with what their CEO James North said following one of those outbreaks: “Food safety and the welfare of our customers are our top priorities and not negotiable in our business.”

Yesterday North sent a statement to USA Today after receiving the warning letter that said the sprouts have been removed from restaurants. “This removal was out of an abundance of caution and was not initiated by any known, immediate threat,” North said.

Abundance of caution is the stupidest term in food safety risk communication.