Raw is risky: Why salads are the biggest source of food poisoning and what to do to avoid it

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Douglas Powell

Brian Adam of Intallght writes just over a year ago, the United States saw the largest outbreak of E. coli since 2006; affecting at least 98 people in more than 20 states. The origin wa bagged romaine lettuce. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Vegetables and fresh fruit have become a real headache for food safety experts.

Today in the United States, fresh vegetables are the largest source of food poisoning. In Europe, the figures are not so pristine, but the bacteria and viruses associated with this type of food also are to blame for the vast majority of poisonings. We are facing a real danger for food safety: salads.

The numbers speak for themselves

In 1990, more than 400 epidemic outbreaks associated with fresh fruits and salads were detected. Between 2001 and 2013 we are not even able to know in its entirety, some experts explain, how many related outbreaks appeared, but they are many, increasing since 2008. Arrived in 2013, in Europe these epidemics seem to reduce their growth, stagnating in number per year, as explained in this article by EFSA, the European authority on food safety.

Despite the fact that Europe the number of appearances seems to have stabilized, in the United States they have continued to increase. The danger is still lurking, hidden between “romaine lettuce and Brussels sprouts.” The reason is in “cool” words.

According to some independent experts, this increase could be related to the increased consumption of vegetables and fresh fruit in the diet. This is a consequence of the search for a better, healthier diet. But, not being processed, these foods can also bring unexpected and unpleasant surprises.

But what is the problem? What’s wrong with fresh vegetables? It is not that strict food safety controls do not pass, as it happens with everything that arrives at our supermarkets but fresh food, especially if we put it in a plastic bag, is cannon fodder for microorganisms.

Don’t eat dead snakes or food in containers that held dead snakes

Posted on January 26, 2020 by Douglas Powell

The Hindustan Times reports at least 50 people from Odisha’s coastal Kendrapara district, most of them women and children, were taken ill after they consumed food from a container that had a dead snake in it, said an official on Thursday.

The incident happened during a community feast at Maa Shankatatarini temple in Chandan Nagar Deuli village under Pattamundai block of Kendrapara district where 30 families were having their meal. Many of the people were hospitalised after they started to vomit, said the official.

“They showed signs of food poisoning. However, many of them were discharged after administration of intravenous fluid,” said the medical officer of Pattamundai Sub Divisional Hospital, Chandra Sekhar Das. The community feast was organised by a women self help group of the area.

The presence of the dead snake was detected during the washing of the utensils.

And this is the only U2 song I can tolerate, largely because it’s rooted in a Tom Robbins novel. Otherwise, U2 is bloated and overrated.

Dozens of Swiss soldiers hit by vomiting bug, 4 in critical condition

Posted on July 9, 2019 by Douglas Powell

The Straits Times reports more than 40 military staff and recruits at an academy in central Switzerland were taken to hospital on Thursday (July 4) after they suddenly fell violently ill, the government said.

In a statement, the Swiss defence department said that on Thursday afternoon, 43 recruits and members of the Jassbach academy in Linden, in Bern Canton, suddenly suffered from acute gastrointestinal problems, with diarrhoea and vomiting.

Man put mouse poison on food in Michigan stores

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Douglas Powell

Police and federal agents said they’ve arrested a man suspected of spraying food with a mouse poison mixture at Ann Arbor-area grocery stores.

The FBI said a tip from the public led to the suspect, whom they haven’t identified.

David Gelios, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division, said the man admitted to contaminating food with a potentially hazardous liquid at the Whole Foods Market on West Eisenhower Parkway, a Meijer store on Ann Arbor-Saline Road and Plum Market on North Maple Road.

“The suspect has admitted to using a potentially hazardous material to contaminate food in several Ann Arbor-area grocery stores,” Gelios said. “Our joint investigation leads us to believe that this individual sprayed a liquid mixture of hand sanitizer, water and Tomcat mice poison on produce.”

He also said the suspect told investigators he sprayed the chemicals on produce in those stores within the last two weeks.

Based on FBI investigation, there is the potential that other stores in Michigan may also have been targeted. These stores include:

Busch’s 2240 S Main Street Ann Arbor, MI

Cupcake Station 116 E Liberty Ann Arbor, MI

Family Fare 2026 North Saginaw Midland, MI

Kroger 3838 Richfield Road Flint, MI

Meijer, #108 7300 Eastman Ave Midland, MI

Meijer, #64 3145 Ann Arbor-Saline Ann Arbor, MI

Meijer, #213 9515 Birch Run Rd Birch Run, MI

Millers Mini Mart 3001 Bay City Rd Midland, MI

Plum Market 375 North Maple Ann Arbor, MI

Target 2000 Waters Road Ann Arbor, MI

Tsai Grocery 3115 Oak Valley Drive Ann Arbor, MI

Walmart 910 Joe Mann Blvd Midland, MI

Walmart 7000 E Michigan Ave Saline, MI

Whole Foods 990 W Eisenhower Pkwy Ann Arbor, MI

Whole Foods 3135 Washtenaw Ave Ann Arbor, MI

“While the risk for adverse health effects appears to be low, more investigation is being done to determine what level of exposure may have occurred,” said Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive, MDHHS. “If you have any health concerns, contact your healthcare provider or call Michigan Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 with questions.”

The departments would like to acknowledge the diligence of employees at Whole Foods, the quick response of the FBI, law enforcement agencies, and local health officials, and those who provided tips via social media, which has led to a speedy resolution to this issue.

Food industry employees and consumers are reminded to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activities. Remember, “If you see something, say something.” Any suspicious activities should be immediately reported to local law enforcement.

Examples of things to watch for include employees or strangers who:

spray unknown substances in your store
enter or exit your operation through the wrong doors
hang around display cases, exposed food displays (e.g., produce or salad bars) or cold/hot food displays
loiter in aisles

leave suspicious materials in your store.

No FBI for a nauseous Obama

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Casey Jacob

The name and face of Barack Obama will be written into history books when he is sworn into office today as the first African-American president of the United States.

This fact has enabled Ilham Anas to become the most famous nauseous man in Indonesia.

Anas works as a photographer and has an incredible resemblance to the new president.

Some of Anas colleagues—as a joke after Obama’s election—dressed him a suit and tie and handed him an American flag for a photo shoot.

Soon the pictures were on the internet and television, and in the hands of an advertising agency who offered Anas a job playing Obama in a commercial for Domperidone.

The product is the generic form of Motilium—a drug used to combat nausea and vomiting. It’s rushed to the Obama look-alike when he appears to suddenly fall ill during dinner.

The hostess in the commercial needn’t fire her cook, however. Most microbial foodborne illnesses (FBIs) take hours if not days to make a person ill.

The Secret Service would more likely be after whoever fed him lunch.

May God bless America and the food on all its tables.

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