People probably sick: E. coli O157:H7 warning for Toronto ground beef

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Douglas Powell

In CFIA-speak, “no confirmed illnesses” means people are sick it just hasn’t been confirmed by testing; “no reported illnesses” means they don’t know of anyone who is sick.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the ground beef described below because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The affected products, Ground Beef Reg. and Ground Beef Lean, were sold in plastic bags of varying weight on May 31, 2012 from the Kabul Farms store located at 255 Dundas Street West, Mississauga, Ontario. The packages bear a sticker with the product name, the store’s name and the price.

Consumers are advised to contact the retailer if you are unsure as to whether you have the affected beef products stored in your home freezer.

There have been no confirmed illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

7 sick from fiddleheads in Toronto

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Douglas Powell

I never understood the appeal of fiddleheads, a harbinger of spring in Canada.

They look and taste like green turds.

The Toronto Star reports seven cases of illness associated with eating fiddleheads have been reported by residents to Toronto Public Health since the beginning of May, spokeswoman Kris Scheuer said. One case involved a family of four.

Raw or undercooked fiddleheads have been known to sporadically cause unpleasant symptoms of food poisoning since 1994, according to Health Canada.

The growing season for the ostrich fern sprouts is short, lasting from about the end of April till mid-June. The ferns grow in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes and are typically picked from the wild.

It’s not known why the spiralled veggies, nicknamed after their violinlike appearance, can make people ill. Scientists haven’t been able to trace any particular toxin to fiddleheads, according to Health Canada, so it’s up to chefs to cook them properly.

Health Canada recommends washing fiddleheads several times in cold water and removing as much of the papery, brown husk as possible. Then, steam them for 10 to 12 minutes, or boil for 15.

Get rid of the water afterward.

3 with botulism in Canada; certain Lotus Fine Foods salted and cured fish (fesikh) recall expanded

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Douglas Powell

The public warning issued on April 19, 2012, has been expanded to include additional products.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the salted and cured fish products (fesikh) described below because they may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.Toxins produced by this bacteria may cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.

There have been 3 reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

The following vacuum packaged fish products are affected by this alert: whole fesikh mullet and cut up fesikh mullet in oil. These products were sold in packages of varying count and weight, bearing no code or date information.

These products were sold from Lotus Catering and Fine Food, 1960 Lawrence Ave. E, Toronto, ON, on or before April 17, 2012.

3 sick with botulism from fine foods whole fesikh mullet in Toronto

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Douglas Powell

Fesikh, an Egyptian dish that made buzzfeed’s 10 Foods That Make You Sick list, is apparently grey mullet that are caught, left out to putrefy, then salted and left to pickle for several months. The fish is a delicacy served during the annual celebration of Sham Al-Nessim, and causes a few people to die every year of botulism poisoning.

Lotus Catering and Fine Foods of Toronto has been fingered as the supplier of whole fesikh mullet (salted and cured fish) that has led to three cases of botulism.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says the whole fesikh mullet was sold in clear vacuum-packaged bags of varying count and weight, bearing no code or date information.

This product was sold from Lotus Catering and Fine Food, 1960 Lawrence Ave. E, Toronto, ON, on or before April 17, 2012.

Eggs in Toronto: When local goes public and health types step in

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Douglas Powell

Alysa Golden didn’t want to become an egg mogul. She just wanted a good egg – farm fresh, free from hormones, laid by chickens raised in a cruelty free environment.

Her quest for the perfect egg led her to a Mennonite community in Southwestern Ontario. The farm delivered them to her front door.

"The eggs were wonderful, full and thick and rich," says Golden. Two months ago Golden started ordering eggs for her east end Toronto neighbours. She leaves the eggs on her porch and her neighbours pick them up, cross their name off a clipboard and stuff a cheque in a box.

It’s based on an honor system. And she hasn’t lost a dime.

According to the Toronto Star, Golden’s venture spoke to the untapped need of many consumers to get back to basics and to understand where their food is from at the most elemental level.

The locavore movement is not new, of course. Buying food from nearby farms makes sense, both from a health and carbon footprint standpoint, although Toronto Public Health warns consumers against purchasing eggs outside normal channels.

Many high-end restaurants exploit the farm fresh movement in their marketing. But this wasn’t about eating a fancy dinner. It was about city parents, tired of stuffing processed food into their kids, wanting to introduce their children to a "real" egg, says Golden.

Buoyed by her success, Golden started distributing eggs from her company, which she called Eggy Weggs. The other "depots" included a couple of health food stores in Toronto and most recently the popular Lazy Daisy Café in the Leslieville neighbourhood.

Chapman doesn’t make a profit off the sales. Her café is simply a pick up station. And like Golden’s home, the honor system is in effect, with egg buyers picking up their trays and crossing their name off the clipboard.

The eggs cost $6.50 per dozen, which is about a buck and a half below what comparable products might sell for, says Golden.

But Jim Chan, manager of healthy environments for Toronto Public Health, says shoppers should ask if the eggs have been graded and are legal. "Just because it says farm fresh, that’s not good enough. Everything’s farm fresh, it’s not like the guy got them out of his basement," says Chan.

Chan’s staff cracked down on egg vendors in February and March. Six vendors were notified they will be charged for having ungraded eggs. By law, eggs must be sorted, washed, and inspected to be free of leaks and cracks. Only Canada Grade A eggs are allowed for human consumption.

"If there is a hairline crack you could get salmonella or bacteria inside the shell which can lead to real health problems," says Chan.

Last February, Toronto Public Health charged six other vendors. Farm Fresh Supermarket at Sheppard Ave. E was fined $10,000 on egg-related charges.

Golden says her eggs are from farms that have their produce graded at the Green Meadow Eggs grading station in Southwestern Ontario.

An official from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency contacted by the Star said Green Meadows is a certified grader.

Increased salmonella activity in Toronto

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Douglas Powell

This showed up on a public list, although the authors may have wanted it private. Regardless, it’s out there, and shows the kinds of questions and leads public health types are constantly pursuing, in conjunction with the medical community.

Toronto Public Health reports as of Feb. 28, 2012, it has received reports of 114 cases of salmonellosis, compared to the previous 10-year average of 70 cases for the same period. This increased activity is affecting individuals across the city and related to several potential sources.

The known clusters of recent Salmonella infection include:
1) a large catered event in York Region on February 11 that resulted in transmission of S. typhimurium to numerous attendees who continue to report illness since that time;
2) an outbreak of a less common species of Salmonella (S. heidelberg) across the GTA. This is under investigation by Public Health Ontario;
3) an increase of S. enteriditis (the most common strain of Salmonella reported in Toronto) linked to recent travel to Cuba.

In addition, with a general increase in circulating Salmonella infection there is higher chance of person-to-person transmission.

TPH recommends:

• Consider salmonellosis in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis.
• Infants, elderly and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk of bacteremia. Extraintestinal focal infections (e.g., arthritis, meningitis, pneumonia) can occur in those with bacteremia.
• Remind ill patients of the potential for transmission to others.
• Emphasize the importance of proper hand hygiene and safe food handling practices.
• Public Health requires individuals infected with Salmonella who work in or attend high risk environments such as food premises and child care facilities to be excluded from these settings until symptom-free for 24 hours (or until cleared with two negative stool specimens if asymptomatic with poor hygiene practices).

2 Toronto restaurants closed for rodent infestation

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Douglas Powell

The Toronto Star reports two restaurants were shut down last week and face charges from Toronto Public Health for rodent infestation and poor sanitation.

South China Restaurant on Mount Pleasant Rd. near Davisville Ave. and Sushi Hana near Yonge and Wellesley Sts. failed to pass inspections on Feb. 21 and Feb. 23, respectively.

Jim Chan, manager of the food safety program at Public Health, said mice were found in both restaurants. Public Health has laid charges against both restaurants for rodent infestation. Sushi Hana, which has since reopened, also has a charge pending for sanitation issues. Chan said the infractions were serious enough to take them to court.

“Usually for a minor violation, the inspector will just issue a ticket,” he said.

Other infractions against South China Restaurant were failure to protect food from contamination, improper storage of solid waste and failure to clean bathroom fixtures.

Failure to protect food from contamination was also found at Sushi Hana. At least one employee was allegedly not washing hands before preparing food.

Farmer’s markets or superstores: it’s all a question of food safety

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Douglas Powell

I didn’t write the headline, but this is now running in the Toronto Star, regarding the article, Low blow from Loblaw boss gets farmers’ goat, Feb. 8.

It’s not that a grocery mogul told the Canadian Food Summit that “one day, (farmers’ markets) are going to kill some people,” it’s that no one in the farmers’ market community responded with any kind of microbiological food safety comment, resorting instead to: trust us and we’re inspected.

Robert Chorney, the executive director of Farmers’ Markets Ontario, promoted a few food safety myths of his own, saying that markets are regularly inspected and food is easily traceable because consumers know who they’re buying from.

Inspections don’t mean much. And just because someone drives to the Food Terminal in Toronto to load up on produce at 3 a.m. and then sell it at a premium at the local market adds nothing to traceability.

Pointing to surveys showing consumers think food at farmers’ markets is safer means nothing regarding the actual microbiological safety of any food. And surveys suck.

When I go to a farmer’s market or a megalomarket run by the Westons, I ask questions about the quality of irrigation water, what kind of soil amendments are used, and employee handwashing programs. I ask about microbial test strategies and results as verification that the farmer, whether she bought it from the Food Terminal or grew it herself, has a clue about dangerous micro-organisms.

Most answer with variations of trust me. There’s already enough faith-based food safety out there.

I don’t care if it’s a farmers’ market or Loblaws: provide evidence that the food you’re flogging is microbiologically safe. The best producers and retailers will market food safety at retail.

Regardless of size, production method or retail experience, providers either know about microbial food safety risks and take serious steps to control those risks — or they don’t.

Dr. Douglas Powell, professor, food safety, Kansas State University

#FS2012 Canadian supermarket mogul says farmers’ markets could kill people

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Douglas Powell

It’s not that a grocery mogul told a supposed food safety conference that “one day, (farmers’ markets) are going to kill somebody;” it’s that no one in the farmer’s market community responded with any kind of microbiological food safety comment, resorting instead to, trust us and we’re inspected.

The Toronto Star reports mega-billionaire Galen-hey-now-Weston (right, exactly as shown), head of Canadian mega-grocer Loblaws, with over 1,000 stores, told the Canadian Food Summit yesterday, "Farmers’ markets are great … One day they’re going to kill some people, though. I’m just saying that to be dramatic, though.”

Robert Chorney, the executive director of Farmers’ Markets Ontario, responded, "We strenuously object" to Weston’s remark. That was awful."

Ontario’s 175 farmers’ markets do more than $700 million in sales every year. Chorney promoted a few food safety myths of his own, saying that markets are regularly inspected and food is easily traceable because consumers know who they’re buying from.

“The association said that four surveys since 1998 have shown that 83 per cent of respondents feel market food is as safe or safer than supermarket food.”

Surveys suck; people’s perceptions often have no basis in reality.

"A question for Galen Weston Jr: Have you ever been to a farmers’ market?" tweeted Gail Gordon Oliver, publisher and editor of Edible Toronto. "Have you ever REALLY spoken to a farmer?"

I have. And I ask questions. Like quality of irrigation water, what kind of ~~shit~~ soil amendments are used, and employee handwashing programs. I ask about microbial test strategies and results as verification that the farmer, whether she bought it from the Food Terminal or grew it herself, has a clue about dangerous microorganisms. Most answer with variations of, trust me.

There’s already enough faith-based food safety out there.

“Some delegates whispered among themselves on coffee breaks that supermarkets sell most of the food that’s recalled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).”

That’s because supermarkets sell most of the food that is consumed in Canada.

“Farmers’ Markets Ontario works with Ontario’s 36 public health units, each of which has a champion responsible for markets. It has a food safety manual on its website.”

A manual? Awesome, my faith is restored.

I don’t care if it’s a farmer’s market or the Loblaws megalomart: provide evidence that the food you’re flogging is microbiologically safe. The best producers and retailers will market food safety at retail. People want it, that’s one reason they go to markets and buy all sorts of weird categories of food, but it’s not safer; it’s hucksterism.

And being a big company like Maple Leaf of 2008 listeria-in-cold-cuts fame that killed 23 Canadians is no guarantee or even hint that microbiological food safety matters. Regardless of size, or production method, or retail experience, providers either know about microbial food safety risks and take serious steps to control those risks – or they don’t.

In the 1990s as outbreaks were increasingly associated with unpasteurized apple cider, I would ask my cider provider at the Guelph local market (that’s in Canada) what he was doing to ensure the microbiological safety of his product. He could recite a variety of measures taken on the farm, and even set up a modest micro lab on the farm for testing. I bought his cider.

What’s For Dinner: The Shine family and the separation between mainstream and food safety geeks

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Douglas Powell

Real meals in real homes, from the Toronto Star (that’s in Canada).

Featuring a real doctor; a 54-year-old anesthesiologist who works in the sterile confines of a hospital where he’s also the operating room medical director.

Dr. Kevin Shine planned to show me how an “obligate carnivore” and his diabetic vegetarian wife get along on the food front.

He may or may not have realized that the most unusual thing about mealtime in his Oakville home is how involved the family’s cats Angel, Katanya, Sasha and Sam are.

The feline foursome eats on the spacious granite island in the kitchen. Their food bowls and automatic water dispenser are kept there so Rusty and Tino, two Cavalier King Charles spaniels, don’t get “a constant feast” (pic from Toronto Star).

The cats freely roam the countertop, even as Kevin’s wife Cheryl chops veggies for her spaghetti sauce on one end and lays out buns and salad fixings on the other.

A curious Katanya gives one crusty Italian roll a thoughtful lick.

“I’ll eat that one,” says Kevin with a shrug, explaining how this adored cat needed unusual jaw surgery to survive. “Katanya thinks she’s a person. She sits with us. She eats with us.”

The Shines don’t usually eat in the dining room, but they decide to do that tonight. They warn that the cats may sit on the table and sample the meal.

Their oldest daughter Elyse, 26, is at veterinary school in Edinburgh. The younger two live at home. Rebecca, 23, is a research coordinator at York University and hopes to do graduate studies in psychology. Connie, 20, is studying culinary nutrition at George Brown College.

An anesthesiologist, a vet student, a chef student and a possible shrink, and they’ve never heard of zoonoses.

“We are most entertaining and live in a very modest house full of cats and dogs as well so be warned!”

The modest home features a 16-foot dining table and seats 22 people.

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