Mexican Restaurant in Oklahoma Was a Source of Salmonella Outbreak

         A Mexican restaurant in Grady Country, Oklahoma has been recently proven to be the source of a Salmonella outbreak that sickened six people over the course of two months. Salmonella is a bacterium that occurs mainly in the intestine, which causes food poisoning. Temazcal, which is the name of the Mexican restaurant, has been announced by the Department of Health on Friday, March 8, to be the origin of the Salmonella Enteriditis that caused the outbreak.
         All of the six victims of the Salmonella outbreak revealed matching strains of the bacteria in their DNA testing. The restaurant closed four days before the announcements due to health inspectors confirming that the restaurants walk-in-cooler was not functioning properly. The restaurant is now working on these problems to be fixed so that they can reopen again.

-Contributed by Kevin Riveros

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/oklahoma-mexican-restaurant-was-source-of-salmonella-outbreak/#.UT6WKI5ihUE

Danger on Europe's Dinner Plate

                           

           The recent discovery of horse meat being labeled as beef in Europe has caused a huge alert for the European Union. Not only are people now concerned about what is being labeled correctly, but what is actually safe to eat?

           The European Union has a very strict policy on what products should be allowed into its home market. Horse meat from the United States is one product that is not allowed to be imported into the E.U. The reasons as to why they don't allow horse meat imported from the United States is because of different types treatments the U.S. uses on its products. For example the E.U. authorities banned American pork from being imported into its market because American producers treat the animals with ractopamine, a drug used as a feed additive to promote leanness in animals for their meat. The E.U. forbidden's the use of certain drugs on animals for human consumption, therefore it is dangerous for the people consuming these products, not knowing what is used to harvest these animals. Another example is American chicken because carcasses are bathed in chlorine.
            Despite all the important policies and food safety regulations the E.U. has, more than hundreds of thousand of animals are imported into the E.U. from American products. The majority of the horses being shipped to the E.U. comes from Canada and Mexico but the horse come straight from the United States making its way throughout various European countries.
            It is highly acknowledge that there is a high level of fraud involved with these products being shipped into the E.U. without being properly labeled. The E.U. authorities are currently investigating the situation more.

-Contributed by Kevin Riveros



http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/opinion/global/questions-for-the-global-horse-meat-industry.html?ref=foodsafety&_r=0

Horse Meat in Ikea Meatballs

Ikea recently recalled its Swedish meatballs in Europe after detecting horse meat. European Union officials claim that their oversight was not aimed at preserving the reputation of any food product. After testing, the results found that food adulteration is even more common than it is believed and detected massive fraud among E.U. food industries. The detection of horse meat in Ireland questioned the maintaining and testing within its slaughterhouses. Even the best food makers in Europe in the highest quality super market chains have found cases of adulteration. As far as Ikea and its massive consumption of meatballs, their testing did not find horse meat in their products before Czech authorities did, which means that they did not intentionally sell contaminated products.

Published by: Ramona Petrova

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/world/europe/ikea-recalls-its-meatballs-horse-meat-is-detected.html?ref=foodsafety

Is Meat Safe At All?

 Many deadly pathogens are present in most meat products and the federal government is looking for new ways to make meat safer. To prevent contamination from E.coli, a South Dakota official suggested injecting meat with ammonia. Today it is a mainstay in beef products as it was proven to kill E.coli and salmonella. Fast food outlets, grocery stores as well as schools buy and consume these products. Other records obtained from schools challenge the claims made by the USDA of its effectiveness after two 27,000 pound patches of ground meat was found to be contaminated in a school cafeteria. In response to this, the agricultural department revoked the Beef Products exemption from routine testing and traced the contamination back to the hamburgers making it apparent that it was not really pathogen free.

Published by: Ramona Petrova

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/us/31meat.html?ref=foodsafety&_r=0

Mad Cow Disease

The Bare Bones of Mad Cow Disease

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease, is a neurological disease of cows. A cow with BSE may exhibit symptoms such as: nervous or aggressive behavior, abnormal posture, incoordination, difficulty standing, decreased milk production, and weight loss. The disease is progressive, which means that an infected cow may go three to six years before showing any sign of the disease.  So, what does that have to do with food safety? Well, we eat cows. And generally eating something that is diseased isn't very good for you. In fact, if a person eats a beef product that is contaminated Mad Cow Disease, they may contract the human version of Mad Cow Disease, which is believed to be caused by the consumption of infected cattle.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or vCJD, can be caused by exposure to contaminated foods. Mad Cow Disease happens when the protein Prion changes and causes damage to the nervous system of cows. This same protein is what is believed to be the cause of vCJD in humans. There are other types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease(CJD), one has no known cause, and the other is hereditary. vCJD is a form of CJD that is related to Mad Cow Disease. However, vCJD accounts for only 1% of CJD cases. While, vCJD is very rare, the cases of Mad Cow Disease has occurred at alarming rates. 

The Disturbing Truth Behind the Transmission of BSE

Mad Cow Disease is not a contagious infection. A cow doesn't sneeze and infect dozens of other cows in a meadow somewhere. Cows are infected by BSE when they are fed the meat and bone meal of other cows that are infected with BSE. 

As illustrated in the animation above, cows have four stomachs. None of which are used to digest other cows. The digestive system of cows are specifically designed for the consumption of grass. So, it's no surprise that when cows are fed something other than grass, mutations and illness occur. Besides the ethical issues surrounding the spread of Mad Cow Disease, there is also a serious food safety issue. While vCJD makes up 1% of CJD cases, it could easily be 0%. The spread of BSE could be avoided by simply allowing cows to do what they do best and eat grass. 

Final Thoughts on Mad Cows

Mad Cow Disease hasn't be in the news much lately, but it's still an issue that people should care about. The fact that Mad Cow Disease is an issue illustrates the unethical and sometimes dangerous practices of the food industry. Simply being aware of what happens before your food ends up on your table may help to combat the spread of illnesses such as vCJD and BSE, or even E. Coli or Salmonella. Awareness can bring to light these issues and spark change. 

Sources: CDC, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Alberta Agricultural and Rural Development 

Further Reading: FDA

-Contributed by Karissa Francis

Deadly Cantaloupe

After an Oklahoma man's death from eating a cantaloupe contaminated by the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, the source was linked to a single farm in Colorado. That same farm had shortly before been awarded a top safety rating and had been distributed to retailers such as Walmart. The contamination had contributed to 33 deaths, yet the FDA has minimal power to prevent tainted products from being distributed. Statistically, the death toll of Americans per year from foodborne illness is 3,000 out 128,000 people who get infected apparently from lack of government control.

Published by: Ramona Petrova 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-11/food-sickens-millions-as-industry-paid-inspectors-find-it-safe.html

15 Ways to Eat Safe

There are many simple ways you can reduce your chances of eating contaminated food. There are simple ways you could store and handle food that minimizes your chances of getting a foodborne illness that many people overlook. From the current public health scares of meat and raw fruits and vegetables, it is important to be conscious of the safe handling and consuming of store-bought foods or even if you get your food from a garden or from a farm.

Published by: Ramona Petrova

http://www.medicinenet.com/food_safety/article.htm

Horse Meat at Taco Bell

An article from the Chicago Tribune recently found horse meat in the ground beef at several Taco Bell outlets in the UK. The issue has fortunately been isolated to three chains where the testing of the beef had been overlooked. In result of current reports of horse meat, many fast food outlets have begun to tighten their food safety regulations as KFC discontinued using more than 1,000 slaughterhouses in fear of contamination of their chicken products.In Europe, the horse meat had spread to Ireland according to recent tests on their beef. As the horse meat was discovered in the meantime when it reached the public, the catering companies and fast food outlets are not certain if the meat was served to consumers.

Published by: Ramona Petrova

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-03-01/business/chi-horse-meat-found-in-beef-at-taco-bell-in-britain-20130301_1_horsemeat-horse-meat-ground-beef

UK Petting Farm Found Liable for 2009 E. coli Outbreak

  A Surrey county petting farm in the UK has been found liable of a 2009 E. coli outbreak that infected 93 people. Most of the people infected were children and some of them suffered from permanent kidney problems. Infected animals in places like petting farms can easily infect many people because of their fur, saliva and even feces on the ground.

Published by: John Ayala

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/uk-petting-farm-found-liable-for-e-coli-outbreak/#.UTkg4FeGcs8

128 Sick in 13 States with Salmonella from Chicken

128 people have been reported in 13 states to have been infected with salmonella. The states include: Alabama, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

Over 30 percent of the ill persons were hospitalized but no deaths have been reported, with Oregon and Washington being to two states hardest hit with 39 coming from Oregon and 56 from Washington.

The outbreak has been linked to Foster Farms brand chicken because the Washington State Public Health Laboratories found Salmonella in four samples of the chicken in the homes of three of the people that were sick.

Published by: John Ayala


http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/128-sick-in-13-states-with-salmonella/#.UTkbG1eGcs8

"Superbugs" in Meat

Research conducted in 2011 shows that nearly half of all meat and poultry products are contaminated with a deadly bacteria. Many of the bacteria that infects meat products are drug resistant and the factory animal farms where the meat comes from is the source of the outbreak.The animals from those are dosed with antibiotics and vaccines that are creating imbalances in their immune system and therefore making them susceptible to drug resistant "superbugs" such as the deadly S. aureus, which can be fatal if ingested.

Packaged meat, on the other hand, has been found to contain a cancer-causing ingredient called sodium nitrite.It is an additive to meat products for more redness and is also proven to kill botulism. Recommendations for the safety of meat consumers is to buy locally and to thoroughly cook the meat to kill the potential pathogens.

Published by: Ramona Petrova

http://www.naturalnews.com/032111_fresh_meat_superbugs.html

Salmonella in Peanut Butter

Back in 2009, the Peanut Corporation of America issued a recall of its products made the last six months before January of 2009 as they have reportedly been linked to 5 deaths and over 400 illnesses from salmonella poisoning found in their products. Following that time, the recall was extended from 2007 linking their products to cause illnesses and deaths in nearly 43 states in over 400 of their consumer products from crackers to peanut butter to Jenny Craig nutritional bars.
The source of this contamination was their factory in Blakely, GA, which is one of the largest food makers in the nation. According to the FDA inspection in January 2009, rust had been found in their warehouse gaps that were large enough for rodents to enter the plant. In conclusion, the plant had failed to separate raw and finished products which means that they were not allowed to distribute these products in the first place causing the factory to close. Following the incident, the FDA launched a criminal investigation on the factory.

Published by: Ramona Petrova

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/f/food_safety/peanut_butter_recall_2009/index.html

Breaking News of a Recall of Canned Tuna

In today's news, yesterday the two brands of tuna - Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea- have been recalled due to having loose lids, which in turn poses a public health risk of contamination from spoilage. There had been a reported flaw in the canning of these two brands during the distribution period of January 17- February 28th, 2013 even know it is still unknown if this mistake has or will make any consumer sick. Current sellers have been asked to remove these products from their shelves and also alerting customers who have purchased them during that time period.

Published by: Ramona Petrova

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/loose-seams-on-tuna-can-lids-prompts-recall/#.UTjrqTCG1Ao

How Gluten Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis

After reading in class about how gluten in a variety has been linked to celiac disease particularly for those with weakened immune systems, a recent study found that it may also contribute to rheumatoid arthritis. Gluten is a protein found in many products containing wheat such as bread and pasta and many consumers of gluten who are unknowingly gluten intolerant have experienced side effects such as indigestion. Long term consumption of gluten by especially those who are intolerant has been linked to causing rheumatoid arthritis, a weakening of the joints. Additional symptoms of this disease are muscle cramps, hair loss, nausea and abdominal pain .

Published by: Ramona Petrova

http://www.naturalnews.com/035075_gluten_intolerance_rheumatoid_arthritis.html

Raw Milk

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/indiana-follows/#.UTev9jAXlDQ

To summarize.

During the 2012 elections there were many calls to make raw milk legal for sale in many states, it suddenly became an issue worth fighting over and caught some attention on a national level. As I recall, it was one of the few times Jon Huntsman was even mentioned as he was almost intentionally forgotten as a significant presidential candidate, despite decent early poll results. But that's all irrelevant, what is important is that the bills calling for this unbanning of raw milk have all but disappeared due to neglect. Like many “issues of the hour” topics will come up and be dropped as soon as there's no campaign anymore. However, since this is a food safety issue, it is worth bringing up once more.

Raw milk is not easily available for several reasons, the first being that it really is a public health hazard. It's a fantastic incubator for disease due to it having water, high nutrition, and is kept at (relatively) warmer temperatures (You don't freeze milk). This means any trace of bacteria will have a very easy time reproducing and infecting the milk given some time. However, the risk is considerably lower if sold and consumed locally within a good time-frame from cows that are regulated for their health. Homogenization and Pasteurization go a long way into improving and lowering the risk for these possible diseases however at a relatively low cost, so the demand for raw milk is relatively low to begin with and is seen more as a rights issue. 

Personally I believe raw milk is somewhat over-regulated in many states. A good solution is to allow local farmers to sell it themselves so long as the bottles are carefully labeled so that buyers understand the risk. However, whether or not someone drinks raw milk is almost entirely up to their taste. It's far from a necessity, and the risk vs the reward doesn't warrant its widespread availability (if it were widely available the risk could be higher). But that's simply personal opinion, it's not the most complex of issues, but it does hold importance on its own as well as the principle of it.

-Contributed by Lukas Louwagie

The Issue with Horse Meat

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/02/horsemeat-infographic-shows/#.US611zAXlDQ

The above link contains an article with an infograph on the horsemeat issues as of late.

The article goes further in depth on the discovery of horsemeat and why and how it may be harmful to you.

Horsemeat itself isn't unsafe to ingest, it is as safe as any other livestock, when treated as a livestock. 

The problem stems from the fact that the distribution of horsemeat isn't regulated in the same way that beef or pork may be in most countries, that horses are often not expected to end up on the butcher block and as a result are often treated with manners that can create unsafe consumption.

That's not to say the horsemeat being served is unsafe, no cases have been reported where anyone was negatively effected, it is a safety risk however as there is no way of telling whether a show horse ended up in the meat or a horse bred as livestock. The former may have various medications and treatments making the meat unsafe for consumption while the latter would be perfectly safe. 

However, even if it is not directly a safety issue it is still an issue. Horsemeat is considered taboo in many countries and is mentioned nowhere as an ingredient in many of these foods, this is deceptive and most people would not be happy with that discovery. The current regulations are not catching these oversights and while this particular issue may not pose a serious health risk to the population, it is a potential health issue. And since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, preventing any possible future outbreaks is extremely important, which is why this particular issue is getting so much attention as of late. 

-Contributed by Lukas Louwagie