Career Development » Alcohol & Food Safety

FDA to Sequence Foodborne Bacteria’s Genomes

seo.team — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:25:15 +0000

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is harnessing the expertise of the University of California, Davis to sequence the genomes of 100,000 types and subtypes of deadly foodborne bacteria to help the agency corral contamination outbreaks, such as the multistate Listeria contamination last year that killed 25 and sickened over a hundred.

The announcement is good news to the public, food advocates, as well as conscientious restaurant owners who employ workers with food handler certification or food safety certification training, who all have relied on traditional, low-tech measures to help prevent and contain foodborne-illness outbreaks.

Also being recruited into the effort are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Agilent Technologies Inc., a chemical analysis/engineering company based in Santa Clara, Calif. Once the genetic sequencing is completed, the results will be posted in a public database maintained by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Biotechnology Information.

“Right now, we spend a lot of time after an outbreak trying to figure out what country is it from, and how is it spreading,” said Dr. Steven Musser, director of the FDA’s office of regulatory science for food safety. He noted that the initiative is similar to the DNA information maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for investigating crimes.

“If we had this genetic sequence already, we could know immediately that the salmonella probably came from India, and we could have responded much more quickly,” Dr. Musser pointed out, referring to this year’s salmonella outbreak in tuna, which came from a plant in India. Lacking a genetic database for pathogens, FDA instead took almost two months to confirm that sushi was the culprit.

According to the FDA, the new database has the potential to slash the typical public-health response time in foodborne illness outbreaks to days instead of weeks.

Frustration Follows Food-Safety Reform Delay

seo.team — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:24:03 +0000

With the water boiling and the ingredients all diced and ready to go into the pot, the stew should have been ready by now—but it is not. Last year President Obama signed into law a bill to overhaul food safety in the United States, a sweeping food-policy change not seen in 70 years. But not much has happened since then—to the great frustration of the public, food advocates, as well as conscientious restaurant owners who have on their staff workers with food handler certification or food safety certification training.

The Food Safety Modernization Act updates the basic way the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carries out its role: from an agency that responds to incidents of contaminated or adulterated food to one that stops contamination or adulteration from manifesting in the first place. The act empowers the agency to compel food recalls and to employ additional food-safety inspectors. Despite bipartisan endorsement in Congress and near universal support from the public health groups and the food industry, implementation of the new law has gotten stuck in procedural muck.

Regulations implementing the law have not been approved, the upshot of lack of major action by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which is still evaluating the rules’ effectiveness and alignment with administration policies. The regulations have been with OMB for seven months, four months past its deadline.

OMB spokeswoman Moira Mack explained that public-safety rules require extensive review, which, she said, is exactly what OMB is doing. “The administration is working as expeditiously as possible to implement this legislation we fought so hard for. When it comes to rules with this degree of importance and complexity, it is critical that we get it right.”

Apples Worst, Onions Best in Pesticide-Residue Rankings

seo.team — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:38:17 +0000

When ordering that extra slice of apple strudel or apple pie, consider the 8th annual “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce” from the Environmental Working Group (EWG): Apple has again earned the dubious distinction of topping the list of the group’s annual “Dirty Dozen,” a report ranking the fruits and vegetables that most often carry pesticide residues.

As every restaurant worker with a food handler certification or a food safety certification training knows, pesticide residue presents an altogether different health danger to diners than the more familiar and faster-acting pathogens associated with foodborne illnesses.

Right behind apple in the “Dirty Dozen” rankings are celery, sweet bell peppers, peaches, and strawberries. On the other hand, onions, sweet corn, pineapples, and avocados topped the “Clean 15″ list.

The ranking system, according to an article by Helena Bottemiller on foodsafetynews.com, is based on EWG’s assay of over 60,700 samples taken from 2000 to 2010 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Notably, however, almost all the contamination levels found were under the federal tolerance limits.

“Similar to previous years, the 2010 report shows that overall pesticide residues found on foods tested are at levels well below the tolerances set by the [Environmental Protection Agency],” clarified the Agriculture Marketing Service.

EWG detected measurable levels of pesticide on nearly all (98 percent) the apples and found 13 different pesticides on a single sample of both celery and strawberries.

Insurance Training: Worst Passwords of 2011

Whataburger Redesigns Menu, Adds Healthful Items

seo.team — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:36:53 +0000

Following a growing trend toward healthy—as well as safe, as practised by restaurant workers with food handler certification or a food safety certification training—offerings the U.S. restaurant scene, Whataburger, the Texas-based regional burger chain with over 700 restaurants in 10 states., recently debuted new menus that hew to the healthy side of the fast-food lane. It calls the new additions “550 Calories or Less” items.

Whataburger’s director of marketing and innovation, Rich Scheffler, said of the lissom offerings: “We think our customers will be extremely pleased with the new menu items we’ve added, and we redesigned our menu boards to accommodate these additions.”

New items include two health-conscious salads: an Apple & Cranberry Chicken Salad with romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, fresh apples and shredded Cheddar cheese, topped with grilled chicken or a Whatachick’n Filet; and a classic Garden Salad. Whataburger has also thrown into the green mix two lower-fat dressings: Low-Fat Honey Pepper Vinaigrette and Low-Fat Herb Vinaigrette.

According to Scheffler, they also have introduced the 450-calorie Grilled Chicken Melt with grilled onions, poblano and red bell peppers, and Monterey Jack cheese.

“We understand many of our customers want to make lighter choices when they eat out, and we strive to provide the highest quality, freshest ingredients to make their selection easy,” Sheffler added.

The menu retains Whataburger’s “All-Time Favorites” burgers, whixh for patrons are the familiar A-1 Thick & Hearty Burger and Chop House Cheddar Burger.

USDA Releases Video for 4th of July Grilling Safety Tips

seo.team — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:12:53 +0000

With $400 million worth of beef destined for 4^th of July grills, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a video advising backyard chefs how to grill food safely.

The video demonstrates the four steps of safe food preparation for outdoor cooking. These steps—familiar to those with food handler certification or food safety certification training—include: cleaning utensils and surfaces, cooking to the right temperature, separating raw meat from cooked meat, and chilling leftover uncooked food or meat.

For safe grilling, USDA recommends the following:

Clean hands, utensils, and surfaces clean.

Use separate plates and cutting boards for raw and cooked foods, since juice from the former might contaminate the latter.

Use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to safe internal temperatures. Burgers should be cooked to 160 F, while poultry should reach 165 F.

Food transported in a cooler must be kept at 40 degrees or below. Put a thermometer in the cooler to be sure. Cool with ice. If you’re carrying drinks, best to transport them in a separate cooler since you may open this more frequently.

Don’t let food sit out for more than an hour in hot weather. If you’re in doubt how long it’s been out, throw it out.

Food Safety Campaign Gets Ready for 4th of July

seo.team — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:11:29 +0000

George Washington says…CLEAN

John Adams says…SEPARATE

Thomas Jefferson says…COOK

Benjamin Franklin says…CHILL

The food safety campaign, Food Safe Families, takes on patriotic colors for the Fourth of July with “4 Steps to Food Safety from Our Founding Fathers,” which targets backyard chefs.

The Food Safe Families campaign is a project of the nonprofit Ad Council for the top three U.S. food safety agencies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.

The campaign is the first multimedia collaboration among the three agencies to promote awareness of the risks of food borne illnesses or food poisoning in the home, already a familiar theme in the restaurant setting for restaurant workers with a food handler certification or food safety certification training.

Ad Council’s timing the food safety ad campaign close to July 4 is strategic. Foodsafetynews.com explains that Americans will buy $400 million worth of beef for grilling on July 4, but almost all will not know how to check if a burger is safe. Only 1 in 4 own a food thermometer for determining the internal cooking temperature of a burger on the grill.

“Making sure hands, utensils, and surfaces are clean, that you’re cooking food thoroughly, storing it at safe temperature, and avoiding cross-contamination are simple, meaningful steps that people can take to keep themselves and their families from getting sick,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

Meat Glue Declared as Safe

seo.team — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:51:18 +0000

It sounds rather gross but “meat glue” has been part of the dining experience for quite a while now, much like Texas Food Handlers or a Food Manager Certification Texas has been an integral component of food safety in protecting public health.

Meat glue, like it or not, is the discreet but ubiquitous meat addend that binds such innocent delectables as two large beef tenderloins together. If you’ve had your steak in a hotel, a casino, or a catered event, you’ve probably had meat glue to go with the main dish—and unwittingly enjoyed it.

Like pink slime, which unfairly suffered and eventually succumbed to bad press, meat glue is not a diner’s favorite ingredient because it does not seem “natural.” It is made up of transglutaminase (TG) and beef fibrin, which are enzymes that have the ability to glue proteins—as well as meat—together. These ingredients are also used in baked goods, yogurt, and seafood.

Tellingly, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that both ingredients as “generally recognized as safe,” GRAS in industry parlance.

Dana Hanson, a meat scientist at North Carolina State University, noted the possibility that different cuts put together could be more susceptible to contamination by potentially introducing pathogens where the steak pieces are joined. Still, Hanson was quick to point out that federal cooking recommendations would be sufficient to eradicate any pathogens.

“We find that the safety of this product is very acceptable,” he reiterated.

Jensen Farms to Settle Listeria Cases

seo.team — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:51:16 +0000

Remember Jensen Farms, the grower whose cantaloupes caused last year’s multistate Listeria outbreak that killed 36 people and sickened 146 others? The company has made it known that it is going to settle the cases ranged against it since the outbreak, the country’s worst in a century as far as fatalities are concerned.

Listeria contamination can start anywhere in the food chain and proper food and food-product handling is essential in preventing the pathogen from taking hold. As hedge against foodborne illnesses, including listeriosis, many restaurant owners now require a Texas Food Handlers or a Food Manager Certification Texas as a hiring requisite. Unfortunately, weak links still remain in the human food-supply chain.

According to foodsafetynews.com, Jensen Farms has already filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and it is opting for settlements with the 39 plaintiffs, all represented by prominent food-safety attorney Bill Marler, the publisher of foodsafetynews.com. Meanwhile, Jensen’s attorney, Jim Markus, confirmed to Denver Post that they are close to finalizing the settlements.

Jensen has proffered $4 million in settlement money to the victims, half of the amount coming from the company’s insurance, the other half from the insurers of the equipment company that earlier had been reported in the media to have supplied Jensen with used equipment, and of Primus Labs, the safety auditor whose purported failure to identify contamination issues at the facility ultimately caused the outbreak.

Although the Jensen Farms Listeria outbreak officially lasted three months until October 2011, its after effects lasted longer. Months after the last case was reported, two more victims died of Listeria complications related to the outbreak.

Grocery Manufacturers Association Adds More Scientific Expertise to Its Cause

seo.team — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:12:40 +0000

As the food industry continues to be held back by food recalls and the public to suffer foodborne illness outbreaks, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) announced this June that it has availed itself of the expertise of two food-safety authorities to bolster its food-safety efforts, a move that at once acknowledges the prevalence of food-safety problems, the need to press more scientific muscle into the fight for safer food on the American dinner plate, and the importance of Texas Food Handlers Certification or a Food Manager Certification training in protecting public health.

The new additions to the GMA food-safety staff—Melinda Hayman, Ph.D., as the group’s director of microbiology and William Koshute, M.S., as a chemistry scientist—are “part of GMA’s continued commitment to strengthen its scientific and technical capabilities in critically important areas of food safety,” said Dr. George Dunaif, GMA’s vice president of Food Safety and Technical Services.

GMA said that Dr. Hayman brings with her a wealth of experience as a food microbiologist with over 10 years in the area of food safety under government and industry appointments. William Koshute has extensive experience in food biotechnology, among other areas of expertise, and was a pharmaceutical research scientist for Sanofi-Aventis, one of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies, before joining GMA.

Survey Spotlights Public Perceptions of Food Safety

seo.team — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:12:34 +0000

From the get-go food safety has been all about food handling and food preparation. But in case some didn’t get the memo, the International Food Information Council Foundation in 2006 endeavoured to track food-safety practices in the U.S. population amid growing food-safety incidents and outbreaks of foodborne illnesses.

Because proper food and food-product handling is essential in preventing foodborne illness outbreaks, many restaurant owners now require a California Food Handlers Card or a Food Safety Certification Illinois as a hiring requisite. Unfortunately, weak links still remain in the human food-supply chain.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food contamination causes 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths each year in the United States. Yearly also, food contamination results in about a thousand foodborne disease outbreaks across America.

The landmark national study was initiated to understand how Americans view important food-safety, nutrition, and health-related topics. The overriding goal was to assemble good data to equip food-safety authorities to educate people on how to stay safe from foodborne illnesses such as E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella.

“Because only safe food can be nutritious food, this research is an important part of the applied research needed to ensure a wholesome food supply for the United States,” said an article on the foundation’s Food and Health Survey, 2006-2010, as quoted by foodsafetynews.com. The survey appears in the June 2012 issue of the peer-reviewed Food Protection Trends.

Among the unexpected findings of the study is the significant decline between 2006 and 1010 in the following key food-safety practices: hand washing, separating raw meat and poultry from ready-to-eat food products, washing cutting boards, cooking to required temperatures, properly storing leftovers, and following microwave cooking instructions.