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Making the Lunch Line a Safe Haven

Jan 13

Posted by admin in Administration, healthy eating

We have written extensively about the importance of making the school lunch program a model of healthy eating. It is not about the secret sauce, but about how we are setting up a paradigm for disaster. High-caloric meals with multiple carbs contribute to overweight youngsters, a very negative picture of future generations. We can do better and have been waiting for direct legislative action. The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program are due for such an overhaul. Today Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the proposed changes.

Note that this is the first time in 15 years these standards will be upgraded. That in itself is shameful. Enough has been written about the growing national waistline. It is not possible for everyone to find foods that are healthy as budgetary constraints often make such purchases prohibitive. Not everyone has the natural, organic, local dollar budget, but we expect our schools to feed those in these programs foods that are healthy and safe.

Proposed changes include the reduction of sodium. Salt does not have to be the only taste-inducer. Under the proposal, salt will need to be reduced by half. Likewise, reduced-fat milk will be the drink of choice, calorie counts will be lowered, and whole grains will be required. As for the potato chip toppings, they are limited to one meal a week as starchy vegetables are so defined.

Currently over 32 million youngsters participate in these programs. We are not talking about a small percentage of our population. The affect on the future can easily be seen mathematically. Change will not occur overnight, but we must remain optimistic that such improvements will be beneficial for the entire society. Remember that for many of these youngsters, the school meal program provides over half of their daily food intake. Money will be increased for the districts as part of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act which provides for the improvement of the nutritional quality of the foods that schools get from the USDA for their breakfast and lunch programs. On the website, you can view a sample school lunch menu and readily grasp the nutritional changes.schoolmealscover.php

We can do better for our children. It’s time for the proposed rules to become reality.

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Signed, Sealed, but Can It Deliver?

Jan 5

Posted by admin in Administration, FDA, food universe, news

After what felt like an interminable period of time between the Senate and House signing of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), an extra week was added to the timetable for a much-needed Presidential Holiday. Anyway who wants to sign a document when no one is looking? Plenty has been written, on this blog and numerous others, about what the Act will cover and how the FDA will finally assume the mantle of power. Of course, there are the worriers who question any type of authority and simultaneously believe such a broad-sweeping measure will negatively impact the little guy, the small producer.

No need to take sides, but acknowledge the number one issue that hopefully will be improved by the passage and signing of the Act: Food Safety and all aspects of food-borne illnesses. Maybe the myriad of scares and recalls will start to decline, and we will have a safer food system in place. This week, once again, demonstrated how important monitoring and checking is. We began the year with several recalls. (Frankly, I seldom focus on sprout recalls anymore as they are almost commonplace: Buy sprouts and you’re likely to have some sort of Salmonella issue. Of course, there are plenty of small growers who can offer protection, but history has demonstrated more nationwide or regional outbreaks with this particular food than almost any other I can tabulate.)

Let us take out the celebratory horns and whistles to herald the future and the hope of success in monitoring and preventing the prior steady stream of food safety issues. The FDA has published a Q and A page to help set the record straight about what the Act will and will not cover, or accomplish, for that matter.fsbillboard_good_luck

We can only hope that implementation with its emphasis on prevention will be smooth and life-saving.

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The Food Safety Dance

Jul 13

Posted by admin in Administration, food recalls

We’re talking a slow dance; something that seems as if we’re in a wait state; without recognizable movement. No two-step; maybe a back step. The Administration came in with a Tango approach on this topic, but their efforts have been stalled. Sure lots of little bites and small steps, but the legislation that will overhaul the FDA and give us a strong comfort zone is stuck. Stuck in the Senate with the summer recess near at hand. This does not look like a favorable time for food-safety legislation.

Those who like looking in blog archives will find plenty of references to the FDA and the need for the Food Safety Modernization Act. On a positive note, the latest FDA food safety blog has good suggestions for ensuring food safety when shopping and purchasing from a farm market. Worth a read.blog_farmers_market

Where does this leave food safety legislation? In the quiet corner. So quiet, barely a whisper. Actually the fire has been stoked with conversations about BPA. Several states (CT, MA, and MD) have banned BPA from food and beverage containers, and several are in the discussion stage. Yet, the current legislation impasse seems to be bogged down at the heels of California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Amendment to the bill which would ban BPA. This thoughtful approach has further slowed down the process. Not everyone in the Senate appears to be comfortable with this additional step as several industry groups are screaming loudly about the cost of doing a nationwide BPA ban. Translation: These industry groups provide significant sums of money to many on the Hill!

Let’s end with the current  food safety concern–hydrocarbons in cereal packaging that lead to a major recall. Yes, the petrochemical leached from the package which created a “funny-tasting cereal.” Yum. Certainly not the last food safety problem.

As I’ve said before, we need the passage of the food safety legislation and the FDA needs the help. The problem has become too pervasive for it to be ignored. Now.

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Ground Beef: Food Recalls

May 17

Posted by admin in Administration, news

After months of disturbing news about various food recalls, it appears that the USDA is ready to align its forces and impact the way inspections are held. Yes, this has been the year of more Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli outbreaks than one can remember from past years. As the consumer has believed that changes were in place and that everyone in the inspection process was looking out for the safety and well-being of the eater, we were not 100% accurate.

Changes have been mentioned and changes have been suggested, but little has been done in terms of the overall improvement of the system of protecting the purchaser and consumer of foods. Take the often recalled food, ground beef. It has a strong presence in individual family meals, restaurants, and of course, school lunches. By this summer the USDA will have in place tougher guidelines that include more frequent testing and analysis for the foods in the school lunch program.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that school lunches will receive a major overhaul as so much attention has been given to the dire straits of the program and the overall health and well-being of our children. Suppliers can no longer skirt the issue. The safety of the foods for school lunch and nutrition assistance programs has become a top-down focus for the Administration. It should be noted that these new inspections apply to new contracts awarded after July 1. One has to ask about those suppliers who have long-term contracts? Will there be enhanced inspections?

Part of the new standards include increasing sampling frequency and tightening the overall rejection criteria. These are all important steps. We call that the good news. There’s a lot to learn and we have a responsibility in our own kitchens to execute food safety. BTW, ground beef and hamburger are not the same beast according to the guidelines.

Now the focus must be turned to the overall increased inspection of ground beef. Food safety must remain a top priority for all purchases.

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USDA–Hello, Anyone There? Anyone Care?

Jan 3

Posted by admin in Administration

I guess being naive is a blessing. Who knew that it was OK to inject animals with AMMONIA so it would kill off any potential E. coli or Salmonella pathogen? Not me. And in my limited scientific world, it sounds disgusting, and wrong. Wait, there’s more; the SD Beef company that came up with this idea often got a pass in terms of reinspections.

(It is important to note that the USDA has revoked the company’s automatic exemption from the routine tests and plans to conduct a review of their processes and that the company has not been linked to a major outbreak). A major front page newspaper article was able to get individuals at the Department to focus on the seriousness of the issue.

Wait. The story gets worse. A lot of this “ammonia-ed” meat went into burgers for the school lunch program and to big name fast food restaurants and grocers. Remember all those discussions we had about the end of the burger? Maybe it should be called the end of the USDA as we know it and the creation of a new agency that understands food safety.

This is disgusting. The fact that this kind of pass-play has been going on for several years now says no one is looking nor is anyone being logical about the dire state of our food safety network. We were told and basically believed that food safety would be a major issue that would be tackled and improved during the early years of this Administration.

They were wrong. We were wronged.

Once again we are left with the “now what” approach to food safety. Even after multiple suspensions and violations, the company is still on the approved list! How many millions of pounds of this ammonia processed food have worked their way through the system? Through our bodies? How much more is out there ready to be consumed? logo_v2_2We can’t be fighting bacteria in our food preparation if products are sneaking through the system without proper inspections.

Not everyone can grind their own meat or shop at grocers that promise they are using straight beef products and not supplementing the meats with parts that make it into pet food.

We need to be comfortable about the food we eat and be secure that our children in the National School Lunch Program, part of the USDA, are being given safe food. Officials should not be making decisions based on price alone; the product needs to be thoroughly examined and given a positive stamp of approval. A maybe doesn’t work.

Food safety has to be a front burner issue.

Now.

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Ugly News

Dec 10

Posted by admin in Administration, health, news

We could spend all our time concentrating on news that’s hard to lose: The kind of news that fills the plate but sickens the diner. If you guess food recalls, you’ve got the Ace of Spades. It’s been a tough year as recalls have mounted on top of recalls. Staying on the safe side of food safety has been an ongoing challenge. We’ve had the peanut butter debacle, various fruits and vegetable recalls including cantaloupes, and the big cookie dough scare. As for meats, there have been ongoing chicken concerns, hot dog issues, and numerous ground beef problems.

Is it time to breathe a sigh of relief? Are these recalls a thing of the past? No, not so fast. Once again the ground beef news has been troubling. Another ground beef recall; this one possibly more worrisome as it involved repackaging goods that were known to be on the recall list.

Where is the FDA, the CDC, the Ag Department on all of this? Who’s watching the store? Wasn’t the Administration touting its commitment to overall issues of food safety? What happened?

Not much actually. OK, make that nothing. We are still straddling the line between increased inspections and limited corrections. Food Safety is still a top burner issue that cannot seem to get the attention necessary to move it to the forefront of regulation. This is one time the cry of too much government will not work. We need the inspections to avoid the recalls.

Getting a recall notice is not the right direction. We need to stop the problem at the source; not after the fact.

I’m thinking macaroni is looking pretty good right now.macaroni

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Hunger: More than a Six-Letter Word

Nov 30

Posted by admin in Administration, food universe, news

The news gets more abysmal by the minute. In this formerly very wealthy county, record numbers of children go hungry. Now we learn that food stamp use is way up and those adults and families once averse to such a program are now willingly taking part in its offerings. This is no time to hide behind the wall of fear of notice. Estimates indicate that the food stamp program is still not reaching 100% of those in need. Going hungry has become a severe problem that continues to grow daily.

In schools the number of children who get to school early for breakfast continues to climb. Those on subsidized lunch programs and children in afternoon care rely on the nutrients offered as school-based food programs may mean the single hot meal in their daily routines. With a special initiative from the USDA, schools will receive additional funds for demonstrating improved menus and healthier quality of foods served. This is a positive first step for a growing national crisis.schoolbreakfastlogo

Just before Thanksgiving the White House announced a more aggressive program focused on the alarming spread of hunger. It’s allied with its commitment to volunteering: Feed A Neighbor. This is a program tied into the Corporation for National and Community Service and linked to an effort to increase volunteerism between now and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, the National Day of Service, January 18.

Hunger issues are now so profound that we are at the same dire level of food needs as we were almost 15 years ago. Our progress has been eroded. Additional tactics need to be implemented after the January focus as the severity far exceeds the 6-week focus!

Talking about a problem never makes it go away. Besides USDA, Share our Strength, United We Serve, and the major corporations and foundations that have stepped in with action plans, the severity of the issue demands more than mere introspective attention.

We cannot continue to feast in our homes while others go hungry.

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Defining a Smart Choice

Oct 26

Posted by admin in Administration, FDA, news

fruitsveggiesIt’s official: The Smart Choices Program has gone away quietly. Maybe that’s not completely true. Its response was quiet in comparison to the public outrage from consumers, reporters, and bloggers about its premise. The Connecticut Attorney General came out and questioned the program. A maelstrom was beginning. Done. It will no longer accept new applicants nor will it promote its so-called label program.

A big shout-out, maybe one of the most  positive signs of the new Administration’s commitment to food policy, goes to the FDA. Last week when they announced their efforts toward front of the package labeling, they took that big step out of the box. The inherent, albeit underlying, message was that they would actively ascertain the accuracy of  label information. The Smart Choices Program saw the writing. It was not pretty on the wall or anywhere. Their label idea was good in concept but in reality it struck a serious nerve. They were promoting and supporting foods that should never be thought of as smart choices.

Enough. Over. Hopefully, a footnote to the month.

Score one.

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Food Safety Needs All the Help It Can Get

Sep 13

Posted by admin in Administration, food recalls, health

foodthebasicsWith the National Restaurant Association declaring September as the month to concentrate on food safety, it is critical that this becomes a better managed, ongoing effort on everyone’s part. For the 15th annual National Food Safety Education Month, the slogan is  for operators of foodservice establishments to do proper training for all employees. They are encouraged to offer mini-sessions daily to make certain every staff member understands the importance of his mission.

Safety starts with hands, clean hands, and most often, gloved hands. Yet those same employees cannot handle money one minute and with the same gloves, cut the next guy’s sandwich. It’s all about training and diligence. Stopping infection remains a primary goal. All surfaces need to be clean, spotlessly clean, and all food handlers need to remain vigilant about their own personal hygiene.

If you want to understand a restaurant or foodservice’s commitment to food safety, then visit the establishment’s rest room. If it is a mess, sure, tell someone who is supposed to be monitoring it, but recognize that this may be an indication of the business’s overall commitment to sanitation.

Just this past week, the USDA with HHS consolidated its efforts to inform consumers about food recalls and food safety issues. The Administration has been determined to streamline and make information easily accessible while having agencies concentrate on how they can make food safety a primary concern. This site enables the consumer to sign up for alerts as they happen. The slogan that needs to be followed in a restaurant and at home is to “Clean, Separate (don’t cross-contaminate), Cook (to proper temperature), and Chill (refrigerate properly).” No food group appears immune from safety concerns as this has been a terrifying year in terms of basic, so-called ordinary recalls, peanut butter , for example. The crisis in food safety has gone far beyond farm fields and restaurants, and has impacted all our food safety concerns.

It is time to recognize National Food Safety Education Month as an important process that cannot be ignored the other 11 months of the year.

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The White House and the Farm Market

Sep 10

Posted by admin in Administration, gardening, Michelle Obama

farmfreshBy all indications, it looks as if The White House is championing efforts for a farm stand, a farmer’s market, near the White House. This has been a wonderful spring and summer with First Lady Michelle Obama openly visible in the city promoting healthy eating and trying to get her message across about fresh, local foods. The White House Garden, by all indications, has been hugely successful and productive. Her outreach to youngsters whether to help dig the Garden, or to taste the fruits of their labor has been met with positive smiles (check out the videos on the Garden website).

The message quite simply says we need to teach the young and their families about the importance of eating healthy, about supporting the farmers, the growers. Now in what looks like a major coup for DC-based FreshFarm Markets, the operators at this new location near The White House. That is if the street permits, closing a small stretch of road near the White House for Thursday afternoons until the end of October, pass the approval process. Since the expected hours for the Market include the dreaded DC Rush Hour, this is not a plan without controversy.

At this point in time (one week before the anticipated opening), it is unclear how much produce, if any, will come from the White House Garden and if that will be made available in a less expensive format to those in need.

One possibility is to add this location to the DOUBLEDOLLARS program that FreshFarm Markets offers at two locations. The Wholesome Wave Foundation has made it possible to provide matching market food dollars to customers who use Food Stamps, WIC, or Senior “Get Fresh” coupons. Such a program provides the necessary outreach to individuals who otherwise would find the local, farm fresh products exorbitantly expensive.

Opening a farm market near the White House, whether produce came from the Garden, or not, would be another important step in the Administration’s food outreach.

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