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Posts Tagged food safety

Back on the Beat

Sep 20

Posted by admin in FDA, First Lady Michelle Obama

I’ve been off key and away for a few weeks as I lost my staunchest advocate, my bright light, and overall, my all-out supporter. Now, it’s time to come out from under my shell and fulfill the promise he so desperately wanted me to achieve: To stay on top of the story and tell it like it is. So here we go.

A lot has happened in the food world, or nothing has happened, depending on your outlook.  Little changes prove noticeable as in the more things change, the more they stay the same. So sameness envelops what’s happening, or not, when we speak of food safety and when the phrase, the FDA gets mentioned.

Yes, folks, it’s an election year and that means paper gets shuffled, but in the fall weeks preceding a November election, time stands still. Any hope of seeing the FDA assume the leadership mantel that was so eloquently promised—review blog entries on FDA and food safety and food recalls--and you’ll notice little change. Sorry, truth is truth. Peanut butter, lettuce, burgers, and eggs are still topics of grave concern and continued surveillance. Without some degree of enforcement, E.coli and Salmonella will continue to be words echoed repeatedly and plague our decision-making.

We have talked frequently about the importance of organics and how some products should only be organic purchases. It seems that the popularity of going organic continues to increase and there are some early indications that the price of organic produce seems to be less out of touch than in earlier years. Irony aside but many stores that have large organic departments also manage to deliver better prices on the organic line-up than their larger chain competitors. Whole Foods continues to accomplish this price-value coefficient. If you need first-hand proof, go to the dairy aisle and check-out organic milk. You’ll be a believer.lunch208345913

Not that there have been miraculous overall changes to the school lunch program, but concern is widespread. Many well-known chefs joined with their nearby school systems and volunteered their time and talent to help implement change. What Jamie Oliver accomplished with his well-publicized Revolution earned him numerous accolades and got couch potatoes to be thinking about more than starches. Then, of course, First Lady Michelle Obama found a judicious cause and continues to champion its direction. Harder to go higher up the ladder than 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!

Always end with good news, at least that’s what I was taught.

The week has begun. So much to report.

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Hard Over, Please

Aug 24

Posted by admin in FDA, news

So if the wise man puts all his eggs in one basket, (Andrew Carnegie), how many eggs does he throw out? BTW, he also said the first man gets the oyster, and the second one the shell. Maybe this discussion is all about the shell!

What a week. You do remember not that many months ago our energy was focused on another important house staple, peanut butter, but this time the problem has an even more invasive nature.  The egg recall has expanded, and predictions indicate it will keep growing. The USDA says it is the FDA’s problem, but what is the end user, the consumer, the eater, the chef to do?

Yes, the debacle seems to be linked to two main producers in Iowa, but problems such as this do not just appear. Several people have called the issue pervasive, one with repeat offenders. Food safety; what’s that?

Should we take solace from a sign at a market that says they have been advised to pull eggs from their current distributor, but have replaced their supply from a different company? The problem boils down to who do we trust and what do we do about it. Wash hands more diligently than ever; cook them hard. Keep focused on the changes.

Here is the latest information (at this moment) about the size of the recall and what are the suggested actions. My suggestion: Check the site regularly.

Cook ‘em, skip the soft-boiled egg. If you’re still anxious, buy a thermometer and check the temperature or switch to the pasteurized liquid shaker eggs. That may be the healthy, no cholesterol, way to go.buddy_Icon1

Bad year for food recalls. Not because we are becoming savvier and getting information quicker, but because food safety remains a top burner issue that often feels like a neglected step-child.

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Footnote to Safety

Jul 14

Posted by admin in food recalls

Wonder how many of these safety blurbs we’ll have to do, but here’s a scary follow-up to my recent post on the FDA and failed legislation.

OK, time to fess up: How many times have you had guacamole and salsa so far this month? I know it’s still early in the month, but I bet your chips were filled with these dippers. Or are you more of a salsa on the side person? Either way, there’s troubling news about these two popular foods, whether we consume them at home, dining out, or carrying in. There’s a major concern. avocadoheader-logo

The Centers for Disease Control, the CDC, reports the less-than-welcome news. The underlying issue is that the ingredients may not be stored properly because they are often made in large batches. Food-borne illnesses like to travel so to prevent this from occurring in our home kitchens, use fresh ingredients and store leftovers promptly. Remember that this has been a wonderful avocado season and East Coast peppers and tomatoes are just beginning to ripen so making homemade salsa should not be an issue. Don’t forget proper handling and washing.

The salsa-guac trend has grown in popularity over the last decade due to taste, familiarity, and growth of many Mexican fast food and midscale casual restaurants. The incidence, a 4% increase in outbreaks parallels the popularity curve. What are we to do? Send back warm salsa–it’s been sitting around. (As a rule of food safety, warm food should spell a problem almost regardless of the item–food should be served chilled or hot. The in-between can cause the greatest upset). Restaurants need to serve from the refrigerator. We cannot inspect the restaurant’s kitchen and storage, but we can be proactive in our decision-making.

No one’s going to take a bite out of this market space, especially in a down economy. We can enjoy and at the same time be smart. Our personal safety depends on it!

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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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Grill ‘Em

Jul 1

Posted by admin in cooking, food universe

It’s that curious time of the year when weeks get shortened into weekends and traffic is always on escape mode. Welcome to the upcoming weekend, the Fourth of July, which seems to begin this year on the 1st and conclude on the 6th! Party.

According to the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association, the Fourth of July grabs the top spot as America’s single biggest day to grill outdoors with 80% of respondents planning to keep with tradition this year. Burgers top the list of most commonly grilled foods with ketchup repeating as the number one condiment. Probably should begin with a refresher course on food safety as many of us partake in our food ventures off premise as in picnic spots, tailgating, or camping. As always food handling should top the list of concerns and include the magic food safety words: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. No matter the menu, the rules apply and make everyone safer for the experience.

For so many of us, keeping the charcoal lit and hot proves to be directly proportional to how much lighter fluid we have on hand. I know you’ll miss the smell of the endless squirting of fluid, but here’s a fun gadget that takes the guesswork out of the operation and more insures the possibility of success: The Looftlighter. (Makes me imagine an air-lifting experience that transforms an ordinary pile of coals into a full-blown campsite)! OK, I admit it looks a little like a hair straightener, but this product seems to have little difficulty starting a fire. Also great for hardwood chunks added to the grill to infuse different flavors. Such love of grilling does not come inexpensively, but the neighbors and the environment thank you!

I know you’ll miss the lighter fluid taste, but some sacrifices need to be made! What if you’re planning a road trip and still want to grill, then there are full range of portable grills to make this a possibility. Since I’m such a coffee person, I was interested in seeing what the Bodum folks (known for their full line of coffee makers and accessories) came up with. Don’t worry, they are serious BBQ players with a full line of what they call “Toys for Grown Ups.” Am sure that phrase is debatable, but they have a nifty portable grill and all the necessary tools to make the outing a true holiday. You’ll have fun with the Ikea-like names as the FYRKAT, a picnic charcoal grill, solves the grill-on-the-go experience. Anyway the palette of fun colors makes this an uplifting purchase.Web_PictMedium_10630-106bodum

When you’re thinking about what to grill, take a moment and think about the foods you purchase and consider the humane farm animal care program. The website can direct you to purveyors and farms that are part of the certified humane movement. You’ll find no shortage of selections and at the same time know that your food has been handled better and will often prove tastier.

Let’s begin the long weekend!

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Certifying Authenticity

Jun 22

Posted by admin in life, news

When we talked about healthy snacks and focusing on US production, we opened a can of worms that continues to crawl all over us. Claims are being made and consumers are being challenged to have confidence in their products. Here are a few instances where we are getting the help we need to decipher all the labeling confusion.

Whole Foods decided they needed companies to certify the organic claims for their personal care products. Such changes do not come overnight so the company is giving them until August to submit their compliance plans and until next June for full compliance. This should be interesting to watch! Wonder how many companies will just disappear from the shelves since they cannot meet the claims they advertise! Hmm. They are asking manufacturers that claim a product is organic to verify that it meets the USDA’s National Organic Standards.organic

We should applaud this move as well as salute the companies that are focusing us on our food verification. A final quick note (for today) in the anxiety column: Sunscreens.

We have been told to protect ourselves from the harmful rays of the sun. That damage and increased skin cancer rates are making us vulnerable to future problems. We lather our children and ourselves with 15-30-45 SPFs and higher so they will not be victims of future skin problems. Wait: The news may not be what it seems. Some sunscreens have ingredients that subject us to future problems; not protect, but enhance the dilemma. Now the Environmental Working Group has a list we need to check and cross-check against the products we regularly use.

As they say, it’s complicated: Protecting our food supply, making certain claims are authentic, and finding the safest, best products. We need to stay ever vigilant!

Trust….

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Food Snack Safety

Jun 21

Posted by admin in food universe, healthy eating

It’s that time of year when school bells have been quieted and camp buzzers sound the wake-up call to the true beginning of summer. Keeping campers nourished always poses its own parental dilemma. First off, what does the camp provide? How about the ones that give kids chocolate milk as an option for AM snacks? Did they not question the popularity of that decision (from campers) and its unpopularity from parents who wondered if the camp was clueless about childhood obesity. Anyway spiking hot temps and chocolate milk do not sit too well! Too vivid an outpouring. Sorry.

So how do we fulfill our parental role of providing good, healthy snacks and lunches while avoiding the easy-out pitfalls? Think this is the time for low-sugar drinks and fruit slices and bars. Eliminate the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from the diet and find a healthy solution.

Now here’s the caveat. Much of what we see on the front of the package belies a hidden problem. Take some of the organic snacks that do a shout-out about their 100% natural fruit without additives and preservatives, but when you examine the package more carefully, you find the product is manufactured for a US company but is a product of China.

We have talked extensively about food safety and food recalls. Why are we trusting that food safety standards are being upheld by China? We shouldn’t. A recent USDA report examined these organic certifications and questioned whether the USDA Organic certification is being properly upheld. The USDA went so far as to drop the food inspector in China. It’s time for us to do the same thing with our purchases.

Let them eat healthy fruits that are made and inspected in the US. Go with USDA Organics that fulfill the pledge without worrying that someone is sliding off the page. This is not an issue that will go away quickly.

Here are some suggestions. I’ve tried them all; these are at the top of the current, first week of camp list.

–Go with HonestKids‘ no high fructose corn syrup drinks. Easy to chill and cool ‘em down quickly.

If you worry fresh fruit will go all mushy before snack or lunch, consider these:

–Archer Farms real fruit strips.

–Clif kids Twisted Fruit.

–365 Organic Fruit Strip, or

Some without the USDA Organic label, but are USA products:

–Stretch Island Fruit all-natural fruit strip, orphpThumb_generated_thumbnailjpg

Go with the new mini bars from Luna or Clif or honor the EnviroKidz Organic line.

We don’t need the sugar; definitely not the HFCS, or the worries of overseas inspections.

Our little scampers need to be safe. Food safety starts with trust.

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No More Fishy News

Jun 15

Posted by admin in news

Today the FDA with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stepped up their inspection procedures of fish from the Gulf of Mexico. In the ongoing leak that seems unwilling to abate,  the Feds have decided to act in a precautionary vein and not as an after-the-fact procedure. They increased seafood testing inspections and initiated precautionary closures. This latter approach should take the worry out of the water as the suspect fish will not reach the food supply.

NOAA began fishery area closures over a month ago and continues to make adjustments as the spill trajectory changes. The current federal closure entails 32% of areas known to be affected by oil either on or below the surface as well as areas projected to be affected within the next 48-72 hours. As a further precaution, they created a 5-nautical mile buffer around the known locations of oil. They are working to protect the seafood at the docks and at the processors to help prevent tainted products from ever reaching the marketplace.noaaworldlogo

As of this time they have taken over 600 samples, of which 400 were sent to NOAA’s Seattle testing laboratory for chemical analysis. Meanwhile the FDA has set up a hotline for fisherman and consumers to report and stay updated on the ever-growing fish and seafood matter. Some states have instituted temporary closures for saltwater fish, crabs, and shrimp. Most of these actions are considered precautionary and everyone at this point concurs that the fish we find in restaurants and markets is perfectly safe for consumption. The industry has been hard-hit by fear so we should not abandon its efforts.

As consumers we need to keep abreast of these posts and trust the vendors from whom we purchase our fish and seafood. Now is not the time for anyone to get sloppy with this issue. Honesty and appropriate analysis must be the only routes for those who want to maintain a diet of fish.

It is our world.

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Fish and Seafood Updates

Jun 9

Posted by admin in healthy eating, news

The ramifications from the Oil Spill are numerous. Maybe one would not be far off if they said, they were impossible to tally as new situations arise daily. One fact is certain: The economic impact on the citizens of the state and nearby states (lost wages, tourism dollars) will reach record amounts. Again, almost incalculable.

As for consumers who favor fish and seafood as mainstays of their diets, then there are several additional issues. First of all, concern for the fishermen and concern about food safety. Alot has been written on both subjects and how perilous the existence for many fishermen was already. Some have become Internet savvy and figured out how to sell directly to the consumer. Smart move and logical strategy.fishingpier_web

Yet, when one studies the numbers of fish and seafood that start life in the Gulf, then the problem takes on an even more pervasive tone; one with greater impact for legions more individuals. Take a basic example, tuna, as a fish few people would even associate with these Gulf waters, but in reality, almost all species of tuna spawn from this region. Think about that and recognize how little we really know. How massive this problem is to our food supply and its direct impact on many of the foods we take for granted.

Surely, we expect pricing changes. Hopefully these will be market-based spikes, not those set by gougers looking for a quick profit. In many states, there is already a limited supply of certain fish and seafood. For shrimpers, it is a casualty almost immeasurable. The watermen, a dwindling profession nationwide, are feeling more than a pinch; more like a tidal wave of continual bad news.

As shoppers we can ask at the market where the fish comes from, but the easiest way to allay our potential anxiety is to stay in touch with the daily updates from the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board. Yes, I see the word promotion in its title but this is the good kind of effort; the one that focuses on information dispersal. We need to know and they have a lot to report.

Yes, prices will rise, and numerous chefs will hold fundraisers for their industry, but as consumers we can show our support by not abandoning an industry and a part of the country that needs our support.

Read the daily updates, talk to your fishmonger, and stay with an industry that needs us now more than ever.

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Food News to Digest: Now

May 25

Posted by admin in beverages, healthy eating

Food recalls have not slowed down. It’s as if we’ve learned nothing or that no one is doing anything; or enough. Fear of Salmonella or E. Coli are at the heart of the recent list of troublesome reminders about the safety of our foods. Just when we thought the Romaine Lettuce problem was over as we had passed many of the “Use-By” dates, we have another whole alert that seems far more widespread and with a product that is more readily available at a number of supermarkets. Just because a product has a Use-By or Best-if-used-By Date, does not mean that is the way our refrigerator protocol works. We buy and believe items are still good after those dates, maybe not as perky fresh, but still tasty. This particular recall should have you scrambling into the fridge to look for Use-by Dates of May 13-16 for Romaine-based products from Fresh Express. This link will guide you through the recall process. romaineseeds

Last weekend there was the ubiquitous alfalfa sprout recall. That’s a product you should consider growing yourself or finding a small farmer who specializes in the care and feeding of these sprouts. Their recall notices are almost legendary for their frequency. Maybe the best solution is to find a taste substitute or skip the sprout concept all together and spice up your taste buds with an alternative.

All that talk about soda taxes and helping local economies may be going down the drain. Major outreach  groups have formed, and it seems that the soda tax may be more wishful thinking than reality for a number of cities (Philly, another example). Anyway, the tax may not solve the problem which for many people borders on addiction or at least beverage dependency. Here’s another take on soft drinks:

–A new study blames the sugar in soft drinks, not the caffeine, for spiking blood pressure. Researchers found that eliminating a single soft drink daily produced a positive effect! That would seem a reasonable solution to help with blood pressure: Cut back by a single soft drink daily, and you’ll notice an improvement in blood pressure.

Wait: Let me see if I get this? We can do something to help our health! Yes, pay attention to the food safety recalls as that is our only line of defense at the moment. We can’t sit around and wait for FDA or any of its cousin agencies to solve these safety issues immediately. Secondly, we need to adjust our food intake accordingly and pay attention to the health news that impacts our lifestyle.

We can make these simple adjustments.

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