Bittman Opines on Livestock Antibiotics and the FDA

Kudos to Mark Bittman for addressing the recent FDA withdrawal from plans to regulate the use of antibiotics in livestock feed.  The excerpt below is from the New York Times:

A study earlier this year by a nonprofit research center in Phoenix analyzed 80 brands of beef, pork, chicken and turkey from five cities and found that 47 percent contained staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that can cause anything from minor skin infections to pneumonia and sepsis, more technically called systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and commonly known as blood poisoning — but no matter what you call it, plenty scary. Of those bacteria, 52 percent were resistant to at least three classes of antibiotics. So when you go to the supermarket to buy one of these brands of pre-ground meat products, there’s a roughly 25 percent chance you’ll consume a potentially fatal bacteria that doesn’t respond to commonly prescribed drugs.

Click here for Bittman's full column
Want more? Click here for Food Safety News: FDA Backs off Withdrawing Certain Antibiotoics from Livestock Use

Thank you for visiting Food Safety Solutions and Happy New Year!

Safe Food Greetings

May you find Happiness, Peace, and Safe Food

during this Holiday Season 

and through the Coming Year!

Love, Miss Phage

Intralytix and Lego

Calls started coming in from all across the country. Team leaders representing groups of industrious and clever young scientists had been studying food safety issues and working on designing solutions. Each team of 10 (primary and middle school students) had selected a food safety problem to solve, researched it and put their findings to the test with a robot of their own design.

In their research, they had learned about phages and wanted to use them in their projects to eradicate Listeria, E.coli and Salmonella. Their ideas were impressive - creative and carefully thought out.

The theme of the 2011 First Lego League challenge was to improve the quality of food by finding ways to to prevent food contamination. The FLL is a partnership between FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and The LEGO Group, to inspire future scientists and engineers.

Congratulations to all the FLL Food Factor challenge teams! Keep up the great thinking, the food industry needs you. 

      

  

 

Inside the Slaughterhouse and Spending a Few Pennies for Safer Meat

 

 

Today, Miss Phage is thinking about: Meat - two recent articles are excerpted below

The Case for Peeking Inside the Slaughterhouse

A new report from the National Research Council (an arm of the National Academy of Sciences) argues that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) should routinely release much of the data that it collects in these plants.
  Currently, the FSIS releases summary data that shows, for instance, how often it finds salmonella contamination in all meat-packing plants. But the NRC says it should go much further, and post online the results of tests at each specific factory. Such data, according to the report, "could yield valuable insights" that would promote safer, healthier practices in the industry.

more

Who Should Pay to Make Ground Beef Safe from E. coli?

 What if it were possible to almost entirely do away with E. coli in ground beef and it would cost only about a penny a burger?

Researchers at Harvard University estimate that American beef consumers are willing to pay 1 cent to 2 cents a pound to reduce the risk of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses. "Common sense plus our paper and many others suggest consumers will pay more for safer food," says James Hammitt, who co-wrote a paper on consumer willingness to pay for food safety in the September edition of the journal Risk Analysis.

more

  
Thank you for visiting Food Safety Solutions. For more information on phage products for your food safety, please leave a message here or visit www.intralytix.com.






 

Natural and "Green" Antimicrobials

Cock-a-doodle-doo

Good morning food growers and producers, don't miss your wake-up call! Now, you can safely and successfully control the bad bacteria without destroying the good bacteria in your foods with all natural phage products.

ListShield (to control Listeria) and EcoShield (to control E. coli) provide highly effective, all natural solutions to eliminate the disease causing bacteria on your food products.  

Intralytix phage products uniquely target and effectively destroy only the dangerous bacterial pathogens, leaving the good bacteria in place.

Since 1998, Intralytix has been the nation’s leader in bacteriophage solutions in food safety, environmental sanitation, animal health and human therapeutics. All Intralytix products are natural, preservative-free and environmentally friendly. 

Intralytix is the best choice for specifically eliminating problem bacterial pathogens in food production using the most environmentally friendly, “green” antimicrobial approach currently available, and for controlling animal health without antibiotics. 

ListShield and EcoShield are USDA, FDA, and EPA approved and certified Kosher, Halal and Organic. For more info, please visit www.intralytix.com or contact me, Miss Phage, at Food Safety Solutions. 

Egg Supplier Dropped

Eggs are in the news again. And when eggs are in the news, people worry about food safety. And when food safety violations and animal cruelty charges of a mega egg producer are in the news, mega businesses worry.

Just before the ABC News Magazine 20/20 aired a segment Friday night on the alleged 13 food safety violations at Sparboe Farms, McDonald's announced it would no longer be buying eggs from the nation's fifth largest shell egg producer.  Target followed their lead hours later.

For more information on the Sparboe Farms FDA violations, click here. In response to the video, Sparboe announced plans to form a Sustainability Task Force to review their food safety and animal care practices.
 
Safe egg handling and preparation tips may be found here.

Intralytix food safety technology and veterinary applications for egg and poultry producers may be found at the Egg & Poultry Association website, http://poultryeggdepot.com/.

Testing of Imported Seafood is Inadequate, Study Says

Finfish, shrimp, and seafood products are some of the most widely traded foods and about 85 percent of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported. A new study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future at the Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that testing of imported seafood by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is inadequate for confirming its safety or identifying risks.

The findings, published this month in Environmental Science and Technology, highlight deficiencies in inspection programs for imported seafood across four of the world’s largest importing bodies and show which types of aquatic animals, and from which countries, are most often failing inspection. The study identified a lack of inspection in the U.S. compared to its peers: only 2 percent of all seafood imported into the U.S. is tested for contamination, while the European Union, Japan and Canada inspect as much as 50 percent, 18 percent, and 15 percent of certain imported seafood products. When testing in the U.S. does occur, residues of drugs used in aquaculture, or “fish farms,” are sometimes found; above certain concentrations, these drugs are harmful to humans.

David Love, PhD, lead author of the study, and colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, acquired data on seafood inspection programs from governmental websites and from direct queries to governmental bodies. They analyzed the number of violations of drug residue standards as a function of species of aquatic animal, exporting country, drug type, import volume and concentration of residue.

Their findings indicate there is an insufficient body of data for evaluating the health risks associated with drug residues in U.S. seafood imports. “Data made accessible to the public by the FDA precludes estimation of exposures to veterinary drugs incurred by the U.S. population,” said Keeve Nachman, PhD, a study co-author. Researchers encountered a lack of transparency in U.S. testing protocol and policy. One example of the FDA’s opacity is that its public records do not specify when fish pass inspection or whether testing was performed on random samples or targeted samples; these distinctions are critical to accurate assessment of the prevalence of the drug residues.

Love and colleagues’ results showed that the FDA tests for 13 types of drug residues, in contrast to inspection agencies in Europe and Japan that test for 34 and 27 drugs, respectively. This discrepancy suggests that seafood producers can use many drugs for which the U.S. does not screen. Based on the authors’ findings of drug residues, it can be surmised that veterinary drugs are continuing to be used in aquaculture from developing countries, which can lead to adverse health consequences, including the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on fish farms and their spread in seafood products.

Imports to the U.S., E.U., Canada and Japan with the highest frequency of drug violations were shrimp or prawns, eel, crabs, catfish or pangasius, tilapia and salmon. Vietnam, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, India, and Malaysia were identified as the exporters to the U.S., E.U., Canada and Japan with the most drug violations.
According to Love, “Consumers should be familiar with the country-of-origin and whether the animal was wild-caught or farm-raised.”  Love admits, “Fortunately, this information has been listed on all raw or lightly processed seafood products in grocery stores since 2005, following the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) law.”

“Imported seafood may carry risks in terms of food safety because the FDA does not have the resources to proactively and regularly inspect foreign facilities, and it relies on product testing as a last resort,” said Love. To minimize the risks of seafood imports and to raise U.S. testing standards to match those of other countries, the authors recommend that the FDA budget be expanded to allow for more exhaustive testing and hiring of more inspectors.

The paper, “Veterinary drug residues in seafood inspected by the European Union, United States, Canada, and Japan from 2000 to 2009,” was published online ahead of print in Environmental Science and Technology. Authors are David Love, Sarah Rodman, Roni Neff, and Keeve Nachman. Funding for the study was provided by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

Media contact, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health : Tim Parsons, director of Public Affairs, at 410-955-7619 or tmparson@jhsph.edu.

Safely Defying the Rules on Thawing

For years, we've been taught there are only 3 safe ways to thaw frozen food.

The USDA website offers a section called The Big Thaw - Safe Defrosting Methods - for Consumers. The USDA safe and approved methods to thaw food are: 1) in the refrigerator, 2) in cold water, and 3) in the microwave.

They further instruct:  don't leave frozen food on the counter all day to thaw and don't thaw it in hot water.  The USDA says these methods aren't safe and may lead to foodborne illness. The danger zone for foods, between 40 and 140 °F, are temperatures where bacteria multiply rapidly.

However, an article in the New York Times this summer raised a new research finding, sponsored by the USDA, that thin cuts of steak or chicken could be quickly thawed in hot water without sacrificing safety or taste. The thawed meats were immediately cooked, and the exposure to bacteria producing temperatures was within safe limits.

For more information, click here.

Food Safety & Carving Pumpkins

Recent news about listeria and cantaloupe has heightened the awareness that all produce needs to be washed well before eating. But what about produce you don't plan to eat, such as the pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern? Have you thought about washing it? Most of us rinse off the dirt from the rind for safety, but have you thought about the bacteria or other pathogens which may be transferred from the pumpkin rind to your body? 

When children, or even adults, carve pumpkins it's pretty easy for dirt, bacteria and lots more to transfer to clothes, skin, into the nose or eyes, under the fingernails, and yes -- definitely into the mouth. Especially with young children; they're likely to want to taste pieces of the pumpkin rind as they carve. 

While the majority of us probably wouldn't even feel nauseated from this contamination, if you're in a high risk population, it could be deadly. High risk populations include young children, elderly, pregnant women, anyone recovering from disease or infection, and anyone undergoing chemotherapy or other specialized treatment. For those people, their immune system has been stressed. Therefore, the body doesn't have the ability to fight off the effects of pathogens which could cause a serious illness or even death. 

This year, as you get ready to make the jack-o-lanterns, do it safely. This rule is important whether it's from your own garden or purchased from another location. The potential for contamination is still there. 

When shopping for just the right pumpkin and handling many of them, be sure to wash your hands when you're done. Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water before touching your face or handling any other food. 

When you get home, wash the pumpkin well with dish soap and water, using a soft brush to get into the groves of the rind and around the stem area. Rinse thoroughly to remove remaining soap. Let air dry completely before carving. By air drying you're removing any pockets of moisture which could harbor bacteria you missed in cleaning. 

Follow these basic food handling tips and make sure your Halloween is a safe event for everyone in your family.

Happy Halloween!

Food Safety Project: How Safe is Your Food?

A year-long national investigation on Food Safety “How Safe is Your Food?” was reported and produced by 27 student journalists in the Carnegie-Knight News21 program.  Some of their articles have appeared in the Washington Post this month.

In their research, the students’ reporting determined: 

• Foodborne illnesses sicken one person in six — 48 million — in the U.S. each year. Of those, 128,000 require hospitalization and 3,000 die. 

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration anticipates that 24 million agency-regulated products will enter the U.S. in 2011, but it expects to inspect only 1.59 percent of them.

• Nearly 3 million Americans are sickened by contaminated meat and poultry each year. Poultry carrying the salmonella pathogen is routinely sold to consumers with the expectation that they’ll protect themselves from infections.

• Even though small farms lobbied Congress successfully for an exemption from stringent new federal food safety regulations, there is no scientific evidence that their products are safer than those produced by large farms.


Click here for the project website and more information.

Listeria 101 for Hollywood

This month a television drama included a fictional outbreak of Listeriosis in a school. Unfortunately, the script writer hadn't done his homework on foodborne illnesses, as many viewers probably recognized. Americans have learned a lot about this very dangerous illness in the past few months as the death toll continues to rise from the contaminated cantaloupes grown in Colorado and distributed widely.

As a public service to CBS and it's drama the Good Wife, we would like to help the writer and his colleagues in Hollywood learn some important and basic facts about food poisoning from Listeria monocytogenes. These facts are published almost daily with each new article tracking the current outbreak.

Listeriosis does not occur as an instant outbreak. After ingesting the Listeria bacteria, it may take anywhere from three days for the first signs of illness to appear and up to two months for symptoms to develop. Flu-like symptoms include fever and muscle aches, stiff neck, and headaches.

While children, like all people, are at risk, the most vulnerable to Listeriosis are newborns, pregnant women, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems from other diseases or illnesses.

Click here for more information on Listeriosis and Listeria infections.

Intralytix to partner with Procter and Gamble on phage projects

Recent news: Intralytix, Inc. has entered into a Multiple Project Collaboration Agreement ("MPCA") with The Procter and Gamble Company (NYSE:PG).

"The MPCA sets the stage for Intralytix and P and G to collaborate on the development of bacteriophage (or phage) based technology for a range of applications," stated John Woloszyn, Intralytix's CEO.

"Our phage-based technology is all natural and environmentally friendly and we look forward to this collaboration bringing forth new innovations," Mr. Woloszyn added. The company already has two FDA/USDA approved phage-based products on the market: ListShield™, effective at substantially reducing or eliminating Listeria monocytogenes on food products, and EcoShield™, which is effective at substantially reducing or eliminating E. coli O157:H7 on red meat intended for grinding.

Intralytix, Inc is a biotechnology company focused on using its core bacteriophage/phage technology platform to improve human health through the development and commercialization of innovative products for food safety, animal health and human therapeutics and probiotics.
For more information, contact Mr. John Woloszyn (410-625-3813 or jwoloszyn@intralytix.com) or Dr. Barbara Miller (513-622-4350 or miller.be@pg.com).

more Intralytix press info

Wash Your Cantaloupes, Then Your Hands

The Listeria outbreak from Rocky Ford cantaloupes is growing and more illnesses and possible deaths may be linked to the contamination in the coming weeks. The problem is compounded by challenges in trying to determine where the cantaloupes were shipped. The most recent consumer information on this recall may be found here.

FDA Consumer Safety Information
Listeria can grow at refrigerator temperatures, about 40^◦ Fahrenheit (4^◦ Celsius). The longer ready-to-eat refrigerated foods are stored in the refrigerator, the more opportunity Listeria has to grow.

It is very important that consumers clean their refrigerators and other food preparation surfaces. Consumers should follow these simple steps:

• Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.
• Wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards and countertops; then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used.
• Wipe up spills in the refrigerator immediately and clean the refrigerator regularly.
• Always wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and sanitization process.

The FDA advises consumers not to eat the recalled cantaloupes and to throw them away. Do not try to wash the harmful bacteria off the cantaloupe as contamination may be both on the inside and outside of the cantaloupe. Cutting, slicing and dicing may also transfer harmful bacteria from the fruit’s surface to the fruit’s flesh.
Listeriosis is rare but can be fatal, especially in certain high-risk groups. These groups include older adults, people with compromised immune systems and unborn babies and newborns. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and serious illness or death in newborn babies, though the mother herself rarely becomes seriously ill. A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches. Persons who think they might have become ill should consult their doctor.

  

    

Get Rid of E. Coli in Ground Beef

Intralytix announced last week that its phage-based food safety product, EcoShield™, effective in eliminating or significantly reducing E. coli O157:H7, is now available in commercial quantities.

In February of this year, Intralytix obtained FDA clearance of EcoShield in the form of a “Food Contact Notification” or FCN, specific for its use on red meat parts and trim intended to be ground. The FDA has designated the FCN clearance for this phage-based product as FCN No. 1018. Data submitted as part of Intralytix’s FCN application showed that EcoShield reduces E. coli O157:H7 in ground meat by more than 95%.

In June of this year, the FSIS issued its “no objection” letter allowing the use of EcoShield when applied to red meat parts and trim that will be ground, thus completing the regulatory approval process. Both the FDA and the FSIS will treat EcoShield as a processing aid when applied in this manner, thus not requiring labeling of treated ground red meat.

EcoShield is an all-natural product. It does not contain known allergenic substances (wheat, milk, soy, etc.) and it does not alter the general composition, taste, aroma, or color of foods. The product is designated as Kosher and Halal. EcoShield is non-corrosive to processing equipment, requires no or low upfront investment in machinery, and is cost-competitive when compared to alternative technologies.

For more information, contact Dr. Alexander Sulakvelidze, Chief Science Officer, at asulakvelidze@intralytix.com or 410-625-2533 or Mary Davies, Director of Information, at mdavies@intralytix.com or 877-489-7427.

Miss Phage hopes you like our new look here at Food safety Solutions. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a message here.

Zero Tolerance for Other Known E. Coli Strains

USDA Takes New Steps to Fight E. Coli, Protect the Food Supply

Designation Extends Zero Tolerance Policy for E. coli O157:H7 to Six Additional E. coli Serogroups

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that it is taking new steps to fight E. coli and protect the safety of the American food supply. Six additional serogroups of pathogenic E. coli will be declared adulterants in non-intact raw beef. Raw ground beef, its components, and tenderized steaks found to contain these bacteria will be prohibited from sale to consumers. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will launch a testing program to detect these dangerous pathogens and prevent them from reaching consumers.

As a result of today's action, if the E. coli serogroups O26, O103, O45, O111, O121 and O145 are found in raw ground beef or its precursors, those products will be prohibited from entering commerce. Like E.coli O157:H7, these serogroups can cause severe illness and even death, and young children and the elderly are at highest risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies these particular serogroups of non-O157:H7 Shiga-toxin producing E.coli, or non-O157 STEC, as those responsible for the greatest numbers of non-O157 STEC illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States.
more

       

Spin the Wheel and Play the Food Safety Game

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has designed several games to teach adults and children about food safety.  Go ahead, give this one a try.

The key to success in this game is knowing about food safety. Read each question carefully because there may be some trick questions. You can find out more about food safety at their website.

Food Safety in a Power Outage

Last weekend's hurricane threatened to wreak havoc. In my pre-storm planning, I was most concerned about the water, a problem I have become quite familiar with over the past few years. But it wasn't the water that caused the most stress this time. It was the loss of power and internet connection that provided the bigger challenges for 61 hours and 32 minutes. I know I've been fortunate regarding past outages which have been short and few. Perhaps that's why this one felt like an eternity.

My storm provisions of gallons of drinking water and foods that were edible without heating, cooling, or cooking were working out fine. But there were no bags of ice to be found anywhere nearby.
Day 1 - I had not acted fast enough.
Day 2 - I got word of a source for dry ice. Alas, they were sold out, but expected more later in the day. I stood in line, but again, no luck, the short supply ran out.
Later on Day 2 I found bags of ice that had just been restocked at the grocery store. Happiness!

Meanwhile, the contents of my freezer were all melting and needed to be tossed. The refrigerator was a little trickier. I had put the drinks we used most often into a cooler with 2 bags of ice. In another cooler with ice,  I put the foods I thought we might want to eat within the day. The fridge felt like it was still staying cool, but I didn't have a thermometer to be certain. So out went the milk, eggs, lunch meats from the coolers along with  the seafood, poultry and leftovers that looked delicious.

Since it had exceeded the suggested time and temperature I had to follow the safety rule:
"When in doubt, Throw it out." So out it went.

But suppose I had been better prepared with a regular source of dry and wet ice? How long could the food in the refrigerator have survived?  The USDA says a freezer can be expected to keep food safe for 24 hours if it is half full or for 48 hours if fully packed with frozen foods. If the fridge door had been left closed, it may have kept the temp at 40 or below for up to 4 hours without power.

After the 10th hour, the novelty of the power failure was wearing off and we started to unload the fridge. The food still felt cold to the touch - but we played it safe and threw it all out.     

Miss Phage apologizes for missing her weekly blog entry on Monday, August 29, 2011. The storm knocked out power very early Sunday morning and it wasn't restored until late Tuesday evening.                                                                                                   

Enjoy Ground Beef and be Food Smart

Nothing satisfies like a big burger (and for me, a plate of fries next to that salad) for a delicious summertime dinner!

Even news of thousands of pounds of ground beef recalled for possible E. coli contamination doesn't need to scare you off from the simple pleasure of a burger.

In the spirit of back to school season, I remind you to be smart about your food prep and take actions to prevent illness from ground beef. As a faithful follower here, you know the foodborne illness we're talking about is E. coli and it is a bad one.

So fire up the grill, get out your thermometer and prepare your burgers using these golden rules:

Do not eat ground beef unless it has been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit;

Prevent cross-contamination by keeping raw meat separate from other food that won’t be cooked;

Do not use the color of a meat product to judge whether products are properly cooked — use a thermometer instead;

Refrigerate meat products within two hours of buying and even sooner if temperatures are higher than 90 degrees;

Refrigerate cooked meat within two hours of cooking;

Always wash your hands, cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot soapy water.
   
   
   

Packed Lunches and Your Food Safety

Packing hot weather lunches for school or work requires extra precautions to keep your cold foods cold and free of foodborne pathogens. A recent University of Texas study found that of 700 children's lunches, fewer than 2% of the meats, dairy and vegetables were at safe temperatures about 90 minutes before lunchtime. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, said that even though 45% of the lunch bags had an ice pack and 12% were kept in a refrigerator, almost all of the perishable foods still were in the danger zone for developing bacteria that leads to food poisoning. more 

Image: Late 19th century miners' dinner pails, from the exhibition "Taking America to Lunch" at the National Museum of American History, Washington, DC.   

       

Next: Bacteriophage to Reduce Salmonella

Great news to share this week:   

Intralytix was awarded a NIFA/USDA grant for managing Salmonella in food. See the full press release below. Feel free to contact me here via Food Safety Solutions or at the labs if you'd like more information. 

Intralytix Awarded Grant For Managing Salmonella in Food

            Baltimore, Maryland U.S.A. – August 4, 2011 – Intralytix, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a grant under a National Institute of Food And Agriculture (NIFA) / United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Grants Program for the development of a phage preparation for reducing or eliminating Salmonella contamination in foods. 

            Intralytix is a world leader in the development of bacteriophage or phage-based products for food safety.  The company already has two FDA/USDA approved phage-based products on the market: ListShield™, effective at substantially reducing or eliminating Listeria monocytogenes on food products, and EcoShield™, effective at substantially reducing or eliminating E. coli O157:H7 on red meat intended for grinding.

            “We are pleased that phage technology is being recognized by this NIFA/USDA grant,” remarked John Woloszyn, Intralytix’s CEO.  “Phage-based antibacterials are a quickly emerging technology providing a safe, effective and all natural way to protect food from pathogenic bacterial contamination,” he added.  Mr. Woloszyn also noted that “phages can be effective against bacterial pathogens that have developed resistance against antibiotics.”

            “Salmonellae continue to be one of the leading causes of foodborne disease worldwide, causing 1.3-1.4 million cases of salmonellosis annually in the USA alone” stated Dr. Alexander Sulakvelidze, Intralytix’s Chief Scientist and Principal Investigator of the SBIR grant.  “This NIDA/USDA grant will help in developing a bacteriophage-based, safe, and effective approach for reducing the risk of foodborne salmonellosis” Dr. Sulakvelidze added.

            Intralytix, Inc is a biotechnology company focused on using its core bacteriophage/phage technology platform to improve human health through the development and commercialization of innovative products for food safety, animal health and human therapeutics.

            For more information, contact Mr. John Woloszyn (410-625-3813) or jwoloszyn@intralytix.com) or Dr. Alexander Sulakvelidze (410-625-2533 or asulakvelidze@intralytix.com).

Safety by Nature™

  

   

Eat Pink Pork - What Does it Really Mean?

Pink and juicy is so much more appealing than gray and leathery for serving and enjoying pork chops. After years of food safety rules dictating that pork had to be overcooked to be safe, the rules have changed. This spring, the USDA announced that most meats no longer have to be cooked to 160 degrees.

With the exception of ground beef, which does need to be cooked to that temperature, we can finally enjoy pork chops and other juicy cuts at 145 degrees, if we let them rest 3 minutes. This extra time is beneficial for taste too, because it allows the meat to reabsorb its juices.

Have influential chefs finally convinced regulatory decision makers, that they knew what they were talking about? Whatever the reason, Miss Phage is glad for the reversal. I hope you are, too!
More
   
   

Three Food Companies Take the Lead on Broad E. coli Testing

First, retail giant Walmart announced in April it will require additional food safety measures from its beef suppliers, including specialized testing for dangerous pathogens like E. coli O157:57 and Salmonella--as well as non-O157 strains of E. coli, strains that are not currently defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as adulterants.

"In light of recent beef recalls, we determined it was prudent to require an additional layer of protection for our customers," said Frank Yiannas, Walmart's vice president for food safety, in a statement yesterday. "As part of our continuous improvement efforts, we go further than many U.S. retailers in requiring leading-edge food safety standards throughout the entire food production chain."

Last month, Costco, one of the nation’s largest food retailers, began requiring its suppliers of bagged produce, including salad greens and mixes, apple slices and baby carrots, to test for a broad range of toxic E. coli.

“We know this is where we have to go and there’s no reason to wait,” said Craig Wilson, the food safety director of Costco. In the last two weeks, he said, most produce suppliers have added a test that can detect the strain from the European outbreak as well.

The company also plans to test all of the ground beef sold at its warehouse stores. Costco operates a large ground beef plant in Tracy, Calif., and Mr. Wilson said the plant recently began evaluating testing procedures to detect the broader range of E. coli in the hamburger it makes and the beef trimmings that go into it. As an added step, the company plans to ask suppliers of the trimmings to do their own testing, starting later this summer, he said.

Last week, Beef Products, Inc., a leading producer of lean beef, announced that it had started testing for the six additional strains of E. coli at one of its five grinding plants. The company, based in South Dakota, said it would start tests in its four other plants as soon as it could get enough test kits from manufacturers, which are just beginning to produce them.  More

Kudos to all three companies for expanding their food safety programs to further protect consumers  and without waiting for federal regulations to decide whether food companies should be required to test for known dangerous foodborne bacteria.
    
    

Katy Perry's Food Poisoning

On Facebook, Friday, July 8:

Food poisoning & severe dehydration has forced Katy to postpone shows in Chicago & St. Paul. They are rescheduled for 8/21 in Chicago & 8/23 in St. Paul. Tickets will be honored at the new dates or refunded at the point of purchase. Katy said, "I apologize to my fans in Chicago & the Twin Cities for not being able to perform this weekend, but I am going to return in a few weeks to give them the very best show ever!"

12,024 like this [really represents fans who are concerned and care about Katy's health]

3, 042 comments [well wishers] 

When one person falls ill from eating contaminated food, many, many more are affected. In Katy's case, it was her fans, her producers, the stage crew, the concert staff, the venue staff, etc. The cost of her illness is escalated beyond the cost of doctors, lab tests and hospital care to the costs of missed performances (work), rescheduled concerts, affected travel, thousands and thousands of ticket holders, their travel plans to get to the concerts, etc. 

Food poisoning can happen to anyone. When it happens to Katy Perry, tens of thousands of people are effected. When it happens to one of us, it might only disrupt the lives of close family, friends, and co-workers. However, multiply each of those smaller instances by the thousands and thousands of cases of foodborne illness that occur annually in the United States, and you can begin to see why it is a problem -- a problem of Katy Perry-like dimensions.

Have you seen the pig in the sauna?

Quirky works, doesn't it? It gets your attention and probably even gets you to tell at least someone about it. The USDA is counting on it with three new ads they've launched for television and radio. The pubic service announcements were created with pro bono help from the Ad Council to help promote safe food handling during this barbecue season.

Does the quirkiness of the message work for you?

Click here to see the ads for Clean, Separate and Cook 

    
         
 

Losing Coverage, Unsanitary Cruise Ship, Avoid Sprouts, Try My Plate

First Lady Michelle Obama introduces the revised USDA nutritional diagram.

Losing Coverage

Food Safety News reported the Washington Post is transferring their dedicated reporter from the food safety beat to education and they they do not plan to replace the position. FSN also reported the Des Moines Register was closing its DC bureau whereby dropping its Ag coverage. "Losing two of the best reporters covering Ag and Food Safety issues is stunning--especially during a time when there are far more questions than answers about the safety and sustainability of our food supply. The Farm Bill is on the table and the Food Safety Modernization Act is on the chopping block and the public needs to be informed."  more

Cruise Ship Fails Health Inspection

As part of its Vessel Sanitation Program, the CDC conducts unannounced inspections of passenger ships docking in U.S. ports twice a year and grades them on a 100 point scale. Most cruise ships pass with a 100 or score in the 90s. A score below 86 is considered failing, which has rarely occurred in the past three years. The CDC gave Cunrad's Queen Mary 2 a failing score of 84 June 10, 2011. The CDC report on the inspection cites dozens of violations including "numerous food safety violations."  more

Watch Out for Sprouts

It's not just the danger of E. coli from eating sprouts in Germany and more recently in France. Now there have been cases of salmonella infections from sprouts in the US. As of today, the FDA is warning consumers not to eat alfalfa sprouts or spicy sprouts in plastic bags from Evergreen Produce.  more

Food Pyramid Replaced with MyPlate

First Lady Michelle Obama and US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled a new tool this month designed to help consumers make healthier food choices. The MyPlate food icon is an easy-to-understand guide to help Americans build healthier meals and is part of the larger initiative to combat obesity. The graphic emphasizes the need to eat fruits and vegetables along with a balance of grains, proteins, and dairy food groups.  MyPlate is a “quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we’re eating,” said the First Lady.  more
              
        

Intralytix News and the Dirtiest Fruits & Veggies

 Good news for ground beef producers

Intralytix has now received regulatory clearance from both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for its phage-based EcoShield^TM food safety product, effective against E. coli O157:H7.

In early March, Intralytix obtained FDA clearance of EcoShield in the form of a "Food Contact Notification" or FCN, specific for its use on red meat parts and trim intended to be ground.  The FDA has designated the FCN clearance for this phage-based product as FCN No. 1018.  Data submitted as part of Intralytix's FCN application showed that EcoShield reduces E. coli O157:H7 in ground meat by more than 95%.

"The FSIS's letter completes the regulatory process," noted John Woloszyn, Intralytix's CEO, "permitting use of this product by the ground beef industry."  "We expect EcoShield will become a very important tool to make ground red meat safer," he added. Both the FDA and the FSIS will treat EcoShield as a processing aid when applied in this manner.

Dirty Dozen

The Environmental Working Group annually lists the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits/vegetables. The listing doesn't mean they can't be eaten, but take extra care in washing/scrubbing before cutting and eating. 

1)  Apples
2)  Celery
3)  Strawberries
4)  Peaches
5)  Spinach
6)  Nectarines, imported
7)  Grapes, imported
8)  Sweet Bell Pepper
9)  Potatoes
10) Blueberries, domestic
11) Lettuce
12) Kale/Collard greens
       
    

Tea Towels and Food Safety

On Tea Towels:

Here is some design news I just had to share. The Listeria Towel is a new textile concept, not yet in production.  The designer was thinking about the use of tea towels in the kitchen and the importance of replacing them frequently. Neffa's Listeria Towel has simplified the reminder to clean your towels. When the towel is damp, a bacteria print shows through the delicate design of water plants. When the towel is dry the bacteria images disappear. Miss Phage thinks it could make kitchen clean-up time a lot more fun.

On Food Safety:

The foods we eat sometimes become contaminated with dangerous pathogens such as Listeria, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella. Traditional food safety interventions are only partially effective and many foods are over-processed to destroy pathogens. These processes can also deleteriously impact the color and taste of foods, and they usually wipe out the natural ingredients and healthy microflora in foods that are beneficial to us and help us stay healthy. Products based on naturally occurring bacteriophages can specifically target and eliminate the bad bacteria in foods. ListShield and EcoShield are innovative phage-based products for food safety. They are all natural, non-toxic and cost effective, and help improve the safety of foods without impacting their natural "good" microflora, taste, or appearance.

Please click here to see our new, short video on Phages and  Food Safety.

Thanks for following Food Safety Solutions and have a great week!

 
 

Bean Sprouts, Really?

Don't entirely blame the Spanish cucumbers, tomatoes, or lettuce as previously suspected. As of Sunday night, German health officials refocused their search for the deadly E. coli source on locally grown bean sprouts. The virulent and very dangerous form of bacteria is now suspected from sprouts produced by a single company that widely distributed its product to restaurants and cafeterias around Hamburg where patrons became ill.

The organic spout company, located in Lower Saxony, has been shut down and all bean sprouts have been recalled. Two farm workers at the company have also been infected with the bacteria. Authorities were still waiting for the results of tests directly linking the new strain of E. coli to the sprouts.

For now German authorities continued to recommend consumers also avoid eating raw lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers after conducting studies showing that 95% of all patients recently infected with E. coli ate one of those three things.
 
Photo by Heribert Proepper/AP

'Kartoffelkeller' (Potato cellar) in Luebeck, northern Germany, where 17 people got sick from E. coli

 

 

 

Recognizing Memorial Day

Memorial Day Parade, May 30, 1895 (Brooklyn Historical Society collection)

Miss Phage is on holiday this Memorial Day weekend and will return next Monday.  Thank you for following Food Safety Solutions blog.