Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) wants answers on alleged FDA food safety failures after a report in Politico listed problems with that agency. Senator Murray is Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. A letter was sent to FDA Commissioner Robert M Califf, asking for answers and immediate action. The Politico report was based on more than 50 interviews with experts and former officials and found that the FDA is more focused on regulating and overseeing drugs and other medical products than food. For instance, FDA commissioners rarely have experience with food issues, but are usually medical doctors. The report lists deadly food poisoning outbreaks and the recalls associated with the contaminated foods, starkly outlining how long it can take to issue a recall … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Food Safety With Tips From USDA
Learn about slow cooker food safety with tips from the USDA. Slow cookers are appliances that cook food at lower, but still safe, temperatures, for long periods of time. The food heats up quickly enough to stay safe, but cooks long enough to make tougher ingredients such as cheaper cuts of meat and root vegetables tender over time. There are several appliances that function as slow cookers: The traditional slow cooker, the instant pot, and some pressure cookers that have slow-cook functions. While these appliances are easy to use, there are some rules you need to follow to make sure your food is safe to eat. First, if you plan to use frozen meat, seafood, or poultry, do not add it to the slow cooker when frozen. Thaw it first before adding it to the slow cooker. Do not thaw … [Read more...]
Make Your Super Bowl Party a Safe One With USDA Tips
The Super Bowl is February 13, 2021. If you are hosting guests, make your Super Bowl party a safe one with these tips from the USDA. Whether you choose cold snacks or hot ones or a combination, since the event will last at least four hours, you'll need to keep an eye on the clock. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement, "As families and friends safely gather to watch the big game, keep food safety in mind. No matter who you’re rooting for, foodborne illness is a dangerous opponent we face during the game. Millions of people get sick from food poisoning each year. Following guidance on keeping food at safe temperatures, proper handwashing and avoiding cross-contamination will protect you and your party guests." Football fans usually eat throughout the game, which … [Read more...]
Bacteria Killing Packaging Can Keep Food Fresh Longer
Bacteria killing packaging that can keep food fresh for a longer period of time has been developed at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the United States. The smart packaging is biodegradable, sustainable, and kills harmful pathogens. In tests, the packaging extended the shelf life of fresh fruit by two to three days. The packaging is made from a type of corn protein called zein, which was combined with starch and other naturally derived polymers. The scientists added natural antimicrobial compounds that included oil from thyme and citric acid. When the fibers in the packaging were exposed to an increase in humidity or to enzymes derived from pathogens, they released antimicrobial compounds. Those compounds … [Read more...]
It’s Not Safe to Store Food Outside During the Cold Winter Months
So it's cold outside, and your refrigerator and freezer are packed after a shopping trip. Is it safe to store food outside during these cold winter months? Or even cool down perishable foods like cooked meats or gravy? According to experts, no. Even if you put the food on the porch or in your garage to keep it away from animals, you are taking a big risk, according to the experts at Penn State Extension. The issues are uncontrolled temperature fluctuation and possible contamination. The danger zone for bacterial growth in food is 40°F to 140°F. In this temperature range, bacterial counts can double every 20 minutes. And since it can take only ten E. coli bacteria, for instance, to make your very sick, food can become dangerous to eat very quickly. Your refrigerator should be … [Read more...]
Wild Bird Species Pose Campylobacter Contamination Risk to Crops
A new study conducted at the University of California Davis has found that some wild bird species can pose a Campylobacter contamination risk to crops. Scientists know that animals and birds can contaminate crops in the field. The study looked at different bird species and the bacteria they can spread. The risk is low but it does exist. The researchers found that birds such as starlings and blackbirds "that flock in large numbers and forage on the ground near cattle are more likely to spread pathogenic bacteria to crops like lettuce, spinach and broccoli." Insect eating birds are less likely to carry the kind of bacteria that make people sick. Campylobacter is the pathogen that these birds carry most often, while bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, which have been linked to … [Read more...]
What is Cross Contamination and How Can You Prevent It?
We talk a lot about cross-contamination here at Food Poisoning Bulletin. Cross-contamination is simply transfer of pathogens from one food to another, or to a surface. It is responsible for many cases of food poisoning caused by pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella every year in the United States. So what is cross contamination and how can you prevent it? There are many different types of cross-contamination. It can occur while harvesting food, processing it, during transportation, while shopping, in the kitchen, and during food service. We are mostly concerned with consumer behavior here. Direct cross-contamination occurs from food to food contact. Indirect cross-contamination occurs when bacteria are transferred from your hands or utensils from one food to another. To … [Read more...]
Holiday Food Safety Tips From the CDC
These holiday food safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will help you celebrate and stay safe and healthy. Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanza and New Years celebrations typically involve large meals and lots of entertaining. These gatherings warrant special food safety knowledge. Serving a large group of people brings inherent risk. First of all, large quantities of food, especially foods like gravies, can easily be contaminated with bacteria like Clostridium perfringens, which grows in anaerobic environments, like the centers of large batches of food. This pathogen produces a toxin that makes you sick. So it's imperative that you divide large batches of food into small, shallow containers after serving and refrigerate them as soon as possible. And … [Read more...]
Yearly Reminder: Don’t Eat Raw Cookie Dough or Cake Batter!
The holiday baking season has begun, and it's time for the yearly reminder: don't eat raw cookie dough or cake batter! There are two specific ingredients in those recipes that can make you very sick: raw flour and raw eggs. The only way to destroy those pathogens is with heat. Pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes are destroyed when they are heated to 160°F. While it may seem counterintuitive that a dry product such as flour can contain pathogens, flour is a raw agricultural product. It can be contaminated in the field, during harvest, or transport, or during processing just like leafy greens or other produce. There have been many recalls of flour for pathogen contamination, and several serious multistate outbreaks linked to that product. E. coli … [Read more...]
Planning to Fry Your Holiday Turkey? Safety First
Are you planning to fry your holiday turkey? If you are, there are some things you need to know. There have been many accidents and injuries associated with this type of cooking over the years. Learn how to fry a turkey safely with these tips. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that cooking fires are the number one cause of residential fires. And turkey fryers pose particular risks. Since 1998, there have been reports of 222 fire or scald/burn incidents involving turkey fryers. These incidents resulted in 83 injuries and $9.7 million in property loss. To protect yourself, only fry a turkey outside and well away from your home. Prince William County has more tips on turkey frying. While Thanksgiving is the peak day for home fires caused by cooking, Christmas and … [Read more...]
