USDA offers Outdoor Barbecuing Food Safety Tips

Posted on May 29, 2012 by bilrob

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USDA offers Outdoor Barbecuing Food Safety Tips

USDA - U.S. Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. – Cooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with family and friends. Now more than half of Americans say they are cooking outdoors year round.

So whether the snow is blowing or the sun is shining brightly, it’s important to follow food safety guidelines to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying and causing foodborne illness. Use these simple guidelines for grilling food safely.

A young man grills up some of the delicious food.

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Food Safety From the Store: Home First

When shopping, buy cold food like meat and poultry last, right before checkout. Separate raw meat and poultry from other food in your shopping cart. To guard against cross-contamination — which can happen when raw meat or poultry juices drip on other food — put packages of raw meat and poultry into plastic bags.

Plan to drive directly home from the grocery store. You may want to take a cooler with ice for perishables. Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. Refrigerate within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F.

At home, place meat and poultry in the refrigerator immediately. Freeze poultry and ground meat that won’t be used in 1 or 2 days; freeze other meat within 4 to 5 days.

Food Safety – Thaw Safely

Completely thaw meat and poultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly. Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or thaw sealed packages in cold water. For quicker thawing, you can microwave defrost if the food will be placed immediately on the grill.

Food Safety – Marinating

A marinade is a savory, acidic sauce in which a food is soaked to enrich its flavor or to tenderize it. Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Poultry and cubed meat or stew meat can be marinated up to 2 days. Beef, veal, pork, and lamb roasts, chops, and steaks may be marinated up to 5 days.

If some of the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion of the marinade before putting raw meat and poultry in it. However, if the marinade used on raw meat or poultry is to be reused, make sure to let it come to a boil first to destroy any harmful bacteria.

Food Safety – Transporting

When carrying food to another location, keep it cold to minimize bacterial growth. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 °F or below. Pack food right from the refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home.

Food Safety – Keep Cold Food Cold

Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until ready to use. Only take out the meat and poultry that will immediately be placed on the grill.

When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter. Avoid opening the lid too often, which lets cold air out and warm air in. Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in a separate cooler.

Food Safety – Keep Everything Clean

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Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils and platters. To prevent foodborne illness, don’t use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Harmful bacteria present in raw meat and poultry and their juices can contaminate safely cooked food.

If you’re eating away from home, find out if there’s a source of clean water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Or pack clean cloths, and moist towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands.

Food Safety – Precooking

Precooking food partially in the microwave, oven, or stove is a good way of reducing grilling time. Just make sure that the food goes immediately on the preheated grill to complete cooking.

Cook Thoroughly

Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature.

Food Safety – Meats

Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.

Food Safety – Ground Meats

Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

Food Safety – Poultry

Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

NEVER partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later.

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Food Safety – Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures

Whole poultry: 165 °F
Poultry breasts: 165 °F
Ground poultry: 165 °F
Ground meats: 160 °F
Beef, pork, lamb, and veal (steaks, roasts and chops): 145 °F and allow to rest at least 3 minutes.

Reheating

When reheating fully cooked meats like hot dogs, grill to 165 °F or until steaming hot.

Keep Hot Food Hot

After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot until served — at 140 °F or warmer.

Keep cooked meats hot by setting them to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook. At home, the cooked meat can be kept hot in an oven set at approximately 200 °F, in a chafing dish or slow cooker, or on a warming tray.

Serving the Food

When taking food off the grill, use a clean platter. Don’t put cooked food on the same platter that held raw meat or poultry. Any harmful bacteria present in the raw meat juices could contaminate safely cooked food.

In hot weather (above 90 °F), food should never sit out for more than 1 hour.

Leftovers

Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Discard any food left out more than 2 hours (1 hour if temperatures are above 90 °F).

Safe Smoking

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Smoking is cooking food indirectly in the presence of a fire. It can be done in a covered grill if a pan of water is placed beneath the meat or poultry on the grill; and meats can be smoked in a “smoker,” which is an outdoor cooker especially designed for smoking foods.

Smoking is done much more slowly than grilling, so less tender meats benefit from this method, and a natural smoke flavoring permeates the meat. The temperature in the smoker should be maintained at 250 to 300 °F for safety.

Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe internal temperature.

Pit Roasting

Pit roasting is cooking meat in a large, level hole dug in the earth. A hardwood fire is built in the pit, requiring wood equal to about 2½ times the volume of the pit. The hardwood is allowed to burn until the wood reduces and the pit is half filled with burning coals. This can require 4 to 6 hours burning time.

Cooking may require 10 to 12 hours or more and is difficult to estimate. A food thermometer must be used to determine the meat’s safety and doneness. There are many variables such as outdoor temperature, the size and thickness of the meat, and how fast the coals are cooking.

Does Grilling Pose a Cancer Risk?

Some studies suggest there may be a cancer risk related to eating food cooked by high-heat cooking techniques as grilling, frying, and broiling. Based on present research findings, eating moderate amounts of grilled meats like fish, meat, and poultry cooked — without charring — to a safe temperature does not pose a problem.

To prevent charring, remove visible fat that can cause a flare-up. Precook meat in the microwave immediately before placing it on the grill to release some of the juices that can drop on coals. Cook food in the center of the grill and move coals to the side to prevent fat and juices from dripping on them. Cut charred portions off the meat.

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Bacteria, Beef, cancer, Food Safety, Grilling, Illness, Lamb, Marinade, Meat, pork, Poultry, U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, Veal

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Taste of Roux recalls jarred soups over botulism risk

Posted on May 28, 2012 by bilrob

ANOTHER FOOD SAFETY ALERT – THIS TIME IT IS BOTULISM – THIS ONE IS A KILLER

Taste of Roux recalls jarred soups over botulism risk

Valley Village, California company Taste of Roux, is recalling a variety of jarred soups because of the potential botulism risk triggered by possible improper processing of the soup products.

In a California Department of Public Health (CDPH) press release Thursday, Health Director Dr. Ron Chapman warned consumers today not to eat Taste of Roux, LLC jarred soups saying ingestion of botulism toxin from improperly processed jarred and canned foods may lead to serious illness and death.

The recall affects the following soup products: Lentil, Black Bean, Tomato, Carrot Ginger, Vegetarian Chili, and Detox. The soups were sold under the Taste of Roux label and packaged in quart and pintglass jars with screw-on metal lids.

According to the release, the recalled soups were sold only at:

· Malibu Farmers Market, 23555 Civic Center Way, Malibu, CA 90265, Sundays, beginning on November 20, 2011

· Autry Farmers Market, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027, Saturdays, beginning on May 5, 2012.

Consumers in possession of the recalled products are advised to discard the soup in the trash.

Food borne botulism occurs when the bacterium Clostridium botulinum is allowed to grow and produce toxin in food that is later eaten without sufficient heating or cooking to inactivate the toxin. Botulinum toxin is one of the most potent neurotoxins known.

Growth of this anaerobic bacteria and the formation of the toxin tend to happen in products with low acidity and oxygen content and low salt and sugar content. Inadequately processed, home-canned foods like asparagus, green beans, beets, and corn have commonly been implicated.

However, there have been outbreaks of botulism from more unusual sources such as chopped garlic in oil, chili peppers, improperly handled baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil and home-canned or fermented fish. Garden foods like tomatoes, which used to be considered too acidic for the growth of Clostridium botulinum, is now considered a potentially hazardous food in home canning.

Though more common in home-canned foods, it does happen occasionally in commercially prepared foods.

Typically in a few hours to several days after you eat the contaminated food you will start to show the classic symptoms; blurred vision, dry mouth, and difficulty in swallowing. Gastrointestinal symptoms may or may not occur. If untreated, the paralysis always descends through the body starting at the shoulders and working its way down.

The most serious complication of botulism is respiratory failure where it is fatal in up to 10% of people. It may take months before recovery is complete.

If the disease is caught early enough it can be treated with antitoxin. If paralysis and respiratory failure happen, the person may be on a ventilator for several weeks.

Photographs of the affected packages can be found HERE.

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Keep Food Safety in Mind This Memorial Day Weekend

Posted on May 28, 2012 by bilrob

Keep Food Safety in Mind This Memorial Day Weekend

SATURDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) — Picnics, parades and cookouts are as much a part of Memorial Day weekend as tributes to the United States’ war veterans.

But, before tucking into that leafy, green salad or strawberry shortcake, remember that fresh fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with harmful pathogens that cause food poisoning, such as E. Coli, salmonella, listeria and norovirus, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Food Safety is everybody’s responsibility. The contamination occurs during harvesting and can even affect fruits and vegetables grown locally or in a home garden, the group noted.

“One in six Americans gets sick every year from foodborne pathogens that you cannot see, smell or taste but are everywhere. Eating any contaminated product — even produce labeled as organic or locally grown — can lead to food poisoning or even death,” Sarah Krieger, registered dietitian and academy spokeswoman, said in an academy news release. “Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy eating plan, and should fill half of your plate, but just like any food product, extra food safety precautions should be taken to reduce the risk of food poisoning.”

To help ensure that Americans safely buy, store and prepare produce, the academy, in collaboration with ConAgra, offered the following tips:

Avoid produce with mold, bruises or cuts that can harbor bacteria.
Buy loose produce rather than pre-packaged.
Wash and dry all fruits and vegetables (even pre-packaged produce) with cool tap water before preparing or eating.
Use a knife to cut away any damaged areas on fruit or vegetables.

The experts added that when preparing fresh produce, it’s important to avoid cross-contamination with other raw foods.

“Cross-contamination can lead to food poisoning when juices from raw foods like meat, poultry or chicken come in contact with ready-to-eat foods like raw produce,” Krieger said. “Using two cutting boards and a color-code system can help: one color cutting board for raw meats; and the other for your fruits and vegetables.”

The group also pointed out that cooked fruits and vegetables should be discarded after three to four days to avoid food poisoning. They advised people to label produce with an “eat by” date to ensure they know when food is no longer safe to eat.

More food safety information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on foodborne illness in the United States.

– Mary Elizabeth Dallas

SOURCE: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, news release, May 22, 2012

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Red Onions, Bag Salads Recalled for Possible Listeria

Posted on May 26, 2012 by bilrob

FOOD SAFETY ALERT – LISTERIA

Red Onions, Bag Salads Recalled for Possible Listeria

The Kane County Health Department sent a press release Monday to keep residents up to date on possible contaminations of red onions and bag salads distributed in the area.

Gills Onions, LLC of Oxnard, CA over the weekend initiated a voluntary recall of 2,360 pounds of diced red onions with lot code 51RDA1A2119 and use-by-dates May 14, 15 and 17, 2012 because it may be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. The product is beyond its use-by-date, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall, and no other Gills Onions product is affected by this recall. Anyone who has the recalled product in their possession should discard it.

River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC of Salinas, CA, also announced over the weekend that it is voluntarily recalling retail and foodservice bagged salads because they have the potential of being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Retail salad products under this recall were distributed nationwide under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Farm Stand, Hy-Vee, Marketside, Shurfresh, and The Farmer’s Market. Foodservice salad products under this recall were distributed nationwide, including Illinois, under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Cross Valley, Fresh n Easy, Promark, and Sysco.

The recalled retail and foodservice salad bags have either “Best By” code dates between 12MAY2012 and 22MAY2012 or Julian dates between 116 and 125. The code date is typically located in the upper right hand corner of the bags.

There have been NO reported illnesses associated with this recall. Consumers who have purchased this product should not consume it and are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions can contact River Ranch at their 24-hour customer service center at 1-800-762-7708.

The recalled diced red onions were distributed directly from Gills Onions to retailers in Canada and retailers and foodservice distributors in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Idaho, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Arkansas, Ohio, Tennessee, New Jersey, Georgia, and Florida.

The recalled product was sold at retail and packaged in a 7-ounce clear plastic clamshell, labeled Gills Onions with the May 17, 2012, use-by-date and the lot code 51RDA1A2119 stamped on the UPC label. The UPC number in Canada is 643550 00045 0 and the UPC number in the United States is 643550 00041 2.

However, since this number can also be on other products, you can refer to the lot code in order to identify the recalled product. Product sold to foodservice customers was packaged in 5-pound clear plastic bags, identified as Gills Onions Diced Red Onions, and stamped with an expiration date of May 14 or 15, 2012. The lot code 51RDA1A2119 is also stamped on both the bag and box.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

This voluntary recall was initiated as a result of a routine and random test directed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Consumers with questions may contact Gills Onions at 1-800-348-2255. Please visit the website at www.gillsonions.com for updates.

SOURCE: Kane County Health Department

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Barbecue Food Safety Tips

Posted on May 18, 2012 by bilrob

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Barbecue Food Safety Tips

OTTAWA, May 17, 2012 — /CNW/ – Barbecue season has begun and Health Canada would like to remind Canadians of steps they can take to avoid foodborne illness caused by bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter.

Eating undercooked barbecue meat and other foods that have come into contact with raw meat can cause foodborne illness. Symptoms can include severe stomach cramps, vomiting, fever and diarrhea.

You can help lower your risk of foodborne illness by handling and cooking raw meat carefully.

Storing:
• Raw meat should always be stored in a refrigerator or cooler at 4ºC (40ºF) or below.
• If you are storing raw meat in a cooler, make sure that it is packed with ice and that it stays out of direct sunlight. Avoid opening it too often.
• Ensure meat products are well sealed so their juices don’t come in contact with other food products, thus avoiding cross-contamination.

Clean:
• Remember to wash your hands and other utensils, like cutting boards, countertops and knives, carefully with soap and warm water before and after handling raw meat. This helps to avoid cross-contamination and prevent the spread of foodborne illness.
When you grill:
• Colour alone is not a reliable indicator that meat is safe to eat. Meat can turn brown before all bacteria are killed. Use a digital food thermometer to be sure.
• To check the temperature of meat that you are cooking on the barbecue, take it off the grill and insert a digital food thermometer through the thickest part of the meat.
• If you are cooking a beef hamburger, take the patty from the grill and insert a digital food thermometer through its side, all the way to the middle.
• If you are cooking more than one patty, or several pieces of meat, be sure to check the temperature of each piece.
• Use clean utensils and plates when removing cooked meats from the grill.
• Remember to wash the thermometer in hot, soapy water between temperature readings.
• Always remember to keep hot food hot until it is ready to serve.

Always follow these safe internal temperatures to make sure that the food that you are cooking is safe to eat:

Food Temperature

Beef, veal and lamb (pieces and whole cuts)

• Medium-rare 63°C (145°F)
• Medium 71°C (160°F)
• Well done 77°C (170°F)

Pork (pieces and whole cuts) 71°C (160°F)

Poultry (e.g, chicken, turkey, duck)

• Pieces 74°C (165°F)
• Whole 85°C (185°F)

Ground meat and meat mixtures (e.g, burgers, sausages, meatballs, meatloaf, casseroles)

• Beef, veal, lamb and pork 71°C (160°F)
• Poultry 74°C (165°F)

Egg dishes 74°C (165°F)

Others (e.g, hot dogs, stuffing, leftovers) 74°C (165°F)

It is estimated that there are approximately 11 million cases of food-related illness in Canada every year. Many of these cases could be prevented by following proper food handling and preparation techniques.

For more information on food safety tips while barbecuing, please visit:

Government of Canada’s Barbecuing Food Safety Tips
Government of Canada’s Food Safety Portal
Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education’s Be Food Safe Canada Campaign
It’s Your Health on Summer Food Safety
It’s Your Health on How to Avoid Illness from Hamburgers
Également disponible en français

SOURCE Health Canada

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Spotlight on (Sea)Food Safety and Transparency | seafood

Posted on May 17, 2012 by bilrob

Spotlight on Seafood Safety and Transparency

As a company that promotes the consumption of clean, safe seafood as part of a healthy diet, it’s our belief that consumers have the right to know what’s in the food they’re eating — this belief represents one of the core values of Safe Harbor and one of the overarching principles that drives our business. Recently food safety and transparency in the food supply chain have been topics of much discussion, and for good reason. As it becomes more and more apparent that the FDA seems ill-equipped to assume a leadership role in ensuring food safety, are food manufacturers missing an opportunity? Might it be that embracing, implementing and advertising increased food safety measures and transparency can be a powerful marketing tool, one that provides differentiation in a packed and overcrowded marketplace?

While the federal government may be reluctant to embrace increased oversight over the food supply chain, the opinion of the American public on the subject is as unanimous and straightforward as ever. Take for example the federal issue of mandatory food labeling for genetically engineered foods — a partisan-busting 91 percent of voters favor an FDA requirement that “foods which have been genetically engineered or containing genetically engineered ingredients be labeled to indicate that.” A mere 5 percent oppose labeling, while another 5 percent have no opinion. As the strategic polling, survey and opinion research firm The Mellman Group so eloquently opines:

Underlying support for labeling is a clear vision of consumer rights, as well as a deep-seated concern. Voters believe they have a right to know what they are putting in their mouths and into the bodies of their children. If you don’t believe Americans see that as a fundamental right, try convincing someone they don’t have that right to know. Moreover, voters believe they have a related right to decide for themselves what they ingest and recognize that, absent labeling, the right to decide is rendered hollow.

This value of the right to know is catching fire as evidenced by the California Right to Know 2012 Ballot Initiative. California has officially become the first state to gather enough signatures (971,126) to put the labeling of genetically engineered foods on its statewide ballot this fall. While the Right to Know initiative is a major step in the right direction, unfortunately it is a California-only proposal and only covers GMO foods. Food labeling and transparency should be a fundamental, mandated practice employed across every food category, even those with the most complex supply chains.

Like seafood, for example.

Unbeknownst to many, seafood is the most traded food commodity in the world (UN FAO State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2010) and the seafood supply and distribution chain might be the most complex of any food commodity internationally traded today. Approximately 85% of the seafood Americans eat is now imported, with less than 2% being inspected by the FDA, the federal agency charged with oversight of seafood. Unfortunately for American consumers, offshore seafood producers simply do not face the same oversight and regulation as domestic producers, which leaves the door wide open for corner-cutting, the use of potentially hazardous additives and chemicals and other abuses. David Love, the lead author of a recent Johns Hopkins study, (linked above and again here) sums up the situation quite succinctly stating, “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.”

Especially as it applies to seafood (and according to Gary Hirshberg, Chairman of Stonyfield Farm, and a Partner in the Just Label It Campaign) it would seem that our food system has been adept at “keeping the lights out or at least dimmed.” However, viral media, the Internet and the instantaneous, abundant free flow of information is changing this … quickly. Information is now available at one’s fingertips, accessed quickly with a simple key stroke. Having the information we need to make an informed choice is no longer simply expected. It’s required. In the words of Mr. Hirshberg:

As the chairman of a $370 million national yogurt company, I’ve watched the consumer demand for more information about our food explode over the past decade. Whether it’s the source of the ingredients, increases in agri-chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, plastics additives or potential allergens, the public is clearly far more engaged in making informed choices than ever before.

So where should the onus of food safety and transparency lie? Unfortunately our federal government is under-manned and under-funded and simply can’t be relied upon to be the protectors of public health. Many forward-thinking food manufacturers (seafood and otherwise) feel that it is up to the industry (NOT the government) to increase the transparency of the supply chain and safeguard the very consumers eating their products; subsequently, as consumers become more educated (as can be seen domestically with the rapid rise of the organic and local food movements) and continue to demand labeling, transparency and increased food safeguards, advertising and strategically utilizing these “characteristics” of one’s business will become major marketing “weapons,” differentiators that will prove that implementing and accepting these consumer-backed “trends” are actually good for business. As Mr. Hirshberg above so deftly put it, “Instead of fighting transparency, it’s time to embrace it.” We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves.

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FOOD SAFETY : Sponge Cake Recalled, Contains Plastic Fragments

Posted on January 8, 2012 by bilrob

FOOD SAFETY WARNING :Sponge Cake Recalled, Contains Plastic Fragments

Washington, D.C. – infoZine – Rich Products Corporation recalled its 1/4 (quarter) Sheet Vanilla Flavored Pre-Soaked Sponge Cake Artificially Flavored (Product Code: 00405) on January 5, 2012, because small plastic fragments from the packaging were found on top of the product. The size of the fragments range from 1/4 (one fourth) to 3/4 (three fourths) inches.

Rich Products Corporation has not received any reports of injuries connected with this product and has issued this voluntary recall as a precautionary measure.

The product is produced by Rich’s in Ocoyoacac, Mexico and imported into the U.S. by Rich’s for sale. The UPC code is: 00049800004054. Product produced after July 10, 2011 is affected.

The 1/4 (Quarter) Sheet Vanilla Flavored Pre-Soaked Sponge Cake Artificially Flavored is not packaged for retail distribution and is sold by the case primarily to in-store bakeries nationwide. There also have been some sales to foodservice customers. Rich’s has already notified all of its distributors and customers who have received the product in question, and has directed them to remove and destroy the affected product. All other affected product under Rich’s control has been quarantined and will be destroyed.

Upon a food safety investigation, Rich’s discovered the problem was caused by a change in the resin used by the supplier of the plastic packaging. Rich’s was not made aware of this change. The company is working closely with the supplier to ensure that all defective packaging is removed from distribution and that all food safety monitoring systems are in place to eliminate the potential for this problem occurring again in the future.

Consumers with questions may contact the Rich’s Product Helpline at 1-800-356-7094 (United States) or 1-800-263-8174 (Canada) between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST. Voice mail is available after hours.

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FOOD SAFETY ALERTS : Michigan cheese recalled for possibility of Listeria

Posted on December 30, 2011 by bilrob

FOOD SAFETY ALERTS : Michigan cheese recalled for possibility of Listeria

CHICAGO (Reuters) – A dairy in Dearborn, Michigan, said it is recalling certain cheese because they could be contaminated with Listeria and may have already sickened two people.

Green Cedar Dairy’s recall, posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website on Wednesday, included All Natural Ackawi Cheese and All Natural Chives Cheese with a sell-by date up to July 1, 2012.

The Michigan Department of Community Health and the Wayne County Public Health Departmentare investigating two recent cases of Listeria infection in which individuals may have had exposure toGreen Cedar Dairy products.

These products were distributed to bakeries and retail stores in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.

Listeria infection, or listeriosis, is caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms typically include a fever, muscle aches and sometimes diarrhea or other stomach problems.

Pregnant women, newborns, older adults and those with weak immune systems are more susceptible to infection.

In the United States an estimated 1,600 individuals become seriously ill from the infection each year. Of those, 260 die.

Kradjian cheese recalled on listeria fears

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Kradjian Importing Co is recalling 231 cases of Canadian cheese because they could be contaminated with listeria, the Glendale, California, company said.

Kradjian is recalling Cedar brand Tresse and Shinglish cheesesdelivered before November 13, it said in a statement on the Food and Drug Administration website.

The cheeses were distributed in Southern California to Mediterranean specialty markets, it said.

The two cheeses were made and recalled by Fromagerie Marie Kade, in Quebec, Canada.

The Shinglish cheese carries lot number 78546 10000. The Tresse cheese has lot number 78546 01000.

The listeria monocytogenes organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
(Reporting by Ian Simpson)

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Holiday Food Safety Tips from the Livingston Health Department

Posted on December 27, 2011 by bilrob

Holiday Food Safety Tips from the Livingston Health Department

With the start of the holiday season, families across New Jersey are planning their holiday meal.

Choose appetizers and salads that help get in your “five a day” fruits and vegetables helpings. Use low fat and low sodium items in your preparations.

CLEAN: Always wash your hands in hot, soapy water before preparing food. Wash all fruits, vegetables and poultry well.

SEPARATE: Do not cross contaminate foods! Place your raw poultry, meat and seafood on a separate shelf of the refrigerator or on a tray, so juices do not drip onto other foods.

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER: To prevent cross contamination, never place cooked foods on any unwashed plates or platters that held raw poultry, meat, or seafood Remember: Wash hands after handling raw foods.

COOK: Clean the turkey or other birds as directed on package/wrapping. Follow cooking directions carefully. When cooking poultry, it must be cooked internally to at least 165 degrees Farenheit. Try stuffing with whole grain breads or wild or brown rice with fruits or nuts added for healthy eating.

CHILL: Frozen turkeys should be thawed in the refrigerator. Keep cold foods cold (held at 40 degrees or colder). If foods are not properly stored, bacteria can multiply rapidly. Important: Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly.

DRINK: Sparkling juices, cider, flavored waters are good alternatives to calorie laden drinks. Alcohol should always be a concern around all holidays, when younger children in the home or visiting youngsters have greater access to parties where cocktails, wine and beer may be served. Remember to empty all glasses and/or cans that contain alcohol as promptly as possible and don’t leave alcoholic drinks unattended by adults.

For more information, contact the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System at www.njpies.org.

Or the U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline at

1-800-535-4555 or visit the Food Safety Education website at

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/index.asp

Bill & Sheila’s Food Safety – Bacterial Infections

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Food Safety : Watch for raw meat juice, leftover storage

Posted on December 26, 2011 by bilrob

Food Safety : Watch for raw meat juice, leftover storage

From staff reports:

The state Department of Health (DOH) released a few tips for Washington residents on holiday food preparation and storage, citing the fact that “each year, hundreds of people in Washington become ill and some are hospitalized because food they ate at a holiday meal was handled or prepared in an unsafe way.”

For buying and preparing holiday foods and meals, the DOH recommends:

• Keeping raw meats separate from other foods, especially fruit and vegetables in your shopping cart and grocery bags. Raw meats that are wrapped for display often leak. Put meat into a plastic bag to prevent drips that may contaminate other food.

• Always washing hands, before food preparing food and after handling raw meats. According to the DOH, “inadequate hand washing is a leading cause of foodborne disease.”

• Don’t wash raw turkey or chicken. Doing so increases the chances of spreading harmful bacteria around the kitchen, the DOH notes.

• Keep the kitchen and utensils clean. Wash any implement or object that comes into contact with raw meat.

• Don’t re-use a wash or dish cloth after wiping countertops, especially if it was used to wipe up juices from raw meats.

• Thaw meat, especially turkey, in the refrigerator.

• Cook food to a safe internal temperature. A food thermometer is an easy and relatively cheap item to find in a local store.

• 165 degrees F is the ideal temperature for turkey, chicken, and poultry (including stuffing, whole and ground meat)

• Whole cuts, such as roasts, steaks, chops, beef, pork, veal and lamb should be cooked to 145 degrees F. The DOH notes that when preparing these kind of items, allow three minutes of rest time after pulling from the cooking device.

• Ground beef, port, hamburger or egg dishes should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

• Fish should be cooked to 145 degrees F.

• The DOH suggests that food should be refrigerated right away. It cautions to not leave food on the counter to cool down. Cut or divide solid food, like turkey, into small pieces and cool in containers without lids in the refrigerator. Wait until the food is cold, below 45 degrees F, before putting the lid on the container.

For serving those holiday meals, the DOH recommends:

• Refrigerating, reheating or throwing away perishable food after two hours at room temperature

• Thinking small. Those serving food should arrange and serve food on several small plates instead of one large one. Keep the rest of the food either hot or cold.

• Keep hot foods hot, above 140 degrees F. Use warming trays or pots.

• Keep cold foods cold – below 41 degrees F. Nest dishes in bowls of ice, if possible.

• Don’t serve raw eggs mixed into drinks or food

For storing, DOH has two simple recommendations:

• Refrigerate leftovers immediately

• Reheating all leftovers to at least 165 degrees F.