Recent Food Safety News

How well do you wash your hands?
Source: WUSA.com (27.sep.07)
(Click here for original article.)

The number one cause of food contamination in restaurants is contaminated, unwashed hands.
To help combat that problem, The Clyde's Restaurant Group holds an annual handwashing competition for its 2,000 employees in all 13 establishments.
The contestants' hands are covered with ultra violet 'fake' germs. They must then wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. That's the FDA recommendation. Then they put their hands under ultra violet light and judges from local health departments give points.
The contestants also must answer food-safety questions, such as:
1. We wash our hands to prevent what three 'bugs' from spreading?
Answer: Hepatitis, Norovirus and Staphylococcus
2. Bacteria will grow rapidly when what two things are abused?
Answer: Time and Temperature
3. What bacteria is most commonly transmitted by restaurant employees who touch their face, ears, nose and do NOT wash their hands?
Answer: Staphylococcus
4. What is one of the top reasons for food borne illness to occur?
Answer: Failure to hold foods at proper temperatures
5. What temperature should all soups and sauces be reheated?
Answer: 165 degrees F
6. What is the definition of cross contamination?
Answer: It is the transfer of bacteria from one location to another.
7. The biggest food safety concern in a restaurant is the transfer and control of what?
Answer: Bacteria
8. What is the difference of 'clean' and 'sanitized'?
Answer: Clean is 'free of visible soil' and sanitized is 'reducing the number of bacteria to a safe level.'
9. Botulism and Staph produce these when they are time and temperature abused and they are what make you sick.
Answer: Toxins
10. A bacteria known as 'Vibrio' is associated with what food?
Answer: Mulluscan shellfish, such as oysters
11. What is the range of the temperature danger zone when bacteria growth is optimal?
Answer: 41-135 degrees F

BARFBLOG: Dole lettuce from U.S. found with E. coli O157:H7 in CANADA
Source: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) (17.sep.07)
(Click here for original article.)

Doug Powell
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2007/09/articles/e-coli/dole-lettuce-from-us-found-with-e-coli-o157h7-in-canada/index.html

warned the Canadian public at about 2 a.m. Monday not to consume Dole brand Hearts Delight lettuce salad (Ready to eat blend of romaine, green leaf & butter lettuce hearts) because it may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, stating,
"The affected product, Dole brand Hearts Delight lettuce salad (Ready to eat blend of romaine, green leaf & butter lettuce hearts), produce of USA, is sold in 227 g packages bearing UPC 0 71430 01038 9, BIUB (Best If Used By) date 07SE19 and lot code A24924B. This product may have been distributed nationally.
"There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product."
The quotes above are from the third version of the press release sent out since early Monday morning. And since CFIA always holds information close, http://foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/article-details.php?a=3&c=32&sc=419&id=963

Links to Older Items

• CANADA: Monitoring our food supplies (08.aug.07)
• VANCOUVER: Family hospitalized after Norwalk-like outbreak at campground (06.aug.07)
• CANADA warns Canadians of botulism health threat (27.jul.07)
• Outbreaks where food workers have been implicated in the spread of foodborne disease. Part 1. Description of the problem, methods, and agents involved (17.jul.07)
• Germs, ahoy! (02.sep.06)
• Germs, ahoy! (02.sep.06)
• U of G food scientist finds effective way to clean produce (May 18, 2006)
• Beware: 13 foods that kill (April 22, 2006)
• How safe is your kitchen? (April 12, 2006)
• Food allergy or intolerance? (March 2006)
• Tonics: How dress-down Fridays could save a life (March 6, 2006)
• Toilet seats have less germs than your desk (February 21, 2006)
• Which cut is older? (It's a trick question) (February 21, 2006)
• Something in the mix (February 9, 2006)
• Organic food: Buying more safety or just peace of mind? A critical review of the literature (February 3, 2006)
• How safe is your grocery store? (January 23, 2006)
• Research digs up dirt on public filth (January 17, 2006)
• Illnesses from fruits and vegetables on the rise (January 17, 2006)
• Nutrition know-how (January 15, 2006)
• Can food be dangerous? Learn about online food safety training (January 6, 2006)
• No, mommy, no (November 2, 2005)
• When eating your vegetables makes you sick (November 30, 2005)
• "Food is worse than crack" (December 9, 2005)
• Can I eat that? (August 3, 2005)
• 'Food safety can only be achieved if we all work well together': MOH (June 6, 2005)
• Prevent sickness through cleanliness; Food handlers are the key to reducing hepatitis A and many foodborne illnesses (May 27, 2005)
• Perilous produce (April 26, 2005)
• Questions and Answers - The CFIA Enforcement Act (April 25, 2005)
• Food handlers' gloves may not mean cleaner food ( February 7, 2005)
• Natural toxins in fresh fruit and vegetables (February 7, 2005)
• Personal health: When your prunes have passed their prime ( January 4, 2005)
• Those nasty noroviruses, including Norwalk, may be getting nastier (January 28, 2005)
• Internet based Food Safety Educator proves popular among youth ( January 12, 2005)
• When food bites back ( November 19, 2004)
• Norovirus caution urged during festive season: Health region recommends precautions (November 20, 2004)
• One in three fridges could make you sick ( November 23, 2004)
• Government of Canada introduces legislation to establish the Canada Border Services Agency (November 23, 2004)
• Creepy find prompts warning (November 22, 2004)
• HACCP (November 24, 2004)
• Proof that your children can make you sick! (December 3, 2004)
• Update - health hazard alert - Prolimer Caprice Des Mers Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese and Crab Flavored Pollock may contain dangerous bacteria (December 6, 2004)
• Health Canada reviewing fish consumption guidelines because of mercury fears (November 17, 2004)
• Glad tidings to all: Holiday food safety begins at home ( November 18, 2004)
• Persistence of norovirus (July 2004)
• Germs, germs everywhere. are you worried? Get over it ( November 9, 2004)
• Food safety and pest prevention go hand-in-hand ( October 21, 2004)
• Hepatitis scare hits restaurant's business hard (October 15, 2004)
• Diners can get free hep A shot: Server may have exposed patrons at Kelowna eatery ( October 14, 2004)
• Health sells ( October 7, 2004)
• Capers Community Markets introduces food containers made from corn Capers is first retailer in Canada to use this alternative to plastic ( October 4, 2004)
• Travel health advisory: Gastrointestinal illness while traveling ( October 5, 2004)
• How can I keep 'take-out’ food safe? (August 4, 2004)
• Exercise, good nutrition and food safety practices are best prevention -- Seniors at greater risk of foodborne illness (July 27, 2004)
• Food hygiene survey dishes the dirt on British TV chefs (July 4, 2004)
• Food safety errors abound in TV cooking shows, study says (June 22, 2004)
• Poisoning: When food bites back (May 17, 2004)
• Molds on food: are they dangerous? (Spring 2004)
• A recipe for disaster on your kitchen counter ( April 13, 2004)
• Oyster illness total rises to 14: Five patrons of one restaurant suffered from gastrointestinal woes (February 11, 2004)
• Outbreak of B.C. ailments sparks raw oyster warning (February 10, 2004)
• Foodborne diseases take heavy toll on public health (Winter 2004)
• Loblaw makes food safety a top priority: Sharpens focus amid recent health scares (February 5, 2004 )
• Food safety facts for fresh fruits and vegetables (January 2004)
• The raw truth (January 2004)
• A BUG'S LIFE (August 7, 2003)
• HIDDEN DANGERS (August 7, 2003)
• RISKY SALMON (August 5, 2003)
• DOCUMENTS SHOW HOW CFIA TRYING TO KEEP FOOD SUPPLY SAFE (August 5, 2003)
• SIX PEOPLE POISONED AFTER EATING BAD MUSSELS (August 6, 2003)
• WHEN FOOD GOES BAD (July 23, 2003)
• VICTIM OF E.COLI TO GET ONE OF MOM'S KIDNEYS (July 7, 2003)
• FAST FOOD, NOT FAST ANTIBIOTICS (June 22, 2003)
• OVER-CLEAN HOUSE CAN BE A HEALTH HAZARD: USE DISINFECTANTS AND SANITIZERS ONLY WHEN NEEDED AND NOT AS EVERYDAY CLEANSERS (June 7, 2003)
• FRUITS, VEGETABLES CAUSE MOST FOOD POISONING (June 11, 2003 )
• CALICIVIRUSES: A MAJOR CAUSE OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS (May 2003)
• FOOD TERRORISM (April 2, 2003)
• HAND-WASHING TOUTED FOR FOOD SAFETY (March 13, 2003)
• FOOD SAFETY FOR YOUR FAMILY (March 7, 2003)
• WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAND WASHING? (March 2003)
• BACTERIA IN FAKE SHAMPOO ( March 7, 2003)
• WHAT DO THE DATES ON FOOD LABELS MEAN? (February 2003)
• 'FAVOURABLE RESULTS' ON E. COLI VACCINE (February 12, 2003)
• OFFICIALLY, HEP-A RISK LOW: BUT LADNER LONDON DRUGS ISSUES ALERT AFTER STAFFER COMES DOWN WITH DISEASE ( February 10, 2003)
• SUN-RYPE EARNS HACCP RECOGNITION (January 28, 2003)
• WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT WASHING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES? (January 2003)
• TENTH E. COLI CASE LINKED TO CHEESE (January 18, 2003)
• EIGHT PEOPLE FALL ILL AFTER SAMPLING CHEESE AT ALTA. FARMERS' MARKETS (January 8, 2003)
• BRUISED FRUIT MAY BE VALUABLE (January 8, 2003)
• DEADLY GERM IN LOCAL CHEESE STRIKES GIRL, 2 (January 7, 2003)
• AN OUTBREAK OF THE NORWALK VIRUS IN EDMONTON AND CENTRAL ALBERTA (January 3, 2003)
• GASTROINTESTINAL OUTBREAKS ASSOCIATED WITH NORWALK VIRUS IN RESTAURANTS IN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA (December 15, 2002)
• HOW WILL YOUR BUFFET BE REMEMBERED? (December 16, 2002)
• GIANTS HIT BY NORWALK VIRUS: SEVEN PLAYERS FORCED TO MISS GAME (December 12, 2002)
• ASK THE HEALTH INSPECTOR? (December 9, 2002)
• TAINTED CHEESE-SUIT (December 3, 2002)
• WHEN GOOD FOOD GOES BAD (November 27, 2002)
• CHEESE PLANT TO REOPEN AFTER SCARE: CLOSED BY AUTHORITIES: TWO PRODUCERS SHUT DOWN AFTER LISTERIA OUTBREAK (November 12, 2002)
• British Columbia: Norwalk Virus Outbreak Affects School Attendance (Nov 5, 2002)
• NORWALK VIRUS MAY HAVE HIT CALGARY SCHOOL (October 26, 2002)
• FOODSAFE - IT’S EVERYONE’S BUSINESS (October 23, 2002)
• NEW HOPE FOR MAN WITH BOTULISM POISONING (October 15, 2002)