A Decade of Inaction at USDA on Non-O157 E. coli
With still no action from USDA (despite two meetings and a serious outbreak) in October 2009, Marler Clark files 470-page petition with USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) demanding expanded testing: "Recent studies have repeatedly shown that non-O157 STEC is a serious food safety hazard." (Attorney Bill Marler vows to write FSIS every three months for updates.) May saw one E. coli outbreak in Japan (0111), sickening nearly 100, 23 with kidney disease, killing four. (And they all ate steak, not ground beef.) The other was in Germany (0104 - not one of the Big Six), from spouts, the source of which is still unknown. That outbreak (the deadliest on record) has thus far killed 48 and sickened thousands, hundreds with potential life-long kidney disease. Also in June, to further drive home the need for action, a study from Texas Tech showed that 5.9 percent of all beef was contaminated with non-O157 strains, an alarming amount. And if that weren't scary enough, the CDC recently released data showing (for the first time) that the number of people infected with various strains of non-O157 E. coli in 2010 exceeded those sickened by O157. At least someone in Congress is listening. Undeterred by Big Meat lobbying, in June, Senator Gillibrand introduced yet another bill and sent yet another letter to USDA. The new legislation, "would target all high-risk pathogens and all currently unregulated strains of E. coli found in the meat supply that have been proven to cause food-borne illnesses." The senator's letter reminded Secretary Vilsack that she wrote to him in April of 2010. (In case someone at AMI made him forget?) Speaking of AMI, their arguments appear to be getting more desperate. Despite ample evidence (from the feds themselves) that testing is now available, the trade group now claims that FSIS testing is "a work in progress." And anyway, AMI, argues, who needs more testing? "Common interventions in U.S. meat plants work against all strains of E. coli." (Not sure what that means either.) Bringing us up to date, Marler Clark recently sent a letter to USDA, threatening to sue the agency if it takes no action on the firm's petition before the pending September 2011 deadline. And finally, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) just sent a letter to OMB also urging action; she was disturbed by the delay considering the "devastating health consequences" of E. coli infection.Ground Meat Hazards - News
The letter also said that while outbreaks in "various foods" have been documented, no outbreak "has been confirmed to be directly linked to beef products." Ten days later, Cargill recalled 8500 pounds of ground beef contaminated with E. coli 026 that
The first is the health hazard from cross-contamination. Meat vendors sell all kinds of meat in one stall, and use the same cleaver and knives for everything, increasing the chances of bacteria and other harmful organisms moving from pork to beef to
E. coli illnesses linked to a strain of the bacteria often found in tainted ground beef have dropped “substantially” in recent years, US food regulators said, but the country's meat industry may face heighted government scrutiny as a deadly outbreak in
Over the years, Moe's has added ground beef, pulled pork, bacon and Junior burritos to the menu and has featured popular limited time offers like the Chicken Club Quesadilla and Phil E. Burrito." Despite the name Hibachi Grill, the food there will not
"We've known the hazards of E. coli for years. It's time we get serious, and keep contaminated food in check before it ever reaches a grocery store shelf or kitchen." If ground beef tests positive, the bill requires the company to "properly dispose of
Medica-Now.com » Blog Archive » Beat the top summer health hazards
Follow the 10 percent ruleYes, you want to bein shape for bikini season, but getting too gung ho aboutexercising all at once can lead to overuse injuries. Instead,ramp up slowly: increase your activity level by 10 percent everyweek. “And don’t be a weekend warrior,” states Nancy Yen Shipley, MD,an orthopedic surgeon in Richmond, Virginia, and spokeswoman forthe American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. It’s better to do 20minutes of outdoor activity each day than to cram in a three-hoursession on the weekend.
Health.com: 20 ways to torch 200 calories
Walk before you runDon’t jog a path that youhaven’t walked first—unfamiliar terrain is a common cause of slipsand sprains, Dr. Yen Shipley says.
Practice safe gardeningWith all that lifting,twisting, and bending, gardening can be surprisingly strenuous. Useyour legs when you squat, and select long-handled tools so youwon’t have to stoop over as much. When doing a repetitive task,like raking, switch sides often so you don’t overuse the muscles onone side of your body.
Health.com: Injury-proof your gardening
Chill outHeat rash, which results when sweatducts become blocked, usually appears as little bumps in folds ofskin or where fabric chafes against the body. To prevent it,choose breathable cotton clothing, avoid heavy ointments and creams(they can block sweat ducts), and select oil-free sunscreens. Staydry, too, because moisture can worsen the condition. If you developa rash, get out of the heat, apply cold compresses, and use anover-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to quell itching.
Learn your leavesPoison ivy, sumac, and oakaren’t just woodland hazards: the hardy creepers can also pop up atthe beach, in your backyard, and in parks.
Health.com: How to avoid summer skin problems
Keep it cleanA picnic table littered withsugary drinks is like a standing invitation to bees and wasps. “Aclassic case of getting stung involves someone leaving a soda canout, a bee flies into the can, the person raises it to their lipsand…pow!” Dr. Eghrari-Sabet says. Standing water is a no-no,too. Mosquitoes use water as a breeding ground, so keep buckets andwading pools empty when not in use. And at least once a week, checkand empty flowerpots, birdbaths, and anywhere else water cancollect around your yard.
Health.com: Defend against bug bites
Make yourself unappetizingBright colors arethe equivalent of a sexy teddy for stingers. Instead, dress inlight colors and pastels; lighter colors also make it easier tospot ticks. Skip perfumed products—if it smells good to you, it’salluring for bees, as well.
Ground Meat Hazards - Bookshelf
Microbial food safety in animal agriculture, current topics
This risk assessment may assist FSIS in reviewing and refining its risk reduction strategy for E. coli0157:H7 in ground beef. Hazard Identification. ...Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef, review of a draft risk assessment
Hazard Characterization The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) draft risk ... of cooked ground beef contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7. ...HACCP in Meat, Poultry and Fish Processing
Figure 8.2 Microbiological hazard analysis and assignment of risk categories for ground beef patty product. Hazard analysis - Hazard A: A special class that ...Community nutrition, applying epidemiology to contemporary practice
The hazard associated with ground beef is the potential for bacterial contamination. Step 2: Determine critical control points required to control the ...Safety of Meat and Processed Meat
... raw ground beef) before distribution are considered adulterated if E. coli ... from hazards deemed likely to occur through the hazard analysis process; ...Daily News Directory
Ground Beef and Food Safety
Questions about ground meat or hamburger have always been in the top five food topics of calls to the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline. ...
Guidance for Beef Grinders to Better Protect Public Health
Guidance for Beef Grinders to Better Protect Public Health: Guidance for Minimizing Impact Associated with a Food Safety Hazard in Raw Ground Meat and Other FSIS ...
Raw, Not Ground Product HACCP Plan
Raw, Not Ground Meat Products. INTENDED USE OF PRODUCT? Retail sales for general public ... that unforeseen hazards may occur at the Rosenthal Meat Science and ...
Ground Meat Safety
To prevent physical, chemical or biological hazards from being introduced. into ingredients used for ground meat production, a preoperational ...
Irradiated Ground Beef: Time for a Comeback? | Belly Bytes
Should irradiated ground beef make a comeback? People still wrongly perceived irradiated foods as radioactive and therefore unsafe.