Tag Archives: food safety

The Four Types of Food Poisionings

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Food poisoning can be classified as to the area where the infection occurs.

Type 1 Poisons (toxins) produced in the food
Short incubation periods.
Examples:
Staphylococcus Aureus – or staph, found in open wounds and sinus infections.
Bacillus Cereus – “Fried Rice Syndrome” caused by improperly cooked or refrigerated items.
Botulism – an anaerobic (no air), bacteria caused by improper canning.

Type 2 Poisons (toxins), released in the intestines.
Clostridium Perfringens – a bacteria found in all of nature. In plants, animals, humans, air, and soil. When the thing – plant, animal, or human dies, it grows rapidly and decomposed the plant or animal. The smell of decaying vegetation and dead animals is caused by the gas produced by C Perfingens doing its natural job. This is why anything left out for over three hours has to be thrown away. There is no fixing it because the toxins it produces can not be killed.

Type 3 Infections in the intestines.
Salmonella – most common food poisioning. Naturally occuring in poultry, eggs, and all meats. If not cooked to the proper temperature, it will survive. Only a thermometer can tell you when something is done.
Campylobacter – (meaning “twisted bacteria”),Campylobacter jejuni is now recognized as one of the main causes of bacterial foodborne disease in many developed countries.At least a dozen species of Campylobacter have been implicated in human disease, with C. jejuni and C. coli the most common.C. fetus is a cause of spontaneous abortions in cattle and sheep, as well as an opportunistic pathogen in humans.

Type 4 Infections in the blood and body.
Of the over two thousand strains of Salmonella, at least three have the capability to leave the intestines and enter the blood stream. Salmonella Typhi caused Typhoid Fever, for example.

Implications of the Jensen Arrests

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This is different than where officials knew they were shipping contaminated product. As seen in the Jensen case, it is more of a point that they should have known and taken preventive actions.

Many were surprised by the recent arrest of the Jensen Farm’s owners for selling Listeria contaminated cantaloupes that caused 33 deaths. Introducing the Park Doctrine. All responsible company officials, whether their company is manufacturing food items OR distributing food items manufactured by someone else, should be aware of the implications.

From the FDA Law Blog – Feb 2, 2011 (reference below):

“… a corporate official can be convicted of a misdemeanor based solely on his position of responsibility and control to prevent the underlying violation of the FDCA. There is no requirement that the official acted personally in the wrongdoing, or that he even had knowledge of it. The Supreme Court determined that the FDCA “imposes not only a positive duty to seek out and remedy violations when they occur but also, and primarily, a duty to implement measures that will insure that violations will not occur.” Park, 421 U.S. at 672.”

This is not limited to the processors, but to those who utilize contract manufacturers. From the FDA Law Blog – May 28, 2013 (reference below):

“The letters cite Park and Dotterweich to support the legal theory that a distributor that uses contract manufacturers or labelers may be liable (or convictable) for Current Good Manufacturing Practice (“CGMP”) violations by its contractors.”

Read more from the FDA on the Park Doctrine.

Food Safety Tips for Leftovers

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food safety tips for leftovers
Whether it’s a doggie bag from your favorite restaurant, last night’s meat loaf or an extra carton of takeout food, leftovers find their way into our mealtime repertoires. And let’s face it—most of us love leftovers. Not only does the food often taste better the next day (thanks to flavors melding together), but busy cooks get a night off. Here are guidelines to properly store and reheat last night’s feast:

Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours.

Cool leftovers quickly. Before refrigerating or freezing, slice large cuts of meat and store in serving-size packets. Use small containers to store stews and chilis.

Label leftovers with the date.

Check the refrigerator once a week and discard old leftovers. When in doubt, throw it out!

Reheat leftovers until piping hot all the way through.

To ensure even reheating in a microwave oven:
Cover food with a vented covering.
Rotate food halfway through cooking time.
Stir food halfway through cooking time (even if oven has turntable).
Stir food again after cooking is completed.
Allow food to stand for five minutes after cooking.

Never reheat leftovers in a slow-cooker. The gradual heating promotes bacterial growth.

Food Safety is Everyones Responsibility

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Food vendors in your community, which include but are not limited to convenience stores, restaurants and delis should observe local statutes for food safety on the local, government or federal level. These rules vary depending on one’s jurisdiction but the basics should be covered. These basics include sourcing foods from safe locations, storing and cooking food to the recommended temperatures, proper food handling, and observing good hygiene and sanitation.
Scheduled Inspections

Some people think that taking antibiotics and recovering from a foodborne incidence is enough. For them, what happened was a mere misfortune—they were just there at the wrong place, at a very wrong time. And most of the time, the food workers are to blame. But while they may have taken part in why you’re suffering a terrible stomach upset from that shellfish or steak you’ve eaten, you also have some duties to fulfill as a consumer. Foodsafety.gov and the Center for Disease Control have come up with a guideline about it as summarized below by our writer:
Food Safety Requirements for Vendors.

Communities should conduct food inspections regularly and use a standardized inspection form or scoring system on evaluating food vendors.
Keeping Scores

Food vendors should make it a point to post their inspection reports on the premises for the general public to see. These reports should contain their rating—either numerical or letter-grade from a to c, or a pass/fail one. Should citations be issued, the vendor should also post a copy of the committed violations along with their inspection report, and not hide it from the public.

The reports are also published on the internet, take note, so if you ever have the time to see how your local restaurant fares before visiting them, you may do so by going online and checking their rating on the regulatory agency’s website.

If you’ve visited a restaurant that’s not posting their reports for everybody to see, then contact your local food authority. Visit the Directory of State and Local Officials website to know more about the contact details of your local food regulatory agency.
Reporting Incidences of Foodborne Illnesses

You have to let health authorities know about your experience of contracting a foodborne illness. It is necessary for health department officials to know about it so they can be able to track down the cause of the illness, and find out if it is linked to any outbreaks or upcoming ones. The information you provide will also help authorities prevent the potential spread of the foodborne illness.

Keeping Food Safe During a Power Outage

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Keeping Food Safe During a Power Outage

Be Prepared

Make sure that you have appliance thermometers in both the refrigerator and the freezer. That’s the best way to be sure that your food is safe after a power outage. Safe temperatures are 40°F or lower in the refrigerator, 0°F or lower in the freezer.
If there are warnings of a severe storm on the way, freeze water in one-quart plastic storage bags. They are small enough to fit in around the food in the refrigerator and freezer to help keep food cold and won’t make a mess when the ice melts. Don’t fill them too full or they might split because water expands when it freezes.
Know where you can get dry ice or block ice.
Be sure to have a few days’ worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or cooling

When the Power Goes Out

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
A refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours if the door is kept closed.
A full freezer will hold its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if half-full). If your freezer is not full, group packages so they form an “igloo” to protect each other.
Place meat and poultry to one side or on a tray so if they begin thawing their juices will not get on other foods.
If the power is going to be out for a long time, buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep a fully-stocked 18-cubic-feet freezer cold for two days.

When Power Comes Back

Check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or leftovers) that has been above 40°F for two hours or more.
Check each item separately. Throw out any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture, or feels warm to the touch.
When in doubt, throw it out.
With frozen food, check for ice crystals. The food in your freezer that partially or completely thawed may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is 40°F or below.
Never taste a food to decide if it’s safe .