On Monday the 16th of October, the world celebrated World Food Day. It came and went, however, with little more than a nodding glance as the world’s news passed it by. But food remains the universal common need for every human, whether it is an issue of getting enough of it or making sure it is safe. Here are nine food reminders for consumers to keep in mind:
- Chicken should be assumed to be contaminated with campylobacter and often salmonella. Chicken must be cooked to 165 degrees F to ensure these are killed. But the big problem? One drop of the juice from the raw chicken can be enough to sicken an entire meal. Only small amounts of these bacteria are needed to sicken an individual, and these bacteria can replicate rapidly at favorable temperatures;
- Eggs are very often covered in small amounts of salmonella bacteria, unless bleached or pasteurized, Washing eggs, buying such brands as England’s Best (EB), and preventing cross-contamination, are all vital;
- Tuna can be dangerous as a conduit of mercury for pregnant women, but also holds dangers if defrosted or held improperly. In these instances, a toxic protein called scombrotoxin can develop which can cause gastrointestinal and neurological problems;
- Unpasteurized dairy and cheese can, and often do, contain listeria, a very dangerous food borne bacteria that can cause still births, miscarriages, and meningitis in its victims. In some instances, people who consume these unpasteurized cheeses can also develop brucellosis or consume dangerous campylobacter – a recent outbreak of campylobacter has sickened 14 from doing just that, drinking unpasteurized milk;
- Sprouts are a universal “no-no” to most food borne illness experts. They grow close to the ground, in moist environments, and are near impossible to clean. They are also served raw, so no kill-step, and hence if they carry e. coli, salmonella, or other bacteria, they will make the consumer sick;
- Leafy greens are dangerous if not cleaned properly, adn that is difficult to do. Imported leafy greens are notorious, but also domestically grown leafy greens have been at the heart of a number of notorious outbreaks of e. coli, salmonella, adn even parasites, such as Cyclospora (more commonly linked to imported leafy greens);
- Reheated rice and potatoes are a common source of food borne illness. Reheating rarely reaches sufficient temperatures to kill bacteria that have grown;
- Mushrooms that are reheated can cause a breakdown in the protein and can develop toxins – the same is true of reheated eggs and other proteins;
- Strawberries, especially imported ones (fresh adn frozen) are commonly linked to the Hepatitis A Virus, or HAV. HAV immunizations are common in the U.S., but elderly, the very young, adn immigrant communities are especially vulnerable. Outbreaks linked to berries grown in Turkey, Egypt, and Mexico have been reported.
Recent, Ongoing Recalls or Alerts:
- Maisie Jane’s Smooth Almond Butter Recalled For High Levels of Aflatoxin – a Peanut Fungi Toxin
- Don Miguel Burrito Carne Asada Recalled Due to Listeria Monocytogenes
- Del Valle Import and Export LLC’s Recalls Pork Chicharrones
- Kirkland Signature’s Ready-To-Eat Ham Products Alert Issued due to Listeria Monocytogenes (believed to be off the market at this time)
