Egg Recall Followed by Beef
Posted on 03. Sep, 2010 by Jessica in Natural Health News
Less than a month after half a million eggs were recalled for salmonella, now reports of 8,500 pounds of ground beef contaminated by a type of E. coli bacteria are being recalled by a company in Pennsylvania, announced by the Department of Agriculture.
According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, there is a link between the recalled beef and the three instances of illnesses in New York and Maine. Cargill Meat Solutions of Wyalusing, Pa., the company responsible ship in 14 pound packages and send it to distribution centers in Connecticut and Maryland under different brand names. A list of retail outlets that have probably received some of the beef in question is already released by the department. One store in Baltimore, Virginia and Chesapeake were listed. A total of eight states were BJ’s wholesale club locations.
It is important to remember that the ground beef infected has a product code of W69032, and the beef subject to recall carries the establishment number EST. 9400 inside the USDA mark of inspection. This beef should only be eaten if cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
The safety of our food should always be a priority for everyone. This is why, with all the hype on the major food poisoning issues salmonella and e.coli, more stress is being placed on determining where the contamination has occurred in the supply chain. This is where traceback comes in.
With an excellent product tracing system, it will not only start to minimize any outbreaks, but also, prevent them in the future.
Bad Egg Recall, Only a Window to Bigger Health Problems
Posted on 29. Aug, 2010 by Jessica in Natural Health News
The recall of over half a billion eggs relates to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened thousands of people. There are a total of 5 brands that are out of the market, but experts say this is just the highlight of a continuing problem in the United States.
Now, the tainted eggs have already been removed from stores, and consumers have very little to fear from eating eggs as long as they are cooked properly. After this concerning episodes, new safety rules for egg production has been established, in order to avoid a similar incident in the future.
However, many consumers ask if this is enough to end the seemingly increasing food poisoning and contamination problem. While these extra measures have been taken, people are aware that there is a highly complicated and dysfunctional food safety system.
Britain for example, was faced with the same problem more than 10 years ago. The solution for them had been vaccinating their hens against the bacterial. This will cost only less a penny per dozen eggs, a very simple yet effective measure that has totally wiped the problem out or Britain.
American regulators recently created new egg safety rules that have taken into effect last month. It did not include the hen vaccination against salmonella. The Food and Drug Administration decided against it because they did not receive enough evidence to conclude that the vaccine could prevent the chickens from getting sick.
Whether the problem is traced back to poultry, hamburger patties or lettuce, consumers have complained that there is very limited federal oversight. The responsibilities are spread out to the point of difficulty when it comes to monitoring. The F.D.A are responsible to ensure the safety of eggs in the shells, however, in liquid industrial food production, that falls under the Agriculture Department. The Department of Agriculture is also responsible for chickens as well as grading for the eggs.
The new safety rules were actually recommended by scientists almost 20 years ago. It remained inactive because regulators argued over the jurisdiction of its effects. And so, the new rules stayed dormant until last month, too late to possibly stop the outbreak.
Public Pools May Pose Infection Risk
Posted on 17. Jul, 2010 by Jessica in Natural Health News
The climate change has caused the temperatures to be at their extreme, which means we are experiencing the coldest of winters and the hottest of summers. A message of warning however, don’t be so quick to jump into those public pools to soothe the burning heat.
Researchers have discovered that one out of eight public pools across America had to be closed due to serious violations. The violations include inadequate chlorine levels and improper Ph level in the pool water. These two violations alone can lead to the transmission of disease causing germs in the water.
What’s worse is that the highest percentage of immediate closures are pools in child care settings. According to Michele Hlavsa, an epidemiologist at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kiddie or wading pools and interactive fountains had the highest percentage of disinfectant violations.
“It’s not easy to keep pools, especially outdoor pools, within compliance,” said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University. “They must be checked frequently.”
While pool inspectors play a vital role in ensuring that the pool and the swimmers are safe, inspections cannot be done on a daily basis. There are some practices that may be done by the swimmers themselves in order to ensure their safety.
It is possible to check the pH level of the water yourself with the help of pH strips available. Note that the level should be between 7.2 to 7.8 in order to reach the standards.
Small children are very susceptible to contracting intestinal and skin infections, and they may also help in spreading them. Fungal infections like athlete’s foot are easily spread on wet surfaces so it’s best to observe hygiene.
It is advisable to use slippers when walking around the area instead of going barefoot. Make sure to shower before and after using the pool. “Swimming is a great physical activity, but people just need to think a little more and take more active roles in making sure it’s healthy, too,” Hlavsa said.
Source: ^ Definitions of pH scales, standard reference values, measurement of pH, and related terminology. Pure Appl. Chem. (1985), 57, pp 531–542.
Strawberries and Methyl Iodide
Posted on 17. Jul, 2010 by Jessica in Natural Health News
Submitted for Approval in California
The State of California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation has just proposed the approval for use of a very harmful chemical in strawberry crops. Methyl iodide, a cancer-causing pesticide, was just submitted for approval as a replacement to methyl bromide, which was banned because of its detrimental effects to the environment.
In 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first approved methyl iodide for use as a pesticide despite many protests from scientists, legislators, and Nobel laureates. Used to induce cancer in rats in laboratory tests, this pesticide has been dubbed as “highly toxic” that even chemists refuse to handle it.
Methyl iodide is now licensed for use in 47 states across America. It is mostly used on strawberries, and occasionally on tomatoes and peppers.
According to Lea Brooks, spokeswoman for the Department of Pesticide Regulation, they are aware of the toxicity of the pesticide, and that it could be used safely if protective measures were undertaken. She added, “If it gets registered, anyone who uses the chemical will have to set up buffer zones, limit application rates and treat only a limited amount of acreage at a time. California’s exposure limits are twice as strict as EPA’s.”
The toxic pesticide can be legally used by growers to use after a 60-day comment period which will end on June 29.
References:
1. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/01/BAP71DG7KH.DTL
9 Surprising Truths About Sunscreens
Posted on 14. Jul, 2010 by Stephanie in Natural Health News
Sunscreens, when applied correctly, protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, we should, regardless of skin type, make it a daily habit to wear water-resistant sunscreen that gives protection from UVA and UVB rays, and contains Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 30.
However, FDA’s failure to regulate sunscreens has compromised the quality of some products with regard to their safety and efficacy. Some products exaggerate their SPF ratings, and a number have been recently found to contain potentially harmful ingredients. This has led EWG to question the ability of sunscreens to give off adequate protection against ultraviolet radiation.
Here are the 9 suprising facts EWG has uncovered about sunscreens: [1]
- There’s no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer. Two public health agencies, FDA and IARC, agree that the use of sunscreen alone to help prevent skin cancer has not yet been established, at least according to their data. In addition, IARC recommends the use of hats and shade as the primary defenses against UV radiation.
- There’s some evidence that sunscreens might increase the risk of the deadliest form of skin cancer for some people. Researchers have found that there has been an increased risk of melanoma in people who use sunscreens, possibly due to the tendency of some sunscreen users to stay under the sun for too long, or also due to certain chemical reactions between sunscreen and sunlight.
- There are more high SPF products than ever before, but no proof that they’re better. Sunscreens today have very high SPF ratings, which worries FDA that people might spend long hours under the sun, thus increasing the risk of skin damage.
- Too little sun might be harmful, reducing the body’s vitamin D levels. Sunscreens inhibit the production of vitamin D.
- The common sunscreen ingredient vitamin A may speed the development of cancer. Recent studies conducted by the FDA has raised some concerns about retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A which has been thought to be photocarcinogenic, which means that it can cause increase the risk of skin cancer when applied to skin exposed to sunlight. Studies have not yet shown conclusive evidence, however, EWG still recommends consumers to stay away from sunscreens that contain vitamin A.
- Free radicals and other skin-damaging byproducts of sunscreen. Some ingredients in sunscreens and UV radiation produce free radicals that accelerate skin damage.
- Pick your sunscreen: nanomaterials or potential hormone disruptors. EWG has determined that physical sunscreens are the better option since they provide a more stable protection, and are not absorbed into the skin.
- Europe’s better sunscreens. There are more sunscreen options in Europe compared to the United States.
- The 33rd summer in a row without final U.S. sunscreen safety regulations. FDA has not yet established safety regulations for sunscreens, resulting to inadequate performances of some sunscreens in the market.
References:
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