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    Category Food Safety Policy

    Ethanol may not be so good: Better hand hygiene for flu prevention

    Posted in: Food Safety Policy, handwashing, policy on: September 21

    The American Society for Microbiology says rubbing hands with ethanol-based sanitizers should provide a formidable defense against infection from flu viruses, which can thrive and spread in saliva and mucus. But findings published this week in mSphere challenge that notion — and suggest … Continue reading → Read More

    From the duh files: How well do you understand irrigation water risk management?

    Posted in: food safety, Food Safety Policy, Other Microorganisms on: March 24

    Doug Grant of The Packer writes food safety outbreaks have a massive effect not only on growers, but on all stakeholders throughout the fresh produce supply chain. Irrigation water has been identified over the years as a likely cause of … Continue reading → Read More

    Flour power: NEJM paper on 2016 outbreak

    Posted in: E. coli, flour, Food Safety Policy, raw dough on: November 23

    A couple of weeks ago Duncan Hines brand cake mixes were recalled because of Salmonella. Maybe it was the flour. Flour comes from dried wheat that’s milled and not heat treated (because it messes with the gluten). As the Salmonella dries … Continue reading → Read More

    UK botanist reveals vegan blogger is decorating food with poisonous flowers in her Instagram photos (and eating them could make you vomit)

    Posted in: Food Safety Policy on: February 1

    Imogen Blake of the Daily Mail reports a TV botanist has revealed that a popular vegan blogger has been decorating her food with poisonous flowers in Instagram photos. James Wong, who regularly appears on CountryFile, said on Twitter that flowers decorating a fruity pink … Continue reading → Read More

    Are chefs trying to kill us? (Asks the Boston Globe). Probably not. But might not be focused on public health

    Posted in: Food Safety Culture, Food Safety Policy on: December 14

    ‘Every place has a closet behind lock and key that has a lot of that kind of stuff in it,’ The stuff – usually something fermenting, curing or some unapproved (foraged/home produced) food is back there. According to the Boston … Continue reading → Read More

    Does Europe have an egg problem? Salmonella cases no longer falling in the EU

    Posted in: Campylobacter, food safety, Food Safety Policy, Listeria, Salmonella on: December 12

    The declining trend of salmonellosis cases in the EU has levelled off according to the annual report on zoonotic diseases published today. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports that cases of Salmonella Enteritiis acquired in the EU have increased … Continue reading → Read More

    Steam with your melons? If it makes produce safer, why not

    Posted in: E. coli, food safety, Food Safety Policy, Listeria, Salmonella on: December 9

    Abstract The purpose of this study was evaluation of the effectiveness of superheated steam (SHS) on inactivation of foodborne pathogens on cantaloupes and watermelons. Saturated steam (SS) treatment was performed at 100 °C and that of SHS at 150 and 200 °C. Escherichia … Continue reading → Read More

    Heston or Hugh? Sous-vide risk

    Posted in: E. coli, food safety, Food Safety Policy, Salmonella on: September 24

    Scientists from Public Health England analysed 34 meals from restaurants, hotels and pubs which were mostly made up of chicken or duck breast cooked in a water bath. They found the ‘sous-vide’ method of simmering vacuum-packed foods in a water … Continue reading → Read More

    French boy permanently disabled by E. coli in frozen beef

    Posted in: E. coli, e. coli O157, food safety, Food Safety Culture, Food Safety Policy, policy on: June 9

    In June, 2011, eight children in Northern France were initially diagnosed with E. coli O157 after eating beef burgers bought from German discount retailer, Lidl. In May 2012, the Institut de veille sanitaire summarized the outbreak, and revealed 17 children … Continue reading → Read More

    The intersection of marijuana and food safety

    Posted in: Food Safety Policy on: May 24

    I hate missing hockey. Skipping my Monday night game was worth it though; I spent some time with some old friends at the Rocky Mountain Food Safety Conference in Denver. I’d been with the good folks of Colorado before, speaking at … Continue reading → Read More