NEW VIRULENT COLI FORMS-ALARM SIGNALS FOR MEAT INDUSTRY

The bacteria Escherichia coli, mostly associated with fecal sources, has been used as a marker organism for years to detect contamination of water and foods with undesirable and pathogenic organisms. By itself E.coli is a harmless organism not known to pose any serious hazard to humans. Emergence of the virulent form of this species E. coli 0157:H7 changed the food safety scenario dramatically and it is one of the most dreaded pathogens by the food industry. Major focus was directed to make food products including fresh produce free from contamination by this strain through rigid and elaborate quality control procedures in the organized food industry. While tons of information has been generated during the last one decade on E.coli 015:H7, emergence of other virulent strains of this organism did not catch the attention of food safety experts till the recent episode in the US involving them tainting lettuce causing some damage.

"But as everyone focused on controlling that particular bacterium, known as E. coli O157:H7, the six rarer strains of toxic E. coli were largely ignored.Collectively, those other strains are now emerging as a serious threat to food safety. In April, romaine lettuce tainted with one of them sickened at least 26 people in five states, including three teenagers who suffered kidney failure. Although the federal government and the beef and produce industries have known about the risk posed by these other dangerous bacteria for years, regulators have taken few concrete steps to directly address it or even measure the scope of the problem.For three years, the United States Department of Agriculture has been considering whether to make it illegal to sell ground beef tainted with the six lesser-known E. coli strains, which would give them the same outlaw status as their more famous cousin. The meat industry has resisted the idea, arguing that it takes other steps to keep E. coli out of the beef supply and that no outbreak involving the rarer strains has been definitively tied to beef".

As comprehensive information on these new virulent strains is not available, regulators and the industry are in a fix regarding the need for making processing regimes more stringent to eliminate any risk posed by these microorganisms in meat products and refrigerated fresh produce. Meat industry is especially vulnerable because of innumerable past instances of meat contamination involving E.coli 015:H7 but it seems the industry is satisfied with the existing processing schedules that can also destroy other virulent strains. Probably this needs verification and confirmation by the safety authorities.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE "5-SECONDS" RULE-SCIENTIFICALLY VALID?

Food safety concerns have created the myth that a food dropped on the floor and picked up immediately within 5 seconds can be safe for consumption and free from contamination. Presumably, who ever has authored this "invention", took it for granted that the bugs present on the floor are not agile enough to move into the food within such a short time. Recently scientific studies have proved the myth wrong, giving much more credit to these tiny bugs than humans have thought of!

"Three baby carrots were dropped into a kitchen sink, onto a tiled floor, a carpeted floor, a table and a counter top. A control carrot remained undropped. In each case, germs glommed onto the veggie in 5 seconds. The germiest culprit? The countertop, followed by the carpeted floor and the tiled floor. The wet sippy cup actually picked up the most germs when dropped onto a highchair tray. The university also surveyed 500 parents, finding that 65 percent admitted to following the 5-second rule".

While it may be true that bacteria can get adhered to the food dropped on the floor, to what extent the few cells managing to cling on would be harmful is a tantalizing question. Unless a minimum critical mass is present and sufficient time elapses between picking up and consumption, bacterial multiplication to dangerous levels, probably may not take place. Does it mean that the "5-seconds" rule is still relevant? There are many variables such as extent of contamination on the floor, the surface characteristics of the floor, type of food dropped, quantity involved and the way it is picked up. One cannot be sure but if one is game for a gamble and does not feel unduly apprehensive, the dropped food can still be consumed after picking up within 5 seconds of dropping it

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE BPA "CIRCUS"-INDUSTRY LOBBY WINS!

After postponing a decision on banning Bis-phenol A (BPA) several times, the USFDA has come out at last with a tame declaration that existing data would be inadequate to justify any ban on this chemical which finds its way to foods through feeding bottles and other containers and packings. To add insult to injury, this agency has made a non-binding suggestion that children may not be exposed too much to BPA tainted foods till adequate scientific data emerge regarding its absolute safety.

"Reporting from Washington - The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that the safety of a controversial chemical found in some baby bottles, children's drinking cups and other food containers merited further study but did not warrant immediate restrictions on its use. The FDA, the Department of Health and Human Services and other health agencies have committed $30 million to studying the health effects of bisphenol A, or BPA, and expect results in 18 to 24 months. "We have some concern, meaning in part that we need to know more," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in a conference call with reporters. In the meantime, the agency has issued guidance for limiting the exposure of children and babies. FDA Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein said that for the present, "the FDA does support the use of baby bottles with BPA."

What about the views from FDA on safety of BPA? "But because BPA was classified years ago as an indirect food additive, it is not subject to the kind of scrutiny that other chemicals are. Without critical data about BPA, it is impossible to regulate the chemical, officials said. BPA, first manufactured in 1891, was later developed as a plasticizer in the early 1960s. It was classified in 1963 as an indirect food additive and is listed among some 3,000 chemicals that are "generally regarded as safe." That designation exempts them from scrutiny. According to the FDA's regulations, a substance that is granted that status is not subject to FDA review. So, while the agency can broadcast its opinion that the chemical is not safe, it can't compel companies to provide certain information about the chemical".

What is baffling is that 90% of the processors who were using packing materials like Poly carbonates earlier have stopped using them voluntarily responding to consumer concern while the food safety agency is not unduly bothered about it. In a clear strategy to buy more time, obviously favoring the industry, a research project has been suggested, that too funded by the government! USA must be the most favorable place for business in this planet because of such "friendly" gestures from the government, even though it is at the cost of the citizen and the exchequer.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FARM WASTE MANAGEMENT-RISKS AND BENEFITS

In a country like India large dairy farms with more than 1000 cows are far and few and many such farms have facilities to generate gobar gas for use as an energy source. The residue remaining after digestion is not supposed to emanate any foul odor to contaminate the environment. But in western countries where large mechanized farms operate producing large volume of wastes. its management is arduous and risky. A typical cow of good breed can generate about 20-25 tons of waste out of which two third is cow dung, balance being the urine. If such huge quantities of waste are not managed properly it can have serious repercussions for the environment and the food chain. "But as the increasing incidence of environmental and health problems linked to agriculture makes clear, when manure is mismanaged the nutrients in it can foul streams, lakes and aquifers; the pathogens in it can contaminate food products; and the gases it produces, including ammonia, methane and bad-smelling volatile compounds, can upset neighbors and pollute the atmosphere". India is fortunate in having smaller dairy farms where gobar gas plants invariably process the waste into useful fuel and safe manure. Centuries of tradition in India has established the benefits of integrated farming and there is hardly any safety issue involved in the operation of such farms. How ever pig farms and poultry farms are great polluters and V.H.POTTY http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/ http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD BORNE DISEASES-THE NEW DIMENSION

Food borne diseases cause immense damage in terms of human mortality and most of them are preventable by creating increased awareness about sound food handling practices amongst the vulnerable population. Poor hygiene and sanitation, unsatisfactory cleaning of fresh produce, improper storage and cooking practices and use of infected and infested raw materials are some of the reasons for the prevalence diseases like diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice etc. The true dimension of the problem has dawned on the WHO only recently.

"Millions of adults die every year from bugs and toxins in what they eat, according to new World Health Organisation data that shows food-borne diseases are far more deadly than the U.N. agency previously estimated. The research faults unsafe food for 1.2 million deaths per year in people over the age of five in Southeast Asia and Africa - three times more adult deaths than the Geneva-based WHO had thought occurred in the whole world. "It is a picture that we have never had before," WHO Food Safety Director Jorgen Schlundt said in an interview. "We now have documentation of a significant burden outside the less than five group, that is major new information." Ailments linked to contaminated food and water have long been seen as a major threat to young children, who can dehydrate quickly. But the Danish veterinarian and microbiologist said the risks to older populations had been grossly underestimated. Older children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to severe illness from major food- and water-borne diseases such as salmonella, listeria, E. coli, Hepatitis A and cholera".

Is there no way to prevent the spread of this scourge year after year in spite of so much knowledge available on the mechanics of controlling food contamination? While organized industry, under control of the governments, can contribute significantly to prevent food contamination in their manufacturing facilities, it is the informal sector comprising small retailers, small scale eateries, cottage industries, large scale catering business and community meals which are vulnerable to serious food contamination. Deterrent measures with severe penalties for the culprits and massive sensitization of workers regarding the importance of sanitation can only control food borne diseases to any meaningful extent.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

OLD FOODS AND THEIR SAFETY-NEED FOR RATIONALITY

How old the food can be, before its consumption can become a health risk? This is a question that bothers many consumers while a substantial population blindly believe that once refrigerated the food is safe. It is unbelievable that in a country like the US with high literacy and economic strength, more than one fourth of the population get exposed to food related health problems due to microbial and other contamination, many requiring hospitalization. Both industry and the house wife can be responsible for this phenomenon.

"While prudent measures may save a few dollars, when it comes to food storage, extreme frugality often proves foolish — even dangerous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate 76 million cases of food-borne illness occur each year in this country. While most cause only mild symptoms, 325,000 cases send people to the hospital and 5,000 result in death".

Wasting food for no reason can be unconscionable, besides pinching the family budget. But consumer is in a great dilemma to decide whether the old, stored and partially eaten portions are still edible with no safety risks. A guideline to avoid wastage of foods and reject unsafe ones will go a long way to educate the consumer. The initiative by the US Dept of Agriculture and US FDA in providing such a ready reckoner is worth emulating by others in the interest of their population.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

MAKING FOOD SAFER-NEED FOR TRACEABILITY

Samonella contamination of fresh produce like tomato, spinach and, jalapeno pepper, encountered during the last two years in some counties was an alarm signal regarding the risks involved in producing and marketing fresh vegetables, even if the hygiene infrastructure used in the packing sheds is of impeccable standards. The fact that food poisoning was not traced to the source even after 6 months of the first reported case highlights the practical constraints in ensuring absolute safety of these products. Supply chain logistics can be daunting since modern retailing involves sourcing from different regions and even outside the countries in some cases making it difficult to trace any contamination to the original source. Recent initiative in the US, is an attempt to overcome such traceability problems through administrative action and electronic based systems are being thought of to make such systems work more efficiently, reliably and fast.

The bar code technology which is used world-wide for product identification and incorporating lot of information about a product can be helpful in evolving a system that will help to trace the origin and history of a farm produce. The US is in the fore front in this important endeavor."The Produce Traceability Initiative aims to create a common standard for electronically tracing produce by the end of 2012. The plan involves adopting a standardized system of bar-coding for all produce sold in the United States, allowing products to be tracked throughout the distribution chain". In order for the farms growing the fresh produce to set up such systems, retailers will have to extend their support and a mutually beneficial alliance can make it a reality.

While bar code technology can help trace the original source of an agriculture produce, it can have some consequences on the present trading practices. With local produce movement gaining grounds, bar code will reveal the supply source giving an advantage to local producers. The way retailing industry works to day, sourcing its supplies from around the world, will also undergo dramatic changes as more and more local materials will have to be stocked and central procurement, processing and packing centers may also yield to more decentralized operations in the coming years. Products coming from developing countries also could be discriminated against, if the source is identifiable. Environmentalists would be delighted to see such bar code system operating as it will encourage consumption of products with less carbon prints.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com