The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) has successfully identified the culprit in a recent multi-state outbreak of typhoid fever:  sapote fruit.  Called “mamey” fruit in the U.S., the grapefruit-size Sapote is grown commonly in Mexico and has a sweet, juicy pulp commonly used in ice creams and milkshakes.  The CDC became involved when local health departments in California and Nevada began reporting consumers infected with typhoid fever.  About 400 Americans become ill with typhoid fever annually, most while traveling in South America.  This scenario was strange because the infected persons had not been outside the United States when they contracted the disease.

CDC officials report that frozen sapote fruit pulp, used in milkshakes consumed by every person involved in the outbreak, was infected with Salmonella Typhi–more commonly known as typhoid fever.  The distributor, Goya Foods, Inc., has recalled its 14oz bags of Sapote (mamey) Fruit Pulp which were distributed in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington.   Unfortunately (and curiously) additional information is not available on the distributor’s website.

On April 20, 2010, a section of British Petroleum’s (BP) Deepwater Horizon underwater oil pipeline burst, gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico.  Since the initial incident, it has been difficult for experts and BP officials to determine how much oil has been and continues to spill into the gulf, although some experts put the number at well over a million gallons every day.  During the explosion of the pipeline, eleven men lost their lives.  Since then, countless people involved in the gulf seafood, tourism, and hospitality industries  have watched the spill threaten their livelihoods and even their health.

The safety of seafood from the Gulf of Mexico has been a major health concern since the spill.  The seafood industry around the gulf–and its impact on local restaurants, hotels, and other seafood vendors–amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars annually.  In fact, sales from seafood in the five states bordering the Gulf of Mexico totaled $662 million in 2008.   Due to the size and duration of the spill, and the fish and shellfish that may be living in such toxic waters, the security of the entire gulf seafood industry is in jeopardy.

Monday, in a press conference from a Louisiana spill sight, President Obama declared Gulf seafood currently safe for consumption (he even admitted to eating some for lunch!).  However, some food safety experts haven’t always been so confident.  In April, shortly after the oil rig exploded, officials from the FDA, EPA, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration went to the gulf to collect samples of fish and shellfish which they found to be relatively free from oil–however safety testing is ongoing.  Regions of the gulf where fish have tested highly contaminated have been closed for fishing in order to protect the public.  Those regions will not re-open until the seafood there is determined by authorities to be free from contaminants.

Restaurants and consumers nationwide need not be concerned.  More than 83% of all seafood is imported into the United States, including 90% of all shrimp.  However, the financial impact on seafood vendors around the spill cannot be estimated until experts have a clearer idea of just how massive the spill will become–and how soon it can be stopped.

Photo Credit:  Rich Matthews, AP

The Washington Post published an interesting article this morning, spotlighting the recent E. coli outbreak associated with pre-cut, bagged lettuce that infected 23 people in four states during March and April of this year.  The lettuce was not purchased by consumers, but rather by several food service companies and supermarkets as part of their salad bars and prepared meals.  In fact, the majority of infected people were students at colleges in Michigan, Ohio, and New York who consumed the lettuce at their college dining halls.  This issue brings up an interesting question, however:  Are pre-cut, bagged vegetables more dangerous than whole vegetables?

First, how could E. coli, which is generally associated with animal feces, infect vegetables?  According to Caroline Smith De Wall, the food safety director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, “The process of harvesting lettuce, chopping it or tearing, washing and putting it in a bag is a process similar to mixing ground beef.”  As any food handler should know, ground beef is potentially more hazardous than whole beef because bacteria on the outside of the meat is mixed into the center during the grinding process.  The same is true for lettuce, and other leafy greens which are grown in fertilized soil.  Fertilizer is largely composed of animal feces, and therefore is full of E. coli and other contaminants.  So when vegetables are processed for packaging, greens from multiple farmers’ fields (both contaminated and uncontaminated) may be tossed in and cut together–infecting all the produce.

Still, there are strong arguments on both sides of this debate.  Those who believe bagged vegetables are more dangerous argue that chlorine spray used to clean the produce before it is packaged does not kill enough of the bacteria.  Whereas when consumers purchase whole vegetables, they will commonly remove the outer leaves, thus physically removing the majority of potentially infectious bacteria.

James Gorny, senior advisor for produce safety at the FDA disagrees with the idea the bagged produce is more dangerous.  He stated that “bagged greens represent a disproportionate number of recalls, chiefly because they’re easier to identify than whole produce.  When you buy a head of lettuce, you have no idea what the brand name is, or who the grower is–so tracing it back is that much harder.”  Essentially he is stating that because the source of contaminated bagged vegetables is so much clearer than for whole vegetables, complaints about foodborne illness for those products is much higher.  In addition, it is much easier for health department officials to trace the source of the infection for packaged produce, and so it often appears as though pre-cut vegetables are more dangerous, even though they may not be.

Unfortunately there is no clear statistic proving that either whole or pre-cut vegetables are more dangerous.  In order to keep your patrons, family, and employees safe at the salad bar–wash your veggies.  Even if the bag states “pre-washed” it is always a good idea to rinse your leafy greens and vegetables that will be served as ready-to-eat items.  There are also several vegetable washes on the market that may be advisable for households with at-risk individuals.  For additional guidance, contact your health department.

This week marks the first anniversary of the identification of the H1N1 virus,or Swine Flu, that first became an epidemic across the United States before quickly  spreading into a full-blown global outbreak.  The most recent studies state that  14,286 people around the world lost their lives to H1N1 during 2009-2010.  Although the premature deaths of so many people is incredibly tragic, the United States government has been able to take advantage of our actions over the last year in order to assess our current ability to combat threats–both biological and man-made.

According to a press release from the USDHH Preparedness and Response, our goal is to supplement our vaccination technology in order to research, develop, and distribute more quickly and efficiently.  This will allow the USDHH to supply life-saving vaccines to sick populations more quickly and effectively.  As expressed by Sec. Kathleen Sebelius, a crucial element in this will be identifying how our response teams would respond to both known threats and unknown threats that may arise.

In responding to H1N1, as many of you are surely aware, vaccines where in short supply.  Worse yet, some vaccines did little or nothing to combat the ever-changing virus.  It is good to know that USDHH is aware of the mistakes that were made and can view this scenario as a learning opportunity so that if, heaven forbid, there is a “next time” we’ll be ready.

Check out the entire press release at flu.gov.

Yep, you read it right.  We’re reporting on a nation-wide recall of salmonella tainted salami–roughly 1.25 million pounds of it.  It’s never easy to pinpoint cases of foodborne illness to a specific food item but the hard working health department officials in Oregon the shopping receipts compared of persons who had fallen ill and there was one connecting culprit:  Salami.

There have been a total of 184 people in 38 states who have gotten sick from tainted salami, although it’s unknown whether it is the spices or the meat itself that contains the bacteria.

Bottom line:  stick to the BLT for a while.

Don't eat this floor--it's made of Salami!

Photo Credit: www.wimdelvoye.be

Thanks to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we are able to inform you of this important announcement concerning the H1N1 (swine flu) virus and its effects on the American Indian and Native Alaskan population–which have been hit particularly hard by the disease.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have found these native populations to be four times more likely to die from the H1N1 virus.

Wes Studi, the American Indian actor pictured below, is helping to get the word out.  Take Wes’ advice and get your family vaccinated.  Also, please note that children 9 years of age and younger will need TWO doses of the flu vaccine.

"The best way to protect yourself, your family and your community is to get vaccinated against seasonal and H1N1 flu." -Wes Studi, quote for HHS

Click HERE to find out where you can locate the vaccine.

Photo Credit:  www.aaanativearts.com

By now the whole world has heard of the devastating earthquake that rocked the Haitian capitol city of Port-au-Prince early Tuesday morning.  Due to the terrible condition of the roads and the difficulty rescue teams are facing amid the miles of rubble, it is almost impossible to know how exactly many lives have been lost.  The Red Cross has estimated the number of casualties around 45,000-50,000 and the number could go up if survivors do not receive aid promptly.

Clean water and fresh food are scarce in Haiti and charities need all the help they can get at this time to bring supplies to the victims of this horrible disaster.  We urge everyone to make whatever donation they can to a reputable organization that will send the money to those that need it most.  If funds are tight, try holding a workplace fundraiser for disaster relief.  Give employees and patrons an opportunity to contribute.  Charitable donations are also tax deductible.  Be please cautious of charity scams.  We recommend donating to the following organizations who are currently offering aid in Haiti:

• AmeriCares
• Action Against Hunger
• World Concern
• The Salvation Army
• CARE
• Or, text 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross ($8 million have already been raised!)

The recipients of your generosity will probably never know your name, but you’ll know you did a good deed.

photo credit:  CBC News

Apparently not even the government is exempt from good food safety practices.  Last week the cafeteria in the Pennsylvania capitol building had to be shut down after health department inspectors found evidence of a rodent infestation and dish-washing water that was not hot enough.  One member of the state Agricultural Department said the mouse droppings around the facility were “too numerous to mention.”  Droppings, which indicate the presence of live mice are considered to be a major health risk because they put employees and patrons at risk of Hantavirus, Salmonellosis, and many other diseases.

Mice can gain entrance into a building through a hole the size of a pencil eraser and will eat many kinds of food (including crumbs on the floor or trash left indoors).  In one year a female mouse can give birth to over 60 young–and each has a life span of 9-12 months!  Imagine this type of infestation in YOUR establishment!  If you find signs of rodent activity:  droppings, gnawed food containers, nests, etc.; inform a manager immediately!  You could save lives–and your job!

Don't be done in by this little guy!

If you have read the news lately, you’ve probably heard the latest about the Epic Hotel in Miami, FL.  They had a breakout of waterborne illness called Legionnaires’ Disease.  As of the morning of the 15th the Miami Herald knew of one death that came as a direct result of the tainted water.  Apparently the hotel had recently installed a filtering system to remove chlorine from the local water.  The removal of chlorine (a powerful disinfectant) allowed bacteria to flourish and the water supply became a breeding-ground for Legionnaires’ Disease.

Legionnaires’ Disease is essentially a severe form of pneumonia caused by a bacterium known as legionella.  It is not a “communicable” disease, meaning you can’t catch it from person-to-person contact (like a handshake or a kiss).  Most people contract the disease by inhaling the bacteria, but in the case of the Epic Hotel, patrons ingested the bacteria by drinking the water.  Symptoms include fever, body aches and chills, headaches,and greenish-yellow phlegm.  Legionnaires’ Disease can also cause Pontiac fever, which will usually go away on its own.  Legionnaires’ Disease, on the other hand, can be fatal if left untreated.  Not to worry though, antibiotics are very effective in combating the disease.

If you, or someone you know, has stayed at the Epic Hotel recently please call the Miami Health Department at (305) 470-5660.

Resources:  www.mayoclinic.com, www.miamiherald.com