E.COLI 0157:H7 FOUND IN U.S. BEEF

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) seems to be having a busy month. Two more meat recalls today. That makes fourteen recalls in July. This time, it is not ready-to-eat products (see my earlier posts of today and of July 19 and 20). Just beef. One of the recalls is because of a finding of that very nasty E.coli 0157 bacteria. The other is due to a finding of dangerous drug residues (the drug is Ivermectin - see next post).

Tri State Beef, a Cincinnati, Ohio, is having to recall some 228,596 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. But this E.coli contamination may not be as bad as it sounds since it was sold to other companies in Chicago, Ill., Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, Iowa and Virginia for further processing and distribution.

Reportedly, it was not sold directly to consumers. The meat will undergo cooking before it ever reaches the consumer. Hopefully, such cooking will be done properly so that it will inactivate any bacteria in the meat. Since the facilities are federally inspected, such inspection should make sure that this was the case. Let's hope those inspectors are doing their job!

In sum, this is not expected to be a recall that the consumer has to worry about.

To your good health,
TSF

WHY RADIATION-CONTAMINATED CATTLE ARE BAD NEWS

Beef with high levels of radiation has been prevented from entering Tokyo's food markets. But only because the meat itself was tested during processing. The earlier pre-shipment external screening of the live cattle had passed them as "safe." According to a government official, this was the first time that excessive levels of radioactive caesium have been found in meat since the start of this Fukushima nuclear crisis in March (still unresolved).

Here are the facts: eleven cattle from a herd in Fukushima prefecture were found to have three to six times the legal limit of radioactive caesium (which can increase cancer risk) in their meat. And these cattle had lived outside the 20-30Km evactuation zone. In fact, they were reportedly moved there to be "safe" from radiation spewing out of Japan's crippled nuclear plant, raised indoors and fed safe food and water.

Alright, high levels of dangerous radionuclides in 11 cattle is not a big issue. Or is it? You could say, that it raises some very unpleasant - but important, questions. Here are some in my mind:

 How many other cattle with such high levels of radionuclides actually reached the market? Some 3,000 beef cattle from the same area have also passed external testing for contaminants since April. None - as also in the case of this herd - tested positive for radiation during the initial screening. It seems that their meat was not tested before it was sold and eaten. Was it also above safe levels?
 Is the currently performed random testing of actual market-ready food items sufficient to protect the public? According to a Japan's Ministry of Health spokesman, less than 1% of actual food (including meat, fresh produce, and seafood) is being tested for nuclear contaminants.
 What about other food animals such as swine and poultry? The government of Fukushima prefecture has asked farmers in Minamisouma to refrain from cattle shipments (sounds a bit vague) but no action has been taken or advice given on other poultry or livestock.
 How did these cattle end up with such high levels if they were (as claimed) raised indoors and fed safe food? And what does this imply for other food animals - and humans?

To your good health,
TSF

WILL YOU GET SICK FROM THE STAPH IN YOUR MEAT?

So now we suspect that Staphyloccus aureus bacteria and their toxins could be hiding in half the beef, pork, chicken and turkey we eat in America (see earlier blogs). So why aren't meat eaters getting sick more often?

The U.S. federal authorities estimate that this bacteria is only responsible for about 3 percent of foodborne illness. The meat industry (represented by the American Meat Institute) naturally says it is even less - about 1 percent. (You can do a lot of creative stuff with statistics, and as always, you can find some study or other to back up your case).

In fact, at least a quarter of us walk around with Staph bacteria up our noses, in our mouth or on our skin. Mind you, it's more likely to be one of the less dangerous Staph like Staphylococcus albus, but Staphylococcus aureus is sometimes there too.

But what about this Staphylococcus aureus in meat and other foods you eat? Will it make you sick?

Whether you get sick or not, will depend on a number of factors, including: i) which type of toxins the Staph bacteria produce (see earlier post which explains that toxins are what make you ill - not the Staph bacteria themselves); ii) how much of these toxins you ingest; and iii) who you are.

First, not all Staph produce dangerous enterotoxins such as Staphylococcal enterotoxin Type A or B, and your body can cope with small amounts in your burger or fried chicken, if you don't eat too much (Yet another reason to cut back on the size of your meat portion!).

Finally, whether you get symptoms of food poisoning will depend on how susceptible you yourself are. As always, some people are more vulnerable than others - young children, older adults, people with serious illnesses. I also came across an interesting study of illnesses caused by Staph toxins which found that people under stress are more susceptible than normal.

So don't stress out too much about Staph in your meat. Often there won't be enough toxins to hurt you. Besides, any stress just could make you more susceptible!

TSF

MRSA BACTERIA IN U.S. MEAT?

Recently published findings about drug resistant bacteria in U.S. meat is raising hairs - and blood pressure - among consumers. Disease-causing bacteria in our food are bad enough, but when they are also resistant to antibiotics, then its really scary. How can we be treated if we catch them?

A study published in the reputable journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases on April 15 is the cause of the furror. Testing on beef, chicken, pork and turkey for sale in U.S. stores in cities of Chicago, Los Angeles. Washington, D.C., Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and Flagstaff in Arizona, found that about 47 percent of the meat was contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus . And, it found that over half of these bacteria were resistant to at least 3 kinds of antibiotics. Some were resistant to more. Reportedly, at least one meat sample contained MRSA.

It seems that genetic testing argues that the bacteria came from the animals themselves - not from handling or packaging or some other source. If you have read The Safe Food Handbook, you won't be surprised. You also won't be surprised that the bacteria are antibiotic resistant, since the book explains why such bacteria are on the increase in meat and farmed seafood.

Industrialized food production is to blame. The popular practice in the United States is to give food animals small doses of antibiotics on a regular basis to keep them from getting sick, and fatten them up faster. No, it is not to treat illness - this is strictly preventive. And, it is profitable for the meat and the pharmaceutical industries.

The United States is behind the European and many other industrialized countries in banning this dangerous over-use and misappropriate use of drugs. Yes, it may help to keep our meat and poultry cheap - which is the argument of the industry. But is it worth creating a huge risk for public health?

TSF

A LITTLE SLIP-UP LEADS TO A RECALL

Now beef is trying to make up for lost time last year. We are getting one beef recall after another. The latest - "FULLY COOKED BLACK ANGUS GROUND BEEF STEAK PATTIES,” (whatever that means). They were apparently contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria which is so deadly to people with compromised immune systems (see previous blog about Steve Jobs) - and, to pregnant women.

But try recalling beef patties, when that product "has been used and is no longer available in commerce." (I am quoting the company's recall notice). The Angus beef patties in question were produced by United Food Group, of California, on October 11 last year.

Why is this recall so late? It seems when the company was conducting its end-of-year inventory, it discovered that this large package of contaminated burgers, that had been placed on hold, had been accidentally shipped out after all. Oooops. A little slip-up. It went to a single distributor in California who apparently shipped the patties off to "institutional users." Hospitals? Schools? Nursing homes? NOT a good idea....

TSF

RECALL OF BEEF TRIM

The USDA/FSIS which is in charge of the safety of American meat and poultry, has at least one inspector on the ball. As he/she (and I hope it is a woman)was inspecting the records of a Colorado producer of beef trim he/she found a problem. A large shipment of beef trim,labelled "for cooking only," should have been sent first to a federally approved facility for the "kill" step before it went into the food supply. But no - the company's records showed that it had been sent to the wrong place - where no such treatment of meat was done. This meant that this meat most likely entered our food system loaded with bacteria.

Why? Because beef trim is the worst, and most dangerous of beef, scraped off the skeleton of the cow, and trimmed off other cuts. It is used for making hamburger meat (no wonder hamburger meat is so risky). E.coli 0157:H7 bacteria are estimated to be present in 2-3% of US cattle (the cattle do not show signs of illness, so they are not eliminated at the slaughterhouse). These bacteria easily get into meat during the slaughtering process, in spite of precautions taken and in spite of inspectors keeping a round-the-clock eye on things.

Of course, the company's recall notice makes a point of saying that no illnesses have been linked to this recalled meat as yet. But, it is very difficult to establish links with this kind of product. Good luck finding any proof - or, recalling any of the meat, for that matter. It was produced on Dec. 2, 2010. The recall took place six weeks later. And your butcher or supermarket or some prepared hamburger manufacturer - maybe several - have used it long ago to make your hamburger meat (often it is made on the premises).

I just hoped you cooked those burgers well back there in December.

TSF

RECALL OF GROUND BEEF

It has been a fairly quiet year for ground beef recalls. So I suppose it was time for one more before the end of 2010. The recalled product is "organic" ground beef - which we would like to think is a little better. This time it isn't.

The recalling firm is based in California. It has one of those quality-sounding names that are common in the food business - "First Class Foods, Inc." Unfortunately, first class or not, it is in trouble. Over the years several companies have folded because of E.coli 0157 in their ground meat. Recalls are very costly. And we may be in trouble too if we eat that meat undercooked. As we all know, ground meat is the most risky of all fresh meat products, because of the way it is made. E.coli 0147 can give you bloody diarrhea, and dehydration. In most severe cases, kidney failure can occur. No fun. Most likely to become seriously ill are young children, seniors and anyone with a weak immune system.

By the way, this is the fifth case in 2010 (12 mos.) of E.coli 0147 that testing has turned up in widely sold U.S. ground beef or raw beef products (such as raw patties, burgers). Plus two more in meat that would probably have been ground at the retailers, as it often is.

Here are the facts:

- Products were sent to retail establishments in Calif., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Wis., and Wash. State.

- The ones being recalled are:

---16-oz. packages of "NATURE'S HARVEST ORGANIC GROUND BEEF BRICK" sold singly with one of the following "USE or FREEZE by" dates: "12/30/10" or "01/08/11."
---16-oz. packages of "ORGANIC HARVEST ORGANIC GROUND BEEF BRICK" sold singly and in three-packs with one of the following "USE or FREEZE by" dates: "12/28/10" or "01/06/11."
---16-oz. packages of NATURE'S HARVEST GROUND PATTY" containing four (4) 4-oz. patties with the following "USE or FREEZE by" date: "12/30/10" or "01/08/11."
--- Each package label has the establishment number "EST. 18895"

If you have questions, you can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-888-MPHOTLINE) or Lucienne Adams -(310) 676-2500 at the recalling company. That is, if they are answering.

Remember, in many recalls, additional products and additional companies are added later, so you may want to be even more cautious. That is, if you don't want a bad start to 2011.

Cook those burgers well!
TSF

BEEF'S TURN

Well, now it's beef's turn to come up contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. On August 6 the USDA announced that Beef Packers, Inc., based in Fresno, California, is recalling approximately 825,769 pounds of ground beef products that may be linked to an outbreak of salmonellosis. That is a whole lot of beef. The ground beef products were sent to retail distribution centers in Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah.

So, we just avoid eating it, right? No, unfortunately not, because we don't know what brand name they were sold under. The product was shipped in bulk, and then repackaged by other different companies into smaller packages with different names. Who knows what they all are. Besides, the 'use or freeze by' date has long expired. The meat was sent out on various dates in June, and the latest use-date was before mid-July. In other words, the chances are that it has already been eaten. That nasty bout of diarrhea, vomiting, fever etc. that you had a few weeks ago, that you thought was the 'flu - well, it could have been that medium-rare hamburger you ate (or, well-cooked one you made without using careful kitchen hygiene). To make matters worse, this is a particularly nasty member of the Salmonella family - Salmonella Newport because it is resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics. And that is not mentioning the risk of longer-term effects on our health, like arthritis and worse.

So, what do we do? Well, if you are presently eating in California, Arizona, Colorado or Utah, the safest approach is to only buy ground beef from a store that grinds up their own. Or, maybe skip eating any ground beef meals for a while altogether. Try a turkey-burger instead. It is better for you, and actually quite good, particularly if you throw some garlic and herbs on it, and maybe a pile of cream sherry-soaked sauteed red onions on top, served on an onion bagel...

Bon appetit,
TSF