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Chang Farm, a Massachusetts company, has issued a voluntary recall of various bean and soy sprouts because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The sprouts were distributed to restaurants and retail stores throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. Click on the following link to view the FDA Recall Notice.

According to the FDA, the contamination was discovered after a product sample (obtained from a retail store in New York) tested positive for Listeria. To date, no illnesses have been associated with the recalled sprouts.

The affected products, labeled as Chang Farm Brand soy sprouts and bean sprouts, are packaged in 10-pound bags (bulk) and 12-ounce plastic bags (retail). The soy sprouts have a “Sell By” date of May 23, 2009 or May 24, 2009, and the bean sprouts have a “Use By” date of May 23, 2009 or May 24, 2009.

All grocery stores, food services, and other retailers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey are being advised to remove the recalled products from their shelves. In turn, consumers should either discard the products, or return them to the place of purchase.

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The House Energy and Commerce Committee has released a discussion draft of the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 which, if passed, would require food manufacturers to pay an annual fee of $1,000 to fund increased inspections by the FDA.

Under the draft bill, high-risk food production facilities would be inspected by the FDA every 6 to 18 months, while low-risk facilities would be inspected every 18 months to three years. In addition to the annual inspection fee, the legislation would also require food manufacturers to pay for costs associated with any additional inspections triggered by food product recalls.  Click on the following link to view a Summary of the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009.

The chairman of the House committee, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Cal.), stated that the proposed legislation is aimed at protecting the nation's food supply. According to Waxman, the new bill “recognizes that the hallmark of strong food safety legislation must be a shared responsibility for food safety oversight between FDA and industry.”

Although food manufacturers are not currently required to pay FDA inspection fees, current budget requests for the FDA include $260 million in new food safety initiatives, with about 35% of that anticipated to come from fees paid for directly by the food industry. While food industry groups strongly support the broad goals of the new proposed food safety measures, questions have been raised about the timing of new fees. According to industry representatives, new inspection fees are being proposed at a particularly bad time, given the slowing economy, for both food companies and consumers alike.

Among other things, the proposed legislation would also require food manufacturers to better trace the food they manufacture abd sell, and would give the FDA authority to issue mandatory recalls. The bill, if passed, would also strengthen criminal and civil penalties for any food companies that fail to comply with federal regulations.

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The Ohio Department of Health is currently investigating a potential E. coli O157:H7 outbreak involving numerous cases in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

In turn, Valley Meats LLC (a Coal Valley, Illinois, company) announced a precautionary and voluntarily recall of certain ground beef products after learning the products could potentially be associated with reported illnesses. This possible association was announced by the Ohio Department of Health as part of its ongoing epidemiological investigation.

Approximately 95,898 pounds of ground beef were affected by this voluntary and precautionary recall. The products at issue were produced on March 10, 2009, bear establishment number “EST. 5712,” and were sold nationwide to numerous distributors. Several Valley Meats brands were included in the recall, including 3S, Grillmaster, J & B, Klub, Thick 'N Savory and Ultimate. Click on the following link to view a complete list of products affected by the recall.

Because all raw ground beef products can potentially carry harmful bacteria, the USDA instructs consumers to only eat ground beef patties that have been thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature of 160°. Thoroughly cooking raw beef will destroy any pathogens that might be present, and render the products perfectly safe.

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The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed Dr. Margaret Hamburg to lead the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Hamburg, a bioterrorism expert, will be sworn in as the 21st commissioner of the FDA, and only the second woman to hold the post in 100 years of agency history. She was confirmed unanimously.

Hamburg’s first priority will be to help direct the development of a vaccine for the H1N1 flu. Notably, Hamburg has, in turn, promised to place greater emphasis on food safety. In the midst of numerous high-profile food-borne illness outbreaks, Hamburg stated she intends to shift the agency’s focus from chasing outbreaks once they occur to preventing them in the first instance. To accomplish this goal, Hamburg would also like to take advantage of the recent spike in food safety awareness by media, consumers and industry. As she puts it, “the growing consensus among experts and industry is that now is the time to shift to a food safety system that puts prevention first.”

We, of course, wish her the best as we all work, collectively, to enhance food safety.

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The President's “Food Safety Working Group,” chaired by the Secretaries of the Department of Health and Human Services (Kathleen Sebelius) and the Department of Agriculture (Tom Vilsack), was conceived to help modernize our food safety system. The group intends to foster “collaborative partnerships with consumers, industry and regulatory partners” and, through a transparent process, “build a food safety system to meet the challenges posed by a global food supply in the 21st century.” Click on the following link to visit the President’s Food Safety Working Group Website.

Last week, the Food Safety Working Group held its first “Listening Session” at the White House. Participants included numerous stakeholders representing a diverse range of organizations. Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack, who delivered the opening remarks, told participants that food Safety is of the highest concern for all of us. Although Vilsack noted that “Americans enjoy one of the safest food supplies in the world,” he also stated that more can should be done to improve food safety at all levels. Vilsack’s remarks are included below:

Welcome. Thank you for taking time to join us this morning.

Food Safety is of the highest concern for all of us here today. While Americans enjoy one of the safest food supplies in the world, we have witnessed too many outbreaks that make us worry that the food on our dinner plate or in our child’s lunch box will harm instead of nourish. This is not acceptable.

Today is the beginning of a significant and critical process that will fully review the safety of our nation’s food supply.

President Obama has pledged his full support in this matter and has charged the Food Safety Working Group with examining all aspects of food safety, be it meat or produce, fresh or frozen, whether it is imported, or produced domestically.

This issue will be one of USDA’s highest priorities. We are in the midst of reviewing all of our statutory authorities, as well as administrative and regulatory steps we can take, to ensure that our actions support public health and consumer safety to the fullest extent.

We have reviewed the Federal Meat Inspection Act, looked over our existing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point regulations, reviewed our enforcement authorities, and looked at how we collect data. While we are doing a good job, we at USDA can always do better.

I’d like to outline several specific challenges we need your input on:

•  Prevention. The key to a functioning food safety system is preventing foodborne illness. That means robust standards and sufficient authorities to prevent illnesses from occurring. Both FDA and USDA have embraced this principle and we must have a consistent approach.

•  Surveillance and Response. Our regulatory agencies must actively watch for disease outbreaks and take rapid action to ensure that we have effective and targeted recalls. Such recalls are in the interests of public health and the strength of industry sectors that might otherwise be tarnished by massive recalls.

•  As many people know first hand, in this economy we do not have unlimited resources. Nor can we simply pass higher food production costs onto struggling consumers. We must ensure that we are allocating our food safety resources effectively and efficiently. That means focusing the most attention on the products that have the most potential to cause harm.

•  The safety of a product should not be determined by where it originated. We live in a global community and by working more closely with our partners around the world we can make sure that the food the US is importing is as safe as the food we are exporting.

 •  All parts of the food safety system need to coordinate and work together in a seamless fashion. The FDA and USDA must do a better job of coordinating and I know that Secretary Sebelius and I will drive our agencies to improve coordination.

•  Industry, government, and consumer: each of us brings a piece of the puzzle. We can only solve this if all pieces are represented. It is time for us to set aside past frustrations, collaborate, and move forward together.

Finally, we need to develop a way to measure our success. I am confident that by working together, we will make improvements to the safety of our food supply. But we need a way to track our progress both in the short and long term, so that we do not settle for merely okay, but continually strive for improvement. Lives are at stake and good is simply not good enough.

Thank you again for joining us today.

The Secretary also thanked the participants’ mutual commitment to food safety, highlighted the Administration’s broad support for the modernization of food safety initiatives, and pointed to new and enhanced coordination between HHS and USDA to support this goal.

ViIsack also challenged government, industry and consumers to work more closely to improve food safety. This is good advice.

In the end, we all shoulder responsibility (whether producing or preparing food) to ensure that the meals we serve to our families are, indeed, as safe as they can possibly be.

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The Grocery Manufacturers Association ("GMA") has announced new, wide-ranging industry initiatives designed to improve the safety and security of our nation’s food supply. The initiatives, geared toward better food-borne illness prevention and response, are outlined in Prevention, Partnership and Planning: Supply Chain Initiatives to Improve Food Safety. The new initiatives include:

• Product Recall Modernization: 

Enhanced communication is the best way to ensure that food products, when recalls are announced, can be identified and removed from the marketplace as quickly as possible. Thus, the Food Marketing Institute ("FMI") and GS1-US, with the support of GMA, have developed and launched a new, electronic, Web-based product recall portal designed to facilitate the rapid and accurate flow of information between manufacturers and retailers during product recalls. GMA plans to participate closely with FMI and GS1-US to expand the use and capability of this recall communication tool.

• Accredited Third Party Food Safety Audit Certification:

Third party audits are an important part of America’s food safety net. To ensure rigor and integrity in third party certification, policymakers and industry leaders will be encouraged to engage auditors employed by certification bodies accredited to international standards by recognized organizations such as the American National Standards Institute ("ANSI"). ANSI is widely respected as the recognized accrediting body for conformity assessment systems in the U.S., and is recognized by the federal government as well as internationally.

In addition, GMA plans to work with its public and private partners, including FMI, to facilitate the implementation and recognition of certification systems. By increasing the number of well-qualified auditors, and developing universal food safety auditing criteria, industry leaders and policymakers will likely be better able to ensure that auditors are competent to review a particular facility. This should also discourage duplicative audits, reduce auditing costs, and encourage wider use of third party certification/audits throughout the food industry. Ultimately, it is anticipated that wider use of third party certification/audits can and will reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses.

• Modernization and Implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for Food:

The FDA is currently working on updating and issuing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) regulations for food, which can be a critical component of any food safety system. Once the FDA regulations are updated and issued, GMA plans to provide industry-wide training and education to ensure rapid and wide-spread adoption of the new and updated GMPs.

According to Pamela G. Bailey, GMA president and CEO, “[w]e want consumers and policymakers to know that we are vigilant when it comes to product safety and consumer protection. We are stepping up to the plate, taking responsibility and developing innovative reforms to improve the safety of our products.” Bailey hopes the initiatives, coupled with proposed FDA food safety reforms, “will significantly reduce the number and type of food recalls, and strengthen our overall food safety system.”

In addition, explains Bailey, “we are developing enhanced food safety education and training for member and non-member companies, assessing and enhancing our crisis management capability, and expanding our ability to communicate during product recalls to ensure we are doing our part to protect consumers.”

Thus, once again, GMA has demonstrated its commitment as a food safety leader, working closely with stakeholders from the entire supply chain to develop comprehensive food safety solutions that will not only improve the safety of our food, but will also enhance the confidence of our consumers.

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Bob's Food City, a retailer in Hot Springs, Arkansas, has voluntarilly recalled approximately 375 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The ground beef products subject to recall were sold as tray packs of varying weights bearing a "Sell By" date of "05/09/09." The products subject to recall include:

• 1-pound through 5-pound tray packs of "GROUND BEEF CHUCK," "GROUND ROUND" or "REGULAR GROUND BEEF." Each pack bears a sell by date of "05/09/09." There is no USDA mark of inspection on the tray packs.

The ground beef was produced on May 7, 2009, and was sold to customers of the Bob's Food City retail store located at 800 Malvern Avenue, in Hot Springs, Ark. The problem was discovered through FSIS routine sampling procedures. Click on the following link to view the FSIS Recall Release.

To date, there have not been any reports of alleged illness due to the consumption of these products. To be sure, thouroughly cooking ground beef patties to an internal temperature of 160 degrees will kill any pathogens that might potentially be present, and render the product perfectly safe.

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As the FDA works to protect and promote the public health, it is requesting $3.2 billion as part of it's fiscal year (FY) 2010 budget. The request represents a 19% increase over the current FDA budget. Click on the following link to view a summary of the FDA Proposed Budget.

Notably, the FDA has asked for an additional $259.3 million to fund a new food safety initiative. The goal of the new initiative, “Protecting America’s Food Supply,” is to better prevent intentional and unintentional contamination of foods through risk-based prevention and verification. The initiative, as proposed, would focus on foreign and domestic sources of ingredients, components, and finished products at all points in the supply chain.

In addition, the FDA also proposes to collect a total of $94.4 million in new user fees from the registration of food facilities. It is anticipated that the additional fees will enable the FDA increase routine inspections, while at the same time conducting additional inspection for those facilities that fail to meet the FDA’s safety standards.

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According to the USDA, Mother's Day is an excellent time to teach children food safety:

Indeed, rubbery eggs, burned pancakes, undercooked bacon — what mother doesn't treasure the memory of the little hands that cooked a Mother's Day breakfast! Mother's Day is the perfect time for dads and other caregivers to teach children simple food safety lessons while supervising the preparation of a special meal made for Mom.

Mother's Day has been officially celebrated the second Sunday in May since 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the day into national observance. Ever since, children have been lovingly — yet messily — preparing breakfast in bed and other meals for mom.

It is also important, however, for children to learn and practice safe food handling techniques so moms don't end up becoming the patient from a foodborne illness. Not washing hands, leaving perishable food sitting out too long at room temperature, and not cooking food to a high enough temperature to destroy bacteria are several main causes of foodborne illness.

In turn, USDA / FSIS encourages both children and adults to put these four easy to remember lessons — Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill — into practice in order to Be Food Safe on Mother's Day and every day: 

• Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often.

• Separate: Separate raw meat, poultry and egg products from cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination.

• Cook: Raw meat, poultry and egg products need to be cooked thoroughly. Use a food thermometer to ensure foods have reached a high enough temperature to kill any harmful bacteria that might be present.

• Chill: Refrigerate promptly.

Lesson 1: Stay Clean

Bacteria can be hiding just about anywhere: in the kitchen, on a plate and on hands. These invisible enemies can multiply and make Mom sick. Cooks of every age should wash their hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after food preparation, after playing with pets, and after using the bathroom.

All fruits and vegetables should be washed with running water before cutting or eating them. Only put food on clean surfaces. Always use clean knives, forks, spoons and plates.

Lesson 2: Keep Raw and Cooked Foods Separated

Cross-contamination is the technical description for how bacteria can be spread from one food product or surface to another. This is especially true when handling raw meat, poultry, eggs and seafood, so keep these foods and their juice away from ready-to-eat foods.

Always use a clean plate. Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry and seafood. Never put food on a dirty table or counter. Always wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water after they come in contact with raw meat, poultry, eggs and seafood.

Lesson 3: Cook Food to Safe Temperatures

Foodborne bacteria can't be seen, smelled or tasted. Use a food thermometer to make sure food has reached a USDA recommended minimum internal temperature. No matter how old the chef, you can't tell food is cooked safely by how it looks.

Always place the food thermometer in the thickest part of the food, away from bone and fat, to check the temperature. When cooking in a microwave oven, stir, cover, and rotate food for even cooking. It's important to let food stand for a few minutes after cooking it in the microwave. Always cook eggs before eating them. When cooked, eggs should be firm, not runny.

Lesson 4: Keep Perishable Foods Cold

Bacteria need time and the right environment to grow and multiply - such as moisture and warmth. Most foodborne illness-causing organisms grow quickly above 40° Fahrenheit. Some bacteria can double their numbers every 20 minutes at temperatures above 40° Fahrenheit. In a few hours, bacteria on food can cause an illness or form "toxins" that might not be fully destroyed by cooking.

Some foods that need to stay cold (at 40° Fahrenheit or below) include sandwiches or salads made with meat and poultry; tuna and egg salad; milk, cheese, and yogurt; and peeled or cut fruits and vegetables.

Finally, any leftovers from Mom's special meal should be refrigerated within two hours. Perishable food left out for more than two hours should be thrown out -- and not fed to the family pet. Even pets are susceptible to foodborne bacteria. To reheat leftovers safely, make sure they reach 165" Fahrenheit as measured with a food thermometer.

So, whether the family gathers at the dining room table (or in the kitchen hours before), make sure this weekend that each of you thoroughly enjoy quality time spent with Mom.

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I just received an update from the CDC, confirming there are now 896 cases of H1N1 (Swine Flu) in 41 states. Interestingly, here in Arkansas (where I spent the last two days mingling with outstanding health professionals), there hasn’t been a single case.

Here’s the current national tally:

•  Alabama:  4
•  Arizona:  48
•  California:  106
•  Colorado:  17
•  Connecticut:  4
•  Delaware:  38
•  Florida:  5
•  Georgia:  3
•  Hawaii:  3
•  Idaho:  1
•  Illinois:  204
•  Indiana:  15
•  Iowa:  5
•  Kansas:  7
•  Kentucky:  2
•  Louisiana:  7
•  Maine:  4
•  Maryland:  4
•  Massachusetts:  71
•  Michigan:  9
•  Minnesota:  1
•  Missouri:  4
•  Nebraska: 4
•  Nevada:  5
•  New Hampshire:  2
•  New Jersey:  7
•  New Mexico:  8
•  New York:  98
•  North Carolina:  7
•  Ohio:  5
•  Oklahoma:  1
•  Oregon:  15
•  Pennsylvania:  2
•  Rhode Island:  2
•  South Carolina:  17
•  Tennessee:  2
•  Texas:  91 (and 2 deaths)
•  Utah:  8  
•  Virginia:  11
•  Washington:  23
•  Wisconsin:  26

In any event, despite the spread of H1N1 throughout the country, I simply wanted to note, once again, that pork products, and Arkansas, remain perfectly safe...

It is also (in my mind) equally important to point out that, wherever we live, we shouldn’t let the flu ruin our fun. Despite 26 confirmed cases in Wisconsin, I look forward to returning home tomorrow (in a small, confined airplane), and promptly ordering myself a cold beverage and, more important, a Johnsonville brat . . .

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Not surprisingly, as our ability to detect food-borne illness outbreaks continues to improve (as a result of increased awareness, better surveillance and more precise testing), we are detecting more outbreaks. The increase, in my view, is a result of our enhanced ability to identify those illnesses which, in years past, simply slipped “under the radar.”

Although some suggest broadly that outbreaks are increasing because today’s food companies (as opposed to yesterday’s food companies) don’t care about food safety, the theory is a bit hard to swallow. Given the incredible media and regulatory attention directed in recent years to food safety, most large companies have devoted incredible resources to improve the safety of their products. And, I personally believe, we’re doing better than ever.

It is also hard, frankly, to overlook that fact that an increasing number of outbreaks are being detected in other parts of the world as well.

Beginning in 2005, for instance, the European Food Safety Authority ("EFSA") began collecting, analyzing and publishing outbreak data submitted by its 22 member states.  The data confirmed that, in 2007, the EU experienced a total of 5,609 reported food-borne illness outbreaks. Although down only slightly from 2006, this actually represented a significant increase from just a few years earlier (when the number was zero), because data wasn’t being collected and reports weren’t being generated. Click on the following link to view a copy of the 2007 Community Summary Report on Food-borne Outbreaks.

The results of the the 2007 Community Report is also interesting. In the EU (like here in the US) Salmonella continues to be one of the most frequent causes of food-borne illness outbreaks. Of the total reported outbreaks in 2007, Salmonella accounted for 2,201 outbreaks, or four out of every ten.

In turn, viruses (such as Norovirus) were reported to be the second most frequent cause of outbreaks in the EU. Altogether, viruses accounted for 668 outbreaks, and sources were reported to include crustaceans, shellfish, molluscs and buffets.

Campylobacter was next in line, causing 461 outbreaks. Common sources included broiler and other meats.

In turn, bacterial toxins, such as those produced by Bacillus Cereus, Clostridium Perfringens and Staphylococcus, caused 458 outbreaks. Numerous outbreaks involving other bacteria, such as Listeria and E. coli O157:H7 were reported as well.

Does this mean that, suddenly, European companies have collectively decided to give up on food safety? Unlikely. Rather, it merely demonstrates that, wherever you live, as food-borne illness outbreak surveillance improves, we will begin to see outbreaks that would otherwise have been missed.

Indeed, even the EFSA concedes that the numbers of total reported outbreaks in the EU are expected to increase. This is because the "reporting systems" in the 22 member states vary significantly and, as a result, are simply not capturing every outbreak. In those member states with more effective national monitoring systems (like Germany), however, the reported number of outbreaks were expectedly much higher.

In any event, as reporting and surveillance continue to improve throughout the EU, we will likely see (just like here at home) the total number of reported outbreaks increase significantly.  And, while the increasing numbers of outbreaks, coupled with resulting media coverage, will continue to motivate entire industries to "do better," such results should not suggest that most food companies (whether based in New York or Paris) are simply failing to do anything at all.

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On the heels of recent food safety speeches to numerous industry organizations, premier food companies and other groups (including the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and, most recently, the University of Minnesota), I am off to Arkansas to speak, once again, about food safety, outbreaks, recalls and litigation.

Why Arkansas? Well, for starters, it’s a lot warmer than Milwaukee. More important, however, the Arkansas Public Health Association (“APHA”) is hosting its 61st Annual Convention, “Raising The Bar – Taking Public Health to New Heights,” in beautiful Hot Springs.

The presentation, designed specifically for public health officials, will provide An Overview of Food-borne Illness Outbreak Surveillance, Investigation and Litigation.

In addition to advocating (strongly) key considerations for outbreak prevention, I will also address current trends in food-borne illness outbreak surveillance, discuss how health officials and industry food safety lawyers (like me) can and should work as partners in food-borne illness outbreak investigations, and summarize (in a way that’s not too dreary, I promise) the current status of food safety litigation.

Importantly, I will also provide insight as to the role of both good and bad outbreak investigations in advancing the public health (our most important goal), along with the ancillary role investigations play if and when food-borne illness lawsuits are filed.

In any event, I am thrilled to spend some quality time in Hot Springs. So is Carladder Parham, the President of APHA. According to Parham, “we’re anticipating a great turnout,” and are very excited about “seizing this year’s opportunity to ‘raise the bar’ in public health.” As she adeptly explains, “we can either give lip service to this challenge, or we can commit to make a difference.”

Personally, I couldn’t agree more. And, as a food safety lawyer – and a food safety advocate – I am also proud (once again) to share a seat at the table.

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The source of the multi-state Salmonella Outbreak linked to fresh alfalfa sprouts has likely been determined.

According to reports, the Salmonella strain implicated in the outbreak likely originated from seeds sold by the Caudill Seed Company of Louisville, Kentucky. In turn, Lyle Orwig, a company spokesman, stated that the offending seeds were imported by Caudill from Italy. As reported previously, Caudill has withdrawn all seed batches with six-digit lot numbers starting with “032”; the recalled seeds are packaged in 50-pound white bags marked with a white or yellow label.

Although testing did not reveal any Salmonella at Caudill’s facilities, Orwig reports that, “what [the FDA] has said to us, is the cases all led to sprouts, from multiple growers, and the common link is seeds.”  Seeds, anyway, from Italy...
 

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Once again, we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. While consumers are continuously reminded to cook their meat thoroughly before sitting down for dinner, the results of a new study suggest that grilling your filet until it resembles a hockey puck could have deadly consequences as well. The study links consumption of burned or charred pieces of meat to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

Dr. Kristin Anderson, an epidemiologist with the School of Public Health, at the University of Minnesota, was recently quoted as saying that "we’re still trying to understand how this works." She said it’s been known for some time that particular carcinogens exist in meat, as they do in many other foods, "but the question is what causes them to react and how that’s relevant in meat."

The study, which Anderson presented at the recent meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, and which was based on a prospective analysis that included more than 62,500 participants, linked the increased risk of pancreatic cancer to consumption of meats that had been well-cooked, or over-cooked by frying, grilling or barbecuing. At the meeting, Anderson told her colleagues that her research “has been focused on pancreatic cancer for some time, and we want to identify ways to prevent the cancer because treatments are very limited and the cancer is often fatal."

Data was gathered over nine years. According to the research, subjects who preferred very well-done steak were almost 60 percent more likely to get pancreatic cancer than those who consumed their steak less well-done or who didn’t eat steak at all. When overall consumption and doneness preferences were used to estimate the meat-derived carcinogen intake for subjects, respondents who had the highest intake had 70 percent higher risk than those with the lowest intake.

Anderson, who also stated that her husband "has a big Weber grill in the backyard," said the study has generated a lot of interest, mostly "because people relate to meat." Several of her colleagues, she added, have told her she "had taken all the fun away."

And truly, there is certainly a lot of fun to be had in eating a piece of charcoal. I do wonder, however, whether we should really be looking deeper into the issue. Who are these people, and does their increased cancer risk really correlate to the fact that they like burnt meat?

Any individual who actually enjoys eating charred black crunch is most likely lacking taste in other ways as well. Let’s be honest, someone who can’t distinguish a difference in quality between ash and viably edible meat is apt to demonstrate poor judgment across the board. One can only assume that the burnt meat crowd is composed of the same individuals who shamelessly consume cheap booze, chain smoke, live near power lines, stand near the microwave, use artificial sweeteners, get x-rays, or, for those who live in Los Angeles; breathe.

Science also tells us that, across the biological spectrum, Darwinian law mandates the culling of the weak, so that only the strongest and most adaptable can survive and replicate over the millennia. So, it should come as no surprise then that people who actually enjoy incinerated meat (and the carcinogenic byproducts which are created when you burn ANY food beyond recognition) would have an increased likelihood of becoming gravely ill.

Thus, in a John Maddenesque delivery of wisdom and insight, Anderson concludes we would all be better off (and, frankly, more likely to enjoy our steak) if we would simply "Lower the temperature. Use indirect heat. Wrap meat in foil. Use marinades, and cut off the charred parts.” And, “you can cook food thoroughly,” Anderson urges, “without burning it."

So, will I heed Anderson’s advice? Probably. But, I also remain quite hopeful that, in coming years, with more studies and additional research, we will be better able to distinguish the absolute cancer risk between those sophisticated enough to eat steak the way it was meant to be served, and those who prefer a good beer, a shot of whiskey, and chunk of blackened meat cooked (well beyond recognition) over an open fire...

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Oops. A hog farm in Alberta is under quarantine after Canadian pigs caught the Hybrid H1N1 Flu from a farm worker. The pigs were exposed to the virus after a worker at a family-run farm returned from Mexico with flu symptoms. This is the first time the new H1N1 influenza strain has been found in pigs.

Canadian officials stressed that the outbreak (involving approximately 200 pigs in a herd of 2,200) has been fully contained, assured the public that the country's food supply is safe, and stressed (again) that there is no risk of contracting the illness by eating pork. Echoing recent comments from the CDC and USDA, Canadian health officials stressed there is “no evidence the virus can be transmitted through eating pork.” Click on the following link to read Agriculture Secretary Vilsack's commnets on the Canadian Outbreak.  Moreover, even if pork could become contaminated (through cross contamination or other means), which is very unlikely, we know that cooking pork to 160 degrees readily kills any pathogens that might be present.

Here at home, the CDC has confirmed approximately 226 human cases of the flu in 30 states. And, as far as we can tell, American pigs remain completely unaffected.

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Working closely with the FDA, KLEEN-PAK FOODS refined its spinach recall, originally announced yesterday, to include spinach products distributed to Minnesota. The precautionary recall was announced following the discovery of Salmonella in limited product samples during routine testing.

The precautionary recall involves 10 ounce and 1 pound packages of fresh spinach distributed in retail stores and food wholesalers in Wisconsin, the Chicago area, and Minnesota. The products are marked with a use by date of 4/29, 4/30, and 5/01.

No illnesses have been reported, and KLEEN-PAK is continuing to work closely with the FDA to determine the original source of the potential contamination.

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According to the CDC, “swine influenza” has been officially renamed as "H1N1 Flu." The name change follows urging by the U.S. pork industry and others to remove any references to “swine” when describing the virus (for more information, please visit our previous post on the subject). As we reported previously, the current strain is a hybrid of avian and hog viruses, and has nothing to do with “swine.” Moreover, despite extensive testing, the hybrid virus has not been found in pigs, and pork products remain entirely safe to eat.

The H1N1 virus is carried and spread person-to-person through coughing or sneezing. The symptoms of the H1N1 flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular seasonal influenza, and can include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with the flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

People can stay healthy by following simple precautions. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze (alcohol-based hands cleaners are effective), and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth (most germs are spread that way). Currently, 141 cases have been confirmed in 19 states.

Despite the continuing spread of the H1N1 flu, the virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. As a result, the U.S. Government and manufacturers have begun the process of developing a vaccine against this new virus.

For more information, please visit the CDC H1N1 Flu Website.

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