Ben Chapman
Ben is a PhD student with iFSN. Studying what makes an outbreak, evaluation of food safety management and communication strategies. Ben is interested in using food safety stories as communication tools to change behaviour and reduce the incidence of foodborne illness. Ben can be emailed at bchapman@uoguelph.caQ & AQ: What was the worst barf you ever had?A: Once I yacked through my nose. It stung a lot, and left a lasting impression.
New International Food Safety Network Infosheet -- Foodborne illnesses prompt fine at golf course in Western New York
It may not surprise regular readers of barfblog that we selected an outbreak linked to a golf course for this week's iFSN infosheet; we've chronicled food safety at a golf course in the past. During the past week there have been reports of two outbreaks traced to golf courses, one in Wheaton, IL and, the inspiration for the infosheet, in Niagara Falls, NY.
Click here to download the infosheet.
Scene and heard Salmonella, YouTube edition
I just ran a quick search of YouTube for any videos uploaded about the current outbreak, and was provided with 48 results. Most are news stories focusing on a local angle, but a few are more entertaining.
Here are my favs:
"The misunderstood tomato"
"Does a tomato have intestines?"
"Dirty Salmonella is back to getcha"
Tomatoes and Salmonella
Doug and I are attending TrainCan's Food Safety Forum in Toronto today. The topic of the conference is all around food safety culture and changing behaviour -- which fits really well with the iFSN infosheets.
In a response to an outbreak of Salmonella linked to certain types of raw tomatoes in the U.S., food service and grocery firms across North America have withdrawn tomatoes from their sites and meals. The outbreak provided us with the focus of this week's infosheet, which can be found here.
Food handlers linked to outbreaks of Salmonella -- New food safety infosheet
A couple of what appears to be staff-related Salmonella outbreaks have occurred in the past month in Princeton, New Jersey and Norwalk, Ohio. Reports of both outbreaks suggest that poor hygiene amongst staff led to over 100 total cases. No food source has been identified in the Ohio outbreak, but it is suggested that shredded cheese was prepared by a food handler who was shedding Salmonella.
These outbreaks are also the stories we have concentrated on in today's iFSN food safety infosheet. Click here to download the infosheet.
Princeton Salmonella outbreak reaches 28 confirmed cases
The Princeton Packet reported yesterday that a Salmonella outbreak that began in late April has hit at least 28 people, with over 70 more reporting illnesses.
A school official said that the latest date of onset of symptoms for the confirmed cases is May 2,
which was before Princeton took its intervention measures to close the Mexican and salad food stations and remove some food foods at its largest dining facility on campus — the Frist Campus Center.
This outbreak was the inspiration for this week's infosheet, which can be downloaded here.
Use the kids -- communicating mad cow disease risk in South Korea
Donga.com reports today that web scare stories around mad cow disease risks in South Korea are targeting children. Recent beef trade agreements with the U.S. have reportedly led to the use of text messages, youtube and website discussing the risks directed at children:
A fourth-grader in the second-largest port city of Incheon got two text messages from her friend two days ago. They said, “President Lee Myung-bak sold the Dokdo islets” and “Korea will fall into ruin if we import U.S. beef.” The student’s parents said they were flabbergasted that one of their daughter’s friends sent these groundless accusations now spreading through the Internet.
A picture diary titled “Mad Cow Disease” reportedly written early this month by an elementary school student is in wide circulation on the Web. One reply to the diary written by a teacher commends the child, saying, “How did you know this, from TV? The president seems to be inferior to OO.”
Scores of unsubstantiated scare stories are rapidly spreading even among children through the Internet and mobile phones. The distorted and exaggerated data is corrupting young children who believe them as true and use them as a basis for activism.
Internet homepages are targeting children through major Web portal sites such as Yahoo! Korea`s Ggureogi and Junior Naver.
Certain stories are believed to have been fabricated by adults posing as children to promote the notion that government policies pose a risk to children’s health.
Vicious attacks on the government are going beyond the spread of groundless rumors. Some present action plans and guidelines, urging students and people to skip school or boycott food brands for a certain period.
One such guideline is, “A Conversation between Dad and Daughter,” which urges the girl to ask her father, “I am extremely worried about mad cow disease. Please assure me by showing me logical and scientific evidence showing the safety of U.S. beef.” “Children, if you are too young to join politics, one way to express your opinion is to stir up your parents,” it said, reflecting an ulterior political motive.
Here's YouTube clip that I just dug up that appears to be a song about the dangers of mad cow and U.S. beef. I don't know Korean, so I'm not too sure.
Interesting to me, and not unique move for activism -- we encountered many messages and images targeted at children at the biojustice event back in 2002. Doug has posted images depicting the use of children in the raw milk debate. I've personally been part of something like this: I'm not sure where I learned it (maybe one of those fantastic Star Wars public service announcements in the 80s?) but I saw something that led me to perform an anti-smoking monologue and break one of my grandfather's cigarettes when I was about 7. Apparently my performance was moving enough to lead to him quit soon after.
Infosheet: E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Nebraska linked to Roast Beef Dinner
This week's iFSN infosheet is focused on community dinners, inspired by a roast beef dinner gone wrong in Nebraska.
Infosheet highlights:
State health officials are continuing to investigate an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Sarpy County that sickened 14 people — including a 7-year-old — and sent four people to the hospital.
What you need to worry about in a kitchen when preparing a large dinner:
-Temperature control
-Cross-contamination
-Personal Hygiene
E.coli O157:H7 is usually found in human and animal poop. Keep the poop out of the food you serve.
Click here to download the sheet.
How celebs impact food sales: poultry production in the UK
The Independant (UK) ( had an assortment of free range egg articles yesterday, including one from Joanna Lumley. Doug says that Joanna Lumley is famous; in a Coronation Street kind of way, I guess.
Lumley writes that: Sixty-two per cent of hens in the UK still endure life sentences of frustration and deprivation in the battery cage. How can we let such cruelty continue? 
For the past two years, Compassion in World Farming has been engaging with the corporate world, persuading big players to abandon battery eggs and pledge to use eggs from more humane systems – at least from barn-kept hens, though free-range is best.
Celebs getting involved with poultry standards isn't a new issue in the UK: back in January, Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall took part in documentaries discussing poultry-raising standards and urging the public to switch to consumption of a more humane product. Soon after the documentaries aired, Joanna Blythman (Jan 13, 2008) wrote that she didn't see the latest celebrity chef campaign yielding any better results [than past efforts]:
The current round of public breast-beating on factory-farmed poultry provokes a sense of déja vu. If Britain really was concerned enough to support more progressive farming methods with its purse, then we would have seen an improvement in animal welfare by now.
But Blythman was apparently wrong. In February it was reported that sales of factory-farmed chickens slumped post-documentary campaign to raise awareness implore consumers to pay more to improve the animals' welfare. According to the Independent (Feb 28, 2008):
Sales of free-range poultry shot up by 35 per cent last month compared with January 2007, while sales of standard indoor birds fell by 7 per cent, according to a survey of 25,000 shoppers by the market research company TNS.
Celeb endorsements of food issues isn't strictly a British tactic either. Pam Anderson was famously linked to PETA animal welfare protests at KFC outlets a few years ago and maybe the threat of these protests resulted in Burger King's animal welfare systems? In a Burger King press release PETA Vice President, Bruce Friedrich was quoted as saying “The BURGER KING brand’s influence has moved the entire animal industry. The availability of cage free products is growing, a credit to BKC’s leadership on the issue.” California, hot bed of US celebrity action will be voting on animal welfare legislation, "The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act" which would mandate roomier housing for pregnant sows, veal calves and laying hens.
The message to the food industry is that celebs (no matter how minor, or how British) can make a stir (whether around animal welfare, local diets, food safety, etc.) and really affect purchasing habits. So be prepared and find a way to work alongside them on the issues; you can't ignore them.
Chipotle hep A climbs to 14
NBCSandiego reported yesterday that the cases of Hep A linked to a La Mesa Chipotle has reached 14. The story says that most concern is over anyone who dined at the restaurant located at 8005 Fletcher Parkway between March 1 and April 22. Officials were cited as saying blood samples taken so far from restaurant employees have not shown any recent Hepatitis A infections.
With 14 cases and so far no employee testing for any signs of Hep A, I wonder if this outbreak is
linked to a common food vehicle from a supplier, or one mixed/prepared in store. Wonder if there has been a spike in what is thought to be sporadic Hep A cases associated with other outlets suppliers sent product to.
Chipotle norovirus outbreak - New infosheet
Katie Byard at Ohio.com reports this morning that the number of potential norovirus cases linked to a Kent, Ohio Chipotle has grown to 435. The story also says that Chipotle has established a claims process to reimburse the related medical expenses of those who became ill (good move on their part).
The outbreak also inspired our infosheet this week. We hope that the infosheet generates discussion amongst food handlers about norovirus outbreaks and what can be done to reduce the risk.
Click here to download the infosheet.
