The Shanghai Daily reports a duck processor in central China has been dumping duck excrement and dead animals directly into a river, contaminating a drinking water source that later lead to more than 100,000 people getting diarrhea.

Duck farms scattered along the Xiaohuang River in Huangchuan County, Henan Province, were accused of discharging waste in the river, killing fish and polluting the water. The farms belong to Henan Huaying Agricultural Development Co Ltd.



The local water utility stopped collecting water from the river four years ago as it was too polluted, Shanghai Morning Post reported yesterday.



However, two reservoirs that were used as new sources of tap water dried up in a drought this year and the county government was forced to resume pumping water from the Xiaohuang in April. Two months later there was a severe outbreak of diarrhea, sickening more than 100,000 villagers.

Three rusted pipes were seen stuck into the muddy river, where bottles and disposable lunch boxes were floating, to collect tap water supplying 280,000 people.
 

A 60-year-old duck farmer in France received a one-month suspended sentence and a 500 Euro fine after providing cannabis to his waterfowl.

During the hearing the farmer admitted that he also smoked "a little" marijuana and he justified giving it to his 150 ducks as a "purge." He said there is no better way to deworm the birds. He said was advised to do so, but would not name the specialist who gave the advice.

The farmer was caught after he reported a theft at his home in October. Police arrived to discover 12 marijuana plants and a 5 kilo bag of weed.

The police said this was the first time they have seen anything like this even though they are quite accustomed to hearing silly excuses when it comes to narcotics (or that’s how Amy translated that sentence; thanks to Albert for the story tip).

I have fond memories of licking the beaters while mom was making cake and frosting.

But, then I learned about salmonella in raw eggs, and became more cautious around my own kids – but not completely. Admittedly, the risk is low; the risk is much greater when eggs are pooled to make large batches of cakes or sauces.

(In that pic, right, which I lifted from the Internet, I’d be more concerned about the kid’s dirty diaper on the food preparation surface).

Independent.ie reported this morning that three children in Ireland have contracted Salmonella Typhimurium DT8 after licking the spoon used in baking or cooking with duck eggs.

They are among seven people who have been diagnosed with one of the more severe strains of the bug in an outbreak linked to contaminated duck eggs.

Dr Paul McKeown of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said yesterday,

"Many children love to lick the cake or food mixture from the spoon during baking and unfortunately in this outbreak it has probably resulted in some falling ill."

Pasteurized eggs are widely available for home cooks now and always an option.