Doug Powell
Dr. Douglas Powell is an associate professor of food safety at Kansas State University and the publisher of barfblog.com. Trained in molecular biology, and employed as a journalist, Powell found that food safety was a discipline where he could meld his interests in science, society and policy -- more formally known as risk analysis. His lab, including a diverse group of students, seeks innovative ways to compel everyone in the farm-to-fork food safety system -- individual producers, retail employees, and consumers, among others -- to acknowledge and adopt best practices to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. A native of Brantford, Ontario, Powell is passionate about food, has five daughters, and is an OK goaltender in pickup hockey. bites.ksu.edufoodsafety.ksu.edu
Campylobacter in salads across Denmark forces recall
Salads distributed throughout Denmark have been recalled after testing positive for Campylobacter. No word on any illnesses, but the recalled items include:
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• Ruccola in tray 100 gr Lot 306, 307, 308, 309
• Rucola i bakke 100 gr. Lot 45G, 46A, 46B, 46C. • Ruccola in tray 100 gr Lot 45g, 46A, 46B, 46C.
• Rucola i bakke lot 455 • Ruccola in Tray Lot 455
• Rucola, 125 gr. Lot 308 • Rucola, 125 gr Lot 308
• Rød Mangold i bakke 100 gr lot 299 • Red Mangold in tray 100 degrees Lot 299
• Mangold salat i bakke 100 gr. samt pose 2x500 gr, lot 299 og 300 • Mangold salad in tray 100 gr bag and 2x500 degrees, lot 299 and 300
• Napolitana mix salat, 2x500 gr. Lot 300 • Napolitana mix salad, 2x500 gr Lot 300
• Napolitana salatmix 1 kg, lot 300 • Napolitana salatmix 1 kg, lot 300
• Napolitana 2x500 gr. Lot 300 • Napolitana 2x500 gr Lot 300
• 1 kg Mix salat lot nr. 300 • 1 kg Mix salad Lot No. 300
• Baby-mix lot 301 • Baby mix lot 301
E. coli at Denver Stock Show came from kids' area; do people know the risks with petting zoos?
The Denver Post reports that exposure to animals at Denver's National Western Stock Show was the likely cause of an E. coli outbreak that occurred in the Denver area in January and February, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said today.
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Specifically, contact with animals in the "Feed the Animals" exhibit on the third floor children's area of the exposition center was probably where the outbreak originated, according to the extensive 15-page report.
A total of 30 cases were identified.
Children were disproportionately affected in the outbreak, suggesting a source that children would likely have more contact with than adults.
The report noted that the third floor children's area of the expo center had a variety of exhibits geared towards children, including pony rides, a playground area, cages housing rabbits and poultry, educational exhibits, and hands-on activities.
In addition, food vendors were also located on the floor.
One of the exhibits was the "Feed the Animals" exhibit, where calves, goats, lambs, pigs and other farm animals were brought in from private owners located throughout the region. …
There were opportunities throughout the day for the visitors to feed the animals.
While feeding the animals was not a risk for illness, touching them put the visitors at higher risk of developing E. coli infection.
The investigators said that while hand sanitizer dispensers were readily available in the "Feed the Animals" area, and there were numerous signs instructing visitors to practice hand hygiene, the use of the sanitizers "was not protective against the illness."
In addition, handwashing facilities with running water, soap and paper towels were not readily available in the area.
There were no signs that warned that animals could cause disease or any that specifically cautioned against sipping from cups or eating or drinking in the animal contact areas as well as the use of strollers in that area.
The investigators suggested that such signs be posted in the future.
Chapman says amateurs shouldn't cook on Thanksgiving
The idea of Chapman calling others amateurs is amusing.
P.J. O’Rourke wrote a National Lampoon column about how amateur drunks throw up on other people’s shoes. In Champan’s case, it would be other people’s rose bushes. That’s us, in 2000, at my house in Guelph. He barfed in the bushes.
But Chapman, food safety specialist and assistant professor of food science at North Carolina State University, did get quoted by a paper in Nebraska today saying,
"The biggest risk comes from undercooking. Color is not an indicator of safety or doneness. We see suggestions in recipes about making sure 'the juices run clear' but that's a myth. You also have to worry about cross-contamination -- which can happen when countertops, sinks or utensils aren't being cleaned properly between use with raw meats and other foods."
And this was Chapman last weekend tailgating at the Kansas State football game. We left early because he had digestive upsets. Amateur.
11 hospitalized, 125 sick from South Carolina fundraiser
At least four more people who ate food sold last week at a fundraiser at a Conway church have been hospitalized as of today, said Jim Beasley, spokesman for the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.
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A total of 11 people have been hospitalized, and DHEC officials believe there are about 125 people who sought physician care for gastro-intestinal illness symptoms in the area, Beasley said.
Conway Medical Center performed tests on three samples from patients and it appears that salmonella is expected, Beasley said.
People started becoming ill with symptoms such as abdominal cramping, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, after buying and eating food sold at the Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Conway to raise money to benefit the family of an ill child, said Dr. Covia L. Stanley, director of DHEC's Region 6 public health office, which serves Horry, Georgetown and Williamsburg counties, said in a news release Tuesday.
The meals, which included barbecue pork, baked sweet potatoes, cole slaw and rolls, were prepared at a local hunting club, Stanley said.
DHEC officials are asking that anyone who purchased any of the roughly 1,450 plates of food sold at the fundraiser to throw leftovers away and to contact their private healthcare physician if they are experiencing any symptoms.
Gratuitous food porn shot of the day - Steamfresh corn on the cob
Sorenne eating lunch with dad, 11:00 a.m., Nov. 18, 2009.
Kids love corn on the cob. Me too. Bit it’s difficult to find in mid-November. In Manhattan (Kansas). SO I tried out the Steamfresh frozen corn on the cob. Microwave and serve. Yummy. Expensive, but a cob of corn gives me 15 minutes to put stuff away and clean up. Better than the sucker (her first) she had after making a deposit at the bank.
South Carolina fundraiser linked to foodborne illness outbreak
The Sunnews.co reports from South Carolina that at least seven people who ate food sold Friday at a fundraiser at a Conway church have been hospitalized, officials with the state Department of Health and 
Environmental Control said Tuesday.
DHEC officials are asking that anyone who purchased any of the roughly 1,450 plates of food sold at the fundraiser to throw leftovers away and to contact their private healthcare physician if they are experiencing any symptoms.
Must love dogs - the Australian Internet dating version
Oh John Cusack and Diane Lane; you were both so cute in the 2005 romantic comedy, Must Love Dogs.
And that’s why Jodie O'Brien and her husband, Tom, started www.lovemelovemypet.com.au, a dating website for a particularly niche clientele.
"We started to notice over the years that a lot of our friends are really intelligent, good looking people, easy to get along with. But they're having trouble finding a partner simply because they themselves might be big dog lovers and they can't find someone with the same passion for animals as them. Sometimes it has come down to that making a difference.:
Match-making for animal enthusiasts is just the latest service in Australia's booming pet industry, which, in recent years has expanded from pet shops and pooch salons to doggy daycare facilities, dog sports training, pet portraits and even pet psychics.
With around 65 per cent of Australian households owning at least one pet, Sydney dog-owner Brittney Smith recognised the large market for her website, dogtree.com.au, which she set up earlier this year.
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Described by many as Facebook for dogs, dogtree.com.au is a social networking site where owners can set up backyard playdates for their cuddly companions, instead of leaving them unsupervised to cause havoc at home.
Boys should urinate outside to stimulate the compost pile; girls, your pee is too acidic
Sometimes, when I wake up in the middle of the night, and don’t want to disturb Amy and Sorenne in our small space, I’ll go pee off the back deck.
I also don’t flush the toilet when I pee, unless I’ve eaten asparagus. Cameron Diaz would approve and say I’m saving the planet.
Gardeners at a National Trust property in Cambridgeshire are urging people to relieve themselves outdoors to help gardens grow greener.
A three-metre long "pee bale" has been installed at Wimpole Hall.
Head gardener Philip Whaites is urging his male colleagues to pee on the straw bale to activate the composting process on the estate's compost heap.
He said the "pee bale" is only in use out of visitor hours, since "we don't want to scare the public".
"There are obvious logistical benefits to limiting it to male members of the team, but also male pee is preferable to women's, as the male stuff is apparently less acidic."
"Adding a little pee just helps get it all going; it's totally safe and a bit of fun too."
As David Wilcox sang some 30 years ago,
Do it in the country they like it just fine
Do it in the city it’s a $20 fine
Hot hot papa
Children paraded in support of raw milk
Shameless exploitation of children? Sure, why not. As Henry Fonda said in the movie, On Golden Pond, “What use is it having dwarfs around if they don’t do chores.” (Those are my daughters, eating genetially engineered sweet corn and drinking pasteurized ciider, circa 2000.
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But why do some have to be so sanctimonious about it?
This is from Wise Traditions: The Weston A. Price Foundation 10th Annual Conference, that happened last weekend with a greatest hits of raw milk promoters and bullshiters. And, like the line-dancing instructor shouting out fascist routines, these kids are being paraded and chanting, “we want raw milk.” An updated table of raw milk outbreaks is available at http://bites.ksu.edu/raw-milk-outbreaks.
