Sarah DeDonder: TV chefs can be dumb
A television show recently showed parents how to make chicken strips for their children in a short amount of time. The recipe was simple enough: strips of chicken were rolled in crumbs and placed in the oven for 10 minutes. The host of the show went on to explain, as the strips came out of the oven, simply squeeze the strips to determine the doneness of the product.
I was awestruck as the host revealed to observers watching nationwide her absurd method for determining whether the chicken strips had reached a safe endpoint temperature. The only reliable way to check the doneness of the chicken product would have been to use a food thermometer. Not color. Not the squeeze method. Just temperature.
Over the last ten years, there have been several foodborne outbreaks associated with frozen, uncooked, pre-browned chicken entrees. Lee Weiss of Milaca, Minnesota fell ill after consuming a chicken cordon bleu dinner. His wife apparently cooked the product according to the directions printed on the package; however, she did not check the internal temperature of the product with a thermometer. After eating the product, Weiss described a sensation of something “swimming in his stomach.” He had been violated by a foodborne pathogen. The infection left him with extreme weight loss, a large hospital bill, and difficulty eating specific foods in the future. This is just one illustration of an individual who has suffered from salmonellosis after eating an undercooked stuffed, pre-browned chicken entrée.
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Many individuals underestimate the importance of using a food thermometer, especially with small meat products. Most individuals associate using a food thermometer with larger meats, such as turkeys or roasts. The processors of raw, frozen breaded chicken entrees put the statement—Uncooked: for food safety, cook to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F measured by a meat thermometer—on their product’s packaging for a reason. What many don’t realize about breaded chicken products is that the breading alters the consistency of the product which could cause uneven cooking. And uneven cooking can lead to foodborne illness.
Recent consumer studies have revealed a variety of excuses why people do not use a food thermometer. Some place blame on their role models; Martha Stewart didn’t, so they don’t. Some have more knowledge about how to use a palm pilot than how to operate a food thermometer. For some, it’s inconvenient, others are lazy. Many think it’s unnecessary to stick a metal temperature reading probe into their chicken cordon bleu.
There are reasons why individuals should use a food thermometer. You are helping to keep your children healthy. Children under the age of ten are in the high risk group for getting a foodborne illness. By using a food thermometer you are ensuring the food product has reached an internal temperature high enough to destroy foodborne pathogens, thus reducing your chances of acquiring a foodborne illness. The overall quality of the product can be enhanced. By using a food thermometer foods will not be overcooked and will taste better.
Next time you are preparing a small meat product, such as a frozen chicken entrée, make sure to use a food thermometer, so you won’t end up like Lee Weiss—with something swimming in your stomach.
Sarah DeDonder is a PhD student at Kansas State University.
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Publishing papers by press release is a bad idea
Last week, researchers at Texas Tech gushed in a press release about the food safety errors on cooking shows broadcast by the Food Network.
“Researchers analyzed 49 shows airing over a two-week period and used 17 different coded categories: six positive and 11 negative. Positive categories included hand washing, cleaning equipment, washing fruits and vegetables, adequate refrigeration, and use of a thermometer. …
“The results weren’t exactly savory with 118 positive food safety measures and 460 poor food handling incidents. Among the most noticeable culprits were not washing fruits, vegetables and herbs properly and a lack of hand washing in general.”
I have an interest in such work. In 2004, my laboratory reported that, based on 60 hours of detailed viewing of television cooking shows, an unsafe food handling practice occurred about every four minutes, and that for every safe food handling practice observed, we observed 13 unsafe practices. The most common errors were inadequate hand washing and cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods. The abstract is available at http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/article-details.php?a=3&c=14&sc=102&id=842.
(Mathiasen, L.A., Chapman, B.J., Lacroix, B.J. and Powell, D.A. 2004. Spot the mistake: Television cooking shows as a source of food safety information, Food Protection Trends 24(5): 328-334.)
So I e-mailed one of the researchers and asked, hey, has this been published in a journal anywhere?
She didn’t answer my e-mail.
But Lubbock Online did, in a story today, which concluded the Tech study has yet to be published but is under review for publication in the academic food safety journal "Food Protection Trends."
That’s great. The more research on these areas the better. Sometimes there is a need to issue a press release about research as it is on-going, but in this case, why not wait until the journal article is published. Then us mere mortals can actually get the paper and review it for ourselves.
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Revenge on the f***ing celebrity chef: prepare him safely
A new Youtube addition from Armstrong and Miller makes fun of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey and his propensity for yelling. The best lines are in the end, though. Watch, and you’ll see. And can you spot any mistakes?
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For modern women who want the healthy organic lifestyle: celebrity chef tells how to poison yourself
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Antony Worrall Thompson, a UK celebrity chef whom Gordon Ramsey once called a Teletubby and has made barfblog for using paving stones as a kitchen counter at a public BBQ, told the August issue of Healthy and Organic Living that henbane is great in salads.In Hamlet, Claudius uses a potion containing the drug to kill the king.
Yesterday Mr Worrall Thompson, and Healthy & Organic Living, who published his culinary wisdom, issued an apology, reminding readers that henbane “is a very toxic plant and should never be eaten”.
Andrew Chevalier, a fellow of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, said,
“It’s a close relative of deadly nightshade and is a very well recognized poisonous plant. Like most poisons it has medicinal properties. It can be used to treat patients with pain affecting the urinary tubules, such as kidney stones, and for certain gut problems. It acts as a sedative, with analgesic properties.”
Those who had followed Mr Worrall Thompson’s lead and constructed a salad of henbane should seek medical help, Mr Chevalier said. “A good portion would probably cause significant gastrointestinal diffculties and a larger dose would be fatal. If anyone has followed Mr Worrall Thompson’s advice they should dial 999 and prepare to have their stomach pumped.”
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UK celebrity chef told to clean up BBQ
Inspectors from South Oxfordshire district council objected to a counter that was made from unsealed paving stones, a potential breeding ground for germs, and a missing floor tile near the barbecue.Vanessa Ong, the environmental health officer, said surfaces must be made from materials that are "smooth, washable, corrosion resistant and non-toxic" and floors must be maintained in a sound condition and be easy to clean and disinfect.
Worrall Thompson said the paving stone counter was purely decorative and had since been sealed, adding
"Everything had been done properly before we opened. They came round when it wasn't in operation and then they put this on their website. I'm a little incensed and I will be having words with the council."
