Cook your own food at Glasgow restaurant an invitation to health problems?
The Glaswegian reports that diners are being invited to make their own dishes at a new Glasgow restaurant.
Cookie will be the first restaurant in Scotland to invite customers into the kitchen to prepare and cook the food.
They will have access to quality ingredients and be guided by a trained chef.
The eaterie is the brainchild of Scots-Italian architect Domenico Del Priore.
He hopes the concept of "horizontal cooking" will break down barriers between chef and diner.
Inspired by open family restaurants in Italy, Domenico predicts "self cooking" will be the next big thing.
How will health inspectors view the latest trend? Especially with cross-contamination issues.
5 sick, 1 dead in new listeria outbreak in Canada
Canadian health types can’t seem to decide whether to go public with bad health news or whether to do it just enough to cover their asses afterwards.
A press release showed up on the Public Health Agency of Canada web site dated 21.sep.09 but it didn’t show up in any of the other notification systems like e-mail or RSS feeds. No media has picked it up. Phyllis Entis of e-food alert noticed it, so good.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is working with provincial and local health authorities, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to investigate cases of Listeria monocytogenes in Canada.
Currently, there are six cases under investigation. The six cases were caused by the same strain of Listeria monocytogenes. This strain is relatively common and it is unknown whether or not these cases are connected to the same source.
Investigation is ongoing to determine the possible cause of illness in each individual case, and to determine if there is a common source for the infections.
One of the cases has died, and listeriosis contributed to this death. … However, most healthy people exposed to Listeria are at very low risk of being affected by the bacteria.
Why do bureaucrats insist on saying listeria is low risk? I’m sure it doesn’t feel low-risk to the sick people and dead person. Just report what is being done.
Underground restaurants in St. Louis: how bored are Americans?
Food pornography is nothing new. Neither are so-called underground restaurants. That the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks both may be new and newsworthy may help explain the decline of American newspapers (and look at that cool arm decal in this pic from the Post, right, below).
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Although underground restaurants have been popping up around the country for several years, this incarnation, launched last summer, appears to be the first of its kind in St. Louis.
Diners learn about an upcoming monthly dinner only through word of mouth. They sign up on a website using a pass code. On the day of the dinner, they get an e-mail telling them where to go. Sometimes it's a private house; other times, it's a rented space. …
Health department officials in the St. Louis area say underground restaurants violate health codes because they lack the proper inspections and permits.
"Even if a church sets up a buffet for a charity event, they need a permit," said Craig LeFebvre, a spokesman for the St. Louis County Health Department.
If someone invites friends to a private dining event in St. Louis County, they're not violating any laws. But if they put up any signs — including a website — and the event is open to a paying public, they need a permit, explained Gerrin Cheek Butler of the county's health department.
The chef, who asked not to be identified, said,
"The whole thing is an experience. It's not just this consumer thing, where you show up, order, and get pushed out the door an hour later."
Correct. It’s a way to charge a premium for porn.
Michele Samarya-Timm Health Educator of the Year
Jersey represent.
Barfblogger and Franklin Township Health Department health officer Michele Samarya-Timm (right, not exactly as shown) has been crowned handwashing queen and Health Educator of the Year by the New Jersey Society for Public Health Education.
Patti Elliot, acting director for the Franklin Township Health Department said,
"Michele's enthusiasm for the field of public health is surpassed by no one.”
Samarya-Timm is the only health educator to receive the professional distinction of Diplomate in the American Academy of Sanitarians and has been recognized as an emerging public health leader by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
In Franklin, Samarya-Timm established a model of the CDC's "It's a SNAP!" handwashing program, created a youth-based pandemic preparedness/handwashing program, and a handwashing/hygiene and illness reporting program for food handlers.
On a national level, Samarya-Timm works with the Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, the CDC and other agencies on establishing timely food safety and food outbreak information to consumers.
Is Diet Coke Plus really a plus?
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It’s no secret. The obesity epidemic is still raging in the United States. Documentaries such as Super Size Me and TV shows like Big Medicine have helped to bring the public’s attention to the obesity problem in the US, but there is still a long way to go to encourage consumers to adopt proper eating habits and exercise regiments.
There have been quite a few fad diets out there that guarantee the latest “quick fix” for a spare tire around the waist or love handles. The health food market has also exploded with new products offering few calories and added vitamins and minerals. Consumers are also looking for products not only to help them lose weight, but also stay healthy by consuming products, like functional foods, to help prevent cancer. Functional foods, any fresh or processed food claiming to have a health-promoting and/or disease-preventing property beyond the basic nutritional function of supplying nutrients, are also being researched and developed by many scientists.
Functional foods are fast becoming a part of everyday life. Two-thirds of adults made an effort to buy more fortified foods in 2006 - up 17% over 2005. One-third of young adults age 18–24 regularly drink energy beverages, and more than half of mothers of preteens bought organic foods last year.
With the majority (69%) of Americans pursuing a preventive lifestyle and 27% taking a treatment approach, not surprisingly, products that offer specific health benefits that make it easier for consumers to address their individual needs are enjoying explosive sales growth.
How does the market classify whether or not a food is considered functional food? The FDA regulates food products according to their intended use and the nature of claims made on the package. Five types of health-related statements or claims are allowed on food and dietary supplement labels:
http://www.ific.org/nutrition/functional/index.cfm
* Nutrient content claims indicate the presence of a specific nutrient at a certain level.
* Structure and function claims describe the effect of dietary components on the normal structure or function of the body.
* Dietary guidance claims describe the health benefits of broad categories of foods.
* Qualified health claims convey a developing relationship between components in the diet and risk of disease, as reviewed by the FDA and supported by the weight of credible scientific evidence available.
* Health claims confirm a relationship between components in the diet and risk of disease or health condition, as approved by FDA and supported by significant scientific agreement.
Could junk food be advertised with health claims? Diet Coke Plus was introduced in 2007 by The Coca-Cola Company as an alternative to Coca-Cola Classic. The ingredient list includes the following added vitamins and minerals: magnesium sulfate (declared at 10% of the Daily Value (DV) for magnesium in the Nutrition Facts panel), zinc gluconate (declared at 10% of the DV for zinc), niacinamide (declared at 15% of the DV for niacin), pyridoxine hydrochloride (declared at 15% of the DV for vitamin B6), and cyanocobalamine (declared at 15% of the DV for vitamin B12).
Diet Coke Plus has just come under fire for using the word “plus” in their product name. According to the FDA, Diet Coke Plus is “misbranded … because the product makes a nutrient content claim but does not meet the criteria to make the claim.” Muhtar Kent, the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company received a warning letter from the FDA last week detailing regulations for using the word “plus” and Diet Coke Plus’ abuse of the word, along with the statement that the “FDA does not consider it appropriate to fortify snack foods such as carbonated beverages.”
I’ll be honest; I’ve bought Diet Coke Plus at the grocery store. I might’ve been trying to rationalize my caffeine addiction. It said Plus, it must be ok to drink. If they ever come out with an Organic Coke I’m sure people will be clamoring to buy it, supposing that it will be “all natural”.
The FDA has allowed Coke 15 days to prepare a letter detailing the actions that Coke plans to take in response to the warning letter, including an explanation of each step being taken to correct the current violations and prevent similar violations. “We take seriously the issues raised by the FDA in its letter,” Coke spokesman Scott Williamson said in a prepared statement. “This does not involve any health or safety issues, and we believe the label on Diet Coke Plus complies with FDA's policies and regulations. We will provide a detailed response to the FDA in early January."
Restaurant sinks are not bathtubs
An Ohio man is in hot water for taking a hot bath in a Burger King bathtub. The video shows a man sitting in the sink, while other employees look on laughing. At one point the employee with the camera goes to ask the manager if she wants to come watch. The manager declines, but also fails to take any action. The video was then posted on Myspace. The fast food restaurant has fired all employees involved. They added that the sink was sanitized twice and all utensils were thrown out. Health officials are working with prosecutors to see if charges will be filed. However the health department has declined to issue any fines. If bathing in a kitchen sink isn’t worth a fine, what is?
The video contains some not safe for work language.
Burger King Employee Takes Bath In Sink - Watch more free videos
In the name of science: women wanted to eat chocolate for a year
The trial, at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, eastern England, will test whether a natural compound found in cocoa, the main ingredient of chocolate, could cut the risk of heart disease among women with diabetes.A Belgian confectionist has created the special chocolate bar containing high levels of flavonoids -- a plant compound that has been shown to reduce heart risk factors -- to be used in the experiment. Soy, another natural source of flavonoids, has also been added to the bar.
Participants, who must be postmenopausal women under the age of 70, will have their risk of heart disease tested on five occasions during the year to see whether change occurs.
Nurse? Did you wash your hands?
Irish Health reports that the campaign has met with a mixed reaction from the public, judging by the latest irishhealth.com viewers' poll results. One viewer says she has even complained to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission about the advertising campaign. (To view the full results and comments click on...http://www.irishhealth.com/poll.html?pollid=423 )
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HSE Assistant National Director for Health Protection Dr Kevin Kelleher said evidence shows that hand hygiene is the single most effective defence against the spread of MRSA.Donal Duffy, Assistant Secretary General of the IHCA, told irishhealth.com,
"They (consultants) find it gratuitously insulting, given that the campaign effectively accuses consultants of not washing their hands."
Janette Byrne of the Patients Together organization, said,
"If you are feeling very sick it would be difficult to have the worry of asking staff about their hand hygiene. We feel that the full responsibility for this should be placed on hospital staff, and it is not fair to put this burden on the patient. … Many people would struggle to confront a doctor or nurse on this issue and we feel the campaign is very much a case of the HSE passing the buck."
What to do if food has made you poop or barf
She wasnt sickened by the food, but if you think a specific food has made you sick, here's what to do:
• go to the doctor if necessary;
• keep the food, in the fridge or freezer if necessary; and,
• contact your local health department.
Bill Marler's got some more specific guidelines here.
Health Canada pulls holiday recommendations from its ass
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But,"You can help reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses for your family and friends during the holiday season by following some basic food safety tips."
If it's basic, why are so many people getting sick?
The Canadians at least have it right by saying,
"If cooking a turkey for a holiday meal, use a digital food thermometer to make sure it is cooked properly."
That's so much better than the Brits and the Irish.
But then, Health Canada says,
"The temperature of the thickest part of the breast or thigh should be at least 85 degrees C (185 degrees F)."
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No one knows where this recommendation comes from. In the U.S., the recommendation is 165 F, and anyone can figure out where it came from. Apparently no one asks such questions in Canada.12 germiest places?
MSNBC got “Health” magazine senior editor Frances Largeman-Roth to identify the 12 germiest places you’re likely to encounter during an average day. Lists make nice water cooler chatter, like the top 25 Canadian albums (and Canadians are still apologizing for Bryan Adams and Celine Dion), but some references would bolster the credibility of the germy list. And what is germiest?
1. Your kitchen sink
2. Airplane bathrooms
3. A load of wet laundry
4. Public drinking fountains
5. Shopping cart handles
6. ATM buttons
7. Your handbag
8. Playgrounds
9. Mats and machines at health clubs
10. Your bathtub
11. Your office phone
12. The hotel-room remote control
