My tomatoes are safe ... really, they're local, so they're safe
Amy and I were at the expecting-a-baby doctor today, and I started telling her about yet another take on the my-tomatoes-are-safe-cause-they’re-local-so-buy-them story from Tennessee.
Some locals farmers told Volunteer TV they,
“… even use fertilizer that comes from the ground rather than a store. Their fertilizers are made up of layers of manure, weeds and hay.
"It helps in killing off the bad bacteria. The worms are working through, turning it into the pure soils all around. The composting happens naturally."
Such statements really need to be verified through microbial testing.
Another farmer said,
"The guinea come through and we let them. They'll walk through the garden and they don't eat any of the vegetables, they just eat bugs."
The woman beside us in the doctor waiting room said her father used to have guineas in their garden and it worked real well for bug control.
I pointed out the guineas were also Salmonella factories and would be increasing the dangerous bug load in the gardens growing that fresh produce.
She said they used to have chickens at her farm, but got rid of them cause she got tired of the mess – the poop mess. Then we talked tornadoes.
But lots of others are still talking tomatoes.
Jeff Wilson, Mississippi State University Extension Service, told local media that, “locally grown tomatoes are most likely safe,” but didn’t say why. Maybe he was misquoted.
Meanwhile, I got to make more friends by telling Forbes that washing off produce is a good precaution, but won't necessarily safeguard you from a foodborne illness, nor will only buying locally grown fruits and vegetables from the farmers' market,
“At the farm level, produce can be contaminated in a variety of ways, including contact with untreated manure, infected or polluted water, workers with poor hygiene habits or unclean storage or transportation facilities, Powell says. While local farms may use less transportation and fewer workers, the chances for contamination are still there. And since fresh produce is, of course, uncooked, anything that comes into contact with it can taint it. Once E. coli or Salmonella gets inside a leafy green, tomato or sprout, it's hard to get rid of it.”
Are local tomatoes safer?
Mayra Rivarola is a new student in my lab and pulled together a decent piece on tomatoes and salmonella. And provided some excellent tomato photos. 
Karen Wisser of Eastside & Westside markets in Manhatan, Kansas, knows fresh produce. Wisser says buying produce from her markets is much safer than buying produce from larger retailers because she can identify their supplier easily and go back directly to the source in case of an outbreak of foodborne illness.
"If we don’t like what we’re getting, we can stop buying from them, we know what consumers want,” said Wisser.
Bryant Ambelang, chief marketing officer of Desert Glory, one of North America’s largest grower of greenhouse tomatoes, says that food safety is a top priority which is why the company invests in greenhouse operations, private wells, continual testing procedures and 100% product traceability.
The latest outbreak of salmonella associated with fresh tomatoes, with 277 sick people now identified in 28 states, including Kansas, raises questions about the safety of fresh produce and the food supply in general.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers to stay away from red plum, red roma and round red tomatoes unless they come from areas that have been given the all-clear by the FDA. The list is available at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers. The FDA website also states that homegrown tomatoes are safe to consume.
But, should consumers blindly assume that a tomato, because it was bought from the farmer next door, is free of salmonella or other dangerous bugs?
To protect the produce, it is essential that safety guidelines are followed, beginning on the farm.
Fresh fruits and vegetables can be contaminated through different venues including: contact with untreated manure, contaminated water, workers with poor hygiene habits or infected with contagious diseases, unclean containers, tools, storage or transportation facilities.
Are tomatoes safer at the farmers market?
Rebekah Denn of Seattlepi.com, a barfblog.com fan (see below), writes,
With a tomato-related salmonella outbreak in 16 states, the Neighborhood Farmers Market Association got this interesting question:
"Are tomatoes from the University District farmer's market safe to eat, given the FDA's recent warning about tomatoes & salmonella?"
The F.D.A. has linked the nasty illness to raw red plum, red Roma and round red tomatoes. The feds say it's OK to eat those varieties if they're sourced from regions that are not associated with the outbreak, clearing tomatoes from places like California and Canada. Washington did not make the all-clear-as-far-as-we-know list.
The market association is checking in with its greenhouse growers on the topic, and sent out this reply to the query:
"Yes, our local farm tomatoes are definitely safe. The outbreak is likely due to the wide use of some kind of composting medium on big factory farms that was contaminated - but none of our market farmers are connected in any way to those kinds of operations. In fact, the tomatoes at the markets right now are all hothouse tomatoes, which makes them even safer, as they are grown in wood bark. Also, our farmers are mostly growing heirloom varieties, both in their hothouses and in their fields.
The FDA Web site also notes that homegrown tomatoes are safe. Our market farmers are essentially growing homegrown tomatoes: they are not huge operations but rather smaller family farms, using safe, healthy and sustainable growing methods. These farmers live on their farms, pick the harvest themselves and eat the food they grow as well as selling it to local markets."
I checked in with Doug Powell, associate professor and scientific director of the International Food Safety Network at Kansas State University -- but to me better known for "BarfBlog," an acerbic and opinionated and evidence-based blog on food safety.
His take on the farmer's market go-ahead? Not so fast. He wrote:
"Whether your produce comes from around the corner or around the globe, contamination must be prevented beginning on the farm. Ask your tomato supplier:
-- What do you do for food safety?
-- Do you or your suppliers test wash water for bacteria? Irrigation
water?
-- What soil amendments are being used?
-- Do you or your suppliers train your staff on handwashing?"
But wait! Aren't the farmer's markets at least safe from the current salmonella outbreak, I asked, if the farmers are truly growing different varieties than the ones identified with the problem?
Powell said yes, although there's no basis (yet, I say) for the speculation that big factory farms caused the problem. In general, though, when it comes to food safety, "there is no evidence that sustainable and local is safer."
But wouldn't outbreaks from small local farms at least be easier to contain and easier to track?
Maybe, Powell wrote, but it's a tough comparison to make. "We have no sense how often they happen because they are small and don't get picked up."
So, talk to the people who grow your produce. Ask them questions. The advantage of the farmer's markets is, at least at the markets you actually get that chance.
Barfblog: the acerbic and opinionated and evidence-based blog on food safety. I like that.
Ensuring safe local produce
Eight Seattle area hospitals have promised to change their food to make it healthier for patients, staff and visitors, including a commitment to local food.
That’s according to a blog post at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, which also notes the hospitals signed a Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge.
Holly Freishtat, Sustainable Food Specialist for Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, says,
"Hospitals are changing the culture of food in healthcare by sourcing local produce, hormone-free milk, meat without hormones or antibiotics, sustainable seafood and through hosting farmers' markets, community- supported agriculture boxes for employees."
What's missing is any discussion about the microbiological safety of, especially, fresh local produce.
As more producers and suppliers adapt to meet the demand for local produce, here are some basic questions:
• where is the farm located
• what type of fertilizer is used;
• what is the water source and how frequently is it tested; and,
• is the produce harvested, stored and transported safely, by staff who practice outstanding personal hygiene.?
Beyond the questions, the real challenge, as I've said many times before, is,
"Whether your food comes from down the street or around the globe, you want to verify that producers and processors are actually doing what they are supposed to be doing."
How about sourcing food from the place that can boast the fewest number of sick patrons?
Gordon Ramsey has a problem with food processing
Chef Gordon Ramsay told the BBC that British restaurants should be fined if they serve fruit and vegetables which are not in season, and that fruit and vegetables should be locally-sourced and only on menus when in season.
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"There should be stringent laws, licensing laws, to make sure produce is only used in season and season only. If we don't restrict our movements within this industry of seasonal-produce only, then the whole thing will spiral out of control."
Ramsay also went on to vent his anger at fellow TV chef Delia Smith, whose latest book, How to Cheat at Cooking, encourages people to mix together ready-made food rather than cook from scratch if they are short of time or on a tight budget, adding,
"I would expect students struggling on £15 a week to survive eating from a can but the nation's favourite, all-time icon reducing us down to using frozen, canned food. It's an insult. And it makes our lives, from a chef's point of view, a lot harder. Here we are trying to establish a reputation across the world for this country's food and along comes Delia and tips it out of a can. That hurts."
Me, I'm a fan of freezing, canning, fresh and whatever. It's about mixing it up. Frozen corn, peas (left) and others, canned tomatoes and sauces, the garden out back, Amy and I got it all (and enjoyed our first spinach and lettuce salad of the season this evening, with frozen scallops, which don't grow so well in Manhattan -- Kansas).
I'll have more to say about this in the next couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, Oxfam's head of research, Duncan Green, said he was sure "the million farmers in east Africa who rely on exporting their goods to scrape a living would see Gordon Ramsay's assertions as a recipe for disaster."
Knowing where your food comes from -- Doug Powell edition
Elizabeth Payne, a member of the Ottawa Citizen's editorial board, writes that the 100 Mile Diet looks great in the fall, but not so great during a long Ottawa winter.
A spate of recent scares about food -- from tainted spinach and cantaloupe to sprouts and carrot juice -- has made many consumers hyper-aware of the potential dangers of what they consume. For many, buying local seemed to offer protection against the evils of the food world.
A particularly harsh winter has put that myth to rest for many. Sooner or later, the grocery store and its shiny produce aisles full of strawberries, peppers, lettuce, oranges and kiwi beckon. Local, in this climate, has its limits.
Dr. Douglas Powell (right, not exactly as shown) says buying local is no guarantee against eating food that can make us sick.
"You have good producers and bad producers everywhere whether they are large or small, size doesn't matter."
Powell said he feels safe buying produce from large grocery stores that are big enough to demand high standards throughout their supply chains. Even then, problems can happen. When it comes to buying local, he asks questions, such as what kind of water is used for irrigation, how often it is tested and where the produce is grown.
The story says that Powell (left, not exactly as shown) is a Canadian who teaches at the University of Kansas and heads the Guelph-based Food Safety Network.
I professorize at Kansas State University.
The International Food Safety Network is worldwide, headquartered on my couch in Manhattan (Kansas). If I'm heading some Guelph knock-off you'd think they could at least give me an e-mail address and not expropriate donations to cover shortfalls in their paper clip fund.
Local is good -- what about flooding and tornadoes?
Driving through Oklahoma yesterday on our way to Longview, Texas for a couple of talks, I was reminded several times by billboards that local is good in Oklahoma.
It's the same in Arkansas, Texas, and pretty much every other state and province in North America.
What happens to the local food supply when there is torrential rainfalls and tornadoes. Seriously. For 10 of the 11 hours we spent on the road yesterday, it was pouring. Much of Texas got at least 6 inches of rain. Texas flood (right). And shortly after we arrived in Longview last night, the tornado warning sirens went off and we all congregated in the laundry room. The storm also knocked out most Internet connections, so news and blogging are delayed.
But back to the local is good. Bob Woldrop, president of the Oklahoma Food Cooperative, told NewsOK.com,
"I think local foods are better and safer. Local foods are processed in smaller facilities. When I buy beef through the Oklahoma Food Co-op, I buy it from a particular farmer, and it all comes from one animal."
Samantha Snyder, horticulture educator at the Oklahoma County Extension Center, said,
"Some people really prefer the organic, and some people say it is safer because they know where it's coming from and how it's been treated."
Snyder also urges people to plant their own vegetable gardens as a step in ensuring safety and freshness of their food.
Freshness maybe. But safety depends on the grower taking steps to manage and mitigate microbial contamination. Floods make that difficult, no matter the size or location of the farm.
Bruce Cockburn and food safety
From displaced Guatemalans to the Amazon rain forest to the angst of high school sweethearts, Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn has been there for four decades to turn protest into song.
Now, Cockburn is traveling to Nova Scotia, Canada, for a Friday appearance to help kick off the four-day Real Food, Farming and Flowers weekend focused on food security and related issues, both locally and globally.
The headline says, Cockburn here to promote food safety, once again confusing food safety with local food.
Mark Austin, co-organizer of the Truro and Halifax events, said,
"I believe, as many do right now, we have to find a way to reconnect. There’s a lot of talk about buying locally, growing your own food and supporting farmers’ markets," with where our food comes from. Along with that, we need to produce food in a sustainable way. In other words, I’m not a great believer in industrial farming and processed foods."
That’s all great. And has nothing to do with microbial food safety.
If I Had a Rocket Launcher. If a Tree Falls in a Forest. Lovers in a Dangerous Time.
'80s music really sucked.
Judge for yourself …
But it's local, it must be safe
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Hawaii's Department of Health was cited as reporting earlier this month that four tourists and four others on Kaua'i in March were most likely infected by eating contaminated lettuce from a Kaua'i farm, where heavy rains and flooding had carried E. coli O157 from a cattle pasture onto the lettuce patch.
The story notes that health investigators took DNA from the disease organisms in patients, and were able to determine that the strain of E. coli O157 bacteria in all the victims had the same DNA fingerprint.
Janice Okubo, public information officer for the state Department of Health, was quoted as saying,
"It was determined that one item, locally produced lettuce, was common to at least one restaurant eaten at by each case during their probable exposure."
Food porn alert: My church is a farm
Kim Severson writes in the New York Times today that the connection between what she puts in her body, the land around her and the miracle of things that grow makes her feel as if she's part of something bigger.
Fair enough. Severson explains that local has become the new organic, helped in large part by a growing concern over the environmental impact of transporting food thousands of miles.
But when it comes to food safety, Severson fails like so many other food pornographers.
"Mix a little mad cow disease, bags of spinach infected with E. coli and an obesity epidemic and people begin to question what is happening to the food supply. A bunch of kale from Hepworth Farms in Milton, N.Y., may not solve those problems, but it is one sure, small step toward a healthier family dinner table."
Why is it a step toward anything safer unless the grower can prove she is following good agricultural practices and some minimal microbial food safety testing to provide an indication that controls are working the way they should (such as water quality).
Talk is nice. Show me, or any other consumer, the data.
Local = safe? Show me the data
The Montreal Gazette is the latest media outlet to plunge into the if-food-from-China-makes-us-sick-we-should-buy-local issue.
Paul Mayers, executive director of the animal products directorate at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, was quoted as saying, "Continued globalization means our responsibilities continue to grow. Regulatory systems in different countries are at different stages of evolution. We realize not all countries have systems that are as developed as ours."
I'm not sure how developed the Canadian regulatory system is. The scientific expertise is there, but when it comes to sharing that information with consumers, the system seems far from developed.
Even the story notes that "the Canadian Food Inspection Agency doesn't release numbers on how many shipments it inspects or how many inspectors it employs. Nor does it track food-safety violations by country."
The story cites me, Doug Powell, an associate professor and director of the International Food Safety Network at Kansas State University, as saying the food supply is as safe as it's ever been, adding, "It doesn't matter whether we get our food from around the corner or around the world." Powell said it's up to consumers to ask questions, but said increased government inspection is not the answer. "You can't test your way to a safe food supply," said Powell, who believes ensuring food safety is the responsibility of the private sector. "Making people sick is bad for business."
Actually, the rest of the quote was, "you want to verify that producers and processors are actually doing what they are supposed to be doing" but the reporter didn't seem to like that.
There is a growing assumption visible in media coverage and marketing, that local equates with safe. I was at the Manhattan (Kansas, that is) market with Amy last Saturday morning. Producers, large or small, should be able to describe their efforts to manage microbiological risks. Back in Guelph, Ontario, I used to ask the guy who sold fresh apple cider what he did to control risk (this, in the aftermath of the 1996 Odwalla juice-E. coli O157:H7 outbreak) and he could describe the small microbiological lab he had set up on his farm and the testing and sampling procedures he used. If consumers want unpasteurized cider, that's the kind of question and answer they might want to be interested in.
Regardless of the source, have some sort of verification that it is microbiologically safe.
