Halloween decorations hide a poor inspection score
Halloween in New Zealand doesn’t appear to be as hyped-up as North America. I’ve yet to see any houses decorated in Wellington, and the usual surplus of costumes and candy in grocery and department stores is nearly non-existent here. That won’t stop me however; I’ve already begun gathering the fixin’s for my costume.
Meanwhile, a South Carolina restaurant found a way to disguise its most recent bad inspection card – using Halloween decorations to hide the “C” assigned, reports The Item Online.
Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet on Broad Street has received an "A" inspection rating from the Department of Health and Environmental Control. The new grade replaces the "C" handed out on Tuesday for violations of the county health code, which inspector James Arthur said were numerous and serious.
The day after that inspection, the restaurant was cited for permit tampering, after an employee covered the downgraded inspection sticker with Halloween decorations.
Penalties range from a fine of $1,000 to permit suspension, said Arthur. The official notice will stay in the restaurant's file at the health department, he added. They will not face consequences unless it happens again.
On Friday, the restaurant scored a perfect 100 points on their follow-up health inspection. The new sticker, which is unobscured, can be seen on the door, facing the parking lot.
Spooky.
Indiana: BS inspection results at BSU
Adding another peg to my places-I’ve-visited-in-New Zealand map, I’m currently in Dunedin at an Otago Universtiy café. Perhaps it’s the years at the uber laidback University of Guelph, but I prefer the campus atmosphere to that of the usual downtown internet hot spot, though it often gives me moments of déjà vu.
In another déjà vu moment, students at Ball State University may be unimpressed with the results of campus eatery inspections. Back in February I blogged about the unsatisfactory number of inspections taking place at the university, with some food locations going nearly six years without an inspection. Now The Star Press reveals that the inspections are being completed, but with poor results.
The food court in The Atrium of Ball State University's Art and Journalism Building has been cited for nine critical and seven non-critical violations of sanitation regulations.
Tom Russell, a registered environmental health specialist at the university, explained that it’s not necessarily unsafe to eat at the food court.
"If you had a couple of critical violations come together, it could result in a foodborne illness. You do not want to have recurring violations. It needs to be addressed."
State and university inspectors also cited The Barnes and Noble Cafe (seven critical, seven non-critical violations), the Alumni Center/University Catering (two critical, one non-critical violations), Elliot/Wagoner Dining (four critical, six non-critical violations), and the food court in the student center (five critical, six non-critical violations) during inspections last month.
University spokesman Tony Proudfoot said the university is certainly not satisfied with the results.
"Dining services is looking at bringing in a consultant to help evaluate our program and identify any opportunities we might have to close gaps and improve. The consultant will be asked to identify training and procedures to help us resolve these issues."
Some of the violations found last month were the same as those found when the university called the state health department in to conduct inspections in February.
Gold, silver and bronze medals for restaurants too at 2010 Commonwealth Games
Before moving to New Zealand I had no clue what the games of netball or rugby involved, and it’s not to say I am an expert on these sports by any means now, but I at least know how the games are played. Both netball and rugby sevens are approved sports in the Commonwealth Games, a multinational multisport even held every four years in which athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations compete. In 2010 the Commonwealth Games are going to be hosted by Delhi, India, and the country is preparing to introduce a new restaurant inspection disclosure system to ensure athletes and fans do not become sick during the duration of the games, reports F&B News.
During the meeting, the authorities intended to help prevent the infamous "Delhi belly," with a plan called "Safe food, tasty food" under consideration by India's food safety agency that would rate restaurants gold, silver or bronze depending on their food safety and hygiene performance.
It was agreed that the municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) will identify eating establishments from the list of its licensed establishments who could be taken up for upgradation. These establishments will be trained to upgrade food safety and then audited for awarding the appropriate grade. Besides, the members of National Restaurant Association of India will audit to award them grades.
… Further, the food inspectors of MCD/NDMC (New Delhi municipal council) will assist in identifying food businesses and persuading them to adhere to safety norms prescribed under the rules. Several major hotels of the city are also being invited to adopt food cluster in their vicinity as part of their corporate social responsibility and enable such business improve their standards of food safety.
Cool beans!
Kiwifruit to help the toots
When I first moved to New Zealand and discovered the delicious gold kiwifruit I went a little overboard, consuming at least four of these a day. Little did I know the sweeter sibling of the green kiwifruit may be helping to keep me from, ummm, embarrassing body functions. Kiwi researchers have found that kiwifruit may help flatulence, reports The New Zealand Herald.
We've all had those awkward moments when a roomful of people tries to ignore a less-than-fragrant blast from someone's nether regions. It's bad enough at work - but much worse on the bus or, heaven forbid, in a lift. Now help could be on the way, with the humble kiwifruit…
Up to one in five men and one in four women suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), with flatulence and constipation among common symptoms. The fruit contains an enzyme called zyactinase, and a small study has shown it could provide relief for IBS sufferers.
Gastroenterologist Dr Russell Walmsley, who worked on the research, said,
"People think of kiwifruit for constipation but it also seemed to be quite good for general irritable bowel.”
Melanie Palmer, communications manager for kiwifruit marketing company Zespri, said the fruit was known for relieving that "blocked and bloated feeling".
Continuing,
"Early results show eating green kiwifruit as part of a meal may improve digestion."
I’m a fan of the Zespri kiwifruit, mainly because they come with a clever little knoon (knife/spoon) for scooping your fruit (see picture, right).
New Zealand cricketers felled by food poisoning
I don’t understand cricket -- other than it may be as boring as baseball -- but I do understand barf.
Tillakaratne Dilshan achieved the milestone he narrowly missed in Sri Lanka's first innings to post an unbeaten 123 as New Zealand became increasingly dependent on rain to stave off defeat in the first cricket test in Galle last night.
New Zealand had little to enthuse about once it became apparent morning rain would not stall the start of play for the first time since a delayed toss.
Their mood darkened further when Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder called in sick at breakfast, the worst affected of eight players struck down by food poisoning.
Only Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill and Iain O'Brien were immune from the bug that provided Auckland wicketkeeper Reece Young with his first experience of test cricket.
Only A grades on Shortland Street
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While living in Doug and Amy’s basement I watched a lot of bad TV – we all did. Since moving to New Zealand little has changed. Instead of the Real Housewives of New York or DOOL, I now watch Shortland Street every night at 7pm.
Last night while two of the characters were scandalously dining I recognized a restaurant grading card in the background, an A grade. The program is filmed and set in Auckland, New Zealand.
The picture is a little shotty, but so is the acting.
Belgica mussels under the microscope; is New Zealand better than Old Zeeland?
A year ago Amy and I were sitting in a Wellington, New Zealand restaurant overlooking the harbor, pulling mussels from the shell (it was a holiday complete).
Consumers in Belgium are just beginning to enjoy the annual harvest of so-called Belgica mussels. According to a report forwarded by our European safe food correspondent, Albert Amgar:
Last year there was a lot of hubbub around the so-called presence of toxic substances in Belgica mussels. This toxin would provoke Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning, characterized by gastric and intestinal problems, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and intestinal cramps. Counter analyses could not confirm the presence of this toxin.
The mussels cultivated in Belgian waters underwent bimonthly bacteriological testing conducted by the Federal Agency for Food Safety. Weekly tests were also taken in order to detect the possible presence of toxins in mussels and the presence of toxin-bearing algae in the water where the mussels are raised. French authorities are responsible for testing the mussels raised in France.
Belgica was the name given to a Roman province encompassing parts of modern Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. These Belgica mussels are 20 per cent from Belgian waters and 80 per cent from French waters of the North Sea. Apparently, the less-fleshier Zeeland mussels, from the Zeeland waters of the North Sea – Zeeland is a southern province of The Netherlands – compete with Belgica mussels for the food dollars of Belgian consumers (apparently American and Canadian country-of-origin labels aren’t the only confusing – and largely meaningless – labels out there).
To continue on with the wiki-ized history, the name New Zealand originated with Dutch cartographers – Dutch explorers being the first Europeans to arrive -- who called the islands Nova Zeelandia, after the Dutch province of Zeeland. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand.
Katie, enjoy some NZ mussels; cause as the poster says, New Zealand: Better than Old Zealand.
Happy Canada Day Kiwis
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July 1st is Canada Day, so being in New Zealand and feeling patriotic I decided to make butter tarts, a Canadian baked dessert (pictured right). While making the filling-- which consists of brown sugar, eggs and cream -- my flatmate had a spoonful of the unbaked filling. I warned her about the raw eggs, but she shrugged and tasted it anyways, saying it was delicious.
Since being in New Zealand I’ve noticed a difference in egg handling than in North America. Eggs are not found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, rather just on store shelves, and many consumers do not refrigerate eggs at home. Doug says it’s because the country just got electricity 10 years ago, and beer is the primary occupant of the fridge; however, a more scientific explanation follows:
A 2007 survey of retail eggs for Salmonella found,
The results of this survey are consistent with two previous studies in indicating an absence of internal contamination of New Zealand eggs and enumeration tests have shown that the number of Salmonella present on the surface of contaminated eggs is low.
The pilot study suggests that, in New Zealand, the risk to consumers from Salmonella in eggs is low. Food handling practices that minimise the possibility of cross contamination from shells will further reduce the risk.
I still keep eggs in the fridge, and will avoid the temptation of eating raw cookie dough.
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New Zealand: Traffic light approach to food labelling a no-go
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I’ve been in New Zealand for over a month now, in which time I have become accustomed to the accent, picked up some slang, and sampled many a new food. Although Marmite has not grown on me, I do enjoy a warm cup of Milo, a chocolaty malt drink, not quite as sweet as hot chocolate.
The New Zealand Herald reports today that a suggested traffic light approach to food labelling is a no-go with the Food & Grocery council.
While some consumer groups are pushing for traffic light labelling on food in New Zealand - to warn about a high sugar or salt content, for example - the council is against that approach.
Katherine Rich, chief executive of the Food & Grocery Council, says,
"We see this as an overly simplistic way of dealing with a complex problem. There is no evidence that slapping red light labels on milk, cheese, honey and Marmite will help New Zealanders achieve a healthy diet.”
She continued,
"The industry understood years ago that consumers wanted more information about the food they eat and so it committed to percentage daily intake labelling. Bringing in another form of labelling would cost consumers many millions of dollars for no gain…”
"As for the good food/bad food labelling, it is a joyless person indeed who suggests that the average Kiwi who occasionally enjoys a piece of chocolate with their Milo needs a big red light slapped on their chocolate bar telling them it's bad."
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The traffic light communication approach – green (good), yellow (caution), red (bad) – has been used in restaurant inspection disclosure schemes, like Sacramento County, C.A. (pictured above) or the City of Toronto, Canada. During the development of the Toronto disclosure scheme it was noted that colour can be used to draw attention and suggest caution.
Whether or not a red symbol on a cookie package would actually change my purchasing habits is unknown, but cities like Sacramento and Toronto that use traffic light schemes for disclosing inspection results seem to like it, and so do consumers.
Doug dreams about flaming turtles
I’ve taken to going to sleep about 10 p.m. and getting up about 4 a.m. That means Amy stays up later, feeds Sorenne a couple of more times, and apparently gets to listen to me babble in my sleep.
This is nothing new. I’ve given entire lectures in my sleep – and I’m just talking about with Amy, not classrooms.
I’ve written about the trauma of only having turtles as pets while growing up. And the recent story in the Baltimore Sun and the terrible response about how those tiny turtles are OK as long as little kids don’t put the entire turtle in their mouths apparently triggered some sort of response.
"I'm supposed to kill 6 of those f***ing flaming turtles"
Amy says she laughed, Doug started laughing, then said, "See, I'm wasting my resources when I'm not doing what I'm supposed to."
Amy, who likes to ask questions when I talk in my sleep, says,
"What are you supposed to be doing?"
"Keeping those f***ing new zealanders in line."
This probably had to do with the e-mails I was sending to New Zealanders Katie and Gary before I went to sleep. Or not.
Norovirus outbreak at hospital in New Zealand
Although Katie Filion (fellow BarfBlogger) lives in Wellington, New Zealand, I trust she washes her hands properly and often, so I’m not too worried about her and the latest report of norovirus outbreak in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Palmerston North Hospital has reported a possible norovirus outbreak. Patients and staff, 13 and 11, respectively, have been affected with this stomach bug. Earlier this year, 240 staff members and 88 patients were affected causing 31 major surgeries to be postponed.
To reduce the spread of infection, handwashing is being promoted to staff, patients, and visitors. Additional handwashing stations have been set up at the front hospital entrance, outside the entrance of each ward, and other places around the hospital. Visitor hours have been reduced to only 6 hours in the afternoon and patient property must be dropped off and collected at each ward entrance.
New Zealand court slams poultry processor
An Auckland woman whose company slaughtered thousands of poultry in what a judge described as stomach-turning conditions has been fined more than $23,000 in a case brought by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA).
Ling Zhang and her company Ling Ling Poultry pleaded guilty in Papakura District Court last week to four charges under the Animal Products Act.
Judge Eddie Paul fined Zhang $20,000 for selling animal product that has not been processed in line with the Act and $3000 for not having a registered risk management programme, plus court costs.
He told Zhang that to call the operation ‘bad’ was an understatement: “Anyone viewing that barn in the manner in which those chickens were slaughtered, their stomach would turn.”
Murder Burger's staff wear Meat is Murder T-shirts - and only serve meat
Murder Burger, a New Zealand gourmet burger store that opened in the swish Auckland suburb of Ponsonby last year, used the following for an on-line Help wanted ad:
"We need a bunch of people to hang out with, make burgers and talk shit.”
The ad specifically requested student nurses and teachers to apply, explaining, "I've gone out with two nurses and two teachers and they were all awesome."
Not wanted were politics students ("Nothing personal, we just don't understand you") or methamphetamine addicts.
"Again nothing personal. It's just that the benefit of you being able to work seven shifts in a row is pretty much outweighed by the probability that you will one day flip, grab a knife and become Mr Stabby."
I’m all for it, as long as the burgers are verified 160F with a tip-sensitive thermometer.
Restaurant grades on the other side of the world
It’s been just over a week since I landed in Wellington, New Zealand. The Kiwis have been friendly, and I’ve gotten better at understanding the accent (for the most part).
As part of my induction into the food safety group on this side of the world, we journeyed up to Palmerston North, about 2 hours from Wellington. A lunch break Tuesday at Cafe Esplanade was my first sighting of restaurant inspection grades in New Zealand: a bright green A (pictured right) displayed next to the cafe’s cash register. I snapped a few photos, and one of my colleagues commented about me being an obvious tourist.
New Zealand Food Safety Authority nails restaurant -- no one wins when people barf
A New Zealand restaurateur whose poor food safety practices caused more than 50 Christmas Day diners to fall ill has had his appeal thrown out.
Robin Pierson, the owner-operator of Bushmere Arms, was ordered to pay $400 in fines, along with $850 in reparation to victims and $10,414 in costs to the Crown in a case brought by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA).
The court heard that on 25 December 2006, Pierson’s restaurant provided a Christmas Day buffet luncheon for about 110 diners, with a selection of ham, beef and turkey. The next day some of the diners called him complaining of illness after the luncheon. Fifty-seven reported varying degrees of stomach pain, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea.
A Health Protection Officer found the symptoms of illness described by the complainant diners were consistent with food poisoning caused by Clostridium perfringens. C. perfringens was also found in samples of the leftover turkey, and the enterotoxin form of the bacteria in faecal samples from two of the ill diners.
While C. perfringens can be found in the stools of normal people, the enterotoxin is only found in people with C. perfringens food poisoning.
NZFSA’s Assistant Director of Compliance and Investigation Justin Rowlands, said the luncheon had all the hallmarks of an outbreak in waiting.
“The turkey was inadequately thawed, cooked, and reheated. The person serving meats at the buffet also used the same knife to carve the turkey, meat and ham, raising the chance of cross contamination. Also, the restaurant did not have formal steps in place for operating safely during stressful periods.”
Maggots on Big Mac in NZ?
The New Zealand Herald reports that Northland health authorities are investigating a complaint from Lianne Tansley after her 15-year-old son, Issac, claims a burger sold at the Whangarei's Bank St McDonald’s was filled with maggots.
Isaac ordered a Big Mac and cheeseburger from the drive-through on New Year's Day. He finished the cheeseburger but didn't start eating the Big Mac until he and his mother were nearly at their Whangarei Heads home.
"He took the top bun off to take out the gherkin, and then he said, 'My God, Mum, look at this'," said Lianne Tansley. "The whole patty was moving as if it was alive. It was gross." When she rang McDonald's a manager took her name and contact details and asked her to bring the burger back in to be replaced. "I said, 'No thanks, I'm never eating there again'."
Nine days later, after Tansley sent a photograph of the burger to the Northland District Health Board and the Northern Advocate newspaper, McDonald's regional operations manager Sanjay Kumar rang her.
He apologised for the delay and said the matter hadn't been brought to his attention, she said.
McDonald's national communications manager Kate Porter said it was unlikely maggots could have hatched in the beef patties, which were cooked from frozen when orders were placed.
The restaurant apologized to the mother and given her $135 of vouchers for more burgers.
We like Wellington, New Zealand -- and not just for Bret and Jemaine
Wellington, New Zealand, may be home to Peter Jackson and the Ring things, may be where Bret and Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords met at school and were “formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo,” but I prefer to think of Wellington as home to the New Zealand Food Safety Authority.So after a week of work in Wellington, it was time for leisurely lunches, lamb and All Blacks rugby.
Phillippa and her husband (left) graciously picked up Amy and I and took us out of the city to do what I love to do wherever I go – grocery shopping – followed by a fabulous lunch at their home in Porirua.
Saturday evening, NZFSA chief executive Andrew McKenzie (right) and his wife shared their home and their spectacular view of Wellington for dinner and an evening of All Blacks rugby against South Africa.Sunday, after we checked out of the hotel, we decided to grab a bite at 3C, a restaurant we had visited with the NZFSA gang earlier in the week. The meal was slow in arriving, but we didn’t really care as we summed up our week in Wellington. Doug the manager cared, and said lunch was on him. Doug even knew the difference between a University of Kansas Jayhawk and a Kansas State Wildcat due to years spent in the U.S.
So here’s to all things Wellington, and here’s Flight of the Conchords, celebrating all things French and food, with their hit single that Amy actually uses in her French classes, Foux Da Fa Fa.
Cook, clean, chill and separate -- when slaughtering pig in a flat
Health Inspector Judy Austin attended the scene with two Campus Watch officers and a security guard to find blood, skin and the remains of entrail on the street, and the head and trotters of the pig inside the property boundary but close to the public footpath.Austin said wild pigs can carry diseases such as E-coli, Trichinosis and Brucellosis, so the risk of having an outbreak of disease was possible.
Campus watch issued the tenants with a $100 fine under the Litter Act.
From road apples to Prairie oysters
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The Nourish Group, which owns Auckland restaurants Euro and the Jervois Steak House and Saloon, and Pravda in Wellington, took out a full page ad in the Herald on Sunday banning what it claimed were "out of step" Metro reviewers from its premises after the restaurants were left out of a top 50 list of New Zealand eateries.Man throws hedgehog at teenager, charged with assault
The Herald on Sunday say police alleged that William Singalargh, 27, picked up the hedgehog and threw it at a 15-year-old boy in the North Island east coast town of Whakatane on February 9.
Police Senior Sgt. Bruce Jenkins said Monday,"It hit the victim in the leg, causing a large, red welt and several puncture marks."
Police arrested Singalargh shortly after the incident, and charged him with assault with a weapon -- the hedgehog.
The Herald said the hedgehog was dead when it was collected as evidence, but did not know if it was dead or alive at the time of the alleged attack.
The Herald reported Singalargh's arrest under the headline "Raise your hands and step away from the hedgehog."
Outbreak of rare salmonella mbandaka in NZ
Nationally there have been 28 cases, 10 of which have occurred in the Nelson Marlborough district. A recent death occurred in an elderly woman in Nelson Hospital who had been infected with Salmonella mbandaka.The Ministry's Director of Public Health, Dr Mark Jacobs said,
"… it's worth noting at this stage, no food premises have been implicated and all food samples tested have returned negative results."
Processor says New Zealand listeria due to bad luck, media boredom or staff error
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Today, Kornman said a staff member could have introduced listeria to the factory by failing to follow hygiene procedures in the company's "high care" area, where the packaged, cold meats were sliced.Kornman also said the company had been caught in the crossfire of criticism directed toward some district health boards, and that he knew of other companies which had been caught out several times in similar situations but had never been subjected to the same media scrutiny.
Kornman noted the company had been supplying the meat for more than 10 years and it was the first issue it had in that time.
