For Safety's Sake • Food Safety Newsletter • May 2008
Information and Tips for Keeping it Fresh!
Volume 2 • Issue 2
Welcome to For Safety's Sake - an informational newsletter dedicated to food safety. We hope you enjoy this issue and share it with others who are concerned about food safety. Sign up to receive this newsletter by email >
Focus on Food Safety
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show is quickly approaching, May 17-20, 2008. No doubt, this has everyone in the foodservice industry thinking about new products, safe practices, food safety and how to best serve the masses.
When it comes to running a foodservice operation for a hotel, school, university or health care facility it is often challenging to keep food safety in check. The sheer number of people being served at any one time creates risk for cross contamination and development of food-borne illness. In order to ensure the safety of their diners, these foodservice operators must utilize all of the tools and products available to them in their quest to provide safe, delicious meals to their guests.
Consider these sobering facts: 75 million cases of food-borne illness occur each year in the United States. These cases have resulted in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Costs related to defending and pursuing litigation regarding food poisoning can seriously hinder, close or bankrupt an operation.
The use of pasteurization to reduce the risk before food enters the back door is one method used in many products and is recommended by U.S. health codes.
I am looking forward to the NRA Show to see what other industry leaders and food safety experts are predicting for the next year and am excited to meet with colleagues to discuss how to better help serve the masses safely.
I will keep you updated on what I find!
Greg West
President of National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc.
Food Safety in the News
Food Safety Inspection Service Offers Food Safety Podcasts
The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said it has started a series of educational podcasts that address food safety and education issues.
The FSIS, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said it will initially focus on providing small and very small plant owners, operators and employees with important information through the use of podcasts.
Subscribers will receive news and information about the agency's work to ensure public health protection through food safety. Officials said the podcasts will be short, factual audio and video files featuring scientists, policy experts and other specialists.
Source: United Press International - Posted: April 23, 2008
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Food Marketing Institute Lobbied on Food Safety
The Food Marketing Institute, which represents supermarkets and other food sellers, spent $1.58 million lobbying in 2007, on a full cart of issues from import safety to organized retail crime.
The trade group spent $800,000 to lobby in the second half of the year, according to a form posted online Feb. 14, 2008, by the House clerk.
Among the issues, The Food Marketing Institute lobbied on legislation that would establish a federal food safety administration to protect the food supply, proposals to create a safety certification program for food imported into the U.S. and "country-of-origin" labeling requirements.
Members of the Food Marketing Institute include Albertsons, LLC, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Safeway, Inc. among others.
Source: Associated Press - Posted: April 22, 2008
Many Young Adults Take Chances with Food Safety
A new study suggests that efforts to teach young adults about food safety may not be hitting home. Dr. Carol Byrd-Bredbenner of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and colleagues found that many college students engaged in eating behaviors that could make them sick, like eating raw homemade cookie dough or runny eggs.
To investigate how often young adults engage in this type of "risky eating behavior," they surveyed 4,343 students at 21 colleges and universities across the U.S. about their eating habits and confidence in their ability to handle food safely. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
On average, the study participants reported feeling strongly that they could prepare and handle food safely. But 53 percent reported eating raw homemade cookie dough, 33 percent said they ate fried eggs with soft or runny yolks, 29 percent ate sushi, and 28 percent consumed raw sprouts. Eleven percent said they ate raw oysters, clams or mussels, and seven percent said they ate pink hamburger.
The higher a person's confidence in their food safety skills, the less likely they were to eat these high-risk foods, the researchers found, while people who perceived food poisoning to be a threat were also less likely to take food safety chances.
Source: Reuters - Posted: March 26, 2008
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Food Safety Q & A
If you have a question you would like us to address in a future e-newsletter, please contact us at 4safetyssake@gmail.com.
Q. How long can hard-cooked eggs be stored in the refrigerator?
A. Use hard-cooked eggs in the shell that have been kept refrigerated as soon as possible. Do not keep them refrigerated longer than one week.
Source: Missouri Families.org
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Safe Serving Spotlight
Who is leading the pack in food safety? In this section, we highlight foodservice entities that hold the highest standards and can teach all of us a thing or two. If you believe your organization deserves to be recognized, please e-mail us 4safetyssake@gmail.com and let us know. We'd love to share your story, too.
Dining Done Right at Delta Medical Center
For Sara Caylor, R.D., director of food and nutrition services at Delta Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn., pleasing the palates of her patients, staff and visitors has always been one of her main priorities. "I've always believed in providing choices when planning menus, while making sure they are nutritious, safe and most of all taste good."
According to Caylor, she and her culinary staff feed approximately 650 meals per day. What sets Delta Medical Center apart from a regular hospital setting is that in addition to staff and visitors, its hospital consists of two types of patients, those with traditional ailments and those who may feel well physically but emotionally need treatment. As a result, there are two very different appetites and taste levels. "That's why it's important that we have a selection daily ranging from hot entrees to burgers to wonderful chef salads. It is our goal to satisfy all, which will hopefully aid in the overall healing process of our patients."
In addition to keeping diners well fed, safety is also an important aspect of Caylor's operation. Employees at Delta Medical Center, especially those in the kitchen, take pride in their work. And, with good reason, Delta Medical Center is the only employee-owned hospital in the United States. "We consider that our guests are just that OUR guests," she says. "And, we want them to feel at home."
The kitchen staff is certified in food safety handling on an annual basis. Over the years a sense of heightened awareness has become critical to prevent any food-borne illnesses that may occur. In addition to ensuring the basics such as proper sanitation and temperature controls are followed meticulously, Caylor provides monthly in-service meetings with the team to serve as a constant reminder of current rules and regulations.
She also makes sure that they serve pasteurized eggs. According to Caylor, she has always had an eye for watching out for eggs and always stressed handling them properly. However, when she had an inspector who was also concerned about eggs, she switched to the pasteurized version. Although she is still careful with the way she deals with eggs, there are no longer any worries, because the pasteurization process eliminates the chance of cross contamination and food borne illness.
Delta Medical Center is located at 3000 Getwell Rd., in Memphis, Tenn. For more information about this medical center, call 901.369.8100 or visit www.deltamedcenter.com.
Did You Know?
Did you know that perishable foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, dairy products, cooked pasta, rice and vegetables; fresh, peeled and cut fruits and vegetables) should be at room temperature for a total time of only two hours or less? Reduce your risk of getting a food borne illness. Refrigerate these foods promptly. At room temperature, in just seven hours one bacterium can grow into 2,097,152!
Source: Kansas State University
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