| Published by the Minnesota Beef Council | October 2011 |
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Notable & Quotable
Despite the fact that the USDA conducted decades of exhaustive tests on food irradiation and gave its approval for use for commercial applications of the technology, so far, there are only a few food irradiation plants in operation. Let's change that.
Joe Jennings, Houston Chronicle
As part of what the US Department of Agriculture considers the next step of ensuring the safety of the public from E. coli-related foodborne illness, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the addition of six serogroups of non-O157:H7 shiga-toxin producing E. coli (nSTEC) that will be considered adulterants, in non-intact raw beef, including ground beef and tenderized steaks.
Source: USDA Press Release
Sales of California cantaloupes plummeted, even though their fruit was safe to eat. Farmers abandoned fields. Farmworkers lost jobs. "We can't sell the fruit. Retail stores are taking cantaloupes off the shelves, and growers are disking in their fruit because people are afraid to eat them."
Rodney Van Bebber, sales manager for Mendota, California -based Pappas Produce Company.
"It is worthwhile to note that health authorities such as the CDC have shown that hundreds of lives could be saved every year if only half the ground beef, poultry and processed meats were irradiated."
Robert Tauxe, M.D. US Centers for Disease Control
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Food Safety Benefits of Irradiated Food; Institute of Food Technologists (October 17, 2011):
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - What exactly does it mean when food is irradiated? Following is a Q&A with Christine Bruhn, PhD, on food irradiation and what it means for food safety.
Q: What is food irradiation?
A: It is exposure to a carefully measured level of energy. If you expose food to a little energy - meaning an X-ray or a gamma ray - it will keep insects out of food products. If you treat it a little more, you can destroy food-borne bacteria like salmonella and E. coli. If you use even more, it will destroy any spoilage bacteria and make it shelf stable. It is worthwhile to note that health authorities such as the CDC have shown that hundreds of lives could be saved every year if only half the ground beef, poultry and processed meats were irradiated. This is a tool to help reduce food-borne illness. Read more here.....
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U.S.D.A. to expand E. coli tests to non-O157 STECS (October 10, 2011):
| The new testing protocol will use samples that are being taken to test for other pathogens
WASHINGTON - As part of what the US Department of Agriculture considers the next step of ensuring the safety of the public from E. coli-related foodborne illness, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the addition of six serogroups of non-O157:H7 shiga-toxin producing E. coli (nSTEC) that will be considered adulterants, in non-intact raw beef, including ground beef and tenderized steaks. The six E. coli serogroups include: O26, O103, O45, O111, O121 and O145. As adulterants, if product represented by tested samples of raw beef contains any of the six strains it will not be allowed into commerce for sale to consumers. As of March 5, 2012, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service will test beef trim used in ground beef production for the six serogroups of STECs and begin enforcing the new policy.
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Debating Tough Talk; Houston Chronicle (October 21, 2011):
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HOUSTON, TEXAS: Regarding "Bitter fruit; Listeria outbreak shows the need to fund a new FDA law" (Page B9, Monday), notwithstanding the danger to food security and public health posed by portended cutbacks in FDA inspections, there is a technology at hand, which, broadly applied, could eliminate the dangers posed by microbes which contaminate our food supply.
This technology is food irradiation, which kills contaminants in fruits and vegetables while preserving the natural moisture, the vitamins and other nutrients.
NASA astronauts take irradiated foods with them on months-long voyages to the space station. If the food is vacuum-packed, even meat and strawberries can stay fresh for months without refrigeration.
Despite the fact that the USDA conducted decades of exhaustive tests on food irradiation and gave its approval for use for commercial applications of the technology, so far, there are only a few food irradiation plants in operation. Let's change that. Read more....
- Joe Jennings, Houston
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Salmonella linked to organic eggs; Press Release (Oct. 19, 2011)
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ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. - The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) are investigating illnesses in at least six people in Minnesota that are connected with a recall of organic shell eggs due to contamination with Salmonella Enteritidis. The contaminated eggs were traced back by the MDA to Larry Schultz Organic Farm of Owatonna, Minnesota where environmental testing confirmed the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis. Larry Schultz Organic Farm is cooperating with the MDA investigation and has issued a voluntary recall of the products. Read more here...
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Thai dragon fruit gains passage into US (October 6, 2011):
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USDA-APHIS decides to permit imports of irradiated Thai dragon fruit.
WASHINGTON, DC: The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) says it will allow Thai dragon fruit into the country subject to phytosanitary irradiation treatment. It believes the risk of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds can be mitigated by phytosanitary treatment. The national plant protection organisation (NPPO) of Thailand is required to inspect all consignments, whether they are irradiated in the US or prior to their arrival. In the event that fruit is irradiated upon its arrival in the US, the USDA-APHIS will carry out a joint inspection with the Thai NPPO. Read more here...
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New Products at ExpoAlimentaria in Lima, Peru; The Packer (October 3, 2011)
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LIMA, PERU: Logistics service provider Frio Aereo of Lima, Peru plans to develop irradiation treatment for asparagus, said Ruth Rosell, project director.
Irradiation would allow the cold chain to be kept intact, she said, unlike current fumigation treatment that requires asparagus to go without refrigeration for six to eight hours. Frio Aereo provides customs, cold storage and airfreight services for asparagus, grapes and fresh herbs. Read more here...
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E-coli testing of imported fresh fruits and vegetables should be mandatory. Food & Beverage News (October 2011):
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DELHI, INDIA: E-coli testing in imported fresh fruits and vegetables should be mandatory. This was unanimously opined by the scientific panel on Contaminants or Biological Hazards of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in its recent meeting discussing Biological Hazards, in New Delhi.
The panel also opined that given the recent spate of food-borne illnesses in the country, there was an urgent need to review the microbiological standards for fruits, vegetables and spices. Minimum microbiological parameters and their limit to the safe level for proprietary foods must also be fixed.Based on the expertise of the members, the task of preparing draft documents on microbiological standards of fruits & vegetable products and spices was assigned to Dr Bhupendra Singh, senior scientist, NRL, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, and Dr Malabika Roy, scientist 'F' j, deputy director-general (Sr Gr), division of reproductive health and nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, respectively. At the meeting, Adesh Mohan, senior inspecting officer, and the chairperson of the panel, requested to seek clarification from the Authority whether toxins like mycotoxins would come under the purview of the panel. Presently in the country, microbiological parameters for fresh fruits and vegetables are not given under FSS Regulations, 2011. Read more here.....
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Cantaloupe Sales Crumble due to Listeria Outbreak (October 14, 2011):
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MENDOTA, CALIFORNIA: Instead of picking the melons and supervising a work crew, Dora and David Elias of Mendota, California - the cantaloupe center of the world -- were unemployed - laid off along with hundreds of others as the cantaloupe listeria outbreak traced to Colorado rippled across the nation.
Associated Press reports the pangs were particularly felt here in the top cantaloupe-producing state. Sales of California cantaloupes plummeted, even though their fruit was safe to eat. Farmers abandoned fields. Farmworkers lost jobs.
"We can't sell the fruit," said Rodney Van Bebber, sales manager for Mendota-based Pappas Produce Company. "Retail stores are taking cantaloupes off the shelves, and growers are disking in their fruit because people are afraid to eat them."
Federal officials quickly isolated the contamination to Jensen Farms in the Colorado town of Holly, which recalled its cantaloupes in mid-September. The tainted cantaloupes should be out of stores now because their shelf life is about two weeks. Read more here.... |
Food Irradiation Update is being sent as an update on food irradiation by Ronald F. Eustice, Executive Director of the Minnesota Beef Council.
Executive Director Minnesota Beef Council 2950 Metro Drive # 102 Bloomington, MN 55425 USA Phone: 952/854-6980 Fax: 952/854-6906 E-mail: ron@mnbeef.orgWebsite: www.mnbeef.org |
| Remember: Food irradiation will do for ground meats, produce, and other foods what pasteurization did for milk.
Sincerely,
Ron Eustice
Minnesota Beef Council
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
|  FOOD IRRADIATION: A GUIDE FOR CONSUMERS, POLICYMAKERS AND THE MEDIA published by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) can be downloaded at Food Irradiation BookIRRADIATED FOODS; published by the American Council on Science & Health Provides Science- provides science-based Information on food irradiation. The booklet can be downloaded at:IRRADIATED FOODS
Food Irradiation Principles and Applications is an excellent source of information about food irradiation. For information go to:Food Irradiation: Principles & ApplicationsFOOD IRRADIATION: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS is an excellent source of information on food irradiation. FOOD IRRADIATION: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS |
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