Food Safety Weblog

SafeFood© THANKS

2009-11-20T20:21:43Z

Producers in Iowa are busily wrapping up the harvest season, which was delayed due to weather conditions. Forget skateboarders and bungee jumpers - farmers are the ultimate risk takers. Each year some literally bet the farm that the crop and market prices will carry them through another year. During this holiday season, please think about what you eat and how it was prepared. Respect the efforts put forth by the food producers in this country. They are true stewards of the land. Support farmers by buying their products. Give THANKS (note the caps) for our SafeFood© supply and the farmers and livestock producers who provide us with such an abundance of high quality food.

SafeFood© Shout Out for BH&G

2009-11-16T20:20:53Z

My sister sends me an annual subscription to Better Homes and Gardens. It is fun to leaf through the magazine and see how nice homes can look (I am ok with mine falling short) and how tasty some recipes sound. It was a pleasant surprise last month to see the article about how retail food service safety tips can be used in homes. Author did a great job of explaining about the importance of temperature controls, keeping hands and food contact surfaces clean (and even dousing with a home-made sanitizer of bleach water), and separating raw foods away from cooked foods and clean away from soiled items. Culinary students call it cooking clean. Consumers can do it too!!

SafeFood© for Juno

2009-11-09T21:39:22Z

In April, I wondered aloud about a movie with a SafeFood© theme. When watching the movie Juno, the generation gap of 30 plus years came through loud and clear. I was as perplexed as the the step mother the entire movie wondering “What is this girl thinking?” "Why is she acting this way?" IObviously, there is a generational issue. Is there a generation gap in the way we view food safety? Is there a gender gap? We all know the importance of knowing the audience, or in the retail world, knowing your customer. A mom will probably tell the 3 year old to wash hands so “the will germs go away” rather than say it will remove harmful pathogens. Maybe a problem those of us in academia have is in our delivery – SafeFood© for thought.

Submitted Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS November 9, 2009

SafeFood© for Boomers

2009-10-19T17:41:08Z

Many baby boomers are now over the age of 60. Welcome folks to the “EPIC” population – those most vulnerable to experiencing a foodborne illness! (Note: The E stands for Elderly – which just doesn’t seem right for this active group)
It has hit home as my husband is in the first wave of Boomers, now 61 years of age and I am at the tail end of the Boom. As someone cautious about food storage and handling, vigilant about handwashing and recontamination of hands when exiting restrooms, and emphatic about doing it (coughing and sneezing) into my sleeve, I really get irritated at the cavalier approach taken by many (obviously these are folks who firmly believe in the 5-second rule). So I focus on things I can control - that is about all any of us can do. As more Boomers hit the E category, maybe there will be more widespread adoption of these consumer control actions.
Submitted by Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS October 19, 2009

SafeFood©: Does Policy = Practice?

2009-09-28T18:38:31Z

As we close out Food Safety Month, it seems a good time to reflect upon the safety policies we expect retail foodservice employees to follow. We have all seen the signs in the restroom: Employees must wash their hands before returning to work. There is even a “standardized recipe for the process. Although this is a clear employee hygiene policy I would bet many of you have seen a foodservice worker saunter out of the restroom without washing their hands or only doing the “splash and dash”. WDUD - what is a person to do? Most people may say gross, and then choose not to return to that establishment. The more assertive person might say, Dude, wash your hands – but while the message may be given, not clear it is received.

What is it going to take to get the message across? Some research reports employees even admit they don’t wash their hands!

I take it on faith that most retail food workers understand why the policies are in place and make every effort to follow. I also understand, having experienced it my self back in the day, that being busy in a restaurant is an understatement for the kinetic energy being generated. What I don’t get are the situations where there is clearly a “failure to communicate” – for instance, no one has told anyone the soap dispenser needs replacing. What I also don’t get is why more peer pressure is not used.

Please retail food worker, think of yourself and your customers. Most restaurants depend on repeat customers. If there is not a customer coming through the door, there is not a business – and if there is not a business, you don’t have a job.
Challenge a co-worker you see not following SafeFood policies. The policies are not torture imposed by bureaucrats just to make your life miserable – they are put there for the reason of keeping people healthy. My faith is in you!
submitted by Catherine Strohbehn, RD, CP-FS on September 28, 2009

SafeFood © Clean and Pretty!

2009-09-23T20:49:20Z

Remember the old Mickey Mouse Club TV show (sure you do – Annette? Tommy?) when Mickey would ask “Is everyone clean and pretty? Then, on with the show! ”. I remember this well (and probably explains my fixation with cleaning). Well here we are closing out the first decade of the 21st century and proper cleaning is still an issue. In fact, improper cleaning and sanitizing practices are one of the top contributing reasons of how people get a foodborne illness. Don’t you expect to have clean and sanitary silverware and cups when you eat away from home? That is certainly a reasonable expectation. A challenge is that something can look clean just with a spit and polish, literally. We trust that the food establishment has either a high temperature or chemical sanitizing process that is working correctly.
What can you do when you are working at community events? Think about using very hot water (although this could pose some safety issues as very hot means 180° F.) or a chemical such as chlorine. A recipe for chlorine sanitizer that is safe for food contact surfaces is one tablespoon per one gallon of warm water. More is not better; too much chemical and there is risk of toxicity.
Clean and Pretty – Mickey was right! I knew those hours watching the Mickey Mouse Club were not wasted! All together now:
Who's the leader of the club
That's made for you and me?
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!

Hey, there! Hi, there! Ho, there!
You're as welcome as can be!
M--I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
submitted by Catherine Strohbehn, MM Club Fan of early 1960's and food safety specialist

SafeFood© Location Location Location!

2009-09-11T15:05:58Z

A well-known axiom in the real-estate world is location. A comparable axiom for foodservice operators is known source of food served to customers. September is Food Safety Month and the experts tell us that food from unsafe sources is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness. Restaurants, schools, and other licensed foodservice MUST purchase food from approved suppliers. Generally, that means the supplier has the licenses needed and have undergone required inspections. A few products (such as most fresh, whole, unprocessed fruits and vegetables) don’t require any oversight as the content of the food doesn’t allow for rapid bacterial growth.
Most of these regulations are in place to prevent back street sales of products from unidentified (and possibly unsafe sources). Foods sold through approved channels are monitored. Packaged foods will indicate the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor, ingredients used, and nutritional information. They won’t tell you source of all ingredients used, which was an issue with the pet food outbreak a few years back and a factor to consider when purchasing imported foods (very few of these are inspected in the U.S.) Those who sell food need to be able to identify at least one link back in the food chain, which will allow for trace-back should there be an investigation.
Many people like to buy food direct from a local farmer – this is part of the “food with a face” movement. One friend asked, “Well, I have my doctor and my dry cleaner, so why not my farmer?”
The food supply in this country is pretty safe. Yes, there are a high number of illnesses each year but many are preventable. Do what you can to prevent becoming sick by buying food from known sources, reading available labels, and following directions for preparation.
Submitted Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS on September 11, 2009

SafeFood© in our Schools

2009-08-21T21:03:43Z

Back to School time is here (insert your own exclamation point if that makes you happy). And with that comes the question of sack lunch or school lunch. Don’t let myth-perception that sack lunches are safer fool you. Actually, schools are one of the safest places to eat food prepared away from home - just check out CDC’s record of where outbreaks occur.

Why are school foods so safe? One reason is the dedicated staff – I have yet to meet a person working in child nutrition programs who does not have the kids’ welfare front and center (and I have inter-acted with a LOT of these folks across the nation). Check out the School Nutrition Association web page at www.schoolnutrition.org if you want evidence of the dedication. (Yes, I am a member – full disclosure).

Another reason is that, three years ago, school districts were charged to develop and implement a food safety plan based on HACCP principles. HACCP is an internally driven approach to food safety – the food service setting identifies possible risks or hazards that might exist, and then puts into place procedures to mitigate these risks. HACCP is about documentation and ownership by all employees. So, if all employees are knowledgeable about the safe way to handle foods and have to document that these practices are followed – then knowledge can translate into practice. Believe me, I am usually NOT a fan of increased government regulations. While we still can’t regulate morality or outlaw people acting stupidly, having someone “have to” do something can only increase odds it will get done – so safe food handling is practiced more frequently.

In the spirit of back to school welcome – let those working in your district’s child nutrition programs know you appreciate their efforts to keep your child healthy and well-fed. If you have questions – talk with them directly. Our nation’s lunch ladies and gentlemen do a tough job every day – your support is appreciated.

Posted August 21, 2009 by Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS

SafeFood© Rock!

2009-08-19T19:34:01Z

Summertime fun includes open air concerts. While attending the latest in our town’s local summer series, I got to thinking how everyone knows the location of where Jimmy Buffet wastes away and everyone’s got Jenny’s number. *

But how many know the proper end- point temperature for cooking ground beef (FYI = 160°) or that they should rinse cutting boards in bleach water every week or so?

Maybe food safety messaging needs to get Jon Bon Jovi or George Strait to write a song. Dr. Carl Winter, an Extension specialist and microbiologist at the University of California - Davis has worked food safety messaging into lyrics of popular golden oldie songs. See http://foodsafe.ucdavis.edu/ for some sing-a-long ideas.

* Margaritaville and 86 75 309

Posted August 19, 2009 by Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS

SafeFood© at the Pool

2009-08-11T14:39:27Z

Is it true – can a person get sick from taking a dip at the community swimming pool? Well – yeah. People have gotten sick after swimming because other swimmers have urinated or defecated in the pool (scarily, a recent survey cited in a Parade magazine article reported one in five people admitted to sometimes doing so! Granted, this is not scientific but it is still an eye opener).

Sure, no one intentionally drinks pool water. But, it does happen – and when it does, contaminated water has entered a person’s system. Chlorine can only do so much. Hopefully your pool has a policy about swim diapers. I bet if a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) is in charge that it does. The CPO® is to pools what ServSafe® or CP-FS is to retail foodservices – an assurance that the person in charge knows the right way to maintain operations. In one study we did among Iowa pool operators, we found CPO®- run pools had more structure.

These rules extend to the locker rooms also. Restrooms should be stocked with the necessaries – e.g. toilet paper, running water and soap to wash hands– and should be kept clean. As a former lifeguard, I used to grumble about having “skilled labor” (that would be me) clean the locker rooms. And, as you might suspect, I didn’t give this task the attention it deserved.

Fast-forward 30 years (literally, time has gone quickly) and here I am the one complaining to guards that there is no soap in the locker room. Am I being too fussy? I don’t think so. The pool is busily selling food items at the concession stand (the healthiness of snacks deserves its own posting – stay tuned).

Bottom line: Where there is food, there must be soap and water for handwashing.

posted by Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS, swimmer and Mom

SafeFood© at Farmer’s Markets

2009-07-28T15:44:33Z

It is the season here in the Midwest for fresh produce and other goodies from Farmer’s Markets. Maybe some of you in warmer climates enjoy these year round – but for us in cold country, the months between June and August are prime time for Farmer’s Market. More and more, people enjoy these as a way to try unique produce varieties or sample a truly fresh head of lettuce. To be sure you are experiencing a locally grown product, check the rules at the Farmer’s Market you attend – some do allow vendors to sell products purchased from wholesalers while others require products to be home grown. It is a decision each market makes.

Farmer’s Markets are popular – each year they increase in number and the products offered. Some even offer take-home meals (of course food is prepared in a licensed kitchen and the appropriate vendor permits are in place) in addition to fresh produce and baked goods. You see, it gets pretty complicated when sorting through the food safety regulations. While there are few regs regarding sale of fresh unprocessed produce, certainly we have had some illnesses from these foods - from tomatoes last year and lettuce in the past. What happens is these foods are grown in the soil (which is a reservoir for some harmful bacteria); irrigated or washed with contaminated water; exposed to pathogens from animals or pets; and/or handled improperly by humans. And because there is often not a kill step by cooking, we eat these products (with high levels of bacteria or viruses) and may become sick. While we can’t really control for the birds flying overhead, there are action steps we should expect from the producer (aka Good Agricultural Practices or GAPs) and action steps we should take.

This doesn’t mean we have to cook our lettuce (or as someone asked me – wash it in vodka) but it does mean we become alert consumers. Assess general cleanliness of the farmer vendor’s food stand and does the product look like it has been cleaned? Check that there ice chests to keep product cool during hot summer months (remember bacteria grows very quickly between 70° F and 135° F and when there is moisture). Product quality stays higher if it is kept cook – so really this is a win-win situation. Does the producer package items or do all the patrons have the opportunity to paw through – and spread any germs (Norovirus comes to mind) from their hands to the food?

Enjoy the Farmer Market experience and the unique varieties of produce offered – but wash your hands and wash the product before eating.
Submitted Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS

SafeFood© is Possible

2009-05-11T14:52:37Z

Unlike my fellow blogger, Bill Marler (yes the highly regarded food liability lawyer who blogs at http://www.marlerblog.com/2009/05/articles/case-news/marler-honored-blessed-hard-work-or-just-damn-lucky/index.html) I DO eat hamburgers. In fact (full disclosure here) my family is active in the beef production industry: my husband and daughter are beef producers and on occasion, I work with the state Beef Industry Council on student education programs. Marler’s recent blogs have commented on President Obama’s cavalier attitude when ordering hamburgers at a restaurant (a restaurant with a low inspection score) and how a “teachable moment” had been missed. I don’t disagree with this – and have long advocated for consumers to take control of situations. Don’t just order burgers cooked to the “medium” stage, specify you want an internal temperature reading of 160° F.

The restaurant should be able to deliver. So if your wait staff member looks confused, gently ask him/her to talk with the manager. You see, according to the licensing guidelines in most states (based on Food Code 2005), a calibrated thermometer should be on hand to check the final temperature. More recent guidelines specify the probe diameter (less than .065 inches) for thin foods (those less than 1/2”). Most hamburger patties fit the less than 2 inch thick description, so the appropriate thermometer should be available to check the temperature. Even better, the restaurant should record that this was done and by whom.

Yes, we have had problems in this country with outbreaks of foodborne illnesses – often due to dubious practices and failure to follow regulations. There needs to be strengthening of compliance – not more rules. Incentives, as Marler suggests, are a great idea – basic motivational research supports that approach. Yet everyone needs to take basic precautions – simply washing hands before eating, avoiding temperature abuse of foods, and cleaning food surfaces properly will go a long way to reducing risks. If President Obama had made a big deal of washing of his hands before eating, and of specifying the temperature of the burgers – that indeed would have been educational. Another food safety blogger (Doug Powell at KSU) once joked about carrying a thermometer to neighborhood grilling events. I guess that is no different than carrying hand sanitizers around. Seriously though, those are logical actions. In my view, these steps are much more logical than avoiding certain foods just because there is an element of risk – a risk that is mitigated by proper cooking. In fact, there are feces from some species of animals (birds, deer, wild pigs, pets etc) on fresh produce. That is why we wash fresh produce before eating. So fire up the grill and enjoy a juicy hamburger – just cook it completely.
Beef – it’s “what’s for dinner” in my house!

Submitted by Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS

2009-05-07T18:40:34Z

Remember the classic Guess Who song – No time? That song struck a chord while I helped with a charity dinner recently. While I know a thing or two about safe food handling practices and usually ‘do the right thing’, doing the right thing when there are a zillion other items needing your attention, is a bit more of a challenge.

It is easy to see why there are so many food borne illnesses due to poor personal hygiene and improper food handling. What is the answer?

A logical response is to plan – make sure people know what they are doing and can focus on one thing at a time. This will work for routine daily operations.

Is the answer to have more people working? With volunteer situations, this really depends – how willing are the volunteers to wash their hands properly or not sample the products? Do the volunteers know how to clean or use a thermometer properly? For routine operations, more labor means more money spent for employees – and with the competitive market, mandated hourly wages, and low profit margins – this can make or break a business.
That said, it is a rare business that recovers from a headline about people getting sick from their restaurant so having enough folks on hand to work safely is preventative medicine.

The design of the kitchen could make a difference – having to navigate across the kitchen (dodging hot pans and sharp knives) to wash hands does not make it a user-friendly activity. Available sinks (with soap and disposable towels) for hand washing strategically located could make a difference.

Time for food safety has to be routine. You work time in your busy schedule to brush teeth and other routine hygiene practices (at least your co-workers hope you do)! It must be done for safe food handling - we can’t risk No Time for SafeFood© -

Submitted Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS May 7, 2009

2009-05-07T18:38:00Z

When watching the video of the pizza chain workers putting cheese up their nose and farting on pepperoni, I kept waiting for the “Surprise, You’re on Candid Camera”!

My second thought was “how could they do this?”
My third thought was “where were they raised?”

What would possess this type of behavior?
• Youthful high jinks? No, these folks were past clearly past that stage of their lives.

• Lack of knowledge? Nope, I am pretty sure the basics of food safety would have been covered in training and that someone at some point in these weirdo’s lives, it would have been mentioned not to pass gas on food.

• Disdain for the public? Am not a medical doctor and I don’t play one on TV, but maybe this was the driver for the behavior.

So, what is a consumer who loves pizza to do? DIY (make our own pizzas)? Isolate our selves from others?

What we can to protect ourselves?
Here are some tips:
• Scope out the look of those working at places where you buy food and eat
• Check out the restrooms to be sure there are hand washing supplies
• Watch the behaviors and, if you see something you find offensive
• Speak out – Let the person and the manager know!

submitted Catherine Strohbehn May 8, 2009

2009-04-14T15:38:02Z

We can all agree that movies are entertaining (usually), and some even sneak in a social message or two. Now, that is Edutainment! For instance, Gone with the Wind provided us with a personal perspective of the Civil War, Rocky inspired us to run up flights of steps, Juno showcased teen pregnancy, and even more recently, the movie Flash of Genius illustrated the concept of intellectual property.

But, how many movies teach us about personal hygiene? How often do you see folks properly washing their hands before eating a snack or sitting at the dinner table, after petting the dog, or using the bathroom? Movies have embraced social messages before – think of the films of yesteryear when ALL the stars smoked, but today - not so much (unless it is the bad guys/gals).

So, what if Brad and Angela; Hannah Montana, and Two and a Half Men demonstrated proper handwashing? Or what if Law and Order or CSI showed a death due to foodborne illness? Would it make a difference? I think so. Hollywood, have your people call
submitted Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, CP-FS April 14, 2009