What amazes me is that there aren't more incidents. When the spinach scare was on a while back, they were showing how these huge processing plants operate, with multi-thousand gallon continuously filtered automatic washing baths the size of swimming pools, tons and tons of spinach, and when I saw that, I said to myself:

Self? Why not just grow your own greens and avoid all that? I mean, you can grow some stuff outside 9 months out of the year, you have a greenhouse that works great for tender greens, and you have a chest freezer, don't you?

I saw it on MSNBC with details of each food and the illness from it and how it occurs. Made me think I'm glad I grow or make a lot of this stuff!! Ice cream, who da' though! I may start making MORE of my own now! I eat a lot of tuna, I'm surprised it's so high on the scale. Scary!

One thing to keep in mind is that the population of the US is well over 300 million.

Then, take the few thousand cases of illness linked to any given food and remember that a good many of those can probably be linked to improper food handling or preparation by the consumer and a good many of those getting ill likely have compromised or weak immune systems for some reason or other. Keep in mind as well that "illness" can be anything from digestive upset to a severe threat to life.

For myself, I follow the good, common sense kitchen practices my mother and grandmother taught me and don't spend a lot of time worrying about it.

Interesting report, thanks for sharing.

Although, it made me start my work day with a little searching because I thought "Scombrotoxin? Who the heck is Scombrotoxin?" I am a microbiologist and teach medical microbiology (although I do not do the GI micro), and had never heard of Scombrotoxin. I was much relieved to find out that it is not an organism, but is a toxin (on fish) resulting from the growth of any of several different organisms. Whew. I'm much relieved :)

Anyway, thanks again.

It mainly stems from poor manufacturing practices, or I guess I should say, poor growing practices.

In the case of meat, that can be attributed to stressed out animals in poor conditions.

Thank heavens for my local farmer that I buy grass fed beef from. His cows are happy cows! I am also thankful that I have a local dairy down the road where I purchase my diary products. It is also free of antibiotics, steroids and crowded growing conditions.

You know what they say. You are what you eat.

I agree, iona, and that's why I grow my own grass fed beef.

I just canned collards so I have the leafy greens covered, and I have my "girls" for eggs. I seldom eat tuna, I just don't think about it, I have local salmon that I caught myself in the freezer. I only eat tomatoes in season, not those poor pale pretenders that have less flavor than the styrofoam they're packed on.

I grow my own sprouts and berries are in the freezer. I don't like oysters and that leaves ice cream and cheese. I could live the rest of my life without cheese, although I do eat some and I'm not a huge fan of ice cream either, but I do make my own once in a while.

I figure I have most of it covered, and my immune system is good, so I don't worry about it. My kitchen is clean and I remember all the classes I had to take from the Health Department back when I owned the bar/restaurant.

As Rachel pointed out, the ratio of people who get sick compared to thenumber of people in the U.S. is pretty small, and I don't worry about things I don't have to worry about.

Annie

I don't find it a thing to worry about either but I do find some unexpected items on the list - especially potatoes and ice cream - two of my favorite things.

I also found the statement that one of the causes is the rise of large-scale production and processing unusual as it was my impression that large scale production and processing has been the norm for many, many years?

One could almost infer from that that home food processing is indeed safer than commercial processing and that doesn't bode well for the average consumer who depends totally on commercial food production.

We all like to think that we practice good food hygiene in the home. Yet studies consistently find the kitchen to be the most infectious room in the house, especially that kitchen triangle of the fridge, the stove, the sink, and back to the fridge. I think I'll buy stock in Lysol. ;)

Dave

Dave, I'm not so sure the hygiene practices in the home has anything to do with anyone being sick. Until the last decade or so, hand washing was good enough. Then suddenly companies started convincing us we were dirty and we needed to sterilize our homes. Funny how we managed to survive until then. Then people jumped on the bandwagon and wiped out "germs" and suddenly, everyone is sick all of a sudden.

Those "germs" keep us healthy by giving our immune systems something to do and those "sterilizing agents" keep us sick by wiping out the good "germs". These products don't kill everything, yet give a few more control since now, they don't have others to keep them in balance.

I really don't think anything other than wiping off the counter top with a rag rinsed in hot soapy water is necessary.

These commercial food growers are more interested in making that dollar than they are in producing a product that is safe. Gone are the days of Good Manufacturing Practices and truth in advertising. Reading the labels on most products proves they aren't even selling food, but a box of highly salted chemicals and people wonder why there are so many health problems out there. Oh, but the "I can eat whatever and just take a pill" and "I buy that frozen dinner that says it's healthy" mentality is prevalent! Do these people read labels? And don't even get me started on HF corn syrup that has made its way into everything!!

For the last couple of years, we have made a point in hunting down locally grown food. When I go to the grocery store now, it is to buy flour(I quit buying bread long time ago and make my own), oil, sugar or paper products. That is a good feeling since I resent buying anything from the big manufacturer's anymore. This year we grew what vegetables that I hope will keep us going until next summer and I've got my fall vegetables going now. Hopefully they will survive and I can freeze those for the winter.

I should say that I'm not a health nut, cause I smoke (OK it is my only bad habit) but I'm tired of eating crap!

Annie, the difference in the grass fed beef is amazing! It "tastes like beef" too!!!! We have also been buying pasture raised chicken. I buy into a CSA and pick them up 2 at a time from the farmer the day he comes back from the slaughter house with them. While I'm picking them up, I see the next batch out on pasture that we will be eating. Plus, they aren't injected with salt water to plump them up like the ones you buy. Does anyone ever read a label on the package of chicken you pick up in the grocery store? You would think it was just chicken. Ha! It's chicken and salt!

OK, sorry I got going on this subject, but it just makes me furious when people are trusting of big business that is ripping them off!

I agree, iona, that chicken is usually "flavor enhanced". Pork too, and that just means salt and water that you are paying $3 or $4 a pound for. Sheesh.

Dave, home canning and cooking IS much safer than the commercial stuff. Think back the last couple of years, the salmonella in the peanut butter, the botulism from the carrot juice, the e coli from burger, the recalls of turkey, chicken, ground beef. Let's see, there was the salmonella from the tomatoes (or was it the jalapenos) and from the spinach.

That's just what I remember, and how many food borne illnesses did you hear about from home canned or cooked stuff? Not that many, certainly.

When I owned the bar and grille, I learned fast what went on in other kitchens. The five second rule is common, that burger that got dropped gets rinsed off and goes back on the grill. The salad maker/dishwasher/waitress doesn't make enough to afford a day off sick so they come to work with a cold, the flu, bronchitis, whatever. Spread the germs around. The baked potatoes will sit on the counter for hours, the steam tables are often not heating properly and in the summer I've seen the cook wipe his hands or his sweaty neck or whatever with a towel that then gets used to dry the dishes (which you aren't supposed to do, but it happens). And that was another case of botulism, from the foil wrapped baked potatoes that sat on the kitchen counter until they got rewarmed and served....

My old doc said we were "sanitizing ourselves sick", and that our children wouldn't be able to develop immunities if they are kept in a sanitary bubble. That's for normal, healthy people of course, not those with chronic health issues.

So yes, what we prepare at home is cleaner, safer, healthier than eating out or buying commercially prepared products and that's without going into the horrendous and filthy practices of agri-business. I'll just point out that at the big factory farms, the corporation makes the decisions about animal welfare, not the farmer, and profit is the bottom line. Food quality and safety is secondary. Always.

Annie

With those foods we cook, proper storage and cooking should vastly reduce any risks with most organisms. Who does the cooking in these outbreaks? Do we teach proper food handling techniques in schools anymore? How many foods do we buy we used to cook, and now just heat and serve?

lots of good points, I have to say that the problem with commercial products is the links in the chain are many so greater scope for contamination,
for example multinational feed lot corps! (made up I hope) buys in it's beef cattle from 200 large scale farmer,
LINK 1 who are all being pressurized to keep costs low, so they buy inferior feed, employ less staff and even less experienced staff as they cost more, come the day for transportation to the meat factory a cow is a little unwell, not noticed by the inexperienced and possible day paid staff, maybe they do see it? but are to worried to mention it, in case they lose their minimum wage,
LINK 2 cramped conditions in the transport start the infection spreading from cow to cow, at the meat factory the cattle are unloaded,
LINK 3 and wait in cramped pens with all the other 200 farmers cows, slowly the infection spreads, later in the day or the next day they are processed on production lines
LINK 4 which are going at such a fast pace, the unskilled butchers (we have to hope the people with the bolt to kill them are highly trained) who work in a McDonaldisation of butchery, each preforming a set task, they are cold (refrigeration) preforming a repetitive task, which can led to health problems, up against the clock and like was said before if they are ill, they really can't afford to take time off.
link 5 on this day Ted injuries himself, he is tired, cold, sent to the nurse, but the company are running a cheap promotion for a supermarket, so need to process more any way and now they are a man down.
LINK 6 as the line speeds up mistakes happen, bowel is rupture, spraying staff.
I could go on you get the drift? the meat is cleaned after butchering but it is sprayed stuff can stay on the surface, you have infected cows, with all sorts, and then at the end of the day the meat is shipped out to hundreds of locations to be eaten by thousands of consumers, hense the high numbers of affected people, and it can be a nightmare for public health professionals at the start because cases can be dispersed over huge areas.
Farmer Fred has a 100 cattle (employs his son who hopes to inherit the farm and went to agricultural collage) butchers twice a year about half his stock, takes them to be butchered,
Link 2 and they are killed by Jose an experienced butcher
he takes his time the meat is hung,
Link 3 Farmer Fred sells his meat to people he knows, and they pay a little over the supermarket prices, but the meat is better tasting so people need less.
they make a mistake 5-10 people are affected? but public health can find the source as the patients are linked, also it's not in Fred or Jose interest to be shoddy as they will not have any more business?
I prefer local meat, and can afford to do so, but a mum or dad trying to feed their children, will opt for the cheap source of protein.
I am laid back about mass production as in I am more pro people than pro animals....But I have been in these high speed mass production places, battery farms and chicken raised for food farms, and people as well as animals stuffer in the search for profit, farmers, workers and middle management, and consumers, 'cos the cost per unit is still high to the consumer due to the squeezing of those below and hygiene is sacrifice.
I also am friends with a lot of farmer Freds in the UK and nuturing a relationship here with a small scale farmer (who's second job is Manager of the local Walmart??? go figure?)
who wins? the corporation, and shareholders.
Ice cream is dangerous and almost always the consumers fault, if it melt even just a bit, Do Not Refreeze it.
here endeth the lesson, sorry a rant from me too, obviously a subject close to our ...stomachs? (I smoke as well:-))

I know we are all "preaching to the choir" on this forum, but it does reinforce my belief in growing your own. For more fear-invoking stimuli, check out the NYT article linked below. Those of you who raise grass-fed beef...you are so lucky!

Here is a link that might be useful: E. coli in hamburgers

Healther, I only have a problem with your Link One"

"come the day for transportation to the meat factory a cow is a little unwell, not noticed by the inexperienced and possible day paid staff, maybe they do see it? but are to worried to mention it, in case they lose their minimum wage".

It's much, much worse than that. It was only with the advent of "Mad Cow" that the inspectors started paying any attention at all to the animals called "downers". That means an animal that's so sick or so old or so crippled that it can't walk, it's "down" permanently. Those regularly got slaughtered where they lay and put into the food supply. Now they simply do every thing they can to get the animal on its feet, including lifting them up with equipment. And into the food supply it goes, having managed to avert the rule against selling "downer" cattle for human consumption.

Annie

Dave says "I also found the statement that one of the causes is the rise of large-scale production and processing unusual as it was my impression that large scale production and processing has been the norm for many, many years? "

The difference now, Dave, is that slaughterhouses used to do the cut-downs and ship off the sides of beef to be processed in the retail establishment. They weren't involved in the whole operation from feed lot to meat case.
What has happened to independents in our retail industry has also happened to independents in our agricultural industry. As the smaller ones fail to compete the larger ones get larger and more central and take over more of the steps we used to do locally.

There isn't a thing wrong with that, either if they're processed safely and properly. You do, however, lose the transparency of the production and inspection process.

Sooooooooo it's all done now somewhere far away and can be shipped anywhere. That's why when one facility has a problem, it's not a local problem anymore, it can be a national one. I'm not implying that large operations can't be or aren't safe. I'm just saying that by the nature of the food distribution system now that any mishap along the way is going to impact a larger number of people and be harder to trace the source since it's done from fewer, larger and more centralised locations. Problems along the way are no longer self-limiting.

Just look how they process ground beef nowadays. They take beef scraps and who knows what from many different cows and mix them all together, then packaging them up in large quantities to be sent out all over the country. Then the large quantities are broken up into smaller sizes and wrapped for sale. If just one cow has been contaminated, all the ground beef is contaminated when it was mixed with the others.

I can remember when we went to the butcher, picked out a cut of meat and the butcher would grind it for us while we waited. We didn't have to worry about contamination.

Since I live in an area where there is a lot of 'truck' farming (veggies), I would like to add a little thought here. This year is the first time I have ever seen port-a-potties put in the fields...where the field hands are harvesting your veggies. Now, having said that...I have YET to see one used. There it sits next to the road and the whole crew is nearly a mile away in the middle of the field...yeh right, they are gonna stop and run across the field to come use the port-a-pottie! And since there is only one tractor out there & it is pulling the wagon that is being loaded with veggies (watermelon, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, egg plant, etc.) I doubt that it will stop progress to bring workers over to use the potty!

Just this week I found suppliers of local meat, and after reading this thread I am soooo glad I did! My garden is slowly but surely coming along too. Especially since I have to take immune suppressant medications!

go online and checkout what "Growing For Market" has to say about the list. Even thought the list gives the top ten food items, it really does not explain where the poisoning took place. The majority was not from the farm, but in resturants and by other means. Potatoes was from potaote salad, berries was from one incident and the berries was from 2 different countries. Even the big spinach debacle was tracked down to be from water that was contaimenated due to a nearby cattle ranch, problem was the rancher was not forced to clean up his operation. Also note that this list was from the FDA which does not handle meat, that is from the USDA, I think that top ten list would have looked a whole lot differewnt if it would have included both. This is why, if we can't grow our own, it is so important to support our small local growers,who you get to know and trust. And as long as we want "fresh berries" in the middle of winter, we will continue to see this sort of problem. Personally, I don't trust my familys' well being to a farmer in Chille ot Guatumala. I'm not saying that farmers were not to blame in some cases, but I think if we dig a little deeper we will see most of it happens after it leaves the farm or as we all know from the mega growers.

There is not a better way to stimulate your local economy than buying from your local farmer. It also brings new meaning to "buy made in the USA" products.

Stargazer, the difference in the taste of that meat you are buying will be amazing. You will not want to buy it from the grocery store again.

Eat more deer. Can't think of a more free-range animal than that. With their populations at an all-time high, you're doing your garden, your orchard, and your car a favor. Lots of folks are happy to give extra venison away too.

Brook

FDA is working to issue new rules to govern food safety in the supply chain. Sadly, these include fees and requirements which will impose additional cost and time burdens... factory farms and massive-scale agriculture can afford the per-facility costs, but many small farms cannot. People are cheering this new regulation, not realizing what it really means and who it really serves. So ironic that the large-scale agriculture industry is being aided by legislation that is supposedly aimed at them.

Exactly. You are correct. This came up on anther forum, and after stating my case about this one other responder wouldn't give up on the need to monitor absolutely everyone who produces one iota of food. So, I just saved my breath.

Laws and regulations aren't successful unless they are enforceable and there aren't enough inspectors to even enforce the rules already existing. What makes sense is to put the resources we have to the best use and that is monitoring souces who have the largest production and the widest distribution. Local producers or small producers with limited distribution pose the least threat in that if they fail in their job of keeping food safe, by their very definition their impacts are self-limiting.

Here is an excellent article talking about the horrific problems with just hamburger. Your one patty can come from who knows how many cows. From old and sick ones and even from cows as far away as Uruguay. These "plants" don't have to test for any pathogens and if there is a problem, there are NO mandatory recalls. I suppose that attributes to illnesses from food when we may be just calling it a stomach virus.

They are even treating this meat with ammonia to kill possible pathogens! Do you want to eat that?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all

What bothers me even more is that this article is just talking about the problems with hamburger. They are not even addressing other meat or food.

What I like is that this is a "quiet revolution" with people becoming more and more aware of these problems and this is leading back to buying local so that you know where it came from and how it was raised and grown. I just wish this revolution would explode and people would begin to realize that we don't have to wait for the government to fix this. WE THE PEOPLE have the power in our hands to refuse to accept this anymore. We just don't realize how powerful we could be if we would just stop purchasing these things, and not only with the food, but this can be carried out with even the big banks by not doing business with them anymore, all the way to insurance companies. WE THE PEOPLE do have control if we would just decide we are not going to take it anymore and be willing to make some sacrifices!

OK, sorry to get political on you!

Lots of interesting points and I also was surprised by the foods on the list, most all of them being my favorites. Annie brings up an interesting point by saying that her old doc said "we were sanitizing ourselves to death." I couldn't agree more. Growing up, I stayed with my grandmother most every weekend or school break. Another cousin that lived close by did the same and we were outside and dirty from sun up to down. We ate whatever my grandmother fixed without complaint because we were so hungry from active play EVERYTHING tasted good. She bought staples from the store like salt, sugar and flour but everything else was raised or grown on the farm. When our cousins from out-of-state came for a week or two, their mother polished and fussed about them, forcing vitamins down their throats. They were very picky eaters as well. They didn't get dirty or if they did and their mother happened to see some mud on their clothes, they were wisked off for bathing and changing. I must qualify that I do understand the difference between getting dirty and filth. We bathed every day, mind you, with clean hands and face when we sat down to eat. Anyway, long story short, those kids were sick ALL the time. Their mother felt like we "country cousins" were quite primative ;)
There is no better way to ward off illness than to have clean hands and work place when dealing with food. I have had fun learning safe canning practices here as well. That does not mean I shower my home in "sterilizing" agents but certain surfaces do get a bit of bleach in the soapy water once in a while and especially my counters and sink if I have been dealing with meat. That was the way my grandmother did it all those years ago, too. I don't know, I think common sense goes a long way. Those "super bugs" are out there now thanks to over-use of everything so we do need to be cautious. I want my house to be clean, not sterile.
One more point I wanted to make or comment on (and I'll try to keep this short, sorry) is the use of antibacterial soaps and antibiotics. I am a nurse and have to use the antibacterial soaps (really strong stuff) on a very regular basis. About once a year I get this horrid painful rash on my hands and the first time it happened I went to my doctor about it. Seems that the bacteria, both bad and GOOD had been wiped off my hands and allowed some kind of viral thing to happen. The same thing happens when we take antibiotics and get various yeast infections. The good bugs are there for a reason! If we need the antibiotics, I'm glad they are there because they can be life-saving. I just think they are over-prescribed and many people aren't satisfied if they come away from the doctor's office without some. Lori

vikingkirken, those new regulations include something called the national Animal Identification System. That would require someone like me, with 12 chickens, to notify the government 24 hours in advance and buy a permit before i ate MY OWN CHICKEN. the legislation is being touted as "for the safety of the food supply" but it would require me to microchip my horse, which certainly isn't a food animal. In addition, the big agri-farms would get to buy one permit for their thousands of animals, I'd have to buy one for each of mine. I would also have to buy the chips and pay the vet to implant them, and only a vet licensed by the government could do it.

Agri-business is 100% behind this, because it would cost them next to nothing, change very little about the way they do business and drive most small farmers out of business, which they've been trying to do for years. it wouldn't change any of the methods currently used to raise, feed or slaughter animals, it would only require them to be "registered", so if someone did get sick it could be tracked back to the source. Maybe.

Annie