E. coli Tainted Lettuce in the News Again

E. coli tainted lettuce is in the news again... but this time it is E. coli 0145 (not the more common E. coli 0157) and it has been linked to romaine lettuce sold under the Freshway and Imperial Sysco brands with the "best before" date of May 12, 2010.

There are reports of 19 people falling ill owing to the E. coli outbreak, 12 of whom are in hospital. Three of the patients with life-threatening symptoms were diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause bleeding in the brain or kidneys:

College students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Ohio State in Columbus and Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y., are among those affected, according to local health departments in those states. (Associated Press - read more.)

FDA Press Release on the Recall

ISIS Calls for Glyphosate Herbicides Ban

The Institute for Science in Society (ISIS) is calling for an all-out worldwide ban on glyphosate herbacides as data continues to mount against their safety.

In the ISIS report submitted to the US Environment Protection Agency, they indicate:

Latest evidence confirms world's top-selling herbicide used with GM crops is toxic and disrupts sex hormones at infinitesimal doses; time for a worldwide ban. ~ Dr. Mae-Wan Ho

More than 80 percent of Monsanto genetically modified crops (GM crops) are Roundup-Ready... Roundup being a glyphosate herbacide produced/sold by Monsanto.

The herbicide has already been linked with spontaneous abortions, Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma in humans; and in laboratory studies glyphosate caused liver damage in rats. Roundup is also highly lethal to amphibians. [link]

The latest research confirms previous studies with respect to the potential toxicity of glyphosate herbicides and also takes a closer look at the amount required to become a threat to human cells. The amount is astonishingly small:

The toxic effects of Roundup (R400) begin at 5 ppm, and the first endocrine disrupting action is already evident at 0.5 ppm, 800 times lower than the level of 400 ppm authorized by the US Environment Protection Agency in food or feed. And these latest results come in the wake of a string of evidence linking the herbicide and its formulations with cancers, miscarriages and other reproductive toxicities, liver and cell toxicities, DNA damages, lethality to amphibians [2] and lately, a range of embryonic defects in frogs. [emphasis added by us - link]

The appalling aside to all of this is the widespread glyphosate contamination of water bodies across the USA. The midwest, better known as corn country, should be particularly concerned about the safety of their water.

We'll bring you more on this subject as it unfolds.

Food Safety on Washington's Plate

The Proposed Food Safety Enhancement Act has passed through the US House Energy and Commerce Committee and now moves to the floor of the US House of Representatives for consideration.

As can be expected, not everyone is happy with the proposed Bill. [see LA Times link]

There were more than a few areas of the Bill that were weakened prior to leaving the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including:

The American Meat Institute (AMI) worked closely with members of the Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure that the language addressing the modified atmosphere (low oxygen/CO) packaging was eliminated from the bill. [link]

Regulation is one thing. Overlap, redundancy and lack of enforcement is another... as you can see from a story I wrote on my political/personal blog over 2 years ago and mentioned here at BLV Health Watch.

Although we will watch this new Bill with interest, considering the advancements in Food Safety over the past 2 years we don't hold out much hope of things actually improving. The most we can expect is higher food costs at the grocery store, in my humble opinion... unless regulators finally become accountable and the overlap and redundancies are eliminated -- to streamline the entire system.

Stay tuned for more updates on this.

Nano-technology Not So Safe?

Nanotechnologies are now commonly found in sunscreen, cosmetics, food, clothing, sporting goods and packaging but a recent report put out by Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN) claims:

"...some of these technologies are showing signs of posing serious hazards to human health and the environment, including the same kind of grave threats resulting from exposure to asbestos." [link]

Dr George Burdock of the Burdock Group claims that

"...manufacturers lack understanding about how particles can change when they are shrunk to nano-size, and the current economic situation has exacerbated potential dangers, as some cost-cutting companies could look to cheaper, less reliable safety assessments." [link]

The new IEHN report concludes:

"As a result of weak regulations, companies do not assess, quantify or disclose potential and pending liabilities on a timely basis... Today, as potentially ultrahazardous nanotechnologies enter the market, the same regulatory weaknesses that allowed asbestos manufacturers to conceal information from investors are being abused once again to conceal information regarding the newer technologies. Regulators must act now to prevent a repeat of past financial disasters, and to ensure that investors' expectations of forthright accounting are met. Although our report focuses on product-related liabilities, many of our findings are equally applicable to the broader array of contingent liabilities that appear in disclosure reports and financial statements."

With current worldwide annual investment in nano-technology research and development at $9.6 Billion and set to grow to $1 Trillion by 2015, the eight regulatory loopholes are of great concern -- for the financial industry as well as to the health and safety of consumers around the globe.

The complete report (52 pages) can be read on the IEHN website through this link.

I'd like to quote a few excerpts here:

Nanomaterials can represent a special threat to health and safety because the unprecedented manipulation of particles at the molecular scale brings with it unprecedented toxicity expectations - as the particle size decreases so dramatically, materials are able to penetrate the body much more aggressively. In addition, the molecular scale causes reactivity to increase so that harmful effects can be intensified. Previously harmless substances may even take on hazardous characteristics.

Laboratory studies indicate that some nanoparticles ingested from food or water, or breathed in, can pass through the intestinal walls or lungs and reach the bloodstream, allowing them almost unrestricted access to the human body. Some inhaled nanomaterials can access the brain, as they can pass the blood-brain barrier via the olfactory nerve.

Despite the growing number of nanotech food products on the market, consumers have no way of knowing which products contain nanotechnology. Other proposed uses of nano in food include: "interactive" drinks that contain nanocapsules that change color and flavor, spreads and ice creams with nanoparticle emulsions that improve texture, and nanocapsules that carry nutrients and flavors into the body, increasing their bioavailability.

The "nutritional products" segment of RBC Life Sciences markets nutritional supplements and personal care products, and accounted for 79%, 83% and 83% of consolidated net sales in 2008, 2007, and 2006, respectively.51 According to the company’s most recent annual report, they market a line of over 75 nutritional supplements and personal care products, including herbs, vitamins and minerals, as well as natural skin, hair and body care products. Some of these are advertised as food products, while others are "nanoceuticals," or nutritional supplements. One such product is RBC Life Sciences’ Slim Shake, containing Cocoa-Clusters. CocoaClusters are described as follows:

“The natural benefits of cocoa have now been combined with modern technology to create CocoaClusters. RBC’s NanoClusters are tiny particles, 100,000th the size of a single grain of sand, and they are designed to carry nutrition into your cells. During the process of creating Nano-Clusters, pure Cocoa is added to the "Cluster" formation to enhance the taste and the benefits of this treasured food.” This food is touted as a "technologically advanced form of cocoa that offers enhanced flavor without the need for excess sugar." However, nano-sized particles may not behave in the body the same way normal-sized particles of cocoa would behave. This product may therefore cause unintended health effects. RBC Life Science’s disclosure on the potential risks of its many nano-enabled products is nonexistent in its annual reports.

The use of nanosilver as an antimicrobial agent is now widespread, with a wide variety of products now on market shelves. The petitioners discovered no fewer than 260 selfidentified nano-silver consumer products. A recent study reported that nano-silver could harm the immune system, and other researchers have suggested that if nanoparticles from disinfectants get loose and into the body, they might wreak havoc with the human immune system.

"Recent research found that washing nanosilver impregnated clothing caused substantial amounts of nanosilver to leech into the discharge wastewater and eventually into the environment."

A particular group of nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes, raises special concerns because they are similar in shape and rigidity to asbestos fibers. Carbon nanotubes are "seamless cylinders of hexagonal carbon networks and are 10,000 times thinner than a human hair. They are a hundred times stronger and six times lighter than steel and are used in adhesives, coatings and polymers and as electrically conductive fillers in plastics to make polymers more resistant against temperatures, harsh chemicals, corrosive environments, extreme pressures and abrasion."

Multiple laboratories have already independently found that certain carbon nanotubes can cause progressive, irreversible lung damage in test rodents. Two 2003 studies conclusively showed lung damage from exposure to certain carbon nanotubes. Further studies on this topic have increasingly strengthened the link between certain carbon nanotubes and pulmonary damage.

Regulators currently allow companies to conceal emerging science that forewarns of potential liabilities in the future.

If you truly want to learn more, I highly recommend you read the full report.

The Secret Journey of Food

Food, Inc. ...a new movie to be released in theaters June 12, 2009... pulls back the curtain to look behind the scenes and show you how food really goes from farm to fork.

The movie promises "You'll never look at dinner the same way again."

• Did you ever wonder why Oprah was sued for once making a tiny disparaging remark about eating burgers?


• What are the hidden costs that others pay for the cheap food we eat today?


• Are food processors taking advantage of a major loophole in the law that could actually result in harm, even death, for some of us?


• What are the two main crops that have wound their way into almost every facet of our food system -- even many of the products (like diapers, batteries, etc.) we use everyday?


• How has genetic modification impacted the food industry... and potentially the health of millions?

In a brief interview, David Brancaccio from PBS spoke with filmmaker Robert Kenner, the director of "Food, Inc." In it, you will learn a bit more about the secretive and surprising journey food takes on the way from processing plants to our dinner tables.

Watch: "Behind the food we love -- Secrets that giant food companies don't want you to know." [link]

If you've already read the long article we've put together -- You Are What You Eat? Well, Maybe... -- then you just might have a stronger desire to watch the movie.

You know what happens after you ingest it. Watch the movie to discover more about what you are ingesting. [link to movie website]

Memorial Day Weekend BEEF Recall

Approximately 95,898 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 are being recalled by Valley Meats LLC, a Coal Valley, Illinois company... just in time for the big Memorial Day Weekend here in the USA.

The ground beef products named in the recall were produced on March 10, 2009, and were distributed to various locations nationwide. Brands include 3S Brand Products, Grillmaster Brand Products, J & B Brand Products, Klub Brand Products, Thick 'N Savory Brand Products, Ultimate Brand Products, and a variety of products with no specified name brand.

Details for which products under each brand are affected by the recall can be seen at the FSIS website through this link.

The problem was discovered through an epidemiological investigation of illnesses. On May 13, 2009, FSIS was informed by the Ohio Department of Health of a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 infections. Illnesses have been reported in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

Media and consumers questions regarding the recall should be directed to the company spokesperson at (309) 799-7341.

Please be careful and have a safe, wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.

OECD report reveals growing counterfeit problem

Kiwis, conserved vegetables, milk powder, butter, ghee, baby food, instant coffee, alcohol, drinks, confectionery, and hi-breed corn seeds are among the most counterfeited articles in the world according to a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), to be published this June.

“Trade in counterfeit goods is a big problem and getting bigger,” said John Dryden, Deputy Director of the OECD’s Science, Technology and Industry Directorate. “It is pervasive, it involves some pretty unsavoury and ruthless characters, and it has serious implications for health, safety, living standards and jobs. It is also a major disincentive to invent and innovate.”

The market for counterfeit and pirated products can be divided into two important sub-markets. In the primary market, consumers purchase counterfeit and pirated products believing they have purchased genuine articles. The products are often sub-standard and carry health and safety risks that range from mild to life-threatening. In the secondary market, consumers looking for what they believe to be bargains knowingly buy counterfeit and pirated products.

...In the food and drink sector, few people would knowingly purchase counterfeit food or drink products, due in part to the potential health risks involved. Such risks range from general discomfort, to serious illness and even death. As discussed in the sectoral assessment, this has been the case for poorly distilled raw spirits and fake baby formula.

The OECD report makes a number of recommendations for ways to address the issues and calls on governments to clamp down. Click to view the Executive Summary (pdf format) of the report online.

Tainted Pet Food Reaches Pork

In our earlier story about tainted pet food, we mentioned the concern some experts had about the melamine-tainted wheat gluten entering our food supply. This concern was expanded to a rice protein, also imported from China. According to AOL News today, this may have happened -- not directly, but indirectly through pork. (link)

WASHINGTON (April 26) - Several hundred of the 6,000 hogs that may have eaten contaminated pet food are believed to have entered the food supply for humans, the government said Thursday. The potential risk to human health was said to be very low.

In the state-by-state breakdown of potential hogs contaminated, it's the South Carolina investigation which caught my attention:

SOUTH CAROLINA: Urine tests done on some of the 800 hogs now quarantined at a farm have tested positive for low levels of melamine. None went to slaughter. According to the state veterinarian, none of the suspect feed was fed to the hogs. Federal tests on the feed have come up negative. The positive urine tests could not be immediately explained, although contaminated feed could have escaped detection during tests, the FDA said.

If they did not eat the tainted pet food in question, then one has to wonder how melamine could have gotten into this group of hogs.
CLEMSONews indicated;

The potentially contaminated feed was bought as salvage pet food from Diamond Pet Foods Inc., which received contaminated wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate from China. ...State officials are waiting for guidance from the FDA, FSIS and EPA as to the significance of these tests and other pending tests.

Livestock and Poultry Health is a unit of Clemson University Public Service and Agriculture. The agency inspects and regulates the state meat and poultry industries.

Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food

The USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a new report last week that reveals startling deficiencies in food safety. For examples, there has been a 50 percent increase in E coli infections since 2004, and a whopping 78 percent increase in Vibrio infections (generally caused by eating raw shellfish) over the past decade.

Progress was made against rising cases of food contamination through consumer education, where the USDA and other Government entities promoted fully cooking of meat products (such as sea food, poultry, eggs, and beef) and thoroughly washing surfaces that came into contact of such raw produce.

BUT, the huge outbreaks associated with spinach, lettuce, tomatoes and peanut butter that have occurred over the last 6 months suggest the battle for reducing foodborn illnesses is losing ground. The problem has spread to foods that are commonly eaten raw.

As important as it is to detect contamination and quickly pull such products from the market ...it is equally important -- MORE important in my humble opinion -- to prevent contaminations at the source.

As BeverageDaily writes, "...an absolute priority needs to be better systems for prevention."

Voluntary guidance or industry self regulatory schemes is a short sighted answer to a growing problem that calls for immediate and permanent solutions, according to Consumers Union...

ConAgra [in response to the Peter Pan Peanut Butter contamination responsible for at least 4 deaths] said it "had plans in place to address this kind of situation". Now the firm is totally renovating and redesigning its plant to separate raw ingredients from finished products, as well as appointing a Global Food Safety executive and forming a Food Safety Advisory Committee.

These are all positive moves, it's just a shame they needed to be prompted by disaster. Learning from mistakes is good, but preventing them is even better.

Salmonella infections cause an estimated 1.4 million human illnesses and 400 deaths annually in the United States, according to the CDC. In total, the CDC estimates that 76 million Americans get sick and 5,000 die from foodborne hazards each year in the United States.

Sources:

CDC Report (link): "Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food --- 10 States, 2006"

BeverageDaily (link): "Food contamination: time for action"

CDC Report (link): "Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium Infections Associated with Eating Ground Beef --- United States, 2004"