Welcome to Food Safety and Quality Jamaica.org

Nothing says, “I do” like wedding guests barfing and in this case, tragically, one dying after consuming the post-nuptial meal.
Rene Kwartz, 82, was one of four guests who needed hospital treatment after a meal at a hotel in Prestwich, Greater Manchester.
Three of those taken to hospital recovered and were discharged but Mrs Kwartz died last week.

The newest food safety infosheet, a graphical one-page food safety-related story directed at food businesses, is now available at www.foodsafetyinfosheets.com
Food Safety Infosheet Highlights:
- Hurricanes and storms can cause power outages and lead to food safety concerns.
- Protect your food by being prepared.
- Place a thermometer in your fridge and freezer.

Companies have begun pointing fingers at one another and offering conflicting theories about the possible source of salmonella contamination that has sickened 1,470 people and led to the recall of 550 million eggs.

How did bacteria spread through two Iowa egg farms, leading to the largest  Salmonella enteritidis outbreak ever recorded in the U.S.? Take your pick. Stomach-turning inspection reports released Monday by the Food and Drug Administration found wild birds, which can carry the disease, flying and nesting near caged chickens and a feed mill.

A strict quality assurance program has virtually wiped out salmonella in California henhouses, but it makes locally produced eggs more expensive.

Here's what egg producers had to say after one of their largest, Wright County Egg,  poisoned thousands with Salmonella in conjunction with a recall of half a billion eggs:  it's your fault.  It is a stunning position to take in light of FDA findings from an inspection of Wright County Egg facilities in Galt, Iowa, as listed in pleadings filed on behalf of Marler Clark clients in Federal District Court in Iowa this week.   Here are some "highlights,"  with further listings at Marlerblog and the FDA:

• Chicken manure located in the manure pits below the egg laying operations was observed to be approximately 4 feet high to 8 feet high at [multiple]locations.  The outside access doors to the manure pits at these locations had been pushed out by the weight of the manure, leaving open access to wildlife or domesticated animals.
• Un-baited, unsealed holes appearing to be rodent burrows located along the second floor baseboards were observed.
• Dark liquid which appeared to be manure was observed seeping through the concrete foundation to the outside of the laying houses at [multiple] locations.
• Standing water approximately 3 inches deep was observed at the southeast corner of the manure pit located inside Layer 1 – House 13.
• Un-caged birds (chickens having escaped) were observed in the egg laying operations in contact with the egg laying birds at Layer 3 – Houses 9 and 16. The un-caged birds were using the manure, which was approximately 8 feet high, to access the egg laying area.
• Layer 3 – House 11, the house entrance door to access both House 11 and 12 was blocked with excessive amounts of manure in the manure pits.
• There were between 2 to 5 live mice observed inside the egg laying Houses 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 14.
•  Live and dead flies too numerous to count were observed at [multiple] locations inside the egg laying houses. The live flies were on and around egg belts, feed, shell eggs and walkways in the different sections of each egg laying area. In addition, live and dead maggots too numerous to count were observed on the manure pit floor located in Layer 2 – House 7.

The egg industry's position took a well-deserved beating from several critics, including Seattle University School of Law Professor Catherine O'Neill.  O'Neill likened the industry's tactics to those employed by environmental polluters who, rather than contain or limit their environmental destruction, ask those who are affronted by it to alter their behavior, a practice she calls "risk avoidance."

The arguments raised by O'Neill and others are further strengthened by a story today in the Wall Street Journal.  Alicia Mundy and Bill Tomson report today on consumers' misplaced reliance on the USDA "Grade A" stamp on eggs:

To some shoppers, the meaning of the "USDA Grade A" shield on egg cartons seems pretty obvious.

"It means that the rabbi's blessed this as kosher, right?" said Stephen Potter, an early-morning shopper at a Safeway store in Alexandria, Va.

"It means they've been checked. It's the quality seal. They're safe," suggested Susan Hergenrather, who was cruising the aisles at a Harris Teeter supermarket.

Wrong and wrong. The mark on the carton just means that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had a "grader" at an egg-packing facility who checked the eggs' size and color and made sure the shells weren't cracked, a USDA official said. Consumers "misunderstand" the shield, he said.

Marking the eggs "Grade A"  is not mandatory, but likely allows producers to charge more for eggs.   But, contrary to public perception, it does not signify any inspection with respect to human pathogens, "the USDA isn't looking for bacteria such as salmonella in the egg or the hen," according to USDA officials quoted in the article.   Mundy and Tomson explain:

The egg side is different from the meat side at the USDA, where inspection programs are mandatory and the inspectors' job includes looking for sanitation problems. "The USDA mark of inspection is only applied to meat products after inspectors in the plant have confirmed its safety and wholesomeness," said Brian Mabry, a department spokesman.

So consumers, remember, its not the egg producers job to maintain sanitation at their own, basically unregulated facilities.   They expect you to do their job.  But they won't mention that,  and don't put warnings or cooking instructions on their products, outside of a misleading government stamp.   And if you get sick, remember, it's your own fault.

Nobody can speak more authoritatively about the risks of foodpoisoning than those who have succumbed to severe illness in large outbreaks, and had there lives permanently changed as a result.  Barb Pruitt will not be in Washington DC next week to speak with key senators and staffers on the importance of new food safety legislation, but hers is certainly a voice that needs to be heard as well.

A little background first.  Barb was infected by Salmonella typhimurium in an 2009 outbreak ultimately linked to lettuce from Salinas valley California.  Barb's illness very quickly became life-threatening because the bacteria caused the tissues in her gastrointestinal tract to die, leading to a perforation of her small intestine that allowed the bacteria to escape into her bloodstream.  She ultimately had to be life-flighted to a major medical center, where she underwent emergency surgery to remove approximately four feet of her small intestine.  She has spent over a month in the hospital, and has endured constant, severe gastrointesinal problems ever since as a result of her inability to properly digest foods due to the loss of her small intestine.  Barb's problems, including multiple days a week where she suffers 15-20 bouts of diarrhea, are permanent.

Senator Harry Reid, who has spoken with food safety victims in the past seeking passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act, and every other senator and staffer who can help get the bill, S 510, to the floor for a vote, need to know about Barb.  Her illness was caused by a product, lettuce, that is regulated by the FDA; and its certainly possible that earlier action on the Food Safety Modernization Act would have helped to prevent her life from being permanently changed.  At the very least, action on S 510 now will help others avoid what Barb has gone through. 

Barb Pruitt's Statement to the Senate:

First, let me make it clear that I have no authority or expertise in the field of foodborne illnesses, however; I am a survivor of Salmonella poisoning and can speak from experience. I speak for ALL that have experienced, could experience, or have died from food poisoning. In addition, I speak for those that are left disabled for life, such as me, due to the inadequacies and failures within our food industries. I choose to be the voice for us all.

If I were to personally stand before you today, I would implore you to please pursue the vote for the Food Safety Modernization Act. The Act will enable increased authority for the FDA and food regulations will be more effective. What I like best is that the Act would require preventative programs. It is clear that the regulations we currently have in place are not followed nor are they effective. The Food Safety Modernization Act would provide necessary modification of and improved regulations. Food poisoning is preventable, let us enforce it.

As citizens, we should not be fearful of the food that we consume. We are hard working Americans who spend our hard working money on life’s necessities - FOOD. We should NOT under any circumstances fear the consumption of our food; we assume and TRUST that our food is prepared with quality and that it is SAFE. No one ever assumes that their next bite of food may sicken them or worse yet kill them, leaving families destroyed and experiencing financial devastation with medical bills.

The failure in our system is that producers focus on quantity rather than quality. They have the ability to focus on quantity rather than quality because our current structured food regulations are failing. We have the power to change that. We must stand together and apply strict regulations and by all means ENFORCE them. We have to give authority where necessary to preserve human life and quality of life.

When a food product is produced and sent to the public, when tainted, millions of unsuspecting people may be facing a death sentence or lifetime disabilities. It is not like a piece of clothing that has been sewn incorrectly so therefore it is sold at a discount store. This is food we are talking about. Our food, more often than not, is not tested for quality until it is consumed by the public. There is no taking it back once it has been eaten and someone falls prey to illness.

Every case of foodborne illness is a case of a failure in our food industry reguations and a lack of regard for human life as producers are able to ignore current regulations and push for quantity rather than quality. It is sad that we have come to the point of actually having to babysit our food supply, not only on a local level but worldwide; we must also be strict with our incoming food as well. All food must be produced with the mindset that EVERY human life is valuable.

I urgently ask you to please vote on this Act and pass it. Stronger regulations, increased involvement from authorities, and preventative programs are a necessity. I know I am but only one voice, but I hope that I am ultimately a strong, and unfortunately very experienced, voice.  

Today the FDA released its Form 483 Inspection Observation Report from the on-site inspections it recently conducted at Wright County Egg's egg laying farms/plants, and the findings are nothing short of disgusting.  Here are just a sampling of the conditions witnessed by FDA's inspectors: 

• Chicken manure located in the manure pits below the egg laying operations was observed to be approximately 4 feet high to 8 feet high at the following locations: Layer 1 – House 1; Layer 3 – Houses 2, 7, 17, and 18. The outside access doors to the manure pits at these locations had been pushed out by the weight of the manure, leaving open access to wildlife or domesticated animals.
• Un-baited, unsealed holes appearing to be rodent burrows located along the second floor baseboards were observed inside Layer 1 – Houses 1-9 and 11-13; Layer 2 – Houses 7 and 11; Layer 3 – Houses 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6; Layer 4 – House 3.
• Dark liquid which appeared to be manure was observed seeping through the concrete foundation to the outside of the laying houses at the following locations: Layer 1 – Houses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, and 14; and Layer 3 – Houses 1, 8, 13, and 17.
• Standing water approximately 3 inches deep was observed at the southeast corner of the manure pit located inside Layer 1 – House 13.
• Un-caged birds (chickens having escaped) were observed in the egg laying operations in contact with the egg laying birds at Layer 3 – Houses 9 and 16. The un-caged birds were using the manure, which was approximately 8 feet high, to access the egg laying area.
• Layer 3 – House 11, the house entrance door to access both House 11 and 12 was blocked with excessive amounts of manure in the manure pits.
• There were between 2 to 5 live mice observed inside the egg laying Houses 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 14.
• Live and dead flies too numerous to count were observed at the following locations inside the egg laying houses: Layer 1 – Houses 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12; Layer 2 – Houses 7 and 11; Layer 3 – Houses 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, and 18. The live flies were on and around egg belts, feed, shell eggs and walkways in the different sections of each egg laying area. In addition, live and dead maggots too numerous to count were observed on the manure pit floor located in Layer 2 – House 7.
• You did not document washing and disinfecting of your dead hen truck and manure equipment prior to moving from farm to farm.
• You did not maintain records documenting the washing and disinfection of the trailers used for the movement of pullets to laying houses.
• Birds were observed roosting and flying, chicks heard chirping in the storage and milking facilities. In addition, nesting material was observed in the feed mill closed mixing system, ingredient storage and truck filling areas.
• Outdoor whole kernel corn grain bins 4 and 6 observed to have the topside doors/lids open to the environment and pigeons were observed entering and leaving these openings. Birds were also observed sitting/flying around and over the openings.

In addition, numerous samples were collected during the course of te inspection and tested by an FDA laboratory.  The results revealed the following positive analytical results for Salmonella Enteritidis:

• On 8/13/2010, an environmental sample was collected from Layer 2, house 7 manure swab from row 1 – left side.
• On 8/16/2010, an environmental sample was collected from Layer 2, house 11 at manure scraper blade from row 3 – right side.
• On 8/13/2010, an environmental sample was collected from Layer 4, house 3 at walkway 1 – right side and walkway 3 – right side.
• On 8/14/2010, a sample of meat and bone meal was collected from ingredient bin 7 located at your feed mill.
• On 8/17/2010, a sample of finished feed “Developer” pullet feed was collected from the feed mill.
• On 8/16/2010, an environmental sample was collected from the roof level covered ingredient bin chute 8; Second Floor ingredient bin cover 19 (ingredient bin 19 holds ground corn) located at your feed mill.