BLOG: FDA is allowing radiation to be used to kill deadly bacteria on spinach and iceburg lettuce Praise and criticism flows. - (Seatle Pi)
August 21, 2008 – 8:55 pmLet’s get one thing straight up front. Just because the government has ruled that spinach and lettuce can now be zapped with radiation to kill E. coli, salmonella and other nasty bugs, it doesn’t mean that the produce will be radioactive, warm to the touch or even pre-cooked.
The decision by the Food and Drug Administration has been long awaited since the Grocery Manufacturers Association petitioned the agency in 2000 to allow producers to irradiate a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and prepared foods.
The equipment is costly, but well worth it to producers because the process also can control insects and parasites, reduce spoilage, and extend shelf-life.
For the complete blog post, please visit http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/secretingredients/archives/146806.asp
MORE:
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsafety/news/fsnews.cfm?newsid=28220
Related posts:
EDITORIAL: Safer salad - (The New York Times)
WASHINGTON, DC: FDA: Irradiating spinach, lettuce OK to kill germs - (Associated Press)
US: Regulators expected to allow radiation for spinach, lettuce - (The Fresno Bee)
WASHINGTON, DC: Irradiation step doesn’t quiet debate on FDA moves - (Chicago Tribune)
OPINION: Would you buy irradiated spinach or lettuce? - (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
US: Irradiation gets the green light - (Miami Herald)
Pros and cons of commercial irradiation of fresh iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach: A literature review - Part III. Food quality. - (Marler Blog)
Relative efficacy of sodium hypochlorite wash versus irradiation to inactivate Escherichia coli O157:H7 internalized in leaves of romaine lettuce and baby spinach - (Journal of Food Protection®)
US: Your salad could soon be irradiated; FDA approves germ killer for lettuce, spinach - (USA Today)
USDA scientists say irradiation could be key to food safety - (Los Angeles Times)
OP-ED: Wiping out bacteria on lettuce has downside - (USA Today)
US: FDA to permit irradiation of spinach, lettuce - (San Francisco Chronicle)
EDITORIAL: We think: Zapping greens boosts safety, but there’s more to do - (Orlando Sentinel)
WASHINGTON, DC: F.D.A. allows some irradiation - (New York Times/ )
US: FDA announces final rule amending the food additive regulations to allow for the irradiation of fresh iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach - (CFSAN Constituent Update)
US: FDA announces final rule amending the food additive regulations to allow for the irradiation of fresh iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach - (CFSAN Constituent Update)
Turning up the food safety debate - (Reuters)
US: FDA announces final rule amending the food additive regulations to allow for the irradiation of fresh iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach - (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
US: FDA OKs irradiating iceberg lettuce, spinach - (The Packer.com)
US: FDA OKs irradiating iceberg lettuce, spinach - (The Packer.com)
US: Lettuce rejoice - (The Wall Street Journal)
BLOG: Move makes food safer - (USA Today)
KANSAS CITY: Are radiation treatments for salad greens a good idea? NO - (Kansas City Star)
Amoebas may vomit E. coli on your greens - (New Scientist)
US: More E.coli predicted for America’s beef & salad greens - (Health Inspections.com)
ABSTRACT: Irradiation compared with chlorination for elimination of Escherichia coli O157:H7 internalized in lettuce leaves: influence of lettuce variety - (Journal of Food Science)
Preparation-free method for detecting Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the presence of spinach, spring lettuce mix, and ground beef particulates - (Journal of Food Protection®, Volume 70, Number 11, November 2007 , pp. 2651-2655(5))
CALIFORNIA: A year after spinach scare, growers strive to keep produce safe - (San Jose Mercury News)
OPINION: Irradiation of lettuce and spinach doesn’t make sense - (The San Francisco Chronicle)
US: Report: FDA and fresh spinach safety - (YubaNet.com)
UK: New method could end lettuce contamination, say researchers - (Food Production Daily)
BLOG: Salmonella, E. coli and now 144 million pounds of unfit-to-eat beef, spark anger on Capitol Hill - (Seattle PI)
ABSTRACT: Evaluation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 internationalization into romaine lettuce tissues and detection of metabolic changes of internalized bacteria in response to bioavailable carbon using developed bioluminescent assay - (Purdue University)
Smugglers’ deadly cargo: Cop-killing guns
Health Hazard Alert- Dole brand hearts delight lettuce salad may contain E. coli O157:H7 bacteria– corrected (again) - (WebMaster CFIA)
CFIA: Health Hazard Alert - Dole Brand Hearts Delight Lettuce salad may contain E. coli O157:H7 bacteria - (from a press release)
ARIZONA: UA researchers offer advice for safer salads - (University of Arizona)
US: After last years E. coli outbreak, produce testing diverged at border - (Washington Post)
Open letter to a new under secretary for food safety FSIS - (Marler Blog)
Dr. Mom was right–and wrong–about washing fruits and vegetables - (Science Daily)
Transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to romaine lettuce due to contact water from melting ice - (Journal of Food Protection)
ABSTRACT: Impact of vacuum cooling on Escherichia coli O157:H7 infiltration into lettuce tissue - (Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2008, p. 31383142 Vol. 74, No. 10)
US: Report criticizes FDA over spinach packers - (Washington Post/Bloomberg)
MICHIGAN: Company facing E. coli suit denies involvement - (The State News)
CALIFORNIA spinach sales down 1 year after outbreak - (CBS 5)
EDITORIAL: Food safety takes on urgency - (The Tennessean)
Bombings across Iraq kill dozens
K-STATE food safety expert says consumers can decide food irradiation issue - (Kansas State University)
US: Little-known E. coli strain O111 starts gaining notoriety - (USA Today)
KANSAS: Food safety for fresh produce begins on the farm - (Kansas State University press release)
ONTARIO: Third case of E. coli linked to U.S. lettuce - (Chatham Daily News)
NEW YORK: Study shows copper surfaces kill C. diff bacteria - (The Copper Development Association)
UK: Nursery tots battle deadly bug - (Shropshire Star)
Heterogeneous photocatalytic disinfection of wash waters from the fresh-cut vegetable industry - (Journal of Food Protection)
Corrected - GEORGIA: Whitbeck Laboratories study shows new kitchen appliance removes bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli and Shigella from food - (Creative Culinary Solutions, Inc.)
CALIFORNIA: Senator seeks answers in Canada recall of U.S. produce - ()
GEORGIA: Whitebeck Laboratories study shows new kitchen appliance removes bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli and Shigella from food - (Creative Culinary Solutions, Inc.)
New UV toothbrush sanitizer kills 99% of germs & bacteria - (Health Enterprises, Inc. press release)
ABSTRACT: Survival and transfer of murine norovirus 1, a surrogate for human noroviruses, during the production process of deep-frozen onions and spinach - (Journal of Food Protection)
BARFBLOG: Food irradiation videos highlight, uh, creativity? - (barfblog)
MARLER BLOG: Student sickened by E. coli-tained lettuce files suit - (Marler Blog)
E. coli in Michigan lettuce traced to CALIFORNIA - (Monterey Herald)
FDA: Leafy Greens Safety Initiative - 2nd year - (US FDA/CFSAN)
US: Bacteriophages as novel antimicrobials for food safety - (USDA News Release)
MICHIGAN: Produce firm battling taint of E. coli outbreak - (The Detroit News)
BARFBLOG: Silence of the lettuce - (barfblog)
US: Lawmakers blast food safety ‘mess’ - (CNNMoney)
MICHIGAN: Marler Clark files first E. coli lawsuit against Aunt Mid’s Produce - (Marler Clark)
ONTARIO: Raw milk debate rages on - (TheRecord.com)
CALIFORNIA: Two lettuces used in recalled salads came from Salinas Valley - (The Salinas Californian)
US: Foodmakers won’t be rushing to irradiate greens - (USA Today)
ABSTRACT: Use of UV light for the inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and lactic acid bacteria species in recirculated chill brines - (Journal of Food Protection)
ILLINOIS: How to avoid problems with produce - (News-Gazette.com)
ORLANDO: Dangerous bacteria found at popular central Florida market - (Local6.com)
US: FDA schedules hearing on the use of irradiation in beef - (Cattle Network)
Inactivation of Escherichia coli JM109, DH5a, and O157:H7 suspended in Butterfield’s Phosphate Buffer by gamma irradiation - (Journal of Food Science (OnlineEarly Articles). )
Analysis: Iraqis’ Basra fight not going well
HARTFORD: Close tainted-meat loophol - (The Hartford Courant)
Association of prophage antiterminator Q alleles and susceptibility to food-processing treatments applied to Escherichia coli O157 in laboratory media - (Journal of Food Protection®, Volume 70, Number 11, November 2007 , pp. 2617-2619(3))
CALIFORNIA: E. coli impact is far-reaching - (Salinas Californian)
ONTARIO: Lettuce likely E. coli culprit: Ont. health officials - (Windsor Star)
NEW YORK: Source of legionnaires’ outbreak identified - (WBNG News)
OKLAHOMA: Country Cottage well water tests positive for bacteria - (Tulsa World)
SWITZERLAND: Chemical Engineers discover silver-lined solution to E. coli - (AlphaGalileo Foundation)
MICHIGAN: How household bleach works to kill bacteria - (Cell Press)
US: Hospitals marshal resources to wipe out MRSA - (USA Today)
CALIFORNIA: Family farms may wilt under leafy-green law - (Sacramento Bee)
ONTARIO: Eateries innocent in E. coli scare: Region - (St. Catharines Standard)
Primeras imágenes de De Niro y Pacino en “Righteous Kill”
MICHIGAN: E. coli illnesses linked to Detroit lettuce hit 35 - (The Detroit News)
SOUTH KOREA: Muskrat poop may help treat food poisoning - (ANI)
ONTARIO: Niagara E. coli investigation looks to U.S. - (St. Catharines Standard)
US: Link to E. coli doubted - (Capital Press)
IRELAND: 100,000 drinking from council plants at risk from deadly bug - (Independent Online)
Al Qaeda No. 2: We don’t kill innnocents
U.S. focuses on more E. coli strains - (Wall Street Journal)
Harsh criticism for Sudan over Darfur
my teacher said i was a loser so i said y dont u kill me
MARLER BLOG: Tainted food: How to combat food poisoning in the United States? Mr. McCain, Mr. Obama, are you paying attention? - (Marler Blog)
ABSTRACT: Leaf age as a risk factor in contamination of lettuce with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica - (Applied and Environmental Microbiology)