Hand Washing

I mostly wash my hands because they're filthy from working in my shop.  Washing the food or utensils doesn't help much with foods that are eaten raw, and depending on the pathogen or toxin, even foods that are cooked.  A lot of salmonella bacteria needs to be eaten to get poisoned - the bacteria is mostly killed by stomach acid.  Thought this was interesting, even though it's a few years old.

from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/top-10-food-poisoning-risks/

Beef and poultry are the most frequent sources of food-borne illness, but a number of other foods also pose a risk. Now, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group that tracks food safety issues, has compiled a list of 10 common foods responsible for a large number of outbreaks of food-borne illnesses. The top 10 foods account for 1,500 separate outbreaks accounting for about 50,000 cases of food poisoning, some of which ended in long-term disability and death. The list comes from the group’s database of outbreaks, compiled from state and federal government reports, scientific articles and news reports. The list only focuses on foods overseen by the Food and Drug Administration, so it doesn’t include meats, which are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“A globalized food system, archaic food safety laws, and the rise of large-scale production and processing have combined to create a perfect storm of unsafe food,’’ the C.S.P.I. writes. “Unfortunately, the hazards now come from all areas of the food supply: not only high-risk products, like meat and dairy, but also the must-eat components of a healthy diet, like fruits and vegetables.’’

Here are the top three riskiest foods on the C.S.P.I. list:

1. Leafy greens (363 outbreaks; 13,568 cases): Responsible for 24 percent of the non-meat outbreaks listed, salads and other greens become contaminated by contact with animals, contaminated water, poor handling practices and even contaminated washing equipment.

2. Eggs (352 outbreaks; 11,164 cases): Most egg outbreaks are because of salmonella poisoning. Although external contamination of the egg can occur from poor handling practices, more often the contamination happens inside the hen, before the shell is even formed. Half of all cases of egg-related illness are in restaurants. Catered events and prisons also reported large outbreaks.

3. Tuna (268 outbreaks; 2,341 cases): Fresh fish can decay soon after being caught, the C.S.P.I. reports, leading to scombroid poisoning caused by a poison called scombrotoxin. Symptoms include skin flushing, headaches, cramps, diarrhea and loss of vision.

The remaining foods on the C.S.P.I. list are:

4. Oysters: 132 outbreaks; 3,409 cases.
5. Potatoes: 108 outbreaks; 3,659 cases.
6. Cheese: 83 outbreaks; 2,761 cases.
7. Ice cream: 74 outbreaks; 2,594 cases.
8. Tomatoes: 31 outbreaks; 3,292 cases.
9. Sprouts: 31 outbreaks; 2,022 cases.
10. Berries: 25 outbreaks; 3,397 cases.

is it me, or am i imagining it? i say something, and a brief period later nolaegghead provides all the footnotes to support me.

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that's my belabored point...  was trying to say that the focus on many foods is disproportionate to the real risk, and all the gloves and protocol provide only a false sense of security if you aren't paying attention to where the REAL risks are.

sounds rough.  (get it? roughage. potty...?  hahaha I kill me)

 

 

is it me, or am i imagining it? i say something, and a brief period later nolaegghead provides all the footnotes to support me.

)

 

)

It's hard not to likey the stikey!

hahahahaha

 

if you come over i'm serving you a large salad of greens and beets and asparagus. 

beets and asparagus just in there for the shock factor

Oh my potty humor, I feel like I'm talking to my boys!

booger jokes are sure to follow..........we are idiots

beets and asparagus just in there for the shock factor

My co-workers and family will be hearing about this one. I'm still chuckling.
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