Inside plush casinos around the country, you’ll find crowds playing games of chance, testing their luck, hoping to win big. A simple roll of the dice, turn of a card, or spin of a wheel can determine a gambler’s fate. Relying on the luck of the draw may be part of the thrill at a blackjack table, but taking chances at the dinner table may bring an unwelcome windfall-a case of foodborne illness.
Jim Figlik of Chicago is one of those food daredevils. He says he eats sushi about four times a month and enjoys his steaks rare. “Primarily it’s a matter of taste and boredom,” Figlik says. “You can only eat meat loaf and pot roast for so long.”
Figlik, a computer software engineer, is aware that some of his food choices are risky, but he believes enjoyment outweighs the hazards.
The stakes are shockingly high, though. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 9,000 Americans die every year from food they’ve eaten. Up to 80 million Americans become sick each year, costing $5 billion in medical care and lost wages. Recent high-profile incidents involving a suburban Chicago caterer, tainted breakfast cereal and nationwide beef recalls remind us that even the best and safest food supply in the world is not risk-free.
With that in mind, President Clinton announced the formation of the President’s Council on Food Safety on Aug. 25, beginning a government-wide strategy to ensure a safe food supply.
Experts aren’t sure whether our food is riskier now than it was, say, 20 years ago.
“I’d say it’s no riskier; in fact, it may be safer,” says Don Schaffner, extension specialist in food science at Rutgers University. “But that is opinion … . It’s difficult to get an objective answer to that question. We just don’t have the data.”
LeeAnne Jackson, a food safety expert at the Food and Drug Administration, agrees with Schaffner. She attributes the rise in reported incidents to better surveillance of foodborne illnesses and increased consumer awareness.
Mark Kantor, nutrition specialist at the University of Maryland, is more skeptical. Flourishing international trade and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens are two recent developments that have increased the riskiness of our food supply, he said. But technology is riding to the rescue.
“Things are getting safer in terms of knowing more,” Kantor says. “With the ability to do DNA fingerprinting (of pathogens) and more surveillance, we are increasing the number of safeguards in the system.”
For healthy adults, most foodborne illnesses, although extremely unpleasant, aren’t life-threatening. But food poisoning can prove deadly for the young, elderly, or people with weakened immune systems from diseases such as cancer or AIDS. These individuals can’t afford to take chances. This means thoroughly cooking all meat, poultry and seafood; washing fresh fruits and vegetables and keeping them away from raw meats; and practicing good hygiene.
What makes a food risky? According to the FDA, any raw or cooked food that can support the rapid growth of harmful microorganisms is a “potentially hazardous food.” Almost any food, if mishandled enough, can become a health hazard. Some foods, though, are riskier than others. Here are five to watch out for.
Raw hamburger
Whether it’s steak tartare at an upscale cafe or a burger from your back-yard grill, undercooked beef is a dangerous gamble because of the toxin-producing Escherichia coli 0157:H7.
One factor that makes E. coli a serious problem is its potency: A tiny bite of tainted hamburger could contain enough organisms to make people sick (bloody diarrhea and intense stomach cramping). Also, the illness can worsen into hemolytic uremic syndrome, which may cause kidney failure and lifetime complications, if not death.
Reduce your risk: Always thoroughly cook meat. At a restaurant, send back anything that looks undercooked. At home, use a meat thermometer. Cook ground meats to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and roasts and steaks to at least 145 degrees (USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline guidelines).
The chicken and the egg
If the question is, “Which is more likely to carry salmonella, the chicken or the egg?” then the answer is definitely the chicken. Odds that you’ll come across an infected egg are about 1 in 10,000. But if that one egg is mixed with many other eggs (as is done in food service operations) and stored improperly, salmonella can quickly multiply.
Reports of salmonella poisoning have doubled in the past 20 years, making it one of the leading causes of foodborne disease. Most cases are traced to chicken and egg products, but some recent outbreaks were traced to fresh produce.
Infected people experience severe cramping, diarrhea and fever 12 to 36 hours after eating. To make matters worse, a common strain of salmonella has developed resistance to several antibiotics. Also, researchers believe that a small percentage of infected individuals may develop chronic arthritis. One good thing: Proper cooking easily kills salmonella.
A less familiar but extremely common bacterium is Campylobacter jejuni. This bug causes approximately 2 million diarrheal illnesses each year. Government researchers estimate that more than half of all raw chicken sold in the U.S. contains campylobacter bacteria. The infection may lead to a paralyzing disorder known as Guillan-Barr syndrome. Like salmonella, proper cooking virtually eliminates the risk.
Reduce your risk: Cook it well. Chicken parts should reach at least 170 degrees. Both egg yolk and white should be cooked until firm. Beware Caesar salad, homemade mayonnaise, tiramisu, some mousses and eggnog, which typically contain raw eggs. Also be cautious of those recipes-such as hollandaise sauce, meringues and French toast-that use lightly cooked eggs. At-risk individuals should consider using a pasteurized egg product in these recipes. And refrain from licking that bowl of raw cake batter or cookie dough. For egg safety tips and how to cook egg yolks and whites before using them in recipes, visit the American Egg Board site on the Internet: www.aeb.org
Raw oysters and clams
These sea creatures get their nutrients by filtering the water they live in-and the undesirable microorganisms, if present, right along with the good nutrients. Oysters and clams harvested from warm instead of cool waters are more likely to contain illness-causing bacteria such as Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Because these organisms occur naturally, even in clean water, shellfish from reputable sources still may be contaminated. People with damaged livers (such as alcoholics) are particularly susceptible to V. vulnificus. Symptoms include vomiting, fever, sudden chills and, if untreated, death. V. parahaemolyticus is less serious and rarely fatal.
Harvest beds polluted with human waste may harbor hepatitis A and Norwalk viruses. Both usually result in a mild stomach illness, but hepatitis A may be fatal because it also attacks the liver.
Reduce your risk: Don’t eat them raw. Boil live oysters and clams 3 to 5 minutes after the shells open, or steam 4 to 9 minutes (FDA Food Information and Seafood Hotline guidelines).
Sushi and sashimi
Parasites and toxins are the main health concerns for raw fish dishes such as these. Any fish destined to be eaten raw should first be commercially frozen while very fresh to kill any parasites. Home freezers are not cold enough to effectively kill the parasites.
Spoilage bacteria on fish can produce powerful toxins that may cause headache and itchy skin along with the more typical gastrointestinal ailments such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Reduce your risk: If you eat raw or rare fish at home or in restaurants, freshness and freezing are key. When buying fresh fish, look for those that are firm and shiny, not slimy. Eyes should have a slight bulge. Avoid fish with darkened edges or brown-yellow discolorations. Fresh fish smells mild, not fishy or ammonia-like. It is best to leave the preparation of raw fish dishes to a reputable, professional chef (FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition guidelines).
Lettuce, sprouts, berries, melons, juice
Fresh fruits and vegetables are a great way to get a healthy dose of vitamins and nutrients. Compared with some animal products, contamination of produce is low, according to Linda Harris, a microbiologist at the University of California-Davis.
But problems may still occur. Organisms from the intestinal tracts of humcans and animals (like E. coli, hepatitis A and salmonella) can infiltrate produce from contaminated water, birds or insects in fields, or human handlers, including the consumer. Unpasteurized juice made from contaminated fruit also may harbor these pathogens.
Reduce your risk: Because produce often is eaten raw, consumers must be vigilant about washing it and preventing cross-contamination in the kitchen. Use clean, cold water to scrub hard fruits and vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, melons, etc.); be more gentle with delicate produce. Harris advises consumers to make sure they’re not part of the problem by washing all cutting boards and kitchen utensils with hot, soapy water before using them with fresh produce. Keep all cut or peeled fruits and vegetables refrigerated.
SAFETY TIPS IN THE KITCHEN
Kids everywhere are in school now, but even adults can learn something new this time of year. September is National Food Safety Education Month, and the restaurant and food service industries, united under the International Food Safety Council, are taking this opportunity to spread the message: “Keep It Clean” in your own kitchen.
Here are some of their suggestions for combating bacteria and foodborne illness at home:
Wash hands with soap under hot running water for at least 20 seconds; dry with paper towels. Wash hands before and after handling food, especially raw meat, poultry or seafood.
– Clean in-between: Wash cutting boards, knives and kitchen utensils with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before going on to the next.
– Sanitize cutting boards, utensils and surfaces after washing by using a sanitizing solution of water and bleach; let air dry. (Read bleach label directions.)
– Use paper towels to clean kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels, wash often in the hot cycle of the washing machine.
– Refrigerate or freeze leftovers and prepared food within 2 hours.
– Reheat carryout meals and leftovers to a minimum of 165 degrees; stir to cook evenly.
– Eat, freeze or discard refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
— Kristin Eddy
FIGHTING FOODBORNE ILLNESSES
The 1993 outbreak involving E. coli O157:H7-tainted hamburgers in the Pacific Northwest was a tragic wakeup call, directing intense, nationwide attention on the safety of our food supply. Pressured by the media coverage and consumer outrage, the federal government took action.
The antiquated “poke and sniff” procedure of meat and poultry inspection has been improved by the introduction of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), which focuses on identifying and preventing problems before they occur.
Industry adaptation to this new system has been gradual; about 75 percent of meat and poultry in the U.S. is processed under HACCP procedures now. Plans are to require HACCP procedures for the rest of the food industry.
The Food Safety Initiative, mandated by President Clinton in 1997, includes more than $43 million to fight foodborne illness in the U.S. The money will be spent on preventive measures, including more inspectors to oversee HACCP implementation, increased outbreak surveillance, and the discovery of quicker ways to detect and identify foodborne pathogens.
At the moment, producers are not required by law to withdraw suspected unsafe meat and poultry from the marketplace-recalls are voluntary. The proposed Food Safety Enforcement Enhancement Act, if passed by Congress, will give the U.S. Department of Agriculture authority to issue mandatory recalls and fine offending food companies. The Food and Drug Administration would gain greater power to regulate imported fruits and vegetables.
Consumer education is another way government and industry hope to reduce outbreaks. The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline answers 120,000 calls each year and distributes countless brochures to consumers and the media. Government and industry have joined to form the Partnership for Food Safety.
Last year, the group launched a national campaign, “Fight BAC!” (as in “bacteria”), which stresses safe food handling in the home.
— Ellen Anderson
IMPORTED OR DOMESTIC?
Until recently, this was a question reserved for your local bartender, not the produce manager at a grocery store. The safety of imported produce has been a hot topic after foreign strawberries and raspberries were linked to foodborne illnesses in the U.S. Is foreign-grown produce really riskier?
“There are no data that suggest imported produce is more risky” than those grown domestically, says LeeAnne Jackson of the Food and Drug Administration.
But the lack of data arises from the lack of problems with produce overall, says microbiologist Linda Harris.
“Because levels of contamination are low to start with, it’s hard to keep track of where problems are occurring,” Harris says.
Contamination can be traced to irrigation or washing water, fertilizer treatments, handlers with poor personal hygiene, and unclean transportation methods.
Harris says that harvesting practices vary widely, and it’s often impossible to eliminate all hazards. But the FDA has received money to improve the supervision of imported fresh foods and to develop national guidelines for safer fruit and vegetable production.
The bottom line: Keep eating fresh fruits and vegetables for your health, but take precautions: Wash them well before eating, clean utensils and kitchen countertops to prevent cross-contamination, and keep cut produce and prepared salads refrigerated.
— Ellen Anderson
RISKY BUSINESS
In his 1997 book, “Danger Ahead-The Risks You Really Face on Life’s Highway,” Larry Laudan writes that having an accurate perspective of relative risk-the ability to compare the likelihood of one risk to that of others-is vital for sensibly coping with life’s hazards.
@little subheads: How does the chance of getting sick from food stack up against other everyday risks?
Here are the yearly odds, according to Laudan:
– Becoming a victim of foodborne illness: 1 in 25
– Being audited: 1 in 70
– Your home catching on fire: 1 in 160
– Sustaining serious injury using exercise equipment: 1 in 400
– Injuring your finger while hammering a nail: 1 in 3,000
— Ellen Anderson.
IMPROVE YOUR ODDS
If you believe you may be a victim of food poisoning, contact your doctor. “In Illinois, doctors are required by law to report foodborne diseases to us,” says P.J. Burtle-McCredie, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Public Health. Reporting illnesses helps the department investigate outbreaks and track down the source of the problem.
For more on reducing your risk of foodbornedisease, check out the following resources:
– USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 800-535-4555
– FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition: 800-332-4010, or reach it through the FDA’s Internet site: www.fda.gov
– Partnership for Food Safety Web site: www.fightbac.org
