Peanut Butter and Salmonella January 29, 2009

The Salmonella outbreak has been reported in 529 people and caused 8 deaths such far.  Outbreak has been found in 43 states and in Canada. It has been uncovered that a Georgia peanut plant, Peanut Corp. of America identified salmonella in several of their internal controls (small samples of peanut butter taken during production) two years ago.  Peanut Corp. did not report the salmonella contamination even after the salmonella outbreak started.  They continued to distribute the peanut butter and paste dispite the presence of Salmonella.  A recent inspection by Food and Drug Administration inspectors found roaches, moth and a leaky roof among some of the problems.  Several people have requested a probe into criminal charges against Peanut Corp.

Salmonellosis is an infection with a bacteria called Salmonella. Most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

For additional information about the Salmonella outbreak please read the following:

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm58e0129a1.htm?s_cid=mm58e0129a1_e

Yours in Good Health

 

High Mercury Levels in Tuna Sushi January 26, 2008

Photo by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Over the past several years mercury levels in fish has raised alarm amount many environmental and consumer advocates and 2 recent reports continue to raise red flags.  The studies revealed that tuna sushi served in various restaurants had higher than the recommended mercury content.  I know Middle America is sitting there thinking, I don’t eat sushi so I don’t have anything to worry about. Think again.  In 2004 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned women of child bearing potential and children not to eat more than 12 ounces of fish a week, including no more than 6 ounces of canned albacore tuna, and avoid swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel and shark due to high levels of mercury.  The excess levels of mercury may cause damage to the cardiovascular system and nervous system which can be manifested as short term memory loss, seizure activity, etc. Fresh tuna was not included in the 2004 FDA advisory. 

There may be some validity to Middle America’s thought that ‘I don’t eat sushi’ because  according to a 2007 report by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, high levels of mercury were found among Asian New Yorkers, especially foreign-born Chinese, and people with high incomes. The report noted that Asians tend to eat more seafood, and it speculated that wealthier people favored fish, like swordfish and bluefin tuna, that have higher mercury levels. The average New Yorkers’ mercury blood level is three times higher than the national average. Cooking fish has no effect on the mercury level.

What does this say to me: The FDA has to carefully review the mercury content of fresh fish and mandate that institutions that serve or sell high mercury fish provide a warning to their customers.  Consumers need to be better educated about which fish are high mercury containers and how much they should consume.

For additional information on this topic:

http://www.oceana.org/north-america/what-we-do/stop-seafood-contamination/reports-resources/hold-the-mercury/

http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/tuna.asp

http://www.pbs.org/now/science/mercuryinfish.html 

Yours in Good Health