FSnet Aug. 18/08 BARFBLOG: Doggie dining, handwashing and Hurricane Fay SOUTH AFRICA: Dirty water used on fruit, vegetables World's farmers turn to raw sewage for irrigation US: The Humane Society of the United States supports federal turtle regulations NEW YORK: Source of legionnaires' outbreak identified DUBAI: How to eat safe during Ramadan FLORIDA: Restaurants slow to fetch doggie-dining permits JAPAN to begin inspection at US beef processing plants: reports How to dine safely when eating out US: Force eateries to post inspection grades? ARKANSAS: Health Department inspections OHIO: Restaurant inspection report US: Food labeling in restaurants catching on US: National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection to hold public meetings how to subscribe BARFBLOG: Doggie dining, handwashing and Hurricane Fay 18.aug.08 barfblog Doug Powell http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2008/08/articles/handwashing/doggie-dining-handwashing-and-hurricane-fay/index.html Looks like I picked the wrong week to come to Florida. http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2008/08/articles/food-safety-communication/possible-food-poisoning-outbreak-at-florida-state-sorority/ Actually we didn’t. Our most excellent holiday has been extended thanks to Tropical Storm or Hurricane Fay, which is scheduled to hit us in Florida first thing tomorrow morning. Everything has been cancelled, including all flights out of Tampa. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml So we’re riding it out. Amy has been here a couple of times with friends, and my grandfather had a place in nearby Englewood, Florida, for decades. So we are both used to escaping Kansas heat by going to Florida in Aug. when it is completely dead. And Venice – founded as a retirement community by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers in the 1920s – is about as quiet as it gets. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice,_Florida http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englewood,_Florida http://www.ble.org/ As part of our hurricane preparation, Courtlynn, Amy and I went to the Sarasota aquarium today. After petting the stingrays and others in the fish petting zoo, Amy and Courtlynn dutifully washed their hands in the politically correct handwashing station, which has a sign that says, “Dryers are provided for an environmentally-conscious choice.” Handwashing needs soap, running water and paper towel. Save the guilt. http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2008/02/articles/handwashing/dude-wash-your-hands/ Next was some lunch in St. Armand’s circle on Lido Key, a favorite spot for Amy and me. Shortly after we sat down, Amy asked, “Do you know why there is hand sanitizer on the patio tables and not inside? I bet this is a doggie-friendly restaurant.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lido_Key Sure enough, ChaCha Coconuts Tropical Bar and Grill was an approved doggie-friendly dining establishment. Our server said there hadn’t been any problems, most of the dogs in the St. Armand area were tiny, but it was problematic when owners insisted their dogs sit in a chair at the table. She said, “I have a dog. It sits on the floor. So do these dogs.” Not everyone in the Tampa area is happy with the doggy dining regs. Richard Bond, owner of Yeoman's Road Pub on Davis Islands, told the Tampa Tribune on Friday that he put up a sign at his restaurant saying that because of the "unreasonable nature" of the pet ordinance, the pub would no longer allow pets on the patio. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/15/restaurants-slow-fetch-doggie-dining-permits/ "There's a money issue. You have to have a sanitary station. It's too much for me to be dog-friendly. When I got it I said, 'Just another thing for the city of Tampa to try to make a couple of extra bucks.' " The server at ChaCha’s said being doggy friendly gave them an edge, especially during the economic downturn and the off-season. There’s media noise. And there’s reality. It’s been strangely bizarre listening to the media histrionics on the Weather Channel and CNN about the approaching Fay, compared with the low-key, been-there-done-that response of the locals. We’ll get home eventually. Courtlynn is pumped about the manatees and dolphins off the pier … and the new season of the Hills starting tonight.   top SOUTH AFRICA: Dirty water used on fruit, vegetables 18.aug.08 Business Day Tamar Kahn http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A824558 CAPE TOWN -- Stellenbosch University scientists are investigating the levels of harmful bacteria on locally grown fruit and vegetables, hoping to establish a link between the bugs on the food and contaminated river water used for irrigating crops. The research is important because it is likely to increase pressure on local municipalities to improve their water-treatment management. Fruit- and vegetable-growing businesses risk losing key customers if there are unacceptably high levels of dangerous bacteria on their crops (there’s an acceptable level of dangerous bacteria? – dp), but had limited scope to clean up the water they obtained from local rivers since setting up their own water treatment plants would be impractical and unaffordable, said Jo Barnes, an epidemiologist from the university’s community health department. Most of the dangerous bugs came from improperly treated sewage discharged into rivers by municipalities, but a small amount came directly from communities living along river banks, she said. “With our massively polluted rivers, all producers will have a hard time producing clean fruit and vegetables.”   top World's farmers turn to raw sewage for irrigation* 18.aug.08 New Scientist Fred Pearce New Scientist The future may not smell too rosy – it may lie in sewage. As cities and industries suck up ever more of the world’s scarce water resources, agriculture is destined to rely increasingly on recycling the contents of urban sewers, according to a new international study of “wastewater agriculture”. The good news – for farmers at least – is that the irrigation water from sewers comes with free fertiliser in the form of the nitrates and phosphates bound up in human faeces. The bad news is that this coprological cornucopia is filling vegetables sold in city markets with heavy metals, pathogenic bacteria and worms. An estimated one fifth of the world’s food is growing in urban areas, with perishables like vegetables to the fore. But a 50-city study by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) – a World Bank-backed research agency based in Sri Lanka – finds that often the only source of the essential irrigation water to grow many of those crops is city sewage. Half of urban fields are irrigated with sewage, suggesting that a tenth of the world’s food is already grown this way. IWMI’s director Colin Chartres warned this week: “This figure is bound to increase as growing cities coincide with escalating food shortages to create a squeeze on agricultural water supply.” Theoretically, irrigating food crops with untreated wastewater is banned in many countries, one reason why there is virtually no research on the practice. But “while it may be theoretically forbidden, it is unofficially tolerated”, says the report’s authors, who found that city authorities in Faisalabad in Pakistan auction untreated sewage to farmers during droughts. Some countries, including Israel, Mexico and Tunisia, treat sewage before delivering it to farmers, which removes bacteria and lumps, at least. But this is rare. In the Ghanaian capital Accra, 200,000 people buy vegetables grown on urban fields irrigated with tanker loads of wastewater that is untreated because the city’s sewage treatment works long since ceased to function. “I am worried about the toxins, especially heavy metals, accumulating in foods like root crops," says Chartres. "But often there is simply no other water. In many ways it is a great use of the waste and the nutrients it contains.” He says the best answer is not to ban the practice, but to improve it. “Even without expensive infrastructure, common sense measures can make wastewater irrigation safer.” Storing the wastewater in ponds allows solids to settle out, including the eggs of intestinal worms. And farmers should wash vegetables in clean water before selling them to markets. The bottom line is that increasing numbers of people will starve, and many more will lose their livelihoods, without the benefits of recycled sewage.   top US: The Humane Society of the United States supports federal turtle regulations 15.aug.08 U.S. FDA Press Release Center For Veterinary Medicine http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CVM_Updates/USFedTurtleRegs.htm While applauding the enforcement of the federal turtle regulations, the Humane Society of the United States reinforces FDA’s efforts to educate consumers on the risks of turtles and salmonella. An August 8 Press Release details current enforcement efforts as well as underscoring the risks of marketing turtles – risks to humans, the turtles themselves and the environment. The aggressive enforcement of the turtle regulations sends a strong message to industry to stop marketing turtles as pets. It also reminds the public of the dangers of the spread of salmonella from pet turtles.   top NEW YORK: Source of legionnaires' outbreak identified 18.aug.08 WBNG News http://www.wbng.com/news/local/27075699.html Officials have pin-pointed the cause of a legionnaires' outbreak in Chemung County. Six people living at a senior housing complex in Elmira were diagnosed with the disease, and one died. The Chemung County Health Department says lab tests show a bacteria that causes legionnaires' was found in the hot water system. Friday evening hot water use was turned off at Edward Flannery Apartments. A super heated system was being used to flush water tanks, and kill the bacteria. Legionnaires' is a type of pneumonia caused by a bacteria commonly found in warm water environments.   top DUBAI: How to eat safe during Ramadan 17.aug.08 GulfNews Alice Johnson http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Heritage_and_Culture/10238100.html The second phase of Dubai Municipality's food safety campaign will focus on Iftar meals during Ramadan. Ramadan tents will be inspected by the municipality to ensure that food hygiene standards are being met. Khalid Sharif Al Awadi, director of the food control department at the municipality, said: "We will have a food safety programme during Ramadan. For Iftar meals, we will concentrate on activities in hotels and restaurants that have tents. The inspections will be according to the law on hygiene standards." Al Awadi continued that guidelines have been distributed to restaurants and hotels that will be erecting temporary tents, detailing how different types of food should be kept and served. "In places with this temporary activity, food should be temperature-controlled depending on what type of food it is: whether it is hot or cold," he said. Dubai Municipality launched the first phase of its food safety campaign in April, under the banner "Food Safety is Our Priority", which aimed to raise public awareness of food safety.   top FLORIDA: Restaurants slow to fetch doggie-dining permits 15.aug.08 Tampa Tribune Ellen Gedalius http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/15/restaurants-slow-fetch-doggie-dining-permits/ TAMPA -- Canine lovers on Davis Islands are known to run their pets down to the dog park on lazy Saturday mornings, after which many then head straight for the business district to grab some coffee or a mid-morning snack. Now some restaurants owners are realizing the long-standing tradition of allowing patrons to dine with their dogs is illegal without a city permit. "My knee-jerk reaction was, 'This is crazy,' " said Traci Rinoldo, owner of Java & Cream. "I had no idea prior to 2006 it was illegal to have dogs in this environment. Then it made sense.'" Last month, her shop became the first restaurant in the city to successfully receive a dog-dining permit. Technically, all other eating establishments in Tampa that allow patrons to bring dogs into the eating areas are violating city rules. In 2006, the Legislature passed a law allowing local governments to opt out of Food and Drug Administration codes that prohibit dogs in restaurants. Once a city adopts a "doggie-dining" ordinance, restaurants can choose whether to participate. The city council adopted a dog-dining ordinance in November 2006. As state law requires, the ordinance mandates participating restaurants to make sure employees wash their hands after petting dogs and prohibits employees from touching dogs while serving food. Restaurants also are required to have hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies in the outdoor seating area. The 2006 state law called for a three-year pilot program, which sunsets in July. The doggie-dining rules were the subject of two public hearings and a council vote, but word of the new regulations seemed to spread slowly through the restaurant community. Though the council passed the ordinance almost two years ago, no one applied until this summer.   top JAPAN to begin inspection at US beef processing plants: reports 15.aug.08 AFP http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h6iRseKKuMWERRjIrD_eWF4bpyYA TOKYO -- Japan is to begin inspection at US meatpacking plants this weekend after Washington concluded that human and computer error caused recent shipments of banned beef to Japan, news reports said on Saturday. The Japanese government is to send farm and welfare ministry officials to the United States on Sunday for on-site inspections at 10 meat processing plants, the Asahi Shimbun and Jiji Press said, quoting ministry officials. The inspection will continue until August 31, Jiji said, adding that Tokyo may lift a suspension of imports from the plants as early as mid-September, based on inspection results.   top How to dine safely when eating out 18.aug.08 NAPSI http://www.napsnet.com/articles/59111.html Although most wait staff and restaurant personnel are fully trained in food safety today, even some of the best restaurants are capable of committing mistakes that can lead to foodborne illness. If you find yourself at an unfamiliar restaurant, the following tips may help you stay healthy: General Safety Tips •When first entering a restaurant, look around before you sit down. If the dining area or restroom is not clean, chances are the kitchen will not be either. •Watch to be sure that the wait staff does not touch the tips of your silverware with their bare hands. •If ordering a hot dish, only eat the food if it is served hot. If the food is lukewarm, it could have been standing at room temperature, which could lead to the growth of foodborne bacteria. •Where possible, make sure neither the cook nor the wait staff touches cooked food with their bare hands. •When traveling outside the U.S., ask for drinks directly out of the can or bottle and open them yourself. Avoid fountain drinks or drinks served with ice if you are not sure of the local water quality. •Don't eat meat, eggs or other raw foods that are undercooked (avoid runny egg yolks). •Don't forget to wash your own hands before and after eating. Food Allergies Special considerations need to be taken for individuals who suffer from food allergies: •Avoid restaurants that prepare meals from premade components, as they may not know what ingredients are present in a dish. •Avoid buffets, as foods can become intermingled and utensils may be shared between foods. •Check with the cook to see if they can use a separate pan or grill to prepare your food, as the regular grill could have been used to prepare another food that contained an ingredient to which you are allergic. •Don't hesitate to call ahead to speak with the restaurant management to see if they can accommodate special needs related to food allergies. •Check with the restaurant each time you visit to be sure there have been no changes in ingredients, preparation and/or cooking procedures. Handling the Leftovers Safely Lastly, leave leftovers at the restaurant if you won't be able to refrigerate or freeze them within two hours from the time the food was first served. If you do take leftovers home, place them in the refrigerator immediately. They should be eaten within one to two days or frozen if you would like to keep them longer. Leftovers should be reheated to at least 165° F. For more information about how you can dine safely when eating out and to get other tips related to public health and safety, visit www.nsf.org/consumer or call (888) 99-SAFER.   top US: Force eateries to post inspection grades? 18.aug.08 Tuscon Citizen Tom Stauffer http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/94048.php In Los Angeles County, restaurants are given grades of A, B, C, or a numerical rating for those scoring less than 70 out of 100 points on an unannounced inspection. The restaurants are then required to prominently display the grades and to provide detailed inspection reports to customers who request them. Pima County restaurants are subject to a similar grading system, but they don't have to display the inspection results. "That's something we currently don't require that restaurants do, but it's something that has been discussed," said Sharon Browning, program manager for the county's Consumer Health and Food Safety unit. "Citizens are asking for more and more information about their food, and I do believe that as we go forward, whatever we have done in the past will not be sufficient." The inspections are more than a bureaucratic headache. They can be a matter of life and death. Since 2002, across the nation at least eight people have died and thousands sickened after eating tainted food at a restaurant. Los Angeles County adopted its system 10 years ago after an investigative report by a local television station on bad practices at area restaurants. "After the report, the (county) Board of Supervisors decided it was really time to make substantial changes, and doing this was an absolute no-brainer," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director for public health and a health officer for L.A. County. "We wanted the restaurants to have the same incentives we did, which is to protect the public, and by giving grades and requiring them to display them, we aligned those incentives." In the report released last week, "Dirty Dining: Have Reservations? You Will Now," researchers concluded that L.A. County's adoption and proper use of the system led to "safer food facilities, reduced incidents of foodborne illness, improved information for consumers, and enthusiastic support for the grading program."   top ARKANSAS: Health Department inspections 18.aug.08 Benton County Daily Record NWAnews.com http://nwanews.com/bcdr/News/64888/ Information from state Health Department records for inspections July 30, through Aug. 12. Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. All reports are from regular food service / food store inspections unless otherwise noted. • Critical violations are defined as items that relate directly to factors that lead to food-borne illness, and must be corrected immediately. • Noncritical violations are defined as items that relate to maintenance of food operations and cleanliness. July 30 Bone Fish Grill 3201 Market St., # 100, Rogers Critical violations include: Follow proper cooling procedures. Bud's Family Style Chicken 2505 S. Walton Blvd., Unit P, Bentonville Critical violations include: Dishwasher rinse cycle needs to be 50-100 ppm chlorine, corrected. Carrabba's Italian Grill 3300 Pinnacle Pkwy, Rogers Critical violations include: Check sauce temperature on the cold holding line prior to holding from one day to the next to ensure maintain 41 degrees or below. Maintain cold temperatures in walk-in cooler at 41 degrees or below. Employees must wash hands prior to glove use. Noncritical violations include: Pizza prep table condensation line is not draining properly. Drain under ice machine, clogged. CiCi's Pizza 4408 W. Walnut, Rogers Critical violations include: Employees washing dishes must wash hands between handling dirty and clean dishes at the handwashing sink. Noncritical violations include: Bulk foods must have scoop or utensil with handle stored up and out of food. Gingerbread Kids Learning Center 610 SW A Street, Bentonville Noncritical violations include: Handwashing sink must have sign that states "employees must wash hands." JC's Catfish House 5400 SW Regional Airport Road, Bentonville Critical violations include: Need an alarm for dishwasher. Noncritical violations include: Ensure bulbs over steam table are shatterproof. Shelves must be smooth and easily cleanable. Kim's Preschool 2001 SE J Street, Bentonville Critical violations include: Handwashing sink needs paper towels at all times, corrected. Papa Murphy's 2006 W. Walnut, Rogers Need soap and paper towels in the employee restroom. Sanitizer concentration should be 50-100 ppm. All equipment must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Install cap plug back side wall in walk-in. July 31 Acambaro Restaurant 215 S. Eighth Street, Rogers Critical violations include: When storing meats vertically on shelves, meats should be placed: chicken and eggs on bottom shelf, beef on middle shelf, and fish on top shelf, corrected. Rosa's Grocery 400 S. Eighth, Rogers Critical violations include: Carnitas need to be hot held at 135 degrees or above. Rosati's Pizza 1007 SW A Street, Ste. 9, Bentonville Critical violations include: Maintain cold food at 41 degrees or below. Cooler was adjusted as necessary. Reheat food to 165 degrees or above before placing in hot holding. Noncritical violations include: Hold hot food at 135 degrees or above, corrected. Station Cafe 111 N. Main, Bentonville Critical violations include: Maintain cold food at 41 degrees or below. Food was destroyed as necessary. Store tongs out of hamburger meat so hands do not come in contact with tongs handle and raw meat. Do not use insect foggers designed for household use only. Leave pest control up to professional pest company. Bait can be used if used correctly. Establishment should not spray itself. Noncritical violations include: Replace gaskets on cooling unit. Duct tape is not an approved method of repair. Install door sweep on back door to prevent insect / rodent access. Supermercado La Villita 300 S. Eighth St., Rogers Critical violations include: Insecticide can not be stored on top of ice machine, corrected. Noncritical violations include: Food intended for individual sale must be labeled. Aug. 1 Hardee's 1625 Hwy. 412 W, Siloam Springs Noncritical violations include: Hair restraints required for all food prep staff including management. Gloves required for food prep staff if they have polished / false fingernails. Need cold water at sprayer faucet and sanitizer mixer. Los Cabos 1803 S. 52 nd St., Rogers Critical violations include: Salsa can not be stored in washed containers that once contained soap, corrected. Dishwasher needs to sanitize dishes with 50-100 Chlorine, must sanitize dishes by hand. Noncritical violations include: Meat must be thawed using an approved method. Containers of food must be stored six inches above the floor. Aug. 4 Los Cabos 1803 S. 52 nd St., Rogers Critical violations include: Dishwasher needs to sanitize dishes with 50-100 Chlorine, must sanitize dishes by hand. Aug. 5 God's Little Creations 920 S. Carl, Ste. 4, Siloam Springs Critical violations include: Maintain cold food at 41 degrees or below, corrected. Hampton Inn 2171 Ravenwood Plaza, Siloam Springs Critical violations include: Do not store raw eggs above ready to eat foods. Maintain hot food at 155 degrees or above. If food is not maintained the food must be destroyed after service time. La Huerta 129 Fowler, Ste. B, Gentry Critical violations include: Maintain cold food at 41 degrees or below. Do not thaw food at room temperature. Rice was 123 degrees, maintain hot food at 135 degrees or above. Cool food from 135 degrees to 70 degrees in two hours, from 70 degrees to 41 degrees or below in four hours. Do not store raw meat above ready to eat food. Do not store cantaloupe on floor in walk-in, be sure to wash cantaloupe prior to cutting. Noncritical violations include: Replace freezer. Lid rusted and broken. Check to ensure it is working properly. Need a new thermometer in prep table. Lightning Bug Coffee 217 S. Gentry Blvd., Gentry Noncritical violations include: Store wiping cloths in sanitizer at all times. Aug. 11 Bentonville Church of the Nazarene 202 NW A Street, Bentonville Critical violations include: Refrigerator in infant room holding milk at 44 degrees. Employees have been in and out of unit multiple times. Instructed to turn unit down to compensate for heavy use. Wee Friends Discovery Center 201 NW Second, Bentonville Critical violations include: Bottle of detergent and water needs to be labeled. Noncritical violations include: Box of snack foods in storage room needs to be stored six inches off floor. Aug. 12 Children's Hour Daycare 2501 SW D Street, Bentonville Noncritical violations include: Thermometer in infant room is broken, needs to be replaced.   top OHIO: Restaurant inspection report 18.aug.08 Newark Advocate http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080818/NEWS01/808180311/1002 # Brownsville Country Kitchen and Grocery, Aug. 11, 15564 Main St., Brownsville, complaint, no violations. # Captain Woody's, Aug. 11, 10055 Avondale Road, Thornville, follow-up, no violations. # Captain Woody's, Aug. 11, 10055 Avondale Road, Thornville, standard inspection, no violations. # McDonald's, Aug. 11, 10780 Hebron Road, Buckeye Lake, complaint, no violations. # Summit Station United Methodist Church, Aug. 11, 6626 Summit Road, Summit Station, pre-licensing, no violations. # Pataskala Lions Club, Aug. 11, 458 S. Main St., Pataskala, standard inspection, no violations. # Flying Dozer Child Care, Aug. 11, 316 N. Main St., Johnstown, pre-licensing, no violations. # Wendy's, Aug. 11, 708 W. Coshocton St., Johnstown, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Hoshizaki cooler indicated 46 degrees. 2. Repair/replace inaccurate thermometer for walk-in cooler; reads 12 degrees. # Northview Senior Living Center, Aug. 11, 267 N. Main St., Johnstown, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Clean under shelving in both walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer. 2. Clean hood to remove grease debris buildup. # Knuckleheads, Aug. 11, 470 S. Main St., Granville, followup, with violations. 1. No hand sink yet installed. 2. Floor in walk-in not yet corrected. 3. No hot water at hand sink in restroom. 4. Cardboard (duct) from rear area to front shall be replaced with properly fabricated sheet metal/ductwork. # Kid's Space Inc./Granville Child Care, Aug. 8, 1062 River Road, Granville, standard inspection, with violations. 1. All food and food-related items must be six inches above floor. # Fresh Start Food Pantry, Aug. 8, 533 Hebron Road, Heath, standard inspection, with violations. 1. All food and food-related items must be stored six inches above floor. 2. Carbon dioxide tanks are to be secured. # C-TEC, Aug. 8, 150 Price Road, Newark, standard inspection, no violations. # Home Depot, Aug. 8, 1330 N. 21st St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations. # Licking Memorial, Aug. 8, 1320 W. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations. # Licking Health Care Emergency Room, Aug. 8, 1320 W. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations. # Philly Station, Aug. 7, 8836 York Road, Kirkersville, standard inspection, no violations. # This, That & The Other, Aug. 7, 2650 National Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations. # This, That & The Other 1, Aug. 7, 2650 National Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations. # This, That & The Other 2, Aug. 7, 2650 National Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations. # This, That & The Other 3, Aug. 7, 2650 National Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations. # National Trails-West Stand 2, Aug. 7, 2650 National Road, Hebron, standard inspection, with violation. 1. No vent filters for vent hood. # National Trail Raceway-East Stand 1, Aug. 7, 2650 National Road, Hebron, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Vent filter needed for grill. 2. Vent hood has grease. # National Trails Duchess 251, Aug. 7, 2650 National Road, Hebron, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Lights not working in the walk-in cooler. # The Pizza Place, Aug. 7, 2 S. Main St., Croton, standard inspection, no violations. # Valley Lanes 188, Aug. 6, 1246 N. 21st St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations. # Eastern Grill, Aug. 6, 697 E. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Floor tile is broken behind bar. # Donatos Pizza 39, Aug. 6, 1059 N. 21st St., Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Door seals are torn on (unreadable). # Sterling House of Newark, Aug. 6, 331 Goosepond Road, Newark, standard inspection, no violations. # Lacreole, Aug. 6, 6435 Mount Vernon Road, Newark, standard inspection, no violations. # Native American Indian Center, Aug. 2, Flint Ridge Park, Newark, standard inspection, no violations.   top US: Food labeling in restaurants catching on 18.aug.08 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Georgina Gustin http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/D41DBAA5230516A7862574A90009F557?OpenDocument Why • Nutrition details help restaurant diners make healthier choices when ordering food. Next • Dining industry wants national standard to replace growing At restaurants around the country, from Seattle to New York, customers will begin to catch glimpses of information that may surprise them. In New York City this summer, a law kicked in requiring chain restaurants — from Starbucks to Burger King — to display on menus and menu boards the caloric content of the food they serve. In five other cities and counties elsewhere, similar labeling laws will take effect in coming months. The requirements come as more American cities and states are regulating restaurant offerings in an effort to make dining out a little healthier. New York, Seattle, Philadelphia and Baltimore, among others, have banned artery-clogging trans fats from restaurants, and last month, California became the first state to pass a law doing the same. With the new labeling requirements, the idea is that consumers should be provided with nutrition information in clear, accessible ways when they order, rather than have to find those health details tucked away on company websites or in pamphlets. Already, lawmakers in at least 17 states, including Illinois, have introduced bills that would require menu labeling. Chicago is one of a handful of cities considering citywide regulations. "A year ago, no one was doing this," said Margo Wootan, of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a public health group pushing for stronger menu labeling laws. "Now we're seeing it more and more." Groups like Wootan's have persuaded lawmakers and public health agencies that chains with at least 10 restaurants can, and should, easily provide calorie and nutrition information to customers. "We focus on the chains because a lot of people eat there," Wootan explained, "and from a practical standpoint, they all have standardized recipes and menus." Software programs can break down ingredients and calculate the calories of standard menu items, from a slice of cake to a burger, Wootan said. But the restaurant industry has resisted the laws, saying they're too difficult to carry out, particularly in full-service restaurants where diners have choices. "We want the customers to have the information. It's just a challenge to present it so it's of value to the guest," said Patrick Lenow, a spokesman for the IHOP chain. "If you have a sandwich and you have your choice of hash browns, onion rings, french fries or fresh fruit, there's a range of calories. How do you present that so customers aren't reading a book?" Until recently, Lenow said, IHOP didn't maintain a list of calorie or nutritional information because customers didn't demand it, and because "obtaining the data is very expensive." But with the new laws kicking in, the chain has had to count its calories and post the totals so customers can see them. Company leaders hope to have the information posted on the IHOP website by the end of the year. When asked by the Center for Science in the Public Interest to provide nutritional information for a recent study, IHOP, along with Applebee's, T.G.I. Friday's, Outback Steakhouse, Olive Garden and Red Lobster could not provide it. But many restaurant chains already post the information online. "One of our priorities is that customers have all the information they need," said Andrew Carlson of Richmond Heights-based Panera Bread, which maintains extensive information on its website. The company's stores display pamphlets and customers can request more detailed information from a book maintained by a manager. That, however, is not enough for some health advocates. "The posters, the pamphlets, the kiosks — the restaurants know people won't see it," Wootan said. "They seem willing to supply nutrition information, except in ways that work." The restaurant industry supports a nationwide law that would create uniform rules from one state to the next. The current approach "presents a patchwork of laws," said Mike Shutley of the National Restaurant Association. "It becomes difficult for the operator to comply, and it becomes extremely confusing for the consumer." Shutley said the association would only back a national standard if it gave flexibility to restaurants, allowing them to determine how to present the information. That, health advocates say, is merely codifying the status quo. According to Wootan, a New York City study showed that just 5 percent of customers sought nutrition information when it wasn't displayed prominently. The restaurant industry has long stressed that the key to good nutrition is personal responsibility and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But health advocates point out that even educated, health conscious consumers may not know what's lurking in their food. A bagel with cream cheese at Dunkin' Donuts, for example, has more calories than two jelly doughnuts. A slice of cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory has 700 calories, while its healthier-sounding carrot cake has a whopping 1,500. A tuna sandwich at a typical deli has twice the calories of a roast beef sandwich. "The idea that everybody knows what's good for them and you don't need this information, is just not true," Wootan said. "It's just not obvious." Though no menu labeling regulations are under discussion in Missouri, some local chains say they fear they could be on the way. "As the industry moves forward, and people are more and more health conscious, I believe consumers are going to start expecting that," said Steve Conway of Imo's Pizza. "Any made-to-order type place is going to have an impossible time." Some health-conscious eaters say they want the information. "I look at labels in the grocery store all the time," said Cheryl Croom of Overland, eating at a McDonald's on a recent Saturday with her husband and two children. "I look at it and say, 'That's too high in fat. You can't have that'." If the same information was on display at a restaurant, Croom said, the family might make the choice that chain restaurants fear most. "We might come less often," she said.   top US: National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection to hold public meetings 18.aug.08 USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services Peggy Riek http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_081808_01/index.asp WASHINGTON -- The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) will hold a public meeting on Aug. 27-28, 2008, to review and discuss international equivalence and approaches to assessing foreign food regulatory systems as a means of ensuring the safety of imported food products. The meeting will take place Wednesday, Aug. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in USDA's South Building Cafeteria, 14th & Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. Two subcommittees of the NACMPI will hold open meetings during their deliberations and report preparation. The meeting will include discussion of various approaches to assessing foreign inspection systems: the approach taken by FSIS and that taken by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration; industry's perspective on these approaches; the consumer perspective; and the perspectives and approaches of several foreign governments. The NACMPI meeting agenda, together with information and resource materials on public health-based inspection, is also available on FSIS' Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ The NACMPI was established in 1971 to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture regarding meat and poultry inspection programs. The committee, which generally meets twice a year, addresses food safety and policy issues affecting USDA. Comments to this notice are welcome and may be submitted through e-mail at NACMPI@fsis.usda.gov. For more information about the public meetings, contact Faye Smith at (202) 720-9113 or by e-mail at faye.smith@fsis.usda.gov. Persons requiring a sign language interpreter or other special accommodations should contact Faye Smith by Aug. 22.   top FSnet is produced by the International Food Safety Network at Kansas State University, and is supported at the Gold Fork level by: Marler Clark. FSnet is supported at the Sterling Fork level by: CropLife Canada, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs , New Zealand Food Safety Authority, Monsanto Canada, and the Ontario Cattlemen's Association. Fsnet is supported at the Silver-plate Fork level by: The National Restaurant Association, Unilever, Sholl Group/Green Giant Fresh, Feedlot Health Management Services, McDonald's, and Syngenta Crop Protection Canada. The Food Safety Network presents a unique opportunity to bring together all those associated with agriculture and food, to enhance the safety of the food supply. To provide financial support to the Food Safety Network, please visit http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu/en/donations.php. For information on collaboration or fee-for-service opportunities, please contact Dr. Doug Powell: dpowell@ksu.edu To subscribe to the html version of FSnet, send mail to: (subscription is free) listserv@listserv.ksu.edu leave subject line blank in the body of the message type: subscribe fsnet-L firstname lastname i.e. subscribe fsnet-L Doug Powell (replace fsnet-L with fsnettext to subscribe to the text version) To unsubscribe to the html version of FSnet, send mail to: listserv@listserv.ksu.edu leave subject line blank in the body of the message type: signoff fsnet-L (replace fsnet-L with fsnettext to unsubscribe from the text version) For more information about the FSnet research program, please contact: Dr. Douglas Powell associate professor dept. diagnostic medicine/pathobiology Kansas State University Manhattan, KS 66506 cell: 785-317-0560 fax: 785-532-4039 dpowell@ksu.edu http://www.foodsafety.ksu.edu archived at http://archives.foodsafety.ksu.edu/fsnet-archives.htm