FSnet Aug. 26/08 -- III OKLAHOMA: Suspected E. coli onset claims newlywed OKLAHOMA: 17 hospitalized, more cases eyed in possible E. coli outbreak CANADA: Statement on Listeriosis outbreak by Chief Public Health Officer BRITISH COLUMBIA: Listeriosis victim must delay cancer treatment CANADA: Listeria monocytogenes outbreak 12 deaths linked to tainted meat in CANADA CANADA: Meat recall widens CANADA: Maple Leaf shares plunge again CANADA: Winnipeg system was first to detect outbreak CANADA: Food companies can take steps to protect themselves, customers, microbiologist says Listeria: recall of 300 cheeses in FRANCE OPINION: Irradiation a useful tool in promoting food safety WASHINGTON, DC: Producers go high tech against germs Increasing positive perceptions of food irradiation: Appealing to one’s affective domain Notice to readers: Release of computer-based case study: "Salmonella in the Caribbean" Food safety for the 21st century BULGARIA: Food Safety Agency will be set up CANADA: Health Canada reminds parents of school lunch allergen safety how to subscribe OKLAHOMA: Suspected E. coli onset claims newlywed 26.aug.08 Tulsa World Kim Archer http://www.tulsaworld.com/lifestyle/article.aspx?articleID=20080826_17_A1_ChadIn151518 http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2008/08/articles/e-coli/suspected-e-coli-claims-oklahoma-newlywed-dozens-sickened/index.html Chad Ingle married the love of his life June 21. He died just nine weeks later, on Sunday, of what is suspected to be E. coli poisoning. He was 26. His sister, Laura Claypool, said Monday in a telephone interview from her parents' home in Pryor, that Ingle ate a meal Aug. 17 at the Country Cottage in Locust Grove, a popular family-owned buffet-style restaurant, Claypool, noting, "There's no proof positive that eating there made him sick. It's just the only common denominator between him and some others who got sick." Ingle fell ill Wednesday night with severe stomach pain and diarrhea and went to Integris Mayes County Medical Center. On Thursday, he began to pass blood, she said. An ambulance took him to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa on Friday. He underwent a colonoscopy, and doctors concluded that he had acute colitis, Claypool said. Ingle felt better Friday evening and urged his parents to return home. But his condition grew worse, and his mother-in-law called Ingle's parents Saturday morning to return to St. Francis. "By the time Mom and Dad got there, they had called a code blue," Claypool said. Ingle was placed on kidney dialysis, but he died Sunday, she said.   top OKLAHOMA: 17 hospitalized, more cases eyed in possible E. coli outbreak 26.aug.08 Tulsa World http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080826_12_TheO753221 NewOK.comhttp://newsok.com/number-of-ill-climbs-in-possible-bacterial-outbreak-in-northeast-oklahoma/article/3288814/?tm=1219777002 The Oklahoma State Department of Health continues to investigate an outbreak of severe illnesses possibly related to E. coli in northeastern Oklahoma. One person has died from the illness and at least 17 people have been hospitalized, according to a news release. Forty or more cases are under investigation. At least six of those hospitalized are children. Three children ages 18 months to 12 years are undergoing dialysis at Children's Hospital at St. Francis in Tulsa, according to Dr. William Banner, co-director of the hospital's pediatric intensive care unit. Two other children were transferred to Oklahoma City for similar treatment, and one 15-year-old may soon need dialysis in Tulsa, Banner said. No source of the illness has yet been identified, but an early investigation reveals that many of the people ate at Country Cottage, a restaurant in Locust Grove. The restaurant is working closely with the department of health to assist in the investigation and has voluntarily closed today. Records show that state Health Department inspectors conducted an emergency inspection Saturday at the Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove - where the food-borne illnesses are believed to have started - and found nine health violations. It was previously reported that the inspection found no health violations.   top CANADA: Statement on Listeriosis outbreak by Chief Public Health Officer 26.aug.08 Public Health Agency of Canada Dr. David Butler-Jones, MD, Chief Public Health Officer http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/media/cpho-acsp/080826-listeria-eng.php As Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, I want to update Canadians on the state of the ongoing listeriosis outbreak. For most people, the risk posed by listeria is very low. Even though the bacteria itself is very common in the environment, healthy people who are exposed rarely become ill. Our greatest concern is with the risk listeriosis poses pregnant women, the very old, the very young and people with weakened immune systems. We are all understandably concerned whenever we hear that something as precious as the food we eat may pose a danger. Years of effort to ensure safe and secure food supplies have allowed us to be confident in what we eat. Unfortunately given the number and variety of bacteria, viruses and parasites out there sometimes we will still see outbreaks like we are working on now. And when it happens it can have serious effects for many people. I offer a wish for speedy recovery to any who have fallen ill, and my sympathies and prayers go to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. For most people, the risk posed by listeria is very low. Even though the bacteria itself is commonly found in the environment, healthy people who are exposed rarely become ill. Our greatest concern is with the risk listeriosis poses pregnant women, the very old, the very young and people with weakened immune systems. While not everything is preventable, fortunately there are some simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of illness for ourselves and our families. There are the usual things we should always be doing, like washing hands, storing and cooking food properly, washing fruits and vegetables well, and avoiding unpasteurized milk and milk products. But with this listeriosis outbreak, remember that contaminated meat often will not look or smell bad, so it is important to check the Maple Leaf recall list on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website to see if you own meat that from the affected plant. The easiest way to tell if you have recalled products is to check for the code 97B that would appear beside the "best before" or "packaged on" dates. Most importantly, if you are in doubt, don't hesitate to throw it out. Nationally, we continue to report updated numbers of illness and death. We expect we will still see new cases for some time even after the recalls and closure and cleaning of the affected plant, as the time between when someone is exposed and becomes ill can vary from as little as three days to over two months. This long incubation period is part of what is making the management of this outbreak challenging. Listeriosis can cause flu-like symptoms but for the vast majority, flu-like symptoms will not mean listeriosis is the cause. However, if you're in one of these higher risk groups, and you find yourself suffering symptoms, such as persistent fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting, speak to your doctor. This is always good advice whether or not there is an outbreak like this going on, as we annually see cases of this disease. Canadians should be confident that the Government of Canada, through the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, is working closely with all provinces, territories, and with Maple Leaf Foods to respond to this outbreak and protect the public's health. We can never be completely immune to the risk of contaminations and outbreaks, even with the best food safety system in the world. That is why we operate surveillance and other systems to identify potential outbreaks and do the detective work that helps us to find the cause and stop further problems. And what we learn from each experience helps us to improve the system further. Dr. David Butler-Jones, MD Chief Public Health Officer   top BRITISH COLUMBIA: Listeriosis victim must delay cancer treatment 26.aug.08 CTV British Columbia http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080826/BC_listeriosis_BC_victim_080826/20080826/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome Doctors say Arlene Gorman, one of the B.C. to contract literiosis after eating contaminated meat from Maple Leaf Foods, could have died if she waited any longer to go to hospital. "I was actually told that if I had waited until that evening to have come in or the day after it is possible that I probably would have died as well," the 29-year-old told CTV News. Gorman, who lives in Cranbrook, B.C., says she started feeling ill in late June, and symptoms worsened quickly. "I started having migraines and bad cramping and that was about two weeks before and then June 24th I started getting really bad migraines and cramps and started throwing up," she says. "By the 26th, my fever was about 40 plus, my boyfriend said I was become delirious." Gorman has Hodgkin's Lymphoma and was supposed to have undergone a bone marrow transplant in mid-July. Because of the listeria the transplant had to be re-scheduled to mid-September. Gorman says the time spent fighting the effects of the tainted meat should have been spent fighting the cancer in her body. "It was the last thing that I needed," she said. "I wasn't expecting it at all and of all the people to get it, you know I had to get it."   top CANADA: Listeria monocytogenes outbreak 26.aug.08 Public Health Agency of Canada http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/media/issues/listeria_20080826-eng.php The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) continues to collaborate with provincial and local health authorities in Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to investigate an increase in cases of Listeriosis with the same genetic fingerprint (strain). The following table indicates the latest number of confirmed and suspected cases of Listeriosis broken down by province. Confirmed and suspected cases: Province/Confirmed Cases/Suspected Cases Ontario/22/16 BC/4/0 Alberta/0/4 Saskatchewan/1/0 Quebec/2/10 Total/29/30 The following table indicates, of the confirmed cases, the number of deaths where Listeriosis was the underlying or contributing cause, and the number of deaths currently under investigation. Province/Deaths where Listeriosis was the underlying or contributing cause/Deaths under investigation Ontario/6/6 BC/0/1 Alberta/0/0 Saskatchewan/0/1 Quebec/0/1 Total/6/9 For most people, the risk posed by listeria is very low. Healthy people who are exposed to listeria are rarely affected by the bacteria. However, there are certain people who are at higher risk for listeriosis – the very young, the very old, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. People from these at-risk groups who may have eaten contaminated products and have experienced symptoms, such as persistent fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting, should consult their health care provider. We recommend that those at greater risk take precautionary measures when preparing food by avoiding the recalled products, avoiding raw, unpasteurized milk and dairy. products, and ensuring that raw vegetables are washed thoroughly before they are eaten.   top 12 deaths linked to tainted meat in CANADA 26.aug.08 USA Today/Associated Press http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-08-26-canada-meat-8-26_N.htm?csp=34 Toronto -- The listeria outbreak prompted Prime Minister Stephen Harper to call Tuesday for a review of the country's food inspection practices. "I think all of us ... expect that when we shop that the things we buy or that we eat are going to be safe," Harper said. "That's why I indicated ... that it's necessary to reform and revamp our food and product inspection regimes." Maple Leaf Foods has yet to pinpoint exactly how the contamination took place, but says the problem was isolated to the one Toronto plant and none of its other 22 processing plants nationwide were affected. The company's recall of tainted meat products has prompted a lawsuit by a merchant law group on behalf of consumers alleging, among other things, that Maple Leaf Foods failed to maintain a suitable sanitary level that would have prevented the contamination of food products. Tony Merchant, the lawyer heading up the class action, said Tuesday that he has been contacted by about 300 people expressing interest in joining the suit. Maple Leaf sells products in several countries but the company said the product recall is limited to Canada.   top CANADA: Meat recall widens 26.aug.08 Leader-Post Angela Hall http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html?id=f228c615-419d-434d-8ebb-063c1f86712c As a meat recall widened Monday to include some ready-made sandwiches sold at Saskatchewan Safeway stores, a Regina lawyer said his firm is launching class action lawsuits against Maple Leaf Foods. A Calgary-based manufacturer has now recalled a number of Safeway brand sandwiches distributed in Saskatchewan and Alberta, over concerns they could contain contaminated luncheon meats recalled by Maple Leaf Consumer Foods. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Lucerne Foods is warning the public against eating the sandwiches due to the recall that centres on the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The situation has prompted the Merchant Law Group to pursue legal action in various provinces, Regina lawyer Tony Merchant said in an interview. Merchant said that court documents have already been filed in some provinces, though not yet in Saskatchewan. Class action claimants could include people who were affected by illness related to the meat recall, those left to worry about whether they have a problem due to the listeriosis and those who purchased now-recalled products and are out the money, said Merchant, whose office has pursued a number of other large-scale class action suits in the past. Meanwhile, some Regina shoppers said Monday that they are keeping a more careful eye on what products they put in the grocery cart. But even when faced with a widening recall, most that spoke to the Leader-Post said they weren't too concerned.   top CANADA: Maple Leaf shares plunge again 26.aug.08 ReportonBusiness.com Steve Ladurantaye http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080826.wmapleshares0826/BNStory/SpecialEvents2/home?cid=al_gam_mostview Investors continued their flight from Maple Leaf Foods Inc. shares Tuesday, pushing them lower as the number of deaths attributed to a tainted-meat crisis multiplied. The shares closed down 9.2 per cent to $7.99 on the Toronto Stock Exchange. On Monday, the shares were down 10 per cent on volume that was 10 times above the daily average over the past three months.   top CANADA: Winnipeg system was first to detect outbreak 26.aug.08 Winnipeg Free Press Aldo Santin http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4218067p-4811377c.html The electronic surveillance system that detected the listeriosis outbreak is housed in the National Microbiology Laboratory on Arlington Street. PulseNet Canada is an electronic network tying together the provincial public health laboratories by linking their computers and databases. "PulseNet is a surveillance tool used to detect food- and water-borne diseases," Rene Robert, spokeswoman for the National Microbiology Laboratory, said. Robert said that when health agencies across the country began reporting instances of listeriosis, it was the PulseNet network that put the pieces together and led officials to realize the enormity of the problem. The PulseNet network received an endorsement from Health Minister Tony Clement. "The surveillance system picked up a problem that was occurring and allowed us to respond efficiently and effectively to an emerging public health issue," Clement told an Ottawa news conference Sunday.   top CANADA: Food companies can take steps to protect themselves, customers, microbiologist says 26.aug.08 The Chronicle Herald Mark Taylor http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/9008191.html FREDERICTON -- Atlantic food processors can learn a lot from the recent outbreak of listeria in Maple Leaf Foods products, says a Fredericton micro–biologist. “Food processors can protect themselves and their customers from listeria in a number of ways," said Sophia Kondratova, a microbiologist with Impact Microbiology Services Ltd. “A plant must have a proper internal inspection program in place whereby the (operation) is regularly checked for listeria by checking the production line and the rest of the plant for possible listeria contamination." Ms. Kondratova said the checks must be performed at regular intervals to en–sure food safety. “Not only must the processing area be checked, but the final product as well, to make sure that it does not contain any of the harmful pathogen," she said. “As well, the ingredients that make up the final product that are coming into the plant need to be monitored to make sure that these ingredients are not bringing listeria into the plant, causing possible contamination."   top Listeria: recall of 300 cheeses in FRANCE 26.aug.08 AFP http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2008/08/26/01011-20080826FILWWW00454-listeria-rappel-de-fromages.php The Fromagerie de la Dombes company has begun a recall of approximately 300 cheeses after a microbiological test demonstrated the presence “of significant levels” of the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in some of its products, according to the Ain prefecture. The implicated products are cheeses under the Perle des étangs label (cow’s milk and goat’s milk) and the Brique des étangs label (cow’s milk), with a lot number 169 and a veterinary identification number FR 01 383 002 CE. According to the press release, the cheeses were distributed in stores in 10 departments in the south of France (Ain, Ain, Alpes Maritimes, Aude, Bouches du Rhône, Gard, Hérault, Pyrénées Orientales, Savoie, Var, Vaucluse). ---- Listeria: rappel de 300 fromages Source : AFP 26/08/2008 | Mise à jour : 18:43 | http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2008/08/26/01011-20080826FILWWW00454-listeria-rappel-de-fromages.php La société Fromagerie de la Dombes a procédé au rappel d'environ 300 fromages, après qu'un contrôle microbiologique a montré la présence "à des taux importants" de la bactérie Listeria monocytogènes dans certains de ces produits, a annoncé la préfecture de l'Ain. Les produits concernés sont les fromages Perle des étangs (lait de vache et lait de chèvre) et Brique des étangs (lait de vache), portant le numéro de lot 169, et le numéro d'identification vétérinaire FR 01 383 002 CE. Ils ont été distribués dans des magasins de 10 départements du sud de la France (Ain, Alpes Maritimes, Aude, Bouches du Rhône, Gard, Hérault, Pyrénées Orientales, Savoie, Var, Vaucluse), indique le communiqué.   top OPINION: Irradiation a useful tool in promoting food safety 26.aug.08 Deseret News http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700253756,00.html http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2008/08/articles/food-safety-communication/nuke-my-food-please/index.htm Marjorie Cortez, a Deseret News editorial writer in Salt Lake City whose kitchen is armed with bleach, antibacterial wipes and sprays, writes that some 12 years ago, my husband got sick. I had never seen a person so sick outside of a hospital. His fevers were so severe that when they broke, the bed sheets were sopping wet. He couldn't keep anything in his stomach. We battled to keep him hydrated. He wasn't alone in his misery. He was among a small group of people who contracted salmonella when a restaurant cook failed to properly clean a cutting board where raw chicken had been cut. At first, my husband refused to go to the doctor. He was certain he had the flu. But after about three days of severe illness, without improvement, I insisted that he go to the doctor. After a few days on high-powered antibiotics, his symptoms subsided and he got well. Although I have always been careful about food handling, I am meticulous about it now. There are some threats to health over which I have no control. That cannot be said about food handling and cooking. It's all about hygiene and cooking food to recommended temperatures. It's about proper storage of food. We hope that when we purchase our food that it is free of disease-causing micro-organisms. By and large, there are many checks that help ensure our food supply is among the safest in the world. But there are no guarantees. In recent years, there have been food recalls on everything from ground beef to green onions. So it surprises me when there's such outcry when the Food and Drug Administration approves a practice to help make our food safer. This past week, the FDA decided to allow spinach and lettuce sellers to treat their products with radiation to safeguard against E. coli and other bugs that can make us sick. As soon as FDA officials made the announcement, critics were all over the airwaves claiming radiation makes food less nutritious and potentially toxic. Toxic? Give salmonella a whirl if you want to talk toxic. These groups do make a couple of good points, though. It's better to detect and stop contamination on farms, ranches, slaughterhouses and processing plants than to irradiate after the fact. But there are some products that pose a greater risk than others, such as poultry, eggs, beef, oysters and spices. The government has long permitted irradiation of those products. And I'll concede that irradiation doesn't kill all the bugs, and it does not absolve consumers of careful food handling in their own homes. But why not make it available to people who want it? Knowing what I know and seeing what I've seen, I want irradiation. Nuke my food. Please. I need to be careful about throwing around that word, "nuke." We're talking very low levels of radiation here. Just enough to kill micro-organisms. As the government has required irradiated food to be labeled, some consumers have inferred that the product is radioactive. They've been scared away from buying it. That's unfortunate, but they're entitled to make other choices. That's the beauty of a free-market economy. Food irradiation isn't a magic bullet. But it's one more barrier to micro-organisms that can sicken and kill. I should think that most people would want that extra tool to help keep their families safe, particularly when we know that a fairly high percentage of food-borne illnesses result from poor food-handling practices in the home. For me, it's one more safeguard, one I'm more than willing to welcome into my home.   top WASHINGTON, DC: Producers go high tech against germs 26.aug.08 Associated Press Augusta Chronicle http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1533180/producers_go_high_tech_against_germs/ WASHINGTON -- Could food producers literally squeeze the salmonella out of a jalapeno? Or zap the E. coli from lettuce without it going limp? Headline-grabbing food poisonings from raw foods are raising interest in technology - from super-high pressure to irradiation - to get rid of some of the bugs. Washing, even with chlorine or other chemicals, only gets rid of surface contaminants, not germs that sneak inside the fruit or vegetable. Enter high-tech options. At a Virginia Tech laboratory this summer, food scientists subjected small grape tomatoes to what's called "high pressure processing" to see if they could squeeze salmonella to death. It's been known for decades that massive pressure can destroy certain pathogens. The question is how to kill the bugs without smushing the food they're in. The key is to choose a water-packed food with few air pockets. Put it in water and apply pressure evenly to all sides. Air pockets will collapse but waterlogged tissue is more resistant. For delicate raw produce, sliced fruits and vegetables seem to be high-pressure processing's, or HPP's, main niche, says Errol Raghubeer of Avure Technologies, the Kent, Wash.-based company that makes high-pressure processing equipment trademarked "Fresher Under Pressure."   top Increasing positive perceptions of food irradiation: Appealing to one’s affective domain 26.aug.08 Journal of Extension Vol. 46, No. 4 Janet Laminack, Frank Dainello, Shannon H. Degenhart, Tom A. Vestal, Gary Wingenbach http://www.joe.org/joe/2008august/rb3.shtml Abstract: A study tested the effectiveness of experiential learning techniques in food irradiation technology to positively influence understanding in both the affective and cognitive domain. Research shows that food irradiation is a safe food technology effective at reducing foodborne illness, but the adoption rate of the technology remains slow. The short course employed experiential components, such as tours of food irradiation facilities, group activities, and taste-tests of irradiated produce. Data were collected assessing participants' knowledge and perceptions about food irradiation, using Likert-type scales. The short course produced significant gains in participants' knowledge and positively influenced participants' perceptions of food irradiation issues. Janet Laminack Research Assistant Department of Horticulture Texas AgriLife Extension Service College Station, Texas Jelaminack@ag.tamu.edu Frank Dainello Professor and Extension Specialist Department of Horticulture Texas AgriLife Extension Service College Station, Texas f-dainello@tamu.edu Shannon H. Degenhart Extension Program Specialist Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications Texas A&M University College Station, Texas sdegenhart@aged.tamu.edu Tom A. Vestal Professor and Extension Specialist Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications Texas A&M University College Station, Texas t-vestal@tamu.edu Gary Wingenbach Associate Professor Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications Texas A&M University College Station, Texas g-wingenbach@tamu.edu   top Notice to readers: Release of computer-based case study: "Salmonella in the Caribbean" 27.aug.08 Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 300, No. 8 MMWR. 2008;57:580 http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/300/8/898 A new computer-based case study, "Salmonella in the Caribbean," is now available from CDC. This self-instructional, interactive exercise is based on an outbreak investigation conducted in Trinidad and Tobago. The study teaches public health practitioners skills in outbreak investigation and allows them to apply and practice those skills. The study also focuses on the role of surveillance in identifying and characterizing public health problems, developing hypotheses about the problems, and monitoring the effectiveness of control measures. "Salmonella in the Caribbean" is the fourth and final case study in the Foodborne Disease Outbreak Investigation Case Study Series. The Foodborne Disease Outbreak Investigation series was created for students familiar with basic epidemiologic and public health concepts. Each case study was developed in collaboration with the original investigators and experts from CDC, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Other case studies in the series include "Botulism in Argentina" (released 2002), "E. coli O157:H7 Infection in Michigan" (released 2004), and "Gastroenteritis at a University in Texas" (released 2005). The curriculum provided by these four case studies covers a wide range of outbreak investigation topics. Because these case studies are self-instructional, students can complete them at their own pace and convenience. Students can select which case study activities to undertake and focus on areas most relevant to their learning needs and goals. The computer-based case studies also can be used in the classroom as group exercises, assigned as homework, or given as tests to reinforce concepts covered in class. All four case studies can be downloaded at no cost from CDC's Epidemiologic Case Studies website at http://www.cdc.gov/epicasestudies. They also can be purchased from the Public Health Foundation at 1-877-252-1200 or http://bookstore.phf.org. Additionally, students can receive continuing education credits (e.g., CEUs, CMEs, CNEs, CHES, and AAVSB-RACE) for completing selected case studies.   top Food safety for the 21st century 27.aug.08 Journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 300, No. 8 Lynn Silver, MD, MPH; Mary T. Bassett, MD, MPH http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/300/8/957 Throughout history, human health has depended on food supply. Recognition that food can pose a major threat to human health is also centuries old. Federal regulation to reduce food contamination in the United States began in the early 20th century, with the adoption of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act of 1906 that regulated food purity and required content disclosure. Since then, additional regulatory measures and industrial improvements have further reduced contamination, although food-borne pathogens still cause the deaths of 5000 individuals a year in the United States.1 But the most rapidly growing food-related threat to health today is not microbes, but overconsumption of calories, sugar, salt, and unhealthy fat. In the United States, nearly a third of adults are obese, a proportion that has doubled in 20 years.2 Unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are second . . . [Full Text of this Article]   top BULGARIA: Food Safety Agency will be set up 26.aug.08 FOCUS Information Agency Mina Marinova http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n150626 Sofia. At one of its next sessions the Council of Ministers will make a decision to set up a Food Safety Agency, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Svetla Bachvarova announced at a press conference after the meeting of the Executive Bureau of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, cited by Focus News Agency. The current units in Regional Inspectorates for Prevention and Control of Public Health and National Sanitary Veterinary Agency will preserve their control functions, while coordination, scientific activity and methods for examination will be governed by the new agency. The new unit could be set into operation at the beginning of the next year, she added.   top CANADA: Health Canada reminds parents of school lunch allergen safety 26.aug.08 Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2008/2008_148-eng.php Ottawa -- As children head back to the classroom, Health Canada is reminding parents of the importance of allergy awareness when packing lunches for their children. Severe allergic reactions can occur quickly and without warning, and some foods can be life-threatening to allergic children. As many as 1.2 million Canadians may be affected by life-threatening allergies and these numbers are increasing, especially among children. Foods account for most children’s allergies, with peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, soy, fish and seafood, wheat, eggs and milk being the most common food allergens. When someone ingests even a tiny amount of an allergen, the symptoms of a reaction may develop quickly and can become very serious. The most dangerous symptoms include breathing difficulties, a drop in blood pressure, or shock, which may result in loss of consciousness and even death. Because of this, many elementary schools are now restricting certain foods from students’ lunches. Parents are encouraged to follow school policies, even if their child is not allergic. To find out which foods, if any, are restricted in their children’s schools, parents should contact the school directly. There is no cure for food allergies. The only option is complete avoidance of the particular allergen. This is why it is important that allergic children not be exposed to allergens that regularly cause extreme and sometimes fatal reactions. Health Canada has a number of food allergy factsheets which provide information on the priority food allergens. An It's Your Health article is also available that provides additional information on severe allergic reactions. Some of these hyperlinks provide access to Web sites of organizations not subject to the Next link will take you to another Web site Official Languages Act. The information found there is therefore in the language of the site. National allergy associations, such as Next link will take you to another Web site Anaphylaxis Canada, the Next link will take you to another Web site Allergy Asthma Information Association or the Next link will take you to another Web site Association Quebecoise des Allergies Alimentaires(French Only), also provide further information, including tips and strategies for educators, schools and other organizations for creating Next link will take you to another Web site allergy safe communities.   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