Riskiest Foods: 3 Tips for Protecting Your Family From Illness

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Why can't these procedures be used in hospitals, in patient rooms and surgical suites to clean up all the infections, esp. mersa, and cut down the mortality rates.

tiny of SC 7:09PM December 08, 2010

With all the talk of lead in children's toys imported from China, and in faux leather handbags that have enough lead in them that it can be absorbed into your skin; I never hear anyone talking about the lead in balsalmic vinegar.
I bought Ortalli's balsalmic vinegar at a Hannaford's store near my home. It was imported from Italy. I have a health condition which made my husband and myself search labels in our kitchen because something was making my symptoms worsen. Sure enough on the label of the vinegar, not under ingridients, you would need a magnifying glass to see it. This product contains LEAD, a chemical known to the state of CA. to cause birth defects and reproductive problems in women. So, if you live in any other state other than CA. it's OK! But, If you live in CA. it can kill you! Actually it's proposition, whatever. The people in CA. want to know what's in their food so it has to be listed. How many people actually read labels?
I'm angry! I knew something was causing me problems. I am chemically sensitive and it got past me. I've notified the FDA, EPA, and one other and have been given no answer. I talked to a nutritionist at Hannafords and she said, "Oh! You would have to drink a boat load."
This is what concerns me---Lead does not belong in the human body! It is not an essential chemical! It is cumulative, so a boat load means nothing if it comes in everything. Remember we're not CA. so how would we know? A little here and a little there accumulates quickly. In my case, right away.
It makes you think of Autism, Alzheimers, Learning Disabilities, ADHD, MS, Fibromyalgia, and a myriad of diseases both neurological, and autoimmune. Who knows and does anyone care out there?

Fran Lami of NH 7:31PM March 11, 2010

For years, as soon as they are brought home, I have rinsed all fruits and vegetables meant to be eaten raw, and many that will be cooked, in my kitchen sink half filled with cold water with a two or three tablespoons of Clorox or equivalent store brand bleach. With some veggies or fruits that have a skin coated with an added wax to protect them (cucumbers, squash, some tomatoes, apples, etc) I also add a small amount of dish detergent.
Then they are thoroughly rinsed in clean fresh cold water and stored as appropriate. Foods thus treated will last far longer refrigerated or even kept at cool room temperature (tomatoes, potatoes, etc.).
I am 67, my wife is 65, and neither of us has even had a bout of illness from food-borne bacteria or virus, even tough we eat a lot of raw fruits and veggies.

Stan of SC 1:47PM March 07, 2010

Considering that 90,000 patients in U.S. hospitals die annually as a result of a hospital acquired infection, breaking down on average to one in each hospital in the U.S. every month, it is hard to understand the hysteria regarding food illnesses and the lack of action on hospital hygiene.
Food plants are continuously inspected by USDA resident inspectors, hospitals are inspected once every three years.
Hospitals and Food Plants can defend against salmonella and other food and health care pathogens by using solution offered by www.sanisys.com the leader in NAV-CO2 systems.

c c of TN 12:58PM March 07, 2010

What about shopping at local farmers markets as a way of eating more safely? When's the last time a food illness outbreak was reported for something that's not mass produced (besides raw milk)? The FDA is a total joke with their hand in the pockets of big agriculture. Go small

Stan of TX 9:01PM March 06, 2010

The CSPI should be embarrassed: these 48,000 reported illnesses occurred over a 17 year period, from 1990 to 2006! That works out to only 2800 cases per year, for a US population of 300 million. Break out your calculator and you'll see that this is no health crisis, it's not even a rounding error. Worse, these numbers are just illnesses--the fatality rate is infinitessimal.
I have sympathy for people who have suffered from food-borne sickness, but it hurts the public to put out a misleading report like this. All it does is scare people away from otherwise perfectly healthy foods--and it makes people worry about the wrong things.
We should be spending our resources and our energies on real health crises like cardovascular deaths, auto fatalities or other illnesses, not some manufactured health scare by a lobbying group.
Daniel
The Casual Kitchen Blog

Daniel of NJ 6:17PM October 08, 2009

I don’t really understand the purpose of these reports. Since the danger involved in eating, even these "risky" foods, is so minimal—it really shouldn't matter. One of the suggestions was to not stop eating these foods. Okay, so then why should we care about these reports? There are germs and bacteria everywhere. You can only be so careful before it starts to consume your life, plus not everyone can afford all "organic" produce I say take the simple precaution of washing your veggies before eating them, besides that it is really out your hands.

jenna of IL 2:45PM October 08, 2009

And I can tell you that there is no way I can prevent them from coming into contact with bacteria like salmonella. Unless I let them live in my home, eat my food and teach them how to use the toilet, wipe and wash.
Let's be realistic: Can we just realize that they're animals and the food they produce comes with risk? Do we really think that backyard chickens pecking in dirt and poop are the solution??

Bobby P. of GA 6:51PM October 07, 2009

Pasteurized shell eggs. Why don't they recommend pasteurized shell eggs??
You don't see milk on this list do you? It's pasteurized.

Bette Burnham of IN 6:34PM October 07, 2009

This group does nothing in the public interest only their interest so this is just one more campaign.
Most people rarely question what information is put in their face and really critic it's value.
Make no mistake this is not a problem with the FDA regulation as much as it is a failure of us in handling food in our homes. We know that we import food and produce foods at long distances from our home. So if we treat the food with respect, acknowledge that it spoils, clean it, care for it and eat it in a reasonable length of time much of this risk is eliminated.
We buy perishable food drive it around town, go to MacDonalds, leave it in the trunk for a while, take it home, leave it on the counter. We might wash it before we use it. And even after cooking it we leave it on the counter after dinner, then put it in the fridge and it is there until we remember it.
All these conditions add up to a food safety problem.
Been there done that and wondered why I was sick.
Cannot blame that on anyone but myself.

Roxie 11:15AM October 07, 2009