President Obama this week nominated physician Elisabeth Hagen to fill the top food safety position at the Department of Agriculture, a move that has surprised food safety advocates.  The nomination comes almost a year into an administration in which food safety was to be a top priority.

Dr. Hagen is a relative unknown in the food safety field, and her nomination comes as a surprise in large part because she has only four years of direct experience with food safety.  According to the Washington Post, most of Hagen’s career has been spent as an infectious disease specialist.  In 2006, she signed on with the USDA‘s Food Safety and Inspection Service, where she eventually served as chief medical officer.

Food safety advocacy groups are hesitant about the nomination because of the limited information available on Hagen, the Consumer Federation of America has said it is looking forward to working with Dr. Hagen.  Meat industry groups have also praised Hagen’s nomination.  The American Meat Institute’s Patrick J. Boyle was quoted in the Washington Post praising Hagen’s “background, skills and vision.”

Hagen’s nomination is not expected to encounter strong political opposition.

The USDA announced yesterday that 864,000 pounds of beef products are being recalled by a Montibello, California manufacturer after the discovery of potential e. Coli contamination.  Media reports indicate that the company, Huntington Meat Packing, discovered the problem during a routine safety check.  The products are reported to have been shipped between January 5th and 15th of this year, and February 19 and May 15th of 2008.  So far there have been no reports of illnesses, but officials have directed consumers to check for establishment code EST. 17967 on the products’ USDA label.

According to a media report, two samples of Toll House cookie dough had tested positive for e.coli bacteria at a Virginia factory last Wednesday. None of the tainted dough had left the fatory according to the company. The company also said it will shut down its plant and when it reopens it will use flour that has been heated to kill the bacteria. The FDA said it is investigating the incident.This follows on a June 2009 outbreak in which 72 people in 30 sates became ill after being linked to the same cookie dough.

On December 24^th, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture issued a Class I (the highest level) recall for beef produced by National Steak and Poultry, an Owasso, Oklahoma based company.  The recall pertains to 240,000 pounds of beef products that have been contaminated with O157:H7, the deadly strain of E. coli. The USDA became aware of the contamination after the non-intact steaks were associated with E. coli illnesses in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, South Dakota, and Washington. The packages containing the affected products have been shipped to restaurants nationwide and bear labels with the establishment number “EST. 6010T” inside the USDA mark of inspection, a case code listed below, and packaging dates of “10/12/2009,” “10/13/2009,” “10/14/2009,” or “10/21/2009.” Common symptoms of E. coli poisoning include bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and kidney failure. It is recommended to make sure that all beef products are cooked to 160°F to ensure that all bacteria have been eliminated. If you suspect that you or a loved one have been poisoned, do not discard any left-over beef product. Instead, immediately contact a physician and an attorney.

The products subject to recall include:

• 4-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “SC68408.”
• 6-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “SP680608.”
• 8-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “SC68808”
• 9-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “SC68908.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF TIPS,” with an identifying case code of “69108.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK” with an identifying case code of “XXSP68008.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY SAVORY SIRLOIN TIPS” with an identifying case code of “XX69008.”
• 5-ounce “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BACON WRAPPED BEEF FILLET,” with an identifying case code of “23508.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY USDA SELECT BEEF SHOULDER MARINATED TENDER MEDALLIONS” with an identifying case code of “23289.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY 75% BONELESS BEEF TRIMMINGS,” with an identifying case code of “33575.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BEEF TRIMMINGS,” with an identifying case code of “36545.”
• “NATIONAL STEAK AND POULTRY BEEF SIRLOIN PHILLY STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “88008.”
• 4-ounce “EGN BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680425.”
• 7-ounce “EGN BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN TRI TIP STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “69725.”
• 9-ounce “EGN BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN TRI TIP STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680925.”
• 7-ounce “KRM BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680715.”
• 9-ounce “KRM BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680915.”
• 12-ounce “KRM BONELESS BEEF SIRLOIN STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “680215.”
• 8-ounce “CARINO’S BONELESS BEEF OUTSIDE SKIRT STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “130874.”
• “CARINO’S BONELESS BEEF OUTSIDE SKIRT STEAK PIECES,” with an identifying case code of “13074.”
• “MOE’S BEEF STEAK,” with an identifying case code of “78027.”

Food safety experts and consumers may soon be able to breathe easier next summer when E. coli bacterial infections typically surge. Large-scale testing for a new vaccine designed to make cattle immune to the E. coli bacteria has recently begun. While researchers believe the vaccine may not fully eliminate the presence of the E. coli bacteria in beef, they say it may reduce the number of bacteria-carrying animals by 65 to 75 percent.  This estimated reduction would prevent the surge in E. coli that occurs during the warmer months of the year, a time when grilling beef becomes ubiquitous.  It would also reduce the risk of contamination of the raw meat and make the bacteria far more manageable using the current safeguards in place. E. Coli is estimated to cause 73,000 illnesses and dozens of deaths each year.

At this time, two different E. coli vaccines are in commercial development. The first, made by Minnesota company Epitopix, is scheduled to be tested on 300,000 cattle in the coming months. The second vaccine, called Econiche and developed by Canadian company Bioniche Life Sciences, has already received approval for use in Canada. It’s United States approval is still pending. For the past several years both vaccines awaited approval as neither the FDA nor the Department of Agriculture could determine which agency possessed the authority to approve an animal vaccine that affected human health. In 2005 the Department of Agriculture concluded that it would handle applications for E. coli vaccines, however standards for approval were set uncharacteristically high. Officials necessitated a 90 percent reduction in cattle carrying E. coli bacteria, and of those cattle which shed the bacteria, a 99.9 percent bacterial count reduction was mandated.  After an unprecedented surge in E. coli cases in 2007, the USDA lowered its vaccine efficacy requirements and, in March of 2008, approved the Epitopix vaccine for sale. Cargill, one of the nation’s largest meat packers, is now financing large scale testing of the Epitopix vaccine. The study will include nearly 100,000 cattle and conclude next summer when the meat is tested for E. coli bacteria after being sent to slaughter.

A recently released report by the Produce Safety Project has found wide variation in state health departments’ ability to monitor and respond to food borne illnesses.  The report, based on survey data collected from 39 of the 51 state and District of Columbia health departments, also found that contaminated fruits and vegetables are likely to play a secondary role in state health department investigations.

The report notes that state health departments often lack the financial support and resources to adequately address food borne illness outbreaks, describing them as “chronically underfunded and understaffed.”  The lack of resources available to state health departments has contributed to a serious disparity in food safety standards.  The report from the Produce Safety Project blames this variation for “delays in public-health response, …additional illnesses, and unnecessary financial burdens.”

The solution, the report contends, is proactive and strong federal regulation of food illnesses.  The variable information management of state health agencies stands in contrast to the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control’s more comprehensive food borne illness data supervision.  The report concludes that, “while more funding would likely help state and federal agencies prevent and detect outbreaks of foodborne illness, broader organizational efforts are also needed to create a truly integrated food-safety network…  These changes could be accomplished… through strengthening of applicable legal authorities and strong federal leadership.”

The article comes in advance of Senate debate on the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510), which supporters claim will greatly improve the federal government’s ability to prevent and respond to food borne illnesses.

The report was produced by the Produce Safety Project, a program at Georgetown University that advocates stronger federal regulation of food safety.  Also contributing to the report was S.T.O.P., or Safe Tables Our Priority, a prominent nonprofit group dedicated to improving food safety in the United States.  A PDF version of the full report can be found on the Produce Safety Project’s website.

Diners in the Nebraska area should be cautious of ordering meals that contain ground beef. The USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS) recalled 90 pounds of fresh ground beef on November 17^th, 2009 due to a test sampling that tested positive for the food-borne pathogen E. coli. The ground beef originated from Fairbury Steaks, Inc., a meat company located in Fairbury, Nebraska. The products that subject to the recall are 10 lb. packages of “Bulk Fresh Ground Beef” distributed to a Ruskin, Nebraska restaurant. The packages were produced on November 16^th, 2009 and contained in boxes marked with the establishment number “EST. 5726,” which can be found stamped instead the USDA mark of inspection. The contamination of E. coli O157:H7 was discovered after a routine microbiological test done on a sample from the product.  So far no illness have been reported. E. coli O157:H7 is a powerful and dangerous bacteria that can cause abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, dehydration, kidney failure, and, in worst cases, death. Children, seniors, and those with immunocompromised conditions are most at risk. Since the bacteria cannot survive temperatures in excess of 160°F, it is always important to confirm that ground beef has fully reached this temperature by using a thermometer, and to always request that ground beef is cooked well-done when ordering out.  If you feel you have contracted E. coli poisoning, always remember to keep a diary of what you ate in the past several days and save any unused portions of suspect foods for microbiological testing.

A new bill to be introduced in the Senate aims to impose federally mandated E. coli testing for all ground beef produced in the United States.  The bill, announced yesterday by its sponsor Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), addresses a long ignored aspect of ground beef-related illness, namely the use of so-called “trimmings” in beef production.

The proposed measure, the E. Coli Eradication Act of 2009, would require testing for E. coli at both slaughterhouses and grinding facilities.  This is an especially important development, as it closes a key gap in testing of beef.

The USDA has outlawed E. coli contamination in beef since 1994.  However, there is currently no law in place mandating testing of beef for the disease.  The agency has instead relied on producers to do voluntary testing, resulting in widely inconsistent standards.  The new measure would mandate that E. coli testing begin in the earliest stages of the beef production process.

Slaughterhouses have for years resisted testing on their products, and the trade group  the American Meat Institute was yesterday quoted in the New York Times in opposition to the E. Coli Eradication Act.  Many, however, recognize the importance of testing at slaughterhouses.

The key aspect of the legislation is the attention paid to trimmings, miscellaneous bits of meat sliced from various parts of the cow.  Sen. Gillibrand noted in her press release that the trimmings are, “especially vulnerable to E. coli because its source material is not from a single cut of meat, rather, it is a compilation of… many parts, including fat that lies near the surface of possibly contaminated hide.”  A cow’s hide can become contaminated during the slaughtering process from feces and other waste.

The legislation complements the recently introduced FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510), giving food safety advocates hope that the current Congress shares their interest in protecting consumers from tainted products.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has approved a bill similar to a measure passed in the House this summer that gives the Food and Drug Administration sweeping new powers to protect consumers from tainted foods.  The measure was unanimously approved by the 23-member committee, indicating strong bipartisan support.

Like the House bill, the Senate version of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act would give the FDA the power to issue a mandatory recall if there is evidence of food borne illness.  Currently, the FDA only has the authority to suggest voluntary recalls to food producers if it suspects a food product may be contaminated.

While the measure passed out of committee unanimously, there was some degree of controversy over its details.  Some Democrats expressed concerns that the bill could do more to protect consumers.  Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) criticized the bill for its failure to address the use of antibiotics in livestock, which he fears has the potential to produce antibiotic-resistant illnesses.

Perhaps the biggest point of contention was over how to pay for the new regulations.  The House bill called for a $500 fee levied on food producers to help fund the FDA’s new powers.  But both Committee Chairman Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IL) and ranking Republican Mike Enzi (R-WY) have stated that they are uncomfortable with forcing an industry to pay for its own regulation.  Harkin was quoted in the Los Angeles Times, saying, “If this is something for public protection, it’s something we all should pay for.”  Members of both parties anticipate revisions after the Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost of the bill.

Advocates for the supermarket industry praised the bill.  Grocery Manufacturers Association President Pam Bailey praised the measure, calling it, “sensible legislation that will strengthen the foundation of America’s food safety systems.”  Organic Farming groups, on the other hand, qualified their support for the bill with the caveat that it must do more to protect organic farmers in a way that reflects their differing methods of processing.

The bill, S. 510, will now face a vote in the full Senate, though Sen. Harkin cautions that it is unlikely to come up for a vote until early next year because of the Senate’s ongoing consideration of health care reform.

A New York State meat supplier has been linked to an outbreak of E. coli that has killed two and sickened dozens and prompted a wide-reaching recall. Fairbank Farms, an Asheville, NY meat processing firm announced a recall on October 31st of more than half a million pounds of ground beef.

The beef is suspected of being contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a particularly deadly strain of E. coli bacteria commonly to blame for food-borne illnesses. According to the CDC, the bacterium can cause stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. Symptoms usually last from five to seven days, and though symptoms are often mild, illness associated with E. coli can be life-threatening in certain cases.

Two individuals, one from Upstate New York and another from New Hampshire, are believed to have died as a result of the tainted beef processed at Fairbank Farms. So far, 28 others are known to have become ill after consuming beef from the same batch, though estimates have ranged as high as 500 illnesses.

The recall, which comes only days after an unrelated E. coli outbreak sickened 20 at a Rhode Island camp, has raised concerns about the practices of American beef suppliers. The New York Times reported yesterday that Fairbank Farms’ parent company, AFA Foods, drastically relaxed their testing procedures in recent years under pressure from slaughterhouses.

Slaughterhouses have pushed back against meat processing facilities’ efforts to test for E. coli because of the potential for widespread recalls. Much of their discomfort over testing during the processing phase is rooted in the fact that beef in a processing plant may come from numerous slaughterhouses, meaning that a recall could affect all of a processor’s suppliers, not just the source of contamination.

While many producers utilize some form of testing for E. coli 0157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not require processors to test their beef, resulting in differing standards across the country. Food safety advocates have called for greater accountability in food production, and Congress has taken up the issue, with legislation passed this summer in the House of Representatives.
Fairbank Farms has announced that the beef in question was processed between September 14 and September 16 of this year. By now, Fairbank Farms says that the beef has passed its expiration date, meaning it is unlikely to be on supermarket shelves at this time. But the Department of Health and Human Services remains concerned that consumers still may have some of the product in their freezers.

The packaging for all of the contaminated beef is marked “EST 492,” a label stamp identifying Fairbank Farms as the processor. The tainted beef is known to have been shipped to Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Consumers should visit Fairbank Farms’ website for more details on the recall.