Comments on: Lessons from the Salmonella Outbreak http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/ The latest from the FOX News Health team. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:13:29 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Ruben Moreno http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14904 Ruben Moreno Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:08:48 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14904 The source of salmenella are from the hog and cattle lots upstream. Lets crack down on their dirty practices and leave the poor veggies alone. Irradiation kills all the bacteria, but it also kills all the nutritional value of the vegetable. If we are going to be doing that, then lets just replace ripe tomatoes with bottles of ketchup. The source of salmenella are from the hog and cattle lots upstream. Lets crack down on their dirty practices and leave the poor veggies alone. Irradiation kills all the bacteria, but it also kills all the nutritional value of the vegetable. If we are going to be doing that, then lets just replace ripe tomatoes with bottles of ketchup.

]]> By: Robert J. Ailes, M.D. http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14650 Robert J. Ailes, M.D. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:39:59 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14650 TV news frequently shows hundreds of acres of tomato fields, etc, in panoramic views, when presenting this issue. I have never seen a chicken or cow anywhere near those fields. Also never seen is an outhouse or a "porto-potty". Is it not possible that some migrant workers in these fields are Salmonella carriers and might be a source of the contamination? No one wants to mention this possibility on TV because it is "politically incorrect" and would immediately increase the demand for border-fencing, etc., but I hope it is being quietly investigated by appropriate health authorities, along with contamination by animal waste. Do you know if this is happening? Thank you. TV news frequently shows hundreds of acres of tomato fields, etc, in panoramic views, when presenting this issue. I have never seen a chicken or cow anywhere near those fields. Also never seen is an outhouse or a “porto-potty”. Is it not possible that some migrant workers in these fields are Salmonella carriers and might be a source of the contamination?

No one wants to mention this possibility on TV because it is “politically incorrect” and would immediately increase the demand for border-fencing, etc., but I hope it is being quietly investigated by appropriate health authorities, along with contamination by animal waste. Do you know if this is happening?
Thank you.

]]> By: Carol http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14603 Carol Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:46:45 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14603 I am one of the 11 people in Wisconsin that was diagnosed with salmonella - 4 days of extreme illness. I am still recovering - this can stay in one's system 5-7 days. The health department called and went over "their state form" of the foods & restaurants of foods I had consumed for the entire week prior to illness. She informed me that all the information is sent to the state data bank and they try to link any similarities. Since I am on a documented diet, I knew everything that I had eaten and the ingredients - EXCEPT for a chicken salad I had in Illinois (it did not contain tomatoes or peppers - cilantro?? not sure.) Since no one else reported any illness from eating at this restaurant, they dismissed my claim that it could have been something in the salad. While doing some research on the subject, I discovered that any server or food preparer - even someone who pours water, can pass on salmonella if they have had the food poisioning. With the current economy and all areas struggling - I doubt very highly that a server would report that they had food poisioning (OR, they may have had the "flu" for day & were never diagnosed) - they would continue to work.... So, this whole tracking of what people ate - since i did not eat anything on the list; my assumption is - I was inflicted with this via - chicken not prepared properly, or restaurant personnel - Not any of the items on the "list". I am one of the 11 people in Wisconsin that was diagnosed with salmonella – 4 days of extreme illness. I am still recovering – this can stay in one’s system 5-7 days. The health department called and went over “their state form” of the foods & restaurants of foods I had consumed for the entire week prior to illness. She informed me that all the information is sent to the state data bank and they try to link any similarities. Since I am on a documented diet, I knew everything that I had eaten and the ingredients – EXCEPT for a chicken salad I had in Illinois (it did not contain tomatoes or peppers – cilantro?? not sure.) Since no one else reported any illness from eating at this restaurant, they dismissed my claim that it could have been something in the salad. While doing some research on the subject, I discovered that any server or food preparer – even someone who pours water, can pass on salmonella if they have had the food poisioning. With the current economy and all areas struggling – I doubt very highly that a server would report that they had food poisioning (OR, they may have had the “flu” for day & were never diagnosed) – they would continue to work…. So, this whole tracking of what people ate – since i did not eat anything on the list; my assumption is – I was inflicted with this via – chicken not prepared properly, or restaurant personnel – Not any of the items on the “list”.

]]> By: James Qwert http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14582 James Qwert Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:26:00 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14582 If it's a bacteria and not a virus, why do you call it a "strain" Will a bacteria change over time? becoming deadlier? or are some scientists trying to drive this "news" of a 1000 people sick out of salmonella from a Population of 304,608,149 And is it not true that daily people get salmonella more likelly from badly cooked chicken meat than tomatoes? If it’s a bacteria and not a virus, why do you call it a “strain”
Will a bacteria change over time? becoming deadlier? or are some scientists trying to drive this
“news” of a 1000 people sick out of salmonella from a Population of 304,608,149
And is it not true that daily people get salmonella more likelly from badly cooked chicken meat than tomatoes?

]]> By: jeff http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14579 jeff Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:08:31 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14579 If the gov't. keeps cutting funding for fda inapectors we will see more and more outbreaks If the gov’t. keeps cutting funding for fda inapectors we will see more and more outbreaks

]]> By: A J Navarro http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14577 A J Navarro Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:59:34 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14577 It seems that the more we move into the 21st century the more stupid some people think we are, salmonella grows and lives in intestinal track of animals and people. Tomatoes, peppers, cilantro have not evolved to grow these organs. And also when and if someone eats a "salsa" made out of those vegetables, it is very likelly they are doing it, eating it with some kind of meat. Meat being of an animal that does have an intestinal track. What about taking a look at what these people ate the tomatoes with? It seems that the more we move into the 21st century the more stupid some people think we are,
salmonella grows and lives in intestinal track of animals and people. Tomatoes, peppers, cilantro have not evolved to grow these organs.
And also when and if someone eats a “salsa” made out of those vegetables, it is very likelly they are doing it, eating it with some kind of meat. Meat being of an animal that does have an intestinal track.
What about taking a look at what these people ate the tomatoes with?

]]> By: Craig Jackson http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14576 Craig Jackson Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:39:19 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14576 I have gotten food poisoning about 4-5 times in my life. It sucks, but as long as you can manage the fever it usually passes in about a day. When ever I feel like I am starting to get sick, I HOPE it is just food poisoning so I don't have to worry about having a flu which can last a week or more. I am not trying to be insensitive to people suffering, this is just my perspective on this issue, it smells to me like it's more a publicity stunt to show that the FDA is doing "something". It seems like a complete waste of money, and very damaging to the tomato companies. The tomato companies should get together and sue the FDA for reparations from the fear campaign that was waged. Why didn't the FDA just quietly go investigate? Why the press releases? This was a very unprofessional method for doing the investigation, and probably skewed the results due to the tomato farmers being "extra ready" for the inspections. When the health department inspects a restaurant, they DEFINITELY don't let the restaurant know ahead of time. I have gotten food poisoning about 4-5 times in my life. It sucks, but as long as you can manage the fever it usually passes in about a day. When ever I feel like I am starting to get sick, I HOPE it is just food poisoning so I don’t have to worry about having a flu which can last a week or more.

I am not trying to be insensitive to people suffering, this is just my perspective on this issue, it smells to me like it’s more a publicity stunt to show that the FDA is doing “something”. It seems like a complete waste of money, and very damaging to the tomato companies. The tomato companies should get together and sue the FDA for reparations from the fear campaign that was waged. Why didn’t the FDA just quietly go investigate? Why the press releases? This was a very unprofessional method for doing the investigation, and probably skewed the results due to the tomato farmers being “extra ready” for the inspections. When the health department inspects a restaurant, they DEFINITELY don’t let the restaurant know ahead of time.

]]> By: Norwood Edge http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14572 Norwood Edge Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:13:44 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14572 Years ago, it was suggested that irradiation would solve bacterial or viral infestations of foods. If this is the case, why don't we irradiate foods today? Years ago, it was suggested that irradiation would solve bacterial or viral infestations of foods. If this is the case, why don’t we irradiate foods today?

]]> By: Lloyd Parker http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14570 Lloyd Parker Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:10:34 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14570 Low dose food irradiation, gamma (cold pasteurization), is the only effective method for elimination of internalized bacteria resulting from harvest practices such as tomato placement in cold water. Studied for over 70 years and found safe, effective, and superior to current methods by the US Agricultural Research Service which considers irradiation the "best practice" in food processing. In Australia, it is the kill-step that produce in the US lacks. There they say, "If it's Nuked it's safe." Irradiation is the most studied food process in history which the FDA classifies as an additive, which does not leave a residue. Irradiation is advocated by every scientific organization in the US including the AMA, CDC, and the WHO. Congressional testimony described delays in the current irradiation petition before the FDA for more than 10 years as criminal, tragic, and the needless loss of life. Low dose food irradiation, gamma (cold pasteurization), is the only effective method for elimination of internalized bacteria resulting from harvest practices such as tomato placement in cold water.

Studied for over 70 years and found safe, effective, and superior to current methods by the US Agricultural Research Service which considers irradiation the “best practice” in food processing. In Australia, it is the kill-step that produce in the US lacks. There they say, “If it’s Nuked it’s safe.” Irradiation is the most studied food process in history which the FDA classifies as an additive, which does not leave a residue.

Irradiation is advocated by every scientific organization in the US including the AMA, CDC,
and the WHO. Congressional testimony described delays in the current irradiation petition before the FDA for more than 10 years as criminal, tragic, and the needless loss of life.

]]> By: Ken Boucher http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/07/15/lessons-from-the-salmonella-outbreak/#comment-14569 Ken Boucher Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:45:34 +0000 http://foxnewshealth.wordpress.com/?p=766#comment-14569 Which strains of Salmonella have been found to "deeply infect and spread among produce"? Despite the current concerns of tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro, Steve Sundlof, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, has stated "at this we have not found any samples of tomatoes or peppers positive for Salmonella Saintpaul"*. In this outbreak we have a shortage of knowledge and so people are replacing that knowledge with best guesses. If there's anything we need to learn from this, it's that we need a people who can stand hearing the words "We don't know.", and officials and media who have the responsibility to say those words when they're the truth. *http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_66773.html Which strains of Salmonella have been found to “deeply infect and spread among produce”?

Despite the current concerns of tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro, Steve Sundlof, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, has stated “at this we have not found any samples of tomatoes or peppers positive for Salmonella Saintpaul”*.

In this outbreak we have a shortage of knowledge and so people are replacing that knowledge with best guesses. If there’s anything we need to learn from this, it’s that we need a people who can stand hearing the words “We don’t know.”, and officials and media who have the responsibility to say those words when they’re the truth.

*http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_66773.html

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