Protein Paradox, Is it Safe?

In a word…Yes! Without a doubt, our food supply is safer than ever. You may "pooh-pooh" my statement and point to a rash of recent issues but I believe that foodborne illness incidents are way down vs. the number of meals consumed. I am no expert but I have had plenty of classes,  real life experience, certifications and inspections to be able to discuss this matter intelligently. The quality of equipment, controls (HACCP), refrigeration and food service industry training are at an all time high.

The Center for Food Integrity,  a non - profit made up of 20 organizations from each segment of the food chain whose goal is to build trust and confidence in the U.S. food system, recently released some findings from its annual Consumer Trust Survey. The entire report will be released at its annual summit in early October.

Apparently, the CFI has some work to do.  Here are a couple of their findings -

U.S. consumers are more concerned about the safety of the
food they eat than they are the war in Iraq or global warming.

Fewer than 20 percent of those surveyed strongly agreed that government agencies are doing a good job ensuring the safety of the food we eat.

I find it hard to believe that consumers are more concerned about food safety than the war so I’m looking forward to reading the entire report.

Producers, packers, restaurateurs  and distributors have one very good reason to produce safe food, the bottom line. It is bad business to cause people to be sick or die. Only the largest corporations could withstand being pegged with a huge recall or foodborne illness outbreak.

I can assure you that Winn Meat Company’s Quality Control Program under the supervision of Diana Flores is second to none. We just received a 98.6 (excellent) from Silliker Labs, a third party auditor.

I would love to hear from you on this subject. Until then, here are some guidelines to help you stay healthy. I didn’t say it would be a delightful eating experience.

From the Center for Disease Control and Prevention -

A few simple precautions can reduce the risk of foodborne diseases: 

COOK meat, poultry and eggs thoroughly.  Using a thermometer to measure the internal temperature of meat is a good way to be sure that it is cooked sufficiently to kill bacteria.  For example, ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160^o F.  Eggs should be cooked until the yolk is firm. 

SEPARATE: Don’t cross-contaminate one food with another.  Avoid cross-contaminating foods by washing hands, utensils, and cutting boards after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry and before they touch another food.  Put cooked meat on a clean platter, rather back on one that held the raw meat. 

CHILL: Refrigerate leftovers promptly.  Bacteria can grow quickly at room temperature, so refrigerate leftover foods if they are not going to be eaten within 4 hours.  Large volumes of food will cool more quickly if they are divided into several shallow containers for refrigeration. 

CLEAN: Wash produce.  Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables in running tap water to remove visible dirt and grime.  Remove and discard the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage.  Because bacteria can grow well on the cut surface of fruit or vegetable, be careful not to contaminate these foods while slicing them up on the cutting board, and avoid leaving cut produce at room temperature for many hours. Don’t be a source of foodborne illness yourself.  Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food.  Avoid preparing food for others if you yourself have a diarrheal illness.  Changing a baby’s diaper while preparing food is a bad idea that can easily spread illness. 

REPORT: Report suspected foodborne illnesses to your local health department.  The local public health department is an important part of the food safety system. Often calls from concerned citizens are how outbreaks are first detected.  If a public health official contacts you to find our more about an illness you had, your cooperation is important.  In public health investigations, it can be as important to talk to healthy people as to ill people.  Your cooperation may be needed even if you are not ill. 

From the FDA -

Cook It Right . . .
Color is not a sure indicator of whether food is safe to eat. The only way to know that meat, poultry, casseroles, and other foods are properly cooked all the way through is to use a clean food thermometer.

Ground Beef

Oftentimes, when meat is "ground up" to make hamburger, bacteria that may have been present on the surface of the meat can end up inside the burger. When this happens, bacteria are less likely to be killed by cooking if the proper temperature is not achieved.

Cook ground beef to at least 160° F (71° C). Use a food thermometer to check. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention link eating undercooked, pink ground beef with a higher risk of illness. If a thermometer is not available, do not eat ground beef that is still pink inside.

Meat and Poultry
Cook roasts and steaks to an internal temperature of at least 145° F (63° C). Poultry should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165° F (74° C). Consumers may wish to cook poultry to a higher temperature for personal preference.

Seafood
Cook fish until it’s opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Eggs
Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm. Don’t use recipes in which eggs remain raw or partially cooked, unless you use pasteurized eggs.

Leftovers
Leftovers should be reheated to 165° F (74° C). Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil.