Take the "Cold" out of Cold Cuts and Put Back the "Hot" in Hot Dogs
We've blogged a lot about listeria and avoiding it is a good idea, in the neighborhood of "breathing is a good idea." The CDC, in an article reported by Elizabeth Weise in USA Today Wednesday, is recommending a couple of things in connection with cold cuts, including hot dogs, for those over 50, and in particular those over 65, to avoid listeria:
- Reheat them to 165 degrees Fahrenheit just before eating
- Don't keep them in the refrigerator longer than five days after opening
Which kind of takes the "cold" out of cold cuts, doesn' t it?
Ms. Weise's article then goes on to explain what a change this would be in the behavior of people who are often dependent on lunch meats as a relatively inexpensive source of protein, and to question where the source of this advice is coming from. The CDC, for its part, notes that listeria doesn't go away when refrigerated and doesn't give either visual or olfactory clues to its presence. The industry response is that consumers should look for products containing antimicrobials like sodium lactate or potassium lactate.
As the article implies, this advice is counterintuitive for many people. Moreover, as one person quoted in the article points out, the placing of the label of "risky" on such an ordinary item takes away some of life's enjoyment as well. That is not to deny that the risk is real, but it is akin to a "Black Swan" event whose probability may be low but where the consequences of the event occurring are high and can change the way we think. Pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at high risk, but constitute a more discrete part of the population that is generally more likely to consider itself in need of health information. I'm 54 and don't think of myself as at extra risk of this kind of food-borne illness.
On the other hand, I haven't eaten any cold cuts or hot dogs since I started getting a reaction to them while still in my 30s.
2009 Priorities for USDA in Food Safety
I just returned from ACI’s Second National Forum on Food-Borne Illness, which included several interesting presentations and discussions. One was by Dan Engeljohn, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Office of Policy and Program Development at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (“FSIS”). Mr. Engeljohn spoke about FSIS’s priorities for “2009 and beyond.” Takeaways from this presentation include:
Non-O157 STECs
FSIS is increasingly concerned with strains of E. coli other than O157:H7. Non-O157:H7 strains such as E.coli O121:H19 and O111 are growing more prevalent in the environment. FSIS is putting additional resources into developing methodology for detection of non-O157 STECs.
As FSIS, CDC, FDA and local health departments develop this methodology, the industry can expect more reported outbreaks and more liability exposure. Most experts believe that many non- O157:H7 outbreaks go undetected. Increased focus on detection of non-O157 E. coli strains is yet another reason to examine the sufficiency of your companies' insurance limits.
Frozen, Not Ready to Eat Meals
According to Mr. Engeljohn, because of recent salmonella scares, FSIS remains concerned about “frozen, not ready to eat” meals and specifically “frozen, not ready to eat” poultry meals. He explained that “evidence is mounting that these products cannot be safely prepared unless salmonella is controlled in the source materials.” In other words, FSIS now believes that no amount of package labeling or consumer education can prevent consumers from undercooking these meals.
FSIS jurisdiction over salmonella in poultry is limited. FSIS attempts restrict the sale of “frozen, not ready to eat” meals or impose more stringent standards against salmonella in poultry may be a reach for the agency. As discussed in Supreme Beef Processors v. USDA Salmonella, "is not an adulterant per se, meaning its presence does not require the USDA to refuse to stamp such meat 'inspected and passed.'" Absent statutory reform, FSIS action in this area may be challenged.
Listeria
Mr. Engeljohn stated that FSIS is “deeply concerned” about listeria. It believes that gains made in recent years at meatpacking plants may be undone by problems at supermarket deli counters. FSIS believes that little is being done to address critical control points at the retail level, such as proper cleaning and sanitizing of meat slicers. FSIS may be exploring ways to exercise more jurisdiction to regulate supermarket delis.
