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uk cut-backs set up ‘food poisoning time bomb’: cieh
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food safety threat from reusable food bags and packages
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reusable food shopping bags and packages can contain a high level of bacteria, yeast, mold and coliform counts which pose a significant food safety risk, warns a new study from sporometrics, an environmental microbiology lab based in toronto, canada. swab tests of reusable bags last november revealed a bacteria count of 1,800 colony-forming units while 550 were discovered in tupperware containers. a mould count of 290 was discovered in bags and 10 tupperware compared with a typical mold count of 150 or less per cubic metre of room air at that time of year. “ the test findings clearly support concerns that reusable grocery bags can become an active microbial habitat and a breeding ground for bacteria, yeast, mold and coliforms .” concluded the study which was funded by the environment and plastic industry council (epic) . “ this is supported by the high bacterial counts showing that the bag surface (interior) can harbour or breed substantial bacterial populations .” cross contamination food safety fears focus on the risks of cross contamination of food placed in bags contaminated by previous use in successive trips. also contaminants could be transferred from one bag to another in the check-out packing process. “the unacceptable presence of coliforms, that is, intestinal bacteria, in some of the bags tested, suggests that forms of e. coli associated with severe disease could be present in small but a significant portion of the bags if sufficient numbers were tested.” according to the report . “also, it is consistent with everything that is known about salmonella ecology that it would also be present on rare occasions.” to combat the threat from food-borne illness associated with re-usable bags and food containers, the study made five specific recommendations. those included: research. more research is needed to gauge the possibility of microbial build up as reusable bags are reused many times. safety standards. meat should be double packed in a first-use bag to prevent accidental leakage or drips into the reusable bag. “ this should become a mandated safety standard across the entire grocery industry for reusable bags,” say the researchers. the investigation of disease outbreaks. reusable grocery bags and food containers should be added to the list of possible contamination sources when doctors and health officials investigate new food poisoning cases. cleaning packaging. the public should be given full cleaning instructions. all bags should be turned inside out and air dried. reusable protocols. priority should be given to drafting and disseminating protocols covering the use of reusable food bags and containers. reusable bags be replaced regularly to avoid the build of harmful bacterial. plastic bags meanwhile, some have questioned the findings of study since it was funded by epic which would benefit from the greater use of plastic bags. “ i definitely think that this is their last, final, desperate attempt to scare people off of reusable bags,” said heather marshall, spokesperson for the toronto environmental alliance. neither e. coli nor salmonella, two of the most dangerous food-borne bacteria, were found in any of the bags. but cathy cirko, epic vice president cathy cirko said: " the (plastic) industry strongly supports reduction and reuse, and recognizes use of reusables as good environmental practice, but it does not want to see these initiatives inadvertently compromise public health and safety ." about 13m cases of food poisoning are reported in canada each year.
Source :Food Safety, HACCP, Food Quality, Food Microbiology, Hygiene
Date :
22
May
2009
Category :
Impression And Package Service
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new regulations on microbiological safety will not result in increased testing procedures for most companies, industry experts say. "don't panic," advises kaarin goodburn, the managing director of the uk's chilled food association. goodburn, who was involved in providing advice during the european commision's drafting of the legislation, said she was concerned that some companies might be fooled into thinking the regulation would increase the level of food safety testing they would have to do.
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food makers have until 1 january to implement procedures for testing their processing plants and products for dangerous bacteria such as listeria and e. coli. the procedures, as set out by the microbiological criteria for foodstuffs regulation, seeks to harmonise the industry's procedures for detecting the presence of dangerous bacteria. it is being introduced as part of the bloc's new food hygiene regulations, which also come into effect on 1 january.
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the chief executive of the uk's food standard agency (fsa) used last week's keynote speech to discuss food safety detached from the everyday context of media hype and public scare stories. speaking at the society of food hygiene technology annual lecture in london's millennium mayfair hotel, dr jon bell underlined the importance of balancing public fears and actual risk.
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we report elsewhere today on confirmation from the uk food and drink federation that food safety is an absolute priority for uk, and european, food manufacturers. but just this week the british medical association reports in the scientific journal 'gut' that cases of serious food poisoning in england and wales requiring admission to hospital have risen in real terms over the past decade -despite rates of overall illness having halved over the same time period.
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following recent calls for controls on the widespread incidence of the common food bug campylobacter, safefood, a body that sets out to promote food safety in northern ireland and eire, held a meeting at the university college in dublin this week to discuss the development of preventative programmes. researchers outlined their current activities and demonstrated how these will be applied to foodchain monitoring and management.
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warranted or not, it comes as no surprise to learn that there is growing concern among uk consumers over food safety. according to new research from mintel, 41 per cent of adults were concerned about the safety of food in 1997, while in 2002 this figure has risen to 44 per cent of consumers. the report revealed that there is a considerable difference in attitude between men and women with over half of women (51 per cent) worried about food safety, compared to just 36 per cent of men.
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Coca.Cola
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PEPSI
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Mcdonald
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Nestle
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Mars
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Baskin & Robins
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Nutrika
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Mumika
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Chika
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