Nutrition Newsletter

Summer, 2001

Prepared by: Linda B. Bobroff, Ph.D., R.D., LD/N
Amarat (Amy) Simonne, Ph.D.

Public Policy

Legislation: Nutrition Assistance For Working Families

During the weeks of March, Democrat and Republican senators introduced a new bill to strengthen the national nutrition safety net, titled the Nutrition Assistance for Working Families and Seniors Act (S.583). The bill would restore food stamp benefits to all eligible legal immigrants and increase funds to The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), both provisions of the Kennedy-Specter/Walsh Hunger Relief Act of 1999 that were not enacted. In addition, the bill would increase benefits for families with children, increase the monthly minimum benefit from $10 to $25, allow states to opt to continue food stamp benefits for six months when individuals are transitioning from cash assistance, and treat child support income as "earned income" subject to deduction. Also watch for the House version of this bill. A coalition of advocates from anti-hunger, immigrant, religious and other movements have organized a campaign called "Healthy Solutions for America's Hard Working Families" to support the bill.

Making A Difference

To address health disparities among ethnic groups, we need to make changes in personal health decisions, in reaching and teaching the public, and in public policy. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said that most people are like thermometers -- they measure the temperature of the environment; we need people who are like thermostats; they change the environment.For more information about the Act (S. 583), visit the Food Research and Action Council (FRAC) web site at www.frac.org or call FRAC at (202)986-2200

Healthy Lifestyles

Physical Activity Key To Healthy Weight In Children

The rise in childhood obesity has many health professionals concerned. Obesity is often associated with increased risk for chronic disease, even among children. The increasing rates of type 2 diabetes among children is alarming. Parents or care givers must be aware that overweight among preschool age and older children is often less associated with high energy intake and more related to low physical activity. Let's not restrict food intake of large children; let's help them increase their physical activity in fun, non-threatening ways. Reference: Family Economics and Nutrition Review, Vol. 12(1), 1999. P. 52.

Healthy Lifestyle Resource

"Making the Grade on Women's Health (2000)" Report available on www.nwlc.org. To access the report, click on "Health."

Nutrition and Disease RiskFruits, Vegetables, and Stroke Prevention

Researchers reviewed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) to determine if a relationship existed between potassium intake and death from strokes. They found that both black and white men who had the lowest dietary intake of potassium also had the highest stroke mortality rate. They did not find a similar relationship with women. They then sorted the men and women into groups, depending on whether or not they had high blood pressure. After controlling for caloric intake and other baseline cardiovascular risk factors, the researchers concluded that a low potassium intake was a strong predictor of stroke mortality, but only among black men and hypertensive men. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of potassium, especially orange juice, sweet potatoes, winter squash, lima beans, potatoes, cantaloupe, asparagus, peaches, and bananas.

Quercetin Intake And Strokes

Quercetin is a common flavonoid in fruits and vegetables, especially onions, apples, strawberries, and lettuce. Flavonoids are antioxidants and have been shown to prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Researchers in the Netherlands examined people's intake of quercetin and their incidence of cerebral vascular disease. Although they found no relationship, they did find a statistically significant relationship between consumption of apples and a reduced risk for vascular heart disease. Thus the old adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" may ring true. Apples contain other phytonutrient compounds besides quercetin that may explain this finding. Or, it may simply be that people who eat apples have a lifestyle that is protective against heart disease.

[European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2000; 54;415-417]

Health Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables

The Lancet reported that consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, watercress, and bok choy, among others, was shown to be protective against lung cancer in a study of over 18,000 men, 45-64 years old, in Shanghai, China. A unique gene/diet interaction was also found in the study. The National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) issued a report on the study. A copy of the NIEHS September 18 news release on the findings is posted at: www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/news/cruci.htm

[The Lancet, August 26, 2000; 356(9231): 724]

Fruit and Vegetable Intake Lowers Homocysteine Levels

An elevated blood level of the amino acid homocysteine is considered a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. According to research recently reported in the Journal of Nutrition, volunteers who ate a diet high in fruits and vegetables (5 or more servings a day plus juice) compared to an equal number of people who ate a diet low in fruits and vegetables, had lower blood levels of homocysteine and increased levels of carotenoids, including beta-carotene and vitamin C. Spinach, collard greens, and other leafy green vegetables; citrus fruits; asparagus; beets; broccoli; squash; and legumes are good sources of folate and may play a role in reducing blood levels of homocysteine. More study is needed to determine what effect changes in blood levels of vitamins or homocysteine have on one's risk for heart disease. This research provides yet another reason to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and to get 5 or more servings every day. [Journal of Nutrition, 2000; 130: 1578-1583]

Vitamin C in Fruits and Vegetables and Periodontal Disease

Previous studies have suggested that low vitamin C intake is a risk factor for periodontal disease. A group of researchers evaluated the dietary vitamin C intake of 12,419 adults that participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Their results showed a statistically significant relationship between low dietary vitamin C intake and the risk for periodontal disease. Periodontal disease, commonly known as gingivitis; affects the gums and structures that support your teeth and is caused by extensive plaque bacteria. Researchers found that current and former smokers who had lower levels of vitamin C showed an increased risk. Almost 90 percent of our dietary vitamin C comes from fruits and vegetables. Although citrus fruits and juices are often thought of as the best sources, other sources include bell peppers, guava, papaya, strawberries, kiwifruit, tomato products, currants, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens such as kale. [Journal of Periodontal Disease, 2000; 71: 1215-1223]Source: 5 A Day News (www.5aday.com)

Orange Juice Improves Plasma Hdl Cholesterol Levels

Thanks to the many vitamins and phytochemicals found in orange juice (OJ), it has long been considered one of the healthiest beverages. And now a report from Kurowska, et al. Shows that drinking 3 cups of OJ can protect the heart by raising HDL cholesterol levels. It is thought that hesperetin, a citrus flavonoid found in the orange, is responsible for improving plasma lipoprotein levels.

In this 12-week feeding study, 25 healthy adults (16 men and 9 postmenopausal women) with total blood cholesterol levels of 170 mg/dl to 325 mg/dl included 1, 2, and 3 cups of OJ in their American Heart Association step 1 diet. Each test period lasted 4 weeks, followed by 5 weeks of an orange free diet. Plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels were measured throughout the study. As expected, the dietary records indicated that vitamin C and folate intakes were significantly higher during the highest OJ consumption period. Also, total energy and grams of carbohydrate intake increased incrementally with each cup of OJ.

Analysis of overall changes in lipid and lipoprotein profiles showed that plasma HDL and triglyceride levels increased by 21% and 30%, respectively, following the 3 cups of OJ period. The LDL-HDL ratio decreased by 10% since LDL cholesterol levels were unchanged. In addition to altering blood lipids, drinking three cups of OJ was associated with raising plasma vitamin C and folate levels by 3.8 fold and 18%, respectively. However, in spite of the significant increase in folate levels during all 3 diet periods, plasma homocysteine levels were unchanged.

Compared to baseline levels, plasma HDL cholesterol, vitamin C, and folate levels remained elevated even after the subjects stopped drinking OJ. But only the HDL cholesterol level was higher during the washout period than the highest OJ period. The changes in HDL cholesterol concentrations with OJ consumption were inversely related to the baseline HDL indicating that people with low baseline HDL cholesterol saw higher increases in their HDL cholesterol levels than people with higher baseline HDL levels.

In conclusion, the study by Kurowski, et al. suggests that drinking OJ is an easy way for adults to improve their plasma HDL cholesterol and folate levels. This cardioprotective benefit continued even after 5 weeks of not drinking OJ. But the researchers encouraged everyone to obtain a variety of nutrients by eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily rather than simply loading up on OJ.

Reference: Kurowska, E.M., Spence, J.D., Jordan, J. et al. HDL-cholesterol-raising effect of orange juice in subjects with hypercholesterolemia Am J Clin Nutr, 2000;72:1095-1100. Source: Nutrition Close Up, Volume 17, No. 4, page 8 Winter 2000.

Cooking Tips

Methods of storing and preparing food can destroy vitamins before they make it into your body. Everyone should follow the following simple tips for preserving vitamins and minerals in food.

• Fresh and canned fruits and vegetables should be stored in cool places. Some vitamins are sensitive to heat. Vegetables should be cooked the shortest time possible, to a crisp, tender stage, in a covered pot. Using covered pots helps speed cooking time and retain more nutrients -- instead of losing some through steam.

• Vegetables should be steamed or microwaved in as little water as possible. Vitamins and minerals can seep into cooking water. If you need to use a lot of water, such as when boiling potatoes, save it to make soup or sauce.

• Some vitamins dissolve in water so be careful not to soak the vegetables or fruits as you clean and prepare them for a meal.

• If you have to cook vegetables for a long time, cut them in the largest pieces possible to expose fewer surfaces to water and heat.

• Eat raw fruits and vegetables frequently. Carrots, cauliflower, peppers, spinach, and zucchini are all tasty and nutritious just as they are.

• Peeling fruits and vegetables removes concentrated nutrients and vitamins, so keep their skins intact. Skins can be a valuable source of fiber too. Make sure to clean your fruits and vegetables with a brush under clear running water.

• Adding baking soda when cooking vegetables destroys some vitamins. Cook only as long as necessary in order to maintain their vibrant colors.

• Store milk in your refrigerator in an opaque or cardboard container to protect them from light. Light destroys riboflavin, one of the B vitamins.

Green Tea Does Not Affect Risk Of Gastric Cancer In Japanese Men

Abstract

Laboratory experiments and case-control studies suggest that green tea can provide protection against gastric cancer, a form of cancer more prevalent in Asian countries than in the U.S.

In 1983, 26,311 persons, age 40 and over, in northern Japan (11,902 men and 14,409 women), completed a self-administered questionnaire that included questions about their consumption of green tea. During the next 8 years the researchers identified 419 cases of gastric cancer (in 296 men and 123 women).

The researchers found no association between green-tea consumption and the risk of gastric cancer. The relative risks associated with drinking one or two, three or four, and five or more cups of green tea per day, compared with less than one cup daily, were 1.1, 1.0, and 1.2, respectively. This indicates no relationship between green tea consumption and gastric cancer risk. The incidence of gastric cancer in the U.S. has decreased markedly, possibly related to decreased consumption of salt-preserved foods and increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Reference: N Engl J Med 2001;344:632-6.

Eating Patterns Of African Americans

Health disparities among African Americans include high incidence of hypertension, stroke, and diabetes. Each of these conditions is influenced by diet and physical activity, as well as family history. By reducing their risk behaviors, African Americans can reduce their risk of these diseases.

African American eating styles are often a combination of traditional ethnic foods and foods common to the majority culture. Many of the ethnic foods consumed are rich in nutrients and low in fat and sodium, two nutrients of concern among African Americans. Some of these ethnic foods, which are indigenous to the African continent, include legumes, rice, okra, turnips, eggplant, onions, garlic, greens, cabbages, oranges, lemons, dates, and figs. In addition to eating these healthful foods, African Americans often consume foods that are high in sodium and fat, and/or they prepare foods with cooking methods that add substantial amounts of sodium and fat, contributing to their risk for diet-related diseases.

Two African American health professionals presented a workshop on Health Disparities in the African American Community at the Priester National Extension Heath Conference in Dallas on May 21, 2001, and made the following recommendations for Extension agents working with African Americans: Encourage them to ...

• Know their family history
• Avoid destructive behaviors
• Get facts on health and wellness
• Participate in preventive health care
• Enjoy their (healthful) ethnic traditions

Source: Workshop at Priester National Extension Heath Conference, "Health Disparities in the African American Community," Dallas, May 21, 2001.

Life Cycle Nutrition

Serving Sizes

To visualize serving sizes try the following comparisons provided by the American Dietetic Association and the University of Wisconsin: 1/4 cup of dried fruit is about the size of a golf ball; one medium apple (or orange) is the size of a baseball; and 1/2 cup of pasta (or rice or chopped vegetables) is the size of a small computer mouse.

Source: California Fig Nutrition News, Winter 2000.

Facts About Peanut Consumption About one in five Americans eats peanuts on any given day. Source: The Peanut Institute, Vol. 5, Issue 1, 2001. www.peanut-institute.org

Cultivating Community Through Gardening

In neighborhoods across the U.S., community garden programs work to empower people to transform their lives and communities. The American Community Garden Association recently released a new resource, "Cultivating Community: Principles and Practices for community Gardening As a Community-Building Tool," that spotlights these efforts. The resource guide examines basic practices that create successful community empowerment programs and demonstrates how community garden programs are successfully applying those practices. Highlighting stories and case studies from around the country, authors Karen Payne and Deborah Fryman illustrate how community garden programs can build community, promote economic development, empower local leadership and nurture family.

"Cultivating Community" costs $10 each, $8 each for bulk orders of 10 or more copies. Use the guide and learn to approach community gardening as an organizing tool.

To order the resource guide, send a check or money order and your contact information to The American Community Garden Association, 100 N. 20th Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1495. To download an order form, visit: www.communitygarden.org

Improving Food Survey Data

According to the last USDA nationwide food consumption survey, conducted from 1994 to 1996, Americans of all ages averaged about 2,000 calories a day. So why are we overweight as a population.

Some Americans obviously eat more than they report, say Linda E. Cleveland and Linda A. Ingwersen, of ARS' Food Surveys Research group, which develops and oversees the periodic survey. So often we tend to forget that soda, bag of chips, or candy bar we snatched yesterday when our tummies rumbled. And we may think we ate smaller portions than actually passed our lips.

Group members are working hard to catch those forgotten and underestimated calories in the next nationwide survey -- expected to begin in 2002.

It's Not So Much What You Ask, As How

Staffers have improved the way the interviewers will probe for all the foods and beverages a respondent ate during the previous 24 hours so that the questions don't seem repetitive. "It sounds more conversational," says Cleveland, "Like you're chatting about the meal, rather than questioning their memory."

And Cleveland and Ingwersen believe they have improved the accuracy with which people estimate the size of the portions they consume. The two scientists have developed an easy-to-use Food Model Booklet that incorporates high-tech graphics and research on how people perceive quantities and on what is and isn't helpful.

In previous surveys, interviewers were armed with measuring cups, spoons, and rulers when they visited households. But during the next survey, respondents will be able to turn to life-size, two-dimensional pictures -- each marked by a numbered tab -- as well as the cups, spoons, and ruler.

"We're trying to provide a variety of ways for people to estimate amounts in order to make it as easy for them and as accurate as possible," Ingwersen says.

Respondents may find it easier to recall the size of that slice of pizza by turning to one of the wedges pictured under tab 7 and adjusting it to just the right width than to estimate its length and width with a ruler.

Under tab 6, the 5-inch-by-5-inch grid for estimating a serving of lasagna, meat loaf, brownies, or corn bread may shake loose old memories of math class. Ingwersen says, noting that focus groups have helped them fine-tune the booklet.

All their planning should produce more accurate data, according to tests conducted by the ARS researchers. The tests involved 264 men and women from age 20 to over 60, who estimated the portion sizes of all types of foods and beverages using the booklet or the cups, spoons, and ruler.

"People estimated serving sizes reasonably well with both types of guides," says Cleveland. "But they did a little better using the booklet, especially the mounds." On average, estimates improved by about one-third with the mounds compared to the measuring cups.

Asking Without Badgering

"Since the first nationwide collection of individual dietary intakes in 1965," Moshfegh explains, "the focus of research in USDA's nutrition monitoring program has been the question. What is the most effective way to collect a complete 24-hour dietary recall?"

Cleveland, Ingwersen, and their colleagues have been testing and refining a better instrument the new USDA Multiple-Pass Method.

In addition to asking the respondent to remember all they ate, interviewers specifically ask about "forgotten foods," such as nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages, sweets, snacks, or breads.

"Our research showed that beverages accounted for half of forgotten foods," says Moshfegh. "Sweets accounted for one-third."

Based on the results of pilot tests, "we believe this method does a better job of collecting more complete food intakes," she contends. In the first test, 16 foods instead of the 14 reported by their counterparts in the last survey. And they reported 300 more calories, on average. In a larger study with nearly 800 men, women, and children, the trend of more food and more calories continued.

No Easy Task

"There are 2,400 questions about foods and 21,000 possible answers," says Nancy R. Raper, who oversaw the automation. And the job is never ending: "We have to keep up with the foods on the market to assess whether the questions we ask are relevant." she notes. Programming all these questions took about 2 years.

When all the survey data is translated into numbers, it can be analyzed for intake levels of either nutrients or foods, Ingwersen says. "And it can be sorted by any variable you want: age, gender, socioeconomic group, geographic region, food or nutrient, Food Guide Pyramid servings, foods eaten on weekday versus weekend, or outside the home versus at home."

That versatility is what makes the survey data so valuable to researchers and educators, says Moshfegh. And it's critical to government agencies in planning food assistance programs and nutrition education programs.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, March 2001.

Taking Time To Use Medicines Wisely

Women need to play an active role to ensure their own safety when taking medicines. That is the message FDA's campaign on safe medicine use --Women's Health: Take Time to Care (TTTC). The campaign, which the agency launched during October 1999, encourages women to educate themselves and their families about using medicines wisely.

Safe medicine use is an urgent message, says FDA's Office of Women's Health (OWH). As many as 50 percent of the people don't take their medicines as prescribed. According to a 1995 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, medicine-related illness costs $76.6 billion per year in increased hospital stays, lost wages, and death. This is especially significant, the office says, since three out of four doctor visits result in prescriptions, and it is estimated that about 2.8 billion prescriptions will be dispensed in 1999.

The burden for safe medicine use falls disproportionally on women. According to smith Barney Research, women make three-fourths of the health-care decisions in American households and spend almost two of every three health-care dollars.

Ironically, women frequently neglect their own health, citing lack of time and busy schedules, explains Marsha Henderson, OWH health program director. "However," she says, "women should not put themselves last, because everyone benefits -- family, friends, and co-workers -- when women take time to care for themselves and to keep healthy."

To communicate the message that women need to focus on their own health, OWH initiated a pilot of the TTTC program in 1997. The theme "Use Medicines Wisely" included four key messages:

1. Read the Label: Look for the list of ingredients, warnings, and the expiration date.
2. Avoid Problems: Do not skip doses, share medicines, or take in the dark. Ask your health provider about side effects and report any that occur.
3. Ask Questions: What is the medicine's name? Why am I taking it? How should it be taken? Is there a generic available?
4. Keep a Record: List the prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal products that you take. A chart to help you track your medicines is in the brochure.

Source: FDA Consumer, September-October 1999.

Dietary Fat Intake

For saturated fat ( which is what matters most to disease risk), the biggest sources are cheese (#1), beef (#2), more than half of which comes from ground beef), milk (#3), baked goods (#4), margarine (#5), and butter (#6). Those six types of food contribute about half of the saturated fat the average adult is eating (the paper was in JADA (1998) vol. 98, p. 537).The claim that most of Americans' dietary fat comes from the tip of the pyramid comes from a faulty analysis of survey data from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The JADA paper is from NCI and is more scientifically sound. Margo Wootan, Dsc CSPI

Fiber In Figs Dried figs are higher in fiber than any other common fruit or vegetable.Source: California Fig Nutrition News, Winter 2000.

Notes From The Priester National Extension Health Conference

I was fortunate to be able to attend this excellent workshop in Dallas, May 20-22, 2001. The theme of the conference was "Partnering in Communities to Reduce Health Disparities." Included in this issue of the Newsletter are several abstracts based on sessions that I attended at the conference. It was inspiring to meet and get to know Extension educators and their community partners who are working across the country to reduce health disparities. It really is disturbing to know that in our great country, there still exist so many disparities in access to health care, in risk for disease and disability, in health treatment and outcomes. The Healthy People 2010 goal related to health disparities is to eliminate, not reduce, health disparities in the U.S. by 2010. This clearly is an ambitious goal, but it points to the priority that the Department of Health and Human Services placed on this when the goals were developed.

In a talk on the last day of the conference, Dr. Benedict Truman from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention challenged each of us to make at least one health disparity a personal challenge. Whether it is a disparity in infant mortality, breast cancer mortality, child immunization rate, diabetes incidence, or another health area, and whether it is among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, or another ethnic or racial group, being personally committed to making a difference can be a motivating force behind our programs. ~Linda B. Bobroff

Food Safety

Listeriosis -- Update

The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced, on January 19, 2001, their plans to reduce cases of listeriosis by half by 2005. The plan was published on the last day of the Clinton Presidency. What does this mean to you -- and Florida consumers? It is a good time to continue educating consumers about listeriosis. According to Dr. Robert A. Buchanon, a senior science educator at FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), there are 2,000 cases of listeriosis per year. It is reported that about 20% of these cases are fatal. Listeria is a special bacterium that can grow at low temperatures.

According to FDA and USDA data, listeriosis is a foodborne disease that predominantly affects at-risk sub-populations, which include pregnant women, older adults, infants, and those with compromised immune systems. Because listeria can grow at refrigerator temperatures, consumers should use perishable items, precooked foods, or ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible. It is important to advise consumers to clean their refrigerators regularly and use refrigerator thermometers to make sure the refrigerator always stays at 40 degrees F or lower! You can receive additional information from: http://www.foodsafety.gov and http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov

Getting To Know Listeria Monocytogenes And Listeriosis

Listeriosis is an illness caused by L. monocytogenes. Most L. monocytogenes are pathogenic to some degree. The infective dose is unknown but is believed to vary with the strain and susceptibility of the victim. Incubation time before the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms (such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) is unknown but is probably greater than 12 hours. The victim may also experience influenza-like symptoms including persistent fever. Thereafter, the manifestation of the disease may include septicemia (blood infection), meningitis (or meningo-encephalitis), encephalitis, and intrauterine or cervical infections in pregnant women, which may result in spontaneous abortion in the second/third trimester or stillbirth. L. monocytogenes have been associated with foods such as raw milk, supposedly pasteurized fluid milk, soft-ripened chesses, ice cream, raw vegetables, fermented raw-meat sausages, raw and cooked poultry, raw meats (all types), and raw and smoked fish. L. monocytogenes can grow and multiply in the refrigerator and refrigerated foods. The main target populations for listeriosis are pregnant women/fetus, immunocompromised individuals, the elderly, or even healthy people who are taking antacids. For more information, visit the FDA web page at: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov

How Can An Apple A Day Bring Food Poisoning To You?

According to a recent study in the Journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology by University of Georgia researchers, E. coli O157:H7 may burrow its way into the core of unblemished apples! The researchers looked at the bacteria's ability to get inside Red Delicious apples, all of which were free of visible bruises, cuts, or other assaults. The skin of the fruit was punctured with a sterile, blunt nail to mimic injuries that may occur during handling. They were then placed in plastic bags containing E. coli. The results show that not only punctured wounds harbored bacteria, but also the core of the apples. The researchers believe that bacteria entered the core through the floral tube at the base of the apple. Scientists believe pathogenic bacteria enter the internal structures and tissue of fruits and vegetables when the produce comes in contact with bacterial cells in water. This may occur when rain, dew, or irrigation water collects on the surface of the produce, or from contact with ground water when the fruit falls from the tree. Based on previous outbreaks, the bottom line is - never risk drinking unpasteurized apple juice, especially if you are part of a susceptible population group. To receive this article, contact jslwa@asmusa.org

Hard Facts About Campylobacter!

When it comes to the most frequently diagnosed foodborne bacterium, campylobacter is the low profile bug in the picture. According to CDC, campylobacter causes up to four million cases of human infections each year. Although federal and state health experts have long recognized that campylobacter causes disease in animals, the disease was not recognized in humans until the 70's. Campylobacter is commonly found in the intestinal tracts of people or animals without causing any symptoms of illness. However, eating contaminated or undercooked poultry or meat or drinking raw milk or contaminated water may cause campylobacter infection or campylobacteriosis. Symptoms of campylobacteriosis usually occur within two to ten days of ingesting the bacteria. Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. The most common symptoms include mild to severe diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Alarmingly, we now have antibiotic resistant campylobacter. People who consume chicken or turkey contaminated with fluoroquinol one-resistant campylobacter are at risk of becoming infected with bacteria that current drugs can't kill easily. What can you tell consumers? Prevention is better than treatment. For more information visit the FDA or CDC web pages.

Should You Be On The Watch For Cyclospora And Cryptosporidium This Spring And Summer?

In the past, cyclospora infection was usually found in people living or traveling in tropical countries. Now more and more cases are being recognized in western countries such as the U.S.A. and Canada. The risk may vary with the season; infection may be most common in the Spring and Summer months. Since 1996, there have been many outbreaks reported in North America and Canada...including the State of Florida. Vehicles for these outbreaks include contaminated water, fresh berries and raspberries imported from Guatemala. These recent outbreaks demonstrate that there are no borders for these microorganisms.

What are these organisms and where have they come from? These microorganisms are parasitic protozoa. The major protozoan species that affect humans are Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Cyptosporidium parvum, and Cyclospora cayentanensis. These protozoa are single-celled, microscopic animals that reproduce in the intestinal tract of the host. As a result of their life cycle, they produce environmental stages (cysts or oocysts) that are excreted in the feces. Transmission of these protozoa to humans occurs during the infectious cyst or oocyst stage via fecal-oral route. Contaminated hands, surfaces, water, and foods can transmit these protozoa.

For more information, read Journal of Food Protection 62(9):1059-1070. The first known case of cyclospora infection was diagnosed in 1977. Because cyclospora is a newly recognized infectious organism, many questions remain about the ways it is transmitted and the illness it causes. For more information check the FDA & CDC web page and other sites: http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/epi/cyclosp.htm  http://www.wisc.edu/fri/briefs/crypto.htm 

Hygiene Of Your Hands: When Is Clean Too Clean?

Hand hygiene is a primary mechanism for reducing contact and fecal-oral transmission of infectious agents. Widespread use of antimicrobial products has prompted concern about emergence of resistance to antiseptics and damage to the skin barrier associated with frequent washing. The trend toward more frequent washing with detergents, soaps and antimicrobial ingredients needs careful reassessment in light of the damage done to skin and the resultant increased risk for harboring and transmitting infectious agents. The potential advantage of sustained antimicrobial activity for certain occupations (e.g., food handlers and child care providers) must be balanced with the possibility of emergence of resistant microbes or other safety issues! The bottom line is "wash your hands often, but not too excessively!" For more information, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/op/handwashing.htm 

Do Consumers Take Food Safety Seriously? Awareness Is The Key!

Audits International recently released their third National Home Food Safety survey and the results revealed that, despite educational efforts, the majority of consumers are still "doing it wrong" and there is a real need for food safety practices to improve. However, the most important finding is that by increasing consumers' food safety awareness, we can cause significant improvement of food safety practices in the home. Extensive improvements in food safety practices observed in 1997-1999 were due to negative media related to outbreaks associated with hamburgers, raspberries, eggs, chicken, and produce. However, media impressions have decreased since that time and so has the rate of improvement.

For more information, visit: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/Product.asp?vlnk2202

New Federal Organic Rules Are Coming!

Consumers will begin to see more organic labeling on products in their local grocery stores by the summer of 2001. The new standards reject the use of genetic engineering methods, ionizing radiation, and sewage sludge for fertilization. Essentially, the new organic standard offers a national definition for the term "organic." It details the methods, practices, and substances that can be used in producing and handling organic crops, livestock, and processed products. All agricultural products labeled organic must originate from farms or handling operations certified by a state or private agency accredited by USDA. Farms and operations with sales less than $5,000 per year of organic products are exempt from certification.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop

Fda Finalized Safe Handling Labels And Refrigeration For Marketing Shell Eggs

One out of 20,000 eggs produced in the United States is estimated to be contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis (SE), a bacterium responsible for foodborne illness. Persons infected with SE may experience diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea, and vomiting. However, children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems may develop severe or even life threatening illness. Regulations established in February 2001, require shell egg cartons to bear safe handling instructions to improve food safety. The safe handling instructions include "To prevent illness from bacteria: keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs throughly." For more information, check the FDA web page and Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation: Feb 2001 page 146. http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov

E.Coli Lurks In Lettuce Leaves!

Recent research by UGA researchers revealed that after lettuce is washed, E. coli O157:H7 can still be found lurking on leaves. Although supermarket lettuce is rinsed in a mild chlorinated water to kill bacteria, often pathogens still survive, especially around breathing holes and brown spots. According to the UGA researcher, Dr. Joe Frank, the E. coli and other pathogens can penetrate into the surface of the lettuce tissue through its stomata (the holes in which leaves breathe), a bruise, or a damage area on the leaf. There the E. coli is protected from the chlorinated rinse water. People should realize that any time they eat raw agricultural produce, there is a risk of pathogenic infection, even if the risk is low. However, it is possible to further reduce the risk by washing produce and removing bruised or brown spots. For more information, contact Dr. Joe Frank at (706) 542-2286.

Cantaloupe And Salmonella...Recent Outbreaks

Current outbreaks of Salmonella poona involving numerous illnesses and two deaths in many states including AZ, CA, CT, GA, HI, MS, MN, MO, NM, NE, NY, OR, TN, and WS, prompted the FDA to detain all shipments of cantaloupe imported by Shipley Sales Service from S.P.R. De R.I. Legumbrera San Luis and S.P.R. De R.I. Los Arroyos. FDA, states, and other government agencies are continuing to investigate this matter. Salmonella poona is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella poona often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection can result in the organism getting into the blood stream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections. What does this mean to Florida consumers? The consumers should take the following steps with cantaloupe and other produce to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged. If buying fresh-cut produce, be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice. After purchase, put produce that needs refrigeration away promptly. (Fresh whole produce such as bananas and potatoes do not need refrigeration). Fresh produce should be refrigerated within two hours of peeling or cutting. Leftover cut produce should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than two hours. Wash hands often with hot soapy water before and after handling fresh produce, raw meat, poultry, or seafood, as well as after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets.

Some Things To Keep In Mind

• Please remind consumers that fresh produce is grown in or on soil, which is a big reservoir for all kinds of microorganisms.
• Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables with cool tap water immediately before eating. Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
• Cut away any bruised or damaged areas before eating.

For more information call 1-888-SAFEFOOD or visit the FDA web site.