OT: one more thing about vegan diet...

[Guest guest]

I did an interview with Dr. Michael Greger for " The Mad Cowboy "

(http://www.madcowboy.com) on his new " Avian Flu " book and he offered the

wonderful characterization of the FDA/USDA's recommendations for a " safe "

kitchen to operating a " biohazard laboratory! "

 

His point was: with meat, and the possible contamination within and without,

there are a ton of rules and recommendations that are not unlike aforementioned

" biohazard lab. "

 

I just LOVE that observation. I mentioned it to a checker at a grocery store

who's scanner was actually clean (she was concerned about meat juices) and noted

that I don't have to worry excessively about knives, my cutting boards, or my

kitchen counters... contamination might make me nauseous, but certainly won't

give me " food poisoning. " Apparently, she used to work in an Assisted Living

Facility's kitchen and was well-schooled in the contamination issues.

 

Guess I'll have to blog about that... such a cool concept! Thanks for the two

posts, y'all.

 

FYI and Best, Mark

http://www.soulveggie.com

[Guest guest]

Don't be fooled into thinking that " food poisoning " is only a risk for

omnivores. It is quite easy for fresh product to be contaminated with

pathogens. In 2004, the Center for Science in the Public Interest

analyzed 3500 outbreak reports and found that produce was responsible

for more food-borne illnesses than animal products.

(http://www.cspinet.org/new/200404011.html and published in the Journal

of Environmental Health)

 

In the past month or two, there was a nation-wide recall of cantaloupes

due to Salmonella contamination. Within the past 12 months we have had

recalled fresh spinach due to E. coli O157:H7, plus problems with

raspberries, alfalfa sprouts, leaf lettuce, carrot juice, fresh cut

fruit, mushrooms, pesto and tomatoes. That's just what I recall off the

top of my head!!

 

From a public health perspective, I recommend following good sanitary

practices regardless of omnivore/vegetarian/vegan status, including the

washing of all fresh produce prior to preparing and eating it, avoiding

cross-contamination between cleaned and uncleaned produce and to wash

your cutting boards, knives and hands regularly during food preparation.

 

</soapbox>

 

Mary

 

 

> I mentioned it to a checker at a grocery store who's scanner was

> actually clean (she was concerned about meat juices) and noted that I

> don't have to worry excessively about knives, my cutting boards, or

> my kitchen counters... contamination might make me nauseous, but

> certainly won't give me " food poisoning. " Apparently, she used to

> work in an Assisted Living Facility's kitchen and was well-schooled

> in the contamination issues.

[Guest guest]

Mary,

While you're right - unsafe is unsafe - wasn't the source of plant contamination animal feces?

 

 

-

Mary

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 4:36 PM

Re:OT: one more thing about vegan diet...

 

 

Don't be fooled into thinking that "food poisoning" is only a risk for omnivores. It is quite easy for fresh product to be contaminated with pathogens. In 2004, the Center for Science in the Public Interest analyzed 3500 outbreak reports and found that produce was responsible for more food-borne illnesses than animal products. (http://www.cspinet.org/new/200404011.html and published in the Journal of Environmental Health)In the past month or two, there was a nation-wide recall of cantaloupes due to Salmonella contamination. Within the past 12 months we have had recalled fresh spinach due to E. coli O157:H7, plus problems with raspberries, alfalfa sprouts, leaf lettuce, carrot juice, fresh cut fruit, mushrooms, pesto and tomatoes. That's just what I recall off the top of my head!!From a public health perspective, I recommend following good sanitary practices regardless of omnivore/vegetarian/vegan status, including the washing of all fresh produce prior to preparing and eating it, avoiding cross-contamination between cleaned and uncleaned produce and to wash your cutting boards, knives and hands regularly during food preparation.</soapbox>Mary> I mentioned it to a checker at a grocery store who's scanner was> actually clean (she was concerned about meat juices) and noted that I> don't have to worry excessively about knives, my cutting boards, or> my kitchen counters... contamination might make me nauseous, but> certainly won't give me "food poisoning." Apparently, she used to> work in an Assisted Living Facility's kitchen and was well-schooled> in the contamination issues.

[Guest guest]

Yes, in all cases of salmonella and

ecoli recalls , contaminated livestock manures were the culprit.

For information on "Stockfree " gardening, using plantbased composts ,

cover crops, mulching and cruelty-free horticultural practices, check

out :

 

Vegan Organic Network

http://www.veganorganic.net/

 

and Plants for a Future

http://www.pfaf.org/index.php

 

both have excellent resourses, articles and PFAF has a huge database of

usable and edible plants.

Clear skies

lc carol

 

 

Janet Coe Hammond wrote:

 

Mary,

While you're

right - unsafe is unsafe - wasn't the source of plant contamination

animal feces?

 

 

-----

Original Message -----

 

Mary

To:

 

 

Sent:

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 4:36 PM

Subject:

Re:OT: one more thing about vegan diet...

 

 

 

 

Don't be fooled into thinking that "food poisoning" is only a risk for

omnivores. It is quite easy for fresh product to be contaminated with

pathogens. In 2004, the Center for Science in the Public Interest

analyzed 3500 outbreak reports and found that produce was responsible

for more food-borne illnesses than animal products.

(http://www.cspinet.org/new/200404011.html

and published in the Journal

of Environmental Health)

 

In the past month or two, there was a nation-wide recall of cantaloupes

 

due to Salmonella contamination. Within the past 12 months we have had

recalled fresh spinach due to E. coli O157:H7, plus problems with

raspberries, alfalfa sprouts, leaf lettuce, carrot juice, fresh cut

fruit, mushrooms, pesto and tomatoes. That's just what I recall off the

 

top of my head!!

 

From a public health perspective, I recommend following good sanitary

practices regardless of omnivore/vegetarian/vegan status,

including the

washing of all fresh produce prior to preparing and eating it, avoiding

 

cross-contamination between cleaned and uncleaned produce and to wash

your cutting boards, knives and hands regularly during food preparation.

 

</soapbox>

 

Mary

 

> I mentioned it to a checker at a grocery store who's scanner was

> actually clean (she was concerned about meat juices) and noted

that I

> don't have to worry excessively about knives, my cutting boards, or

> my kitchen counters... contamination might make me nauseous, but

> certainly won't give me "food poisoning." Apparently, she used to

> work in an Assisted Living Facility's kitchen and was well-schooled

> in the contamination issues.

[Guest guest]

Animal wastes, often *human* wastes, are often a source of microbial

contamination, but not always. Spoilage microbes can make you sick and

botulism spores are ubiquitous in the soil. I'm sure there are other

examples that I can't think of off the top of my head.

 

I don't happen to use animal manures in my garden, but I also don't

control the local wildlife or where they poop. The rabbits, snakes,

toads, birds, deer, coyotes, woodchucks, foxes, and insects can

certainly share their parasites and microbes with me if I don't

carefully wash my garden produce. I also have no control over what

happens to purchased produce during growing, processing and shipping,

from contaminated seed to rodents to wildlife to unclean human hands

or unclean equipment. I also have no control over how well said

produce is cleaned (or when during processing it is cleaned).

 

The point I was trying to make was that eliminating animal products

from your home doesn't mean you no longer need to worry about

microbial contamination of food or about food safety. In the end, does

it really matter from where the microbes originate?

 

Mary

 

 

 

, " Janet Coe Hammond "

<janetcoe wrote:

>

> Mary,

> While you're right - unsafe is unsafe - wasn't the source of plant

contamination animal feces?

>