First cantaloupe, now romaine lettuce......

[marmar]

(Bloomberg) A California farm recalled almost 2,500 cartons of bagged romaine lettuce after a sample tested positive for listeria, a potentially deadly bacterium.

No illnesses have been linked to the recalled lettuce, producer True Leaf Farms, owned by closely held Church Brothers LLC in Salinas, California, said in a statement posted today on the Food and Drug Administration’s website. The product was shipped Sept. 12 and Sept. 13 to food distributors in 21 states and its “use by” date is Sept. 29, Church Brothers said yesterday in a separate statement.

Listeria is the same type of germ found in an unrelated case since July 31 of tainted cantaloupes from Colorado that sickened 72 people and killed at least 13 in the biggest U.S. foodborne illness outbreak in more than a decade. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are among those at greatest risk from listeria infections. Symptoms include fever and diarrhea. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-30/romaine-lettuce-recalled-in-21-states-after-linked-to-listeria.html

[Dr Fate]

1. Organic grocery stores, farmers markets, CSAs.

I've been doing this for over a year and everytime I hear about one of these food scares, I just shrug my shoulders and say to myself "I'm glad I dont support these big farms and corporations, my food is wholesome, delicious, safe and farmed by Americans earning a decent wage..."

Pay a little extra for the peace of mind, health benefits and support of smaller family & sustainable farms.

[Cal Carpenter]

8. "Organic" has little to do with this

This is about scale. Organic farms can be huge agribusiness now, thanks to the likes of Whole Foods and Walmart making big business out of it.

Not to say that people who have the time/energy/knowledge to be very aware of getting their food can't get better stuff if they know how, but the bottom line is these are SYSTEMIC problems in our food supply and the USDA Organic label is no protection against that.

[Dr Fate]

14. My point is that many organic farms tend to be on a smaller scale.

You are right to a point- see the post below about the corporate, large scale organics coming from Mexico.

I never said to focus on a USDA lable at all- I suggested that we can get wholesome food from closer to the source, from smaller-scale farmers.

Yup- the problem is the system, so one could stop getting their food from the system!

As far a energy/knowledge, etc- takes 5 seconds to see a TV report about poison food, takes maybe 20 minutes of reading the internet to learn about alternatives. It's no big "elite" secret that liberals are not willing to share with everyone.

[Cal Carpenter]

17. So it's about personal consumer choices

rather then working to get a system that actually feeds people in a safe way.

Got it.

[Dr Fate]

19. Never said that at all. You can vote with your wallet until DEMS decide to do something about this.

DEMS should be fighting for and giving farm subsidies to small organic family farms instead of giving them to multi-national corporations that use illegal labor, engage in unethical business practices and make us sick with poisoned food.

Not going to happen any time soon- Obama has his Monsanto executive buddy in charge of the FDA, for instance.

Too many DEMS frightened of Republicans and the media calling them "food elitists."

Sure- work within the system to change it- but in the meantime (the next 20 years?) Best not to wait for the "pragmatists" to protect your food. Sadly, our current system forces us to find the safe, wholesome food ourselves.

[Cal Carpenter]

22. LOL, pragmatists

No, I think it'll be revolutionaries, not Dems or pragmatists that make real systemic change, rest assured.

And not that it has anything to do with it, but for the record I have worked on organic farms, including a small CSA, I was (very briefly) a sales rep for an organic food company selling 200,000 pounds of product in one fell swoop, and atm I eat mostly out of my own front yard. I know what I need to do to eat pretty well, but your argument is basically blame the victim/too bad for the least powerful with the least choices. I don't see it that way. The fact is that not everyone can do it, given that small local food makes up a tiny share of the market and no amount of consumer choice will increase that any faster than the next 20 years either.

I'm not clueless about this, and I don't have the agenda you seem to assume I do.

[Dr Fate]

24. Not blaming victims. Blaming the corporations and the politicans that support them.

Where did you get that from?

I am saying that until revolutionaries, politicians, whoever it is going to be- changes the system, then it is up to the people to educate each other and to make the right food choices. This can be a separate movement or it can be done within the system for all I care- so long as it happens. I Dont see any real change for years to come either way.

"Revolutionaries" as in people doing it themselves? Pretty much what I am saying, no?

Yup- not everyone can do it, but most people actually can. Even red-neck, 90% Republican towns like Augusta GA have organic grocery stores and farmers markets once every couple of weeks.

Since the current system is not changing anytime soon, I dont see why you have such a problem with me suggesting that people go around the system (for now) and support healthy, local food.

My depression era grandparents managed to have a garden, for instance, and they were not rich at all, by any stretch of the imagination.

Otherwise, I love what you do food-wise and I'm pretty sure I'm with you 100%. I never assumed you had an agenda, I was just clarifiying my own points.

We agree the system will be slow in changing- so the issue for me is: What and how do we eat in the meantime?

[Cal Carpenter]

26. I fear we are speaking in different languages

You said: "Revolutionaries" as in people doing it themselves?

Um, no, that's not what I meant. I meant basically the exact opposite of that.

And you may not realize it, but you are blaming the victims. It is only a minor step from what you have said to saying "well, they wouldn't have gotten food poisoning if they had just bought their food at a small local grocer or farmer's market". How about so many cities, where millions live, some of which have literally no grocery stores at all for miles, let alone 'natural' ones or farmers markets? How many farmers markets which still can't accept food stamps?

I really don 't want to get into the personal choice debate because it is counterproductive to any real change. I have no problem with telling people how to get better food but in the context of a political board it is self-defeating to focus only on that. You say the system 'isn't changing anytime soon' and this is precisely why. This isn't about consumer choices or belief systems, which seems to be the bottom line to far too many people. No one can fathom what it might actually take to change the system so they preach libertarian-style individual choice crap and don't even realize they are doing it, and in doing so they are protecting the status quo, not challenging it.

[Dr Fate]

29. I am assuming that anyone on DU with a computer during the middle of the day could research food.

I hear and agree with what you say except for your charge that I am blaming poor people, etc.

Not blaming the vicitm at all.

I wish Obama and the DEMS would give the small farms tax breaks & subsides and also give the poor and middle class REAL tax breaks so it could be affordable. Wish these revolutionaries, whoever they are (I thought you meant farmers and their supporters)would hurry up and fix it if the politicians cannot.

Yup, lots of people who are uneducated, too busy, live near nothing but corner liquor stores, etc. and they will not make the right food choices.

I'm guessing that most of the people on DU that I was speaking to do no fit that profile. DUers on this thread seem generally educated, have enough money to own computers or otherwise goof off on DU during work hours, etc. Most should be able to afford decent food as well, or at least make it a part of their budget.

Full disclosure here- I live from paycheck to paycheck and have little or no money left over after bills when I get paid. Then again, I have a clean bill of health with the doctor, which I did not have 2 years ago.

Even if we all get off DU and march in front of the FDA and the USDA, etc. right now, it will still be years b/f we get the results we want.

Even if we had an actual revolution right now, we would still need to eat something.

All I'm saying to DUers is: "In the meantime try not to eat food with poison on it. Here is how you can do this..."

[Cal Carpenter]

32. I gotcha

And I hope I don't sound totally antagonistic.

I just think there is way too much 'in the meantime' and not enough 'how about right fucking now?!'

Without getting too much into revolutionary theory, as that isn't what DU is about, obviously, I will say that if we get profit out of food systems the food will get a lot healthier pretty quick... even using the same infrastructure/scale we have now. But I expect nothing from the Dems on that front. Even if we get more 'regulation' via legislation it is rarely strong enough or even enforced. Frankly, when we see announcements of recalls, they are the exception, not the rule. It just means that a test actually grabbed the right piece of lettuce (or whatever this thread started about, LOL) and it tested positive, or enough people reported food poisoning that a pattern could be established and the source identified. More often than not, people get minor food poisoning, never report it, and we never know where the weak points are in the processing/distribution system.

[Dr Fate]

35. Like I said, seems like you and I are on the same page here.

You present facts that seem to back up my argument as much as they back up your argument. WAIT! maybe we are making the same argument, more or less?

'how about right fucking now?!'

Fine by me, but even revolutionaries have to eat something, right now. Why not something wholesome, if one can get it?

I say the more of us who are trying to eat local, sustainable foods, like you try to do, the better.

[Kurovski]

2. precautionary recall on Organic cherry tomatoes...

http://mobile-cuisine.com/business/food-recalls/andrew-williamson-recalls-organic-grape-tomatoes/

"IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 28, 2011 – Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce is voluntarily recalling one lot of organic grape tomatoes sold under the Limited Edition® and Fresh & Easy labels due to a possible health risk from Salmonella."

[Dr Fate]

7. A "Product of Mexico", according to the article. Buy local organic from smaller, US family farms.

And you will see little or none of these problems we see with the big manufacturers, Mexican importers, etc.

Why the hell do we need tomatoes grown in Mexico to begin with? LOL!

[Kurovski]

11. I grow my own in the summer.

Jes like grandaddy did.

And I always warsh my hands an' 'tomatters right good.

[Dr Fate]

16. Yup! We call it "organic". Granddaddy called it "food." nt

nt

[bvar22]

27. FYI... Some "smaller family farms" WILL use MORE Pesticides...

...than a Commercial Operation,
especially if their crop is threatened.
Some will also tell you to your face that "Sure, all my stuff is chemical free Organic."
It happens everyday.

A BIG part of Chemical Free Organic Farming is the willingness to Lose a Crop in a bad year.
It is really hard to watch helplessly when your Squash Crop (or anything else) is consumed by insects.
The economy is getting tighter, and many "small family farms" or retired "Hobby Farmers" have become dependent of the few bucks they take in at the Farmers Markets. They are much Less Willing to lose a crop.

There is even LESS oversight over Small Farms and Farmer's Markets than BIG Commercial Operations.
This includes growing, harvesting, handling, processing, packaging, and transportation of the produce.
It happens.
We KNOW.

The ONLY way to know For Sure is to grow your own.
In 2006, my Wife & I moved to The Woods and started growing our own food.
If we get poisoned,
at least we will have the comfort of knowing we did it ourselves!

So far, we haven't poisoned ourselves yet,
but it is very easy to do if you handle chickens and vegetables,
and most Small Scale Organic Farmers do so... every day.
:hippie:

[Dr Fate]

30. All for growing it yourself, or knowing your farmers via a CSA.

All I know is that I have gotten much, much healthier, and never sick on the toliet for days or what have you.

And yes, I realize that people who cannot afford computers and who are working all day instead of DUing cannot always afford these things...

[bvar22]

33. What the Farmers Markets DO offer...

... is Fresher Produce that has been picked closer to Ripe in a Multi-Crop environment with natural fertilizers,
and most of them (as far as we know) are honest.
(At least those vendors that didn't buy their stuff at Walmart and repackage it the night before.)

THAT is always better tasting and more nutritious.
Health concerns aside, we would Grow our Own if only for the taste.

[Dr Fate]

36. I tell that to people all the time. If for no other reason, eat it b/c it TASTES BETTER.

I'm sure there are examples of fraud, unethical business practices etc. at local markets as there would be in any for-profit endeavor- but is it on a scale comparable to Monsanto, etc? I doubt it.

I realize that not everyone has access to CSAs and farmers markets, but we have actually met most of our farmers.

I could be wrong, but I believe they are more ethical and more responsible than the average corporate CEO, Monsanto approved FDA chief, etc.

[otohara]

3. DeLauro Hits Boehner, GOP on Food Safety Funding

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), a longtime hawk on food safety issues, once again blasted Republicans for seeking cuts to federal food safety programs, this time singling out Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) whose own district is currently dealing with an E. coli outbreak.

Tyson Fresh Meats recalled more than 131,000 pounds of ground beef Tuesday, an action that, DeLauro says, was taken in response to a family in Butler County, Ohio who fell ill likely from eating ground beef contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

WCPO, an ABC affiliate in Cincinnati, reported that four children became ill, including a 9-year-old who was hospitalized for about 10 days.

"This latest recall should serve as a wake-up call for Speaker Boehner, and all Republicans, that food safety is an issue that affects all Americans, and we must take action," said DeLauro, in a statement issued Tuesday. "The safety of American consumers should be a priority, and I urge my Republican colleagues to recognize the seriousness of the issue and ensure that the USDA and FDA have the support they need to protect our food supply. It is literally a matter of life and death."http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/09/delauro-hits-beohner-gop-on-food-safety-funding/

[Lucinda]

4. Hadn't hear d about the romaine. Thank you!

KNR

[Ed Suspicious]

5. I'm getting really tired of this.

We have a farmer's market that I frequent but I end up rolling the dice on factory farmed produce often enough to be concerned. My family recently decided we were going to limit meat and processed food consumption in favor of fruits and vegatables. Processed seems like it will kill you slowly, while the fresh stuff hits right away. Can't win for trying. :(

[Dr Fate]

10. I think you are making a great decision.

I cant speak for everyone who eats healthy, but we started this about a year ago.

Lost weight, lowered my cholesterol and blood preassure to optimal levels w/o drugs, my eyesight improved to where I had to get weaker glasses. No more back pains, no more insomnia, no more bathroom problems (LOL!)Complements from everyone on how healthy and trim I have gotten.

LOL! And NO food poisoning that I know of!

Go local, go organic. It's more expensive but I beleive the long term benefits for your health and community out weighs that.

[izquierdista]

23. Bleach in the wash water

Like a tablespoon per gallon and immerse it for a few minutes. Rinse them a couple times after soaking and your fruits and veggies are ready to go.

As human civilization has evolved, human digestive systems have become delicate. Chickens can scratch through a cow pattie, looking for some dung beetles to swallow, but humans doing that would be asking for trouble. We have avoided water borne illnesses by drinking beer and wine (alcohol sanitized) or coffee and tea (heat sanitized). When corporations decide to "cut costs", the direct result is often letting a few more bacteria into the food supply. Bacteria that in some cases can be fatal.

[Dr Fate]

25. I never have to bleach my organic lettuce. I wash it with plain cold water under the sink. Done.

Never got sick, ever.

Dad had a huge back yard garden growing up and bleach never came into the picture as far as I know.

Food that is grown and stored properly does not need to be washed with harsh chemicals that are arguably poisonous themselves.

[izquierdista]

28. I trust my backyard

The supermarket, not so much. My fall crop of Romaine lettuce is coming up, and I could eat it straight from the garden.

All the E. coli problems with beef are preventable, but it costs money to slow down and not spill the bowel contents all over the place. Even then, when they have carcasses hanging up, a bleach spray would kill surface E. coli, but that would require time, materials and labor to perform. If it's a product of agribusiness, you are better off chemically or heat treating it to kill off pathogens.

[Dr Fate]

31. Agreed. I would just try to avoid the product of agribusiness to begin with.

As said above, I realize that many people cannot afford or otherwise do not have access to local food, orgainic food, etc, but I'm guessing that many if not most DUers do if they look into it. At least for a few items if nothing else.

It's a start.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. Not America's Favorite Snackfood!!!

For those old enough to remember, that's a Steve Martin line from an old Saturday Live parody of Jeopardy. My wife and i still use that everytime we hear anything about Romaine lettuce.
GAC

[Kurovski]

12. Deep fry it!

[1776Forever]

9. So far, the cantaloupe listeria outbreak has sickened more than 70 people and killed up to 16...

Cantaloupe crisis lesson: Some food should always be avoided
BY MARILYNN MARCHIONE September 29, 2011 9:32PM

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/7950977-423/cantaloupe-crisis-lesson-some-food-should-always-be-avoided.html

"An unappetizing fact: Although the current cantaloupe outbreak has been tied to just one farm in Colorado, it’s at least the 19th outbreak involving that melon since 1984. It’s also the first one caused by listeria, a germ that actually likes to be in the refrigerator and thrives in this fruit, which cannot be cooked unless you want to eat melon mush."

....

More on the Romaine lettuce outbreak

September 30, 2011 1:28 PM
Listeria risk prompts recall by Calif. lettuce grower
By Ryan Jaslow

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20113951-10391704.html

...True Leaf Farms of Salinas, Calif., said Thursday it was recalling lettuce bags with a "use by date of Sept. 29," though no illnesses have been reported. The recall is for 90 cartons that were shipped to an Oregon food service distributor. From the distributor, it might have gone to at least Washington and Idaho.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Don't buy pre-bagged, pre washed, etc. produce.

Buy heads of lettuce as is, close to the source, preferably organic, locally grown, farmers market, etc.

[ashling]

15. Don't worry, the Teaparty will simply get rid of all food safety

regulations and food inspection so we won't know about it. Solves everything!

isn't it obvious that this is :sarcasm:?

[FourScore]

18. NOOOOO!!!!!

Caesar salad is my FAVORITE!!!

[Dr Fate]

20. Then go get some lettuce grown by a small organic farmer.

It will taste a million times better and it wont make you poop funny for 3 weeks. LOL!

If you are making your ceasar dressing from a raw egg, better go organic on those as well.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

21. All of these foods are trying to kill us! They are the terrorists I say!

When do we send the drones in to take out their camps - I mean fields?
















(Meant to be humorous)

[TexasProgresive]

34. Who writes this shit?

Listeria is the same type of germ found in an unrelated case since July 31 of tainted cantaloupes from
Colorado

How about, "Listeria caused 72 to sicken and at least 13 deaths in an unrelated case in tainted cantaloupes from Colorado."

Listeria is not the same type of germ it is the same (a different strain perhaps).