SHELLED PISTACHIO RECALL

PistachioRecall.ORG : A site dedicated to the recent voluntary recall of Shelled Pistachios manufactured by Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc. due to a possible Salmonella Contamination.  So far there have not been any reported illnesses due to the consumption of the potentially contaminated product.  In fact less than 5% of the total annual volume is affected by the recall.  However, it may be best to avoid the product for the time being.

For more information see:

www.fda.gov/pistachios

westernpistachio.org

CHINA, MELAMINE CONTAMINATION

By now, everyone who keeps up with current events on a daily basis knows that in the past 6 months or more many food products made in China were found to be contaminated with Melamine.  

According to Wikipedia, "Melamine is described as being 'Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.  Chronic exposure may cause cancer or reproductive damage.  Eye, skin and respiratory irritant.'  However, the toxic dose is on par with common table salt with an LD 50 of more than 3 grams per kilogram of body weight."

Some of the food products that were found to be contaminated within this time frame in China as well as the US include infant formula, coffee and milk tea products manufactured by the brand Mr. Brown,   White Rabbit Candy, etc.  

  

Within the past month or so, China has passed it's first food safety law.  The new laws would toughen the penalties of makers of tainted food products; establish a new food safety commission board to improve monitoring; beef up safety standards; and recall substandard products.  Although this is a big step for China, many are skeptical that these new laws will actually prevent future situations similar to the contamination of the infant formula.    

I think this is a good first step to ensure safety for the people of China.  However, regardless of laws put into place and how much a sector is regulated there is still a chance for human error to occur, failing to operate technological equipment properly, or even failure of the equipment itself.  Food manufacturers should take extra precautions and not rush through the manufacturing process to ensure quality and safety of products.

ARTICLES

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-03-01-chinafood01_N.htm

http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2009/03/will-chinas-new-food-safety-laws-work/

Typhoid Mary

Mary Mallon, notoriously known as 'Typhoid Mary', was the first person to be identified as a healthy carrier of Typhoid Fever.  Mallon was a cook in the New York area and infected 47 people, three of whom died through her work as a cook.   She denied that she was the cause of the spread of infection and refused to stop working as a cook when she was accused.  She was quarantined twice by public health officials and died under quarantine.  It may have been possible that Mallon was born with the disease since her mother had typhoid fever during pregnancy.     

The picture to the left is what I assume to be a magazine or newspaper article describing Mallon's experience as a cook and the accusations make against her.