Cornell University Awarded Food Safety Grants

Cornell University is receiving nearly $1 million in grants from the U.s. Department of Agriculture to study and research food safety issues.

Here are the two grants awarded to Cornell:

Cornell University, Ithaca
$479,764  |  Examine the significance of water films and droplets on the initial retention and attachment of foodborne pathogens to the surface of fresh produce and explore potential steps to modify conditions of the initial attachment process so that pathogens can be washed off more easily.

Cornell University
$499, 997  |  Execute a three-pronged, interdisciplinary, mechanistic approach involving engineering modeling, microfluids, and microbiology validation to study active and passive attachment and internalization at produce surfaces during exposure to contaminated water during irrigation/washing, as well as passive infiltration into produce from hydro- and vacuum-cooling.

These were part of nearly $19 million in grants announced Tuesday by USDA. The 36 food safety grants are aimed at research that will protect consumers from food issues.

Staphylococcus Found in Cheese Sold in Westchester County

News from the state Department of Agriculture and Markets:


New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Acting Commissioner James B. Bays, today warned consumers not to consume Emperador Farm Queso Fresco “Fresh Cheese” made by Emperador Farm Inc. of East Chatham, NY, due to possible Staphylococcus aureus contamination.

The recalled fresh Spanish-style cheese is sold in 1-pound plastic tub packages. The manufacturer presented on the package is:  Emperador Farm Inc., 667 Frisbee St., East Chatham, NY  12060. The package labels do not bear a lot code. All production lots of product containing this label, are being recalled.  The product was distributed to stores in Westchester County.

A routine sample of the cheese, taken by an inspector from the Department’s Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services on October 28, 2013 was subsequently tested by the New York State Food Laboratory and discovered to be contaminated with high levels of Staphylococcus aureus.  On October 30, 2013, the manufacturer was notified of the positive test result and voluntarily recalled the product.   

Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that usually causes rapid food poisoning symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, retching, abdominal cramping and prostration.  In more severe cases, headache, muscle cramping and transient changes in blood pressure and pulse may occur.  Recovery generally takes two days.  All people are susceptible.  Death is very rare, however such cases have occurred among the elderly, infants and severely debilitated persons.

Consumers who have purchased the Emperador Farm Queso Fresco Fresh Cheese should return the product to the place of purchase or discard it.

Breeding the Nutrition Out of Our Food

An interesting piece from the New York Times Sunday opinion page.

Here http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/opinion/sunday/breeding-the-nutrition-out-of-our-food.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0 it is. Take a look and comment on it below.

USDA Blog Posts Story about Food Companies and Produce Healthfulness

Shouldn't this have been going on all along?

http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/04/16/u-s-food-companies-refocus-on-product-healthfulness/