Do Sprouts Need Nutritional Labeling

Do Sprouts Need Nutritional Labeling DoSprouts Need Nutritional Labeling? SproutNet September 2,2002 Mike Lalley, of Living Foods, contacted the FDA to find out ifsprouts need to have nutritional labeling.  This is the reply he receivedfrom Beatrice Greenberg of the FDA. "This is in reply to your facsimile submitted on August 14, 2002 concerning the labeling of sprouts.  You asked if nutrition information has to be provided on the label of packaged raw sprouts, i.e., bean, alfalfa, radish, garlic, clover, onion, etc., that are rinsed with 50 ppm of water and calcium hypochlorite.  You also stated that it was your understanding that these products are covered under the voluntary nutrition labeling program. Vegetables that are washed in the manner you described are considered to have received little processing and are subject to the voluntary nutrition labeling program described in 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 101.45. Therefore, packaged raw spouts are not required to provide nutrition information if the label does not include any nutrient content claims, health claims, or other

Do Sprouts Need Nutritional Labeling2018-10-26T14:44:18+00:00

Seed Source Identified for E Coli Outbreaks

Seed Source Identified for E Coli Outbreaks Linked to Sprouts Seed source identified for E. coli outbreaks linked to sprouts News RX Health & Medicine Week Page 1052 2005 AUG 8   Investigators have identified a common seed source for temporally distinct Escherichia coli 0157 outbreaks associated with alfalfa sprouts.   "Escherichia coli 0157 outbreaks were identified in Minnesota in February 2003 involving seven persons and in Colorado in July 2003 involving 13 persons. Case isolates from the two states had matching pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. Independent case-control studies linked infections in each outbreak with eating alfalfa sprouts that were traced to the same seed distributor," scientists in the United States report.   "The Colorado sprouter reportedly complied with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sprout guidance, whereas the Minnesota sprouter did not," said Dayna Devon Ferguson at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and collaborators in the U.S. "These investigations revealed that increased compliance with existing FDA guidance is needed and that additional research is needed to improve the alfalfa seed decontamination

Seed Source Identified for E Coli Outbreaks2018-10-24T13:49:25+00:00

Safer Sprouts

Safer Sprouts Safer Sprouts   Fresh and colorful alfalfa sprouts, crisp and crunchy mung bean sprouts, or any of the half dozen other kinds of raw sprouts sold in America today add taste and texture to salads, sandwiches, soups, omelets, and other dishes. What's more, sprouts can give you plenty of protein, a lot of fiber, and a generous amount of antioxidants like vitamin C. But those same sprouts-if not grown and processed under hygienic conditions-can also leave you with a nasty case of food poisoning caused by pathogenic microbes such as Salmonella or E. coli O157:H7. Now, investigations by Agricultural Research Service microbiologist Amy O. Charkowski may help make sprouts safer. She is with the Food Safety and Health Research Unit at Albany, California. Solutions for Small Farms In the United States, the delicious, sprouted seeds of red clover, broccoli, wheat, radish, soybean, mung bean, alfalfa, and other vegetables or grains "are produced primarily by small operations," says Charkowski. Many are family-run. These 'sprouters,' as they are nicknamed in the industry, may not

Safer Sprouts2018-10-24T13:44:55+00:00

Seed Sanitation – Chlorine Sprout Safety Research

Seed Sanitation - Chlorine Sprout Safety Research We have amassed helpful articles on seed sanitation, chlorine and sprout safety. Enjoy this research and get in touch if you have any questions. Also see our Links Page "Alfalfa Seed Decontamination in a Salmonella Outbreak", CDC, Emerging Infectious Diseases, April 2003, Vol 9, No.4, Christopher J. Gill, William E. Keene, Janet C. Mohle-Boetani, Jeff A. Farrar, Patti L. Waller, Christine G. Hahn, and Paul R. Cieslak. "Application of calcium hypochlorite as a seed disinfectant (a preliminary report)", K Jinnoh,  et al., 1975, Hyogo Kenritsu Nogyo Shikenjo Kenkyu Hokoku, 23, 1-8. "Calcium hypochlorite as a disinfectant for seeds", Jinno, K , et al., 1977, Nogyo Oyobi Engei, 52, ,1489-1494. "Comment on Produce Safety from Production to Consumption", Posted July 22, 2004, Food and Drug Administration Docket No. 2004M-0258. International Specialty Supply. "Chlorine Inactivation of Eschrichia Coli O157:H7 in Water", October 2001, Journal of Food Protection: Vol. 64, No. 10, pp. 16071609., Tong Zhao, Michael P. Doyle, and Ping Zhao, Center for Food Safety, University of

Seed Sanitation – Chlorine Sprout Safety Research2018-10-24T13:44:10+00:00

New Process May Make Sprouts Safer

New Process May Make Sprouts Safer New process may make sprouts safer Oregon State University News 10-09-98 By Dennis Hinkamp, 541-737-3379 SOURCES: Norma Corristan, 503-986-4565 John Henry Wells, 503-725-5951 PORTLAND - Alfalfa sprouts - the healthy, crunchy addition to salads and sandwiches - have been implicated in an increasing number of food poisoning cases over the last five years. Now Oregon State University and Oregon Department of Agriculture researchers are initiating study of a heating technique used in the plywood industry they believe can combat the problem. Sprout-related illness is a public safety issue and a threat to Oregon agriculture, which supplies a significant portion of the nation's sprout seed supply. Occasionally, E. coli O157:H7 and salmonella bacteria are found on alfalfa seeds used for sprouting. These bacteria can rapidly multiply while the seeds are in the warm, moist environment needed to produce sprouts. OSU and ODA researchers think innovative packaging and "capacitive dielectric heating" - a process similar to microwave heating - might be a solution to the problem

New Process May Make Sprouts Safer2018-10-24T13:43:37+00:00

Moulds and Yeasts in Sprouts

Moulds and Yeasts in Sprouts and Other Minimally Processed Vegetables Moulds and Yeasts in Fresh and Minimally Processed Vegetables, and Sprouts. Int J Food Microbiol. 2005 Mar 1;99(1):71-7. Tournas VH. Division of Natural Products, Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740, USA. A limited survey of fresh and minimally processed vegetables, and sprouts was conducted in the Washington, DC area to determine if potentially toxigenic and pathogenic fungi were present in these commodities. Thirty-nine ready-to-eat salads, 29 whole fresh vegetables and 116 sprout samples (bean, alfalfa, broccoli, crunchy, garlic, spicy, onion, clover, lentil and multi-seed sprouts) were purchased from 13 local supermarkets and tested for yeast and mould counts as well as the presence of toxigenic moulds. Yeasts were the most prevalent organisms found in these samples, at levels ranging from less than 100 to 4.0x10(8) cfu/g. Mould counts generally ranged from less than 100 to 4.0x10(4) cfu/g. Two crunchy sprout samples, however, contained unusually high numbers of Penicillium (1.1x10(8) and 1.3x10(8) cfu/g), two alfalfa

Moulds and Yeasts in Sprouts2018-10-24T13:42:29+00:00

Health Officials Issue Alfalfa Sprouts Advisory

Health Officials Issue Alfalfa Sprouts Advisory Health Officials Issue Alfalfa Sprouts Advisory THD news release August 26, 2005 Tulsa City-County Health Department Melanie Christian, Community Relations Manager 5051 S. 129th East Ave. Tulsa, OK 74134   (Tulsa, OK) - Health officials today issued an advisory to the public about the risk of eating alfalfa sprouts after a local individual was hospitalized with an e. coli infection suspected to have come from eating alfalfa sprouts. E. coli infection occurs most commonly from eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef. Other known sources of infection include consumption of sprouts, lettuce, salami, unpasteurized milk and juice, and swimming in or drinking sewage-contaminated water. Bacteria in stools of infected persons can be passed from one person to another if hygiene or handwashing habits are inadequate. E. coli infection often leads to bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and occasionally kidney failure. Most persons recover without antibiotics or other specific treatment in 5-10 days, however, children under 5 years of age, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems

Health Officials Issue Alfalfa Sprouts Advisory2018-10-24T13:31:17+00:00

Outbreak of Escherichia Coli 0157 Infections Associated with Consumption of Alfalfa Sprouts

2003 Outbreak of Escherichia Coli 0157 Infections Associated with Consumption of Alfalfa Sprouts Produced in Minneapolis 2003 Outbreak of Escherichia coli 0157 Infections Associated with Consumption of Alfalfa Sprouts produced in Minneapolis Kevin Elfering, Program Director, Dairy, Food and Meat Inspection Division, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Background   On February 14, 2003, through routine surveillance of E. coli 0157 isolates submitted from clinical laboratories, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) identified a cluster of five E. coli 0157 case-isolates with an indistinguishable pulsed- field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern.                      .   Methods   Epidemiologic investigation   During February 14 to 18, 2003, MDH conducted a case-control study based on hypotheses generated from standard enteric pathogen interviews of the first four cases. A case was defined as a Minnesota resident with a culture-confirmed E. coli 0157 infection with illness onset after January 1, 2003 and with an isolate matching the outbreak PFGE subtype. Two age-matched controls were selected for each case by sequential digit dialing anchored on the case's telephone number. Using the same format as the cases,

Outbreak of Escherichia Coli 0157 Infections Associated with Consumption of Alfalfa Sprouts2018-10-24T13:30:27+00:00

Qualitative Risk Assessment of Sprouted Seeds

Qualitative Risk Assessment of Sprouted Seeds Qualitative Risk Assessment of Seeds/Beans and Sprouted Seeds/Beans Health Canada May 2001     1.         INTRODUCTION   2.         PURPOSE   3.         SCOPE   4.         RISK ASSESSMENT 4.1       HAZARD IDENTIFICATION 4.1.1    Salmonella species 4.1.1.1         Biology 4.1.1.2         Modes of transmission 4.1.1.3         Epidemiology and Outbreaks 4.1.2    Escherichia coli O157:H7 4.1.2.1         Biology 4.1.2.2         Modes of transmission 4.1.2.3         Epidemiology and Outbreaks 4.1.3    Listeria monocytogenes 4.1.3.1         Biology 4.1.3.2         Modes of transmission 4.1.3.3         Epidemiology and Outbreaks 4.1.4    Klebsiella pneumoniae 4.1.4.1         Biology 4.1.4.2         Modes of transmission 4.1.4.3         Epidemiology and Outbreaks 4.1.5    Bacillus cereus 4.1.5.1         Biology 4.1.5.2         Modes of transmission 4.1.5.3         Epidemiology and Outbreaks 4.1.6    Other Pathogens 4.1.7    Conclusions on Hazard Identification   4.2       EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT 4.2.1    Potential Exposure of Seeds/Sprouts to Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 4.2.1.1         Potential Exposure during Seed Production 4.2.1.2         Potential Exposure during Sprout Manufacture 4.2.2    Likelihood of Survival and Growth of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 4.2.2.1         Likelihood of Survival and Growth in Seeds 4.2.2.2         Likelihood of Survival and Growth in Sprouts 4.2.3    Process Controls 4.2.3.1         Process Controls for Seed Producers 4.2.3.2         Process Controls for Sprout Manufacturers 4.2.4    Consumption of Sprouted Seeds and

Qualitative Risk Assessment of Sprouted Seeds2018-10-24T13:28:49+00:00

Disposable Biosensor for Pathogen Detection

Disposable Biosensor for Pathogen Detection in Fresh Produce Samples Biosystems Engineering A Disposable Biosensor for Pathogen Detection in Fresh Produce Samples Biosystems Engineering Volume 88, Issue 2, June 2004, Pages 145-151 Z. Muhammad-Tahir and E. C. Alocilja Biosystems Engineering Department Michigan State University, 204 Farrall Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824-1323, USA; Abstract As the safety in the food supply becomes critical, the demand for rapid, low volume and sensitive biosensor devices has dramatically increased. This paper describes a novel biosensor based on electrochemical sandwich immunoassay for Escherichia coli O157:H7 detection in fresh produce such as lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, and strawberries. The biosensor design is based upon the specific nature of labeled antibody-antigen binding. The architecture of the biosensor demonstrates the advantages of using lateral flow format strip attached to a portable circuitry for signal measurement. Results show that the biosensor can detect an average of 81 CFU ml−1 (number of samples n=9) in six min. Details on the performance of the biosensor in detecting pathogenic organisms in fresh produce are presented.

Disposable Biosensor for Pathogen Detection2018-10-24T13:27:07+00:00

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