1/9/15 Health News: Baby food with cricket contamination ♦ Avocados Reduce Bad Cholesterol ♦ 43 states hit with ‘widespread’ flu ♦ Food poisoning scare at farmers' markets

An avocado a day may help keep bad cholesterol at bay

Individuals on a moderate-fat diet who ate an avocado every day had lower bad cholesterol than those on a similar diet without an avocado a day or on a lower-fat diet, researchers report  Continue Reading

43 states hit with ‘widespread’ flu

activity, CDC reports. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 43 States experienced “widespread” flu activity and 6 others reported “regional” flu activity due to influenza viruses that caused 8,893 deaths in 2014. Continue Reading

Food poisoning scare from farmers' markets

Farmers’ markets are becoming increasingly popular, providing opportunities for people to purchase fresh produce as opposed to pre-packaged supermarket fare. A study in the U.S. warns about the presence of pathogens. The new research has looked for the presence of bacterial pathogens like Salmonella and Escherichia coli on herbs sold at farmers' markets. The study sampled 133 …Continue Reading

Japan recalls baby food over cricket contamination in latest food scare

A Japanese firm said Thursday it was recalling tens of thousands of pouches of baby food after an insect was discovered in one package, the latest food scare to rock consumers. Asahi Holdings said its subsidiary would be calling back an estimated 120,000 bags of the meat-and-potatoes mix after one was found to contain a cricket, a small grasshopper-like insect. Baby brand Wakodo … Continue Reading

Chickens Purchased at Farmers Markets Contain More Pathogens

Raw, whole chickens purchased from farmers markets throughout Pennsylvania contained significantly higher levels of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness than those purchased from grocery stores according to a study by researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Of 100 whole raw chickens purchased from farmers markets, 90 % infected with Campylobacter and 28 % Infected with Salmonella.

Of raw whole organic chickens purchased at grocery stores 28% infected with campylobacter and 20 % infected with Salmonella.

Of the non organic chicken purchased at grocery stores 52% infected with Campylobacter and 8 % infected with salmonella.

Overall, the chickens purchased at the farmers markets carried higher bacterial loads than the birds purchased at grocery stores.

Bacteria that cause foodborne illness, such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, are destroyed by proper cooking of poultry products; however, they also can cause cross-contamination if they come in contact with other foods through contaminated cutting boards, sinks, countertops or utensils. It is important that people always wash their hands after touching raw chicken.

Scheinberg's master's thesis, "Comparison of Poultry Products Obtained from Farmers Markets and Supermarkets in Pennsylvania," is available online at https://etda.libraries.psu.edu/paper/15223/.

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