Leafy Greens Leading Source Of Food Poisoning Illnesses, CDC Study Shows

March 31, 2013 By 2 Comments
Fresh green vegetable, isolated over white

A CDC government study has fingered leafy greens like lettuce and spinach as the leading source of food poisoning, an awkward conclusion for health officials who have urged Americans to eat healthier and to consume more fruits and vegetables The Centers for Disease Control study found that, in 20% of cases where a person contracted a foodborne illness, leafy green vegetables were the source of the illness. Every year, 1 out of every 6 Americans contracts a foodborne illness. Of those who become ill, 128,000 require a stay in the hospital and another 3,000 die from the illness or related conditions.  In Canada our friends to the North, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hygiene in the News, Newest Additions Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salad is more Dangerous than Hamburgers, Health Experts Warn

March 27, 2013 By 18 Comments
lettuce 350x350

Salad is more dangerous than hamburgers, health experts warn. Salad that is bagged and labeled, “ready to eat is more dangerous than hamburgers”, states food experts.   There have been many recent incidents of infections linked to these pre-washed products.  There doesn’t seem to be a consensus on whether to re-wash the pre-bagged vegetables or eat them straight from the bag.  The interesting lesson here is that the handlers of these products can’t decide themselves.  For example some bags of prewashed lettuce recommend that the consumer re-rinse the lettuce themselves whereas  other companies claim to have thoroughly washed the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hygiene in the News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

DEADLY BACTERIA THAT DEFY DRUGS OF LAST RESORT

March 13, 2013 By 23 Comments
Super-bugs

  Antibiotic-resistant bacteria with the potential to cause untreatable infections pose "a catastrophic threat" to the population, England's chief medical officer warns in a report calling for urgent action worldwide. The widespread overuse of antibiotics combined with a lack of new types of antibiotics leaves us in a health system that could potentially be similar to the health system in the early 19th century. Antibiotics are failing at an alarming rate while new bacterial diseases have increased dramatically in the last few years.  The well-known “Superbugs” MRSA and C difficile have been reduced to low numbers in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Article Honor Roll, Hygiene in the News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Deadly SARS-like virus spreading

March 3, 2013 By 24 Comments
SARS

     A patient admitted to hospital in Saudi Arabia with a new virus from the same family as SARS has died, taking the global death toll from the previously unknown disease to seven.       History of SARS and the 2003 Outbreak       It is believed that the disease was initially transferred to humans through civets, a mammal with a cat-like appearance. The SARS outbreak actually began in November 2002 in the Guangdong province of mainland China. However, to preserve public confidence, the Chinese government did not inform the World Health Organization (WHO) of the outbreak until February 2003.  This new SARS-like virus has seems … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hygiene in the News, Sanitary Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,