A quarter teaspoon of this pesticide can kill

The Consumers Association of Penang calls on the Ministry of Agriculture to impose an immediate ban on  the pesticide carbofuran.
Early this year five farmers in Pendang, Kedah lost RM30,000 when 18 cows died from carbofuran poisoning. The cows were grazing on the rice field which had used the pesticide.
 

During a recent survey it was found that farmers growing maize placed carbofuran granules at the shoot of the plant to prevent it being attacked by pests. Watermelon growers were also using carbofuran on the soil to prevent pest from attacking the plant.
 

Due to its acute toxicity carbofuran has been banned in Canada and the European Union since 2008. Recently the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also banned its use. 
Carbofuran is one of the most toxic carbamate pesticides. It is marketed under the trade name Furadan. According to the Food Regulation 1985 carbofuran is allowed to be used in rice, maize, pepper (black, white), mango, banana, sugarcane and brinjal.
Carbofuran has one of the highest acute toxicities to humans amongst the insecticides widely used on field crops.  A quarter teaspoon (1ml) can be fatal. It is a neurotoxic pesticide and can over stimulate the nervous system, causing nausea, dizziness, confusion. At very high exposures it can cause respiratory paralysis and death. But the long term effects are far more serious, permanent damage to the nervous and the reproductive system.
Consumers also risk serious health effects from pesticide residues on food and  contaminated drinking.
Carbofuran poses significant environmental risks.  Because of its long soil half-life (up to 60 days) carbofuran also has a high potential for groundwater contamination and is mobile in sandy and silt loam soils. Carbofuran has a high potential for ground water contamination and has been detected in surface water.
Carbofuran is responsible for the deaths of millions of birds and wildlife since its introduction in 1967. Carbofuran pellets often resemble plant seeds commonly eaten by birds and are often applied on newly cultivated soil.  One highly toxic granule can kill a small bird and carbofuran moves up the food chain when birds are eaten by predatory species.
This chemical is also highly toxic to fish, and is believed to be one of the main contributors to the reduction of salmon populations in the northwestern United States.  In early 2009, it was reported that carbofuran was being used to poison African lions in Kenya.
In view of the toxicity of carbofuran, this dangerous agrochemical should be banned in Malaysia.

Press release, 22 Sept 2010

Danger Lurks in Fast Foods

The Consumers Association of Penang calls on consumers to be careful when they indulge in fast food. Besides being high in fats sugar or salt, fast food could lead to severe food poisoning.
Recently a family in Sydney won a case against fast food giant KFC after salmonella poisoning left their daughter paralysed. The victim was awarded $8 million (RM25.5 million), but KFC will appeal the case.

The family of Monika Samaan says the then-seven-year-old became ill after eating a chicken Twister from a KFC store in western Sydney in 2005. Monika, who was in a coma for six months, is effectively now a quadriplegic and is severely brain damaged.
During a month-long trial in 2010, Monika's father told the court he and his wife, along with Monika's brother, fell sick after sharing her Twister.

Food poisoning is an infection caused by microbes ingested from contaminated foods. Bacteria, viruses and parasites can contaminate fast food during any stage of their collection, processing or distribution. If this food is eaten raw or undercooked, it can result in food poisoning. The degree of illness depends on the type of microbe involved and the health and age of the individual ingesting the food.

Food poisoning may be manifested in several forms to include: vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. These injuries meanwhile may lead to drastic consequences such as dehydration, headaches, and even results as fatal as death.

Food served in fast food restaurants are preserved, and pre-cooked which makes them vulnerable to contamination.

Contaminated food products have become a growing concern with the increase of fast food chains. With the fast-paced serving and cooking of available food products in fast food chains, what is usually sacrificed is the sanitation of the business establishment.

Fast food often comes in wrappers coated with chemicals to prevent grease from leaking through them. These compounds are able to migrate from the wrappers into the packaged food.

The case reported in Australia is not an isolated case there have been other cases reported on food poisoning due to fast food.

• In January 2012 the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) released a report of its investigation of a multistate Salmonella food poisoning outbreak linked to a Mexican-style fast food restaurant chain which affected a total of 68 individuals

• In August 2011, a Russian customer suffered food poisoning after eating Bic Mac.from McDonalds.

• In March 2011, a retired Russian military officer from St. Petersburg won his lawsuit against McDonald’s, for a broken tooth.

• In August 2010,at least 150 people in 21 states in the US suffered salmonella poisoning after eating at Taco Bell restaurants, and at least one food poisoning lawsuit has been filed against the Mexican fast food chain

At the same time there may be numerous other cases that could have gone unreported.

In view of the latest food poisoning case related to fast food, CAP calls on the Ministry of Health to conduct a health inspection checks on all the fast food establishment in the country and at the same time they should set up a hotline where consumers can report on food poisoning cases.

The authorities should restrict the issuing of licenses to fast food operators as fast food is unhealthy and could lead to obesity.

Meanwhile consumers are advised not to indulge in a fast food meal, instead there should enjoy traditional Malaysian food and home-cooked food.

Press release, 20 June 2012

Prevent food poisoning

Many common diseases of the intestines are spread through food. Sometimes people who harvest, handle, or prepare food pass germs from their hands into the food. Sometimes germs and moulds in the air begin to grow in the food and it goes bad (spoils). This happens when food is not stored or cooked properly, or when it gets old.

 

To prevent the the spread of germs in food

• Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food, before eating, and before feeding your children.
• Wash or peel all fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw.
• Do not let raw meat, poultry, or fish touch other food that is eaten raw. Always wash your hands, knife, and cutting board after cutting these meats.
• Avoid coughing, spitting, and chewing things, like gum, near food so your saliva does not get in the food.
• Do not allow animals or pets to lick dishes or utensils clean. If possible, keep animals out of the kitchen.
• Throw food out when it spoils.

Here are some of the most common signs of spoiled foods

• bad smell
• bad taste or a change in taste
• changed colour (for example, if raw meat changes from red to brown)
• many bubbles on the top (for example, on the top of old stew or soup) along with a bad smell
• slime on the surface of meat or cooked foods

Cooked food

Cooking food kills germs. All meats, fish, and poultry should be well cooked. Nothing should look raw or have a raw colour.

If the food begins to cool, the germs quickly start to grow again. If the food is not eaten within 2 hours, reheat it until it is very hot. Liquids should be bubbling, and solids (like rice) should be steaming.

 

Food storage

Whenever possible, eat freshly prepared food. If you store food, keep it covered to protect it from flies and other insects, and dust.
 

Protecting yourself against food poisoning

• Cook meat, pork, and poultry thoroughly to kill salmonella. These bacteria are heat-sensitive and are destroyed at cooking temperatures of 140^oF or higher. To be completely safe, cook poultry until the meat reaches 180^oF to ensure the destruction of any salmonella that may be present. Boneless parts should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160^oF. When poultry is cooked thoroughly, juices will be clear, not pink.

To make sure that meat and poultry are cooked all the way through, you can use a meat thermometer to measure internal temperature. Insert the tip into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding fat and bone. For poultry, insert the thermometer tip into the thick part of the thigh next to the body.

• Your refrigerator temperature should be below 40^oF, and your freezer should be set at 0^oF. Always allow frozen food more time to cook — generally 1 1/2 times longer than food that has been thawed.

• Always thaw meats in the refrigerator, never on the kitchen counter. The warmth of the kitchen and exposure to other foods creates ideal conditions for growth and spread of bacteria. Meat and poultry thaw from outside to inside, so thawing your meat and poultry in the refrigerator will keep bacteria from growing on the outside while the inside thaws.

• Cooked poultry that is not eaten immediately should be kept hot (between 140^oF and 185^oF) or refrigerated at 40^oF or below. Slice the meat or poultry before refrigerating so it will cool quickly.

• Reheat leftovers to at least 165^oF before eating. Cover the pot to retain as much moisture and flavour as possible and to make sure the food will heat evenly all the way through.

• Do not leave any food unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours. Never leave foods — particularly meats — in the oven overnight; microorganisms find the oven environment a perfect hatchery.

• Should any meat or product have an off odour or an unusual colour or texture do not taste it. The microorganisms responsible for food poisoning cannot be tasted, anyway.

 

Food safety tips

There are many types of fresh and processed foods. Some are frozen, some dried and some canned. How do we handle the food safety issues in these foods?

Frozen food

• The basic frozen foods -- vegetables, fruit, fish and meat  -- are normally free from added salt and sugar. Frozen meat and poultry can have added water, and polyphosphates (which help to retain the water until you cook the food).

The rate of bacterial multiplication reaches its peak when the temperature of the food is 37^oC (98.6^oF). So don't leave thawed food lying around at room temperature.

• Make sure that frozen meat (particularly poultry) is completely thawed before you start cooking it. The danger is that you'll start cooking with the centre of the joint or poultry still frozen. The outside will be cooked, but the inside will be an incubator for bacteria.

• Don't re-freeze food which has been frozen and then thawed. The thawing will have increased the bacteria in the food, and when it's thawed again you'll get a second multiplication of bacteria -- possibly dangerous.

• Don't keep thawed food -- especially poultry -- for long periods in the fridge. The highly toxic organism listeria can go on multiplying at temperatures right down to freezing point.

Dried food

• Dried foods can have additives: watch out for them. Dried fruit may be coated in mineral oils -- potentially toxic preservatives. They may also contain added sulphites, which can cause asthma attacks, headaches and nausea.

Sulphites may be listed as E numbers 220 to 224, E226 or E227.
Canned food

Some tins have a no preservatives label -- but there's nothing remarkable about that. Canning meats often have a chemical preservative (nitrite) which is now controversial, because of a possible link to cancer in animals.

Other things to look out for are added flavourings, colourings, and added salt and sugar. Some cans have a breakdown of the proportions of fat, sugar, and salt.

In some countries like the UK, food producers have to list their ingredients in descending order by weight -- not as helpful as an exact breakdown, but a guide to high concentrations of salt and sugar.

• Don't buy a can if it's dented. The internal lacquer inside the can may have been damaged, and particles from the tin may have dissolved into the food.

• Look out for rusting, faulty seams or swollen ends. If the can is swollen it is possible that gas has been produced inside it. This is caused by insufficient sterilisation, and can provide conditions favourable for the growth of the bacteria clostridium botulensis (a cause of the toxic food poisoning botulism).

• After opening the can, any remaining contents should be stored and handled as fresh food. Make sure the leftover contents are properly reheated before eating.

• Store cans in a cool place. During storage there is sometimes a slow chemical deterioration of the product, depending on storage temperatures, residual oxygen, and the surface type of the can.