Food Protection Trends - August 2008 - 622

NEWS • Keep tomatoes that will be consumed raw separate from raw meats, raw seafood, and raw produce items. • Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot water and soap when switching between types of food products. FDA recommends that US retail outlets, restaurants, and food service operators offer only fresh and fresh cut red plum, red Roma, and round red tomatoes and food products made from these tomatoes from specific sources listed at: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/ hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers*. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached from any source may be offered. FDA information on this investigation can be found at: http://www. fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html*. cies, including the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; Economic Research Service; and National Agricultural Statistics Service. The agency also works closely with commodity organizations such as United Fresh, industry producers and processors, universities, and other federal organizations, such the US Food and Drug Administration. Such extensive coordination ensures that ARS is addressing the most critical needs and priorities with its research. It also helps make sure that research programs funded by federal dollars are integrated without being duplicative and takes advantage of each agency’s unique abilities and expertise. Most recently, the priorities on which ARS is concentrating include: • identifying genetic and biochemical factors involved in the colonization of produce by human pathogens • developing and implementing science-based strategies to prevent on-farm contamination of produce with enteric pathogens • determining the role of harvesting methods, postharvest processing, and storage in contamination • developing comprehensive postharvest systems for eliminating or controlling growth of human pathogenic microorganisms • developing accurate, highspeed tests for inspecting foods and sanitation conditions during processing by very small to very large commercial processors • inventing new or improved intervention technologies for significantly reducing contamination by human pathogens while maintaining quality of fresh and minimally processed produce. Preparing Ground Beef for Safe Consumption ash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills. Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods. Consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160°F. Color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7. The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90°F. Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking. W ARS Research Program on Food Safety of Leafy Greens and Other Fresh Produce A RS research to improve the safety of leafy greens and other fresh produce—such as spring onions and tomatoes— is part of the overall ARS national program for Food Safety (#108), described on the Web at www.nps. ars.usda.gov. This is a cross-cutting program that looks at all aspects of the food safety continuum, from plant and microbial genetics to foodproduction techniques. The program develops tools and information for understanding the sources and transfer of microbes through the food supply. ARS coordinates its research program in this area with other US Department of Agriculture agen- Bacteriophages as Novel Antimicrobials for Food Safety ouseguests sometime overstay their welcome to the point that their hosts are just dying for them to leave. Now, this is actually happening to foodborne bacteria after viruses called “bacteriophages” take up residence inside them and begin replicating. The progeny of these bacteriophages literally kill their bacterial hosts on their way out the cellular door. H 622 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | AUGUST 2008

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

Food Protection Trends - August 2008

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