|
Homemade cheese causes food poisonings Source of
Article: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705305748/Homemade-cheese-causes-food-poisonings.html Deseret News Published:
Thursday, May 21, 2009 5:34 p.m. MDT At least seven
Utahns have recently contracted salmonella poisoning, and an undetermined
number of others have contracted campylobacter, likely from a Mexican-style
soft cheese believed to be home-produced using unpasteurized milk. Theron Jeppson,
communicable disease health educator with the Utah Department of Health, said
the common link appears to be queso fresco, a white, crumbly cheese that's
main ingredient when produced by individuals at home is often raw goat or cow
milk. Most of those affected live in Salt Lake County, he said. The cheese is
considered a Latin American staple, and health officials found the same
strain of salmonella Newport among seven individuals who had consumed the
noncommercial product. Those producing
the cheese may not realize it's illegal in Utah to sell privately produced
products door-to-door if they can pose a potential health hazard, Jeppson
said. "With the economy in a downturn, it may be that someone is
supplementing their income," by selling the home-produced cheese on the
street. "We don't
want to stop them from producing it, but we need to educate them that it's
possibly what's causing people to get sick. We don't want them to go out and
sell or distribute these products to neighbors or in neighborhoods,"
Jeppson said. Public health
officials are still unsure how the cheese is getting contaminated with
salmonella bacteria, but believe it is either being contaminated from
ingredients used to make the queso fresco (such as unpasteurized/raw milk),
or from cross-contamination of the cheese (e.g. through using a bowl to
prepare or hold raw chicken, and then using that same bowl without cleaning
it to make the cheese). While this
current investigation is focused on individuals infected with salmonella
bacteria, public health officials warn that other dangerous bacteria can also
be spread through contaminated queso fresco, such as listeria, campylobacter,
E. coli, and brucella. Public health agencies in Utah are currently
investigating another cluster of illnesses due to the bacteria campylobacter,
which may be associated with contaminated cheese made with raw or
unpasteurized milk. Officials said
there is no way to detect salmonella or other bacteria in food without
laboratory testing. Salmonella poisoning symptoms include headache, stomach
pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and almost always fever; symptoms last
between three and seven days. Residents can
make queso fresco safely by using only pasteurized milk, or milk from a
licensed seller. For a list of licensed sellers of unpasteurized milk, call
the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food at 801-538-7156. Those who
produce the cheese should also keep the milk refrigerated, and avoid cross
contamination by keeping the milk separate from contact with raw meat, using
different utensils and counter space. Health
officials urge residents to avoid buying the cheese from street vendors, and
to make sure it comes from a refrigerated area of the grocery store or market
and is sealed and labeled for commercial sale. Though symptoms
of the illnesses may be mild, they can cause severe illness, especially in
children, the elderly, and pregnant women. |
Copyright (C) All rights reserved under FoodHACCP.com
If you have any comments, please send your email to
info@foodhaccp.com
