| Although media coverage of mad cow disease and bird flu has
been
periodically intense, news stories often do not give many
specific details about these food risks, particularly
simple actions that can be taken to reduce the risks of toxic
food. And no, you haven't
read anything about Auntie Louise in the news lately. However,
it is important to remember that regardless of the seriousness
of mad cow disease and avian influenza virus, preventable
food risks cause many more people become ill (some even die)
than
the more sensationalized food risks. Common foods, if undercooked,
improperly stored, left unrefrigerated, or simply kept for
indeterminable
lengths of time, are likely to harm greater numbers of people.
While we routinely hear that we are part of a global economy
with reference to manufactured goods, we may not be as cognizant
of
the extent of our participation in global agribusiness. The
food that reaches our plates and tables can literally come
from almost
anywhere the world. The percentage of labels indicating that
the attached product came from outside the United States seems
to climb almost
daily. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture goes to great
lengths to assure the safety of the food supply produced in
the United States and
does provide standards for food shipped into the United States,
we are prudent to utilize practices that will help insure that
the
food cooked
and consumed in our homes, communities and churches is as
safe as possible.
How safe is our food supply?
Illness and infectious diseases can spread through food and
are a common, sometimes life-threatening problem for millions
of people
in the United States and around the world. While the actual
numbers of people who have become sick and died from “Mad
Cow Disease” and “Bird
Flu ” are relatively small according to case reports
to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
an
estimated 76 million people become ill from food in the
United States each year, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations
and more than 5,000
deaths.
This article will explain some of the issues we have seen
covered in the popular press, examine the risks and provide
suggestions
for minimizing hazards at home and in community-wide
meals served in our churches by proper handling and storing
of the
more temperamental foods.
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