NH DHHS Issues Warning about Consumption of Wild Mushrooms

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS) Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is warning residents to be

cautious when consuming wild mushrooms. In general, eating wild mushrooms

is dangerous unless you are an expert in their identification. It is

recommended that children not eat any wild mushrooms and adults who eat

them must first ensure they are safe. DPHS does periodically learn of

people showing up in emergency departments after becoming ill from eating

wild mushrooms and public health officials want to make sure people are

aware of the risk.



“In the past several years we have continued to hear of people that become

ill after eating wild mushrooms” said Public Health Director Dr. José

Montero. “We want to make sure everyone knows about the dangers of wild

mushrooms potentially being poisonous especially since they may encounter

them doing outdoor spring activities. Consumers should be cautious about

purchasing wild mushrooms from foragers. The person who forages for wild

mushrooms must be an expert in mushroom identification since some poisonous

mushrooms look exactly the same as the non-poisonous types.”



Since there are no certification requirements for mushroom foragers in New

Hampshire, wild mushrooms cannot be sold to retail food establishments

since they are not grown in controlled environments and because of the

inherent risk associated with the improper identification of non-toxic

species.



In 2009, DPHS surveillance detected 8 cases of emergency room visits due to

ingesting wild mushrooms. In 2010 that number was 11, there were 31 cases

in 2011, and only 2 in 2012. “We hope this means people are paying more

attention to this issue, but we don’t know for sure,” said Montero. “It

could be there were fewer mushrooms last year because of the drier weather

so we need to continue to warn people about this issue.”



There is no approved treatment for mushroom poisoning. Symptoms may not

begin until hours after ingestion and can include abdominal pain, nausea,

vomiting, fever, severe diarrhea, a change in heart rhythm, and low blood

pressure. There are many different types of mushrooms that grow in New

Hampshire, and some of them are toxic. Small amounts of wild mushrooms

often cause little or no effect when swallowed. However, as little

as one bite of a poisonous mushroom can cause serious injury or death. Many

toxic mushrooms look a lot like non-toxic ones.



If someone tastes or eats a wild mushroom, call the Northern New England

Poison Center (NNEPC) right away at 1-800-222-1222. Trained nurses and

pharmacists staff the Poison Center 24-hour helpline. For more information,

visit the NNEPC website at

www.mmc.org/workfiles/mmc_services/Mushroom%202-7-06.pdf

CEI Today: Vote on cybersecurity, UAW targets the South, and the costly Food Modernization Act

VOTE ON CYBERSECURITY BILL - RYAN RADIA

Red State: CISPA Shouldn’t Infringe on Freedom of Contract

On Thursday, the House of Representatives is set to vote on CISPA, a controversial cybersecurity bill that’s beloved by companies besieged by cyber attacks — but despised by many Internet activists.

Berin Szoka of TechFreedom and Ryan Radia of CEI explain why we should add a few words to CISPA that would preserve the purpose of the bill, while still protecting the private right of contract in this country. > Read more

> Interview Ryan Radia

UAW - MATT PATTERSON & JULIA TAVLAS Forbes: The UAW, Having Stripped Detroit Bare, Looks To The South The United Auto Workers union, having looted and stripped Detroit bare, have set their sights south, to the right-to-work states and the foreign-owned auto plants they host. German car maker Volkswagen, for example, has operated an assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee since 2011, producing Passat sedans. The factory has 3,350 employees, making it vital to the economic health one of the state’s largest cities. > Read more > Interview the authors

FOOD SAFETY - HANS BADER Openmarket.org: Food Safety Modernization Act Far More Costly Than Supporters Claimed The 2010 law is proving far more costly than its supporters promised it would be in order to get enacted. The “Food Safety Modernization Act would impose only modest costs on farmers, or so we kept being assured when it passed in 2010.” But many orchard growers now face tens of thousands of dollars in costs, notes the Cato Institute’s Walter Olson. Liberal newspapers trumpeted the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act, while ignoring its potential harms to innovation, small business, and the availability of unconventional foods.  > Read more > Interview Hans Bader

More in the news... Lessons On Regulatory Reform: The BRAC Acts

CEI ANNUAL DINNER & GALA FEATURING THE HONORABLE RAND PAUL JUNE 20, 2013 cei.org/ceidinner

CEI is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy group dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limited government.  For more information about CEI, please visit our website, cei.org, and blogs, Globalwarming.org and OpenMarket.org.  Follow CEI on Twitter! Twitter.com/ceidotorg.

NH DHHS - Rich Products Corporation Recalls Products

Rich Products Corporation Recalls Frozen Mini Quesadilla, Pizza, Cheese

Steak and Other Products Due to Possible E. Coli O121 Contamination

Concord, NH - Rich Products Corporation, a Buffalo, NY firm, is recalling

approximately 196,222 pounds of frozen chicken quesadilla and various other

frozen mini meals and snack items because they may be contaminated with E.

coli O121. A total of 24 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E.

coli O121 have been reported from 15 states. Although the product was

distributed in New Hampshire, no cases of E. coli O121 linked to this

outbreak have been identified in New Hampshire.


The following products are subject to the recall-



7.2-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mini pizza slices with cheese pepperoni

and sauce in pizza dough, UPC code 041322376909 with a best by date

of May 15 or May 16, 2014.





22-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mini pizza slices with cheese pepperoni

and sauce in pizza dough, UPC code 041322356437 with a best by date

of May 15 or May 16, 2014.





18-oz. bags of Farm Rich mini quesadillas with cheese, grilled white

meat chicken in a crispy crust, UPC code 041322356352 with a best by

date of May 14, 2014.





21-oz. bags of Farm Rich philly cheese steaks with cheese, beef &

onions in a crispy crust, UPC code 041322356345 with a best by date

of May 13, 2014.





22-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style

crust, UPC code 041322374431 with a best by date of May 19, 2014.





7-oz. cartons of Farm Rich mozzarella bites in a pizzeria style

crust, UPC code 041322376916 with a best by date of May 19, 2014.



22-oz. bags of Market Day Mozzarella Bites, UPC code 041322804358

with a best by date of May 12, 2014.

The products subject to recall were produced between Nov. 12, 2012 and Nov.

19, 2012 then distributed for retail sale nationwide. Products involved in

the recall should be discarded or returned to the original point of

purchase for a full refund or replacement.

“Due to the long shelf life of these products, it is important for

consumers to check their freezers for the recalled product,” said Dr. José

Montero, Director of Public Health at DHHS.

Infection with E. coli O121 can result in dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and

abdominal cramps 2-8 days (3-4 days, on average) after exposure to the

organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of

kidney failure called HUS, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. This condition can

occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5 years

of age and older adults. Symptoms of HUS may include fever, abdominal pain,

pale skin tone, fatigue, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the

nose and mouth, decreased urination, and swelling. Persons who experience

these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.



Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact Rich Products

Corporation's consumer line at (888) 220-5955 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST

Monday through Friday or visit the company website at www.farmrich.com. For

more information about the recall, go to

www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_025_2013_Release/index.asp

NH DHHS - Food Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

Concord, NH – During this busy holiday season, the Department of Health and

Human Services’ (DHHS) Bureau of Food Protection wants to remind everyone

to follow some important food safety practices to avoid foodborne

illnesses, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter.



According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there

are 31 pathogens known to cause foodborne illness. Every year there are an

estimated 48 million cases of illness, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000

deaths in the United States due to foodborne diseases. Symptoms can vary

depending on the illness, but some common symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal

cramps, and nausea. It is difficult to say with certainty which microbe is

causing a given illness without laboratory testing.



“Don’t let germs ruin your holiday activities by not taking proper

precautions against foodborne disease,” said Dr. José Montero, Director of

Public Health at DHHS. “There are simple tips for safe food preparation

that we should all be following every day, not just at holidays, but large

gatherings and people cooking outside their comfort zone can present an

opportunity for bacteria to be introduced into our food.”



The following simple precautions should always be followed by cooks and

food service workers to reduce the possibility of anyone becoming sick:

Separate: Use a separate cutting board for cooked foods and raw foods

and always wash them after use. Do not cut raw vegetables on the same

cutting board as raw meat. Avoid cross contamination. Wash any

utensil after preparing one food item before going on to the next

item.

Clean: Always wash hands before touching any food. Wash hands and

surfaces often during food preparation and afterward.

Cook: Make sure all meats are thoroughly cooked by using a meat

thermometer: turkey, stuffing, and casseroles to 165ºF; veal, beef,

and lamb roasts to 145ºF; and ham, pork, ground beef, and egg dishes

to 160ºF. When reheating, leftovers should be thoroughly heated to

165ºF.

Chill: Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours. The

refrigerator should be maintained at 40ºF or lower and the freezer

should be at 0ºF or lower. Keep hot foods hot, 140ºF or hotter, and

cold foods cold, 40ºF or below. Never defrost food at room

temperature. Thaw food in the refrigerator, in a cold-water bath, or

in the microwave. When using a microwave, meat must be cooked

immediately after. Marinate foods in the refrigerator.

Report: Report suspected foodborne illnesses to the NH Department of

Health and Human Services by calling 603-271-4496. Often calls from

concerned citizens are how outbreaks are first detected. If a public

health official calls you to talk about an outbreak your cooperation

is important, even if you are not ill.



For more information, visit www.usda.gov , www.cdc.gov , www.befoodsafe.org ,

http://holidayfoodsafety.org, or www.dhhs.nh.gov . To report a foodborne

outbreak, call the Division of Public Health Services at 603-271-4496.

NH DHHS Provides Recommendations on Food Safety During Power Outages

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS) Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is providing food safety

recommendations for residents in case they lose power as a result of

Hurricane Sandy.


“As important as it is to have enough food and water on hand for your

family in case you lose power, is to make sure you keep the food safe to

avoid the potential for food-borne illness,” said New Hampshire’s Public

Health Director Dr. José Montero. “Food safety is always a big concern

when the power is off for an extended period of time. We would advise

people to take extra care when determining if their food should be saved or

thrown out. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if it has been

contaminated with dangerous bacteria. We would advise people if they have

any doubt to throw it out.”


The US Department of Agriculture recommends taking the following steps

during and after a weather emergency:

· Never taste food to determine if it is safe

· Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible

to maintain the cold temperature

· The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if

it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature

approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) and the door

remains closed

· Food can be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or

is at 40°F or below

· Get block ice or dry ice to keep your refrigerator and freezer as

cold as possible if the power is going to be out for an extended

period of time

· Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish,

soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers, and deli items after 4 hours

without power.