Brownies, hold the cream cheese filling

My town just regulated pot lucks. Deviled eggs at the church social? Not just ironic; they could be illegal.

I’m a stickler for food safety (it only takes one bout of norovirus to make a believer out of anyone). And we live dangerously enough in our own kitchens, suggested the a recent New York Times article about how a home kitchen woefully failed city health inspection standards for restaurants. But I’ve heard rumors this infringement on lasagna and that great spinach dip for bread may meet with some resistance. Caveat eater.

Here’s what I just received by email:

Sharon Board of Health Information Sheet April 11, 2011

Food Safety Requirements for Public Pot Luck Suppers and Similar Events

Introduction: The provision of food to the public (for free or for sale) is regulated by the Food Protection Program in the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The regulations, 105 CMR 590, establish standards designed to prevent the spread of food borne illnesses such as salmonella or clostridium, and are, in turn, based upon Federal food safety regulations in the Federal 1999 Food Code. Local Boards of Health are charged with implementing these state and
federal regulations.

What Can be Prepared in a Home Kitchen? In accordance with State Department of Public Health Food Protection Program guidelines and recommendations, the only foods which may be prepared at a home kitchen and served at a potluck or similar “open to the public” function are “non-potentially hazardous foods” including shelf stable baked goods, such as brownies, quick breads, rolls, cakes that do not have dairy or egg fillings or icings, and fruit pies not requiring refrigeration.

What are the Requirements for Serving Potentially Hazardous Foods at a Public Event? Potentially hazardous foods (explained below) may only be served if BOTH of the following conditions are met:
• The food is prepared under the direction of a certified food protection manager OR by a caterer licensed by the Sharon Board of Health who is trained in food safety principles and
has equipment dedicated to keep foods at approved holding temperatures.
AND
• The facility where the event is held has obtained either a temporary or permanent food establishment license from the Sharon Board of Health.

What is “Open to the Public”? Events that are advertised to the community through the media, publicly displayed signs, flyers etc. or are otherwise open to all are considered public and are subject to these requirements.

What are Potentially Hazardous Foods? Potentially Hazardous Foods are food items requiring temperature control (either below 40 F or above 140F) to prevent the growth of pathogens or toxigens (bacteria that can produce toxic substances such as botulism). Note that potentially
hazardous foods include most items commonly served at potluck or similar meals, such as:
• animal-based foods such as raw or cooked eggs, meat, fish or poultry, including chilis and soups
• cooked plant-based food such as rice, potatoes, or pasta
• raw seed sprouts, cut melons, cut tomatoes and garlic in oil mixtures
• Hot or cold entrees, cheeses, dips, casseroles, cream filled pastries or pies
• Any other food that can support the rapid growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganism if not kept at the proper temperature

What about bake sales for charitable events? Bake sales are exempt from these requirements provided they are for charitable organizations and sell only shelf stable baked goods that do not require refrigeration.
• Such events do not require a food license and shelf stable baked goods that do not require refrigeration may be prepared in private homes.
• Further, we recommend that the information sheet on food allergies available through the DPH website be utilized.

Journalist-bloggers write about sex, lies and conflicts of interest

 

Courtesy Maria Reyes-McDavis/Creative Commons License.

Why blog?

For some of the leading health and science journalist bloggers speaking at a January 2011 event hosted by the New England Science Writers, blogging is a way to satisfy many journalistic ambitions: Have an impact, engage influential audiences, break news, write more enterprising stories, achieve recognition, and draw attention to their other work.

The video is posted here (thanks to Dianne Finch and National Association of Science Writers). Summary and links follow.

Can’t Get That Image Out of My Head

 

Courtesy Kevin Spear/speartoons/Creative Commons License.

Years ago, when he was trying to bolster my confidence for a sermon I was to give to the entire congregation, my Unitarian minister suggested I envision my audience their underwear. I think the idea was to calm my nerves with a mental trick to make a hundred or so people seem less intimidating with a pleasantly amusing and ridiculous scenario. But picturing the church-going crowd in their underwear? Ummmm … thanks, but no.

It’s worse in reverse. This week at Harvard School of Public Health, I paused by a large flat screen display of Larry Summers giving a talk. Watching and listening were a dozen folks scattered among many more chairs lined up theater style.

Factoring in disclosure

Courtesy Expedient InfoMedia/Creative Commons License

In the mid-1980s, a young woman of my acquaintance who distrusted the results of the studies funded by companies with a financial interest in their results was concerned about the side effects of her birth control pills. She asked her gynecologist about the evidence for the risks and benefits.

Her doctor assured her. The modern contraception dosing was so low that the serious side effects associated with the early pill had become quite rare. Her doctor handed her copies of several recent large studies from major medical journals.

Each paper disclosed its funding source: a major pharmaceutical maker.

The woman could not judge the science, but she had closely followed the string of scandals beginning in the late 1970s and mid 1980s that prompted congressional hearings and began eroding public trust in academic-industry relationships. In almost every case, life science researchers with financial interests in the outcome engaged in flagrant misconduct and badly done studies.

Tell me about it

Courtesy Quapan/Creative Commons License.

To preserve trust in biomedical research findings, many journals require authors to disclose potential conflicts of interest.

Unfortunately, just about every journal—and institution and professional organization—has slightly different rules about what constitutes conflict of interest, said Christine Laine, editor of Annals of Internal Medicine. An author could disclose something for one journal and not for another and still be in compliance with the rules of both journals.

Yosemite bears prefer minivans

Courtesy Kevin Collins/Creative Commons License.

Inspired to visit Yosemite, perhaps after watching the Ken Burns film, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea?

Don’t drive the minivan. Bad idea. The SUV also might be a little risky.

So say researchers who analyzed seven years of data on the vehicles broken into by black bears in Yosemite Valley.

Of nine categories of cars and trucks, minivans and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) vied for number one on the black bear break-in list every year from 2001 to 2007.