Mulltnomah County Enviironmentall Heallth IInspectiions News Inside this Issue 1 Farmers Markets 2 Name That Bug! July 2011 Volume 2, Issue 7 3 Spotlight - Climate Action Plan 4 Name That Bug Answer Seasoned Chef s Bowl 5 6 7 8 9 10 Food Defense: Self Serve Farmers Market cont Q and A Tips for a Better Inspection - Food Handler Cards Summer Events Calendar Newsletter Content By Elizabeth Sandberg, REHST elizabeth.sandberg@multco.us Farmers Markets Cooks and farmers markets are similar to other famous pairings like basil and garlic, pears and blue cheese, tomatoes and olive oil. The seasoned chef knows that not only do these classical pairings taste great but that there usually is a nutritional symmetry when they are combined. Take for instance the 2005 study showing that a tomato and olive oil combination act together to boost the absorption of the tomato s antioxidant lycopene. There are over 20 farmers markets in Multnomah County that have a similar dynamic symmetry with the home and professional cook alike. As the season swings into high gear the vegetables will be plentiful, eggs will be coming from happy sun-basking chickens and berries will be sweet, plump and juicy. The City of Portland proclaims that millions of dollars have been generated for our local economy by our citizens and that farmers markets help to ensure that farming and food production remain viable professions in the state of Oregon. Continues on page 7 1
Name That Bug! Pathogens, or bugs such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi can contaminate our food. Pathogens can make us sick when we eat them or can produce toxins that will make us sick. See if you can identify this bug; answer on page 4. I am a bacteria. There are many strains of me, some are harmful but most not. I can survive for extended periods in water and soil, under frozen and refrigerated temperatures, and in dry and acidic conditions. A few strains produce a toxin that can be harmful to humans when I am accidentally ingested orally. I can enter your system through contaminated food, contaminated water and be transmitted person-to-person. I am most threatening to the young, the elderly and immune-compromised. I am found in the intestinal tract and then shed to the feces of humans and animals. Photo Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons Symptoms vary from mild to bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and nausea. I produce a toxin that can cause kidney failure and even death. I am frequently associated with eating undercooked hamburger meat, but have had links with alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, spinach, and raspberries. I can cause a life-threatening form of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Who am I? Inspection Scam Continues We continue to alert you about people phoning food service operations, stating they are health inspectors. Lately, operators have reported the scam callers saying there have been many complaints about your facility and then set up an appointment. None of the callers have ever shown up at the appointed time, as far as we know. If you receive these calls you can simply hang up or call the police. Multnomah County Health Inspectors do not make appointments for inspections and we highly recommend you do not engage with these people. 2
Spotlight: Climate Action Plan In 2009, the Climate Action Plan was officially rolled out by the City of Portland and Multnomah County, with the intent of reducing carbon emissions. Yes, I know this probably sounds like the old news broadcast, but it isn t. There are some fascinating approaches and it s not just about reducing our carbon footprint but focuses on creating healthier and better lives for community members of Multnomah County. Read on, I think you ll like this. Kari Lyons-Eubanks is a member of the Environmental Health Department and has been working on this project for the last year. She brought to light the relationship between public health and climate change when the plan was being created. In addition to the typical reduction plans for excess carbon dioxide (walk more, drive less, etc.) the plan includes, but is not limited to, creating local jobs, improving social equity, creating healthier residents and protecting our natural systems. This is brilliant because we are looking at the entire system, equally working toward improvement of all humans lives while reducing the carbon emissions. Let s look closer. Creating local jobs Less time in cars, less money on fossil fuels More money for home efficiency repairs, solar panels and bicycles Improving social equities Focus environmental improvements in neighborhoods of high illness (asthma, diabetes, obesity) Create parks, energy-efficient homes, efficient transportation Creating healthier residents 20 minute walkable neighborhood, access to healthy foods Huge health and financial benefits personally and statewide Protecting our natural systems Sustaining tree canopy, rivers, streams, wetlands and watersheds Healthy ecosystems lessen the impact of emissions and provide healthy environments for residents These are just a few examples of the Climate Action Plan 2009. I highlighted them because I am delighted that we are looking at the system as a whole and including the aspect of improving human health as an integral part when reducing the carbon emissions. I encourage you to look at the 2009 plan and figure out where you fit in and what your part may be. Do you want to know the guidelines used by Health Inspectors in evaluating your facility? Click here for the FDA Food Code 2005 edition. Click here 3
Name that Bug Answer: Escherichia coliform (E. coli) I am Escherichia coliform (E. coli). The toxin-producing, potentially lethal strain is better known as E coli O157:H7. At the time of this writing there is a large outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 (STEC O104:H4) infections ongoing in Germany. The strain of STEC causing these illnesses, STEC O104:H4 is very rare, and CDC is not aware of any confirmed cases of STEC O104:H4 infection ever reported in the United States. The source of the bacterial contamination is still uncertain but is believed to be the fresh sprouts. This strain has proven to be especially dangerous and has caused 31 deaths, 3000 illnesses, and 795 cases of kidney failure. The most commonly asked questions are where does it comes from and how is it getting into our food? Ground beef is the most common carrier so let s review it first. Ground beef. When cattle are taken to slaughter and processed, E. coli can contaminate the meat if the intestine is punctured in the slightest way allowing the contents to mix with the rest of the meat. During the grinding process, meat from many different cattle is mixed together. This increases the risk of contamination. With a steak you would have potential contamination on the outside, but once you grind the steaks the E. coli will mix throughout the product. This is why you are required to cook the entire hamburger patty to 155 F for a minimum of 15 seconds, to kill any E. coli bacteria that could be present. Then things changed a bit when we found people getting sick at Taco Bell in 2006. The culprit carrying the E. coli bacteria was green onions. How can E. coli get on our produce? Fresh produce. Produce can become contaminated with water runoff from cattle factories or farms. Improperly composted manure or fresh droppings from wild animals such as deer can also contaminate the fields. Produce grown on the ground have the highest risk for this type on contamination. Sprouts. Alfalfa and mung bean sprouts are in a class of their own. 1997 was the first year outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 infection associated with eating alfalfa sprouts were documented by the CDC. Alfalfa seeds are raw agricultural products that do not undergo a heat kill step. They are sprouted in a warm and moist environment which is also ideal for the growth of bacteria, including Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. The number of organisms present on seeds may increase up to 10,000-fold during the sprouting process. List of outbreaks Continues on following page 4
Continued from previous page Unpasteurized products. E. coli bacteria can be passed to humans through milk by way of a soiled goat or cow's udder or contaminated milking equipment from a previous cow. Unpasteurized raw milk does not have a heat kill step. Raw milk cheese, unpasteurized apple juice or ciders hold the same potential risk of contamination of E coli. E. coli is transmissible from person to person and person to food when workers do not wash their hands after having contact with fecal matter, even with microscopic quantities. Fecal Oral Route Farm and restaurant workers who don't wash their hands after using the bathroom can transmit E. coli bacteria to food. Outbreaks have also occurred among children visiting petting zoos and in animal barns at county fairs. Prevention Double wash your hands when you begin working in the kitchen and after using the bathroom Wash fruits and veggies before cooking or eating Buy pasteurized juices and dairy products Wash your hands after touching raw ground beef and before touching anything else Cook ground beef to 155 o F for 15 seconds Chef s Seasoned Bowl This column is an exchange of information for cooks and chef s. Please send in any ideas you think might benefit other kitchens. Thanks! email us I was cited for a critical violation, Special Handwash Procedures (OAR 2-301.12) when one of my cooks came on the line after changing into his uniform and was starting to set up his station without washing his hands. The inspector stopped him and instructed him to go to the hand sink and double wash his hands. I was a bit embarrassed. I asked the inspector if she had any extra handwashing signs or stickers and she did. I went into the locker rooms (there are no sinks in there) and posted a sticker on the doors right above the handle so they would see it when they were dressed and coming out and into the kitchen. I also took the time to talk with each cook in a casual manner about the violation and tell them each, in detail, what the handwashing protocol was for our kitchen. I explained this was not something that we could become lazy about. I have asked them all to remind each other to wash as described, to watch each other s back, not tattle. [OAR 2-301.13 states that before beginning or returning to work, food employees shall wash their hands twice, using the cleaning procedures specified in 2-301.12 which is for 20 seconds with vigorous friction with soap and then rinsing under clean, running water.] 5
Food Defense: Self Serve Areas The fifth risk assessment is focused on areas where the public has access to food in a self serve area such as a salad bar, buffet line or a shared area used for condiments. More and more facilities are making changes with the awareness that food tampering in these areas is a possibility. Many salad bars are on wheels and can be moved to more strategic locations or maybe closer to where an employee works during service. I see condiments are being handed out at many fast food restaurants. Fresh cut lemons for ice tea are put into a cup in the kitchen rather than leaving out a container of freshly cut lemons in an unsupervised area. You may not have a salad bar or buffet line but it seems most places have a self-serve pitcher of water and glasses at a minimum. We ask you do an evaluation of any self-serve areas you have and work to eliminate any areas you can not supervise. The best defense is a good offensive. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Maya Angelou, American Poet and Author, b. 1929 Please explore the Multnomah County Environmental Health Food Service Operator Resource Page by clicking here. There is lots of great information for all. Why did the doughnut make a dentist appointment? Because he needed a filling! 6
Feature Article: Farmers Markets continued There are other types of symmetry created when shopping at a Farmers Market such as: Buying Locally - You are eating food in your own environment, where it has perfectly-created nutrients for your specific climate and region wow! Eating Seasonally - By shopping at the local farmers market, you will eat seasonally, fresh and ripe. This is another great way to increase your overall health. Know your seasonal ingredients Sustainable practices Although not all are organic, most are chemical and pesticide free keeping our bodies and lands healthier. Fresher Fruits & Veggies - The food from your local farmers market is fresher than a supermarket. There is a good chance that the squash you buy from the farmer was picked within the last day or two. And best of all it s supporting your neighbor. In these challenging economic times how good does it feels when you hand over your money to the callused hands that actually grew the food. Talk about win-win! As a chef or owner you can be a part of this sustainable community by supporting and buying products at any of the local farmers markets. It is something you can advertise and highlight on your menu as well. Customers may not have time to frequent the market themselves and can enjoy your expert preparation of Oregon s seasonal, local ingredients. Click here for a plethora of market information and locations. 7
Q and A Please send any questions you have about food safety to us and one of our specialists will answer it for you. Click here. With the summer finally approaching we want to set up our outdoor BBQ on the deck outside the kitchen door. It is a covered area and customers do not have access to it. Is this acceptable? Is there anything I need to do to satisfy the food code rules? All of that sounds good so far but you also need to set up a portable hand washing station outside next to the BBQ whenever it is in use. You would set it up just as if you were setting up at a temporary event with a 5 gallon container with spigot of running warm water, a 5 gallon catch basin for the water, soap, disposable paper towels and a garbage can. You can have non-phf condiments out with the BBQ but side dishes must remain inside the restaurant. You can cook outside and bring the meat into the restaurant to finish off or you can place the meat patty/chicken on the customer s plate that was given inside the restaurant. Become a Member of the Food Service Advisory Committee Have you ever wanted to learn more about the Health Department functions in regards to restaurant inspections? Have you wondered if restaurateurs have any input into how the Environmental Health Department works? The Multnomah County Food Service Advisory Committee gives input to the environmental health section of the health department on topics such as: restaurant license fees, providing information regarding Environmental Health needs from the restaurateur s perspective, and learn more about the food code and restaurant inspection process. The Food Service Advisory Committee is looking for new members from all sectors of the restaurant industry. Contact Jon Kawaguchi at 503-988-3663 x 28260 to learn more. MULTNOMAH COUNTY Environmental Health FOOD SAFETY HOTLINE (503) 988-3663 ext. 24662 Disponible en Español Local information and emergency info or Food Safety Links and related sites: click here 8
Tips for a Better Inspection: Food Handler Cards A food handler card is required for each employee that handles food within 30 days of beginning employment. Current food handler cards are required for cooks, dishwashers, bartenders, wait staff, bus persons and sometimes other positions such as a hostess. It is good to err on the safe side and make sure all of your employees have food handler cards even if food handling isn t in their job description. Food handler s cards are required for all employees working with food in restaurants, temporary food events such as street fairs or a booth at a farmers market, as well as traveler s accommodations such as bed and breakfast inns. Food handler cards are an essential first step in working towards the prevention of foodborne illness and outbreaks in your facility. This test contains the basics of personal hygiene and safe food handling. Oregon Law requires that during operation, each restaurant have a person in charge (PIC) that can demonstrate knowledge and can answer questions regarding foodborne illness prevention, proper food handling and the Food Sanitation Rules. It is becoming more commonplace for chefs, sous chefs, and front of house manager to seek further training and understanding by becoming certified as a Food Safety Manager. A person possessing a manager certification automatically meets this PIC requirement. There are several ways to obtain Food Safety Manager Certification. Please contact our office for more information. The Food Handler test can be taken on line at any time or in person at our office located at 3653 SE 34 th Avenue, Portland. Testing days are Tuesday and Thursday only from 8 5, with the last test starting at 4:30 p.m. Click here to be routed to our food handler s page. What to expect at your inspection: Your inspector will ask to see food handler cards for everyone who is working in the facility, even if they are not there at the moment. It is great when they are in a centralized area and organized. A work schedule may also be requested to match up the names with the cards. If you have employees without cards or with expired cards you might be subject to a reinspection. Email a complaint or concern 9
Summer Events 2011* *Please note that every attempt was made to be all-inclusive and accurate in our events listing and dates. Please feel free to email us if you have an event you would like added to our list. May 5 - Cinco de Mayo 14 - St John s Parade 21 - Parkrose Fun-O-Rama 22 - Sunday Parkways 22 - Kenton Street Fair 26 - Last Thursday 27 - Rose Festival 28 - Mult. County Fair 30 - Memorial Day June 4 - Starlight Parade 8 - Jr. Parade 10 - Streetcar Anniversary Celebration 11 - Grand Floral 11 - Dragon Races 17 - Rose Cup 17 - Delta Park Pow Wow 17 - Gay Pride 24 - N.A. Organic Brewers Festival 24 - Good in the Hood 26 - Sunday Parkways 30 - Last Thursday July 1 - Blues Festival 8 - Historic Races 9 - Seattle to Portland 9 - Mississippi Street Fair 9 - Bastille Day 15 - Cathedral Pak Jazz 15 - Highland Games 15 - International Beer Festival 15 - Sand in the City 16 - Relay for Life 22 - Flicks on the Bricks 23 - Division/Clinton St. Fair 24 - Sunday Parkway 28 - Last Thursday 29 - Flicks on the Bricks 29 - Trailblazer Street Jam 30 - Overlook Village Street Fair August 6 - Bones N Brew 6 - Bridge PDX Fest 12 - The Bite 20 - Alberta Street Fair 20 - Multnomah Days 21 - India Festival 21 - Hawthorne Street Fair 25 - Italian Festival 28 - Sunday Parkways 31 - Last Thursday September 3 - Art in the Pearl 9 - Muddy Boots Fest 10 - Hempstock 10 - Belmont Street Fair 17 - Vegetable Festival 18 - Sunday Parkways 24 - Fun on Foster 24 - Polish Festival 27 - Chili on the Green 29 - Last Thursday 30 - Greek Festival October 22 - Great American Distillers Fest On Going Portland Saturday Market (Saturdays and Sundays) Oregon Flea Market Fantastic Flea Market Many Farmers Markets 10