Celebrity Chefs: Have they forgotten basic hygiene?

During the past eight years, I have trained nearly 10,000 people for food manager certifications nationally and internationally.

On a weekly basis, someone brings up a celebrity chef and talks about what he or she viewed on a televised program. Bam! I have to undo the damage that’s been done.

In other words, if a huge celebrity chef can do it on TV, why can’t I?

Let me tell you, Gordon Ramsay’s primary responsibility when filming “Hell’s Kitchen” isn’t food safety, it’s entertainment. The same rubrics apply for Tom Colicchio and the filming of “Top Chef.”

Then we move to morning television. Flashback to November 2012 and Martha Stewart, self-proclaimed queen of anything and everything domestic, was confined to bed for several days after becoming ill with salmonella. She had made her rounds on the daytime talk shows, preparing turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday. I remember thinking, “I wish they would show her wearing gloves or washing her hands.” Apparently, she did neither, or at least not well.

Yes, celebrities get sick, too.

In December, Giada De Laurentiis was on “The Today Show” preparing ready-to-eat foods with her bare hands. But worse than that, she had a bandage on her finger.

Where was the finger cot? Where were the single-use disposable gloves?

This will certainly send any health inspector or food safety professional over the proverbial edge. Is there any responsibility as far as the media is concerned, or is it simply entertainment?

If I was inspecting a kitchen she was working in and this was happening, it certainly would be a violation. Foodborne illnesses such as Staphulococcus aureus, Hepatitis A and Norovirus can spread rapidly via improper personal hygiene such as not properly washing one’s hands or washing improperly. Wearing single-use gloves is an added precaution to prevent the spread of illness.

An unbandaged, uncovered wound just adds insult to injury.

The fact is, often the food you see celebrity chefs preparing isn’t what the audiences are consuming, but viewers assume it is. In reality, the food is prepared in a professional kitchen that you don’t see on the air.

Here are six food-safety tips for any kitchen, whether it belongs to a home chef or a celebrity chef:

1. Wash your hands. Always wash your hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. Dry with a paper towel.

2. Two-hour rule. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within two hours. Do not leave them sitting out at room temperature. Bacteria grows rapidly at room temperature.

3. Thaw laws. Always thaw food in the refrigerator. Never defrost food at room temperature on the counter top or in the sink. It is acceptable to thaw frozen food under running water at a temperature of 70 degrees or below.

4. Cutting-edge guidelines. Wash cutting boards and knives with hot, soapy water after food preparation, especially after cutting raw meat, poultry or seafood. Clean utensils and cutting boards between uses when meat has been on them. Sanitize cutting boards and counters with a diluted bleach solution. Add 1 Tablespoon bleach to a gallon of water; put in a spray bottle for easy use.

5. The raw deal. Never place food on the same plate or cutting board that previously held raw meat, poultry or seafood unless the cutting board has been thoroughly washed and rinsed.

6. Mindful marinating. Always marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the countertop. Discard leftover marinades that have been used with raw meat, poultry or seafood.

I am not familiar with any celebrity chefs who are ranking food-safety trailblazers. Let’s let the food-safety professionals execute the educating and the chefs prepare the meals. As for the celebrity chefs — let’s hope they remember some of the basics they were taught when they began in the industry and hope the restaurants they own utilize better food-safety techniques than the television shows for which they’re famous.

NOROVIRUS - YOU DON'T WANT IT!

Francine L. Shaw CP-FS.CFSM.FSP.FMP

When you go to the restroom do you wash your hands? I bet you silently responded, "YES!" Do you use soap? Again, "YES?!" Statistically speaking, it's not the case. "What?!" you say. That's right. One in three people that use the restroom don't wash their hands afterwards. EEEWWW....Then they touch the doorknob to open the door and leave the restroom. You know what that means....Yep, you may as well have not washed your hands either. Everything that was on their grimy little paws is now on your nice clean hands! PIGS, I say...PIGS! And, that's why you are now home in bed with norovirus....

Norovirus is the leading cause of gastrointestinal illness in both the USA and the UK. It is a miserable illness and misery loves company. To say one is miserable when they have this foodborne illness is putting it mildly. It's misery incarnate. One minute you're absolutely fine, and the next you think you're going to die - or that death would be preferable.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each year noroviruses cause an estimated 21 million illnesses and 800 deaths. Approximately 80 percent of the infections occur between November and April, when people tend to gather in enclosed spaces with little fresh air circulating.

Nausea, 'projectile vomiting', and 'explosive' diarrhea are the usual symptoms - sometimes simultaneously; then stomach cramps, muscle aches, low-grade fever, headache, and fatigue, that can go on for days after the main symptoms dissipate. Even though norovirus typically lasts one to three days, an infection can be hazardous, especially for small children, elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. The greatest risk is dehydration stemming from the constant vomiting and watery diarrhea.

The virus spreads quickly in close confined quarters such as day care centers, schools, office buildings, retirement centers, hotels, and nursing homes, as well as on cruise ships. Most cruise ships try hard to prevent outbreaks, but norovirus is quite tenacious and often persists through their efforts. Most hand sanitizers don't kill the bug!

Frequent hand washing with soap and hot water - 100 degrees Fahrenheit - for at least 30 seconds, especially after using the toilet, is the best preemptive. Failing to wash your hands after using the restroom risks transference of the virus to foods, drinks, or utensils used by others - and let's not forget the doorknob you touched on the way out of the restroom! It only takes a small inoculation of norovirus to cause the illness and trust me....YOU DON'T WANT IT!

WASH YOUR HANDS! WASH YOUR HANDS! WASH YOUR FREAKIN HANDS!

WHAT? ALTER NANNY’S RECIPE?!

I love the holiday season.  From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day...food, food, food and more food!  And, I LOVE food…meat, vegetables, fruit, cookies, desserts and don’t forget the drinks! One of my favorites, EGGNOG (spiked eggnog)…

Nanny’s Eggnog recipe most likely needs a Safety Update (and, before you say it – NO alcohol does NOT kill the bacteria). I love my Nanny’s eggnog, what do I do?! Pasteurized shelled eggs are an option, if you have access to them.  If not you’ll need to go another route.

The key is to heat the eggs to 160°F in order to kill the bacteria.

Ahhhh, but the savvy egg-eater would say that this would make a runny egg an omelet; and, they would be right.  However, simple alterations to the recipe can fix this problem. Eggs harden when their proteins coagulate, so in order for them to stay runny, their proteins must remain separate. This can be achieved by diluting the egg with something like milk or sugar.

The magic number is two tablespoons of sugar per white.  If yolks and whites are being cooked together the American Egg board recommends ¼ cup of liquid or sugar per egg. This mixture can then be heated to 160°F and it will not harden. 

Following this recommendation will not only keep your eggnog safe, but you can refer to it for other recipes containing raw eggs as well. No need to change the recipes, just combine the ingredients in a different order.

Now, let’s talk about another source of Salmonella.  As I mentioned before I LOVE food, anything sweet is my weakness (my dentist is cringing right now).

Eggs are the boring ingredient that goes into many of these cookies, cakes, and other sweet treats. Eggs are often added quickly then we move on to something more exciting…Chocolate chips! 

When you purchase your eggs commercially there are regulations in place, so you can expect the exterior of the egg and the carton to have met certain standards. However, Salmonella can live inside the shell. This means you need to be careful.

I’m not going to tell you to not eat raw cookie dough or you will never read anything else I write.  What I am going to say is, do it at your own risk. None of you want to spend the holiday snuggled up to the toilet on the bathroom floor.  Barf Humbug! 

Enjoy the season and everything it has to offer – SAFELY!

Food Allergies in Schools - Part 2 of the Allergy Series

As a growing food safety and public health concern, potentially life-threatening food allergies affect between 4% and 6% of children in the U.S. The ordeal goes beyond the child with the allergy, effecting their families, schools and early child education programs. Having a plan of action and communication between families and staff could help to prevent allergic reactions and prepare them to handle emergencies.

What is a food allergy?

When the body has a specific immune response to certain foods that can multiply, this can be defined as a food allergy. The immune response can be severe and life threatening, or even lead to anaphylaxis. Normally the immune system protects us from germs, however in those with food allergies it incorrectly responds as if the food was harmful.

Eight foods account for 90% of serious allergic reactions in the U.S.

Symptoms of Allergic Reactions in Children

While symptoms and severity of reactions to food can vary between individuals, they can also different for one person over time. If a child with food allergies is having a reaction, they may talk about the following symptoms:

•   It feels like something is poking my tongue.

•   My tongue (or mouth) is tingling (or burning).

•   My tongue (or mouth) itches.

•   My tongue feels like there is hair on it.

•   My mouth feels funny.

•   There’s a frog in my throat; there’s something stuck in my throat.

•   My tongue feels full (or heavy).

•   My lips feel tight.

•   It feels like there are bugs in there (to describe itchy ears).

•   It (my throat) feels thick

•   It feels like a bump is on the back of my tongue (throat).

Treatment and Prevention of Food Allergies in Children

Unfortunately, there is no cure for food allergies. The only way to avoid symptoms or an emergency is to avoid the allergen. While it is not always easy to avoid certain foods, school and ECE programs should have a plan of action in place to handle allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Early and fast recognition of allergic reactions that may lead to anaphylaxis can prevent a tragedy.

Voluntary Guideline for Managing Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and federal agencies, CDC developed guidelines for managing food allergies in schools and early care and education centers. This provides information and planning steps for parents, district administrators, school administrators and staff.

Defining A Food Allergy: Part One of the Allergy Series

A food allergy can be described the reaction of the immune system to a harmless food as if it were a threat. While there are several types of immune responses to food, we will focus on one specific type of reaction – where the body produces a specific type of antibody call immunoglobulin E (IgE). The binding of IgE to certain molecules in food triggers the immune system to respond.

The first time a person eats the food, no symptoms may be present. The first time they are exposed to that food, their immune system reacts as if the food is harmful and makes specific IgE antibodies for that allergen. The antibodies then circulate throughout the body and attach to different tissues.

The next time they eat the food an allergic reaction could happen. When ingested, the food allergen binds to the IgE antibodies that have attached throughout the body, releasing massive amounts of chemicals such as histamine. Depending on the tissue where they are released, the chemicals will cause various symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. A severe allergic reaction can include anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threating response.

Anaphylaxis may begin abruptly and could lead to death if not treated immediately. This includes a wide range of symptoms that can present themselves in many combinations. Some symptoms are not as dangerous, but the most severe restrict breathing and circulation.

Affected areas could include:

SKIN: itching, hives, redness, swelling

NOSE: sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose

MOUTH: itching, swelling of lips and tongue

THROAT: itching, tightness, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness

CHEST: shortness of breath, cough, wheeze, chest pain, tightness

HEART: weak pulse, passing out, shock

GI TRACT: vomiting, diarrhea, cramps

NERVOUS SYSTEM:  dizziness or fainting

Symptoms can begin immediately or several hours after contact. Sometimes the symptoms go away, only to return 2 to 8 hours later. Anaphylaxis is highly unpredictable, but if you begin to experience symptoms you must seek medical attention immediately because it can be deadly.

Common Food Allergies in Infant, Children and Adults

In infants and children:

In adults:

Food allergies usually develop at an early age but can develop anytime. Children can outgrow egg, milk, and soy allergies. However, people who develop allergies as usually adults have them for life.