Nationwide Listeria Outbreak Affects Vegetables

[SueCT]

There was an outbreak in lettuce recently, in the last few years anyway, that they said washing would not even help. I don't know for certain why, but it occurred to me that if the crops were irrigated with contaminated water they may have taken up the bacteria internally. It might have been Ecoli, though, I am not sure.

[maxjohnson]

Probably not related, but I got a severe food poisoning right about this time from either the kimchi or sauerkraut from WholeFoods a couple weeks ago, as I ate both in the same meal.

Caused my stomach to bloat heavily a couple hours after eating, and then was in bed and out of energy for 3 days, then constipation lasting for 3 weeks. Normally I go once or twice daily, but for two weeks I only had solid stool twice a week which is minimal and completely black. In the last half of the 3 weeks, the virus irritate my colon and urinary system, so it aches to pee.

In the very last week, I thought I was getting better and resumed eating normally, but then my appendix started hurting and I was alarmed. So I went for the next week with low calories, mostly green juicing and smoothies and no meat or hard to digest food. Drank a lot of juiced ginger/lemon, ate some garlic and drank rosemary tea to help rid the pathogen. That solved the issue quickly and my appendix stopped hurting in 36 hours. Now all back to normal. I consider myself to have a good digestive system, so I can only imagine it's worse for anyone else without hospitalization/antibiotic.

Moral of the story is I'll never buy kimchi or sauerkraut again. I've never appreciated going to the toilet so much before in my life.

[Rajun Gardener]

A new recall from yesterday, Yikes!!
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trader-...glass-plastic/

[Worth1]

That is some of the stuff I saw yesterday.
I wouldn't no more buy and eat this stuff than I would eat raw processed hamburger meat.
Worth

[bower]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Well with that big of a market for local produce the gap will likely be filled fairly rapidly. Ofc if the gov is involved it will probably be a$$ backwards. My wife & I are actually considering a move to Canada. I'm interested in your thoughts on the health care system? Most people here seem to think Canadians die waiting for treatment or some other scare story of why universal healthcare is bad. Probably b/c they are republicans.

A lot both good and bad could be said about the healthcare system. It also varies by province, and depends on what is wrong with you. Some specialties are poorly staffed while others are well handled.
But when I look at the usual situation of young families and their health care costs, the advantage of universal care is really obvious. One of our friends had her first child down in the States (husband is American). With no complications at all, you're out $25,000 for a hospital birth. Then there are the numerous doctor visits, vaccines etc etc that all children are going to have going forward. Universal care is the winner hands down.
Also the present government has improved the Child Benefit program, which is tied to income level now, so families in need get a decent monthly cheque, that shelters children from the harms of poverty. And you know, a working mother or father can qualify for a full year of EI benefits after the birth of a child - that is around 60 % of regular income - or can choose a lesser amount of benefits for a year and a half. It's as if the work involved in caring for infants was finally recognized. The system in your country which gives a woman but a couple of weeks maternity leave, is not so helpful.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by LDiane

Online advice about avoiding listeria recommends washing fruits and vegetables in running water, not just swishing them in a dishpan of water.

I don't know whether that applies to all vegetables, including ones grown in our gardens.

add vinegar to water in a dish pan. after you rinse them under running water swish them through the vinegar water. it helps so much to kill off bacteria and mold spores. let them drip dry and put them away.

[Worth1]

I tried to wash my ice cream and it went down the drain.
Worth

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by SueCT

There was an outbreak in lettuce recently, in the last few years anyway, that they said washing would not even help. I don't know for certain why, but it occurred to me that if the crops were irrigated with contaminated water they may have taken up the bacteria internally. It might have been Ecoli, though, I am not sure.

Yes,it was E.coli, a specific strain of it


https://www.google.com/search?q=CA+l...&bih=815&dpr=1

And I know that strain very well since there was an outbreak of it at the Washington County, NY Fair,I'm in that county,and look what happened there.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Wash...&bih=815&dpr=1

Carolyn

[imp]

How much vinegar do you put in your rinse water, Carolyn?

[SueCT]

Max, I strongly recommend you see a doctor, especially if you have any abdominal symptoms again. Self diagnosis is tempting, but you need to know, food poisoning never causes constipation, viruses do not cause it to hurt when you pee, and that pain in your appendix is either not your appendix or it needs to be removed. It sounds like you might have something quite serious like a intestinal obstruction or partial obstruction, or you could have something even more serious that might effect mutiple abdominal organs. The bloating after eating foods that create intestinal gas is another sign of a possible blockage. Getting sick again 3 weeks later when you tried to eat again is another alarming sign. Please see a doctor and describe to him/her what you told us here. If you are ill for that long a period it is way past time to seek professional advise. I hope you follow up on this and let us know that you are OK afterwards.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I tried to wash my ice cream and it went down the drain.
Worth

You loser! Everyone knows vinegar doesn't go with ice cream.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by imp

How much vinegar do you put in your rinse water, Carolyn?

I keep a jug of vinegar under the sink. I probably pour 1/2 cup ofvinegar into a gallon or so of water. Doesn't matter what kind of vinegar it is. it is acid that is doing the work. Use whatever kind you have available.
This works for all fruits and vegetables....especially for the store bought...good only knows who touched....produce.

[Worth1]

10 to 100 year old aged balsamic does.
Worth

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by SueCT

Max, I strongly recommend you see a doctor, especially if you have any abdominal symptoms again. Self diagnosis is tempting, but you need to know, food poisoning never causes constipation, viruses do not cause it to hurt when you pee, and that pain in your appendix is either not your appendix or it needs to be removed. It sounds like you might have something quite serious like a intestinal obstruction or partial obstruction, or you could have something even more serious that might effect mutiple abdominal organs. The bloating after eating foods that create intestinal gas is another sign of a possible blockage. Getting sick again 3 weeks later when you tried to eat again is another alarming sign. Please see a doctor and describe to him/her what you told us here. If you are ill for that long a period it is way past time to seek professional advise. I hope you follow up on this and let us know that you are OK afterwards.

I agree completely.

Carolyn

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

I keep a jug of vinegar under the sink. I probably pour 1/2 cup ofvinegar into a gallon or so of water. Doesn't matter what kind of vinegar it is. it is acid that is doing the work. Use whatever kind you have available.
This works for all fruits and vegetables....especially for the store bought...good only knows who touched....produce.

After reading this link

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19610330

I would never rely on vinegar when it comes to Listeria Monocytogenes.

Obviously just my opinion.

Carolyn