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The CDC reports that over 3000 people die each year in America from food borne illness. That is an average of 8 people a DAY. An estimated 128,000 people are hospitalized each year. That is an average of 350 people a DAY.

Unfortunately, many restaurant food handlers are not following best food safety practices. As a result, according to the CDC 48% of food borne illness is traced to restaurants.

What are the social implications of food borne illness for a restaurant and how does it impact on the restaurant survival?

In the 1993 Jack in the Box food borne illness epidemic, insurers paid out over $98 million. The largest payout was $15.6 million for one case. In the last several years there have been many class actions complaints representing hundreds of people with suits in the tens of thousands per case. While each complaint may vary, it is often alleged that:

The restaurant had a duty to comply with all … safety codes … had a duty to properly supervise, train, and monitor its employees, … had a duty to use ingredients…that were safe, … clean, free from adulteration, but failed to do so and was therefore negligent

Unfortunately reputations of good restaurants are ruined.

Experts estimate that the cost to the United States in medical bills, lost work productivity and illness related mortality from food borne illness is $77 Billion per year!

That’s a number that is so big we need to put it into perspective. It is $248 for every man, woman and child in America. The cost of food borne illness approximates the cost of influenza epidemics. And it is 5 times what we spend in medical costs for asthma.

An estimated 128,000 people are hospitalized from food borne illness each year. It accounts for about 10% of all hospitalizations for infectious Illnesses of ANY kind. Think of the lost productivity and increase in business insurance premiums. It is hard to appreciate the human suffering and loss of productivity. Numbers are sterile. Comparisons and real life stories reveal the suffering and pain.

A pharmacist got hepatitis from bad potato salad served at his country club.  His son says, “If only the cook had washed his hands”.

Arlene, a 63 year-old grandmother, spent three days in the hospital and now has persistent inflammation. “The food poisoning has changed my life... My life now revolves around my bowel movements.”

More FDA Videos.

Three thousand die from food borne illness each year. It may not seem like a lot until we compare. There were 401 worldwide deaths from commercial or charter plane crashes in 2011. There were 3532 American deaths as casualties of war in the Iraq war. According to the CDC, you were more likely to die from food borne illness than many other Illnesses including: cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, malnutrition, meningitis, influenza, or complications of medical surgical care. Attention getting isn’t it.

I can’t imagine the horror and anger that one must feel losing a child, family or dear friend to food borne illness, particularly if it were from a restaurant. The scars could last a lifetime. The doubts, blame and shame could destroy the rest of the family. The tremendous guilt a restaurant owner or a corporate quality officer shoulders could be life changing.

Food borne illness affects young and old, rich and poor It is not fair. And tragically 48% of the time it is traced to restaurants.

The public deserves better food handling and cleaner restaurants.

Read the entire article published in FoodSafetyMagazine.com

Harlan Stueven MD

Founder, DiningGrades.com

In my practice of Emergency Medicine I see patients, including children with food allergies. Most symptoms are minor with hives, runny nose and/or shortness of breath. Some symptoms can be so severe that physicians need to save the patient from the grip of death by intravenous medications, inhaled medications and intravenous fluids.

Approximately 8% of children in the United States suffer from food allergies and of these approximately 40% have a history of severe reactions requiring immediate treatment.

Peanut allergies from the bean family may be severe. While peanuts don’t cross react with tree nuts, tree nuts including pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, and walnuts, are also common allergens. Sesame seeds and poppy seeds, contain protein oils, and can cause an allergic reaction.

Egg allergies, usually from egg white protein affects, about one in fifty children.

Cow, goat or sheep milk is often more an intolerance to dairy products such as cheese but can be a protein allergy. Ten percent will have a reaction to beef. Beef contains proteins found in cow's milk.

Other foods causing allergic reactions include soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, fruits, vegetables, spices, synthetic and natural colors, and chemical additives.

To reduce problems, Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004.

Labels now identify the source of all ingredients that are derived from the eight most common food allergens.

The top eight allergy foods requiring identification by the law:

1. Peanuts

2. Tree nuts

3. Eggs

4. Dairy

5. Soybeans

6. Fish

7. Shellfish

8. Wheat

Next time you eat at a restaurant, check the menu. Are these foods identified?

Harlan Stueven MD

Founder, DiningGrades.com

How often have you glanced at a menu and noticed crusted food?

Menus are more often contaminated than you might think. In a recent study sponsored by ABC News, they found that menus that were swabbed for bacteria were often contaminated. It would make sense. Most people are seated at the restaurant table and are given a menu. After ordering, they may use the restroom to wash their hands before eating, but that means that they have walked in off the street with contaminated hands, fondled the menu and given it back to the waiter who then recycles them.

How often have you seen anyone clean a menu?

Well, I am happy to say, I witnessed a restaurant greeter wiping down menus with a germicidal spray.

I was so impressed; I took her picture and told her I would post it on my blog.

Wouldn’t you be?

Wouldn’t it be great if this became the standard?

Next time you see a dirty menu, ask for a clean one.

Perhaps management or staff will get the message.

Dr. H Stueven

Founder

DiningGrades.com

Perhaps two thirds of the time when I dine out, drinks are served with straws that are uncovered. The FDA Food Code requires straws be served with covers. Why?

If an uncovered straw is kept in a container, no doubt it got there because someone took it from a box and put it in the open container for ease of distribution. As the straw is put in the container, bare hands usually touch it. I would be amazed if anyone used gloves in that process. They are then exposed to casual touch or coughing or sneezing. Finally before it makes it into your glass, a server touches it again. No one washes their hands before touching the straws. So you end up with whatever bacteria is on their hands on your straw and in your mouth. Next time you are dining out, why not ask the waiters to just put his/her hands in your mouth and bypass the straw. Yuk!

Look at the accompanying picture. There is no way those straws can remain clean. Likely each time the server reaches for a straw, he/she touches another straw.

Your straw may have been touched multiple times.

Throw it away!

Be safe!

One more point on straws.

Those little dipsticks the bar tender puts in your glass as a stir rod are just as contaminated.

Don’t drink out of those.

Demand excellence. Don’t put your health at risk.

Dr. H Stueven
Founder

DiningGrades.com

Raw oysters, or for that matter, any raw seafood carries a risk for food poisoning. While there is a fascination with eating raw foods, like Sushi, there is risk. That risk includes Norovirus, Vibrio and Hepatitis A. While Norovirus is an aggravation and an inconvenience, Hepatitis A may have lasting effects. Those effects can include long-term liver disease and failure. In some cases it can cause death.

Until now there was no hope for the avid raw shellfish eater. Eat the raw food and take the risk.

Electron beam pasteurization has recently been studied by Texas A & M University as a means of reducing the risk of hepatitis A and Norovirus infections.  The FDA has approved the technology for other forms of seafood poisoning prevention.  While this is not yet commercially approved for shellfish pasteurization, it offers hope.

I have eaten raw oysters, when I was younger and less informed. Since studying food poisoning, I have been very reluctant to do so. I have learned of so many tragic stories. Eating raw seafood is similar to walking across a busy street blind folded. You will be fine some of the time, you risk injury some of the time and you risk death some of the time. Doesn’t seem worth it to me.

Pasteurization was first introduced as a means of reducing bacteria in milk in 1933. It is commonly used for reducing bacteria in fresh fruit juices. The process reduces disease and saves lives. Pasteurization uses temperature to kill the bad bugs. Electronic beam pasteurization is new to the food industry and holds promise.

For those still wanting to walk across the street blindfolded, at least take some precautions.

Dr. H. Stueven

Founder

DiningGrades.com