Salmonella in eggs...what you don't know!

Free Range or Bust!

Did you know that 1 in 6 Americans contract a food borne illness..that's.over 48 million people every year!

According to the CDC, there are 31 known food borne pathogens the most common deaths are from Salmonella, Toxoplasma, Listeria, and the norovirus…that's over 1,300 a year.  

Salmonella and eggs...what else is new?

No big surprise, we've heard this before... Salmonella is found on the outside and inside of eggs. To avoid exposure from the eggs, do not eat them or raw or cook eggs lightly. Hollandaise sauce, caeser salad dressing, cold souffles, chiffon  mousses, mayonnaise and contain raw eggs. Experts claim that less than 1% of the eggs tested contain Salmonella but it's possible it could be higher.

Buy eggs from a farmers market and ask questions and visit the farm (it's fun) so you can see how they treat the animals. If you don't have access to a farmers market, look for the Certified Humane label, Free Farmed, Certified Organic, cage-free, or free-range on the egg carton. Don't be fooled by the UEP Certified logo. 

Click here for a list of all egg farmers certified Humane.

Fresh eggs sinks and stale eggs float

 If you are wondering how salmonella is passed to the egg…it is stated in multiple findings that chickens carry the bacteria in their own bodies, and pass Salmonella to the yolk and white while the egg is forming in the ovaries. Chickens can be carriers for Salmonella without being sick themselves. Hens locked in cages are not safe and are more likely to contract diseases.

You can check if your egg is fresh by looking at the yolk or put the egg in a pan of plain water. If it sinks and rests horizontally, it's good. As the egg ages, the air cell gets bigger so it will either start to rise or float. Avoid eating old eggs.

Click here for Bad eggs: 10 ways to cut your salmonella risk

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com

Tape Worms and Pork...Monsters Inside your Brain?

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com

Wash Hands
health.state.mn.us

You may have heard of tapeworms entering the brain as result of eating under-cooked pork... not to freak you out about the tainted stories of meat... according to Huffington Post and Ecorazzi it is possible to get tapeworms that eat into your brain.



Always was your Hands

No, this not a B horror movie article ... the Shoptobegreen bloggers don't want to scare you but we make an effort to check our facts and we take time to verify all credible and questionable sources before we hit the publish button ...so continue reading before you viral the article or discard all of your meat (organic meat is not immune to this type of thing either..)

Brain tapeworms aka neurocysticercosis (also Cysticercosis according to the CDC) produce larvae that can latch themselves onto the cranium in the form of large white cysts. Larvae travels through a pig’s bloodstream and attaches to its muscles. Okay so it's in the pig but it may be harmful to you if you eat pork that contains the larvae cysts (not from under-cooked pork but you should never under cook pork).

In addition, the pig has to be infected in order for this to occur (source US National Library of Medicine).  Also according to the CDC, larval cysts infect brain, muscle, or other tissue, and are a major cause of adult onset seizures in most low-income countries.

Seizures are a posisble symptom from Neurocysticercosis

Furthermore, if you work with animals you have a higher chance of contracting tape worms  - if you are in contact with animal stools or with contaminated water which again is more common in certain areas of Latin America, Asia, and Africa that have poor sanitation and free-ranging pigs raised with access to human feces.



Temperature for Cooking Food

We are NOT saying that all meat sold in the USA is always safe either. 

According to multiple sources there has been an increase in Pediatric Cysticercosis and  Neurocysticercosis  - contaminated food which is occasionally eaten in the United States. For example, a person with poor hygiene who is an asymptomatic tapeworm carrier might accidentally contaminate food while preparing it for others (tapeworms may also be brought into the country from someone who travels or is relocating to America unbeknownst to the host).

Main point....observe all precautionary measures when handling, cooking or serving meat of any kind.

If you need guidance on how to cook meat properly, click here.

Or you could go Vegan but that is not 100% contamination free either...always wash your vegetables and if questionable don't eat it.

Dear Shoptobegreen Friends:
Always research anything you read and if you don't have time send us a comment and we will do our best to research it for you for FREE! Why, because we care!
Sincerely, Katy Green

Hubbub on Pink Slime? Go Organic and Save!

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com



The Daily
Jaime Oliver Pink Slime Demonstration

 What is the hullabaloo on the pink slime?

Every time I see an article on pink slime I am fearful of reading further...aggh.

Well, I forced myself to do the proper research so that no one else has to suffer. Of course, this means I have to dig deep and wade through tons of books...no I'm kidding. Either way, I pulled statements from multiple sources on pink slime to find out the truth.

The definition of "Pink Slime" is ammonia-treated beef trimmings lovingly known as "pink slime" which McDonald's has claimed to stop using in their burgers. according to the Consumerist.com and if you want to know how the pink slime is really made click on the link above for more ...if you recently ate... I suggest you wait.

According to ABC news investigation via Diane Sawyer (like her interviewing style) 70 percent of the ground beef we buy at the supermarket contains something he calls “pink slime.” - the "he" is Gerald Zirnstein former United States Department of Agriculture scientist) ...he is not blowing the whistle because he left the USDAit seems it's because he has a 2 year old son and he does not want his son eating the slime he goes to school according to the The Daily.

Well, I don't know if there will be a quick remedy to yet another tainted meat story... but one thing I can stress is eating lots of organic fruits and vegetables and purchasing locally is more critical than ever before because it seems corporations are willing to cut any corner to sell beef unsafe beef.

Bad Meat

Worse yet, this is not fair to anyone - especially families that can't afford healthier alternatives because of the expense which leads me to Shotobegreen Cheap Ways to Buy Organic Food:

FOOD COOP
CDI COOP

• Many say join a food coop so here is a link to Food Coop Directory -  Coop Directory Service - (CDS) is dedicated to the memory of Kris Olsen (1946-1998) and his life-long effort to introduce people to natural food co-ops and assist them in starting buying clubs. Click on your state and you find a Food Coop.
• Organic Comparison Shopping is also a great way to get the best for your earthy dollar. Organic Life seems to have a done a lot of homework on organic comparison shopping and they also list sites that offer organic food coupons.
• Community Gardens is another source of green produce and a garden may be near you and you don't even know it. Click here for a listing of Community Gardens near you.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of how to eat healthy and save on green organic produce for you and your family.