Agriculture: Food Safety

After reviewing the code standards for the one thing of avocado that I ate today using the Codex Alimentarius, I can only imagine all the health standards that might have been invoked for all the meals and snacks I consumed the entire day. The Codex was created in 1963 to "protect the health of consumers and ensure fair trade practices."

Before I examined the Codex Standard for Avocado, the two things I only knew were that my avocado was not ripe yet, and it came from Southern California. Little did I know that the following are the minimum requirements for avocados before distribution to consumers:

In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, the avocados must be:
- Whole
- Sound, produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is excluded
- Clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter
- Practically free of pests and damage caused by them affecting the general appearance of the produce
- Free of abnormal external moisture, excluding condensation following removal from cold storage
- Free of any foreign smell and/or taste
- Practically free of damage caused by low and/or high temperatures;
- Having a stalk not more than 10 mm in length which must be cut off cleanly. However, its absence is not considered a defect on condition that the place of the stalk attachment is dry and whole.

Source: http://www.fao.org/3/a1389e/a1389e00.pdf

Given the example of my experience working with neutropenic patients, I can help reduce the risk of infection and other foodborne illnesses through education about the neutropenic diet.

The following is taken from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center website regarding neutropenic diet tips:

- Avoid all fresh fruits and vegetables, including all fresh garnishes. Cooked vegetables, canned fruits, and juices are fine.
-Avoid raw or rare-cooked meat, fish, and eggs. Meat should be cooked to the “well- done” stage. All eggs should be thoroughly cooked (no runny yolks).
-Avoid salad bars, fruit bars, and deli counters. Buy vacuum-packed lunch meats rather than freshly sliced meats.
-Avoid raw nuts. You may eat baked products with these ingredients.
-Make sure all of the dairy products you eat are pasteurized.
-Avoid yogurt and yogurt products with live and active cultures.
-Be safe in the way you handle foods. Wash your hands before handling food. Wash all surfaces, cutting boards and cutting utensils thoroughly. Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
-At home, you may use tap water. If you choose to use bottled water, be sure it is labeled as follows:
Reverse osmosis or
Distillation or
filtered through an absolute1 micron or smaller filter
Well water is OK if it is boiled for at least 1 minute.

The FDA also has a handbook for transplant patients available through this link.

Given the increase in antibiotic resistance infections, especially those that are hospital acquired, some initiatives that nurses can propose to promote safe uses of antibiotics in agriculture are: participating in campaigns; educating the public; working with policymakers; and supporting sustainable food policies. With the concerns of the superbug and misuse of antibiotics, it is important for us, as healthcare professionals, to implement the antibiotic stewardship program into our practice to improve health outcomes.

After reading this article, I was surprised by the fact that 70% of the fruits and vegetables in the United States contain pesticides residue. I have been more conscious about the foods I purchase to make sure they are organic since I follow a plant-based diet.