Office workers most at risk from blood clots: study Mon Mar 12, 12:09 AM ET
WELLINGTON (AFP) - Office workers who spend long hours at their desk may be more prone to potentially fatal blood clots than passengers on long-haul flights, according to research cited Monday.
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A study by Professor Richard Beasley of the Medical Research Institute in Wellington found that a third of patients admitted to hospital with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were office workers who spent long periods at a computer.
A total of 34 percent of the sample of 62 people admitted with blood clots had been seated at their desks for long periods, compared with 21 percent of patients who had recently travelled on long-distance flights, the New Zealand Herald newspaper reported.
DVT is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs. The clots can travel to the heart, lungs or brain, causing chest pain, breathlessness or possible death from a heart attack or stroke.
The condition has been dubbed "economy class syndrome" because passengers sitting on long-haul flights without space to stretch out were considered as most at risk.
Studies found clots formed in 10 percent of air travellers at high risk of the condition and one percent of all passengers.
Treatment is through blood thinning drugs which can take months.
Beasley said some office workers who developed clots sat at their screens for 14 hours a day.
"Some of them were going three to four hours at a time without getting up," he said.
The problem was most common in the information technology industry and in call-centres, he added.
The study is to be presented later this month at the annual conference of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, and will also be published in the New Zealand Medical Journal.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070312/hl_afp/nzealandhealthresearchdvt
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Food Safety Quiz
Answer yes or no to each statement. (There’s no need to keep score, but if you find yourself missing more questions than you get right, you can forget about inviting us over for dinner.)
1. I wash my hands with soap or dishwashing liquid both before and after I handle food.
answer
2. I have a separate sponge only for wiping up spills from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
answer
3. I sometimes use my dish towel to wipe my hands while I’m cooking.
answer
4. Plastic cutting boards are less likely to spread bacteria than wooden cutting boards.
answer
5. I give my fresh produce a good, warm soak in the sink before I use it.
answer
1. I keep a thermometer in my refrigerator and make sure that the temperature stays at 40°F or less.
answer
2. If refrigerated meat, fish, or poultry smells okay, it’s safe to eat.
answer
3. I give the inside of my refrigerator a thorough, warm soapy wash every month.
answer
4. I always defrost frozen meat, seafood, or poultry in the sink, so I can rinse the thawed juices right down the drain.
answer
5. If I’m using meat, poultry, or fish that has been frozen, I make sure to cook it the same day I defrost it.
answer
1. I check “sell by” or “use by” dates on perishable foods before I buy them, and again before I use them.
answer
2. I make sure to use any cracked eggs before the others.
answer
3. I cook or freeze steaks and chops within three or four days of purchase, fish within 24 to 36 hours of purchase, and poultry or ground meat within one or two days of purchase.
answer
4. Dairy products need to be pasteurized, but fruit juices don’t.
answer
5. It’s okay to buy food in dented cans.
answer
1. I wrap and refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, and always within two hours.
answer
2. I eat, freeze, or toss leftovers within a week.
answer
3. I note the date and contents of leftovers on the container in which I store them.
answer
4. I clean my sponges at least once a week.
answer
5. After every meal that was prepared using raw meat, seafood, poultry, or eggs, I wash my counters and work surfaces with hot, soapy water.
answer
1. I test to see whether poultry is done by piercing the skin of a leg or thigh. If the juices run pink, the bird needs more cooking. If the juices are clear, it’s done.
answer
2. Hamburgers and meat loaf are safe to eat if they’re not pink in the middle.
answer
3. When I serve cooked meat, eggs, seafood, or poultry, I use clean platters and utensils, not the ones I used when the food was raw or while it was cooking.
answer
4. It’s okay to baste meat, seafood, or poultry with its marinade as it’s cooking.
answer
5. It’s okay to let my kids eat cold hot dogs right out of the package.
answer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This quiz was devised by Diana Birkett and Mimi Harrison, with help from CSPI’s Lucy Alderton and Caroline Smith DeWaal, and Jack Guzewich of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
About half of all food poisoning cases occur away from home—at restaurants, picnics, banquets, stadiums, your Aunt Betsy’s house. There’s only so much you can do about those. But there’s plenty you can do to protect yourself and your family at home.
A little common sense, combined with a handful of easy-to-remember rules, can help keep you and your family out of the emergency room. This quiz will help you figure out how safe your kitchen is. It covers the five most important things you can do at the supermarket, the refrigerator, the sink, the stove, and the counter.
While anyone could get food poisoning, some people are especially vulnerable:
Those with HIV or an autoimmune disease like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Graves’ disease (a disease of the thyroid gland), and scleroderma (a disease of the skin) have a diminished ability to fight off infections. A bout of food poisoning that might cause mild or severe stomach distress in others could be fatal to them.
The very young, the very old, and those recovering from illness have weaker immune systems than others, which makes them more susceptible to food poisoning. They’re also at greater risk from the dehydration that vomiting and diarrhea can cause.
Pregnant women undergo changes in their immune systems that can leave them—and their fetuses—with a lessened ability to fight off infection.
Alcoholics (active or recovered) may have liver damage or suffer from decreased liver function. Both impair the body’s ability to fend off infection.
People who are taking antibiotics may have a temporarily weakened ability to deal with bacteria and other microorganisms.
People who are taking prescription antacids produce less stomach acid, which is a natural defense against food hazards. That could put them at increased risk of food poisoning.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and CSPI.
Some foods are more likely to contain dangerous bugs than others:
Rare meats (especially ground beef or poultry).
Raw eggs or foods made with raw eggs like Caesar dressing, desserts like custard and tiramisu, or homemade ice cream, mayonnaise, and eggnog.
Raw shellfish.
Soft cheeses like Mexican-style queso blanco, feta, Brie, Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses (bottled blue cheese dressings are fine).
Sprouts.
Unpasteurized milk, milk products, juice, or cider.
Cold ready-to-eat seafood like smoked salmon, and cold ready-to-eat meats like hot dogs and cold cuts
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and CSPI.
Heat kills. Cook your meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood until they reach these internal temperatures. Use a good, clean, instant-read thermometer and place its tip in the thickest part of the food. (Don’t forget to wash it each time before you insert it.)
Food
Temperature
Ground meat
hamburger
beef, pork, veal or lamb
160°F
160°F
Beef, veal, or lamb
(roasts or steaks)
medium-rare
medium
well-done
145°F
160°F
170°F
Pork (chops, roasts, or ribs)
medium
well-done
160°F
170°F
Fresh ham or sausage
160°F
Poultry
ground chicken or turkey
chicken, whole or pieces
duck
turkey (unstuffed) 165°F
180°F
180°F
whole turkey or dark meat
breast meat
stuffing (cooked separately)
180°F
170°F
165°F
Eggs
fried or poached until the yolk and white are firm
sauces, custards, and casseroles
that contain eggs
160°F
Seafood
whole fish and fillets until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily
shrimp or lobster until the shell turns red (lobster) or pink (shrimp) and the flesh is opaque
scallops until they turn milky white, opaque, and firm (but not rubbery)
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
If you have Internet access, the best source for information on safe food is www.foodsafety.gov. It has links to all of the U.S. government’s food safety Web sites. And check out the tips and other information on our Web site. You can also call the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555 or the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Information and Seafood Hotline at (800) 332-4010.
Jump to: Main Nutrition Action About CSPI Alcohol Policy Biotechnology Canada Donate to CSPI! Eating Green Food Safety Nutrition Policy Integrity in Science International Newsroom Take Action!
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/11_00/food_quiz2000.html
1. I wash my hands with soap or dishwashing liquid both before and after I handle food.
answer
2. I have a separate sponge only for wiping up spills from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
answer
3. I sometimes use my dish towel to wipe my hands while I’m cooking.
answer
4. Plastic cutting boards are less likely to spread bacteria than wooden cutting boards.
answer
5. I give my fresh produce a good, warm soak in the sink before I use it.
answer
1. I keep a thermometer in my refrigerator and make sure that the temperature stays at 40°F or less.
answer
2. If refrigerated meat, fish, or poultry smells okay, it’s safe to eat.
answer
3. I give the inside of my refrigerator a thorough, warm soapy wash every month.
answer
4. I always defrost frozen meat, seafood, or poultry in the sink, so I can rinse the thawed juices right down the drain.
answer
5. If I’m using meat, poultry, or fish that has been frozen, I make sure to cook it the same day I defrost it.
answer
1. I check “sell by” or “use by” dates on perishable foods before I buy them, and again before I use them.
answer
2. I make sure to use any cracked eggs before the others.
answer
3. I cook or freeze steaks and chops within three or four days of purchase, fish within 24 to 36 hours of purchase, and poultry or ground meat within one or two days of purchase.
answer
4. Dairy products need to be pasteurized, but fruit juices don’t.
answer
5. It’s okay to buy food in dented cans.
answer
1. I wrap and refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, and always within two hours.
answer
2. I eat, freeze, or toss leftovers within a week.
answer
3. I note the date and contents of leftovers on the container in which I store them.
answer
4. I clean my sponges at least once a week.
answer
5. After every meal that was prepared using raw meat, seafood, poultry, or eggs, I wash my counters and work surfaces with hot, soapy water.
answer
1. I test to see whether poultry is done by piercing the skin of a leg or thigh. If the juices run pink, the bird needs more cooking. If the juices are clear, it’s done.
answer
2. Hamburgers and meat loaf are safe to eat if they’re not pink in the middle.
answer
3. When I serve cooked meat, eggs, seafood, or poultry, I use clean platters and utensils, not the ones I used when the food was raw or while it was cooking.
answer
4. It’s okay to baste meat, seafood, or poultry with its marinade as it’s cooking.
answer
5. It’s okay to let my kids eat cold hot dogs right out of the package.
answer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This quiz was devised by Diana Birkett and Mimi Harrison, with help from CSPI’s Lucy Alderton and Caroline Smith DeWaal, and Jack Guzewich of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
About half of all food poisoning cases occur away from home—at restaurants, picnics, banquets, stadiums, your Aunt Betsy’s house. There’s only so much you can do about those. But there’s plenty you can do to protect yourself and your family at home.
A little common sense, combined with a handful of easy-to-remember rules, can help keep you and your family out of the emergency room. This quiz will help you figure out how safe your kitchen is. It covers the five most important things you can do at the supermarket, the refrigerator, the sink, the stove, and the counter.
While anyone could get food poisoning, some people are especially vulnerable:
Those with HIV or an autoimmune disease like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Graves’ disease (a disease of the thyroid gland), and scleroderma (a disease of the skin) have a diminished ability to fight off infections. A bout of food poisoning that might cause mild or severe stomach distress in others could be fatal to them.
The very young, the very old, and those recovering from illness have weaker immune systems than others, which makes them more susceptible to food poisoning. They’re also at greater risk from the dehydration that vomiting and diarrhea can cause.
Pregnant women undergo changes in their immune systems that can leave them—and their fetuses—with a lessened ability to fight off infection.
Alcoholics (active or recovered) may have liver damage or suffer from decreased liver function. Both impair the body’s ability to fend off infection.
People who are taking antibiotics may have a temporarily weakened ability to deal with bacteria and other microorganisms.
People who are taking prescription antacids produce less stomach acid, which is a natural defense against food hazards. That could put them at increased risk of food poisoning.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and CSPI.
Some foods are more likely to contain dangerous bugs than others:
Rare meats (especially ground beef or poultry).
Raw eggs or foods made with raw eggs like Caesar dressing, desserts like custard and tiramisu, or homemade ice cream, mayonnaise, and eggnog.
Raw shellfish.
Soft cheeses like Mexican-style queso blanco, feta, Brie, Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses (bottled blue cheese dressings are fine).
Sprouts.
Unpasteurized milk, milk products, juice, or cider.
Cold ready-to-eat seafood like smoked salmon, and cold ready-to-eat meats like hot dogs and cold cuts
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and CSPI.
Heat kills. Cook your meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood until they reach these internal temperatures. Use a good, clean, instant-read thermometer and place its tip in the thickest part of the food. (Don’t forget to wash it each time before you insert it.)
Food
Temperature
Ground meat
hamburger
beef, pork, veal or lamb
160°F
160°F
Beef, veal, or lamb
(roasts or steaks)
medium-rare
medium
well-done
145°F
160°F
170°F
Pork (chops, roasts, or ribs)
medium
well-done
160°F
170°F
Fresh ham or sausage
160°F
Poultry
ground chicken or turkey
chicken, whole or pieces
duck
turkey (unstuffed) 165°F
180°F
180°F
whole turkey or dark meat
breast meat
stuffing (cooked separately)
180°F
170°F
165°F
Eggs
fried or poached until the yolk and white are firm
sauces, custards, and casseroles
that contain eggs
160°F
Seafood
whole fish and fillets until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily
shrimp or lobster until the shell turns red (lobster) or pink (shrimp) and the flesh is opaque
scallops until they turn milky white, opaque, and firm (but not rubbery)
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
If you have Internet access, the best source for information on safe food is www.foodsafety.gov. It has links to all of the U.S. government’s food safety Web sites. And check out the tips and other information on our Web site. You can also call the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555 or the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Information and Seafood Hotline at (800) 332-4010.
Jump to: Main Nutrition Action About CSPI Alcohol Policy Biotechnology Canada Donate to CSPI! Eating Green Food Safety Nutrition Policy Integrity in Science International Newsroom Take Action!
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/11_00/food_quiz2000.html
Food Safety Quiz
Answer yes or no to each statement. (There’s no need to keep score, but if you find yourself missing more questions than you get right, you can forget about inviting us over for dinner.)
1. I wash my hands with soap or dishwashing liquid both before and after I handle food.
answer
2. I have a separate sponge only for wiping up spills from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
answer
3. I sometimes use my dish towel to wipe my hands while I’m cooking.
answer
4. Plastic cutting boards are less likely to spread bacteria than wooden cutting boards.
answer
5. I give my fresh produce a good, warm soak in the sink before I use it.
answer
1. I keep a thermometer in my refrigerator and make sure that the temperature stays at 40°F or less.
answer
2. If refrigerated meat, fish, or poultry smells okay, it’s safe to eat.
answer
3. I give the inside of my refrigerator a thorough, warm soapy wash every month.
answer
4. I always defrost frozen meat, seafood, or poultry in the sink, so I can rinse the thawed juices right down the drain.
answer
5. If I’m using meat, poultry, or fish that has been frozen, I make sure to cook it the same day I defrost it.
answer
1. I check “sell by” or “use by” dates on perishable foods before I buy them, and again before I use them.
answer
2. I make sure to use any cracked eggs before the others.
answer
3. I cook or freeze steaks and chops within three or four days of purchase, fish within 24 to 36 hours of purchase, and poultry or ground meat within one or two days of purchase.
answer
4. Dairy products need to be pasteurized, but fruit juices don’t.
answer
5. It’s okay to buy food in dented cans.
answer
1. I wrap and refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, and always within two hours.
answer
2. I eat, freeze, or toss leftovers within a week.
answer
3. I note the date and contents of leftovers on the container in which I store them.
answer
4. I clean my sponges at least once a week.
answer
5. After every meal that was prepared using raw meat, seafood, poultry, or eggs, I wash my counters and work surfaces with hot, soapy water.
answer
1. I test to see whether poultry is done by piercing the skin of a leg or thigh. If the juices run pink, the bird needs more cooking. If the juices are clear, it’s done.
answer
2. Hamburgers and meat loaf are safe to eat if they’re not pink in the middle.
answer
3. When I serve cooked meat, eggs, seafood, or poultry, I use clean platters and utensils, not the ones I used when the food was raw or while it was cooking.
answer
4. It’s okay to baste meat, seafood, or poultry with its marinade as it’s cooking.
answer
5. It’s okay to let my kids eat cold hot dogs right out of the package.
answer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This quiz was devised by Diana Birkett and Mimi Harrison, with help from CSPI’s Lucy Alderton and Caroline Smith DeWaal, and Jack Guzewich of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
About half of all food poisoning cases occur away from home—at restaurants, picnics, banquets, stadiums, your Aunt Betsy’s house. There’s only so much you can do about those. But there’s plenty you can do to protect yourself and your family at home.
A little common sense, combined with a handful of easy-to-remember rules, can help keep you and your family out of the emergency room. This quiz will help you figure out how safe your kitchen is. It covers the five most important things you can do at the supermarket, the refrigerator, the sink, the stove, and the counter.
While anyone could get food poisoning, some people are especially vulnerable:
Those with HIV or an autoimmune disease like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Graves’ disease (a disease of the thyroid gland), and scleroderma (a disease of the skin) have a diminished ability to fight off infections. A bout of food poisoning that might cause mild or severe stomach distress in others could be fatal to them.
The very young, the very old, and those recovering from illness have weaker immune systems than others, which makes them more susceptible to food poisoning. They’re also at greater risk from the dehydration that vomiting and diarrhea can cause.
Pregnant women undergo changes in their immune systems that can leave them—and their fetuses—with a lessened ability to fight off infection.
Alcoholics (active or recovered) may have liver damage or suffer from decreased liver function. Both impair the body’s ability to fend off infection.
People who are taking antibiotics may have a temporarily weakened ability to deal with bacteria and other microorganisms.
People who are taking prescription antacids produce less stomach acid, which is a natural defense against food hazards. That could put them at increased risk of food poisoning.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and CSPI.
Some foods are more likely to contain dangerous bugs than others:
Rare meats (especially ground beef or poultry).
Raw eggs or foods made with raw eggs like Caesar dressing, desserts like custard and tiramisu, or homemade ice cream, mayonnaise, and eggnog.
Raw shellfish.
Soft cheeses like Mexican-style queso blanco, feta, Brie, Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses (bottled blue cheese dressings are fine).
Sprouts.
Unpasteurized milk, milk products, juice, or cider.
Cold ready-to-eat seafood like smoked salmon, and cold ready-to-eat meats like hot dogs and cold cuts
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and CSPI.
Heat kills. Cook your meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood until they reach these internal temperatures. Use a good, clean, instant-read thermometer and place its tip in the thickest part of the food. (Don’t forget to wash it each time before you insert it.)
Food
Temperature
Ground meat
hamburger
beef, pork, veal or lamb
160°F
160°F
Beef, veal, or lamb
(roasts or steaks)
medium-rare
medium
well-done
145°F
160°F
170°F
Pork (chops, roasts, or ribs)
medium
well-done
160°F
170°F
Fresh ham or sausage
160°F
Poultry
ground chicken or turkey
chicken, whole or pieces
duck
turkey (unstuffed) 165°F
180°F
180°F
whole turkey or dark meat
breast meat
stuffing (cooked separately)
180°F
170°F
165°F
Eggs
fried or poached until the yolk and white are firm
sauces, custards, and casseroles
that contain eggs
160°F
Seafood
whole fish and fillets until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily
shrimp or lobster until the shell turns red (lobster) or pink (shrimp) and the flesh is opaque
scallops until they turn milky white, opaque, and firm (but not rubbery)
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
If you have Internet access, the best source for information on safe food is www.foodsafety.gov. It has links to all of the U.S. government’s food safety Web sites. And check out the tips and other information on our Web site. You can also call the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555 or the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Information and Seafood Hotline at (800) 332-4010.
Jump to: Main Nutrition Action About CSPI Alcohol Policy Biotechnology Canada Donate to CSPI! Eating Green Food Safety Nutrition Policy Integrity in Science International Newsroom Take Action!
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/11_00/food_quiz2000.html
1. I wash my hands with soap or dishwashing liquid both before and after I handle food.
answer
2. I have a separate sponge only for wiping up spills from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
answer
3. I sometimes use my dish towel to wipe my hands while I’m cooking.
answer
4. Plastic cutting boards are less likely to spread bacteria than wooden cutting boards.
answer
5. I give my fresh produce a good, warm soak in the sink before I use it.
answer
1. I keep a thermometer in my refrigerator and make sure that the temperature stays at 40°F or less.
answer
2. If refrigerated meat, fish, or poultry smells okay, it’s safe to eat.
answer
3. I give the inside of my refrigerator a thorough, warm soapy wash every month.
answer
4. I always defrost frozen meat, seafood, or poultry in the sink, so I can rinse the thawed juices right down the drain.
answer
5. If I’m using meat, poultry, or fish that has been frozen, I make sure to cook it the same day I defrost it.
answer
1. I check “sell by” or “use by” dates on perishable foods before I buy them, and again before I use them.
answer
2. I make sure to use any cracked eggs before the others.
answer
3. I cook or freeze steaks and chops within three or four days of purchase, fish within 24 to 36 hours of purchase, and poultry or ground meat within one or two days of purchase.
answer
4. Dairy products need to be pasteurized, but fruit juices don’t.
answer
5. It’s okay to buy food in dented cans.
answer
1. I wrap and refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, and always within two hours.
answer
2. I eat, freeze, or toss leftovers within a week.
answer
3. I note the date and contents of leftovers on the container in which I store them.
answer
4. I clean my sponges at least once a week.
answer
5. After every meal that was prepared using raw meat, seafood, poultry, or eggs, I wash my counters and work surfaces with hot, soapy water.
answer
1. I test to see whether poultry is done by piercing the skin of a leg or thigh. If the juices run pink, the bird needs more cooking. If the juices are clear, it’s done.
answer
2. Hamburgers and meat loaf are safe to eat if they’re not pink in the middle.
answer
3. When I serve cooked meat, eggs, seafood, or poultry, I use clean platters and utensils, not the ones I used when the food was raw or while it was cooking.
answer
4. It’s okay to baste meat, seafood, or poultry with its marinade as it’s cooking.
answer
5. It’s okay to let my kids eat cold hot dogs right out of the package.
answer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This quiz was devised by Diana Birkett and Mimi Harrison, with help from CSPI’s Lucy Alderton and Caroline Smith DeWaal, and Jack Guzewich of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
About half of all food poisoning cases occur away from home—at restaurants, picnics, banquets, stadiums, your Aunt Betsy’s house. There’s only so much you can do about those. But there’s plenty you can do to protect yourself and your family at home.
A little common sense, combined with a handful of easy-to-remember rules, can help keep you and your family out of the emergency room. This quiz will help you figure out how safe your kitchen is. It covers the five most important things you can do at the supermarket, the refrigerator, the sink, the stove, and the counter.
While anyone could get food poisoning, some people are especially vulnerable:
Those with HIV or an autoimmune disease like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Graves’ disease (a disease of the thyroid gland), and scleroderma (a disease of the skin) have a diminished ability to fight off infections. A bout of food poisoning that might cause mild or severe stomach distress in others could be fatal to them.
The very young, the very old, and those recovering from illness have weaker immune systems than others, which makes them more susceptible to food poisoning. They’re also at greater risk from the dehydration that vomiting and diarrhea can cause.
Pregnant women undergo changes in their immune systems that can leave them—and their fetuses—with a lessened ability to fight off infection.
Alcoholics (active or recovered) may have liver damage or suffer from decreased liver function. Both impair the body’s ability to fend off infection.
People who are taking antibiotics may have a temporarily weakened ability to deal with bacteria and other microorganisms.
People who are taking prescription antacids produce less stomach acid, which is a natural defense against food hazards. That could put them at increased risk of food poisoning.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and CSPI.
Some foods are more likely to contain dangerous bugs than others:
Rare meats (especially ground beef or poultry).
Raw eggs or foods made with raw eggs like Caesar dressing, desserts like custard and tiramisu, or homemade ice cream, mayonnaise, and eggnog.
Raw shellfish.
Soft cheeses like Mexican-style queso blanco, feta, Brie, Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses (bottled blue cheese dressings are fine).
Sprouts.
Unpasteurized milk, milk products, juice, or cider.
Cold ready-to-eat seafood like smoked salmon, and cold ready-to-eat meats like hot dogs and cold cuts
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and CSPI.
Heat kills. Cook your meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood until they reach these internal temperatures. Use a good, clean, instant-read thermometer and place its tip in the thickest part of the food. (Don’t forget to wash it each time before you insert it.)
Food
Temperature
Ground meat
hamburger
beef, pork, veal or lamb
160°F
160°F
Beef, veal, or lamb
(roasts or steaks)
medium-rare
medium
well-done
145°F
160°F
170°F
Pork (chops, roasts, or ribs)
medium
well-done
160°F
170°F
Fresh ham or sausage
160°F
Poultry
ground chicken or turkey
chicken, whole or pieces
duck
turkey (unstuffed) 165°F
180°F
180°F
whole turkey or dark meat
breast meat
stuffing (cooked separately)
180°F
170°F
165°F
Eggs
fried or poached until the yolk and white are firm
sauces, custards, and casseroles
that contain eggs
160°F
Seafood
whole fish and fillets until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily
shrimp or lobster until the shell turns red (lobster) or pink (shrimp) and the flesh is opaque
scallops until they turn milky white, opaque, and firm (but not rubbery)
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
If you have Internet access, the best source for information on safe food is www.foodsafety.gov. It has links to all of the U.S. government’s food safety Web sites. And check out the tips and other information on our Web site. You can also call the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555 or the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Information and Seafood Hotline at (800) 332-4010.
Jump to: Main Nutrition Action About CSPI Alcohol Policy Biotechnology Canada Donate to CSPI! Eating Green Food Safety Nutrition Policy Integrity in Science International Newsroom Take Action!
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/11_00/food_quiz2000.html
Ten Super Bad Foods
Judging by the label, Pepperidge Farm Original Flaky Crust Roasted Chicken Pot Pie has 510 calories and 9 grams of saturated fat. But look again. Those numbers are for half a pie. Eat the entire pie, as most people probably do, and you're talking more than 1,000 calories and 18 grams of sat fat. Then add the 13 grams of hidden trans fat (from the partially hydrogenated vegetable shortening) in each pie and you're up to 31 grams of artery-clogging fat – that's far more than a day's allotment.
McDonald's Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips sounds healthy. In fact, ounce for ounce, the Selects are no healthier than the chain's Chicken McNuggets. A standard, fivestrip order has 630 calories and 11 grams of artery-clogging fat. That's about the same as a Big Mac, except the burger has 1,010 mg of sodium, while the Selects hit 1,550 mg, even without the salty sauce.
Each slice of The Cheesecake Factory's 6 Carb Cheesecake has 610 calories – that's the same as you'd get from a slice of their Original Cheesecake. Think of it as an 8-ounce prime rib for dessert – with 29 grams of saturated fat, 1½ days' supply. The next time you step on the bathroom scale, you may never know that the carbs were missing.
Dove squeezes some 300 calories and 8 to 13 grams of saturated fat (half-a-day's worth) into a tennis-ball size serving (half a cup) of its Dove Ice Cream. That puts it in the same ballpark as Ben & Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs. With names like "Unconditional Chocolate," Dove is trying to link chocolate with romance. A scoop of its ice cream will fill your heart all right … but not with love.
No one expects a Mrs. Fields cookie to be good for you, but who would guess that a single Mrs. Fields Milk Chocolate & Walnuts cookie has more than 300 calories and as much saturated fat as a 12-ounce sirloin steak? It's also got six teaspoons of sugar. If you can't resist Mrs. Fields, share the smallest bag of Nibblers (six half-ounce cookies) with a friend. Or walk a few feet and look for a piece of fruit at another store instead.
The Starbucks Venti (20 oz.) Caffè Mocha with whipped cream is more than a mere cup of coffee. Think of it as a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in a cup. Few people have room in their diets for the 490 calories and 16 grams of bad fat that this hefty beverage supplies. But you can lose all the bad fat and all but 170 calories if you order a tall (12 oz.) with nonfat milk and no whipped cream.
Unless you're suicidal, why on earth would you want to wolf down a Burger King Quad Stacker – 4 hamburger patties, 4 slices of cheese, 8 strips of bacon, plus sauce and a bun? That's half-a-day's calories (1,000), one-and-a-half-days' worth of saturated fat (30 grams), 3 grams of trans fat, and more than a day's sodium (1,800 mg). Urp!
Campbell's Chunky, Select, and red-and-white-label condensed soups are brimming with salt: Half a can averages more than half of a person's daily quota of salt. Instead, try brands like Healthy Choice and Campbell's Healthy Request, which have less than half as much sodium.
Interested in a Chipotle Chicken Burrito (tortilla, rice, pinto beans, cheese, chicken, sour cream, and salsa)? Think of its 1,180 calories and 19 grams of saturated fat as three 6-inch Subway Steak and Cheese Subs. Getting the burrito with no cheese or sour cream cuts the saturated fat by two-thirds, but you still end up with 950 calories. Yikes!
A Mint Chip Dazzler at Häagen-Dazs stores (three scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, Oreos, chocolate sprinkles, and whipped cream) has 1,270 calories and 38 grams of saturated fat – that's two days' worth. Think of it as a portable T-bone steak with Caesar salad, and baked potato with sour cream. But that's dinner – yet many people have a Dazzler as a dessert after lunch and dinner!
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http://www.cspinet.org/nah/10foods_bad.html
McDonald's Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips sounds healthy. In fact, ounce for ounce, the Selects are no healthier than the chain's Chicken McNuggets. A standard, fivestrip order has 630 calories and 11 grams of artery-clogging fat. That's about the same as a Big Mac, except the burger has 1,010 mg of sodium, while the Selects hit 1,550 mg, even without the salty sauce.
Each slice of The Cheesecake Factory's 6 Carb Cheesecake has 610 calories – that's the same as you'd get from a slice of their Original Cheesecake. Think of it as an 8-ounce prime rib for dessert – with 29 grams of saturated fat, 1½ days' supply. The next time you step on the bathroom scale, you may never know that the carbs were missing.
Dove squeezes some 300 calories and 8 to 13 grams of saturated fat (half-a-day's worth) into a tennis-ball size serving (half a cup) of its Dove Ice Cream. That puts it in the same ballpark as Ben & Jerry's and Häagen-Dazs. With names like "Unconditional Chocolate," Dove is trying to link chocolate with romance. A scoop of its ice cream will fill your heart all right … but not with love.
No one expects a Mrs. Fields cookie to be good for you, but who would guess that a single Mrs. Fields Milk Chocolate & Walnuts cookie has more than 300 calories and as much saturated fat as a 12-ounce sirloin steak? It's also got six teaspoons of sugar. If you can't resist Mrs. Fields, share the smallest bag of Nibblers (six half-ounce cookies) with a friend. Or walk a few feet and look for a piece of fruit at another store instead.
The Starbucks Venti (20 oz.) Caffè Mocha with whipped cream is more than a mere cup of coffee. Think of it as a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in a cup. Few people have room in their diets for the 490 calories and 16 grams of bad fat that this hefty beverage supplies. But you can lose all the bad fat and all but 170 calories if you order a tall (12 oz.) with nonfat milk and no whipped cream.
Unless you're suicidal, why on earth would you want to wolf down a Burger King Quad Stacker – 4 hamburger patties, 4 slices of cheese, 8 strips of bacon, plus sauce and a bun? That's half-a-day's calories (1,000), one-and-a-half-days' worth of saturated fat (30 grams), 3 grams of trans fat, and more than a day's sodium (1,800 mg). Urp!
Campbell's Chunky, Select, and red-and-white-label condensed soups are brimming with salt: Half a can averages more than half of a person's daily quota of salt. Instead, try brands like Healthy Choice and Campbell's Healthy Request, which have less than half as much sodium.
Interested in a Chipotle Chicken Burrito (tortilla, rice, pinto beans, cheese, chicken, sour cream, and salsa)? Think of its 1,180 calories and 19 grams of saturated fat as three 6-inch Subway Steak and Cheese Subs. Getting the burrito with no cheese or sour cream cuts the saturated fat by two-thirds, but you still end up with 950 calories. Yikes!
A Mint Chip Dazzler at Häagen-Dazs stores (three scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, Oreos, chocolate sprinkles, and whipped cream) has 1,270 calories and 38 grams of saturated fat – that's two days' worth. Think of it as a portable T-bone steak with Caesar salad, and baked potato with sour cream. But that's dinner – yet many people have a Dazzler as a dessert after lunch and dinner!
Print [PDF: 295K]
Jump to: Main Nutrition Action About CSPI Alcohol Policy Biotechnology Canada Donate to CSPI! Eating Green Food Safety Nutrition Policy Integrity in Science International Newsroom Take Action!
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/10foods_bad.html
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Moldy Advice
Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.
Answer
The answer depends on the type of cheese. Molds are microscopic organisms that have thread-like roots that burrow into the foods they grow on. Most molds are harmless. Molds are even used to make some kinds of cheese, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, brie and Camembert. These molds are safe to eat.
But mold on cheese that's not part of the manufacturing process can also harbor harmful bacteria, such as listeria, brucella, salmonella and E. coli. With hard and semisoft cheese, you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese. But soft cheeses should be discarded.
Moldy cheese? What to do
Type of cheese Examples Handling
Hard Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, Romano, Gruyere Safe to eat if the mold is removed. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. Cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Semisoft American, Asiago, baby Swiss, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Muenster, Gorgonzola Safe to eat if the mold is removed. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. Cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Soft Brie, blue cheese, Camembert, cottage cheese, Neufchatel, feta, ricotta, shredded and sliced cheeses Discard the cheese.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2006
To prevent mold growth on cheese, follow these tips:
Keep cheese and cheese dishes covered with plastic wrap.
Always refrigerate cheese. Don't allow cheese to sit at room temperature for longer than two hours.
Also, don't eat cheese made from unpasteurized (raw) milk. Raw milk and cheeses may contain harmful bacteria and aren't safe to eat, drink or use in cooking.
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http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01024
How long can you safely keep leftovers in the refrigerator?
Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.
Answer
According to the Department of Agriculture, you should eat refrigerated leftovers within three to four days. If you don't anticipate being able to eat them within this period of time, freeze them immediately.
To help ensure the safety of leftovers, refrigerate perishable foods quickly and don't let them sit for longer than two hours at room temperature or for longer than one hour if the room temperature is above 90 F (32 C). Perishable foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, side dishes and casseroles.
Before eating leftovers, reheat them thoroughly. Reheat leftover sauces, soups and gravies to boiling. If you're using the oven to reheat leftovers, set the temperature to no lower than 325 F (163 C) to ensure they're reheated quickly. Because bacteria multiply between temperatures of 40 F (4 C) and 140 F (60 C), reheating in slow cookers or chafing dishes isn't recommended.
Uncooked foods, such as cold salads or sandwiches, should also be eaten or refrigerated promptly. There aren't any guidelines for how long you can safely keep uncooked foods. But their quality usually deteriorates more quickly than cooked foods.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-safety/AN01095
After cutting off mold, is the remaining food safe to eat?
Use care when deciding which of the "fuzzy" foods hiding in your kitchen you'll try to salvage, said Dr. Janice Stuff, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and a research dietitian at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston. Some molds produce toxins that can leach into foods and make unsuspecting humans ill.
Discard mold-infected, soft-textured dairy products, meats, leftovers, and fruits and vegetables with a high water content. This includes moldy mozzarella and Brie cheeses, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurts, lunchmeats, bacon, casseroles, stews, butter, jellies, peanut butter, cucumbers, tomatoes, salad greens, corn on the cob, melons, bananas and peaches.
The molds that typically grow on peanuts, rice and corn also produce potent toxins. If mold develops on rice, corn or products that contain these grains, such as cornmeal, flours, mixes, and cereals, toss away the entire box. Discard shriveled peanuts.
On the other hand, if a few precautions are taken, it is safe to pare away the mold from hard or firm foods like Swiss and cheddar cheeses, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, zucchini, potatoes, apples and pears. Before eating, carve away at least one inch around the moldy area. Avoid letting the knife touch the affected area to prevent the mold from spreading. Use salvaged portions as soon as possible.
http://www.kidsnutrition.org/consumer/archives/cuttingmold.htm
Is it safe to eat mold?
Question: Hi, What happens when you eat food from the refrigerator which had developed some kind of fungus. What kind of illness can a person suffer from eating this kind of food?
Answer: The fungus you refer to is mold, typically identified by its whitish-green or pinkish-white fuzz. In the short run, eating mold can cause an upset stomach within 24 hours, diarrhea, and cramps. If you don't experience this within 2 or 3 days of eating the moldy food, you're not likely to have any symptoms. The problem with moldy food is consuming it repeatedly over time. It contains a carcinogen (cancer-causing) substance known as aflatoxin. Isolated exposures to aflatoxins would not be enough to cause cancer.
— April 30, 2003
http://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/answerspot/message.php?message=106
Molds On Food: Are They Dangerous?
What Are Molds?
Are Some Molds Dangerous?
Are Molds Only on the Surface of Food?
Where Are Molds Found?
What Are Some Common Foodborne Molds?
What Are Mycotoxins?
What is Aflatoxin?
How Does the U.S. Government Control Aflatoxins?
Is Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Molds?
Are Any Food Molds Beneficial?
Why Can Mold Grow in the Refrigerator?
How Can You Minimize Mold Growth?
Don’t Buy Moldy Foods
Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed?
How Can You Protect Food from Mold?
How Should You Handle Food with Mold on It?
Some molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. And a few molds, in the right conditions, produce "mycotoxins," poisonous substances that can make people sick. When you see mold on food, is it safe to cut off the moldy part and use the rest? To find the answer to that question, delve beneath the surface of food to where molds take root.
What Are Molds?
Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter. No one knows how many species of fungi exist, but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps 300,000 or more. Most are filamentous (threadlike) organisms and the production of spores is characteristic of fungi in general. These spores can be transported by air, water, or insects.
Unlike bacteria that are one-celled, molds are made of many cells and can sometimes be seen with the naked eye. Under a microscope, they look like skinny mushrooms. In many molds, the body consists of:
root threads that invade the food it lives on,
a stalk rising above the food, and
spores that form at the ends of the stalks.
The spores give mold the color you see. When airborne, the spores spread the mold from place to place like dandelion seeds blowing across a meadow.
Molds have branches and roots that are like very thin threads. The roots may be difficult to see when the mold is growing on food and may be very deep in the food. Foods that are moldy may also have invisible bacteria growing along with the mold.
[Top of Page]
Are Some Molds Dangerous?
Yes, some molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. And a few molds, in the right conditions, produce “mycotoxins,” poisonous substances that can make you sick.
[Top of Page]
Are Molds Only on the Surface of Food?
No, you only see part of the mold on the surface of food -- gray fur on forgotten bologna, fuzzy green dots on bread, white dust on Cheddar, coin-size velvety circles on fruits, and furry growth on the surface of jellies. When a food shows heavy mold growth, “root” threads have invaded it deeply. In dangerous molds, poisonous substances are often contained in and around these threads. In some cases, toxins may have spread throughout the food.
[Top of Page]
Where Are Molds Found?
Molds are found in virtually every environment and can be detected, both indoors and outdoors, year round. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions. Outdoors, they can be found in shady, damp areas or places where leaves or other vegetation are decomposing. Indoors, they can be found where humidity levels are high.
Molds form spores which, when dry, float through the air and find suitable conditions where they can start the growth cycle again.
[Top of Page]
What Are Some Common Foodborne Molds?
Molds most often found on meat and poultry are Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Monilia, Manoscus, Mortierella, Mucor, Neurospora, Oidium, Oosproa, Penicillium, Rhizopus and Thamnidium. These molds can also be found on many other foods.
[Top of Page]
What Are Mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by certain molds found primarily in grain and nut crops, but are also known to be on celery, grape juice, apples, and other produce. There are many of them and scientists are continually discovering new ones. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that 25% of the world's food crops are affected by mycotoxins, of which the most notorious are aflatoxins.
[Top of Page]
What is Aflatoxin?
Aflatoxin is a cancer-causing poison produced by certain fungi in or on foods and feeds, especially in field corn and peanuts. They are probably the best known and most intensively researched mycotoxins in the world. Aflatoxins have been associated with various diseases, such as aflatoxicosis in livestock, domestic animals, and humans throughout the world. Many countries try to limit exposure to aflatoxin by regulating and monitoring its presence on commodities intended for use as food and feed. The prevention of aflatoxin is one of the most challenging toxicology issues of present time.
[Top of Page]
How Does the U.S. Government Control Aflatoxins?
Aflatoxins are considered unavoidable contaminants of food and feed, even where good manufacturing practices have been followed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the USDA monitor peanuts and field corn for aflatoxin and can remove any food or feed with unacceptable levels of it.
[Top of Page]
Is Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Molds?
No, it is due to the toxin produced by the fungi, which are in the same family as molds. Mushroom poisoning is caused by the consumption of raw or cooked mushrooms, which are higher-species of fungi. The term “toadstool” (from the German “Todesstuhl” -- death's stool) is commonly given to poisonous mushrooms, but there is no general rule of thumb for distinguishing edible mushrooms from poisonous toadstools. The toxins that cause mushroom poisoning are produced naturally by the fungi. Most mushrooms that cause human poisoning cannot be made safe by cooking, canning, freezing, or any other processing. The only way to avoid poisoning is not to eat poisonous mushrooms.
[Top of Page]
Are Any Food Molds Beneficial?
Yes, molds are used to make certain kinds of cheeses and can be on the surface of cheese or be developed internally. Blue veined cheese such as Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, and Stilton are created by the introduction of P. roqueforti or Penicillium roqueforti spores. Cheeses such as Brie and Camembert have white surface molds. Other cheeses have both an internal and a surface mold. The molds used to manufacture these cheeses are safe to eat.
[Top of Page]
Why Can Mold Grow in the Refrigerator?
While most molds prefer warmer temperatures, they can grow at refrigerator temperatures, too. Molds also tolerate salt and sugar better than most other food invaders. Therefore, molds can grow in refrigerated jams and jelly and on cured, salty meats -- ham, bacon, salami, and bologna.
[Top of Page]
How Can You Minimize Mold Growth?
Cleanliness is vital in controlling mold. Mold spores from affected food can build up in your refrigerator, dishcloths, and other cleaning utensils.
Clean the inside of the refrigerator every few months with 1 tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a quart of water. Rinse with clear water and dry. Scrub visible mold (usually black) on rubber casings using 3 teaspoons of bleach in a quart of water.
Keep dishcloths, towels, sponges, and mops clean and fresh. A musty smell means they’re spreading mold around. Discard items you can’t clean or launder.
Keep the humidity level in the house below 40%.
[Top of Page]
Don’t Buy Moldy Foods
Examine food well before you buy it. Check food in glass jars, look at the stem areas on fresh produce, and avoid bruised produce. Notify the store manager about mold on foods!
Fresh meat and poultry are usually mold free, but cured and cooked meats may not be. Examine them carefully. Exceptions: Some salamis -- San Francisco, Italian, and Eastern European types -- have a characteristic thin, white mold coating which is safe to consume; however, they shouldn’t show any other mold. Dry-cured country hams normally have surface mold that must be scrubbed off before cooking.
[Top of Page]
Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed?
Yes, molds can thrive in high-acid foods like jams, jellies, pickles, fruit, and tomatoes. But these microscopic fungi are easily destroyed by heat processing high-acid foods at a temperature of 212 °F in a boiling water canner for the recommended length of time. For more information about processing home-canned foods, go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation at: www.uga.edu/nchfp/.
[Top of Page]
How Can You Protect Food from Mold?
When serving food, keep it covered to prevent exposure to mold spores in the air. Use plastic wrap to cover foods you want to stay moist -- fresh or cut fruits and vegetables, and green and mixed salads.
Empty opened cans of perishable foods into clean storage containers and refrigerate them promptly.
Don’t leave any perishables out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours.
Use leftovers within 3 to 4 days so mold doesn’t have a chance to grow.
[Top of Page]
How Should You Handle Food with Mold on It?
Buying small amounts and using food quickly can help prevent mold growth. But when you see moldy food:
Don’t sniff the moldy item. This can cause respiratory trouble.
If food is covered with mold, discard it. Put it into a small paper bag or wrap it in plastic and dispose in a covered trash can that children and animals can’t get into.
Clean the refrigerator or pantry at the spot where the food was stored.
Check nearby items the moldy food might have touched. Mold spreads quickly in fruits and vegetables.
See the attached chart “Moldy Food: When to Use, When to Discard.”
Molds on Food
FOOD HANDLING REASON
Luncheon meats, bacon, or hot dogs Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Hard salami and dry-cured country hams Use. Scrub mold off surface. It is normal for these shelf-stable products to have surface mold.
Cooked leftover meat and poultry Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Cooked casseroles Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Cooked grain and pasta Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Hard cheese
(not cheese where mold is part of the processing) Use. Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese). After trimming off the mold, re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap. Mold generally cannot penetrate deep into the product.
Cheese made with mold
(such as Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Brie, Camembert) Discard soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert if they contain molds that are not a part of the manufacturing process. If surface mold is on hard cheeses such as Gorgonzola and Stilton, cut off mold at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot and handle like hard cheese (above). Molds that are not a part of the manufacturing process can be dangerous.
Soft cheese
(such as cottage, cream cheese, Neufchatel, chevre, Bel Paese, etc.) Crumbled, shredded, and sliced cheeses (all types) Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Shredded, sliced, or crumbled cheese can be contaminated by the cutting instrument. Moldy soft cheese can also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Yogurt and sour cream Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Jams and jellies Discard The mold could be producing a mycotoxin. Microbiologists recommend against scooping out the mold and using the remaining condiment.
Fruits and vegetables, firm
(such as cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, etc.) Use. Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the produce). Small mold spots can be cut off fruits and vegetables with low moisture content. It’s difficult for mold to penetrate dense foods.
Fruits and vegetables, soft
(such as cucumbers, peaches, tomatoes, etc.) Discard Fruits and vegetables with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface.
Bread and baked goods Discard Porous foods can be contaminated below the surface.
Peanut butter, legumes and nuts Discard Foods processed without preservatives are at high risk for mold.
September 2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Molds_On_Food/index.asp
How dangerous is eating moldy bread?
Someonesbaby [47] contributed the first answer. The last improvement was made by Deavaindra [164].
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Answer
Food poisoning is caused by various bacterial organisms. Mold is not a bacteria and will not cause food poisoning. Mold does not cause botulism unless the product was already contaminated with the botulism organism. Mold can cause illness, especially if the person is allergic to molds. Usually though, the main symptoms from eating moldy food will be nausea or vomiting from the bad taste and smell of the moldy food.
Mold on grain products is the worst - e.g. moldy bread, moldy muffins, etc. - and should be thrown out. Also throw out the following if mold appears: small fruits like grapes, berries, melons and peaches; soft cheeses or yogurt; meat, peanuts, peanut butter or leftovers.
It is not okay to eat mouldy food even after the mold has been cut off, as surface mold is more than what you see. It actually has hyphae or roots which can penetrate deeper into the food.
It depends on the bread mold, some are harmless, some are indigestible and can make you throw up, some are poisonous and can make you very ill or kill you. Just throw it away and make or buy more. You can store bread in the fridge to slow mold growth if you find that it molds before you use it all, I do this in the summer because my bread can get moldy in as little as two days when it is very hot and humid.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_dangerous_is_eating_moldy_bread
Ask A Scientist
General Science Archive
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bread and Mold Topics
12/6/2005
name David
status other
grade other
location NY
Question - I'm a retired teacher, age 71.
I make bread every week for my own enjoyment. I keep it at room
temperature in a (new) plastic bag. About 6 days after making it, it
gets moldy.
Q-1 What can I do to extend the pre-moldy period a few days? I have
observed that commercialy prepared breads stay mold-free for
considerably longer periods of time.
Q-2 Is it OK to eat bread molds? My son is color blind and often
can't see the color difference between the mold and the bread's crust.
---------------------------------------
Commercially prepared breads usually have preservatives to prevent mold
from growing on them. A very common mold inhibitor is calcium
propionate, which is toxic to molds. It is also toxic to humans at high
concentrations, although it is probably harmless at the concentrations
found in bread. Since one of the benefits of making your own bread is
that you get to eat bread that is free of preservatives, I think adding
a preservative might be self-defeating.
Eating bread mold is not a good idea. While many kinds of mold are
perfectly harmless, there are some extremely nasty molds out there that
can make you very ill. Some of them are even quite common. I recall a
mycology professor of mine used to say that mold on bread isn't worth
the risk, but that mold on cheese is fairly safe.
C. Perkins
====================================================================
First off, bread that is moldy in any way should not be eaten and be
discarded immediatley. A few suggestions: After baking, the bread should be
cooled and stored in a breathable container for the first day. If you wish
to keep it for more than a few days, it should be refridgerated in a sealed
container only after cooled and dry on the oustside. If you wish, you can
also freeze the bread in a freezer bag. Do not reuse cheap plastic bags to
freeze the bread since they are typically polyethylene and are actually NOT
air tight...they breath and what will happen is the bread will get "freezer
burnt" which means the self defrosting freezer will dry out the bread.. I
would suggest that bread stored in the fridge should be discarded after 5
days. Stored in the freezer it will last a few months easily. By the way,
our sense that is most sensitive to detecting mold is not the sense of sight
but of smell.
Pf
====================================================================
A good way to extend your breads life is to keep it in a dark,dry, cool
area. Mold needs moisture and heat to grow, and many molds need light to
grow. Keeping the bread in something airtight will also help (like a
zip-lock bag). Just make sure to squeeze as much air as possible out of the
bag before closing it. Most molds will not do any harm if they are not
ingested in large quantities. The blue in blue cheese is actually mold!
Grace Fields
====================================================================
The carbohydrate etc. in the bread dough is food for bacteria and mold just
as it is for you. I would store the dough in the fridge until you are ready
to bake it. You can take it out of the fridge for a period before you bake
it if you like, but as long as it is at room temp. the bacteria and mold
that are in the air (and inside a bag you store it in!) are going to start
having a feast. Refrigeration slows them down.
vanhoeck
====================================================================
Q-1 Commercially prepared breads contain specific chemical preservatives
that inhibit the growth of many microorganisms (molds, bacteria, fungi). I
would hesitate to offer a particular chemical additive because there are
many and it would not clear how it would affect the other properties of the
bread. The ingredients in bread -- flour, yeast, milk, eggs, and so on are
great feeding grounds for all sorts of microbes -- some harmless, some not
so harmless. Add to that warmth and water and you have the makings of a good
garden for a lot of "bugs". Two general approaches would be to limit the
amount of oxygen available by storing the dough tightly in plastic bags
(which you already do apparently), and refrigeration/freezing which inhibits
the growth of most microbes. The websites below may provide you with some
additional insights into preservation of the dough. But storing uncooked
dough for days is inviting the risk of possible food poisoning -- bake it,
then store it.
http://www.math.unl.edu/~jump/Center1/Labs/Control%20of%20Molds%20in%20Breads.pdf
http://www.breadmachinedigest.com/library/dough_enhancers.html
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/4/0,5716,120864+4+111136,00.html
http://www.seps.org/oracle/oracle.archive/Living_Things.K-5/2001.01/000978561940.16730.html
Q-2 Unless you or your son is a microbiologist, I would not recommend eating
bread mold, or even raw dough for that matter. There are just too many
possible harmful microbes that can grow in/on bread.
Vince Calder
====================================================================
Some possibly helpful sites:
http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/forums/living/bread.html
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01509.htm
http://www.sirinet.net/~jgjohnso/fungi.html
J. Elliott
====================================================================
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01955.htm
Answer
The answer depends on the type of cheese. Molds are microscopic organisms that have thread-like roots that burrow into the foods they grow on. Most molds are harmless. Molds are even used to make some kinds of cheese, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, brie and Camembert. These molds are safe to eat.
But mold on cheese that's not part of the manufacturing process can also harbor harmful bacteria, such as listeria, brucella, salmonella and E. coli. With hard and semisoft cheese, you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese. But soft cheeses should be discarded.
Moldy cheese? What to do
Type of cheese Examples Handling
Hard Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, Romano, Gruyere Safe to eat if the mold is removed. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. Cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Semisoft American, Asiago, baby Swiss, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Muenster, Gorgonzola Safe to eat if the mold is removed. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. Cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Soft Brie, blue cheese, Camembert, cottage cheese, Neufchatel, feta, ricotta, shredded and sliced cheeses Discard the cheese.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2006
To prevent mold growth on cheese, follow these tips:
Keep cheese and cheese dishes covered with plastic wrap.
Always refrigerate cheese. Don't allow cheese to sit at room temperature for longer than two hours.
Also, don't eat cheese made from unpasteurized (raw) milk. Raw milk and cheeses may contain harmful bacteria and aren't safe to eat, drink or use in cooking.
RELATED
Leftovers: How long can you safely keep them?
Mayonnaise: A common cause of food poisoning?
Deep-fried turkey: How to prepare it safely
Freezing or microwaving plastic: Does it release dioxins?
Thanksgiving turkey: Can you cook it frozen?
Canned food: How long can you safely keep it?
Cloned food: Is it available?
Phenylalanine in diet soda: Is it harmful?
8 ways to prevent food poisoning at home
Food poisoning: Prevention includes safe cooking temperatures
Food poisoning: Common causes and likely symptoms
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01024
How long can you safely keep leftovers in the refrigerator?
Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.
Answer
According to the Department of Agriculture, you should eat refrigerated leftovers within three to four days. If you don't anticipate being able to eat them within this period of time, freeze them immediately.
To help ensure the safety of leftovers, refrigerate perishable foods quickly and don't let them sit for longer than two hours at room temperature or for longer than one hour if the room temperature is above 90 F (32 C). Perishable foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, side dishes and casseroles.
Before eating leftovers, reheat them thoroughly. Reheat leftover sauces, soups and gravies to boiling. If you're using the oven to reheat leftovers, set the temperature to no lower than 325 F (163 C) to ensure they're reheated quickly. Because bacteria multiply between temperatures of 40 F (4 C) and 140 F (60 C), reheating in slow cookers or chafing dishes isn't recommended.
Uncooked foods, such as cold salads or sandwiches, should also be eaten or refrigerated promptly. There aren't any guidelines for how long you can safely keep uncooked foods. But their quality usually deteriorates more quickly than cooked foods.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-safety/AN01095
After cutting off mold, is the remaining food safe to eat?
Use care when deciding which of the "fuzzy" foods hiding in your kitchen you'll try to salvage, said Dr. Janice Stuff, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and a research dietitian at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston. Some molds produce toxins that can leach into foods and make unsuspecting humans ill.
Discard mold-infected, soft-textured dairy products, meats, leftovers, and fruits and vegetables with a high water content. This includes moldy mozzarella and Brie cheeses, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurts, lunchmeats, bacon, casseroles, stews, butter, jellies, peanut butter, cucumbers, tomatoes, salad greens, corn on the cob, melons, bananas and peaches.
The molds that typically grow on peanuts, rice and corn also produce potent toxins. If mold develops on rice, corn or products that contain these grains, such as cornmeal, flours, mixes, and cereals, toss away the entire box. Discard shriveled peanuts.
On the other hand, if a few precautions are taken, it is safe to pare away the mold from hard or firm foods like Swiss and cheddar cheeses, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, zucchini, potatoes, apples and pears. Before eating, carve away at least one inch around the moldy area. Avoid letting the knife touch the affected area to prevent the mold from spreading. Use salvaged portions as soon as possible.
http://www.kidsnutrition.org/consumer/archives/cuttingmold.htm
Is it safe to eat mold?
Question: Hi, What happens when you eat food from the refrigerator which had developed some kind of fungus. What kind of illness can a person suffer from eating this kind of food?
Answer: The fungus you refer to is mold, typically identified by its whitish-green or pinkish-white fuzz. In the short run, eating mold can cause an upset stomach within 24 hours, diarrhea, and cramps. If you don't experience this within 2 or 3 days of eating the moldy food, you're not likely to have any symptoms. The problem with moldy food is consuming it repeatedly over time. It contains a carcinogen (cancer-causing) substance known as aflatoxin. Isolated exposures to aflatoxins would not be enough to cause cancer.
— April 30, 2003
http://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/answerspot/message.php?message=106
Molds On Food: Are They Dangerous?
What Are Molds?
Are Some Molds Dangerous?
Are Molds Only on the Surface of Food?
Where Are Molds Found?
What Are Some Common Foodborne Molds?
What Are Mycotoxins?
What is Aflatoxin?
How Does the U.S. Government Control Aflatoxins?
Is Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Molds?
Are Any Food Molds Beneficial?
Why Can Mold Grow in the Refrigerator?
How Can You Minimize Mold Growth?
Don’t Buy Moldy Foods
Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed?
How Can You Protect Food from Mold?
How Should You Handle Food with Mold on It?
Some molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. And a few molds, in the right conditions, produce "mycotoxins," poisonous substances that can make people sick. When you see mold on food, is it safe to cut off the moldy part and use the rest? To find the answer to that question, delve beneath the surface of food to where molds take root.
What Are Molds?
Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter. No one knows how many species of fungi exist, but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps 300,000 or more. Most are filamentous (threadlike) organisms and the production of spores is characteristic of fungi in general. These spores can be transported by air, water, or insects.
Unlike bacteria that are one-celled, molds are made of many cells and can sometimes be seen with the naked eye. Under a microscope, they look like skinny mushrooms. In many molds, the body consists of:
root threads that invade the food it lives on,
a stalk rising above the food, and
spores that form at the ends of the stalks.
The spores give mold the color you see. When airborne, the spores spread the mold from place to place like dandelion seeds blowing across a meadow.
Molds have branches and roots that are like very thin threads. The roots may be difficult to see when the mold is growing on food and may be very deep in the food. Foods that are moldy may also have invisible bacteria growing along with the mold.
[Top of Page]
Are Some Molds Dangerous?
Yes, some molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. And a few molds, in the right conditions, produce “mycotoxins,” poisonous substances that can make you sick.
[Top of Page]
Are Molds Only on the Surface of Food?
No, you only see part of the mold on the surface of food -- gray fur on forgotten bologna, fuzzy green dots on bread, white dust on Cheddar, coin-size velvety circles on fruits, and furry growth on the surface of jellies. When a food shows heavy mold growth, “root” threads have invaded it deeply. In dangerous molds, poisonous substances are often contained in and around these threads. In some cases, toxins may have spread throughout the food.
[Top of Page]
Where Are Molds Found?
Molds are found in virtually every environment and can be detected, both indoors and outdoors, year round. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions. Outdoors, they can be found in shady, damp areas or places where leaves or other vegetation are decomposing. Indoors, they can be found where humidity levels are high.
Molds form spores which, when dry, float through the air and find suitable conditions where they can start the growth cycle again.
[Top of Page]
What Are Some Common Foodborne Molds?
Molds most often found on meat and poultry are Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Monilia, Manoscus, Mortierella, Mucor, Neurospora, Oidium, Oosproa, Penicillium, Rhizopus and Thamnidium. These molds can also be found on many other foods.
[Top of Page]
What Are Mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by certain molds found primarily in grain and nut crops, but are also known to be on celery, grape juice, apples, and other produce. There are many of them and scientists are continually discovering new ones. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that 25% of the world's food crops are affected by mycotoxins, of which the most notorious are aflatoxins.
[Top of Page]
What is Aflatoxin?
Aflatoxin is a cancer-causing poison produced by certain fungi in or on foods and feeds, especially in field corn and peanuts. They are probably the best known and most intensively researched mycotoxins in the world. Aflatoxins have been associated with various diseases, such as aflatoxicosis in livestock, domestic animals, and humans throughout the world. Many countries try to limit exposure to aflatoxin by regulating and monitoring its presence on commodities intended for use as food and feed. The prevention of aflatoxin is one of the most challenging toxicology issues of present time.
[Top of Page]
How Does the U.S. Government Control Aflatoxins?
Aflatoxins are considered unavoidable contaminants of food and feed, even where good manufacturing practices have been followed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the USDA monitor peanuts and field corn for aflatoxin and can remove any food or feed with unacceptable levels of it.
[Top of Page]
Is Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Molds?
No, it is due to the toxin produced by the fungi, which are in the same family as molds. Mushroom poisoning is caused by the consumption of raw or cooked mushrooms, which are higher-species of fungi. The term “toadstool” (from the German “Todesstuhl” -- death's stool) is commonly given to poisonous mushrooms, but there is no general rule of thumb for distinguishing edible mushrooms from poisonous toadstools. The toxins that cause mushroom poisoning are produced naturally by the fungi. Most mushrooms that cause human poisoning cannot be made safe by cooking, canning, freezing, or any other processing. The only way to avoid poisoning is not to eat poisonous mushrooms.
[Top of Page]
Are Any Food Molds Beneficial?
Yes, molds are used to make certain kinds of cheeses and can be on the surface of cheese or be developed internally. Blue veined cheese such as Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, and Stilton are created by the introduction of P. roqueforti or Penicillium roqueforti spores. Cheeses such as Brie and Camembert have white surface molds. Other cheeses have both an internal and a surface mold. The molds used to manufacture these cheeses are safe to eat.
[Top of Page]
Why Can Mold Grow in the Refrigerator?
While most molds prefer warmer temperatures, they can grow at refrigerator temperatures, too. Molds also tolerate salt and sugar better than most other food invaders. Therefore, molds can grow in refrigerated jams and jelly and on cured, salty meats -- ham, bacon, salami, and bologna.
[Top of Page]
How Can You Minimize Mold Growth?
Cleanliness is vital in controlling mold. Mold spores from affected food can build up in your refrigerator, dishcloths, and other cleaning utensils.
Clean the inside of the refrigerator every few months with 1 tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a quart of water. Rinse with clear water and dry. Scrub visible mold (usually black) on rubber casings using 3 teaspoons of bleach in a quart of water.
Keep dishcloths, towels, sponges, and mops clean and fresh. A musty smell means they’re spreading mold around. Discard items you can’t clean or launder.
Keep the humidity level in the house below 40%.
[Top of Page]
Don’t Buy Moldy Foods
Examine food well before you buy it. Check food in glass jars, look at the stem areas on fresh produce, and avoid bruised produce. Notify the store manager about mold on foods!
Fresh meat and poultry are usually mold free, but cured and cooked meats may not be. Examine them carefully. Exceptions: Some salamis -- San Francisco, Italian, and Eastern European types -- have a characteristic thin, white mold coating which is safe to consume; however, they shouldn’t show any other mold. Dry-cured country hams normally have surface mold that must be scrubbed off before cooking.
[Top of Page]
Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed?
Yes, molds can thrive in high-acid foods like jams, jellies, pickles, fruit, and tomatoes. But these microscopic fungi are easily destroyed by heat processing high-acid foods at a temperature of 212 °F in a boiling water canner for the recommended length of time. For more information about processing home-canned foods, go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation at: www.uga.edu/nchfp/.
[Top of Page]
How Can You Protect Food from Mold?
When serving food, keep it covered to prevent exposure to mold spores in the air. Use plastic wrap to cover foods you want to stay moist -- fresh or cut fruits and vegetables, and green and mixed salads.
Empty opened cans of perishable foods into clean storage containers and refrigerate them promptly.
Don’t leave any perishables out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours.
Use leftovers within 3 to 4 days so mold doesn’t have a chance to grow.
[Top of Page]
How Should You Handle Food with Mold on It?
Buying small amounts and using food quickly can help prevent mold growth. But when you see moldy food:
Don’t sniff the moldy item. This can cause respiratory trouble.
If food is covered with mold, discard it. Put it into a small paper bag or wrap it in plastic and dispose in a covered trash can that children and animals can’t get into.
Clean the refrigerator or pantry at the spot where the food was stored.
Check nearby items the moldy food might have touched. Mold spreads quickly in fruits and vegetables.
See the attached chart “Moldy Food: When to Use, When to Discard.”
Molds on Food
FOOD HANDLING REASON
Luncheon meats, bacon, or hot dogs Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Hard salami and dry-cured country hams Use. Scrub mold off surface. It is normal for these shelf-stable products to have surface mold.
Cooked leftover meat and poultry Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Cooked casseroles Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Cooked grain and pasta Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Hard cheese
(not cheese where mold is part of the processing) Use. Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese). After trimming off the mold, re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap. Mold generally cannot penetrate deep into the product.
Cheese made with mold
(such as Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Brie, Camembert) Discard soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert if they contain molds that are not a part of the manufacturing process. If surface mold is on hard cheeses such as Gorgonzola and Stilton, cut off mold at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot and handle like hard cheese (above). Molds that are not a part of the manufacturing process can be dangerous.
Soft cheese
(such as cottage, cream cheese, Neufchatel, chevre, Bel Paese, etc.) Crumbled, shredded, and sliced cheeses (all types) Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Shredded, sliced, or crumbled cheese can be contaminated by the cutting instrument. Moldy soft cheese can also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Yogurt and sour cream Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Jams and jellies Discard The mold could be producing a mycotoxin. Microbiologists recommend against scooping out the mold and using the remaining condiment.
Fruits and vegetables, firm
(such as cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, etc.) Use. Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the produce). Small mold spots can be cut off fruits and vegetables with low moisture content. It’s difficult for mold to penetrate dense foods.
Fruits and vegetables, soft
(such as cucumbers, peaches, tomatoes, etc.) Discard Fruits and vegetables with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface.
Bread and baked goods Discard Porous foods can be contaminated below the surface.
Peanut butter, legumes and nuts Discard Foods processed without preservatives are at high risk for mold.
September 2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Molds_On_Food/index.asp
How dangerous is eating moldy bread?
Someonesbaby [47] contributed the first answer. The last improvement was made by Deavaindra [164].
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Answer
Food poisoning is caused by various bacterial organisms. Mold is not a bacteria and will not cause food poisoning. Mold does not cause botulism unless the product was already contaminated with the botulism organism. Mold can cause illness, especially if the person is allergic to molds. Usually though, the main symptoms from eating moldy food will be nausea or vomiting from the bad taste and smell of the moldy food.
Mold on grain products is the worst - e.g. moldy bread, moldy muffins, etc. - and should be thrown out. Also throw out the following if mold appears: small fruits like grapes, berries, melons and peaches; soft cheeses or yogurt; meat, peanuts, peanut butter or leftovers.
It is not okay to eat mouldy food even after the mold has been cut off, as surface mold is more than what you see. It actually has hyphae or roots which can penetrate deeper into the food.
It depends on the bread mold, some are harmless, some are indigestible and can make you throw up, some are poisonous and can make you very ill or kill you. Just throw it away and make or buy more. You can store bread in the fridge to slow mold growth if you find that it molds before you use it all, I do this in the summer because my bread can get moldy in as little as two days when it is very hot and humid.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_dangerous_is_eating_moldy_bread
Ask A Scientist
General Science Archive
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bread and Mold Topics
12/6/2005
name David
status other
grade other
location NY
Question - I'm a retired teacher, age 71.
I make bread every week for my own enjoyment. I keep it at room
temperature in a (new) plastic bag. About 6 days after making it, it
gets moldy.
Q-1 What can I do to extend the pre-moldy period a few days? I have
observed that commercialy prepared breads stay mold-free for
considerably longer periods of time.
Q-2 Is it OK to eat bread molds? My son is color blind and often
can't see the color difference between the mold and the bread's crust.
---------------------------------------
Commercially prepared breads usually have preservatives to prevent mold
from growing on them. A very common mold inhibitor is calcium
propionate, which is toxic to molds. It is also toxic to humans at high
concentrations, although it is probably harmless at the concentrations
found in bread. Since one of the benefits of making your own bread is
that you get to eat bread that is free of preservatives, I think adding
a preservative might be self-defeating.
Eating bread mold is not a good idea. While many kinds of mold are
perfectly harmless, there are some extremely nasty molds out there that
can make you very ill. Some of them are even quite common. I recall a
mycology professor of mine used to say that mold on bread isn't worth
the risk, but that mold on cheese is fairly safe.
C. Perkins
====================================================================
First off, bread that is moldy in any way should not be eaten and be
discarded immediatley. A few suggestions: After baking, the bread should be
cooled and stored in a breathable container for the first day. If you wish
to keep it for more than a few days, it should be refridgerated in a sealed
container only after cooled and dry on the oustside. If you wish, you can
also freeze the bread in a freezer bag. Do not reuse cheap plastic bags to
freeze the bread since they are typically polyethylene and are actually NOT
air tight...they breath and what will happen is the bread will get "freezer
burnt" which means the self defrosting freezer will dry out the bread.. I
would suggest that bread stored in the fridge should be discarded after 5
days. Stored in the freezer it will last a few months easily. By the way,
our sense that is most sensitive to detecting mold is not the sense of sight
but of smell.
Pf
====================================================================
A good way to extend your breads life is to keep it in a dark,dry, cool
area. Mold needs moisture and heat to grow, and many molds need light to
grow. Keeping the bread in something airtight will also help (like a
zip-lock bag). Just make sure to squeeze as much air as possible out of the
bag before closing it. Most molds will not do any harm if they are not
ingested in large quantities. The blue in blue cheese is actually mold!
Grace Fields
====================================================================
The carbohydrate etc. in the bread dough is food for bacteria and mold just
as it is for you. I would store the dough in the fridge until you are ready
to bake it. You can take it out of the fridge for a period before you bake
it if you like, but as long as it is at room temp. the bacteria and mold
that are in the air (and inside a bag you store it in!) are going to start
having a feast. Refrigeration slows them down.
vanhoeck
====================================================================
Q-1 Commercially prepared breads contain specific chemical preservatives
that inhibit the growth of many microorganisms (molds, bacteria, fungi). I
would hesitate to offer a particular chemical additive because there are
many and it would not clear how it would affect the other properties of the
bread. The ingredients in bread -- flour, yeast, milk, eggs, and so on are
great feeding grounds for all sorts of microbes -- some harmless, some not
so harmless. Add to that warmth and water and you have the makings of a good
garden for a lot of "bugs". Two general approaches would be to limit the
amount of oxygen available by storing the dough tightly in plastic bags
(which you already do apparently), and refrigeration/freezing which inhibits
the growth of most microbes. The websites below may provide you with some
additional insights into preservation of the dough. But storing uncooked
dough for days is inviting the risk of possible food poisoning -- bake it,
then store it.
http://www.math.unl.edu/~jump/Center1/Labs/Control%20of%20Molds%20in%20Breads.pdf
http://www.breadmachinedigest.com/library/dough_enhancers.html
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/4/0,5716,120864+4+111136,00.html
http://www.seps.org/oracle/oracle.archive/Living_Things.K-5/2001.01/000978561940.16730.html
Q-2 Unless you or your son is a microbiologist, I would not recommend eating
bread mold, or even raw dough for that matter. There are just too many
possible harmful microbes that can grow in/on bread.
Vince Calder
====================================================================
Some possibly helpful sites:
http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/forums/living/bread.html
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01509.htm
http://www.sirinet.net/~jgjohnso/fungi.html
J. Elliott
====================================================================
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01955.htm
Moldy Advice
Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.
Answer
The answer depends on the type of cheese. Molds are microscopic organisms that have thread-like roots that burrow into the foods they grow on. Most molds are harmless. Molds are even used to make some kinds of cheese, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, brie and Camembert. These molds are safe to eat.
But mold on cheese that's not part of the manufacturing process can also harbor harmful bacteria, such as listeria, brucella, salmonella and E. coli. With hard and semisoft cheese, you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese. But soft cheeses should be discarded.
Moldy cheese? What to do
Type of cheese Examples Handling
Hard Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, Romano, Gruyere Safe to eat if the mold is removed. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. Cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Semisoft American, Asiago, baby Swiss, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Muenster, Gorgonzola Safe to eat if the mold is removed. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. Cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Soft Brie, blue cheese, Camembert, cottage cheese, Neufchatel, feta, ricotta, shredded and sliced cheeses Discard the cheese.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2006
To prevent mold growth on cheese, follow these tips:
Keep cheese and cheese dishes covered with plastic wrap.
Always refrigerate cheese. Don't allow cheese to sit at room temperature for longer than two hours.
Also, don't eat cheese made from unpasteurized (raw) milk. Raw milk and cheeses may contain harmful bacteria and aren't safe to eat, drink or use in cooking.
RELATED
Leftovers: How long can you safely keep them?
Mayonnaise: A common cause of food poisoning?
Deep-fried turkey: How to prepare it safely
Freezing or microwaving plastic: Does it release dioxins?
Thanksgiving turkey: Can you cook it frozen?
Canned food: How long can you safely keep it?
Cloned food: Is it available?
Phenylalanine in diet soda: Is it harmful?
8 ways to prevent food poisoning at home
Food poisoning: Prevention includes safe cooking temperatures
Food poisoning: Common causes and likely symptoms
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01024
How long can you safely keep leftovers in the refrigerator?
Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.
Answer
According to the Department of Agriculture, you should eat refrigerated leftovers within three to four days. If you don't anticipate being able to eat them within this period of time, freeze them immediately.
To help ensure the safety of leftovers, refrigerate perishable foods quickly and don't let them sit for longer than two hours at room temperature or for longer than one hour if the room temperature is above 90 F (32 C). Perishable foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, side dishes and casseroles.
Before eating leftovers, reheat them thoroughly. Reheat leftover sauces, soups and gravies to boiling. If you're using the oven to reheat leftovers, set the temperature to no lower than 325 F (163 C) to ensure they're reheated quickly. Because bacteria multiply between temperatures of 40 F (4 C) and 140 F (60 C), reheating in slow cookers or chafing dishes isn't recommended.
Uncooked foods, such as cold salads or sandwiches, should also be eaten or refrigerated promptly. There aren't any guidelines for how long you can safely keep uncooked foods. But their quality usually deteriorates more quickly than cooked foods.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-safety/AN01095
After cutting off mold, is the remaining food safe to eat?
Use care when deciding which of the "fuzzy" foods hiding in your kitchen you'll try to salvage, said Dr. Janice Stuff, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and a research dietitian at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston. Some molds produce toxins that can leach into foods and make unsuspecting humans ill.
Discard mold-infected, soft-textured dairy products, meats, leftovers, and fruits and vegetables with a high water content. This includes moldy mozzarella and Brie cheeses, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurts, lunchmeats, bacon, casseroles, stews, butter, jellies, peanut butter, cucumbers, tomatoes, salad greens, corn on the cob, melons, bananas and peaches.
The molds that typically grow on peanuts, rice and corn also produce potent toxins. If mold develops on rice, corn or products that contain these grains, such as cornmeal, flours, mixes, and cereals, toss away the entire box. Discard shriveled peanuts.
On the other hand, if a few precautions are taken, it is safe to pare away the mold from hard or firm foods like Swiss and cheddar cheeses, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, zucchini, potatoes, apples and pears. Before eating, carve away at least one inch around the moldy area. Avoid letting the knife touch the affected area to prevent the mold from spreading. Use salvaged portions as soon as possible.
http://www.kidsnutrition.org/consumer/archives/cuttingmold.htm
Is it safe to eat mold?
Question: Hi, What happens when you eat food from the refrigerator which had developed some kind of fungus. What kind of illness can a person suffer from eating this kind of food?
Answer: The fungus you refer to is mold, typically identified by its whitish-green or pinkish-white fuzz. In the short run, eating mold can cause an upset stomach within 24 hours, diarrhea, and cramps. If you don't experience this within 2 or 3 days of eating the moldy food, you're not likely to have any symptoms. The problem with moldy food is consuming it repeatedly over time. It contains a carcinogen (cancer-causing) substance known as aflatoxin. Isolated exposures to aflatoxins would not be enough to cause cancer.
— April 30, 2003
http://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/answerspot/message.php?message=106
Molds On Food: Are They Dangerous?
What Are Molds?
Are Some Molds Dangerous?
Are Molds Only on the Surface of Food?
Where Are Molds Found?
What Are Some Common Foodborne Molds?
What Are Mycotoxins?
What is Aflatoxin?
How Does the U.S. Government Control Aflatoxins?
Is Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Molds?
Are Any Food Molds Beneficial?
Why Can Mold Grow in the Refrigerator?
How Can You Minimize Mold Growth?
Don’t Buy Moldy Foods
Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed?
How Can You Protect Food from Mold?
How Should You Handle Food with Mold on It?
Some molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. And a few molds, in the right conditions, produce "mycotoxins," poisonous substances that can make people sick. When you see mold on food, is it safe to cut off the moldy part and use the rest? To find the answer to that question, delve beneath the surface of food to where molds take root.
What Are Molds?
Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter. No one knows how many species of fungi exist, but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps 300,000 or more. Most are filamentous (threadlike) organisms and the production of spores is characteristic of fungi in general. These spores can be transported by air, water, or insects.
Unlike bacteria that are one-celled, molds are made of many cells and can sometimes be seen with the naked eye. Under a microscope, they look like skinny mushrooms. In many molds, the body consists of:
root threads that invade the food it lives on,
a stalk rising above the food, and
spores that form at the ends of the stalks.
The spores give mold the color you see. When airborne, the spores spread the mold from place to place like dandelion seeds blowing across a meadow.
Molds have branches and roots that are like very thin threads. The roots may be difficult to see when the mold is growing on food and may be very deep in the food. Foods that are moldy may also have invisible bacteria growing along with the mold.
[Top of Page]
Are Some Molds Dangerous?
Yes, some molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. And a few molds, in the right conditions, produce “mycotoxins,” poisonous substances that can make you sick.
[Top of Page]
Are Molds Only on the Surface of Food?
No, you only see part of the mold on the surface of food -- gray fur on forgotten bologna, fuzzy green dots on bread, white dust on Cheddar, coin-size velvety circles on fruits, and furry growth on the surface of jellies. When a food shows heavy mold growth, “root” threads have invaded it deeply. In dangerous molds, poisonous substances are often contained in and around these threads. In some cases, toxins may have spread throughout the food.
[Top of Page]
Where Are Molds Found?
Molds are found in virtually every environment and can be detected, both indoors and outdoors, year round. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions. Outdoors, they can be found in shady, damp areas or places where leaves or other vegetation are decomposing. Indoors, they can be found where humidity levels are high.
Molds form spores which, when dry, float through the air and find suitable conditions where they can start the growth cycle again.
[Top of Page]
What Are Some Common Foodborne Molds?
Molds most often found on meat and poultry are Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Monilia, Manoscus, Mortierella, Mucor, Neurospora, Oidium, Oosproa, Penicillium, Rhizopus and Thamnidium. These molds can also be found on many other foods.
[Top of Page]
What Are Mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by certain molds found primarily in grain and nut crops, but are also known to be on celery, grape juice, apples, and other produce. There are many of them and scientists are continually discovering new ones. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that 25% of the world's food crops are affected by mycotoxins, of which the most notorious are aflatoxins.
[Top of Page]
What is Aflatoxin?
Aflatoxin is a cancer-causing poison produced by certain fungi in or on foods and feeds, especially in field corn and peanuts. They are probably the best known and most intensively researched mycotoxins in the world. Aflatoxins have been associated with various diseases, such as aflatoxicosis in livestock, domestic animals, and humans throughout the world. Many countries try to limit exposure to aflatoxin by regulating and monitoring its presence on commodities intended for use as food and feed. The prevention of aflatoxin is one of the most challenging toxicology issues of present time.
[Top of Page]
How Does the U.S. Government Control Aflatoxins?
Aflatoxins are considered unavoidable contaminants of food and feed, even where good manufacturing practices have been followed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the USDA monitor peanuts and field corn for aflatoxin and can remove any food or feed with unacceptable levels of it.
[Top of Page]
Is Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Molds?
No, it is due to the toxin produced by the fungi, which are in the same family as molds. Mushroom poisoning is caused by the consumption of raw or cooked mushrooms, which are higher-species of fungi. The term “toadstool” (from the German “Todesstuhl” -- death's stool) is commonly given to poisonous mushrooms, but there is no general rule of thumb for distinguishing edible mushrooms from poisonous toadstools. The toxins that cause mushroom poisoning are produced naturally by the fungi. Most mushrooms that cause human poisoning cannot be made safe by cooking, canning, freezing, or any other processing. The only way to avoid poisoning is not to eat poisonous mushrooms.
[Top of Page]
Are Any Food Molds Beneficial?
Yes, molds are used to make certain kinds of cheeses and can be on the surface of cheese or be developed internally. Blue veined cheese such as Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, and Stilton are created by the introduction of P. roqueforti or Penicillium roqueforti spores. Cheeses such as Brie and Camembert have white surface molds. Other cheeses have both an internal and a surface mold. The molds used to manufacture these cheeses are safe to eat.
[Top of Page]
Why Can Mold Grow in the Refrigerator?
While most molds prefer warmer temperatures, they can grow at refrigerator temperatures, too. Molds also tolerate salt and sugar better than most other food invaders. Therefore, molds can grow in refrigerated jams and jelly and on cured, salty meats -- ham, bacon, salami, and bologna.
[Top of Page]
How Can You Minimize Mold Growth?
Cleanliness is vital in controlling mold. Mold spores from affected food can build up in your refrigerator, dishcloths, and other cleaning utensils.
Clean the inside of the refrigerator every few months with 1 tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a quart of water. Rinse with clear water and dry. Scrub visible mold (usually black) on rubber casings using 3 teaspoons of bleach in a quart of water.
Keep dishcloths, towels, sponges, and mops clean and fresh. A musty smell means they’re spreading mold around. Discard items you can’t clean or launder.
Keep the humidity level in the house below 40%.
[Top of Page]
Don’t Buy Moldy Foods
Examine food well before you buy it. Check food in glass jars, look at the stem areas on fresh produce, and avoid bruised produce. Notify the store manager about mold on foods!
Fresh meat and poultry are usually mold free, but cured and cooked meats may not be. Examine them carefully. Exceptions: Some salamis -- San Francisco, Italian, and Eastern European types -- have a characteristic thin, white mold coating which is safe to consume; however, they shouldn’t show any other mold. Dry-cured country hams normally have surface mold that must be scrubbed off before cooking.
[Top of Page]
Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed?
Yes, molds can thrive in high-acid foods like jams, jellies, pickles, fruit, and tomatoes. But these microscopic fungi are easily destroyed by heat processing high-acid foods at a temperature of 212 °F in a boiling water canner for the recommended length of time. For more information about processing home-canned foods, go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation at: www.uga.edu/nchfp/.
[Top of Page]
How Can You Protect Food from Mold?
When serving food, keep it covered to prevent exposure to mold spores in the air. Use plastic wrap to cover foods you want to stay moist -- fresh or cut fruits and vegetables, and green and mixed salads.
Empty opened cans of perishable foods into clean storage containers and refrigerate them promptly.
Don’t leave any perishables out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours.
Use leftovers within 3 to 4 days so mold doesn’t have a chance to grow.
[Top of Page]
How Should You Handle Food with Mold on It?
Buying small amounts and using food quickly can help prevent mold growth. But when you see moldy food:
Don’t sniff the moldy item. This can cause respiratory trouble.
If food is covered with mold, discard it. Put it into a small paper bag or wrap it in plastic and dispose in a covered trash can that children and animals can’t get into.
Clean the refrigerator or pantry at the spot where the food was stored.
Check nearby items the moldy food might have touched. Mold spreads quickly in fruits and vegetables.
See the attached chart “Moldy Food: When to Use, When to Discard.”
Molds on Food
FOOD HANDLING REASON
Luncheon meats, bacon, or hot dogs Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Hard salami and dry-cured country hams Use. Scrub mold off surface. It is normal for these shelf-stable products to have surface mold.
Cooked leftover meat and poultry Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Cooked casseroles Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Cooked grain and pasta Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Hard cheese
(not cheese where mold is part of the processing) Use. Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese). After trimming off the mold, re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap. Mold generally cannot penetrate deep into the product.
Cheese made with mold
(such as Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Brie, Camembert) Discard soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert if they contain molds that are not a part of the manufacturing process. If surface mold is on hard cheeses such as Gorgonzola and Stilton, cut off mold at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot and handle like hard cheese (above). Molds that are not a part of the manufacturing process can be dangerous.
Soft cheese
(such as cottage, cream cheese, Neufchatel, chevre, Bel Paese, etc.) Crumbled, shredded, and sliced cheeses (all types) Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Shredded, sliced, or crumbled cheese can be contaminated by the cutting instrument. Moldy soft cheese can also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Yogurt and sour cream Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Jams and jellies Discard The mold could be producing a mycotoxin. Microbiologists recommend against scooping out the mold and using the remaining condiment.
Fruits and vegetables, firm
(such as cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, etc.) Use. Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the produce). Small mold spots can be cut off fruits and vegetables with low moisture content. It’s difficult for mold to penetrate dense foods.
Fruits and vegetables, soft
(such as cucumbers, peaches, tomatoes, etc.) Discard Fruits and vegetables with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface.
Bread and baked goods Discard Porous foods can be contaminated below the surface.
Peanut butter, legumes and nuts Discard Foods processed without preservatives are at high risk for mold.
September 2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Molds_On_Food/index.asp
Answer
The answer depends on the type of cheese. Molds are microscopic organisms that have thread-like roots that burrow into the foods they grow on. Most molds are harmless. Molds are even used to make some kinds of cheese, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, brie and Camembert. These molds are safe to eat.
But mold on cheese that's not part of the manufacturing process can also harbor harmful bacteria, such as listeria, brucella, salmonella and E. coli. With hard and semisoft cheese, you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese. But soft cheeses should be discarded.
Moldy cheese? What to do
Type of cheese Examples Handling
Hard Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, Romano, Gruyere Safe to eat if the mold is removed. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. Cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Semisoft American, Asiago, baby Swiss, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Muenster, Gorgonzola Safe to eat if the mold is removed. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. Cover the cheese in fresh wrap.
Soft Brie, blue cheese, Camembert, cottage cheese, Neufchatel, feta, ricotta, shredded and sliced cheeses Discard the cheese.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2006
To prevent mold growth on cheese, follow these tips:
Keep cheese and cheese dishes covered with plastic wrap.
Always refrigerate cheese. Don't allow cheese to sit at room temperature for longer than two hours.
Also, don't eat cheese made from unpasteurized (raw) milk. Raw milk and cheeses may contain harmful bacteria and aren't safe to eat, drink or use in cooking.
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http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01024
How long can you safely keep leftovers in the refrigerator?
Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.
Answer
According to the Department of Agriculture, you should eat refrigerated leftovers within three to four days. If you don't anticipate being able to eat them within this period of time, freeze them immediately.
To help ensure the safety of leftovers, refrigerate perishable foods quickly and don't let them sit for longer than two hours at room temperature or for longer than one hour if the room temperature is above 90 F (32 C). Perishable foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, side dishes and casseroles.
Before eating leftovers, reheat them thoroughly. Reheat leftover sauces, soups and gravies to boiling. If you're using the oven to reheat leftovers, set the temperature to no lower than 325 F (163 C) to ensure they're reheated quickly. Because bacteria multiply between temperatures of 40 F (4 C) and 140 F (60 C), reheating in slow cookers or chafing dishes isn't recommended.
Uncooked foods, such as cold salads or sandwiches, should also be eaten or refrigerated promptly. There aren't any guidelines for how long you can safely keep uncooked foods. But their quality usually deteriorates more quickly than cooked foods.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-safety/AN01095
After cutting off mold, is the remaining food safe to eat?
Use care when deciding which of the "fuzzy" foods hiding in your kitchen you'll try to salvage, said Dr. Janice Stuff, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and a research dietitian at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston. Some molds produce toxins that can leach into foods and make unsuspecting humans ill.
Discard mold-infected, soft-textured dairy products, meats, leftovers, and fruits and vegetables with a high water content. This includes moldy mozzarella and Brie cheeses, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurts, lunchmeats, bacon, casseroles, stews, butter, jellies, peanut butter, cucumbers, tomatoes, salad greens, corn on the cob, melons, bananas and peaches.
The molds that typically grow on peanuts, rice and corn also produce potent toxins. If mold develops on rice, corn or products that contain these grains, such as cornmeal, flours, mixes, and cereals, toss away the entire box. Discard shriveled peanuts.
On the other hand, if a few precautions are taken, it is safe to pare away the mold from hard or firm foods like Swiss and cheddar cheeses, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, garlic, onion, zucchini, potatoes, apples and pears. Before eating, carve away at least one inch around the moldy area. Avoid letting the knife touch the affected area to prevent the mold from spreading. Use salvaged portions as soon as possible.
http://www.kidsnutrition.org/consumer/archives/cuttingmold.htm
Is it safe to eat mold?
Question: Hi, What happens when you eat food from the refrigerator which had developed some kind of fungus. What kind of illness can a person suffer from eating this kind of food?
Answer: The fungus you refer to is mold, typically identified by its whitish-green or pinkish-white fuzz. In the short run, eating mold can cause an upset stomach within 24 hours, diarrhea, and cramps. If you don't experience this within 2 or 3 days of eating the moldy food, you're not likely to have any symptoms. The problem with moldy food is consuming it repeatedly over time. It contains a carcinogen (cancer-causing) substance known as aflatoxin. Isolated exposures to aflatoxins would not be enough to cause cancer.
— April 30, 2003
http://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/answerspot/message.php?message=106
Molds On Food: Are They Dangerous?
What Are Molds?
Are Some Molds Dangerous?
Are Molds Only on the Surface of Food?
Where Are Molds Found?
What Are Some Common Foodborne Molds?
What Are Mycotoxins?
What is Aflatoxin?
How Does the U.S. Government Control Aflatoxins?
Is Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Molds?
Are Any Food Molds Beneficial?
Why Can Mold Grow in the Refrigerator?
How Can You Minimize Mold Growth?
Don’t Buy Moldy Foods
Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed?
How Can You Protect Food from Mold?
How Should You Handle Food with Mold on It?
Some molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. And a few molds, in the right conditions, produce "mycotoxins," poisonous substances that can make people sick. When you see mold on food, is it safe to cut off the moldy part and use the rest? To find the answer to that question, delve beneath the surface of food to where molds take root.
What Are Molds?
Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter. No one knows how many species of fungi exist, but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps 300,000 or more. Most are filamentous (threadlike) organisms and the production of spores is characteristic of fungi in general. These spores can be transported by air, water, or insects.
Unlike bacteria that are one-celled, molds are made of many cells and can sometimes be seen with the naked eye. Under a microscope, they look like skinny mushrooms. In many molds, the body consists of:
root threads that invade the food it lives on,
a stalk rising above the food, and
spores that form at the ends of the stalks.
The spores give mold the color you see. When airborne, the spores spread the mold from place to place like dandelion seeds blowing across a meadow.
Molds have branches and roots that are like very thin threads. The roots may be difficult to see when the mold is growing on food and may be very deep in the food. Foods that are moldy may also have invisible bacteria growing along with the mold.
[Top of Page]
Are Some Molds Dangerous?
Yes, some molds cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. And a few molds, in the right conditions, produce “mycotoxins,” poisonous substances that can make you sick.
[Top of Page]
Are Molds Only on the Surface of Food?
No, you only see part of the mold on the surface of food -- gray fur on forgotten bologna, fuzzy green dots on bread, white dust on Cheddar, coin-size velvety circles on fruits, and furry growth on the surface of jellies. When a food shows heavy mold growth, “root” threads have invaded it deeply. In dangerous molds, poisonous substances are often contained in and around these threads. In some cases, toxins may have spread throughout the food.
[Top of Page]
Where Are Molds Found?
Molds are found in virtually every environment and can be detected, both indoors and outdoors, year round. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions. Outdoors, they can be found in shady, damp areas or places where leaves or other vegetation are decomposing. Indoors, they can be found where humidity levels are high.
Molds form spores which, when dry, float through the air and find suitable conditions where they can start the growth cycle again.
[Top of Page]
What Are Some Common Foodborne Molds?
Molds most often found on meat and poultry are Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Monilia, Manoscus, Mortierella, Mucor, Neurospora, Oidium, Oosproa, Penicillium, Rhizopus and Thamnidium. These molds can also be found on many other foods.
[Top of Page]
What Are Mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are poisonous substances produced by certain molds found primarily in grain and nut crops, but are also known to be on celery, grape juice, apples, and other produce. There are many of them and scientists are continually discovering new ones. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that 25% of the world's food crops are affected by mycotoxins, of which the most notorious are aflatoxins.
[Top of Page]
What is Aflatoxin?
Aflatoxin is a cancer-causing poison produced by certain fungi in or on foods and feeds, especially in field corn and peanuts. They are probably the best known and most intensively researched mycotoxins in the world. Aflatoxins have been associated with various diseases, such as aflatoxicosis in livestock, domestic animals, and humans throughout the world. Many countries try to limit exposure to aflatoxin by regulating and monitoring its presence on commodities intended for use as food and feed. The prevention of aflatoxin is one of the most challenging toxicology issues of present time.
[Top of Page]
How Does the U.S. Government Control Aflatoxins?
Aflatoxins are considered unavoidable contaminants of food and feed, even where good manufacturing practices have been followed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the USDA monitor peanuts and field corn for aflatoxin and can remove any food or feed with unacceptable levels of it.
[Top of Page]
Is Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Molds?
No, it is due to the toxin produced by the fungi, which are in the same family as molds. Mushroom poisoning is caused by the consumption of raw or cooked mushrooms, which are higher-species of fungi. The term “toadstool” (from the German “Todesstuhl” -- death's stool) is commonly given to poisonous mushrooms, but there is no general rule of thumb for distinguishing edible mushrooms from poisonous toadstools. The toxins that cause mushroom poisoning are produced naturally by the fungi. Most mushrooms that cause human poisoning cannot be made safe by cooking, canning, freezing, or any other processing. The only way to avoid poisoning is not to eat poisonous mushrooms.
[Top of Page]
Are Any Food Molds Beneficial?
Yes, molds are used to make certain kinds of cheeses and can be on the surface of cheese or be developed internally. Blue veined cheese such as Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, and Stilton are created by the introduction of P. roqueforti or Penicillium roqueforti spores. Cheeses such as Brie and Camembert have white surface molds. Other cheeses have both an internal and a surface mold. The molds used to manufacture these cheeses are safe to eat.
[Top of Page]
Why Can Mold Grow in the Refrigerator?
While most molds prefer warmer temperatures, they can grow at refrigerator temperatures, too. Molds also tolerate salt and sugar better than most other food invaders. Therefore, molds can grow in refrigerated jams and jelly and on cured, salty meats -- ham, bacon, salami, and bologna.
[Top of Page]
How Can You Minimize Mold Growth?
Cleanliness is vital in controlling mold. Mold spores from affected food can build up in your refrigerator, dishcloths, and other cleaning utensils.
Clean the inside of the refrigerator every few months with 1 tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a quart of water. Rinse with clear water and dry. Scrub visible mold (usually black) on rubber casings using 3 teaspoons of bleach in a quart of water.
Keep dishcloths, towels, sponges, and mops clean and fresh. A musty smell means they’re spreading mold around. Discard items you can’t clean or launder.
Keep the humidity level in the house below 40%.
[Top of Page]
Don’t Buy Moldy Foods
Examine food well before you buy it. Check food in glass jars, look at the stem areas on fresh produce, and avoid bruised produce. Notify the store manager about mold on foods!
Fresh meat and poultry are usually mold free, but cured and cooked meats may not be. Examine them carefully. Exceptions: Some salamis -- San Francisco, Italian, and Eastern European types -- have a characteristic thin, white mold coating which is safe to consume; however, they shouldn’t show any other mold. Dry-cured country hams normally have surface mold that must be scrubbed off before cooking.
[Top of Page]
Must Homemade Shelf-Stable Preserves be Water-Bath Processed?
Yes, molds can thrive in high-acid foods like jams, jellies, pickles, fruit, and tomatoes. But these microscopic fungi are easily destroyed by heat processing high-acid foods at a temperature of 212 °F in a boiling water canner for the recommended length of time. For more information about processing home-canned foods, go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation at: www.uga.edu/nchfp/.
[Top of Page]
How Can You Protect Food from Mold?
When serving food, keep it covered to prevent exposure to mold spores in the air. Use plastic wrap to cover foods you want to stay moist -- fresh or cut fruits and vegetables, and green and mixed salads.
Empty opened cans of perishable foods into clean storage containers and refrigerate them promptly.
Don’t leave any perishables out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours.
Use leftovers within 3 to 4 days so mold doesn’t have a chance to grow.
[Top of Page]
How Should You Handle Food with Mold on It?
Buying small amounts and using food quickly can help prevent mold growth. But when you see moldy food:
Don’t sniff the moldy item. This can cause respiratory trouble.
If food is covered with mold, discard it. Put it into a small paper bag or wrap it in plastic and dispose in a covered trash can that children and animals can’t get into.
Clean the refrigerator or pantry at the spot where the food was stored.
Check nearby items the moldy food might have touched. Mold spreads quickly in fruits and vegetables.
See the attached chart “Moldy Food: When to Use, When to Discard.”
Molds on Food
FOOD HANDLING REASON
Luncheon meats, bacon, or hot dogs Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Hard salami and dry-cured country hams Use. Scrub mold off surface. It is normal for these shelf-stable products to have surface mold.
Cooked leftover meat and poultry Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Cooked casseroles Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Cooked grain and pasta Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Hard cheese
(not cheese where mold is part of the processing) Use. Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese). After trimming off the mold, re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap. Mold generally cannot penetrate deep into the product.
Cheese made with mold
(such as Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola, Stilton, Brie, Camembert) Discard soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert if they contain molds that are not a part of the manufacturing process. If surface mold is on hard cheeses such as Gorgonzola and Stilton, cut off mold at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot and handle like hard cheese (above). Molds that are not a part of the manufacturing process can be dangerous.
Soft cheese
(such as cottage, cream cheese, Neufchatel, chevre, Bel Paese, etc.) Crumbled, shredded, and sliced cheeses (all types) Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Shredded, sliced, or crumbled cheese can be contaminated by the cutting instrument. Moldy soft cheese can also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Yogurt and sour cream Discard Foods with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface. Moldy foods may also have bacteria growing along with the mold.
Jams and jellies Discard The mold could be producing a mycotoxin. Microbiologists recommend against scooping out the mold and using the remaining condiment.
Fruits and vegetables, firm
(such as cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, etc.) Use. Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot (keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the produce). Small mold spots can be cut off fruits and vegetables with low moisture content. It’s difficult for mold to penetrate dense foods.
Fruits and vegetables, soft
(such as cucumbers, peaches, tomatoes, etc.) Discard Fruits and vegetables with high moisture content can be contaminated below the surface.
Bread and baked goods Discard Porous foods can be contaminated below the surface.
Peanut butter, legumes and nuts Discard Foods processed without preservatives are at high risk for mold.
September 2005
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Molds_On_Food/index.asp
Samonella in Dog Food?
BJ'S Wholesale Club Issues Recall of 'Berkley & Jensen' Full-Cut Pig Ears Dog Treats Because of Potential for Salmonella Contaminationadvertisement
Related information E-mail this article Print-friendly version Discuss this articleStocks mentioned in this articleBJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. (BJ) Stock Quote, Chart, News
All PRNewswire NewsNATICK, Mass., March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. is recalling its 25-count packages of "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats with no lot number and only the expiration advisory "BEST IF USED BY 2009" (without referencing a specific month) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious infections in dogs, and, if there is cross contamination, young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Confirmatory testing is ongoing but until the testing is final, consumers should immediately stop feeding the treats to their pets.
Related newsStocks End Mixed on Economic DataUnemployment Rate Dips to 4.5 PercentNew Century Among Wall Street's MoversBusiness Events Sceheduled for This WeekProduct Recalls
Salmonella can potentially be transferred to people handling these dog treats, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
Dogs that become ill from Salmonella generally will have a fever and diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus. Affected animals may seem more tired that usual, and may have vomiting. Some dogs do not have diarrhea, but will have decreased appetite, fever and excess salivation. If your dog has consumed the recalled product and is exhibiting these signs, please contact your veterinarian.
The potential for contamination was noted after testing revealed the potential presence of Salmonella in a 25-count package of "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats.
There have been no confirmed illnesses to date. These products have been removed from sale while the problem is being investigated.
BJ's members who purchased "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats between January 1, 2006 through March 8, 2007 should discontinue use of the product and may return the unused portion to any BJ's Wholesale Club for a full refund. Consumers who have further questions may contact BJ's toll free Member Care line at 1-800-BJS-CLUB.
For more information on Salmonella, please visit the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Web site at www.FDA.gov.
About BJ's Wholesale Club
Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. is a leading operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern United States. The Company currently operates 172 Clubs and 96 gas stations in 16 states. For more information about BJ's Wholesale Club, please visit www.bjs.com.
Copyright 2007 PRNewswire
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Feed=PR&Date=20070309&ID=6596069&Symbol=BJ
Related information E-mail this article Print-friendly version Discuss this articleStocks mentioned in this articleBJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. (BJ) Stock Quote, Chart, News
All PRNewswire NewsNATICK, Mass., March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. is recalling its 25-count packages of "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats with no lot number and only the expiration advisory "BEST IF USED BY 2009" (without referencing a specific month) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious infections in dogs, and, if there is cross contamination, young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
Confirmatory testing is ongoing but until the testing is final, consumers should immediately stop feeding the treats to their pets.
Related newsStocks End Mixed on Economic DataUnemployment Rate Dips to 4.5 PercentNew Century Among Wall Street's MoversBusiness Events Sceheduled for This WeekProduct Recalls
Salmonella can potentially be transferred to people handling these dog treats, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
Dogs that become ill from Salmonella generally will have a fever and diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus. Affected animals may seem more tired that usual, and may have vomiting. Some dogs do not have diarrhea, but will have decreased appetite, fever and excess salivation. If your dog has consumed the recalled product and is exhibiting these signs, please contact your veterinarian.
The potential for contamination was noted after testing revealed the potential presence of Salmonella in a 25-count package of "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats.
There have been no confirmed illnesses to date. These products have been removed from sale while the problem is being investigated.
BJ's members who purchased "Berkley & Jensen" Full-Cut Pig Ears dog treats between January 1, 2006 through March 8, 2007 should discontinue use of the product and may return the unused portion to any BJ's Wholesale Club for a full refund. Consumers who have further questions may contact BJ's toll free Member Care line at 1-800-BJS-CLUB.
For more information on Salmonella, please visit the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Web site at www.FDA.gov.
About BJ's Wholesale Club
Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. is a leading operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern United States. The Company currently operates 172 Clubs and 96 gas stations in 16 states. For more information about BJ's Wholesale Club, please visit www.bjs.com.
Copyright 2007 PRNewswire
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Feed=PR&Date=20070309&ID=6596069&Symbol=BJ
Peanut Butter Recalled
Peanut butter recall widens for salmonella link Sat Mar 10, 11:40 AM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. food safety authorities extended a recall of peanut butter linked to a salmonella outbreak to include products bought as early as October 2004.
ADVERTISEMENT
Initially, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said all Peter Pan peanut butter bought since May 2006, and all of Wal-Mart Inc.'s Great Value peanut butter with the batch code 2111 should be discarded.
ConAgra Foods Inc. makes both, and has recalled all potentially contaminated batches.
But on Friday night, the FDA said ConAgra had said all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter beginning with product code 2111, including peanut butter toppings, back to October 2004, were being recalled.
"Consumers who have purchased any of the products since October 2004 should discard them," the FDA said.
Salmonella can cause nausea, diarrhea and other ill effects, but usually the sickness clears up on its own in less than a week.
The outbreak of salmonella related to peanut butter has affected hundreds of people in dozens of states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last month.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070310/us_nm/salmonella_peanutbutter_dc
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. food safety authorities extended a recall of peanut butter linked to a salmonella outbreak to include products bought as early as October 2004.
ADVERTISEMENT
Initially, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said all Peter Pan peanut butter bought since May 2006, and all of Wal-Mart Inc.'s Great Value peanut butter with the batch code 2111 should be discarded.
ConAgra Foods Inc. makes both, and has recalled all potentially contaminated batches.
But on Friday night, the FDA said ConAgra had said all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter beginning with product code 2111, including peanut butter toppings, back to October 2004, were being recalled.
"Consumers who have purchased any of the products since October 2004 should discard them," the FDA said.
Salmonella can cause nausea, diarrhea and other ill effects, but usually the sickness clears up on its own in less than a week.
The outbreak of salmonella related to peanut butter has affected hundreds of people in dozens of states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last month.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070310/us_nm/salmonella_peanutbutter_dc
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Handle College Without Depression
Student Resources
Help with the Demands of College Life
Get help for the top mental health issues facing university and college students:
1. Hope for the rising incidence of stress and depression
2. Tips for parents
3. Mental health problems increasing among college students
1. Hope for the rising incidence of stress and depression
Help for college students: Know the signs and how to get help for the top mental health issues facing university and college students
By Liza N. Eversole, MTN Wellness & Mental Health Consultant, August 15, 2006
According to a study three years ago by Kansas State University, the number of students seeing school counselors for depression doubled over a 13-year period and the number of students with suicidal thoughts tripled over that same span.
This is alarming, but there is hope. Help is here for the increasing numbers of students with anxiety, stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Campuses around the country are aware of the problem and many are creating ways to help manage these issues and even prevent students from developing mental health problems.
Read the following information to help manage these issues and learn how to get help when students can't manage the pressures of college life alone.
Some stress and anxiety is normal. Stress often increases as the number of responsibilities, choices, and decisions increase. Pressure to achieve good grades and fit into college life with ease contribute to the normal first year and back-to-school anxiety. Students who where successful in high school often find the competition too much. They are under even more pressure from high expectations to be the best and get higher paying jobs.
But, if stress continues to increase over time, the mental and physical results can be serious. Stress that persists day after day is a mental health problem. Experts agree that the physiological changes that result from stress contribute to nearly every major illness.
Be aware of the signs. The most commonly reported negative outcomes of stress include:
- Constant fatigue and/or insomnia: Are you just as tired when you wake up, as you were when you went to bed?
- Depression or anxiety: Are you feeling overwhelmed and anxious? Do you have angry outbursts?
- Physical Illness: Do you have a susceptibility to illness? Do you frequently have illnesses, high blood pressure, GI problems, headaches or back pain?
- Are you forgetful or disorganized?
- Are you noticing yourself using alcohol, drugs, or food more (or not eating)?
Please see your physician if you experience persistent physical symptoms!
The good news is that stress can be managed if students take the opportunity to assess the effects of stress on their overall wellbeing and to take the steps needed to improve their health and quality of life.
Keep yourself healthy: Take care of yourself physically and mentally. Your energy levels will be much higher if you are getting enough sleep, eating well, drinking enough water, and taking the time to do things you enjoy.
- Exercise regularly, but not excessively
- Get enough sleep (7-8 hours is average)
- Eat a balanced diet
- Slow down
- Stretch and breathe
- Learn relaxation techniques
- Remove yourself from stressors
- Get help from a counselor or therapist when the mental and emotional stress becomes too much to handle.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
If you are experiencing any of the following, please seek help from an experienced counselor or therapist either at your Student Counseling Center, through your physician, or log onto MyTherapyNet.com.
Symptoms that Students and Parents Should Not Ignore:
- Abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications.
- Turning to food for comfort or not eating and/or excessively exercising (eating disorders)
- Problems with family or friends
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about school or personal issues
- Depression, which can have any of these symptoms/signs:
Feeling sad or empty, decreased energy, loss of interest in former activities, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, excessive crying, difficulty in concentrating or making decisions, weight gain or loss, over or under sleeping and thoughts of suicide.
According to The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) if five or more of these symptoms persist for more than two weeks, it is recommended that the person seek professional help. Go to the NIMH website for more information: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
2. Tips for parents
Parents should know what is available on campuses to help their children. Many universities and colleges have counseling and intervention programs, some free and some covered by student health plans.
Symptoms that Students and Parents Should Not Ignore:
- Abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications
- Turning to food for comfort or not eating and/or excessively exercising (eating disorders)
- Unusual weight gain or loss
- Problems with family or friends
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about school or personal issues
- Difficulty in concentrating or making decisions
- Over or under sleeping
- Feeling sad or empty
- Excessive crying
- Decreased energy
- Loss of interest in former activities
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness and thoughts of suicide.
According to a new study by the American Psychiatric Association, nearly one-third of adults who have a mental illness say they don't seek treatment because they fear what thers might think.
Students who are not comfortable talking find it easier to express themselves in writing. They often feel less inhibited and safer at the computer's keyboard, accept suggestions and move to solutions quicker than if they feel confronted by their therapist in person.
According to the article, Erasing stigma key to mental treatment, by former First Lady, Rosalyn Carter, "While mental illnesses can be as debilitating and life-threatening as many physical illnesses, research shows that fewer than half of the 54 million Americans who have a mental illness seek treatment. It is time to stop throwing up barriers to mental health care needed by so many Americans. No one suffering from a mental disorder should feel alone or ashamed."
By Liza N. Eversole, MTN Wellness & Mental Health Consultant, August 15, 2006
3. Mental health problems increasing among college students
Dr. Richard Kadison, chief of the mental health services at Harvard University Health Services believes colleges and universities should do anything they can to help the increasing numbers of students who arrive with pre-existing mental health problems or develop them while on campus.
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Mental Health Problems Increasing Among College Students
July 5, 2006, By KATHLEEN MEGAN, Courant Staff Writer
Every year at around this time, Dr. Kadisonef gets phone calls from concerned parents. Their children have been receiving treatment and medication for a mental disorder of some type, and they want to make sure that services are in place for their child in the fall at school.
"I am delighted to get the calls," said Kadison, author of "College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What To Do About It." He believes colleges and universities should do anything they can to help the increasing numbers of students who arrive with pre-existing mental health problems or develop them while on campus.
Late adolescence and early adulthood have always been a time when mental illness is likely to flare up. "This is an age when there are developmental and hormonal changes going on with people," said Kadison. "It's a very common age of onset."
In the past, students with depression, severe anxiety or other mental illnesses often didn't make it to college or dropped out if those problems became too severe. Today, with better medications and treatment available, those students are staying on campus.
In a recent survey, about 90 percent of college counseling-center directors believe there has been an increase in the number of clients with severe psychological problems.
A study at Kansas State University looking at student mental health complaints on their campus from 1988 to 2001 found that the number of students who had serious depression had doubled, while the number contemplating suicide had tripled. Kadison said one in 10 students will seriously consider suicide, while 45 percent of students report having reached a point where they were so depressed they couldn't function.
FROM:http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hcyoungadults.artjul05,0,587993.story?page=3&coll=hc-headlines-life
Students and parents can receive confidential help NOW! Experienced therapists at MyTherapyNet.com are available 24/7! Therapists are only a mouse click away.
Managing stress is the foundation for a wellness: A well-balanced and healthy life. So, in addition to receiving quality therapy at MyTherapyNet, please visit
www.MindBodySeries.com for information, tools and products to help you manage stress.
ATTENTION UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES: Don't let your students suffer in silence! Take care of your students and help them adjust to being away from home. E-mail leversole@mytherapynet.com to help your university or college set up an Online Therapy support program to ensure a healthy school environment.
http://www.mytherapynet.com/Public/ShowText.asp?EUID=&articleid=225&articletype=38
Help with the Demands of College Life
Get help for the top mental health issues facing university and college students:
1. Hope for the rising incidence of stress and depression
2. Tips for parents
3. Mental health problems increasing among college students
1. Hope for the rising incidence of stress and depression
Help for college students: Know the signs and how to get help for the top mental health issues facing university and college students
By Liza N. Eversole, MTN Wellness & Mental Health Consultant, August 15, 2006
According to a study three years ago by Kansas State University, the number of students seeing school counselors for depression doubled over a 13-year period and the number of students with suicidal thoughts tripled over that same span.
This is alarming, but there is hope. Help is here for the increasing numbers of students with anxiety, stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Campuses around the country are aware of the problem and many are creating ways to help manage these issues and even prevent students from developing mental health problems.
Read the following information to help manage these issues and learn how to get help when students can't manage the pressures of college life alone.
Some stress and anxiety is normal. Stress often increases as the number of responsibilities, choices, and decisions increase. Pressure to achieve good grades and fit into college life with ease contribute to the normal first year and back-to-school anxiety. Students who where successful in high school often find the competition too much. They are under even more pressure from high expectations to be the best and get higher paying jobs.
But, if stress continues to increase over time, the mental and physical results can be serious. Stress that persists day after day is a mental health problem. Experts agree that the physiological changes that result from stress contribute to nearly every major illness.
Be aware of the signs. The most commonly reported negative outcomes of stress include:
- Constant fatigue and/or insomnia: Are you just as tired when you wake up, as you were when you went to bed?
- Depression or anxiety: Are you feeling overwhelmed and anxious? Do you have angry outbursts?
- Physical Illness: Do you have a susceptibility to illness? Do you frequently have illnesses, high blood pressure, GI problems, headaches or back pain?
- Are you forgetful or disorganized?
- Are you noticing yourself using alcohol, drugs, or food more (or not eating)?
Please see your physician if you experience persistent physical symptoms!
The good news is that stress can be managed if students take the opportunity to assess the effects of stress on their overall wellbeing and to take the steps needed to improve their health and quality of life.
Keep yourself healthy: Take care of yourself physically and mentally. Your energy levels will be much higher if you are getting enough sleep, eating well, drinking enough water, and taking the time to do things you enjoy.
- Exercise regularly, but not excessively
- Get enough sleep (7-8 hours is average)
- Eat a balanced diet
- Slow down
- Stretch and breathe
- Learn relaxation techniques
- Remove yourself from stressors
- Get help from a counselor or therapist when the mental and emotional stress becomes too much to handle.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
If you are experiencing any of the following, please seek help from an experienced counselor or therapist either at your Student Counseling Center, through your physician, or log onto MyTherapyNet.com.
Symptoms that Students and Parents Should Not Ignore:
- Abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications.
- Turning to food for comfort or not eating and/or excessively exercising (eating disorders)
- Problems with family or friends
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about school or personal issues
- Depression, which can have any of these symptoms/signs:
Feeling sad or empty, decreased energy, loss of interest in former activities, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, excessive crying, difficulty in concentrating or making decisions, weight gain or loss, over or under sleeping and thoughts of suicide.
According to The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) if five or more of these symptoms persist for more than two weeks, it is recommended that the person seek professional help. Go to the NIMH website for more information: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
2. Tips for parents
Parents should know what is available on campuses to help their children. Many universities and colleges have counseling and intervention programs, some free and some covered by student health plans.
Symptoms that Students and Parents Should Not Ignore:
- Abusing drugs, alcohol, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications
- Turning to food for comfort or not eating and/or excessively exercising (eating disorders)
- Unusual weight gain or loss
- Problems with family or friends
- Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about school or personal issues
- Difficulty in concentrating or making decisions
- Over or under sleeping
- Feeling sad or empty
- Excessive crying
- Decreased energy
- Loss of interest in former activities
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness and thoughts of suicide.
According to a new study by the American Psychiatric Association, nearly one-third of adults who have a mental illness say they don't seek treatment because they fear what thers might think.
Students who are not comfortable talking find it easier to express themselves in writing. They often feel less inhibited and safer at the computer's keyboard, accept suggestions and move to solutions quicker than if they feel confronted by their therapist in person.
According to the article, Erasing stigma key to mental treatment, by former First Lady, Rosalyn Carter, "While mental illnesses can be as debilitating and life-threatening as many physical illnesses, research shows that fewer than half of the 54 million Americans who have a mental illness seek treatment. It is time to stop throwing up barriers to mental health care needed by so many Americans. No one suffering from a mental disorder should feel alone or ashamed."
By Liza N. Eversole, MTN Wellness & Mental Health Consultant, August 15, 2006
3. Mental health problems increasing among college students
Dr. Richard Kadison, chief of the mental health services at Harvard University Health Services believes colleges and universities should do anything they can to help the increasing numbers of students who arrive with pre-existing mental health problems or develop them while on campus.
ARTICLE SUMMARY: Mental Health Problems Increasing Among College Students
July 5, 2006, By KATHLEEN MEGAN, Courant Staff Writer
Every year at around this time, Dr. Kadisonef gets phone calls from concerned parents. Their children have been receiving treatment and medication for a mental disorder of some type, and they want to make sure that services are in place for their child in the fall at school.
"I am delighted to get the calls," said Kadison, author of "College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What To Do About It." He believes colleges and universities should do anything they can to help the increasing numbers of students who arrive with pre-existing mental health problems or develop them while on campus.
Late adolescence and early adulthood have always been a time when mental illness is likely to flare up. "This is an age when there are developmental and hormonal changes going on with people," said Kadison. "It's a very common age of onset."
In the past, students with depression, severe anxiety or other mental illnesses often didn't make it to college or dropped out if those problems became too severe. Today, with better medications and treatment available, those students are staying on campus.
In a recent survey, about 90 percent of college counseling-center directors believe there has been an increase in the number of clients with severe psychological problems.
A study at Kansas State University looking at student mental health complaints on their campus from 1988 to 2001 found that the number of students who had serious depression had doubled, while the number contemplating suicide had tripled. Kadison said one in 10 students will seriously consider suicide, while 45 percent of students report having reached a point where they were so depressed they couldn't function.
FROM:http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hcyoungadults.artjul05,0,587993.story?page=3&coll=hc-headlines-life
Students and parents can receive confidential help NOW! Experienced therapists at MyTherapyNet.com are available 24/7! Therapists are only a mouse click away.
Managing stress is the foundation for a wellness: A well-balanced and healthy life. So, in addition to receiving quality therapy at MyTherapyNet, please visit
www.MindBodySeries.com for information, tools and products to help you manage stress.
ATTENTION UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES: Don't let your students suffer in silence! Take care of your students and help them adjust to being away from home. E-mail leversole@mytherapynet.com to help your university or college set up an Online Therapy support program to ensure a healthy school environment.
http://www.mytherapynet.com/Public/ShowText.asp?EUID=&articleid=225&articletype=38
Depression in College
Depression and College Students
What do these students have in common?
When I took a part-time job and started
living off-campus, my course work fell
apart. I couldn't concentrate or sleep,
and I was always IRRITABLE and angry.
- Leah, sophomore year
After two years of straight A's, I
couldn't finish assignments anymore. I
felt exhausted but couldn't sleep, and
drank A LOT. I couldn't enjoy life like
my friends did anymore. - John, junior
year
I've always been anxious and never
had much confidence. College was
harder than I expected, and then
my parents divorced, which was
traumatic for me. After a while, all I
did was cry, sleep, and feel waves
of panic. - Marta, freshman year
They are college students who got depressed...got
treatment...and got better.
College offers new experiences and challenges. This can be exciting; it can also be stressful and make you, or someone
you know, feel sad. When "the blues" last for weeks, or interfere with academic or social functioning, it may be clinical
depression. Clinical depression is a common, frequently unrecognized illness that can be effectively treated.
What is Clinical Depression?
Clinical depression can affect your body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can change your eating habits, how you feel
and think, your ability to work and study, and how you interact with people. Clinical depression is not a passing mood,
a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be willed away. Clinically depressed people cannot "pull themselves
together" and get better. Depression can be successfully treated. With the right treatment, 80 percent of those who seek
help get better. And many people begin to feel better in just a few weeks.
Types of Depressive Illness
Depressive illnesses come in different forms. The following are descriptions of the three most prevalent, though for an
individual, the number, severity, and duration of symptoms will vary.
Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with your ability to work, sleep, eat, and
enjoy once pleasurable activities. These episodes can occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime. Symptoms include:
Sadness, anxiety, or "empty" feelings
Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
Appetite and weight changes (either loss or gain)
Sleep disturbances (insomnia, oversleeping, waking
much earlier than usual)
Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and worthlessness
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, remembering
Irritability or excessive crying
Chronic aches/pain not explained by other physical condition
A less intense type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that are less severe, but keep you
from functioning at your full ability and from feeling well. In bipolar illness (also known as manic-depressive illness),
cycles of depression alternate with cycles of elation and increased activity, known as mania.
How to Recognize Depression
The first step in defeating depression is recognizing it. It's normal to have some signs of depression some of the time. But
five or more symptoms for two weeks or longer, or noticeable changes in usual functioning, are all factors that should
be evaluated by a health or mental health professional. And remember, people who are depressed may not be thinking
clearly and may need help to get help.
I kept asking myself, "How could I be depressed? I'd had a normal family life, had been getting good grades, and
hadn't experienced any big trauma - where did my depression come from?" (John)
What Causes Depression?
The causes of depression are complex. Very often a combination of genetic, psychological and environmental factors is
involved in the onset of clinical depression. At times, however, depression occurs for no apparent reason. Regardless of
the cause, depression is almost always treatable.
Family History: Depression often runs in families, which usually means that some, but not all, family members have a
tendency to develop the illness. However, sometimes people who have no family history also develop depression.
Stress: Psychological and environmental stressors can contribute to a depressive episode, though individuals react
differently to life events and experiences. In coping with stress, some people find it helpful to write in a journal,
exercise, or talk with friends. In clinical depression you need some form of treatment to start feeling better soon.
Common stressors in college life include:
Greater academic demands
Being on your own in a new environment
Changes in family relations
Financial responsibilities
Changes in your social life
Exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations
Awareness of your sexual identity and orientation
Preparing for life after graduation
I had a period of nearly constant turmoil when I wanted to "come out" to my friends about being gay but didn't want
to be treated like an outsider. A good friend made jokes about homosexuals and I was afraid of what he'd say about
me. That stress played a big part in my becoming depressed. (Josh)
My family wanted me home every other weekend and I didn't fit in there anymore. I'd argue constantly with my
father, who still treated me like a child. My sister thought I was 'uppity.' Everyone was miserable; I felt guilty. (Kim)
Psychological make-up can play a role in vulnerability to depression. People with low self-esteem, who consistently
view themselves and the world with pessimism, or are readily overwhelmed by stress, may be especially prone to
depression. For Marta, her feelings of being "not good enough" were worsened by the academic stresses of college and
the emotional conflict caused by her parents' divorce, which combined to trigger her episode of major depression.
Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression)
As mentioned earlier, bipolar disorder is a type of depressive illness that involves mood swings that go from periods of
depression to periods of being overly "up" and irritable. Sometimes the mood swings are dramatic or rapid, but most
often they occur gradually, over several weeks. The "up" or manic phase can include increased energy and activity,
insomnia, grandiose notions and impulsive or reckless behavior, including sexual promiscuity. Medication usually is
effective in controlling manic symptoms and preventing the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes.
During a manic episode, I stayed awake for five days straight, but had a lot of energy. I spent my tuition on a major
shopping spree and long distance phone calls. I also had sex with several guys that I hardly knew. At the time, I felt so
great that I couldn't see that there were serious problems with what I was doing. (Teresa)
Suicide
Thoughts of death or suicide are usually signs of severe depression. "If you're feeling like you can't cope anymore, or
that life isn't worth living, get help," advised Darrel, a student who tried to kill himself during his freshman year.
"Talking to a professional can get you past those intense feelings and save your life."
Suicidal thoughts, impulses, or behaviors always should be taken seriously. If you are thinking about hurting or killing
yourself, SEEK HELP IMMEDIATELY. Contact someone you trust: a good friend, academic or resident advisor, or:
Staff at the University Health Services; a professor, coach, or advisor;
A local suicide or emergency hotline; in the Berkeley area: 510/849-2212; or call 911.
If someone you know has thoughts about suicide, the best thing to do is help the person get professional help. "I'm back
from the edge," Darrel says. "Now that I've gotten treatment, I know how to keep from being out there again."
Depression and Alcohol and Other Drugs
A lot of depressed people, especially teenagers, also have problems with alcohol or other drugs. Sometimes the
depression comes first and people try drugs as a way to escape it. Other times, the alcohol or other drug use comes first,
and depression is caused by the drug itself, or withdrawal from it, or the problems that substance use causes. And
sometimes you can't tell which came first... the important point is that when you have both of these problems, the
sooner you get treatment, the better.
Getting Help: Treatment Works
If you think you might be depressed, discuss this with a health care or mental health professional who can evaluate
your concerns. Bring an understanding friend for support if you are hesitant or anxious about the appointment.
Several effective treatments for depression are available and can provide relief from symptoms in just a few weeks. The
most common treatments are psychotherapy (“talk therapy”), antidepressant medication, or a combination of the two.
Which is the best treatment for an individual depends on the nature and severity of the depression. Sharing your
preferences and concerns with your treatment provider helps determine the course of treatment. Certain types of
psychotherapy can help resolve the psychological or interpersonal problems that contribute to, or result from, the
illness. Antidepressant medications relieve the physical and mood symptoms of depression and are not habit-forming.
In severe depression, medication is usually required.
Individuals respond differently to treatment. If you don't start feeling better after several weeks, talk to your provider
about trying other treatments or getting a second opinion.
Making a Decision and Taking the First Step
Don't let fear of what others might think stop you from doing what's best for you. Parents and friends may understand
more than you think they will, and they certainly want you to feel better though they may not completely understand.
I knew I was depressed but thought I could pull out of it by myself. Unfortunately, friends reinforced this attitude by
telling me to just toughen up. When that didn't work, I felt even worse because I had 'failed' again. When a friend
suggested I talk to his counselor, I resisted at first. In my mind, professional help was for weak, messed up people. But
then, I hit a bottom so low that I was willing to try anything. (John)
I decided to try treatment when my friends got fed up with me. They didn't want to talk about my problems any more,
but my problems were the major focus of my life. I needed someone who could help me understand what was
happening to me. I'd seen ads for the counseling center and decided to give it a try. (Kim)
When I began considering suicide, I knew I needed help. My resident advisor helped me call a hotline where I got
some referrals. It was just a phone call, but it was the starting point that got me the professional help I needed. (Leah)
Help Yourself: Be an Informed Consumer
Depression can make you feel exhausted, worthless, helpless and hopeless. Don't give in to negative thinking;
remember, these negative views are part of the depression, and will fade as treatment takes effect.
Take an active role in getting better. Make the most of the help available by being actively involved in your treatment
and by working with a qualified therapist or doctor. Once in treatment, don't hesitate to ask questions in order to
understand your illness and the way treatment works. And, if you don't start feeling better in a few weeks, speak with
the professional you are seeing about new approaches.
Be good to yourself while you're getting well. Along with professional help, there are some other simple things you can
do to help yourself get better, for example: participating in a support group, spending time with other people, or taking
part in activities, exercise, or hobbies. Just don't overdo it and don't set big goals for yourself. The health care
professional you are seeing may suggest useful books to read and other self-help strategies.
Helping a Depressed Friend
The best thing you can do for a depressed friend is to help him or her get treatment. This may involve encouraging the
person to seek professional help or to stay in treatment once it is begun. The next best thing is to offer emotional
support. This involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Engage the depressed person in
conversation or activities and be gently insistent if you meet with resistance. Remind that person that with time and
help, he or she will feel better.
Helpful and Affordable Resources
There are many people on and around campus that can offer help and support. In addition to the resources listed
below, staff in your living center, your family health care provider, and your clergy can be helpful resources for getting
help. If you are not eligible, or don’t know whether you are eligible, for the services listed below, contact the University
Health Services (UHS) anyway. We’re happy to discuss eligibility and referrals with you.
People are sometimes reluctant to seek help because they are concerned about the cost of treatment. If you are a Cal
student, contact the UHS to discuss the coverage provided by your student registration fees and your insurance plan.
Is It Worth It? … Yes!!
While the depression was painful, working to get better has taught me about who I am and how to stay healthy. (Marta)
Getting treatment definitely changed my life for the better and helped me avoid flunking a semester. (John)
Resources for Cal Students
University Health Services (UHS) Tang Center, 2222 Bancroft Way 510/ 642-2000 www.uhs.berkeley.edu
Emergency consultations
Counseling and Psych Services (M, T, W, F: 8-5; Th: 9-5): 642-9494.
After Hours Assistance: 510 /643-7197
24 hour crisis line: Alameda County Suicide Crisis Line: 510/849-2212
Appointments
Counseling and referral for anti-depressant medication evaluation, call CPS: 642-9494.
Medical appointments, including medication evaluations: 642-2000.
Health education appointments to discuss diet, exercise, and stress management: 642-2000.
Workshops
Counseling and Psychological Services (642-9494) has a variety of informational workshops and support
groups on depression, bipolar disorder, and understanding moods. Check the UHS website for updates and
schedules: www.uhs.berkeley.edu.
Self-Care Resource Center, Second Floor, Tang Center
A health information library with interactive computer programs, access to health websites, books, audio and
videotapes, pamphlets, magazines, journals and self-assessment tools. Books and handouts on depression and
other mental health issues. Hours during Fall and Spring Semesters are M – F, 11 am - 4 pm. 642-7202.
Adapted for UC Berkeley, University Health Services, from NIH Publication No. 97-4266; November 2003. s:uhs/healthed/depresscoll.doc
http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/home/healthtopics/pdf/depresstudents.pdf
What do these students have in common?
When I took a part-time job and started
living off-campus, my course work fell
apart. I couldn't concentrate or sleep,
and I was always IRRITABLE and angry.
- Leah, sophomore year
After two years of straight A's, I
couldn't finish assignments anymore. I
felt exhausted but couldn't sleep, and
drank A LOT. I couldn't enjoy life like
my friends did anymore. - John, junior
year
I've always been anxious and never
had much confidence. College was
harder than I expected, and then
my parents divorced, which was
traumatic for me. After a while, all I
did was cry, sleep, and feel waves
of panic. - Marta, freshman year
They are college students who got depressed...got
treatment...and got better.
College offers new experiences and challenges. This can be exciting; it can also be stressful and make you, or someone
you know, feel sad. When "the blues" last for weeks, or interfere with academic or social functioning, it may be clinical
depression. Clinical depression is a common, frequently unrecognized illness that can be effectively treated.
What is Clinical Depression?
Clinical depression can affect your body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can change your eating habits, how you feel
and think, your ability to work and study, and how you interact with people. Clinical depression is not a passing mood,
a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be willed away. Clinically depressed people cannot "pull themselves
together" and get better. Depression can be successfully treated. With the right treatment, 80 percent of those who seek
help get better. And many people begin to feel better in just a few weeks.
Types of Depressive Illness
Depressive illnesses come in different forms. The following are descriptions of the three most prevalent, though for an
individual, the number, severity, and duration of symptoms will vary.
Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with your ability to work, sleep, eat, and
enjoy once pleasurable activities. These episodes can occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime. Symptoms include:
Sadness, anxiety, or "empty" feelings
Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
Appetite and weight changes (either loss or gain)
Sleep disturbances (insomnia, oversleeping, waking
much earlier than usual)
Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and worthlessness
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, remembering
Irritability or excessive crying
Chronic aches/pain not explained by other physical condition
A less intense type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that are less severe, but keep you
from functioning at your full ability and from feeling well. In bipolar illness (also known as manic-depressive illness),
cycles of depression alternate with cycles of elation and increased activity, known as mania.
How to Recognize Depression
The first step in defeating depression is recognizing it. It's normal to have some signs of depression some of the time. But
five or more symptoms for two weeks or longer, or noticeable changes in usual functioning, are all factors that should
be evaluated by a health or mental health professional. And remember, people who are depressed may not be thinking
clearly and may need help to get help.
I kept asking myself, "How could I be depressed? I'd had a normal family life, had been getting good grades, and
hadn't experienced any big trauma - where did my depression come from?" (John)
What Causes Depression?
The causes of depression are complex. Very often a combination of genetic, psychological and environmental factors is
involved in the onset of clinical depression. At times, however, depression occurs for no apparent reason. Regardless of
the cause, depression is almost always treatable.
Family History: Depression often runs in families, which usually means that some, but not all, family members have a
tendency to develop the illness. However, sometimes people who have no family history also develop depression.
Stress: Psychological and environmental stressors can contribute to a depressive episode, though individuals react
differently to life events and experiences. In coping with stress, some people find it helpful to write in a journal,
exercise, or talk with friends. In clinical depression you need some form of treatment to start feeling better soon.
Common stressors in college life include:
Greater academic demands
Being on your own in a new environment
Changes in family relations
Financial responsibilities
Changes in your social life
Exposure to new people, ideas, and temptations
Awareness of your sexual identity and orientation
Preparing for life after graduation
I had a period of nearly constant turmoil when I wanted to "come out" to my friends about being gay but didn't want
to be treated like an outsider. A good friend made jokes about homosexuals and I was afraid of what he'd say about
me. That stress played a big part in my becoming depressed. (Josh)
My family wanted me home every other weekend and I didn't fit in there anymore. I'd argue constantly with my
father, who still treated me like a child. My sister thought I was 'uppity.' Everyone was miserable; I felt guilty. (Kim)
Psychological make-up can play a role in vulnerability to depression. People with low self-esteem, who consistently
view themselves and the world with pessimism, or are readily overwhelmed by stress, may be especially prone to
depression. For Marta, her feelings of being "not good enough" were worsened by the academic stresses of college and
the emotional conflict caused by her parents' divorce, which combined to trigger her episode of major depression.
Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression)
As mentioned earlier, bipolar disorder is a type of depressive illness that involves mood swings that go from periods of
depression to periods of being overly "up" and irritable. Sometimes the mood swings are dramatic or rapid, but most
often they occur gradually, over several weeks. The "up" or manic phase can include increased energy and activity,
insomnia, grandiose notions and impulsive or reckless behavior, including sexual promiscuity. Medication usually is
effective in controlling manic symptoms and preventing the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes.
During a manic episode, I stayed awake for five days straight, but had a lot of energy. I spent my tuition on a major
shopping spree and long distance phone calls. I also had sex with several guys that I hardly knew. At the time, I felt so
great that I couldn't see that there were serious problems with what I was doing. (Teresa)
Suicide
Thoughts of death or suicide are usually signs of severe depression. "If you're feeling like you can't cope anymore, or
that life isn't worth living, get help," advised Darrel, a student who tried to kill himself during his freshman year.
"Talking to a professional can get you past those intense feelings and save your life."
Suicidal thoughts, impulses, or behaviors always should be taken seriously. If you are thinking about hurting or killing
yourself, SEEK HELP IMMEDIATELY. Contact someone you trust: a good friend, academic or resident advisor, or:
Staff at the University Health Services; a professor, coach, or advisor;
A local suicide or emergency hotline; in the Berkeley area: 510/849-2212; or call 911.
If someone you know has thoughts about suicide, the best thing to do is help the person get professional help. "I'm back
from the edge," Darrel says. "Now that I've gotten treatment, I know how to keep from being out there again."
Depression and Alcohol and Other Drugs
A lot of depressed people, especially teenagers, also have problems with alcohol or other drugs. Sometimes the
depression comes first and people try drugs as a way to escape it. Other times, the alcohol or other drug use comes first,
and depression is caused by the drug itself, or withdrawal from it, or the problems that substance use causes. And
sometimes you can't tell which came first... the important point is that when you have both of these problems, the
sooner you get treatment, the better.
Getting Help: Treatment Works
If you think you might be depressed, discuss this with a health care or mental health professional who can evaluate
your concerns. Bring an understanding friend for support if you are hesitant or anxious about the appointment.
Several effective treatments for depression are available and can provide relief from symptoms in just a few weeks. The
most common treatments are psychotherapy (“talk therapy”), antidepressant medication, or a combination of the two.
Which is the best treatment for an individual depends on the nature and severity of the depression. Sharing your
preferences and concerns with your treatment provider helps determine the course of treatment. Certain types of
psychotherapy can help resolve the psychological or interpersonal problems that contribute to, or result from, the
illness. Antidepressant medications relieve the physical and mood symptoms of depression and are not habit-forming.
In severe depression, medication is usually required.
Individuals respond differently to treatment. If you don't start feeling better after several weeks, talk to your provider
about trying other treatments or getting a second opinion.
Making a Decision and Taking the First Step
Don't let fear of what others might think stop you from doing what's best for you. Parents and friends may understand
more than you think they will, and they certainly want you to feel better though they may not completely understand.
I knew I was depressed but thought I could pull out of it by myself. Unfortunately, friends reinforced this attitude by
telling me to just toughen up. When that didn't work, I felt even worse because I had 'failed' again. When a friend
suggested I talk to his counselor, I resisted at first. In my mind, professional help was for weak, messed up people. But
then, I hit a bottom so low that I was willing to try anything. (John)
I decided to try treatment when my friends got fed up with me. They didn't want to talk about my problems any more,
but my problems were the major focus of my life. I needed someone who could help me understand what was
happening to me. I'd seen ads for the counseling center and decided to give it a try. (Kim)
When I began considering suicide, I knew I needed help. My resident advisor helped me call a hotline where I got
some referrals. It was just a phone call, but it was the starting point that got me the professional help I needed. (Leah)
Help Yourself: Be an Informed Consumer
Depression can make you feel exhausted, worthless, helpless and hopeless. Don't give in to negative thinking;
remember, these negative views are part of the depression, and will fade as treatment takes effect.
Take an active role in getting better. Make the most of the help available by being actively involved in your treatment
and by working with a qualified therapist or doctor. Once in treatment, don't hesitate to ask questions in order to
understand your illness and the way treatment works. And, if you don't start feeling better in a few weeks, speak with
the professional you are seeing about new approaches.
Be good to yourself while you're getting well. Along with professional help, there are some other simple things you can
do to help yourself get better, for example: participating in a support group, spending time with other people, or taking
part in activities, exercise, or hobbies. Just don't overdo it and don't set big goals for yourself. The health care
professional you are seeing may suggest useful books to read and other self-help strategies.
Helping a Depressed Friend
The best thing you can do for a depressed friend is to help him or her get treatment. This may involve encouraging the
person to seek professional help or to stay in treatment once it is begun. The next best thing is to offer emotional
support. This involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Engage the depressed person in
conversation or activities and be gently insistent if you meet with resistance. Remind that person that with time and
help, he or she will feel better.
Helpful and Affordable Resources
There are many people on and around campus that can offer help and support. In addition to the resources listed
below, staff in your living center, your family health care provider, and your clergy can be helpful resources for getting
help. If you are not eligible, or don’t know whether you are eligible, for the services listed below, contact the University
Health Services (UHS) anyway. We’re happy to discuss eligibility and referrals with you.
People are sometimes reluctant to seek help because they are concerned about the cost of treatment. If you are a Cal
student, contact the UHS to discuss the coverage provided by your student registration fees and your insurance plan.
Is It Worth It? … Yes!!
While the depression was painful, working to get better has taught me about who I am and how to stay healthy. (Marta)
Getting treatment definitely changed my life for the better and helped me avoid flunking a semester. (John)
Resources for Cal Students
University Health Services (UHS) Tang Center, 2222 Bancroft Way 510/ 642-2000 www.uhs.berkeley.edu
Emergency consultations
Counseling and Psych Services (M, T, W, F: 8-5; Th: 9-5): 642-9494.
After Hours Assistance: 510 /643-7197
24 hour crisis line: Alameda County Suicide Crisis Line: 510/849-2212
Appointments
Counseling and referral for anti-depressant medication evaluation, call CPS: 642-9494.
Medical appointments, including medication evaluations: 642-2000.
Health education appointments to discuss diet, exercise, and stress management: 642-2000.
Workshops
Counseling and Psychological Services (642-9494) has a variety of informational workshops and support
groups on depression, bipolar disorder, and understanding moods. Check the UHS website for updates and
schedules: www.uhs.berkeley.edu.
Self-Care Resource Center, Second Floor, Tang Center
A health information library with interactive computer programs, access to health websites, books, audio and
videotapes, pamphlets, magazines, journals and self-assessment tools. Books and handouts on depression and
other mental health issues. Hours during Fall and Spring Semesters are M – F, 11 am - 4 pm. 642-7202.
Adapted for UC Berkeley, University Health Services, from NIH Publication No. 97-4266; November 2003. s:uhs/healthed/depresscoll.doc
http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/home/healthtopics/pdf/depresstudents.pdf
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