Listeria in smoked salmon - again.

The Department of Health in Australia is investigating three separate cases of Listeriosis apparently associated with smoked salmon.  There have been two deaths and one

This is not a reason to stop eating smoked salmon, or even cause for a massive recall.  There is a couple of things we all need to know.

Firstly, no specific smoked salmon product has been recalled.

Secondly, the three cases were in three different states and occurred over the period 22nd February to 7th June.  i.e. they were well separated both in location and time.

Thirdly, and probably most importantly, all three patients were over 70 years old and had other health conditions that may have predisposed them to infection by Listeria.

This is a reminder that people who may be susceptible to listeriosis should avoid foods that are known to carry higher risk of infection.

See:  https://foodsafetywithjaybee.blogspot.com/2011/01/listeria-hysteria.html  and search the blog using keyword Listeria.

A caffeine fix too far

This post is a little different from many of my articles, which have been predominantly about food microbiology.

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting the death of a young man who dosed his protein shake with caffeine powder.  Natassia Chrysanthos wrote an article published 05:21, Jul 10 2019 about the man who returned home after celebrating New Year's Eve and made a hangover cure/workout shake and added pure caffeine powder.

Strangely, he messaged his friends that the shake tasted awful, but apparently continued to consume it.  He was found dead on the bathroom floor next morning.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and we all know the lift we get from our morning cup of Joe.  There is a number of benefits claimed for consumption of caffeine, but there are downsides.  Caffeine withdrawal is real, particularly if you drink lots of coffee, as your body becomes tolerant of the chemical.  Some people suffer headaches if they stop drinking coffee, probably because of its effect on the blood vessels of the brain.

The Mayo Clinic considers that up to 400 milligrams of caffeins is safe, and this is equivalent to about 4 cups of coffee.  A teaspoonful of pure caffeine is equivalent to about 28 cups of coffee!  An overdose can result in a rapid heartbeat and breathing difficulties, or may cause death due to convulsions or irregular heartbeat.   

According to the FDA, it is practically impossible to measure a safe dose of highly concentrated caffeine using household utensils; the difference between a safe dose and potentially lethal amount is very small.  In this case, the caffeine powder may have been given to the victim without a label.

It's very sad that a young, vibrant young man should die from consuming a home-made energy drink.  We should all be aware that some chemicals that are normally found in foods and beverages can be toxic if consumed in larger amounts.