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Six people found dead in luxury hotel

<p>A disturbing theory has emerged after six people were found dead in a luxury hotel room in central Bangkok. </p> <p>According to Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police commissioner Thiti Saengsawang, hotel staff at the Grand Hyatt Erawan discovered the bodies of six people in a fifth-floor room after they missed check out time by more than 24 hours.</p> <p>After concluding that the incident did not appear to be a robbery and none of the bodies showed any signs of physical violence, Thai Police are exploring the possibility that the people were poisoned.</p> <p>Police shared that they "needed to find out the motives", and that the deaths were the result of a "killing", not a suicide.</p> <p>Authorities conformed they are investigating the potential poisoning after Thiti said cups with traces of a white powder were located in the room, along with untouched food that had been ordered earlier.</p> <p>As police continue their investigation into the shocking deaths, they are currently searching for a seventh person who was part of the hotel booking and is now a possible suspect.</p> <p>Two of the dead were US citizens of Vietnamese background, while the other four were Vietnamese nationals.</p> <p>Thiti said police believe one member of the group had tried to reach the door to escape but fell and died before they could get there.</p> <p>The Thai government issued a statement after the killings, with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin saying, "There were no signs of a struggle," adding, "We need to conduct an autopsy."</p> <p>He also "ordered all agencies to urgently take action to avoid impact on tourism,” given that the luxury hotel is situated in a popular tourist area.</p> <p><em>Image credits: BBC / Royal Thai Police </em></p>

Travel Trouble

6 things a food poisoning expert would never eat

<p>If you want to know how to avoid food poisoning, you better listen to food poisoning expert and lawyer Bill Marler.</p> <p>He’s a products liability and personal injury attorney specialising in food-borne illnesses as well as the managing partner of Marler Clark, dubbed “The Food Safety Law Firm”. With twenty years in the industry, he’s won more than $600 million in compensation claims for his clients since 1998.</p> <p>In an article posted in the <a href="http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/food-poisoning-information/six-foods-bill-marler-never-eats/#.VrJ3Kvl96uV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span><em>Food Poisoning Journal</em></span></strong></a>, Bill has revealed the six foods he refused to eat.</p> <p><strong>Unpasteurised (“raw”) milk and packaged juices</strong></p> <p>Unpasteurised milk, sometimes called “raw” milk, can be contaminated with bacteria, viruses and parasites. Between 1998 and 2011, there were 148 food poisoning outbreaks linked to raw milk and raw milk products in the US—and keep in mind that comparatively few people in the country ever consume these products, so 148 outbreaks is nothing to ignore. As for unpasteurised packaged juices, one of Marler’s earliest cases was the 1996 E. coli outbreak from unpasteurised Odwalla apple juice. As a result, he won’t go near raw milk or juice. “There’s no benefit big enough to take away the risk of drinking products that can be made safe by pasteurisation,” he says.</p> <p><strong>Raw sprouts</strong></p> <p>Uncooked and lightly cooked sprouts have been linked to more than 30 bacterial outbreaks (mostly of salmonella and E. coli) in the US since mid-1990s. As recently as 2014, salmonella from bean sprouts sent 19 people to the hospital. All types of sprouts - including alfalfa, mung bean, clover and radish sprouts - can spread infection, which is caused by bacterial contamination of their seeds. “There have been too many outbreaks to not pay attention to the risk of sprout contamination,” Marler says. “Those are products that I just don’t eat at all.” He did add that he does eat them if they’re cooked.</p> <p><strong>Meat that isn’t well-done</strong></p> <p>Marler orders his burgers well-done. “The reason ground products are more problematic and need to be cooked more thoroughly is that any bacteria that’s on the surface of the meat can be ground inside of it,” Marler says. “If it’s not cooked thoroughly to 160°F throughout, it can cause poisoning by E. coli and salmonella and other bacterial illnesses.” As for steaks, needle tenderising - a common restaurant practice in which the steak is pierced with needles or sliced with knives to break down the muscle fibres and make it more tender - can also transfer bugs from the surface to the interior of the meat. If a restaurant does this (Marler asks), he orders his steak well-done. If the restaurant doesn’t, he’ll opt for medium-well.</p> <p><strong>Prewashed or precut fruits and vegetables</strong></p> <p>“I avoid these like the plague,” Marler says. Why? The more a food is handled and processed, the more likely it is to become tainted. “We’ve gotten so used to the convenience of mass-produced food - bagged salad and boxed salads and precut this and precut that,” Marler says. “Convenience is great but sometimes I think it isn’t worth the risk.” He buys unwashed, uncut produce in small amounts and eats it within three to four days to reduce the risk for listeria, a deadly bug that grows at refrigerator temps.</p> <p><strong>Raw or undercooked eggs</strong></p> <p>You may remember the salmonella epidemic of the 1980s and early ’90s that was linked mainly to eggs. If you swore off raw eggs back then, you might as well stick with it. The most recent salmonella outbreak from eggs, in 2010, caused roughly 2,000 reported cases of illness. “I think the risk of egg contamination is much lower today than it was 20 years ago for salmonella, but I still eat my eggs well-cooked,” Marler says.</p> <p><strong>Raw oysters and other raw shellfish</strong></p> <p>Marler says that raw shellfish - especially oysters - have been causing more foodborne illness lately. He links this to warming waters, which produce more microbial growth. “Oysters are filter feeders, so they pick up everything that’s in the water,” he explains. “If there’s bacteria in the water it’ll get into their system, and if you eat it you could have trouble. I’ve seen a lot more of that over the last five years than I saw in the last 20 years. It’s simply not worth the risk.”</p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

Drugs – 4 essential reads on how they’re made, how they work and how context can make poison a medicine

<p>Pandemics and disease outbreaks put a spotlight on the hurdles researchers face to get a drug on the shelves. From finding prospective drug candidates to balancing time and financial pressures with ensuring safety and efficacy, there are many aspects of drug development that determine whether a treatment ever makes it out of the lab.</p> <p>Broadening the definition of “medicine” and where it can be found, however, could help expand the therapeutic options available for both researchers and patients.</p> <p>Here are four facets of how drugs are developed and how they work in the body, drawn from stories in The Conversation’s archive.</p> <h2>1. Matching drug to target</h2> <p>The most effective drugs are, in a sense, the product of good matchmaking – they bind to a specific disease-causing receptor in the body, elicit a desired effect and ideally ignore healthy parts of the body.</p> <p>Drugs <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-drugs-know-where-to-go-in-the-body-a-pharmaceutical-scientist-explains-why-some-medications-are-swallowed-while-others-are-injected-182488" target="_blank" rel="noopener">travel through the bloodstream</a> to reach their targets. Because of this, most drugs circulate throughout the body and can bind to unintended sites, potentially causing undesired side effects.</p> <p>Researchers can increase the precision and effectiveness of a drug by designing different ways to take it. An inhaler, for example, delivers a drug directly to the lungs without its having to travel through the rest of the body to get there.</p> <p>Whether patients take drugs as prescribed is also essential to ensuring the right dose gets to where it needs to be often enough to have a desired effect. “Even with all the science that goes into understanding a disease well enough to develop an effective drug, it is often up to the patient to make it all work as designed,” writes pharmaceutical scientist <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas-Anchordoquy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Anchordoquy</a> of the University of Colorado Anschutz.</p> <h2>2. Searching for drug candidates</h2> <p>Researchers have discovered a number of drugs by chance, including <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/the-real-story-behind-the-worlds-first-antibiotic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">penicillin</a> for bacterial infections, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200928-how-the-first-vaccine-was-born" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vaccines for smallpox</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nrcardio.2017.172" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warfarin</a> for blood clots. While serendipity still plays a role in modern drug discovery, most drug developers take a systematic approach.</p> <p>Scientists typically start by identifying a particular molecular target, usually receptors that trigger a specific response in the body. Then, they look for chemical compounds that react with that target. Technology called <a href="https://theconversation.com/discovering-new-drugs-is-a-long-and-expensive-process-chemical-compounds-that-dupe-screening-tools-make-it-even-harder-175972" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high-throughput screening</a> allows researchers to quickly test thousands of potential drug candidates at once. Compounds that match screening criteria advance to further development and refinement. Once optimized for their intended use, compounds go on to safety and efficacy testing in animals and people.</p> <p>One way to ease the search for optimal drug candidates is to work with compounds that are already optimized to work in living beings. <a href="https://theconversation.com/nature-is-the-worlds-original-pharmacy-returning-to-medicines-roots-could-help-fill-drug-discovery-gaps-176963" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Natural products</a>, derived from organisms like microbes, fungi, plants and animals, share similar structures and functions across species. Though not without their own development challenges, they could aid the search for related compounds that work in people.</p> <p>“There are thousands of microorganisms in the ocean left to explore as potential sources of drug candidates, not to mention all the ones on land,” writes medical chemist <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8_T1ueYAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ashu Tripathi</a> of the University of Michigan. “In the search for new drugs to combat antibiotic resistance, natural products may still be the way to go.”</p> <h2>3. A drug by any other name may be just as effective</h2> <p>Existing drugs can find a second (or third, fourth and fifth) life through repurposing.</p> <p>Most drugs <a href="https://theconversation.com/many-medications-affect-more-than-one-target-in-the-body-some-drug-designers-are-embracing-the-side-effects-that-had-been-seen-as-a-drawback-184922" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have many functions</a> beyond what researchers originally designed them to do. While this multifunctionality is often the cause of unwanted side effects, sometimes these results are exactly what’s needed to treat a completely unrelated condition.</p> <p>Sildenafil, for example, failed to treat severe chest pain from coronary artery disease, but proved to be potent at inducing erections as Viagra. Similarly, thalidomide, a compound that caused birth defects in thousands of infants around the world as a morning sickness drug, found redemption as a cancer treatment.</p> <p>Because drugs inherently have more than one function in the body, <a href="https://theconversation.com/repurposing-generic-drugs-can-reduce-time-and-cost-to-develop-new-treatments-but-low-profitability-remains-a-barrier-174874" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repurposing existing drugs</a> can help fill a gap where pharmaceutical companies and other developers cannot or will not. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=iDKZaA4AAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gregory Way</a>, a researcher at the University of Colorado Anschutz, uses artificial intelligence to predict the various effects a drug can have and believes that this lack of specificity is something to explore rather than eliminate. Instead of trying to home in on one specific target, he suggests that scientists “embrace the complexity of biology and try to leverage the multifaceted effects drugs can offer.”</p> <h2>4. Poison as medicine</h2> <p>If so many drugs can have toxic effects in the body, be it through side effects or taking the wrong dose or for the wrong condition, what determines whether a drug is a “medicine” or a “poison”?</p> <p>Biomedical scientists evaluate drugs based on their active ingredient, or a specific compound that has a specific effect in the body. But reducing medicines to just a single molecule ignores another important factor that determines whether a drug is therapeutic – the context in which it is used. Opioids treat intractable pain but can lead to debilitating and lethal addiction when improperly administered. Chemotherapy kills tumors but causes collateral damage to healthy tissues in the process.</p> <p>Another pharmaceutical paradigm, <a href="https://theconversation.com/poison-or-cure-traditional-chinese-medicine-shows-that-context-can-make-all-the-difference-163337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traditional Chinese medicine</a>, has historically acknowledged the malleability of drugs through the use of poisons as therapeutics.</p> <p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4q0hYSwAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yan Liu</a>, a medical historian at University of Buffalo who studies this practice, notes that ancient texts did not distinguish between poisons and nonpoisons – rather, Chinese doctors examined drugs based on a continuum of potency, or ability to harm and heal. They used different processing and administration techniques to adjust the potency of poisons. They also took a personalized approach to treatment, aware that each drug works differently based on a number of different individual factors.</p> <p>“The paradox of healing with poisons in traditional Chinese medicine reveals a key message: There is no essential, absolute or unchanging core that characterizes a medicine,” Liu writes. “Instead, the effect of any given drug is always relational – it is contingent on how the drug is used, how it interacts with a particular body and its intended effects.”</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/drugs-4-essential-reads-on-how-theyre-made-how-they-work-and-how-context-can-make-poison-a-medicine-192590" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> and is a roundup of of articles from The Conversation’s archives.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Books

“You have been warned nicely before”: Neighbours threaten to poison dogs

<p dir="ltr">A Queensland family has been left devastated after a neighbour left an anonymous letter with poisonous treats threatening their dogs if they don’t stop barking. </p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony and Jessica Tuite did not think having pets in their suburban home in Graceville would be an issue until they received a letter. </p> <p dir="ltr">The letter explained to the couple that they have been told “many times” to control their black great dane called Barney and a brown great dane cross ridgeback named Donnie. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If the barking of your dogs does not stop, the chocolate in this envelope will be thrown over your fence in greater amounts ... which will kill them,” it read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You have been warned nicely many times by people ... but you do nothing.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The letter contained pieces of chocolate which is known to be poisonous and potentially lethal to dogs if consumed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Jessica said she was shocked at the letter and begged that no one hurt her pet dogs. </p> <p dir="ltr">“These dogs are our family .... please, please don’t hurt my dogs,” she told 7News.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They only bark when someone comes into their yard but that’s their job.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Other neighbours rallied with the family saying it is disgusting to leave a threat when they could be working as a community toward a solution. </p> <p dir="ltr">“You just don’t make those threats,” neighbour Phill Keleman said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You just kind of say ‘Hey listen, how do we work together to make it better?’”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Family & Pets

Food poisoning or stomach bug?

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>You've been up all night with stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting. You feel rotten and you can't keep anything down. Everyone's got a theory as to what's going on and you no doubt wonder yourself…</p> <p>Was it something you ate? Or have you been struck with the latest horrible tummy virus? </p> <p>It's true that gastroenteritis – an inflammation of the gut usually caused by an infection – can be caused either by something you ate or a viral infection passed from another person, says Dr Jas Saini, a GP in the western suburbs of Sydney.</p> <p>Both scenarios can result in similar symptoms such as fever, stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting. But there are often clues that suggest which problem you're dealing with, Saini says.</p> <p>Typically (but not always) food poisoning starts more dramatically with sudden onset of severe symptoms. But viral gastroenteritis can also cause quite severe abdominal pain, and it can make people just as miserable, Saini says.</p> <p>"It's not always easy to work out the difference and your doctor will ask a series of questions to try to work out the cause."</p> <p><strong>Viral gastro</strong></p> <p>Viral gastroenteritis, caused by bugs like rotavirus and norovirus, tends to peak in winter and spring. It is spread by you coming into contact with surfaces that have been contaminated with human faeces. Symptoms may come on gradually.</p> <p>"Surfaces can become contaminated if you have not washed your hands properly after using the toilet, or got some stool on your hands when wiping and not washed it off properly. You can then pass the virus on when you touch the tap, toilet flush, door handle or other surfaces."</p> <p>"Viruses can be present on surfaces anywhere, including escalators and traffic lights and they can stay around for a period of time."</p> <p>Viral gastro can also be spread through food if people don't wash their hands properly before preparing food. And you can still spread the virus for up to 48 hours after your symptoms have disappeared completely too, Saini says.</p> <p>That's why it's important to wash hands properly after using the toilet and before eating food.</p> <p><strong>Food poisoning</strong></p> <p>On the other hand, food poisoning usually refers to gastro related to eating food that is contaminated with bacteria such as <em>Salmonella</em>, <em>Campylobacter</em> or <em>E.coli</em>.</p> <p>"Whilst exposure to the culprit food may occur hours or weeks before you fall crook, the symptoms of food poisoning tend to be more dramatic and build up much more quickly than those of viral gastroenteritis."</p> <p>"You may experience intense vomiting, high fevers and severe abdominal pain. Severe dry retching may also occur, and people describe the feeling of their gut vigorously squeezing out its toxins. It's also more common to see blood or mucous in your stool with food poisoning," Saini says.</p> <p>"If you do notice blood or mucous, then it's important to go to the doctor to get checked out."</p> <p>"Stool samples are taken if the doctor is uncertain about the diagnosis, there is blood or mucous in the stool, a bacterial infection is suspected, or symptoms have gone on for a long time. Your doctor may also consider stool samples if you have recently returned from overseas, or if she or he feels your immune system is compromised"</p> <p>"Antibiotics may be considered for bacterial infection, although many people can get better without using antibiotics," Saini says.</p> <p><strong>Nailing the culprit </strong></p> <p>If you think you may have food poisoning, particularly from food you have eaten out, tell your doctor, so they can report it to the public health department who can investigate the source of the problem, Saini says.</p> <p>But knowing the source of your food poisoning can be tricky. It's not always the last thing you ate that made you sick – it could be anything you have eaten days, weeks or, in the case of listeria bacteria, even months before.</p> <p>And what you bring up is not necessarily the cause of your illness – it's just what was in your stomach when the symptoms started.</p> <p>But if your whole family all ate the same dish at your local restaurant and all suddenly got violently ill together shortly afterwards, that's a pattern more suggestive of food poisoning.</p> <p><em>Preventing the spread </em></p> <p>For viral gastro, preventing its spread through families is actually very difficult.</p> <p>"There's always a bit of guilt," Saini says. "You can be very careful with hygiene and cleaning surfaces but it's very easy for the whole family to affected all at once."</p> <p>What's more the common gastro virus norovirus can travel in air droplets, causing much wider contamination of surfaces, says virus expert Professor Bill Rawlinson. Norovirus can also reach the gut by being inhaled into the back of the throat.</p> <p>"We think it's not a classic aerosol spread like you see with respiratory viruses," says Rawlinson, director of virology at South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Health Service. You probably need to be in quite close proximity "like a parent cleaning up a child's diarrhoea or vomit". Wearing a mask may be helpful in these circumstances, he says.</p> <p>To prevent gastro from any cause, it's important to:</p> <ul data-component="List"> <li data-component="ListItem">Practice good hand hygiene including always washing your hands with soap and hot water before preparing food, after handling raw food, before eating, after using the bathroom or changing nappies, after working in the garden, or after playing with or feeding pets.</li> <li data-component="ListItem">Store and handle your food safely such as separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, keeping hot food hot (over 60°C) and cold food cold (under 5°C), cooking and reheating foods thoroughly, refrigerating food within two hours of cooking, and thoroughly washing fruit and vegetables.</li> </ul> <p><strong>When to go to the doctor?</strong></p> <p>'Gastro' can be life threatening in vulnerable people such as babies, pregnant women and elderly people. "That's because they have limited reserves and require more fluids," Saini says.</p> <p>He recommends going to the doctor if you have:</p> <ul data-component="List"> <li data-component="ListItem">vomiting without diarrhoea – this may not be a gastro bug at all and could be another problem such as an ear infection or a urinary tract infection.</li> <li data-component="ListItem">severe stomach pains that are getting worse quickly or came on very suddenly</li> <li data-component="ListItem">blood or mucous in your stool, or stools that are black or very smelly. Black stools may indicate there is bleeding higher up in the gut.</li> <li data-component="ListItem">difficulty passing urine or only passing small amounts of urine</li> <li data-component="ListItem">symptoms that last for more than a few days</li> <li data-component="ListItem">other medical conditions that require careful monitoring, such as diabetes</li> </ul> <p>Take babies to the doctor if they are not tolerating their feeds, they are pale and lethargic or have fewer than four wet nappies in 24 hours.</p>

Body

"You've been poisoned": Mum's warning over diet pills

<p><em>Image: A Current Affair </em></p> <p>Diet pills may be a quick fix but for one Sydney mother, it almost cost her her life.</p> <p>Elizabeth Katerina has been in and out of hospital after consuming Fatburners which she purchased online.</p> <p>The young mum-of-two lost 25kgs in two months from diet pills, the catch being – it almost killed her.</p> <p>“Eight weeks ago, I just wanted to find a quick route, an easier way to lose the baby weight. I just went on Google. I looked on Facebook and Instagram searching different options, like different brands online, just like online shopping,” Ms Katerina said.</p> <p>“I came across 3Action Sports Nutrition and I looked at the reviews and they looked really good.” The 25-year-old ordered the 3Action Sports Nutrition Fatburner pills online, from Belgium.</p> <p>“I took as directed on the bottle. It said “take one capsule after breakfast in the morning and one in the afternoon after food’,” Ms Katerina said.</p> <p>After a week, her health started to deteriorate. “I started getting really bad headaches and feeling really dizzy. Just lightheaded. My stomach started feeling uncomfortable. I was getting diarrhoea everyday nonstop,” Ms Katerina said.</p> <p>On the 10th day, her resting heart rate sky-rocketed, so she called an ambulance.</p> <p>"These Fatburners over stimulated my system to the point where I couldn't walk, I couldn't fall asleep, my heart felt like it was going like brrrrr like this, that's how it felt."</p> <p>At hospital, she said doctors told her she'd been poisoned.</p> <p>"I'm not well. My heart rate is so fast, it was just at almost 150 (beats per minute)," she said.</p> <p>"I'm dizzy, light headed and nauseas. I can't sleep I can't eat.</p> <p>"My heart-rate was like 158 above that average for a human. An adult should be between 80 to 90 beats per minute. Mine was just chilling at 158, even when I was calm.</p> <p>"The doctors at the hospital at Royal North Shore, they said to me 'please throw out those diet pills. Whatever was in those Fatburners, they're not good for you, they've over stimulated your system and you've been poisoned'."</p> <p>Ms Katerina is now seeing a cardiologist, gastroenterologist and taking a cocktail of prescription drugs just to get through the day. She also claims to have contacted 3Action Sports Nutrition to report her reaction and they told her to email them and proceeded to hang up on her.</p> <p>The Belgian based company has blocked her and her family from contacting them on social media.</p> <p>She has left a scathing review on Facebook and 3Action Sports Nutrition no longer ship to Australia.</p> <p>Ms Genevieve Adamo, a senior specialist in poisons information shares “the main concern is products purchased overseas can contain undisclosed ingredients and these can be very dangerous.”</p> <p>“We get at least two calls a week about exposure to these types of products” Ms Adamo said.</p> <p>Products available on international websites are not regulated by the TGA.</p> <p>"So, if you're buying online that just bypasses a whole system of regulation that is put in place," Sydney GP, Dr Brad McKay said.</p> <p>"If you're buying diet pills online there's no guarantee you're going to be getting what's on the box. It is really the wild west when you're ordering things online."</p> <p>He said Fatburners like the ones Ms Katerina used can have products like green tea and caffeine extracts in them, which aren't proven to help with weight loss - but could cost you your liver.</p> <p>It’s been a hard lesson learnt by Ms Katerina, who just wants her normal life back.</p>

Body

5 food safety tips for proper food handling

<p>Get up to speed about the proper way to handle food to minimise the risk of food poisoning.</p> <p>In light of recent food poisoning cases around the world – a salmonella outbreak in the US in June that sickened over 100 people was linked to contaminated pre-cut melons and several people in Australia died because of contaminated rockmelons in February – it is more important than ever to get up to speed about the right way to handle food.</p> <p>Closer to home, Malaysian and Singaporean netizens were shocked by a video that circulated on social media in June this year of staff at a Bangsar, KL, eatery <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3maABRgv8G4">washing plates in a dirty puddle</a>.</p> <p>Contamination can occur at several junctures, such as during the production of the food, the processing of raw materials, and even during the transport and display of the food.</p> <p>When a food product finally makes it to the kitchen, it is also in danger of cross contamination, which is the transfer of bacteria or viruses through the use of contaminated items such as knives or chopping boards.</p> <p>Be vigilant and adopt these 5 food safety tips to minimise the risk of food poisoning.</p> <p><strong>1. Picking up refrigerated and frozen items last</strong></p> <p>At the supermarket, pick up your refrigerated and frozen items last, just before you make your way to the checkout counter.</p> <p>Choose chilled items that have been properly packed without any tear in the packaging.</p> <p>If you are looking to shed some dollars from your grocery bill, try these <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/money/Spend-Less-On-Groceries-With-These-19-Tricks-Savvy-Shoppers-Use">supermarket shopping hacks</a>.</p> <p><strong>2. Buy raw meats that have been properly displayed</strong></p> <p>Never buy chilled or frozen items that have been displayed at room temperature.</p> <p>If you do most of your grocery shopping at the wet market*, this is particularly important. Take note of how the raw seafood and meats are being displayed.</p> <p>Are they in a chiller? Is there sufficient ice packed around the items to ensure they’re stored at a safe temperature?</p> <p>Once you get your meat home, you still have to cook it, however. Try this version of a classic stroganoff that <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/beef-and-mushroom-stroganoff">stretches a modest portion of meat</a>.</p> <p>* For those in Australia and New Zealand, the wet market is an Asian grocery store that sells fresh meat and produce.</p> <p><strong>3. Bringing the food home safely</strong></p> <p>Our hot and humid weather can provide extra challenges when it comes to keeping our food safe.</p> <p>If your journey home will take longer than 30 minutes, keep your chilled and frozen items in an insulated bag and make use of the free ice that is provided by some supermarkets to keep the items well chilled.</p> <p>Store the items in the fridge as quickly as possible.</p> <p>In light of recent food poisoning cases around the world – a salmonella outbreak in the US in June that sickened over 100 people was linked to contaminated pre-cut melons and several people in Australia died because of contaminated rockmelons in February – it is more important than ever to get up to speed about the right way to handle food.</p> <p>Closer to home, Malaysian and Singaporean netizens were shocked by a video that circulated on social media in June this year of staff at a Bangsar, KL, eatery <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3maABRgv8G4">washing plates in a dirty puddle</a>.</p> <p>Contamination can occur at several junctures, such as during the production of the food, the processing of raw materials, and even during the transport and display of the food.</p> <p>When a food product finally makes it to the kitchen, it is also in danger of cross contamination, which is the transfer of bacteria or viruses through the use of contaminated items such as knives or chopping boards.</p> <p>Be vigilant and adopt these 5 food safety tips to minimise the risk of food poisoning.</p> <p><strong><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.2903225806452px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843907/food-handling-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/070f60984208487ea761a3e32e6bc07c" /></strong></p> <p><strong>4. Storing raw foods properly</strong></p> <p>Raw foods should be kept separate from cooked foods while in the fridge.</p> <p style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Different types of raw foods (e.g., meat, eggs, vegetables) should also be kept separately from each other to avoid cross contamination.</p> <p style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">If you’re not planning to cook the meat in the next three to five days, it’s best to freeze it.</p> <p style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Get the most out of your beef buy with these delicious and easy <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/beef-skewers-ginger-dipping-sauce">beef skewers with ginger dipping sauce</a>.</p> <p style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><strong>5. Avoid buying pre-cut fruits</strong></p> <p>If you’re concerned about the cases of contaminated pre-cut fruit, you may want to buy a whole fruit and cut it up yourself at home.</p> <p>Wash the fruit properly by rubbing it with your hands under running water.</p> <p>If you’re cutting it up, use a separate chopping board than the one you use for raw meat.</p> <p>In a race to eat all of your fruit purchases before they all spoil? <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/kitchen-tips/how-to-preserve-fruit">Try bottling it as a preserve!</a></p> <p><em>By Siti Rohani</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images and Max Pixel</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on </em><a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/5-food-safety-tips-proper-food-handling"><em>Reader’s Digest</em></a></p>

Home & Garden

Woman shocked by threatening note left in backyard

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Sydney woman has revealed the sinister note left next to a bone she found in her backyard.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cheri Blair, 66, found the bone on Monday when she let her puppy out into her backyard in Sydney’s northern suburb Lane Cove.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Feeling suspicious about discovering the bone, she then found a nearby envelope containing a note.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Opening the unsealed letter, she was “shocked” to read the threat to her puppy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The note read, “Your dog is to be poisoned, too much barking, sorry but no choice, your fault”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Blair told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">7news.com.au</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> about the “sickening” discovery.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If they had a problem with us, they should have said,” she told the publication.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Claiming the bone was specifically a dog treat available in pet shops, Ms Blair speculated the neighbour would have had to specially buy it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Blair said she rushed her pet to the vet. After inducing vomiting, Jolene was unharmed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After sharing the threatening note, Ms Blair said she had received messages from neighbours saying they had not heard her dog barking.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, she does recall one incident on Saturday where Jolene had been barking for about 20 minutes. She said she remembered hearing a female voice yelling “shut up” and wondered if they may be behind the incident.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After sharing her experience on Facebook, comments poured in with messages of support and outrage, with many calling it “horrifying”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What a [cowardly] thing to do … hide behind a note! This makes my blood boil,” one wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“How disgusting is this?” another commented.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Absolutely terrible to hear that someone would stoop so low as to put poison in the backyard for the pup to ingest,” a third said.</span></p> <p><br /><strong>Image credit:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> 7News</span></p>

Legal

“Act immediately”: Mum’s chilling warning after red line discovery

<p>A mum has issued a stark warning to parents after her eight-year-old contracted sepsis after falling at the zoo.</p> <p>The UK woman said she was in “two minds” about whether she should share her son’s story, but later on decided to do so to ensure other parents were aware of the “sign” of a serious infection.</p> <p>"I am sure there are other parents who wouldn't know either," she wrote in her original Facebook post. "The only reason I knew is because it had happened to a friend's son two years ago and she had shared."</p> <p>The mum’s warning was posted alongside a photo of her son’s arm, which was covered in a bandage with a red line merging from it.</p> <p>The original post has since been deleted, but Australian group Tiny Hearts Education, chose to re-share the photo to their social media pages in order to reach as many parents as possible.</p> <p>"A week or so ago the littlest fell over at the zoo," the mum wrote.</p> <p>"He took quite a bashing but once we got home I cleaned him up. I rang school on Farm school day to make sure he washed his hands after digging and I tried hard to ensure it was kept clean (hand and elbow). He's an eight-year-old boy, however.</p> <p>The mum explained that while the wounds didn't look infected or 'gunky', they had gotten bigger. </p> <p>"I wasn't happy as I as I noticed red tracking down his vein," the concerned mum said. "I then checked his elbow - the same." "I took him down to the out of hours feeling a bit silly but when the doctor saw it he commended me on recognising it and getting down ASAP."</p> <p>The mum then found out that her son had “blood poisoning/sepsis” and he was immediately treated with antibiotics, which fortunately worked on her child.</p> <p>"If you spot this red line running from a wound get your child is seen straight away," she urged. "It isn't something you can 'leave' until Monday when the doctors are back in the office."</p> <p>"Hopefully, my post might help someone the way my friend's post from 2 years ago helped me." </p>

Body

Heartbroken mum shares warning after son dies of carbon monoxide poisoning

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>A family day out boating has turned into tragedy for the Free family after her 9-year-old son died of carbon monoxide poisoning.</p> <p>Despite each adult on board having 20+ years of boating experience, the death has come to a shock as the family.</p> <p>Andy spent the day at the rear of the boat and fell unconscious into the lake.</p> <p>His mother, Cassandra Free, had no idea that could happen.</p> <p>“One of the things we hadn’t considered was the long no-wake zone,” Free explained, referring to the area of the lake where boats must maintain slower speeds.</p> <p>“We had no idea it was so dangerous. Prior to that we had been out doing our normal stuff, tubing, wakesurfing.” Wakesurfing is a water sport where a rider trails behind the boat, riding the boat’s wake.</p> <p>"I didn’t know this. No one I know knew this. It’s called open-air carbon monoxide poisoning. Another friend looked into and found that it can also happen on other recreational vehicles like 4-wheelers. Our little Andy, our Dude, was probably slowly dying that afternoon/evening and we didn’t know it. He would’ve been tired. His head would’ve started to hurt. Sounds like too much sun after a long, physically draining day of wakeboarding, wake surfing, and tubing," she shared in a heartbreaking post on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/cassi.free/posts/10224706671240635" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Facebook</a>.</p> <p>Gasoline powered boats can emit carbon monoxide, and as many boats' generators vent toward the back of the boat, this is how Andy passed away.</p> <p>“Looking back, hindsight is 20/20,” said Free tearfully.</p> <p>“It was not unusual for our kids to be tired and cranky. You’re out in the sun all day,” she said, as the parents initially thought he was tired from the sun.</p> <p>She and her husband Brett are parents to sons Johnathan, 15, and Blake, 13.</p> <p>“We were packing and cleaning up and the kids are groaning that they don’t feel good, just want to take a nap,” she recalled.</p> <p>“My husband got Blake, my middle son, up.</p> <p>“When he tried to get Andy, the boat just rocked and Andy rolled off. My husband, he was like, ‘What the heck?’”</p> <p>Brett and two other men were able to find Andy, but he was unresponsive.</p> <p>“They were able to recover him but he never breathed another breath,” said Free.</p> <p>“They did CPR forever, it seemed before emergency services came. The doctors said there is zero brain activity. Even if they got a single breath, there would have been no quality of life.”</p> <p>She shared a Facebook post outlining her story to raise awareness about death due to carbon monoxide poisoning on boats.</p> <p>“It’s not common knowledge and we are going to have to be more proactive in sharing these stories,” she said.</p> <p>“Somebody is going to have to take a closer look at boat emissions. We post road signs to let people know there might be falling rocks or a sharp curve. But there are no signs to tell people to turn off their boats or warn people of the danger of carbon monoxide.”</p> <p>“Andy was supposed to grow up and save the world,” she said. “He still can. He can never grow up, but he can still save the world. His name will be forever tied to the lives he saved. That has become my mission. To make sure that no mom stands in my shoes.”</p> <p><em>Photo credits: </em><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/mum-shares-warning-after-son-9-dies-of-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-on-boating-holiday-c-1346775" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">7News</a></em></p> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

Picture perfect poison: Warning over Melbourne’s bizarre pink lake

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rangers in Melbourne, Australia have issued a warning to tourists against going for a swim in the pink lake to achieve the perfect shot for their social media feeds.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Melbourne’s new attraction in Westgate Park has people flocking to take photographs of the pink lake, much to the chagrin of rangers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The lake turns pink due to replacing the original saltmarsh that was already there.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">When levels of the saltmarsh are higher than normal, along with high temperatures, lots of sunlight and a lack of rain, algae grows in the lake.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxbV7yyH2Pc/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxbV7yyH2Pc/" target="_blank">A post shared by 🍒 (@paigekimmorley)</a> on May 13, 2019 at 8:05pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The type of algae grows in the lake produces a red pigment according to </span><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-21/why-does-this-melbourne-lake-turn-pink/10833186"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ABC</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which is called beta carotene. This turns the lake pink.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The lake is currently pink and is expected to stay this way until later in autumn, where it will return to being blue. This is due to the weather cooling down as well as the increase of rainfall. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People have been warned by the park authorities in Victoria to not come into contact with the water. Despite the algae not being harmful to local wildlife, the same can’t be said for humans.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Algae growing in the salt crust at the bottom of the lake produces the red pigment (beta carotene) as part of its photosynthesis process and in response to the extremely high salt levels,” Phil Pegler, manager conservation planning and programs at Parks Victoria,</span><a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> told the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Herald Sun.</span></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In order to protect the sensitive saltmarsh vegetation around the lake, visitors are urged to obey all signage and any barriers in place.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We recommend people avoid coming into contact with the water as it is very saline (salty) so can cause skin irritation.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, this shouldn’t stop people from getting out and exploring nature.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Getting out in nature has proven health and wellbeing benefits. As the lake is currently pink, grab the kids and take them down so they can better understand and appreciate how fragile and beautiful our environment is and hopefully take steps to protect it so future generations can also enjoy it,” explained Pelger.</span></p>

Travel Trouble

13 foods you should never eat past the expiration date

<div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Not every date you see on your food is an expiration date. Here are four common dates you may see in the grocery store and what they really mean, according to <em><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/grocery-store-eggs-milk-cheese-sell-by-expiration-date-2016-1" target="_blank" title="" data-original-title="">Business Insider</a></em>:</p> <p><strong>Sell-by date:</strong> How long the store has to display the product<br /><strong>Use-by date:</strong> When manufacturer thinks the product will be at its peak quality<br /><strong>Best before date:</strong> The best date for flavour and quality<br /><strong>Closed by date or coded dates:</strong> The packing number that the manufacturer uses</p> <p>None of these are expiration dates nor do they indicate whether food is safe to eat or not. In fact, the FDA allows manufacturers to sell almost any food past these dates, with baby formula being the exception. What’s more, manufacturers aren’t required to put any of these dates on their food; the decision is totally up to them.</p> <p>That being said, looks and smells can sometimes be deceiving (taking a whiff of the milk carton is not an exact science), which is why those expiration dates stamped on the packaging can guide you in the right direction and help prevent illness. From creamy cheeses to sandwich staples, it’s best to toss these foods once they’re past their given expiration date unless you want to roll the dice on an extra sick day.<br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>1. Egg substitutes</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>A full carton of eggs has a little more leeway than their boxed substitutes, but both should be consumed in a timely manner. If you’re debating whether to finish off that two-week-old carton of whites—don’t. “It’s very safe to keep eggs in the refrigerator for three to five weeks if they’re raw and in the shell. For egg substitute products, you have about three to five days on average once they’re open. If they’re unopened you have about 10 days,” says Jessica Crandall, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.<br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>2. Soft cheeses</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Harder cheeses like cheddar or gouda have a longer shelf life because it’s more difficult for bacteria and mold to permeate them. Once opened, hard cheeses may last up to six months in the refrigerator, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. However, softer cheeses like ricotta, cream cheese, or goat cheese, are more susceptible to mold and bacteria and should be tossed at the first sign of spoiling or once the expiration date has passed, whichever comes first. As a general rule of thumb, softer cheeses last about one week in the refrigerator after opening.<br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>3. Jarred condiments</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>It may seem like spreads and sauces last forever, but just because they’re in a glass jar tucked away in the cool refrigerator doesn’t mean they’re untouchable by bacteria. “Once you’ve opened the lid, that safety seal is broken, and you should be using that condiment in a timely fashion,” says Crandall. “In addition, as we make sandwiches for example, we dip our knife into the spread container and wipe it onto the sandwich and then dip it back into the container. By doing this you’re putting some of that bacteria back into the container.” Jarred condiments tend to have more exposure to bacteria and therefore could lead to foodborne illness if not trashed at the appropriate time. If you notice any water floating on top, discoloration, or weird smells – just toss it. <br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>4. Potato salad</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Similar to jarred spreads like mayo and mustard, potato or egg salads are more susceptible to bacteria growth because they have more instances of exposure. Taking a few scoops at a time from the container introduces more bacteria and increases risk of contamination leading to foodborne illness. Salads like these are often pushed to the back of the fridge and forgotten about, giving time for that bacteria to grow and for that food to spoil. “Our food system is very safe, but sometimes when things fall out of temperature or if there is bacteria introduced, we have to be extra cautious with those things,” says Crandall.<br /><br /></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>5. Cold-pressed juice</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Green juices may be filling up your Instagram feeds daily, but they should not find a permanent home in your refrigerator. Cold-pressed or raw juices are incredibly popular among the health-conscious because they’re nutrient-dense, but it’s important to consume them very soon after buying. Unlike typical processed juices which undergo pasteurization to kill off harmful bacteria and increase shelf life, these raw juices are not pasteurized, making them much more prone to bacteria contamination. Only buy from your local juice bar what you plan to drink in the next 48-72 hours if you want to avoid getting sick.<br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>6. Fresh meat</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>With fresh meat you’re usually dealing with a “sell by” date, which tells the store the last day it can keep that product out for sale. What does this mean for you? You either need to eat it or freeze it when you get home. “The ‘sell by’ is telling the store when it should be the last day to have it on their shelf. They may even be discounting the food to try to get rid of it if it’s the last day they can have it on their shelves,” says Crandall. A lot of fresh raw meat is also contaminated with <em>Salmonella</em>, <em>E. coli</em>, or other bacteria. With that in mind, it’s very important to cook the meat at the proper temperatures as a greater defence against bacteria.<br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>7. Ground meat</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>The<span> </span>US FDA <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/ResourcesForYou/HealthEducators/ucm109315.pdf" target="_blank" title="" data-original-title="">says</a> that ground meat should be eaten or frozen within two days of purchase. This applies to beef, pork, turkey, lamb, and any other type of ground meat. Because it’s ground, the bacteria that were originally present on the surface can be mixed throughout the meat, increasing your risk of contracting food poisoning or another illness. Nuking your food isn't always a good idea either.<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/kitchen-tips/10-foods-you-shouldnt-reheat-microwave" target="_blank" title="" data-original-title=""></a></p> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>8. Deli meat</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Take your ticket, but don’t load up too much at the deli counter. Those ham and turkey slices will only last about three to five days, so it’s important to only buy what you’ll realistically eat during that period. Pre-packaged deli meats sold in air-tight packaging will last a little longer than the fresh-sliced varieties if they’re unopened, but as soon as you crack the seal you’re working with the same three- to five-day consumption window for safe eating. Deli meat in particular is susceptible to a certain kind of bacteria called <em>Listeria</em>, which can multiply in cold environments like your refrigerator, so just because it’s cold doesn’t mean it’s completely protected. If the deli meat is a little slimy or giving off a funky smell, then that’s a good sign it needs to go.<br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>9. Fish</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Fish are no less prone to bacteria than meat and should be consumed in one or two days after purchase. Otherwise, Whole Foods <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/food-safety/handling-seafood-safely" target="_blank" title="" data-original-title="">advises</a> tightly wrapping it in moisture-proof freezer paper or foil and put in the freezer. <br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>10. Fresh berries</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Whether you get them from the store or a farmer’s market, berries have a short lifespan. Raspberries and strawberries are only good for about three days after purchase, while blueberries can last a few days longer in the fridge. Pro tip: Freeze any berries you know you won’t eat in that time frame. After that, they turn mushy and become susceptible to a bacteria called cyclospora cayetanensis, which can cause diarrhoea, bloating, vomiting, and other food poisoning symptoms. On the flip side, there are some foods you might be throwing away that you could be putting to good use.<br /><br /></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>11. Leafy greens</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Yes, even those packaged ones that are pre-washed. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.prevention.com/eatclean/foods-to-never-eat-past-expiration-date/slide/7" target="_blank" title="" data-original-title=""><em>Prevention.com</em></a> reports that these leafy greens still have the potential to carry bacteria like E. coli because they’re touched by so many hands. For your safety, wash all types of greens before eating and never consume them after any date posted on the bag. Why would you want a soggy salad anyway?<br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>12. Sprouts</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Sprouts are grown in warm climates, which makes them ideal breeding ground for bacteria right off the bat. Eat them past their ideal date (about two days after purchase) and your risk of getting sick increases. If you’re pregnant or already sick, avoid them altogether. Another time to avoid sprouts is in a buffet.<br /> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"><strong>13. Shellfish</strong></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p>Like other seafood, raw shellfish can only last a day or two in the fridge before their bacteria can cause foodborne illnesses. Clams and scallops should be eaten no more than 24 hours after they are bought. Oysters eaten past their expiration date may contain vibrio vulnificus, bacteria that can cause blood poisoning. If you notice a strange odour from any seafood, throw it out immediately.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-field-slides"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="field-collection-view clearfix view-mode-full field-collection-view-final"> <div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-slides clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-name-field-slide-content field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even"> <p><em>Written by <span>Tiffany Gagnon</span>. This article first appeared in </em><span><em><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/tips/13-foods-you-should-never-ever-eat-past-expiration-date">Reader’s Digest</a></em></span><em>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><span><em><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRN87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></em></span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Food & Wine

Princess Beatrice mourns loss of her dog after it eats poison in Windsor Park

<p>Princess Beatrice is said to be worried sick about the fate of her other four Norfolk Terriers after her beloved dog Orange passed away from eating poison. </p> <p>Orange had returned from a walk in Windsor Great Park and was rushed to the vet’s office for treatment after appearing distressed.</p> <p>After vets were unable to identify the toxin, they said that the five-year-old dog could not be saved.</p> <p>It was after this news that Beatrice decided to have Orange put down last month.</p> <p>A friend confided to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8180019/princess-beatrice-royal-terrier-poisoned/" target="_blank">The Sun</a>:</p> <p>“No one seems to know if the poison was a natural substance like a fungi, or if there is a dog-hating maniac on the loose.</p> <p>"Obviously Beatrice is keeping a close eye on her other pets.”</p> <p>In 2017, the Yorks fired their dog walker Amanda Severn over an affair with Andrew’s butler Terry Holdforth. Later that year, Orange went missing for a number of days.</p> <p>The friend said:</p> <p>“It’s hard to believe Orange would have wandered off twice, and been poisoned, if Amanda still had her job. She just hasn’t been replaced."</p> <p>Have you ever encountered poison in public parks whilst walking your pets? Tell us in the comments. </p>

Family & Pets

Does your hand washing technique pass this test?

<p>A new study carried out by food safety inspectors from the <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/1fe5960e-c1d5-4bea-bccc-20b07fbfde50/Observational-Study-Addendum.pdf?MOD=AJPERES">US Department of Agriculture</a> has unveiled some startling evidence in regard to people’s hand washing techniques – or lack of.</p> <p>Rounding up close to 400 participants, they were all required to prepare a faux meal – including washing their hands beforehand – at a test kitchen in North Carolina, as part of the research.</p> <p>Shockingly, the group only washed their hands approximately one third of the time they should have, in order to prevent and the reduce the risk of cross-contamination while handling food.</p> <p>This included not washing their hands before they started prepping for the meal, or after they had handled raw meat.</p> <p>However, when the participants did wash their hands, over 97 per cent of them did not meet the standard outlined by the <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/1fe5960e-c1d5-4bea-bccc-20b07fbfde50/Observational-Study-Addendum.pdf?MOD=AJPERES">US Center for Disease Control and Prevention</a>.</p> <p>The study revealed that very few of the people involved in the research rubbed their hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds – the suggested amount of time to remove germs and grime – and nearly half of the participants didn’t wet their hands first with water, before washing with soap.</p> <p>Furthermore, many of the subjects also did not dry their hands with a clean towel, resulting in bacteria spreading to other food and surfaces in the test kitchen – in real life, this could result in food poisoning.</p> <p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) says our hands are more or less germ superhighways, meaning our hand washing technique is imperative to keep disease at bay.</p> <p>So, what is the correct way to wash your hands? Here is WHO’s guide:</p> <p><img width="500" height="704" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7819545/2-hand-washing_500x704.jpg" alt="2 Hand Washing"/></p>

Body

Can you get food poisoning from your tea towel?

<p>Once upon a time it was the good old chopping board that was the major culprit for bacteria in the kitchen. However, a <a href="http://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/4623/presentation/15470">new study</a> has cited that the common tea towel is another breeding ground for harmful bacteria in your kitchen.</p> <p>Tests on 100 cloth towels were performed by researchers at the University of Mauritius and collected the data from participants over a month.</p> <p>The disturbing results found 49 out of the 100 samples contained bacterial growth, including E. Coli (Escherichia Coli) and MRSA (Staphylococcus Aureus).</p> <p>The research also found that E. Coli was more likely to generate on damp tea towels that had been left to sit, while MRSA bacteria had higher rates of detection in households with non-vegetarian eaters (meat, poultry, seafood etc).</p> <p><img width="400" height="300" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7819491/2-tea-towel.jpg" alt="2 Tea Towel"/></p> <p>Lead author Dr Susheela D. Biranjia-Hurdoyal, a senior lecturer in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Mauritius, said: “The data indicated that unhygienic practices while handling non-vegetarian food could be common in the kitchen.”</p> <p>It was also found that households comprising of large families and those of a lower socio-economic background were prone to having higher rates of bacteria on their tea towels.</p> <p>“Humid towels and multipurpose usage of kitchen towels should be discouraged,” Dr Biranjia-Hurdoyal added.</p> <p>“Bigger families with children and elderly members should be especially vigilant to hygiene in the kitchen.”</p> <p>Symptoms of food poisoning include severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, minor headaches and fever.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Body

How many times can you reheat leftovers?

<p>Just how many times can you reheat your leftover stir-fries or stews without putting yourself at risk of food poisoning? Science journalist and television presenter Michael Mosley answers the question in new SBS TV series, Trust Me I’m a Doctor.</p> <p>“You can actually reheat your leftovers as many times as you like, as long as you make sure every morsel is piping hot all the way through,” Mosley told <strong><a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2017/04/03/how-many-times-can-you-reheat-leftovers">SBS</a>.</strong></p> <p>The key is to ensure that you reheat food to at least 75 degrees Celsius, which you can only workout using a cooking thermometer.</p> <p>However, even though you can technically reheat food as many times as you like, you can’t keep leftovers indefinitely.</p> <p>“You can keep leftovers for two to three days in your fridge, as long as that fridge is at 5 degrees celsius,” says Lydia Buchtmann, spokesperson for the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://foodsafety.asn.au/" target="_blank">Food Safety Information Council</a>.</strong></span></p> <p>However, it is advisable for pregnant women, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems not to waiting a few days to eat leftovers. Buchtmann advises if you’re in this group to eat refrigerated leftovers within 24 hours to minimise risk of foodborne illness. </p>

Body

Canned food safety tips to avoid food poisoning

<p>Many people have a strong belief that food that comes in cans is, like cockroaches, indestructible, and one of the few things that will survive a nuclear attack. While we can’t speak to the durability of your tinned tomatoes when it comes to nuclear fallout, we do know that canned food isn’t necessarily fine, no matter what. Let’s take a look at how you can exercise caution and good judgement when dealing with cans of food.</p> <p>Commercially produced canned food usually goes through a process of washing, before being prepared and placed into its metal container along with some kind of canning fluid (that’s the brine, juice, or water most tins of food contain). <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/safety/cannedfoods/Pages/default.aspx">The can is then heat treated</a></strong></span>, a process that ensures the product is commercially sterile, shelf-safe, with an air-tight seal. This heat treatment works to kill any organisms that could potentially cause the food to go bad, or cause some kind of food-borne illness. This sterile environment, however, lasts only until the can is opened – which breaks the seal.</p> <p><strong>Use-by dates and best-buy dates</strong></p> <p>Many canned foods (but not all) have a use-by or best-before date, so make sure you are aware of this when you put the can away. It’s a good idea to clean out your pantry a few times each year to clear out any cans that have passed the indicated use-by date. You can still eat food after the best-by dates, but the flavour and nutrition will likely have deteriorated since that date.</p> <p><strong>When choosing cans</strong></p> <p>According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand, there are a few things you should be on the lookout for when buying tinned foods. It’s best to avoid cans if you notice any of the following:</p> <ul> <li>Rust and/or scratches on the can</li> <li>Dented or damaged can</li> <li>Swelling or leakage</li> <li>Damaged seams</li> </ul> <p><strong>Food safety first</strong></p> <p>There are a few simple food safety procedures you can follow to make sure your kitchen stays food poisoning free:</p> <ul> <li>Wash your cans before opening; wash with a little soapy water, or wipe with a disinfectant before you open the can.</li> <li>Make sure your can opener is sharp and clean; if you’ve had the can opener since the Royal Wedding (Charles and Di, that is), it’s time you invest in something new.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Trust your instincts</strong></p> <p>Humans are pretty good at avoiding foods that will make us sick – all animals are. But we also know that wasting food is terrible, so there are some things to keep in mind when dealing with canned food. If the food smells unusual, or has unexpected colours or markings, do not eat it. In this instance, don’t be tempted to “just taste it and see” – listen to what your senses are telling you, and throw the food away.</p> <p><strong>Storage is key</strong></p> <p>Before you open the can, its best to store your food according to the instructions given on the label. Most tinned foods require storage at room temperature, or in a cool, dry place.</p> <p>A soon as you open a can, you should be treating it the same as any other fresh food – consume within, at most, three days, and store in a food safe environment. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2016/11/02/it-safe-put-canned-food-fridge">The best way to store opened canned food</a></strong></span><strong><a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2016/11/02/it-safe-put-canned-food-fridge"></a> </strong>is by decanting it into an airtight container, and keeping it in the fridge.</p> <p>Have you ever found an ancient can of food in your pantry? Tell us about it in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2017/01/how-to-tell-your-eggs-are-fresh/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Old-fashioned tip to tell if your eggs are fresh</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2017/01/infographic-of-kitchen-cheat-sheet/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The ultimate kitchen cheat sheet</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2017/01/common-cooking-mistakes/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Improve meals by avoiding 7 common cooking mistakes </strong></em></span></a><em><strong> </strong></em> </p>

Home & Garden

5 common plants that can poison

<p>Being green-fingered is a blessing but being green to the stomach, well that's to be avoided at all costs.</p> <p>Hiding in amongst your prized roses and neatly clipped buxus, you might just find a few surprises. Some of your favourite plants actually pack a poisonous punch, and it is pets and young children who are most commonly and seriously affected.</p> <p>On the good news front, most of the below are at their most poisonous when eaten and not one of them is renowned for its deliciousness. Stick to keeping them in the soil and not in the salad and you should be OK.</p> <p>Here's a few plants you might want to rethink the placement of:</p> <p><strong>Foxglove</strong></p> <p>Foxgloves are a cottage garden favourite, much loved for their bee-friendly blooms which stand in tall spikes, head and shoulders above all the rest. But, and there is a but, did you know that this plant has potent poison potential from root to tip? In general, the higher parts of the plant are the most toxic and the worst time to ingest is when the plant's seed pods are near to bursting.</p> <p>Foxglove can also be a force for good - it is a source of digitoxin which is used to make heart medicine.</p> <p><strong>Peace lily</strong></p> <p>This reliable household evergreen may not, in fact, be your best botanical friend despite being on the robust side. Chewing on the leaves is likely to cause a burning mouth after a few minutes, and possibly vomiting. The burning may be intense and can be accompanied by swelling of the mouth, tongue and throat which may in turn compromise breathing.</p> <p><strong>Oleander</strong></p> <p>This widely cultivated, fast-growing plant with a pretty pink, yellow or white flower is easy on the eye but it's hiding a nasty side.</p> <p>When any oleander part is chewed or eaten, flowers, twigs, leaves and all, symptoms vary widely from a concerning possibility of blurred vision, diarrhoea, nausea, faster or slower heart rate, hives, a rash and in an extreme case it can even cause death. Oh yes, the Big D.</p> <p>Remember that 2002 movie White Oleander in which Michelle Pfeiffer's character offs her cheating boyfriend played by Billy Connolly with an oleander brew? Well, turns out there was more fact than fiction involved.</p> <p><strong>Agapanthus</strong></p> <p>You may not be familiar with the name but you'll no doubt recognise the hallmark flower heads. The most harmful part is luckily tucked away underground - the rhizome (root network) is the bit you really want to avoid. Ingestion of any part may cause gastrointestinal problems (cue nausea, vomiting and other unpleasantness) while contact with the juice or sap can cause skin irritation.</p> <p><strong>Daffodils</strong></p> <p>They are the harbinger of spring, but also of stomach cramps, vomiting and headaches if you eat them. Stick to cutting them and putting in a vase and be sure not to mistake them for onions or chives.</p> <p><em>Written by Colleen Simpson. First appeared on</em> <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Stuff.co.nz.</strong></span></em></a></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/homemade-remedies-for-the-garden/">Homemade remedies for the garden</a></span></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/11/plants-that-are-hard-to-kill/">8 plants that are near impossible to kill</a></span></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/how-to-control-whiteflies-in-the-garden/">How to control whiteflies in the garden</a></span></em></strong></p>

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Does your hand washing technique pass this test?

Can you get food poisoning from your tea towel?

How many times can you reheat leftovers?

Canned food safety tips to avoid food poisoning

5 common plants that can poison