California Ag Network

Category: Consumer Health

  • California Issues Warning About Consuming Certain Cactus Imported from Mexico due to Health Risk

    Sacramento, Calif., (February 20, 2018) – The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today warned people not to eat cactus pads imported from Mexico sold at specific retail and wholesale locations around the state, due to the presence of unapproved pesticides.

    Through routine monitoring of fresh produce, the cactus pads, or nopales, were found by DPR inspectors to have various pesticides, including dimethoate, omethoate, monocrotophos and methidathion, at levels that pose a health risk to humans. Both monocrotophos and methidathion have been banned for food use in the United States for several years.

    “Many Californians eat cactus as part of their diet, but the pesticide levels we have found at some specific locations are concerning,” said Brian Leahy, DPR director. “We are not aware of any illnesses that have been reported to date. But we suggest that anyone who bought this product from these locations recently, return it to the place of purchase or dispose of it in the garbage.”

    “Anyone feeling ill after consuming cactus products should consult their health care provider,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “The symptoms of acute poisoning may include sweating, headache, weakness, nausea, vomiting, hypersalivation, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Consumption of monocrotophos can lead to neurotoxicity and permanent nerve damage.”

    The contaminated cactus pads were offered for sale to consumers and wholesale customers between Jan. 23 and Jan. 29th at the following locations:

    • Rancho San Miguel Markets, Madera
    • La Monarca Market, Lower Lake
    • FreshPoint Central California, Turlock
    • Arteaga’s Food Center, Sacramento
    • Stater Bros. Distribution Center, San Bernardino
    • S&L Wholesale Produce, San Francisco

    DPR immediately took action to remove the products it could locate from store shelves and distribution centers. The products have been quarantined or destroyed so that they do not pose a threat to consumers. However, DPR believes it is possible that some of the contaminated cactus may have been sold to other stores in California, Nevada and Oregon. The tainted produce was packaged with the brand names “Mexpogroup Fresh Produce” or “Aramburo” or “Los Tres Huastecos”.

    Washing or peeling the cactus prior is not effective and people should not try to salvage any of this contaminated produce. CDPH and CDPR have alerted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the issue.

    Consumers that observe these products being offered for sale are encouraged to report the activity to the CDPH toll free complaint line at (800) 495-3232.

     

  • Produce Safety Training Ensuring Continued Enjoyment Of Specialty Crops

    Davis, Calif., (January 29, 2018) – Oakleaf, Mizuna, Red Rib Chicory, Lollo Rosa, and Lamb’s Lettuce, are the names of a few of the leafy vegetables which graced my salad plate. The thinly sliced fresh red onion, juicy pomegranate kernels, and fresh citrus dressing added to the delectable ensemble. I, as well as so many other California diners, have grown accustomed to the taste-bud sensations that await us in this day of the farm-to-fork movement.

    Ronald F. Bond collecting samples in the Salinas Valley. (Photo: M. L. Partyka)

    As I inhaled my salad, I couldn’t help but think of the recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that affected at least 24 people in the U.S. and more than 40 in Canada. Originally it was blamed on Romaine lettuce, but early in January the CDC said in a statement that the likely source of the outbreak in the United States appears to be leafy greens. However, officials have not identified a specific type of leafy green or specifically where it originated.

    A 2013 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control revealed that 46 percent of all foodborne illnesses that led to hospitalization or death between 1998 and 2008 were attributable to fresh produce. The report brought to the consumers’ attention that, while fresh fruits and vegetables are the cornerstones of a healthy diet, when improperly handled, they can be fatal.

    In spite of these sobering statistics I feel confident to continue my consumption of raw produce, in part because of the knowledge of such things as the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program administered by CDFA to create and deliver educational materials for growers to assist in conducting agricultural water sampling and environmental assessments. The grant is part of an effort to help growers meet the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) standards for safe foods.

    Western Institute for Food Safety and Security (WIFSS) and UC Agricultural and Natural Resource (ANR) personnel – including plant pathologist Bennie Osburn, UC Cooperative Extension specialist Alda Pires, UCCE specialist Erin DiCaprio, and WIFFS staff Heather Johnson and Ronald Bond – are developing a guide for California’s mid- and small- farm specialty crop growers to meet the requirements of the PSR. Training materials, including online and face-to-face field exercises, will be developed for extension specialists and farm advisors. To facilitate the learning experience, there will be online information in multiple languages including Spanish, Hmong, Mandarin and English to meet the diverse needs of California specialty crop growers. The final step in the process will be to deliver the course materials in seven outreach workshops in those regions of California where mid- and small-sized growers are located.

    With UC Davis and UC ANR working together to support California specialty crop growers as they work to meet the new compliance standards of the FSMA PSR, we can long enjoy the abundant, fresh leafy green produce produced in California’s fertile valleys.

  • New Pesticide Laws & Regs Now Taking Effect in California

    If you missed the Annual Tree & Vine Expo, Marline Azevedo with the Stanislaus County Ag Commissioner’s office provided an update on changes in laws and regulations for growers moving into 2018. Watch her brief interview as she describes two key changes in Chlorpyrifos permit conditions & pesticide use around school sites.

  • Request For Proposals For The California Nutrition Incentive Grant Program – 2018 CNIP Expansion

    Sacramento, Calif., (January 22, 2018) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Office of Farm to Fork is currently accepting proposals for the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), 2018 CNIP Expansion. CNIP encourages the purchase and consumption of healthy, California grown fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts by nutrition benefit clients.

    CDFA is seeking project proposals from qualified entities to distribute incentives at Certified Farmers’ Markets and/or small businesses (retail stores, Community Supported Agriculture, and farm stands) throughout California. Incentives should be available to CalFresh, WIC, Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, and/or CalWORKs shoppers using their benefits to purchase California grown fresh fruits, vegetables, and/or nuts. Participants should be able to receive the incentive at the time of purchase. Projects that reach underserved populations, particularly communities where a large proportion of the population is eligible for CalFresh and communities with high rates of diet-related disease, will be prioritized. This is a competitive process. The California Nutrition Incentive Program was established by Assembly Bill 1321 (Chapter 442, Statutes of 2015).

    Applications must be submitted by email to cafarmtofork@cdfa.ca.gov, no later than Thursday February 22, 2018, 5:00 P.M. PST. Further information on the grant program, including timeline and application criteria, are available at: http://cafarmtofork.com/cnip_2018Expansion.html

  • UC ANR Global Food Initiative Fellows Take Aim at Food Insecurity and Obesity

    Davis, Calif., (October 13, 2017) – Three University of California students have been selected by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources as Global Food Initiative (GFI) fellows for 2017-18.

    UC Berkeley graduate students Kristal Caballero, Elsbeth Sites and Sonya Zhu are the GFI fellows who will work with ANR academics and staff to address the issue of how to sustainably and nutritiously feed a world population expected to reach 8 billion by 2025.

    The GFI fellows are part of a group of 50 UC graduate and undergraduate students working on food-related projects at all 10 UC campuses, UC Office of the President, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC ANR.

    UC President Janet Napolitano launched the systemwide Global Food Initiative program in 2014 with the aim of putting UC, California and the world on a pathway to sustainability. Each participant receives a $4,000 award to help fund student-generated research, projects or internships that support the initiative’s efforts to address food security, health and sustainability.

    The GFI fellows gather for lectures, field trips and networking events. Last spring, UC ANR hosted the fellows on a tour of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta region to learn more about the relationships between food, farming and the environment.

    The 2017-18 GFI fellows:

    Kristal Caballero

    Kristal Caballero of San Jose is a graduate student at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Working with UC ANR’s Strategic Communications team, Caballero will focus on community outreach and education to educate the public about nutrition, food security, federal food programs, food waste, childhood obesity prevention and related subjects. She will use a variety of communication tools to publicize the results of Nutrition Policy Institute research on nutrition and food issues and to inform policymakers.

    Elsbeth Sites

    Elsbeth Sites of Benicia is a graduate student at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Working with Nutrition Policy Institute researchers, Sites will explore how sleep affects child obesity by examining social and cultural factors that may impact Mexican-American children’s sleep and, in turn, how sleep affects their diet and physical activity.

    Sonya Zhu

    Sonya Zhu of Iowa City, Iowa, is a graduate student at the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. At the Nutrition Policy Institute, Zhu will conduct a secondary analysis of the Healthy Communities Study (HCS), an observational study of more than 5,000 children ages 4 to 15 years recruited from 130 communities across the U.S. in 2013-2015. She will be examining the effect of household food insecurity on children’s dietary behavior and physical activity.

  • New Research Examines Avocados’ Potential Impact on Cognitive Health in Older Adults

    Mission Viejo, Calif., (September 7, 2017) – Consuming one fresh avocado per day may lead to improved cognitive function in healthy older adults due to increased lutein levels in the brain and eye, according to new research published in the journal Nutrients. The research tracked how 40 healthy adults ages 50 and over who ate one fresh avocado a day for six months experienced a 25% increase in lutein levels in their eyes and significantly improved working memory and problem-solving skills. Lutein is a carotenoid, or pigment, commonly found in fruits and vegetables that accumulates in the blood, eye and brain and may act as an anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant.

    As study participants incorporated one medium avocado into their daily diet, researchers monitored gradual growth in the amount of lutein in their eyes and progressive improvement in cognition skills as measured by tests designed to evaluate memory, processing speed and attention levels. In contrast, the control group which did not eat avocados experienced fewer improvements in cognitive health during the study period.  The research, “Avocado Consumption Increases Macular Pigment Density in Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial,” was conducted at Tufts University and supported by the Hass Avocado Board.

    These findings are based on the consumption of one whole avocado each day (369 mcg lutein). Additional research is needed to determine whether the results could be replicated with consumption of the recognized serving size of 1/3 of an avocado per day (136 mcg lutein). The control diet included either one medium potato, or one cup of chickpeas in place of the avocado. Chickpeas and potatoes were used as the control diet because they provided a similar level of calories, but a negligible amount of lutein and monounsaturated fats.

    “The results of this study suggest that the monounsaturated fats, fiber, lutein and other bioactives make avocados particularly effective at enriching neural lutein levels, which may provide benefits for not only eye health, but for brain health,” said Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D., lead investigator of the study from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, at Tufts University. “Furthermore, the results of this new research reveal that lutein levels in the eye more than doubled in subjects that consumed fresh avocados, compared to a supplement, as evidenced by my previous published research. Thus, a balanced diet that includes fresh avocados may be an effective strategy for cognitive health.”

    “While the conclusions drawn are from a single study that cannot be generalized to all populations, the study’s outcome helps to reinforce and advance the body of published research on avocado benefits and their role in everyday healthy living,” said Nikki Ford, Ph.D., Director of Nutrition of the Hass Avocado Board. “Avocados are a nutrient-dense, cholesterol-free fruit with naturally good fats, and are a delicious and easy way to add more fruits and vegetables to everyday healthy eating plans.”

    To view the abstract or the published article, click here. For more information on avocado nutrition research visit LoveOneToday.com/Research.