Food Protection Trends - November 2008 - 821

for inter-institutional collaborative programs were continued reduction in funding, inherent strengths and weaknesses of each institution, and a diversity of program structures overall which better serves the student. Dr. Neutsch outlines two potential models for graduate education programs, including the “Great Plains (IDEA) Interactive Distance Education Alliance“ (www.gpidea.org), and an informal education program with the National Center for Food Protection and Defense (www. foodprotectioneducation.org). Finally, a panel discussion concluded the presentations with an opportunity for audience participants to voice their opinions, present ideas, and ask questions. Dr. Curtis Kastner served as the panel moderator. S21 – Is It Overdone? examining the Meat and Cancer hypothesis and Its Impact on Food Safety Corri Rekow, Texas Tech University and Jeremy Adler, Colorado State University This symposia session discussed the issue of meat and cancer, the impact on human health, and the effects of nitrate and nitrite. The health benefits of many products, specifically sodium nitrite, have often been over looked resulting in inaccurate warnings about the safety of the product. James Coughlin discussed the definition of risk and how it is applied to toxicology and epidemiology. Every food has a risk-benefit association and assessments are often made by looking at the individual ingredients that make up the product and not the product as a whole. Precautions should be taken when evaluating studies that investigate the risk of products. In order to properly understand the results that are presented, one should know common epidemiology statistics, the difference between a case control study and a cohort study, and the Bradford Hill Criteria for inferring causation. Drawing conclusions about diet-disease relationships need to be accurate and evaluated thoroughly because there are many uncertainties with dietary epidemiology. David Klurfeld reviewed the issue of meat and its link to cancer. The conclusions from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) report were presented and an evaluation was given on the inaccuracy of the findings. The report did not have enough evidence to back up the claims that were made. There are many limitations of evidence in epidemiology studies. Consideration should be taken when consuming all food products and dietary recommendations should be followed in order to maintain a healthy life. Arthur Miller explained that there are several environmental sources of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons and Heterocyclic Amines, which are compounds formed during carbon combustion. Even though these compounds are formed on meat surfaces during the cooking process, there is a net positive benefit to consuming cooked meat when considering other nutritional attributes. Formation of these compounds is dependent on the method of cooking, precursor levels, level of meat hydration, and reducing-ingredient concentration. More importantly, the amounts of these compounds consumed and absorbed via cooked meat present a potential but very low risk to human health. Nathan Bryan described the physiological effect of dietary nitrate/nitrite, which is a curing agent and antimicrobial added at low levels to meat. Ultimately, nitrate and nitrite are reduced to the physiological signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO). Currently there is no causative link between cancer and nitrate. In fact, low plasma levels of nitrite reflect endothelial dysfunction, which can be repaired by supplemented nitrite to restore NO biochemistry. Additionally, the harmful effects of a high fat diet can be reduced by nitrite supplementation. Given this, NO is analogous to a vitamin as it is necessary at low levels for normal metabolism and is found naturally in foodstuffs. Finally, compared to fruits and vegetables the amount of nitrate/nitrite added to processed meats is negligible. In summary, often only biased risks are considered to condemn a food when there may be several health benefits in consuming the food. Therefore, an unbiased whole food risk-benefit analysis should be used to accurately evaluate the safety of food. S22 – What is the “real” Issue with MDr? Arpan Bhagat, Purdue University Shaohna Zhao began the session with an overall assessment of resistance to third generation cephalosporins in Salmonella from NARMS retail meat studies. There are >100 antibacterial agents currently approved. National Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) was launched in 1996 and CDC/ FoodNet got involved in 2002 to provide descriptive data and trends on antimicrobial resistance on retail meats. MDR-AmpC patterns were found to be varied between and within isolates, the MDR plasmids were broadly disseminated among zoonotic pathogens associated with agriculture. Further newer generations showed an increased resistance and certain bacteria were found to have an intrinsic resistance. John Threlfall provided an insight into the MDR in animals in United Kingdom. The major issues here are the contribution of agriculture and the attribution of animals. Since the approval of sulfa drugs in 1936 to glycylcyclines in 2005, resistance to drugs has been observed (penicillin in 1946, MDR in Shigella dysenteriae in 1953, and the most common among these, tetracycline). NOVEMBER 2008 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS 821

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Food Protection Trends - November 2008

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