This week in safety: Talking turkey about food safety

The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to make sure everyone has a food-safe Thanksgiving and is offering guidelines for thawing, cooking and storing the turkey.

Thawing

• In the refrigerator: Leave the turkey in its original wrapper and place it on a tray to catch any juices that may leak from the package. Bacteria in poultry juices can cross-contaminate other foods. Allow 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. For example, a 16-pound turkey would take 3 to 4 days to thaw. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before cooking.
• In water: If you don't have the time or space to thaw the turkey in the refrigerator, don't panic. You can submerge the bird in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. Cook immediately after thawing.
• In the microwave: Check the manufacturer's instructions for the size turkey that will fit into your oven, the minutes per pound, and the power level to use for thawing. Cook immediately after thawing.

Cooking

• Don't even think of pulling an all-nighter with your turkey. It's not safe to cook a turkey all night at 200 °F. The minimum oven temperature is 325 °F to ensure any bacteria are destroyed.
• If you plan to stuff your turkey, mix the wet and dry stuffing ingredients just before placing the stuffing inside the turkey cavity or into a casserole dish. The stuffing should be moist, not dry, since heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment. Stuff your turkey loosely and place it in the oven immediately.
• Use a food thermometer. A cooked whole turkey is safe at a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the bird and stuffing. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh, wing, the thickest part of the breast and the stuffing. When the turkey is removed from the oven, let it stand 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving the turkey.

Leftovers

• After dinner, but within two hours of cooking, cut the leftover turkey into small pieces. Refrigerate the stuffing and turkey separately in shallow containers. Use leftover turkey and stuffing within 3-4 days or freeze these foods. Reheat thoroughly to a temperature of 165 °F or until hot and steaming.

More safety headlines
Instant recall: Are do-it-yourself quick fixes safe?
CBC News
In this era of mass recalls, more and more companies are taking the quick-fix approach to dealing with faulty, malfunctioning or unsafe products: they're sending a repair kit. Read more ...

515 chemicals a day on a woman’s face
The Sun
Beauty-conscious girls use up to 13 products, most containing more than 20 ingredients, a new study found. Some of the additives have been linked to cancer, hormone problems, skin conditions and allergies. Perfume is the worst offender. Read more ... 

Six facts you can’t ignore when babyproofing your home
Reader's Digest
This editor recently invited Allison Rhodes aka “The Safety Mom” to her friend’s home to do a mom-safety evaluation.  She reported on her findings on the “Today” show and wants to share them with parents everywhere. Read more ...

Dangerous counterfeit electronics a growing problem
KOMO News.com
It's a hidden hazard that could set your house on fire or electrocute you. Counterfeit electronics are downright dangerous. "These things can kill you," says the president of the Electrical Safety Foundation. "A purse or a CD isn't going to hurt you. But a counterfeit electrical product will hurt you. It's pretty scary." Read more ...

Senate panel OKs giving FDA more power to police food safety
The Wall Street Journal
A key Senate committee approved sweeping legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration more power to police food safety and reorient its efforts toward preventing food contamination instead of reacting to outbreaks of food-borne illnesses. Read more ...

Listeria found in Eggo Waffles prior to shortage
ConsumerAffairs.com
It appears there's more to the story behind the nationwide shortage of Eggo waffles. Kellogg's has blamed the shortage of its popular breakfast foods on flooding and equipment changes and repairs at the company's bakery in Atlanta, Georgia. But the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) in September found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of Eggo Buttermilk Waffles made at the plant. Read more ...

Agriculture chief promises better food alerts to schools
USA Today
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pledged Tuesday that the government will do a better job alerting schools across the nation when it suspects that food for school lunches might be contaminated. "We understand and appreciate that there has been a … gap in communication, which results in school districts not getting information on a timely basis," Vilsack told lawmakers during a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing. Read more ...

Senate bill would require E. coli testing
The New York Times
Citing public concern that meat companies and federal regulators are not doing enough to make ground beef safe, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, has introduced legislation that would require companies to test for a deadly E. coli strain. Read more ...

Don't miss these recalls

• 17,000 Century 21 children’s hooded sweatshirts and jackets (strangulation hazard)
• 641,000 “Bobby Chupete” pacifiers (choking hazard)
• 10,000 Salomon USA alpine ski bindings (fall hazard)
• 600 Three Sisters Yayita baby hammocks (fall and strangulation hazard)
• 300 Cost Plus stainless steel cookware (burn hazard)

This week in safety: Treat yourself to an extra hour of sleep

Things may still be going bump in the Halloween night but when the clock strikes 2 A.M. Sunday, daylight saving time comes to an end. Halloween revelers and those running the New York City Marathon on November 1 may appreciate the extra hour of sleep they’ll get when the clocks fall back.

At this time of year, we like to remind people to replace batteries in their smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms with fresh ones. It’s also a good time to replace any smoke alarm that’s 10 years old or more and any CO alarm five years old or older with a new model. You’ll find the manufacture date on the alarms.

And now that it’s getting dark earlier, you may want to check the lights on your car to make sure they are aligned correctly and working properly.

Don’t be haunted by burn and laceration hazards this Halloween
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Incidents involving burns from flammable costumes and lacerations related to pumpkin carving lead the list of Halloween-related injuries. Read more ...

N.F.L.’s influence on safety at youth levels is cited
The New York Times
More than 1.2 million teenagers play high school football every fall, and hundreds are seriously injured by concussions and other brain trauma. Many of the injuries occur because the players are unaware of the seriousness of brain injuries, because trained medical personnel are too costly and because the culture of football up through the N.F.L. demands that players play through pain. Read more …

Taking the fear out of food
Florida Sun-Sentinel
When you stop and think about all the food stored in your kitchen, it's hard not to get a little freaked out. The news is full of food safety stories as frightening as any Halloween horror story. To make matters worse, just about every package you buy is stamped with dates and times, like a goblin among your groceries just waiting to attack. Read more …

How to make sure you're giving safe toys
The Chicago Tribune
It's prime time for toy-buying. But how to do you know that what you're putting under the tree isn't putting the kids you love in danger? Read more …

ATV deaths rise, some safety tips before jumping on
KTHV (Little Rock, Ark.)
This month, at least four Arkansans have died from ATV related accidents. Two of the victims were kids, one 16 and the other 4. Nationally, more than 150,000 people are rushed to emergency rooms across the country for ATV related injuries. Read more …

A fire risk that clears security
The New York Times
Battery fires in personal electronic devices can be scary. But if a battery ignites on a plane, the risks are much greater. With more people traveling with an assortment of portable electronics—sometimes a plane has more devices than passengers—fires are occurring on airliners with increasing frequency. Read more …

How safe are carnival rides?
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Nationally, thousands of people among the millions who visit amusement parks and carnivals are injured on rides each year. In Georgia, 28 injury incidents have been investigated by state regulators since 2005, according to reports on file at the Georgia Department of Labor, which inspects carnival rides. Read more …

Don't miss these recalls

• 610,000 Halloween flashlights sold at Target (burn hazard)
• 69,000 Sony VAIO computer AC adapters (shock hazard)
• 68,700 SurgeMaster surge protectors (shock hazard)
• 5,540 Mia Moda infant child restraints and bases (base can crack)
• 3,000 Arctic Cat snowmobiles (oil leaks)

Trick or treatment—don’t spend Halloween in the ER

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, so it promises to be a big night for trick-or-treaters who may stay out later than usual. It’s a good night for fright and fun, but it’s also a big night for accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of deaths among young pedestrians (ages 5 to 14) is four times higher on Halloween evening that any other evening of the year. Drivers should be extremely cautious on Halloween.

This Halloween I’ll be doing the following to keep my children and our friends and neighbors safe. Feel free to borrow these tips.

First, I’m making sure that the pathway to my front door is well lit and not strewn with wet leaves, flower pots, garden hoses, or any other obstacle that could cause a nasty fall.
  
My jack-o-lantern and luminaries will be lit with electric candles this year since real candles can set costumes on fire. 
 
I made sure my decorative Halloween lights have a UL-listed label on the cord. The one outside has the appropriate red UL holographic label, while the one inside the house has a green holographic label.
 
My kids think this is “lame,” but I’m taking the advice of one of our readers and doling out mini flashlights along with some candy. They cost me about a dollar each including the AA battery but it’s well worth it. If kids use them, drivers may be able to see them better in the dark, and all kids like flashlights. The Halloween flashlights I'm handing out are not the same flashlights recalled by Target. However, I cut the looped string off the lights I bought because I feared that could pose a strangulation hazard.  
 
My older daughter wants to venture out with a group of friends this year. She’ll be carrying a cell phone so that she can check in with me regularly. Both children will carry flashlights and identification.

We’re all looking forward to a night of fright and fun and staying out of the ER. Happy Halloween! —Don Mays

More Halloween safety tips

• DWI incidents spike on Halloween
• Hey kids, don't mess up when you dress up
• Trick-or-treat safety tips for pedestrians and drivers
• Hidden Halloween hazards
  
• How to choose a safe costume

This week in safety: Halloween cautions and recalls

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year and that has law enforcement agencies across the country preparing for a night of arrests -- not only for the usual mischief and mayhem but for  drunken driving. Halloween has become a deadly night on the nation's roads, with DWI arrests surpassing even those on New Year's Eve.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), last year 58 percent of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night (6 p.m. Oct. 31 to 5:59 a.m. Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, which is illegal in every state.

What can you do about it? If you're a pedestrian, use the sidewalks and take your children trick-or-treating early in the evening. If you're attending a party where alcohol is being served, plan a safe way home either by designating a sober driver or taking a taxi or public transportation, NHTSA advises.

Decorative lenses
The Food and Drug Administration also issue a Halloween caution this week -- against the use of decorative contact lenses s part of a costume. In a video and press release, the FDA reminds revelers that wearing lenses purchased without a prescription can cause serious eye injuries and even blindness.

Halloween recall
This week there was also a Halloween recall. About 7,800 candle holders in the shape of a haunted house that were sold at Yankee Candle were recalled because the material that covers the windows can catch fire and has in some incidents.

More news
Makeup 101: A safe, reaction-free Halloween for your kids
Medill Reports
After a mass recall of children’s face paint this year due to “rashes, itchiness, burning sensation and swelling where the face paints were applied,” the FDA is urging anyone with concerns about cosmetics to contact FDA representatives. But a single recall doesn’t mean the world is rid of potentially harmful cosmetics. Other makeup still on the market could cause similar reactions. Read more ...

GAO: FDA and USDA not kept in food import loop
ConsumerAffairs.com
Many agencies share responsibility for ensuring the safety of imported food, including the FDA, the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection division. But the GAO found that while importers report information about food shipments to the Customs agency, that agency's computer system does not notify FDA or FSIS when shipments arrive at the border. Read more ...

Add lesser-known hazards to baby-proofing list
Kansas City Star
Anyone can walk down a baby aisle and pick up standard safety materials. But several dangers go unaddressed because awareness is focused on staples such as outlet plugs and baby gates. Read more ...

Mattel lead settlement could add up to $50 million
The Associated Press
Mattel Inc. and its Fisher-Price subsidiary have agreed to settle a consumer lawsuit for what could total more than $50 million over the 2007 recall of millions of toys made in China that were found to contain high levels of lead. Read more ...

Bill giving FDA new powers to oversee food supply has wide support
The Los Angeles Times
Legislation granting the FDA new powers to oversee the nation's food supply has elbowed its way onto Congress' crammed calendar with bipartisan support and rare agreement between consumer groups and an industry stung by product recalls. Read more ...

Nelson seeks funds to help homeowners replace drywall
The Miami Herald
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is urging Florida lawmakers to find out whether leftover federal funds could be used to help homeowners with tainted Chinese drywall. ``Defective Chinese drywall is ruining the health and lives of countless Floridians,'' he said. Read more ...


More recalls

• 13,000 sets Fiesta Masquerade and Home Olympic flatware (choking hazard)
• 1.3 million Idea Village Handy Switch wireless light switches (fire hazard)
• 19,600 Coby Electronics rechargeable batteries sold with portable DVD/CD/MP3 players (fire hazard)
• 4,100 Toro Z Master ZRT Mowers (liquid-cooled models only) (burn hazard)

How to avoid a chain saw massacre—or mishap

Haunted hayrides have become as much a part of Halloween as trick-or-treating. As the hay wagon moves slowly through the darkness, every manner of man and beast jumps into its path eliciting screams of terror from those on board. But these days instead of a witch with a broom, the ghouls are more likely to be brandishing a buzzing chain saw.

Even though the chain saws used at these events are fake or defanged, they still conjure up images of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and other movies of mayhem. But that's not what scares us. Instead, we're thinking, "Shouldn't that chain saw have a bar-tip guard? And shouldn't the local "Leatherface" be wearing protective gear?"

Of course, the hayrides are all in good fun but every year real chain saws cause 36,000 injuries and 20 deaths so it's important to treat them with respect. Kickback—where the tip of the saw snaps up and back toward the user—is involved in one in four of those injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Modern chain saws are built with safety in mind and following these tips can increase your chance of remaining unscathed when you use one.

• Wear eye and ear protection, gloves, tight-fitting clothing, cut-resistant leg chaps, boots, and a hard hat with a protective face screen.
• Keep the cutting chain properly sharpened, tensioned, and oiled.
• Grip the saw with both hands and keep both feet firmly on the ground.
• Saw only tree limbs you can reach from the ground. Never saw on a ladder or while holding the saw above your shoulders.
• Avoid sawing with the tip of the chain and bar, where kickback typically occurs.
• Carry saws safely. Use a bar sheath or carrying case to protect yourself and the bar and chain.
• And remember, some jobs are better left to the pros.

As Halloween draws closer, we'll be offering more safety tips. As for that Headless Horseman who rides through nearby Sleepy Hollow each year, shouldn't he be carrying a flashlight instead of that candle-lit jack-o'-lantern?

Hey kids, don't mess up when you dress up

With witches and goblins getting ready for their big night out, parents should get ready too. The stores are chock full of costumes for wee trick-or-treaters including some that could turn an evening of fright and fun into a night at the ER.  Here are some tips for buying or making safe Halloween costumes: 

• Consider buying light-colored or bright garments that are visible to motorists. If the costume is dark, apply some reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights.
• Carefully consider the costume's flammability and opt for material that won't easily go up in smoke. If your child wants to be a mummy, don't wrap him in toilet paper, paper towels or gauze. Other fire hazards include big, baggy sleeves, trailing cloaks, and billowing skirts that can get too close to a jack-o-lantern. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends purchasing costumes, beards, masks, and wigs that have the "Flame Resistant" label.
• Make sure the costume is short enough so children won’t trip and fall.
• Make sure masks don’t obstruct your child’s vision.  Better yet, use FDA-approved facial make-up, instead of masks.
• Don’t allow your children to wear decorative, non-corrective contact lenses that are dispensed without a prescription. 
• Don't overlook the shoes; they should be sturdy and fit well. Mom's high heels may look great but if they're wobbly and unsteady—in other words, easy to trip over—consider something more well-grounded.
• If a sword, cane, or stick is part of a costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. Better yet—skip the sticks entirely. These accessories can easily cause harm including serious eye injuries.
• Give your child a flashlight to carry.—Don Mays

Some summery traditions can be a dog's pet peeve

Two things you probably like about summer: Fireworks and a long day at the beach. Two things your dog probably hates about summer: Fireworks and a long day at the beach.

Why would dogs like fireworks? They're loud, they smell bad and smart as your Marley (at right ) may be, he just doesn't get the link between the founding of our country and that terrifying boom.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) has lots of tips for keeping your pet safe over the Fourth of July and other holidays. Among them:

• Leave your dog at home when you go to see fireworks. If he's crate trained, you might put him there, where he feels the safest.
• Don't feed your dog from the picnic table or grill. Bones, potato chips and cookies could make him sick.
• No matter how fun the party gets, never give your dog alcohol.
• Remember that, while the beach seems like a treat for you, a hot day on the sand can leave your dog sunburned, dehydrated and sick from drinking salt water. Follow the AKC's guidelines  to keep your pet healthy and happy throughout the summer.

Marley and his friends will thank you.

And the rockets red glare ...

We’ve been mulling over some numbers lately, and they more or less come down to this: More and less.

We’re talking about fireworks. The American Pyrotechnics Association, an industry trade group, tracks injuries relative to sales. While use of fireworks doubled from 1997 to 2007, injuries per 100,000 pounds dropped 40 percent.

That’s good news, of course, but it doesn’t mean much to the 9,800 people who ended up in emergency rooms in 2007 because of fireworks, and it means even less to the 11 people who died.

As we close in on the Fourth of July holiday, when fireworks injuries peak, it’s a good idea to know both the laws for your state (five states ban all consumer fireworks; five more allow only sparklers) )
and the best ways to stay safe around all those incendiary devices.

We wondered whether there’s any way to tell whether one rocket is safer than another. So we called the American Fireworks Standards Laboratory, which tests about 85 percent of consumer fireworks sold in the U.S. (Yes, really tests; they pull samples from cases of product manufactured by their member companies and set them off in a lab in China.)

Products that meet safety standards get a certification sticker. The problem is you’ll never see it, because it goes on the shipping carton, not the retail packaging. So AFSL recommends you make sure that any fireworks you buy are from one of their members.

Does your pool meet the new safety rules?

Here in the northeast, temperatures went from the mid 30s at night to the mid 80s during the day within the space of a week. Welcome to our part of the country. The sudden warmth and approaching Memorial Day weekend has everyone thinking “pool.” This year, that means a lot more than usual.

New regulations (the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act) governing pool drains went into effect last December to prevent entrapment from the powerful suction.  Municipalities, clubs, hotels and homeowners who are opening pools for the first time since then may be scrambling to comply.

We’ve heard there’s been some confusion about the new rules, and it’s possible that the pool you swim in is not up to code. We continue to advise that before you dive into the pool at a U.S. hotel, swim club, or apartment complex, confirm with the manager or engineer that the pool meets the new regulations. He or she should be able to tell you specifically that the drain systems conform to the new standards.

And keep in mind that while the new, safer drains reduce the risk of entrapment, drowning is still the second-leading cause of accidental death in children ages one to 14. Each year 300 children younger than age five drown in pools and spas, according to new data released today by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

So take every precaution possible to secure your own pool and keep your family safe. The CPSC has these pool safety tips:

• Employ layers of protection: Barriers, such as a fence with self-closing, self-latching gates, completely surrounding pools prevent unsupervised access.
• Beware of entrapment: Suction drains in pools and spas can cause entrapments involving hair, body parts, clothing and jewelry, which can lead to death and serious injury.  Do not allow children to play in a pool or hot tub/spa with missing or broken drain covers.
• Look in the pool first: Precious time is often wasted looking for missing children anywhere but in the pool. 
• Drowning is silent: Parents may think that if their child falls in the water, they will hear lots of splashing and screaming,  however, children can slip under the water silently. 
• Never leave a child unattended: Designate a “Water Watcher”, someone who can concentrate on kids in the water.

This week in safety: What's in that basket?

This week a colleague drew our attention to edible Easter grass being sold to stuff those baskets of goodies that children will soon be finding. Although one brand calls the product "Grass-Tastic!" we disagree. This product falls into our basket of things we think should not be marketed to children because they blur the line between what's safe to eat and what's not.

We wrote about the confusion between toys and food earlier when Kellogg's was selling colored, gummy candy blocks shaped like Lego bricks and some other companies were marketing "candy" perfume and crayons.

It's not illegal to sell candy that looks like toys or vice versa, but it's a really bad idea. Adults know the difference between green plastic grass and "edible" grass but small kids don't. In the U.S., however, it is illegal to embed non-edibles in sweets. That is exactly what Kinder eggs do. We've been told by their faithful fans we just don't understand how great they are. But the eggs have been banned in the U.S.  since 1997, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission warned that the toys could pose a choking hazard to children under three. Enjoy the holidays and the rest of this week's news.

CDC to Americans: Don't trip over your dog
The Wall Street Journal
We found an item in this week's CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report inexplicably fascinating: A detailed accounting of the ways Americans trip over their pets. This is not, as it turns out, a trivial issue: More than 86,000 Americans wind up in the emergency room every year because of falls related to cats or dogs. Read more ...

Prosecutor accuses Macy's of stalling investigation of tainted jewelry
The Los Angeles Times
Macy's department store has refused to give prosecutors the names of customers who purchased children's jewelry made with potentially toxic lead, according to an official with the Los Angeles district attorney's office. Read more ...

What's In my plastic? A closer look at phthalates
NPR.org
Phthalates have long been used to make plastics soft and flexible, but recent public concern has prompted lawmakers to ban six of these chemicals in toys and other kids' products. However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, charged with enforcing the ban, found that the exposure from kids' toys is too low to be a risk. Read more ...

San Mateo brings pool up to snuff with new law
The San Francisco Examiner
Just in time for warm weather, the city of San Mateo is upgrading its public swimming pool to meet standards required by a new federal law. Passed in December, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act requires that every pool in the country be fitted with special drain covers to prevent injuries, and possibly death. Read more ...

Brain injury no accident, MD says
The Toronto Star
In his four decades as one of Canada's top neurosurgeons, Dr. Charles Tator has seen thousands of catastrophic brain and spinal cord injuries. But he has seen precious few "accident" victims wheeled through his operating room doors. Tator's patients have one thing in common. "In more than 90 per cent of cases, the trauma was preventable," he says. Read more ...

Texas senators say feds fall short on child safety
Dallas Morning News
Two Texas state senators think the Consumer Product Safety Commission could beef up warnings to parents about recalls of child products. The feds send out news releases just fine, the two say, but little other action happens. The dangerous toys and equipment stay in circulation. And, as a result, an average of 100 kids die annually. Read more ...

An important recall
This week there was a relatively small recall of a crib with mesh sides but we want to bring it to the attention of parents because children have died in this type of crib before. The sides of the crib are made of mesh that expands, creating a gap between the side and the crib's mattress. A young child can slip into this gap and become entrapped or suffocate. This week's recall involved 1,900 SunKids convertible cribs. Although there have been no injuries reported with this crib, the CPSC is aware of the death of a 5-month-old child in August 2008 involving another company's nearly identical crib that was recalled. The child became entrapped between the mattress and the mesh side and suffocated.

Other recent recalls

• 45,000 Conair steam irons (fire hazard)
• 18,000 RadioShack Illuminated Round Rocker switches (shock hazard)
• 15,000 Horizon Hobby Spektrum DX6i radio transmitters (impact and laceration hazard)
• 13,300 Insignia 26-inch flat-panel LCD model IS-LCDTV26 televisions (fire hazard)
• 12,000 Brave Products log splitters (amputation hazard)
• 4,000 Lakeshore Learning 'What's Inside?' soft toy boxes (choking hazard)
• 1,400 Rocketfish Model RF-INV80 Universal AC/DC/USB portable power source (fire hazard)