The 10 Secret Signs You Might Be Gluten Intolerant

The 10 Secret Signs You Might Be Gluten Intolerant

May 11, 2014

Photo credit: bigstock

Going gluten free seems to be the latest thing, but it’s much more than just a fad. There are studies showing that more than 55 diseases have been associated with the protein that is found in wheat, barley, and rye. Many people tolerate gluten just fine, but how do you know if you are one of the 15 per cent of the population that just can’t stomach gluten? Here is a list of the top ten symptoms. If you have four or more, you might want to cut gluten out of your diet.

1. Stomach and other digestive problems

If you are experiencing bloating, excess gas, cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and/or constipation soon after eating foods that contain gluten, you should try to eliminate gluten from your meals and see if the problems go away.

SEE ALSO: How to Keep Children Safe Infographic

 

2. Extreme fatigue

Feeling like your brain is in a fog or feeling excessively tired after eating might mean you have gluten intolerance.

3. Inflammation

Frequent inflammation or swelling, combined with pain in your joints such as fingers, elbows, hips, and ankles is a common sign.

4. Moodiness

Many doctors believe that mood disorders such as anxiety, panic attacks, ADHD, and depression are often related to an intolerance of gluten. Read more about children with mental disorders.

5.  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia

When you have general pain, or extreme fatigue issues that your doctor simply cannot pin down the root cause, they often go with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia. It could be, however, a gluten intolerance that is the origin of the problem. Instead of medication, try cutting out gluten and see if this resolves some of your issues.

6. Keratosis Pilaris

This is a skin issue where you see very small raised bumps. They don’t itch, nor is there pain; however you might find large patches of them anywhere on the body. This is caused by the body’s inability to absorb vitamin A and other fatty acids.

The bumps themselves are harmless, however, the problems caused by long term exposure to gluten cause serious damage to the intestines because they are being deprived of these nutrients

 

7. Migraine Headaches

A research project done in 2001 noted that subjects who ingested gluten had more episodes of intense headaches, and migraine headaches, then those whose diet was gluten free. Severe inflammation of the nervous system was shown in a subsequent MRI, probably the result of a bad reaction to gluten in the diet.

8. Neurological Problems

Feelings of vertigo, dizziness, or a poor sense of balance, are all signals of a possible inflammation of the nervous system. Many people also report a tingling, numbness, or weakness in the extremities. These are all signs of gluten intolerance and the response of your immune system to the problem.

9. Autoimmune Issues

If you have been told you have one of the following conditions; lupus, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, scleroderma, or rheumatoid arthritis, you might find relief by cutting gluten out of your food.

10. Hormone Imbalance

Unexplained infertility problems, PMS, PCOS, or irregular periods are often related to an intolerance of gluten.

The best test for gluten intolerance isn’t from your doctor, because they actually don’t have one. Remove all sources of gluten from your diet for 2-3 weeks and see if your symptoms improve, then reintroduce gluten. If your symptoms return, or worsen, gluten is the most likely culprit.






Sources:

Undergroundhealth.com
Eatlocalgrown.com

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AlterNet / By Jill Richardson

Answers to the 7 Big Questions Everyone Asks About Gluten

With so much hype and confusion swirling around, here are the key facts.

 
June 13, 2014  |  

 

 

These days, it seems almost easier to find false “information” about gluten than the truth. Gluten-free is trendy, and it’s no longer strange to find restaurant menus dotted with “GF” logos next to various items like “polenta lasagna” that have been tweaked to remove any trace of wheat.

Recently, Jimmy Kimmel made fun of people who follow gluten-free diets by asking pedestrians if they were gluten-free and, if so, what is gluten. And…they had no idea. Some people even believe that wheat nowadays is genetically engineered (it isn’t). And with so much hype and confusion swirling around, others believe that anyone who says they can’t have gluten is making it up. So here are some facts about wheat and gluten you should know.

1. What Is It?

What we call “gluten” is made of two separate proteins, gliadin and glutenin, found in wheat and other related grains (barley, rye and triticale). When water is added, they combine to form gluten, a stretchy, elastic molecule that gives bread its wonderful consistency.

You can often find alternative forms of wheat in natural food stores, like einkorn wheat, emmer, spelt, or kamut. Sometimes people who cannot tolerate most wheat can tolerate these other forms of it, but not always.

2. Is It Genetically Engineered?

Much has been made about human tinkering with wheat DNA, yet so far, commercial wheats are not genetically engineered. This might change in the future – just give Monsanto more time – but so far, there is no genetically engineered wheat legally on the market in the U.S.

The rumors that wheat is genetically engineered likely stem from two sources. First, from the ancient breeding that gave us modern wheat. Einkorn and emmer were two of the first forms of cultivated wheat. Einkorn is a diploid, meaning that it has two complete sets of chromosomes (one from the mother and one from the father), just like humans do.

Then, wheat got weird. Emmer and durum wheat are each tetraploid, with four complete sets of chromosomes. And spelt and common bread wheat are hexaploid, with six complete sets of chromosomes. This occurred without any genetic engineering, thousands of years ago.

Humans can’t survive with extra sets of chromosomes, but plants can. It’s still a bit odd, but it’s actually somewhat common in the plant world. Strawberries can have eight sets of chromosomes, and marijuana aficionados found they could increase THC content by tricking the plant into growing with extra sets of chromosomes in it. Still, some marketers are using wheat’s extra set of chromosomes as a reason to condemn it.

The extra chromosomes showed up in wheat long before modern science and plant breeding came along. More recently, scientists spent the 20th century fiddling with wheat to see if they could improve yield, disease resistance and other traits, including its ease of use in commercial kitchens.

The idea that modern breeding led to the increase in gluten intolerance has been promoted by books like Wheat Belly by William Davis. And in fact, a 2010 study compared the amount of specific gluten epitope (the part of the antigen recognized by the immune system) known to cause trouble for people with celiac disease in modern wheat and traditional wheat varieties (landraces). Overall, the gluten epitope was more present in modern varieties than traditional ones.

Still, changing wheat varieties is only one potential cause in the increase in gluten intolerance. We also live in a time with increases in all kinds of auto-immune diseases, including many that are entirely unrelated to gluten, like peanut allergies or asthma. Some scientists suspect the increase in auto-immune diseases actually stem from our lack of exposure to common allergens in the first few years of life. A recent study found that children exposed to cockroach droppings and cat and mouse dander as infants had lower rates of wheezing at age three.

In short: maybe it’s not all wheat’s fault.

3. What is Celiac Disease?

For celiac sufferers like Deanna Askin and Laura Clawson, the health consequences of eating gluten are real and severe. Before her diagnosis, Askin’s symptoms parallel what you’d expect for a celiac sufferer who consumes gluten regularly.

“I think starting around in high school I started having all sorts of digestive problems and breathing problems,” Askin recalls. “I was tired all the time. I couldn't make it through class without falling asleep. I was hungry all the time, I was always starving.”

Her doctors gave her several diagnoses, like acid reflux, but nothing helped. “It started getting worse and worse. I started getting cold sores, like real bad, taking up half my face. I was so tired and I got diagnosed with narcolepsy by a sleep clinic. I would fall asleep driving to and from work. I felt bloated all the time and my skin felt hard, like expanded but hard.”

Then, at 21, she had a blood test to check for celiac and it came out positive. Today, as long as she eats a gluten-free diet, she feels fine. But when she consumes even just a little bit of gluten by accident, she suffers for weeks. “It's just so many odd random symptoms that it's hard to even remember them all until you get them all again at once,” she says as she lists several of them, like horrible stomach pains. “I'm really hungry and then I go and eat and it hurts. I'm really fatigued and tired and feel really weak.”

Laura Clawson’s symptoms were much different. She suffered from anxiety and depression, and she “got every single cold and flu that was going around to the max.” About six months after she gave up gluten, she says, “I had this moment where I was walking down the street and realized, I’m kind of happy all the time. What’s going on here?” If she accidentally eats a little bit of gluten again, she relapses into anxiety.

4. Does Anyone Else Besides Celiac Sufferers Need to Go Gluten Free?

In short, yes. Tricia Thompson, a registered dietitian, provides information on her website about various categories of gluten-free people. Aside from those with celiac disease or wheat allergies, there is another catch-all category referred to as non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This refers to people who do not have a food allergy to wheat or an auto-immune disease related to gluten, but still suffer symptoms like diarrhea when exposed to gluten.

Natasha Chart went gluten-free after a long problem with migraine headaches that began in her teens. In her 20s, the migraines grew even more common, and her doctors were unable to help. Finally, an alternative health provider recommended an elimination diet, a common tactic to identify one’s migraine trigger. All migraine patients have one or more triggers, whether it’s a food, a smell, or lack of sleep, that sets off their headaches. Removing foods from your diet and adding them back in one at a time is a way to identify food triggers. That’s how Chart discovered that gluten and soy were her problems.

That said, not everyone who says they can’t eat gluten suffers so severely. Some are told by chiropractors or other alternative health practitioners that they cannot eat gluten after undergoing tests using a practice called “applied kinesiology” that is little more than quackery. Others go gluten-free because it’s the latest fad diet.

It’s nice to respect your friends’ wishes when serving them food, but it’s important to know which category they fall into, since gluten restrictions differ if you’ve got celiac compared to if you’re just jumping on the gluten-free band wagon because it sounds like a good idea.

5. Is It Really That Serious or Is It In Their Heads?

The gluten-free crowd is notorious for its strict adherence to avoiding even just a few molecules of gluten. For those with celiac, even the tiniest bit of gluten is a serious matter.

When Askin was first diagnosed with celiac, her doctor told her to avoid bread and pasta, and she did – but continued to be sick. It took her a year or two to learn which foods contained gluten, since oats are typically contaminated, and brewer’s yeast can have gluten, and it can pop up in other strange places.  

This month, she got sick after eating out, because her gluten-free meal was fried in the same oil as food containing gluten. She only had a few bites before the kitchen realized the mistake, but it made her sick all the same.

“People don't understand the consequences of it,” says Askin. “They think it's just a trendy diet. And every time they are careless it has such a huge effect. I have to take off work because I'm too tired, and I have to go to the doctor, and I spend $40 in supplements. Plus it has a correlation with lymphoma and esophageal cancer because it takes a big toll on your body. My lymph nodes swell up like crazy."

Askin obviously has an extreme need to avoid gluten, as do all celiac sufferers. Those who are trying out a gluten-free diet because it’s a trend might not. If you are cooking for a friend who is gluten-free, be sure to ask about her needs. Some, like Askin, cannot eat gluten-free hummus after someone else dips a pita chip (made of wheat) in it. That’s too much contamination for her already. But others might be okay with that, as long as they avoid the pita chips.

6. Which Foods Contain Gluten?

Tricia Thompson has a list of gluten-containing foods on her website. At its core, being gluten-free means avoiding wheat, barley, rye, malt, brewer's yeast, and in most cases, oats. She also offers articles about foods of concern. Beer, unless it’s gluten-free, is out, because it’s made with barley. Soy sauce is out, because it’s typically made with wheat or barley. The gluten-free alternative is tamari, but make sure to read the label just in case.

Now that so many foods are advertised as gluten-free, Thompson launched a site called Gluten Free Watchdog to test products that claim to be gluten-free to see if they really are.

7. Should I Go Gluten Free? 

If you are worried whether you are suffering from a wheat allergy, celiac disease, or a non-celiac gluten sensitivity, the first place to go is to your doctor. Your doctor can perform a blood test to check for celiac, and might also suggest an intestinal biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. It’s also possible to try eliminating gluten from your diet on your own, to see if you notice any changes in your health, but then you won’t have an official diagnosis and the guidance from your doctor that would come with it.

Gluten-free living is not for everyone. It’s not like trans-fat, where the entire world would be better off without it. If you aren’t allergic or sensitive to gluten, then keep enjoying crusty sourdough breads, pizza, cookies, and all of the other glutinous goodies the world has to offer.

Jill Richardson is the founder of the blog La Vida Locavore and a member of the Organic Consumers Association policy advisory board. She is the author of "Recipe for America: Why Our Food System Is Broken and What We Can Do to Fix It."

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Vegan

Matt Frazier

Vegan marathoner; Author, 'No Meat Athlete'

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10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Vegan

Posted: 09/26/2013 12:41 pm

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Diet, Veganism, Vegan Diet, Becoming Vegan, Healthy Living, Vegan Jokes, Meatless Monday, Vegans, Vegatarian, Healthy Living News

How do vegans possibly do it?

Even after I became vegetarian, I turned this question over and over in my mind. I knew that I wanted to quit eating animal products but just couldn't imagine making it work. I had even tried a vegan diet for a month, only to learn in the process that I wasn't ready.

The commitment to officially say "I'm vegan" was a decision I deliberated about for a long time. In the end, it took two full years before I completely cut out eggs, milk, butter, and cheese. But when the time was finally right, there was no question about it.

Two and a half years later, now that this once extreme lifestyle now feels familiar, I have just enough perspective to wish I could go back and give my pre-vegan self (or someone else in my shoes) a few pointers.

So whenever they give us the promised time machines and jetpacks and I get the chance to go back and talk to that guy, here's how I'll help him prepare:

1. The jokes will never stop.

So get used to them, and understand that they don't necessarily indicate a lack of respect.

My dad's favorite line, when he tries some of our food: "This would be great with some meatballs!" It's a joke, of course, and the fact that he says it so often has itself become a joke.

But just about every family or friendly gathering yields a joke from someone who must think they're the first to make it. "Want me to throw a steak on the grill for you? Oh, that's right... ha ha ha!"

An uncle once presented me with a single piece of iceberg lettuce on a plate and announced, for everyone to hear, "Hey Matt, look. Dinner!" I actually smiled at that one.

Get used to the jokes. Laugh them off, or take the opportunity to explain how important your diet choices are to you. Up to you.

2. Giving up the cheese isn't nearly as hard as it seems.

I'm not saying that losing the cheese is easy. Life without cheese takes some adjustment, especially if you rely on it as an essential part of the few vegetarian dishes you can order in "normal" restaurants.

I thought I'd miss cheese as an appetizer, with a glass of wine or a beer. But it didn't take long to discover that when I replaced the cheese with nuts or crackers, these foods were just as satisfying for their saltiness between sips, and I felt a lot better ten minutes later.

I thought I'd miss cheese on pizza. I quickly found that cheeseless pizza wasn't nearly as good as the real thing, but it did the job, and over time, I came to tolerate (and even like) Daiya. Now, vegan pizza is just pizza in my mind, and I haven't lost a thing.

As it turned out the key to giving up that last bit of cheese -- which I clung to for months -- was simply deciding to do so.

3. Being vegan doesn't have to be more expensive, but it will be.

If you do the math, there's no reason eating vegetarian or vegan should be more expensive than eating meat.

At three, five, or eight dollars a pound, meat is one of the more expensive items you'll buy in the grocery store. So if you just replace it, say, with beans that cost a dollar per pound, you'll bank some serious coin.

And yet, I now spend one and a half times or twice as much as I used to on groceries. Why? Because being vegan has led me down the ultra-health-foodie road. I shop at farmers markets and co-ops and Whole Foods more than I ever did before I was vegan, and I pay extra for organic. Going vegan led me to learn more about food, to the point that I'm scared not to be hyper-selective and skeptical about what I buy.

I'm sure you've heard the adage by now: "Pay for it now, or pay for it later." The money we spend on the healthiest food possible is an investment in our future health that will pay off down the road.

4. Most of your meals will be one-dish wonders.

Believe it or not, this has been the toughest part for me -- I lost a lot of my interest in cooking when I cut meat and then dairy out of my diet. (I realize I'm in the minority when I say this; most vegan chefs I've talked to didn't discover their passion for food until they went vegan.)

Here's what happened:

First, vegan food took a little more work to prepare. Second, without meat or cheese to supply lots of protein and fat without carbohydrate, there wasn't the need to balance it with a high-carb side dish to keep this runner going.

So instead of making two or three different dishes for dinner, I shifted to one-dish meals: pastas, stir-fries, gigantic salads, smoothies, and a grain, a green, and a bean all in one pot.

It was a matter of practicality and simplicity, which, although less "gourmet," fit perfectly well with other shifts in my lifestyle precipitated by my change in diet.

5. You will impact many more people than you realize.

I didn't expect friends and family to change as a result of my decision. I didn't set out to change anybody.

But -- completely aside from this blog -- I've had at least a half dozen friends excitedly tell me about how they eat less meat now. Some have become pescetarian, vegetarian, and even vegan.

People notice, even when your approach to influence is of the "quiet" form.

So...

6. Be prepared for a feeling of responsibility, and the compulsion to hold yourself to a higher standard than before.

There's a stereotype that vegans are skinny and weak. And it's a deserved one, because so many vegans have always been exactly that.

As the plant-based fitness movement grows, this is beginning to change. But keep in mind that even though you are aware of this shift because you're so closely involved in it, most people have no clue about this. To them, vegans are still skinny and weak, by necessity.

Of course it's your choice whether you want to play into this stereotype or make yourself a stark counterexample. For me, it has been the latter.

The reminder that I'm an ambassador (as anyone who is vegan is, wittingly or not) has been a big part of my drive to stay fit, to go after ultrarunning accomplishments and to make an effort to keep on at least a little bit of muscle, even when running and my body type make that tough.

The need to be an example goes beyond fitness, of course -- for instance, I try hard to be the opposite of the stereotypical "preachy" vegan, too. Many vegans find their identity in being preachy, which is cool, but it's not for me.

7. No matter how much you try to not make it a big deal, it's gonna be a big deal.

I haven't met vegans who are more laid back about it than my wife and I are. We don't try to get people to go vegan, we're supportive when people tell us they're eating more whole foods even when their diet is more Paleo than vegan, and neither of us is the type that enjoys debating about how anyone "should" eat.

And yet, even with such a relaxed attitude and an avoidance of anything that could be considered pushy, I'd estimate that after we went vegan, we started eating dinners with family and friends about half as much as before, maybe even less.

Being vegan is a big deal, whether you make it that way or not. Some people will think you're judging them and won't dare try to prepare a meal for you, even if only because they're afraid they'll do a poor job of it. Others just don't want to make the effort, and that's totally understandable. And while there's no reason we couldn't invite those same people over to our place just as often as before, I can see how a vegan dinner would be unappealing to less adventurous eaters, and as a result I think I extend the invitation a little less often than before (note to self: I need to work on this).

8. You will be pleasantly surprised at who your biggest supporters are.

The flip side of eating less meals with friends and family as a whole is that it will become delightfully obvious who thinks it's really awesome that you eat this way, who will go out of their way to make sure you've got something to eat at any event they host, and who will be eager to try your food and ask you intelligent questions about how you eat.

This has meant a ton to me. It's a new and wonderful quality you'll discover in people you already know well and love -- and when someone treats you this way, you feel recognized, respected, and loved in return.

9. Sometimes it feels lonely, but you are not alone.

I've never had a strong desire to "cheat" for pleasure. More often that desire has been rooted in convenience or not wanting to make a scene, and tiny allowances in these situations are something I recently decided to take more seriously and abstain from entirely.

But over the past two years, there have been a few points where I felt like I was alone in the way I chose to eat, and those moments were tougher than any fleeting desire for gustatory pleasure or convenience.

I've gotten through those times by reminding myself that I'm not at all alone. Thanks to the connections technology affords us, there is a huge and supportive community that will make you feel ecstatic about your choices, whatever they are. You only have to look for these people -- and sometimes, you don't even have to do that. (You know the joke about how to find the vegan at the dinner party, right?)

Long-term, it has been this connection with people of similar mindsets, in person but mostly online, that has made moments of doubt increasingly rare.

10. You don't have to get weirder when you go vegan, but you will.

The fun part. Being vegan has changed so much else about me, encouraging me to explore my uniqueness and pushing me towards and beyond the edges of what's considered mainstream ... from ditching the microwave to putting broccoli in smoothies to owning very few things.

There's no reason that I had to become vegan before I embraced weirdness. And there's no reason the choice to go vegan has to be the choice to go weird (outside of your diet). But for me, that's how it worked out.

And I love it that way.

Yay? Nay?

I've learned -- mostly from blogging about my journey -- that in many ways I'm not the typical vegan. So I expect that there will be plenty of agreement and disagreement with this post, and I'm looking forward to hearing it. Let me know what you think!

Visit Matt's website nomeatathlete.com for more articles like this.

Follow Matt Frazier on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NoMeatAthlet

Liquid Nitrogen And Food: A Potentially Lethal Concoction

Liquid Nitrogen And Food: A Potentially Lethal Concoction

October 9, 2012

Image Credit: Photos.com

April Flowers for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online

In the UK last week, an 18 year old woman’s birthday celebration ended in emergency surgery to remove her perforated stomach. The cause: a cocktail prepared using liquid nitrogen. The tragedy has prompted an intense look at the use of liquid nitrogen in food and beverage preparation.

Gaby Scanlon ingested the “correctly prepared Jagermeister drink made with liquid nitrogen” at her 18th birthday celebration. Shortly thereafter she began to feel sick, “becoming breathless and developing severe stomach pain.” When Gaby reached the hospital, she was diagnosed with a perforated stomach, which had to be removed.

Dr. Malcolm Povey, professor of food physics at Leeds University, explains what probably happened to Gaby.

“The liquid nitrogen would rapidly change into gas and blow the stomach up like a balloon,” he said. “The idea that people put this stuff in drinks is just unbelievable.”

At a boiling point of -196C, liquid nitrogen is used for a variety of industrial applications including coolant for computers, to remove skin growths and cancers, and in cryogenic studies where scientists examine the effects of very cold temperatures on materials.

Top restaurants have increasingly used it as a method for instantly freezing food and drinks, or creating a cloud or vapor special effect. Chef Heston Blumenthal made the avant-garde cooking technique famous with his nitro-scrambled egg and bacon ice cream and nitro-parched aperitifs at his Berkshire, UK, restaurant, the Fat Duck.

Since then, it has become a popular technique at restaurants and dozens of recipes have shown up on the internet.

University of Bristol’s School of Physics Professor Peter Barham says that liquid nitrogen is “simply the harmless gas nitrogen, which has been cooled to such a low temperature that it becomes a liquid”.

If not handled properly, Barham says, the liquefied gas can cause frostbite or cryogenic burns. Using it in cooking is fine, as long as proper safety measures are taken.

“If liquid nitrogen is added to a liquid such as an ice-cream mixture, it cools the liquid rapidly while it boils away and produces a cloud of vapor. The technique is used by some restaurants to prepare instant ice creams at the table – the rapid freezing produces an ice cream with particularly small ice crystals which has a very smooth texture,” he says.

Ingesting liquid nitrogen should never be done, and it is essential that all the liquid has evaporated before any food or drink prepared with it is used.

Gaby Scanlon’s tragedy has prompted the UK’s Food Standards Agency to issue a warning, telling consumers to “take care when drinking cocktails made with this substance.”

Director of public health for the county of Cumbria, Dr. John Ashton said that Gaby was “the victim of an irresponsible alcohol industry that’s now competing on gimmicks.” The police say the bar involved has suspended selling drinks prepared with liquid nitrogen and is cooperating with the investigation.

John Emsley, science writer and fellow at the Royal Society of Chemistry, says that if more than a “trivial” amount of liquid nitrogen is swallowed the results are disastrous.

“If you drank more than a few drops of liquid nitrogen, certainly a teaspoon, it would freeze, and become solid and brittle like glass. Imagine if that happened in the alimentary canal or the stomach. The liquid also quickly picks up heat, boils and becomes a gas, which could cause damage such as perforations or cause a stomach to burst,” he says.

Emsley asserted he would be surprised if someone could swallow liquid nitrogen. “It would be extremely cold in anyone’s mouth – people would want to spit it out immediately,” he says.

Emsley believes the liquid nitrogen is safe in the hands of chefs and bartenders trained to use it, he suggests that there should be a very strong warning not to “play” with it. “It can be a bit of a novelty in the hands of experts, but it would be a different territory in the hands of the general public.”

“If you put your finger in liquid nitrogen, it would go rock solid and fall off,” he says.

David Morris, Tory MP for Morecambe and Lunsdale, UK, has called for a ban on drinks made with liquid nitrogen following Scanlon’s ordeal. “I would like to see these drinks banned from sale so we do not see anyone else’s son or daughter injured or even killed.”

Source: April Flowers for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online

Topics: Nitrogen, Matter, Food and drink, Ice cream, Cryogenics, Liquid nitrogen, Chemistry, Chemical elements, United Kingdom

Read more at http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112709477/liquid-nitrogen-food-100912/#QZlQCRmtyHbPhBch.99

Issues of the Sanitation of Ice-Making Equipment

Food Safety Magazine



PROCESS CONTROL | August/September 2013

The Sanitation of Ice-Making Equipment

By Robert W. Powitz, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.S., C.F.S.P.

Sixty years ago, an article on the sanitation of crushed ice was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.[1] The authors commented that an investigation of crushed ice revealed heavy contamination with coliform organisms. They opined that the contaminants can be introduced into crushed ice in many ways, chiefly by dust from the floors of freezing rooms, trucks and restaurants as well as by reusing soiled containers and through human hand contact. Of these, it was no small wonder that handling during dispensing was found to be the most prolific source.

It took another 15 years for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a publication in which epidemiologists traced several outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness—including noroviruses—to the use of contaminated ice, although many of these were in hospital settings (see “Safe Ice: The Cold, Hard Facts”). Nonetheless, ice is no different from food or water when viewed as a comestible. However, there are differences between ice and potentially hazardous foods. First, even though the temperature of ice is well within the “safety zone,” ice machines are prone to microbial contamination. Even clean, potable water can become contaminated ice in ways that may not be readily apparent. Secondly, using a classical Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points approach in evaluating the use of ice in the average retail food establishment will reveal that ice manufacturing, storage, distribution and handling is quite complex because of its almost universal use in preparation, service and as a food. The analysis will reveal Critical Control Points we would never imagine when dealing with meat or poultry. Additionally, applying a detailed plan review to the use and traffic of ice in a typical restaurant, the patterns that are revealed would make any sanitarian cringe, particularly those that lead to multiple and inappropriate handling practices. Finally, because ice is so common and its use is constant and universal, we tend to view ice much the same way we do water. The assumption is that both water and ice are clean, with the latter merely being an extension of the tap.

Controlling Contamination
Since the recognition of ice as a source of microbial contamination, science has given us a better understanding of biofilm production and its control. Biofilms are a collection of microorganisms, mainly bacteria, growing together in a matrix of polymers secreted by the microorganisms. The associated slime formation is mold or fungus that accumulates from bacterial growth on surfaces constantly exposed to clinging water drops and warm temperatures. The biofilm may cause objectionable flavors and odors in ice. Once well-developed biofilms establish themselves on surfaces, cleaning and sanitation become much more difficult. Biofilms have a shielding effect on the bacterial cells that live within them. It is well known that normal cleaning and sanitizing methods may not control or eliminate biofilms, but rather they must be physically removed or prevented from forming on surfaces. For instance, Listeria can be 1,000 times harder to eliminate if it is living in a protective biofilm and can be a continual source of pathogenic and spoilage organisms if not completely removed.

Manufacturers of ice machines recognize the biofilm phenomenon and have engineered units that minimize its formation and facilitate its removal. Clean ice, clean ice storage bins and sanitary handling practices are the key to improving the product quality.

The current and traditional methods of sanitation have come under scrutiny by the manufacturers of ice machines and providers of standards for these units, such as NSF International (NSF/ANSI 12–2012: Automatic Ice Making Equipment). Because of manufacturers’ initiatives, users are given more options for ice machine configurations, capacities and methods of delivery to minimize the inherent problems of the earlier units. These enhancements include automated cleaning cycles, light indicators when the unit needs cleaning and servicing, sensors that detect scale buildup and construction with materials that facilitate ease of cleaning and confer a degree of bacteriostasis on its wettable parts. In addition, manufacturers report that 70 percent of ice machine performance problems are associated with the water supply, through poor water quality, slow fill or insufficient water supply, and have acted accordingly to cope with these problems as well. All manufacturers now provide customers with valuable information on selection and operations.

The Regulatory Environment
The regulatory community has become more aware of the potential for contamination and is now asking questions as part of the inspection process regarding frequency and methods of routine sanitation, and operations and maintenance in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations. When ice machines are inspected, it is clear that many are not cleaned and sanitized very often, if ever. Mold and slime buildup inside them is quite visible. Numerous studies show that dirty, contaminated ice is more common than people think.

As the ice-making machine has changed, so have the laws governing ice used for human consumption. Consider the following. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Code is the standard. Chapter 1 part 1-201.10 defines ice as food. This mandates ice to the same handling and cleanliness standards as everything else in retail food, including manufacturing equipment. Ice itself falls under 40 C.F.R. 141 governing drinking water purity. Ice machine cleaning is governed by Food Law 2009 Chapter 4 part 602.11 section (E) item (4a and b), which states that the machines must be cleaned “at a frequency specified by the manufacturer,” which in most instances ranges from two to four times per year, or “at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil or mold.” Ice machine sanitizing is governed by Chapter 4 part 702.11, which states that the ice contact surfaces must be sanitized after each cleaning. Annex 7 Form 2A section 5 states: Federal law provides under the Criminal Fine Enforcement Act of 1984 for a fine up to $100,000 for a misdemeanor by a corporation or individual not resulting in death and, for misdemeanors resulting in death, a fine of up to $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations. The bottom line is that cleaning and sanitizing the ice machine on a regular basis is required by law, whereas operations and maintenance in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations extend the optimal life of the unit and help minimize risk of contamination.

There are several common-sense guidelines that should be followed to avoid liability problems associated with contaminated ice in addition to adhering to manufacturers’ recommendations on cleaning and maintenance. Not mentioned in most manufacturers’ instructions are the following common-sense issues:

The sanitary handling of ice. All workers who handle ice should be taught the following precautions:

•    Wash hands before obtaining ice.

•    Hold the ice scoop by the handle and do not touch other parts of the scoop.

•    Do not handle the ice with hands.

•    Do not return unused ice to ice storage chest or ice machine.

The sanitation of equipment. The following practices should be part of the facility’s operations:

•    Keep the access doors to ice storage chests and ice machines closed except when removing ice.

•    Ice scoops should be smooth and protected against contact with contaminated surfaces such as floors, access door handles, service carts and non-food contact surfaces, to cite a few examples. Scoops should be kept on an uncovered stainless steel, impervious plastic or fiberglass tray when not in use. The tray and scoop should be cleaned daily in the kitchen scullery dishwasher.

•    Remove all extraneous equipment and items from around or in the ice storage chests and ice-making machines, and if possible, limit access to them.

•    Clean the ice storage chests on preferably a weekly schedule, but no less than monthly.

•    Consider routine microbiologic sampling of the ice and ice contact surfaces of the machine. Although this is not necessary, it can provide guidance on cleaning frequency and methods.

As a final note, there is an excellent guideline on procedures for cleaning contaminated ice machines developed by the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Food Sanitation and Environmental Health, DEHE. It’s available atphc.amedd.army.mil/PHC%20Resource%20Library/57-019-1205ProceduresforCleaningIceMachinesfs.pdf. 

Forensic sanitarian Robert W. Powitz, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.S., C.F.S.P., is principal consultant and technical director of Old Saybrook, CT–based R.W. Powitz & Associates, a professional corporation of forensic sanitarians who specialize in environmental and public health litigation support services to law firms, insurance companies, governmental agencies and industry. For more than 12 years, he was the director of environmental health and safety for Wayne State University in Detroit, MI, where he continues to hold the academic rank of adjunct professor in the College of Engineering. He also served as director of biological safety and environment for the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center at Orient Point, NY. Among his honors, Powitz has received the NSF/NEHA Walter F. Snyder Award for achievement in attaining environmental quality and the AAS Davis Calvin Wagner Award for excellence as a sanitarian and advancing public health practice. He is the first to hold the title of Diplomate Laureate in the American Academy of Sanitarians and is a diplomate in the American Academy of Certified Consultants and Experts and with the American Board of Forensic Engineering and Technology. Dr. Powitz can be reached at Powitz@sanitarian.com or through his website at www.sanitarian.com.

Reference
1. Sanitation of crushed ice. 1953. JAMA 153(12):1101.
 

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Safe Ice: The Cold, Hard Facts

As all frequent travelers know, it’s best to avoid drinking beverages that contain ice when in less-developed countries. The ice could be made from contaminated water, and that can make you sick. But local ice made with fresh water should always be safe, right?

In fact, ice can and does cause foodborne illness in developed countries such as the United States. Some of the illnesses are caused by bacteria and some are caused by viruses. Many outbreaks have been linked to the presence of norovirus in the ice. In some cases, the norovirus came from contaminated well water that had been used to make the ice, in other cases, from poor handling practices. Other outbreaks associated with ice consumption have been caused by Salmonella, hepatitis A and Escherichia coli O157:H7.

There is no excuse for using contaminated water to make ice; freezing water does not kill bacteria, nor does it inactivate viruses. Viral particles can survive undamaged in ice for lengthy periods, and just a few viral particles can cause illness. In fact, norovirus has been described as the most infectious agent ever studied in humans. It accounts for more than one-half of all foodborne illnesses. Last year, over 11,000 children in Europe were sickened by norovirus that was in a shipment of frozen strawberries from China. Norovirus usually finds its way into food, including ice, due to poor handling practices. Norovirus originates in human fecal matter, and improperly washed hands are thought to be the main cause of contamination. If you have ever seen a bar person drag a glass through an ice tub with his bare hands or watched an employee drop the ice scoop back into an ice machine bin with the handle coming into contact with the ice, you have seen a norovirus outbreak waiting to happen.

If ice is handled with care, many problems can be prevented. However, the ice itself must be safe to begin with. Most commercial quantities of ice are made using ice machines or ice makers that are permanently connected to a water supply. It is the responsibility of the ice machine operator to ensure that the water supply is safe. If the water comes from a well on the premises, the water must be tested frequently. If it is connected to a municipal water supply, remember that if the authorities notify you of any problem with the water, then the ice from the ice machine may not be safe.

Cleaning and sanitizing the ice machine is another very important step to provide safe ice. Ice machines should be cleaned and sanitized using the chemical products supplied by the machine manufacturer at least once per month. Machines on some sites will require even more frequent cleaning, especially those in environments with dusty air, high humidity or high airborne microbiological load. Bakeries, microbreweries, sandwich outlets with on-site baking and bars with draft beer on tap can have high concentrations of airborne yeast, and this can cause microbiological buildup to happen very quickly inside ice machines in these environments.

Needless to say, cleaning an ice machine can be a difficult and expensive exercise. In a large commercial kitchen, it is often performed by outside contractors, and these contracts can be the first to be downsized when cost-cutting measures are called for. In addition, deep cleaning and servicing involve dismantling the equipment, which can be difficult to do without disrupting kitchen service.

Some ice machines are better designed than others for ease of cleaning. Nooks and crannies, joints and deeply squared internal corners are difficult to clean because cloths and brushes do not penetrate easily. A well-designed ice machine will have rounded internal corners on its ice chutes and ice bins, smooth internal surfaces and an easy-to-access, ice-making chamber. External surfaces should be impervious, corrosion resistant and designed so that food scraps, grime and dust can easily be wiped off. Water contact and ice contact surfaces inside the machine should be made only from food-safe materials to prevent
migration of unwanted chemicals into the ice.

Ice machine sanitation has recently received a boost from new technology that can aid in the prevention of biofilm formation. Many new models of ice makers include a built-in device that uses ultraviolet (UV) light technology to convert air and water vapor from inside the ice machine into powerful oxidants that circulate through the machine and destroy microorganisms.

Retrofit systems using a similar UV disinfection technology are also on the market and can be installed into all makes and models of commercial ice machine equipment. Both the factory-installed and retrofit systems require only a simple annual UV lamp replacement to maintain effectiveness. Users of these devices
report significantly cleaner ice-making chambers, with less mold and slime.
  
Karen Constable is the certification manager of HACCP International.

Categories: Sanitation: Biofilm Control, Food Prep/Handling, Personal Hygiene/Handwashing, SSOPs