Posted on 06/06/2008 12:04:36 PM PDT by PROCON
A rare form of tuberculosis caused by illegal, unpasteurized dairy products, including the popular queso fresco cheese, is rising among Hispanic immigrants in Southern California and raising fears about a resurgence of a strain all but eradicated in the U.S.
Cases of the Mycobacterium bovis strain of TB have increased in San Diego county, particularly among children who drink or eat dairy foods made from the milk of infected cattle, a study in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases shows.
But the germ can infect anyone who eats contaminated fresh cheeses sold by street vendors, smuggled across the Mexican border or produced by families who try to make a living selling so-called “bathtub cheese” made in home tubs and backyard troughs.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I'm skeptical!
They may say something about "you really should not eat cheese from street vendors"; but they will not crack down, close shops, fine people big bucks, detain or ship out to country of origin. They will just try to help the poor ILLEGALS who are making and selling ILLEGAL foods.
vaudine
One way or another these $%#@ing ILLEGALS are going to kill us all. Now it’s with a disease virtually wiped out in the U.S. approx 100 years ago.
Call it Undocumented Cheese and it will be more acceptable to the consumer.
Eat or drink anything that comes out of a bathtub and you deserve what you get.
I like cheese.
Hey, no problem—US citizens are ready and willing to pay for treatment. Just ask McCain and obama.
Bathtub Cheese: Another “benefit” of open borders.
Tu-brie-culosis?
Too cheesy! :-)
Just ask Cosmo Kramer!
Weren’t there some libertarians on FR arguing that government has no business regulating banning the sale of unpasteurized dairy products? or requiring country of origin labels or anything else?
Hmm. Unhappy cows, I see.
Thanks for posting; ping; ping.
Health/life BUMP!
We must import this new TB. It is part and parcel of the Latino Culture and must be welcomed with open arms and Open Welfare in the interests of Multiculturalism and the needs of Aztlan.
I'm partial to bathtub mousse.
ping
I should have the right to eat unpasteurized dairy products if I want to. I would have no trouble eating unpasteurized cheese from a small local artisan cheese maker. I would not eat unpasteurized products from Kraft or from a producer of whom I’m unfamiliar.
I have no problem requiring labeling of unpasteurized cheese products. Some people are unwilling to take the risk and for others it is ill advised. But just because some people shouldn’t eat unpasteurized milk products isn’t a good reason to keep those of us who like them from being able to buy them.
This is just an attempt to equate sale of unpasteurized cheese from reputable sources like friends, the Amish, France,etc. with nasty, TB ridden illegal immigrant businesses. Remember the gubbermint is here to HEP YOU.
Bathtub cheese.....Yuk.
Well, I sure as heck will NOT buy cheese from anyone in front of Home Depot if this is happening.
Thanks, bfl
Of course if immigrants were going through proper channels, they would be screened for disease.
And the FDA should look at these foods that are being sold in America that have been smuggled into the country.
"Drinking raw (untreated) milk or eating raw milk products is "like playing Russian roulette with your health," says John Sheehan, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Division of Dairy and Egg Safety. "We see a number of cases of foodborne illness every year related to the consumption of raw milk."
"More than 300 people in the United States got sick from drinking raw milk or eating cheese made from raw milk in 2001, and nearly 200 became ill from these products in 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Raw milk may harbor a host of disease-causing organisms (pathogens), such as the bacteria campylobacter, escherichia, listeria, salmonella, yersinia, and brucella. Common symptoms of foodborne illness from many of these types of bacteria include diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, headache, vomiting, and exhaustion.
"Most healthy people recover from foodborne illness within a short period of time, but others may have symptoms that are chronic, severe, or life-threatening.
"People with weakened immune systems, such as elderly people, children, and those with certain diseases or conditions, are most at risk for severe infections from pathogens that may be present in raw milk. In pregnant women, Listeria monocytogenes-caused illness can result in miscarriage, fetal death, or illness or death of a newborn infant. And Escherichia coli infection has been linked to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that can cause kidney failure and death.
"Some of the diseases that pasteurization can prevent are tuberculosis, diphtheria, polio, salmonellosis, strep throat, scarlet fever, and typhoid fever.
"Drinking raw (untreated) milk or eating raw milk products is "like playing Russian roulette with your health," says John Sheehan, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Division of Dairy and Egg Safety. "We see a number of cases of foodborne illness every year related to the consumption of raw milk."
"More than 300 people in the United States got sick from drinking raw milk or eating cheese made from raw milk in 2001, and nearly 200 became ill from these products in 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Raw milk may harbor a host of disease-causing organisms (pathogens), such as the bacteria campylobacter, escherichia, listeria, salmonella, yersinia, and brucella. Common symptoms of foodborne illness from many of these types of bacteria include diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, headache, vomiting, and exhaustion.
"Most healthy people recover from foodborne illness within a short period of time, but others may have symptoms that are chronic, severe, or life-threatening.
"People with weakened immune systems, such as elderly people, children, and those with certain diseases or conditions, are most at risk for severe infections from pathogens that may be present in raw milk. In pregnant women, Listeria monocytogenes-caused illness can result in miscarriage, fetal death, or illness or death of a newborn infant. And Escherichia coli infection has been linked to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that can cause kidney failure and death.
"Some of the diseases that pasteurization can prevent are tuberculosis, diphtheria, polio, salmonellosis, strep throat, scarlet fever, and typhoid fever.
Elaine [eating dinner with Kramer, Elaine, and Puddy]: “Mmm. This food is fantastic, Peggy: And what a pretty radish rose, huh?”
Kramer: “Well, thank you.”
Elaine: “Here’s to Peggy, on her first week of being germ-free, free.”
[all four make toast]
Kramer: “Yeah. And here’s to David Puddy for helping me install a much needed and much appreciated garbage disposal in my bathtub.”
[all four make another toast]
Peggy: “You have a garbage disposal in your bathtub?”
Kramer: “Oh, yeah, and I use it all the time. Yeah, I made this whole meal in there.”
Elaine: “This food was in the shower with you?”
Kramer: “Mm-hmm. I prepared it as I bathed.”
[Peggy, Elaine, and Puddy all gag and wretch]
Puddy: “Oh, germs. Germs. Germs!”
< /SEINFELD >
another Lou Dobbs scare headline (sarc)
At least the Mexicans are thoughtful enough to bring along their own strain of TB so as not to deplete our supply. It also provides variety because no country should be limited to only one strain of TB.
but but way back in 1900 Commie Alex cockburn said some folks down there caught a cold from us
what about from Jessica Alba’s?
"Aw, cheeze! Not 'dis again!"
You must be a man :D
LOL..you are cracking me up today!
I don’t actually care about the FDA’s opinion about this. The FDA should only be in the business of making sure the producer is not lying to me. If they say their products originate in a certain country or produced in a certain fashion, the FDA should be able to be sure the producer is being truthful. I am in charge of my health and safety NOT the government. As long as I am being given accurate information for the producer, I will decide for myself whether or not to take the risk.
I drink goat raw milk on a regular basis from a small producer in my area. The producer has his nannies and his milk tested on a regular basis. Last year, the supply was interrupted because 3 of his nannies had an infection and they dumped the milk from all of their rather than selling from the nannies that were ostensibly healthy and risk making someone sick. I have NEVER gotten ill from their products and have been using them for years.
I would not buy products from a larger producer like Kraft. They buy milk from dairies all over the country and I do not trust that they care as much about their product as the small, local artisan producers. If my small producer accidentally makes someone sick or someone dies after eating their products, they are out of business. Kraft probably wouldn’t be.
I do all kinds of things that the FDA warns against. I eat raw and/or undercooked eggs. (I like mine soft poached or over easy.) I have eaten raw cookie dough since I was a small child. I drank raw cows milk as a small child from the cows my great grandparents owned. Somehow, despite the dire predictions of the FDA, I have managed to survive.
If you are uncomfortable eating raw dairy products, then don’t. But don’t you DARE try to tell me I can’t.
That's just nasty!!
Behind, the power of cheese...
In *bathtubs*?? They folks have rennin water? Probably just some cheesy lawn decor.
Is this why cheese is on sale so often lately?
If they didn't treat illegal immigrants with such velveeta gloves, this kind of thing would have never o-curd.
That cheese is no gouda!
No wonder the kids were afraid to take baths. They were frantically screaming, “Muenster in the tub!”
There could be cows that are infected and there could also be cheese makers that are infected.
What did the Dutch palindromist who owned a dairy farm do in his spare time?
Made edam.
WOW! ;)
Up until about fifteen years ago, we were still finding TB positive cattle in Tennessee and Mississippi. With all of the testing and regulation of the TB program, both states are TB “free”. I say free but know of two veterinarians that contracted TB from cattle and have had severe repercussions from the disease (lungs removed etc). Because of the vigilance of the agricultural community in concert with the Federal program, TB has been sent to the ancient disease category. The illegals working in the US without proper health considerations constitute a threat to our food supply. It would only take one illegal working in a dairy to contaminate a significant number of cattle. Now, go look at the employees at any California dairy.
The laws designed to prevent garbage dairy products like these from getting into the market are crippling responsible Mennonite and other organic farmers. It’s not the non-pasteurization that’s the problem, it’s the infected cows. I don’t want to drink milk (or eat cheese) from tubercular cows whether it’s pasteurized or not.
Thanks for the ping.
Is any of our food safe?
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