FitSugar

Salmonella Update: Not Just the Tomatoes Anymore!

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:30:00 -0700

If you've been avoiding tomatoes for fear of getting a salmonella infection then you're going to have to add serrano and jalapeno peppers, as well as cilantro to your "do not eat" list.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Food and Drug Administration has begun looking at serrano and jalapeno peppers and cilantro - basically the ingredients used to make salsa - as possible causes of the outbreak. Tomatoes continue to be investigated as well. With over a thousand folks infected at this point, some officials are calling this the worst foodborne illness outbreak in the US in a decade - yikes!

Me, I've starting eating tomatoes again, but I'm going to try to steer clear of the spicy peppers in question as well as the tasty herb. Most of you said you weren't avoiding tomatoes, so will you be avoiding the peppers and cilantro (perhaps even salsa) until this all is cleared up?

Source

Biggest Headline of 2008: The Salmonella Scare

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Feasting on tomatoes this Summer seemed a bit like playing Russian Roulette. In early June reports of tomatoes contaminated with salmonella made headlines. The contamination grew like a virus in an incubator. First we learned that the tainted tomatoes were in 16 states, but the number rapidly increased to include 30 states.

As the FDA investigated the salmonella outbreak, serrano and jalapeno peppers as well as cilantro were added to the list of suspicious foods. Suddenly salsa just seemed off-limits, and around 1,500 cases of salmonella were reported overall. Tracking down the source of the infection proved difficult. International borders were involved, and tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro are often sold without tags. Plus, by the time a person becomes symptomatic, the tainted produce is no longer around to test. Ultimately, a possible source was found on a couple farms in Mexico when irrigation water and serrano peppers tested positive for the strain of salmonella. Mexico strongly disagreed with the FDA's findings and the case is not completely closed, but food safety continues to concern many Americans.

Source

Kraft Shredded Cheese Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:00:00 -0800

I'm not going to lie to you - I love cheese. I use it all the time to add a hint of flavor, protein, calcium, and cheesy goodness to my foods. I honestly believe that cheese makes everything better. I also love anything that makes my life easier, so every week, I buy bags of shredded cheese to sprinkle on my salads, soups, sandwiches, pasta, and omelets.

When I walked down the dairy aisle, there's a huge variety of shredded cheeses, and I wondered how they compared nutritionally. So I decided to make this handy chart of Kraft shredded cheeses. For all the 8-ounce packages, the serving sizes varied between either seven, eight, or nine servings per bag. I did some calculations to make it easier to compare them, so all these numbers are based on 1-ounce serving sizes.

Serving Size = 1 ounce	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Mild Cheddar	112	9	6.8	25	33.8	1	6.8
Mild Cheddar Finely Shredded	110	9	6	25	180	1	6

To see the rest read more.

Serving Size = 1 ounce	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
2% Milk Reduced Fat Mild Cheddar	80	6	3.5	20	230	1	7
Sharp Cheddar	123.8	10	6.8	28	180	1	6.8
Sharp Cheddar Finely Shredded	110	9	6	25	180	1	6
2% Milk Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar	80	6	3.5	20	230	1	7
Fat-Free Cheddar	45	0	0	5	280	1	9
Organic Cheddar (6 oz. bag)	120	10	6	30	180	1	6
Low Moisture Mozzarella	80	5	3.5	15	200	1	7
Low Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella	80	5	3.5	20	220	1	6
2% Milk Reduced Fat Mozzarella	70	4	2.5	15	200	1	8
Fat-Free Mozzarella	45	0	0	5	340	2	8
Organic Mozzarella (6 oz. bag)	80	5	3.5	15	200	1	7
Mozzarella and Parmesan	90	6	4	20	210	1	6
Monteray Jack	100	8	5	25	190	1	6
Colby & Monteray Jack	100	8	5	25	190	1	6
Colby & Monteray Jack Finely Shredded	100	8	5	25	190	1	6
2% Milk Reduced Fat Colby & Monteray Jack	80	5	3.5	15	230	1	7
Cheddar & Monteray Jack	100	8	6	25	170	1	6
Swiss	110	8	5	25	60	1	7
Mexican Cheddar Jack	110	9	5	25	190	1	6
2% Milk Reduced Fat Mexican Four Cheese	80	5	3.5	15	240	1	7
Mexican Cheddar Jack With Jalapeno Peppers	110	9	5	25	190	1	6
Mexican Taco	105	8.8	6.1	26	210	.9	6
Italian Style Five Cheese	90	6	3.5	20	240	1	7
Pizza Four Cheese	90	7	4.5	20	220	1	6
Pizza Mozzarella & Cheddar	90	7	4.5	20	200	1	6