The sad state of our supermarkets

[dans]

Severl recent possts (and older ones, too) have discussed food safety issues. The topic du jour is Spinach tainted with e. coli that has been all over the news. Another recent one involved swordfish and parasites.. None of this is news to a lot of us here. With so many people directly involved with food and its sources, you would expect nothing less. My rant today is about our markets were food safety seems to be non-existent.

Today, I went shopping for dinner. I was thinking that an appetizer of pan-seaed scalops might be nice. My wife is in-town and she loves them. They are easy to prepare and are pretty versatile. So I go into the local Whole Foods (Whole Paycheck as I've heard it referred to) and ask for some. I usually as the counter-man (are they really fish mongers or are they just clerks theat are rotated into the fish department for the day) to put them in a tub rather than a plastic bag since they are easier to work with when I cook them. Today I got the usual strange look and an added bonus. When I got the tub back it looked like he had killed a fly and put it in with my dinner. When I asked what it was that was in there, he said it wasbreading from an adjacent product (ready-to-cook fish of some sort). He was pretty indignant when I told him I didn't want my scallops breaded and would he prepare another 1/2 pound - and changing his gloves to ensure this next one was not cross-contaminated.

Now, I'm not really that much of a curmudgeon. I will usually let a lot of things slide and me being too picky. But when it comes to my safety and health, I'm a little finicky. There are some local supermarket chains that I just won't shop at because they are just too dirty. And when I'm at the others, almost the first thing out of my mouth is to ask the counter help to change thier plastic gloves before preparing my order. I watched one clerk at the butcher counter fix up a package of chicken breasts for the customer before me and was reaching for my beef when I stopped him and asked if he was going to change his gloves. I could go on, but you are getting the picture.

What is the problem with these places. Haven't they heard of food safety, sanitation and hygene or are they just thinking it doesn't apply to them? Has common sense taken a back seat to profits?

What do you think? Have you encountered similar problems where you shop? Whaat is the reation when you point out the infraction?

[Behemoth]

I basically assume there is a long line of gross stuff that happens before the food ever gets to the supermarket. (This was the case with the spinach, as well as the sworfish parasites, yes?) If it is going to be cleaned and cooked at home, I don't worry about it. If I am buying cooked food, (e.g., a sandwich) I am more careful.

[srhcb]

While it's hard to argue with safety concerns, I feel the amount of time, energy, and associated cost that must be devoted to going from 99.9% to 99.91% safe renders such arguments moot?

SB (although I wouldn't accept my employees being rude to a cusotmer)

[gariotin]

I won't buy any fresh food in a chain supermarket anymore - fish, meat, produce. I go to small stores and WF, but don't trust the big guys.

[Darcie B]

Personally I feel that we in the U.S. have one of the safest, most abundant, easily accessible and low-cost food supplies in the world. These rare cases of E. coli, etc. are just that - rare, and also generally not the fault of the supermarket. Food safety is quite fine in my neck of the woods.

[gariotin]

Well, you are right Darcie - it is not exactly safety that keeps me away. I agree that supermarket food is sanitary and clean. I just think the quality is not what I would like. When I buy produce from a produce store, it always looks fresher and seems to last longer in my fridge. I don't know, but I would think that when buyers to go big produce markets, there are probably grades of fruits and vegs. I just don't think big chains buy the top quality. Fish is always older and does not look as appealing as a small local fishmonger, or even Whole Foods. And after reading "Fast Food Nation"...I am not going to rush to buy commercial meat.

[Kayakado]

It is food safety issues in general, store policies, and the lack of education of the employees who handle the stuff.. I have a sensitivity to the alkaline in green potatoes - it makes me violently ill. The way potatoes are put out for purchase in most supermarkets is so bad, I have had to stop buying them at all. Caveat emptor.

[TAPrice]

It is food safety issues in general, store policies, and the lack of education of the employees who handle the stuff..  I have a sensitivity to the alkaline in green potatoes - it makes me violently ill.  The way potatoes are put out for purchase in most supermarkets is so bad, I have had to stop buying them at all.  Caveat emptor.

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Could you elaborate on how the method of displaying the potatoes encourages them to green? What changes could be made?

[Kayakado]

Potatoes exposed to light produce a bitter-tasting chemical called solanine, even fluorescent lighting at the supermarket can make them turn green.

Solanine is toxic if consumed in large quantities or if consumed by those sensitive to it. It is recommended that the green sections be cut away and discarded before cooking, but often too much of the potato is involved, you'd have nothing left. Potatoes are supposed to be stored in the dark to prevent the formation of solanine. Some stores cover their potatos with a dark cloth to prevent exposure to light and the areas where root vegetables are sold are dimmer than the other veg sections..

[scubadoo97]

I watched one clerk at the butcher counter fix up a package of chicken breasts for the customer before me and was reaching for my beef when I stopped him and asked if he was going to change his gloves.

The inappropriate use of gloves is rampant. People think just because they are using gloves that it's safe. Too often people working at sandwich shops take money and make sandwiches without replacing gloves or washing them. Who knows how many times they changes those things. I bet some wear the same ones all day. The appearance of cleanliness. We are all about appearances that have little to do with reality but this is off topic. We have a few grocery chains that I refuse to go into. They smell and their freezers are never cold enough.

[adegiulio]

What is the big deal with some breading touching your food? You think that there might be some cross contamination from breading? You think that from scallop shell to that little plastic tub your scallop has been held in a vacuum? I can't imagine the number of contaminants that likely touched those scallops before a small bit of breading landed on them.

In my opinion, people over-react to supposed cross-contamination. The food supply in this country is incredibly safe, though it is getting less and less tasty.

[dans]

While it's hard to argue with safety concerns, I feel the amount of time, energy, and associated cost that must be devoted to going from 99.9% to 99.91% safe renders such arguments moot?

SB (although I wouldn't accept my employees being rude to a cusotmer)

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The problem is that we don't have 99.9% safe food. What we have is sampling of various points within the supply chain that have 99.9% safety.

In most cases, the source of food borne ilness the mishandling by the people in the chain. What I'm complaining about is the lack of attention to food safety at the retail level where I have direct impact and control over what I purchase.

Dan

[dans]

deleted since I wasn't finished yet...

Edited September 25, 2006 by dans (log)

[dans]

What is the big deal with some breading touching your food? You think that there might be some cross contamination from breading? You think that from scallop shell to that little plastic tub your scallop has been held in a vacuum? I can't imagine the number of contaminants that likely touched those scallops before a small bit of breading landed on them.

In my opinion, people over-react to supposed cross-contamination. The food supply in this country is incredibly safe, though it is getting less and less tasty.

←

Well, to start with, the "breading" looked like a dead fly. I DO have a problem with with dead flies (or live ones either) touching my food.

Now even though it was still brneading, I do have a problem with it touching my food. First, I didn't want my scallops breaded. Second, if I wanted breading on my scallops I would like to prepare the breading with the flavors I like. Finally, having worked in th the food industry, most of these "ready to cook" products aren't the best and most fresh of the products in the walk-in. They are the things that are a little old.

Dan

[dans]

The inappropriate use of gloves is rampant.  People think just because they are using gloves that it's safe.  Too often people working at sandwich shops take money and make sandwiches without replacing gloves or washing them.

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You are so right. I dfon't know how many times I've been at shops where the person making sandwiches comes over to take my order without taking off the gloves. I always make sure to ask if they are going to change the gloves before going back to the prep station. They will generally take the gloves of before continuing with the order taking.

Dan

[adegiulio]

Your first post gives the impression that your objection was to some sort of cross-contamination issue. Obviously, a bit of breading on your scallop is undesirable if you don't want your scallops breaded, but from a cross-contamination perspective, it should be the least of your worries.

[Qwerty]

Gloves are more for show than anything...as long as hands are clean and well kept, there is no more danger with gloves than without.

The only time at work when I'll wear gloves is if I am handling raw chicken or fish...chicken cause of the cross contamination issues, fish so that the oils on my hands don't spoil the meat quicker.

But I never wear gloves when cooking or prepping food...who has time?

Dans you sound like a mild germaphobe. I say relax. Ever had a hot dog at a ball game? Eaten a fresh oyster?

Sometimes food will make you sick. Fact of life. Relax, enjoy your food, don't micro-manage it.

Just my .02.

[kutsu]

Dans you sound like one of those people that washes their hands after handling money. Relax, you cannot eliminate contaminants, so chill.

Overthinking the situation is just as likely to make you feel ill.