Recently the computer services at the corporate office has been upgraded. There are some current capabilities that have not existed in the past. Each of the departments now have email service to make your job in the field easier.

Probably the most important change that can be used immediately by the field is to email your payroll time sheets weekly. Why email and not fax? Payroll sheets sent by fax are sometimes very blurred making them hard to read. Instead of sending your payroll time sheets by fax, send them as an attachment to the payroll department. The payroll department will be able to open your payroll time sheet and print it out and it is very legible, the same as you print in the unit.

Communication to the different departments by email is good. You have a copy of your comments and questions in the email sent box after you have sent an email. In other words you have a record. When a reply is sent by the department, you have a copy of it in your inbox and can refer to the message as often as necessary. As an example, let say you forgot to send your WIR with your invoices. Tina or Stacey will send you a message by email stating they did not receive your WIR. Then you can immediately reply by email, attaching the proper WIR that is being requested. Very simple procedure.

If you are on the school's internet service and have an email mail box then please start sending your payroll by email attachment rather than fax. As we grow in the process any other information that is on your computer that the corporate office needs you can send by email attachment.

Here are the email boxes of each department and the function of that department.

Accounts payables - tina@greatwesterndining.com - handles all vendor invoices

Account receivables - betsy@greatwesterndining.com - handles cash reports and Great Western Dining invoices to customers.

Preliminary checking - stacey@greatwesterndining.com - handles pre-screening of Accounts Payable and Receivables.

Payroll time sheets - payroll@direcpc.com - processes weekly unit time sheets or another address is - michele@greatwesterndining.com either email address will work.

Corporate Office email - gwdining@direcpc.com - emails will be distributed as needed.

Human Resources - agast@greatwesterndining.com - insurance, and to be announced. or another email address - gwd-hr@greatwesterndining.com

The old email address gwdining@iland.net is no longer valid. Iland.net is no longer our provider to the internet or email service.

Please make the necessary changes, since we will not receive emails at the old iland.net address. Make sure you send your email to the correct person, otherwise your payroll may not get processed.

April
20th	Charles Jarrett		Indepenence Community College
23rd	Andrew Menze		Dodge City Community College
23rd	Gary Jones		North Central Missouri College
26th	Blanche Dobson		Western Oklahoma State College

Announcements

1. Food For Thought

   Did you know?:
   Missouri is the black walnut capital of the world. The meat is used for cooking while the shell is used in ceramics, cleaners, explosives, paint and plastics.

   Missouri is a large supplier of Jonathan, Golden and Red Delicious apples, with 32 million pounds of apples produced in 1996.

   Missouri is a leading producer of pasta.

   Missouri's grape industry produced 2,350 tons of grapes in 1996, marking the fifth consecutive year of producing more than 2,000 tons. This Missouri produce is marketed
   fresh and made into jams, jellies, juices and wines.

   Missouri annually produces about $185,000 worth of wool products.
   

   To answer a question that some of you may be thinking about, no, the main corporate office is not moving to Columbia. The Tipton office will remain the accounting center and support center for the field. Payroll will still be generated from the Tipton office. All workman compensation matters will be handled from the Tipton office.
   Welcome aboard Amanda.

Pat on the Back

• To: Chris Hoskins,
  FSD - KS Highway Patrol Training Academy
  

  "My Comments about the dining service are: On behalf of all the attendees at the KCJIS annual Conference I want to thank Chris & her staff for a terrific job! The lunches and snacks, as well as the service, & most importantly, their positive attitude, were "as good as it gets!" Thank you, "

  Gordon Lansford KCJIS Director

• To: Jay Menze
  FSD - Butler County Jail

  "Mr. Steve Bucko: Recently our kitchen at the Butler County Jail was closed for over a week for building maintenance. This created havoc as we still had inmates in the facility to feed. After talking to Jay Menze at the Butler County College he volunteered to fix the meals that were needed. His staff went out of their way to help. When thanking Jay his comment to me was *no thanks needed --we all work for the same company and we all work together*. I would like to give special thanks not only to Jay but to Tiger, Carol, Carolyn, Kevin, Dennis and everyone I am unaware of. They should all be commended for their outstanding service to Great Western Dining. It*s really wonderful working for a company who supports others. Sincerely,"

  Deborah Riggs Site Supervisor Butler County Jail

• To : Dan Karczewski
  FSD - Barton County Community College

  "Dan ... Dr. Law asked that I extend to you and your staff his sincere > appreciation for the luncheon you provided today for the KSU delegation. The KSU cake was a HUGE hit!!! "

  Thanks again, Dan.

• To : Gary Jones Attn: Steve Bucko, Marty Williams
  FSD - North Central Missouri College

  "Though I'd pass along a note from NCMC's librarian, expressing appreciation for Gary's help this semester. He has been great to work with and has been very receptive to both student and faculty requests."

  Thanks, Linda Brown, Interim Dean of Student Services

Meet the Managers

• Linda Hammon, FSD - Clarendon College
  Linda Hammon is the Food Service Director at Clarendon College, in Clarendon, Texas. Linda joined Great Western in July of 1998. Before excepting the position in Clarendon she was at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas where she held the administrative assistant position. Linda graduated in 1996 with a Business Management Degree and has over 40 years foodservice experience. One job in particual was the Riverside House located in Soldotna, Alaska. Linda is married to Cliff and they have four children, Tom age 39, Bobby age 35, Trever age 35, and Travis age 32. There are also 8 grandchildren. In Linda's spare time she loves to read.

• Robert Rogers, FSD - Cowley County Community College
  Robert Rogers is the Food Service Director at Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas. He came aboard with Great Western Dining in August of 2001. Robert graduated from the College of the Ozarks, located in Pt. Lookout, Missouri, in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Administration. Previous foodservice experience include Sodexho Marriott Services and Marriott Management Services located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he was the Food Service Director. He was with the company a total of 12 years. Robert has two children, Austin, age 5 and Harrison, age 3. In his spare time, Robert likes to play golf.

Buck-a-Roo Club

Linda Harper	Monica Rowden	Jennie Fuls
Blanche Dobson	Paul Tharman	Tom Owens
Linda Hammon	Judy Grant	Jeannette Butler
Robert Lattin	Chris Hoskins	Jeff Landreth
Carolyln Blackburn

Accounts Receivable Aging Report:

1. You are receiving these reports, so follow up on them. Most of the time anything over 30 days should be pursued at the unit level.
   
   
2. We always need money to pay your purchases and payroll. If you think logically about it, we expend monies for food purchases, supply purchases and payroll a month in advance of receiving payment from the clients. This is a very large sum of money and a big drain on our bank accounts.
   
   
3. Your cooperation is needed in collecting monies for events that you book and on the board bills. This would definitely improve our cash flow, since we are always behind, because we pay first and receive our funds a month later.
   
   
4. Once people know that you are constantly trying to collect old invoices over 30 days, they get tired of seeing you, so they will be more prompt in payment.

Safety Tips

This month a little test has been prepared to help everyone understand food safety.

Food Safety Quiz
There can be more than one correct answer to a question.

The temperature of the refrigeration units in my unit are:
A. 45 degrees Fahrenheit
B. 40 degrees Fahrenheit
C. I don't know; I never measure them

The last time I had leftover cooked stew or other food with meat, chicken, or fish, the food was:
A. Cooled to room temperature, then put in the refrigerator
B. Put them in the refrigerator immediately after the food was served
C. Left at room temperature overnight or longer

The last time the kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipes were sanitized was:
A. Last night
B. Several weeks ago
C. Never

When using a cutting board to cut raw meat, poultry or fish and it is going to be used for another food item, the board is:
A. Reused as is
B. Wiped with a damp cloth
C. Washed with soap and hot water
D. Washed with soap and hot water and then sanitized

The last time we had hamburgers, they were cooked:
A. Rare
B. Medium
C. Well-Done

The last time there was raw cookie dough at the unit, the dough was:
A. Made with raw eggs, and I sampled some of it.
B. Frozen dough, and I sampled some of it.
C. Not sampled until baked

The counters in the kitchen and other surfaces that come in contact with food are cleaned:
A. Water
B. Hot water and soap
C. Hot water and soap, then bleach solution
D. Hot water and soap, then commerical sanitizing agent
When dishes and pots and pans are washed they are:
A. Cleaned by an automatic dishwasher then air-dried
B. Left to soak in the sink for several hours and then washed with soap in the same
water
C. Washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and air-dried
D. Washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and immediately
towel-dried.

The last time I handled raw meat, poultry or fish, I cleaned my hands afterwards by:
A. Wiping them on a towel
B. Rinsing them under hot, cold or warm tap water
C. Washed them with soap and warm water

Meat, poultry and fish products are defrosted in my unit by:
A. Setting them on the counter
B. Placing them in the refrigerator
C. Placing them in cold water, and changing the water frequently

Highland Community College	Vernon Regional Junior College	Iowa Central Comm. College
Odessa College	Hill College	Western Oklahoma State College
Western Texas College	Frank Phillips College	Amarillo College
Kansas St. Univ. - Salina	Clarendon College	Seward County Comm. College
Howard College	SWCID	New Mexico Junior College
North Central Missouri College	Seminole State College	Barclay College
Cloud County Community College	Kansas State Hwy. Patrol	Camp Horizon Columbia Senior Center
KS Law Enforcement Training Ctr.

Safty Rangers Case Study:

Case Study: Zelda is wiping the hot line after the meal period. While wiping the line Zelda feels a little tingle that goes through her whole body. She reports the incident to Harry. Harry concludes that Zelda is probably a little on the crazy side since he can*t feel anything when he touches the hot line.
( The hot line is all electric) One day when Zelda is clean the hot line a large spark flashes and scares the whits out of Zelda. This time Harry was standing close by and saw the large spark. Finally he calls the maintenance department to check out the reason for the electric flash. The maintenance department finds that the wires going through the hot line are bare and when a little pressure is placed on the hot line the bare wire makes contact with the metal.

Hazardous Harry's Comment: I always thought that Zelda was making up the problem about feeling a tingle of electricity. I never could feel anything, so therefore did not feel that it was a problem. Until I finally seen the large spark flash, only then did I realize that there was a problem with the wiring in the hot line.

Cautious Carol's Comments: What Harry never realized is that Zelda was cleaning the metal surface of the hot line with a damp rag. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Zelda would only feel this sensation when wiping the line with the damp rag. Had Harry did the same thing that Zelda was doing he would have found the problem much sooner.

Safety Sam's Comments: Anytime that a strange situation is reported by an employee, it should not go unnoticed. It was fortunate for Harry that Zelda never was hurt by receiving more than a minor electrical shock. Harry should have called the maintenance department earlier to check out the problem.

Watchful Willie's Comments: It was lucky for Harry that Zelda did not receive a serious injury from the bare wires in the hot line. Fortunately it was only 110 volt that connected the lighting system for the hot line. Had Zelda been standing in water and pushed the hot line, she could have been very easily electrocuted. Harry should listen when an employee complains about a problem, since electricity is not something that should be cast aside. He should have called the maintenance department when first notified to let the maintenance department determine the severity of the problem.

Food Service 401

DO's and DON'T's When Interviewing an Applicant

The specific purposes of the job interview are to assist in the assessment of a candidates capacity for motivation to perform a particular job within an organization, to the satisfaction of the organization. In addition the interview should be helpful to the applicant to formulate his/ her own assessment of the job and the organization.

Putting square pegs into round holes has never been a good employment practice, and can have a very adverse effect on the organization's performance. It is important to select the best possible candidate by asking the right questions, evaluating the answers of the applicant, and by viewing the personal appearance of the applicant.

The company furnishes the employment application for the individual units. The employment application is a part of the employment relationship. It may be an important document in an employment-related lawsuit. What is stated in an employment application could serve as a basis for a wrongful discharge claim, or it could give the employer a good defense for a wrongful discharge claim. Employment applications have also been the focal point of discrimination lawsuits against employers. Therefore, applications should also be periodcally reviewed to make sure that the questions asked are proper and to make sure that the application protects the employer.

The EEOC has suggested that an employer consider the following three questions in deciding whether to include a particular question on an employment application or a job interview:

Does this question tend to have a disproportionate effect in screening out
minorities or females?

Is this information necessary to judge this individual's competence for performance
of this particular job?

Are there alternative non-discriminatory ways to secure necessary information?

Employers must give careful consideration to the questions used in an employment application. A number of problem areas have arisen concerning questions which are included in an employment application or asked during the course of a job interview.

Age/date of birth: Generally, age is considered not to be relevant in most hiring decisions, and therefore, date-of-birth questions are improper. Age is a sensitive pre-employment question, because the Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects employees 40 years old and above. It is permissible to ask an applicant to state his or her age if it is less than 18. If you need the date of birth for internal reasons, i.e., computations with respect to a pension or profit-sharing plan, this information can be obtained after the person is hired.

Race, religion, national origin: Generally, questions should not be asked about these matters either on employment applications or during job interviews. The requirements that an applicant furnish a picture with a resume or to be attached with the application prior to hiring has been held to help support a claim for race discrimination when it was determined that an employer never hired a minority applicant, the theory being the picture was required so that an employer would remember which applicants were members of minorities. A sexual harassment plaintiff might similarly argue that the employer pre-screened applicants for physical attractiveness. Ordinarily, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that employers make reasonable accommodations for their employees' religious practices, thus eliminating the necessity for asking whether an applicant's religious beliefs would prohibit his/ her working at certain times and on certain days in most situations.

Note: The above statement about furnishing a picture by the applicant does not apply to a copy of the driver's license of a person that is already hired for the purpose of identification for the I-9 form.

Physical traits, disabilities: Height and weight requirements have been found to violate the law in situations where such requirements have eliminated disproportionate numbers of female, Asian-American, and Spanish-surnamed applicants when in such cases, the employeer could not show that the physical standards were directly-related to job performance.

Education: If a job for which an application is being made does not require a particular level of education, it is improper to ask questions about an applicant's educational background. Applicants can be asked about educational background, schools attended, degrees earned, and vocational training when the performance of a job requires a particular level of education. For example, inquiring into the English language proficiency and educational background of a secretarial candidate is proper, while the same inquiry would probably be improper for a janitorial applicant. The EEOC and some courts have looked closely at an employer's educational requirements to determine whether they are being used to exclude from employment minorities who, generally-speaking, have obtained lesser levels of education.

Arrest, conviction records: The EEOC takes the position that questions concerning arrest are improper unless the applicant is being considered for a "security sensitive" job and the employer does an investigation to determine, in effect, whether the applicant was likely to have committed the crime for which he or she was arrested. The EEOC also says that questions about an applicant's conviction record are improper unless the employer can show that the conviction is in some way related to the position being applied for. The EEOC takes these positions because of statistics which show that minorities are arrested and convicted at considerably higher rates than whites.

Garnishment: Questions concerning whether an applicant has been the subject of garnishment proceedings should be eliminated from employment applications. Using the garnishment history of an applicant in determining whether he or she will be hired is probably discriminatory, because more minority members have their wages garnished than do with whites.

Citizenship: The anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration Reform and Control Act provides that an employer cannot discriminate because an applicant is not a U.S. citizen. Therefore, in order to avoid charges of discrimination under this Act, citizenship questions should probably be deleted from employment applications. The form I-9 is the appropriate place to determine citizenship status instead of the employment application.

Drugs, smoking: It is permissable to ask an applicant if he or she uses drugs or smokes. The application also affords an employer the opportunity to obtain the applicant's agreement to be bound by the employer's drug and smoking policies. The application also affords an employer an opportunity to obtain the applicant's agreement to submit to drug testing.

Other problem areas: Questions concerning whether an applicant has friends or relatives working for the employer may be improper, if the employer gives preference to such applicants. Questions concerning credit rating or credit references have been held to be discriminatory against minorities and women. Questions concerning whether an applicant owns a house have been held to be improper as being discriminatory against minority applicants, since a greater number of minorities do not own their own houses. While questions about military experience or taining are permissible, questions concerning the type of discharge received by an applicant have been held to be improper, because a high proportion of other than honorable discharges are give to minorities. The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits general inquires about disabilities, health problems, and medical conditions.

Safe Questions to Ask a Job Applicant

Safe questions can relate to the applicant's name, present address, telephone number, present employment, former employment, and job references. Many of the problem areas identified in the previous paragraphs are still proper subjects as long as the relatedness requirement is met. It is important to remember that questions which cannot be asked on the application for employment are also unacceptable questions during the job interview.

Conditions of Employment Stated in the Application

An employment application also gives an employer the opportunity to state the conditions of employment. The prospective employee who signs the application acknowledges his/her consent to these conditions. For example, an application may provide the following:

• I hereby declare the information provided by me in this application is true and complete, and I understand that falsification of this information is grounds for refusal to hire or, if I've been hired, for termination.
• I authorize any of the persons or organizations referenced in this application to give you and any of them all information concerning my previous employment, education, or any other information they might have, personal or otherwise, whith regard to any of the subjects covered by this application, and I release all such parties from all liability for any damage which my result from furnishing such information to you.
• In consideration for my employment with your company, I agree to conform to the rules and regulations of the company as set forth in the company's employee handbook and acknowledge that these rules and regulations may be changed, interpreted, withdrawn, or to be added to by the employer at any time, at the employer's sole option and without any prior notice to me.
• I further acknowledge that if I am employed by the employer, my employment will be at will, and may be terminated with or without cause at any time by me or by the employer.
• I understand that no representative of the company has any authority to enter into any agreement for employment other than those set forth in the employee handbook, either prior to commencement of employment or after I have become employed.
• I consent to a physical examination, which includes a drug test, either prior to commencement of employment or after I have become employed, as deemed necessary by the employer.
• The above list is only a sample of possible conditions. There are obviously numerous other conditions which can be included in an employment application. Depending on the circumstances of each employer. If an employee misrepresents something on an employment application, this may provide an employer with a good defense to an unemployment compensation or workers' compensation claim, as well as other types of claims, particularly if the employer can demonstrate that it is its policy to terminate employees who lie on their application.
• At Great Western Dining Service, Inc., we have done our best to insure that our application for employment is non-discriminatory. When interviewing applicants, do not ask questions that violate the areas of discrimination that have been outlined in this lesson.

PIG ( SWINE ) ALERT

Don't Feed the Pigs Food Waste

Important Message for All Food Service Directors

Recently the State of Texas enacted a new law for the State of Texas, House Bill 3673, which prohibits Texas pigs from being fed food waste that contains meat or meat scraps. Furthermore, it is against the law to provide meat or meat scrap products for swine feeding purposes.

I know you are wondering why this article appears in the company newsletter. In the states of Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa collecting food scraps to be fed to pigs is illegal. As of this writing could not get any information from the states of Oklahoma or New Mexico. Based on the information collected, do not give food scraps to individuals for use of feed for pigs (swine).

In the State of Texas, any person, restaurant, food facility for schools, hospitals, and institutions may not provide meat, meat scraps, plate scrapings, and any products seasoned with animal products for feeding to pigs. If you have a farm or person collecting scraps from your facility to feed pigs, in Texas you must cease this practice.

The reason for this change in policy in Texas is due to FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. By not feeding meat, meat scraps, plate scrapings, and any products seasoned with animal products to pigs, HOG CHOLER AND FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE will be prevented by these products.

In Texas any person violating this new law will be fined up to $500 per offense.

The only food waste that may be provided for pig (swine) feeding are: fruits, raw vegetables, vegetables not cooked with bacon or any other meat seasonings, bread, bakery goods, and milk products.
The reason that plate scrapings are not to be fed to pigs (swine) is that even if they are fruits, vegetables, bread, bakery goods, and milk products they can be contaminated by meat products or meat seasonings or meat by products.

Texas Food Service Directors
Beware
You can be fined $500

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In this month's study of food safety we are going to review Clostridium Botulinum. All information is from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition.

Clostridium Botulinum

Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming rod that produces a potent neurotoxin. The spores are heat-resistant and can survive in foods that are incorrectly or minimally processed. Seven types ( A, B, C, D, E, F, and G ) of botulism are recognized, baseed on the antigenic specificity of toxin produced by each strain. Types A, B, E, and F cause human botulism. Types C and D cause most cases of botulism in animals. Animals most commonly affected are wild fowl and poultry, cattle, horses and some species of fish. Although type G has been isolated from soil in Argentina, no outbreaks involving it have been recognized.

Foodborne botulism ( as distinct from wound botulism and infant botulism ) is a severe type of food poisoning caused by the ingestion of foods containing the potent neurotoxin formed during growth of the organism. The toxin is heat labile and can be destroyed if heated at 80 degree Centigrade for 10 minutes or longer ( 176 degrees Fahrenheit). The incidence of the disease is low but the disease is of considerable concern because of its high mortality rate if not treated immediately and properly. Most of the 10 to 30 outbreaks that are reported annually in the United States are associated with inadequately processed, home-canned foods, but occasionally commercially produced foods have been involved in outbreaks. Sausages, meat products, canned vegetables and seafood products have been the most frequent vehicles for human botulism.

The organism and its spores are widely distributed in nature. They occur in both cultivated and forest soils, bottom sediments of streams, lakes and coastal waters, and in the intestinal tracts of fish and mammals, and in the gills and viscera of crabs and other shellfish.

Four types of botulism are recognized: foodborne, infant, wound, and a form of botulism whose classification is as yet undetermined. Certain foods have been reported as sources of spores in cases of infant botulism and the undetermined category; wound botulism is not related to foods.

Foodborne botulism is the name of the disease ( actually a foodborne intoxication ) caused by the consumption of foods containing the neurotoxin produced by C. botulinum.

Infant botulism, first recognized in 1976, affects infants under 12 months of age. This type of botulism is caused by the ingestion of C. botulinum spores which colonize and produce toxin in the intestinal tract of infants ( intestinal toxemia botulism ). Of the various potential environmental sources such as soil, cistern water, dust and foods, honey is the one dietary reservoir of C. botulinum spores thus far definitively linked to infant botulism by both laboratory and epidemiological studies. The number of confirmed infant botulism cases has increased significantly as a result of greater awareness by health officals since its recognition in 1976. It is now internationally recognized, with cases being reported in more countries.

Wound botulism is the rarest form of botulism. The illness results when C. botulinum by itself or with other microorganisms infects a wound and produces toxins which reach other parts of the body via the blood stream. Foods are not involved in this type of botulism.

Undetermined category of botulism involves adult cases in which a specific food or wound source cannot be identified. It has been suggest that some cases of botulism assigned to this category might result from intestinal colonization in adults, with in vivo production of toxin. Reports in the medical literature suggest the existence of a form of botulism similar to infant botulism, but occurring in adults. In these cases, the patients had surgical alterations of the gastrointestinal tract and/or antibiotic therapy. It is proposed that these procedures may have altered the normal gut flora and allowed C. botulinum to colonize the intestinal tract.

Infective dose - a very small amount ( a few nanograms ) of toxin can cause illness.

Onset of symptoms in foodborne botulism is usually 18 to 36 hours after ingestion of the food containing the toxin, although cases have varied from 4 hours to 8 days. Early signs of intoxication consist of marked lassitude, weakness and vertigo, usually followed by double vision and progressive difficulty in speaking and swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distention, and constipation may also be common symptoms.

Clinical symptoms of infant botulism consist of constipation that occurs after a period of normal development. This is followed by poor feeding, lethargy, weakness, pooled oral secretions, and wail or altered cry. Loss of head control is striking. Recommended treatment is primarily supportive care. Antimicrobial therapy is not recommended. Infant botulism is diagnosed by demonstrating botulinal toxins and the organism in the infant's stools.

Although botulism can be diagnosed by clinical symptoms alone, differentiation from other diseases may be difficult. The most direct and effective way to confirm the clinical diagnosis of botulism in the laboratory is to demonstrate the presence of toxin in the serum or feces of the patient or in the food which the patient consumed. Currently, the most sensitive and widely used method for detecting toxin is the mouse neutralization test. This test takes 48 hours. Culturing of specimens takes 5 - 7 days.

The types of food involved in botulism vary according to food preservation and eating habits in different regions. Any food that is conducive to outgrowth and toxin production, that when processed allows spore survival, and is not subsequently heated before consumption can be associated with botulism. Almost any type of food that is not very acidic (pH above 4.6) can support growth and toxin production by C. botulinum. Botulinal toxin has been demonstrated in a considerable variety of foods, such as canned corn, peppers, green beans, soups, beets, asparagus, mushrooms, ripe olives, spinach, tuna fish, chicken and chicken livers and liver pate, and luncheon meats, ham, sausage, stuffed eggplant, lobster, and smoked and salted fish.

The incidence of the disease is low, but the mortality rate is high if not treated immediately and properly. There are generally between 10 to 30 outbreaks a year in the United States. Some cases of botulism may go undiagnosed because symptoms are transient or mild, or misdiagnosed as Guillian-Barre syndrome.

Botulinum toxin causes flaccid paralysis by blocking motor nerve terminals at the myoneural junction. The flaccid paralysis progresses symmetrically downward, usually starting with the eyes and face, to the throat, chest and extremities. When the diaphragm and chest muscles become fully involved, respiration is inhibited and death from asphyxia results. Recommended treatment for foodborne botulism includes early administration of botulinal antitoxin ( available from the Center for Disease Control) and intensive supportive care (including mechanical breathing assistance).

All people are believed to be susceptible to foodborne intoxication.

Since botulism is foodborne and results from ingestion of the toxin of C. botulinum, determination of the source of an outbreak is based on detection and identification of toxin in the food involved. The most widely accepted method is the injection of extracts of the food into passively immunized mice (mouse neutralization test). The test takes 48 hours. This analysis is followed by culturing all suspect food in an enrichment medium for the detection and isolation of the causative organism. This test takes 7 days.

Two separate outbreaks of botulism have occurred involving commercially canned salmon. Restaurant foods such as sauteed onions, chopped bottled garlic, potato salad made from baked potatoes and baked potatoes themselves have been responsible for a number of outbreaks. Also, smoked fish, both hot and cold-smoke (e.g. Kapchunka) have cause outbreaks of type E botulism.

In October and November, 1987, 8 cases of type E botulism occurred, 2 in New York City and 6 in Isreal. All 8 patients had consumed Kapchunka, an uneviscerated, dry-salted, air-dried, whole whitefish. The product was made in New York City and some of it was transported by individuals to Israel. All 8 patients with botulism developed symptoms within 36 hours of consuming the Kapchunka. One female died, 2 required breathing assistance, 3 were treated therapeutically with antitoxin, and 3 recovered spontaneously. The Kapchunka involved in the outbreak contained high levels of type E botulinal toxin despite salt levels that exceeded those sufficient to inhibit C. botulinum type E outgrowth. One possible explanation was that the fish contained low salt levels when air-dried at room temperature, became toxic, and then were re-brined. Regulations were published to prohibit the processing, distribution and sale of Kapchunka and Kapchunka-type products in the United States.

A bottled chopped garlic-in-oil mix was responsible for three cases of botulism in Kingston, New York. Two men and a woman were hospitalized with botulism after consuming a chopped garlic-in-oil mix that had been used in a spread for garlic bread. The bottle chopped garlic relied solely on refrigeration to ensure safety and did not contain any additional antibotulinal additives or barriers. The FDA has ordered companies to stop making the product and to withdraw from the market any garlic-in-oil mix which does not include microbial inhibitors or acidifying agents and does not require refrigeration for safety.

Since botulism is a life-threatening disease, FDA always initiates a Class I recall.

For more information on recent outbreaks see the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports from the Center on Disease Control.

The December 1995 issue of "FDA Consumer" has an article titled Botulism Toxin: a Poison That Can Heal which discusses Botulism toxin with an emphasis of its medical uses.

FDA Warns Against Consuming Certain Italian Mascarpone Cream Cheese Because of Potential Serious Botulism Risk ( September 9, 1996)

CDC/MMWR
The CDC/MMWR link will provide a list of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports at CDC relating to this organism or toxin. The date shown is the date the item was posted on the Web, not the date of the MMWR. The summary statement shown are the initial words of the overall document. The specific article of interest may be just one article or item within the overall report.

If you are interested in reading further into these sites the links are listed below.

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap2.html

mow@cfsan.fda.gov

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IN THE NEWS

Do you enjoy golf? Is it rainy and dreary outside? You can still get a little putting in at this fun miniature golf game on the internet. Just go to www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~pyang/flash/miniputt.swf. It is simple to learn and lots of fun. Try it !!

Answers to Food Safety Quiz:

B. 40 degrees Fahrenheit
B. Put them in the refrigerator immediately after food is served
A. Last Night - 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach to 1 quart of water would sanitize a
drain, disposal and connecting pipe.
D. Wash with soap and hot water then sanitize
C. Well-done
B. & C. Frozen dough, and not sampled until baked. Normally commercial products using eggs that are pasteurized, that is eggs heated sufficiently to kill bacteria.
C. & D. Hot water, soap, and bleach or a commercial sanitizing agent are both acceptable.
A. & C. Automatic dishwasher and air dry, or washed right away with hot water and soap in sink and air-dried. (they should be sanitized in the rinse bath). When leaving
them soak in water for a long period of time, it creates a wonderful "bacteria
soup", which will multiply. Towel drying causes bacteria growth.
C. Wash hands with warm water and soap. If you are wearing gloves, it is acceptable
to wash the hands with gloves on in the same manner.
B. & C. Placing them in the refrigerator or placing in cold water tight plastic bag and
changing water every 30 minutes.

Monotony Breakers

ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY (April 24th): On April 24th, send each secretary on campus a 50 cents off coupon good for one meal in the cafeteria at lunch. Buy theater tickets and write on them "50 cents off regular price. Good April 24 only". Pass the tickets out personally for good public relations for your unit and yourself. Make sure you send flyers to all departments so they are notified about a special meal honoring all secretaries on campus. Make sure the menu is one that will be well accepted by older women and students as well. Run a baked potato bar with all types of toppings plus cheese sauce. Additionally, offer a "build your own" caesar salad. You may get some extra customers that will become regular ones!

Caesar Salad: Have romaine lettuce, bacon bits, shredded cheese, Parmesan cheese, croutons, diced hard boiled eggs, purple onions, black ripe olives and caesar salad dressing. Sysco will break cases on dressing.

TEXAS CHUCK WAGON DAY (Any day in April): Offer a "Texas Chuck Wagon Day", serving barbecue beef brisket and 8 ounces chopped steak, preferably cooked outside on a grill. Also serve enchiladas, nacho chips with cheese sauce, ranch style beans, corn cobette, fried fresh potato wedges, macaroni salad, potato salad and cole slaw. This can be offered as a buffet inside, or if the weather is nice, offer it outside. Have your employees dressed in western wear. Straw western hats can be purchased through Paper Promotions books for about $2.50 each. If you run the meal inside, a western chuck wagon kit can also be purchased from the above company.

People Development Incentives
We are looking for Manager Trainees!

Qualifications:

1. Prefer a person who has cooking skills or past food management experience.
2. Appearance should be neat and tidy.
3. Should be able to communicate well.
4. Should have indications of being intelligent.
5. Willing to be trained in production areas.
6. Willing to relocate outside of the state of their residence.
7. Preferable areas: Missouri, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma.
8. Has ambition to grow into a management position.

How do you find these people?

First, look inside your own facilities.

Second, look at people that apply for positions, ones who answer ads or even walk-ins. Sometimes people who simply walk-in for an application are showing strong signs that they need employment. Even if you do not have a position open, extend the courtesy of a few minutes of conversation.

1. From that, you can determine if the person communicates well and has indications of intelligence and is neat in appearance.
2. From the conversation, if you see some possibilities, do not make a commitment, but forward the resume to the corporate office, with a brief note attached.

Lastly, you may have knowledge of a good person working for another establishment. Seek out this individual, talk briefly with him/her to see if there is any interest that they may want to grow. Then set up a formal interview time to get a good read on the person to see if he/she meets the qualifications. If the person does, send the resume to the home office and an official interview will be set up.