More Macaroni Grill Pictures

Macaroni Grill Tour!

Single Light Sensor Line follower

This is a YouTube video showing how to build a simple single-light-sensor line following program.

Questions

These are my questions for the trip

1. Can certain food get continmated easily.

2. Can the continmated food, can get a person sick.

3. Can continmated food effect your health?

54. Can certain food can not get contimanted?

Question for Publix

Here are a few questions for Publix:
1. How do you keep meat decontaminated when the meat is being shipped?
2. Have you guys ever gotten complains about contaminated meat?

-Zain

Questions for Publix

Where do you get your meat products from?

How do you package the meat?

--Kyle

Research 5/7/11

Salmonella
This page has some ways salmonella can be decontaminated:
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/salmonella.htm
Campylobacter
This website has a ton of facts about campylobacter for humans and animals:
http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/uploads/file/M1%20Campylobacter%20-%20Owner(11).pdf.

campylobacter paragraph

According to the CDC campylobacter cannot tolerate to be dried and can be killed by oxygen. According to Auburn university chlorine kills campylobacter.

Campylobacter is reduced by washing and chilling the chickens. How much campylobacter is killed depends on how much chlorine is in the water and how much water pressure is put on the chicken.

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/poul/virtuallibrary/oyarzabalcampylobacter.html

How To Kill Salmnala

3
Consume only pasteurized dairy products. The pasteurization process uses high heat to kill bacteria in milk and milk products.

4
Kill salmonella on your hands by washing them with an antibacterial soap, especially if you are handling raw food items, animal feces or reptiles. Avoid touching other foods until you wash your hands in order to prevent cross contamination

For the full article go to:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5157818_kill-salmonella.html

New Research Needed

We need to research ways that chicken can be decontaminated.

We need to know how to kill two specific types of bacteria: Campylobacter and Salmonella.

You guys might want to read these USDA site pages:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Campylobacter_Questions_and_Answers/index.asp

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/salmonella_questions_&_answers/index.asp

How Does Salmonella Get Into Your Chicken?

Well, Salmonella is in a chickens gut and when it is butchered wrong some of the Salmonella gets in your chicken.

posted in error please delete

posted error please delete

Research on Chickens

Research
Chickens can get contaminated by..........
Hatchery- some chicks can be contaminated when they hatch because their mothers are contaminated with salmonella while others ingest bacteria from their surroundings.
Chicken House- chicken habitually, ingesting bacteria from litter and feces, and could be exposed to vermin.
On the road- as chickens travel to the processing plant, filth can be spread.
Processing Plant
Scalding- as the hot water loosens the feathers and they float away, bacteria can spread cause some bacteria can be on the feathers.
Defeathering- as the feathers are being plucked by hand bacteria can spread.
In the store- improper temperature or handling can indroduce bacteria or cause the to multiply.
When you eat contaminated chicken.........
You may experience diarrhea, fever, and headache.
You may be getting sicker and sicker per day.
After the doctor prescribes you antibiotics, you may feel better for a day, but then you get the symptoms back.
Some ways chicken can be decontaminated are..........
Cook chicken to at least 165o Farenheit.
Store in the refrigerator at 40o Farenheit or below otherwise freeze it.
If you wash anything in contact of raw chicken, it will greatly reduce risks of contamination.
The two most contaminatants of chicken are..........
Salmonella
Campylobacter

Chicken Paragraph

According to ConsumerReports.org, 3.4 Million people get sick from eating contaminated chicken, 25,500 go to the hospital, and 500 die every year. Also, in a survey of over 382 chickens, Campylobacter was in 62 percent, Salmonella in 14 percent, and both Campylobacter and Salmonella were in 9 percent of the 382 chickens tested in the survey. Tyson and Foster farms had the most contaminated birds while Perdue had the cleanest chickens.

--Kyle

chicken paragraph

According to consumer reports 2/3 whole store bought chickens have salmonella or campylobacter or even both. These diseases infect 3,400,000 people, send 25,000 to the doctor, and kill 500 people every year. According to CDC 20 percent of salmonella cases and 55 percent of campylobacter cases are resistant to at least one antibiotic.
Here are some ways that chicken gets contaminated.
Hatchery- pecking at contaminated feces
Store- improper temperature
Plant- scalding in contaminated water

Chicken Contamination

Germbusters, Here are the questions you decided to answer / research at the meeting. Remember to post answers that you find to the blog. Happy searching!

• How does chicken get contaminated?


• What happens when a person eats contaminated chicken?


• What are some ways that chicken can be decontaminated?


• What are the 2 most common contaminants of chicken? (Further research on those specific contaminants: How are they removed? What do they respond to? What makes them grow or become worse? What problems do they cause?)

Also, remember to think about "chicken" field trip ideas that can help further the teams research. We will choose our logo / t-shirt design at the next meeting so post or bring any new ideas with you. Mrs. Beth

I dont feel good so i cant make the lego robotics meeting on 4/12/2011

Lego Drawing!

Germbusters Song

I made a GERMBUSTERS song using the Ghostbuster's theme song. If we use this name, we could use the song on a website and at the competition. What do you think?

GERMBUSTERS

If there's something strange
in your chicken leg
Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

If there's something weird
and it don't look good
Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

I ain't afraid of no germs
I ain't afraid of no germs

If you're seeing things
running through your meat
Who can ya call?
GERMBUSTERS

An invisible germ
sleeping in your meal
Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

I ain't afraid of no germs
I ain't afraid of no germs

Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

If ya all alone
pick up the phone
and call
GERMBUSTERS

I ain't afraid of no germs
I here it likes the birds
I ain't afraid of no germs
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah

Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

If you've had a dose of a
freaky poultry germ
Ya better call
GERMBUSTERS

Lemme tell ya something
Bustin' makes me feel good!

I ain't afraid of no germs
I ain't afraid of no germs

Don't get caught poisoned no no

GERMBUSTERS

When it comes through your door
Unless you just want some more
I think you better call
GERMBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

I think you better call
GERMBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

I can't hear you
Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

Louder
GERMBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

Who can ya call?
GERMBUSTERS

Who ya gonna call?
GERMBUSTERS

How dose Chicken get Bad AKA Contimated? Hmm.

Here are how chicken can get comtimnated.

One is obvisouly is, what they can eat. If they get sick they can spread it. Then,when they lay their eggs, it can be bad. OR, once they are getting ready to be shipped they aren't in good condiation from what they ate.Another one is, if they are not treated,or feeded correctly. Id they aren't treated correctly, they might get dis-streesed,and get sick.Another one is,if when the chicken is at a factory,and itsn't Puaturized correcly.

Finally,another one is if the egg the Chicken laid is bad to eat. From all the germs where the eggs are poorly treated. Like with chickens. So,this is how chicken can get contimated.

Germbusters Image

Here is my t-shirt idea. The germ is from www.openclipart.org and is public domain (not copyrighted).

Team Logo Suggestion

Here's one idea for a logo to go with the name "Germbusters".  Remember to try and sketch your logo ideas before the team meeting on Tuesday.  Tuesday night we will decide upon a team name and logo for the season.

Chicken Contamination

Contaminated Chicken

On an article on www.consumerreports.org I found an article named Consumer Reports magazine: January 2010 which gave me details about how to be cautious about chicken contamination. Here part of this article:

Lax rules, risky food

Chicken is one of the few foods on Americans' grocery lists that is routinely contaminated with disease-causing bacteria. Thorough cooking makes it safe, but it's easy to slip up by undercooking or by exposing other food to raw chicken juices. And it's impossible to know whether a restaurant has taken all proper precautions.

Those steps are critical to avoiding illness. Consumer Reports' latest tests found contamination in 66 percent of chicken from more than 100 stores.

Chicken Contamination

Chicken Contamination I read that on consumerreports.org that 62 percent of chickens had campylobactor, 14 percent had salmonella, and 9 percent had both. Perdue chickens had 56 percent totally clean. 3.4 million people get infected from chickens, 250,500 go to the hospital and 500 die each year. I think that we should research chicken because it poses a greater problem than dairy. --Kyle

Paragraph

Andrew’s paragraph

If you cook a chicken at 160 degrees it will less dangerous even if it has salmonella. Two Thirds of store bought chickens have Salmonella, Campylobacter, or both. Organic chickens are cleaner. They mist cold-water instead of dunking them in cold-water bath with some more chickens. According to NPR.org ( a consumer reports article.)

Preventing Food Contamination

I found this article and it's pretty informative, it tells how food can become contaminated at the farm, long before it gets to the restaurant or the store. Check it out!

The link is http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-home/preventing-food-contamination.aspx


Preventing Food Contamination

Food contamination can happen in your own home, right on your kitchen counter. But by following a few food safety habits when cooking and storing food, you can help keep bacteria at bay.
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Bacteria only infest food when it's weeks old, right? And if food looks fresh at the grocery store, it’s probably safe to eat, isn’t it?

Unfortunately, you can't spot bacteria-riddled food just by looking at it. And food can spoil, even if refrigerated, faster than you might think. Learning how food contamination happens, and how to keep bacteria out of your kitchen and your meals, can help keep your family safe.

What Kinds of Bacteria Are to Blame?

Certain types of bacteria are responsible for most food contamination in the United States:

Clostridium botulinum, which cause botulism, is found in canned, vacuum-sealed, or other packaged foods, as well as in garlic packed in oil. Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (E. coli) can be found in raw or undercooked ground beef, raw fruits and vegetables, unpasteurized milk, and apple juice, and can also be transmitted through human contact. Salmonella is found in poultry, meat, unpastureurized milk and dairy, raw or undercooked eggs, and seafood, and may be transmitted by people who prepare food. Staphylococcus aureus can be found in any food handled by an infected person who has touched food with staph-contaminated hands. Shigella can be found in any food handled by a person touching food with hands contaminated with shigella-infected fecal matter. Listeria monocytogenes is located in processed foods like deli and lunch meats and cheeses, hot dogs, some sausages, and unpasteurized milk and cheeses. Clostridium perfringens can be found in any food left at room temperature or on a warming tray or table for a significant amount of time. Campylobacter jejuni is found in unpasteurized milk, poultry, shellfish, raw or undercooked meats, and contaminated water. Many of these bacteria cause very uncomfortable symptoms such as abdominal cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea that can last from several days to more than a week. Without treatment, some of these bacteria (like Clostridium botulinium) can actually lead to death.

How Food Contamination Happens

The food we eat can be contaminated during any of the many steps it takes to get it from the farm to our table. Food contamination can occur when:

The animal that is eventually slaughtered for meat has bacteria in its intestinal tract. Meat becomes contaminated with bacteria during the slaughter. Produce is washed or watered with bacteria-contaminated water. A hen's ovaries are infected with bacteria. Bacteria in ocean water contaminate the fish that live there. Humans handle meat and other foods with unwashed hands during processing. Food processing equipment is contaminated. The same utensils are used for multiple foods, transferring bacteria from contaminated food to uncontaminated food. Food is left out of the refrigerator and sits at room temperature for more than a few hours. Food is left in a refrigerator for too long. If you think there’s any chance you have food that has been contaminated, don’t risk eating it — throw it out right away.

Who’s Most at Risk From Food Contamination?

If you suspect that you ate food that was contaminated with bacteria, you may need to see a doctor, especially if you are at an increased risk of a severe or dangerous reaction to foodborne illness. People at a higher risk include those who are:

Elderly Pregnant Breastfeeding Living with a chronic condition like diabetes or kidney disease Living with a compromised immune system Exposed to harmful organisms while traveling to a foreign country You don't need an antibiotic to get over most illnesses caused by food contamination; instead, you usually must wait it out until the bacteria leaves your system. Be careful to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and avoid dairy products to prevent making diarrhea more severe.

Foodborne illness can be extremely serious in some cases, but for most people it just causes serious discomfort. Protect yourself from foodborne illness by buying fresh foods, storing food properly, avoiding food contamination in the kitchen, and keeping your foods properly refrigerated.

Copyright © 2011 Everyday Health, Inc.
The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information. Use of this site is subject to our terms of service and privacy policy.

How Dairy Products Get Contamited.

Well,that's a easy question. The cow it can depend what the cow eats.Dirt can make it,get continmated,or it can be how the farmer treats the cow. Another way is how the milk is procced. If it isn't procced correctly, it will get continamted,and it will get back. Like I said before, it can be also how the cow is treated,eats.If the dairy gets continamated it will go to other products that people mostly uses.So, thats why they pasteurize products to kill the bactreria to kill the indeed germs.So,after that. The products will be heated,then shipped to stores to people use. If this messes up. The food will get continamted quickly then people will get sick. Basic all I'm trying to say is this: What a cow eats ,or If the dairy isn't paturized correctly it will get contimated

Now, this is how dairy products get continamted. We don't want to get sick. Let's hope the food didn't get continamted.

How Can Dairy Products Get Contianmted

Where is the greatest risk of food poisoning?

Where is The Greatest Risk of Contracting a

Food Poisoning or Foodborne Illness?

Inside or Outside Your Home?

(i.e. Restaurant, Deli, Cafeteria, Hotel Kitchen, Public or Private Event)?


The study results for the sources of outbreaks are pretty overwhelming or obvious.

Restaurants: 52%
Home: 18%
School: 4%
Unknown: 4%
Other: 22%

What can Stores do to Prevent Food Contamination

Name of the Team

I came up with some more ideas for the team name. Here are some of my thoughts:

RoboChef, LegoChef, and YumYum.

Research on Dairy Products

Dairy Products

Dairy products are generally defined as foods produced from cow's or domestic buffalo's milk.

Types of Dairy Products

-Milk, milk powder, ice-cream, condensed milk, cheese, yogurt, ice milk, custard, frozen yogurt and custard, and butter milk.

Dairy products – how they get contaminated

Our environment contains an abundance of microorganisms that find their way to the hair, udder, and teats of dairy cows and can move up the teat canal. Some of these germs cause an inflammatory disease of the udder known as mastitis while others enter the milk without causing any disease symptoms in the animal. In addition, organisms can enter the milk supply during the milking process when equipment used in milking, transporting, and storing the raw milk is not properly cleaned and sanitized.

Pasteurization

Pasteurization destroys most disease producing organisms and limits fermentation in milk, beer, and other liquids by partial or complete sterilization. The pasteurization process heats milk to 161 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees centigrade) for 15 seconds, inactivating or killing organisms that grow rapidly in milk. Pasteurization does not destroy organisms that grow slowly or produce spores. While pasteurization destroys many microorganisms in milk, improper handling after pasteurization can recontaminate milk.

I gathered this info from this website.

http://www.fcs.msue.msu.edu/ff/pdffiles/foodsafety2.pdf

Louis Pasteur

In the process of pastuerization they first heat milk to 161 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. They then quickly cool the milk to 50 or less degrees F. Louis Pasteur also created a vaccination to cure rabies. Louis Pasteur invented the process of pasteurization. I found this info in the World Book Encyclopedia from 1976. Pasteurizing milk does not change the flavor but ordinary boiling would kill all bacteria and destroys the flavor of the milk.
--Kyle

Research on Dairy Contamination

I learned that pasteurization is a process to get rid of most diseases in milk. They heat the milk at a certain temperature which is always the same.

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Very few people drink raw milk because it runs a higher risk of contamination so the stores only sell pasteurized milk. The diseases that can be in raw milk are listeria, diphtheria, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and brucellosis. Some farmers drink raw milk.

“In 1938, milk borne outbreaks constituted twenty-five percent (25%) of all disease outbreaks due to infected foods and contaminated water. Our most recent information reveals that milk and fluid milk products continue to be associated with less than one percent (<1%) of such reported outbreaks.” From http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/MilkSafety/NationalConferenceonInterstateMilkShipmentsNCIMSModelDocuments/UCM209789.pdf From this quote I found out that it is not a very common source of food contamination.

How Do Dairy Products Get Infected?

There are many enviromental microbes in milk here are some i have learned. Campylobacter Jejyuni = is the most commen bacteria in the USA it is found in raw milk and poultry. Coxiella Burnetii = the microbe is found in milk and effects small animals.

Pictures for 3/8/2011

Next time I will bring my real camera and not use my phone. Here they are...

New Post Test

Hello, test.

Great job!

Guys,

I can tell you have been working hard researching this week. You have had some insightful information to post! I can't wait to hear what you have to share with each other at our next meeting. Remember to print things off and put them in your binder that you find interesting or helpful. Also, it would be a good idea to cite your sources when you post information on the blog. That way, we know where to go if we need to find additional information later on. Great job with your research so far!!

Any new ideas for a team name? You may post suggestions as comments to this posting.

Ms. Beth

- Vehicles Used To Transport Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products

● Vehicle design should permit effective inspection, cleaning, disinfection, and temperature control.

● Interior surfaces should be made of materials that are suitable for

direct food contact. For example, the surfaces may be made with

stainless steel or be coated with food-grade epoxy resins.

● Meat, poultry, and egg product transportation vehicles, accessories,

and connections should be kept clean and free from dirt, debris,

and any other substance or odor that may contaminate the

product. They should be disinfected as needed. Cleaning and

sanitation procedures should be specified in writing.

● Cargo pallets, load securing devices, and loading equipment

should be kept clean and free of potential food contaminants and

be regularly washed and sanitized.

● Equipment used in transferring meat, poultry, and egg products,

such as hand trucks, conveyors, and forklifts, should be well

maintained and kept in a sanitary condition.

● Secure transport vehicles to prevent tampering when not in use.

❏ Use dedicated transport vehicles.

● Transport vehicles, containers, and conveyances should be

designated and marked “for food use only,” and be used only for

transporting foods. If feasible, they should be restricted to a single

commodity. This reduces the risk of cross contamination from

previous cargoes.

Paragraph of researsch

Regulations of the FDA.
The FDA regulates everything that the USDA does not. The USDA regulates meat, poultry, and egg products. (defendingfoodsafety.com)
The common sources of contamination
The common contaminants are Salmonella, E-coli, Calicivirius, Staph, Botulism, and Listeria.
 These are ways food can get contaminated:
1. Exposure to feces, bacterial infection, and contaminated ground water. (These happen at the farm.)
2. If food is improperly heated or cooled it becomes a bacterial paradise. (This happens in transportation when in the back of a hot truck.)
3. When pieces of metal shavings, pesticides, and chemicals get in the food it contaminates the food. (This happens in the factory.)
(eagletechnology.com)
Technology
The researchers at Purdue University have made a machine that electrifies the food to get rid of any salmonella or E-coli in prepackaged food. It uses 30-40 watts of electricity and it only takes 30 seconds to 5 minutes. (defendingfoodsafety.com)
Space researches found out that salmonella is more damaging in space by doing tests on the space station.

Food Storage (Originally posted by Nicolas)

Food Storage
Storage is another way to protect your food from becoming contaminated or spoiled. There are rules for this area as well. Use the “first in, first out” (FIFO in accounting) rule meaning that foods should be used in the order they are delivered. For instance, do not use the newest milk first if you still have two gallons that are good from your last delivery. Date goods and place the new behind the old on your storage shelves.
Keep all foods wrapped and clean. Each item in your walk-in refrigerator, freezer and your dry storage should be in a sealed labeled container or package with the contents and date received. Do not take a chance on questionable foods: “When in doubt, throw it out” is a great rule to live when it comes to food safety. Go through your refrigerator unit regularly and get rid of spoiled foods.

The refrigerator temperature must be below 38 degrees F. Items stored include meats, seafood, vegetables and dairy products. Keep a working thermometer in the unit at all times so you will know at a glance if there is a problem. You do not want to lose your entire inventory! Freezers should keep foods at below 0 degrees F. Most foods will not maintain their quality in a freezer so it should be used only as needed. Use fresh products whenever possible.

Items in dry storage should be kept between 50 – 70 degrees F with a relative humidity of 50 – 60%.

FOOD SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS (Originally posted by Nicolas)

FOOD SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS

Bacteria grow very easily if given the chance.
The local Health Department will send out inspectors to make sure that the chefs and servers are following the proper guidelines.

Working with Inspectors from The Local Health Department
The Heath Department will work with you to establish the correct systems and practices.
A system called HACCP – Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point consists of seven important steps to ensure food safety. This system was actually first designed to maintain food safety for NASA astronauts so you know this stuff works! The three main elements of the system are: food microbiology, quality control and risk assessment.

The 7 steps of HACCP are as follows
1.Assess hazards and potential risks.

2.Identify critical control points including cross contamination, cooking, cooling, hygiene.

3.Set up procedures to make sure safety is maintained at all critical control points.

4.Monitor critical control points and use the correct signs, tools, and training materials to ensure this.

5.Take corrective actions as soon as a critical control point is in jeopardy or when any violations are pointed out by the Health Department.

6.Set up a record-keeping system to log all of your flowcharts and temperature checks

7.Keep up with the system to make sure it is working.
Each food item served in your restaurant will need its own flow chart, which looks at every step of the food’s journey from being received into the restaurant from a purveyor to being served to a customer. The steps in between include storage, preparation, holding/display, service, cooling, storage of leftovers and reheating techniques. The Executive Chef will be responsible for these flow charts.
Avoiding Food Contamination
There are many safety procedures to follow when preparing food in your restaurant. One of the most important is to thaw frozen foods properly. You can cook food from its frozen state or by refrigerating it at under 38 degrees F. You may also thaw under running water at a temperature of 70 degrees F. or below for up to two hours. A microwave is another acceptable way to thaw foods, but only if the entire cooking period will be in the microwave or the food will be finished (immediately after microwaving) by another cooking method.
Food items such as meats and poultry must be cooked to the correct internal temperatures. Thermometers are the best way to ensure accuracy of these temps.

Avoid Cross Contamination
Cross contamination is all too common in kitchens today. Be sure to clean and sanitize any equipment used to prepare food between uses and be particularly vigilant when handling a potentially harmful food such as raw poultry,beef or fish.
There is a “danger zone” of temperature, 40 degrees F. – 140 degrees F., within which food bacteria multiply rapidly and can thrive. The temperature of food should be kept out of this zone as much as possible. The limit for time spent in the danger zone including all aspects of storage, preparation and service is 4 hours.

technology

Hi
This website has a bunch of articles about technology for food safety.
http://www.defendingfoodsafety.com/articles/food-safety-technology/

2011 Food Contamintion

This booklet shows how food is transported safely from one place to another.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/topics/transportguide.pdf

Critical Control Points

This document describes the steps in processing food and where contaminants can be introduced and controlled. An example would be receiving, grinding, and mixing beef patties in the making of hamburgers.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/HazardAnalysisCriticalControlPointsHACCP/HACCPPrinciplesApplicationGuidelines/default.htm#app-e

--Kyle

celery recall

Here is a celery recall article and more on msnbc.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39776599/ns/health-food_safety/

Welcome to the Lego Robotics Team Blog

Welcome to the blog.  Hopefully, this blog will provide a space for the team to share research, design ideas, field trip pictures, and more.  As we get deeper into research and have finalized a team name, this blog will continue to evolve.  I look forward to this year's challenge and research project.  This is going to be a fun adventure and one where I believe everyone involved will learn and grow.  See everyone soon for our next meeting.