Poster

OVERVIEW PURPOSE: Identify important food safety problems. RELEVANCE: The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention estimated that “one in six” United State residents (47.8 million; 95% CI: 28.7 – 71.1) domestically acquired a food borne illness in 2011 in the Unites States. These incidents resulted in 127,839 (95%CI: 62,629 – 215,562) hospitalizations and 3,037 (95%CI: 1,492 – 4,883) deaths. Non-typhoidal salmonella, Norovirus, and Campylobacter specie were prevalent pathogenic etiologic agents among know pathogens. (http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/ acquired 28 Jul 2012) IMPORTANCE: Food borne illness is preventable using environmentally sustainable approaches. ABSTRACT SUMMARY: The abstracts in this session address drinking water contamination associated with weather related flooding, food safety behavior and bacteria in college dormitories, socio-economic factors associated with dietary bis-phenol exposure, the relationships between social factors and food availability, contaminated garden soil, food system modeling, human food chain contamination, associations between agricultural exposures and MRSA infections, and industrial food animal production. Each of these topics suggests the spectrum and challenges we face in acquiring a supply and source of safe and secure food. GAP ADDRESSED: There remain many critical food safety hazards to be identified, assessed, and evaluated in our homes, at work, and during our leisure time.

Session Objectives: 1. What dietary components contribute to urinary bis-phenol-A concentrations? 2. What agricultural practice may be associated with Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection? 3. Describe how collective impact can be a tool for addressing community food security. 4. List the major barriers reported by public health department staff that limit involvement in IFAP and public Health. 5. Identify the sites and surfaces with high bacterial counts and/or bacteria of medical interest in student dormitory rooms.