Archive for the ‘Consumer Skills’ Category:
FDA Update: Hand Sanitizers Carry Unproven Claims to Prevent MRSA Infections
Some hand sanitizers and antiseptic products come with claims that they can prevent MRSA infections.
Don’t believe them! These statements are unproven, says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a recent Consumer Update.
MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a bacterium that can cause severe—even life-threatening—infections that do not respond to standard treatment with the antibiotic methicillin.
Understanding MRSA
“Staphylococcus aureus itself is a very aggressive organism,” says Edward Cox, M.D., M.P.H., director of FDA’s Office of Antimicrobial Products. “It’s often associated with patients in hospitals who have weakened immune systems, but the bacterium can also cause significant skin infections and abscesses in a normal, healthy person. And it can get into the bloodstream and, less frequently, may involve the heart valve, which is very difficult to treat.”
But this antibiotic-resistant strain is even more difficult to treat. “With MRSA, a number of the antibiotic drugs we typically used often don’t work, so we lose treatment options we used to rely upon,” says Cox.
Misleading Claims
FDA is cracking down on companies that break federal law by promoting their products as preventing MRSA infections and other diseases without agency review and approval.
“Consumers are being misled if they think these products you can buy in a drug store or from other places will protect them from a potentially deadly infection,” says Deborah Autor, compliance director at FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
One company claims that its hand sanitizing lotion prevents infection from the bacterium E. coli and the H1N1 flu virus. And another firm claims its “patented formulation of essential plant oils” kills the bacterium Salmonella. These claims are also unproven and, therefore, illegal.
“FDA has not approved any products claiming to prevent infection from MRSA, E. coli, Salmonella, or H1N1 flu, which a consumer can just walk into a store and buy” says Autor. “These products give consumers a false sense of protection.”
Advice for Consumers
- Don’t buy over-the-counter hand sanitizers or other products that claim to prevent infection from MRSA, E. coli, Salmonella, flu, or other bacteria or viruses.
- Ask your pharmacist or other health care professional for help in distinguishing between reliable and questionable information on product labels and company websites.
- In general, wash hands often, especially before handling food, to help avoid getting sick. Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds. For children, this means the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice.
For more information, see the full Consumer Update report and other helpful consumer information at the FDA website, www.fda.gov.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Subscribe to the comments for this postAn egg-cellent food!
Eggs are better than ever! In a recent review conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the amount of cholesterol in an egg is lower than ever before.
The USDA collected random samples of large shell eggs from 12 locations across the country. Most nutrients remained the same. But, cholesterol decreased 12% to 185 mg and vitamin D increased 64% to 41 IU. The decrease in cholesterol is likely due to healthy improvements in chicken feed. Eggs were last analyzed in 2002.
Eggs are also good sources for healthy dietary fats. More than two-thirds of the fat in an egg is made up of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They do not contain trans-fats. All of these types of fats are recommended in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The USDA guidelines recommend consuming less than 300 mg of chlesterol each day.
During Easter, eggs are often advertised at seasonal sale prices. This may be a good time to stock up. Fresh eggs in the shell will keep for 4 to 5 weeks in their original carton in the refrigerator. Use hard-cooked eggs within 5-7 days.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Housing Options for Aging in Place
Many people will choose different types of living arrangements over time based upon their needs. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of various housing options in the free Extension educational program “Housing Options for Aging in Place.” With enough information, aging in place is viable to those who are open to new ideas.
This program will be held on Monday, April 11th at 12:00 noon at the Finney County Extension Office, 501 S. 9th Street on the fairgrounds in Garden City. Bring a lunch to enjoy during the program. Dessert and drinks will be provided.
A minimum attendance is required to hold this program, so pre-registration is requested by Friday, April 8 at the Finney County Extension Office, 620-272-3670 or email to lbeech@ksu.edu.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Make time for family meals and save money, too!
I love to talk about family mealtime! It reminds me of happy memories of my childhood and- a generation later- of all the conversations I shared with my own children around the table. I didn’t realize then how important our time together was, nor how much money we saved by eating at home.
It’s true, though, families can save money by eating at home. Check out the quick meals for busy families link at Spend Smart Eat Smart from Iowa State Extension which compares the cost of a restaurant meal with one you prepare at home. Remember, when you eat out or buy convenience products, you pay for labor as well as the food.
So, how do you save money by eating together at home? Spend Smart Eat Smart website has lots of great ideas for saving money as you prepare meals. Prepare double or triple batches of favorite recipes to have on hand when you are in a hurry. Save money when you buy ingredients in quantity to make several batches. Make a list of foods that cook quickly and save time, such as scrambled eggs, fruit and toast; stir fry meat and veggies, etc.
Keep meals simple and easy – a family meal together doesn’t have to be elaborate or include expensive ingredients. A simple meal, eaten together while sharing conversation with those you love, is worth more than the most elaborately prepared dish. Don’t let this simple concept become lost in the busy-ness of everyday life.
I”d love to hear how you save money with family meals at home. Share your best tips!
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Do you have a thermometer in your freezer?
A day of freezing drizzle here in Garden City yesterday was enough to cancel school today, but thankfully not enough to knock out our power. It did remind me, though, of an ice storm several years ago when we were without power for a day or two. Our close call is a good reminder that we need to be prepared for the hazards of winter weather.
Now is the time to make sure you have a thermometer in each refrigerator and freezer. A thermometer is an “inexpensive insurance policy” to help you monitor food temperatures during a power outage. With a thermometer, you’ll be able to take action if foods are getting too warm in order to save costly food losses. (During the last ice storm and power outage, the first question I asked callers inquiring about the safety of the food in their freezer was “how warm did it get in the freezer?” Most couldn’t tell me.)
Be prepared for power outage
Besides putting a thermometer into your freezer, here are several other tips to prepare for a power outage which sometimes comes with severe winter weather:
- Stock a survival kit with a flashlight and extra batteries, candles and matches, battery-powered or hand-crank portable radio, a couple of cans of sterno canned cooking fuel and some simple foods which can be eaten cold or with saucepan heating.
- Gather emergency heating supplies such as extra firewood for a fireplace or fuel for other types of portable heaters.
- If you own a generator, be sure it is in good working order with plenty of fuel.
- During an outage, do not open the refrigerator or freezer door any more than is necessary. Food can stay cold in a full refrigerator for up to 24 hours, and in a well-packed freezer for 48 hours (24 hours if it is half-packed).
- Freeze large chunks of ice in clean plastic jugs or containers to place in freezers or refrigerators as needed. These can quickly be frozen outside overnight if you have the containers on hand.
- Draw some extra water if your water supply is dependent on electricity (like the pump on the farm where I grew up.)
Was the freezer off while you were away? Here’s a simple way to detect a problem with frozen food safety: store an ice cube or two in a sealed plastic bag or small container in the freezer. If the ice cube has melted down from its original shape, you’ll know the power was off for an extended period of time!