Blog #17

1. Consider what you ate today and where the ingredients came from? How many health standards might have been invoked? Today I ate chicken tacos and I made "Fresh Salsa". I probably ate antibiotic and diseased chicken, pesticide contaminated tomatoes and chiles an onions. I'm sure, I have been exposed to much today in just one meal.
2. What vulnerable populations do you work with that could benefit from education on food safety? I work with farm workers whom are extremely vulnerable to contaminated food. First they work in the middle of the pesticide treated foods, and in addition understand very little of the risks of under cooking or cross contamination with E-coli or salmonella.
3. Given the increase in antibiotic resistance infections, especially those that are hospital acquired, what are some initiatives that nurses can propose to promote safe uses of antibiotics in agriculture (through food purchasing decisions at home and in our institutions) and from other sources that create risks for the development of resistant organisms? It is best to purchase organic if one could afford it or better yet grow your own. At the very least, get in the habit of washing fruits and vegetable before consumption.