Agriculture Department Restates Its Opposition to Heart Assn.’s Endorsements

A controversial nutrition labeling program by the American Heart Assn. was dealt another setback by the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently restated its strong opposition to the group’s plan, called HeartGuide.

The effort to place endorsements on products that the association believes are nutritious has been dogged with criticism since its inception. However, the first HeartGuide labels--a bold red heart with a check mark at its center--are scheduled to appear in early 1990 despite the opposition.

Last October, the USDA informed the American Heart Assn. that the endorsements could not appear on meat or poultry products--whether fresh or processed. The Dallas-based group appealed the decision shortly thereafter and its request was recently denied by USDA.

About 100 other processed foods, which fall under the purview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are still scheduled to begin carrying the HeartGuide seal in February. However, FDA has expressed reservations about HeartGuide, but has not formally announced its position on the program.

In a letter dated Nov. 29, a top agriculture department official restated the agency’s initial position.

Assistant Agriculture Secretary Jo Ann R. Smith notified Myron L. Weisfelt, American Heart Assn. president, that the group’s appeal was rejected.

“We remain convinced that an AHA seal of approval used on specific food items produced by participating companies cannot convey the importance of a total diet,” Smith wrote. “Foods so labeled will be perceived as ‘good’ by the consumer and those without the seal will be perceived as ‘bad.’ ”

Companies that enroll their products in the Heart Assn. program face a sliding scale of fees depending on the item’s national sales volume. First, the firms must pay between $10,000 and $40,000 just to have the association test their product to determine whether its meets the Heart Assn.’s nutritional guidelines. This fee is nonrefundable.

If the product qualifies then an annual fee ranging from $5,000 to $600,000 must be paid to gain the HeartGuide benefits including use of the emblem on packaging.

The USDA once again characterized the Heart Assn.’s criteria for including products in its program as “lacking.”

“The public confusions caused by such a labeling program cannot be countered effectively by (the group’s companion) education program,” Smith wrote, adding that the debate over HeartGuide could “undermine public confidence in the science of nutrition.”

Smith’s decision comes in spite of about 500 letters critical of the USDA’s original decision, according to Jim Greene, public information officer with USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The letter writing campaign was waged by Heart Assn. volunteers and was also aimed at Congress and the FDA, said Jamy Poth, HeartGuide communications manager for the Dallas-based group.

“The purpose was to say that HeartGuide is a good idea and that consumers look forward to seeing it on their store shelves,” she said. “People also wrote to the USDA to express their dismay that products that contain meat and poultry are not going to be included in the program.”

Poth said that she hopes some accommodation can be reached with the USDA, but did not rule out legal action against the agency.

“The federal government already allows food manufacturers to make health benefit claims that we believe are false and misleading. And the USDA opposition to a positive program, like HeartGuide, is impossible to understand,” Poth said. “We are deeply disappointed and totally dismayed by their obstructive position.”

The Community Nutrition Institute, a consumer advocacy group, has also been critical of HeartGuide. The Washington-based institute recently reported that the Heart Assn.’s label plan has not generated much interest from the food industry.

“Its program has proven to be the wallflower at the nutrition ball. Major food companies are carefully avoiding any public displays of interest and food trade association executives are less than charitable,” reported Nutrition Week, the institute’s newsletter.

Poth said that the Heart Assn. will soon release a list of those products approved to carry the HeartGuide seal.

Raw Egg Caution--Consumers are being warned again by federal health officials to avoid holiday recipes that include raw or lightly cooked eggs in the final dish. Of particular concern is home-made eggnog, a popular seasonal drink.

The concern stems from a continuing problem with eggs contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis, a harmful bacteria.

“Eggs must be cooked thoroughly in order to kill any bacteria--such as salmonella--that may be present. If your eggnog recipe calls for raw eggs, it’s not safe,” a USDA advisory noted.

The problem is believed to be caused when the bacteria is transfered from an infected laying hen directly to the egg’s interior before the shell is formed.

“We now know that refrigerated Grade A eggs with clean, uncracked shells--those usually assumed to be safe--can be contaminated with S. enteritidis, “ according to the warning issued by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Salmonella can cause flu-like symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. The infection can be severe, and potentially fatal, for people in high risk groups including the elderly, infants, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems such as cancer or AIDS patients.

The agency has several recommendations for preparing eggnog and other holiday dishes. They are:

--To make safe eggnog, cook or microwave the mixture to 160 degrees, or until the ingredients thicken enough to coat a spoon. Refrigerate at once. Large batches should be divided into shallow containers so that the beverage will cool quickly.

--While adding alcohol may inhibit bacterial growth, it cannot be relied upon to kill bacteria that may be present in raw eggs. Add alcohol after cooking the eggnog.

--Do not fold raw, beaten egg whites into the cooked mixture. It hasn’t been proven that raw egg whites are free of Salmonella bacteria.

--Eggnog made with egg substitutes is safe since these frozen commercial products have been pasteurized.

--Commercial eggnog is prepared with pasteurized eggs and requires no cooking.

--Eggs used in baked goods are thoroughly cooked and are not a problem. However, don’t eat raw cookie dough or other similar mixtures that may contain raw eggs.

--Call the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline with any other questions about handling raw eggs. The toll-free number is (800) 535-4555.

Fast and Safe--Another cautionary note, this one regarding microwave cooking, was issued recently by a California health publication.

The UC Berkeley Wellness Letter reports that certain bacteria may survive in foods cooked in the microwave. The potential problem of uneven microwaving has been known for some time, but the issue becomes even more acute because of increasing food safety concerns.

“One potential problem with this type of cooking is that it may heat foods unevenly and leave some parts undercooked, thus allowing bacteria and other microorganisms to survive,” the newsletter stated.

One research study, conducted at Georgia Southern College and chronicled in the report, underlines the contamination threat. The survey compared Salmonella-inoculated chickens cooked either in a conventional oven or in a microwave.

“Those cooked conventionally contained no live bacteria, but eight out of nine microwaved chickens did,” the Wellness Letter reported.

Similar studies have demonstrated that bacteria survived in other microwaved foods such as frankfurters, hamburgers and tomato soup.

The features that make microwave ovens unique are also to be blamed for the problem. The microwave oven cooks by vibrating water molecules that cause the food’s external moisture to evaporate and leaves the surface cooler than the inside, according to the report.

“The air around the food remains cool too--unlike the searing air in a conventional oven--so that organisms present on the surface have a greater chance of surviving. Thus while the center of a hamburger may be steaming hot, the edge may remain cool and contaminated,” according to the Wellness Letter.

There are several steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of bacteria surviving in the microwave, the article states. They are:

--Cover food with microwaveable plastic wrap, glass or ceramic. The trapped steam will help decrease evaporation and help heat the surface. Plastic wrap should be pierced to allow steam to properly vent.

--Allow microwaved food to stand covered after cooking is completed. Heat concentrated inside the food will radiate outward helping to cook the exterior and equalize the temperature throughout.

--Thaw meats before microwaving, either in the refrigerator or with the oven’s defrost setting. Ice crystals in frozen foods are not heated well by the microwave and can create cold spots.