in reply to the email about people who got sick

[Merilyn Gottlieb]

Hi. 

If you asked me if I think I got sick from attending OSB, my initial reaction is no. The first time I even heard that people had gotten sick was when I ran into one of the attendees or volunteers (unsure if he volunteered this year) who is one of the people who got sick.  This was at New Seasons on Tuesday June 30. 

I have been having some stomach issues, but I think it is related to the heat, as one of my symptoms just started yesterday, and the rest of my stomach issues seem to be ongoing. ie not caused by OSB.

There are two things I would like to mention: 

1. One of the lunches did not agree with me. I was having stomach issues for the rest of the day.  I thought maybe I ate something I was not used to.  I think it was Tuesday, the Los Gorditos lunch, but I am not sure. 

It was not registering with me as food poisoning or a stomach virus. I do eat at Los Gorditos, but I don't order the items that were served that day. 

2. I did observe one thing I was concerned about. And I did say something at the time. I have had both alcohol server (OLCC) training and a past food handler's card, as I worked in fast food and waitressing and catering for about 20 years.  I did observe something that I felt could have made someone sick. If it did make anyone sick, it did not make me sick, because I did not eat it once I was unsure of how long it had been sitting out.  I was concerned about the lunch leftovers that  were served w/o being kept hot (in chafing dishes with a flame underneat) or cold (ice underneath) and were left out for hours on very hot days. I did ask one of the core team people if that food that had been sitting out was definitely going to being thrown out at the end of the day, and was told it would be. The next day, 2 of the trays looked like the same trays that had been out the previous night, but I was told they were new trays that had been put out that had already been partly eaten. I really hope those were not the same trays of rice or beans or something along those lines. Hold times for certain food (after which time it is supposed to be thrown out) is 2 to 4 hours, depending on which source you go by. And hot food should be kept hot. and cold food should be kept cold. No food should be left sitting in the danger zone.  There were some very hot days and food taken out of a refrigerator and left at room temperature ie in the danger zone, especially on hot days, can become a problem pretty quickly. 

That being said, I appreciated the leftovers being made available, as it saved me from having to go out and buy food with my limited budget. 

I do think it would be better to leave the leftovers out for only a few hours at a time (maybe only serve a smaller amount to start with and then put out more if it is all  eaten) and leave only room temperature stable snacks out for the whole evening. 

(nuts, chips, pretzels, chocolate)

and again, I do not believe I got sick from attending osb, (just my usual exhausted, etc. ) 

 

I also hope the person who cut the cookies washed their hands first. 

I hope that helps. 

Merilyn