Browse Health Stories - Page 22

The current highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 outbreak in the United States is a concern for the commercial poultry industry, not the general population, says a University of Georgia poultry expert. Humans won’t be infected with avian influenza by eating chicken or other poultry products. Nearly all previous cases of human infections with other avian influenza viruses involved close, direct contact with infected poultry, but little to no direct transmission from person to person. While the HPAI H5 virus has caused some severe devastation for the U.S. commercial poultry industry, there have been no reports of infections in humans, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk to people from this virus to be low.

In a recent study funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, University of Georgia researchers found that produce containing bacteria are likely to contaminate other produce items through the continued use of knives or graters — the bacteria latches onto the utensils commonly found in consumers’ homes and spreads to the next item.

Children are like sponges—they absorb everything. That’s why University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents are teaching children, at an early age, the importance of decreasing sugar consumption and properly washing their hands.

For residents in some metro Atlanta neighborhoods, it can be impossible to find fresh produce because the closest well-stocked supermarket is geographically out of reach.

Keeping produce safe means keeping harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites from contaminating fruits and vegetables. Enjoy the rewards of growing food through planning and some practical food safety tips.

Maxwell Lamptey is visiting America, specifically Griffin, Georgia, in the hopes of learning new methods to fight aflatoxin — a carcinogen produced by soil fungus that can grow on peanuts — in his home country of Ghana.

For most parents, fall is a whirlwind of after-school meetings, tight schedules, homework and dwindling family time. Even after the dash becomes daily routine, the hours between school and dinner often get lost in the shuffle. To rescue these important hours, assign your kids the task of hosting “after-school recess” during that time each day.

Clinicians at hospitals and doctors' offices play a key role in ensuring consumers are aware of the threats of foodborne illness, says University of Georgia food safety expert Michael Doyle.

A new bill, signed by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, requires drivers to secure trailers to their vehicles with safety chains. The bill, which takes effect July 1, was prompted by the death of a young Fayette County mother who was killed last fall when a runaway trailer struck her vehicle.

A “green superfood” is making its way into the mainstream and into the fields of southwest Georgia farms, according to a University of Georgia vegetable expert. Increased consumer demand in connection with its many health benefits has Georgia farmers planting, and selling, more of the leafy green.