Thai investigation zeroes in on source of food poisoning

[webfact]

Investigation zeroes in on source of food poisoning
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THAILAND HAS become the first country to detect Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a bacterium that causes food poisoning, in chicken blood.

"There are no reports that such a case has existed anywhere else before," Opart Karnkawinpong, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, said yesterday.

V parahaemolyticus is usually found in freshwater fish.

Opart added that in collaborating with his department, the Livestock Development Department had closed down the factory where the bacteria had been found in chicken blood.

"We will conduct random checks at other factories too," he said.

In Thailand, chicken blood is included in various dishes such as khao man kai (chicken and oily, flavourful rice).

Rajaphum Khiaosanam, a veterinarian at the Nakhon Ratchasima livestock development office, said that province was the biggest base of chicken processing, which delivered both poultry and chicken blood.

"More than 600,000 chickens are slaughtered and processed each day here," he said.

He said the plants operated by big companies had clearly demonstrated good hygienic standards in line with requirements for food exported to the European Union. There are plants operated by small, local entrepreneurs too.

"We have collected chicken blood from these facilities to determine if there is any contamination. Results should be known within three days," Rajaphum said.

Disease Control Department director-general Sopon Mekthon advised consumers to boil chicken blood at a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes before consumption to avoid risks from V parahaemolyticus contamination.

He also urged food shops to stick to hygienic standards strictly.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Investigation-zeroes-in-on-source-of-food-poisonin-30251917.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-15

[Thai at Heart]

Shock horror, infectious bacteria in product that the rest of the world discards as offal.....

[zaphod reborn]

More crap journalism from The Nation. Chicken blood is not normally used when making khao man gai. You take a whole chicken, remove all the organs, and then boil it. Chicken blood is used in making the pudding blocks shown in the picture (don't know what that's called). I avoid it like the plague.

[NongKhaiKid]

OK punk you've made my day as now I have a new buzz word / phrase to savour in addition to crackdown, purge, mull, hub etc.

' ZEROES In ' ! Wow, really has a ring about it and will be popular with Japanese visitors too.

[PatOngo]

Hats off and praise to the homeland................Worldbeaters!

[taony]

Sounds like he is proud Thailand has a unique way to make people sick.

[marko kok prong]

Shock horror, infectious bacteria in product that the rest of the world discards as offal.....

Not forgetting the grilled intestines you get,with the grilled whole chicken.

[SiSePuede419]

"V parahaemolyticus is usually found in freshwater fish."

Oh, oh. I was thinking about making river "shrimp" tonight. Not a good idea?

[SiSePuede419]

Shock horror, infectious bacteria in product that the rest of the world discards as offal.....

Not forgetting the grilled intestines you get,with the grilled whole chicken.

Wow. I ate some gun gai yang (grilled chicken gizzards) for the first time yesterday and this morning, my gut is hurting.

I'm going to try some "Eno" and see if that makes it better, otherwise I might need some antibiotics...

[canuckamuck]

Disease Control Department director-general Sopon Mekthon advised consumers to boil chicken blood at a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes before consumption to avoid risks from V parahaemolyticus contamination.

Boiling at 75 degrees is also a new trick invented by Thailand. Unless they do it at high altitude.

[Lupatria]

The guy must be happy about this 'discovery' now they can blame a bacteria for food poisoning and go on handling all kinds of food without any basic hygiene standards. "It's not us who makes you sick- it's the nasty bug!"

[AlphMichaels]

Ya..., this is a travesty. He who eats khao man kai..., will surely die. Look to the west and google contaminated foods out of factories in 2014.

FYI, my fav vendors are not serving (leua kai) at the moment. Reputable vendors all..., most have been serving the tasty (and nutritious) breakfast for years.

[junglechef]

Maybe it's a regional thing because here up North they serve Khao Man Gia with coagualted chicken blood (I always eat it off my kids plate!)

[aussiebrian]

More crap journalism from The Nation. Chicken blood is not normally used when making khao man gai. You take a whole chicken, remove all the organs, and then boil it. Chicken blood is used in making the pudding blocks shown in the picture (don't know what that's called). I avoid it like the plague.

The crap Journalist demands a sincere apology from a crap tv poster that has insulted him.

ok, just a small apology will do as he did not say always and you said not normally .

What amuses me about Khao Man Gai is how its appearance is the same regardless of where you find it in Thailand. It’s as if there’s a universal code governing the manner in which the dish is to be presented which all Khao Man Gai vendors nationwide abide by. Slices of steamed or boiled capon meat are placed over a mound of rice. Cucumber slices and fresh cilantro leaves serve as a quintessential garnish. Sometimes, a few slices of cooked congealed chicken blood (it’s not that bad …) is also added to the mix. The chicken-rice plate is then accompanied by a bowl of piping hot chicken consommé with a few pieces of Chinese winter gourd (whose Thai name is pronounced exactly like the way this little girl pronounces “frog“) swimming in it. The broth, to be slurped between bites, helps move the chicken and rice along your esophagus more smoothly.

Ref: http://shesimmers.com/2009/06/how-to-make-khao-man-gai-%E0%B8%82%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%81%E0%B9%88-thai-version-of-hainanese-chicken-and-rice.html

The dish is simple. It’s tender boiled chicken a top a bed of rice, sprinkled with cilantro and served with sliced cucumber and most importantly a sauce containing yellow soy bean paste, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and Thai chili peppers. On the side there is a bowl of chicken broth in which floats a slice of Chinese winter gourd. No matter where you go throughout the country vendors usually stick to this format occasionally with addition of a few cubes or slices congealed chicken blood which is not as off putting as it may sound!

Ref:http://www.templeofthai.com/asian-food-life/blog/thai-food/chicken-rice-khao-man-gai/

The rice is piled high onto the plate, with the strips of chicken served on top with slices of cucumber and a chunk of congealed chickens blood (yes we do have to admit we always leave this little bit of the dish – whilst we love our food even we have our limits!).

Ref: http://www.tasteofthailandfoodtours.org/khao-man-gai-4/

Edited January 15, 2015 by aussiebrian

[HeijoshinCool]

Yes, Thailand, where chicken feet cost more per kilo than boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Of course they have their own bacteria.

[SOTIRIOS]

..only the tip of the iceberg....

[lanng khao]

..only the tip of the iceberg....

That's what the doctor said to me when he found a lettuce protruding from my rectum..

[worgeordie]

My daughter ,eats this chicken blood,when my wife adds it

to Green Curry, but will not eat Black Pudding,Thainess,?

when the wife brings a block of chicken blood from the

market,the smell is enough to put you off.

Regards Worgeordie

[Gandtee]

I have always thought that the coagulated blood was pigs, not chicken?

[SiSePuede419]

"Boiling at 75 degrees is also a new trick invented by Thailand."

Since the boiling point of water is 100C, technically it's not "boiled", but 75C is a safe cooking temperature for all poultry...

[mike324]

Almost all Asian countries eat this chicken/duck/pig blood pudding thing.

[Mot Dang]

I have always thought that the coagulated blood was pigs, not chicken?

Me too !

I have always avoided it. Thought it was pig's blood. Although I suppose any domestic animal blood could be used. Whenever it was put into my bowl of noodle soup, I spooned it over to my wife.

I knew the cooking temperature used was not very high, if cooked at too high temperature the blood doesn't clot properly (something about the structure of the protein - bit like the thickening of egg white), and changes flavor apparently.

If an animal is sick I'm pretty damn sure the blood might be carrying the infectious agent. Low cooking temperatures may not kill it.

Not for me thank-you.

[Sviss Geez]

Shock horror, infectious bacteria in product that the rest of the world discards as offal.....

If you disregard with shock and horror all the other countries that process pig's blood, of course.

[Baerboxer]

Shock horror, infectious bacteria in product that the rest of the world discards as offal.....

Not forgetting the grilled intestines you get,with the grilled whole chicken.

Wow. I ate some gun gai yang (grilled chicken gizzards) for the first time yesterday and this morning, my gut is hurting.

I'm going to try some "Eno" and see if that makes it better, otherwise I might need some antibiotics...

I regularly eat those gizzards, and chicken livers. Never had a problem, or with the blocks of blood.

All counties have their own dishes that some think strange - black pudding (pigs blood), haggis (sheep's offal wrapped in sheep's stomach), brawn, etc. Germany offers similar dishes like Saumagen, Blutwurst, Brauhaus Sulzer; the French and Italians with their cooked songbirds even robins.

If you don't like something don't eat it - but don't slag off others that do.

[Baerboxer]

Almost all Asian countries eat this chicken/duck/pig blood pudding thing.

So do a lot of European countries - your point is?

[Estrada]

Disease Control Department director-general Sopon Mekthon advised consumers to boil chicken blood at a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes before consumption to avoid risks from V parahaemolyticus contamination.

Boiling at 75 degrees is also a new trick invented by Thailand. Unless they do it at high altitude.

They don't have a word for simmer. 75C is pasteurisation temperature.

[Nemesis7]

Thai investigation and their findings??? Good luck to all

[Eli1]

"Stick to hygienic standards strictly" What a joke the hole of Thailand would not pass any hygienic standard anywhere in the developed country's I can't remember how many times I've been sick in Thailand, All you need to do is go and see where they sell their poultry and their meat it is totally disgusting and all the flies on them absolutely hideous.

[Eli1]

The guy must be happy about this 'discovery' now they can blame a bacteria for food poisoning and go on handling all kinds of food without any basic hygiene standards. "It's not us who makes you sick- it's the nasty bug!"

The funny thing is hygiene is not in the Thai vocabulary....How meany times have gone to a toilet in Thailand and seen so many people including chefs not wash their hands they are disgusting but they do have a clean Arse...lol

[Jimbolai]

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Disease Control Department director-general Sopon Mekthon advised consumers to boil chicken blood at a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes before consumption to avoid risks from V parahaemolyticus contamination.

Boiling at 75 degrees is also a new trick invented by Thailand. Unless they do it at high altitude.

How high? On the way to the moon or just climbing Mt Everest?