Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
Food Safety Partnership (FSP) and
Partnership and Workforce Development Unit (PWDU)
QUARTERLY UPDATE
Volume 4, Issue 1, January 2010
About Life Being Punctuated by
Emergencies
Section Headings
Events and Other Announcements …………... 1
Here in the MDH Environmental Health Services
Section, and in most areas of food world, emergency
response was part of the workload long before 9-11
had a new and terrible meaning.
Food Safety Partnership Projects ….….……... 2
Whether we are reacting to fire or flood; a missing
shipment or absent staff; an illness outbreak or
massive recall, our daily routines are often punctuated
by the unexpected.
Food Matters …………………………………… 6
Last summer and fall, when we were busy with the
usual events (State Fair, We Fest, Renaissance
Festival), we thought we couldn’t get any busier. Then
along came H1N1 and we had to stop saying, “Maybe
next month when we’re not so busy….”
Many projects were put on hold as we were drawn into
planning and response activities, H1N1 training, and
for some of us, the need to recuperate from an
“influenza-like illness.”
In the rush, the October 1, 2009 issue of this
newsletter simply never got finished. This new issue
includes reports on projects and activities (past,
delayed and underway), plus bulletins, links and
information about a variety of topics.
We wish you a happy and healthy year in 2010.
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
PWDU Projects and Announcements ……….. 3
Bug of the Quarter: Norovirus …..….………… 5
News from Federal Agencies….…….………… 8
From Industry ……………..………….………… 9
Climate Change Corner………………………… 9
Environmental Odds and Ends ……………….. 10
H1N1 ……………..………………………………. 11
More Germ City Adventures ………………….. 12
PWDU Staff Contact Information ................…. 13
Events and Other Announcements
MEHA Winter & Spring Conferences
January 14, 2010 and May, 5-7, 2010
http://www.mehaonline.org/events.htm

The MEHA Winter Conference is scheduled for
January 14 at the Holiday Inn in St. Cloud from
8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., with registration and
breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30. The Agenda
includes presentations on: nonverbal
communication; flood response; drinking water;
fats, oils and grease; allergens; and food safety.

Mark your calendars for the Spring Conference
at Ruttgers' in Deerwood, May 5-7, 2010.
Page 1 of 13
January Rulemaking Meeting
Food Safety Partnership Meetings and
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Second Annual Program Evaluation Workshop
Special Food Safety Partnership Meeting to Focus
on Minnesota Food Code Revision Process
On Wednesday, January 20, a special Food Safety
Partnership meeting will be held from 9:30 am to 1:00
pm. (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, presentations; 12:00
noon to 1:00 p.m., discussion).
This meeting will focus on information about the
process for updating and revising the Minnesota Food
Code, Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4626.
Staff from the Minnesota Departments of Health and
Agriculture will present information on the past work of
the Code Compliance Committee 2 (CCC2) and the
process and schedule for the rule revision effort. In
addition, Greg Abel from the United States Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) will review the new 2009
FDA Model Code.
The purposes of the meeting are to provide:

information about the past work of the CCCII;

an overview of the 2009 FDA Model Code;

information about the rule revision process and
proposed schedule; and

time to answer questions and gather some input
about the Code revision.
The meeting will originate from Room B107 in the
Freeman Building at 625 North Robert Street in St.
Paul.
There will be a video conference feed to MDH District
Offices in Bemidji, Duluth, Fergus Falls, Mankato, St.
Cloud and the Snelling Office Park facility in St. Paul.
If you are interested in participating in the meeting from
any of these additional locations – Alexandria, Anoka,
Brainerd, Marshall, Rochester, Winona or Willmar please contact Maggie Edwards (651-201-4506 or
[email protected]) by Friday, January
8, 2010, so the correct arrangements can be made.
Contacts for the rulemaking process are: Linda Prail,
MDH and Lorna Girard, MDA
([email protected]).
If you have any questions about the meeting, please
contact Linda Prail (651-201-5792 or
[email protected].)
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
April 6, June 8, and October 5, 2010

2010 FSP meetings will be held on April 6, June
8, and October 5.

The 2nd Annual Program Evaluation Workshop
will be held on June 8 after the FSP
videoconference.

The 2nd Annual Food Safety Partnership Field
Trip will be held in June or July, 2010. Field trip
locations have not yet been determined.
Food Safety Partnership Plus
Plumbing and Fire Marshall Training
As discussed at recent FSP meetings, PWDU plans to
sponsor videoconference training events in-between
regular FSP meetings. The first of these will be held in
February or early March 2010.
A state plumbing inspector and a Fire Marshall have
agreed to present for one hour each. Please contact
Michelle Messer ([email protected]) if
you would like to suggest topics for these
presentations.
Food Safety Partnership Projects
Employee Illness Workgroup
The first of two Food Safety Partnership (FSP)
Steering Committee initiated workgroups – The
Employee Illness Workgroup - completed their work in
October 2009.
The Workgroup created and revised materials for use
by industry and public health on the topic of employee
illness and hygiene. The materials include: illness and
handwashing factsheets and posters; a new illness
decision guide; an illness log; and a table of symptoms,
illnesses and conditions, with associated action steps.
Materials created and revised by the workgroup can be
downloaded from the MDH website at:
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/pwdu/fsp/.
Page 2 of 13
Hand Hygiene Project
The second project/workgroup initiated by the FSP
Steering Committee is focused on hand hygiene. The
Hand Hygiene Workgroup has two goals: to review
current hand hygiene research; and to prepare a
packet of materials and strategies for hand hygiene
education.
Please contact Deborah Durkin
([email protected]), if you would like to
be part of this workgroup.
PWDU Projects and Announcements
PWDU Staff Changes
Farewell: to Cathy Odinot whose last day with MDH
and PWDU was December 31. Cathy has accepted a
position with Buffalo Wild Wings’ corporate offices in
the Twin Cities metro-area.
Welcome: to Michelle Messer, who joined PWDU in
November after ten years as an MDH sanitarian.
PWDU Standardization and Training
Michelle Messer, MDH
My name is Michelle Messer and I have recently joined
the Partnership and Workforce Development Unit
(PWDU) as a Planner. Prior to this, I was a sanitarian
with MDH for ten years. My new job involves
developing a training plan for new and existing
employees, standardizing state and local health
department staff, and helping with program
evaluations.
MDA/MDH/Extension Hand Sanitizer Factsheet
One piece of the training requirements - a retail food
training plan - is ready for review by MDH staff. The
plan is based on a template developed by the
Conference for Food Protection and covers six
inspection training areas: (1) pre-inspection, (2)
inspection observation and performance, (3) oral
communication, (4) written communication, (5)
professionalism and (6) additional inspection areas.
When this and other parts of the MDH training plan are
complete, they will be available for use by any agency
that wishes to use or revise them for use.
In November, staff from University of Minnesota
Extension, MDA and MDH collaborated on a hand
sanitizer factsheet for food service.
The factsheet was written in response to concern by all
three agencies that the widespread (and sometimes
misleading) promotion of hand sanitizers may lead
food service workers to rely on sanitizers instead of
handwashing with soap and water.
“Hand Sanitizers: Not a Replacement for Handwashing
in Food Service Settings,” can be found at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/fs/ha
ndsanifs.pdf
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Another training note: MDH, MDA, FDA and the
Wisconsin Department of Health and Agriculture are
providing a HACCP field course in Hudson, Wisconsin
on January 12-16. This will be a rare opportunity to
learn about HACCP in real food operations rather than
in the classroom. MDH is very pleased to partner with
the other sponsoring agencies for this class.
MDH continues to standardize state and local health
staff. If any local health department is interested in
having a staff person standardized, please contact
Mike Nordos ([email protected]) or me
([email protected]).
I am excited for theses new challenges, and look
forward to working with each of you.
Page 3 of 13
Program Evaluation: The First Six Months
Cathy Odinot
In late 2008, the multi-agency Evaluation Workgroup
completed work on their program evaluation protocol
and materials. The evaluation process and materials
were pilot-tested in 2008 and 2009 at the MDH St.
Cloud district office and in Anoka County.
evaluating system for EHS data to be used by both
local public health and MDH. The partnership will
enrich both PPMRS and EHS by expanding existing
PPMRS features, adding a needed environmental
health element to the PPMRS, and providing a costeffective solution to business needs of both programs.
According to the PPMRS website, “the reporting
system aims to:
At the March 2009 Food Safety Partnership meeting,
there was a drawing to determine the order in which
the (now 40) delegated agencies would be evaluated
over the next five years. Five programs were
scheduled for evaluation in 2009.

describe key aspects of Minnesota's public
health system;

provide consistent and accurate information that
can be used to improve delivery of public health;
and
Goodhue County - randomly selected as the first
program to be evaluated - elected to return their
program to MDH, so the list for 2009 was shortened
from five to four program evaluations.

to provide accountability and meet the reporting
requirements of the Minnesota Local Public
Health Act.”
To date, program evaluations have been performed or
are in the process of being completed in Kandiyohi and
Aitkin Counties, and in the Cities of Wayzata and
Minnetonka. MDH district office supervisors are
working on self-assessments of their programs.
PWDU staff have learned from each pilot and official
evaluation. Comments from agencies and the
experiences of evaluators have resulted in small
changes to the materials and process. Among these:
evaluation “tools” have had criteria added or reworded;
field Inspection forms have been reformatted; and staff
have developed a form for feedback from the
evaluated program.
Comments collected on the feedback form will be used
to improve the process. We hope that as we move
forward, we will continue to get questions and
comments from our partners and district office staff, as
we refine the process to reflect those comments and
change it to adapt to new standards and conditions.
Program Evaluation and PPMRS
Mike Nordos, MDH
The MDH Environmental Health Services Section
(EHS) has partnered with the Local Public Health
Planning and Performance Measurement Reporting
System (LPH PPMRS) to develop an environmental
health component for the existing PPMRS system.
The EHS module for PPMRS will also satisfy the needs
of the MDH EHS Delegation Agreement which requires
MDH to perform program evaluations, at least once
every five years, of each of the (currently 40) delegated
programs and requires the programs to perform regular
self-assessments.
The project goal is to develop an easy-to-use EHS
module by May 2009 that will allow MDH district offices
and local public health programs to perform selfassessments and submit information requested prior to
their program evaluations.
Each program will be given an administrator’s access
name and password that they can use to access the
PPMRS system via the internet at any time. The
system will guide the administrator through a step-bystep self assessment using the evaluation tools.
After data are entered, the system will automatically
run risk frequency calculations and FDA program
standard scores, and will give the overall
evaluation/self assessment placement as described in
the Delegation Agreement.
Information entered into the PPMRS data base can be
saved and edited until submitted to MDH. The system
will also:

keep track of the evaluation schedule and
automatically notify agencies of an upcoming
evaluation;

track materials submitted for evaluation and
request missing information;
This project is in response to a need perceived by
MDH and its partner agencies for one standard
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Page 4 of 13

allow for self assessments to be done as often
as desired while keeping information confidential
until submitted;

allow information to be saved and updated so
subsequent self assessments can be completed
more efficiently;

automatically update EHS contact lists,

create standard individual and aggregate
reports; and

reduce likelihood of delayed data reporting
and/or missing data.
MDH will use the PPMRS system to evaluate MDH and
local public health EHS programs in a consistent,
equitable, and timely manner. The data collected by
the PPMRS EHS module will be used to guide future
recommendations and planning to make the most
effective use of MDH and local program funds.
For more information about PPMRS, see:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/ppmrs/.
Many of the illnesses related to this outbreak may have
been prevented by a better understanding of
Norovirus, and more thorough and widespread
sanitation after the vomiting incident.
We are asking all of you who work with foodworkers to
distribute copies of the MDH Norovirus factsheets
(links below) to your establishments once again, and to
remind your contacts of the following:

There is no such thing as “stomach flu.”
Norovirus is not related to the flu which is a
respiratory illness caused by the influenza
virus.

Common symptoms of norovirus infection
include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach
cramping. Twenty to thirty percent of those
infected with norovirus have no symptoms but
can still pass the illness to others. Most people
recover after one or two days.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
estimates that norovirus causes 23 million
cases of acute gastroenteritis in the U.S. each
year. The number of deaths from norovirus is
estimated to be around 300 each year in the
U.S., with most of these occurring in the very
young, the elderly and persons with weakened
immune systems

Norovirus is extremely infectious and it
accounts for more than 65 percent of all
foodborne outbreaks in Minnesota. Nationally,
about 50 percent of norovirus outbreaks are
linked to ill foodworkers.

However, norovirus is not always a foodborne
illness. A CDC study of eleven outbreaks in
New York State lists the suspected mode of
transmission as person-to-person in seven
outbreaks, foodborne in two, waterborne in
one, and one unknown.

Noroviruses are found in the stool or vomit of
infected people. The most common ways that
norovirus is transmitted include: feces to hand
to food; feces or vomit on surfaces or objects
to hand and then to mouth; and through direct
contact with another person who is infected.

Extremely small amounts of fecal matter or
vomit containing norovirus can pose a risk of
transmission via hands, food, objects,
aerosols, or water.
Find program evaluation materials at:
http://health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/pwdu/dele
gationagreement.html.
Bug of the Quarter
Norovirus (AKA Noro, Norwalk Virus)
In November, a metro newspaper reported that more
than 20 percent of the students in a local elementary
school were absent due to an illness that caused
vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. A school
spokesperson said that while these could be symptoms
of a foodborne illness, the problem was more likely “a
routine stomach flu making the rounds.”
An MDH investigation revealed that a student at the
school had vomited in the lunchroom prior days prior to
the outbreak, leading epidemiologists to believe that
the ill students were exposed to Norovirus from the
vomiting incident in the school lunchroom.
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Page 5 of 13
Norovirus, continued




Viral shedding can occur at very high levels,
and for as long as three weeks after symptoms
have resolved.
Any person ill with norovirus should avoid
preparing food. Foodworkers with known
norovirus (or similar symptoms) must be
excluded for 72 hours after resolution of
symptoms.
Due to the likelihood that people ill with noro
will continue to shed after they return to work,
employees returning to work after being ill with
norovirus must be particularly careful about
their hand hygiene and glove use.
Handwashing and disinfection
are the most effective means
of preventing the spread of
Norovirus.
Food Matters
City of St. Paul Passes Food Allergen Law
On Wednesday, December 9, 2009, the City of St.
Paul became the second city in the U.S. (after New
York) to pass a food allergen ordinance.
The St. Paul City Council voted to approve a two-part
ordinance. Part One requires that an allergen
awareness poster be displayed in the employee area
of St. Paul restaurants. The poster shows pictures of
the eight major allergens in the U.S., as well as
common kitchen items such as cutting boards that can
be the source of allergen cross contamination.
The second part of the ordinance calls for a seven
percent discount in the license fee for restaurants
whose staff view an allergen training video and who
develop procedures to be followed when preparing and
serving food to customer who have allergies.
Norovirus Resources
MDH Norovirus Home:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/disease
s/norovirus/index.html
MDH Norovirus Factsheet, English:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/disease
s/norovirus/noro.pdf
MDH Norovirus Factsheet, Spanish:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/disease
s/norovirus/norosp.pdf
FSP Norovirus Presentation, April Bogard, October
2008:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/pwd
u/fsp/fspoct08noroviruspresentation.pdf
Preventing Norovirus Transmission: How Should
We Handle Hood Handlers? (Christine Moe, CID
2009:48, 1 January):
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/pwd
u/fsp/norovirusarticle.pdf
Recurring Norovirus Outbreaks in a Long-term
Residential Treatment Facility – Oregon, 2007
(MMWR Weekly, July 3, 2009):
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/
mm5825a2.htm?s_cid=mm5825a2_e
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Dave Siegel, President of Hospitality Minnesota, said
his organization plans to speak with food safety
instructors in the state about making the poster and
allergen information part of Certified Food Manager
training and re-certification training.
Page 6 of 13
Consumer Reports and the National Chicken
Council on CR’s Chicken Safety Report
Illinois Hepatitis A Outbreak Blamed On Poor
Handwashing, Poor Communication
In early December the Illinois Department of Public
Health released its report on an outbreak last summer
at a fast food restaurant in Milan, Illinois. The outbreak
is associated with 34 confirmed cases of Hepatitis A,
and Hepatitis prophylaxis for more than 5,000
potentially exposed staff and patrons.
In December, Consumer Reports released the results
of its latest analysis of fresh broiler chickens (N=382)
purchased at 100 stores in 22 states throughout the
U.S. That report can be found at:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazinearchive/2010/january/food/chickensafety/overview/chicken-safety-ov.htmtest.
Among the findings:
▪
Campylobacter was found in 62 percent of the
chickens; Salmonella in 14 percent. Both
pathogens were found in 9 percent of the birds.
▪
Among the cleanest overall were air-chilled
broilers, with about 40 percent contaminated with
one or both bacteria.
▪
Store-brand organic chickens had no Salmonella
at all. However, Campylobacter was detected in
57 percent of those birds.
▪
Sixty-eight percent of the Salmonella and 60
percent of the Campylobacter organisms tested
showed antibiotic resistance.
The National Chicken Council (NCC) responded by
saying, “Like all fresh foods, raw chicken may have
some microorganisms present, but these are destroyed
by the heat of normal cooking." NCC pointed out that
levels of the bacteria – as tested for a U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) survey were very low, and that
USDA found Campylobacter and Salmonella on fewer
raw chickens than the Consumer Reports analysis.
One reason proposed for the difference is that USDA
performed their tests at slaughter houses, and
Consumer Reports chickens came from grocery stores
- farther from the farm and closer to the table than the
USDA-tested birds.
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
June 11 is the first day noted in the report’s timeline,
and the day that the first foodworker became ill. On
June 17, the worker was tested for Hepatitis. On June
26, the mailed report of her positive results arrived at
the local health department. Due to the temporary
absence of a staff member, the test result was not
opened until July 14th, 18 days after receipt.
The restaurant was closed from July 15 to July 18.
During this time the establishment was inspected, and
employees were queried about their handwashing and
food handling habits. Employees did poorly when
handwashing was tested with GloGerm.
The report also says that the first ill foodworker worked
five days while she was infectious, preparing food with
her bare hands that would not later be cooked. The
second employee who tested positive also worked
several days while infectious, and handled ready-to-eat
food item with bare hands.
Since the release of the report, many food safety blogs
and list serve participants have commented that the
outbreak was the inevitable conclusion of a pattern of
poor business practices and critical violations revealed
in inspection reports from 2008 and 2009. Local public
health also predicted this outcome in a letter sent to
the restaurant in February 2009 that stated, "… we
have identified your establishment as being below
desired compliance levels and posing an increased risk
for a food-borne illness outbreak."
According to local public health, the warning was
based on a record that included average inspection
scores below 80 percent, five critical violations, and an
excessive number of repeat violations.
There appear to be lessons for all of the parties
involved in this outbreak, and for all of us who work at
serving food or helping to ensure its safety.
The full outbreak report can be found at:
http://www.marlerblog.com/uploads/file/10_30_0
9%20Hep%20A%20Rock%20Island.pdf
Page 7 of 13
Federal Agency News
FDA: Risk Communication Plan
FDA Strategic Plan for Risk Communication,
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and other
partnering agencies, FDA, the Environmental
Protection Agency, and the Consumer Product Safety
Commission, will provide on-site expertise at the
Center.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration, Fall 2009
See information about the Food Safety Working Group
at: www.foodsafetyworkinggroup.gov.
http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsFor
ms/Reports/ucm183673.htm
FDA/USDA: Food Safety Widget
In October FDA released their strategy for improving
agency communication about regulated products. The
plan is based on three key areas - science, capacity
and policy - in which strategic action can improve FDA
communications about products risks and benefits in a
way that reflects increased consumer interest and
participation. Objectives in these three areas are to:

Strengthen the science that supports effective
risk communication.

Expand FDA capacity to generate, disseminate,
and oversee effective risk communication.

Optimize FDA policies on communicating risks
and benefits.
“The strategic plan is intended to guide program
development and research planning in a dynamic
environment where rapidly evolving technologies
enable patients and consumers to become increasingly
involved in managing their health and well-being.”
Multi-Agency Oversight of Imported Food
On December 9, 2009, the Secretaries of Agriculture
and Health and Human Services announced that the
Department of Homeland Security had opened the
Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC) for
Import Safety whose purpose is to ensure the safety of
foods imported to the United States. CTAC was
created at the recommendation of the President’s Food
Safety Working Group.
Food Safety
Alerts
Tips
Bob & Frank’s Foods Recalls
Peanut Stuffed Dates
Bob and Frank’s has
voluntarily recalled their
peanut stuffed dates …
Dec. 31, 2009.
Peaceful Valley issues
nationwide recall of dried
mangoes ….
Peaceful Valley has issued …
www.FoodSafety.gov
The new Food Safety Alerts & Tips Widget found at:
http://www.foodsafety.gov/widgets/index.html
can be downloaded to any website at no charge.
This widget has two functions. It compiles all of the
food recall and alert information from FDA and USDA
in the same place, and provides a link to a variety of
food safety tips.
Once added to a website, the widget requires no
technical maintenance. Widget content is automatically
updated by FoodSafety.gov.
Secretary Sebelius said, "With so much food coming
from abroad, we must do all we can to ensure that it
conforms to the same safety standards as our own
food safety systems." Department of Homeland
Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said that the
Center would be charged with ensuring the safety of
imported products, including food, as well as guarding
against terrorism and securing US borders.
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Page 8 of 13
Information from Industry
National Restaurant Association
change. There are three areas of focus: extreme heat
and extreme weather, vector-borne diseases, and
vulnerable populations. MDH will conduct the following
activities:
http://www.servsafe.com/marketing/safereport/

In December, the National Restaurant Association
issued a food safety report, “The Safe Path to
Success: How a food safety training program for
employees and managers is a critical component for
restaurant and foodservice operations.”
Survey MDH staff to assess the current
knowledge and capacity of MDH staff to address
climate change impacts on public health.

Coordinate climate change related activities
throughout the agency.

Conduct training for public health personnel
regarding climate change and public health.

Develop Web pages regarding climate change
monitoring and adaptation information.

Develop a strategic plan for the agency to
address public health aspects of climate change.
The report includes information on: key food safety
issues; food allergens and cross contamination;
handwashing (note that this report recommends
scrubbing hands for 10-15 seconds); time and
temperature; staff illness; training needs and programs;
employee retention and foodborne illness response.
This project received letters of support from the
following agencies:
Climate Change Corner

Hennepin County Human Services and Public
Health Department –Epidemiology and
Environmental Health

Local Public Health Association of Minnesota

Minneapolis Department of Health and Family
Support

Minnesota Office of Energy Security

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

St. Paul – Ramsey County Department of Public
Health

University of Minnesota Extension Service
Definition of Climate Change
According to the Centers for Disease
Prevention and Control, “Climate change
refers to any significant change in measures of
climate, such as temperature, precipitation,
wind, and other weather patterns, that lasts for
decades or longer. The world’s climate is
showing signs of a shift, becoming warmer,
with more precipitation and weather
extremes. Potential effects of this climate
change are likely to include more variable
weather, stronger and longer heat waves,
more frequent heavy precipitation events,
more frequent and severe droughts, extreme
weather events such as flooding and tropical
cyclones, rises in sea level, and increased air
pollution. Other effects may result from
ecosystem shifting and disruption.”
MDH looks forward to collaborating with these partners
as grant work progresses. For more information,
contact Lynne Markus at 651-201-4498.
MDH and Climate Change
Lynne Markus, MDH
The Minnesota Department of Health has received a
$90,000 grant from the Association of State and
Territorial Health Officials to improve its capacity to
respond to the public health impacts from climate
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Page 9 of 13
USDA and Climate Change
Odds and Ends: Minnesota Drinking Water
and Handwashing Research
Arsenic in Minnesota Wells
The following is excerpted from the Minnesota Well
Management News. The full article can be found at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/news
letter/fall09winter10.pdf
United States Announces Global Research Alliance
to Combat Climate Change: USDA Makes Major
Financial Commitment to Conducting Research
USDA Press Release, December 16, 2009
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?cont
entidonly=true&contentid=usda_climate_change.
xml
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Secretary Tom Vilsack announced in December at the
climate change talks in Copenhagen that USDA will
join a 20-country taskforce on agricultural climate
change.
The Global Research Alliance (GRA) on Agricultural
Greenhouse Gases will focus its efforts on research,
development, and agricultural technologies for
increased production and measurement of and
reduction in greenhouse gases.
Secretary Vilsack said that USDA expects to invest
over $320 million in the next four years in climate
change mitigation and adaptation research. USDA will
also support the participation of developing countries in
the GRA through the Borlaug Fellowship program
granting Borlaug Fellowships to researchers from
developing countries that are partners in the GRA.
GRA member countries are: Australia, Canada,
Columbia, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Ghana,
India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New
Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United
Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, and Vietnam.
Arsenic Occurrence in Minnesota Wells
On August 4, 2008, Minnesota’s newly revised well
rules went into effect and included a new requirement
to test every new water-supply well for arsenic. Since
August 4, 2008, sample results for 4,637 new wells
have been reported to Minnesota Department of Health
(MDH). The arsenic results are summarized as follows:

2,642 samples (57 percent) did not contain
detectable arsenic,

1,582 samples (34 percent) had arsenic levels
between 0 and 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L),

413 samples (9 percent) exceeded 10 μg/L**
**The federal “Maximum Contaminant Level” for
arsenic in community water supply systems is 10 μg/L
and the recommended limit for private wells in
Minnesota is 10 μg/L.
Arsenic is a naturally-occurring element found widely in
glacial deposits, some rock formations, and
groundwater in Minnesota. Under certain geochemical
conditions, arsenic readily dissolves in groundwater.
The Des Moines lobe till in west central Minnesota is
one geologic stratum that is known to have elevated
levels of natural arsenic.
Long-term consumption of drinking water with elevated
arsenic levels can cause a number of harmful effects
on the human body. Studies show that people, who
consume drinking water with arsenic levels over 100
μg/L, for many years, can have health problems
including nervous system problems, diabetes, and
several circulatory diseases.
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Page 10 of 13
Some studies have now shown that arsenic levels
below 100 μg/L may also cause some health problems,
including nervous system problems, skin problems,
high blood pressure, and reduced intelligence in
children. Studies have linked long-term exposure to
arsenic in drinking water to increased risk of cancer of
the bladder, lungs, liver, and other organs.
The national drinking water standard, or “Maximum
Contaminant Level,” for arsenic is 10 μg/L. This
standard applies to community water-supply systems.
There is not an enforceable standard for arsenic in
private wells in Minnesota; however, MDH
recommends that people not consume water with
arsenic levels that exceed 10 μg/L. Water with more
than 10 μg/L of arsenic should not be used long term
for drinking or cooking without treatment to reduce the
arsenic level below 10 μg/L.
If the arsenic level in a well exceeds 10 μg/L, the well
owner is encouraged to look at options for reducing
arsenic exposure, including water treatment,
connection to a public water-supply system, or
construction of a new well completed in a different
aquifer. There are several types of water treatment
systems that can effectively reduce arsenic levels in
drinking water. These include specialty media, reverse
osmosis with pre-oxidation, and distillation systems.
Conventional water softeners and activated carbon
filters do not effectively remove arsenic. Boiling water
does not remove or destroy arsenic. Boiling water
simply concentrates, or increases the arsenic
concentration, due to evaporation of some of the water.
Well owners should work with reputable water
treatment equipment dealers, and should learn how the
different treatment systems work. MDH recommends
choosing a treatment system that is certified by an
independent certification organization, such as NSF
International, Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL), or the
Water Quality Association (WQA).
After a treatment system is installed, it is important to
follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for
maintaining the system. Treated water should be
tested periodically to make sure that the treatment
system is working properly.
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Handwashing Research Finds Reminders Helpful;
Gender-Specific Messages Best
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/abs
tract/99/S2/S405
Experimental Pretesting of Hand-Washing
Interventions in a Natural Setting
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine analyzed almost 200,000 visits to
service station restrooms over 32 days. They installed
wireless devices in the restrooms to record entry and
soap use, and then hung several different messages in
flashing lights over the doorways to see which
messages changed behavior.
Messaging was somewhat effective, researchers
found. Without the reminders, 65 percent of women
and a 31 percent of men used soap. With the most
effective reminders, soap use increased six percent in
women and almost four percent in men (to 71 and 34.8
percent respectively).
Men and women responded to different types of
messaging. Study results show that women responded
best to “knowledge activation” messages such as,
“Wash you hands.” Men were more motivated by
messages causing disgust. The most effective
message for men was, “Soap it off or eat it later.”
These gender differences suggest that public health
messages should target men and women differently.
[Minnesota State Fair handwashing surveys showed
very similar results, with 65% of females and 40% of
males washing their hands after using the bathroom.]
Recap: H1N1 2009
PBS H1N1 Documentary
Anatomy of a Pandemic
PBS News Hour, December 14, 2009
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/video/module.html
?s=news01s371dqd1c
This one-hour PBS documentary summarizes the
H1N1 pandemic, from its apparent inception in Mexico
to the outcomes observed in the U.S. over the past
year. Commentator Ray Suarez looks at pandemic
experience, science and policy at the federal, state and
local levels.
Page 11 of 13
More Germ City Adventures
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
Page 12 of 13
In this photo, Germ City intern, Nicole Koktavy, inspects the hands of employees at a Cargill employee health fair.
Partnership and Workforce Development Unit Staff Contacts
April Bogard Supervisor, Partnership and Workforce
Development Unit
[email protected]
651-201-5076,
612-296-8118
Deborah Durkin, Food Safety Partnership, newsletter,
manual, food safety education
[email protected]
651-201-4509,
651-295-5392
Maggie Edwards, administrative support
[email protected]
651-201-4506
Lynne Markus, web content, emergency response, factsheet
development
[email protected]
651-201-4498
Michelle Messer, training, standardization, program
evaluation
[email protected]
651-201-4511,
651-775-6234
Michael Nordos, training, program evaluation,
standardization
[email protected]
651-201-4511,
651-775-6234
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Orville L. Freeman Building
625 North Robert Street
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
PWDU Quarterly Newsletter
http://www.health.state.mn.us/ehs
http://www.health.state.mn.us/foodsafety
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