Michael Jackson's personal chef opens up about the events surrounding King of Pop's death.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Kai Chase (Michael Jackson's personal chef) says that she knew something was wrong that morning because Dr. Conrad Murray did not come downstairs to get the juice and granola he usually brought to Jackson for breakfast.

The 37-year-old chef tells the AP she had gotten used to seeing Murray coming and going at the house, and that he usually arrived around 9 or 9:30 p.m. and would stay at the house over night.
Chase also said she would sometimes see the doctor coming down the stairs with oxygen tanks, but never asked about them, and did not think that Jackson appeared to be on drugs or in poor health.

In the interview, Chase describes what she remembers from the day of Jackson's death. "I started preparing the lunch and then I looked at my cell phone and it was noon," she says. "About 12:05 or 12:10 Dr. Murray runs down the steps and screams, 'Go get Prince!' He's screaming very loud. I run into the den where the kids are playing. Prince (Jackson's oldest son) runs to meet Dr. Murray and from that point on you could feel the energy in the house change."

She goes on to explain that she saw paramedics running up the stairs, and that Jackson's daughter Paris was crying. She says that security guards informed her at around 1:30 p.m. that her and the other staff needed to leave the house because Jackson was being taken to the hospital.

Jackson's chef was originally hired by the late King of Pop in March, but was let go shortly after in May. She was asked to come back in June to help Jackson prepare for his London tour. Chase tells the AP that she was asked to accompany Jackson in London for his "This is It" tour, and she had completed all the appropriate paperwork and was preparing to leave for London on July 3.

FDA approval for fruit and veg labelling tattoos is “imminent”

Improved traceability and greater consumer convenience are the benefits claimed for new laser etching technology which allows information to be marked indelibly on the surface of fruit and vegetables. Jan Narciso, microbiologist at the ARS Citrus and Subtropical Products Laboratory, Winter Haven, Florida, told FoodProductionDaily.com: “This technology uses a carbon dioxide laser beam to etch information on the first few outer cells of fruit and vegetables.” Once etched, the information cannot be distorted, peeled off, washed off or changed.

The indelible mark offers a new, more reliable and quicker way to improve the security of produce and to check its progress through the food chain or at supermarket checkout lines, claimed the scientist.

The conventional way of attaching information to fruit and vegetables is with sticky paper labels. Known as Price Look-up (PLU) stickers, these sometimes prove unpopular with consumers, producers and distributors.

Track produce
For example, grapefruit has long been labelled with PLU stickers which can easily become detached making it more difficult to track produce back to the source. Alternatively, the labels can adhere to produce too tightly making it difficult for consumers to remove them.

Also, sticky labels can mar the fruit and stick to one another during storage or distribution. The etched information, sometimes supplemented by the injection of food dyes, could include country of origin, and a producer reference number. Federal US regulations require all imported produce to be labeled with the country of origin.

“We expect to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imminently for this laser etching technology (which will open the way for its commercial use),” said Narciso.
According to her research, carbon dioxide etching does not compromise the quality or durability of the treated fruit and vegetables. “Etching fruit peel does not increase water loss or facilitate the entrance of food pathogens or post harvest pathogens if the laser label is covered with wax,” said Narciso.

Food pathogens
Wax treatment may be unnecessary, she continued. The tiny holes etched into the grapefruit peel are effectively sealed by the carbon dioxide which prevents decay and the entry of food pathogens. Even when fruit was inoculated with decay organisms and then etched with the laser, no pathogens were found in the peel or the fruit interior.

But wax coverage may be necessary to eliminate water loss, admitted Narciso. The laser etching process takes seconds and is much quicker than attaching sticky labels, she added. In addition to grapefruit, testing is also being conducted on other citrus fruits, tomatoes, garlic and avocados.

The technology was invented by former University of Florida scientist Greg Drouillard who now works with the agricultural co-operative Sunkist Growers. Meanwhile in Japan, apples have been sold with scannable bar coding etched into the wax on their skin.

Carlton Hotel Group takes over Days Hotel in City

Fri 24th July 2009

The future of Days hotel Galway city looks secure with the news that Carlton Hotel Group is taking it over.

The luxury hotel group has entered a long-term franchise agreement with the owners of Days Hotel Galway, which will now be called Carlton Hotel Galway city.

There will be no change of ownership and the management and 150 staff of the hotel on the Dublin Road will not be affected.

The Carlton Group already has nine luxury properties in Ballinasloe, Wexford, Mayo, Kildare, Donegal, Limerick, Cork and Dublin.

Vintners warn of job losses, pub closures

Publicans are warning that up to 5,000 jobs could be lost if new measures to offset a decline in the pub trade are not introduced.


The Vintners' Federation of Ireland has also called for the establishment of an ombudsman to monitor financial institutions in their dealings with small and medium enterprises. The VFI is also calling for a cut in VAT and in local authority rates, and warns that the sector is facing further substantial job losses.

Publicans attending today's meeting of the VFI national executive council say the industry, especially in rural areas, is in dire straits. The federation says research it has carried out indicates that there have been at least 4,800 job losses in the sector in the past year, and warns of a further 5,000 if current trends continue, with more pub closures inevitable.

Almost half of publicans surveyed have reduced opening hours as a result of a loss in trade of between 10% and 20%, a trend that has continued throughout the summer for most. The federation wants a substantial cut in VAT rates from 21.5 to 15%, and from 13.5 to 10%. It also wants no change in current permissible blood alcohol levels and for employment incentives available to the manufacturing sector to be extended to the hospitality industry.

The federation called what it termed as an 'emergency crisis meeting' of its members to discuss the future of the Irish pub trade. The VFI represents mostly rural publicans and has 5,000 members nationwide.

Kellogg plant halts production on Listeria discovery

Kellogg has shutdown production at one of its US food plants after the discovery of listeria there by health inspectors.




The food giant voluntarily halted production of Eggo waffles at its Atlanta facility after officials from the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) found Listeria monocytogenes in a food sample.

Investigation
Kellogg has launched an investigation into plant hygiene to determine the cause of the contamination, said a GDA statement. The company will carry out a full regimen of cleaning and sanitisation and “execute its hygienic restoration plan” under supervision from the GDA before resuming production at the factory in Bucknell Drive.

The discovery was made after a laboratory test by the safety watchdog found the potentially deadly bug in a sample of Kellogg’s Buttermilk Eggo Waffles. The sample had been taken as part of a routine inspection.

The company confirmed that the potentially tainted waffles had been shipped out to retail outlets nationwide.

A Kellogg spokesperson told FoodProductionDaily.com: “No illnesses have been reported to date from any of the recalled products; Kellogg Company is taking this step out of an abundance of caution as a potential food safety issue was identified through routine testing. No other Eggo products are part of this recall. The recalled products were distributed to grocery stores across the United States."

Recall
The company confirmed it had issued a limited voluntary recall of the following products manufactured at the Atlanta site:

It confirmed the company had issued a limited recall of the following products manufactured at the Atlanta site:

Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a potentially serious disease. The most common manifestation of listeriosis is meningitis. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections to infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems such as persons with chronic diseases or taking chemotherapy for cancer.

21st Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards

THE 2009 FINALISTS

Five Star Hotels
Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Co Limerick
Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa, Killarney, Co Kerry
Dylan, Dublin 4
The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, Co Kerry
The Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin 4
Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork

Four Star Hotels
Harvey’s Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
Jurys Cork Hotel, Cork
Kelly’s Resort Hotel & Spa, Rosslare, Co Wexford
Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Galway
Westport Plaza Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo

Three Star Hotels
Claregalway Hotel, Claregalway, Co Galway
Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick
Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry

Country Houses & Guesthouses
Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
Gregan’s Castle Hotel, Ballyvaughen, Co Clare
Mount Falcon Country House Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo
Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare
Rathmullan House, Rathmullan, Co Donegal
Rathsallagh House Hotel & Golf Club, Dunlavin, Co Wicklow

Hotel Groups
Carlton Hotel Group
Hotel Partners
Maldron Hotels
Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts Ireland

Fine Dining Restaurants
The Dining Room at Gregan’s Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare
The Harvest Room Restaurant at Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
The House Restaurant at The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co Waterford
Thornton’s Restaurant, Dublin 2

Bistros & Brasseries
Castle Murray House Hotel Restaurant, Dunkineely, Co Donegal
Dylan Restaurant at Dylan, Dublin 4
O’Grady’s on the Pier, Barna, Co Galway
The Ballymore Inn, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
The Poet’s Rest, Slane, Co Meath

Casual Dining
Andy’s Bar & Restaurant, Monaghan
Lohan’s Café Bar & Restaurant, Salthill, Galway
Maddens Bistro at the Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo
The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2

Ethnic Restaurants
Ananda, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 14
Bella Cuba, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Chakra by Jaipur, Greystones, Co Wicklow
Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Cafés & Coffee Shops
Café Leon, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2
Pinocchio, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Queen of Tarts, Cow’s Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Stonecutters Kitchen, Doolin, Co Clare
The Silk Road Café at The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin 2

In House Caterers
Aramark/Campbell Catering at 02 Dublin, Dublin 2
Kylemore Food Group at Bank of Scotland Ireland, Dublin 2
Sodexo at PayPal, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

Institutional Caterers
Aramark/Campbell Catering at Mount Carmel Private, Churchtown, Dublin 14
The Black Olive Catering Company at Barretstown, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare
Kylemore Food Group at St Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin 5
Skibbereen Residential Care, Skibbereen, Co Cork
Wheatfield Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin 22

Wine Experience
The Cellar Bar at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2
The Four Seasons, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
West at The Twelve, Barna, Co Galway

Customer Experience
Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Co Limerick
Dunbrody Country House Hotel, Arthurstown, Co Wexford
Harvey’s Point Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal
Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry
Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare

Good luck to all our 2009 finalists!

41% risk food poisoning from eating foods after ‘use-by’ date

A new survey highlights confusion between ‘use by date’ and ‘best before’ dates. 41% of Northern Ireland’s over 60s put their health at risk by not checking the ‘use by’ date on food labels according to a survey(1) released today by safefood and the Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland (FSANI). The survey marks the start of National Food Safety Week which runs from 15th to 21st June 2009.

As the number of cases of Listeria has increased recently within this age group, the aim of this year’s National Food Safety Week is to remind people about good food hygiene and the correct methods for storing and handling food at home.

The survey also revealed that 59% of people reported eating perishable foods two days or more past their ‘use-by’ date, which can lead to food poisoning. The ‘use-by’ date is the date that food can be used up to, provided it has been stored as described on the label. The ‘use-by’ date is not to be confused with the ‘best before’ date which provides an indication of the quality of the food. It is okay to eat food after a ‘best before’ date but NEVER after a ‘use-by’ date.

Commenting on the survey results, Dr. David McCleery safefood said “Older people are more susceptible to certain types of food poisoning than they would have been when they were younger. We would remind them to read and observe ‘use by’ dates on food labels and make sure their fridges are kept cool enough, 5°C or less. These simple but effective changes could make a big difference in reducing the risk of food poisoning”.

Kathryn Baker, Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland said “National Food Safety Week gives us a great opportunity to highlight practical steps people can take in order to reduce the risk of illnesses such as Listeria. Listeria can be very serious and almost all people who get food poisoning from this bug end up in hospital. Over 60s are particularly at risk, the number of cases of Listeria in this age group has more than doubled in the UK since 2000, and so our campaign focuses on food hygiene advice for this particular group of people.”

The report also highlighted that 53% of those surveyed did not know the correct temperature for their fridge and of those who claimed they knew; 20% were incorrect. Keeping fridges at 5°C or less by using a fridge thermometer can also help with minimising the risk of food poisoning in the home.

A Bingo game called “Beat the Bingo Bug!” has been developed for use with older people’s groups that get together socially and is a fun way of highlighting the importance of food hygiene. The game will be sent to these groups across Northern Ireland with the help of district councils and organisations such as Age Concern Help the Aged NI for playing during National Food Safety Week.

The game features food hygiene messages such as “Don’t miss that date” and “Chill out” instead of calling out bingo numbers, which players then match on their Bingo cards. There are five themes to the game; choosing food, cooking, chilling, cleaning and preventing cross contamination of germs.