Enjoy picnics, but watch food safety

The biggest "party crashers" at summer picnics and tail-gate parties are food-borne bacteria. You can't see them and you can't taste them, but you sure feel them if they make you sick.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, hand-washing is key to food safety. Wash before you prepare food, as you are putting out food and before you store any food.

"Keep food cool," said Sharon A. Wilkerson, acting dean of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Nursing. "Pack it right from the refrigerator into coolers, and put the coolers inside the car, not the trunk. ... A good idea is to keep drinks in a separate cooler or tub so you won't be opening the food cooler so often. Remember, a full cooler stays colder than a partially full one."

Also, beware of raw meats. Pack raw meats at the bottom of the cooler, and make sure to cook them completely. There should be no pink in hamburgers or chicken. Put cooked foods on a clean plate, not one that held raw food, Wilkerson said.

Many people don't know cut melons need to be kept cold since bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses are often on the rind. Wash melons before cutting, then refrigerate. Melons -- unlike most fruits -- are not acidic, making them prone to bacterial growth.

"Don't leave food out to nibble on," Wilkerson said. "In Texas heat, food is only safe for about an hour. If it has been in a cooler but all the ice has melted, it is not safe, either. Remember the following rule: If in doubt, throw it out."

Changing tastes

not all in your head

About half of adults over age 70 notice a loss of taste sensation, which can affect their appetite and even lead to malnutrition. But the problem can strike at any age.

Dr. Charles W. Wakefield, director of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry, said taste buds can become more or less sensitive based on various factors.

These factors include aging, anemia, infection, smoking, prescription medications, alcoholism, hormonal changes from pregnancy or menopause, systemic disorders of many types, cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, brain damage from head injuries, and dry mouth caused by disease or medication.

"The good news is, taste buds can rebound most of the time, so don't panic," Wakefield said. "Contact your dentist or physician if you notice that things don't taste the way you remember."

Dangers of buying meds in Mexico

If your travels take you south of the border, pharmacists say you should avoid the temptation of saving a few dollars by purchasing your medications at pharmacias, which sell versions of American drugs made in Mexico.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration performs inspections at the manufacturing plants, a quality-control process ensuring active ingredients are being included at correct levels and the release rate of the medication is accurate. The FDA does not monitor pharmaceuticals in Mexico.

Lacy Daniels, professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy in Kingsville, said that lack of oversight exposes those who purchase their medications in Mexico to potentially deadly risks.

Few studies have been conducted on the quality of Mexican drugs, Daniels said. But a 2005 study by the University of Arizona confirmed those concerns.

"Of the three medications they examined, two of them were perfectly fine in terms of the active ingredient being 100 percent of what it should be," Daniels said. "However, the third one was an antibiotic, and the active ingredient was only present at one-tenth of the concentration it should have been. If this were used to treat a critically ill patient, the patient could have died."

-- Special to The Eagle

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