A work friend of my partner was rushed to hospital the other week and found something they were calling an abscess on her liver, recent talk about it is suggesting the doctors are linking it to the amount of goats cheese she eats ?? ?
would this make any sense?... any reason that a specific type of cheese would affect her liver ?... Could it just be she eats a lot of it and its the amount of fat she's eating?...
Steve
A liver abscess can be formed by a bacterial infection, such bacteria as listeria lurking particularly in soft cheeses like Brie and Goat's cheese which is presumably why pregnant women are told to avoid such foods.
So I think the amount of cheese eaten would not in itself cause a liver abscess except obviously the more you eat the more your risk of infection from a particular 'dose.'
The Doctors could be mentioning goats cheese as can be made with unpasteurized milk further increasing its risk of infection (particularly in all women.)
Hope your friend responds well to the treatment. Winton
Thanks for that, it does make some sense of the situation !...
as far as I know she is ok but not prefect yet, thanks for your good wishes as well.
Steve
Thanks, I'll pass on the well wishes to my other half (I don't really know her to be honest)
Steve
LOL! I should read the posts more carefully !
Between the talk about your friend Marcel and your OH, I got mixed up :-(! Hope she is better now :-)!
Mamta
Hi
There is a link between consuming goats cheese made with unpastuerised milk and liver abcesses. As the bodys cleansing organ everything must pass through the liver before entering the blood stream, so it is to do with the bacteria in the unpastuerised milk that has caused your wifes friends health problem .
When I was in a Eastern European country (no names here ) I remember being offered cheese made with the renin of the goats stomach. Actually the whole cheese was left to 'mature' in a goats stomach that was suspended from the roof. Needless to say I politely declined:)
The locals are used to it...... I think I would rather stay with the Diary Board health certified producers.
Cheers
JL
JL most cheese used rennet to curdle it... now you can find a lot more that doesn't which will say suitable for vegetarians on it...
Steve
Thanks Steve but I am well aware that rennet (or some form of medium for coagulation) is required in cheese making. I am also aware the traditional way is to hang the milk in the stomach of animal (usually sheep or goat).
With the advent of technology I do prefer the 'modern' means of sourcing rennet.
Cheers
JL
just after I completed my Master's degree, I worked briefly as a locum lab manager at the Public health Lab of a large local hospital. All the other labs were bacteriologically based, except mine, which carried out water analysis.
One day I chatted to a member of staff who said they had just completed an unofficial survey of cheese outlets in the city, looking for Listeria. They wouldn't give details (I wouldn't expect them too) but they said all samples were clear of Listeria, except for one shop. Oddly, all the cheeses purchased contained listeria, not just the soft cheeses. This was put down to the cheese cutter being used for all cheeses, so any contamination spread from one kind to another.
Makes you think.
EEK !
yes it does make you think.... makes you wonder about contamination in lots of shops... meat cutters in the butchers (do you think they strip them down and clean them, between each meat they slice? does some of it fall and get stuck in the workings, could it be there for days? weeks?..or worse?) Do sandwich shops clean the knife they use to cut the sandwiches between each sandwich?....do takeaways leave curry simmering all night then simply turn it off and put a lid on till the next night ?....
Steve
EEK indeed! is it a case of good luck that we all survive so far.
I had an incident in a popular grocery chain in the cold meat section.... I asked the young attendant for some cold meat. As hard as this is to believe.... she pulled her hard back into a pony tail and secured it with a elastic band then proceeded to stick her finger in her ear for a good scratch! She then picked up what I requested weighed and wrapped it . This was all done with bare hands. No gloves. No handwashing.
I stood watching her actions in amazement. When she handed me the wrapped produce I did say 'no thanks'. She was perplexed until I explained to her what her actions were. She had no idea but did look very sheepish.
I do think that responsibility lies not only with this young person but also with management in not educating and supervising their staff on good food handling procedure.
I now make a roast every week and use the left overs for cold meat
Cheers
JL
I am never surprised now when I go into a shop, and the people serving have poly gloves on. What amazes me is that they are clueless as to the reason they are wearing them. They must think they are being protected from the produce they sell!!!
In a supermarket (not one of the big ones) I used to patronize, was an excellent cheese counter, with a separate part for unpasturized cheeses. This section had its own cheese cutter, well done!.
My favourite cheese from this supermarket (Booth's) was Vignotte, from the Champagne region of France (a coincidence, I think not!)
I no some of them wear gloves but then dont change or even wash them between handling meat and veg which could cause contamination and is the whole point in wearing them =0
When you have even a little idea about the spread of germs/bacteria/disease/virus etc its shocking to watch some people at work/play/home.
I went to a sandwich shop while at work and outside there was a small group of people smoking. I went in and started to browse the menu when someone appeared took my order and proceeded to make it. No gloves on and no washing of hands etc, it was only after leaving and thinking about it later I realised the person serving was one of the people smoking outside. No doubt pushing fingers into the ashtray to put out the cigarette before coming in and handling all the food !
Steve
Yuck. There's nothing that turns my stomach more than cigarette butts and ashtrays. You're a brave man if you ate the sarnie...