I feel for these folks, because they really are (no pun intended) good people. Even if it was the error of an employee, the ownership must take full responsibility. However I would hate to see their business go down because of this. No one was seriously harmed (yes,I know, someone "could" have been seriously harmed, but wasn't) so I hope the Goodes can learn from this experience and carry on providing a quality service to the people of Prince George.

O K so it wasn't cooked enough.
That did not make it poisonous.
No trace of salmonella.
Actual fact-no reason for it to make anyone sick.
How many kids ate it?
How many became violently ill and needed hospitalization?
NONE?
Well, what is the big uproar all about?
Shutting down their catering business- unjustified, uncalled for, unacceptable.
Yes, Gladys should take the Northern Health to court.
They are over reacting-and in a decidedly vicious way.
Goode's Catering has been highly thought of for many years in this community.
To think they can be ruined over a couple pieces of "undercooked-not poisonous chicken" is indicative of somebody experiencing the need to get off on a "power trip."
Let it go. You have done them enough harm with your need to subject them to the adverse publicity.
Gladys has worked so hard for so many years-not many could keep up with that lady. You've had your vindication-so let it go.
Maybe even professionals cannot stand to see a person become too successful!

Cooking meat properly will kill any salmonella present.

The NHU says lab reports show no food born illness.

I assuem that food, prior to cooking, will not carry salmonella if it is properly handled. Cooking appears to be a failsafe process which will kill any salmonella present.

So, it appears that the food at the location is handled in such a way prior to cooking that there is no salmonella. If all food services operations were that sanitary, then one would not have to make sure that foods are heated properly prior to being served. We could eat sashimi. we could eat steak tartar. We could eat medium rare hamburger.

So, kids got sick. Chicken was not cooked or undercooked. Samples taken to the lab appear to have not linked the two.

So, the only thing the NHU has done so far is to slap the wirsts of the food service providers.

Are they going to stop there? Are they going to do something to attempt to clarify whether the two incidents - uncooked food and illness were actually connected?

We know what the food service provider's responsibilities and duties are. What are they NHU's. Have they completed their work. I feel they have not.

I am looking for a final report which will tell us that they do not know what caused the illness or that they did not have access to a reasonable sample of the food anymore to allow them to make a proper determination.

there was also a bug going thru the schools at the time. A lot of kids (including mine who dont go to pineview ) got sick that week. It sounds like a little hysteria going on. When it was found that some of the chicken looked undercooked, they went around asking if anyone felt sick.Not exactly cause and effect....
I also heard that the companies catering licence was in suspension for 2 months. I think the whole thing is pretty unfair. People are so paranoid aout their food these days it drives me mad!

Look beyond this incident boys and girls.

If you check out this site under this client it may open your eyes a bit.

http://www.healthspace.ca/Clients/NHA/NHA_Website.nsf/food-frameset

I have been following it for some years now and have wondered how I have survived.....Me thinks N.H.A. has done the right thing. Every other firm is playing by the rules.

Public Knowledge

On the above mentioned website here are some comments that are available to everyone who has internet access. They are regarding some well known establishments in the community other than JGF. Look for yourselves.

1.
Comments:
You are hereby Ordered under the BC Health Act to cease use of the glasswasher until a rinse of 50ppm is present on the glasses. Wash glasses in the dishwasher. Failure to comply with an Order will result in further enforcement action. The glasswasher CAN NOT be used until permission is given in writing by a Health Inspector. Glasswasher drained and turned off during inspection. January 27

2.
Critical Repeat
Food Not Protected From Contamination - Micro
Observation: Raw meat stored above other food in white fridge.
Corrective Action: Please store all raw meat/poultry/seafood below other food.

3.Critical Inadequate Hot Holding Temperature of Potentially Hazardous Food(s)
Observation: Hot Holding: pre-cooked hamburgers (for lunch hour) in S.S. container on grill (not on). No cover. Temperatures of hamburgers below 60°C. 3 S.S. containers were removed from small pronto oven (behind door); Au jus & soup were above 60°C.. Gravy was less 60°C (close to 40°C in centre). Hot holding unit in front was barely lukewarm to receive these foods.

Just Goode Foods hsve been serving wholesome, affordable meals for years. They are being raked over the coals for something that, apparently, has not been proven to be directly linked to their food served to the kids (right?) I think just the media attention they have received is punishment enough, even if they are guilty of undercooking the chicken. People get mildly ill all the time after dining in all sorts of food establishments, and quite often cannot directly link their stomach upset/diahrea/gas/cramps to the meal consumed 4/6/8/10/hours before. This Pineview incident: could be the real thing, could be another case of mass hysteria. Anybody who has raised kids knows that colds and flu bugs are very common among school kids, and often seem to spread rapidly. Let's leave the Goodes alone, they are GOOD community members.
metalman.

Sad,

What others may not ba aware of is that JGF was told to buy a new food cooler on that fateful day, and they complied to the tune of $12,000. Less than 72 hours later, they were given notice to cease operations for 60 days.

However, if you want to show support for these folks, I do know that the restaurant part of their business is still open. I plan on going there for lunch at least once.

Let's keep this business alive!

From another non-hole-in-the-wall restaurant. This was a repeat infraction.

"REPEAT Inadequate Insect/Rodent Control

Observation: Mouse droppings in dry storeage area.

Corrective Action: Pest control company must be contacted immediately. Have PC Company contact Public Health. This item is required under a BC Health Act Order - failure to comply by February 16, 2007 may result in further enforcement including closure."
------------------
from an inspection 2.5 months preivious, among other things listed:

"REPEAT Inadequate Insect/Rodent Control
Observation: Mouse droppings seen in dry storage area and inside bar glass washer tank area. Current pest control method not sufficient. Live mouse seen in premises during inspection.

Corrective Action: Retain pest control company to eliminate mice and monitor on a monthly basis. Clean up all mouse droppings."

People have been eating there and continue to eat there for many months.

Enjoy your next meal out, folks ....

I personally am going there for lunch today...I have eaten literally hundreds of meals from Just Goode food.
And hope it stays open, so i can continue to.

I gotta dig up that pig we are cooking in the ground out back. Should be done by now.

Thank you Runner you just about said it all. I have checked out the sight previous to this incident as well and it isn't pretty. I hear all the excuses coming from you people but I can just about guarentee that if your child had become sick you would have been "very concerned" so to speak. These people may be wonderful, maybe they just need to train and supervise their staff better. Regardless, they are responsible for a potential disaster. With all the diseases out there that are caused from undercooked meat they should be allot more diligent about cooking it properly.

Snappi and others who are concerned about uncooked meat.

I am concerned about finding out why the kids got sick. It appears it was not uncooked meat. So, the two are now separate issues.

Deal with the uncooked meat situation at the restaurant. I have no problem with that.

However, the children got sick. It was thought it was the uncooked meat. It appears that it wasn't. Why did they get sick? The NHU still has some work to do to determine that or tell us that they can't figure it out.

We know the restaurant was not up to standards.

I now want to know whether the NHU is up to doing the work it needs to do. Where is the conclusive report?

We can all assume the children became ill, not for eating the chicken, but probably another illness such as the flu.
However that does not wipe out the fact that the last 18 inspections from Northern Health 2/3rds (12 out of 18) Were rated as not acceptable. Also between Sept. 25/06 and Feb. 2/07 JGF had 7 inspections. None were good. 7 inspections in just over 4 months means Northern Health is doing a great job and JGF has to clean up their act. They had 4 months to do so and did not!
This incident is now not about the undercooked chicken but about the general cleanliness of JGF.....
Shall we start on the following (just in case you haven't heard)

Name Facility Location Last Inspection Details
Waddling Duck Pub 101 - 1157 5th Avenue 9-Feb-2007 HIGH

Everyone has their problems.