Too Much of This Food Additive Can Impede Nutrient Absorption

The battle against food additives has been a long one, fraught with frustration and upset stomaches. In today’s agricultural world—and with today’s booming population size—it has become difficult to find foods without these unfamiliar ingredients. Convenience food has become commonplace, and so has consumer’s lack of investigation into what all these hard-to-pronounce additives are and how they affect our health.

Carrageenan has been under the microscope for a long time and research has led to some head-scratching, sometimes contradictory, conclusions. A lesser known food additive made it to the headlines last week for its connection to impeding regular functions of the small intestine, namely the organ’s ability to absorb certain nutrients. 

Titanium oxide is an additive commonly found in all sorts of foods from chewing gum to bread. Not only that, but this FDA-safe compound can also appear in paints, plastics and sunscreen. Ingestion of it is considered “nearly unavoidable,” according to Science Daily. Because of this fact, researchers from Bingham University and State University of New York set out to see what kinds of effects occur with continued exposure.

Luckily, the researchers stress the point that extended exposure to titanium oxide won’t kill us (phew!). And, in fact, most of us would find ourselves having ingested this additive over a long period of time without knowing it. However, there do seem to be some interesting things happening in the body when we are exposed to it chronically, or over an extended period of time. This type of exposure showed the small intestines’ microvilli having a diminished ability to absorb nutrients such as iron, zinc and fatty acids. Inflammation increased and the functions of enzymes were interrupted, as well.

“There has been previous work on how titanium oxide nanoparticles affects microvilli, but we are looking at much lower concentrations,” Gretchen Mahler, on of the study’s authors and Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor, told Science Daily. She believes the public has a right to know what kind of health effects are happening with everyday consumption of products containing titanium oxide.

The solution to protecting against these factors is actually quite simple. “To avoid foods rich in titanium oxide nanoparticles you should avoid processed foods, and especially candy,” Mahler explains. The additive can show up in surprising places in everyday foods, such as chocolate bars (to make them smooth), donuts (for color), skim milks (for a more opaque appearance) and even toothpaste (for abrasive properties). Cutting back on processed products and boosting up your intake of whole, non processed foods can provide a bunch of benefits for our health, including saving us from insidious food additives.

15 Cooking Mistakes That Will Make You Sick

When you’re in the kitchen, safety is obviously pretty important. That’s why you don’t plunk down raw meat right onto your kitchen counter or use expired ingredients. It’s also probably why your mom warned you not to eat raw cookie dough. But no matter how much you think you know about food safety, it’s easy to make some pretty gross food prep mistakes without even realizing it. Unfortunately, some of the mistakes you may be making when you’re preparing or cooking your food can make you and your family sick.

Even the best home cook may be guilty of messing up on food safety. And we’re not talking about using milk that smells fine, but is a day or two past its use-by date. (Seriously, everybody does that.) Unfortunately, there are some bigger mistakes that you may be making. Mistakes that can ruin your food and perhaps even send you to the emergency room. Read on to find out what you should avoid, and to make sure that you — and the family members who trust you to feed them — aren’t going to be the next victims of a foodborne illness or runaway bacteria growth.

1. Undercooking your food or ignoring cooking time

  

Food52 reports that most common wisdom about preventing foodborne illness is misguided. People worry about germs and parasites inside food. But more than 80% of food poisoning cases in the United States are caused by fecal contamination on the outside of food.

The Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture recommend safe cooking temperatures to kill bacteria. But they ignore cooking time, the other crucial part of the equation. You can either cook your food to an FDA-recommended temperature for a second or two to kill the bacteria, or you can maintain lower temperatures for a longer amount of time. Use a sous vide water bath, for instance, to maintain a constant temperature for a longer cooking time. 

2. Not using a food thermometer 

Even if you decide, for instance, to cook a piece of meat for longer at a lower temperature rather than more quickly at a higher temperature, it’s important to ensure that it achieves the goal temperature to kill the bacteria. The FDA advises that color and texture are unreliable indicators of safety. Using a food thermometer is the only way to safely cook meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products. If you want to be confident that these foods are cooked adequately and aren’t going to make you sick, you need to use a food thermometer.

3. Serving raw or undercooked food to someone with a compromised immune system 

As Food52 explains, “good hygiene and cooking techniques lower the germ count enough that a normal immune system can take care of what remains.” But if you or someone in your family is immunocompromised, you’re going to need to make some adjustments. You should never serve food cooked at low temperatures to people with compromised immune systems. According to guidelines from the Ohio State University’s medical center (PDF), foods like sushi, eggs with runny yolks, or homemade Caesar dressing are a no-go for anyone who’s immunocompromised. It’s crucial that you follow the dietary guidelines carefully if you’re feeding anyone with a weakened immune system.

4. Neglecting to keep foods at their proper temperature 

The guidelines from Ohio State University also note that it’s important to keep foods at the appropriate temperature. Hot foods should be kept above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold foods need to be below 41 degrees Fahrenheit. If you cook a meal and know you’ll have leftovers, refrigerate only as much as you’ll use within three to five days, and freeze the rest within two hours of cooking. Reheated foods should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or a rolling boil, before eating. Foodsafety.gov notes that it’s also important to thaw and marinate foods safely. That means in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave, not out on your counter. 

5. Not washing your hands often or thoroughly enough 

Another crucial piece of advice from Food52? Washing your hands properly is one of the best defenses against foodborne illnesses, no matter what you’re cooking. Don’t settle for a cursory rinse or a lazy soaping-up when you start to cook, or after you’ve handled ingredients like meat. “Treat the kitchen like an operating room, and scrub up like you’re preparing for surgery,” Food52 advises. “Use a brush to get under your fingernails, and wash your hands with soap under running water for a full 30 seconds.” 

6. Failing to thoroughly clean your kitchen 

You probably wash your dishes regularly and thoroughly. But chances are that you haven’t properly cleaned your kitchen in a long time. You should scour your sink regularly. (Food52 recommends mixing a gallon of water with a tablespoon of Clorox Bleach, and making sure it stays in contact with the surface for at least two minutes. Then, let it air dry.) You should microwave your sponge for one minute, or put it in the dishwasher with the dryer setting on. Wash your cutting boards and other equipment between each use. If produce, for instance, is infected with pathogens, it can leave germs on your cutting board and knife. 

7. Neglecting to wash produce 

You might think that you don’t have to wash your produce. Particularly if it’s been washed, bagged, and sealed. But as Food52 notes, the majority of recent food illness outbreaks have been traced to raw fruits, nuts, or vegetables. You should always wash your produce, no matter what promises the packaging makes about the product’s cleanliness.

Food52 advises using a solution of water with 10% vinegar (a 10:1 ratio). Or, you can use a store-bought, organic solution that’s made specifically for the purpose. Ohio State University’s medical center also says that you can run your produce under running water and rub with friction for 20 seconds. Just make sure that you don’t set unwashed produce down on your cutting board, since any pesticides or germs will then be able to contaminate the cut produce.

8. Washing meat or poultry 

You should wash your fruits and vegetables, but you should never wash meat in the sink. It may seem like a good way to get rid of some of the bacteria lingering on the outside of the meat — but it’s actually a pretty bad idea. According to Foodsafety.gov, washing meat or poultry can spread dangerous bacteria to your sink, to your countertop, and to the other surfaces in your kitchen. Just think about how easy it is to splash water out of the sink and onto the surrounding walls, cabinets, cookbooks, and appliances. To be safe, just don’t wash meat, poultry, or even eggs in your sink. 

9. Buying food that’s already compromised 

When you wash your produce, you probably inspect it to make sure that it doesn’t have bruises, holes, or signs of insect damage. You should also inspect your food when you’re buying it to avoid purchasing something that’s already compromised and may make you sick. That’s important when you’re buying produce, but also when you’re buying refrigerated, canned, and frozen foods. The FDA advises shoppers, particularly those shopping at surplus stores, not to buy cans that are swollen, since bulges might indicate dangerous bacterial growth. Don’t buy cans that are dented or rusted along the seams. Also, don’t buy anything in a torn package, or frozen packages with food stains. 

10. Cooking with or eating food that should have been thrown out 

If you haven’t been to the grocery store in a week, it can be tempting to throw a meal together with whatever’s left in the fridge. But that’s a bad idea if you’re cooking with or eating food that should have been thrown out. At the top of the list of Foodsafety.gov’s list of dangerous food mistakes is tasting food to see if it’s still good, since you won’t be able to taste, smell, or see the bacteria that cause food poisoning. But eating even a tiny amount can cause serious illness.

The solution? Familiarize yourself with safe storage times for the foods you have in your refrigerator. Things like meat, especially, are safe for shorter amounts of time than you might think. So don’t cook with anything that should be thrown away. 

11. Reusing plates, utensils, or even marinades that touched raw meat 

You’re probably careful when you’re handling raw meat, but you may (wrongly) assume that you’re out of the woods once that meat is on the stove or in the oven. Quite to the contrary, you may be making some dangerous food safety mistakes by forgetting to be vigilant about everything that touched the raw meat. When you’re grilling, for instance, don’t put cooked meat back onto the same plate that held it when it was raw. And definitely don’t use a knife that you chopped your raw chicken with to cut anything else, or use the same tongs that handled raw meat once it’s cooked. 

12. Cross-contaminating foods when you buy or store them

 

When you’re filling your cart, bagging your groceries, or organizing your fridge, don’t cross-contaminate foods | iStock.com

It’s important to be careful when it comes to raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs before you start cooking. Foodsafety.gov cautions that these foods can spread illness-causing bacteria to foods that are ready to eat. To stop cross-contamination, keep meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods in your basket or cart at the grocery store. And at checkout, make sure that you place them in separate bags to keep them from dripping onto other foods. When you get home, make sure to store these foods in containers or sealed plastic bags that can keep them from leaking. You’ll want to ensure that they’re kept in a separate section of the refrigerator.

13. Not cleaning your grill before and after use 

As Daily Burn points out, there are some serious health hazards associated with grilling. In addition to all of the mistakes that are easy to make when you’re handling meat, no matter how you’re cooking it, there are some that are specific to grilling. Not marinating your meat can mean foregoing an important barrier to dangerous grilling byproducts. Choosing fatty cuts of meat will increase flareups and expose you to carcinogens, while neglecting to preheat the grill for 20 to 30 minutes means exposing your food to leftover bacteria and pathogens. And failing to clean the grill after you use it will encourage bacteria growth. 

14. Forgetting to follow best practices for canning and preserving 

If you have a big garden or a membership to a produce co-op, you may be tempted to can, pickle, or preserve. But you’ll need to pay close attention to what you’re doing if you don’t want to get sick. Food52 notes that foodborne botulism is famously caused by the ingestion of improperly canned and preserved foods. For low-acid foods that are likely to host botulism, you should turn to pressure canning. And even once you’ve taken the proper precautions to kill botulism causing bacteria at the time of canning, you’re not out of the woods. Once you’ve opened canned food, don’t keep it for more than three or four days. If you’re still nervous, start out with highly acidic or high in sugar foods that you can safely preserve with a simple boiling water bath. 

15. Letting perishable ingredients sit on the counter when baking 

As Shape reports, the number one baking-related food safety tip that everybody knows is to avoid eating raw cookie dough (or other kinds of unbaked batter). But just as important are the other things that you do when you’re baking. Always wash your hands with warm water and soap after handling eggs. Sanitize your counters before rolling dough out onto them. And don’t let perishable ingredients sit out on the counter while you’re baking. You may want to keep your milk and eggs within reach, but it’s not worth the risk of letting them rise to room temperature.

10 Foods Everyone With High Blood Pressure Should Be Eating

If you have high blood pressure, you’re well aware of the types of foods you shouldn’t be eating. Your doctor has probably shoved a lengthy list of don’ts down your throat: Don’t eat red meat; steer clear of too much salt. At a certain point, you’ve probably asked yourself, “What can I eat?” The good news is, there’s still plenty you can enjoy.

For folks with high blood pressure, it’s important to be cognizant of how diet will ultimately lower, or contribute, to their high blood pressure. The American Heart Association (AHA) says, “Eating a heart-healthy diet is important for managing your blood pressure and reducing your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health threats.”

We’ve done some digging, and have found 10 foods that will help keep those BP numbers where they need to be. Check it out.

1. Bananas 

You can’t go wrong with fruits and vegetables, no matter how healthy you are. But you may not know the reasons why these foods are key for a heart-healthy diet. As it turns out, foods high in potassium help manage high blood pressure because it can minimize the impact sodium has. When you consume lots of potassium, found in many fruits and veggies, your body is able to get rid of more sodium through your urine.

Bananas are one of your best options. The AHA says one medium specimen has about 420 milligrams of potassium, which is a significant amount for a relatively small amount of food. The daily recommended potassium intake for adults is 4,700 milligrams, so just one fruit will have you well on your way.

2. Whole grains 

By now, most people know they shouldn’t be eating white bread and that whole-wheat or whole-grain options are better. Registered dietitian Keri Gans tells Health going for whole grains ensures you get all the good stuff — bran, germ, and endosperm. Refined grains, on the other hand, have been stripped of the bran and germ. Luckily, there’s a long list of whole grains to choose from, including quinoa, barley, and brown rice.

3. Low-fat yogurt 

Unless you also happen to be lactose intolerant, you’re good to go when it comes to dairy products. Some evidence indicates dairy is beneficial for lowering blood pressure, but you want to make sure you’re choosing the low-fat variety, as we know people with high blood pressure should avoid trans and saturated fats. Need more convincing? The DASH Diet, which has been praised for lowering blood pressure, encourages people to incorporate low-fat dairy products into their diets. This includes low-fat yogurt and fat-free milk.

4. Fish 

Everyone needs their protein, but red meat definitely isn’t the way to go if you’re trying to control high blood pressure. Because fish contains less saturated fat, it’s a good option. Plus, according to the AHA, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The best options for a heart-healthy diet include halibut, tuna, and salmon.

5. Nuts 

Nuts contain heart-healthy omega-3 fats, so there’s little argument about their importance in a diet focused on lowering high blood pressure. Additionally, SFGate says certain nuts could lower cholesterol, which is often a huge offender among those with high blood pressure. So, whether you prefer pistachios to walnuts, snacking on these staples will help keep your heart healthy.

6. Legumes 

Legumes aren’t half bad, either. One study examined the role these fiber-rich foods play in controlling blood pressure among patients with diabetes. In a press release, lead study author Dr. David Jenkins said legumes have a “blood pressure-lowering effect in diabetic patients.” Not to mention, legumes are a great source of protein. Check out these delicious recipes, all starring the mighty bean.

7. Olive oil 

In addition to being good for those with arthritis, due to its anti-inflammatory properties, olive oil is loaded with heart-healthy fats. According to Mayo Clinic, the healthy fats found in olive oil are monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). These healthy fats can help lower total cholesterol, along with LDL (bad) cholesterol. The Arthritis Foundation recommends two to three tablespoons daily, and points out that extra-virgin olive oil is a better option, as it isn’t as heavily processed.

8. Spices 

You know salt can harm cholesterol and blood pressure, so curbing your desire to sprinkle it on everything is a must. The AHA recommends a daily limit of 1,500 milligrams for most adults, so it’s time to start swapping salt for healthier alternatives. One way the organization recommends shaking your salt habit is by taking advantage of the wide variety of spices and seasonings available. For example, use basil on fish, lamb, and lean ground meats. Use nutmeg on fruits, potatoes, and chicken. And try rosemary on veal, lean pork, and lima beans. There’s a way to make your favorite foods tastier without salt, you just have to do some experimenting.

9. Lean chicken 

Ditching burgers and steak for good is a tall order for meat lovers. But if you can find ways to swap it for chicken more often than not, you’ll be doing yourself a favor. According to the AHA, chicken has less cholesterol and saturated fat than red meats. Seeing as how cholesterol and saturated fat can raise blood cholesterol and make heart disease worse, this difference really does matter. Stick to lean, skinless cuts of chicken.

10. Leafy greens 

Leafy greens, like spinach and kale, may help reduce blood pressure, thanks to magnesium. Research has found taking 300 milligrams of the mineral a day for one month can elevate blood magnesium levels and reduce blood pressure. Furthermore, a press release on the research reads, “High magnesium levels in the blood were linked to improvements in blood flow, another factor associated with lowered blood pressure.” Additional foods that are high in magnesium include whole grains, beans, and nuts.

6 Toxic Household Products You Should Stop Buying

You can go to great lengths (and spend plenty of money) protecting yourself from harmful substances. Most people start by buying organic fruits and veggies or avoiding processed foods that contain genetically modified ingredients like corn and soy. Unfortunately, just because the food you put in your body is free of pesticides and genetically engineered ingredients, it doesn’t mean you’re safe from toxic substances.

The average household can contain gallons of toxic chemicals, most of which are found in everyday cleaners. Many of these items contain known carcinogens or cancer-causing substances and endocrine disruptors, which confuse the body by mimicking human hormones leading to reproductive, development, and behavioral problems. In addition, several have neurotoxins, which affect your brain activity and can cause headaches and a loss of intellect.

It’s hard to find a balance between the desire to maintain a clean, well-stocked home and the need to protect yourself and those you love from potent chemicals. Start small by banishing the following toxic household products from your home.

1. Laundry products 

The multitude of chemicals found in laundry detergents that work to clean and de-stink your clothes may be doing more harm than good. Some of the most trusted brands — like Ajax, Dynamo, and Fab Ultra — contain formaldehyde, which can cause asthma and allergies. Your detergent’s partner in crime, scented dryer sheets, aren’t any better. Researchers have found that dryer vents can emit more than 25 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when scented laundry detergents and dryer sheets are used. Of these 25 VOCs, seven are classified as hazardous air pollutants and can cause interior or exterior air pollution.

2. Nonstick cookware 

Nonstick pots and pans can be handy, especially if you’re trying to cut back on oil and butter, which are typically used to keep food from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Unfortunately, nonstick pots and pans contain trace amounts of perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical that has been proven to cause cancer in lab animals. When you’re cooking, the pan’s nonstick surface may chip off into your food and enter your body. Rather than falling for the too-good-to-be-true nonstick cookware, stick with cast iron or stainless steel pans and invest in some natural nonstick cooking sprays or oils.

3. Air fresheners 

They sound like a dream come true, especially when you have to deal with a wet dog or live with a smelly teenager, but air fresheners have some nasty side effects. They interfere with your body’s ability to smell by releasing a nerve deadening agent or coating your nasal passages with an oil film. Contained in a typical air freshener’s ingredient list is formaldehyde and phenol. As you might have guessed, formaldehyde is a highly toxic known carcinogen and phenol, when it comes in direct contact with your skin, can cause it to swell, peel, burn, and break out in hives.

4. Toilet bowl cleaners 

It’s no one’s favorite job, but everyone knows cleaning the toilet is made a whole lot easier with the assistance of a good toilet bowl cleaner. However, sulfates and bleach are commonly found in toilet bowl cleaners and as you get down and scrub, you’re probably breathing in a toxic chlorine gas, which is extremely dangerous to your respiratory and circulatory systems.

5. Plastic food containers 

The fact that plastic containers release chemicals into the food and liquid you store in them is nothing new, but a recent study reported by NPR found that most plastics — including cups, food wrap, and containers — still release a hormone similar to estrogen into the substances it stores. This study claims even those supposedly safe BPA-free containers may be leaching chemicals into your food and drink.

6. Oven cleaners 

Like toilet bowl cleaners, oven cleaners are popular household products because they make one of the hardest household chores easier. Contained in most oven cleaners, including Easy-Off and Mr. Muscle, are corrosive alkalis, a poisonous ingredient that can lead to difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, vision loss, abdominal pain, and vomiting, among others.

French voters call on Barack Obama to run in country's presidential election

Voters in France are vying for Barack Obama to become their next President, in a wild bid to bring about a “sixth Republic” in the French presidential elections this year.

A website and poster campaign launched on Monday, titled “Obama17”, calls on French people to make the "radical choice" of signing a petition asking that the former US President to run for the position of 25th head of state in the 2017 leadership race.

More than 30,000 people have so far signed the petition, and photos of posters mounted around Paris have been widely shared on social media.

The creators of the campaign, four Parisians in their thirties who have decided to remain anonymous, said the idea arose from growing discontentment with the choice of candidates, and a desire to "make people smile" amid "repeated scandals" coming out of the approaching election.

One of them, who simply called himself "Barack", told The Independent: "It arose from a conversation with friends. We decided that we didn't want to vote for any of the candidates in this election, and that it has been the same for the last few elections. We are fed up of voting against people rather than for someone we actually support every time.

"So we thought it would be ingenious to give the power to Obama, since he's now available."

Asked whether they were serious in their endeavour, Barack said: "It is ultimately a joke. We want people to wake up in the morning and, rather than have to see our usual candidates, rejoice in seeing Obama's face on the 500 posters we put up on the streets of Paris, and get away from the repeated scandals we are hearing about.

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Romuald COUSTRE @rcoustre

Oui on peut ... (?) #obama2017 #streetsofparis

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"The reaction from people has been brilliant. It's what they want. The funniest thing is when people first thing it's totally crazy, but then ask themselves: 'Actually, why not?'"

Barack said the group behind "Barack2017" did not express politcial views, but that it was "certain" that they wouldn't be voting for Marine Le Pen.

The approaching French election, for which the first round of voting begins in April, has caused concern among many French people due to a number of scandals that have emerged about candidates and the prominence in the polls of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

The "Obama2017" website's homepage cites the "inevitable failure of the next presidential election" and call on voters to sign the petition to "get France out of its lethargy".

“The French are ready to make radical choices. That is good because we have a radical idea to propose to them," it states.

“After a phantom five-year-term and faced with the announced failure of the next presidential election, we think it is time to move to the sixth Republic to get France out of its lethargy.

“To launch this sixth Republic, we wish to strike a blow by electing a foreign president as the head of our beautiful country.

“Barack Obama completed his second term as President of the United States on January 21, now why not hire him as President for France?”

The site proceeds to list several reasons why people should sign the petition, including a claim that Mr Obama “has the best CV for the job”, and a rallying cry that voters must "teach the world a lesson in democracy [...] at a time when France is about to vote for the extreme right.”

Private prison deprived inmates of heat and hot water for months, lawmaker finds

The 284 women housed in C-dorm at Gadsden Correctional Institution in Quincy lived for months without hot water or heat, faced flooded bathrooms daily and endured water rations when the septic tanks were jammed with food waste.

After state Rep. David Richardson demanded action following a series of surprise visits over the past 18 months, the private prison operator that runs the facility — Management Training Corp. of Centerville, Utah — received approval from the state to repair and replace the water heater, at a cost to taxpayers of nearly $10,000. But Warden Shelly Sonberg never authorized the work.

Richardson, a Miami Beach Democrat, announced another inspection this month, this time with Chad Poppell, the head of the Department of Management Services, the state agency that oversees private prisons, and two other state legislators.

In the two days before they arrived, four work crews descended on the prison and made many of the repairs. The vice president of the private prison operator, Management Training Corp., also arrived in town to meet with state officials. The state’s chief inspector general, Melinda Miguel, dispatched inspectors to assess the safety and welfare of the inmates.

For Richardson, who has been on a one-man mission to force change in Florida’s troubled prison system, it’s another frustrating example of the failure of the state to monitor and hold accountable its prison operators.

“I’m a policymaker. I’m not a monitor. I’m not their auditor. Why is it that I’m out there fixing water heaters?” he said.

In a letter to Richardson Thursday, Poppell said he has since removed the state-paid official in charge of monitoring conditions at the prison and has also launched his own investigation.

He said the 22-year-old prison, like other private prisons built by the state, are “now beginning to show their age and present problems associated with older buildings.” He said he has asked the Legislature to fund a full-time staff person to monitor “evolving infrastructure issues.”

When Richardson returned Thursday with two investigators from the Florida Department of Corrections as requested by Miguel, other problems emerged at the prison, which houses 1,530 inmates in four dorms. They learned that there are 495 open work orders for repairs. Inmates said they had been pressured not to speak to inspectors and feared retaliation.

Richardson, a retired forensic auditor, has had success in calling attention to the problems he has uncovered at state-run prisons. He has revealed evidence of officer-on-inmate violence at youthful offender facilities, uncovered how gangs evaded officers, caught officers withholding food from inmates, and persuaded the Department of Corrections to close down the youthful offender wing at Sumter Correctional Institution. He uncovered “horrific” conditions at Columbia Correctional, where toilets wouldn’t flush, showers didn’t work, a heating system didn’t heat and deafening sounds came from an exhaust fan.

He also dug deep into the finances at Lake City Correctional Institution, another one of the state’s seven privately operated prisons and discovered Corrections Corporations of America, now known as CoreCivic of Tennessee, had overcharged the state at least $16 million over the past seven years

Most of his reports have been welcomed by Corrections Secretary Julie Jones but resulted in silence from Republican lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott, who last year recommended directing more money into improving the facilities at the state-run system for the first time, after years of shifting more state-run prison programs to private operators.

Richardson made his first unannounced trip to Gadsden Correctional on Oct. 7, 2015, he said. Then, he found no teachers in the classrooms and a lack of educational supplies — such as no wiring tools or supplies for the electricians training class — and made a mental note to return.

On his next visit, on March 6, 2016, he spent nearly two hours with inmates in the recreation yard and heard then about the problems with the hot water. The warden followed up with him and told him the problem had been addressed.

But it hadn’t. When Richardson returned on Feb. 9, 2017, he said he “got an earful about hot water,’’ how it had been out since before Thanksgiving, how the inmates were given an option to go to a neighboring dorm to take showers — a disruption that forced the inmates in the neighboring dorm to stay in their cells while the visiting inmates were there.

He also heard several complaints about the prison refusing to run the heat in the winter. He saw how the shower stalls leaked into the bathroom, creating perpetual puddles. He saw toilets that weren’t working, hot water faucets that were disabled. And he heard stories about how three to four times a month the inmates are prevented from using water except to flush the toilet, especially when the food service staff dumps excess food into the septic tank, causing the system to back up.

On Feb. 9, Richardson asked for a record of the hot water repairs and saw how Management Training asked and received permission from the Florida Department of Management Services to spend $9,970 on a new water heater.

The request for the repair was authorized on Dec. 19, but by Feb. 13, when Richardson visited again, it had not been fixed.

“They can’t explain to me what took so long,’’ he said. After he announced he would return with Poppell on Feb. 16, it was repaired but not entirely fixed.

“Almost all of the sinks were working, the water was working. Inmates told us they had been painting the bathrooms to make it as pretty as they could,”’ he said. “There was significant improvement.”

Issa Arnita, communicators director for Management Training, told the Herald/Times that the company was “aware of hot water issues at the facility. While we’ve made short-term fixes, the entire system will ultimately need to be replaced.”

He said the company made the state “aware of the need for a new system early last year but were told the replacement would not happen immediately. ...The $9,970 was only for the exchanger, one part of the hot water system,” and the entire hot water system needs to be replaced.

He said the company will “continue to do maintenance on the hot water system until it is fully replaced. … Our priority continues to be to ensure safe and humane conditions for the women under our care.”

Further frustrating Richardson is the fact that the Florida Department of Management Services employs a full-time state monitor to oversee conditions at the Gadsden prison. He was copied on the letter authorizing the repairs, but Richardson asked him if he knew the hot water was out and knew of the need for repairs.

“He told me he had no idea,” he said. “It begs the question, how could he be the full-time monitor and not know the hot water’s out and how could he be copied on this letter authorizing the repair and then tell me he had no idea the water was out. Troubling.”

"Our priority continues to be to ensure safe and humane conditions for the women under our care," said Issa Arnita, communicators director for Management Training Corp.

Richardson knows people may question why he cares about female inmates inconvenienced by the lack of hot water. He has an answer.

“For me, this is personal,’’ he told the Herald/Times. “When I was a teenager, the hot water went out on my home, and my parents, who were economically challenged, couldn’t afford to fix the hot water for six months. So I know what it’s like to live without hot water. When I see this it touches me so personally and it makes me so angry.”

He said he dealt with the shame and remembers having to boil water on the stove to get a hot bath. “But these ladies don’t even have that option because they don’t have a stove to boil water,’’ he said.

Also accompanying Richardson and Poppell on the Feb. 16 visit were state Rep. Ross Spano, R-Dover, the chairman of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee, and Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale. They spoke to an inmate who had been without eyeglasses for three months and another woman who had leg pain and was not allowed to see the medical staff, Richardson said.

“It was eye-opening,” Spano said. “There were things that were good but there were also things that concerned me.” He said he plans to work with Richardson to follow up on them.

He said he was especially concerned about the fact that if inmates filed a grievance, “there was a pretty good chance it would be intercepted and it would not be reviewed.”

Richardson has also explored the balance sheet at the prison, which is paid $43.67 a day per inmate. The price is below the maximum allowed by law for private prisons but was established by comparing Gadsden’s costs to the state’s maximum security prison for women, Lowell Correctional Institution — the highest cost female prison in the state — instead of Hernando Correctional, where costs would be more comparable.

“Gadsden is a country club compared to Lowell,” Richardson said. He also found that Gadsden has 11 people on staff that handle inmate classification who are not paid by Management Training but by the state. Those personnel costs are not deducted from the contract per diem, essentially creating a state subsidy for the company, he said.

Richardson believes that the Management Training contract may not only have inflated per diem figures but inflated costs for educational programming, which are $2.3 million a year.

“We’re paying them a lot of money for education and programming, and I can’t get anywhere near $1 million when I walk around classrooms and observing, let alone $2.3 million,’’ he said.

When Rep. David Richardson made his first unannounced trip to Gadsden Correctional in 2015, he found no teachers in the classrooms and a lack of educational supplies.

For example, Richardson said he walked into an electrical assistant class and inmates told him they were only allowed to do the textbook training because they didn’t have the supplies to do the practical portion. The teacher told him he had asked for a list of supplies but hadn’t received them. Six of the inmates were repeating the class because they hadn’t been able to do the certification exam because of the lack of supplies.

“This is a waste of taxpayer dollars, and you’re saying you can’t buy some basic supplies,’’ he said. “I’ve got a problem with that.” He said he has asked for copies of the training budget.

“If they cut costs, they are increasing their profitability,” Richardson said.

Arnita, spokesperson for Management Training, said Gadsden Correctional has 43 staff members who provide educational and vocational training, substance abuse counseling, life-skills courses and many other programs. The company considers educational training and programming “one of our greatest focuses,” he said.

“Our commitment is to rehabilitation for these female offenders,’’ Arnita said, acknowledging that “you can’t provide training and rehab if there’s no hot water.”

Maggie Mickler, spokeswoman for the Department of Management Services, said the state will continue to investigate Richardson’s findings.

“It is our belief that vendor performance in all areas, including our private prison vendors, must be above reproach and open for transparent review,’’ she said in an email. “That’s why we review all claims received and are committed to ensuring that the private prisons operating in Florida are performing according to contract and meeting statutory requirements.”