The CDC reports: Shigellosis is a nationally notifiable diarrheal illness caused by gram-negative bacteria. Shigella infection is spread through fecal-oral transmission and sexual contact. Although most infections are self-limited, antibiotics are indicated for severe illness or to reduce transmission in settings with high risk for spread. Since 2015, a growing proportion of cases has been caused by […]
Robert Roos, CIDRAP News Editor caught the USDA ones again saying that it is interested in public safety, but when no one is looking changes the rules. Mr. Roos’ article entitled, “USDA modifies E. coli testing rules for Canadian beef,” is frankly shocking. According to the story, the “USDA has modified its program of increased […]
Scott Harvey of WAVE reported on the tragic condition of our client and her son as they both struggle to survive the aftermath of the E. coli outbreak that still has yet to be solved. Mother fears daughter may never fully recover from bout with E. coli A Floyd County woman watched her son battle […]
I had a great chat with Texas attorney and writer, John G. Browning, while on a layover in the Dallas airport several weeks ago. We have talked several times since. I pulled some excerpts. Mr. Browning just published the interview today: Legally Speaking: The food poisoning lawyer For Bill Marler, it’s about more than money […]
My "cyberfriend" – the Fanatic Cook – once again covered for me and actually attended the – FDA Food Safety Teleconference For Bloggers. I must admit I planned on listening in (and harassing a bit) but calling in three hours late did not help – that Westcoast/Eastcoast thing – I did, however, enjoy the music. […]
When Taco Bell offered free tacos for every American during baseball’s World Series last month, all I could do was hold my head and mutter something like: "Hasta luego, Amigos!" The very idea of doling out fast-food tacos to millions of baseball fans should ring like a casino jackpot jingle in the corridors of a […]
We were provided today with the report prepared by “The California Food Emergency Response Team (CalFERT).” The “Executive Summary” in part reads: On December 13, 2006 the Office of Emergency Operations of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alerted both the San Francisco District Office and the Emergency Response Unit of the California […]
Frozen pot pies linked to salmonella outbreak The Illinois Department of Public Health is again warning consumers to throw out frozen pot pies that could be linked to a multistate salmonella outbreak. ConAgra Foods voluntarily recalled all varieties of frozen pot pie products last month, produced under multiple brand names. These frozen pot pies include […]
I read the headline of Julie Schmit’s article in USA TODAY and had the overwhelming desire to say “duhh!” as my 15-year-old often says of me to me. I then read further: The federal government may move to keep meat off the market until its tests confirm the meat doesn’t have harmful bacteria, a step […]
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (usually pronounced in short as "Mursa" or spelled out as MRSA), is a bacterium responsible for some difficult-to-treat infection in humans. Heather Moore Heather Moore, senior writer for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wrote a concerning Op-ed “Your supper & superbugs” on MRSA and its relationship with antibiotics fed […]
A “science junkie” friend of mine emailed me a link to this months American Scientist. The article by Jorge M. Fonseca, a professor and vegetable/postharvest specialist at the University of Arizona’s Yuma Agricultural Center and Sadhana Ravishankar, a research professor in the Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tuscon […]
As of two weeks ago, at least 21 isolates of E. coli O157:H7 with an indistinguishable genetic fingerprint have been collected from ill persons in 10 states: Illinois (1 person), Kentucky (3), Missouri (2), New York (2), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (8), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (1). Persons became ill between […]
Hormel Foods Corporation Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Ettinger , center, flanked by Anova Foods, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Doug Brinsmade, left, and Cargil Chief Executive Officer Gregory Page, right, are sworn in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007, prior to testifying before the House Energy and Commerce […]
According to a press statement by Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., the two articles in the Journal of Food Protection relate to field challenge studies conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln involving close to 900 animals in 2002 and 2003. The first article, “Efficacy of dose regimen and observation of herd immunity from a vaccine against […]
Texas Firm Recalls Frozen Sausage Roll Products For Possible Listeria Contamination Recall Release CLASS I RECALL FSIS-RC-053-2007 HEALTH RISK: HIGH Double B Foods, Inc., a Meridian, Texas, firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 98,000 pounds of frozen sausage roll products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection […]
Josh Funk once again reports on how our government, despite finding errors at industrial food facilities, does not feel the necessity to inform the public of its findings. This despite pot pies having been linked to at least 272 cases of salmonella (65 hospitalized) in 35 states. Mr. Funk’s story follows: USDA inspectors found flaws […]