Author: Kit Redwine

The July 2026 recall of nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs due to Salmonella Enteritidis contamination is the latest in a decades-long pattern of outbreaks linked to shell eggs. As of late July, 98 people across 17 states have been sickened, with 26 hospitalized, in an outbreak that investigators have traced, at least in part, to Midwest Poultry Services. The recall, affecting eggs sold under multiple brand names including Kroger and Brookshire’s, underscores a persistent food safety challenge. Unlike other forms of Salmonella that typically contaminate the exterior of eggs through contact with feces, Salmonella Enteritidis can infect the ovaries of…

The summer of 2026 has brought the largest outbreak of cyclosporiasis in U.S. history. As of this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had received reports of 4,173 confirmed domestic cases, with more than 2,500 additional cases requiring further analysis. At least 308 people have been hospitalized, and the true number of illnesses is likely much higher, as cyclosporiasis is often underdiagnosed and underreported. The source, investigators believe, is shredded iceberg lettuce from a single supplier in Mexico, Taylor Farms de Mexico, served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. This outbreak…

The practice of saving leftovers is nearly universal. Across cultures and households, the ritual of packing away extra food after a meal is driven by thrift, convenience, and a simple desire not to waste. A hearty stew, a pasta dish, or a portion of roasted chicken can provide a delicious and effortless meal the next day. However, this common practice carries risks that are often underestimated. The science of food safety reveals a complex relationship between time, temperature, and the microorganisms that can transform a comforting meal into a source of foodborne illness. Understanding why some leftovers reheat safely while…

The summer of 2026 has brought a familiar but no less urgent challenge to public health officials across the United States: a diverse array of foodborne illness outbreaks, each with its own pathogen, its own implicated food, and its own set of victims. As of early July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is actively coordinating between 17 and 36 investigations of multistate foodborne illnesses each week, involving pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. While not all of these investigations result in public outbreak notices, a significant number have advanced to the point where consumers are…

On June 30, 2026, members of the Shinnecock Nation on Long Island’s East End gathered for a funeral meal, a traditional community event meant to honor a departed member and provide comfort to the bereaved. Within days, dozens of attendees began experiencing severe gastrointestinal distress. By July 13, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital had treated at least 58 patients with symptoms consistent with salmonellosis, with the number of those affected eventually rising to 62. One person remained hospitalized, and reports say that as many as 100 community members may have been sickened. The outbreak is described as being “isolated” to the…

A multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, has sickened at least 145 people across 17 states as of mid-June 2026, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The parasite, which is transmitted through contaminated fresh produce, causes frequent, watery diarrhea that can persist for weeks and often relapses if untreated. Unlike many foodborne pathogens, Cyclospora is not transmitted person-to-person; infection requires consumption of food or water contaminated with mature oocysts. The source of the 2026 outbreak remains unidentified. Michigan has experienced a particularly sharp escalation, with more than 150 cases identified since…

Summer travel brings increased exposure to unfamiliar foods, disrupted routines, and the unique food safety challenges of air travel and tourism. Foodborne illness remains a significant risk for travelers, with contaminated food and water serving as common vehicles for gastrointestinal pathogens. Air travel introduces specific vulnerabilities, including the handling of in-flight meals and the consumption of pre-boarding food. Recent incidents have highlighted the real-world consequences of foodborne illness during travel, from flight diversions to multi-passenger outbreaks. Raw and undercooked foods, particularly meat, fish, shellfish, and unpasteurized dairy, are primary sources of infection. Travelers can reduce their risk by selecting fully…

On a summer morning in June 1990, a group of fishermen aboard a vessel in the Georges Bank area off the Nantucket coast sat down to a meal of blue mussels they had harvested from deep water about 115 miles from shore. Within one to two hours, all six men developed symptoms: numbness of the mouth, vomiting, tingling in their extremities, and lower back pain that persisted for days. Two required hospitalization, and one had briefly lost consciousness. Laboratory analysis of the uneaten mussels later revealed saxitoxin concentrations of 24,400 micrograms per 100 grams in the raw shellfish, more than 300…

The journey of a hamburger patty from pasture to plate is one of the most complex food safety challenges in modern agriculture. E. coli O157:H7, a bacterium that lives harmlessly in the intestinal tracts of healthy cattle, becomes a potentially deadly contaminant when it transfers to meat during processing. Unlike a whole steak, where bacteria typically reside only on the surface and are easily killed by direct heat, the grinding process distributes any contamination from the surface throughout the entire batch of meat. This fundamental difference makes proper cooking temperatures not merely a matter of taste or preference, but a…

The Outbreak at a Glance On June 4, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health partners, announced an investigation into a multi‑state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to soft requesón cheese produced by Clover Hill Dairy in Mechanicsville, Maryland. As of the initial announcement, eight people across three states, Maryland, New York, and Virginia, had been infected with the same outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes. Among those eight patients, seven required hospitalization and one person in Maryland died. The Maryland Department of Health reported…