Author: Kit Redwine

Toronto Public Health has confirmed a case of Hepatitis A in a staff member at Earls Kitchen + Bar prompting health authorities to recommend immediate vaccination for customers who dined at the restaurant during specific exposure periods. The infected employee worked during four separate shifts when transmission could have occurred. Potential exposure dates include Friday, July 11 from 4 p.m. until closing, Saturday, July 12 from 4:30 p.m. until closing, Tuesday, July 15 from 4:30 p.m. until closing, and Wednesday, July 16 from 7 p.m. until closing. Health officials say that patrons who consumed food or beverages during these specified time periods…

Pregnant women face unique vulnerabilities to foodborne pathogens due to physiological immune suppression, increasing risks of bacteremia (bacterial bloodstream infection) and severe dehydration when infections go untreated. These conditions can trigger cascading effects on fetal development and survival. Bacteremia’s Direct Assault When bacteria like Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella invade the maternal bloodstream, they can cross the placental barrier. This transplacental transmission often leads to fetal sepsis, causing systemic inflammation, tissue damage, and organ failure in the developing fetus. Early-onset listeriosis, frequently acquired from unpasteurized dairy, deli meats, or smoked seafood, manifests as respiratory distress, circulatory collapse, and a 7 to 29% mortality rate in neonates. …

For decades, conventional food safety wisdom warned against wooden cutting boards, claiming porous surfaces harbored dangerous bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli, while nonporous plastic boards were deemed more sanitary. Recent scientific reappraisals, however, challenge this long-standing assumption. The Bacterial Survival Test A pivotal 1994 study inoculated wood and plastic boards with bacteria including E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria. Bacteria applied to plastic boards survived for hours and multiplied if left overnight. On wood, bacteria rapidly diminished: 99% died within 3 minutes when applied in low concentrations (10³ to 10⁴ CFU), and even high concentrations (≥10⁶ CFU) saw reductions of 98% to 99.9% within 12…

Trichinosis (trichinellosis) is a foodborne parasitic infection caused by nematodes of the Trichinella genus, most commonly Trichinella spiralis. Humans contract this disease exclusively through consuming raw or undercooked meat containing encysted larvae. While domestic pork was historically the primary source, modern agricultural practices have reduced this risk in commercial pork. Today, most U.S. cases stem from wild game like bear, walrus, wild boar, and cougar. Globally, trichinosis affects approximately 10,000 people annually, though U.S. incidence has plummeted from 400 cases per year in the 1940s to just 16 annually by 2015. The Parasite’s Journey Infection begins when digestive enzymes release larvae from…

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has confirmed that one adult has died from Listeriosis, as health officials investigate an extensive outbreak linked to contaminated ready-made meals, according to multiple media sources. The Health Service Executive’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre is conducting an investigation into the death, though no additional details can be released due to medical confidentiality requirements. This fatality comes amid confirmation of nine total Listeriosis cases connected to the current outbreak. In response to the outbreak, authorities have initiated a voluntary precautionary recall affecting 141 ready-made food products distributed across major Irish retailers including Tesco, SuperValu, Centra, and Aldi. The…

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Saginaw Enterprises Ltd, based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, have issued a voluntary recall notice for 7 – Select Bake Shoppe-brand chocolate fudge brownie due to possible contamination with pieces of plastic. Food contaminated with foreign objects, like plastic, has the potential to cause severe harm, including choking, injury, illness, damage to teeth, or even death. Background The recall notice did not say how the presence of plastic was found in the impacted food. Distribution The recalled item was distributed to a retail audience only in the Canadian province of Ontario. Product Details…

A recall has been issued by W.W. Industrial Group, Inc., NY for pear slices due to possible contamination with elevated levels of lead and cadmium. Lead is a neurotoxin that can affect nearly every system in the human body and is especially dangerous for young children. Consuming elevated levels of cadmium can cause gastrointestinal distress, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and more long term health effects. Background The recall was issued after sampling by the Maryland Department of Health uncovered the potential for lead and cadmium contamination. Distribution The impacted product was distributed to Grocery Outlet retail stores in California and…

Overview The FDA’s CORE Response Teams manage multiple outbreak and adverse event investigations at various stages of completion. These investigations range from those with limited initial information to cases nearing resolution. Healthcare providers and public health officials encourage individuals experiencing potential foodborne illness symptoms to report details about food consumption prior to becoming ill, as this information assists in resolving active and emerging outbreaks. The FDA issues public health advisories when investigations produce specific actions consumers can take for protection. These advisories contain the most current investigation details and consumer safety information. Some investigations may not identify a definitive source or contributing…

Food safety lore often elevates freezing as a universal pathogen killer, but scientific evidence reveals significant limitations. While freezing at 0°F (-18°C) halts microbial growth and preserves food safety indefinitely, it does not reliably eliminate harmful bacteria or parasites. This gap between perception and reality carries public health implications, particularly concerning Listeria monocytogenes and parasites like Trichinella. Parasites: Variable Freezing Efficacy Trichinella spiralis, a parasite found in raw meat, illustrates freezing’s limitations. Government-supervised commercial freezing programs can destroy this parasite under strict conditions (-10°F for 10+ days), but standard home freezing cannot be relied upon for elimination. Thorough cooking remains the…

The concept of airborne transmission in foodborne illness traditionally focuses on respiratory pathogens, but emerging evidence suggests that kitchen activities may aerosolize foodborne pathogens, creating invisible routes of contamination. Pathogen-laden aerosols, microscopic particles suspended in air, can be generated during routine tasks like washing produce, using high-pressure faucets near raw meat, or even emptying a contaminated sink strainer. These aerosols behave differently based on particle size: droplets larger than 20 micrometers typically fall quickly onto surfaces within 3 feet, while smaller particles under 10 micrometers (true aerosols) can remain airborne for extended periods, traveling on air currents and potentially being inhaled or…