Author: Kit Redwine

The United Kingdom Food Standards Agency and McCormack Family Farms have issued a recall for various spinach and mixed leaves products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) contamination. Listeria is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in vulnerable populations such as young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems. Background The recall notice did not mention how the presence of Listeria in the affected products was discovered. Distribution Except for grocery store chain Lidl, the recall notice did not specify other retail outlets that received the affected products. Product Details ProductPack SizeBatch…

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Green Farm Pistachio Inc., based in Chateauguay, Quebec, Canada, have issued a voluntary recall for Habibi-brand pistachio kernel due to potential Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause serious infections in animals and humans, especially those in vulnerable populations such as young children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems. Background How the presence of Salmonella in the recalled product was discovered was not announced. This recall has been categorized as a Class 2 recall by the CFIA, meaning that “there is a moderate risk that consuming the food may lead to…

Probiotics are widely consumed live microorganisms intended to confer health benefits, particularly for gut health. However, emerging research indicates these supplements may cause adverse effects in certain individuals or circumstances, creating a paradox where “good bacteria” might potentially cause harm. Colonization Challenges and Individual Variability Human studies reveal significant individual variation in gut response to probiotics. When administered standardized probiotic formulations, approximately half of healthy participants were classified as “persisters” (allowing bacterial colonization) while “resisters” expelled the probiotics without gut changes. This resistance correlates with specific immune system gene expression profiles, suggesting an individual’s biological makeup influences probiotic efficacy. Furthermore,…

The World Health Organization (WHO) Food Safety Strategy 2030 provides a comprehensive global framework to significantly reduce the burden of foodborne diseases (FBDs). This strategy acknowledges that unsafe food causes an estimated 600 million illnesses and 420,000 deaths annually worldwide, disproportionately affecting children under five and vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries. Its core objective is to strengthen national and international food safety systems through collaborative, evidence-based actions. The strategy is structured around five interconnected strategic priorities: Implementation relies on mobilizing resources, fostering multi-sectoral collaboration (One Health approach), leveraging technological innovations, and establishing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track…

The consumption of raw fish in sushi and sashimi presents inherent risks of parasitic infections, primarily from nematodes (e.g., Anisakis spp.) and cestodes (e.g., Diphyllobothrium spp., or fish tapeworm). These parasites can cause gastrointestinal illness, allergic reactions, or systemic complications in humans. Rigorous mitigation strategies are employed throughout the supply chain to minimize these risks, focusing on freezing, sourcing, inspection, and regulatory compliance. Freezing is the most effective and widely mandated method to kill parasites. Regulatory standards globally require specific time-temperature combinations: This process destroys parasite larvae embedded in fish muscle tissue. Commercial “flash freezing” at ultra-low temperatures preserves texture while ensuring safety. Note…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a safety alert advising consumers and food establishments to avoid frozen, raw, half-shell oysters potentially contaminated with norovirus after an outbreak investigation linked illnesses to the imported shellfish. Wang Globalnet of Vernon, California initiated a recall on July 21, 2025, for frozen oysters bearing lot code B250112. The affected products were harvested from Designated Area No. 1 in South Korea on January 12, 2025, and processed by JBR KR-15-SP in Tongyeong-si, Republic of Korea. Distribution occurred across Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, and Utah, with potential spread to additional states. The Utah Department of Agriculture…

A recall first initiated on June 9, 2025 by Gedney Foods Product, LLC, based in Bloomington, Minnesota, for 3,520 cases of dill pickles due to product and container damage remains ongoing. A defective container could lead to microbial contamination with pathogens like Clostridium botulinum, or others, that could potentially cause foodborne illness or damaged pieces of the container which have the potential to cause severe harm, including choking, injury, illness, damage to teeth, or even death. Background The recall notice said that the damaged product was to be destroyed but was accidentally released to market. Distribution The recalled item was only…

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…