Author: Kit Redwine

In the summer of 2025, a wave of foodborne illness swept across multiple states, sickening individuals with listeria bacteria and claiming lives. At the heart of this outbreak were common, ready-to-eat pasta dishes, a convenience many take for granted. While such outbreaks are a public health concern for all, they are a catastrophic threat to a specific, and growing, segment of the population: adults aged 65 and older. For them, a simple meal can carry a risk that is both disproportionate and severe.  This reality is coming into sharper focus as demographic shifts point toward an increasingly older population. This…

As households across the United States begin planning their upcoming Thanksgiving feasts and holiday celebrations, hosts are urged to prioritize food safety alongside their menu preparations. The convergence of large groups, multiple dishes, and often-inexperienced cooks creates ideal conditions for foodborne pathogens to flourish. Each year, an estimated one in six Americans becomes sick from foodborne illness, with outbreaks frequently increasing during the holiday season. For vulnerable populations including young children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems, the consequences can extend beyond a ruined meal to serious health complications. The challenges are particularly pronounced during Thanksgiving,…

A nationwide outbreak of Salmonella has been linked to dietary supplements containing moringa leaf powder, prompting a federal investigation and a large-scale recall of products sold at Sam’s Club. The investigation, led by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has identified a single lot of organic moringa leaf powder imported from India as the source of the contamination. The outbreak has resulted in 11 reported illnesses across seven states, leading to three hospitalizations. While the affected product has been pulled from store shelves, health officials are concerned that consumers may…

For travelers, few things can derail a long-awaited trip faster than the sudden, urgent onset of diarrhea. As recent food safety events, including an E. coli outbreak in Washington state linked to Twin Sisters Creamery, have reminded the public, certain strains of this common bacterium pose a significant health risk. For international travelers, the most likely bacterial culprit is a specific pathotype known as Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). It is the most common bacterial cause of traveler’s diarrhea, responsible for approximately 30% of cases, making it a frequent and unwelcome souvenir for visitors to many parts of the world. This…

In the global fight against foodborne illness, few pathogens are as pervasive or as problematic as Salmonella. This bacterium causes an estimated 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths each year in the United States alone, with an economic burden exceeding $3.7 billion. Globally, the picture is even grimmer, with approximately 93 million non-typhoidal Salmonella infections and 155,000 deaths annually. For decades, the primary defenses have been food safety measures and antibiotic treatments, but the relentless rise of antimicrobial resistance is forcing a strategic shift. Scientists are now racing to develop a new generation of vaccines, aiming to protect…

In October 2025, consumers across the nation were advised to check their refrigerators for millions of eggs voluntarily recalled due to potential Salmonella contamination. The announcement, affecting products from the Black Sheep Egg Company and others, highlighted a persistent public health challenge. For the average person, the warning was straightforward: check the carton and throw away affected products. Behind this simple public message, however, lies a remarkably complex and divided regulatory system. The effort to control Salmonella, a pathogen causing an estimated 1.3 million illnesses in the U.S. each year, is split between two federal agencies with different mandates, philosophies,…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a stark warning: do not eat, sell, or serve shell eggs from Black Sheep Egg Company of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. The advisory, issued in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), covers 12 and 18-count cartons with best by dates from 8/22/2025 through 10/31/2025 with UPC codes 860010568507 and 860010568538 of the farm’s company-branded Free Range Large Grade A Brown Eggs. The reason? Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of Salmonella, a dangerous pathogen, in the product, a strain genetically matched to bacteria that can make people sick.…

Most people know the name E. coli from news reports about food recalls and serious illnesses. It has a reputation as a dangerous bug to be avoided at all costs. But this tells only half the story. Inside the digestive system of every healthy person, trillions of E. coli bacteria are living peacefully, doing essential work that helps us stay healthy. This bacterium leads a double life, and whether it acts as a helpful partner or a dangerous threat depends on tiny pieces of genetic code it can acquire or lose. Think of the E. coli species as a vast…

In the summer of 2025, a nationwide Listeria outbreak linked to prepared pasta meals forced numerous product recalls and heightened public scrutiny, serving as a strong reminder of a persistent food safety challenge. While such outbreaks capture headlines, the fight against the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium is a constant battle waged daily in facilities that produce ready-to-eat (RTE) meats. Products like sliced deli meats, hot dogs, and pâtés sit at the center of this struggle, representing a category of foods that is both immensely popular and uniquely vulnerable to a pathogen that can have severe consequences for human health. The core…

In May 2022, a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Senftenberg infections was linked to a food many people keep in their pantry: peanut butter. The investigation, which led to a major recall, identified the source as a facility producing Jif brand peanut butter, sickening people across the United States. This incident is not an anomaly. It is part of a growing pattern of outbreaks challenging the conventional wisdom that dry foods are inherently safe from microbial threats. The realm of low-moisture foods, including spices, chocolates, cereals, and powdered milk, has become a new frontier in the battle against foodborne pathogens, complicated…