Author: Kit Redwine

Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) is investigating a case of potential botulism after a 38-year-old woman received unauthorized botulinum toxin injections in Dongguan, on the Chinese mainland. The patient, who was previously in good health, received injections from an unverified source on October 27. Unable to confirm the practitioner’s professional qualifications, she soon developed alarming symptoms including limb weakness, swallowing difficulties, and partial eyelid drooping. After initially seeking medical attention in Dongguan on November 3, she was later admitted to North District Hospital in Hong Kong on November 8, where her condition remains stable but under close medical…

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Nutworks Canada, based in North York, Ontario, Canada, has issued a voluntary recall for its Nutworks-brand raw whole pistachios due to potential Salmonella contamination. Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause serious infections, especially in vulnerable populations such as young children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems. Background The recall was initiated after testing by the CFIA revealed the potential presence of Salmonella contamination. This is classified as a Class II recall, which means the affected products may pose a moderate health risk, but the probability of serious health consequences is…

Grimmway Farms, based in Bakersfield, California, has issued a voluntary recall of select whole carrots and organic baby carrots due to potential contamination with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, a bacterium that can cause severe illness in certain populations. One national food poisoning law firm has prepared the first e. coli lawsuit in the outbreak. And now, the nation’s first Carrot E. Coli Lawsuit has been filed by the E. coli Lawyers at Ron Simon & Associates. Background A nationwide investigation is underway as federal and state health authorities examine an outbreak of E. coli O121:H9 infections connected to organic carrots…

Minnesota health officials are investigating an E. coli O157 outbreak linked to hamburgers served at several Twin Cities restaurants. The outbreak has affected 11 people, with 10 cases connected to various Red Cow restaurant locations across Hennepin, Ramsey, and Olmsted counties, and one case linked to Minneapolis’s Hen House Eatery. Both businesses received the same ground beef product under investigation. The affected individuals, ranging in age from 9 to 70 years, reported eating at these restaurants between October 31 and November 7, with illness onset dates spanning from November 4 to November 9. Two cases have required hospitalization, and health…

An E. coli outbreak has emerged in St. Louis County, Missouri, affecting dozens of individuals connected to Rockwood Summit High School. The St. Louis County Department of Public Health has confirmed 69 cases as of Friday afternoon, with the infections traced to two separate school-related events that involved catering services from Andre’s Banquets and Catering, according to ksdk.com. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that approximately 12 of those affected have been hospitalized. Health officials are currently focusing their investigation on salad items served at these events, though they have yet to identify the specific contaminated item or determine when…

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced a recall by M&M Food Market, based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, of its Buffalo Chicken Dip due to contamination with pieces of metal. Food contaminated with foreign objects has the potential to cause severe harm, including choking, injury, illness, damage to teeth, or even death. Background The recall notice did not specify how the contamination with foreign material was discovered. This is classified as a Class II recall, which means the affected products may pose a moderate health risk, but the probability of serious health consequences is low. Distribution The affected products…

Hong Kong HONG KONG – Contaminated Dessert Seized in Hong Kong Food Safety Crackdown The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) in Hong Kong has identified a batch of imported frozen dessert containing excessive bacterial contamination. The affected product, Hazelnut Cacao Frozen Dessert from The Ice Cream & Cookie Co., was found to have a total bacterial count of 71,000 per gram – significantly exceeding the legal limit of 50,000 per gram for frozen confections. The contaminated batch was discovered as part of the CFS’s routine food surveillance program. According to a CFS spokesperson, the test results indicated an unacceptably high…

As Shigella outbreaks quietly escalate worldwide, becoming a leading cause of fatal diarrheal illness even in developed nations, a promising vaccine candidate has entered a crucial testing phase. Shigella is a bacteria that causes shigellosis, an infection characterized by symptoms such as bloody or prolonged diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever, which can last between five to seven days. In rare instances, shigellosis can lead to more severe complications, including reactive arthritis, bloodstream infections, and seizures. The disease, which causes an estimated 165 million infections globally, including 62 million cases in children under five, has led to urgent action from vaccine…

A voluntary recall by Westby Cooperative Creamery, based in Westby, Wisconsin, for certain cheese curd products, first announced on September 29, 2024 remains ongoing. The recall was initiated due to contamination with generic E. coli, a bacterium that can cause severe illness in certain populations. Background No press release was issued for this recall and no information has been provided as to how the potential for E. coli contamination was found. This recall is classified as a Class II recall, meaning that the recalled products have a lower chance of causing major injuries or death, however there is still the…

New information is now available in the Salmonella outbreak that has primarily affected local elementary school children in Great Falls, Montana. There are now 10 confirmed cases of Salmonella infection with nine identified among students at four different Great Falls Public Schools (GFPS) elementary schools with another three test results are pending. One of the three is connected to another secondary school. Of the four elementary schools affected, three are currently known: Sacajawea, Meadowlark, and Valley View. Salmonella, a bacterial infection affecting approximately 1.35 million Americans annually, typically spreads through contaminated food consumption. Transmission can occur through contact with infected…