Author: Kit Redwine

A severe food poisoning outbreak at a Maryland seafood distribution center sent dozens of workers to local hospitals on Monday afternoon, overwhelming emergency services in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, according to Newsweek. The incident occurred at the North Atlantic Fish Company (NAFCO) Wholesale Seafood Distributors in Jessup, Maryland, where employees reportedly fell ill after consuming the same meal. Emergency crews responded to the industrial facility around 3:45 p.m. when multiple workers began experiencing symptoms of foodborne illness. The number of impacted individuals required a coordinated response from three counties. Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services led the emergency…

A common ingredient found in most kitchens, raw flour is a key ingredient in many delicious recipes. But, warns the nation’s leading e. coli lawyer, “uncooked flour can harbor harmful bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella, posing significant health risks to consumers.” Contrary to popular belief, most flour is typically a raw agricultural product that has not undergone treatment to eliminate pathogens. The milling process, including grinding and bleaching, does not kill these harmful microorganisms, which can taint grain in the field or during flour production. Multiple outbreaks linked to raw flour or cake mix have made…

Cleaning and sanitizing kitchen surfaces is vital for food safety, both preventing cross-contamination, and maintaining a healthy home environment. Ensuring these practices are followed properly can significantly reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. Here are some best practices for keeping your kitchen surfaces clean and sanitized. First, always start with the basics: clean your hands. Before and after handling food, washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is crucial. This simple step can prevent the transfer of bacteria from your hands to kitchen surfaces and food. When cleaning kitchen surfaces, use a combination of…

North Macedonia North Macedonia’s Defense Minister announced at a press conference last week that the Army has ended its contract with a catering company responsible for a food poisoning incident that affected 60 service members. The decision was not politically motivated, said the minister, but rather based on recommendations from a committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Defense, the Army, and the Army’s General Staff. The committee reviewed reports, identified food safety issues, and advised terminating the agreement. The minister assured that the contract termination followed all legal protocols and stressed that maintaining the army’s combat readiness and ensuring…

Dakota Tom’s Sandwiches, based in Corsica, South Dakota, has issued a voluntary recall of three products due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria). 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 company is recalling the products because they contain beef sourced from a third-party ingredient supplier, BrucePac who recently announced their own large recall of ready-to-eat chicken and meat products due to potential Listeria contamination. The company said they are “no longer using this ingredient…

TreeHouse Foods, Inc., based in Oak Brook, Illinois, has announced a voluntary recall of specific frozen waffle products due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria). 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 Routine testing at the production facility uncovered the potential presence of Listeria in the affected products. Distribution The impacted products were distributed and sold throughout the United States and Canada. Product Details Affected brands include: Always Save, Best Choice, BetterGoods, Breakfast Best, Clover…

Church Brothers, LLC, based in Salinas, California has announced a voluntary recall of 1,271 cases of green onions due to potential Salmonella contamination remains ongoing. 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 Routine sampling by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency uncovered the potential presence of Listeria. Church Brothers, LLC reported those findings to the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA). Distribution The recalled products were distributed to a small number of “retail and foodservice customers” in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia,…

The Kroger Co., based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has voluntarily recalled multiple products due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria). 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 company is recalling the products because they contain chicken sourced from a third-party ingredient supplier, BrucePac who recently announced their own large recall of ready-to-eat chicken and meat products due to potential Listeria contamination. Distribution See distribution details by product and store below. Product Details BrandProductSizeBest By DateUPCStore RanaGrilled…

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced a recall by Wagener’s Meat, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada of its ham in jelly (jelly pork) product due to potential 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 was initiated after an investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak by the CFIA uncovered the potential for Listeria contamination. A food safety investigation is ongoing and other products may be recalled. The CFIA will…

The Harvest Buffet restaurant in Tacoma, Washington reopened last weekend after being closed by health officials due to a suspected outbreak of norovirus. Norovirus contamination poses a significant health risk, particularly to individuals with weakened immune systems. What makes norovirus contamination especially concerning is that infected food often appears, smells, and tastes normal, making it difficult to detect without proper testing. Symptoms of norovirus infection typically include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. These symptoms can be particularly severe in vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. The restaurant had been temporarily closed by…