Author: Grayson Coveny

For months, you’ve been counting down the days. The flights are booked, hotel reservations confirmed, bags packed, and work emails finally set to “out of office.” Whether it’s a family vacation to the beach, an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean, a cruise through Alaska, or a weekend road trip, vacations are supposed to be a chance to relax—not spend hours curled up in a hotel bathroom. Unfortunately, food poisoning doesn’t care about travel plans. Every year, millions of Americans become ill from contaminated food, and vacations can create unique circumstances that increase the risk of exposure. Eating at unfamiliar restaurants, relying on buffets, trying local delicacies,…

As summer winds down and students begin filling classrooms once again, parents are busy checking off school supply lists, shopping for new clothes, and preparing the return of packed lunches and after-school activities. Amid the excitement of a new school year, however, one health risk often receives far less attention than it deserves: foodborne illness. Every year, millions of Americans become sick from contaminated food. While food poisoning can affect anyone, children are among the most vulnerable. Their immune systems are still developing; dehydration can occur more quickly than it does in adults, and younger children may struggle to recognize or communicate symptoms before an illness becomes severe. For…

The nationwide Cyclospora outbreak continues to expand, with health officials reporting a sharp increase in illnesses and new clues about what may be driving the surge. While investigators have not yet identified a specific product or supplier, evidence is increasingly pointing toward lettuce and other leafy salad greens as a possible source of infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 843 laboratory-confirmed Cyclospora illnesses across 31 states had been reported as of July 10. However, federal officials caution that this number almost certainly underestimates the true scope of the outbreak. More than 1,500 additional cases are…

What is not in doubt is that there is a large Cyclospora outbreak in the United States at present. According to the CDC’s cyclosporiasis surveillance page, on June 18, 2026, the “CDC received reports of 145 cases of cyclosporiasis acquired in the United States of people who became sick from May 1, 2026, through June 16, 2026.”  Of the 145 cases acquired in the U.S., there are a reported 20 hospitalizations, 0 deaths, with 17 states reporting cases. Since mid-June — the numbers have grown substantially, with independent state-level reporting and news outlets (NPR, ABC News, NBC/Today) showing this number…

When most people think about foodborne illness outbreaks, they picture restaurants, grocery store recalls, or contaminated products shipped across the country. Rarely do they imagine a funeral reception—a place where families gather to support one another during one of life’s most difficult moments. Yet that is exactly what health officials are investigating in New York after a funeral meal held on June 30 became linked to a Salmonella outbreak that sickened 58 people in Suffolk County. While investigators continue working to identify the precise source of contamination, the outbreak offers an important reminder that foodborne illness is not limited to…

What was meant to be a gathering of remembrance has instead become the focus of a growing foodborne illness investigation. Health officials in New York are investigating a Salmonella outbreak linked to a funeral meal held on June 30, after dozens of attendees became ill with symptoms consistent with salmonellosis. The outbreak has sickened 58 people in Suffolk County, prompting an active investigation by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services and the New York State Department of Health. Although investigators have not yet identified the exact source of contamination, one possibility has received particular attention: whether food served during…

Most people don’t think twice before tossing a handful of frozen blueberries into a smoothie, baking them into muffins, or stirring them into oatmeal. Frozen fruit has long carried a reputation as one of the safest and healthiest foods in the freezer aisle. Unlike fresh produce, it’s washed, packaged, and frozen quickly after harvest, leading many consumers to believe that freezing somehow makes it safer. This week serves as a reminder that freezing does not kill dangerous bacteria. A recall involving GreenWise Organic IQF Frozen Blueberries sold at Publix stores across eight southeastern states has been linked to an outbreak…

Ron Simon: The Food-Safety Lawyer Who Races to File First When a multistate E. coli outbreak makes national news, one plaintiffs’ attorney’s name tends to surface within days: Ron Simon. Across the fall of 2024, independent news outlets repeatedly identified Simon and his firm, Ron Simon & Associates, as the lawyers behind the first lawsuits in two of the year’s biggest foodborne-illness outbreaks—the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder E. coli outbreak and the Grimmway Farms organic-carrot outbreak. That pattern—being on the courthouse steps before the outbreak’s full scope is even known—has become his professional signature, and it is the part of his…

When most people think about food poisoning, they imagine a contaminated meal, a harmful bacterium, and a miserable few days spent recovering from nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach cramps. The story seems relatively simple: bacteria get into food, someone eats it, and illness follows. Yet beneath the surface, a far more complicated process is often taking place. Many of the bacteria responsible for foodborne illness are not acting alone. They are communicating with one another, coordinating their behavior, and waiting for the right moment to strike. This phenomenon, known as quorum sensing, has become one of the most fascinating areas…

A nationwide Salmonella outbreak linked to moringa-containing supplements is raising new questions about the safety of wellness products that millions of Americans trust. Americans are buying more wellness supplements than ever before. Green powders, superfood blends, herbal capsules, and daily nutrition drinks have become staples in kitchens across the country. Social media influencers promote them as convenient ways to boost energy, improve digestion, support immunity, and increase nutrient intake. For many consumers, these products have become part of a daily health routine. But a growing Salmonella outbreak linked to supplements containing moringa leaf powder is serving as a reminder that…