Author: Liz Pegram

This week, on March 17th, a TikTok creator went viral after posting a video describing her experience of contracting a foodborne illness from a street vendor travelling abroad which triggered an autoimmune disease that “will make her chronically ill for the rest of her life.” After receiving millions of views and likes, this video has sparked panic across the social media platform surrounding the possibility of developing an autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune diseases are caused by a person’s immune system attacking healthy cells or organs instead of working to defend the body against infection. Scientists have currently discovered 80 autoimmune diseases…

If animals contract Salmonella, how can it spread to humans? Salmonella is one of the most common foodborne illnesses among humans and is estimated to infect around 1.4 million people each year. The infection, however, is not limited to humans- a wide range of animals can contract the Salmonella pathogen. Farm animals such as cattle, pigs, poultry, and pets such as dogs, cats, amphibians, and rodents are all susceptible. Unlike humans who often contract Salmonella through contaminated food, farm animals are most likely to become infected by consuming contaminated water, exposure to infected feces, or having close contact with other…

In mid-August earlier this year, listeria bacterium was found at Joriki Inc., a plant-based milk production facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The brands affected by the Listeria contamination were Silk and Walmart’s Great Value and the recalls included different varieties of almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, and oat milk. With these two brands being two of the most significant producers of plant-based milk in North America, there was serious concern due to the widespread consumption of these products. The outbreak was quite serious, causing 20 known cases of listeriosis across the Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta provinces, including…

Listeria outbreak has expanded to all frozen waffles, Belgian waffles, and pancakes Last Friday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall alert for frozen waffle products produced at TreeHouse Foods facilities due to a suspected Listeria contamination. Evidence of listeria was found during a routine testing at the manufacturing facility in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. On Thursday, October 24th, the recall was expanded to include all frozen toaster waffles, Belgian waffles, and pancakes. The recalled products spread across a variety of brands that are sold at Dollar General, Publix, Stop&Shop, Costco, Target, Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, and more. The frozen…

On October 22, 2024 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the E. coli outbreak that has been linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder menu item. As of October 23rd, 49 people have become ill from the outbreak, including ten that have been hospitalized, one child that has developed a kidney disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome, and one person that has died. The first case was reported on September 27th and official investigations began on October 15th after Colorado alerted the CDC of an abnormal rise in E. coli cases. The states that have been affected are currently Colorado,…

Why are foodborne illnesses more common during the summer heat? As scorching temperatures sweep the nation this week, with many regions experiencing days in the mid-90s, it is important to take into account how these temperatures might affect food safety. As people flock outdoors to enjoy the summer weather, the consumption of food outside increases, which poses certain threats. The US Department of Agriculture has discovered that bacteria multiply most rapidly between 90°F-110°F. Within this temperature range, bacteria thrive in various environments including soil, air, water, and animals, significantly increasing the risk of contamination spreading to food. Food should never…

Is “Reheated Rice Syndrome” truly something to worry about? “Reheated Rice Syndrome” otherwise known as “Fried Rice Syndrome” has recently become popularized across many social media platforms, scaring many into never consuming leftover rice. On Tiktok, a story went viral about a man in 2008 who lost his life after reheating five day old pasta. This story led to the false assumption that reheated pasta or rice should never be consumed under any circumstance. The true danger, in fact, comes from the improper storage of the rice rather than the reheating itself. The relevant bacteria in this case is Bacillus…

Thus far, the applesauce pouches are the only cinnamon flavored products to have caused lead poisoning, however, the FDA has acknowledged that it is possible there are other contaminated cinnamon products. The FDA has proclaimed this issue as high priority and is continuing to investigate various products across the nation.

On Friday December 1, 2023, 708 pounds of ready-to-eat beef and poultry were recalled due to a possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The meat was recalled by Pelleh Poultry Corporation located in Swan Lake, New York and was announced shortly after by the US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The recalled products have packaging dates between October 25, 2023 – November 20, 2023 and were shipped to retail locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Among the products recalled are various types of sausages, duck confit, turkey breasts, pastrami, and many more. The possible bacterial contamination was detected…

Entering the restaurant industry for the first time can seem quite overwhelming. The multitude of things to learn as a new server include new lingo, hundreds of menu items, allergens, and customer service. One of the most important aspects of the industry, however, is food safety. In a fast-paced environment when five tables need something at once, it is vital for the health of the customers that sanitary practices are not sacrificed. First and foremost, the most crucial practice is frequent hand washing, especially after touching contaminated surfaces such as the computer, money, credit cards, door handles, and dirty dishes.…