Author: McKenna Madison Coveny
Norovirus causes about 110 thousand hospitalizations each year and nearly 1000 deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, keeps track of all positive tests for Norovirus. Since the test is not routine, only a small subset of the actual number of victims is recorded “officially” each year. Estimates put the number of Norovirus victims in the United States at between 19 and 21 million, with the average victim suffering gastrointestinal illness, often including vomiting and diarrhea with severe cramping, for 2 to 4 days. Most victims do not seek medical attention, but about 109,000 victims require hospitalization…
Food Safety Should be Taken Seriously, Says Ron Simon, one of the food poisoning lawyers who handled many of the PCA cases. Michael Parnel is 65 now, and serving a 20-year sentence (to be followed by three years of probation) at the low-security federal prison in Butner, North Carolina, for crimes related to the submitting of false salmonella tests for Peanut Corporation of America. Acting as food broker for PCA, his company P.S. Sales, transported the peanut products to Kellogg’s. He was convicted on 31 charges. His older brother Stewart Parnell, was the owner of the Blakely, Georgia headquartered PCA.…
Raw Milk Cheese E. Coli Outbreak Sickens Nearly a Dozen – So Far The hope, at least, is that the recall will prevent any further injury to consumers of Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese. At least 4 people have now been hospitalized, along with one who has been diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, that can lead to kidney dialysis and kidney transplantation. It is a very serious condition where the blood cells clog the kidneys, leading to acute kidney failure. Another half dozen sought medical care but avoided hospitalization. According to the CDC and FDA, along with…
RAW FARM-Brand Raw Cheddar Cheese Linked to Nearly a Dozen E. Coli Cases in Four States The FDA and CDC have identified 10 individuals, so far, who have been infected with E. coli bacteria following consumption of RAW FARM-brand Raw Cheddar cheese. The recall applies to RAW FARM- brand Raw Cheddar blocks and shredded cheese, including all sizes of blocks and shredded packages of Original Flavor and of Cheddar with added Jalapeño Flavor. Both flavors have been implicated in the outbreak to date. The recall includes all product within its current shelf-life. These products are sold mostly through Sprouts Farmers…
Lead and Chromium Found in WanaBana Applesauce Pouches Favorited by Children – No Testing was Performed on the Final Product Before Importation According to the FDA, the cinnamon sticks that were processed for use in the WanaBana Cinnamon Applesauce that contained high levels of lead was sourced from Sri Lanka. According to Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (known by the acronym “ARSCA”), the Sri Lanka cinnamon sticks were “negative” for lead poisoning when they were provided to Negasmart or Carlos Aguilera, the two Ecuadorian companies involved in manufacturing the product. According to ARSCA, the cinnamon sticks were…
Ongoing Decade-Old Investigation of Listeria in Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese The most recent food poisoning outbreak investigation was launched just last month, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launching an investigation into Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese linked to Listeria Monocytogenes, a deadly bacteria for those with a weak immune system or for expecting mothers. The queso fresco and cotija cheeses were manufactured by Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc., of Modesto, California. The implicated product includes cheese, yogurts and sour cream (or “crema”) sold under the labels: Tio Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo Bros, Rio Grande, Food City, El…
What’s the Difference Between a Food Recall and an Outbreak of Food Poisoning? Many consumers receive emails or letters from their favorite grocer, or see notices on television, about recalls of certain food items, be it Quaker Oat products, Jiff Peanut Butter, or pre-cut cantaloupe. These are issued for products that are believed to have the potential for being contaminated with a particular pathogen – in the case of the recent recalls of Quaker Oat products, Jiff Peanut Butter, and pre-cut cantaloupe, the potential contamination has been Salmonella bacteria. “Most” of these recalls are done after either a random test…
Quaker Oats Recall Continues to Grow One of America’s most widely-known snack brands, Quaker Oats, initially issued a recall of several of their products in late December of 2023 due to possible contamination of Salmonella bacteria. Now, they have voluntarily recalled another one of their products, a type of granola bar snack product they sell, Quaker Chewy Dipps Llama Rama. This is just the latest in a long list of implicated products. For easier reference, an FDA web-PDF has been made available. The Hawai’i State Department of Health (DOH) Food and Drug Branch (FDB) issued a recall warning pertaining to…
Salmonella is a Bacteria – Here is What Consumers Need to Know Salmonella is a foodborne illness that can be contracted by consuming contaminated drink or food such as unpasteurized dairy, raw meats, or fresh fruits and vegetables. According to the CDC, Salmonella causes approximately 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the United States every year. Although it is quite common, most people are unaware that there are different types of Salmonella, called “serotypes”. There are actually hundreds of different serotypes of Salmonella, although scientists have only identified “less than 100”, that are the most common in…
The CDC Expands Charcuterie Meat Outbreak Warning As cases related to the Salmonella contaminated Busseto brand and Fratelli brand charcuterie meat products, sold at both Costco and Sam’s Club, double, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a new food safety warning just last Thursday, expanding the products under the same brand that consumers need to be aware of. Earlier this month, the recall resulted in stores pulling approximately 11,097 pounds of Busseto Foods brand ready-to-eat charcuterie meat products off their shelves. Although the recall only included one lot code for consumers to be wary of, as is…