Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

The I. M. Healthy outbreak has led to a number of illnesses, including in children at a daycare that consumed the SoyNut butter, due to contamination with E. coli.  There are no reports of death, but there are at least five cases of E. coli induced hemolytic uremic syndrome – one in a child of only 2 years.  Health officials have confirmed that at least eight of the victims, including the five suffering from kidney failure, have been hospitalized. The recall, initially recalling only the original creamy SoyNut butter, has now been expanded to include all SoyNut butter and granola…

SoyNut E. coli outbreak in California and Arizona –  Four Victims Each At least four victims have been identified by the California Department of Public Health, and four victims in Arizona by the Arizona Department of Heath Services.  Both states have identified victims between January 6, 2017 and February 15, 2017.  Due to the lag-time from illness to testing, identification to reporting, and being serotyped, there may be many more victims whose cases will not be announced officially for several more weeks.  In addition, health officials have noted that, unlike the distribution of a perishable product , such as the…

SoyNut Lawsuit E. coli outbreak: A SoyNut Lawsuit is likely following a well investigated outbreak of E. coli in which at least 12 individuals have been linked to SoyNut products through epidemiological evidence that consisted of PFGE matches between stool cultures of persons who consumed SoyNut products.

At Least a Dozen Victims in the I. M. Healthy E. coli Outbreak: SoyNut Butter Products the Likely Source A national I. M. Healthy E. coli outbreak has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alongside other federal and local health agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (MDH). In a warning to consumers, the MDH identified the strain of E. coli as O157:H7, the most common strain identified in food borne illness outbreaks, and a Shiga toxin-producing strain (STEC).  The CDC and FDA…

New E. coli Outbreaks Remain a Mystery Two new E. coli outbreaks have been announced in 2017, one by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and one by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).  In the U.S., the outbreak includes at least 10 people in four states, each of which have been made ill by the same strain of E. coli with a matching pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, which is the “genetic fingerprint” of a bacteria such as E. coli or Salmonella.  The health agencies involved became aware of the outbreak when they uploaded the characteristics…

Seafood is often hailed as being among the most healthy foods available, and in the majority of cases, this is correct.  There are dangers, however, that are unique to eating seafood.  These dangers are in the adulterants (or contaminants) that can be found in seafood, and include Ciguatera, Vibrio and Scombroid poisoning.  In the case of these adulterants, while rare, seafood poisoning can be life threatening. Vibrio Bacteria – a Warm Water Bacteria in, Among Other Places, the Gulf of Mexico Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) are bacteria that are found in the  warm coastal waters, including the…

Cornell University has just published a study on the impact of cytolethal distending toxin, or S-CDT, a toxin carried by some Salmonella bacteria, showing Salmonella damages DNA in some instances.  The research identified the strong correlation between S-CDT and the presence of DNA damage in human cells grown in the lab.  According to Martin Wiedmann, the Gellert Family Professor in Food Safety, the presence of these toxin in Salmonella has been linked to hallmark signatures that indicate the presence of DNA damage.  But as Rachel Miller, a doctoral candidate in food science, pointed out, not all Salmonella carry the S-CDT toxin (there…

According to the Scurry County Health Unit (SCHU) in Snyder, Texas (270 miles West of Dallas and 300 miles North of San Antonio, Texas), here is one confirmed Scury County Hepatitis A Case.  The etiology of the Hepatitis A case is unknown, but it comes from an elderly woman.  The 84 year-old woman believes she acquired the disease from eating at a local restaurant, but so far no SCHU has not released of confirmed that there is any epidemiological evidence linking her illness to a particular establishment. The announcement was made on the SCHU Facebook page, and provided little detail…

Between October of 2014 and January of 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration identified at least 35 victims in 12 states who had acquired Listeria food poisoning from eating caramel covered apples made with Bidart Bros. apples.  All but one required hospitalization.  The victims all enjoyed the Halloween seasonal caramel covered apples and thereafter became ill with symptoms that, in some, developed into debilitating meningitis. The outbreak was identified when the Minnesota Department of Health reported a series of illnesses from Listeria on December the 18th, of 2014, linked to the…

Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Berries:  Litigation Ongoing in Townsend Farm Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Turkish Pomegranate Arils In 2013, there was a major outbreak of 165 confirmed cases of Hepatitis A.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) linked to illnesses to purchases made at Costco retail outlets, and eventually to the Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant berry blend. An intensive trace-back effort finally identified that the ingredient in the berry blend, pomegranate arils, were the likely source.  The arils has been procured from the Turkish company, Goknur, and imported and…