Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Billy+Margot Wild Kangaroo and Superfoods Recipe Dog Food Recalled After it is Found to be Contaminated with Salmonella Billy+Margot Wild Kangaroo and Superfoods Recipe dog food is being recalled by Real Pet Food Company in cooperation with the FDA due to potential Salmonella contamination. The recall was initiated after traces of Salmonella were found by state officials during routine food safety testing. The contaminated product was only sold in the United States in 4 lbs bags under the name Billy+Margot Wild Kangaroo and Superfoods Recipe with lot code V 07 Feb 2022. Consumers who purchased the product are urged…

Roadmap to Reducing Salmonella: Driving Change through Science-Based Policy published by the USDA On Friday, September 18, 2020, The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Food Safety (OFS) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released theRoadmap to Reducing Salmonella: Driving Change through Science-Based Policy. Salmonella bacteria, one of the leading causes of foodborne illness in the United States, today, is most commonly spread through food, such as meat, eggs, and poultry. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Salmonella alone is responsible for an estimated 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths each…

Goodie Girl Magical Animal Crackers Recalled for Potentially Containing Undeclared Wheat As of September 11, 2020, Goodie Girl Tribeca LLC has declared a recall for 389 cases of Goodie Girl Magical Animal Crackers due to this product potentially containing undeclared wheat. This recall only applies to the 7 oz. cases with a Best By Date of January 11, 2021. This particular product was shipped throughout the United States, including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Hampshire, and California. While there has only been one reported case of an allergic reaction to wheat associated with this product, consumers with wheat allergies should…

Are Leafy Greens Safe? 40 E. coli Outbreaks in the Past Decade According to the CDC, leafy greens have caused 40 E. coli outbreaks alone over the past decade, with the majority of cases stemming from romaine lettuce. Are leafy greens to blame for the food poisoning outbreaks? Or are food producers at fault for unsatisfactory food safety protocols? Scientists have offered several possible explanations for the outbreaks, including why some leafy greens are more susceptible to food borne illness causing bacteria compared to others. While examining 40 E. coli outbreaks that occurred from 2009 to 2018, scientists…

Salmonella Outbreak in Colorado Remains a Mystery as 17 Victims are Identified   Although the Wawona Peach Salmonella and the Red Onion Salmonella investigations (both affecting large parts of the United States) are ongoing, it seems a new mysterious Salmonella outbreak has appeared in Colorado – as of yet there is no known cause. Currently leading a joint investigation, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), as well as the Northeast Colorado Health Department, are attempting to track down a Salmonella outbreak that has caused 17 reported infections in Northeast Colorado as of September 18, 2020. The…

Grocery Store La Aldea Identified as Source of Indiana Salmonella Outbreak in Tippecanoe County             Yet another Salmonella outbreak has begun, following closely behind the red onion Salmonella outbreak and the Wawona peaches Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak. La Aldea, an Indiana grocery store located in Tippecanoe County, has issued a health advisory for all customers, warning consumers that they could be infected with the food borne illness causing bacteria Salmonella. Health officials of Tippecanoe County published the advisory, stating that any customers who have consumed food from the La Aldea grocery store located at 2801 Klondike Rd #D in West Lafayette,…

Multiple Food Safety Violations Multiple Food Safety Violations Leads to Order Halting Production at Fortune Foods Product, Inc., a Tofu Company in Chicago Fortune Food Product, Inc., a Chicago-based tofu, sprouts, and soy products producer has been forced to cease production after FDA inspectors allegedly found several food safety violations, including live rodents in the facility. Currently, the FDA has found no reports of illnesses in connection with products from Fortune Food Product, Inc. The company has faced food safety allegations in the past, including a 2018 warning letter from the FDA stating that, “…significant evidence of rodent…

E. coli O157:H7 vs. non-O157 STEC, What’s the Difference? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the name of an expansive species of bacteria. Today, researchers have identified over 700 serotypes of E. coli. Surprisingly, most types of E. coli are not harmful to humans or animals and can be found naturally in soil, water, food, and human intestines. In fact, certain types of E. coli can actually assist in human digestion. STEC is most commonly linked with human gastrointestinal illness, though not always. Current research shows that the production of Shiga toxins does not necessarily render E. coli pathogenic, rather, certain…

With Restaurants Re-Opening During the Covid Pandemic, Many Patrons Want to Know, “Is Food Safe?” Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, one question that consumers want to know is: Is it safe to eat food from restaurants? The answer to this question is a bit more involved than a “yes” or “no.” The answer relies on each individual restaurant, as well as the local guidelines put into place. It is important to know the local guidelines for restaurants, and to know how each restaurant is responding to COVID-19, in order for consumers to determine if eating out is a reasonable risk to…

Update on the Cyclospora Fresh Express Bagged Salad Outbreak: Numerous Cyclospora Lawsuits Already Filed             Fresh Express recalled many of their salad products on June 27, 2020, due to a potential contamination of Cyclospora. While some of these products were sold under the brand name Fresh Express, many others have been sold under various other store labels. Consumers should be aware that the latest best-by date for the salad products placed under recall is July 14, 2020; therefore, these products should not be available for purchase any longer. The salad products that were potentially contaminated by Cyclospora include those made…