Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Potential E. coli Contamination of Ground Beef in HelloFresh Meal Kits On September 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert due to the potential contamination of ground beef with E. coli O157:H7 in certain HelloFresh meal kits. HelloFresh is a meal kit company based in Berlin, Germany. HelloFresh is the largest provider of meal kits in the U.S. A food recall has not been issued because the products of concern are no longer available for purchase. However, customers of HelloFresh are urged to check if they may still have…

A Pennsylvania women who was hospitalized after eating at Wendy’s has retained Ron Simon and Associates, as well as The Beasley Law Firm, to file the first lawsuit for the Wendy’s E. Coli O157 outbreak. Soon after consuming a Baconater and French fries at a local Pittsburg Wendy’s, Ms. Camarillo began experiencing symptoms of a STEC infection: severe abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and nausea. As a consequence of her severe symptoms, Ms. Camarillo was hospitalized at UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 29th. Ms. Camarillo continues to recover from her infection. Ron Simon and Associates filed the lawsuit…

On Friday, August 19, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an investigation notice concerning a recent outbreak of E. coli infections in several north eastern states. The investigation is currently ongoing and the food source of the outbreak has not yet been definitively determined, however, many of the people who have become sick reported having eaten sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants prior to experiencing symptoms. In response to this initial data, Wendy’s is taking the necessary precaution of removing the romaine lettuce used in their sandwiches for the time being. Food health and…

Belgium: Chocolate Factory Reopens After Salmonella Contamination One of the world’s largest chocolate factories in Belgium has reopened after temporarily closingdue to finding Salmonella traces in one lot. The plant, who claims to be the largest chocolatefactory in the world, does not ship products directly to consumers or retailers; rather they areresponsible for supplying chocolate to major household name chocolate companies, includingHershey, Nestle, and Unilever. When the presence of Salmonella was detected in one of thebatches, production was immediately halted and all clientele that received recent batches werepromptly notified, preventing any consumption of the contaminated chocolate.The source of the Salmonella…

On July 30, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Rachel’s Food Corporation declared a recall of approximately 2, 246 pounds of its ready-to-eat meat and poultry wrap products that have been found to potentially be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The potential contamination of Rachel’s brand ready-to-eat meat and poultry wrap products was discovered in follow-up procedures after a routine FSIS product sample which returned positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. While the samples indicate that the products are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, there have not yet been any reports of…

On the 22nd of July, 2022, Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc. announced an allergy alert on their AIVIA Power Herbs + Whey Protein Meal Replacement shakes. Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc. chose to recall their protein shakes due to the labels not declaring the milk they contain. Just a day later, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) followed up Nature’s Sunshine Products’ announcement by publishing the recall on their website with vital information. This undeclared allergen could have severe repercussions for individuals who accidentally consume the product and have milk allergies. According to the Mayo Clinic, “an allergic reaction usually occurs…

Keeping Safe While Cooking Out When preparing food out of doors, such as having a picnic or grilling out, there are some important things to keep in mind, in order to keep your food safe from harmful germs that can cause food poisoning. Symptoms of food poisoning usually include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps and nausea. Most people who experience food poisoning are able to recover without medical treatment, however, ederly people, infants, pregnant women, and other people with weakened immune systems can develop life-threatening complications as a result of the illness. According to the CDC, the number of cases of…

Dog owners beware! Salmonella in your dog treats? Following alarming test results, Stormberg Foods, creator of Beg & Barker Chicken Breast Strips Dog Treat, Billo’s Best Friend Chicken Breast Strips Dog Treat, and Green Coast Pets Chicken Crisps Dog Treat, is recalling various sizes and batches of these three products. On July 6, 2022, the safety of these three treats was called into question when Stormberg was notified by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA & CS) that a sample collected tested positive for Salmonella. The products are believed to have been produced between the…

Recall of Californian 888 Food Company’s Shrimp and Fish Balls and Cakes On the 15th of June, 2022, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced the Californian 888 Food Company’s voluntary recall of their various Shrimp and Fish Balls and Cakes. The recall was issued due to the product’s possibly containing undeclared eggs, and/or egg allergens. As listed on the FDA’s website, the affected 888 Food Company products are as following: Ho King Fish Ball, Ho King Fried Fish ball, Giai Phat Fried Fish Loaf, Giai Phat Fried Fish Cake, Giai Phat Fish Ball, Giai Phat Fried Fish Ball,…

On the 24th of June, 2022, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), along with Blount Fine Foods, announced the voluntary recall of Panera Bread’s Southwest Corn Chowder. The Southwest Corn Chowder is being recalled due to it containing some undeclared wheat allergens. According to the Mayo Clinic, “A child or adult with wheat allergy is likely to develop signs and symptoms within minutes to hours after eating something containing wheat. Wheat allergy signs and symptoms include: Swelling, itching or irritation of the mouth or throat, Hives, itchy rash or swelling of the skin, nasal congestion, headache, difficulty breathing, cramps,…