Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

blog #38 Australian Distillery Recalls Product Mislabeled Gin Bottles Filled with Hand Sanitizer An urgent recall is being issued after an Australian distillery sold 9 mislabeled gin bottles filled with hand sanitizer. The Apollo Bay Distillery and the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse recently produced hand sanitizer to assist in the global hand sanitizer shortage caused by the pandemic. The bottle used for the hand sanitizer is the same bottle used for gin with a similar label. The effected SS Casino Gin was sold in 700 mL bottles at Great Ocean Road Brewhouse in Victoria, Australia (Tastes of the Region).…

E. Coli Contamination of Vancouver Lake Vancouver Lake of Vancouver, Washington, is temporarily closed for swimming due to dangerous levels of E. Coli. Public health employees found that on 06/03/2020 the E. Coli levels exceeded the appropriate amount of E. Coli in bodies of water set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Vancouver Lake is set to open back up for swimming once the E. Coli levels are found to not be harmful. The public is still allowed to go fishing in the Vancouver Lake during this time, though authorities have warned any fishers that any fish…

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1 in 10 people across the globe get food poisoning every year, causing an estimated 420,000 deaths. United States agencies such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food Standards Agency (FDA) work to prevent food poisoning, as well as to trace the root of any foodborne illness outbreak. However, a new report from the CDC states that from 2016 to 2019, foodborne illnesses are on the rise with a 15% increase. One of the more difficult aspects of preventing a foodborne illness outbreaks is tracing the root…

Blue Bell’s Former CEO Pronounced Free on $50,000 Unsecured Bound The former CEO of Blue Bell Creameries, of three years, Paul Kruse, was charged with several allegations in relation to the Blue Bell listeria outbreak of 2015, which resulted in three fatalities from the ten confirmed cases of listeriosis. The 17-page indictment accuses Kruse and other Blue Bell Creameries’ executive management of willful ignorance and deception in relation to the unsanitary conditions of the Blue Bell factories, since as early as 2010. Paul Kruse was charged with one federal count of conspiracy and six counts of federal wire fraud in…

On Thursday, May 30, 202, roughly 54,000 gallons of untreated sewage were spilled into Boardman River, Michigan, following a heavy rain which prompted various flash flood advisories in the area. The Grand Traverse Health Department immediately issued a no body contact advisory to protect the public from the possibly E. coli contaminated waters. The no body contact advisory was placed on the various bodies of water which are connected in some way to Boardman River. E. coli is a type of bacteria which is most commonly spread through the fecal-oral route. E. coli is a diverse and expansive type of…

Nearly 100 Cases of Food Poisoning in Malaysia From Spoiled Eggs in Pudding In the city of Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, there have been 99 food poisoning cases as a result of the consumption of ‘puding buih’ which contained eggs that were two weeks past their expiration date. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), refrigerated raw eggs in the shell are safe to eat for up to 3 to 5 weeks. After investigation, the State Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment Committee Chairman, Dr Alias Razak, said that the supplier of the spoiled pudding is a private, small-scale food…

A Food Factory in Hong Kong the Source of Many Food Poisoning Cases Officials of the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) of Hong Kong have discovered a link between various food poisoning cases from sandwiches and an unlicensed food factory located in Hong Kong. The CFS ordered an investigation be conducted at the retail store associated with the factory, in Tsuen Wan, after several clusters of food poisoning cases occurred in relation to sandwiches sold there. The first cluster of food poisoning cases affected four females, between the ages of 6 and…

Listeria Recall:High Point Dairy of New York Cheese High Point Dairy located in Fort Plain, New York, is facing a recall on their Monterey Jack Raw Milk Cheese Product due to a potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall is being led by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets after a routine testing of the cheese by the Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services on May 13, 2020, found traces of Listeria monocytogenes. Subsequently, the New York State Food Laboratory confirmed the Listeria contamination on May 20, 2020, and ordered the manufacturer to destroy all remaining Monterey…

Food Safety Reminders for Memorial Day Weekend Although Memorial Day celebrations will be smaller this year, it is still just as important to protect any family or friends you might share the holiday with from foodborne illness this year. Memorial Day Weekend, as well as other holidays which are celebrated with lots of cooking, are often the most common times for food poisoning to occur. Oftentimes, the hustle and bustle of having family and friends around while cooking can cause us to forget the usual food safety precautions we would take in the kitchen. The Center for Disease Control (CDC)…

FDA Announces that Nearby Cows Are Likely Cause of Romaine Lettuce E. coli Outbreaks of Fall 2019 On May 21, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported recent findings from their investigation of the three romaine lettuce E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks originating in Salinas, California, during the Fall of 2019. Initially, several farms and some other businesses were placed under investigation after having been traced back in some manner to the three E. coli outbreaks. After further investigation of the supply chain and the various strains of E. coli O157:H7 present in the outbreaks, the FDA was able to…