Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

On April 8, 2022, POLITICO published an investigation report by Helena Bottemiller Evich that reveals serious dysfunction in the FDA’s food branch. The investigation report has led to increasing concern among consumers and industry groups alike. The report gained further clout when a group of consumer/public health groups, industry groups, and state government representatives wrote a joint letter to the FDA’s Commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf, addressing the primary concerns presented in POLITICO’s report and called for an immediate reformation of the department. POLITICO’s investigation report gathered information from over 50 people, including current and former high-ranking FDA officials, as well…

Every year there are approximately 1.35 MILION cases of salmonella in the United States. Yes, MILLION. And those illnesses send 26,500 of the victims to the hospital, on average, taking the lives of an average of 420 of our loved ones annually.  Those are amazing statistics, but true.  Another truth is that chicken is a known source of salmonella, so much so that the CDC and other experts recommend people not wash raw chicken for fear of splashing salmonella on surfaces around the kitchen and cross-contaminating surfaces.  In fact, salmonella is so prevalent that the USDA has a “performance standard”…

Kinder Surprise Chocolate Eggs Recalled for Suspected Salmonella Contamination With Easter less than two weeks away, over 50 children in the UK have been reported to have contracted Salmonella infections after eating Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs. Kinder Surprise Chocolate eggs are edible eggs with a small ‘surprise’ toy hidden inside. Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs are produced by an Italian confectionery company, Ferrero. After dozens of reports of children becoming ill in connection with eating Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs, Ferrero made the decision to recall several batches of their chocolate eggs. In a public report Ferrero announced the recall saying, “we…

With Easter less than two weeks away, over 50 children in the UK have been reported to have contracted Salmonella infections after eating Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs. Kinder Surprise Chocolate eggs are edible eggs with a small ‘surprise’ toy hidden inside. Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs are produced by an Italian confectionery company, Ferrero. After dozens of reports of children becoming ill in connection with eating Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs, Ferrero made the decision to recall several batches of their chocolate eggs. In a public report Ferrero announced the recall saying, “we are voluntarily recalling selected batches of Kinder Surprise as…

According to a Press Release sent out Friday, April 1, 2022, the Food Poisoning Law Firm of Ron Simon & Associates has been retained by many of the victims of the salmonella food poisoning outbreak linked to the enchilada fund-raiser at a Catholic church in Amarillo, Texas.  The Diocese of Amarillo and Saint Joseph’s have contacted their carrier to handle food poisoning claims.   According to many of the victims’ lawyer, Ron Simon, “Every indication is, at present, that the Diocese and church are cooperating with the investigation. It will be some time before we understand how the enchilada dinners were…

According to a press release, issued today, a Texas food poisoning law firm, Ron Simon & Associates, has been retained by a number of families to pursue a claim for food poisoning against a church in Amarillo, Texas. According to the church’s Facebook page, the Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Amarillo was hosting a fundraiser in which patrons could buy tickets for enchilada dinners. When patrons, including parishioners and non-parishioners alike, started to get ill, the local health agencies were contacted. In a March 31st press release, the City of Amarillo Environmental Health Department and the City of Amarillo Public…

In an unfortunate turn of events, a local church, St. Josephs Catholic Church, is now at the center of an outbreak of salmonella after parishioners ate an enchilada lunch served on Sunday, March 27th. While it remains unclear how many people were sickened following consumption of the Sant Joseph’s enchiladas, the Texas food poisoning law firm of Ron Simon & Associates has received numerous calls from victims that include both parishioners and their friends and family. The City of Amarillo Environmental Health Department (AEHD) and the City of Amarillo Public Health Department (APHD) are both actively investigating the source of…

Protecting Leafy Greens with the Vertical Growing Method Vegetables like leafy greens are an essential part to a healthy diet, but all too often leafy greens have been implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a large percentage of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. are due to contaminated produce. In particular, leafy greens and other horizontally grown vegetable crops have historically been a prominent source of E. coli O157, Salmonella, Listeria, norovirus, and Cyclospora infections in the U.S. In fact, a study investigating various attributes of foodborne illness in the U.S.…

Food Safety Remains at a Priority of the FDA and Local Health Agencies The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, known almost universally as the FDA, is charged with the protection of the food supply chain in the United States. Nearly all food falls under FDA jurisdiction, with the exception of some foods (meat, poultry, and eggs) that are the purview of the United States Department of Agriculture, an agency founded by President Lincoln in 1862 that also had a large mandate in ensuring food safety related to American farming and ranching.  The two agencies work cooperatively, instead of competitively, in…

At least 260 have been hospitalized, with the actual number likely quite a bit higher according to Salmonella Lawyer Ron Simon, as more than 1000 are identified in a national salmonella onion outbreak linked to Chihuahua, Mexico. Two importers, including ProSource Produce and Keeler Family Farms, are believed to have widely distributed the contaminated onions. And now, numerous salmonella onion lawsuits have been filed, including by national salmonella lawsuit lawyer Ron Simon, who commented for this story that: “the actual numbers are believed to be much higher, as only a small portion of victims in any given outbreak are identified…