Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Recalled pet food poses health risks to animals and humans Raw frozen ground pet food is being recalled because it may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes and may pose a danger to both animals and humans. Thogersen Family Farm, based in Stanwood, Washington, is recalling several varieties of its pet food after samples collected by the Washington State Department of Agriculture revealed the pet food products contained listeria monocytogenes. Varieties of the Thogersen Family Farm pet food being recalled include coarse ground rabbit, coarse ground mallard duck, ground llama, and ground pork frozen raw pet food. These products were packaged…

Norovirus outbreak identified at children’s hospital in DC: Food poisoning? The Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) Pediatric Center in Northeast Washington, DC, has identified three patients who have tested positive for norovirus during the first week of April 2019. The number of patients becoming ill from a common exposure meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) definition of an outbreak. No additional illnesses have been reported since the initial three reports. The Pediatric Center staff has been advised to take precautions and visitor limitations have been put in place, to help curb the spread of the highly contagious…

Food Poisoning: 2 deaths in Florida amid hepatitis A outbreak A couple in Palm City, Florida, has died from complications of hepatitis A infections. The man and woman, both age 62, displayed flu-like symptoms in the days leading up to their deaths. In addition, eight other people have been diagnosed with hepatitis A in Martin County, and the county has been determined to be a high-risk area. The two who died and the others who became ill are all part of the growing hepatitis A outbreak in Florida. The Florida Department of Health has labeled the situation an outbreak, as…

Beef patties served in schools nationwide recalled Ready-to-eat beef patties shipped to food service locations nationwide and distributed for use in school lunches have been recalled. AdvancePierre Foods, Inc., based in Enid, Oklahoma, has recalled 20,373 pounds of the fully cooked beef patties because they may be contaminated with a soft purple plastic material. The beef patties were shipped frozen and distributed to schools across the country. The problem was discovered on April 1, 2019, although the beef patties were produced on November 30, 2018. Two consumer complaints spurred the recall. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection…

Classes of Recalls: From Class I Salmonella Recall, to Allergens, to Packaging Defects The Food and Drug Agency (FDA) oversees the safety of products ranging from imported bananas to pharmaceutical drugs. The Agency strives to ensure only safe and effective products reach the market by preventing unsafe products from entering the market. The FDA is also responsible for overseeing recalls. Sometimes, a product is deemed unsafe after already entering the market. When a product regulated by the FDA is either defective, contaminated, mislabeled, or potentially harmful, the FDA issues a recall on the product.  Some of the recalls are more…

Pregnant Women and Toxoplasma: Causes, Dangers, and Treatment According to the Center for Disease Control, “toxoplasmosis is considered to be a leading cause of death attributed to foodborne illness in the United States” (CDC) – by most counts, the second most-deadly food borne pathegen. Toxoplasmosis is an infection attributed to Toxoplasma gondii, a single-celled parasite that is the third-highest cause of food borne hospitalizations. Although over 40 million people in the United States are affected (22.5% of US residents over the age of 12 have had Toxoplasma), few ever experience symptoms because a healthy immune systems typically keep the parasites…

Safety in the Refrigerator:  Understanding Refrigeration tips Keeping your refrigerator clean will minimize the opportunity of harmful microorganisms making you sick. By refrigerating foods, the goal is not to kill the bacteria, but create an environment where foodborne illnesses causing microorganisms cannot grow quickly. Between the temperatures of 40° F – 140° F is the “danger zone,” for many bacteria like Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 grow best in this range of temperatures. Keeping food below 40°F helps reduce microbial growth, but your food still can become contaminated. Here are some storage basics you can do right now to help…

Salmonella Outbreak in Beef JBS Tolleson, Inc. recalled 5.1 million pounds of raw beef products linked to a recent Salmonella outbreak. An epidemiological investigation confirmed 246 people from over 25 states. There were 117 hospitalizations from the outbreak from illnesses dating from August 5, 2018 to October 16, 2018. Thankfully, this JBS Salmonella outbreak appears to be over, but this is what you need to know to stay safe. The contaminated beef was packaged on July 26, 2018 to September 7, 2018 JBS Tolleson, Inc. packaged the contaminated ground beef The contaminated ground beef was distributed under various brand names…

Food Poisoning and Easter Egg Safety: Warmer weather brings Easter and the need for egg safety Hard-boiled eggs will fill many kitchens this spring as parents prepare for the much celebrated Easter Egg Hunt.  Easter is April 21 and many of you will be making plans for family gatherings that include Easter egg hunts, as well as such delicacies as deviled eggs, egg salad, and elaborate egg dishes for the breakfast, brunch, or dinner table. While handling all of these eggs, raw and hard-cooked, it is very important to keep in mind some food safety tips. The Nebraska Department of…

FDA determines “Allowable Filth” in the Defect Levels Handbook What is the “Defects Levels Handbook”? FDA determines the maximum about filth in the Defect Levels Handbook. Within the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 Part 110.110 gives the Food Drug and Administration Act the authority to establish the maximum levels of acceptable food defects in food that present no hazards to human health. The “Food Defect Action Levels” in the booklet are determined on the premise that the maximum levels pose no threat to human health. Why Are Defect Levels Necessary? According to the FDA, it is “economically impractical to…