Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

How does food irradiation work? Food irradiation is a method of extending the shelf life on foods. By using high-energy particles, the irradiation machinery emits radiation that eliminates or kills microbes in food products. This technique of food preservation may affect other food components, but the FDA recognizes this process as safe under the provided regulatory parameters. The world leaders in food safety—including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—recognize irradiated food as safe. Irradiation does bring up consumer concerns. The FDA website addresses consumer concerns…

Cutting Boards and Proper Sanitation: The long debate continues as to which is safer, plastic or wooden cutting boards. The answer depends. Bacteria can grow in many environments ranging from aerobic to anaerobic. Some common facultative pathogens (capable of growing in both oxygen rich and oxygen void environments) are primary suspects of contaminated cutting boards. Whether the board is plastic or wooden, deep cuts in the material create the perfect housing environment for bacteria to grow and multiply. Every time food, be it meat, poultry, or produce, is cut, small particles of food are pushed into the crevices of the…

Call these poisonous fish what you may. Either called lionfish, pterois, or zebrafish, these intriguingly beautiful invasive fish from the Indo-Pacific region are compromising the ecosystem of the world’s greatest reefs, especially the coast of Florida and the Caribbean. Lionfish populations remain high for the following reasons: they have little to no natural predators, they are extremely prolific and frequently lay up to 15,000 eggs at a time during their average fifteen year lifespans[1], and they can live in depths ranging from shallow reefs at 15 meters (to deep crevasses and insular shelves up tp 304 meters deep[2]. So, how…

Why does honey have such a long self-life? Honey for bees is like the fat deposits of the human body. Engineered to be the perfect stored energy score for winter, bees rely on their honey to sustain them through periods when there is no flowering.  So, what makes honey last so long? Archeologists have found jars of honey from over a thousand years ago that have yet to show signs of spoilage. So long as impurities are removed before storage, honey has the potential to last a very long time. Processed honey, like the honey you buy at the grocery…

South Carolina restaurant worker diagnosed with hepatitis A Restaurant customers who ate at Aiken Brewing Company during a sixteen-day period in January 2019 may have been exposed to hepatitis A. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) was notified on January 31, 2019, that a restaurant employee tested positive for the virus and may have infected customers there. Customer who ate at Aiken Brewing Company, located on Laurens Street SW in Aiken, South Carolina, between January 11 and January 26, 2019, may have been exposed to hepatitis A. DHEC is continuing to investigate the situation to determine…

La Carreta Food Poisoning: 300+ Reports of Norovirus in Summerville, SC The South Carolina Dept. of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) is reporting that an outbreak of food poisoning that sickened over 300 patrons has been traced to Norovirus.  The outbreak led to many people seeking medical attention, and at least 10 of those sickened have been confirmed to have Norovirus.  Norovirus is very difficult to detect and not identified in routine stool culture or by most medical facilities.  Stool samples have to be sent to specialized labs to determine if they contain Norovirus.  Norovirus can exist on cold surfaces…

An El Rey Del Taco lawsuit was filed by the Food Poisoning law firm of Ron Simon & Associates this week as more and more victims come forward.  Food Poisoning attorney Tony Coveny, Ph.D., met with reporters and many of his clients on Tuesday, February 5th, as the investigation continued. A notice on the front door stated that no admittance was permitted unless accompanied by a health department representative.  It remains unclear if: (1) the lock-out is based upon findings by the health department that the sanitation and safety conditions at the restaurant were too dangerous to continue operations; (2) the…

The national food safety law firm of Ron Simon & Associates has filed the first food poisoning linked to food served at the El Rey de Taco in Brownsville, Texas. This lawsuit was filed in Cameron County on behalf of Carlos Cardenas and his family who ate at El Rey de Taco on Wednesday, January 30th.  Four members of the family were forced to go to the hospital, and they continue to seek medical treatment at this time. A copy of the lawsuit is available upon request. Cameron County Health (CCH), working with Brownsville Public Health (BPH),…

Thrive Market recalls nut butter sold online Responding to a supplier’s recall of all its nut butters manufactured since January 2018, Thrive Market, Inc., is recalling all unexpired lots of its nut butter products made by that supplier. The company’s supplier notified it that the nut butter products are potentially contaminated with listeria monocytogenes as one lot had tested positive for listeria. Thrive Market sells organic and non-GMO products through its membership site. All of the recalled products were distributed nationwide through Thrive Market’s ecommerce subscription service to its members, as well as other online retailers. Recalled products can be…

Brownsville restaurant closed after customers become ill By Food Poisoning Lawyer Tony Coveny, Ph.D. El Rey de Taco, located on Alton Gloor Road in Brownsville, Texas, has been closed by health officials after several customers complained that they were suffering from food poisoning symptoms. Cameron County Health officials indicated that 25 to 30 people became ill, with most going to the hospital because of the severity of their symptoms. The El Rey de Taco outbreak will likely result in a series of El Rey de Taco food poisoning lawsuits or claims. Restaurant customers complained of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea after they ate…