Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

More contaminated ground beef products recalled Almost a thousand pounds of cooked ground beef patty products have been recalled because they may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced that JTM Provisions Co., based in Harrison, Ohio, is recalling 960 pounds of their cooked, ready-to-eat beef products. The USDA FSIS discovered the issue when inspection program personnel conducted a routine inspection. They tested the ground beef product and found it to be positive for listeria monocytogenes. JTM Provisions produced the recalled cooked, ready-to-eat beef patty crumble items on…

Publix grocery stores recall ground chuck for possible e. coli The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced a recall of an undetermined amount of ground beef products sold by Publix Super Markets, Inc. The grocery store, based in Lakeland, Florida, sold the ground chuck between June 25, 2018, and July 31, 2018. Eighteen people have reported illnesses during the month of July that are apparently related to consuming ground beef products that were contaminated with e. coli. Health officials continue to investigate the source of the ground chuck and the e. coli contamination. Most…

One dead, another 16 ill in kosher chicken salmonella outbreak Raw chicken products eaten by customers of Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc., appear to be responsible for a deadly salmonella outbreak. A total of seventeen people have become ill, eight of which had to be hospitalized for their food poisoning symptoms. One of those who became ill has died from salmonella contamination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the salmonella outbreak related to raw chicken products produced by New York based Empire Kosher has sickened 17 people in New York (11), Pennsylvania (4), Maryland (1) and…

19 people now reported ill after eating at La Luz A Mexican restaurant in Old Town Fort Collins, Colorado, remains closed after a number of customers reported becoming ill from the restaurant’s food. There are now 19 confirmed cases of salmonella illness directly related to food consumed at La Luz Mexican Grill. The count may continue to rise as more reports are investigated. Restaurant patrons first reported their illnesses on August 17. The restaurant closed on August 21, after six salmonella cases had been confirmed. Larimer County Health Department investigators cited the restaurant with temperature violations and multiple flies in…

Food poisoning sickens at least 50 at Jamestown McDonald’s Customers at a McDonald’s restaurant in Jamestown, New York, have reported illnesses related to food poisoning after eating breakfast items there. At least 50 people to date are saying they experience symptoms of nausea and vomiting after eating at the McDonald’s, located at 2803 N. Main Street Ext. just outside the Jamestown city limits, between July 29 and August 21. The cause of the customers’ illnesses has not been identified specifically, although their symptoms are those of serious food poisoning. The New York Department of Health is working with McDonald’s to…

Public health alert issued for Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc., raw chicken products A potential link between raw chicken products and illnesses reported in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic US has been identified by the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). USDA FSIS and Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc., have issued a public health alert out of concern that the chicken products may be contaminated with salmonella. Empire Kosher produced and sold the potentially contaminated raw whole chicken and raw chicken parts between September 2017 and June 2018. FSIS, when investigating multiple food poisoning cases with public health…

Cargill Meat Solutions recalls over 25,000 pounds of ground beef products Out of concern for possible e. coli contamination, Cargill Meat Solutions has recalled 25,288 pounds of ground beef products. The company, based in Fort Morgan, Colorado, discovered the issue on August 22, 2018, when reviewing records and finding that the ground beef products may be associated with a product that was presumptive positive for e. coli. The recalled ground beef products were produced on August 16, 2018, and shipped to warehouses in California and Colorado. Recalled ground beef products include 10 lb chubs of “EXCEL 93/7 FINE GRIND GROUND…

More kratom products recalled for salmonella – including at least four Zakah Life, products: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a mandatory recall for kratom products manufactured by Triangle Pharmanaturals, LLC. It was the first time the agency had issued a mandatory recall order to protect Americans from contaminated food products. Now another kratom product is being recalled because of potential salmonella contamination. Zakah Life, LLC of Ankeny, Iowa, is recalling Super Green Maeng Da Premium Kratom powder, Powerful Red Vein Bali Premium Kratom powder, Super Green Maeng Da Premium Kratom capsules, and Powerful Red Vein Bali Premium Kratom…

Radagast Pet Food expands recall for listeria contamination Why do humans need to be aware of a pet food recall? Pet owners who touch contaminated food or who have a pet that may have eaten the contaminated food are susceptible to infection as well. Radagast Pet Food, Inc., based in Portland, Oregon, has expanded a recall of its products that have the potential to be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. Pet owners need to have this information to protect themselves and their pets. Radagast Pet Food has identified a source of potential contamination in its facility. This expanded recall will capture…

Larimer County Mexican restaurant closed after 5 customers hospitalized Six people have become ill after eating at La Luz Mexican Restaurant in Old Town Fort Collins, Colorado, five of whom had to be hospitalized. More cases are expected to be reported as there are additional cases pending investigation and testing. Those customers are sick from what appears to be salmonella contamination at the restaurant. La Luz, located at 200 Walnut Street A, Fort Collins, CO 80524, has closed voluntarily, as the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment (LCDHE) continues its investigation into the source of the salmonella contamination. La…