Author: Tony Coveny, Ph.D

Soft ripened cheese recalled by World’s Best Cheeses A soft cheese made by a French company and sold by World’s Best Cheeses of Armonk, NY, has been recalled by the company. World’s Best Cheeses has recalled 22 cases of Formagerie de la Brie brand, l’Explorateur soft ripened cheese because it has the potential to be contaminated with listeria. Made from pasteurized milk, the company’s Formagerie de la Brie brand, l’Explorateur, soft ripened cheese has been distributed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Utah, Colorado, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington DC. The recalled cheese was sold through retail stores beginning…

List of stores affected by egg recall grows Publix has joined the list of stores that is recalling eggs due to possible salmonella contamination. Walmart and Food Lion are also on the list. The eggs were recalled by Rose Acre Farms of Seymour, Indiana, after food poisoning was discovered in some consumers. The recalled eggs had been distributed from the company’s farm in Hyde County, North Carolina, and had been delivered to retail and restaurant consumers in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. There have been 23 reports of illnesses directly related to…

Over 200 million eggs recalled in 9 states Rose Acre Farms, based in Seymour, Indiana, has voluntarily recalled over 200 million eggs that are potentially contaminated with salmonella. 206,749,248 eggs have been recalled by the company as a cautionary measure. The eggs were distributed out of a farm in Hyde County, North Carolina, and were sold in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia through retail stores and restaurants. To date, there have been 22 illnesses, all on the east coast of the US, that have been linked to the recalled eggs.…

Multi-state e. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce Investigators have identified salads consumed in restaurants as the probable source of a multi-state e. coli outbreak that has sickened 35 people to date. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted extensive interviews to determine why people in 11 states across the country had become ill and found that most of the people interviewed reported having eaten a salad at a restaurant. Romaine lettuce was the only common ingredient identified among the salads eaten. The restaurants reported using bagged, chopped romaine lettuce to make salads. Chopped romaine lettuce that appears…

Three people suffer kidney failure after romaine lettuce e. coli contamination The most recent e. coli outbreak associated with romaine lettuce has caused illnesses in 35 people, including 22 who have been hospitalized and 3 who have suffered kidney failure. The outbreak has affected consumers in 11 states so far. Most of those who have become ill apparently ate salads that contained the contaminated romaine lettuce in a restaurant. However, it is also becoming evident that consumers who purchased bagged, chopped romaine lettuce in grocery stores may also have been affected. Specific brand names have yet to be identified. However,…

One woman dead from salmonella similar to Fareway outbreak A woman in eastern Iowa has died from salmonella contamination that was similar to that found in Fareway brand chicken salad, which was recently recalled. Investigations were not able to interview the woman before she died to determine whether she had eaten the Fareway chicken salad, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified the salmonella as matching that of the recent outbreak. Although the salmonella outbreak was linked by CDC evidence to the Fareway chicken salad, investigators have said they cannot definitively pinpoint the cause of the woman’s…

Mysterious multi-state outbreak of e. coli investigated A recent outbreak of illnesses related to e. coli contamination cannot yet be traced to any one source. There have been 17 illnesses identified in 7 states, including Connecticut (2), Idaho (4), Missouri, New Jersey (6), Ohio, Pennsylvania (2), and Washington. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have not been able to pinpoint a specific food item that is responsible for the outbreak. All of the illnesses were reported between March 22 and March 31, 2018. The FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation…

Explorateur French Triple Crème cheese recalled by Whole Foods Cheese that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes has been voluntarily recalled by Whole Foods. The recall is for Explorateur French Triple Crème cheese and affects stores in New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The recalled cheese is sold under the names Explorateur, Explorateur French Triple Crème Cheese and Explorateur Triple Crème French Cheese. Both products were cut and packaged in clear plastic wrap and were also sold in branded 8 oz. packages. A distributor notified Whole Foods Market of a positive test result for Listeria monocytogenes in one…

Flour from 2015 still on shelves, subject to recall Cases of flour with sell by dates from 2015 have been found on some retail shelves and are now being recalled for potential salmonella contamination. Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods is voluntarily recalling 2,099 cases of Organic Amaranth Flour (22 oz.) that was shipped in 2014 and has a sell by date of November 26, 2015. Testing of the flour, found on the shelves of a retail store, revealed the presence of salmonella. The company is investigating to determine the source of the contamination. No illnesses have been reported to…

Eight hospitalized from NJ e. coli infections Eight people have been hospitalized as a result of e. coli contamination, which has potentially been traced to a Panera Bread restaurant in New Jersey. The e. coli contamination has caused consumer illnesses in four counties in the state. Health officials in Warren County have indicated that other restaurants may also be involved in the investigation. The target of the investigation is the Panera Bread location in Phillipsburg, NJ. The eight cases of illness related to e. coli contamination have been reported in Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, and Warren counties. Only one illness has…