News | Food Poisoning Bulletin

Consumers Can Report Food Safety Complaints to USDA, FDA

March 9, 2014 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

The United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has an Electronic Consumer Complaint Reporting Form that anyone can use to file a complaint. The form covers any incident of "reports of illness, injury, foreign objects, contamination (including chemical contamination), allergic reactions, and improper labeling" associated with meat, poultry, or processed egg products. Those are the foods governed by the USDA. Consumers are the last line of defense in food safety. Even though corporations and food manufacturers must file an HACCP plan and adhere to food safety standards, contamination, improper labeling, and unsafe foods are produced all the time. This reporting system may help prevent injuries and illnesses by alerting public health authorities to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food Safety, News Tagged With: FDA, Food Safety, USDA

Food Safety Bloopers: Raw Cookie Dough Edition

March 9, 2014 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

Last week, an editor for Slate magazine, L.V. Anderson, wrote an article entitled: "Salmonella and raw eggs: How I've eaten tons of cookie dough and never gotten sick". In it, she says that she has eaten about 360 raw eggs in her lifetime and has never contracted a Salmonella infection. From that, she infers that raw cookie dough is not really dangerous. This story is full of logical fallacies. First, she is committing the logical fallacy of a small sample size: herself. Extrapolating from her personal experiences to the entire nation is extremely foolish. In addition, she may have gotten sick from eating a Salmonella-contaminated egg, but didn't even know it. The incubation period for these infections is up to three days, so she most likely did not connect the food that made her sick … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, News Tagged With: Eggs, Food Safety Bloopers, Salmonella

LSD on Walmart Steak in Tampa Sickens Pregnant Woman and Family

March 9, 2014 by Carla Gillespie Leave a Comment

Doctors in Tampa induced labor on a woman who was nine months pregnant and hospitalized the rest of her family this week after they became ill from unknowingly eating a Walmart steak laced with LSD, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The family was treated and released from the hospital including the newborn baby who appears to be healthy, Tamps Police Chief Jane Castor said at a news conference. The family, who had just moved to the neighborhood, cooked their first meal in their new home on Monday night. Shortly thereafter, the father became quite ill and the family rushed him to St. Joseph's Hospital. After they arrived at the hospital the mother and two children began experiencing hallucinations. Both children had to be intubated and the mother was taken to St. Joseph's Women's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food Safety, News

In Canada, Chocolate Recalled for Undeclared Milk

March 8, 2014 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Altra Foods are recalling dark chocolate from the marketplace because if contains milk, one of the major food allergens. Anyone with an allergy to milk could have a serious or life-threatening reaction if they consume this product. The recalled product is Chocolat Alprose 52% Cacao Premium Dark Chocolate in 3.5 ounce (100 gram) size. The UPC number is 6 89423 02503 8 and the code on the product is L030 19BP on the inner foil wrapper. The chocolate was sold in Ontario and Quebec. If you purchased this product and are allergic to milk, do not eat it. Return it to the place of purchase for a refund or discard it. No illnesses have been reported in association with the consumption of this product to date. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Recalls Tagged With: Food Allergen, Food Recall

USDA Lists Stores That Sold Recalled Liver Pâté Products

March 8, 2014 by Carla Gillespie Leave a Comment

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released the list of stores that sold recalled liver pâté products produced in Canada and imported by Sun Hing Foods of California. In late February, the Sun Hing recalled about 1,282 pounds of Canadian liver pâté products that were produced without the benefit of full USDA inspection. The recalled products were sold in 2.75 ounce and 4.76 ounce packages of "FLOWER BRAND, LIVER PÂTÉ / PÂTÉ DE FOIE” with the case code 215960 and 4.76 ounce packages of "FORTUNE BRAND, LIVER SPREAD/ PÂTÉ DE FOIE” with the case code "215960." All of the recalled products have the Canadian establishment number 265 on their packaging. They were distributed to Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Recalls Tagged With: Liver Pâté

George’s Chicken Recalled for Undeclared MSG, Soy

March 8, 2014 by Carla Gillespie Leave a Comment

George’s Inc. of Springdale, Ark. is recalling approximately 29,200 pounds of seasoned raw, chicken breast strips that contain undeclared allergens, soy and monosodium glutamate (MSG). People with allergies to soy or MSG should not eat this product as they runt the risk of allergic reaction if they do. The company had not received complaints of adverse reactions at the time of the recall. The recalled products were sold in 40 pound bulk cartons labeled “GEORGE’S BONELESS SKINLESS BREAST PIECES W/RIB MEAT.” The case code 4790 and the establishment number “P-13584” below the USDA Mark of Inspection. They were produced and packaged from Dec. 21 through Dec. 23, 2013, and sold to distributors in Tennessee and Iowa for further distribution. The problem was discovered after a customer … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Recalls Tagged With: Undeclared Allergen

MN Beekeepers Asking Ag Officials To Stop Treated Corn Seeds

March 8, 2014 by Linda Larsen 1 Comment

A group of beekeepers in Minnesota is concerned about the effect of corn seeds treated with neonicotinoid pesticides on bees, according to MPR. They have been reported mortality events among bees at corn seeding time. The dust is coming off the seeds and poisoning honey bees. More than 1/3 of the country's honey bee population has died every year for the last several years. The group has also sued the EPA for not acting on the pesticides, which many think are causing massive bee die-offs in recent years. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is currently reviewing neonicotinoids for their effects on bees. The National Honey Bee Advisory Board, which is working to try to find a solution to this problem, is conducting risk assessment around the country. But since pesticide … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food Safety, News Tagged With: Honey Bees, Pesticides

George’s Chicken Recalled for Undeclared Soy

March 8, 2014 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

George's Inc. of Arkansas is recalling 29,200 pounds of seasoned raw chicken breast strips because they contain soy, one of the major food allergens, along with MSG. No reports of adverse reactions have been received to date. The recalled product is 40 pound bulk cartons of "George's boneless skinless breast pieces w/rib meat". The case code is 4790. The products were produced and packaged from December 21 through December 23, 2013, and were sold to distributors in Tennessee and Iowa for further distribution. The recalled products have the establishment number "P-13584" below the USDA mark of inspection. The problem was discovered after the company received a consumer complaint of incorrectly labeled product. The customer noticed the product appeared to be seasoned, even when it was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Recalls Tagged With: Food Allergen, Food Recall

CDC: Tests Show Listeria Match to Roos Cheese

March 7, 2014 by Carla Gillespie Leave a Comment

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) tests show Listeria strains found in Roos cheese are highly related to those isolated from ill patients, according to an update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The results add "further confidence that cheese products produced by Roos Foods were a likely source of the outbreak," says the CDC. Normally, a process called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is used to match outbreak isolates, but WGS provides an even clearer distinction of isolates, according to the CDC. The WGS was performed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Virginia’s Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services as part of a Listeria WGS initiative that is a collaboration between the CDC, FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Center … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, News, Outbreaks Tagged With: Listeria, Roos Cheese Listeria

Skin Infections Reported From Handling Seafood in Chinatown

March 7, 2014 by Linda Larsen Leave a Comment

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is reporting that people are getting skin infections from handling live or raw fish or seafood at certain markets in Chinatown. The rare infections are caused by the Mycobacterium marinum. The bacteria enters the skin through a cut or scrape, or if someone cuts themselves while handling the raw fish. The Health Department has identified 30 cases of this infection so far. All of the patients say they handled live or raw fish or seafood purchased at markets in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens before the problem started. Symptoms of the infection include red, tender swelling under the skin of hands and arms, difficulty moving fingers, and pain in the hand or arm. To prevent these infections, wear waterproof gloves when you handle … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Outbreaks Tagged With: Infections, Seafood