OPINION Fox News Host Tucker Carlson did a segment on Friday night about a CDC news release entitled CDC Investigating New Outbreaks of Salmonella Infections Linked to Backyard Poultry. One thing missing from the 4:47 minute piece? Any mention of the Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry flocks. Instead of telling his viewers that ongoing Salmonella outbreaks had been linked to contact with backyard poultry and what they could do to protect themselves, Carlson framed the segment as though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just randomly decided to tell people who "snuggle" chickens how to live their lives. "Like all obedient Americans, we're pretty dialed in to what the CDC has to say about our lives. Every day we check for new guidance and we have new … [Read more...]
Restaurant Food Safety Fails When Training Fails
As food safety lawyers, people have been asking us (from a distance) how worried they should be about COVID-19 and the safety of their takeout food? While we can’t tell them about viral transmission rates via various sources – we’re lawyers, not scientists - we can tell them what we have learned from years of representing people sickened by germs in restaurant food. Good sanitary conditions and safe food preparation processes and procedures (food safety plans) are very important…but it all fails when employee training fails. Obviously, when food safety plans are bad (for example, if they do not include proper testing of food storage areas for correct temperature control or mandate specific locations to keep raw foods from cross-contaminating cooked foods) then germs can spread. Too … [Read more...]
Raw Milk: A Risky Food
It never ceases to amaze me why people drink raw milk. Raw milk, as all should know, is unpasteurized. Pasteurization is the process by which milk, juices and other products are heated in order to kill off dangerous pathogens. Without pasteurization, bacteria that harm or even kill people remain in the milk. Pasteurization, a simple procedure that’s been used for about 150 years, is absolutely effective. Pasteurization does not affect the taste of milk. It does not reduce or degrade milk’s beneficial and nutritional qualities. Any claims that it does have been debunked by scientists and physicians. The only people who claim raw milk is good for you are people who ignore science. The only people who claim pasteurization makes milk less nutritious ignore science. This is … [Read more...]
$21.8 Million to Help Implement FDA Produce Safety Rule
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that $21.8 million in federal money will go to 42 states for use in implementing FDA’s new regulation, “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption" (commonly called the Produce Safety Rule). The FDA Produce Safety Rule was finalized in 2015 and became effective in January of 2016. "It establishes science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption" stated the FDA in its announcement. The FDA created the Produce Safety Rule as part of its implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. The purpose of FSMA is to prevent … [Read more...]
Superior Nut & Candy Recalls Pine Nuts for Salmonella
Superior Nut & Candy Co. of Illinois is recalling pine nuts because they may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recalled product is pine nuts sold in 4 ounce packages. They are sold in store produce departments with a clear package front and tan colored label on the back. The back label lists Pine Nuts as the only ingredient. The UPC number is 72549320016 and the best by dates are between 10/22/2015 to 12/27/2015 on the back label. Texting by the FDA revealed the presence of the pathogenic bacteria. Production of pine nuts is suspended while the company and the FDA investigate the problem. If you purchased this product, do not eat it. Throw it away in a sealed or double-bagged container, or return it to the store where you … [Read more...]
Uneviscerated Dried Fish Sold in NY Risk of Botulism
The New York Department of Agriculture is warning consumers to not eat "Dry Bream-Lesh (Fish)" sold by Tatuka Inc. of Brooklyn, New York because it was not eviscerated. Fish that do not have their guts removed may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can be deadly. No illnesses have been reported to date. The fish was sold from retail stores to consumers in the New York City metro area. It is packaged in a clear, vacuum-packed, flexible plastic pouch and is sold in the refrigerated foods department. The product has a "Best before" date of 01:08:2015. It is a product of Russia. Clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the guts, or viscera, of fish than any other place. Symptoms of botulism poisoning include blurred or double vision, poor … [Read more...]
B & R Meat Recalling Pork Products for Possible Staphylococcal Contamination
B & R Meat Processing of Arkansas is recalling 2,129 pounds of pork products because of a possible processing deviation that may have led to staphylococcal enterotoxin contamination. No reports of adverse reactions or illnesses have been received to date. You can see the long list of recalled products at the USDA site, along with package sizes. You can also see pictures of product labels at the USDA web site. They are cured and uncorked pork, produced on various dates between August 7, 2014 and April 1, 2015. The include B & R cured ham pork sausage, cured pork jowls, cured AR pork bacon, processing pork hocks, uncured smoked pork ham, and others. The problem was discovered during a Food Safety Assessment conducted by an FSIS inspector. If you purchased any of these items, do … [Read more...]
Hines Recalls Walnuts for Possible Salmonella
Hines Nut Company is recalling walnut halves and pieces because they may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. No illnesses have been reported to date. The product was supplied by Gold State Nut Company of Biggs, CA and packaged by Hines Nut Company. The are 128 cases, 25 trays per carton, in black foam trays with a green and gold label. The tray weight is 16 ounces. They were packaged on March 3, 2015. The lot number is 6989 and the best by date is 12.28.15. The UPC number is 07826406516-5, and the nuts were distributed in Texas via Randalls Food Stores. If you purchased this product, do not eat it. Discard or return to the place of purchase for a refund. … [Read more...]
Royal Frozen Food Blintzes Recalled for Undeclared Milk
Royal Frozen Food of California is recalling about 3,821 pound of beef and chicken blintzes because they contain undeclared milk, a food allergen. People who are allergic to milk could suffer a serious illness if they eat this product. No reports of adverse reactions have been received to date. The recalled products are 20-ounce plastic trays containing 10 pieces of "Royal Frozen Food, BLINTZES Blintzes with BEEF" with bar code 6 0723830019 5. The other product is 20-ounce plastic trays containing 10 pieces of "Royal Frozen Food, BLINTZES Blintzes with CHICKEN" with bar code 6 0723830025 6". They were produced before April 16, 2015 and have the establishment number "Est. 20585" or P-20585" inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were shipped to retail stores in California and … [Read more...]
Cleveland Crops Chili Cheezy Kale Chips Recalled
Solutions at Work of Ohio is recalling Cleveland Crops Chili Cheezy Kale Chips because they may contain undeclared raw cashews. Anyone who is allergic to cashews, or tree nuts, could become seriously ill if they eat this product. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recalled item was distributed at three local retail stores in Cleveland, Ohio between 12/1/2014 and 3/30/2015. The Cleveland Crops Chili Cheezy Kale Chips are packaged in 2 ounce, stand up paper pouches with a clear viewing window on the back. The UPC number is 58736 00504. The problem was caused by mislabeling. If you purchased this product and are allergic to cashews, or tree nuts, do not eat it. Discard or return to the place of purchase for a full refund. … [Read more...]
