In Schuyler County, New York, a Dunkin Donuts hepatitis A employee worked while infectious, according to a press release by the Chemung County Health Department. An investigation has been launched because that person worked at two area Dunkin Donuts locations. The two locations are at the Dunkin Donuts shop on Corning Road (Miracle Mile) in Elmira Heights and at the Walmart store on County Road 64 in Horseheads, where the person worked for one day. The establishments have been notified by the health department of the potential exposure. The employe has not worked since February 11, 2021. The health department is also asking the managers of those locations to send any staff reporting hepatitis A symptoms for medical evaluations before they to ack to work. Employees of the … [Read more...]
Texas Carbon Monoxide Poisonings Increase In Wake of Power Outage
An article in Forbes is highlighting the fact that Texas carbon monoxide poisonings are increasing in the wake of the killer freezing temperatures and lack of power in that state. It seems that people are bringing outdoor grills inside and are leaving gas stoves and ovens open and running all night. Those are all bad ideas. All of those heat sources release carbon monoxide, which is invisible, odorless, and a silent killer. According to Forbes, Cook Children's Hospital has treated over a dozen children for CO poisoning. And over 300 carbon monoxide poisonings were reported in Harris County alone, where Houston is located. Several people have died. Heatrs that malfunction, indoor use of grills and camp stoves, and kerosene heaters cause carbon monoxide poisonings and death every … [Read more...]
Don’t Put Frozen Food Outside During Power Outages Even if it’s Cold
There are major power outages in large swaths of the United States as a result of freezing temperatures and severe weather, and some bad food safety advice is circulating. When it's cold outside and you are worried about frozen food thawing and spoiling, you may be tempted to put the food outside to keep it frozen. That's a bad idea. Don't put frozen food outside. Even if there's snow on the ground and icicles hanging from your roof, outside temperatures can vary wildly. Frozen food is only safe if it stays below 0°F. Snow and ice will be present on the ground until the air temperature gets above 32°F, and even warmer temperatures than that. This fluctuation can cause thawing and freezing in your frozen food, causing loss of quality and perhaps even the growth of pathogenic … [Read more...]
Connecticut Warns of Listeria in El Abuelito Queso Fresco Cheese; One Ill
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is warning consumers that there is Listeria in El Abuelito Queso Fresco cheese. Laboratory testing found the pathogen in one lot of that cheese that was collected from a Connecticut retail food store last week. One Connecticut resident is sick after allegedly eating that brand. There is a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that is linked to Hispanic-style soft and fresh cheeses that the FDA and CDC announced late last week. Seven people in four states are sick in that outbreak; one of the patients lives in Connecticut. The others live in Maryland (4), New York (1), and Virginia (1). Connecticut Department of Health officials are advising consumers not to eat any El Abuelito Queso Fresco cheese until further notice. And also … [Read more...]
CDC Health Advisory For Extensively Drug-Resistant Salmonella Typhi
A CDC health advisory for extensively drug-resistant Salmonella Typhi infections has been issued by the Health Alert Network (HAN). These types of infections are usually associated with international travel, but as of January 14, 2021, the government has received 71 reports of these infections in the United States; not all had left the country before getting sick. While most of those patients had traveled, nine, or 13% of the total, had not traveled to any country before they got sick. Salmonella typhi is transmitted through contaminated food and water and through person to person contact. In 2016, a large outbreak of extensively drug-resistant Salmonella typhi infections started in the Sindh province, Pakistan. Typhi strains are resistant to antibiotics that are usually … [Read more...]
Kowalski’s Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Recalled For Allergen
Russ Davis Wholesale of Wadena, Minnesota is voluntarily recalling Kowalski's Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Kowalski's Steakhouse Blue Dressing because the Blue Cheese Dressing contains anchovies, or fin fish, that is not declared on the label as required by law. Fin fish is one of the eight major food allergens. Anyone who is allergic to anchovies, or finfish, could have a serious reaction if they eat this product. No illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported to the company to date in connection with this recalled item. The recalled item is Kowalski's Buffalo Cauliflower bites with Kowalski's Steakhouse Blue Dressing. The product is packaged in 22 ounce containers. It was distributed to seven metro Kowalski's stores that are located in Minnesota. The use by dates on … [Read more...]
Brite Harbor Caesar Dressing Pillows Recalled For Allergen
Litehouse Inc. is recalling a limited quantity of its Brite Harbor Caesar Dressing & Dip 1.5 ounce Pillows because the product may contain anchovies, or fin fish, one of the major food allergens, that is not declared on the label. Anyone who is allergic to fin fish and eats this product could have a serious allergic reaction. No reactions or illnesses due to the consumption of this product have been reported to the company to date. The recall is limited to one production day from a single manufacturing location. The recalled product is Brite Harbor Caesar Dressing & Dip Pillows that are packaged in 1.5 ounce containers. In total, 225 cases of 60/1.5 ounce pouches were distributed to a limited number of customers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah. All customers who are … [Read more...]
History of Soft Cheese Linked Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreaks
With the news that the CDC and FDA have launched an investigation into a possible Hispanic-style soft cheese listeriosis outbreak late last week, the history of soft cheese linked Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks comes into focus. Seven people in four states are sick, including Maryland, Connecticut, New York, and Virginia. This is not the first time a deadly outbreak has been linked to those types of soft and fresh cheeses. These types of cheeses have long been a risk for Listeria monocytogenes contamination, according to the CDC. The issue is that many of these soft and fresh cheeses are made with unpasteurized milk. The government estimates that "the risk for listeriosis per serving is estimated to be 50- to 160-fold greater for cheese made from unpasteurized milk than … [Read more...]
Dole Sunflower Crunch Chopped Salad Kit Recalled For Allergens
Dole Fresh Vegetables is voluntarily recalling two lot codes of Dole Sunflower Crunch Chopped Salad it because it may contain wheat and tree nuts, two of the major food allergens, that are not declared on the label as required. Anyone who is allergic to wheat and/or tree nuts or who has celiac disease could have a serious allergic reaction if they eat the product. No illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported to the company to date in connection with this issue. The recalled product is Dole Sunflower Crunch Chopped Salat Kit that has the UPC number 0-71430-00034-2 printed on the package. The best if used by date for this product is 02-11-21. And the recalled lot codes are W02702A and W02702B. The dressing and topping kit designed for a different Dole product was … [Read more...]
Recall of One Ocean Smoked Sockeye Salmon For Listeria Updated
The recall of One Ocean Smoked Sockeye Salmon for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination has been updated with more product information. The original food recall was issued on January 27, 2021 by Orca Specialty Foods Ltd. This product was sold in British Columbia, Canada at the consumer level. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with this problem. The recalled product is One Ocean Sliced Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon that is packaged in 300 gram containers. The UPC number printed on the label is 6 25984 00005 3, and the code on the product is 11253. The update was issued because the code on the label is different. If you purchased this product, do not eat it. You can throw it away in a secure garbage can with a tight fitting lid after you have … [Read more...]
