California bans Red 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, and propylparaben from being added to food because of possible adverse health effects. The governor signed the legislation on October 7, 2023. Industry has until 2027 to comply with this new law. The synthetic dye, Red 3, is made from petroleum. The law, Assembly Bill 418, makes California the first state in the country to ban the use of these additives in packaged foods. The FDA says they are safe to consume. Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) states that the FDA learned Red 3 was a carcinogen in the 1980s and declared it as a carcinogen in 1990. This 2012 article from The National Library of Medicine states that Red 3 causes cancer in animals. The FDA has eliminated the use of this food dye from … [Read more...]
FDA Warns About Probiotics For Hospitalized Preterm Infants
The FDA warns about probiotics for hospitalized preterm infants. A preterm baby died earlier this month after receiving Evivo with MCT Oil probiotic in the hospital. The government is concerned about the risk that products with live bacteria pose to preterm infants. A letter was recently sent to healthcare providers warning them about this problem. The agency also issued two warning letters to companies for illegally selling their products for treating or preventing disease in preterm infants. Probiotics contain live bacteria or yeast and are usually marketed as foods or dietary supplements. The FDA says that infants can develop sepsis if they are given these products. Some companies are illegally selling probiotics to treat or prevent diseases such as reducing the risk of … [Read more...]
Halloween Food Safety Tips From Fight Bac
These Halloween food safety tips from Fight Bac will help you have a happy and safe holiday. The tips cover trick-or-treating safety and how to host a healthy party. When your kids go out trick-or-treating, make sure they know they should not eat any candy they receive until they get home and you can check it. Look for rips or tears or pinholes in the wrapping. Throw away any homemade candy or candy that looks different or strange. And feed your kids dinner before they go out so they are less likely to want to snack on the way. If you are having a Halloween party, make sure that all perishable foods are chilled until serving time. Those foods include cheese platters, cut fruit, tossed salads, finger sandwiches, cold pasta dishes, any food with meat, poultry, or seafood, and … [Read more...]
WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Puree Has High Lead Levels
WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Puree has high lead levels, according to the FDA. Four children from North Carolina have elevated blood lead levels, indicating potential acute lead toxicity. The WanaBana product has been identified as a potential shared source of exposure. All lot codes and expiration dates of this product are included in this warning. The FDA has shared these results with the firm. The firm's representatives are cooperating with the FDA. WanaBana has agreed to voluntarily recall all WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches regardless of the expiration date. These pouches are sold nationally and are available through many retailers, including Amazon and Dollar Tree. If your child has consumed this product, the FDA is recommending that you contact your child's … [Read more...]
A Government Shutdown Will Threaten Food and Water Safety
A Government shutdown will threaten food and water safety, according to Food & Water Watch. The odds are good that the government will shut down on November 15, 2023, especially given the current chaos in Congress. A shutdown would affect every area of government. WIC and SNAP benefits would be threatened. Regional VA offices may close, and critical research on diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's would stall. The threats to human health include FDA inspectors being forced to reduce or delay inspections at food processing facilities. This will put consumers at risk of foodborne illness. During the shutdown in 2013, about 900 of these inspections were postponed. $EPA regulators could be forced to suspend safety inspections at drinking water sources, hazardous Superfund … [Read more...]
How to Keep Your Pets Safe This Halloween
Learn how to keep your pets safe this Halloween with tips from veterinarians.org. These Halloween Pet Safety Tips can prevent illness and injury. First, keep Halloween candy out of reach. Dogs and cats should not eat candy. If your pet goes trick or treating with you or your children, you need to be very aware of this danger. Put all Halloween treats in a closed jar to keep them away from your pet. Encourage children to discard the wrappers and get them involved. Consider making cooked pumpkin or peanut butter treats if you want your pet to have a snack. But check all labels first to make sure that the peanut butter is xylitol-free, since it is poisonous to dogs. Raisins, grapes, sultanas, and currents are toxic for dogs and cats. Call your vet immediately if your pet eats … [Read more...]
Win.IT America Violated Child Labor Laws By Employing Children
Win.IT America has entered a federal consent judgment to stop illegally employing children and to not violate federal child labor laws in the future. The court prohibits the Hebron, Kentucky facility from "oppressively" violating child labor laws. The order was entered in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky on September 8, 2023. Investigators with the department's Wage and Hour Division discovered the children working in the distribution center in August 2023. The two children, ages 11 and 13, were employed for months. The violations included employing a child to operate a forklift, which is a hazardous occupation for workers under the age of 18, and told another child to pick orders in the warehouse, which is a prohibited occupation for workers under the … [Read more...]
Monogram Meat Snacks Pays Fine For Child Labor Violations
Monogram Meat Snacks is paying a fine of $140,164 in civil penalties for violating child labor laws, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The company allegedly employed at least 11 children, nine of whom operated hazardous machinery, at its meatpacking and food processing facility that is located in Chandler, Minnesota. The company agreed to pay the penalty as part of an investigation that was conducted by the department's Wage and Hour Division. The investigation started in March 2023. Federal officials determined that during that period, Monogram Meats Snacks employed five 17-year-olds, four 16-year-olds, and two 15-year olds in violation of federal child labor laws. Principal Deputy Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman said in a statement, "As we made clear earlier … [Read more...]
Infants Fed Powdered Infant Formula Get More GI Infections
A study conducted in the United Kingdom found that infants fed powered infant formula contract more gastrointestinal infections than breastfed infants. Part of the problem is contaminated infant feeding equipment. Almost 3/4 of infants in the UK get infant formula in the first 6 weeks. This number rises to 88% by 6 months of age. At least 3000 hospitalizations every year in the UK may be attributed to formula feeding. Breastfed infants have significantly fewer GI infections. The World Health Organization recommends that water used to reconstitute powdered infant formula (PIF) be at least 70°C (158°F) to kill pathogens. Powdered infant formula manufacturers state that they cannot produce a sterile product and that it can contain pathogens such as Cronobacter and Salmonella. For … [Read more...]
Your Kitchen Sink is an Important Part of Food Safety
Your kitchen sink is an important part of food safety and preventing foodborne illness, according to the USDA. Think about everything you use your sink for: rinsing produce, cleaning pots, pans, plates, cups, and utensils, and discarding meat and produce scraps. All of those things can carry pathogenic bacteria. The USDA recently completed a study looking at how consumers handle food and how good they are at preventing cross-contamination. Participants prepared a meal with raw sausage, shell eggs, and a fruit salad made with cantaloupe. That study showed that the kitchen sink was the most cross-contaminated part of the kitchen at 34%. And 26% of samples of cut-up cantaloupe removed from the completed fruit salad was contaminated with bacteria. There are several ways this can … [Read more...]
