Should you buy a fresh or frozen turkey for Thanksgiving? That holiday is next week. The USDA has some tips to make sure you have a safe and healthy dinner. Turkeys are sold both fresh and frozen. You can often order the type and size of turkey that you want ahead of time, but if you haven't done this, you need to make some decisions. Food safety is critical at all times, of course, but holiday dinners are special. You may have elderly guests at your dinner, or a pregnant woman, or small children, or someone with a chronic illness or compromised immune system. In that case, you must be very careful to make sure that the food you serve is completely safe to eat. And turkey storage and preparation play a large part in food safety. Here's what the USDA says about which type of … [Read more...]
Consent Decree Against Evig Dietary Supplement Manufacturer
A consent decree of permanent injunction has been entered against Evig LLC, a dietary supplement manufacturer and distributor, along with the company's CEO, and Premium Production LLC and its manager, according to the FDA. These companies produce and market Balance of Nature Products, with false label claims. Those corporations are located in St. George, Utah. The U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, Central Division entered the consent decrees. The FDA has not approved the Balance of Nature products for any use. The company has made claims that its products could be used to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease, cirrhosis, diabetes, asthma, and COVID-19. And Evig LLC violated current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) … [Read more...]
How Do People Get Sick From Contaminated Pet Food?
Pet food recalls for bacterial contamination are pretty common. And occasionally, there is an outbreak linked to those types of products. Many people wonder, how do people get sick from contaminated pet food? On social media, there are often comments made about people feeding children dog food, or eating it themselves. That is not how these outbreaks happen. Any type of pet food can be contaminated with pathogens. There have been recalls linked to raw frozen pet food, to canned pet food, and to dry kibble. Just like human food, pet food can be contaminated with pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. When pets eat contaminated food, several things can happen. The animal may not get sick at all. Or they may become carriers of the pathogen … [Read more...]
FDA Plans to Ban Brominated Vegetable Oil in Food
The FDA plans to ban the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food, after studies conducted with the National Institutes of Health found the product is potentially dangerous for human consumption. Brominated vegetable oil is a mixture of brominated triglycerides that are made by combining bromine with unsaturated vegetable oils. BVO is authorized for use in small amounts to keep citrus flavoring from separating and floating to the top of some beverages. The FDA took BVO off the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list in 1970 and began overseeing its use under food additive regulations. Many beverage makers have reformulated their products to replace BVO. Now, few beverages available in the United States contain BVO. Scientists found that the thyroid is a target organ of … [Read more...]
FDA Issues Updated Compliance For Infant Formula
The FDA has issued updated compliance for infant formula after the disastrous shutdown of Abbott Nutrition for cronobacter contamination in 2022 that caused severe shortages. The press release states that, "This effort is part of the FDA's ongoing commitment to strengthen the safety, resiliency, and oversight of the infant formula industry." The FDA released its internal evaluation of the response in 2022. It recommended that the agency review and update its compliance program to make sure it reflected the latest science on Cronobacter, and offered consistency and clarify for manufacturers on inspection and compliance activities. The FDA has published its updated compliance program, which it says builds on the lessons learned over the last several years. Salmonella and … [Read more...]
California Bans Red 3, Brominated Vegetable Oil, Other Additives
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...]
