Kwik Trip cantaloupe products are being recalled in the wake of a deadly Salmonella outbreak that killed two people in Minnesota and sickened 99 nationwide. The recalling firm is Kwik Trip, Inc. The recalled products are three varieties of fresh cut fruit cup and tray items. They were made with cantaloupe from Trufresh that have been recalled and have been linked to the outbreak. But there have been no reported illnesses associated with these specific Kwik Trip products. The recalled items have sell-by dates of November 4, 2023 through December 3, 2023. They were sold in Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Stop-N-Go, Tobacco Outlet Plus Grocery, and Tobacco Outlet Plus convenience stores located in these states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, and South Dakota. The recalled … [Read more...]
USDA Study on Consumer Food Preparation Behavior Highlights Risks
A USDA study on consumer food preparation behavior highlights the risks of not following food safety rules. The five year study looked at how consumers prepare meals in light of the risks of food poisoning. The study was produced by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) as part of their efforts to educate the public about safe food handling practices. USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban said in a statement, "These studies are important for USDA to understand consumer behaviors in the kitchen and it is timely to be releasing the latest findings during Food Safety Education Month. The results allow us to shape food safety communications and help consumers safely prepare food." The three areas the study concentrated on were handwashing, thermometer … [Read more...]
Consumer Reports Offers Advice on Safe Seafood Prep and Care
More seafood is consumed in the summer months, especially raw oysters. Learn how to keep seafood safe with these tips. Consumer Reports is offering advice on the safe seafood preparation and care. Like all perishable foods, seafood must be handled carefully to avoid food borne illness. If you choose to eat seafood raw, you must be especially careful. Sushi, ceviche, and raw oyster consumption has been linked to foodborne illness over the years. In fact, earlier this month a man from Missouri died after eating raw oysters contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus. Last year, raw oysters were linked to a sapovirus outbreak. And a Salmonella outbreak linked to raw oysters sickened at least eight people in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. These foods can be contaminated with pathogenic … [Read more...]
Fireside Grille Caters a Wedding, 51 Guests Get Sick
The Fireside Grille caters a wedding in Altoona, Iowa, and 51 guests got sick the next day, according to news reports. Lindsey Graham-Humphreys, the bride, told the Des Moines Register that her guests got sick after eating food served by that restaurant. The Fireside Grill is located at 523 8th Street SouthEast in Altoona. Some of the guests were sick with symptoms of food poisoning for more than two days. Symptoms were not described, and there is no information about whether or not anyone was hospitalized. The bride contacted the establishment and was not satisfied with the answers. An inspection at that establishment was conducted on June 12, 2023, which was allegedly days before the wedding. And some significant violations were found. This is a screen shot of the inspection … [Read more...]
Sick Restaurant Employees Cause 40% of Outbreaks
Sick restaurant employees cause 40% of foodborne illness outbreaks, according to an article in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for the week of June 2, 2023. Hundreds of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with retail food establishments are reported every year to the CDC. The period of time included in this study was 2017 to 2019. In 2014, CDC launched the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS) to compliment the surveillance conducted by the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS). State and local health departments enter data from their outbreak investigations of retail food establishments. The data entered include characteristics of outbreaks, including factors contributing to the illnesses, … [Read more...]
Don’t Get Food Poisoning This Summer! Tips from USDA
Don't get food poisoning this summer with tips from the USDA. Warmer temperatures mean that food safety rules change, and there is more opportunity for pathogens to grow in food. Pack perishables with a cold source every time. Food that is in the danger zone of 40°F and 140°F is risky. In that temperature range, pathogen bacteria can double in volume every 20 minutes. When it's hot outside, with a temperature of 90°F or higher, you must refrigerate perishable foods within one hour, not the two hours that is commonly recommended. Keep cold foods cold by using ice to envelop the serving container, or keep it in a cooler with ice packs until you're ready to serve. Keep hot foods hot by placing food in warmings trays or in a cooler spot on the grill. And when you're done eating, … [Read more...]
FDA CORE Table Updated; And What Happened to NetCost?
The FDA CORE Table has been updated with information about the new mystery Listeria monocytogenes outbreak. And what happened to the NetCost Market deli meat and cheese Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened at least 16 people? It hasn't been updated since November 9, 2022. There are currently five ongoing outbreaks listed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The three from the FDA Table, and the deadly NetCost outbreak, which does not appear on the USDA Outbreak Table, or the FDA Table, even though it contains meat that is regulated by the USDA and cheese that is regulated by the FDA. First, the mystery Listeria outbreak. At least 11 people are sick in that outbreak, with 10 hospitalized. There is no information about what food may be responsible … [Read more...]
Fifteen Tips to Avoid Food Poisoning
Whenever there is a good poisoning outbreak, odds are that the outbreak notice will include some information about how consumers can protect themselves against contaminated food. While it is illegal for companies to sell food contaminated with enough pathogens to make someone ill, it happens all the time. These 15 tips to avoid food poisoning may help. Despite efforts from the federal government, industry, food processors, and farmers, the number of food poisoning cases in America isn't going down. There are still about 48,000,000 cases of food poisoning every year in this country, with about 126,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. But there are things you can do to protect yourself and your family. In fact, there are (at least) 15 tips to avoid food poisoning. Fifteen Tips … [Read more...]
What Are the Current Food Poisoning Outbreaks?
What are the current food poisoning outbreaks in the United States? At this time there are four active outbreaks that are being investigated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments. In total, these outbreaks have sickened at least 93 people and have hospitalized 33. The newest outbreak is the sapovirus outbreak linked to oysters that were harvested from a section of Galveston Bay in Texas. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, dozens of people who live in Texas and Florida are sickened in this outbreak. The Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to Enoki mushrooms that were imported from Korea is ongoing. That outbreak has sickened two people from Nevada and Michigan; both were hospitalized. That … [Read more...]
How Do You Know If You Have a Bacillus Cereus Infection?
Bacillus cereus infections are very common in the United States. This pathogen causes about 63,000 cases of food poisoning every year in this country. It is responsible for the so-called "fried rice syndrome," where people get sick after eating reheated rice. The problem with fried rice is that when rice is cooled at room temperature, the bacteria present in that product can grow and produce toxins. And those toxins are not destroyed by heat. So when that leftover rice is used to make fried rice, people can get sick. Rice isn't the only vehicle for this pathogen, however. It is also associated with dishes containing potatoes, pasta, and cheese. And food poisoning associated with this pathogen is common in catering situations and restaurants. One of the toxins this pathogen … [Read more...]
