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...]
Food Poisoning Outbreak in McHenry County, IL at D. C. Cobb’s
A food poisoning outbreak in McHenry County, Illinois at D. C. Cobb's restaurant has sickened at least 13 people, according to the McHenry County Health Department. That restaurant is located at 1204 North Green Street in McHenry. The outbreak was identified when public health officials reviewed complaints of people who got sick after eating at that establishment. An investigation into the pathogen that caused these illnesses, and the possible source of the pathogen has been launched. We do not know the patient age range, or if anyone has been hospitalized. Those sickened ate at D. C. Cobb's restaurant in McHenry from August 29 through September 13, 2022. A survey was posted by the health department, asking for information about anyone who ate there during that time frame, but … [Read more...]
Some Outbreaks Ended on FDA CORE Outbreak Table
Some outbreaks ended on FDA CORE Outbreak Investigation Table, and some case counts have increased in some of the still active outbreaks. There are no new outbreaks to announce. As usual, there is very little information about each outbreak until the government identifies some action consumers can take, such as discarding food or avoiding a particular restaurant. For the Salmonella Mississippi outbreak (ref# 1097) in a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 99 to 100 cases. For the Salmonella Senftenberg outbreak (ref# 1087) in a not yet identified food, the case count has increased from 22 to 27 cases. For the mystery Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak (ref# 1095), the case count has increased from 73 to 78 cases. For the Cyclospora outbreak (ref# 1080) … [Read more...]
Aconite Poisoning Sickens 12 People In Markham, Ontario
Aconite poisoning has sickened 12 people who ate at Delight Restaurant & BBQ located at 1250 Castlemore Avenue, Unit 4 in the city of Markham, Ontario, which is near Toronto, according to officials at York Region Public Health. Mr. Right Keampferia Galanga Powder that was implicated in these illnesses has tested positive for aconite toxin. People got sick after eating there on Sunday, August 28, 2022. Other packages of that brand of Galanga Powder with the code AT119 tested negative for the toxin. However, public health officials recommend that people and businesses throw away all of this product, regardless of the packaging code, because officials do not know if there was cross-contamination between the contaminated product and other products. The distributor has voluntarily … [Read more...]
Best of Baltimore Party Illnesses Affect at Least 20 Attendees
People are apparently sick after attending the Best of Baltimore party sponsored by Baltimore Magazine that was held August 18, 2022 at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore. At least 20 people have been sickened, according to posts on Facebook and news reports. Some went to the emergency room to be treated. This event offered food samples from several restaurants who won the Best in Baltimore contest, including Cosima, Clavel, Ekiben, Foraged, Gunther & Co., Gertrude's Chesapeake Kitchen, Ice Queens, JBGB's, Italian Disco, La Barrita, Linwood's, La Scala, Maximon, Magdalena, Motzi Bread, Royal Farms, Ouzu Bay, THB Bagels, Sally O's, The Food Market, The Local, Waterfront Hotel, and others, according to the Baltimore Sun. Baltimore DOH Survey The Baltimore Department … [Read more...]
Dozens of Drivers Sickened at Coachella Music Festival
Dozens of shuttle bus drivers at the Coachella Music Festival in Riverside County, California have been sickened with some type of food poisoning after eating a catered meal, according to the Riverside University Health System. The drivers work for a shuttle bus company. The press release states that more than 40 people were taken to three hospitals in the Coachella Valley early on Monday, April 25, 2022 after they got sick. Symptoms include stomach cramps, dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea. Some of those patients were admitted to the hospital. News reports are that a hundred people were sickened. Investigators with the Riverside County Departments of Public Health and Environmental Health are collaborating to try to solve this outbreak. They want to interview as many people as … [Read more...]
Reports of Lucky Charms Illnesses on iwaspoisoned Web Site
There have been hundreds of reports of Lucky Charms illnesses on the iwaspoisoned web site. These reports are, as of today, unconfirmed. The FDA is apparently looking into these illnesses. The reports of illness range from stomach cramps, headache, and chills along with stomach and abdominal pains, to nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Those are symptoms that can be associated with many food poisoning infections, from Salmonella to E. coli to norovirus. General Mills, the maker of Lucky Charms, has not commented on these reports, nor has the CDC. There was one food poisoning outbreak linked to cereal in the past few years, and one recall. This type of product doesn't seem like the kind of food that can be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, but those bacteria can live … [Read more...]
