Circumstances have long been ripe for calling all shiga-toxin producing strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) “adulterants” in our food supply. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, which is the entity that has the regulatory capacity to do just this, currently has in its possession two citizen petitions to take this action. In our
Another recall to report: prosciutto due to listeria contamination
Good timing on the release today of the Marler Clark food safety guide for parents on listeria monocytogenes. Today, Orlando Greco and Son Imports, an Illinois company, recalled 822 pounds of prosciutto products due to potential contamination by listeria monocytogenes. From the FDA’s notice on the prosciutto recall:
Orlando Greco & Son Imports,
Marler Clark – Parent Food Safety Guide for Listeria
Click on below to download:
NARMS Releases 2007 Executive Report
It was brought to my attention today that the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) released its 2007 Executive Report (pdf). The report summarizes data collected on non-typhoidal Salmonella and Campylobacter isolates recovered in 2007 from food animals at federally inspected plants, retail meats, and humans, as well as susceptibility data on Escherichia coli isolates
Non-E. coli O157:H7 Bacteria, like E. coli O145, have been at issue for some time
Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli Infections in the United States, 1983–2002
60 reported foodpoisoning illnesses in New York, Michigan, Ohio E. coli O145 Outbreak
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As many as 60 people are now thought to be ill from infection by E. coli O145 in New York, Michigan, and Ohio. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with local and state health and agriculture departments from the involved states, are investigating the outbreak to determine what specific food item
Food Safety and Oil Spills
With so much on our plates currently wirh regard to food safety (E. coli O145 outbreak in Michigan, Ohio, and New York; ongoing raw milk debate; and pending debate on S 510 "Food Safety Modernization Act"), even seemingly disparate current events, like the oil spill, matter to us in the outbreak
E. coli O145 and foodpoisoning lawsuits
The country became conscious of E. coli in 1993 after an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak struck West Coast Jack in the Box restaurants. 700 people were sickened; many people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome; and at least 4 kids died. In direct response to the outbreak, the USDA deemed E. coli O157:H7 an adulterant per se
Foodborne Illness Outbreak Database Still Being Upgraded
We have continued to upgrade and improve www.outbreakdatabase.com and nearly are ready for launch. We have a few "bugs" to work out and we are going to link to the CDC and CSPI databases too. We would still love any input, advise or criticism.
NOAA closes fisheries in oil spill area to ensure safety of seafood
NOAA is restricting fishing for a minimum of ten days in federal waters most affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, largely between Louisiana state waters at the mouth of the Mississippi River to waters off Florida’s Pensacola Bay (see map). The closure is effective immediately. Details can be found here: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/. Fishermen who