Public Health Departments in Linn and Johnson counties in Iowa have warned the public not to eat guacamole, salsa or uncooked tamales prepared by an area Mexican restaurant called La Reyna Supermarket and Taqueria, and served at area farmer’s markets. The products may be contaminated by Salmonella, and are suspected to be associated with
Risk of Food-Poisoning from Re-Usable Grocery Bags Questioned
A little more than a month ago, a report was issued stating that reusing grocery bags presented the risk of cross-contamination with foodborne pathogens. Yesterday, folks at Consumer Reports called the conclusions of that study into question. They have three main points.
First, they question the impartiality of those who funded the study, the American Chemistry
“Five Second Rule” and Food Poisoning
Your tasty bagel falls on the floor. You hate to waste food, and you’d rather not toast a new one. Can you call "five second rule" and consume it without risk of food-poisoning? Not according to research from Clemson scientists reported in National Geographic. Here is the somewhat frightening heart of the story:
According to food-science
Ground beef and E. coli this summer
At the risk of jinxing the apparent success, it is worthy of note that, excluding the recent problem with bison meat, ground beef and other beef products have been conspicuously absent from the news this summer. This is a significant step for an industry that collectively recalled millions of pounds of meat products in
Dear Senator Feinstein . . .
Don’t let another national outbreak be the reason that a final vote on the Food Safety Modernization Act is had. That’s why continued pressure on the powers that be is a good thing. Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI) wrote the following letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) calling on her to stop blocking a vote on food safety legislation in the Senate. Dingell is the author of H.R. 2749, the “Food Safety Enhancement Act,” which passed the U.S. House overwhelmingly with bipartisan support almost a year ago.
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Feinstein:
I am writing to express deep concern with the lack of progress being made in the United States Senate on critical food safety legislation. My concern stems from recent press accounts detailing the cause of delay on Senate consideration of S. 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act. Recent press accounts, including a July 11 Washington Post article titled Advocates Run Ads Urging Senate to Pass Food Safety Bill, indicate the cause for delayed consideration is your insistence on adding controversial language to the bill that would ban the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in food and beverage containers. While I am sensitive to your goals and believe that your intentions are virtuous, I respectfully ask that you reconsider your current obstruction on this issue and find a suitable compromise that would allow prompt consideration of critically needed food safety legislation.
As you may know, I am the author of H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act, comprehensive food safety legislation that will grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authorities necessary to ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply. The case for food safety legislation has been made–each year approximately 76 million illnesses occur, more than 300,000 persons are hospitalized, and 5,000 die from foodborne illness. The urgency for a legislative solution is renewed with each new outbreak of illness from bad food. While not a companion measure, S. 510 includes many of the same authorities included in my legislation. H.R. 2749 passed the House in November 2009 overwhelmingly, with bipartisan support. Both bills will make the greatest improvements to food and drug law since 1938 and will save the lives of thousands of Americans.
There has been much debate over the years on the safety of the use of BPA in food and beverage containers. The topic invokes passionate reactions on both ends of the spectrum. FDA, the regulatory agency with the scientific expertise to responsibly weigh the risks and benefits of the use of BPA, has expressed some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children. FDA is pursuing additional studies and is seeking public input and input from other expert agencies to provide greater clarity on potential health effects of exposure to BPA. I share their concern and worked with my colleagues in the House to include language in H.R. 2749 that reflects this concern.
I implore you to not allow the perfect be the enemy of the good. Time is running out. Our choices are becoming increasinglyContinue Reading Dear Senator Feinstein . . .
Salmonella Infection Among Crew of Historic Sailing Ship
County health officials in Erie, Pennsylvania say that Salmonella was the pathogen that sickened 26 of 42 crew members aboard the U.S. Brig Niagara, a historic sailing ship based on Lake Erie,
according to this report:
Health department officials say it’s unclear how the ship’s crew contracted the bacteria, which often is found in
Skokie Country Club operational again after Salmonella outbreak
Skokie Country Club in Glencoe, Illinois was the site of a large salmonella outbreak–approximately 45 laboratory confirmed cases–in June 2010. Katie Okon at Pioneer Local reports that the club kitchen is now open and back in service, having been given the green light to reopen by Cook County health officials in early July. after a salmonella outbreak that occurred
Lawsuit to be filed in Kenosha, Wisconsin Salmonella Outbreak
Marler Clark represents several people sickened by Salmonella enteritidis in an outbreak linked to Baker Street Restaurant and Pub in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The outbreak has reportedly sickened 30 patrons. A lawsuit will be filed tomorrow against L & K Tricoli, LLC, which owns and operates Baker Street Restaurant and Pub, on behalf of Tanja Dzinovic.
The Kenosha County
Safety in the sky: food is your biggest risk
Nobody likes turbulence at 35,000 feet, but some level of risk is always present when you’re in the sky. But not all risks while flying are beyond the reasonable control of those in charge of our safety. A few weeks ago, Gary Stoller of the USA Today wrote a piece on airline food safety
Billy Goat Dairy to resume raw milk distribution
The Boulder County Public Health Department has cleared the Billy Goat Dairy, a Longmont goat dairy that produces and distributes raw milk, to resume business after a recent inspection confirmed that owner Bill Campbell had addressed the County’s concerns and/or suggestions. The dairy was the source of a large E. coli O157:H7 and campylobacter outbreak