As today’s food marketplace becomes increasingly international, consumers profit from a culturally diverse array of food items as well as lower prices.  U.S. consumers benefit from imported shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs, as well as fruits and vegetables.  According to the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), in 2008, the U.S. imported over 3 billion pounds of meat and poultry.  Additionally,... [more]

The holidays are approaching and that means families and feasts. For many large family gatherings, there are too many people to have a typical sit down plated dinner. In these situations the buffet is often the most logical choice. While the buffet is a great way to feed large groups, it is also a method that opens the door to dangerous foodborne illness. Food safety is a big priority and the following... [more]

Kellogg has blamed a recent nationwide shortage of Eggo frozen waffles on heavy rain that shut down one of its main plants in Atlanta but that may be understating the reason a little. The facility was closed during much of September and October to sanitize after inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of Eggos frozen waffles. Kellogg recalled about 4,500 cases of Eggos in September after... [more]

The FDA has recently stopped five Canola meal shipments from coming across the border over concerns about Salmonella contamination. The delayed shipments are now  raising concerns among Canadian canola growers regarding whether the new FDA policy over imported animal feed may be too strict and may even damage a thriving feed trade between the US and Canada. “We are concerned that we are going... [more]

The holidays are approaching and that means, families, fellowship fun.  Yes, and food.  When preparing food for the holiday festivities, food safety needs to be considered.  To help you prepare for the holiday feasts, here are some helpful tips from the law firm Neblett, Beard & Arsenault. The goal is to keep your family and guests safe from the tiny food pathogens that pack a powerful punch. “Foodborne... [more]

Recently, there was an interesting piece from NPR on the differences between beef cattle that are raised in Europe versus the United States.  The “All Things Considered” story was written in light of a settlement to a long running trade disputed regarding the importation of American beef into Europe. Under the new agreement, the European Union has agreed to increase its importation of U.S. Beef... [more]

With new food safety legislation awaiting debate in the Senate, the media has been highly tuned in to food safety and tales of the system gone awry. Case in point, the New York Times recently published an article about the tragedy of E. coli O157:H7 and one of its complications, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The article details how a hamburger manufactured by Cargill led to the paralysis of a young... [more]

In case there isn’t enough to worry about with E. coli O157:H7 tainted meats and Salmonella infected vegetables, now some researchers are suggesting there may be a link between grilling and cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. The problem seems to be compounds known as heterocyclic amines and advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are both by-products of grilling meats... [more]

Today the FSIS issued a recall notice regarding beef brisket that was potentially contaminated with Listeria. The packages of precooked brisket were made for sale in commissaries at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico and Tinker and Altus Air Force Bases in Oklahoma. As of now, the FSIS has no reported Listeria illnesses linked to the beef product. But it got me thinking about how a simple food pathogen... [more]

According to Feedstuff, an online newspaper for the agribusiness, a recent Kansas State University study was undertaken to see if there was a relationship between the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 and how cattle were raised; it came up with results that might be surprising to some. There research determined that there was no significant difference in the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in beef raised... [more]