According to the San Diego Union Tribune, the Pew Charitable Trusts is conducting research regarding the correlation between food safety and environmental protection. This trust is a nonprofit organization which conducts research and surveys in order to better understand emerging policy issues, including food safety and the environment. Recently, the organization surveyed dozens of California farmers... [more]

As a result of a recall of Black Pepper by Mincing Overseas Spice Company and distributed by Dutch Valley Food Distributors due to the possibility of contamination with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, a product recall is being issued. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella... [more]

Food safety has become an increasingly important governmental issue. FoodQualityNews.com posted notification of two public food safety meetings to be held soon in Washington, D.C. On March 10th, 2010, the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) will host an informational meeting on E. coli O157:H7 tracking. On March 30, 2010, several governmental agencies will be hosting another food safety meeting... [more]

After reading the Washington Post yesterday online, I was disappointed to learn that the Basic Food Flavors of Las Vegas was aware of Salmonella contamination at its plant according to the Food and Drug Administration. It was made public that Basic Food Flavors knew about Salmonella contamination as early as January of this year, but failed to stop producing the flavor enhancing HVP (Hydrolyzed Vegetable... [more]

In response to a recall commenced by its supplier, Mincing Overseas Spice Company, Dayton, New Jersey, Frontier Natural Products Co-op, is voluntarily recalling several of its products manufactured with non-organic black pepper that were sold under the Frontier brand and under the Whole Foods Market brands listed below that contain black pepper supplied by Mincing Overseas Spice Company. The black... [more]

Shigella was in the news this week following an outbreak of Shigellosis linked to a Subway restaurant in Lombard, Illinois. With eight confirmed cases of Shigella food poisoning and other possibly related illnesses reported, the Subway restaurant was closed. In addition, South Carolina’s St. James High School in Horry County had to be disinfected following an outbreak of stomach related ailments.... [more]

An article by Heywood Hoffman posted on ChicagoBreakingNews.com discussed possible Shigella contamination at a Subway restaurant in Lombard, Illinois.  Although results are still pending, the preliminary examination leads investigators to believe that this could  be Shigellosis food poisoning. The restaurant is currently closed. Four individuals, out of eight who became sick, have been hospitalized. According... [more]

According to Food Safety Research Institutes’ webpage entitled “Pathogens and Contaminants: Escherichia coli O157:H7,”  five to fifteen percent of children, who contract Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome after a bout with E. coli, die. In the United States, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome is the most common cause of child-related renal failure. Additionally, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome results in less than... [more]

Listeria is a bacterial infection, which is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and their unborn children. A news article on MyFox8.com describes how a North Carolina pregnant woman, who battled this disease and almost lost both her life and that of her baby, is now lobbying for stronger governmental food safety regulations. The mother contracted Listeria from cheese and delivered her daughter... [more]

The fallout continues as additional companies are recalling their products for possible Salmonella contamination due to the recall of one ingredient used to make their products.  The tainted ingredient is Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, Inc., of Las Vegas, Nevada.  Below are three more company releases: Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. of Beaverton, OR has... [more]