Raw foods of animal origin are the most likely to be contaminated; that is, raw meat and poultry, raw eggs, unpasteurized milk, and raw shellfish.  Because filter-feeding shellfish strain microbes from the sea over many months, they are particularly likely to be contaminated if there are any pathogens in the seawater.   Foods that mingle the products of many individual animals, such as bulk raw... [more]

A survey of state health departments regarding their capacity to track produce-related foodborne illnesses found that the response and investigation of outbreaks varies greatly and can lead to delays in public-health response. The survey was commissioned by the Produce Safety Project (PSP), an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts at Georgetown University, and conducted by Safe Tables Our Priority... [more]

Giardiasis is a diarrheal illness caused by a microscopic parasite, Giardia intestinalis. Once a person or animal has been infected with Giardia, the parasite lives in the intestine and is passed in feces. Because the parasite is protected by an outer shell, it can survive outside the body and in the environment for months at a time. Giardia infection has become recognized as a common cause of waterborne... [more]

Recently there has been a plethora of technology articles about the performance and functional capabilities of E. coli. These stories are so unusual they almost sound like science fiction, but in fact the articles are just plain science. Back in July, researchers from Missouri State and Davidson University published a paper about how they were able to use E. coli as a simple processor for a basic computer.... [more]

Salmonella was discovered in 1885 by Dr. Theobald Smith while he was developing vaccines for pigs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The microbe was named after his supervisor, Dr. Daniel Salmon, first author of the report that introduced the bacterium to the scientific community. Since then, over 2500 strains of Salmonella have been described by scientists. The Centers for Disease Control and... [more]

The FDA has recently announced that it is establishing new guidelines for restricting the sale of unpasteurized raw shellfish from the gulf coast during the summer months. The move is in response to the high number of foodborne illnesses that seem to surround the consumption of raw shellfish. The regulations are being enacted in hopes of controlling one of the deadliest food pathogens Vibrio vulnificus. By... [more]

The CDC estimates that there are 110,000 E. coli infections each year in the United States and 73,000 are related to the E. coli O157 serogroup. Approximately 3200 E. coli related hospitalizations transpire each year and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) occurs in about 10% of infections. Persons with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) have kidney failure and often require dialysis and transfusions. Hemolytic... [more]

San Link Inc at 54B Marjorie Street Staten Island, NY 10309 is recalling Vacuum Pack Dried Lesh (fish) and Dried Krasnoperka (fish) because the products were found to be uneviscerated. The recalled Vacuum Pack dried Lesh (fish) and dried Krasnoperka (fish) were distributed in New York State, New Jersey State and Connecticut State in vacuum pack containers.  The Vacuum Pack Dried Fish are products... [more]

In a rare turn of political events, new legislation granting the FDA greater powers and control over food recalls has been met with support from both political parties, food safety advocacy groups, the food industry and the general public. A recent Pew Charitable Trust survey found that over 90% of people polled support the food safety legislation that, if signed into law, would give the FDA new powers... [more]

Crocetti’s Oakdale Packing Co., doing business as, South Shore Meats, Inc., a Brockton, Mass., establishment, is recalling approximately 1,039 pounds of fresh ground beef patties derived from bench trim as well as mechanically tenderized beef cuts that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. This... [more]