As of March 8th, there have been just over 100 products recalled over concerns of the products being processed with hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) believed to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall list is bound to grow as more products are discovered to be connected with the contaminated HVP distributed by Basic Food Flavors, Inc. located in Las Vegas. There are only a few companies that... [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]

ABC News recently published an article discussing raw eggs. According to the article, the Associated Press circulated a recipe calling for the use of barely cooked eggs and the email backlash was overwhelming. ABC News decided to try to understand why consumers are so concerned about raw eggs and what foodborne illness problems are associated with their consumption. The article cites Salmonella as... [more]

According to the Washington Post, ongoing investigations have shown that there is a strong possibility that the Daniele International, Inc. recall of Italian sausage products was related to imported black pepper contaminated with Salmonella. Over 200 people have reported illnesses in more than forty states.  Additionally, over one quarter of these individuals have required hospitalization to treat Salmonellosis.... [more]

Good news for a change. USA Today reported that changes are being made to the standards established for testing of beef bought by the USDA for the National School Lunch Program. The changes will focus around stricter testing of beef for bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. According to the planned changes, beef will be sampled in fifteen minute intervals as it moves through the production... [more]

The January 2010 outbreak of Salmonella serotype Montevideo highlights the fact that multiple types of Salmonella bacteria exist. According to the CDC, there are over 2,500 different forms of Salmonella. Additionally, the recent Montevideo strain of Salmonella, currently being investigated by the USDA, the Food Safety Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and the CDC, has infected 225... [more]

The OzarksFirst.com just reported on an interesting new tool the FDA is utilizing to detect potential foodborne illnesses…it’s a mobile food lab. Currently situated along the Mexican border, the food lab is inspecting fruits and vegetables as they cross the border for food poisoning agents including Salmonella and E. coli. By detecting Salmonella and E. coli before they enter the marketplace, the... [more]

Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s FoodNet Facts and Figures website shows that children under four have the highest number of cases of bacterial and parasitic infections when compared to older individuals.  Per 100,000 individuals, there were over 28 children younger than four who contracted campylobacter, nearly 75 diagnosed with Salmonella, and 27 infected with Shigella.... [more]

The FDA has been pretty busy the past few weeks. The regulatory agency recently filed a lawsuit to prevent, a New Jersey cheese manufacturer from making food ever again. The permanent injunction came in response to continued cleanliness issues and repeated positive tests for Listeria. Shortly after the announcement of the injunction against the cheese maker, a Denver catering company was almost shut... [more]

Salmonella bacteria can be found in food products such as raw poultry, eggs, and beef, and sometimes on unwashed fruit. Food prepared on surfaces that previously were in contact with raw meat or meat products can, in turn, become contaminated with the bacteria. This is called cross-contamination. In recent years, Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention has received reports of several cases... [more]