I asked our AI friends – What are the pros and cons of replacing FDA Commissioner Makary with me – here is the response? This is a very timely question — Makary resigned as FDA Commissioner today, May 12, 2026, amid reports of internal tensions and policy clashes, with the vaping dispute reportedly being a […]
This week I get to stick close to home. I have a Food Safety Speech at the Seafood Products Association Meeting in Seattle on Tuesday and then a quick trip to Washington State University on Wednesday and Thursday. Here is the final draft of my slides for the Seafood folks:
The FDA has updated its expanding recall list of various products containing Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein. The list includes: Bouillon Products – Herbox Dip and Dip Mix Products – Concord Foods, De la Casa, Delicioso, Follow Your Heart, Fresh Food, Concepts, Great Value, Johnny’s Fine Foods, McCormick, Oak Lake Farms, Reser’s, Rojo’s, T. Marzetti Dressing and […]
Brian Gehring of the Bismarck Tribune confirmed today that the South Dakota Health Department says it will not seek charges against a rural Washburn woman for operating an unlicensed catering business linked to sickening 180 people last summer. Aggie Jennings of rural McLean County catered three events (2 weddings, 1 reunion) in mid-June that led […]
According to local press reports, the DuPage County Health Department is staffing its call center throughout the weekend to keep tabs on the rising number of gastrointestinal illnesses being reported from a Subway restaurant in Lombard. Four more cases of shigellosis were confirmed Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases caused by the outbreak […]
U. S. Customs and Border Protection announced Friday that officials seized 107 pounds of "queso fresco," which is soft Mexican cheese. The illegal cheese was hidden in false compartments of a vehicle trying to enter the United States across the Bridge of the Americas on Wednesday. Federal officials permit travelers to import personal quantities of […]
As part of the Salmonella Montevideo investigation, the Food and Drug Administration has been actively investigating the supply chain of black and red pepper supplied to Daniele International Inc., Pascoag, R.I. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 245 people have been infected with a matching strain of Salmonella Montevideo in at least […]
Elizabeth Armstrong and her 5-year-old daughter Ashley put a face on the 76,000,000 American’s who become sick by food each year at a cost of over $152,000,000,000.
Although some say that government does not work – perhaps there are parts that do? Did the FDA Reportable Food Registry work as it was supposed to and start the hydrolyzed vegetable protein Salmonella Tennessee recall? The reality is that according to the FDA: [t]he manufacturer of the affected product is Basic Food Flavors Inc […]
According to an FDA press release, the FDA is taking steps to protect the public following the early identification of Salmonella Tennessee in one company’s supply of hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP). This is a common ingredient used most frequently as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods, including soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, […]
In reading the report (which you can download below), I was struck by this one passage: The dairy operator was found to be knowledgeable of sanitary standards and testing methods. However, sanitary measures such as having hand washing stations, the use of bleach for sanitizing bottles, proper dishwashing water temperatures, and monitoring of transport temperatures […]
The CDC reports now a total of 245 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo have been reported from 44 states and District of Columbia since July 1, 2009. The number of ill persons identified in each state with this strain is as follows: AK (2), AL (2), AZ (7), CA (30), CO […]
Elizabeth Weise of USA Today again shows how the Nation’s Paper does a great job of covering Food Safety issues. According to her story this morning, “Food-borne illnesses cost the United States $152 billion a year, a tab that works out to an average cost of $1,850 each time someone gets sick from food, a […]
We should all be thankful for the hard work from the folks over at the Food Safety Project. Here is a well-done piece on how to produce safe food while not ruining the environment at the same time: Abstract The safety of fresh produce persists as a pressing national issue. Farmers, environmental groups, and others […]
A few months ago I posted, “The only thing the President missed tonight in the Health Care Speech – Real Health Care Reform Requires Safe Food,” where I argued that fixing the problem of safe food in our country would lead to lower medical costs. Well, it seems that I was about $152 Billion – […]
FSIS CLASS I RECALL Randolph Packing Co. Inc., an Asheboro, N.C. establishment, is recalling approximately 96,000 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The products subject to recall include: Combo bin packages of “Randolph Packing Co., Inc. […]