Built Brands, LLC. of American Fork, UT, is recalling 4,196 individual bars of its “Banana Cream Pie Puffs” protein bar because of potential pathogenic E. coli contamination. The exact strain has yet to be determined. The potential for contamination was noted after routine testing by a third-party laboratory detected the presence of E. coli. The…
A new study from the Colorado School of Public Health shows investment in public health programs helps prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses. The study, publishing in the Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, evaluated the structural and outbreak factors associated with reporting foodborne outbreaks. The study found that the number and types of foodborne outbreaks reported…
The Food and Drug Administration is investigating a new outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections, but little information has been released. Ten patients have been identified in the E. coli outbreak, but no information has been released about where they live or what their ages are. The FDA reports that it has begun traceback efforts,…
Four years ago, Thomas Gremillion of the Consumer Federation of America petitioned USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on behalf of the Safe Food Coalition. The petition sought an FSIS rulemaking to revise the regulations that prescribe mandatory safe handling instruction (SHI) labeling for raw and partially cooked meat and poultry products. In a May…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises consumers to talk to their doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional before deciding to purchase or use any dietary supplement. One reason for this recommendation is that some supplements might interact with medicines or other supplements. On Thursday, FDA announced a new initiative called Supplement Your Knowledge, to help…
A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate is calling for stricter regulation of “Generally Recognized as Safe” substances and the creation of a new FDA office to assess the safety of chemicals in America’s food supply. Senator Edward J. Markey, D-MA, introduced the Ensuring Safe and Toxic-Free Foods Act, comprehensive legislation that would ensure the…
This week there were three hearings in Washington D.C. addressing the infant formula shortage and the reasons behind it. FDA officials were pressed about the failure of leadership and disorganization of the recall by Abbott Nutrition. The FDA refused to take food safety seriously and now the most vulnerable are at risk. Abbott received 17 consumer complaints between…
Garden Cut, LLC, of Indianapolis, IN, is recalling Garden Cut products containing 0.750z Jif Peanut Butter Cup because of possible Salmonella contamination. This recall comes after J. M. Smucker Co.’s recall of dozens of Jif peanut butter products because of a new outbreak of infections from Salmonella Senftenberg. The full recall can be viewed here.…
Recruitment and a loss of access to data and networks are some of the challenges facing the Food Standards Agency now that the UK has left the EU, according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO). Nearly 18 months after the end of the transition period when the United Kingdom left the European…
According to the CDC and FDA, at least 4 kids were sickened and of those two died, from drinking Abbott infant formula. Abbott denies the connection. However, the resulting investigation and inspection (and whistleblower documents) uncovered enough problems in the Abbott facility to shutter it causing havoc with supplies of infant formula. The facility is…
This past week the CDC declared an outbreak of Cronobacter infections over after the FDA received four complaints of Cronobacter infections in infants beginning on September 20, 2021, through January 11, 2022. Two of the babies died. Parents of all four infants reported having fed their children formula produced by Abbott Nutrition before they became ill.…
– OPiNION – ROSEMONT, IL — This year’s keynote at the 24th Annual Food Safety Summit was about “food safety culture.” FDA officials Conrad Choiniere and Donald Prater did a stand-up act, reminding the audience of about 800 that “food safety culture” is already on their radar screen. FDA’s “New Era” acknowledges the importance of…