WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A nationwide recall of eggs linked to an outbreak of salmonella that has sickened hundreds of people in three U.S. states has been expanded and now covers 380 million eggs.
The eggs all came from a farm in Iowa linked to salmonella cases in California, Colorado and Minnesota over the last three months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.
Affected by the recall are eggs packaged under brand names Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps.
Wright County Egg, of Galt, Iowa, expanded a nationwide recall to 380 million eggs on Wednesday from the initial recall of 228 million, the Egg Safety Center said. Salmonella outbreaks nationwide have increased fourfold since May, sparking an investigation of the foodborne illness in 13 states, said the FDA. No deaths have been reported.
State and local officials were investigating salmonella cases in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas, the FDA said.
Are we really safe? What needs to be done to improve consumer safety? Post your comments.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Major Salmonella Outbreak---EGGS
228M Eggs Recalled following Salmonella OutbreakBy MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press Writer
– Tue Aug 17, 11:55 pm ET
WASHINGTON – An Iowa egg producer is recalling 228 million eggs after being linked to an outbreak of salmonella poisoning.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said eggs from Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa, were linked to several illnesses in Colorado, California and Minnesota. The CDC said about 200 cases of the strain of salmonella linked to the eggs were reported weekly during June and July, four times the normal number of such occurrences.
State health officials say tainted eggs have sickened at least 266 Californians and seven in Minnesota.
The eggs were distributed around the country and packaged under the names Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph's, Boomsma's, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemp.
The Food and Drug Administration is investigating.
In a statement, company officials said the FDA is "on-site to review records and inspect our barns." The officials said they began the recall Aug. 13.
The most common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight hours to 72 hours of eating a contaminated product. It can be life-threatening, especially to those with weakened immune systems.
This is a major recall with a very HIGH Risk factor to many segments of the population. Are we doing enough to provide food safety to our country? What needs to be done to increase the level of food safety and consumer awareness of the risks? Post your comments!
For more on egg food safety...go to this link. http://www.eggsafety.org/
Monday, August 16, 2010
TACO BELL SALMONELLA UPDATE
Taco Bell Sued over Salmonella Illness
By Food Safety News
Copyright: Marler Clark
Georgetown, Kentucky, resident Jo Anne Smith filed a Salmonella lawsuit against Yum Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, Friday. Since mid-April, at least 155 people who have purchased food from Taco Bell locations in 21 states have become infected with Salmonella Hartford or Salmonella Baildon. Smith is one of 28 Salmonella outbreak victims from Kentucky.
According to the lawsuit filed by Smith's attorneys, she purchased two tacos garnished with lettuce, cheese, and sour cream from a Frankfort Taco Bell location on May 24. Smith became ill with symptoms of Salmonella infection on May 26, and her symptoms continued to worsen over the course of the next several days.Smith's symptoms continued to worsen, and on May 29 she was so weak and dehydrated that she called her husband and asked him to take her to the emergency room. Smith's husband and their son, who elected to leave the competition due to the severity of his mother's illness, took her to the ER, where she underwent an array of diagnostic tests and procedures, and received a variety of medications and supplements to address her severe symptoms.Smith is represented Marler Clark, the Seattle-based law firm that has represented thousands of victims of Salmonella outbreaks.
"We've represented victims of two prior food poisoning outbreaks at Taco Bell," said attorney and food safety advocate Bill Marler, who represented indivudals injured when in 2000, when green onions served at the chain were determined to be the source of an outbreak, and again in 2006 when an E. coli outbreak traced to lettuce sickened many patrons. "My hope is that these two experiences will lead Yum! Brands to step up quickly to address the needs of customers who have been infected with Salmonella."
By Food Safety News
Copyright: Marler Clark
Georgetown, Kentucky, resident Jo Anne Smith filed a Salmonella lawsuit against Yum Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, Friday. Since mid-April, at least 155 people who have purchased food from Taco Bell locations in 21 states have become infected with Salmonella Hartford or Salmonella Baildon. Smith is one of 28 Salmonella outbreak victims from Kentucky.
According to the lawsuit filed by Smith's attorneys, she purchased two tacos garnished with lettuce, cheese, and sour cream from a Frankfort Taco Bell location on May 24. Smith became ill with symptoms of Salmonella infection on May 26, and her symptoms continued to worsen over the course of the next several days.Smith's symptoms continued to worsen, and on May 29 she was so weak and dehydrated that she called her husband and asked him to take her to the emergency room. Smith's husband and their son, who elected to leave the competition due to the severity of his mother's illness, took her to the ER, where she underwent an array of diagnostic tests and procedures, and received a variety of medications and supplements to address her severe symptoms.Smith is represented Marler Clark, the Seattle-based law firm that has represented thousands of victims of Salmonella outbreaks.
"We've represented victims of two prior food poisoning outbreaks at Taco Bell," said attorney and food safety advocate Bill Marler, who represented indivudals injured when in 2000, when green onions served at the chain were determined to be the source of an outbreak, and again in 2006 when an E. coli outbreak traced to lettuce sickened many patrons. "My hope is that these two experiences will lead Yum! Brands to step up quickly to address the needs of customers who have been infected with Salmonella."
Friday, August 6, 2010
ONE MILLION pounds of Beef RECALLED
CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-048-2010 HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Valley Meat Company, a Modesto, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately one million pounds of frozen ground beef patties and bulk ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
FSIS-RC-048-2010 HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Valley Meat Company, a Modesto, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately one million pounds of frozen ground beef patties and bulk ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
FSIS became aware of the problem on July 15 when the agency was notified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) of a small E. coli O157:H7 cluster of illnesses with a rare strain as determined by PFGE subtyping. A total of six patients with illness onset dates between April 8 and June 18, 2010 were reported at that time. After further review, CDPH added another patient from February to the case count, bringing the count to seven. FSIS is continuing to work with the CDPH and the company on the investigation. Anyone with signs or symptoms of foodborne illness should contact a health care provider.
For information on Recall from Valley Meat Co. with full descriptions of products...CLICK HERE.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
New Jersey Firm Recalls Canned Meatball Products Due To Undeclared Allergen
Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:34:30 -0500
Ugo. DiLullo & Sons, a Westville, N.J., establishment, is recalling approximately 147,667 pounds of canned meatball products because they contain an allergen, egg, which is not declared on the label.
Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:34:30 -0500
Ugo. DiLullo & Sons, a Westville, N.J., establishment, is recalling approximately 147,667 pounds of canned meatball products because they contain an allergen, egg, which is not declared on the label.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL FDA INFO
Monday, August 2, 2010
PRISONERS EAT BETTER THAN STUDENTS?
Do Prisoners Eat Better than School Children?Copyright: Change.org
It's probably no secret that school lunch tastes pretty gross. Feeding kids a hot dog, bag of pretzels, sugary fruit cup, and chocolate milk isn't exactly the most nutritious meal, either. But despite cafeterias' dubious dishes, there's one place I expected to offer even worse fare — jail. The nation's youth must get better meals than grown-up, hardened criminals serving time in the slammer...right?
Well, according to a story in the Herald-Citizen, when it comes to meal selection, jail might actually be the preferable choice.
Reporter Tracey Hackett covered the meals served in Tennessee's Putnam County Justice Center. According to Hackett, the detention center's kitchen gets about $548 a day to provide prisoners with meals, which roughly works out to about $1.83 per meal. Each inmate gets two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. A typical breakfast consists of a six-ounce container of gravy, a 2.5-ounce biscuit, scrambled eggs, a hash brown patty, pineapple slices, an eight-ounce glass of milk, and some jelly. "Dinner typically consists of a sandwich or casserole, two-to-three servings of vegetables such as mashed potatoes, whole kernel corn and green beans, cornbread, sweet tea, and a serving of fruit or a dessert such as a cookie or piece of cake," Hackett reports.
It's probably no secret that school lunch tastes pretty gross. Feeding kids a hot dog, bag of pretzels, sugary fruit cup, and chocolate milk isn't exactly the most nutritious meal, either. But despite cafeterias' dubious dishes, there's one place I expected to offer even worse fare — jail. The nation's youth must get better meals than grown-up, hardened criminals serving time in the slammer...right?
Well, according to a story in the Herald-Citizen, when it comes to meal selection, jail might actually be the preferable choice.
Reporter Tracey Hackett covered the meals served in Tennessee's Putnam County Justice Center. According to Hackett, the detention center's kitchen gets about $548 a day to provide prisoners with meals, which roughly works out to about $1.83 per meal. Each inmate gets two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. A typical breakfast consists of a six-ounce container of gravy, a 2.5-ounce biscuit, scrambled eggs, a hash brown patty, pineapple slices, an eight-ounce glass of milk, and some jelly. "Dinner typically consists of a sandwich or casserole, two-to-three servings of vegetables such as mashed potatoes, whole kernel corn and green beans, cornbread, sweet tea, and a serving of fruit or a dessert such as a cookie or piece of cake," Hackett reports.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Yes we have no Mayo!
Saturday mornings in Toledo, OH there is a radio station that plays all the old tunes I listened to as a kid while at my Grandfather's home. Well I heard the old tune "Yes We Have No Bananas" a novelty song by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn from the 1922 Broadway revue "Make It Snappy", and sung by Eddie Cantor. As I started making some tuna salad today and reached for the empty jar of mayo, the tune hit me like a bolt of lightening. Now what? Yes we have no mayo! How do you make one of America's favorite lunch sandwich proteins without mayo? So I tried to think of what to substitute for the over used mayo. Maybe a lemon vinaigrette with some dry dill weed would work. Then the creative juices started to flow. The frig always has Bleu Cheese dressing or Ranch dressing for the picking. Add a little Parmesan cheese and you have a winner. Spice it up with some diced Peppadew peppers and onions. Add a slice of pepperjack cheese and make a grilled tuna melt! Now there is a song to sing. Blog your favorite alternative for mayo.
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