Latest news with #FoodSafetyNews
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The name of the grower behind a deadly E. coli lettuce outbreak has been disclosed
A federal court case has revealed the name of the grower behind a deadly 2024 E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce, Food Safety News reported Friday. On April 17, Marler Clark, Inc., PS, a law firm representing victims of foodborne illnesses, filed three federal lawsuits — two in Indiana and one in Missouri — against Taylor Farms, a fresh produce grower based in Salinas, California. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of two children and one adult woman who suffered from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious complication that causes kidney failure, due to E. coli, according to a recent press release. Marler Clark also amended five other cases to include Taylor Farms' romaine lettuce, which sickened over 50 individuals after it was found in salads catered at a high school in St. Louis, Missouri. In the 2024 outbreak, which occurred in November and December, a total of 89 individuals became ill across 15 states. Seven individuals developed HUS and one person died. Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) withheld from naming the grower because 'by the time the investigation was over, the implicated lot of romaine lettuce was no longer available for sale,' Food Safety News reported. The FDA also refrained from naming all firms and companies that handled and processed the tainted lettuce. 'It is disappointing, but with 20,000 employees at Health and Human Services (HHS) being fired, investigating, and reporting on outbreaks and alerting the public to the cause is clearly not a priority for this administration,' William "Bill" Marler, the food safety attorney who filed the lawsuits, said in a statement. 'If the gutted CDC and FDA can no longer do the job, we will step up to inform and protect the public — so much for 'Make America Healthy Again (MAHA).'' In a statement sent to Food Safety News, Taylor Farms defended itself and its products: 'Taylor Farms product was not the source of the referenced 2024 E. coli outbreak. We perform extensive raw and finished product testing on all our product and there was no evidence of contamination. Any reporting that connects Taylor Farms products to these heartbreaking illnesses is dangerous, irresponsible and unfair to the impacted families.'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Officials issue warning following recall of popular food item: 'Adverse health consequences'
Hundreds of thousands of frozen acai bowls have been recalled because of the risk that they may contain plastic. The Food and Drug Administration announced a Class II recall on more than 25,000 cases of organic acai bowls made by California company Stiebs LLC, Food Safety News reported. The recall is due to potential contamination with blue pieces of plastic. The frozen, prepackaged products are labeled as Organic Acai Bowl with Berries, Bananas, Granola, and Dried Coconut, with expiration dates that range from Sept. 30, 2025, to Feb. 5, 2026. Each case contained 24 bowls, and they were shipped to retail locations from distribution centers in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. The FDA labels a Class II recall as "a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote." Anyone who purchased one of these acai bowls should not consume it. This isn't the only food recall involving plastic contamination. In March, a Canadian supermarket recalled ground beef because it may have contained plastic pieces. Each of these recalls shows one of the many dangers posed by the overabundance of plastic in our society. Plastic has become such a common pollutant that there are an estimated 170 trillion pieces of plastic in our ocean, and that number is expected to double every six years. Most of those are microplastics, tiny pieces that are smaller than 5 millimeters in diameter. Not surprisingly, a lot of that plastic waste ends up in our food. cited research that shows the average person ingests thousands of microplastic particles from things such as seafood, tea bags, apples, carrots, and salt. However, bottled water may be the biggest culprit. A 2024 study found that 1 liter of bottled water had an average of 240,000 plastic particles. Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. In food packaging alone, there are many sustainable alternatives to plastic, such as packaging made from recycled fiber, seaweed, and even food waste. Many governments are also taking action against plastic waste. In California, for example, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law to ban plastic shopping bags. You can also make decisions in your day-to-day life to help use less plastic. Along with grocery bags, consider replacing plastic food containers and single-use health and beauty products. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
CDC continuing cruise ship inspections despite staffing cuts
April 16 (UPI) -- The federal government's Vessel Sanitation Program continues its health inspections of cruise ships despite recent staff reductions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "This work has not stopped as the VSP is primarily staffed by [U.S. Public Health Service officers]," a CDC spokesperson told Food Safety News. Those commissioned officers were not among those who were released from the CDC amid the Trump administration's reduction of the federal workforce. The inspections are being carried out by half the number of inspectors, though, Food Safety News reported on Wednesday. The USPHS has a dozen inspectors to conduct safety inspections of cruise ships while they are docked at U.S. ports, which is down from 24 inspectors. Cruise ship firms fund the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program through fees charged to their passengers and no taxpayer dollars pay for the service. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. recently announced he would fire 10,000 of the agency's staff, and the CDC has released 2,400 people. The staffing reductions caused some media outlets to incorrectly report the Vessel Sanitation Program had been eliminated, but the reductions do make the work more challenging. "It really compromises everything and makes it difficult for them to travel globally and do those inspections in Europe or wherever it might be," Erik Svendsen, director of the CDC's Division of Environmental Health, Science and Practice, told USA Today. Svendsen is among CDC staffers who are on administrative leave until June and will not be employed afterward. He said USPHS officers board cruise ships to complete the health inspections that help ensure the vessels are safe for passengers. Officials for the Cruise Lines International Association trade organization said its members are continuing to follow established safety guidelines as required by the Vessel Sanitation Program. "Our current understanding from the CDC is that the Vessel Sanitation Program, which is voluntary and funded by the cruise industry, will continue to operate," CLIA officials told USA Today in a prepared statement. "Additionally, public reports have noted that the program is administered and staffed primarily by commissioned U.S. Public Health officers, so we expect some programmatic activities to continue in some capacity," the statement said. The CDC says about 12.5 million passengers embarked from ports in North America in 2022 and face an elevated risk of contagious diseases. "Traveling on cruise ships exposes people to new environments and high volumes of people, including other travelers," the CDC says. "This exposure can create the risk for illness from contaminated food or water or, more commonly, through person-to-person contact."
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Federal agencies won't disclose the name of the grower behind a deadly E. coli lettuce outbreak
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) won't disclose the name of the grower behind a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce in 2024. According to February reports obtained by Food Safety News, both agencies revealed that the same grower was responsible for an outbreak in 2021. In the 2024 outbreak — which occurred in November and December — a total of 89 individuals became ill across 15 states. Seven individuals developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication that causes kidney failure, and one person died. The FDA explained that the grower is not named in its report because 'by the time the investigation was over, the implicated lot of romaine lettuce was no longer available for sale,' Food Safety News reported. Additionally, the agency redacted the names of all firms and companies that handled and processed the tainted lettuce. 'The three traceback legs identified 4 distribution centers, broker, processors, [redacted] grower, and [redacted] ranch,' the FDA report outlined. 'The traceback investigation determined that [redacted], the sole processor, sourced romaine lettuce from [redacted] grower, [redacted].' 'This romaine was available at all points of service (POS) during the specified timeframe of interest. Additionally, romaine lettuce supplied to [redacted] POS was traced back to a common ranch and lot,' the report continued. 'Through analysis of records, [redacted] lots of romaine lettuce were implicated, resulting in confirmation of romaine lettuce as the vehicle.' The FDA added that seven subclusters of E. Coli infections were part of the outbreak. They included catered events in Missouri, an Ohio school, an Indiana restaurant, an Illinois restaurant and an Illinois catered event, per Food Safety News. An investigation by the CDC found that out of 65 individuals who were part of the subclusters, 95% said they ate a mix of leafy greens before falling sick. 88% of individuals who could remember what leafy greens they ate said they consumed romaine lettuce. 'The traceback investigation determined that a sole processor sourced romaine lettuce from [redacted] grower that would have been available at all points of service during the timeframe of interest,' the FDA said in its report. 'Additionally, romaine lettuce supplied to [redacted] POS was traced back to a common ranch and lot.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Three people dead after 'eating contaminated desserts' in NHS hospitals
Three people have died after reportedly eating 'contaminated' desserts while in NHS hospitals amid a possible listeria bacteria outbreak in the UK. Health officials have said they are investigating after concerns were raised that desserts were potentially contaminated with listeria. It is believed the patients died after eating Cool Light Deserts' products served in the NHS hospitals. According to Food Safety News, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Food Standards Agency (FSA) are looking into five cases of Listeria monocytogenes. Patients were identified from May to December 2024, with two in Yorkshire and Humber and one each in the north west, West Midlands and Wales. People affected were between 68 and 89 years old, with underlying health conditions. READ MORE: Exact dates 95 Santander UK branches will shut - full list of closures Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the BirminghamLive newsletter here. It is understood that some were hospitalised leading up to their infection. Of the five cases, three have died - including one where Listeria monocytogenes was reported as the cause of death. Cool Delight Desserts is said to be working with local authorities and the FSA as part of the investigation. A representative told Food Safety News the firm was in ongoing discussions with the FSA and was unable to comment until the investigations were concluded. Listeria monocytogenes were detected twice in foods - a chocolate and vanilla mousse and a strawberry and vanilla mousse. Both were sampled in February 2025 at an NHS hospital in the South West as part of routine surveillance, according to Food Safety News. Levels of Listeria monocytogenes were below the regulatory threshold of 100 colony forming units per gram (CFU/g). A food alert for action has since been issued by the FSA. This affects frozen, ready to eat desserts produced by Cool Delight Desserts and supplied by B & A Susca - an ice cream shop in Hyde, Greater Manchester. All pack sizes, best before dates, and batch codes of Cool Delight Desserts ice cream, ice cream rolls, mousses and yoghurts are being recalled as a precaution. Listeria causes a rare infection called Listeriosis, the NHS says. It is usually caused by eating food contaminated with listeria bacteria, usually chilled, ready-to-eat foods. Most people have mild symptoms including a a high temperature, aches and pains, chills, nausea, vomtting and diarrhoea. Listeriosis is not usually serious but some people are at higher risk of serious issues including pregnant women, newborn babies and people with weakened immune systems. The NHS says: "Older people are also at higher risk of getting seriously ill from listeriosis, and this risk increases with age. "If you get listeriosis while you're pregnant, there is a risk it could cause miscarriage or stillbirth. "In babies and people with a weakened immune system, listeriosis can sometimes lead to serious and life-threatening problems such as sepsis or meningitis."
