Latest news with #foodborneillness
E&E News
16-07-2025
- Health
- E&E News
Rollins outlines plan to expand fight against foodborne illness
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled a modernized Midwestern Food Safety Laboratory in Missouri on Tuesday, at an event where she also rolled out a comprehensive plan to combat foodborne illness. The 70,000-square-foot facility near St. Louis will support new testing methods for listeria, which have resulted in a more than 200 percent increase in samples from last year, USDA said in a statement. 'USDA is charting a bold new course in giving consumers confidence their meat, poultry, and egg products meet our best-in-class food safety standards,' Rollins said in the USDA statement. 'I look forward to continued collaboration across the Trump administration, with states, and with food producers from farm to table, to reduce foodborne illness and protect public health.' Advertisement The five-pronged plan Rollins outlined includes enhancing microbiological inspection oversight; updating training for Food Safety and Inspection Service inspectors, combating salmonella illness, strengthening state partnerships, and bolstering enforcement action.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
6 Ways to Avoid Food Poisoning at Potlucks, According to an M.D.
Reviewed by Dietitian Alyssa Pike, RDNSteer clear of shared dips and dairy-based dishes that sit out too long. Always wash your hands or use sanitizer before eating, especially when traveling. When in doubt, don't eat it—your gut will thank you is peak buffet season. Whether you're grazing through a deli tray at your cousin's graduation party, hitting the omelet station on a cruise or piling up a plate at a backyard cookout, you're probably enjoying yourself—and not thinking about foodborne illness. But maybe you should be. Summer temperatures, long serving times and lots of hands touching shared platters can create the perfect storm for harmful bacteria. 'Warm weather and long outdoor gatherings can be the perfect recipe for an upset stomach if you're not careful,' says Masarat Jilani, M.D., resident doctor for Jude. Upset stomachs are especially miserable when you're on vacation or celebrating. The good news? A few simple habits can help you enjoy your summer feasts without an unwanted side of food poisoning. Deviled eggs and charcuterie boards are party staples for a reason, but they come with risks. 'Deviled eggs are a breeding ground for salmonella if left out too long, especially in warm weather,' Jilani warns. The same goes for dips with mayo or soft cheeses. If they've been on the table for more than an hour in the heat, it's time to toss them. 'Serve dips in smaller portions and keep the rest chilled, then refill as needed,' Jilani suggests. It may be more work, but less it's likely to result in someone having some serious tummy trouble. And when in doubt? Trust your senses. 'If something smells odd, looks off, or the texture is strange—don't eat it,' Jilani says. At buffets, freshly prepared omelets, grilled veggies or stir-fries are some of your safest bets. These items haven't been sitting out under a heat lamp or steam table for who knows how long. 'Opt for food that's hot and made to order whenever possible,' Jilani advises. If you do go for pre-prepared items, pay close attention to temperature. Anything that should be hot but feels lukewarm—especially meat, seafood, eggs, or dairy-heavy dishes—is a red flag. That chicken in cream sauce may look tempting, but if it's tepid, give it a pass. 'Hot food should be above 145°F and cold food below 41°F,' says Jilani. 'Anything that falls into the danger gap between those temperatures shouldn't sit out and should really be eaten straight away once served.' Cheesecake, cream pies and softening ice cream may look harmless enough on the buffet table, but they're among the riskiest items when left out too long. 'Anything that looks like it should be refrigerated but has been left out—skip it,' Jilani advises. Dairy-based desserts are especially prone to bacterial growth when warm, and symptoms of food poisoning from spoiled dairy can hit hard. If you're hosting, serve cold treats in small batches directly from the fridge or freezer and replenish as needed. Yes, it means more cleanup—but far fewer regrets. If the shrimp cocktail has been sweating in the sun or that tuna tartare looks even slightly off, don't risk it. 'Eat seafood only if it's very fresh and thoroughly cooked,' Jilani says. 'Now is not the time to try sushi for the first time.' Seafood is especially vulnerable to spoilage, so unless you're at a reputable spot with high turnover and proper refrigeration, it's best to steer clear. A beach vacation shouldn't come with a side of food poisoning. You already know you should wash your hands before you eat and after using the bathroom. But when you're sharing food, it's extra important. 'Carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and use it frequently,' says Jilani. 'Especially when you're traveling and may not have access to clean water.' Shared serving utensils also present a risk. 'Be cautious of food that looks like it's been handled repeatedly or left uncovered,' Jilani adds. And at home gatherings? Offer individual spoons or serving tools so people aren't double-dipping into communal dips or grazing directly from cheese boards with their hands. The classic rule of thumb is that perishable food can sit out for up to two hours at room temperature—but that doesn't apply during a summer scorcher. 'The two-hour rule only applies in more temperate weather—not a July heat wave,' says Jilani. 'If the outdoor temperature is above 95°F, that window drops to just one hour.' That means once the food hits the table, the clock is ticking. If you're hosting, serve in smaller batches and stash backups in the fridge or cooler. If you're a guest, fill your plate early rather than lingering—you don't want to be the one who takes the last helping of tuna salad that's in the food safety danger zone. Buffets and backyard spreads are part of what makes summer fun—but they come with some hidden hazards. Being vigilant about temperature, cleanliness and how long food has been sitting out can go a long way, according to Jilani. With a little planning and a lot of hand sanitizer, you can enjoy the season's best bites without regret. Read the original article on EATINGWELL
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
FDA issues urgent recall for blueberries after classifying it as most severe risk level
The FDA has upgraded its warning about potentially deadly blueberries, indicating a 'reasonable probability' of serious health harms or death. The federal agency's update followed a recall initiated last month by Alma Pak International LLC, a produce packing facility based in Georgia, over concerns that the berries were contaminated with Listeria. Four hundred boxes of blueberries – totaling 12,000 pounds – were shipped to a single customer in North Carolina, but it is unclear whether they were distributed elsewhere afterward. Eating blueberries contaminated with Listeria could cause listeriosis, a potentially severe foodborne illness. Listeria infections often begin with flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, nausea, and headache. But for vulnerable groups, the disease can be deadly. Pregnant women face miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening complications for their newborns. Older adults and immunocompromised individuals may experience severe neurological effects, including confusion, seizures, and even death. While healthy adults usually recover, the elderly are at much higher risk of fatal outcomes due to age-related immune decline. Four hundred boxes of blueberries – totaling 12,000 pounds – were recalled last month over listeria concerns. The FDA upgraded its warning to the public to the highest risk level 'During routine testing the firm [Alma Pak Int'l LLC] received positive test results of Listeria monocytogenes on their finished product,' according to the FDA. Around 90 percent of people with listeriosis, the infection caused by listeria, require hospitalization, while 20 to 30 percent of patients die. The CDC estimates that of 1,600 cases every year, roughly 260 do not survive. The FDA's new risk level, Class I, 'represents a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,' according to the FDA. Each of the 400 boxes of blueberries weighing 30 pounds was delivered to North Carolina, but it is unclear whether that recipient was a distributor, a store, or other business, or a private individual who loves blueberries. The FDA has not yet responded to questions. Blueberries are generally considered low-risk for harboring Listeria due to their low pH environment, and outbreaks linked to blueberries are rare. Far more common are outbreaks of listeriosis linked to deli meat. At least 61 people were hospitalized, and 10 people died of listeriosis linked to Boar's Head deli meats last year. The outbreak could be traced back to unsanitary conditions – including mold, insects, and liquids dripping from the ceiling – at the company's processing plant in Jarratt, Virginia. One victim of the outbreak was Günter Morgenstein, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, fell ill days after eating Boar's Head sausage, developing Listeria-induced meningitis. He died from severe brain inflammation. Sue Fleming, 88, and her husband Patrick, 76, are suing Boar's Head after she ate contaminated liverwurst, leading to Listeria infection. Hospitalized for nine days in intensive care, she still suffers neurological effects and has not fully recovered. Still, Listeria fears have caused blueberry recalls in the past as well, including one in 2022 for frozen blueberries processed in Oregon. Nobody is reported to have gotten sick. Listeriosis can be mild in otherwise healthy individuals, but deadly in others. In newborns, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems, listeriosis can progress to life-threatening meningitis, a severe brain infection. Between 20 and 30 percent of babies and immunocompromised people who get listeriosis will die, while between 16 and 20 percent of elderly people will die. Symptoms of listeriosis can develop within a few days or even a few weeks after consuming contaminated food. They resemble the flu at first, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, and fever. If left untreated, the infection can progress to cause symptoms such as a stiff neck, confusion, balance problems, and seizures. In pregnant women, listeria raises the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, health problems for the newborn, and infant death.
The Independent
02-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
FDA issues recall for 400 boxes of blueberries
Alma Pak International LLC's organic blueberry recall has been elevated to a Class I by the FDA due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The initial recall on June 9 involved 400 boxes, each weighing 30 pounds, after routine testing detected the disease-causing bacteria. A Class I recall signifies the highest risk level, indicating a reasonable probability of serious adverse health consequences or death from product use. The affected blueberries were shipped to a single customer in North Carolina and are identifiable by lot numbers 13325 G1060 / 13325 G 1096. Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the U.S., and overall food recalls have seen a significant increase in 2024, leading to more hospitalizations and deaths than in 2023.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Microplastics May Be Making E. Coli Infections Even More Dangerous, Scientists Say
A University of Illinois study found that certain charged nanoplastics can boost the virulence of foodborne pathogens like E. coli, making them harder to eliminate. The bacteria exposed to nanoplastics developed biofilms, which shield them from antibiotics and sanitation methods. A separate Boston University study found that microplastics enable bacteria to resist multiple antibiotics, raising concerns that regions with higher plastic pollution, such as low-income areas, may face increased risks of are truly everywhere. As the World Economic Forum explained, these tiny plastic particles measuring 5 millimeters or less have been found across land, oceans, the air, and throughout our food chain. They've also been detected in human blood and in the brain. We still don't know much about how they actually impact human health. However, a new study suggests that microplastics could have an unexpected effect: making foodborne illnesses even more dangerous than before. In April, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign published their study findings in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology, examining how nanoplastics, which are a mere 1 micrometer wide or smaller, react when they come into contact with foodborne pathogens, specifically E. coli O157:H7, a particularly harmful strain that can cause serious illness in humans. 'Other studies have evaluated the interaction of nanoplastics and bacteria, but so far, ours is the first to look at the impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on human pathogenic bacteria," the study's senior author, Pratik Banerjee, who is also an associate professor in the department of food science and human nutrition and an Illinois Extension Specialist, shared in a statement. Related: How Microplastics Sneak Into Your Food — and What You Can Do About It Using three types of polystyrene-based nanoplastics — one with a positive charge, one with a negative charge, and one with no charge at all — the team discovered that these nanoparticles can significantly influence how bacteria grow, survive, and even how dangerous they become. In particular, those exposed to a positive charge. That's because the positive charge caused a "bacteriostatic" effect, which slowed but did not stop the E. coli from growing. Instead, it adapted, resumed growth, and formed biofilms, which make bacteria harder to kill. 'Just as a stressed dog is more likely to bite, the stressed bacteria became more virulent, pumping out more Shiga-like toxin, the chemical that causes illness in humans,' Banerjee said. The researcher noted that these biofilms form a "very robust bacterial structure and are hard to eradicate,' emphasizing that their goal was to observe what occurs "when this human pathogen, which is commonly transmitted via food, encounters these nanoplastics from the vantage point of a biofilm.' Although the research doesn't suggest that micro- and nanoplastics are the only cause of foodborne illness outbreaks, they point out that interactions like the ones they observed "lead to enhanced survival of pathogens with increased virulence traits."This isn't the only study highlighting the effects of microplastics on bacteria. In March, researchers from Boston University published their findings in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, which showed that bacteria exposed to microplastics could become resistant to "multiple types of antibiotics commonly used to treat infections." Related: Are Plastic Bottles Leaking Microplastics Into Your Soda? Here's What Science Says They also specifically studied how E. coli (this time using MG1655, a non-pathogenic laboratory strain) reacted to microplastics, and, as Neila Gross, a PhD candidate in materials science and engineering and the lead author of the study, shared, 'The plastics provide a surface that the bacteria attach to and colonize." On those surfaces, Gross and her team also found that they created that dangerous biofilm, which "supercharged the bacterial biofilms," making it impossible for antibiotics to penetrate. 'We found that the biofilms on microplastics, compared to other surfaces like glass, are much stronger and thicker, like a house with a ton of insulation,' Gross added. 'It was staggering to see.' Furthermore, the BU team pointed out that while microplastics are everywhere, they are especially problematic in lower-income areas of the world that may lack the ability to control pollution flow. 'The fact that there are microplastics all around us, and even more so in impoverished places where sanitation may be limited, is a striking part of this observation,' Muhammad Zaman, a BU College of Engineering professor of biomedical engineering who studies antimicrobial resistance and refugee and migrant health, added. 'There is certainly a concern that this could present a higher risk in communities that are disadvantaged, and only underscores the need for more vigilance and a deeper insight into [microplastic and bacterial] interactions.' Read the original article on Food & Wine
