A novel treatment for botulism that may tame the toxin with therapeutics that have the potential to reverse the deadly paralysis — all coming out of Boston Children’s Hospital. The research on mice is being called a “botulism breakthrough” by Science Daily, the first to publish the work.
With fewer than 1,000 confirmed cases a year in the United States, botulism is a rare poisoning caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. It can…
Food testing has decreased in recent years because of budget and resource pressures and some local authorities do little or none of it, according to FSA research.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) did a small scale study to get evidence from local authorities on sampling. These authorities are legally required to inspect food and feed businesses, ensuring they meet hygiene, also known as microbiological concerns, and food standards requirements.
The Food Law Code of Practice…
Additional regulatory action is needed to control Campylobacter in New Zealand, according to researchers.
Scientists proposed a national inquiry to identify an effective response to Campylobacter in chicken meat, which they said was the largest food safety problem in the country.
Responsibility for managing food safety also needs to shift to an independent regulator, potentially as part of a revitalized public health agency, according to the accepted manuscript in the journal Epidemiology and Infection.…
A documentary based on Jeff Benedict’s 2013 bestseller “Poisoned” has officially been announced.
The 2011 book, Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak that Changed the Way Americans Eat, chronicles a deadly 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak and the rise of Bill Marler as a food safety attorney.
The documentary is being executive produced by award-winning author and journalist Jeff Benedict. Benedict is joining forces with Ross Dinerstein’s…
A recall initiated by Pero Family Farms Co. LLC of possible Listeria contamination of certain butternut squash ingredients has resulted in multiple recalls. Publix Super Markets Inc. is recalling select Publix “Steam In Bag” products prepared in-store containing a specific butternut squash ingredient provided by Pero Family Farms Co..
Two Pero products are recalled:
Butternut Squash Cubed Tray expiration dates from 01/15/2021 to 01/20/2021; and
Butternut Squash Veggie Spirals Tray, expiration dates from 01/15/2021 to 01/20/2021.…
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The possible presence of sanitizers in some half-pint containers of Hiland Dairy brand milk spurred the company to recall 240,000 servings from “institutional customers” in Oklahoma and Texas.
A company recall notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration does not specify what kind of institutional customers are involved. Generally institutional kitchens are defined as anything from schools and prisons to hotels and nursing homes.
The implicated half-pint containers of 1 percent chocolate milk were…
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Editor’s note: In part two of this four-part series with SafetyChain Software, Food Safety News reviews how food firms can become resilient in the face of 2021’s new challenges, how resilience will be needed in reducing supply chain risks.
Dr. David Acheson, CEO & president of The Acheson Group, suggests that food firms will need resilience when addressing consumer-related challenges in 2021.
Consumer shift away from preservatives
A recent survey found that seven in 10 Americans…
Farmworkers exposed to agricultural pesticides need additional information on how to protect themselves, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Since 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has had a Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for agriculture that permits farmworkers to identify someone who can request a farm’s pesticide information for their benefit.
In a new 34-page report to Congress, GAO addresses how the so-called “designated representative” provision is being used or misused. The standard covers…
The European Commission is developing steps to be followed in times of a crisis based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The contingency plan is a set of procedures to be put in place in times of crises to ensure food supply and food security across the EU. It will cover different food system-related sectors that may be affected including food safety.
A permanent forum will be created by the Commission including member states and,…
A drive to prevent emerging zoonotic risks and diseases such as COVID-19 has been unveiled and is being led by France.
The Preventing Zoonotic Diseases Emergence (PREZODE) initiative was announced at the One Planet Summit for Biodiversity on Jan. 11. Zoonotic diseases or zoonoses are caused by germs that spread between animals and people and can be foodborne.
Three French institutes have teamed up with 10 other research bodies in France, Germany and the Netherlands on the…