Every year there are hundreds of foodborne disease outbreaks reported in the United States. However, relatively few are actually associated with food recalls. A study recently published in Epidemiology & Infection and online by Cambridge University Press compared 226 outbreaks associated with food recalls with those not associated with recalls during 2006–2016. The study, led by Qihua Qiu an assistant professor of Economics at Augusta University, found that recall-associated outbreaks had, on average, more illnesses per…

Back to school is an exciting time filled with new school supplies, including a new lunch box. But a good lunch can easily go bad if not properly packed. Without proper storage, perishable food is at risk for harmful bacteria after two hours, said Ravi Jadeja, food safety specialist for Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center. “Bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, or food poisoning, grows rapidly at temperatures between…

Opinion David Gumpert at The Complete Patient blog is a writer and author in the “Food Freedom” space. For comparison, you might read Food Safety News to help you make responsible decisions about what you eat and drink. Guidance about lawful and responsible food is not Gumpert’s purpose. We’ve long passed around David Gumpert’s columns to stay current on “Food Freedom’s” plan. What they come up with is sometimes crazy, but it’s almost always good…

Two people in Romania have been diagnosed with botulism, according to Agerpres, the country’s news agency. This past weekend, a man went to hospital in the city of Arad and his wife was later diagnosed as being infected. They are believed to have eaten homemade ham. The news agency reported that there was no antitoxin available so health officials had to get some from Moldova. Both patients remain under observation in hospital. Botulism poisoning is…

An outbreak of hepatitis A infections has been confirmed in relation to frozen mangos. Patients live in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Nova Scotia. It is not yet known whether the products were distributed in the United States. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency posted a recall notice for four products in relation to the outbreak. See chart below for details. “This recall was triggered by findings during an investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak.…

The number of reported cases of domestically acquired cyclosporiasis illnesses has increased by 254 cases since the last update on July 14, 2021. Cases continue to be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of July 27, there have been 462 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in people who had no history of international travel during the 14-day period before illness onset. The ill people have been reported to CDC by 29 jurisdictions, including 28…

A lack of communication between officials in Canada could put at risk the control system for EU dairy exports, according to an audit. DG Sante, the European Commission’s agency for health and food safety, looked at the official control system for milk and dairy products sent to the European Union as part of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada. Findings are based on a review of documentation and control…