salmonella poisoning 11 articles

Foster Farms is recalling nearly 40,000 pounds of frozen, pre-cooked chicken because the products may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause listeriosis, a foodborne illness that can cause symptoms such as diarrhea and can be fatal to some individuals. The recall involves frozen Chicken Breast Grilled Strips produced at the Foster Farms plant in Farmerville, La., on August 5 with a Best by date of 08-05-15. The chicken is packaged in 3.5-pound plastic re-sealable bags that are marked with the establishment number P-33901. The affected products were shipped to retail warehouses and Costco stores in California, Washington, ... Read More

At least 21 people have been infected with salmonella bacteria after eating chia seed powder, prompting a product recall and a multistate health investigation. Chia seeds are a health food product commonly blended into smoothies or into snacks to enhance diets with added nutrients and curb appetite for weight loss. The seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, grown in Mexico, and are the same seeds used to sprout grass-like “fur” on clay figurines called Chia Pets. These illnesses are the first to link the food borne illness salmonella to chia seed powder. The salmonella bacteria is most often found ... Read More

The number of people infected with antibiotic-resistant salmonella after consuming chicken processed by Foster Farms continues to climb, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At least 524 people have been sickened across 25 states and Puerto Rico with one of seven strains of salmonella. The outbreak was declared “over” on Jan. 16 with 430 illnesses, but more cases of salmonella poisonings continued to pour in. The CDC reports that three quarters of those infected are from California and that more than a third have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported during the year-long outbreak. The ... Read More

Foster Farms, the poultry farm identified as the source of a multi-state outbreak of salmonella poisonings, was forced to explain to federal authorities how it plans to stop the rash of illnesses or else three of its slaughterhouses would be shut down. The warning letter highlighted unsanitary conditions at the plants and cited a dozen instances this year in which feces was found on carcasses. The company was able to show the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) satisfactory plans to improve conditions, thus the plants will remain operational for now. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service also did not ... Read More

Despite the efforts of the federal government to keep America’s food supply clean, every year nearly 80 million people in the United States fall ill after eating food contaminated with dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, and E. coli. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 5,000 Americans inflicted with food poisoning die every year. Although there is no way to completely avoid the bacteria that lead to food borne illnesses, there are some ways to reduce your risk of becoming sick. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has issued a list of 10 ... Read More

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced another massive recall of fresh produce last week, this time for 1,715 cartons of bunched spinach that tested positive for salmonella bacteria in a random test conducted by the USDA. Alarmed by the frequency of foods recalled over bacterial contamination fears, many consumer advocacy groups and legislators have indicted the federal government’s food inspection system, calling for an overhaul of the FDA and USDA systems currently in place. But in an age of mass production and processing that makes cross contamination ever more likely, it’s wise for the consumer to take certain measures ... Read More

Following an outbreak in October 2007 of salmonella poisoning linked to Banquet brand chicken pot pies, ConAgra, the manufacturer of the pies, immediately began talking food safety. But instead of assuming responsibility for manufacturing a contaminated product that sickened as many as 15,000 people, ConAgra suggested that killing any salmonella bacteria in its products before eating them was ultimately the consumers’ responsibility. The massive salmonella outbreak prompted ConAgra to remind its customers about the importance of following cooking instructions, especially when using a microwave. In 2007, A ConAgra spokeswoman told the Associated Press that pot pies needed to be cooked longer ... Read More

Neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor state health agencies require food manufacturers to test the safety of their products before they enter the market. Inspectors periodically visit the factories where food is processed to make sure their operations are up to code, but as we have seen in the recent past, even those rules can be insufficient and lax. Obviously, large food manufacturers have a reputation to uphold, so it’s not surprising that many of them perform optional, randomized testing of their products. Kraft performed such tests on its Back to Nature trail mix, which is how it ... Read More

This week, Food and Drug Administration officials issued an alert warning consumers to avoid eating pistachios and food containing pistachios while it investigates the source of another possible salmonella outbreak. The FDA announced that Setton International Foods, Inc., a division of Terra Bella Inc., would voluntarily recall approximately 2 million pounds of roasted pistachios that have been shipping since last fall. The investigation and recall come after two people contacted the FDA complaining of symptoms of salmonella poisoning after eating the nuts. Although the link has not yet been confirmed, the plant where the pistachios were processed temporarily shut down ... Read More

has shut its Plainview, Texas, plant as federal and state officials continue their investigations into the questionable practices that caused a national salmonella outbreak, spurred one of the country’s largest food recalls in history, killed 8 people, and sickened hundreds more. The Peanut Corp. voluntarily shut down its Texas operations after lab tests indicated the presence of salmonella bacteria in some sample products, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The Texas plant, operated as Plainview Peanut Company, LLC, produces peanut meal, granulated peanuts, and dry roasted peanuts. None of the possibly contaminated products appear to have reached ... Read More