Food Poisoning Blog

A food processing and storage company destroyed its inventory of cold smoked salmon under the supervision of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after listeria was discovered at the company’s facility and on processing equipment.

Listeria is a bacterium that can cause serious and potentially fatal illness in very young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals usually experience high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria can cause stillbirths and miscarriages in pregnant women. Continue Reading »

Washington- Jones’ Seasoning Blends LLC has announced a voluntary recall of Jones’ Mock Salt Original and Jones’ Mock Salt Spicy Southwest Blend due to possible salmonella contamination.

In healthy people, salmonella typically causes fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. On rare occasions, salmonella can cause serious and potentially fatal illness. Very young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk for developing serious illness. Continue Reading »

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration announced that many of the orange juice samples that have been tested recently for the fungicide carbendazim do not contain measurable amounts. The agency began testing orange juice linked to Brazil after Coca-Cola told the FDA it had found traces of the carbendazim when it tested its brands of orange juice, Minute Maid and Simply Orange. Coca-Cola also said it found low levels of it in competitors’ orange juice brands and in certain orange juice concentrates not on shelves.

Carbendazim is banned for use on oranges here in the U.S. but is permitted in other countries, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Brazil is the source of the contamination in the juice tested by Coca-Cola. Continue Reading »

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. on Thursday announced a Class I recall of all LEASA Living Alfalfa Sprouts sold in the 6 oz. package with a UPC code of 7546555912. A Class I recall is the most type of recall. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the sprouts are potentially contaminated with salmonella.

Winn-Dixie is also immediately recalling the following LEASA-branded sprouts from shelves in all stores, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana: Continue Reading »

Frisia Dairy and Creamery, located in Tenino, Washington, has recalled its retail raw milk products because they may be contaminated with E. coli. No illnesses have been reported.

The affected milk products include whole, skim, and cream milk, sold in pint, half-gallon, and gallon containers. They are distributed through eight retail outlets in Lewis, Thurston, and Pierce counties. The milk is also available at the diary itself. Continue Reading »

On Monday, Princess Cruises said it was dismayed that the Falkland Islands government would not allow its Star Princess ship to port because a small number of passengers were sick with the stomach flu.

Argentina and Britain are locked in a diplomatic battle over the Falkland Islands, known by Argentina as the Malvinas. Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay are standing behind Argentina by turning away any ship that approaches flying the Falklands flag. Hundreds of citizens from all of those countries were among the more than 3,500 passengers on board. Continue Reading »

The maker of Tropicana orange juice said in a statement on Saturday that the juice had tested positive for low levels of a potentially dangerous fungicide called carbendazim, making it the second large juice distributor to confirm the presence of the chemical. Coca-Cola Co found trace amounts of the fungicide in its Minute Maid juice last week.

Tropicana says it is conducting further testing after the Food and Drug Administration announced on Wednesday that it would temporarily halt orange juice imports and remove any juice contaminated with dangerous amounts of carbendazim. Continue Reading »

The Food and Drug Administration will allow orange juice produced in Canada to enter the country, but will continue to block imports from other countries. The Canadian imports are the first to enter the U.S. since health authorities began testing for an illegal fungicide widely used in Brazil.

The FDA announced this week that it was testing orange juice shipped into the country for carbendazim. Continue Reading »

Edison, New Jersey-based Zip International Group LLC is recalling sliced herring fillets because of listeria contamination.

Healthy people with listeriosis typically experience symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems run a higher risk of becoming seriously ill. Pregnant women are at risk of suffering miscarriage and stillbirths. Continue Reading »

In the wake of a cantaloupe listeria outbreak that killed 30 people and sickened 146, the picture of why the fruit became contaminated is beginning to appear.

Jensen Farms of Holly, Colo., processed the melons that were eventually found to the source of the food-borne illness. While no bacteria were found on the farm itself, widespread contamination and unsanitary conditions were found in the company’s packing facility. Continue Reading »