The Honorable Bill Cassidy, M.D., ChairmanThe Honorable Bernie Sanders, Ranking MemberCommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsUnited States Senate428 Senate Dirksen Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510 Re: Finish what the Senate started — botulism in infant formula, the shared milk and powdered-milk supply behind two outbreaks, and the case for hearings and parent testimony Dear Chairman Cassidy, […]
Our Food Safety Guardians Deserved Capes, Not Pink Slips This is not just another editorial. This is a thank you letter, an acknowledgment, and a rallying cry. For decades, people have stood quietly between us and harm – heroes who safeguarded every bite we take, every meal we share. They kept food safe and public […]
RFK’s cuts to FDA are a threat to public health and safety Statement of CSPI Director of Regulatory Affairs Sarah Sorscher Deadly Listeria in shakes served at nursing homes. Disease-causing E. coli linked to onions served in McDonald’s. Salmonella in cucumbers landed 155 people in the hospital. These are just a few of the disturbing […]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and state partners investigated a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections in 2021 through 2023. This outbreak was given the CDC outbreak code: 2107MLGX6-1. The investigation began in July 2021, when […]
Cargill Kitchen Solutions of Lake Odessa, MI, is recalling 212,268 pounds of liquid egg products that may contain a cleaning solution with sodium hypochlorite, according to the the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The liquid egg items were produced on March 12 and 13. The following products are subject to recall: The products subject […]
It is hard to believe that Poisoned the book came out 14 years ago and that a documentary was inspired by it. The book has quietly become a cult classic in the food safety and legal communities. It was originally published in hardcover and twice in paperback. It is likely an update is on the […]
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing its intention to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule (the “final rule”) by 30 months. The FDA intends to extend the compliance date using appropriate procedures at a later time, including publishing a proposed rule in the Federal Register. The FDA remains committed to […]
For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1286) linked to a not yet identified product, FDA has initiated an inspection. For the outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis (ref #1288) linked to mini pastries, the advisory was updated on March 20, 2025. The outbreak has ended, and FDA’s investigation is closed. For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes […]
I get a number of calls a week from folks that find something unwanted in their food. Here is a bit from a search of the internet by AI. In 2010, a woman in England found a frozen frog in a bag of green beans purchased from Tesco. “Woman finds frog in Tesco frozen vegetables.” […]
Perhaps CR is going to be the new FSIS? Perhaps the FDA and CDC too? So, where do you get your chicken? Do the stores and restaurants that you frequent get poultry from one of these poultry plants? Might be a good question to ask. Most Contaminated Poultry Plants – Feb 25 299.8 KB Consumer Reports […]
I have said this too many times. In the 1990’s ninety percent of the work I did were E. coli O157:H7 cases linked to hamburger. However, due to the collaboration between regulators (deeming E. coli O157:H7 and adulterant), the beef industry (interventions and implementing “test and hold” and the restaurant industry (following the Food Code […]
As a father of three beautiful and strong young women, I have become nearly immune to constructive criticism. It is in that vein I call out my friends at the FDA and CDC for closing a romaine lettuce E. coli O157:H7 case without supplying the pubic – who they are supposed to serve – with […]
Thanks to dedicated public servants. What’s New:• A new outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1286) linked to a not yet identified product has been added to the table. FDA has initiated sampling.• For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1292) linked to a not yet identified product, FDA has initiated an inspection.• For the outbreak of Salmonella Newport (ref #1291), the […]
Problem/Condition: Approximately 800 foodborne illness outbreaks occur in the United States each year. These outbreaks include approximately 15,000 illnesses, 800 hospitalizations, and 20 deaths. Although illnesses from outbreaks account for a small portion of all foodborne illnesses, outbreak investigations reveal how these illnesses originate by offering crucial data through epidemiologic, environmental health, and laboratory analyses […]
The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.Secretary, Department of Health and Human ServicesHubert H. Humphrey Building200 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20201via E-mail Dear Secretary Kennedy: As a coalition of consumer, industry and public health stakeholder groups with a vested interest in the Food and Drug Administration’s work on food safety, nutrition and chronic disease, we urge […]
CDC, FDA and public health officials in several states are investigating a multistate outbreak of Listeria infections linked to supplement shakes. Many people in this outbreak lived in long-term care facilities or were hospitalized before becoming sick. On February 22, 2025, Lyons Magnus LLC recalled frozen supplement shakes that were distributed to food service operators and long-term care facilities. […]