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Contaminated Tomato Update

After months of investigation and few answers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it is once again safe to eat tomatoes. However the FDA still does not know where the contamination came from. The warning has been lifted because there are no longer any tomatoes coming onto the market from locations that were on the suspect list. Towards the end of June, with the outbreak finally starting to slow, new warnings emerged. The FDA warns that people who are risk of salmonella (like infants, the elderly, and people with impaired immune systems) avoid fresh hot peppers like … Continue reading →

Reacting to Contaminated Foods

I read the headlines — but not the stories — before I went to grocery shopping this afternoon. An outbreak of salmonella, related to tomatoes grown in Florida and Mexico. That was all I knew. As I wandered the aisles at Costco — and especially as I reached the fruits and veggies — I started to see signs. Things like, “our tomatoes are safe” and variations thereof. I was pretty impressed with their quick response. Once I checked out and walked past the concession area, I saw another sign: “wraps made without tomatoes”. Maybe the tomatoes they use in their … Continue reading →

Mars Petcare Dog and Cat Food Recall Announced

Mars Petcare US — makers of several brands of pet food — announced a voluntary recall of products manufactured at a specific plant on September 12, 2008. The food is being recalled because of a potential salmonella contamination. Affected brands include Pedigree, Retriever, Country Acres, Pet Pride, and Ol’ Roy. You can see a full list of recalled foods at www.petcare.mars.com. Salmonella can cause infections in pets and in humans handling pet food. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in pets can include: Lethargy Diarrhea and/or bloody diarrhea Fever Vomiting Decreased appetite Abdominal pain If you believe that your pet has eaten … Continue reading →

Tracking Your Produce

Not surprisingly, there are plans in the works to make fresh produce more traceable in the wake of the recent outbreak of food poisoning from some types of raw tomato. The Center for Science in the Public Interest asked the FDA to institute some kind of food safety plan — including how they would trace their produce — nearly two years ago. The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t ruled (yet) on the petition, but there has been some progress. The FDA has asked Congress for funding for food safety programs for 2009 and forward. Making produce more traceable is just … Continue reading →