The House of Representatives just passed the bipartisan Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. If enacted, the legislation would strengthen the FDA, increase inspections of food facilities, and hopefully ensure that tragedies like the Peanut Corporation of America salmonella outbreak become a thing of the past.
By July 8, 2009
The FDA has issued a new ruling that says egg producers must “test regularly for salmonella and buy chicks from suppliers who do the same,” and that eggs “will have to be refrigerated on the farm and during shipment” as well as by wholesalers and in the store. The rule is meant to cut down on the number of egg-related salmonella cases nationwide, which currently are around 142,000 a year. [Washington Post] (Photo: Andreas Kollegger)
Dunkin Donuts Pulls Hot Chocolate, Dunkaccinos Over Salmonella Scare
By June 30, 2009
(Photo: jocey01_y)
Salmonella Found In Alfalfa Sprouts
By April 27, 2009
Raw alfalfa sprouts have been linked to salmonella outbreaks across the country, according to the FDA. Recent salmonella cases have been diagnosed in Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia, and the FDA is linking this outbreak to salmonella infections a few months ago in other states, including Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. (Photo: Erin Collins)
By April 10, 2009
Texas has issued the largest fine in the state’s history to the peanut company blamed in the salmonella outbreak: $14.6 million. [AP]
By April 9, 2009
Peanut distributor refuses to recall peanuts On March 23rd the FDA advised consumers to dispose of any peanut or peanut containing products made or distributed by Westco or Westcott that they find in their homes. That same day it requested a formal recall of all Westco and Westcott products containing peanuts from PCA, and a few days later it requested access to some of its distribution records, but Westco refused to cooperate. [Consumer Reports]
Salmonella Found In "Critical Areas" Of Pistachio Plant
By April 7, 2009
The pistachio recall has been expanded after FDA inspectors found salmonella contamination in “critical areas” of Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Calif.
Stay Informed About The Pistachio Salmonella Apocalypse
By April 3, 2009
There have been quite a few “salmonella pistachio” recalls in the past few days, so the FDA has set up pistachio HQ on their website. You can search and/or browse the Pistachio Recalled Products List, learn about salmonella, and generally freak out about contaminated pistachios.
Pistachios Recalled For Salmonella
By March 31, 2009
The FDA recalled three different kinds of pistachios this week for salmonella. [Consumer Reports Safety Blog] (Photo: ?o??ƒx™)
By March 24, 2009
If you recently bought organic brown eggs from a Costco, Safeway, or Pack ‘n’ Save in California or Nevada, you should check to make sure they’re not part of yet another salmonella recall. [MSNBC] (Photo: Bonzo McGrue)
Obama Announces Plans To Make Food Safe For Human Consumption
By March 15, 2009
President Obama this week declared war on the Chinese Poison Train, announcing that the FDA will receive $1 billion in new funds for modern testing labs and additional food safety inspectors. Inspecting less than 5% of our food processing plants is apparently a “hazard to public health, and “it is unacceptable.” So what’s really behind the new policy shift? No, it’s not those melamine murders or salmonella outbreaks. It’s seven-year-old first daughter Sasha Obama!
Private Food Safety Inspectors Routinely Give Seal Of Approval To Dangerous Food
By March 8, 2009
Large companies routinely rely on private audits to prove that their food is safe even though private auditors are dangerously incompetent, according to a New York Times investigation. The private auditor who inspected the Peanut Corporation of America plant responsible for unleashing the massive salmonella contamination was trained to audit bakeries and repeatedly gave the plant a “SUPERIOR” rating, partly because he “never thought that [salmonella] would survive in the peanut butter type environment.”
Tainted Peanut Butter Problems Will Go On For Some While, Says FDA
By February 27, 2009
Our sister blog at ConsumerReports.org notes that “current salmonella outbreak caused by tainted peanuts could drag on for as long as two years,” according to the FDA. The Peanut Corp of America may be history, but because peanut butter has such a long shelf life, and because they’re still adding products to the recall list, there may be food items lurking in pantries across the U.S. that are loaded with disease-causing peanuty badness.
How Does Salmonella Get Into Peanut Butter? Bird Feces.
By February 18, 2009
Here’s something you probably don’t want to know, but we’re going to tell you anyway. Scientific American interviewed Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia to find out how salmonella got into peanut butter in the first place. His theory? Bird Feces.
Peanut Corp Has Gone Out Of Business
By February 13, 2009
It was bound to happen, and it looks like it just did: Peanut Corporation of America has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and will liquidate its assets to pay off creditors.
Search For All Recalled Peanut Butter Products With This Widget
By February 13, 2009
Here’s a handy widget, courtesy of the FDA, that you can use to determine whether or not your Valentine’s Day goodies are a trap set by an angry lover.
Salmonella Peanut Butter Plant Owner Living Incarnation Of Evil Cartoon Character
By February 12, 2009
Congressional testimony reveals that Stewart Parnell, owner of the Peanut Corp. of America which lies at the center of the investigation over salmonella-tainted peanut-butter that’s killed nine people, is like a living cartoon.
