This story was first published by our sister publication Consumer Reports. [More]
food safety
Blue Bell Says Ice Cream Will Be Back In Some Stores On Aug. 31
By 8.17.15
The nightmare is over, Blue Bell fans: four months after a recall linked to a listeria outbreak saw the ice cream disappear from shelves, months filled with speculation over when the company would start churning out dessert again, Blue Bell will be returning to select stores starting Aug. 31. [More]
Colorado’s Pot Edibles Might Come Stamped With A Red THC Stop Sign
By 8.12.15
Stop, in the name of not accidentally getting stoned and losing your mind a la Maureen Dowd: In order to keep Colorado residents from mistaking marijuana edibles for non-drug-laced food, the state might slap stickers with red stop signs with the letters THC on them to warn folks before they ingest. The stop signs would also be stamped on the food itself. [More]
Florida Domino’s Shuts Down Because Live Roaches Shouldn’t Be Near Food
By 8.11.15
If the thought of bugs crawling around in a restaurant kitchen near food terrifies you, it’s best to stop reading now. A Florida Domino’s had to shut down temporarily after inspectors say they witnessed more than 20 lives roaches crawling on a table on the cook’s line and hanging out in a bin of onions. [More]
Walmart And Kroger Pull Cilantro From Stores
By 7.29.15
After the Food and Drug Administration announced a seasonal ban on cilantro imports from the Puebla state of Mexico, Walmart and Kroger are pulling cilantro grown in that region from store shelves as a precaution. Evidence points to the cilantro as a culprit in outbreaks of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness, and an FDA investigation turned up evidence of sanitation problems in the fields where cilantro is grown. [More]
Texas Billionaire Makes “Significant” Investment To Help Bring Back Blue Bell Ice Cream
By 7.14.15
Fans of Blue Bell ice cream who have been living without the stuff after the company was forced to shut down production will surely be pleased to hear that dessert salvation could be nigh: Blue Bell Creameries says a Texas billionaire has made a “significant” investment in the company, something that could help it get its products back on freezer shelves. [More]
Wish-Bone Recalling Some Bottles Of Ranch Dressing Because They’re Full Of Blue Cheese
By 6.24.15
One of the worst tricks you could pull on a ranch dressing devotee? Filling a bottle labeled as such with blue cheese instead. It could also be quite the problem for anyone allergic to eggs, as that known allergen isn’t declared on bottles of Wish-Bone Ranch Dressing, some of which were accidentally filled with blue cheese dressing instead. Pinnacle Foods has issued a voluntary recall of the mixed up bottles, after a consumer noticed the mistake. Yet another reminder why it’s good to speak up. [via FDA.gov] [More]
Customer Claims California KFC Served Him Deep-Fried Rat
By 6.17.15
UPDATE: KFC gave Consumerist an updated statement on the situation saying the company believes the whole thing is a hoax. [More]
CDC Links Salmonella Outbreak Reported in 9 States To Sushi Made With Raw Tuna
By 5.22.15
Raw seafood might be delicious, but there’s always that chance that it could make you sick: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that while it hasn’t conclusively determined the cause of a recent salmonella outbreak that’s spread to nine states and infected up to 53 people, it could be linked to sushi made with raw tuna. [More]
Mechanically Tenderized Beef To Finally Be Labeled
By 5.13.15
More than a quarter of all beef sold in the U.S. is mechanically tenderized, meaning that machines with tiny little blades have been used to make the raw product more tender. But this step can also have the effect of driving surface pathogens deeper into the meat where they might not be killed during the cooking process. Since 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has received reports of six outbreaks attributable to these products. Two years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it was going to require labels for mechanically tenderized beef. Those labeling rules have now been finalized and will go into effect a year from now. [More]
4 Children Who Visited Dairy Festival Now Sick From E. Coli
By 4.29.15
When you visit animals at a fair or a petting zoo, there are usually hand-washing or hand sanitizer stations at every entrance and exit. There’s a very good reason why these exist. That’s been proven in Washington state, where a handful of first-graders are sick from E. coli, a potentially dangerous pathogen that’s transmitted in, um, poop. [More]
Ohio Health Officials: Home-Canned Potatoes To Blame For Botulism Outbreak
By 4.29.15 — Updated: 5.23.17
Canning your own food at home is a fantastic idea for anyone who wants vegetables on-hand all year-round. But health officials are warning people to make sure they stick to proper canning techniques, after a batch of home-canned potatoes used to make potato salad was linked to an outbreak of botulism in Ohio that’s killed one person. [More]
CDC Investigators Link Current Blue Bell Listeria Outbreak To Illness From 2010
By 4.22.15
For the past two months, Blue Bell Creameries has grappled with an outbreak of listeria that has been linked to three deaths and at least 10 illness in four states. While the source of the contamination has yet to be determined, federal investigators now believe the issue has been ongoing for at least five years. [More]
Blue Bell Creameries Beefs Up Investigation Into Cause Of Listeria Contamination, Two More Illnesses Reported
By 4.22.15
Two days after Blue Bell Creameries voluntarily recalled all of its products, the 100-year-old business says it’s making progress in pinpointing the cause of a massive listeria contamination that has led to three deaths and at least 10 illnesses. [More]
Blue Bell Creameries Recalls All Products After More Ice Cream Samples Test Positive For Listeria
By 4.21.15
It has not been a great couple of weeks for Blue Bell Creameries, and it’s just gotten worse: A month after the company issued a recall of certain ice cream treats believed to be linked to an outbreak of listeriosis — a recall that kept expanding — the company is now pulling all products off the shelves after two more ice cream samples tested positive for listeria. [More]
Egg Executives Sentenced To Three Months In Jail For Role In 2010 Salmonella Outbreak
By 4.14.15
Last year, an Iowa egg company linked to a 2010 salmonella recall that sickened more than tens of thousands of people agreed to fork over $6.8 million in fines for shipping old eggs under false labels. Now, two former executives at Quality Egg have been sentenced to three months in prison, after facing up to a year for the parts they played in the outbreak. [More]
Sabra Recalling 30,000 Cases Of Classic Hummus Over Listeria Fears
By 4.9.15
Whether you like to dip pita chips or veggies, pretzels or just your fingers, check that hummus package before you go snacking: Sabra is recalling 30,000 cases of its classic flavor of hummus sold nationwide over fears that the product could be tainted with listeria. [More]
Researchers Find That Some Breast Milk Sold Online Contains Cow’s Milk
By 4.6.15
Many parents choose to buy breast milk to feed their babies, for various reasons, but those folks are under the belief that the stuff is coming from humans. Researchers published a report into the online breast milk industry that said despite the expectation that the milk comes from women, some samples tested positive for cow’s milk. [More]
