Posted on July 11, 2015 in Food Poisoning

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is avidly working to find the cause of the recent cyclospora outbreak. There have been 151 reports of cyclospora in Texas this year, with 131 of these cases beings reported within the last two weeks. Although the source of the cyclospora outbreak has not been discovered, Texas health officials believe that it is likely linked to a fresh herb such as:

• Cilantro
• Basil
• Parsley
• Mint

Health officials also believe the produce is likely from Mexico. In 2014, there were 200 reported cases of cyclospora in Texas. Some of which were associated with cilantro derived from the Puebla region in Mexico.

What is Cyclospora?

Cyclosporiasis, or cyclospora, is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Those who become infected with cyclospora have consumed food or water that is contaminated with the parasite.

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 Posted on July 11, 2015 in Food Poisoning

In Florida there has been an increase in reported illnesses resulting from eating barracuda. Communities around Miami and the Florida Keys have been particularly affected by the barracuda-borne illness.

What is Causing the Illness?

In the Florida Keys and Bahamas, algae that grow in warm waters produce a toxin called ciguatera. Small coral reef fish then ingest the toxin by eating the algae. The smaller fish carry the poison onto larger carnivorous fish that prey on the smaller fish. These larger carnivorous fish, especially barracudas, are then caught and consumed by humans who then are exposed to ciguatera, resulting in a dangerous food chain reaction.

Symptoms of Ciguatera Poisoning

Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning can begin within three hours of digestion and include:

• Severe vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Weakness in the legs

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 Posted on June 05, 2015 in Food Poisoning

In preparation for beach season, the Chicago Park District has begun administering new water quality tests at four South Side beaches and one North Side beach:

• Calumet
• Rainbow
• South Shore
• 63rd Street
• Montrose

The University of Illinois at Chicago developed the new testing method. It produces water-testing results within 18 hours, allowing the Park District to quickly determine whether bacteria, such as E. coli, are present in the water. In addition to piloting the University's new water quality test, the Park District will continue to conduct the tests they have used for years to determine E. coli presence.

What is E. Coli?

Escherichia coli is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of humans and animals alike and also causes food poisoning illness. The first identified source of E. coli illness was contaminated hamburgers in 1982.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, symptoms of E. coli infection include:

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 Posted on June 05, 2015 in Food Poisoning

A recent salmonella outbreak that has affected over 50 people in the United States has federal health officials searching for the source of the disease. According to the statement issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a vast majority of those who became ill from salmonella had recently eaten sushi that contained raw tuna in its ingredients. Although raw tuna is the suspected cause of the salmonella outbreak, a common brand or supplier has yet to be identified in the CDC's investigation.

Reported Salmonella Cases

Most of the reported salmonella cases involve people who live in or traveled to the southwestern part of the United States prior to falling ill. According to the CDC, salmonella has affected the following states since the first reported case on March 5, 2015:

• California
• Arizona
• Illinois

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 Posted on April 21, 2015 in Food Poisoning

The maker of a popular brand of ice cream announced yesterday that it is conducting a voluntary recall of all its products due to concerns of listeria contamination. Blue Bell Ice Cream, a Texas based manufacturer of frozen dessert products, issued the recall for products made at all of its facilities as the company works to find the source of contamination and implements new product testing protocols. Ice cream produced by Blue Bell was also recalled on a much more limited scale in March as it was linked to fatal cases of listeriosis at a Kansas hospital.

The March recall was the first time Blue Bell products had been recalled in the company's history, and testing procedures developed as a result of that recall led to the discovery of contaminated products, prompting the manufacturer to take action. Paul Kruse, Blue Bell CEO and president said in a statement, “We're committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe.” He also issued an apology to the brand's loyal consumers and restated the company's dedication to producing high quality ice cream.

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 Posted on April 14, 2015 in Food Poisoning

Maintaining food safety can be challenging, of course. It requires constant attention to detail, meticulously following proper procedures, and, sometimes, being willing to take losses when products may be compromised. Unfortunately, many food producers are too focused on the their bottom line, instead risking consumer safety and food poisoning outbreaks to save a few dollars in preventive losses. A federal court in Iowa, however, sent a strong message this week, by sentencing a former egg magnate and his son to three months in prison for their role in a salmonella outbreak in 2010.

The owner of Quality Egg LLC, and his son pleaded guilty to selling contaminated food against state lines in U.S. District Court. The personal penalties to each, which included a three-month prison sentence and $100,000 fine, were in addition to the $6.8 million fine and three-year probation levied against Quality Egg as a company. The punitive actions were handed down in response to the company's admission that eggs were shipped with falsified processing and expiration dates and at least two instances of bribing an inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to approve low-quality eggs.

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 Posted on April 02, 2015 in Food Poisoning

There has been substantial media attention and reaction from affected patients regarding metal-on-metal hip implants over the last decade or so. Of course, one of the most famous examples is the articular surface replacement, or ASR, implant which was manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Tens of thousands of the devices were implanted in patients before injuries, immobility, and even metal poisoning led to their recall in 2010. More than 7,500 lawsuits have been filed against DePuy and Johnson & Johnson, seeking billions in damages, and class action suits remain ongoing. It can difficult, however, for the average consumer to understand how medical devices such as the ASR implant ever get through the testing process and receive regulatory approval before going to market.

In the case of medical devices, even ones that eventually prove dangerous, substandard manufacturing is not often the problem. Rather, getting to the product to market frequently takes priority over careful design testing processes which allow for potential issues to be remedied prior to effecting patients and consumers. Many assume that industry and government regulators, like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), would be responsible for ensuring that poorly designed devices never make it to market. They would be partially correct in that assumption, but many device manufacturers have found a loophole in federal regulations that reduce the FDA's oversight in particular situations.

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 Posted on March 26, 2015 in Food Poisoning

A ruling in federal court this week declared that the Boy Scouts of America would not be held responsible for an outbreak of E. coli which affected a Virginia scout camp back in 2008. In his decision to dismiss the case against the youth organization, U.S. District Judge Norman Moon indicated that there was no gross negligence on the part of scout leaders, but that the litigation against the food supplier could move forward.

The lawsuit stems from a food poisoning outbreak which sickened 84 scouts at a summer camp in 2008. The illnesses were traced to ground beef contaminated with E. coli bacteria that was ultimately consumed undercooked. Despite having prepared his own meal using the contaminated beef, the plaintiff in the case was seeking $15 million in damages for negligence from the food supplier, the local Boy Scout Council, and the Boy Scouts of America.

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 Posted on March 24, 2015 in Food Poisoning

With food poisoning outbreaks occurring on a fairly regular basis, and recalls being announced even more frequently, foodborne illness represents a considerable health concern to many Americans. Often, a recall or government agency notification will provide advice on how to prevent food poisoning, either in general or as related to a specific threat or pathogen. The suggestions usually include proper storage, washing, and preparation of the food product, as well as cleaning and sterilizing prep equipment and work surfaces. A new study suggests, however, that an additional recommendation for preventing foodborne illness could be added: eat more peanuts.

Inspired by recent Salmonella outbreaks associated with peanut butter, researchers at the University of Maryland examined the effect peanuts can have on gut bacteria in the human digestive system. The study looked separately at peanut flour, made exclusively from the kernel, and peanut skin extract, taken from the thin, fibrous membrane that covers the kernel.

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 Posted on March 17, 2015 in Food Poisoning

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections at a hospital in Kansas resulting in three deaths to date. Local and state officials, the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are currently investigating the outbreak in which five people contracted listeriosis, a form of food poisoning caused by the Listeria monoctyogenes bacterium.

Preliminary reports from the CDC indicate that all five infected patients were hospitalized at the same facility for unrelated reasons prior to “developing invasive listeriosis – a finding that strongly suggests their infections were acquired in the hospital.” The CDC also determined that at least four of the five had consumed a particular brand of ice cream products while in the hospital.

Subsequent testing of the manufacturer's products obtained in South Carolina and Texas found Listeria strains in several different ice cream products. The manufacturer has reported that the contaminated products have been pulled from the market, but previously sold products “may still be in the freezers of consumers, institutions, and retailers.”

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