Long definitions exist for the Farm Bill.  Here are a couple: “In the United States, the farm bill is a comprehensive omnibus bill that is the federal government’s primary agricultural and food policy instrument. Congress typically passes a new farm bill every five to six years. Congress makes amendments to provisions of permanent law, reauthorizes, amends, or repeals provisions of preceding temporary agricultural acts, and puts forth new policy provisions for a limited time into the future.”  Or another: “The Farm Bill is a huge, complex piece of legislation, and its path through Co ..read more

The number of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157 infections remained steady but non-O157 cases increased in England in 2021 according to recently released data. Overall, 1,151 confirmed cases of STEC were reported in England during 2021. This included 365 cases of STEC O157 and 786 cases where non-O157 was isolated. For another 443 patients, samples were confirmed as STEC by testing positive by PCR for Shiga toxin genes, but E. coli was not cultured. Fourteen confirmed cases were infected with multiple serogroups, according to data from the UK Hea ..read more

A dozen people have fallen sick in recent weeks in a Salmonella outbreak in Denmark. During March and April, 12 cases of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported, said the Statens Serum Institut (SSI). People were infected with the same type of Salmonella. Patients are between 5 and 80 years old with a median age of 35. Six are males and six are females. Patients have been reported from different parts of the country. The SSI, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen), and DTU Food Institute are investigating the outbreak. SSI is performing whole genome sequencing of ..read more

Amy’s Kitchen Inc. of Petaluma, CA is recalling Amy’s Kitchen Enchilada Verde Whole Meal because of Listeria monocytogenes contamination. According to the details posted online by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), the recall was initiated on March 21, 2024, and is ongoing. The recalled products were distributed in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, teriaOregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washinton and Wisconsin. Recalled product: Amy’s Kitchen Enchilada Verde Wh ..read more

in the month after H5N1, bird flu spread to more humans, especially dairy cow herds, more experts in the United States are focusing more attention on the issue. It was unexpected news last month that cows from a milking herd in Texas had tested positive for H5N1, but apparently, pasteurization of milk kills this specific virus.  Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) is expressing “great concern” over the increase in bird flu cases in humans, Michigan health officials are warning against raw milk, and a prominent journalist is demanding more information from USDA. These are among ..read more

The Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction as part of its enforcement activities. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or months after they are sent. Business owners have 15 days to respond to FDA warning letters. Warning letters often are not issued until a company has been given months to years to correct problems. F1 Foods Inc. D/B/A Flavor First Foods Inc.West Bridgewater, MA A food firm in Massachusetts is on notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for various federal violations and not maintaining the facil ..read more

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ground beef products from Greater Omaha Packing Co. Inc. that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed.  A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The raw ground beef items were produced on March 28, 2024. The products have a “Use/Freeze by” date of April 22, 2024, and packaging date of “032824.” The list of produ ..read more

Consumers these days are being warned about the health hazards of highly processed foods. The message is that the health-conscious consumer should buy more whole foods and process them minimally. However, not all whole foods are safe, either, and some should come with a warning label.  One of the most common problems caused by some fresh, natural foods are skin issues. Dermatitis can result from sensitivity and allergy to any food, or it can result from a food containing a chemical that makes your skin more sensitive to the sun. Citrus fruits are notorious for causing dermatitis when expo ..read more

Botulism—A Rare, But Deadly Disease Botulism is a rare, life-threatening paralytic illness caused by neurotoxins produced by an anaerobic, gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium, Clostridium botulinum.[1] Unlike Clostridium perfringens, which requires the ingestion of large numbers of viable cells to cause symptoms, the symptoms of botulism are caused by the ingestion of highly toxic, soluble exotoxins produced by C. botulinum while growing in foods.[2] These rod-shaped bacteria grow best under anaerobic (or, low oxygen), low-salt, and low-acid conditions.[3]  ..read more

The number of Salmonella cases in England has returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels and 11 outbreaks were reported in 2022. Salmonella Enteritidis went back to being the most frequently reported serovar and Salmonella Typhimurium infections also increased, said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In 2022, there were 8,125 Salmonella cases in England, compared to 5,033 in 2021, 4,712 in 2020 and 8,398 in 2019. Salmonella Enteritidis reports jumped from 747 in 2021 to 2,044 in 2022. Salmonella Typhimurium infections rose from 1,219 in 2021 to 1,731 in 2022. Salmonella Infantis was in third ..read more