# Food Safety News > Breaking news about food recalls, food-related disease outbreaks and policies and products designed to make the food supply safe for everyone. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### About this site URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/about/ Last updated: 2025-10-03T12:34:04.000Z Food Safety News is an independent publication launched in October 2025 by Scott Fennell. If you subscribe today, you'll get full access to the website as well as email newsletters about new content when it's available. Your subscription makes this site possible, and allows Food Safety News to continue to exist. Thank you! ### Access all areas By signing up, you'll get access to the full archive of everything that's been published before and everything that's still to come. 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This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, including all subdomains and associated services, and when you interact with us through other means. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our site. By accessing and using Food Safety News, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by all the provisions of this Privacy Policy. **1\. Information We Collect** **1.1 Information You Provide Directly** We collect information you voluntarily provide to us, including but not limited to: **Account Information:** When you create an account or register for a membership, we collect your name, email address, postal address, and phone number. **Payment Information:** When you purchase an FSN+ paid membership, payment information is collected directly by Stripe, our payment processor. We do not store your credit card details on our servers. Stripe handles all payment processing in accordance with PCI DSS compliance standards. **Communication Information:** When you contact us via email, phone, or through our website contact forms, we collect the information you provide, including your message content. **User-Generated Content:** If you are a paid member and participate in our comments section, we collect the comments and any associated metadata you provide. **Survey and Feedback Information:** If you participate in surveys, contests, or provide feedback, we collect the information you submit. **Newsletter Preferences:** When you manage your email subscription preferences, we record your choices regarding which newsletters you wish to receive (FSN Daily, FSN Weekly, or none). **1.2 Information Collected Automatically** When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and how you interact with our site: **Website Analytics:** We use Plausible Analytics and Ghost's built-in analytics partner TinyBird to understand how visitors use our website, including which pages are visited most frequently, how long visitors spend on our site, and what content is most popular. These analytics help us improve our website and content offerings. **Cookies:** Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us recognize you on return visits, maintain your login session, and personalize your experience. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Please note that disabling cookies may limit certain website functionality. **Log Data:** Our servers automatically record information such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, and the time and date of your visits. **Device Information:** We may collect information about the device you use to access our website, such as device type, operating system, and unique device identifiers. **2\. Cookies and Tracking Technologies** **2.1 What Are Cookies?** Cookies are small text files stored on your device that allow websites to recognize you and remember your preferences. 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These include: \- **Stripe** (payment processing) \- **Ghost** (website hosting and member management) \- **Outpost** (email marketing automation) \- **Google AdSense** (targeted advertising) \- **Plausible Analytics and TinyBird** (website analytics) \- **CookieYes** (cookie consent management) These third parties use cookies in accordance with their own privacy policies, which we encourage you to review. **2.4 Cookie Control and Opt-Out** Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through browser settings. You can typically: \- Accept or reject cookies when prompted \- Delete cookies already stored on your device \- Set your browser to warn you before accepting cookies \- Disable cookies entirely (though this may limit website functionality) To manage cookie preferences, refer to your browser's help documentation or settings menu. 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These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only to the extent necessary to provide services to us and are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information. Our primary service providers include: **Stripe:** Processes all payment information for FSN+ memberships. Stripe does not receive or store sensitive payment card details on our servers; all payment processing occurs through Stripe's secure payment infrastructure. **GiveButter:** Processes donations to Food Safety News. When you make a donation through GiveButter, we collect your name, email address, and payment information to process your tax-deductible donation. GiveButter handles all donation payment processing securely and does not store sensitive payment card details on our servers. Your donation information is used to generate tax documentation for your charitable contribution. 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Please review Google's privacy policy for more information about how Google collects and uses your data. **4.2 Legal Requirements** We may disclose your information when required by law or when we have a good faith belief that disclosure is necessary to: \- Comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes, including subpoenas or court orders \- Enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements \- Protect the safety, rights, and property of Food Safety News, our users, and the public \- Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing or fraud **4.3 No Sale of Personal Information** We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. Any sharing of your information occurs only as described in this Privacy Policy and is necessary for the operation of our website and services. **4.4 Business Transfers** If Food Safety News is involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, reorganization, or similar transaction or proceeding, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy. **5\. Email Communications and Subscription Management** **5.1 Newsletter Options** When you subscribe to Food Safety News, you have the following options: Unsubscribe completely from all Food Safety News email communications Become an FSN+ paid member to access all premium content and features Remain on our free newsletter list and receive the FSN Weekly newsletter instead of the FSN Daily newsletter You can manage your email preferences at any time by updating your account settings or by following the unsubscribe link in any email we send you. **5.2 Marketing Emails** If you have a free newsletter subscription, we may send you promotional emails encouraging you to become an FSN+ paid member. These emails are part of our membership conversion strategy. You can opt out of promotional emails at any time while maintaining your free newsletter subscription, or you can unsubscribe completely from all communications. **5.3 Transactional Communications** Regardless of your email preferences, we will send you transactional communications such as membership confirmations, billing statements, and other service-related notices necessary to manage your account. **6\. Data Retention** We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services, fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, and comply with applicable law. Specifically: **Account Information:** Retained as long as your account remains active, plus a reasonable period for record-keeping purposes **Payment Information:** Not retained on our servers; handled entirely by Stripe in accordance with their data retention policies **Email Communications:** Retained for as long as you remain subscribed to our newsletters **Analytics Data:** Retained in accordance with our analytics providers' retention schedules **User-Generated Content:** Retained as long as your account remains active; you may request deletion of your comments You may request deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting us, except where we are required to retain it by law. **7\. Security** We are committed to protecting your personal information. We implement appropriate technical, administrative, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These safeguards include: HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our website Secure payment processing through Stripe's PCI DSS-compliant infrastructure Regular security audits and updates to our systems Restricted access to personal information by authorized employees only However, no security system is impenetrable. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and notifying us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account. **8\. Your Privacy Rights** **8.1 Access and Portability** You have the right to access the personal information we maintain about you. You can view and update your account information by logging into your account at any time. **8.2 Correction and Updates** You may correct or update your account information at any time through your account settings. 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To request deletion, please contact us with your request details. **8.4 GDPR Rights (European Residents)** If you are located in the European Union, United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions covered by GDPR, you have the following additional rights: **\- Right of Access:** You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you **\- Right to Rectification:** You can request correction of inaccurate personal data **\- Right to Erasure:** You can request deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances **\- Right to Restrict Processing:** You can request that we limit how we use your information \- **Right to Data Portability:** You can request your information in a portable format \- **Right to Object:** You can object to our processing of your information, including for marketing purposes \- **Right to Lodge a Complaint:** You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section below. **8.5 CCPA Rights (California Residents)** If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants you the following rights: **\- Right to Know:** You can request what personal information we collect, use, share, and sell **\- Right to Delete:** You can request deletion of personal information we have collected from you **\- Right to Opt-Out:** You can opt out of any potential sale or sharing of your personal information **\- Right to Correct:** You can request correction of inaccurate personal information **\- Right to Limit Use:** You can limit our use of your personal information to what is necessary to provide you with our services You also have the right to non-discrimination for exercising your CCPA rights. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a request through our website or contact us using the information below. **9\. Third-Party Links** Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including those of our partners and advertisers. This Privacy Policy applies only to Food Safety News and does not cover the practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites before providing your information or interacting with them. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. **10\. Children's Privacy** Food Safety News does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13\. Our website and services are not directed toward children under 13\. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will promptly delete such information. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately. **11\. International Data Transfers** Food Safety News is based in the United States. Information we collect may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States or other countries. If you are located outside the United States, by using our website you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your home country. If you are a resident of the European Union or other jurisdictions with laws protecting personal data, we will implement appropriate safeguards, including Standard Contractual Clauses, to protect your information in accordance with GDPR requirements. **12\. Changes to This Privacy Policy** We reserve the right to update, modify, or change this Privacy Policy at any time. Any substantial changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. If we make material changes to how we use your personal information, we will provide you with notice by email or prominent notice on our website prior to implementing the change. Your continued use of our website after any modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. **13\. Contact Us** If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about our privacy practices, please contact us: **Food Safety News** **Email:** mholm@foodsafetynews.com **Website:** www.foodsafetynews.com For GDPR-related inquiries and to designate a Data Protection Officer contact, please include "GDPR" in the subject line of your email. For CCPA-related inquiries, please include "CCPA" in the subject line of your email. We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days or as otherwise required by applicable law. \--- **Last Updated: February 6, 2026** ### Find Your Health Department to Report Food Poisoning URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/find-your-health-department-to-report-food-poisoning/ Last updated: 2025-11-21T19:19:55.000Z Most state health departments encourage consumers to report food poisoning incidents to local health departments. Some counties and cities refer to these as environmental health departments. Here we have provided links to pages on state health department or public health association websites where you can directly report a foodborne illness, get health inspection information, or where you can obtain contact information for your local/county public health agency. [Alabama Department of Public Health](https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Alaska Division of Environmental Health](http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Epi/Documents/01-Internal/id/dod/foodwater/HowToReportSuspectedFoodborneIllness.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Arkansas Department of Health](http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/health-units?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Arizona Department of Health Services](https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/food-safety-environmental-services/how-to-report-a-foodborne-illness/index.php?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [California Department of Public Health](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/foodborne-illness-contact?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Connecticut Department of Public Health](https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Local-Health-Admin/LHA/Local-Health-Administration---Site-Map?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Delaware Division of Public Health](http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/foodsafety.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [District of Columbia Food Safety and Hygiene Inspection Services Division](https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/food-safety-hygiene-inspection-services-division?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Florida Department of Health](https://www.floridahealth.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Georgia Department of Public Health ](https://dph.georgia.gov/contact-dph?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Hawaii Department of Health](http://health.hawaii.gov/docd/reporting-an-illness/restaurant-related/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Idaho Department of Health and Welfare](http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/HealthDistricts/tabid/97/Default.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Illinois Department of Public Health](https://dph.illinois.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Indiana State Department of Health](https://www.in.gov/health/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Food and Consumer Safety Bureau](https://dia.iowa.gov/food-and-consumer-safety-bureau?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Kansas Department of Health and Environment](http://www.foodsafetykansas.org/??ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Kentucky Department for Public Health](https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/Pages/default.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Louisiana Department of Health](https://ldh.la.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Maine Division of Public Health](https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/public-health-systems/lphd/index.shtml?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Maryland Department of Health](https://health.maryland.gov/Pages/Home.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services](https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-public-health?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Michigan Department of Health and Human Services](http://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-73970%5F5461%5F74040---,00.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Mississippi State Department of Health](https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/%5Fstatic/19,0,166.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services](https://msdh.ms.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Montana Department of Health and Human Services ](https://dphhs.mt.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services](https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/public-health.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Nevada Department of Health and Human Services](http://dpbh.nv.gov/Programs/OPHIE/Public%5FHealth%5FInformatics%5Fand%5FEpidemiology%5F-%5FHome/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services](https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [New Jersey Department of Health Services](http://nj.gov/health/lh/community/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [New Mexico Department of Health](https://nmhealth.org/location/public/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [County Health Officials of New York](http://www.nysacho.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3779&ref=foodsafetynews.com) [North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services](https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [North Dakota Department of Public Health](https://www.ndhealth.gov/localhd/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Ohio Department of Health](https://odh.ohio.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Oklahoma State Department of Health](https://oklahoma.gov/health.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Oregon Health Authority](http://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/ProviderPartnerResources/LocalHealthDepartmentResources/Pages/lhd.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Pennsylvania Department of Health](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/health?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Puerto Rico Department of Health Office of Epidemiology](https://www.salud.pr.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Rhode Island Department of Health](http://www.health.ri.gov/food/about/illness/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control](https://dph.sc.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [South Dakota Department of Health](https://doh.sd.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Tennessee Department of Health](https://www.tn.gov/health.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Texas Health and Human Services](https://dshs.texas.gov/region2-3/localhd.shtm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Utah Department of Health](https://dhhs.utah.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Vermont Department of Health](http://www.healthvermont.gov/local?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Virginia Department of Health](http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/local-health-districts/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [US Virgin Islands Department of Health](https://doh.vi.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Washington State Department of Health](http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Food/LocalFoodSafetyContacts?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [West Virginia Center for Local Health](http://www.dhhr.wv.gov/localhealth/pages/map.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Wisconsin Department of Health Services](https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/lh-depts/counties.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) [Wyoming Department of Health](https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/infectious-disease-epidemiology-unit/foodborne-illness-complaint/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ### Subscribe via RSS Feed URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/subscribe-via-rss-feed/ Last updated: 2025-11-26T14:01:54.000Z `https://www.foodsafetynews.com/content/files/2025/11/feed-1.xml` Subscribing by RSS will send the post to you immediately after it is posted to the blog. To receive content in this way, you will need an application called an “RSS reader” like Feedly or Reeder. Many websites publish updates via RSS, so investing in a good reader application can be worthwhile. ### Home URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/home-2/ Last updated: 2025-02-18T16:42:17.000Z _No content available._ ### Food Safety Summit 2022 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/food-safety-summit-2022/ Last updated: 2022-03-30T22:41:28.000Z – SPONSORED CONTENT – --- **These companies extend a special invitation to visit their booths on the trade show floor at the Food Safety Summit this year.** --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2022/03/doceo-ad-food-safety-summit-2022.png) BD Consulting Booth #228 DOCEO from Latin translates to “I Teach”. DOCEO Learning Management System is an e-learning tool for workforce training. LMS comes with pre-loaded content (English and Spanish), that is compliant with HACCP, FSMA and GFSI requirements for food safety training. System allows for uploading company specific content such as videos, presentations, and more. Employees can take individual training on smartphones, tablets, or desktops, or attend a group training session. There is no need to purchase additional equipment such as remote controls or receivers. No set up fees! Save time and money with DOCEO LMS. With us, employee training is easy! **Link:** [**http://bdfoodsafety.com**](http://bdfoodsafety.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2022/03/michigan-state-university-ad-food-safety-summit-2022.png) Michigan State University Booth #414 Michigan State University’s Online Food Safety Program strives to educate professionals on how to make global food systems safe and supports individuals as they advance in food safety-related careers. The program consists of a Master of Science in Food Safety degree, a Graduate Certificate in Food Safety, and non-credit continuing education courses—all 100% online. The program also offers an on-campus executive education program, Creating a Food Safety Culture, where executives come to campus to learn from high-level food safety experts. Each program will provide food safety professionals with applicable knowledge to navigate the ever-changing concerns surrounding food safety, food protection, and public health. Who will keep food safe? Spartans Will. Link: [http://foodsafety.msu.edu](http://foodsafety.msu.edu/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2022/03/rgf-ad-food-safety-summit-2022.png) ****RGF Booth #712** RGF Environmental Group, an ISO9001:15 South Florida-based designer, manufacturer and supplier of industrial environmental technology since 1985, has developed PhotohydroionizationTM (PHI), a disinfection process that combines several non-chemical, non-penetrating radiation approaches, which together can reduce harmful microorganisms in food and air more efficiently that any single approach. PhotohydroionizationTM has been approved for food processing facilities inspected by the USDA, FDA and FSIS. PHI technology is adaptable; it is designed to treat food and equipment surfaces, as well as facility air. RGF also offers high output germicidal ultraviolet light systems for treatment of process water, brines and marinade solutions. Link: [http://www.rgf.com](http://www.rgf.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2022/03/saldesia-ad-food-safety-summit-2022.png) Saldesia Booth #219 Saldesia “Goddess of Food Safety” is a focused distributor of Food Safety products and solutions. At this year’s show, we will be introducing and featuring Dycem Antimicrobial Flooring & Mats. These high-performance contamination control solutions are the most effective way of controlling all forms of foot, wheel, and airborne contamination from entering critical areas. 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The Group has built up a global network of food testing laboratories and Competence Centres that perform more than 150 million assays per year to establish the safety, composition, authenticity, origin, traceability and purity of food. Eurofins thus offers the broadest portfolio of any food testing lab and makes this unique offer available globally from any of our laboratories using optimised processes, logistics and IT. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/06/logo-fsn-lafp-2019-advertisement.jpg) **Booth #264** **Contact: Chuck Jolley** **Email: Chuck@JolleyAssociates.com** **Web Link:** [**https://www.foodsafetynews.com**](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/home/) **Phone: +1 913.205.3791** The entire food industry knows when something important in food safety happens, they’ll read about it first in **FOOD SAFETY NEWS**. We’re their only daily resource with the largest reporting staff in the industry so, of course, we’ll get the story before anyone else. Come meet Timothy Lytton, author of the new book “***OUTBREAK*** *, Foodborne Illness and the Struggle for Food Safety.*“ Advertisers, **FOOD SAFETY NEWS** has 35,000+ direct subscribers and 250,000+ people follow us on social media. Stop by our booth and let’s talk about how we can dramatically expand your reach. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/06/logo-michigan-state-lafp-2019-advertisement.jpg) **Online Food Safety Program** **Booth #140** **Web Link:** [**https://foodsafety.msu.edu/**](https://foodsafety.msu.edu/history?ref=foodsafetynews.com) Designed for working professionals and accepting its first students in 2002, the Online Master of Science (MS) in Food Safety Program at Michigan State University was created in response to a market research study conducted in the year 2000\. This study revealed an overwhelming need on the part of food industry, government and public health for their employees to be specifically educated in the many aspects of safeguarding our food supply. The study also revealed concern by employers over losing their best employees to a traditional on-campus program. Therefore, the Online MS in Food Safety program was designed to meet both the needs of the individual, as well as the employer, by offering this comprehensive program in a fully online format. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/06/logo-sgs-lafp-2019-advertisement.jpg) **Booth #328** **Web Link:** [**https://www.sgsgroup.us.com/**](https://www.sgsgroup.us.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) As agricultural goods progress from field to fork they require attention, tracking and integrity. We offer an end-to-end supply chain range of services that reduce risk, ensure quality and improve productivity. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/06/logo-stop-lafp-2019-advertisement.jpg) **Booth #568** **Contact: Stanley E. Rutledge** **Email:** [**srutledge@stopfoodborneillness.org**](mailto:srutledge@stopfoodborneillness.org) **Web Link:**[ **http://www.stopfoodborneillness.org/stories**](http://www.stopfoodborneillness.org/stories?ref=foodsafetynews.com) Food safety is everyone’s business. The stories of individuals and families who have come together and transformed isolated losses into something bigger than an individual tragedy are the history of Stop Foodborne Illness. We are focused on collaboration to influence food safety decisions where they begin- at the farm, factory and store. And where they end – in your home. Come visit us to find out how we can facilitate impacting your world. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/06/logo-testo-lafp-2019-advertisement.jpg) **Testo Solutions USA, Inc.** **Booth #337-339** Web Link: **[www.testofoodsafety.com](http://www.testofoodsafety.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)** Testo is a leader in the design, development, and manufacture of portable measurement instrumentation. The fully integrated Testo Saveris system (Hardware/Software/Services), fulfills the compliance gap and leads the food safety market into a new era. Executives can now automate checks, create visibility and improve accountability. Saveris changes the dynamic from paper-based reporting to automated exception management through software notifications. ### Food Safety Summit 2019 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/food-safety-summit-2019/ Last updated: 2019-04-25T20:25:43.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-22-33-pm.png) **Put these great companies on your ‘must see’ list at the** **FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-22-42-pm.png) **Booth #813** **Amrita Puri** **Email: amrita\_puri@bio-rad.com** **Phone:** **(510) 631-2857** **Bio-Rad Laboratories** manufacture tests for food safety with a complete line of solutions for food pathogen testing. We offer a full menu of real-time PCR test kits for the detection of key pathogens, culture media for nutritive enrichment and RAPID chromogenic media with easy colony identification for detection of pathogens and enumeration of quality indicators. As an instrument manufacturer, **Bio-Rad** also provides instrument options for both low and high volume users, including our iQ-Check Prep automation system. Stop by our booth and let’s talk about how we can help you improve your food safety program. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-22-48-pm.png) **Booth 613** **Call 872-810-4123** **Website: www.CertusFoodSafety.com** **Email** [**info@CertusFoodSafety.com**](mailto:Minfo@CertusFoodSafety.comA) **Visit 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #113** **Chicago, IL, 60640** **CERTUS** changes the way that food safety is done and helps reduce food-borne illness with a rapid pathogen detection system that is Simple. Safe. Smart™. **CERTUS** integrates historically embraced values into future technology bringing innovation and expansive vision to the food safety industry. Building on a foundation of over 200 years of quality and precision, **CERTUS** joins the Toho Technology group of companies as a new brand specializing in Food Safety. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-22-54-pm.png) **Booth #220** **Contact: Megan Frahm** **Email:** [**megan.frahm@ifsworld.com**](mailto:MEGAN.FRAHM@IFSWORLD.COM) **Website: www.ifsworld.com/us** **IFS** develops and delivers enterprise software for customers around the world who manufacture and distribute goods, maintain assets, and manage service-focused operations. The industry expertise of our people and solutions, together with commitment to our customers, has made us a recognized leader and the most recommended supplier in our sector. Our team of 3,500 employees supports more than 10,000 customers worldwide from a network of local offices and through our growing ecosystem of partners. For more information, visit **IFSworld.com** \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-23-02-pm.png) **Booth #234** The International Association for Food Protection’s Annual Meeting, IAFP 2019, will be held July 21–24, in Louisville, Kentucky. Attended by more than 3,600 food safety professionals from six continents, this leading food safety conference covers three days of sessions featuring more than 1,250 presentations. Other networking events include Committee and Professional Development Group (PDG) Meetings; Opening Session and Ivan Parkin Lecture; Business Meeting; U.S. Regulatory Update on Food Safety; John H. Silliker Lecture; and the Awards Reception and Banquet. The meeting will also showcase 200 companies and organizations demonstrating the latest products and technologies in the Exhibit Hall. Six Pre-Meeting Workshops will take place July 19 and July 20. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-23-06-pm.png) **Booth #413** **Contact: Brian Sharp** **Email:** [**BSharp@safetychain.com**](mailto:bsharp@safetychain.com) **Website: www.safetychain.com** **SafetyChain** is a Quality Management System (QMS) that helps food and beverage companies improve productivity, profitability and compliance with a flexible, user-friendly software platform that captures, manages and analyzes real-time operations data. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-23-10-pm.png) **Booth #127** **Contact: Stan Rutledge (**[**srutledge@stopfoodborneillness.org**](mailto:srutledge@stopfoodborneillness.org)**)** **Website: www.stopfoodborneillness.org** Stop Foodborne Illness is the voice for all who turn awareness into action. We advocate tirelessly to regulate food handling and processing from farm to table. We partner with Congress, the USDA, the FDA, the CDC, and other relevant agencies and organizations to mitigate food safety risks through policy and legislation. There’s still work to do. And we can’t do it without you. Help us achieve our vision of a safe food supply for all. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-23-14-pm.png) **Booth #213** **Website: www.sqfi.com** Our Mission is to deliver consistent, globally recognized food safety and quality certification programs based on sound scientific principles, consistently applied across all industry sectors, and valued by all stakeholders. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2019/04/screen-shot-2019-04-25-at-3-23-16-pm.png) **Booth #209** **Phone: (800) 227-0729 x200** **E-Mail:** [**esolutions@testo.com**](mailto:esolutions@testo.com) **Website: www.testo.com** Traditional, paper based management programs pose challenges in keeping accurate records and following company policies. This leaves your customers and your business open to unnecessary risks. For 60 years, **Testo** has developed innovative measuring solutions for the Food and Pharmaceutical Industries. The **Testo Saveris** platforms have been developed to support your company’s quality management initiatives and protect your brand’s reputation. Each solution combines innovative measurement technology with intuitively operated software and individualized service. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ### Media Kit Mockup URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/media-kit-mockup/ Last updated: 2020-11-18T16:57:42.000Z [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/files/2018/07/mediakit2.png)](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/content/files/files/2018/07/media-kit-fsn-2018-2019.pdf) To view the **Food Safety News** media kit, please click on the image. For additional information, contact Chuck Jolley at: phone 913-205-3791 or email chuck@jolleyassociates.com. --- The **Food Safety News** Directory lists businesses whose products and services contribute to the food supply safety network around the world. Our readers can search the Directory by category or by business name. To list your business in the **Food Safety News** Directory, or for details on advertising options, contact Chuck Jolley: chuck@jolleyassociates.com. You can also download the [**FSN** media kit](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/content/files/files/2018/07/media-kit-fsn-2018-2019.pdf) for details. ### Featured Listings [![](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/files/2018/07/par-surecheck.png)](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/par-surecheck/) [![](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/files/2018/07/intralytix.png)](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/intralytix-phage-food-safety-company/) [![](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/files/2018/07/IFS.png)](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/ifs-world/) [![](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/files/2018/07/alchemy.png)](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/alchemy-systems/) [![](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/files/2018/07/logo-marler-clark.gif)](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/marler-clark-llp-ps/) ### Directory Entry Categories | [Antimicrobial Interventions](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/directory/antimicrobial-interventions/) [Bacteria Control 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| ### Third-Party Inspection/Auditing Directory URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/third-party-inspection-auditing-directory/ Last updated: 2025-02-06T23:06:35.000Z **ASI**500 NW Plaza, Suite 700 St. Louis, MO 63074 Key contact: Andrew Wood Email: [info@asifood.com](mailto:info@asifood.com) Tel: 1+ (800) 477-0778 Web: [https://www.asifood.com](https://www.asifood.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) **CERT ID** 504 N. 4th Street, Suite 208 Fairfield, IA 52556 Tel: (641) 209-1899 [info@cert-id.com](mailto:info@cert-id.com) [www.cert-id.com](http://www.cert-id.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) **Scientific Certification Systems** 2000 Powell St. Suite 600 Emeryville, CA 94608 Tel: (510) 452-8003 [cwood@scscertified.com](mailto:cwood@scscertified.com) [www.scscertified.com/foodsafety](http://www.scscertified.com/foodsafety?ref=foodsafetynews.com) **SGS North America, Inc.** 201 Route 17 North Rutherford, NJ 07070 Tel: +1 201.508.3000 Email: [Foodnam@sgs.com](mailto:Foodnam@sgs.com) Web: [www.sgs.com/usafood](http://www.sgs.com/usafood?ref=foodsafetynews.com) **WQS Food Verification LLC** 7400 Carmel Executive Park Drive, Suite 120, Charlotte, NC 28226 Email: Phone: 980-218-9151 Web: [www.wqscert.com](http://www.wqscert.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ## Posts ### Publisher's Platform: This FDA official got it right URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/publishers-platform-this-fda-official-got-it-right/ Last updated: 2026-09-19T16:00:38.000Z I have spent more than 30 years representing people sickened by contaminated food. I do not often read a speech by an FDA official and find myself agreeing with nearly every line. This week I did. Dr. Donna Garren, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Produce Safety, spoke on Sept. 15 at the [annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture](https://www.nasda.org/media-advisory-produce-safety-leader-for-u-s-food-drug-administration-to-discuss-opportunities-with-state-agriculture-officials/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in Portland, Maine. I could find only two outlets that covered it, [Agri-Pulse](https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/25255-daybreak-sept-16-farm-bill-back-for-senate-committee-vote?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [Lancaster Farming](https://www.lancasterfarming.com/farming-news/news/fda-director-takes-lessons-from-cyclospora-outbreak/article%5F84703c38-824f-4eaf-8a61-93f8af0549f2.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and both are worth reading in full. Her message, in short: the 2026 *Cyclospora* outbreak exposed weaknesses in how we oversee fresh produce, and FDA needs a system that finds hazards before people get sick rather than after. She has been on the job less than three months. She [joined FDA effective June 29](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-names-produce-safety-director/), after nearly 15 years at the American Frozen Food Institute and earlier leadership roles at Boskovich Farms, the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, the National Restaurant Association, the Consumer Goods Forum and NSF International. Her office writes FDA’s regulations, policy and guidance for fresh fruits and vegetables, including the minimum standards under the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. That background matters. When someone who has spent a career working alongside industry says the system has to change, growers and processors will hear it in a way they may not hear it from me. **Never let a good crisis go to waste** The numbers are hard to overstate. According to [FDA](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/post-outbreak-response-activities-multistate-outbreaks-cyclospora-illnesses?ref=foodsafetynews.com), CDC reported 19,595 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis in the United States as of Sept. 8, including more than 12,000 from one multistate outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. [CDC declared that outbreak over](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) on Sept. 11\. Two people died. Garren told the state agriculture officials that the outbreak should be a moment of reckoning for FDA, because it showed a food safety system that does not always reflect the complexity of today’s global supply chain. Then, according to Lancaster Farming, she reached for the old saying: never let a good crisis go to waste. She is exactly right, and that saying is the history of food safety in this country. Crises are how this system changes. After the 1993 Jack in the Box *E. coli* outbreak, USDA declared *E. coli*O157:H7 an adulterant in ground beef in 1994\. Hamburger cases were the core of my practice for a decade, and today they are close to zero for my firm. That is the best thing to happen in food safety in my lifetime, and it came out of a crisis. After the 2006 spinach outbreak and the 2008 to 2009 peanut outbreak, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act, signed in January 2011. Crises also get wasted. Less than two years after FSMA was signed, USDA shut down its produce testing program. Fifteen years after FSMA, the food traceability rule Congress required, the tool that would let investigators trace lettuce faster, has been [delayed again after pushback from industry](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/cyclospora-outbreak-followed-years-of-declining-fda-foreign-inspections?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Attention fades when the case counts stop climbing. Garren is telling her own agency not to let that happen this time. **If we don’t act, shame on us** The sharpest line of the day did not come from Garren. It came from California Secretary of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross, who [chairs NASDA’s Food Systems and Nutrition Committee](https://www.maine.gov/dacf/about/news/news.shtml?id=13276507&ref=foodsafetynews.com), the committee Garren addressed. Speaking about how communication breaks down in every outbreak, Ross said: “If we don’t act on this, shame on us.” She is right, and the “us” is broad. It includes FDA and USDA, the growers, processors and retailers, the Congress that writes the budget, the state agriculture departments in that room, and people like me who have been making these arguments for more than thirty years. More than 19,000 people were sickened in one season, more than 12,000 of them in a single outbreak, and two people died. If a year from now all we have is another round of statements, with no testing program, no rule on naming firms and no published root cause, then shame on all of us. **She wants produce testing back** This is the part of her speech I most want to highlight. Lancaster Farming reports that she wants FDA to reinstate a national approach to microbiological data on produce, similar to USDA’s Microbiological Data Program. I know that program well. [USDA ran it from 2001 to 2012](https://www.ams.usda.gov/node/37908?ref=foodsafetynews.com), working with state agriculture departments to sample and test fresh fruits and vegetables for foodborne pathogens, and it ended in December 2012 when its funding was eliminated. In its final year it was a $4.5 million program that [accounted for more than 80 percent of government produce testing](https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/foodborne-disease/food-safety-scan-usda-produce-testing-ending-food-whistleblower-protection?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The Associated Press reported in 2012 that it had found more than two dozen contaminated samples that led to recalls of lettuce, tomatoes and other foods. I argued at the time that ending it was a mistake, and I have said so many times since. Hearing a senior FDA official say publicly that something like it should come back is welcome news. **She wants the data used before people get sick** Garren described a system that brings together surveillance data, inspection records, outbreak histories and even satellite imaging to flag hazards before illnesses occur. That is the right goal. FDA already holds much of this information. All summer I have been tracking [FDA’s own outbreak investigations table](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com), where many files list no food, no on-site inspection, or both. The information exists. What has been missing is putting it to work, and putting it in front of the public. A director who wants to do both has my support. **Same rules for everyone** She said domestic growers, foreign farms and importers must be held to the same standard, and that fairness and public health point in the same direction. That principle matters. The Associated Press found that [FDA inspections of foreign food sites are down nearly 35 percent since 2019](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/cyclospora-outbreak-followed-years-of-declining-fda-foreign-inspections?ref=foodsafetynews.com). When I went through FDA’s investigations table in August, eleven of seventeen open investigations showed no on-site inspection, and the six that did all involved firms on American soil. Parity is fair to American farmers and safer for American consumers. **Name them** Here is the line from her speech I would put on the wall. Garren called transparency both a value and a mechanism, and she said: “When bad actors know they will be named … behavior changes.” She added that this means publishing outcomes, sharing data, and showing that oversight is real and applied without exception. I have been making that argument in outbreak after outbreak. Earlier this month FDA closed a summer *E. coli* O157:H7 file by [saying romaine lettuce caused it, naming no grower and no processor](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/fda-now-says-romaine-calm-romaine-lettuce-caused-a-summer-2026-e-coli-o157h7-outbreak-it-waited-until-it-closed-the-file-and-it-named-no-grower-and-no-processor/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Stop Foodborne Illness has a citizen petition pending at FDA, Docket FDA-2026-P-1448, on naming the firms tied to outbreaks. Garren’s principle, applied, answers the question that petition asks. **States as partners** She also wants FDA to work more closely with state agriculture departments and to share information better, describing state staff as the boots on the ground who talk to producers every day. The old Microbiological Data Program ran through state agriculture departments, so a closer federal-state partnership is exactly how a revived testing program would work. **How to make it stick** A speech is a start. Three steps would turn what she said into policy: funding for a national produce testing program in the next federal budget, a rule requiring FDA to name the firms linked to outbreaks, and publication of the root cause findings in the iceberg lettuce outbreak, which [FDA says](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/post-outbreak-response-activities-multistate-outbreaks-cyclospora-illnesses?ref=foodsafetynews.com) it is committed to sharing. Each of those follows directly from her own words, and together they are what not wasting this crisis looks like. If she wants allies in getting them done, she has one here. Garren told Lancaster Farming that friends say she picked the worst time to join FDA. She disagrees, and said she likes figuring out what happened and building plans that keep it from happening again. After this summer, that is exactly the attitude the job needs. Welcome, Dr. Garren. Keep saying it. ### Potato chips recalled because of undeclared soy URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/potato-chips-recalled-because-of-undeclared-soy/ Last updated: 2026-09-19T03:05:27.000Z Saratoga Potato Chips of Fort Wayne, IN, is recalling two Best if USED BY codes of 7.75-ounce packages of J. HIGGS Loaded Bacon and Cheddar Potato Chips because they may contain undeclared soy allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The recalled J. HIGGS Loaded Bacon and Cheddar Potato Chips were distributed in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Maryland and sold in Save A Lot stores. The product has UPC code 0-51933-31645-4, comes in a 7.75-ounce, flexible multi-layered laminated metalized package marked with Best if USED BY DEC 11 26 and Best if USED BY DEC 18 26 on the top right corner of the bag. No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date in connection with this problem. The issue was identified through company review. ### Before the next food safety headline URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/before-the-next-food-safety-headline/ Last updated: 2026-09-19T03:40:50.000Z Every major food safety headline begins long before anyone writes it. Before an outbreak is identified, a recall announced, or an investigation launched, countless quieter decisions shape what happens throughout the food system. A supplier is approved. A specification is accepted. Equipment is maintained. An unusual result is investigated or dismissed. A worker decides whether to speak up. Most of these decisions will never become news, and when they are made well, that is precisely the point. The third annual Global Glove Safety Day today is an appropriate time to think not only about the failures that make headlines, but also about everything that happens *before* them. The most important question may not be simply, “What went wrong?” It may be: What are we assuming is safe today? **The danger of assumed safety** More than three decades in food safety have taught me that failures rarely begin at the moment we discover them. They have a history. Somewhere upstream, a hazard may not have been recognized, a specification may have gone unchallenged, a supplier assurance may have been accepted without sufficient verification, or a worker may not have felt empowered to stop a process. Individually, these decisions can appear small. Collectively, they can determine whether food reaches a family safely. This is why prevention demands more than compliance. Regulations, standards, audits, testing programs, and documentation are essential, but the existence of a control is not the same thing as evidence that the control is working as intended. A certificate, specification, training record, or audit is not, by itself, prevention if the assumptions behind it remain unexamined. Leaders should continually ask: How do we know? How do we know a supplier is consistently meeting our safety expectations? How do we know a material is appropriate for its intended use? How do we know a recurring deviation is an isolated event rather than an early warning? That distinction between assuming and knowing is where prevention often begins. **A glove is a small thing — until it isn't** Food handling gloves provide a useful example. Consumers see someone preparing food while wearing gloves and understandably associate them with cleanliness and protection. But a glove does not become an effective food safety control simply because it came out of a box. It must be appropriate for its intended use, sourced and stored appropriately, and used correctly. Employees must also understand when gloves need to be changed and that gloves do not replace proper handwashing or sound food-handling practices. We should not confuse the appearance of protection with evidence of protection. That principle extends far beyond gloves. It applies to sanitation programs, supplier assurances, environmental monitoring, training, traceability, and other controls throughout the food system. Are they working because we have evidence that they are working, or do we believe they are working because they are familiar, documented, and have not obviously failed? Food safety leadership should sometimes be uncomfortable. Familiarity can create confidence. Confidence can become assumption. Assumptions that are never challenged can become vulnerabilities. **Prevention is a leadership system** Food safety cannot belong only to people with “food safety” or “quality assurance” in their titles. Procurement influences safety through purchasing requirements and supplier decisions. The operations team influences safety when production pressures compete with sanitation or investigation. Executives influence safety through priorities, resources, and the behaviors they reward. Frontline employees influence safety every time they follow a procedure, notice something unusual, or raise a concern. Safety really is in our hands, but that should never become an excuse to place the burden solely on the individual worker. Consider something as simple as changing a glove. We can ask whether an employee changed it at the appropriate time, but leadership should ask whether the right glove was purchased, expectations were clear, training was effective, supplies were available, and employees could stop when something appeared wrong without fearing that production mattered more than safety. That is the difference between treating food safety as a behavior and treating it as a system. Strong organizations create conditions in which people can act on their responsibility. They also recognize that compliance is the floor, not the ceiling. Meeting a legal requirement answers one question. Responsible leadership asks another: Have we done what we reasonably can to prevent foreseeable harm? **The stories no publication can report** Modern food safety has extraordinary capabilities for finding problems. Advances in laboratory science, epidemiology, whole genome sequencing, surveillance, and traceability have transformed our ability to identify hazards and respond to outbreaks. Those capabilities save lives, but finding a failure faster is still different from preventing it. Readers come to **Food Safety News** in part because this publication documents the realities of food safety failures: outbreaks, recalls, investigations, regulatory actions, and their consequences. That reporting matters because the food system must learn from what went wrong. But there is another category of food safety story that no publication can fully report: the failures that never happened. We never read the headline for the outbreak prevented because someone acted on an early warning. Nobody posts recall notice for contaminated product stopped before entering commerce. We rarely hear about the supplier questioned before a vulnerability became a crisis, the employee whose concern was taken seriously, or the leader who accepted a production delay because an unanswered safety question mattered more than the schedule. Imagine the strangest possible food safety headline: “BREAKING NEWS: NOTHING HAPPENED.” No outbreak. No recall. No illnesses. No families harmed. Of course, “nothing happened” is not news. In food safety, however, it can represent extraordinary and intentional work. The public may never know what was prevented, but invisibility should not mean insignificance. Organizations should identify these moments, study them, and recognize what made the right decision possible. **The public may never read the headline – The organization should still learn the story** Sept. 18 has a deeply personal meaning for me. It is the birthday of my son, Riley, who was born in 1991\. He died in 1993 during the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak. This year, he would have turned 35. More than three decades later, his birthday reminds me why prevention can never remain an abstraction. Behind every outbreak number is a person. Behind every case count is a family that expected the food they ate to be safe. Some consequences cannot be undone after a hazard is identified. That is why Sept. 18 became the date for Global Glove Safety Day. The day focuses attention on gloves, but the responsibility it represents is much larger. It is about looking at something ordinary and asking whether we know as much about its safety as we think we do. It is about questioning routine, demanding verification, and creating workplaces where people can raise concerns before they become incidents. **Before someone writes the headline** We cannot prevent every food safety failure by focusing on one product, one procedure, or one day. But we can build organizations that are better at questioning assumptions. We can make safety part of purchasing decisions, ask suppliers for evidence rather than reassurance, learn from near misses and successful interventions, and give employees both the responsibility and authority to raise concerns. Leaders throughout the food system should keep asking:What are we assuming is safe simply because nothing bad has happened yet? The next major food safety headline may already have a history. Somewhere today, a decision is being made that could become part of that history or prevent it. Identify the assumption, question it, verify it, and fix it if necessary. Do it before someone else has to write the headline. ### Details emerge about Italian hepatitis A outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/details-emerge-about-italian-hepatitis-a-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-09-18T04:05:43.000Z Researchers have shared more details about a hepatitis A outbreak in Italy earlier this year that affected more than 130 people. Two papers related to the hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreak were presented at the recent national conference of the Italian Association of Veterinary Food Hygienists (AIVI). They were published in the Italian Journal of Food Safety. In early 2026, the Campania region experienced a significant increase in cases of hepatitis A, particularly within the area of Naples. Epidemiological investigations identified a potential association between illness and consumption of bivalve mollusks, such as mussels, clams and oysters, consistent with findings from another regional hepatitis A outbreak in 2015. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Scottish testing finds Listeria and allergen issues URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/scottish-testing-finds-listeria-and-allergen-issues/ Last updated: 2026-09-18T04:03:19.000Z A food testing program in Scotland has revealed a high level of compliance but also showed examples of microbial contamination and meat substitution. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) funds an annual food sampling plan delivered by local authorities (LAs) and Public Analyst laboratories. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA steps up enforcement on importers because of illegal colors, pesticides and unsafe additives URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fda-steps-up-enforcement-on-importers-because-of-illegal-colors-pesticides-and-unsafe-additives/ Last updated: 2026-09-18T04:01:02.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Pasta sold at Walmart stores nationwide recalled because of Listeria URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/pasta-sold-at-walmart-stores-nationwide-recalled-because-of-listeria/ Last updated: 2026-09-18T01:13:26.000Z Gias Foods has issued a nationwide recall of two lots of bettergoods Authentic Italian Lemon Alfredo Fettuccine sold at Walmart after testing found the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The company reported the frozen pasta comes in a 22-ounce yellow plastic packages with UPC 194346442706\. The recalled lots were marked L6079C or L6080C with expiration dates of 09/19/2027 or 09/20/2027 stamped on the back. The affected product was distributed at Walmart stores nationwide. No illnesses have been reported. Gias Foods said the recall started after routine sampling by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services found the bacteria in finished products. The company said it stopped distributing the pasta while it and the FDA continued to investigate the cause. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled product and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### FDA issues public warning about more products containing toxic yellow oleander URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fda-issues-public-warning-about-more-products-containing-toxic-yellow-oleander/ Last updated: 2026-09-18T00:44:42.000Z The Food and Drug Administration has added three products to a safety alert about yellow oleander. There are now 33 products on the warning list. The agency is reminding consumers to avoid these products because they have been tested and found to contain toxic yellow oleander and can cause neurologic, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse health effects that may be severe, or even fatal. FDA continues to investigate the safety of botanical weight loss products on the market by testing for yellow oleander. Additionally, two of these products contain other hidden drug ingredients and may cause life-threatening reactions. See FDA’s notifications for [D Magic Plus](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud-notifications/dmagic-plus-may-be-harmful-due-hidden-ingredients?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [B. Magi](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud-notifications/b-magi-may-be-harmful-due-hidden-ingredients?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for more information. The FDA is advising consumers to stop using and dispose of the 33 products on the list, which can be found by [clicking here](https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-issues-warning-about-certain-products-containing-toxic-yellow-oleander?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery). The FDA advises consumers who have taken any of these products to contact their health care provider immediately, even if the products have not been used recently, so that an appropriate evaluation may be conducted. Call 9-1-1 or get emergency medical help right away if you or someone in your care has serious side effects from these products. In September 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a [report](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7237a3.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) of several tejocote root products found to be substituted with yellow oleander, a toxic substance. Based on this report, the FDA initiated an investigation to sample and test additional tejocote root products. As part of FDA’s ongoing surveillance sampling efforts, we continue to test products; those found to contain yellow oleander are listed above. Based on the FDA’s sampling and testing results thus far, the FDA is also concerned that other products marketed as tejocote root (including with other names such as *Crataegus mexicana*, Raiz de Tejocote, and Mexican Hawthorn) may contain yellow oleander. Additional investigation by FDA has determined that some dietary supplements that are not labeled to contain tejocote root may also contain toxic, yellow oleander. Consuming yellow oleander can cause severe adverse health effects and be potentially fatal. ### FDA releases executive summaries on two outbreak investigations URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fda-releases-executive-summaries-on-two-outbreak-investigations/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T04:05:26.000Z The FDA has released two executive summaries on outbreak investigations, one on a cantaloupe outbreak and the other on an outbreak traced to soft cheese. Portions of both of the summaries have been redacted. **Salmonella outbreak traced to cantaloupe** For an investigation of a Salmonella Newport outbreak traced to cantaloupe, the executive summary discusses multiple firms in Guatemala; the name of only one has not been redacted. The outbreak sickened 70 people across 25 states early this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not report publicly on the outbreak until it was declared over. According to the executive summary from the Food and Drug Administration released Sept. 16, cantaloupe was determined to be the likely source of the Salmonella infections in February. On Feb. 25, the FDA requested increased screening of cantaloupe from two firms in Guatemala, but the names of the firms were redacted. On Feb. 27 a third firm was added, but its name is also redacted in the executive summary. It was determined that Ayco Farms Inc. of Pompano Beach, FL, was the importer and distributor. Cantaloupes shipped to Ayco Farms were sourced from Ayco Farms, San Jorge and Agrobassy Farms located in (redacted) Guatemala. The FDA initiated 11 traceback assignments for information and records collection. The agency also issued a for cause inspection assignment for records, information collection, and sample collection from Ayco Farms Guatemala S.A. and packinghouse, (redacted), Guatemala, and to (redacted) and packinghouses in (redacted), Guatemala. A two-item FDA Form 4056 was issued to (redacted) for failure to monitor dump tank water. A two-item FDA Form 4056 was also issued to Ayco Farms for failure to maintain dump tank water temperatures and fraying edges on a food contact surface conveyor belt. Thirty-seven cantaloupe samples were collected because of an increased import screening and they all tested negative for Salmonella. Twenty-three foreign inspection samples were collected from Ayco and (redacted) and their packing houses in Guatemala. Five samples resulted in 73 isolates testing positive for four non-outbreak strain Salmonella spp. including Salmonella Gaminara, Salmonella Abaetetuba, Salmonella Newport, and Salmonella Carrau. Some isolates’ whole genome sequencing matched each other, and some matched between the two farms. Whole genome sequencing of one environmental isolate matched five patient samples collected between 2021 and 2026\. On March 24, Ayco Farms recalled one lot of whole cantaloupe. On April 1 FDA placed Agrobassy Y CIA LTDA and Ayco San Jorge Y Compania Limitada on Import Alert 99-35\. **Listeria outbreak traced to soft cheese** On May 26, the FDA received notification of an investigation of an outbreak involving two soft ricotta cheese samples that were confirmed (redacted) positive for Listeria monocytogenes. On May 27 the CDC also notified the FDA of the cluster and corresponding investigation involving eight patients from three states. Ultimately 15 patients were identified. According to the executive summary, traceback of requeson cheese consumed by four patients identified three points of sale, three distributors, and one manufacturer, Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicville, MD. Records obtained from Maryland state health officials indicated that the manufacturer sourced milk from five dairies, all located within the state of Maryland. The Maryland Department of Health’s Center for Milk and Dairy Product Safety issued a summary of suspension notice, which suspended the Manufacturing Grade Milk Processing Permit for Clover Hill Dairy. The dairy recalled all requesón/soft ricotta products produced by the firm and subsequently expanded the recall to include all cheese products within expiry. The distributor, Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC, also issued a recall for all requesón cheese distributed by Clover Hill Dairy. Based on epidemiologic, traceback and laboratory data, soft cheese, specifically requeson, was confirmed as the source of the outbreak. The investigation determined that the soft cheese was manufactured at Clover Hill Dairy. The outbreak strain of Listeria was detected in nine product and environmental samples. **Other outbreak news** The FDA updated patient counts for three outbreaks. Sources of the pathogens in all three outbreaks remain unknown. For an outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections, the patient count is 111, up from 109 a week ago. The FDA has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. The agency has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food it is tracing. The outbreak was first posted on August. 26. For an outbreak of Listeria infections, the patient count has increased from nine to 10\. The FDA has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. The agency has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food is being traced. The agency has also begun onsite inspections and sample testing, but it is not reporting what location is being inspected or what is being tested. The outbreak was first posted on July 22. For an outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite, the patient count has increased from 231 to 234\. The FDA has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. The agency has begun traceback and sampling, but is not reporting what food is being traced or what is being tested. The outbreak was first posted on July 22\. ### FDA report on food safety in delis stresses personal hygiene URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fda-report-on-food-safety-in-delis-stresses-personal-hygiene/ Last updated: 2026-09-18T20:50:12.000Z The Food and Drug Administration has released a 54-page report on the Occurrence of Foodborne Illness Risk Factors in Retail Food Store Delis. The report includes findings from data collection from 2019-2022 and is part of the agency’s efforts to reduce foodborne illnesses, which have an annual economic burden of $90.2 billion. The delis used in the study were randomly selected. Key findings noted in the report include: - Delis that had a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) who was the person in charge at the time of the data collect had significantly better food safety management system (FSMS) scores than those that did not have a CFPM; and - Having a well-developed FSMS was the strongest predictor that risk factors would be minimized; - The two most commonly occurring out of compliance risk factors were improper holding time and temperature, and poor personal hygiene; and - The least commonly out of compliance risk factor was inadequate cooking. The retail segment of the food industry employs 6 million workers and represents a combined annual sales volume of almost $800 billion, according to the report. At the time of the data collection for the report, there were 78,919 retail food store establishments in the contiguous United States. According to the FDA, the National Retail Food Risk Factor Study aims to observe behaviors across different segments of the retail food industry such as restaurants and delis to identify which foodborne illness risk factors are most out of control. According to the CDC, when considering incidents in 2017, retail food stores accounted for 21 outbreaks. For the purposes of the report, delis were observed across the United States. Delis are described as “areas in a retail food store where foods, such as luncheon meats and cheeses, are sliced for the customers and where sandwiches and salads are prepared on-site or received from a commissary in bulk containers, portioned, and displayed…” “These delis are unique in that they must reside in a retail food store (grocery store) and may have multiple regulatory authorities, whereas stand-alone delis are regulated solely by the U.S.Department of Agriculture,” according to the report. Delis have unique storage, handling, and service risks and opportunities. Most deli foods are ready-to-eat and receive no subsequent kill step for food safety such as cooking. The report states that a key food safety consideration in delis is to maintain good personal hygiene such as washing hands and no bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food. The FDA report cites surveillance data from the CDC, which consistently identifies five major risk factors related to food safety practices within the retail food industry that contribute to foodborne illness. Most regulatory retail food inspection programs throughout the United States monitor these risk factors in their routine inspections, and each necessitates specific food safety behaviors and practices to control the risks. These risk factors are: - Poor personal hygiene - Improper food holding/time and temperature - Contaminated equipment/protection from contamination - Inadequate cooking - Food obtained from unsafe sources To read the full report, [click here](https://www.fda.gov/media/194826/download?attachment&ref=foodsafetynews.com). ### Chinese scientists highlight risks of raw fish URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/chinese-scientists-highlight-risks-of-raw-fish/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T04:03:37.000Z Five people were sickened in China earlier this year after eating fish at a restaurant. In February 2026, Henan CDC received a report of a suspected clonorchiasis case. Clonorchiasis is transmitted by eating raw or undercooked freshwater fish and shrimp carrying the larvae of the liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Survey reveals regulatory insights from small UK firms URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/survey-reveals-regulatory-insights-from-small-uk-firms/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T04:01:50.000Z A survey of small businesses across the United Kingdom has found good practices relating to food safety and allergen information but low awareness of food crime. The 2025 edition was the fifth in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland but the first to include Scottish companies. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Supplier in sprout outbreak recalls seed URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/supplier-in-sprout-outbreak-recalls-seed/ Last updated: 2026-09-17T22:22:23.000Z The seed supplier for a sprout growing company involved in an outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella has agreed to conduct a recall. The Food and Drug Administration announced the recall on Sept. 15, but did not name the seed supplier. The agency also did not provide any identifying information about the seeds, such as lot numbers. The seed supplier initially refused to conduct a recall. The supplier sold seeds to Everything Sprouts LLC. The seed lot was also sold directly to other sprout growers and wholesale distributors in Puerto Rico and the U.S. It was also shipped internationally to Canada, Mexico, Tahiti, and Venezuela. Products from Everything Sprouts have been linked to an outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella infections. So far, 55 patients in 15 states have been identified. Four of the patients have required hospitalization, but no deaths have been reported. Some people were infected with more than one outbreak strain. Forty-six people were infected with E. coli, seven people were infected with Salmonella, and two people were infected with both Salmonella and E. coli. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 31 to Aug. 8, but additional patients could be identified because of the lag time of when a patient becomes ill and when they are added to the national toll. Also, there are likely many more sick people who have not been identified. This is because some people do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella or E. coli. The CDC estimates that for every patient identified in a Salmonella outbreak, 29 go undetected. For E. coli outbreaks the multiplier is 26. The patients in the outbreak range in age from 12 to 94 years old, with a median age of 34 years. State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 34 people interviewed, 26 reported eating alfalfa sprouts. Whole genome sequencing showed that bacteria from sick people's samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence show that alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts LLC of Minneapolis, MN, is one of the sources of illnesses in this outbreak. While alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts LLC are a source of illnesses in this outbreak, these sprouts do not explain all the illnesses. The FDA’s traceback investigation has identified at least one additional sprout grower who received and used the same lot of alfalfa sprout seeds under investigation in this outbreak from a common seed supplier. The FDA has not named the sprout grower. Everything Sprouts recalled three of its products in August. The recalled sprouts are past their expiration dates and should no longer be available for sale. ### Fine and charges issued in case involving fish that was unfit to eat URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fine-and-charges-issued-in-case-involving-fist-that-was-unfit-to-eat/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T06:07:54.000Z Two men have been charged in Norway for their roles in selling farmed salmon that was unfit for human consumption. The defendants, both men in their 50s, worked in senior positions at the company Pure Norwegian Seafood. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Chemical topics dominate Dutch emerging risk signals URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/chemical-topics-dominate-dutch-emerging-risk-signals/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T04:01:42.000Z Potential chemical risks dominated discussions this past year in a Dutch network created to identify emerging food safety risks. The Food Safety Signalling Consultation (SO-V) was formed in 2020 to identify and interpret emerging food safety risks. It has two sections: one for microbiological risks (SO-VM) and another for chemical risks (SO-VC). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Frozen raspberries recalled because of norovirus; illnesses reported URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/frozen-raspberries-recalled-because-of-norovirus-illnesses-reported/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T02:45:09.000Z Alasko brand frozen whole raspberries are being recalled in Canada because of contamination with norovirus. This recall was triggered by findings by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. There have been reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. The recalled berries were distributed in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Consumers can identify the recalled berries by looking for the following label information: | Brand | Product | Size | UPC | Codes | | ------ | -------------------------- | --------------- | ----------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Alasko | Whole Raspberries (frozen) | 1 kg | 6 95058 00205 4 | PO#138602LOT# SY25314BB: 2027-NO-10 | | Alasko | IQF Whole Raspberries | 5 kg (5 x 1 kg) | 1 069505 800205 1 | #Lot: SY25314P.O: 138602BB: 2027-NO-10 | **About norovirus infections** Food and beverages contaminated with norovirus may not look or smell bad, but it can cause severe illnesses. Symptoms of norovirus infection may include vomiting and/or diarrhea, nausea, muscle aches, fever, and headache, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms typically start 12 to 48 hours after exposure and can last for one to three days. Most people recover without treatment, however some may need medical attention for dehydration. People with norovirus infections can spread the infection easily to others. The virus can live on surfaces for long periods of time. To prevent others from getting sick always wash hands carefully with soap and warm water after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Use soap and water to clean toilets or other areas that may be soiled with stool or vomit. Hard surfaces can be disinfected with 1/3 cup household bleach mixed with one gallon of water – always wear gloves when handling bleach-based cleaners. ### So Delicious frozen dessert product recalled because of foreign objects URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/so-delicious-frozen-dessert-product-recalled-because-of-foreign-objects/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T02:07:55.000Z Danone USA is recalling of So Delicious Dairy Free Salted Caramel Cluster Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert pints with best-by dates on and before April 3, 2028, because consumers complained about the presence of foreign materials, such as small stones and other hard objects, within the cashew inclusions. The recalled product is packaged in pint containers and includes the products with the SKU number 136603 and the UPC number 744473476138\. The recall applies to product with best-by dates on and before April 3, 2028\. The recalled product was distributed to retail stores within the United States. The issue was identified through consumer complaints. According to a company news release, unaffected product is still available on shelves, and product shipped going forward is not affected by this recall. Consumers who purchased affected product should not consume it. ### The last mile of a food safety recall: It is not complete until consumers are protected URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/the-last-mile-of-a-food-safety-recall-it-is-not-complete-until-consumers-are-protected-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T04:05:03.000Z Imagine being the parent of an infant and learning that the baby formula in your home may be associated with a life-threatening illness. You rush to the pantry and begin looking for which product codes are associated with a recall notice web site, and you can’t find the codes. Perhaps the container has already been discarded but you know you have used that brand. Perhaps you never even heard about the recall until after the product had been consumed and you’re at the hospital with your sick infant. In June 2026, Nara Organics recalled all lots of its powdered infant formula after FDA investigated four confirmed cases of [infant botulism among infants who had consumed the product](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-infant-botulism-powdered-infant-formula-june-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The recall was announced quickly, but issuing a recall and reaching every household that may still possess the product are not the same thing. That distinction is not theoretical. During a the ByHeart infant formula recall, FDA found recalled product [remaining on retail shelves after retailers had already been notified](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-infant-botulism-infant-formula-november-2025?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The FDA, along with state and local partners, [conducted over 4,000 checks at retail locations](https://www.fda.gov/food/recalls-outbreaks-emergencies/fda-calls-food-industry-leaders-strengthen-recall-compliance-and-ensure-recall-effectiveness?ref=foodsafetynews.com) across the country following the [recall of infant formula](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/byheart-updates-information-regarding-voluntary-recall-all-batches-byheart-whole-nutrition-infant?ref=foodsafetynews.com) related to an outbreak of infant botulism. During these checks, they discovered that recalled product remained available for sale at over 175 retail locations across 36 states. In one case, recalled product remained available for sale over three weeks after the recall was initiated, and in another case, the recalled product was offered at a discounted price, with the promotional period beginning five days after the recall had been expanded to include all infant formula products from the manufacturer in question. In several cases, recalled product returned by consumers was placed back on shelves. The FDA stated that these preventable situations placed America’s most vulnerable population — infants, for whom infant formula is often a sole source of nutrition — at continued risk of serious illness. FDA [issued warning letters](https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/compliance-actions-and-activities/warning-letters?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in December 2025 to several retailers citing failures to effectuate the recall of adulterated infant formula at their retail locations. If a recalled product can remain in commerce in retail grocery shelves or available online after a recall begins, it can certainly remain in consumers' pantries, freezers, vacation homes, and the homes of grandparents or other caregivers. Prior to this during the [Boars Head Listeria outbreak in 2024](https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/delimeats-7-24/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), there were multiple complaints of recalled food stored in consumers homes and consumed after a recall notice, as evidenced by [class actions filed in early August 2024](https://milberg.com/news/boars-head-deli-meat-class-action-lawsuit/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and a subsequent [individual injury lawsuit](https://nypost.com/2024/08/02/business/queens-woman-files-class-action-suit-against-boars-head-over-deli-meat-recall-linked-to-listeria-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com); in both cases attorneys argued that Boar’s Head’s recall was "designed to reach very few people." The lawsuits stated that normal everyday consumers did not receive direct text alerts, emails, or clear in-store signage, leading them to consume products already in their refrigerators weeks after the media broadcasted the notice A recall may have been initiated, publicized, and reported by the industry and government regulators. Yet from the consumer's perspective and the public health, it has failed if they are not aware and the dangerous product is still consumed after the recall notice. **The measure we are missing** [FDA guidance](https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/initiation-voluntary-recalls-under-21-cfr-part-7-subpart-c?ref=foodsafetynews.com) describes recall effectiveness primarily as verification that recall communications reached direct consignees and that those distribution and retail businesses understood and followed the recall instructions. This includes requirements for [public warning.](https://www.fda.gov/media/71814/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) The FDA provides [specific guidance](https://www.fda.gov/media/110457/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to assist and provide recommendations to industry and FDA staff regarding the use, content, and circumstances for issuance of public warnings and public notifications for firm-initiated or FDA-requested recalls. These procedures are essential for controlling product within the commercial distribution chain. However, the regulations do not create any legal obligation for newspapers, television stations, radio stations, internet news sites, trade publications, or social media platforms to republish that information. They also don’t routinely measure whether the consumer who ultimately purchased the product had received the communication, or confirmed the actions recommended, or whether it was consumed after the recall announcement. There does not appear to be a routinely published national measure of the percentage of recalled food successfully removed from consumers' homes. That absence represents a public-health blind spot. The government and industry measure recall execution far better than recall effectiveness. **The last mile of a food safety recall** The food industry is investing heavily in the traceability of ingredients from suppliers through manufacturing, distribution, and retail sales and service due to [pending FDA requirements](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Yet traceability requirements end at the checkout counter or restaurant. The last mile of a food safety recall is the final, often unmeasured, step between identifying a recalled product in commerce, and alerting a consumer to avoid consumption. Consumer notification and verification of receipt should become a formal component of every recall plan rather than an activity that relies primarily on voluntary media – broadcast and social – coverage or industry and government websites. **The technology already exists** This is not a technology problem. Several grocery brands have publicly described systems that notify customers who may have purchased recalled products using email and register receipt messages. Some have used membership purchase records to send recall notices directly to members whose purchase histories indicate they bought the recalled product. Some also communicate recalls through direct email using online ordering purchase-history information supporting customer communications. However membership requirements often preclude these individual methods from reaching all the likely customers of a recalled product. The next generation of recall notifications to consumers should include the means for the consumer to quickly confirm if a product in their home has been recalled and/or provide notification of purchase specific product possession in cases where the product packaging is no longer available. For example, if all high risk packaged food products like infant formula had product lot specific QR codes that the consumer could scan themselves, and the QR codes were linked to the product manufacturer’s website that quickly informed the customer not to use the product during a recall, consumers could check the safety of a product quickly. To cover gaps when product packaging has been discarded but the consumer knows they have already consumed a product, voluntary digital pantry applications or mobile apps that automatically compare products purchased (e.g., via scanning QR codes) against recall databases via voluntary registration of purchase history for higher-risk products such as infant formula could be additionally helpful. Even a voluntary registration into a national Amber Alert style system (e.g., parents or caregivers who purchase infant formula) would be better than the current state of recall communications. Instead of consumers searching for recall information about a product they have purchased, recall information should search for consumers. **A recall effectiveness index might encourage government and industry innovation and action** The government should establish a Recall Effectiveness Index (REI) as an industry performance metric. Rather than measuring only how quickly a recall was initiated, the REI would evaluate: (1) identification of affected products and volume of sales at retail; (2) speed of consumer notification; (3) percentage of identifiable purchasers successfully reached; (4) consumer action and product removal; and (5) public-health outcomes, including illnesses occurring after recall initiation. What gets measured gets managed. If recall effectiveness is never measured at the consumer level, the last mile will remain the weakest part of the recall system and continue to lead to illnesses and deaths from previously recalled food products. **Doing the right thing** Food companies possess sophisticated capabilities to communicate with customers before a purchase through advertising, loyalty programs, mobile applications, and digital marketing. Those same capabilities should be used when protecting public health. If companies can find customers to sell them food, they should make every reasonable effort to find those same customers when a product may place them at risk. That is more than regulatory compliance — it is corporate responsibility. Food safety does not end when contaminated product leaves the manufacturing facility, nor when a recall press release is issued. It ends only when recalled food is no longer capable of harming consumers. Companies, retailers, regulators, and technology providers already possess many of the tools needed to close the last mile of a food safety recall. The next step is to make direct consumer notification and verification an expected component of every high-risk recall. A recall should not be considered successful simply because a press release was issued. It should be considered successful only after every reasonable effort has been made to identify affected consumers, and notify them promptly so they can remove dangerous products from their homes. That is what consumers expect—and it is the right thing to do. ### EU proposes changes to rules about meat storage conditions URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/eu-proposes-changes-to-rules-about-meat-storage-conditions/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T04:03:40.000Z The European Commission has opened a comment period on a change to regulations that would give companies more flexibility related to frozen meat. The proposals would increase the options for food businesses around storage conditions before freezing meat. They are based on a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) opinion that includes using different time and temperature combinations or microbiological evidence to satisfy authorities. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Sri Lanka creates food safety policy with FAO support URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/sri-lanka-creates-food-safety-policy-with-fao-support/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T04:01:28.000Z Sri Lanka has unveiled its first national food safety policy with six themes including improving food controls, strengthening surveillance, and enhancing standards. Developed by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, through the Food Control Administration Unit (FCAU), it promotes a preventive, risk-based approach. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Abbott to pay almost $385 million to settle false claims allegation about infant formula URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/abbott-hit-with-almost-390-million-to-settle-false-claims-allegation-about-infant-formula/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T16:23:43.000Z Saying that the nation’s food supply is non-negotiable, the Department of Justice announced a settlement with Abbott Laboratories for more than $384 million related to the 2022 infant formula crisis. The company was linked to an outbreak of cronobacter infections that saw two infants die after consuming powdered infant formula products made by Abbott’s Sturgis, MI, production plant.The company’s recall of several brands and varieties of infant formula, including Similac, led to a severe nationwide shortage, including shortages of formula contracted by federal and state governments. The settlement announced Sept. 14 resolves claims by the federal government related to allegations about false claims and is not a determination of liability on the part of the company. Numerous court actions brought by parents are pending. The settlement relates to the fact that Abbott caused false claims to be submitted between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2022, to federal and state programs arising from its failure to manufacture certain powdered infant formula and nutritional therapy products at its Sturgis, MI, and Casa Grande, AZ, facilities in compliance with federal and state statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements. Under the civil settlement agreement, Abbott will pay $348,700,868 to the United States to resolve the False Claims Act allegations and an additional $36,298,172 to certain states for claims settled by their Medicaid and WIC programs. The civil settlement also resolves claims brought under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, which allow private individuals to bring suit on behalf of the United States for false claims submitted to federal programs and to share in any recovery. Abbott employees Scott Millard, Kristine Cooper and Loren Cooper will receive $69 million as their share of the federal settlement. Food safety expert and Seattle attorney Bill Marler said Congress can go a step further than the resolution of the False Claims case in the fight for safe infant formula. There is pending legislation that would address safe production of infant formula. “Today the Justice Department found $385 million worth of accountability for how infant formula was made between 2018 and 2022\. Every dollar of it is backward-looking, and not one dollar of it requires anyone to run a single additional test tomorrow. Congress can do that part. It has had a bill since March,” Marler said. On Nov. 13, 2025, the United States filed its [Complaint ](https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1461131/dl?inline&ref=foodsafetynews.com)in Intervention alleging that Abbott caused government programs to purchase powdered infant formula manufactured at the Sturgis facility despite the products’ failure to meet statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements. The Complaint alleged that Abbott knowingly manufactured infant formula purchased with taxpayer dollars in an environment that put the products at unacceptable risk of microorganism contamination and significantly impacted the products’ reliability, quality and safety. “Abbott will pay a substantial sum to resolve serious allegations it violated federal health and safety requirements designed to protect babies. The Justice Department will act decisively against anyone who puts American families at risk and ensure misconduct carries serious consequences,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter. Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. said: “No company should be gambling on the health and safety of our nation’s infants by allowing unsanitary conditions to persist at a facility manufacturing baby formula. The department will hold accountable bad actors that knowingly misrepresent compliance with essential health and safety standards designed to protect American families.” In addition to the Department of Justice, the USDA’s Office of Inspector General participated in the investigation. The USDA’s Inspector General John Walk said Abbott’s behavior was inexcusable. In its complaint against Abbott, the federal government cited roof leaks that allowed water to drip over equipment used to produce infant formula. The complaint states that rather than addressing the leaks in a permanent manner, the company merely placed rain umbrellas to try to divert water. The company also continued to use spray dryers that transformed liquid formula into powdered product even though corporate leadership knew there were cracks and pits in them. “Abbott made its spray dryer conditions worse by lengthening the number of product batches that passed through the dryers between cleaning cycles — enabling Abbott to increase production,” according to a statement from the Department of Justice. In addition to continuing to operate the dryers to increase production and therefore sales, the government contends that the company intentionally did not test for bacterial growth to avoid obtaining positive test results showing contamination, and that in certain instances where testing demonstrated “micro” contamination, Abbott failed to disclose the test results when responding to requests from FDA during 2019 and 2022 inspections at the Sturgis facility. The False Claims action against Abbott states that the USDA funds and regulates the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which provides nutritional support — including infant formula — to eligible participants. More than half of all infant formula purchased in the United States is paid for with USDA funds through WIC. State Medicaid Programs also cover and pay for certain infant formula. The federal court action was a coordinated effort by the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, with assistance from USDA’s Office of Inspector General. The matter was handled by Civil Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Asha Natarajan and Erin Colleran of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitney Schnurr and Jacob Carlton for the Western District of Michigan. ### Whole Foods recalls cheese because of undeclared eggs URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/whole-foods-recalls-cheese-because-of-undeclared-eggs/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T23:54:12.000Z Whole Foods Market of Austin, TX, is recalling Fromagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme cheese because the product contains egg lysozyme, an egg white protein, which is not declared on the product label. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The cheese was sold in the specialty cheese department at 18 Whole Foods Market stores in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Recalled product was cut and plastic wrapped by the pound with Whole Foods Market scale labels and would be identified as follows: | **Type of Label** | **Product** **Description** | **PLU** | **States** | **Best By Dates** | | ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | | Whole Foods Market Scale Label | Formagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme Raw Milk – Aged 60 days | 57953 | California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island | All dates up to And including 10/7/2026 | | Belgian Cabricharme | 54670 | California, Arizona | | | All affected product has been removed from store shelves. The mislabeling issue was discovered by a store team member. No illnesses have been reported to date. Customers who purchased the product are urged to destroy it. ### We must stick to a zero tolerance policy for listeria URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/we-must-stick-to-a-zero-tolerance-policy-for-listeria/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T00:26:08.000Z **By Brian Ronholm,** Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports,and **Michael Hansen,** Senior Scientist for Consumer Reports For decades, the FDA has upheld a strict "zero tolerance" policy for Listeria monocytogenes — a dangerous bacteria that poses a severe health threat primarily to pregnant individuals, newborns, older adults, and immunocompromised people. It can lead to severe invasive infections, hospitalizations, miscarriages, or death. However, at a recent public meeting, the FDA signaled it might consider a shift away from this zero tolerance standard. The agency has been subject to growing pressure from some industry voices and scientists to adopt a "risk-based" approach, similar to what is currently practiced in Canada and the European Union. This approach argues that, because some food products naturally contain low, "low-risk" levels of Listeria, it should eliminate the need for the zero-tolerance policy and allow for a focus on management rather than total prevention. While the concept of "risk-based" management may sound scholarly and refined, applying it to Listeria policy represents a dangerous gamble with public health. The risk is underscored by the evidence, which demonstrates that the zero-tolerance policy protects consumers and abandoning this policy could increase the risk of foodborne illness. **Higher rates abroad** If we look at the actual rates of listeriosis — the infection caused by this bacteria — the numbers show that the U.S. approach is vastly more effective than the international alternatives. In the European Union, the rate of listeriosis is nearly three times higher than it is in the U.S. In Canada, the rate is nearly double. According to [FoodNet data](https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/13/8/ofag436/8747692?ref=foodsafetynews.com) covering 2020 to 2023, the U.S. listeriosis incidence rate stood at 0.25 cases per 100,000 person-years (PY). Earlier figures from the CDC’s Listeria Initiative estimated the 2019 U.S. rate at 0.24 cases per 100,000—representing approximately 792 cases across a population of 328.3 million. In comparison, international surveillance metrics from 2023 reflect markedly higher rates: - **European Union:** Data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control indicates a rate of 0.67 cases per 100,000 PY, which is 2.8 times higher than the U.S. rate. - **Canada:** National reported surveillance estimated 0.45 cases per 100,000 PY, making Canada’s rate 1.9 times higher than that of the U.S. **The zero tolerance advantage** Despite arguments that a zero-tolerance policy discourages testing for fear of finding the bacteria, such that Listeria levels would gradually increase over time due to reduced testing, recent trends show the exact opposite. Research suggests that exposure to Listeria in the U.S. actually dropped by 16 percent between 2008 and 2023. We know that certain groups — including pregnant individuals, newborns, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems — are most at risk from Listeria. What’s striking, however, is that despite an aging population and demographic shifts that should have logically led to higher infection rates, the U.S. has maintained a stable, lower rate of listeriosis. A study from the [August 2026 issue](https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/13/8/ofag436/8747692?ref=foodsafetynews.com) of Open Forum Infectious Diseases offers a key insight into why: While demographic changes suggested we should be seeing more cases, we haven't. The researchers concluded that this stability is likely because our exposure to Listeria appears to have actually decreased by roughly 16 percent since 2008\. This suggests that the current safety framework is working effectively to protect even our most vulnerable populations. **Why risk it?** The argument for a "risk-based" approach rests on the idea that companies are afraid to test for Listeria because finding it carries legal and financial burdens. Critics suggest that if we were more lenient, companies would be more transparent. But we shouldn’t be forced to choose between transparent testing and food safety. The fact that Listeria exposure appears to be on the decline in the U.S. suggests that food companies are already effectively managing their safety protocols under the current zero-tolerance framework. If the current FDA zero-tolerance policy is producing lower rates of illness compared to the policies in Canada and the EU, why would we want to move toward their model? The FDA has a responsibility to protect consumers, and that starts with maintaining the zero-tolerance policy. When it comes to the safety of our food supply, we shouldn't settle for "low risk." We should continue to strive for no risk at all. During a summer when the public already feels the food safety regulatory system is broken, the FDA must avoid dismantling an approach that actually doesn’t need fixing. **About the author:* Before joining Consumer Reports, Brian Ronholm was the deputy under secretary for food safety at USDA, where he ran the agency that inspects meat, poultry and processed eggs.* ### Belgium leads horse meat fraud investigation URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/belgium-leads-horse-meat-fraud-investigation/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T04:04:08.000Z Authorities have uncovered a network operating across Europe that is accused of being involved in the slaughter of horses that were unfit for human consumption. The group is suspected of using falsified documents and manipulated microchips to conceal the animals’ true identities. Nearly 200 officers and representatives of different authorities took part in the operation in Belgium, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands, with the support of Europol. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns two food importers about failures involving peppers, candy and other foods URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fda-warns-two-food-importers-about-failures-involving-peppers-candy-and-other-foods/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T04:03:10.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Deadly Listeria outbreak highlights risk from traditional foods URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/deadly-listeria-outbreak-highlights-risk-from-traditional-foods/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T04:02:09.000Z Scientists have warned about the risks posed by small-scale production of traditional foods after studying a fatal Listeria outbreak. From 2020 to 2022, 10 people were sick and three died in an outbreak of listeriosis in Austria. It was traced to a traditional southern European dairy item known as Kajmak, a lightly salted cream product. Customers of Käserei Gloggnitz were mainly local Balkan restaurants, delicatessen counters, and small bakeries. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### The Sunday Edition: Antibiotics URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/the-sunday-edition-antibiotics/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T20:27:39.000Z **Quick Bites** - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [have confirmed nearly 20,000 cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/cdc-reporting-almost-20-000-confirmed-patients-in-cyclospora-outbreak/). That compares to 1,180 confirmed cases in 2025\. This year’s total includes multiple outbreaks of Cyclospora infection, including the largest ever outbreak from the parasite linked to iceberg lettuce imported from a Taylor Farms growing and processing operation in Central Mexico. [The CDC officially declared that outbreak over as of Sept. 11. ](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/cdc-says-cyclospora-outbreak-linked-to-iceberg-lettuce-is-over/) - The CDC also reported [another death in a Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry flocks](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/largest-salmonella-outbreak-this-year-traced-to-backyard-flocks/). The outbreak stretches across 46 states and Puerto Rico. A total of 1,061 cases have been confirmed with two deaths, one in Washington and another in Georgia. About one quarter of the patients are children younger than five years old. - In the UK, [three Salmonella outbreaks that have affected more than 500 people and caused two deaths seems to be easing](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/uk-salmonella-outbreak-appears-to-be-easing/). The rate of people getting sick appears to be slowing down, according to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency, Food Standards Agency and Animal and Plant Health Agency. - Researchers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC [shared information about whole genome sequencing (WGS)](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/cdc-fda-share-stage-at-european-wgs-event/) with their counterparts in EU countries at the recent Science Meets Policy conference in Italy. WGS can help public health officials with surveillance of the food supply and incident investigations but cannot be used on its own to identify the source of outbreaks. New European Commission regulations related to sharing WGS pathogens associated with foodborne outbreaks came into force in August. --- **Today’s Topic: Antibiotics** In June of 1942, there was only enough penicillin in the United States to treat ten patients. Then FDR’s War Production Board stepped in with orders for mass production. By D-Day, June 6, 1944, there were 2.3 million penicillin doses loaded on board ships and planes that landed in France. From that day forward, the antibiotics cut the number of Allied troops who died after being injured in action by an estimated 15 to 20 percent. Over 646 billion units of penicillin were produced by Victory in Europe (V-E) Day on May 8, 1945\. Civilian access to penicillin started the following June. Today, the [World Health Organization’s list of medically important antimicrobials](https://www.who.int/news/item/08-02-2024-who-medically-important-antimicrobial-list-2024?ref=foodsafetynews.com) identifies more than 20 distinct categories authorized for human use. The precise number requires understanding what these classes do differently and why doctors choose one over another. Antimicrobials include substances such as antibiotics, antifungals, disinfectants and antiseptics. But we’ve come full circle since World War II. Mass production and the development of new miracle antibiotics are being overshadowed by reports that we are running out of antibiotics and have reached a point where there are very few in the pipeline and potentially no treatment alternatives left for some bacterial infections – some caused by foodborne bacteria. Just before the pandemic hit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under Dr. Robert R. Redfield, issued a 150-page report titled [Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States](https://www.cdc.gov/antimicrobial-resistance/data-research/threats/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). It said we should: - *Stop referring to a coming post-antibiotic era — it’s already here*: You and I are living in a time when some miracle drugs no longer perform miracles, and families are being ripped apart by a microscopic enemy. The time for action is now, and we can be part of the solution. - *Stop playing the blame game*: Each person, industry and country can affect the development of antibiotic resistance. We each have a role to play and should be held accountable to make meaningful progress against this threat. - *Stop relying only on new antibiotics that are slow to get to market*: Sadly, germs will one day render those ineffective, too. We need to adopt aggressive strategies to keep germs away and prevent infections from occurring in the first place. Robust food safety measures are part of this strategy. - *Stop believing that antibiotic resistance is a problem “over there:”* It is a mistake to think that this is just a problem in someone else’s hospital, state or country. Antibiotic resistance has been found in every U.S. state and in every country across the globe. No place has been spared from antibiotic resistance, but everyone can take action, from handwashing to improving antibiotic use. Each year in the United States, more than 2.8 million people are infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, according to the 2019 CDC report. These “superbugs” are responsible for 35,000 deaths annually. The ill-timed CDC report did not receive the attention it deserved because of the headline-grabbing pandemic that broke out shortly after the study’s publication. One of its findings was that one-third of antibiotic prescriptions are not needed, but are written to humor the patient In the heady early days of antibiotic use, resistant infections did occur, but a steady flow of new antibiotics provided alternative treatments. Once resistance to a specific antibiotic developed, it was possible to simply switch to other treatments. However, antibiotic development has now slowed to a trickle. The last new antibiotic class reached the market in 1987\. Since then, innovation has stagnated, with only a few novel antibiotic classes currently in the drug pipeline. Consequences are felt worldwide, as an increasing number of bacterial infections are again becoming difficult to treat. Of particular concern is the lack of antibiotics effective against Gram-negative bacteria. Among foodborne illnesses, E. coli is a Gram-negative bacterium that lives in the gastrointestinal tract. Infection with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) can lead to a serious health condition called [hemolytic uremic syndrome](https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/signs-symptoms/hus.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) (HUS), which can cause kidney failure, permanent health problems and even death. Gram-negative bacteria also cause infections such as [pneumonia](https://www.cdc.gov/pneumonia/about/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), bloodstream infections, wound or [surgical site infections](https://www.cdc.gov/surgical-site-infections/about/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and [meningitis ](https://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com)in healthcare settings. These infections can be hard to treat because the bacteria that cause them are becoming resistant to common antibiotics. Resistance to most or all antibiotics has also been reported. Of all antibiotics sold in the United States, approximately 80 percent are used in animal agriculture, with about 70 percent of these deemed “medically important” for their significance to human medicine. Antibiotics are administered to animals in feed to marginally improve growth rates and to prevent infections, a practice projected to increase dramatically worldwide. There is scientific concern that antibiotic resistance in humans is promoted by the widespread use of nontherapeutic antibiotics in animals. Resistant bacteria might be transmitted to humans through direct contact with animals, exposure to animal manure, consumption of undercooked meat, or contact with uncooked meat or surfaces meat has touched. Beginning in 2023, certain medically important antimicrobial drugs for animals that had been available over the counter became available only by prescription. This means that all medically important antimicrobials approved for use in animals now require the authorization of a licensed veterinarian. That requirement is a major step in the FDA’s ongoing effort to promote judicious use of antimicrobials in animals. Sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobial drugs used in US livestock rose 16 percent from 2023 to 2024 but are still 27 percent lower than peak sales in 2015, according to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. **The Pros: Arguments for heightened concern** - Saves modern medicine: Major procedures like chemotherapy, organ transplants and joint replacements rely on effective antibiotics. Public concern drives the funding needed to keep these procedures safe. - Curbs massive financial losses: Global economic damages from antibiotic resistance are projected to hit $412 billion annually by 2035\. Raising awareness of this impact prompts governments to invest in early containment. - Encourages stewardship: Fear of antibiotic resistance forces hospitals to implement stewardship programs, decreasing the 33 percent of prescriptions that are completely unnecessary – such as for viral colds or flu. - Spurs new drug innovation: Public anxiety pressures pharmaceutical companies and governments to fund the discovery of new antimicrobial classes. - Protects the human microbiome: Awareness of growing antibiotic resistance encourages clinicians to prescribe the shortest effective doses, minimizing destruction of healthy gut bacteria. **The Cons: Complexities and criticisms of current narrative formats** - Can cause treatment delays: Over-correcting or hesitation due to "antibiotic fear" can lead physicians or patients to delay taking necessary antibiotics, turning curable bacterial infections into sepsis. - Perpetuates "patient blame" misconceptions: Standard awareness campaigns often hyper-focus on patients "finishing the course," which newer infectious disease science notes can sometimes cause more resistance than stopping early once cured. - Disproportionate burden on developing regions: Strict restriction policies designed for wealthy nations can inadvertently block access to basic, life-saving medications in low-resource settings, where untreated bacterial infections remain the leading cause of death. - Overlooks non-clinical drivers: An overemphasis on medical prescriptions sometimes eclipses the massive role that agricultural runoff, poor sanitation and animal farming play in breeding resistant bacteria. - Public fatigue and anxiety: Constantly messaging an impending "post-antibiotic apocalypse" without providing immediate, actionable tools can induce public apathy or panic regarding basic healthcare. --- **Our take** A “discovery void” might sound like an episode of Star Trek, but its reality here on Earth is that we’ve been in something of a dry spell when it comes to antibiotics. The concern, of course, is that antibiotic resistance is dangerous. The resulting “superbugs” kill. Developing a new antibiotic is extremely difficult. The details are complex. It’s an expensive and lengthy venture. There might be fast money in some drug development, but not in antibiotics. And there’s not a lot of existing know-how to tap. Still, there is hope. --- **By the numbers** **$55,300,000,000** – The value, in U.S. dollars, of the global antibiotic market in 2025. **$57,600,000,000** – The projected value, in U.S. dollars, of the global antibiotic market in 2026. **$74,000,000,000** – The projected value, in U.S. dollars, of the global antibiotic market by 2033\. **3.6** – The percentage of the expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the antibiotic market. **39.3** – The percentage of global antibiotic sales in North America, which dominates the market. **7** – The percentage of the antibiotics segment held by generics. **18.1** – The percentage of antibiotic sales from the Cephalosporin segment. --- **What It Means** Antibacterial agents are in clinical and preclinical development, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This means there is life in the old antibiotic pipeline. According to the WHO, this is the state of the antibiotic pipeline as of 2025: A total of 90 products were identified in clinical development – 50 traditional antibacterial agents and 40 non-traditional agents. Only 15 qualify as innovative, and only five target the most critical priority pathogens. Of the 50 traditional antibacterial agents: - 45 – 90 percent – target WHO bacterial priority pathogens, including 18 – 40 percent – targeting drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. - Four – 8 percent – are being developed for C. difficile, and one – 2 percent – for H. pylori. With a likely success rate of 10 percent to 20 percent from phase I trials to approval, only a few of the substances can be expected to reach the market within 10 years. *Do you have any comments, questions or suggestions for future coverage?* [*Click here*](https://tally.so/r/Y5YzZB?ref=foodsafetynews.com) *to give us your feedback.* ### Sauce company refuses to comply with cease-and-desist order issued because of botulism risk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/sauce-company-refuses-to-comply-with-cease-and-desist-order-issued-because-of-botulism-risk/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T23:00:59.000Z The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Food and Standards Division has issued a cease-and-desist order to Phire in the Hole of Monroe, CT, and asked the company to voluntarily remove its hot sauce products from the market, following complaints from several local health departments. The products were manufactured without an approved process or required license. Failure to appropriately process acidified or low-acid canned foods, such as hot sauces, can result in Clostridium botulinum toxin formation, commonly known as Botulism. The business has declined to recall its products and has not responded to the department’s cease-and-desist order. The products were distributed in Connecticut through Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard in Shelton from November 2025 through August 17, 2026\. It is unclear if the product was distributed anywhere else. Products available for sale at Beardsley’s Cider Mill were embargoed by the Food and Standard’s division. Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause weakness, dizziness, double-vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, difficulty in breathing, abdominal distension, and constipation. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention because muscles used for breathing can be paralyzed. The products are packaged in 5 oz bottles with the following names: - P.I.T.H BBQ - VK Vamps Kryptonite - Lemon Pucker Punch - The Hawaiian Ghost - Boo Bee Q - Reaper Creeper - Box of Phire – containing 4 product varieties: Reaper Creeper, Lemon Pucker Punch, VK Vamps Kryptonite, PH3 There is no UPC number or product code on these products. No illnesses have been reported to date. ### Vermont farm recalls eggs because of link to Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/vermont-farm-recalls-eggs-because-of-link-to-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-09-12T01:22:57.000Z Leaping Bear Farm is recalling eggs after Vermont health and agriculture officials detected Salmonella in eggs and environmental samples from the farm. The recall covers cartons dated between June 1 and Sept. 5\. The eggs were sold at local farmers markets and other retailers. Vermont health officials have linked 14 illnesses to the strain, and related cases have been identified in other states. About 1,800 hens are affected. Anyone with recalled eggs should not eat or compost them. The eggs should be thrown away in the trash. Consumers should also wash refrigerators, containers and other surfaces that may have touched the eggs with hot, soapy water. The farm has stopped selling and distributing eggs until the state determines they no longer pose a public health threat. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled eggs and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### California issues public warning about Happy Hens eggs because of link to Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/california-issues-pubic-warning-about-happy-hens-eggs-because-of-link-to-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-09-16T22:55:58.000Z The California Department of Health has issued a warning about Happy Hens brand eggs because a Salmonella outbreak has been traced to them. The department is working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate the outbreak of SalmonellaEnteritidis infections. As of Sept. 8, there were reports of 23 California residents who have been identified as part of the outbreak. There have been seven hospitalizations and no deaths reported. Illness onset dates range from June 21 through Aug. 16\. Because this outbreak is considered ongoing, additional recent illnesses linked to this outbreak may still be identified, according to the state health department. Investigation and interviews of ill people conducted by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency identified Happy Hens brand eggs as the [outbreak source](https://24ac4e14c54e4da4af0e09805e16f9b9.107.us.prod.marketingusercontent.com/api/orgs/24ac4e14-c54e-4da4-af0e-09805e16f9b9/r/BNLaBZ6XBkOEehEULeICAAIAAAA?msdynmkt%5Ftarget=%7B%22TargetUrl%22%3A%22https%253A%252F%252Fwww.countynewscenter.com%252Fsalmonella-dna-found-on-farm-tied-to-ramona-outbreak%252F%22%2C%22RedirectOptions%22%3A%7B%225%22%3Anull%2C%221%22%3Anull%7D%7D&msdynmkt%5Fdigest=RcT0tGBkJVMe09sshZeGclZ5XJ37CY3afvUpFbXuEXU%3D&msdynmkt%5FsecretVersion=a3955a744d9049f88dd8bdc1907bf2bf&ref=foodsafetynews.com). From Aug. 17 to 20, the FDA conducted a routine inspection at the Happy Hens farm and collected environmental samples for testing. Two samples from poultry housing sites tested positive for SalmonellaEnteritidis. Whole genome sequencing analysis revealed that the Salmonellain these environmental samples matched the Salmonellastrain found in sick individuals. Initially refusing to issue a recall, on Sept. 8, Happy Hens of Ramona, CA, recalled Happy Hens brand eggs. The CDPH is warning people not to eat, serve, or sell the recalled in-shell eggs distributed by Happy Hens. Happy Hens eggs were distributed to restaurants, grocery stores, and farmer’s markets, in Southern California and the Central Coast, and available for sale directly at the farm. Consumers can identify the recalled eggs by looking for the following information: - Product description: In-shell organic eggs (all grades and sizes) - Egg Handler Code: CA-0677 - Lot/Date codes: - 223 Sell By Sep 10 - 226 Sell By Sep 13 - 237 Sell By Sep 24 - Brand name: Happy Hens - Package sizes: - Consumer: 1-dozen carton, 18-count carton, 20-count flats, 30-count flats - Foodservice: 15-dozen cases containing 6 flats with 30 eggs each **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any Happy Hens eggs and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### CDC says Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce is over URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/cdc-says-cyclospora-outbreak-linked-to-iceberg-lettuce-is-over/ Last updated: 2026-09-14T16:27:52.000Z The CDC has declared that a Cyclospora outbreak associated with iceberg lettuce is over. The outbreak sickened 12,883 patients from 21 states. Since the last update, one additional state has been added: Virginia.The outbreak resulted in 570 hospitalizations and two deaths. Iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms growing and production operation in Central Mexico was named by the Food and Drug Administration as the likely vehicle for the parasite. The FDA’s investigation of the outbreak associated with Taylor Farms de Mexico continues, as well as the investigations into smaller Cyclospora outbreak clusters experienced this summer. The large outbreak includes people who reported exposure to processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico served or purchased at various locations, including people who previously reported eating at Taco Bell. Most of these illnesses began before the Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce recall on July 17\. The recall affected iceberg lettuce products purchased and distributed by Sysco, which is the largest foodservice provider in the country, selling products to a wide variety of restaurants and other foodservice operations. Iceberg lettuce products sold at Walmart stores were also included in the recall. The FDA’s onsite inspections and sample collection at iceberg lettuce growers and the processing facility in Mexico, in coordination with Mexican officials, have ended. Samples from the onsite inspections are pending analysis. The FDA announced its investigation into the outbreak on July 16\. The agency did not say how long the investigation had been underway. On July 17, the agency reported that traceback had converged on a single supplier of the iceberg lettuce, Taylor Farms de Mexico, who then initiated a voluntary recall on the same day. On August 20, 2026, the FDA announced that it had initiated onsite inspections and sample collection at lettuce growers in Mexico. During the week of Sept. 8, senior FDA and Mexican public health and agricultural officials met to encourage continued engagement on a prevention focused framework to address outbreaks linked to produce grown in Mexico. The FDA is sending a [letter to industry](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/letter-industry-calling-collaboration-prevent-future-cyclospora-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) calling for collaboration to address Cyclospora contamination throughout the supply chain. "FDA reminds the regulated industry that they must apply established, science-based agricultural water management practices, worker health and hygiene controls, and buildings and equipment sanitation practices, consistent with FSMA's Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR Part 112), and, as appropriate, requirements under FSMA’s Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rule (21 CFR Part 117) such as having a strong and effective supplier program," according to the industry letter. "For importers, these requirements include rigorous foreign supplier verification consistent with 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart L (§§ 1.500–1.514.) Strong supplier verification is critical to ensuring that produce entering U.S. commerce meets U.S. food safety standards. We encourage you to review your programs now, assess whether they are functioning as intended, and strengthen them where gaps exist." The FDA is continuing its investigation into the outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce produced by Taylor Farms de Mexico, while also transitioning to post-response, prevention-oriented activities which will be updated on an ongoing basis. The FDA will provide updates on Cyclospora prevention efforts on a new page: [Post-Outbreak Response Activities: Multistate Outbreaks of Cyclospora Illnesses](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/post-outbreak-response-activities-multistate-outbreaks-cyclospora-illnesses?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **About Cyclospora infections** Food that is contaminated with Cyclospora parasites does not look, smell or taste bad. The parasites are microscopic organisms that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite. Chlorine and other sanitizers do not kill the parasite. ### Idaho company recalls sprouts linked to Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/idaho-company-recalls-sprouts-linked-to-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T22:56:17.000Z Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC of Moyie Springs, ID, is recalling 215 cases of Broccoli Sprouts, because they have been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella infections. The sprouts were delivered to three distributors in Washington between Aug. 24 and Sept. 2\. They may have been further distributed and sold in retail stores to consumers in Idaho, Montana and Washington. The affected Broccoli Sprouts were packaged in clear plastic 4-ounce. Zip lock bags, UPC code 8 38796 00105 1, and have the Use By dates ranging from Sept. 7 though Sept. 16. The company was notified that its broccoli sprouts have been linked to a related to a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbifican. The outbreak includes 55 patients in Idaho, Montana, Utah and Washington. The recall was also initiated when the broccoli sprouts with the Use By date Sept 16 tested positive for Salmonella by a third-party lab. The company has ceased the production and distribution of broccoli sprouts since Sept. 4 and is currently conducting a root cause investigation. Consumers who have purchased affected Broccoli Sprouts are urged to immediately discard product. This outbreak is separate from a Salmonella outbreak linked to Everything Sprouts LLC. In the outbreak linked to Evergreen Sprouts, illnesses began on July 7 with the most recent person becoming ill on Aug. 26\. Of 19 people with information available, all 19 reported eating sprouts and 17 reported eating broccoli sprouts. Traceback investigations by the FDA and state health officials have identified Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC as the common grower of broccoli sprouts that were eaten by patients before becoming ill. **Previous outbreaks** This is the third outbreak since 2011 linked to Evergreen Sprouts. In 2011, 25 people in five states were infected with Salmonella Enteritidis from alfalfa and spicy sprouts sold under the Evergreen Produce label. The FDA warned consumers directly on June 27 that year, a step the agency generally takes only when a company will not recall, and the co-owner told the trade press that recalling would amount to admitting guilt. The company ultimately recalled sprouts on July 1\. In 2014, 19 people in six states were infected with E. coli O121 traced to raw clover sprouts served at sandwich shops in Washington and Idaho. FDA has inspected this company several times since 2010\. The inspection that followed the 2011 outbreak resulted in a formal warning letter to the company from the FDA. Most of the inspections since then, including the 2014 inspection, were classified Voluntary Action Indicated, meaning the agency found things it wanted fixed but left the fixing to the firm. The most recent inspection was in 2024, also Voluntary Action Indicated. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled sprouts and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### UK Salmonella outbreak appears to be easing URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/uk-salmonella-outbreak-appears-to-be-easing/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T22:36:52.000Z The rate of people getting sick as part of three Salmonella outbreaks in the United Kingdom appears to be slowing down, according to the latest figures. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Food Standards Agency (FSA), Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), and others are investigating the Salmonella Enteritidis clusters which have affected more than 500 people. More than 170 sick people have been interviewed. In total, 143 reported eating food prepared outside the home in the week prior to symptom onset. Investigations have linked 47 cases to 11 businesses, with at least 24 infected people eating dishes containing egg. The eggs come from multiple sources, but two large importers have been identified and are being investigated further. Concerns about cross-contamination have also been raised. **Main EU-wide incident** Genetic relatedness of the clusters, along with food information, suggests illnesses are associated with eating imported eggs at small cafés, restaurants, and takeaways. In the first cluster, there have been 322 confirmed cases and one death. Sample dates range from Aug. 11, 2025, to Aug. 21, 2026\. In the past month, 135 infections have been reported in England. Sick people range in age from younger than 1 to 90 years old with a median age of 30\. Of 176 cases with available information, 44 have been admitted to hospitals. There was a notable increase in infections in April and May and a larger rise in July and August 2026. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is also investigating this Salmonella Enteritidis sequence type 11 cluster. In July, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) restarted an investigation into a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak that began in spring 2025\. There are 111 patients with 31 in 2026, including 10 in June and eight in July. Only seven patient interview questionnaires have been received by RIVM, with the agency saying it is too early to draw any conclusions about the outbreak’s source. There are 15 cases in Belgium, two in Austria, one in Denmark, four in France, and six in Germany. At least 34 people have been hospitalized. **Other clusters and countries** In a second cluster, there are 186 cases in England. Sample dates range from May 27, 2025, to Aug. 18, 2026\. Patients are aged between younger than 1 to 92 with a median of 29 years old. Of 48 patients with information available, 22 were admitted to hospitals. In a third cluster, there are 41 cases and one death, with sample dates ranging from Jan. 27 to Aug. 11, 2026\. Cases range in age from under 1 to 87 with a median of 35 years old. Seven people have been hospitalized. In Scotland, there are 13 confirmed cases. A dozen are in the first cluster and one in the third cluster reported by UKHSA. Sample dates are from April 1 to Aug. 10, 2026\. Patients range in age from 2 to 78 with a median of 36 years old and 10 are female. Several people have reported bloody diarrhea but none have been hospitalized because of salmonellosis. There are two Scottish cases from 2025 in the second cluster. Wales has 10 cases in the first cluster and two in the second. One patient in the first cluster lives in Northern Ireland. There are also two illnesses in either Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man. ### FDA quietly closes outbreak investigation naming romaine lettuce as cause URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fda-outbreak-investigations-continue-4/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T04:03:34.000Z The Food and Drug Administration continues to investigate multiple outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, many with the source of the pathogens unknown. However, for the first time the agency is reporting that romaine lettuce was the vehicle of an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7\. The FDA first posted the outbreak on July 1\. As of Sept. 10, there were 14 confirmed patients. The FDA did not report the patients’ ages or where they live. There are likely many more patients who were not included in the count. This is because some patients do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for E. coli infection. According to the CDC, for every patient identified in an E. coli outbreak there are 26 who go undetected. According to the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigated the outbreak and determined that romaine lettuce was the cause of the illnesses. The FDA reports that the CDC declared the outbreak over on July 29\. The FDA says that by the time romaine lettuce was identified as the likely source of the outbreak it was beyond its shelf life. Neither the FDA nor the CDC reported the name of the grower of the implicated romaine. Seattle food safety expert and attorney Bill Marler said transparency should be the driver in such situations. “I generally come down on the side of transparency,” Marler said. “If one grower or processor is determined, they should be named. I can understand, though, if there are multiple processors or growers, that is a different situation because all of them may not be responsible.” In other outbreak news, the FDA reports that the patient count for an outbreak of Salmonella Newport has increased to 109, up from 97 a week ago. The agency has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. The source of the pathogen has not yet been identified. The FDA has begun traceback efforts, but is not reporting what food it is tracing. The outbreak was first posted by the FDA on August. 26. An outbreak Salmonella Enteritis infections traced to eggs has been declared over. A total of 134 patients across 18 states were identified. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Nov. 21, 2025, to Aug. 12, 2026\. Of 54 patients with information available, 46 reported eating eggs before becoming ill. There have been 34 hospitalizations. No deaths have been reported. The outbreak investigation determined that eggs from Midwest Poultry Services LP in Texas were the vehicle for the pathogen. The FDA collected samples from the farm and three matched the outbreak strain of Salmonella. ### Sprout seed supplier recalled product amid outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/sprout-seed-supplier-recalled-product-amid-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T04:02:29.000Z The seed supplier behind a multi-state outbreak linked to sprouts may have been named quietly in an obscure FDA report. First reported by Phyllis Entis on [eFoodAlert.com](https://efoodalert.com/2026/09/10/alfalfa-seeds-implicated-in-outbreak-of-e-coli-and-salmonella-recalled/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the news about International Sprout Holdings Inc. of Cookeville, TN, came in an entry on the Food and Drug Administration’s Enforcement Report. The report generally includes information about recalls that are usually months, if not years, old. This time, however, the entry about the sprout supplier came out within three weeks of the announcement of an outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella infections traced to alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts LLC of Minneapolis, MN. The FDA and CDC announced the outbreak on Aug. 21\. According to the FDA’s Enforcement Report, International Sprout Holdings Inc. recalled 43,799 pounds of alfalfa seeds on Aug 23\. The company notified its customers by email. However an announcement on Aug. 31 from the FDA said the agency requested a seed supplier to recall its product but the company had declined to do so. “At this time, the common seed supplier has not responded to FDA's recall recommendation, has not sent a recall notice to downstream customers, and has not instructed the customers who received the implicated alfalfa sprout seed lot to initiate recalls,” according to the agency. Alfalfa seeds covered by the Aug. 23 recall were supplied to wholesale customers in California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Tahiti, and Venezuela. Neither the wholesale consignees nor the ultimate downstream recipients of the alfalfa seeds were named. With the recall coming two days after the outbreak investigation notices, it can be presumed that the implicated seeds are behind the situation. As of Aug. 21, the FDA and CDC were reporting that 55 people across 15 states had been infected by E. coli and/or Salmonella. Patient interviews showed a connection to Everything Sprouts, but the agencies said at least one other sprout grower was likely involved. Neither the FDA or CDC have named the other implicated grower. Everything Sprouts [initiated a recall](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/sprout-company-recalls-products-linked-to-15-state-outbreak/) of three varieties of their sprouts and added a [fourth product](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/another-sprout-product-under-recall-seed-supplier-refuses-to-issue-recall/) a week later. ### Pesto linked to botulism cases in Poland URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/pesto-linked-to-botulism-cases-in-poland/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T04:01:12.000Z A batch of pesto has been recalled in Poland as officials investigate two cases of botulism. Testing commissioned by the State Sanitary Inspectorate indicated the possible presence of botulinum toxin in one batch of a green basil pesto sauce with peanuts, walnuts and cheeses, based on detection of a relevant gene in a product sample collected during an epidemiological investigation. In early August, symptoms occurred in a 34-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman. The man was diagnosed with botulism, but serological testing is ongoing. He reported swallowing difficulties, double vision, vomiting, diarrhea and difficulty speaking. The woman was also diagnosed with botulism and the presence of botulinum toxin was found in serum. Information from an interview revealed she had double vision, and difficulty swallowing and speaking. The affected product is sold under the Łowicz brand and was recalled in late August. It is called “Pesto alla Genovese. Zielony sos bazyliowy Pesto z orzechami arachidowymi i włoskimi serami.” The 180-gram jar has batch number L605192FEI and a date of August 2027. The manufacturer has initiated a product recall, placed a hold on stock in the warehouse, and is notifying partners, requesting that they halt sales of the implicated batch. The producer has sent samples from the quarantined batch to an external accredited laboratory for testing. **Company in contact with authorities** “We ask consumers who have purchased this product not to consume it and to return it to the point of sale,” read a consumer notice on the Łowicz website. MW Food Sp. z o.o. is part of the Maspex Group and produces the Łowicz brand. A spokesperson from Maspex told **Food Safety News** that after receiving information from the State Sanitary Inspectorate about the possible contamination, it took steps to investigate and verify the product's safety. “These activities included, among other things, a comprehensive review of the production process and related documentation, as well as additional laboratory testing of product samples and raw materials for the presence of mesophilic anaerobic spore-forming bacteria and Clostridium botulinum type D. Initial test results are satisfactory; the presence of these microorganisms was not detected in the tested samples,” the spokesperson said. A full set of test results are pending. Two inspections by the State Sanitary Inspectorate at the facility revealed no irregularities. Officials collected samples from the implicated batch and from the facility, for testing. “The Łowicz-brand Pesto alla Genovese is produced using properly developed and validated technological processes, and its safety and quality are confirmed through systematic testing of both raw materials and finished products. Product monitoring takes place at every stage of the production process, from the receipt of raw materials to the creation of the finished product. The product has been on the market since 2022, and throughout the entire sales period, we have received no reports regarding safety issues,” said the spokesperson. According to a notice on the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), the pesto was also distributed to the Netherlands. In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food. However, they can occur as soon as 6 hours after or up to 10 days later. Symptoms may include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing or breathing, paralysis, a thick-feeling tongue, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should immediately seek medical attention. ### Peanuts recalled because of Salmonella contamination URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/peanuts-recalled-because-of-salmonella-contamination/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T02:11:35.000Z PK brand Roasted Lemon N’ Chilli Peanuts are being recalled in Canada because of Salmonella contamination. The peanuts were distributed in Ontario and Quebec, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. As of the posting of the recall notice, no illnesses had been reported in relation to the recalled peanuts. Consumers can identify the recalled peanuts by looking for label information: weight 65 g; UPC number 6 28998 001245; and codes BB: 2027/JN/20 Batch no: CN94\. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled peanutsand developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### CDC reporting almost 20,000 confirmed patients in Cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/cdc-reporting-almost-20-000-confirmed-patients-in-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T15:58:10.000Z The patient count for the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak is now more than 16 times greater than that of the total for 2025. Since May 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has received reports of 19,595 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis acquired in the United States. For the 2025 season there were 1,180 confirmed cases. Also, the CDC is aware of 6,149 additional cases of cyclosporiasis, which include those that are not laboratory confirmed, or are pending patient interview and submission. The official Cyclospora season ended Aug. 31, but additional cases will be added to the total count because it can take up to six weeks for testing, diagnosis and reporting to be completed. The 19,595 cases reported overall include patients in a 20-state outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce traced to a Taylor Farms growing and processing operation in Central Mexico. For that outbreak, the CDC has confirmed 11,458 patients with 990 hospitalizations and two deaths. Therefore, there are 8,137 patients with infections of unknown origin. States are keeping their own tallies, with the total now standing at 33,548 cases this season. State health departments count what their own laboratories and providers report to it, usually in the week they report it. Several states, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas and Kentucky among them, count on a calendar year rather than on the season, so their totals carry illnesses from January through April. Some include probable cases and cases still pending classification. The CDC excludes both. Michigan was the first state to begin reporting numbers for the outbreak. As of Sept. 3, the state was reporting 14,718 patients with 366 hospitalizations and two deaths. The state has stopped its weekly updates and will instead post new numbers on a monthly basis. Nine states have not published any statistics for this year. | **State** | **2026 cases** | **As of** | **CDC Aug 27** | **All of 2025** | **Lettuce** | **Taylor Farms** | | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------- | -------------- | --------------- | ----------- | ---------------- | | Michigan | [14,718](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Sep 3 | 4,846 | 50 | Yes | Linked | | Ohio | [5,452](https://www.wosu.org/2026-08-13/cyclosporiasis-cases-in-ohio-jump-by-500-in-the-past-week?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 13 | 2,679 | 76 | Yes | Linked | | Missouri | [2,152](https://www.komu.com/news/state/missouri-surpasses-2-000-reported-cases-of-cyclosporiasis/article%5Ff6b25852-0e25-4370-885b-fdced421803b.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 23 | 1,010 | none reported | Yes | Linked | | Indiana | [2,104](https://www.in.gov/health/idepd/diseases-and-conditions-resource-page/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Sep 2 | 823 | 27 | Yes | Linked | | Illinois | [1,437](https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/over-1-400-cases-cyclospora-illinois-outbreak-continues?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 18 | 278 | 301 | Yes | Linked | | North Carolina | [955](https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/programs/epidemiology/communicable-disease/foodborne-illnesses/cyclosporiasis/cases?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Sep 1 | 2 | 300 | Yes | Linked | | New York | [939](https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/cyclosporiasis/fact%5Fsheet.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 17 | 0 | 694 | Yes | Unknown | | Kansas | [829](https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/2458/Cyclosporiasis-Surveillance-Data?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 26 | 331 | 29 | Yes | Linked | | Kentucky | 819 | Aug 12 | 329 | 45 | Yes | Linked | | Oklahoma | 556 | Aug 25 | 241 | 41 | Yes | Linked | | Florida | [450](https://www.wusf.org/health-news-florida/2026-08-20/florida-cyclosporiasis-count-continues-downward-trend-in-most-recent-data?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 15 | 0 | 210 | Yes | Unknown | | Iowa | [327](https://hhs.iowa.gov/center-acute-disease-epidemiology/disease-information?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 20 | 130 | 64 | Yes | Linked | | Texas | [315](https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/article/cyclosporiasis-texas-august-update-22384255.php?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 11 | 20 | 512 | Yes | Linked | | West Virginia | [315](https://oeps.wv.gov/cyclosporiasis-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Sep 4 | 160 | 8 | Yes | Linked | | Arkansas | [287](https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/diseases-conditions/communicable-diseases/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 25 | 82 | 13 | Yes | Linked | | Wisconsin | [284](https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/outbreaks/index.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 26 | 0 | 65 | Yes | Unknown | | Virginia | [242](https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/surveillance-and-investigation/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 31 | 0 | 115 | Yes | Unknown | | Nebraska | [218](https://www.wowt.com/2026/08/06/nebraska-health-department-confirms-cyclosporasis-cases-tied-national-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 6 | 199 | 51 | Yes | Linked | | Pennsylvania | [214](https://www.inquirer.com/health/cyclosporiasis-philadephia-case-counts-taylor-farms-20260813.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 11 | 244 | not notifiable | Yes | Linked | | Colorado | [150](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 0 | 205 | No | Unknown | | Massachusetts | [147](https://www.boston.com/news/health/2026/08/05/cyclospora-cases-climb-to-147-in-mass-but-officials-say-season-remains-within-historical-range/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 5 | 18 | 74 | Yes | Linked | | New Hampshire | [94](https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/infectious-disease-control/cyclosporiasis?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 25 | 42 | 7 | Yes | Linked | | Alabama | [85](https://www.waff.com/2026/08/03/alabama-cyclospora-cases-grow-north-alabama-hit-hardest/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 3 | 0 | 19 | Yes | Unknown | | Washington | [76](https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/foodborne-illness/outbreaks/2026-cyclosporiasis-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 28 | 0 | not available | May have | Travel link | | Maryland | [69](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 0 | 123 | Yes | No link found | | New Jersey | [46](https://www.nj.gov/health/news/2026/approved/20260716a.shtml?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 11 | 0 | 180 | Yes | Unknown | | Tennessee | 44 | Jul 16 | 5 | 38 | Yes | Linked | | California | [41](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR26-024.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 14 | 0 | not available | May have | Unknown | | Minnesota | [41](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 0 | none reported | No | Unknown | | Connecticut | [35](https://portal.ct.gov/dph/newsroom/press-releases---2026/cyclosporiasis-cases-linked-to-national-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 0 | 41 | Yes | Unknown | | Maine | [27](https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/sites/maine.gov.dhhs.mecdc/files/health-professionals/advisories/2026-08-Create%20Health%20Advisories/2026PHADV022CyclosporiasisUpdate.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 7 | 16 | 4 | Yes | Linked | | Oregon | [23](https://www.oregon.gov/oha/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 24 | 0 | not available | No | Travel link | | Arizona | [19](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 0 | 49 | No | Unknown | | Georgia | [11](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 3 | 116 | Yes | Linked | | Mississippi | [7](https://www.wjtv.com/living-local/focused-on-health/mississippi-confirms-seven-cyclosporiasis-cases/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 22 | 0 | not notifiable | Yes | Unknown | | Hawaii | [6](https://health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroom/doh-investigates-potential-locally-acquired-case-of-cyclosporiasis-on-o%ca%bbahu/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 26 | 0 | not available | No | No link found | | Alaska | [5](https://health.alaska.gov/media/jqphutwx/akphan%5F20260716-domestically-acquired-cyclosporiasis-cases-in-multiple-us-states-2026.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 16 | 0 | 6 | No | Unknown | | Rhode Island | [4](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 0 | 6 | May have | No link found | | South Dakota | [3](https://www.kotatv.com/2026/07/16/south-dakota-confirms-three-cyclosporiasis-cases-cdc-investigates-growing-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 16 | 0 | 3 | May have | Unknown | | Louisiana | [1](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 0 | 99 | Yes | Unknown | | Utah | [1](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 0 | 37 | No | No link found | | Delaware | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | 1 | May have | Unknown | | Idaho | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | not notifiable | No | Unknown | | Montana | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | 8 | No | Unknown | | Nevada | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | not notifiable | No | Unknown | | New Mexico | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | 9 | No | No link found | | North Dakota | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | 4 | May have | Unknown | | South Carolina | [no count published](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-multistate-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | 45 | Yes | Unknown | | Vermont | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | 3 | May have | Unknown | | Wyoming | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | 0 | No | Unknown | | **All fifty states** | **33,548** | | **11,458** | | **31** | **20** | ### CDC, FDA share stage at European WGS event URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/cdc-fda-share-stage-at-european-wgs-event/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T04:05:23.000Z Also, insights from EFSA, ECDC, Ireland, Denmark, and France _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### EU notes improvement in U.S. aflatoxin situation URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/eu-notes-improvement-in-u-s-aflatoxin-situation/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T04:03:43.000Z The American peanut industry has made major efforts to improve controls on exports to Europe, but aflatoxin contamination remains a problem, according to the European Commission. An audit by DG Sante in March 2026 was planned because of regular Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifications for aflatoxins in peanuts imported into the EU from the United States. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: Want to Put Us Out of Business? Come Help Us Try. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/pu-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T03:59:56.000Z Marler Clark has been suing the companies that poison people since 1993 — since a nine-year-old girl named Brianne Kiner nearly died from a hamburger. Sixteen years later it was Stephanie Smith, a children's dance instructor paralyzed by a hamburger, whose case put the grinding of American beef on the front page of *The New York Times* and won Michael Moss a Pulitzer Prize. Thirty-plus years later we are still the only law firm in the country that does nothing but foodborne illness — tens of thousands of clients and over $850 million recovered — and there is more work than there are people to do it. The names on the other side are ones you already know: Jack in the Box, Cargill, Dole, Nestlé, Walmart, Wendy's, McDonald's, Nebraska Beef, Yum Brands, and this year Taylor Farms, Taco Bell and Boar's Head. **What is on the desk right now** As I write this, on September 9, 2026: CDC counts [19,595 laboratory-confirmed cases](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/cases/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) of cyclosporiasis acquired in this country since May 1 — 1,043 hospitalized, two dead, 49 states and the District of Columbia — against 1,180 for all of last season. Another 9,355 confirmed cases are still being sorted, and CDC is aware of at least 6,149 more. Our own tally of the state dashboards runs north of 32,000\. We have six cases on file against Taco Bell, four different franchise operators and Taylor Farms, and more than three hundred other people in twenty-six states have retained us to find out how they were poisoned. *Salmonella Javiana* in jalapeños grown in Sinaloa: 431 sick in 32 states, a recall that has spread past 160 grocery products, and a grower still not publicly named. Infant botulism litigation against ByHeart and Nara Organics. *Listeria* out of Boar's Head. *E. coli O157:H7* from beef kofta and from romaine, O145 in frozen blueberries, *Salmonella* from nineteen million recalled eggs, *Vibrio* from raw seafood in Queens and *E. coli* and *Salmonella* in sprouts – again. Every one of those numbers is a person with a chart, a bill, a lien and a phone number. Clients in need find us. That has never been the hard part. Finding the defendant is. Nobody hands you one in a foodborne case. Somebody in this office reads the FDA inspection reports and environmental assessments, the USDA establishment records, the whole genome sequencing and the PulseNet clusters, the epidemic curves built by state epidemiologists and — this summer — the sanitation and rainfall records of a Mexican municipality where lettuce was grown. That work gets done before a complaint is filed, not in discovery. You will also have the [Outbreak Database](https://outbreakdatabase.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which this office built and still maintains: decades of outbreaks, searchable, and no other firm in the country has it. And half of this job is not litigation at all. *E. coli O157:H7* became an adulterant in American beef in 1994; six more strains followed because we petitioned USDA to make them so, and that file had to be built by somebody. We helped pass FSMA in 2011, petitioned in 2019 — so far without success — to have outbreak strains of *Salmonella* declared adulterants, and pushed hepatitis A vaccination for food workers in 2020\. This year alone: an infant formula bill in the House, a food safety bill in the Senate, comment letters on the traceability rule Congress delayed to 2028, and a standing demand that CDC count *Cyclospora* again. I publish this site, and people here get their names on the work and are pushed forward to write and speak about it, not held back. Cases fix one company. The rest fixes the industry. **The associate attorney — five years or more** Personal injury, product liability, med-mal or complex tort, and ready to run cases rather than paper. We are a handful of lawyers, not a floor of them, so you will carry your own docket from the start: file in federal and state courts around the country, write the settlement demand letters that resolve most of our cases before anyone sees a courtroom — medical chronology, liability analysis, damages model, all of it yours — take and defend depositions of plant managers and epidemiologists, work up hemolytic uremic syndrome, *Listeria*meningitis and *Salmonella* reactive arthritis cases with the best experts in the field, sit with families in hospital rooms, and try cases. Many of our clients are children, and there the last step is the hardest: a child's settlement has to be approved by a judge, cleared of Medicaid, Medicare, ERISA and sometimes federal military liens, and structured so the money is still there decades later, when the kidney an outbreak damaged has to be replaced. Licensed and in good standing somewhere, admissible pro hac vice elsewhere; Washington admission is not required. Bring real deposition experience, the writing chops to draft a complaint reporters quote, and the stomach for what an outbreak does to a child. A science background is a bonus, not a requirement. We will teach you the microbiology. **The paralegal — ten years or more** In plaintiffs' personal injury or complex litigation. Ten years, because we need someone who already knows what a lien is, what a hospital billing department will and will not send you, and how to keep sixty clients straight without losing one. Ten years also because nobody here is going to look over your shoulder — you will run your own files. You will take intakes from families who are frightened and exhausted, chase and chronologize medical records, build the damages and lien files that become the settlement demand, assemble the minor's compromise petitions that put a child's settlement in front of a judge, manage e-discovery and document productions, coordinate with experts and state health departments, keep cases moving in courts in a dozen states, reconcile fifty health department dashboards in the morning, file the FOIA and public records requests, and put together exhibits and family declarations for a rulemaking petition or a congressional hearing. Bring mastery of medical records and chronologies, real lien experience — Medicaid, Medicare, ERISA plans and, more often than you would think, the federal government — e-discovery platform experience, absurd organizational instincts, and genuine kindness on the phone. The person calling you may have just buried someone. Both jobs travel; the docket is national and sometimes international. **What you will not do here** No billable hours, no timesheets, and no origination credit to chase. Nobody here bills by the tenth of an hour, and the firm carries the cost of every case out of its own pocket until it resolves. No committee and no layer between you and the person who decides; when you need an answer you walk down the hall and get one. And no volume. We turn down cases every week that we could not do right, because a file nobody has time for is worse than no file at all. **Where the work happens** Our office is on Bainbridge Island, and the honest truth is that we want you here — living on the island, not commuting to it. We are a few minutes' walk up from the ferry terminal, thirty-five minutes across the water from downtown Seattle, in a town you can cross on foot. Most people who make the move do not move back. But the right person matters more to us than the right zip code: if you are elsewhere in Puget Sound, or willing to relocate, and can be here most days, we should talk, and we will help you get here. Competitive salary depending on experience, plus bonus; medical, dental and vision; 401(k) with match; paid vacation and holidays; bar dues and CLE for the lawyer; and work that ends up in *The New York Times*, in front of Congress, and in *Poisoned*, the Netflix documentary about all of this. Watch it before you apply. **One last thing, and it is the whole thing** Nobody here treats this as a practice area. Everyone here can name the child whose case they will never forget, and that is why they stay. A client wrote to us that I came to the hospital while their son was there, and that somebody from this office was in touch every step after. Being that somebody is the job, and it is going to be you as often as it is me. I am not looking for people who want a job. I am looking for the ones who cannot look away from this and want to spend the next thirty years making a difference. Both jobs are open now. Resume and a short note to [bmarler@marlerclark.com](mailto:bmarler@marlerclark.com). Lawyers, send a writing sample and tell me which case or outbreak on [marlerblog.com](https://www.marlerblog.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) you would pick up first and what you would do with it. Paralegals, tell me about the hardest lien you ever cleared or the record you had to fight hardest to get. The rest is public: [marlerclark.com](https://www.marlerclark.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [billmarler.com](https://www.billmarler.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). No recruiters. Equal opportunity employer. ### Pork cracklings products recalled because of production in Colombia URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/pork-cracklings-products-recalled-because-of-production-in-colombia/ Last updated: 2026-09-10T02:34:20.000Z El Eden Import Distributor Corp., a Long Island City, NY, firm, is recalling 264 pounds of potato chip products containing chicharrón (pork cracklings) because they were produced in the Republic of Colombia, a country that is not eligible to export meat products to the United States, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The mixed bags of potato chips containing chicharrón were imported on July 28, 2026\. The following products are subject to recall: - 45-g. foil bags of “De Todito NATURAL” mixed chips with “CHICHARRÓN AMERICANO JACKS,” “Margarita,” and “NATU CHIPS.” - 45-g. foil bags of “De Todito BBQ” mixed chips with “CHICHARRÓN AMERICANO JACKS,” “Margarita,” and “NatuChips.” The products subject to the recall do not bear any import marks on the labels. These items were shipped to a distributor in New Jersey and retail locations in New Jersey and Utah. The problem was discovered when FSIS received a consumer complaint regarding “De Todito” snack products containing dried plantains, potato chips, and chicharrónes, pork cracklings, imported from Colombia, which is ineligible to import any meat or poultry product into the U.S. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about illness or injury should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### New Salmonella outbreak traced to Evergreen Sprouts URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/new-salmonella-outbreak-traced-to-evergreen-sprouts/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T15:57:18.000Z The CDC is investigating a new Salmonella outbreak linked to fresh sprouts. The multistate outbreak has sickened 55 people across four states, hospitalizing two. The Food and Drug Administration is reporting that the SalmonellaBovismorbificans infections are linked to broccoli sprouts produced by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC of Moyie Springs, ID. The sick people live in Idaho, Montana, Utah and Washington. The company reports that its sprouts were distributed in Idaho, Montana and Washington but may have been further distributed. This outbreak is separate from a Salmonella outbreak linked to Everything Sprouts LLC. In the outbreak linked to Evergreen Sprouts, illnesses began on July 7 with the most recent person becoming ill on Aug. 26\. Of 19 people with information available, all 19 reported eating sprouts and 17 reported eating broccoli sprouts. Traceback investigations by the FDA and state health officials have identified Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC as the common grower of broccoli sprouts that were eaten by patients before becoming ill. On Sept. 4, Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC initiated a recall of broccoli sprouts based on a positive Salmonella result from a broccoli sprouts sample collected and analyzed by Montana state officials. According to whole genome sequencing analysis conducted by state partners and reviewed by FDA, the positive sample is the same strain of Salmonella that is causing illnesses in this outbreak. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled broccoli sprouts grown by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC with expiration dates of Sept. 7, 9, 11, 14, and 16. **Previous outbreaks** This is the third outbreak since 2011 linked to Evergreen Sprouts. In 2011, 25 people in five states were infected with Salmonella Enteritidis from alfalfa and spicy sprouts sold under the Evergreen Produce label. The FDA warned consumers directly on June 27 that year, a step the agency generally takes only when a company will not recall, and the co-owner told the trade press that recalling would amount to admitting guilt. The company ultimately recalled sprouts on July 1\. In 2014, 19 people in six states were infected with E. coli O121 traced to raw clover sprouts served at sandwich shops in Washington and Idaho. FDA has inspected this company several times since 2010\. The inspection that followed the 2011 outbreak produced a formal warning letter. Most of the inspections since then, including the 2014 inspection, were classified Voluntary Action Indicated, meaning the agency found things it wanted fixed but left the fixing to the firm. The most recent inspection was in 2024, also Voluntary Action Indicated. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any Evergreen sprouts and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Publisher's Platform: The chronic disease groups have been in a different room, and they should not be URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/publishers-platform-the-chronic-disease-groups-have-been-in-a-different-room-and-they-should-not-be/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T15:57:50.000Z Yesterday I named the 30 organizations that work the acute side of food safety: the eleven that asked Congress last month to rescind the traceability rider; the groups that fight over chemicals and antibiotics; and the scientists, state regulators and educators who are not consumer groups but do the work anyway. Today, the other half of the problem, and what all forty could do together. **The chronic-disease groups have been in a different room, and they should not be** For 30 years the people who work on pathogens and the people who work on diet have filed on separate dockets, testified at separate hearings and competed for the same appropriations and the same attention. This year made the split visible: the administration's food agenda is built on chronic disease, and the cuts to outbreak surveillance came in the same year. That is a mistake on both sides. A parent does not sort the harm by mechanism. In October 2025, [32 organizations signed a comment](https://www.cspi.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/UPF%2520sign-on%2520comment%25202025%5FFINAL%5Fupdate.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) asking FDA to define ultra processed food (UPF) for regulation, and five of them – The Center for Science in the Public Interest, Consumer Reports, the Center for Food Safety, Food & Water Watch and the Center for Environmental Health – are pathogen groups from yesterday's list. The overlap already exists. These are the rest, plus three newer names that were not on it. [**American Heart Association**](https://heart.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The largest organization in this column by an order of magnitude, with more than a billion dollars a year and Nancy Brown as CEO since 2008\. Its Washington advocacy office works sodium, sugar and now ultra-processed food at every level of government and published a fact sheet in February on regulating UPF; its Health Care by Food initiative is funding the trials that show medically tailored meals keep people out of the hospital. It is the one signature a member of Congress cannot wave off as a consumer group. It has backed sugary drink taxes and sodium limits in chain restaurants, and its annual statistics report is the source for most of what is said about diet-related death in this country. [**Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics**](https://eatrightpro.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The registered dietitians, more than 100,000 of them, founded in 1917 and led by Wylecia Wiggs Harris. It signed the ultra processed food comment. Its authority is professional rather than adversarial, which makes it the right voice on the Dietary Guidelines and school meals and a quieter one in a fight. Its members write the school meal patterns, run the hospital kitchens and staff WIC, which is where any federal nutrition standard actually meets a plate. [**UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health**](https://uconnruddcenter.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The research center, formerly at Yale, that Marlene Schwartz has directed since 2013\. When an advocacy group cites a study on food marketing to children, sugary drink taxes or school nutrition, it is usually Rudd's. It signed the comment. An academic ally, and the evidence base for half of what the others ask for. Its Fast Food FACTS and Sugary Drink FACTS reports are the running record of how much marketing children see, and its work on menu labeling and food bank nutrition shaped both. [**Partnership for a Healthier America**](https://ahealthieramerica.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Founded in 2010 alongside Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign, now run by Noreen Springstead, who came from WhyHunger. It works with manufacturers, retailers and food banks to move more produce and less junk through the supply, and it signed the comment. Industry-facing on purpose, which is the same reason the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness is on this list. Its convenience store partners operate more than 2,500 locations in 39 states, three quarters of them in neighborhoods with no grocery store. [**Healthy Food America**](https://healthyfoodamerica.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Seattle nonprofit founded and run by Jim Krieger, the former chief of chronic disease prevention at Public Health Seattle and King County. It is the sugary drink tax group, Seattle's included, and it worked menu labeling before that. It signed the comment, and it is on my side of the water. Krieger also helped write the country's second menu labeling regulation, in King County, before the federal one existed. [**Global Health Advocacy Incubator**](https://advocacyincubator.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The advocacy arm of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which takes the tobacco playbook of taxes, warning labels and marketing limits and applies it to sugary drinks and ultra-processed food, mostly abroad and increasingly here. It signed the comment through Nadia Flexner, its research director. The tobacco analogy is its whole argument, and it is a good one. Its staff worked the Latin American warning label campaigns that put black octagons on the front of packages, which is the model the front-of-package labeling fight here is drawing on. [**Public Health Law Center**](https://publichealthlawcenter.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The lawyers, at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Saint Paul and led by Joelle Lester, who draft and defend the state and local ordinances behind sugary drink taxes, healthy checkout aisles and marketing limits. It signed the comment. The chronic side's version of the Center for Food Safety: a drafting and litigation shop rather than a campaign. It also defended Philadelphia's and Seattle's sugary drink taxes against industry challenge. [**FoodFight USA**](https://foodfightusa.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban's partner in Magnolia Pictures, and the producer Lori McCreary launched it in 2023, before MAHA was a phrase, and it runs as a program of a 501(c)(3) called Cause Reports. Its method is celebrity and legislation: Morgan Freeman, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Helen Mirren as "warriors," and a push behind California's 2023 ban on four food additives and its 2024 ban on synthetic dyes in schools, bills that, by its count, more than half the states have since copied or introduced. Wagner has said he is talking with state attorneys general about suing food companies the way the states sued tobacco, and this spring the group lobbied against the FRESH Act, the Cammack bill that would preempt state food chemical laws, alongside EWG and CSPI. It did not sign the October comment. A billionaire's Rolodex is not a mailing list, and it reaches rooms the mailing lists do not. [**Fed UP!**](https://www.fedupmovement.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The newest name here, launched June 3 alongside a special ultra-processed food section of the American Journal of Public Health. It is less an organization than a roster: 15 scientific contributors, among them Ashley Gearhardt of Michigan, who wrote the Yale Food Addiction Scale, Carlos Monteiro of São Paulo, who invented the Nova classification the whole debate runs on, Kelly Brownell, Marion Nestle, Laura Schmidt of UCSF and Jim Krieger, with EWG, FoodFight USA and Healthy Food America among its partners. It takes no money from ultra-processed food or beverage companies, and its site turns the journal's 17 papers into plain language, including one on how state attorneys general could use the tobacco playbook. It is the evidence base with a public face. [**Eat Real**](https://eatreal.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Founded by the pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig and the physician Jordan Shlain, and run since 2019 by co-founder Nora LaTorre, it certifies K-12 school food programs against 10 standards on added sugar, whole grains, sourcing and ultra-processed ingredients, and by its count now reaches more than a million students. It is a Fed UP! partner, and this spring it lobbied against the FRESH Act alongside EWG, CSPI and FoodFight USA. Public schools serve more meals a year than the largest restaurant chains combined, which makes the cafeteria the biggest lever in this column that nobody in Washington controls. **Ten things all forty – 30 I named**.**yesterday with today's 10 – could work on together** 1\. Get Section 780 rescinded and the traceability rule funded, enforced on its schedule, and with lot codes intact. Eleven have already signed. Nineteen more names on the next letter, including the scientists, the state regulators and the technologists who say the rule is buildable, would be noticed in a way that 11 consumer groups alone are not. 2\. Restore the surveillance that counts the sick. FoodNet and state epidemiology were cut in the middle of an outbreak that no federal number has yet caught up with. Every group on this list depends on the count, whether it argues about chemicals, antibiotics or lettuce, and none of them can make a case with numbers nobody collected. 3\. Name the companies. An outbreak advisory that says "Restaurant Chain A" protects no one, and the practice has never been justified by anything but industry comfort. A coalition of 40 asking CDC and FDA to name names during an active outbreak would be harder to ignore than one lawyer asking, which is what it has mostly been. 4\. Finish the Salmonella rule for poultry and honor the petitions that produced it. In January 2020 my firm [petitioned FSIS](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/petitions/petition-interpretive-rule-related-certain-salmonella-serotypes?ref=foodsafetynews.com) on behalf of three families, Food & Water Watch, CFA and Consumer Reports to declare 31 outbreak serotypes adulterants in meat and poultry; Stop Foodborne Illness, CSPI and the Center for Foodborne Illness endorsed it. A year later [CSPI, CFA, Consumer Reports and STOP filed their own petition](https://www.marlerblog.com/lawyer-oped/usda-urged-to-better-protect-consumers-from-salmonella-campylobacter-in-poultry-petition-filed-by-cspi-cfa-consumer-reports-stop-foodborne-illness/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), asking for enforceable standards reaching back to the farm. The framework FSIS proposed in August 2024 grew out of both, and it was [withdrawn on April 25, 2025](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/25/2025-07187/salmonella-framework-for-raw-poultry-products?ref=foodsafetynews.com). CDC puts Salmonella at 1.35 million illnesses, 26,200 hospitalizations and 420 deaths a year, and FSIS itself attributes more than 167,000 of those illnesses to chicken and turkey. The agency held a public meeting in January to start over. Consumer Reports has the test data, the families have the cases, the union has the plant floor, and the science societies can say whether the standard was sound. Every piece of the argument is already in the room. 5\. Fund FDA's foods program to match the job it was just reorganized to do. This is the one item the Alliance for a Stronger FDA can carry to members who agree on nothing else, and the one item where the produce industry, the technologists and the consumer groups have already signed the same page. 6\. Close the self-affirmed GRAS loophole and set enforceable limits for lead and arsenic in children's food. That is the chemical groups' fight, and the pathogen groups should sign it, because a parent does not care which kind of contamination it was. 7\. Pass H.R. 7867 and put botulism in the infant formula rule. Fifty-two babies have been sickened by C. botulinum in powdered formula across two brands, and the regulation that governs formula testing still names only Salmonella and Cronobacter. FDA has written the industry three letters about it and no rule. [I asked the House committee to move the bill in June](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/support-for-h-r-7867-the-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act-of-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and never heard back; [535 t-shirts go to Congress the second week of this month](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/i-bought-congress-a-t-shirt-to-stop-botulism-in-infant-formula/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), one per member. Seven of the eleven coalition groups, and two more from yesterday's list, are already on the distribution list for those letters. Thirty signatures on the next one would be better than one. 8\. Finish front-of-package nutrition labeling and write a definition of ultra-processed food that reaches the food, not just the dyes. FDA has a proposed labeling rule and an open definition process; both stall without pressure from outside. The pathogen groups should sign these letters the way the chronic groups signed the traceability ones, because a label that tells a parent what is in the box and a record that tells FDA where the box came from are the same idea. 9\. Get marketing to children, sugary drinks and school meals into the same room as Salmonella and Cyclospora. The Rudd Center has the research, the heart association has the reach, the dietitians have the credibility, and the tobacco veterans have the playbook. Nothing about that coalition requires anyone to stop working outbreaks. It requires one letter a year that carries both problems. 10\. Sit down with the people who got sick. Every official and every executive in this system should spend an hour with a family. Stop Foodborne Illness can arrange it. It is not a policy, and it changes what people are willing to accept. I have said for 30 years that the goal of my work is to put myself out of business. The people named above are the ones actually trying to do it. If Food Safety Education Month is for anything, it is for saying so, with their names spelled out. ### Largest Salmonella outbreak this year traced to backyard flocks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/largest-salmonella-outbreak-this-year-traced-to-backyard-flocks/ Last updated: 2026-09-09T04:05:43.000Z Another person has died in a Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry flocks. It is the largest Salmonella outbreak this year. There have been no recalls issued for the live animals and won't be because neither FDA nor USDA have regulations regarding backyard flocks. Although health officials say seven hatcheries are linked to the outbreak, no company has been named by investigators. All of the patients reported contact with backyard flocks of chickens and/or ducks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that there are 1,061 patients, up by 247 since its last update on July 27\. The outbreak stretches across 46 states and Puerto Rico. Two deaths have been reported in Washington and Georgia. A fourth of the patients are children younger than 5 years old. The worst backyard poultry outbreak year CDC has recorded was 2019 when [1,134 cases were reported in 49 states, with 219 hospitalizations and two deaths](https://archive.cdc.gov/www%5Fcdc%5Fgov/salmonella/backyardpoultry-05-19/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), at final count in October. There are likely tens of thousands more patients in this year's outbreak because for every person confirmed in a Salmonella outbreak 29 are undetected. This is because some people do not seek medical treatment and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella, according to the CDC. In this year’s outbreak, of 717 patients with complete information available, 324 report being hospitalized. That’s a hospitalization rate of 33.3 percent, which is higher than usual for Salmonella outbreaks. Illness onset began Jan. 20 and runs through Aug. 6\. Additional patients are expected to be identified because it can take four to six weeks for cases to be confirmed and sent to the CDC to be included in the official count. The outbreak patients have been infected by several strains of Salmonella, including Altona, Enteritidis, Indiana, Infantis, Kedougou, Mbandaka and Saintpaul. Laboratory work in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and Tennessee sampled backyard birds and the insides of the boxes used to ship live poultry from hatcheries to retail stores. Whole genome sequencing matched the Enteritidis, Mbandaka, Kedougou and Saintpaul in those samples to the strains in sick people. The CDC’s [guidance](https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/backyard-poultry.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is that children younger than five should not handle chicks or ducklings at all. The birds can look perfectly healthy but still carry Salmonella. And, the germs spread to everything in the area where the birds live and roam — bedding, feeders, water, boots and hands. **About Salmonella infections** Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has interacted with backyard poultry and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Singapore expands role of WHO collaborating center URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/singapore-expands-role-of-who-collaborating-center/ Last updated: 2026-09-09T04:04:22.000Z A partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and Singapore has been expanded to include risk assessment. Singapore Food Agency’s (SFA) National Centre for Food Science (NCFS) has been a WHO collaborating center since 1992 focused on food contamination monitoring. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA steps enforcement on imported food including dried peppers, seafood URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fda-steps-enforcement-on-imported-food-including-dried-peppers-seafood/ Last updated: 2026-09-09T04:02:36.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. [Click here](http://The%20Food%20and%20Drug%20Administration%20uses%20import%20alerts%20to%20enforce%20U.S.%20food%20safety%20regulations%20for%20food%20from%20foreign%20countries.%20The%20agency%20updates%20and%20modifies%20the%20alerts%20as%20needed.%20Recent%20modifications%20to%20FDA%E2%80%99s%20import%20alerts,%20as%20posted%20by%20the%20agency,%20are%20listed%20below.%20Click%20here%20to%20go%20to%20the%20FDA%20page%20with%20links%20to%20details%20on%20specific%20alerts.%20See%20chart%20below%20for%20a%20list%20of%20the%20most%20recent%20alerts.) to go to the FDA page with links to details on specific alerts. See chart below for a list of the most recent alerts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/09/import-alerts-09-08-26-1.png) Click on chart to enlarge. Use link above to go to FDA page with links to specific alerts.imported foods ### Dozens of varieties of deli style salads recalled because of Listeria URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/dozens-of-varieties-of-deli-style-salads-recalled-because-of-listeria/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T21:29:08.000Z Made Fresh Salads Inc. of Bay Shore, NY, is recalling all Ready to Eat Deli Style Salads and cream cheese, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The various salads were distributed in Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and New York City by direct delivery to retail stores and distributors. Products are distributed in 30-pound and 5-pound white plastic tubs with a Made Fresh Salads label or a Northside Label and half size aluminum pan. Dozens of products are subject to this recall. For a complete list, [click here](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/made-fresh-salads-inc-recalls-ready-eat-deli-style-salads-and-cream-cheese-because-possible-health?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery). The salads include potato salad, cole slaw, black bean salad and several other varieties with expiration dates from Sept. 3 through Sept 18 printed on the bottom left of the label. The products may have been repacked by retail locations in deli-style or other retail packaging. Retail packaging and coding will vary based on location of purchase. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recall was the result of environmental sampling by the FDA and the company, which revealed that some areas of the facility tested positive for Listeria Monocytogenes. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the products as FDA, and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any recalledproducts and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Publisher's Platform: September Is National Food Safety Education Month – Here are 30 organizations doing the work on the acute side URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/publishers-platform-september-is-national-food-safety-education-month-here-are-30-organizations-doing-the-work-on-the-acute-side/ Last updated: 2026-09-09T22:57:02.000Z September is National Food Safety Education Month. Most of what gets said about it concerns thermometers and washing your hands, and that is worth saying. What it leaves out is the year-round work of a few dozen organizations on the other end of the problem: the rules, the inspections, the research and the lawsuits that decide whether food is safe before it reaches a kitchen. With the largest Cyclospora outbreak in American history still being counted, this is the month to name them, one at a time. Today, the 30 that work the acute side, the pathogens. Tomorrow, the 10 that work the other half of the problem, the salt, sugar, fat and ultra-processed food that fill the same grocery cart, and 10 things all forty could do together. None has a client in this outbreak. None bills an hour for the work. Most are a handful of people and a mailing list. **Eleven groups asked Congress to fix traceability last month** On Aug. 12 the Safe Food Coalition sent [a letter to the four congressional leaders](https://consumerfed.org/media/ocvbm4dp/safe-food-coalition-letter-to-congressional-leaders-re-traceability-8-12-26-920.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) asking them to rescind the rider that bars FDA from spending a dollar on its own traceability rule before 2028\. [I wrote about it the next day](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/eleven-consumer-public-health-and-labor-groups-just-asked-congress-to-rescind-the-traceability-rider-they-are-right-and-section-780-is-worse-than-a-delay-because-it-also-tells-fda-to-go-back-to-th/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). These are the eleven that signed. [Consumer Federation of America](https://consumerfed.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Founded in 1968, CFA has convened the Safe Food Coalition since Carol Tucker Foreman created it in 1986, and the coalition's letters go out on its letterhead. It claims a hand in the HACCP-based meat and poultry inspection system of the 1990s, which is the reason my hamburger E. coli practice went to nearly zero. Thomas Gremillion has run the food file for a decade and is the one address that reaches all eleven. It was a co-petitioner on the 2020 Salmonella adulterant petition and the 2021 petition for enforceable poultry standards, and it led the coalition's 2024 fight against the first House traceability rider. [Center for Science in the Public Interest](https://cspi.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). CSPI has worked nutrition and food safety since 1971, publishes Nutrition Action, and by policy takes no corporate money. Its petitions are behind much of the modern rulebook on allergens, additives and labeling, and it litigates as well as lobbies. Sarah Sorscher named the 2024 House bill the Food Traceability Evisceration Act, and she was right. It petitioned FDA to ban artificial trans fat, which the agency finally did in 2015, wrote menu calorie labeling into the Affordable Care Act, and got trans fat onto the Nutrition Facts label. On our side of the house it was a petitioner on the 2021 Salmonella petition and organized last October's ultra-processed food comment. [Consumer Reports](https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). CR is known for testing the food itself, and its lab drives its agenda: arsenic and lead in infant formula this spring, Salmonella in chicken, lead in applesauce pouches. Brian Ronholm, who ran FSIS as deputy undersecretary, co-chairs the FDA Foods Coalition of consumer groups, industry and state regulators that pushed FDA to put one accountable person in charge of food. Its testing found arsenic in rice in 2012 and put heavy metals in baby food on the national agenda before Congress did; it was a co-petitioner on both Salmonella petitions and signed the ultra-processed food comment. [Stop Foodborne Illness](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). STOP is the families. It descends from the parents who organized after Jack in the Box in 1993, and its work is putting a face on every number: supporting victims, testifying, and making officials look at the people behind the statistics. Sandra Eskin came to the CEO job last year straight from overseeing FSIS at USDA. Of the eleven, it is the one with the least to gain. Its founders were the family voice behind the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act, it endorsed the 2020 Salmonella petition and signed the 2021 one, and its constituent advocates are the people who show up at hearings when the agencies would rather they did not. [Center for Food Safety](https://centerforfoodsafety.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). CFS is the reason the traceability rule exists. FSMA told FDA to propose high-risk recordkeeping by January 2013; FDA did not, CFS sued, and the consent decree set the deadlines FDA finally met in 2022\. Founded by Andrew Kimbrell in 1997 and now co-directed by George Kimbrell and Sylvia Wu, its tool is the lawsuit, from GE crops to pesticides to this rule. It took Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms to the Supreme Court in 2010, the first case there on genetically engineered crop regulation, and it signed last October's ultra-processed food comment, which makes it one of the five groups already working both sides of the problem. [National Consumers League](https://nclnet.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Chartered in 1899 by Jane Addams and Josephine Lowell, NCL is the oldest consumer organization in the country. Sally Greenberg spent a decade on product and food safety at Consumers Union before taking it over in 2007, and Nancy Glick runs its food and nutrition policy. It is a signer more than a driver, and a signature that has been there for 127 years carries weight. Its first century included the campaign for the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, and it has signed every Safe Food Coalition letter of the modern era. [U.S. PIRG](https://pirg.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). PIRG's Consumer Watchdog office, run by Teresa Murray, a former Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter, publishes the annual Food for Thought report on how long recalls take and how badly they are disclosed. This August it co-authored the report showing which fast-food chains walked away from their antibiotics pledges, and it keeps a public timeline of the country's largest outbreaks. Its state affiliates carry the same fights into the legislatures, and its recall reports are the only annual public accounting of how the recall system actually performs for the people who are supposed to be warned. [Government Accountability Project](https://whistleblower.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). GAP's Food Integrity Campaign, founded by Amanda Hitt and now run by Baylen Linnekin, represents the USDA inspectors, contract poultry growers and plant employees who tell the truth about what happens on the line, including the Beef Products quality manager whose disclosures broke the pink slime story. It is the only member whose contribution is evidence from inside the plants. Its inspector affidavits were the public record against USDA's move to faster poultry lines and fewer government inspectors, and its clients are why anyone outside the plants knows what a 175-bird-a-minute line looks like. [GW Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Securit**y**](https://foodsafety.gwu.edu/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Barbara Kowalcyk directs it. Her son Kevin died at two and a half in 2001 of an E. coli O157:H7 infection; she and her mother founded the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention, and she co-authored the National Academies report that became FSMA's blueprint. The institute hosted the July briefing on the outbreak and has been the academic voice on the surveillance cuts. Kevin's Law, the bill written in her son's name, was the first attempt to give USDA authority to close plants that repeatedly fail pathogen standards, and its core ideas were carried into FSMA. [United Food and Commercial Workers](https://ufcw.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). UFCW represents more than 250,000 meatpacking and processing workers, and its legislative office, Rachel Lyons and policy counsel Hillary Caron, carries the food safety file in Washington. It won the lawsuit that blocked faster pork lines and generated more than 42,000 comments this year against faster poultry lines, on the plain argument that the safety of the food depends on the safety of the people who process it. It is the coalition's only member with people on the plant floor. That lawsuit produced the 2021 federal ruling that struck down USDA's removal of the pork line speed cap. [Farm Forward](https://farmforward.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). A Portland animal welfare group run by Andrew deCoriolis, whose campaigns target humanewashed labels and antibiotic use, Farm Forward does not work the outbreak beat. It signed the traceability letter anyway, and the signature counts. Its 2024 testing found antibiotic residues in milk from a certified organic dairy, which is a food safety story whatever the group's mission statement says. **Others work the fights over chemicals, antibiotics and the structure of the system** [Environmental Defense Fund](https://edf.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). EDF sued FDA in 2017 over the loophole that lets companies declare their own additives safe, drove the petitions on BPA and phthalates in packaging, and published the 2017 lead-in-baby-food report that started the heavy metals fight. Its beat is chemicals in food rather than pathogens, and Maria Doa now leads it. It was among the petitioners whose pressure preceded FDA's 2024 announcement that grease-proofing PFAS were out of food packaging, and its ortho-phthalate petition is still working through the courts. [Environmental Working Group](https://ewg.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). EWG is known for its consumer databases and for Scott Faber, who worked on enacting FSMA from inside the Grocery Manufacturers Association and now carries the food chemicals file on the Hill, where he testified in April against the FRESH Act, the industry-backed bill that would preempt state food chemical laws. Additives, dyes and heavy metals are its targets. It is also the Dirty Dozen list, the Food Scores database and a co-sponsor of California's 2023 law banning four food additives, the first of its kind in the country. [Food & Water Watch](https://foodandwaterwatch.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Wenonah Hauter founded it in 2005 out of Public Citizen, and it is known for factory farm, water and consolidation fights fought with organizers and lawsuits; Mitch Jones, who came from UFCW, runs its policy and litigation. It signed the coalition's earlier traceability letters and published on the spread of this outbreak in August. It was a co-petitioner on the 2020 Salmonella adulterant petition and signed last October's ultra-processed food comment. [Nourish Science](https://nourishscience.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). A nutrition group co-founded by Jerold Mande with Bill Frist and Jerome Adams, aimed at children's metabolic health. It is here because Mande ran FSIS from 2009 to 2011 and is one of the few people who has done that job and still speaks in public. It backs David Kessler's citizen petition asking FDA to revisit the generally-recognized-as-safe status of refined carbohydrates, which is the same GRAS loophole the chemical groups are fighting from the other direction. [Food Animal Concerns Trust](https://foodanimalconcernstrust.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). FACT is the staff home of Keep Antibiotics Working, the coalition formed in 2001 to end routine antibiotic use in livestock. Steven Roach has led that work for a quarter century, and this month it documented which chains abandoned their pledges. Its concern is resistant Salmonella and Campylobacter. The coalition's decade of pressure preceded FDA's 2013 guidance ending growth-promotion uses of medically important antibiotics, and it has tracked every retreat from that line since. [Unleaded Kids](https://unleadedkids.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Tom Neltner founded it in 2023 after running EDF's food chemicals program. It led the petition asking FDA to fix its lead action levels for baby food, tracks compliance with California's baby food testing law, and testified this year in Vermont and Maryland to extend testing to infant formula. It is also the group holding companies to California's 2023 baby food testing and disclosure law, the first in the country, and publishing who complies. [Healthy Babies Bright Futures](https://hbbf.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). HBBF's 2019 test found heavy metals in 95 percent of the baby foods it sampled, which is why the House investigated the industry. Jane Houlihan, who ran EWG's research for a decade, is the science behind it. That investigation is why FDA launched its Closer to Zero program in 2021, and its follow-up testing is why the program has not been allowed to quietly stall. [Center for Environmental Health](https://ceh.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Oakland-based, known for Proposition 65 litigation that gets toxic chemicals out of products, food included. It co-filed the 2025 lead petition, and Shakoora Azimi-Gaylon, its senior director for toxic exposures, spoke for it. Its settlements have taken lead out of candy, children's products and the supply chains that feed them. [Public Citizen, Union of Concerned Scientists and Friends of the Earth](https://citizen.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). None of the three has anyone assigned to foodborne illness, and I will not pretend otherwise. [Public Citizen](https://citizen.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is known for its Health Research Group, now under Robert Steinbrook, and its half century as an FDA watchdog. The [Union of Concerned Scientists](https://ucs.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is known for science integrity, which is where the surveillance cuts land; Kate Anderson directs its food and environment program. [Friends of the Earth](https://foe.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is known for pesticides and antibiotics in animal agriculture, with Kendra Klein as its science lead. Each is part of safe food. **Some are not consumer groups, and the work is still the work** [Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/alliance?ref=foodsafetynews.com). STOP's industry program, run by Vanessa Coffman, takes the families' stories inside food companies and turns them into training and food safety culture. Its members are the companies the consumer groups write about, which is exactly why it matters. Its members include some of the largest food companies in the country, and its food safety culture work with FDA is the reason that phrase now appears in agency documents. [Partnership for Food Safety Education](https://fightbac.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The Fight BAC people, created in 1997 and run by Britanny Saunier, reach about ten million consumers a year through thirteen thousand educators, and run the national consumer food safety education conference. If this month belongs to anyone, it belongs to them. Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill, the four-step message on every extension office wall, is theirs. [National Association of State Departments of Agriculture](https://nasda.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). NASDA is the state agriculture commissioners, whose agencies do the produce safety inspections FDA contracts out and who want farm bill money for FSMA compliance help. Ted McKinney, a former USDA under secretary for trade, runs it. It is a regulator's voice and a farm lobby at the same time, and both halves are useful. Its members administer the Produce Safety Rule inspections under cooperative agreements with FDA, which means the federal produce rule is, on the ground, a state program. [Center for Produce Safety](https://centerforproducesafety.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). CPS has put more than $46 million dollars of industry money into produce-specific research since 2008, and its symposium is where that science gets argued. Suzanne Devereaux-McKinstrie took over as CEO in June. Its board is chaired by a Taylor Farms executive, which I note because I would want it noted. Useful science, industry-governed. Its funded research is the technical basis for the leafy greens marketing agreements' water and buffer standards, and its symposium is where those standards get argued each June. [Institute of Food Technologists](https://ift.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). IFT ran FDA's product-tracing pilots, and its 2012 report is the first reference cited in the final traceability rule. Its Global Food Traceability Center, run by Blake Harris, just took a three-million-dollar Moore Foundation grant to push interoperable traceability across commodities. When someone says the rule cannot be built, IFT is the authority that says it can. Its Global Food Traceability Center also helped launch the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability and holds observer status at Codex on import and export inspection. [International Association for Food Protection](https://foodprotection.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com).IAFP is the professional society of more than 4,500 food safety scientists, regulators and industry people, and the Journal of Food Protection; Lisa Garcia is its executive director. It takes no positions. It is known for the room, every July, where everyone on this list and everyone they argue with sit together. Its journal is where the produce, water and Cyclospora science that this outbreak turns on has been published for decades. [Association of Food and Drug Officials](https://afdo.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). AFDO speaks for the state and local regulators who do most of the actual inspecting. Its executive director, Steven Mandernach, told PolitiFact last month that the federal cuts had limited effect on the Cyclospora response. I disagree, and I would rather have him in the conversation than not, because his members are the ones who found the cases. It also runs the training and standards work that keeps state food programs roughly aligned with each other and with FDA. [Alliance for a Stronger FDA](https://strengthenfda.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). A coalition of more than 150 industry, patient and consumer groups with one purpose, FDA appropriations, run by Cartier Esham. It is the one place industry and consumer advocates sign the same letter, and this year the letter said the cuts would jeopardize the safety of the food supply. Its appropriations charts are the numbers everyone else on this list cites when they say FDA's foods program is underfunded. That is 30, and not one of them will send a bill for the work. Tomorrow: the 10 groups that have been working the other half of the problem in a different room, why that room should be the same one, and 10 things all 40 could do together. ### Pumpkin seeds linked to French Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/pumpkin-seeds-linked-to-french-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T04:04:01.000Z More than 80 people have fallen sick in a Salmonella outbreak in France connected to pumpkin seeds. Santé Publique France and the National Reference Centre for Salmonella at the Institut Pasteur have identified 81 people infected by Salmonella Enteritidis. Strains were isolated from sick people between May 3 and Aug. 12\. Patients have been recorded in several French regions. Patients are 56 women and 25 men, with an average age of 36\. They live in 10 different regions but Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes has the most cases with 27, followed by Île-de-France with 12. Investigations by Santé publique France, the National Reference Centre for Salmonella, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Health point to contamination involving pumpkin seeds from a processor in Lot-et-Garonne. Investigations are ongoing to find the root cause of the contamination. Epidemiological efforts by Santé publique France involved interviewing some of the affected people about products consumed before they became ill as well as the dates and locations of purchase. **Recall and withdrawal of seeds** Six people were hospitalized and two went to the emergency department because of their symptoms. They have all since recovered and returned home. Seeds were distributed mainly through the Grand Frais retail chain. However, other retailers are affected, and the incident involves raw seeds sold individually and mixes containing contaminated pumpkin seeds. Authorities in Lot-et-Garonne conducted an inspection at the implicated processing facility but the source of contamination was not identified. A product withdrawal and recall were issued based on epidemiological and analytical findings. Various weights and lot codes of seeds were sold at Grand Frais stores between March 1 and Aug. 28\. Affected products range in date from June 30, 2026, to July 17, 2027. Products with ready to eat pumpkin seeds sold under the names mélange sportif, mélange Babylone, and mélange spécial salade estivale were also distributed to and have been recalled in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. ### EU opens comments on cereulide limit proposals URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/eu-opens-comments-on-cereulide-limit-proposals/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T04:02:03.000Z The European Commission is consulting on plans to introduce cereulide limits for infant formula. Proposals cover dried infant formula, dried dietary foods for special medical purposes intended for infants under 6 months, and dried follow-on formula. The goal is to make these foods safer for children, while ensuring fair and consistent rules for European producers, according to the EU Commission. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Indonesia urged to act to stop meal program poisonings URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/indonesia-urged-to-act-to-stop-meal-program-poisonings/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T20:07:16.000Z The Indonesian Government has been urged to stop its case-by-case approach to poisoning incidents connected to the school meals program. The MBG Watch Coalition said the government should declare an official food poisoning outbreak or a food safety emergency. In January 2025, the government launched a Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program to improve nutrition and health for millions of people. However, the plan has been blighted by illness reports among schoolchildren. According to the coalition, more than 43,000 children have been affected in 20 months, meaning it is no longer a series of local incidents but a national cross-sectorial food safety emergency. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Ready-to-eat pork jowls recalled because of Listeria contamination URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/ready-to-eat-pork-jowls-recalled-because-of-listeria-contamination/ Last updated: 2026-09-07T01:13:20.000Z Prime Line Distributors Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, FL., and Ferrarini USA Inc. of Hoboken, NJ, are recalling 1,513 pounds of imported ready-to-eat (RTE) pork products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The imported RTE dry-cured pork jowl (“guanciale”) products were produced at Est. 1937L Bome SRL in Italy on May 21, 2026, and imported into the U.S. on various dates within July 2026\. The following products are subject to recall: Prime Line Distributors, Inc.: - Various weight cardboard cases containing two pieces of individually vacuumed packed “PRIME LINE DISTRIBUTORS, INC. GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY” with “LOT: 263311US” and “BEST IF USE BY DATE: 05.16.27” printed on the label. - Various weight individually vacuumed packaged “GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY” with “LOT: 263311US” and “BEST IF USE BY: 05.16.27” printed on the label. The product has an additional label with “DOK GUANCIALE” on the packaging. Ferrarini USA, Inc.: - Various weight cardboard cases containing two pieces of individually vacuumed packed “GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY” with “LOT: 263311US” and “BEST IF USE BY DATE: 05.16.27” printed on the label. - Various weight individually vacuumed packaged “FERRARINI GUANCIALE DRY-CURED PORK JOWL” with “LOT: 263311US” and “BEST IF USE BY DATE: 05.16.27” printed on the label. The products subject to recall bear establishment number “IT 1937 L CE” inside the Italian mark of inspection or printed on the case label. The Prime Line Distributors Inc. items were shipped to food service and retail locations in Florida. The Ferrarini USA Inc. items were shipped to distributors and food service locations in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Texas. The problem was discovered during routine import reinspection testing when a product saple confirmed positive for Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any recalledproduct and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### GRAS, beef, trade talks still center stage URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/gras-beef-trade-talks-still-center-stage/ Last updated: 2026-09-07T22:39:06.000Z Sept. 6 Sunday Edition: Looking Back at the Big Stories of the Summer Hello FSN+ members, We are not producing a fresh Sunday Edition newsletter this week due to the Labor Day holiday. As our membership continues to grow, here are some highlights and updates related to the great work the FSN team does each week. We hope both our new and ongoing members enjoy the look back. Thank you for your continued support! Morgan Holm Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief --- **Quick bites** - Two ongoing outbreaks are growing in scope. In the U.S., [the state of Michigan now reports a total of 14,718 patients](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/patient-count-in-cyclospora-outbreak-in-michigan-at-more-than-14-700/) affected by Cyclospora as of Sept. 3, up by more than 200 from a week ago. It is not yet clear what the source (or sources) of those infections may be for all of the cases Michigan is tracking. The death toll stands steady at two. Meanwhile, in the U.K., another 50 people have been identified as being affected by Salmonella. The latest cases are part of [three related outbreaks that now affect more than 500 people](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/50-more-people-sick-in-uk-salmonella-outbreak-total-count-tops-500/). One of these outbreaks may be connected to dozens of cases under investigation in the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, France and Germany. - Eleven Asian countries [rehearsed a coordinated response to a cross-border food safety emergency](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/asian-countries-rehearse-food-incident-response/). All 11 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) participated in the July exercise. Areas that need continued improvement were identified, including the need to establish clearer operational triggers for food contamination events. Foodborne illnesses cause more than 1.5 million deaths and 426 million illnesses each year in the Asia Pacific region. - [Research on campylobacter in New Zealand and France](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/small-new-zealand-study-calls-attention-to-campylobacter-in-chicken/) pointed to chicken as a common vector for contamination that may reach consumers. Analysis of the samples in both studies (which were unrelated) also found that resistance to common antimicrobials, such as ciprofloxacin and fluoroquinolones was comparatively high. - Food Safety Education Month began September 1 in the U.S. [FSN Publisher Bill Marler identifies what Congress, academia and consumers can do to make meaningful progress](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/publishers-platform-food-safety-education-month-starts-tuesday-one-day-after-the-worst-cyclospora-season-on-record-officially-closes-nothing-done-in-a-home-kitchen-would-have-stopped-it/) toward safer food for everyone. --- **GRAS rises to the top of the agenda** In early August, the Trump administration [moved to tighten regulations affecting how food companies tell the government when they have added new ingredients](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/health-department-announces-plans-for-gras-substances-and-ultra-processed-foods/) to their products. A new proposed rule would address a loophole around substances “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). Companies would be required to provide more information about why they believe an ingredient is safe although they would still have the power to decide whether to add a particular substance to its products. Trade groups say the new rules will [slow down innovation and require more paperwork, resulting in a heavier burden on small food producers](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08/10/us/trump-news?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.4VA.gQkn.L33Nxqg2h-nC&smid=url-share&ref=foodsafetynews.com). [Dan Flynn looked at the history of GRAS](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/01/sunday-edition-is-generally-recognized-as-safe-gras-really-safe/) back in January and predicted we would see some kind of regulatory action this year as RFK Jr’s Make America Healthy Again movement was prioritizing it as a way to encourage healthier food choices. --- **Where, exactly, is the beef?** The economics and politics of the cattle industry have suddenly emerged as a significant story just weeks before the midterm elections. President Trump announced last month that he would allow some 300,000 metric tons of beef to enter the U.S. under a reduced tariff rate. Trump went on to promise that the imported beef would be sold at a 25 percent discount to help reduce prices at the grocery counter. Cattle ranchers were largely caught off guard by the announcement and have raised a number of concerns. Specific details about the imports are not yet available, but [the Trump administration has been issuing new directives and launching new initiatives to try to address concerns from beef industry players and Congress](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/02/business/trump-ranchers-beef-prices-cattle-supply.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.-FA.r%5FtS.mWeoa3dMLIAF&smid=url-share&ref=foodsafetynews.com). For some useful context about these developments, check out our Sunday Editions that explored [consolidation in the beef industry](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/04/sunday-edition-consolidation/) from April and the debate over [mandatory country-of-origin labeling](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/sunday-edition-mcool/) from early June. And don’t forget the screwworm outbreak that arrived in the U.S. earlier this year. Although that parasitic fly is unlikely to enter Americans’ food supply, its [appearance led the U.S. government to reopen the border to imported Mexican beef](https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2026-08-22/mexico-resumes-livestock-sales-to-us-under-tight-controls-over-screwworm-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in late August. This story is likely to continue to play out in a very public way as the fall election season unfolds. --- **U.S., Canada trade talks collapse** Talks between the U.S. and Canada that were aimed at heading off higher tariffs on Canadian goods fell apart two weeks ago. In the aftermath, [Canadians are assessing where the worst effects will be felt](https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canadian-businesses-brace-for-50-per-cent-u-s-tariffs-9.7317591?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The dairy industry on both sides of the border is likely to experience some of that impact. In the spring, we looked at the [increase in the movement of food products across borders](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/03/sunday-edition-food-imports/) and the role of food safety regulations in that trade. Increasingly, disruptions in the flow of those goods will affect the choices available to consumers. As this year’s Cyclospora outbreak demonstrated, [foodborne illnesses can cross borders](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-begins-inspection-of-taylor-farms-lettuce-operation-in-mexico/), too. That means governments will face increasing pressure to [improve inspection regimes and coordinate implementation of safety standards](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/todays-topic-foreign-inspections/). We’ll be back next week with more insights and perspective about food safety. *Do you have any comments, questions or suggestions for future coverage?* [*Click here*](https://tally.so/r/Y5YzZB?ref=foodsafetynews.com) *to give us your feedback.* ### Foods Alive moringa powder recalled because of Salmonella contamination URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/foods-alive-moringa-powder-recalled-because-of-salmonella-contamination/ Last updated: 2026-09-06T02:04:11.000Z Foods Alive Inc of Angola, IN, is recalling its 8-ounce packages of organic moringa leaf powder because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled organic moringa leaf powder was distributed nationwide in retail stores and through online sellers including but not limited to www.foodsalive.com. The product comes in an 8-ounce stand up pouch with a freshest by date of 110127 and the number 02726 below the date, and was shipped between Jan. 27 and Aug. 7. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. The potential for contamination was found after the supplier notified the company that a sample of their super green powder mix, collected at retail, tested positive for Salmonella. The source of the problem has not been determined. The company has suspended production and distribution of these products while FDA and the company continue their investigation. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled product and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Patient count in Cyclospora outbreak in Michigan at more than 14,700 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/patient-count-in-cyclospora-outbreak-in-michigan-at-more-than-14-700/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T04:05:42.000Z Michigan’s count of patients in a huge outbreak of Cyclospora infections continues to rise, with the total surpassing 14,700. As of Sept. 3, the state was reporting 14,718, up by 208 a week ago. Of the patients interviewed so far, 366 report having been hospitalized. The death count is standing steady at two. Michigan public health officials have not said whether all of the illnesses in their state can be attributed to iceberg lettuce products sold by Taylor Farms. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking several outbreaks, including a 20-state outbreak associated with the Taylor Farms products. As of Sept. 1, the CDC was reporting 11,458 patients in that outbreak with 495 hospitalizations. Overall, the CDC’s count of all of the outbreaks attributed to the Cyclospora parasite is 18,445\. For comparison, 1,180 cases were reported in the United States between May 1 and Aug. 31, 2025. The unofficial state-by-state total count is more than 30,000. The federal agency considers the Cyclorspora “season” to run from May 1 through Aug. 31. Neither the CDC nor state officials have speculated as to why the outbreak numbers are so much higher this year. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite. It is not killed by chlorine or other treatments. ### 50 more people sick in UK Salmonella outbreak; total count tops 500 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/50-more-people-sick-in-uk-salmonella-outbreak-total-count-tops-500/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T20:07:25.000Z Another 50 people have fallen sick as part of three related Salmonella outbreaks in the United Kingdom. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Food Standards Agency (FSA), and other public health bodies are investigating the Salmonella Enteritidis clusters which have affected more than 500 people. Genetic relatedness of the clusters, along with food information, suggests they are associated with eating imported eggs at small cafés, restaurants, and takeaways. In the first cluster, there have been 305 confirmed cases and one death. Sample dates range from Aug. 11, 2025, to Aug. 21, 2026\. In the past month, 168 infections have been reported in England. Sick people range in age from younger than 1 to 90 years old with a median age of 30\. Of 160 cases with available information, 42 have been admitted to hospitals. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is also investigating this Salmonella Enteritidis sequence type 11 cluster. In July, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) restarted an investigation into a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak that began in spring 2025\. There are 111 patients with 31 in 2026, including 10 in June and eight in July. Only seven patient interview questionnaires have been received by RIVM, with the agency saying it is too early to draw any conclusions about the outbreak’s source. There are also 15 cases in Belgium, two in Austria, one in Denmark, four in France, and six in Germany. At least 34 people have been hospitalized. **Other clusters and Scotland situation** In a second cluster, there are 182 cases in England. Sample dates range from May 27, 2025, to Aug. 15, 2026\. Patients are aged between younger than 1 to 92 with a median of 29 years old. Of 39 patients with information available, 20 were admitted to hospitals. In a third cluster, there are 41 cases and one death, with sample dates ranging from Jan. 27 to Aug. 11, 2026\. Cases range in age from under 1 to 87 with a median of 35 years old. Five people have been hospitalized. In Scotland, dates of illness are from April 1 to Aug. 10, 2026, for 13 patients. Cases range in age from 2 to 78 with a median of 36 years old and 10 are female. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Salmonella outbreak traced to eggs declared over with more than 130 patients URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/salmonella-outbreak-traced-to-eggs-declared-over-with-more-than-130-patients/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T04:04:56.000Z The CDC has declared over a Salmonella outbreak traced to eggs with 134 patients having been identified across 18 states. Officials with the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the outbreak has been long running with the first patient having become ill on Nov. 21, 2025\. The most recent patient became ill on Aug. 12 this year. Of 54 ill persons with information available, 46 reported eating eggs before becoming ill. There have been 34 hospitalizations, and no deaths have been reported. The most recent outbreak update posted by FDA was posted on July 24 when 98 people from 17 states were reported sick. At that time, 40 of 44 ill people with information available reported eating eggs before becoming ill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/09/outbreak-map-eggs-Salmonella-09-03-26.png) Outbreak patients lived from coast to coast. As part of the outbreak investigation, the FDA conducted an inspection at Midwest Poultry Services L.P. in Texas and collected environmental samples. Three samples collected during FDA’s inspection were positive for Salmonella and matched the strain of Salmonella Enteritidis causing illnesses in the outbreak. Epidemiological, laboratory, and traceback evidence from this investigation, have determined that shell eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services L.P. in Texas were the likely source of illnesses for this outbreak. On July 22, 2026, Midwest Poultry Services L.P. [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/midwest-poultry-services-lp-recalls-shell-eggs-due-possible-salmonella-enteritidis-contamination?ref=foodsafetynews.com) all white shell eggs and brown cage free shell eggs produced at their facilities in Texas. At this time, all shell eggs from this recall should no longer be available for sale for consumers. More than 30 brands and configurations of eggs were subject to recall. For a list of those products, [click here](http://www.apple.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The eggs have a use by date of Aug. 17, but consumers often keep eggs past such dates and are therefore urged to check any eggs they have in their homes. There were likely many more outbreak patients than were reported in the official count. This is because many people do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella infection. The CDC estimates that for every confirmed patient in a Salmonella outbreak there are 29 who go undetected. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled eggs and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Young girl dies after contracting HUS URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/young-girl-dies-after-contracting-hus/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T04:03:21.000Z A young girl has died in Australia from a serious condition that develops after an E. coli infection. The 3-year-old girl fell ill after visiting a farm in Victoria where she held, rode and petted animals. The news was announced on a GoFundMe page for the family, which has raised almost AUD $55,000 (U.S. $40,000). According to the fundraiser, the girl had been in the intensive care unit at hospital for six weeks being treated for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). She suffered kidney failure and a brain injury. The likely cause was a bacterial infection, possibly contracted from a farm. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a severe complication associated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections that causes kidney failure and sometimes brain damage. “The torture as a parent of not being able to console your own child, not through lack of trying anything and everything you possibly can but because they are truly inconsolable. The not knowing if your child will ever talk, smile, walk, run, play, or recognize you again,” read the post on fundraising page. The family urged people to donate blood if they could do so to help other critically ill people. Clare Looker, Victorian deputy chief health officer, told local media that the state had recorded 179 STEC cases so far this year, compared to 158 in the same period in 2025. Official advice includes not kissing animals or allowing children to put their faces close to them. It is important to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after contact with animals, especially before eating and drinking. E. coli is most ofter contracted through foodborne sources, but petting zoos are frequently a source for the pathogen. **About E. coli infections** Anyone who has developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications. About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. ### Labor Day may end summer, but food safety never takes a holiday URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/labor-day-may-end-summer-but-food-safety-never-takes-a-holiday/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T04:01:26.000Z Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer for many Americans, bringing one last round of backyard barbecues, picnics and gatherings with family and friends. But as summer winds down, food safety should not. Improper food handling can allow harmful bacteria to multiply and turn a holiday celebration into a case of food poisoning. Public health officials recommend keeping a few basic food safety practices in mind. **Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold** One of the biggest risks at outdoor gatherings is allowing perishable foods to remain in the “danger zone,” between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, where bacteria can multiply rapidly. Cold foods should be kept at 40 degrees F or below. Pack coolers with plenty of ice or frozen gel packs and keep the lid closed as much as possible. If possible, place coolers in the shade. Hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees F or above until they are served. Perishable foods should not be left out for more than two hours. If the outdoor temperature is above 90 degrees F, that time drops to one hour. **Don’t forget the thermometer** Labor Day cookouts often mean firing up the grill, but appearance alone is not a reliable way to determine whether meat and poultry are safely cooked. A food thermometer should be used to check the internal temperature of food at its thickest part. Safe minimum internal temperatures include: - Beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts: 145 degrees F, followed by a three-minute rest time; - Ground meats: 160 degrees F; - Whole poultry, poultry pieces and ground poultry: 165 degrees F. When cooking thinner foods, such as hamburger patties, insert the thermometer from the side so the probe reaches the center. Once food is cooked, place it on a clean platter. Never put cooked meat or poultry back onto the same plate that previously held it raw. **Avoid cross-contamination** The more hands, utensils and surfaces involved in preparing food, the more opportunities there are for contamination. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and running water before and after handling food, particularly raw meat and poultry. If running water is unavailable, hand sanitizer can be useful, but it is not a replacement for proper handwashing when hands are visibly dirty. Use separate plates, cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and foods that are ready to eat. Wash utensils and surfaces thoroughly between uses. **Cool food before you hit the road** Food prepared ahead of time should be cooled promptly and stored in shallow containers before being placed in the refrigerator or packed for transportation. When traveling, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends packing perishable food directly from the refrigerator or freezer into a cooler. Keep raw meat and poultry separated from foods that will be eaten without further cooking. Coolers should be transported in the passenger area of a vehicle when possible, rather than in a hot trunk. **Wash produce before cutting** Fruits and vegetables should be washed under running water before they are cut or prepared, including produce with peels or rinds that will not be eaten. Cutting through an unwashed melon, apple or other piece of produce can transfer bacteria from the outside to the edible portion. After cutting, refrigerate produce and keep it cold until it is served. **Handle leftovers safely** When the cookout is over, don’t let leftovers become an afterthought. Refrigerate perishable foods within two hours, or within one hour if temperatures are above 90 degrees F. Divide leftovers into small, shallow containers so they cool more quickly. Refrigerated leftovers should generally be eaten within four days or frozen for later use. When reheating leftovers, heat them to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Soups, sauces and gravies should be brought to a rolling boil. Labor Day may signal the end of summer, but foodborne bacteria do not take a holiday. A few simple precautions — washing hands, avoiding cross-contamination, using a food thermometer and keeping food at safe temperatures — can help ensure the final cookout of the season is remembered for the food and company, not food poisoning. As September is also Food Safety Education Month, the holiday provides an opportunity to remember that safe food handling is just as important at the season’s final barbecue as it was at the first. ### Salmonella outbreak linked to Evergreen Sprouts URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-evergreen-sprouts/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T03:05:06.000Z Another outbreak of Salmonella infections related to fresh sprouts is under investigation, this time in Washington and Montana. The implicated broccoli sprouts are produced by Evergreen Sprouts LLC of Idaho. As of Sept. 2, there were 13 confirmed patients infected with Salmonella Bovismorbificans. Their illness onset dates run from July 7 through Aug. 18\. Of the 12 people interviewed, eight reported eating sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC. Seven ate broccoli sprouts. The sprouts were purchased from grocery stores, food co-ops and restaurants. There are three additional people infected with the same strain of Salmonella, two from Montana and one from Idaho. Sprouts samples from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts and other suppliers are currently undergoing testing at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory. As of Sept. 3 there was no recall reported. Evergreen Fresh Sprouts was the grower behind a 2011 Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak that sickened 25 people in five states and a 2014 E. coli O121 outbreak that sickened 19 in six. Over three outbreaks and fifteen years, 60 people have been made sick, and the company has recalled product once, in 2011, after first refusing to and after FDA took the unusual step of warning the public directly. This Salmonella outbreak appears unrelated to the recent multistate Salmonella and E. coli outbreak traced to alfalfa sprouts produced by Everything Sprouts LLC in Minnesota. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### More people sick in outbreak traced to frozen imported berries URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/more-people-sick-in-outbreak-traced-to-frozen-imported-berries/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T23:28:17.000Z An outbreak of E. coli O145:H28 infections traced to imported organic, frozen blueberries is growing, according to the Food and Drug Administration. As of Sept. 3, there are 17 people infected in Florida and Georgia. Six of the patients have required hospitalization. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 11 to Aug. 2\. Eleven of 13 patients interviewed reported eating frozen blueberries before becoming sick. It was originally reported that the suspect berries were only distributed to Publix stores under the Greenwise brand, but now frozen berries sold at Walmart stores under the Great Value brand are also suspected to be responsible for some of the illnesses in the outbreak. The frozen blueberries are also sold in mixed berry bags. An investigation by the Food and Drug Administration has linked the outbreak to organic frozen blueberries from Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., of San Carlos, Chile. The company has recalled its frozen blueberries and berry mix products in the United States. The products under recall are: - GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06453 - GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12053 - GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06753 - GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12153 - Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend, 10 oz, Lot Code 6040 01-6 There is concern that consumers may have some of the recalled berries in their homes because the Best by Date is Feb. 9, 2028\. They were sold at Walmart stores in 16 states plus Publix stores in eight states. Consumers should check their freezers for recalled product and should not eat it. There are likely many more sick people that those reflected in the official count. This is because some people do not seek medical attention and others are not tested specifically for E. coli. The CDC estimates that for every confirmed patient with an E. coli infection there are 26 who go undetected. **About E. coli infections** Food that is contaminated with E. coli does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled berries and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. ### Publisher's Platform: Harvard read the FRESH Act line by line URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/publishers-platform-harvard-read-the-fresh-act-line-by-line/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T01:29:55.000Z The Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic [released a report on August 25, 2026](https://chlpi.org/news-and-events/news-and-commentary/food-law-and-policy/new-flpc-report-warns-fresh-act-could-gut-state-food-safety-laws-and-leave-regulatory-gaps-nationwide/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) taking the first comprehensive look at the preemption clause inside the [draft FRESH Act](https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/h.r-fda-review-and-evaluation-for-safe-healthy-and-affordable-foods-act-of-2026.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Margaret Lynn and Emily Broad Leib conclude that a provision superseding any and all State requirements or prohibitions relating to the use, labeling, sale, or marketing of food would displace state additive bans, allergen and menu disclosures, heavy metal limits, PFAS rules for packaging, retail and restaurant inspection, cottage food laws, and state manufacturing licensure, in most of those areas with no federal rule required to take their place. They are right. The reach is worse than the headline suggests, and the record of who asked for this language is a matter of public filing. **The clause preempts whether or not a federal rule exists to replace it.** Congress has preempted state food law before, and it has done so with a scalpel. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 lists the specific categories of state labeling requirements it displaces, and a state law falls only if it is of the type covered by a federal requirement named in the statute. That structure exists for a reason. It means preemption arrives with a federal rule attached, and nothing drops into a hole. The FRESH Act carries no such limit. As [the Harvard report](https://chlpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/FRESH-Act-and-Preemption-Provision-August-2026%5FFINAL.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) reads it, the draft supersedes state requirements across the board without conditioning that on the existence of any corresponding federal standard. Where a federal rule exists, the state rule yields to it. Where no federal rule exists, the state rule yields to nothing at all. That is not uniformity. That is subtraction. **The phrase added or naturally occurring substance in food reaches pathogens, not just dyes.** Nearly all of the public argument about this bill has been about food chemicals: dyes, PFAS, the GRAS loophole. That is where the fight started, and it is where the coalition backing the bill would prefer the fight to stay. [CSPI](https://www.cspi.org/statement/fresh-act-shiny-apple-full-worms?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [EWG](https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2026/04/fresh-and-affordable-foods-act-rotten-core?ref=foodsafetynews.com) both came out against the draft on those grounds within days, and both were right to. But the draft does not stop at intentionally added ingredients. It also sweeps in any substance that may be expected to become a component of food, and any added or naturally occurring substance in food. Read that as a lawyer reads it. The Harvard report points to *United States v. Anderson Seafoods*, which litigated whether mercury in swordfish was added or naturally occurring, and to *Continental Seafoods v. Schweiker*, which litigated the same question about *Salmonella* in shrimp. Courts have been construing that phrase for more than forty years, and they have construed it to reach microbiological contamination. Which means a state limit on *Listeria* in ready-to-eat food, a state testing requirement, a state action level for a pathogen in a product sold inside its own borders, all of it sits in the preempted zone as drafted. Nobody at the April 29 hearing described the bill that way. That is what the words say. **The FDA does not inspect restaurants, and the three thousand agencies that do would be preempted.** By the FDA’s own account, more than 3,000 [state, local, and tribal agencies](https://www.fda.gov/food/guidance-regulation-food-and-dietary-supplements/retail-food-protection?ref=foodsafetynews.com) hold primary responsibility for regulating food service and retail food in this country. The agency publishes a model Food Code, but the Food Code has no force anywhere until a state adopts it, and the FDA has no direct authority over a grocery store or a diner. That division is not an accident of history. It is the architecture. Preempt state requirements relating to the sale of food and you have preempted state food codes, state permitting, and state inspection, with no federal inspector standing behind them and no federal appropriation to hire one. The bill does not give the FDA that authority, does not fund it, and could not compel the states to keep doing the work for free, because the federal government cannot commandeer a state into administering a federal program. I have spent thirty years reading health department inspection reports in outbreak cases. Those documents exist because a local sanitarian walked into a kitchen under state law. Take away the state law and the sanitarian has no reason to be standing there. **Any and all State requirements is the phrase that has ended tort claims before.** Here is the part that lands closest to what I do. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act creates no private right of action. A person injured by contaminated or misbranded food recovers, if at all, under state law: negligence, strict products liability, breach of the implied warranty of merchantability, state consumer protection statutes. Every one of those is a state requirement. The Supreme Court held in *Riegel v. Medtronic* that New York common law duties count as requirements within the meaning of a federal preemption clause and preempted them. It reached a comparable result under ERISA in *Pilot Life v. Dedeaux*. Whether the FRESH Act clause would be read that way is not certain, and I will not pretend it is. But the phrase any and all State requirements or prohibitions is broader than the language that did the work in *Riegel*, and a defense lawyer would be committing malpractice not to raise it. If it works, the family of a child with hemolytic uremic syndrome is left with a federal statute that contains no remedy and a state remedy that Congress erased. That is not a technical consequence. That is the consequence. **The coalition that wanted this published its specification a year before the bill appeared.** Representative Kat Cammack of Florida, who sits on both Energy and Commerce and Agriculture, released the discussion draft on April 22, 2026 and presented it at the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee [hearing on April 29](https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/chairmen-guthrie-and-griffith-announce-legislative-hearing-to-strengthen-fda-food?ref=foodsafetynews.com), where it was one of twenty-eight food bills on the agenda. Her stated case is a patchwork argument: differing state requirements create real costs for manufacturers, for retailers, and ultimately for families. I am not interested in guessing at a member’s motives, and I would not print a guess if I had one. I am interested in the paper trail, and the paper trail here is not hard to follow. In October 2025, six months before the draft appeared, a group called Americans for Ingredient Transparency launched. [Its website states the ask in a single sentence](https://americansforingredienttransparency.com/policy-priorities/?ref=foodsafetynews.com): the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act should be amended to establish the FDA as the sole entity setting the floor and the ceiling for regulations on the marketing and sale of foods and beverages, including safety assessments, ingredient approvals, registrations, reporting requirements, and labeling requirements. Read the two nouns again. Floor and ceiling. A floor is a minimum that states may exceed, and that is what federal food law has been since 1906\. A ceiling is a maximum, and it means a state may not do more to protect its own residents than Washington has gotten around to doing. The group asked for both. The FRESH Act delivers both. There is no mystery about the drafting influence, because the customer published the specification. The group’s own [partner page](https://americansforingredienttransparency.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) names the backers: the Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Nestlé USA, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, Conagra, Tyson Foods, Hormel, McCormick, Mondelez, Ferrero, Keurig Dr Pepper, Ocean Spray, Sargento, Sysco and Ken’s Foods, alongside the Consumer Brands Association, FMI, the National Restaurant Association, the National Retail Federation, the Meat Institute, the American Bakers Association, American Beverage, the Corn Refiners Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation and a dozen more. [Its two senior advisors](https://americansforingredienttransparency.com/about/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) are Julie Gunlock, who directs the Independent Women’s Network and wrote a book arguing that alarm about food chemicals is itself the problem, and Andy Koenig, a founding partner of Kwinn Consulting who served as a special assistant to President Trump in the Office of Legislative Affairs and was previously vice president of policy at the Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce. The footer of the site reads, paid for by Americans for Ingredient Transparency. Whatever else that is, it is not a consumer group. **One member company disclosed lobbying on state additive bans three months before the coalition existed.** Conagra Brands [filed a lobbying report for the second quarter of 2025](https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/c8c75dc0-2169-4f19-a20d-413b0ef5bd32/print/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), signed by Megan Garcia on July 21, 2025, listing under its food issue area: issues related to FDA’s Generally Recognized as Safe regulations, and issues related to state food additive bans and labeling laws. Two in-house lobbyists are named on the page. That filing predates the launch of Americans for Ingredient Transparency by three months and the FRESH Act draft by nine. I have made the point before that the useful move is to stop arguing about intent and go read the disclosures. When the Guardian [did exactly that on the Food Traceability Rule](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/the-guardian-went-and-read-the-lobbying-disclosures-now-we-know-who-asked-congress-to-push-the-traceability-rule-to-2028/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the filings named the organizations that had asked Congress to push compliance to 2028, in their own words, on their own forms. The same method works here, and it will keep working, because the law requires these people to write down what they are lobbying for. **This is the same play, run twice, eighteen months apart.** In 2024 and 2025, industry asked Congress to delay the traceability rule and then to defund its enforcement, and Congress obliged through the appropriations process. In 2026, industry is asking Congress to erase the authority of every state to regulate food inside its own borders. The delay argument was that one rule was too hard to comply with. The preemption argument is that fifty standards are too many to comply with. Both arguments end in the same place, which is fewer obligations and less traceable accountability, and both were made by many of the same trade associations. I will grant industry its strongest point, because it is a real one. A different warning label statute in every state, each with its own list and its own threshold, is a bad way to run a national food supply, and a manufacturer cannot print a different box for every state line. Uniformity has value. The Association of Food and Drug Officials made the right observation [at the April hearing](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11389-federal-preemption-of-state-food-safety-laws-debated-during-congressional-hearing?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which is that preemption should be applied carefully and deliberately, so that it strengthens rather than strains the federal and state partnership. Careful and deliberate describes the NLEA. It does not describe this draft. **A federal floor is worth building. A federal ceiling is not.** The states did not wander into food chemical regulation out of boredom. They moved because the FDA did not. California banned ephedra before the FDA acted. New York City and California banned trans fats years before the federal ban. California acted on four additives in 2023, West Virginia acted on dyes, and more than thirty states introduced legislation of that kind in 2025 alone. The FDA’s own mandatory GRAS proposal, published this month, still does not require premarket approval and would not bind anyone until roughly 2029\. I represented 339 of the people sickened by the Daily Harvest crumbles, and [the ingredient in that product](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/we-can-urge-government-to-do-the-right-thing-victims-of-tara-protein-flour-get-a-voice/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) was never reviewed by anybody before it was sold. State legislatures noticed. That is what a laboratory of democracy looks like when the laboratory upstairs has the lights off. The FRESH Act is still a discussion draft. It has no bill number, it has not been marked up, and there is time to fix the clause without abandoning the parts of the bill worth keeping. Take the preemption provision out or narrow it the way the 1990 Congress narrowed its own, and the GRAS registry and the post-market review program can be argued on their merits. Leave it in and Congress will have voted to take away nearly every tool the states have, replace almost none of them, and close the courthouse door on the way out. Read [the report](https://chlpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/FRESH-Act-and-Preemption-Provision-August-2026%5FFINAL.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). It is footnoted to the statutes and the cases, and it is the most careful thing written about this bill so far. ### FDA outbreak table is showing 17 active investigations URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fda-outbreak-table-is-showing-17-investigations/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T01:17:27.000Z The Food and Drug Administration has 17 active outbreak investigations according to its Coordinated Outbreak Response & Evaluation status table as of Sept. 3. The agency is investigating seven outbreaks from the Cycpospora parasite, with a total of 11,739\. That count includes 11,458 patients in an outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce products from the Taylor Farms growing and processing facility in Central Mexico. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Taylor Farms outbreak has sickened people in 20 states. The Cyclospora outbreaks on the FDA’s table started from dates ranging from June 3 to Aug. 8\. The FDA has begun traceback on all of the outbreaks, but has not reported what foods are being traced, except for the Taylor Farms lettuce. As is its practice, the FDA has not reported where patients live or their ages. **Other outbreak news** The FDA is reporting a new outbreak of Salmonella Newport linked to a not yet identified product. The agency is reporting that 97 people have been sickened in the outbreak. The agency has initiated traceback but is not reporting what food is being traced. The outbreak was first posted on Aug. 26. For an ongoing outbreak of Salmonella I 4,\[5\],12:i:-, the patient count has increased from 41 to 43 in the past week. The FDA has initiated traceback, onsite inspections and sample testing, but is not reporting what food is being traced or sampled or what location is being inspected. The outbreak was first posted on Aug. 12. ### Fatal Bacillus cereus outbreak tied to restaurant URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/fatal-bacillus-cereus-outbreak-tied-to-restaurant/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T04:03:13.000Z An investigation into a fatal Bacillus cereus outbreak linked to a restaurant in Germany has highlighted temperature and storage issues. Eleven cases were reported with five hospitalizations, and one death. The outbreak was likely caused by contaminated pre-cooked tortellini with a meat filling. There is no reporting obligation for Bacillus cereus under the German Infection Protection Act (IfSG) but food poisoning and infectious gastroenteritis must be reported if the affected person works in food processing or if there is a link between two or more human cases. In September 2024, two people fell ill after eating at a restaurant. One person suffered severe vomiting, sweating and diarrhea, about 190 minutes after eating meat-filled tortellini with ground (minced) meat and cheese cream sauce. They were hospitalized and, after receiving treatment, were symptom-free 48 hours later. The second person fell ill with nausea and vomiting, the same time after eating meat-filled tortellini with ham and cheese cream sauce, and diarrhea two hours later. After a brief improvement, fever occurred 20 hours after eating and hospitalization followed. This patient died the following day, about 50 hours after visiting the restaurant. Testing proved that Bacillus cereus was present in the restaurant environment six days before these two patients consumed the tortellini. **Severe illnesses** In the next few days, several more patients who had eaten at this restaurant between the end of August and beginning of September were reported. Out of nine other patients, three were hospitalized with severe symptoms. These included gastrointestinal issues including vomiting, circulatory problems, and in some cases diarrhea, as well as complications such as liver failure and kidney dysfunction, according to a study published in the [International Journal of Food Microbiology](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168160526002965?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Pre-cooked meat-filled tortellini had a musty, sour odor. Scientists said this calls into question hygiene and temperature management onsite. A high bacterial count of Bacillus cereus was detected in food and environmental samples from the restaurant as well as in the stool of one hospitalized person. Seventy isolates from food, food packaging, kitchen utensils and the environment and a stool sample were analyzed. This revealed 56 outbreak-associated isolates. **Outbreak strain in the environment** Bacillus cereus with emetic toxin-forming capacity was found in swab samples from the production environment and on cleaning utensils with a very close genetic relationship to isolates from foods associated with the outbreak and the stool sample. Pre-cooked meat-filled tortellini was heavily contaminated with Bacillus cereus, which had produced a high level of the emetic toxin cereulide. Analyzed tortellini was prepared after the deceased person had eaten in the restaurant but evidence from the patient's stool shows that the pathogen was ingested in large quantities with food. It is thought that the pathogen was introduced from the production environment. There were also possible errors in temperature management or storage duration of tortellini, with indications that it was not consistently stored at low temperatures. The business was shut by the operator voluntarily. After investigation results were sent to authorities, the outlet was closed and deregistered. Before a new restaurant was allowed to open on the premises, cleaning and disinfection by a specialist company was ordered and official swab samples were taken from the environment. Following negative results for Bacillus cereus, the new owners were permitted to open. ### Asian countries rehearse food incident response URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/asian-countries-rehearse-food-incident-response/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T04:01:53.000Z Eleven Asian countries have rehearsed preparation for a cross-border food contamination event. All 11 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Jakarta, Indonesia, in July for a food safety emergency response simulation exercise. ASEAN includes the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Foodborne illnesses cause more than 1.5 million deaths and 426 million illnesses each year in Asia Pacific. Rapid information-sharing between countries can help identify unsafe products sooner, remove them from the market and reduce the number of people exposed. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Confusion has been the constant in the Cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/confusion-has-been-the-constant-in-the-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T22:06:51.000Z **By Roger Hancock, CEO of Recall InfoLink** I've been watching this summer's Cyclospora outbreak the way I watch every recall, which is closely and with a fair amount of frustration. Consumers have been asking reasonable questions for weeks. Why did so many people have to get sick before anyone decided to recall anything? Once the recall was issued, why did it seem to do so little to stop people from getting sick? If this is a predictable food safety event, one that arrives every summer, why wasn't the supply chain ready to move faster? Why wasn’t it prevented in the first place, and why has this year been worse instead of better? This is more than I can unpack in a short op-ed, but there are a few things I can offer from the recall side that may help address the confusion that has been so rampant. Let’s start with what was hard about this recall, because some of it was justifiably complicated. Cyclospora is difficult to detect in food, which is why a sample read positive on July 18 and was called a false positive a day later. Symptoms take about a week to appear, sometimes two, so investigators were asking sick people across multiple states to reconstruct meals from ten days back and find the overlap. Lab results take time, and early information often gets revised. Supply chains cross international borders, which means different compliance requirements, and more complicated traceback pathways. Some of this is unavoidable, some of it could be improved drastically. Still, we’ll never get away from complicated recalls. That said, this outbreak hasn’t been handled well at any point. There were many missteps in the early stages, and there continue to be. Other people have thoroughly commented on the systemic, political and regulatory factors that need improvement. I’m going to focus on the recall part, and particularly how consumers were impacted by poor communication surrounding the decision to recall and the needed corrective action once that decision was made. People have spent weeks avoiding bagged salad, berries, fresh herbs, and more because the messaging hasn’t been specific enough to help them make better-informed decisions. The public needs actionable information as it’s available, and that includes clear updates as the situation evolves. Transparency doesn’t require finality. Minimizing risk to public health should be every company’s first priority, whether or not the lab results have been confirmed. Clear communication should be driven by decisive action based on the risk, not on what’s provable. Here's what I'd want a consumer to take from this: When you're watching a recall unfold, understand that it will change. It’s normal for scope to expand and findings to get revised. The question is whether anybody told you when it changed, how fast, and in language specific enough to act on. A company that communicates clearly through an evolving situation is usually a company that did the preparation work beforehand. More fundamentally, build food safety habits into your routine today. [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/prevention/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [FDA](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclosporiasis-and-fresh-produce?ref=foodsafetynews.com) both publish practical guidance on safe produce handling, and the [Partnership for Food Safety Education](https://fightbac.org/food-safety-education/safe-produce/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) has helpful, plain-language material. Buy local as much as possible, know where your produce comes from, and know how to properly clean and prepare the food you bring into your home. Sign up for loyalty programs at grocery stores and restaurants you frequent to make it easier to get recall notices. Consumer confusion shouldn't be part of a recall, no matter how complicated the recall is. Companies owe it to the public to do better than what we've seen this summer. When recall decisions are delayed, notices too vague to act on, and misinformation at a premium, it is up to consumers to figure out how to keep themselves safe. I often say that confusion is the enemy of an effective recall. It's also the enemy of public health, of brand reputation, and this summer, of the entire produce industry. This has been an unfortunate example of how much burden consumers still carry to protect themselves. We know how to do this better, and people got sick this summer waiting for us to prove it. **About the author:* Roger Hancock is CEO of*[ *Recall InfoLink*](https://www.recallinfolink.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)*, with experience that spans the retail, tech, data, regulatory and supply chain arenas. Hancock is also a steering committee member of the*[ *Alliance for Recall Ready Communities*](http://recallreadycommunities.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)*.* ### Berry company CEO steps down amid pesticide whirlwind URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/berry-company-ceo-steps-down-amid-pesticide-whirlwind/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T04:05:27.000Z The CEO of the largest berry company in the world has stepped down amid controversy and lawsuits about the firm’s use of pesticides. Soren Bjorn, who has served as CEO of Watsonville, CA, based Driscoll’s Inc. will be replaced by Brie Reiter Smith, effective immediately. Smith is the great-granddaughter of one of Driscoll’s co-founders and the daughter of former CEO J. Miles Reiter. The switch in leadership comes amid a growing legal storm over allegations that Driscoll’s berries contain toxic “forever chemicals.” Driscoll’s is facing a consumer fraud class-action lawsuit accusing the company of deceptive marketing over alleged pesticide and PFAS contamination in its strawberries. The lawsuit, filed by six consumers from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Illinois, claims laboratory testing of Driscoll’s strawberries found residues from 12 pesticides at levels prohibited in the European Union and several other countries. Eight of the chemicals identified in the testing were described in the report as PFAS, a class of highly persistent chemicals commonly dubbed “forever chemicals.” In addition to the class action suit, the company has long faced complaints from local activists who oppose the use of pesticides near schools, and are calling for more fields to be converted to organic. State law limits pesticide use within a quarter-mile of schools, but gaseous fumigants can drift on the wind for miles if there is a leak from the tarps in open fields that are meant to trap the fumes. Decades of [research have shown links](https://cerch.berkeley.edu/research-programs/chamacos-studies?ref=foodsafetynews.com) between certain pesticides and cancer, as well as learning disabilities, lowered IQ and other neurological effects. In recent months Driscoll’s, and Smith published a full-page opinion letter in the print versions of the Santa Cruz Sentinel on June 16 and June 17, asking activists to stop targeting Driscoll’s and its leaders and owners. “The story being told about Driscoll’s, my family, and the farming community feels so disconnected from the reality I have experienced my entire life,” she wrote. “We continue to expand organic production, (and) are actively investing in ways to reduce our reliance on traditional pesticides.” The class action lawsuit is not the only court action that has been filed against the berry giant. A whistleblower complaint was filed in July by David Harada, Driscoll’s former manager of food safety and regulatory compliance for the United States and Canada. Harada claims he was wrongfully fired after raising concerns that some growers were allegedly violating state, federal and international pesticide limits. According to court documents reviewed by the California Post, Harada alleges that after warning executives about produce allegedly being sold or exported in violation of food-safety and pesticide laws, he was told to prioritize profits and create “plausible deniability” rather than address the alleged violations. **Company leadership** Smith assumed the role of vice chair of the company’s board of directors in January, and has worked in various roles across the company for more than a decade. She previously grew blueberries in Chile, oversaw quality and product leadership across the Americas, and served as a director and vice chair of the board. Driscoll's is a privately held family business owned by the descendants of its founding families, the Reiters and the Driscolls. J. Miles Reiter serves as the Executive Chairman of the board, Rather than owning all of its farms directly, Driscoll's licenses its proprietary berry breeds to a global network of independent family growers. ### New Zealand and French studies call attention to Campylobacter URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/small-new-zealand-study-calls-attention-to-campylobacter-in-chicken/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T06:24:07.000Z A study in New Zealand has provided an insight into Campylobacter contamination and antimicrobial resistance in fresh chicken. Campylobacter was detected in 50 percent of 24 samples. Among confirmed isolates, there were high levels of resistance to tetracycline and ciprofloxacin, while the majority were susceptible to erythromycin. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### German survey finds limited mycotoxin awareness URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/german-survey-finds-limited-mycotoxin-awareness/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T04:02:41.000Z Many consumers are unaware that mycotoxins are not destroyed by heat, according to a German survey. A poll conducted by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) found fewer than half of respondents, 47 percent, knew that mycotoxins are not rendered harmless by high-heat treatment. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Cheese recalled in Canada because of Listeria contamination URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/cheese-recalled-in-canada-because-of-listeria-contamination-2/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T02:13:48.000Z Coaticook brand Aged Cheddar Cheese is being recalled in Canada because of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall was initiated by the company. As of the posting of the recall, there were no confirmed patients. Consumers can use the following information to determine whether they have the recalled cheese in their homes: | Brand | Product | Size | UPC | Code | | --------- | -------------------------- | ------- | -------------- | -------------------- | | Coaticook | Aged Cheddar Cheese "1 an" | 1.15 kg | 00059263642519 | Best Before : 03AU27 | | Coaticook | Aged Cheddar Cheese "1 an" | 2.27 kg | 00059263645015 | Best Before : 03AU27 | **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any recalledproduct and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Public health officials investigating Salmonella outbreak in Utah URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/public-health-officials-investigating-salmonella-outbreak-in-utah/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T02:01:11.000Z [The Bear River Health Department announced today](https://brhdut.gov/media-release-salmonella/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that it is investigating a Salmonella outbreak after identifying 21 confirmed cases in Cache and Box Elder Counties in northern Utah. The department says it is actively investigating the source of the illness and taking steps to limit further spread. It has not named a food, a restaurant, an event, a water source or an animal exposure. The release does not give the serotype, the dates people became ill, how many were hospitalized, the ages of the sick, or where in the two counties they live. It does not say whether the 21 isolates share a genetic fingerprint, which is what turns 21 cases into one outbreak, or whether the Utah Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are involved. Twenty-one confirmed cases is more than half of a normal year for this district. The state’s public health data system [reports](https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/complete%5Fprofile/FooPoiSalm.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the Bear River Local Health District — Cache, Box Elder and Rich Counties — recorded confirmed and probable Salmonella infections at a rate of 17.2 per 100,000 residents in 2022, the most recent year posted, against a statewide rate of 11.6\. On a district population of about 203,000 ([the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s 2022 estimates](https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SC-Pop-Census-Mar2024.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) put Cache County at 140,289 and Box Elder at 60,607, and Rich County adds roughly 2,500), 17.2 per 100,000 works out to about 35 reported cases for the entire year. The real number is larger than twenty-one. [CDC estimates](https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/about/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that only about one in every 29 Salmonella infections is ever diagnosed, because most people who get sick never see a doctor and never give a sample. If that ratio holds in Cache Valley, 21 confirmed cases stands in for something like 600 people who have actually been ill. CDC also notes that [it usually takes three to four weeks](https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/outbreaks/shell-eggs-07-26/timeline.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to determine whether a sick person is part of an outbreak, which means the illnesses behind today’s number mostly happened in August, and the count will move. People in Cache and Box Elder Counties who are sick should get tested. Anyone with diarrhea, fever and cramps — especially diarrhea that is bloody, lasts more than three days, or comes with a high fever or signs of dehydration — should see a health care provider and ask to be tested. ### Publisher’s Platform: Food Safety Education Month starts Today – Here is what I want from government, industry academia and you URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/publishers-platform-food-safety-education-month-starts-tuesday-one-day-after-the-worst-cyclospora-season-on-record-officially-closes-nothing-done-in-a-home-kitchen-would-have-stopped-it/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T16:14:40.000Z National [Food Safety Education Month](https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/food-safety-education-month?ref=foodsafetynews.com) begins today. It arrives one day after CDC’s cyclosporiasis season formally closed on Aug. 31, and the closing numbers are these: [11,458 people](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in the multi-state outbreak tied to Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce, across twenty states, at least 495 hospitalized with two dead in Michigan, and illness onsets running from June 14 through August 15\. Nationally, CDC counts [17,180 laboratory-confirmed cases](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/cases/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) of domestically acquired cyclosporiasis since May 1, with 922 hospitalizations, and at least 11,844 more cases that still require further investigation. The comparable figure for the same stretch of 2025 was 1,180\. Not one of those illnesses would have been prevented by better handwashing. Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, which reaches people through food or water contaminated with human feces. And, washing produce does not remove the parasite. Also, chlorine does not kill the parasite. The National Restaurant Association [created National Food Safety Month in 1994](https://restaurant.org/education-and-resources/learning-center/food-nutrition/food-safety/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) through its Educational Foundation, to heighten awareness about the importance of food safety education, and ServSafe still builds an annual theme and a set of free training materials around it every September. The federal government counts differently. CDC’s notice in the [September 1998 MMWR](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00054682.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) describes that year as the fourth annual National Food Safety Education Month, with CDC, USDA and FDA all taking part and a theme of Keep It Clean, which would put the first one in 1995\. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue signed a proclamation in 2017\. FDA and [FSIS run consumer campaigns](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/events-meetings/food-safety-education-month-preventing-cross-contamination?ref=foodsafetynews.com) every year. Whichever year you start from, this is somewhere past the 30th September, and the stated purpose has never moved: 30 days to teach people to buy, store, prepare and serve food as safely as they can. **The month was designed to teach the last person who touches the food, and that is not where this summer failed** I have no quarrel with Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill. Those four steps are real and they work on the problems they can reach. A thermometer in ground beef, a second cutting board, a refrigerator at the right temperature, hands washed before and after. Those prevent illness every day in millions of kitchens, and I would not cut a dollar from teaching them. This month puts the whole teaching burden on the last pair of hands in the chain, and the last pair of hands has the least ability to do anything about a parasite that got onto the lettuce in a field in Guanajuato, Mexico. **What I want from government is the traceability rule Congress just delayed, and the number said out loud** The [Food Traceability Rule under Section 204 of FSMA](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com) was supposed to take effect on Jan. 20, 2026\. The FDA proposed pushing it back thirty months, and Congress then directed the agency not to enforce it before July 20, 2028\. Lot-level records moving through the chain and retrievable in twenty-four hours are the difference between a traceback that takes days and one that takes weeks while people keep eating the contaminated food. Do not delay it a second time, and fund the agency that has to run it. Say the number. CDC publishes 17,180 confirmed and 11,844 pending on its own Cyclospora case page and updates it weekly. Say it from a podium, in plain English, with the pending figure attached, so that nobody has to reconstruct the size of an outbreak from fifty state dashboards. Publish where recalled food went, and leave it published. On Aug. 20 CDC removed from its consumer page the paragraph listing the states where the recalled lettuce had been distributed, on the same day it added 1,449 people to the count. The FDA still carries the distribution lists. A worried person lands on CDC. Name the company. I have been making this argument for a very long time and I am not going to stop. Referring to entities as "Restaurant Chain A" or "Company B" protects nobody except the businesses. Pay for the people who actually found this outbreak. It was not found in Washington. It was found by state and local epidemiologists, in [Michigan](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and Minnesota and elsewhere, and by the public health laboratories behind them, and those programs are thin and getting thinner. One more thing, which is not a policy item and costs nothing. If you run an agency, spend an hour with somebody this happened to. Not a listening session, not a press availability, not a photograph. An hour. I have been asking for thirty years, and I have never once seen it fail to change what the next case count means to the person reading it. **What I want from industry is to stop waiting for 2028** Nothing in that congressional directive stops a single company from having lot-level traceability tomorrow morning. The best operators already do, and they did not do it because a rule told them to. If you buy produce, you can know the ranch, the lot and the harvest date this season instead of the summer after next, and the reason to want that is entirely selfish: it is how you prove which lettuce was not yours. Know your water. Cyclospora is a human parasite. It reaches a field through human waste in irrigation or wash water. Somebody in your chain should be able to tell you what sits upstream of the water on that ranch, what the sanitation is in the communities above it, and when any of it was last tested. If nobody can answer, that is the answer. Recall early, recall wide, and publish your own distribution list before anyone asks you for it. Every hour of delay is more product eaten and one more step toward an outbreak nobody can attribute to anybody. Put the food safety person in the room where the money decisions get made and give them the authority to stop the line. Dave Theno carried a photograph of Lauren Beth Rudolph, who was six years old when she died in the Jack in the Box outbreak of 1993, in his wallet for the rest of his life, and he told rooms full of executives that she was who he reported to. He changed a company and then he changed an industry. He did not do it because of a regulation or a verdict. As I have said too often over the last thirty years, and [wrote in this space during Food Safety Month in 2023](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/september-is-food-safety-education-month/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), there is a business reason and a moral reason not to poison your customers. Pick either one. **What I want from academia is the test that does not exist yet** There is still no validated, field-deployable method for finding Cyclospora in irrigation water at a sensitivity that would let a grower act on the result. The FDA has laboratory methods for produce, but the parasite cannot be cultured, detection depends on molecular targets in small sample volumes, and a negative on a field’s water tells you very little. That is a research problem and it is a solvable one, and until it is solved every grower in the Salinas Valley is testing for indicator organisms that have nothing to do with the thing that made 11,458 people sick. Genotyping is the proof that research pays. On Aug. 20, for the first time in this outbreak, the CDC said it had grouped parasites from sick people genetically and found them related, which was the first laboratory evidence of any kind in an investigation built until then entirely on interviews and traceback. That capability did not appear on its own. It came out of somebody’s laboratory. Fund more of it, make it faster, and get it into the hands of state public health labs, because a tool that only runs at Atlanta’s bench will always be six weeks behind the food. Count the cost honestly. I hold a degree in economics and I still cannot find a defensible public number for what this summer cost growers, restaurant operators, insurers, employers and the public health system. Somebody should build it. Prevention wins the argument whenever it is compared against a real number instead of a shrug. And train the people who will do this work. There are more open food safety jobs in this country than there are qualified people to fill them. Extension services reach growers that no rulemaking notice ever will. The Dave Theno Food Safety Fellowship puts young scientists in a room with affected families, which is its own kind of education. I teach food safety at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and I take students every year. More schools should. **What I want from consumers is the two things almost nobody does** Do the four steps – Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill. They are worth doing and they are free. Then do the two that mattered more this year. First, if you have watery diarrhea that will not quit after several days, ask your doctor for a stool test and ask specifically about parasites, because the CDC says outright that routine stool tests do not always screen for Cyclospora. Thousands of people were sick for weeks this summer and never appeared in any count because nobody ordered the right test. Second, call your local health department. Every outbreak named in this piece was found because a sick person answered a phone and a public health nurse wrote it down. Michigan interviewed more than 2,900 people to get where it got. Keep the package, keep the receipt, and keep the leftovers in the freezer if you still have them. You are not being a nuisance when you report. You are the surveillance system. While you are at it, the federal dockets are open to anybody. Comments on a proposed rule from people who actually eat the food carry more weight than most people assume, and they cost nothing to file. **The best stretch this practice ever had was the one where the beef calls stopped coming** Hamburger E. coli was most of my practice from the Jack in the Box outbreak in 1993 through the ConAgra recall in 2002\. Federal action after those outbreaks, declaring O157:H7 and later six more strains adulterants, and building an inspection regime around them, took that business away from me. It is the best thing that has happened in American food safety in my lifetime, and I [wrote about it again yesterday](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/hamburger-e-coli-was-95-percent-of-my-practice-until-federal-inspection-ended-it-on-farm-slaughter-would-bring-it-back/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) because there are proposals in front of us now that would bring it back. That is what a month like this one is actually for, and it is the only thing I have ever asked for. Put me out of business. The season closes Monday. The month opens today. The people counted in the first are still sick in the second. ### Another sprout product under recall; seed supplier refuses to issue recall URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/another-sprout-product-under-recall-seed-supplier-refuses-to-issue-recall/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T04:03:02.000Z An unnamed seed company is now under investigation in an outbreak traced to fresh sprouts. And, another product has been added to the recall of implicated sprouts. The outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella infections has previously been linked to alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts of Minneapolis, MN. The company recalled its Crunchy Protein Sprout Mix and Zesty Garlic Mix sprouts sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands. Now, the company is also recalling its Robust Radish Sprout Mix because it has the potential for cross-contamination with E. coli and/or Salmonella. The recalled Robust Radish Sprout Mix was sold in 5-oz cups with LOT numbers 223, 226, 230 and 233. The Everything Sprouts and Calco sprouts have been linked to the outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella infections through epidemiologic and traceback evidence. FDA’s traceback investigation has identified at least one additional sprout grower who received and used the same lot of alfalfa sprout seeds under investigation in this outbreak from a common seed supplier. “While alfalfa sprouts grown by Everything Sprouts LLC are a source of illnesses in this outbreak, these sprouts do not explain all the illnesses,” according to an FDA update. The FDA recommended that the unnamed seed supplier voluntarily recall the implicated lot of alfalfa seeds and contact its downstream customers to initiate recalls of sprouts grown from the implicated seed lot. “At this time, the common seed supplier has not responded to FDA's recall recommendation, has not sent a recall notice to downstream customers, and has not instructed the customers who received the implicated alfalfa sprout seed lot to initiate recalls,” according to the agency. The FDA is continuing to investigate contamination of the implicated alfalfa sprout seed, as well as additional contributing factors or practices of sprout growers related to this outbreak. **Outbreak details** A total of 55 people across 15 states are infected with multiple strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and one strain of Salmonella. Some people were infected with more than one outbreak strain. Forty-six people were infected with E. coli , seven people were infected with Salmonella, and two people were infected with both Salmonella and E. coli. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 31 through Aug. 8\. State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 34 people interviewed so far, 26 reported eating alfalfa sprouts. There have been 4 hospitalizations but no deaths have been reported. The states with patients are: Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. Consumers who believe they may have received affected lots of the alfalfa sprouts should immediately dispose of them and should carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that the product may have touched. **About E. coli infections** Food contaminated with E. coli does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Unions renew call for UK to ban meat from Brazil URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/unions-renew-call-for-uk-to-ban-meat-from-brazil/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T04:02:14.000Z Four farming unions in the United Kingdom have renewed calls for a ban on imports of Brazilian meat to align with European restrictions. In a letter to Angela Eagle, Defra Secretary of State, the National Farmers Union (NFU), NFU Scotland, Ulster Farmers’ Union and NFU Cymru asked for a UK-wide ban on Brazilian Products of Animal Origin (POAO) from Sept. 3, which is when revised European rules come into force. The groups said that failing to act could put public health, farm businesses and public confidence in UK food at risk. It has been a month since Tom Bradshaw, NFU president, urged the government to introduce a ban during a meeting with Eagle. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Alert issued by officials in Hong Kong about formaldehyde in rice noodles URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/alert-issued-by-officials-in-hong-kong-about-formaldehyde-in-rice-noodles/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T04:01:31.000Z Authorities in Hong Kong have issued a warning about a brand of imported rice noodles because of formaldehyde. The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said a pre-packaged rice vermicelli sample from Taiwan contained trace amounts of formaldehyde. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Pet food recalled because of contamination with Listeria and Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/pet-food-recalled-because-of-contamination-with-listeria-and-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T02:14:49.000Z Northwest Naturals of Portland, OR, is voluntarily recalling 53 cases of Northwest Naturals Frozen Chicken Recipe cat food and 19 cases of Northwest Naturals Frozen Raw Diet for Dogs Chicken Recipe because of Salmonella and/or Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes can affect animals eating contaminated pet products, and there is risk to people from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with contaminated pet products or any surfaces exposed to contaminated pet products and infected animals. People infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever. Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection in people include confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions in addition to headache, fever, muscle aches, lethargy, anorexia, nausea, and diarrhea. Anyone experiencing these symptoms after handling contaminated pet products should contact their healthcare provider. Pets infected with Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or people. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. The recalled products were distributed to retail stores nationwide. The affected products can be identified as follows: - Northwest Naturals Frozen Chicken Recipe (cat food and protein topper for dogs), 2 lbs. bag (12 bags per case) — Lot B-5 — Best By 01/26/2028 — UPC 087316384956; and - Northwest Naturals Frozen Raw Diet for Dogs Chicken Recipe, 6 lbs. bag (6 bags per case) — Lot B-19 — Best By 01/25/2028 — UPC 087316380392. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this voluntary recall. The contamination was identified after product samples were collected and tested by the Food and Drug Administration. The Northwest Naturals Frozen Chicken Recipe tested positive for Salmonella and the Northwest Naturals Frozen Raw Diet for Dogs Chicken Recipe tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella. Consumers who have purchased the products in these lots should stop feeding them to their pets. As with all raw pet food, safe handling is essential to protecting both pets and the people in the household. Anyone handling raw pet food should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after contact; clean and sanitize any surfaces, bowls, utensils, and storage areas the product touches; keep raw pet food separate from human food; and store it frozen or refrigerated until use. ### Catfish skin products recalled because of ineligible import status URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/catfish-skin-products-recalled-because-of-ineligible-import-status/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T01:52:52.000Z Asian America Trading Inc. of Hayward, CA, is recalling 996 pounds of ready-to-eat fish skin products prepared from Pangasius fish because they were produced in The People’s Republic of China, a country that is not eligible to export ready-to-eat catfish products to the United States. The following products are subject to recall: - 50-g plastic bag packages containing “CRISPY FISH SKIN CRACKERS, SALTED EGG.” - 50-g plastic bag packages containing “FISH SKIN CRACKERS, SPICY FLAVOUR” - 50-g plastic bag packages containing “UN CHI CRISP FISH SKIN, Wasabi Flavour” - 50-g plastic bag packages containing “UN CHI CRISP FISH SKIN, Laver Flavour.” These items were shipped to retail locations in California. The problem was discovered during routine FSIS surveillance activities of imported products in commerce. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness or injury should contact a health care provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Chocolate eyeballs recalled because of undeclared milk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/09/chocolate-eyeballs-recalled-because-of-undeclared-milk/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T00:02:53.000Z Crystal Temptations of North Arlington, NJ, is recalling Halloween Chocolatey Eyeballs because they contain undeclared milk allergens. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The recalled product, sold under the Crystal Temptations brand, was distributed in Arizona, Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Indiana, Nevada, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, and Wyoming, through the following Retail stores; Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Homegoods, Sierra Trading post. The recalled Crystal Temptations Chocolatey Eyeballs can be identified by the style number and packaging shown on the product label, as listed below: | **Style #** | **Packaging (as labeled)** | | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 54040-CHEY | “Crystal Temptations” plastic bag with designed header card – Chocolatey Eyeballs, 10 oz. | | 54077-CHEY | “Crystal Temptations” acrylic box with designed paper wrap – Chocolatey Eyeballs, 7 oz. | | 58008-CHEY | “Crystal Temptations” round plastic jar – Chocolatey Eyeballs, 10.5 oz. | | 58089-CHEY | “Crystal Temptations” designer plastic pouch bag – Chocolatey Eyeballs, 16 oz. | | 54083-CHEY | “Crystal Temptations” plastic bag tied with a tag – Chocolatey Eyeballs, 11 oz. | No illnesses have been reported to date. The recall was initiated after it was discovered by a TJX analyst that the chocolatey eyeballs containing whey (milk) were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of milk. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the company's production and packaging processes. ### Olive oil recalled because it contains garlic not approved for cooking URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/olive-oil-recalled-because-it-contains-garlic-not-approved-for-cooking/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T23:53:33.000Z LMSI LLC/Kofinas Olive Oil is issuing a recall of its Garlic Mediterranean infused extra virgin olive oil for using a garlic essential oil not approved for culinary use. The flavored oil was bottled in glass bottles in 500 ml, 250 ml, and 100 ml sizes. The recalled products were available for sale from Aug. 31, 2025, through Aug. 27, 2026, at the following locations: Montgomery Store & Infusion Kitchen: 8210 Market Place Ln., Cincinnati, OH 45242 Findlay Market: 1801 Race St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 Online sales directly from www.kofinasoliveoil.com. There have been no reports of illnesses involving the products addressed in this recall. Individuals exhibiting signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction or foodborne illness should contact a physician immediately. ### Polish analysis finds outbreaks increasing URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/polish-analysis-finds-outbreaks-increasing/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T21:58:32.000Z An analysis of outbreaks in Poland has revealed an increasing trend and a high Salmonella burden. Routine surveillance data collected by the District Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations (PSSE) and from infectious disease bulletins were analyzed. Between 2021 and 2023, 2,722 foodborne outbreaks caused 20,102 cases. In total, 5,609 people were hospitalized. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns three importers about missing foreign supplier documents URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-warns-three-importers-about-missing-foreign-supplier-documents/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T04:06:10.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view.* --- The Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to three food importers in Texas and New Jersey after inspections found that they had failed to develop, maintain or follow required Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVPs) for imported foods. The companies imported products including cookies, soft drinks, potato chips, sunflower seeds, cheese and mushrooms. In each case, FDA said the firms had not provided adequate documentation demonstrating compliance or corrective actions. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA import alerts target seafood, dates, produce and more URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-import-alerts-target-seafood-dates-produce-and-more/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T04:04:37.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### UK pesticide advisory group winds down URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/uk-pesticide-advisory-group-winds-down/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T04:03:38.000Z The chair of a group that gave advice related to surveillance of pesticides in food in the United Kingdom has hailed the “positive contribution” it made following its final meeting. The Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF) was a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) scientific advisory committee. The government decided to close the group in 2025\. The last meeting in May 2026 considered findings from the final quarter of the 2025 monitoring program. The main role of PRiF was to advise on the UK national surveillance program for pesticide residues in food, which is managed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Guide released to help firms deal with food incidents URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/guide-released-to-help-firms-deal-with-food-incidents/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T04:03:08.000Z A group representing the food and drink sector in Ireland has unveiled guidance covering the prevention and management of food safety incidents. Food Drink Ireland (FDI) said the manufacturer-focused Food Safety Incident Management guide provides companies with a toolkit to navigate planning, perform structured risk assessments, and make swift decisions with confidence. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Proposed new reg raises fear of increased radioactive contamination of U.S food and water URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/proposed-new-reg-raises-fear-of-increased-radioactive-contamination-of-u-s-food-and-water/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T02:04:05.000Z Food safety advocates and public health watchdogs are warning of a “quiet but sweeping overhaul” in a decades-long radiation regulation that could increase radioactive isotopes in domestic agriculture soils, rivers, aquifers and the food chain. At the heart of their concerns is the difference between the current regulation on radioactivity and the proposed change put forth by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As it is now, and has been for decades, the current standard is "As Low As Reasonably Achievable,” often referred to as ALARA. Under this safety standard, nuclear facility operators must reduce radiation releases to the absolute lowest levels possible. In contrast, under the "Reforming and Modernizing the NRC Protection Framework," the commission is proposing what it refers to as a “graded approach” that establishes “fixed-dose limits.” The trouble with that approach, warn opponents, is that those limits may actually be determined solely by industry or exempted, and largely remove federal oversight for decommissioning plants, waste storage sites, and other radioactive facilities. Some say this is a case of having the fox guard the henhouse. On the other side of the fence, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Ho Nieh said in a statement that the agency is “raising the standard for regulatory clarity, not lowering the standard for safety.” “Our radiation dose limits remain unchanged — what we’re eliminating is unnecessary ambiguity,” he said. Outraged by this turn of events, Kimberly Roberson, director the the Fukushima Fallout Awareness Network, says that “the NRC is treating radiation exposure like a sunburn,” while completely ignoring how radioactive particles behave when ingested.” And she pointed out that according to NRC's own analysis, the proposed rollback is projected to nearly double the fatal cancer risk for individuals living near these facilities over a 70-year lifespan. "Existing nuclear radiation standards are not protective enough as it is,” she said. “By removing the ALARA rule, the government is allowing nuclear facilities to arbitrarily release even more low-level radioactive waste into our air and water. These radionuclides are harmful and don't disappear; they bioaccumulate in local pastures, crops, livestock, milk supplies, and people.” She pointed out that relaxing NRC federal oversight is in direct conflict with the function of a regulatory agency to protect the public and the environment. “That function should not be compromised or eliminated by executive orders designed to save the nuclear industry time and money at the expense of public health and safety,” she said. She warns that if the NRC stops enforcing minimized environmental releases, it would fall to the Food and Drug Administration to “police radioactive contamination in our food.” ‘"It's unacceptable that NRC is abandoning the ALARA principle in favor of the caveat emptor principle," Roberson said. "Advocacy groups are demanding not only that the NRC maintain ALARA, but that it strengthen existing protections and do its job, which is to safeguard public health, not industry profits. We urge concerned citizens to file formal comments to the NRC proposed rule this month." The comment period ends Aug. 31\. Members of the public can read the NRC proposed rule and officially file their comments by visiting [Regulations.gov](http://regulations.gov/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and inputting Docket ID: NRC-2025-1140\. Comments on the proposed NRC rule can also be submitted to the Federal Register by Aug. 31. Go here ([www.protectbetter.org](http://www.protectbetter.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)) for more information and some videos about this issue. Go here ([https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NRC-2025-1140/comments](https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NRC-2025-1140/comments?ref=foodsafetynews.com)) to see the comments posted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as of Aug. 30, 2026. ### Mangoes sold at Walmart recalled because of Salmonella risk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/mangoes-sold-at-walmart-recalled-because-of-salmonella-risk/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T01:54:17.000Z Panorama Produce is recalling 302 boxes of mangoes because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled fruit was distributed in the following states from Aug. 10 through Aug. 21: Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and sold in Walmart stores. The recalled mangoes are packaged in a Martina-branded case. The individual mangoes can be identified by a light blue sticker with the label Agrofepac, Produce of Mexico, and a PLU number of 4584 and UPC # 07503061948050. The recall was initiated after FDA sampling found Salmonella in mangoes grown on the same farm but were not distributed into U.S commerce. The recalled mangoes and the sampled mangoes share the same source, therefore Panorama Produce has initiated a recall. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the recalled product. Consumers should use the product identifiers above to determine whether product is included in the recall. Consumers who have the recalled mangoes should dispose of them or return to the place of purchase. Anyone who believes they may have become ill should contact a healthcare provider. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled mangoes and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Sunday Edition: Taylor Farms URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/sunday-edition-taylor-farms/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T16:30:26.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena** - Two people have died and almost 500 have been infected across [three Salmonella outbreaks in the United Kingdom since 2025](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/hundreds-sick-and-two-dead-in-uk-salmonella-outbreaks/). In one of the three clusters under investigation, there have been 259 confirmed cases and one death. Genetic markers indicate outbreaks could be related to consumption of imported eggs. - In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating [an outbreak of Salmonella Newport with 84 patients identified](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/more-than-80-patients-reported-in-new-salmonella-outbreak/) so far. The FDA is not reporting any information about the patients, the location of the outbreak or the traceback efforts under way. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [has confirmed 11,485 patients in the current iceberg lettuce-linked Cyclospora outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/cyclospora-patients-in-outbreak-linked-to-lettuce-top-11-000/) as of Aug. 27\. Patients have been confirmed in three more states: Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. The number of deaths related to the outbreak still stands at two. The CDC continues to investigate [additional Cyclospora outbreaks](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/patient-count-in-cyclospora-outbreaks-tops-17-000/) across the country. - A Welsh university has received a grant to explore [how artificial intelligence could improve food safety in workplaces and at home](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/project-to-focus-on-ai-and-food-safety-behavior/). The Smart Hygiene Intelligence Project at Cardiff Metropolitan University will use behavioral science and AI to develop ways of improving food hygiene habits and food safety compliance. --- **Today’s Topic: Taylor Farms** July 15 was a bad day for Bruce Taylor, the CEO of Taylor Farms. It was when he first learned that certain lots of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Fresh Foods in central Mexico were likely responsible for a Cyclospora cluster in five states. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: Hamburger E. coli was 95 percent of my practice until federal inspection ended it. On-farm slaughter would bring it back. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-28/ Last updated: 2026-08-29T03:10:58.000Z On Aug. 28, 2026, President Trump said he would give farmers and ranchers the right to process their own food, in a [Truth Social post](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117173109426335170?ref=foodsafetynews.com) calling the four largest meat processors a monopoly. Here it is in full: ***“Ranchers and Farmers have always been a number one priority for me. They work very hard, are smart, efficient, and immaculately CLEAN, but for years I have heard that they have had a tremendous problem with the Big Processors, who many say are a nasty Monopoly. There are, essentially, 4 of them, a very non competitive number, and they make life miserable for our wonderful Farmers and Ranchers, and I can’t let that happen, can I? So, in order to break this powerful monopoly, with much of its ownership based outside of the U.S., I am authorizing legal documents to be drawn in order to allow Farmers and Ranchers to be given the right to PROCESS THEIR OWN FOOD. This should move quickly. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”*** CNN [reported where the idea came from](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/28/politics/trump-beef-tariffs-farmers?ref=foodsafetynews.com): on Wednesday’s Glenn Beck program, Beck told the President that “the inspections are insane,” and Trump asked whether ranchers and farmers would do a good job of processing beef with less regulation, then said he would look at it that day. Whatever those legal documents turn out to say, they run straight at the reason I no longer make a living suing beef companies. **From 1993 to 2002, at least 95 percent of my firm’s revenue came from hamburger cases.** I started this work in January 1993, representing children sickened in the Jack in the Box outbreak. Hundreds were sick. Four children died. From that outbreak until the ConAgra recall in the summer of 2002, at least 95 percent of Marler Clark’s revenue came from *E. coli* cases linked to hamburger. I could count on a significant ground beef outbreak and recall arriving like clockwork every spring or summer. In 2002 I wrote an op-ed for the Denver Post asking the beef industry and USDA to put me out of business. They largely did it. Ground beef *E. coli* is now close to zero as a share of what this firm does, and I have [said so in print more than once](https://www.marlerblog.com/lawyer-oped/beef-industry-seriously-i-thought-you-were-putting-me-out-of-business/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The millions the industry spent on interventions and the work of a generation of food safety professionals made the difference. It is the single best thing that has happened in food safety in my lifetime, and I do not say that grudgingly. **One sentence in a September 1994 speech did most of the work.** On September 28, 1994, FSIS Administrator Michael Taylor told the American Meat Institute that the agency considered raw ground beef contaminated with *E. coli* O157:H7 to be adulterated under the Federal Meat Inspection Act. The [exact language is preserved in the Federal Register](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2011/09/20/2011-24043/shiga-toxin-producing-escherichia-coli-in-certain-raw-beef-products?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The industry sued and lost. On October 17, 1994, FSIS [began sampling raw ground beef](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/science-data/data-sets-visualizations/microbiology/microbiological-testing-program-escherichia-coli?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for the organism, and in 1998 it raised the sample size from 25 grams to 325 grams because the smaller sample was missing low-level contamination. After the 2002 ConAgra recall in Greeley, the agency ordered every ground beef plant to reassess its controls. On June 4, 2012, six more Shiga toxin-producing strains — O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145 — became adulterants in raw non-intact beef, a change Marler Clark had petitioned for in 2009\. In June 2020 FSIS [extended that testing](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/constituent-update-june-5-2020?ref=foodsafetynews.com) from beef manufacturing trimmings to ground beef, bench trim and other components. None of that happened on a farm. Every piece of it happened inside a federally inspected establishment, with federal personnel standing there to take the sample, hold the lot and stop the shipment. Take the inspector out and the entire apparatus has nothing to attach to. **A President cannot write a new exemption into the Federal Meat Inspection Act.** The inspection requirement is statutory, and so are the exemptions. For livestock there is one meaningful exemption, custom slaughter under 21 U.S.C. § 623, and the product goes back to the animal’s owner marked not for sale. FSIS says plainly in its [own guideline](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/import/Compliance-Guideline-LIvestock-Exemptions.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that inspection is required, unless exempted, for meat from cattle, sheep, swine and goats, and it lists every exemption there is: personal use, custom slaughter, retail stores, restaurants, and slaughter in an unrecognized Territory. Selling uninspected beef to the public is not among them. Changing that takes Congress. **FSIS says absorbing 2,000 more plants would compromise its food safety mission.** Set aside the law for a moment and look at the arithmetic, starting with what thinning this system already did. Juan Vassallo reported for Investigate Midwest in May that [complaints about the safety of meat, poultry and egg products rose nearly 40 percent in a single year](https://investigatemidwest.org/2026/05/13/after-usda-cuts-complaints-over-food-safety-spike/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), from 1,443 to 2,016, in a year when USDA cut its workforce by 18 percent and FSIS lost about 9 percent of its staff. That is this system with an inspector still in every plant, only fewer of them. FSIS spends about [$1.24 billion a year](https://usafacts.org/explainers/what-does-the-us-government-do/subagency/food-safety-and-inspection-service/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to cover [roughly 7,100 federally inspected establishments](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/establishments/meat-poultry-and-egg-product-inspection-directory?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The agency’s own [fiscal 2027 budget justification](https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/FY-2027-Chapter-24-FSIS.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) warns that state reimbursement rates are falling toward 38 percent, that states may pull out of their inspection programs, and that taking on an estimated 2,000 additional establishments could severely strain its resources and compromise its food safety mission. Two thousand plants is described by the agency as an existential problem. There are roughly 1.9 million farms in this country. Nobody is sending an inspector to the ranch, and nobody is proposing to. The only way to give a farmer the right to process his own beef for sale is to delete the requirement that anyone inspect it. **An immaculately clean steer carries *E. coli* O157:H7 in its intestines.** The President’s post says ranchers are immaculately clean, and I have no doubt most of them are. That has never been the point, and the confusion between the two is the oldest one in this field. *E. coli* O157:H7, *Salmonella* and *Campylobacter* live in the intestinal tracts of healthy cattle on clean farms. The organism reaches the carcass off the hide and the gut during dressing, and grinding then takes what was on the surface and distributes it through the interior where cooking may not reach it. As few as ten organisms can make a child sick. None of it is visible. Everything the industry built — hide-on interventions, carcass washes, trim testing, test and hold — exists because what you can see on an animal has almost nothing to do with the pathogen load you cannot. A rancher’s good character has never been a kill step. **Meat with no establishment number cannot be traced or recalled.** This is the part that worries me most, and it gets almost no attention. A grant of inspection carries an establishment number, production records and lot identity. That is what makes a traceback possible, and a traceback is what makes a recall possible. Product slaughtered on a farm and sold down the road has none of it. Illnesses from that product would be sporadic and scattered, arriving one at a time in counties that never compare notes, the kind of cluster that never crosses the threshold to be recognized as an outbreak in the first place. Most of them would never be counted. When somebody’s child ends up on dialysis, the first thing the family loses is any ability to find out why — and the second is any way to keep it from happening to the next family. **The consolidation complaint is real, and custom slaughter is not the fix.** I want to be fair about what sits underneath the President’s post, because it is not made up. The administration’s own figures, [which an independent fact-check confirmed](https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/11/18/fact-checking-trumps-call-for-an-investigation-into-meatpacking-companies/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), put the four largest packers at about 85 percent of beef processing, up from 36 percent in 1980, and independent producers really do wait months for a kill date. That is a genuine problem with genuine remedies. The Cooperative Interstate Shipment program lets state-inspected plants under twenty-five employees ship across state lines with an inspector still on the floor. USDA’s [Small Processors Action Plan](https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2026/06/03/usda-announces-improved-support-reduced-burdens-and-60-million-investments-support-small-meat-and?ref=foodsafetynews.com) put $60 million into processing expansion grants and cut overtime inspection fees. Those tools exist and are underfunded. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Friday that a slate of beef processing announcements begins Monday, and [Noah Wicks and Olivia M. Bridges of Agri-Pulse](https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/25160-trump-goes-after-big-four-meatpackers-says-producers-should-be-allowed-to-do-own-processing?ref=foodsafetynews.com) published the full list she posted: waiving red tape in processing, rescinding outdated guidance, growing support for small processors, and expanding ranchers’ ability to sell across state lines. That last one is the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program, and it is the right direction to move in. What binds a small plant is capital, labor and scale. It is not the inspector. Removing the inspector does not build a plant, does not add a kill line and does not move the price of ground beef. It only removes the one person in the building whose job is the public’s. I am not alone in this. The Meat Institute, the trade association for the very packers the President’s post calls a monopoly, [came out against the idea](https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2026-08-28/trump-vows-legal-order-to-break-up-food-processing-nasty-monopoly?ref=foodsafetynews.com) the same afternoon, saying that allowing “uninspected meat to be sold to unwitting consumers” is the wrong approach and risks this country’s reputation for producing the safest meat in the world. It answered the price rationale in the same breath: if the goal is lower beef prices for American families, lowering food safety standards is the wrong response. Its fuller answer, reported by [Noah Wicks and Olivia M. Bridges at Agri-Pulse](https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/25160-trump-goes-after-big-four-meatpackers-says-producers-should-be-allowed-to-do-own-processing?ref=foodsafetynews.com), goes to the premise rather than the risk: farmers and ranchers already have several routes to process and market the livestock they raise, through the custom exemption or by opening a state or federally inspected plant of their own. The post assumes the door is closed. It is not. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association was blunter in the same story. Weakening federal meat inspection and food safety standards, it said, “is not the answer,” and beef sold to American consumers should go on meeting rigorous, science-based standards no matter the size of the processor. Asked what would actually help, the cattlemen named lower fuel and fertilizer costs, protection of the herd against foreign animal disease, and expanded opportunities for mid-size and regional processors. That is the same place I arrived from the other direction. It is not often that the packers, the cattlemen and the plaintiffs’ lawyer land together on a question, and it is worth noticing when we do. I spent nine years making a living on hamburger, and I have spent the 24 years since telling anyone who would listen that the beef industry met the challenge and that losing the work was the best outcome I could have asked for. I meant it then and I mean it now. I would rather not get it back. ### Hundreds sick and two dead in UK Salmonella outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/hundreds-sick-and-two-dead-in-uk-salmonella-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T04:06:37.000Z Two people have died and almost 500 have been infected in a trio of Salmonella outbreaks in the United Kingdom since 2025. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other public health authorities are investigating three Salmonella Enteritidis clusters. Genetic relatedness of the clusters, along with food information, suggests the outbreaks could be associated with eating imported eggs at small cafés, restaurants, and takeaways. In the first cluster, there have been 259 confirmed cases and one death. Sample dates range from Aug. 11, 2025, to Aug. 8, 2026\. Since late July, 189 infections have been reported in England. Sick people range in age from younger than 1 to 90 years old with a median age of 30\. Of the 149 cases with available information, 41 have been admitted to hospitals. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported more than 100 related Salmonella Enteritidis sequence type 11 infections in the Netherlands. There are also 15 cases in Belgium, two in Austria, one in Denmark, four in France, and six in Germany. At least 34 people have been hospitalized. In July, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) restarted an investigation into a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak that began in spring 2025\. There are 111 patients in this cluster with 31 in 2026, including 10 in June and eight in July. Only seven patient interview questionnaires have been received by RIVM, with the agency saying it is too early to draw any conclusions about the outbreak’s source. **Imported eggs link** In a second cluster, there are 177 cases in England. Sample dates range from May 27, 2025, to Aug. 5, 2026\. Patients are aged between younger than 1 to 92 with a median of 29 years old. Of 27 patients with information available, 12 were admitted to hospitals. In a third cluster, there are 38 cases and one death, with sample dates ranging from Jan. 27 to July 29, 2026\. Cases range in age from 2 to 87 with a median of 32 years old. Five people have been hospitalized. In Scotland, dates of illness are from April 1 to Aug. 10, 2026, for 13 patients. Cases range in age from 2 to 78 with a median of 36 years old and 10 are female. Professor Ian Young, chief scientific adviser for the FSA, said investigations have identified links to imported eggs. “There is no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected. Our food safety advice remains the same: eggs that are thoroughly cooked and handled hygienically should not present a food safety risk. Infants, young children, pregnant people and older adults should only eat raw or lightly cooked eggs if they carry the British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain scheme,” he said. “If you’re eating out or buying food that contains eggs, you may not know if these carry the British Lion mark or are Laid in Britain assured. If this is the case, when eating out the safest approach for vulnerable people is to ensure they’re thoroughly cooked and to avoid dishes containing raw or lightly cooked egg, such as mousses, fresh mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce.” ### Source unknown as Salmonella sickens 13 in Denmark URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/source-unknown-as-salmonella-sickens-13-in-denmark/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T04:04:29.000Z More than a dozen people have fallen ill as part of a Salmonella outbreak in Denmark. The Statens Serum Institut (SSI) has recorded 13 cases of Salmonella Typhimurium between Aug. 4 and 13\. The source is not yet known. Eight women and five men are sick. Patients are between 14 and 83 years old with a median age of 31. Four cases live in Syddanmark, two in Sjælland, and one in Hovedstaden. Nordjylland and Midtjylland have three cases each. SSI, the Danish Veterinary, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency, and the National Food Institute are trying to find the source of the outbreak. SSI is responsible for whole genome sequencing isolates from patients and interviews with sick people to help identify the vehicle of infection. Whole genome sequencing of bacteria isolated from patients shows they all belong to sequence type 19 and that they are closely genetically related. This means there is likely to be a common source of infection. In May and June, the State Serum Institut registered 26 cases of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium with a different sequence type. Patients were 12 males and 14 females. They were between 8 and 81 years old with a median age of 45. Despite the use of whole genome sequencing and patient interviews, officials were unable to find what caused the monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium sequence type 34 outbreak. Denmark recorded 1,051 Salmonella infections in 2025 and 13 outbreaks. ### Federal officials close investigation into outbreak of infant botulism traced to formula URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/federal-officials-close-investigation-into-outbreak-of-infant-botulism-traced-to-formula/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T04:03:51.000Z The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared the outbreak of botulism traced to Nara Organics powdered infant formula to be over. In total, the outbreak between April and May this year sickened a confirmed four babies in three states. All four babies required hospitalization but none of them died. All four of the babies had been fed Nara Organics infant formula. The sick babies lived in California, Washington and Pennsylvania, indicating nationwide problems with the formula. The Food and Drug Administration found the source of the spores that cause botulism poisoning from the Nara Organics product to be milk supplied by Organic West Milk and spray dried by Dairy Farms of America. Those two companies were also found to be the source of botulism in a variety of infant formula products from ByHeart Inc. that sickened 48 babies across 19 states, mostly in 2025\. All of those babies required hospitalization but none of them died. The CDC determined that some of the illnesses dated back to December 2023. The specific cause of the contamination at Organic West Milk and Dairy Farms of America has not been reported by the FDA or CDC. Both companies issued recalls of their products. As part of the outbreak investigations the FDA and state health departments collected samples of finished products as well as from the sick babies. The contaminate in the infant formula matched samples from the a sick baby. The contaminate from the Nara Organics product also matched that found in the ByHeart product, showing a common link to Organic West Milk and Dairy Farms of America. However, there is currently not enough evidence to determine if milk was contaminated before drying or during the drying process, and FDA’s root cause investigation is ongoing. Prior to reports of the sick babies associated with the Nara Organics formula, the Food and Drug Administration inspected two foreign companies that pack the implicated formula. Both companies were cited for food safety deficiencies and both have submitted corrective plans, which are under review. During the investigation into the 2025 outbreak, Organic West Milk provided FDA with an incomplete customer list. The list did not indicate that they supplied milk to manufacturers of Nara Organics infant formula. ### Project to focus on AI and food safety behavior URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/project-to-focus-on-ai-and-food-safety-behavior/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T04:02:04.000Z A Welsh university has secured funding to look at how artificial intelligence (AI) could improve food safety in workplaces and at home. The Smart Hygiene Intelligence project, led by Dr. Issam Damaj from Cardiff Metropolitan University, has received £176,000 ($240,000) from Behavioural Research UK. The award is part of a wider £1.3 million ($1.7 million) Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) initiative to strengthen behavioral research across the United Kingdom. The project will use behavioral science and AI to develop ways of improving food hygiene habits and food safety compliance. Researchers will investigate how AI-powered systems could encourage safer food handling and help reduce the risk of foodborne illness. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Cyclospora patients in outbreak linked to lettuce top 11,000; three more states added URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/cyclospora-patients-in-outbreak-linked-to-lettuce-top-11-000/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T23:07:58.000Z The rate of new illnesses in the multi-state outbreak from the Cyclospora parasite outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce may be slowing, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting an additional three states are involved. As of today, the CDC is reporting 11,485 patients in the outbreak. That is 528 more than a week ago. For the week between Aug. 13 and Aug, 21, there were 1,449 more illnesses reported week over week. As of Aug. 27, the CDC is reporting 495 hospitalizations, up by 41 a week ago. The death count is standing steady with two patients in Michigan having died. While the increase in the patient count is lower, the CDC has added three states to the outbreak map: Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. In addition to those three states and Michigan, the outbreak has sickened people in Maine, Massachusetts, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/08/fig-cases-map-2048x1365.jpg) Michigan was the first state to report the Cyclospora outbreak. Its numbers have consistently been running much above the national count. As of Aug. 27, Michigan is reporting 14,510 patients with 356 reported cases indicating they have been hospitalized. In connection with the outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration is inspecting the Taylor Farms growing and processing facility in Central Mexico. On July 17 the company recalled its iceberg lettuce products, but those products had either been consumed or were past their due dates by the time of the recall. Taylor Farms sells processed iceberg lettuce products to a wide variety of customers, including restaurants, hospitals, schools, hotels, Sysco and at Walmart stores. Sysco is the country’s largest supplier to food service operators. Some of the sick people reported eating products that contained iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants early in the outbreak. Also, 17 patients in New Hampshire reported eating iceberg lettuce at the same hospital salad bar. The FDA’s onsite inspections and sampling at iceberg lettuce growers and the processing facility in Mexico in coordination with Mexican officials are ongoing. FDA remains confident that all recalled iceberg lettuce related to this specific Cyclosporaoutbreak is off the market. The FDA has not reported any specific details about its investigation, but it is known that a public swimming complex is near the Taylor Farms operation. Also, heavy rains earlier in the season in the area caused flooding of sewers and heavy runoff. **About Cyclospora** Food and beverages contaminated with the Cyclospora parasite does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, explosive watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite and cannot be seen by the human eye. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. ### Publisher’s Platform: The Secretary Is Right About Real Food. Forty Percent of Americans Say They Are Eating Less of It Because of Cyclospora. Here Are Six Things HHS Could Do About That, and One Thing the Secretary Should Stop Doing. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-the-secretary-is-right-about-real-food-forty-percent-of-americans-say-they-are-eating-less-of-it-because-of-cyclospora-here-are-six-things-hhs-could-do-about-that-an/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T10:53:39.000Z I agree with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about the thing he cares most about. The American diet is making people sick, ultra-processed food is a real driver of chronic disease, and whole food is better food. I have been arguing versions of that for years and I am not going to stop because it became somebody else’s slogan. Where the Secretary and I part company is on what is standing between his agenda and the grocery cart. This summer the answer is a parasite, and the measurable result is that Americans are eating less fresh produce than they were in May. The credit for this one belongs up front. Marcia Brown and Sophie Gardner wrote the piece that prompted it, in Politico on August 8\. It is careful, it is sourced, and they did the hard part, which was getting people on the record who do not ordinarily line up on the same side of anything. Go read theirs first. What follows is me riffing on their reporting and adding the part I would want the Secretary to read. Twelve days later one of the people they quoted stopped talking through a reporter and wrote it out himself, and I have folded that in below. **Give him the additives half of his agenda, because he has actually moved it.** On August 10 he announced a proposed rule ending self-affirmed GRAS and requiring companies to notify FDA whenever they conclude an ingredient is safe. It published in the Federal Register the next day at 91 FR 51834, docket FDA-2025-N-3262, with comments open through December 9\. I have argued for mandatory GRAS notification for a long time, and I will say plainly that no administration before this one proposed it. The same day, HHS and USDA sent the government’s first proposed definition of ultra-processed foods for final review. Neither of those is small. His line that parents should not need a chemistry degree to understand what their children are eating is correct, and I would put it on a slide. That is the chemistry half of food safety. The other half is biology, and biology has been running the news since May. **Forty percent of Americans say they are buying less produce, and that is a chronic disease outcome.** CBS News and YouGov asked in late July, in the middle of this outbreak, and 40 percent of Americans said they were buying and eating less fresh produce because of it. Four percent said more. A Quinnipiac poll fielded the same week found 55 percent of registered voters with not much confidence or none at all in government oversight of food safety. I put the whole set of them side by side earlier this month, along with the European, British and Canadian numbers, which are flat or rising while ours fall. Read that 40 percent the way the Secretary should read it. Nobody who quits salad quits eating. They move to the shelf-stable aisle, to the things engineered not to spoil, and they get sick more slowly from something that will never make the news. Susan Mayne, who ran FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition for eight years, put it as plainly as it can be put in an essay in STAT: consumers should not be faced with a trade-off between nutrition and food safety. That is not an attack on the real food agenda. It is the precondition for it. Every week this outbreak goes unexplained, his own program loses ground on his own metric. The industry sees it coming before the government does. Joelle Mosso of the Western Growers Association told Politico that retailers have already cut orders in anticipation of falling demand, and that consumers are being handed a message telling them to eat more of the thing they are simultaneously being warned off. I wrote to Western Growers about this in July and I will say the same thing here. The fear outlasts the hazard every time. Onion purchases fell far past anything the recall covered. Chipotle sales sagged for months after an *E. coli*outbreak that ended long before the customers came back. The recalled lettuce is gone from the shelves, and the produce aisle is still down. **The people making this point are not his opponents.** Jerome Adams, Surgeon General in the President’s first term, told Brown and Gardner the department is urging Americans to eat more fresh produce while warning that the wrong fresh produce will make them badly ill, and cannot say which is which, and that the mixed message is pushing people off salad right now, which is the opposite of what eat real food is supposed to accomplish. Marion Nestle, who has spent a career on this and who has said she supports parts of the MAHA agenda, told them it is hard to tell people to eat real food when the food has pathogens in it. She is right and going after her for saying so was a mistake made by people who ought to be counting her as an ally. Their piece also notes that HHS has held one press call on this outbreak season, and that the Secretary launched a cooking show during it. The sharpest version came from Frank Yiannas, who was FDA’s top food safety official in the President’s first term and who I have known since his Disney and Walmart days. He told Politico there had been no clear, timely communication about which products were implicated and which were not, or what consumers could actually do, and that the vacuum filled with fear and misinformation. What it cost, he said, was consumer confidence in exactly the foods we want people eating more of. That is a Trump appointee describing the Secretary’s own agenda being damaged by a communications failure rather than by a parasite. Adams did not leave it at a quote in somebody else’s story. On August 20 he put his name on [a column in USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2026/08/20/kennedy-salmonella-outbreak-measles-vaccine-public-health/91259296007/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) headlined that he is a former Surgeon General and the Secretary has the wrong priorities, and he made the argument himself. The sentence at the center of it is the one I have been circling all summer, which is that you cannot effectively focus on chronic disease while acute infectious outbreaks keep overwhelming you. He gets there by way of something the Secretary said before he had this job, which is that we should give infectious disease a break for eight years. Adams calls that a fundamental misunderstanding of public health. It is also the cleanest explanation I have seen of why the produce aisle is down. He then asked for five specific things. One of them is on my list below in nearly the words I would have used. Three of them should have been and were not. One of them is his, and I am leaving it to him. **It is not only the lettuce, and the next one resets the clock.** Set *Cyclospora* aside for a paragraph. In the same two months, roughly 19 million eggs were recalled over *Salmonella* that sickened close to a hundred people. A separate *Salmonella* outbreak traced to jalapenos, which Politico put at more than three hundred people in twenty-seven states in early August, now stands at 431 in thirty-two states with 57 hospitalizations. A dozen people were sickened by *E. coli* in frozen blueberries. Another dozen got *Listeria* from soft cheese and one of them died. Add the alfalfa sprouts Minnesota named in the same stretch and that is four live outbreaks at once. Sandra Eskin, who ran food safety at USDA and now leads Stop Foodborne Illness, put the structural problem to Politico in one sentence: an outbreak like this one, followed a few months later by another, undoes the message entirely. She is right, and it is worse than she says, because the clock does not reset at zero. It resets lower. Each one takes another slice out of the same confidence and none of it comes back on its own. **The numbers behind the fear are not small, and they are still moving.** As of August 24, CDC [counts 17,180](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/cases/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis cases acquired in this country since May 1, with 922 hospitalizations and two deaths, across 48 states and the District of Columbia. Another 11,844 are unconfirmed or need further work. The comparable figure for the same stretch of 2025 was 1,180\. A separate 1,805 people caught it while traveling outside the country, 63 of them badly enough to be hospitalized. The [outbreak tied to recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) accounts for 10,930 of the domestic cases in seventeen states, with at least 454 hospitalizations, as of August 20\. [My own fifty-state chart](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/the-fifty-state-cyclospora-count-is-32506-hawaii-is-investigating-a-case-with-no-travel-and-no-recalled-lettuce/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), built from what the state health departments publish themselves, stood at 32,506 last night. The season closes on Sunday and the counting will run well past it. **Six things the Secretary could start this week.** Before the list, the fair part. HHS says CDC and FDA have communicated throughout, through social media, continuously updated outbreak pages and ongoing work with reporters, and that consumers have been told to avoid implicated product and see a doctor if they get symptoms. CDC did ask states in early July to report cyclosporiasis weekly rather than monthly, which is a real improvement, and nobody made him do it. And some of what went wrong is structural rather than anybody’s decision about this outbreak. Daniel Jernigan, who ran CDC’s emerging and zoonotic diseases center, describes the parasitic disease program losing capacity as a knock-on effect of the malaria money disappearing, not as a choice anyone made about *Cyclospora*. The career communications staff who would ordinarily have handled a foodborne outbreak were cut in last year’s reorganization. I am not interested in blaming the people still at their desks in Atlanta and College Park. I am interested in what the man who runs both agencies does next. These are drawn from a longer list I published on August 7\. I have narrowed it to what sits inside his own department, and four of the six need no rulemaking, no appropriation and no act of Congress. 1\. Publish one national number and say what it counts. His department currently publishes 10,930, and 17,180, and 29,024 if you add the pending cases, for the same summer, and a reader has no way to know which one answers the question. Pick one, define it, date it, and stand behind it. An agency that will not say how big a problem is cannot expect to be believed when it says the problem is handled. 2\. Talk about the outbreak as often as he talks about dinner. One press call, in a season that has now put more than 900 people in the hospital. CDC has posted about it on its X account twice. A commenter under one of his own department’s real food posts asked, in about that many words, whether anybody was ever going to say how to navigate this thing. I have no objection to the cooking show. I object to the ratio. And if the answer is that the people who used to do this work were let go, then hire them back, because a Secretary who briefed the country on this outbreak every week in plain language, naming what is known and what is not, would do more for produce consumption than any recipe. 3\. Finish what CDC started on August 20\. That day CDC [said for the first time](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that it is genotyping samples from sick people and that the parasites causing these illnesses are genetically related. Read it precisely, because it ties the patients to each other rather than to any product. It is still the first laboratory evidence of any kind in this outbreak, and a day later San Francisco used the same tool to connect one of its own residents to it. Publish the genotype data and fund the capacity to run it everywhere. New York has 939 cases since May and no named source at all, and nobody has asked Albany whether its isolates have been typed. Hawaii, which never received a case of the recalled lettuce, [spent yesterday investigating](https://health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroom/doh-investigates-potential-locally-acquired-case-of-cyclosporiasis-on-o%ca%bbahu/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) an Oʻahu resident who got sick in July without leaving the islands. Both of those questions are answerable in a laboratory and neither is being answered. 4\. Put *Cyclospora* back in FoodNet. On July 1, 2025, CDC cut the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network from eight pathogens to two, and this one was among the six dropped. I will be honest about what this ask is and is not. FoodNet measures trends rather than detecting outbreaks and restoring it would not have found this one. It is also the cheapest reversal available to him, it is the single cut he has personally defended, and it is the reason nobody can say with authority how far outside the normal range this summer actually sits. And I am not the only one asking. Last week the former Surgeon General [asked for the same restoration in USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2026/08/20/kennedy-salmonella-outbreak-measles-vaccine-public-health/91259296007/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), all eight pathogens and not one of them optional, and he made the same point about the price of it that I would have made, which is that putting the other six back is a question of prioritization rather than a massive new budget request. 5\. Grant the naming petition. Stop Foodborne Illness asked FDA in February to name the companies whose product is implicated in an outbreak. It has been pending since February 5, 2026\. That is the same organization whose chief executive Politico quoted on how a second outbreak undoes the message, and the same organization a senior adviser in his department spent a week calling a front group. Consumers cannot avoid what nobody will identify, and in produce, where there is frequently no brand on the item at all, the disclosure has to reach the processor and the grower to be worth anything. 6\. Stop delaying traceability. Section 204 is already law. FDA’s own analysis of pushing compliance to July 2028 put the forgone public health benefit above the industry savings, and Congress then wrote the non-enforcement date into an appropriations rider on top of it. He can ask for the rider to come out. I went through the arithmetic and the industry positions on August 25. **Adams asked for three things I did not, and all three of them belong on the list.** He asked the administration to fill the vacancies. FDA has no confirmed commissioner and CDC has a director who was sworn in last month. I had that in my closing paragraph as a reason to go easy on the Secretary. Adams is right that it belongs on the list instead. An acting commissioner can go on CNBC and say the food supply is the safest in the world; a confirmed one can be made to answer for that sentence in a hearing room, under oath, with a transcript. Send the nominations up. He also asked that the inspectors and epidemiologists who are left be aimed at high-risk foods and at imports, and he named the two foods this summer has actually been about, jalapenos and leafy greens. That is the item on his list I most wish I had written myself. The lettuce came from central Mexico. The jalapenos came from Sinaloa. Import inspection is where the biology of this summer entered the country, and FDA moved its own inspection upstream from the processing plant to the growers in Mexico on August 20, the same day his column ran. And he asked that whatever international health security money survived the USAID cuts go to targeted partnerships and rapid data sharing in high-risk regions, on the ground that detection abroad protects Americans at home. I would not have thought to put that on a domestic list, and he is right that it belongs there. Every contaminated field in this story was in another country. Our surveillance system met this outbreak at the point where Americans were already in the hospital. There is a fifth item on his list, on vaccines, and I am not taking it up. Not because I think he is wrong about it. Because it is not what I do, and because the minute food safety gets folded into that argument it stops being something a room of people can agree to fix and starts being a side to be on. I will say only this much. His fourth item and my second are the same instrument. We both want the Secretary to stand at a podium and say a plain sentence out loud. Read his column and take the rest of it up with him. One more, and it is not on the list because it is not a policy. Spend an hour with a family from this outbreak. One of the 454 people hospitalized, or the family of one of the two who died in Michigan. Not a briefing, not a photograph, not a roundtable with the trade associations in the other chairs. I have been asking people in these jobs to do that since 1993, and I have never watched anyone come out of that hour still able to say a thing is under control. **None of this is partisan, and none of it would have prevented this outbreak.** I want to say both of those plainly, because I would rather say them myself than have them said back to me. The contamination happened in a field in central Mexico in the spring, and no American surveillance program was going to stop it from happening. What these six would have done is make the outbreak shorter, smaller and legible, sooner named and faster traced and honestly counted. And not one of them belongs to a party. The Microbiological Data Program was created under a Republican president and killed under a Democratic one. The traceability rule was written under one administration and delayed under two. The two people who have made this case most plainly in public this month both served in this President’s first term, and one of them made it a week ago on the opinion page of the largest newspaper in the country. **There is one place where I am not asking him to do more. I am asking him to stop.** He campaigned against what he called the government’s aggressive suppression of raw milk. As Secretary he has said he is advocating for it, and he toasted the release of the MAHA report with raw milk in the White House. This is where he and I are not close. Raw milk has no proven nutritional advantage over pasteurized milk and carries something on the order of a hundred times the risk of foodborne illness, a risk that falls hardest on small children. Pasteurization is the most successful food safety intervention in American history. I have kept RealRawMilkFacts.com running for years so that anyone who wants the evidence rather than my opinion can go get it. Annie Waldman spent months at the country’s largest raw dairy for ProPublica. Federal and state regulators have tied at least 233 illnesses and 40 hospitalizations to that one farm across eight outbreaks since 2006\. Its owner told her he had put a couple of kids in the hospital and then called himself a pioneer. I represented one of those kids. He was seven years old in 2006, spent nine days on a ventilator and eighteen days on dialysis after an *E. coli* O157:H7 infection took his kidneys, and he is twenty-seven now and still under a nephrologist’s care. His mother has spent the twenty years since testifying against raw milk bills in state after state. Here is the part that belongs in this piece rather than in an old argument. In March, that farm’s raw cheddar was linked to another O157:H7 outbreak, nine people in three states, more than half of them under five, one child with the same kidney complication. CDC told the public to consider not eating it. FDA gave no consumption advice at all. Three federal health employees told ProPublica that political appointees had watered the language down. The company refused to recall for eighteen days and then did it under protest. In January the government had quietly dropped its enforcement effort. Asked in April whether he had a moral responsibility to tell people not to drink raw milk, the Secretary said every product can contain contaminants, and that his department informs the public and lets people make the choice. Informing the public is the whole job, and it is precisely what his department did not do. You cannot say you are letting people choose and then let your own agencies tell a parent to consider not feeding their toddler the cheese. That is not information. It is a hedge with a child on the other end of it. Every one of the six things above is the same request in a different aisle, which is to say the number, name the product, say the sentence plainly. Raw milk is the aisle where the sentence is easiest to write and where he has been least willing to write it. The Secretary has the harder job of the two of us. I get to write about this. He has to fix it, and he has to fix it with agencies he has not finished staffing, in the middle of three simultaneous outbreaks. That is an argument for sending the nominations up, not an argument for waiting. He is asking Americans to build their health around fresh, whole, minimally processed food, and this summer a great many of them looked at the lettuce and quietly decided against it. Nobody gets talked back into the produce aisle. You make the produce safe, and then you show your work. ### More than 80 patients reported in new Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/more-than-80-patients-reported-in-new-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T23:14:37.000Z The FDA is reporting a new outbreak from Salmonella Newport with 84 patients identified. The source of the pathogen has not yet been determined. The agency has not reported how old the patients are, where they live, whether any have required hospitalization, or whether any have died. The FDA has begun traceback efforts but is not reporting what food is being traced. As of Aug. 26, the Food and Drug Administration’s outbreak table has 19 entries totaling 12,201 people sick. Among the outbreak news, is that the FDA has closed its investigation into a fatal outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes traced to Requeson/Soft Ricotta Cheese from Clover Hill Dairy. The outbreak sickened 15 people from four states. The FDA first reported the outbreak on June 3, 2026. Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 6, 2023, to July 8, 2026\. Of 13 people interviewed, five reported eating requeson made by Clover Hill Dairy. There have been 14 hospitalizations and one death reported. It is particularly difficult to investigate Listeria outbreaks because it can take up to 70 days for symptoms to develop. For six outbreaks from the Cyclospora parasite from unknown sources that have sickened people in 48 states and the District of Columbia, the FDA is reporting 281 patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FDA are also tracking an outbreak of Cyclospora infections associated with iceberg lettuce that had sickened 10,930 from 17 states as of Aug. 20. All in all, the CDC is reporting at least 11,488 Cyclospora patients who have not yet been confirmed but who have been reported. This is because some sick people do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for the parasite. The CDC reports that for every Cyclospora patient identified there are as many as 83 who go undetected. ### Salmonella sickens 29 people in Spain URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/salmonella-sickens-29-people-in-spain/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T04:03:43.000Z Almost 30 people have fallen sick in Spain after eating an egg-based dish. Public health officials in Eibar helped to identify cases, analyze the outbreak's potential source, withdraw potentially affected products, and ensure measures were taken to prevent further risks. Inspections and sample analysis were undertaken in response to a salmonellosis outbreak at an establishment following the consumption of tortillas on Aug. 9\. Spanish tortillas contain egg and potatoes. Of the 29 cases, 21 were confirmed through microbiological testing, and eight were probable cases. In total, 25 patients required medical attention and nine were hospitalized but all have since been discharged. Samples from some affected individuals were positive for Salmonella Enteritidis. Factors that contributed to the incident include insufficient heat treatment, storage of food without refrigeration, and potential cross-contamination during preparation. **Inspection and traceback results** The Gipuzkoa Epidemiological Surveillance Unit was notified of the outbreak on Aug. 11\. Sick people were interviewed and inspections were conducted at the establishment and in the egg supply chain. Tortillas and eggs available at the site were sampled. Tortillas were destroyed, while the eggs were placed under precautionary holding pending testing results. Conditions regarding food preparation, storage, and handling were checked. This found deficiencies related to egg traceability, cleaning and disinfection, storage of tortillas at room temperature, and the prevention of cross-contamination. The outlet was told to improve hygiene practices during egg handling and the cleaning and disinfection of utensils during preparation. It was also instructed to prevent contact between raw egg and ready-to-eat foods, improve the identification and control of egg batches, and implement proper rotation of raw materials. Eggs came from a farm in the Aragon region. An order was issued to block and withdraw eggs sent to other establishments. The distributor was stopped from sending food and marketing activities until it demonstrated that it had an effective traceability and product recall plan. In 2024, Spain recorded 250 Salmonella outbreaks and 1,894 outbreak-related cases. A total of 216 people were hospitalized. Eggs and egg products were linked to 131 incidents. ### Supplements dominate cross-border alerts in Europe URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/supplements-dominate-cross-border-alerts-in-europe/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T04:01:04.000Z Food supplements dominated non-compliance discussions between European member states in July. There were 207 reports in July, 215 in June, 150 in May, 188 in April, 204 in March, 159 in February, and 189 in January 2026\. Earlier data for 2025 shows 196 in December, 194 in November, 223 in October, 164 in September, 166 in August, 136 in July, 164 in June and 129 in May. Twenty alerts mentioned the United States in July. The majority were related to supplements but one was the unpermitted additive calcium disodium EDTA in a carbonated soft drink**.** _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Jalapeno ranch dip recalled because of undeclared eggs URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/jalapeno-ranch-dip-recalled-because-of-undeclared-eggs/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T01:17:04.000Z Jaime’s Foods ATX of Austin, TX, is recalling Jaime’s Spanish Village Jalapeno Ranch because it contains undeclared eggs. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The product was sold at Central Market retail stores in Texas and local independent retailers in Austin, beginning on April 3, 2026. The recalled Jaime’s Spanish Village Jalapeno Ranch dressing is packed in 16 oz (45.5g) glass jars with UPC #199284564923\. Recalled lot numbers include the following: 69, 86, 108, 113, 116, and 121\. The lot code can be found stamped on the bottom of the jar. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the allergen eggs was left off the ingredient list and allergen warning for the recalled cases of product. This omission was discovered during an FDA inspection of the facility where the product is bottled. ### Boston company recalls more than 12 tons of buffalo chicken products because of lack of inspection URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/boston-company-recalls-more-than-12-tons-of-buffalo-chicken-products-because-of-lack-of-inspection/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T00:54:24.000Z Shanghai Ravioli Corporation of Boston, MA, is recalling 24,900 pounds of frozen, not ready-to-eat (NRTE) buffalo chicken products that were produced without the benefit of inspection, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The frozen NRTE Buffalo chicken products were produced on various dates from July 8, 2025, to June 29, 2026\. The following products are subject to recall: - Cardboard boxes containing 100 pieces of “BUFFALO CHICKEN RANGOON” and “Sell By” dates from July 8, 2026, to June 29, 2027, represented on the label. - Cardboard boxes containing 120 pieces of “BENEDETTO’S BUFFALO CHICKEN MOZZARELLA STICK” and “Sell By” dates from July 8, 2026, to June 29, 2027, represented on the label. The products subject to recall bear false marks of inspection with establishment number “EST. 18004”, which does not have a federal grant of inspection. These items were shipped to foodservice locations in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The problem was discovered during FSIS surveillance activities. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness or injury should contact a healthcare provider. Food produced without inspection may contain undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria, or other contaminants that put consumer health and safety at risk. FSIS is concerned that some products may be in foodservice refrigerators or freezers. Foodservice locations that have purchased these products are urged not to serve them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### EU evaluates French and German meat checks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/eu-evaluates-french-and-german-meat-checks/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T04:03:57.000Z Audits in France and Germany have found meat controls are generally effective but there is room to improve approval procedures and follow-up of non-compliances, according to recently released audit information. An audit by DG Sante in September 2025 in France evaluated controls on the production of meat preparations and meat products. It found the system is well-structured and supported by guidelines, instructions and scientific advice. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Scientists flag Listeria as an emerging threat in Pakistan URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/scientists-flag-listeria-as-an-emerging-threat-in-pakistan/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T04:01:25.000Z Researchers have warned about a rise of Listeria infections in Pakistan and called for public health measures to control and prevent cases. Human listeriosis is not a notifiable disease and there is no active surveillance system or targeted research for the pathogen in the country. Listeria monocytogenes contaminated foods sold in local markets have been reported in past studies. Despite this, listeriosis cases have rarely been recorded. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Pickled goat and chicken recalled because of lack of USDA inspection URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/pickled-goat-and-chicken-recalled-because-of-lack-of-usda-inspection/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T01:44:52.000Z Indus Foods LLC, doing business as Gangothri Foods, an Austin, TX, firm, is recalling 1,626 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) pickled goat and chicken products that were produced without the benefit of inspection, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The RTE pickled goat and chicken products were produced between Jan. 28, 2025, and May 6, 2026, and have a two-year shelf life. The following products are subject to recall: - 8-oz. glass jars containing “Gangothri Goat Pickle” - 8-oz. glass jars containing “Gangothri Gongura Goat Pickle” - 8-oz. glass jars containing “Gangothri Chicken Pickle” - 8-oz. glass jars containing “Gangothri Gongura Chicken Pickle” The products subject to recall do not bear a USDA mark of inspection. The affected products were sold to restaurants, retail locations, and distributors nationwide and direct to consumers online. The problem was discovered during FSIS surveillance activities There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries or on restaurant and distributor shelves. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them, and restaurants and distributors are urged not to serve or sell them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Patient count in Cyclospora outbreaks tops 17,000 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/patient-count-in-cyclospora-outbreaks-tops-17-000/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T22:00:09.000Z The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting almost 1,500 more patients in multiple Cyclospora outbreaks than it was a week ago. As of Aug. 24, the CDC had a patient count of 17,180, up by 1,464 on Aug. 18\. The agency for the first time definitively said the number includes patients from the outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms in addition to those from at least six smaller multistate outbreaks. The number of patients for the outbreak linked to the iceberg lettuce has not been updated yet this week. The CDC reports a total of 922 hospitalized patients with two deaths having been reported in Michigan. The agency is also reporting that there are at least 11,844 additional patients in the seven outbreaks who have not yet been confirmed. This is because some patients do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for the Cyclospora parasite. The CDC estimates for every confirmed patient in a Cyclospora outbreak there are 83 who go undetected. There are 48 states and the District of Columbia reporting patients. They have a median age of 46, with a range of 1 to 99 years old. The median date symptoms started for cases is July 7 with a range of range May 1 to Aug. 19. For comparison, 1,180 cases of infection from the Cyclospora parasite were reported in the United States between May 1 and Aug. 31, 2025. **About Cyclospora** Food contaminated with the Cyclospora parasite does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a microscopic. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and Salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. ### Doughnuts recalled after consumer has reaction to undeclared allergen URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/doughnuts-recalled-after-consumer-has-reaction-to-undeclared-allergen/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T23:43:57.000Z The Better Bakehouse Snack Company is recalling certain lots of Donutful Chocolate Dipped Vanilla Cake Donuts because the product may contain undeclared milk. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The problem was discovered after one allergic reaction was reported in connection with the recalled product. The individual has fully recovered. The contract manufacturer has identified the cause of the mislabeling issue and has taken corrective measures. Recalled products can be identified as follows: Donutful Chocolate Dipped Vanilla Cake Donuts, 10 Mini Donuts, packaged in a 7.05 oz Carton Containing 5, 1.41 oz (40g) Pouches, with UPC 3 50041 39210 3; and Best If Used By Dates / Lot Codes: 9/15/2026 – Lot 26078. The recall is limited to specific lots of product manufactured and distributed in March 2026\. The product was distributed to retailers nationwide and through Amazon.com. Consumers can dispose of the affected product and obtain a refund from their point of purchase with a receipt or return the product to their point of purchase for a refund. ### Canadian company recalls veggie chips in U.S. because of undeclared wheat URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/canadian-company-recalls-veggie-chips-in-u-s-because-of-undeclared-wheat/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T23:34:58.000Z Exotique Foods Inc. of Ontario, Canada, is recalling Momchipz Veggie Chips Broccoli Florets & Cauliflower because they may contain undeclared wheat. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The Momchipz Veggie Chips Broccoli Florets & Cauliflower was sold to U.S. customers through Amazon.com between March 2026 and June 2026. Product information is as follows: Brand: Momchipz Product: Veggie Chips – Broccoli Florets & Cauliflower Size: 3oz (85 g) UPC: 6 28634 44216 6 Best Before: 2026 AUGUST 31 No illnesses have been reported to date. This recall was initiated based on a retail sample result provided by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Consumers who have purchased this product and have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat are urged to not consume the product and should discard or return product to the place of purchase for a full refund. ### Publisher's Platform: Thirteen letters to FDA, CDC, HHS and Taylor Farms, and not one published answer URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-thirteen-letters-to-fda-cdc-hhs-and-taylor-farms-and-not-one-published-answer/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T01:14:09.000Z Between July 14 and Aug. 13, members of the House and Senate sent 13 separate letters about the 2026 Cyclospora outbreak. Five came out of the House and eight out of the Senate. They went to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the acting heads of FDA and CDC, and twice to the chief executive of Taylor Farms. Seven of them set a deadline that has now passed. One deadline is still live, and it falls this Thursday. As of Aug. 23 I could not find a published answer to a single one of the 13. What has changed since I last wrote about this is not that anybody answered. It is that the answers started showing up somewhere else. **Start with the credit, because it is owed** A letter from a member of Congress is not a subpoena and it is not a rule. I have spent 33 years watching letters like these go into a drawer. But a letter puts a specific question in writing with a name underneath it, and it creates a date on which somebody either answered or did not. Every one of these members chose to spend staff time and political attention on a parasite most of the country had never heard of in May. The questions in them are the most specific anyone has asked about this outbreak, and several of them surfaced facts that would otherwise still be buried — the parasitology bench at CDC cut from 11 people to three, the food safety laboratory network down from 41 active labs to 15, the USDA research center that does much of the country’s Cyclospora genotyping being closed and relocated. **Here is the whole list. The column on the right is the one to read.** | **Date** | **Who wrote, and to whom** | **What was asked for** | **Deadline and status** | | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | Jul 14 | [Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN) to CDC and FDA](https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/7/klobuchar-urges-administration-to-reinstate-food-safety-staff-and-program-funding-to-address-cyclospora-parasite-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Restore FoodNet, FERN, inspection staffing and public health grants | None set. No answer found | | Jul 15 | [Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ) to Sec. Kennedy](https://stanton.house.gov/2026/7/stanton-demands-answers-on-cyclospora-outbreak-raises-concerns-over-food-safety-surveillance-cuts?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Six questions: who ordered the surveillance change, what funding was cut, how many staff lost | Aug 3\. Passed, no answer found | | Jul 16 | [Sen. Jon Ossoff (GA) to Sec. Kennedy](https://ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/July-16-2026-Cyclosporiasis-Outbreak-Response.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Three questions on restoring *Cyclospora* tracking and the state of the investigation | 72 hours, Jul 19\. Passed, no answer found | | Jul 17 | [Reps. Dingell, McDonald Rivet, Scholten and Tlaib (MI) to CDC and FDA](https://debbiedingell.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7116&ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Ten questions from inside the outbreak, including whether the agencies agree with Michigan on the source | Jul 24\. Passed, no answer found | | Jul 20 | [Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ) to CDC](https://gottheimer.house.gov/posts/release-gottheimer-announces-new-federal-actions-to-combat-cyclospora-other-foodborne-parasites-to-promote-food-safety?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Restore FoodNet to mandatory active surveillance, plus two bills | None set. No answer found | | Jul 20 | [Sens. Blumenthal (CT) and Booker (NJ) to CDC](https://www.wtnh.com/news/health/blumenthal-demands-answers-from-cdc-over-cyclospora-outbreak-response/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | A briefing on how the outbreak was tracked and whether staffing cuts caused delay | Undated. No answer found | | Jul 24 | [Sen. Ossoff, second letter, to Sec. Kennedy](https://ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-again-presses-hhs-secretary-kennedy-for-failing-to-address-cancelation-of-cdcs-cyclosporiasis-parasite-monitoring/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | The same three questions, plus the fact that the first letter went unanswered | None set. No answer found | | Jul 27 | [Rep. Robert Garcia (CA), Oversight Ranking Member, to Bruce Taylor](https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-07-27garciatotaylorfarmsrecyclosporacontaminatedlettuce.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Five categories of documents and five written questions, including facility records back to 2013 | Aug 10\. Passed, no production found | | Jul 28 | [Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) to CDC and FDA](https://gillibrand.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/26.07.28-Letter-to-CDC-FDA-re-Cyclosporiasis-Outbreak-final.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Six questions on the collapse of the federal laboratory network | Jul 31\. Passed, no answer found | | Jul 30 | [Sen. Blumenthal, PSI Ranking Member, to FDA](https://hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026-07-30-Letter-from-Sen-Blumenthal-to-Acting-Commissioner-Diamantas.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | All records, including every communication with the White House and with the company | Aug 13\. Passed, no answer found | | Jul 30 | [Sen. Blumenthal, PSI Ranking Member, to Bruce Taylor](https://hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026-07-30-Letter-from-Sen-Blumenthal-to-Taylor-Farms-2.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | All records, including every communication with the White House and with FDA | Aug 13\. Passed, no production found | | Jul 30 | [Reps. Veasey, Dingell and Sewell with about fifty colleagues, to CDC and FDA](https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-veasey-congresswoman-dingell-and-congresswoman-sewell-lead?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Transparency and immediate action to identify the source | None set. No answer found | | Aug 13 | [Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA) to Sec. Kennedy](https://www.warren.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Final-Letter-to-RFK-on-Cyclospora-Outbreak-Response.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Nine questions on the retracted test, the White House call, what the outbreak has cost, and which states still report | Aug 27\. Pending | I believe that is every letter, but I am not certain it is. I built the list from press releases, from posted PDFs, and from reporting where offices posted nothing. A letter sent quietly without a release is one I would not have seen — I have had to add one four separate times already. The status column says no answer found, which means exactly that and nothing more. An agency can answer a member privately and often does, and neither side has to publish it. If you have an answer to any of these, send it to me and I will correct this post and say plainly that I had it wrong. That is the list I would like to see grow. **The answers exist. They are being given to reporters instead.** On the day Senator Warren’s letter went out, HHS press secretary Emily Hilliard [told The Hill](https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6028916-trump-administration-cyclosporiasis-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the agencies’ response has been guided by scientific and public health evidence, that the FDA investigators responsible for outbreak investigations were not affected by staffing changes or reductions in force, and that political contributions or relationships have no bearing on FDA or CDC outbreak investigations. That is a direct answer to the central allegation in at least four of the 13 letters. It was given to a media outlet. Taylor Farms did the same thing. The company [told Scripps News](https://www.scrippsnews.com/health/sen-warren-alleges-political-influence-in-fda-handling-of-cyclosporiasis-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that it acts in the interest of science and consumer health rather than politics, and that it categorically rejects any suggestion that it sought or received favorable regulatory treatment through political contributions or improper influence. That is a direct answer to Rep. Garcia and to Sen. Blumenthal. It was given to a television network. **And then there is the FAQ page, which is the part that should decide this** Go to the company’s own Cyclospora [information hub](https://www.taylorfarms.com/cyclospora-information-hub/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and scroll to the questions. One of them asks whether Taylor Farms used political connections or contributions to influence the FDA investigation, and answers no. Another lays out a day-by-day account of July 15 through July 19 — the date FDA and CDC first shared traceback data, the call on which the company says it raised scientific questions about the government’s assumptions and methodology, and then July 16, when those questions were discussed further with government counsel and officials including career staff, lawyers, and officials from FDA, HHS and the White House. The company states that it decided to recall that same day. Read that against the letters. Rep. Garcia asked for every communication with the White House since January 2025\. Sen.Blumenthal asked FDA and the company, separately, for all communications with the Executive Office of the President and the Domestic Policy Council, in a records definition that named Signal and WhatsApp. Sen. Warren asked for a transcript of the reported call. None of them has received anything. And a version of the answer — the company’s version, unsworn, undated as to who said what, and written by the party with the most at stake — has been sitting on a corporate FAQ page, revised at least five times, overwritten in place, with no version history and no correction notes. I am not saying the company did anything improper by putting it there. I would rather have it than not have it. I am saying that this is what the record looks like when nobody with subpoena power has asked for it: the regulated party gets to write the first draft of history on its own website, and Congress reads it there like everybody else. **A statement to a reporter is not an answer to a letter, and the difference is the whole point** A press statement is not made under oath. It is not a document production. It can be revised or deleted without anyone being told, which has already happened repeatedly on this outbreak, on both the government’s pages and the company’s. It does not tell Sen. Warren how many states stopped reporting cyclosporiasis after the surveillance change in July 2025, state by state, which is the single most useful question in all 13 letters. It does not tell Rep. Garcia what the facility records at the Taylor Farms facility in Doctor Mora, Mexico, show going back to 2013\. It does not produce the call. Those things exist. They are in federal file cabinets and on company servers right now. Nothing in a letter can make anybody walk to one. **What would actually work, and every bit of it belongs to the majority** The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations can issue a subpoena. Sen. Blumenthal wrote as its ranking member and copied Chairman Ron Johnson on both July 30 letters; a ranking member cannot subpoena alone and a chairman can. The House Oversight majority could adopt Rep. Garcia’s document request tomorrow and it would carry the committee’s weight instead of the minority’s. The Senate HELP Committee has jurisdiction over both agencies, and so does the Appropriations subcommittee that funds FDA, where Sen. Ossoff already sits and where the Senate wrote language, in its own report, directing that enforcement of the traceability rule is not delayed past 2028 — language that did not survive. And there is precedent that is almost eerie. The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations [held a hearing on Cyclospora in imported raspberries in July 1998](https://hsgac.senate.gov/?p=109365&ref=foodsafetynews.com). Same subcommittee, same parasite, imported produce, twenty-eight years ago. Rep. Rosa DeLauro wrote FDA and CDC during the 2013 outbreak traced to this same Guanajuato facility, and again in 2018 about Fresh Express. The questions do not change. What changes is whether anyone is ever made to answer them out loud. A hearing does three things a letter cannot. It puts a human being in a chair on a certain date. It puts them under oath, so the answer costs something if it is wrong. And it creates a public transcript that cannot be revised in place at two in the morning the way a webpage can. That last one matters more in this outbreak than in any I have worked on, because nearly every primary document in it — FDA’s advisory, CDC’s outbreak pages, the company’s statement — has been rewritten on the same URL with no record of what it used to say. **Thursday is the last date on the board** [Sen. Warren’s nine questions](https://www.warren.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Final-Letter-to-RFK-on-Cyclospora-Outbreak-Response.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) are due Aug. 27\. After that there is no outstanding deadline in front of any agency or any company on this outbreak, and the Cyclospora season closes on Aug. 31\. [FDA](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-multistate-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) counts 10,930 illnesses, 454 hospitalizations and two deaths in the outbreak it attributes to Taylor Farms. [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) counts 15,716 laboratory-confirmed illnesses nationally since May 1 and at least 828 hospitalizations, against 1,180 cases in the same stretch of 2025\. Adding up what the fifty states publish about themselves, [my own count](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/it-is-sunday-night-and-here-is-where-the-three-outbreaks-that-have-taken-up-my-summer-stand-cyclospora-at-30523-by-my-count-345-sick-from-salmonella-jalapenos-and-the-last-recalled-egg/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is 32,135 people this morning, and it is a floor rather than an estimate. Thirteen letters produced a great deal of good work and no answers. I wrote in [an earlier version of this list](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/twelve-letters-from-congress-in-seventeen-days-i-had-missed-one-and-it-is-one-of-the-best-of-them-five-deadlines-have-now-passed-two-more-come-due-today-and-i-still-cannot-find-a-published-answer/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the questions were good questions and the problem was that nobody had reached for the one thing that would make anybody answer them. A month later that is still true, and the calendar has nearly run out. Hold a hearing. Put the acting commissioner, the acting director and Bruce Taylor at the same table, under oath, and ask them the questions that are already written down. Thirteen members have done the drafting. Somebody with a gavel has to do the rest — the same somebody who could also strike the provision that [pushed the traceability rule to 2028](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/mr-means-insults-are-not-a-food-safety-plan-the-recall-count-is-not-an-argument-either-here-is-what-would-actually-help-while-the-cyclospora-numbers-keep-climbing/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and made this outbreak so much harder to trace in the first place. ### Contractor sentenced for faking food hygiene checks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/contractor-sentenced-for-faking-food-hygiene-checks/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T04:03:48.000Z A former contractor has admitted offenses relating to faking food safety inspections in England. Lily Yirenkyi was appointed as a temporary Environmental Health Officer (EHO) by Thurrock Council in 2020\. Within weeks of her employment, concerns about her work were identified by the environmental health team. These were referred to the council's counter fraud team for investigation. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Audit costs, time, and resources among key concerns in survey URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/audit-costs-time-and-resources-among-key-concerns-in-survey/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T04:01:03.000Z A survey on audits has revealed they are valued but there is a need to shift perceptions from them being seen as a costly obligation. Recurring themes were concerns about compliance-driven approaches, auditor shortages, audit fatigue, digital readiness, and the potential of internal checks, according to a report from World of Auditing. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### UK most affected in multi-country Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/uk-most-affected-in-multi-country-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T15:10:30.000Z A Salmonella outbreak is affecting seven countries with the United Kingdom reporting the highest number of people sick. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), there are 207 confirmed Salmonella Enteritidis cases between August 2025 and August 2026\. A total of 199 patients live in England, six are from Scotland, while Wales and Northern Ireland both have one case each. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has reported 106 infections in the Netherlands. There are also 15 cases in Belgium, two in Austria, one in Denmark, four in France, and six in Germany. There were 341 confirmed infections between May 2025 and August 2026\. In total, 152 cases were reported since May 2026, mostly by Netherlands and the UK. Patients range in age from under 1 to 90 with a median of 31 years old. At least 34 people have been hospitalized and one person in the UK has died. **Link to eggs and poultry products** Epidemiological investigations in the UK point to imported eggs as the suspected vehicle of infection. The Netherlands observed a peak in cases in August to September 2025\. A small number of patient interviews linked illnesses to chicken meat. ECDC said the multi-country Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak is ongoing. Epidemiological investigations indicate eggs and chicken products as potential sources of infection. More cases are expected until proper control measures are implemented. The outbreak strain was involved in a previous outbreak reported by the Netherlands. Eggs or poultry were the suspected cause. In 2025, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) investigated a major outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis with 80 patients. Possible sources were chicken products and eggs, but no clear cause was found. After a period without patients, new infections appeared again in 2026, so the outbreak investigation was restarted in July. **UK view** Jacquelyn McCormick, head of incidents at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), said: “The exact cause has not yet been identified, however investigations so far have identified links to eggs imported from outside the UK, mainly used by food service and catering establishments such as restaurants or cafes, as a potential source. There is no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected.” Several organizations have [joined the British Egg Industry Council](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/uk-reports-salmonella-outbreak-with-200-sick-and-one-dead/) in raising concerns about the risks associated with imported eggs and egg products. Will Raw, NFU Poultry Board chair, said it was hugely concerning that eggs from abroad are being linked to a serious outbreak of Salmonella in the UK. “Food produced to standards that would be illegal in the UK is still being allowed into our market. This simply cannot be allowed to continue. Government must ensure at a minimum that adequate checks are being conducted on imports to ensure all food coming into the country is safe and introduce a robust system of core production standards that applies equally to domestic and imported food.” Clement Lynch, deputy president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, said: “This is a serious food safety issue and it is important that the source is established quickly. There is currently no evidence linking UK-produced eggs or poultry to the outbreak, and consumers should remain confident in locally produced eggs.” ### A revolution is on the way in how apples are harvested URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/a-revolution-is-on-the-way-in-how-apples-are-harvested/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T04:05:36.000Z Gentle suction mixed with the dependable pull of gravity. That’s the basic principle behind a new way of harvesting apples. In what some would call a transformative system, it was designed to ensure fruit quality, harvest efficiency, better worker conditions, and even food safety. Besides apples, it can also be used to harvest other fruit such as citrus and peaches. We’re talking about the Bandit Cyclone, a vacuum-based harvesting system. While still in its trial stage, it’s been proving its worth out in the field. An example of that is when Superfresh Growers, based in Yakima, WA, partnered with Automated Ag, based in Moses Lake, WA, to showcase Automated Ag’s Bandit Cyclone harvest-aid technology. While out in the field watching the Cyclone in action, J J Dagorret, owner of Automated Ag, quickly said he was "extremely excited to see it in operation at work in an orchard.” [Go here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9xeQZPKEn4&t=6s&ref=foodsafetynews.com) to see the Bandit Cyclone in operation. It’s nothing like the usual way of harvesting apples, which involves workers on ladders picking the fruit into heavy pickers’ bags. When the bags are full enough, the workers drop the apples into a wooden bins. This requires them to go up and down ladders and reposition the ladders when necessary. “Physically, it’s very strenuous work,” said Dagorret, adding that falls from ladders account for a lot of worker injuries. With the Bandit Cyclone, the pickers are up on a platform, which has 4 large suction hoses. They pluck the apples from the trees and then put them into the hoses, where the fruit travels downward until coming to a padded decellerator, which slows the fruit down before it is gently deposited into a wooden bin. From there, the apples are taken into a storage facility. The air suction pulls fruit through the individual hoses at roughly 15 feet per second for only half a second per apple. “Gentle” is the name of the game. Compared to handpicking, this new system’s platform, which moves from row to row, is 35 percent more efficient and reduces bruising by half, which gives consumers more consistent fruit. Considering the challenge of dealing with an aging workforce and finding enough physically able workers to harvest the fruit, Dagorret said this system opens up the labor pool. “Just about anyone can do it’” he said in an interview with [News.com](http://news.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). “It ’s an important advancement. It transforms the way fruit is picked.” It took 6 years to get it to this point, and Dagorret readily admits to waking up some nights and wondering if he was crazy to stick with it. “But I’m really happy I did,” he said. “It’s definitely been worth it.” **What about food safety?** Dagorret said he hasn’t run into any food-safety problems with the Bandit Cyclone. To begin with, there’s less handling of the fruit, and the fruit spends less time getting from the tree to the bin than would be the case when it’s picked into a bag where it stays until there are enough apples to put them into a bin.. And the machinery is cleaned on a regular basis. “We don’t take any shortcuts,” he said. **What about cost?** Dagorret said the entire unit would cost about $125,000 dollars. But the platform can be used year round, for example when workers need to prune the trees. He said that whereas in the past growers planted about 133 trees to an acre, they now plant 1,300 to 1,400 to an acre. That adds up to the need for advances when it comes to harvesting the fruit. With the Bandit Cyclone, a crew of 4 pickers can fill large orchard bins in just 10 to 15 minutes. “This will transform the way apples are picked,” Dagorret said. “This will be the future.” **Apple facts** The largest apple-producing state is Washington, whose fertile soil, abundant water resources, and ideal climate makes it the perfect location for apple cultivation. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the state produces more than 60 percent of the country’s total apple crop. Other significant apple-producing states include New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and California. These states, along with Washington, account for the majority of apple production in the United States. But when looking at who’s on top when it comes to global production, China is the world’s largest apple producer. ### FDA warns California raw pet food maker after Listeria found in products URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-warns-california-raw-pet-food-maker-after-listeria-found-in-products/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T04:04:32.000Z As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view. --- **Waves and Wine Inc.** **Mendota, CA** The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to a California pet food manufacturer after inspectors found significant food safety violations, including failures involving preventive controls, supplier verification, product testing and sanitation. FDA also found Listeria monocytogenes in two raw pet food products, posing a potential illness risk to people who handle the products or come into contact with contaminated surfaces, particularly those at higher risk for severe listeriosis. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### High-risk food linked to fatal Belgian E. coli outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/high-risk-food-linked-to-fatal-belgian-e-coli-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T04:03:16.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Home-delivered meals linked to UK Listeria death URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/home-delivered-meals-linked-to-uk-listeria-death/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T04:02:55.000Z An outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections, which resulted in one death, was caused by contaminated home-delivered meals, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In mid-April 2025, the Gastrointestinal Infections, Food Safety and One Health (GIFSOH) Division was informed of two cases of listeriosis with sample dates in March. Sick people lived in the East Midlands and East of England. Both were male and the median age was 60, with one in the 50- to 59-year-old group and the other in the 60- to 69-year-old group. Cases had underlying conditions and had been inpatients in the weeks before onset of symptoms but were hospitalized because of listeriosis. One person died, with Listeria monocytogenes infection listed as a cause of death on the death certificate. Listeria monocytogenes isolates from patients were closely genetically related using whole genome sequencing (WGS), pointing to a common source of infection. Analysis of epidemiological data identified exposure to foods supplied by a company in London that delivers chef-prepared cook-chill meals to customers. Both patients had eaten meals produced by the same company. One reported having prepacked cooked chicken and a sea-bass meal in February 2025, while the second case consumed teriyaki salmon, chili and garlic chicken donburi, lamb burger, potatoes and assorted vegetables shipped between February and March. **Inspection findings** Another case of listeriosis with a sample date in September 2024 had eaten food from the same business. However, it was not possible to determine by WGS if there was a match with the outbreak strain. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) was informed, as was Havering Council, the local authority that oversaw this food firm. They met in May to discuss sampling, cleaning and halting production at the facility and again in July. At the time of the investigation, the business had 22,000 customers across England, Wales, and Scotland. Havering Council was made aware in late 2024 and early 2025 of three alleged food poisoning complaints relating to the firm. Many meals are not RTE foods, they have been fully cooked, chilled and require thorough reheating before consumption. In April 2025, Havering Council visited the company and found issues including condensation beneath the canopy, pools of stagnant water and damaged flooring. This led to three hygiene improvement notices between July and August and the food hygiene rating dropped from 4 to 1\. The business contacted Campden BRI and the Chilled Food Association to ensure their Listeria management plan was aligned with industry best practice. By September, corrective actions had been completed. After a December inspection, a food hygiene rating of 4 was given. The business voluntarily ceased production in May 2025, undertook a deep clean and re-opened a few days later following satisfactory results from in-house environmental testing and implementation of a Listeria management plan, including improving cleaning, partitioning of the facility and staff training. They also increased the concentration of cleaning chemicals on the recommendation of a hygiene consultant who visited the production facility. **Outbreak strain and other Listeria detected** A total of 109 samples, 73 environmental swabs and 36 from foods, were taken during several visits between April and October, including a parsley garnish. Listeria monocytogenes was found at low levels from food samples taken at the factory. Listeria monocytogenes was detected during routine internal testing from two cold kitchen knives swabs taken by the business in mid-February 2024\. There were also positives in end-of-shelf-life samples of chicken korma and hazelnut dukkah-crusted salmon meal in early March 2025, at levels of less than 20 colony forming units per gram (CFU/g). Food isolates were not kept by the private laboratory, so it is unknown if they were the outbreak strain. Listeria matching the outbreak strain was found in one food and five environmental samples. The food isolate was from washed garnish parsley, sampled in May 2025, at less than 10 CFU/g. The five environmental isolates were from a cold kitchen drain gulley, a hot kitchen floor wall, dirty dollies, and two isolates from the hot kitchen floor/wall junction. Local authority sampling found one food and four environmental Listeria isolates. The food isolate was from a chimichurri beef bowl at below 20 CFU/g. In May, the business issued a product recall to its customer base for meals containing the garnish. A total of 110 customers received these meals. In June, the chimichurri beef bowl was recalled because of Listeria that did not match the outbreak strain. Another 15 isolates of Listeria monocytogenes and 26 of other Listeria types were recovered from environmental samples taken between April and October 2025\. The large number of positives at the facility suggested widespread and persistent contamination, according to UKHSA. In January 2026, it was agreed that formal sampling would take place every two months over a 6-month period, beginning with an announced visit at the end of February by the local authority. No new cases in the cluster have since been identified. ### The Sunday Edition: GMOs URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/the-sunday-edition-gmos/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T16:07:38.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena** - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have linked [431 illnesses in 32 states to fresh jalapeño peppers](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/jalapeno-salmonella-outbreak-grows-to-431-sick-in-32-states-illnesses-ran-into-august-and-the-grower-is-still-unnamed/)contaminated with Salmonella Javiana. The peppers were grown in Sinaloa, Mexico and distributed by San Diego-based Coast Citrus Distributors. More than 90 percent of the patients report eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before becoming ill, including Chipotle and QDOBA. The CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are still investigating source and scope of the outbreak. - The number of patients affected [by multiple outbreaks of Cyclospora infections continues to grow](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/cdc-reports-more-than-1-800-additional-cyclospora-patients-in-past-week/). Efforts to identify where public health systems broke down in the midst of this and other crises have intensified as the end of summer draws near. NPR reports on[the cascading effects of funding cuts](https://www.npr.org/2026/08/20/nx-s1-5930462/trump-health-foodborne-illness-outbreak-cyclospora?ref=foodsafetynews.com) while the Brennan Center looks at [the politics behind the delay in implantation of the food traceability rule](https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/cyclospora-outbreak-shows-why-so-many-americans-are-angry-about?ref=foodsafetynews.com). - President Trump has nominated [Dr. Heidi Overton to serve as the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/overton-expected-to-be-next-fda-commissioner/). Dr. Overton is currently deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy. [Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., expressed “strong concerns” about Dr. Overton](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/19/us/politics/heidi-overton-cassidy-fda.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.7FA.Qiab.ED4ZHQ0qHsq2&smid=url-share&ref=foodsafetynews.com) due, in part, to her support of what Cassidy called “a nonsensical vaccine executive order” issued by the President. Cassidy chairs the Senate health committee that must approve Overton’s nomination to advance to full Senate consideration. Food Safety News publisher Bill Marler has [a to-do list ready](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-the-president-has-nominated-dr-heidi-overton-to-run-fda-she-would-inherit-the-largest-cyclospora-outbreak-ever-recorded-and-here-is-the-to-do-list-i-would-put-on-her/) for her, if she is confirmed. - The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is investigating [a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than 200 people and caused one death](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-the-president-has-nominated-dr-heidi-overton-to-run-fda-she-would-inherit-the-largest-cyclospora-outbreak-ever-recorded-and-here-is-the-to-do-list-i-would-put-on-her/). Testing revealed that patient samples are closely related, indicating a common source of contamination. The current outbreak could be related another one in 2025 that was linked to imported eggs. - The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and International Atomic Energy Agency are partnering to assess [the safety of edible insects and potential hazards associated with production and processing of said insects](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/iaea-project-to-look-at-edible-insect-safety/). About two billion people around the globe already consume insects regularly. --- **Today’s topic: GMOs** With all the attention these days to the broader category of food ingredients, it’s been easy to forget about genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. The first year of genetically modified crop production was 1994, so genetically engineered (GE) crops, or agricultural biotechnology, are no longer new. Instead, GE crops now dominate because they’ve been engineered for resistance to insect damage, tolerance to herbicides and resistance to plant viruses And the 25-year-old, San Francisco-based Center for Food Safety (CFS) has not forgotten its concerns about GMOs. It makes GE crops one of its major areas of work. Past CFS court victories on GMOs have had nationwide impacts, preventing federal government attempts to completely deregulate GMO crops as they’ve become more routine. Yet CFS claims that up to 70 percent of genetically modified food in supermarkets is not labeled at all, thanks to a loophole that allows 'highly refined' foods containing GMO ingredients to skip specific labeling. CFS is back in court seeking to force companies to list all GMO ingredients on food packaging labels. “This lawsuit is our best hope to ensure we know when we're buying GMO products, but we'll need all the support we can get in our long fight ahead,” CFS said in pitching its members to “overwhelm USDA \[the U.S. Department of Agriculture\] with comments.” Just last week, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) asked for public comments on yet another GMO. It wants input about a petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. to deregulate its COR-23134-4 soybean, developed using genetic engineering to control certain lepidopteran pests. There are about 180,000 species of Lepidoptera, the insect order that includes moths and butterflies, many of which are harmful to soybean production. Johnstown, IA-based Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. makes and sells common hybrid seeds and genetically modified seeds, including those that become genetically modified food. The public has 60 days to review and comment on the Pioneer petition and its draft Plant Pest Risk Assessment (PPRA). APHIS encourages submission of scientific data, studies or research in support of comments. Comments on this GMO petition and draft PPRA can be submitted through October 19, 2026, via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. (Go to [www.regulations.gov](https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https://www.regulations.gov//1/010101a01007f50d-a8e19701-2de1-45d4-a4fa-0feaece83900-000000/c77ovZTukRMo3DpGNg1NkQPeeV8skaE8G9zUfUEPAIM=452?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and enter “APHIS-2026-1090” into the "Search" field. Then, select the "Comments" button in the Notice contained in the list of documents.) **How GMOs are made** Plants, animals or microbes that have their DNA changed through genetic engineering techniques become genetically modified organisms. Scientists use genetic engineering to isolate the gene for a desired trait from one plant or animal and insert it into the DNA of another. Genes can be moved from an animal to a plant or vice versa. Genetic engineering isn’t selective breeding. That involves selecting plants or animals with desired traits and breeding them through natural processes. In time, this results in offspring with those desired traits. But selective breeding can also result in undesirable traits. Instead, genetic engineering allows scientists to select one specific gene to implant; genes with undesirable traits are avoided. GMO foods are becoming more plentiful, with cotton, corn and soybeans as the largest GE crops in the United States. GE crops used in GMO foods include: - Corn syrup, used as a sweetener in many foods and drinks - Corn starch, used in soups and sauces - Soybean, corn, and canola oils, used in snack foods, breads, salad dressings and mayonnaise - Sugar from sugar beets - Livestock feed One or more of these foods are also involved in GE crops: apples, alfalfa, canola, papayas, pineapples, potatoes, salmon, squash, sugar beets, sugar cane and zucchini. **Currently banned in the EU?** GMOs are allowed in the EU, but [the rules in place since 2001 are among the strictest in the world](https://food.ec.europa.eu/plants/genetically-modified-organisms/gmo-legislation%5Fen?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and EU countries can ban GM crops from being cultivated on their territory. While several GMOs are authorized for import into the EU, the only GM crop currently approved for cultivation in the EU is MON810, an insect-resistant maize variety grown mainly in Spain, primarily for animal feed. GMO boosters point to increased crop yields, reduced chemical pesticide use, and enhanced nutritional value, while opponents cite potential ecological disruption, the development of herbicide-resistant weeds, and corporate control of the seed market. At this time, major scientific and regulatory bodies—including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—agree that GMO foods currently on the market are as safe to eat as their non-GMO counterparts. --- **The Pros: Why GMOs Are Used** - Reduced chemical pesticide use: Crops engineered with *Bt* genes produce a natural protein toxic only to specific pests. This allows farmers to spray significantly fewer chemical insecticides. - Climate and disease resilience: Scientists modify crops to withstand severe environmental stressors, including drought, extreme heat, and poor soil conditions. Genetic modifications also protect industries from devastating plant viruses, such as ringspot virus, which prevented devastation of papaya crops in Hawaii. - Enhanced nutritional value: Bioengineering can directly combat malnutrition in developing regions. A prime example is [Golden Rice](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gmo-pros-and-cons?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which is enriched with beta-carotene to prevent blindness caused by Vitamin A deficiency. - Increased shelf life and food quality: Modifications can slow spoilage and browning processes in fresh produce (non-browning apples, for example), thereby directly reducing global food waste. **The Cons: Risks and Criticisms** - Weed and insect resistance: While GMOs initially reduce pesticide use, the widespread cultivation of herbicide-tolerant crops has led to the emergence of "superweeds". These weeds adapt to chemicals like glyphosate, forcing farmers to eventually use more toxic alternatives. - Ecological and biodiversity risks: Cross-pollination (gene flow) can occur when wind or insects carry GMO pollen into neighboring wild or organic fields. This can unintentionally alter the genetics of native plant species and decrease overall biodiversity. - Corporate monopolies and seed patenting: A small handful of large biotech corporations control the global GMO seed market. Because these seeds are patented, farmers are legally forbidden from saving seeds for the next year, forcing them into expensive, restrictive annual purchasing cycles. - Public health anxiety: Although current research shows no verified health risks, critics emphasize that human clinical trials monitoring the strict long-term, multi-generational impacts of GMO diets remain limited. --- **Our Take** We probably all have a little voice in the back of our heads that tells us things. One of those messages is that we shouldn’t play God. And it’s science that always pushes the line on that one. But in one case after another, science advances; whatever was a breakthrough becomes routine, and we push the line forward. When something does hang around, it makes us nervous. Are those “superweeds” trying to tell us something? Superweeds are not mutated, aggressive plants but ordinary weeds that have adapted to survive new agricultural practices. When kids from town were hired to “walk the beans,” we never imagined that a few naturally resistant weeds would take over. --- **By the numbers** **40.6** – The percentage share of the global GMO economy that has been captured by the U.S. and Canada by 2026. **261,300,000,000** – The cumulative economic gain, in U.S. dollars, attributed to GMOs from 1996 to 2020. **52.3** – The percentage share of GMO benefits that have gone to farmers in developing countries during the same period. That amounts to $136.6 billion, **330,000,000** – The number of tons of soybeans that have been added to the global commodity supply base over a 25-year span, vastly expanding agricultural GDP due to GMOs. Hundreds of millions of tons of corn have also been added to the global supply. **581,000,000** – The amount, in kilograms, of pesticide spraying that has decreased due to GE crops producing their own targeted pest defenses. **90** \-- The percentage of U.S. corn, upland cotton and soybeans produced using GE varieties. GE crops are broadly classified as herbicide-tolerant (HT), insect-resistant (Bt), or stacked varieties that combine both traits. --- **What it means** While there was a time when people could seriously call for a ban on GMOs, that time is likely past. Over the past 32 years, GE crops and GE foods have become a significant part of the food and agriculture economy. A Purdue University study projects a 22 percent hike in grocery prices would follow any total ban on GMOs in the food supply The discomfort about the concept of GMOs persists because this multi-billion-dollar sector is dominated by a handful of global companies. Investments in R&D are massive. While GE crops are unlikely to go away, some controversies remain. Because biotech seeds are patented, farmers cannot legally save seeds from their harvest for next year. Annual seed purchases are required. This means agricultural wealth flows steadily from rural farming communities to the multinational biotech corporations. And resistant superweeds require purchasing more expensive, heavier chemical options and specialized spraying equipment just to maintain baseline yields in some areas. A relatively new threat is accidental cross-contamination with non-GMO fields. That can instantly disqualify a farmer's crop from premium export markets such as the European Union, causing localized trade losses. --- *Do you have any comments, questions or suggestions for future coverage?* [*Click here*](https://tally.so/r/Y5YzZB?ref=foodsafetynews.com) *to give us your feedback.* ### Sprout company recalls products linked to 15-state outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/sprout-company-recalls-products-linked-to-15-state-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T00:36:31.000Z Everything Sprouts LLC of Minneapolis, MN, is recalling three varieties of alfalfa sprouts products because they have been linked to a [15-state outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/sprouts-outbreak-grows-to-55-patients-in-15-states-company-declines-to-issue-recall/) of Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) and/or Salmonella. The recalled products were distributed by Everything Sprouts from May 27 to Aug. 21 to wholesale distributors and to grocery stores located in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Everything Sprouts and Calco branded alfalfa sprouts are packaged in individual 5-ounce plastic containers bearing the following bar codes: 860014523113, 860014523120 and 850079470149\. The products subject to this recall include Alfalfa 6/5oz, Alfalfa 12/6/5oz packages with the following lot numbers: LOT #222, 223, 225, 226, 230\. These same Alfalfa sprouts were also used in Everything Sprouts Crunchy Protein Sprout Mix 5oz cups, LOT# 222, 223, 226, 230 and the Zesty Garlic Mix cups, LOT# 222, 223, 225, 226, and 230. To date, 55 reports of illnesses have been received by federal and state partners related to the alfalfa sprouts. The states with patients are: Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. Consumers who believe they may have received affected lots of the alfalfa sprouts should immediately dispose of them and should carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that the product may have touched. Retailers and distributors who believe they have received affected lots of alfalfa sprouts should immediately stop selling and distributing the alfalfa sprouts in inventory and dispose of them according to local protocols. Additionally, they should carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that the product may have touched. **About E. coli infections** Food contaminated with E. coli does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Publisher’s Platform: Twenty-One Outbreaks Is a Normal Year. Ten Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty Sick From One of Them Is Not. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-twenty-one-outbreaks-is-a-normal-year-ten-thousand-nine-hundred-thirty-sick-from-one-of-them-is-not/ Last updated: 2026-08-22T11:46:57.000Z CDC’s [August 20 update](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) puts the iceberg lettuce *Cyclospora* outbreak at 10,930 illnesses, 454 hospitalizations and two deaths across seventeen states, with no new states added. Federal regulators have announced twenty-one foodborne outbreak investigations so far in 2026, against twenty-eight in all of 2025\. The number of outbreaks is unremarkable. What is remarkable is that this one outbreak hospitalized nearly twice as many people as every outbreak announced last year combined, and that the tool for shortening it sits on the books unfunded until July 2028. **The number of outbreaks this year is ordinary. The number of sick people is not.** The U.S. PIRG Education Fund asked the question directly this week and answered it in one word: [no](https://pirg.org/edfund/articles/are-we-seeing-more-food-recalls/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Regulators announce between twenty and thirty a year. There were twenty-eight last year and twenty-one so far this year. [NBC News reported Saturday](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/why-outbreaks-2026-food-contamination-cyclospora-salmonella-e-coli-rcna592940?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that none of the five researchers it consulted found evidence of more outbreaks now than in years past. Then look at what those outbreaks did to people. PIRG’s [Food for Thought 2026](https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/food-for-thought-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) counted 1,003 illnesses, 235 hospitalizations and 22 deaths across all twenty-eight of last year’s outbreaks. Set that against the one running now. | **Measure** | **All 28 outbreaks announced in 2025** | **The iceberg lettuce outbreak alone, as of August 20, 2026** | | ---------------- | -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | Illnesses | 1,003 | 10,930 | | Hospitalizations | 235 | 454 | | Deaths | 22 | 2 | Sources: PIRG, Food for Thought 2026, for 2025; CDC’s outbreak page as of August 20, 2026, for the *Cyclospora* figures. Check: 10,930 divided by 1,003 is 10.9; 454 divided by 235 is 1.9\. Deaths are the one row where last year is higher. Counting outbreaks measures how often regulators announce something. Counting recalls measures the same thing with worse resolution. Neither measures how many people ended up in an emergency room. Track only the announcements and this summer looks average. It was not average for the people in that right-hand column. **CDC tells you to wash the lettuce, and then tells you washing will not work.** Read the prevention bullets on CDC’s alert page in order. Wash your hands and any fresh produce thoroughly under running water. Then, immediately beneath it: since washing alone cannot guarantee removal, cook produce to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit. That is advice to boil your salad. I do not write that to mock the people who drafted it. It is the honest end of a road with no other exit. There is [no validated kill step](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/there-is-no-kill-step-for-cyclospora-that-is-the-message-i-am-taking-to-iafp/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for this parasite on ready-to-eat produce. FDA says on its own [fact sheet](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclosporiasis-and-fresh-produce?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that chlorine and the other common antimicrobial treatments are not effective against it, and that the fecal-indicator testing the industry runs on water and product will not find it. Heat that kills it destroys the product. Everything that actually prevents this happens upstream, in the water, months before anybody shreds a head of iceberg. When that fails, the consumer bullets are all that is left, and a shopper standing in front of a bag of lettuce has no move available that would have protected her. **This one outbreak filled more hospital beds than every outbreak announced last year combined.** Four hundred fifty-four hospitalizations in this outbreak. Two hundred thirty-five across all twenty-eight outbreaks announced in 2025\. *Cyclospora* is the mild one in the deck, and by attack rate and case fatality it is. It still filled nearly twice the hospital beds of an ordinary year. **CDC says routine stool tests do not always screen for this parasite.** That sentence is on the alert page, addressed to patients, telling them to request the test by name. It is a concession about the denominator. The 10,930 counts people sick enough to seek care, whose clinician thought of this organism, and whose laboratory ran the right panel. Nobody knows how many failed one of those three tests, and CDC says so on the page where it publishes the number. There is a fourth barrier, and it is not lag or behavior. In Lee County, Florida, a clinic serving mostly uninsured patients has [stopped testing](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/it-is-400-am-i-have-questions-a-clinic-in-lee-county-has-stopped-testing-for-cyclospora-because-its-patients-cannot-afford-it-and-the-people-who-would-have-counted-them-are-being-cut/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for this parasite because the test runs its patients hundreds of dollars. It has seen cases anyway, in patients and staff, and none are in Florida’s count. That is one clinic deciding about cost, not a state refusing anyone. It still changes the category of the undercount: lag and behavior describe people the system missed, cost describes people it priced out. If you do not have insurance you may not be tested at all, and an illness never tested is not an illness that is slowing. Set that next to what happened to the surveillance. On July 1, 2025, reporting through FoodNet became optional for six pathogens, [including this one](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The network had required it since the nineteen-nineties; CDC said funding had not kept pace. Twelve months later this country recorded the largest *Cyclospora* outbreak in its history. FoodNet was never built to detect outbreaks and I will not claim it would have caught this one. It was built to tell us what normal looks like, which is what you need to know when something stops being normal. **The rule that would have drawn a line around one facility cannot be enforced until July 2028.** Congress ordered the Food Traceability Rule in January 2011 and set a deadline of January 2013\. FDA missed it, a nonprofit sued, a judge set a schedule, and the rule issued in November 2022 with a compliance date of January 2026\. In 2025 that date moved thirty months. Then Congress directed that no appropriated funds be spent enforcing the rule before July 20, 2028\. FDA has said it [intends to comply](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com) with the directive. I have laid the whole chronology out [separately](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/congress-told-the-fda-to-write-the-food-traceability-rule-by-january-2013-enforcement-now-begins-in-july-2028-here-is-how-fifteen-and-a-half-years-went-by/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The distinction that gets lost matters most. A delay is an agency deciding industry needs more time. A funding prohibition is Congress removing the agency’s ability to act even if it changes its mind. The rule is law. FDA may not spend a dollar enforcing it until the summer of 2028. Traceability draws a line. It says what everything else is. Without it, the advice to consumers has to be categorical, because categorical is all anyone can support, and categorical advice prices a category. Growers who did nothing wrong watched lettuce discounted or plowed under this summer. That loss belongs in the same ledger as the illnesses, and it is an argument for the rule the produce industry should be making itself. **FDA has not met its domestic inspection targets since 2018, and reaches about five percent of its foreign target.** The [Government Accountability Office reported](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107571?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that FDA has not met the inspection frequencies Congress wrote into law since fiscal year 2018\. On the foreign side the gap is not close: against a statutory target of 19,200 inspections a year, FDA averaged 917 from fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2023, about five percent. I wrote about that report when it [came out](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/gao-fda-should-strengthen-inspection-efforts-to-protect-the-u-s-food-supply/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). It belongs here because of geography. The lettuce came from central Mexico. Nobody was assigned to look at the great majority of foreign facilities shipping food into this country, because there was nobody to assign. That is architecture and budget, not a failing of the investigators who did go. **Endemic describes where an organism lives. It does not explain how it got into the lettuce.** You will hear, in nearly every account of this outbreak, that *Cyclospora* is endemic to Mexico. It is. That tells you the parasite is present in the region. It does not tell you how it reached a leaf shredded, bagged and eaten in Michigan. This organism comes out of human sewage, and it reaches produce when sewage reaches water that touches the crop. That is not an ambient condition of a country. It is a sanitation failure with a location and decisions behind it. Endemicity is a real fact doing rhetorical work it was not built for, turning something somebody could have prevented into weather nobody owns. **No new states is the honest version of the outbreak slowing.** The seventeen-state footprint has stopped moving. The counts inside it keep climbing, which is what a long reporting tail looks like on a parasite with a two-week incubation and a test most doctors have to be prompted to order. FDA’s [investigation page](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-multistate-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) says the recalled product is long past its best-by dates and should be gone from stores and restaurants. It has been gone for weeks. The number went up anyway. What none of this is, at any point, is a consumer behavior problem. The field for next summer gets planted in a few months. Nobody chooses what is living in the water when it does, and washing will not help then either. ### Patient count for parasite outbreak linked to lettuce tops 10,000 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/patient-count-for-parasite-outbreak-linked-to-lettuce-tops-10-000/ Last updated: 2026-08-23T21:38:00.000Z The patient count for an outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite linked to iceberg lettuce has topped 10,000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 10,930 patients as of Aug. 21, up from 9,481 reported on Aug. 13\. The sick people are spread across 17 states. There are 454 patients who have required hospitalization and two from Michigan have died. Illnesses linked to this outbreak began on June 14 and onset dates have continued through Aug.11. The outbreak includes people who reported exposure to processed iceberg lettuce from the Taylor Farms growing and processing operation in Central Mexico and served or purchased at various locations, including people who previously reported eating at Taco Bell. Most of these illnesses began before the Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce recall on July 17. The Food and Drug Administration has begun inspecting the implicated Taylor Farms lettuce growing and production operation. A recent report by the Government Accountability Office found that FDA averaged only 917 foreign food-facility inspections annually from fiscal years 2018 through 2023 — less than 5 percent of the statutory target established under the Food Safety Modernization Act. The Taylor Farms operation in question had not been inspected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for seven years prior to this year’s outbreak. The facility’s production line includes a wash step, but the FDA reports that washing produce does not remove the parasites. And, chlorine does not kill the parasite. The outbreak associated with iceberg lettuce is separate from a group of other Cyclospora outbreaks being tracked by the FDA and CDC. Since May 1, the CDC has received reports of 15,716 laboratory-confirmed reports of infections from the Cyclospora parasite. The CDC is reporting at least 828 hospitalizations. The sick people are spread across 47 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. For comparison purposes, the CDC logged 1,180 cases of Cyclospora infections from May 1 through Aug. 31 in 2025. **About Cyclospora** Food contaminated with the Cyclospora parasite does not look, smell or taste bad. The parasite is microscopic and amounts of it invisible to the human eye are enough to cause illness. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. Chlorine does not kill the parasite. ### Sprouts outbreak grows to 55 patients in 15 states; company declines to issue recall URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/sprouts-outbreak-grows-to-55-patients-in-15-states-company-declines-to-issue-recall/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T00:39:13.000Z The CDC has reported that the number of people infected in an outbreak of Salmonella and E. coli infections linked to alfalfa sprouts has grown to almost 60\. And, 15 states coast to coast are now involved. The outbreak was first reported by public health officials in Minnesota and Wisconsin on Aug. 20 when there were 23 patients in Minnesota and 18 patients in Wisconsin. As of Aug. 21 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was reporting 55 patients spread across i5 states. The states with patients are: Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. The outbreak is linked to Calco and Everything Sprouts produced by Everything Sprouts, which is a Minnesota grower. The Food and Drug Administration is working with Everything Sprouts and has recommended they conduct a recall. The company had not issued a recall as of Aug. 21\. Consumers and retailers should not eat, serve, or sell alfalfa sprouts sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands. The outbreak patients are infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli serotypes O26:H11, O103:H25 or O168:H8 and Salmonella Agona. llnesses started on dates ranging from May 31, 2026, to August 8, 2026\. State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 34 people interviewed, 26 reported eating alfalfa sprouts. There have been 4 hospitalizations, but no deaths have been reported. Epidemiologic and traceback data show that alfalfa sprouts distributed by Everything SproutsL LC of Minneapolis, MN, may be contaminated with multiple pathogens and have been identified as a source of illnesses in this outbreak. Based on epidemiological information collected by CDC and state partners, a total of 55 people infected with multiple strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and one strain of Salmonella have been reported from 15 states. Some people were infected with more than one outbreak strain. Forty-six people were infected with E. coli , 7 people were infected with Salmonella, and 2 people were infected with both Salmonella and E. coli. Traceback evidence collected from the restaurants and grocery stores identified alfalfa sprouts distributed by Everything Sprouts LLC as a source of illness in this outbreak. On Aug. 19, 2026, FDA initiated an inspection and sample collection at Everything Sprouts, LLC. This investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products or firms are linked to illnesses. **About E. coli infections** Food contaminated with E. Coli does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has eaten any of the implicated products and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the implicated products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others ### Scientists push for toxoplasmosis recognition URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/scientists-push-for-toxoplasmosis-recognition/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T04:02:28.000Z Scientists have called for toxoplasmosis to be listed as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Toxoplasma parasite can cause ocular toxoplasmosis, an eye infection that damages the retina and results in permanent vision loss. People can become infected through eating raw or undercooked meat, contaminated produce or water, or exposure to cat feces. It only takes microscopic amounts of the feces to cause infection. In pregnancy, infection can be passed to the unborn baby, leading to miscarriage or damage to the brain and eye. Many affected children develop vision problems that worsen over time. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### IAEA project to look at edible insect safety URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/iaea-project-to-look-at-edible-insect-safety/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T04:01:21.000Z A project has been created to assess the safety of edible insects and hazards associated with related production and processing practices. The five-year coordinated research project will also look at other novel foods. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) project will help countries assess food safety risks linked to alternative food and feed sources and understand how different production and processing practices influence these risks. It will use nuclear and other technologies to analyze chemical, biological, and physical hazards. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher’s Platform: There Is No Premarket Approval for Food, Says the Senior Food Adviser at HHS. Ten Days Earlier His Own Secretary Called the Exception to It a Loophole That Industry Hijacked. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-there-is-no-premarket-approval-for-food-says-the-senior-food-adviser-at-hhs-ten-days-earlier-his-own-secretary-called-the-exception-to-it-a-loophole-that-industry-hi/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T00:51:13.000Z A senior adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services spent this week posting three claims about food safety on X, each one preceded by a red exclamation point and the word FACT. As of Thursday, August 20, 2026, CDC counts 10,930 people sick in the federal *Cyclospora* outbreak, at least 454 of them hospitalized, two dead, across seventeen states, with illness onsets running from June 14 through August 11\. My own fifty‑state tally, built from what each state health department publishes, stands at 31,889\. Of the three FACTS, one is roughly right and proves nothing, one is a non sequitur, and one is contradicted by FDA’s own website and by his own Secretary. ### The man posting is the senior adviser for food and nutrition policy at HHS. It is worth knowing who is talking, because this is not a commentator with a view about the government’s food safety record. Calley Means came into the second Trump administration in March 2025 as a White House special government employee, a designation capped at 130 days, and left when the term ran out that fall. In November 2025 HHS [confirmed to The Hill](https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5613136-calley-means-hhs-adviser-rfk-jr-maha/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that he had joined the department as a senior adviser in the Office of the Secretary, supporting food and nutrition policy, working directly with the Secretary. The food safety record is not his opinion. It is his portfolio. His [post](https://x.com/calleymeans/status/2090551492889510290?ref=foodsafetynews.com) says the press is playing a cynical and sick game by treating food recalls as a scoring point against the President, when a recall is the FDA working well and doing its job. Then the three bullets. ### The recall count is roughly right, and it proves nothing in either direction. The first is that food recalls are at a multi‑year low. On the raw count he is close enough. [U.S. PIRG’s tally](https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/food-for-thought-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) has FDA and USDA announcing 320 food recalls in 2025 and 296 in 2024, against nearly 400 in 2018, with at least 160 so far in 2026\. Through the third week of August, 160 annualizes to something in the mid‑250s. Lower. Fine. The trouble is that the organization whose numbers he is leaning on says, in the same report, that the change does not mean food was less safe or that regulation was better. A recall count is not a safety metric and never has been. Read it going up and you can call it vigilance. Read it going down and you can call it vigilance too. The number itself does not tell you which, and I have spent thirty‑three years watching quiet years turn out to be years when nobody looked. PIRG’s own worked example is the ready‑to‑eat pasta *Listeria* outbreak. The first illness was in August 2024\. The first recall came in June 2025, and recalls were still expanding into that October, by which point six people were dead. Ten months of that outbreak appear in no recall tally anywhere, because a recall enters the count on the day a company issues it, not on the day the food went bad. A recall is a lagging indicator of an outbreak somebody has already found. You cannot recall what you never found. ### Foreign inspections fell from about a thousand a year to fewer than two hundred. The second FACT is that if FDA were underfunded or not working, these recalls would not be happening. There are two problems with that sentence, one factual and one logical. The factual one. [ProPublica reported last November](https://www.propublica.org/article/foreign-food-safety-inspections-historic-low-fda?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that American inspections of foreign food facilities had fallen to historic lows, with about two dozen current and former FDA officials attributing the drop to staffing cuts. Before the pandemic the agency managed roughly a thousand foreign inspections a year. Last year it managed fewer than two hundred. The cause was not that inspectors were fired. It was that sixty‑five percent of the staff who booked their travel and processed their expenses left or were let go, leaving investigators to arrange their own flights, visas and diplomatic passports while a reimbursement backlog climbed past a million dollars on their personal credit cards. The Food Safety Modernization Act told FDA to complete more than nineteen thousand foreign inspections a year by 2016\. It has never come close. That is not an abstraction in this outbreak. The lettuce came out of Guanajuato. CNN established, and [I wrote about it last week](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/the-fifty-state-cyclospora-count-is-now-29920-mexico-says-the-lettuce-tested-clean-it-sampled-a-plant-that-had-just-stopped-running-and-fda-arrived-twenty-six-days-after-that/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), that FDA had not sent an inspector to the Taylor Farms plant in Mexico since 2019, and before that not since 2013, the year of the last outbreak traced to the same address. In the first six months of 2026, five of that company’s more than 160,000 produce shipments from Mexico were physically examined at the border. Behind that, the staffing. FDA [lost 3,859 positions in fiscal 2025](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11133-fda-usda-cdc-continue-to-lose-staffers-in-fiscal-year-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and another 473 in fiscal 2026; CDC lost 2,499 and 390\. FDA also [suspended the proficiency testing program](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10330-rumored-fda-budget-proposal-would-cut-funding-move-routine-food-inspections-to-states?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that verifies its network of roughly 170 laboratories can accurately detect what they are looking for, a program whose published examples include testing for *Cyclospora* in spinach. And surveillance for this parasite [was made optional in July 2025](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/they-made-cyclospora-optional-the-parasite-didnt-get-the-memo/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which is the single decision that has done the most to make this summer illegible. Credit where it belongs. Congress rejected the discretionary cut this administration asked for and gave FDA close to seven billion dollars for fiscal 2026, with $1.17 billion of it for the Human Foods Program, and HHS points to a proposed $33 million food safety increase in the fiscal 2027 request. The appropriation is not the problem. The capacity is, and capacity is what you lose when you fire the people who make inspectors’ travel possible and then say the inspectors were never touched. The logical problem is simpler. Recalls are overwhelmingly voluntary and company‑initiated. FDA’s mandatory recall authority arrived with FSMA in 2011 and has been used a handful of times in fifteen years. When product comes off a shelf it is almost always the company acting, usually after the illnesses have already been counted, and often after a plaintiff’s lawyer or a state epidemiologist got there first. Crediting the agency for the recall count is crediting it for decisions other people made. In this outbreak the first illness began June 14 and the first federal advisory came July 16\. The argument would have the government take a bow for the month in between. ### FDA has had premarket approval authority over substances added to food since 1958. The third FACT is that there is no premarket approval for food, that FDA monitors food in the post‑market context, and that if Congress wants premarket approval it should give the agency that authority. This one is not a matter of framing. It is wrong, and it is wrong against the agency’s own published guidance. [FDA’s page on determining the regulatory status of a food ingredient](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/determining-regulatory-status-food-ingredient?ref=foodsafetynews.com) says that any substance reasonably expected to become a component of food is a food additive subject to premarket approval by FDA, unless it is generally recognized as safe or falls within one of the other exclusions in section 201(s), and that a food containing an unapproved additive is adulterated. That authority is section 409, created by the Food Additives Amendment of 1958, and its entire purpose was to shift the burden of proving safety off the government and onto the company that wants to sell the thing. [Color additives](https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additives?ref=foodsafetynews.com) are stricter still. Under section 721 they require FDA approval before they may be used in food at all, the certified colors require batch‑by‑batch certification, and there is no GRAS exemption available for a color under any circumstance. Infant formula requires premarket notification before marketing under section 412, a provision this firm has had painful occasion to study this year. Food contact substances go through notifications under section 409(h). Low‑acid canned and acidified foods require a filed process before a single case ships. There is a fair version of the point he was reaching for, and I will make it for him, because it is true and it matters. Nobody approves a head of lettuce. There is no premarket approval of foods as such, only of what is added to them and what touches them on the way to the bag. That is the accurate sentence. He wrote the categorical one instead, and the categorical one is false. ### Ten days earlier, his own Secretary called the exception to that authority a loophole industry hijacked. On August 10 the Secretary of HHS [stood up and announced a proposed rule](https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-announces-ultra-processed-foods-gras-reforms.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ending self‑affirmed GRAS and making notification to FDA mandatory. He called the pathway a massive loophole that industry had hijacked. He said he had asked FDA how many ingredients are in the American food supply and been told nobody knows, that it might be four thousand or twelve thousand, probably somewhere near ten. Ten days later his senior food adviser posted that there is no premarket approval for food. A loophole in what? GRAS is not the absence of a premarket approval requirement. It is the statutory exception to one. Section 201(s) carves GRAS substances out of the food additive definition, and that carve‑out is precisely what lets a company skip the section 409 petition. Remove section 409 and there is nothing left for GRAS to be an exception to, and [the proposed rule at 91 FR 51834](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/11/2026-16296/substances-generally-recognized-as-safe?ref=foodsafetynews.com) has no subject matter at all. The rule exists because premarket approval exists. That is the whole reason the Secretary can call the workaround a loophole and mean something by it. I have some standing here, and it did not come cheap. In December 2023 I wrote to FDA about tara flour, an ingredient that entered the American food supply without anyone notifying anyone, after our clients ate it in a frozen product and nearly forty of them lost their gallbladders. In May 2024 the agency [determined that tara flour is not GRAS](https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-update-post-market-assessment-tara-flour?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and is therefore an unapproved food additive that renders the food adulterated, and [I wrote here the day it posted](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/we-can-urge-government-to-do-the-right-thing-victims-of-tara-protein-flour-get-a-voice/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). FDA’s new proposed rule cites that episode as its lead example of what self‑affirmation failed to catch. Every link in that chain runs through the premarket approval authority the senior food adviser says the agency does not have. ### None of it would have kept the parasite off the lettuce. Here is what bothers me, and it is not the errors. Premarket approval is beside the point. No approval regime ever written stops a parasite reaching iceberg lettuce in a field in central Mexico, because the parasite is not an ingredient anyone added or intended. It arrives in water, on hands, in a place where sewage and irrigation meet. Pointing at Congress for an authority that would not have mattered, in the twelfth week of the largest *Cyclospora* outbreak in American history, is not an argument. It is a change of subject. Four things would have mattered, and every one of them sits inside his own building. Put the Food Traceability Rule back on schedule instead of 2028\. Name *Cyclospora* somewhere in the pre‑harvest agricultural water rule, which today measures a bacterial indicator with [no relationship to this organism](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/fda-just-admitted-in-print-that-nothing-it-knows-of-will-wash-cyclospora-off-your-lettuce-then-it-never-told-anyone-to-test-the-water-for-it/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Restore the surveillance that was made optional. Get the inspectors back on the airplanes. Not one of the four requires an act of Congress, and not one of them is partisan. I put [fifteen of these on this page two weeks ago](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-i-have-been-told-i-am-too-hard-on-industry-and-on-the-government-here-are-fifteen-things-fda-and-cdc-could-do-about-cyclospora/), and the objection I heard back was that I am too hard on the government. Maybe I am. Being hard on the government is not the same as being wrong about it, and the man whose job is federal food policy spent this week defending the record instead of changing it. Ten thousand nine hundred and thirty in the federal outbreak. Four hundred fifty‑four in a hospital bed. Two dead. Thirty‑one thousand eight hundred eighty‑nine counted by the states, [and CDC’s own surveillance page](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) saying it is looking at more. That is the subject the FACTS were posted about. A recall is not proof the system worked. It is a notice, sent after the fact, usually by the company that failed, telling you that something already went wrong and you may have eaten it. Calling this a good year for recalls is not a defense of the FDA. It is an insult to the people counted in it. ### Sprouts tied to outbreak in Minnesota, Wisconsin and possibly other states URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/sprouts-tied-to-outbreak-in-minnesota-wisconsin-and-possibly-other-states/ Last updated: 2026-08-22T00:58:11.000Z Officials in Minnesota and Wisconsin are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella and/or E. coli infections traced to alfalfa sprouts. As of Aug. 19 there are 23 patients in Minnesota and 18 in Wisconsin, according to the Minnesota Departments of Health and Agriculture. The officials say the outbreak may also stretch into other states. Consumers are being urged to not eat Calco or Everything Sprouts brand alfalfa sprouts. The illnesses have been linked to eating alfalfa sprouts produced by Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota grower, and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands to restaurants and grocery stores. Health officials recommend people check for alfalfa sprouts from Calco or Everything Sprouts, not eat them, and throw them away. According to a statement from the health department by a spokesperson to **Food Safety News**, a recall has not yet been initiated. A spokesperson with the state agriculture department said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would be the entity to work with the company on a recall. The FDA did not immediately respond to questions from **Food Safety News**. The patients in Minnesota became ill between July 8 and Aug. 8 with Salmonella and/or various strains of E. coli. Two people have been hospitalized but no deaths have been reported. Minnesota officials did not provide specific details on the Wisconsin patients and that state had not issued a statement on the outbreak as of 6 p.m. EDT. Officials from both states have been working with the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other states on the outbreak investigation. Approximately 1,000 Salmonella infections and 85 STEC infections with the serogroups associated with this outbreak are reported each year in Minnesota. There are likely many more people sick in the current outbreak than the patient counts reflect. This is because some patients do not seek treatment and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella or E. coli. Also, there is lag time between when patients are seen by medical providers and when test results are reported to state officials. The CDC estimates that for every confirmed patient in a Salmonella outbreak there are 29 who go undetected. For E. coli outbreaks, there between 29 and 106 patients who go undetected, depending on what strain of the bacteria has infected them. **About E. coli infections** Food contaminated with E. Coli does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has eaten any of the implicated products and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the implicated products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Jalapeño Salmonella outbreak grows to 431 sick in 32 states; illnesses ran into August and the grower is still unnamed URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/jalapeno-salmonella-outbreak-grows-to-431-sick-in-32-states-illnesses-ran-into-august-and-the-grower-is-still-unnamed/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:05:36.000Z The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 19 raised the count in the *Salmonella* Javiana outbreak linked to fresh jalapeño peppers to [431 illnesses in 32 states](https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/outbreaks/javiana-08-26/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), with 57 hospitalizations and no deaths. Illnesses now start on dates running from June 19 through Aug. 2, 2026, 13 days later than the agency had previously reported. The peppers were grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors of San Diego. The grower itself has still not been named. The Food and Drug Administration's [outbreak advisory](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-jalapeno-august-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com), last updated Aug. 14, still lists 345 illnesses in 27 states. **The outbreak grew by 86 cases and five states** The counts had been frozen since Aug. 5 at 345 illnesses in 27 states with 36 hospitalizations. CDC's Aug. 19 update adds 86 cases, 21 hospitalizations and five states: Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Hospitalizations now stand at 57 among the 376 patients for whom that information is available, or 15 percent. The earlier figure was 36 of 291, or 12 percent. Patients range in age from under 1 to 85 years, with a median age of 30, and 62 percent are female. CDC cautions that the true number of illnesses is likely much higher than the number reported, because many people recover without medical care and are never tested, and that the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. **Illnesses continued after both restaurant chains pulled the peppers** CDC also revised the end of the epidemic curve. The agency had reported the last illness onset as July 20\. It now reports onsets running through Aug. 2. Chipotle Mexican Grill switched jalapeño suppliers for affected stores beginning July 20, and QDOBA stopped using jalapeños entirely on July 28\. *Salmonella* symptoms typically begin six hours to six days after exposure, which places the meals behind the last illnesses in the final days of July, after both chains had acted. CDC and FDA both say they do not consider the two chains to pose a current ongoing risk to consumers. CDC has not published an explanation for the later illnesses. The agency notes that recent illnesses may not yet be reported and that it usually takes three to four weeks to determine whether a sick person is part of an outbreak. Interview data shifted in the same direction, with reported meal dates now running through July 16, where they previously ended July 14. **Interviews still point overwhelmingly at Mexican-style restaurants** Of 224 people interviewed, 203, or 91 percent, reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before becoming ill, including Chipotle and QDOBA. Investigators have identified 28 illness clusters at Chipotle and QDOBA locations across eight states, up from 27 clusters in seven states. The ingredients most commonly reported were jalapeño peppers, red onion, cilantro and avocado. Whole genome sequencing found no predicted antimicrobial resistance in samples from 428 patients. Samples from three people carried predicted resistance to one or more of nine antibiotics, including azithromycin, ceftriaxone and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and one of those samples was also predicted to be nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin. **Six companies and USDA have now issued recalls or alerts** FDA identified a common grower in Sinaloa through traceback and recommended that Coast Citrus Distributors recall the implicated product. Every downstream recall since has cited those peppers. FDA has posted no recall notice from Coast Citrus itself; the company's recall is described only in the agency's advisory text, and it does not appear in the advisory's recall list or its useful links. | **Company (notice date)** | **What was recalled** | **Where it went** | **Dates** | | ----------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | Coast Citrus Distributors (described by FDA Aug. 5) | Fresh jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico | Wholesalers, restaurants and food service companies nationwide | No company notice posted | | Taylor Fresh Foods (Aug. 9) | 20 refrigerated items — salsas, dips, guacamole, pico de gallo, sandwiches, burritos, salads | 26 states; Hannaford, Kroger, Stop and Shop, Target, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Whole Foods | Best if used by through Aug. 16 | | Whole Foods Market (Aug. 12) | 43 items prepared in the chain's own Produce and Prepared Foods departments | 12 states and online | Best before Aug. 7–16 | | NatureBest Precut & Produce (Aug. 14) | 18 NatureBest- and H-E-B-brand items — pico de gallo, diced jalapeños, stuffed mushrooms, soup mix | Texas and Louisiana | Distributed July 3–Aug. 5; best by through Aug. 15 | | Salata Dressings (Aug. 14) | Jalapeño Avocado Dressing, 12-ounce bottles | H-E-B stores in Texas | Sold July 13–Aug. 5 | | Dairyland Produce, dba Hardie's Fresh Foods (Aug. 17) | Five-pound bags of whole jalapeños, seven lot codes | Two Costco business centers, in Stafford and Dallas, Texas | Production dates July 11–22 | | USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (Aug. 8) | Public health alert covering 18 meat and poultry products made with the jalapeños | Nationwide | Alert 08082026-01 | *Sources: FDA and FSIS recall notices and public health alert, as of Aug. 20, 2026.* Notices are posted for [Taylor Fresh Foods](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/taylor-fresh-foods-recalls-products-made-jalapeno-peppers-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com), [Whole Foods Market](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/whole-foods-market-announces-recall-select-salsas-guacamole-pico-de-gallo-and-prepared-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com), [NatureBest](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/naturebest-precut-produce-llc-voluntarily-recalls-products-containing-jalapenos-due-potential?ref=foodsafetynews.com), [Salata Dressings](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/recall-jalapeno-avocado-dressing-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [Hardie's Fresh Foods](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/hardies-fresh-foods-recalls-jalapenos-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com). FSIS has published its [alert](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-various-meat-and-poultry-products-containing-fda-0?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and a [product list](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/distro%5Flist/2026-08/PHA-08082026-01-product-list%5F1.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **FDA's advisory is running behind its own recall page** The advisory's downstream recall list names NatureBest, Whole Foods Market and Taylor Fresh Foods, plus the FSIS alert. The Salata and Hardie's recalls, both published on [FDA's recall page](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts?ref=foodsafetynews.com), are not on it. The advisory's case counts, its 27-state list and its stated last illness onset of July 20 also predate the CDC update. The advisory's "Stores affected" section still states that Coast Citrus does not appear to supply jalapeños directly to grocery stores. The next sentence names eight retail banners that received products made with the peppers: Hannaford, H-E-B, Kroger, Stop and Shop, Target, Trader Joe's, Walmart and Whole Foods. CDC's page names 13, adding Albertsons, RaceTrac, Randalls, Tom Thumb and Wawa. The Hardie's recall covers whole peppers in bags on a Costco shelf. FDA says the investigation is ongoing and that the advisory will be updated as additional information becomes available. **The grower has still not been identified** Both agencies describe the source the same way, as a common grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplies Coast Citrus. Neither has named it. FDA says Coast Citrus is no longer importing from that grower. Taylor Fresh Foods says it is no longer sourcing from "this farmer" and is filling orders from alternative suppliers. Under the FDA Food Traceability Rule, produce including peppers will carry lot-level records through the supply chain, but the compliance date has been pushed to July 2028. **What consumers should do** Recalled items carry best-by dates that in some cases ran into mid-August, so product may still be in home refrigerators. Consumers should check for the recalled products, throw them out or return them for a refund, and wash and sanitize surfaces and containers the peppers or products may have touched. Most people infected with *Salmonella* develop diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps six hours to six days after exposure, and most recover in four to seven days without treatment. Children under 5, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of severe illness. CDC advises anyone with a fever above 102 degrees, bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than two days without improvement, vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down or signs of dehydration to contact a health care provider. CDC lists the investigation status as open and FDA lists it as ongoing. Case counts and recall lists in this report reflect the federal record as of Aug. 20, 2026. ### Publisher’s Platform: The President Has Nominated Dr. Heidi Overton to Run FDA. She Would Inherit the Largest Cyclospora Outbreak Ever Recorded, and Here Is the To-Do List I Would Put on Her Desk. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-the-president-has-nominated-dr-heidi-overton-to-run-fda-she-would-inherit-the-largest-cyclospora-outbreak-ever-recorded-and-here-is-the-to-do-list-i-would-put-on-her/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T05:11:20.000Z President Trump [announced on Wednesday](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-picks-white-house-aide-dr-heidi-overton-to-lead-fda?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that he will nominate Dr. Heidi Overton, deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, as the next Commissioner of Food and Drugs. If the Senate confirms her, she inherits an agency that [as of Monday](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) was counting 15,716 laboratory-confirmed *Cyclospora* infections, 828 hospitalizations and two deaths, with 11,841 more reports still being worked through, plus open investigations into jalapeños and shell eggs. I wish her well. Now here is the desk. A word about what this is not. Her confirmation will be fought over the abortion pill and the childhood vaccine schedule. Senator Cassidy, who chairs the committee that has to move her, has already said he has [strong concerns](https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-picks-dr-heidi-overton-top-fda-job/story?id=135777387&ref=foodsafetynews.com). That argument belongs to people who know those subjects better than I do, and I am not going to pretend otherwise. My interest is the other half of the agency, the half that regulates roughly eighty percent of what Americans eat. My prediction is that her hearing runs three hours without one question about lettuce. She arrives without a food background. Food Safety Magazine [said so the day the news broke](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11743-trump-to-nominate-dr-heidi-overton-for-next-fda-commissioner?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and it is not an insult. Almost nobody arrives with one. Marty Makary did not have one. Scott Gottlieb did not have one. What is different is the timing. She would take the job in the middle of the largest outbreak of this parasite this country has ever recorded, in an agency that has been losing senior people all year, with no permanent head named for the human foods program, and with the acting commissioner reported to have been offered the permanent job more than once and to have said no each time. That is the building. On August 7 I published [fifteen things FDA and CDC could do](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-i-have-been-told-i-am-too-hard-on-industry-and-on-the-government-here-are-fifteen-things-fda-and-cdc-could-do-about-cyclospora/) about this outbreak, sorted by how long each one takes. Five of them belong to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and to nobody else. These are the five, and they do not require an act of Congress, an appropriation, or a single change of heart at the White House. 1\. Say who runs food and say it in the first week. The human foods program has been led by an acting commissioner who was simultaneously running the whole agency. Food is not a portfolio that survives being somebody’s second job. Name a deputy commissioner for human foods, give the position a public calendar, and let the country see who answers when a parasite turns up in a salad. 2\. Grant the Stop Foodborne Illness citizen petition on naming companies. It has been pending since February, and it comes from a nonprofit that parents of children killed by contaminated food built in 1993, the same year I started this work. When a food makes people sick, the public should learn which company grew it, which company processed it and which company sold it, not a letter of the alphabet. Produce very often carries no brand at all, which is why the disclosure has to reach the processor and the grower, not just the retailer with its name on the bag. 3\. Say what is in the clusters the agency cannot explain. CDC now says on its own public page that it and FDA are looking [at least six other clusters](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) of this parasite whose sources have not been confirmed. Those files sit in a table with hundreds of sick people in them and no food named beside any of them. Somebody should be able to say out loud what has been ruled out, what is still being chased, and why none of it has produced an answer. 4\. Put the traceability rule back on the calendar. FSMA section 204 was written to let investigators follow a head of lettuce back to a field in days instead of weeks, and its compliance date now sits in 2028\. Every argument for the delay assumed there would not be a summer like this one. There was a summer like this one. 5\. Name this parasite in the pre-harvest agricultural water rule and go look at the water. The only numeric microbial criterion growers must meet is generic *E. coli*, and the agency’s own [action plan and testing methods](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclospora-prevention-response-and-research-action-plan?ref=foodsafetynews.com)acknowledge that indicator testing will not find *Cyclospora*. We are requiring the wrong test and treating the result as a safeguard. In 2013, after the last big outbreak traced to the same region of Mexico, FDA said it would sample the water. Somebody should find out whether that ever happened. The contamination happened in a field in central Mexico in the spring, and no memorandum signed in College Park in September reaches backward. What they would have done is make this summer shorter, smaller and legible. And not one of the five is partisan. The traceability rule was written under one administration and delayed under two. There is a sixth thing, and it is not on the list because it is not a policy. It is a practice, and I have been asking for it since 1993\. Spend an hour with somebody this happened to. Not a briefing, not a listening session, not a roundtable with the trade associations in the other chairs. An hour with one of the 828 people hospitalized this summer, or with the family of one of the two who died. I [asked the Secretary for that hour in June](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/an-open-letter-to-secretary-kennedy-you-met-the-ceos-the-parents-are-still-waiting/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) about a different outbreak and different families, and as far as I can tell it has not happened. I am asking the next Commissioner before she is sworn in, when her calendar is the emptiest it will ever be. I have watched commissioners arrive since 1993, each with an agenda, and I have outlasted every one of them. That is not a boast. It is the problem, and it is the reason I am writing this the day the name came out rather than the day something goes wrong. The last acting commissioner spent August [telling Americans to feel confident about lettuce](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-on-the-day-cdc-confirmed-13-895-cyclospora-cases-the-acting-fda-commissioner-told-americans-to-feel-confident-about-lettuce-we-need-leadership-not-cheerleaders/) while the count went up. Confidence is not a thing you can hand out. It is a thing you earn back. The five items cost a memorandum apiece. The hour costs an hour. Take the hour first, and the other five will write themselves. ### Cheese and lettuce behind French Cryptosporidium outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/cheese-and-lettuce-behind-french-cryptosporidium-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T04:03:14.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Eggs blamed in Chinese Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/eggs-blamed-in-chinese-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T04:01:43.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher’s Platform: California Lettuce Was Never Implicated. California Growers Plowed Under a Third of the Crop Anyway. Here Is What the Trade Associations, Washington and the Rest of Us Can Actually Do About It. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-california-lettuce-was-never-implicated-california-growers-plowed-under-a-third-of-the-crop-anyway-here-is-what-the-trade-associations-washington-and-the-rest-of-us-/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T16:04:39.000Z The California Farm Bureau published a piece by Caleb Hampton this morning and it says the quiet part plainly. [California lettuce was never implicated in this outbreak](https://www.agalert.com/california-ag-news/archives/august-19-2026/cyclospora-fallout-hits-california-farmers/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The recall covered seventeen days of shredded iceberg from one Taylor Farms facility in Guanajuato. Mexico ships very little lettuce north in the summer. Nearly all of it comes off the Central Coast, and the Central Coast is where the loss landed. Growers destroyed about a third of the lettuce standing ready to harvest. Dick Peixoto of Lakeside Organic Gardens in Watsonville told Ag Alert that his farm has about as much to do with Taylor Farms bagged salads as it does with Oscar Mayer wieners, and he spent the past few weeks laying off harvest crews and plowing his lettuce under anyway. Ryan Kelly at Boutonnet Farms in Salinas says the collapse has erased his entire profit margin for the year and cancelled his October orders. The Salinas vegetable season draws tens of thousands of people into harvesting, processing and trucking, and Kelly says it is going to be very painful for that community. The measured version. Iceberg sales fell 25.4 percent and prepacked salads 34.2 percent between July 18 and August 8, with all fresh produce down 9.9 percent and strawberries, blackberries and raspberries down 14.7, 16.4 and 28.1 percent. Berries have nothing to do with this outbreak. Dave Puglia of Western Growers says the early speculation landed on them anyway. California lettuce sales were about $3.7 billion in 2024. I have written this before, under the title [Reap What You Sow](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-reap-what-you-sow/). Traceability is not a tax on the innocent. It is the only thing that protects them. When you can name the grower in a day, one farm takes the loss. When you cannot, the whole category takes it. You cannot lobby away the pathogen. You can only lobby away the ability to find it, and when you succeed you do not stop being blamed. You just lose the evidence that would have cleared you. The growers in this piece say it is the worst crisis of consumer confidence since the 2006 spinach outbreak, and 2006 is the right comparison, because 2006 produced the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement: voluntary, covering virtually all of California commercial production, with food safety rules, mandatory audits and, in its own words, traceback and recall protocols. Growers built that themselves, unbidden, because they understood after 2006 that reputation in this business is collective. Then other parts of the industry [asked Congress to push the federal version to 2028](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/who-asked-congress-to-delay-the-food-traceability-rule-their-own-filings-name-them-and-the-members-who-wrote-the-bill-sit-on-the-subcommittee-that-funds-the-fda/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and got a funding prohibition that stops FDA from enforcing a rule that is already law, [fifteen and a half years](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/congress-told-the-fda-to-write-the-food-traceability-rule-by-january-2013-enforcement-now-begins-in-july-2028-here-is-how-fifteen-and-a-half-years-went-by/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) after Congress ordered it written. Here is the opening. Puglia says the outbreak showed there is a need to open the doors wider and give consumers greater visibility into the food safety practices and standards the industry has developed. I agree with him and I am going to take him at his word. His own organization has De Ann Davis on the record saying Western Growers supports the traceability rule, and [Joelle Mosso on the record](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/joelle-mosso-wants-better-risk-communication-the-fastest-way-to-get-it-is-the-food-traceability-rule-that-got-pushed-to-2028/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) asking for better risk communication. Three voices, one association, one door. One disclosure. My firm represents people sickened in this outbreak and we have filed cases naming Taylor Farms entities as defendants. You should know where I sit. Let me end somewhere better than where I usually do. I made a version of this list in July and [a longer one on the seventh of this month](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-i-have-been-told-i-am-too-hard-on-industry-and-on-the-government-here-are-fifteen-things-fda-and-cdc-could-do-about-cyclospora/), and I am going to make it again, because the *Cyclospora* season is not over. **The trade associations.** This is the ask I most want heard, because you can move tomorrow without anyone’s permission. LGMA wrote traceback and recall protocols into a voluntary agreement in 2007 and has said almost nothing publicly since the middle of July. Say something. Say that the federal rule your members already largely satisfy should take effect on the original schedule and put a *Cyclospora* specific water standard into the metrics instead of waiting for FDA. The International Fresh Produce Association went on the record against the delays and should repeat that to the appropriations subcommittee, in writing, by name. Western Growers has three officers pointing the same way and should make it association policy. The Food Industry Association and the National Grocers Association applauded the delay; the category you were protecting just lost a third of a crop, and withdrawing that ask would cost you nothing but the admission. The National Restaurant Association already tells its own members that washing cannot guarantee removal of this parasite, which is an argument for finding the lot faster, and it should say so where it counts. **Growers, shippers and buyers.** Treat the water and validate the treatment against the right organism. The leafy greens metrics [already require](https://www.wga.com/news/new-water-management-standards-for-leafy-greens/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) growers using surface water for overhead irrigation to treat it within 21 days of harvest, but the treatment is scored against generic *E. coli*, and FDA says in [its own voice](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclosporiasis-and-fresh-produce?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that chlorine does not work against *Cyclospora* and that indicator testing will not find it. Add human specific markers so you know when human waste is in your irrigation source. Build the lot level records now rather than in 2028; Kroger already told its suppliers to be ready, and any large buyer can require traceability by contract tomorrow morning without help from Congress. Extend field sanitation to every crew, not only operations with eleven or more hand laborers. And publish the audit results, which was Puglia’s idea, not mine. **FDA and CDC.** Name *Cyclospora* in the agricultural water rule, where the only numeric microbial criterion in [Subpart E](https://www.fda.gov/media/164540/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is generic *E. coli*. Finish the internal product tracing system Section 204 ordered built in 2011 and that GAO reported in January still does not exist. Fund validated detection methods, because nearly every inactivation study in the literature rides on a surrogate organism. Put this organism on the [National Wastewater Surveillance System](https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) panel, which already draws on about 1,500 sites and does not include it. Restore the reporting that [became optional on July 1, 2025](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089?ref=foodsafetynews.com). And keep this month’s changes: the new section on the clusters nobody can explain, and the epidemiologic curve, are real improvements. **Public health, and the people who actually do this work.** State and local agencies perform about half of all food processing facility inspections, ninety percent of produce safety inspections and every retail inspection in this country, and they are also the ones who pick up the phone and ask a sick person what they ate. Michigan interviewed more than 2,900 people to get where it got. Attribution in this outbreak is built out of interviews and nothing else, which means the speed of the answer is a direct function of how many people are available to ask the question. On July 1, 2025, the national surveillance network went from eight pathogens to two, and *Cyclospora* was one of the six dropped. Twelve months later the largest outbreak of it in American history began. The first illness started on June 14 and the food was not named until July 17, and every week in that gap was a week of product still moving. Fund the surveillance, fund the state and local investigators, and fund the labs behind them. Faster work is not a nicety here. It is the difference between a cluster and thirty thousand people. **And one structural thing.** When it is over, somebody has to be able to say why it happened. Frank Yiannas has been arguing for an independent board, modeled on the one that investigates airplane crashes, to find the root cause of foodborne outbreaks and publish it. [I have written about why he is right](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-frank-yiannas-wants-an-independent-board-to-investigate-foodborne-outbreaks-set-the-airplanes-aside-fda-wrote-the-right-recommendation-about-this-lettuce-in-2013-and/), and about the part of it that has nothing to do with airplanes. In 2013 FDA investigated this same parasite at this same facility in this same growing region, and wrote the correct recommendation: find out whether *Cyclospora* is a reasonably likely hazard there, and if it is, re-evaluate the wash step. Nobody was ever assigned to answer it. Thirteen years later we are here again, and the reason is not that the investigators did poor work. It is that there was no addressee, no clock and nobody tracking whether anything happened next. **Congress.** Strike the funding prohibition. The rule exists and is law; Congress has simply forbidden the agency to spend a dollar enforcing it until the summer of 2028\. Fund the sequencing that would let investigators tell one cluster from another. And rebuild something like the Microbiological Data Program, which cost about five million dollars a year, ran 120,887 samples in 42 states and triggered 23 produce recalls in its last two years before it was zeroed out in 2012\. That is the cheapest trip wire this industry will ever be offered. **Consumers.** I am not going to tell you to wash your lettuce harder, because it does not work. The useful things are different. If you have had watery diarrhea for more than a few days, see a doctor and ask for a stool test or a gastrointestinal panel, because most of these cases are never confirmed and an outbreak is only as visible as the tests somebody ordered. If a health department calls, answer every question about what you ate, because attribution here is built out of interviews and nothing else. And ask your grocer who grew it. People are already doing that at farmers markets, paying a premium for traceability while Washington defunds the rule that would supply it. **Final Ask.** One more thing that is not on any list, for the people in government and industry who make these decisions. Sit down with a family whose child spent the summer in a hospital. It changes what the numbers mean. None of this requires anyone to admit fault. It requires treating the ability to find the source as insurance rather than expense, because the growers who plowed under a third of their crop this month were insured by nothing at all. Fix the finding and one farm takes the loss instead of ninety percent of the lettuce. Do that and you put me out of the fresh fruit and vegetable business, and I would go gladly. ### Belgian Salmonella outbreak climbs to 300 cases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/belgian-salmonella-outbreak-climbs-to-300-cases/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T04:05:26.000Z Hundreds of people have fallen sick in a Salmonella outbreak in Belgium traced to eggs. The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) confirmed to **Food Safety News** that 300 people are ill in the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak, up from 236 in May. Patients range in age from less than 1 to 96 years old with women making up 45 percent of cases. Symptoms included vomiting and diarrhea. The patients fell sick between Feb. 19, 2025, and July 25, 2026\. There is a delay of a few weeks representing the time needed to send samples to the lab and perform whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis, so more recent cases could still be reported. Laerco BV issued a second withdrawal and recall of eggs in August stamped with certain codes because of the possible presence of Salmonella. The first recall was in May. Affected codes are "2-BE-1073-01", "2-BE-1073-02", "2-BE-1073-03" and "2-BE-1073-04." After laying, eggs must be delivered to the consumer within 28 days, so the latest affected date is September 4. In May, contamination was confined to a single poultry house, and restrictions were applied only to that unit. Recently, Salmonella was detected in another poultry house at the same site, so measures have been extended to the entire facility. In the initial incident, Salmonella was found in a dust sample taken from a Laerco chicken coop and subsequent analysis revealed it was the same type detected in patients. According to a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notification, the eggs were also distributed to France, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the implicated eggs and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Overton expected to be next FDA commissioner URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/overton-expected-to-be-next-fda-commissioner/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T04:04:46.000Z President Trump is expected to nominate Dr. Heidi Overton to head the Food and Drug Administration, according to a source close to the story. Overton is currently Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Previously she was chief policy officer and vice chair for the Center for a Healthy America at the conservative think tank America First Policy Institute. She will succeed acting chief Kyle Diamantas who was appoint to the post on an interim basis following Marty Makary's resignation. Recently, Overton served as a White House Fellow in 2019-2020 in both the Office of American Innovation and the Domestic Policy Council. She is board-certified in public health and general preventive medicine. Overton does not have any experience with food policy or the food industry. Previously, Overton was a general surgery resident at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a physician advocate for price and quality transparency in healthcare through Restoring Medicine. During medical school, Overton was appointed by Governor Susana Martinez to serve on the University of New Mexico Board of Regents, which included fiduciary and full-voting responsibilities for all business and clinical operations of the university and health system. Overton graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Health, Medicine, and Human Values from University of New Mexico’s Combined BA/MD Program, received her medical degree from the UNM School of Medicine, and obtained her Ph.D. in Clinical Investigation from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. The news of Overton's impending nomination was first reported by Bloomberg News. ### UK reports Salmonella outbreak with 200 sick and one dead URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/uk-reports-salmonella-outbreak-with-200-sick-and-one-dead/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T07:42:32.000Z More than 200 people have been sickened across the United Kingdom in a Salmonella outbreak and one person has died. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), there are 207 confirmed cases between Aug. 11, 2025, and Aug. 1, 2026, with the majority in July. Testing has revealed patient samples are closely related, indicating a common source of contamination. A total of 199 patients live in England, six are from Scotland while Wales and Northern Ireland both have one case each. London has the most people sick with 47 while 38 are from Yorkshire and Humber. Cases range from less than 1 to 90 years old with a median age of 30\. Across all age groups, 105 are female. Overall, 38 percent of people with information available were admitted to hospitals with salmonellosis symptoms and two people had a bloodstream infection. There has also been one death. The Gastrointestinal Infections, Food Safety and One Health (GIFSOH) division at the UKHSA identified an increase in cases of Salmonella Enteritidis in late May caused by a single strain using whole genome sequencing (WGS) data. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s (ECDC) EpiPulse platform was used to notify countries of the outbreak, and several EU member states have reported genetically related cases. **Link to eating out and eggs** The outbreak investigation involves public health and food safety agencies across the UK, including the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Only six people reported going to countries outside the UK before getting sick. So far, 114 cases have been interviewed and have completed a questionnaire. This found 95 people had eaten food prepared outside the home in the week prior to symptom onset. Patient interviews revealed five food businesses where two or more cases reported going to in the week before getting sick. These companies link 24 cases. Eleven of them reported eating dishes made with eggs. Investigations have identified that these sites are supplied with eggs from multiple sources, including importers. Local investigations have also found possible cross-contamination risks. There is no link to UK-produced eggs or poultry. The current incident could be connected to an outbreak from 2025 linked to imported eggs. At least 123 people fell sick between May and October 2025. Hannah Charles, lead epidemiologist, gastrointestinal infections at UKHSA, said theoutbreak may be linked to imported eggs. “Salmonellosis is often caused by eating or handling contaminated food and can be spread rarely from person-to-person. Symptoms of a Salmonella infection include diarrhea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever,” she said. “There are simple steps to prevent the spread of Salmonella: wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and before preparing and handling food, cook food thoroughly, and if you have any symptoms, avoid handling food for others where possible.” Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council, said the group has repeatedly raised concerns about the risks associated with imported eggs and egg products with the government. “It is deeply concerning that imported eggs are once again under scrutiny in connection with a serious Salmonella outbreak. British Lion egg producers have invested heavily in world-leading food safety controls, including mandatory Salmonella vaccination, traceability and independent auditing, yet increasing volumes of imports produced under less stringent regulations continue to arrive," he said. “There must be a level playing field. Imported eggs and egg products entering the UK should meet standards equivalent to those expected of British producers if we are serious about protecting British consumers. Food businesses and caterers should not have to compromise on food safety when sourcing eggs." **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### The last mile of a food safety recall: It is not complete until consumers are protected URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/the-last-mile-of-a-food-safety-recall-it-is-not-complete-until-consumers-are-protected/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T04:01:44.000Z Imagine being the parent of an infant and learning that the baby formula in your home may be associated with a life-threatening illness. You rush to the pantry and begin looking for which product codes are associated with a recall notice web site, and you can’t find the codes. Perhaps the container has already been discarded but you know you have used that brand. Perhaps you never even heard about the recall until after the product had been consumed and you’re at the hospital with your sick infant. In June 2026, Nara Organics recalled all lots of its powdered infant formula after FDA investigated four confirmed cases of infant botulism among infants who had consumed the product. The recall was announced quickly, but issuing a recall and reaching every household that may still possess the product are not the same thing. That distinction is not theoretical. During a the ByHeart infant formula recall, FDA found recalled product [remaining on retail shelves after retailers had already been notified](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-infant-botulism-infant-formula-november-2025?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The FDA, along with state and local partners, [conducted over 4,000 checks at retail locations](https://www.fda.gov/food/recalls-outbreaks-emergencies/fda-calls-food-industry-leaders-strengthen-recall-compliance-and-ensure-recall-effectiveness?ref=foodsafetynews.com) across the country following the [recall of infant formula](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/byheart-updates-information-regarding-voluntary-recall-all-batches-byheart-whole-nutrition-infant?ref=foodsafetynews.com) related to an outbreak of infant botulism. During these checks, they discovered that recalled product remained available for sale at over 175 retail locations across 36 states. In one case, recalled product remained available for sale over three weeks after the recall was initiated, and in another case, the recalled product was offered at a discounted price, with the promotional period beginning five days after the recall had been expanded to include all infant formula products from the manufacturer in question. In several cases, recalled product returned by consumers was placed back on shelves. The FDA stated that these preventable situations placed America’s most vulnerable population—infants, for whom infant formula is often a sole source of nutrition—at continued risk of serious illness. FDA [issued warning letters](https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/compliance-actions-and-activities/warning-letters?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in December 2025 to several retailers citing failures to effectuate the recall of adulterated infant formula at their retail locations. If a recalled product can remain in commerce in retail grocery shelves or available online after a recall begins, it can certainly remain in consumers' pantries, freezers, vacation homes, and the homes of grandparents or other caregivers. Prior to this during the [Boars Head Listeria outbreak in 2024](https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/delimeats-7-24/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), there were multiple complaints of recalled food stored in consumers homes and consumed after a recall notice, as evidenced by [class actions filed in early August 2024](https://milberg.com/news/boars-head-deli-meat-class-action-lawsuit/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and a subsequent [individual injury lawsuit](https://nypost.com/2024/08/02/business/queens-woman-files-class-action-suit-against-boars-head-over-deli-meat-recall-linked-to-listeria-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com); in both cases attorneys argued that Boar’s Head’s recall was "designed to reach very few people". The lawsuits stated that normal everyday consumers did not receive direct text alerts, emails, or clear in-store signage, leading them to consume products already in their refrigerators weeks after the media broadcasted the notice A recall may have been initiated, publicized, and reported by the industry and government regulators. Yet from the consumer's perspective and the public health, it has failed if they are not aware and the dangerous product is still consumed after the recall notice. **The measure we are missing** [FDA guidance](https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/initiation-voluntary-recalls-under-21-cfr-part-7-subpart-c?ref=foodsafetynews.com) describes recall effectiveness primarily as verification that recall communications reached direct consignees and that those distribution and retail businesses understood and followed the recall instructions. This includes requirements for [public warning. ](https://www.fda.gov/media/71814/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) The FDA provides [specific guidance](https://www.fda.gov/media/110457/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to assist and provide recommendations to industry and FDA staff regarding the use, content, and circumstances for issuance of public warnings and public notifications for firm-initiated or FDA-requested recalls. These procedures are essential for controlling product within the commercial distribution chain. However, the regulations do not create any legal obligation for newspapers, television stations, radio stations, internet news sites, trade publications, or social media platforms to republish that information. They also don’t routinely measure whether the consumer who ultimately purchased the product had received the communication, or confirmed the actions recommended, or whether it was consumed after the recall announcement. There does not appear to be a routinely published national measure of the percentage of recalled food successfully removed from consumers' homes. That absence represents a public-health blind spot. The government and industry measure recall execution far better than recall effectiveness. **The last mile of a food safety recall** The food industry is investing heavily in the traceability of ingredients from suppliers through manufacturing, distribution, and retail sales and service due to [pending FDA requirements](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Yet traceability requirements end at the checkout counter or restaurant. The last mile of a food safety recall (**Figure 1**) is the final, often unmeasured, step between identifying a recalled product in commerce, and alerting a consumer to avoid consumption. Consumer notification and verification of receipt should become a formal component of every recall plan rather than an activity that relies primarily on voluntary media (broadcast and social) coverage or industry and government websites. **The technology already exists** This is not a technology problem. Several grocery brands have publicly described systems that notify customers who may have purchased recalled products using email and register receipt messages. Some have used membership purchase records to send recall notices directly to members whose purchase histories indicate they bought the recalled product. Some also communicate recalls through direct email using online ordering purchase-history information supporting customer communications. However membership requirements often preclude these individual methods from reaching all the likely customers of a recalled product. The next generation of recall notifications to consumers should include the means for the consumer to quickly confirm if a product in their home has been recalled and/or provide notification of purchase specific product possession in cases where the product packaging is no longer available. For example, if all high risk packaged food products like infant formula had product lot specific QR codes that the consumer could scan themselves, and the QR codes were linked to the product manufacturer’s website that quickly informed the customer not to use the product during a recall (and perhaps included instructions for replacement), consumers could check the safety of a product quickly. To cover gaps when product packaging has been discarded but the consumer knows they have already consumed a product, voluntary digital pantry applications or mobile apps that automatically compare products purchased (e.g., via scanning QR codes) against recall databases via voluntary registration of purchase history for higher-risk products such as infant formula could be additionally helpful. Even a voluntary registration into a national Amber Alert system (e.g., parents or caregivers who purchase infant formula) would be better than the current state of recall communications. Instead of consumers searching for recall information about a product they have purchased, recall information should search for consumers. **Recall efffectiveness index might encourage government and industry innovation and action** The government should establish a Recall Effectiveness Index (REI) as an industry performance metric. Rather than measuring only how quickly a recall was initiated, the REI would evaluate: (1) identification of affected products and volume of sales at retail; (2) speed of consumer notification; (3) percentage of identifiable purchasers successfully reached; (4) consumer action and product removal; and (5) public-health outcomes, including illnesses occurring after recall initiation. What gets measured gets managed. If recall effectiveness is never measured at the consumer level, the last mile will remain the weakest part of the recall system and continue to lead to illnesses and deaths from previously recalled food products. **Doing the right thing** Food companies possess sophisticated capabilities to communicate with customers before a purchase through advertising, loyalty programs, mobile applications, and digital marketing. Those same capabilities should be used when protecting public health. If companies can find customers to sell them food, they should make every reasonable effort to find those same customers when a product may place them at risk. That is more than regulatory compliance—it is corporate responsibility. Food safety does not end when contaminated product leaves the manufacturing facility, nor when a recall press release is issued. It ends only when recalled food is no longer capable of harming consumers. Companies, retailers, regulators, and technology providers already possess many of the tools needed to close the last mile of a food safety recall. The next step is to make direct consumer notification and verification an expected component of every high-risk recall. A recall should not be considered successful simply because a press release was issued. It should be considered successful only after every reasonable effort has been made to identify affected consumers, and notify them promptly so they can remove dangerous products from their homes. That is what consumers expect—and it is the right thing to do. ### Frozen fruit bars recalled after consumers find glass pieces URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/frozen-fruit-bars-recalled-after-consumers-find-glass-pieces/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T03:48:38.000Z Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Inc. is recalling select flavors of Outshine Fruit Bars because of consumer complaints about contamination with glass. Products affected include Outshine Strawberry, Watermelon, Grape, Tangerine and Black Cherry 6-Count 2.5 ounce Fruit Bars and the Outshine 24-Count 2.5 ounce Variety Pack Fruit Bars. The products were distributed to retailers nationwide. Dreyer’s is taking this action following consumer reports of glass found in the product. No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider immediately. Consumers who have purchased the affected product should dispose of it or return it to their place of purchase for a full refund. For photos of the implicated products, [click here](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/updated-dreyers-grand-ice-cream-inc-issues-voluntary-recall-select-outshine-fruit-bars-due-possible?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The following products are subject to recall: | **Product Packaging** | **Batch Code/Best Before** **Date** | **UPC** | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- | | See Image Below | Batch code/ Best Before (bottom of package):LLA616903 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA617003 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA617103 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA617203 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA617303 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA617403 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA617503 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA617603 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA620303 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620403 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620503 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620603 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620703 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620803 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620903 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA621003 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA621103 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA621203 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA621303 – 30 NOV 2027 LLA621403 – 30 NOV 2027 LLA621503 – 30 NOV 2027 LLA621603 – 30 NOV 2027 | See Image Below | | See Image Below | Batch code/ Best Before (bottom of package): LLA616803 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA616903 – 30 SEP 2027 LLA619703 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA619803 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA619903 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620003 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620103 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620203 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA620303 – 31 OCT 2027 | See Image Below | | See Image Below | Batch code/ Best Before (bottom of package): LLA617603 – 30 JUN 2027 LLA617703 – 30 JUN 2027 LLA617803 – 30 JUN 2027 LLA617903 – 30 JUN 2027 LLA618003 – 30 JUN 2027 LLA618103 – 30 JUN 2027 LLA618203 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA618303 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA618403 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA618503 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA619003 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA619103 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA619203 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA619303 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA619403 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA619503 – 31 JUL 2027 | See Image Below | | See Image Below | Batch code/ Best Before (bottom of package): LLA618503 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA618603 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA618703 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA618803 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA618903 – 31 JUL 2027 LLA619003 – 31 JUL 2027 | See Image Below | | See Image Below | Batch code/ Best Before (bottom of package): LLA619603 – 31 OCT 2027 LLA619703 – 31 OCT 2027 | See Image Below | | See Image Below | Batch code/ Best Before (bottom of package: LLA603840 – 31 MAY 2027 LLA605540 – 31 MAY 2027 LLA605640 – 31 MAY 2027 LLA605740 – 31 MAY 2027 LLA605940 – 31 MAY 2027 | See Image Below | ### CDC reports more than 1,800 additional Cyclospora patients in past week URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/cdc-reports-more-than-1-800-additional-cyclospora-patients-in-past-week/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T20:29:38.000Z The number of patients in multiple outbreaks of Cyclospora infections continues to grow, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting more than 1,800 additional patients compared to a week ago. Since May 1, the CDC has received reports of 15,716 laboratory-confirmed reports of infections from the Cyclospora parasite. That is up from the 13,895 patients logged a week ago. The CDC is reporting at least 828 hospitalizations, with two patients having died in Michigan. The sick people are spread across 47 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. For comparison purposes, the CDC logged 1,180 cases of Cyclospora infections from May 1 through Aug. 31 in 2025. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/08/cyclospora-timeline-08-18-26.png) Timeline for illnesses in 2026 In addition to the 15,716 confirmed patients so far this year, the CDC is aware of another 11,841 patients who need lab work to confirm their infections. Also, there are likely many more patients who have not been identified at all because for every one person who is confirmed in a Cyclospora outbreak there are 83 who go completely undetected. This is because some don’t seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for Cyclospora parasites. Of the patients identified so far, the people became sick in the United States and did not report any international travel during the 14 days before they became ill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/08/cyclospora-map-08-18-26.png) They patients range in age from 1 to 99 years old, with a median age of 46, and 57 percent are female. The median illness onset date was July 7, with a range from May 1 to Aug. 13. The CDC is also tracking an outbreak of Cyclospora infections related to iceberg lettuce products from a Taylor Farms growing operation in Central Mexico. The most recent patient count in that outbreak has not been updated since last week. As of then there were 9,481 patients. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say washing produce will not remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. Also, chlorine will not kill the parasites. ### Jalapeno dressing recalled because of potential Salmonella contamination URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/jalapeno-dressing-recalled-because-of-potential-salmonella-contamination/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T01:15:49.000Z Salata Dressings of Houston, TX, is recalling its Jalapeno Avocado Dressing because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled products were distributed in Texas HEB grocery stores between July 13 and Aug. 5. The recalled Jalapeno Avocado Dressing sold at HEB comes in 12-ounce plastic bottles with a black cap, with a Best By date of 11/05/2026, 11/13/2026, 11/18/2026, or 11/25/2026 located on at the top of the label. The affected ingredient was received across 4 lots, produced into finished product between 07/08/2026 and 07/29/2026. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the products affected in this recall. The recall was initiated by Salata Dressings after the company's supplier notified it that diced jalapeños used in the affected products may have been contaminated with Salmonella and possibly associated with a multistate outbreak that FDA is currently investigating. Upon receiving this notice, the company immediately identified all affected finished product, ceased further distribution, quarantined the product, destroyed the product and notified HEB immediately. The company did not include a product photo with its recall notice. ### Bread recalled after pallet nail found in product URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/bread-recalled-after-pallet-nail-found-in-product/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T01:06:41.000Z Grand Central Bakery of Seattle, WA, is recalling loaves of Potato Sourdough because they may contain the presence of pieces of metal. The following products are subject to recall and sold at grocery stores, select restaurants, wholesalers, and four Grand Central Bakery Café locations within Seattle and Tacoma Metro areas in Washington on Aug. 10. Grand Central Bakery café locations in Seattle area in WA: - Burien, Eastlake, Wallingford, Wedgewood Other grocery stores in Seattle/Tacoma area in WA: - Central Co-op - Fred Meyer Stores - Hilltop Red Apple - Ken's Markets - Marketime Foods - PCC Markets - QFC Stores - Town & Country Market - Thriftway Stores - Whole Foods Markets - Yakima Fruit Markets No injuries or illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. The recall was initiated after a pallet nail was discovered in a loaf of Potato Sourdough Bread. If you have purchased any of these products please dispose of them. ### Almond spread recalled after allergic reaction reported URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/almond-spread-recalled-after-allergic-reaction-reported/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T00:52:21.000Z L-Nutra of Culver City, CA, is recalling Prolon brand Apulian Almond & Cocoa Spread because it contains undeclared cashew, pistachio and hazelnut. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to cashew, pistachio, and/or hazelnut run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. To date, L-Nutra has documented one confirmed allergic reaction associated with this product. The product was distributed via L-Nutra's e-commerce site, ProlonLife.com, either as a direct purchase or included in certain Prolon product bundles. Recalled product can be identified as follows: Prolon brand Apulian Almond & Cocoa Spread, packaged in 8.47-ounce (240g) glass jars with UPC 850040360530\. The recalled lot is L2755, and the expiration date is Jan. 2, 2027, which can be found on the jar cap, directly beneath the expiration date. The company did not include a product photo with its recall notice. The recall was initiated after testing confirmed the presence of undeclared tree nut allergens in product that did not disclose these ingredients on its label. The cause is still under investigation. At this time, Lot L2755 is the only lot known to be affected. Consumers who have the recalled product should stop consuming it immediately. ### Jalapenos recalled from Costco stores because of Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/jalapenos-recalled-from-costco-stores-because-of-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T00:40:04.000Z Dairyland Produce LLC, dba Hardie’s Fresh Foods of Houston, TX, and Dallas, TX, are recalling PEPPER JALAPENO 5#, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The Jalapenos were distributed to the following Costco locations: - Store #1487 at 12717 Network Drive, Stafford, TX - Store #0655 at 8282 Park Lane, Dallas, TX The affected jalapenos are in clear plastic bags with pink stick-on labels. Lot codes being recalled are: X2741775, X2741859, X2744163, X2744706, X2746349, X2746490, X2748743\. Production dates are: 26192 (07/11/26), 26196 (07/15/26), 26197 (07/16/26), 26199 (07/18/26), and 26203 (07/22/26). These jalapenos were repacked by Hardie’s Fresh Foods. Hardies’ Fresh Foods has ceased the production and distribution of the product. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Deadline looms for comments on regulation regarding food dye URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/deadline-looms-for-comments-on-regulation-regarding-food-dyes/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T04:08:50.000Z The deadline for submitting comments on the FDA’s proposed revocation of the use of Citrus Red No. 2 as a color additive in food is approaching. The Trump Administration says the move is a big step toward Making America Healthy Again. Citrus Red No. 2 has been authorized since 1959 for coloring the skins of mature oranges. The revocation of use be the Food and Drug Administration will have virtually no impact because industry abandoned the use of the substance several years ago. However, officials with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration say the action is a step toward meeting the intent of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Swiss scientists reveal Listeria trends URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/swiss-scientists-reveal-listeria-trends/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T04:03:01.000Z An analysis of Listeria in Switzerland covering six years has revealed several outbreaks and sporadic cases connected to international incidents. Researchers collected 335 Listeria monocytogenes isolates from cases of listeriosis occurring in Switzerland between 2019 and 2024\. They have recently published the results and said they show the importance of implementing whole genome sequencing for routine Listeria monocytogenes surveillance. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Courthouse door left open for 'Food Freedom' challenge URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/courthouse-door-left-open-for-food-freedom-challenge/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T04:02:26.000Z Montana courts are still open to a former top state food safety official’s one-man crusade to restore some guardrails to “Food Freedom” A unanimous state Supreme Court on Aug. 11 ruled in Jeffrey P. Havens v. State of Montana that while the District Court was correct in dismissing the case because Havens lacked standing, the lower court was not correct in dismissing Havens’s case with prejudice. Dismissal *with prejudice* means that the plaintiff *cannot* refile the same claim again in the state’s courts. The Supreme Court remanded the Haven case back down to the District Court with instructions to correct the dismissal to “without prejudice,” meaning it can be filed again. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Proposals put forward to boost Croatian surveillance URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/proposals-put-forward-to-boost-croatian-surveillance/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T04:00:50.000Z Three options have been identified to improve disease surveillance in Croatia with current challenges including fragmented systems and a lack of resources. Campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis are the most prevalent foodborne bacterial diseases in the country. Between 2013 and 2023, there were more than 16,000 Campylobacter cases and 13,000 Salmonella infections. Surveillance systems are fragmented, with limited cross-sectoral integration and inadequate resources. Data sharing between sectors is [often slow or inconsistent](https://iris.who.int/items/50ba66e0-0894-42f7-ba3d-4f2877822397?ref=foodsafetynews.com), according to a document published by the World Health Organization (WHO). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### The information deficit: Why slow data is making us sick – again URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/the-information-deficit-why-slow-data-is-making-us-sick-again/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T00:33:47.000Z **By Julie Swann** Every summer, a familiar public health drama plays out in the produce aisles. Reports spike of widespread gastrointestinal illness caused by Cyclospora, which is a microscopic parasite that hitches a ride on fresh leafy greens. As cases climb across dozens of states, public health officials scramble to answer a simple question: What is the source of the contamination? By the time investigators connect the dots, weeks have passed. The product in question such as lettuce has long since been harvested, shipped, processed, served, and eaten. We tend to frame foodborne outbreaks as agricultural failures or biological mysteries. But in reality, our food safety crisis is an operational data crisis. Our produce supply chain is built for extreme speed, rushing highly perishable products from farm fields to restaurant tables in a handful of days. Yet the information network tracking that food moves at a snail’s pace. We are trying to protect a 21st-century supply chain using 20th-century paper trails, unstructured PDFs, and dial-up-era communication systems. To stop outbreaks before they spread, we must eliminate data friction across three core dimensions: Amount, Quality, and Speed across multiple operational networks. **1\. The amount of information: Stop tracing 'blank boxes'** When a shipping manifest simply reads "100 cases of shredded iceberg," investigators are left flying blind. Under baseline regulatory standards, a distributor often only knows who sold them a pallet and who bought it, and this "one-step-back, one-step-forward" model that breaks down in a fast-moving crisis. Under the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Section 204, companies are required to capture granular Key Data Elements (KDEs)—including a standardized Traceability Lot Code (TLC) that follows a crop from harvest to bowl. Knowing the exact lot code turns a nationwide needle-in-a-haystack search into a targeted query. However, federal enforcement has been delayed. **2\. The quality of information: Speak a universal digital language** Granular data is useless if it’s trapped in proprietary software silos or on paper clipboards. Today, a processor, a logistics distributor, and a restaurant chain often use three incompatible inventory systems. When public health officials request records, they may receive a mountain of flat PDFs and hand-written invoices that staff must manually cross-reference in spreadsheets. The solution isn't inventing new technology; it’s increasing adoption of open, global standards that already exist. GS1-128 barcodes, which are the open-source standard used on almost every packaged retail product in America, can embed lot numbers, harvest dates, and location codes into a single, machine-readable label. If a retail barcode can track a tube of toothpaste from a warehouse to your doorstep in real time, a case of lettuce should carry the same digital transparency. **3\. The speed of information: Close the latency gap** The most dangerous lag occurs between the patient and the investigator. Traditional outbreak investigations rely on telephone recall surveys that take weeks to schedule, conduct, and analyze. Because bagged greens have a shelf life of under three weeks, an investigation that takes 21 days is effectively an autopsy, not an intervention. If health agencies used automated, SMS-driven digital questionnaires paired with opt-in retail receipt syncing, traceback times could drop from weeks to 48 hours. Cutting investigation times from three weeks to five days isn't just an administrative win: it a preventative shield. Catching a contaminated lot two weeks earlier can prevent up to 70 percent of potential exposures. Accounting for unreported illnesses, rapid digital tracing in a major outbreak could spare tens of thousands of Americans from severe illness. Keep in mind, packaged produce typically has a shelf life of 14-21 days. Public health traceback could be reduced to 5 days, potentially preventing cases in weeks 2 and 3 of the shelf life. Also, the [CDC estimates](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that for every 1 lab-confirmed case of *Cyclospora*, 20-30 actual illnesses occur in the community, so an outbreak of 2000 lab-confirmed cases represents roughly 40,000 to 60,000 real-world sick people. **A 4-part policy roadmap for change** Fixing this broken data pipeline requires a coordinated effort across industry, Congress, states, and public health: 1. **Private sector buyers must lead:** Retail and foodservice giants shouldn't wait for delayed federal deadlines. Following the lead of major retailers like Walmart, commercial buyers must mandate that suppliers don't just print GS1-128 case barcodes, but digitally transmit those lot numbers via Advance Ship Notices (ASNs) at every transfer point as a condition of doing business. 2. **Congress must fund small farms:** Digitization shouldn't drive small family farms out of business. Congress and the USDA should establish a DigitalTraceability Grant Program, which can provide $1,500 to $3,000 technology grants for small and mid-sized growers to cover the initial costs of thermal label printers, scanners, and open-source software integration. 3. **Fund state health agencies to modernize:** We cannot demand 21st-century disease tracking from local health departments operating on 20th-century budgets. States including Colorado and Minnesota have shown us approaches that work. By deploying automated, web-based survey links and digital complaint portals, these health departments have cut interview times by 70 percent while reaching patients instantly. These modern tools shouldn’t depend on one’s zip code or a state’s wealth. The CDC and state legislatures must scale these proven digital toolkits nationwide, ensuring every local health department has access to free, plug-and-play investigation software. 4. **Restore CDC active surveillance:** In July 2025, the CDC scaled back its Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), making active tracking for Cyclospora optional for participating states due to budget constraints. We cannot fix what we stop measuring. FoodNet is our long-term public health radar, and federal funding for it should be restored. Making parasite tracking optional under FoodNet doesn't just blind us during an active summer outbreak; it destroys the baseline data we need to evaluate whether our food safety policies are working overtime. Our food supply chain is a marvel of modern logistics. To protect the public, It is time we build a unified digital network spanning commercial logistics, federal oversight, and local health response that moves just as fast. **About the author:* Julie L. Swann is the A. Doug Allison Distinguished Professor in the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina State University. She is Past-President of INFORMS. Professor Swann is an expert in supply chain management and in health systems and a Fellow of AAAS, AIMBE, IISE and INFORMS.* ### EU countries test safety of plant-based products URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/eu-countries-test-safety-of-plant-based-products/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T04:05:47.000Z Food agencies from 15 European countries have assessed the safety of plant-based alternatives, finding sporadic contamination. The report, published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) details the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat (RTE) plant-based dairy, meat and fish substitutes. Testing included enumeration of total viable counts, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and other relevant microorganisms, following standardized laboratory protocols. Factors influencing contamination were product formulation, processing conditions, and storage practices. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns California farm after inspectors find untreated manure on growing oranges URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-warns-california-farm-after-inspectors-find-untreated-manure-on-growing-oranges/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T04:05:29.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view.* --- **Friend’s Stable and Orchard Inc.** **Ojai, CA** The Food and Drug Administration has warned a California citrus farm after inspectors found untreated manure in tree canopies and directly on growing oranges. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Initial source unknown in Dutch hepatitis A outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/initial-source-unknown-in-dutch-hepatitis-a-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T04:03:56.000Z Scientists have been unable to pinpoint the route of contamination in a hepatitis A outbreak traced to blueberries. Twenty-four patients in the Netherlands became ill from November 2024 to February 2025 as part of the hepatitis A outbreak. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA steps up enforcement on imported seafood, candy, canned foods URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-steps-up-enforcement-on-imported-seafood-candy-canned-foods/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T04:01:58.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. [Click here](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/USFDA/2026/08/10/file%5Fattachments/3741109/Import%20Alerts%20Modified%20in%20the%20past%207%20days%202026-08-10.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to go to the FDA page with links to details on specific alerts. See chart below for a list of the most recent alerts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/08/import-alerts-08-16-26.png) Click on chart to enlarge. Use link above to go to FDA page with links to specific alerts. ### The Sunday Edition: RFK Jr. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/the-sunday-edition-rfk-jr/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T18:18:55.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena** - The CDC has confirmed nearly 14,000 cases of Cyclospora infections across multiple outbreaks. And, more than 3,000 [cases have been added to the total number of patients affected by an outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/cdc-adds-more-than-3-000-more-patients-to-count-in-cyclospora-outbreak-linked-to-lettuce/)from a Taylor Farms growing operation in Central Mexico. That outbreak, which has resulted in two deaths, has now affected people in 17 states with Maine and Massachusetts being the latest additions to that list. - On Tuesday, the acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Kyle Diamantas, urged Americans to [feel confident about eating fresh produce](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-on-the-day-cdc-confirmed-13-895-cyclospora-cases-the-acting-fda-commissioner-told-americans-to-feel-confident-about-lettuce-we-need-leadership-not-cheerleaders/), despite the ongoing outbreaks. Diamantas made the remarks as [the FDA released non-binding guidance with information for manufacturers and processors of ready-to-eat produce](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-issues-guidance-for-producers-of-fresh-cut-product/) to help them comply with federal law. - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced [measures aimed at closing a loophole in federal oversight of food additives known as ‘generally recognized as safe’ (GRAS) and at defining ultra-processed foods](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/health-department-announces-plans-for-gras-substances-and-ultra-processed-foods/). Interest groups pointed out that both measures require further action to finalize and implement. - Amnesty International is [urging the Indonesian government to suspend a free school meals program](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/calls-to-suspend-school-meals-plan-as-illnesses-continue/) because of thousands of reported cases of food poisoning. According to data from the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network, about 37,000 schoolchildren in the Free Nutritious Meal program have suffered food poisoning since January 2025\. Of that total, some 9,000 cases occurred between January and May 2026. - Research from the University of Portsmouth estimates that [food fraud costs the United Kingdom economy between £400 million ($540 million) and £2 billion ($2.7 billion) annually](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/food-fraud-costs-uk-up-to-2-billion-per-year/). About three-quarters of that cost comes from direct replacement of legitimate products with fraudulent alternatives, such marketing smoked salmon as Scottish when it was sourced from Norway. This week, the Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit [arrested one man during an investigation into the sale of frozen food products](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/man-arrested-as-part-of-investigation-into-frozen-food-firm/) with fraudulent labels and no traceability. --- **Today’s Topic: RFK Jr.** A lot of news sure has been happening under the “Make American Healthy Again” banner. It isn’t entirely working out as promised, but it’s close enough to be, well, historic. The latest is reform of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) practice of allowing food makers to use ingredients with self-declarations that they are “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Lactation granola recalled because of Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/lactation-granola-recalled-because-of-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T03:30:52.000Z The Hampton Grocers Inc. of Montauk, NY, is recalling Lacnola Lactation Granola because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Lacnola Lactation Granola was distributed nationwide through mail orders on thehamptongrocers.com, and other online retailers, including Amazon, between Oct. 21, 2025, and Aug. 12, 2026. The recalled Lacnola Lactation Granola from The Hampton Grocers, Inc. is packaged in a pink 8-ounce stand up pouches, with UPC: 850035324554\. The affected lot codes are: - Lot HGLC-102125 with expiration date of 21OCT2026 - Lot HGLC-021326 with expiration date of 13FEB2027 Lot codes and expiration dates appear on the back of the bags on the upper left side, printed in black ink. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this product. The potential for contamination was realized upon notification from an ingredient supplier that a sample of one of their products tested positive for Salmonella. The affected product contains an ingredient, organic moringa powder, also used in the Lacnola Lactation Granola. Production of the product has been suspended while the FDA and the company continue their investigations as to the source of the problem. Consumers who have purchased 8 ounce packages of “Lacnola Lactation Granola” are urged to dispose of the product. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled product and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### FDA begins inspection of Taylor Farms lettuce operation in Mexico URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-begins-inspection-of-taylor-farms-lettuce-operation-in-mexico/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T01:27:52.000Z A month after it became apparent that the facility was linked to a Cyclospora outbreak that has now sickened almost 10,000 people, the FDA has begun inspecting a Taylor Farms lettuce growing and production operation. A recent report by the Government Accountability Office found that FDA averaged only 917 foreign food-facility inspections annually from fiscal years 2018 through 2023 — less than 5 percent of the statutory target established under the Food Safety Modernization Act. The Taylor Farms operation in question is in Central Mexico and had not been inspected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for seven years prior to this year’s outbreak. The facility’s production line includes a wash step, but the FDA reports that washing produce does not remove the parasites. And, chlorine does not kill the parasite. Iceberg lettuce from the Mexico operation has been linked to an ongoing outbreak from the Cyclospora parasite that has sickened 9,481 from 17 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of the patients with the information available, 398 have required hospitalization. Two patients in Michigan have died. The outbreak includes people who reported exposure to processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico served or purchased at various locations, including people who reported eating at Taco Bell. Many of these illnesses began before the Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce recall on July 17\. The FDA reports that all recalled iceberg lettuce related to this specific Cyclosporaoutbreak is off the market. The implicated lettuce is confirmed to have been distributed to Taco Bell and other companies in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia. The lettuce may have also been distributed to California, Washington D.C., Delaware, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Consumer Reports says the inspection should have been initiated weeks ago. "It’s alarming that it took this long for the FDA to go down there and identify the potential factors that could have contributed to this outbreak. They should have sent investigators down there right away once an initial link was established," said Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy at Consumer Reports. "Being on the ground gives investigators an up close look at the operations that testing alone can’t replicate and an opportunity to identify conditions that could have contributed to this outbreak. There is also the potential for investigators to learn important lessons that could help prevent future outbreaks." The CDC is also tracking several smaller outbreaks that have a total of almost 14,000 people with another 10,000 cases unconfirmed. The number of infections this year is vastly higher than 2025 when a total of 1,180 cases were reported in the United States between May 1 and Aug.31. There are likely many more people infected in the current outbreaks because for every confirmed patient up to 83 can go undiagnosed. This is because some people do not seek medical treatment and others are not specifically tested for Cyclospora. **About Cyclospora** Food that is contaminated with Cyclospora parasites does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Microscopic amounts of human feces contaminated with the parasite are enough to cause infections. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. The Food and Drug Administration says there's no evidence that washing produce will remove the parasite. Chlorine does not kill Cyclospora. The only way to kill the parasites is to cook food thoroughly. ### Wok spice mix recalled after testing shows Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/wok-spice-mix-recalled-after-testing-shows-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T01:38:12.000Z Lidl US is recalling one lot of Vitasia Asian Style Wok Spice Mix because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. This recall was initiated after routine quality testing identified Salmonella present on a lab sample. The recalled product was distributed between July 24 and Aug. 10 to all Lidl US retail store locations in Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. The recalled product can be identified as follows: Vitasia Chinese Style brand Asian Style Wok Spice Mix, Net Wt 1.58oz (45g), with UPC 4 335619 355491 with Lot # 155846 and BBD JUN 2028, which can be found on the side of the label. The recalled product is packaged in a plastic container with a purple lid. No illnesses have been reported to date. ### Dog food recalled because of illnesses URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/dog-food-recalled-because-of-illnesses/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T01:27:41.000Z Oma's Pride of Avon, CT, is recalling Woof Complete Canine Chicken Recipe in 6-pound bags because it is contaminated with Salmonella. The recall was initiated after FDA received a consumer complaint and subsequently collected and analyzed a sample of the product, which tested positive for Salmonella. Three illnesses have been reported to date in association with the complaint. Oma's Pride is continuing with their investigation to determine the source and root cause of the contamination. Salmonella can affect animals eating the product, and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products. Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. The recalled lot of Woof Complete Canine Chicken Recipe was distributed in AZ, CA, IN, KY, LA, MD, NJ, NV, NY, PA, VA to retail and wholesale accounts and directly to consumers through online, direct-to-consumer orders, shipped frozen. The recalled product is a frozen raw dog food sold in a 6-pound gusseted stand-up pouch containing 12 individually-wrapped, 8-ounce vacuum-sealed portions and can be identified as follows: - Product: Woof Complete Canine Chicken Recipe, 6 lb bag - Bags Impacted: 639 - Item / SKU: F-WOOFC-6 - Lot number: BB012729 - Manufacturing Date: 1/27/2026 - Expiration / Best-by: 1/27/2029 - Distribution Dates: 2/12/2026–5/15/2026 - UPC: 8 7938400145 9 **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Walmart Marketside tomato soup mix recalled because of Listeria URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/walmart-marketside-tomato-soup-mix-recalled-because-of-listeria/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T01:12:49.000Z Kettle Cuisine LLC of Savage, MD, is recalling Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kit – 14oz (397g) because the product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall is being initiated after routine testing conducted by the company produced a presumptive positive result for Listeria monocytogenes. The company is continuing its investigation in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration. To date, the company has received no confirmed reports of illnesses associated with this product. The recalled product was distributed from June 30 through July 7 exclusively to Walmart stores in AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV. The recalled product is packaged in a wrapped tray and is marked with product description labels and printed use-by code identifiers. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any recalledproduct and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Texas company recalls jalapeño products because of Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/texas-company-recalls-jalapeno-products-because-of-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T01:02:52.000Z NatureBest Precut & Produce LLC, with facilities located in Missouri City, TX, and Houston, TX, is recalling products sold under various brand names that contain jalapeño peppers because of an outbreak of Salmonella infections. This recall was initiated after NatureBest was notified by Coast Citrus Distributors that certain jalapeño peppers supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors were subject to a recall. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Javiana infections linked to jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Based on epidemiological information collected by CDC, a total of 345 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from 27 states. Products manufactured using the affected jalapeños may therefore be impacted. NatureBest Precut & Produce LLC has ceased distribution of the affected products and is working in cooperation with its supplier and regulatory authorities regarding this recall. The products recalled by NatureBest Precut & Produce LLC were distributed to retailers in Texas and Louisiana between July 3 and Aug. 5\. To view photos of the products subject to the recall, [click here](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/naturebest-precut-produce-llc-voluntarily-recalls-products-containing-jalapenos-due-potential?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery). The recalled products are: | **Product Name** | **UPC #** | **Size** | **Lot Codes** | **Best By/** **Use By** **Dates** | | ------------------- | ------------ | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | | NatureBest Soup Mix | 089563071221 | 58 oz (1644g) | 190A26184, 190A26187, 190A26189, 190A26192, 190A26194, 190A26196, 190A26199, 190A26201, 190A26203, 190A26206, 190A26208, 190A26210, 190A26213 | 7/13/2026 - 8/11/2026 | | HEB Pico De Gallo Mild | 004122034597 | 14 oz (397g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/14/2026 - 8/14/2026 | | ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------- | | HEB Pico De Gallo Medium | 004122034618 | 14 oz (397g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/15/2026 - 8/15/2026 | | HEB Pico De Gallo Hot | 004122034615 | 14 oz (397g) | 190A26184, 190A26187, 190A26188, 190A26190, 190A26191, 190A26192, 190A26194, 190A26195, 190A26197, 190A26198, 190A26199, 190A26201, 190A26202, 190A26204, 190A26205, 190A26206, 190A26208, 190A26209, 190A26211, 190A26212, 190A26213, 190A26215 | 7/15/2026 - 8/15/2026 | | HEB Pico De Gallo Mango | 004122034616 | 14 oz (397g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/15/2026 - 8/15/2026 | | NatureBest Pico De Gallo Mango | 089563000559, 089563100198 | 14 oz (397g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/15/2026 - 8/12/2026 | | NatureBest Medium Pico | 089563000542 | 14 oz (397g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/15/2026 - 8/13/2026 | | NatureBest Mild Cheddar & Jalapeno Stuffed Mushrooms | 089563000863 | 8 oz (227g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/17/2026 - 8/12/2026 | | NatureBest Mild Pico | 089563002065 | 14 oz (397g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/15/2026 - 8/7/2026 | | NatureBest Pico De Gallo Mild | 089563004175 | 4 oz (113g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/14/2026 - 8/11/2026 | | NatureBest Pico De Gallo Medium | 089563003512 | 9 oz (255g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/15/2026 - 8/10/2026 | | NatureBest Pico De Gallo Hot | 089563003529 | 9 oz (255g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/15/2026 - 8/12/2026 | | HEB Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Mushrooms | 019787014702 | 8 oz (227g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/12/2026 - 8/12/2026 | | NatureBest Mild Pico | 089563002065 | 14 oz (397g) | 190A26184, 190A26187, 190A26188, 190A26191, 190A26194, 190A26195, 190A26198, 190A26201, 190A26202, 190A26205, 190A26208, 190A26209, 190A26212 | 7/14/2026 - 8/11/2026 | | NatureBest Diced Jalapeno | 089563004106 | 3 oz (85g) | 190A26184, 190A26187, 190A26189, 190A26191, 190A26194, 190A26196, 190A26198, 190A26201, 190A26203, 190A26205, 190A26208, 190A26210, 190A26212, 190A26213, 190A26215 | 7/14/2026 - 8/14/2026 | | HEB Diced Jalapeno | 004122076495 | 3 oz (85g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 7/13/2026 - 8/11/2026 | | NatureBest Pico De Gallo Mild | 089563124576 | 4 oz (113g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 8/14/2026 - 8/15/2026 | | NatureBest Pico De Gallo Medium | 089563124583 | 4 oz (113g) | 190A26184 - 190A26216 | 8/13/2026 - 8/13/2026 | **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### CDC adds more than 3,000 more patients to count in Cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/cdc-adds-more-than-3-000-more-patients-to-count-in-cyclospora-outbreak-linked-to-lettuce/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T04:06:23.000Z The CDC is reporting 3,123 more cases of Cyclospora infections compared with a week ago in an outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms growing operation in Central Mexico. The total number of patients for the outbreak now stands at 9,481with 398 hospitalizations. Two people in Michigan have died. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also added two states to the outbreak, bringing the total to 17\. The new states are Maine and Massachusetts. The other states in the iceberg lettuce outbreak are Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Missouri Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Taylor Farms recalled iceberg lettuce products on July 17\. The recall only covered products sold up to that day. The CDC reports that best-by dates for the recalled products have passed and they should no longer be available in stores or restaurants. The 50 states are reporting more cases than the CDC, with Michigan alone reporting 13,909 patients, 314 of whom have been hospitalized. A week ago the state was reporting 12,485. Some of the cases in the individual state counts may be part of other outbreaks the CDC and Food and Drug Administration are tracking. For those outbreaks, the CDC is reporting 13,895 patients compared to 10,468 a week ago. The agency appears to be making headway in confirming suspected patients with that number dropping to 10,455 compared to 12,255 a week ago. The CDC has been tracking the iceberg lettuce outbreak since May 14\. The peak day was July 10 when 600 cases were [added to the tally](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/timeline.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Additional new cases are anticipated to be identified because the CDC says it can take up to six weeks for patients to be identified and reported. It can take up to two weeks for patients to develop symptoms after being exposed to the parasite. If not treated, symptoms can last for a month with recurring episodes for several months. The primary symptom is severe diarrhea that can quickly cause serious dehydration. There are likely many more people infected in the current outbreaks because for every confirmed patient up to 83 can go undiagnosed. This is because some people do not seek medical treatment and others are not specifically tested for Cyclospora. **About Cyclospora** Food that is contaminated with Cyclospora parasites does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Microscopic amounts of human feces contaminated with the parasite are enough to cause infections. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. The Food and Drug Administration says there's no evidence that washing produce will remove the parasite. Chlorine does not kill Cyclospora. The only way to kill the parasites is to cook food thoroughly. ### Coalition wants Congress to rescind delay of food traceability rule URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/coalition-wants-congress-to-rescind-delay-of-food-traceability-rule/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T04:04:14.000Z Referencing the current Cyclospora outbreak, the Safe Food Coalition has asked Congress the take the produce traceability rule off the back burner so companies like Taylor Farms will be forced to initiate programs to reveal where their products are distributed. The coalition sent a letter to Sen. John Thune, Majority Leader; Rep. Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House; Rep. Charles Schumer, Minority Leader; and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Leader, asking them to lead their chambers of Congress in rescinding an appropriations rider on the current budget that prevents the FDA from implementing traceability requirements, including for leafy greens, until July 2028. The requirements were scheduled to go into effect this year, but the Trump Administration blocked them. The requirements would force companies like Taylor Farms, arguably the largest producer of fresh produce for the United States, to make public their supply chains. Proponents of the traceability rule say it would be tremendously helpful in tracking foodborne illness outbreaks such as the current Cyclospora outbreak that has sickened tens of thousands of people. “Compliance with the FDA traceability requirements would facilitate faster and more effective investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks, such as the ongoing epidemic of Cyclosporiasisinfections, which has now caused nearly 30,000 illnesses and two deaths,” the coalition’s letter states. “The epidemic has also sparked a crisis in consumer confidence, in part due to Taylor Farms — the major lettuce supplier implicated in the outbreak so far — failure to provide information to the public required under the FDA rule in its recall communications. “Consumers have had to wait long enough for meaningful food traceability. The FDA issued the final rule, ‘Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods,’ in 2022, over a decade after Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act, which required it, with broad bipartisan support. “Even the 2022 rulemaking was only completed by that date because of public interest litigation and court-ordered deadlines. The agency subsequently set the compliance date for the final rule as Jan. 20, 2026, a full three years after the rule’s ‘effective date.’ ” The coalition said the existing one-forward, one-back approach to traceability is inadequate because it does not require businesses to provide information on their entire supply chains. That means much more time is required for investigators to determine whether any given commodity is behind an outbreak. “This status quo approach to traceability results in preventable foodborne illness and waste as “outbreaks that are challenging to resolve” lead to overbroad recalls or public advisories, such as a 2018 advisory to avoid romaine lettuce from an entire growing region,” the coalition letter states. The coalition says that because of the lack of a traceable supply chain, consumers are avoiding fresh produce all together because they have lost confidence in industry and government to tell them what is causing illnesses. The letter points out that at lease one Cyclospora cluster has been linked to a Taylor Farms growing operation, but consumers aren’t sure that is the only problem. “At least one illness cluster has been tied to iceberg lettuce grown and processed at a Taylor Farms de Mexico farm and facility. That facility, located across the street from a public swimming complex and suspected ‘fecal loading point,’ was shut down ‘temporarily’ last month. However, the vast scale of illnesses — 22,683 as of this writing — has caused declining sales across a broad range of produce items including carrots, cauliflower, spinach and Brussels sprouts," the letter states. “According to a recent survey, 40 percent of consumers have changed their buying habits in response to the outbreak. They are eating less ‘real food,’ a public health disaster in its own right. The longer public health authorities cannot identify the source of the remaining Cyclosporiasisinfections, the harm caused by this crisis of confidence is likely to grow.” The Safe Food Coalition contends that widespread compliance with the traceability rule would prevent illnesses and support healthier diets. The coalition says opposition to the traceability rule is narrow, led by the food retailer trade association FMI. The International Fresh Produce Association, which represents growers, has called for “stronger federal food safety infrastructure and end-to-end traceability,” while Taylor Farms has recently posted “we fully support and endorse” food traceability legislation. “Unfortunately, last November, Congress showed its inclination to reward persistent, moneyed interests, however narrow, to obstruct good policy. Section 780 of the Continuing Resolution states that ‘\[n\]o funds appropriated by this Act may be used to administer or enforce \[FDA’s traceability rule\] prior to July 20, 2028,’ ” the coalition writes. The coalition says by putting the traceability rule on ice, the FDA will be encouraged to abandon the linchpin of the rule — lot-level tracking requirements. Abandoning the rule is also a slap in the face to companies that have already stepped up. Retailers including Kroger, Albertsons and Walmart had already implemented traceability programs that incorporated the requirements set out by FDA, and often went further, prior to FDA announcing the delay in the rule’s compliance date, according to the coalition letter. “Congress should send a message to reassure consumers and food companies alike that the federal government is committed to safer food, and that it will stand by a decade and a half of research, collaboration, and investment towards strengthening traceability. We urge you to rescind the freeze on FDA’s funding related to the compliance date of the traceability rule, along with the counterproductive mandate to explore ‘additional flexibilities’ that serves little more than to sow uncertainty,” the letter concludes. The coalition members listed as signatories on the letter are: Center for Food Safety Center for Science in the Public Interest Consumer Federation of America Consumer Reports Farm Forward Government Accountability Project GW Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security National Consumers League Stop Foodborne Illness United Food & Commercial Workers International Union U.S. PIRG ### Man arrested as part of investigation into frozen food firm URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/man-arrested-as-part-of-investigation-into-frozen-food-firm/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T04:03:44.000Z More than 30 tons of products have been seized as an investigation into a company selling frozen food with suspected fraudulent labels continues. The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) National Food Crime Unit operation led to the arrest of one man. He was later released under investigation and enquiries are ongoing. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Complaint seeks to shut down Darwin's Natural Pet products manufacturer URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/complaint-seeks-to-shut-down-darwins-natural-pet-products-manufacturer/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T04:02:00.000Z The Department of Justice has filed a complaint seeking to close down a pet food manufacturer whose raw products have made people and pets sick, causing kidney damage in a four-year-old boy and killing several dogs and cats. The complaint seeks to permanently enjoin Gary T. Tashjian, through his business, Arrow Reliance Inc., also doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, from making and selling raw pet food. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Report assesses food controls in Norway and Iceland URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/report-assesses-food-controls-in-norway-and-iceland/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T04:01:07.000Z An analysis of official controls in Norway and Iceland has revealed effective oversight overall with some recurring weaknesses. Norway and Iceland are part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) monitors how they implement European Economic Area (EEA) rules on food and feed safety, animal health, and welfare. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher’s Platform: Frank Yiannas Wants an Independent Board to Investigate Foodborne Outbreaks. Set the Airplanes Aside. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-frank-yiannas-wants-an-independent-board-to-investigate-foodborne-outbreaks-set-the-airplanes-aside-fda-wrote-the-right-recommendation-about-this-lettuce-in-2013-and/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T02:51:59.000Z Frank Yiannas has been making an argument for the better part of a year that deserves more attention than it has received. In a [STAT First Opinion piece](https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/listeria-outbreak-pasta-fda-foodborne-investigation/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) last November, written after a *Listeria* outbreak in prepackaged pasta meals killed six people, he called for an independent National Foodborne Outbreak Investigation Board. He brought it back in July in [Food Safety News](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cyclospora-seasonal-nuisance-or-preventable-problem/), in a piece asking whether *Cyclospora* is a seasonal nuisance or a preventable problem. His diagnosis is short and hard to argue with. Foodborne outbreaks in this country are investigated by the same agencies that are supposed to prevent them. The work is split across FDA, USDA, CDC and fifty state health departments. And when an investigation goes nowhere, no single agency is accountable for the fact that it went nowhere. I have known Frank since his Disney days, through his ten years at Walmart and through his time at FDA, and I guest lecture in his food safety culture class at Michigan State every year. I want his board built. I want to argue with one part of how he sells it. The model he reaches for is the National Transportation Safety Board, and the comparison he draws is a real one: aviation accidents per mile flown have collapsed over forty years while foodborne illness rates have not moved at all, and [GAO found](https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-107606.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that FDA and USDA missed their own illness reduction goals, one of them by a wide margin. It is a good comparison. It is also where most readers stop, because within a few seconds anybody who works in this industry starts listing the ways a lettuce field is not a runway. There is no wreckage. There is no flight recorder. There is no single moment. Roughly half of all multistate investigations never name a food at all. Set the airplanes aside. The better question is smaller, and you can answer it out of one file. What happens to a finding after somebody writes it down? In August 2013, a team of FDA investigators spent eight days inside a Taylor Farms de Mexico processing facility at Doctor Mora, in Guanajuato, working alongside COFEPRIS, SENASICA, CESAVEG, Guanajuato state health officials and CDC. They were there because [631 people in twenty-five states](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9150465/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) had come down with cyclosporiasis. They covered the plant and five ranches. They collected roughly 835 samples. Nothing came back positive, though one recycled wash water sample could not be read at all, because the water was too turbid for the filters and the method simply failed. FDA has since [said so in its own method literature](https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/RecoveryDetectionCyclosporaAgriculturalWater.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and rebuilt the test because of it. What they did find, they found by reading the company’s own paperwork. A ranch entered the assessment only because FDA reviewed Taylor Farms de Mexico’s irrigation water records and saw a fecal coliform result off drip irrigation tape. It had triggered no corrective action, because it sat just under the firm’s own single sample action level. The investigators tabulated prescriptions written for harvest crews and found a drug effective against *Cyclospora* dispensed during the outbreak window. Then they wrote a recommendation. The second one in the [report](https://www.fda.gov/media/87238/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) was that the firm determine whether *Cyclospora* is a reasonably likely hazard in the Guanajuato growing region, and if it is, re-evaluate the wash step. That is careful work. It was done in a foreign country in eight days by people who had every reason to come home with less. When the plant reopened that August with FDA’s concurrence, the company [committed to a sampling program](https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/fda-issues-update-cyclospora-outbreak-traceback-investigation?ref=foodsafetynews.com) covering both product and water. And then nothing happened to any of it. The recommendation had no addressee. Nothing set a clock on it. No database tracked whether it was ever answered, and no public record shows whether the sampling program ran for a month or a decade or at all. FDA was back inside that plant once in the thirteen years that followed, in 2019, and because that visit found nothing objectionable it [produced no public document](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-farms-mexico-fda-inspection-cyclosporiasis-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) whatsoever. Nobody was in a position to ask the 2013 question again, because nobody had been assigned. 2026\. Same region. Same facility. Same parasite. Same commodity. Thirteen years later FDA and CDC now attribute [9,481 illnesses, 398 hospitalizations and two deaths](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-multistate-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) across seventeen states to iceberg lettuce out of that plant, and my own fifty state floor for cyclosporiasis this season stands at 29,912 people. FDA did not report an onsite inspection at Doctor Mora until August 13, twenty-seven days after the recall. That is the argument for Frank’s board, and there is not an airplane anywhere in it. One piece of the airplane comparison is worth keeping after all, and it is the clock. A Go Team is in the air within hours, because everybody involved understands that a scene degrades. Taylor Farms recalled this lettuce on July 17\. FDA did not report an onsite inspection and sampling at the plant in Guanajuato until August 13, twenty-seven days later, and its announcement does not say when that inspection began or whether anyone is there now. Taylor Farms says it [suspended all production at that facility](https://www.taylorfarms.com/cyclospora-information-hub/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) on July 18 and brought in outside experts to review it, which means that whatever an inspection turns up now, it is turning it up in a plant that has been shut for nearly a month. The 2013 visit was slower still. The last illness onset in that outbreak was July 2 and the team arrived on August 12, and FDA’s own explanation for why almost every sample came back clean was that more than five weeks had gone by. Nobody would defend a six week wait to walk a crash site. And food is the harder case here, not the easier one. A fuselage sits in a field until somebody photographs it. Shredded iceberg lettuce has about two weeks of shelf life, which means that by the time anyone arrives, the people who got sick first have already eaten the evidence. That delay was not an investigator’s choice either. An American inspector cannot simply walk into a plant in Guanajuato. The 2013 assessment was carried out jointly with COFEPRIS, SENASICA, CESAVEG and Guanajuato state health officials, which is to say it had to be negotiated between two governments while people were still getting sick, and the same thing had to be negotiated again this summer. Standing authority, with access arranged in advance instead of assembled in the middle of an emergency, is exactly the sort of thing a country builds once and then uses every time. We have never built it. It is also not a complaint about the people who investigate outbreaks, and I want to be clear about that, because this argument gets misused. The men and women at FDA’s CORE network, the epidemiologists at CDC, and the state and county investigators who make the phone calls are not the problem here. The 2013 assessment is the proof. They went, they looked, they read the records nobody made them read, and they wrote down the right question. What does not exist in food safety is anything sitting downstream of that work. The investigating already happens. The follow through was never built. Nor did any of them choose the conditions they are presently working under. No epidemiologist voted to switch off federal surveillance reporting for six of the eight pathogens FoodNet was built to track, *Cyclospora* among them, ten months before the first illness in this outbreak. Nobody in a state health department pushed the food traceability rule out to 2028, or [replaced pre-harvest agricultural water testing](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-pre-harvest-agricultural-water?ref=foodsafetynews.com) with an annual self-assessment, or arranged for [five of more than 168,000](https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/06/us/taylor-farms-cyclospora-ecoli-outbreaks-invs?ref=foodsafetynews.com) Taylor Farms shipments from Mexico to be physically examined at the border in the first half of this year. Nobody working a case file decided that roughly [eleven billion dollars in public health grants](https://www.axios.com/2025/04/04/judge-halts-hhs-plan-to-kill-11b-in-public-health-grants?ref=foodsafetynews.com), money that pays for disease surveillance, laboratory services and outbreak investigation in every state, should be terminated without notice in the spring of last year and then spend the next year tied up in federal court. A health department cannot staff a summer against a grant that may or may not exist. Every one of those decisions was made well above the people now being asked to explain a thirty thousand case outbreak with what is left. Some of it was taken apart long before this administration or the last one, and the clearest example belongs to a program almost nobody remembers. In April 2001 the Agriculture Department launched the [Microbiological Data Program](https://www.ams.usda.gov/datasets/mdp?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which pulled roughly fifteen thousand samples of fresh fruit and vegetables a year out of distribution centers in about eleven states, tested them for pathogens, and uploaded what it found to PulseNet. It was the only real produce surveillance this country has ever had. By one analysis it accounted for [more than eighty percent of all public produce testing](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/11/usda-begins-shutdown-of-mdp-cutting-80-percent-of-pathogen-testing-for-produce/), and it triggered twenty-three recalls in 2010 and 2011 alone, fifteen of them involving people who were already sick. Among the things it sampled were bagged lettuce and cilantro. It cost four and a half million dollars a year. The produce industry lobbied against it for years, on the theory that a program which finds contamination causes recalls. It was zeroed out of the budget, the states were told to stop pulling samples on November 9, 2012, and it shut down at the end of that December, seven months before FDA investigators walked into the plant at Doctor Mora. I have been [asking for it back](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/11/time-to-bring-back-the-microbiological-data-program-mdp-to-help-make-produce-safe-again-mpsa/) for years. The Microbiological Data Program would not have caught this parasite. It tested for bacteria. That is very nearly the point. We dismantled the produce surveillance we had, and we never built any for *Cyclospora* at all. The Agriculture Department research complex at Beltsville, whose laboratories do a meaningful share of the government’s *Cyclospora* work and coordinate it across agencies, is [now being closed](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/cyclospora-lab-closures-risk-setting-back-parasite-research?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and its programs scattered. There is still no regulatory limit for this organism in agricultural water or on produce, and no validated kill step. FDA said in that same 2013 report that the sanitizers this industry relies on do not reliably kill it. A grower in flawless compliance with every rule on the books is doing nothing whatsoever about *Cyclospora*. Frank knows this from the inside better than anyone arguing about it from the outside. He ran the internal version of this fix himself. The [Foodborne Outbreak Response Improvement Plan](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-improvement-plan-focused-modernizing-foodborne-illness-outbreak-responses?ref=foodsafetynews.com) he released as Deputy Commissioner in December 2021 was aimed at exactly this, at traceback, at root cause investigation, at getting outbreak data out the door faster. He had the title and the authority and he did the work, and his conclusion since leaving is that fragmentation cannot be repaired by a plan written by one of the fragments. That is a serious person telling you the inside fix was not enough. Here is what I would want the statute to carry, and it is mostly machinery rather than investigation. What actually distinguishes the NTSB is not the team that flies to the crash site. It is the ninety-day clock that starts when a recommendation is issued, the permanent public database that tracks every recommendation until somebody answers it, and the annual list that names the agency that has not. Recommendations are not binding. They are simply impossible to lose. A board without those three things becomes the Chemical Safety Board, an agency with the same design and no leverage that has [spent years fighting for its own budget](https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/congress-rescues-industry-watchdog-earmarked-for-closure-by-trump-administration/4022869.article?ref=foodsafetynews.com) while its recommendations pile up unanswered. Three more things, and then I will get out of the way. There has to be a mandatory launch trigger, a case count or a death count or a duration, so that declining to investigate or hiding the data is not something an administration can accomplish by saying nothing. There has to be a way to reach the root cause when the root cause is in Guanajuato, because a board whose authority stops at the border cannot answer most of the questions worth asking. And whatever findings the board produces have to stay available to the families who were hurt. Aviation solved its version of that problem by making board reports inadmissible in civil cases and by keeping lawyers out of the investigation entirely. Copy it into food and you will produce the best root cause analysis this country has ever done on an outbreak, with the processor helping to produce it, and seal it away from the only forum where the people who got sick have ever gotten an answer. Two things deserve saying on the other side of the ledger. FDA and CDC are aligned on the numbers in this outbreak right now, publishing [the same figures on the same day](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which has not been true all summer and is worth noticing when it is. And FDA now reports an onsite inspection and sampling at the plant, in coordination with Mexican officials. I have written about Frank’s board [twice](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-145-2-000-10-the-cyclospora-numbers-dont-add-up/) [before](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/two-friends-warn-about-cyclospora-in-the-morning-ill-carry-the-same-message-to-puerto-vallarta-we-stopped-counting-the-sick-and-holding-those-to-account/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). I will keep writing about it. If somebody would rather argue with the idea than draft it, I would point out that a board of this kind takes regulatory authority away from precisely nobody, which is more than can be said for every single food agency reorganization proposed since the 1990s, all of which are dead. One last thing, and it is not in any statute. Whatever this board turns out to be, build in an hour where the people doing the investigating sit down with the people who got sick. Not testimony. Not a hearing. I have watched that hour change how a person understands their own job for thirty-three years, and it would change how the report reads. ### FDA issues guidance for producers of fresh-cut product URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-issues-guidance-for-producers-of-fresh-cut-product/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T02:54:43.000Z The FDA has published guidance with information for manufacturers and processors of ready-to-eat produce to help them comply with federal law. The guidance is non-binding and does not carry the force of regulation or law and therefore can only been seen as informal recommendations for industry. “FDA’s guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities. Instead, guidance documents describe our current thinking on a topic and should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited. The use of the word *should* in FDA guidance means that something is suggested or recommended but not specifically required,” according to the 80-page [guidance document](https://www.fda.gov/media/117526/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Kyle Diamantas, the acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, touted the guidance and said Americans should feel confident eating fresh produce, leafy greens included. His comments come amid the country’s largest ever foodborne illness outbreak in which more than 28,000 people have been infected by the Cyclospora parasite. The guidance, which has been several years in the making, does not specifically discuss the current outbreak but it does reference Cyclospora. “. . . we are not currently aware of any antimicrobial that would significantly minimize or prevent Cyclospora cross-contamination and be suitable for use on fresh-cut produce. While your goal should be that your wash water antimicrobial be effective against all pathogens that you have identified in your hazard analysis as requiring a preventive control, we recognize that validating such control at this time for all pathogens could be beyond the scope of current science,” the guidance states. The suggestions for the fresh produce industry in the guidance document were designed to help producers comply with Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazards Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law Jan. 4, 2011\. Examples of fresh-cut produce discussed in the guidance include chopped lettuce, cut cantaloupe, diced onions and apples. For example, the guidance addresses the documents businesses should ask for from suppliers that show produce is subject to specific laws. However, the guidance does not suggest that the processors ask for documentation that the produce suppliers have met the requirements of those laws. “Before first receiving apples from the supplier, the PCQI obtains written assurance that the apples are not subject to the PSR in accordance with §112.4(a), or in accordance with §§ 112.4(b) and 112.5, and that the farm acknowledges that its apples are subject to section 402 of the FD&C Act (21 CFR 117.410(d)(2)(ii)),” the guidance states. Specific points addressed by the guidance include: - Handwashing - Employees eating, chewing gum, drinking or using tobacco products while working - Removing trash - Closing doors - Washing equipment An example of the guidance suggestions is that companies record the actual measured temperature of produce, such as “37°F” rather than simply stating whether the measured temperature was within the acceptable operating range. Additionally, the guidance suggests that using the weakest antimicrobial solution for least amount of time will be least efficient in eliminating pathogens. ### Ill food handler caused outbreak despite following protocols URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/ill-food-handler-caused-outbreak-despite-following-protocols/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T04:03:36.000Z A sick food handler likely contaminated items served at an event in Australia despite preparing food after symptoms had stopped, according to researchers. An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness was reported among people at a private function in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in 2024\. The organizer reported to ACT Health that 20 people at the catered function had become sick, but dozens more reported illnesses. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Austrian outbreaks stable but more people sick URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/austrian-outbreaks-stable-but-more-people-sick/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T04:01:29.000Z The number of outbreaks in Austria has stayed close to the same level in 2025 but they caused more illnesses than the year before, according to recently released statistics. In 2025, 33 foodborne outbreaks were reported, one fewer than in 2024\. However, 354 people were sickened in them compared to 194 people in 2024\. Outbreaks involved between two and 86 people. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns against more products with toxic yellow oleander URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-warns-against-more-products-with-toxic-yellow-oleander/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T04:01:27.000Z The FDA has added three products to this safety alert regarding products with poisonous yellow oleander. The Food and Drug Administration tested the products and found that they contain toxic yellow oleander. Yellow oleander can cause neurologic, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse health effects that may be severe, or even fatal. The FDA continues to investigate the safety of botanical weight loss products on the market by testing for yellow oleander. Additionally, two of these products contain other hidden drug ingredients and may cause life-threatening reactions. See FDA’s notifications for [D Magic Plus](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud-notifications/dmagic-plus-may-be-harmful-due-hidden-ingredients?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [B. Magi](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud-notifications/b-magi-may-be-harmful-due-hidden-ingredients?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for more information. Dozens of products have warnings or recalls in place. For a full list of those products and photos, [click here](https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-issues-warning-about-certain-products-containing-toxic-yellow-oleander?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery). In September 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a [report](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7237a3.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) of several tejocote root products found to be substituted with yellow oleander, a toxic substance. Based on this report, the FDA initiated an investigation to sample and test additional tejocote root products. As part of FDA’s ongoing surveillance sampling efforts, the agency continues to test products. Based on the FDA’s sampling and testing results thus far, the FDA is also concerned that other products marketed as tejocote root — including with other names such as Crataegus mexicana, Raiz de Tejocote, and Mexican Hawthorn — may contain yellow oleander. Additional investigation by FDA has determined that some dietary supplements that are not labeled to contain tejocote root may also contain toxic, yellow oleander. Consuming yellow oleander can cause severe adverse health effects and be potentially fatal. ### FDA tracking 18 active outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-tracking-17-active-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T15:31:24.000Z The Food and Drug Administration has a running account of what is making Americans sick right now. The FDA’s [Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) table is updated weekly. Right now FDA’s table carries 18 investigations in its Active section. Run down each file and add the case counts the agency publishes on the individual advisories, and the table describes 7,324 illnesses, 394 hospitalizations where a number is given, and three deaths — two from Cyclospora in Michigan and one from Listeria in the soft cheese outbreak. Eleven of the seventeen are ongoing. Six are files where FDA itself says the outbreak is over. There is a new Salmonella I 4,\[5\],12:i:- outbreak (not reflected on the table below, that has sickened 30 people. FDA has begun traceback. Here is the whole table as it stands today. | **Ref. #** | **Pathogen** | **Food named** | **Cases** | **Outbreak** | **Inspected on site** | | ---------- | ------------------------ | ----------------------- | --------- | ------------ | --------------------- | | 1398 | *Cyclospora* | Not yet identified | 10 | Ongoing | | | 1392 | *Cyclospora* | Not yet identified | 115 | Ongoing | | | 1395 | *Salmonella* Javiana | Jalapeño peppers | 345 | Ongoing | | | 1379 | *Listeria monocytogenes* | Not yet identified | 9 | Ongoing | Yes | | 1390 | *Cyclospora* | Iceberg lettuce | 6,358 | Ongoing | | | 1385 | *Cyclospora* | Not yet identified | 25 | Ongoing | | | 1384 | *Cyclospora* | Not yet identified | 18 | Ended | | | 1387 | *Salmonella*Oranienburg | Not yet identified | 93 | Ongoing | | | 1389 | *E. coli* O145:H28 | Frozen blueberries | 12 | Ongoing | | | 1382 | *E. coli* O157:H7 | Not yet identified | 14 | Ended | | | 1381 | *Cyclospora* | Not yet identified | 2 | Ended | | | 1383 | *Clostridium botulinum* | Powdered infant formula | 4 | Ongoing | Yes | | 1378 | *Salmonella*Enteritidis | Shell eggs | 98 | Ongoing | Yes | | ---- | ------------------------------ | ----------------------- | --- | ------- | --- | | 1380 | *Listeria monocytogenes* | Requesón / soft ricotta | 12 | Ongoing | Yes | | 1375 | *Cyclospora* | Not yet identified | 8 | Ended | | | 1366 | *Salmonella* Newport | Cantaloupe | 70 | Ended | Yes | | 1358 | *Salmonella*Typhimurium et al. | Moringa leaf powder | 131 | Ended | Yes | Eleven of the seventeen show no on-site inspection initiated. The six investigations that did get an inspection are, every one of them, a firm standing on American soil. The [frozen blueberry file](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o145h28-frozen-blueberries-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) shows what has taken the place of an inspection when the firm is not: FDA ran a remote regulatory assessment of the Chilean supplier, collected records, and added the company to an import alert. A records review conducted over the internet is now what stands in for walking the ground. ### More Cyclospora infections confirmed URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/more-cyclospora-infections-confirmed/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T16:42:03.000Z The number of Cyclospora infections confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to climb, with 13,895 illnesses logged compared to 10,468 a week ago. The agency appears to be making headway in confirming suspected patients, though, with the number dropping to 10,455 compared to 12,255 a week ago. The CDC says its numbers come from 47 states and Puerto Rico. An independent count of all 50 states shows more than 28,000 patients with at least 688 hospitalizations and two deaths in Michigan. The CDC is tracking a separate 15-state outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from a Taylor Farms growing operation in Central Mexico. The company recalled all of its iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico. For that outbreak the CDC has not updated its numbers from a week ago. At that time the agency was reporting 6,358 patients with hospitalizations of 278\. The number of infections this year is vastly higher than 2025 when a total of 1,180 cases were reported in the United States between May 1 and Aug.31. The count for the 50 states this year, minus 12 who are not posting numbers, stands at 28,056\. Michigan continues to have the most patients by far, reporting 12,485\. The state is expected to update its count Aug. 13\. Last year Michigan recorded 50 cases. The other states with counts of more than 1,000 are Ohio with 4,900 compared to 76 in 2025; Indiana with 1,893 compared with 27 in 2025; and Missouri with 1,577 and none reported in 2025. The Food and Drug Administration says it is not currently aware of any antimicrobial that would significantly minimize or prevent Cyclospora cross-contamination and be suitable for use on fresh-cut produce. It also says a wash-water process control is not a kill step, and that antimicrobials do not meaningfully reduce pathogens attached to produce or internalized in the tissue. ### Whole Foods recalls dozens of jalapeño products because of link to Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/whole-foods-recalls-dozens-of-jalapeno-products-because-of-link-to-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T23:23:37.000Z Whole Foods Market is recalling dozens of products that contain jalapeños because they are part of a larger recall connected to a Salmonella outbreak. The jalapeños were sourced from Coast Citrus Distributors and were recalled because of Salmonella contamination. There are 345 confirmed patients across 27 states in the current Salmonella outbreak. Taylor Fresh Foods, a division of Taylor Farms, [has also recalled](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/taylor-farms-recalls-20-products-containing-jalapenos-linked-to-outbreak/) a variety of products containing the implicated jalapeños. A grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplies to Coast Citrus Distributors was identified as the potential source in the outbreak. The recalled Whole Foods products were sold online and in the Produce and Prepared Foods departments in the following states: TX, OK, LA, AR, WI, MI, IL, IN, IA, MO, KY and OH, with Best Before/By dates of 8/7/2026 – 8/16/2026. Customers who purchased any of the products listed should not consume them. The recalled products can be identified by the following label information: | **Name** | **PLU Code** | **Best Before/Best By Dates** | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------- | ----------------------------- | | Mild Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Extra Small) | 24367500000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Mild Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Small) | 24293900000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Mild Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Small) | 25745000000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Mild Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Extra Small) | 24367500000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Mild Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Extra Small) | 25658600000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Spicy Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Small) | 25745200000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Spicy Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Small) | 28432400000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Spicy Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Extra Small) | 23501500000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Spicy Guacamole Dip No Tomatoes(Extra Small) | 25744900000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Medium Pico de Gallo Guacamole Dip | 29802800000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Pomegranate Guacamole Dip(Small) | 27908100000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Pomegranate Guacamole Dip(Extra Small) | 27908500000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Roasted Corn Guacamole Dip(Small) | 27132500000, | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Roasted Corn Guacamole Dip(Small) | 24075300000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Roasted Corn Guacamole Dip(Extra Small) | 29956000000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Roasted Corn Guacamole Dip(Extra (Small) | 29533500000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Spicy Guacamole Dip(Small) | 21212000000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Spicy Guacamole Dip(Extra Small) | 21211900000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Mild Pico de Gallo(16oz) | 85001178876 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Mango Pineapple Salsa(14oz) | 82676681063 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Mild Guacamole Dip | 21501700000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Guacamole Dip(Large) | 25705700000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Dip Trio | 25926000000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | OG Hot Guacamole | 25138200000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Small Guacamole | 25054100000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Pico De Gallo | 26383300000 | 8/7/2026 – 8/12/2026 | | Salsa, Brodie | 46000037533 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Salsa, Peach | 46000046598 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Salsa, Tomatillo | 46000038736 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Salsa, Tropical Mango Mild | 46000039895 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Salsa, Heirloom Tomato | 22860200000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Salsa, Fresca (roja) | 46000049560 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Salsa, Fresca | 29648100000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Dip, Salsa Mango (Small) | 25867600000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Dip, Salsa Heirloom Tomato | 29648700000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Dip, Salsa Tomatillo (Large) | 24118800000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Salsa, Heirloom Tomato (Small) | 25024800000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Dip, Salsa Spring Veggie | 24091700000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Dip, Salsa Mango Pineapple 10oz | 25867200000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Condiment sold for Caribbean Mango Pineapple Turkey Burger, Cooked | 21195900000 46000040275 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Condiment sold for Caribbean Mango Pineapple Turkey Burger, Cooked Family Meal | 27578600000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Condiment sold for Caribbean Mango Pineapple Turkey Burger FP, Cooked | 25326800000 46000065697 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | | Condiment sold for Caribbean Mango Pineapple Turkey Burger, Cooked Single Meal | 27670200000 | 8/9/2026 – 8/14/2026 | **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Consumer allergic reactions lead to recall of cheese puffs URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/consumer-allergic-reactions-lead-to-recall-of-cheese-puffs/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T23:00:41.000Z Frankie's Organic of Laval, Quebec, is recalling 94 cases of Frankie’s Organic Plant-Based Vegan Cheddar Puffs because they may contain undeclared milk. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The recall was initiated following two complaints of allergic reactions to related products sold in Canada. The product can be found at PCC Markets in Washington State and Earth Fare Stores in Florida & South Carolina, as well as select independent retailers in the regions. Frankie's Organic is working with 3 distribution centers that any remaining inventory is removed from distribution. No other Frankie's Organic products are impacted. Consumers should check their pantry for the Organic Plant-Based Vegan Cheddar Puffs with Best If Used by: 05 16 2027 and should not consume them. Other label information includes: | **Product Name** | **Best If** **Used By** | **UPC** | **Lot Code** | **Territory** | **Size** | **Retail** **packaging** | | ------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------ | ------------ | ----------------------------------- | ------------- | ------------------------ | | Frankie’s Organic Plant Based Vegan Cheddar Puffs | May 16, 2027 | 816929000089 | 05 16 2027 | Washington, Florida, South Carolina | 4 oz. (113 g) | Bag | ### Health department announces plans for GRAS substances and ultra-processed foods URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/health-department-announces-plans-for-gras-substances-and-ultra-processed-foods/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T04:05:00.000Z The federal government has announced two plans regarding the safety of foods. The plans address the so-called GRAS loophole and the definition of ultra-processed foods. In the announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said by proposing a definition for ultra-processed foods the government is addressing the nation’s “chronic disease epidemic.” “Nearly 60 percent of the American diet is made up of ultra-processed foods, and childhood obesity now affects more than one in five American children,” Kennedy said. The proposed definition has not yet been published. It remains at the Office of Management and Budget with no timetable for release. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is joining the health department in promoting the definition of ultra-processed foods. “The proposed definition incorporates feedback from thousands of stakeholders, including industry, consumer organizations, researchers, and members of the public,” according to the statement. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the move to define ultra-processed foods “has brought renewed attention to the food all Americans have been eating, and this action will bring greater transparency for consumers choosing their ingredients.” **Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) loophole** Also announced was new federal oversight of food additives known as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). Kennedy has promised to close the so-called GRAS loophole whereby food companies self-regulate their determination of and use of GRAS substances. Although Kennedy’s announcement says the health department has proposed a rule to address the safety of GRAS substances, he also said the rule does not require companies to submit to government testing of such food additives. Rather, the proposed rule would require “manufacturers to notify the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when concluding that the use of a substance added to human or animal food is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).” The rule would not require companies to submit to government review, but only provide the government with information regarding GRAS substances. The current system has been in place since 1958\. “The proposal would modernize the GRAS framework, increase transparency, and give the FDA greater visibility into substances entering the food supply,” according to the health department’s announcement. “The proposed rule would modernize that framework by making GRAS notifications mandatory.” Currently companies themselves are allowed to determine whether substances are safe. That would not change under the proposed rule. Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantes said the rule would “subject (companies) to transparent, science-based oversight.” **Consumer advocacy groups react** Several consumer groups have responded to the health department’s announcement regarding GRAS substances. Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said in addition to lacking teeth, the proposed rule could take years to implement, saying that states should not be barred from pursuing their own laws. “Considering the out-of-control, self-regulatory system we currently have for food ingredients, it’s disappointing that today’s announcement lacks substance and doesn’t propose anything meaningful. Given the lack of any real enforcement under the proposed rule for failing to submit a GRAS notice, combined with the fact that it would not apply to chemicals already in our foods, it risks maintaining the status quo that allows secret ingredients and chemicals to remain on the market without FDA review,” Ronholm said. Food & Water Watch also released a statement questioning the efficacy of the proposed GRAS rule. The group said the proposed rule would not stop those chemicals from entering the food supply. “While today’s proposed rule is a baby step toward safer food, it falls short of the true reform needed to keep dangerous chemicals out of the food supply. For decades, corporations have exploited the GRAS loophole to self-police which chemicals make it into the food we eat. We need stronger regulation to close the loophole once and for all, and we need to invest in the agencies charged with ensuring food safety,” said Food & Water Watch. The Center for Science in the Public Interest expressed a similar view on the GRAS proposal and also said Kennedy’s proposal about defining ultra-processed foods falls short. “Both aim to address the harms of certain processed foods, a key problem in public health,” said CSPI President Dr. Peter G. Lurie “One of the actions announced today (GRAS) is only a proposal and the other (the UPF definition) is not even that; eventually both will require further action to finalize and implement. Today’s celebration also serves to distract from the real harm this administration has already carried out on independent science and healthy food access. “The GRAS loophole in our current food additive regulatory system allows companies to self-certify the safety of new food chemical uses in secret, . . . For too long, FDA has been blind to the full universe of novel chemicals used in our foods and industry has aggressively lobbied against attempts at federal reform. We can be sure that industry will pull out all the stops to promote its interests as the rule is finalized. “. . . The [proposed rule](https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-16296.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) will still allow companies to sell products before or during the process of submitting a GRAS notice to FDA—there’s no requirement for companies to get the greenlight from FDA before going to market, which is one of the fundamental flaws in the existing system.” ### Polish eggs linked to 4 French Salmonella outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/polish-eggs-linked-to-4-french-salmonella-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T04:03:08.000Z Several Salmonella outbreaks in France have been linked to eggs from Poland. Between May and July 2026, France reported four outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis linked to mayonnaise, chocolate mousse, and tiramisu. At the end of July, sale of the suspected contaminated eggs in France was suspended. In June, French authorities issued a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notification to report the results of national investigations. This alert mentions 16 sick people, including nine males and seven females. Four people were admitted to hospitals. Patients ranged in age from 1 to 55 years old and mainly had fever and diarrhea, according to Santé publique France. Epidemiological and microbiological investigations confirmed homemade egg-based products as the vehicle of infections. This includes the identification of five food isolates, collected from eggs and egg-based products sampled at patients’ homes, that belong to two distinct strains. These isolates match the two human strains of the four French outbreaks. Traceability investigations linked all outbreaks to an egg distribution network involving two packing centers and three laying hen farms belonging to the same company in Poland. These farms had previously been associated with a salmonellosis outbreak linked to eggs that affected 18 European countries between 2016 and 2020. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said repeated detection of Salmonella in eggs from the same group suggests [persistent contamination or possible reintroduction](https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2026-08/en-10303.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) upstream in the production chain. Findings highlight the need for further investigations to identify the possible root causes of vertical and/or horizontal contamination. **Details of four outbreaks** The product in the first outbreak was homemade mayonnaise, which was collected in late May from a patient’s home. Microbiological analysis detected Salmonella Enteritidis, matching the national representative human strain. Traceback work found the eggs used to prepare the mayonnaise came from a Polish packing center and a Polish farm. According to Polish authorities, this batch of eggs was laid in a henhouse that tested negative for Salmonella in December 2025, as well as January, April, and June 2026\. Environmental samples from the packing center in May 2026 were also negative. The suspected product in the second outbreak was homemade chocolate mousse. There were no leftovers to be sampled. Investigations traced the eggs used to another batch from a different Polish packing center and farm. Polish officials said tests of dust and fecal samples in the henhouse and of feed for Salmonella were negative and results were satisfactory at the packing center. In the third outbreak, there were no leftovers of tiramisu dessert. Two batches of eggs were involved from the same packing center and farm as the second outbreak as well as another farm. The fourth outbreak involved homemade mayonnaise but there were no leftovers to test. Four egg samples from the patient’s home were Salmonella Enteritidis positive and matched the national representative human strain. ### Food fraud costs UK up to £2 billion per year URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/food-fraud-costs-uk-up-to-2-billion-per-year/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T04:01:53.000Z The cost of food fraud in the United Kingdom could be as much as £2 billion ($2.7 billion) per year, according to researchers. Research from the University of Portsmouth estimates that food fraud costs the UK economy between £400 million ($540 million) and £2 billion ($2.7 billion) annually. The study examines offenses including food substitution, false labeling, and document fraud. Consequences can include financial losses for businesses, damage to confidence in food supply chains and serious risks to public health, such as fake spirits that contain industrial chemicals. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher’s Platform: On the Day CDC confirmed 13,895 Cyclospora cases, the Acting FDA Commissioner told Americans to feel confident about lettuce. We need leadership, not cheerleaders. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-on-the-day-cdc-confirmed-13-895-cyclospora-cases-the-acting-fda-commissioner-told-americans-to-feel-confident-about-lettuce-we-need-leadership-not-cheerleaders/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T00:43:10.000Z Kyle Diamantas, the acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, said Tuesday that Americans should feel confident eating fresh produce, leafy greens included. He said it as his agency finalized its guidance on the preparation and packaging of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, and he said it, in Reuters’ own framing, amid ongoing foodborne outbreaks. CTV ran the wire story under a headline that gets to the point faster than the story does: [the acting FDA chief urges confidence in lettuce](https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/acting-us-fda-chief-urges-confidence-in-lettuce-as-agency-updates-produce-safety-guidance/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). In [an interview with CNBC the same day](https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6024953-taylor-farms-recall-food-safety/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) he went further. Americans should have full confidence in the food supply in this country. His agency remains confident that all iceberg lettuce related to this outbreak has been effectively removed from the market. The source was found, he said, in [record time](https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/acting-fda-chief-urges-americans-to-have-confidence-in-food-supply-6074057?ref=foodsafetynews.com). And then the oldest line in the business: we have the safest food supply in the world. Hmm, where have I heard this before? Here is the rest of what Tuesday held. [CDC’s weekly update](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) put laboratory-confirmed, domestically acquired *Cyclospora*cases at 13,895, with at least another 10,455 still needing further investigation. That is 24,350 people in the federal count alone. Add up what the state health departments have published on their own dashboards and the floor sits above 28,000, with at least 688 hospitalizations and two deaths in Michigan. CDC printed the comparison itself: 1,180 cases in the same window a year ago. And CDC changed the words it uses to describe this outbreak. It is now a large multistate outbreak linked to processed iceberg lettuce from central Mexico. Processed is a new word in that sentence, and it points at a facility rather than a field. Those two things happened on the same day, from the same government, about the same lettuce. I want to be fair to the document the acting Commissioner was standing on, because it deserves better than the press release around it. The [final fresh-cut produce guidance](https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-16420?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is the best thing FDA has published on this subject in eighteen years, and parts of it are genuinely useful. It says plainly that *Cyclospora* is a known or reasonably foreseeable biological hazard in fresh salad mixes containing lettuce and carrots, in berries, in fresh basil and in fresh cilantro. It says fecally contaminated agricultural water and fecal deposits from infected field workers are currently considered reasonable routes of transfer. It tells processors that rewashing product that ran through out-of-spec water is not an acceptable corrective action. And buried in the validation chapter it says the thing the acting Commissioner did not say out loud on Tuesday. FDA is not currently aware of any antimicrobial that would significantly minimize or prevent *Cyclospora* cross-contamination and be suitable for use on fresh-cut produce. Elsewhere it says a wash-water process control is not a kill step, and that antimicrobials do not meaningfully reduce pathogens attached to produce or internalized in the tissue. The guidance is also non-binding. No effective date, no compliance period, no obligation. It took eight years to move from draft to final, and the *Listeria* guidance it cross-references has been a draft since January 2017\. [The trade press filed within hours](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11718-fda-finalizes-fsma-preventive-controls-guidance-for-fresh-cut-produce?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and repeated the agency’s framing without ever reaching the no-antimicrobial sentence. That is the difference I keep running into this summer. A guidance document that concedes the wash does not work on the parasite is a piece of helpful leadership. Standing next to it and telling twenty-eight thousand sick people’s neighbors to feel confident is unhelpful cheerleading. The safest food supply in the world is the oldest line in this business. I have heard some version of it from administrations of both parties since I started doing this work in 1993, and I have almost always heard it in the middle of an outbreak, from someone who had just been handed a number he did not want to say out loud. It is not a finding. No agency certifies it. No dataset produces it. It is a slogan, and it has been doing the same job for thirty years, which is to end the conversation. Here is what the government actually measures. CDC’s own estimate, still posted on its website, is that [48 million Americans get sick from food every year](https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/data-research/facts-stats/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), that 128,000 are hospitalized and that 3,000 die. When CDC [rebuilt that estimate in 2025](https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/php/data-research/foodborne-illness-burden/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for the seven pathogens it can model best, it came back with 9.9 million illnesses, 53,300 hospitalizations and 931 deaths from those seven alone — and *Cyclospora* is not one of the seven, which is part of why nobody can tell you tonight how many people this parasite really made sick this summer. The nearest thing to an international ranking is the Global Food Security Index, and [we covered the most recent one here at Food Safety News](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2022/09/u-s-slips-down-rankings-in-food-security-index/): on quality and safety the United States placed third, behind Canada and Denmark, and thirteenth overall, down from ninth. That index scores laws and standards on paper. It does not count sick people. Even grading us on paper, it does not put us first. Three years ago Netflix released a documentary built around that exact sentence. It is called *Poisoned*. I am in a good deal of it, and so are parents who buried children. The claim the film sets out to test, in its opening minutes, is the claim that America has the safest food supply in the world. [Here is the trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZcyMgdWmPg&ref=foodsafetynews.com). I would rather the acting Commissioner spend an hour with it than repeat the line it was made to answer. The rest of Tuesday’s claims deserve answers too. Record time: the first illnesses in this outbreak had onset on May 13, and the first federal advisory came on July 16\. That is two months, and Frank Yiannas, who ran food policy at FDA, told the Wall Street Journal the agency appears to have moved slowly. Effectively removed from the market: the recall was July 17, when CDC’s confirmed count stood at roughly 1,600\. It stands at 13,895 tonight. Pulling the product ends the exposure. It does not end the outbreak, and it does not shrink the number. And while CDC was publishing those figures on Tuesday, the department that runs both agencies posted on social media that *Cyclospora* is contained and American food is safe. Contained is a word with a meaning. Two people are dead, at least 688 people have been hospitalized, and the season CDC itself defines does not close until August 31. Look at what the Secretary of Health and Human Services has actually said about this outbreak, because it is short. On July 21, at a briefing called to announce a health care fraud action, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was asked about it and said the outbreak was under control. He said extensive epidemiological forensics had identified the source and the companies involved had recalled. Asked whether surveillance cuts had slowed the response, he said those criticisms are invalid, that there had been no cuts to the surveillance program, and that the FoodNet reductions were for redundant surveillance and every state would say so. That was three weeks ago. The confirmed count on the day he said it was a small fraction of where it stands tonight, and he has not said anything about the outbreak since. What he has done since is nothing. The department proposed a rule requiring companies to [notify FDA of their own GRAS determinations](https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2026-08-10/us-health-agency-moves-to-increase-oversight-of-food-additives?ref=foodsafetynews.com), open for comment 120 days, and submitted the government’s [first proposed definition of ultra-processed foods](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/08/10/rfk-jr-slated-unveil-plan-targeting-loophole-that-allows-chemicals-food-supply/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for final review. He called the pair historic. He said parents should not need a chemistry degree to understand what their children are eating, and he is right about that. Both are defensible policy and I have argued for the first one for years. Neither touches parasites, imported produce, traceability, or surveillance. Neither would have shortened this summer by a single day. In the eleventh week of the largest *Cyclospora* outbreak in American history, the department’s major food announcement was about food chemistry. The President has commented once. On July 24, Peter Doocy asked him when it would be safe to eat lettuce again. [He said he had not thought about it](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-laughs-off-fox-news-reporters-question-on-cyclospora-outbreak-12242570?ref=foodsafetynews.com), said it was the first time anyone had asked him, asked Doocy whether he had been eating lettuce lately, and then said he would put a major tariff on Mexico because of the lettuce. That was eighteen days ago, and he has not returned to it. A tariff is not a food safety measure. Taylor Farms is a California company. A tariff tests no water, trains no harvest crew, and counts no sick person. When the man at the top of the government is asked when the food will be safe and his honest answer is that he has not thought about it, that is not a gaffe to score points off. It is a description of where this sits on the list. Others in the building have gone further than being uninformed. Calley Means, a senior White House adviser, posted on X within the past week that the concern over this outbreak is hysteria funded by junk food companies to make people eat less real food, and that a foodborne illness advocacy group is a front feeding quotes to reporters. The group he was pointing at works with families whose children died of foodborne illness. Two people are dead in Michigan and better than twenty-eight thousand are counted sick. Calling that manufactured is not a communications strategy. It is a statement about how seriously the White House takes it. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the same company at the center of the lettuce outbreak [recalled prepared salsas, guacamoles and dips](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/09/taylor-farms-recalls-salsa-and-guacamole-over-salmonella-risk.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) made with jalapeños from Sinaloa, tied to a *Salmonella* Javiana outbreak that has sickened at least 345 people across 27 states. Two nationwide outbreaks, one supplier, three weeks apart. Confidence is not the emotion the moment calls for. The people who have been substantive about this are almost all outside the executive branch or below the political level of it. Eleven letters have gone from Congress to CDC, FDA and HHS since the middle of July, five from the House and six from the Senate, and I have not found a published answer to any of them. Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote as ranking member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and [asked the acting Commissioner for every communication between FDA and the White House about this outbreak and about Taylor Farms](https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026-07-30-Letter-from-Sen-Blumenthal-to-Acting-Commissioner-Diamantas.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). That deadline is Thursday, and PSI is the one committee on this list with subpoena capacity behind it. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand [wrote to Diamantas and to the then-acting CDC director](https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/amid-cyclosporiasis-outbreak-gillibrand-demands-answers-about-trump-administration-gutting-monitoring-of-foodborne-illnesses/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) asking how CDC intends to keep a reliable baseline now that this parasite has come off mandatory FoodNet tracking. Every one of the eleven letters was signed by a Democrat, which is a problem of its own, because none of what they are asking for is partisan. Leadership starts with doing something useful instead of saying useless things. On August 7 I published [fifteen things FDA and CDC could do about Cyclospora](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-i-have-been-told-i-am-too-hard-on-industry-and-on-the-government-here-are-fifteen-things-fda-and-cdc-could-do-about-cyclospora/), sorted by how long each one takes, because I was tired of being told that complaining is all I do. Four of the fifteen need no rulemaking, no appropriation and no act of Congress. Here are the four I would do first, and I would do all four this week. Two of them belong to CDC alone, which means the new director could start on them tomorrow. The season CDC defines closes on August 31, which is nineteen days from now. 1\. Say one number out loud and define what is inside it. There are four figures in circulation for the same disease in the same week — the outbreak page, the confirmed count, the confirmed count plus the unconfirmed, and what the fifty state health departments actually report. Every one of them is defensible and no two of them describe the same thing, which is why the public hears a different number depending on which reporter called which office. Pick a figure, say in one sentence what it counts and what it leaves out, and refresh it on a published cadence. An agency that will not state the size of a problem cannot expect to be believed when it says the problem is handled. 2\. Publish the genotypes. CDC has had targeted amplicon deep sequencing for this parasite since 2018\. It is built, it is paid for, and it is the only tool in existence that can tell us whether the lettuce outbreak, the other federal *Cyclospora*files carrying illnesses with no named food, and North Carolina’s separate parsley and cilantro signal are one event or four. No state can answer that on its own. Nothing has been published. This is the cheapest item on the list and probably the most valuable. 3\. Go look at the water and name the parasite in the rule that governs it. Tuesday’s guidance tells processors that when the antimicrobial cannot control a hazard, they must handle it with supply-chain controls, which routes them to the produce safety rules. The only numeric microbial criterion in the [pre-harvest agricultural water rule](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-pre-harvest-agricultural-water?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is generic *E. coli*, and FDA’s own material on this organism says indicator testing will not find it. Meanwhile, after the 2013 outbreak traced to the same company and the same region, the firm resumed production on a stated commitment to sample its products and its water, and [FDA’s own environmental assessment](https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Environmental-Assessment--2013-Cyclosporiasis-outbreak-in-Iowa-and-Nebraska-%E2%80%93-Findings-and-Recommendations.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) told it to determine whether this parasite is a reasonably likely hazard and to re-evaluate the wash. Nobody has ever published whether any of that happened. Ask, then send someone to sample the irrigation water, and publish the result whichever way it comes out. 4\. Put the traceability rule back on its original schedule. Congress passed it in 2011\. It was supposed to take effect this year and has been [pushed to 2028](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-trump-admin-cuts-have-compromised-food-safety/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Seventeen years after the statute, we traced this lettuce with spreadsheets and phone calls. None of the four would have prevented this outbreak. The contamination happened in a field in central Mexico in the spring, weeks before the first American got sick, and no surveillance system counts a case that has not happened yet. What they would have done is make this outbreak shorter, smaller and legible — found sooner, described honestly while it was running, understood afterward. And not one of the four is a partisan measure. The traceability rule was written under one administration and delayed under two. I would rather hear an acting Commissioner say that his own agency published a document on Tuesday admitting there is no wash that controls this parasite, that the traceability rule he needs is three years away, and here is which of these he is going to do about it. I would rather hear a new CDC director say one number in her first month and stand behind it. I would rather hear a Secretary say the July number was wrong and here is the real one. I would rather hear a President say he has been briefed. I would rather hear that one of them had spent an hour with a family. Nobody comes out of that hour able to say a thing is under control. Those are harder sentences to say. They are also the ones that would actually restore confidence. ### Some states say Cyclospora outbreak is slowing URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/states-say-cyclospora-outbreak-is-slowing/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T16:42:25.000Z The two states with the highest patient counts in a nationwide Cyclospora outbreak are stepping back from daily reporting, saying that the pace of the outbreak is slowing. At last count, posted Aug. 6, Michigan reported 12,485 patients, up from 12,218 on Aug. 5\. The state has had two confirmed deaths and 279 hospitalizations. The Ohio state health department is reporting 4,949 cases of cyclosporiasis across 82 counties. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 6,358 patients across 15 states in a Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from the Taylor Farms growing operation in Central Mexico. The CDC is also reporting a group of outbreaks across 47 states with 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis and more than 12,255 additional cases that are not laboratory-confirmed or require further investigation. The CDC is reporting patient counts once a week. Unlike Michigan and Ohio, officials in some other states are continuing to see sharp increases in patient counts. Missouri health officials say 1,577 people in the state have now tested positive, which reflects a 44 percent increase in confirmed cases from the previous week. Both Michigan and Ohio have stopped daily reporting of case counts as of August. 10\. Michigan’s health department will update patient counts on Thursdays moving forward. Also, Ohio has discontinued its regional cyclosporiasis hotline because of “a decreasing rate of new positive cases in northwest Ohio.” “Since the start of this outbreak, (the Michigan health department) has remained committed to providing timely, transparent information and clear recommendations to Michigan residents,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. In addition to stepping back from daily patient count updates, the Michigan health department is advising residents that they can go back to routine guidance for consuming lettuce and salad greens. “As new data has emerged, our guidance has evolved to reflect the best available evidence, helping ensure that prevention recommendations are accurate, actionable and responsive to the changing situation,” Bagdasarian said. The state totals are as follows: | **State** | **2026 cases** | **As of** | **All of 2025** | **Lettuce** | | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------- | --------------- | ----------- | | Michigan | [12,485](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 6 | 50 | Yes | | Ohio | [4,900](https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/toledo/news/2026/08/07/cyclosporiasis-ohio-confirmed-cases?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 4 | 76 | Yes | | Indiana | [1,893](https://fox59.com/indiana-news/nearly-1900-cases-of-explosive-diarrhea-illness-cyclosporiasis-reported-in-indiana/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 10 | 27 | Yes | | Missouri | [1,095](https://www.kctv5.com/2026/08/03/missouri-cyclosporiasis-cases-double-one-week-over-1000/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 2 | none reported | Yes | | Illinois | [995](https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/cyclospora-cases-illinois-august-4/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 4 | 301 | Yes | | North Carolina | [867](https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/programs/epidemiology/communicable-disease/foodborne-illnesses/cyclosporiasis/cases?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 4 | 300 | Yes | | New York | [753](https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 27 | 694 | Yes | | Kentucky | [620](https://www.wsmv.com/2026/08/04/kentucky-health-officials-investigating-over-600-reported-cases-cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 29 | 45 | Yes | | Kansas | [615](https://www.wibw.com/2026/08/05/cyclosporiasis-cases-continue-rise-this-week-kansas/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 5 | 29 | Yes | | Oklahoma | [426](https://okcfox.com/news/local/osdh-426-cyclosporiasis-cases-recorded-across-oklahoma?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 4 | 41 | Yes | | Florida | [342](https://www.wusf.org/health-news-florida/2026-08-06/florida-cyclospora-surges-again-with-87-new-cases-more-states-link-the-cause-to-lettuce?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 1 | 210 | Yes | | West Virginia | [291](https://oeps.wv.gov/cyclosporiasis-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 7 | 8 | Yes | | Arkansas | [237](https://healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/diseases-conditions/communicable-diseases/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 7 | 13 | Yes | | Iowa | [226](https://hhs.iowa.gov/media/19114/download?inline=&ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 30 | 64 | Yes | | Nebraska | [218](https://www.wowt.com/2026/08/06/nebraska-health-department-confirms-cyclosporasis-cases-tied-national-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 6 | 51 | No | | Texas | [198](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/texas-cyclospora-cases-near-200-165227995.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 5 | 512 | Yes | | Virginia | [162](https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/surveillance-and-investigation/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 30 | 115 | Yes | | Wisconsin | [160](https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/outbreaks/index.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 29 | 65 | Yes | | Colorado | [150](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 205 | No | | Massachusetts | [145](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/cyclospora-cases-massachusetts-lettuce/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 5 | 74 | Yes | | Alabama | [85](https://www.waff.com/2026/08/03/alabama-cyclospora-cases-grow-north-alabama-hit-hardest/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 3 | 19 | Yes | | Pennsylvania | [82](https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2026%20HAN/2026-833-07-16-ADV-Cyclospora.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 29 | not notifiable | Yes | | Maryland | [69](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 123 | Yes | | New Hampshire | [69](https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/infectious-disease-control/cyclosporiasis?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 4 | 7 | Yes | | New Jersey | [46](https://www.nj.gov/health/news/2026/approved/20260716a.shtml?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 11 | 180 | Yes | | California | [41](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR26-024.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 14 | not available | No | | Minnesota | [41](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | none reported | No | | Washington | [36](https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/foodborne-illness/outbreaks/2026-cyclosporiasis-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Aug 7 | not available | No | | Connecticut | [35](https://portal.ct.gov/dph/newsroom/press-releases---2026/cyclosporiasis-cases-linked-to-national-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 41 | Yes | | Oregon | [23](https://www.oregon.gov/oha/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 24 | not available | No | | Arizona | [19](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 49 | No | | Georgia | [11](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 116 | Yes | | Tennessee | [11](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 38 | Yes | | Alaska | [5](https://health.alaska.gov/media/jqphutwx/akphan%5F20260716-domestically-acquired-cyclosporiasis-cases-in-multiple-us-states-2026.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 16 | 6 | No | | Rhode Island | [4](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 6 | No | | Louisiana | [1](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 99 | Yes | | Utah | [1](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | Jul 17 | 37 | No | | Delaware | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 1 | No | | Hawaii | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | not available | No | | Idaho | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | not notifiable | No | | Maine | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 4 | No | | Mississippi | [no count published](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-15-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | not notifiable | Yes | | Montana | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 8 | No | | Nevada | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | not notifiable | No | | New Mexico | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 9 | No | | North Dakota | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 4 | No | | South Carolina | [no count published](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-15-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 45 | Yes | | South Dakota | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 3 | No | | Vermont | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 3 | No | | Wyoming | [no count published](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | — | 0 | No | | **All fifty states** | **27,357** | | | **50** | ### Large Trichinella outbreak raises meat sourcing concerns URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/large-trichinella-outbreak-raises-meat-sourcing-concerns/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T04:02:50.000Z Details of a large Trichinella outbreak in Lebanon linked to contaminated meat have been shared in new research. In December 2023, a Trichinella case was reported in Jahliyeh, Mount Lebanon, to the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (ESU) of the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon. Scientists surveyed householders to identify cases and assess meat consumption practices, inspected local butcheries, and tested meat samples. They identified 290 patients. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Hong Kong outbreak analysis reveals growing role of norovirus URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/hong-kong-outbreak-analysis-reveals-growing-role-of-norovirus/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T04:01:18.000Z An analysis of outbreaks over a decade in Hong Kong has revealed the growing prevalence of norovirus-related raw oyster outbreaks. From 2016 to 2025, Hong Kong recorded 1,964 outbreaks affecting 7,758 people. Most of them were small in scale, with 88 percent involving five or fewer cases. Food poisoning outbreaks peaked in May and June because of warmer conditions favoring bacterial growth, while norovirus outbreaks were more common in winter. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Frozen fudge sandwiches recalled because of undeclared egg URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/frozen-fudge-sandwiches-recalled-because-of-undeclared-egg/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T00:41:34.000Z Blank Slate Creamery of Ann Arbor, MI, is recalling its 4.5 oz. packaged Vegan Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Coconut Fudge Sandwiches, because they may contain undeclared egg. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The Vegan Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Coconut Fudge Sandwiches were distributed in Ann Arbor and Brighton, MI, at three store locations. The product comes in a 4.5 ounce, clear plastic package marked with a best by dates 11/23/26 and 1/9/27. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this issue. The recall was initiated after notification that Rooted in Rare brand Aquafaba powder packaged in 4oz (113g) and (12 oz (340g) flexible foil pouches with UPC #199284530959 (4oz) and #199284306226 (12oz) with the Best by 12/14/2026 and Best by 12/12/2027 was recalled. Consumers who have purchased 4.5 ounce packaged Vegan Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert Coconut Fudge Sandwiches are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. ### Noodles, soup base recalled for undeclared fish URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/noodles-soup-base-recalled-for-undeclared-fish/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T00:31:57.000Z Sun Noodle of Honolulu, HI, is recalling 15.4-ounce packages of Sura Tanmen Hot and Sour Flavor Premium Japanese Noodles & Soup Base, because the product may contain undeclared fish. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to fish run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The recall was initiated after Sun Noodle received a consumer inquiry noting that the soup base included in the kit did not match Sura Tanmen kits. An internal investigation confirmed that a soba sauce, which contains fish, was mistakenly packed into Sura Tanmen kits. Fish is not declared as an allergen on the Sura Tanmen packaging. The issue was traced to a single production run and has been corrected. Sun Noodle has reviewed subsequent production lots and confirmed they contain the correct soup base. The company is reviewing its packing verification procedures to prevent any recurrence. Consumers who have purchased Sura Tanmen with lot code 1226183 are urged not to consume the product. The recalled Sura Tanmen, lot #1226183, was distributed exclusively in the state of Hawaii through the following retail supermarkets and food distributors between July 9 and July 29, 2026: - Don Don Donki Kapolei Store - Don Quijote Kaheka Store - Don Quijote Pearl City Store - Golden Touch Trading Inc. - H-Mart Kakaako, LLC - Marukai Hawaii Kam Shopping Center Store - Nijiya Market Ala Moana Store - Nijiya Market University Avenue Store - Roy’s Restaurant at Koolina - Suisan Company Ltd. - Times Super Market Kahala Store - Times Super Market Kihei Store - Tokyo Central Store No illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported to date. The product can be identified by the following: | **Sura Tanmen** | **Unit** | **Case** | | --------------------- | -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | | **Item Number** | 05410 | 05410.1 | | **UPC** | 085315054108 | 085315054105 | | **Affected Lot Code** | 1226183 | 1226183 | | **Net Wt.** | 15.4oz per package | 12 packages per case. 11.75 lbs. per case | | **Type of Container** | Individual Plastic Package | Cardboard Box of 12 Packages | ### Taylor Farms recalls 20 products containing jalapeños linked to outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/taylor-farms-recalls-20-products-containing-jalapenos-linked-to-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T00:22:24.000Z Taylor Farms division Taylor Fresh Foods is recalling 20 products containing jalapeños because of a [Salmonella outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/salmonella-outbreak-caused-by-imported-jalapeno-peppers-has-sickened-hundreds/), including products sold under the Kroger, Target and Trader Joe’s brands. Taylor Fresh Foods received jalapeños from Coast Citrus Distributors that have been recalled because of a link to a Salmonellaoutbreak that has sickened 345 people across 27 states. The illnesses have been traced to jalapeño peppers from a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, who supplied the peppers to Coast Citrus Distributors, according to the recall notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration. In addition, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a [public alert](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/usda-issues-alert-for-products-containing-jalapenos-in-connection-with-outbreak/) about products containing the jalapeños along with meat and poultry products. Taylor Fresh Foods is no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will be filling orders from alternative suppliers. The list of recalled products are distributed by Taylor Farms including the branded and unbranded products and corresponding images are provided below. The recalled products were distributed to retail distribution centers in the following states: AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NE, NH, NY, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VT, WI, WV with a “Best If Used By” date up to and including August 16, 2026. Consumers who have any recalled product should discard it immediately and not consume it. The Taylor Fresh Foods products under recall are: | **Store(s)** | **Brand** | **Description** | **Best if Used By** | **UPC** | **Distributed to States** | | --------------------------- | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------------ | | Hannaford | NONE | Diced Jalapenos 3.75oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/14/2026 | 030223082712 | ME, NY | | Hannaford | NONE | Rice and Bean Burrito 12.5oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/11/2026 | 030223082736 | MA, ME, NH, NY, VT | | Kroger | Private Selection | Spicy Roast Beef Sandwich PS 8.53oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/12/2026 | 011110678171 | AL, AR, GA, LA, MS, SC, TN, TX | | Kroger | NONE | Spicy Jarlsberg Dip 10oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/15/2026 | 030223114826 | IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, NE, OH, TX, WV | | Kroger | NONE | Spicy Pimento Cheese Dip 10oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/15/2026 | 030223116448 | IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, NE, OH, TX, WV | | Stop and Shop and Hannaford | NONE | Pico de Gallo Salsa 7oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/14/2026 | 688267575778 | MA, ME, NY | | Target | Taylor Farms/ Unbranded | Taco Dip 20oz | 8/12/2026 - 8/13/2026 | 030223073581 | FL, OH, TX | | Target | Taylor Farms/ Unbranded | Mango Pico De Gallo 11oz | 8/08/2026 - 8/13/2026 | 030223073543 | OH, TX | | Target | Taylor Farms/ Unbranded | Spicy Guacamole 13oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/13/2026 | 030223073574 | OH, TX | | Target | Taylor Farms | Pico de Gallo 16oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/14/2026 | 030223073536 | TX | | Target | Taylor Farms | Authentic Guacamole 13oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/12/2026 | 030223073567 | TX | | Trader Joe's | Trader Joe's | Fiesta Style Salad Shrimp 11.11oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/12/2026 | 000000818377 | TX | | Walmart | Freshness Guaranteed | Hot ( or Spicy) Pico De Gallo Spicy 10oz | 8/08/2026 - 8/16/2026 | 681131276351 | FL, IL, LA, MN, NE, OK, WI | | Walmart | Freshness Guaranteed | Mild Pico De Gallo 10oz | 8/08/2026 - 8/16/2026 | 681131276344 | FL, IL, LA, MN, NE, OK, TX, WI | | Whole Foods | NONE | Salsa Fresca Medium 12oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/16/2026 | 030223075080 | IL, TX | | Whole Foods | NONE | Pico de Gallo Mild 10oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/16/2026 | 030223075097 | IL, TX | | Whole Foods | NONE | Pico de Gallo Spicy 10oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/16/2026 | 030223075608 | IL, TX | | Whole Foods | NONE | Salsa Roja Medium 12oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/16/2026 | 030223075639 | IL, TX | | Whole Foods | NONE | Salsa Roja Medium 12oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/16/2026 | 030223075646 | IL, TX | | Whole Foods | NONE | Pineapple Mango Salsa Mild 10oz | 8/07/2026 - 8/14/2026 | 030223075653 | IL, TX | **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Calls to suspend school meals plan as illnesses continue URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/calls-to-suspend-school-meals-plan-as-illnesses-continue/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T04:06:31.000Z Amnesty International has urged the Indonesian government to suspend its school meals program following more reports of food poisoning. In January 2025, the government launched a Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program to improve nutrition and health for millions of people. However, the plan has been blighted by illness reports among schoolchildren. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Normalization of deviance: The real lesson of this summer's Cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/normalization-of-deviance-the-real-lesson-of-this-summers-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T04:05:33.000Z **The Outbreak** By now most of us have seen the numbers. As of this week, the CDC has confirmed more than 6,000 cyclosporiasis cases tied to a single multistate outbreak; state-by-state totals reported independently put the real figure well over 20,000\. It is, by any measure, one of the largest outbreaks of its kind on record. Food Safety News publisher Bill Marler wrote something that stuck with me more than the case counts did. He pointed out that the FDA had flagged this exact risk before, at the same corporate family, at a different facility, thirteen years earlier, after a 2013 Cyclospora outbreak. The agency's own environmental assessment recommended the company test its water and re-evaluate its produce wash step. According to Marler's reporting, there is no public record that verification ever happened. Thirteen years passed. Nothing catastrophic occurred in the interim. Until this year, when it did, at a scale few outbreaks reach. That is not a story about something being missed. It is a story about something being known, and quietly stopping being treated as a risk, because nothing visibly bad happened for a long time. There is a name for that pattern, and it comes from a very different disaster. **What Challenger actually teaches** In 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch. The cause was O-ring seals that failed in cold weather. What made it a scandal, rather than just a tragedy, is that engineers had flagged O-ring erosion on multiple previous flights. Each time, the shuttle launched anyway, and nothing catastrophic followed. Sociologist Diane Vaughan, studying the disaster afterward, coined a term for what happened next:normalization of deviance. The process by which a known deviation from a safety standard gets quietly reclassified as acceptable, not because anyone decided it was safe, but because it kept *not* causing a disaster. The risk didn't disappear. It just stopped being treated as one. The term has since become standard vocabulary in aviation safety, nuclear safety, and patient safety literature, precisely because the pattern keeps recurring: a known risk, documented, unresolved, tolerated because the bad outcome hasn't happened yet – until the day it does. 20,000 or more bad outcomes in this case, to date. **The version of this sitting in the glove industry right now** I run a food-safety glove company, and I think the glove industry has a normalization-of-deviance problem, and it's been in the public record for two years without creating change. In 2024, a peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Food Protection tested 2,800 food and examination grade gloves across 26 commercial brands. From the paper – “around 50 percent of samples contained fecal indicator organisms.” “Frank and opportunistic pathogens were identified on tested gloves, including recognized fecal indicators, enterotoxigenic strains of Bacillus cereus and B. anthracis along with the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridoides difficile, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus pneumoniae…” As with Cyclospora, the origin was likely contaminated water – in this case at the manufacturing plants in SE Asia. All samples were stated as “FDA Compliant.” FDA's compliance pathway for gloves (21 CFR 177) tests whether the raw material chemical content is safe to touch food. It does not test whether the glove itself is sanitary, even though FDA's own manufacturing standard (21 CFR 117.10(b)(5)) requires gloves to be "intact, clean, and sanitary." That's not a hidden gap. It's published, peer-reviewed, and two years old. We raised it formally with the Conference for Food Protection, the body that reconciles exactly this kind of regulatory contradiction; the Council declined to act, ruling it outside the Conference's scope, and it won't be reconsidered until 2027\. We also petitioned FDA directly in November 2025 to address the underlying material standard for vinyl gloves. Both are public record. No known outbreak has been publicly attributed to a contaminated glove yet. Under normalization of deviance, that fact means precisely nothing about whether the risk is real. It means the industry hasn't yet had its version of a cold morning in January. The absence of a headline is not evidence of safety. It's the condition under which a known risk gets tolerated, right up until it isn’t. **What this isn't, and what it is** We need to be careful here, because it would be easy to overreach. We are not claiming Cyclospora has been found on gloves; it hasn't, and the biology makes that unlikely. This isn't a claim about one pathogen. It's a claim about a pattern: known risk, no verification requirement, tolerated by default until something forces the question. What this outbreak actually demonstrates, more than any specific pathogen, is how expensive that pattern gets once it resolves. Tens of thousands of illnesses, a supply chain under scrutiny, a regulator facing hard questions about what it knew and when. Nobody sets out for this. It happens by default, when a known and documented risk is left unverified long enough. Food manufacturing, processing, and service all use gloves as a deliberate barrier against exactly this category of contamination. That's the entire point of the product. The question worth asking isn't whether your gloves are FDA compliant. It's whether anyone has verified they are sanitary. For most gloves on the market today, the honest answer is probably not, and nobody has checked. Maybe we will have to wait years for something to happen as a result of a contaminated glove. But the fact remains that the glove that is supposed to be a barrier to the fecal-oral contamination route may in fact turn out to be the bridge. **Sources** Publisher's Platform: The FDA closed the 2024 romaine E. coli outbreak without naming Taylor Farms... – Bill Marler, Food Safety News, July 29, 2026 Publisher's Platform: The Fifty-State Cyclospora count is 20,927 this morning. Bill Marler Investigation Update: Cyclospora Outbreak, July 2026 – CDC Journal of Food Protection, 2024 – Potential for Glove Risk Amplification via Direct Physical, Chemical, and Microbiological Contamination. **About the author*: Steve Ardagh is founder and CEO Eagle Protect PBC, the only U.S. glove supply company to conduct proprietary independent glove testing and verification of their range of gloves. With gloves a known microbial contamination source, Ardagh continues to appear in podcasts and food safety publications advocating for increased glove food safety verification. He is actively pursuing a regulatory change of food-compliant gloves to include testing and verification for microbial contamination and glove defects - neither of which are currently included.* ### Data shows cost of illness claims linked to travel abroad URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/data-shows-cost-of-illness-claims-linked-to-travel-abroad/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T04:04:15.000Z Claims for stomach-related issues – such as food poisoning and gastroenteritis – have increased in recent years and can be costly, according to an insurance company. Aviva data from 2025 shows that UK claims peak between July and September, reflecting the higher number of people going abroad on summer holidays. Figures show that treatment for stomach-related issues costs almost £4,100 ($5,500) on average. Despite Spain having the highest number of such claims overall, the United States is the most expensive country to seek treatment, where medical costs for stomach bugs can reach nearly £11,900 ($16,000) on average. Average costs put Spain in second at £4,644 ($6,200), followed by Greece, Canada and Cyprus. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns three California importers about Foreign Supplier Verification Program failures URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-warns-three-california-importers-about-foreign-supplier-verification-program-failures/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T04:02:12.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view.* --- The Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to three California food importers after inspections found they failed to comply with Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) requirements for imported foods, including pet treats, rice, tea, gelatin and cookies. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA steps up import enforcement on seafood, tamarind and other products URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-steps-up-import-enforcement-on-seafood-tamarind-and-other-products/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T04:00:42.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### More than a ton of corned beef recalled because of Listeria contamination URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/more-than-a-ton-of-corned-beef-recalled-because-of-listeria-contamination/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T01:37:51.000Z City Foods Inc. of Chicago, IL, is recalling 3,215 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) pastrami and corned beef productsthat may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The RTE pastrami and corned beef products were produced on July 16 and have a 60-day shelf life. FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers, along with institution refrigerators and freezers. Consumers and institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to consume or serve them. The following products are subject to recall: - 10-lb. cardboard boxes containing 2- to 5-lb. pieces of “Midamar Premium Beef Pastrami” with case code “19410” printed on the box label. - Various weight 20- to 30-lb. cardboard boxes containing 2-3 pieces of “BEA’S BEST COOKED CORNED BEEF BRISKET” with case code “18919” printed on the box label. - Various weight 20- to 30-lb. cardboard boxes containing 2-3 pieces of “KIRSCH DELICATESSEN STYLE COOKED CORNED BEEF BRISKET” with case code “19751” printed on the box label. The products have establishment number “EST. 1896” printed inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to foodservice locations in Illinois, Iowa and Michigan, from which they were further distributed nationwide. The problem was discovered during routine inspection activities. There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about illness should contact a healthcare provider. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Today's Topic: Foreign Inspections URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/todays-topic-foreign-inspections/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T01:38:11.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena this week** - [Two deaths in Michigan have been linked to the Cyclospora parasite outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/first-deaths-in-cyclospora-outbreak-reported-by-michigan/) that has affected more than 6,000 people in at least 15 states. Both patients had underlying conditions, but the state health department attributed their deaths to dehydration from their Cyclospora infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are tracking [multiple outbreaks of cyclosporiasis affecting at least 20,000 people](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/taylor-farms-says-its-not-responsible-for-cyclospora-outbreak/). The CDC has not yet conclusively identified any specific sources of the infection. - A study published in the journal Global Food Security found that households in the U.K. with children and those with a long term health condition are [more than twice as likely to have started “dumpster diving” for discarded food](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/scientists-highlight-food-safety-angle-of-dumpster-diving/). Usage of a food bank is also associated with this practice. The scientists who conducted the study urged greater attention to risks of foodborne illness from dumpster diving as well as better coordination of food redistribution and food waste handling. - More than 300 confirmed cases of [Salmonella Javiana infections have been linked to jalapeño peppers imported from Sinaloa, Mexico](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/salmonella-outbreak-caused-by-imported-jalapeno-peppers-has-sickened-hundreds/) into the U.S. The outbreak caused Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba to stop serving the affected peppers, all of which originated from a single grower. - The U.S. [suspended inspections of avocados in the Mexican state of Michoacan](https://apnews.com/article/mexico-us-avocados-suspended-michoacan-cartels-sheinbaum-trump-689d89d4934a405882785205cc0f8c22?ref=foodsafetynews.com) this week. The cited reason is a non-specific threat to U.S. interests. More than 80% of the avocados consumed in the U.S. come from Mexico, the AP reports, so this move threatens the economic well-being of producers in Mexico as well as avocado supplies in the U.S. It highlights some of the challenges inherent in coordinating food safety standards across international borders. - The [death of a 13-year-old boy in Italy](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/italian-child-dies-after-decade-long-e-coli-battle/) has spurred calls for better labeling on unpasteurized milk products such as raw cheese. Mattia Maestri contracted an E. coli infection from raw milk cheese in 2017\. The infection led to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a several complication associated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Mattia was in a come for nine years before his death. A proposal to mandate labels on unpasteurized milk products warning of health risks to children, pregnant women, the elderly and the immunocompromised is stalled in the Italian Parliament. --- **Today’s Topic: Foreign Inspections** Millions of those nasty Cyclospora parasites slipped over the border, but was anybody looking? Damn few, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which warned the incoming administration on Jan. 8, 2025, that FDA inspections of food imports were almost non-existent. The GAO report disclosed that the FDA has consistently fallen short of meeting its annual targets for foreign food facility inspections. During a six-year period from 2018 to 2023, FDA averaged only 917 foreign inspections per year. “For foreign facility inspections, FDA conducted far fewer than the annual target of 19,200 inspections identified by FSMA, according to FDA data,” the GAO reported. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### USDA issues alert for products containing jalapeños in connection with outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/usda-issues-alert-for-products-containing-jalapenos-in-connection-with-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T03:15:36.000Z The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for 18 meat and poultry products containing FDA-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella. The alert is in connection with a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 345 people across 27 states. Many of the implicated products are sold under the Taylor Farms brand,. Other brands include Walmart’s Marketside brand and H-E-B brand. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/08/Salmonella-map-outbreak-08-08-26-jalapenos.png) The FSIS expects additional downstream products will be identified as this ingredient recall progresses. The products covered by the FSIS alert have use by dates up to and including Aug. 15. The list of products subject to the public health alert is available [here](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/distro%5Flist/2026-08/PHA-08082026-01-product-list%5F1.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com), including information such as the product names, establishment numbers and states where the products were distributed. The problem was discovered when Food and Drug Administration notified FSIS that multiple FSIS-regulated establishments received an FDA-regulated ingredient that had been recalled. More information on the FDA recall and outbreak investigation is available on [FDA’s website](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-jalapeno-august-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com). FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ or retailers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. Retailers who have purchased these products are urged not to serve or sell them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. The Salmonella outbreak involves jalapeño peppers distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors to distributors, restaurants, and food service companies, including Mexican-style restaurants in the United States. Based on epidemiological information collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 345 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonellahave been reported from 27 states. There have been 36 hospitalizations. Illnesses started on dates ranging from June 19 to July 20\. Of the 191 people interviewed, 177 (93 percent) reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before their illness, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA, with meal dates ranging from June 14 to July 14. Chipotle and QDOBA both received product that was imported by Coast Citrus Distributors from Sinaloa, Mexico. Chipotle switched their jalapeño supplier for impacted stores beginning on July 20 and are no longer serving affected product; QDOBA also ceased the use of jalapeños in their stores on July 28 and all QDOBA restaurants are no longer serving jalapenos. Given their actions to remove product from their stores, FDA does not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak. As part of this investigation, FDA conducted a traceback investigation based on where ill people reported eating during the timeframe of interest and a common grower in Sinaloa, Mexico that supplies to Coast Citrus Distributors was identified as the likely source in this outbreak. As a result, FDA recommended Coast Citrus Distributors conduct a recall to remove product from the market. In cooperation with the FDA, Coast Citrus Distributors has agreed to recall the remaining product implicated in the outbreak through epidemiological and traceback data and is in the process of identifying and contacting affected customers. The firm is no longer importing from the common grower. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any products containing jalapeños and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Almost 15 tons of imported beef recalled because of lack of reinspection URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/almost-15-tons-of-imported-beef-recalled-because-of-lack-of-reinspection/ Last updated: 2026-08-08T02:51:44.000Z Corte Argentino USA LLC of Aventura, FL, is recalling 29,628 pounds of raw beef products that were imported from Argentina without the benefit of import reinspection into the United States, the U.SDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The raw beef products were produced between May 15, 2026, and May 20, 2026, and have use or freeze-by dates between September 15, 2026, and September 20, 2026\. The following products are subject to recall: - Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Top Sirloin Butt” (“Cuadril Sin Tapa”) - Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Eye Round” (“Peceto”) - Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Topside Cap Off” (“Nalga AD S/Tapa”) - Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Flat” (“Carnaza Cuadrada”) - Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Knuckle” (“Bola de Lomo”) The products subject to the recall bear Argentinian establishment number “EST. N° OF. 2025” and shipping mark “26644-AA” The products were shipped to distributors and retailers in Florida and Texas. The problem was discovered during routine FSIS inspection activities. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness or injury should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### More than 2.5 tons of frozen, breaded catfish products recalled because of illegal importation URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/more-than-2-5-tons-of-frozen-breaded-catfish-products-recalled-because-of-illegal-importation/ Last updated: 2026-08-08T02:39:51.000Z Shan Distribution Network Inc. of Carol Stream, IL, is recalling 5,084 pounds of frozen breaded Swai fish fillet and stick products because they were produced in the United Arab Emirates, a country that is not eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the United States, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The frozen Siluriformes breaded Swai fish fillet and stick products were produced in December 2025, and have use before dates in June 2027\. The following products are subject to recall: - 13.75-oz. boxes containing Al Kabeer spicy “Zing Fish Fillets Breaded Partially Cooked Swai Fish Fillets” - 10.58-oz. boxes containing Al Kabeer “Fish Sticks Breaded Swai Fish” - 330-g boxes containing Al Kabeer “Breaded Fish Fillets” The products do not bear an establishment number nor a USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. The problem was discovered during routine FSIS inspection activities. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness or injury should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Publisher’s Platform: I Have Been Told I Am Too Hard on Industry and on the Government. Here Are Fifteen Things They Could Do About Cyclospora. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-i-have-been-told-i-am-too-hard-on-industry-and-on-the-government-here-are-fifteen-things-fda-and-cdc-could-do-about-cyclospora/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T16:28:24.000Z People I respect have told me I am unnecessarily critical of industry and of the government, and of FDA and CDC in particular. Some of them are friends. A few of them spent careers inside the agencies I write about. I have thought about it for a while now, and part of it is fair. Here is the part that is fair. I have been representing people sickened by food since 1993, and thirty-three years of sitting with families who lost a kidney, a colon or a child does not make a person gentle. It is easy for the volume of my criticism to read as a judgment about the people doing the work, and that is not what I think. The career staff at both agencies are, in my experience, careful, serious and badly outnumbered. The epidemiologists who worked this outbreak did the interviews, built the traceback and found the supplier. They did it with fewer colleagues than they had two years ago. When I am wrong about them, I would rather be told than left alone. Here is the part I do not accept. The implication underneath the criticism of my criticism is that complaining is all I do. That is checkable, and it is not true. Below are fifteen things the federal government could do about this parasite, sorted by how long each one takes. Four of them require no rulemaking, no appropriation and no act of Congress. Most of the rest were federal policy or federal practice inside the last fifteen years. I would rather be judged on this list than on anything else I have written this summer. The reason for the urgency is the arithmetic. As of tonight, the federal government counts [6,358 illnesses, 278 hospitalizations and two deaths](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-15-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in fifteen states. CDC’s [national surveillance page](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) counts 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases across 47 states plus more than 12,255 that are not confirmed. The fifty state health departments, added up one by one, report **25,836**. Michigan alone reports 12,485 people and 279 hospitalized. The season CDC defines closes on August 31, which is twenty-five days from now. **This week, with a memorandum. No rulemaking, no appropriation, no act of Congress.** **1\. Grant the citizen petition that has been sitting at FDA since February.** [Stop Foodborne Illness asked the agency](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/STOP-FDA-HHS-CCI-Petition-Final-2.4.2026.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to adopt a policy of publicly naming every company associated with a foodborne illness outbreak, recall or no recall. The legal argument is clean: the Trade Secrets Act protects sales figures and proprietary processes, not the factual identity of a company that sells food to the public. It requires no rulemaking. The Commissioner could grant it this week with a memorandum. My one amendment stands, and this outbreak proves it: disclosure has to reach the processor and the grower, because in a produce outbreak there is very often no brand on the bag at all. And there is now a reason to think the agency has already answered in practice rather than on the docket. In April, FDA [withheld the company names](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/04/fda-withholds-company-names-in-report-on-mango-outbreak/) from its own report on a mango outbreak and said the information was covered by the trade secrets act. The petition is still pending. **2\. Publish one national number, define exactly what it counts, and refresh it on a schedule.** There are four numbers in circulation for the same disease in the same week. The [outbreak page](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) says 6,358\. The surveillance page says 10,468 confirmed. Add the unconfirmed and it is 22,723\. The states themselves say 25,836\. Every one of those figures is defensible and no two of them describe the same thing, which is why the public hears a different number depending on which reporter called which office. Pick a figure, say in one sentence what is inside it and what is not, include probable cases or explain why not, and update it on a published cadence. An agency that will not state the size of a problem cannot expect to be believed about the solution. **3\. Publish the case definition, and date every change to it.** On August 5 CDC widened the definition of a case in this outbreak from people who reported eating at one restaurant chain to people who reported that chain *or* the recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico lettuce. The count went from 1,947 to 6,358 that evening. Nobody announced the change. It surfaced in a single sentence near the top of an [FDA advisory](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-15-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and anyone charting the outbreak learned about it by noticing that the line had jumped. A case count is not a measurement if the thing being counted changes without notice. Post the definition, date every revision, and republish the earlier series on the new definition so the trend line means something. **4\. Publish the genotypes.** CDC has had targeted amplicon deep sequencing for this parasite since 2018\. It is the only tool in existence that can tell whether the fifteen-state outbreak, the six other federal *Cyclospora* files and North Carolina’s separate herb signal are one event or four. It is already built and already paid for, and it answers a question no state health department can answer on its own. Nothing has been published. This is the single cheapest thing on this list and probably the most valuable. **This season. Weeks, not years, and the season is not over.** **5\. Restore required *Cyclospora* reporting in FoodNet.** I know the objection and I agree with half of it. FoodNet measures trends; it does not detect outbreaks and restoring it would not have found this one. What it would have done is tell us in the spring that something was different. Required reporting for this parasite [came off effective July 1, 2025](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089?ref=foodsafetynews.com), ten months before the first illness in this outbreak. Reinstating it costs almost nothing, and nearly every letter Congress has sent this summer asks for it. **6\. Make cyclosporiasis reportable in every state, not merely nationally notifiable.** Those are two different things. Notifiable means CDC asks for the case. Reportable means state law requires a physician or a laboratory to send it. Pennsylvania is an outbreak state where reporting is voluntary, and the federal government has now counted more sick Pennsylvanians than Pennsylvania has. The parasite does not observe the distinction, and neither should the count. **7\. Say what is in the other six files.** FDA’s [outbreak investigation table](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) currently carries seven *Cyclospora*investigations. One of them is the lettuce. The other six say only that the product has not yet been identified, and together they hold 178 people. One of the six was opened on August 5, the same day the government announced the lettuce outbreak had reached 6,358\. Another grew from ten cases to twenty-five, which FDA explains by saying it now includes additional illnesses based on similarities in reported exposures. That is the agency telling us it has found a common exposure pattern in a file whose food it will not name. Publish what is known about each of the six or say plainly why it cannot be published yet. **8\. Publish a death-ascertainment method.** The federal death count for this outbreak went from zero to two on August 3\. Both were in Michigan and FDA has since said on its own page that both people had illness onset before the July 17 recall. What nobody has described is how a *Cyclospora* death is determined and counted in the first place — who reviews the record, what the criteria are, and whether other states are applying the same ones. Two may well be right. It is impossible to argue about it until somebody says how a death gets onto the list. **9\. Go look at the water and answer the question that is thirteen years old.** Everything above this line is about counting sick Americans. None of it sends a single person to the field. In August 2013, after the last large outbreak traced to the same company and the same region, Taylor Farms de Mexico suspended production and [resumed with FDA concurrence](https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2013/clear-of-cyclospora-taylor-farms-de-mexico-resumes-operations/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) on a stated commitment to a comprehensive sampling program covering its products *and its water*. Nobody has ever published whether that program ran, for how long, or what it found. FDA’s own [2013 environmental assessment](https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Environmental-Assessment--2013-Cyclosporiasis-outbreak-in-Iowa-and-Nebraska-%E2%80%93-Findings-and-Recommendations.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) told the firm to determine whether this parasite is a reasonably likely hazard and to re-evaluate the wash step. Ask what happened to both. Then send someone to sample the irrigation water and publish the result whichever way it comes out. **Before next summer. These take rulemaking or money, which is exactly why they should start now.** **10\. Bring back the Microbiological Data Program, and this time give it a parasite target.** The MDP was created under President Bush’s 2001 food safety initiative, tested roughly fifteen thousand produce samples a year, and accounted for the large majority of all federal produce pathogen testing until it was zeroed out and shut down in December 2012\. I have been asking for it back since 2024\. The honest caveat, which I would rather state myself than have stated at me: MDP tested for bacteria, not parasites, so restoring it exactly as it was would not have caught this outbreak. Restore it with *Cyclospora* on the panel and the sampling pushed upstream toward the field. **11\. Add the parasite to national wastewater surveillance.** CDC’s [National Wastewater Surveillance System](https://www.cdc.gov/nwss?ref=foodsafetynews.com) draws from roughly fifteen hundred sites covering about half the country, and it reports SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, RSV, mpox and measles. *Cyclospora* is not on that panel, and it is not on the main academic panel either. The infrastructure exists, the samples are already being collected, and this organism is shed in enormous numbers by people who never see a doctor. Adding a target to an existing network is a small ask with an unusually good return. **12\. Put the FSMA 204 traceability rule back on its original schedule instead of 2028\.** Susan Mayne, who ran FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition for eight years and has actually supervised lettuce tracebacks, [told CBS Sunday Morning](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-trump-admin-cuts-have-compromised-food-safety/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the rule would have been enormously helpful here and that without it the same thing happens again next summer. She is right, and every week the delay stands is a week of the next outbreak being investigated with the tools we used for this one. **13\. Name *Cyclospora* in the pre-harvest agricultural water rule.** The only numeric microbial criterion in Subpart E of the [final water rule](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-pre-harvest-agricultural-water?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is generic *E. coli*, and FDA’s own [guidance on this parasite](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclosporiasis-and-fresh-produce?ref=foodsafetynews.com) says that traditional fecal-indicator testing will not identify it. We are requiring growers to test water for the wrong organism, and to treat that water with chlorine chemistry the agency says does not reliably kill this one and calling the result a safeguard. **14\. Fix the import side, because that is where every one of these outbreaks has come from.** CDC has put it in print that for every United States *Cyclospora* outbreak from the mid-1990s through 2015 in which both the vehicle and its source were identified, [the produce had been imported](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/ss/ss6803a1.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — Guatemala, then Peru, then Mexico. For a foreign farm the Produce Safety Rule is enforced in practice through verification obligations that sit on the American importer, which is paperwork about a supplier, plus rare foreign inspections. You could fully staff every domestic position on this list, and nobody would walk that field. **15\. Stand up the independent board Frank Yiannas has been asking for.** An NTSB for foodborne outbreaks: investigating across agency lines, publishing root cause and lessons learned, with no stake in the reputation of the agency whose work it is reviewing. Yiannas is a former deputy commissioner of FDA and a past president of the profession’s own society, and he [has said this summer](https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5989772-ex-fda-criticizes-cyclospora-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the federal response here is approaching a catastrophic level of mismanagement. His framing is the right one and it is the reason this belongs on a solutions list rather than a grievance list. The point is not to find fault. It is to find facts. Two things about this list that I would rather say myself. **None of the fifteen would have prevented this outbreak.** The contamination happened in a field in central Mexico in the spring, weeks before the first American got sick, and no surveillance system counts a case that has not happened yet. What these fifteen would have done is make the outbreak shorter, smaller and legible — found sooner, described honestly while it was running, and understood afterward. That is a real thing to want, and it is not the same as prevention. **And not one of them is a partisan measure.** The Microbiological Data Program was created under a Republican president and killed under a Democratic one. The traceability rule was written under one administration and delayed under two. Most of these were federal policy or federal practice inside the last fifteen years. I have watched administrations of both parties handle outbreaks badly. What is different this time is not the mistakes. Mistakes are ordinary. The false positive was ordinary. A parasite with a two-week incubation period, a six-week reporting lag and no whole genome sequencing route is ordinary bad luck, and I have said so in every piece I have written about it. What is different is that three weeks into the largest *Cyclospora* outbreak this country has ever recorded, nobody at the top has said the number out loud. **Twenty-five thousand eight hundred thirty-six.** Say it, and then say which of these fifteen you are going to do. ### Taylor Farms says it's not responsible for Cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/taylor-farms-says-its-not-responsible-for-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T16:03:38.000Z As patient counts continue to rise in an outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite, the company whose iceberg lettuce is likely the cause of thousands of the infections continues to deflect accusations. On Aug. 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased its patient count in the outbreak to 6,358 with 278 hospitalizations. That is up from the 1,947 that the CDC had been reporting for the past week. The patients had symptom onset from June 21 through July 30. That 15-state outbreak is separate from another cluster of outbreaks the CDC is tracking. The agency has identified 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases and another 12,255 that are awaiting further investigation in those outbreaks. For the outbreak with 6,358 patients, the CDC and Food and Drug Administration are considering the most likely source of the parasite to be iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms’ central Mexico operation. The Salinas, CA, company recalled its iceberg lettuce from the Mexico operation on July 17. The company continues to play down its possible involvement in the outbreak. It has said its internal testing has shown there is no contamination with the parasites. Government testing is ongoing and is as yet inconclusive. Also, it is extremely difficult to determine if there is contamination in specific produce products because by the time testing is initiated the produce has either been eaten or it is past its shelf life so there is nothing left to test that may have been related to any given outbreak. Earlier in the outbreak, Taylor Farms issued a statement saying that the company has spent $200 million on food safety efforts across its entire business. The company annually has $7 billion in revenues, so the $200 million number is less than 3 percent of its budget. “Taylor Farms has operated for more than 30 years and produces billions of servings of safe, high-quality fresh produce annually,” the statement said. “Throughout, the company has been at the forefront of advances in food safety. We have cooperated fully with regulators in any instance where food safety concerns were raised, taking corrective action where warranted.” Frank Yiannas, a former FDA deputy commissioner for food policy and response, told CNN News that the scale of the current Cyclospora outbreak should be an alarm bell for America’s food industry and government agencies. “We need to rethink our approaches,” Yiannas said. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.” In 2013 U.S. health authorities linked a cyclospora outbreak to Taylor Farms, tracing it back to the same central Mexico facility implicated in this year’s outbreak. An FDA investigation of the Mexican location and surrounding farms found the facility was washing salad mix components “in recycled wash water” that could “create the potential for cross contamination and spread of” cyclospora, according to CNN, and noted that some employee hand-washing facilities “do not appear to be of sanitary design.” The agency recommended the facility reevaluate its procedures. ### Publisher’s Platform: Recall readiness is assumed, never measured URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-recall-readiness-is-assumed-never-measured/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:05:38.000Z I spent last week at the [IAFP annual meeting](https://www.foodprotection.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in New Orleans, and I talked to dozens of people — quality directors, growers, lab directors, a few regulators who were careful about what they said, and more than a few people selling software. Besides Cyclospora, the hallway conversation this year was about detection. Whole genome sequencing. Environmental monitoring programs that find the resident strain before it finds a consumer. Machine learning run against sanitation records. Sensors, dashboards, predictive models. Nearly all of it is real, and most of it works. Then somebody would start describing an actual recall, and the story would collapse back into phone calls, spreadsheets, and a distributor who does not answer email on a weekend. That gap is the thing I want to write about, because I have spent thirty-three years litigating inside it. The food industry has gotten genuinely good at the front end. Sequencing turned outbreaks from a guess into a match. A company with a serious environmental monitoring program today knows things about its own plant that nobody could have known in 1993\. But the back end — the part where contaminated product physically comes off a shelf, out of a walk-in, out of somebody’s refrigerator — has barely changed since I started. In the Jack in the Box outbreak, Washington asked for a recall, and by the time hundreds of thousands of patties were pulled, a large share of them had already been eaten. Lauren Rudolph was dead in San Diego before anyone in Olympia knew there was an outbreak at all. The science that would have identified that strain in two days did not exist. The recall that took weeks looked, mechanically, a lot like the recalls I watch today. Meanwhile the last mile got harder. In 1993 food moved from a store to a consumer who stood in the store. Today a meal kit reaches a curb by way of an independent contractor who is logged into three apps at once, a ghost kitchen ships under four brand names out of one hood, a subscription box arrives from a fulfillment center that never touches a retail shelf, and drone delivery has stopped being a press release. Every one of those handoffs is a place where a lot code goes to die. When the recall notice finally issues, there is often no one on the other end of it who can tell you where the product went. The numbers say the same thing from a different direction. A [Sedgwick analysis](https://www.thecooldown.com/sustainable-food/food-recalls-surge-us-allergens-listeria-plastic/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) found U.S. food recalls hit 57.4 million units in the first quarter of 2026, roughly double the 28.76 million units of the previous quarter — while the *number* of recall events actually fell, from 877 to 785\. Fewer recalls, much bigger recalls. That is consolidation showing up in the data. One contaminated ingredient now reaches further than it used to, and pulling it back is a bigger job than it used to be. It is also increasingly a job somebody has to do twice. PIRG’s [Food for Thought](https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/food-for-thought-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) count found at least 31 recalls in 2025 that were triggered by an ingredient already under recall — the cascade effect. Cucumbers moving through ten different companies. Precooked pasta that started with a June announcement and was still generating new retail recalls in October, by which point the affected banners included Kroger, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Albertsons, Giant Eagle, Sprouts and a half-dozen more. Nearly 100 illnesses between those two, with about half of the victims hospitalized. Nobody in that chain could answer the only question that mattered — where it went — fast enough to keep it from going somewhere else. There was a federal answer to this. FSMA Section 204, the [Food Traceability Rule](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com), finalized in November 2022, requiring lot codes and key data elements captured at each critical tracking event and produced to FDA within twenty-four hours of a request. Compliance was set for January 20, 2026\. In March 2025 FDA announced a 30-month delay, [published it](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/07/2025-14967/requirements-for-additional-traceability-records-for-certain-foods-compliance-date-extension?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that August, and in November 2025 Congress wrote the delay into a continuing appropriations act directing the agency not to enforce the rule before July 20, 2028\. The one federal requirement that would have forced lot-level digital records across the produce supply chain is now parked until the middle of 2028\. I am watching the consequences of that in real time in the Cyclospora outbreak, where the states have now counted more than 22,000 illnesses and the federal case count is still under 19,000. But here is the part worth paying attention to. Walmart did not wait. Its supplier traceability requirement — advance ship notices carrying the key data elements, GS1 case and pallet labels — took effect August 1, 2025, and suppliers who do not comply get charged back. A private buyer attached a financial consequence to a data requirement, and the industry moved, two and a half years ahead of the government. That is the entire argument in one sentence. This industry moves when somebody with money at stake makes it move. Which brings me to the people I did not expect to be writing about, and the reason I am. Insurers — particularly the product recall and contamination side — are the only participants in this system who see exposure before it turns into liability. That is literally the job. Underwriting already asks a food company whether it has a recall plan. What underwriting almost never does is test the answer. Nobody makes the applicant run the recall. Nobody puts a clock on it and writes down the result. The concept of recall readiness therefore sits in the file as an assumption. It is assumed at binding, assumed at renewal, and discovered to have been wrong on the third day of a real event, which is the most expensive possible moment to find out. It could be measured instead, and the measurements are not exotic. How long does it take, from a single positive result, to produce the complete list of affected lot codes? What percentage of direct consignees can be reached and confirmed within twenty-four hours — not emailed, reached? Do the lot codes survive the repacker, or does identity break the first-time product is re-cased? Is there any mechanism at all to reach the third-party delivery layer, or does the chain of custody simply end at a loading dock? When was the last mock recall, was it observed, were external trading partners involved, and what did the clock say? Price the policy against those answers. Give a real credit to the company that can prove them and require the ones who cannot to go find out why. And do it across the chain rather than one insured at a time, because readiness is not a property of a company — it is a property of a network. A grower with immaculate records is still trapped behind a distributor running on paper. That is what makes “[Recall-Ready Communities](http://recallreadycommunities.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)” more than a phrase. No single food company can see its whole supply chain. An insurer writing across that chain very nearly can. The economics point the same way the public health does, which is rare enough that I notice when it happens. A recall that identifies the right lots on day one is a smaller recall than one that guesses on day nine and pulls everything to be safe. Smaller recall, smaller business interruption, smaller third-party claim, faster resolution, lower loss ratio. And several hundred people who were going to get sick simply do not. I am not often in a position to tell an industry that its financial interest and my clients’ interest are the same interest. Here they are. My cases are almost never a mystery about whether the food was contaminated. That part is usually established before I am retained. My cases are about how long the product stayed out there after somebody knew. That interval — first signal to last carton off the shelf — is where the damages live. Compress it and my cases get smaller. Compress it enough and there is no case. For a long time now, I have asked the food industry to put me out of business by not poisoning anyone. This week I am extending the same challenge to the people who insure it. You already price this risk. Start measuring the thing you are pricing. I have a filing cabinet full of people who ate food that was recalled after they ate it. I would like to stop adding to it. ### Korean agency notes spike in illness cases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/korean-agency-notes-spike-in-illness-cases/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:03:46.000Z The Korean health agency has warned people about a rise in gastrointestinal illnesses with Campylobacter cases doubling in the space of a week. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) urged caution in food preparation and consumption as temperatures and humidity rise in summer, leading to an increase in bacterial infections. According to the agency's surveillance of 210 medical institutions nationwide with 200 or more beds, infection reports in the fourth week of July increased by 23.5 percent to 6,820 from 5,523 in the same period last year. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Four hepatitis A infections linked to deli in Malta URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/four-hepatitis-a-infections-linked-to-deli-in-malta/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:00:21.000Z Public health authorities in Malta are investigating four cases of hepatitis A associated with a food establishment. People who ate at Deli and Co in Ħal Qormi, between June 17 and 25, are advised to be on the lookout for symptoms of hepatitis A until Aug. 14, based on the incubation period of the virus. Those who consumed food or beverages from the establishment during this period and developed symptoms should seek medical attention and contact the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit within the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate. Investigations and contact tracing are ongoing and public health measures are being taken at the deli which offers salads, wraps, and cakes. **Company response** Deli and Co said the health, safety and wellbeing of customers and employees was its highest priority. “We take our food safety and hygiene obligations extremely seriously and have consistently operated in compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. No evidence has been presented establishing a direct link between the reported hepatitis A cases and our establishment.” A member of staff was diagnosed with hepatitis A on July 4\. This person had previously been abroad and last worked at the outlet on June 25. According to the company, upon receiving the diagnosis, the employee did not return to work until health authorities gave the all-clear. Another employee tested negative but still observed the recommended incubation period in line with official advice. “While we fully appreciate the importance of investigating any potential public health concern, we respectfully submit that any allegation of causation should be supported by objective evidence and verified findings rather than assumptions. Unsubstantiated allegations risk creating unnecessary public concern and may unfairly prejudice businesses and individuals,” said a company statement. “We are also surprised and disappointed that, although this matter dates back to the beginning of July 2026, the public notice is only being issued now, more than a month after the relevant events occurred. Deli and Co remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety and hygiene and to working constructively with the relevant authorities in the interests of public health and consumer confidence.” **About hepatitis A infections** Hepatitis A is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable, liver infection caused by the hepatitis A Virus (HAV). People can become infected by contaminated food, sick food handlers and person-to-person contact. Not everyone with hepatitis A has symptoms. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children. If symptoms develop, they usually appear two to seven weeks, at an average of 28-30 days, after infection. Symptoms usually last less than two months, although some people can be ill for as long as six months. If symptoms develop, they can include yellow skin or eyes, not wanting to eat, upset stomach, throwing up, stomach pain, fever, dark urine or light-colored stools, diarrhea, joint pain, or feeling tired. Even if no symptoms are present people can still spread the infection. In addition, a person can transmit hepatitis A to others up to two weeks before symptoms appear. ### More than 6,000 patients identified in Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms lettuce URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/more-than-6-000-patients-identified-in-cyclospora-outbreak-linked-to-taylor-farms-lettuce/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T16:03:09.000Z The CDC has increased the case count for an outbreak of Cyclospora parasitic infections linked to iceberg lettuce by several thousand. As of Aug. 5 the confirmed case count was 6,358 with 278 hospitalizations. That is up from 1,947 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had been reporting for the past week. The patients had symptom onset from June 21 through July 30. The outbreak spans 15 states: Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Missouri Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Investigators at the Food and Drug Administration have linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce imported from Central Mexico by Taylor Farms. The Salinas, CA, company issued a recall for its iceberg lettuce products on July 17, well past the window of when the lettuce would have begun making people sick. The CDC reports that the recalled lettuce constituted multiple lots and was distributed and sold in at least 27 states to foodservice providers, consumers, restaurants and retailers, including Taco Bell locations and Marketside-brand products at Walmart stores. Taco Bell stopped using Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce before the recall. Michigan’s health department was the first entity to report a cyclospora outbreak and that state’s count now stands at 12,218 with 193 reported patients indicating they had been hospitalized. Two patients in Michigan have died. The Michigan officials said some of the outbreak patients reporting eating at Taco Bell before becoming sick, but it is not known how many of the total number of patients are included in the iceberg lettuce outbreak. The CDC reports that it is tracking several other Cyclospora outbreaks, with 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases and another 12,255 that are awaiting further investigation. The agency expects the cases counts in all of the outbreaks to continue to increase because it can take six weeks for patients to be added to the federal case count. This is because of the time it takes for confirmation testing and the time lag between that testing and when officials report their findings to the CDC. Also, the CDC estimates that for every confirmed Cyclospora infection there can be up to 83 patients who go undetected. This is because some patients do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for Cyclospora infection. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, explosive diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. ### Italian child dies after decade-long E. coli battle URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/italian-child-dies-after-decade-long-e-coli-battle/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T04:03:05.000Z An Italian child who spent almost a decade in a coma after eating raw milk cheese has died. Mattia Maestri died aged 13 after spending nine years in a coma having contracted an E. coli infection, which led to HUS from raw milk cheese in Trento in 2017. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### UK government urged to restrict Brazilian meat URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/uk-government-urged-to-restrict-brazilian-meat/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T15:01:10.000Z The government in the United Kingdom has been urged to follow the European Union’s lead and curb Brazilian meat imports. The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) called on the UK Government to introduce restrictions on Brazilian beef, poultry and other animal products. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Salmonella outbreak caused by imported jalapeño peppers has sickened hundreds URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/salmonella-outbreak-caused-by-imported-jalapeno-peppers-has-sickened-hundreds/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T22:32:34.000Z Hundreds of people are sick in an outbreak of Salmonella Javiana infections that has been traced to imported jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. According to the CDC there are 345 confirmed patients spread across 27 states coast to coast. Of those with complete information available, 36 have been hospitalized according to the FDA. No deaths have been reported. There are likely many more sick people than are currently reflected in the patient count because some people do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella. The CDC estimates that for every confirmed patient in a Salmonella outbreak there are 29 who go undetected. The Food and Drug Administration has traced the source of the Salmonella to jalapeño peppers that Coast Citrus Distributors primarily distributed to restaurants, wholesalers and food service companies. The FDA is working to determine if recalled jalapeños went to grocery stores. The importer received the peppers from a single grower in Mexico. The implicated peppers have been recalled. “After being notified about the outbreak, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba stopped serving affected jalapeño peppers. Given their actions to remove product from their stores, neither of these establishments are considered a current ongoing risk to consumers in this outbreak,” according to the CDC. Illnesses started on dates ranging from June 19 to July 20\. Of 191 people interviewed, 177 reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before their illness, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA, with meal dates ranging from June 14 to July 14. States with patients are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever, usually within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### 33 cheeses recalled in Canada because of Listeria concerns URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/33-cheeses-recalled-in-canada-because-of-listeria-concerns/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T04:32:47.000Z Coaticook brand white cheddar cheeses are being recalled in Canada because of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. There are 33 products covered by the recall. The products were distributed in Quebec. For a complete list and to view product photos, [click here](https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/coaticook-brand-white-cheddar-cheeses-recalled-due-listeria-monocytogenes?utm%5Fsource=gc-notify&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcontent=en&utm%5Fcampaign=hc-sc-rsa-22-23). The recall was triggered by the company. As of the posting of the recall by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, no illnesses had been reported. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes does not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled cheese and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### 15 states now implicated in Cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/15-states-now-implicated-in-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T01:46:31.000Z According to the *Washington Post*, there are six more states involved in an outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite that are associated with Taco Bell restaurants and/or Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce. On Tuesday afternoon the *Post* reported that Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Missouri are now on the CDC list that already included Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The newspaper’s report cites unnamed sources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not updated its state list as of the evening of August. 4\. No one at the CDC responded to the paper’s request for confirmation. The patient count for the Cyclospora outbreak in those 15 states stands at 21,393 cases — Michigan alone reports 11,508, including two deaths. The federal figure for the outbreak is 1,947. “Whatever number CDC posts when it finally updates the page, hold it up against 21,393, because that is what the health departments of those fifteen states are already telling their own residents. However, how many above the 1,947 are linked to Taylor Farms and/or Taco Bell is still a guess,” said Bill Marler, food safety attorney and expert. The CDC is reporting that 47 states are involved in separate cyclospora outbreaks and puts that patient count at 10,468 lab-confirmed and 12,255 additional cases that need further investigation. Add those together and CDC is now describing 22,723 people. The fifty state health departments are reporting 23,295. For the 15-state outbreak, Michigan was the first to begin reporting. It interviewed patients and found a link to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms and served on Taco Bell menu items. Taco Bell immediately stopped serving Taylor Farms lettuce sourced from the company’s Central Mexico operations. On July 17 Taylor Farms recalled iceberg lettuce from that farm. Taylor Farms has stated that it sent the lettuce to 27 states that do not include Nebraska. However, many patients in Nebraska reported eating at Taco Bell restaurants before becoming ill. This suggests that the lettuce was further distributed by Taco Bell and possible other Taylor Farms customers. State totals as of August. 4: | **State** | **2026 cases reported** | **Recalled lettuce** | **Where the number comes from** | | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Alabama | 28 (Jul 20); 2 hosp.; 8 tied to two restaurant clusters | Yes | [ADPH news release](https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/blog/2026/07/nr-20.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Alaska | 5 (Jul 16) | No | [Alaska DOH advisory](https://health.alaska.gov/media/jqphutwx/akphan%5F20260716-domestically-acquired-cyclosporiasis-cases-in-multiple-us-states-2026.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Arizona | 19 (Jul 17) | No | [AZ DHS, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Arkansas | 123 (Jul 30); 75 in Benton County | Yes | [ADH via KNWA](https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/state-news/adh-reports-dozens-of-new-cyclosporiasis-cases-most-located-in-northwest-arkansas/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | California | 41 provisional (Jul 14) | No | [CDPH NR26-024](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR26-024.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Colorado | 150 (Jul 17); 4 hosp. | No | [CDPHE, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Connecticut | 35 | Yes | [CT DPH press release](https://portal.ct.gov/dph/newsroom/press-releases---2026/cyclosporiasis-cases-linked-to-national-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Delaware | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Florida | 254 since May 1 (Jul 25); 264 calendar year | Yes | [FDOH via News4Jax](https://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/2026/07/30/reported-florida-cases-linked-to-diarrhea-causing-parasite-spike-by-nearly-100-in-1-week-with-22-local-cases/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Georgia | 11-30 since May 1 (Jul 17) | Yes | [GA DPH, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Hawaii | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Idaho | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Illinois | 532 (Jul 29); 23 hosp. (Jul 16) | Yes | [CNN tracker](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/21/health/cyclospora-cases-count?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Indiana | 1,176 (Jul 31) | Yes | [IDOH cases by county](https://www.in.gov/health/idepd/diseases-and-conditions-resource-page/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#Cases%5Fby%5FCounty) | | Iowa | 226 in 48 counties (Jul 30); 47 travel-related | Yes | [Iowa HHS weekly report](https://hhs.iowa.gov/media/19114/download?inline=&ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Kansas | 461 (Jul 29); 20 hosp. | Yes | [CNN tracker](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/21/health/cyclospora-cases-count?ref=foodsafetynews.com) / [KDHE](https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/2044?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Kentucky | 468 (Jul 29); 7 hosp. (Jul 20) | Yes | [CNN tracker](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/21/health/cyclospora-cases-count?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Louisiana | 1-10 (Jul 17) | Yes | [LA DOH, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Maine | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Maryland | 69 (Jul 17) | Yes | [MD DOH, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Massachusetts | 18 (Jul 17) | Yes | [MA DPH, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Michigan** | **11,508 (Aug 4); 193 hosp. (Jul 30); 2 deaths** | **Yes** | [MDHHS](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) / [CBS Detroit](https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/cyclosporiasis-cases-michigan-two-deaths/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Minnesota | 41 since May 1 (Jul 17) | No | [MDH, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Mississippi | No count published | Yes | [FDA distribution list](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Missouri | 1,095 (Aug 2); doubled in one week; 90 in Boone County | Yes | [DHSS via KCTV5](https://www.kctv5.com/2026/08/03/missouri-cyclosporiasis-cases-double-one-week-over-1000/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) / [STLPR](https://www.stlpr.org/news-briefs/2026-08-03/cyclosporiasis-cases-double-missouri-1-000-illnesses?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Montana | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Nebraska | 49 (Jul 17) | No | [NE DHHS, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Nevada | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **New Hampshire** | **33 confirmed (Jul 28); 2 hosp.; 17 tied to recalled lettuce at Cheshire Medical Center** | **Yes** | [NH DHHS](https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/infectious-disease-control/cyclosporiasis?ref=foodsafetynews.com) / [NHPR](https://www.nhpr.org/health/2026-07-28/33-confirmed-cases-of-cyclosporiasis-in-nh-2-hospitalizations?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | New Jersey | 46 (May 1-Jul 11) | Yes | [NJDOH news release](https://www.nj.gov/health/news/2026/approved/20260716a.shtml?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | New Mexico | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | New York | 753 since May 1 (Jul 27 data); 787 calendar year | No | [NYSDOH](https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **North Carolina** | **718 since May 1 (Jul 27 data); 24 hosp.; 728 calendar year; 432 in Wake County** | **Yes** | [NCDHHS](https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2026/07/28/additional-cyclosporiasis-cases-identified-north-carolina-ncdhhs-launches-new-case-dashboard?ref=foodsafetynews.com) / [dashboard](https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/programs/epidemiology/communicable-disease/foodborne-illnesses/cyclosporiasis/cases?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | North Dakota | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Ohio** | **4,013 in 80 counties (Jul 31); 96 hosp. (Jul 17); ODH puts Lucas Co. at 554, the county health dept. at 1,218 (Aug 3)** | **Yes** | [ODH via WOSU](https://www.wosu.org/2026-07-31/cyclosporiasis-cases-grow-to-more-than-4-000-in-ohio?ref=foodsafetynews.com) / [Toledo Blade](https://www.toledoblade.com/news/medical/2026/08/03/weekend-adds-11-cyclosporiasis-cases-in-lucas-county/stories/20260803080?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Oklahoma | 303 (Jul 28); 18 hosp. | Yes | [OSDH via KSWO](https://www.kswo.com/2026/07/28/oklahoma-cyclosporiasis-cases-climb-303-state-health-department-says/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Oregon | 23 in 2026 (Jul 24) | No | [Oregon Health Authority](https://www.oregon.gov/oha/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Pennsylvania | 82 (Jul 29); reported voluntarily | Yes | [CNN tracker](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/21/health/cyclospora-cases-count?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Rhode Island | 4 since May 1 (Jul 17) | No | [RI DOH, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | South Carolina | No count published | Yes | [FDA distribution list](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | South Dakota | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Tennessee | 11-30 (Jul 17) | Yes | [TN DOH, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Texas | 68 (Jul 13); 15 hosp. | Yes | [Texas DSHS](https://www.dshs.texas.gov/foodborne-illness/cyclospora-infection-cyclosporiasis?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Utah | 1-10 (Jul 17) | No | [UT DHHS, via roundup](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Vermont | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Virginia | 126 total (Jul 23); 66 domestic, 31 travel, 29 pending | Yes | [Virginia DH](https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/surveillance-and-investigation/cyclosporiasis/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Washington | 38 (May 1-Jul 17) | No | [Washington DOH](https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/foodborne-illness/outbreaks/2026-cyclosporiasis-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | West Virginia | 268 (Jul 31); 19 hosp. | Yes | [WV OEPS](https://oeps.wv.gov/cyclosporiasis-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Wisconsin | 160 (Jul 29); 3 hosp.; 50 domestically acquired | Yes | [Wisconsin DHS](https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/outbreaks/index.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | Wyoming | No count published | No | [CDC surveillance](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Nine outbreak states** | **18,811** | **9** | | | **Received the recalled lettuce** | **21,833** | **28** | | | **Did not receive it** | **1,124** | **22** | | | **All fifty states** | **22,957** | **50** | | ### Four arrested in operation targeting illegal meat sales URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/four-arrested-in-operation-targeting-illegal-meat-sales/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T04:04:08.000Z Four men have been arrested in connection with an investigation into illegal meat in England. An operation by Dudley Council and the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) resulted in the arrests and disposal of more than four tons of meat. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Petting zoo linked to HUS cases reopens URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/petting-zoo-linked-to-hus-cases-reopens/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T04:02:03.000Z A petting zoo and farm in Belgium has been allowed to reopen after being connected to an E. coli outbreak. Between late June and mid-July, eight children in the Brasschaat region were hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) resulting from Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O26 infection. HUS is a severe complication associated with E. coli infections that causes kidney failure and can also cause brain damage and death. None of the children remain in a life-threatening condition. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Scientists highlight food safety angle of dumpster diving URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/scientists-highlight-food-safety-angle-of-dumpster-diving/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T04:01:23.000Z Scientists have emphasized the need to consider food safety and foodborne illness concerns related to dumpster diving behaviors. Dumpster diving is the practice of sourcing discarded food from supermarket or restaurant trash bins. A total of 4.7 percent of adults in the United Kingdom said they had started looking for food in bins or waste areas in the previous 12 months. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Organic sliced mushrooms recalled because of Listeria URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/organic-sliced-mushrooms-recalled-because-of-listeria/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T03:13:04.000Z Highline brand organic mini Bella sliced mushrooms are being recalled in Canada because of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall was triggered by test results from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The implicated mushrooms were distributed in Alberta province. As of the posting of the recall notice on Aug. 4 there had been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of the product. Consumers can identify the mushrooms by looking for the following label information: 454-gram packages, UPC number 7 71163 00048 9 and code 199AHMCF. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes does not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled mushrooms and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Chipotle says its jalapenos are of interest in Salmonella outbreak investigation URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/chipotle-says-its-jalapenos-are-of-interest-in-salmonella-outbreak-investigation/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T16:19:44.000Z Officials with Chipotle Mexican Grill announced today that they have removed jalapenos from their restaurants in Minnesota because they are linked to an outbreak of Salmonella infections. The fast food chain also removed the peppers from locations in other states that received them from the same supplier. The restaurant chain officials said it is now using a different supplier for its jalapenos. The officials did not name the implicated supplier. The Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed it is investigating an outbreak of Salmonella infections. The department reported that of 110 outbreak patients identified, 84 were interviewed and 75 reported eating at Chipotle between June 14 and July 14. State officials said the evidence gathered so far suggests the contaminated food item was also served at other Mexican-style restaurants, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is leading a traceback investigation to identify the source. The FDA has not specifically reported that it is investigating an outbreak linked to Chipotle or peppers. However, the agency is reporting an investigation into a Salmonella Javaina outbreak with 212 patients. The agency is not reporting any details except to say that it has begun traceback efforts on an unnamed food. The agency is also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg with 90 patients. It has begun traceback in that investigation, but is not reporting what is being traced. The Minnesota officials say they are not concerned about further illnesses associated with Chipotle because the restaurant cooperated fully with investigators and acted quickly to remove the suspect vehicle from its restaurants. However, the health department is concerned about other restaurants that it has not named. "We do expect the case count to increase even if the illnesses occurred a couple of weeks ‌ago, since it takes us a while to detect cases in surveillance," Carlota Medus, senior epidemiologist supervisor in the Minnesota Department of Health Foodborne Diseases Unit, said. Chipotle restaurants have been of concern because a series of outbreaks from 2015 through 2018 that sickened well over a thousand patrons. In April 2020 the Justice Department charged Chipotle with two criminal counts of violating federal law by selling food that had been adulterated and was unfit for human consumption. The charges stemmed from outbreaks between 2015 and 2018\. The company admitted that it held food at improper temperatures and kept sick employees on the line. It paid a $25 million criminal fine, the largest ever imposed in a food safety case, and entered a three-year deferred prosecution agreement requiring a comprehensive food safety compliance program built with its Food Safety Council and covering audits, restaurant staffing and employee training. That agreement’s three-year term expired in 2023. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Publisher's Platform: Two Countries Are Now Warning Their Citizens About Travel to the United States. Britain Traced Forty-Eight of Its Cases to Mexico. The Cyclospora Count Is Still 22,683. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-27/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T01:10:14.000Z The UK Health Security Agency published new figures on July 30\. [Sixty-seven people](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sharp-rise-in-cyclospora-infections-linked-to-mexico-travel?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in England, Scotland and Wales were reported with cyclosporiasis between April 30 and July 15 of this year — thirty in England, twenty-seven in Scotland, ten in Wales. The comparison UKHSA itself draws is the one that matters. The annual average for the four years from 2022 through 2025 was ninety-three cases for an entire year. Britain is two-thirds of the way to a normal year by the middle of July. Travel information was available for fifty-one of the sixty-seven. Forty-eight of those fifty-one had been to Mexico. One of them had also been to the United States, one had been to the United States only, and one to Kenya. The people who went to Mexico stayed at a range of different hotels in the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions and ate and drank as part of all-inclusive holiday packages. Read that last sentence slowly, because it is the whole finding. Different hotels. One region. That is a supply chain. And then the line that ought to be getting more attention on this side of the Atlantic than it is. UKHSA says it anticipates a potential increase in cases linked to travel to the USA, where a widespread outbreak has been reported. A foreign government is telling its citizens that American travel now carries a parasite risk, and it is the second government to do so inside a week. The [Windsor-Essex County Health Unit](https://www.wechu.org/news-release-windsor-essex-sees-significant-increase-cyclosporiasis-cases-linked-travel-michigan?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in Ontario has identified twenty-four cyclosporiasis cases in 2026 against a typical year of about three, has identified travel to Michigan as a common exposure among many recent cases, and is advising residents to take precautions when they cross. Here is why the British data is worth more to this argument than another American press release. It comes from an independent surveillance system in another country, with no exposure to our supply chain and no stake in our fight. It is not counting the same people we are counting. And it has landed on the same country of origin that FDA*’*s traceback landed on. I am not going to overstate that — UKHSA has not named a farm, a shipper or a product, and Guanajuato is not Quintana Roo. But when British holidaymakers in one part of Mexico and American diners in Michigan are acquiring the same parasite in the same eleven weeks, the question of whether Mexican produce is the through-line stops being a question about who holds a positive sample. Now the federal numbers, and a figure I have not put in front of you before. CDC*’*s [surveillance page](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), last updated July 28 with data through July 27, reports 6,707 laboratory-confirmed domestically acquired cases across forty-five states, more than 11,500 additional cases still awaiting confirmation, and [423 hospitalizations](https://abcnews.com/Health/18000-cyclosporiasis-cases-reported-45-states-cdc/story?id=135194065&ref=foodsafetynews.com). Four hundred and twenty-three. FDA*’*s [nine-state advisory](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) says ninety-eight hospitalizations. It has said ninety-eight since July 24\. Total Illnesses 1,947\. Hospitalizations 98\. Deaths 0. That last line is now simply wrong. CDC*’*s own [outbreak page](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) carries an August 3 entry stating that it is aware of two cyclosporiasis-related deaths from Michigan as part of this outbreak. [Michigan](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com)’s page now reads Deaths: 2\. FDA*’*s page, on the same investigation, run by the same government, published to the same public, still reads zero. How do the federal hospitalization and death numbers compare to what the states themselves are saying? I went and added the states up. Thirteen states publish a hospitalization figure of their own, and they come to 426\. The CDC is at 423 with the Taco Bell portion at 98. People keep calling this the *Cyclospora* outbreak, singular, and it is not one thing. The honest way to separate them is to describe what each investigation has actually established, rather than what it is suspected of. There are four, and then there is everything else. One. The nine-state Taco Bell cluster, FDA reference number 1390\. This is 1,947 people in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia who were infected with *Cyclospora* and reported exposure to Taco Bell, with onsets running June 22 to July 20 and at least ninety-eight hospitalizations. It has a named supplier; Taylor Farms de Mexico. It has a named product; shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. It has the only recall of the entire 2026 season. Michigan interviewed 190 of the Taco Bell patients and ninety percent of them had eaten iceberg lettuce. The critical thing to understand about this cluster is that documented Taco Bell exposure is the entry ticket. That is why Michigan*’*s 11,234 produces a federal figure of 1,947\. It is a description of who got interviewed in a particular way, not of who got sick. Two. New Hampshire. The state has [thirty-three confirmed cases](https://vnews.com/2026/07/29/nh-cyclosporiasis-cases-rise/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) as of July 28 with two hospitalizations, in a place that identifies between two and nine cases in a typical year. Seventeen of the thirty-three are people who ate lettuce at a location that served recalled Taylor Farms product, and all seventeen trace to one location. New Hampshire DHHS [publishes the address](https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/infectious-disease-control/cyclosporiasis?ref=foodsafetynews.com): Cheshire Medical Center, 580 Court Street, Keene. It committed in writing to posting additional locations as it identifies them. Spokesman Jake Leon says the department is treating it as a foodborne cluster investigation and believes the cluster is part of the larger nationwide outbreak. What makes New Hampshire different from the nine is not the product, which is the same recalled lettuce. It is the establishment, which is not Taco Bell. Twenty-seven other states received that recalled product. New Hampshire is the only one that has told its residents where it was served. Three. Alabama. Twenty-eight cases as of July 20, two hospitalized, four travel-related. Eight of the twenty-eight — more than a quarter of the state*’*s total — are tied to two separate foodborne outbreaks at Mexican-style restaurants, and [ADPH says in its own release](https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/blog/2026/07/nr-20.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that these are not Taco Bell. Alabama has named a category of establishment. It has not named a product, and it has not connected any of its cases to Taylor Farms, even though Alabama is on the recalled-lettuce distribution list. This is the cleanest published example we have of a state finding restaurant-associated *Cyclospora* that is not the federal outbreak. Four. North Carolina, which is the biggest of these and the least resolved. [NCDHHS reports](https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2026/07/28/additional-cyclosporiasis-cases-identified-north-carolina-ncdhhs-launches-new-case-dashboard?ref=foodsafetynews.com) 718 cases since May 1 and twenty-four hospitalizations; its [dashboard](https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/programs/epidemiology/communicable-disease/foodborne-illnesses/cyclosporiasis/cases?ref=foodsafetynews.com) puts the calendar-year figure at 728 against 306 for all of 2025, with 432 of the cases in Wake County. The state says the increase does not appear to be associated with the Taco Bell outbreak. What it has named is a commodity, not a company: patient interviews show parsley and cilantro reported more often than population-wide survey data would predict. It has no supplier and no establishment. And the department is careful to add that many cases reported eating neither, which it says suggests more than one source. There is a detail in FDA*’*s own records that belongs next to North Carolina. On the closed-investigations portion of the [CORE outbreak table](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) sits reference number 1325, posted August 2025: *Cyclospora cayetanensis*, parsley, sixty-nine cases, investigation closed. The federal government named parsley as a *Cyclospora* vehicle twelve months ago. North Carolina is reporting parsley now, at 718 cases and climbing, and there is no open federal investigation with parsley*’*s name on it. And then everything else, which is the part almost nobody writes about. As of its July 29 update, FDA*’*s CORE table carries six *Cyclospora* entries. One is the lettuce outbreak. The other five say Not Yet Identified in the product column: ninety-three cases under reference 1392, ten under 1385, eighteen under 1384, two under 1381 and eight under 1375\. Three of those five are marked ended with the investigation still open. That is 131 people across five files where the federal government opened an investigation, ran a traceback and named nothing. Add it up. 1,947 plus 131 is 2,078\. That is every *Cyclospora* illness this season that the federal outbreak-response system has attached to a numbered investigation. The fifty states are reporting 22,683\. The investigative apparatus has a file open on roughly nine percent of the illness in this country and has named a food in one file out of six. Missouri sits outside all four categories and is the reason I keep writing about it. It has 1,095 cases as of August 2\. It is on FDA*’*s distribution list. [St. Louis County](https://www.stlpr.org/news-briefs/2026-08-03/cyclosporiasis-cases-double-missouri-1-000-illnesses?ref=foodsafetynews.com) says people in its area who got sick reported eating at Taco Bell. The state health department says it [expects to be added](https://www.kctv5.com/2026/08/03/missouri-cyclosporiasis-cases-double-one-week-over-1000/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to the CDC outbreak map soon. And a CDC spokesperson has told a Kansas City television station that cases in the remaining thirty-two states, Missouri included, are unrelated and are being investigated as separate clusters driven by different foods. That is not a fifth category. That is a disagreement between a state and a federal agency about which outbreak a thousand people belong to, being conducted in public, with nobody showing their work. As to the count itself: I have been through all fifty states again this morning and the total holds at **22,683**. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/08/cyclospora-cluster-nesting_1.jpg) ### Czech officials warn of botulism in pate; more warnings issued in Salmonella outbreak traced to noodles URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/czech-officials-warn-of-botulism-in-pate-more-warnings-issued-in-salmonella-outbreak-traced-to-noodles/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T04:04:44.000Z Public health officials in the Czech Republic have warned against eating a type of pate because of Clostridium botulinum contamination. The alert was raised following a consumer complaint about health problems after consuming pork pate with almonds. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Bill would require transparent nutrition information on food labels URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/bill-would-require-transparent-nutrition-information-on-food-labels/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T04:03:46.000Z A bill introduced in recent days in the U.S. Senate would overhaul food labels for the first time in more than 30 years. The bill, the [Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2026](https://us.list-manage.com/ROxF5Wu40Av?e=2723a0fcfd&c2id=8914bdc9e8e7a65cc67dcbe814dcfc65&ref=foodsafetynews.com), was introduced by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, and Cory Booker, D-NJ, and is designed to provide the information consumers need to make healthy food choices, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Suspected food poisoning reported at festival URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/suspected-food-poisoning-reported-at-festival/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T04:01:52.000Z Reports of food poisoning linked to a food truck are being investigated at a music festival in England. Several people said on social media that they fell ill after eating at the Yorky Roast stall at Truck Festival in Oxfordshire. Symptoms include sickness, diarrhea, and vomiting but there are no test results yet to indicate any specific infection. The local council is looking into the incident, but it is unclear how many people were sick. A spokesperson for Vale of White Horse District Council said:"Truck Festival reported the issue to us and said that a number of festivalgoers reported food poisoning symptoms to the medical tent. “From this, after some investigations, they were able to quickly identify a potential source and Truck Festival closed the stand. We are investigating the issue and are working with the food business, Truck Festival, UKHSA and the trader's own local registering authority." **Festival food challenges** The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) said the incident serves as a reminder for food businesses and consumers to be vigilant when attending outdoor events in summer, especially when hot temperatures can impact refrigerator operations, and infections can spread quickly to large numbers of customers in a short space of time. CIEH is the professional body for environmental health, representing 7,000 members. Hannah Ward, a CIEH member who specializes in festival and mobile catering inspections, said such cases highlight the importance of maintaining high standards of food hygiene and temperature control at festivals and other large-scale events. “It also highlights the importance of site facilities such as customer handwashing provisions which is often lacking at festivals, with customers having to rely on alcohol hand sanitizer for multiple days which is not suitable for heavily soiled hands,” she said. "Food businesses operating at temporary events have the same legal responsibilities as any other food business, to place safe food on the market, however they must do so in variable and challenging conditions. Responsibilities include ensuring food is sourced from reputable suppliers, stored at the correct temperatures, and handled by appropriately trained staff.” **CIEH advice** Ward said event organizers need to provide adequate site facilities to vendors such as water supply, waste management, power, and camping facilities. "Festival environments can present additional challenges, including hot weather, temporary kitchen facilities, high customer volumes and limited storage and operational space. Food operators must ensure they have suitable systems in place to manage these risks and that food safety procedures are rigorously followed throughout the event." CIEH advice includes keeping high-risk foods chilled below 8 degrees C (46.4 degrees F), preventing cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods, and keeping detailed records of suppliers, temperature monitoring and cleaning procedures. The group also said event organizers should have an outbreak management plan, including surveillance and questionnaires carried out by trained professionals. A spokesperson for Truck Festival said: “Our health and safety team launched an immediate investigation and identified a third-party food vendor as the suspected source. That vendor was removed from operation within 90 minutes of the first report. “We reported our findings to the local environmental health officer the same day and are supporting their ongoing investigation into the cause. We share the disappointment and frustration of those whose weekend was affected.” ### Europe sees rise in possible fraud alerts in June URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/europe-sees-rise-in-possible-fraud-alerts-in-june/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T04:00:48.000Z Suspected cases of fraud shared between European countries increased in June compared to the month before. There were 215 reports in June, 150 in May, 188 in April, 204 in March, 159 in February, and 189 in January 2026\. Earlier data for 2025 shows 196 in December, 194 in November, 223 in October, 164 in September, 166 in August, 136 in July, 164 in June and 129 in May. Fifteen alerts mentioned the United States in June. The majority were related to supplements but one was for additives in a carbonated soft drink not complying with EU limits and another was for illegal import of cheese sauce. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Imported pistachio butter sold at Walmart stores recalled because of Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/imported-pistachio-butter-sold-at-walmart-stores-recalled-because-of-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T02:10:28.000Z Boticelli Foods of Melville NY, is recalling one lot of bettergoods Pistachio Nut Butter because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Product was manufactured by Gustibus Alimentari Srl of Assoro, Italy, imported by Botticelli, and distributed exclusively by Walmart Inc. The product was distributed to Walmart retail stores in 19 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington and Wyoming. The recalled product comes in a 6.7oz (190g) glass jar with UPC 194346207961 and is identified by Lot Code LB028ACP04, with an expiration date of January 28, 2027 printed on the jar. No other lots of bettergoods Pistachio Nut Butter are subject to this recall. No illnesses or injuries have been reported in connection with this product that we are aware of to date. The recall was initiated after Walmart learned on July 17 that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services had, as part of a routine inspection, tested three jars of the product at a Walmart retail store and identified the presence of Salmonella. Consumers who have purchased bettergoods Pistachio Nut Butter bearing Lot Code LB028ACP04 are urged not to consume the product. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled product and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### First deaths in Cyclospora outbreak reported by Michigan URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/first-deaths-in-cyclospora-outbreak-reported-by-michigan/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T21:10:33.000Z The nationwide outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite has turned deadly with Michigan reporting two deaths over the weekend. A statement from the state health department said both of the patients had underlying health conditions, but that dehydration from their Cyclospora infections was the cause of death. As of today, Michigan is reporting 11,234 patients with at least 193 having been hospitalized. As of July 31 the state had 10,773 patients. Ohio’s count is more than 4,000, Missouri has more than 1,000 and there are several other states with patient counts in the hundreds. North Carolina reports more than 700 patients and is saying that the infections may be related to parsley or cilantro, but the state has not said where the leafy greens were grown or what brand they were sold under. The Centers for Disease Control has not updated its patient count yet this week. The agency is investigating several outbreaks but is giving special attention to one that involves nine states. The CDC’s report last week showed 1,947 patients in the nine-state outbreak that covers Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Interviews with people sickened with cyclosporiasis in this outbreak indicate that many in those states ate at Taco Bell restaurants and ate iceberg lettuce distributed by Taylor Farms de Mexico. That lettuce has since been recalled. Many of the patients became sick before the lettuce was recalled. However, some patients continue to report illness onset after the recalled lettuce was past its expiration date. As of this week the agency was reporting that since May 1 there have been 6,707 domestically acquired, lab-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, and an additional 11,500 are awaiting confirmation or need more investigation. Those numbers include patients in 45 states. A source of the parasite for the outbreaks has not yet been determined. “CDC's surveillance updates do not include probable cases. State data may include probable and confirmed cases, resulting in higher case counts than what CDC reports,” according to the CDC update posted early last week. As of Friday, the total from state reports was more than 20,000. **About Cyclospora** Food contaminated with the microscopic Cyclospora parasite does not look, smell or taste bad. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, intense watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. ### Lidl expands recall of cookies because of undeclared allergens URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/lidl-expands-recall-of-cookies-because-of-undeclared-allergens/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T23:45:18.000Z Lidl US is expanding its July 24 recall of Eridanous Shortbread Cookies to include all units with a foreign language ingredients and nutrition facts panel for the following products: - Eridanous Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Truffle Coating & Apricot Filling - 11.6 oz (330 g) box (UPC 4056489125839) - Eridanous Shortbread Cookies with Apricot Filling and Cocoa Topping with Coconut Sprinkles - 11.6 oz (330 g) box (UPC 4056489125846) Both of these products were distributed with foreign language packaging and failed to include English ingredient lists, nutrition facts panels, or required allergen declarations. People who have an allergy or sensitivity to wheat, soy, milk, egg, or tree nut (coconut) run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products. The products were distributed between July 15 and July 28 to all Lidl US retail store locations in Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. No illnesses have been reported to date. This recall was originally initiated after foreign language packaging was discovered that did not contain English ingredients, nutrition facts, or allergen declarations. Lidl US is expanding the recall following a review of supplier distribution records, which flagged additional units of the Coconut variant as potentially having the same foreign language packaging errors. Customers with an allergy or sensitivity to wheat, soy, milk, egg, or tree nut (coconut) should not consume this product. ### Publisher's Platform: Food safety is not expensive. Outbreaks are expensive. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-food-safety-is-not-expensive-outbreaks-are-expensive/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T21:10:57.000Z I laid out [eight things](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-the-fifty-state-cyclospora-count-is-20-927-this-morning-the-president-has-said-one-thing-about-it-the-secretary-says-it-is-under-control-here-is-what-they-should-hav/) last Friday morning on FSN that Washington should have done about Cyclospora. The obvious objection to a list like that is money — that food safety is expensive, that budgets are finite, that somebody has to pay for it. I want to take that objection seriously, because when you actually put the numbers side by side, it collapses. The eight things are cheap. What happened instead is not. Start with what the federal government itself says this parasite costs. USDA’s Economic Research Service publishes a [cost-of-foodborne-illness estimate](https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/cost-estimates-of-foodborne-illnesses?ref=foodsafetynews.com) covering thirty-one pathogens. Cyclosporacayetanensis is one of them, and its [line reads](https://www.ers.usda.gov/media/5317/cases-total-cost-and-per-case-cost-by-pathogen.csv?ref=foodsafetynews.com): 11,407 cases a year, $464.63 per case, $5.3 million a year for the entire United States. The Microbiological Data Program, which tested about fifteen thousand produce samples a year — bagged lettuce and spinach, cilantro, hot peppers, tomatoes, sprouts, melons — and accounted for something like eighty percent of all federal produce pathogen testing until it was [shut down in December 2012](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/01/mdp-officially-shut-down-pathogen-testing-for-produce-halted/). It cost $4.5 million a year. The entire national testing program cost less than what one parasite costs the country annually, and I have been [asking for it back since 2024](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/11/time-to-bring-back-the-microbiological-data-program-mdp-to-help-make-produce-safe-again-mpsa/). Four things are wrong with the $5.3 million. First, the 11,407 is Elaine Scallan’s 2011 figure, unchanged — ERS’s dollar estimate is riding on a 15-year-old case count. Second, ERS says plainly on its own page that these numbers are conservative because they exclude willingness to pay to prevent non-financial harm, including pain and suffering. For an illness that relapses in waves across weeks, that is most of the injury. Third, they exclude industry losses entirely. No restaurant sales. No lettuce. No recall. And fourth, they do not contain a dollar of what it costs to fight about any of it. Then it produces a summer like this one. The fifty-state count on Friday afternoon was 21,452 people, which is 1.88 times ERS’s estimate of every *Cyclospora* case in a normal year. Run only the counted cases at ERS’s own per-case cost and you get $9.97 million — already nearly double the agency’s entire annual national figure. Run the Scallan-adjusted estimate of 557,352 illnesses and you get $259 million. Both are floors, because neither includes a dollar of what follows. Here is what follows. Yum Brands reported Thursday that Taco Bell’s US same-store sales are [down 2 percent](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/30/yum-brands-yum-q2-2026-earnings.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for the third quarter through July 27\. Its stock has fallen [roughly five to eight percent](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/30/business/yum-brands-taco-bell-earnings-q2-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) since the chain was linked to the outbreak. On July 17, the first Friday after the link became public, [Taco Bell’s foot traffic fell about sixteen times worse](https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/07/30/taco-bell-parent-company-says-sales-already-recovering-after-cyclospora-outbreak-hit-foot-traffic/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) than the broader fast-food category, which was down 1.9 percent that day. And the damage did not stop at the company with the lettuce. [Chopt was down 12 percent in traffic](https://www.fox5ny.com/news/cyclospora-outbreak-restaurants-slumping-sales?ref=foodsafetynews.com) as of July 23\. Sweetgreen’s weekly spending fell ten percentage points against last year across the first half of July. Sweetgreen has said its food is not linked to this outbreak, and no state has tied an illness to either chain. They lost the money anyway. Grocery shoppers are [buying less lettuce](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/07/31/879690.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and some large buyers have stopped sourcing from central Mexico altogether. Go one step further back and it reaches the grocery store. Stew Leonard’s runs eight stores across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and its chief executive [told CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cyclosporiasis-lettuce-sales-taco-bell-foot-traffic/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that lettuce sales are down about 11 percent and that there is “a lot of confusion on store floors right now.” Behind that anecdote is the scanner data: NielsenIQ recorded US fresh lettuce unit sales in the week ending July 18 [down 9 percent from the week before and 19 percent from two weeks before](https://thedailyrecord.com/2026/07/30/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-cuts-lettuce-sales-restaurant-visits/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). And one step further back still, to the growers. Paul Sellew founded Little Leaf Farms, which grows lettuce in the eastern United States — not Mexico, not Salinas, no connection to Taylor Farms or to any recalled product. His sales are down by double digits. His account: “The consumer has been motivated by fear.” He also says the entire fresh produce category at retail is down. A grower two thousand miles from Guanajuato is paying for Guanajuato. The trade associations have said very little about any of this, and one of them said something more useful than it may have intended. The National Restaurant Association [now tells its members](https://restaurant.org/education-and-resources/resource-library/ceo-association-continues-to-track-cyclospora-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that washing produce under clean running water “cannot guarantee removal of the parasite.” That is the restaurant industry’s own trade group putting in writing exactly what the White House press secretary told the country to do on July 16, and it joins FDA’s guidance document and CDC’s health advisory in saying so. Three sources. One of them had every commercial reason to say something else. What no trade association has done, more than six weeks in, is put a number on what any of this has cost its members. One publication did say something useful this week, and it came from a direction that carries more weight than mine. On Friday the editorial board of the Delmarva Farmer, a paper written for the people who grow this food, [called for exactly the traceability infrastructure that has been shelved](https://americanfarm.com/articles/delmarvafarmer/modernizing-foodborne-illness-traceability-editorial/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Its account of the harm is better than the one I have been making. Food moves in hours while outbreak investigations take weeks, and in that gap, retailers turn cautious, buyers hesitate, whole commodity sectors watch sales fall, and growers who followed every protocol lose their market because they happen to raise the same crop as the eventual suspect. Its prescription is electronic purchase records, standardized lot coding, interoperable supply-chain databases and real-time data sharing — which is the contents of FSMA 204, described by a farm paper without the rule’s name attached to it. It observes that agriculture has spent billions over two decades on water testing, worker training, sanitation and third-party audits, and argues those investments deserve to be matched by equally modern systems for detection and traceback. It closes by saying it is “time for the public health infrastructure that protects it to catch up.” That fourth exclusion is the one I know best, because it is my job. The ERS figure holds nothing for what Taylor Farms will spend defending these cases — the lawyers, the experts, the document review, the depositions, the years of it. It holds nothing for what my side spends building them. And it holds nothing for what eventually reaches the person who was sick. Look at what the money is paying for. It is paying for precisely the pain and suffering that ERS declined to value and said so. The tort system puts a price on the one term the cost-of-illness model leaves deliberately blank. The two numbers are not in conflict; one of them is measuring the part the other refused to measure. The legal fees are money spent establishing who is responsible for something that should not have happened, which buys nobody a single healthy day. And there is a hard public number for it. After the 1993 outbreak, Jack in the Box sued its own meat suppliers and recovered about $58.5 million. Its [annual report to the SEC](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000807882/000080788299000015/0000807882-99-000015.txt?ref=foodsafetynews.com) records that roughly $45.8 million of that was left after litigation costs. Nearly $13 million dollars, consumed by one recovery action arising out of one outbreak, and not one cent of it made anybody well. That is a line-item ERS does not have, and it recurs in every outbreak, on both sides, every time. As for scale, my first case is still the clearest illustration I have. Brianne Kiner spent forty-two days in a coma and more than five months in the hospital, and her case [settled for $15.6 million](https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19950226/2107052/156-million-e-coli-case-settlement----redmond-girl-12-survived-poisoning?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in 1995\. One child. One settlement. Nearly three times what the federal government today says Cyclospora costs the entire United States in a year. I am not suggesting cyclosporiasis is that illness, and it is not — Brianne lost most of her colon and has been diabetic ever since. The comparison is not about what a case is worth. It is about the distance between what the tort system finds when it looks at one injured person and what a federal cost model finds when it looks at a whole country. Those two systems are not measuring the same thing, and only one of them is used to decide whether a $4.5 million testing program is worth restoring. We do have a measured figure for the last comparable event. Spalding and Sexton, in the *American Journal of Agricultural Economics*, put the [total societal loss from the November 2018 romaine outbreak at $276 to $343 million](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajae.12341?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Their own conclusion is the argument I am making: the episode demonstrates the economic benefit of adopting mandatory food-safety standards and improved traceability. For 2006 spinach, USDA’s retail scanner work found [$60.6 million in lost consumer grocery spending](https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=76865&ref=foodsafetynews.com) on all fresh leafy greens over the following 15 months, and packaged spinach sales were still off about twenty percent a year later. When the agency proposed pushing the FSMA 204 compliance date from January 2026 to July 2028, it had to run a regulatory impact analysis. That analysis is [in the Federal Register](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/07/2025-14967/requirements-for-additional-traceability-records-for-certain-foods-compliance-date-extension?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and its arithmetic is not ambiguous. The benefits of the delay are up to a negative $322 million a year. Those are the public health benefits the country gives up by waiting. The cost savings on the other side — what industry keeps by not having to comply yet run about $73 million. This is not my number, and it is not an advocacy group’s number. It is the agency’s own table, in the *Federal Register*, under the heading Summary of Benefits, Costs, and Distributional Effects. The second detail is the signature. The proposed rule is signed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Eleven months later the same Secretary told reporters that this outbreak was under control, at a moment when the count was 1,644 in five states. It is now 21,452 across fifty. I do not say he caused it. I say the traceability rule that would have shortened the traceback carries his signature on the paper that delayed it, and that the paper itself says the delay loses money. On one side: a memorandum, a reporting requirement, some state code, $4.5 million a year, and a rule that is already law. On the other side: a parasite the government prices at $5.3 million a year that has already produced $9.97 million of counted illness by the government’s own per-case figure and plausibly $259 million once you adjust for the cases nobody counted; a comparable produce outbreak measured at $276 to $343 million; a fast-food chain down two percent and its stock down as much as eight; two salad chains with no link to anything down 10 percent and 12 percent; and a delay the agency itself scored as a net loss of nearly forty million dollars a year. Food safety is not expensive. Outbreaks are expensive. We have spent this summer proving it again, at the expense of 21,452 people who did not get a vote, and at the expense of a great many businesses that did nothing wrong except sell lettuce. ### Ukraine shares outbreak data and reports deadly botulism cases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/ukraine-shares-outbreak-data-and-reports-deadly-botulism-cases/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T04:05:40.000Z Ukraine recorded 31 outbreaks in the first half of this year including 19 botulism cases and two deaths. Data from the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection shows that in the first six months of 2026, 31 outbreaks were registered in 11 regions and Kyiv, with the most in the Mykolaiv region with 10\. Of 287 people ill, 207 were children. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Seven importers warned about Foreign Supplier Verification Program violations URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/seven-importers-warned-about-foreign-supplier-verification-program-violations/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T04:04:51.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view.* --- The Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to seven food importers in California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Texas and Georgia after inspections found the companies failed to develop, maintain or follow required Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVPs) for imported foods. The companies imported a variety of products, including fresh produce, canned foods, dairy products, sauces, candy and other packaged foods. In several cases, FDA said firms failed to provide documentation showing corrective actions after inspectors identified violations. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Hong Kong warns of severe infections caused by Vibrio URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/hong-kong-warns-of-severe-infections-caused-by-vibrio/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T04:02:30.000Z Health officials in Hong Kong have warned about a summer rise in a serious bacterial infection that can be caused by consumption of raw seafood or contact with seawater. Vibrio vulnificus is present naturally in warm marine environments. Its concentration typically increases in summer when seawater temperatures rise. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA steps up import enforcement on infant formula, seafood, dried peppers URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/fda-steps-up-import-enforcement-on-infant-formula-seafood-dried-peppers/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T04:01:51.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. [Click here](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/USFDA/2026/07/27/file%5Fattachments/3725751/Import%20Alerts%20Modified%20in%20the%20past%207%20days%202026-07-27.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to go to the FDA page with links to details on specific alerts. See chart below for a list of the most recent alerts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/08/import-alerts-08-02-26-1.png) Click on chart to enlarge. Use link above to go to FDA page with links to specific alerts. ### Publisher’s Platform: The T-Shirts Arrived. All of Them Say: Test Infant Formula for Botulism. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/publishers-platform-the-t-shirts-arrived-all-of-them-say-test-infant-formula-for-botulism/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T16:45:06.000Z In early July I wrote that I had [bought Congress a t-shirt](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/i-bought-congress-a-t-shirt-to-stop-botulism-in-infant-formula/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — one for every member. The boxes are here. Each shirt comes rolled and compressed inside a little plastic baby bottle small enough to hold in your palm. Unroll it and it reads: **For Babies’ Sake, Test for Botulism in Infant Formula.** Underneath, the bill — **H.R. 7867, the Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act of 2026** — and the three things it delivers: stronger standards, modern testing, healthier babies. At the bottom, six words: *Because every baby deserves a safe start.* Now the delivery, and here is where the calendar had opinions. The House left town at the end of July and does not return to Washington until August 31, for exactly one week. The Senate is here this week and then gone until September 14\. Looks like delivery in September makes the most sense. Here is why it still matters, five months after CDC declared the ByHeart outbreak over. Federal regulation still requires powdered infant formula manufacturers to test finished product for exactly two organisms — *Salmonella* and *Cronobacter*. That is 21 C.F.R. § 106.55, and *Clostridium botulinum* is not on it. It was not on it in November 2025, when 48 infants across 17 states were paralyzed after drinking ByHeart Whole Nutrition formula, the largest infant botulism outbreak in American history. It was not on it this spring, when four more babies, two to five months old, were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG after drinking Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic formula. It is not on it this morning. The FDA named the organism itself, in writing, in a [March 8, 2023 Call-to-Action letter](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/post-outbreak-response-activities-clostridium-botulinum-illnesses-associated-consumption-powdered?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to the entire powdered formula industry — more than two years before the first ByHeart baby got sick. The hazard was on the government’s own record. The rule never caught up to it. Both outbreaks run back through the same milk. Organic West Milk supplied it. Dairy Farmers of America spray-dried it. When FDA ran a trace-forward in 2025 to find every other formula maker that received that milk, [Organic West handed over a customer list that left Nara off](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-infant-botulism-powdered-infant-formula-june-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — a fact the agency has now stated plainly, along with Organic West’s later admission that the list was incomplete. The second outbreak was not bad luck. It was the first one still running, through a supply chain nobody had finished mapping. H.R. 7867 fixes the part of that a statute can fix: it puts *C. botulinum* on the required testing list and mandates environmental monitoring inside the plants where this powder is made. It is bipartisan. The Health Subcommittee held its hearing on April 29\. It has been sitting in Energy and Commerce ever since, waiting on a markup nobody has scheduled. The Senate passed S. 272 the same day that hearing happened — 22 to 0 in committee, unanimous consent on the floor — which tells you this is not a hard vote once somebody puts it on the calendar. I have written the letters: to the [House Energy and Commerce Committee](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/support-for-h-r-7867-the-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act-of-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), to the [Senate HELP Committee](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/letter-to-the-committee-on-health-education-labor-and-pensions/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), to [Secretary Kennedy](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/an-open-letter-to-secretary-kennedy-you-met-the-ceos-the-parents-are-still-waiting/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). I have sent the parents’ own words, in their own handwriting. Chairman Cassidy has [demanded answers from Nara and ByHeart](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/senator-cassidy-wants-answers-from-nara-organics-byheart-too-on-infant-botulism-so-do-the-families-i-represent/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and I gave him full credit for it. None of it has produced a markup. A t-shirt in a plastic bottle will not produce one either. But it is small, it is strange, it does not throw away easily, and it says the entire argument in one line. Sometime in September a staffer is going to unroll one and read it out loud. That is the whole idea. ### The Sunday Edition: Zoonoses URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/the-sunday-edition-zoonoses/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T20:04:10.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena** - There are now [more than 20,000 cases](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-the-fifty-state-cyclospora-count-is-20-927-this-morning-the-president-has-said-one-thing-about-it-the-secretary-says-it-is-under-control-here-is-what-they-should-hav/) of cyclosporiasis related to current outbreaks. The actual number is likely much higher. CDC is expected to update its patient counts next week. A source of the parasite for the largest outbreak has not yet been identified. Meanwhile, health officials in the United Kingdom [report an increase in Cyclospora infections](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/uk-officials-note-rise-in-cyclospora-infections/) in people returning from travel to Mexico. Officials at the UK Health Security Agency anticipate a further rise in travel-associated cases linked to summer trips to both Mexico and the United States. - Scientists from the Ineos Oxford Institute found that [the global expansion of industrial chicken farming has helped spread Campylobacter](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/scientists-analyze-spread-of-campylobacter/), the most common bacterial cause of diarrhea worldwide. According to the new research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, bacteria that were once confined largely to wild birds have gained far more opportunities to enter poultry flocks, spread and become established. These strains of bacteria are increasingly resistant to antibiotics as well. - In Part 3 of his series, writer Joe Whitworth reports on [a study of parasite transmission via raw fish consumption in South Korea](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/study-flags-risks-of-raw-fish-consumption/). The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety found that restrictions on eating out during the COVID-19 pandemic seem to have interrupted an upward trend in cases involving Kudoa septempunctata, a parasite that lives in farmed olive flounder and other fish species. - China has reported [a significant increase in mushroom poisonings](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/china-records-spike-in-mushroom-poisoning-cases-with-more-than-2-100-patients-reported/) and the number of people sickened by them. Poisoning incidents and patients reached a six-year high in 2025, but the number of fatalities was the lowest over that period. --- **Today’s Topic: Zoonoses** Zoonoses, or zoonotic diseases, are infectious diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Zoonoses spread through both direct and indirect contact with animals, as well as via contaminated food and water. Even when transmitted by food and water, zoonoses are not usually thought of as foodborne illnesses, but they cannot be overlooked as a risk to food safety. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Polls Taken as Cyclospora Cases Passed 20,000 Show U.S. Food Safety Confidence at Record Lows. European, British and Canadian Measures Are Flat or Rising. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/polls-taken-as-cyclospora-cases-passed-20-000-show-u-s-food-safety-confidence-at-record-lows-european-british-and-canadian-measures-are-flat-or-rising/ Last updated: 2026-08-03T20:04:37.000Z A majority of American voters say they have little or no confidence in government oversight of food safety, according to a [Quinnipiac University national poll](https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3964&ref=foodsafetynews.com) conducted in the last full week of July, as the country's largest recorded *Cyclospora* outbreak spread past twenty thousand cases by the states' own published counts. Asked how much confidence they have in government oversight of food safety in the United States, 12 percent of respondents said a lot and 31 percent said some, for a combined 43 percent. Twenty-five percent said not so much and 30 percent said none at all, for a combined 55 percent. Quinnipiac interviewed 963 registered voters from July 23 through July 27 and reported a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. The food safety question was the last of thirty-three in a survey otherwise devoted to the war with Iran, gasoline prices and the midterm elections. The question does not appear in Quinnipiac's published trend tables, indicating it was asked for the first time. Comparable long-term measures come from two other organizations, and both are at or near record lows. Gallup has asked Americans about their confidence in the federal government to ensure the safety of the food supply since 1999, as part of an annual Consumption Habits poll fielded each July. Confidence stood at 76 percent in September 1999 and reached [82 percent](https://news.gallup.com/poll/4831/americans-confident-safety-nations-food.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in July 2004 during the mad cow scare, holding near eight in ten through 2006\. It fell to roughly seven in ten after a large *Salmonella* outbreak in 2007 and remained at that level through 2019, when it measured 68 percent. It dropped to 57 percent in 2024 and to [53 percent](https://news.gallup.com/poll/693497/adults-rate-diet-healthy-worry-food-safety.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in July 2025, the lowest reading in the twenty-six years Gallup has asked. Gallup's 2026 survey was fielded in July, during the current outbreak, and is expected to publish in mid-August. Gallup attributed much of the 2025 decline to partisan shifts following the change in the party holding the presidency. Democratic confidence fell from 74 percent in 2024 to 48 percent in 2025, while Republican confidence rose twelve points to 62 percent. Confidence among independents was unchanged at 52 percent. Gallup also noted that confidence that food sold in grocery stores is safe to eat has held far steadier, at 73 percent in 2025 compared with 81 percent in 2019. A second long-running measure comes from the [International Food Information Council](https://ific.org/media/confidence-in-food-safety-hits-record-low/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), an industry-funded group that has tracked consumer confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply since 2012\. That figure was 78 percent in 2012, 70 percent in 2023 and 62 percent in 2024, and fell to 55 percent in the 2025 survey of 3,000 adults — the lowest in the thirteen years IFIC has asked. The share describing themselves as very confident fell from 24 percent in 2022 to 11 percent in 2025\. Six percent reported full confidence in the safety of the food supply. Among respondents who lacked confidence, IFIC reported that 59 percent said profit is prioritized over safety, 54 percent said the parts of the food system do not work together, 46 percent cited insufficient government regulation and 43 percent cited the number of recalls. Asked which actors are committed to ensuring food is safe, respondents put the federal government at 48 percent, food companies at 46 percent and grocery stores and retailers at 43 percent. The survey also found that foodborne illness caused by pathogens such as *E. coli*, *Salmonella* and *Listeria* had become the leading food safety concern, displacing chemical and additive concerns. IFIC customarily releases its food safety findings at the International Association for Food Protection annual meeting each July; this year's meeting was held in New Orleans the week of July 26, and 2026 food safety figures have not yet been published. Three additional surveys were conducted this month. [CBS News and YouGov](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cyclospora-outbreak-fda-opinion-poll/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) interviewed 2,193 adults from July 22 to 24 and found that 61 percent were following news of the outbreak at least somewhat closely, compared with 66 percent following the conflict with Iran. Forty percent said they were buying or eating less produce as a result of the outbreak, against 4 percent who said more and 56 percent who reported no change. Asked about the Food and Drug Administration's ability to deal with the outbreak, 13 percent expressed a lot of confidence and 40 percent some, while 31 percent said not much and 16 percent none at all. [Rasmussen Reports](https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public%5Fcontent/lifestyle/general%5Flifestyle/july%5F2026/cyclosporiasis%5Foutbreak%5Fsparks%5Ffood%5Fsafety%5Fworries?ref=foodsafetynews.com), surveying 1,247 adults on July 15, 16 and 19 and asking about the food supply itself rather than about government, found 51 percent confident and 44 percent not confident in the safety of the American food supply. In an April survey published in May, before the outbreak became national news, [KFF](https://www.kff.org/health-information-trust/kff-poll-finds-that-most-adults-lack-confidence-in-key-health-agencies-to-act-independently/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) found that 36 percent of adults had a lot or some confidence in the FDA to act independently of outside interests, and that 25 percent trusted food and beverage companies to act in the public's interest. Comparable surveys abroad show different trajectories. The [2025 Eurobarometer on food safety](https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/more-and-more-europeans-know-how-eu-food-safety-works-says-latest-citizen-survey?ref=foodsafetynews.com), commissioned by the European Food Safety Authority and conducted through 26,370 face-to-face interviews across the twenty-seven European Union member states, found trust in national authorities at 70 percent, up four points since 2022, and trust in EU institutions at 69 percent, up three. Seventy-nine percent agreed that regulations are in place to ensure their food is safe, an increase of six points. EFSA reported gains across each of its awareness and trust measures. In the United Kingdom, the Food Standards Agency's [monthly Consumer Insights Tracker](https://science.food.gov.uk/article/160939-consumer-insights-tracker-january-2026-march-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) recorded trust in the agency at 60 to 62 percent from January through March 2026 among respondents with some knowledge of it, essentially unchanged since the tracker began in 2023\. The agency's Food and You 2 survey has separately found 89 percent of consumers confident in the safety of the food they purchase and 69 percent confident in the food supply chain. In Canada, the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity reported in October 2025 that 45 percent of Canadians believed the food system was headed in the right direction, up fourteen points from 2024 and a five-year high, with trust in the Canadian food inspection system at a record level. The same research found a reversal in views of American food imports: in 2023, 22 percent of Canadians said they trusted food imported from the United States more than food from other international exporters, against 12 percent who trusted other sources more, while by 2025 the figures had [nearly inverted](https://www.producer.com/daily/trade-tensions-boosted-confidence-in-canadian-food-system-report-shows/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), at 15 percent and 23 percent respectively. The organization attributed the shift largely to trade tensions rather than to food safety concerns. The surveys are not directly comparable. The Eurobarometer is conducted face to face and asks whether respondents agree that a food safety system exists rather than measuring confidence in it. The British tracker asks about a single named agency and only among respondents who report knowing what it does. Rasmussen asked about the food supply, CBS about the FDA's handling of one outbreak, KFF about agency independence and Quinnipiac about government oversight generally — four distinct constructs. Each of the European, British and Canadian instruments is able to name a national food safety authority; the American question is framed around government oversight in general, reflecting a system in which food safety responsibility is divided among the FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state health departments. The partisan pattern recurs across the American surveys. In the Quinnipiac poll, 70 percent of Republicans expressed confidence in government food safety oversight compared with 25 percent of Democrats and 38 percent of independents. In the CBS survey, 73 percent of Republicans expressed confidence in the FDA's handling of the outbreak, compared with 41 percent of Democrats and 46 percent of independents. The 2025 Gallup reading recorded the same split in the opposite direction under the previous administration. The CBS finding that 40 percent of adults are buying or eating less produce was consistent across demographic groups, with 46 percent of women and 34 percent of men reporting the change, and 46 percent of adults 65 and older. The reduction comes as federal health officials have urged Americans to eat more whole foods. As of July 31, the states' own published counts totaled more than 21,000 cases across all fifty states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 1,947 outbreak-associated cases and 98 hospitalizations in nine states and separately reported 6,707 cyclosporiasis cases nationally through July 27\. No product has been named since the recall of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico, and the FDA is tracking six open *Cyclospora* investigations. Gallup's next reading is due in mid-August. ### Spaghetti and chicken cobbler recalled because of consumer complaint about metal pieces URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/08/spaghetti-and-chicken-cobbler-recalled-because-of-consumer-complaint-about-metal-pieces/ Last updated: 2026-08-01T02:08:44.000Z Ukrop's Homestyle Foods of Richmond, VA, is recalling 22,880 pounds of baked spaghetti and chicken cobbler products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically metal slivers, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The baked spaghetti and chicken cobbler items were produced from July 1 through July 29\. The following products are subject to recall: - 62.4-oz. ALUMINUM PAN WITH PLASTIC OVERWRAP containing "Ukrop's Baked Spaghetti - Bulk" and BEST BY dates from 07/08/26 through 08/05/26 on the label and bears establishment number "EST. 19979" in the mark of inspection. - 14.8-oz. CARDBOARD TRAY WITH PLASTIC OVERWRAP containing "Ukrop's Baked Spaghetti" and BEST BY dates from 07/08/26 through 08/05/26 on the label and bears establishment number "EST. 19979" in the mark of inspection. - 48-oz. ALUMINUM PAN WITH PLASTIC OVERWRAP containing "Ukrop's Chicken Cobbler - Bulk" and BEST BY dates from 07/08/26 through 08/05/26 on the label and bears establishment number "P-19979" in the mark of inspection. - 11.6-oz. CARDBOARD TRAY WITH PLASTIC OVERWRAP containing "Ukrop's Chicken Cobbler" and BEST BY dates from 07/08/26 through 08/05/26 on the label and bears establishment number "P-19979" in the mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, the Department of Defense and online sales. The problem was discovered after the establishment received a consumer complaint regarding a metal piece found in a fully cooked product. There have been no confirmed reports of injuries due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Publisher's Platform: The Fifty-State Cyclospora count is 20,927 this morning. The President has said one thing about it. The Secretary says it is under control. Here is what they should have said instead. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-the-fifty-state-cyclospora-count-is-20-927-this-morning-the-president-has-said-one-thing-about-it-the-secretary-says-it-is-under-control-here-is-what-they-should-hav/ Last updated: 2026-08-02T05:07:56.000Z Ohio [released new numbers today](https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2026/07/31/cyclosporiasis-cyclospora-explosive-diarrhea-outbreak-cases-ohio-numbers-update-county-map/91106465007/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — 4,013 cases in 80 counties, up from 2,576 a week ago. Add the states up, one by one, all fifty of them, and the floor under this outbreak this morning is 20,927 people. Michigan alone reports 10,386 illnesses and 193 hospitalizations. Against that, the entire public record of what the President of the United States and the Secretary of Health and Human Services have said about the largest *Cyclospora* outbreak in American history fits comfortably on one page. I am going to lay that record out, and then I am going to say what they should have said instead. The President has spoken once. On Friday, July 24, in the Oval Office, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked him when it would be safe to eat lettuce again. He [said he did not know](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-laughs-off-fox-news-reporters-question-on-cyclospora-outbreak-12242570?ref=foodsafetynews.com), that he had “not thought about it, that it was the first time anyone had asked him” — and then he asked Doocy whether he had been eating lettuce lately. The room laughed. He finished by saying he would [put a major tariff on Mexico because of the lettuce](https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-outbreak-cyclosporiasis-public-health-cdc?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and a tariff on Canada because of the wildfire smoke. That is the whole presidential record. It is one week old today, and nothing has been added to it. The tariff line deserves one sentence of correction and no more. The iceberg lettuce at the center of the nine-state cluster was grown and processed in Guanajuato at a plant operated by a subsidiary of a company headquartered in Salinas, California. A tariff on Mexico is a measure aimed at an American company's supply chain, and it is not a food safety measure. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has spoken once as well. On Tuesday, July 21, at a briefing about health care fraud, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was asked about the outbreak and said, “We do have the outbreak under control.” He said investigators had done extensive epidemiological forensics, that the source had been identified, and that the companies involved had [implemented a recall](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rfk-jr-says-source-cyclospora-outbreak-identified-declares-parasite-outbreak-under-control?ref=foodsafetynews.com). On that day, CDC's outbreak page counted 1,644 illnesses in five states. Ten days later that same page counts [1,947 illnesses in nine states](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and it has not been updated since July 24\. CDC's own surveillance page, a different page on the same website, counts [6,707 cases across 45 states](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The states count 20,927\. Three numbers, one agency, one outbreak. Pressed at the same briefing on the surveillance cuts of *Cyclospora*, the Secretary said, “Those criticisms are invalid” and that there had been [no cuts in the surveillance program](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/21/cyclospora-rfk-jr-says-outbreak-is-under-control.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — only in FoodNet, and only for what he called redundant surveillance. The White House press secretary spoke on July 16, when the count was about 400 cases in four states. She said the administration had a handle on it, that CDC and FDA had the resources they needed, and that Americans should wash and cook their produce. The White House later told CNN it was [aggressively coordinating response efforts](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/20/health/trump-cyclosporiasis-outbreak-cdc-response-invs?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Take the washing advice on its own terms for a moment. FDA's own guidance document says chlorine and other common antimicrobial treatments are [not effective against this parasite](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclosporiasis-and-fresh-produce?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and CDC's own health advisory says disinfecting or sanitizing produce [might not fully eliminate it](https://www.cdc.gov/han/php/notices/han00531.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Telling people to rinse it off is not advice. Since then, the administration has spoken mostly through spokespeople. HHS senior press secretary Emily Hilliard has described a robust response and work with all 50 state health departments. On July 27, after the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee sent a [document demand to Taylor Farms' chief executive](https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-07-27garciatotaylorfarmsrecyclosporacontaminatedlettuce.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com), White House spokesman Kush Desai said the notion that this administration would compromise on health and safety was [absolutely false](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-farms-cyclospora-outbreak-white-house-investigation/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). That is the most recent thing anyone at the White House has said about this outbreak, and it was said about a subpoena-adjacent letter rather than about the sick. Now set that beside what the career people have been saying the entire time. Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said on July 20 that the [investigation continues](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com), including into other potential sources and other commodities. Kari Irvin, who helps run FDA's outbreak response network, told NBC on July 24 that the agency has multiple Cyclospora investigations open. CDC's Gwen Biggerstaff has explained repeatedly that there is no whole genome sequencing route for this parasite, only targeted genotyping, which is slower and less precise. Not one person who does this work for a living has said this outbreak is under control. The two people who said it are the two people who do not do this work for a living. Then there is what has not been said, and by whom. The FDA has no Senate-confirmed Commissioner. The CDC has no Senate-confirmed Director. The nominee, Dr. Erica Schwartz, had her hearing on July 15 and is [still awaiting a vote](https://www.npr.org/2026/07/15/nx-s1-5892482?ref=foodsafetynews.com); at that hearing Senator Patty Murray asked her to commit to reinstating required Cyclospora reporting, and she [would not commit](https://cen.acs.org/policy/cdc-nominee-schwartz-cyclosporiasis-outbreak/104/web/2026/07?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Seven members of Congress have written seven letters in fourteen days — Klobuchar, Stanton, Ossoff, [four Michigan House members](https://debbiedingell.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7116&ref=foodsafetynews.com), Gottheimer, Blumenthal and Booker, and Garcia. Not one has been publicly answered. Senator Ossoff's [second letter](https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/sen-ossoff-again-presses-hhs-secretary-kennedy-for-failing-to-address-cancelation-of-cdcs-cyclosporiasis-parasite-monitoring/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) said the silence itself was the problem, and on that narrow point he is right. I want to be fair about one thing, because it cuts against the easy version of this story. *The Wall Street Journal* reported on July 24 that Taylor Farms called the White House through a lobbyist to try to delay the announcement of the recall, and that the White House brought FDA onto the call. What happened next is the part that matters. The White House went back to FDA separately, asked how the traceback had been done, reviewed how the agency planned to communicate it, was persuaded, and told FDA to publish. That is the system working under pressure, and it deserves to be said out loud by the same people who criticize the rest. Taylor Farms has been linked to the nine-state Taco Bell cluster and to the [hospital cafeteria cluster in Keene, NH](https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/news-and-media/nh-dhhs-confirms-nine-people-cyclosporiasis-linked-consuming-taylor-fresh-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com). It has not been linked to the thousands of people sick in the twenty-eight states that merely received its recalled product. Which means that of the 20,927 illnesses on the board this morning, roughly 19,000 have no named source at all. That is the sentence that should be keeping somebody in Washington awake, and I have not heard anybody in Washington say it. There is a fourth number, and it is the one nobody in this administration has been willing to go near. In 2011 CDC's own scientists, led by Elaine Scallan, published what is still the standard estimate of foodborne illness burden in this country. The Cyclospora line in it carries an underdiagnosis multiplier of [83.1](https://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/pdfs/major-pathogens-expanded-tables.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — for every laboratory-confirmed case, the model assumes about eighty-three people actually gotten sick. Applied to the only figure it can honestly be applied to, CDC's 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases, that is something on the order of 557,000 illnesses. Be careful with that number. I am going to be careful with it here, because the caveats are real and I would rather state them than have them stated back at me. The honest answer to how many Americans this outbreak has made sick is that we do not know; that 20,927 is a floor and not an estimate; that the real figure is some multiple of it nobody can currently defend; and that the instruments built to answer the question were narrowed the year before it was asked. “Under control” is not a statement anyone can make about a number nobody can produce. **Here is what they should have said.** The Secretary should not have said “under control.” He should have said something closer to the truth, and the truth was available to him on July 21: We have identified the likely vehicle for one cluster of illnesses in nine states, we do not yet know what is making people sick in the other 41, we have this many people working on it, and here is what we are asking you to do while we find out. Nobody would have called that weakness. Everybody who works in this field would have recognized it as competence. Instead, he spent the credibility of his office on a phrase that was disproved by his own agency's website inside of seventy-two hours. The press secretary should not have told people to wash their lettuce. She should have told them what not to eat and for how long, which is the only instruction that has ever worked in a produce outbreak. She had FDA's own document in front of her, or could have. When the agencies know the advice does not work and give it anyway because it is the only advice that sounds reassuring, they are not protecting the public. They are protecting the podium. And the President should have said something. Anything. It costs nothing and it is most of the job. Twenty thousand nine hundred twenty-seven Americans are sick, hundreds have been hospitalized, and people have been sick for weeks at a time with an illness that comes back in waves after you think it has ended. He could have said: This is real, my people are working on it, here is what we know today and here is where to find tomorrow's update. The joke about the lettuce is not the offense. Not having thought about it is the offense, and he said that part himself. There is a thread running through all of it, and it is not competence. It is transparency. FDA did not name Taylor Farms in its July 16 advisory because of trade secret restrictions, so the public was told about a single unnamed supplier in Mexico; the company recalled the next day. Eighteen months earlier the same agency [closed a fatal romaine outbreak without ever naming the same company](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/pu/) — eighty-nine people sick, one dead, seven cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome — and the name became public only because we sued for the unredacted pages. An agency that names companies late, or not at all, cannot then ask the public to take its reassurances on faith. **Here is what they should have done and still could do today:** 1\. Restore required *Cyclospora* reporting in FoodNet. I know the objection and I agree with half of it — FoodNet measures trends, it does not detect outbreaks. But it was narrowed eleven months before the largest *Cyclospora* outbreak this country has ever recorded, reinstating it costs almost nothing, and every letter Congress has sent asks for it. 2\. Make cyclosporiasis reportable in every state, not merely nationally notifiable. Those are two different things: notifiable means CDC asks for the case, reportable means state law requires it. The parasite does not observe the difference, and neither should the count. 3\. Publish one national number and update it. CDC currently maintains an outbreak page frozen at 1,947 since July 24 and a surveillance page reading 6,707, while the states themselves report 20,927\. Pick a figure, define exactly what it counts, include probable cases, and refresh it on a schedule the public can rely on. An agency that will not publish the size of a problem cannot expect to be believed about the solution. 4\. Grant the [citizen petition](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/STOP-FDA-HHS-CCI-Petition-Final-2.4.2026.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that has been sitting at FDA since Feb. 4\. Stop Foodborne Illness asked the agency to adopt a policy of naming every company associated with a foodborne illness outbreak, recall or no recall. It requires no rulemaking; the Commissioner could grant it this week with a memorandum. My one amendment stands: Disclosure has to reach the processor and the grower, because in a produce outbreak there is very often no brand on the bag at all. 5\. Bring back the Microbiological Data Program, and this time give it a parasite target. The MDP was created under President Bush's 2001 Food Safety Initiative and tested [about fifteen thousand produce samples a year](https://www.ams.usda.gov/datasets/mdp?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — bagged lettuce and spinach, cilantro, hot peppers, tomatoes, sprouts, melons — for roughly $4.5 million a year, and it accounted for something like eighty percent of all federal produce pathogen testing until it was [zeroed out and shut down in December 2012](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/01/mdp-officially-shut-down-pathogen-testing-for-produce-halted/). I have been [asking for it back since 2024](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/11/time-to-bring-back-the-microbiological-data-program-mdp-to-help-make-produce-safe-again-mpsa/). The honest caveat, which I would rather state myself: MDP tested for bacteria, not for parasites, so restoring it exactly as it was would not have caught this outbreak. Restore it with *Cyclospora* on the panel and the sampling pushed upstream toward the field, and while we are at it add the parasite to CDC's [national wastewater surveillance network](https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which reaches roughly fifteen hundred sites and about half the country and does not look for this organism at all. 6\. Put the FSMA 204 traceability rule back on its original schedule instead of 2028\. Susan Mayne, who has actually run lettuce tracebacks, said on national television this week that it would have been enormously helpful here, and that without it the same thing happens again next summer. 7\. Name *Cyclospora* in the pre-harvest agricultural water rule. The only numeric microbial criterion in [Subpart E](https://www.fda.gov/media/164540/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is generic E. coli, and FDA's own guidance says fecal-indicator testing will not identify this parasite. We are requiring growers to test water for the wrong organism and calling it a safeguard. 8\. Stand up the independent board Frank Yiannas has [been asking for since 2025](https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/listeria-outbreak-pasta-fda-foodborne-investigation/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — an NTSB for foodborne outbreaks, investigating across agency lines, publishing root cause and lessons, with no stake in the reputation of the agency whose work it is reviewing. He has [said again this month](https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5989772-ex-fda-criticizes-cyclospora-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the federal response here is approaching a catastrophic level of mismanagement, and he is a former deputy commissioner of FDA and a past president of the professional society that met in New Orleans this week. His framing is the right one — the point is not to find fault; it is to find facts. Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb made a version of the same point on [*Face the Nation*](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scott-gottlieb-former-fda-commissioner-face-the-nation-transcript-july-26-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) on Sunday when he said the breakdown was in identifying the initial cluster, and that Michigan's state health officials led that work rather than the CDC in Atlanta. Not one of those eight is a partisan measure, and it is worth saying that the Microbiological Data Program was created under a Republican president and killed under a Democratic one. Six of the eight were federal policy or federal practice inside the last fifteen years. All eight would have made this month shorter. I have been doing this since 1993, and I have watched administrations of both parties handle outbreaks badly. What is different this time is not the mistakes. Mistakes are ordinary; the false positive was ordinary; a hard parasite with a two-week incubation period is ordinary bad luck. What is different is that seventeen days into the worst *Cyclospora* outbreak this country has ever had, nobody at the top has said the number out loud. Twenty thousand nine hundred twenty-seven. Say it, and then say what you are going to do about it. ### Patient counts in Cyclospora outbreak continue to increase URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/patient-counts-in-cyclospora-outbreak-continue-to-increase/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T21:18:27.000Z If numbers out of Michigan are an indicator, a massive outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite may be slightly slowing. On July 30 the state reported 10,386 patients, up from 10,077 on July 29\. That’s the smallest overnight increase for more than a week in Michigan. Of the Michigan patients for whom complete information is known, 193 report being hospitalized. “Typically, outbreaks of this type do have their natural history,” Craig Hedberg, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, told CIDRAP News. “We may well be on a downslope.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to update its patient counts next week. As of this week the agency was reporting that since May 1 there have been 6,707 domestically acquired, lab-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, and an additional 11,500 are awaiting confirmation or need more investigation. Those numbers are for the largest outbreak which spans 45 states. A source of the parasite for this outbreak has not yet been determined. For a smaller outbreak including nine states — Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia — the CDC has not yet updated its patient count of 1,947\. Interviews with people sickened with cyclosporiasis in this outbreak indicate that many in those states ate at Taco Bell restaurants and ate lettuce distributed by Taylor Farms de Mexico. That lettuce has since been recalled, but the recall was initiated after the lettuce was consumed or past its expiration date. The larger outbreak that involves 10,386 patients in Michigan has 2,926 patients in Northern Ohio. Several other states have numbers in the hundreds and count are still growing, but not at as fast a pace that they have been. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. ### UK officials note rise in Cyclospora infections URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/uk-officials-note-rise-in-cyclospora-infections/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T04:04:16.000Z Health officials in the United Kingdom have reported an increase in Cyclospora infections in people returning from Mexico. Between April 30 and July 15, 67 cases of cyclosporiasis were recorded in the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Public Health Scotland, and Public Health Wales said there were 30 cases in England, 27 in Scotland, and 10 in Wales. The median age of patients is 46, and two thirds are female. Of the 52 cases with travel information, 48 went to Mexico, with one person going to both Mexico and the United States. Detailed information for 28 sick people shows them primarily staying in the Riviera Maya region but several visited Cancún. Patients stayed in different hotels and consumed a variety of food and drinks within their resort as part of an all-inclusive holiday package. There were 87 cyclosporiasis cases in England in 2025 and 124 in 2024\. Cyclospora cayetanensis is a parasite that does not naturally occur in the UK and there is no risk of person to person spread. Dr Philip Veal, consultant in travel health at UKHSA, said: “We have recently detected a rise in Cyclospora infections among travelers returning from Mexico. Travelers to Mexico and other areas where the infection is more common can reduce their risk by following good food and water hygiene measures, including drinking bottled water and eating thoroughly cooked food, even when staying in high-end all-inclusive resorts.” **Large U.S. outbreak** People are advised to choose freshly prepared food that is thoroughly cooked and served piping hot. Foods that should be avoided include fresh uncooked berries and herbs, unpeeled fruit and salad items. UKHSA said it is anticipating a further rise in travel-associated cases linked to summer trips to Mexico and to the U.S., where there has [been a widespread outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cyclospora-outbreak-patient-count-tops-20-000/). The Government of Mexico, through the Ministry of Health, said that testing for Cyclospora cayetanensis carried out in the U.S. and Mexico had not detected the parasite in any samples. Findings were based on an investigation by the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS). A sanitary inspection and verification visit from July 18 to 20 at the Taylor Farms facility in Mexico found no evidence of the parasite. Ten lettuce samples were analyzed, including five whole raw products and five processed products, along with four water samples. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. ### Filipino food agency steps up enforcement and controls URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/filipino-food-agency-steps-up-enforcement-and-controls/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T04:03:29.000Z The food agency in the Philippines has revealed the results of stricter enforcement measures in the first half of this year. The country's Food and Drug Administration faced challenges such as limited manpower, process inefficiencies, and backlogs driven by increasing applications. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### E. coli outbreak linked to frozen organic berries sold at Publix URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-frozen-organic-berries-sold-at-publix/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T01:48:07.000Z The FDA is investigating an outbreak of infections from E. coli O145:H28 that is related to imported, frozen berries sold at Publix stores. The implicated berries are sold under the Greenwise brand and were imported from Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., of San Carlos, Chile, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The outbreak has sickened 12 people in Florida and Georgia. Four of the patients have required hospitalization. Publix has recalled the berries, which were distributed to stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The berries could have been further. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/map-outbreak-Publix-frozen-berries.png) Customers who have purchased the following frozen GreenWise products are reminded not to consume them, and the products should be discarded or returned to Publix for a full refund. The following products are subject to the recall: - GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06453 - GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12053 - GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06753 - GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12153 As part of its outbreak investigation, FDA conducted a a remote inspection of Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., San Carlos, Chile, and collected records from the firm to better understand their procedures and hazard controls, or abilities to prevent food from becoming contaminated. Based on inspection findings, FDA had concerns about at least one other lot of blueberries that was used in additional frozen GreenWise products. Publix has recalled such products, as indicated above. Additionally, the FDA has concerns about other products from Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. that have not entered the U.S. market. The FDA has communicated its concerns to the firm. The FDA has added products from Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A, of San Carlos, Chile to [Import Alert 99-35](https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms%5Fia/importalert%5F1128.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Frozen blueberries from this firm that are offered for entry into the United States may be detained without physical examination at U.S. borders. The FDA and state partners are actively working to determine the source of contamination. Additional products may be added to this advisory as the investigation continues. **About E. coli infections** Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled berries and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications. About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. ### Warning issued for chicken salad because of contamination with Listeria URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/chicken-salad-recalled-because-of-contamination-with-listeria/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T03:01:58.000Z The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for Curry Chicken Salad because of concerns that the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The Curry Chicken Salad item was produced on July 22, 2026\. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' refrigerators. The following product subject to the public health alert is: - 8-oz. plastic packages containing portions of "CURRY CHICKEN SALAD" with a USE BY: 07/30/2026 printed on the back label. The products bear establishment number "P-39928" inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in Oregon and Washington. The problem was discovered during routine establishment testing. There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them.These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled chicken salad and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Aquafaba Powder recalled because of undeclared egg URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/aquafaba-powder-recalled-because-of-undeclared-egg/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T01:16:19.000Z 529 Commerce LLC of Parkland, FL, is recalling 3,860 units of its 4 ounce and 12 ounce packages of its Rooted in Rare brand Aquafaba Powder because the product may contain undeclared egg. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to egg run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products. The recall was initiated after a consumer reported an allergic reaction after consuming the product. No other reports of illness have been received to date. The recalled Rooted in Rare brand Aquafaba Powder was distributed through Amazon.com and direct to customers nationwide between June 2025 and July 2026 via the company’s website www.rootedinrare.com. The recalled Rooted in Rare brand Aquafaba powder is packaged in 4-oz (113g) and 12-oz (340g) flexible foil pouches with UPC #199284530959 (4oz) and #199284306226 (12oz). The following “best buy” dates are included in the recall, and are printed on a sticker and placed on the back bottom left of the product package: - Best by 12/14/2026 - Best by 12/12/2027 Customers who have purchased this product and have an allergy or sensitivity to egg should not consume and discard this product. Customers may request a refund from Amazon.com or contact 529 Commerce, LLC for a refund if it was purchased directly through our website. The company has terminated its relationship with this particular supplier. ### Imported organic berries recalled because of E. coli contamination and outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/imported-organic-berries-recalled-because-of-e-coli-contamination-and-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T01:03:13.000Z In relation to an outbreak of E. Coli infections, the Publix grocery store chain is recalling organic GreenWise imported frozen berries. The outbreak has sickened 12 people in Florida and Georgia. Four of the patients have required hospitalization. The recall applies to all frozen Greenwise organic blueberries and berry mixes sold in Publix stores. The recalled products were shipped to Publix retail stores throughout eight states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. At the end of June, Publix conducted an internal stop sale of frozen GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries. These products remain unavailable for sale. A recall of GreenWise Organic Blueberries, 10-ounce, Lot Code 60401 was previously announced on July 3, by Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., San Carlos, Chile. Based on the public health officials’ product traceback and epidemiological information, Publix is now taking further action to recall all lots of GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries and Whole Mixed Berries. Customers who have purchased the following frozen GreenWise products are reminded not to consume them, and the products should be discarded or returned to Publix for a full refund. - GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06453 - GreenWise Organic Whole Blueberries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12053 - GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 10-ounce, UPC 41415-06753 - GreenWise Organic Whole Mixed Berries, 48-ounce, UPC 41415-12153 **About E. coli infections** Anyone who has eaten any of the implicated products and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications. About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. ### Cyclospora outbreak patient count tops 18,000 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cyclospora-outbreak-patient-count-tops-20-000/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T21:18:52.000Z Outbreaks of infections from the Cyclospora parasite continue to ravage the country with 18,000 patients identified. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking at least two outbreaks, with one associated with Taco Bell restaurants that served iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms. The CDC reports that the outbreak stretches across nine states and has infected at least 1,947 people. The nine states involved in the outbreak are Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. Those states are among 41 where the CDC has identified 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis and more than 11,500 additional cases that are awaiting confirmation. The CDC says there are likely several outbreaks included in the overall count. For Example, Michigan alone is reporting 10,077 patients as of July 29, which is up by 397 the day before. Ohio alone is reporting more than 2,500 patients. “State data may include probable and confirmed cases, resulting in higher case counts than what CDC reports. CDC is working closely with states to update numbers as additional cases are confirmed,” according to an agency statement. The outbreak associated with Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants began June 22 and the most recent patient was confirmed July 19, according to the CDC. The states may have confirmed more patients in the time since then. Taylor Farms initiated a recall of its iceberg lettuce from the Central Mexico growing region on July 17\. The outbreak had peak patient counts on June 24 and July 9, so the implicated lettuce was likely already consumed or past its expiration date by the time Taylor Farms launched the recall. Taylor Farms has a history of being associated with outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. Following is a list of investigation documents dating back to 2009. **2026, Cyclospora, iceberg lettuce.** [FDA investigation page](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the [CDC investigation update](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **2024, E. coli O157:H7, onions served at McDonald's.** [CDC investigation update](https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/investigation-update-e-coli-o157-2024.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the [FDA outbreak investigation](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **2021, E. coli O121:H19, romaine lettuce.** [The NORS report](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-Multistate-Outbreak-of-E.-coli-O121-Infections-NORS-report.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the [outbreak summary slides](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/E.%5Fcoli%5FO121%5FDec%5F2021%5FOutbreak%5Fsummary%5Fslides.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **2015, E. coli O157:H7, Costco rotisserie chicken salad.** [CDC's final update](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/2015%5FCostco%5FChicken%5FSalad%5FCDC%5FFinal%5FUpdate%5F12-22-2015.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Never officially attributed to a common source, though Taylor Farms recalled the celery and onion diced blend that went into the salad, and the FDA recall notice is no longer available online. **2013, Cyclospora, bagged salad mix.** [MMWR Notes from the Field](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6243a5.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com), [CDC's 2013 outbreak investigation page](http://medbox.iiab.me/modules/en-cdc/www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/investigation-2013.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), [FDA's environmental assessment](https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Environmental-Assessment--2013-Cyclosporiasis-outbreak-in-Iowa-and-Nebraska-%E2%80%93-Findings-and-Recommendations.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and the [Nebraska and Iowa regional investigation](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9150646/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **2009, Salmonella Typhimurium, shredded lettuce.** [The Oregonian's contemporaneous report](https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2009/09/salmonella%5Foutbreak%5Fmay%5Fbe%5Flin.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), plus the [traceback](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/2009-TF-Traceback-redacted.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the [Oregon health alert](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/2009-TF-HAN-posting-from-OHD-redacted.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — both of those still redacted, seventeen years later. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. ### FDA continues investigations of several outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-continues-investigations-of-several-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T04:04:11.000Z An outbreak of Salmonella infections has doubled in size during the past week. The Food and Drug Administration reports that the outbreak of Salmonella Javiana infections now has 212 patients, up from 106 a week ago. The agency is not reporting the patients’ ages or where they live. A source of the pathogen has not yet been determined, but the FDA has initiated traceback and testing. The agency has not reported what food it is tracing or what it is testing. In other outbreaks news, the FDA is investigating an outbreak of infections from Listeria monocytogenes. The patient count has increase to nine, up from eight a week ago. The FDA has not yet determined a source of the pathogen, but is has initiated testing. The agency is not reporting what it is testing. The FDA first reported the outbreak on July 22. For an outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg infections, the patient count has increased to 90, up from 81 a week ago. The FDA is not reporting the patients’ ages or where they live. The agency has not determined a source of the pathogen. Traceback efforts have begun, but the FDA is not saying what food is being traced. The agency first posted the outbreak on July 8. An outbreak of infections from E. coli O157:H7 has been declared over. There were 14 patients confirmed in the outbreak. A source of the pathogen was not determined, but the FDA conducted traceback. The agency did not report what food it traced. The FDA first posted the outbreak on July 1\. ### Scientists analyze spread of Campylobacter URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/scientists-analyze-spread-of-campylobacter/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T04:03:35.000Z Industrial poultry farming has played a role in the spread of Campylobacter, according to researchers. Scientists from the Ineos Oxford Institute found that the chicken host environment may drive the evolution of strains that are more likely to cause human infections. Campylobacteris the most common bacterial cause of diarrhea worldwide. Rising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which occurs when bacteria resist drugs designed to kill them, are making infections more difficult to treat. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Colorado posts double Salmonella cases compared to previous years URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/colorado-posts-double-salmonella-cases-compared-to-previous-years/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T04:01:22.000Z The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is alerting the public to a significant increase in Salmonella cases and asking people to be aware of the symptoms. As of July 28, there were 269 Salmonella cases reported in Colorado since July 1\. During the past five years, Colorado has averaged 125 cases during the month of July. Colorado has advanced foodborne illness surveillance capacity, and the Colorado Public Health Laboratory uses whole genome sequencing to compare the genetic fingerprints of Salmonella bacteria from people who test positive. This testing helps public health officials identify potentially connected cases and detect increases in illness early. The state health department is coordinating with local public health agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and public health partners in other states to identify potential connections among the cases, and what food sources might be linked to an uptick in cases. Federal investigators have not confirmed a specific food, restaurant, supplier, or other source. Tracing to identify the source is underway now. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Australian agency denies horse meat claims URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/australian-agency-denies-horse-meat-claims/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T04:00:12.000Z Authorities in an Australian state have rejected claims made in a TV program that horse meat has been detected in food. The New South Wales (NSW) Food Authority said it has not found horse meat in beef, lamb or any food for human consumption. Comments were made by NSW Greens politician Abigail Boyd in a Four Corners program broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), based on documents showing food safety breaches. She said horse meat may have been put into ground (minced) beef and lamb. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Burritos distributed to Costco recalled for undeclared allergen URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/burritos-distributed-to-costco-recalled-for-undeclared-allergen/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T00:04:39.000Z The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for a Steak, Cilantro, Lime Burrito product because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen. The product contains egg, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers with allergies to egg products are aware that this product should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the affected product is no longer available for purchase. The Steak, Cilantro, Lime Burrito product was produced on Jun 19, 2026\. The following product is subject to the public health alert: - 3-lb 2-oz. carton containing 10 individually wrapped "RED'S STEAK CILANTRO AND LIME BURRITO" on the front package label with production lots, L1 SD6170 1503, L1 SD6170 1535, L1 SD6170 1606, L1 SD6170 1639, L1 SD6170 1717, L1 SD6170 1750, L1 SD6170 1831, L1 SD6170 1908, L1 SD6170 1954, L1 SD6170 2031, L1 SD6170 2108, L1 SD6170 2130 on the side of the package label. The individual products bear the establishment number "EST. 46069" inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to Costco distribution locations in Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. The problem was discovered by a consumer that identified the product contained in the carton of "RED'S STEAK CILANTRO AND LIME BURRITO" was a different product, which contains egg, and had been incorrectly labeled. The consumer reported the issue to the producing establishment, and the establishment notified FSIS. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' freezers. Consumers who have purchased this product are urged not to consume it. The product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Publisher's Platform: The FDA closed the 2024 romaine E. coli outbreak without naming Taylor Farms. Sixteen months later we are counting 18,000 Cyclospora cases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/pu/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T17:46:37.000Z On January 15, 2025, the FDA and the CDC closed the investigation into a November 2024 *E. coli* O157:H7 outbreak in romaine lettuce. Eighty-nine people sick in fifteen states. Thirty-six of them hospitalized. Seven with hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is the clinical way of saying a child's kidneys shut down. One person dead. The agencies recorded the vehicle as romaine lettuce from a common supplier and published nothing further. No processor. No grower. No ranch. No lot. The public advisory that had gone out for every comparable romaine outbreak since 2010 was simply never written for this one. When NBC News surfaced the agency's own internal report that April, FDA's explanation was that it names a firm when the evidence supports it and when there is actionable advice to give consumers, and that by the time investigators confirmed the likely source the outbreak was already over and there was nothing left for anyone to act on. That reasoning has been [reported and re-reported](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10329-uncovered-fda-did-not-disclose-fatal-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-lettuce-in-2024?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ever since, and [the agency has never walked it back](https://www.foxnews.com/health/e-coli-outbreak-went-unpublicized-fda-despite-affecting-15-states-report?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The name existed the whole time. It was in the traceback summary FDA itself wrote, sitting behind gray boxes the agency claimed as trade secret. Our own epidemiologist found the thread running through clients who were whole-genome-sequencing matches to one another, and the name reached the public in April 2025 through [federal court filings](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/marler-clark-files-multiple-e-coli-o157h7-lawsuits-against-taylor-farms/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) rather than through a government press release: one processor, Taylor Farms of California in Salinas, and one grower, Anthony Costa & Sons in Soledad, with the lettuce at four of the five points of service running back to the same ranch and the same lot. It took me the better part of a year after that to pry the redactions off. [You can read the unredacted traceback summary yourself](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/FDA-TF-ANDRES-COSTA-UNREDACTED-Traceback-Investigation-Summary-Romaine-2024-E.-Coli-Outbreak.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and I have already written at length about [what those pages say and what the boxes were hiding](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/the-2024-romaine-e-coli-outbreak-had-a-name-the-whole-time-the-fda-just-would-not-say-it-transparency-should-not-be-an-option/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Taylor Farms denied it then and [denies it now](https://www.thepacker.com/taylor-farms-sued-failure-report-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com): its position is that its product was not the source and that its own raw and finished product testing showed nothing — sound familiar? Here is my quarrel with no actionable advice for consumers. It defines the audience as one person, a shopper holding a bag of lettuce, and that person was in fact past helping, because the romaine was eaten in November. But the shopper was never the only one who needed the name. Sysco needed it. US Foods needed it, and Performance Food Group, Markon, Walmart, Yum Brands, Subway and Jack in the Box, every one of them a buyer with a supplier decision in front of them and a contract with terms in it. A food service director at a hospital in Keene, New Hampshire needed it. A state epidemiologist deciding which supplier names belong on a questionnaire needed it. A member of Congress with a traceability rule sitting on the calendar needed it. And Taylor Farms needed it, because a company answering questions in public is a different company than one that is not. The obvious objection is worth meeting head on. Taylor Farms had already been named in public eight weeks earlier, in the [October 2024 slivered onion outbreak](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that ran through McDonald's Quarter Pounders and sickened 104 people in fourteen states, hospitalized thirty-four, gave four of them HUS and killed one, and the buying went right on. True. But that outbreak was framed as an onion problem at one plant in Colorado Springs, and the company handled it that way, with a recall that went to foodservice customers by direct notice, no consumer-facing announcement at all, and [a Form 483](https://www.fda.gov/media/185084/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that almost nobody read. One outbreak is an incident. Two fatal outbreaks eight weeks apart, at two different plants, in two different commodities, is a company. The second name is what turns an incident into a pattern, and the second name is the one the FDA kept from the public. A company-level record does something to a regulator that a commodity-level record does not. It makes the next question obvious: what else does this firm run, and where. FDA already had an answer on file. In 2013 the same corporate family's plant at Doctor Mora, in Guanajuato, was at the center of a *Cyclospora* outbreak that sickened 631 people in twenty-five states, and [FDA's own environmental assessment](https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Environmental-Assessment--2013-Cyclosporiasis-outbreak-in-Iowa-and-Nebraska-%E2%80%93-Findings-and-Recommendations.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) recommended finding out whether *Cyclospora* is a reasonably likely hazard in that growing region and, if it is, re-evaluating the salad mix wash step. The agency let the plant go back to work partly on the company's promise to test its water, and [thirteen years later I cannot find a single public result](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/in-2013-taylor-farms-said-it-was-testing-the-water-at-doctor-mora-and-fda-reopened-the-plant-on-that-promise-thirteen-years-later-there-is-not-one-public-result-i-could-find/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). A disclosure in January 2025 would not by itself have found a parasite in Mexico. It would have made go look at the rest of Taylor Farms a question somebody had to answer in writing. Congress is the other place the name would have landed. Rosa DeLauro [demanded answers about the 2013 outbreak](https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-wants-answers-stomach-bug-outbreak-caused-cyclospora?ref=foodsafetynews.com) while it was still running, and asked the same questions again in 2018, and she is the senior Democrat on the appropriations subcommittee that funds the FDA. In November 2025 Congress directed the agency not to enforce the Food Traceability Rule before July 20, 2028\. That is the rule whose compliance date, January 20, 2026, arrived four months before the first illness in the outbreak we are living through now. I cannot tell you that a disclosure ten months earlier would have changed one vote. I would have liked to watch somebody defend that rider with a fatal, unnamed, unannounced romaine outbreak on the record behind them. I am not going to claim that the silence of January 2025 caused the outbreak of May 2026\. Different plant, different country, different commodity, a different organism with a different biology, and I have spent thirty years telling other people not to overreach on causation. What I will say is this. Every mechanism that might have caught this one early, a buyer asking harder questions before it signed, a regulator taking a second look at the rest of the company's facilities, a traceability rule actually in force, a state health department that already had a supplier name in its head when the interviews started, was weaker on May 13, 2026, than it would have been if the FDA had done in January 2025 the plain thing it chose not to do. That is my opinion. I hold it, and I think the record supports it. Look at where that leaves us. CDC confirms [1,947 cases in nine states](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and every one of those cases is defined by having eaten at a Taco Bell. Add up what the fifty states report on their own and [the floor is 18,209](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/michigan-crossed-ten-thousand-cyclospora-cases-this-morning-add-up-all-fifty-states-and-the-head-count-is-18209-cdc-still-confirms-1947/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [Michigan crossed ten thousand this morning](https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/07/29/cyclosporiasis-cases-in-michigan-reach-10000/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), with 160 people hospitalized. New Hampshire's health department [tied seventeen cases to recalled Taylor Farms lettuce](https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/news-and-media/nh-dhhs-confirms-nine-people-cyclosporiasis-linked-consuming-taylor-fresh-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com) at a hospital cafeteria salad bar in Keene, and it is still the only state in the country that has named a place. Set all of that against [the company's outbreak and recall record going back to 2009](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/taylor-farms-2009-to-2026-the-outbreaks-and-the-recalls-that-did-and-did-not-follow/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and tell me the ledger did not matter. There is something to do about this, and it has been sitting at the FDA since February. Stop Foodborne Illness filed a [citizen petition](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/STOP-FDA-HHS-CCI-Petition-Final-2.4.2026.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) on February 4 asking the agency to adopt a policy of publicly disclosing the names of every company associated with a foodborne illness outbreak, whether or not there is a recall attached. The legal argument is clean. The Trade Secrets Act protects sales figures and proprietary processes, not the factual identity of a company that sells food to the public, and the D.C. Circuit has held that a company name is not commercial information in and of itself. If the agency insists on reading the statute its own way, the petition asks it to disclose anyway under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act or by revising its own regulation at 21 C.F.R. 20.91\. None of that requires a rulemaking. The Commissioner could grant it this week with a memorandum. [I said the petition was right in June](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-25/) and I will say it again today. Now read the petition's own reasoning against the file the agency closed in January 2025\. Disclosure prompts people who got sick and never reported it to go get counted. It tells anyone still holding the product not to eat it. And it gives a company whose name is in the newspaper a reason to redouble the work. Not one of those three things happened in 2025, because there was no name to attach them to. The petition also makes the produce point better than I have managed to. Fresh produce is perishable, so a produce outbreak often ends without a recall, and a policy that releases names only when there is a recall therefore falls hardest on precisely the commodity that causes the most outbreaks. That is not an unfortunate side effect. That is the entire mechanism of the gray box, and it is why leafy greens keep coming up nameless. The petition's lead example is the November 2024 romaine outbreak, and the child it describes is my client. Colton George, nine years old, eighteen days in the hospital, nine days of continuous dialysis and five more of intermittent dialysis, five transfusions, and a nephrologist he is still seeing. His father spent months trying to learn the name of the company that sold the lettuce that did that to his son, and finally [wrote about it himself](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/02/fda-must-be-more-transparent-about-outbreak-investigations/) because nobody at the agency would tell him. A father should not have to run his own traceback. My one addition to the petition is this: it speaks of the consumer-facing company, and in this outbreak, there was no such thing. The lettuce moved from a grower to a processor to a distributor to a caterer and onto a banquet plate with no brand on it anywhere. Disclosure has to reach the processor and the grower, too, or produce outbreaks will keep ending in gray boxes for the simple reason that nobody's logo was on the bag. Transparency is not a courtesy the government extends to a consumer standing in a produce aisle when it happens to be convenient. It is a record. It is what a buyer reads before it signs, what a regulator reads before it schedules an inspection, what a member of Congress reads before voting on a rider, and what a jury reads years later when the people who got sick finally get their day. FDA's rule is that it names a firm when consumers can act on it. The November 2024 romaine outbreak is the proof that the rule is written for the wrong audience. Eighty-nine people got sick, one of them died, seven children's kidneys failed, and the only reason anybody knows who it did is that I sued and made the government hand over the pages it had blacked out. Since 1993 I have been saying that is a terrible way to run a food safety system. It still is. One last thing, for the record. Below is every Taylor Farms outbreak I could find that has a public federal or state document attached to it. Read the list and then notice what is missing from it. The November 2024 romaine outbreak, the one this whole post is about, is not there. No CDC investigation page. No FDA outbreak page. No public notice of any kind. It exists in the public record only because we sued and put an unredacted PDF on this blog. That is what a gray box actually does. It does not hide a name for a season. It keeps an entire outbreak out of the ledger permanently, and eighty-nine people disappear with it. **2026, *Cyclospora*, iceberg lettuce.** [FDA investigation page](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the [CDC investigation update](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **2024, *E. coli* O157:H7, onions served at McDonald's.** [CDC investigation update](https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/investigation-update-e-coli-o157-2024.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the [FDA outbreak investigation](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **2021, *E. coli* O121:H19, romaine lettuce.** [The NORS report](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-Multistate-Outbreak-of-E.-coli-O121-Infections-NORS-report.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the [outbreak summary slides](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/E.%5Fcoli%5FO121%5FDec%5F2021%5FOutbreak%5Fsummary%5Fslides.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **2015, *E. coli* O157:H7, Costco rotisserie chicken salad.** [CDC's final update](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/2015%5FCostco%5FChicken%5FSalad%5FCDC%5FFinal%5FUpdate%5F12-22-2015.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Never officially attributed to a common source, though Taylor Farms recalled the celery and onion diced blend that went into the salad, and the FDA recall notice is no longer available online. **2013, *Cyclospora*, bagged salad mix.** [MMWR Notes from the Field](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6243a5.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com), [CDC's 2013 outbreak investigation page](http://medbox.iiab.me/modules/en-cdc/www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/investigation-2013.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), [FDA's environmental assessment](https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Environmental-Assessment--2013-Cyclosporiasis-outbreak-in-Iowa-and-Nebraska-%E2%80%93-Findings-and-Recommendations.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and the [Nebraska and Iowa regional investigation](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9150646/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **2009, *Salmonella* Typhimurium, shredded lettuce.** [The Oregonian's contemporaneous report](https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2009/09/salmonella%5Foutbreak%5Fmay%5Fbe%5Flin.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), plus the [traceback](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/2009-TF-Traceback-redacted.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the [Oregon health alert](https://outbreakdatabase-com.s3.amazonaws.com/2009-TF-HAN-posting-from-OHD-redacted.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — both of those still redacted, seventeen years later. ### Publisher's Platform: The lettuce pitchforks are out -- 7 letters in 14 days URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-the-lettuce-pitchforks-are-out-7-letters-in-14-days/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T17:45:32.000Z Seven members of Congress have written seven letters about this outbreak in the last fourteen days. Not one of them has been publicly answered. The most recent went out Monday morning, and it is the first one addressed to a company rather than to the government: Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, [wrote to Bruce Taylor](https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-07-27garciatotaylorfarmsrecyclosporacontaminatedlettuce.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the chief executive of Taylor Fresh Foods. Michigan [reported 9,253 cases](https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2026-07-27/michigan-reports-9-253-cyclosporiasis-cases-in-ongoing-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) the same morning. Here is the whole file, in order, and what each letter is asking for. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota went first on [July 14](https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/7/klobuchar-urges-administration-to-reinstate-food-safety-staff-and-program-funding-to-address-cyclospora-parasite-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com), writing to both acting agency heads. Her ask is a restoration list: FoodNet, the Food Emergency Response Network, the Food Safety Inspection Service, the Public Health Infrastructure Grants and the Preventive Services Block Grant. “As a currently uncontrolled large foodborne outbreak across the country continues, cuts to these programs are impacting our nation’s ability to prevent, detect, and contain foodborne illnesses,” she wrote. The line in her letter that has aged best is the one about what was lost structurally rather than financially: there is no longer a central location for reporting and comparing data across state lines. Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona wrote to Secretary Kennedy on [July 15](https://stanton.house.gov/2026/7/stanton-demands-answers-on-cyclospora-outbreak-raises-concerns-over-food-safety-surveillance-cuts?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and asked the six questions an investigator would ask. Who directed the decision to cut [FoodNet’s required surveillance](https://www.statnews.com/2025/12/22/american-food-safety-funding-cuts-foodnet?ref=foodsafetynews.com) from eight pathogens to two, and what scientific or budget analysis supported it. What funding has been reduced or redirected since January 2025\. How many people working on foodborne and parasitic disease surveillance have been terminated, reassigned, or left vacant. Which system now performs the active laboratory outreach FoodNet used to do. How many personnel are on the federal *Cyclospora*response right now. And what evidence supports the department’s claim that none of this affected the investigation. He wants answers by August 3\. He is a Representative, not a senator, which some of the coverage has gotten wrong. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia wrote on [July 16](https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/July-16-2026-Cyclosporiasis-Outbreak-Response.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and did not bury the thesis. “Your foolish and self-indulgent demolition of critical public health programs puts Americans at risk,” he told the Secretary. He asked three questions — has FoodNet been restored to require tracking of *Cyclospora cayetanensis*, why was it terminated, and where do the investigations stand — and gave HHS seventy-two hours. That window closed on July 19\. HHS told reporters his criticism was inaccurate and that CDC never stopped monitoring cyclosporiasis. Four members of the Michigan delegation — Debbie Dingell, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Hillary Scholten and Rashida Tlaib — wrote to both acting agency heads on [July 17](https://debbiedingell.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7116&ref=foodsafetynews.com) under the headline “Cut the Crap.” Theirs is the longest and, for my money, the best of the seven, because it is the only one written from inside the outbreak. It asks what CDC’s actual assessment of the scope is by state and what is limiting the count. It asks whether CDC and FDA have met with the Michigan health department at all. It asks whether the federal agencies agree with Michigan’s own investigators that lettuce or salad greens are the source — a question they had to ask because on July 17 the federal government had not yet said so. It asks what barriers are preventing the agencies from acting on leads Michigan investigators had already developed, how many federal personnel are on this outbreak compared with comparable outbreaks over the past five years, and whether there is any plan to restore mandatory FoodNet participation. They asked for a response by July 24\. Their letter cites Michigan at more than 3,700 cases. The state is at 9,253 today. Michigan’s two senators, Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, did not sign it, and I could not find a separate letter from either one. Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey announced three things at a hospital in Teaneck on [July 20](https://gottheimer.house.gov/posts/release-gottheimer-announces-new-federal-actions-to-combat-cyclospora-other-foodborne-parasites-to-promote-food-safety?ref=foodsafetynews.com): a letter to CDC demanding FoodNet be restored to mandatory active surveillance, a bipartisan bill with Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska — the Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act, which would bar staff cuts and hiring freezes at CDC’s foodborne-illness divisions for a full year after an outbreak is detected — and his support for the Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act, which would let FDA hand unredacted inspection findings to the state and local inspectors who do roughly sixty percent of the food-processing inspections in this country. That last bill is the one nobody is covering and the one that would change the most. Neither has a bill number yet. His release that day put the outbreak at about seven thousand cases across thirty-four states; Michigan alone passed that figure inside of a week. One caution on his remarks: he told the room that because FDA’s positive sample turned out to be a false positive, “we don’t even know where it’s coming from.” FDA has said the opposite, in capital letters, [on its own page](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — the retracted sample does not change the basis of the investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data behind the recall. Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Cory Booker of New Jersey wrote to CDC the same week, asking for a briefing on how the outbreak was tracked and whether federal staffing cuts caused the delay. Blumenthal put it to [Connecticut reporters](https://www.wtnh.com/news/health/blumenthal-demands-answers-from-cdc-over-cyclospora-outbreak-response/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) as a demand to know about “the apparent incompetence in tracking and tracing.” They asked for answers by the end of the following week. Which brings the file back to Monday, and to Rep. Garcia. What he wants [by August 10](https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-releases/ranking-member-robert-garcia-demands-answers-from-taylor-farms-on-national-cyclospora-outbreak-and-attempts-to-influence-fda-investigation?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is five categories of documents and five written answers: every communication with FDA, CDC and USDA about cyclospora since May 1; every communication with the White House since January 21, 2025; all internal cyclospora communications; everything on the July 17 recall; and every inspection, audit or contamination record for the Taylor Farms de Mexico facilities going back to January 1, 2013 — 2013 being the year the same Guanajuato operation was tied to a *Cyclospora* outbreak that [sickened more than six hundred people in twenty-five states](https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/54754/cdc%5F54754%5FDS1.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The written questions are the plainest anybody has put to this company in three weeks, starting with the full list of retailers and restaurants that received recalled produce. The paragraph in his letter that will travel farthest is about timing. Taylor Farms gave $1 million to MAGA Inc. in March 2025, and Garcia writes that the donation landed less than one week after the administration agreed to delay FSMA 204, the lot-level Traceability Rule that would make it possible to trace a bag of shredded lettuce back to the field in twenty-four hours instead of three weeks. FDA announced that thirty-month delay on March 20, 2025, and Congress made it binding that November. Two figures in the letter need checking before anyone repeats them — it says Taylor Farms spent over $810 million on lobbying, which is off by orders of magnitude against the [*Wired* reporting](https://www.wired.com/story/diarrhea-outbreak-taylor-farms-maga-donations-lobbying/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) it cites, and the footnote behind the $1 million contribution is dated March 2024 while the text says March 2025\. A [Taylor Farms spokesman](https://taylorfarms.com/newsroom/taylor-fresh-foods-statement-regarding-cyclospora-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) told CBS News the safety of its food is paramount and pointed again to the absence of any confirmed positive product test. White House spokesman Kush Desai called the notion that this administration would compromise on public health “absolutely false,” and [defended FDA](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-farms-cyclospora-outbreak-white-house-investigation/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), saying the agency has never walked back the epidemiological evidence pointing at the Taylor Farms de Mexico shipment. People ate the evidence, which is the answer to the no-positive-sample point: shredded iceberg has about a two-week shelf life, and the first illnesses began in mid-May. There is one more piece of congressional pressure that is not a letter. On July 15 the Senate health committee held the confirmation hearing for Dr. Erica Schwartz, the nominee to run CDC. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington asked her whether there was any “scientific or medical justification” for eliminating mandatory reporting of the parasite and asked her to commit to reinstating it. Schwartz would not commit; she [offered instead](https://cen.acs.org/policy/cdc-nominee-schwartz-cyclosporiasis-outbreak/104/web/2026/07?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to work with Murray’s staff and CDC scientists to understand what happened and what could be done. Chairman Bill Cassidy of Louisiana named the outbreak in his opening statement as one of the things the nominee would have to rebuild public trust on. Schwartz is still awaiting a vote. CDC has had no confirmed director since Susan Monarez was fired after twenty-nine days last August. Against seven letters and a confirmation hearing, here is everything the top of this administration has said. On July 16, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration “has a handle” on it and that CDC and FDA have the resources they need. On July 21, at a health care fraud briefing, Secretary Kennedy said [“We do have the outbreak under control”](https://abcnews.com/Health/rfk-jr-cyclosporiasis-outbreak-control-amid-1600-cases/story?id=134959106&ref=foodsafetynews.com)and, of the surveillance criticism, that [“those criticisms are invalid.”](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/23/cyclospora-outbreak-tests-rfk-jr-response-funding-cuts.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) On July 24, asked at a press conference when it would be safe to eat lettuce again, President Trump [said](https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-laughs-off-fox-news-reporters-question-on-cyclospora-outbreak-12242570?ref=foodsafetynews.com), “I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it,” said it was the first time he had been asked, and then proposed a tariff on Mexico over the lettuce. On July 27, the White House called the collusion claim absolutely false. That is the complete list. The career staff have been more useful than the principals. Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas stressed on July 20 that the investigation continues, including into other potential sources and commodities. Kari Irvin, deputy director of FDA’s outbreak response network, told NBC News on July 24 that FDA has multiple *Cyclospora* investigations open. Gwen Biggerstaff, a deputy director at CDC, has been the only person at that agency speaking publicly through the entire outbreak. I searched for a public statement on this outbreak from Jay Bhattacharya, who has been performing the duties of CDC director since February while also running NIH, and could not find one. Three things about this record are worth saying plainly. The first is that all seven letters were written by Democrats. The only Republican names anywhere in this file are Don Bacon, who cosponsored Gottheimer’s bill, and Bill Cassidy, who mentioned the outbreak in a hearing he was chairing. Nobody in the majority has sent a letter. Foodborne illness has historically been the least partisan subject in Washington — the Food Safety Modernization Act passed a Democratic House and was signed by a Democratic president after being written with Republican senators, and the program whose destruction everybody is now writing about, the USDA Microbiological Data Program, [was killed under President Obama](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/05/letter-from-the-editor-blood/). The second is that six of the seven letters are aimed at FoodNet, and FoodNet is not the instrument that finds outbreaks. It is a ten-state active surveillance network built to measure trends. NNDSS and PulseNet are the detection systems. My friend Barbara Kowalcyk has made this point publicly and she is right: the FoodNet cut did not cause this outbreak. What it cost is the trend data you would need to say how bad this year is compared with last year, which is exactly the argument everybody is now having without the data to settle it. The FoodNet cut belongs on the list. It is not the list. Garcia’s letter is the first of the seven to name the traceability rule, which is the thing that would actually have shortened this month. The third is that not one of these letters has been publicly answered. Ossoff’s seventy-two hours expired on July 19\. The Michigan delegation’s deadline expired on July 24\. Stanton’s expires next Monday and Garcia’s two weeks after that. The administration has responded to the letters the way it has responded to the outbreak, which is through spokespeople, in the past tense, and to reporters rather than to Congress. None of this is new. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations held a hearing on *Cyclospora* and imported raspberries in [July 1998](https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/?p=109365&ref=foodsafetynews.com) and called a CDC epidemiologist and a patient to testify about it. Rosa DeLauro wrote to FDA and CDC in [August 2013](https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-wants-answers-stomach-bug-outbreak-caused-cyclospora?ref=foodsafetynews.com), during the outbreak that traced to this same Mexican facility, asking whether the agencies considered it acceptable to identify the source of an outbreak and withhold that information from the public. She wrote again in [August 2018](https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-pushes-specifics-fda-cyclospora-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com), about the Fresh Express outbreak, complaining that the timeline did not instill confidence that FDA had acted in consumers’ interest. Thirteen years and eight years later, the questions in the mail this month are the same questions. There is a version of this where the letters are theater, and I have watched enough of them to know it happens. This is not that. Stanton is asking who signed the decision. The Michigan delegation is asking why the federal government would not act on leads its own state investigators had already developed. Garcia is asking for the emails. Those are answerable questions with documents behind them, and the reason to answer them is not that a member of Congress asked. It is that 9,253 people in one state are sick, the count is still climbing past 16,000, and the government cannot yet tell anybody how the parasite got into the lettuce. ### Study flags risks of raw fish consumption URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/study-flags-risks-of-raw-fish-consumption/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T04:02:48.000Z Researchers have highlighted the key role played by eating raw fish at restaurants in the transmission of a parasite. Kudoa septempunctata is a parasite that causes gastroenteritis within hours of consuming raw infected fish. It is best known from farmed olive flounder but has also been reported from black scraper, wild grass puffer, and Japanese whiting. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Poultry firm reveals Salmonella contamination cost URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/poultry-firm-reveals-salmonella-contamination-cost/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T04:01:58.000Z A poultry company in England has disclosed how a Salmonella contamination incident will likely cost it £2.1 million ($2.8 million). Between March 23 and April 10 this year, there was Salmonella contamination in Joice and Hill Poultry’s hatchery and the site was closed from April 13 to 27\. Deliveries were suspended and compensation paid to customers. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### CDC reports more than 2,000 more patients in Cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cdc-reports-more-than-2-000-more-patients-in-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T14:13:41.000Z Federal public health officials have updated their reports on the huge Cyclospora parasite outbreak that is sweeping the country, with more than 2,000 more patients logged in the past week. The count now stands at 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency is aware of more than 11,500 additional cases that require more investigation or confirmation testing. A week ago the CDC reported 4,173 infected people across 41 states. In a separate outbreak, the CDC has not updated its count since July 24\. At that time the agency was reporting 1,947 patients across nine states. Those illnesses are related to Taylor Farms shredded iceberg lettuce grown in Central Mexico. The company initiated a recall on July 17, but most if not all of the implicated lettuce would have been either consumed of out of date by then. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/timeline-Taco-Bell-cyclospora-outbreak-07-24-26.png) This is the timeline, as of July 24, showing when people became ill in the smaller of the two outbreaks reported by the CDC. The CDC reported that some of the sick people reported eating iceberg lettuce on menu items bought at Taco Bell restaurants in the nine states. Taco Bell stopped using Taylor Farms lettuce. The nine states involved in this outbreak are Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. Overall, Michigan was reporting 9,680 on July 28, up from 9,253 on July 27\. Ohio has not updated its count in several days, but in its last update it reported more than 2,000 sick people. The state health department in Indiana reported on July 28 that the count in the state was at 954\. It is not clear whether all of the illnesses reported by states in the nine-state outbreak are related to the TacoBell outbreak or the other outbreaks the CDC is tracking. The CDC says the discrepancy between its patient count and that of the states is because of the lag time it takes between when a state confirms an illness and when that illness is added to the CDC’s count. Another reason for the difference in the counts is because the CDC stopped tracking Cyclospora illnesses beginning July 1, 2025. **Consumer groups ask for congressional action** In relation to the FoodNet cut, a coalition of consumer and industry groups has asked the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Education, and Related Agencies to restore the FoodNet tracking of the illnesses cut on July 1, 2025. Those illnesses are Campylobacter, Cyclospora, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio and Yersinia. In accordance with cuts dictated by the Department of Health and Human Services, only Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli remain within the FoodNet system. The coalition cites static funding as another problem the committee should address. “For years, FoodNet has taken on more tasks without corresponding budgetary increases. For the past decade, FoodNet funding levels have been flat at $5 to $6 million per year, despite increasing salary and laboratory costs. To address this funding discrepancy, CDC has sought to realign expectations of its partners at FDA, USDA, and the FoodNet sites with respect to FoodNet,” the coalition letter states. “. . . FoodNet offers a return on investment that justifies its price tag. Total funding for FoodNet surveillance sites and CDC, estimated in 2015 to cost less than $7 million, is several orders of magnitude lower than the economic impacts of the illnesses monitored by the program. Campylobacterinfections alone are estimated to cause up to $6.8 billion in economic damages every year. By curtailing active surveillance of these infections and those from the six other pathogens recently removed from FoodNet’s reporting requirements— which collectively cause an estimated 2.1 million illnesses each year, including 11,000 hospitalizations and 418 deaths — regulatory agencies and industry alike will lose a critical tool to evaluate their prevention efforts and reduce the overall burden of foodborne disease.” The coalition includes: Active Food Safety Alliance for Advanced Sanitation American Bakers Association American Frozen Food Institute American Spice Trade Association Antibiotic Resistance Action Center, George Washington University Beyond Celiac Center for Food Safety Center for Science in the Public Interest Consumer Federation of America Consumer Reports Creme Global FMI Food Animal Concerns Trust Food & Water Watch Food Safety Strategy, LLC Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security, George Washington University Government Accountability Project’s Food Integrity Campaign International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) Meat Institute Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University National Confectioners Association National Consumers League National Environmental Health Association Stop Foodborne Illness **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last for a month or more and can reoccur for several more months if not treated. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread through microscopic amounts of human waste. Unlike E. coli and Salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter, Cyclospora can only be spread by human waste. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including lettuce, basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite because it becomes embedded in the flesh of the produce. ### Cookies recalled because of multiple undeclared allergens URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cookies-recalled-because-of-multiple-undeclared-allergens/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T22:55:54.000Z Lidl US is recalling all units of Eridanous Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Truffle Coating & Apricot Filling in 11.6-ounce boxes with the UPC number 4056489125839 with foreign language ingredients and nutrition facts panel because of undeclared wheat, soy, milk, and egg allergens. People who have an allergy or sensitivity to wheat, soy, milk, or eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products. The products were distributed between July 15 and July 22 to all Lidl US retail store locations in Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. No illnesses have been reported to date. This recall was initiated after foreign language packaging was discovered that did not contain English ingredients, nutrition facts, or allergen declarations. Customers with an allergy or sensitivity to wheat, soy, milk, or eggs should not consume this product. ### Lead warning after infant formula testing results URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/lead-warning-after-infant-formula-testing-results/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T08:25:13.000Z Two agencies in Macao have expressed major concern after findings of lead in infant formula. TheMunicipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) was notified by the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau (ISAF) that the amount of lead in a sample of Frisolac Prestige infant formula exceeded food safety standards. IAM and ISAF said they were “highly concerned” about the incident and urged the public to stop using the product and to seek medical assistance as soon as possible if their infants showed discomfort after consumption of the product. Long term excessive exposure to lead in children can cause neurological impairment and affect brain development. The affected formula is Frisolac Prestige Infant Formula Stage 1, with a net weight of 800-grams. The batch concerned is 1W07KPJ with production date Sept. 30, 2025, and expiry date Sept. 30, 2027. This batch has not been supplied to hospitals but industry has been told to remove it from sale, issue a recall and stop selling it. Testing of formulas on the market has increased but no additional non-compliant products have been found. **Producer’s tests show compliance** The amount of lead detected in the product was 0.2mg/kg, which exceeds the maximum limit of 0.02mg/kg in formula products for infants and young children. FrieslandCampina said in response to the alert issued by authorities in Macao, additional third-party testing on the affected batch showed the product complies with Hong Kong and Macao standards. The company added that lead is not used in the manufacturing process. "The safety and quality of all our products are our highest priority. This commitment applies especially to our infant and young child nutrition products, as they are intended for a particularly vulnerable consumer group. All Friso products are subject to rigorous quality and safety testing before entering the market and must comply with the regulatory requirements and food safety standards of the markets in which they are sold. We understand that this matter may raise questions among consumers. We take these concerns seriously. If consumers have any enquiries, they can contact us through the local customer service for assistance. "We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities in Macao and are engaging with them in technical discussions regarding the testing methodology, technical standards, and underlying data to better understand the reported findings." The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong also warned about consuming the powdered infant formula. A preliminary investigation confirmed the product had been imported into Hong Kong. “The importer concerned has also arranged testing on two samples of the same batch, and the results showed that they complied with the standards of Hong Kong and Macao. For the sake of prudence, the importer concerned has already stopped sales and removed the affected product from shelves, and the CFS has instructed the importer to initiate a recall of the affected batch of product,” said a CFS spokesman. CFS has been testing powdered infant and young children formula samples from retail outlets as part of its Food Surveillance Programme. From 2023 to June 2026, CFS collected 2,000 samples for chemical and microbiological testing, including lead content. No unsatisfactory samples for lead were found. The Department of Health urged the public to immediately stop using the implicated batch of powdered infant formula, and to observe the health of infants who have consumed it. The agency has set up a telephone hotline to answer public enquiries relating to the health conditions of infants and the switching of formula. ### English E. coli infections steady despite fewer outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/english-e-coli-infections-steady-despite-reduced-outbreak-impact/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T04:03:46.000Z The number of E. coli O157 cases has remained stable but non-O157 infections went up in England in 2025 compared to the year before. Figures published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also revealed a small outbreak caused by a strain of E. coli responsible for major incidents in previous years. Overall, 2,457 cultured-confirmed Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections were [reported in England in 2025](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/escherichia-coli-e-coli-o157-annual-totals/shiga-toxin-producing-escherichia-coli-stec-data-2025?ref=foodsafetynews.com). This decrease of 3.4 percent from 2,544 cases was partly due to an outbreak with nearly 300 illnesses that occurred in 2024. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### China records spike in mushroom poisoning cases with more than 2,100 patients reported URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/china-records-spike-in-mushroom-poisoning-cases-with-more-than-2-100-patients-reported/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T04:02:31.000Z China has reported a significant rise in mushroom poisonings and the number of people sick in them in 2025 compared to the year before. Poisoning incidents and patients reached a six-year high but the number of fatalities was the lowest over that period. The lower number of deaths can be attributed to greater public awareness, faster medical intervention, and more effective treatment, said experts. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Michigan posts more than 1,000 new Cyclospora cases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/michigan-posts-more-than-1-000-new-cyclospora-cases/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T02:04:29.000Z Confirmed patients in the massive Cyclospora outbreak plaguing the country increased over the weekend, with Michigan alone reporting more than 1,000 additional cases. The state is one among nine identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as being involved in an outbreak of infections from the parasite linked to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce. Taylor Farms has recalled iceberg lettuce products from its central Mexico growing operations that was distributed to retailers under a variety of brands, restaurants and foodservice supplier Sysco. In a statement, Taylor Farms officials said the company maintains “best-in-class Cyclospora prevention protocols and invests more than $200 million annually into our independently audited and verified food safety protocols.” With $7 billion in annual revenue, the $200 million represents less than 3 percent of the company’s sales and is spread across all food safety efforts for all of its products. **Political influence questioned** The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee is investigating whether Taylor Farms used its ties to the White House to influence the federal response cyclospora outbreak, according to CBS News. Ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia of California on Monday sent a [letter](https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-07-27garciatotaylorfarmsrecyclosporacontaminatedlettuce.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to Taylor Farms CEO Bruce Taylor seeking answers about the lettuce producer's role in the outbreak, which has sickened thousands of people in dozens of states. The letter states: "This timeline of events raises concerns that your company may have attempted to leverage political donations and connections inside the Trump Administration to influence the scope, scale, and findings of FDA’s investigation. Further, your company’s series of contradictory and confusing statements appear to be deliberately worded to make customers think recalled products are safe. ". . . Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said that the outbreak is “under control,” yet that seems far from true as cases continue to rise. Evidence points to Taylor Farms products as a source of the outbreak, but reports indicate that your company may have attempted to influence the ongoing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation into the matter, obfuscate Taylor Farms’ role in a public health crisis, and mislead consumers trying to keep their families safe." In 2025, Taylor Farms contributed $1 million to President Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., a Federal Election Commission [filing](https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202507319789366251&ref=foodsafetynews.com) shows. The company last year also contributed more than $1 million to other Republican political action committees, [according](https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor%5Fname=Taylor+Fresh+Foods+inc&ref=foodsafetynews.com) to other FEC filings. **Patient counts** The Michigan patient count — which now stands at 9,253 patients, up from 8,176 reported on July 24 — is markedly higher than the CDC number, which was 1,947 as of July 24\. The federal agency believes many of the Michigan patients, as well as a number of more than 2,000 patients reported by Ohio, are part of a larger outbreak. The CDC says the discrepancy between its patient count and that of the states is because of the lag time it takes between when a state confirms an illness and when that illness is added to the CDC’s count. Another reason for the difference in the counts is because the CDC stopped tracking Cyclospora illnesses beginning July 1, 2025. A separate outbreak being tracked by the CDC has infected 4,173 people across 41 states. The agency reports that it is aware of more than 7,400 additional cases that are not yet laboratory confirmed and require further investigation and analysis. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Symptoms can last up to a month and then reoccur for several more months. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a tiny, single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste. Only microscopic amounts of feces are necessary for the parasite to be transmitted. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/cyclospora-life-cycle-1.png) ### Publisher's Platform: There is no kill step for Cyclospora URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-there-is-no-kill-step-for-cyclospora/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T17:45:21.000Z Yesterday I flew to New Orleans for [IAFP 2026](https://www.foodprotection.org/annualmeeting/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the annual meeting of the International Association for Food Protection, July 26 through 29 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. It is the largest food safety conference in the world — thousands of microbiologists, regulators, quality assurance directors and academics from more than sixty countries. I am going with one message, and it is about *Cyclospora*. **Start with the numbers.** [CDC’s surveillance page](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), now updated weekly, counted 4,173 laboratory-confirmed domestically acquired cases as of July 21, across 41 states, with 308 hospitalizations. CDC is aware of more than 7,400 additional cases that are not yet laboratory confirmed, most of them from Michigan and Ohio, which puts the national figure above 11,500\. The median illness onset is June 26\. CDC assumes a six-week reporting lag between onset and reporting, so every one of those numbers is going to grow. **Now the comparison.** Over the comparable window last year — May 1 through mid-July — CDC recorded [249 domestically acquired cases](https://www.cdc.gov/han/php/notices/han00531.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). For all of 2025 it had 1,180, with 105 hospitalizations. For all of 2021 it had 1,024\. Counting every reported case, including travel-associated illness, CDC’s full-year totals were 2,707 in 2022, 4,200 in 2023, 3,719 in 2024 and 3,955 in 2025\. This year’s laboratory-confirmed total, domestic plus travel, was already about 4,940 on July 21\. We passed a normal full year in early July with the season still running. [Michigan alone](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) has reported 8,176 cases and 160 hospitalizations. Michigan normally sees about fifty a year. The [nine-state outbreak](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that CDC and FDA have named — the Taco Bell cluster traced to Taylor Farms de Mexico shredded iceberg — accounts for 1,947 of those illnesses and 98 hospitalizations. Add up what the fifty states are reporting on their own dashboards tonight and the floor is somewhere near 14,800\. The named recall does not describe the outbreak. There will be a great deal of good science presented in New Orleans this week on interventions, wash-water chemistry, sanitizer efficacy and process validation. Here is what I have found the published science says about *Cyclospora*. **Washing does not do it.** Ortega and Sanchez wrote in [Clinical Microbiology Reviews](https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/cmr.00026-09?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that washing and sanitizing may reduce but would not be expected to eliminate the risk, and that these practices have been demonstrated not to completely remove oocysts from contaminated produce. The best consumer-level data is [a 2021 study in Foods](https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/2/481?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that contaminated raspberries and blueberries with three parasites and washed them three ways. A minute under cold running water removed at least eighty percent of the other two parasites. For *Cyclospora* on raspberries it removed thirty-nine percent. A vinegar soak or a salad spinner brought that to roughly eighty-five percent. Nothing removed all of it. These oocysts are stickier than *Cryptosporidium* and *Giardia*. **Chlorine does not do it, and that is not my opinion.** It is [FDA’s](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclosporiasis-and-fresh-produce?ref=foodsafetynews.com), in a fact sheet the agency wrote for farmers: chlorine and other common anti-microbial chemical treatments are not effective against *C. cayetanensis*. The field evidence is thirty years old. In Pokhara, Nepal, an outbreak among British soldiers was traced to drinking water that was chlorinated and filtered and carried a normal residual, and the parasite came through anyway ([Rabold, Lancet, 1994](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7968039/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)). Gaseous chlorine dioxide at 4.1 milligrams per liter for twenty minutes produced no reduction in sporulation at all. **Municipal wastewater treatment is no guarantee.** FDA’s own language is that treatment may render the parasite inactive, that conflicting evidence suggests it may remain viable after treatment, and that little conclusive data exists either way. What we do have is this. *Cyclospora* was [detected in wastewater](https://pure.johnshopkins.edu/en/publications/detection-of-cyclospora-cayetanensis-in-wastewater-3/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in 1998\. Charles Gerba’s group sampled two Arizona treatment plants monthly for a year and concluded that conventional treatment’s ability to remove oocysts is [limited](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24695096/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). A two-year study in southeastern Georgia found the parasite [confirmed by sequencing in nine percent of municipal wastewater sludge samples](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24000930?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Conventional treatment was never designed against this organism and has never been validated against it. That is the accurate sentence, and it is bad enough. **There is no validated kill step for *Cyclospora* on ready-to-eat produce.** The parasite cannot be grown in culture. Heat works — [seventy degrees Celsius for fifteen minutes prevents sporulation](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16729675/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — and heat also destroys lettuce and raspberries. Every control this industry has built for leafy greens points at bacteria and ends in a chemical intervention. This parasite swims through it. *Cyclospora* has one reservoir and it is the human gut. When it turns up on lettuce, [human feces reached that lettuce or the water that grew it](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-does-a-public-swimming-complex-adjacent-to-taylor-farms-lettuce-operation-pose-a-cyclospora-threat-probably/). Nothing that happens after harvest changes that. **A retired FDA food safety director said the quiet part out loud this week.** Mark Moorman, until recently the director of FDA’s Office of Food Safety, [told CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/25/health/cyclospora-outbreak-investigation?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that investigators have never definitively identified the cause of a *Cyclospora* outbreak. Not one, in thirty years. Asked whether anyone is obliged to look, he was blunt: no law or rule requires a farm to test its irrigation water or its produce for this parasite. It is voluntary, and he said FDA does not have that lever. He suggested the big buyers could pull it — he named Kroger, Food Lion and Costco — and that Congress could write the requirement and fund the research. In the same piece Jennifer McEntire, the microbiologist, put the mechanism plainly. “Water is number one,” she said, and the open question is how human waste gets into it. Her candidates are the ones you would expect. Waste emptied from portable toilets. A septic tank that leaked. A sewer that overflowed after heavy rain. **One disclosure before the next paragraph.** My firm represents people sickened in this outbreak, and we have filed cases naming Taylor Farms entities as defendants. The record below is public either way. You should still know where I sit. **And the 2013 investigation found something worth sitting with.** Goodman reports a detail from FDA’s investigation of the 2013 *Cyclospora* outbreak traced to salad mix from Taylor Farms de Mexico: when investigators pulled the medical records of harvesting workers, they found antidiarrheal medications and the combination antibiotic used to treat cyclosporiasis. No diagnoses were recorded in the records FDA inspected, and those drugs are prescribed for other things, so it proves nothing on its own. But the plant is at Doctor Mora, in Guanajuato — the same facility at the center of this summer’s outbreak. And [roughly eight hundred feet from that processing building](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-does-a-public-swimming-complex-adjacent-to-taylor-farms-lettuce-operation-pose-a-cyclospora-threat-probably/) sits Balneario Las Fajanas, a public thermal-water bathing complex with pools, slides, showers and changing rooms, open every day of the year and listed by the state of Guanajuato’s own tourism office. Google Earth imagery shows it built and operating in March 2010, more than three years before FDA and COFEPRIS conducted their environmental assessment at the plant. That published assessment covers the processing facility and five ranches. Its second recommendation told the firm to determine whether *Cyclospora* is a reasonably likely hazard in that growing region and, if so, to re-evaluate the wash step. Thirteen years later, no one has produced a document showing that determination was ever made — and the whole of this post is the reason the wash step was never going to be the answer. **None of this is news to the government, or to the industry.** In 2021 FDA released a [Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclospora-prevention-response-and-research-action-plan?ref=foodsafetynews.com), written by a task force the agency created in 2019\. In 2023 the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods delivered FDA [a full report on Cyclospora cayetanensis in produce](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media%5Ffile/documents/NACMCF%5FCyclospora%5FReport%5F2023%5FFinal.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com), with sections on preventive measures, surrogates, the maintenance and conveyance of wastewater, and prevention in food. That report states that the oocysts are resistant to many of the common chemical treatments used against bacterial pathogens in the produce production environment and in agricultural inputs, agricultural water among them. Its subcommittee was co-chaired by Peggy Cook and by Max Teplitski, now the chief science officer of the International Fresh Produce Association. None of the science in this post is contested. It has been sitting in a federal advisory committee report for three years. **Which is why the fix is upstream, and it is not mysterious.** Treat the water. FDA says so in the same fact sheet: in regions where cyclosporiasis is endemic, microfiltration, ozone or ultraviolet treatment may be necessary to decrease the parasite in irrigation water. Read the footnote listing which regions those are and you find a roster running from Bangladesh to Zimbabwe with Puerto Rico sitting in the middle of it. The data behind the interventions is real, with one caveat that matters: because the parasite cannot be propagated in a laboratory, most of this work uses a poultry coccidian, *Eimeria acervulina*, as a surrogate. [Ozonated water](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24000449?ref=foodsafetynews.com) acidified with citric acid inactivated ninety-three percent of sporulation in that surrogate. [Ultraviolet light](https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/spectrum.02439-24?ref=foodsafetynews.com) at 222, 254 and 282 nanometers each cut sporulation and produced close to a three-log reduction in its infectivity. [Zero-valent iron sand filtration](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11409009/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — tested on actual *C. cayetanensis* oocysts rather than a stand-in — retained ninety-seven percent of them. **Water treatment is already mandatory. It is just aimed at the wrong organism.** The California and Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements, which cover better than ninety percent of the leafy greens grown in this country, [require growers](https://www.wga.com/news/new-water-management-standards-for-leafy-greens/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) who use surface water for overhead irrigation to [treat that water in the twenty-one days before harvest](https://www.nal.usda.gov/research-tools/food-safety-research-projects/agriculture-water-treatment-southwest-region?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Then read what the requirement asks for. An EPA-registered antimicrobial, validated and verified, with success measured by generic *E. coli*. That is chlorine-family chemistry, selected for bacteria and scored by a bacterial indicator — the exact chemistry FDA says does not work on this parasite. The mandate exists and it points at the wrong organism. Microfiltration, ozone and ultraviolet are required of no one. And the field at the center of this outbreak is in Guanajuato, which no LGMA metric reaches at all. **Test for the right thing.** FDA states plainly that testing for generic *E. coli* and fecal coliforms will not identify *C. cayetanensis*. Human-specific markers will. That same [Georgia study](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24000930?ref=foodsafetynews.com) found the human fecal marker HF183 in thirty-three percent of irrigation pond samples. If your irrigation water carries a human sewage signal, you have a *Cyclospora* exposure whether or not anyone ever finds an oocyst. The Center for Produce Safety has spent [more than $1.6 million](https://www.centerforproducesafety.org/research-database/Determination-of-physical-and-chemical-mechanisms-to-prevent-Cyclospora-infection?ref=foodsafetynews.com) since 2014 establishing that this parasite is endemic in the United States and recoverable from wastewater and irrigation water, and it [published a Cyclospora resource page this week](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11664-center-for-produce-safety-releases-cyclospora-resources-for-industry?ref=foodsafetynews.com) collecting the literature on agricultural water monitoring and mitigation. The industry funded the finding. It needs to act on it. **Write the parasite into the rule that already exists.** The [pre-harvest agricultural water rule](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-pre-harvest-agricultural-water?ref=foodsafetynews.com) became final on May 6, 2024 and requires covered farms to conduct an annual systems-based assessment of their water — the system, the practices, the crop, the environment, and adjacent land uses including sewage. The [only numeric microbial criterion in Subpart E](https://www.fda.gov/media/164540/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is generic *E. coli*, the same indicator FDA says will not identify this parasite. For leafy greens and berries the rule should name *Cyclospora* outright, and the Foreign Supplier Verification Program should require importers to document treatment that works on protozoa rather than chlorination that does not. **Fix field sanitation.** [OSHA’s standard](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/agriculture/field-sanitation/osha-field-sanitation-for-ag-workers?ref=foodsafetynews.com) has required agricultural employers to provide one toilet and one handwashing station for every twenty hand laborers, within a quarter mile, since 1987\. Operations with fewer than eleven workers are exempt outright. Inspectors are thin on the ground. Workers paid by the piece and worried about their immigration status do not file complaints. For an organism whose only reservoir is a human being, that exemption is the hazard. **And count it, trace it and test for it.** *Cyclospora* [came out of FoodNet last July](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The [Food Traceability Rule](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10245-fda-delays-fsma-204-traceability-rule-compliance-date-by-30-months?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that would have put lot-level records in FDA’s hands within twenty-four hours was supposed to be in force this January and now cannot be enforced before July 2028\. The methods to watch for this parasite in wastewater have been published for more than a decade. CDC built a [National Wastewater Surveillance System](https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com)that takes data from about fifteen hundred sites and covers roughly half the country. It reports SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, RSV, mpox and measles. *Cyclospora* is not among its targets, and it is not on the academic [WastewaterSCAN panel](https://data.wastewaterscan.org/about/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) either. Meanwhile a diagnostics company watching its own clinical panels [reported national positivity jumping from one or two percent to ten or twelve](https://www.biomerieux.com/us/en/blog/news-trends-diagnostics/tracking-cyclospora-cayetanensis-outbreak-us.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) this spring. Frank Yiannas, who ran FDA’s foods program under two administrations and is a past president of this association, told POLITICO this week that the federal response is approaching a catastrophic level of mismanagement and [should get an independent review](https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5989772-ex-fda-criticizes-cyclospora-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). He has been proposing an NTSB-style board for foodborne outbreaks since last November. Restore the [Microbiological Data Program](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/05/letter-from-the-editor-blood/), which for eleven years pulled high-risk produce off the shelf and tested it, and which the industry lobbied to death in 2012. **A tip of the pen.** The Moorman and McEntire interviews and that 2013 record are [Brenda Goodman’s reporting for CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/25/health/cyclospora-outbreak-investigation?ref=foodsafetynews.com). She has been on this story for weeks. It was also her [July 20 piece](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/20/health/taylor-farms-lettuce-cyclospora-investigation?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that carried Frank Yiannas on the withdrawn laboratory result — he called it unfortunate and consequential, warned that consumers would wrongly read a false positive as proof the recall was unnecessary, credited FDA for disclosing the error promptly, and then said the thing that matters: “transparency alone is not enough.” The agency still owes the public a root cause for the laboratory failure and the corrective actions that follow from it. Goodman went and asked the people who actually ran these investigations the one question the trade press has spent a month stepping around — how does human waste get into the water in the first place — and got them to answer on the record. It is the piece I wish had run three weeks ago. **See you in the “Big Easy.”** I will be in New Orleans through Wednesday. If the honest sentence is that we cannot make contaminated lettuce safe, then the whole of the answer is keeping it from being contaminated — and what we require today is aimed at a different organism. ### Signs of the Times URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/signs-of-the-times/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T17:47:31.000Z Walking along Magazine Street in New Orleans while in town for the 2026 International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual meeting, I wasn’t expecting to encounter one of the week’s most revealing commentaries on food safety. Sure, cities often promote concerts, festivals, or sporting events. But tucked among the boutiques, bars, and novelty shops were storefront signs that had nothing to do with tourism and everything to do with the national conversation surrounding food safety. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/Darin-Detweiler-in-New-Orleans.jpeg) One read: *“Just a girl trying to survive the heat wave, big storms, & lettuce diarrhea.”* Another reassured patrons: *“Booze never made you poop all week! Stay safe, stay drunk!”* They’re witty. They’re sarcastic. They invite a laugh. They also reveal something worth noticing. The art of storytelling is alive and well in New Orleans. These signs demonstrate one of the oldest principles of communication: people tell stories they believe others will immediately understand. The business owners who created these messages invested time, creativity, and storefront space because they expected passersby to recognize the references. The humor succeeds because recent outbreaks and recalls have become part of our shared cultural vocabulary. That observation deserves our attention. The month began with celebrations of America’s 250th birthday. It now seems to be ending with a different national narrative…one shaped by outbreaks, recalls, uncertainty, frustration, and growing questions about the safety of our food supply. Brands and restaurants have become linked in the public imagination through headlines that many consumers struggle to separate. Few people distinguish among pathogens, supply chains, regulatory agencies, or individual companies. They simply see another food safety headline and wonder whether the next meal they serve their families will be safe. In that environment, these sidewalk signs function much like today’s viral memes. Humor becomes a way to process uncertainty. A joke becomes shorthand for a shared experience. We’ve seen this before. In the months following the landmark 1993 Jack in the Box *E. coli* outbreak (which sickened hundreds across the Pacific Northwest, hospitalized more than 170 people, and claimed the lives of four young children, including my son, Riley) I encountered street vendors in California that were selling parody T-shirts featuring an altered version of the familiar Jack in the Box logo. The shirts read, “Crap in the Box,” an unmistakable reference to the fecal contamination associated with *E. coli*. There was no social media. No viral videos. No memes. Yet the communication was remarkably similar. People processed fear through humor. They expressed shared understanding through parody. They spread common cultural references through T-shirts, conversations, bumper stickers, and word of mouth. The technology has changed. Human nature has not. For those of us gathered in New Orleans to discuss food protection, these signs represent more than clever marketing. They remind us that food safety no longer resides only in scientific meetings, regulatory actions, or outbreak investigations. It has entered everyday conversation. It has become recognizable enough that a joke on a sidewalk chalkboard or a novelty sign requires no explanation. That carries an important message. When food safety becomes part of popular culture, public awareness has reached a new level. Consumers are no longer responding only to a single recall or outbreak. They are connecting a series of events into a broader perception of risk. Trust follows the same path. Confidence in the food system is built over years and can erode one headline at a time. Rebuilding that confidence requires more than ending an outbreak or closing a recall. It requires demonstrating, consistently and visibly, that the systems responsible for protecting public health are worthy of the trust consumers place in them every day. **About the author: Darin Detwiler** is an internationally recognized food safety advocate, author, and professor. He is the author of *Food Safety: Past, Present, and Prediction*, a featured expert in the Emmy Award-winning 2023 Netflix documentary *Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food*, and a two-time TEDx speaker whose 2026 talk, *Why Didn’t Someone Stop This? How Leaders Fall Into the Certainty Gap*, examines leadership and preventable risk. He also co-hosts the podcast *Confessions of a Food Safety A\*\*hole*. ### U.S. university involved in international food safety project URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/u-s-university-involved-in-international-food-safety-project/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T04:04:02.000Z Ten Latin American countries are taking part in a project to strengthen their national food safety systems through risk analysis, with one of the leading entities being a U.S. university The effort is led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the University of Minnesota. The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) is providing financial support. It includes Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FSA warns of growing complexity as incidents pass 2,000 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fsa-warns-of-growing-complexity-as-incidents-pass-2-000/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T04:02:52.000Z Global supply chains and online marketplaces are adding to incident complexity, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA). FSA was notified of 2,073 food and feed safety incidents in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales during 2025-2026; this is an increase of 14 percent from 1,825 in the previous year. There has also been a rise in high and medium priority incidents with the potential for severe public health impact, continuing a trend seen in recent years. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns Texas seafood importer about repeat HACCP verification failures URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-warns-texas-seafood-importer-about-repeat-haccp-verification-failures/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T04:01:33.000Z As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view. --- **AF Import & Wholesale Co.** **Houston, TX** The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning letter to AF Import & Wholesale Co. in Houston, TX, after inspectors found the company failed to verify that imported seafood products were processed in compliance with U.S. seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Italian data shows HUS decline in 2025 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/italian-data-shows-hus-decline-in-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T04:00:16.000Z More than 40 cases of a serious condition that can develop after an E. coli infection were reported in 2025 in Italy. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a severe complication associated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections that can cause kidney failure, brain damage and death. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Sunday Edition: A Directory of Foodborne Diseases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/todays-topic-a-directory-of-foodborne-diseases/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:51:52.000Z Quick bites from around the food safety arena this week - The scope of Cyclospora outbreaks nationwide [continues to grow as more cases are confirmed](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cdc-fda-say-cyclospora-outbreak-more-widespread-that-originally-thought/). In relation to one outbreak, Taylor Farms has [recalled](https://www.taylorfarms.com/recall/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) all iceberg lettuce sold in the U.S. that was sourced from [a processing plant in central Mexico](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-does-a-public-swimming-complex-adjacent-to-taylor-farms-lettuce-operation-pose-a-cyclospora-threat-probably/). - FSN reporter Joe Whitworth is reporting on research into foodborne illness outbreaks in the south Pacific. In part one of his series, he looks at the cause of [a salmonella outbreak in Australia in 2023](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/dried-meat-behind-australian-salmonella-outbreak/). Part two examines [four Vibrio outbreaks from 2019 to 2022 in New Zealand](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/dried-meat-behind-australian-salmonella-outbreak/). Forensic research helps scientists and public health officials develop preventive plans and improve their response to foodborne illness outbreaks. - About two million people in the Netherlands were affected by food-related pathogens in 2025\. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment [tracked 1,142 outbreaks and 12 large epidemics involving at least 25 people](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/netherlands-records-more-than-1-000-outbreaks-in-2025/). Salmonella Enteritidis infections are at their highest level in 20 years due to an increase in in the number of Dutch people keeping laying hens and consuming contaminated eggs. - Midwest Poultry Services [recalled more than 1.5 million eggs](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/more-than-1-5-million-eggs-recalled-because-of-salmonella-risk/) because of the risk of Salmonella contamination. The eggs had been sold in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and New Mexico. It now appears that since late 2025 [nearly 100 people may have been sickened](https://apnews.com/article/eggs-salmonella-kroger-c87e38a203f71c16d7db61a40435db38?ref=foodsafetynews.com) by the same Salmonella strain found in the recalled eggs. --- **Today’s Topic: A Directory of Foodborne Illnesses** Foodborne illness outbreaks that are either very large or very deadly capture the public’s imagination. Outbreaks of cyclosporiasis affecting 15,000 people across at least 41 states is certainly an attention-getter, especially when one involves a national fast-food chain (Taco Bell) and a multinational produce supplier (Taylor Farms). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Two bacon brands recalled for lack of reinspection at the Canadian border URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/two-bacon-brands-recalled-for-lack-of-reinspection-at-the-canadian-border/ Last updated: 2026-07-25T02:23:34.000Z Maple Leaf Foods Inc. of Lisle, IL, is recalling 12,036 pounds of not ready-to-eat smoked bacon products that were imported from Canada without the benefit of import reinspection into the United States, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The refrigerated smoked bacon products were produced June 9, June 10, June 12, June 13 and June 15\. The following products are subject to recall: - 12-oz vacuum package of "Royale Natural Applewood Smoked ALL NATURAL Uncured Bacon Product of Canada" with sell by dates of "SEP 01 2026" and "SEP 07 2026" printed on the side of the package - 12-oz vacuum package of "TOP VALU Uncured Hardwood Smoked Bacon PRODUCT OF CANADA" with various sell by dates of "SEP 01 2026", "SEP 02 2026", "SEP 04 2026", "SEP 05 2026", and "SEP 07 2026" printed on the side of the package The products subject to recall bear Canadian establishment number "EST. 1" printed on the side the package, and health certificate "2026-S732971612" on master case boxes. This item was further distributed to Grocery Outlet distributors and retailers in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The problem was discovered during routine FSIS inspection activities. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness or injury should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' refrigerators and freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### CDC, FDA say Cyclospora outbreak more widespread that originally thought URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cdc-fda-say-cyclospora-outbreak-more-widespread-that-originally-thought/ Last updated: 2026-07-25T02:08:23.000Z The CDC and FDA are tracking at least two major outbreaks of infections from the Cyclospora parasite with a combined number of confirmed patients approaching 7,000. The first outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is linked to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce products and associated with Taco Bell restaurants. It has 1,947 patients spread across nine states. The Food and Drug Administration is reporting the same numbers. There have been 98 documented cases of hospitalizations and no deaths. The most recent date of illness onset was July 20\. Taylor Farms has recalled iceberg lettuce products from its central Mexico growing operations and Taco Bell stopped using Taylor Farms lettuce last week. States with patients are Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The lettuce products were distributed in the United States and Mexico. In the United States the recalled iceberg lettuce products were sold to a variety of restaurants in addition to Taco Bell and retailers including Walmart. Taco Bell is the only U.S. customer to issue a statement about its use or sale of Taylor Farms lettuce. The U.S. distribution states are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia. According to the Food and Drug Administration the products may have been distributed further, reaching additional states. For the second outbreak, the CDC is reporting 4,173 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and is aware of more than 7,400 additional cases that are not yet laboratory confirmed and require further investigation and analysis. Many of the additional cases have been reported by Michigan and Ohio. As of July 24, Michigan is reporting 8,176 with160 patients indicating they had been hospitalized. More hospitalizations will likely be reported as state officials continue to gather complete information from patients. Ohio is reporting more than 2,000 patients. It is not clear whether all of the Michigan and Ohio cases are from Taylor Farms lettuce. A specific source of the parasite in the second outbreak has not yet been identified. Both the FDA and the CDC are now reporting that the outbreaks began June 22 and ran through July 20\. Until today both said May 13 through July 13\. You can watch it happen on a single FDA page: the current update reads June 22, and the preserved July 16 entry three screens below it still reads May 13\. Roughly six weeks of illnesses were inside the outbreak definition yesterday and are outside it today. The FDA attributes the rise in cases in part to the four new states, and says it can take as long as six weeks to determine whether a sick person belongs to this outbreak. The discrepancies between the state numbers and the number of sick people being reported by the CDC is in part because the agency — under the direction of the Trump Administration — stopped counting Cyclospora infections as of July 1, 2025. The FDA now says that the Taylor Farms [recall](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/taylor-fresh-foods-recalls-iceberg-lettuce-central-mexico-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com) reaches outside the United States, and that the firm’s own customer records show recalled product was sold to consumers in Mexico — the day after Mexico’s health ministry announced that its samples from the plant were negative. On July 18 the FDA reported that a sample of Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce product tested positive for Cyclospora. On the following day the agency retracted that statement, saying the test showed a false positive. However, the FDA says the false positive does not change the basis for its investigation or the epidemiological data supporting the recall, and traceback and outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from central Mexican growers. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a tiny, single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. ### Recalled eggs linked to Salmonella outbreak spanning 17 states URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/recalled-eggs-linked-to-salmonella-outbreak-spanning-17-states/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:52:21.000Z A new outbreak of Salmonella infections is under investigation with eggs having been identified as the likely source of the pathogen. As of the evening of July 24 there are 98 patients in the outbreak that stretches across 17 states coast to coast. Of those patients with complete information available, 26 have been hospitalized. None of the patients have died. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/outbreak-Salmonella-eggs-map-1.png) Midwest Poultry Services L.P. has been identified as the producer of the implicated eggs. On July 21 the company initiated a [recall](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/more-than-1-5-million-eggs-recalled-because-of-salmonella-risk/) of more than 1.5 million white shell eggs and brown cage free shell eggs produced and distributed from farms in Texas between June 6 and July 3 with sell by or best by dates between July 20 and Aug.17. The recalled eggs were sold under a variety of brand names and were available at a number of retailers including Kroger stores. The recalled eggs have an identifying code number printed on the left or right sides of the carton in date-coding ink only. Only codes P-1950 or 0840962 with a Julian Date between 157 and 184 printed on the side of the carton are recalled. For photos of some of the cartons of the recalled eggs, [click here](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/midwest-poultry-services-lp-recalls-shell-eggs-due-possible-salmonella-enteritidis-contamination?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The eggs were distributed in Arkansas Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Distribution of recalled products has been confirmed for states listed, but the eggs could have been distributed further, reaching additional states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Nov. 21, 2025, to June 30, 2026\. Forty of 44 outbreak patients with information available reported eating eggs before becoming ill. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers that purchased or received recalled eggs should throw them away or return them to their place of purchase for a refund and disinfect any areas that could have come in contact with recalled eggs. Laboratory, epidemiological and traceback data have determined that shell eggs recalled by Midwest Poultry Services L.P are a likely source of illnesses in this outbreak. As part of this investigation, FDA conducted a traceback investigation based on where ill people reported purchasing or eating eggs during the timeframe of interest, and Midwest Poultry Services L.P. was identified as a common egg source; however, this producer does not account for all the illnesses in this outbreak. Additional investigation is ongoing to determine if there are other sources of illness. Midwest Poultry Services L.P. collected samples at farms in Texas. Certain samples collected by the firm tested positive for Salmonella, and [whole genome sequencing](https://www.fda.gov/food/microbiology-research-food/whole-genome-sequencing-wgs-program?ref=foodsafetynews.com) performed by the firm’s third-party lab revealed that some samples match the strain of Salmonellain this outbreak. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers that purchased or received recalled eggs should throw them away or return them to their place or purchase for a refund and disinfect any areas that could have come in contact with recalled eggs. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten eggs and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Publisher's Platform: Does a public swimming complex adjacent to Taylor Farms lettuce operation pose a Cyclospora threat? Probably. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-does-a-public-swimming-complex-adjacent-to-taylor-farms-lettuce-operation-pose-a-cyclospora-threat-probably/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:52:45.000Z In November 2013, after *Cyclospora cayetanensis* sickened hundreds of people in Iowa and Nebraska, FDA published an [environmental assessment](https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Environmental-Assessment--2013-Cyclosporiasis-outbreak-in-Iowa-and-Nebraska-%E2%80%93-Findings-and-Recommendations.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) of the Taylor Farms de México processing plant at Doctor Mora, Guanajuato. The report closed with recommendations. The second told the firm to determine whether *Cyclospora* is a reasonably likely hazard in the Guanajuato leafy green growing region and, if it is, to re-evaluate the wash step used on salad mix. Thirteen years later the same region sits at the center of the largest cyclosporiasis outbreak in American history, and no one has produced a document showing that determination was ever made. Here is what a hazard analysis would have found, had anyone performed one. Two hundred and thirty-five meters from the processing building — roughly eight hundred feet, a three-minute walk — sits Balneario Las Fajanas, a public thermal-water bathing complex with pools, water slides, changing rooms, showers, grills and picnic shelters, open every day of the year. It is the largest concentration of human fecal loading anywhere near that plant. And satellite imagery establishes that it was already built, filled and operating in March 2010, more than three years before FDA and COFEPRIS ever set foot on the property. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/Taylor-Farms-Mexico-image-1.png) That image forecloses the only innocent explanation. Nobody can now say the balneario came later, or that the environment changed after the inspectors left. When FDA and COFEPRIS walked that site in August 2013, a public bathing facility with filled pools stood across the highway in plain view and had stood there for years. The published assessment describes the processing plant and five ranches. It does not describe a bathing complex. It is worth setting out what is actually on that property, because the detail matters. The [Guanajuato Secretariat of Tourism](https://guanajuato.mx/guia-turistica/balnearios-y-o-parques-acuaticos/balneario-las-fajanas/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) lists Las Fajanas in its official state guide under balnearios and water parks, at Km 16 of the San Miguel de Allende–Doctor Mora highway, locality of Cruz de la Maza, with state-published coordinates of 21.10266, -100.45159\. The state describes thermal-water pools, extensive lawns, parking, water slides, palapas, grills, restrooms, showers, changing rooms and a snack shop, and flags the site as accessible. Other listings add a soda fountain, a store, sports courts and a bar. The operator advertises thermal water held at 40 degrees Celsius and promotes that the facility is open 365 days a year. Admission has climbed steadily — 80 pesos for adults and 40 for children in earlier listings, 100 and 40 after that, 120 and 60 from the first of February, and 150 adults and 80 children from the twenty-third of March. Prices rise like that when demand supports it. The Google listing carries 897 reviews. There is no website; the business runs on Facebook. Water slides produce high water ingestion, particularly among children. Grills and picnic shelters mean families stay all day rather than an hour, which multiplies restroom use per visitor. Thermal water at 40 degrees means the facility is drawing from a deep geothermal source and moving large volumes of it — and every liter that goes into a pool eventually comes out of one. Where it goes when it leaves is the entire question, and no public listing answers it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/Taylor-Farms-Mexico-inage-2.png) Put the two frames side by side and a second argument appears, one that has nothing to do with the balneario. The bathing complex in 2023 looks much as it did in 2010\. The Taylor Farms facility does not. The 2010 image shows a moderate plant: one main building, blue-roofed outbuildings, a large unpaved graded area to the north. The 2023 image shows a substantially larger processing building, a solar array along the western boundary, hundreds of employee vehicles in formal parking rows, and a trailer yard holding well over a hundred units. That is not incremental growth. That is a different scale of operation — more throughput, more wash water, more workers, more waste. One more feature is visible in both frames and deserves attention from someone qualified to identify it. A linear channel runs east to west immediately north of the highway, between the plant and the balneario, and appears to hold water in both images. The 2023 frame also shows a standing water body along that channel southwest of the plant. If that is an irrigation canal or a drainage ditch, it is a surface pathway between the two properties — and surface connection is far easier to establish than aquifer connection. It would also have been visible from the plant yard in 2013\. Separately, the 2010 frame shows a dark oval pond immediately southwest of the main building that I cannot find in the 2023 frame. If that was a retention or process-water lagoon, its disappearance during the expansion is a records question worth asking. *Cyclospora cayetanensis* has no animal reservoir. Cattle do not carry it, wildlife does not carry it, birds do not carry it. It completes its life cycle in human beings and nowhere else. Every oocyst that ends up on a leaf of iceberg lettuce came out of a person. With *E. coli* O157:H7 you go looking for a feedlot upgradient of the field. With *Cyclospora* you go looking for human sewage. *Cyclospora* Oocysts are shed unsporulated and non-infectious. They must sit in the environment for roughly one to two weeks at temperatures between about 22 and 32 degrees Celsius before they can infect anyone, which is why [CDC says](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) direct person-to-person transmission is unlikely. A sick person cannot hand this parasite to the person beside them. What that person can do is deposit inert oocysts into soil or water, walk away, and leave them to ripen. And northeastern Guanajuato is close to ideal for that ripening: mean daily maximum temperatures at San José Iturbide run from about 23 to 31 degrees Celsius across the entire year, sitting inside the sporulation window in every month. I want to be careful here, because there is a version of this argument that is wrong. On July 15 the International Fresh Produce Association [faulted Michigan’s health department](https://www.freshproduce.com/who-we-are/commentary/ifpa-statement-on-the-2026-cyclospora-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for saying recreational water is not a recognized risk factor, cited three papers for the proposition, and [told The Packer](https://www.thepacker.com/news/cyclospora-cases-spike-ifpa-urges-officials-partner-produce-not-assign-blame?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that Michigan was defying reputable science. Its [consumer FAQ](https://www.freshproduce.com/who-we-are/commentary/cyclospora-faqs/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) still tells readers that pool chlorine will not kill *Cyclospora* and that people who swallow pool water are not protected the way they would be from other waterborne illnesses. County health departments in [Ohio](https://www.cleveland19.com/2026/07/15/cyclosporas-chlorine-resistance-raises-concerns-about-pools-splash-pads-amid-nearly-400-ohio-cases/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [Arizona](https://www.azfamily.com/2026/07/14/explosive-diarrhea-sickness-linked-pools-splash-pads-spreading-arizona/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) have said much the same thing. The implication running through all of it is that swimmers are catching this. They are not. The most recent global review of waterborne protozoan outbreaks, [published by Bourli and colleagues](https://iwaponline.com/jwh/article/21/10/1421/97388/Waterborne-transmission-of-protozoan-parasites-a?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in the Journal of Water and Health in 2023 and the fifth in a series running since 2007, catalogued 416 outbreaks worldwide between 2017 and 2022\. Recreational water and swimming pools were the suspected source in 313 of them — three quarters of the total — and 92 percent of those were *Cryptosporidium*. *Cyclospora* caused three outbreaks in the entire six-year window, and the review lists each one by name: drinking water in Poland traced to travelers from Indonesia, drinking water in South Korea traced to travelers who drank at a church in Nepal, and a British cluster among travelers returning from Mexico whose recorded exposures were fruit, salad vegetables, fresh herbs, bottled water and ice. Not one of them is a pool. *Cryptosporidium* owns that category, because *Cryptosporidium* is infectious the moment it leaves the body. *Cyclospora* is not. A health department urging caution about pools is being careful. A trade association telling you recreational water is a live risk factor in this outbreak is doing something else. It is moving the story off lettuce. The defensible argument is not that the balneario infected swimmers. It is that the balneario is a fecal loading point into the environmental water system surrounding a ready-to-eat produce plant. And that mechanism is not my invention. It is the express premise of the research the produce industry has been funding for a decade. The Center for Produce Safety [states plainly](https://www.centerforproducesafety.org/research-database/determination-of-physical-and-chemical-mechanisms-to-prevent-cyclospora-infection?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that it has invested 1.6 million dollars in *Cyclospora* research since 2014, and that the results confirmed the parasite is endemic in the United States and can be recovered from wastewater and irrigation water, which it calls a significant risk for produce contamination. That is the industry’s own research arm saying the parasite lives in sewage and reaches crops through water. Go one level down and the mechanism gets named outright: a CPS and USDA-listed project led by Charles Gerba, Kelly Bright, Paula Rivadeneira and Walter Betancourt at Arizona was built to determine whether American produce is at risk from irrigation water contaminated by human sewage, and it [specifies the sources](https://www.centerforproducesafety.org/research-database/cyclospora-potential-reservoirs-and-occurrence-in-irrigation-waters?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — faulty and leaking septic systems, compromised sewer pipes, and treated wastewater effluent discharged into surface waters used to irrigate food crops. The [USDA National Agricultural Library listing](https://www.nal.usda.gov/research-tools/food-safety-research-projects/cyclospora-potential-reservoirs-and-occurrence?ref=foodsafetynews.com) carries the identical framing. Faulty septic near produce ground is not a theory I am floating. It is a funded federal research question. The surveillance results tell you where the parasite actually is. A two-year study in a Southeastern Georgia growing region, [published in the Journal of Food Protection](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24000930?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and [funded through CPS](https://www.centerforproducesafety.org/research-database/sources-and-prevalence-of-cyclospora-cayetanensis-in-southeastern-us-water-sources-and-growing-environments?ref=foodsafetynews.com), sampled municipal wastewater sludge, on-farm portable toilets, irrigation pond water and spent packinghouse dump tank water. The parasite lives in human sewage, reliably. And an unconfirmed molecular positive on agricultural water is a known published artifact — precisely what happened at the border in July, and why that false positive proved nothing about whether the lettuce was contaminated. Treatment does not solve it. Kitajima, Haramoto, Iker and Gerba [sampled two Arizona wastewater treatment plants](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24695096/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)monthly for a year, detected *Cyclospora* in wastewater with a purpose-built assay, and concluded that conventional treatment is limited in its ability to remove protozoan oocysts and cysts. That is a functioning municipal plant. A rural recreational facility is not going to do better. Nor is any of this new: Sterling and Ortega reported in [Emerging Infectious Diseases](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627696/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that *Cyclospora* oocysts were recovered from sewage lagoons beside an endemic area of Lima, and that water from those lagoons irrigates pasture, corn, and elsewhere in the city, vegetable crops. That was 1999. Taylor Farms will argue it cannot control what its neighbors put into the ground. That argument fails on the 2013 record. FDA told Taylor Farm, in writing, to determine whether *Cyclospora* is a reasonably likely hazard in this growing region, and if it is, to re-evaluate the wash step. A hazard analysis worth the paper it is printed on would have identified a public bathing complex eight hundred feet from the intake — a bathing complex that the satellite record now proves was sitting there, pools filled, three years before the inspectors arrived. The failure here is not that the balneario is there. The failure is that the federal government said look, and thirteen years and one record-breaking outbreak later, no one can show that anybody did. ### "Negligible" microbial risk from Dutch meat firm’s products URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/negligible-microbial-risk-from-dutch-meat-firms-products/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T04:01:59.000Z The health risk posed by meat processed by a company under investigation in the Netherlands is “negligible,” according to an assessment. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) asked the Office of Risk Assessment and Research (BuRO) to assess potential microbial risks from the activities of a meat processor suspected of fraud. A criminal investigation is being led by the National Office for Serious Fraud, Environmental Crime and Asset Confiscation (Functioneel Parket). After the company's accreditation was revoked, it filed for bankruptcy. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA continues special enforcement of import laws against seafood, mushrooms URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-continues-special-enforcement-of-import-laws-against-seafood-mushrooms/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T04:01:41.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. [Click here](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/USFDA/2026/07/20/file%5Fattachments/3719154/Import%20Alerts%20Modified%20in%20the%20past%207%20days%202026-07-20%20%28002%29.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to go to the FDA page with links to details on specific alerts. See chart below for a list of the most recent alerts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/import-alerts-07-23-26-1.png) Click on chart to enlarge. Use link above to go to FDA page with links to specific alerts. ### New Zealand shares experience of Vibrio outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/new-zealand-shares-experience-of-vibrio-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T04:00:44.000Z *This is Part 2 of a 3-part series* Researchers have detailed four Vibrio outbreaks in New Zealand that affected 117 people with 43 hospitalizations. In many places, including New Zealand, Vibrio parahaemolyticus acute gastroenteritis is a legally notifiable disease prompting public health action. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### More than 1.5 million eggs recalled because of Salmonella risk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/more-than-1-5-million-eggs-recalled-because-of-salmonella-risk/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T01:22:35.000Z Midwest Poultry Services L.P. is recalling 1,589,577 dozen white shell eggs and brown cage free shell eggs produced in Texas because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis. The eggs were produced and distributed from farms in Texas between June 6 and July 3 and have sell by or best by dates between July 20 and Aug. 17\. The eggs were shipped to foodservice and retail customers in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. They were available to consumers at Kroger stores in Texas and Louisiana, Brookshire Grocery stores in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Mississippi, and other smaller retail outlets. No other Midwest Poultry Services, L.P. products are part of this recall. Midwest Poultry Services L.P. is not aware of any specific illnesses linked to its products. The recalled eggs will have an identifying code number printed on the left or right sides of the carton in date-coding ink only. Only codes P-1950 or 0840962 with a Julian Date between 157 and 184 printed on the side of the carton are recalled. Examples of this identifying plant and date information on retail cartons [can be found here](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/midwest-poultry-services-lp-recalls-shell-eggs-due-possible-salmonella-enteritidis-contamination?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Midwest Poultry Services identified the issue on its two Texas farms through proactive environmental monitoring practices and root cause analysis. Midwest Poultry Services is not distributing fresh eggs produced on its Texas farms at this time. Consumers who purchased products associated with this recall are urged to avoid consumption. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled eggs and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Chicken noodle soup recalled because of lack of import reinspection URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/chicken-noodle-soup-recalled-because-of-lack-of-import-reinspection/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T01:01:01.000Z BCI Foods Inc., the importer of record located in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada, is recalling 4,300 pounds of a chicken noodle soup product that was imported from Canada without the benefit of import reinspection into the United States. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reported that the canned condensed chicken noodle soup product was produced on Feb. 4, 2026\. Consumers can identify the recalled soup by looking for the following table information: 10.5-oz cans of "tasty KITCHEN Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup PRODUCT OF CANADA" with best by date of "2028 FE 04" and lot code "5 9 2 26 035.” The product subject to recall bears Canadian establishment number "EST. 142" printed on the can. This item was further distributed to food banks and food pantry locations in Oklahoma. The problem was discovered when the firm notified FSIS that the canned chicken soup product imported from Canada was not presented for FSIS import reinspection. There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness or injury should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' pantries. Consumers who have purchased these products or received them from a food bank of food pantry are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Outbreak of infections from Cyclospora parasite reaches 41 states URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/outbreak-of-infections-from-cyclospora-parasite-reaches-41-states/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T20:24:34.000Z More patients have been identified in a nationwide outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite, with Michigan alone reporting almost 500 new cases overnight linked to iceberg lettuce products from Taylor Farms. As is stands today, there are 7,664 patients in Michigan, up from 7,171 on July 22\. Of those patients at least 160 have been hospitalized. Michigan is posting patient counts on a daily basis while other states are sporadically posting numbers. As of earlier this week, Ohio had 2,029 patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking several outbreaks, reporting a total of 4,173 laboratory confirmed patients and another 7,400 cases across 41 states under investigation. One reason the CDC’s numbers are lagging behind the total from the states is that the Trump Administration had the agency stop tracking Cyclospora infections beginning July 1, 2025\. Another reason for the discrepancies between the states and CDC counts is the lag time between when a state confirms a case and when it is included in the federal count. The Food and Drug Administration is tracking four active outbreaks of Cyclospora infections. Not counting the largest outbreak, the three others have a total of 100 patients. It is not clear whether that count is included in the CDC’s overall number of patients. As previously reported by [Food Safety News](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-investigating-3-new-outbreaks/), the FDA added a new Cyclospora outbreak to its investigations on July 22\. The agency is reporting 72 patients for that outbreak. **Link to Taylor Farms** Outbreak investigators have linked the Cycloapora infections to shredded iceberg lettuce and salad kits with iceberg lettuce produced by Taylor Farms. The lettuce in question comes from the company’s growing operation in central Mexico. The produce company recalled the implicated products on July 17\. Its customers include Walmart, Costco, Target, Whole Foods, McDonald's and Taco Bell, as well other fast food chains and Sysco, which is the country’s largest food service supplier. Sysco supplies a number of restaurant chains in addition to hospitals, schools, hotels and other foodservice operators. Taylor Farms is one of the world’s largest produce companies with annual revenue of $6 billion. ### Netherlands records more than 1,000 outbreaks in 2025 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/netherlands-records-more-than-1-000-outbreaks-in-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T04:03:57.000Z The Netherlands has released figures on the number of people sickened by various pathogens and in outbreaks in 2025. There were 4,279 people sick in 1,142 outbreaks and 12 large epidemics involved at least 25 people. A pathogen was identified in 31 incidents. Ten were caused by Salmonella, seven by norovirus, and four by Campylobacter, according to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). It is estimated that almost 2 million people in the Netherlands were infected by food-related pathogens in 2025\. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA investigating 3 new outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-investigating-3-new-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T04:01:26.000Z The Food and Drug Administration is investigating three new outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. The outbreaks involve the Cyclospora parasite, Salmonella and Listeria. For the Cyclospora outbreak, the FDA reports there are 72 patients. The outbreak apparently is not part of a larger [34-state Cyclospora outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/patient-count-in-parasitic-outbreak-continues-to-increase/) being investigated by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the new Cyclospora outbreak, the FDA reports that a specific source of the parasite has not been identified. The agency is not reporting where the patients live. The FDA has begun traceback efforts, but is not reporting what food is being traced. For the larger outbreak, which has sickened thousands, the FDA has identified iceberg lettuce products produced by Taylor Farms as the source. For the new outbreak of Salmonella Javiana infections, the FDA is reporting 106 confirmed patients. The agency is not reporting the patients’ ages or where they live. The FDA has begun traceback efforts but is not reporting what food it is tracing. For the new outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections, the FDA is reporting eight confirmed patients. The agency is not reporting the patients’ ages or where they live. The FDA has begun traceback and onsite inspections but is not reporting what food is being traced or what location is being inspected. **In other news,** the FDA is reporting that the patient count for another Cyclospora outbreak has increased from eight to 10 patients. The agency is not reporting the patients’ ages or where they live. The FDA has begun traceback efforts but is not reporting what food it is tracing. The agency first reported the outbreak on July 8. For outbreaks of Salmonella Oranienburg and Salmonella Enteritidis the patient counts have increased from 69 to 81 patients and from 91 to 96 patients, respectively. The source of the outbreaks has not been determined. For the Salmonella Oranienburg outbreak, first reported on July 8, the FDA has begun traceback efforts but has not revealed what food it is tracing. For the outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections, first reported June 10, the FDA has initiated traceback, onsite inspection and testing but it is not reporting what food is being traced, what location is being inspected, or what is being tested. ### Outbreak traced to moringa leaf powder declared over URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/outbreak-traced-to-moringa-leaf-powder-declared-over/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T04:00:26.000Z The CDC has declared an outbreak caused by various types of Salmonella and traced to a number of moringa leaf powder products to be over and the FDA has closed its investigation. As of July 22, 2026, a total of 131 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella had been reported from 38 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Aug. 22, 2025, to June 14, 2026\. Of 121 people with information available, 36 were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. The implicated moringa leaf powder was imported from India. It was sold under a number of brands. A variety of [products were recalled](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-moringa-leaf-powder-january-2026?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery) in relation to the outbreak. Of the 84 ill people interviewed during the outbreak, 74 reported eating a product containing moringa leaf powder, including 63 who reported Live it Up Super Greens supplement powders only, five who reported Why Not Natural moringa powder capsules only, one person who reported consuming both Live it Up Super Greens supplement powder and Why Not Natural moringa powder capsules products, and five who reported TNVitamins moringa powder capsules only. The products linked to illnesses in this outbreak have a long shelf life. The FDA is reminding consumers and retailers to not eat, sell or serve recalled products containing moringa leaf powder. Consumers should throw these products away. As part of the investigation, the FDA and state partners from Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin collected finished product and ingredient samples from sick people’s homes and firms in the supply chain. A total of 12 samples tested positive for Salmonella, and 11 samples detected at least one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella during whole genome sequencing analysis. The FDA has increased screening of imported moringa powder from India for Salmonella. ### Burritos recalled because of undeclared soy URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/burritos-recalled-because-of-undeclared-soy/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T00:46:57.000Z Fresh & Ready Foods LLC is recalling Sprig & Sprout Spicy Breakfast Burritos and Fresh and Ready Spicy Breakfast Burritos because they may contain undeclared soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. Consumers who do not consume meat should also not consume these products, as the recall was initiated after sausage was found in products labeled vegetarian. The recalled products were distributed in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia grab and go markets and vending machines. The recall is limited to the products identified below that were produced at the Charlotte, NC, facility between July 9 and July 12 with the “Fresh Thru” date of July 20\. All other products produced at the Charlotte facility are not impacted by this recall, and there is no impact on products produced at any other Fresh & Ready LLC facility. No illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported to date. The recall was initiated following two customer complaints reporting the presence of sausage in a product labeled as vegetarian. The inadvertent inclusion of sausage resulted in the presence of soy, a major food allergen, which is not declared on the product label. The recalled products can be identified by the following label information: | Product | Size | UPC Code | Fresh Thru: | | --------------------------------------- | ------------- | --------------- | ----------- | | Sprig & Sprout Spicy Breakfast Burrito | 8.3 oz (234g) | 1 00001 00029 7 | 07/20/26 | | Fresh and Ready Spicy Breakfast Burrito | 8.2 oz (232g) | 1 00001 00029 7 | 07/20/26 | ### State-by-state count in parasitic outbreak continues to increase URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/patient-count-in-parasitic-outbreak-continues-to-increase/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T20:26:58.000Z Michigan officials reported that another 600 cyclospora patients were identified overnight, bringing the total in the state to 7,171. The Michigan patients are part of a multistate outbreak related to iceberg lettuce products produced by Taylor Farms. The next closest state count is from Ohio where there are 2,029 patients. A number of patients in Michigan reported eating iceberg lettuce on items from Taco Bell. The restaurant chain has stopped using lettuce from Taylor Farms. The produce company recalled its shredded iceberg lettuce and salad kits containing iceberg lettuce from central Mexico on July 17\. Its customers include Walmart, Costco, Target, Whole Foods, McDonald's and Taco Bell, as well other fast food chains and Sysco, which is the country’s largest food service supplier. Sysco supplies a number of restaurant chains in addition to hospitals, schools, hotels and other foodservice operators. As of July 21, the CDC is reporting that since May 1 it has received reports of 4,173 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and is aware of more than 7,400 additional cases that are not yet laboratory confirmed and require further investigation and analysis. Many of the additional cases have been reported by Michigan and Ohio. The discrepancies in the state counts and the total being reported by the CDC come from the fact that the agency stopped counting cyclospora infections in 2025\. At that time the agency stopped tracking six out of eight foodborne pathogens. The Food and Drug Administration reported on July 18 that it had a positive result for the cyclospora parasite on a sample of Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce from Mexico. However, the agency walked back that announcement on July 19 saying that the test result was a false positive. Preliminary patient counts from the states are as follows: | **State** | **2026 cases reported** | **Part of the Taco Bell outbreak?** | **Source** | | ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Alabama** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Alaska** | 5; 3 travel-related | No – AK DOH: no link to the outbreak | [AK DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Arizona** | 19 | Cases reported; not in cluster | [AZ DHS / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Arkansas** | 26 year-to-date | Under investigation for outbreak link | [AR DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **California** | 41 provisional (Jul 14); CDC lists 97 | No – CDPH: no local acquisition identified | [CDPH](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR26-024.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Colorado** | 150; 4 hospitalized; 8 of 120 domestic | No – CDPHE: not part of the Midwest outbreak | [CDPHE / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Connecticut** | 35 (up from 19 in 2025) | Links its cases to the national outbreak | [CT DPH](https://portal.ct.gov/dph/newsroom/press-releases---2026/cyclosporiasis-cases-linked-to-national-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Delaware** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Florida** | 106 | No – FL DOH: seasonal disease Florida sees yearly | [FL DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Georgia** | 11-30 domestic since May 1; CDC lists 71 | No – GA DPH: no Georgia-specific cluster | [GA DPH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Hawaii** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Idaho** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Illinois** | 277 (Jul 16); 23 hospitalized; CDC lists 87 | No – IDPH: higher than average, no single cause | [IDPH / TODAY](https://www.today.com/health/disease/cyclospora-map-states-parasite-outbreak-diarrhea-2026-rcna385837?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Indiana** | 327 total; at least 47 tied to the outbreak | YES – fifth Taco Bell outbreak state; daily updates | [IN DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Iowa** | 57; about half domestic | No – IA HHS: not connected to national investigations | [IA HHS / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Kansas** | 55 (Jul 15); 37 domestic | Domestic cases rising; no Kansas source found | [KDHE](https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/2044?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Kentucky** | 192 (Jul 15); 108 confirmed; 7 hospitalized | YES – Taco Bell outbreak state; weekly updates | [KY DPH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Louisiana** | 1-10 | Not declared part; not in cluster | [LA DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Maine** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Maryland** | 69; some travel-related | No – no common link identified | [MD DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Massachusetts** | 18 (normal seasonal amount) | No – MA DPH: not affected by the Midwest outbreak | [MA DPH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Michigan** | 6,571 (Jul 21); 102 hospitalized (Jul 16); 23 out-of-state pending | YES – leads the outbreak; 2,408 new cases in the week to Jul 18 | [MDHHS](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Minnesota** | 41 since May 1 | No – MDH: no increase over expected | [MDH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Mississippi** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Missouri** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Montana** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Nebraska** | 49 | No – NE DHHS: none related to the wider outbreak | [NE DHHS / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Nevada** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **New Hampshire** | 1-10 | Cases reported; not in cluster | [NH DHHS / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **New Jersey** | 46 (May 1-Jul 11); within typical range | No – NJDOH: no clusters or outbreaks | [NJDOH](https://www.nj.gov/health/news/2026/approved/20260716a.shtml?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **New Mexico** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **New York** | 517 (May 1-Jul 13) incl. NYC; CDC lists 539 | No – NYSDOH: not a major deviation from the norm | [NYSDOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **North Carolina** | 307 (Jul 14); 13 hospitalized | No – NCDHHS: does not appear linked to the Taco Bell outbreak | [NCDHHS](https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2026/07/14/north-carolina-seeing-increase-cyclosporiasis-cases?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **North Dakota** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Ohio** | 1,316 statewide (Jul 16); 96 hospitalized. Northwest Ohio alone reports 2,029 (Jul 20) | YES – Taco Bell outbreak state; state updates weekly | [ODH / Toledo-Lucas](https://lucascountyhealth.com/cyclo/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Oklahoma** | 57; 6 hospitalized | Part of the national outbreak; no Oklahoma source | [OSDH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Oregon** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Pennsylvania** | 28; reporting is voluntary | No – mostly travel-related | [PA DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Rhode Island** | 4 since May 1 | Cases reported; not in cluster | [RI DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **South Carolina** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **South Dakota** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Tennessee** | 11-30 | Investigating; not in cluster | [TN DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Texas** | 68 (Jul 13); 15 hospitalized; all domestic | Meets CDC case definition; no source identified | [TX DSHS](https://www.dshs.texas.gov/foodborne-illness/cyclospora-infection-cyclosporiasis?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Utah** | 1-10 | No – UT DHHS: not related to the wider outbreak | [UT DHHS / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Vermont** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Virginia** | 37 through Jul 4; CDC lists 61 | No – VDH: no evidence of a Virginia outbreak | [VDH](https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/clinicians/clinician-letters/updates-on-cyclosporiasis-in-virginia/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Washington** | 27 since May 1; 5 domestic or possibly domestic | No – WA DOH: not associated with other states | [WA DOH / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **West Virginia** | 195 (Jul 21); 15 hospitalized – nearly tripled since Jul 13 | YES – Taco Bell outbreak state; updates Tuesdays and Fridays | [WV Dept. of Health](https://oeps.wv.gov/cyclosporiasis-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Wisconsin** | 61 (May 1-Jul 15); 11 domestic | No – WI DHS: no common food item identified | [WI DHS / Epoch](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-heres-the-latest-case-numbers-by-state-6062608?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | | **Wyoming** | No 2026 count published | Not reported as part of the outbreak | [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) | ### Health departments post more infections in Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms lettuce URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/health-departments-post-more-infections-in-cyclospora-outbreak-linked-to-taylor-farms-lettuce/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T04:05:51.000Z More patients have been identified in an outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite. The outbreak is linked to iceberg lettuce products from Taylor Farms. Michigan is reporting 6,571 patients, up from 6,148 reported on July 20\. Ohio’s most recent count is 2,029\. A number of patients in Michigan reported eating iceberg lettuce on items from Taco Bell. The restaurant chain has stopped using lettuce from Taylor Farms. The produce company recalled its shredded iceberg lettuce and salad kits containing iceberg lettuce on July 17\. Its customers include Walmart, Costco, Target, Whole Foods, McDonald's and Taco Bell, as well other fast food chains and Sysco, which is the country’s largest food service supplier. Sysco supplies a number of restaurant chains in addition to hospitals, schools, hotels and other foodservice operators. While some states are reporting thousands of outbreak patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s count remains stagnant. As of July 21 the agency was still reporting only 1,644 people who had cyclosporiasis from May 13 to July 13\. The CDC report says there are patients in 34 states and that there is more than one outbreak. The agency says there are another 5,100 patients whose illnesses are under investigation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday the multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak is "under control." During a press briefing July 21, Kennedy said the Department of Health and Human Services had conducted extensive epidemiological investigations. **About Taylor Farms** Taylor Farms, founded by Bruce Taylor, is not a family farm. Rather, it is a major corporate entity that has 25,000 employees and booked $6 billion revenue. The company owns Earthbound Farms in California and also has growing operations in Mexico. It has more than 40 percent of the bagged salad market in the United States. In 2013, Taylor Farms salad mix out of Guanajuato went to Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants and [sickened hundreds](https://www.cdc.gov/orr/responses/multistate-cyclospora-outbreak.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) with Cyclospora. In 2024, Taylor Farms slivered onions went onto McDonald’s Quarter Pounders; more than a hundred people were sickened and [one person died](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The FDA found dozens of violations at the plant that processed the onions, including dirty equipment. On July 16, Taylor Farms executives met with both White House and FDA officials to defend their company and argue that there were “shortfalls” in the outbreak response by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a spokesperson told [*The New York Times*](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/health/cyclospora-taylor-farms-mexico-taco-bell-lettuce.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **About Cyclospora** Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a tiny, single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, fatigue and severe dehydration. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital and can last more than a month. Symptoms can subside and then reoccur. Food safety experts say washing produce does not remove the parasites because they become embedded in the produce. ### Survey finds growing concern over food safety risks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/survey-finds-growing-concern-over-food-safety-risks/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T04:04:52.000Z Almost half of companies think food safety and health are among their biggest risks, according to a recent survey. A total of 45 percent named these topics as their main concern, up from 29 percent in 2024. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Limited hepatitis E knowledge in pig sector hinders assessment approach URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/limited-hepatitis-e-knowledge-in-pig-sector-hinders-assessment-approach/ Last updated: 2026-07-22T04:04:28.000Z Current hepatitis E virus knowledge in Ireland is limited, creating uncertainty in assessing the risk related to the consumption of pork products. Despite the lack of information, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said the available data supports the hypothesis that the pig meat food chain contributes to the risk of HEV infection. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Organic fruit puree pouches recalled because of plastic pieces URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/organic-fruit-puree-pouches-recalled-because-of-plastic-pieces/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T02:52:30.000Z PT Organics Limited of Lake Oswego, OR, is recalling Pumpkin Tree Peter Rabbit Organics Banana & Strawberry 4-ounce pouches because of an internal packaging defect that may result in the presence of a strand of soft, food-grade plastic in the finished product. The recalled product was sold exclusively through Kroger, Meijer and Target retail stores nationwide between March 6 and July 13. The recalled pouches can be identified by the following codes, which are stamped in black ink on the back of the pouch: - Barcode: 8 15367 01078 0 - Lane number – identified by the number 4 printed on the rear right-hand side seam - Best-Before-Date (BBD) of 01/19/2027, 01/20/2027, 03/17/2027, 03/18/2027, 05/14/2027, or 05/15/2027. No injuries have been reported. PT Organics Limited initiated this recall after its packaging supplier last week recalled a production run of defective pouches. PT Organics’ inspections of finished product made with the recalled packaging confirmed the presence of a strand of a soft, food-grade plastic attached to the inside of a small number of pouches. ### Publisher’s Platform: The Traceability Rule was supposed to be law in January. This cyclospora outbreak started in May. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-the-traceability-rule-was-supposed-to-be-law-in-january-this-cyclospora-outbreak-started-in-may/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T00:35:35.000Z Over the weekend a single laboratory sample went from positive to false positive, and by Sunday night Taylor Farms was telling the public that FDA had [apologized to it](https://www.taylorfarms.com/newsroom/taylor-fresh-foods-statement-regarding-cyclospora-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). On Monday FDA [answered in its own voice](https://x.com/US%5FFDA/status/2079238466118865220?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and the Washington Post's Lena Sun [put the answer plainly](https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/07/20/taylor-farms-still-linked-parasite-outbreak-despite-false-positive-fda-says/?ref=foodsafetynews.com): the agency has not backed away from its conclusion that the company remains linked to this outbreak. One sample changed. Nothing else did. The recall stands. The traceback stands. The epidemiology stands — hundreds of interviews with sick people who ate the same shredded iceberg lettuce. That is what an outbreak investigation is built on. It was never built on one test. I have spent more than thirty years watching companies mistake a negative product sample for innocence. Product testing finds contamination when you are lucky. Cyclospora makes you unlucky more often than most. The oocysts are sparse, they scatter through an enormous volume of lettuce, and testing for the parasite is harder than testing for E. coli or Salmonella. The absence of a positive is not evidence of a safe product. It is evidence that you sampled the wrong bag. What deserves more attention than the retracted sample is the question of process, and CBS MoneyWatch's Megan Cerullo [got the right person to ask it](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-farms-cyclospora-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [Céline Gounder's point](https://www.celinegounder.com/p/fda-cyclospora-false-positive-taylor-farms?ref=foodsafetynews.com) was not how a lab made an error. Labs make errors, and as a laboratory event that is ordinary. Her point was why an unconfirmed single-sample result went public on a Saturday and was withdrawn on a Sunday, and whether the agency followed its own policy for announcing a presumptive positive before confirmatory testing closed. FDA did not answer CBS on that. It should answer someone. The same piece is the best short primer yet on who Taylor Farms actually is. Bruce Taylor founded it in 1995 in the Salinas Valley. It now employs 25,000 people, booked $6 billion dollars in revenue, owns Earthbound Farms, and makes forty percent of the salad kits sold in this country. It supplies Walmart, Costco, Target, Whole Foods, McDonald's and Taco Bell. Jennifer McEntire of Food Safety Strategy made the point that consumers hear the name and picture a family farm. It is not a family farm. It is one of the largest fresh-cut processors on earth, and when it has a bad week, the entire country has a bad week. **“This is not normal, and it's not acceptable.” — Jennifer McEntire** It is also not the first bad week. In 2013, Taylor Farms salad mix out of Guanajuato went to Olive Garden and Red Lobster and [sickened hundreds](https://www.cdc.gov/orr/responses/multistate-cyclospora-outbreak.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) with Cyclospora. In 2024, Taylor Farms slivered onions went onto Quarter Pounders; more than a hundred people were sickened and [one person died](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and FDA found dozens of violations at the plant that made them, including dirty equipment. Now it is shredded iceberg out of central Mexico. Different commodity, different plant, same company, same decade. At some point a run of bad luck stops being luck and starts being a business model. Taylor Farms has said FDA pointed to a single independent farm supplying less than one percent of the American iceberg supply. Perhaps. But a single farm can only sicken thousands of people because a company the size of Taylor Farms takes that farm's lettuce, shreds it, blends it, and moves it into the food supply of half the country inside of a week. That is not the farm's scale. That is Taylor Farms' scale. Scale is what turns a contaminated field into a national event, and scale is the company's own choice. Consumer Reports has been the most useful watchdog on the disclosure itself. Brian Ronholm, its director of food policy, [called what Taylor Farms put out thin and insufficient](https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-recalls/taylor-farms-pulls-mexican-lettuce-linked-to-cyclospora-para-a7871344748/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for an outbreak this serious, and CR is pressing the company to be more forthcoming. CR also caught something worth sitting with: most of the implicated lettuce went to food service distributors — and that fact appears in FDA's version of the recall notice, not in Taylor Farms' own. It is the same pattern that has run through this entire week. The company's version of a document keeps coming out thinner than the government's version of the same document. Meanwhile the footprint keeps widening past Taco Bell. Walmart pulled four Marketside bagged iceberg products. And on Saturday, [Jack in the Box said the recalled lettuce had reached its restaurants](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/18/health/cyclospora-taylor-farms-lettuce-recall?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, swapped in another supplier, and reported no illnesses connected to its food. I have been doing this since 1993\. I did not expect to type that company's name in an outbreak story again this summer. Which brings me to the part that should worry people the longest. ms.now [asked why we know so little](https://www.ms.now/opinion/cyclospora-outbreak-cases-spreading-cdc-response?ref=foodsafetynews.com) about an outbreak this large, and the honest answer is that we cut the people whose job it is to know. Last July, CDC narrowed FoodNet — the sentinel network that flags foodborne illness early — [from eight pathogens down to two](https://wwmt.com/news/local/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-federal-cuts-staffing-public-health-weakening-response-experts-parasitic-illness-kalamazoo-county-west-michigan?ref=foodsafetynews.com), keeping Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and dropping Cyclospora altogether, citing inadequate funding. CDC's entire food safety program [received $72 million dollars](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11632-how-the-us-cyclospora-outbreak-reflects-a-strained-national-foodborne-illness-surveillance-system?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in fiscal 2024, and that one line item is supposed to cover FoodNet and the grants that pay for state epidemiology and laboratory work. At FDA, HHS moved to cut thousands of positions, [including more than 170 from the Office of Inspections and Investigations](https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-releases/oversight-democrats-urge-hhs-secretary-rfk-jr-halt-purge-fda-staff-warn?ref=foodsafetynews.com), at an agency that in 2024 had 443 food safety inspectors for 36,600 facilities it estimates would take 1,500 inspectors to cover. Then there is the money that never reaches a federal building at all. Congressman Josh Gottheimer put the number out on Monday: HHS has [terminated 444 CDC grants worth $5.78 billion](https://gottheimer.house.gov/posts/release-gottheimer-announces-new-federal-actions-to-combat-cyclospora-other-foodborne-parasites-to-promote-food-safety?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and he says more than 4,300 people have been fired at FDA. Those grant dollars are not overhead. They go to the state and local health departments that conduct the interviews, run the stool tests, and do the shoe-leather work of an outbreak investigation. Barbara Kowalcyk at George Washington University has said plainly that [the funding cuts have affected this response](https://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriaforster/2026/07/13/unresolved-cyclospora-outbreak-raises-questions-over-cdc-cuts/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), because thin staffing slows the patient interviews, and every week of delay makes it harder — people stop remembering what they ate, and the food itself is long gone. Michigan's own chief medical executive told Consumer Reports the state's review is [“very, very manual,”](https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/research/cyclospora-outbreak-2026-what-consumers-need-to-know/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) run on data systems that badly need modernizing. And the one tool that would have made this traceback fast, implementation of the Food Traceability Rule requiring lot-level records, [was pushed from 2026 to 2028](https://www.statnews.com/2026/07/15/why-cyclospora-source-remains-unknown-epidemiologist-explains/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) at industry's urging and with Congress's blessing. The people who do this work for a living are saying the same thing in plainer language. Sarah Sorscher at the Center for Science in the Public Interest is careful about where the blame belongs — not on CDC's investigators, who she says are [“completely overwhelmed by the scale and scope of the work.”](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11632-how-the-us-cyclospora-outbreak-reflects-a-strained-national-foodborne-illness-surveillance-system?ref=foodsafetynews.com) Her number is the one that stayed with me: CDC filled only about 40 percent of the requests for help it received from state and local partners last year. Tom Gremillion at the Consumer Federation of America has laid out the arithmetic behind that. [CDC's workforce is down more than a quarter since January 2025](https://consumerfed.org/news/blogs/will-cyclospora-spur-a-manheda-movement/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), $11.4 billion in CDC grant money to the states was clawed back, and roughly 80 percent of CDC's domestic funding goes to state and local partners — which is why a decision made in Washington lands in a county health department in Monroe County, Michigan. The president's budget for fiscal 2027 proposes cutting CDC's discretionary funding by another 40 percent. Gremillion calls the FoodNet downgrade emblematic of a [“hear no evil, see no evil”](https://consumerfed.org/news/blogs/will-cyclospora-spur-a-manheda-movement/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) approach to disease. That is about right. The government's answer is that none of this mattered here. FDA says its outbreak-response investigators were not touched by the reductions, and a CDC official [has said the FoodNet changes did not hamper the response](https://www.semafor.com/article/07/14/2026/parasitic-infection-outbreak-exposes-deep-cracks-in-public-health?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Fine. Then explain the calendar. The first illnesses began in mid-May. Michigan announced an outbreak on July 1\. A product was not named until July 17\. That is two months in which contaminated lettuce kept moving and people kept eating it. You do not get to thin the system, defer the traceability rule that would have sped it up, cancel the grants to the states doing the interviews, and then tell the public that none of it made any difference. One more thing that deserves saying out loud. CDC and FDA have officially confirmed exactly one outbreak here — shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell in five states. That is the cluster in the CDC [investigation notice](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and on FDA's own [outbreak table](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) it carries a footnote conceding that the cluster is only a subset of domestically acquired cyclosporiasis in this country. The same table shows FDA running four other open Cyclospora investigations at the same time. And CDC's own surveillance page put the number at [1,645 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases across 34 states](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and said the agency was aware of more than 5,100 additional cases awaiting analysis. Five states and one restaurant chain is the part the government has been willing to put its name on. Several thousand more sick people are the part left unsaid. It helps to know what a normal year looks like. Over the last five seasons, CDC has counted somewhere between roughly a thousand and three thousand domestically acquired cases in an entire year — [1,024 in 2021, close to 3,000 in 2023](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11627-cdc-reports-up-to-7-000-cyclosporiasis-cases-across-us-identifies-large-midwestern-outbreak-cluster?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and [1,180 in all of 2025](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), with 105 hospitalizations and no deaths across the whole country. FDA's own Cyclospora [action plan](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclospora-prevention-response-and-research-action-plan?ref=foodsafetynews.com) describes roughly 3,000 domestically acquired cases over three years. Call the recent average somewhere around 1,500 people a year. Now hold that against this season. CDC's own health advisory says it had [249 cases at this point last July and has 1,645 now](https://www.cdc.gov/han/php/notices/han00531.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — already more than the entire 2025 season, with six weeks of Cyclospora season still to run and a six-week reporting lag behind that. Michigan alone has reported more than 6,100 cases. One state, in two months, has roughly four times the number of people this country normally sees sick in a year. So here is where things actually stand. FDA says the data still converge on Taylor Farms de Mexico. The recall is still in effect. The product is still coming off shelves. And thousands of people are still sick, many of them for weeks, most of whom will never appear in anyone's official count. The lab got one sample wrong. Everything else about this outbreak is exactly as bad this morning as it was on Friday. So let me say what I want, because complaining without an ask is just noise. Restore the Microbiological Data Program. USDA ran it from 2001 until 2012 for about $5 million dollars a year. State laboratories pulled samples of high-risk produce — lettuce, spinach, sprouts, tomatoes, cantaloupe — out of commerce and tested them, and when a sample came back positive the result went straight to FDA and the states. In its last two years alone it triggered twenty-three produce recalls. It was a trip wire, it was cheap, and the produce industry [lobbied it dead in 2012](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/05/letter-from-the-editor-blood/) under a Democratic administration, which is why I keep saying this is not a partisan story. Fourteen years later FDA is chasing this outbreak with one border sample and no routine produce testing program to fall back on. That is not bad luck. That is a decision somebody made in 2012 and nobody has revisited since. Put the [Food Traceability Rule](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foods?ref=foodsafetynews.com) into force. Leafy greens are on the Food Traceability List. The rule requires lot-level records at every critical tracking event and delivery of those records to FDA within twenty-four hours of a request. Its compliance date was Jan. 20, 2026\. Read that again, because the first illnesses in this outbreak began in mid-May. Had the rule taken effect on schedule, the records that would have walked this lettuce back to a single field would have been a legal obligation four months before anyone got sick. Instead FDA proposed a thirty-month delay in March 2025, [published it that August](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/07/2025-14967/requirements-for-additional-traceability-records-for-certain-foods-compliance-date-extension?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and Congress made it binding in November, directing the agency not to enforce before July 20, 2028\. Industry asked for the delay and industry got it. We are now living inside the window that delay created, running a traceback by hand, in the exact months the rule was supposed to be doing the work. Restore the cuts. Fund FDA's human foods program and the inspectors who are supposed to walk the plants. Fund CDC, and fund the grants that pass through to the state and local health departments where the actual work happens, because that is where a federal spreadsheet turns into somebody knocking on a door. Put Cyclospora back into FoodNet along with the [five other pathogens dropped alongside it](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — Campylobacter,Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio and Yersinia. A country that stops counting a bug does not thereby have less of it. It only loses the ability to say so, which I suspect was the point. Make the bugs countable again. (MBCA hat anyone?) And stop treating public health as an expense and science as an inconvenience. The people who found this outbreak were state epidemiologists in Michigan and Ohio telephoning sick people one at a time and asking them what they ate nine days ago. They were not a line item waiting to be trimmed. They were the only reason any of us know this is happening. Every one of these asks costs less than the outbreak does. We are paying for it anyway — in hospital beds, in weeks of work nobody got back, and in a produce industry that will spend the rest of this season under suspicion because no one could say fast enough which farm it was. You can pay for surveillance, or you can pay for this. Right now, we are all paying for this. BTW – See you at [IAFP](https://www.foodprotection.org/annualmeeting/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) next week in “The Big Easy.” ### Patient count in Cyclospora outbreak grows by more than 1,000 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/patient-count-in-cyclospora-outbreak-grows-by-more-than-1-000/ Last updated: 2026-07-23T00:35:49.000Z The outbreak of infections from the microscopic Cyclospora parasite continues to grow, with Michigan alone reporting an increase of more than 1,000 cases over the weekend. In relation to the outbreak, Taylor Farms has recalled all of its iceberg lettuce products sourced from central Mexico. The recall includes shredded iceberg lettuce and salad mixes with iceberg lettuce in 27 states. As of July 20 public health officials in Michigan were reporting a patient count of 6,148, up from 5,002 on July 19\. Ohio is also posting high numbers with 2,029 patients reported in the Northwest region of the state as of July 20. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not updated its outbreak information for several days. The agency is still reporting only 1,644 people who had cyclosporiasis from May 13 to July 13\. The CDC report says there are patients in 34 states and that there is more than one outbreak. Overall, the agency says it is investigating 5,100 more suspected cases. Although the Taylor Farms recall includes iceberg lettuce products from several restaurant chains and Walmart and other retailers, Taco Bell is the only chain to have come forward and say that they have stopped using Taylor Farms lettuce. Michigan officials looked at 190 food exposures from Taco Bell and found that 90 percent of the people said they ate iceberg lettuce from one of the restaurants before becoming sick. The Food and Drug Administration reported finding a positive result for Cyclospora from a sample of Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce. Then, on July 19, the agency walked back that report. A spokesperson for the agency said during a media briefing that the nature of the parasite makes testing difficult. The official said the difficulty of testing for Cyclospora on produce is partly because small amounts of it on fruits and vegetables can cause illness, but tests might not be sensitive enough to detect it. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Without treatment, symptoms may last two weeks, however, it is not unusual for symptoms to come back and last for a month or more. ### Dried meat behind Australian Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/dried-meat-behind-australian-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T06:19:37.000Z *This is part 1 of a 3-part series.* --- An unlicensed meat producer and poor hygiene at a restaurant played a role in a Salmonella outbreak in an Australian state, according to researchers. Salmonella Reading is uncommon in Australia with a range of 102 to 137 notifications per year from 2017 to 2022. In July 2023, 23 Salmonella Reading cases were identified in New South Wales (NSW) compared with a monthly average of two. Interviews found that most patients shared the same cultural background and reported dining at one restaurant or consuming a dried meat product purchased from South Asian grocery stores. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Four emerging risks identified in EFSA report URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/four-emerging-risks-identified-in-efsa-report/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T04:01:10.000Z Bongkrekic acid and the illegal use of a substance to give the appearance of fish freshness were examples of emerging risks discussed in a recent report about problems in Europe in 2025. A total of 55 topics were considered, of which 43 were analyzed in-depth and 25 were considered relevant for the Emerging Risks Exchange Network (EREN) and the Stakeholder Discussion Group on Emerging Risks. Four issues were identified as emerging risks, while several others required further information. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Scientists expand list of infant formula hazards URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/scientists-expand-list-of-infant-formula-hazards/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T04:04:04.000Z Recent illnesses highlight the need to include Clostridium botulinum spores and cereulide toxin as relevant hazards in powdered infant formula, according to scientists. Ingestion of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT)-producing clostridial spores can result in infant botulism. Cereulide production during the manufacture of arachidonic acid (ARA) oil, an optional ingredient in infant formula, has also been linked to illness. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Greece reports Salmonella outbreak and 2025 figures URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/greece-reports-salmonella-outbreak-and-2025-figures/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T04:03:47.000Z A Salmonella outbreak has sickened about 20 people in a region of Greece. The Hellenic National Public Health Organization (EODY) is helping local authorities investigate the outbreak in Lamia. EODY was informed about salmonellosis cases by the local hospital in Lamia earlier this month. Authorities have advised people in Lamia to avoid eating chicken until more information is known and the source is confirmed, with laboratory testing ongoing. A dozen patients are younger than 30 years old. Interviewed cases reported having chicken at different outlets before getting ill with symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. **Broader analysis** EODY recently published data on the number of [outbreaks in Greece from 2004 to 2025](https://www.eody.gov.gr/images/Epidemiological%5Fdata%5Ffor%5Ffwd%5Fclusters-outbreaksGreece2004-2025f.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). In 2025, 58 foodborne outbreaks or clusters were reported. Salmonella was responsible for 34 outbreaks while 13 were linked to other bacteria. Viruses, such as hepatitis A virus, norovirus and rotavirus, caused four outbreaks, and one was because of a parasite. An analytical epidemiological case-control study was conducted for a norovirus outbreak that sickened 62 people. It was traced to tap water. Salmonellosis was the second most frequently reported foodborne disease in 2025, following campylobacteriosis. The number of Salmonella infections decreased compared to 2024 from 1,053 to 929\. Salmonella Enteritidis was the most common type followed by Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Bovismorbificans. In 2025, there were 21 Listeria infections recorded, compared to 26 in 2024. From 2004 to 2025, the highest mean annual notification rate was recorded among individuals aged older than 65, followed by those aged up to 4 years old. Overall, 157 cases were immunocompromised, 10 were pregnant and 12 were newborns with vertically acquired infection. Four miscarriages and 15 premature births were reported. During the same period, 68 deaths were observed. ### FDA warns three importers about food safety failures URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-warns-three-importers-about-food-safety-failures/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T04:02:38.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view.* --- The FDA has issued warning letters to three food importers in Florida, Iowa and Texas after inspectors found they failed to develop required Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVPs) for imported foods. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Dark kitchen research reveals areas of concern URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/dark-kitchen-research-reveals-areas-of-concern/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T04:01:30.000Z Hygiene and allergen concerns have been raised as part of research into delivery-only food firms operating through online platforms. Dark kitchens are businesses that offer food for delivery through online orders. There are concerns about the impact of these outlets, with a lack of guidelines, regulations and oversight of the sector, according to researchers at Sheffield Hallam University. Dark kitchens operate from a variety of premises, including converted industrial units, shipping containers, commercial kitchens rented by the hour, and spaces in hotels, pubs, or stadiums. Some are purpose-built for delivery platforms, while others use shared spaces or are temporarily rented out to different brands. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA says Cyclospora test on lettuce from Taylor Farms was a false positive; outbreak investigation ongoing URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-says-cyclospora-test-on-lettuce-from-taylor-farms-was-a-false-positive-outbreak-investigation-ongoing/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:54:24.000Z The FDA has announced that its finding that Taylor Farms lettuce from Mexico was tainted with the microscopic Cyclospora parasite was a false positive. The agency issued the update late this afternoon and said its investigation into the large outbreak of Cyclospora infections is continuing. “Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive,” the Food and Drug Administration said in its investigation outbreak posted July 19. Thousands have been sickened in the outbreak and Taylor Farms continues to recall its shredded iceberg lettuce and salad kits containing iceberg lettuce. All of the recalled iceberg lettuce was sourced from central Mexico for the U.S. market. Taylor Fresh Foods’ recall notice included Marketside-brand products available at Walmart stores. The recall also includes products distributed to a wide variety of food service operations, including Taco Bell restaurants in several states. There is concern that consumers may have the recalled products in their homes because of their long shelf life, which reaches to Aug. 3\. Recalled consumer products, including Marketside brand products sold at Walmart stores, are as follows: - 12-oz and 24-oz Iceberg Salad with Best if Used By dates 7/18/2026 to 8/3/2026 - 8-oz and 16-oz Shredded Lettuce with Best if Used By dates July 18th to Aug 3rd 2026 A complete list of affected products distributed to Taylor Fresh Foods food service customers including lot codes, use-by dates, and instructions for returning or disposing of the affected product is available on the company’s [recall notice](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/taylor-fresh-foods-recalls-iceberg-lettuce-central-mexico-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Taylor Fresh Foods distributed recalled iceberg products to food service operator Sysco Foods — which is the largest food service supplier in the United States — and directly to other food service customers from June 29 through July 16 in AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WI. Recalled Marketside-brand iceberg products were sold at Walmart stores in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MO, MS, OK, TN, TX, VA, WV. Taco Bell locations that received recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico includes restaurants in at least IN, KY, MI, OH, and WV. Additional states may be added to the FDA’s advisory as more information becomes available. Taco Bell has indicated they are no longer using lettuce from the Taylor Farms growing operation in Mexico. Taylor Farms has not revealed what other restaurant chains received the recalled lettuce. The health department in Michigan reported on July 17 that the state has 5,002 patients with 102 hospitalizations. By this time of year, Michigan usually has 40 to 50 confirmed cases of confirmed cyclospora infections. Indiana is reporting more than 320 patients; Kentucky is reporting more than 190; Ohio is reporting more than 1,240; and West Virginia is reporting 139 cases. As of July 17, the CDC was reporting only 1,644 people infected with Cyclosporaand reporting exposure to Taco Bell, with the infections in only five states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 13 to July 13\. The CDC is also investigating cyclospora parasitic infections in a total of 34 states. The agency says there is likely more than one outbreak and it is investigating 5,100 additional illnesses. Numbers from the CDC are lagging behind state reports because the agency stopped tracking cyclospora infections and seven other types of foodborne pathogens beginning July 1, 2025. The main symptom of cyclospora infection is severe diarrhea, which can last for a month or more if not treated and can easily cause serious dehydration. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery and often explosive diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. ### Publisher's Platform: Reap What You Sow URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-reap-what-you-sow/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:54:49.000Z On July 1, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [cut](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10646-cdc-slashes-foodnet-surveillance-from-eight-foodborne-pathogens-to-two?ref=foodsafetynews.com) its Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network from eight pathogens down to two. FoodNet kept Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. It dropped Campylobacter, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia — and Cyclospora. The reason given was money. Twelve months and eighteen days later, the largest Cyclospora outbreak in American history began showing up in Michigan emergency rooms. Nobody could count it. CDC has confirmed 1,644 cases tied to Taco Bell in five states. Michigan alone reports more than 5,000\. Nationally we are somewhere past 9,000 confirmed or probable in 2026 against 2,700 for all of 2025, and the honest answer is that nobody knows, because on July 1 of last year we stopped looking. I want to be careful here, because the easy version of this story is wrong. This is not a Republican story. It is not a Democratic story. It is a story about an industry that spent fourteen years dismantling the tools that would have protected it, under presidents of both parties, and is now standing in the wreckage wondering why nobody can tell whose lettuce quickly made people sick. Start in 2012\. The U.S. Department of Agriculture ran a program called the Microbiological Data Program. It cost about $5 million a year. State laboratories sampled high-risk produce already moving through commerce — lettuce, spinach, cantaloupe, sprouts, tomatoes — and when a lab found a pathogen it told FDA, CDC and state health officials immediately. From 2002 to 2011 it ran 120,887 samples in 42 states. In 2010 and 2011 alone it triggered 23 produce recalls, 15 of them involving people who were already sick. It was a trip wire. President Obama zeroed it out in the fiscal year 2013 budget. Rosa DeLauro grilled Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about it in February 2012 and got an answer about the program not fitting the mission of the Agricultural Marketing Service. And my friend Dan Flynn wrote a column about it at Food Safety News under a one-word headline: [Blood](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/05/letter-from-the-editor-blood/). His first line was that “Big Fresh has the blood on its hands.” Big Fresh was the United Fresh Produce Association, and Dan gave its paid lobbyists the credit for the kill. Fourteen years later, United Fresh no longer exists as such — it merged into the International Fresh Produce Association in 2022\. The lobbying does not disappear when the letterhead changes. Read what Dan wrote in 2012 and then read the news this month. He said killing the MDP would leave FDA, CDC and state health departments in the dark about the incidence of pathogens in fresh produce. That is not analysis anymore. That is a description of July 2026. In December 2024, under the Biden administration, FDA moved to cut funding for state and local food safety programs — the programs that perform half of all food processing facility inspections, ninety percent of produce safety inspections and every single retail inspection in this country. Four Democratic senators, Dick Durbin, Richard Blumenthal, Tina Smith and Cory Booker, [wrote to object](https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-joins-blumenthal-smith-and-booker-to-call-out-fda-for-proposed-cuts-to-state%5Flocal-food-safety-programs?ref=foodsafetynews.com). They warned the cuts would undo years of progress toward an integrated food safety system. They were ignored. Then in February and April of 2025 the DOGE/Trump layoffs came, and food safety staff at FDA and CDC were [among the losses](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11004-a-2025-timeline-of-us-federal-food-safety-changes-under-the-trump-admin?ref=foodsafetynews.com). In March 2025 FDA announced it would push the Food Traceability Rule out thirty months. On July 1 FoodNet dropped *Cyclospora*. In November Congress made the traceability delay binding through July 20, 2028\. And STAT reported in December that state health departments, which do most of the initial work on foodborne illness, are so dependent on federal block grants that [nobody can even follow the money](https://www.statnews.com/2025/12/22/american-food-safety-funding-cuts-foodnet/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to measure what was lost. Three administrations. Both parties. One direction. And the industry was not a bystander to the last piece of it. FMI called the Food Traceability Rule “overly complex” and said its requirements were [so burdensome as to not be achievable](https://www.supermarketperimeter.com/articles/11248-proposed-law-would-redefine-fsma-204-rollout?ref=foodsafetynews.com) with available technology. When the thirty-month delay came, FMI [applauded](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10245-fda-delays-fsma-204-traceability-rule-compliance-date-by-30-months?ref=foodsafetynews.com) it. The National Grocers Association applauded it. The Global Cold Chain Alliance said it was [encouraged by this delay](https://www.gcca.org/news-announcements/fda-announces-intention-to-delay-fsma-204-compliance-date/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). In 2024 three members of Congress introduced a bill, backed by FMI and NGA, that would have [gone further](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/9489-legislation-would-delay-fsma-204-compliance-date-ease-retailer-recordkeeping-requirements?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — delaying compliance again and stripping lot-code requirements from restaurants, retail stores and warehouses outright. The [Safe Food Coalition](https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Safe-Food-Coalition-comments-on-traceability-delay-proposal-9-8-25.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) fought the delay and lost. So did the Center for Science in the Public Interest. So here is the ledger. The produce lobby killed the only program testing produce for pathogens. Surveillance for this specific parasite was switched off a year before this specific outbreak. The rule that would let anyone trace a bag of shredded lettuce to a field in twenty-four hours was pushed to 2028, with industry cheering. And every one of those was framed as relief — from burden, from cost, from complexity. Now look at what that relief bought. It took FDA until July 16 to name the food. Illnesses started May 13\. When FDA finally published a [recall notice](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/taylor-fresh-foods-recalls-iceberg-lettuce-central-mexico-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com), it contained no lot codes and identified customers as CV, JB, MARK, MKTSD, PK, SUB, SY and TF. A positive sample turned up at the border, and FDA [reported](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-5-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the contaminated lot was not part of the recall and might be in commerce or in people’s homes — and nobody could say where it went, because nobody is required to be able to say. Meanwhile grocery stores pulled bags, Sysco pulled product, a national chain pulled an ingredient from every restaurant it operates, and consumers across thirty-four states quietly stopped buying salad. That is the part I do not think the industry has understood yet. Traceability is not a tax on the innocent. It is the only thing that protects them. When you can name the grower in a day, one farm takes the loss. When you cannot, the whole category takes it — every clean operation in Salinas and Yuma, every grower who did everything right, every processor with a spotless record. LGMA is fond of pointing out that California and Arizona grow about ninety percent of America’s lettuce. That is exactly the problem. When the source cannot be identified, ninety percent of the lettuce is the suspect. You cannot lobby away the pathogen. You can only lobby away the ability to find it. And when you succeed, you do not stop being blamed — you just lose the evidence that would have cleared you. I said in my [last post](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/i-wrote-back-to-western-growers-about-cyclospora-then-i-read-what-everyone-else-in-the-industry-said/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that I would rather work with these organizations than shout at them, and I meant it. So let me say the constructive version. Restore national *Cyclospora* surveillance and put it in the water where the parasite actually lives. Restore the state and local inspection funding that two administrations cut. Rebuild something like the MDP — a five-million-dollar trip wire is the cheapest insurance policy this industry will ever be offered. And stop fighting FSMA 204\. Get it in force on the original schedule and be loud about it, because the next time this happens, the rule you called unachievable is the only thing standing between one bad lot and your entire crop. Fourteen years ago, the produce lobby decided it did not want anyone testing its lettuce. This summer it got a look at the world it asked for. You reaped what you sowed. It is time to plant something better. ### Sunday Edition: Regenerative Agriculture URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/sunday-edition-regenerative-agriculture/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:55:26.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena this week** - A cyclosporiasis outbreak that has affected more than 5,000 people has been traced to [iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/company-admits-its-lettuce-is-cause-of-cyclospora-outbreak/) in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. The lettuce was supplied by Taylor Farms, which traced it to a source in Mexico. At least 102 people have been hospitalized, and public health officials warn that the actual number of people dealing with the parasite [could be much higher](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/infections-from-cyclospora-parasite-continue-sharp-increases/). - Among EU member states, many national authorities report challenges associated with [implementing controls related to food safety culture](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/eu-countries-struggling-with-food-safety-culture-controls/). Such controls have been required under European Union legislation since 2021\. Some countries report they are implementing the controls under current systems, while others say such controls are time-consuming, ineffective and inefficient. - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued [a letter to the infant formula industry](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-letter-reinforces-responsibilities-of-infant-formula-supply-chain/) calling on manufacturers to reduce the risk of contaminated ingredients entering the formula supply. Packagers, distributors, exporters, importers and retailers also have roles to play when it comes to identifying and addressing potential contamination. Two recent outbreaks of botulism were traced to infant formula that used contaminated powdered milk. More than fifty infants were affected. - A [major E. coli outbreak sickened almost 500 people in Germany](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/major-german-e-coli-outbreak-sickened-almost-500/) in the latter part of 2025\. Three people died, including a 7-year-old boy. Patients were concentrated in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Nordrhein-Westfalen regions. Authorities have not been able to identify a specific food item responsible for the outbreak. --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA confirms that Taylor Farms lettuce is contaminated with parasite behind massive outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-confirms-that-taylor-farms-lettuce-is-contaminated-with-parasite-behind-massive-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:57:51.000Z The FDA has confirmed that shredded iceberg lettuce and salad kits containing iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms is contaminated with the cyclospora parasite responsible for an outbreak that has sickened thousands. On July 18 the Food and Drug Administration reported that Taylor Farms de Mexico of Guanajuato, Mexico, is recalling all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market. Taylor Fresh Foods’ recall notice included Marketside-brand products available at Walmart stores. The recall also includes products distributed to a wide variety of food service operations, including Taco Bell restaurants in several states. There is concern that consumers may have the recalled products in their homes because of their long shelf life, which reaches to Aug. 3\. Recalled consumer products, including Marketside brand products sold at Walmart stores, are as follows: - 12-oz and 24-oz Iceberg Salad with Best if Used By dates 7/18/2026 to 8/3/2026 - 8-oz and 16-oz Shredded Lettuce with Best if Used By dates July 18th to Aug 3rd 2026 A complete list of affected products distributed to Taylor Fresh Foods food service customers including lot codes, use-by dates, and instructions for returning or disposing of the affected product is available on the company’s [recall notice](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/taylor-fresh-foods-recalls-iceberg-lettuce-central-mexico-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The FDA, CDC and state health departments have been investigating a massive outbreak of cyclospora infections that began in mid-June. On July 18 the FDA announced that a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico tested positive for Cyclospora. The sample was collected during targeted import surveillance as a result of the outbreak investigation. Taylor Farms has confirmed that this positive product is not part of their current recall. They are currently working to identify whether any part of this implicated lot is available in commerce or in consumers homes. The positive lot is currently detained and more information will be provided as it becomes available. Taylor Fresh Foods distributed recalled iceberg products from June 29 through July 16 in AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WI. Recalled Marketside-brand iceberg products were sold at Walmart stores in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MO, MS, OK, TN, TX, VA, WV. Taco Bell locations that received recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico includes restaurants in at least IN, KY, MI, OH, and WV. Additional states may be added to the FDA’s advisory as more information becomes available. Taco Bell has indicated they are no longer using lettuce from the Taylor Farms growing operation in Mexico. The health department in Michigan reported on July 17 that the state has 5,002 patients with 102 hospitalizations. By this time of year, Michigan usually has 40 to 50 confirmed cases of confirmed cyclospora infections. Indiana is reporting more than 320 patients; Kentucky is reporting more than 190; Ohio is reporting more than 1,240; and West Virginia is reporting 139 cases. As of July 17, the CDC was reporting only 1,644 people infected with Cyclosporaand reporting exposure to Taco Bell, with the infections in only five states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 13 to July 13\. The CDC is also investigating cyclospora parasitic infections in a total of 34 states. The agency says there is likely more than one outbreak and it is investigating 5,100 additional illnesses. Numbers from the CDC are lagging behind state reports because the agency stopped tracking cyclospora infections and seven other types of foodborne pathogens beginning July 1, 2025. The main symptom of cyclospora infection is severe diarrhea, which can last for a month or more if not treated and can easily cause serious dehydration. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery and often explosive diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Recalled Taylor Farms products are as follows: | **Brand** | **Segment** | **Description** | **Best if Used By** | | --------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | | CV | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 50/50 NOCLR 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | CV | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 80/20 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/2/2026 | | CV | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 80/20 WITH SEP BAGGIES 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | CV | Food Service | LETTUCE CHOP 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | CV | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD MIX 4/5# | 7/17/2026- 7/25/2026 | | CV | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD WITH SEP BAG 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | CV | Food Service | LETTUCE SHRED 1/4" 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/2/2026 | | JB | Food Service | 1/8" SHRED LETTUCE 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 7/30/2026 | | MARK | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 80/20 4/5# | 7/21/2026- 7/29/2026 | | MARK | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 80/20 WITH SEP BAGGIES 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | MARK | Food Service | LETTUCE CHOP 4/5# | 7/18/2026- 7/30/2026 | | MARK | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD MIX 4/5# | 7/21/2026- 7/29/2026 | | MARK | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD WITH SEP BAG 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | MARK | Food Service | LETTUCE SHRED 1/4" 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | MARK | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 50/50 NOCLR 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 7/29/2026 | | MARK | Food Service | LETTUCE SHRED 3/8" 4/5# | 7/21/2026, 7/28/2026 | | MKTSD | Retail | Iceberg Salad 12 oz, 24 oz | 7/18/2026 to 8/3/2026 | | MKTSD | Retail | Shredded Lettuce 8 oz, 16 oz | July 18th to Aug 3rd 2026 | | PK | Food Service | LETTUCE SHRED 1/8" 4/5# | 7/16/2026, 7/20/2026, 7/25/2026, 7/28/2026, 7/30/2026 | | PK | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD W/BAG 4/5# | 7/18/2026- 8/1/2026 | | SUB | Food Service | SHRED LETTUCE 1/4" 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 7/31/2026 | | SY | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 50/50 NOCLR 4/5# | 7/18/2026, 7/21/2026, 7/29/2026, 8/1/2026 | | SY | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 80/20 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/3/2026 | | SY | Food Service | LETTUCE CHOP 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/3/2026 | | SY | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD MIX 4/5# | 7/21/2026- 8/3/2026 | | SY | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD WITH SEP BAG 4/5# | 7/16/2026 -8/3/2026 | | SY | Food Service | LETTUCE SHRED 1/8" 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/3/2026 | | SY | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 70/30 NOCOLR 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 7/30/2026 | | TF | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 80/20 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/3/2026 | | TF | Food Service | LETTUCE CHOP 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 7/31/2026 | | TF | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD MIX 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | TF | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 50/50 NOCLR 4/5# | 7/19/2026- 8/3/2026 | | TF | Food Service | LETTUCE SALAD W/BAG 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/1/2026 | | TF | Food Service | BLEND LETT/ROM 70/30 NOCOLR 4/5# | 7/16/2026- 8/3/2026 | | TF | Food Service | LETTUCE CHOP 1X1" 4/4# | 7/16/2026- 8/3/2026 | ### Publisher’s Platform: The Largest Foodborne Outbreaks of the Last Fifty Years. Now Count the Sick with Cyclospora in Michigan. URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-the-largest-foodborne-outbreaks-of-the-last-fifty-years-now-count-the-sick-with-cyclospora-in-michigan/ Last updated: 2026-07-18T15:41:37.000Z Every summer somebody asks me what the biggest foodborne illness outbreak in American history was, and every summer I have to answer the question with a question: biggest how? Because "largest" is doing at least four different jobs. There is the outbreak that made the most people sick. There is the outbreak that killed the most people. There is the outbreak that pulled the most product off the most shelves. And there is the outbreak that actually changed something. Those are four different lists, and the same outbreak almost never tops more than one of them. Thirty-three years of this work has taught me that the gap between those lists is the whole story. So here is the catalogue, as complete as I can make it, with the numbers as the agencies and the journals finally settled them rather than as the headlines first reported them. Read it with the *Cyclospora* outbreak we are living through right now held in your other hand. **Largest by the number of people made sick** **Schwan's ice cream, 1994\.** *Salmonella* Enteritidis. Marshall, Minnesota. This is still the largest common-source *Salmonella* outbreak ever recognized in the United States, and almost nobody remembers it. The [New England Journal of Medicine investigation](https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199605163342001?ref=foodsafetynews.com) estimated that 224,000 people nationwide developed salmonellosis after eating Schwan's ice cream, with a consumer attack rate of 6.6 percent. The vehicle was not the ice cream itself but the premix: tanker trailers hauled the pasteurized base to the Marshall plant after hauling unpasteurized liquid egg, and nobody re-pasteurized after transport. Investigators isolated the outbreak strain from 8 of 266 ice cream products but from none of the 157 environmental samples taken inside the plant and none of the 204 taken from the tankers. In 1994 the CDC logged 10,009 *Salmonella* Enteritidis reports nationally, a 21 percent jump over the year before, and this single product was a meaningful share of it. I was asked to take those cases. I turned them down. In the fall of 1994, I was up to my eyeballs in Jack in the Box, and I did not have another 224,000-person outbreak in me. It is the only time I have ever passed on the largest outbreak in the country, and I have thought about it more than once since. **Hillfarm Dairy and Jewel Food Stores, 1985\.** *Salmonella* Typhimurium, antimicrobial-resistant. Melrose Park, Illinois. Two separate waves of illness, more than 16,000 culture-confirmed cases, traced to two brands of *pasteurized* two-percent milk from a single dairy plant. Two independent surveys estimated the true number of people affected at [168,791 and 197,581](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8609944/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which by the estimated count makes it the largest outbreak of salmonellosis ever identified in this country. Illness was associated with having taken antimicrobials before onset — the resistant strain had a clear field. A pasteurized product, from a licensed plant, in a major grocery chain. That was the point of the story then and it is the point now. **Sakai City, Japan, 1996\.** *E. coli* O157:H7\. White radish sprouts from a single farm, served in school lunches. The [World Health Organization reported](https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/1996%5F08%5F28-en?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that as of August 26, 1996 the Sakai outbreak had affected 6,309 schoolchildren and 92 school staff across 62 municipal elementary schools, with roughly 160 additional cases mostly among family members. Hospitalizations peaked at 534 on July 18\. Hemolytic uremic syndrome peaked at 101 cases on July 24\. Two girls, ages 10 and 12, were dead by the end of August. Nationwide, Japan logged 9,578 O157:H7 cases and 11 deaths that summer; the CDC counted [roughly 10,000 cases across at least 14 separate clusters](https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/5/3/99-0313%5Farticle?ref=foodsafetynews.com) between May and August, most of them in school-age children. Japanese accounts have since revised the Sakai figure upward to 9,523 sick, including 7,892 elementary schoolchildren, with 12 deaths overall. The [epidemiology](https://academic.oup.com/aje/article-abstract/150/8/787/101485?ref=foodsafetynews.com) is worth reading in full: sprouts were the only uncooked food common to the implicated meals in two school districts, and the same farm's sprouts were tied to a factory cafeteria outbreak in Kyoto 50 kilometers away. One of the Sakai children died of the sequelae of her infection twenty years later. **China, 2008\.** Melamine, not a pathogen — which is exactly why it belongs on this list. Melamine was deliberately added to diluted raw milk at collection stations to inflate the apparent protein content, and it ended up in infant formula. The Chinese Ministry of Health confirmed [294,000 cases and six deaths](https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.0900949?ref=foodsafetynews.com) as of December 1, 2008, out of 22.4 million children screened, with roughly 51,900 hospitalized for kidney stones and renal injury. Twenty-two dairy companies were implicated, with the Sanlu Group at the center. It remains the largest deliberate food contamination event ever documented, and the largest food safety event of any kind in the last fifty years by number of people harmed. **Shanghai, 1988\.** Hepatitis A virus in raw clams. This is the largest food-associated outbreak of any kind ever recorded, and it barely appears in American food safety writing. Clams harvested from a newly opened, sewage-polluted bed were shipped into a city where most young adults had no immunity, and were eaten raw or barely cooked. The published epidemiology counts [292,301 cases at an attack rate of 4,083 per 100,000](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1658157/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) over roughly two months in the first quarter of 1988\. Among people who ate clams the attack rate was 11.93 percent; among those who did not, 0.52 percent. [Forty-seven people died](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10870174/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), with elevated mortality among patients who were already hepatitis B positive. It remains [the largest virus-associated foodborne outbreak ever reported](https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/aem.01177-09?ref=foodsafetynews.com). One contaminated harvest area, one uncooked shellfish habit, and a quarter of a million people with hepatitis in eight weeks. **Deadliest** **South Africa, 2017–18\.** *Listeria monocytogenes* sequence type 6 in polony, a ready-to-eat processed meat, made at the Enterprise Foods plant in Polokwane, owned by Tiger Brands. Between January 1, 2017 and July 17, 2018 South Africa recorded [1,060 laboratory-confirmed cases and 216 deaths](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/09/south-africa-declares-end-to-largest-ever-listeria-outbreak/). Nothing else in the history of foodborne illness comes close: it is the largest and deadliest listeriosis outbreak ever documented anywhere in the world, in a country that had previously logged 60 to 80 cases a year. [Neonates 28 days old or younger accounted for 43 percent of the cases](https://marlerclark.com/news%5Fevents/the-worlds-largest-and-deadliest-listeria-outbreak-is-turning-4-in-march?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and among the 806 patients whose outcome was known, 27 percent died. Whole genome sequencing did the work: 91 percent of clinical isolates were ST6, matching isolates from the polony and from swabs of the factory environment, and inspections of all 157 ready-to-eat meat facilities in the country found ST6 in exactly one of them. When the health minister named the plant, the Tiger Brands share price fell seven percent, and the chief executive told the room there was no direct link between any death and his company's products, then declined to apologize. [Our firm has assisted the South African class action](https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/25/world/listeriosis-outbreak-south-africa-tiger-brands-intl?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Nine years on, the claimants have not been compensated. Two hundred sixteen people. **Jalisco Mexican Products, 1985\.** *Listeria monocytogenes* in Mexican-style fresh soft cheese, Artesia, California. Still the deadliest listeriosis outbreak in American history. In Los Angeles County alone, [142 cases were reported](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3137471/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) between January 1 and August 15, 1985\. Ninety-three of them — 65.5 percent — were in pregnant women or their infants. There were 48 deaths in the county series: 20 fetuses, 10 newborns, and 18 nonpregnant adults, with the commonly cited national total at 52\. Eighty-seven percent of the maternal and neonatal cases were in Hispanic families. This was the outbreak that taught American public health what *Listeria* does to pregnancy, and it is the reason every obstetrician in the country now hands out a list of cheeses to avoid. **Bil Mar Foods and Sara Lee, 1998–99\.** *Listeria monocytogenes* in hot dogs and deli meats out of Zeeland, Michigan. One hundred one illnesses, 21 deaths, and six miscarriages or stillbirths. The [CDC isolated the outbreak strain](https://archive.cdc.gov/www%5Fcdc%5Fgov/media/pressrel/r990114.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com) from both an opened and a previously unopened package of hot dogs made at the plant. The recall began at 15 million pounds in December 1998 and grew to 35 million — Ball Park, Bil Mar, Bryan, Grillmaster, Hygrade, Mr. Turkey, Sara Lee. The likely mechanism was mundane and awful: a refrigeration unit was removed from the building in sections, and moving the pieces appears to have spread *Listeria* through the plant. A federal meat inspector later told investigators that [management knew of elevated Listeria levels about eight months before the outbreak](https://cbsnews.com/news/meat-scandal-at-sara-lee?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and shipped anyway. Bil Mar pleaded to a single misdemeanor count in 2001: a $200,000 fine and $3 million for food safety research at Michigan State. Twenty-one people, $200,000. **Maple Leaf Foods, 2008\.** *Listeria monocytogenes* in cold cuts from the Bartor Road plant in North York, Toronto — establishment 97B. [Fifty-seven confirmed cases and 23 deaths](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%5FCanada%5Flisteriosis%5Foutbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com), though the figure is reported variously as 22, 23, or 24 depending on whether you are reading the Weatherill inquiry, the Public Health Agency, or the peer-reviewed paper, which put it at [24 deaths among 57 cases — a 42 percent case fatality rate](https://www.barfblog.com/2015/08/57-sick-including-24-dead-in-2008-maple-leaf-listeria-outbreak-the-scientific-paper/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Seventy-two percent of the people infected were residents of long-term care facilities or hospital inpatients at the time of exposure, which is the whole tragedy of *Listeria* in one statistic: it finds the people least able to survive it. The organism was traced to organic material lodged deep inside two meat slicers on lines 8 and 9, surviving a sanitation regime that met the equipment manufacturer's own specifications. Maple Leaf recalled every product made at the facility — more than 200 items — and closed the plant. Michael McCain went in front of the cameras and said his company's products had been linked to illness and loss of life, offered his sympathies to the families, and did not route it through counsel. It is still taught as the model of how to answer for an outbreak, and it stands in useful contrast to the Tiger Brands press conference above. It did not save the plant from [CFIA inspectors finding mold, slime and rusty equipment there a month after it reopened](https://www.cbc.ca/news/listeriosis-outbreak-timeline-1.694467?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **Jensen Farms, 2011\.** *Listeria monocytogenes* in whole cantaloupe marketed as Rocky Ford, grown at Holly, Colorado and packed at Granada. The CDC's final tally was [147 cases in 28 states, 143 hospitalizations, 33 deaths and one miscarriage](https://marlerclark.com/news%5Fevents/colorado-listeria-outbreak-traced-to-cantaloupe?ref=foodsafetynews.com), with Colorado carrying 40 of the illnesses and nine of the deaths. It was polyclonal — four, later five, distinct PFGE patterns across serotypes 1/2a and 1/2b, which is not how a single-point contamination behaves and tells you the organism had multiple niches in that building. The FDA found used equipment bought in July 2011 that had previously run a different commodity, corroded and hard to clean, floors that pooled water, and no antimicrobial wash on the melons. Roughly 300,000 cantaloupes shipped between July 29 and September 10 to at least 24 states. In 2013 Eric and Ryan Jensen were [charged with six counts of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/3308-jensen-farms-owners-charged-in-2011-outbreak-of-listeriosis-from-cantaloupe?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — strict-liability misdemeanors under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, no proof of intent required. I represented families in this one. Thirty-three people died and the brothers got probation and home detention. **Germany, 2011\.** *E. coli* O104:H4 in fenugreek sprouts grown from Egyptian seed. The Robert Koch Institute's final accounting was [855 HUS cases and 2,987 cases of EHEC gastroenteritis without HUS](https://edoc.rki.de/bitstream/handle/176904/163/23NXL3JomOyAA.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y&ref=foodsafetynews.com) — 3,842 in Germany, with the broader European figure usually given as 3,950 — and 53 deaths, 35 of them among the HUS patients. It remains [the largest HUS outbreak ever described anywhere in the world](https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/food-safety/assessment-of-microbial-risks-in-foods/foodborne-disease-outbreaks/ehec-outbreak-2011/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). What made it strange was the demographics: median age 46 among the gastroenteritis cases and 42 among the HUS cases, with 68 percent of HUS patients female. HUS is supposed to be a disease of small children. This was an adult epidemic, and the strain was a hybrid — Shiga toxin from enterohemorrhagic *E. coli* bolted onto the adherence machinery of enteroaggregative *E. coli*. Investigators worked backward through [41 separate outbreak clusters](https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1106482?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to a single horticultural operation in Lower Saxony. They never isolated the organism from the seed. **Boar's Head, 2024\.** *Listeria monocytogenes* in liverwurst and deli meats from Jarratt, Virginia. [Sixty-one people sick in 19 states, 60 of them hospitalized, ten dead](https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/delimeats-7-24/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — the deadliest listeriosis outbreak since Jensen Farms. The company recalled [more than seven million pounds](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/boars-head-provisions-co--expands-recall-ready-eat-meat-and-poultry-products-due?ref=foodsafetynews.com) across 71 products after contamination was found on a pallet jack moving between the raw and ready-to-eat sides of the plant. USDA inspectors had logged 69 regulatory violations at that facility between August 2023 and August 2024, documenting black mold, mildew, insects, and blood pooling on the floor. The plant is closed. Liverwurst production ended permanently. I am still working these cases. **Largest by recall and market disruption** **Peanut Corporation of America, 2008–09\.** *Salmonella* Typhimurium in peanut butter and peanut paste from Blakely, Georgia. [Seven hundred fourteen cases in 46 states](https://marlerclark.com/news%5Fevents/peanut-butter-salmonella-outbreak-08-09?ref=foodsafetynews.com), 166 hospitalizations, nine deaths. The illness count is not what makes this the recall of the era. PCA sold an *ingredient*, so the contamination propagated into [3,918 recalled products from more than 200 manufacturers](https://www.outbreakmuseum.com/salmonella/peanut-corporation-of-america-pca/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — crackers, cookies, ice cream, pet treats, school snacks — and the FDA had to stand up a searchable website because the recall list was too long to communicate any other way. PCA's customers put their losses at roughly $144 million. The company filed Chapter 7 within weeks. Then something happened that had never happened before: the government tried a food poisoning case to verdict. Stewart Parnell was convicted on 71 counts including conspiracy, obstruction, and wire fraud, and sentenced to 28 years; his brother Michael got 20\. We filed nine lawsuits and represented over 100 clients, and two of our families testified before the House Oversight and Investigations subcommittee in February 2009. **Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms, 2010\.** *Salmonella* Enteritidis in shell eggs from Iowa. 1,939 confirmed cases and no confirmed deaths, but the FDA estimated the real number in the tens of thousands, and the [recall reached about 550 million eggs](https://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/foodborne-illness-outbreaks/wright-county-eggs-tale-of-woe-a-timeline/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — 380 million from Wright County Egg, 170 million from Hillandale. Congressional investigators later found that Wright County Egg had received [426 positive Salmonella results between 2008 and 2010](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-111hhrg78134/html/CHRG-111hhrg78134.htm?ref=foodsafetynews.com), including 73 potentially positive for Enteritidis, one of them on July 26, less than three weeks before the recall. Jack DeCoster had been designated a habitual violator of Iowa environmental law in 2000\. When the two men were called before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one refused to answer and the other took the Fifth. We filed the first lawsuit in the outbreak on August 17, 2010. **Dole and Natural Selection Foods, 2006\.** *E. coli* O157:H7 in prepackaged baby spinach out of San Juan Bautista, California. The CDC's count was [199 confirmed cases in 26 states, 102 hospitalized, 31 with HUS, three dead](https://archive.cdc.gov/www%5Fcdc%5Fgov/ecoli/2006/spinach-10-2006.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com); the final FDA and California report put the illness figure at 205\. Two elderly adults and a two-year-old with HUS died. The [traceback landed on the Paicines Ranch in San Benito County](https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/foodborne-disease/fda-releases-final-report-spinach-e-coli-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com), where investigators found the outbreak strain in river water, in cattle feces, and in feral pig feces, with a grass-fed cattle operation less than a mile from the spinach field. The market effect was total: there were no fresh spinach sales anywhere in the United States for five days, and California spinach stayed off the market for ten days after that. I represented 93 people in that outbreak. It produced the [California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement](https://marlerclark.com/news%5Fevents/dole-spinach-e-coli-outbreak-nationwide?ref=foodsafetynews.com), which was the industry's answer to being regulated, and which has now failed to prevent leafy green outbreaks for nineteen consecutive years. **Yuma romaine, 2018\.** *E. coli* O157:H7\. [Two hundred ten people in 36 states, 96 hospitalized, 27 with HUS, five dead](https://archive.cdc.gov/www%5Fcdc%5Fgov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-04-18/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in Arkansas, California, Minnesota (two) and New York. Nearly half of everyone identified went to a hospital. It was the largest O157:H7 outbreak in the country since the 2006 spinach outbreak, and the [CDC found the outbreak strain in canal water](https://www.marlerblog.com/legal-cases/yuma-irrigation-canal-link-in-deadly-romaine-lettuce-e-coli-outbreak/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in the Yuma growing region — a 3.5-mile stretch of the Wellton irrigation canal serving 23 farms, with a concentrated animal feeding operation nearby. The FDA's environmental assessment said the quiet part out loud: because romaine from many farms was commingled at the processors, it was [impossible to determine which farm supplied the contaminated lettuce](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/environmental-assessment-factors-potentially-contributing-contamination-romaine-lettuce-implicated?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **Salmonella Saintpaul, 2008\.** This one earns its place for a reason that has nothing to do with pounds recalled. Between April and August 2008, [1,442 cases were confirmed across 43 states, the District of Columbia and Canada](https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1005741?ref=foodsafetynews.com), with 21 percent hospitalized and two deaths. Early case-control work pointed hard at raw tomatoes. The FDA warned the public off tomatoes, tomato consumption collapsed, and [the tomato industry lost an estimated $200 million](https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp0806575?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — for a product that was never microbiologically confirmed as the source and whose traceback never converged on anything. The outbreak strain was eventually isolated from jalapeño peppers in Texas and from serrano peppers and agricultural water on a single Mexican farm. The peppers were probably eaten with the tomatoes, which is why the early studies pointed the wrong way. Read that again with this summer in mind: a category-wide warning, a wrecked commodity, a traceback that could not resolve to a farm, and an imported product from Mexico as the eventual answer. A few more belong on the ledger even if they do not top a column. **Pilgrim's Pride, 2002** — *Listeria* in sliced turkey, 54 sick, 8 dead including three stillbirths, and 27.4 million pounds recalled, the largest meat recall in the country at the time. **Cargill Turkey Products, 2000** — 29 sick, 7 dead, three of them miscarriages or stillbirths. **Odwalla, 1996** — unpasteurized apple juice, 66 sick, a 16-month-old girl dead, and the outbreak that produced juice HACCP. **Blue Bell, 2015** — *Listeria* in ice cream, 10 sick and 3 dead from a product nobody had thought of as a *Listeria* vehicle, and a rare criminal prosecution of a chief executive. **Westland/Hallmark, 2008** — 143 million pounds of beef, the largest meat recall in American history, with zero confirmed illnesses, which tells you that recall size and human harm are almost unrelated quantities. And **Milwaukee, 1993** — 403,000 people with cryptosporidiosis from the municipal water supply, which is not foodborne but is the only American event of the last fifty years that operated at the scale of the Shanghai and Chinese formula numbers above. **Largest by consequence** **Jack in the Box, 1992–93\.** *E. coli* O157:H7 in undercooked hamburger. Seven hundred thirty-two people sick, 178 with permanent injury, four children dead. By the raw numbers it does not crack the top of any list above. It is not in the same universe as Schwan's. It killed a fifth as many people as Jalisco. And yet it is the most consequential foodborne outbreak in American history by a distance nothing else approaches. It made *E. coli* O157:H7 an adulterant in ground beef in 1994\. It produced pathogen testing, HACCP in meat plants, the modern cooking temperature standard, and PulseNet. It built the entire architecture that every other outbreak on this page was detected by. It also built my law firm, and it is the reason I have spent thirty-three years doing this instead of something easier. So, look at the arithmetic of that. Seven hundred thirty-two people changed federal law. Two hundred twenty-four thousand people did not change anything anyone can name. Five hundred fifty million eggs and 426 positive lab results produced no federal charge for the outbreak itself. Twenty-one deaths at Bil Mar cost Sara Lee little. Thirty-three deaths at Jensen Farms cost the Jensen brothers their probation officers' time. The relationship between how many people an outbreak hurts and what an outbreak changes is not weak. It is close to nonexistent. What determines consequence is whether somebody counts the sick, names the company, and makes it cost something. Which brings me to the outbreak on my desk this morning. As of its July 14 health advisory, the CDC has [1,645 laboratory-confirmed domestically acquired cases of cyclosporiasis across 34 states](https://www.cdc.gov/han/php/notices/han00531.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) since May 1, plus more than 5,100 additional cases it says require further analysis, against 249 cases in the same window last year. Of the confirmed patients, 141 — nine percent — have been hospitalized. The [Taco Bell cluster the FDA and CDC named on July 16](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/investigation.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) accounts for at least 1,644 of those people across five states, tied to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. Michigan alone reported [4,312 outbreak-period cases and 102 hospitalizations](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) as of July 16, and its year-to-date total has since passed 5,000\. Ohio has reported more than 1,200 cyclosporiasis cases this year. Run those numbers against the list above. If you count the way Michigan counts, this outbreak is already among the largest foodborne outbreaks in modern American history — bigger than Yuma romaine, bigger than Dole spinach, bigger than PCA, bigger than Wright County Egg, bigger than every *Listeria* outbreak on this page put together, several times over — including the largest one the world has ever recorded. If you count the way the CDC counts, it is 1,645 people. Same outbreak. Same summer. The difference is not epidemiology. It is bookkeeping. And the bookkeeping was a choice. On July 1, 2025, [FoodNet made Cyclospora surveillance optional](https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cyclospora/us-cyclospora-cases-mount-cdc-lags-tracking?ref=foodsafetynews.com), leaving mandatory tracking for exactly two pathogens. Then we walked into the biggest cyclosporiasis season on record with the instrument turned off. The CDC itself says the true number is likely higher than what has been reported that the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and that it can take six weeks to determine whether a sick person belongs to it. Meanwhile Taylor Farms' own recall notice lists shredded iceberg distributed to 27 states between June 29 and July 16, including retail consumer sizes, while the federal advisory covers five states and says grocery product is not implicated. Every outbreak on this list was invisible until somebody counted it. The 224,000 people who ate Schwan's ice cream were invisible until a Minnesota epidemiologist noticed her numbers were wrong. The 168,000 people who drank Jewel milk were invisible until somebody ran two surveys. Yuma romaine went unattributed to any single farm because the product was commingled and nobody had lot-level records. That is the same failure we are watching in real time, with the same commodity, from the same region, through the same distributor, and there is a rule already written to fix it — *FSMA 204*, finalized in November 2022, with leafy greens on the Food Traceability List and a 24-hour requirement to produce lot-level records. Compliance was set for January 2026\. The FDA proposed pushing it to July 2028 and Congress directed non-enforcement in the meantime. Fifty years of outbreaks and the pattern does not move. We find out how big it was afterward, from a journal article, years later, when it is too late for the rule to matter and too late for the family. The one variable we control is whether we are willing to count while it is happening. Right now, we are not. ### Company admits its lettuce is cause of Cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/company-admits-its-lettuce-is-cause-of-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:58:15.000Z The owners of Taylor Farms have confirmed that their lettuce is behind a multistate outbreak of infections from the Cyclospora parasite. Additionally, federal officials say the lettuce has been used by Taco Bell restaurants and is the cause of the outbreak. Taco Bell has removed lettuce from all of its menu items. The Taylor Farms lettuce was imported from central Mexico and is being pulled from circulation, according to the company. Taylor Farms says that the implicated farm represents less than 1 percent of the U.S. iceberg lettuce supply. The company said in a statement Friday afternoon that it was removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market. The company, based in of Salinas, CA, says iceberg lettuce is not used in its salad kits and no salad kits are associated with the outbreak. In addition to Taco Bell, Taylor Farms supplies produce to major fast food and grocery chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Walmart and Trader Joe’s. The FDA and CDC say the illnesses in the outbreak — reported from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia — represent only a portion of Cyclospora infections currently under investigation and involve only one of several outbreaks. Overall, the CDC is reporting illnesses in 34 states. As of this afternoon, the CDC is reporting that 1,644 people are infected with Cyclosporaand reporting exposures to Taco Bell have been reported by five states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 13 to July 13\. There have been 94 hospitalizations, and no deaths have been reported. Michigan analyzed food exposure details from 190 of the patients who reported eating at Taco Bell and found that 90 percent of those interviewed reported eating iceberg lettuce. Michigan and other states are reporting many more illnesses than the CDC. State public health officials in Michigan said today that there are 5,002 patients with 102 hospitalizations. It is unclear whether all of the Michigan patients are involved in the Taco Bell/Taylor Farms outbreak. Indiana is reporting more than 320 patients; Kentucky is reporting more than 190; Ohio is reporting more than 1,240; and West Virginia is reporting 139 cases. By this time of year, Michigan usually has 40 to 50 confirmed cases of confirmed cyclospora infections. Numbers from the CDC are lagging behind state reports because the agency stopped tracking cyclospora infections and seven other types of foodborne pathogens beginning July 1, 2025. The main symptom of cyclospora infection is severe diarrhea, which can last for a month or more if not treated and can easily cause serious dehydration. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery and often explosive diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. ### Counterfeit tequila prompts Mexican health alert URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/counterfeit-tequila-prompts-mexican-health-alert/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T04:06:27.000Z Mexican authorities have warned about an adulterated brand of tequila as investigations continue into several tainted alcohol deaths. La Comisión Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios (COFEPRIS) said the health alert relates to Gran Centenario branded reposado tequila 950 mL with lot number L 061 24. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Haaland's raw milk habit highlights a public health challenge URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/haalands-raw-milk-habit-highlights-a-public-health-challenge/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T04:04:45.000Z ***–* OPINION *–*** "Superfood – That's why I drink it." That's how soccer superstar Erling Haaland described raw milk during a visit to Greenoaks Farm in Cheshire, England. In a video that has circulated widely online, Haaland praises raw milk as being good for the stomach, skin, bones and muscles. For millions of young soccer fans, comments like that carry real weight. As a soccer fan myself, I understand the appeal. Kids have always copied their heroes, from the cleats they wear to the workouts they follow. When one of the biggest stars in the sport calls raw milk a "superfood," it's easy to see why some young athletes might try it. That's where food safety enters the conversation. **Raw milk isn't just another nutrition trend** Raw milk isn't like choosing one protein powder over another. It carries a well-documented risk of foodborne illness. Haaland may not be encouraging anyone to drink raw milk. He's simply sharing part of his personal routine. But celebrity influence doesn't require an explicit endorsement. Fans often assume that if a superstar does something, there must be a reason. That's how trends spread. Raw milk has become increasingly popular among some athletes, bodybuilders and wellness influencers who claim it offers better nutrition, easier digestion or improved recovery. Those claims continue to circulate online even though decades of research don't support them. **The science tells a different story** Raw milk can contain harmful bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and Campylobacter. Healthy-looking dairy animals can carry these pathogens without showing signs of illness, and contamination can occur during milking, bottling or storage. You can't see, smell or taste dangerous bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raw milk was linked to more than 200 outbreaks between 1998 and 2018, causing more than 2,600 illnesses and hundreds of hospitalizations. More recently, dozens of people became sick in an Idaho outbreak linked to raw milk contaminated with Campylobacter. Children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of severe illness. In some cases, infections can lead to kidney failure, miscarriage, bloodstream infections or even death. Haaland isn't alone in making claims about raw milk. Supporters have long argued that pasteurization removes valuable nutrients, beneficial bacteria or enzymes. Decades of research, however, have found no health benefit that outweighs the documented risks of consuming unpasteurized milk. Pasteurization destroys disease-causing bacteria while preserving the nutrients that make milk an excellent source of protein, calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals. That's why the FDA, CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics continue to recommend pasteurized dairy products. **Celebrity influence is difficult to counter** Government fact sheets rarely go viral. Professional athletes do. We've seen similar cycles with questionable supplements, extreme diets and wellness trends that explode on social media long before the science catches up or pushes back. It's also worth remembering that elite athletes don't succeed because of one food. They train with nutritionists, physicians, trainers and performance specialists who monitor every aspect of their health. Most young athletes don't have that kind of support. Copying one item from a professional athlete's routine doesn't recreate the system behind it. **What parents and coaches can do** Parents and coaches can help put these trends into perspective. Young athletes don't need risky shortcuts. Consistent training, balanced meals, hydration and adequate sleep remain the biggest contributors to athletic performance. Those habits have produced champions for generations without exposing children to preventable foodborne illnesses. Public health agencies may also need to rethink how they communicate. Facts matter, but facts alone rarely compete with celebrity culture. Partnering with respected athletes, coaches and sports organizations could help deliver food safety messages in ways that resonate with younger audiences. **Admire the athlete, not every habit** None of this diminishes Haaland's remarkable accomplishments. His work ethic, talent and enthusiasm for the game have earned him fans around the world. There's nothing wrong with wanting to train like your favorite player. But that doesn't mean every personal habit belongs in your own routine. When it comes to raw milk, the evidence has been remarkably consistent for decades. The safest choice is still the simplest one: drink pasteurized milk. ### EU countries struggling with food safety culture controls URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/eu-countries-struggling-with-food-safety-culture-controls/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T04:03:50.000Z The majority of countries are finding implementing food safety culture controls difficult, according to a European Commission survey. The report looked at the state of food safety culture controls in EU member states. All countries responded to the questionnaire sent in 2025\. Food safety culture requirements were put into European Union legislation in 2021. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Imported seafood, mushrooms, canned food among products subject to increased FDA scrutiny URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/imported-seafood-mushrooms-canned-food-among-products-subject-to-increased-fda-scrutiny/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T04:01:57.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Infections from Cyclospora parasite continue sharp increases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/infections-from-cyclospora-parasite-continue-sharp-increases/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:05:20.000Z Michigan is reporting 550 more cases of infections from the cyclospora parasite overnight. That brings the total for the state to 4,312. By this time of year, Michigan usually has 40 to 50 confirmed cases of confirmed cyclospora infections. So far this year the state has seen 102 people hospitalized. The main symptom of the infections is severe diarrhea, which can easily cause serious dehydration. “While the investigation is ongoing, available information indicates that lettuce or salad greens may be a potential source of this outbreak. However, other food items cannot be completely ruled out. No specific type of produce, grower, or supplier has been identified as the source,” according to an update today from the Michigan health department. One media outlet is reporting that Taylor Farms — a large producer of leafy greens and packaged salads — is part of the investigation and assisting the Food and Drug Administration with traceback efforts. The FDA has not reported what food or foods it is tracing. Michigan is part of a nationwide outbreak of infections from the microscopic parasite. New York public health officials are reporting 517 patients and Ohio is reporting 1,192 patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there are patients in 34 states with more than one outbreak likely in play. Dr. Aaron Glatt, the Chair of the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau, New York, and a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said the outbreak is most likely much larger than the officials numbers suggest. "It probably represents a little bit of the tip of the iceberg," Glatt told USA TODAY Network New York. "Many people aren't sick enough to even seek out their doctor. Some of them are just self-treating. And only a percentage, a small percentage, of the total are actually getting identified, diagnosed and treated.” Numbers from the CDC are lagging behind state reports because the agency stopped tracking cyclospora infections and seven other types of foodborne pathogens beginning July 1, 2025\. As of this July 14, the CDC had counted 843 confirmed patients, with 5,100 more suspected patients. By this time in 2025 the CDC had counted 249 confirmed Cyclospora patients. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Symptoms can last longer than a month. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery and often explosive diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. ### Publisher's Platform: Sen. Klobuchar wants food safety programs the Administration cut put back URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-sen-klobuchar-wants-food-safety-programs-the-administration-cut-put-back/ Last updated: 2026-07-16T04:05:55.000Z **— OPINION —** On July 14, Sen. Amy Klobuchar sent a [letter](https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/%5Fcache/files/d/d/dddfa54c-9899-43ee-be0f-31330974b120/AC057F72FD419CC278F3B03A93E95112BC0FBBEFAF0A1DCA760D6D175A8CB409.20260714--klobuchar-letter-l38045-to-cdc-fda-on-cyclospora-foodborne-illness-outbreak--for-hhs.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to the acting heads of the CDC and FDA asking them to restore the food safety programs the Trump Administration cut and start tracking foodborne illness again. She named them — FoodNet, the Food Emergency Response Network, the Food Safety Inspection Service, the Public Health Infrastructure Grants, and the Preventive Services Block Grants. I’ve spent thirty years representing the people those programs protect, and I’ll say it plainly: she’s right, and everyone who eats should be behind her. Here’s what she’s pointing at. Last year the administration cut FoodNet’s tracking from ten foodborne pathogens down to two — and Cyclospora, the parasite now tearing through the country, was one of the eight it dropped. Reporting it became optional. The FDA’s Food Emergency Response Network was suspended after its scientists were let go, and the grants that pay for state lab capacity and disease tracking were terminated. Her letter lands the consequence in one sentence: there is no longer a central place to report and compare this data across state lines. A word about the numbers, because they make her case stronger than her letter does. She cites nearly 2,800 cases and 86 hospitalizations in the cyclospora outbreak as of July 9\. Those figures are already old and low. As I write this, the [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) has 1,645 confirmed cases and admits it is aware of more than 5,100 more under investigation — nearly 7,000 people. [Michigan](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/infectious-diseases/infectious-disease-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) alone has counted 3,762\. Add up just the eleven states that still publish their own tallies, and you are past 4,900. That is the whole argument. The Senator could only cite “nearly 2,800” because the system meant to count the rest was defunded. The distance between her number and the real one isn’t a weakness in her letter — it is the proof of it. When you stop tracking a pathogen, you don’t make a single sick person well. You just lose the ability to see them. The people are still out there — children and grandparents living through weeks of dehydrating illness from a bag of salad greens — now invisible to the one agency we count on to sound the alarm. I’ve watched this before. I started after the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak in 1993, and the biggest improvement since has been our ability to catch outbreaks early, link cases across state lines, and pull tainted food before it kills someone. Every one of those abilities runs on the programs in Klobuchar’s letter. Strip them out and we are worse off than in 1993: the food supply is bigger and more national than ever, and a single lot of contaminated greens can reach dozens of states before anyone connects the first two cases. So yes — I support her request without a caveat. Restore FoodNet, the Food Emergency Response Network, the Food Safety Inspection Service, the Public Health Infrastructure Grants, and the Preventive Services Block Grants. Put Cyclospora back on the list of things this country bothers to count. And do it now, while the outbreak is still growing — because the alternative is what we are living: an agency reporting 1,645, a reality closer to 7,000, and a widening gap where real people get sick and no one in Washington is required to notice. Senator Klobuchar is asking the right question. The rest of us should make sure it does not go unanswered. ### Raw Farm LLC cheese found to be cause of E. coli outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/raw-farm-llc-cheese-found-to-be-cause-of-e-coli-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-16T13:58:56.000Z Federal officials are reporting that inspectors found unsanitary handling and other food safety issues at Raw Farm LLC, the dairy connected to an E. Coli O157 outbreak. The outbreak sickened nine people across California, Texas and Florida. According to an Executive Summary from the Food and Drug Administration, inspectors found inadequate maintenance of equipment, lack of preventive controls, and unsanitary handling of product during processing and production. The agency issued 483 Form inspection reports requiring the company to take action to resolve the problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified raw milk cheddar cheese manufactured by RAW FARM LLC as the suspect vehicle in the outbreak. Based on the combined epidemiologic, limited traceback, and laboratory data, raw cheddar cheese and raw milk from RAW FARM,LLC were confirmed as the outbreak vehicle. Full scope, for cause inspections with sample and data collection, were performed at three RAW FARM LLC locations. **In other outbreak news** released July 15, the FDA reported that the patient count for an outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg has increased to 69, up from 51 a week ago. The agency has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. The FDA has begun traceback efforts but has not reported what food is being traced. The agency first reported the outbreak on July 8. **For an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis,** the patient count has increased to 91, up from 80 a week ago. The FDA has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. The agency has begun traceback efforts but is not yet reporting what food is being traced. The outbreak was first announced on June 8. ### Concerns raised over food poisoning rise in Vietnam URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/concerns-raised-over-food-poisoning-rise-in-vietnam/ Last updated: 2026-07-16T04:03:12.000Z Vietnam’s deputy prime minister has called for “comprehensive and decisive” measures to tackle rising cases of food poisoning. Pham Thi Thanh Tra said there was a need for stricter school food safety with a focus on the management of kitchens as well as controlling the origin of food supplies and processing conditions. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Isle of Man to roll out food hygiene ratings in 2027 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/isle-of-man-to-roll-out-food-hygiene-ratings-in-2027/ Last updated: 2026-07-16T04:01:10.000Z The Isle of Man has unveiled a food hygiene ratings system to give consumers greater confidence and encourage high standards. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture's (DEFA) Food Hygiene Scheme will cover more than 300 cafés, restaurants, takeaways, and pubs that serve meals. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Salmonella outbreak reported in relation to July 4th event in Yakima URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/salmonella-outbreak-reported-in-relation-to-july-4th-event-in-yakima/ Last updated: 2026-07-16T01:57:31.000Z The Yakima Health District in Washington is investigating 10 confirmed and suspected cases of Salmonella infection among individuals who reported eating food at the Fourth of July event hosted by Imperial’s Garden located at 4817 Lateral A Road, Wapato, WA 98951\. This event was not related to the operations of Imperial’s Garden farm stand and Imperial’s Garden is working closely with the Yakima Health District to determine the source of the outbreak. Individuals who attended the event and became ill would have most likely developed symptoms between July 5 and July 9. Food workers who experienced symptoms consistent with Salmonella infection after attending the event should contact the Yakima Health District at 509-249-6532\. Food workers with confirmed Salmonella infection require approval to return to work from the Yakima Health District in accordance with Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 246-215- 02245. Restaurant operators are reminded to monitor employees for symptoms of foodborne illness and exclude ill employees from food handling duties in accordance with WAC 246-215-02220. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who attended the event and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Rice balls recalled because of undeclared peanuts URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/rice-balls-recalled-because-of-undeclared-peanuts/ Last updated: 2026-07-16T00:49:14.000Z Khong Guan Corporation is recalling specific lots of “Glutinous Rice Balls with Black Sesame Filling” because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products. Product Details: - Product: Glutinous Rice Balls with Black Sesame Filling - Size/Packaging: 14.1-ounce bags - UPC: 6-908791-000053 - Date Code: 10/19/2027 - Distribution: Weee!, Xin Wang Market, Garden Fresh Farmer's Market, Boss Supermarket. The product was distributed in California, Hawaii, New Jersey and Texas as well as online. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recall was initiated after a customer reported suspected peanut content in the product, which had been distributed in packaging that did not disclose the presence of peanuts. ### Michigan again sees significant increase in Cyclospora infections URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/michigan-again-sees-significant-increase-in-cyclospora-infections/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:58:42.000Z Michigan is reporting more than 400 new Cyclospora infections overnight. As of today, Michigan’s state health department had counted 3,762 patients compared to 3,309 confirmed patients on July 14\. Those state officials reported on July 13 that they believe lettuce and/or salad mixes are the source of the parasite, but they said there is no single grower, supplier or brand identified yet. Public health officials have not weighed in on why there are so many infections this year. The parasitic infections hit outbreak status in June, with patient counts greatly exceeding previous years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on July 14 that it had counted 843 confirmed patients in 34 states, with 5,100 more suspected patients. By this time in 2025 the CDC had counted 249 confirmed patients. The rise in confirmed cases points to more than one outbreak, said Donald Prater, DVM, the FDA's acting Deputy Commissioner for Food, during a briefing. "I think we're looking at multiple clusters and subclusters.” One such cluster includes Michigan along with New York and Ohio, which are each reporting several hundred confirmed patients. The Food and Drug Administration is tracking five outbreaks of infections, but its numbers are drastically lower than numbers from states or the CDC. For one of the outbreaks the FDA is referencing the CDC investigation. For the other four the agency is reporting eight, 18, two and eight patients, respectively. The FDA outbreak update on July 15 says it has initiated traceback efforts, but it does not say what food or foods are being traced. CNN is reporting that an internal email at the CDC said the Food and Drug Administration’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation network is running traceback on cilantro, white and green onions, and cucumbers for a set of cases — in Illinois, New York City, New York State, Pennsylvania, and Texas — that appear to be linked to Mexican-style restaurants, a grocery chain and a catered event. Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery and often explosive diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Symptoms can last for a month or more. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. ### Finland signals end of Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/finland-signals-end-of-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-15T04:03:03.000Z Health officials in Finland have declared that a major Salmonella outbreak has ended. More than 100 people fell sick in 11 countries as part of the [multi-country outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/more-than-100-sick-in-european-salmonella-outbreak/) linked to alfalfa sprouted seeds from India. In spring this year, Salmonella Bovismorbificans illnesses were detected in Finland. The cluster included 64 people, who were suspected to have been infected domestically. Of these, 37 have been confirmed to be caused by the same bacterial strain. Most cases were detected between March and May and a single case occurred in June. Patients live in different parts of Finland. Those who fell ill range from 4 to 86 years old with an average age of 43, and 41 of them are women. Ten people were hospitalized. Two people died within 30 days of the infection being detected. Both cases had underlying health conditions, and one was receiving terminal care. Most interviewed cases reported eating uncooked sprouts before falling ill. THL (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare) and Ruokavirasto (the Finnish Food Authority) investigated the outbreak with help from healthcare and environmental health authorities from counties and municipalities. The sprouts suspected of being the source of infection are no longer on the market, according to Ruokavirasto. **European impact** From 2023 to 2025, 700 to 800 Salmonella cases were reported annually to the National Infectious Diseases Register. In 2025, 712 infections were reported, including four Salmonella Bovismorbificans cases. So far this year, 380 Salmonella infections have been recorded. People were also sick in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Alfalfa sprouts, and possibly other sprouted seeds, are the primary food vehicle in the multi-country outbreak, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in June. According to a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) alert, the suspected sources were alfalfa seeds, clover seeds, broccoli seeds and radish seeds from Italy. Epidemiological evidence identified alfalfa sprouted seeds from Italy as the primary vehicle of infection. Microbiological evidence included detection of the outbreak strain in water samples collected during alfalfa sprouted seed harvesting in the Netherlands and the UK. Traceability work in Italy pointed to a common seed supplier in India. The outbreak strain is thought to have entered Europe in October 2025 via two alfalfa seed consignments, before being distributed across multiple countries. ### EU Commission reports potential fraud alerts for May URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/eu-commission-reports-potential-fraud-alerts-for-may/ Last updated: 2026-07-15T04:01:35.000Z Potential fraud discussions in Europe in May declined compared to the month before but were higher than the same period in 2025. There were 150 reports in May, 188 in April, 204 in March, 159 in February, and 189 in January 2026\. Earlier data for 2025 shows 196 in December, 194 in November, 223 in October, 164 in September, 166 in August, 136 in July, 164 in June and 129 in May. One alert mentioned the United States in May. It concerned tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in sweets. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### CDC says thousands are likely infected with cyclospora parasite URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cdc-says-thousands-are-likely-infected-with-cyclospora-parasite/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:09:23.000Z The CDC is reporting that almost 7,000 people nationwide are part of several outbreaks of infections from the microscopic cyclospora parasite. The foodborne parasite has infected people in 34 states according to a July 14 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency had previously been reporting 843 confirmed patients. Now the CDC is reporting that there are 5,100 more suspected patients. By this time in 2025 the CDC had counted 249 confirmed patients. This year's case count "is a much higher number than we typically see in a cyclosporiasis season," Gwen Biggerstaff, deputy director of CDC's Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases said during a media briefing Tuesday. "It's a very big shift from what we've seen in previous seasons." The broader rise in confirmed cases across 34 states points to more than one outbreak, said Donald Prater, DVM, the FDA's acting Deputy Commissioner for Food, during the briefing. "I think we're looking at multiple clusters and subclusters." The FDA is aware of a "signal" pointing to lettuce as a possible outbreak source in Michigan, said. "We're continuing to trace multiple items, including lettuce." State officials in Michigan reported on July 14 that the count in their state is 3,309 confirmed patients. Those state officials reported on July 13 that they believe lettuce and/or salad mixes are the source of the parasite, but they said there is no single grower, supplier or brand identified yet. New York and Ohio are each reporting several hundred confirmed patients. The CDC’s counting has been hampered by the fact that the agency stopped tracking cyclospora infections beginning July 1 in 2025\. This year's count comes a year after program cuts led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. prompted the CDC to remove the microscopic parasite Cyclospora from a list of eight pathogens that states were mandated to report to the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, or [FoodNet](https://www.cdc.gov/foodnet/about/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). As of July 2025, reporting is optional for all pathogens except Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. “For weeks the distance between what the states were counting and what Atlanta was publishing was the whole story; this week the agency finally revised upward, pushed the alert to every clinician and lab in the country, and named the outbreak. That is what a functioning surveillance system is supposed to do,” said food safety expert and attorney Bill Marler. For the patients confirmed so far by the CDC, the ages range from 2 to 95 years, with a median age of 44 years, and 56 percent were female. Of 1,645 case-patients with information available, 141 (9 percent) were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Taco Bell restaurants in the Detroit, MI, area have posted signs that they have stopped serving lettuce and other fresh produce items because of a recall, but no recall has been issued. Some of the Michigan outbreak patients have reported eating at Taco Bell before becoming ill, but many have not. CNN is reporting that an internal email message at the CDC said the Food and Drug Administration’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation network is running traceback on cilantro, white and green onions, and cucumbers for a different set of cases — in Illinois, New York City, New York State, Pennsylvania, and Texas — that appear to be linked to Mexican-style restaurants, a grocery chain and a catered event. The incubation period for cyclospora infection to begin to cause symptoms is up to two weeks after exposure. Symptoms can last a month of more. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/cyclospora-life-cycle.png) Lettuce, onions and salad mixes also frequently harbor cyclospora parasites. Food safety experts say washing produce does not remove the parasite. Michigan officials said because of complex food distribution networks across the state and country, it will take some time for agencies to complete their investigation. “Recreational water exposure, such as swimming in lakes, is not a recognized risk factor for cyclosporiasis and there is currently no evidence linking recreational water activities to this outbreak,” according to the Michigan Department of health. “While people should always avoid swallowing recreational water, foodborne exposure – particularly exposure to contaminated produce – remains the primary focus of this outbreak investigation.” Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Without treatment, symptoms can last a month or longer. ### FDA letter reinforces responsibilities of infant formula supply chain URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-letter-reinforces-responsibilities-of-infant-formula-supply-chain/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T04:05:25.000Z The FDA has put the entire infant formula supply chain on notice to improve monitoring and production practices. The decree comes amid a second outbreak since November 2025 of infant botulism tied to powdered infant formula. The Food and Drug Administration put the lion’s share of the responsibility on manufacturers, but also called on packagers, distributors, exporters, importers and retailers to step up efforts to ensure the safety of babies. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Major German E. coli outbreak sickened almost 500 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/major-german-e-coli-outbreak-sickened-almost-500/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T04:03:34.000Z Almost 500 people were sick in a major E. coli outbreak in Germany in 2025, according to recently released figures from a regional State Office for Health and Social Affairs. The Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales (LAGuS) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern reported there were 476 possible cases and three deaths. It was previously known that 428 infections were connected to the outbreak. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Codex adopts standards on chicken meat and allergen labeling URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/codex-adopts-standards-on-chicken-meat-and-allergen-labeling/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T04:01:54.000Z Guidelines related to Campylobacter and Salmonella in chicken meat and Listeria monocytogenes in certain foods have been approved at the latest meeting of a global food standards setting body. The Codex Alimentarius Commission was established by FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO). It is responsible for setting food standards to protect consumer health and facilitate fair practices in food trade. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: We made the everglades a python buffet -- we’re doing the same thing to the salad bar URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/we-made-the-everglades-a-python-buffet-were-doing-the-same-thing-to-the-salad-bar/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T03:12:59.000Z There’s a snake in the Everglades that no one native to Florida ever asked for. The Burmese python didn’t slither up from the Caribbean or ride a hurricane in from Asia. We brought it — through the [pet trade](https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/burmese-pythons-move-north/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), a handful of released and escaped animals in the 1980s and ’90s that found a warm, wet, predator-free paradise and did what invasive things do. Now there are tens of thousands of them, the marsh rabbits and foxes and bobcats they’ve swallowed aren’t coming back, and no amount of bounty hunting will round up the last one. The bell doesn’t un-ring. Warming climates only widens the door: pythons are [cold-sensitive](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/frosty-florida-cold-temps-mean-110420321.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), historically pinned to the southern tip of the state by hard freezes, but their range has been [creeping north](https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/burmese-pythons-move-north/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and there’s already evidence their genome is adapting to tolerate cold. Scientists still [argue about how far they’ll ultimately spread](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2490718/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — some models say much of the South, others say the habitat actually shrinks — but nobody argues about how they got here. We did that. I keep thinking about that snake when I look at this summer’s *Cyclospora* numbers, because we are running the same play on the food supply. *Cyclospora* used to be a passport problem — imported produce and travel to the tropics. Not anymore. It now turns up in [domestically grown produce](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10770-cyclospora-cayetanensis-an-emergent-public-health-threat-and-an-enigma-for-traceback-investigation?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the case counts have [climbed decade over decade](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11589-foodborne-parasite-cyclospora-sickens-hundreds-across-us?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and the FDA and CDC were worried enough to stand up a [Cyclospora Task Force back in 2019](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10770-cyclospora-cayetanensis-an-emergent-public-health-threat-and-an-enigma-for-traceback-investigation?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The science is careful with the word, but the direction isn’t subtle: this parasite is trending toward endemicity. Trending, in plain English, toward living here. And here is where we outdo even the python. We spent two decades watching that population explode and calling it somebody else’s problem. With *Cyclospora*, we’ve done something dumber — we turned off the camera. On July 1, 2025, the CDC [dropped Cyclospora from FoodNet’s mandatory tracking](https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cyclospora/us-cyclospora-cases-mount-cdc-lags-tracking?ref=foodsafetynews.com), shrinking the list of pathogens the country actively hunts for from eight down to two. We didn’t just accept an emerging invader. We stopped counting it, on purpose, the summer before it did this. Because this is what “this” looks like: more than [3,000 people sickened across Michigan and Ohio](https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/13/health/cyclospora-parasite-diarrhea-outbreak-increase?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the worst of it in a state that logs 40 or 50 cases in a normal year. Michigan has finally named [lettuce and salad greens](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MIDHHS/2026/07/13/file%5Fattachments/3712967/2026%20Cyclosporiasis%203%20NR.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) as its leading suspect. And the two federal agencies that are supposed to find the contaminated lot? Their [product columns are blank](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — no advisory, no recall, no named food, traceback merely “initiated.” That is not what vigilance looks like. That is what looking away looks like. Yes, the climate is in this story. *Cyclospora*’s oocysts need warm, wet days to ripen into something infectious, and a warming, wetter growing season lengthens and intensifies that window — the same way warmth is inching the python’s door open. But warmth is the accelerant, not the arsonist. Every *Cyclospora* case on earth traces back to human waste reaching human food or water; the parasite has no animal reservoir, no wild swamp to breed in. It is a human problem start to finish. And the surveillance blackout isn’t weather — it’s a budget line. You cannot un-ring this bell any more than you can empty the Everglades of snakes; you do not recall an endemic parasite. But you can at least keep watching for it. We decided not to. The families living through this outbreak — weeks of watery, relapsing, hollowing illness, kids and grandparents in emergency rooms hooked to IV fluid — are not victims of bad luck or bad weather. They are victims of a preventable thing we chose to stop tracking. The python teaches the lesson we keep refusing to learn: the cheapest moment to act on an invader is before you’ve resigned yourself to it as permanent. With *Cyclospora*, we’re not even doing the watching. We made the Everglades a python buffet by looking away for twenty years. We’re setting the salad bar up the same way — one defunded surveillance program at a time. ### Michigan officials say salad likely cause of Cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/michigan-officials-say-salad-likely-cause-of-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:09:01.000Z Public health officials in Michigan believe that lettuce or salad greens are behind a cyclospora outbreak that has sickened 2,640 people in their state alone. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reports that its investigation is ongoing and other food items cannot be completely ruled out. No specific type of produce, grower or supplier has been identified as the source of the parasite, which is a microscopic creature. “Although we do not have a definite product identified as the source of the outbreak, we want to let Michiganders know what we have learned so far so they can take steps to protect their families,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive in Michigan. “Early information has shown lettuce as a common product that regularly comes up during the investigation. We will continue to provide updates as we learn more.” Typically, Michigan only records 40 to 50 cases of cyclosporiasis annually. The outbreak has sickened people in 31 states, with Ohio reporting 364 patients and New York reporting 470\. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is lagging behind in posting nationwide numbers, reporting only 843 confirmed cases and more than 1,500 suspected cases. The CDC last updated its count on July 9. The CDC’s count is likely because it stopped tracking cyclospora illnesses in 2025 when changes implemented by the Trump Administration were put into place. On July 1, 2025, CDC cut the list of pathogens states are required to report from eight down to two. Only Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli stayed mandatory. The other six — Campylobacter, Cyclospora, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia — became optional. Cyclospora is a parasite that infects the intestines and causes watery diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps. It is usually contracted by eating or drinking something contaminated with the parasite. MDHHS continues to work closely with local health departments to conduct in-depth interviews of individuals testing positive for cyclosporiasis, as well as with other state and federal partners to conduct traceback investigations. More than 1,000 interviews have than have been completed to date in Michigan. The incubation period for cyclospora infection to begin to show symptoms is up to two weeks after exposure. Michigan officials said because of complex food distribution networks across the state and country, it will take some time for agencies to complete their investigation. “Recreational water exposure, such as swimming in lakes, is not a recognized risk factor for cyclosporiasis and there is currently no evidence linking recreational water activities to this outbreak,” according to the Michigan Department of health. “While people should always avoid swallowing recreational water, foodborne exposure – particularly exposure to contaminated produce – remains the primary focus of this outbreak investigation.” Given early information and the historical link between cyclospora and pre-packaged salad greens, MDHHS recommends adopting the following lettuce-specific safety measures: - Purchase whole heads: Buy whole heads of lettuce rather than pre-washed, bagged lettuce or pre-mixed salad kits. - Discard outer layers: Before preparation, throw away the outer two to three layers of leaves. - Wash inner leaves: Thoroughly wash the remaining inner leaves under clean running water. It has not been proven that washing will remove the parasite, but it can remove dirt and debris that contains the parasite. - Prioritize cooking: For any greens that can be cooked, cooking to a temperature of at least 158 degrees F (70 C) is the safest option, as the parasite is resistant to routine chemical disinfection and washing alone cannot guarantee its removal. The following foods have been specifically linked to previous cyclospora outbreaks in the United States and Canada: - Bagged salad mixes and kits. - Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves). - Fresh basil. - Rasberries. - Snow peas. - Green onions (scallions). Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Without treatment, systems can last a month or longer. ### Cyclospora: Seasonal nuisance or preventable problem? URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cyclospora-seasonal-nuisance-or-preventable-problem/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T06:16:20.000Z Unfortunately, every summer we experience Cyclospora outbreaks almost as routinely as hurricane season. That's unfortunate because, at some point, we need to stop viewing these outbreaks as expected, unavoidable seasonal events and start treating them as preventable incidents. Just like hurricane tracking, projections, and building standards have improved over time, so too should capabilities in regard to Cyclospora surveillance, detection and prevention. But to do so more effectively, important scientific and research gaps remain that must be addressed to better understand, investigate and prevent Cyclospora illnesses. For example, just because a particular fresh produce vehicle hasn't been previously linked to illnesses doesn't mean it can't be involved. We also need to better understand the role of weather, environmental conditions, and a variety of water sources, along with more detailed insights into the attribution of various routes of potential exposure to the parasite. But we don’t have to wait for more research to take action – we can act now based on what we already know. For illnesses definitively attributed to food, enhanced prevention will likely require stronger, seasonally aware sourcing practices, improved agricultural water quality, and strengthened food safety measures throughout, but especially early, in the fresh produce supply chain. The current situation also highlights why Cyclospora outbreaks are so difficult to solve. The parasite's long incubation period makes it challenging for investigators to identify exposures. Molecular subtyping capabilities continue to improve but require further advancement. Traceback investigations back to the source remain difficult, particularly as implementation of the FDA's Food Traceability Rule has been extended. In addition, when food related, the suspect vehicle is often a "stealth ingredient" that may be incorporated into a variety of foods or menu items, making it difficult for ill individuals to recall. While state and local public health agencies do an outstanding job, and we are all grateful for their efforts, this outbreak also underscores the need to further support and strengthen federal coordination of foodborne outbreak investigations and response. For example, the Cyclospora case counts reported by news outlets based on state data indicates more than 2,000 cases, while CDC data has yet to catch up. The CDC is reporting [just 145 cases](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com) through June 16, and FDA has reported they’re investigating [only two small outbreaks totaling 10 illnesses.](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigations-foodborne-illness-outbreaks?utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery) Moreover, public messaging has differed across jurisdictions. Clearly, this discrepancy must be confusing to consumers. It also highlights the need for more timely and transparent reporting, along with stronger federal-state coordination and action. This is one reason I have previously advocated for the creation of a [National Foodborne Outbreak Investigation Board](https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/listeria-outbreak-pasta-fda-foodborne-investigation/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), to strengthen coordination, improve transparency, and accelerate the identification of lessons learned following major foodborne outbreaks. Let's hope that the growing number of illnesses reported across multiple states enables investigators to quickly identify the – source or sources – of these illnesses, so that we can prevent additional people from becoming ill. And let’s work together to continue to invest in and further modernize our food safety and public health systems. American consumers deserve no less. ### Spanish court rejects appeal in poisoning case URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/spanish-court-rejects-appeal-in-poisoning-case/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T04:04:44.000Z A court in Spain has maintained the prison sentence of a woman who attempted to murder her ex-partner using chocolate laced with rat poison. A ruling in November 2021 granted the victim permanent disability status. The Supreme Court upheld the 12-and-a-half-year prison sentence for the woman in relation to the incident in León in June 2020\. The court recently rejected an appeal. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns Florida supplement maker about sanitation and allergen risks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-warns-florida-supplement-maker-about-sanitation-and-allergen-risks/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T04:03:58.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or months after they are sent. Business owners generally have 15 working days to respond to FDA warning letters. Warning letters often are not issued until companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are commonly redacted from public view.* --- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning letter to Flax & More Corporation in Cutler Bay, FL, citing significant current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) violations that the agency said caused the company's dietary supplements to be adulterated under federal law. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Salmonella outbreak in New York linked to funeral meal URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/salmonella-outbreak-in-new-york-linked-to-funeral-meal/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T04:02:30.000Z A salmonella outbreak that has sickened dozens of Suffolk County residents in New York is under investigation by the county's Department of Health Services. A total of 58 patients have been seen by Stony Brook Southampton Hospital doctors while exhibiting symptoms consistent with salmonella infection since the beginning of July, according to hospital officials. The illnesses began following a June 30 meal following a funeral, with some suspected connections to leftover catering from a music festival held on the territory days prior. "The majority of the patients were evaluated, treated and discharged. As required, SBSH promptly notified the New York State Department of Health to support its public health investigation," officials said in a statement. The Suffolk County Department of Health Services "is involved in collecting information on a salmonella outbreak on the East End of Long Island," health officials said in a statement. ### Incidents up as Ireland records biggest Listeria outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/incidents-up-as-ireland-records-biggest-listeria-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T04:01:55.000Z Ireland’s largest Listeria outbreak and plans to introduce a food hygiene rating system are among the highlights of the Irish food agency’s annual report. According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) there were 820 incidents and 88 investigations in 2025\. This represents an increase of 3 percent, compared with the 796 incidents in 2024. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Cheese linked to Salmonella outbreak in Portugal URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cheese-linked-to-salmonella-outbreak-in-portugal/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T04:00:55.000Z An investigation into a Salmonella outbreak in two regions of Portugal traced to cheese has revealed problems at the production site. A case–case study suggested fresh cheese as the likely vehicle of the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak. The case–case approach compares outbreak and historical cases. In Portugal, Salmonella Typhimurium is the second most common serotype, after Salmonella Enteritidis, with yearly case numbers ranging between 262 and 535 since 2015, far below the EU average. In April 2024, the Directorate-General of Health (DGS) was informed about an unusual increase in a Salmonella Typhimurium strain by the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Gastrointestinal Infections at Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), representing more than a fivefold rise compared with the same period in the previous year. The increase started around late March. Clinicians at the hospital in Évora, in Alentejo, noticed an increase in salmonellosis among patients admitted with gastrointestinal complaints, and the local public health units of Alentejo and Arrábida observed more cases reported through the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE). Epidemiological inquiries found that many patients had consumed cheese from a local producer. The outbreak investigation team included local and regional public health units, NRL/INSA, the Directorate-General of Food and Veterinary (DGAV), and DGS. Among the 65 isolates identified as part of the cluster by whole genome sequencing, 58 were included in the epidemiological analysis. The outbreak began on March 11, peaked on April 1, and ended on June 18, 2024\. In total, 33 men and 25 women fell sick. The most affected age group was up to 17 years old followed by those older than 65, according to a study published in the journal [Epidemiology and Infection](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/interregional-outbreak-of-salmonella-typhimurium-linked-to-fresh-cheese-a-casecase-study-guided-by-wholegenome-sequencing-wgs-portugal-marchjune-2024/02259CEF0FD10B834791235B61D9D3E7?ref=foodsafetynews.com). **Problems at cheese producer** Among the first 17 notified Salmonella cases, eight had eaten a specific brand of fresh cheese from the same producer during the incubation period. Of these, seven reported purchasing it at the same market. During a visit to the producer, actions included a review and strengthening of hygiene and sanitation procedures, verification of cleaning and disinfection protocols, assessment of staff food handling practices, and reinforcement of traceability and record-keeping requirements. Three cheese specimens and two surface swabs from the site as well as four cheese and three surface swabs from the market were collected. All were negative for Salmonella. Only some of the previously required measures were implemented, leading the health authority and DGAV to impose additional controls. Because of delays in implementation, production was suspended on July 19 until all requirements were met. ### Sunday Edition: Farm Bill 2.0 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/sunday-edition-farm-bill-2-0/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T06:16:50.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena** - Well over 2,000 people across the U.S. have been diagnosed with parasitic Cyclospora infections, according to the CDC and state public health officials. Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services was reporting more than 1,500 cases as of July 10\. [The number of cases nationally could continue rising dramatically](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-145-2-000-10-the-cyclospora-numbers-dont-add-up/). While no source has been identified yet, [raw fresh produce is often involved](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/taco-bell-pulls-fresh-produce-at-some-locations-because-of-cyclospora-outbreak/) because it has come into contact with contaminated water in the field. - The Food and Drug Administration named [Donna Garren as the new director of its office of produce safety](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-names-produce-safety-director/). Garren most recently worked as executive vice president at the American Frozen Food Institute. The core mission of the office of produce safety is the prevention of foodborne illnesses and microbial contamination throughout the growing, harvesting, packing and holding processes for fresh fruits, vegetables and processed plant products. - Sweden documented [major foodborne outbreaks of Salmonella and Listeria in 2025](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/large-salmonella-and-listeria-outbreaks-hit-sweden-in-2025/). A Salmonella outbreak responsible for 118 illnesses was traced to contaminated eggs served in nursing homes where the infection spread widely. Overall, though, the number of Salmonella cases in 2025 was lower than the previous year. - California and New York are both moving to [standardize the way sell-by dates are listed on food labels](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/california-law-first-in-country-to-address-date-labels/). Proponents say it will help decrease food waste. California’s bill has become law, while New York’s awaits the governor’s signature. There is no national standard for the language now, but these laws may build momentum for Congress to act. --- **Today’s Topic: Farm Bill 2.0** The Agricultural Act of 2026 “for the people who feed America” is out in the U.S. Senate as a 902-page discussion draft, and a partial counter to the Farm Bill passed by the House of Representatives in April. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: They stopped counting, and now they say they can’t see URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-they-stopped-counting-and-now-they-say-they-cant-see/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:09:44.000Z Michigan has [more than 1,250 *Cyclospora* cases](https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/foodborne-disease/cdc-cuts-back-foodborne-illness-surveillance-program?ref=foodsafetynews.com) this year. Ohio has 177\. Illinois has 141\. Add the rest and the state tallies are pushing well past 1,600 sick people. The CDC’s national count has finally moved to [843](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). No food has been named. And the agency wants you to believe those numbers can’t be reconciled — that this is just how outbreaks look, murky and slow and hard to pin down. It isn’t. It’s a choice, and they made it quietly. As of [July 1, 2025](https://www.cdc.gov/foodnet/about/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network — FoodNet, the thirty-year-old backbone of how this country measures foodborne illness — stopped requiring its 10 sites to report six of the eight pathogens it was built to track. Campylobacter, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia, and, yes, Cyclospora. Only Salmonella and STEC survived the cut. Pediatric hemolytic uremic syndrome reporting went optional too. The public didn’t learn any of this until [NBC News reported it on August 26](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — nearly two months after it took effect, and only because a reporter asked. There was no announcement. No press release. No notice to the families who would spend the next summer sick and uncounted. FoodNet is the only federal system that goes and looks — that actively calls more than 700 clinical laboratories and asks what they’re seeing, instead of waiting for a case to be voluntarily reported up the chain. Everything the CDC is now pointing to as a replacement — NNDSS and the rest — is passive. It waits. FoodNet hunted. That distinction is the entire ballgame, and the agency knows it, because its own [2024 preliminary report](https://www.cdc.gov/foodnet/reports/preliminary-data.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) already concedes that it can no longer calculate Campylobacter incidence or compare it to the baseline “because of the reporting changes.” Translation: we broke our own instrument, and now we can’t read it. Watch what happens with Cyclospora this year, because it made the cut. Surveillance for that parasite has been optional for a full year, and the CDC has been unable — or unwilling — to name a vehicle. When the number the public sees is finally more than the 145 CDC reported for weeks and the number on the ground is 1,600-plus, that is not a data lag. That is the predictable result of telling your best-trained sites they no longer have to count. The reason, stripped of the public-relations gloss about “prioritizing core activities,” is money. CDC’s own [talking points to Connecticut](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089?ref=foodsafetynews.com) put it plainly: funding “has not kept pace” with keeping all eight pathogens under surveillance. Frank Yiannas, the former FDA food safety chief, [said it as clearly as anyone](https://www.gastroenterologyadvisor.com/news/cdc-scales-back-foodborne-illness-tracking/?ref=foodsafetynews.com): without the broader data, we won’t know as accurately as possible whether we’re getting better or worse. That is exactly the point of Frank’s push for a National Foodborne Outbreak Investigation Board — an independent body that would actually chase these outbreaks to ground instead of quietly deciding not to look. I will say what some want to obscure: when you stop counting sick people, they don’t stop getting sick. You just stop having to answer for them. A thousand uncounted cases in Michigan is not bad luck. It is a policy, and this year’s Cyclospora outbreak is what that policy looks like dressed up as bad luck. If you want to make foodborne disease disappear, don’t investigate foodborne disease. That’s not a slippery-slope warning anymore. As of July 1, 2025, it’s the operating plan. ### FSA survey reveals authenticity and allergen problems URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fsa-survey-reveals-authenticity-and-allergen-problems/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T00:22:24.000Z A food testing surveillance program has identified imported products, supplements, slush-ice drinks and certain meats as areas of concern. A total of 845 food products were collected between July and October 2025 from a range of retail environments in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The survey, commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), found 28 percent of samples were unsatisfactory. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Large Salmonella and Listeria outbreaks hit Sweden in 2025 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/large-salmonella-and-listeria-outbreaks-hit-sweden-in-2025/ Last updated: 2026-07-10T04:03:11.000Z There were large foodborne outbreaks of Salmonella and Listeria in Sweden in 2025, according to a report from the Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA). A Salmonella outbreak in August 2025 led to 118 illnesses in 14 regions. The outbreak was traced to a laying hen farm, and once it was established that the pathogen was Salmonella Enteritidis, eggs from this farm were recalled. After whole genome sequencing, SVA confirmed that the strain was the same as that found in 2024 and an outbreak in 2022/2023\. Salmonella Enteritidis is difficult to eradicate once it enters a laying hen facility. Despite measures in 2024, such as culling and extensive decontamination, the same strain was detected in 2025. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Contamination with hepatitis A and Salmonella among FDA's import concerns URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/contamination-with-hepatitis-a-and-salmonella-among-import-concerns/ Last updated: 2026-07-10T04:01:39.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: 145? 2,000? 10? The Cyclospora Numbers Don't Add Up URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-145-2-000-10-the-cyclospora-numbers-dont-add-up/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T04:28:33.000Z Here is a math problem no consumer should have to solve. This summer, media reports built on state health department data point to nearly 2,000 cyclosporiasis cases nationwide. ([source](https://lnkd.in/gVK7mAFU?ref=foodsafetynews.com)) However, the CDC reports 145 cases acquired in the United States through June 16\. ([source](https://lnkd.in/gAhTWKtB?ref=foodsafetynews.com)) And the FDA reports it is investigating just two small outbreaks totaling 10 illnesses. ([source](https://lnkd.in/gm67YmpC?ref=foodsafetynews.com)) Same parasite. Same season. Same country. Three numbers off from one another by orders of magnitude. Michigan alone has now topped 700 confirmed cases — a state that ordinarily records about 50 in an entire year. Ohio has reported 177\. New York more than 100\. Yet the federal surveillance count sits at 145 because, as CDC is careful to explain, it's a snapshot through a cutoff date and doesn't yet treat these as one linked, multistate outbreak. No common source has been named. No recall has been issued. The federal and state officials working these clusters are dedicated people chasing a parasite that hides from standard stool tests and is usually eaten and gone before anyone can trace it. I appreciate the role everyone is playing to understand and curtail these illnesses. But step into a parent's shoes. They read that thousands are sick, then that the CDC counts 145, then that the FDA is looking at ten. What are they supposed to do with that? The honest answer is that no single entity has the whole picture — and that is the problem. This is why Frank Yiannas is right. Frank spent years inside the FDA as Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response (before that Walmart and Disney) — he architected the New Era of Smarter Food Safety, and when he left in 2023, he warned that the agency's fragmented structure was undermining its ability to protect the public. He laid out the specific case for an independent National Foodborne Outbreak Investigation Board in a [November 2025 STAT First Opinion essay](https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/listeria-outbreak-pasta-fda-foodborne-investigation/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), written after a *Listeria* outbreak in prepackaged pasta meals killed six people — an outbreak whose original investigation failed to find the root cause, so the responsible company kept operating and kept making people sick for nearly half a year. His point was simple and damning: foodborne outbreaks are investigated by the very regulators who are supposed to prevent them, and with responsibility scattered across FDA, USDA, CDC, and the states, no single agency is truly accountable. Modeled on the NTSB, the board Frank proposes would investigate outbreaks across every food category, free of agency silos and political pressure, and publish clear lessons so we stop repeating the same mistakes. He points to the contrast that ought to embarrass all of us: aviation accidents per mile flown have plummeted under independent NTSB investigation, while — by the CDC's own FoodNet data — the incidence of *Salmonella*, *E. coli*, and *Listeria* has been flat or rising for two decades. The GAO recently found that FDA and USDA's FSIS have missed their foodborne-illness-reduction goals, in one case by a wide margin. Foodborne illness still costs this country roughly $18 billion a year. And the confusion isn't new — in 2008, tomatoes were publicly blamed for a *Salmonella* outbreak later tied to peppers. Consumers were scared off, farmers were wiped out, and trust eroded. Sound familiar? Frank has pressed the same case ever since — in a [December 2025 expert roundtable](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/10995-yiannas-mcdonald-besser-hedberg-fixing-the-outbreak-investigation-system?ref=foodsafetynews.com) on fixing the investigation system, and in a [March 2026 piece](https://www.smarterfysolutions.com/post/transparency-only-works-when-it-actually-informs?ref=foodsafetynews.com) arguing that FDA’s habit of redacting supply-chain names defeats the whole purpose of an investigation, the way an NTSB report blacked out line by line would teach the aviation industry nothing. His “Straight Talk” series this year — on ByHeart, on Nara Organics, and now on Cyclospora — is that same argument applied to the outbreaks in front of us. I've spent more than 30 years representing the families behind these numbers, from the Jack in the Box children in 1993 to clients I'm counseling this week. I've long said my goal is to put myself out of business. An independent Board with the mandate to investigate across every food category, the authority to demand transparency, and the independence to speak plainly is one of the surest ways to get me there. The Cyclospora discrepancy isn't a scandal. It's a symptom. The cure is timely, transparent reporting, stronger federal-state coordination, and one accountable body to pull it together. Frank is right. It's time. ### Beef or plant? The great oil debate URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/beef-or-plant-the-great-oil-debate/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:11:30.000Z It’s all the rage now. We’re talking about beef tallow, a standard cooking oil used in home kitchens and restaurants several generations ago, but almost forgotten now that it’s been mainly replaced by plant-based seed oils, which the American Heart Association has publicly touted as healthier. **What is beef tallow?** Tallow is rendered animal fat, usually from cattle or sheep (but not pigs) that has been melted down and filtered to remove impurities. Once melted down, it becomes a liquid that turns solid at room temperature. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Swiss food agency reports spike in outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/swiss-food-agency-reports-spike-in-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T04:05:07.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA names produce safety director URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-names-produce-safety-director/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T04:04:28.000Z The Food and Drug Administration has named Donna Garren as the new director for its office of produce safety. The office is housed in the FDA’s office of microbiology food safety. The responsibilities of the office include creating regulations, policies and guidance for fresh fruits, vegetables and processed plant products. Its core mission focuses on preventing foodborne illnesses and microbial contamination throughout the growing, harvesting, packing and holding processes. The office is also responsible for setting minimum safety standards under the Food Safety and Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule, including agricultural water requirements and risk-based microbial controls. In addition, the office manages the Division of Fresh Produce Safety and the Division of Processed Food and Beverages Safety. Garren has a strong industry history, having most recently worked as executive vice president at the American Frozen Food Institute where she led the organization's regulatory affairs and legislative affairs programs. Conrad Choiniere, senior executive at FDA’s Human Foods Program, said Garren’s background in food safety, nutrition, and regulatory affairs was instrumental in building strong, effective legislative and regulatory programs for the food and beverage industry. In addition to her work for the American Frozen Food Institute, Garren worked in leadership roles at Boskovich Farms, the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, vice president of health and safety regulatory affairs at the National Restaurant Association, and as vice president of food safety programs the Consumer Goods Forum. She also worked for as president and general manager at NSF International and, according to Choiniere, demonstrated strong produce industry expertise spanning the farm-to-fork supply chain, along with strong relationships across consumer advocate organizations, regulatory organizations, and academia. “Her hands-on experience navigating the intersection of federal agencies, industry stakeholders, and international food safety frameworks, paired with her extensive network across all of these groups, will accelerate collaboration and advance our food safety and public health priorities,” said Choiniere. “She is a proven consensus builder, well-positioned to support FDA's transparency and public engagement goals while driving results through partnership.” Garren earned a doctorate degree in food science and technology from the University of Georgia. ### EU histamine survey reveals training gaps URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/eu-histamine-survey-reveals-training-gaps/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T04:02:10.000Z The European Commission has assessed histamine controls in fishery products with training highlighted as one of the major problems. Histamine toxicity, also known as scombroid poisoning, is associated with consumption of spoiled fish, such as tuna, mackerel, and sardines. Proper hygiene and maintenance of the cold chain during handling, storage, transport and distribution help to reduce the risk. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Taco Bell pulls fresh produce at some locations because of cyclospora outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/taco-bell-pulls-fresh-produce-at-some-locations-because-of-cyclospora-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T04:01:20.000Z Several locations of Taco Bell have temporarily removed several fresh produce items from their menus because of outbreaks of infections from the cyclospora parasite. The restaurant chain has posted notices at some locations stating that they cannot serve lettuce, pica de Gallo, guacamole, cilantro and onions because of the outbreaks, which have sickened a total of almost 1,500 people nationwide. All menu items are still available, but they are being served without the named ingredients, according to the restaurant chain. The cyclospora cases are part of several outbreaks that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state health departments are investigating. Michigan alone has reported more than more than 990 patients. The state health department has reported that they would normally see only about 50 cases annually. A specific source of the parasite has not yet been determined, but it is usually associated with fresh produce. Food safety experts say washing produce does not remove the microscopic parasite. The current illnesses are suspected to be linked to contaminated produce rather than restaurant of home meal preparation practices. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, severe watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a tiny, single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. ### Publisher's Platform: I asked USDA where the Boar’s Head criminal investigation stands – Here’s the 78-Page non-answer URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-i-asked-usda-where-the-boars-head-criminal-investigation-stands-heres-the-78-page-non-answer/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:11:55.000Z Ten people are dead. Fifty-nine were hospitalized. The plant in Jarratt, VA, that made the liverwurst that killed them carried a documented record of filth going back years — product residue on food-contact surfaces, black mold on the walls, flies and ants and a cockroach-like insect in the coolers, water dripping over the product, blood on the floors. When 10 people die from a single meal, I want to know one thing above all others: is anyone going to be held accountable, and will the public ever be told how it ends. On June 2, 2026, I asked. I sent USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service a Freedom of Information Act request built around the two questions that actually matter for accountability. First, what is the current status of any law-enforcement hold or referral on the Boar’s Head records — has the Exemption 7(A) basis USDA asserted in 2024 been lifted? Second, produce any referral or transmittal records between FSIS and the Department of Justice concerning Boar’s Head, to the extent they can be released. I also asked for the records FSIS once withheld as law-enforcement material, everything about the Associated Press’s appeal, and the final enforcement actions on the Jarratt plant. Because conditions had changed — the plant reopened in February 2026 — I asked FSIS to re-evaluate whether the interference-with-enforcement rationale it invoked in 2024 still held up. On July 2, 2026, I got my answer. It is worth reading closely, and I’ve attached all three documents below so you can read it yourself. Seventy-eight pages, released under FOIA No. 2026-FSIS-00209-F. Much of it I had seen before — the Associated Press already pried a version loose in early 2025\. There is the July 26, 2024 Notice of Suspension and the revised version four days later, laying out the whole grim arithmetic that FSIS knew from the start: 34 sick across 13 states, every hospitalized patient with available information hospitalized, two dead, whole-genome sequencing tying the liverwurst strain to the people it killed, and a positive Listeria swab on Pallet Jack SH3 in a processing room with no walls between the lines and no written plan to keep employees from carrying contamination from one line to the next. There are the lab reports. There are the “for further processing” emails, where a plant under suspension asked to keep shipping raw material out of Jarratt and FSIS blessed it “as long as it meets all applicable regulations.” There is the email where the company asked permission to dispose of recalled product and a district manager wrote back, “Yes. Just keep records.” That is the record of a company that was warned, and warned, and warned again, and a regulator that watched it happen. It is damning. But it is not what I asked for. | **THE PAPER TRAIL FSIS ALREADY HAD** *Noncompliance documented at Jarratt (Est. M12612), from the released Notice of Suspension* **Product residue on food- & non-food-contact surfaces (pre-op):** 2/3/24 · 2/29/24 · 3/14/24 · 3/22/24 · 4/19/24 · 5/20/24 · 6/28/24 · 7/6/24 · 7/19/24**Product residue from prior shifts (operational SSOP):** 6/7/24**Insects — flies, ants, ladybugs, a cockroach-like insect:** 2/7/24 · 2/11/24 · 3/15/24 · 6/10/24 · 6/26/24 · 7/12/24 · 7/17/24**Black mold / algal growth / insanitary conditions:** 2/22/24 · 6/1/24 · 6/28/24 · 7/12/24 · 7/17/24 · 7/23/24 · 7/24/24**Water leaks over storage & product:** 6/10/24 · 7/6/24**Dripping condensation on product / bags of dextrose:** 7/9/24 · 7/12/24**Inedible product not denatured, mark of inspection left on:** 2/8/24 · 2/21/24 · 4/8/24 · 4/24/24And this is only 2024\. Federal inspectors had warned the Jarratt conditions posed an *“imminent threat to public health”* as early as 2022. | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | In 2024, FSIS withheld these records under FOIA Exemption 7(A) — the law-enforcement exemption you invoke only when releasing records “could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings.” You do not invoke it over a matter that does not exist. Its use in 2024 was the strongest public confirmation we had that someone with a badge was looking hard at this company. In the July 2, 2026 response, Exemption 7(A) is gone. FSIS now redacts only under Exemptions 4, 5, and 6 — trade secrets, deliberative process, and personal privacy. It cited no law-enforcement interference at all. That is a meaningful signal. It means that, whatever is happening, FSIS no longer believes releasing these particular records would step on an active proceeding. Now watch the negative space, because in a FOIA response the silence is the message. I asked for the status of any law-enforcement hold. On a June 4 clarification call, my office agreed to narrow the request and set that bullet aside to move the rest along — I’ll be straight about that. But I also asked, in a separate bullet that was never dropped, for any FSIS–DOJ referral or transmittal records. The final response recites that bullet word for word at the top of the letter. And then it does nothing with it. No records. No Vaughn-style description of records withheld. No statement that no responsive records exist. Not a single word about the Department of Justice anywhere in 78 pages. And there is not one word about the other investigation I care about — the USDA Inspector General’s review of how its own inspectors let this plant run for years while the noncompliance reports stacked up. If the government is examining its own people, none of it is in here. The law-enforcement exemption that once shielded these records has quietly evaporated, which tells us the interference concern has cooled. But whether that is because a criminal matter has been referred out and now lives on a docket in the Eastern District of Virginia, because it has wound down, or because it was never pursued to a charge — the response does not say, and I suspect FSIS does not intend to say. Grand-jury secrecy under Rule 6(e) covers a live investigation. It does not require the agency to pretend the DOJ bullet in my request was never written. I have spent more than thirty years representing people whose lives were shattered by a single meal, and my stated goal has always been to put myself out of business by making food safe enough that families no longer need lawyers like me. Criminal food cases are slow — the Peanut Corporation of America prosecution that sent Stewart Parnell to prison for twenty-eight years took years to build; Chipotle’s $25 million deferred-prosecution deal followed outbreaks that began long before it. I am not demanding a charge on a schedule I happen to prefer. I am demanding an answer to a fair and narrow question: is anyone still working this, and will the public ever be told how it ends? A 78-page release that hands back the inspection records we already had, drops the law-enforcement exemption without explanation, and never once utters the words “Department of Justice” is not an answer. It is a shrug dressed up as a determination. Ten people are still dead. Their families are still waiting. I intend to keep asking. ![](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/FOIA_USDA_FSIS_BoarsHead2-1-pdf-495x640.jpg) [https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/FOIA\_USDA\_FSIS\_BoarsHead2-1.pdf](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/FOIA%5FUSDA%5FFSIS%5FBoarsHead2-1.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ![](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/FSIS-FOIA-No.-2026-FSIS-00209-F-Final-Response-Letter-pdf-495x640.jpg) [https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/FSIS-FOIA-No.-2026-FSIS-00209-F-Final-Response-Letter.pdf](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/FSIS-FOIA-No.-2026-FSIS-00209-F-Final-Response-Letter.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ![](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/2026-FSIS-00209-F-Final-Records-pdf-495x640.jpg) [https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/2026-FSIS-00209-F-Final-Records.pdf](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/07/2026-FSIS-00209-F-Final-Records.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ### California law first in country to address date labels URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/california-law-first-in-country-to-address-date-labels/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T04:05:39.000Z California has become the first state to standardize sell-by dates on food labels. The law was touted as a way to decrease food waste in the state, but it has obvious ramifications for food safety. A similar bill in New York is awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature before becoming law. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Poultry litter case isn't over yet URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/poultry-litter-case-isnt-over-yet/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T04:04:40.000Z Poultry litter practices that may have downsides for food safety and the environment are subjects of a court battle that never seems to end. When Oklahoma’s Attorney General sued poultry companies for polluting the Illinois River Basin 25 years ago, it all seemed so simple. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Trade concerns rise again at WTO meeting URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/trade-concerns-rise-again-at-wto-meeting/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T04:01:08.000Z The number of issues raised at the latest World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting on food safety showed a continued increase. Attendees at the June meeting of the WTO Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures addressed 79 trade concerns related to food safety and animal and plant health. In March 2026, 76 topics were covered, up from 71 in November 2025. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Pounded yam recalled because of undeclared milk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/pounded-yam-recalled-because-of-undeclared-milk/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T22:59:27.000Z Fayus Inc., doing business as Yusol International Foods of Sacramento, CA, is recalling OLA-OLA POUNDED YAM because the product may contain undeclared milk in the form of sodium caseinate, which is not declared on the label. People with sensitivities or allergies to milk run the risk of severe or life threatening reactions if they consume this product. The recall is being initiated as a result of an internal investigation discovering that some packaged OLA-OLA POUNDED YAM had been distributed in packaging that did not disclose the presence of sodium caseinate – derived from milk. A subsequent investigation found that the issue resulted from a temporary breakdown in the company’s production and packaging processes. OLA-OLA POUNDED YAM was distributed through distribution outlets between December 2025 and May 2026 in Canada, Australia and the following United States: - California - Georgia - Illinois - New Jersey - New York - Texas The recalled product is packaged in clear bags. The recalled product can be identified by the expiration dates: November 2028 through May 2029\. Consumers should check expiration date on the front of the packaging. Fayus Inc. is working to apply dairy allergen warning stickers to affected products that remain on store shelves. ### French Salmonella outbreak linked to Polish eggs URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/french-salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-polish-eggs/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T04:05:03.000Z A Salmonella outbreak in France was likely caused by contaminated eggs from Poland. Sixteen people fell sick in the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak, including nine males and seven females. Four people were admitted to hospitals. Patients ranged in age from 1 to 55 years old and mainly had fever and diarrhea, according to Santé publique France. In response to questions from **Food Safety News**, the Direction Générale de l'Alimentation (DGAL) said the initial link was established through a survey of patients, which revealed a connection between the onset of symptoms and the consumption of products containing raw eggs. The origin of these eggs was then determined using the code printed on the shells. The implicated white eggs were sold in supermarkets. They had already been consumed by the time the link between eating eggs and the onset of symptoms was identified, so there was no recall. DGAL said it had contacted Polish authorities to ensure that all measures are taken to guarantee consumer safety. **Past outbreak** In a previous outbreak, the Île-de-France regional unit of Santé publique France was notified of a cluster comprising 50 cases of Salmonella Enteritidis. The outbreak was the largest ever reported in the Île-de-France region in terms of case numbers, duration and severity. A total of 103 Salmonella Enteritidis infections were identified by the National Reference Center (CNR). Strains were isolated between August 2024 and January 2025\. The median age of cases was 23, and 95 lived in the Île-de-France region. In total, 43 patients were interviewed. Twenty-five people were hospitalized and four required intensive care. All patients recovered. Five patients were associated with outbreaks linked to three different restaurants and had consumed egg-based products. Among the other 38 cases interviewed, four had also eaten egg-based products at these restaurants, and 29 reported purchasing unbranded eggs in identical packaging from various locations. A Salmonella strain isolated from mayonnaise sampled at one of the restaurants was identified by the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Salmonella as belonging to this genomic cluster. Eggs were the suspected source of the outbreak, although the exact origin was not identified. **Salmonella detection** Meanwhile, scientists have evaluated the impact of the time between [sample preparation and incubation](https://be.anses.fr/fr/node/2221?ref=foodsafetynews.com) on the detection of Salmonella in fecal samples contaminated with various strains. Current standards for Salmonella detection require an initial pre-enrichment phase of 18 hours at 37 degrees C (98.6 degrees F). Several times, ranging from 45 minutes to six hours at a room temperature of 21 degrees C (69.8 degrees F) and 4 degrees C (39.2 degrees F), were tested prior to incubation. Results show that a storage time of six hours at 69.8 degrees F between sample preparation and incubation can reduce Salmonella detection by up to 50 percent, particularly at low levels of contamination. This effect can be reduced by sample storage at 39.2 degrees F. Results, published in the DGAL and ANSES epidemiological bulletin, highlight the importance of minimizing delays before pre-enrichment to ensure accurate detection, said researchers. Testing involved the Salmonella types Enteritidis, Typhimurium, Virchow, Infantis and Hadar at four different concentrations in buffered peptone water. Detection of Salmonella was higher at holding times of 45 and 90 minutes as well as four hours compared to those with a waiting time of six hours at room temperature. ### FSA research targets Campylobacter reduction URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fsa-research-targets-campylobacter-reduction/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T04:01:45.000Z The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published six pieces of research relating to efforts to reduce Campylobacter in chicken meat. The papers cover interventions applied at slaughterhouses, in the supply chain, by food companies, in cutting and processing plants, and at the consumer level. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Another patient identified in outbreak of infant botulism URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/another-patient-identified-in-outbreak-of-infant-botulism/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:13:31.000Z Another sick baby has been identified in a botulism outbreak linked to Nara Organics powdered infant formula. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that there are now four patients in the outbreak from California, Pennsylvania and Washington. The babies were between two and five months old when they became sick. All four have experienced paralysis and all have been hospitalized. The babies became sick in April and May. All four of the sick babies are male and all four were fed Nara Organics powdered infant formula. State public health officials have collected leftover infant formula for testing. Laboratory testing results confirmed C. botulinum bacteria were present in an open can of Nara Organics infant formula that was fed to one of the infants in this outbreak. FDA is testing an unopened sample of formula from the same lot. Additional product testing by FDA and state partners is ongoing with results expected in the coming weeks. Prior to reports of the sick babies, the Food and Drug Administration inspected two foreign companies that manufacture and pack the implicated Nara Organics formula. Both companies were cited for food safety deficiencies and both have submitted corrective plans, which are under review. The specific lots of Nara Organics infant formula consumed by infants involved in this outbreak were made with milk supplied by Organic West Milk and spray dried by Dairy Farmers of America. These are the same suppliers of milk and milk powder from [the 2025 outbreak linked to ByHeart infant formula](https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/outbreaks-investigations/infant-formula-nov-2025/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). However, not enough information is available to determine whether these products were contaminated or caused the illnesses. During the investigation into the 2025 outbreak, Organic West Milk provided FDA with an incomplete customer list. The list did not indicate that they supplied milk to manufacturers of Nara Organics infant formula. On June 13, Nara Organics recalled all of its infant formula. **About infant botulism** Anyone who has fed the recalled product to their babies and seen symptoms of botulism poisoning should immediately seek medical attention. Symptoms can take days to weeks to appear after the formula is eaten. Infant botulism often starts with constipation but is usually first noticed as difficulty feeding (trouble sucking and swallowing), a weak or altered cry, and loss of muscle tone including babies inability to hold up their heads. If untreated, the disease may progress, and symptoms may worsen to cause paralysis of specific muscles, including those used in breathing and those in the arms, legs, and the body from the neck to the pelvis area. ### Imported sashimi recalled because of undeclared allergens URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/imported-sashimi-recalled-because-of-undeclared-allergens/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T01:00:32.000Z Eunha Fisheries Co. Ltd. of Busan, Republic of Korea, is recalling certain Sliced Korean Halibut and Flounder Sashimi products because the accompanying soy sauce and vinegar red pepper paste packets contain wheat, soy, and sesame that were not declared in English on the individual condiment packets. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat, soy or sesame run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products. The affected products were distributed in the United States through WOOLTARI USA Inc. and JAYONE FOODS Inc. Products reached consumers through retail stores, direct delivery, and the wooltariusa.com online website. The recalled products can be identified as follows \- PRODUCT NAME: Sliced Korean Halibut with Soy sauce, Wasabi, Vinegar Chili Paste - Best Before Date: 2026.05.07 - Package: Fish-shaped plastic tray with paper sleeve - Included Condiment Packets: Soy Sauce, Vinegar Red Pepper Paste, Wasabi - Undeclared Allergens: Soy, Wheat - UPC CODE : 6 78108 16991 4 - NET WEIGHT : 12.2OZ(347g) - KEEP FROZEN - PACKING SIZE : 38\*20(cm) \- PRODUCT NAME : Sliced Korean Halibut with Soy Sauce, Wasabi, Vinegar Chili Paste - Best Before Dates: 2026.07.11 and 2026.12.08 - Package: Fish-shaped plastic tray with paper sleeve - Included Condiment Packets: Soy Sauce, Vinegar Red Pepper Paste, Wasabi - Undeclared Allergens: Soy, Wheat, Sesame - EAN-13 CODE : 8 809342 366186 - NET WEIGHT : 300g - KEEP FROZEN - PACKING SIZE : 38\*20(cm) PRODUCT FLOUNDER SASHIMI WITH SAUCE No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with these products. The recall was initiated after it was determined that the accompanying soy sauce and vinegar red pepper paste packets contained allergens that were not declared in English on the individual condiment packets. Although the allergens were declared on the outer package, they were not identified on the individual condiment packets. ### Aldi kimchi recalled because of undeclared fish URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/aldi-kimchi-recalled-because-of-undeclared-fish/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T00:47:06.000Z Gellert Global Group of Elizabeth, NJ, is recalling 8.1 oz packages of ALDI Brand Fusia Asian Inspirations Kimchi & Tofu Kimbap because they may contain undeclared tuna. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to fish run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The recalled Fusia Asian Inspirations Kimchi & Tofu Kimbap was distributed to ALDI retail stores in Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia. The product is packaged in a 8.1-ounce sealed, microwave-safe plastic wrapper and marked with a BEST IF USED BY DATE of OCT.08.2027. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. The recall was initiated after a consumer discovered that the fish-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of fish. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the company's production and packaging procedures that has subsequently been corrected. ### Cyclospora cases surge to nearly 600 in Michigan URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/cyclospora-outbreak-surges-in-michigan/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:13:55.000Z The CDC is tracking a summer surge of Cyclospora infections. As of its [June 18 surveillance update](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/php/surveillance/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com), CDC has logged 145 cases acquired in the United States across 17 states, with illness onsets from May 1 through June 16\. Twenty people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. None of the patients traveled abroad beforehand — so the CDC and [FDA](https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/cyclospora?ref=foodsafetynews.com) are hunting for a domestic food source. New York is the hardest-hit state in that count. One caveat worth stating plainly: the widely-quoted [“31 to 80 New York cases”](https://pix11.com/news/local-news/new-yorkers-most-affected-by-national-diarrhea-parasite-outbreak-cdc/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) figure is not a number CDC published. CDC releases only a national total, a count of states, and a shaded map — the New York figure is a media read of which shading band the state falls into. If you need a hard state number, CDC tells you to ask the state health department directly. **Michigan is the real tell** Michigan is not one of CDC’s 17 states — yet the [Michigan Department of Health and Human Services](https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-mdhhs/newsroom/2026/07/01/cyclosporiasis?ref=foodsafetynews.com) has separately reported 572 cases as of July 4, centered on a Monroe County cluster. Those cases simply haven’t reached CDC’s national pipeline, which runs only through June 16\. This isn’t a contradiction; it’s a lag. When Michigan folds in, the national number won’t creep — it will jump. That’s why one outlet says “145 in 17 states” and another says “300 in 18 states”: the larger figure just adds Michigan’s count to CDC’s. Reasonable, but it’s a media aggregation, not an official CDC number. Almost every U.S. cyclospora outbreak traces to raw fresh produce that never gets a cooking step. FDA and CDC point to raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow and snap peas, mesclun and salad mixes, and bagged salads, salad kits, and vegetable trays. Two things matter for consumers: washing does not remove the parasite, and [nothing frozen, cooked, or peeled](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7699734/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) has ever been implicated. This is a contaminated-water-and-field problem, not a grocery-cooler one. **We’ve seen this before** - **1996 —** [Guatemalan raspberries](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7699734/?ref=foodsafetynews.com): roughly 1,465 cases; the outbreak that established Cyclospora as a foodborne pathogen. - **2018 —** [a double outbreak](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6171894/?ref=foodsafetynews.com): prepackaged vegetable trays (\~250 cases) and fast-food salads (511 cases, 11 states); the full season topped 2,299 cases in 33 states. - **2019 —** [a record 4,703 infections](https://www.today.com/health/disease/explosive-diarrhea-parasite-cyclospora-cayetanensis-outbreak-rcna352540?ref=foodsafetynews.com). - **2020 —** [Fresh Express bagged salads](https://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/food-poisoning-information/what-is-cyclospora/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), 1,200-plus cases. - **2022 —** [a Florida cluster](https://www.today.com/health/disease/explosive-diarrhea-parasite-cyclospora-cayetanensis-outbreak-rcna352540?ref=foodsafetynews.com) tied to a Caesar salad kit with bagged romaine. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a tiny, single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite. ### Scientists propose label to help people avoid Listeria infection URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/scientists-propose-label-to-help-people-avoid-listeria-infection/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T04:03:42.000Z Researchers have suggested an optional change to food labels to help reduce the risk of Listeria infections. Scientists from DTU National Food Institute in Denmark said the idea is to give consumers the opportunity to choose ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, such as smoked salmon and spiced pork roll, without risking infection from Listeria. Listeria accounts for almost a third of all deaths associated with foodborne outbreaks in the EU. Infection poses a higher risk to older people, those with underlying health conditions and other vulnerable groups, as well as pregnant women. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns six importers in five states for food safety failures tied to tea, produce and sauces URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-warns-six-importers-in-five-states-for-food-safety-failures-tied-to-tea-produce-and-sauces/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T04:02:02.000Z As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view. --- The FDA has issued warning letters to six food importers in California, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada and Texas for significant violations of the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), saying the companies failed to ensure imported foods met U.S. food safety requirements. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Ireland records rise in consumer complaints URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/ireland-records-rise-in-consumer-complaints/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T04:01:11.000Z Almost 10,000 complaints and queries were handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) advice line in 2025. According to FSAI, there were 6,135 complaints from consumers, with 33 percent relating to unfit food and 28 percent to poor hygiene standards. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Nominations open for WHO food safety award URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/nominations-open-for-who-food-safety-award/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T04:00:29.000Z The World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific region has opened nominations for an award related to food safety. One of the categories in the WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards 2026 covers nutrition and food safety. Initiatives must have been implemented within the past two years; demonstrate measurable progress; and be supported by evidence. Applicants must be from WHO member states in the Western Pacific region. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Frozen blueberries recalled, linked to E. coli outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/frozen-blueberries-recalled-linked-to-e-coli-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T01:54:28.000Z Frozen blueberries sold at Publix grocery stores have been recalled because of contamination with E. coli O145:H28\. Twelve people have fallen ill. On July 3, Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. — the Chilean grower-packer that sells under the Comfrut brand — announced the recall of its 10-ounce GreenWise Organic IQF (individually quick frozen) Blueberries after the product tested presumptively positive for E. coli O145:H28, a Shiga toxin–producing E. coli (STEC). The frozen berries were distributed exclusively to Publix stores across eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The recall covers a single lot – code 6040 01 – with a Best By date of Feb. 9, 2028\. According to the company, the recall was prompted by reports of consumers who fell ill after eating the berries, and the notice states there have been 12 confirmed cases of stomach illnesses between May 11 and June 5, 2026 linked to E. coli O145:H28\. Food safety attorney Bill Marler of Seattle says the situation is disconcerting. “Here is what bothers me. As of this writing, the ‘12 cases’ figure comes from the company — not from a health authority. I cannot find a matching outbreak notice from either the FDA or the CDC,” Marler said. “FDA’s Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks table carries no entry for GreenWise blueberries, no CORE reference number, and no agency case count. CDC’s foodborne outbreak page shows no dedicated notice. There is no publicly disclosed PulseNet cluster ID for this event, and no official hospitalization, HUS, or death tally. “To be fair, the company’s notice says it is ‘working closely with the appropriate regulatory authorities,’ so there may well be a non-public FDA interaction already underway. But that is precisely the point: as of publication, no agency has posted anything the public can actually see. Whatever is happening behind the scenes, the silence facing consumers is total.” E. coli O145:H28 has become one of the more persistent STEC serotypes in recent surveillance, and it has an uncomfortable track record of causing clusters that public health investigators never manage to pin to a food: - 2025 (FDA CORE ref #1303)*.* CDC notified FDA of an O145:H28 cluster (PulseNet ID 2504MLENM) with 11 cases, isolation dates in late March through early April 2025\. Three were hospitalized. There was one HUS case and one death attributed to STEC. The vehicle was never identified. - 2024 (FDA CORE ref #1282).Another O145:H28 cluster, 8 cases, again closed with the food source “not identified.” - United Kingdom, *2024\.* A national O145:H28 outbreak grew to nearly 300 cases with 11 HUS cases and two deaths, ultimately traced to lettuce. UK authorities have flagged O145:H28 as one of the most common STEC serotypes they now detect. **About E. coli infections** Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled blueberries and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about their possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are required to diagnose the infections, which can mimic other illnesses. The symptoms of E. coli infections vary for each person but often include severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, which is often bloody. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within five to seven days. Others can develop severe or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 5 to 10 percent of those diagnosed with E. coli infections develop a potentially life-threatening kidney failure complication, known as a hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased frequency of urination, small unexplained bruises or bleeding, and pallor. Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injuries or death. This condition can occur among people of any age but is most common in children younger than five years old because of their immature immune systems, older adults because of deteriorating immune systems, and people with compromised immune systems such as cancer patients. People who experience HUS symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care. People with HUS will likely be hospitalized because the condition can cause other serious and ongoing problems such as hypertension, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurologic problems. ### Sunday Edition: In the spotlight URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/sunday-edition-in-the-spotlight/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:15:21.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena this week** - A significant Salmonella outbreak across Europe [has sickened more than 100 people now](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/more-than-100-sick-in-severe-multi-country-salmonella-outbreak/). Children and young adults have been most affected, with 49 victims hospitalized. The UK and Lithuania have the largest number of cases. The source appears to be flavored instant noodle products from the Reeva brand and some cases seem to have resulted from eating the product directly from the package. “This is absolutely not advisable, as the product is not ready to eat,” said Ulrich Pinstrup, from the Danish Veterinary, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency. - In the US, the FDA is investigating a [new outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/new-e-coli-outbreak-detected-fda-begins-onsite-inspections-in-nara-infant-formula-botulism-outbreak/) involving E. coli O157:H7 with 14 patients affected so far. The agency has not reported where the victims are located or what food is being investigated as the source. The FDA has also begun onsite inspections related to an outbreak of botulism traced to Nara Organics infant formula. As of July 1, three patients have been hospitalized with symptoms. - The [Senate Agriculture Committee has released its draft of the 2026 Farm Bill](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/2026-farm-bill-includes-food-safe/) which it will consider later this year. Food safety provisions in the bill include: a requirement to update food safety preparation regulations and guidelines for childcare facilities regarding fresh fruits and vegetables, establishment of a pilot program to allow custom slaughter facilities exemption from inspection to sell meat and poultry products directly to consumers and creation of standards for honey authentication. --- Hello FSN+ members, We are not producing a fresh Sunday Edition newsletter this week because of the Independence Day holiday. Here are some highlights and updates related to the great work the FSN team does each week. Thank you for your continued support! Morgan Holm Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief --- In February, we did [a deep dive on so-called “forever chemicals.”](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/02/sunday-edition-forever-chemicals/?ref=the-sunday-edition-newsletter) Those are PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These chemicals are resistant to heat, water and oil. They also degrade very slowly so they are used in water systems to protect infrastructure. Here are some of the most recent developments on the topic. - The EPA will hold a virtual public hearing on July 7 to accept comments on proposed rules that would [rescind regulatory standards for four PFAS](https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/proposed-pfas-rescission-rule?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that were set in 2024\. Drinking water providers would also have [more time to comply with standards](https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/proposed-pfoa-and-pfos-compliance-extension-rule?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for two other PFAS under another proposed rule. - Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced [a proposed settlement in a lawsuit against Chemours Chemical Company](https://westvirginiawatch.com/2026/06/25/chemours-would-pay-11-25m-to-wv-under-proposed-settlement-in-federal-case-over-pfas-discharges/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for discharging PFAS into water supplies in West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey. The settlement, which has not yet been approved by a judge, would require the company to pay more than $22 million in civil penalties for PFAS discharges above allowable limits near its facilities in those three states. Under the proposed settlement, Chemours would not admit liability. The company would also be required to spend $90 million over the next 15 years to clean up the affected waters. The DOJ says this is the first settlement to resolve enforcement claims tied to pollution from a PFAS manufacturer. --- In May, we looked at the [2026 Farm Bill passed by the U.S. House](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/sunday-edition-h-r-7567/). The legislation included a 20 percent cut in the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. The Senate is expected to take up its version of the bill later this summer. Here’s the latest on this topic: - Last week, a federal judge in Washington D.C. [blocked a Trump administration policy that allowed states to restrict the use of SNAP benefits](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/22/us/politics/judge-ruling-food-stamps-sugary-drinks.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.uVA.1Nmg.trX%5Flq9FEh%5FU&smid=url-share&ref=foodsafetynews.com). Benefits recipients in five states sued the USDA over [limits on using SNAP funds to buy candy, soda, energy drinks and prepared desserts](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2025/06/maha-gets-states-to-sign-waivers-further-restricting-snap-purchases/). Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that the USDA did not have the authority to give waivers to states that want to limit how the benefits are used since Congress defines what is considered "food" for the purposes of the program. - The USDA released its [fiscal year 2025 payment error rates for SNAP](https://www.fna.usda.gov/snap/qc/per?ref=foodsafetynews.com) last week. This wouldn’t normally be a big deal, but under the One Big Beautiful Bill approved by Congress in 2025, states that have an error rate at or above six percent must start to pay a portion of SNAP benefits for their residents beginning in the fall of 2027\. The average error rate across the nation is 10.62 percent, which Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says is “further proof that state accountability is severely lacking in SNAP.” The rate measures over- and underpayments in SNAP that often reflect unintentional mistakes (fraud and abuse are tracked by separate metrics). Many states could be on the hook for $100 million or more in contributions, that is, [unless the Senate decides to alter the rule in its version of the Farm Bill](https://foodfix.co/states-stare-down-billions-in-new-costs-to-keep-snap-benefits-flowing/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). --- In April, we looked at the [surging popularity of raw milk and one of its biggest proponents, Mark McAfee](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/04/sunday-edition-king-raw/), the owner of RAW FARM LLC in Fresno, CA. Even though many consumers acknowledge the risks associated with unpasteurized milk, it has come to symbolize freedom from the rules and regulations common to many American food products. Here’s what’s happened recently. - [Eleven people in Louisiana](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/raw-milk-outbreak-reported-in-louisiana/) were sickened by campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis after consuming unpasteurized, raw milk. Two were hospitalized. Louisiana does not allow the sale of raw milk for human consumption, although it can be purchased for animal or pet consumption. - At the end of May, Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed into law [a measure increasing the cap on sales of raw milk to consumers](https://www.kosu.org/oklahoma-raw-milk-law?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The new state law allows sales of up to 1,500 gallons of raw milk directly to consumers each month. The old cap was 100 gallons. Supporters of the law hailed it for giving dairy producers more freedom and for supporting small family farms. We’ll be back next week with more insights and perspective about food safety. --- *Do you have any comments, questions or suggestions for future coverage?* [*Click here*](https://tally.so/r/Y5YzZB?ref=foodsafetynews.com) *to give us your feedback.* ### Publix Recalls Blueberries due to E. coli Illnesses URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publix-recalls-blueberries-dues-to-e-coli-illnesses/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T00:23:24.000Z Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A., San Carlos, Chile is recalling frozen **GreenWise Organic IQF Blueberries 10 oz.** Because it may be contaminated with Escherichia coli O145:H28 (E. coli O145). *E. coli* O145 is a Shiga toxin-producing *E. coli* (STEC) that can cause illness characterized by severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which may be bloody), and vomiting. While most healthy individuals recover within a week, some infections may result in a serious complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), particularly in young children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems. The recalled product was shipped to Publix retail stores throughout 8 states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Consumers should check their freezers for the affected product. The affected product lot is: - **Product:** Frozen GreenWise Organic IQF Blueberries - **Package Size:** 10 oz - **Lot Code:** 60401 - **Best By Date:** February 9, 2028 - Publix is advising customers return or discard any frozen GreenWise blueberries products with a purchase date of 7/3/2026 or before No other lot codes or Best By dates are affected by this recall. There have been reports of 12 confirmed cases of consumers experiencing stomach illness between May 11, 2026 and June 5, 2026 linked with E. coli O145:H28 infections After receiving reports of consumers experiencing digestive illnesses and having consumed GreenWise frozen blueberries as part of their diet, Frutas y Hortalizas S.A. has decided to initiate the recall. Consumers who have frozen GreenWise blueberry products with the affected lot date should **not consume it**. Frutas y Hortalizas S.A. is working closely with the appropriate regulatory authorities and its customers regarding this recall. The company has instructed all customers receiving the affected lot to immediately isolate the product, discontinue its distribution, and notify any downstream customers who may have received the affected lot. ### Publisher’s Platform: The Safest Fourth of July in 250 Years URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-the-safest-fourth-of-july-in-250-years/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:14:21.000Z This Saturday, somewhere around 150 million Americans will pick up a hot dog, a hamburger, a scoop of potato salad, or an ear of sweet corn dripping with butter. It is the most democratic meal of the year — the one day a country that agrees on almost nothing sits down to more or less the same plate. On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, I want to write something I rarely get to say in this space: the meal we will share this Fourth of July is the safest in the history of the republic. That is worth celebrating. I have spent more than thirty years on the other side of that sentence. My career has been a long catalog of the days food safety failed — the outbreaks, the hospital rooms, the families who trusted a label and paid for it. Believe me when I tell you that the progress is real, and that it did not happen by accident. Consider the Fourth of July that the signers themselves would have known. In 1776, nobody at that table understood why food made people sick. Germ theory was nearly a century away. There was no refrigeration beyond a cellar or a block of pond ice, no inspection of any kind, no notion that the invisible could kill you. A summer picnic in the heat was a genuine gamble, and when the gamble went wrong, people called it fate. A child lost to "summer complaint" was mourned and buried, and no one thought to ask which farm, which pump, which cut of meat was to blame — because the questions themselves had not yet been invented. Then, slowly, they were. Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch gave us the germ theory of disease, and for the first time the enemy had a name. Mechanical refrigeration moved from the meatpacking house into the corner grocery and eventually the American kitchen, and the summer months stopped being a season of dread. In 1906, a young novelist named Upton Sinclair aimed for the country's heart and hit its stomach instead — *The Jungle* so sickened the public that Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act in a single year. Milk, once one of the deadliest things a family could bring home, was tamed by pasteurization, and a generation of children who would have died before their fifth birthday grew up instead. I will not pretend the modern era begins anywhere but 1993\. When four children died and hundreds fell ill after eating undercooked hamburgers, *E. coli* O157:H7 stopped being an obscure entry in a microbiology text and became a household fear. That outbreak drew the line between the food safety world that came before and the one we live in now. Within a year, the government declared that pathogen an adulterant in ground beef — meaning the burger on your grill this weekend is held to a legal standard that did not exist when I started practicing law. In 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act rebuilt the system around a radical idea: that the point is to *prevent* contamination rather than merely mop it up afterward. Add it up, and the arithmetic is staggering. The hamburger a father flips this Saturday is the safest hamburger any American father has ever grilled. The glass of milk a child drinks is the safest glass of milk in two hundred and fifty years. We have driven *Salmonella*, *Listeria*, *Campylobacter*, and their cousins into retreat — not to zero, never yet to zero, but to a place our ancestors could only have called a miracle. None of this was inevitable, and none of it was free. It was built by people whose names will never appear in a headline. The inspector walking a plant floor at five in the morning. A company’s director of food safety that pushed for reform. The line worker who pulls a questionable lot because it is the right thing to do. The state lab technician quietly serotyping the day's stool samples. The FoodNet epidemiologist who notices that three sick children in three different states ate the same brand — and picks up the phone. These are the people who made this holiday safe. They are the reason a hot dog is something no one at your table will think twice about. That thoughtlessness is their monument. I have made a career of arguing that we can do better, and on most days, I still believe our system is held together with too much good luck and not enough political will. Surveillance can be cut. Inspectors can be furloughed. Lessons can be unlearned. Progress must be tended. But the Fourth of July is not a day for the argument. It is a day for the gratitude that makes the argument worth having. This Saturday, before the fireworks, I will raise a paper plate to the invisible army that keeps my clients' ranks from growing. My professional dream has always been a strange one for a lawyer: to make food safe enough that people stop needing me. On the 250th birthday of a country that keeps, against long odds, getting better at feeding itself — that dream feels a little less far off than it used to. Happy Independence Day. Eat well and eat safely. We have earned both. ### Beef jerky recalled because of undeclared wheat URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/beef-jerky-recalled-because-of-undeclared-wheat/ Last updated: 2026-07-04T01:27:31.000Z The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for a beef jerky product because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen. The product contains wheat, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. People with allergies or sensitivities to wheat run the risk of serious or life threatening reactions if they consume the product. A recall was not requested because the product is no longer available for purchase. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries. The ready-to-eat beef jerky item was produced on various dates between Aug. 7, 2025, and July 1, 2026\. The following product is subject to the public health alert: - 2.5-oz. plastic bag packages of “STREET’S BEEF Jerky TERIYAKI FLAVOR” with lot codes 0701271, 0520271, 04014271, 0415271, 0211271, 1015261, 1016261, 1029261, 0909261, 0806261, and 0820261 shown on a sticker on the packaging. The product has the establishment number “EST. 21827” printed inside the USDA mark of inspection. This item was shipped to three retail locations in Oklahoma: Bordwine Hay, Feed & Hardware, Grassroots Farm Store, and Bromide Trading Co. The problem was discovered during a routine FSIS label review. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a health care provider. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### DOJ ends investigation into infant formula company linked to deadly cronobacter outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/doj-ends-investigation-into-infant-formula-company-linked-to-deadly-cronobacter-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T00:23:42.000Z The Department of Justice has closed its investigation into Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturer of infant formula that was tied to a 2021-22 outbreak of cronobacter infections. Four babies were sickened and two died in the outbreak. All four were fed Abbott’s infant formula. After the outbreak, Abbott recalled its Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formula and closed a manufacturing plant, leading to a severe nationwide shortage of infant formula. The company has since reopened the manufacturing facility. The Department of Justice (DOJ) launched an investigation into the situation after cronobacter was found in the Abbott manufacturing plant in Sturgis, MI. The cronobacter species found at the plant did not match that from samples taken from the sick infants, but the Food and Drug Administration reported that did not mean the implicated species had not been present when the formula in question was produced. The *Wall Street Journal* and *Reuters* news service have reported that the DOJ ended its investigation into Abbott after it came to light that the company gave $500,000 to President Trump’s inauguration committee. The White House and Abbott have not responded to requests for comment from the news outlets. A Public Citizen analysis published in April 2025 listed Abbott among 58 corporations facing federal investigations or enforcement that together gave $50 million to Trump's inauguration, with Abbott's contribution recorded at $500,000. At the time the DOJ investigation began, some prosecutors believed they had enough evidence to file criminal charges against Abbott. However, when the investigation was closed, the DOJ decided to merely take back money the company earned from selling formula through federally funded nutrition programs, the *Journal* reported. ### Experts make case for domestic food safety focus URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/experts-make-case-for-domestic-food-safety-focus/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T04:04:15.000Z Experts are hoping revised foodborne infection data can shift the focus of resources from trade to investing in domestic food safety. The World Health Organization (WHO) updated [foodborne illness estimates](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/who-estimates-reveal-millions-of-foodborne-illness-deaths/) thanks to work by the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG). Incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) burdens were estimated for certain diseases from 2000 to 2021. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Moldova and Malta report food poisoning incidents URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/moldova-and-malta-report-food-poisoning-incidents/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T04:02:49.000Z Moldova and Malta have both recently recorded separate outbreaks of foodborne illness. In Moldova, the National Agency for Public Health (ANSP) reported an outbreak of food poisoning among people who attended events in a hotel in Chisinau. The epidemiological investigation found that onset of symptoms was associated with participation in several events during June 22 to 26\. Local media reported that the implicated venue was the Radisson Blu Leogrand hotel. Overall, nine events of interest were organized in the hotel, attended by 519 people. So far, 26 people have fallen sick. Most of these people have been hospitalized and are receiving specialist treatment. Some officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were among the participants at the events and sought medical assistance for symptoms of food poisoning. Following laboratory investigations, Salmonella Enteritidis was confirmed in seven patients. Other samples are still being examined. Samples have been taken from personnel involved in food preparation and handling as well as from food products. **Malta incident** In Malta, public health authorities are investigating an outbreak identified in late June among employees after eating lunch at their workplace. In total, 19 people were assessed at the accident and emergency department and two required hospital admission. All affected people were reported to be in a stable condition. Public health authorities have opened an epidemiological investigation to identify the source and extent of the outbreak. The pathogen responsible has not been disclosed. The Food Safety and Security Authority (FSSA) is focusing on the items served, including the collection and analysis of relevant food and environmental samples to determine the source of the contamination. As a precautionary measure, the authority issued an Emergency Control Order, and the kitchen facilities were closed pending further investigations and implementation of corrective measures. The public was reminded of the importance of good food hygiene practices, particularly during periods of hot weather. Particular attention should be paid to maintaining appropriate refrigeration temperatures, avoiding cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods, and ensuring thorough cooking of food products. The FSSA also revealed it had been alerted to a van that arrived in Malta via the ferry from Sicily, carrying various food products. According to the Tax and Customs Administration, the van had come from Albania and gone through Sicily before reaching Malta. An inspection of the vehicle found food items including meat, yoghurt, snacks, cheese, olive oil, soft drinks, beans, eggs, alcohol, salt and juices. Products had been transported at inappropriate temperatures or lacked the required labeling. Also, traceability documentation was missing. Products were sealed and will be destroyed. Traders are legally obliged to register with the FSSA and to notify it at least 48 hours prior to the entry into Malta of any animals, food, feeding stuffs, or plants. This requirement applies even when goods originate from within the European Union. ### Keeping America’s 250th Independence Day leftovers safe URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/keeping-americas-250th-independence-day-leftovers-safe/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T04:01:44.000Z As the United States marks its 250th Independence Day, families will be packing away picnic trays, grill platters and dessert tables and facing the question of how to safely handle leftovers in the sizzling summer heat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture warns that improper storage of perishable foods can quickly lead to foodborne illness as bacteria multiply in warm conditions. **Follow the two-hour rule** Perishable foods should not sit out for more than two hours, or one hour if temperatures exceed 90 degrees F. Foods left in the “Danger Zone” between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F can quickly support the growth of harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria. - Refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour if above 90 degrees F) - Discard foods left out too long - Do not rely on appearance or smell to judge safety **Store leftovers safely** Rapid cooling is key to preventing bacterial growth. - Use small, shallow containers for quick cooling - Refrigerate or freeze promptly - Label containers with dates - Refrigerate leftovers at 40 degrees F or below Large containers of foods such as potato salad, baked beans or grilled meats should be divided into smaller portions before storage. **Know how long to keep them** Even in the refrigerator, leftovers do not last indefinitely. - Eat refrigerated leftovers within 4 days - Freeze for longer storage if needed - Frozen foods remain safe but quality declines over time **Reheat to safe temperatures** Proper reheating ensures any surviving bacteria are destroyed. - Heat leftovers to 165 degrees F internal temperature - Bring soups, sauces and gravies to a rolling boil - Stir and rotate food in microwaves to avoid cold spots - Avoid slow cookers for reheating **Prevent cross-contamination** Food safety risks can continue after cooking if foods are stored improperly. - Keep raw meats separate from ready-to-eat foods - Use clean utensils and surfaces after handling raw items - Store leftovers in sealed containers **Where to get help** Consumers with questions can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or visit ask.usda.gov. By following basic safety steps, Americans can extend their celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday without an unwanted side of foodborne illness. ### Call to address fraud in food security programs URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/call-to-address-fraud-in-food-security-programs/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T04:01:31.000Z Experts have voiced concerns about food fraud in food security programs and suggested ways to combat the problem. A report made several recommendations including penalizing and discouraging food fraud practices, greenwashing and misleading claims or labels by requiring businesses to verify claims about how products were cultivated, grown, processed and packaged. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA steps up import enforcement action on infant formula, cantaloupes and seafood URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/fda-steps-up-import-enforcement-action-on-infant-formula-cantaloupes-and-seafood/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T04:00:36.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. [Click here](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/USFDA/2026/06/29/file%5Fattachments/3697433/Import%20Alerts%20Modified%20in%20the%20past%207%20days%202026-06-29.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to go to the FDA page with links to details on specific alerts. See chart below for a list of the most recent alerts. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/07/import-alerts-07-02-26.png) Click on table to enlarge. Use link above to go to FDA page with links to individual alerts. ### Publisher's Platform: Nara, you knew what when? And, your words matter! URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-nara-you-knew-what-when-and-your-words-matter/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:14:57.000Z Three babies — in California, Pennsylvania, and Washington — were hospitalized with botulism after being fed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula. All three were between two and five months old. All three were treated with BabyBIG. On June 13, 2026, Nara recalled every lot. I represent families in cases like these, and I have done it for more than thirty years. So let me be direct about the three things this case turns on. First, the risk of botulism in milk, powdered milk, and powdered infant formula was known — not in hindsight, but on the record, in writing, years before these babies got sick. Second, Nara dressed its product in words like “FDA-registered” and “2,000+ tests per batch” that do not mean what a frightened, sleep-deprived parent in a Target aisle would reasonably think they mean. And third, as the company that imported this formula from Europe, Nara had specific, federally mandated duties to find this hazard and make sure its supplier controlled it. From where I sit, representing the families, those duties were not met. Botulism in powdered formula was not a danger nobody saw coming. Just the opposite. On March 8, 2023 — more than three years ago — the FDA sent a Call-to-Action letter to the powdered infant formula industry. It was signed by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and the Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. And, critically, it was addressed by its own terms to manufacturers, packers, distributors, exporters, importers, and retailers. The letter told the industry, in plain language, to account for the historical associations between powdered infant formula and pathogens including Cronobacter, Salmonella, and Clostridium botulinum when designing safety controls. It named the bacterium by genus and species. Nara is a manufacturer and importer. This letter was written to companies exactly like Nara. And none of this was new even in 2023\. Go back to August 2013, when a single suspected botulinum contamination in whey protein concentrate from the New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra set off a precautionary recall across seven countries — roughly a thousand tons of product used to make infant formula and sports drinks. China ordered Abbott to pull baby formula off its shelves over the scare. It later turned out the organism was a non-pathogenic Clostridium, not C. botulinum at all. But that is precisely the point: more than a decade ago, the mere suspicion of botulinum in milk powder sent the global dairy and formula industry into a five-alarm panic — product yanked from seven countries, executives toppled. Nobody in this business can stand up and say the hazard was off the radar. Then came the proof of concept. In November 2025, Clostridium botulinum in ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula — also a whole-milk-powder product — sickened 48 infants across 17 states. Federal and state investigators confirmed the link in the strongest way science allows — whole genome sequencing tied the strain in the whole milk powder to the strain in the finished formula to the strain in the sick babies. The FDA has publicly described its root-cause work on incoming ingredients such as powdered milk, and the agency pushed the Joint FAO/WHO expert body to open a formal risk assessment of spore-forming pathogens — including C. botulinum — in powdered infant formula. Back in March 2025 — before Nara had sold a single can — the FDA and HHS launched a national infant-formula safety initiative they named Operation Stork Speed, built in part around increased testing of formula and its ingredients for contaminants. After ByHeart, the FDA folded the botulism lesson straight into that program. Its public Operation Stork Speed page now describes increased testing of infant formula and its ingredients for spore-forming microbiological contaminants, naming Clostridium botulinum and Bacillus cereus outright. And in February 2026 — months before the babies in this outbreak ever became ill — the FDA opened a sampling assignment aimed at exactly the ingredients at issue here: whole milk powder, non-fat dry milk powder, and whey protein concentrate. So, in the very window when Nara was selling whole-milk-powder formula to American families, the federal government was publicly testing that exact ingredient for that exact organism. Nara cannot claim it missed the memo, either. Its own marketing reached for the FDA’s companion contaminant program, “Closer to Zero,” to dress up its heavy-metals testing — while saying nothing about the spore-former the same agency was chasing through the same supply chain under the same banner. Here is the part that matters most, and that Nara’s marketing never grappled with. Clostridium botulinum is a spore-former. The FDA has gone out of its way to explain the difference between spore-forming bacteria like C. botulinum and vegetative bacteria like Cronobacter and Salmonella: the vegetative organisms are killed by ordinary pasteurization, while botulinum spores survive pasteurization and persist in the environment. The spores live in soil and dust and walk into plants on hands and shoes. That is precisely why you cannot pasteurize your way out of this problem, and why the controls have to start with the milk and the supplier — not end with a reassuring number on a website. When I ask what Nara should have known, the honest answer is: everything above. It was on the FDA’s letterhead in 2023\. It was on the national news in late 2025\. It was the subject of a federal testing program running in early 2026\. The babies in this outbreak did not get sick until the spring of 2026. Expect Nara to answer all of this with a single word: unprecedented. The FDA has described the 2025 ByHeart event as the first known instance of infant botulism tied to formula since the illness was first described roughly fifty years ago, and Nara will lean on that hard — no one could have predicted this. But foreseeability has never meant “this exact product did this exact thing before.” It means a careful company knew or should have known of the risk. And the danger that environmental C. botulinum spores pose to infants is not obscure science. It is the reason every pediatrician and every parenting pamphlet warns never to give honey to a baby under one year old. A company that builds infant food out of an agricultural powder — milk that comes out of barns and off of farms — did not need a prior formula outbreak to understand that the single most vulnerable population on earth for this organism was precisely the population it was feeding. Walk through Nara’s own marketing and one phrase appears again and again: “FDA-registered.” It is paired with talk of a “first-of-its-kind” clinical trial and with the claim that the company performed that trial “in order to be FDA registered.” The clear impression — the intended impression — is that a federal agency vetted this formula, tested it, and blessed it as safe. That is not how infant formula works in this country, and Nara knows it. The FDA’s own website could not be clearer: the agency does not approve infant formulas. Manufacturers must notify the FDA before marketing a new formula and must register, and the FDA reviews those submissions to confirm the product meets nutrient and certain other requirements. But registration and notification are not approval. They are not an FDA inspection of the actual factory in Germany. They are not an FDA seal of safety. And they are certainly not a finding that the product is free of Clostridium botulinum. “FDA-registered” is a paperwork status. Nara turned it into a marketing virtue and let parents read it as a guarantee. That gap — between what the words say and what parents were led to believe — is exactly the kind of thing I intend to put in front of a jury. There is a second sleight of hand tucked inside the same boast. Nara points to a large, first-of-its-kind, double-blinded clinical trial as proof of its formula’s “safety.” A new-formula clinical trial is a growth-and-tolerance study — it measures whether babies fed the formula grow normally and tolerate it. It is a nutrition study. It does not test for Clostridium botulinum, and it says nothing whatsoever about whether the powder in the can is free of spores. Presenting “clinically tested for safety” as a general assurance, when the trial never went near the hazard that actually hurt these children, is the same move as “FDA-registered” – a true-sounding credential standing in for a safety guarantee it was never designed to give. Nara marketed itself on volume: 2,000-plus safety and quality tests on every batch, testing that “exceeds” minimums, an independent Purity Award. Read closely, and you see what that testing was actually aimed at — heavy metals, Cronobacter, pesticides, chemicals of concern. Those are real things to test for. None of them is the spore that paralyzed these babies. Look at what Nara itself added to its recall page after the outbreak: a list of organisms it tests for that now includes Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus and “other spore forming organisms.” Notice what is conspicuously absent from that list. The one spore-former at the center of this outbreak — Clostridium botulinum — is not named. That same pattern runs through Nara’s proudest safety badge. The company trumpets a Clean Label Project “Purity Award” and testing for hundreds of “chemicals of concern.” But the Clean Label Project, by its own description, screens for heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers — chemical and environmental contaminants. It does not test for pathogens; the organization openly frames itself as covering the ground that pathogen-focused food safety leaves out. The very award Nara waves to signal “safe” is, by definition, silent on the microbial spore that put three babies in the hospital. It is a purity seal for chemicals, marketed as a safety seal for everything. And here is the deeper problem, which the FDA has said out loud: testing a finished can of powder for botulinum spores is not a reliable safety net. The spores are sparse and unevenly scattered; the FDA notes that detecting them requires specialized methods, takes two weeks or more, and that the presence or absence of spores in a sample is not by itself determinative of risk. That is the whole point. You do not protect infants from this hazard by testing your way to a clean certificate at the end of the line. You protect them by controlling the milk and the manufacturing — upstream, where the spores enter. A company that sells parents on “2,000+ tests” is selling reassurance the science does not support, while the actual control that mattered was somewhere else entirely. This formula was not made by Nara — though Nara will be held to a manufacturer’s standard. It was made in Germany and imported into the United States by Nara Organics. Nara would like the conversation to stop at “made in Germany to EU standards.” The law does not let it stop there. When you import food into the United States, you are the Foreign Supplier Verification Program importer under the FDA’s rules — 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart L, the regulations Congress required in the Food Safety Modernization Act. Those rules are not a formality. They require the importer to develop and follow a program that gives adequate assurance that its foreign supplier is making the food under controls that provide at least the same level of public health protection as U.S. preventive-controls law, and that the food is not adulterated. The importer must conduct a hazard analysis to identify the known or reasonably foreseeable hazards for that food. It must evaluate the risk. And it must verify — through audits, sampling, records review, and supplier approval — that the foreign supplier is actually controlling those hazards. Read that standard again: known or reasonably foreseeable hazards. After a 2023 FDA letter addressed to importers that named Clostridium botulinum, and after the ByHeart outbreak made the front page, botulinum in whole-milk-powder infant formula was the definition of a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard. Nara’s hazard analysis was supposed to catch it. Its supplier-verification program was supposed to confirm the German manufacturer controlled it. What makes this worse is that Nara told parents it was doing exactly this kind of diligence. The company advertised “extremely high standards for working with a supplier,” “full evaluations of every ingredient partner,” and “full control over our manufacturing.” Yet to this day Nara has refused to publicly name the German manufacturer that actually made this formula. You cannot square a public promise of rigorous supplier verification with a refusal to even identify the supplier. The FSVP rules exist precisely so that the company putting its brand on the can — the company taking the parents’ money — cannot point overseas and shrug. I am not interested in hindsight, and the families I represent cannot spend it. What I am interested in is accountability for a sequence that was foreseeable at every step: a hazard the government put in writing in 2023, that a near-identical outbreak proved in 2025, and that the FDA was sampling this very milk powder to catch by early 2026 — attached to an ingredient Nara marketed as its premium selling point, sold under words like “FDA-registered” and “2,000+ tests” engineered to make parents feel safe, by an importer that owed these children a legal duty to find this exact risk and stop it. It is also why I have called on Congress to pass Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act, which would, for the first time, require testing for Clostridium botulinum and mandate environmental testing inside the plants that make this formula — the upstream controls that finished-product marketing can never replace. The parents of these babies trusted a label. They were entitled to the truth behind it. ### More than 100 sick in severe multi-country Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/more-than-100-sick-in-severe-multi-country-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T14:58:27.000Z The number of people sick in a multi-country Salmonella outbreak in Europe has passed 100. Between November 2025 and June 2026, 106 confirmed Salmonella Stanley caseswere reported in 13 European countries and the United Kingdom. The outbreak has mainly affected children and young adults, with 49 people requiring hospitalization. The UK has the most patients with 29 followed by Lithuania with 23, Germany with 14, and Denmark with 10\. Patients in the UK range in age from less than 1 to 84 years old. They are aged 2 to 20 in Lithuania, aged 3 to 26 in Germany, and aged 5 to 22 in Denmark. The outbreak was initially detected by Denmark and reported to the European surveillance portal for infectious diseases (EpiPulse) in late March. **Not following instructions on the label** Epidemiological investigations found that patients in Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania consumed flavored instant noodle products from the Reeva brand before falling ill. “Flavored noodles are a popular quick snack, and we are experiencing a trend where children and young people in particular are eating the product directly from the package. This is absolutely not advisable, as the product is not ready to eat," said Ulrich Pinstrup, from the Danish Veterinary, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency. In Latvia, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SKPC) said there are three cases in primary school children who fell ill in April and May. They had consumed Reeva instant noodles raw without adding boiling water and not according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Dr. Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director, Gastrointestinal Infections at UKHSA, said: “We are supporting an ongoing investigation into an international Salmonella outbreak, with most reported cases occurring in children and young people. "Current findings indicate that chicken‑flavoured instant noodles and/or processed chicken products are the suspected sources of infection. There are simple steps to prevent the spread of Salmonella: wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and before preparing and handling food, cook food thoroughly, and if you have any symptoms, avoid handling food for others where possible.” The outbreak strain has been detected in Germany and Lithuania in chicken-flavored and hot-chicken-flavored noodle products from one brand. In Lithuania, testing of other batches from the same brand found Salmonella Richmond and Salmonella Newport. In Estonia, a chicken-flavored noodle product was positive for Salmonella Senftenberg. **Ukraine link** In Germany, Reeva Instant Noodle Dish Chicken Flavor 60 grams was recalled. The affected lot is L0126 with an expiration date of April 5, 2027\. According to SLCO GmbH & Co. KG, an investigation by authorities in Saxony detected Salmonella Stanley in the product. Products have been traced to a producer in Ukraine. This points to a common source of contamination at production plant level, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Other strains of Salmonella have been detected, suggesting that more than one contamination source may be involved. There have been reports of chicken consumption in most affected countries, with processed products including nuggets, kebab meat, sausages, and ready-to-eat items frequently consumed. The Ukrainian producer conducted an internal investigation into the contamination. However, the ingredient used as flavoring was negative for Salmonella. ECDC said that further cases may occur because the products have a long shelf life and could remain stored in households for long periods. ### New E. coli outbreak detected; FDA begins onsite inspections in Nara infant formula botulism outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/new-e-coli-outbreak-detected-fda-begins-onsite-inspections-in-nara-infant-formula-botulism-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T04:04:10.000Z Federal public health officials are investigating a new outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. The Food and Drug Administration reports that there are 14 outbreak patients. The agency has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. Investigators with the FDA have initiated traceback, but the agency has not reported what food it is tracing. In other outbreak news, the FDA has begun onsite inspections in relation to the outbreak of botulism traced to Nara Organics infant formula. As of July 1, there are three outbreak patients. All three have experienced paralyzation and all three have required hospitalization. The FDA update posted on July 1 did not report what locations are being inspected. At least four companies are involved in the production and packaging of Nara’s formula. Two of the companies are in Europe. Prior to learning of the illnesses, FDA conducted inspections at the two firms that manufacture and package Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula in Europe. At the conclusion of both inspections, observations citing deficiencies were issued to both facilities. Both firms have submitted corrective action responses to FDA, which are currently under review. Two companies in the United States produce the milk and powdered milk used in the Nara product. The milk was supplied by Organic West Milk and spray dried by Dairy Farmers of America. **Additional outbreak updates** For an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis linked to a not yet identified product, the case count has increased from 70 to 77\. The FDA first reported the outbreak on June 10\. The agency has begun traceback but has not reported what food is being traced. The FDA has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. For outbreaks of Cyclospora linked to a not yet identified product, FDA has initiated sampling. The agency has not reported what food or location it is sampling. One of the outbreaks has eight confirmed patients and the other has two. These outbreaks are separate from Cyclospora outbreaks that have sickened 145 people across 17 states. No source has been determined for those outbreaks. ### Food safety tips to keep America's 250th anniversary illness-free URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/food-safety-tips-to-keep-americas-250th-anniversary-illness-free/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T04:02:50.000Z As Americans prepare to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday this Fourth of July, millions of people will gather for backyard barbecues, picnics, parades and fireworks displays. Food safety experts say taking a few simple precautions can help ensure the holiday is remembered for the celebration and not foodborne illness. Warm summer temperatures create ideal conditions for harmful bacteria to multiply, especially when food is left outdoors for extended periods. Proper handwashing, preventing cross-contamination and cooking foods to safe internal temperatures are among the most effective ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. **Safe grilling starts with the basics** The USDA recommends several simple steps to reduce the risk of foodborne illness during holiday cookouts: - **Wash hands** with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat, poultry or seafood. - **Preheat and clean the grill** before cooking to remove residue from previous use. - **Keep raw and cooked foods separate** by using different plates, utensils and cutting boards. - **Discard used marinades** that have come into contact with raw meat instead of reusing them. **Cook foods to the proper temperature** A food thermometer is the only reliable way to determine whether meat has reached a safe internal temperature. Color alone is not a dependable indicator. The USDA recommends cooking: - Ground meats to 160 degrees F - Whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb and veal to 145 degrees F, followed by a three-minute rest - All poultry to 165 degrees F - Fish to 145 degrees F **Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold** Temperature control is especially important during outdoor celebrations. Food safety experts recommend: - Refrigerating perishable foods within two hours of eating, or within one hour if outdoor temperatures exceed 90 degrees F - Keeping cold foods at 40 degrees F or below in coolers packed with ice - Holding hot foods at 140 degrees F or above until they are served Shared serving bowls, condiment bottles and snack dishes can also spread bacteria if guests handle them with unwashed hands. Encourage children to wash their hands after playing outside or swimming before eating. **Watch out for higher-risk foods** Some popular Fourth of July foods carry a greater risk of foodborne illness if they are improperly prepared or stored. These include: - Raw or undercooked burgers - Homemade foods made with raw eggs - Unpasteurized milk or juice - Raw sprouts - Raw shellfish - Raw cookie dough or cake batter, because uncooked flour may contain harmful E. coli Whether celebrating with family, friends or neighbors during America's 250th Independence Day, following basic food safety practices can help keep the focus on good food, good company and a safe holiday. ### Belgian 2025 review includes deadly E. coli outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/belgian-2025-review-includes-deadly-e-coli-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T04:01:33.000Z The Belgian food agency’s annual report was released recently and highlighted a fatal E. coli outbreak and revealed food fraud cases. The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) marked its 25th anniversary in 2025. In total, 773 foodborne outbreaks were reported with 3,375 people affected and 71 hospitalizations. There were 12 deaths. In 2024, there were 777 outbreaks with 4,248 people sick and 205 hospitalized. Six people died. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: Letter to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/publishers-platform-26/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:15:48.000Z The Honorable Bill Cassidy, M.D., Chairman The Honorable Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions United States Senate 428 Senate Dirksen Office Building Washington, DC 20510 **Re: *Finish what the Senate started — botulism in infant formula, the shared milk and powdered-milk supply behind two outbreaks, and the case for hearings and parent testimony*** Dear Chairman Cassidy, Ranking Member Sanders, and Members of the Committee: For more than thirty years — since the 1993 Jack in the Box *E. coli* outbreak — I have represented children and families poisoned by food they trusted. I now represent the families of more than twenty-five infants paralyzed by botulism in the first months of their lives because of contaminated powdered infant formula. I wrote to this Committee’s House counterpart last week in support of H.R. 7867, the Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act of 2026[\[1\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn1), and I am writing to you now because the Senate has already shown what this body can do on this issue — and because the work is not finished. **You have already led on this — and it mattered** Let me begin with credit, because you have earned it. On April 29, 2026, this Committee reported the [Protect Infant Formula from Contamination Act, S. 272](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/272?ref=foodsafetynews.com), favorably by a vote of 22 to 0, and the full Senate passed it the same day by unanimous consent.[\[2\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn2) Bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senators Gary Peters and John Hoeven, cleared this body without a single dissenting voice. That is not a small thing. In a Washington that agrees on almost nothing, the Senate agreed that parents deserve to be told, within one business day, when the formula in their baby’s bottle has tested positive for a deadly pathogen. That achievement fits squarely within the food-safety agenda th Administration has championed under the banner of Making America Healthy Again. The MAHA movement has put the safety and integrity of what we feed our children at the center of the national conversation — Operation Stork Speed forced the first serious look at infant formula in a generation, and the FDA’s April 2026 contaminant testing was the largest this country has ever conducted.[\[3\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn3) I have said publicly, and I will say it to you, that this work is long overdue and I am glad it is happening. The Senate’s passage of S. 272 is of a piece with it. You closed a real gap, and you should be proud of it. **But S. 272 does not reach the pathogen that actually paralyzed these babies** Here is the hard part, and I say it as someone who supports what you did. S. 272 requires one-business-day notice only for the organisms already on the books — *Cronobacter* and *Salmonella*. It does not reach *Clostridium botulinum*, the spore-forming organism that produced the toxin that hospitalized 48 infants across 17 states in the ByHeart outbreak[\[4\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn4) and three more infants in California, Pennsylvania, and Washington in the Nara Organics outbreak.[\[5\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn5) Every one of those 51 babies was hospitalized. Many were placed on ventilators. Each was treated with BabyBIG antitoxin, which the State of California prices at $69,300 per dose.[\[6\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn6) Not one of them was harmed by the contaminants the April testing screened for. They were paralyzed by a spore that no federal regulation requires anyone to test powdered formula for, before or after it ships. The hazard was not a surprise. On March 8, 2023 — two years before the first ByHeart baby fell ill — the FDA sent a [Call-to-Action letter](https://www.fda.gov/media/166044/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to the entire powdered infant formula industry, signed by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and the Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, naming *Clostridium botulinum* by genus and species and instructing manufacturers to account for it in the design of their controls.[\[7\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn7) The danger was foreseeable, it was named in writing by the government, and the rule still does not require the test. [H.R. 7867](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7867?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Rep. Jeff Van Drew, and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Reports, the Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, STOP Foodborne Illness, and others — is the bill that names *botulism* on the testing list, mandates environmental monitoring inside the plant, and holds foreign manufacturers to American standards.[\[8\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn8) The Senate did the narrower bill. The House has the broader one in front of it now. **My first ask is simple: I asked the House to move on H.R. 7867\. I am asking the Senate to do the same.* Take up companion legislation, or your own measure, that closes the botulinum gap S. 272 left open — and finish what this Committee started on April 29.* **Why the system missed it twice — and why this Committee should hold hearings** The two outbreaks were not unrelated coincidences. They shared a supply chain. The FDA’s own traceback has now confirmed that the Nara formula fed to the three sick infants was made with milk supplied by Organic West Milk and spray-dried by Dairy Farmers of America — the same two suppliers linked to the ByHeart outbreak.[\[9\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn9) One upstream source furnished the milk and the powdered milk behind both brands. The contamination did not strike two companies by chance; it traveled through one shared stream that the system missed the first time and then missed again. During the 2025 ByHeart investigation, the FDA did exactly what the playbook calls for: it ran a trace-forward and asked Organic West who else it supplied, so the next brand could be found before the next baby got sick. According to the FDA’s June 26, 2026 update, the customer list Organic West produced was incomplete — it did not include Nara — and Organic West has now admitted the list should have listed Nara. The trace-forward happened during the 2025 outbreak. The Nara babies were hospitalized in April and May 2026\. A complete, accurate list could have put Nara on the FDA’s radar months before a single infant showed a symptom. The one mechanism designed to prevent the second outbreak existed, the agency used it, and an incomplete supplier disclosure defeated it. That is precisely the kind of failure congressional oversight exists to examine. The questions are concrete, and the answers belong on the record, under oath: 1\. **Questions to the FDA:** When did the agency learn that Organic West and DFA supplied both ByHeart and Nara? Why did the 2025 trace-forward fail to surface Nara, what is the backstop when a supplier’s customer list is incomplete, and why does [federal regulation](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-106/subpart-B/section-106.55?ref=foodsafetynews.com) still require finished-powder testing only for *Salmonella* and *Cronobacter* — and nothing for *Clostridium botulinum*[\[10\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn10) — three years after the agency named the organism in its own letter to industry? 2\. **Questions to Dairy Farmers of America:** What did you know about the risk of using powdered whole milk in infant formula? What did DFA know about the whole-milk-powder it dried for both brands; what testing did it perform for spore-forming organisms; and what did it disclose, and to whom, during the ByHeart trace-forward? 3\. **Questions to Organic West Milk:** What did you know about the risk of using whole milk in infant formula? Why was Nara left off the customer list provided to the FDA in 2025? Who prepared that list, who reviewed it, and when did Organic West first know that the same milk supply had reached a second infant-formula brand? 4\. **To Nara Organics:** What did you know about the risk of using whole milk in infant formula? When did Nara learn that its whole-milk-powder came through the same Organic West/DFA supply stream implicated in the ByHeart outbreak; what did it test for; and what did it tell regulators and parents — and when? The common thread running through all four is a single question this Committee is uniquely positioned to ask in public: ***why was the shared milk and powdered-milk supply not disclosed in 2025, when disclosure could have prevented the second outbreak entirely?*** I have spent a career watching companies answer that kind of question only when a courtroom compels them. Discovery and depositions will force a complete record in the litigation I am handling. But the public-policy record — the record that tells you whether the law needs to change — belongs to you. A hearing reaches witnesses, and asks questions, that no single plaintiff’s case can. **My second ask: hold hearings.* Bring the FDA, Dairy Farmers of America, Organic West Milk, and Nara Organics before this Committee and put the disclosure failure of 2025 on the public record — so the next reform is built on what actually happened, not on what anyone is willing to volunteer.* **It is time for the parents to testify** There is one more thing, and to me it is the most important. Throughout this episode, the people with access to the rooms where decisions get made have been the companies and the agencies. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has met with formula-company chief executives more than once. The FDA has convened industry roundtables. The one group that has not been in the room — not in any room that counts — is the parents. I represent those families. They followed every instruction on the label and watched a two-month-old go limp in their arms. They spent weeks in pediatric intensive care not knowing whether their child would breathe on his own again. One family was flown by medevac from Idaho to a children’s hospital in Utah. Several of them have already written statements for Congress; I attached those statements, in their own words and with their own photographs, to my [June 23, 2026 letter to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/support-for-h-r-7867-the-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act-of-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). They are willing to do more than write. They are willing to come and testify. When this Committee marks the human cost of a policy failure, no expert and no lawyer — myself included — can substitute for the parent who lived it. These mothers and fathers can tell you, better than any of us, what “safe” turned out to mean when the system tested for too little, too late, and told too few people when something went wrong. **My third ask: invite the parents to testify.* Give the families of the ByHeart and Nara infants a seat at the witness table before this Committee writes the next chapter of infant-formula safety law. They have earned it the hardest way there is.* **We have done this before** The Jack in the Box tragedy moved the USDA to declare *E. coli* O157:H7 an adulterant in ground beef in 1994 — a single decision that has kept countless children out of hospital beds in the decades since.[\[11\]](https://c4ed4508-f25f-4ad9-9c10-f8964b635422/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#%5Fftn11) This Committee, and this Senate, have the same kind of window open right now. You proved on April 29 that the consensus exists. I am asking you to extend it the one further step these two outbreaks demand: pass a bill that reaches botulism, hold the hearings that put the 2025 disclosure failure on the record, and let the parents speak. Thank you for your leadership on S. 272, and for your consideration of what I believe the moment now requires. Very truly yours, William D. Marler ### 2026 Farm Bill includes food safety education funding URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/2026-farm-bill-includes-food-safe/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T04:05:45.000Z The proposed 2026 Farm Bill includes several provisions for food safety. The formal name of the bill is the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026\. It is a multi-year omnibus bill and is the primary piece of legislation that governs a number of agriculture and food programs. The bill carries a 10-year baseline cost of roughly $1.374 trillion. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### EU tightens tahini and halva Salmonella checks, adjusts rates for other foods URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/eu-tightens-tahini-and-halva-salmonella-checks-adjusts-rates-for-other-foods/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T04:04:18.000Z Stricter controls on tahini and halva from Syria for Salmonella have been put in place by the European Commission. The legislation sets the rate of official controls and special conditions for food and feed of non-animal origin imported into Europe. Action guards against the risk of contamination by mycotoxins, pesticide residues, microbiological contamination, cereulide toxin, Sudan dyes and plant toxins. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Scottish survey finds risky burger habits URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/scottish-survey-finds-risky-burger-habits/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T04:02:02.000Z Nearly one in three consumers in Scotland have eaten beef burgers that are pink or have pink juices, according to a survey. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) said results highlight potentially dangerous habits as barbecue season gets underway. The agency urged people to use a meat thermometer to check to make sure pork, poultry, and ground meats have reached 75 degrees C (167 degrees F). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Allergens dominate as recalls drop in New Zealand URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/allergens-dominate-as-recalls-drop-in-new-zealand/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T04:01:01.000Z The number of food recalls declined in New Zealand in 2025 and undeclared allergens were responsible for almost half of the alerts. New Zealand Food Safety supported businesses in conducting 57 consumer-level food recalls this past year, down from 88 in 2024. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Five Star brand oysters recalled in Canada because of Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/07/five-star-brand-oysters-recalled-in-canada-because-of-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T00:38:33.000Z Certain Five Star Shellfish Inc. brand oysters are being recalled in Canada because of contamination with Salmonella. The recall was triggered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency test results. There have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products. The recalled oysters were distributed in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. The recalled oysters can be identified by the following label information: | Brand | Product | Size | UPC | Codes | | ------------------------ | --------------------- | --------- | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Malpeque oysters | 100 count | None | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 22-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Mix/Std | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Malpeque oysters | 100 count | None | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 23-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Mix/Std | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Malpeque oysters | 100 count | None | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 23-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Sm/Std | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Malpeque oysters | 25 count | 8 97848 00001 5 | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 23-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Standard; BB: 22-JULY-26 | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Malpeque oysters | 2.5 lbs | 8 97848 00018 3 | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 23-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Standard; BB: 22-JULY-26 | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Conway Pearls oysters | 100 count | None | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 22-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Choice | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Conway Pearls oysters | 100 count | None | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 23-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Choice | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Blackberry oysters | 100 count | None | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 23-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Choice | | Five Star Shellfish Inc. | Gooseberry oysters | 100 count | None | Harvest/process date: 22-JUNE-26; Shipping date: 23-JUNE-26; Harvest location: PEI 1Q; Grade: Choice | **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled oysters and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Publisher’s Platform: You Can’t Test One Spore Out of Five Cans — So Fund It, Inspect It, and Let the Parents Speak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-you-cant-test-one-spore-out-of-five-cans-so-fund-it-inspect-it-and-let-the-parents-speak/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:17:53.000Z [*Scientific American*](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-botulism-keeps-cropping-up-in-infant-formula/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) this morning laid out the brutal arithmetic behind the ByHeart and Nara botulism outbreaks, and every member of Congress should sit with it.[\[1\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn1) *Clostridium botulinum* forms spores that survive pasteurization and spray-drying and hide, dormant, in dried powder — and when they are there, they are there in almost invisible numbers: as low as one spore per three kilograms, about one spore spread across five cans.[\[2\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn2) You cannot even screen the powder for the toxin, because the spores do not make it until they reach a baby’s gut. Nara tested every batch — to a specification ten times stricter than the international guideline, at three separate stages — and still shipped contaminated formula.[\[3\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn3) A study ByHeart commissioned found the same indicator test would not have caught its outbreak either; the lab actually found botulinum in samples where the indicator came back clean.[\[4\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn4) Here is the lesson I am afraid people will take from that, and it is the wrong one: that if you cannot catch one spore in five cans, mandated testing is pointless. No. The science is the strongest argument I have seen for the part of [H.R. 7867](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7867?ref=foodsafetynews.com) almost nobody talks about — the part that does not stop at the can.[\[5\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn5) The bill requires standardized environmental monitoring inside the plant, on one FDA standard, so contamination is caught in the production zones before it ever reaches a can.[\[6\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn6) You do not bet a baby’s life on finding the single spore at the end of the line. You control the milk and the plant so the spore never gets in. Upstream. That is where this fight is won. And there is a scandal hiding in that article. The reason almost no one catches this organism is partly biology and partly that almost no one is equipped to look: *C. botulinum* is a federally classified select agent, and only a handful of labs in the country are cleared to test for it.[\[7\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn7) The New York State lab that finally found the toxin in a sealed ByHeart can did it with a team of seven — five days for a preliminary result and three more weeks to confirm.[\[8\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn8) You cannot mandate a test the country cannot run, inspect plants you have no inspectors for, or prosecute what you were never funded to detect. The Congresswoman who wrote this bill called the agency what it is — a [“resource-starved FDA.”](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/delauro-introduces-bipartisan-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)[\[9\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn9) A mandate without money is a press release. Fund the labs. Fund the inspectors. Fund the risk assessment the scientists say we still do not have. And fund the science itself: the detection methods here are still primitive — the gold standard injects suspect material into live mice and waits days for an answer — and they will stay primitive until we pay the laboratories that can build something faster and more sensitive. ByHeart’s own post-outbreak investigation has already produced a more sensitive protocol;[\[10\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn10) better testing is exactly what sustained funding buys. Testing without inspection is a company grading its own homework, and we already know how that ends. A Blendhouse facility in ByHeart’s supply chain was flagged “Official Action Indicated” — FDA’s most serious classification — before a single one of those babies was hurt.[\[11\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn11) Environmental monitoring and real inspection of the plants and the ingredient suppliers are how you find the cracked dryer, the wet floor, and the contaminated milk powder before any of it reaches a bottle. But testing and inspection still cannot tell you how this happened. The two outbreaks were not bad luck striking twice. FDA’s own traceback shows the milk behind both ByHeart and Nara ran through the same suppliers — Organic West Milk and Dairy Farmers of America.[\[12\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn12) When FDA asked Organic West during the 2025 ByHeart investigation who else it supplied, the list left Nara off it.[\[13\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn13) The one mechanism built to stop the second outbreak existed, the agency used it, and an incomplete disclosure defeated it. I will take those depositions in my own cases. But only Congress can put the answer on the public record, under oath. Bring the CEOs of ByHeart and Nara, and the people who run Organic West and Dairy Farmers of America, to the witness table, and ask them what they knew and when they said it. And bring the parents. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has met with the formula CEOs more than once; the FDA has held its industry roundtables; the one group never in a room that counts is the families.[\[14\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn14)I represent more than twenty-five of them. Fourteen wrote out what they lived through and let me send it to Congress with their children’s photographs[\[15\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn15) — the mother who watched tears run down a baby who had lost the muscle to cry, the family medevaced from Idaho to a hospital in Utah, the parents who went to the emergency room four times before anyone said the word “botulism.” No expert, me included, can stand in for the parent who lived it. We have done this before. Jack in the Box, in 1993, is what made USDA declare *E. coli* O157:H7 an adulterant a year later.[\[16\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn16) The Senate has already passed S. 272 without a single dissenting vote — a good bill that still does not reach the organism that paralyzed these babies.[\[17\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftn17) The *Scientific American* piece is not a reason to give up. It is a blueprint: stop pretending a number on a can is a guarantee, move the controls upstream to the milk and the plant, fund the people who make any mandate real, and put those who caused this — and those who survived it — in the same room, under oath. Pass H.R. 7867\. Fund it. Inspect it. And let the parents speak. We have waited long enough. --- [\[1\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref1)Christina Szalinski, *Why Botulism Keeps Cropping Up in Infant Formula*, Scientific American (June 30, 2026), [scientificamerican.com](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-botulism-keeps-cropping-up-in-infant-formula/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[2\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref2)Int’l Comm’n on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF), *Testing of Infant Formula* (contamination estimated as low as one spore per three kilograms of powder), [icmsf.org](https://www.icmsf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/ICMSF%5FInfant%5FFormula%5FTesting%5FRevision1-20140117.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) (as reported in Scientific American, note 1). [\[3\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref3)Bailee Henderson, *Infant Formula Brands Behind Botulism Outbreaks Used Same Organic Whole Milk Supplier*, Food Safety Magazine (June 2026) (Nara screened every batch for sulphite-reducing clostridia at a specification ten times stricter than the ICMSF guideline, at three stages — raw ingredient, in-process powder, and finished product), [food-safety.com](https://www.food-safety.com/articles/11543-infant-formula-brands-behind-botulism-outbreaks-used-same-organic-whole-milk-supplier?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[4\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref4)Nadala et al., *Detection and Characterization of Clostridium botulinum Isolated from Powdered Infant Formula*, Front. Microbiol. 17:1800624 (2026), doi:10.3389/fmicb.2026.1800624 (ByHeart-commissioned; *C. botulinum* detected in samples where SRC enumeration was negative), [frontiersin.org](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1800624/full?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[5\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref5)Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act of 2026, H.R. 7867, 119th Cong., [congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7867?ref=foodsafetynews.com); provisions summarized at [DeLauro press release (Marler Blog)](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/delauro-introduces-bipartisan-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[6\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref6)H.R. 7867 (note 5) requires standardized environmental monitoring inside the manufacturing facility on an FDA-set schedule — detecting contamination in the production zones before it reaches the finished product. See [DeLauro release](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/delauro-introduces-bipartisan-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[7\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref7)Szalinski, Scientific American (note 1) (*C. botulinum* is a federally classified select agent, which limits the number of laboratories cleared to test for it). [\[8\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref8)Szalinski, Scientific American (note 1) (the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center used a team of seven; a single positive can took roughly five days for a preliminary result and three more weeks to confirm and sequence). [\[9\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref9)Rep. Rosa DeLauro, *DeLauro Introduces Bipartisan Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act* (“a resource-starved FDA has lacked the tools to adequately protect the infant formula supply”), reprinted at Marler Blog, [marlerblog.com](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/delauro-introduces-bipartisan-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[10\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref10)Szalinski, Scientific American (note 1) (ByHeart’s post-outbreak “Advanced C.Bot Safety Protocol,” which the company describes as more sensitive than the industry-standard indicator test). [\[11\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref11)A Blendhouse facility tied to the ByHeart supply chain carried an “Official Action Indicated” designation — FDA’s most serious inspection classification — before the outbreak. See William D. Marler, *Support for H.R. 7867* (June 23, 2026), Marler Blog, [marlerblog.com](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/support-for-h-r-7867-the-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act-of-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com); FDA, *FDA’s Actions to Respond to Clostridium botulinum Illnesses*, [fda.gov](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fdas-actions-respond-clostridium-botulinum-illnesses-associated-consumption-powdered-infant-formula?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[12\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref12)William D. Marler, *FDA Confirms the Shared Suppliers — but Hasn’t Linked them to the Nara Illnesses — Yet* (June 26, 2026), Marler Blog, [marlerblog.com](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/fda-confirms-the-shared-suppliers-but-hasnt-linked-them-to-the-nara-illnesses-yet/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) (FDA traceback: the milk behind both ByHeart and Nara ran through Organic West Milk and Dairy Farmers of America). [\[13\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref13)Marler, *FDA Confirms the Shared Suppliers* (note 12) (the customer list Organic West provided during the 2025 ByHeart investigation omitted Nara). [\[14\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref14)William D. Marler, *An Open Letter to Secretary Kennedy: You Met the CEOs — The Parents Are Still Waiting* (June 25, 2026), Marler Blog, [marlerblog.com](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/an-open-letter-to-secretary-kennedy-you-met-the-ceos-the-parents-are-still-waiting/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[15\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref15)William D. Marler, *Support for H.R. 7867, the Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act of 2026* (June 23, 2026) (Appendix A — statements and photographs of fourteen affected ByHeart and Nara families), Marler Blog, [marlerblog.com](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/support-for-h-r-7867-the-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act-of-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com); see also *Letter to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions* (June 29, 2026), [marlerblog.com](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/letter-to-the-committee-on-health-education-labor-and-pensions/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[16\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref16)USDA, Food Safety & Inspection Service (in August 1994 FSIS declared *E. coli* O157:H7 an adulterant in raw ground beef), [fsis.usda.gov](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/node/2003?ref=foodsafetynews.com). [\[17\]](applewebdata://D84F3EF2-2A63-4A59-8947-76A2E7FF2A63#%5Fftnref17)Protect Infant Formula from Contamination Act, S. 272, 119th Cong., [congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/272?ref=foodsafetynews.com) (passed the Senate by unanimous consent on April 29, 2026; reaches only *Salmonella* and *Cronobacter*). ### Short list for FDA Commissioner post takes form URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/short-list-for-fda-commissioner-post-takes-form/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:18:40.000Z Three people have emerged on the short list for the new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. White House aide Heidi Overton, oncologist Jeffrey Vacirca and senior Pentagon health official Stephen Ferrara are all in the running, according to multiple media reports. None of the three have experience with food or food safety issues. The FDA oversees 80 percent of the nation's food, including food safety efforts such as outbreak investigations and recalls. Some reports have Ferrara as the front runner. He was previously chief medical officer for the Navy and the Central Intelligence Agency. Overton currently serves as deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy at the White House, where she focuses on health issues. She holds a doctorate in clinical investigation from Johns Hopkins University and was a White House fellow during Trump’s first term, giving her an unusually direct line to the administration. The post of FDA Commissioner has been vacant since May 12 when Marty Makary resigned. He had been commissioner for 13 months. His resignation came amid disagreements with the Trump Administration, including policy about fruit flavored vapes targeted toward children. Makary was opposed to giving the go ahead for the vapes. The FDA oversees products that account for roughly one-fifth of all consumer spending in the United States, making the commissioner role one of the most consequential regulatory appointments in Washington. The vast majority of the FDA’s budget and staff are involved with the drug side of the agency. One significant political variable remains unresolved. It is unclear whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supports Overton’s candidacy, a complication that could affect how smoothly the White House consolidates behind a nominee. At the point that Trump nominates a commissioner, that person will have to gain support of the Senate. ### Cereulide incident and deadly Listeria outbreak highlighted in annual EU food safety report URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/cereulide-incident-and-deadly-listeria-outbreak-highlighted-in-annual-eu-food-safety-report/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T04:04:21.000Z Cereulide contamination in infant formula and a fatal Listeria outbreak have been flagged as the major incidents in Europe in 2025. The European Commission’s annual report on official controls in the food chain covers the Alert and Cooperation Network (ACN), which is the EU-wide system through which the EU Commission and member states share alerts and notifications of non-compliance, as well as investigating issues. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### England sees Salmonella spike in early 2026 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/england-sees-salmonella-spike-in-early-2026/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T04:03:57.000Z There were more than 2,000 Salmonella infections in January to March this year in England, but Campylobacter cases declined. Figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show non-typhoidal Salmonella laboratory reports in the first quarter of 2024 slightly increased from 1,541 to 1,588 in Q1 2025\. There was a large increase of 27.2 percent to 2,020 in Q1 2026. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Five questions to ask your grocery store about food recalls URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/five-questions-to-ask-your-grocery-store-about-food-recalls/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T04:01:58.000Z By Roger Hancock Most consumers assume their grocery store has a thoughtful plan for food recalls. Many do, but some are better than others. You don't have to wait for a recall to find out which kind of store you shop at. A short, curious conversation with store management can tell you a lot, and might also prompt them to think harder about how they communicate with customers during recall incidents. Since an average of 600 food and beverage recalls are issued in the U.S. each year, it’s important for consumers to feel comfortable that their grocery store has a plan to keep them safe. The more consumers know about how their grocery store handles recalls and how they can expect to be communicated with during a recall, the better equipped they will be to stay safe during a recall. **Five key questions to ask** Next time you're at your favorite grocery store, ask to speak with the store manager or department manager. Come in curious, not confrontational — you're a regular customer who wants to understand how the store looks out for you. During your conversation with the store manager, these questions will give you a good idea of how they handle recalls and consumer communication: - Is there someone here who is responsible for managing recalls? Every store should have a designated person or role for overseeing recalls. - How do you find out when a product you carry has been recalled? You're looking for a confident, specific answer like "we get notified by our supplier" or "we use a recall management system.” - How quickly do recalled products get pulled from shelves once you're notified about the incident?A store with a good process can give you a timeframe. - How do you let customers know about a recall — especially people who already bought the product? Look for answers that go beyond in-store signage, such as using loyalty programs and posting on their website or social media. - If I'm signed up for your loyalty program, will I get a direct notification if something I bought gets recalled? The answer should be yes, with a clear explanation of how it works. A store with a solid recall process will answer these questions without hesitation. The best outcome is a genuine conversation that leaves you better informed and feeling comfortable that your favorite store has reliable processes in place to handle recalls promptly and properly. Vague answers, deflection, or “I don’t know” aren't necessarily red flags, but they may indicate gaps in their process. Stores that can't answer basic recall questions may not have systems to act quickly when something goes wrong. This isn’t necessarily their fault — it could stem from an issue with recall protocol at the corporate level. But if they seem unprepared to handle a product recall, and unable to quickly notify customers when one occurs, you may want to rethink where you shop. **Consumers are part of the process** Retailers are a critical link in the recall communication chain, since they’re usually the ones responsible for keeping contaminated products out of consumers’ hands. Expressing curiosity and looking to be well-informed helps protect you and your family, as well as other shoppers at the store. Consumer pressure is a useful way to drive accountability and improvement at the retail level. There are also practical steps you can take to make sure recall information reaches you. If your grocery store uses loyalty programs to issue recall alerts, be sure that you’re signed up for these programs. Ensure your contact information remains updated, so you’ll immediately receive the text or email notifications when a recall occurs. When a recall is announced through your grocery store, government organizations, or the news, the notifications will include product identifiers — such as the batch numbers, lot numbers, and sell by dates. Check the product identifiers on the items you’ve purchased to determine whether these products are part of the recall. Companies are increasingly disseminating recall information and updates via QR codes on product packaging, so it’s worth checking the label to see if this resource is available. If you’ve purchased recalled items, follow the recalling company’s instructions to dispose of the items or return them to your grocery store for a refund. If you’re unclear about what to do, contact your retailer or the recalling company’s customer support team. Don’t eat a recalled product or serve it to others. Remember: rinsing or cooking contaminated foods won’t make them “safer.” If you’ve consumed a recalled item and feel ill, contact a healthcare professional and explain what you ate and the symptoms you’re experiencing. They’ll provide guidance about next steps. **Why this conversation matters** You don't have to be an activist to push for better food safety. Engaged customers asking reasonable questions can go a long way in keeping the community safer and more informed. The conversation you have with your store manager isn't just for your own peace of mind — it signals to the store that customers are paying attention and expect accountability. The food safety system works better when consumers are paying attention, and that starts with knowing what to ask. **About the author:* Roger Hancock is CEO of*[ *Recall InfoLink*](https://www.recallinfolink.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)*, a company with experience that spans the retail, tech, data, regulatory, and supply chain. Recall InfoLink’s solutions drive immediate action, streamline the recall process, and simplify compliance. Roger is also a steering committee member of the*[ *Alliance for Recall Ready Communities*](http://recallreadycommunities.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)*.* ### TNVitamins expands recall of moringa powder products URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/tnvitamins-expands-recall-of-moringa-powder-products/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T00:59:44.000Z Total Nutrition Inc. of Deer Park, NY, has expanded a recall to now include TNVitamins 100% Organic Moringa 1,200 mg Capsules and 100% Organic Moringa Powder following a supplier-initiated recall of the raw organic moringa ingredient because of possible Salmonella exposure. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recalled product was distributed nationally through the online platforms, Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, and Target, as well as the company's website, [http://www.tnvitamins.com/](http://www.tnvitamins.com/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The following lots are included in the recall: | **Product** | **Product #:** | **Lot #:** | **Expiration:** | | ------------------------------------------------- | -------------- | ----------- | --------------- | | TNVitamins 100% Organic Moringa Capsules 1,200 mg | AB9917 | Lot #: 2800 | Exp: 2/2028 | | TNVitamins 100% Organic Moringa Powder | AB9904 | Lot #: 2782 | Exp: 5/2028 | **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has consumed any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Frozen cookie dough recalled because of undeclared soy URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/frozen-cookie-dough-recalled-because-of-undeclared-soy/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T00:47:42.000Z Bear Stewart LLC of Chicago, IL, is recalling a single lot of Bakr Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Ready To Bake Cookie Dough pouches because they may contain undeclared soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products. The recalled Bakr Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Ready To Bake Cookie Dough was distributed in Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona and Utah through Target retail stores starting on June 11, 2026. The Bakr Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Ready To Bake Cookie Dough comes in an 8-ounce blue package and is sold in the frozen section. The recalled product can be identified by lot number 2606022, which can be found on the bottom left corner on the rear side of the pouch. No illnesses have been reported to date. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that product containing soy was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of soy. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary issue in Bear Stewart’s packaging processes where S’mores cookies were packed into Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk pouches. ### Publisher’s Platform: Mr. Abbott, You Are Not Going to Jail After All URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-mr-abbott-you-are-not-going-to-jail-after-all/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T21:19:17.000Z Four years ago, I wrote two posts with titles I meant: “[Mr. Abbott, you are going to face criminal sanctions](https://www.marlerblog.com/lawyer-oped/mr-abbott-you-are-going-to-face-criminal-sanctions/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)” and, a few weeks earlier, “[Mr. Abbott, you are going to jail for manufacturing tainted infant formula.](https://www.marlerblog.com/lawyer-oped/mr-abbott-you-are-going-to-jail-for-manufacturing-tainted-infant-formula/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)” I was wrong. Not about the facts — about the willingness of this Justice Department to do anything about them. The Wall Street Journal reported last night, in “[The Baby Formula Probe Produced a Pile of Evidence. Then the DOJ Dropped the Case,](https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/the-baby-formula-probe-produced-a-pile-of-evidence-then-the-doj-dropped-the-case-cdc68716?st=k8jTCD&ref=foodsafetynews.com)” that the Department of Justice spent years building a criminal case against Abbott Laboratories over the Sturgis, Michigan plant — the same plant where *Cronobacter sakazakii* was found on equipment, where a former FDA official told Congress five strains of the bug were present and the facility was “out of control,” and where four babies who drank Abbott formula got sick and two of them died. According to the Journal, some prosecutors believed they had the evidence to charge. Some supervisors thought it was a good case. They were looking at a misdemeanor under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and a separate count for misleading the government, and they were weighing charges against at least one individual. Then the people at the top closed it. Instead of a charge, Abbott gets to claw back some of the money it earned selling formula through federal nutrition programs — a civil settlement whose terms, naturally, weren’t revealed. A DOJ spokeswoman explained that this Justice Department “does not believe in regulation by prosecution.” I want to sit with that phrase for a minute, because I have been quoted in this very article saying the quiet part out loud. When the White House issued its [May 2025 executive order on “overcriminalization,”](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/fighting-overcriminalization-in-federal-regulations/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) I said it brought a sigh of relief to CEOs across the country — because the threat of criminal exposure is precisely what kept people in the food business on their toes. I wasn’t being cute. I was describing how deterrence actually works. I [walked through the law when that order came out](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/with-a-felon-at-the-helm-what-would-you-expect/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and I’ll say it again here. [Section 333(a)(1)](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-2000-title21-section331&num=0&edition=2000&ref=foodsafetynews.com) of the FDCA is one of the few true strict-liability crimes in federal law. The government does not have to prove a guilty mind. If a food is adulterated and it moves in interstate commerce, the crime is complete — and under the responsible-corporate-officer doctrine, the executives who had the authority to prevent it can be held to answer. That is not a loophole. That is the deal Congress struck in 1938 because babies’ lives can depend on whether a powder is made in a clean plant or a filthy one. I wrote in December that [we still need the risk of criminal sanctions in food poisoning cases](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/we-still-need-the-risk-of-criminal-sanctions-of-food-poisoning-cases/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The Abbott non-prosecution is the first big proof of what happens when you take that risk off the table. There are two details in the Journal’s reporting that should make every parent’s stomach turn. First, even if DOJ had wanted to prosecute, the office that does this work — the Consumer Protection Branch — [was being disbanded as a cost-cutting measure](https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-justice-department-unit-drug-food-safety-cases-being-disbanded-2025-04-25/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the same branch that put away the executives behind the Peanut Corporation of America salmonella outbreak. Second, one of Abbott’s defense lawyers — a former deputy attorney general — reportedly urged the incoming administration to overhaul that very office and strip it of its ability to bring criminal cases at all. Read those two sentences together and ask yourself who is writing the rules now. We have seen this movie before, and the credits still haven’t rolled. Ten people died in the Boar’s Head *Listeria*outbreak. A year and a half later I’m still asking [where the Boar’s Head investigation went](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/ten-people-died-where-did-the-boars-head-investigations-go-hello-doj-and-usda-inspector-general/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) — and the government’s own refusal to release records, on the ground that they were compiled for a law-enforcement purpose, is the loudest confirmation we have that someone with a badge was once looking hard. “Once” is doing a lot of work in that sentence. Yes, Abbott denies the link. The company points out that no unopened, distributed formula tested positive, and that CDC’s sequencing of the two available infant samples didn’t closely match the plant strains. FDA, for its part, still calls what was found at Sturgis a serious concern, because plants like this one are among the most likely sources of contaminated formula. And the civil case the government did bring — joined by 31 states — alleged that Abbott knowingly fell short of manufacturing standards and ran a culture of concealment at Sturgis. Knowingly. Concealment. Those are not the words of a clerical error. Those are the words you build a criminal case around — the case DOJ decided not to bring. I litigate the infant formula cases that land downstream of decisions like this one. Right now my firm represents families of babies hospitalized with botulism after [ByHeart and Nara formula](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/fda-confirms-the-shared-suppliers-but-hasnt-linked-them-to-the-nara-illnesses-yet/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and I’ve spent this spring writing to [Secretary Kennedy](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/an-open-letter-to-secretary-kennedy-you-met-the-ceos-the-parents-are-still-waiting/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), to FDA, and to the [Senate HELP Committee](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/letter-to-the-committee-on-health-education-labor-and-pensions/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) asking Congress to put real teeth back into formula safety. Here is the through-line. When the criminal threat disappears, the only accountability left is a civil check — and a civil check is just a cost of doing business. It gets passed along, written off, and forgotten by the next quarter. It does not keep anyone up at night. It does not keep anyone on their toes. I have tried to steer clear of politics on this blog. But there is nothing political about saying that a company whose plant sickened babies should have to answer to more than its accountants. The Journal got the headline right: there was a pile of evidence. What’s missing isn’t proof. It’s the will to use it. We live in interesting times. ### Publisher's Platform: The genome doesn't lie URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-the-genome-doesnt-lie-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:21:13.000Z When I started suing food companies more than thirty years ago, after E. coli O157:H7 in undercooked Jack in the Box hamburgers killed four children and sickened hundreds, proving where a pathogen came from was slow, painstaking, and often impossible. Investigators matched bacteria using crude “fingerprinting” methods that could tell you two samples looked similar, but rarely that they were truly the same organism. That world is gone. Whole genome sequencing — reading the complete DNA of a bacterium — has done for foodborne illness what DNA testing did for criminal forensics. Today, when Listeria turns up in a nursing-home resident in California and in a frozen nutritional shake produced two thousand miles away, public-health scientists can say with near-certainty it is the same organism. The FDA’s GenomeTrakr and the CDC’s PulseNet databases and NCBI’s website now hold hundreds of thousands of these genomic fingerprints. The 2025 Lyons Magnus outbreak — 42 sickened, 14 dead across 21 states — was solved this way. So was the largest and deadliest listeriosis outbreak in history: the 2017–2018 South African catastrophe that killed 216 people and was traced, through a single sequence type called ST6, back to polony from one Tiger Brands plant in Polokwane. For public health, the case is overwhelming. WGS finds the source faster, thereby making outbreaks smaller, narrows recalls so they strike the guilty product instead of an entire commodity, and catches contamination at vanishingly low levels. None of that is seriously in dispute. The harder question — and the one companies actually ask me — is whether a food producer should run that same technology on its own products and inside its own plant. Here is the uncomfortable part, and I’ll say it plainly because the industry’s lawyers usually won’t: a positive result you generate today can be used against you tomorrow. If you swab your plant and find Listeria in a floor drain, sequence it, and that genome later matches a sick child’s, you are tied to that case in a way no jury will forget. Some defense attorneys take the logical next step and quietly advise their clients to test less — because what you don’t know can’t be subpoenaed. I have spent decades on the other side of that advice, and I am here to tell you the bad advice is both morally bankrupt and, in the long run, a legal disaster. Choosing not to look is not a defense. It is willful blindness, and juries understand it instantly. The company that finds a resident strain, documents it, and surgically eliminates it has a contemporaneous record of doing exactly what a responsible food producer is supposed to do. The company that decided ignorance was safer has a record of nothing — until the outbreak arrives anyway, larger and deadlier for having gone undetected, and a plaintiff’s lawyer like me asks under oath why a company with hundreds of millions in revenue chose not to use a technology that a public-health lab in a developing nation could afford. And WGS cuts both ways. The same precision that can implicate you can clear you. When your product is swept into an outbreak it had nothing to do with, your genomic data is the fastest route to proving your strain is not the strain — to getting your name out of the headline and your trucks back on the road. I have watched sequencing exonerate an accused producer as decisively as it has condemned a guilty one. WGS is not magic. It demands real bioinformatics expertise, validated pipelines, and reference databases that still have gaps for rare and emerging pathogens. But none of that is an argument for staying in the dark. The food industry’s reflex has been to know as little as possible about its own contamination, on the theory that what it didn’t know couldn’t hurt it in court. The genome has ended that bargain. The pathogens in your plant already have a fingerprint. The only question is whether you are willing to read it before someone’s child does. ### Search ongoing for source of Yersinia outbreak in Norway URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/search-ongoing-for-source-of-yersinia-outbreak-in-norway/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T04:04:23.000Z Norwegian health officials are searching for the source of a Yersinia outbreak that has affected at least nine people. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) also reported a further six suspected cases. Samples from the 15 patients were taken between May 26 and June 15\. They are between 10 and 75 years old, and the median age is 29\. Eleven of them are women. Sick people live in Trøndelag, Vestfold, Telemark, Østfold, Innlandet, Rogaland and Vestland. Patients are infected with Yersinia enterocolitica O3\. Analyses of the samples showed that confirmed cases have the same genotype, suggesting they may have contracted the infection from a common source. FHI has opened an outbreak investigation with help from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) and the Norwegian Veterinary Institute. Patients are being interviewed to find out what they ate, drank, and were exposed to before they became ill. In 2025, there were 94 Yersinia infections, compared to 90 in 2024\. Among cases with a known place of infection, 51 were infected in Norway and 20 were infected abroad. Thirty people were hospitalized. No outbreaks were recorded. Symptoms of yersiniosis often develop three to seven days after infection. They include fever, abdominal cramps, watery or bloody diarrhea, headaches, and vomiting. Yersiniosis is typically self-limiting, and symptoms can persist from one to three days up to three weeks. ### FDA warns four importers about safety verification failures URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-warns-four-importers-about-safety-verification-failures/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T04:03:03.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view.* --- The FDA has issued warning letters to four food importers in California, New York and Pennsylvania after inspectors found they failed to develop required Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVPs) for imported foods. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Salmonella-contaminated tahini stolen in Israel URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/salmonella-contaminated-tahini-stolen-in-israel/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T04:02:50.000Z Authorities in Israel have reported the suspected theft of products previously recalled because of potential Salmonella contamination. The Ministry of Health said “Prince Tahini” products that were supposed to be destroyed had been stolen. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Cottage cheese recalled in connection with deadly Listeria outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/cottage-cheese-recalled-in-connection-with-deadly-listeria-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T02:31:05.000Z La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. is recalling its Requesón Salvadoreño (Salvadoran Cottage Cheese) and Requesón Mexicano (Mexican Cottage Cheese) products marketed under the La Colonia and Selectos Latinosbrands, because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The affected products were distributed to supermarkets, retail stores and restaurants in the states of Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. La Ceiba Foods recalls the below identified affected products from the market. This recall includes all lots/batches within expiry. This recall was initiated after La Ceiba Foods was notified of a recall action by its supplier, Clover Hill Dairy, following the identification of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes in products manufactured at the facility. Additionally, the FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating a multi-state, multi-year outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to requeson, a soft cheese like ricotta, manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicsville, MD. Twelve illnesses and one death have been reported to date. The recalled La Ceiba Foods products can be identified by the following label information: | **Brand** | **Product** | **UPC** | **Size** | **Date of Distribution** | **EXP Date** | | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ | -------- | ------------------------ | ------------ | | La Colonia | Salvadoreno Requeson,Soft Ricotta Cheese | 736846383099 | 14 oz | 05/11/2026-06/01/2026 | 07/10/2026 | | SelectosLatinos | Requeson Salvadoreno,Ricotta Style SalvadoreanStyle Cheese | 767787984526 | 16 oz | 05/11/2026-06/01/2026 | 07/10/2026 | | SelectosLatinos | Requeson Mexicano,Mexican Cottage Cheese | 767787984519 | 16 oz | 05/11/2026-06/01/2026 | 07/10/2026 | | Clover Hill | Buket of Requeson | | 18 lb | 05/11/2026-06/01/2026 | 07/10/2026 | **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalledproducts and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Sunday Edition: Food Defense URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/sunday-edition-food-defense/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:23:02.000Z - A [major Salmonella outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/more-than-100-sick-in-european-salmonella-outbreak/) has been confirmed in Europe. More than 100 people in 10 European countries and the United Kingdom have been infected, with Finland reporting the largest number of patients. The outbreak has been traced back to alfalfa sprouted seeds from India. - [One person has died](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/patient-count-in-listeria-outbreak-traced-to-cheese-has-increased/) from a Listeria infection traced to cheese made by Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicsville, MD. A total of 11 cases have been linked to cheese made by the dairy. As a result of the outbreak, Clover Hill has recalled all of its cheese products. - The Louisiana Department of Health is investigating the source of [raw milk responsible for 11 cases of infection](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/raw-milk-outbreak-reported-in-louisiana/). Two of the 11 who tested positive for campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis, have been hospitalized. Under Louisiana law, raw milk may only be sold or distributed for animal or pet consumption. - [Infections from foodborne parasites are decreasing](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/estimates-reveal-considerable-suffering-caused-by-parasites/) overall, but some regions of the globe are still seeing increases, according to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Overall, 277 million illnesses were caused by potentially invasive parasites, with 171 million attributable to foodborne transmission. The Western Pacific is seeing the greatest increase, possibly due to increased consumption of raw or undercooked fish in Chinese urban markets or warmer, wetter weather affecting snail and fish host populations. - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that [federal law preempts lawsuits at the state level](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/supreme-court-sides-with-manufacturer-of-roundup/) over labeling of potentially carcinogenic pesticides. The decision in Monsanto Company v. Durnell [overturns a Missouri jury decision](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/25/us/politics/supreme-court-weedkiller-roundup-bayer.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.s1A.7sx0.i-RWCd9pbP6w&smid=url-share&ref=foodsafetynews.com) in favor of a man who sued the maker of Roundup after he developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer. The Supreme Court decision could result in the dismissal of thousands of similar lawsuits against Bayer (which acquired Roundup manufacturer Monsanto) which are currently pending in state courts. --- **Today’s Topic: Food Defense** Forty-two years ago, food was the weapon used in the first and largest bioterrorist attack in United States history. It was simple, effective, and bizarre. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Cyclospora sickens almost 150 people URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/cyclospora-outbreak-sickens-almost-150-people/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T00:46:15.000Z Infections from the Cyclospora parasite has impacted 145 people. The source of the parasite has not yet been determined. Patients have been reported by 17 states. These people became sick after eating food in the United States and did not report any travel during the 14 days before they got sick. Sick people ranged in age from 5 to 86 years, with a median age of 42\. The median illness onset date was May 13, with a range of May 1 to June 6\. Of 145 people with information available, 20 were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Local, state, and federal public health authorities are investigating several clusters of cases in more than one state. Investigations to identify potential sources are ongoing. The map shows where the 145 people with cyclosporiasis acquired in the United States since May 1, 2026, lived. Cyclosporiasis cases may not be limited to these states with known cases. The true number of people sick with cyclosporiasis is likely higher than the number reported. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Cyclospora. Cyclosporiasis is a nationally notifiable disease and is reportable in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City. Even if it is not reportable in a state, it is important for healthcare providers and the public to inform local health departments about potential cases and clusters of the disease so that they can take appropriate action to prevent additional cases. **About Cyclospora** Anyone who has developed symptoms of Cyclospora infection, and has reason to believe they have been exposed to the parasite, should seek medical attention. Specific tests are required and antibiotics are used to fight the parasite. Cyclospora infection can cause severe abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and fatigue. Symptoms can develop between two and 14 days after exposure. Though symptoms can be severe enough to send people to the hospital, it's rare for people to die from Cyclospora infections. Cyclospora is a type of protozoa, which is a tiny, single-celled organism. It is transmitted when people somehow ingest contaminated feces, typically through contaminated food or water. It can be spread only through human waste, unlike E. coli and salmonella, which can also be spread from animal fecal matter. Previous U.S. outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce, including basil, cilantro, mesclun lettuce, raspberries, and snow peas. Food safety experts say there's no evidence that washing the produce will remove the parasite. ### Chocolate covered raisins recalled because they contain peanuts URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/chocolate-covered-raisins-recalled-because-they-contain-peanuts/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T01:26:07.000Z Lehi Valley Trading Company of Mesa, AZ, is recalling 624 units of its 15-ounce packages of High Valley Orchard chocolate covered raisins because they contain undeclared peanuts. People who have allergies to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The recalled product was distributed in retail stores through Albertson’s distribution center between May 18 and June 25. The product comes in a 15-ounce, clear plastic package marked with lot # 0160933, best by date of Jan. 23, 2027, on the bottom right-hand side of the front label. No illnesses or deaths have been reported to date in connection with this problem to date. The recall was initiated after the presence of peanuts was discovered in the chocolate covered raisins. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the company's production and packaging processes. ### FDA knew of deficiencies at foreign plants that produced infant formula URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-knew-of-deficiencies-at-foreign-plants-that-produced-infant-formula/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:23:28.000Z The FDA has revealed that it inspected two foreign plants that manufacture Nara Organics infant formula that has been tied to an outbreak of botulism. The agency found deficiencies at both plants. The Food and Drug Administration has not named the businesses nor reported what country they are in. However, the agency is reporting that the deficiencies observed at the plants resulted in actions by the companies, which are now under review. The FDA inspections were conducted prior to the agency learning about the outbreak, according to a statement issued Friday evening after regular business hours. Officials with Nara Organics continue to refuse to report the manufacturer of their infant formula. However, a company website reveals that the German company Milchwerke Mittelelbe GmbH — also known by its brand name Elb-Milch, a subsidiary of the Krüger Group — is the manufacturer of Nara Organics infant formula. The whole milk powder used in the production of the Nara infant formula was made with milk supplied by Organic West Milk and spray dried by Dairy Farmers of America. “While these are the same suppliers of organic whole milk and organic whole milk powder from the outbreak of infant botulism linked to ByHeart Powdered Infant Formula in November 2025, currently there is not enough evidence to determine if this is the source or route of contamination,” according to the FDA. “Further, FDA conducted a traceforward investigation during the 2025 outbreak to determine if Organic West Milk supplied milk to any other powdered infant formula manufacturers. At that time, Organic West Milk provided an incomplete customer list that did not indicate that their milk was supplied to manufacturers of Nara Organics infant formula. As part of the current investigation, Organic West Milk informed FDA that the customer information previously provided was incomplete and should have included suppliers to Nara Organics.” Officials in two states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. FDA has collected unopened samples from the lot numbers fed to the affected infants for testing. This testing is underway, and results are expected in the coming weeks. As of June 16, the outbreak has sickened three babies in California, Pennsylvania and Washington. All three of the babies have required hospitalization, but none have died. In November 2025 an outbreak of botulism sickened 48 babies across 17 states. That outbreak was traced to ByHeart infant formula. As with the current outbreak linked to Nara Organics formula, the ByHeart formula was made with milk supplied by Organic West Milk and spray dried by Dairy Farmers of America. ### Publisher’s Platform: I’ve written the letters. Now I’m asking 55,000 of You — What’s the next move — Ideas? URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-ive-written-the-letters-now-im-asking-55-000-of-you-whats-the-next-move-ideas/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T01:09:45.000Z In the last seven months this country has had two outbreaks of infant botulism, both traced to powdered whole-milk infant formula. The first, tied to ByHeart, sickened 48 babies across 17 states — every one of them hospitalized. I represent more than twenty-five of those families. The second, tied to Nara Organics, hospitalized three more infants in California, Pennsylvania, and Washington, all between two and five months old, all treated with BabyBIG. I represent two of those families. Two outbreaks. One ingredient. And, as reporting now confirms, likely the same upstream supply stream behind both. The contamination did not strike two unrelated companies by chance. It traveled through a chain the system missed the first time and missed again. Here is what eats at me. None of this was a surprise. On March 8, 2023 — two years before the first ByHeart baby got sick — the FDA sent a [Call-to-Action letter](https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-calls-enhanced-safety-measures-letter-powdered-infant-formula-industry?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to the entire powdered formula industry, signed by the Commissioner and the head of the food-safety center, naming Clostridium botulinum by genus and species and telling manufacturers to control for it across the whole chain. Two years later, under [Operation Stork Speed](https://www.fda.gov/food/infant-formula-homepage/operation-stork-speed?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the agency went further — saying it would test formula and its ingredients for spore-formers, C. botulinum among them, and opening a sampling assignment for the very dairy ingredients at issue — and still no rule required anyone to test whole-milk-powder formula for botulinum before it shipped. The hazard was foreseeable. It was named, in writing, by the regulator, twice. And our federal rules still require finished-powder testing for only two organisms — Salmonella and Cronobacter. There is no botulinum standard for powdered formula at all. A sealed can of liquid formula gets the full low-acid-canned-food botulism regime. A tub of powder gets nothing. That is the hole these babies fell through. Over the past several days I did what I know how to do. I wrote. I wrote [an open letter to Secretary Kennedy](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/an-open-letter-to-secretary-kennedy-you-met-the-ceos-the-parents-are-still-waiting/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), because on June 2 he toured a formula plant and praised whole milk on the same day — and the vehicle in both outbreaks was whole milk powder. He has met the CEOs. He has not met the parents. I asked him to fix that. I wrote [a letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/counselor-to-counselor-an-open-letter-to-kyle-diamantas-on-infant-formula/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), counselor to counselor, because before he held the pen at the FDA he spent years defending an infant-formula maker against failure-to-warn claims. He, of all people, knows what a warning is and what foreseeability means. I asked him to write the standard of care into the rule — test and inspect the whole chain, not just the last can on the line. And I wrote [in support of H.R. 7867](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/support-for-h-r-7867-the-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act-of-2026/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act, with an appendix of the families’ own words, because the bill closes the exact gaps that let these babies get hurt — and because a second outbreak arrived while the bill was already pending. I believe in those letters. But I have been doing this for thirty-three years, and I am going to be honest with you about what I have learned in that time: a letter appeals to someone’s discretion, and discretion can be ignored at no cost. Reform in this country has almost never arrived because one lawyer wrote a persuasive letter. It arrived when Jack in the Box put enough sick children in the news that USDA had to declare E. coli O157:H7 an adulterant. It arrived when enough people pushed, in enough places, at the same time, that doing nothing became the harder choice. Which brings me to why I am writing this one to you. There are something like 55,000 of you who read Food Safety News — and you are not a casual crowd. You are former regulators and current ones, public-health laboratorians, epidemiologists, plaintiff and defense lawyers, industry quality people who have walked these plants, journalists, academics, and parents who have lived the worst of it. Collectively you know more about how to actually move this system than any single person, including me. I am asking you a real question, not a rhetorical one: **what is the next move?** Here is where my own head is, to prime the pump — and I want you to tell me what I have wrong and what I am missing: • **A formal citizen petition** under 21 C.F.R. § 10.30 to add C. botulinum and Bacillus cereus to § 106.55 and require upstream sampling of dairy ingredients — a filing the agency is legally obligated to answer, in a docket the public can join. • **A congressional hearing with the parents at the witness table**, not just the bill — testimony under oath that takes “meet the families” out of anyone’s discretion. • **Following the supply chain** all the way up, in the litigation and in the public record, so the shared-supplier story is a documented fact and the whole chain — not just the brand on the can — understands the cost of leaving the gap open. • **An unlikely coalition** asking for the same fix: the American Academy of Pediatrics, the public-health labs, the responsible manufacturers who already test for spore-formers voluntarily, and a state attorney general or two. • **A GAO or HHS Inspector General review** of the testing gap and the inspection-resource cuts, so there is an institutional finding that outlives any one administration. That is my list. I am sure it is incomplete. Maybe the best idea is one I have not thought of and one of you has lived. Maybe it is a state-level testing requirement. Maybe it is something inside industry I am not seeing from the outside. Tell me. Email me at **bmarler@marlerclark.com** with the subject line “Next Move.” I will read every one of them, and in a follow-up Publisher’s Platform I will print the best of what you send — with credit, or anonymously if you would rather — and then I am going to act on it. Also, feel free to comment here. The hazard was named in 2023\. We have buried no babies yet, thank God, but we have filled too many hospital beds, twice, with a danger the government wrote down years before it arrived. I have written the letters. Now help me figure out how we make someone answer them. ### More than 100 sick in European Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/more-than-100-sick-in-european-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T15:41:30.000Z More than 100 people have fallen sick in 11 countries as part of a Salmonella outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouted seeds from India. Between January and May, 109 confirmed Salmonella Bovismorbificans infections were reported in 10 European countries and the United Kingdom. Finland had the most patients with 35, followed by 30 in the UK and 17 in the Netherlands. Patients range in age from 4 to 88 years old with 77 females and 31 males ill. Eighteen people required hospitalization. It was [previously known](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/04/salmonella-outbreak-spreads-across-europe/) that 50 people were sick in seven countries. Two deaths were reported in Finland. Both cases had underlying health conditions, and one was receiving terminal care. Another 50 probable cases are under investigation in four EU countries. Alfalfa sprouts, and possibly other sprouted seeds, are the primary food vehicle in the multi-country outbreak, said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). According to a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) alert, the suspected sources were alfalfa seeds, clover seeds, broccoli seeds and radish seeds from Italy. In April, Ireland reported three related Salmonella Bovismorbificans infections to the European surveillance portal EpiPulse. After this alert, other European countries reported cases clustering with the Irish strain. **Connection to India** Many of the interviewed patients in Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the UK had consumed sprouted seeds before illness. Epidemiological evidence identified alfalfa sprouted seeds from Italy as the primary vehicle of infection. Microbiological evidence included detection of the outbreak strain in water samples collected during alfalfa sprouted seed harvesting in the Netherlands and the UK. A Finnish sprouted seed producer was epidemiologically linked to cases in Finland. One positive was an internal control sample of rinsing water from a harvest of sprouted alfalfa seeds at the site of a company in the Netherlands in February. The other was of irrigation water from sprouted seeds collected at the premises of a producer in the UK in March. Traceability investigations in Italy identified a common seed supplier in India. The outbreak strain is thought to have entered Europe in October 2025 via two alfalfa seed consignments, before being distributed across multiple countries. Control measures included the withdrawal of implicated consignments, recalls of related products, halting production and destruction of suspected products. ECDC and EFSA said further infections may occur until the source of contamination is fully identified and controlled, particularly because sprouted seeds can be sold as ready-to-eat products. ### Concerns voiced after Listeria found in chicken supplied to hospitals; withdrawal initiated URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/concerns-voiced-after-listeria-found-in-chicken-supplied-to-hospitals-recall-initiated/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T07:11:36.000Z Health officials in the United Kingdom have opened an investigation after Listeria was found in chicken supplied to hospitals. Chicken products imported by Foodbridge EU and Foodbridge UK from Brazil have tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. According to Horsham District Council, C Vale - Cooperativa Agroindustrial handled the chicken in Brazil. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) was notified of the problem by the National Health Service (NHS) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The level of Listeria detected is within the legal limit of 100 colony forming units per gram (CFU/g). However, the products are supplied to NHS food chains and other health and social care settings. **Supplied to hospitals** Products are supplied frozen but are labeled as ready-to-eat (RTE) once defrosted, increasing the potential public health concern, particularly for vulnerable groups. A withdrawal has been initiated by Yearsley Food covering eight frozen chicken products. Express Foodservice, a wholesaler based in West Sussex initially detected the Listeria monocytogenes contamination. These are certain codes and sizes of diced and strips of cooked chicken breast, strips and diced steam cooked chicken breast, and shredded chicken. Products include the tikka, hot and spicy, and barbeque varieties of flavoured chicken pieces. On June 9, the NHS was told a supplier requested local destruction or return of frozen cooked chicken products following the detection of low levels of Listeria monocytogenes. The product appears to be mainly supplied to catering services, including those in the NHS, where it may be further processed. There are currently no confirmed cases of listeriosis related to the incident. However, UKHSA is waiting for Listeria monocytogenes isolates from contaminated chicken to be sequenced by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) to determine whether there is a match against reported cases. One NHS trust has identified a group of vulnerable patients who may have been exposed, and testing of cooked chicken products is being arranged. Companies who received affected products have been told they can continue to be used but chicken pieces must be thoroughly cooked before being served. This must be to an internal temperature of more than 70 degrees C (158 degrees F) for at least two minutes to destroy any Listeria present. Business also need to consider if there could have been any cross-contamination of equipment, facilities, or other products during handling of the chicken in their premises and take appropriate actions to control any hazards identified. Dr Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director, Gastrointestinal Infections, Food Safety and One Health at UKHSA, said: "We are aware that a manufacturer has withdrawn frozen cooked chicken products after Listeria monocytogenes was detected. The level of Listeria is within the legal limit for commercial sale and there have been no reported Listeriacases in people linked to this product to date. “The products have been supplied to some settings where low levels of Listeria pose a risk to vulnerable groups. Therefore as a precautionary measure, UKHSA is working with FSA and NHS to inform these settings not to use the product and sharing further advice.” **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the chicken and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten the implicated chicken should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, and other complications. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Supreme Court sides with manufacturer of Roundup URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/supreme-court-sides-with-manufacturer-of-roundup/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T04:01:08.000Z The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with pesticide manufacturer Bayer in Monsanto Company v. Durnell, ruling that federal law preempts lawsuits brought by cancer patients who allege its Roundup product was to blame for their disease. According to Food and Water Watch the ruling extends the legal shield to all pesticide corporations, leaving patients harmed by toxic agricultural chemicals without the recourse of litigation that has cost Bayer billions of dollars. Roundup was created by Monsanto in the 1970s and is one of the most popular weedkillers in the world. Concerns over glyphosate, a chemical that is absorbed by plants, traveling into their roots and blocking an enzyme used for their growth, have prompted one of the biggest waves of class-action lawsuits in U.S. history. In response to the Supreme Court’s action, Food & Water Watch Legal Director Tarah Heinzen said the ruling is a disaster for public health. “Once again, the Supreme Court has sided with big business over people and the environment. Today’s ruling is a disaster for public health — and it has Trump’s name written all over it,” Heinzen said. “If one needed any further proof that the president’s feigned mission to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ was a farce, today’s decision is all the evidence needed. Trump has been all too willing to endorse Bayer’s crusade to pollute with impunity, while the administration doubles down on a failed pesticide regulatory scheme. “Industrial agriculture is poisoning America. The fight against toxic pesticides does not end here. Congress must pass the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act to safeguard access to justice for all harmed by these toxic chemicals, and a Farm Bill that finally puts public health first. Until then, the Supreme Court has shut the courthouse doors to tens of thousands of sick and suffering Americans.” The court ruling comes despite evidence suggesting that glyphosate, the key ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup pesticide, is carcinogenic, and that the Environmental Protection Agency’s pesticide registration process is fatally flawed. The World Health Organization has defined glyphosate as a probable carcinogen since 2015\. Roundup is the most widely used pesticide in the United States. The decision completes Bayer’s years-long quest to stifle cancer lawsuits cutting into its bottom line. Since purchasing Monsanto in 2018, Bayer has spent more than $11 billion settling over 100,000 cancer lawsuits related to Roundup. The Center for Food Safety, a legal nonprofit working on food and agriculture issues in the U.S., [filed a brief](https://us.cisionone.cision.com/c/eJxEzUvO3CAQBODTwK4t3o8Fi3%5Fja1htaDIk9ngCTKzcPpooUrZfValKUiEb4Tgl6YMywksX-CMhxogxkKy47zZnGyRJmYOxIu8BHW%5FJoS62Vokm6LxJb6oS1sTgAzNitEI%5F2k84sR3UB3iXiw17DAa-z%5Fk6l0%5FAj%5FSY8zWY%5FmJqZWq973vJ9JzU69XrdZWBlebv5erfmFprO2gwtSqhHAgDQkJ59ycdB-Q6gCbgAXi2%5FB7bp1s277Rzy6tUflJpCJ0OwkHQSvoL2z9g-ksL76PiPeWdMD-YEf%5F%5Fn3SPJV8nH7MTnZ-5DNGhIAHZOgOGooeIMoAv2vrqSGmM%5FFdSfwIAAP%5F%5FZ55uJg?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to the Supreme Court in the case on behalf of a broad array of nonprofit public interest stakeholders representing famers, farmworkers, medical professionals, consumer protection advocates, and conservationists. "Overturning decades of well-settled law, today the Supreme Court eliminated one way the public held pesticide corporations accountable for their products’ harms," said George Kimbrell, Legal Director at the Center for Food Safety. "But the fight is far from over. EPA’s regulation of pesticides just became all the more vital to protecting the public health and public interest. We will continue to hold EPA accountable when it does not. And states and other governing bodies have other robust roles. The Roundup cancer cases are a telling sign that people are fed up with corporations poisoning their health and environment and want to choose a different future for their food. This decision, while tragic, is a clarion, galvanizing call to continued action: Americans need to continue speaking truth to power and demand their representatives are protecting their health, not corporations’ profit margins." Food and Water Watch says Bayer has been pushing widely-opposed Cancer Gag Act bills nationwide, seeking to shield pesticide corporations from health-related lawsuits in multiple states and Congress. So far this year, the immunity legislation has failed in 11 states and was stripped from the House Farm Bill and left out of the Senate version. Leaders of other public health watchdog groups also spoke out against the ruling. Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America and an advocate for the MAHA movement, issued a public statement on Thursday calling the ruling “worse than treason” and said it reflected a betrayal of President Trump’s promises to the MAHA movement. “It really is chemical warfare on the American people,” she said. In a separate statement, Alex Clark, a leading voice in the MAHA movement and a supporter of Trump, posted on X, “For an administration that promised to take on corporate capture and Make America Healthy Again, this is a stunning betrayal. Farmers, families, and cancer patients currently in litigation with Bayer will never forget this.” U.S. Senator Cory Booker, D-NJ, said the Supreme Court decision was corrupt. “Today's a really a grievous day where the people of the United States saw that their Supreme Court corrupted by massive gifts from billionaires and people of interest in matters before them. A court that takes gifts, from RVs to tuition to lavish gifts, sided with the wealthy, powerful multinational corporation reversing years and years of precedent, dismissing ultimately effectively hundreds and hundreds, in fact 1000s of cases. They sided with the big multinational corporations against the people. Shaughnessy Naughton, 314 Action President, said the High Court’s ruling handed chemical manufacturers a “get out of jail free card” when working with chemicals and the nation’s food supply. **“**This decision throws out over 100,000 lawsuits and really puts poison and politics over patients. It's a major setback for the MAHA movement, and that's exactly what the Trump administration was asking for. RFK Jr was also quick to endorse it. I think it’s important to call out what a betrayal of the MAHA movement this is. RFK Jr. built his reputation suing Monsanto on behalf of patients who may have cancer from their product and promised to ban glyphosate. He didn't do that, and he's not doing anything to change the direction of how we use this in our food production. It’s a big win for chemical manufacturers, and real loss for farmers and the American people that should have their day in court.” Kayla Hancock, Director of Protect Our Care’s Public Health Project, said the move supports the new views of Health and Human Secretary Robert F. Kennedy. “It's shocking how carelessly our nation's health secretary RFK Jr., who spent decades fighting against the use of this very chemical, and this company has essentially bowed down to the pro-pollution and corporate agenda of the Trump administration and has defended this decision to put more Americans at risk, while abandoning the cancer survivors that are now denied a pathway to damages for injuries.” David Murphy, founder of United We Eat and former finance director for Kennedy’s presidential campaign, also said the ruling would jeopardize the health of Americans. “For decades, Republicans have preached about the importance of states’ rights and ‘pro-life values,’ but today’s ruling in favor of Bayer-Monsanto’s right to shield themselves from cancer lawsuits is more proof that this is just empty rhetoric from a morally bankrupt party and a Supreme Court that continues to put corporate profits over the health of Americans.” ### FDA imposes stricter import controls because of pesticides, Salmonella and heavy metals URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-imposes-stricter-import-controls-because-of-pesticides-salmonella-and-heavy-metals/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T04:00:10.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### USDA issues warning about chicken wraps contaminated with Listeria URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/usda-issues-warning-about-chicken-wraps-contaminated-with-listeria/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T00:46:31.000Z The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat chicken Caesar wraps because tests of the product showed contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The ready-to-eat chicken Caesar wrap items were produced on June 16 and have a sell by date of June 24\. Consumers can determine whether they have the wraps by looking for the following label information: - 8.7-oz. clear plastic wrapped packages of “FRESH SEASONS Kitchen Chicken Caesar Wrap” with “Sell By:6/24/2026” printed on the back label above the ingredients. The products have establishment number “P- 45091” printed inside the USDA mark of inspection. These products were shipped to Holiday convenience stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The problem was discovered during routine FSIS product testing when a sample confirmed positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any recalled product and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled product should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### USDA issues warning about chicken breast products with undeclared allergens URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/usda-issues-warning-about-chicken-breast-products-with-undeclared-allergens/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T00:33:55.000Z The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for raw boneless chicken breast products because of misbranding and undeclared allergens. The product contains eggs, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. A recall was not requested because the product is no longer available for purchase. The raw honey Dijon boneless chicken breast products were produced on June 2 and have a best by date of June 28\. Consumers can use the following label information to determine whether they have the recalled product: - 21-ounce vacuum-packed packages of “PRIVATE SELECTION Honey Dijon Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat” with “BEST IF USED BY: JUN 28 2026” and lot code “15326A” printed on the packaging. The products have the establishment number “P-45288B” printed on the packaging. These items were shipped to Kroger and Fred Meyer retail stores in Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Oregon and Washington. The problem was discovered by a retailer after a store employee identified that the correct label was applied to the front of the product but the incorrect label, which contained the ingredients statement, was applied to the back of the product. The retailer reported the issue to the producing establishment, and the establishment notified FSIS. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a health care provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Reser's recalls Molly's Kitchen pasta salad URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/resers-recalls-mollys-kitchen-pasta-salad/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T00:23:56.000Z Reser’s Fine Foods Inc. of Halifax, NC, is recalling 5,300 pounds of a ready-to-eat (RTE) product labeled as a pasta salad because of misbranding and undeclared allergens, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product labeled as pasta salad may actually contain chicken salad, which contains egg and milk, known allergens, that are not declared on the product label. The RTE product was produced on June 11 and has a use by date of July 16\. Consumers can identify the recalled product by looking for the following label information: - 5-pound plastic tub packages of “Molly’s Kitchen California Style Pasta Salad” with “USE BY JUL/16/26 430” printed on the side of the plastic tub. The product subject to recall has the establishment number “P-00874” printed on the side of the plastic tub. This item was shipped to distributors in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia for further distribution to foodservice locations. The problem was discovered when the company notified FSIS that they mislabeled RTE chicken salad products as RTE pasta salad products. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Patient count in Listeria outbreak traced to cheese has increased URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/patient-count-in-listeria-outbreak-traced-to-cheese-has-increased/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:24:00.000Z Additional patients have been identified in a deadly outbreak of Listeria infections traced to cheese made by Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicsville, MD. As of June 24, there are 11 patients. Ten have required hospitalization and one has died, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Of 10 people interviewed, nine reported eating cheese before becoming ill. Two people reported eating requeson made by Clover Hill Dairy. The sick people live in Maryland, New York and Virginia. Samples from sick people were collected from March 6, 2023, to June 2, 2026\. Whole genome sequencing showed that the patients were sickened by the same strain of Listeria monocytogenes. That same strain has been detected in Clover Hill Dairy cheese. As a result of the outbreak investigation, Clover Hill has recalled all of its cheese products. The recall now includes the following: - Soft and Semi-Soft “Spanish Style Cheese Varieties”: Cuajada, Soft Cuajada, Soft Cuajada in Brine, Soft Cuajada Crumbs, Ricotta/Requeson, and Soft Ricotta w/ Jalapenos (Requeson Con Chile) - Mild Cheese Varieties: Yummy Cheddar, White Cheddar, White Colby, Monterey Jack, Marble Jack, Fresh Cheddar Curd, Snack Pack - Assorted (White Colby, Marble Jack, and Yummy Cheddar), and 3-in-A-Pack - Assorted (White Colby, Marble Jack, and Yummy Cheddar) - Hard Cheese Varieties: Yummy Cheddar, White Cheddar, White Colby, and Snack Pack Sharp Stix - Smoked Cheddar Cheese Varieties: Cheddar and White Cheddar - Flavored Cheeses: Horseradish and Old Bay Cheddar - Pepper Cheese Varieties: Jalapeño Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Sizzlin’ Colby (with Habanero Peppers), Snack Pack- Assorted Pepper Stix (Jalapeño Cheddar and Pepper Jack), and 3-in-A-Pack - Assorted (Jalapeño Cheddar, Pepper Jack, and Sizzlin Colby) - Smoked Pepper Cheese Varieties: Jalapeño Cheddar The Clover Hill cheese may have been relabeled under a different brand name when distributed, including but not limited to KESSO, QUESOS LA RICURA, IZALCO, DE MI PUEBLO, and RIO LINDO. A distributor of Clover Hill Dairy requeson cheese has also initiated a recall. On June 5, Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC of Bay Shore, NY, initiated a recall of 1-pound packages of requeson cheese sold in clear plastic clam-shell containers to retail locations in New York from May 15 to May 28, 2026\. The recalled cheese was likely repacked at the retail store locations, and labeling or coding of recalled cheese may vary based on location of purchase. The recalled Clover Hill cheese was distributed from May 4 through May 30 in the following states: North Carolina, New York, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington D.C. through bulk distributors, retail stores and directly to consumers. Nelson & Isa Lacteos requeson products were sold at retail locations in New York from May 15 to May 28, 2026\. As part of this investigation, FDA and state partners collected and analyzed samples. To date, six product samples of requeson cheese have tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and matched the outbreak strain. Additionally, one environmental sample, collected by Maryland investigators, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and matched the outbreak strain. Is can take up to 10 weeks after exposure for symptoms of Listeria infection to develop. Therefore, people who have eaten Clover Hill cheese should monitor themselves for fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the more severe form of listeriosis develops, symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. **Other outbreak news** For an outbreak of infections from SalmonellaEnteritidis linked to a not yet identified product, the patient count has increased from 68 to 70\. The ages of the patients have not been reported. Similarly, the FDA has not reported where the patients live. The FDA first reported the outbreak on June 10\. The agency has begun traceback efforts but has not revealed what food it is tracing. ### High hopes for foodborne surveillance financial analysis URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/high-hopes-for-foodborne-surveillance-financial-analysis/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T04:03:18.000Z An analysis showing the potential financial benefits of investing in surveillance provides the common language needed to advance discussions, according to experts. The World Health Organization (WHO) calculated the average return on investment for disease surveillance in 17 countries with intermediate levels of food safety system development. Results show that each $1 put into improving foodborne disease surveillance capacity could result in $46.60 of benefit over 10 years in countries that move from a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) level 3 to level 4\. Benefits vary, ranging from $1 to $124 per $1 invested in the countries included. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Listeria reports climb; most other pathogens down in Denmark URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/listeria-reports-climb-most-other-pathogens-down-in-denmark/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T04:01:03.000Z More than 1,100 people fell sick in 56 foodborne outbreaks in Denmark in 2025, according to recently released figures. The report is produced by the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark, Statens Serum Institut, and the Danish Veterinary, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Morningstar Farms recalls chicken nuggets and sausage URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/morningstar-farms-recalls-chicken-nuggets-and-sausage/ Last updated: 2026-06-24T23:42:51.000Z Morningstar Farms is recalling two varieties of products in the United States, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica because of possible plastic pieces in the food. The implicated products are Morningstar Farms Buffalo Chik’n Nuggets and Morningstar Farms Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties. The company’s recall notice did not include information on how the problem occurred or how it was discovered. The company did not provide any photos of the recalled products. There is concern that consumers may have unused portions of the recalled products in their homes because of their long shelf life, which reaches into 2027. The recalled products can be identified by the following information: | **Description** | **UPC Codes** | **Size** | **Better if Used Before Date** | | ----------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------- | | *MORNINGSTAR FARMS* *Buffalo Chikn’n Nuggets* | 000 28989 10110 5 | 10.5 oz | July 07 2027 July 08 2027 | | *MORNINGSTAR FARMS* *Hot and Spicy Sausage* *Patties* | 000 28989 10094 8 | 8.0 oz | July 05 2027 July 06 2027 July 07 2027 | ### Raw milk outbreak reported in Louisiana URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/raw-milk-outbreak-reported-in-louisiana/ Last updated: 2026-06-24T04:07:16.000Z Eleven people in Louisiana have fallen ill after consuming unpasteurized, raw milk, with two needing to be hospitalized. The Louisiana Department of Health is investigating the string of people who have tested positive for infections associated with drinking unpasteurized milk since April 23\. The milk came from three different raw milk operations in the state, which officials did not identify. Two of the 11 who tested positive for campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis, bacteria that can be found in raw milk, have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported so far. The health department did not reveal the sick patients ages or where they live. Under Louisiana law, raw milk may only be sold or distributed for animal or pet consumption. The Louisiana Department of Health does not regulate the production of raw milk or raw milk products. Raw milk is a known source of bacteria, including Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and campylobacter. All such pathogens are destroyed by pasteurization, which heats milk to 161 degrees F for 15 seconds. According to research done at the University of Delaware, compared with consumers of pasteurized dairy products, people who drink raw milk are 840 times more likely to experience an illness and 45 times more likely to be hospitalized. ### Estimates reveal ‘considerable suffering’ caused by parasites URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/estimates-reveal-considerable-suffering-caused-by-parasites/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T19:32:16.000Z Infections from foodborne parasites are decreasing overall but there are some regional increases, according to scientists. Incidences, deaths, and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) burdens were estimated for 14 diseases from 2000 to 2021\. Foodborne DALYs associated with Paragonimus reduced over the period but those from Clonorchis rose markedly. Efforts show that 277 million illnesses were caused by potentially invasive parasites, with 171 million attributable to foodborne transmission. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Nomination deadline for 40 Under 40 recipients is July 6 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/nomination-deadline-for-40-under-40-recipients-is-july-6/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T00:35:13.000Z The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, a program of the nonprofit consumer advocacy group [Stop Foodborne Illness](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), is accepting nominations and applications for its annual recognition program: 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40, Class of 2026\. Each year, the Alliance invites nominations for exceptional young professionals who are advancing food safety and making a lasting difference across industry, academia, regulatory agencies, and related fields. Honorees represent the rising stars shaping stronger food safety systems and cultures globally. Launched in 2023, the 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40 program recognizes emerging leaders who are advancing the field through exceptional leadership, innovative research, and meaningful contributions to food safety and food safety culture. Nominees must meet established eligibility criteria, be under the age of 40 as of July 6, 2026, and may not have been previously selected for a 40 Under 40 cohort. Honorees are chosen based on their achievements, industry impact, and potential to shape the future of food safety. [**Applications for the Class of 2026 close July 6.**](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/alliance/40-under-40/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)For more information about 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40, and to view the full list of honorees or apply for the Class of 2026, please visit stopfoodborneillness.org. Joe Whitworth and Jonan Pilet of the Food Safety News staff were both named 40 Under 40 recipients. About the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness: The Alliance program brings together STOP constituents, leading food companies, and other like-minded organizations deeply committed to the goal of preventing foodborne disease. Developed in 2018, the Alliance was born out of a shared understanding of the crucial role food safety culture plays in ensuring that food is safe and consumers are protected. About Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP): Stop Foodborne Illness is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing foodborne illness and ensuring the safety of our food supply. Through advocacy, education and collaboration, Stop Foodborne Illness works to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases and protect public health. ### South Australian audit covers local food safety URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/south-australian-audit-covers-local-food-safety/ Last updated: 2026-06-24T04:00:34.000Z A report in an Australian state has made several recommendations to improve food safety. The Audit Office of South Australia reviewed selected state and local government activities from July 2023 to June 2025 to assess whether food safety is effectively managed. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: Nara used same supply chain as ByHeart URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-nara-used-same-supply-chain-as-byheart/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:24:47.000Z Thank goodness for Helena Bottemiller. Full Story at [https://foodfix.co/federal-court-halts-snap-restriction-pilots-in-five-states/ ](https://foodfix.co/federal-court-halts-snap-restriction-pilots-in-five-states/%C2%A0?ref=foodsafetynews.com) Here is her story that just broke. Nara Organics, the formula company that recently recalled its entire production history after three infant botulism cases were linked to its products, used the same whole milk powder supplier as ByHeart – the formula company linked to dozens of infant botulism hospitalizations last year – according to industry sources. Nara Organics products are made in Germany, but the company began using whole milk from Organic West and Dairy Farmers of America when it first started producing formula as it searched for an EU-based supplier. During that time, Organic West supplied the fluid milk, and DFA’s plant in Fallon, NV, turned the milk into powder, Nara Organics confirmed to Food Fix. These two dairy companies are the same suppliers that were identified in the ByHeart outbreak investigation. The suppliers were first identified in January 2026 by JoNel Aleccia at the Associated Press and were later confirmed by FDA. “From October 2024 to April 2025, Nara sourced organic whole milk powder from a large, U.S. organic whole milk supplier for infant formula ingredients, Organic West, that was dried by DFA at a facility in Fallon, Nevada used by many formula companies,” the company said in a statement Monday. “When Nara learned from media reports earlier this year that ByHeart also used these suppliers, we immediately began a rigorous review to determine the safety of Nara’s existing formula. The review determined that Nara formula met and exceeded all the microbiological and other contaminant safety requirements of the FDA. It also met all US and EU food safety standards.” (To clarify here: Nara Organics had already switched to an EU Organic dairy supplier by the time this news about the suppliers broke, but some of the formula that was made with the Organic West/DFA milk powder was still on the market.) Nara Organics said in a statement it has always followed “the strictest testing protocols recommended by the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications on Food for the screening of c. botulism using sulphite reducing clostridia (SRC) with specifications even stricter than those recommended by ICMSF. Each batch of Nara infant formula is tested 3 times for SRC – once on the powdered milk ingredients, once on the formula powder before canning, and once on the finished canned formula.” “We are heartbroken by the infant botulism cases and remain committed to working with the FDA, CDC and state health authorities to identify the root cause,” the company added. DFA weighs in: I asked Dairy Farmers of America about this news. “DFA does not supply whole milk powder directly to Nara Organics (Nara) or any other infant formula manufacturers,” the company said in a statement to Food Fix. “A Nara supplier utilized DFA’s Fallon, Nev., facility to process a portion of its organic milk supply into a powder ingredient. We understand that Nara purchased this ingredient from the organic supplier and combined it with ingredients from other suppliers, further processing it in its manufacturing plant into a finished infant formula product.” “The Fallon plant does not produce infant formula or perform the additional processing required for such products,” the company said. “All whole milk powder processed at the Fallon facility met all applicable food safety and quality standards, as well as all legal and contractual obligations.” Zooming out: The revelation that Nara Organics and ByHeart shared the same supplier raises new questions about FDA and the industry’s handling of the botulism outbreak last year. The agency in June said it is still investigating the root cause of last year’s outbreak, and it still has not released the results of its inspection of the DFA plant in Fallon. HHS did not respond to a request for comment. Organic West couldn’t be reached for comment. ### Restaurant inspection data may help strengthen foodborne illness prevention URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/restaurant-inspection-data-may-help-strengthen-foodborne-illness-prevention/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T19:34:12.000Z Routine restaurant inspection reports may be an underused tool in preventing foodborne illness and could be more powerful when paired with disease surveillance data, according to a new review in the *Journal of Food Protection*. Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the University of Helsinki reviewed published studies examining how restaurant inspection results relate to outbreaks and sporadic foodborne infections. They found that inspection data, already collected by local and state health departments, could help investigators spot transmission patterns earlier and strengthen outbreak response. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Campylobacter tops Irish risk ranking assessment URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/campylobacter-tops-irish-risk-ranking-assessment/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T04:03:08.000Z A risk ranking survey has confirmed Campylobacter as a leading cause of foodborne disease in Ireland as well as the severity of most Listeria infections. Results on the risk ranking of microbiological hazards in food come from work by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Scientific Committee. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Why factory farms are a major threat to food safety URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/why-factory-farms-are-a-major-threat-to-food-safety/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T04:02:53.000Z By The Environmental Working Group Every week, federal investigators track between 17 and 36 [foodborne illness outbreaks](https://www.cdc.gov/foodborne-outbreaks/outbreaks/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that can cause extreme sickness and even death. Industrial livestock farming, also known as factory farming, is a main cause. In 2019, the most recent year with complete data, the U.S. saw almost 10 million cases of foodborne illnesses, including almost 1,000 deaths, from E. coli, salmonella and other bacteria, according to the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/php/data-research/foodborne-illness-burden/index.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The harmful bacteria can contaminate raw produce like cantaloupe, lettuce, and onions or more highly processed foods like meat, poultry and ice cream. One cause is the way large factory farms operate, including their management of the waste they generate, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Livestock waste can harbor many different types of bacteria, including a strain of E. coli that is particularly dangerous for humans. When bacteria from animal waste contaminate nearby fruit and vegetable crops, the people who eat them can get seriously sick. Bacteria in wildlife waste and human waste sludge can also [contaminate](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7127387/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) food. Stronger FDA policies could reduce the number of foodborne illness outbreaks and better protect the health of us all. ### Animal waste is more than a nuisance Factory farms are large, concentrated facilities and feedlots that produce livestock for meat, eggs and dairy products. In the U.S., more than 90 percent of [farm animals](https://www.sentienceinstitute.org/us-factory-farming-estimates?ref=foodsafetynews.com) are raised in these facilities. If you have eaten meat in this country, you’ve almost certainly consumed some from a factory farm. Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of cattle, swine, chickens, turkeys and other animals are raised in large buildings, or open feedlots for cattle. Lots of animals produce lots of manure. [EWG found in 2020](https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2020-iowa-cafos/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the animals in Iowa’s largest livestock facilities alone produced nearly 70 times the amount of fecal waste Iowa’s entire 3 million human population generated in the same period. That waste is more than an inconvenience. It contains hormones, heavy metals and bacteria, including fecal coliform, E. coli, salmonella and listeria. It can also contain pathogens like giardia and pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics. ### How factory farms can cause foodborne illness There are two main ways bacteria from factory farms ends up on the fruits and vegetables we eat. First, manure can contaminate the [irrigation canals](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12780667/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that run past feedlots, either by washing directly into the water or by blowing into contaminated dust particles from the feedlot through the air. Without knowing whether the water is contaminated, produce farmers use it in the canals to irrigate their crops or mix it with pesticides before spraying it on crops. Second, bacteria-laden [dust from feedlots](https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-and-partners-southwest-growing-region-share-findings-multi-year-environmental-study?ref=foodsafetynews.com) can drift onto nearby fields and settle directly on crops. Though this pathway seems to be less common, it is especially alarming, because dust particles can travel many miles through the air. Once harvested, contaminated produce can get shipped almost anywhere in the U.S. and beyond. ### Deadly E. coli outbreak in Arizona A striking example of how a factory farm likely triggered a major outbreak: the deadly 2018 E. coli contamination of romaine lettuce from Yuma County, AZ. Five people died and many more were sickened after eating lettuce grown in the region. The [FDA found](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/environmental-assessment-factors-potentially-contributing-contamination-romaine-lettuce-implicated?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that the E. coli strain that originated on lettuce from 36 fields on 23 farms was also found in an irrigation canal near one cattle feedlot: McElhaney Feedyard, a facility located close to much of Yuma County’s lettuce farmland. The problem isn’t limited to factory farms in Arizona. It’s a risk wherever these facilities exist, especially in states that grow much of the produce consumed in the U.S. – like California, [where farmers cultivate](https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/?ref=foodsafetynews.com#:~:text=Over%20a%20third%20of%20the,the%202022%20crop%20year%20are%3A&text=Dairy%20Products%2C%20Milk%20%E2%80%94%20%2410.40%20billion,Cattle%20and%20Calves%20%E2%80%94%20%243.63%20billion) more than one-third of the nation’s vegetables and three-fourths of its fruit. A [recent EWG analysis](https://www.ewg.org/research/most-california-factory-farms-close-irrigation-canals-threaten-us-food-safety?ref=foodsafetynews.com) found that 42 percent of California’s large factory farms are located within a quarter-mile of a waterway commonly used for irrigation. Some are only feet away. One cattle feedlot was situated just 35 feet from a canal. ### What the FDA can do to make food safer Protecting yourself is harder than it sounds. Bacteria can contaminate both organic and conventionally grown produce. And [studies show](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5694878/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) that washing lettuce, for example, does not significantly reduce E. coli – so even careful consumers can still get sick. That’s why it’s so important for the FDA to protect people from bacterial outbreaks on food. A practical first step would be to require tests of irrigation water to catch harmful bacteria and prevent it from getting onto crops. After a series of E. coli outbreaks linked to leafy greens in the early 2000s, the FDA was required to set water safety standards for farms. While these rules, [finalized in 2024](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-pre-harvest-agricultural-water?ref=foodsafetynews.com), require farmers to assess the risks to their irrigation water, they don’t mandate water testing. This gap in oversight leaves farmers to mitigate their risk themselves. Other federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, could also more rigorously monitor farm manure management. Foodborne illness is not inevitable. It’s a public health problem the FDA and EPA have the tools to address, preventing millions of illnesses and saving lives. ### Figures show higher rates of illness for older people in Scotland compared to other countries URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/figures-show-higher-rates-of-illness-for-older-people-in-scotland-compared-to-other-countries/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T04:01:34.000Z Rates of food poisoning among older people appear to be higher in Scotland than in other countries, according to recent research. Findings have helped Food Standards Scotland (FSS) clarify who is more likely to become ill and experience severe symptoms to tailor messaging accordingly. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: A company’s name is not a trade secret URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-25/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:28:25.000Z \-- OPINION -- A father named Chris George spent the better part of a year trying to answer a question that should not have been hard to answer: who grew and processed the lettuce that nearly killed his son? Colton George, now ten, was nine years old when he ate romaine contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 in the fall of 2024\. He spent eighteen days in the hospital. He developed hemolytic uremic syndrome — the complication I have watched destroy children’s kidneys for more than thirty years — and he came out the other side on nine days of continuous dialysis, five more days of intermittent dialysis, and five blood transfusions. He recovered from the acute phase. He will see a nephrologist for the rest of his life. While Colton was in that hospital bed, the FDA already knew the names of the companies that grew and processed the lettuce. It had the names in its files. It posted a case count and a likely source on its outbreak table on December 4, 2024\. And it left the one fact that mattered to Colton’s family — the names — blacked out, because there was no active recall and the agency had decided that a company’s names were “confidential commercial information.” I have been making the same argument for years, and I am going to make it again, because the FDA keeps forcing me to: a company’s name is not a trade secret, and it is not confidential commercial information. Stop Foodborne Illness has now put that argument in front of the agency in a formal citizen petition, and the petition is right. The FDA should grant it. Let me be clear at the outset about what I am — and am not — asking for. I am not asking the FDA to name a company on a hunch, a rumor, or a single unconfirmed complaint, and I am certainly not asking it to disclose a name where the evidence does not establish that company or product as a source of the outbreak. I am asking for disclosure when the agency’s own investigation — the epidemiology, the traceback, and the laboratory evidence — points to a particular company or product as a source. When the evidence is there, the name belongs to the public. When it is not, no one is asking the agency to guess. **The line is not hard to draw** The agency hides behind the Trade Secrets Act and FOIA Exemption 4, and it treats the name of a food company linked to an outbreak as if it were a proprietary formula. It is not. Read the statute. Section 1905 protects trade secrets, processes, operations, style of work, and the financial guts of a business — income, profits, losses, sources of revenue. It says nothing about a company’s name, because a name is none of those things. The courts have already drawn the line the FDA refuses to draw. In *CREW v. Department of Justice*, the D.C. Circuit held that a company’s name is not “commercial or financial” information in and of itself, and that the possibility of reputational or economic fallout from being named is not enough to make it so. And under the Supreme Court’s *Argus Leader*decision, information only qualifies as “confidential” if it is customarily kept private and shared under some assurance of secrecy. Neither is true here. A company that grows, processes, and sells food to the public operates in the open. It puts its name on the package. It advertises on that name. It builds a brand on that name. You cannot market a product to millions of people under your name on Monday and then call that same name a confidential secret on Tuesday when the product turns out to be contaminated. This is the distinction I have drawn my entire career, and it has never been complicated. Formulations, ingredients, and how a product is made are trade secrets and deserve protection. Who supplied the tainted raw material, who made the tainted product, and where it was sold are not — especially during an outbreak. The agency simply refuses to draw that line, and it dresses up a public-health record as proprietary business information to avoid drawing it. **We have already run the experiment** We do not have to guess whether naming companies would cause the sky to fall. We ran the experiment two decades ago. For most of the 2000s, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service would name the manufacturer of *E. coli*\-contaminated meat but refused to say where it was sold. I still remember people sickened in the 2002 ConAgra outbreak telling investigators they had heard about the recall but figured it did not apply to them because they bought their hamburger at Safeway, not at ConAgra. FSIS eventually started naming retailers. Chicken Little was wrong. The sky did not fall. What changed was that people could finally figure out whether the dangerous product was in their own refrigerator. That is the part of this that the FDA keeps missing. Withholding the name does not protect anyone but the company. The agency’s current policy actually leaves consumers of fresh produce in the dark more often than consumers of processed food — because produce spoils, recalls happen less often, and so the trigger that unlocks disclosure never gets pulled. We tell Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. This administration has built an entire health initiative around “whole, healthy” food and radical transparency. And then, when leafy greens sicken and kill people, the agency refuses to tell those same Americans which brand did it. That is not transparency. That is the opposite. **A name, when the evidence supports it — not before** I said at the top that I am not asking the agency to guess, and it is worth pausing on why, because this is where industry will try to muddy the water. The standard I am describing is not a loose one. It does not mean publishing a list of every farm, processor, or brand that happened to be somewhere in the supply chain, and it does not mean naming a company on a single complaint or an early hunch. It means disclosure once the agency’s investigation has done its work — when the epidemiology, the traceback, and the laboratory evidence point to a particular company or product as a source. What I am asking for is the opposite of guessing. That is the standard the FDA already applies to itself every day. It is the same evidence the agency relies on to post an outbreak, to issue a warning, to support a recall. If the evidence is strong enough for the FDA to act on it, it is strong enough to share with the families whose lives that evidence is about. The objection is never that the FDA might name the wrong company. The objection is that it would have to name the right one. Stop Foodborne Illness is asking for exactly that. **What the FDA should do** The petition lays out a clean path, and the agency can take it tomorrow without waiting years for a rulemaking: **First, stop calling a company’s name confidential commercial information.** The simplest fix is also the most honest one. The FDA can issue a statement or memorandum announcing that it no longer reads the Trade Secrets Act to cover the name of a company linked to an outbreak. The statute does not require the agency’s current interpretation, and the case law cuts against it. **Second, if the agency insists on keeping the CCI label, it can still release the name under its own public-health authority.** The FDCA directs the FDA to ensure that food is safe, wholesome, and properly labeled. That is “provided by law” disclosure, full stop. The agency has already done exactly this — in the 2022 “Power Greens” outbreak it named the brands involved even though there was no recall and the product was past its expiration date. It can do that every time. It should. **Third, and least preferred, the agency can rewrite 21 C.F.R. §20.91** to allow disclosure of a brand name whenever it is known, not only when a recall is underway. This works, but it takes years, and families do not have years. There is no public-health argument for secrecy here, only a public-relations one — and not even the company’s, but the agency’s. Naming a company linked to an outbreak prompts people who got sick but never connected the dots to seek care and report. It tells people who still have the product at home to throw it out. And it does the one thing that actually makes food safer over time: it gives a company a powerful reason not to be named again. Chris George should not have had to hire me to spend a year chasing a name the government already had. The next parent should not have to either. Grant the petition. Here is the full petition: [https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/06/STOP-CCI-Petition-Final-2.4.2026.pdf](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2026/06/STOP-CCI-Petition-Final-2.4.2026.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ### Denmark investigating multiple Salmonella outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/denmark-investigating-multiple-salmonella-outbreaks/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T04:06:31.000Z More than 20 people are sick in Denmark as part of a Salmonella outbreak. Since mid-May, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) has recorded 25 cases of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium. Patients are 11 males and 14 females. Sick people are between 8 and 81 years old with a median age of 43. Nine cases live in Hovedstaden, six in Nordjylland, five in Syddanmark, four in Sjælland, and one in Midtjylland. SSI, the Danish Veterinary, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency, and the National Food Institute are trying to find the source of the outbreak. SSI is responsible for whole genome sequencing isolates from patients and patient interviews to help identify a possible source of infection. Whole genome sequencing of bacteria isolated from patients shows they all belong to sequence type 34 and that they are very closely genetically related. This means there is likely to be a common source of infection. **Other Salmonella outbreaks** A different Salmonella outbreak has also been under investigation in Denmark since April. In this incident, there are now 23 cases of the same type of Salmonella Enteritidis. Based on interviews, patients have been linked to a common school meal scheme at several sites in Sjælland. The sick are 11 males and 12 females. Cases are mainly children aged 3 to 15, but there are also four adults aged 21 to 63\. Patients primarily live in Hovedstaden but some are also in Sjælland. SSI has interviewed patients or their parents and found that sick people received school meals from the same program at several different schools in Sjælland. Efforts are ongoing to find the source of infection. As part of a separate multi-country Salmonella outbreak, Denmark has 10 cases. Since January 2026, SSI has recorded people infected with the same type of Salmonella Stanley. There are nine males and one female. Patients are between 5 and 22 years old. Across Europe, 83 confirmed cases have symptom onset between December 2025 and mid-May 2026\. At least 20 people have been hospitalized. Patients have also been identified in Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Several sick people have eaten instant noodles of one brand. However, not all cases can be explained by this product. Salmonella Stanley was detected in an instant noodle meal from Ukraine via Poland. In Germany, Reeva Instant Noodle Dish Chicken Flavor 60 grams was recalled. The affected lot is L0126 with an expiry date of April 5, 2027\. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is working on an assessment of the outbreak that it says is linked to chicken products. It is expected to be released in early July. ### Gross doesn't mean dangerous: What poop coffee and maggot cheese teach us about food safety URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/gross-doesnt-mean-dangerous-what-poop-coffee-and-maggot-cheese-teach-us-about-food-safety/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T04:04:28.000Z \-- OPINION -- My father is a coffee enthusiast. For his birthday, I wanted to find him something he had never tried before. That sent me searching through specialty coffee websites looking for a unique gift. Then I found it. Coffee made from animal droppings. Naturally, I bought it immediately. The coffee was Kopi Luwak, a famous Indonesian brew made from beans that have been eaten, digested and excreted by Asian palm civets. It sounded ridiculous. It sounded disgusting. It also sounded exactly like the kind of thing my dad would love to try. But as a writer for **Food Safety News**, another question quickly followed: Did I just buy my father something dangerous? I didn't know, so I started digging into the science. While researching the coffee, I came across a scene from the 2007 film *The Bucket List*. In the movie, Jack Nicholson's character proudly drinks his favorite expensive coffee until Morgan Freeman's character reveals where it comes from: beans that have passed through the digestive tract of a civet. Nicholson's horrified reaction is played for laughs, but it captures why foods like Kopi Luwak fascinate people. They challenge our instincts about what is edible and what is safe. And that's where food safety gets interesting. **The world's most famous poop coffee** Kopi Luwak is often marketed as one of the world's most expensive coffees, with some varieties selling for hundreds of dollars per pound. The process begins when civets eat ripe coffee cherries. As the fruit passes through the animal's digestive system, enzymes and microbes alter the beans, breaking down proteins associated with bitterness and changing flavor compounds. After the beans are excreted, producers collect, wash, dry and roast them. At first glance, the process sounds like a recipe for contamination. Yet scientific studies suggest properly processed Kopi Luwak is not inherently dangerous. Available studies of commercially prepared beans have found very low levels of pathogenic bacteria after cleaning and roasting. While animal feces can certainly contain harmful microorganisms, the processing steps dramatically reduce those risks. The beans are washed, dried and roasted at temperatures that destroy most bacteria. In food safety terms, the roasting process serves as a kill step, much like cooking meat or pasteurizing milk. The result is a product that sounds alarming but carries risks similar to many other specialty coffees. In other words, the fact that the beans once passed through an animal's digestive tract does not automatically make them unsafe. That distinction is important because food safety isn't determined by what seems gross. It's determined by hazards, controls and processing. **Elephant coffee follows a similar path** A related product, Black Ivory Coffee from Thailand, uses elephants instead of civets. Elephants consume Arabica coffee cherries, and the beans are later recovered from their dung. During digestion, microbes and enzymes alter the beans' chemistry, producing a coffee known for its smooth flavor and low bitterness. The same food safety principles apply. The beans are thoroughly cleaned, processed and roasted before consumption. Research suggests the digestive process contributes to flavor development, while proper post-harvest handling minimizes microbial risks. The result is another product that sounds unusual but generally poses little documented food safety risk when produced correctly. I briefly considered buying some for my dad as well. Then I saw the price. At more than $1,000 per kilogram, I decided one animal-digested coffee experiment was enough for a single birthday. **Then there's the maggot cheese** If poop coffee sounds strange, Sardinia's Casu Marzu may be even harder for many consumers to stomach. The traditional sheep's milk cheese is intentionally colonized by the larvae of the cheese fly *Piophila casei*. As the maggots feed, they break down fats and proteins, transforming the cheese into an exceptionally soft and pungent product. The sight of live larvae wriggling through cheese is enough to make many people swear off dairy forever. Poop coffee was one thing. Maggot cheese was where I found my personal line. Unlike Kopi Luwak, however, there are legitimate safety concerns associated with Casu Marzu. The larvae can theoretically survive passage through the stomach and cause a rare condition known as pseudomyiasis. Unregulated production can also increase the risk of bacterial contamination. Commercial sales are prohibited in Italy, although the cheese continues to be consumed informally and remains an important part of Sardinian food culture. Even so, the product's reputation as "the world's most dangerous cheese" often exceeds the available evidence. Serious illnesses linked to traditional Casu Marzu are rare. **When dangerous foods become safe** Many traditional foods depend on processes that initially seem counterintuitive. Sweden's Surströmming uses fermentation to preserve herring. Iceland's Hákarl relies on months of curing and fermentation to render Greenland shark edible. Japanese fugu contains tetrodotoxin, one of the most potent natural toxins known, yet licensed chefs prepare it safely every day. In each case, careful processing transforms a potentially hazardous product into something that can be safely consumed. The principle is the same one that underlies modern food safety systems: identify the hazard and control it. **Gross doesn't equal dangerous** One of the most persistent misconceptions in food safety is that disgust and danger are the same thing. I understand the instinct. My first reaction to poop coffee wasn't curiosity. It was, "Absolutely not." I knew my dad would feel differently. But disgust and danger are not the same thing. Many foods people consider revolting are relatively low risk when produced properly. Fermentation, microbial activity and even digestion can transform foods and help control hazards. Meanwhile, some foods that appear perfectly ordinary can cause serious illness. A bagged salad contaminated with E. coli looks no different from a safe one. A jar of peanut butter contaminated with Salmonella appears perfectly normal. Raw milk can look cleaner than some drinking water while carrying significantly greater microbial risks. The lesson from poop coffee and maggot cheese is not that everything strange is safe. It's that our instincts are often poor judges of actual risk. Food safety isn't determined by what disgusts us. It's determined by science. **So how was the coffee?** My dad loved it. Asked for his review, he didn't hesitate. "One of the smoothest coffees I've had. It has a very pleasant earthy tone. The elements are more complex, but not overwhelming. Feels very balanced and even. A lovely coffee for sipping. Sits right on the back of your tongue. Reminds me a bit of Turkish coffee. Excellent sipping coffee." He finished the bag long before I finished researching it. Sometimes "gross" is just gross. ### Swedish summer brings ‘expected’ Campylobacter spike URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/swedish-summer-brings-expected-campylobacter-spike/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T04:03:58.000Z Sweden has recorded a recent increase in the number of people infected with Campylobacter. The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) said the rise in infections was expected and is at similar levels to the previous year. From the end of May, the number of domestically infected patients increased and in the first week of June, 91 cases were reported with Sweden as the country of infection or where the place of infection is unknown. Sick people live across most regions of the country. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA cites four importers for verification failures involving produce, dairy ingredients URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-cites-four-importers-for-verification-failures-involving-produce-dairy-ingredients/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T04:00:33.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or months after they are sent. Business owners generally have 15 working days to respond to FDA warning letters. Warning letters often are not issued until companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are commonly redacted from public view.* --- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warning letters to four food importers in California, Delaware, Texas and Virginia for significant violations of the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP), saying the companies failed to ensure imported foods met U.S. food safety requirements. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Sunday Edition: Screwworm Part 2 URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/sunday-edition-screwworm-part-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:28:59.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena** - A German company has been identified as the maker of infant formula linked to [an outbreak of infant botulism](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/german-company-made-the-infant-formula-linked-to-botulism-outbreak/) in the U.S. Milchwerke Mittelelbe GmbH, also known by its brand name Elb-Milch, manufactures formula for Nara Organics. Three babies under the age of 6 months have contracted infant botulism after consuming Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula. No deaths have been reported. - The First Steps Nutrition Trust, a charity based in the United Kingdom, called for [better surveillance of food poisoning symptoms in infants](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/charity-calls-for-improved-infant-formula-controls-in-uk/) and improved public health messaging related to infant formula. This follows the discovery of cereulide in infant formula sold by several companies. The toxin was responsible for more than 140 cases of food poisoning across 10 countries early this year. The European Commission is also considering tighter regulation of baby formula and special infant foods to ensure cereulide is not present. - Inorganic arsenic and lead topped the list of [foodborne chemicals threatening the world food supply](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/inorganic-arsenic-and-lead-top-list-of-foodborne-chemical-hazards/), according to the World Health Organization’s latest foodborne illness estimates. Cardiovascular diseases related to the two chemicals caused almost 90% of foodborne chemical deaths. - [A new collection of studies](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/scientists-call-ultra-processed-foods-big-foods-tobacco-moment/) published in the July issue of the *American Journal of Public Health* connect efforts to downplay the addictive-like properties of some ultra-processed foods to Big Tobacco’s long campaign to distract from the dangers of cigarettes. Tobacco-owned food companies produce some of the foods associated with increased likelihood of developing dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Roughly 60 percent of the American diet now consists of ultra-processed foods, according to this research. **Today’s Topic: Screwworm II** For the first time in 50 years, widespread infections by the New World screwworm must be fought on U.S. soil, as its larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals in Texas and New Mexico. The flesh-eating parasitic fly arrived in the United States with the June 3 USDA report confirming the detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in a cow in Zavala County, Texas. Up to a dozen infestations of Texas cattle and one unfortunate dog in New Mexico have since been reported. What NWS is *not* is also important. It is not a food safety issue. It is not contagious. It does not spread from animals to people. With proof that NWS had crossed over from Mexico, several developments were immediately triggered, including: - President Trump named Texas A&M Regent John Bellinger as the new Senior Advisor for New World screwworm preparedness. In this role, Bellinger will integrate into the USDA’s team to help further drive its robust effort to explore all available technologies to combat NWS, according to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. - The Food and Drug Administration announced an Emergency Use Authorization for the drug nitenpyram to treat screwworm infestations in dogs and cats, making it the first generic drug approved for use against screwworm. - Canada temporarily banned livestock imports from Texas due to confirmed cases of the flesh-eating screwworm, affecting cattle, horses, bison, and other animals that were in Texas within 21 days of crossing the border. - Asked if USDA might reopen the U.S.-Mexican border to imports of Mexican cattle now that the screwworm is on both sides, Secretary Rollins said, “It is not lost on me.” She added, “We will continue to watch the data very, very, very closely.” The U.S. suspended imports of Mexican cattle in May as the parasite neared the American border. Mexico had supplied about 1.2 million head of cattle annually to the United States, primarily feeder cattle destined for U.S. feedlots. The rapid emergence of at least 12 screwworm infestations also sparked political controversy. The early termination of USAID funds for a United Nations NWS monitoring program last year was blamed by some for the resurgence. The amount of that foreign aid was likely not significant, in that the USDA’s spending on screwworm eradication has topped $1 billion. **Mobilization to fight NWS is not without critics** With its animal disease-fighting Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the USDA has mobilized emergency responses, including sterile-fly releases, import suspensions, and construction of domestic sterile fly production facilities But Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller contends that the USDA’s response to the screwworm’s arrival in the USA relies too heavily on an “ineffective approach.” Miller has been Texas Agriculture Commissioner for more than a decade. He is a controversial conservative Republican who fell out of favor with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and lost his primary this year, making him a lame duck. Still, Miller’s views about the screwworm are worth considering. In a [statement](https://texasagriculture.gov/News-Events/News-Events-Details/Article/11932/Commissioner-Sid-Miller-Responds-to-New-Screwworm-Detections-Demands-Immediate?fbclid=IwY2xjawSUNe5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFkNUo5Y3F2ZmZ0dEI2NWcyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmv0p5ZHJm6GAm%5FDspwwbSj--EMRWFhDJ2CEKw9vIONGZv2UOt%5Fqt0bHPpU5%5Faem%5FbbMFXmqTgb%5FyPPc50OXRdA&ref=foodsafetynews.com), Miller called for the USDA to use the Screwworm Adult Suppression System, known as SWASS, a bait-and-insecticide technology designed to reduce adult screwworm fly populations in addition to the ongoing sterile fly releases. In other words, Miller wants the USDA to pair its sterile fly release program with SWASS rather than relying so much on just one approach. “You don't win this battle with one tool," Miller said. "You kill fertile flies with SWASS while overwhelming the remaining population with sterile flies." In his statement, Miller said, "USDA must stop dragging its feet and deploy every available tool before this outbreak spirals further out of control.” Miller added some controversy by opining that Texas ranchers are unlikely to report screwworms because doing so might result in a quarantine of their property. He said, “If I get a screwworm on my place, I’m going to treat my animal, and I’m not telling anybody because I don’t want to be quarantined. \[Quarantine\] means no cattle can move off my place, I can’t sell my cattle, I can’t ship them, I can’t move pastures. Nobody is going to report when they have a screwworm flight, they’re just not. They’ll treat it themselves and hope nobody finds out.” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins did not appreciate the views of her state counterpart. She called his views a “dangerous suggestion.” “That is a very unserious comment from perhaps an unserious ag commissioner with just a few months left,” she told a Kerrville, TX press conference held after the screwworm’s U.S. arrival was reported. USDA has increased surveillance and trapping efforts, established quarantine zones around confirmed detections, and begun releasing sterile flies designed to prevent reproduction. **How we got here** Starting in June 2023, the New World screwworm reappeared in Panama and started spreading across Central America. Before being detected in the U.S. this month, it has been found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico. The screwworm is a parasite that infests warm-blooded animals, causing severe damage to the flesh. The larvae, or maggots, burrow deep into the tissue, causing extensive damage and leaving infections and wounds that don’t heal. The larvae can grow to 17 mm with spines that wrap around in a spiral, thus the “screwworm” name. The spread of NWS (Cochliomyia hominivorax) and its serious threat to both domestic and wild animals, humans, and the environment require strengthening surveillance and diagnostic capacities, ensuring transparent and timely disease reporting via the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) and promoting collaboration across food sectors and borders. No vaccines or biological products are currently available for NWS control, although eradication programs based on the sterile insect technique (SIT) using sterilized male flies have been successful in the past. The New World screwworm fly and the Old World screwworm \[*Chrysomya bezziana* (Villeneuve)\] are both obligate parasites of mammals during their larval stages. All living warm-blooded animals can be infested by screwworm, but it is most common in mammals, while rare in birds. Many cases of screwworm myiasis (infestation of tissue by fly larvae) have been documented in humans. **A closer look at eradication strategies** The Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), favored by the Texas Ag Commissioner, was developed by USDA scientists in the 1970s to control adult populations of the New World screwworm. A rapid-response tool to protect livestock, wildlife, and companion animals from the destructive screwworm, SWASS was first tested and deployed in the 1970s and early 1980s in the United States and Mexico, complementing the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), in which sterilized male flies are released to disrupt reproduction. That system proved valuable in reducing dense tropical screwworm populations, making the SIT more effective and contributing to the eradication of screwworms from northern Mexico and the U.S. Southwest by the early 1980s. --- **Key Advantages of SWASS** - Targets adult screwworms, especially females, reducing reproduction rates. - Uses species-specific attractants to increase effectiveness. - Can be deployed alongside sterile fly releases for integrated pest management. - Proven in historical eradication campaigns in the U.S. and Mexico **Advantages of SIT** - Environmentally friendly: Reduces reliance on chemical insecticides, minimizing ecological and human health risks - Species-specific: Targets only the pest species without affecting beneficial insects - Sustainable: Provides long-term population control when combined with monitoring and other management practices - Safe: Sterile insects do not produce harmful larvae, posing no risk to wildlife, livestock, or humans --- **Our take** In June 2023, Panama became the first country to notify the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) of the New World screwworm resurgence—marking the formal start of the current outbreak wave. In late 2023, Costa Rica and other Central American countries began reporting cases, and the outbreak was recognized as a regional issue rather than a single-country event. Through 2024, NWS spread north and west, with detections across all Central American countries and Mexico, where it had previously been controlled. The screwworm attacked livestock, wildlife, and some humans in those countries, according to OIE outbreak summaries. In August 2025, OIE reported more than 20,000 new outbreaks, and U.S. state health departments began issuing health advisories warning travelers and clinicians about NWS south of the border. The screwworm then arrived in the U.S. in June 2026, three years after the resurgence began. USDA’s readiness measures all failed to prevent the screwworm’s entry. That does not mean the USDA won’t be effective in screwworm eradication. It is unclear why decision-makers are not using the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), which, like the SIT, is a historically successful USDA program. Sid Miller can be a pain in the rump, but ignoring his support for SWASS could prevent an early success. --- **By the numbers** **1966** – The year screwworm was [eradicated from the U.S.](https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/cattle/ticks/screwworm?ref=foodsafetynews.com), according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. A small outbreak in the Florida Keys was eliminated in 2017. **200-300** – The number of eggs [one NWS female fly can lay at one time](https://veterinary.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/tahcfactsheet-newworldscrewworm.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Each female fly may lay up to 3,000 eggs in its lifetime. However, the release of sterile male flies can drastically reduce that number until the flies die without reproducing. **16,725** – The number of screwworm outbreaks reported in 2024 and early 2025, as documented in OIE’s international report on prevalent animal health issues. Nineteen countries reported outbreaks, including 15 exceptional epidemiological events. Nicaragua accounted for over 60 percent of the reported outbreaks. Other affected countries included Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. **830 –** The number of human cases of NWS infection reported as of the fall of 2025\. [According to Science News](https://www.sciencenews.org/article/flesh-eating-maggot-comeback-screwworm?ref=foodsafetynews.com), a Maryland resident became the first recorded infection in the current outbreak after encountering NWS while traveling in El Salvador in 2024. **109,000,000 –** The amount, in U.S. dollars, spent in response to the 2023 NWS detection in Panama. **165,000,000 –** The amount, in U.S. dollars, spent on control efforts in Mexico and Central America in 2024. **21,000,000 –** The amount, in U.S. dollars, spent on the 2025 conversion of a fruitfly facility in Metapa, Mexico, into a sterile-fly rearing operation. **750,000,000 –** The amount, in U.S. dollars, of a major federal commitment made in 2025 to build a domestic sterile fly production facility in southern Texas, capable of producing 300 million sterile flies per week. This is the largest single investment in NWS eradication to date. --- **What it means** USDA and Texas are taking action to contain and eradicate NWS from the United States, following the strategies and actions outlined in the [NWS Response Playbook](https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/nws-response-playbook.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com). These include: - Forming a unified Incident Command Team with the Texas Animal Health Commission and deploying response personnel to the area; - Establishing a 20 km infested zone around the detection and implementing quarantines, movement controls, and surveillance in this area; - Expediting targeted release of [sterile NWS flies](https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/factsheet-sit-proven-tool-nws.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) by immediately deploying ground release chambers in the area, in addition to the 4 million sterile flies per week already being released aerially; - Increasing trapping of NWS flies along the border and just outside of the dispersal area; - Implementing NWS surveillance and management strategies in wildlife; and - Conducting targeted outreach in the local area. Among the resources USDA brings to the party are the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), which has labs in two locations: Ames, Iowa, and the Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) at Plum Island, NY. Diagnostic test services available at those facilities range from a single laboratory test to comprehensive laboratory services covering many pathogens for a suspected disease outbreak. The new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan took over operations at Plum Island in 2023 and is part of the [Biosafety Level 4 Zoonotic Laboratory Network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosafety%5FLevel%5F4%5FZoonotic%5FLaboratory%5FNetwork?ref=foodsafetynews.com). The primary research tenants of the facility are the USDA’s [Agriculture Research Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural%5FResearch%5FService?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and the USDA’s [Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal%5Fand%5FPlant%5FHealth%5FInspection%5FService?ref=foodsafetynews.com) veterinary unit. NVSL personnel from Ames have reportedly been sent to Texas with the NWS arrival. Further reports on the spread of NWS will soon reveal whether this full court press is getting results. *Do you have any comments, questions or suggestions for future coverage?* [*Click here*](https://tally.so/r/Y5YzZB?ref=foodsafetynews.com) *to give us your feedback.* ### Charity calls for improved infant formula controls in UK URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/charity-calls-for-improved-infant-formula-controls-in-uk/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:29:31.000Z A charity in the United Kingdom has made several recommendations to regulators after the cereulide infant formula contamination incident. First Steps Nutrition Trust said the situation exposed important weaknesses in the safety and security systems governing infant foods. Contaminated products may have been on the market from May 2025 until the first Food Standards Agency (FSA) alert on Jan. 5, 2026\. This raises questions about the adequacy of existing regulatory oversight, surveillance and incident response, said the public health nutrition charity. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Contaminated fruit puree hospitalizes children in Israel URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/contaminated-fruit-puree-hospitalizes-children-in-israel/ Last updated: 2026-06-19T04:04:48.000Z Several children have needed hospital treatment in Israel after consuming contaminated fruit puree. According to the Ministry of Health’s epidemiological investigation, children were hospitalized after having "Prinok" baby fruit puree purchased at Zol U'Begadol stores. At least four children are affected but they have since been discharged. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Salmonella, illegal colors, misbranding among problems with imported food URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/salmonella-illegal-colors-misbranding-among-problems-with-imported-food/ Last updated: 2026-06-19T04:02:27.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed.Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Round-up of World Food Safety Day highlights URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/round-up-of-world-food-safety-day-highlights/ Last updated: 2026-06-19T04:01:19.000Z World Food Safety Day was held on June 7\. In this article, **Food Safety News** looks at some of the ways different regions and stakeholders marked the occasion. On June 8, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held a hybrid event on how Codex texts can help tackle foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Pepperoni rolls recalled because of undeclared milk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/pepperoni-rolls-recalled-because-of-undeclared-milk/ Last updated: 2026-06-19T00:41:55.000Z Fry Pie Factory has issued a recall of its 5-ounce pepperoni rolls because of misbranding involving undeclared milk, a known allergen, and a process deviation related to refrigeration. The company said the Pepperoni Rolls were not stored, distributed or sold at appropriate temperatures, which may allow pathogenic growth and pose a risk of food-borne illness. The recalled products were distributed by Fry Pie Factory throughout Ohio and parts of West Virginia in convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations. The company's recall notice did not include any labeling codes. No illnesses have been reported. However, consumers with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk may risk a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product. Anyone experiencing signs of an allergic reaction or food-borne illness should contact a health care provider immediately. Consumers should discard the Pepperoni Rolls or return them to Fry Pie Factory for a full refund. ### Frozen meatloaf recalled because of undeclared soy URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/frozen-meatloaf-recalled-because-of-undeclared-soy/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T23:39:55.000Z Power Plate Meals LLC a West Fargo, ND, Cooperative Interstate Shipping establishment, is recalling 5,795 pounds of frozen meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes because of misbranding and an undeclared allergen, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains soy, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. People with a sensitivity or allergy to soy run the risk of severe reaction including death if they consume the product. The frozen meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes items were produced June 25, 2025, to June 10, 2026\. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. The following product is subject to recall: - 13.3-ounce vacuum sealed plastic tray packages containing "POWER PLATE MEALS MEATLOAF WITH GARLIC MASHED POTATOES" and "USE BY" dates between 6/25/26 and 6/10/27. The products subject to recall have the establishment number "217SEND" inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distributors in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The problem was discovered when a state inspector notified FSIS that the final label did not contain soy in the ingredients list. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider. ### German company made the infant formula linked to botulism outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/german-company-made-the-infant-formula-linked-to-botulism-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:33:35.000Z Officials with Nara Organics continue to refuse to report the manufacturer of their infant formula, which has been linked to an outbreak of infant botulism. However, a German company's website reveals that Milchwerke Mittelelbe GmbH — also known by its brand name Elb-Milch, a subsidiary of the Krüger Group — is the manufacturer of Nara Organics infant formula. The German Milchwerke Mittelelbe GmbH has been part of the Krüger Group since 1991, according to the Krüger website. Krüger specializes in the production of infant nutrition, coffee whitener, basic cocoa and cappuccino products, sweeteners, milk powder and special products for the food industry. The manufacturer uses milk from 100 contract farmers who supply Milchwerke Mittelelbe with more than a million liters of milk every day. The outbreak of infant botulism has sickened three babies from California, Pennsylvania and Washington, according to the Food and Drug Administration. They ranged in age from 2 to 5 months old when their illness began. All three consumed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula. All three infants have been hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG®, the FDA-approved treatment for infant botulism. No deaths have been reported. The California Department of Public Health reported that the infections are among infants who were fed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula. The babies became sick in April and May. The implicated organic formula was distributed nationally across Target retail stores, Target.com, and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026. Officials in two states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. This testing is underway, and results are expected in the coming weeks. The FDA contacted the firm and recommended that it conduct a recall due to the severity of illnesses and the epidemiological signal. On June 13, 2026, Nara Organics agreed to recall all of their Nara Organics brand Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula. The FDA warns that consumers should not use the recalled infant formula. Affected product details: - Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, 700g, with UPC 860013251901 - Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, 400g, with UPC: 860013251918 All lots currently on the market are included in this recall, and the specific codes are as follows. The lot code can be found on the bottom of each can. - 408125075E14F2 - 708125076E14F2 - 708125083E14F2 - 408125139E14F2 - 708125141E14F2 - 708125145E14F2 - 708125174E14F2 - 709125273E14F2 - 709125280E14F2 - 709125288E14F2 - 409125307E14F2 - 70926019ENNB - 70926029ENNB - 70926035ENNB - 70926039ENNB - 70926042ENNB Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula makes up less than 1 percent of all infant formula sold in the United States and this outbreak does not create shortage concerns of infant formula for parents and caregivers, according to the FDA. ### Illegal cheese operation linked to Salmonella cases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/illegal-cheese-operation-linked-to-salmonella-cases/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T04:04:21.000Z Seven people have fallen ill in Slovakia after eating cheese from an unregistered operation. Sick people were infected with Salmonella Schleissheim and several of them were hospitalized. The Regional Veterinary and Food Administration (RVPS) of Liptovský Mikuláš received a complaint from the Regional Public Health Authority (RÚVZ) based in the same area. The incident was reported by the State Veterinary and Food Administration of the Slovak Republic (ŠVPS SR). Patients consumed products from an operation that the RVPS had no information about. It was not approved and there was no registered sheep breeding at the site. **Inspection findings** Inspectors went to the location in a difficult-to-access forest environment. The owner sold a range of fresh and smoked cheese products to officials. He was later informed that it was an inspection. The visit revealed items were produced and kept in unsuitable hygienic conditions in a wooden shed. Inspectors found cheese stored in an old wardrobe intended for clothes, smoked cheese in a plastic shopping bag, and products stored at almost 23 degrees C (73.4 degrees F) with no protection from insects and other pests. Tools and equipment were also dirty and inadequate. Curds used in cheese making were dried on a rack and a nearby stream was used as a water source. Although the owner used gloves when cutting cheese, they were more to protect his hands from getting dirty than to ensure food hygiene, said authorities. Inspectors took samples from products for microbiological examination. Remaining products were destroyed to protect consumer health. Salmonella and high levels of coagulase-positive staphylococci were detected in cheese. RVPS imposed a ban on the production and marketing of products from the site and a health examination of the owner to exclude Salmonella carrier status. The owner has been stopped from operating and is facing a fine. Authorities warned that purchasing food, especially of animal origin, from illegal operations poses a high risk to health. The public was encouraged to pay attention to cleanliness and hygiene conditions, the method of storing products, food handling, and the availability of information on origin and approval. Consumers can check whether a product comes from an approved sheep farm under veterinary control by searching for the establishment in the list of approved sites on the ŠVPS SR website or by checking the identification mark on the product. ### The Litigated Dish: The supply chain is not a shield URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/the-litigated-dish-the-supply-chain-is-not-a-shield/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T04:03:51.000Z \-- OPINION -- In food safety litigation, one of the most consequential, and often most contested, questions is not whether a product was contaminated, or even whether someone was harmed. It is whether the court has the power to hold the right defendants accountable in the first place. That question, always important, has taken on new urgency in light of a Salmonella outbreak linked to a greens-style dietary supplement that has now sickened at least 119 people across 36 states. As that litigation unfolds, a 2023 decision from the Southern District of New York — *Albright v. Daily Harvest, Inc.*, No. 22cv5987, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151783 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 25, 2023) — has emerged as a significant and directly relevant precedent for how courts approach supply chain accountability in food safety cases. **Background: The Daily Harvest outbreak** Readers of Food Safety News will remember the 2022 Daily Harvest outbreak. Daily Harvest, a subscription-based health food company with its principal place of business in New York, sold a product called French Lentil + Leek Crumbles that was linked to serious liver injuries in consumers — elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, and in some cases surgical intervention. The culprit ingredient was tara flour, produced by a Peruvian corporation called Molinos Asociados SAC. The supply chain was layered: Molinos sold its tara flour to a U.S.-based distributor, which supplied it to a Minnesota contract manufacturer, which incorporated it into the finished product for Daily Harvest. When plaintiffs brought suit in the Southern District of New York — the logical forum, given Daily Harvest’s New York headquarters — Molinos moved to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. It argued that it was a Peruvian company that had never entered New York, maintained no office or facility there, and had no direct contractual relationship with any New York entity. District Judge Denise Cote denied the motion in August 2023\. My firm, Marler Clark, represented the majority of the plaintiffs in the class action litigation and successfully opposed the motion. Judge Cote’s opinion merits careful study. **What the Court Found** Judge Cote’s analysis centered on New York’s long-arm statute, CPLR § 302(a)(1), which permits a New York court to exercise personal jurisdiction over any non-domiciliary that “transacts any business within the state or contracts anywhere to supply goods or services in the state.” The statute is a “single act” statute; even one transaction with sufficient New York connections can be enough, even if the defendant never physically entered New York. The critical facts were these. Molinos’s purchase order from the U.S. distributor explicitly required that the tara flour match Daily Harvest’s specifications —meaning Molinos understood precisely whose product requirements governed its manufacturing. The logistics documentation identified New York-based entities as participants in the importation chain. Molinos had copied Daily Harvest employees on email correspondence about shipping delays. And Molinos’s own internal presentation reflected that it had formally accepted Daily Harvest’s specifications through a supply chain management platform that identified Daily Harvest as a New York company. Assessing the totality of that evidence, Judge Cote concluded that Molinos had “purposefully engaged with Smirk’s and Daily Harvest as it sold its tara flour for use in the manufacture of a product it understood would be sold by Daily Harvest, a New York company.” That purposeful commercial engagement, shaped by and directed at a New York entity, was sufficient to establish personal jurisdiction. The motion was denied. **Why the decision matters** The *Daily Harvest* ruling matters for reasons that extend well beyond the tara flour litigation. First, it firmly establishes that physical presence in New York is not required for personal jurisdiction under CPLR § 302(a)(1). A foreign or out-of-state supplier that knows it is manufacturing to the specifications of a New York company, and that shapes its commercial conduct accordingly, has purposefully availed itself of the privilege of doing business connected to New York, even if its product never crossed the state line while in the supplier’s possession. The commercial relationship and the knowledge it reflects are what matter, not the geography of the production facility. Second, the decision gives practical content to the “nexus” requirement of § 302(a)(1). Under the New York Court of Appeals’ controlling formulation in *Licci v. Lebanese Canadian Bank*, a plaintiff’s claim need only have “a relatedness” to the defendant’s New York-directed business activity such that it is “not completely unmoored” from that activity. *Daily Harvest* applies this standard in a multi-party supply chain context and establishes that contamination claims arising from an ingredient supplied for a New York company’s product satisfy the nexus requirement — even when multiple commercial intermediaries stand between the supplier and the forum. Third, the decision signals that courts will look at the totality of a supplier’s commercial relationship with a New York entity. Suppliers who understand themselves to be serving a New York company, and conduct themselves accordingly, cannot disclaim that relationship for jurisdictional purposes when harm results. **The ongoing moringa outbreak: A stronger set of facts** The *Daily Harvest* decision has direct application to litigation arising from a Salmonella outbreak that, as of the most recent FDA update on June 12, has grown substantially since it first came to public attention in January. Litigation involving this outbreak is ongoing, and I will not identify specific parties, clients, or confidential case information. But the public record — and it is substantial — tells an important story. As of May 27, 119 people have been sickened across 36 states and 32 have been hospitalized. The investigation was opened in January 2026, briefly closed, then reopened after 22 new illnesses emerged, suggesting contaminated product remained in circulation longer than initially understood. Traceback investigations have confirmed moringa leaf powder, contaminated with Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Newport, as the source, with multiple recalls covering a greens-style supplement and two additional moringa capsule product lines linked to the same manufacturer. The jurisdictional posture of this litigation parallels *Daily Harvest* in important ways, and in some respects presents a stronger case. In *Daily Harvest*, the upstream supplier’s connection to the New York forum ran through an intermediary chain: a Colorado distributor and a Minnesota manufacturer stood between the Peruvian flour producer and the New York brand owner. The supplier’s knowledge of the New York connection was established through logistics documents, copied emails, and specification compliance records. In the moringa supplement litigation, at least some of the relationships at issue are direct: written agreements between the contract manufacturer and the New York brand owner, bearing the New York address on their face; product samples mailed to New York; commercial communications directed to New York; purchase orders issued from a New York address and invoices sent to a New York billing address. Where *Daily Harvest* established jurisdiction based on an indirect, intermediary-mediated relationship, the current litigation involves direct contractual ties of the kind that make the purposeful availment analysis considerably more straightforward. **The broader lesson: Supply chain length is not a defense** Civil litigation is one of the most powerful mechanisms available for holding the supply chain accountable, but only if the responsible parties are actually in court. None of that happens if upstream suppliers can obtain jurisdictional dismissals before a single document is produced. *Daily Harvest* makes those dismissals harder to obtain, at least when the upstream supplier had a purposeful, documented commercial relationship with a New York entity. It stands for the proposition that the length of the supply chain is not, by itself, a jurisdictional defense. A supplier that understands itself to be serving a New York company — that meets that company’s specifications, coordinates with New York-based logistics partners, and directs commercial communications to New York-based personnel — has transacted business in New York in the sense that § 302(a)(1) requires. The fact that other commercial actors stand between the supplier and the end consumer does not change the analysis. **A final observation** The moringa outbreak is not over. As of April 2026, 32 people have been hospitalized and new illnesses were still being reported more than a year after the first cases emerged. The people sickened are not interested in legal abstractions about minimum contacts and purposeful availment. They are trying to hold accountable those responsible for placing a contaminated product into their hands. *Daily Harvest* matters because it ensures that mechanism remains available—that jurisdiction does not become a shield protecting upstream suppliers from accountability. The supply chain is not a shield. The courts, it appears, are taking that principle seriously. ### Inorganic arsenic and lead top list of foodborne chemical hazards URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/inorganic-arsenic-and-lead-top-list-of-foodborne-chemical-hazards/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T04:01:21.000Z Dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic represents a major problem, according to an analysis of foodborne chemicals. In 2021, nine foodborne chemicals caused 6.26 million cases and 1.12 million deaths. These substances are inorganic arsenic, lead, aflatoxin B1 and M1, methylmercury, cadmium, dioxin, peanut allergy, and cassava cyanide. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Infant formula company refuses to reveal the name of the manufacturer tied to botulism outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/infant-formula-company-refuses-to-reveal-the-name-of-the-manufacturer/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:32:55.000Z The U.S. company that sold infant formula related to the most recent outbreak of infant botulism imported the product from Germany. However, Nara Organics has not named the specific manufacturer of the formula. “Nara works with a state of the art manufacturer in Germany who has over 70 years of experience making top European infant formulas,” a company spokeswoman told **Food Safety News**. The spokeswoman has neither responded to questions about the name of the German manufacturer nor provided comment about why the name is being withheld from the public. So far the outbreak has sickened three babies across three states, California, Pennsylvania and Washington, according to the Food and Drug Administration. They ranged in age from 2 to 5 months old when their illness began. All three consumed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula. All three infants were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG®, the FDA-approved treatment for infant botulism. No deaths have been reported. A U.S. representative issued a statement on June 16 calling on Congress to pass the bipartisan [Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act](https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/delauro-introduces-bipartisan-infant-formula-safety-modernization-act?ref=foodsafetynews.com). “In just seven months, we have experienced two outbreaks of infant botulism tied to powdered infant formula. First, a ByHeart outbreak which sickened 48 sick babies across 19 states, and now Nara Organics with babies in three different states – all of them between two and five months old – now fighting for their lives,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-CT. “This is not an isolated incident, it is a concerning pattern that begs the question; are we doing enough to ensure the safety of infant formula in this country? Before ByHeart and Nara Organics, in 2022, there was Abbott’s facility in Sturgis, MI, that shutdown after a cronobacter sakazakii outbreak, triggering a nationwide shortage that left families scrambling for formula and babies hospitalized and in some cases, dead. “The food we give our babies must meet the highest standard of safety. Right now it does not, and the gaps in the system are clear. Multiple crises year after year show the current system is not working, and we must be doing more.” The Infant Formula Safety Modernization Act is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Reports, Prolacta, Consumer Federation of America, Environmental Working Group, Center for Science in the Public Interest, STOP Foodborne Illness, and the Association of Public Health Laboratories. **The outbreak and recall** The California Department of Public Health reported that the infections are among infants who were fed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula. The babies became sick in April and May. The implicated organic formula was distributed nationally across Target retail stores, Target.com, and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026. Officials in two states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. This testing is underway, and results are expected in the coming weeks. The FDA contacted the firm and recommended that it conduct a recall due to the severity of illnesses and the epidemiological signal. On June 13, 2026, Nara Organics agreed to recall all of their Nara Organics brand Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula. Consumers should not use recalled infant formula. Affected Product Details: - Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, 700g, with UPC 860013251901 - Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, 400g, with UPC: 860013251918 All lots currently on the market are included in this recall, and the specific codes are as follows. The lot code can be found on the bottom of each can. - 408125075E14F2 - 708125076E14F2 - 708125083E14F2 - 408125139E14F2 - 708125141E14F2 - 708125145E14F2 - 708125174E14F2 - 709125273E14F2 - 709125280E14F2 - 709125288E14F2 - 409125307E14F2 - 70926019ENNB - 70926029ENNB - 70926035ENNB - 70926039ENNB - 70926042ENNB Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula makes up less than 1 percent of all infant formula sold in the United States and this outbreak does not create shortage concerns of infant formula for parents and caregivers, according to the FDA. **Thoughts from a food safety expert** Seattle food safety attorney Bill Marler said the pattern is more than troubling. "We have been here before,” Marler said. “In March 2023, the FDA told this entire industry, in writing and naming Clostridium botulinum, that powdered infant formula had a documented history of botulism and that manufacturers had to control for it. None of this was unforeseeable. It was preventable. “Three babies are in the hospital. Mercifully, no one has died. But a recall after the fact is not a food safety system — it is a bad apology. After the ByHeart outbreak, the FDA had to send warning letters to Target, Walmart, Kroger and Albertsons because recalled infant formula was still sitting on store shelves — in some cases restocked and discounted — weeks after the recall began. So, I want to know what has changed. I want to know why we test finished formula for botulism only after babies get sick instead of before a single can ships. And I want to know why, when a baby survives a formula-related illness, the manufacturer is under no obligation to tell the FDA at all. “My firm represents more than twenty other families whose infants were poisoned in the ByHeart outbreak — the first formula-linked infant botulism outbreak ever recognized. I have spent more than thirty years sitting with parents on the worst day of their lives, and there is nothing abstract about an infant on a ventilator. If you have this formula in your home, stop using it today — but keep the container, because your health department may need it. And if your baby is feeding poorly, can’t hold up their head, or seems unusually weak or floppy, do not wait. Call your doctor now.” For more information about FDA’s ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of infant formula please see FDA’s[ Clostridium botulinum Illnesses Associated with Consumption of Powdered Infant Formula](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/post-outbreak-response-activities-clostridium-botulinum-illnesses-associated-consumption-powdered?ref=foodsafetynews.com) webpage. ### Publisher's Platform: FDA’s ByHeart inspection report is finally public — everyone owns the bottle URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-fdas-byheart-inspection-report-is-finally-public-everyone-owns-the-bottle/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T04:06:13.000Z On Thursday, June 11, 2026, the FDA quietly posted to its website the document those of us investigating the ByHeart infant-botulism outbreak have waited months to see: the complete Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) for Blendhouse Allerton, LLC — the Iowa plant that produced ByHeart’s infant-formula base powder. Credit where it is due: Bloomberg’s Anna Edney was first to flag the release, reporting that federal inspectors found no evidence ByHeart’s own production “caused” the outbreak and pointed instead toward contaminated ingredients. You can read her piece here: [FDA Finds No Evidence ByHeart Production Caused Infant Formula Botulism Cases](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-11/byheart-infant-formula-factory-inspection-fails-to-explain-botulism-outbreak?ref=foodsafetynews.com). She is right — but a 55-page government report holds far more than any headline can, so I read all of it. So can you. Here is the actual source document: FDA Establishment Inspection Report, Blendhouse Allerton, LLC (FEI 1921383), inspection 11/11/2025–01/22/2026 — [https://www.fda.gov/media/192916/download](https://www.fda.gov/media/192916/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com). This full EIR is a different and much longer document than the three-page Form FDA 483 that was issued back in January. The 483 is simply Attachment 1 to this report. The narrative, the findings, and FDA’s conclusions live in the EIR — and the EIR is what went public Thursday. What the FDA actually concluded: After weeks on site, FDA’s investigators wrote, on page 35, that the genetic match between the Clostridium botulinum–positive ingredients and both a sick infant and a previously manufactured finished product “appears to indicate that raw materials were more likely the source of the outbreak than the firm’s processing equipment and storage practices.” In plain English: the spores most likely rode in on an ingredient. That ingredient is organic whole milk powder. The report lays out how, on January 21, 2026, ByHeart’s VP of Quality told FDA that lots of organic whole milk powder had tested presumptive-positive for C. botulinum, and that one isolate matched both a clinical sample from a sick baby and a ByHeart finished product (pp. 31–32). The CORE team identified organic whole milk powder as “an ingredient of concern” (p. 34). FDA collected a dozen base-powder samples tied to the recalled finished lots — 251131P2, 251261P2, 251481P2, and 243201P2 — and shipped them out for botulinum testing (pp. 47–48). Follow the milk: Organic West Milk → Dairy Farmers of America → Organic West Milk → ByHeart The EIR redacts the supplier names, but the supply chain is no longer a secret. As the Associated Press’s Jonel Aleccia first reported, the organic whole milk powder was made from fluid organic whole milk supplied by Organic West Milk, Inc., a California company that pools milk from 55 farms, and was dried into powder at a Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) plant in Fallon, Nevada. DFA dried the milk for Organic West Milk, Inc., that sold the powder to ByHeart, and the lot FDA collected at the DFA plant genetically matched the outbreak strain. So, the chain runs like this: - Fluid whole milk — Organic West Milk, Inc. (California, 55 farms) - Powdered whole milk — Dairy Farmers of America, Fallon, Nevada (dries the milk) - Infant-formula base powder — ByHeart at Blendhouse Allerton, Iowa - Finished, canned formula — ByHeart’s Blendhouse Portland, Oregon plant - The Retailers — the stores that sold the can to a parent The agency was looking hard upstream: FDA’s investigators collected “Audit Observations at DFA” as Exhibit 81 (p. 51), alongside ingredient tracebacks. And the finger-pointing has predictably begun — ByHeart points upstream, DFA has emphasized that the maker of the end product bears responsibility to properly process ingredients for safety, while Organic West’s owner has suggested something went wrong in turning milk into powder and powder into formula. Everyone in the chain is pointing at the next link. What “the ingredients did it” does not mean: Here is where I want to be very clear, because the spin will be loud: identifying a contaminated milk ingredient does not get ByHeart off the hook. Not legally, and not morally. Blendhouse Allerton is the sole producer of the base powder used in ByHeart’s formula (p. 1). And the very same report that points upstream also handed ByHeart a fresh three-item Form 483 (pp. 41–44): - A process-intrusion flush that was never documented after black rubber pieces were found in the line, with no rationale recorded — 21 CFR 106.50(a)(1); - A finding that the firm did not ensure all ingredient-contact surfaces were cleaned and sanitized — specifically, an oil storage silo that did not receive the second caustic wash its own procedure required — 21 CFR 106.30(b); and - A base mix that dropped below its required temperature and was fed forward with no management approval, where the firm failed to evaluate the public-health significance of the deviation — 21 CFR 106.6(c)(4). Worse, two observations from the February 2025 inspection were carried into this report as still “Not Corrected”: failing to maintain the building in a clean and sanitary condition (21 CFR 106.20(a)) and approving and releasing an ingredient that was not held under conditions to prevent adulteration (21 CFR 106.40(f)(3)) (pp. 2–3). Read that last one again. Months before babies got sick, FDA had already cited this plant for releasing an ingredient that wasn’t held under conditions to prevent adulteration — and at the time of this outbreak report, it still wasn’t fixed. And look at what that February 2025 inspection actually found. Its very first observation named the exact ingredient now at the center of this outbreak: FDA cited the plant for receiving and releasing whole organic dried milk powder that was not held under conditions to prevent adulteration (p. 1). The same inspection faulted the firm for failing to eliminate rodent-harborage areas after rodent problems in 2024–2025, and for not adequately monitoring the dryer floor after findings of confirmed Cronobacter sakazakii — a pathogen that can be deadly to infants and that drove the massive 2022 Abbott formula recall (pp. 1–2). This plant was already on notice about the milk, about the rodents, and about a baby-killing organism at its dryer, months before a single child got sick. And then the central point: Clostridium botulinum spores in dairy are a known, foreseeable hazard. The entire job of an infant-formula manufacturer is to control the hazards in the ingredients it buys — because the end product goes into the most vulnerable humans on earth, whose immature guts allow those spores to germinate and produce toxin. ByHeart’s own June 10 “action plan” now promises C. botulinum-specific testing of every dairy ingredient and every finished batch before release. That is a tacit admission that this hazard was testable and controllable all along. You do not get credit for installing the smoke detector after the house has burned down. Nor was the hazard hypothetical at this plant. In January 2025, BHA’s own records (SNC25-002-BHA) document pallets of organic whole milk powder arriving with visible gnaw holes, spilled powder, and potential rodent droppings (p. 15) — rodent contamination on the very ingredient that carries C. botulinum spores. FDA ultimately concluded those particular contaminated pallets were not the source of this outbreak — they involved different lots received at a different warehouse (p. 35) — but that misses the larger point. A plant that has already watched gnawed, soiled bags of milk powder come through its doors knows exactly how filth rides in on this ingredient, and exactly why every lot of it must be controlled before it ever reaches a baby. The bottom line: Forty-eight infants were hospitalized across seventeen states. None died — but botulism can leave lasting harm, and these are babies. The FDA report does real and important work tracing the spores to a milk-powder ingredient and to the companies that supplied and processed it. Organic West Milk and Dairy Farmers of America will have to answer for the lot that carried the outbreak strain, and they should. The scale of the danger is in the report itself: the recall began with two lots on November 8, 2025, grew to every lot of ByHeart formula by November 19, and FDA classified it Class I — the agency’s most serious category, reserved for products that can cause serious injury or death. It was still ongoing when inspectors closed this report (pp. 8–9). But a company that puts its name on a can of infant formula — that markets it as the closest thing to breast milk — cannot outsource responsibility for what is inside that can. ByHeart chose its suppliers, bought the ingredient, made the base powder, and sold the product to parents who trusted it. Pointing at the milk explains how the spores got in. It does not change who was responsible for keeping them out. The buck — and the baby’s bottle — stopped with ByHeart. And the responsibility does not stop at ByHeart. Every company that sold this formula to a family is part of the chain of distribution of an adulterated, dangerous product — and under long-settled product-liability law, sellers in that chain can be held strictly liable for placing it into a parent’s hands, whether or not they knew what was in the can. The grocery chains, pharmacies, big-box stores, and online sellers that stocked and shipped recalled ByHeart formula profited from moving this product to the most vulnerable consumers there are. That carries a legal duty, and it carries a moral one. When a retailer chooses to sell infant formula, it vouches for that product to every parent who trusts its shelves — and when the product turns out to be contaminated, it shares in the responsibility to the babies who were harmed. I have spent more than thirty years representing the families on the wrong end of food that should never have been sold — and this report follows the oldest pattern I know: a contaminated ingredient travels down a chain of companies, and the moment babies are hurt, every one of them points at the next link. I am not interested in that game, and neither should you be. Trace this outbreak honestly and it runs in a straight line — from the farms that supplied Organic West Milk, to the Dairy Farmers of America plant in Fallon, Nevada that dried that milk into powder, to ByHeart and its Blendhouse plant in Iowa that turned the powder into base, to the Portland plant that sealed it into a can, to the grocery shelves and online carts that put it within a parent’s reach. FDA warned this entire industry, by name, in March 2023 that Clostridium botulinum was a known hazard in powdered infant formula — and that an ingredient supplier whose milk receives no lethal treatment is, in the agency’s words, “an extension of the infant formula manufacturing process.” Every company in that line had a duty to the child at the end of it, and the law of strict products liability holds every one of them to it. Forty-eight babies in seventeen states had no say in which of these companies cut which corner. They are owed answers, they are owed accountability, and they are owed the one thing this chain was built to deliver and did not: a can of formula that was safe to feed a baby. From the milk to the shelf, that was everyone’s job — and these babies are everyone’s responsibility. ### E. coli infections traced to eating at Costco in Japan URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/e-coli-infections-traced-to-eating-at-costco-in-japan/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T04:03:13.000Z Five people have fallen sick after eating food sold at a Costco store in Japan. Earlier this month, the Nagoya City Public Health Center received a report of a person infected by E. coli. After investigating, it was found that the patient had eaten food prepared at the Costco Wholesale Moriyama Warehouse Store. Further inquiries revealed that five people who consumed food made and served at the site between May 31 and June 1 had symptoms of food poisoning, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. Patients range in age from 7 to 49 years old. E. coli O157 was detected in stool samples from all five patients. The suspected product name is the High Roller bacon lettuce tomato (BLT) wrap. The Nagoya City Public Health Center has issued a suspension order to the restaurant and food manufacturing businesses that were involved in the preparation of contaminated food at the store. In a statement, Costco Japan said: “We have received reports of illness from some members who consumed 'High Roller' products manufactured and sold at the Moriyama Warehouse Store's delicatessen corner on May 31 and June 1\. An investigation revealed the presence of E. coli O157. “We sincerely apologize to affected members and their families for the great distress and worry caused. We are currently fully cooperating with the public health center's investigation and have re-emphasized our safety management system based on their guidance.” Costco said it had cleaned related equipment and brought in an external company to disinfect the food manufacturing area. "High Roller" products made on May 31, or June 1, have also been recalled. The Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) published a [special feature on E. coli infection](https://id-info.jihs.go.jp/surveillance/iasr/pathogens/vol47/555/555t.html?ref=foodsafetynews.com) earlier this year. According to the Infectious Disease Outbreak Trend Survey, in 2025, 2,472 symptomatic E. coli infections and 1,866 asymptomatic cases – detected through epidemiological surveys or regular stool tests by food workers – were reported. Overall, the 4,338 cases is the highest figure since 2011. There were 59 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and E. coli was isolated from 46 cases. Of these, O157 was detected 41 times. Ten incidents of E. coli food poisoning were reported to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2025 with 362 patients. ### Foodwatch raises questions about plans to simplify food safety rules URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/foodwatch-raises-questions-about-plans-to-simplify-food-safety-rules/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T04:01:39.000Z A complaint has been raised relating to the European Commission’s handling of planned legislation, claiming it could have consequences for food safety standards. The Food and Feed Safety Omnibus package includes rules on pesticide residues, border controls on food imports, and adapted bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) surveillance. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### UKHSA assessment features E. coli and Salmonella examples URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/ukhsa-assessment-features-e-coli-and-salmonella-examples/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T04:00:13.000Z Example E. coli and Salmonella outbreaks are included in a review by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) of health risks that could occur in the next few years. The Health Security Risk Assessment details some of the most significant risks facing the UK over the next five years. It is designed to support preparedness and planning across government, health services, and other public and private sectors. For the topics listed, a reasonable worst-case scenario is created. The impact of each risk on public health, healthcare systems, and wider society is measured, alongside the likelihood of each one occurring, to help with planning and risk mitigation. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Chocolate raisins recalled because of undeclared peanuts URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/chocolate-raisins-recalled-because-of-undeclared-peanuts/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T01:26:44.000Z Western Mixers Produce & Nuts Inc. of Ontario, CA, is recalling First Street brand dark chocolate raisins in 9-ounce packages because they may contain peanuts. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The packages may contain undeclared dark chocolate peanuts. The product was distributed to Cedraui USA and was sold at Smart & Final Stores in California. The recalled product can be identified by the following information: First Street brand Dark Chocolate Raisins, 9 oz., with UPC 7-97565-01183-0 packed in a clear plastic container with Lot#260562, which can be found on the side of the container. No illnesses have been reported to date, according to the company. ### Publisher's Platform: The genome doesn’t lie URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-the-genome-doesnt-lie/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T16:34:15.000Z When I started suing food companies more than thirty years ago, after E. coli O157:H7 in undercooked Jack in the Box hamburgers killed four children and sickened hundreds, proving where a pathogen came from was slow, painstaking, and often impossible. Investigators matched bacteria using crude “fingerprinting” methods that could tell you two samples looked similar, but rarely that they were truly the same organism. That world is gone. Whole genome sequencing — reading the complete DNA of a bacterium — has done for foodborne illness what DNA testing did for criminal forensics. Today, when Listeria turns up in a nursing-home resident in California and in a frozen nutritional shake produced two thousand miles away, public-health scientists can say with near-certainty it is the same organism. The FDA’s GenomeTrakr and the CDC’s PulseNet databases and NCBI’s website now hold hundreds of thousands of these genomic fingerprints. The 2025 Lyons Magnus outbreak — 42 sickened, 14 dead across 21 states — was solved this way. So was the largest and deadliest listeriosis outbreak in history: the 2017–2018 South African catastrophe that killed 216 people and was traced, through a single sequence type called ST6, back to polony from one Tiger Brands plant in Polokwane. For public health, the case is overwhelming. WGS finds the source faster, thereby making outbreaks smaller, narrows recalls so they strike the guilty product instead of an entire commodity, and catches contamination at vanishingly low levels. None of that is seriously in dispute. The harder question — and the one companies actually ask me — is whether a food producer should run that same technology on its own products and inside its own plant. Here is the uncomfortable part, and I’ll say it plainly because the industry’s lawyers usually won’t: a positive result you generate today can be used against you tomorrow. If you swab your plant and find Listeria in a floor drain, sequence it, and that genome later matches a sick child’s, you are tied to that case in a way no jury will forget. Some defense attorneys take the logical next step and quietly advise their clients to test less — because what you don’t know can’t be subpoenaed. I have spent decades on the other side of that advice, and I am here to tell you the bad advice is both morally bankrupt and, in the long run, a legal disaster. Choosing not to look is not a defense. It is willful blindness, and juries understand it instantly. The company that finds a resident strain, documents it, and surgically eliminates it has a contemporaneous record of doing exactly what a responsible food producer is supposed to do. The company that decided ignorance was safer has a record of nothing — until the outbreak arrives anyway, larger and deadlier for having gone undetected, and a plaintiff’s lawyer like me asks under oath why a company with hundreds of millions in revenue chose not to use a technology that a public-health lab in a developing nation could afford. And WGS cuts both ways. The same precision that can implicate you can clear you. When your product is swept into an outbreak it had nothing to do with, your genomic data is the fastest route to proving your strain is not the strain — to getting your name out of the headline and your trucks back on the road. I have watched sequencing exonerate an accused producer as decisively as it has condemned a guilty one. WGS is not magic. It demands real bioinformatics expertise, validated pipelines, and reference databases that still have gaps for rare and emerging pathogens. But none of that is an argument for staying in the dark. The food industry’s reflex has been to know as little as possible about its own contamination, on the theory that what it didn’t know couldn’t hurt it in court. The genome has ended that bargain. The pathogens in your plant already have a fingerprint. The only question is whether you are willing to read it before someone’s child does. ### Complaints prompt infant formula recall URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/complaints-prompt-infant-formula-recall/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T04:04:20.000Z A dozen illnesses have been reported in France linked to a brand of infant formula. Eleven reports were received via the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) nutrivigilance system, and one via another system, for adverse digestive effects in infants such as diarrhea and vomiting. All concern the same batch of Allernova AR formula from Laboratoires Novalac. A voluntary withdrawal and recall of batch 183403 has been undertaken by the company. The powdered formula comes in a 400-gram tub and has a date of July 17, 2028\. It was sold at pharmacies in France from April to June 12. One infant was hospitalized after a stool sample test revealed the presence of adenovirus, a pathogen responsible for gastroenteritis that is not typically transmitted through breast milk. The manufacturer has also received complaints about the same batch relating to issues such as an unusual color and odor. **No link to cereulide incident** United Pharmaceuticals, the owner of Laboratoires Novalac, conducted enhanced testing on the affected batch manufactured in Germany and shared results with authorities in Paris, where the company's French headquarters are located. The organoleptic changes are believed to be because of excessive heating of part of the batch. Analyses carried out by the manufacturer showed no pathogens. Cereulide toxin, which was behind a recent alert concerning infant formula sold by various companies worldwide, was also not detected. French officials said the non-conformities make the product unfit for consumption, as its color and odor are unacceptable to consumers, although no conclusions can yet be drawn regarding potential health risks. The Directorate General for Food (DGAL) is in contact with German authorities to ensure measures deemed necessary for consumer safety are taken. DGAL is handling the case with the Directorate General for Health (DGS), Santé publique France, and experts at ANSES. Anyone who has any boxes from the affected batch should stop their use and return them to the pharmacy in exchange for a box from another batch. ### Sentence scheduled for former janitorial services manager who forged IDs for hundreds of workers URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/sentence-scheduled-for-former-janitorial-services-manager-who-forged-ids-for-hundreds-of-workers/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T04:03:25.000Z A defendant who worked for Fayette Janitorial Services will be sentenced on September 17 after pleading guilty to obtaining fake identifications for undocumented workers, including children. John Bernard Mitchum, a Fayette Janitorial Services division manager, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Fayette Janitorial Services is a contract cleaning service for a Perdue Farms meat and poultry slaughterhouse. The U.S. Department of Labor found 24 children as young as 13 working at facilities operated by Perdue in Virginia and Seaboard Foods in Iowa for Fayette’s cleaning services. The Nashville-based company paid $649,304 to settle the civil action brought by DOL. Federal law prohibits child labor in slaughterhouses. Perdue’s Accomack County, VA, poultry-processing plant was under investigation by Homeland Security as early as 2020\. Additional federal interest occurred in 2022 when the arm of a 14-year-old employee was seriously injured while cleaning. Homeland found that 339 of 353 Fayette employees at Perdue’s Accomack facility were likely using fake identifications, and many were also attending the local Arcadia High School. Mitchum was producing fake driver’s licenses, birth certificates and Social Security cards needed to keep the undocumented child worker scam going. Identities were sometimes reused if they passed muster in a practice known as “refining." Perdue has terminated its contract with Fayette. ### Understanding burden is ‘just the beginning’, says WHO group URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/understanding-burden-is-just-the-beginning-says-who-group/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T04:01:41.000Z A World Health Organization (WHO) group has urged food safety stakeholders to turn evidence into action, adding that understanding the burden of foodborne disease is only the beginning. In a statement to mark World Food Safety Day, the WHO Alliance for Food Safety called on governments, international organizations, academic institutions, and public health agencies to work together to accelerate progress toward safer food everywhere. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FERG chief ‘encouraged’ by progress but burden remains ‘significant’ URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/ferg-chief-encouraged-by-progress-but-burden-remains-significant/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T04:00:49.000Z The chair of the group behind revised foodborne illness figures has hailed the “encouraging” progress in reducing infections but warned that the burden is still “significant.” Speaking on a webinar discussing key findings from the 2026 edition of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimates on the global burden of foodborne diseases, Rob Lake said the aggregated trend is a positive picture. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Company expands cheese recall; Listeria outbreak traced to products URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/company-expands-cheese-recall-listeria-outbreak-traced-to-products/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T00:35:21.000Z The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating a multi-state, multi-year outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to requeson, a soft cheese similar to ricotta, manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicsville, MD. So far, the investigation has identified nine patients. Eight of them have been hospitalized and one has died. As a result of the investigation, Clover Hill has expanded its recall to include all cheese products manufactured by the firm. The recall now includes the following: - Soft and Semi-Soft “Spanish Style Cheese Varieties”: Cuajada, Soft Cuajada, Soft Cuajada in Brine, Soft Cuajada Crumbs, Ricotta/Requeson, and Soft Ricotta w/ Jalapenos (Requeson Con Chile) - Mild Cheese Varieties: Yummy Cheddar, White Cheddar, White Colby, Monterey Jack, Marble Jack, Fresh Cheddar Curd, Snack Pack - Assorted (White Colby, Marble Jack, and Yummy Cheddar), and 3-in-A-Pack - Assorted (White Colby, Marble Jack, and Yummy Cheddar) - Hard Cheese Varieties: Yummy Cheddar, White Cheddar, White Colby, and Snack Pack Sharp Stix - Smoked Cheddar Cheese Varieties: Cheddar and White Cheddar - Flavored Cheeses: Horseradish and Old Bay Cheddar - Pepper Cheese Varieties: Jalapeño Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Sizzlin’ Colby (with Habanero Peppers), Snack Pack- Assorted Pepper Stix (Jalapeño Cheddar and Pepper Jack), and 3-in-A-Pack - Assorted (Jalapeño Cheddar, Pepper Jack, and Sizzlin Colby) - Smoked Pepper Cheese Varieties: Jalapeño Cheddar A distributor of Clover Hill Dairy requeson cheese has also initiated a recall. On June 5, Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC of Bay Shore, NY, initiated a recall of 1-pound packages of requeson cheese sold in clear plastic clam-shell containers to retail locations in New York from May 15 to May 28\. The recalled cheese was likely repacked at the retail store locations, and labeling or coding of recalled cheese may vary based on location of purchase. A [list](https://www.fda.gov/media/193088/download?ref=foodsafetynews.com) of New York retail stores and locations that FDA has reason to believe received requeson cheese that was included in the recall by Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC can be found in the [recall announcement](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/nelson-isa-lacteos-llc-recalls-requeson-cheese-due-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Clover Hill cheese was distributed from May 4 through May 30 in the following states: North Carolina, New York, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington D.C. through bulk distributors, retail stores and directly to consumers. Nelson & Isa Lacteos requeson products were sold at retail locations in New York from May 15 to May 28. On June 14, the Maryland Department of Health announced an expanded [consumer advisory](https://health.maryland.gov/newsroom/Pages/Consumer%20advisory%20expanded%20for%20all%20Clover%20Hill%20Dairy%20cheese%20products%20due%20to%20continued%20risk%20of%20foodborne%20illness.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com) for all cheese products made by Clover Hill Dairy due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. As part of this investigation, FDA and state partners collected and analyzed samples. To date, six product samples of requeson cheese have tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and matched the outbreak strain. Additionally, one environmental sample, collected by Maryland investigators, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and matched the outbreak strain. The recalled Cliver Hill products are as follows: | Product Name | Quantity / Sizes | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Soft Cuajada in Brine | 5-gallon bucket (30-lbs), 2-gallon bucket (14-lbs) | | Soft Cuajada (vacuum sealed) | 5-lb bags, 2.5-lb clam shell, 0.90-lb (14-oz) clam shell | | Cuajada (vacuum sealed) | 30-lb boxes | | Ricotta | 5-gallon bucket (40-lbs), 2-gallon bucket (18-lbs), 2.5-lb tubs, 1-lb clam shell | | Soft Cuajada Crumbs | | | Mild Cheese Varieties - Yummy Cheddar, White Cheddar, White Colby, Monterey Jack, Marble Jack | 1/2-lb, 1-lb, 2.5-lbs, 5-lbs, 40-lbs | | Mild Cheese Varieties - Snack Pack Assorted Regular Mild Stix White Colby, Marble Jack, Yummy Cheddar | Approx 0.40-lbs (6.4-oz) | | Mild Cheese Varieties - 3-in-A-Pack Assorted White Colby, Marble Jack, Yummy Cheddar | Approx. 0.20-lbs (3.2-oz) | | Mild Cheese Varieties - Fresh Cheddar Curd | 0.75-lb box, 1.50-lb box | | Sharp Cheese Varieties - Cheddar, Yummy Cheddar, White Cheddar, Monterey Jack | 1/2-lb, 1-lb, 2.5-lbs, 5-lbs | | Sharp Cheese Snack Pack Sharp Stix White or Yellow | Regular size Approx 0.40-lbs (6.4-oz) | | Flavored Cheese - Horseradish | 1/2-lb, 1-lb, 2.5-lb, 5-lb, 40-lb | | Flavored Cheese - Old Bay Cheddar | 1/2-lb, 1-lb, 2.5-lb, 5-lb, 40-lb | | Pepper Jack Cheese Varieties - Jalapeno Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Sizzlin Colby with Habanero Peppers | 1/2-lb, 1-lb, 2.5-lb, 5-lb, 40-lb | | Pepper Jack Cheese Varieties - Snack Pack Assorted Pepperjack Stix - Jalapeno Cheddar, Pepper Jack | Regular size Approx 0.40-lbs (6.4-oz) | | Pepper Jack Cheese Varieties - 3-in-a-Pack Assorted Jalapeno Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Sizzlin Colby | Approx. 0.20-lbs (3.2-oz) | | Smoked Cheddar Cheese Varieties - Cheddar, White Cheddar | 1/2-lb, 1-lb | | Smoked Pepper Cheese Varieties - Jalapeno Cheddar | 1/2-lb pieces, 1-lb pieces | **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalledproducts and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Scientists call ultra-processed foods 'Big Food's tobacco moment' URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/scientists-call-ultra-processed-foods-big-foods-tobacco-moment/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T04:06:31.000Z _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns seafood firms about botulism controls and import violations URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-warns-seafood-firms-about-botulism-controls-and-import-violations/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T04:04:04.000Z As part of its enforcement activities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or months after they are sent. Business owners generally have 15 working days to respond to FDA warning letters. Warning letters often are not issued until companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are commonly redacted from public view. --- The FDA has issued warning letters to a Georgia seafood processor and a Massachusetts seafood importer after inspections found serious violations of seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Wine controls dominate enforcement operations in Portugal URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/wine-controls-dominate-enforcement-operations-in-portugal/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T04:02:33.000Z A significant quantity of wine and bottle labels have been seized in a series of checks by Portuguese authorities. The Portuguese Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE) was part of a team that inspected operators bottling and marketing wine in Anadia and Miranda do Corvo. As a result of the operation, 4,360 liters of red and white wine were seized in addition to 27,100 labels ready to be used ahead of placing products on the market. Two infringements were recorded. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Home canning season is here: Follow safe practices to avoid botulism and other foodborne illnesses URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/home-canning-season-is-here-follow-safe-practices-to-avoid-botulism-and-other-foodborne-illnesses/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T04:02:05.000Z As gardens begin producing tomatoes, green beans, peppers and other summer favorites, many home cooks are preparing to preserve their harvest through canning. Home canning can be a safe and rewarding way to store food for months or even years. However, food safety experts warn that improper canning techniques can create conditions that allow dangerous bacteria, including Clostridium botulinum, to grow, which produces the toxin responsible for botulism poisoning. Although botulism is rare, it can cause paralysis, respiratory failure and death. Botulinum toxin cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. "Home canning is one of those food preservation methods where following tested procedures is critical," according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. **Why botulism remains a concern** Botulism occurs when Clostridium botulinum grows in oxygen-free environments and produces a potent nerve toxin. Improperly canned foods can provide the ideal conditions for the bacteria to grow. Symptoms of foodborne botulism can include: - Double or blurred vision - Drooping eyelids - Slurred speech - Difficulty swallowing - Dry mouth - Muscle weakness - Difficulty breathing Symptoms can begin hours or days after consuming contaminated food. Anyone experiencing these symptoms after eating home-preserved foods should seek immediate medical attention. **Pressure canning versus water bath canning** One of the most common mistakes in home canning is using the wrong canning method. High-acid foods, such as many fruits, jams and jellies, can generally be processed using a boiling water bath canner. Low-acid foods require a pressure canner to reach temperatures high enough to destroy botulism spores. Low-acid foods include: - Green beans - Corn - Beets - Potatoes - Asparagus - Carrots - Meats - Poultry - Seafood Many vegetables that come from backyard gardens fall into the low-acid category. According to the USDA, pressure canning is the only recommended method for safely canning these foods. **Safe home canning tips** Food preservation experts recommend several basic precautions: **Use tested recipes.** Follow recipes and processing instructions from trusted sources such as the [USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning](https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/canning/items/show/101?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the [National Center for Home Food Preservation](https://nchfp.uga.edu/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and university extension programs. **Use the proper equipment —** Ensure pressure canners are functioning correctly and follow manufacturer instructions for maintenance and calibration. **Inspect jars and lids —** Discard jars with cracks, chips or other damage that could prevent a proper seal. **Follow processing times carefully —** Processing times are based on extensive research and should not be shortened. **Adjust for altitude when necessary —** Higher elevations often require different processing times or pressures. **Store canned foods properly —** Keep jars in a cool, dry location and label them with the date they were canned. When in doubt, throw it out Food safety experts emphasize that consumers should never taste food to determine whether it is safe. Discard home-canned foods if: - The container is leaking, bulging or swollen - The seal is broken - The jar is cracked or damaged - Liquid spurts from the container when opened - The food appears moldy, discolored or has an unusual odor Even a small amount of the microscopic botulinum toxin can cause severe illness. **Trusted resources for home canners** Consumers looking for canning guidance should rely on science-based resources rather than social media trends or untested family recipes. Among the most widely recommended resources are: - [USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning](https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/canning/items/show/101?ref=foodsafetynews.com) - [National Center for Home Food Preservation](https://nchfp.uga.edu/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) - State and county cooperative extension programs - University food preservation courses and workshops Many extension services offer free classes, online tutorials and updated guidance tailored to local growing conditions. As harvest season ramps up across the country, food safety officials say a few extra minutes spent following tested procedures can help ensure that home-preserved foods remain both delicious and safe. ### Sunday Edition: Shrooms URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/sunday-edition-shrooms/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T00:36:13.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety arena this week** - [ Another new outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-investigating-new-salmonella-outbreak-3/) is under investigation by the FDA. Although the source has not been identified, there are already 62 confirmed patients. As usual, the FDA is not reporting where the patients are located or what food is being traced as a possible source. - The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is investigating [an outbreak of Salmonella Stanley](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/suspicion-falls-on-instant-noodles-in-salmonella-outbreak/) which was initially detected in Denmark. A total of 83 cases have been confirmed between December 2025 and May 2026\. At least 20 people have been hospitalized. Related cases have been identified in Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The source is thought to be chicken-flavored instant noodles and/or processed chicken products. - Colorado governor Jared Polis has signed [the “Tamale Act”](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/outgoing-governor-signs-the-tamale-act-into-colorado-law/) into law. It makes Colorado a “food freedom” state by expanding the state’s Cottage Foods Act to include refrigerated foods such as tamales, burritos, tortas, sandwiches and salads made in home kitchens and offered for sale. - Additional documents released by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service reveal that dozens of problems threatening food safety at the Boar’s Head plant in Jarrett, VA, [date back to at least 2019](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/boars-head-inspection-documents-show-years-of-safety-problems-preceded-outbreak/). The problems included standing and dripping water – locations where Listeria could thrive – presence of insects and a variety of insanitary conditions such as mold, damaged floors and algal growth. Ten people died in 2024 from an outbreak of Listeria infections traced to products from the plant. **Today’s Topic: Shrooms** An [Executive Order signed by President Trump](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-is-accelerating-medical-treatments-for-serious-mental-illness/?ref=foodsafetynews.com) in April promotes psychedelics, including psilocybin, to treat mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. The order gives a boost to the handful of jurisdictions that have legalized psilocybin. Denver and Oakland in 2019, [Oregon in 2020](https://www.opb.org/article/2023/09/20/magic-mushrooms-psilocybin-fungi-portland-oregon-superabundant/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), the [state of Colorado in 2022](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/colorado-veterans-and-conservatives-clash-over-psychedelic-therapy?ref=foodsafetynews.com) and New Mexico in 2025 all legalized the use of psilocybin – also known as “magic mushrooms,” or “shrooms,” and “boomers” – under certain conditions. Washington D.C. and several California cities have also decriminalized magic mushrooms at the local level. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: Two botulism outbreaks in seven months — where are the FDA and the formula industry on the formula we feed our kids? URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-two-botulism-outbreaks-in-seven-months-where-are-the-fda-and-the-formula-industry-on-the-formula-we-feed-our-kids/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T04:05:27.000Z For the second time in seven months, I am writing about a baby formula that is carrying the toxin that causes botulism. For the second time in seven months, the implicated ingredient is whole milk powder. And for the second time in seven months, the product was sitting on the shelf at Target when parents reached for it. On June 13, 2026, Nara Organics recalled every can of its Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula after the FDA and CDC linked it to three cases of infant botulism in California, Pennsylvania, and Washington. All three babies — between two and five months old — were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG. Mercifully, no one has died. The formula was made in Europe and sold across the country through Target stores, Target.com, and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026. If that sounds familiar, it should. In November 2025, the ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula outbreak sickened 48 infants across 17 states — the first formula-linked infant botulism outbreak this country had ever recognized. Whole-genome sequencing tied it to \*Clostridium botulinum\* in organic whole milk powder. My firm represents more than twenty of those families. I have sat with them. There is nothing abstract about an infant on a ventilator. I have a simple question, and I think every parent in America is entitled to ask it with me: “Where are the FDA and the formula industry on making sure the formula we feed our kids is safe?” I put both in the same sentence on purpose. One of them wrote the warning. The other one received it. Neither one stopped this from happening — twice. They Were Warned. In Writing. Naming the Toxin. This is what makes me angry, and it should make you angry too. None of this was a surprise to the agency or to the industry. On March 8, 2023 — more than three years ago — the FDA sent a "Call to Action" letter to every infant formula manufacturer, packer, distributor, exporter, importer, and retailer in the country. In that letter, signed by the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and the Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, the agency wrote, in plain language and naming the organism, that "\[h\]istorical associations between powdered infant formula and pathogens such as Cronobacter spp., Salmonella, and Clostridium botulinum should be considered when designing and implementing controls for the safe manufacture of all foods for infants and young children." Read that again. The FDA told this entire industry — in writing, naming Clostridium botulinum — that powdered infant formula had a documented history of botulism and that manufacturers had to control for it. That was 2023\. Then came ByHeart in 2025\. Now Nara in 2026. When a regulator hands an industry a roadmap of exactly how children will be hurt, and children are then hurt that exact way — twice in seven months — that is not bad luck. It was foreseeable. It was preventable. And it keeps happening. And let me be clear about who got that roadmap. That March 2023 letter was not addressed to the public. It was addressed to the manufacturers, packers, distributors, importers, and retailers — the industry itself. The FDA did its part: it identified the hazard and told the people who make and sell this product, in writing, to control for it. The companies that make infant formula, and the retailers who put it on the shelf, were handed the exact warning three years before these babies got sick. A Recall Is Not a Food Safety System Here is what I want people to understand. By the time you read a recall notice, the harm is already done. The babies are already in the hospital. A recall after the fact is not a food safety system. It is a bad apology. What Parents Should Do Right Now If you have Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula in your home, stop using it today. Do not throw it away yet — label the container "DO NOT USE," photograph the label and lot code, and store it safely away from other food for at least a month, because your state health department may want to test it. Infant botulism often starts quietly: constipation, poor feeding, a weak cry, loss of head control, trouble swallowing. It can progress to difficulty breathing. Symptoms can take weeks to appear after the formula is consumed. If your baby is feeding poorly, can't hold up their head, or seems unusually weak or floppy, do not wait. Call your doctor now. Physicians who suspect infant botulism can reach the Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program 24/7 at 510-231-7600. Thirty Years, and the Same Lesson I have spent more than thirty years doing this work, since the 1993 Jack in the Box outbreak. The lesson has never changed: outbreaks are not accidents. They are the predictable result of known hazards left uncontrolled. The only thing that has changed here is that the FDA put the warning in writing, named the toxin, handed it to the industry — and the children got sick anyway. The babies in California, Pennsylvania, and Washington will, I hope, recover. But the next parent standing in the formula aisle deserves a system that protects their child \*before\* the recall — one where the agency requires real prevention and the companies actually deliver it, instead of a warning letter to the industry, two outbreaks, and a request that the rest of us check our pantries. Where are the FDA and the formula industry? That is the question. Our kids are waiting on the answer. To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News: ### New infant botulism outbreak linked to imported organic powdered formula URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/new-infant-botulism-outbreak-linked-to-imported-organic-powdered-formula/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T02:33:09.000Z State and federal public health officials are investigating a new outbreak of infant botulism poisoning. So far the outbreak has sickened three babies across three states: California, Pennsylvania and Washington, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The California Department of Public Health has reported that the infections are among infants who were fed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula. The babies became sick in April and May. They ranged in age from 2 to 5 months old when their illness began. All three consumed Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula. All three infants were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG®, the FDA-approved treatment for infant botulism. No deaths have been reported. The implicated organic formula was distributed nationally across Target retail stores, Target.com, and Nara.com between July 2025 and June 2026. Officials in two states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. This testing is underway, and results are expected in the coming weeks. The FDA contacted the firm on June 12 and recommended that it conduct a recall because of the severity of illnesses and the epidemiological signal. On June 13, 2026, Nara Organics agreed to recall all of their Nara Organics brand Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula. All of Nara Organics' formula was manufactured in Europe. Consumers should not use recalled infant formula. Affected Product Details: - Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, 700g, with UPC 860013251901 - Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, 400g, with UPC: 860013251918 All lots currently on the market are included in this recall, and the specific codes are as follows. The lot code can be found on the bottom of each can. - 408125075E14F2 - 708125076E14F2 - 708125083E14F2 - 408125139E14F2 - 708125141E14F2 - 708125145E14F2 - 708125174E14F2 - 709125273E14F2 - 709125280E14F2 - 709125288E14F2 - 409125307E14F2 - 70926019ENNB - 70926029ENNB - 70926035ENNB - 70926039ENNB - 70926042ENNB Most infants with infant botulism will initially develop constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, and difficulty swallowing, which can progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory arrest. Symptoms of infant botulism, which is diagnosed clinically, can take as long as several weeks to develop following formula ingestion. Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula makes up less than 1 percent of all infant formula sold in the United States and this outbreak does not create shortage concerns of infant formula for parents and caregivers, according to the FDA. This is the second infant formula-linked botulism outbreak in the United States in less than a year. In November 2025, the ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula outbreak sickened 48 infants across 17 states. Whole genome sequencing tied that outbreak to Clostridium botulinum in organic whole milk powder. In the current Nara Organics outbreak, the implicated product is again a whole-milk powdered formula. Seattle food safety attorney Bill Marler said the pattern is more than troubling. “For the second time in seven months, parents are being told that the powdered formula they trusted to feed their baby may carry the toxin that causes botulism — and once again, the implicated ingredient is whole milk powder, and once again the product was on the shelves at Target," Marler said. "We have been here before. In March 2023, the FDA told this entire industry, in writing and naming Clostridium botulinum, that powdered infant formula had a documented history of botulism and that manufacturers had to control for it. None of this was unforeseeable. It was preventable. “Three babies are in the hospital. Mercifully, no one has died. But a recall after the fact is not a food safety system — it is a bad apology. After the ByHeart outbreak, the FDA had to send warning letters to Target, Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons because recalled infant formula was still sitting on store shelves — in some cases restocked and discounted — weeks after the recall began. So, I want to know what has changed. I want to know why we test finished formula for botulism only after babies get sick instead of before a single can ships. And I want to know why, when a baby survives a formula-related illness, the manufacturer is under no obligation to tell the FDA at all. “My firm represents more than twenty other families whose infants were poisoned in the ByHeart outbreak — the first formula-linked infant botulism outbreak ever recognized. I have spent more than thirty years sitting with parents on the worst day of their lives, and there is nothing abstract about an infant on a ventilator. If you have this formula in your home, stop using it today — but keep the container, because your health department may need it. And if your baby is feeding poorly, can’t hold up their head, or seems unusually weak or floppy, do not wait. Call your doctor now.” For more information about FDA’s ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of infant formula please see FDA’s[ Clostridium botulinum Illnesses Associated with Consumption of Powdered Infant Formula](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/post-outbreak-response-activities-clostridium-botulinum-illnesses-associated-consumption-powdered?ref=foodsafetynews.com) webpage. ### Recall of moringa capsules implicated in Salmonella outbreak expanded URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/recall-of-moringa-capsules-implicated-in-salmonella-outbreak-expanded/ Last updated: 2026-06-13T02:11:36.000Z Total Nutrition Inc. of Deer Park, NY is voluntarily expanding its recall of TNVitamins and Doctor's Pride Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood Moringa Capsules because they have been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella infections. This expansionfollows an ongoing supply chain investigation that identified additional lot numbers linked to the same raw material lot that prompted the original recall. The recalled product was distributed nationally through the online platforms, Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, Target, and the company's websites, tnvitamins.com and doctorspride.com. The product is packaged in white HDPE supplement bottles with smooth, white caps and 120 clear capsules filled with green moringa powder. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/06/recalled-TN-Vitamins-moringa-capsules.png) According to the company, some of the affected lots are: | **Product** | **Lots** | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | TNVitamins Ultra PotentComplete Green Superfood Moringa10,000 mg (120 capsules) | Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027Lot: 2512-304 Exp. 02/2028Lot: 2793 Exp. 02/2028Lot: 2748 Exp 07/2027**Lot: 2725 Exp. 04/2027** (newly added)**Lot: 2503104 Exp. 04/2027** (newly added) | | Doctor’s Pride Complete GreenSuperfood Ultra Potent Moringa10,000 mg (120 capsules) | Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027Lot: 2748 Exp. 07/2027**Lot: 2725 Exp. 04/2027** (newly added) | The recall was initiated following notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that these products may be implicated in an ongoing investigation associated with moringa-containing dietary supplement products. Total Nutrition Inc. has ceased distribution and sale of the identified product and has initiated removal orders across all applicable sales and fulfillment channels while the FDA, CDC and the company continue their investigation. This expansion was discovered during a supply chain traceability review which identified a common raw material from Lot 2507199 or 2512-304, one of the original recalled lots. Total Nutrition Inc. is including Lots 2503104, and 2725 of TNVitamins Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood Moringa 10,000 mg and Doctor’s Pride Complete Green Superfood Ultra Potent Moringa 10,000 mg in the recall effective immediately. No other TNVitamins or Doctor’s Pride products are involved. Customers who have purchased the affected products are asked to dispose of them immediately. [Click here](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-moringa-leaf-powder-january-2026?ref=foodsafetynews.com) to read the FDA’s update. **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has consumed any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Wasabi octopus recalled because of undeclared allergen URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/wasabi-octopus-recalled-because-of-undeclared-allergen/ Last updated: 2026-06-13T01:27:42.000Z Azuma Foods International Inc. U.S.A. of Hayward, CA ,is recalling its 3-pack, 5.3 ounce Azuma Foods Brand Tako Wasabi-Seasoned Octopus with Wasabi retail packages, because they may contain undeclared fish. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to fish run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The recalled product was distributed in California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Washington via retail stores. The Azuma Foods brand Tako Wasabi-Seasoned Octopus with Wasabi is sold in a 3-pack, Net Weight 5.3 ounce (150 grams) covered by a mylar sleeve with UPC 745329 90064 7\. The individual packages are 50 grams. Distribution was from mid-August 2025 through May 2026. The lot numbers can be found on the bottom of the mylar sleeve and the following are effected lots: 1CFFDA2 1CFGCH2 1CFIBC2 1CFJCG2 1CFKBH2 1CGBAH2 No allergic reactions have been reported to date. The recall was initiated when it was uncovered that a mollusk extract had been replaced with a bonito extract, necessitating the fish allergen warning. The manufacturer failed to notify Azuma Foods of the recipe change. Consumers who are allergic to fish should not consume the product. ### Consumer Reports wants USDA to release information about Salmonella testing for chicken products URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/consumer-reports-wants-usda-to-release-information-about-salmonella-testing-for-chicken-products/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T04:05:14.000Z Consumer Reports says the USDA should release information about Salmonella testing methods for some chicken products that it first deemed adequate but under the Trump Administration has said are not accurate enough. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Mindy Brashears the nonprofit consumer advocacy group said the department’s delay of enforcement of testing activities of not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) breaded stuffed chicken products is unfounded. Such chicken products are particularly problematic because packaging generally shows photos of what appears to be ready-to-eat products, encouraging consumers to not cook the products throughly enough to kill Salmonella. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Danish experts help WHO estimate foodborne disease burden URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/danish-experts-help-who-estimate-foodborne-disease-burden/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T04:03:25.000Z Researchers from Denmark have contributed to the work behind the World Health Organization’s (WHO) updated foodborne illness estimates. Scientists at DTU National Food Institute helped with scientific advice, methodological development, and technical analyses. The estimates are based on work in WHO’s Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG). Figures show that foodborne diseases caused by 42 hazards resulted in 57.1 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) globally in 2021\. Unsafe food is responsible for about 866 million illnesses and [1.5 million deaths a year](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/who-estimates-reveal-millions-of-foodborne-illness-deaths/). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA releases discussion paper ahead of traceability public meeting URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-releases-discussion-paper-ahead-of-traceability-public-meeting/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T04:00:59.000Z The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a discussion paper exploring potential flexibilities in compliance with its Food Traceability Rule. The document is intended to inform stakeholder input ahead of a virtual public meeting scheduled for June 15. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA increases enforcement of import rules on cheese, juice, canned food and more URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-increases-enforcement-of-import-rules-on-cheese-juice-canned-food-and-more/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T04:00:52.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: We’re turning off the smoke detectors on America’s food supply URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-were-turning-off-the-smoke-detectors-on-americas-food-supply/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T04:06:52.000Z For more than thirty years I have represented the families on the other end of a foodborne outbreak — the parents of children on dialysis with hemolytic uremic syndrome, the survivors of a contaminated hamburger or a bag of spinach, the people left planning funerals. I built a career holding companies accountable when the food safety system failed. I never imagined the federal government itself would become one of the things that fails. Over the past year and a half, it has. The cuts this administration has made to the FDA, the CDC, and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service are not abstract budget lines. They are going to get people sick, and some of them are going to die. The cruelest part is that it is all being done under a banner that reads “Make America Healthy Again.” Consider the FDA, which polices roughly 80 percent of our food. It lost nearly 3,900 employees in 2025 alone, part of an HHS purge of some 20,000 jobs. It began in February with what the agency’s own deputy commissioner for human foods called the “indiscriminate” firing of 89 people from the food program — after which he resigned, saying it was “fruitless” to continue. The administration fired so blindly that it had to scramble to rehire the official in charge of infant formula safety. By March, HHS planned to cut a fifth of the FDA’s workforce, including more than 170 people from inspections and investigations. Understand what that means. In 2024 the FDA had all of 443 inspectors to cover more than 36,000 food facilities at home and abroad — against the roughly 1,500 it says it actually needs. We were already running on fumes. ProPublica found that foreign food inspections fell by nearly half in early 2025\. We are importing more food than ever and looking at less of it. Then there is the surveillance — the quiet, unglamorous detective work that is the entire ballgame in my world. By the time a family calls me, public health investigators have usually already connected a sick child in Ohio to a sick adult in Oregon and traced both to a single contaminated lot. On July 1, the CDC gutted that capacity, scaling its FoodNet surveillance network back from eight pathogens to two. It stopped actively tracking Campylobacter, Listeria, and four others. Listeria — the same pathogen that, in the Boar’s Head outbreak just last year, caused the deadliest listeriosis outbreak in over a decade. We are turning off the smoke detectors and telling ourselves the house won’t burn. The USDA has done its part. Its inspection service shed hundreds of positions while line speeds at some slaughterhouses climb and inspectors step back — fewer people asked to catch more contamination moving faster. And in a move that should alarm anyone who believes in evidence, the department disbanded the two scientific advisory committees that had guided federal food safety policy for decades, one of them since 1971\. Their combined cost was about $300,000 a year. One was, at the moment it was dissolved, reviewing how to keep Listeria out of deli meat. That work simply stopped. For good measure, FSIS withdrew its proposed rule to limit Salmonella in raw poultry — a pathogen that sickens more than a million Americans a year — after years of work. I want to be fair. No one in Washington woke up wanting to poison a child, and the food safety system was underfunded long before this administration; I have said so under presidents of both parties. But you cannot fire the inspectors, blind the surveillance, suspend the lab testing, dismiss the scientists, and abandon the rule making all at once and still claim that food safety is a priority. Actions are what count, and these all point one direction. Here is what three decades have taught me. Outbreaks do not announce themselves. They are found by people — inspectors who walk the plants, epidemiologists who connect the dots, technicians who confirm the strain. Take those people away and the outbreaks still come. We just find them later, after more children are on dialysis and more families are planning funerals instead of birthday parties. The bacteria do not care about budget cuts. They never have. I have spent my life suing companies that put profit ahead of safety. If these cuts stand, I expect to be busier than ever. That is the worst thing I could possibly tell you. ### FDA investigating new Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-investigating-new-salmonella-outbreak-3/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T04:05:44.000Z Federal officials are investigating a new outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections. The Food and Drug Administration is reporting that a source of the pathogen has not yet been identified. There are 62 confirmed patients, but the FDA is not reporting whether any have required hospitalization. The agency also has not reported the patients’ ages or where they live. FDA investigators have begun traceback efforts but the agency is not reporting what food is being traced. There are likely many more sick people in the outbreak because some do not seek medical treatment and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that for every patient identified in a Salmonella outbreak there are 29 who go undetected. In other outbreak news, in an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections traced to Clover Hill Dairy LLC requeson/soft ricotta cheese the FDA has initiated sampling. Nine patients from three states have been identified. Eight of the patients have required hospitalization and one has died. Clover Hill Dairy has [initiated a recall](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/clover-hill-expands-recall-of-cheese-linked-to-outbreak/), as has [Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/requeson-cheese-recalled-because-of-listeria-risk/), which sells Clover Hill Dairy cheese in unbranded containers. The FDA has also posted an update for an outbreak of Cyclospora infections. The patient count has increased from seven to eight. The FDA is not reporting the patients’ ages or where they live. The agency has initiated traceback efforts but is not reporting what food it is tracing. ### Outgoing governor signs the 'Tamale Act' into Colorado law URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/outgoing-governor-signs-the-tamale-act-into-colorado-law/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T04:04:23.000Z In what might be the last bill he will ever sign, Colorado’s outgoing Gov. Jared Polis has signed the "Tamale Act,” sponsored by state Rep. Ryan Gonzales, R-Greeley. “This law makes Colorado a food freedom state, allowing home entrepreneurs who make delicious homemade foods Coloradans love, like tamales, burritos, and tortas, to be sold responsibly to Coloradans,” said Polis. Polis was known for advocating “food freedom” in Congress, but not as much as a governor until the Tamale Act came along. Gonzales introduced the bill into the Democratic-controlled Colorado General Assembly in January without any co-sponsors. [HB26-1033 - Expanding the Colorado Cottage Foods Act](https://click.governor.colorado.gov/?qs=ABB7InYiOjEsImQiOjQ5MDN9AA0AAAAAAG78oM4fPnPZNELA1oG19ufURAXa%5FKJD8VTp9oM5EQyo2N9T3s-WjNybPrT0PUWtCoGiTymrgFcsUM7ZohZaIxexP766aQLC%5FzwT&ref=foodsafetynews.com) was called “the tamale bill” by the media and picked up the House and Senate Democratic Majority Leaders as co-sponsors. As signed into law, “the tamale bill” amends Colorado’s Cottage Foods Act to expand the types of foods covered to include refrigerated foods such as tamales, burritos, tortas, sandwiches, and salads. It also includes these requirements: - Sellers must complete a food safety course covering proper food handling, time and temperature control, and safe transportation practices. Foods must be maintained at appropriate temperatures and cannot be transported more than once or for longer than two hours. Other provisions include: - Producers may be subject to inspections and sampling by state or county health officials to ensure compliance with safety standards - The original Cottage Foods Act included a $10,000 annual revenue cap and prohibited sales to retail or grocery stores, focusing on direct-to-consumer sales. That limit is raised, allowing a producer to earn up to $150,000 in net revenue under the CCFA each calendar year. And annual adjustments for inflation are required. Producers selling products under the Tamale Act are required to register with the state and obtain a registration number before selling. Generally, those who object to food freedom laws do so because of food safety concerns, citing home kitchens as not being subject to the same inspections and public health codes as businesses. “The Tamale Act” was the last of 436 bills signed by Polis from the 2026 session of the Colorado Legislature. It brought his total from two terms as the state’s chief executive to 3,713 bills signed. Polis cannot seek re-election due to term limits. ### Hygiene and food handling gaps increase risk for patients URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/hygiene-and-food-handling-gaps-increase-risk-for-patients/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T04:02:38.000Z Poor hygiene, unsafe food handling practices, and a reliance on untrained food handlers may be placing vulnerable patients at some psychiatric hospitals at risk of foodborne illnesses, according to researchers in South Africa. A study from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) assessed food safety practices among 91 foodservice personnel, nurses, procurement staff and quality control officers. It uncovered gaps in food preparation, storage and the prevention of cross-contamination. Researchers found that all four Eastern Cape public hospitals in the study had failed to comply with key food safety protocols for decades, with none of their food service units holding a valid certificate of acceptability since 1994. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Nomination period for food safety 40 Under 40 now open URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/nomination-period-for-food-safety-40-under-40-now-open/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T04:00:03.000Z The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, a program of the nonprofit consumer advocacy group [Stop Foodborne Illness](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), is accepting nominations and applications for its annual recognition program: [40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/alliance-40-under-40/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), Class of 2026\. Each year, the Alliance invites nominations for exceptional young professionals who are advancing food safety and making a lasting difference across industry, academia, regulatory agencies, and related fields. Honorees represent the rising stars shaping stronger food safety systems and cultures globally. Launched in 2023, the 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40 program recognizes emerging leaders who are advancing the field through exceptional leadership, innovative research, and meaningful contributions to food safety and food safety culture. Nominees must meet established eligibility criteria, be under the age of 40 as of July 6, 2026, and may not have been previously selected for a 40 Under 40 cohort. Honorees are chosen based on their achievements, industry impact, and potential to shape the future of food safety. [Applications for the Class of 2026 close July 6.](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/alliance/40-under-40/?ref=foodsafetynews.com)For more information about 40 Food Safety Professionals Under 40, and to view the full list of honorees or apply for the Class of 2026, please visit[ stopfoodborneillness.org](https://stopfoodborneillness.org/alliance-40-under-40/?ref=foodsafetynews.com). Joe Whitworth and Jonan Pilet of the Food Safety News staff were both named 40 under 40 recipients. About the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness: The Alliance program brings together STOP constituents, leading food companies, and other like-minded organizations deeply committed to the goal of preventing foodborne disease. Developed in 2018, the Alliance was born out of a shared understanding of the crucial role food safety culture plays in ensuring that food is safe and consumers are protected. About Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP): Stop Foodborne Illness is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing foodborne illness and ensuring the safety of our food supply. Through advocacy, education and collaboration, Stop Foodborne Illness works to reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases and protect public health. ### Suspicion falls on instant noodles in Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/suspicion-falls-on-instant-noodles-in-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T04:05:48.000Z More people are sick in a multi-country Salmonella outbreak in Europe mainly affecting children and young adults. A total of 83 confirmed cases had symptom onset between December 2025 and mid-May 2026\. Another 24 cases identified in 2026 have not yet been sequenced and may be part of the outbreak. At least 20 people have been hospitalized. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said new Salmonella Stanley cases continue to be identified, which suggests ongoing exposure. Denmark initially detected the outbreak and posted an alert in March when eight people were sick. Cases have been identified in Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In England, 21 patients are part of the outbreak. They fell sick between the end of January and mid-April. Eight patients are children and six people have been hospitalized. Austria is also affected with six sick people. **Recall in Germany** Epidemiological investigations indicate a link to chicken-flavored instant noodles and/or processed chicken products. Some patients reported consuming instant noodles without preparation, just with the seasoning that comes with the noodles. Several sick people have consumed instant noodles of the same brand. However, not all cases can be explained by this product. Salmonella Stanley was detected in an instant noodle meal from Ukraine via Poland. In Germany, Reeva Instant Noodle Dish Chicken Flavor 60 grams has been recalled. The affected lot is L0126 with an expiration date of April 5, 2027\. According to information from SLCO GmbH & Co. KG, an investigation by authorities in Saxony detected Salmonella Stanley in the product. ECDC said the risk of infection is very low for the general population and low for children and young adults, as long as cooking instructions are followed. “Consumers should follow the manufacturer’s instructions when preparing and consuming instant noodles and the related spice mix, which are not ready to eat food.” ECDC and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are working on a joint rapid outbreak assessment to further assess the source with publication expected in early July. ECDC and EFSA are also producing a document on the multi country outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbificans linked to the consumption of sprouted seeds. The planned publication date is in late June. Ireland, Finland and the UK have reported 50 patients infected with genetically closely related bacterial isolates of Salmonella Bovismorbificans from January to April 2026. Investigations in all three countries point to the consumption of sprouted seeds of different sorts. At least five people have been hospitalized. According to a Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) alert, the suspected sources are alfalfa seeds, clover seeds, broccoli seeds and radish seeds from Italy. ### Another patient identified in a deadly outbreak traced to soft cheese URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/another-patient-identified-in-a-deadly-outbreak-traced-to-soft-cheese/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T04:03:08.000Z An outbreak of Listeria infections traced to soft cheese continues, with an additional patient confirmed. As of June 9, there were nine patients in the outbreak traced to Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicsville, MD. Eight of the patients have required hospitalization and one has died, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Sick people's samples were collected on dates ranging from March 6, 2023, to May 9, 2026\. Of the 7 people interviewed, 5 reported eating cheese before becoming ill. Two people reported eating requeson made by Clover Hill Dairy. The dairy recalled some of its requeson cheese. The dairy has since recalled all of its requeson. Also, Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC of Bayshore, NY, recalled its of requeson cheese, which was produced by Clover Hill Dairy. Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC repackaged the cheese and it does not have any labeling. Clover Hill Dairy products are sold directly from their retail market in Maryland, at farmers markets, and through third party distributors, including in New York and Virginia. The sick people live in Maryland, New York and Virginia. On May 13, the Suffolk County Health Department notified the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets of two related Listeria monocytogenes illnesses from the same family, who had purchased food from a local retailer in Brentwood, NY. The following day, the New York State Department of Health confirmed that both cases had consumed requeson cheese purchased at that retailer. Investigators tested five cheese samples collected from the retailer. One sample of requeson that had been repacked by the retailer tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, and [whole genome sequencing (WGS)](https://www.fda.gov/food/microbiology-research-food/whole-genome-sequencing-wgs-program?ref=foodsafetynews.com) confirmed the strain of Listeria found in the requeson cheese matches the strain of Listeria causing illnesses in the two New York cases who reported purchasing cheese from this retailer. On May 27, the New York agriculture department conducted an inspection at the retailer's cheese distributor, which identified Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicsville, MD, as the requeson cheese manufacturer. A sample collected from an unopened 18-pound sealed bucket of requeson manufactured by Clover Hill also tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Whole genome sequencing analysis is pending. The Maryland Department of Health has suspended the Clover Hill Dairy LLC’s operating license, issued a [Consumer Advisory](https://health.maryland.gov/newsroom/Pages/Consumer%20advisory%20issued%20for%20Clover%20Hill%20Dairy%20reques%C3%B3n%20soft%20ricotta%20cheese%20products%20due%20to%20risk%20of%20foodborne%20illness.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and is conducting a follow up evaluation in cooperation with the facility. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the implicated cheese and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the implicated cheese should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Publisher’s Platform: Thirty Years of Questions I get Asked: Straight answers for food company executives and lawmakers URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-thirty-years-of-questions-i-get-asked-straight-answers-for-food-company-executives-and-lawmakers/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T01:38:35.000Z I am meeting with Boar's Head executives tomorrow morning in New Jersey, and, then I am off to Michigan State to talk with Frank's class. The plane ride today from Seattle to Newark gave me some time to ponder the next few days, and admittedly, since a bit of heart scare in February, life generally. I have spent more than thirty years on one side of the food safety fight, ever since the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak. In that time, I have sat across the deposition table from a lot of food company executives and testified in front of a fair number of legislators. The same questions come up again and again - some skeptical, some genuinely curious, a few hoping I will say something that gets me to go away. Here are the questions I hear most, and the answers I actually have given. **Q. If you could force one operational change across our industry that would put the biggest dent in your caseload, what would it be - and why aren't we already doing it?** A. Test your product, and when it comes back positive, don't ship it. That's the whole thing. After thirty years, I can tell you the cases that pay my employees’ mortgages almost always trace back to somebody who had the information - a positive swab, a supplier red flag, a sketchy lot - and made a business decision to keep product moving. Whole genome sequencing now lets me connect a sick child in Indiana to a specific lot in your plant. You can't hide anymore. So, the change isn't technical, it's a C-suite decision that "we found it and we held it" is a good day, not a bad one. **Q. When an outbreak hits, does fast transparency actually reduce what you can recover against us, or does it just help us sleep at night?** A. It genuinely reduces it. The companies that call the victims, pay the medical bills, recall fast, and don't bury me in discovery fights - those cases settle quietly and for a fraction of the alternative. What runs up the bill is the cover-up. Punitive damages don't come from the bacteria; they come from the email that says, "let's not say anything and see if it blows over." Doing the right thing and doing the cheap thing are the same thing far more often than your general counsel wants to admit. **Q. Is there a food-safety expenditure you think we overspend on relative to the real risk?** A. Third-party audits. I've watched plants earn a "superior" rating days before they killed people - Peanut Corporation, Jensen Farms cantaloupes, on down the line. Too much of that industry is a paid-for gold star that gives everyone up the supply chain plausible deniability. A clean audit becomes a possible liability shield, not a safety tool. Spend that money on your own unannounced testing and on fixing what you find. **Q. You've said for years you'd love to litigate yourself out of business. Is that reachable?** A. In theory, absolutely - the pathogens are known, the interventions are known, none of this is a mystery. In practice, I won't live to see it, and right now we're going backwards. You don't build a safer food system by cutting FDA inspectors and gutting CDC surveillance. The Jack in the Box kids from '93 are middle-aged now and I'm still here. The goal keeps me honest even if I never reach it. **Q. When you evaluate a case, how much weight does our prior conduct carry versus the severity of the injury?** A. Severity and causation get me in the door - I have to prove your product hurt this particular person. But your prior knowledge and conduct decide whether I take a quiet settlement or go to war. A first-time, freak contamination from a company that did everything right? I'll be reasonable. A company that knew, that had the prior recall, that ignored the results? That's where punitives live, and that's the case I'll try to a jury. **Q. If we handed you one additional appropriation to direct between FDA, FSIS, and CDC, where would the marginal dollar save the most lives?** A. Surveillance and inspection - split between FDA inspection capacity and CDC's PulseNet and genomic sequencing. The uncomfortable truth is that FDA inspects most facilities on a timeline measured in years. And you can't act on an outbreak you can't see. The reason we catch multistate outbreaks at all is the boring federal lab work that matches a strain in Oregon to a strain in Florida. Cut it, and outbreaks don't stop happening - they just stop getting detected, which is politically convenient and morally indefensible. **Q. Salmonella still isn't an adulterant in most poultry. What's the cleanest path to changing that?** A. We petitioned for it; FSIS denied it and then withdrew the framework - a real missed opportunity. The cleanest route is FSIS declaring the outbreak-associated, high-load Salmonella scenarios adulterants in raw poultry, exactly the way we got the Big Six non-O157 STECs designated in beef in 2012\. If the agency won't, Congress can do it directly. The objection is always "Salmonella is naturally occurring." So was E. coli O157 in beef - until we decided dead children outweighed the inconvenience. **Q. The ByHeart outbreak put a spotlight on adverse-event reporting. What specific gap failed those families, and what's the narrowest fix?** A. The system is voluntary, slow, and structurally blind. By the time a signal reaches FDA, infants are already in the ICU - we saw it with Abbott's Sturgis plant in 2022 and again with the ByHeart botulism cases across seventeen states. The narrow fix is mandatory, time-bound reporting of serious adverse events with real teeth, plus FDA authority to act on early signals instead of waiting for the bodies to line up. These are babies. The reporting system is supposed to be their voice, and right now it's a whisper. **Q. On raw milk - is meaningful labeling enough, or does this need something with more teeth? And how do you answer the personal-freedom argument?** A. Labeling alone isn't enough, though I'll take strong, plain-language warnings as a floor - that's what RealRawMilkFacts.com (needs updating) exists to support. The freedom argument collapses the moment you remember who ends up on dialysis with hemolytic uremic syndrome: it's the toddlers, and a toddler didn't choose anything. Your freedom to take a risk ends where your kid's kidneys begin. "My body, my choice" is a fine slogan right until you're pouring it into a sippy cup. **Q. Agencies keep invoking the deliberative-process exemption to withhold outbreak records. Where's the line?** A. Genuine pre-decisional deliberation - the internal back-and-forth before an agency lands on a decision - is legitimately protectable, and I don't actually want everyone's half-formed drafts. But the facts aren't deliberative: who got sick, what the agency knew and when, the test results, the inspection findings, the science. That belongs to the public, and it's increasingly being stamped (b)(5) to avoid embarrassment rather than to protect any real deliberation. Facts out, opinions in. Agencies blur that line precisely because the facts are the part that makes them look bad. **Q. Companies also hide behind FOIA Exemption 4 - "confidential commercial information" - to keep their plant records out of the public's hands. Where do you come down on that?** A. Exemption 4 is the one that really gets under my skin. There's a world of difference between a genuine trade secret - your proprietary formula, your secret process - and the test results, inspection findings, and supplier records of a plant that just poisoned a bunch of people. The first deserves protection. The second is being dressed up as proprietary to keep the public from learning who got sick and why. When a company's product lands children in the hospital, "that's confidential business information" is not an answer the families can live with. The commercial-secrecy claim should end where the public-health record begins. Any other questions? ### Clover Hill expands recall of cheese linked to outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/clover-hill-expands-recall-of-cheese-linked-to-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T23:46:35.000Z Clover Hill Dairy of Mechanicsville, MD, has expanded its recall of its soft ricotta/requeson cheese to include all of the cheese because it has been linked to an outbreak of Listeria infections. The implicated cheese was distributed from May 4 through May 30 in North Carolina, New York, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington D.C. through bulk distributors, retail stores and directly to consumers. Clover Hills requeson cheese was sold in retail size packaging as 10-, 12- and 14-ounce individually packaged clamshell containers. For clamshell containers with the Clover Hill Dairy Cheese brand name, consumers should look for Clover Hill Dairy’s plant number 24-128 on the product label to assist with identifying recalled product. Some of the cheese has been repackaged and does not have any identifying labels. The recalled cheese was also sold in bulk 5-gallon and 2-gallon buckets to some customers who repackaged the cheese. The bulk cheese may be repackaged under individual bulk distributor brand names including but not limited to: KESSO, QUESOS LA RICURA, IZALCO, DE MI PUEBLO, RIO LINDO. The Clover Hill soft ricotta/requeson cheese has been linked to nine patients, one of whom died. Clover Hill Dairy has ceased production and distribution of all cheese products. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled cheese and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Publisher's Platform: The quiet way raw milk can paralyze you URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-the-quiet-way-raw-milk-can-paralyze-you/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T04:05:49.000Z I have spent time sitting across kitchen tables from people whose lives were upended by a single meal. Some of those conversations stay with me. The ones about raw milk and Guillain-Barré syndrome are near the top of that list, because they involve a complication most people have never heard of, caused by a bacterium most people can’t pronounce, delivered by a product that an entire movement insists is a health food. Let me say plainly what I have said in courtrooms, in legislative hearings, and on this blog for the better part of two decades: raw milk can put you in a wheelchair. Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in the developed world, and raw, unpasteurized milk is one of its favorite vehicles. For most people, an infection means a miserable week of cramping, fever, and diarrhea. But in a small and unlucky fraction of cases, the immune system, in its effort to fight the bacteria, turns on the body’s own nerves. The result is Guillain-Barré syndrome — an ascending paralysis that can climb from the feet to the lungs in a matter of days. GBS is an infrequent, but well-documented and well-known, consequence of Campylobacter infection. It is not exotic. It is in the medical literature. The cruelest part is that contaminated raw milk gives you no warning at all. It does not look spoiled. It does not smell off. There is no way for a consumer standing at a farm stand or a cow-share pickup to know whether the jug in their hands carries a pathogen. You are, quite literally, taking it on faith. In June 2008, Campylobacter jejuni in raw milk from Alexandre EcoDairy Farm in Del Norte County, California sickened sixteen people. The milk was distributed through a “cow-leasing” arrangement — the kind of legal workaround that lets dairies sell raw milk while pretending they are not. One of those sixteen was a woman named Mari Tardiff. Within days of drinking the milk, Mari had flu-like symptoms. Then her vision blurred. Then her hands went numb. By the time the doctors landed on the words “Guillain-Barré,” her legs were on fire with a pain that only hot towels could touch. She woke one night unable to move. Her husband had to lift her. She was airlifted to intensive care, intubated, and placed on a ventilator. She remained hospitalized for two and a half months. Mari came home to a family room converted into a hospital ward — a hospital bed, a Hoyer lift, a stand-up frame, a portable toilet, a remodeled bathroom, and round-the-clock nursing care her family paid for out of their own pockets. She fought through therapy that her husband eventually could not bear to watch because of how much it hurt her. She has never walked normally again. She lost the plans she had made for her life. That is what a glass of “natural,” “living,” “nutrient-rich” raw milk did to one healthy woman. If Mari’s story were a freak event, I might not keep telling it. It is not. In 2012, a 67-year-old man named Jim Orchard drank raw milk from Pasture Maid Creamery in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He, his wife, and his daughter were among roughly ten people sickened. Everyone recovered — except Jim, who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome and ended up paralyzed in intensive care at UPMC Presbyterian. His wife told reporters that no one could give the family a timeline, because with GBS, everyone is different. Here is the detail that should make every regulator’s stomach turn: state officials had already warned the public, back in February 2009, to throw out Pasture Maid’s milk because it contained Campylobacter. Three years later, the same farm, the same bug, and a man on a ventilator. The warning was there. The system simply let it happen again. People sometimes treat these cases as cautionary tales from a less careful time. They are not. In 2010 and 2011 alone, I counted at least nine raw milk outbreaks across Washington, Utah, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, and a multistate cluster spanning Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois — more than fifty confirmed illnesses involving E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, with at least one Pennsylvania victim left hospitalized with GBS. And just this past November, Illinois public health officials reported eleven Campylobacter infections linked to raw milk — while declining to name the common source. Then look at Idaho, which has become a case study in everything I am about to ask for. Last summer, eighteen people were sickened with Campylobacter tied to one dairy. By late November, the state was reporting at least twenty-three Campylobacter cases — six of them in children under twelve — plus three Shiga toxin–producing E. coli infections among raw milk drinkers, with no producer named. And then, just days ago, in early June 2026, Idaho announced two more outbreaks: nearly sixty people sick since mid-May, at least forty-five of them confirmed with Campylobacter, and eight hospitalized. Two milking operations — one in the north of the state, one in the south. The state declined to name either dairy. A health department spokesperson explained that they did not name the operations because the danger “is a potential risk for any raw milk producer.” Read that again. The agency’s own justification for staying silent is that the hazard is not unique to one farm — it is inherent to the product. That is not an argument for protecting a dairy’s name. That is the single best argument I have ever heard for not drinking raw milk in the first place. And California — the same state that gave us Mari Tardiff — has given us the largest example of all. Beginning in the fall of 2023, raw milk and cream from Raw Farm, LLC of Fresno, the operation formerly known as Organic Pastures, was linked to a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that whole-genome sequencing eventually tied to at least 165 illnesses across four states. Health officials called it the largest raw-milk Salmonella outbreak in the country in a decade. Several of those patients were carrying Campylobacter or E. coli on top of the Salmonella. This was not Raw Farm’s first time, or its tenth; the same operation has been tied to outbreak after outbreak and recall after recall stretching back to 2006\. And here is the part that should sound familiar: after announcing a handful of San Diego cases in October, state and local officials went quiet, even as the confirmed count climbed past 165\. The public only learned the true scope because I obtained the records and handed them to the Associated Press. I should not have to be the one to tell a community how many of its neighbors were poisoned. We are still having this conversation. We are still watching people get sick — children among them. And too often, we are still watching agencies stay quiet about where the milk came from, as if the name of a dairy were a trade secret worth more than the public’s right to protect itself. I am not asking anyone to ban farms or jail dairy farmers. I have spent my career suing companies, and I would rather they never give me a reason to. I am asking for three things I have asked for many times before. First, tell the truth on the label. When I urged Wisconsin to reject its raw milk bill years ago, I argued that any raw milk sold should at minimum carry a blunt warning that the product is unpasteurized and may contain E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, Listeria, and Salmonella — and that infection can mean hemolytic uremic syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome, reactive arthritis, miscarriage, or death, with the highest risk to children, pregnant women, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. Consumers deserve to make an informed choice. They cannot do that in the dark. Second, when an outbreak happens, name the source. Fast. Silence does not protect the public; it protects the defendant. Third — and this is the simplest of all — pasteurize the milk. Pasteurization is not a corporate conspiracy. It is a 150-year-old public health triumph that turns a high-risk product into a safe one without meaningfully changing what is in the glass. Why should raw milk be held to a lower standard than hamburger, or peanut butter, or bagged spinach? It shouldn’t. I understand the appeal of food that feels close to the land. I have nothing against farmers or family dairies. But Mari Tardiff trusted that her milk was clean. So did Jim Orchard. Trust did not keep them out of the ICU. Drink pasteurized milk. It is the easiest decision you will ever make to keep yourself off a ventilator. ### Boar's Head inspection documents show years of safety problems preceded outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/boars-head-inspection-documents-show-years-of-safety-problems-preceded-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T04:04:13.000Z More inspection documents showing food safety violations at the Boar’s Head production facility in Jarrett, VA, have come to light. A deadly outbreak of Listeria infections in 2024 was traced to products from the plant. The outbreak, which ran from January to July in 2024, sickened 61 people across 19 states. Ten people died. As a result, Boar’s Head recalled more than 7 million pounds of products and temporally closed the plant in Virginia. The company permanently ceased production of liverwurst nationwide. Previously released documents from USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service showed multiple safety violations that constituted violation of federal laws at the plant. The plant includes 219,182 square feet of workspace and was built in 1974. Additional documents show that the dozens and dozens of problems date back to at least 2019\. Repeated instances of standing and dripping water were cited through the years. It is known that Listeria thrives in wet conditions. Despite the outbreak, a report generated on Oct. 22, 2024, the FSIS said “No consumer complaints have been documented for this establishment for the past year.” The same report says inspectors documented the following issues: - Product residue found on food contact surfaces and non-food contact surfaces during pre-op inspections (7/19/24, 7/6/24, 6/28/24, 5/20/24, 4/19/24, 3/22/24, 3/14/24, 2/29/24, 2/3/24) - Product residue from previous shifts found on food contact surfaces during operational SSOP inspections (6/7/24) - Insects - in the Cure Cooler (7/17/24), in the receiving dock (7/17/24), dead flies on an opened barrel of distilled vinegar (7/12/24), 2 live flies in vat in raw side entry area (6/28/24), green flies circling denatured product in Inedible Room 1 (6/26/24), flies and gnat like insects in the pickle vat pump out room including flies going in and out of four vats of pickle solution (6/10/24), ants and flying insects in inedible storage - (6/10/24), 7 ladybugs, 1 beetle like insect, and 1 cockroach like insect in cure main cooler door (6/10/24) - Insanitary conditions - green algal growth in standing water on the receiving dock (7/17/24), black mold on wall caulk in the pickle storage annex area (7/12/24), garbage and product debris on floors (6/26/24, 6/10/24, 3/15/24, 2/11/24), dirty inedible strainers in close proximity to clean strainers in the bologna kitchen (6/28/24), - Product residue on pickle vats in Stitch Pump #1 department (6/1/24), black mold on steel vats in Stitch Pump #1 department (6/1/24), stainless steel sticks used for hanging product placed in inedible containers or left on floors (3/15/24), rancid smell in raw receiving cooler and cardboard combos heavily saturated with blood and leaking blood on floor (2/22/24), product residue on doors and door frames for Smokehouses #27, 28, and 29 (2/7/24) - Water Leaks - water dripping from an area of the ceiling that had previously been caulked in the smokehouse alley near Smokehouses #23-29 (7/6/24), - leaking hot water pipe in inedible storage (6/10/24) - Dripping Condensation - left wet spots on bags of dextrose (7/12/24), in the packaging department (7/9/24) - Not labeling inedible product or denaturing it, and placing it in containers with the mark of inspection still on them (4/24/24, 4/8/24, 2/21/24, 2/8/24) - Employee good manufacturing practices issues — contractor wearing frock outside and not washing hands on re-entry (2/22/24) Portions of all the reports were redacted: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/06/Boar-s-Head-report-redacted.png) The (b) (4) designation is used for redacted portions of government documents. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/43/4e/434e508a-5e2f-4102-a53d-00bca10bb4bf/content/images/2026/06/Boar-s-Head-report-heavily-redacted.png) A report issued on Oct. 24, 2022, says the most recent food safety assessment prior to it was conducted in February 2019\. Many of the problems found at the plant in 2022 and 2024 were listed then. Insanitary conditions the 2022 inspection included holes in walls, damaged floors, loose caulking, product on floors, green mold and rust. “With the exception of the non-compliances discussed above, the establishment was following their written program that was adequately supported, therefore there were no additional food safety concerns,” according to the 2022 report. The 2022 report said during the observations of the processing operations non-compliances were observed for the pre-operational and operational sanitation programs. “Major defiiciencies associated with the establishment’s physical conditions were observed that could cause imminent threat to product,” the inspector wrote. Problems included: rusty pipes and brackets throughout the plant, condensation falling directly onto product, trash on the floor of production areas, holes in walls and floors, exposed insulation, peeling paint and rust, numerous areas and production equipment with product buildup and residue. In a July 31, 2024, report, the FSIS inspector wrote that there was a risk of employees spreadingListeriathrough the post lethality processing environment. “Although employees typically work on one line, when needed they may move between lines to help. Your establishment does not have a written plan to describe employee practices and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when moving between lines,” according to the report. In a 23 page report covering June 1, 2023, through July 29, 2024, the FSIS inspectors repeatedly reported the same problems, including: food contact racks had residue from previous product; brown material speared and dripping in product area and on tubs of product resulting in only eight pounds of product being flagged for destruction; live and dead bugs; and blood in puddles on the floor. ### UK updates number of infections linked to travel to Cape Verde URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/uk-updates-number-of-infections-linked-to-travel-to-cape-verde/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T04:03:54.000Z The number of people in the United Kingdom infected by Shigella after going to Cape Verde has increased but no cases have been recorded in recent months. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is also monitoring three clusters of Salmonella infections associated with travel to Cape Verde. UKHSA said the last related Shigella sonnei case was Feb. 19, 2026\. Since October 2025, 164 confirmed illnesses have been identified with 114 women sick. Samples from patients are genetically similar, suggesting a common source. A previous report in December revealed 137 people were sick. England has the most infections with 137, Scotland has 13, and Wales has 14\. Cases range from less than 1 to 81 years old with a median age of 53\. The group most affected are 50- to 59-year-olds. **Cape Verde connection** Evidence suggests the outbreak was associated with travel to Cape Verde. Of the 164 confirmed cases since October 2025, 127 reported international travel – of which 122 had been to Cape Verde, mainly the Santa Maria and Boa Vista areas. Gauri Godbole, deputy director for gastrointestinal infections at UKHSA, said: "Shigella is a potentially serious infection causing severe diarrhea, fever and cramps. It can be caught from contaminated food or water, often linked to overseas travel, but can also be transmitted during and after sex. “As with so many infections, the best way to avoid catching Shigella or passing it to others is by washing your hands very regularly and carefully with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet, changing nappies and before eating or preparing food. People who have had diarrhea should stay away from school or work until they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours." According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), between September 2022 and March 2026, 766 confirmed and possible Shigella infections were reported by 13 EU countries, the UK and the United States. Earlier this year, Cape Verde officials insisted there was no evidence of any outbreak. However, testing showed the presence of Shigella at some hotels. Water for human consumption was not contaminated but water used for irrigating fresh produce was positive. Symptoms occur one to two days after coming into contact with the bacteria. They typically last 5 to 7 days, but some people may experience symptoms anywhere from a few days to 4 or more weeks. **Salmonella increases** UKHSA has also noted increases in three types of Salmonella associated with travel to Cape Verde. Salmonella Virchow has sickened four people in England. Patients range in age from 21 to 59 and all are female. Three of them had been to Cape Verde before getting sick. One Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak has 84 cases while another has 11\. In the larger outbreak, 64 sick people reported international travel and 60 had been to Cape Verde. There are 74 patients in England, six in Scotland, and four in Wales. They range from under 1 to 79 years old with a median age of 51.5 and 44 are men. The age group most affected are 60- to 69-year-olds. In the smaller outbreak, seven people had been to the country. For the other cases, travel information is not known. ### Pancake/waffle mix recalled because of undeclared allergens URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/pancake-waffle-mix-recalled-because-of-undeclared-allergens/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T02:29:27.000Z Ballester Hermanos is recalling pouches of Pearl Milling Company original pancake and waffle complete mix because of undeclared milk and soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk and/or soy run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the recalled product. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the label stated "may contain milk and soy" instead of "contains milk and soy." Consequently, the objective of this recall is to notify consumers of the incorrect labeling information. The recalled product was sold in different retail stores in Puerto Rico. To date, no illnesses related to the recalled product have been reported in the market. Consumers may have purchased this mix starting in January 2026\. The recalled product is packaged in a red pouch, and the following specific lot and date information can be found on the back, or in front, of the pouch: | **Product** | **Container** **Size** | **Lot** | **Expiration/Use by Date** | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------- | ------------------------ | -------------------------- | | PEARL MILLING COMPANY ORIGINAL PANCAKE & WAFFLES (MEZCLA PARA PANQUEQUES Y WAFFLES) COMPLETE. | 5.99 OZ (170 G) | 23A26C6, 24A26A7 24A26B2 | Jan 23, 2027 | | 24A26B5 24A26A7 24A26C6 23A26B5 24A26A6 | Jan 24, 2027 | | | | 25B26C13 25B26A14 25B26B4 25B26A15 25B26B1 | Feb 25, 2027 | | | ### Requeson cheese recalled because of Listeria risk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/requeson-cheese-recalled-because-of-listeria-risk/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T02:20:54.000Z Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC of Bayshore, NY, is recalling its of Requeson Cheese because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled Requeson Cheese was sold in 1-pound plastic clam shells in retail locations in New York from May 15 to May 28, 2026\. Product was likely repacked at the retail store locations, and labeling or coding may vary based on location of purchase. The contamination was discovered after sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Market Food Inspectors and subsequent analysis by Food Laboratory personnel revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in an 18-pound plastic container of “Clover Hill Dairy Requeson Cheese” with a sell-by date of June 14 and batch #2AA051526 that was repacked into the recalled 1-poune packages of Requeson Cheese. To date, no illnesses or complaints have been reported or received regarding this matter. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled cheese and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Publisher's Platform: Redactions and the move towards radical transparency URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-redactions-and-the-move-towards-radical-transparency/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T04:05:52.000Z For over thirty years, I have been beating the same drum, and the last few days were no exception (some argue a bit too loudly and self-serving). I have been posting about public health officials — and the FDA — sending out outbreak documents with the names of companies, growers, processors, and retailers blacked out behind gray boxes I do not think belong there. My position has not changed in three decades: most of those redactions should never have been made in the first place. Not surprisingly, my readers wrote back. I welcome the pushback. Some of it is thoughtful. A little of it I even agree with. So rather than let the arguments for secrecy sit unanswered in my inbox, let me put them all on the table — every justification for non-disclosure I have heard over the years — and tell you exactly what I think of each. ***“There is no written policy, but it is the way we have done things for years.”*** I keep hearing my mother’s voice: “just because so-and-so does it does not mean you should too.” A practice is not a policy, and “we have always done it this way” is not a reason — it is the absence of one. Like all government habits (and, frankly, like neckwear), change is good. ***“The outbreak is over, so there is no immediate public health threat.”*** Frankly, that is true in most foodborne illness outbreaks. In nearly every outbreak I have ever seen, the source is figured out long after the peak of illnesses has passed. But that misses the point of disclosure. Telling the public who grew, processed, and sold the contaminated food is not only about stopping today’s outbreak — it is about giving consumers a track record, so they can see which companies have a strong food safety record and which keep turning up in the same sad story. ***“Naming the company jeopardizes its cooperation in this and future outbreaks.”*** If a company will cooperate only in exchange for a spot in the witness protection program and a promise of permanent anonymity, that tells you everything you need to know about its commitment — and our government’s commitment — to safe food. Cooperation purchased with secrecy is not cooperation. It is a hostage negotiation in which the public never gets a seat at the table. ***“Bad publicity may cause economic hardship for the company.”*** True. But here is a better business practice than avoiding bad press: not poisoning your customers. The economic hardship of an outbreak belongs to the company that caused it — not to the consumers left guessing. ***“The source was an unknown supplier, so naming the point of service unfairly blames that business.”*** This one actually makes some sense, and I will give it its due. But ask the obvious follow-up questions. Is this the first time this restaurant or retailer was burned by a faulty supplier, or is it a pattern? And even if it is the first time, is some of that unnamed product still sitting on shelves or in walk-in coolers somewhere? Fairness to the point of service cannot come at the expense of the people it serves. ***“The product is perishable, so by the time we announce, it has already been eaten.”*** I have heard this one a “bunch” of times, especially in leafy green outbreaks, and it is the one I find most cynical. Yes, the romaine is long gone. But why should the public be left in the dark about the kind of product that sickened people, and about the grower and shipper behind it, when that is precisely the information they need to decide who to buy from next time? “It’s already been eaten” is a reason to disclose, not a reason to hide. ***“Going public with the point of service before the investigation is complete compromises the epidemiology.”*** I completely agree with this one. This is the hard call — the one I suspect causes public health officials the most genuine angst. They are balancing the need to have enough data to go public and protect people against the risk of pointing the finger too soon. We have all lived through “it’s the tomatoes — no, wait, it’s the peppers.” The answer is not to stay silent forever. The answer is simple: do not go forward until the investigation is complete. Then go forward and go forward fully. ***“We are afraid of making an investigation mistake — the tomatoes-then-peppers problem.”*** This is exactly why the law gives public health officials immunity from liability for the good-faith decisions they make to protect the public. The system already accounts for honest error. Fear of an honest mistake is not a license for permanent silence. ***“Surveillance is underfunded, and there simply are not the resources to finish investigations.”*** There is no question this is true, and it is the argument that worries me most — because it is not really an argument for secrecy at all. It is a confession. I have watched investigations get dropped over the last few years. Labs that are not doing the genetic fingerprinting that links sick people to a common source. Tracebacks that stall out for lack of the people needed to find the root cause. That is a scandal in its own right, and the answer is to fund the work — not to redact our way out of admitting it is not getting done. And now let me say the part the FDA never will. We do not have to guess whether transparency would cause the sky to fall, because we have already run the experiment. For the better part of twenty years, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has named the manufacturers of contaminated meat — and, since 2008, the retailers who sold it. The trade secrets of the beef and poultry industries did not collapse. Consumer confidence went up, not down. Chicken Little, the sky did not fall. The FDA, which oversees roughly eighty percent of the food supply, could have learned that lesson from its sister agency two decades ago. Instead, it still hides behind “confidential commercial information.” And the line is not hard to draw. Formulations, ingredients, and how a product is made — those are trade secrets. Who supplied the tainted raw material, who made the tainted product, and where the tainted product was sold are not, especially during an outbreak. The most egregious example I know of remains the 2017 outbreak tied to I.M. Healthy soy nut butter — a great name for a product carrying a pathogen — which sickened dozens, some of them children, seriously. A recall was announced. No retailers were named. The company went bankrupt and was in no position to help. The public was left to fend for itself. I have just watched the same instinct play out again. In the fall of 2024, a multistate E. coli O157:H7 outbreak tied to romaine lettuce hospitalized dozens, sent children into kidney failure, and killed someone. The FDA logged a few lines in a table, closed the file, and never issued the named, complete public notice it had issued for every comparable romaine outbreak before it. The processor and the grower sat behind gray boxes while they were free to tell anyone who asked that the evidence did not point to them. It did. The records said so, by name — once someone bothered to make the agency take the boxes off. So where does that leave me, after over thirty years and more redacted documents than I care to count? Right where I started. Strip away the budget excuses, the cooperation worries, and the trade-secret theater, and you are left with a single question: who gets to decide what the public is allowed to know about the food that can kill them? For me, the answer is easy. The public has a right to know, and to use that information however it sees fit. And people — especially government employees — have no business deciding for the rest of us what we should and should not be allowed to find out. ### FSA’s meat inspection charges found to be ‘unlawful’ URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fsas-meat-inspection-charges-found-to-be-unlawful/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T04:03:56.000Z A judge has ruled that how the Food Standards Agency (FSA) charges the meat industry for controls is unlawful. According to the High Court judgement, at least some costs were unlawfully included in the assessment of both the FSA’s main hourly rate and the enforcement rate. The verdict also revealed FSA’s cost data slides, which provide information on how rates are calculated, did not contain enough detail to assess whether the charges were lawful. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns bakeries after finding undeclared sesame in rolls, signs of rodents and sanitation failures URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-warns-bakeries-after-finding-undeclared-sesame-in-rolls-signs-of-rodents-and-sanitation-failures/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T04:02:11.000Z *As part of its enforcement activities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or months after they are sent. Business owners generally have 15 working days to respond to FDA warning letters. Warning letters often are not issued until companies have been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are commonly redacted from public view.* --- The FDA has issued warning letters to bakeries in New Jersey and California after inspections found significant food safety violations involving allergen controls, sanitation practices, pest activity, preventive controls, and labeling deficiencies. The agency said the violations could allow food to become adulterated under federal law because products were prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions that may render them injurious to health. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Added water in fish and traceability key concerns in Europe URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/added-water-in-fish-and-traceability-key-concerns-in-europe/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T04:00:13.000Z Added water in fish products and traceability concerns were among the suspected fraud issues raised in April by European countries. Four alerts mentioned the United States in April including benzoic acid in a soft drink, titanium dioxide in sweets, and two ingredients in supplements not allowed in the EU. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher's Platform: World Food Safety Day 2026: From Burden to Solutions — If We Don't Look Away URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-world-food-safety-day-2026-from-burden-to-solutions-if-we-dont-look-away/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T12:59:25.000Z Today is World Food Safety Day, and this year the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization have given us a theme that sounds almost like it was written for the work I have spent the last three decades doing: "From burden to solutions – safe food everywhere." I want to sit with that word — *burden* — for a moment, because the numbers WHO released to mark the day are staggering. The agency now estimates that unsafe food causes roughly 866 million illnesses and 1.52 million deaths every year. Nearly one in nine people on earth gets sick from food in a given year. The 2026 estimates are the first major update since WHO's landmark 2015 report, and they don't just refresh the old figures — they expand the picture, adding heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and methylmercury to the list of hazards, and for the first time offering country-by-country estimates so nations can see exactly where their own burden lies. Those are big numbers. They are so big that they can become abstract — a statistic you nod at and scroll past. I have never had that luxury. When I read "866 million," I don't see a number. I see Brianne Kiner, who spent months in a coma after eating a hamburger in 1993\. I see four children who didn't survive that Jack in the Box outbreak — the outbreak that ended my career as I had planned it and started the one I have now. I see the families I am sitting across from this year: the parents of infants paralyzed by *Clostridium botulinum* in ByHeart formula, the people across 36 states sickened by Salmonella in moringa supplements they bought because they thought they were doing something good for their health. The burden is not a chart. It is a person, and usually it is a person who did absolutely nothing wrong except trust that their food was safe. But here is what I keep coming back to, and why this year's theme matters so much to me. The second half of it — "to solutions" — is not wishful thinking. I know it is achievable because I have watched it happen. The Jack in the Box outbreak led directly to the USDA declaring E. coli O157:H7 an adulterant in ground beef in 1994\. That single regulatory decision has prevented countless illnesses in the years since. In 2012, six more strains of non-O157 STEC — the "Big Six" — were added. Every one of those solutions came from the same place: someone counted the burden, named it, refused to look away, and demanded that the data drive a response. That is the entire theory of this year's observance. Surveillance data, honestly collected and openly shared, is what turns a tragedy into a prevented one. Which brings me to the part of today that I cannot celebrate. Start with the most basic fact of all: the United States is no longer a member of the organization that leads this day. On January 22, 2026, after a yearlong process, the U.S. completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization — the body that, beginning in 1948 with the United States as a founding member, has spent more than seven decades building the very global food safety surveillance the 2026 theme is built on. We were, for most of that history, WHO's single largest funder. Now WHO publishes the most important update to the global foodborne disease burden in a decade, and the country that did more than any other to make that work possible has walked away from the table. The flag still flies outside the headquarters in Geneva. We are the ones who left. And we did not stop there. You cannot get from burden to solutions if you are dismantling the machinery that measures the burden. Over the past year I have written, again and again, about the budget and staffing cuts hollowing out the FDA, the CDC, and FSIS — the very agencies whose epidemiologists, lab scientists, and inspectors generate the American slice of the data WHO is asking the world to act on. An outbreak that is never detected produces no data. A traceback that is never completed names no source. A whole-genome sequence that is never run links no illness to its cause. The burden does not disappear when we stop counting it. It just disappears from the page. And when the data does exist, we are increasingly being told we are not allowed to see it. I have spent a good part of this year fighting the FDA's reflexive over-redaction — supplier names blacked out under the deliberative-process exemption, traceback documents withheld, the public left to trust that someone, somewhere, is handling it. You cannot ask consumers, food businesses, and policymakers to make "informed choices" — WHO's words — while denying them the information. So here is my World Food Safety Day message, the same one I have been delivering in courtrooms and on this blog for thirty-three years: the burden is real, the people behind it are real, and the solutions are within reach — but only if we are willing to fund the counting and share the count. Data is not bureaucracy. Data is the difference between a parent reading a recall notice and a parent reading an autopsy report. From burden to solutions, safe food everywhere. I believe in it. Today, of all days, let's act like we mean it. ### Sunday Edition: MCOOL URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/sunday-edition-mcool/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T12:00:10.000Z - The World Health Organization (WHO) is marking World Food Safety Day on June 7 with the release of [new global estimates of the impact of foodborne illness](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/who-estimates-reveal-millions-of-foodborne-illness-deaths/). Unsafe food is responsible for about 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths each year, according to the new WHO estimates. That’s similar to the impact of diseases like tuberculosis, HIV, or malaria. Children younger than 5 years of age face almost three times the risk of illness from unsafe food compared to older children and adults. - At least [60 people in Idaho are sick with campylobacter](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/dozens-sick-in-idaho-outbreak-tied-to-raw-milk/) infections after consuming raw, unpasteurized milk. State health officials have identified, but not named, two dairies as the sources of the raw milk that caused the illness. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill that[raises the monthly cap on direct raw milk sales](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/new-law-in-oklahoma-increases-sales-of-unpasteurized-raw-milk/) from 100 gallons to 1,500 gallons. Sales of the product must still occur only at the farm where the milk is produced. - The USDA has [confirmed the presence of New World screwworm](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/first-u-s-case-of-new-world-screwworm-found-in-texas/) in a three-week-old calf in Texas. It’s [first appearance of the insect in the U.S. since the 1960’s](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/03/business/new-world-screwworm-texas.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.n1A.Kijd.Nfstfkvy2u0F&smid=url-share&ref=foodsafetynews.com), according to the New York Times. The discovery triggers [a long-planned response plan](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/03/sunday-edition-new-world-screwworm/) aimed at dampening the threat to the cattle industry and other agricultural markets even though the worm does not infest fruit or vegetables entering the food supply chain. - The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has confirmed that beef kofta samples collected from The Kebab Shop restaurants in California [contain the E. coli O157:H7](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/beef-kofta-samples-from-the-kebab-shop-match-outbreak-strain-of-e-coli/) strain responsible for a recent outbreak. As of June 1, nine patients have tested positive for E. coli as a result of eating beef from The Kebab Shop. Six are children, and two of them have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure, brain damage or death in some cases. - The [second largest Salmonella outbreak in New York state history](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/lab-tests-show-chicken-salad-served-at-jail-was-responsible-for-outbreak/) was caused by chicken salad served to inmates at the Broome County Correctional Facility in Binghamton, according to local public health officials. More than 300 inmates were sickened in late May. Four were hospitalized. --- **Today’s Topic: COOL** Consider where we’ve been. We’ve gone from mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for imported and domestic cattle and hogs used to produce beef and pork in the United States. Then we let the “Made in USA” label even go on some imports. But as 2026 got underway, only U.S. beef and pork can carry the “Made in USA” label. That, however, is only on a voluntary basis. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Herring recalled because of risk of botulism poisoning URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/herring-recalled-because-of-risk-of-botulism-poisoning/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T23:00:04.000Z Prime Food Processing LLC is recalling 69 cases of “Dried Herring Fish” because the product was not adequately eviscerated. The sale of uneviscerated fish is prohibited under New York State Agriculture and Markets regulations because Clostridium botulinum spores are more likely to be concentrated in the viscera than any other portion of the fish. Recalled product - Item #AF4110 – Dried Herring Fish- Lot Code: 26020\. Expiration: 06.12.28 Packaging: - Clear, plastic packaging 7 oz. (198 g) with Blue Trim Distribution - The recalled product was distributed to Asian grocery stores in the following states: AZ, CA, FL, HI, IL, KS, LA, MD, MO, NC, NH, NV, NY, OK, PA, TX, UT The problem was identified during routine testing conducted by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets. The recall was initiated after the product was selected and sent for regulatory testing. A subsequent investigation determined that the problem originated from an imported product manufactured in Vietnam. At this time, no illnesses or adverse reactions associated with the affected product have been reported. **About botulism** While a variety of illnesses can result from eating under-processed food, one of the most dangerous is botulism poisoning. Untreated, botulism can paralyze the muscles needed for breathing, resulting in sudden death. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalledproductand developed signs of botulism poisoning should immediately seek medical attention. In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food. However, symptoms can begin as soon as 6 hours after or up to 10 days later. The symptoms of botulism may include some of all of the following: double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, a thick-feeling tongue, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. People with botulism poisoning may not show all of these symptoms at once. If untreated, the disease may progress, and symptoms may worsen to cause paralysis of specific muscles, including those used in breathing and those in the arms, legs, and the body from the neck to the pelvis area. ### Publisher's Platform: 866 Million Reasons to Stop Working in Silos URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-866-million-reasons-to-stop-working-in-silos/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T04:50:34.000Z ***World Food Safety Day is June 7, 2026*** Every few years a number comes along that stops me cold, even after three decades of doing this work. This week, that number is **866 million**. That is how many people the [World Health Organization](https://www.who.int/news/item/04-06-2026-unsafe-food-causes-866-million-illnesses-and-1.5-million-deaths-annually--young-children-at-highest-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com) estimates get sick from unsafe food every single year. And **1.5 million of them die**. The new WHO estimates, published this week in *The Lancet Global Health* and timed to World Food Safety Day on June 7, are the most complete accounting of the global toll of foodborne disease we have ever had. They cover 42 hazards — bacteria, viruses, parasites, and, for the first time on this scale, chemical contaminants like arsenic, lead, and methylmercury — across 194 countries from 2000 through 2021. I have spent my entire career representing the people behind statistics like these. The toddler with hemolytic uremic syndrome on dialysis after eating a hamburger. The grandmother who never came home from the hospital after a Listeria-contaminated cantaloupe. The families I have sat with in living rooms across this country who had no idea that a meal could take everything from them. So, when WHO puts a number like 866 million on the table, I don’t see a spreadsheet. I see 866 million living rooms. **The part that should make all of us angry** Here is what I cannot get past: **children under five are only about 9% of the world’s population, but they account for nearly a third of all foodborne illness** — and they bear a brutal share of the deaths, mostly from diarrheal disease. The smallest, most vulnerable people on earth are paying the highest price for a problem we know how to prevent. And it is wildly unequal. WHO found that Africa and South-East Asia together carry roughly three-quarters of the world’s foodborne illnesses and about 60% of the deaths. A child’s risk of dying from contaminated food has nothing to do with what the child did, and almost everything to do with where that child was born — whether there is clean water, reliable refrigeration, basic sanitation, and a doctor within reach. There is one bright spot worth saying out loud: the overall burden has actually come down since 2000\. That matters. It tells us this is not hopeless. It tells us that investment, surveillance, and basic public health work. We are not pushing against the laws of physics here. We are pushing against neglect, underfunding, and the silos we keep building between the people who could fix this. **It is not just bugs anymore** For most of my career, my world has been the pathogens — *E. coli* O157:H7, *Salmonella*, *Listeria*, Hepatitis A, *Cyclospora*. They still cause the overwhelming majority of illnesses, and they always will be my fight. But the new estimates make a point I think too many of us have ignored: while chemical contaminants cause only a small slice of foodborne *illnesses*, they were responsible for the majority of foodborne *deaths* in 2021 — most of it traced to inorganic arsenic and lead. Once those metals are in the food chain, you often cannot get them back out. That is heart disease, cancer, and irreversible damage to children’s developing brains, served up at the dinner table. It means food safety can no longer be carved up neatly between “the outbreak people” and “the environmental people.” It is all one problem. **What “working together” actually has to mean** WHO calls the answer a “One Health” approach — connecting human health, animal health, plant health, and the environment, and breaking down the walls between the health, agriculture, and environment sectors. I’ll put it more plainly: **nobody owns this problem alone, which is exactly why it never gets fully solved.** The grower blames the processor. The processor blames the distributor. The regulator is underfunded and stretched thin. The litigation — my world — comes in at the very end, after the harm is already done. I have made a career out of being the last line of accountability, and I will tell you the truth I have told audiences for years: **I would happily be put out of business.** Every case I file is a case somebody, somewhere, could have prevented. Working together means a few concrete things: • **Prevent at the source.** Better agricultural practices, stricter industrial controls, and real environmental regulation, so contamination — biological or chemical — never reaches the food in the first place. • **Fund the basics.** Clean water, sanitation, pasteurization, refrigeration, and access to care. These are not exotic technologies. They are the difference between a sick child who recovers and one who doesn’t. • **Invest in surveillance.** You cannot fix what you cannot see. The reason we now have these numbers at all is that scientists did the unglamorous work of counting. Climate change is raising contamination risk, and antimicrobial resistance is making infections harder to treat — we need more eyes on this, not fewer. • **Stop treating food safety as somebody else’s department.** Industry, government, public health, and yes, the trial bar all hold a piece of it. **This touches every meal** WHO’s Director-General said something this week that I wish I had said first: food safety is not an abstract issue — it touches every meal, every family, every day. The senior author of the paper put it even more bluntly: *“Delay costs lives.”* I have spent more than thirty years watching what delay costs, one family at a time. The new estimates simply put a global number on what I have seen in living rooms and hospital rooms and, too often, at gravesides. 866 million illnesses. 1.5 million deaths. A burden that rivals tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria. And the single most important thing to understand about all of it is this: it is preventable. Not someday, not in theory — with the knowledge and tools we already have in hand. So, as World Food Safety Day approaches, my ask is simple. Whether you grow food, process it, sell it, regulate it, study it, or just feed your family with it — this is your problem too. Let’s stop pointing at each other across the silos and start working like the lives of 866 million people depend on it. **Because they do.** ### WHO estimates reveal millions of foodborne illness deaths URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/who-estimates-reveal-millions-of-foodborne-illness-deaths/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T04:05:40.000Z Unsafe food is responsible for about 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths a year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The number of illnesses and deaths show the burden is similar to that from tuberculosis, HIV, or malaria. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### First U.S. case of New World screwworm found in Texas URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/first-u-s-case-of-new-world-screwworm-found-in-texas/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T04:03:26.000Z The USDA has confirmed the country’s first case of New World screwworm — the parasitic fly poised to harm the Texas $15 billion cattle industry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture tested a sample from La Pryor in Zavala County at the its National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, lA, confirming the infestation, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during a press conference. The infested animal is a three-week old calf, and there have been no other detections so far. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Australian consumer survey highlights common mistakes URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/australian-consumer-survey-highlights-common-mistakes/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T04:02:25.000Z An Australian survey has found many people think it was the last thing they ate that made them sick and consumers are still washing raw poultry at home, which is a dangerous practice. Results were released by the Food Safety Information Council to mark World Food Safety Day on June 7. The survey showed 66 percent of Australians recall experiencing some form of food poisoning or gastroenteritis and 51 percent of those blame the last thing they ate. In reality, illness can be caused by items consumed days or weeks before symptom onset. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA steps up enforcement on imports related to colors, pesticides, Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-steps-up-enforcement-on-imports-related-to-colors-pesticides-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T04:00:10.000Z The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Deadly Listeria outbreak traced to Clover Hill cheese URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/deadly-listeria-outbreak-traced-to-clover-hill-cheese/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T23:29:35.000Z Public health officials are investigating a deadly Listeria outbreak traced to requeson, a soft cheese similar to ricotta. The multi-state, multi-year outbreak began in 2023 and has sickened eight people across three states — Maryland, New York and Virginia — according to the Food and Drug Administration. Lab samples were collected from sick people from March 6, 2023, through May 9 this year. There have been seven hospitalizations and one death. Distribution of the implicated cheese has been confirmed in New York, Maryland and Virginia, but it may have been further distributed. Of seven people interviewed, five reported eating cheese before becoming sick and two reported eating requeson made by Clover Hill Dairy. On May 13, the Suffolk County Health Department in New York notified the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets of two related Listeria monocytogenes illnesses from the same family, who had purchased food from a local retailer in Brentwood, NY. The following day, the New York State Department of Health confirmed that both patients had consumed requeson cheese purchased at that retailer. Investigators from the state agricultural department tested five cheese samples collected from the retailer. One sample of requeson that had been repacked by the retailer tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) confirmed the strain of Listeria found in the requeson cheese matches the strain of Listeria causing illnesses in the two New York patients who reported purchasing cheese from this retailer. On May 27, the agriculture department conducted an inspection at the retailer's cheese distributor, which identified Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicsville, MD, as the requeson cheese manufacturer. A sample collected from an unopened 18-pound sealed bucket of requeson manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy LLC also tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes; WGS analysis is pending. On June 3, Clover Hill Dairy LLC issued a voluntary recall of its requeson/soft ricotta products. Due to the public health risk, the Maryland Department of Health has suspended the Clover Hill Dairy LLC’s operating license, issued a [Consumer Advisory](https://health.maryland.gov/newsroom/Pages/Consumer%20advisory%20issued%20for%20Clover%20Hill%20Dairy%20reques%C3%B3n%20soft%20ricotta%20cheese%20products%20due%20to%20risk%20of%20foodborne%20illness.aspx?ref=foodsafetynews.com), and is conducting a follow up evaluation in cooperation with the facility. According to the Maryland consumer advisory, Clover Hill Dairy products are sold directly from their retail market, at farmers markets, and through third- party distributors, including in New York and Virginia. Some varieties may have jalapeño or other flavors. Products may be relabeled under a different brand name when distributed, so consumers are urged to check the manufacturer information on packages, if available. The label should identify the Clover Hill Dairy manufacturer permit (or plant) number as “24-128”. FDA is in the early stages of this investigation, additional products may be impacted, and further testing by FDA and state partners is underway. **About Listeria infections** Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look, smell or taste spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled cheese and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about the possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten any of the implicated cheese should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people such as cancer patients who have weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. ### Publisher's Platform: What the FDA did not want you to read about the November 2024 romaine E. coli outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-what-the-fda-did-not-want-you-to-read-about-the-november-2024-romaine-e-coli-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T04:06:05.000Z A little over a year ago, in January 2025, I wrote in this space asking a simple question about the November 2024 *E. coli*O157:H7 romaine outbreak: why would the FDA **not** tell the public who grew, processed, and sold the lettuce that sickened 89 people across 15 states, hospitalized 36, gave 7 of them hemolytic uremic syndrome, and killed one? The agency had quietly announced the outbreak was over, called the vehicle a “common supplier” of romaine lettuce, and left it there. No grower. No processor. No names. I said then that I would weigh in where the FDA would not. I have now spent the months since doing exactly that — staying on the agency until it unredacted the documents it should never have hidden in the first place. The documents are now in hand, and they tell the story the gray boxes were built to keep from you. Here is the short version of how this played out. When the FDA first released its traceback investigation summary for this outbreak (CARA #1280), nearly every name that mattered was blacked out under the (b)(4) exemption — the part of the Freedom of Information Act meant to shield genuine confidential commercial information and trade secrets. The processor was a gray box. The grower was a gray box. The ranch was a gray box. The distribution centers, the brokers, the lot codes — all gray boxes. What the public was left with was a document that confirmed romaine lettuce as the vehicle but told you absolutely nothing about whose romaine it was or where it came from. So, I did what I always do. I stayed on them. And the FDA, in stages, unredacted the document. The fully unredacted version now identifies, in plain text, what the (b)(4) boxes were hiding: - Taylor Farms of California (Salinas, CA; FEI 3012342127) was the sole processor. The summary states that Taylor Farms “supplied all the romaine lettuce that would have been available at all points of sale during the timeframe of interest.” - Anthony Costa & Sons LLC (Soledad, CA) was the single grower. The records also fill in the other end of the chain, and that, too, was originally redacted. The unredacted summaries name Andre’s Banquets and Catering of St. Louis, Missouri (1 of the 15 states) as the caterer at the center of the largest cluster of illnesses — the events where many of these people actually ate the lettuce. The traceback ties Andre’s to three separate catered events with meal dates of November 6 through 8, 2024, including a marching band banquet and a Veteran’s Day luncheon at a St. Louis-area high school, with twenty-two cases linked to that point of service alone. The lettuce blend Andre’s served was supplied through its distributor and traced straight back up the chain to Taylor Farms and Anthony Costa & Sons. But the public had no way to know any of that while the caterer’s name, the school events, and the supplier above them all sat behind the same gray boxes — which meant the families who got sick at those events could not see, in the agency’s own records, how the lettuce on their plate connected to the field it came from. None of that is a trade secret. The identity of the company that processed lettuce that killed someone is not confidential commercial information. The name of the farm that grew it is not a trade secret. A harvest date is not a proprietary formula. These are the basic facts of a public health disaster, and the only thing the redactions accomplished was to delay the moment when the public — and the families of the people who were hospitalized — could learn who was responsible. I have been making this same point for years, and I will make it again here, because the FDA keeps forcing me to. Formulations, ingredients, and how products are made are trade secrets. Who supplied the tainted raw material, who made the tainted product, and where the tainted product was sold are not — especially during an outbreak. That line is not hard to draw. The agency simply refuses to draw it. This matters for a reason that goes well beyond my own irritation. While those names sat behind gray boxes, the companies were free to take the position, in the investigation and elsewhere, that the evidence did not point to them. I have watched that move many times: a processor reviews its own internal traceability, announces it “determined there were no commonalities identified,” and lets the redactions do the rest of the work. But the FDA’s own records told a different story. The agency’s traceback identified a single processor and a single grower, found that the implicated product was available at every point of service, and tied it to specific lots. The unredacted document does not leave room for “it wasn’t us.” It was them. The records say so, by name. That is exactly why over-redaction is not a harmless bureaucratic habit. When the FDA blacks out the name of the processor and the grower in a fatal outbreak, it is not protecting a trade secret — it is handing the responsible companies a period of deniability they did not earn, and the public did not consent to. The (b)(4) exemption was written to protect genuine competitive information, not to spare a lettuce processor the embarrassment of being named in connection with the produce it sold. We do not have to guess whether transparency would cause the sky to fall, because we have already run the experiment. For most of the 2000s the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service would name the manufacturer of *E. coli*\-contaminated meat but refused to reveal where it was sold. I still remember people sickened in the 2002 ConAgra outbreak telling investigators they had heard about the recall but figured it did not apply to them because “we bought our meat at Safeway, not at ConAgra.” In 2008, after years of industry hand-wringing about distribution lists, FSIS finally concluded that naming retailers would not cause substantial competitive harm and began releasing the lists. Retailers of USDA-regulated products survived. Trade secrets did not collapse. Consumer confidence went up, not down. Chicken Little, the sky did not fall. The FDA, which oversees roughly 80 percent of the food supply, could have learned that lesson from its sister agency two decades ago. Instead, it is still hiding behind “confidential commercial information,” and consumers are still left confused — not by too much information, but by too little. The most egregious example I know of remains the 2017 outbreak tied to I.M. Healthy soy nut butter — a great name for a product carrying a pathogen — which sickened dozens, some of them children, seriously. A recall was announced but no retailers were named, the company went bankrupt and had no interest in helping, and the product stayed on shelves and online for months after the recall. That is what secrecy buys you: contaminated product still within reach of the next family while the agency guards a “secret” that protects no one but the seller. Years ago, a senior CDC official defended withholding company names by saying the practice protects not only public health but also “the bottom line of businesses that could be hurt by bad publicity.” I have a great deal of respect for the people in the diarrheal trenches, but that explanation has always had it exactly backwards. The government does not exist to protect a company’s bottom line from the consequences of selling food that hurts people. Protecting the public sometimes means the responsible company takes a reputational hit. That is not a bug in transparency. That is the point of it. I would put the principle simply. When people are hospitalized and someone dies, the public’s interest in knowing who grew and processed the food is at its highest, and the commercial interest in staying anonymous is at its lowest. The FDA’s redaction practice in cases like this one inverts that balance. It treats the names of the firms as the secret most in need of protection, when the names are the single most important thing the public is entitled to know. I am glad the FDA eventually unredacted this one. I should not have had to ask. The next family should not have to wait for a lawyer to pry the names loose months after the outbreak is over and the lettuce is long gone. If the agency genuinely wants to rebuild public trust in how it handles foodborne illness, it can start by drawing the (b)(4) line where the statute actually puts it — and by remembering that the public reporting on an outbreak is supposed to inform the public, not shield the companies. The lettuce in this outbreak was grown by Anthony Costa & Sons and processed by Taylor Farms. The FDA’s own records say so. There was never a good reason for anyone to have to guess. ### FDA investigating two new outbreaks URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-investigating-two-new-outbreaks-2/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T04:05:58.000Z Federal officials are investigating two new foodborne illness outbreaks, one involves Listeria infections and the other Cyslospora infections. The Food and Drug Administration has not yet identified a source of the pathogen in either of the outbreaks. The Listeria outbreak has sickened eight people, but the FDA is not reporting the patients’ ages or where they live. The agency has begun traceback efforts but it is not reporting what food is being traced. Similarly the FDA has begun onsite inspections but is not reporting what location is being inspected. For the Cyclospora outbreak, seven patients have been identified, but the FDA is not reporting their ages or where they live. The agency reports that it has begun traceback efforts, but it is now reporting what food it is tracing. In other outbreak news, the FDA is continuing to investigate three Salmonella outbreaks linked to moringa supplement capsules. A new outbreak of Salmonella illnesses traced to moringa leaf powder is under investigation, marking the third such outbreak. This time MOGO brand capsules are implicated. The new outbreak of SalmonellaTyphimurium has sickened 18 people across 14 states. Seven people have required hospitalization, but no deaths have been reported, according to the Food and Drug Administration. This outbreak is separate from two previous outbreaks traced to other moringa leaf powders. The current outbreak has been traced to MOGO brand moringa powder capsules distributed by MOGO Moringa LLC of St. Louis, MO. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Feb. 3 to April 7 this year. Of seven people interviewed, five, or 71 percent, reported eating moringa powder capsules, including four who reported MOGO-brand moringa powder capsules. On May 25, MOGO Moringa LLC [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/node/416505?ref=foodsafetynews.com) lot #15525AA EXP 6/2027 and lot #00926AA EXP 1/2028 of MOGO-brand Pure Moringa Oleifera capsules. Patients in the current outbreak live in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington. There are likely many more patients in the outbreak who are not included in the official count. This is because some people do not seek medical attention and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that for every confirmed patient in a Salmonella outbreak there are 29 who go undetected. **The other two outbreaks** There have been two other outbreaks traced to moringa leaf powder products in recent months and the FDA has reopened investigations into them. In one, 10 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella were reported in 8 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Sept. 26, 2025, to Jan. 8, 2026\. Of the 8 people interviewed, 7 reported eating Rosabella-brand moringa powder capsules. There were 3 hospitalizations. As part of the investigation, the Indiana Department of Health collected unopened product samples from a sick person’s home. This sample tested positive for Salmonella Newport and according to [whole genome sequencing](https://www.fda.gov/food/microbiology-research-food/whole-genome-sequencing-wgs-program?ref=foodsafetynews.com) analysis, it is the same strain of Salmonella Newport that caused illnesses in the outbreak. In response to this investigation, Ambrosia Brands LLC recalled certain lots of Rosabella-brand moringa powder capsules on Feb. 13, 2026\. Recalled product was available for sale nationwide and internationally. The product that tested positive for Salmonella was included in the recall. The product should no longer be on the market, but it does have a long shelf life, so consumers are urged to check there homes for it. In the other Salmonella outbreak traced to moringa powder, the CDC reported a total of 97 patients from 32 states. Of the 67 people interviewed, 59 reported eating a product containing moringa leaf powder, including 55 who reported Live it Up-brand Super Greens supplement powders only, 3 who reported Why Not Natural moringa powder capsules only, and 1 person who reported consuming both products. There were 26 hospitalizations, but no deaths were been reported. The products linked to illnesses in this outbreak have a long shelf life. Several products have been recalled in relation to the outbreaks. They are: - Total Nutrition Inc. [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/total-nutrition-inc-recalls-tnvitamins-and-doctors-pride-ultra-potent-complete-green-superfood?ref=foodsafetynews.com): - Tnvitamins-brand Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood Moringa capsules 10,000 mg (120 capsules) lot 2507199 EXP 09/2027, lot 2512-304 EXP 02/2028, and lot 2793 EXP 02/2028 - Doctor’s Pride Complete Green Superfood Ultra Potent Moringa 10,000 mg (120 capsules) Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027 - Why Not Natural Pure Organic Moringa Green Superfood capsules with lot # A25G051 and expiration date 07/2028 marked on the bottom of the bottle have been [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/why-not-natural-houston-texas-recalling-its-why-not-natural-organic-moringa-green-superfood-because?ref=foodsafetynews.com). - All Live it Up-brand Super Greens dietary supplement powder, including both original and wild berry flavors, with lots beginning with the letter “A” and all stick pack products with expiration dates from 08/2026 to 01/2028 have been [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/superfoods-inc-dba-live-it-recalls-live-it-super-greens-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com). - MOGO Moringa LLC [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/node/416505?ref=foodsafetynews.com) lot #15525AA EXP 6/2027 and lot #00926AA EXP 1/2028 of MOGO-brand Pure Moringa Oleifera capsules. The Food and Drug Administration reports that it and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with state and local public health offices across the country, reopened the outbreak investigation because of new reports of illnesses. Since the investigation was closed on March 17, there have been 22 new illnesses from four states reported. As of May 27 a total of 119 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella have been reported from 36 states since the investigation began. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Aug. 22, 2025, to April 26, 2026\. Of 109 people with information available, 32 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Of the 79 patients interviewed, including some of the 22 new cases, 70 reported eating a product containing moringa leaf powder, including 60 who reported Live it Up Super Greens supplement powders only, 5 who reported Why Not Natural moringa powder capsules only, 1 person who reported consuming both Live it Up Super Greens supplement powder and Why Not Natural moringa powder capsules, and 4 who reported TNVitamins moringa powder capsules only. The FDA is conducting additional traceback of the supply chain to identify the specific source of the Salmonella. Additionally, FDA is working with state and local partners to sample products and determine if additional products may be contaminated. ### AI being used to file fake food complaints, says Food Alert URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/ai-being-used-to-file-fake-food-complaints-says-food-alert/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T04:03:10.000Z People are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate images and complaints as part of attempts to claim refunds and compensation, according to food safety experts Food Alert. The company reported seeing cases across the UK involving manipulated images designed to show mold, undercooked meat and foreign objects that were not present in the original meal. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Low meat thermometer use prompts barbecue warning URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/low-meat-thermometer-use-prompts-barbecue-warning/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T04:01:15.000Z An Irish survey has revealed low use of a meat thermometer when cooking burgers, sausages or chicken breasts. Findings prompted Safefood to remind people to use a thermometer to make sure grilled meats are cooked to at least 75 degrees C (167 degrees F). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Dozens sick in Idaho outbreak tied to raw milk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/dozens-sick-in-idaho-outbreak-tied-to-raw-milk/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T00:41:44.000Z State officials in Idaho are investigating an outbreak of campylobacter infections linked to raw, unpasteurized milk. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reports that 60 patients have been identified with at least 45 of them specifically testing positive for campylobacteriosis. All 60 of the patients consumed raw milk before becoming sick. The health department has identified two dairies as sources of the implicated unpasteurized milk, but has not yet named them. One of them is in northern Idaho and other one is in southern Idaho. The first sick person was identified on May 19\. Investigation and interviews of people reported as ill are ongoing and additional illness may be identified. Investigation is ongoing to identify potential batches of concern and test milk samples. Both milking operations are working in collaboration with the state health department and local public health agencies to identify and fix any potential sources of contamination. “Raw, unpasteurized dairy products can contain bacteria that make people sick, particularly young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those who are immunocompromised. Pasteurization kills nearly all the germs that can exist in raw milk while maintaining nutritional benefits,” according to the state health department. The Idaho Division of Public Health is collaborating with Panhandle District Health, Southwest District Health, Central District Health, Southeastern Idaho Public Health, South Central Public Health, and Eastern Idaho Public Health on the investigation. Raw milk is a known source of bacteria, including Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and campylobacter. All such pathogens are destroyed by pasteurization, which heats milk to 161 degrees F for 15 seconds. According to research done at the University of Delaware, compared with consumers of pasteurized dairy products, people who drink raw milk are 840 times more likely to experience an illness and 45 times more likely to be hospitalized. ### Total Nutrition expands recall of moringa capsules because of Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/total-nutrition-expands-recall-of-moringa-capsules-because-of-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T23:17:15.000Z Total Nutrition Inc. of Deer Park, NY, is expanding [its recall](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/more-moringa-products-recalled-because-of-salmonella/) of TNVitamins and Doctor's Pride Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood Moringa Capsules due to the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The products have been linked to [an outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/fda-reopens-investigation-into-salmonella-outbreak-traced-to-moringa-capsules/) of Salmonella infections. The recalled products were distributed nationally through the online platforms, Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, Target, and the company's websites, tnvitamins.com and doctors pride.com. . The product is packaged in white HDPE supplement bottles with smooth, white caps and 120 clear capsules filled with green moringa powder. The recall was initiated following notification from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that these products may be implicated in an ongoing investigation associated with moringa-containing dietary supplement products. Total Nutrition Inc. has ceased distribution and sale of the identified product and has initiated removal orders across all applicable sales and fulfillment channels while the FDA, CDC and the company continue their investigation. This expansion was discovered during a traceability review which identified a common raw material from Lot 2507199, one of the original recalled lots. Total Nutrition Inc. is including Lot 2748 of TNVitamins Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood Moringa 10,000 mg and Doctor’s Pride Complete Green Superfood Ultra Potent Moringa 10,000 mg in the recall effective immediately. The affected lots are: | **Product** | **Lots** | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | TNVitamins Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood Moringa 10,000 mg (120 capsules) | Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027Lot: 2512-304 Exp. 02/2028Lot: 2793 Exp. 02/2028**Lot: 2748 Exp. 07/2027 (newly added)** | | Doctor’s Pride Complete Green Superfood Ultra Potent Moringa 10,000 mg (120 capsules) | Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027**Lot: 2748 Exp. 07/2027 (newly added)** | **About Salmonella infections** Food, beverages and supplements contaminated with Salmonella bacteria do not look, smell or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has consumed any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Publisher's Platform: Where did the Boar’s Head investigations go? Hello DOJ and USDA Inspector General? URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-where-did-the-boars-head-investigations-go-hello-doj-and-usda-inspector-general/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T13:49:43.000Z When ten people die in a Listeria outbreak traced to a single plant with a documented, years-long record of filth, I pay attention to what the government promises to do about it. And I keep a calendar. By that calendar, it has now been roughly twenty months since the Department of Justice was formally asked to decide whether Boar’s Head should face criminal charges. It has been roughly twenty months since the USDA Inspector General opened a review of how its own inspectors let the Jarratt, Virginia plant keep running for years while the noncompliance’s piled up. The plant has since closed, been “rebuilt from the inside out,” and reopened. The news cycle has moved on. And from the two investigations that actually matter for accountability — the DOJ’s and the IG’s — we have heard essentially nothing. Let me be precise, because precision is the whole point. I am not claiming the investigation was dropped. I do not know that, and neither does anyone outside a grand jury room. What I know is what the public record shows, and what it shows is a long, deliberate silence. We know there was a real law-enforcement investigation, not just a request for one. When the Associated Press asked USDA for the inspection and enforcement records on Jarratt and eight other Boar’s Head facilities, the agency refused to hand them over. Its stated reason was that the records had been compiled for a law-enforcement purpose covering “both civil and criminal statutes,” and that releasing them could interfere with the investigation. You do not invoke a law-enforcement FOIA exemption over a matter that does not exist. That refusal, in writing, is the strongest confirmation we have that someone with a badge was looking hard at this company. We know two members of Congress — Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Rosa DeLauro — referred the matter to the Attorney General and the Secretary of Agriculture in September 2024 and asked, in plain language, whether criminal charges were warranted. We know the IG opened a review of FSIS’s conduct. We know that as recently as the plant’s February 2026 reopening, reporters were still writing that DOJ “is investigating whether criminal charges are warranted” — present tense — and that the IG “is reviewing” the agency’s handling. Present tense, twenty months on. What we do not have is a single public document closing the loop. No indictment. No criminal information. No plea. No deferred-prosecution agreement. No consent decree. No public declination explaining why no charge was brought. And no public report from the Inspector General on whether the inspectors who walked past mold, insects, and dripping condensation for years did their jobs. On the central questions, the file is blank. I want to head off the easy excuse. Someone will say these things take time. They do — and I have made that argument myself. Food-safety criminal cases routinely run two to four years from outbreak to charge. The Peanut Corporation of America prosecution that put Stewart Parnell away for twenty-eight years took years to build. Chipotle’s $25 million deferred-prosecution deal in 2020 followed outbreaks that began long before. So, I am not banging the table because charges haven’t appeared on a schedule I prefer. I am asking a narrower and fairer question: is anyone still working this, and will the public ever be told how it ends? Because here is what should make every regulator uncomfortable. While we wait, the same company’s other plants keep generating the same kind of paperwork. Records released to the AP around the reopening documented dozens of noncompliance reports at a second Boar’s Head facility in 2025 — dripping condensation, meat residue, and a failure to follow the company’s own written Listeria controls. One inspector noted that a single violation was the fifth of its kind in a month. That is not ancient history dredged up by a plaintiff’s lawyer. That is last year. If the threat of accountability has already faded, the conduct it was supposed to deter apparently has not. I am asking, on the record, two simple questions. To the Department of Justice: What happened to the Boar’s Head investigation? If you charged it, say so. If you closed it, say so and tell the families why ten deaths did not clear your bar. The responsible-corporate-officer doctrine and the Federal Meat Inspection Act exist precisely for executives who preside over uncorrected, dangerous conditions. Either those tools applied here or they did not. The public deserves an answer, not a shrug. To the USDA Inspector General (assuming there is one): What happened to your review of FSIS? You opened it to learn how inspectors and the cooperative state-inspection arrangement let Jarratt operate for years. That answer belongs to the public, because the public is the next set of people who will eat what these plants ship. Ten people are dead. Sixty were hospitalized across nineteen states. A plant that should never have been allowed to deteriorate the way it did is back in business. The least we are owed — the families, the survivors, and everyone who buys lunch meat trusting that someone is watching — is to be told whether anyone in Washington ever finished the job. I will keep my calendar open. I would rather fill in an answer than another month of silence. #### **Legal Basis for a Criminal Investigation Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act** #### 1\. The prohibited conduct The Federal Meat Inspection Act (“FMIA”), *21 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.*, makes it unlawful to sell, transport, offer for sale or transportation, or receive for transportation in commerce any meat or meat food product that is adulterated or misbranded. *21 U.S.C. § 610* (prohibited acts), including § 610(c). A federal criminal investigation of a meat processor proceeds from the premise that adulterated product entered commerce in violation of § 610. #### 2\. What makes the product “adulterated” “Adulterated” is defined at *21 U.S.C. § 601(m)*. Two clauses are directly relevant to a Listeria outbreak: § 601(m)(1) covers a product bearing or containing any poisonous or deleterious substance that may render it injurious to health, and § 601(m)(4) covers a product prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with filth or rendered injurious to health. FSIS treats *Listeria monocytogenes* in ready-to-eat product as an adulterant on a zero-tolerance basis, so confirmed contamination of RTE deli meat establishes adulteration under § 601(m)(1), and a documented record of insanitary plant conditions independently supports adulteration under § 601(m)(4). #### 3\. The criminal penalty structure Criminal penalties are set by *21 U.S.C. § 676(a)*, which creates two tiers: - **Misdemeanor (baseline).** Any violation of the FMIA for which no other penalty is provided is punishable by up to one year of imprisonment and a fine. This tier requires *no proof of intent or knowledge* — it is a strict-liability “public-welfare” offense. - **Felony (elevated).** The offense becomes a felony, punishable by up to three years of imprisonment and a larger fine, if the violation involves intent to defraud *or* any distribution or attempted distribution of an article that is adulterated (other than the narrow pesticide/additive carve-out at § 601(m)(8), which does not apply to *Listeria*). Because Listeria-contaminated RTE meat is adulterated under § 601(m)(1), distributing it can supply the felony predicate *even without proof of intent to defraud*. Separately, *§ 676(b)* lets the Secretary decline to refer *minor* violations for prosecution where a written warning will adequately serve the public interest — a discretion provision, not a shield for a repeated, uncorrected pattern of the kind documented at Jarratt. #### 4\. Reaching corporate officers: the responsible-corporate-officer doctrine Because the FMIA misdemeanor is a strict-liability public-welfare offense, individual executives can be charged under the responsible-corporate-officer doctrine of *United States v. Dotterweich*, 320 U.S. 277 (1943), and *United States v. Park*, 421 U.S. 658 (1975). Under *Park*, an officer who stood in a position of authority and responsibility over the conditions that produced the violation — and who had the power to prevent or correct them — may be convicted of the misdemeanor without any showing that the officer personally participated in or knew of the violation. A documented, repeated, uncorrected pattern of insanitary conditions is the classic factual setting in which these tools are deployed. #### 5\. Who investigates and who charges - **FSIS.** USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service investigates suspected FMIA violations through its Office of Investigation, Enforcement, and Audit and refers matters warranting prosecution to the Department of Justice. FSIS’s invocation of the law-enforcement FOIA exemption (Exemption 7, *5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)*) over the Boar’s Head records is the public marker that such an investigation existed. - **DOJ.** Criminal FMIA matters are prosecuted by the Department of Justice — typically the Consumer Protection Branch (which handles FMIA and Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act food prosecutions) working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the relevant district, here the Eastern District of Virginia. Any charging instrument would appear as an indictment or criminal information on that court’s docket. - **Grand-jury secrecy.** An ongoing federal criminal investigation is shielded by *Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e)*, which is why continued silence is consistent with either a pending matter or a closed one; the public record cannot distinguish between them. #### 6\. The distinct basis for the FSIS internal investigation The USDA Inspector General’s review is grounded in different authority — the Inspector General Act of 1978, now recodified at *5 U.S.C. § 401 et seq.* (formerly 5 U.S.C. App.) — which empowers the IG to audit and investigate the programs and operations of USDA, including whether FSIS and the cooperative (Talmadge-Aiken) state-inspection arrangement responded appropriately to the documented conditions at Jarratt. This is oversight of the agency itself, separate from any FMIA prosecution of the company, and its findings are ordinarily released to the public in an IG report. ### Paraguay investigates source of botulism cases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/paraguay-investigates-source-of-botulism-cases/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T04:05:05.000Z Officials in Paraguay have reported four confirmed cases of foodborne botulism. The General Directorate of Health Surveillance (DGVS), part of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, said it is conducting an epidemiological and sanitary investigation. All patients are adults and a link has been made to eating at a commercial establishment in the city of Asunción. Affected individuals are receiving specialized care in hospitals. Other agencies involved are the National Health Surveillance Directorate (DINAVISA), the National Service of Quality and Animal Health (SENACSA) and the Central Laboratory of Public Health (LCSP). Inspection, traceability, sampling and technical analysis tasks are being carried out to find the source of infection. Botulinum poisoning is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. In Paraguay’s latest epidemiological bulletin, covering May 10 to 16, there were 26 reports of food poisoning, compared to 57 in the same period in 2025. From the start of 2026 to mid-May, 74 cases of food and waterborne illness have been registered, of which 40 were confirmed. Of confirmed cases, 10 were in the 15–19-year-old age group, six were in the 0-4 age group, and five in the 10-14 age group. Overall, 23 patients were female. Causative agents identified in stool samples from individual cases were Campylobacter, E. coli, and Shigella. There was one notification of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). **About botulism** Food contaminated with the spores that produce botulism toxins does not look, smell or taste bad. While a variety of food poisoning can result from eating under-processed food, one of the most dangerous is botulism poisoning. Untreated, botulism can paralyze the muscles needed for breathing, resulting in sudden death. Anyone who has developed signs of botulism poisoning should immediately seek medical attention. In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food. However, symptoms can begin as soon as 6 hours after or up to 10 days later. The symptoms of botulism may include some or all of the following: double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, a thick-feeling tongue, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. People with botulism poisoning may not show all of these symptoms at once. These symptoms result from muscle paralysis caused by the toxin. If untreated, the disease may progress, and symptoms may worsen to cause paralysis of muscles, including those used in breathing and those in the arms, legs, and the body from the neck to the pelvis area. ### New law in Oklahoma increases sales of unpasteurized, raw milk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/new-law-in-oklahoma-increases-sales-of-unpasteurized-raw-milk/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T04:04:34.000Z Oklahoma dairies can now sell more than 10 times the amount of raw, unpasteurized milk directly to consumers. Gov. Kevin Stitt signed [Senate Bill 2028](https://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB2028&Session=2600&ref=foodsafetynews.com) into law in late May. The new law raises the monthly cap on direct raw milk sales from 100 gallons to 1,500 gallons and allows producers to advertise raw milk products sold on-farm. Raw milk sales must still occur at the farm where the milk is produced. It cannot be sold in retail settings or farmers markets. The Republican governor is a strong supporter of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Health Again movement. Kennedy has often pushed raw milk as a healthy choice despite its known dangers. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Listeria levels steady in England with 28 related deaths URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/listeria-levels-steady-in-england-with-28-related-deaths/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T04:02:54.000Z Listeria infections stayed stable in England and Wales and four outbreaks were investigated in 2025. This past year 181 cases of listeriosis were reported, compared to 179 in 2024, said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Food poisoning remains top food safety concern in Australia URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/food-poisoning-remains-top-food-safety-concern-in-australia/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T04:01:45.000Z Food poisoning has once again been ranked as the most important food safety issue in a survey by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). The Consumer Insights Tracker was conducted in October 2025 with 2,232 people including 1,307 from Australia and 925 from New Zealand. At 70.3 percent, most people were confident that food sold in Australia and New Zealand is safe to eat, 16.3 percent were neutral and 13.4 percent were not confident. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Beef kofta samples from The Kebab Shop match outbreak strain of E. coli URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/beef-kofta-samples-from-the-kebab-shop-match-outbreak-strain-of-e-coli/ Last updated: 2026-06-02T11:34:06.000Z Whole genome sequencing has shown that beef kofta samples collected by FSIS and produced at Olympia Food Industries matches the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 among patrons of The Kebab Shop restaurant in California. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) continues to coordinate with the California Department of Public Health and local health departments in the state on the outbreak investigation. As of June 1, there were nine confirmed outbreak patients, six of whom are children. Two of the children have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which leads to kidney failure and sometimes brain damage or death. On May 24 the FSIS issued a public health alert because of concerns that beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop restaurant locations may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7\. A recall was not requested because the products were no longer available for purchase. The beef kofta was produced as a raw ground beef product by Olympia Food Industries Inc. dba Olympia Foods (Est. 18743) in Franklin Park, IL, on Jan. 6, 2026, and supplied to The Kebab Shop restaurant locations in California, Texas and Florida. The problem was discovered as part of an ongoing illness outbreak investigation. As of May 24, 2026, illness onset dates had been reported ranging from March 27 to April 30\. Because the identified illnesses are limited to California, the state’s health department is leading the investigation with FSIS. The FSIS collected raw ground beef kofta product samples that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7\. The Kebab Shop stopped selling beef kofta at all of its restaurant locations on May 18, 2026. ### Publisher's Platform: The infant formula industry was warned about Botulism long before outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/publishers-platform-24/ Last updated: 2026-06-02T04:05:50.000Z “Historical associations between powdered infant formula and pathogens such as Cronobacter spp., Salmonella, and Clostridium botulinum should be considered when designing and implementing controls for the safe manufacture of all foods for infants and young children." In a letter from the FDA sent during the Biden Administration – Infant Formula Manufacturers, Packers, Distributors, Exporters, Importers, and Retailers were warned. **March 8, 2023** – [Copy of Letter](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2025/12/PowderedInfantFormulaIndustry-CallToActionLetter-March2023.pdf?ref=foodsafetynews.com) Dear Infant Formula Manufacturers, Packers, Distributors, Exporters, Importers, and Retailers: This letter is directed to manufacturers, packers, distributors, exporters, importers, and retailers involved in the manufacturing and distribution of powdered infant formula. In late 2021 and early 2022, a series of Cronobacter spp. illnesses among infants in the U.S. was associated with feeding a certain brand of powdered infant formula. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA or “the Agency”) inspection of the associated manufacturing facility revealed the presence of Cronobacter spp. within the production environment, as well as other insanitary conditions, leading to a nationwide recall. This recall and the temporary shutdown of the plant was a major contributing factor to the infant formula shortage experienced across the U.S. in 2022\. In response, the FDA developed a strategy to prevent future Cronobacter spp. Illnesses associated with powdered infant formula and is issuing this letter to share current information to assist industry in improving the microbiological safety of powdered infant formula. **Call to Action** The FDA is calling on all members of the infant formula industry to help protect our most vulnerable population. Specifically, FDA asks that you: 1) Evaluate your established system of production and in-process controls (which must cover all stages of processing, from the receipt and acceptance of the raw materials, ingredients, and components through the storage and distribution of the finished product) and ensure that appropriate controls are implemented in accordance with 21 CFR 106.6(c) at any point, step, or stage in the production process where control is necessary to prevent adulteration of infant formula; 2) Ensure full compliance with all relevant regulations – including the Infant Formula Requirements Pertaining to Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Quality Control Procedures, Quality Factors, Records and Reports, and Notifications rule (21 CFR part 106) and the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food rule (21 CFR part 117); 3) Consider the concerns shared in this letter when evaluating your established system of production and in-process controls, including when taking corrective actions; and 4) Ensure adherence to the notification requirement of an adulterated or misbranded infant formula any time product has left the facility, in accordance with 21 CFR 106.150\. Lastly, FDA asks that firms voluntarily notify the Agency any time a product sample is found to be positive for *Cronobacter* spp. or *Salmonella*, even if the affected lot(s) have not been distributed. **Areas of concern at powdered infant formula manufacturing facilities** The FDA has reviewed conditions during recent inspections of powdered infant formula manufacturers, including routine surveillance inspections, for-cause inspections to follow up on consumer complaints, and other interactions with manufacturers.1 FDA has identified the following areas for improvement across the infant formula industry (summarized here and expanded in the letter below): 1\. Controlling water in dry production areas 2\. Verifying the effectiveness of controls through environmental monitoring 3\. Implementing appropriate corrective actions following the isolation of a pathogen from an environmental sample or a product sample 4\. Implementing effective supply-chain controls for biological hazards 5\. Identifying all relevant biological hazards FDA is sharing this information with you with the expectation that you will act to mitigate potential food safety risks in powdered infant formula in accordance with FDA regulations while further striving to improve operations, especially given the critical nature of these products. **1) Controlling water in dry production areas** The food industry acknowledges that reducing the presence of water in dry production environments for low moisture foods is essential to controlling environmental contamination, *e.g.*, from *Salmonella* and *Cronobacter* spp. In several inspections at powdered infant formula manufacturing facilities, FDA observed water present during production in areas that were intended to remain dry (at least during production). The sources of the water included leaks from roofs or other exterior facility features, leaks from equipment (during production and/or during sanitation), and condensation. Records of water observed by employees in the dry processing areas, and the identified sources can help a firm analyze trends or identify recurring problems. However, not all firms adequately record this information. The incidence of water in dry production environments should receive prompt consideration by the industry. Poorly maintained equipment that leaked during clean-in-place (CIP) procedures was identified as one source of water in the dry production environment. However, sanitation activities, specifically, CIP procedures used on certain equipment, introduce a large amount of water to equipment surfaces. Ensuring that equipment surfaces are fully dried following a CIP procedure and before starting production is also important for equipment used to process low moisture foods, such as powdered infant formula. Several firms had either poor or no documentation that their dry-out procedures following a CIP procedure or other sanitation activity were capable of fully drying equipment surfaces, including food contact surfaces. FDA further noted that CIPs were being performed at greater frequencies than previously observed. Leaks in equipment, unverified dry out procedures, and increased CIP frequency raise concerns with the management of water related to sanitation activities and represent potential areas for improvement. **2) Verifying the effectiveness of controls through environmental monitoring** Environmental monitoring is an important verification measure to ensure that sanitation and hygiene controls are effectively preventing pathogens from entering or persisting in dry production areas. Inspections of powdered infant formula manufacturers revealed that, while facilities had implemented some form of environmental monitoring programs (EMPs), there were differences with regards to where in the facility sampling and testing was conducted specifically for pathogens, *e.g.*, *Cronobacter* spp. Some firms have EMPs that limit the collection of environmental samples for *Cronobacter* spp. while relying heavily on monitoring for Enterobacteriaceae (EB) within the production area. Monitoring EB populations on environmental surfaces in dry production areas may serve as a useful indicator that unexpected water may have been introduced or some other breakdown of hygienic control may have occurred. However, FDA is not aware of sufficient data demonstrating a correlation between EB populations and the presence of Cronobacter spp. On environmental surfaces. Environmental samples collected by FDA investigators during these inspections recovered *Cronobacter* spp. from environmental surfaces where the firms were only conducting routine environmental testing for EB. Manufacturers of powdered infant formula must establish a system of process controls covering all stages of processing that are designed to ensure that the product does not become adulterated due to the presence of microorganisms in the formula or in the processing environment. A well-designed and implemented EMP should provide information about the hygienic conditions at all stages of processing, while focusing the greatest amount of sampling on surfaces from which the risk of contamination to the product is greatest. While testing environmental surfaces for EB provides some information on the conditions within the facility, the presence or absence of EB on environmental surfaces is not a reliable indicator for the presence of Cronobacter spp.2 Therefore, FDA encourages the direct testing for Cronobacter spp. at some frequency within the processing environment for powdered infant formula. **3) Implementing appropriate corrective actions following the isolation of a pathogen from** **an environmental sample or a product sample** When verification testing detects a pathogen, *e.g.*, Salmonella or Cronobacter spp., in an environmental or product sample, firms must implement a corrective action plan as required under 21 CFR 106.6\. The goals of a corrective action plan are to prevent affected product from entering the market and to determine the root cause of the problem to prevent recurrence. Effective corrective action plans often involve conducting a root cause investigation (RCI), (*i.e.*, performing an investigation to determine the source of the contamination) to inform appropriate containment and corrective action activities. During our inspections, FDA investigators reviewed and/or observed corrective actions taken in response to detecting Cronobacter spp. in environmental and product samples. As part of their RCI, some facilities disassembled certain equipment, collected environmental samples from food contact surfaces, and tested those samples for indicator organism populations, *e.g.*, total aerobic plate counts, total coliforms, or total EB. The presence or absence of EB on environmental surfaces is not a reliable indicator for the presence of *Cronobacter* spp. In other instances, when responding to the detection of Cronobacter spp. in a product sample, some facilities immediately initiated sanitation activities on suspected environmental or equipment surfaces and then collected samples from these surfaces to verify sanitation effectiveness This approach limited their ability to determine whether those surfaces contributed to the contamination event. FDA encourages firms conducting an RCI to thoroughly investigate the potential sources of contamination by collecting environmental samples **before** performing sanitation activities, in addition to other RCI activities such as evaluating incoming ingredients and reviewing production records. During the production of powdered infant formula where the product is in a dry powder form, manufacturing activities may operate for extended periods of time between complete sanitation activities. Although limited dry cleaning may be conducted between some production lots (*e.g.*, vacuuming, brushing, tapping, sweeping, or flushing equipment surfaces), FDA has observed during inspections that many production lots may be processed on such equipment without an intervening sanitation break that would involve the application of a sanitizing treatment to all food contact surfaces (hereafter referred to as sanitation break). The best current available science demonstrates that the only adequate remediation for food contact surfaces contaminated by a bacterial pathogen is the application of a sanitizing treatment (e.g., a thermal treatment or a chemical treatment). To date, other remediation procedures, such as physical dry-cleaning techniques, have not proven effective against eliminating pathogens from equipment surfaces. Additionally, the widespread availability of whole genome sequencing (WGS) has offered an unprecedented opportunity for conducting RCIs following the detection of a pathogen in an environmental or product sample. In reviewing product testing plans and EMPs, FDA investigators noted that some facilities do not use technologies such as WGS to investigate pathogen isolates to help determine the root cause. Samples collected during some of our investigations identified more than one strain of Cronobacter spp. within the same facility. FDA strongly recommends using WGS (and the public database of genomes available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information) to analyze and investigate any pathogen isolated from a production environment or product. The data from this analysis can provide the most complete information available to identify and implement appropriate and effective corrective actions. **4) Implementing effective supply-chain controls for biological hazards** Some facilities involved in the manufacturing of powdered infant formula have processes or process steps that use raw materials or other ingredients in a manner that does not apply a treatment to these raw materials or other ingredients that would be lethal to bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella or Cronobacter spp. An example of this process would be the dry blending of an ingredient into an infant formula base to produce a finished powdered infant formula product. The powdered infant formula manufacturer must evaluate any known or reasonably foreseeable hazards associated with these raw materials or other ingredients, determine if they require control at the supplier, and if they do, establish a supply chain program for those raw materials or other ingredients (*see* 21 CFR 117.405(a)(1)). In addition to inspections of powdered infant formula manufacturers, the FDA has also conducted inspections of domestic and foreign suppliers of raw materials and ingredients used in the manufacturing of powdered infant formula. FDA observed that the supply-chain program at the powdered infant formula manufacturer did not always fully characterize the risk associated with bacterial pathogens, such as Cronobacter spp., at the supplier’s facility. Suppliers of raw materials or other ingredients that will not receive a lethal treatment at the powdered infant formula manufacturing facility are an extension of the infant formula manufacturing process, particularly when it comes to sanitation controls for production and maintaining a production environment in conditions suitable for producing infant formula. Verifying these conditions at the supplier, as well as informing the suppliers of the intended use of their raw materials or other ingredients, are the responsibility of the powdered infant formula manufacturer. **5) Identifying all relevant biological hazards** Although much of the recent focus has been on *Cronobacter* spp., FDA reminds the industry that there are other known or reasonably foreseeable biological hazards associated with powdered infant formula. FDA has conducted follow up investigations in response to complaints related to *Cronobacter* spp. infections, *Salmonella* infections, and infant botulism cases among infants who consumed powdered infant formula from a variety of manufacturers. Historical associations between powdered infant formula and pathogens such as Cronobacter spp., Salmonella, and Clostridium botulinum should be considered when designing and implementing controls for the safe manufacture of all foods for infants and young children. Our regulations define an infant as a person not more than 12 months of age (21 CFR 106.3). However, many infant formula manufacturers also produce powdered drinks intended for other young children, such as toddler drinks intended for persons aged 12 to 36 months. Although the risk of certain pathogens, such as Cronobacter spp., may be lower for persons in this age range than for infants, there is still a risk for some who may have certain medical conditions or reduced immune function. Accordingly, FDA encourages industry to evaluate its practices to mitigate the potential risk of Cronobacter spp. and other biological hazard contamination in all foods for infants and young children. **In closing** This letter is intended to assist industry in improving the microbiological safety of powdered infant formula. The information shared includes certain observations from recent FDA inspections at facilities involved in the manufacturing of powdered infant formula and subsequent dialogue with those firms. While this letter focuses on certain observations FDA found concerning, the Agency also observed many procedures and practices that were performed in compliance with the applicable regulations. As stated above, FDA calls on all members of the infant formula industry to use the information in this letter to take prompt action to improve processes and programs for the protection of our most vulnerable population. FDA will continue conducting inspections and working with industry to ensure the safety of all infant formula in the U.S. market. In closing, FDA thanks industry members for improvements made thus far and everyone’s continued efforts to ensure the safety of infant formula products in the United States. Sincerely, Robert M. Califf, M.D. Commissioner of Food and Drugs Susan T. Mayne, Ph.D. Director Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition U.S. Food & Drug Administration 1 Information relating to publicly disclosed inspectional findings is available on the FDA website. See, e.g., Infant Formula Information and Ongoing FDA Efforts to Increase Supply. Where appropriate, based on concerns from inspectional findings, FDA also conducted regulatory meetings with certain firms, during which the Agency engaged in detailed discussions with those firms concerning their corrective actions to cited deviations and reminded them of their obligations to comply with all applicable FDA regulations. In addition to gaining information through inspectional activities and exchanges about corrective actions, FDA gained information through the review of manufacturing and related processes related to FDA’s issuance of its May 2022 guidance providing increased flexibilities regarding infant formula to help facilitate the availability of safe and nutritionally adequate infant formula products in the U.S. marketplace on a temporary basis to address the formula shortage. 2 See e.g., Current Good Manufacturing Practices, Quality Control Procedures, Quality Factors, Notification Requirements, and Records and Reports, for Infant Formula, 79 Fed Reg 7934, 7983-7984 (Feb 10, 2014). ### Danish company fined after dispute about Listeria findings URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/danish-company-fined-after-dispute-about-listeria-findings/ Last updated: 2026-06-02T04:03:30.000Z A food company in Denmark has been fined for not telling authorities about the detection of Listeria. Agustson was fined DKK 80,000 ($12,400) by the Danish Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Agency. However, the business said there had been “no attempt whatsoever” to withhold information or act irresponsibly as the result was documented internally. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Lab tests show chicken salad served at jail was responsible for outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/lab-tests-show-chicken-salad-served-at-jail-was-responsible-for-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-06-02T04:02:04.000Z Chicken salad has been found to be the source of Salmonella that sickened 320 inmates at a county jail in New York. The incident is the second largest Salmonella outbreak in state history, according to Broome County Health Department Medical Director Dr. Lazarus Gehring. Out of 450 inmates at the Broome County Correctional Facility, 320 have been diagnosed with a Salmonella infection. Four were admitted to the hospital. The inmates were served chicken salad between \`May 15 and 25\. Laboratory tests showed the chicken salad was contaminated with Salmonella. It is standard operating procedure for samples of all food served at the jail to be held for testing. “Within eight hours, multiple days of food sources were sent to Wadsworth lab in Albany for testing and we began to gather community resources. We managed to turn the Broome County correctional facility into the second largest hospital in Broome County,” Gehring said. Broome County and Sheriff Fred Akshar have been served with a class action lawsuit related to the outbreak. “We were faced with an unprecedented challenge from a correctional facility standpoint. But what you have seen since the onset of this issue has truly been a world-class response,” Akshar said. Akshar said he does not comment on pending litigation, but it comes as no surprise that the lawsuit would be filed. He said activity in the jail has gone back to normal. ### Estimates reveal main sources of various diseases URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/estimates-reveal-main-sources-of-various-diseases/ Last updated: 2026-06-02T04:01:28.000Z Food plays a major role in the transmission of almost half of the hazards assessed by scientists for the World Health Organization (WHO). Estimates cover the burden of disease attributable to foodborne transmission, other major pathways, and food categories for 29 viral, bacterial, parasitic, and chemical hazards, based on a structured expert judgment (SEJ) study commissioned by WHO and supervised by the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG) for 2021-2025. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Cheese bread sold at Walmart, Costco and other stores recalled because of Salmonella risk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/cheese-bread-sold-at-walmart-costco-and-other-stores-recalled-because-of-salmonella-risk/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T22:29:54.000Z Champion Foods LLC of New Boston, MI, is recalling certain batches of Motor City Pizza Co. 5 Cheese Bread because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. This action follows a California Dairies Inc. milk powder recall because of a concern of potential Salmonella contamination. The recalled milk powder was supplied to a third-party manufacturer that provides a seasoning blend used in the five cheese sauce blend. There is concern that consumers may have the recalled bread in their homes because of its long shelf life, which stretches into April 2027. To date, neither Champion Foods LLC nor our suppliers have received any reports of illness or injury related to these products. Routine testing conducted by the seasonings blend manufacturer prior to use in the production of the 5 Cheese Bread showed that the seasonings batches tested negative for Salmonella. Affected 5 Cheese Bread lots were distributed and sold nationwide at retailers including Costco, Walmart, Giant Landover, Grocery Outlet, Jewel, Kroger, Schnucks, Target, C&S, Bozzuto’s, Brookshire Grocery, Meijer, Food City, KeHe, Lipari, Publix, Merchants Dis Hickory, PDI/Hy-Vee, River Valley, SpartanNash, Supervalu, and UNFI. The following products are subject to recall. The sell by date is printed in black inside the cheese bread image on the front on the pizza. | **Product Name** | **UPC Code** | **Sell By Dates** | | ---------------------------------------------- | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Motor City Pizza Co. 5 Cheese BreadSingle Pack | 8 70375 00511 1 | 2/4/2027, 2/5/2027,2/23/2027, 2/24/2027, 3/9/2027,3/10/2027, 3/17/2027, 3/18/2027,3/24/2027, 3/25/2027, 4/7/2027,4/8/2027, 4/20/2027, 4/21/2027 | | Motor City Pizza Co. 5 Cheese Bread2 Pack | 8 70375 00509 8 | 2/3/2027, 2/4/2027,2/24/2027, 2/25/2027, 3/10/2027,3/11/2027, 3/18/2027, 3/25/2027 | **About Salmonella infections** Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### The Litigated Dish: Climate change may be helping Salmonella become more drug-resistant URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/the-litigated-dish-climate-change-may-be-helping-salmonella-become-more-drug-resistant/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T04:05:35.000Z We already knew antibiotic overuse was fueling drug-resistant Salmonella. A major new study suggests climate change is making things worse. Researchers analyzed more than 480,000 Salmonella genomes collected from 139 countries over 83 years and found that rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are associated with increases in antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). The findings, published in [The Lancet Planetary Health](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196%2826%2900018-5/fulltext?ref=foodsafetynews.com), add to growing concerns that climate change could make foodborne illness harder to treat. Over the study period, resistance genes in Salmonella increased 38 percent. Climate change alone is estimated to account for roughly 10 percent of that increase. **Why climate conditions affect resistance** The relationship isn’t linear. Researchers observed what they described as a U-shaped pattern: both temperature extremes appear to favor resistant bacteria, but through different mechanisms. Cold stress can activate bacterial survival responses that incidentally promote resistance. Heat accelerates bacterial growth, mutation rates, and horizontal gene transfer. Flooding disperses resistant strains through water systems and agricultural runoff. Drought concentrates contaminants in shrinking water supplies. Different conditions, same outcome: environments that favor resistance. The practical implication for food safety is the development of environmental resistance reservoirs — in livestock operations, wastewater systems, irrigation water, soil, wildlife corridors, and food processing environments. These reservoirs feed directly into the food supply. **A One Health problem** The study reinforces what researchers call the One Health framework: the recognition that human, animal, and environmental health are inseparable. Salmonella is a natural vehicle for illustrating this. It moves freely between animals, humans, food products, and the broader environment, making it unusually effective at spreading resistance traits across ecosystems. Climate-driven disruptions—more flooding, more drought, more contact between wildlife, livestock, and humans—create more opportunities for resistant strains to travel and exchange genetic material. The study also found that stronger sanitation infrastructure was associated with lower resistance levels, while higher antibiotic and insecticide use correlated with higher resistance. Critically, sanitation infrastructure is itself vulnerable to climate disruption, particularly in lower-income countries where genomic surveillance is already limited. **Important caveats** The authors are careful to characterize the findings as associations rather than proof of direct causation. Data limitations and uneven surveillance across countries introduce uncertainty. That said, at 480,000 genomes across 83 years and 139 countries, this is one of the largest analyses of its kind, and the consistency of the signal across regions and time periods is difficult to dismiss. It is worth noting that not all studies point in the same direction: a 2025 analysis of Salmonella bacteraemia cases in Queensland, Australia found no statistically significant association between rising ambient temperatures and antibiotic resistance. **What this means for food safety** Food safety planning has traditionally focused on what happens inside farms, processing facilities, and supply chains. This study makes the case that the broader environment (water systems, climate conditions, ecological disruptions) deserves equal attention. For the food industry, that means climate resilience may need to become part of food safety strategy, with greater focus on water management, environmental monitoring, and biosecurity. It also strengthens the argument for investment in genomic surveillance as an early warning system for emerging resistance patterns. The study’s 2100 projections lend urgency to this point: under the highest-emission scenario with unchecked antibiotic use, resistance gene levels are expected to continue rising substantially. Regulatory agencies are beginning to move in this direction. The FDA’s Human Foods Program included expanded genomic surveillance as a priority for 2025, integrating whole-genome sequencing data from foodborne pathogen networks into a new outbreak surveillance platform. That infrastructure, if sustained and expanded internationally, could become essential for detecting the climate-driven resistance shifts this study describes before they reach consumers. 1. *Zhou Z, et al. “Association of climate change with the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes in Salmonella: a longitudinal ecological and modelling study.” The Lancet Planetary Health (2026).* [*https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(26)00018-5/fulltext*](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196%2826%2900018-5/fulltext?ref=foodsafetynews.com) 2. *Horizontal gene transfer is the movement of genetic material between bacteria without reproduction (that is, other than by standard parent-to-offspring inheritance). In bacteria, it is a primary mechanism by which resistance traits spread rapidly across strains and species, including via plasmids—small, transferable DNA molecules that can carry multiple resistance genes simultaneously.* 3. *One Health is gaining recognition in the United States and globally as an effective way to fight health issues at the human-animal-environment interface, including zoonotic diseases. CDC uses the One Health approach by involving experts in human, animal, environmental health, and other relevant disciplines and sectors in monitoring and controlling public health threats and to learn about how diseases spread among people, animals, plants, and the environment.* 4. *Manchal N, et al. “No Evidence of Temperature-Driven Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella Bacteraemia in Queensland, Australia.” Antibiotics 14:12 (2025).* [*https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/12/1274*](https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/12/1274?ref=foodsafetynews.com) ### Health agencies told to pay costs in Listeria case URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/health-agencies-told-to-pay-costs-in-listeria-case/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T04:03:08.000Z A judge in South Africa has criticized the conduct of two health agencies and told them to pay costs in a case related to the Tiger Brands Listeria incident. The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) and National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) were ordered to pay the costs of the applicants and Tiger Brands in a judgement at Johannesburg High Court in May. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### FDA warns sprout producer, pet treat manufacturer about food safety violations URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/fda-warns-sprout-producer-pet-treat-manufacturer-about-food-safety-violations/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T04:02:49.000Z As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. 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 or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view. --- The FDA has issued warning letters to an Illinois sprout producer and a Michigan pet treat manufacturer for significant food safety violations, including failures involving pathogen monitoring, sanitation controls and preventive food safety programs. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### English foodborne illness figures remain at high levels URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/06/english-foodborne-illness-figures-remain-at-high-levels/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T04:00:48.000Z Public health officials have warned that they are seeing consistently high levels of gastrointestinal infections in England. Data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows minimal change in Salmonella and Campylobacter infections in 2025 compared to the year before. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### 35 tons of frozen dumplings recalled because of undeclared peanut risk URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/35-tons-of-frozen-dumplings-recalled-because-of-undeclared-peanut-risk/ Last updated: 2026-05-31T23:34:12.000Z Synear Foods USA LLC, a Chatsworth, Calif. establishment, is recalling 71,603 pounds of frozen not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) pork and crab soup dumpling products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains peanut, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. People with a sensitivity or allergy to peanuts risk severe and possibly life threatening reactions if they consume these products. The frozen NRTE pork and crab soup dumpling products were produced between Oct. 15, 2025, and Feb. 23, 2026\. The following products are subject to recall: - 13.23-oz. plastic bag packages containing “Synear SUPREME SOUP DUMPLING PORK & CRAB” and “BEST BY” dates 15 OCT 2026, 10 NOV 2026, 23 DEC 2026, 26 JAN 2027, or 23 FEB 2027. - 375-g. plastic bag packages containing “Synear SUPREME SOUP DUMPLING DUMPLINGS À LA SOUPE SUPRÊME PORK & CRAB PORC ET CRABE” with “Product of USA/Produit des E.-U” and best by dates 2026 OC 15 or 2027 JA 26\. The products subject to recall have establishment number “EST. 45942” printed inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations in California, New Jersey, and Washington. These products were also exported to Canada. The problem was discovered by FSIS inspection personnel during a routine allergen verification task. FSIS personnel identified that the products were formulated with peanut oil, but peanuts were not declared on the finished product label. The establishment determined that a formulation change led to the mislabeling. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ### Sunday Edition: Botulism URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/sunday-edition-botulism/ Last updated: 2026-05-31T12:00:48.000Z **Quick bites from around the food safety scene this week** - Public health officials have [reopened an investigation](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/fda-reopens-investigation-into-salmonella-outbreak-traced-to-moringa-capsules/) into Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Newport infections in the wake of a second outbreak associated with moringa-containing dietary supplement products. Since the initial investigation was closed in March, there have been 22 new illnesses reported in four states, and several products have been recalled. - The fallout from the botulism outbreak tied to Byheart infant formula continues. A new report from the FDA suggests [the product was contaminated as early as March 2022](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/fda-report-shows-timeline-traceback-in-infant-botulism-outbreak-traced-to-byheart-formula/) when ByHeart Inc. started manufacturing formula. The outbreak was not formally identified until November 2025 when California public health officials noticed a cluster of botulism cases among infants. The name of the company that provided ByHeart with some of the powdered milk used in the production of the implicated formula is redacted. - A report from Ireland’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre showed [cases of salmonellosis in 2025 reached the highest level since 2008](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/irish-illness-data-shows-more-reports-of-major-pathogens/). A total of 419 cases were reported for the year, up from 390 in 2024\. Cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli totaled 863\. From that number, 24 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) developed. HUS is a severe complication associated with E. coli infection that causes kidney failure and can lead to brain damage and death. - In Germany, the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety and the Robert Koch Institute summarized findings from ten years of foodborne outbreak monitoring. The [leading causes of outbreaks from 2015 to 2025](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/germany-shares-findings-from-long-term-outbreak-analysis/) were Campylobacter and Salmonella. Campylobacter outbreaks were linked to raw milk and poultry sources. Salmonella outbreaks were often associated with pork, eggs and egg products. Consumption of raw ground pork meat and short-fermented raw pork sausages is a tradition in Germany. --- **Today’s Topic: Botulism** Botulism is an emergency. Don’t wait for the return of laboratory results. Immediate action is required to obtain and administer the antitoxin. Keep telling the victim what is being done, even when the toxin already appears to have shut down the body. And get the pros at the state health department and CDC on the line asap. The preceding is a summary of the instructions issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to state and local health departments. Botulism is rare, but it’s also persistent. The life-threatening condition is caused by a toxin that attacks the body's nerves. The bacterium Clostridium botulinum produces the botulinum toxin. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Publisher’s Platform: We Haven’t Finished the Job - A Warning From the Kebab Shop URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/publishers-platform-we-havent-finished-the-job-a-warning-from-the-kebab-shop/ Last updated: 2026-05-30T05:57:50.000Z I have spent more than thirty years representing people whose lives were shattered by a single meal. I have sat across from parents in hospital waiting rooms, watched children in kidney failure, and held the hands of families who buried kids who just wanted a hamburger. I have testified before Congress, fought the meat industry in court, funded scientific studies out of my own pocket, and petitioned the federal government to strengthen protections that the industry swore would destroy them. And I will tell you plainly: I thought we had largely won the ground beef war. I was wrong. Or at least, I was not paying enough attention. This week, we learned that nine Californians — six of them children — have been infected with E. coli O157:H7 after eating beef kofta at The Kebab Shop restaurant chain. Five have been hospitalized. Two have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome — HUS — the devastating kidney complication that I have watched steal childhoods and permanently damage organs. The beef kofta — seasoned ground beef kebabs — was produced by Olympia Food Industries in Franklin Park, Illinois, and supplied to Kebab Shop locations in California, Texas, and Florida. The restaurant stopped selling it on May 18th. FSIS has now issued a public health alert. Good. But not good enough. And here is why that matters: we have been here before. We have been here many, many times before. 1993: The Outbreak That Changed Everything — And Me I was a young lawyer in Seattle when Jack in the Box served hamburgers contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 to hundreds of customers across the Pacific Northwest. Four children died. Dozens more developed HUS. My client was a nine-year-old girl named Brianne Kiner. She spent 42 days in a coma. She suffered kidney failure and permanent neurological damage. I won her a $15.6 million settlement — at the time the largest of its kind — and I have never been the same attorney, or the same person, since. What Jack in the Box revealed was not merely a failure of one restaurant chain. It was a systemic failure. The industry knew that E. coli O157:H7 could live in the gut of cattle and contaminate meat during slaughter and grinding. They knew it, and they did very little about it. The burden was quietly placed on the consumer: cook your burger to 160 degrees and you’ll be fine. Children got sick and died because no one in the supply chain wanted to be responsible. That changed — because it had to. 1994: The Government Finally Acts In the year after Jack in the Box, FSIS Administrator Michael Taylor did something the meat industry said was legally untenable and economically catastrophic: he declared E. coli O157:H7 an adulterant in raw ground beef. Not a hazard to be managed. Not a risk to be disclosed. An adulterant — meaning contaminated hamburger was now, legally, an adulterated product that could not lawfully be sold. The industry sued. They lost. HACCP plans were mandated. Cook temperatures were posted. Testing began in earnest. It was not perfect, and it was not fast enough — but the regulatory framework that emerged from that moment saved an incalculable number of lives. 1998–2002: Progress Interrupted Even as the new rules took hold, outbreaks continued. In 2002, ConAgra recalled 19.6 million pounds of ground beef from its Greeley, Colorado plant — the second-largest meat recall in U.S. history at the time. Marler Clark represented 33 victims, including six children who developed HUS and the family of an Ohio woman who died. The USDA eventually shut the Greeley plant down for repeated failures to prevent fecal contamination. In 2002, I testified before Congress and issued what became a somewhat famous challenge in food safety circles: I asked the USDA and the beef industry to put me out of business. Stop the outbreaks. Make the hamburger safe. I don’t want these cases. No lawyer should want these cases, because getting them means children are being harmed. 2007: Stephanie Smith and the Cargill Hamburger In 2007, a 22-year-old dance instructor from Cold Spring, Minnesota, named Stephanie Smith ate a Cargill-produced hamburger. She developed HUS. She was left paralyzed from the waist down. Her story became a front-page investigation in the New York Times — a devastating portrait of how ground beef is actually made. Trim from multiple suppliers, blended together, with testing done only after grinding. If contamination was found, it was impossible to trace back to the source, because the ingredients had already been mixed. I represented Stephanie in her lawsuit. Her story contributed directly to changes in how the industry tests and traces ground beef components. 2009: Expanding the Battlefield By 2009, major E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks linked to ground beef had become rare. The regulations worked. But I had become increasingly concerned that other dangerous strains — the non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC — were being ignored entirely because they were not subject to the adulterant designation. So, I funded, out of my own pocket, a $500,000 study with microbiologist Dr. Mansour Samadpour at the Institute for Environmental Health. We tested 5,000 retail packages of ground beef across the country for all STEC strains. We found approximately 2% contamination. That sounds small until you do the math: billions of pounds of ground beef are sold every year, and regulators weren’t required to test for most of the pathogens that could kill you. In 2012, FSIS declared six additional non-O157 STEC strains adulterants in ground beef. Illnesses from those strains subsequently declined. The industry had predicted catastrophe. As usual, the sky did not fall. 2026: The Kebab Shop, and What We Still Haven’t Fixed Which brings me back to California. To nine sick people, six of them children. To two cases of acute kidney failure. To another ground beef outbreak that, in 2026, should not be happening. The beef kofta at The Kebab Shop is, at its core, ground beef. It is seasoned and shaped differently than a hamburger patty, but it carries the same fundamental risks. Ground beef is uniquely vulnerable to E. coli contamination because the grinding process distributes surface bacteria throughout the entire product. A pathogen on the outside of a steak can be killed by searing. A pathogen mixed through a pound of ground beef requires thorough cooking to every last degree. Kofta presents an additional complication. It is often cooked quickly over high heat on a grill, charred on the outside, sometimes left pink in the center — which is how it is traditionally prepared and how many customers expect it. In a fast-casual restaurant environment, with high volume and variable grill temperatures, achieving a uniform 160 degrees throughout every skewer is genuinely difficult. That is not an excuse. It is a reason to have tested the incoming product more rigorously, to have verified that the supply chain was pathogen-free before it ever reached the grill. We do not yet know all the details of where the contamination entered this chain. The supplier — Olympia Food Industries — is now under scrutiny. FSIS testing confirmed E. coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef kofta samples. The question of whether the specific product samples match the outbreak strain is still being resolved. What we do know is that the system — from ranch to processor to distributor to restaurant kitchen — allowed a deadly pathogen to reach children’s plates in 2026. What Still Needs to Be Done I have watched this industry for thirty years. I have seen extraordinary progress. I have also watched that progress plateau, and I have watched the political will to push further erode just when we needed it most. Here is what I know: • Test ingredients before grinding, not just finished product. The Cargill outbreak revealed that testing only at the end of the process makes it impossible to identify contaminated source material. Every component of ground beef and seasoned ground beef products should be tested before it enters the grinder. • Mandatory recall authority must be real. FSIS can issue public health alerts. FSIS can request voluntary recalls. FSIS cannot compel a recall. In 2026, that is still true. It should not be. • The restaurant industry needs to catch up. The grocery industry has made real progress on testing and supplier verification. The fast-casual restaurant sector — which sources and processes ground beef at enormous scale — needs to apply the same rigor. “Our supplier is responsible” is not a food safety program. • Do not let kofta and kebabs fall through definitional cracks. Ground beef is ground beef, whether it is shaped into a patty or a skewer. The same adulterant rules, the same testing requirements, the same traceability standards should apply across every form of the product. A Personal Note I am a food safety lawyer. My firm’s success, for better or worse, is tied to food safety failures. I have been accused of having a financial interest in outbreaks — and I will not pretend the irony escapes me. But I funded that $500,000 study. I testified for free. I wrote op-eds that made enemies. I did those things because I watched a nine-year-old girl wake up from a six-week coma and have to learn how to walk again, and I decided that was not acceptable in a wealthy country with the regulatory capacity to prevent it. The Kebab Shop outbreak has not killed anyone. I am grateful for that. But two children suffered kidney failure, and we do not yet know what their futures look like. That is the real cost of every gap in our food safety system — not the headlines, not the lawsuits, not the stock prices of meat processors. It is a child in a hospital bed who ate lunch and trusted that someone along the supply chain was paying attention. Someone needs to keep paying attention. I intend to. ### FDA report shows timeline, traceback in infant botulism outbreak traced to ByHeart formula URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/fda-report-shows-timeline-traceback-in-infant-botulism-outbreak-traced-to-byheart-formula/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T04:05:23.000Z An Executive Summary from FDA regarding the botulism outbreak tied to ByHeart infant formula suggests the company’s product was contaminated long before the outbreak was identified. The outbreak sickened 48 infants across 17 states. All were hospitalized. The outbreak was not identified until November 2025 when California public health officials noticed a cluster of botulism cases among infants. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Study shows link between climate and antimicrobial resistant Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/study-shows-link-between-climate-and-antimicrobial-resistant-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T04:03:46.000Z Researchers have described how climate change could have an impact on Salmonella and antimicrobial resistance. Scientists analyzed more than 236,700 Salmonella genomes from 139 countries or regions over the period 1940 to 2023\. They selected annual mean temperatures and rain levels as indicators of climate change. Future antimicrobial resistance gene trends were predicted until 2100. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Academic warns of risks with changing FSA’s remit URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/academic-warns-of-risks-with-changing-fsas-remit/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T04:01:11.000Z A leading academic has warned that any plans for UK regulators to help industry grow could end up repeating past mistakes and impacting public health. As part of modernization plans, a recent set of proposals from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) covered an expansion of responsibilities to include trying to promote the commercial interests of the food sector. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Infant formula recalled because of cereulide contamination URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/infant-formula-recalled-because-of-cereulide-contamination/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T18:41:49.000Z The a2 Milk Company (“a2MC”) has recalled three specific batches of its imported a2 Platinum Premium USA label infant formula 0-12 months because of the presence of cereulide. The product is sold only in the United States. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced by some strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus. Illness occurs through the consumption of food contaminated with the toxin and preparing formula with hot water does not eliminate it. Symptoms typically develop within 30 minutes to six hours of ingestion and most often involve gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting that typically self-resolve within 24 hours. Infants are at greater risk due to their developing immune systems and can experience complications such as dehydration which require medical care. Although no confirmed incidents of illness or harm have been reported, affected batches must not be used. There is concern that consumers may have the product in their homes because of its long shelf life. The recalled product can be identified by the following information on 31.7-ounce cans: Batch number 2210269454 with expiration date of 7/15/2026 Batch number 2210324609 with expiration date of 1/21/2027 Batch number 2210321712 with expiration date of 1/15/2027 The batch number and “Use By” (expiration) date are found on the bottom of each tin. The Product was distributed nationally through a2MC’s website, Amazon and Meijer stores as part of Operation Fly Formula. Importation rights expired on December 31st, 2025, and the Product has been discontinued and removed from sale prior to the initiation of the recall. The total number of units in the three batches is 63,078 of which an estimated 16,428 units were sold to consumers. The recall was initiated by a2MC after cereulide was detected through additional testing of the Product conducted in response to new guidance issued by New Zealand's food regulatory authority. The probable source of cereulide is an ingredient in the product. This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Consumers who have purchased the product are recommended to discontinue use of the product and dispose of it immediately or return to their place of purchase for a refund. If your infant is experiencing symptoms described above, contact your health care provider immediately. To report an illness or adverse event to the FDA, you can: - Report a Product Problem through SmartHub, or - Complete and submit a Medwatch report Online at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm, or by Regular Mail or Fax: Download the form from www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178. The batch number and “Use By” (expiration) date are found on the bottom of each tin (refer example below, together with image of product). The batch number and “Use By” (expiration) date are found on the bottom of each tin (refer to example below, together with image of product). The Product was distributed nationally through a2MC’s website, Amazon and Meijer stores as part of Operation Fly Formula\[1\]. Importation rights expired on December 31st, 2025, and the Product has been discontinued and removed from sale prior to the initiation of the recall. The total number of units in the three batches is 63,078 of which an estimated 16,428 units were sold to consumers. ### FDA reopens investigation into Salmonella outbreak traced to moringa capsules URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/fda-reopens-investigation-into-salmonella-outbreak-traced-to-moringa-capsules/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T04:05:43.000Z Public health officials have reopened an investigation into a multistage outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Newport infections just one day after announcing a [second such outbreak](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/fda-reports-another-salmonella-outbreak-traced-to-moringa-leaf-powder/). The outbreaks have been traced to products containing imported moringa leaf powder. Several products have been recalled in relation to the outbreaks. They are: - Total Nutrition Inc. [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/total-nutrition-inc-recalls-tnvitamins-and-doctors-pride-ultra-potent-complete-green-superfood?ref=foodsafetynews.com): - Tnvitamins-brand Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood Moringa capsules 10,000 mg (120 capsules) lot 2507199 EXP 09/2027, lot 2512-304 EXP 02/2028, and lot 2793 EXP 02/2028 - Doctor’s Pride Complete Green Superfood Ultra Potent Moringa 10,000 mg (120 capsules) Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027 - Why Not Natural Pure Organic Moringa Green Superfood capsules with lot # A25G051 and expiration date 07/2028 marked on the bottom of the bottle have been [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/why-not-natural-houston-texas-recalling-its-why-not-natural-organic-moringa-green-superfood-because?ref=foodsafetynews.com). - All Live it Up-brand Super Greens dietary supplement powder, including both original and wild berry flavors, with lots beginning with the letter “A” and all stick pack products with expiration dates from 08/2026 to 01/2028 have been [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/superfoods-inc-dba-live-it-recalls-live-it-super-greens-because-possible-health-risk?ref=foodsafetynews.com). - MOGO Moringa LLC [recalled](https://www.fda.gov/node/416505?ref=foodsafetynews.com) lot #15525AA EXP 6/2027 and lot #00926AA EXP 1/2028 of MOGO-brand Pure Moringa Oleifera capsules. The Food and Drug Administration reports that it and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with state and local public health offices across the country, reopened the outbreak investigation because of new reports of illnesses. Since the investigation was closed on March 17, there have been 22 new illnesses from four states reported. As of May 27 a total of 119 people infected with one of the outbreak strains of Salmonella have been reported from 36 states since the investigation began. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Aug. 22, 2025, to April 26, 2026\. Of 109 people with information available, 32 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. There are likely many more outbreak patients than those included in the official count. This is because some do not seek medical treatment and others are not specifically tested for Salmonella. The CDC estimates that for every confirmed patient in a Salmonella there are 29 who go undetected. Of the 79 patients interviewed, including some of the 22 new cases, 70 reported eating a product containing moringa leaf powder, including 60 who reported Live it Up Super Greens supplement powders only, 5 who reported Why Not Natural moringa powder capsules only, 1 person who reported consuming both Live it Up Super Greens supplement powder and Why Not Natural moringa powder capsules, and 4 who reported TNVitamins moringa powder capsules only. The FDA is conducting additional traceback of the supply chain to identify the specific source of the Salmonella. Additionally, FDA is working with state and local partners to sample products and determine if additional products may be contaminated. **About Salmonella infections** Food and other consumable items contaminated with Salmonella bacteria do not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has eaten any moringa powder products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. ### Hundreds of inmates sickened in Salmonella outbreak URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/hundreds-of-inmates-sickened-in-salmonella-outbreak/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T04:04:52.000Z The Broome County Health Department in New York has determined that the illnesses impacting more than 300 people in the Broome County Correctional Facility is Salmonella infection. The Broome County Sheriff's Office and the health department released a joint statement on May 27 confirming that "multiple test results" revealed the infection spreading within the facility is Salmonella, a bacterial infection that causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms. Salmonella infection is most commonly the result of contaminated food. In a previous press release, which was sent out earlier in the day on May 27, the health department and sheriff's office said several inmates reported symptoms to medical staff at the facility on May 25\. Within the next 24 hours, more than 140 people were seen by medical staff for similar symptoms. The health department initially believed the illness was due to norovirus, a highly contagious stomach illness. Test results returned on May 27 confirming that foodborne bacterial Salmonella was the cause of the illnesses within the facility. The health department’s treatment of those infected remains the same as the treatment for norovirus — focusing on replacing lost fluids to prevent dehydration. High-risk patients, including immunocompromised or older individuals, will also be receiving antibiotics as needed under the direction of the health department and the facility medical provider, according to the news release. The correctional facility has been working with both the health department, the New York State Department of Health and the food service provider Trinity Services Group to investigate and test all possible contamination sources, according to the press release. A full correctional facility kitchen inspection was conducted by the health department on May 26 in response to the illnesses and complaints. The inspection reportedly found no major violations within the facilities, equipment or food preparation areas. As standard policy, according to the news release, samples of all meals served at the correctional facility are wrapped, refrigerated and stored for five days in case of possible contamination. Meals from the days prior to the initial reports of illness are currently undergoing testing to help identify the source and the health department will also be conducting surveys of all inmates to help determine exposure and contact. The facility is also undergoing a deep cleaning on any exposed surfaces or areas within the jail and food supplies on site used prior to the illnesses are being held for testing before disposal. ### Irish illness data shows more reports of major pathogens URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/irish-illness-data-shows-more-reports-of-major-pathogens/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T04:03:42.000Z Infection data from Ireland has revealed an increase in most major pathogens this past year with Salmonella at its highest level since 2008. Figures come from a report published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) that includes foodborne illnesses in the last quarter and all of 2025. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Rise in Campylobacter positive flocks in Norway URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/rise-in-campylobacter-positive-flocks-in-norway-2/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T04:01:20.000Z The rate of poultry flocks positive for Campylobacter in Norway went up in 2025 to almost 5 percent. Overall, 99 broiler flocks tested positive for Campylobacter among all flocks slaughtered before 51 days of age between the start of May and the end of October. In total, 2,014 flocks from 492 farms were tested. _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Chocolate bars recalled because they contain sildenafil URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/chocolate-bars-recalled-because-they-contain-sildenafil/ Last updated: 2026-05-27T22:54:03.000Z JXK Enterprises Inc. is recalling Boner Bears Chocolate, Lot #BB21125, after being notified that FDA laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of sildenafil, an active ingredient in the FDA-approved prescription drug Viagra, which is not declared on the product label. Sildenafil is approved for use only under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Products containing undeclared sildenafil may pose serious health risks. Sildenafil can interact with nitrates found in certain prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease are at increased risk due to potential interactions. Boner Bears Chocolate is marketed as a sexual enhancement product and was distributed nationwide via online sales. The recalled product can be identified as: - Product Name: Boner Bears Sex Chocolate - Lot Number: BB21125 - Expiration Date: 02/2026 - Net Weight: 22g - Packaging: Individually wrapped chocolate bar in a black wrapper labeled “Boner Bears Sex Chocolate,” “Fast Acting Max Strength,” and “3 Doses Per Bar.” Consumers who have purchased the recalled product are urged to stop using it immediately. ### More moringa products recalled because of Salmonella URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/more-moringa-products-recalled-because-of-salmonella/ Last updated: 2026-05-27T22:44:34.000Z Total Nutrition Inc. of Deer Park, NY, is recalling TNVitamins Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood and Doctor’s Pride Complete Green Superfood Ultra Potent Moringa Capsules because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was distributed nationally through the online platforms, Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, Target, and the company's websites, tnvitamins.com and doctors pride.com. The product is packaged in white HDPE supplement bottles with smooth, white caps and 120 clear capsules filled with green moringa powder. The affected lots are: | **Product** | **Lots** | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | TNVitamins Ultra PotentComplete Green Superfood Moringa10,000 mg (120 capsules) | Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027Lot: 2512-304 Exp. 02/2028Lot: 2793 Exp. 02/2028 | | Doctor’s Pride Complete GreenSuperfood Ultra Potent Moringa10,000 mg (120 capsules) | Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027 | The recall was initiated following notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that these products may be implicated in an ongoing Salmonella outbreak investigation associated with moringa-containing dietary supplement products. Total Nutrition Inc. has ceased distribution and sale of the identified product and has initiated removal orders across all applicable sales and fulfillment channels while the FDA, CDC and the company continue their investigation. No other TNVitamins or Doctor’s Pride products are involved. Customers who have purchased the affected products are asked to dispose of them immediately. Do not eat, sell, or serve the product. **About Salmonella infections** Food and other edible items contaminated with Salmonella bacteria do not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile. Anyone who has consumed any of the recalled products and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis. Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization. Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions. Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others. | **Product** | **Lots** | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | TNVitamins Ultra PotentComplete Green Superfood Moringa10,000 mg (120 capsules) | Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027Lot: 2512-304 Exp. 02/2028Lot: 2793 Exp. 02/2028 | | Doctor’s Pride Complete GreenSuperfood Ultra Potent Moringa10,000 mg (120 capsules) | Lot: 2507199 Exp. 09/2027 | ### Chocolate bites recalled because of undeclared peanut butter URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2026/05/chocolate-bites-recalled-because-of-undeclared-peanut-butter/ Last updated: 2026-05-27T22:30:02.000Z Bazzini LLC, of Allentown, PA, a co-manufacturer utilized by SkinnyDipped, is recalling a limited number of cases of SkinnyDipped Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites, because of the possible presence of undeclared peanuts. People who have allergies to peanuts run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The recalled products were distributed nationwide and sold through retailers. Some products were also provided as complimentary samples to consumers. The products consist of individually wrapped bites sold in packages of different sizes. Recalled products can be identified by the lot code and Best By (BB) date on the exterior package. Each individually wrapped bite can be identified by the lot code and best by date as shown below: This recall is limited to only those products identified below. No other SkinnyDipped products are affected. No allergic reactions or illnesses have been reported to date. The recall is being issued after a consumer reported allegedly finding peanut butter containing products in SkinnyDipped Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites individual wrappers within the 3.17oz. 10-count package. Peanuts and peanut butter are not intended ingredients in SkinnyDipped Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites Consumers who have the recalled product are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. The recalled products are: | **Product Description** | **UPC (case)** | **UPC (Bag)** | **UPC (Inner)** | **Best By Date** | **Lot Codes** | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- | ------------- | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites 10ct/3.17oz | 10850034219780 | 850034219783 | 850034219776 | 12/20/2026,12/22/2026,12/23/2026,12/26/2026,12/27/2026,12/29/2026 | B15356,B15357,B15360,B15363,B25356,B25357,B25361,B25363,B35354,B35356,B35357,B35360,B35361 | | Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites 6ct/3.17oz | 20850034219787 | 850034219783 | 850034219776 | 12/26/2026,12/27/2026 | B25361,B35360,B35361 | | Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites 50ct/.53oz | 10850034219773 | N/A | 850034219776 | 12/23/2026 | B15357 | | Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites 24ct/.53oz | 850034219998 | N/A | 850034219776 | 12/26/2026 | B35360 | | Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites 20ct/.53oz (Easter) | 10865797000063 | N/A | 850034219776 | 12/20/2026,12/22/2026 | B15356,B25356,B35354,B35356 | | Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites 4ct/3.17oz | B0DWBMVSBV | 850034219783 | 850034219776 | 12/22/2026,12/23/2026,12/26/2026,12/27/2026,12/29/2026 | B15356,B15360,B15361,B15363,B25356,B25357,B25363,B35356,B35357 | | Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites / Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups 32ct (Shipper) | 00850034219936 | 850034219783 | 850034219776 | 12/22/2026,12/23/2026,12/26/2026,12/27/2026,12/29/2026 | B15356,B15360,B16041,B16042,B25263,B25344,B25350,B35357,B35360,B35361 | _Includes the latest 500 public posts. 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