Monthly Archives January 2017

Montana lawmaker again pushing for unpasteurized milk sales

Against the recommendations of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, a state representative is trying for a third time to muster support for legalizing the sale of unpasteurized raw milk in the state. Introduced by Rep. Nancy Ballance, a Republican, House Bill 325 would allow herd- and animal-share programs to distribute raw... Continue Reading Read More

Seven-layer dip to die for? Keep your Super Bowl buffet safe

The holidays have come and gone, and many of us have started the countdown to kickoff Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston. Like so many Americans, I get pretty excited about the Super Bowl – especially if my home team, Pittsburgh, is playing. Now, I’m not going to profess tremendous knowledge about football, but I do... Continue Reading Read More

Raw milk measure buried in Massachusetts legislation

Tucked into a rambling bill “promoting agriculture in the Commonwealth” of Massachusetts that includes provisions on joy-riding all-terrain vehicle operators, rain sensors on residential landscape sprinkler systems, and sundry sections on land assessments, re-valuation and taxation, is language to legalize the sale of unpasteurized raw milk. The Massachusetts bill, SD 1796, includes more than 7,300... Continue Reading Read More

If a restaurant makes you sick, be sure you know its legal name

Restaurants usually have names that are easy for people to remember, but victims of foodborne illness often find legal names of restaurants can be elusive. Restaurant franchises are often passed from limited partnerships to individuals or corporations and back again. Take the Pizza Ranch in Lincoln, NE. It was the center a year ago of nine-state... Continue Reading Read More

Food safety educator’s take on sprouts — cook them to kill risk

Editor’s note: The Food and Drug Administration published draft guidance for sprout growers in recent days and is accepting public comments. In the meantime, Jane Hart of the Michigan State Universty Extension program offers practical advice for consumers in this column originally published on the Extension website. Have you noticed ever so often, you hear... Continue Reading Read More

Federal hiring freeze disrupts USDA’s food safety testing

As the federal government continues the transition that comes every time a new administration moves into the White House, a hiring freeze and an order from President Donald Trump that temporarily puts new regulations on hold are having varying consequences for food safety efforts. Officials at the Food and Drug Administration said the president’s pause... Continue Reading Read More

Researchers need retail help with cantaloupe safety project

Growers are enthusiastically helping a team of scientists researching how cantaloupes pick up and pass on pathogens in a first-of-its-kind project, but retailers have not stepped up. The two-year study is at the half-way point and only one retailer has agreed to share with the researchers how cantaloupe is handled in stores, according to an... Continue Reading Read More

Soup recalled from Whole Foods; wrong product in packages | Food Safety News

Kettle Cuisine LLC in Lynn, MA, has recalled 3,096 pounds of soup because of misbranding and undeclared allergens, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)...

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Gulfport restaurant remains closed; more than 50 infected | Food Safety News

A Gulfport, MS, restaurant remains closed as state officials investigate an outbreak of unusual E. coli infections among people who ate there during the last two weeks of 2016. Captain Al’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant was closed by public health officials on Jan...

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BCCDC advises consumers to properly cook oysters following outbreak

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