Food Poisoning

California-based Bolthouse Farms has issued a recall for 5,600 cases of 16-ounce Carrot Chips due to food poisoning concerns. According to a news report in Examiner.com, salmonella was detected in the products during routine testing by a health official.

So far, Bolthouse Farms, whose headquarters is based in Santa Monica, has not received any reports of illnesses or hospitalizations as a result of these potentially contaminated products.

The carrot chips were shipped to retailers in United States and Canada. Consumers who purchased the Bolthouse Farms Carrot Chips are urged not to eat them and return the product to the store where they purchased it for a full refund. For more information, please contact Bolthouse Farms at 1-866-535-3774.

Statistics and Symptoms Relating to Salmonella Poisoning

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there are about 1.4 million cases of salmonella food poisoning nationwide each year. However, only 40,000 of those cases are annually reported. CDC reports also show that of all the types of food poisoning, salmonella poisoning leads to the highest rate of hospitalizations. Read the rest »

A small child in Southern California contracted campylobacter, a strain of E. coli, after drinking raw milk.

The progression was simple enough. The raw milk came from a long established producer in California; purchased through a natural foods market in the local area here on March 2nd. By 2 am the next morning the boy is sick. He gets progressively worse and on March 5th his parents take him to emergency. The following day the family follows up with the pediatrician. When the hospital and family doctor lab reports arrive, they agree: Campylobacter strains of E. coli are the culprit.  In short order the health department calls to investigate. By March 14, the Natural Foods store called to let the family know that all the stock of raw milk has been removed.

Finally, ten days after the child goes to the emergency room, the manufacturer calls to ask questions. The father, instead of fielding the call, wisely sought our counsel first.

Our initial research noted that very little was in the news about raw milk poisoning. Who knows why certain stories and incidents never come to light in the main media, but in short order we discovered an undercurrent: Read the rest »

A Nebraska-based meat packer is recalling more than 40,000 pounds of ground beef products that were shipped to institutions and distributors in California and other states over food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, the meat, produced by Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. was also shipped to 15 other states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted tests on samples, which detected the presence of the deadly E. coli bacteria in the ground beef products. Other states affected by this recall include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

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A California food company has issued a recall for 6,141 cartons of cilantro in seven states over food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, Salinas-based Pacific Cilantro recalled the herbs in seven states after U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors found salmonella in a sampling of the products. So far, no illnesses or fatalities have been reported. The recall has been issued in seven states including California, Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Indiana, South Carolina and Missouri, as a precaution. Those who have these products in their homes are asked to return them. The herbs were grown by Salt River Farming in the Phoenix area.

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A California farm is voluntarily recalling bags of chopping romaine lettuce due to food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, True Leaf Farms of Salinas is recalling 90 cartons of lettuce, which is believed to have been contaminated with listeria bacteria. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified the company that a sample taken as part of a random check tested positive for listeria. The recall covers products with a “use by” date of September 29, 2011 and a bag and box code of “B256-46438-8.”

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Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. is recalling its f&e-brand organic baby spinach over food poisoning concerns. According to an Associated Press news report, this food recall was issued due to concerns that the spinach could be contaminated with listeria, a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children or those with weak immune systems. The company, which is based in El Segundo, California, said the recall was issued after one bag of spinach tested positive for listeria. The products involved in this recall have an “enjoy by” date of August 1, 2011 and were sold in Fresh & Easy stores in California, Nevada and Arizona.

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