|
July 25, 2008
Salmonella Outbreak Culprit - Jalapeños not Tomatoes?
 The Salmonella saintpaul mystery may be on the way to being solved as today, July 21, 2008 the FDA announced that it has found Salmonella saintpaul with the identical genetic fingerprint as the current outbreak on a jalapeño pepper sample taken at a McAllen, Texas wholesale company. The sample was taken in Agricola Zaragoza's facility, and FDA said the company has begun a recall of all peppers it has shipped.
While the trace-back investigation indicates that the peppers taken from Agricola Zaragoza's facility were grown in Mexico, the FDA has said that it has not yet determined whether the contamination occurred at farm level, in shipping or at the facility where the sample was taken. The FDA is continuing to investigate the supply chain that led to this facility, as well as working to determine where peppers from this facility have already been distributed; it is not, however, considered a major processor.
Due to the uncertainty as to whether any contaminated peppers are still being sold either as fresh produce or as ingredients in other foods like fresh salsa, the FDA is now advising all consumers to:
"Avoid eating raw jalapeño peppers or products containing raw jalapeño peppers."
Thankfully the Salmonella outbreak is diminishing - the latest onset of illness date is still July 4, 2008 - according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's onset of illness graph on its website: www.cdc.gov.
The FDA was careful to reinforce that all tomatoes currently in the marketplace are safe to eat although they have not yet officially cleared tomatoes from ever causing the illness.
For the latest info visit the United Fresh dedicated outbreak webpage www.unitedfresh.org.
NOTE: This is different from a recall initiated this weekend by Grande Produce of Hidalgo, Texas due to Salmonella found on certain products. That Salmonella was not of the same strain as the outbreak.
 Grocery Giggles!
Read on... 10 more stories follow... Cashiers CAN make a difference at the supermarket - good and bad!
Have you had an expereince at the supermarket checkout that has left you seething, hopping mad and ready to take your business elsewhere?
Lilly P. did and she wrote and told us about it - which got us wondering, how many other readers had ...
more... Farm-Raised Tilapia Could be a Bad Choice for Those with Heart Disease
A new report from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine that says the type of fish you eat is critical, especially if you already have heart disease. In fact, one of the most popular fish in the US, farm-raised tilapia, has dangerously ...
more... Happy Ice Cream Month!
Our nation's first ice cream parlor reportedly opened right here in New York City in 1776 and about two hundred years later, President Ronald Reagan officially designated the third Sunday of July National Ice Cream Day and the month of July ...
more... Why TUMS for Kids Has to Go!
Are we that out of control that TUMS has thought it prudent to develop a new product designed for kids ages 2-11?
I found this product as I was strolling through a Duane Reade drug store yesterday on the Upper West Side of New York City ...
more... A New Creation in Gardening Gifts
Potting Shed Creations sent us their products to review – we thought we might need some extra help with this one ... who better to turn to than Diana Greenwood Mead our gardening expert?
Here's what Diana had to say:
"Some weeks ago a box ...
more... EU Companies Doing More Than US to Prevent Obesity
European-based food groups are edging ahead of their US rivals in addressing health and wellness concerns relating to their businesses, says to a recent report from Insight Investment and JP Morgan. The report looked at the effectiveness of 10 of ...
more... Salmonella Outbreak May NOT be Linked to Tomatoes
Since April 10th, there have been 810 reported cases of Salmonella Saintpaul, all sharing the same genetic fingerprint. No deaths have been reported, but dozens of people were hospitalized. The illnesses were thought to have come from ...
more... We NEED a New Food Label
Food labels may not always be effective communication tools for consumers and could likely stand to be improved, according to research conducted by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and other global organizations. The research ...
more... The 5 Minute Shopping List
Six tips to help you save time in the store ...
more... The Summer Tomato Crop: A Food Safety Disaster
Unless you are one of the few people that doesn’t look forward to the summer tomato crop all year, the events over the past week have you as upset as I am.
I love tomatoes. All kinds of tomatoes. I struggle through eating tasteless tomatoes most ...
more...
|
Floral Answers and Gardening Guide 
Herb Gardens
This week Diana answers two questions on the continually popular topic of starting a herb garden. The first question is from
Paula Jandura who writes:
Dear Diana,
I'd love to have an herb garden, but where do I begin? What are the best herbs...
Click... Ten Dollar Dinners 
Ten Dollar Dinners: Cavatelli with Broccoli
This week Kathy shares her quick and easy recipe for Cavatelli with Broccoli - this recipe makes a mountain of food – enough to feed an army, not just the family!
( Cavatelli is the name of a shell-shaped pasta that has slightly rolled-in edges).
Click... Steal This Recipe® 
Free Range Chicken Spiedini
As Executive Chef/Co-owner of Terzo, Mark Gordon features pan-Mediterranean cuisine inspired by his travels, with dishes changing daily to showcase seasonal, fresh produce purchased direct from local, organic farmers.
This week we have permission...
Click... Allergy Friendly 
Flaxseed – Super Food or Dangerous Allergen?
The process of identifying a food allergy is arduous, tedious and unpleasant – as an adult – but as a parent coping with an infant who is showing signs of an allergic reaction it can become a desperate, lonely quest; stirring up every emotion from...
Click... QuickPoll 
National Mustard Day is Just Around the Corner!
August 2nd 2008 is National Mustard Day and we want to know which mustard you reach for most! Take our mustard quickpoll and let us know!
Click... SupermarketGuru 
New Product Hits & Misses
Before you bite – be sure to check out this week's new product reviews and ratings! Nominate a product as a HIT or MISS and if we feature it we'll send you a SupermarketGuru Tote Bag! New every Wednesday ...
Click...
As of today there are 7251 fat diary registrations,
6125 private diaries and
1126 public diaries.
Since September 1st, 2004 there have been 232280 Food Allergy Buddy cards printed.
|
