I asked our AI friends – What are the pros and cons of replacing FDA Commissioner Makary with me – here is the response? This is a very timely question — Makary resigned as FDA Commissioner today, May 12, 2026, amid reports of internal tensions and policy clashes, with the vaping dispute reportedly being a […]
Virginia Department of Health is Investigating a Cluster of E. coli Illness in the Lake Anna area over the Memorial Day weekend The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is investigating a cluster of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses in people who were in the Lake Anna area over the Memorial Day weekend. Some of the ill people have […]
Yesterday the FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, announced that they are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Africana infections potentially linked to cucumbers. Based on epidemiological information collected by CDC for the Salmonella Africana investigation, as of June 4, 162 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Africana have been reported from 25 states and the District of Columbia. Of […]
In April 2013 the CDC and their state and local partners and the FDA, investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul Infections linked to consumption of imported cucumbers. In total, there were 84 outbreak associated cases residing in 18 states. Among persons for whom information was available, illness onset dates ranged from January 12, 2013 to April 28, […]
As of June 4, a total of 162 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Africana have been reported from 25 states and the District of Columbia. Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 11, 2024, to May 16, 2024. Of 127 people with information available, 54 have been hospitalized and 0 deaths have […]
The FDA and CDC are investigating a new outbreak of infections caused by Salmonella Braenderup. The outbreak may be related to an ongoing outbreak of Salmonella Africana infections. Both could be related to fresh cucumbers. As of the posting of the new outbreak on June 5, 158 confirmed patients are infected with Salmonella Braenderup, according […]
Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc. has recalled cucumbers grown in Florida and distributed to retail distribution centers, wholesalers, and food service distributors in AL, FL, GA, IL, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, and WV from May 17th through May 21st, 2024. This product should no longer be available for sale to consumers in […]
Largest Ever Monetary Criminal Penalty in Food Safety Matter Family Dollar Stores LLC pleaded guilty today to holding food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics under insanitary conditions, related to a rodent infestation at the company’s West Memphis, Arkansas, distribution center. A criminal information unsealed today in federal court in Little Rock, Arkansas, charged Family Dollar […]
As Annette Martin prepared a salad with Romaine lettuce, she had no way of knowing that it had been contaminated with E. coli. She, like most other Americans, trusted that the country’s food safety system would keep her safe. But within days of eating that salad, Martin was deathly ill. The Arizona-grown lettuce sickened 210 […]
Over the last weeks the FDA has been posting increasing numbers of illnesses linked to an unknown food product. As of last count there were at least 141 sickened, but that number is likely larger according to the NCBI database (see below). Today a multistage recall of cucumbers was initiated. Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc. […]
Welcome to the International Academy of Mediators On behalf of the board and our more than 210 members, welcome to the International Academy of Mediators (IAM), a membership organization comprised of many of the world’s finest mediators. The IAM was founded in 1996 to provide a forum for commercial mediators who meet IAM’s experience requirements to discuss […]
The FDA, and likely other states and the CDC are continuing to investigate both a Listeria outbreak that has sickened 2 and a Salmonella Africana outbreak that has now sickened 141.
11 more, up to 135 in NCBI minimum = 0 SNPs, maximum = 6 SNPs, average = 1 SNPs Target creation date range : 2024-04-15 to 2024-05-24 Again, this is a relatively rare Salmonella, there are only 5 clusters in NCBI. And, the FDA traces back.
Salmonella Africana is a relatively rare strain, there are only 5 clusters in NCBI A very tight sub-cluster in a larger cluster Entire Cluster 267 Isolates (all clinical) Distance between isolates : minimum = 0 SNPs, maximum = 53 SNPs, average = 20 SNPs WGS date range : 2018-03-22 t A very tight sub-cluster in […]
Well, I have been off my blog for a few days after a nasty tumble gardening, a high tech surgery and a few days in the hospital, and now back on my butt – where most bloggers are.
We still have a long way to go to make our food supply safer. This is what I spent my Saturday on. Gibson Farms Walnut E. coli Outbreak: The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating illnesses in a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to organic walnuts from Gibson Farms, Inc. of […]