- A nationwide outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections has been traced to raw milk cheddar cheese from RAW FARM LLC. Seven cases are confirmed, with two patients hospitalized. The Food and Drug Administration has recommended that the company voluntarily remove their raw cheese products from the market, but the firm has refused to do so. The farm’s raw milk products have been linked to several foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years.
- The FDA’s new report on outbreak investigations in 2024 shows vegetables were the most frequent cause of foodborne illnesses. The report reviews 72 incidents that included potential outbreaks, confirmed outbreaks, and adverse events. Those cases were handled by the Office of Coordinated Outbreak Response, Evaluation, & Emergency Preparedness (CORE+EP) which fields an emergency preparedness team focused on food defense, traceability, and supply chain management.
- Aiming for zero risk may not always be the best approach to food safety, according to a new study published in the journal Frontiers of Science. The study indicates more flexible risk-based approaches, which assess the probabilities of harm and then adjust safety measures, could be more effective in promoting overall food system safety than the current emphasis on hazard-based assessments, where regulations focus on detecting pathogens, regardless of the threat to consumers.
- Marine researchers have discovered substantial amounts of synthetic chemicals in the ocean, especially in coastal areas, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience. ABC News reports that 248 different manmade chemicals used in agricultural, industrial and healthcare settings were detected in seawater samples obtained from various sites in the Pacific Ocean. More research will be needed to understand how the presence of those chemicals is affecting the food chain.
Today’s Topic: Sodium
It’s something you must consume for life, but too much could eventually kill you. Americans are getting too much of it today. Fixing that is a goal the government has set for industry, but ultimately, it falls upon individuals to decide what they eat.
We are talking about sodium, a mineral found naturally in some foods, such as celery or milk. Food manufacturers also add sodium to food, often as a flavoring ingredient.
