Food Safety News

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is forcing 200 Food Safety and Inspection Service employees to move from Washington D.C. to locations in Iowa, Georgia and Colorado.

The reorganization is being billed as a way to streamline support functions. About 100 employees will remain in Washington D.C., according to a statement from USDA officials.

The 200 employees who will be leaving the Washington D.C. offices will go to National Food Safety Center in Iowa, the Science Center in Georgia, and a new office in Fort Collins, CO, where staff will support international activities. The Department will also establish a new National Food Safety Center (NFSC) in Urbandale, IA, which will serve as the primary hub for Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) administrative, technical and support operations.

The Consumer Federation of America says the reorganization will likely result in a diluted version of the public services currently provided. And, the Federation says in the short-term, it will likely make the agency much smaller.

“The Administration will not so much reorganize FSIS as simply relocate much of its staff, in a move that harkens back to the first Trump Administration’s 2019 relocation of USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), from D.C. to Kansas City, MO. Judging from that relocation experience, the new plan will further compromise an agency already struggling to fulfill its consumer protection mission,” according to the Federation.

USDA’s Deputy Secretary Stephen A. Vaden said the reorganization involves targeted changes to improve how the agency functions day to day. 

“Consolidating support operations in Iowa, strengthening scientific work in Georgia, and aligning staff with mission needs will reduce duplication and improve accountability. This approach ensures that resources are used efficiently while maintaining the high standards the public expects from our food safety system,” Vaden said.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will revamp existing USDA space in Urbandale, IA, to establish the new National Food Safety Center (NFSC), which will become the agency’s largest office in the United States with approximately 200 employees. 

The NFSC will serve as FSIS’ primary location for headquarters support functions, including resource management, training, food safety education, financial operations, information technology and administrative services. 

“By establishing a National Food Safety Center in Iowa and expanding our scientific capabilities, USDA is ensuring that the Food Safety and Inspection Service is positioned where it can best support American agriculture and protect public health,” said USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins.

Also included in the reorganization is the establishment of a Science Center in Athens, GA. USDA officials say this will build on the agency’s existing Eastern Field Services Laboratory and expand its capabilities in microbiology, chemistry and epidemiology. The Science Center is designed to strengthen FSIS’ scientific leadership and ensure continued access to top-tier academic institutions, a robust public health workforce and key industry partners.

The reorganization will not impact FSIS’ frontline inspection workforce, which represents 85 percent of employees and operates across more than 6,800 regulated meat and poultry plants. 

“FSIS is a field-based public health agency, with the vast majority of our workforce serving on the frontlines in establishments across the country,” said FSIS Administrator Justin Ransom. “This reorganization strengthens how we support those employees by bringing key training, policy, and technical expertise into closer alignment with their work. The National Food Safety Center will help us better prepare and support our workforce while also creating new opportunities to attract and develop the next generation of food safety professionals.”

Australia is to create an action plan to tackle the top cause of bacterial foodborne illness in the country.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is inviting stakeholders to register their interest in the development of a five-year Australian National Campylobacter Action Plan.

Hafez brand "Sugerless" Halva with Date Syrup is being recalled in Canada because of Salmonella contamination.

The recalled product was distributed in British Columbia and Ontario, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Test results from the CFIA showed the contamination.

The recalled product can be identified by the following information: 400-gram packages with the UPC number 8 15872 00501 1 and the code BB 12_26 35/11420.

About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile.

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled product and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.

Ocinet Inc. of Downey, CA, is recalling all “…And Kimchi” branded sliced kimchi, UPC 8541200408, UPC 8541200409, and UPC 8541200411 because it contains undeclared fish (anchovies). 

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to fish run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The recalled product was distributed to six retail locations:

• Zion Market - 8330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92111
• Zion Market - 4800 Irvine Blvd, Irvine, CA, 92620
• Zion Market - 750 S Oxford Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90005
• Zion Market - 5400 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA, 90621
• Zion Market - 2340 Pleasant Hill Rd., Duluth, GA, 30096
• Zion Market - 2405 S Stemmons Fwy, Lewisville, TX, 75067

The product is sold in 126-ounce (3.57 kilogram) clear plastic jars, 63-ounce (1.78 kilogram) clear plastic jars, and 30-ounce (850 gram) clear plastic jars, all marked with the “… And Kimchi” logo in red type. 

The UPC numbers are 8541200408 (126-ounce jars), 8651200409 (63-ounce jars), and 8541200411 (30-ounce jars).

No illnesses have been reported as of the posting of the recall notice.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of fish. Distribution of the product has been suspended until the company is certain that the problem has been corrected.

Utz Quality Foods LLC, a subsidiary of Utz Brands Inc., has issued a recall in the United States of certain limited varieties of Zapp’s and Dirty potato chips. 

The recall follows notification to Utz that a seasoning containing dry milk powder, sourced from California Dairies Inc. and supplied by a third-party supplier, may contain the presence of Salmonella. 

For photos of all of the products impacted by this recall, click here.

To date, there have been no complaints of illness reported to Utz in connection with the recalled products. 

The recalled products are available at retail stores nationwide.

About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile.

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled potato chips and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.

Item Name (size/description)

UPC

Best By Date

Batchcode(s)

1.5oz Zapp's® Brand Bayou Blackened Ranch Potato Chips

83791272917

3-Aug-26

26030070101

10-Aug-26

26036070102

17-Aug-26

26043070101

24-Aug-26

26052070103

2.5oz Zapp's® Brand Bayou Blackened Ranch Potato Chips

83791272924

3-Aug-26

26029070104

17-Aug-26

26044070104

17-Aug-26

26045070104

31-Aug-26

26058070104

8oz Zapp's® Brand Bayou Blackened Ranch Potato Chips

83791272931

27-Jul-26

26024070105

27-Jul-26

26024070104

3-Aug-26

26029070104

3-Aug-26

26030070104

10-Aug-26

26037070105

10-Aug-26

26038070105

17-Aug-26

26044070105

17-Aug-26

26045070105

2oz Dirty® Brand Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips

83791520148

3-Aug-26

26030070104

3-Aug-26

26031070104

3-Aug-26

26031070101

10-Aug-26

26038070102

10-Aug-26

26038070103

1.5oz Zapp's® Brand Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips (60ct)

83791010144

3-Aug-26

26030070101

3-Aug-26

26031070101

10-Aug-26

26036070102

10-Aug-26

26037070102

2oz Dirty® Brand Maui Onion Potato Chip

83791520162

8-Aug-26

26052070103

2.5oz Zapp's® Brand Big Cheezy Potato Chip

83791192208

31-Aug-26

26058070104

8oz Zapp's® Brand Big Cheezy Potato Chip

83791192246

31-Aug-26

26058070104

31-Aug-26

26059070104

2oz Dirty® Brand Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips

83791520094

31-Aug-26

26059070104

Two more consumer groups are calling on Congress to reject the FDA Review and Evaluation for Safe, Healthy and Affordable Foods Act, or FRESH Act, citing industry interference in the legislative process.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Kat Cammack, R-FL, would “further hobble an already broken system that allows scores of food chemicals to come onto the market with little government oversight,” according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

The EWG contends that the proposed Act would gut rules on the information companies must submit to the Food and Drug Administration on food chemicals that are “generally recognized as safe (GRAS)”. Such chemicals are not subject to FDA inspection, testing or oversight.

Consumer Reports has also come out against the Act, saying it would block states from reviewing food chemicals.

“At a time when consumers are demanding the removal of toxic chemicals in their food and greater transparency about food ingredients, the FRESH Act would instead weaken existing regulations that provide a layer of critical protections for consumers,” said Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy at Consumer Reports. 

“By blocking important state food safety laws and further weakening FDA oversight, this bill would represent a significant step backward for our food oversight system. Consumer Reports calls on Congress to reject this bill.” 

Similarly, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is already on record opposing the Act. The CSPI contends the FRESH Act would broadly block state food safety policies while weakening current FDA authority over premarket safety review for substances used in foods. 

“The bill contains industry-backed preemption provisions that would broadly wipe out state protections ‘related to the use, labeling, sale, or marketing’ of food or dietary supplements,” according to CSPI. 

“This effort squarely targets recent progress on food policy in the states, which includes new bans on harmful chemicals, requirements for heavy metal testing, restrictions on the sale of harmful dietary supplements to children, and new allergen and nutrition menu disclosures. This extreme preemption language will hurt consumers but serves as a major win for big food companies, which last year launched a multimillion dollar effort to broadly preempt state safety and labeling laws.”

The EWG also calls into question the true sponsorship of the Act, which it says is the food industry.

“Blocking state action and further weakening FDA review of chemicals is the food industry’s dream come true: no state regulation, no federal regulation, no problem,” said Melanie Benesh, the EWG’s vice president for government affairs.

“In addition to allowing new chemicals to be added to food without FDA review, the FDA does not regularly reconsider the safety of the chemicals we’re already eating. But the industry bill will not require the FDA to review a single food chemical for safety.

“The funding proposed by this bill is a fig leaf. This proposal will make our food less safe, not safer, by letting industry experts, not the experts we can trust, decide whether new food chemicals are safe and by failing to make sure the chemicals we’re already eating are safe.”

 The FRESH and Affordable Foods Act, the bill would:

• Preempt, retroactively and prospectively, all state food chemical laws, including those banning the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS from food packaging and artificial dyes from school food;
• Allow new food chemicals linked to cancer and reproductive harm to be considered “safe;”
• Allow new food chemicals to be added to food without an affirmative finding of safety by the FDA;
• Retroactively approve all food chemicals currently considered GRAS;
• Allow new chemicals to be added to food if the FDA does not respond to a GRAS notice within 90 days;
• Allow new chemicals to be added to food as long as the food chemical company submits a “synopsis” of the chemical company’s safety conclusion;
• Allow new chemicals to be added to food without giving the FDA basic information, such as estimates of dietary exposure;
• Allow new chemicals reviewed by industry-funded expert panels to be automatically GRAS and used in food immediately;
• Allow companies to use food chemicals in new ways, without asking the FDA for approval; and
• Allow chemicals to be added to food for two years after the FDA determines they are no longer safe, unless there is a severe and imminent risk of harm.

Under current law, chemical companies – not the FDA – decide whether a food chemical is safe. Since 2000, almost all new food chemicals – nearly 99 percent –  have come onto the market through the GRAS loophole, according to the EWG.

Currently, many though not all chemical companies wanting to bring a new chemical onto the market submit a GRAS notice to the FDA, and the FDA responds with a “no questions” letter.

Police in Austria have arrested a man after the discovery of rat poison in baby food.

The 39-year-old man was arrested a few days ago and is being questioned in connection with the incident involving Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

Officials in a Swedish region have received more than 300 reports of suspected food poisoning after eating at local restaurants.

Authorities in Lerum said the outbreak can be traced to two Gobi Sushi restaurants in Floda and Lerum. The outlets have been closed at the request of authorities since April 21.

Norovirus is the cause of symptoms, but the source of infection has not been identified.

“We will take more samples of unopened packages in the restaurants to see if we can find the source of the norovirus,” said Anna Engström, from the environmental unit in Lerum.

The environmental unit is still awaiting several conclusive results from previous sampling in the restaurants.

The investigation also involves the Swedish Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) and Smittskydd Västra Götaland, an agency that tries to prevent and reduce the spread of infectious diseases to and between people.

Restaurant reaction
In a statement on Facebook, Gobi Sushi said it changed suppliers of fish about a month ago.

“Since then, we have mainly bought fresh salmon, tuna, white fish and crab products from a supplier that delivers from Stockholm every week. After receiving, we freeze the products and then bring out the amount needed for each working day for thawing according to our routines.”

In some samples, aerobic microorganisms and bacteria within the group Enterobacteriaceae have been identified. Results were not at a level that directly cause illness. However, findings show that routines for storage, the cold chain, handling, and hygiene should be improved.

“The exact source of the infection and which food might have been the source are not yet fully determined. What we can do, and have already done, is to take full responsibility for our own routines,” according to the statement.  

“We have reviewed our working methods with all staff and had clear briefings of how raw materials should be received, frozen, defrosted, refrigerated, marked with date and time, separated and handled with clean equipment. We have also gone through hand hygiene, cleaning, disinfection and how to keep the workplace clean and safe every day. We take the situation very seriously and do everything we can to improve, clarify and strengthen our routines so that something like this does not happen again.”

About norovirus infections
Food and beverages contaminated with norovirus may not look or smell bad, but it can cause severe illness.

Symptoms of norovirus infection may include vomiting and/or diarrhea, nausea, muscle aches, fever, and headache, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms typically start 12 to 48 hours after exposure and can last for one to three days. Most people recover without treatment, however some may need medical attention for dehydration. People with norovirus infections can spread the infection easily to others. The virus can live on surfaces for long periods of time. 

To prevent others from getting sick always wash hands carefully with soap and warm water after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Use soap and water to clean toilets or other areas that may be soiled with stool or vomit.

Improving foodborne disease surveillance could avoid millions of illnesses while generating major economic benefits, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

A WHO analysis calculated the average return on investment for disease surveillance in 17 countries with intermediate levels of food safety system development.

Following consumer complaints, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for ravioli pasta products because of misbranding and undeclared allergens. 

The ravioli labeled as beef and burrata may actually contain shrimp filling in lobster sauce. The shrimp and lobster, known allergens (shellfish), are not declared on the product label. 

The FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers with shellfish allergies are aware that this product should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the product is no longer available for purchase.

However, the FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. 

The ravioli pasta items were produced between March 10, 2026, and April 21, 2026. The following product is subject to the public health alert:

• 32-ounce plastic bag packages containing “Giovanni Rana RANA Rustic Beef Sauce & Creamy Burrata Cheese Ravioli” with “use by” dates ranging 05/14/2026 – 06/25/2026.

The product bears establishment number “Est. 44870” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to Costco retail stores in Maryland and New Jersey.

The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that they received two consumer complaints reporting the beef sauce and burrata ravioli actually contained shrimp ravioli.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a health care provider.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Let me be blunt. I've been fighting for food poisoning victims since 1993, when a nine-year-old girl nearly died after eating a Jack in the Box burger. Back then, the villain was ground beef. We fixed that — or mostly fixed it. I used to tell people I could count on a significant E. coli outbreak and recall occurring like clockwork nearly every spring or summer. When 2003 came, there were no outbreaks. The beef industry, to its credit, did its job. I actually worried I'd put myself out of business.

I wasn't that lucky. The problem just moved.

The early warning signs
In July 2002, an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 sickened 78 attendees of a dance camp at Eastern Washington University — middle and high school girls from Washington, Montana, and Minnesota. Case-control studies strongly linked the illness to Caesar salad made with romaine lettuce. That was a warning. Nobody heeded it.

In April 2012, an outbreak of E. coli O157 sickened 28 and was linked to romaine lettuce. The pattern was becoming clear. By 2017, seventeen illnesses had been reported across 13 states, with two people developing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) — the acute kidney failure — and one death in California. Canada had already figured out it was romaine. We were still hedging.

2018: Yuma changes everything
Then came the disaster I'd been dreading. In April 2018, local, state, and federal public health and agriculture agencies announced an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing area. In total, 240 people infected with the outbreak strains were reported from 37 states. Of more than 201 people with information available, 104 were hospitalized, including 28 who developed HUS. Five deaths were reported from Arkansas, California, two in Minnesota, and New York.

We found out why. The outbreak strains were detected in water samples from sites along a 3.5-mile section of the Wellton irrigation canal — running adjacent to romaine lettuce farms and next to a concentrated animal feeding operation with approximately 105,000 cattle. One hundred and five thousand cows. The waste from the feedlots was getting into the irrigation water. The water was going onto the lettuce. The lettuce was going into your salad.

2019 and beyond: The pattern repeats
In 2019, there were three separate outbreaks under investigation simultaneously, each caused by different strains of E. coli — a notable development suggesting the problem was widespread, not isolated. 

And the 2019 Salinas investigation told us something even more chilling. The E. coli O157:H7 strain was detected in a fecal-soil composite sample taken from a cattle grate on public land less than two miles upslope from a produce farm with multiple fields tied to the outbreaks. Other STEC strains were found in samples from a border area of a farm immediately next to cattle grazing land in the hills above leafy greens fields. Visualize this picture — cows on the hillside, your salad growing below.

Between 2015 and 2021 alone, E. coli O157-contaminated romaine was implicated in seven outbreaks in the U.S., six of which were multistate incidents, resulting in 4,274 laboratory-confirmed illnesses, 766 hospitalizations, and 11 deaths.

Since the 2018 E. coli outbreak linked to romaine from Yuma, fresh fruits and vegetables — not ground beef — now take up the bulk of my firm's attention. Romaine lettuce E. coli outbreaks have replaced ground beef as the staple of the Marler Clark practice.

The cattle next door: Who is accountable?
Here's the part that ought to make everyone uncomfortable — including the cattle industry.

In the 2018 outbreak, environmental contamination was likely caused by the adjacent Concentrated Animal Feed Operation (CAFO), as cattle are a well-documented reservoir for pathogenic E. coli O157. This is not a secret. This is not a surprise. Airborne transmission of viable E. coli was documented at numerous locations adjacent to and at incremental distances from a nearby large livestock and composting operation. Air, water, and lettuce leaf microbiome analysis demonstrated deposition of dust from cattle pens to nearby water and land, suggesting that dust from CAFOs may play a role in E. coli transmission. It's not just the water. It's the air. The wind carries it.

And here's what really gets me: it doesn't take 105,000 cattle nearby to cause an outbreak. Even smaller cattle operations near romaine fields may carry risks. You don't need a massive industrial feedlot to poison a child. A small herd on a hillside above a lettuce field, a little runoff after a rain — that's enough.

So, who is responsible? Right now, the answer is effectively: nobody with a cattle operation. The updated Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement standards do not require CAFOs to take any added actions to prevent their operations from contaminating water used on crops in the area. The lettuce growers take all the legal and economic hit. The feedlot next door faces no binding obligation. That is a fundamental injustice — and a policy failure.

It is past time for all stakeholders — growers, processors, and retailers of leafy greens — to work with the cattle and dairy industries, along with local, state, and federal health agencies to come to a solution to this ongoing and systemic environmental problem. We cannot allow E. coli illnesses and deaths to continue to be "a cost of doing business."

It's obvious what the problem is, but the solutions are not going to be easy because it's genuinely hard to compel changes in land use across property lines. Farmers of leafy greens have little control over the use of land adjacent to their fields, and they may be helpless to stop the construction of a nearby CAFO even if it presents a clear food safety concern. That's a zoning and regulatory problem. Right now, the FDA can investigate the lettuce farm. It cannot walk onto the cattle feedlot and demand changes. That needs to change.

2024–2025: Silence from Washington
And now we have a new problem layered on top of the old one. Since the start of the Trump Administration, the CDC and FDA have withheld from the public details about a romaine lettuce E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that sickened 89 people in 15 states, hospitalized 36, caused kidney failure in 7, and killed 1. My own firm's epidemiologist had to piece it together because the government wouldn't tell you. If the gutted CDC and FDA won't do the job, we will.

What needs to change
I've said this for years and I'll keep saying it. These outbreaks will keep happening unless we deal with the environmental contamination caused by growing lettuce in close proximity to cattle.

One head of E. coli-contaminated lettuce can be cut, processed, mixed with other lettuce, and then cross-contaminate many different packages of bagged salads. The E. coli outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce blew up in the last decade and a half because we wanted bagged salads. It's industrialized agriculture, convenience, and they are killing us.

The solutions aren't mysterious: mandatory buffer zones between cattle operations and produce fields, required testing and treatment of irrigation water before it touches a crop, FDA authority to inspect CAFOs for pathogens that endanger neighboring farms, and real traceability from ranch to retail shelf. We have the technology. We have the intelligence to know how to fix these problems. The question is whether we have the moral imperative to do it. When you've seen as many people in ICUs and gone to as many funerals for people whose only mistake was eating food — I feel there is an imperative. We need to get there.

I beat the beef industry into doing the right thing. The cattle industry sitting next to a lettuce field needs to understand you are part of this problem, and you need to be part of the solution.

William “Bill” Marler has been a food safety lawyer and advocate since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box E. coli Outbreak which was chronicled in the book, “Poisoned” and in the recent Emmy Award winning Netflix documentary by the same name. Bill work has been profiled in the New Yorker, “A Bug in the System;” the Seattle Times, “30 years after the deadly E. coli outbreak, A Seattle attorney still fights for food safety;” the Washington Post, “He helped make burgers safer, Now he is fighting food poisoning again;” and several others. 

Local media in South Bend, IN, are reporting that almost two dozen inmates at a county jail are part of a Salmonella outbreak.

The 23 inmates at St. Joseph County Jail became ill on April 29 with symptoms including diarrhea, dehydration and fever. The jail’s medical staff determined that the illnesses were caused by Salmonella, according to ABC57 news.

County and state health departments are conducting an inspection and working to determine the source of the Salmonella. 

The sheriff reported that the jail kitchen was inspected by the Health Department on April 25, just five days before the outbreak began. The jail kitchen passed that inspection with no critical violations found. Jail kitchen staff made immediate corrections to two minor non-critical violations, involving standing water on the floor near a dish machine and mold found on wire racks in a walk-in cooler.

At this time most of the inmates have fully recovered, and a few continue to be treated for food poisoning symptoms. Jail staff will continue to work with the jail food service provider, the jail medical service provider, and the County and State Health Departments to determine a direct cause of the illness so that they can take all necessary corrective actions.

About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.

A company in England has been fined for food safety failings behind a Salmonella outbreak in 2024.

Bracknell Tangs Management, the operator of Tangs Oriental Buffet Restaurant in Bracknell, pleaded guilty to four food safety offences in April at Reading Magistrates Court and was fined £25,000 ($34,000). The company was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £10,000 ($13,600) plus costs of almost £10,000.

As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or months after they are sent. Business owners have 15 days to respond to FDA warning letters. Warning letters often are not issued until a company has been given months or years to correct problems. Portions of the letters are often redacted from public view.

The FDA has issued warning letters to three food importers for significant violations of the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) rule, citing failures to ensure that imported foods meet U.S. safety standards. The violations could allow unsafe food into the U.S. market and may result in refusal of admission, detention at the border without physical examination (DWPE), or other enforcement actions.

The number of suspected frauds reported by countries in Europe has passed 200 for the first time this year.

Six alerts mentioned the United States in March including an unauthorized food supplement operator with a missing certificate and document forgery.

The a2 Milk Company (“a2MC”) has voluntarily recalled three specific batches of its imported a2 Platinum Premium USA label infant formula 0-12 months because it is contaminated with cereulide.

Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced by some strains of the bacterium Bacillus cereus. Illness occurs through the consumption of food contaminated with the toxin and preparing formula with hot water does not eliminate it.

Symptoms typically develop within 30 minutes to six hours of ingestion and most often involve gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting that typically self-resolve within 24 hours. Infants are at greater risk because of their developing immune systems and can experience complications, such as dehydration, which require medical care.

The batch number and “Use By” dates for the recalled product are as follows and are found on the bottom of each tin. a2 Platinium Premium infant formula 0-12 months Milk-based powder with Iron sold in 31.7 ounce cans with any of the following batch numbers and use-by date combinations:

batch 2210269454 use-by 7/15/2026

batch 2210324609 use-by 1/21/2027

batch 2210321712 use-by 1/15/2027

The Product was distributed nationally through a2MC’s website, Amazon and Meijer stores as part of Operation Fly Formula. Importation rights expired on Dec. 31, 2025, and the product has been discontinued and removed from sale prior to the initiation of the recall. The total number of units in the three batches is 63,078 of which an estimated 16,428 units were sold to consumers.

No confirmed incidents of illness or harm have been reported.

The recall was initiated by a2MC after cereulide was detected through additional testing of the product conducted in response to new guidance issued by New Zealand's food regulatory authority. The probable source of cereulide is an ingredient in the product.

Consumers who have purchased the product are recommended to discontinue use of it and dispose of it immediately or return to their place of purchase for a refund. If your infant is experiencing symptoms described above, contact your health care provider immediately. To report an illness or adverse event to the FDA, you can:

• Report a Product Problem through SmartHub, or
• Complete and submit a Medwatch report Online at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm, or by Regular Mail or Fax: Download the form from www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 800-FDA-0178

Quick bites from around the food safety arena

• 
  The FDA is reporting that the nation’s supply of infant formula is safe after the “most rigorous examination” of products ever undertaken. Though details about which brands were included in the 312 samples were not shared, the FDA testing focused on heavy metals, PFAS, pesticides and phthalates, all of which “had undetectable or very low levels of contaminants.” The testing did not include foodborne pathogens such as Cronobacter, Listeria and Salmonella. The action was in response to a Cronobacter outbreak in 2022.
• Backyard poultry flocks are infecting people with antibiotic resistant Salmonella, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of April 13, there have been 34 confirmed cases of infection with the strain Salmonella Saintpaul. Patients are spread across 13 states. Almost half of the patients are children under the age of 5.
• Horse meat was the likely source of an E. coli outbreak in Japan in 2023, but investigators have been unable to identify the contamination route. More than 70 people were infected, but no deaths were reported. Improved hygiene management at the shop suspected as the source has resulted in no new cases as of September 2025.
• The U.S. House passed the 2026 Farm Bill on a mostly party line vote Thursday. It’s the first time since 2018 that the landmark legislation has been updated. The bill sustains the $187 billion cut in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, often called food stamps, included the One Big Beautiful Bill Congress passed in 2025. A provision that would have barred states from requiring warning labels on pesticides was stripped from the legislation. The Senate now takes up the bill.
• The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week in a case with implications for thousands of lawsuits over the role of the weedkiller Roundup in individual cancer cases. The case tests the tension between federal and state rules governing potentially cancer-causing substances. Review the background on this issue in our recent Sunday deep dive on glyphosate.

Today's Topic: Horses as food

It’s perfectly legal to consume chevaline in the United States, but it isn’t happening much at all anymore because state and federal laws have blocked the processing and commercial sale of horse meat in the United States. 

It was just 20 years ago that the “power of the purse” ended commercial horse slaughter in the United States. After Congress stopped funding the USDA inspectors in the 2006 budget, it was all over.

Within just one year, Dallas Crown in Kaufman, Texas, Beltex Corporation in Fort Worth, Texas, and Cavel International in DeKalb, Illinois, were all gone. In that final year, the three facilities slaughtered nearly 105,000 horses, almost all for export.

The generation that grew up with Trigger on Roy Rogers, Silver and Scout on The Lone Ranger, and My Friend Flicka had spoken. They weren’t eating horse meat, also known as chevaline, which refers to the flesh of horses prepared for human consumption. 

That horse meat is banned in the United States is a fact that most of the world neither knows nor cares about. The equine food source remains as popular as ever outside the United States.

As recently as the 1980s, and certainly back to the Depression years and World War II, equine was as available as beef, pork, or poultry in the U.S. It was a popular menu item at Harvard Faculty Club.

 Sixteen federally inspected plants processing horse meat in the United States were still producing in the 1980s. But after  Congress pulled the plug on those last three plants twenty years ago, no horse has been legally slaughtered for human consumption in the United States.

There is no standalone federal law banning horse slaughter, and Congress has not made it illegal to eat horse meat. However, without USDA inspectors on site during slaughter, no horse meat can be sold legally in the U.S.

Forcing domestic equine plants to close ended the era in which an estimated 3 million horses were processed, mostly by European owners, for human consumption, mostly for export.

In the aftermath of the shutdown, exports of live horses to Canada and Mexico remain steady.

The European Union has banned the import of horse meat from Mexico since 2014. Horses from the United States must be held in Canadian feedlots for six months before they can be slaughtered for EU consumption.

“My biggest concern is that horses going to totally unregulated slaughter facilities in Mexico is much worse than even a poorly run U.S. plant,” said animal welfare expert Temple Grandin. ”In my opinion, the worst outcome from an animal welfare perspective is a horse being sent to a local Mexican abattoir. Once a horse crosses the Mexican border, there is no way to monitor how it is transported or slaughtered. A plant in the U.S. would be monitored by the USDA/FSIS, and the conditions for both transport and slaughter would be better.”

Exporting horses from the United States for all purposes remains strong, totaling $366 million in 2025, with the top five destinations being Japan, Canada, Ireland, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

Exports increased from January to February 2026 by 42.5 percent, rising from $12.2 to $17.4 million. Japan, Mexico, Ireland, Canada, and China were the top buyers in February 2026.

Food safety was part of the argument that ended the U.S. horse meat era. And that came down to concerns that horses are not raised or kept as food animals intended for human consumption.   Rather, horses are routinely treated with drugs that are banned from the human food supply. 

Phenylbutazone, an anti-inflammatory commonly called “bute,” is widely prescribed by veterinarians for pain and swelling in sport or companion horses. It is banned for use in any animal intended for human consumption.

 With no system to track the lifetime drug exposure of horses, EU food safety regulators have difficulty certifying U.S. horses as safe.

The EU requires detailed medication records before approving horse meat, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has flagged phenylbutazone residues as a food-chain risk.

About 12 states currently ban the sale of horse meat for human consumption. 

China is the world’s largest consumer of horse meat, often served in dried sausages. rice noodles and vegetables.  

Outside the U.S., horse meat is routinely on the menu in the rest of the Americas, including Canada, Mexico,  Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

In Europe, watch for it in France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Iceland and elsewhere.

Elsewhere in Asia, including Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia, as well as in Europe.

Pros of consuming horse meat

1. Lean, nutrientdense protein

• Horse meat is high in protein and significantly lower in fat than beef or pork.
• It contains about 21 percent protein and roughly half the fat of beef.
• It provides heme iron, vitamin B12, zinc, and other essential minerals. 

2. Healthier fat profile

• Horse meat contains more omega3 fatty acids and a better unsaturated to saturated fat ratio than most red meats.
• This makes it appealing for people with high cardiovascular risk factors. 

3. Distinct flavor and culinary versatility

• Its slightly sweet taste — due to higher glycogen— makes it a unique alternative to beef or venison. 

4. Lower environmental impact (in some systems)

• Horses produce far less methane than cattle and may require fewer resources in certain production systems.
• This can make horse meat a more environmentally efficient redmeat option.

5. Potentially healthier than conventional beef

• Compared to typical farmraised beef, horsemeat is leaner, lower in saturated fat, and richer in retinol and omega3s.

Cons of consuming horse meat

1. Risk of veterinary drug residues

• The most serious concern is contamination with phenylbutazone (“bute”), a drug banned in animals intended for human consumption.
• It can cause severe blood disorders in humans, and there is no safe exposure level.
• This risk is highest when horses are not raised specifically for food. 

2. Food safety and contamination risks

• Like all meats, horse meat can carry microbial risks if not handled properly.
• Proper slaughter and storage standards are essential.

3. Ethical concerns

• In many cultures, horses are viewed as companions or working partners, not livestock.
• This creates strong emotional and ethical objections to slaughtering them for food.

4. Cultural and religious practices

• Horsemeat is taboo in the United States, UK, and many Western countries.
• Some religions (e.g., certain interpretations in Judaism and Islam) discourage or prohibit its consumption.

5. Legal and regulatory complications

• In the United States horse slaughter for human consumption is effectively blocked because federal inspection funding is withheld.
• This makes legally sourced, traceable horse meat difficult to obtain. 

Out take
Food Safety News began two years after the last three horse slaughter operations had shut down. Because horse meat was not being produced or sold in the United States, we were not paying much attention to it.

Two years later, in 2011, we did report on the House Conference Committee report on the spending bill H2112, which, among other things, funded the USDA and removed the 2006 ban on the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) personnel being assigned to horse slaughter facilities.

Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, horses are an amenable species, meaning horse meat cannot be shipped or sold for human consumption without inspection. The 5-year ban on USDA inspection had shut down the equine industry.

Then, President Obama, running for his second term, had made the deal to shore up his rural support during the widespread drought.  A Congressional report had questioned whether starving and abandoned horses would be better with a slaughter option.

As it followed up, Food Safety News learned that the USDA “grants of inspection” could allow horse meat to return, and that a handful of individuals were stepping forward to make it happen.

One was the late Wyoming State Rep. Sue Wallis. She was a voice for the resumption of horse slaughter, arguing that abandoned horses left without care often died of thirst, starvation, or predation. 

 Wallis claimed that humane slaughter at sufficiently capitalized plants would provide a better alternative to starvation and abandonment.  She had turned her attention to raising private venture capital after her fellow Wyoming lawmakers opted not to embrace a publicly funded state-owned horse packing facility.

At the end, Wallis was CEO of Unified Equine LLC, which had plans to build a horse-processing plant in Missouri before her untimely death in January 2014

Rick De Los Santos, a New Mexico rancher who owned the Valley Meat Co. in Roswell, was the first since the 2007 ban lifted to apply for federal inspection of horse meat for human consumption,  but only for export. In early 2012, Santos wanted to remake his closed 7,200-square-foot beef plant for horses.

Santos encountered fierce opposition from New Mexico state officials, who went to federal court to block, or at least slow, approvals. The  New Mexico meat plant received federal approval in 2013  to slaughter horses for meat. 

The USDA stated that it was required by law to issue a "grant of inspection" to Valley Meat Co. of New Mexico, because it had met all federal requirements. Similar stories played out in Missouri and Iowa before the USDA inspection window again closed.

Numbers

• 60 million is the world horse population.
• 7.2 million is the current U.S. horse population
• 6 million horses are slaughtered each year for human consumption.
• 10 percent of horses are used annually for human consumption.
• 40 percent of U.S. horses are kept for recreation
• The horse industry contributes $122 billion annually as generated for the U.S. economy by the equine industry.
• 1 in 9 Americans own or interact with horses yearly
• 25 to 30 years is the average lifespan of a horse in the U.S.

What it means
The status quo is unlikely to change with one exception.

The annual proviso added to USDA’s budget prohibiting any spending on the inspection of horse slaughter might be replaced with a permanent statutory ban.

Nothing else is likely to change because the 2011-12 opening of the inspection window did not provide sufficient time to locate, design, and finance new facilities.

When the window was open, Rick De Los Santos came close with a remade beef plant, and Sue Wallis reportedly had raised $6 million in Europe and maybe more in Wyoming.

But the time ran out too quickly and likely would again.

The FDA is reporting that the nation’s supply of infant formula is safe after the “most rigorous examination” of products ever undertaken.

The testing program did not include foodborne pathogens such as Cronobacter, Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli. The agency tested for arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, 30 PFAS, 318 pesticides, 21 phthalates, and 1 non-phthalate Plasticizer.

The investigation was part of Operation Stork Speed, which the Food and Drug Administration launched in 2025 to ensure the safety of infant formula. The action was in response to a cronobacter outbreak in 2022.

“We tested more infant formula than ever before, and the results are clear: most products meet a high safety standard — but even small exposures matter for newborns,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The testing found “an overwhelming majority of samples had undetectable or very low levels of contaminants, affirming that the U.S. infant formula supply is safe,” according to the FDA’s report.

However, the United States doesn’t have a legal limit for any of the metals in infant formula the FDA tested for. Consequently, when the FDA calls formula “safe,” there is no standard behind that word.

Operation Stork Speed is also looking into the nation’s supply of infant formula, which was greatly depleted after a recall by Abbott Nutrition in the wake of the cronobacter outbreak.

“We’re doing everything in our power to make sure our babies and infants have safe, high-quality formula options that are backed by a resilient supply chain,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary.

The FDA tested 312 samples from 16 brands, but did not say in its report what brands it tested. Formula types tested were: powdered with 278 samples; 11 of concentrated liquid; and 23 ready to feed liquid. The protein sources included in the sampled were 258 cow’s milk, 44 soy and 10 amino acid-based.

“Across the products tested, the majority of infant formula samples had undetectable or very low levels of contaminants, affirming the safety of the U.S. infant formula supply,” according to the FDA’s report. 

“While contaminant levels were low, some samples had values that have initiated additional follow-up actions as a part of the agency’s robust monitoring and oversight efforts. This will include conducting further testing and continuing to engage with manufacturers on measures to reduce contaminant levels to as low as possible.”  

For each contaminant FDA reported the following values illustrate typical levels measured:  

• Not detected: The amount, if present, was too small for our testing methods to detect
• Range: The lowest to highest levels (concentrations) detected
• 95th percentile (reported as 95 percent): The level below which 95 percent of samples fell (meaning only 5 percent of samples were higher)
• Median: The midpoint in a set of data when the numbers are put in order from lowest to highest. It helps show a common number in the group.
• Parts per billion (ppb): One part per billion is equivalent to one drop of water in an Olympic-size swimming pool

The test results were as follows:

• Mercury was not detected in 296 out of 312 samples (95 percent). Among all samples, concentrations ranged from not detected to 0.3 ppb. Given the high number of non-detects, a 95th percentile and median were not calculated.
• Cadmium was not detected in 106 out of 312 samples (34 percent). Among all samples, concentrations ranged from not detected to 1.5 ppb. 95 percent of all samples had less than 1.1 ppb of cadmium. The median cadmium concentration was  0.2 ppb.
• Lead was not detected in 61 out of 312 samples (20%). Among all samples, concentrations ranged from not detected to 1.1 ppb, with 95% of samples containing less than 0.5 ppb of lead. The median lead concentration was 0.2 ppb.
• Arsenic was not detected in 18 out of 312 samples (6 percent). Among all samples, concentrations ranged from not detected to 4.7 ppb. 95 percent of all samples had less than 2.0 ppb of arsenic. The median arsenic concentration was 0.5 ppb. 
• Pesticides: Each of the samples were tested for 318 different pesticides, including glyphosate and glufosinate. 309 samples (99 percent) had no detectable pesticides, and glyphosate and glufosinate were not detected in any samples. Given the high number of non-detects, a 95th percentile and median were not calculated. Only three samples had detectable pesticide levels, all at very low concentrations: 0.25 ppb chlorpyrifos in one sample, 0.20 ppb malathion in another sample, and 0.20 ppb piperonyl butoxide in a third sample.
• PFAS: Each of the samples were tested for 30 different PFAS compounds. Most PFAS compounds (25 of 30) were not found in any samples. Five PFAS were detected in a subset of samples at concentrations ranging from 0.51 ppt to 150 ppt, depending on the compound. The most commonly detected was Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), found in half of samples at detectable concentrations ranging from 0.51 to 6.0 ppt, with 95 percent of all samples containing less than 2.9 ppt of PFOS. Given the high number of non-detects, the median was not calculated. PFAS levels are often reported in parts per trillion (ppt) because testing methods can detect these contaminants at extremely low concentrations. One part per trillion is equivalent to one second in 32,000 years, or one drop in 1,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.
• Phthalates: Each of the samples were tested for 21 phthalates and 1 non-phthalate plasticizer. Phthalates were not detected in 167 out of 312 samples (54 percent). Among the compounds tested. Seven phthalates were not detected in any samples. Five phthalates were rarely detected (in fewer than 2 percent of samples). The remaining compounds that were detected had concentrations ranging from not detected to 145 ppb.The most commonly detected phthalate compounds were DEHP and DINP: 
• DEHP was not detected in 253 out of 312 samples (81 percent). Among the samples, DEHP concentrations ranged from not detected to 57 ppb. Given the high number of non-detects, a 95th percentile and median were not calculated. DINP was not detected in 260 out 312 samples (83 percent). Among the samples, DINP concentrations ranged from not detected to 145 ppb. Given the high number of non-detects, a 95th percentile and median were not calculated.
• Human milk: While this phase of testing focused specifically on infant formula products, the FDA also tested a limited number (110) of human milk samples from a single state donor human milk bank for arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead. Overall, the majority of samples (85 percent) had at least one detectable contaminant, while 17 samples (15 percent) had no detects of any of the contaminants. Mercury demonstrated the highest detection rate at 61 percent, followed by cadmium at 57 percent, arsenic at 33 percent, and lead at 30 percent. 

Public health officials say cross contamination in a restaurant was responsible for a Salmonella outbreak that sickened a possible 86 people.

The Piper Arms restaurant in Stone Creek, Ontario, Canada, has finally reopened after being closed since April 13. There are 29 confirmed patients, 57 patients who are awaiting conformation, and nine patients who have been hospitalized. 

“Evidence from Hamilton Public Health’s Food Safety investigation and epidemiological analysis of cases suggests cross-contamination contributed to transmission within the premises rather than a sole food item as the source of illness,” according to a statement from Hamilton public health officials.

The officials reported that they found Salmonella in cheese and that they thought it had cross-contaminated other food, utensils and food contact surfaces.

It is believed that the outbreak began on March 30. Public health officials closed the restaurant on April 13.

On April 30, the restaurant was ticketed for three infractions related to the outbreak and fined $705, public health said, noting the investigation is ongoing.

“The operator has put in place measures to control the source of the outbreak, and no new cases of illness have been identified or reported since these measures have been implemented,” according to the public health department..

“To support continued compliance, Hamilton Public Health will be conducting additional follow-up inspections to observe food handling practices and to ensure food safety standards are consistently maintained.”

An online database of public health inspections shows the restaurant received a “conditional pass” after an inspection March 10, citing issues with refrigeration, storing food on the floor, and hand-washing supplies. It passed a re-inspection two days later, but then on April 7, inspectors found food stored on the floor once again, along with uncovered food in storage.

On April 10, inspectors conducted an “outbreak investigation,” and found three critical infractions, but did not yet close the restaurant and still gave it a “pass.”

The inspection report said infractions such as storing raw and cooked foods together and inaccessible hand-washing stations were remedied during the inspection.

“When food safety issues are identified, Hamilton Public Health applies a progressive enforcement approach, beginning with education, on-site correction, moving to written orders, closures and/or fines where necessary,” said the public health release issued Wednesday. 

Testing of salad in the United Kingdom has found the majority of products were safe to eat but the potential for contamination exists.

Analysis of 2,495 samples was carried out from April 2023 to March 2024 in England and Northern Ireland. Samples of ready-to-eat (RTE) salads and components, such as cucumber, tomato and beetroot, were collected from retailers, caterers and manufacturers by local authorities.