1/12/15 Health News: China arrests 110 people selling tainted pork ♦ TWO DAIRIES CITED FOR DRUG RESIDUES ♦ Cockroach-infested CA bakery ♦ Protect your heart

China arrests over 110 people for selling tainted pork

FBR Staff Writer Published 12 January 2015 In the latest food scandal, China has arrested over 110 people and seized over 1,000 tonnes of contaminated pork for allegedly selling pork from pigs that died from disease. According to the Ministry of Public Security, the arrested people belonged to a network that comprised 11 groups, who had been buying pigs that had died from disease, …Continue Reading

FDA WARNING LETTERS: TWO DAIRIES CITED FOR DRUG RESIDUES

In December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent warning letters to two dairy farms regarding illegal drug residues in animals sold for slaughter for food. Hageman Dairy Farms in Ossian, IA, was cited for selling a feeder steer in May that had neomycin in its kidney tissue at 50.52 parts per million (ppm)... Continue Reading

Over 30 sick ill after eating bread from cockroach-infested CA bakery

More than 30 people are sick after eating Rosca de Reyes bread, also known as Three Kings bread, distributed by Cholula’s Bakery in Santa Ana, The agency closed the bakery after an investigation revealed traces of cockroach infestation.Continue Reading

Hold your breath to protect your heart

A simple technique may be most effective in preventing heart disease after radiation therapy for breast cancer. New research shows a woman who holds her breath during radiation pulses can greatly reduce radiation exposure to the heart. Continue Reading

12/1/14 Health News: Eating too much nutmeg dangerous ♦ CHLORINE DIOXIDE GAS BETTER FOR SPROUT SANITATION ♦ FDA Warning Letters ♦ Cheaper anti-cancer drugs

Eating too much nutmeg can be dangerous

A dusting of nutmeg on your eggnog won’t send you to the hospital—but a couple of tablespoons of the stuff might lead to a very unhappy experience. Nutmeg has long been known to have some dangerous effects. It was believed to be poisonous enough to induce abortions in the Middle Ages  Continue Reading

STUDY: CHLORINE DIOXIDE GAS OFFERS HOPE FOR SPROUT SANITATION

Chlorine dioxide gas may be an effective tool for combating Salmonella on sprouts, according to a new study. Researchers at Rutgers University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have found that chlorine dioxide gas is more effective at killing Salmonella on bean sprouts than chlorine wash — the industry-preferred decontamination technique.... Continue Reading

FDA WARNING LETTERS: EXCESSIVE DRUG LEVELS TOP LIST OF LATEST FOOD PROBLEMS

Illegal levels of drug residues in food animals topped the list of problems with food producers in the latest round of warning letters from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for alleged violations of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. FDA stated that Floyd Raber of Millersburg, OH, sold a veal calf for slaughter that contained... Continue Reading

How a common antacid could lead to cheaper anti-cancer drugs

A cheap answer to anti-cancer medication may be in your medicine cabinet. Cimetidine treats indigestion by blocking histamine receptors in the gut, which decreases the production of gastric acid. It also appears to block histamine receptors in cancer cells, as well as supporting the immune system's defenses against cancer. Continue Reading

11/24/14 Illegal Drug Residue in Beef ♦ History of Contaminated Sprouts ♦ Polyps do not cause cancer ♦ Fluorescent nanoprobe identify and monitor tumors

FDA WARNING LETTERS: DRUG RESIDUES TOP LIST OF PROBLEMS AT FOOD FIRMS

Illegal drug residues in dairy cows slaughtered for meat were the main problem cited in recent warning letters from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to firms found in violation of regulations stipulated by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Letters to four dairy producers warned that illegal levels of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs...Continue Reading

PUBLISHER’S PLATFORM: ONE, TWO THREE SPROUTS YOU’RE OUT

Three sprout outbreaks caused by Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria outbreaks since August?  One has been deadly and all have sent dozens to the hospital. As of yesterday, the CDC has reported a total of 63 persons infected with Salmonella Enteritidis from 10 states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode... Continue Reading

Marker polyps do not cause cancer, experts say

Although serrated polyps usually are associated with colorectal cancer, it turns out that such polyps are themselves not dangerous, according to a study Continue Reading

Fluorescent nanoprobe could become a universal, noninvasive method to identify and monitor tumors

Researchers have developed a hybrid metal-polymer nanoparticle that lights up in the acidic environment surrounding tumor cells. Nonspecific probes that can identify any kind of tumor are extremely useful for monitoring the location and spread of cancer and the effects of treatment, as well as aiding initial diagnosis Continue Reading

9/29/14 Health News: OPIATES: HOW TO KEEP DINERS COMING BACK ♦ SALMONELLA 344 PEOPLE IN 42 STATES ♦ FDA WARNING LETTERS

OPIATES: HOW TO KEEP DINERS COMING BACK FOR CHINESE NOODLES

Drugged food is yet another safety concern to watch out for in China. A restaurant owner in Shaanxi Province has admitted to secretly infusing his noodles with poppy shells (from which opium is made) in order to keep diners coming back. The plan was reportedly working until he got caught. Police began their investigation after... Continue Reading

SALMONELLA STRAINS LINKED TO LIVE POULTRY SICKEN 344 PEOPLE IN 42 STATES

As of Sept. 23, 344 people in 42 states and Puerto Rico have been sickened by one of three outbreak strains of Salmonella linked to contact with live poultry, according to the latest update released Thursday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No deaths have been reported, although 32 percent of those... Continue Reading

FDA WARNING LETTERS: ONE DAIRY, TWO SEAFOOD PROCESSORS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warnings to one dairy and a seafood processor in its latest round of posted warning letters. Superior Cattle Feeders of Calipatria, CA, was cited for illegal drug residues in a steer sold for slaughter. Kidney tissue samples from the animal showed the presence of desfuroylceftiofur at 86.48 parts per... Continue Reading

9/23/14 Health News: Lizard in food: 350 school children hospitalised ♦ FDA WARNING LETTERS ♦ Don't Fall for Food Safety Myths

Lizard in food: 350 school children hospitalised

Around 350 children of a government-run Urdu Primary School here were hospitalised on Friday for suspected food poisoning after partaking mid-day meal. The children with complaints of headache, stomach ache and vomitting were taken to Dr Ambedkar Medical College Hospital with anxious parents swarming the premises, making it tough for police to control them. Speaking to reporters, …continue reading

FDA WARNING LETTERS: TWO DAIRIES, A CATTLE OPERATION, AND A SEAFOOD PROCESSOR

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warnings to two dairies, a cattle operation and a seafood processor in its latest round of posted warning letters. Glenville Farms, a dairy in Pennsylvania, was cited for illegal drug residues in a cow sold for slaughter. Tissue samples from the cow revealed the presence of desfuroylceftiofur in... Continue Reading

Health Tip: Don't Fall for Food Safety Myths

Believing a myth about food safety can leave you with a nasty case of food poisoning. Foodsafety.gov sets the record straight: Food poisoning actually is a serious illness and could cause long-term complications, even death. It's never safe to thaw food on the counter, as bacteria can grow rapidly at … continue reading