Food Safety

In certain sports stadiums and arenas across the country, millions of Americans are inadvertently putting themselves at risk of serious illness when patronizing some concession stands. ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reviewed health department inspection reports for food and beverage outlets at all 107 North American arenas and stadiums that were home to professional baseball, football,... Read More »

Foodborne diseases cost the United States an estimated $152 billion each year in health-related expenses, according to a study from the Food Safety Campaign at the Pew Charitable Trusts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an estimated 76 million Americans are sickened by contaminated food every year and 5,000 of these people die. Can a simple... Read More »

New research reported by Kim Cook, a microbiologist at the Agricultural Research Servicein Bowling Green, Kentucky, shows the best way to prevent the spread of Johne’s disease on dairy farms is to use stainless steel water troughs and add chlorine to the water. Johne’s disease is caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and can cause losses of as much as $200,000 per... Read More »

In January, Russia began blocking imports of U.S. poultry because of concerns about chlorine rinses, which are routinely used by poultry processors in the United States to kill pathogens that can cause food poisoning among consumers. According to a Russian consumer rights group, 80 percent of poultry meat in Moscow is contaminated with salmonella bacteria. The discovery... Read More »

Two downloadable posters provide simple disinfection directions for workers in restaurant and institutional kitchens. Simple, stepwise directions for disinfecting food “prep” and sink bay areas are provided. English and Spanish language posters are available in both.... Read More »

To help keep produce fresh and increase shelf life, scientists are seeking new, more advanced techniques that provide healthy, safe alternatives to conventional packing methods. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service have developed and tested an effective new technique that combines hot water treatment, stem removal, and modified atmosphere packaging to... Read More »

As of January 1, Russia is blocking imports of U.S. poultry because of concerns about chlorine rinses, which are routinely used by poultry processors in the United States to kill pathogens that can cause food poisoning among consumers. Despite what Reuters calls “overwhelming scientific evidence” showing chlorine is a safe and effective disinfectant for use in the poultry industry,... Read More »