msnbc.com: Food Safety

Senate panel passes food safety reform bill

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:11:24 GMT

A Senate committee passed legislation on Wednesday that would increase government oversight of the U.S. food supply, which has been battered by a series of high-profile recalls that have soured consumer confidence in the food safety system.

Food safety - United States - Government - United States Senate - Technology

Oyster fans force FDA to back off seasonal ban

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:47:13 GMT

Facing fierce resistance, the Obama administration on Friday backed off a plan to ban sales of raw oysters from the Gulf of Mexico during warm-weather months.

Gulf of Mexico - Food and Drug Administration - Presidency of Barack Obama - United States - Politics

E. coli risk in school lunches sparks probe

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:36:55 GMT

The chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee wants an investigation into the risk of deadly E. coli getting into school lunches.

Salmonella victims angry over no prosecutions

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:04:45 GMT

Despite the fanfare over the criminal probe of one of the largest product recalls ever, no one has yet been charged in the salmonella outbreak caused by contaminated peanuts.

Two deaths possible in ground beef recall

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 21:40:26 GMT

A New York meat company has recalled more than 546,000 pounds of ground beef because, according to health officials, the contaminated meat has caused illness and at least one death.

NYT: E. coli path shows beef inspection flaws

Sun, 4 Oct 2009 17:56:31 GMT

Meat companies and grocers are barred from selling ground beef tainted with the virulent strain of E. coli known as O157:H7, but a single hamburger patty is often made up of many meats and there is no federal law for grinders to test for the pathogen.

Gulf oyster fisheries say FDA may kill business

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:38:24 GMT

Federal officials plan to ban sales of raw oysters harvested from the Gulf of Mexico unless the shellfish are treated to destroy potentially deadly bacteria.

White House announces food safety Web site

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 18:49:50 GMT

The Obama administration is rolling out a new Web site designed to streamline food safety information for consumers.

Green onions recalled over salmonella fears

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 00:03:20 GMT

Two California produce shippers have recalled thousands of cases of green onions supplied by an onion farm in Mexicali, Mexico, over fears the onions could be contaminated with salmonella.

FDA requires faster food safety reporting

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 19:22:49 GMT

Food makers will be required to alert government officials of potentially contaminated products within 24 hours under a new rule designed to help federal regulators spot food safety issues sooner.

Ground beef recalled after salmonella outbreak

Thu, 6 Aug 2009 16:46:20 GMT

An outbreak of salmonellosis in Colorado prompted the recall of 825,769 lbs of ground beef by a California beef company, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Thursday.

Obama calls food safety bill a ‘major step’

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:43:00 GMT

The House passed a far-reaching food safety bill Thursday in the wake of the recent outbreak of salmonella in peanuts that killed at least nine people.

Concerns over superbugs in our food supply

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:16:01 GMT

A potentially deadly new strain of antibiotic-resistant microbes may be widespread in our food supply.

Illinois meat firm recalling beef due to E. coli

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:35:36 GMT

Illinois-based meat company E.S. Miller Packing Co was recalling about 219 lbs of ground beef products amid concerns it could be contaminated with E.coli, the government said.

Nestle dough’s E. coli doesn’t match outbreak

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:50:49 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration said the strain of E. coli found in a sample of raw cookie dough collected at a Nestle USA manufacturing plant does not match the strain that has been linked to a 30-state outbreak.

Stricter labeling urged for bottled water

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 18:00:03 GMT

Consumers know less about the water they pay dearly for in bottles than what they can drink almost for free from the tap because the two are regulated differently, a new report shows.

Can new U.S. rules make food safer to eat?

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 21:01:11 GMT

New safety standards aimed at reducing salmonella and E. coli outbreaks are part of a government effort to try to make food safer to eat.

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Tue, 7 Jul 2009 21:01:11 GMT

Two energy drink brands recalled for tampering

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:45:16 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to buy two types of energy drinks packaged in test-tube like vials because of tampering.

E. coli in beef linked to 12 hospitalizations

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:23:37 GMT

Federal health officials say at least 12 people have been hospitalized in connection with a possible E.coli outbreak in beef and two of them suffered kidney failure.

FDA confirms E. coli in Nestle cookie dough

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:02:15 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration says a sample of raw cookie dough collected at a Nestle USA manufacturing plant last week has tested positive for E. coli.

Beef recall expanded with 18 possibly sickened

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:22:10 GMT

A Colorado meat company is expanding a recall of beef due to possible contamination by E.coli O157:H7 bacteria after an investigation found 18 illnesses may be linked to the meat.

Nestlé refused FDA information, reports show

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:58:36 GMT

Inspection reports from a Nestle USA cookie dough factory show the company refused several times to provide Food and Drug Administration inspectors with complaint logs, pest-control records and other information.

FDA: Salmonella risk seen in pistachio brands

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:29:23 GMT

Consumers should avoid two brands of pistachios tied to a salmonella-related recall because they may have been repackaged and sold in airports and hotels, the FDA said.

FDA chief makes produce safety early priority

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:36:08 GMT

Calling it "a critical time" for food safety, the Food and Drug Administration's new chief said she plans to strengthen steps to prevent contamination of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Fearing E. coli, Portland company recalls beef

Wed, 3 Jun 2009 18:05:43 GMT

The federal government says a Portland company is recalling nearly 40,000 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated by E. coli bacteria.

New FDA chiefs vow to fix lax food safety

Tue, 26 May 2009 18:24:57 GMT

The huge salmonella outbreak from peanut butter represented a failure of the Food and Drug Administration, that agency's new chiefs declared Tuesday — one they hope to fix.

FDA: Pistachio plant knew nuts were tainted

Fri, 22 May 2009 21:36:14 GMT

Food safety inspectors say a California plant at the center of a salmonella scare knew some of its pistachios were tainted but continued shipping nuts for another six months.

Ground beef recalled for E. coli contamination

Fri, 22 May 2009 17:40:14 GMT

A northwestern Illinois meatpacker is recalling nearly 96,000 pounds of its ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli.

FDA lags in food safety audits

Mon, 18 May 2009 19:01:57 GMT

The FDA conducted only about half the state food safety audits it promised in the two years before the recent peanut salmonella outbreak, according to new documents.

NYT: With frozen foods, burden of safety is on you

Thu, 14 May 2009 23:11:47 GMT

Some processed food giants concede that they cannot ensure the safety of items — from frozen vegetables to pizzas — and that they are shifting the burden to the consumer.

Food firm recalls lead-contaminated lollipops

Sat, 2 May 2009 08:34:59 GMT

A California-based food distribution company is recalling candy imported from Mexico because it contains high levels of lead.

Contaminated spinach found in Wisconsin

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:09:08 GMT

Wisconsin officials are recommending residents throw away bags of spinach distributed by a Milwaukee food processor after some tested positive for salmonella.

Avoid raw alfalfa sprouts due to salmonella risk

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:32:22 GMT

Government health officials are telling people to avoid eating raw alfalfa sprouts, because they could be contaminated with a strain of salmonella.

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Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:32:22 GMT

Bottled water may have sickened 12 kids

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:23:37 GMT

A dozen students complained of feeling sick after drinking bottled water, but the FBI said that no sign of tampering was found and initial tests detected no contamination.

Alfalfa sprouts sold to Calif. eateries recalled

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:02:15 GMT

A Southern California company has recalled alfalfa sprouts that may be contaminated with salmonella.

State, local changes seen as key to food safety

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:49:44 GMT

Efforts to overhaul the U.S. food safety system could suffer unless major gaps in state and local programs are repaired and integrated with changes taking place in Washington.

Lobbyists: In a nutshell, peanuts are safe

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:16:34 GMT

The battered peanut industry has a new message: Peanuts are safe to eat, and there's a law in the works to make them even safer. So have a handful.

What salmonella? Many ignore food recalls

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:22:09 GMT

Only about 60 percent of Americans search their homes for foods recalled because of contamination, researchers reported on Tuesday.

Listeria risk prompts Conn. sprout recall

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:38:18 GMT

Amalgamated Produce, Inc. of Bridgeport has announced a voluntary recall of sprouts because they have the potential to be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.

Little progress against food poisoning in 2008

Thu, 9 Apr 2009 16:48:12 GMT

Americans didn't suffer more food poisoning last year despite high-profile outbreaks involving peppers, peanut butter and other foods, according to a government report.

List of recalled pistachio products

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:40:16 GMT

The following recalls have been announced because the pistachio products may be contaminated with salmonella.

Texas peanut plant fined $14.6 million

Thu, 9 Apr 2009 19:57:34 GMT

A state health agency has levied a $14.6 million fine against the Texas plant owned by a peanut company at the heart of a national salmonella outbreak.

Warrant out for firm that refused peanut recall

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 17:08:22 GMT

U.S. marshalls served a warrant on a company that has refused to recall peanut products at the center of a major salmonella outbreak, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

More pistachios recalled as salmonella verified

Tue, 7 Apr 2009 01:40:17 GMT

Federal officials confirmed Monday they found traces of salmonella in a central California pistachio processing plant that sparked a nationwide recall of the nut.

Plant at center of recall had salmonella last year

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 21:42:27 GMT

A firm involved in a nationwide pistachio recall this week says nuts from its sister company in California tested positive for salmonella in September 2008.

FDA eyes N.Y. firm in pistachio recall probe

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 23:11:32 GMT

The probe into a nationwide salmonella scare over pistachio nuts shifted Thursday from a California nut processor to its sister company in New York.

Tests nipped risk of tainted pistachios in bud

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 11:02:13 GMT

A nationwide recall of 2 million pounds of pistachios in the wake of a salmonella scare has increased calls for more stringent food testing laws.

Pistachio recall widens amid salmonella fears

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 16:51:14 GMT

The U.S. recall of pistachio nuts due to potential salmonella contamination widened as more snack makers, stores removed suspect products for sale as a precautionary measure.