Bailee Henderson

The number of patients reported in the ongoing Escherichia coli outbreak linked to onions served at McDonald’s restaurants has grown to 104 people across 14 states. A patient has recently been reported in North Carolina.

A recent study found the majority of vegan meat and dairy alternatives available in England to be of satisfactory microbiological quality. Tofu from one producer had a Listeria problem.

Researchers are pointing to the food safety and public health threat of microplastics in wastewater, which can serve as a vehicle for pathogenic biofilm communities and antibiotics, introducing these hazards to the environment and crops, and even contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released its Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary for 2023, which showed more than 99 percent of sampled products to be compliant with pesticide residue tolerances set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Between 2017 and 2019, Canadian public health laboratories transitioned to whole genome sequencing (WGS) for foodborne illness outbreak surveillance. A recent study shows the positive impact of this transition of national outbreak detection and response for important foodborne pathogens. 

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was investigating a grower of interest in Washington state, the agency has been unable to definitively implicate a grower in the Escherichia coli outbreak linked to onions supplied by Taylor Farms and served at McDonald’s.

A recent study of ground beef-related Salmonella outbreaks found higher levels of infection among more socioeconomically vulnerable individuals.

In the debut installment of the Food Safety Five Newsreel, we discuss an ongoing multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli infections linked to onions served at McDonald’s restaurants. The episode also takes a look at legislation passed in California that marks the country’s first mandatory food date labeling reforms.

In an October 31 webinar, Jim Jones, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, provided insight into the work of the Human Foods Program and how budgetary constraints are affecting its work.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially named Taylor Farms onions served at McDonald’s as the source of the recent Escherichia coli outbreak, and has reported 90 illnesses, 27 hospitalizations, two cases of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, and one fatality.