A foodborne listeriosis outbreak in Ireland has sickened nine people and resulted in one death. Preliminary investigation results suggest the likely cause are ready-to-heat meals produced by Ballymaguire Foods, sold under a variety of brand names at major retailers. Recalls have been initiated in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Federal support for state-level foodborne illness surveillance programs, directed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), significantly improves participating states’ detection and reporting of foodborne illness outbreaks, a new study demonstrates.
A U.S. District Court has entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Rizo Lopez Foods, a company that produced queso fresco and cotija cheese products linked to a decade-long listeriosis outbreak, requiring the firm to stop producing and selling certain products until FDA can confirm its compliance with federal food safety regulations.
Boar’s Head has appointed Frank Yiannas, former FDA Deputy Commissioner of Food Policy and Response, as its interim Chief Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer (CFSO) and Chair of its Food Safety Advisory Council. Both the CFSO role and advisory council are new additions to Boar’s Head’s structure, established in response to the fatal listeriosis outbreak of 2024.
Members of Congress have written a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) asking the agency to answer questions about its inspection actions leading up to the fatal Boar’s Head listeriosis outbreak, and about its authorities and processes for preventing such events.
So far, 12 severe cases of illness, including seizures, have been linked to the consumption of Diamond Shruumz brand mushroom-based chocolates and candies. The products are marketed as way to “microdose” (implying a drug-like effect), but also claim not to contain psychedelic substances.
A European multi-country foodborne illness outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes, in which ready-to-eat (RTE) fish is the suspected cause, has resulted in two deaths.
The owner of the Tchin Tchin Wine Bar in Bordeaux, France has been charged with involuntary homicide after 15 people fell ill and one person died due to botulism caused by contaminated sardine preserves made by the establishment.
A recent analysis of a Canadian foodborne salmonellosis outbreak investigation has highlighted the importance of considering possible aerosolization of bacteria from drainage systems in restaurants as a risk factor for foodborne illness outbreaks.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published a new webpage with information about a persistent, multidrug-resistant strain of Salmonella Infantis known as REPJFX01, which has been the cause of many illnesses and outbreaks.
