Cold plasma has captured scientists’ imagination in almost every field, and food safety is no exception. The USDA and consumer groups continue to fund cold plasma research, and the results are potentially revolutionary. Plasma, which is considered the fourth state of matter after solids, liquids and gases, is created by breaking apart gas molecules and…
Lifestyle
Today marks the beginning of the semi-annual meeting of the National Organic Standards Board, which advises the USDA’s National Organic Program on policies and regulations. The five-day meeting will be live online with a recorded version to be posted on the National Organic Program website. “With input from the Board and the organic community, we…
- Lifestyle
Alerts added for imported dried shark fins, fresh produce, cheese, illegal coloring
by Sue JonesThe Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed. Recent modifications to FDA’s import alerts, as posted by the agency, are listed below. Click here to go to the FDA page with links for specific details…
’Tis the season! The season for shopping, that is. And though the big day is technically over, luckily for you, many of the best Cyber Monday deals of 2021 are still left—but not for long. This year, Cyber Week was more of a month than a week, with big-name retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom, Target, Walmart,…
Attention, beauty lovers: The best Cyber Monday makeup and beauty deals of 2021 are still up for grabs for a few more hours, so we suggest you clear your cabinets of expired products you probably won’t miss all that much. We scoured the web for the best markdowns on skin-care and makeup, and don’t think…
It’s not too late: The very best exercise bike Cyber Monday deals for 2021 haven’t been cleared out yet—and we’re making sure you know about them while there’s still time to buy. Maybe you’ve browsed activewear sales and snagged a few fitness deals on exercise equipment already (is a new treadmill in the cards?), but you’re…
- Lifestyle
Very few details available from FDA for ongoing foodborne illness investigations
by Sue JonesThe Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating four foodborne illness outbreaks. There are few new details available about the outbreaks since the agency’s update a week ago. The investigation information includes: An Outbreak Advisory including a recall in the outbreak of Salmonella Thompson linked to seafood. On-site inspection, sample collection, and analysis has been…
Results of a study suggest that Salmonella prevalence in pigs at slaughter in the United Kingdom did not change much from 2013 to 2019. Findings are from an abattoir-based survey that sampled cecal contents pigs in nine British pig abattoirs during 2019. The cecum is at the start of the large intestine. Salmonella was isolated…
- Lifestyle
Hepatitis A patient count more than doubles among patrons of Virginia restaurants
by Sue JonesHealth officials in the Roanoke, VA, area say the number of hepatitis A infections linked to three Famous Anthony’s restaurants has more than doubled, with 20 people requiring hospitalization. The Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts report the patient count jumped from 14 to 35 cases since the most recent update, according to WFXR radio.…
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect the Instant Pot Cyber Monday deals we’re seeing. For the shopping holiday, select retailers are offering the do-it-all Instant Pot at over 50% off for a limited time.If you’ve upped the ante on your home cooking game, there’s never been a better time to invest in…