2014

Last week, we related how a new rule has come into effect in California requiring all food preparers at restaurant establishments to wear gloves as they go about their preparatory procedures.  However, a debate has sprung up about the value of this rule, and the Los Angeles Times explores that debate in a new report…. read more

If your children are old enough and responsible enough, you may decide to let them stay by themselves after they get home from school.  If you’ve made this decision, though, you need to make sure that they’re able to remain safe during this time.  That means locking the door and not letting in strangers, but… read more

A recall has been issued on 33,840 pounds’ worth of chicken products because there’s a risk that they could be contaminated by Salmonella.  The Sedalia, Missouri-based Tyson Foods announced the recall, which affects mechanically separated chicken available to institutions in 40 pound cases.  The recall was initiated after a correctional institution in Tennessee reported an… read more

The alleged presence of cockroaches has triggered a shutdown of a Foster Farms facility based in the California city of Livingston.  The move comes on the heels of repeated citations from the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which found cockroach-related issues at the plant multiple times between September and now.  The latest incident, in which… read more

For much of the past century (and in centuries prior), people really didn’t get much of a say in matters of food safety.  You went to a restaurant or the grocery store and picked up what was on the shelves.  Even with the formation of the Food and Drug Administration and various rules about food… read more

At the beginning of this year, a rule came into effect that sought to reduce instances of foodborne illness among restaurant patrons in the state of California.  The next six months will see food operators from around the state being eased into the rule, which requires all persons preparing and handling ready-to-eat food products to… read more

The threat of a Salmonella contamination has prompted the recall of various flavors of cashew cheese items from the West Sacramento, California-based Cultured Kitchen.  The recall affects non-dairy products in six different flavors, all of which would have come in an eight ounce round container carrying an expiration date of April 19, 2014 or sooner. … read more

Two different sausage products have been recalled by a San Jose, California company because of concerns about the possible contamination of the products by Staphylococcus aureus.  The recall, which was announced by Lee Bros. Foodservice, affects Pork Sausages and Pork and Chicken Sausages under the Lee’s Sandwiches brand.  The packaging is 16 ounces in size… read more

Now that a couple days have elapsed since Christmas, we’ve reached that point where extra caution needs to be used with whatever leftovers you may have stored after your holiday meal was complete.  This is especially so if you have leftovers from Christmas Eve.  Food safety will be essential in the coming days as the… read more

Christmas might be over, but that certainly doesn’t mean that taking the proper precautions should come to a similar end.   You want to be able to ensure the safety of yourself and your family well into the New Year and beyond, and to do that, consider exercising some of the precautions discussed in a… read more

If you’re preparing a meal this Christmas, or contributing to a pot luck, then you may find yourself using a crock pot during preparations.  When you do this, you have to pay attention to food safety just like you would with any other type of cooking device.  Thankfully, a new report provides some tips in… read more

Chicken safety and federal agencies’ ability to ensure such has come under fire from two new reports that highlight the somewhat disappointing state of the industry.  The Los Angeles Times has related both findings in a new article. The Pew Charitable Trusts report concerns itself more with addressing the lack of authority currently provided to… read more