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31 Jul

Some Dark Chocolate Products Contaminated With Heavy Metals, New Study Finds

Researchers tested dozens of dark chocolate and cocoa products and found excessive levels of lead and cadmium in many of them.

Health News Results - 78

Faced with rising cases of bird flu virus being detected in raw milk in California, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Friday announced it would mandate testing for the virus in milk nationwide.

The National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) "builds on measures taken by USDA and federal and state partners since the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza [HPAI] H5N1 in dairy ca...

A California dairy farm has expanded a recall of its raw milk and cream after state health officials discovered bird flu virus in more milk samples.

In a notice posted Tuesday, Fresno-based Raw Farm LLC said it has now recalled all whole milk and cream products with "use by" dates of Nov. 27 to Dec. 13.

Meanwhile, California health ...

Following the historic destruction of Hurricane Helene, many Americans must now return to their mangled homes and begin the heartbreaking task of clean-up.

After making landfall in Florida near Tallahassee as a ferocious Cat 4 storm on Thursday, Helene caused record-breaking storm surges in Tampa, flash flooding in Atlanta and power outages, massive flooding and mud slides in the mountai...

That plastic wrap you find around the food you eat is far from benign: A new study shows that more than 3,600 chemicals leach into food during the packaging process.

Of that number, 79 chemicals are known to cause cancer, genetic mutations, and endocrine and reproductive issues, a team of international researchers reported Tuesday in the 

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 17, 2024
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  • Toxic heavy metals are found naturally worldwide in soils that produce the cocoa bean tree -- and those metals are showing up in chocolate, a new report warns.

    “We all love chocolate but it’s important to indulge with moderation as with other foods that contain heavy metals, including large fish like tuna and unwashed brown rice,” explained lead author

  • Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 31, 2024
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  • Chicken, turkey and other poultry might get a little safer after new rules to limit salmonella proposed Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

    Poultry companies would be expected to keep salmonella levels below specific thresholds under the new rules and test for six strains of the bacterium that are strongly tied to illness -- three strains in chicken and three in turkeys, ...

    Nearly 60 illnesses, including 30 hospitalizations, have now been linked to eating Diamond Shruumz edibles, U.S. health officials reported.

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted in an update issued Tuesday that of the people who got sick after eatin...

    Few Americans understand the health risks of drinking raw milk, a new survey shows, so experts are redoubling efforts to get the word out on its dangers.

    The push dovetails with the discovery this spring of bird flu virus in milk from infected cows. The H5N1 virus is widespread in wild birds worldwide and causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows. As of June 21, four human cases of...

    Amid an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows, a fourth case of H5N1 avian flu has been confirmed in another dairy worker, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday.

    The latest case was reported in Colorado, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a news release.

    "As with previous cases, the person is a worker on a dairy farm where cows tested positive ...

    A regulation allowing the use of brominated vegetable oil in food was revoked Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after the agency concluded the additive was unsafe for human consumption.

    Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) contains bromine, which is found in fire retardants. Small quantities of BVO have been used legally in some citrus-flavored drinks in the United States to keep...

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it is now investigating nearly 50 illnesses and one death that may be linked to eating Diamond Shruumz edibles.

    Of the 48 people in 24 states who said they got sick after eating the chocolate bars, cones and gummies, one patient has died and 27 have been hospitalized, the FDA noted in an updated

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 3, 2024
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  • All Diamond Shruumz edibles have been recalled after the company found high levels of a mushroom toxin in them that may have sickened 39 people in 20 states.

    The recall includes Diamond Shruumz cones, chocolate bars and gumm...

    Seafood lovers should steer clear of shellfish from Oregon and Washington state because of possible contamination with a paralyzing toxin, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned.

    In an advisory, the FDA told c...

    A company recall has been issued for cucumbers sold in 14 states because of possible contamination with salmonella.

    In a notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Florida-based Fresh Start Produce recalled t...

    After investigation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that the nation's ground beef supply is so far testing negative for the presence of H5N1 avian flu.

    In a statement, the agency said that its Food Safety and Inspection Service ...

    In yet another sign that bird flu is spreading widely among mammals, a new report finds more than half of cats at the first Texas dairy farm to have cows test positive for bird flu this spring died after drinking raw milk.

    Published Tuesday in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, the report details the earl...

    As bird flu continues to spread among dairy cows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday it is now testing ground beef for any presence of the virus.

    The agency said it is sampling ground beef bought in grocery stores in states where dairy cattle have tested positive for the virus, also known as H5N1, CNN reported. Officials are also testing samples of muscle tissue from ...

    Bits of bird flu virus have been discovered in roughly 20% of retail milk samples tested in a national survey, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.

    The finding suggests that bird flu has spread far more widely among dairy cows than officials first thou...

    Bits of inactive bird flu virus have been discovered in samples of pasteurized milk from across the United States, health officials said Tuesday, although they stressed the viral fragments don't threaten humans.

    However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did note that testing suggests that bird flu has likely infected far more dairy cows than officials realized.

    Still, "to date,...

    Nearly 20% of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables that Americans eat contain concerning levels of pesticides, a new report finds.

    Pesticides posed significant risks in popular choices such as strawberries, green beans, bell peppers, blueberries and potatoes, the review...

    At least 251 cases of lead poisoning linked to tainted fruit puree pouches have now been reported in 34 states, U.S. health officials said.

    That's up from 205 cases reported in the last weekly tally, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention noted in its latest update

    Blue Ridge Beef, a maker of raw pet foods, has announced it is recalling some of its products for kittens and puppies because of possible contamination with salmonella and listeria.

    After being notified earlier this month by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that health officials found salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in certain products, the...

    At least 205 cases of lead poisoning linked to contaminated fruit puree pouches have now been reported in the United States, federal health officials report.

    That's up from 125 cases in the last weekly tally, with 33 states now reporting poisonings, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said in its

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • December 21, 2023
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  • Knives, vegetable peelers, blenders: There are plenty of ways to injure yourself in the kitchen during the holidays.

    To keep things merry, cheery and safe, experts at Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH (MOR) in Chicago say there are simple steps you and those who are helping you cook can take to stay safe.

    They point out that every year 350,000 people are seen in U.S. emergency rooms for ...

    FRIDAY, Dec. 8, 2023 (Healthday News) -- A salmonella outbreak tied to tainted cantaloupes keeps expanding, with cases doubling since the last tally, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

    "Since the last update [on] November 30, 2023, an additional 113 people infected with this outbreak strain of salmonella have been reported from four additional states, resulting in a total case count...

    FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2023 (Healthday News) -- Shoppers should steer clear of any pre-cut cantaloupe if the brand is unknown, as a salmonella outbreak linked to the fruit continues to widen, U.S. health officials warned Thursday.

    Eighteen more illnesses have been reported since Nov. 24, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said in an updated

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • December 1, 2023
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  • MONDAY, Nov. 27, 2023 (Healthday News) -- Three more brands of cantaloupe have been recalled by U.S. health officials after salmonella infections linked to the fruit more than doubled in just a week.

    The case count now includes nearly 100 people in 32 states, with Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio having the highest number of illnesses reported. Two people have died in Minn...

    Countless corks will pop and wine will flow freely during the upcoming holiday season, but some people will pay a price for even the slightest bit of revelry.

    For those unlucky folks, drinking red wine even in small amounts causes a headache, typically within 30 minutes to three hours after imbibing just a small glass.

    But researchers now think they've cracked the mystery of why som...

    FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2023 (Healthday News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday it has found early evidence that cinnamon may be the source of high levels of lead in fruit puree pouches that have now sickened 34 children.

    The agency, in partnership with the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, has been investigating illnesses linked to the consumption of Apple Cinna...

    WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2023 (Healthday News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it plans to pull a veterinary drug used commonly in the pork industry because it might pose a cancer risk to humans wh...

    Amid reports of more illnesses and additional product recalls, U.S. health officials have expanded their investigation into potentially lead-tainted pouches of apple cinnamon pureed fruit.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in an updated alert post...

    Nearly 30,000 pounds of dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets have been recalled by maker Tyson Foods Inc. after customers discovered small bits of metal in some of the nuggets.

    There has been one reported minor oral injury associated with consumption of the nuggets, which were produced on Sept. 5, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said in a

    Certain pureed fruit pouches from WanaBana may contain dangerous levels of lead, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned.

    Parents and caregivers should not buy or serve WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches to children, the agency said in a recent

  • Robin Foster and Cara Murez and Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporters
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  • October 31, 2023
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  • California has become the first state to ban four chemicals commonly added to food that are linked to health issues.

    Although the law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, only bans the additives in his state, it's possible the ch...

    A Pfizer plant that makes vital drugs, anesthesia and hospital supplies has restarted production after a 10-week shutdown.

    The plant, located in Rocky Mount, N.C., sustained severe tornado damage on July 19, when roofs were ripped off and medications tossed around.

    "This expedited restart is a proud achievement for the Rocky Mount team; however, it is only the first step toward ful...

    California is on track to become the first state to ban four food additives that some experts have linked to health issues ranging from behavioral problems in children to reproductive issues to cancer in lab animals.

    On Tuesday, the legislature passed Assembly Bill 418, which...

    The maker of the "One Chip Challenge"has pulled the product from store shelves after a Massachusetts mom claimed the super spicy chip, packaged in a coffin-shaped container, contributed to the death of her 14-year-old son.

    "The Paqui One Chip Challenge is intended for adults only, with clear and prominent labeling highlighting the chip is not for children or anyone sensitive to spicy food...

    New research on a leading cause of foodborne illness has linked a large share of Michigan infections to antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains.

    More than 100 strains of Campylobacter jejuni circulating in Michigan are resistant to at least one antibiotic, according to researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. More th...

    A strain of listeria bacteria found in milkshakes at a restaurant in Washington state has been linked to six hospitalizations and three deaths.

    The milkshakes were sold at Frugals restaurant in Tacoma, Wash.

    Only the Tacoma site of Frugals, a small fast-food chain in Washington and Montana, appears to have been affected, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

    ...

    The artificial sweetener aspartame is in the hot seat once more.

    Two separate committees made up of health experts from around the world will soon offer advice on consuming aspartame, a popular sugar substitute that is added to sodas, cough drops, desserts and gum.

    The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 30, 2023
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  • Americans could soon be eating "lab-grown"chicken at upscale restaurants after the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved products made by two companies on Wednesday.

    Upside Foods and

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 22, 2023
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  • Federal regulators have finalized new guidance on how much inorganic arsenic can be present in apple juice, in an effort to limit the exposure of infants and young children to this environmental contaminant.

    What is the new limit? 10 parts per billion, a number first proposed in 2013.

    "We are finalizing an action level of 10 ppb because we consider this level achievable with the u...

    Providing sick leave to restaurant workers could help prevent the spread of foodborne illness because ill workers are key drivers of outbreaks at restaurants, a new government report shows.

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published data on Tuesday covering 800 outbreaks of foodborne illness at restaurants between 2017 and 2019.

    The cases were reported by 25 stat...

    The last thing you want to invite to your Memorial Day cookout is foodborne illness.

    An expert from Virginia Tech offers some suggestions for keeping it at bay, even when cooking something you may have less experience with, such as plant-based or turkey burgers instead of beef patties.

    "If you choose the classic ground beef burger, it should be cooked to an internal temperature of...

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday that a salmonella outbreak involving 18 people in six states has been linked to Papa Murphy's raw cookie dough

    Two individuals were hospitalized in connection with the infections, the CDC said in its

    Another brand of baby formula is a facing a recall.

    Formula manufacturer Reckitt recalled 145,000 cans of Enfamil ProSobee formula on Monday because of possible cross-contamination with Cronoba...

    A variety of sandwiches, salads, wraps, snacks and yogurt made by the company Fresh Ideation Food Group have been recalled because of potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

    All of the products have a "Fresh Creative Cuisine"label or an identifier on the bottom of the label with the Fresh Creative Cuisine name, the Baltimore company said in its

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • February 7, 2023
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  • A U.S. Food and Drug Administration official who has led the agency's food policy efforts since 2018 announced his resignation on Wednesday.

    Frank Yiannas was also among the top officials leading the agency response to last year's infant formula shortage.

    "Today, I informed [FDA] Commissioner ...

    Trouble continues for Abbott Laboratories, which shut down an infant formula plant last year amid reported illnesses.

    The U.S. Department of Justice is now investigating the company, though Abbott did not say specifically what the investigation is covering, NBC News reported.

    "DOJ has informed us of its investigation and we're cooperating fully,"an Abbott spokesperson sai...

    Organic food will soon have to comply with stricter labeling rules under new requirements announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

    In what the Organic Trade Organization (OTA) called the biggest change since the USDA's organic program was first founded in 1990, the

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • January 20, 2023
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