FitSugar

Tainted Cantaloupes and Listeriosis: What You Need to Know

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:11:10 PDT

Listeria-tainted cantaloupes have now affected at least 14 states including Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and California. So far, 55 infections and eight deaths have been confirmed, and even more are suspected. Local, state, and federal health experts are investigating the increasing outbreak connected to whole cantaloupes grown in the Rocky Ford-region of Colorado and shipped by supplier Jensen Farms of Holly, CO. The FDA issued a cantaloupe recall on Sept. 14, after tests revealed victims were infected with four strains of listeria. Jenson Farms is fully cooperating with health officials to determine the cause of the outbreak.

The whole cantaloupes may be marked by one of two stickers: A green and white sticker that reads: Product of USA - Frontera Produce - Colorado Fresh - Rocky Ford Cantaloupe. Or, a gray, yellow, and green sticker that reads: Jensen Farms - Sweet Rocky Fords. If you've purchased cantaloupe from this company, throw it out ASAP. Even if you've eaten the melon and haven't gotten sick, ditch the fruit anyway as infections can arise up to two months after eating a food contaminated with listeria. Also, the FDA warns people not to attempt to wash away the bacteria as both the inside and outside of the melons might be contaminated.

I'm sure you have tons of questions about listeriosis, so keep reading to learn more about this infection, and find out what you can do to prevent getting sick.

Yummy Links: From Shark's Fin to Horse Meat

YumSugar — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:57:25 PDT

One Hong Kong-born chef on why Chinese culture doesn't need shark fin. - Inside Scoop
What do you think of Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover of Bon Appétit? - The Feast NY
Spring is in the glass! 107 drinks to make right now. - Grub Street NY
Here are 50 more food blogs that you should be reading. - Saveur
Today, one man will take a bite out of his 25,000th Big Mac. - Bites on Today
Chicago, the city named after ramps. - Good
Memorial day must make: grilled tomato bloody maria. - Serious Eats
What should a restaurant do when it's accused of food poisoning? - Chow
Top Chef Canada has its hoof in its mouth over a challenge involving horse meat. - Huffington Post Food

Source: Flickr User InterContinental Hong Kong

Have You Ever Had a Food-Related Illness?

Susannah Chen — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:30:59 PST

Following countless recalls, food safety has never been a bigger concern in America. Despite steps taken by the Obama administration and the FDA to address consumer concerns, a new memo from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in six Americans fall prey to foodborne illnesses a year. Have you been one of them?

Yummy Links: From Katie Lee to Mario Batali

partysugar — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:30:35 PDT

A look at Katie Lee's everyday diet. - Grub Street NY
Poultry is the leading food poisoning culprit, followed closely by beef. - Huffington Post Food
Everything you ever wanted to know about boiling water. - Serious Eats
The food you should give new parents. - Chow
Meet Remy Mumby, the ten-year-old boy who eats balut. - Feast NY
Gearing up for back to school. - The Epi-Log
Mario Batali's next cookbook will be vegetarian. - Eater NY

Health Headlines: Think You Know?

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 07:00:13 PDT

Sneezes, cyclists, and dangerous dips - there's a lot happening in the health and fitness world these days. Have you been keeping on top of the latest headlines? Take my quiz to test your knowledge! If you don't know, we'll explain all of the latest happenings to you in the end!

Take the Quiz

Food Poisoning Prevention Tip: Close the Fridge!

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:00:06 PDT

Last week, a friend and I went to a restaurant and ordered pizza topped with stracciatella, a soft, fresh cheese. It was delicious, and we popped the leftovers in the fridge to save for later. The next day, she took the leftover pizza out of the fridge and ate it for dinner - and promptly got a severe case of food poisoning. Turns out, one of us hadn't closed the refrigerator the whole way, and the cheese had been exposed to the summer heat overnight, causing it to go bad.

According to the USDA, perishable food that has been left out at room temperature for two hours should be tossed immediately. And since you can't smell bacteria - which thrives on food left at room temperature - the "smell test" doesn't work, either. Sadly, an open fridge in 70-degree heat will not keep food at the recommended 40 degrees, so as soon as we realized what happened, it was time for a massive fridge clean-out.

We started by tossing all of the dairy (including butter), then salad dressing, mayonnaise, deli meats (bye, delicious, expensive bacon), and all of the other leftovers in the fridge. Because we were unsure how long the fridge had been open (and because seeing how sick my friend was made me not want to take any chances!), we weren't discriminating in tossing the food - even if it didn't look or smell bad.

Is It a Stomach Bug or Food Poisoning?

FitSugar — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:17:03 PDT

Since it's that time of year when illness spreads like jam on toast, I'm sure you or someone you know has suffered from a stomach bug. Or was it food poisoning? It's good to know which it is, so you know whether or not you are contagious or if other people shouldn't eat the mystery meat you ate in the fridge.

So how can you tell? To find out read more.

Treat Food Poisoning With Coconut Water

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:00:21 PDT

Recently, I came down with a really bad case of food poisoning while traveling. Although I made it through the worst of it before my flight home, I still felt completely exhausted, weak, and dehydrated the days following. I was taught that it was water or bust when it came to food poisoning, but my doctor was quick to tell me that coconut water contained almost everything I needed for a speedy recovery.

The fitness community has been touting the benefits of coconut water for a while now, even referring to it as "nature's sports drink." Most notably, it naturally contains five electrolytes, and in cases of severe dehydration - like food poisoning - electrolytes are exactly what you need replaced for healthy bodily function.

To see how coconut water compares with sports drinks, just

Have You Ever Had Food Poisoning?

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:30:00 PST

I hate when I have stomach issues, and having food poisoning has got to be the worst. It stinks that something you ate, whether it was out to dinner, at a friend's house, or in your own kitchen, could make you have to run to the bathroom every five minutes (or never leave for hours). Sometimes knowing others have felt your pain can make you feel better, so tell me . . .

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FDA Gives the OK on Eating Tomatoes

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:00:00 PDT

If you've been avoiding certain tomatoes since this horrific salmonella outbreak, go ahead and bite into any tomato you want. Since no strain of salmonella Saintpaul was found on any farms that were tested, the FDA believes that consumers can now enjoy all types of fresh tomatoes.

The mystery still stands though as to what caused this outbreak in the first place, which has now sickened 1,220 people in 42 states - the earliest case on April 10 and the latest so far on July 4. Hot peppers are still on the list of things to watch out for, so people with weakened immune systems and the elderly should avoid fresh jalapeños and serranos.

I'm wondering, have you been avoiding tomatoes recently? If so, will the FDA's announcement settle your mind and let you enjoy tomatoes again, or are you still a little leery?

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