Roof Leak at Plant Implicated in Outbreak

39 people in 15 states were sick between February and May

(AP) - A total of 39 people, nearly half of them ages 5 and under, were sickened from a salmonella outbreak spread through handling baby chicks or ducklings. The cases occurred from late February to late May and are spread through 15 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Ohio had the most cases, with eight. The other states were Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. More»

Made in big batches and left sitting out, dips can cause trouble

(NEWSER) - As guacamole and salsa become more popular, they also account for a rising number of cases of food poisoning, new statistics show. The dips once represented 1.5% of foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurants and delis, but between 1998 and 2008, that fraction climbed to nearly 4%. Part of the problem: Salsa and guacamole often sit out at room temperature, and they're prepared in such large quantities that contamination can spread to many people, reports MSNBC . More»

In detecting outbreaks of tainted food, some states are far superior

(NEWSER) - When it comes to salmonella and other food-borne illnesses, federal agencies are rightly putting money into preventing future outbreaks, but few agencies are focused on detecting them. That task falls mostly to state and local officials, which means the ability to connect several sick citizens and call it a salmonella outbreak varies widely by state, the New York Times reports. More»

Multiple safety violations found at plant linked to salmonella outbreak

(NEWSER) - A Texas peanut plant owned by the company blamed for a nationwide salmonella outbreak has been ordered to shell out $14.6 million for safety violations, AP reports. State officials levied the fine—the largest ever in Texas—for violations including unsanitary conditions, product contamination and operating without a license for four years. More»

(AP) - Kraft Foods detected salmonella in a California nut company's product over 6 months ago but didn't notify the firm until last week, a rep for the parent company said today. Roasted nuts from Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc., the company at the heart of the nationwide pistachio recall, failed a Kraft salmonella test in September 2008, the AP reports. More»