Foodborne disease outbreaks and recalls usually dictate the foods we cover. We usually follow the pathogens without any other discriminating factor. So, if we are focused on beef, or spinach, or sprouts, or cantaloupe, or whatever, we just follow the story. Of course, there are always exceptions to rules. Food Safety News has been fortunate…
Letter From the Editor: Food Fraud
Put a gun to my head to make me talk about food fraud and I am probably going to begin babbling about honey and horsemeat. Food fraud is a subject associated with food safety based on simple logic. If you are going to engage in food fraud, in all likelihood you don’t give a crap…
"Honeygate" Sting Leads to Charges for Illegal Chinese Honey Importation
Five people and two U.S. honey processors were charged with federal crimes last week as a result of an investigation into illegal importation of honey from China, known as “Honeygate,” led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations. The government is alleging that Chinese honey — which can be laced with…
Colorado Tot Recovering from Rare Infant Botulism
A Colorado infant is recovering on a breathing machine at Rocky Mountain Hospital in Denver after being diagnosed with a rare type of botulism. 
Dr. Tracy Butler with the hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit told local media that if this botulism is not caught early, infants could stop breathing at home and run the risk…
2012 Reader’s Choices: Most Popular Food Safety News Stories
Editor’s Note: With only a few days of 2012 remaining, it’s time to take a look back at the year. That’s what we will be doing today and tomorrow. We are going to begin with your choices for 2012, those stories that drew the most readership at Food Safety News. We are calling these the …
Food Safety Endangered Worldwide by Increased Food Counterfeiting
Were it not for all the insects that other tenants of a private warehouse were pretty sure were coming from a neighboring space, phony “Heinz” ketchup might now be on its way to unsuspecting consumers.Fraudulent “Heinz” ketchup, probably intended for the world market, is but one example of “counterfeit food.” Around the world, there are…
National Honey Board: Honey is Made from Nectar, Not Pollen
In the last several months various stories have resulted in misunderstanding and confusion about honey and honey filtration, leading some readers to believe that any honey without pollen is not real honey.
This is not true. Honey without pollen is still honey nutritionally and in flavor, and that is why the U.S. Department of Agriculture …
Hawaii Focuses on Food Safety and Local Ag
More locally grown food and safer growing methods are the goals of a couple of bills close to passing the final hurdle in the Hawaii Legislature.
Small farmers appear split on the bills. They like House Bill 2703, which sets out to double the locally grown food supply by 2020. They have doubts about …
Lawsuit Claims Some Store ‘Honey’ Brands Are Deceptive
A series of class action lawsuits has been filed in Florida against major food retailers who allegedly sell honey that may not be “honey” because it does not contain pollen.
Five Florida residents are bringing suits against four different grocery chains – Publix Super Markets, Inc., Target Corporation, Walgreen Co. and Aldi, Inc. – that …
Top Food Safety Stories of 2011: No. 7
The 7th most important food safety story of 2011 was the investigation by Food Safety News into the world honey trade.
It’s been a decade since the U.S. Commerce Department ordered stiff import tariffs to prevent the tsunami of plastic bears and jars filled with government-subsidized Chinese honey from flooding our local stores.
If the …