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Thursday, December 06, 2012

The Salt

Fruit Fly Nose Says Steer Clear Of Deadly Food; Human Nose Not So Reliable

Now we know why we'll never see a common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) sitting on a beet.

December 6, 2012 Although we can usually smell when food goes bad, humans just don't have the fruit fly's direct path from nose to brain that alerts it to food poison. But the detection of this pathway could someday lead to more research that could help us develop better bug repellants.

Summary

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Salt

More Tips For Feeding The Family, Hurricane Edition

Sterno-type cooking in 1948. Many people still use these cooking tools today when disaster strikes.

October 30, 2012 The hand can opener is a storm cook's best friend. Sterno cans, gas grills and portable stoves can be, too, say our readers.

Summary

Monday, October 29, 2012

The Salt

Six Tips For Feeding The Family During A Storm-Related Power Outage

People try to get through the aisles at Whole Foods Market in Midtown in New York on Sunday before the storm.

October 29, 2012 Storms like Sandy send many of us responsible for feeding the family running to the grocery store in a panic, and then throwing out a lot of food. Here are some tips to minimize both of those things. What are yours?

Summary

Friday, October 26, 2012

The Salt

Citing Food Safety Risks, Kroger Chain Calls It Quits On Sprouts

Red clover sprouts are pretty, but they and other sprouts have been linked to too much foodborne illness for major grocers to continue carrying them.

October 26, 2012 The crunchy green microplants have long been touted as raw food chock full of nutrients. But that very freshness is also why they've caused more than 54 disease outbreaks since 1990, including a mega-outbreak of E. coli in Germany in 2011 that killed 53 people.

Summary

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The Salt

Peanut Butter Recall Widens To Other Nut Butters After Salmonella Outbreak

Sunland Inc., which makes peanut butter for many national labels such as Trader Joe's and Target's Archer Farms, is recalling products suspected of containing salmonella.

September 25, 2012 Twenty-nine people in about 18 states have reported becoming sick from a rare strain of Salmonella associated with the peanut butter so far. Peanut butter supplier Sunland, Inc.'s expanded recall is a reminder that our food system depends on just a handful of companies.

Summary

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Salt

Reach For The Fries? Apple Slices Recalled For Possible Listeria Contamination

This apple-topped salad is one of several products being recalled for potential contamination with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes

August 14, 2012 Sliced and chopped apples shipped all over the U.S. by Ready Pac Inc., are recalled over concerns about Listeria found on plant equipment. So if you've been choosing apples over fries lately, you might want to hit pause.

Summary

Friday, July 27, 2012

The Salt

McDonald's Food Has A Healthy Glow, At Least In China

Tomatoes getting a splash of water reinforces the notion that McDonald's food is wholesome in China, as seen in this video screengrab.

July 27, 2012 A new ad by McDonald's China reinforces the brand's image in the country as healthful and wholesome. And it will work, a market analyst says, because the Chinese trust that American food brands are safer than their own.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Salt

Cargill Warns Of Salmonella-Tainted Ground Beef In Latest Recall

Salmonella traced to ground beef processed by Cargill is being recalled from Hannaford grocery stores.

July 23, 2012 At least two people have been hospitalized in a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak tied to ground beef from a Pennsylvania Cargill beef plant. The company is warning consumers to check packages in their freezers before consuming ground beef.

Summary

Friday, June 15, 2012

The Salt

Salmonella in Dog Food Is Making Humans Sick

Dogs are cute, but they can give Salmonella to their owners.

June 15, 2012 The latest recall of dry dog food has made at least 22 people sick, and should make you think twice about sharing everything with Rover. Washing your hands after handling and feeding pets can help stop the spread of Salmonella.

Summary

Wednesday, June 06, 2012

The Salt

Many Food Workers Keep Working While Sick, Survey Finds

Workers harvest cantaloupe near Firebaugh, Calif.

June 6, 2012 A coalition of food labor groups says that more than half of food workers continue working even when they're sick because they can't afford to take a day off. That's due to a lack of paid sick days throughout the food chain for people who pick, process, sell, cook and serve food.

Summary

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Salt

Are Local Salad Greens Safer Than Packaged Salad Greens?

Miller Farms in Maryland is a family-run operation that sells its home-grown vegetables at farmers' markets and local grocery stores. Phil Miller, whose family owns the farm, says he's trying to earn a food safety certification now required by many food buyers.

April 23, 2012 When it comes to food safety, big and small vegetable farmers are living in different worlds. And now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is struggling to draft safety regulations that will apply to most of these vegetable growers.

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The Salt

How Making Food Safe Can Harm Wildlife And Water

A clampdown on contamination in growing fields has pushed out wildlife and destroyed habitats.

April 23, 2012 After an outbreak of E. coli in spinach killed several people in 2006, farmers clamped down on every possible source of contamination. Those safety efforts have also pushed out wildlife, destroyed sensitive habitats and increased pollution in waterways.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

Friday, April 20, 2012

The Salt

Rewash That Pre-Washed Bag Of Lettuce? Don't Bother (Probably)

If you rewash your pre-washed salad for safety, you're not alone. But is it necessary?

April 20, 2012 Some listeners took issue with our off-the-cuff recommendation that they rewash already washed lettuce on All Things Considered yesterday. Today correspondent Dan Charles explains why there's not really a right answer.

Summary

Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Salt

Your Salad: A Search For Where The Wild Things Were

GRAPHIC: Trace The Many Ways Microbes Can Get Into Our Food Supply

April 19, 2012 Tracing the source of contamination in fresh foods grown in the ground is hard work, and companies spend a lot of money trying to keep Salmonella and other bugs out while allowing nature to run its course. But it's not easy.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Monday, April 16, 2012

The Salt

Is 'Tuna Scrape' The 'Pink Slime' Of Sushi?

Spicy tuna roll, or spicy tuna goo?

April 16, 2012 "Tuna scrape," or ground up raw fish, has sickened more than 100 people with salmonella. Grinding up raw fish may increase the risk of outbreaks, food safety experts say.

Summary

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