Bird Flu Detected in Raw Milk Sold in California, Health Officials Say
Bird flu has been detected in a batch of raw milk sold in California stores and the state’s department of public health said Sunday that the public should not drink it. The virus was found during testing of a batch of cream top, whole raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC. The company has issued a voluntary recall of the batch, which has a Best By date of Nov. 27, at the state’s request.
No one has become sick nor contracted the disease from this lot of raw milk, the California Department of Public Health noted. However it said in a news release: “Out of an abundance of caution, and due to the ongoing spread of bird flu in dairy cows, poultry, and sporadic human cases, consumers should not consume any of the affected raw milk.”
Lunchables Were a Smashing Success. Now They’re in Crisis
Americans are losing their taste for Lunchables. Sales of the compartmentalized meat and cheese meal marketed to kids and their busy parents in colorful boxes slid 12% during the quarter ending on Nov. 3, according to Circana data.
Lunchables’ slide is hurting its parent company, Kraft Heinz. Kraft Heinz’s sales dropped 2.2% last quarter, nearly half of which was driven by Lunchables. The company is scrambling for a fix to its nearly $2 billion brand. “Lunchables for us is a top priority,” said Diana Frost, Kraft Heinz’s global chief growth officer, in an interview with CNN. “We are committed to its long-term growth.”
Lunchables are struggling because parents are worried that the meals aren’t healthy options, Lunchables’ strategy to get on school lunch menus turned into a black eye for the brand, and competition for meat and cheese alternatives at the grocery store has cut into sales, analysts say.
Nine People Hospitalized in Listeria Outbreak Linked to South Carolina Food Processor
A listeria outbreak linked to ready-to-eat meat and poultry products from a South Carolina food processor has caused 11 illnesses in four states, with nine hospitalizations, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A woman who was pregnant with twins was also sickened. Both of the fetuses died, but listeria was found in a sample from only one. The outbreak was traced to Yu Shang Food Inc, a Spartanburg-based company. Its products were shipped to retailers nationwide and were available online. A recall of 72,000 lbs of meat and poultry products was issued because possible listeria contamination is in effect, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said in an advisory.
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Food Recalls Galore: Does America Have a Worsening Food Safety Problem?
Food recalls have recently hit major brands, from Boar’s Head to McDonald’s, but experts say don’t panic — at least not yet. While some food recalls don’t get much publicity, several recent high-profile outbreaks involving organic carrots, slivered onions and liverwurst have raised concern about U.S. food safety.
However, data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration shows no major uptick in food recalls, most of which are voluntarily issued by companies. Even so, foodborne illnesses like E. coli and listeria have sickened hundreds of Americans this year and some have died. And experts say trying to spot patterns in food safety is a tricky business.
KFC Drops Pledge to Stop Using ‘Frankenchickens’ in the UK
The fast food chain KFC has ditched its pledge in the U.K. to improve animal welfare by sourcing its chicken from slower-growing breeds by 2026. Fast-growing meat chickens have been called “Frankenchickens” because of welfare concerns, including higher mortality rates, lameness and muscle disease. More than 1 billion chickens are slaughtered in the U.K. each year for meat.
KFC won plaudits in 2019 when it announced it was signing up to the Better Chicken Commitment but now says it will not meet the pledge. Its 2024 annual progress report on chicken welfare reported that just 1% of its chickens were from slower-growing breeds.
The firm’s ambition was to meet six key targets by 2026, including adoption of slower-growing breeds and a maximum stocking density of 30kg a square metre or less, which gives the birds significantly more space.
