Food safety quiz: Should you wash raw chicken? Can you refreeze defrosted food?
Ready meals made by Ballymaguire Foods were taken off the shelves in the likes of Tesco, Supervalu, and Centra last week, while another Listeria outbreak in salad leaves manufactured by McCormack Family Farms meant several more products were missing from shop aisles this week.
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How can we ensure that the food we prepare for ourselves, our families, and our friends is safe to eat? What is the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's advice? Take our quiz to see how much you know about food safety!
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Legionnaire's disease outbreak kills at least two and sickens dozens more after spreading at alarming rate across NYC
AT least two people have died and dozens left ill following a Legionnaires outbreak in an area of New York City. Health chiefs are probing the cluster of cases that have emerged. 2 2 At least 58 cases have been reported in zip code areas of Harlem, New York City, according to the city's health agency. And, at least 22 people have fallen ill. The infections have been reported across five zip code areas and cases were first detected on July 25. Locals who fall ill from Legionnaires tend to have flu-like symptoms, but complications can prove fatal. The illness is caused by Legionella bacteria that grows in warm water. Health officials have stressed that Americans cannot contract Legionnaires by drinking water, and the illness is not contagious. Americans of the ages 50 and over are at risk of contracting the disease. Those who smoke and have weak immune systems are also at an increased risk of falling ill with Legionnaires. Other symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, and a loss of appetite. Some Americans who are ill with Legionnaires may also have a fever, muscle aches and cough. Legionnaires' disease is a serious lung infection most commonly caused by breathing in water droplets containing Legionella germs Symptoms can be similar to Covid-19, but there is no vaccine or cure against Legionnaires disease. Dr Tony Eyssallenne, of the New York City Health Department, urged anyone with symptoms to get checked out. "If you're in those ZIP codes that have demonstrated exposure, then we want you to monitor your symptoms and get to a healthcare provider as soon as you can so you can get access to antibiotics, because it is treatable," he told the NBC affiliate WNBC-TV. Health chiefs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shared tips to stop Legionella spreading. Drivers should use genuine windshield cleaner fluid, instead of only filling tanks with water. Americans should also clean showerheads and replace water filters to prevent germs from forming. Homeowners should set water heaters to around 120F. Health chiefs have said temperatures of 130F to 140F can kill Legionella bacteria but there is an increased risk of burn injuries. Water heaters should be regularly flushed, according to the CDC. In cities such as New York City, building owners must register their cooling towers. These are inspected for Legionella bacteria.
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
Warning as supermarket salad recalled over Listeria contamination
Listeria can cause life-threatening complications 🚨 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Spinach and mixed leaves are being recalled due to a Listeria contamination. The Food Standards Agency has warned the public not to eat any of the eight contaminated products. Listeria is a rare infection that can cause serious complications. Spinach and mixed salad leaves are being recalled from supermarkets after Listeria was detected. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned the public not to eat any of the eight contaminated products from McCormack Family Farms, and instead return them for a full refund. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Listeria can cause serious complications in those who are more vulnerable, including meningitis and sepsis. The latest news comes after the Food Standards Agency Ireland confirmed their National Outbreak Control Team was currently investigating a Listeria outbreak in July after the death of an adult. Spinach and Mixed Leaves products have been recalled after being contaminated with Listeria. | Pexels, Edward Jenner What is Listeria? Listeria is a bacteria that can cause the infection Listeriosis through the contamination of food. If you eat food contaminated with Listeria, you are at risk of catching the bacteria and developing an infection. Listeria is a rare infection, and whilst it is usually not serious for most people, for those more vulnerable, it can have life-threatening complications. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What food products have been recalled? McCormack Family Farms is recalling Spinach and Mixed Leaves products contaminated with Listeria in Northern Ireland. The contaminated products include: McCormack Family Farms Spinach / Baby Leaves, 500g, Best before 27/07/2025 28/07/2025 29/07/2025 30/07/2025 McCormack Family Farms Spinach / Baby Leaves, 100g, Batch code JC199 JC200 JC202 JC203 JC205 JC207, Best before 25/07/2025 26/07/2025 27/07/2025 28/07/2025 29/07/2025 30/07/2025 01/08/2025 03/08/2025 McCormack Family Farms Spinach / Baby Leaves, 200g, Batch code JC199 JC200 JC202 JC203 JC205 JC206 JC207, Best before 25/07/2025 26/07/2025 27/07/2025 28/07/2025 29/07/2025 30/07/2025 01/08/2025 02/08/2025 03/08/2025 04/08/2025. McCormack Family Farms Mixed Leaves, 75g, Batch code JC199 JC202 JC204 JC205, Best before 26/07/2025 29/07/2025 31/07/2025 02/08/2025 03/08/2025. McCormack Family Farms Energise Super Mix, 100g, Batch code JC199 JC203 JC205, Best before 28/07/2025 29/07/2025 30/07/2025 03/08/2025. McCormack Family Farms Irish Spinach Leaves, 250g, Best before 25/07/2025 26/07/2025 27/07/2025 28/07/2025 29/07/2025 30/07/2025. McCormack Family Farms Rocket Leaves, 75g, Batch code JC204 JC206, Best before 31/08/2025 03/08/2025. McCormack Family Farms Family Pack Lettuce, 200g, Batch code JD205 JC212, Best before 02/08/2025 03/08/2025 09/08/2025 10/08/2025. If you have bought the above products, the FSA is warning you not to eat them. Instead, return them for a full refund. What are the symptoms of Listeria? Listeria symptoms can be similar to the flu and include a high temperature, muscle aches or pain, chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In rare cases, it can cause serious complications such as meningitis or sepsis. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women, babies less than one month old, and people with weakened immune systems. Why is Listeria dangerous? Listeria is not usually serious for most people; however, the risk of getting seriously ill can increase with age, with those who are over 65 more susceptible. If you get listeriosis while you're pregnant, there is a risk it could cause miscarriage or stillbirth. Whilst it can sometimes cause life-threatening complications such as sepsis or meningitis in babies and those with a weakened immune system.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Chikungunya virus: China reports 7,000 cases
More than 7,000 cases of a mosquito-borne virus have been reported across China's Guangdong province since July, prompting measures similar to those taken during the Covid-19 Foshan city, which has been hit the hardest, chikungunya patients must stay in hospital, where their beds will protected with mosquito nets. They can only be discharged after they test negative or at the end of a week-long through the bite of an infected mosquito, the virus causes fever and severe joint pain, which sometimes can last for rare in China, chikungunya outbreaks are common in South and South East Asia and parts of Africa. How widespread are the infections in China? Aside from Foshan, at least 12 other cities in the southern Guangdong province have reported infections. Nearly 3,000 cases were reported in the last week Monday, Hong Kong reported its first case - a 12-year-old boy who developed fever, rash and joint pain after traveling to Foshan in virus is not contagious, and only spreads when an infected person is bitten by a mosquito that then goes on to bite others. Officials say all the reported cases have been mild so far, with 95% of the patients were discharged within seven the cases have led to some panic, given the virus is not widely known in the country."This is scary. The prolonged consequences sound very painful," one user wrote on Chinese social media platform US has urged travellers to China to exercise "increased caution" following the outbreak. What else is China doing to curb infections? Authorities across Guangdong province have vowed to take "decisive and forceful measures" to stop the spread of the with symptoms, such as fever, joint pain or rashes, are being urged to visit the nearest hospital so they can be tested for the have instructed residents to remove stagnant water in their homes, such as in flowerpots, coffee machines or spare bottles - and warned of fines up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) if they don't do this. They are also releasing giant "elephant mosquitoes" that can devour smaller, chikungunya-spreading bugs; and an army of mosquito-eating fish. Last week, officials in Foshan released 5,000 of these larvae-eating fish into the city's lakes. In parts of the city, they are even flying drones to detect sources of stagnant neighbouring cities had ordered travellers from Foshan to undergo a 14-day home quarantine, but that has since been people have compared these measures to those imposed during the pandemic, and questioned their necessity.A user on Weibo wrote, "These feel so familiar... But are they really necessary?" Another wrote: "What's the point of the quarantine? It's not as though an infected patient will then go around biting other people?" China implemented severe restrictions during the pandemic, including forcing people into quarantine camps and sealing residential buildings and whole neighbourhoods on short notice for days or even weeks. What is chikungunya? Most people bitten by an infected mosquito will develop symptoms of chikungunya within three to seven from fever and joint pain, other symptoms include rash, headache, muscle pain and swollen joints. In most cases, patients will feel better within a week. In severe cases however, the joint pain can last for months or even years. Those at risk for more severe disease include newborns, the elderly, and people with underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease or is no cure, but deaths from chikungunya are virus was first identified in Tanzania in 1952. It then spread to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. To date, it has been reported in more than 110 countries. The best way to prevent the virus from spreading is to reduce pools of stagnant water that allow the mosquitoes to breed, according to the World Health Organization.
