Health News
Some Foods With Bad Reputations Can Be Good for You: Nutritional Expert
Some foods like eggs, coffee, and even carbohydrate-rich choices like potatoes have bad reputations. But according to Maya Vadiveloo, an associate professor at the Department of Nutrition at the University of Rhode Island, these foods can be good for you given the right selection and preparation.
Early Tests Find Pasteurization Killed Bird Flu in Milk: FDA
Results from early testing show that pasteurization killed highly pathogenic avian influenza in milk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says. Results from “an initial limited set of geographically targeted samples” show that “pasteurization is effective in inactivating” the influenza, commonly known as the bird flu, the FDA said in an April 26 update. […]
USDA Tells Producers to Reduce Salmonella in Certain Frozen Chicken Products
Poultry producers will be required to bring salmonella bacteria in certain chicken products to very low levels to help prevent food poisoning under a final rule issued Friday by U.S. agriculture officials. When the regulation takes effect in 2025, salmonella will be considered an adulterant—a contaminant that can cause foodborne illness—when it is detected above […]
Biden Administration Delays Decision on Menthol Cigarette Ban
The Biden administration announced a further delay on an expected ban of menthol cigarettes after considering the costs and benefits of addressing health concerns and the apparent appeasement of black voters in an election year. “This rule has garnered historic attention, and the public comment period has yielded an immense amount of feedback, including from […]
20 Percent of Grocery Store Milk Samples Test Positive for Bird Flu: FDA
One in five samples of milk from grocery store shelves tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced late April 25. In a brief 237-word update, the FDA said that initial results from a national commercial milk sampling study “show about 1 in 5 of the retail […]
New NYC Rule Could See Sugar Warning Labels on Food, Drinks
New regulations on food labeling may soon be coming to New York City. A new law, set to come into effect later this year, could see warning labels placed next to sugary foods and drinks in chain restaurants and coffee shops across the city. The law specifically targets food businesses with 15 or more storefronts. […]
Colombia Becomes First Country to Restrict US Beef Due to Bird Flu in Dairy Cows
CHICAGO—Colombia has restricted the import of beef and beef products coming from U.S. states where dairy cows have tested positive for avian influenza as of April 15, according the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is the first country to officially limit trade in beef due to bird flu in cows, in a sign of a […]
FDA Admits It Doesn’t Know If Retail Milk Contains Live Bird Flu
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not sure whether any intact highly pathogenic avian influenza is present in milk sold in grocery stores, an FDA official told a conference on April 25. “Does any live virus survive the pasteurization process? … This is the key question for us,” Donald Prater, acting director of […]
Bird Flu Found in Pasteurized Milk From Grocery Stores: FDA
Commercially available milk from grocery stores has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on April 23. The FDA said in a statement it has been testing milk from cattle that have been sickened with the influenza, commonly known as the bird flu or H5N1, as […]
Trader Joe’s Recalls Basil Linked to Salmonella Infections
Trader Joe’s recalled its Infinite Herbs organic basil on Wednesday after the product was linked to a dozen Salmonella infections in seven states. The product was sold in 2.5-ounce packages between February 1 and April 6 in 29 states and Washington, D.C., the company said. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an […]
Fake Botox Causes Hospitalizations, FDA Says
Public health agencies are warning that counterfeit Botox has been discovered in multiple states and is suspected to be connected to several individuals reporting bad reactions following the injections for cosmetic use. NTD’s Christina Corona tells us more on the counterfeit injection.
Cardiologist Worries for Younger Generation as Study Links Vaping to 19-Percent-Higher Risk of Heart Failure
According to a study by the American College of Cardiology, vaping leads to a 19-percent-higher risk of heart failure. Dr. Fahmi Farah, a cardiologist, tells NTD that she worries for the younger generation, with many of them being exposed to such risks unknowingly—as they regard vaping to be a safer option than smoking. The risks […]
Bird Flu Is Spreading to More Farm Animals—Are Milk and Eggs Safe?
A bird flu outbreak in U.S. dairy cows has grown to affect more than two dozen herds in eight states, just weeks after the nation’s largest egg producer found the virus in its chickens. Health officials stress that the risk to the public is low and that the U.S. food supply remains safe and stable. […]
Bird Flu Pushes US Dairy Farmers to Ban Visitors, Chop Trees
CHICAGO—Dairy farmers in the United States are raising their defenses to try to contain the spread of bird flu: banning visitors, cutting down trees to discourage wild birds from landing, and disinfecting vehicles coming onto their land. South Dakota on Thursday became the eighth state to find highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a dairy […]
FDA Commissioner: Ivermectin Has ‘No Benefit’ Against COVID-19
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner on April 11 said that ivermectin does not work at all against COVID-19, just days after his agency deleted social media posts that had urged people not to use the drug as a COVID-19 treatment. “If you look at the randomized trials of ivermectin, and there’s many […]
Balanced Approach Key to Finding Optimum Salt Intake for Better Health: Nutritionist
Americans usually eat more salt than they need, according to the Food and Drug Administration, but this has led to a public perception that avoiding salt is healthier, according to Cindy Chan Phillips, the owner of Cindy Chan Phillips Nutrition. She tells NTD that a balanced approach is key to finding the optimum salt intake […]
CDC Sends New ‘Health Alert’ Over Bird Flu in the US
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent an alert on April 5 to state health departments and providers after a human bird flu infection in a Texas dairy farm worker was confirmed earlier this month. In a “health alert network” advisory, the federal agency said that health care providers should be aware […]
Europe Warns of ‘Lack of Immune Defenses’ Among Humans If Bird Flu Changes
Avian influenza could quickly spread among humans if it mutates further, European authorities are warning. “These viruses continue to evolve globally, and with the migration of wild birds, new strains carrying potential mutations for mammalian adaptation could be selected. If avian A(H5N1) influenza viruses acquire the ability to spread efficiently among humans, large‐scale transmission could […]
What to Know About Latest Bird Flu Outbreak in US
A poultry facility in Michigan and egg producer in Texas both reported outbreaks of avian flu this week. The latest developments on the virus also include infected dairy cows and the first known instance of a human catching bird flu from a mammal. Although health officials say the risk to the public remains low, there […]