Here is another warning about diet pills from the FDA, just after the warning about Meridia. The FDA says fake versions of Alli are being sold, mainly online.

Tests show the counterfeit pills have at least twice as much sibutramine – the ingredient for weight loss – as they should. This dangerous amount can cause higher blood pressure and heart palpitations in healthy people… and heart attack or stroke in those with cardiovascular disease.

The FDA has detailed information about how to check to see if you have the counterfeit Alli drugs here.

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Reports of heart problems from taking the weight loss drug, sibutramine – marketed in the U.S. as Meridia – led Europe to ban the drug and the Food and Drug Administration to add new warnings to it. The FDA says new data show it can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people with a history of heart problems.

The FDA says you should not take Meridia if you have uncontrolled blood pressure or a history of any of the following:

• Heart attack or angina (coronary artery disease)
• Stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA, sometimes called a “mini-stroke”)
• Irregular heartbeat
• Heart failure
• Peripheral artery disease

The FDA urges patients to talk to their doctor about whether they should keep taking the drug. You can find more information about the warning here.

[Photo Credit: drugs.com]

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Just wanted to make sure you were aware of this recall – Unilever has pulled 10 million cans of its Slim-Fast ready-to-drink (RTD) products in cans because they may be contaminated with a bacteria that can cause nausea and/or vomiting.
The products will be back on store shelves after the company finds out what the problem is and corrects it.

If you have any Slim-Fast RTD products in cans, you should get rid of them right away and call the company at 1-800-896-9479 for a full refund.

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As much as I hate to see it, I don’t worry much when there is contaminated beef because I don’t eat the stuff. But chicken, I do eat. And this new report is pretty gross.
Consumer Reports (CR) found two-thirds of whole broilers from stores across the country were contaminated with salmonella and/or campylobacter. Two-thirds – that’s a lot, right? But did you know this is actually an improvement? In 2007, CR found eight of 10 broilers were contaminated.

This time, CR had a lab analyze 382 chickens from more than 100 stores across the country. The tests included three top brands – Foster Farms, Perdue, and Tyson — as well as store brands and organic poultry.

Here are some of the highlights of the findings:

• Campylobacter was in 62 percent of the chickens, salmonella was in 14 percent, and both bacteria were in 9 percent. Only 34 percent of the birds were bacteria-free.

• Air-chilled broilers were among the cleanest overall – about 40 percent were contaminated.

• The cleanest name-brand chickens were from Perdue – 56 percent were free of both bacteria.

• The most contaminated were Tyson and Foster Farms chickens – more than 80 percent tested positive for one or both bacteria.

Obviously, there is no guarantee of uncontaminated chicken here, no matter which brand you buy. So, what can you do? The most important thing is to cook the chicken to at least 165 degrees. Even if it is not pink, it can still have bacteria that can make you sick.

Here are some other tips from CR:

• Make chicken one of the last things you pick up before you checkout at the grocery store.

• Choose chicken from the bottom of the case, where the temperature should be coolest.

• If you’re going to cook the chicken within two days, you can keep it in the fridge. Otherwise, freeze it.

• Thaw frozen chicken in a refrigerator, inside its packaging and on a plate, or on a plate in a microwave oven. Never thaw it at room temperature – when the inside is still frozen, the outside can warm up, creating a breeding ground for bacteria.

• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.

Be careful out there. And check out this list of The 10 riskiest foods – they are linked to more than 1,500 separate outbreaks.

[Photo Credit: Consumer Reports]

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Two people may have died after eating bad beef. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 28 people have gotten sick from ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli.

Fairbank Farms recalled 545,699 pounds of fresh ground beef Friday because of the possible link. The company says customers who have the recalled meat should return it to their grocery stores for a full refund. Stores include:  ACME, BJ’s, Ford Brothers, Giant Food Stores, Price Chopper, Shaw’s, and Trader Joe’s.

Go here for a complete list of the products recalled.

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Have you noticed how outbreaks linked to contaminated foods seem to be popping up more lately? Now, a new report lists the 10 riskiest foods regulated by the FDA. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says these foods were linked to more than 1,500 separate outbreaks from 1990-2006 and made nearly 50,000 people sick:

1. Leafy greens: 363 outbreaks
2. Eggs: 352 outbreaks
3. Tuna: 268 outbreaks
4. Oysters: 132 outbreaks
5. Potatoes: 108 outbreaks
6. Cheese: 83 outbreaks
7. Ice cream: 74 outbreaks
8. Tomatoes: 31 outbreaks
9. Sprouts: 31 outbreaks
10. Berries: 25 outbreaks

I’m very careful with food, but it’s still scary to see several things I eat often on that list!

A bill now being considered in the Senate would help make our food safer – it includes having stricter standards for all food producers and would allow the FDA to inspect facilities considered high risk more frequently.

See the CSPI’s complete report here.

[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]

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The Food and Drug Administration is looking into reports of liver damage in patients taking the over-the-counter weight loss drug, Alli, and its prescription equivalent, Xenical.

Between 1999 and 2008, the FDA has received 32 reports of serious liver damage in patients taking the drugs, including 27 people who were hospitalized and six who had liver failure.

The FDA says it has not found a definite link between liver damage and the weight loss pills. If you’re taking either Xenical or Alli, the agency recommends you continue to take them as directed.

You can find more information on the FDA’s website.

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As energy drinks become more popular, there is growing concern over how they could affect young athletes. Health experts say more high school and college athletes are downing these caffeine-loaded drinks to boost athletic performance or lose weight. But too many energy drinks could lead to dehydration, tremors, heat stroke and heart attacks, the experts warn. They say young athletes should instead drink water while training and playing, especially during hot and humid summer months.

Also see: Energy drinks should come with warnings

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Another holiday weekend, another beef recall…

Just before Memorial Day weekend, there was this ground beef recall because the meat was contaminated with E. coli. Now, 380,000 pounds of various beef products are being recalled because of another possible E. coli outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says at least 23 people in nine states may have gotten sick after eating beef produced by JBS Swift Beef Company of Greeley, Colorado. And at least 12 people have been hospitalized, two of them had kidney failure.

Health officials investigating the E. coli illnesses say most people who got sick ate ground beef, and many said it was undercooked.

You can find more information about the recall here.

[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]

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Last month, it was ground beef. Just before that, it was peanut products. Now it’s cookie dough. Another recall because the food may make us sick.

Nestle has voluntarily recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products after a warning from the Food and Drug Administration that they might be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The FDA warns not to eat any varieties of the prepackaged cookie dough. If you have any of the products, Nestle says you can return them to your local grocer for a full refund.

Since March, the FDA says there have been 66 reports of people getting sick in 28 states after they ate raw cookie dough – 25 people were hospitalized.

The products in the recall include all varieties of Nestle Toll House refrigerated Cookie Bar Dough, Cookie Dough Tub; Cookie Dough Tube; Limited Edition Cookie Dough items; Seasonal Cookie Dough and Ultimates Cookie Bar Dough. See a complete list here.

If you have any questions, call Nestle consumer services at 1-800-559-5025 and/or visit their website, verybestbaking.com.

E. coli O157:H7 can cause abdominal cramping, vomiting and diarrhea, often with bloody stools. If you’ve eaten any prepackaged, refrigerated Toll House cookie dough and have had any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately.

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