A new salmonella outbreak is emerging, this time linked to pepper products made by Union International Food Company (UIFC). The company is recalling several varieties of its white and black pepper, as well as other spices as a precaution.

KTVN in Nevada is reporting that health officials have warned consumers to avoid eating ground white pepper that was processed, packaged, and/or distributed by Union International Food Company (UIFC) in Union City, California. According to KCRA in California, the warning was later expanded to include white and black pepper products from the company’s Union City facility in near San Francisco. (more…)

Potentially defective digoxin tablets have been recalled by generic drug maker Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Ltd. According to the recall notice, the tablets may differ in size and therefore could contain too much or too little of the drug’s active ingredient. The recall applies to all tablets of Caraco brand Digoxin, USP, 0.125 mg, and Digoxin, USP, 0.25 mg, distributed prior to March 31, 2009, which are not expired and are within the expiration date of September, 2011.

Digoxin is a drug used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. According to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), it has a narrow therapeutic index and the existence of a higher than labeled dose may pose a risk of digoxin toxicity in patients with renal failure. Digoxin toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability, and bradycardia. Death can also result from excessive digoxin intake. (more…)

What is believed to be the first such lawsuit has been filed in connection with the historic outbreak of the rare E. coli O111 strain that originated at the Country Cottage restaurant in Locust Grove, Oklahoma, reports the Associated Press (AP). Jim and Donna Crafton filed the lawsuit against the Country Cottage. The couple said they dined at Country Cottage on August 25 and that Donna “suffered severe physical harm and extreme mental suffering from eating the food, reported the AP.

The outbreak was the largest in history of E. coli strain O111 and resulted in the death of one man, 314 illness, and scores of hospitalizations. (more…)

MRSA—Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus—has long been known to be passed via health care workers and equipment and is best known for its ability to fight off the effects of a growing array of antibiotics. Now, Science Daily reports that a preventative measure as simple as regular hand washing by hospital staff and visitors had significant positive effects on stemming the spread of the deadly super bug versus patient isolation.

Dr. Peter Wilson from University College Hospital, London just spoke at the Society for General Microbiology meeting in Harrogate and discussed a yearlong study that took place in two hospital intensive care units (ICUs). The study looked at a six-month period in the middle of the year in which MRSA patients were not isolated, said Science Daily, versus MRSA cross infection rates when patients were moved. The patients were tested for MRSA weekly, with hand hygiene by staff and visitors audited and urged, said Science Daily, which noted that there was no evidence of increased MRSA transmission when patients were not moved and that moving seriously-ill MRSA patients can be dangerous and also involves extra hygiene measures. (more…)

Arthur Nadel has been given 30 days to find a new attorney. According to CNBC, the accused Ponzi schemer was granted the 30-day continuance after a federal judge refused to allow him access to some of his frozen assets so that he could pay his criminal attorneys.

Nadel owed the Florida law firm that had been representing him in his criminal case more than $93,000. Earlier this month, the firm had asked U.S. District Judge Richard Lazzara to unfreeze $250,000 worth of Nadel’s assets to pay his current and future legal bills. In return, the firm had offered to represent him for a “deeply discounted” rate. The firm had hinted that it would drop Nadel as a client if the assets were not released. (more…)

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) just announced that damaged roads are being resurfaced, river dredging continues, and word should be released soon regarding to where the massive mountain of coal fly ash that spilled on December 22 will be moved, reports KnoxNews. The TVA spill dumped 5.4 million cubic yards of coal sludge in Tennessee’s Emory and Clinch rivers and 300 acres surrounding its Kingston plant in Eastern Tennessee.

Volunteer TV/WVLT reported that over 100 residents attended last night’s status update, the second since the spill occurred. According to KnoxNews, among other initiatives, the TVA is preparing a policy in which independent medical professionals will meet with those who filed health claims. KnoxNews also reported that TVA announced it dredged over 7,500 cubic yards of ash from the Emory River since mid-March, with work extending three additional hours daily, effective immediately. (more…)

Criminal charges were dismissed yesterday against several orthopedic device makers because they have fulfilled the terms of deferred prosecution agreements they reached with U.S. prosecutors a year and half ago. According to Dow Jones News Wire, Zimmer Holdings Inc., Johnson & Johnson unit DePuy, Smith & Nephew PLC and Biomet Inc. had all been accused of violating federal anti-kick back laws.

According to Bloomberg News, the four companies supply 95 percent of hips and knees used annually in 700,000 replacement surgeries in the U.S. Prosecutors had accused the four firms of handing out excessive consulting agreements, lavish trips and other perks to reward surgeons who used their products. Investigators said physicians performed little or no consulting work, other than to exclusively use the products of whatever company was paying them, and also failed to disclose the relationships with the hospitals where they performed surgery, or to their patients. (more…)

Yamaha Motor Corp. USA is recalling 120,000 dangerous Rhino off-road vehicles. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the defective Yamaha Rhino vehicles have been linked to 46 deaths.

Yamaha has announced a free repair program to address safety issues with all Rhino 450, 660 and 700 models. Owners of the deadly Yamaha Rhino are being warned not to use them until the repairs are made. (more…)

Consumers nationwide are being warned to avoid pistachios and pistachio-containing products. According to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) pistachios made by the nation’s second largest producer – Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc – may be tainted with salmonella. The California-based company is recalling 1 million pounds of the nuts.

According to the FDA, this pistachio recall is in no way related to the Peanut Corp. of America (PCA) salmonella outbreak that we have been following for the past several months. No illnesses have yet been linked to salmonella-tainted pistachios, but federal regulators are investigating several suspected cases. (more…)

About 320,000 Electrolux Cordless Stick Vacuums have been recalled by Electrolux Home Care Products Inc., of Bloomington, Illinois. The Electrolux Cordless Stick Vacuum’s battery can expand and burst, which poses a risk of injury to the user and bystanders, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

Electrolux Home Care Products has received 34 reports of incidents in the United States involving damage to the vacuum and surrounding property. There have been two reports of minor injuries, including swollen hands and irritation to the eyes from contact with battery powder. (more…)