As bird flu continues to spread among U.S. dairy cows, reassuring new government research finds the pasteurization process widely used in the industry effectively kills all bird flu virus in milk. In a health update posted Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the results are the latest to show that pasteurized grocery store milk remains safe from the highly pathogenic avian virus H5N1.  “These results complement the FDA’s retail sampling study, in which all 297 samples of dairy products collected at retail locations were found to be negative for viable H5N1 HPAI virus,” the agency said in its update. “Collectively, these studies provide strong assurances that the commercial milk supply is safe.” The most recent research came about because scientists at the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were trying to replicate the exact conditions under which milk is pasteurized in this country. “We had a lot of anecdotal evidence. But we wanted to have direct evidence about HPAI [H5N1] and bovine milk,” Dr. Don Prater, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, told CBS News. “So, we began to build this custom instrument that replicates, on a pilot scale, commercial processing [of milk].” Earlier research had not been quite as convincing: Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that some bits of infectious bird flu virus were…  read on >  read on >

All Diamond Shruumz edibles have been recalled after the company found high levels of a mushroom toxin in them that may have sickened 39 people in 20 states. The recall includes Diamond Shruumz cones, chocolate bars and gummies “because such products contain muscimol, a chemical found in mushrooms of the genus amanita,” California-based Prophet Premium Blends stated in its announcement. “Muscimol could be a potential cause of symptoms consistent with those observed in persons who became ill after eating Diamond Shruumz products,” the company added. Reported symptoms include seizures, agitation, involuntary muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness, nausea and vomiting, abnormal heart rates and high/low blood pressure.  Of the 39 illnesses reported so far, 23 patients had to be hospitalized, with the latest illness reported June 23, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. States with cases include Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee. The FDA first advised consumers not to eat Diamond Shruumz microdosing chocolate bars two weeks ago, warning that people in four states had fallen ill. Some had to be intubated. The recalled products were distributed nationwide through retail stores and mail order.  Back in late May, Prophet Premium received the first two complaints of people becoming ill after eating an entire chocolate…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent a warning letter to one of America’s biggest bakeries, asking the company to stop claiming there are allergens such as sesame or nuts in products when in fact they are not there. In a statement released Tuesday, the FDA said that Bimbo Bakeries, which includes brands such as Sara Lee, Oroweat, Thomas’, Entenmann’s and Ball Park buns and rolls, has included known allergens such as sesame, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts in their ‘Contains’ ingredients list — even though “those ingredients were not included in the product formulations,” as determined by FDA inspections conducted in late 2023. For example, Bimbo products such as Brownberry brand Whole Grains 12 Grains and Seeds RTE bread loaf product listed the three types of nuts as ingredients, even though they were not actually there. And Sara Lee brand Artesano Brioche, Delightful Multigrain, Artesano Golden Wheat and Artesano Smooth Multigrain all listed sesame as an ingredient, even though no sesame was present. Why would companies like Bimbo run erroneous ingredients lists? The FDA does require that food manufacturers list any potential allergens on packaging ingredients lists. However, properly separating known allergens such as nuts or sesame in one part of a baking plant from other areas can be labor-intensive and expensive. So, some companies work around the regulation by claiming the allergens are in most or…  read on >  read on >

The long-standing advice is that everyone should get more fiber in their diet, but a new study suggests some benefit more than others. A person’s gut microbiome appears to have some influence over the benefits a person derives from dietary fiber, researchers report in the journal Gut Microbes. Evidence from the study shows that each person has a unique response to eating a resistant starch, which is a form of dietary fiber found in bread, cereals, green bananas, whole-grain pasta, brown rice and potatoes. Some derive great benefit, while others experience little to no effect – and the difference appears to be tied to the diversity and composition of the microbes in their gut. The upshot is that people might do better if doctors gave personalized advice on what type of fiber to eat, based on their gut microbiome, researchers said. “Precision nutrition definitely has a use in determining what dietary fiber we should tell people to eat,” senior researcher Angela Poole, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition at Cornell University, said in a news release. “This is critical because we’ve had public messaging advising people to eat more dietary fiber for decades.” High-fiber diets can help people remain regular, feel fuller longer, reduce high blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar levels, prior research has shown. For the study, researchers recruited 59…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision to authorize the first menthol-flavored e-cigarettes has drawn the the ire of health advocates who say the decision undermines efforts to end the youth vaping epidemic in America. In its approval of four flavored vaping products made by Njoy, the agency defended its decision. “Based upon our rigorous scientific review, in this instance, the strength of evidence of benefits to adult smokers from completely switching to a less harmful product was sufficient to outweigh the risks to youth,” Matthew Farrelly, director of the Office of Science in the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said in an agency news release announcing the authorization. But that argument did not convince anti-tobacco groups and health advocates. “The FDA’s decision today to authorize the sale of four menthol-flavored e-cigarettes made by Njoy — the first time the agency has authorized the sale of any flavored e-cigarettes — is deeply troubling given the extensive scientific evidence that menthol is a flavor that appeals to kids and the FDA’s repeated conclusions that flavored e-cigarettes, including menthol-flavored products, have driven youth e-cigarette use,” Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement. “The scientific evidence demonstrates that menthol is a flavor that appeals to kids, and the tobacco industry has a long history of using menthol flavoring to attract…  read on >  read on >

A class of blood pressure medications appears to also help lower seniors’ risk of developing epilepsy, a new study finds. The drugs, called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), might prevent epilepsy in people at highest risk of the disease, researchers reported June 17 in the journal JAMA Neurology. “This is incredibly exciting because we don’t currently have any medicines that prevent epilepsy,” said senior researcher Dr. Kimford Meador, a professor of neurology at Stanford University School of Medicine. “I hope these initial findings lead to randomized clinical trials.” Epilepsy is most often diagnosed during childhood, but more than 1% of people older than 65 are known to develop the recurring seizures associated with the brain disorder. Stroke is the most common risk factor for developing epilepsy as a senior. About 10% of stroke survivors develop seizures within five years, researchers noted. Hardened arteries and chronic high blood pressure also boost epilepsy risk, whether or not a person has had a stroke, the researchers added. “This can be a very debilitating disorder, and it’s much more common in older adults than people realize,” Meador said in a Stanford news release. A 2022 study of more than 160,000 people in Germany found that people taking ARBs for high blood pressure had a lower risk of epilepsy, researchers said. Those drugs block receptors for angiotensin II, a protein that…  read on >  read on >

The number of people severely sickened after consuming mushroom edibles sold as Diamond Shruumz-brand chocolate bars, cones or gummies has risen, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. “As of June 17, 2024, a total of 26 illnesses have been reported from 16 states,” the FDA noted in an updated advisory. That’s up from 12 cases in 8 states reported a week ago. “Twenty-five of the 26 people have reported seeking medical care; 16 have been hospitalized,” the FDA added, noting that “no deaths have been reported.” The exact cause of the illnesses isn’t clear, but the FDA said its “investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of these illnesses and the appropriate next steps.” Symptoms have included “seizures, central nervous system depression [loss of consciousness, confusion, sleepiness], agitation, abnormal heart rates, hyper/hypotension, nausea and vomiting,” the agency added. The Diamond Shruumz-brand mushroom edible products are being marketed online and at smoke/vape shops, legal CBD/THC shops and other retail outlets nationwide. The FDA is asking retailers to stop selling the products. “FDA has been in contact with the firm about a possible voluntary recall, but these discussions are still ongoing,” the agency noted. The edibles pose a special danger to kids, the FDA added.“This product may appeal to children and teenagers as it is marketed as a candy,” the FDA noted. “Parents and caregivers…  read on >  read on >