Research this week finds FDG/PET able to predict response to chemotherapy even after one treatment, and chemotherapy before surgery for liver mets makes CT scan evaluation less accurate.

Finding the best imaging methods to diagnosis and monitor cancer and comparing new colorectal cancer screening technologies to current standards are among recommended priorities for comparative effectiveness research (CER).  The FDA reports new egg safety rules and the recall of a powdered dietary supplement.

Videos of cancer patients are now online discussing the emotional impact of their diagnosis in The Day I Found Out. Read the rest of this entry »

The Food and Drug Administration recommends that consumers not eat raw alfalfa sprouts or combinations of sprouts that include alfalfa due to potential contamination with Salmonella Saintpaul.

The Centers for Disease Control, working with the FDA and state health departments, have identified 31 cases of illness traced to alfalfa sprouts in six different states since mid-March.  All either ate sprouts in a restaurant or bought them in retail stores.

Because the outbreak is widespread, the FDA suspects the problem may be in the seeds used for sprouting and how they are handled. Read the rest of this entry »

After a joint inspection by the Food and Drug Administration and the California Department of Public Health found evidence of Salmonella contamination in critical areas of the Setton  processing facility, Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella has recalled all pistachios from the 2008 crop. The recall includes those nuts roasted in the shell, shelled roasted nuts, and raw shelled nuts.

FDA is advising consumers not to eat pistachios or food products containing them (such as pistachio bakery goods and pistachio ice cream) unless they can determine that the products do not contain pistachios from Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Inc., (“Setton”).

FDA is maintaining a searchable list of recalled products that contain Setton nuts. The CAL-PURE co-op of California pistachio growers  and the Western Pistachio Association list brands that do not contain Setton pistachios.

Cancer patients, especially those on chemotherapy, may have reduced immune systems that make them particularly vulnerable to Salmonella infection.

Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella in California has recalled over a million pounds of pistachios after Salmonella was found in Back To Nature Trail Mix by Kraft Foods.  Kraft traced the contamination back to Setton.

Setton is recalling both its large bulk shipments of pistachios to other manufacturers and Setton Farms brand roasted salted shelled pistachios in 9 oz. film bags.  The Setton Farm bags of pistachios were distributed in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky and have UPC Code: 034325020252 with a “Best Before” date between 01/06/10 and 01/19/10. Read the rest of this entry »

The Food and Drug Administration has expanded the recall of peanut products from the Peanut Corporation of America’s plant in Blakely GA after inspectors identified additional strains of Salmonella at the facility along with poor sanitation practices.

The plant provides peanut butter and peanut paste to more than 70 food companies that manufacturer a wide variety of products from cookies to ice cream to dog food.  Hundreds of products have been voluntarily recalled by those companies.  So far, there is no evidence that any retail peanut butter is contaminated.  The Centers for Disease Control has not had reports of Salmonella infection from strains other than Typhimurium. Read the rest of this entry »