News Archive

Products Liability News

China Dairy Boss Pleads Guilty in Melamine Case
An executive for the dairy company at the heart of China's tainted milk scandal admitted knowing there were problems with Sanlu-brand products for months before she informed authorities and pleaded guilty to charges that could lead to the death penalty. The trial of the former board chairwoman and general manager of Sanlu Group Co., was the most high-profile yet in a food safety crisis widely seen as a national disgrace, highlighting corporate and official malfeasance. Along with the former board chairwoman, three other top Sanlu executives and the company itself were charged with producing and selling fake or substandard products. The executives could be executed if convicted.

Appeals May Delay Payments in Pet Food Case
More than 23,000 pet owners in the United States have asked for money from a $24 million settlement for owners of dogs and cats who were sickened or died after eating pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical. U.S. pet owners with claims were set to start receiving checks sometime in 2009, but their payments could be held up even longer while a judge sorts out last-minute appeals to the settlement filed by four people. The case began in 2007, when dogs and cats mysteriously started getting sick. The common thread was pet food produced under nearly 200 labels. The main company, Menu Foods, agreed to pay pet owners up to $24 million. However, four pet owners are appealing the case for a variety of reasons, including one allegation that the settlement does not address concerns that the contaminated food was labeled "Made in the USA" though it was made in China.

Chinese Dairies to Compensate Sickened Babies
The companies whose tainted milk products sickened nearly 300,000 children and were blamed in the deaths of six will likely pay 1.1 billion yuan, or $160 million, in compensation to victims' families. Details of the compensation plan came after trials began for 15 people on charges related to the production and sale of melamine, an industrial chemical added to milk to falsely boost protein readings in quality tests. The 22 companies blamed in the scandal will make a one-time 900 million yuan, or $131 million, cash payment to victims. The remaining 200 million yuan, or $29 million, would be used to cover medical bills for lingering health problems. 

Families in China's Milk Scandal Denounce Payout
Chinese families whose babies suffered painful kidney stones from drinking tainted infant formula said that a planned payout by dairies is too low and their lawyers pledged to continue attempts to sue for more compensation. The release of details of the 1.1 billion yuan, which equals $160 million, compensation plan and the opening of the trials for those blamed for the contamination signal that authorities hope to end what was widely seen as a national disgrace, highlighting widespread food safety problems and corporate and official malfeasance. Contaminated milk powder has been blamed for the deaths of at least six children and the sickening of nearly 300,000 others. The dairy at the center of the scandal will soon be tried for making shoddy products, but the moves offered little consolation to some parents who feel the government breached their trust after their children died or were sickened from milk powder certified by authorities as safe.  

Common Food Additives May Feed Lung Tumors
Common food additives known as phosphates may help lung cancer tumors grow faster, at least in mice, South Korean researchers reported. Their tests in mice suggest the additives, found in many soft drinks, baked goods and processed meats and cheese, may also help tumors develop in the first place. A diet high in phosphates significantly increased the lung surface tumor lesions as well as the size. The research suggests that cutting back on inorganic phosphates may be critical for lung cancer treatment as well as prevention. While phosphates are critical to human nutrition and can be used in compounds that enrich calcium and iron content and prevent food from drying out, it is possible that some people get too much. 

Heavy Toilet Seats Dangerous for Little Boys
Parents of newly toilet-trained boys should take a few simple steps to keep their sons' penises safe when they go to the bathroom, a team of urologists has advised. Evidence has shown that crush injuries due to falling toilet seats may be on the rise, with doctors treating four different 2- to 4-year-olds in the past few months. Previously, urologists had typically seen just one or two such cases each year. In each case, the youngster was trying to urinate on his own and had lifted the toilet seat only to have it fall back down. An industry report states that wooden toilet seats are becoming more popular as a possible explanation for the increase in injuries.

Toymakers Say Lead Law Harms Workshops
Worries over lead paint in mass-market toys made the holidays a little brighter for handcrafted toy makers last year, but now the federal government's response to the scare has some workshops fearful that this Christmas might be their last. Without changes to strict new safety laws, they say, mom-and-pop toy makers and retailers could be forced to conduct testing and labeling they can't afford, even if they use materials as benign as unfinished wood, organic cotton and beeswax. Lead paint spurred the recall of 45 million toys last year, mostly made in China for larger manufacturers. In August, President Bush imposed the world's strictest lead ban in products for children 12 or younger by signing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

Snow Globes Recalled for Fire Hazard
Approximately 7,000 snowman snow globes were recalled for posing a fire hazard. The transparent globes at the center of these snowman-shaped knickknacks can magnify the intensity of sunlight passing through the glass, causing nearby objects to catch on fire. Importer Hallmark Cards Inc. has received two reports of the Chinese-made globes causing surrounding objects to ignite.  

FDA to Reconsider Plastic Bottle Risk
Weeks after its own advisory board accused the Food and Drug Administration of failing to adequately consider research about the dangers of bisphenol-A, found in many plastic baby bottles, plastic food containers and metal can linings, the agency has agreed to reconsider the issue. The FDA's draft risk assessment, which found the chemical safe as it is now used, stood out against a tide of recent scientific opinion. The National Toxicology Program of the Department of Health and Human Services has said there was reason to be concerned that BPA could harm the brain, behavior and the prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children. Canada added the chemical to its list of toxic substances this year and has said it will ban BPA from polycarbonate baby bottles. A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association also found that adults with high levels of BPA in their urine were more prone to heart and liver disease and diabetes. Meanwhile, more than 200 animal studies have linked ingesting minute amounts of the substance to a range of reproductive problems, brain damage, immune deficiencies, metabolic abnormalities and behavioral oddities like hyperactivity, learning deficits and reduced maternal willingness to nurse offspring.    

Fire-Safe Cigarettes a Burning Issue
A state law requiring fire-safe wrappers on cigarettes takes effect in 2009, but some manufacturers already have begun phasing them in. Distributors have until July to sell off stock of noncompliant products. Fire-safe cigarettes are rolled with bands of slow-burning paper. If a cigarette is left unattended, it will extinguish itself when it burns down to one of those bands. State fire officials have lauded the new law, and tobacco companies say they are happy to comply, though they would prefer a uniform federal standard to individual state laws.

Giant Grocery Stores Pull Cereal After Wheat Allergy Concerns
Giant Food Stores and Martin's Food Markets have pulled EnviroKidz Organic Penguin Puff Cereal from their shelves after the manufacturer alerted them that the product contains a type of wheat but now labeled with allergy warnings on the box. Nature's Path, the manufacturer, issues the Class 2 voluntary recall because the cereal contains kamut, a known allergen. No illnesses have been reported, and the product is safe for anyone who does not have a wheat allergy. 

Toilet-Maker Pledges to Repair Smoking Bidets
A Japanese toilet-maker pledged to repair nearly 82,000 electric bidets after several units overheated and emitted smoke. Japan's second largest toilet-maker made the announcement after receiving six reports that covers on toilets with electric bidets melted and began smoking. No injuries were reported, but owners were urged to immediately pull the plug on the toilets. The malfunction occurs when trickles of water leak from the bidet pump, rusting the motors and causing the to toilet to overheat and smoke. 

Mattel to Pay $12 Million to 39 States Over Lead-Tainted Toys
Toy maker Mattel, Inc. will pay $12 million to 39 states to settle an investigation over Chinese-made lead-tainted toys shipped to the United States in 2007. Mattel and its Fisher Price unit recalled more than 21 million Chinese-made toys last year, fearing the items were tainted with lead paint and tiny magnets that children could accidentally swallow. As part of the agreement, Mattel also agrees to lower the acceptable level of lead in toys shipped to the U.S. to 90 parts per million down from 600 parts per million, which is currently the federal standard. The settlement had long been anticipated as Mattel's legal costs alone would have exceeded $12 million.  

Top Court Lets Smokers Sue for Fraud
Tobacco companies that marketed "light" cigarettes may be sued for fraud, the Supreme Court ruled in a decision that will bolster dozens of lawsuits claiming billions of dollars in damages. The case was brought by three smokers from Maine as a proposed class action. They sued Altria and Philip Morris, alleging fraud under Maine's Unfair Trade Practices Act, claiming they had been injured by what they called the false statements of the companies. They sought compensation for economic rather than medical harm. They claimed that they had overpaid for cigarettes based on deceptive advertisements suggesting that "light" cigarettes were safer than regular ones. The question before the court was not whether use of the term "light" amounted to fraud, but rather whether plaintiffs should be allowed to sue at all given the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, which requires tobacco companies to place rotating warnings on their packaging and advertising. The justices ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, claiming that "when people buy 'light yogurt,' they expect they're getting less fat." 

China Bans Lye and Boric Acid as Food Additives
Substances commonly used as industrial dyes, insecticides and drain cleaners were included on a list of illegal food additives China released as part of a government crackdown aimed at improving the country's shoddy food safety record. Among the 17 banned substances was boric acid, commonly used as an insecticide, which is mixed with noodles and meatballs to increase elasticity. Also forbidden was industrial formaldehyde and lye, used in making soap and drain cleaner and added to water to soak some types of dried seafood to make the products appear fresher and bigger.   

Federal health officials, criticized for declaring that a controversial chemical is safe, have refused to back down and instead plan more research. The Food and Drug Administration plans to re-evaluate its research on Bisphenol A and carry out additional studies. Known as BPA, Bisphenol A is used for hardening plastics that go into all sorts of consumer products. The canning industry uses it for coatings that prevent leaks and bacterial contamination in metal food containers. Canada has banned BPA in baby bottles, because of concern it could cause developmental problems in infants. Many groups have criticized the FDA's continued research because it does not include any plans for the meantime.  

FDA Reconsiders Consumer Advice on Fish
For years, the federal government has recommended that pregnant women and young children limit their consumption of fish to avoid exposure to potentially harmful amounts of mercury. Now, two top consumer protection agencies are at odds on whether that advice should be reconsidered to encourage all people to eat more fish to promote healthy hearts. The Food and Drug Administration has been circulating a draft report within the government that argues the health benefits of eating fish outweigh the potential ill effects of mercury. But the Environmental Protection Agency has fired off a memo to the White House calling the FDA study "scientifically flawed and inadequate" and an "oversimplification" lacking analytical rigor. The EPA claims the FDA's report is a sneak attempt to undercut important public health advice in the waning hours of a Bush administration that has treated science as a stepchild. 

China Finalizing Plan to Compensate Milk Victims
Some Chinese dairy companies will likely have to pay for a compensation plan being prepared by the government for families of hundreds of thousands of children sickened by tainted milk powder. The Health Ministry said there is a high likelihood that compensation will come from the companies, because the government is now paying for the screening of sickened children and other related treatments. In the wake of the crisis, which has killed six babies and sickened 294,000, the government has promised free medical treatment to sick children.  

Doctor Raises Concerns Over Change in Heart Devices
Federal regulators are about to approve use of a critical new electrical component for implantable heart devices without adequately testing it for potential risks, a prominent cardiologist has warned. The potential problem involves a new way of connecting defibrillators to the wires, or leads, that carry high-voltage electrical jolts between such units and the heart. FDA officials expect the first products containing the new connectors to reach the market early next year. Cardiologists warn that manufacturers haven't performed any clinical trials on patients to ensure that the new technology is not prone to short-circuiting, a problem that can prevent a defibrillator from delivering the life-saving electrical jolt that can restore an erratically beating heart to a normal rhythm. The FDA, on the rationale that the new wiring connectors are simply a design modification and not a new technology, is not requiring human tests. 

New Measures Can Prevent Many Child Deaths
The United Nations urged governments around the world to require bicycle helmets, swimming pool fencing and other measures to stop preventable accidents that kill hundreds of thousands of children each year. Nearly 830,000 children die each year of injuries from accidents. One thousand deaths a day could be relatively easily prevented through safety rules including obligatory lifejackets, smoke alarms, window guards and child-resistant packaging of medicines. The report also found that accidents are the biggest cause of death in children over 9.  

Irish Won't Halt Beef Sales Despite Dioxin Scare
Irish officials confirmed that cattle at three farms have tested positive for dioxin, a cancer-causing chemical that has contaminated Ireland's pork industry, but insisted the country's beef posed no real risk to health. Ireland has already ordered the withdrawal and destruction of all pork products produced since September. The government decided not to recall any Irish beef products at home or abroad because, unlike the contamination of pork products, the level and extent of dioxin found so far in cattle is much lower. The government also stressed that the dioxin levels found in the most contaminated cattle were just two to three times European Union safety limits, whereas pigs at nine dioxin-threatened Irish farms recorded dioxin levels 80 to 200 times too high. 

State Laws Fail to Curb Teens' Indoor Tanning
State laws meant to keep teens out of indoor tanning booths haven't made a dent, a new study has found, disappointing doctors hoping to reduce deadly skin cancers. The study is the first to look at the laws' impact. Some medical experts were disturbed by the findings, saying more needs to be done about the health threat from indoor tanning parlors. An estimated 30 million Americans are customers of the nation's 25,000 indoor tanning businesses. Tanning parlors are popular with girls and young women, with as many as one in three girls using indoor tanning. Meanwhile, U.S. cases of melanoma have been increasing.

China Court Refuses to Accept Tainted Milk Lawsuit
A Chinese court has refused to accept a lawsuit filed against a Chinese dairy by dozens of families who said their children were sickened or killed by tainted milk. The 63 defendants in the first-known group lawsuit stemming from the scandal, including the parents of two children who died, were seeking nearly 14 million yuan or $2 million dollars in compensation. Three of six defense lawyers presented the suit to the court but were told it could not be accepted because government departments were still investigating.  

China Ups Efforts to Rid Food of Illegal Additives
China is launching a four-month food safety campaign that will include inspections of food makers to weed out illegal or excessive chemicals in food. The drive will be jointly conducted by nine central government departments and will target food and additive producers across the country. The announcement comes amid efforts to address concerns at home and abroad about how China is tackling its worst food safety crisis in years.

China to Issue Blacklist of Harmful Food Additives
China will issue a blacklist of food additives that could be harmful in the wake of a scandal over tainted milk believed to have killed six children and sickened hundreds of thousands. The government also vowed to step up testing of foods for banned additives. Chinese dairy suppliers are accused of adding melamine, a nitrogen-rich chemical used in the production of plastics, to watered-down milk to make it appear higher in protein in quality tests. 

Rite Aid Settles with New York Over Expired Products
New York officials have reached a $1 million agreement with Rite Aid, a national pharmacy chain, to stop sales of expired products, including food, medicine and baby formula. New York's attorney general sued Rite Aid after investigators bought expired goods in 22 percent of Rite Aid stores statewide. The company will pay a penalty of $1 million and up to $300,000 more if it fails to comply with the agreement in the next three years. CVS is also being sued by New York following an investigation that revealed 39 percent of its stores were selling expired items.  

Group to Reevaluate Nintendo Wii Component for Chemicals
An environmental group that put out a list of chemical-laden toys is reevaluating one component of the Nintendo Wii which tested positive for bromine. Healthytoys.org found that the battery covers on Nintendo Wii controllers contained bromine; however, the environmental group now suspects that the bromine might be an "aftermarket component," which is something that doesn't come with the original game system. 

Nissan to Recall Nearly 430,000 Vehicles Worldwide
Nissan Motor Co. will recall nearly 430,000 vehicles worldwide, some with faulty braking lamps and others with ill-connected cables that could stall an engine. Subject to recall are 247,840 Serena wagons, which have ground cables that may have been improperly installed, meaning they could disconnect and stall the engine. The other 181,836 vehicles being recalled are Tida compact models with fault bulb sockets that could lead to brake lamp failure. 

High Court Hears $79.5 Million Philip Morris Punitives Case for Third Time
A cigarette maker and a smoker's widow squared off for the third time at the Supreme Court over a $79.5 million punitive damages award. Twice before, the Supreme Court has struck down the judgment against Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA and ordered the Oregon court to take another look at the case. Each time, the Oregon high court has upheld the award to the widow. In its latest appeal, Philip Morris contended that the Oregon judges were essentially thumbing their noses at the Supreme Court. The case has bounced around appellate courts since 1999, when the widow convinced a jury that Philip Morris should be held accountable for misleading people into thinking cigarettes were not dangerous or addictive. Her husband started smoking in the 1950s and died in 1997, six months after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. She was awarded $800,000 in actual damages. The punitive damages, which are intended to punish a defendant for its behavior and deter a repeat, are about 97 times higher. 

Group Finds Fewer Toys with High Lead Levels
After the high-profile recalls of millions of lead-contaminated toys last year, a watchdog group's most recent tests found fewer toys with high levels of chemicals in them; however, a third of the toys tested still contained a worrisome level of chemicals. Healthytoys.org tested about 1,500 toys for a variety of chemicals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium and others. About one third were found to have a significant level of chemicals, while two-thirds had low levels or none of the chemicals the group tested for. Lead was detected in about 20 percent of toys, compared with 35 percent last year.  

Saudi Arabia Finds Chemical in Milk from China
The Saudi government has found excessive amounts of the industrial chemical melamine in powdered milk imported from China and lower concentrations in chocolate wafer cream made in Malaysia. The kingdom's Food and Drug Administration said it found melamine in five samples of milk and dairy products. The milk was produced by Nestle in China. Elsewhere in the Middle East, authorities in the United Arab Emirates have been monitoring imports closely and have not found any melamine-contaminated Chinese food products in that country.  

Hong Kong Finds More Melamine-Tainted Chinese Eggs
The Hong Kong government says it has found excessive amounts of the industrial chemical melamine in another batch of eggs from mainland China. The government found 4.7 parts per million of melamine in the eggs from northeast China. Hong Kong's legal limit is 2.5 ppm. China has been struggling to get melamine out of its food chain after the industrial chemical was found in infant formula and other dairy products. Six babies died and nearly 300,000 were sickened by melamine-tainted formula.

China Says 300,000 Babies Sickened by Tainted Milk
China has dramatically raised the toll from its tainted milk powder scandal, saying six babies likely died and 300,000 were sickened, figures that back up months of complaints from parents and show the government is beginning to acknowledge the scale of the crisis. The scandal has been met with public dismay and anger, particularly among parents who feel the government breached their trust after their children were sickened or died from drinking infant formula authorities had certified as safe. The Health Ministry's revised death toll is twice the previous figure, while the new count of 294,000 babies who suffered urinary problems from drinking contaminated infant formula is a six-fold increase from the last tally. 

6 Babies May Have Died from Toxic Milk
China's Health Ministry said six babies may have died after consuming tainted milk powder, up from a previous official figure of three deaths. Health authorities across the country also found that 294,000 babies had suffered from urinary problems after consuming milk powder tainted with the industrial chemical melamine. The Health Ministry's previous count stood at three deaths, with more than 50,000 babies sickened. The tainted milk, China's worst food safety scandal in years, prompted authorities to announce a complete overhaul of the country's dairy industry to improve safety.  

FTC Rescinds Guidance for Cigarette Low-Tar Ads
The Federal Trade Commission rescinded guidance it issued 42 years ago that has allowed tobacco companies to make claims about tar and nicotine levels based on testing by a new machine. In its advertising, the cigarette industry uses a test known as the Cambridge Filter Method to support any factual statements of tar and nicotine content in cigarette smoke. The commission recently found that the test is flawed, and that resulting advertisements touting tar and nicotine levels could cause consumers to believe that lighter cigarettes were safer. 

First Trial Under Landmark Florida Tobacco Ruling to Begin
The widow of a smoker who died from lung cancer will bring the nation's biggest cigarette producer to court in the first trial spawned by a Florida Supreme Court ruling that decreed smoking is dangerous and addictive and causes diseases. Before the widow can benefit from the landmark decision in the wake of the death of her husband, plaintiffs lawyers must prove the late smoker would have been part of a class of sick Florida smokers that was disbanded by the 2006 court decision. The state's high court tossed the largest verdict in U.S. history and decertified the class of an estimated 700,000 smokers. But the majority allowed former class members to file individual complaints without having to reprove jury findings that cigarette companies are liable and knowingly placed defective products on the markets. Nearly 8,000 cases were filed and half are pending in state court. The widow's case will be the first of these to go to trial.    

Melamine Traces Found in U.S. Infant Formula
The Food and Drug Administration has discovered the toxic chemical melamine in infant formula made by an American manufacturer, raising the possibility that the problem was more extensive in the United States than previously though. Agency officials discovered melamine at trace levels in a single sample of infant formula. It was also discovered in several samples of dietary supplements that are made by some of the same manufacturers who make formula. 

Safety Group Issues Holiday Toy Warnings
If the toy fits inside the tube from a toilet roll, it's too small for small children, consumer advocates are warning. U.S. Public Interest Research Group said parents shopping for holiday toys should look out for hazards such as small parts, soft plastics and lead contamination. Although increased consumer protections were approved this summer, U.S. PIRG warned parents that those rules have not yet gone into effect. In its 23rd annual "Trouble in Toyland" report on hazardous playthings, the organization focused on three hazards: small parts that can choke children who are younger than 3, lead-tainted toys and soft plastic toys that contain chemicals called phthalates.  

Cleaner, Baby Togs and Diet Pills Recalled
About 20,000 bottles of DuPont Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner have been recalled because pressure can build in full and nearly full bottles when they are stored in high temperatures for a long time, causing the cleaner to link from the cap. There have been two reports of leaking bottles and two reports of skin irritation and peeling skin. 24,000 Arizona newborn and infant denim pants manufactured in Bangladesh and imported by JCPenney Co. have been recalled because the metal snap at the waist can come off, posing a chocking risk. 1,974 bottles of Starcaps Diet System dietary supplements have been recalled because the pills contain bumetanide, a prescription diuretic drug that poses a risk of significant fluid and electrolyte loss, which can cause low blood pressure and fainting. Finally, Fashion Sanctuary is recalling all of its Zhen De Shou fat loss capsules because they contain sibutramine, an FDA-approved appetite suppressant that can increase blood pressure and pulse rate, posing a risk for people with histories of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia or stroke. 

Listeriosis Scare Prompts Chile to Pull Brie
Chilean officials are ordering a recall of a brie cheese suspected of causing a listeriosis bacteria outbreak that has killed four people. Investigators are trying to determine if Brie Lescure cheese made by the Chilean-French Chevrita company is responsible for an outbreak of the disease that also has sickened about 90 people. The cheese has been exported to the United States in the past, but the company says no shipments have been sent since 2006.  

Humane Society Sues Retailers and Designers Over Fur
The Humane Society of the United States filed a lawsuit against six major retailers and fashion designers alleging that they falsely advertise and label fur garments. The suit claims that various department stores and designers misrepresent fur products by labeling and marketing them as "faux fur" when they are not or by advertising and labeling products as common raccoon, fox or rabbit fur when they are really made from raccoon dog, a canine species from Asia. The complaint alleges that the retailers are in violation of the federal Fur Products Labeling Act and Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibit mislabeling of fur products.  

Researchers Find Poor Use of Pumps for Ailing Hearts
A new study finds high death rates, repeat hospital stays and soaring medical bills among Medicare patients who have mechanical pumps placed in their chests to help their failing hearts. The devices have great promise but are being used too often in the wrong patients and at the wrong hospitals. The devices are also being used in people who are too sick to benefit and at hospitals that do not treat enough patients to gain the expertise needed for their complex care. The researchers examined the records of nearly 3,000 Medicare patients who received the devices at 570 hospitals from 2000 to 2006. Over all, 51.6 percent of chronic patients and 30.8 percent of postsurgical patients were still alive a year later. Over the course of the study, the one-year survival rate in the postsurgical group actually became worse instead of better. Many of the surgery patients never made it out of the hospital. 

IKEA to Pay Fine for 2006 Candle Recall
Home furnishing company IKEA agreed to pay a $500,000 fine for being slow to report defective outdoor candles. In 2006, IKEA recalled 133,000 packages of outdoor candles in the United States. The company had received at least 32 reports of problems with the candles nationwide, including 12 reports of injuries. The law requires that companies promptly report the problems, which IKEA did not.  

Death Prompts Window Blind Recall
About 677,300 IKEA and Green Mountain Vista window blinds and shades were recalled in the United States after a young child was strangled. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said a one-year-old girl strangled herself when she got caught in the inner cord of a set of IKEA Roman blinds over her playpen. The agency also received a report of a 2-year-old girl who nearly strangled on the beaded-chain loop hanging from a set of Green Mountain Vista shades. The girl's neck was deeply bruised, but she was saved by her older brother.  

Pet Store Chain Linked to Puppy Mills
After an eight-month investigation, the Humane Society accused Petland, the national pet store chain, of selling dogs bred under appalling conditions at puppy mills around the country. Many Petland stores are being supplied by large-scale puppy mills, although customers are routinely informed that the dogs come only from regulates breeders. Dogs from puppy mills are sold at Petland for as much as $3,500. The Humane Society investigated 21 Petland sites and 35 breeders and brokers who sold puppies to Petland stores. 

More Research on Foodborne Ills Needed
Foodborne diseases appear to be on the rise in both rich and poor countries, the World Health Organization said. More research is needed to determine how much sickness and death stems from contaminated food, such as the tainted Chinese milk that caused kidney problems in more than 50,000 children and killed four, and the U.S. salmonella outbreak that made more than 1,400 people ill. An estimated 30 percent of new infectious diseases originate in bacteria, viruses, parasites, chemicals and toxins introduced along food production chains.  

Over 1,000 Melamine Babies Still in Hospitals
Over a thousand Chinese infants are still in hospital receiving treatment for kidney damage caused by tainted milk more than two months after the scandal broke. A total of 50,741 children have recovered and been discharged, since news that many dairy products were contaminated with an industrial chemical sent parents rushing for check-ups. Four children died from problems caused by melamine and there was a global panic as products including sweets, biscuits and ice cream were found to be contaminated. 

US to Work with China on Product Safety
The United States has embarked on a new strategy with China to ensure that products imported into the U.S. are safe. Worries about the qualities of Chinese exports to the U.S. have become a major feature of bilateral trade ties, with substandard Chinese food and toys covered in lead paint among the recurring product safety scares. U.S. Health and Human Services announced a new strategy was needed because the United States imported $2 trillion worth of goods a year, equal to four times the size of the Brazilian economy.  

Tainted Meats Point to Superbug C. diff in Food
A potentially deadly intestinal germ increasingly found in hospitals is also showing up in a more unsavory setting: grocery store meats. More than 40 percent of packaged meats sampled from three Arizona chain stores tested positive for the gut bug known as C. diff. Nearly 30 percent of the contaminated samples of ground beef, pork and turkey and ready-to-eat meats like summer sausage were identical or closely related to a super-toxic strain of C. diff blamed for growing rates of illnesses and death in the U.S., raising the possibility that the bacterial infections may be transmitted through food.  

Frozen Lean Cuisine Chicken Dinners Recalled
Nestle Prepared Foods Company is recalling approximately 879,656 pounds of frozen chicken meals that may contain foreign materials. The objects were identified as small pieces of hard plastic, which were discovered after the company received consumer complaints and a report of one injury. The meals were distributed between August 18 and October 27 nationwide.  

New Mad Cow Case Found in Canada
Canada has confirmed a new case of mad cow disease, its 15th one since 2003. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said that no part of the 7-year-old cow's carcass from British Columbia entered the human food or animal feed systems. The agency says the age and location of the infected animal are consistent with previous cases detected in Canada through a national surveillance program.  

FDA Scientists Accuse Agency Officials of Misconduct
Top federal health officials engaged in "serious misconduct" by ignoring concerns of scientists at the FDA and approving for sale unsafe or ineffective medical devices, the scientists have written in a letter to Congress. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce will investigate the accusations shared by eight scientists. The letter to Congress is part of a growing chorus of dissent from what had long been a tight-lipped agency. In decades past, scientists rarely disagreed publicly with their agency's decisions, and any concerns they had about important decisions were whispered. However, increased scrutiny of the agency by Congress has coincided with a growing willingness by some scientists to voice their misgivings. 

Deaths Uncounted in China's Tainted Milk Scandal
The deaths of at least five babies are not included in China's official death toll from its worst food safety scare in years. The Health Ministry's count stands only at three deaths. The stories of uncounted babies suggest that China's tainted milk scandal has exacted a higher human toll than the government so far acknowledged. Without an official verdict on the deaths, families worry they will be unable to bring lawsuits and refused compensation. While no one is suggesting large numbers of deaths are being concealed, so many months passed before the scandal was exposed that it's likely more babies fell sick or died than official figures reflect. 

FDA Detains Chinese Imports for Testing
Candy, snacks, bakery products, pet food and other Chinese products that contain milk will be detained at the border until tests prove that they are not contaminated, the federal government has announced. The Food and Drug Administration said it issued the alert because of concern about such products being contaminated with the toxic chemical melamine. It was discovered in infant formula in September and has sickened more than 50,000 infants in China and killed at least four. Since that time, melamine has been found in a wide range of other products, including milk, eggs and fish feed. As a result, companies in the United States have recalled several products generally sold in Asian specialty stores, including a nondairy creamer and Mr. Brown brands of instant coffee and tea.  

Lawyers Plan Collective Lawsuit Over Tainted Milk
Lawyers for dozens of families whose children were sickened by tainted milk decided to go ahead with a class action lawsuit against a dairy, hoping to pressure Chinese authorities still dithering over compensation. After weeks of discussions, the 15 lawyers decided to bundle cases involving nearly 100 families into a single lawsuit against state-owned Shijiazhuang Sanlu Group Co., the dairy at the center of China's worst food safety crisis in years. The lawsuit seeks medical and other expenses, payments for trauma and compensation for the families of those who died.  

18 Kids Killed in Toy-Related Accidents in 2007
At least 18 children under 15 died in toy-related accidents in 2007. The majority of the deaths were caused by blocked airways, drowning or accidents involving motor vehicles. Many of the incidents were not caused by toys, but occurred while the children were playing. Fourteen of the 18 children were boys. The largest number of children, five, were killed in tricycle-related incidents. One died from a fall, one from a motor vehicle accident and three from drowning after falling into pools while riding.  

1,300 Babies Still Hospitalized from Tainted Milk
A state news agency reports that 1,272 infants are still hospitalized in China with illnesses stemming from baby formula contaminated with chemicals. Two of the babies are listed in serious condition. China's latest product safety scandal involves dairy products tainted with the industrial chemical melamine. It was apparently added to raw milk to fool protein-level tests. Large doses of melamine can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure. 

Experts Fear Economy May Spur Sales of Unsafe Toys
Federal safety officials worry that the economic downturn will drive discount-seeking parents to buy used toys tainted by lead or with dangerous designs. Government safety officials are particularly concerned that money-conscious parents will purchase holiday gifts from secondhand, online sellers, who may not be aware of safety issues. Parents were encouraged to research any product they buy secondhand for prior recalls.  

Fewer Lead-Tainted Toys Recalled This Year
The lead-tainted toy scare that hammered the industry and frightened parents last holiday season has eased, but there are still concerns that problem toys may still be out there. Recalls of toys or children's products because of lead paint or lead content are down sharply, from a record 112 in 2007 to 64 this year. There were 20 lead recalls in 2006 and only 13 in 2005. Even though lead has been banned in paint in the United States since the 1970s, it has still turned up in millions of toys in recent years, causing irreversible learning disabilities, behavioral problems and even seizures, coma and death in small children.  

Saudi Arabia Sues Cigarette Importers for $34 Billion
Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry has filed a $34 billion lawsuit against importers of cigarettes from international tobacco companies, including U.S. firms, for costs of medical treatment of smoking-related illnesses, the first such action in the Arab world. The lawsuit, seeking one of the world's biggest damage claims, brings the tactic of tackling smoking through the courts for the first time in the Mideast, where smoking is chronic and governments have only just begun trying to reduce the habit. 

Popular Gas Relief Drops for Infants Recalled
About 12,000 units of Mylicon drops to relieve gas for infants were recalled because some bottles could include pieces of metal. Johnson & Johnson recalled certain bottles of nonstaining Mylicon gas relief dye-free drops. The recalled drops were sold in 1-ounce plastic bottles that were distributed to stores on or around October 5. 

Headphones Can Interfere with Heart Devices
Have a pacemaker or an implanted defibrillator? Don't keep your iPod earbuds in your shirt pocket or draped around your neck, because a study has found that some headphones can interfere with heart devices if held very close to them, even when disconnected. Researchers found that headphones contain powerful magnets which can interfere with the operation of pacemakers, defibrillators and other devices that help hearts beat faster. Out of eight models of headphones studied, interference was detected one-fourth of the time. In one instance, a pacemaker actually reset itself.

For Women, Red Flags About a Hip Device
Even as patients continue to undergo an increasingly popular alternative to traditional hip replacement surgery, medical researchers both here and abroad are raising red warning flags about the technique's use in women. Studies have repeatedly shown a higher failure rate for women who undergo the procedure than for men. Such women are more likely to need a second corrective operation soon after the first. Researchers also recently released a study that indicated that complications from the procedure were more frequent in women of all ages and men over the age of 55. 

Florida High Court to Decide if Smokers Must Find Safer Cigarette for Damages
The burden of proof placed on a plaintiff in a product liability case could steepen based on a tobacco case argued before the Florida Supreme Court. Justices were asked whether plaintiffs who sue companies over design defects in inherently dangerous products such as cigarettes must find a safer design option to prove liability. The case could change the future of tobacco liability and other product liability cases in Florida. One of the justices argued that a requirement for finding an alternative safe option would put consumers in a "very, very difficult position." 

Dry Pet Food and Salmonella in Humans
Eight new cases of human salmonella infections linked with dry pet food have been reported this year, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year, the CDC reported on a salmonella outbreak in 2006 and 2007 that was traced back to dry dog food. The CDC has identified a total of 79 cases in 21 states. The recent illnesses involved three new cases in Pennsylvania, two each in Georgia and New York, and a single case in Texas. Most of the cases were identified in young children who may have handled or put dry pet food in their mouths.  

Store Pulling Footwear from China After Rash
A popular French clothing chain has stopped selling Chinese-made boots and shoes containing an anti-fungal sachet previously blamed for causing rashes. The store, Etam, pulled the product off shelves and cut commercial ties with the supplier and forbade its other suppliers from using the sachets. The sachets contain dimethylfumarate, meant to fight humidity and mold. But the substance was blamed in a similar case in France, when chairs were withdrawn from sale after buyers complained of rashes.  

Obama Likely to Boost FDA Oversight of Imports
The Food and Drug Administration, bedeviled by a salmonella outbreak and tainted medicine from China, is likely to monitor imports and fresh produce more closely under an Obama administration. With President Bush no longer a roadblock, health officials can also expect new powers to control tobacco, from cigarettes to the recently introduced smokeless products calls snus. Food safety will be a priority for Obama's FDA. "He thinks this is a fundamental role of government to ensure that people's food is safe and he has been concerned that we are not in a position to ensure that," said a senior campaign adviser.  

China Detains Factory Owner in Melamine Scandal
Authorities in a Chinese city have detained the owner of a feed processing factory suspected of selling chicken feed tainted with an industrial chemical that was later found in eggs. Authorities found the factory mixed an ingredient tainted with melamine into feed sold to the country's leading egg producer. A brand of those eggs were found earlier this month by Hong Kong food safety regulators to contain excessive levels of melamine. 

Insulin Syringes Recalled
Covidien Ltd. is recalling 471,000 disposable insulin syringes because of mislabeling that could cause patients to receive an overdose, federal regulators announced. The company's ReliOn hypodermic syringes could cause patients to receive as much as 2.5 times the intended dose. 

China's Animal Feed Tainted with Toxic Chemical
The industrial chemical melamine is commonly added to animal feed in China to make it appear higher in protein, state media reported, in what appeared to be a tacit admission by the government that contamination is widespread in the country's food supply. The practice of mixing melamine into animal feed is an "open secret" in the industry in a process of repackaging melamine scrap into an inexpensive product called "protein powder," which is then sold to feed suppliers.  

Consumers Confused Over BPA Advice
BPA, a chemical used in food containers, is so widespread that most people have traces of it in their bodies. But health officials can't decide if that's a problem or something we can all live with. Bisphenol A is useful for hardening plastics to make all sorts of consumer products, from CDs to baby bottles. And the canning industry uses it for coatings that prevent leaks and bacterial contamination in metal food containers. Some scientists are concerned that BPA could be harmful, since it mimics some of the effects of a powerful hormone, estrogen. Infants may be particularly vulnerable because their bodies are developing and cannot eliminate the chemical as quickly. 

Panel: FDA's Conclusion on BPA Safety is Flawed
An independent panel of science advisers is taking issue with the FDA's assessment that a controversial chemical is safe. In a report to the agency, the panel concluded: "The margins of safety identified by the FDA as adequate are, in fact, inadequate." The chemical, known as bisphenol A, is used to make plastic baby bottles and sealants for cans that contain food. Environmental groups are seeking to have it banned in products for young children.

More Genital Birth Defects Point to Chemicals in Consumer Products
At Philadelphia's CHOP, surgeons repair the genitalia of roughly 300 baby boys each year, which is double the number of such procedures 30 years ago. The increase of genital birth defects, the most common being hypospadias, doubled between the late 1960s and early 1990s. Doctors suspect that while in the womb, the babies may have been affected by hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates, found in dozens of consumer products, such as plastics, perfume and nail polish. Regulating phthalates is particularly difficult, considering the chemicals are used in products ranging from deodorants to shower curtains to IV tubing. 

Quickly Vetted, Treatment is Offered to Patients
Each year, the FDA permits thousands of medical devices to be sold on the market after only cursory review and with no clear evidence that they help patients. Doctors are free to use those products as they see fit, without telling patients that the devices are not proved. Because the doctors are frequently paid more by Medicare as a way to compensate them for the extra time and expense of adopting new procedures, these unproven products can become widely adopted. FDA officials defend the quick review of medical products as a way to promote innovation and that lengthy study of such devices would be inappropriate and a waste of resources.

Recall Issued for Tainted Japanese Noodles
One of Japan's largest instant noodle makers issued a nationwide recall after a woman grew sick when she ate a cup of noodles that was later found to be tainted with insecticide. The recall covers 500,000 cups of instant noodles, which the manufacturer is warning people to discard if the noodles have an odd smell or damaged packaging.

Feds Ban Firewood Imported from Canada
The federal government has banned imports of untreated firewood from Canada amid concerns it could carry an invasive pest species into the United States. The quarantine imposed by the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service requires that all hardwood firewood entering the United States from Canada must be heated to almost 160 degrees for 75 minutes to prevent invasive species, such as the Asian long-horned beetle, emerald ash borer and gypsy moth, from being introduced to the U.S.

Rashes Prompt Worry Over Baby Clothing
The government is warning parents about Carter's Inc. baby garments with tag-less labels after about 400 babies who wore the clothing developed rashes on their backs. The warning applies to the fall 2007 line, which includes nearly 110 million garments. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warned that children should stop using these garments if they develop a rash. So far, the items have produced about 400 reports of baby rashes. The manufacturer has speculated that babies with sensitive skin could be allergic to the heat-transferred or tag-less labels used in baby clothing. 

Sales of Test for Ovarian Cancer Halted
One of the nation's largest clinical laboratory companies has halted sales of a controversial blood test aimed at early detection of ovarian cancer after receiving a warning from the FDA. The case has raised questions about the degree to which the FDA can or should regulate diagnostic tests. Doctors have long sought a test that could detect ovarian cancer early, when the condition would be more treatable; however, many experts agreed that the current test had never been proven to work. 

Lead Dangers Still Lurk in Unexpected Places
Lead exposure may sound like an old-fashioned health threat, but getting a dangerous dose is more common today than you might expect. Although average blood lead levels are way down, new research shows that even low amounts can be harmful. Just a few micrograms can double your risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke, and similar levels may also cause memory loss.  

South Korea Finds Melamine in Chinese Egg Products
South Korea has ordered 23 tons of Chinese processed egg products to be destroyed after they were found to be tainted like melamine, the latest in a series of health scares blighting Chinese brands. The move comes after South Korea found melamine in 10 Chinese dairy products earlier this month and ordered them to be taken off shop shelves. South Korea had ordered the destruction of 23 tons of stores in warehouses and would recall products which may have been already sold to food companies for use as an additive or salad seasoning. 

1.6 Million Cribs Recalled After 2 Infant Deaths
A recall of nearly 1.6 million cribs, triggered by the suffocations of two 8-month-old infants, has prompted a government agency to urge parents to inspect older drop-side cribs for safety problems. Both of the suffocations involved infants who got stuck in a gap created when the movable side came off of its guide track. The incidents, which involved Delta Enterprises cribs, involved safety pegs that are intended to prevent the drop side form lowering too far and slipping off the track. If these pegs are not installed, or if they fail to engage, the drop-side can detach and create a dangerous gap where babies can get stuck. 

Dentists Back Sealants Despite Concerns
Cavities or chemicals? That's the dilemma for parents worried about a controversial substance found in the popular sealants that are painted on children's molars to prevent decay. The chemical is bisphenol A, or BPA, which is widely used in the making of the hard, clear plastic called polycarbonate, and is also found in the linings of food and soft drink cans. Most human exposure to the chemical clearly comes from the food supply. But traces have been found in dental sealants. 

Canada to Ban Baby Bottles with BPA
Canada declared a chemical widely used in food packaging a toxic substance and will now move to ban plastic baby bottles containing bisphenol A. The toxic classification makes Canada the first country to classify the chemical commonly used in the lining of food cans, eyeglass lenses and hundreds of household items as risky. Canada's announcement came six months after its health ministry labeled BPA as dangerous. A report on bisphenol A found that the chemical endangers people, particularly newborns and infants, and the environment, citing concerns that the chemical in polycarbonate products and epoxy linings can migrate into food and beverages.  

Cookies Recalled Due to Possible Melamine
A company is recalling Koala's March cream-filled cookies from American shelves because they were made in China and may be contaminated with melamine. The Michigan-based company says it's not aware of any illnesses associated with the products. The cookies were distributed nationwide and to Canada.

Tainted Milk Takes Big Toll on Rural Chinese
Amid China's worst food safety crisis in years, thousands of parents have jammed into hospital emergency rooms. More than 50,000 children have been treated for kidney ailments and nearly 6,000 remain hospitalized. Four deaths have been linked to the toxic milk. Experts say the long-term effects of prolonged exposure to high levels of melamine have not been studied in humans, but infants and young children are most vulnerable.  

Mower Makers Overstate Engine Power Claims Consumer Suit
The makers and sellers of lawn mowers exaggerate mower engine horsepower to get consumers to pay high prices for machines touted as better and stronger than competitor models, claims a Texas federal lawsuit. The suit charges 12 manufacturers and retailers with conspiring to misrepresent engine power. Three Texas residents who bought mowers filed the suit on behalf of all state residents who purchased a mower for household or commercial use over the last 14 years. The consumers argue that manufacturers advertise horsepower units on product labels and other material that is much higher than the machines' true horsepower.  

Italy Sees Melamine Risk in Seized Chinese Milk
About a ton of smuggled Chinese powdered milk seized in the Italian city of Naples is likely to be contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine. Officials say there is a high risk that the seized milk was contaminated with melamine because it was found in packages which usually contained tainted milk. The seized powder milk had been smuggled into Italy because its import has been banned.  

China's Top Dairies Battle to Regain Public Trust
China's dairy giants opened their factories to a government-led media tour in a bid to stave off losses and regain the public's trust after their products were found tainted with a chemical that killed four infants and sickened tens of thousands. Executives from two of the largest dairies promised that stepped up testing and new procedures would ensure that similar contamination won't happen again.  

FDA to Open Inspection Office in China This Year
The Food and Drug Administration will establish its first office in China before the end of the year as part of a broader plan to assure the safety of imports from the developing world. The commissioner of the FDA laid out a plan to place more than 60 food and drug regulators worldwide over the next year, with a particular focus on India, Latin America and the Middle East. The staffers will inspect foreign facilities, provide guidance on U.S. equality standards, and eventually train local experts to conduct inspections on behalf of the FDA. 

Ties Between Doctors and Stent Makers Queried
Heart doctors and makers of medical devices meeting for their annual convention got a sobering piece of news: two senators are asking tough questions about financial ties between the doctors and the companies. The two lawmakers want answers regarding the financial relationship between doctors and device manufacturers and drug producers.

Doctors Warn of Skin Rash from Cell Phone Use
Doctors baffled by an unexplained rash on people's ears or cheeks should be on alert for a skin allergy caused by too much mobile phone use, the British Association of Dermatologists said. Citing published studies, the group said a red or itchy rash, known as "mobile phone dermatitis," affects people who develop an allergic reaction to the nickel surface on mobile phones after spending long periods of time on the devices. The group said it is worth doctors bearing this condition in mind if they see a patient with a rash on the cheek or ear that cannot otherwise be explained. 

Japan Pulls Tainted Chinese Beans from Stores
A Japanese supermarket chain pulled frozen beans produced in China from its shelves after they were found to be tainted with pesticide, the latest in a string of food safety scandals to hit Chinese producers. At least one woman was hospitalized briefly after eating the green beans imported from China. The manufacturer has since halted shipments of all its products. 

Pure Bottled Water Has Contaminants, Too
Tests on leading brands of bottled water turned up a variety of contaminants, including cancer-linked chemicals three times higher than California's health standard, according to a study released by an environmental advocacy group. Lab tests detected 38 chemicals in 10 brands, with an average of eight contaminants found in each kind of bottled water. Tests showed coliform bacteria, caffeine, the pain reliever acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, plastic-making chemicals and the radioactive element strontium.

Judge OKs $24 Million for Pets Hurt by Tainted Food
A federal judge approved a $24 million settlement for owners of dogs and cats who were sickened or died after eating pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical. The settlement is to compensate nearly 10,000 plus owners for many expenses associated with the tainted pet food, including: the cost of the food, medical and burial expenses for their animals, the value of the animals or the cost of replacement pets, checkups for animals who ate the food but did not get sick, replacing carpets ruined by sick pets, and time the owners took off work to seek treatment for their animals.

Pet Food Case Settlement May Hit $32 Million
A federal judge will hear oral arguments on a proposal that would bring to $32 million the amount pet food makers and distributors would pay to settle hundreds of lawsuits over contaminated pet food that killed or sickened thousands of animals last year. Pet owners disagreed with an earlier settlement proposal because it offered no money for the humans' pain and suffering from injuries to their pets.  

Better Labels Urged for Caffeine in Drinks
With some energy drinks packing as much caffeine as 14 cans of cola, a new study suggests that manufacturers of the products should be required to list caffeine content and recommended limits, including a warning about use by children. Researchers noted the tremendous increase in sales of drinks like Red Bull, which they say ranged in caffeine content from 50 to 505 milligrams per container. A six-ounce cup of coffee has from 77 to 150 milligrams. The researchers said that without proper labeling, consumers might not know what they were drinking or how much was too much. As a result, they may be at risk for caffeine intoxication, the symptoms of which include insomnia and agitation.  

Study Warns of Hearing Loss from Music Players
Noise from personal music players threatens permanent hearing loss for as many as 10 million Europeans who use them, according to a scientific study for the European Union. The report said that those who listened for five hours a week at high-volume settings exposed themselves to more noise than permitted in the noisiest factory of work place. Maximum volume on some devices can generate as much noise as an airplane taking off. The study also warns that young people do not realize the damage until years later.

New Federal Rule Pre-Empts State Tort Claims Related to Seat Belt Injuries
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration once again has launched a "pre-emptive" strike against state personal injury suits by inserting a pre-emption provision in a new rule governing seat belt safety, according to consumer and trail lawyer groups. The final rule is known as the "designated seating position" rule. It revises the definition of "designated seating position" to determine the number of seat belts that are required in a particular vehicle, and it eliminates the exclusion of auxiliary seats from the definition so that all seating locations intended to be used while a vehicle is in motion would provide the appropriate levels of crash protection.

10,700 Chinese Children Hospitalized Over Milk
Nearly 10,700 Chinese infants and children were still in hospital after drinking toxic milk and milk formula, but urged foreign customers to take a "scientific" approach to the safety of its products. The country is still wrestling with a tainted milk scandal that has killed four babies, made tens of thousands more ill and affected products around the world. But it has rushed to assure buyers abroad and at home that the government is back in control and has closed the loopholes that allowed the industrial chemical melamine, used in making plastics and in pesticides, to get into milk.  

Germ Linked to Dairy Kills Three in Outbreak
An outbreak of Listeria food poisoning from a Massachusetts dairy killed three elderly men, caused the stillbirth of a baby and the premature birth of a second baby. U.S. officials said the outbreak, while rare, demonstrates how difficult it can be to even detect, let alone trace, foodborne illness. It also shows that local health officials must move swiftly even at the hint of an outbreak.

Blonde-Turned-Brunette Gets Brush Off After Suing Over Mismarked Hair Dye
A Connecticut judge has given the brush-off to a blonde woman's lawsuit claiming L'Oreal Inc. ruined her social life when she accidentally dyed her hair brunette with one of its products. She claims she can never return to her natural blonde hue, a shock that left her so traumatized she needed anti-depressants, suffered headaches and anxiety, missed the attention that blondes receive and had to stay home and wear hats most of the time. However, a Superior Court judge dismissed her lawsuit, saying she never proved her allegation that L'Oreal put brown hair dye in a box labeled blonde.

FDA Says Cancer Test Failed to Get Its Approval
The Food and Drug Administration has told the Laboratory Corporation of America that it is illegally marketing a blood test to detect ovarian cancer, according to a warning letter posted on the FDA's Web site. The test, introduced in June, has raised hopes among women and their doctors because it promises to detect ovarian cancer at an early stage when it is still treatable. However, some experts have said the test had not been proved accurate and might cause women to have unnecessary surgeries to remove their ovaries.

Chinese Lawyers Pressured to Drop Milk Cases
Lawyers advising the families of children sickened in China's tainted milk scandal are facing growing official pressure to withdraw from the cases. A loose grouping of more than 100 lawyers across China have been offering free legal advice to the families of children who became ill after drinking milk laced with the industrial chemical melamine. At least 14 lawyers have reported that officials told them to stop their activities and have applied pressure on them to stop.  

Small Type and Large Loopholes in New Labeling Laws
After six years of political skirmishing, labeling laws that are supposed to tell shoppers whether their tomatoes, apples or chicken are homegrown or imported have taken effect. The new law gives retailers until March 30 to lable the country of origin for foods including fruit, vegetables, meats and nuts. Until now, only seafood has been subject to the labeling rule. However, significant loopholes exist, particularly one that allows any store that sells less than $230,000 worth of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables are not required to label imports. That immediately eliminates all fish markets, butcher shops and small grocery stores from rules.  

Toy Recall Bill Idles in Senate
Hearing that a bill in the Senate would require retailers to pull recalled toys off store shelves confuses many who assumed that was the law. However, only recently has a bill been introduced into the Pennsylvania Senate that would require retailers to pull recalled toys from their shelves within three days and require retailers to post the recall conspicuously on their Web sites within five days of receiving notification of the recall. The bill has been put on hold after a new federal law was enacted that requires toys and infant products be tested before they are sold. The Senate now claims it wants to see how the federal law works before imposing any laws of their own.

China Vows Overhaul of "Chaotic" Milk Industry
China's cabinet vowed a complete overhaul of the scandal-ridden dairy industry, pledging to inspect every link from the farm to the dinner table to try to restore public trust in Chinese-made food products. In its strongest action yet, China's highest level of government called the industry "chaotic" and acknowledged there was a lack of oversight.  

Nuking Frozen Meals Can Make You Sick
Zapping frozen meals in the microwave may be fast and easy, but it can also make you sick if not done properly. The government has issued a new warning urging consumers to thoroughly cook frozen chicken dinners after 32 people in 12 states were sickened with salmonella poisoning. The problem is that microwaves heat unevenly, and can leave cold spots in the food the harbor dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli, salmonella or listeria. Microwaving anything involving raw meat, whether its frozen or thawed, can cause problems.

Tiny Bit of Melamine in Food is OK, Experts Say
Eating a tiny bit of melamine, the chemical responsible for a global food safety scare, is not harmful except when it is in baby formula, U.S. food safety officials said. Melamine-tainted formula has sickened more than 54,000 children in China and is being blamed for the deaths of at least four children. The chemical has also turned up in products sold across Asia. In reaction to the crisis, the Food and Drug Administration have concluded that eating a very tiny amount of melamine, about 2.5 parts per million, would not raise health concerns, even if a person ate food that was tainted with the chemical every day.

Parents of Sick Boy Sue Over Tainted Milk
The parents of a 1-year-old boy who developed kidney stones after drinking infant formula tainted with an industrial chemical are suing the dairy at the heart of the scandal. The case is believed to be the first civil lawsuit filed in response to the contamination of milk, yogurt and other dairy products with melamine, which causes kidney stones and can lead to kidney failure. Nearly 54,000 children have been sickened and four infants have died.  

Poor Safety Ratings for 13 Booster Seats
Several car booster seats do a poor job of positioning children to fit in their seat belts, according to a review by the insurance industry and researchers. The review found that 13 boosters "may increase restraint use by making children more comfortable, but they don't position belts for optimal protection." The manufacturers, however, contend that their products meet and exceed federal regulations.  

Pet Food Plant Closing After Salmonella Scares
A Fayette County pet food plant involved in two salmonella scares will be permanently closed. Mars Petcare announced the plant's closure days after it announced a voluntary recall of cat and dog food made at the plant because of potential contamination with a strain of salmonella. The same plant was also closed for cleaning in 2007 after salmonella had been found in bags of dog food produced there.

What's Behind an FDA Stamp?
The FDA is the federal agency charged with overseeing the safety of drugs, medical devices, food, cosmetics and many other health-related products. But although the agency has regulatory authority over nearly 25 percent of the nation's economy, it is important to understand what it regulates closely and what it doesn't. For example, the FDA does almost nothing to ensure that dietary supplements work as advertised. Only when supplements are proved to be unsafe or to contain regulated substances can the agency take action.  

New Labels to Say Where in the World Your Food Comes From
Starting in October, consumers will be learning a lot more about the frozen ground beef, pork tenderloin, fresh tomatoes and raspberries that they put in their grocery carts. That's the day that the Country of Origin Labeling Law goes into effect, which requires that labels for meat, poultry and produce clearly state what country they've come from. Advocates say it will improve overall food safety, especially after a spate of widespread food contaminants over the last two years. 

Cadbury Recalls Chinese-Made Chocolates
British candy maker Cadbury announced a recall of chocolate made in its Beijing factory after it was found to contain melamine, the industrial chemical that has sickened tens of thousands of Chinese children. The 11 recalled items were sold in parts of Asia and the Pacific, however Cadbury's chocolates sold in the United States were not affected.  

Heinz Recalls 270 Cases of Baby Food in Hong Kong
The H.J. Heinz Co. recalled 270 cases of a variety of baby food sold in Hong Kong that had trace amounts of the same chemical that has caused a health crisis in China. The Pittsburgh food company moved quickly to provide assurances that the product did not represent a health risk for consumers and that no other company products were affected, but the recall provided another example of heightened international concern over the presence of melamine in food products.  

China's Milk Scandal Now Seen as Risk in Europe
European Union regulators ordered rigorous testing of imports containing at least 15 percent milk powder after concluding that food containing tainted milk powder from China may well be circulating in Europe and putting children at risk. The action, announced by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Commission, significantly expands the potential geographic reach of a milk adulteration scandal in China to now include a range of foods sold around the world. 

EU Bans Baby Food Made with Chinese Milk
The European Union banned imports of baby food containing Chinese milk as a toxic chemical that was illegally added to China's dairy supplies turned up in candy and other Chinese-made goods that were quickly pulled from stores worldwide. The 27-nation EU adds to the growing list of countries that have banned or recalled Chinese dairy products because of the contamination, which has killed four Chinese babies and sickened 54,000. In addition to the ban, the European Commission called for more checks on other Chinese good imports. 

Report: FDA Oversight of Produce Too Lax
The Food and Drug Administration's efforts to combat food-borne illness are hampered by infrequent inspections, not enough staff and the failure to implement a program devoted to the safety of fresh produce, according to congressional investigators. The Government Accountability Office draft report said that only 1 percent of produce imported into the U.S. is inspected, and that the practice of mixing produce from several sources makes it hard to trace contamination. 

Baby Cereal Latest Problem in China Milk Scandal
The list of products caught in China's tainted milk scandal grew to include baby cereal in Hong Kong and snack foods in Japan, while Taiwan reported three children and a mother with kidney stones in the island's first cases possibly linked to the crisis. The Japanese government also said it had suspended imports of milk and milk products from China, where some 54,000 children have developed kidney stones or other illnesses after drinking baby formula contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine.  

Amid Milk Scare, China's Elite Eat All Organic
While China grapples with its latest tainted food crisis, the political elite are served the choicest, safest delicacies. This food is supplied by a special government outfit that provides all-organic goods from farms working under the strictest guidelines. That secure food supply stands in stark contrast to the frustrations of ordinary citizens who have faced recurring food scandals.

China's Milk Scandal Bares Government Failures
A note posted in July on the Web site of China's food safety inspection agency came from a doctor: There had been a suddenr ise in infants turning up at his hospital with kidney stones after drinking the same brand of formula. The warning, which urged an investigation, went unheeded. In the two weeks since China began piecemeal reporting about contamination of the milk supply, a picture has emerged of official indifference, greed and government dysfunction. Among the startling details: the practice of adulterating milk was widely known in the industry, and one dairy knew since late last year that its formula was sickening children. 

FDA Cracks Down on Skin Cream and Eye Wash
Federal officials launched a crackdown against several companies that market an eye wash and a widely used skin cream without government approval, saying these prescription medications could pose risks. The eye wash, known as a balanced salt solution, is used to keep the eyes moist during surgery. Two companies have versions that are officially approved by the FDA, but three companies are selling similar types of eye wash without federal validation of their safety and effectiveness. The skin cream contains an enzyme called papain and is used to treat skin ulcers from diabetes; although such products have been used for more than 100 years, the FDA said there are no approved versions on the market. 

French Firm Recalls Tainted Baby Milk
A French company says it has ordered the withdrawal of a batch of powdered baby milk sold exclusively in pharmacies after traces of salmonella were found in eight babies. Stressing that there was no link to a milk scandal gripping China, Novalac said it had taken the precautionary step on suspicion that salmonella was present in boxes of AR Digest.  

China Says Complaints About Milk Began in 2007
One of China's biggest dairy producers received consumer complaints about its baby milk formula as early as December 2007, which is much earlier than previously thought and 10 months before the producer ordered a nationwide recall because of concerns that the formula had been adulterated with a toxic industrial chemical. The disclosure is the latest indication that the producer had repeatedly tried to hide information about its contaminated dairy supplies from the public. 

U.S. Adds Precautions to Keep Out Tainted Milk
Although no trace of infant formula from China has turned up in this country, U.S. authorities are taking added precautions to keep out tainted milk products. The Food and Drug Administration has widened its inspections at ports of entry to focus on shipments of bulk food ingredients from Asia that are derived from milk, such as milk concentrate and whole milk powder. The agency will also issue an alert warning consumers not to buy milk products from China on the Internet.

FDA to Review Genetically Engineered Animals
The government will start considering proposals to sell genetically engineered animals as food, a move that could lead to faster-growing fish, cattle that can resist mad cow disease or perhaps heart-healthier eggs laid by a new breed of chickens. The rules will also apply to drugs and other medical materials from genetically engineered animals, a field with explosive potential. U.S. supermarkets currently sell no meat from genetically engineered animals. But a Boston-area company called Aqua Bounty Technologies hopes to win approval next year for its faster-growing salmon and make the fish available by 2011. 

More Arrests in China's Tainted Milk Scandal
Police arrested 12 more people as China expanded a crackdown in a scandal involving tainted milk powder as a fourth death was announced and more than 6,200 other babies were sick from the powder. The government claim that the most recent death occurred after the person ingested tainted milk powder. 

FDA Eyes Mandatory Tracking Program for Food
A mandatory traceability system in the United States would help improve the safety of food, such as produce. Nearly three weeks after the government declared an end to the worst food-borne outbreak in a decade, lawmakers claim a mandatory program is long overdue, and would help U.S. regulators improve safety and restore consumer confidence in food. Currently, some produce farms only use voluntary traceability programs, but many approaches vary.

Scientists Learn How Listeria Attacks the Unborn
French researchers have discovered how food-borne bacteria can make the jump from a pregnant mother to her unborn child, a finding that may lead to new ways of protecting a fetus from potentially deadly infections. Researchers studying Listeria monocytogens, a pathogen that infects 2,500 people a year in the United States and kills 500 each year, found that pregnant women are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis, which can often result in miscarriage and stillbirth.

Consumer Ads for Medical Devices Subject of Senate Panel
As makers of medical devices like artificial knees and heart stents increasingly pitch their products directly to consumers, some lawmakers, medical groups and others are calling for restrictions on such advertisements, claiming they mislead patients. Experts maintain that the advertising of a medical device can have more of an impact on a patient's well-being than a drug, because devices often require surgery to implant and may remain inside the body for years. The Senate Special Committee on Aging plans to hold a hearing about direct-to-consumer promotions of medical devices. The chairman of the committee said he was holding the hearing because he thought that the Food and Drug Administration might have to increase its scrutiny of medical device promotions, much as it had done with pharmaceutical advertisements. 

Heated Car Seat May be Too Hot for Men
Heated seats are a luxury in some cars, but they may be a little too hot for men. A preliminary study suggests that 90 minutes on a heated care seat created a significant increase in men's scotal temperature. Because heat stress on the testicles has been show to impair sperm quality, the findings raise the possibility that over time, heated car seats could affect a man's fertility.  

Exports Tested as China Milk Scandal Spreads
China's latest product safety scandal involving tainted milk formula blamed for killing two Chinese babies and sickening 1,200 expanded to include more foods. A nationwide inspection of the 175 Chinese companies making baby milk powder showed that 22 of them had traces of the industrial chemical melamine in their products. Food inspectors have also ordered a recall after melamine was found in an ice cream bar.

License of Raw Milk Purveyor Suspended
Pennsylvania is lapping up raw milk at a booming rate, but the boutique beverage just became harder to find in the suburbs. The state Department of Agriculture suspended the license of the only state-certified seller of raw milk in Montgomery County, Hendricks Farms & Dairy in Telford, after customers in seven unrelated households came down with gastrointestinal infections tied to the campylobacter bacteria.  

Second Infant Death in China Milk Scandal
China reported the death of a second infant from tainted milk powder in a growing scandal that left hundreds more ill but only led to a product recall after the New Zealand government raised the alarm. Two traders were arrested for selling up to 3 tons of contaminated milk a day, police reported. 

Some Dry Pet Foods Recalled for Salmonella
Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of all dry pet food products produced at its plant, citing potential contamination with salmonella. Mars, in a news release, did not say how much pet food is involved, but said the recall reaches 31 states and various brands and said the action was taken as a precaution.

Few Safeguards Found for Mexican Produce
While some Mexican producers grow fruits and vegetables under strict sanitary conditions for export to the U.S., many don't, and they can still send their products across the border easily. In fact, the only thing a Mexican company needs to do to sell products to the United States is to register online.

Defibrillators are Lifesaver, But Risks Give Pause
The implanted defibrillator, a device that can automatically shock an erratically beating heart back to a normal rhythm, has been proved to save lives. But in the last two years the number of patients receiving defibrillators has actually declined, as more doctors and patients decide the risks and uncertainties the devices pose may outweigh their potential benefits. What makes doctors and patients increasingly wary, though, is a string of highly publicized recalls in recent years, along with mounting evidence suggesting that a vast majority of people who get a defibrillator never need it.

Graco Says It Sold Dangerous Bassinets Under Its Brand Name
Graco Children's Products, Inc. said that some of the 900,000 Simplicity bassinets recalled last month by the Consumer Product Safety Commission carried the Graco brand. Graco sold the bassinets as part of a licensing agreement with Simplicity, Inc. The bassinets were recalled after a baby girl's death due to a metal bar that can choke a baby.  

China Investigates Tainted Baby Formula
China's health ministry announced a nationwide probe into the safety of all infant formulas, as a team of investigators from six government agencies descended on the milk powder factory that produced formula now linked to one baby's death and kidney problems in at least 50 more. The producer of the suspect formula recalled 700 tons of its formula after determining that it had been contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical.

Judge Rules Product Liability Suit Pre-empted by Federal Vaccine Act
A Philadelphia judge ruled that a federal law governing the liability of pharmaceutical companies for drug vaccines pre-empts state tort claims of design defect and failure to warn in the products liability case of an 11-year-old boy who has autism. The judge ruled that both the plaintiffs' design defect and failure to warn claims were expressly pre-empted by the federal National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. The plaintiffs had argued that the defendants were negligent because the public and the medical profession were not warned about the alleged hazards of mercury in the vaccines.

Certain Flame Retardants May Make Us Sick
A common group of flame retardants used since the 1970s and credited with saving lives is proving to be a pervasive contaminant in the environment that may be harmful to human health. The chemicals were added to textiles, couches, carpet pads, mattresses, and the hard plastics in TVs, computers, and other electronic devices. Known as PBDEs, these organic compounds are now widespread in humans and the environment. They have been detected in breast milk and human blood, including umbilical cord blood and livers of fetuses. Health studies suggest that they may, at high levels of exposure, cause cancer, undescended testicles in babies, decreased sperm quality and effects on thyroid function.  

Grading Eateries on Food Safety
The Center for Science in the Public Interest wants all state and local governments to post letter grades in the front windows of restaurants showing the restaurant's performance on the most recent food safety inspection. When restaurant owners know that inspection results will be posted publicly, it forces them to make food safety a top priority and is the best motivator for keeping the premises clean and safe. Without public discourse, restaurants have the incentive to do only what they need to do to stay open. 

Gooping on Denture Cream Can be a Health Hazard
Loading up on denture cream can be hazardous to your health, new research suggests. Of four denture-wearing patients who developed neurological problems, all had high levels of zinc in their blood, accompanied by abnormally low levels of copper. Because denture cream contains zinc, and all of the patients habitually used "extremely large amounts," researchers propose that excess denture cream use led to their neurological problems.

Federal Judge Dismisses Suit Alleging Cancer Risk from Cell Phone Use
In a major victory for cellular phone manufacturers and service providers, a federal judge has dismissed a consumer class action suit that accused the companies of conspiring to hide evidence that the radio frequency emissions from cell phones pose biological hazards including the risk of brain cancer. The judge concluded that a consumer suit alleging breach of warranty claims stemming from the alleged danger of cell phone radio frequency emissions is pre-empted by federal law because the Federal Communications Commission has the exclusive power to set the standards for radio frequency radiation in cell phones. 

Dannon Denies False Claims in Yogurt Ads
In an answer to a proposed nationwide consumer class action lawsuit, Dannon says the ads touting the alleged health benefits of its Activia and DanActive probiotic yogurts are not false and misleading. A woman sued Dannon on behalf of a proposed nationwide class of tens of thousands of consumers who allegedly bought the probiotic yogurts based on the belief that the products supplied health benefits they could not get from regular yogurts. The suit claims that Dannon has no scientific evidence to support its advertising claims.

E. Coli Outbreak in Oklahoma Sickens 200, Kills 1
An E. coli outbreak linked to a restaurant in northeastern Oklahoma has sickened more than 200 people and killed at least one person. The Country Cottage restaurant has been closed for more than a week, but an exact source of the contamination has not been pinpointed. 

Toxic Metals Found in Health Products
People who buy ayurvedic medicines, commonly used around the world by Indians and other people from South Asia, may be getting more than they bargained for. Researchers who looked at almost 200 ayurvedic products bought in the United States found that about a fifth contained lead, mercury or arsenic, sometimes at dangerously high levels.  

State Attorney General Issues Warning for Infant Bassinets
Pennsylvania's attorney general urged Pennsylvania families to stop using 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 Convertible Sleeper Model bassinets manufactured by Reading-based Simplicity, Inc. The warning was prompted by a safety alert issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission following reports of child deaths associated with these products. The bassinets have metal bars spaced farther apart than the required limit, which allows an infant to slip through the bassinet's opening and become trapped in between the metal bars, leading to suffocation.

87 Sickened and One Dead from Salmonella Outbreak
One person has died and 87 are sick with salmonella food poisoning from tainted cheese in Quebec. The salmonella outbreak has forced three brands of cheese manufactured by Fromages La Chaudiere Inc. after an unusually high number of salmonella cases were reported. In addition to the one fatality, 40 percent of those sickened required hospitalization.

Burning Incense Linked to Respiratory Cancers
Burning incense may create a sweet scent, but regularly inhaling the smoke could put people at risk of cancers of the respiratory tract. In a study of more than 61,000 ethnic Chinese living in Singapore who were followed for up to 12 years, the investigators found a link between heavy incense use and various respiratory cancers.

Recall Prompts Another Look at Tainted Kerosene
Local officials maintain an Amish woman's death was not related to possibly tainted kerosene that has been recalled. The woman died after suffering burns in a fire that occurred when the blaze was sparked when she poured what she thought was kerosene into a wood-burning water heater at her home. Authorities contend that the can contained gasoline. However, the kerosene was recalled because the substance may have contained traces of gasoline and could potentially be explosive. 

Giant Removes Recalled Hot Pockets Pizza Sandwiches from Shelves
Giant Food Stores has announced that it has removed packages of frozen Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza from its shelves immediately because of a manufacturer's recall. Nestle has announced a voluntary recall of the 54-ounce 12-pack of Hot Pockets sandwiches because the food could contain foreign materials. No reports of illnesses or injuries associated with this product have been received yet. 

FDA Allows Irradiation of Some Produce
The government will allow food producers to zap fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce with enough radiation to kill micro-organisms like E. coli and salmonella that for decades have caused widespread illness among consumers. It is the first time the Food and Drug Administration has allowed any produce to be irradiated at levels needed to protect against illness.

Listeriosis Outbreak in Canada Sickens 16
An outbreak of listeriosis has killed one person and sickened at least 16 others, Canadian public officials said as a food company suspended production at a Toronto plant and expanded a recall of nearly two dozen types of packaged meats. Listeriosis can kill babies and people with weakened immune systems and cause miscarriages. Symptoms include fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. 

Lead Paint Lawyers Ask Rhode Island to Pay Their Court Costs
Six weeks after the Rhode Island Supreme Court freed four paint companies of billions of dollars in liability for lead paint cleanup, lawyers for the companies argued that due to the decision, the state and plaintiffs counsel must cover court fees. Last month the Supreme Court reversed a jury verdict finding the companies' use of lead in paints was a public nuisance that required $2.4 billion in cleanup. Sherwin-Williams is now arguing that the state must pay court fees incurred in the nine-year legal battle.  

Man Says Fish Salad Gave Him a 9-Foot Tapeworm
A man who contends he got a 9-foot tapeworm after eating undercooked fish has sued a Chicago restaurant. In the lawsuit, he claims that he ordered a salmon salad and became violently ill. He later passed the giant parasite, which a pathologist determined came from undercooked fish, such as salmon. The man is now seeking $100,000, contending that the restaurant and its staff were negligent in serving him improperly cooked fish.  

Use of Sexual Conduct Evidence Prejudicial in Tire Defect Case
A California appeals court has vacated a verdict for Michelin North America in a tire defect case and ordered a new trial, ruling that the admission of evidence on the plaintiff's sexual conduct caused a miscarriage of justice. In the lawsuit, the plaintiff used a rented cargo van to transport produce from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and he contends that the tread came off his Michelin tire, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. During the trial, however, Michelin painted the man as a liar, cheater, womanizer and a man of low morals based on what the court found to be inadmissible evidence.

Chemical Used in Plastic Bottles is Safe, F.D.A. Says
Despite safety concerns of parents, consumer groups and politicians, a chemical used in baby bottles, canned foods and other items is not dangerous, federal regulators said. Scientists at the Food and Drug Administration said the trace amounts of bisphenol A that leach out of food containers were not a threat to infants or adults. The plastic-hardening chemical is used to seal canned food and make shatterproof bottles.  

Salmonella Outbreak Wanes, But Questions Linger
The nationwide salmonella outbreak is finally winding down but federal health officials can't yet say how the few tainted Mexican peppers they've found could explain such widespread illness. The outbreak isn't considered over yet, Food and Drug Administration officials caution. The outbreak strain has been confirmed in 1,423 patients, with the latest known illness beginning July 24. The FDA is focusing its probe on some farms in Mexico where a handful of jalapeno and serrano peppers, and some irrigation water, tainted with the outbreak strain of salmonella were traced.  

California Weighs Chemical Ban in Baby Bottles
Responding to growing consumer anxiety, California lawmakers are considering enacting what could be the first statewide restrictions on a chemical found in plastic baby bottles and infant formula cans. The bill would require that all products or food containers designed for children 3 years and younger contain only trace amounts of the chemical, bisphenol A.

Nebraska Beef Recalls 1.2 Million Pounds of Beef
Nebraska Beef recalled 1.2 million pounds of primal cuts, subprimal cuts and boxed beef that were made in June and July. The products have been linked to illnesses in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. It is suspected that the beef contains a potentially deadly strain of E. coli bacterium. 

Henna Chemicals Cause Ornate Allergies
The American Academy of Dermatology recently issued a warning that a chemical found in black henna tattoos can cause a severe allergic reaction, causing the skin to redden, swell and blister. While true henna is made from harmless plants, black henna uses a chemical called PPD, which makes the tattoo dry quickly and last long, but in some cases causes allergies, scarring or darkness of the skin.  

California Firm Recalls Beef due to E. coli
The U.S. Agriculture Department announced that S&S Foods is recalling about 153,630 pounds of frozen ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli. At least 11 illnesses have been reported with consumption of the product, which was shipped to distribution centers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Spaghetti Mix Recalled From Three States
CF Sauer Foods Inc. has recalled its Gold Medal spaghetti sauce mix from stores in Mississippi, Kentucky and Alabama because the product contains a milk ingredient that could cause an allergic reaction. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk risk serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.  

Proposed Bill Would Finalize Sunscreen Labeling Rules
Two United States Senators introduced a bill that would compel the Food and Drug Administration to make final comprehensive rules on sunscreen. Last summer, the agency proposed updated rules that would standardize the labeling on sunscreens, giving consumers more detailed information about their efficacy. But the agency has not made the regulations final, which must happen before they can be implemented. Senator Christopher Dodd said the agency appeared to be moving at a deliberately slow pace for the benefit of sunscreen manufacturers.

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