Morgan Cogo ‘25, Opinion Editor
Over the past couple of months, there has been a significant rise in food and medical recalls. In October alone, there have been over 50 items recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is affecting products in some of the most popular grocery stores across the U.S., including Walmart, Publix, Target, Aldi, Amazon, Trader Joe’s and more.
Pre-cooked meat producer BrucePac has released information about the products impacted by its nearly 10 million-pound recall first announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Oct. 9. Routine testing found evidence of L. monocytogenes on BrucePac ready-to-eat poultry, which can cause a listeriosis infection if consumed.
Listeriosis is a foodborne bacteria that is most commonly found in undercooked meats, and it can affect certain demographics of people more than others. “These include pregnant women, patients undergoing treatment for cancer, HIV and organ transplants, elderly people and infants. This form of disease is characterized by severe symptoms and a high mortality rate (20–30%). The symptoms include fever, myalgia (muscle pain), septicemia, and meningitis,” the World Health Organization said.
Initially, USDA and BrucePac released a general warning about the roughly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry subject to recall, followed by later updates on specific products and locations where they are sold. Affected products were shipped to establishments and distributors nationwide, including restaurants and other food institutions, and can appear in salads, frozen meals, and other pre-packaged foods of different brands sold at a variety of locations.
There have also been recalls on medical supplies such as ventilators and baby powder. The company Dynarex Corporation’s baby powder has been recalled according to reports of toxic metals and possible chemical contamination. Along with a ventilator company called Philips Respironics, “The use of in-line nebulizers placed in certain locations may lead to aerosol deposits forming over time,” the FDA said. Aerosol deposits can hold Coronavirus particles and infect a person if inhaled.
One of the most worrisome is the recent lawsuit filed against the Pfizer company for their birth control Depo-Provera. Depo-Provera is a progestin-based hormonal birth control that is administered through an injection every three months. However, this medication may cause patients to develop tumors known as meningiomas in the brain or even the spine when used for over a year. “Despite being aware of this serious risk, drug manufacturer Pfizer hasn’t updated the Depo-Provera warning label to inform patients,” Sokolove Law Firm said in their statement on the lawsuit.
It does not help that “Seventy-nine of the food-processing chemicals found in the body are known to cause cancer, genetic mutations, endocrine and reproductive issues, and other health concerns,” CNN Health said. Overall the products we put in our bodies and trust to make us better have been hurting more than helping, when will it end? Going forward society will be better off taking their health into their own hands, avoiding processed foods and taking holistic alternatives to medications when capable, are the best ways to preserve your health.
Lyon Life 