A news alert pops up on your phone: there has been a recall of organic carrots because of E. coli. Oh no! You remember packing carrots in your children’s lunch boxes this morning. Food recalls can be concerning and might affect your family’s health. When these events happen, like recent recalls of carrots and cucumbers, it’s important to know what steps to take and what warning signs to watch for. Foods can be recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) if there is a problem, like incorrect labeling or if the food could make people sick. The FDA learns about these issues when two or more people get sick from eating the same contaminated food. Food can get contaminated at any step—from being grown on a farm to being sold in stores or prepared at home. For example, dirty water might be used to water crops, storage bins might have germs, refrigerated foods might get too warm, or food might be prepared in unsanitary conditions. Even though farmers, sellers, and food preparers work hard to keep food safe, about 48 million people in the U.S. still get sick from foodborne illnesses each year. Children are more likely to get sick because their immune systems are not as strong as those of adults. The chart below shows some of the most common disease-causing germs in the United States.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) is an allergic reaction to a sugar called galactose alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal for short). It is found in the cells of non-primate mammals such as cows, pigs, & sheep. The allergy is usually triggered by the bite of the Lone Start tick (Amblyomma americanum). Not everyone who is bitten by the tick will develop AGS. Because the Lonestar tick is very common here in southern Missouri, tick bite prevention is very important to prevent triggering AGS or other conditions caused by the tick. After a tick bite, it can take 1-3 months for a person’s immune system to become sensitive to alpha gal. The person’s body sees alpha gal as an “invader” that should not be there and makes lots of antibodies to fight the “invader” if it is exposed to alpha gal again. If the person eats foods with alpha gal after this, their body will try to fight off the “invader” by releasing lots of antibodies, resulting in symptoms of an allergic reaction. 

Traumatic brain injuries can happen with any sport and are not always associated with obvious symptoms such as passing out. Even mild symptoms can be long-lasting. Current research recommends rest for 1-2 days then gradually returning to full activities. The following links give more information on when to seek emergency care, managing rest and recovery periods after a concussion and more.  Concussions: What Parents Need to Know Prolonged rest is not the best plan