California food recalls have ramped up. Is that good news?
Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your Monday.
- Here’s the case for why food recalls shouldn’t scare you.
- Some unexpected visits are turning Orange County into a humpback whale hangout.
- This Latino Republican flipped a deep-blue California Assembly district. How did he manage that?
- And here’s today’s e-newspaper.
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Are food recalls a scare or a comfort? Some say both
It’s not uncommon to see headlines about food recalls in your social media feeds or newspaper pages. But does it seem like Californians are getting more of them lately?
Over a three-month stretch starting in September, 26 recalls were issued for food products in the Golden State. There were 11 recalls in November alone, including for raw milk from Fresno tainted with H5N1 bird flu.
Recalls happen when food is found to be contaminated with bacteria, viruses or parasites, due to the presence of foreign objects such as glass or metal, or if packaging fails to note a major allergen.
“Experts say the overall number of recalled food products has grown across the country because the food chain has become more complex as food is often grown, manufactured, packed and distributed by separate companies, which leads to more places in the supply chain where contamination can occur,” Times reporter Karen Garcia explained this week.
Should we be worried? Karen spoke with experts who told her that the large number of recalls in a short time span is not unprecedented and speaks to advancements in the systems designed to identify and stop the spread of contaminated food among U.S. consumers.
“It’s a comfort and a scare because we don’t want to see recalls happening,” Sara Bratager, senior food safety specialist for the Institute of Food Technologies, told Karen. “But at the same time I would be worried if I was living in a community where there was not a single recall.”
Another sign of progress: Recalls may be becoming more frequent, but the number of outbreaks is shrinking, meaning fewer people are becoming sick or dying due to contaminated foods.
How does California stack up nationally?
Product management software company Trace One studied data from the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on American food recalls over the last four years. The company found that the number of recalls grew more than 20% — to 547 in 2023 from 454 in 2020.
Nearly 4 out of every 10 of those recalls were issued in California, the company’s data analysis showed. Roughly 16% of all recalls originated from producers in the Golden State, “more than double the share of the next-closest state,” Trace One reported.
There’s a logical reason for that: California has the most recalls because it’s the largest food producer in the nation.
What’s the best way to protect yourselves from foodborne illness?
Karen outlined a few key tips:
- Wash your hands with soap and water before handling food.
- Sanitize surfaces and utensils that will come into contact with the food.
- Rinse produce well with water before it’s prepared.
- Use a food thermometer when cooking meats.
- Minimize cross-contamination by keeping raw meat and poultry away from other foods.
- Try not to leave food out at room temperature for more than two hours.
You can read Karen’s full explainer on food recalls here.
Today’s top stories
Climate and environment
- Some unexpected visits are turning Orange County into a humpback whale hangout.
- Fertilized soil may be a major source of smog near the Salton Sea, researchers say.
- Experts warn that a trade war under Donald Trump would bring major losses for California agriculture.
Politics and power
- Laphonza Butler, the first LGBTQ+ Black U.S. senator, is exiting office as Democrats question identity politics.
- A California labor union helped oust a Democrat from the state Capitol. His replacement wants to curb union power.
- “You don’t know what’s next”: International students scramble ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
What else is going on
- Red flag warnings are set to take effect today throughout SoCal.
- Trump’s first term brought a world-changing vaccine. Some fear his second could jeopardize the nation’s ability to respond to new or resurgent infectious threats.
- Ten people were injured when a motorcycle officer crashed into a crowd at the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade. A witness said he was popping a wheelie.
- Long Beach police have released video of officers fatally shooting a man on the steps of a local church.
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Commentary and opinions
- George Skelton: Here’s how the words of Ronald Reagan’s speechwriter live on today in Trump’s rhetoric.
- Jackie Calmes: Trump’s predatory Cabinet choices are added proof that #MeToo is over.
- Robin Abcarian: UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive was shot dead. Why did thousands react with glee?
- Guest opinion: This is how Trump 2.0 could make mass deportation a reality.
- Times editorial board: Los Angeles can find a fairer way to raise the rent.
This morning’s must reads
This Latino Republican flipped a deep-blue California Assembly district. How did he manage that? My colleagues Anabel Sosa and Hailey Branson-Potts sought to answer that question. Jeff Gonzalez “focused his campaign on the Achilles’ heel of California Democrats: the state’s high cost of living,” they wrote.
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].
For your downtime
Going out
- 🍲 Whether or not you’re celebrating the holiday, here are 20 L.A. restaurants offering dine-in and takeout on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
- 🎶 “Once Upon a Mattress” starts its L.A. run this week at the Ahmanson Theatre.
Staying in
- 📚 Here are 10 books to add to your December reading list
- 🍝 Here’s a recipe for Osteria Mamma’s “midnight spaghetti.”
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
A question for you: What are your favorite holiday traditions?
Do you make your own tamales? Go on a special hike? Visit a certain street to see decorations?
Email us at [email protected], and your response might be included in the newsletter this week.
And finally ... your great photo of the day
Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.
Today’s great photo is from Dana Brock of Sebastopol: Bodega Head in Sonoma County.
Dana writes: “Bodega Head is at the edge of sea and land, agriculture and aquaculture, the Pacific and North American tectonic plates, the majorly seismic San Andreas fault zone, the limit of westward expansion of the continental U.S. and the awesomely beautiful / dynamic / exciting / promising / sometimes-disappointing-but-never-boring / resilient / wouldn’t-trade-it-for-any-other-place-in-the-world great state of California.”
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Amy Hubbard, deputy editor, Fast Break
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