Food safety concerns are up and front in the country again, with recent recalls hitting the retail shelves of organically grown carrots, slivered onions, and liverwurst sold by brands that include Boar's Head and McDonald's. Some question whether these high-profile incidents herald deeper challenges for the U.S. food safety system. But experts caution not to panic-and they point to improvements in detection and response as reasons why recall news is so prominent.

While the increase in recalls may alarm, it could be a sign that foodborne illnesses are increasingly being found and handled faster rather than a sign of a failing system. Rutgers University food science department chair Don Schaffner said the tools of whole genome sequencing now allow health officials to pinpoint and track an outbreak with precision in a way that simply wasn't possible before. That quick identification allows public health officials to move fast-to interview victims, trace sources of contamination-when a problem surfaces.

Public health expert Craig Hedberg at the University of Minnesota comments that many of these outbreaks would have otherwise gone undetected. Advanced surveillance and laboratory analysis allow small clusters of illness to be linked directly to a source, so recalls can be issued and public advisories can be released on time.

"When these outbreaks are identified and investigated, steps can be taken to protect public health," Hedberg says. "That's why there's a strong interest in keeping the public informed." Food Recalls Are on the Rise, but is it Necessarily Bad News?

Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses are by nature hard to predict. According to Schaffner, the recent clustering of high-profile incidents could simply be coincidental and not indicative of a systemic problem.

The eating habits and food production also make their contribution to the changes in food safety. Food safety expert Darin Detwiler from Northeastern University points out that the more people choose ready meals and restaurant meals, the greater the complexity of food supply chains becomes. Ingredients travel further, go through multiple processing steps, and change hands several times before consumers get them, and the possibilities of contamination increase.

Is the patchwork approach to blame for food safety regulation?

The U.S. food safety system operates on an intricate network of agencies, each covering different aspects of regulation; the USDA focuses on meat and poultry, while the FDA monitors most other food items, including overseeing recalls. In outbreak situations, the CDC works in conjunction with local health departments to investigate and contain the spread of illnesses.

Despite this overall framework, gaps in food safety can occur. Civil litigation serves as a safety net when food-borne diseases slip through regulatory cracks. According to Timothy Lytton, a professor at Georgia State College of Law, liability suits compel food producers to adhere to strict safety standards. Insurance companies, which cover potential risks, will also help through counseling and the promotion of incentives to minimize the risk involved.

Protecting Yourself from Foodborne Illness

As regulatory agencies and companies continue to work on the safety of food, it also remains crucially important for consumers to be proactive at home. Here are some steps:

1. Monitoring Food Recalls: Stay on top of recalls through FDA updates and remove affected products from your kitchen.

2. Hygiene and Its Practices: Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching and after handling food.

3. Wash Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Even those that are pre-washed should still be washed under running water to remove unseen bacteria, especially from crevices or wounded areas.

4. Prevent Cross-Contamination: Separate cutting boards and utensils must be used for raw meat and fresh fruits and vegetables.

5. Cook Food Properly: Meat, Poultry, and Seafood must be cooked to a safe internal temperature to kill harmful microorganisms.

While food recalls can be scary, they are also a reflection of advances in monitoring and responding to food safety. For instance, due to advances in technology and surveillance, outbreaks may now be detected and contained faster than ever before, thus mitigating the potential risks to public health.

Meanwhile, the increased complexity of the food industry underscores that vigilance needs to be taken at every step of the supply chain. With knowledge, safe food-handling practices, consumers can participate actively in protecting themselves and their families from foodborne diseases.

In the end, the increasing profile of food recalls is as much a story of solutions as of problems — reminding one and all that protecting our food supply is a shared responsibility that involves regulators, producers, and consumers.

US Vice President JD Vance has credited his weight loss to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.’s advice to eat sauerkraut and protein.

Speaking at the first official White House press briefing since July 23, Vance said Kennedy’s advice helped him begin his weight-loss journey around Lent in February.

“So, when you're the vice president of the United States and one of the first questions at a press conference in the White House is how much weight you've lost, you must have gotten very fat,” Vance said, according to Fox News.

What Did Robert Kennedy Jr. Advise JD Vance?

Vance said he called Kennedy and told him he was thinking of giving up sugar.

“Bobby Kennedy says, ‘No, no, no, no, I've got something that's way better than that and way more intense.’ And basically ... I eat a lot of high protein stuff, and I eat a lot of sauerkraut. And let's just say that if that was Fat Tuesday, Fat Wednesday never came,” Vance said.

“So, my advice to you is that if you want to lose weight, call Bobby Kennedy. And if you want to enjoy what you eat, do not call Bobby Kennedy.”

At the press briefing, Vance also addressed several other topics, including the Iran war, oil and gas prices, inflation and Republican messaging ahead of the midterms.

What Is Sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut is traditionally a fermented food made from shredded cabbage and salt.

Fermentation occurs through Lactobacillus bacteria that naturally occur on the leaves of the vegetable. These bacteria feed on the sugar in the cabbage.

To make sauerkraut, the cabbage is submerged in a salty liquid created by combining it with its own juice. The bacteria consume the sugar and produce lactic acid, which helps preserve the food, prevent the growth of harmful organisms and create an environment where beneficial bacteria can grow.

The simple dish contains beneficial bacteria that can support gut health and overall well-being. It is also known to aid digestion and support immunity.

Health Benefits Of Sauerkraut

A 2025 study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology suggested that fermented cabbage could help protect the gut, an essential part of overall health.

Researchers from the University of California, Davis, found that sauerkraut helped maintain the integrity of intestinal cells, while raw cabbage and brine did not.

Studies have also suggested that sauerkraut may have:

• Anti-inflammatory effects
• A role in regulating immune function
• Antioxidant properties
• Potential anticancer properties.

How Does Protein Help With Weight Loss?

During weight loss, protein can help preserve muscle and increase satiety. For muscle gain, however, protein needs to be paired with resistance training.

Dr Amit Prakash Singh, Consultant - Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, told HealthandMe that protein can help preserve muscle and improve satiety during weight loss, while muscle gain requires protein along with resistance training.

“Simply increasing protein without appropriate calories and exercise will not build muscle.”

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Most healthy adults need around 0.8 g/kg of protein per day. Regular exercisers and strength trainers may need 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day, depending on their goals, activity level, diet, age and health.

Low protein intake can contribute to muscle loss, weakness, poor recovery and slower healing. Protein supplements are usually unnecessary when the diet already provides enough protein.

We often think about longevity as a number: 80, 90, perhaps even 100. But the more meaningful question is not simply how long we live but how well we live while we are here.

Nutrition has an important role in answering these questions. And the good news is that a longevity diet does not have to be exotic, expensive, or built around a shelf of supplements. Much of what supports healthy ageing is already familiar to kitchens across India and around the world.

The secret is less about a single “superfood” and more about the pattern on our plate.

Think Beyond Calories

For many years, nutrition conversations centered on calories, weight and individual nutrients. These remain relevant, but longevity requires a broader view.

A healthy diet should provide adequate protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats while keeping excess salt, free sugars and unhealthy fats in check. The World Health Organization describes adequacy, balance, moderation and diversity as the basic principles of a healthy diet.

In practical terms, this means making minimally processed foods the foundation of everyday eating.

Build A Colorful, Proportionate Plate

A useful starting point is surprisingly simple: make plants the stars of every meal.

Vegetables, leafy greens, fruits, pulses, whole grains, nuts and seeds provide a combination of fibre and micronutrients that is difficult to replicate through processed foods or supplements alone. But the key, though, is the proportion: the ¼-¼-½ rule. Imagine your plate as a pie chart: a quarter goes to carbohydrates, a quarter to protein, and an entire half has to go to vegetables.

An Indian plate is generally fresh and unprocessed (which is the good part), but also heavily unbalanced (which is the bad part). Our plates usually cede place to excess carbohydrates in lieu of protein or vegetables. Imagine a pile of buttered rotis with watery dal or a mountain of rice with rasam, which are the usual staples at many Indian homes, and you will understand this proportionality problem.

Cuisine can change across states. The nutritional principle does not. The WHO recommends at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables a day, while also encouraging whole grains, pulses and nuts. Half the plate should be strictly reserved for salads/veg rich sabzi / poriyals and such, while carbs are strictly confined to a quarter. No more than a cup of rice, no more than two rotis!

Do Not Forget Protein

The final quarter in the plate belongs to protein. One of the less appreciated aspects of healthy ageing is the preservation of muscle, and muscle needs protein. India is a chronically protein-deficient nation. Multiple national surveys have shown the protein intake of the population to be inadequate across the length and breadth of the nation.

As we grow older, maintaining adequate protein intake becomes increasingly important, particularly when combined with regular resistance or strength-building exercise. Protein does not always have to mean eating large quantities of meat.

For vegetarians, dal, rajma, chana, soy, peas, milk, curd, paneer, nuts, and seeds can all contribute. For those who eat non-vegetarian foods, eggs, fish, poultry and lean meats can be included according to personal preferences and cultural practices.

Portion Your Carbs, But Also Choose The Grain

Carbohydrates are not the enemy if we eat them in the right quantity, particularly if they are less processed.

Replacing a diet dominated by refined grains and highly processed foods with more whole grains, millets, vegetables, fruits and pulses can increase fibre and improve the overall nutritional quality of the diet. They also reduce sugar spikes in diabetics and people with prediabetes, who constitute 50% of the entire population in some Indian states!

Rice, bread, or potatoes need not disappear from the table. We just need to put them in context alongside vegetables, protein and healthy fats rather than allowing refined carbohydrates to dominate every meal.

Interestingly, traditional Indian cuisine already has the ingredients. We just need to make the effort to find the balance. A bowl of rice with paneer, veg salad and thick dahi, for example, is very different nutritionally from a meal built around refined carbohydrates alone.

Fats: Quality Matters

Healthy ageing does not require a completely fat-free diet. Fat is an essential nutrient. What matters is the type and amount. Unchecked oil consumption along with refined sugar intake is fuelling the obesity epidemic in India today. No more than three spoons of oil in a day, and we should stick to less inflammatory filtered groundnut and mustard oils while we are at it!

The rest of the healthy fats can come from sources such as nuts, seeds, dahi, milk and lean meat such as fish and chicken. Foods high in saturated and trans fats, along with frequent deep-fried and highly processed foods, should be avoided. Read: biscuits, cookies, burgers, fried food, refined seed oils and vanaspati.

Even familiar foods such as ghee need not become either a hero or a villain. It is better to think about overall dietary pattern and portion size than to label individual foods as universally “good” or “bad”.

The Quiet Problem: Salt, Sugar And Ultra-processed Food

The foods that quietly accumulate in our diets can matter as much as what we consciously add.

Sugary beverages, packaged snacks, bakery products, processed meats and highly salted foods can contribute substantial amounts of sugar, sodium, unhealthy fats and calories without providing comparable nutritional value.

The WHO recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10% of daily energy intake, with further reduction offering additional health benefits, and keeping salt intake below 5 grams a day for adults.

This does not mean giving up birthday cake, festival sweets or an occasional restaurant meal. Longevity is less about eating perfectly every single time and more about making a healthier choice most of the time.

Perhaps The Most Important Ingredient Is Consistency

There is no single longevity food. No turmeric latte, berry, seed, oil, supplement or superfood can compensate for a dietary pattern that is consistently poor. Likewise, one celebratory meal does not undo years of healthy eating.

The most sustainable approach is one that fits into real life: seasonal vegetables, locally available fruits, pulses, whole grains, nuts and seeds; appropriate protein; sensible portions; plenty of water; and fewer foods that are heavily processed, excessively salty or sugary.

For an Indian audience, this is encouraging because our culinary traditions already offer enormous diversity from millets and dals to greens, fermented foods, curd, spices, nuts and seasonal produce. For an international audience, the same philosophy can be adapted to their own local foods and cultures.

The longevity plate, therefore, is not a prescription for one perfect meal. It is a way of eating.

Eat a little closer to nature. Add more variety. Protect muscle. Choose quality over processing. Keep portions sensible. And make these choices consistently. Because the goal of nutrition is not simply to add years to life. It is to help us add strength, independence and vitality to those years.

(Dr. Navin Gnanasekaran, Longevity Physician, Head, Radiology, Apollo Hospitals)

A particular brand of granola marketed for breastfeeding mothers has been recalled in the US over concerns that it could be contaminated with Salmonella.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said The Hampton Grocer, Inc. recalled around 8-ounce packages of its Lacnola Lactation Granola after being alerted by an ingredient supplier about possible contamination. No illnesses linked to the granola have been reported so far.

Popular Granola For New Mothers Recalled

The issue traces back to organic moringa powder, an ingredient that is used in the recalled granola. The Hampton Grocer was notified by its supplier, Food to Live, that a sample of its Organic SuperGreens Powder Mix had tested positive for Salmonella. The same supplier’s moringa powder is used in the affected Lacnola batches.

US FDA said that neither the finished Lacnola granola nor the specific moringa powder used in it had tested positive for Salmonella at the time of the recall. The exact source of possible contamination remains under investigation. The company has suspended production while the investigation continues.

Also read: 6-Year-Old Australian Kid Dies From Rarely Seen ‘19th Century Disease’: Why Is Scurvy Still A Risk Today?

Which Products Are Affected?

The recall applies specifically to 8-ounce pink stand-up pouches of Lacnola Lactation Granola with UPC 850035324554. Consumers should check the lot information printed on the back of the package. The affected products are:

• Lot HGLC-102125 | Expiration: October 21, 2026
• Lot HGLC-021326 | Expiration: February 13, 2027

The granola was sold nationwide through mail orders on The Hampton Grocer’s website and through Amazon between October 21, 2025 and August 12, 2026.

Also read: New Less-Toxic Radiation May Kill Cancer In Under 1 Second: All About FLASH Proton Therapy

What Is The Risk From Salmonella?

Salmonella is a kind of bacteria that can cause an infection called salmonellosis. It causes food-borne illnesses. In otherwise healthy people, this infection can commonly lead to symptoms like diarrhoea, fever, nausea, vomiting and stomach or abdominal pain. Symptoms can sometimes become severe, particularly when the infection spreads beyond the intestine.

The FDA notes that young children, older people and those with weak immunity are at greater risk of serious illness if they get infected by salmonella.

For breastfeeding mothers, the recall is particularly concerning because the product is specifically marketed as a lactation granola. However, the recall does not mean that Salmonella from contaminated food automatically passes into breast milk.

The immediate concern is the mother’s exposure to the contaminated granola and the possibility of foodborne illness. This could cause the mother as well as the newborn to get sick.

What Should You Do If You Have The Granola?

If you have Lacnola Lactation Granola at home, check the lot code and expiration date before eating it. If it matches either recalled lot, the FDA advises consumers to dispose of the product and contact the place of purchase for a refund.

The FDA says no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled granola to date. The recall is a precautionary measure while authorities and the company investigate the contamination.