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Salmonellosis

Salmonella being examined by a lab technician

Salmonellosis, the most common foodborne illness, is a one-celled organism (usually Typhimurium and Enteritidis) known as salmonella. It’s common to the intestinal tracts of many warm-blooded animals, including cows and chickens; sometimes found in the feces of animals and infected humans.
Typical symptoms include fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and rarely, death. The most at risk are young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised people. It’s spread through food contaminated with animal feces, direct or indirect contact with infected individuals, and presence of the bacterium in the water supply. For example, if an infected person does not wash his/her hands properly after using the toilet, bacteria may be passed by physical contact or by handling food. Cross-contamination can occur when utensils used on uncooked foods such as meats or eggs are then used on produce to be eaten raw.

Diners are increasingly hyper-focused on high-protein and plant-based foods. Alongside all of the new-fangled, lab-based, cell-cultured options out there is the humble bean. A staple food for millenia, beans are being re-examined as a healthy, versatile ingredient worthy of menu inclusion.

  • Retro and heirloom recipes—like Southern succotash, French cassoulet, and Cajun red beans and rice—fit the bill for those in search of authenticity.
  • Most world cuisines incorporate some type of bean in their classic dishes. Think feijoada in Brazil, black beans and rice with plantains in Puerto Rico, and garbanzo beans in Israel. Modern interpretations of these recipes are packed with produce and herbs.
  • The creamy texture of mung beans is proving an ideal substitute for those that are eliminating soy from their diets.