Free Republic

Ask someone who investigates foodborne illness for a living what they won't put on their plate, and the list is shorter—and stranger—than you'd expect. It's not that these experts live in fear. Most will tell you that all food carries some risk, and the real skill is deciding which risks are worth taking. Frank Yiannas, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s former deputy commissioner for food policy and response, says he doesn't think of foods as simply "good" or "bad." Instead, "I approach everything with what I would say is a quantitative risk assessment," he says. "I'm calculated." Still, after...

Bill Peterson used to go to Whole Foods or Kroger for fruits, vegetables and milk. Now, he swears by private-label chain Aldi, which sells those items at a fraction of the price. The Chicago home remodeler is gainfully employed, but says the economy feels fragile. “There’s no job security … everything has gotten stupid expensive,” the 61-year-old said. Inflation remained high for several years, and U.S. consumers became more focused on value. The shift transcends income class, and experts increasingly see it as the start of a deeper retrenchment in how Americans shop, eliminating a long-held stigma among some for...

The Saudi Prince who died in a luxurious London hotel had ingested a huge cocktail of drugs and alcohol, causing him to suffer cardiac arrest, an inquest ruled Thursday. Abdullah bin Fahad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Jalawi al Saud, 29, was almost three times the drink-drive limit and had traces of the party drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Xanax in his system, an inquest at a London coroner’s court heard, according to The Telegraph. His blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.222%. The legal limit in the UK is 0.08%. The prince was found in his bathroom by a maid at...

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Economic Development Corporation admitted this week that his city-owned grocery stores “might not have all the items” you’d find in a typical supermarket. The five stores — which are expected to cost taxpayers upwards of $70 million — will likely not include hot food counters or butchers, EDC officials revealed during a board meeting Thursday. “It may not have all the items, but it’s going to be like a typical grocery store,” insisted Jeanny Pak, interim CEO of the EDC, the powerful city-run nonprofit tasked with boosting economic growth and development. Pak also echoed Mamdani’s assertion that...

The owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea is facing up to a year in jail and a fine of roughly $13,510 after the eatery allegedly served ants atop its sorbets. The proprietor of the Seoul restaurant, not identified in court documents, acknowledged serving ants, which are not among the insect species approved for human consumption under South Korea’s Food Sanitation Act. The law approves 10 other insect species for human consumption — but not ants, the BBC reported. The country’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety discovered the violation through customers’ social media posts and online reviews mentioning...

Thousands of tourists have been forced to flee a top French holiday hotspot, with many evacuated by boat to escape a raging wildfire. The area of Lege-Cap Ferret in southwestern France - an upmarket tourist destination known as the French Hamptons - is in the middle of a total evacuation with thousands of hectares of forest burning and villas going up in smoke. French President Emmanuel Macron has already requested help from the European Union as the country's growing battle against wildfires intensifies. Images showed scores of residents boarding boats this morning as they evacuated the area while a French...

A white woman has gone on trial over claims she racially abused an autistic black boy in a playground after a spat over applesauce. Shiloh Hendrix, 37, was filmed allegedly calling a young black boy the 'N-word' at a park in Rochester, Minnesota, last April. Video of the exchange went viral and Hendrix was charged with three counts of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor charge with a maximum of 90 days in jail. Hendrix, who has pleaded not guilty, appeared on Monday in Olmsted County District Court as jury selection got underway for her trial. The jury will decide whether her...

A family of seven who tucked into an expensive feast brazenly left an Orlando restaurant without paying, it has been claimed. The group were caught on surveillance footage consuming a spread worth $300 before leaving @ The Diner, apparently without settling their hefty tab on Sunday. The Florida restaurant is now seeking to identify the alleged dine-and-dashers, who are said to have taken off during its busiest shift of the day. It wrote on Instagram that the family ordered multiple dishes and appeared to enjoy a leisurely meal before carrying out their premeditated escape in stages. The restaurant, which shared...

Two appearances by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez this week have reignited criticism from conservatives as speculation continues over whether the New York Democrat could eventually seek the White House. The back-to-back moments quickly spread across social media, with critics questioning both her campaign style and her response to a question about the U.S. Senate. Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., first drew attention while campaigning in Tennessee for Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson, who is running for Congress in the state’s 9th District. Speaking at a get-out-the-vote event, Ocasio-Cortez urged supporters not to overlook traditionally Republican states. “We can’t afford to leave Tennessee behind, Kentucky...

Fresh produce giant Taylor Farms is preparing to recall ingredients linked to a parasite outbreak that has caused severe diarrhea and sickened thousands of people in Michigan and nearby states, according to a report. The California-based lettuce supplier told federal regulators that it was preparing a recall tied to the widening cyclospora outbreak, Bloomberg News reported Friday, citing a document viewed by the outlet. The parasite can cause severe diarrhea, fatigue and nausea. The scope of the recall was not immediately clear. The move would mark the clearest sign yet of a potential source of the outbreak, which prompted Taco...

Last month and early this month, Camilla Alhassan shared a series of videos alleging, without providing evidence, that the president sacrificed 32 cows as part of a ritual to help him win the 2024 general election. The 43-year-old also alleged that a government initiative to distribute sanitary pads to recent flood victims was an attempt to conceal what she claimed he had done. The judge turned down an appeal for a lighter punishment, ruling that a custodial sentence would discourage similar conduct. Prosecutors had argued that Alhassan, who has more than 70,000 followers on TikTok, had made a series of...

Comments 573 WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.” The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members’ required medical screenings for those 30 and older, he said. Troops under 30 can volunteer to be tested. In a video on social media, Hegseth said receiving testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary. In the video, Hegseth simply refers to troops, though it appears he is talking about only testing men in...

Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables was found to have a surprising link to lung cancer among younger non-smokers, early research suggests. The observational study, led by Jorge Nieva, M.D., of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine, was presented this month at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in San Diego. It has not yet been peer-reviewed. Researchers looked at dietary, smoking and demographic data for 187 patients who were diagnosed with lung cancer at age 50 or younger. They found that among non-smokers, there was a link between healthier-than-average diets –...

A new report says health officials are investigating Taco Bell as a potential part of the cyclosporiasis outbreak that’s sickened thousands of people across the U.S., with many suffering from extreme diarrhea. The Washington Post cites two anonymous sources close to the investigation, which is said to involve both federal and state health officials. Taco Bell has reportedly removed lettuce, cilantro, pico de gallo and guacamole from its menu in some areas as a precaution. Michigan’s health department has pointed to lettuce or other salad greens as a potential source of the outbreak, but said some people infected with the...

The chain, which has more than 4,100 outlets worldwide, said on Monday that the move is a "significant milestone" for the firm - known for its customisable burritos, tacos and bowls. The announcement has received a mixed response on social media, with many users mocking the decision. US restaurant chains have often struggled to succeed in the countries in which their dishes originated. Taco Bell no longer has any outlets in Mexico, while Domino's Pizza has pulled out of Italy. Chipotle boss Scott Boatwright said: "We are entering Mexico with deep respect for the country's culinary heritage and a commitment...

A video is going viral from a small seaside town in Italy’s Marche region, and it’s easy to see why. The clip shows a foreigner blocking traffic in the middle of the street while behaving erratically. That’s when Giuseppe Barboni strolled into the scene with a gelato cone in hand. Barboni isn’t exactly some random passerby. He’s a major player in Italy’s luxury services sector, was named to the Forbes Top 100, and is reportedly running for mayor in San Benedetto del Tronto. Barboni tried talking to the man while calmly finishing his ice cream. From what can be heard...

A man's 'dream property' in Oregon turned into a nightmare after he found more than 50,000 tires dumped on his land. Khanh Tran, a soon-to-be father, purchased a 1.2-acre property in April where he hired contractors to build his new home in Portland, according to KATU. Tran had agreed to remove a small pile of about 50 tires on the land, but when he returned in June with a contractor, the pile had become an ocean of rubber. Footage showed stacks of tires in mountains several feet high that the homeowner estimates are anywhere between 50,000 and 75,000. 'It was...

A Kansas couple allegedly left their six children, including two infants, in a hot car while they dined at a fast food chain on one of the most scorching days of the year, according to reports and authorities. Temperatures climbed near the triple digits in the city on Wednesday, with a heat index of over 100 degrees. Emergency responders evaluated the children on the scene. It’s unclear if any of them suffered heat-related illnesses. The kids were later brought into protective custody, the outlet reported. Chad Scoville from the Salina Fire Department warned that children are more vulnerable to the...

Misery on the menu? California shoppers could soon be paying even more at the checkout line as a sweeping new state recycling measure threatens to send grocery prices soaring, with dairy manufacturers warning some businesses may be forced to shut down or flee the Golden State. Senate Bill 54 is now entering its first phase of implementation, with companies expected to receive their first bills as early as next month, reported SFGATE. The measure aims to reduce landfill waste by making manufacturers financially responsible for the packaging they sell after it is thrown away. It charges companies impact fees on...

America’s love affair with the Blizzard is on ice. Since early 2025, Dairy Queen has been in a franchise meltdown, closing at least 46 locations nationwide, with Texas taking the biggest hit after the chain operator, Project Lonestar, refused to renovate its restaurants, which got them iced out of the DQ family. Between February and March alone, 42 Texas locations shut down, leaving Lone Star cravers to fend for themselves. (Or finally try a McFlurry.) In Alaska, three DQ locations in Anchorage, Wasilla and Palmer all shuttered at the start of July, leaving the 49th state with just one Blizzard...