There are 26 confirmed cases of food poisoning related to deli meats produced by a Canada-based Maple Leaf Foods plant. 12 of those cases have resulted in death. Listeria, the bacteria that was found in all of the people who contracted food poisoning, was detected in two beef products made at the Toronto plant.

The plant in question is closed while health officials inspect and test product until they're sure it is safe to reopen the plant. Maple Leaf Foods voluntarily pulled 220 products that are produced at the plant, a safety move that cost the company roughly $19 million.

There are another 29 suspected cases of food poisoning related to the tainted deli meats and health officials expect more cases will surface in the coming days.

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You would think if milk is delivered in glass bottles to your front door, just like the old days, it might go through extremely careful processing to get there. But being careful (or lack thereof) might not be the cause of why bad milk was linked to listeria in Massachusetts. The bacteria is also found in uncooked meat, and rarely shows up in pasteurized milk. That's why health officials are confused as they try to investigate where this outbreak came from.

Three of the victims were elderly men, one of whom was a World War II veteran. When authorities tested the drink of John Powers, the coffee-flavored milk of Whittier Farms sent back positive confirmation of contamination. It's worth noting that the dairy farm distributes across the state under different brand names (although the article fails to mention which ones).

Two other women who were pregnant also contracted listeriosis, one suffering a miscarriage. Thankfully both have recovered otherwise. Let's hope health officials track down this breach before any other cases materialize.

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Maybe you can't sleep, and your spouse's sleeping pills look tempting. Or maybe you're due to replace those contact lenses and just can't seem to find the time to get in for an appointment. These health shortcuts may seem like they're no big deal, but sometimes taking the easy road can get you into trouble. For instance, did you know that while many foods can be safely enjoyed after their expiration date, lunch meat is one that you should definitely throw out when it's past its prime? That's because it can become contaminated with a dangerous bacteria.

Learn more about which health shortcuts are a safe gamble and which should be avoided all together by reading this article from Real Simple.

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This is one of those gadgets that you don't really need (just clean your kitchen and handle food properly) but you might want anyway. I'm not saying I necessarily want it, but guaranteed somebody out there does.

It's called the CulinaryPrep and it claims to kill up to 99.5% of bacteria, including E. coli, salmonella, listeria, and others. For only $400 (whoa!) you can tumble your food to disinfected safety in a matter of minutes.

To me it seems easier (and it just makes more sense) to keep a clean kitchen and watch what your doing when you prepare food. Washing your hands and being careful not to cross-contaminate isn't that difficult, is it?

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If you read my posts often, you probably already know that I love cheese. With an unadulterated passion. mmmmm.

Anyway, a friend of mine is pregnant, and when I suggested we snack on a cheese tray at a recent visit, she told me she couldn't eat any soft cheese, like brie and feta. I thought this was a bit strange so I decided to look in to it and figure out why soft cheese isn't safe for pregnant women. Turns out that while hard cheese is made with pasteurized milk, soft ones aren't, and can harbour harmful bacteria (called listeria) that can be fatal to babies, seniors and other people with weak immune systems.

I've eaten plenty of brie in my time and have never gotten sick from it, but I don't like the idea of eating bacteria that can kill people. Should I avoid my favourite soft cheeses, or are my chances of getting ill pretty slim? eDiets says you're better safe than sorry, but what do you think?

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