Consumer Protection and Regulation

A New York–based research group, the Center for Food as Medicine and Longevity, analyzed more than 35,000 water-system samples from major and regional airlines between 2022 and 2025 and found 32 E. coli violations across 21 carriers, raising questions about the safety of onboard tap water. The study scored airlines on contamination violations, maintenance practices and cleaning frequency, classifying scores of 3.5 or higher as relatively safe and lower scores as potentially unhealthy. Delta Air Lines received the strongest water-safety marks, with Alaska Airlines also ranking well, while Spirit, JetBlue and American Airlines were among the lowest performers; Spirit and American responded that their water programs comply with EPA’s Aircraft Drinking Water Rule and said they are reviewing the analysis. Researcher Charles Platkin said airlines lean heavily on self-reported federal compliance and argued that “compliance should be the floor, not the ceiling,” while dietitian Nicolette M. Pace urged passengers—especially children, older adults and the immunocompromised—to favor bottled or refilled water from the terminal and hand sanitizer over airplane tap water. The findings spotlight a little-scrutinized public-health vulnerability in routine air travel and could increase pressure on carriers and regulators to strengthen testing, reporting and maintenance of onboard potable-water systems.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has expanded a recall of Frigidaire‑branded 6‑can minifridges sold exclusively at Target, bringing the total number of affected units to about 964,000 because of an internal electrical defect that can short‑circuit and ignite surrounding plastic, creating fire and burn hazards. The new action covers an additional 330,000 red Curtis International model EFMIS121 minifridges, on top of 634,000 other Frigidaire minifridges recalled in July 2024, all sold at Target stores and on Target.com between January 2020 and October 2023. Regulators say Curtis has received at least six reports of this specific model catching fire and previously documented 26 incidents across related models involving smoking, sparking, melting and fires that caused more than $700,000 in property damage. Consumers are instructed to stop using the units immediately, unplug them, cut the power cord, write 'Recall' on the front, dispose of them in line with local rules, and request a refund through a dedicated website under CPSC recall number 26‑199. The scale and retailer exclusivity make this a significant home‑ and dorm‑safety issue for U.S. households and college students who bought the compact fridges over the past several years.