When it comes to consuming beef manufactured and sold in the US, a new report by the USDA warns there are many more concerns for the consumer beyond the usual pathogens mentioned in this journal (ie, E. coli, Campylobacter, etc.). As reported today by CNN, contained within the average
The Real Face of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
Kyle Wolden, a nine year old boy from Mount Vernon, Washington and the son of a baseball coach at Stanwood High School, got to run the bases at Safeco Field before the Seattle Mariners’ game yesterday. 45,876 fans of Seattle Mariners baseball became even bigger fans of Kyle’s, and now probably have a better understanding of
Subway Shigella Outbreak: restaurant reopens, hundreds sickened
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The Subway restaurant located on Roosevelt Street in Lombard, Illinois that was the site of a major Shigella outbreak has finally reopened. Eleni Demertzis, of the Lombard Spectator, who has followed the Shigella outbreak since it was first announced by DuPage County Health Department on March 5, reports as follows:
The Lombard Subway reopened today after
Calls for Greater Transparency about Foodpoisoning Recalls and Outbreaks
This morning, Phyllis Entis of eFoodAlert.com posted an interesting article on the Montefiore Cheese Salmonella recall that has occurred in Austrialia, Tazmania, and New Zealand. Ms. Entis’s issue with the conduct of the recall seems to be delays in product testing that revealed the contamination, and dissemination of that critical information to the food-consuming public.
Bill Marler Wins 2010 Food Safety Leadership Award
NSF International announced today that Bill Marler is a recipient of a 2010 Food Safety Leadership Award. NSF is an "independent, not-for-profit organization committed to protecting and improving public health and safety." Tomorrow, Marler will be presented the annual award for Innovation in Education, at the Food Safety Summitt in Washington D.C.
NSF created the yearly awards to
Peter Hurley Continues Push For Food Safety Reform
Many readers of this journal will likely recall 2008 and 2009’s national Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut product manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). Since news of the outbreak first hit the media, the case has been a regular fixture in the press. The outbreak is notable both for its enormous scope—over 700 sickened in 46
Day Care Remains Closed – New Details on E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Surface
The day care in Vancouver, Washington associated with the recent outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 is to
remain closed while workers continue to undergo testing, according to a report in the Clark County Columbian:
Dr. Alan Melnick, county health officer, said Fletch Family Daycare will remain closed until staff members who have tested positive for
Summary of Food Safety Modernization Act (Senate debate pending)
Not exactly fresh out of committee, but out of committee nonetheless, senate bill 510 (a/k/a the Food Safety Modernization Act) makes its way to the senate floor soon, possibly this week. The full senate debate and subsequent vote is certainly timely, as just today Michael Moss was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his story on Stephanie Smiths E. coli O157:H7 illness and Linda Rivera’s long-awaited emergence from a Nevada hospital where she has spent almost a year after also being infected by E. coli O157:H7. Stephanie was sickened by a hamburger made by Cargill, and Linda by contaminated cookie dough made by Nestle.
The Food Safety Modernization Act is truly an important piece of legislation, in that it affects every citizen of this country, and even some abroad, on a daily basis. The bill substantially modifies the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetics Act, and generally gives the Food and Drug Administration better authority and ability to monitor the safety of our food supply, and take quicker and more effective action for food companies that don’t adequately protect against foodpoisoning risks.
Among other, more specific, things, the Food Safety Modernization Act:
Continue Reading Summary of Food Safety Modernization Act (Senate debate pending)
Canine Dietary Supplement Recalled due to Salmonella Contamination
Yes, this journal typically addresses current issues related to food safety for human beings, but occasionally we stretch our purpose a bit to address a health issue more related to the human experience. For most people, this includes dogs (mine are pictured to the left; Scout and Ryder in Eastern Montana). Response Products, of Broken
Michael Moss (NY Times) Wins the Pulitzer Prize for E. coli Story
Michael Moss has won the Pulitzer Prize for his article detailing the E. coli O157:H7 illness of Stephanie Smith and the outbreak, linked to Cargill ground beef, that changed her life forever. Mr. Moss’s article, published in October 2009 (two years after the Cargill outbreak), was titled "The Burger that Shattered Her Life