With nearly two decades of foodborne illness litigation behind us, tens of thousand of clients and hundreds of experts involved in those cases, we have developed what I hope is a lot of good information about the state of food illness in the Untied States. I hope you find this helpful.
Botulism
Campylobacter
I heard the fears of the small, local, sustainable, locavore regarding the Food Safety Modernization Act, which is why exclusions for on-farm sales and sales at farmer’s markets, and direct sales to grocery stores and restaurants were added, along with additional protections with the Tester/Hagen Amendment. However, it appears that what some in the movement
The Raw Milk Beat Goes On: A Look at the Literature and the 60-Day Raw Milk Cheese Aging Rule
William D. Marler, J.D.
Introduction
Some say raw milk cheeses are being beat-up by US regulators this year. Indeed, if there was a Food Safety Zodiac, 2010 would be the Year of the Cheese (shell eggs a close second). Whatever the underlying explanation, the number of cheese-related illnesses and recalls in 2010 appears unprecedented. While covering these events, my blog has been inundated with comments expressing outrage at FDA and state regulators for raw milk cheese “crackdowns.” The comments range from fringe screams about food Nazis and fascists to thoughtful and informative discussions about the microbiology of raw milk cheeses and implications for food safety and quality.
Tami Parr of the Pacific Northwest Cheese Association portended regulatory changes that may affect the fate of raw milk cheeses on her blog earlier last month. Interestingly, she links to a 1997 memo that recommended FDA re-examine its 60-day aging process for hard cheeses made from raw milk. No changes were made to the rule at that time, but clearly the issue of aged raw milk cheeses and food safety is not new, as shown in the timeline below.
To look at the issue closer, this paper provides an overview of the historical context and timeline of raw milk cheese regulations in the US, and examines the state-of-the-science surrounding the 60-day aging rule established by FDA.
Historical PerspectiveContinue Reading The 60 Day Rule – Does it make Raw Milk Cheese Safe?
From Grist’s posting rules on comments:
1. Don’t be a jerk. Nobody likes jerks.
2. Don’t use profanity. The English language is vast and magnificent.
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Drinking Raw Milk: It’s Not Worth the Risk
By LCDR Casey Barton Behravesh, DVM, DrPH, US Public Health Service
There are many reasons why some people are thinking about drinking raw milk these days. (Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful germs.) Some people want to eat less processed food.
If you follow the comments here, and especially at marlerblog, you know that the issue of local food markets and “small” farmers comes up regularly in food safety discussions. Lynne Terry of the Oregonion, a frequent contributor on food safety and health issues, reported today on proposed new legislation in Oregon concerning such food sales.
Not very if you follow @marynmck on Twitter. Maryn McKenna is a journalist for national magazines and the author of SUPERBUG and BEATING BACK THE DEVIL. She finds emerging diseases strangely exciting. Here is what she posted today on Wired, after seeing the chicken post on Canadian chicken I made last night:
Oh
Bill Marler is the managing partner in the law firm Marler Clark L.L.P., P.S.. Since 1993, Bill has represented thousands of victims of E. coli, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Listeria, Shigella, Campylobacter and Norovirus illnesses in over thirty states. As a trial lawyer, Bill has been involved in several cases of national importance. He represented Brianne Kiner in her $15.6 million E. coli settlement with Jack-in-the-Box. This settlement created a Washington State record for an individual personal injury action. Bill resolved several other Jack-in-the-Box E. coli cases for more than $2.5 million each.
Continue Reading Food Poisoning Lawyer – Attorney