The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study of 11 years of food poisoning outbreaks this week. The report claims that produce in general and leafy greens in particular cause more food poisoning outbreaks than other foods. But did the CDC give veggies a bum rap? On Tuesday, the CDC issued an early release of a report appearing in the March 2013 edition of Emerging Infectious Disease entitled: “Attribution of Foodborne Illnesses, Hospitalizations, and Deaths to Food Commodities by using Outbreak Data, United States, 1998–2008.” The study looked at foodborne illness outbreaks from 1998–2008. Of the 13,352 food poisoning outbreaks that occurred during this time, the specific food source was only identified in 37 percent of them or 4,887 outbreaks. These were … [Read more...]
Amazing Coachella Source of E. coli Tainted Romaine Lettuce
The California Department of Public Health has confirmed that several cases of E. coli linked to romaine lettuce was grown and distributed by Amazing Coachella Inc. in Coachella, California. The lettuce sickened at least nine people in California in April 2012, 18 people in New Brunswick Canada, and one person in Quebec. Those cases were matched to the outbreak strain. Most of the victims in California ate at a single restaurant, which public health officials have not named. The lettuce was sold as whole heads, not cut or processed. Since the outbreaks occurred in two different countries, contamination happened at the distributor level and the restaurants were not suspected as the cause of contamination. Since the field had been prepared for the next harvest when officials began … [Read more...]
Microbiological Data Program Gets a Reprieve
The Microbiological Data Program (MDP), the country's only program that regularly tests produce for deadly pathogens, has gotten a reprieve. The program, part of the USDA, screens high-risk produce for pathogens such as E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella. This last week, press coverage, including a letter from Congresswomen Rosa DeLaura (D-CT), has focused attention on the small program. Michael T. Jarvis, Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Agricultural Marketing Service, told Food Poisoning Bulletin that the USDA has issued this statement: "While the Microbiological Data Program does not align with USDA's core mission, the department will continue its work with state partners using existing agreements to conduct sampling and testing through this program through the end of the … [Read more...]
Rep. DeLauro Urges Funding for Microbiological Data Program
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) urged the Obama Administration to fund the Microbiological Data Program (MDP). This small program, which costs only $4.3 million dollars a year, checks samples of produce in the market for pathological bacteria. The MDP is not funded for fiscal year 2013 which begins October 1, 2012. It is the only federal program that is dedicated to researching bacterial contamination of produce. In contrast, food poisoning costs the United States $78 billion every year in medical costs, lost income, and lost productivity. And in 2011, one-third of foodborne illness outbreaks were linked to fresh produce. The most notable was the Jensen Farms cantaloupe Listeria outbreak, which sickened at least 146 people in 28 states and killed at least 30. Her letter states, in … [Read more...]
Pesticide Residue Common In Fruits, Veggies and Baby Food
Apples, peaches, nectarine and grapes are on "The Dirty Dozen" list of produce with high levels of pesticide residue, while cabbage, corn and sweet potatoes make the "Clean Fifteen" list with low levels, according to the eighth annual Shoppers Guide To Pesticides In Produce, published today by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). “Our shopper’s guide to pesticides in produce gives consumers easy, affordable ways to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables while avoiding most of the bug killers, fungicides and other chemicals in produce and other foods,” EWG president Ken Cook said in a statement. To compile the guide, EWG researchers looked at ten years of data from annual U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pesticide residue tests … [Read more...]
