The CDC reports: Shigellosis is a nationally notifiable diarrheal illness caused by gram-negative bacteria. Shigella infection is spread through fecal-oral transmission and sexual contact. Although most infections are self-limited, antibiotics are indicated for severe illness or to reduce transmission in settings with high risk for spread. Since 2015, a growing proportion of cases has been caused by […]
Dave Their, an AOL contributor, caught me in the middle of helping my oldest daughter move into her freshman dorm late yesterday afternoon as it was becoming clearer that S. 510 – the Food Safety Modernization Act – was taking its last few gulps of air. You have to give it to politicians – republicans […]
Julia Wilson of the Alamosa Courier reports that he City of Alamosa, through its insurance carrier, Travelers, will pay $360,000 to 29 Alamosa residents who became ill because of the salmonella outbreak in 2008. The lawsuit claimed the city was negligent in maintaining its water facilities, the source of the salmonella, and as the municipal water […]
Here is a start, Senator Coburn’s last minute concerns about the bills substance are misplaced, but Senator Reid needs to figure out a way to fully fund all aspects of the bill. The time has come to get this done. I think this may take a six pac.
In 1999, I was being encouraged to run for the US Senate against then Senator Gorton. As part of my “vetting,” I met with Senators Daschle, Boxer and Reid in the minority leaders office. Under the watchful gaze of LBJ, I was asked why I was considering giving up a law practice. My answer was simply, that […]
I have been called a lot of things (even I would not publish them on my own blog), but “Toxic Avenger” is a new one. You need to pick up the latest WIRED Magazine to read it, but here is a teaser photograph: I’m thinking about getting a costume like the guy in the movie […]
Call me and I’ll give you the number in the Rehab Center. I am heading to DC early next week to attend with clients the House Energy and Commerce hearing on the latest in food safety theatre – the Egg Hearings (my bet is DeCoster “takes the 5th”). I also hope to be able to […]
From Richard Rivera (a.k.a. devoted husband, father and Sen. Reid constituent) Unbelievable!!! After being promised not once, not twice but three times by Senator Reid and or his office that they would get this bill pushed through and for it not to get pushed is a crying shame. I /Linda are very disappointed. I guess […]
I am heading to the 4th CIFSQ Conference & Expo to be held in the dynamic city of Shanghai as a keynote speaker on November 10. So, I am keeping up to date on all things food safety on China. This AP headline caught my eye – “China vows harsh penalties for food safety crimes.” […]
If you want a disturbing read, see the Union of Concerned Scientists, “Voices of Federal Food Safety Scientists and Inspectors.” Clearly, a system that allows undue influence on those that are bound to protect the public should not be allowed. To evaluate how well the government uses science to protect the food supply, the Union […]
Since the 1999 article by Mead PS, Slutsker L, Dietz V, McCaig LF, Bresee JS, Shapiro C, Griffin PM, Tauxe RV., Food-related illness and death in the United State have been estimated at approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Three pathogens, Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma, are […]
Like many interested in food safety, I keep hoping to see S. 510 move to a vote on the Senate floor. Politico reports: Senate Democrats say they are on the brink of passing a sweeping food safety overhaul the House approved more than a year ago — but Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is blocking a […]
Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak today sent a letter to Austin DeCoster, the owner of Wright County Egg, regarding records obtained by the Committee indicating that the company tested positive for Salmonella contamination in its Iowa facilities prior to the recent widespread outbreak of Salmonella-related illnesses. In the letter, the Chairmen […]
I will be heading back to the States on Tuesday a 1:00 PM from Auckland and will arrive in Seattle on Tuesday at 11:00 AM (I was going to go straight to Washington D.C., but that has been put off for a week). Prior to my at the NZ Food Safety Authority’s national conference, I […]
Good Saturday from New Zealand. This just dropped into my inbox from the CDC: • From May 1 to August 31, 2010, approximately 1,519 illnesses were reported that are likely to be associated with this outbreak. • FDA identified Salmonella with PFGE patterns indistinguishable from the outbreak strain in egg farm environmental samples. • Don’t […]
Senator Grassley was quoted in the Wall Street Journal today – “Just because food safety isn’t ‘my job’ doesn’t mean it should be ignored.” I may not agree with him on most things, but on this one, he and I seem to see eye to eye. I just may stop putting my money on the […]