I asked our AI friends – What are the pros and cons of replacing FDA Commissioner Makary with me – here is the response? This is a very timely question — Makary resigned as FDA Commissioner today, May 12, 2026, amid reports of internal tensions and policy clashes, with the vaping dispute reportedly being a […]
This what I am reading as I board another plane:
An interesting question and one that long needs answering. Thus far I have found a dearth of negative research on the topic. In 2005 the American Meat Institute Petitioned FSIS “To Recognize the Use of E-Beam on Carcasses as a Processing Aid” and attached studies seem clearly to indicate that this is an effective technology […]
The American Meat Institute (AMI) Patrick Boyle was quoted recently: “We are selling a raw product, however, and raw products by their nature may contain harmful bacteria. That’s why we are committed to providing consumers the information that they need to handle and cook ground beef safely.” I like Patrick. I frankly thought our discussion […]
Several weeks ago I got a call from a producer of CSI to get background on an episode that they were thinking of running. I just finished watching the episode (click on photo below). Frankly, most of the science was inaccurate, but the point that E. coli O157:H7 is a poison and that producers whose […]
Visit comes after victims and their families press Senate to pass legislation to protect the public from foodborne illness Sixteen Americans who have been directly affected by foodborne illness gathered at the White House recently to share their personal stories and meet Sam Kass, assistant White House chef, who cooks for the Obama family and […]
The Toronto Star is reporting that Ruby Chinese will close its doors for good following the public health crisis. The three owners are reportedly set to file for bankruptcy. The normally packed eatery on Sandhurst Circle was shuttered on October 7 after 37 people became ill after eating there. Salmonella has been confirmed in 22 […]
Thursday, October 22, 2009 – 10:00 a.m. 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building Panel I Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, White Oak, MD Panel II Caroline Smith DeWaal, Director of Food Policy, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, DC – Testimony Michael Roberson, Food Marketing Institute, Arlington, VA – Testimony […]
The New York Times story on my client, Stephanie Smith, has been an old and new media sensation. More blogs and twitters have reprinted her struggle with E. coli O157:H7 than any recent story. All that said, when FOX covers the story with the same level of concern, I think the meat industry and FSIS […]
Raw milk related bacterial outbreaks have been an unfortunate and expanding part of business at Marler Clark. What now seems to be at least a yearly occurrence (we do not get retained in all outbreaks) raw milk illnesses are on the rise. And, because the proponents of the consumption of raw milks spend most of […]
In what some in the Ag community seem to feel is a conspiracy to indoctrinate young minds to a different way to look at how our food is produced in the United States, Washington State University is moving forward with a Michael Pollan lecture scheduled for mid-January 2010. Below is a letter I just received […]
Elizabeth Weise of USA Today reported on a speech by “FDA’s Michael Taylor [where he] outlined the agency’s plans to combat the deadly bacteria vibrio vulnificus by requiring Gulf-raised oysters to undergo post-production processing to kill the bacteria. Taylor told the assembled state health department and shellfish industry officials that as of 2011, the agency […]
Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), today warned consumers not to eat Del Monte whole cantaloupe sold at Northern California and Nevada Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source stores between October 5 and October 16, 2009 because the cantaloupe may be contaminated with Salmonella. Raley’s, which […]
Nebraska Firm Recalls Beef Tongues That Contain Prohibited Materials J.F. O’Neill Packing Company, an Omaha, Neb., establishment is recalling approximately 33,000 pounds of beef tongues that may not have had the tonsils completely removed, which is not compliant with regulations that require the removal of tonsils from cattle of all ages, the U.S. Department of […]
The Committee just announced that it will have a hearing next week. It might be a quick hearing considering that no one is listed as a witness. Perhaps they are looking for my phone number? Email? Seriously, I assume they will be talking about S.B. 510. If you were Senator Harkin who would you invite?
We are now into the fourth week of the publication of www.foodsafetynews.com. Our offices in Seattle, Denver and Washington DC have been busy gathering the most up to date news on food safety – there has been a lot. In analyzing visitors to the site today, the USA, including Alaska (is that you Sarah?), leads […]