October 2009

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

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

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 their time rejecting that the outbreaks – and illnesses related to them – even occurred, we expect continued business growth. 

Until the proponents admit that the outbreaks are more than FDA conspiracies against them and learn something, they can never take the high moral ground that they desire.  The fact is that Raw Milk produced by your favorite local farmer or hamburger or cookie dough made by some faceless mega-corporation, can sicken or kill your child if it is contaminated with a food borne pathogen like E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, Listeria or Salmonella.  In this instance – size does not matter.

Below is a summary of the Raw Milk Outbreaks that we have been directly involved in representing victims. In each of the outbreaks, many of the victims, primarily children, were severely injured by the consumption of raw milk containing either E. coli O157:H7 or Campylobacter.  Yes, Weston A. Price Foundation and The Complete Patient (a.k.a. David Gumpert), these outbreaks happened and people got sick, some horribly so.Continue Reading Raw Milk Outbreaks do happen despite what the Weston A. Price Foundation and The Complete Patient (a.k.a. David Gumpert) say

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