It is hard to believe that Poisoned the book came out 14 years ago and that a documentary was inspired by it. The book has quietly become a cult classic in the food safety and legal communities. It was originally published in hardcover and twice in paperback. It is likely an update is on the
Spiders, Snakes, Rats and Bats in Food, O’ My
I get a number of calls a week from folks that find something unwanted in their food. Here is a bit from a search of the internet by AI.
In 2010, a woman in England found a frozen frog in a bag of green beans purchased from Tesco. “Woman finds frog in Tesco frozen vegetables.”
Despite cuts, FDA still investigating Listeria and Salmonella Outbreaks – E. coli Outbreak needs some work
Thanks to dedicated public servants.
What’s New:
• A new outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1286) linked to a not yet identified product has been added to the table. FDA has initiated sampling.
• For the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes (ref #1292) linked to a not yet identified product, FDA has initiated an inspection.
•
CDC: Contributing Factors of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks — National Outbreak Reporting System, United States, 2014–2022
Problem/Condition: Approximately 800 foodborne illness outbreaks occur in the United States each year. These outbreaks include approximately 15,000 illnesses, 800 hospitalizations, and 20 deaths. Although illnesses from outbreaks account for a small portion of all foodborne illnesses, outbreak investigations reveal how these illnesses originate by offering crucial data through epidemiologic, environmental health, and laboratory analyses
Outreach to RFK Jr. – Make Food Safety a Priority
The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Building
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201
via E-mail
Dear Secretary Kennedy:
As a coalition of consumer, industry and public health stakeholder groups with a vested interest in the Food and Drug Administration’s work on food safety, nutrition
Consumer Reports Statement on the Elimination of Two Critical USDA Food Safety Advisory Committees
Termination of key advisory committees signals food safety will not be a priority
WASHINGTON DC – Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, issued the following statement today in response to the elimination of the USDA’s National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) and National Advisory Committee on Meat
Not everyday you are called Batman or Superman – or, both
A nice shout-out when Poisoned won the Emmy.
And, here is the trailer:
The CDC is MIA in Listeria and Salmonella Outbreaks
Two multi-state foodborne illnesses outbreaks have been reported by the FDA since the beginning of the year. However, against how it has been done for decades, the CDC has remained silent. Why?
Last month, the FDA announced that it, the CDC, in collaboration with state, local, and international partners, were investigating illnesses in a multistate
Consumer, Industry and Public Health Groups’ Statement on FDA Staff Reductions at the Agency’s Food Safety Program
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2025—In response to a reduction in workforce at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a coalition of consumer, industry, and public health stakeholder groups issues the following statement:
“Ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply is a shared responsibility,” the coalition stated. “Food companies are committed to producing safe products.
PIRG calls it: Outbreaks up in 2024 over 2023
More people in the United States got sick from contaminated food in 2024 than the year before, and the number of people who were hospitalized or died doubled, according to U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s new report, Food for Thought 2025.
Of the people who were sickened by food in 2024, 98 percent of their illnesses