Owl pellets packed with salmonella leveled more than four dozen Jefferson Elementary School students last June, but teachers and classroom procedures are not to blame, according to a preliminary state report.
The pellets used for a science dissection project were apparently contaminated before they arrived at the school, according to a Department of Public Health
The recent spinach-borne E. coli outbreak that sickened nearly 200 Americans does not mean that the United States has been lax in trying to improve food safety, reports the Southern Illinoisian. Rather, it means that there is more work to be done.
Sickness caused by spinach grown in essentially one California location spread to nearly
During the recent E. coli spinach contamination outbreak, officials at the Wisconsin state public health lab posted E. coli patterns on a PulseNet list serve that helps track this pathogen. Not long after, health department analysts in Oregon were alerted to this information, and linked an E. coli case in their state to a possible
State health officials confirmed three more salmonella cases in the Sierra Vista area, raising the number investigated to 24.
The cause of the outbreak remains unknown.
A cluster of salmonella was first identified last week in the area when 20 confirmed cases were reported, mostly in young children and adults.
Another case of salmonella has been confirmed in the greater Sierra Vista area, bringing the number to 21, according to Cochise County health officials.
Last week, health officials identified a cluster of Salmonella Oranienburg in this region when 20 confirmed cases were reported, mostly in young children and adults, according to the Douglas Dispatch.
"We
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle)
Clay Holtzman
Full Story
For 13 years, Seattle attorney William Marler has made a name for himself as the E. coli lawyer. Food service companies, vendors and manufacturers fear him like bacteria fear penicillin. Marler was quoted as saying, "I hope so. We’re really good at what we do."
The six-lawyer practice of Marler and Clark LLP specializes in suing producers and manufacturers accused of selling tainted food products. Its clients have received combined settlements and verdicts of more than $250 million. That includes the famous 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli case in Washington state.
Today Marler is tracking the nationwide outbreak of E. coli illnesses tied to bagged spinach. The outbreak has been linked to 183 illnesses in 26 states, according to The Wall Street Journal, including at least one death. Marler is representing 81 of those, including, he says, two deaths that have yet to be announced.
Continue Reading Talking with William Marler, Seattle attorney
By Ahmed ElAmin
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?n=70957-efsa-food-safety-campylobacter
02/10/2006 – Over the last month, regulators, doctors and scientists have formed communications networks to get a better fix on the problems affecting food safety across the bloc.
The networks are part of the general increase in regulatory and scientific efforts to reduce food borne pathogens throughout the supply chain. The drive is being pushed by the increasing concern by European consumers about food safety. EU and regulatory authorities in member states have been increasing their regulation of the industry, resulting in more costs and greater public scrutiny of manufacturers’ operations. Recalls of products are also costly and impact on the company’s brand image.
On Friday, the 25 EU members signed a commitment with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to share scientific information through the organisation. The commitment also involves sharing research into common food safety problems. Continue Reading Regulators, scientists form food safety networks
Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have identified a protein in Salmonella bacteria that enables it to infect immune cells called macrophages.
Salmonella, which causes food poisoning, slips unnoticed and multiplies inside macrophages – immune system cells on which the body relies to seek and destroy the invading microbes.
To date, it has been
New federal statistics show that despite the recent E. coli spinach outbreak, food may be safer now than at any other time in the last decade, with illness occurring at record-low rates.
Consumers get part of the credit, for handling food more safely at home, but experts say the biggest improvement came from better industry