E. coli victim Derek Scott "Bubba" Kirby - Denman struggles to recover from HUS
According to Austin KWTX TV, Derek Scott “Bubba” Kirby, 3, of Goldthwaite, who’s been fighting for his young life for several weeks at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin, will be transferred Monday or Tuesday to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston where he can receive more specialized care, his mother, Deven Denman, said.
Bubba contracted E. coli from the floor of a rodeo arena after he ended up with a mouthful of dirt when he was thrown from a sheep during a mutton-busting event and then developed serious complications that caused his kidneys to shut down and led to a stroke.
He’s one of the 5 to 10 percent of E. coli patients who develop a potentially life-threatening complication, hemolytic uremic syndrome, which develops when E. coli bacteria lodged in the digestive tract make toxins that enter the bloodstream and start to destroy red blood cells.
He’s unconscious and on dialysis and had a rough run last week as doctors attempted to wean him from the pain medication he’s been receiving, his mother said.
Denman said Monday doctors were starting over on the weaning process after deciding they decreased dosages too quickly.
She said she’s grateful for all of the “wonderful work that has been done for Bubba,” but said the Houston hospital has a nephrologist with state-of the-art equipment to help with the youngster’s kidneys as well as a pain management team to take over the process of weaning from medication.
She said he will also require physical therapy.
Goldthwaite residents have been holding carwashes and other benefits, selling T-shirts and praying for the youngster since learning of Bubba’s plight.
Word of the little boy’s fight has spread well beyond the town of 1,800 however, thanks to a Facebook page, Bubba’s Angels, which had more than 4,600 followers from around the country Monday.
Health department officials in Minnesota this month reported five E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to drinking raw milk from a dairy in Gibbon, Minnesota. All of the sick were infected with a strain of bacteria that has the same “pulsed field gel electrophoresis” (PFGE) pattern, or DNA fingerprint. One infected child developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a potentially deadly complication.
Elton John has postponed two planned Seattle concerts with Billy Joel on the advice of his doctor, Live Nation announced today. The pop singer is suffering from "a serious case of E. coli bacterial infection and influenza," according to a written statement released by the concert promoter today.
We’ve known since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7 that the big hamburger chains are concerned about cooking temperatures. Jack-in-the Box did not like Washington State’s rule for cooking ground beef to 158 degrees Fahrenheit because customers complained about the hamburgers being too tough to eat.
the nationwide outbreak of E. coli in cookie dough, the
Post-diarrheal Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (D+HUS) is a severe, life-threatening complication that occurs in about 10 percent of those infected with E. coli O157:H7 or other Shiga toxin (Stx) producing E. coli. D+HUS was first described in 1955, but was not known to be secondary to E. coli infections until 1982. It is now recognized as the most common cause of acute kidney failure in infants and young children. Adolescents and adults are also susceptible, as are the elderly who often succumb to the disease.
You can’t even trust Bambi anymore.
It's hard to believe, but there is a county in the big, rich state of California where an E. coli death does not even get a full ten days worth of investigation before the case is closed without finding a source.
Solano Public Health staff are back-tracking the minor's activities, food sources, and water sources, and are in close communication with the State laboratory which is testing blood samples to determine the specific strain of E. coli.
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We received several calls last Monday from sorority sisters who had been sickened by 
Bill Scanlon at the Rocky Mountain News this morning is reporting with some detail on the Colorado 3-year old who died Friday of E coli O17:H7. According to The Rocky:
this bold assertion:
Seattle attorney Bill Marler is suing Organic Pastures, the nation's largest organic raw milk dairy, on behalf of two children who fell ill after consuming its products. Testing at the dairy farm near Fresno, Calif., did not detect the strain of E. coli that sickened the children, but a government report said the dairy was likely responsible.
The public sessions will be held on Wednesday, April 9, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday, April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Georgetown, 2101 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC.
actions, we sometimes cannot help but thinking the food industry and its regulators are in cahoots to drag out recalls and confuse the public. 
An isolated case in an isolated place where no one has had E coli in four years. However, 8-year old Evie Hope Wray of Theodosia, MO was a confirmed E coli case; one that evolved into Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), And HUS killed Evie, who was a soccer and cat-loving second-grader at Lutie Elementary School.
The USDA's Food Safety & Inspection Service is hosting a public meeting on April 9, 2008 titled: E. coli O157:H7 - Addressing the Challenges, Moving Forward With Solutions.
Dr. Richard A. Raymond is Medical Doctor from Nebraska. Since July 2005, he has been Undersecretary for Food Safety at the United States Department of Agriculture. He was asked by the U.S. House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations why there's been an uptick in e coli-related recalls.
First, create a local, state and national public health system that catches outbreaks before they balloon into a personal and business catastrophe. Everyone believes that the Jack in the Box outbreak started in Seattle in January 1993. It did not. It actually began in November 1992 when young Lauren Rudolph died and another 30 people were sickened in and around southern California. However, because E. coli O157:H7 was not a reportable illness at the time, the death and illnesses were not recognized as an outbreak and the contaminated meat was shipped to Seattle. CDC’s PulseNet and Food Net were launched and are rightly credited with helping reduce the size of outbreaks by helping to more quickly conclude what suspect product is causing harm. But surveillance of human bacterial disease is lacking. For many foodborne illnesses, for everyone culture positive case, 20 to 50 other cases are missed because of lack of surveillance. Most people who become ill with a bacterial or viral disease are either seldom seen or never cultured. The more people are tested, the greater the likelihood that a source, accidental or not, will be found sooner. 
We have seen some good work in the past from Philip Brasher, who works out of the Washington, D.C. bureau for the Des Moines Register. On Sunday, Brasher took on the Chino slaughterhouse scandal, which led to the largest recall of beef in U.S. history.
That was from the statement of the Denver-based National Cattlemen’s Beef Association after USDA announced that Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company was recalling 143.3 million pounds of beef because the Chino slaughterhouse was routinely processing “downer” cattle. 
Marler Clark
Council Bluffs, Iowa Daily Nonpareil. The article sought the ethanol industry's response to research by Kansas State University and the University of Nebraska that concluded cattle that were fed distillers grain, an ethanol byproduct, had increased levels of E coli 0157H7 bacteria in their hindgut over cattle fed regular corn.
about like a hot potato among those who were involved. Taco Johns sued Bix Produce , Roma, Pacific Marketing and the Wegis Family Limited Partnership in federal court.
The suit asked that a jury award $5 million in damages.
Marti Davis of the Knoxville News Sentinel spoke with the McDonald family, whose two children became ill with
Health officials in Dallas now say they confiscated beef sold off the street to owners of the Chicken Shack, which is located in the 6000 block of Lamar Street, before it could be cooked or sold to anyone else.
According to a Texas health department division manager, recalled beef is finding its way into back alley transactions in places as surprising as barber shops, reports the Dallas Business Journal.
20-year-old Stephanie Smith has woken from nine weeks in a medically-induced coma shortly before Christmas. Smith became ill with an 
vengeance. All totaled meat producers were forced to recall over 33.3 million pounds of beef products. 
The Western Growers Association said there should be no exemptions from uniform steps that growers and handlers should have to follow to certify the safety of lettuce, spinach, endive, kale, cabbage and other greens.
Researchers from Kansas State University have concluded that cattle that are fed distiller's grain, a byproduct of ethanol production, have an increased incidence of 
Five-year-old Aubrey Anderson from Hutchinson, Kansas, was released from Wesley Medical Center after being hospitalized for a month with 
Vickie Shelton, a Knox County resident, passed away on Monday, November 26th at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington after being admitted. Ms. Shelton had eaten ground beef before becoming ill, and public health officials are conducting tests to determine whether that ground beef was contaminated with 
The USDA is proposing that they ask the public about whether the leafy green industry should be further regulated.
Sharon Smith, the mother of Stephanie Smith, a Minnesota resident who has been hospitalized for months after eating a hamburger and becoming ill with 
In September, an 
Matt Roberts, a Mattoon High School senior from Mattoon, Illinois, became ill with an 
In an editorial titled, "Is the meat you buy safe enough?" that appears online at the Eco-Logic Powerhouse website, Henry Lamb evaluates the state of the meat industry and USDA's role in it, including the recent 
Five-year-old Aubrey Anderson is undergoing dialysis treatments at a Wichita hospital to combat the effects of 
Dr. Patricia Quinlisk of the Iowa Department of Public Health said Tuesday that either a person in western Iowa contracted a strain of E. coli that matches the DNA "fingerprint" of the E. coli bacterium involved in a national frozen pizza recall, or the person's history involves consumption of the tainted product.
A loophole in the food safety system allows E. coli-contaminated ground beef to become part of pre-cooked products destined for the frozen foods section at grocery stores and school lunches through the USDA's National School Lunch Program, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Sandusky County Health Department in Ohio is investigating the source of a Ross High School student's E. coli case.
Ground beef patties produced by Topps Meat Company that were recalled for possible E. coli contamination in September are still on store shelves.
Aubrey Anderson, a five-year-old from Sterling, Kansas, has been hospitalized with 
Marler Clark has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Knoxville, Tennessee, residents Jim and Georgia McDonald and their two children, who both became ill with E. coli O157:H7 infections and were hospitalized after eating hamburgers made from Cargill ground beef patties.
E. coli cases in Iowa and New York have surfaced. In Iowa, three children have tested positive for 
A San Bernardino child has been diagnosed with E. coli, according to the Press-Enterprise. Public health officials are working to determine the source of 
Meat recalled a month ago that could be contaminated with 
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced that in a joint investigation between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and FSIS, investigators had determined that Ranchers Beef, a Canadian company, had supplied 
Federal investigators are saying that they have recently learned that Topps Meat Company failed to require adequate testing on the raw beef it bought from its domestic suppliers, and it sometimes mixed tested and untested meat in its grinding machines.
A Cocke County, Tennessee child has died after fighting an E. coli infection. The girl, who was 20-months-old and was diagnosed with 
A lawsuit seeking punitive damages was filed today against Topps, the New Jersey beef supplier that recalled nearly a year's supply of frozen ground beef patties after its products were identified as the source of an 
E. coli cases have sprung up across the nation in recent weeks. Some of these cases have been traced back to the millions of pounds of ground beef that have been recalled by Cargill and Topps, but in other cases a source has not been identified.
Federal regulators will be meeting to discuss the incidence of E. coli outbreaks and illnesses that can be attributed to E. coli strains that produce Shiga-toxins, but are not E. coli O157:H7.
Three students from Wisconsin and two North Carolina children were added to the number of E. coli illnesses caused by consumption of 
At least five Wisconsin residents have been diagnosed with E. coli, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
An E. coli outbreak among children who attend Galena Elementary School may not have come from a source inside or close to the school.
Marler Clark client Emily McDonald's mom Catherine is thankful that doctors did not treat her daughter with antibiotics without knowing whether she was suffering from 
Topps Meat Company, the company whose ground beef products were identified as the source of an 
Two E. coli cases have been reported in Grayson County, Kentucky, according to the Grayson County News-Gazette.
Public health officials and health care providers are trying to determine where a Seattle-area family picked up 
The number of 
Topps Meat Company LLC, of Elizabeth, NJ, has voluntarily expanded its recall announced on September 25 to include 21.7 million pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with 
A Topps Meats, of Elizabeth, New Jersey press release reported that at least 21 people in eight states could be part of an 
A six-year-old first grade student at Galena Elementary School in Indiana has been hospitalized with kidney failure after she developed 
USA Today featured a detailed timeline of last year's spinach outbreak - from the first death to the discovery that spinach was the source of the outbreak to the fifth death and how the spinach industry and federal investigators and regulators responded during the crises and beyond. 
Health officials in Russelville, Kentucky warn that two kindergarten students have been diagnosed with E. coli infections. It is unclear how the students became infected with 
Yesterday, an Idaho woman was added to the list of people who became ill with 
The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today that Interstate Meat Dist., Inc., of Clackamas, Oregon, was recalling 41,305 pounds of ground beef products for potential 
Yesterday, the USDA announced that it has awarded $5.5 million to researchers who are working to determine the risk factors and prevention measures for 
A lot has happened since the largest ground beef recall in U.S. history, including a significant decline in E. coli contamination and illnesses. Since 1996, E. coli cases have trended downward, but in 2004 and 2006, E. coli cases are back up.
Health officials in Colorado are investigating an E. coli outbreak among children in Eagle County. Several cases have been confirmed in children under 5. The county is focusing on swimming pools and child-care centers in its investigation.
A 2003 study on the prevalence of 
Tomorrow marks one year since E. coli-contaminated spinach was harvested from a field in California's Salinas Valley. One month from today will mark a year from the date US health officials - the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control - confirmed that that spinach was the source of a nationwide 
Health officials in Glynn County, Georgia have confirmed that they are investigating three E. coli cases. So far this year, 15 
A two-year-old Canadian boy and three-year-old Japanese girl died recently after becoming ill with 
Researchers at Cornell University have conducted research that indicates Crohn's Disease can be caused by unpathogenic
Despite evidence that raw or unpasteurized milk carries health risks, growing numbers of consumers are skirting laws prohibiting the sale of unpasteurized milk through creative solutions called "cow sharing." In theory, the practice allows them to buy part of an animal and then, as a co-owner, acquire and drink its raw milk.
The Troy Messenger published a follow-up story on Mallory Chandler, a Troy, Alabama, toddler who became ill with an 
FSIS announced today that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold public meetings to discuss issues related to how data is handled and public health-based inspection.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota and the University of Nebraska have found that from June through September up to 10 percent to 20 percent of all cattle may test positive for the microbe, which is harmless to cows. In winter, the number of 
Health officials say the Huntsville outbreak most likely was caused by contaminated lettuce served at Little Rosie's between June 27 and June 30. Eighteen of the 19 known victims ate at the popular Mexican restaurant on Whitesburg Drive on those dates; the other infected person did not eat at Little Rosie's and caught the bacteria another way.
Several reports indicate that 7 people who became ill with 
The California Department of Food and Agriculture today announced that members of the California Leafy Greens Handler Marketing Agreement can begin using a service mark on July 23. The service mark certifies membership in the LGMA program, and "indicates a handler's commitment to a set of Good Agricultural Practices audited by the LGMA."
In what is now the largest E. coli outbreak in Alabama in 20 years, 18 people who ate at Little Rosie's restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama, have been confirmed as suffering from 
The California Assembly Agriculture Committee defeated Senate Bill 202, and did not vote on Senate Bills 200 and 201, all bills introduced by California Senator Dean Florez. The bills were introduced in response to last year's 
A 22-month-old child has been hospitalized with 
Two Vermont children have been hospitalized in Boston with hemolytic uremic syndrome secondary to 
A first grade student from Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey died Thursday after suffering from an 
Federal prosecutors have decided against charging companies involved in the September 2006 
Two children in Yankton County have been diagnosed with E. coli infections. Although a source has not yet been reported, KXMC reports that health officials are working to determine common exposures between the two children who have been diagnosed.
Chris Waldrop, director of the Consumer Federation of America's Food Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. sees a disturbing return:
The first lawsuit stemming from an 
A lawsuit has been filed against PM Beef Holdings, LLC and Lund Food Holdings, Inc., the producer and retailer who sold E. coli-contaminated ground beef traced to an outbreak of 
The latest technology allowed scientists at the Colorado Department of Health and Environment to link a pair of illnesses in Denver to the same 
The Arizona Department of Health Services has identified another case of 
A lawsuit will be filed today against PM Beef Holdings, LLC and Lund Food Holdings, Inc., the producer and retailer who sold E. coli-contaminated ground beef traced to an outbreak of 
Lab tests have confirmed four cases of 
Senators have approved a three-bill package by Sen. Dean Florez, giving state health regulators power to set standards for growing and processing leafy produce, including spinach and lettuce, and to set up an inspection program with state agricultural officials.
Four cases of
United Food Group, LLC, a Vernon, California, establishment, is voluntarily expanding its recall of ground beef products because they may be contaminated with 
The California State Senate became the first legislative body in the nation to recognize the unique risk posed by leafy greens when it approved Senate bills that enact food safety reforms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have announced that the incidence of 
Dee Creek Farms, the Washington dairy that was the source of an 
The number of confirmed cases linked to an 
Health officials have identified two additional people who tested positive for 
KFSN-TV reported that health officials are investigating 20 reported 
Summer grilling season brings more awareness of 
With Memorial Day being the official start of grilling season, the International Food Safety Network highlights the importance of cooking foods to an internal temperature hot enough to kill pathogens like 
An E. coli outbreak may be ongoing in Montgomery and Fulton Counties in New York.
A salad could be one of the riskiest foods on American tables right now, according to New York Times Op/Ed columnist Paul Krugman.
Marler Clark client Teresa Kaiser was recently interviewed by CNN regarding her E. coli infection.
A settlement has been announced involving lawsuits filed against the Florida Strawberry Festival.
Marler Clark client Elizabeth Armstrong testified in front of the US House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in regards to food safety.
Barbara Kowalcyk and her husband, Michael, were propelled into food safety advocacy in 2001, when their two-year-old son, Kevin, died after suffering an 
The Kern County Health Department issued a press release today stating that the investigation into an 
The family of Ashley and Isabella Armstrong, 2 girls affected by 
California health officials continue their investigation into an 
After an E. coli outbreak that sickened at least three children, St. Helena Little League will no longer serve hamburgers at concession stands during games.
The Maine Department of Agriculture announced that Bubier Meats is recalling meat products for potential 
A vaccine is being produced by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that is designed to prevent E. coli infection in humans, according to the New York Times. A vaccine is also being produced by Bionishe, a Canadian company, that is designed to reduce the number of 
Hoss's, a restaurant chain that operates restaurants in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, has changed meat suppliers after an 
The families of three octogenarian women whose deaths were linked to last year's 
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce today addressed food safety at its Oversight and Investigations subcommittee today on Capitol Hill. Three families whose members suffered food poisoning after eating contaminated food sent representatives to testify in front of the committee, as did companies whose products were responsible for large foodborne illness outbreaks.
AP reported that the company that distributed hamburger patties believed to have sickened at least three children with 
The CDC today released its preliminary 2006 food-borne illness data from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee. A total of 17,252 confirmed cases of food-borne illness were reported in those states in 2006, according to the CDC.
E. coli and salmonella infections are on the rise in the United States, but other foodborne illnesses appear to have leveled off, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported.
According to KNBC News, a 15th person has tested positive for an 
The largest 
A girl hospitalized with an 
A 12-year-old girl remained in intensive care Wednesday after being infected with the 
An 
As California spinach producers began harvesting their crops this week, legislators, consumers, and health officials discussed the possibility of another 
Dateline NBC reported on fresh food contamination, with emphasis on fresh spinach and lettuce grown in California, and whether irradiation is the answer to ensuring our fresh produce is safe.
The Oregonian recently profiled Bill Marler, a lawyer from Seattle who began representing victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness outbreaks in 1993 during the Jack in the Box 
Lily-Rose, the daughter of Johnny Depp and his longtime partner Vanessa Paradis, is said to survive a battle with the deadly 
The California Department of Health Services and the FDA have released their final report on the spinach E. coli outbreak.
The addition of $25 million of funding for spinach farmers who lost revenue during last year's spinach recall is affecting those victims of the 
Darryl Howard, the son of Betty Howard, a Richland, Washington, resident who died after contracting 
Microbiology researchers trying to uncover the secret of the success of the dangerous food poisoning bacterium 
Senator Dean Florez has criticized the California Department of Health Services after the department refused to release its report on September's deadly 
Fresh spinach that sparked a nationwide 
Yum Brands Inc. said Wednesday that 11 lawsuits have been filed against the company and its Taco Bell Corp. subsidiary for an 
Salinas-area lawmakers this year have focused their bills on everything from preventing future 
BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., the third-largest U.S. warehouse retailer, said a batch of mushrooms it recalled this week wasn't contaminated with 
BJ's Wholesale Club showed extreme caution when it learned that some of its store-brand mushrooms might be contaminated with 
Scientists from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana have found that people employed in chimpanzee-focused research and tourism in a park in western Uganda are exchanging gastrointestinal bacteria - specifically 
BJ's Wholesale Club has announced a mushroom recall.
CBC news reports that 
In the wake of 
Scientists at the University of Southampton, U.K., have found that 
CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews interviewed Marler Clark client Lisa Brott, who became ill with an 
In the wake of 
Investigators for the FDA and CDC have indicated that the 
The Hollister Free Lance is reporting that California Congressman Sam Farr has introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives to assist spinach growers and processors in recovering from lost sales after last fall's 
The Connecticut Post Online reports that residents at an Astoria Park nursing home have become ill with 
Taco Bell will report earnings for the 4th quarter of 2006 on Monday, and financial analysts are questioning whether earnings will fall short of expectations following the 
The LA Times and the San Jose Mercury News both report that the California Department of Food and Agriculture approved a farm industry plan to establish voluntary safety standards for leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach.
SCNow.com recently interviewed Erica Sturkie, a Marler Clark client who became ill with an 
Phil Lempert, the Today Show's food editor, wrote a recent article that appeared on MSNBC.com. The article, "Protect your family from Salmonella and 
The CDC's Patricia Griffin recently commented on antibiotic treatment of E. coli infection in a September, 2006 Clinician Outbreach and Communication Activity conference call, during the 
The February issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes a report by the Michigan Department of Health. The report shows the findings from surveillance of shiga toxin-producing E. coli, including 
Bill Marler is scheduled to speak at the National Steinbeck Center on February 28.
The Food Safety Infosheet from the Food Safety Network focuses on pathogens that can be transmitted by pets.
National Public Radio's All Things Considered aired a story on lettuce production near Yuma, Arizona, the region where leafy greens are grown during the off-season in California's Salinas Valley.
The Bakersfield Californian reports that California State Senator Dean Florez will introduce controversial food safety legislation in the California legislature tomorrow. The legislation, which is being proposed in three separate bills, would:
With absolute certainty, another E. coli outbreak will explode, a visiting lecturer said Thursday.
USAToday reports that one of the more controversial proposals in the food safety debate would require that farmers plow under a buffer zone between fields and "undisturbed, open, non-farmed land with evidence of wildlife," as well as ponds, rivers, wetlands and creeks. But many point out that the overwhelming evidence is that cattle manure, not wild animals, is the primary source of 
Fresh spinach contaminated with E. coli bacteria led to the death of Elizabeth "Betty" Howard of Richland, said her attorney, William Marler of Seattle.
The Associated Press reports that California State Senator Dean Florez plans to introduce a bill that would create a system to track produce from farm to table, and would impose new regulations on the produce industry with the aim of reducing the likelihood for 
The Moose Jaw Times Herald reports that fair organizers are increasingly addressing issues related to human-animal interaction.
The News-Leader, a newspaper out of Springfield, Missouri, posted questions and answers about 
Salon.com recently investigated the health benefits some people say they get from drinking it. They also looked into raw milk, cow shares, and organizations that promote raw milk consumption, and came to conclustions about raw milk:
Fresh Express has announced that the company will donate up to $2 million for 
The Food and Drug Administration has announced that it has moved closer to identifying the source of illness for the Taco John E. coli outbreak.
Governor Schwarzeneger's proposed 2007 budget includes an increase in food safety funding, up from $1.7 million last year to $2.1 million this year.
Dr. Mike Osterholm, a nationally known food-safety and infectious-disease expert at the University of Minnesota, argues that the public has some misperceptions about irradiation.
Last fall, several students at the University of North Carolina became ill with 
In the last decade, lettuce and spinach grown in California's central coast region have caused at least nine outbreaks of illness associated with 
QSR.com recently highlighted several E. coli outbreaks that happened at the end of 2006. The author, Fred Minnick, brought up the E. coli outbreaks due to the impact they had on quick-serve restaurants, such as Taco Bell and Taco John's.
Among the concerns outlined in the Monterey County Grand Jury's 2006 report was 
Another E. coli lawsuit has been filed against Taco Bell today by Marler Clark. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Michael Notar, a Clinton, New York, resident who became ill with an E. coli infection and was hospitalized for four days after eating E. coli-contaminated food at Taco Bell.
Six people in the Rochester area might have gotten sick as part of the Taco Bell 
Notably, the E. coli outbreak that was traced to contaminated spinach was the most memorable story food writers across the nation wrote about this year.
KDKA TV reports that a child from Mercer, Pennsylvania has died, likely of hemolytic uremic syndrome caused by 
Dr. Robert Field, chair of the Department of Health Policy and Public Health at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia said Americans' lives depend on enforcing food regulations, reports the VitaBeat blog.
The King of Prussia Courier reports that Taco Bell has reopened several restaurants that were implicated in the recent E. coli outbreak.
Bob Sandelman, CEO of a research company that did a survey on whether people would return to Taco Bell restaurants after an 
A Scripps Howard study of state health department reports made to the CDC, found in the five years 2000 through 2004, found that fruits and vegetables sickened three times more people with E. coli than meat.
The Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District is investigating three reported cases of 
The owners of Dee Creek Farm, who operated a cow share program that last December was the source of an E. coli outbreak that sickened 18 people in Washington and Oregon in December of 2005, say they will begin selling raw milk again this summer.
William Marler, a food safety advocate and attorney who is representing 10 victims of an 
Bix Produce, the company that the Minnesota Department of Health has identified as the supplier of 
The Chelan-Douglas Health District has issued a press release regarding an 
The FDA and CDC 
An 
The Seattle law firm Marler Clark filed its second lawsuit in the Taco Bell 
Bloomberg News reporter Josh Fineman reported that 
An 
An E. coli lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Stephen Minnis, a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, resident who became ill with an 
The Star-Ledger reported on the Taco Bell 
The New York Times reported today that 99 people have been confirmed ill with 
The Food and Drug Administration today annonced that the agency is involved in the investigation related to the 
The New York State Health Department has issued a press release regarding its investigation into illnesses traced to Taco Bell restaurants.
The New Jersey Department of Health and Social Services issued a press release on December 6th regarding the
Newsweek's Jessica Bennett recently interviewed Debra Hotzman, a food safety expert, about what people can do to prevent illness when dining out:
An E. coli outbreak among patrons of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania-area Taco Bell restaurants has been traced to E. coli-contminated green onions.
William Marler, a nationally-recognized food safety advocate and attorney, today called on Taco Bell and its parent company, Yum! Brands, Inc., "to do the right thing and immediately pay the medical bills for the victims of this most recent 
The New York Times reports that 35 people are ill with 
Pounds of beef and 
WJZ TV reports former USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service director Michael Taylor has concerns with the current U.S. food safety system, saying, "We have a system that's not working as well as we can and we will continue having these problems until we address prevention."
The Lanhontan Valley News reported that two children who suffered 
The Californian and North County Times report that Chris Martin of Murrieta, California, was hospitalized with an 
The Lexington Herald-Leader addressed the serious complication of 
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that five-year-old Haley Caldwell of Richmond, Kentucky, has returned home from the hospital after a month in Kentucky Children's Hospital due to an 
Robert E. Brackett, Ph.D., recently participated in a panel before the US Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Brackett, who is the director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, pointed out that ready-to-eat fresh vegetables, fruits, and prepared salads have a high potential risk of contamination because they are generally grown in a natural environment and are often consumed without cooking or other treatments that could eliminate pathogens if they are present.
For many people who suffer 
The Daily Tarheel reports that health officials have not yet been able to pinpoint the source of contamination within the restaurant that led to at least 9 cases of confirmed 
The Gillette News-Record reported on the safety of fresh vegetables in a recent article. 
The American Veterinary Medical Association announced today that an investigation into the source of 
Senator Durbin submitted a statement for the hearing held yesterday by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The hearing was titled, "Food Safety: Current Challenges and New Ideas to Safeguard Consumers".
The Lincoln Journal-Star reports that the Nebraska Appleseed Center called for government regulation that would require meatpacking companies to slow down production lines.
Marler Clark client Chenelle Reyes was interviewed by KIRO 7 news in Seattle. Ms. Reyes and Bill Marler both discussed the 
A University of Illinois food scientist has discovered that certain solutions used by meat processors to extend shelf life actually do double duty as antimicrobial agents, killing such virulent foodborne pathogens as 
When someone gets sick from 
The Daily Tarheel reports that the Orange County Health Department is focusing its 
The University of North Carolina and North Carolina Department of Health announced that they are investigating an 
The Daily Evergreen, Washington State University's daily newspaper, interviewed John Reganold, a WSU regents professor of crop and soil sciences, and Richard Finch, the compost manager at the WSU Compost Facility, regarding their opinions on the safety of composted manure:
The owners of the Paicines Ranch, which has reportedly been under investigation as a potential source of the 
Frank Pecarich, a retired soil scientist, points out that more could have been done before the 
The Winston-Salem Journal reports that at least three people have become ill from 
The LA Times reports concerns from several grocers who are putting pressure on the produce industry to ensure fresh produce is safe.
A lawsuit has been filed by Seattle lawfirm Marler Clark on behalf of the family of Ruby Trautz, an elderly woman who died after eating 
Juliana Barbassa of the Associated Press interviewed fresh produce suppliers and the families of victims of the 
In response to a nationwide 
The Associated Press reported today that FDA and California Department of Health investigators believe they have found three potential sources of the spinach 
CBS 11 TV in Dallas reported that David Corbin, an executive at Forth Worth-based Sadex Corporation, recently ate a 
Milwaukee NBC affiliate, TMJ4, reported on their investigation into whether spinach now on the shelves in Wisconsin supermarkets is safe and free of pathogenic bacteria.
The Chetek Alert reports that Barron County health officials believe that people who became ill with 
The Redding, California, newspaper has reported that another California resident has been confirmed to be ill with the same strain of 
HometownAnnapolis.com reports that Maryland health officials have confirmed two more 
A reader of the Suburban Chicago News Web site asks, "There has been a lot in the news about E. coli in food lately. What is it? How do I know if I have consumed a food product that is infected with 
KSDK TV in St. Louis reported today on the raw milk debate.
The Baltimore Channel is reporting that Maryland has confirmed the state's fifth 
The USDA announced today that Omaha Beef Company, a Danbury, Connecticut, firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 1,680 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with 
Recent 
In a recent opinion piece in the Salt Lake Tribune, Hope Ferdowsian of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine writes about the source of 
The Mexican government has said it will lift its weeks-old ban on lettuce imports from California.
Mea Andrews, a reporter for the Missoulian, recapped an 
The Associated Press reports that there are four confirmed cases of 
An article in The Oklahoman reports how 
Natural Selections, the company whose produce was tied to a deadly 
Jeff LeJeune, a microbiologist with Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, is leading a new research project aimed at determining the processes that impact growth and survival of 
Fox 28 out of South Bend, Indiana reported today that spinach processor ReadyPac, from nearby Michiana, will likely lay off over 200 workers who bag produce like spinach, lettuce and mixed salads.
The Lincoln Journal-Star reports that a small child from Lincoln has been ill with an 
A team of scientists from UC Davis will begin a four-year study of the sources of 
The Produce News reports that the health department of the government of Mexico, in an official memorandum dated Oct. 9, announced an immediate halt on the importation of all fresh lettuce from the United States including bulk lettuce and fresh salads containing lettuce, an action that baffled many in the U.S. produce industry.
Washington State legislators are looking into the possibility of banning raw milk. 
NPR recently interviewed Ken Costello, a Nebraska man who became ill with 
The Associated Press reports that cattle ranchers have been working to prevent fecal contamination in the Salinas Valley spinach and lettuce fields.
Michael R. Taylor, former administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service and FDA's deputy commissioner for policy, told the Baltimore Sun his opinion on who is at fault for the recent 
After the most recent 
The authors of an editorial in the Washington Post made some points about how to make our nation's food safety system more efficient and therefore, make our food safer.
The FDA and the State of California announced today that test results from a field investigation of the outbreak of 
An editorial in the Los Angeles Times says that all farms must follow the same food safety practices, and that the FDA needs to develop specific guidelines for the fresh produce industry to follow so the industry can prevent fecal contamination from happening in the first place:
The Bakersfield Californian posted an editorial about the lack of a regional food safety lab in California. In it, the newspaper mentions that industrial scale processing, packaging and shipping of perishable items often leads to consumer consumption faster than regulatory agencies can react.
The Brainerd Dispatch reported an update on the 
Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington consumers were impacted by the recent recall of Foxy brand lettuce after the discovery of 
In the wake of the recent 
The Produce Marketing Association is making efforts to increase consumer confidence in what was previously a popular supermarket purchase - bagged spinach. The industry group is encouraging consumers to trust spinach growers and distributors to supply 
Frank Pecarich, a retired soil scientist from Oakland, California, offered his opinion on Monterey County's policies regarding irrigation water for crops in the Salinas Valley in an article for the California Progress Report.
The Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory have received three isolates of 
As of Friday, three people had died from eating tainted spinach and 199 in 26 states were sickened during the outbreak. Officials still have not discovered how the spinach packaged by Natural Selection came to be contaminated, and they may never know, but they are confident the outbreak has been contained.
State health officials said on Friday that one of the three people in the country who died from contaminated spinach is from Sarpy County, Nebraska.
As of October 6, 2006, Friday, 199 persons infected with the outbreak strain of 
The New York Times reports that federal investigators have opened a criminal investigation into accusations that some California spinach growers and distributors failed to take adequate measures to ensure that their spinach was safe before selling it. 
To date, 192 cases of illness due to 
A 4-year-old Scott County child remains in critical condition Tuesday morning after being diagnosed with 
As growers are getting their spinach back on the market, federal investigators will try to capture wild pigs and test them for the 
California officials have discovered 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging clinical labs to use bacterial cultures of stool specimens in suspected cases of 
Health officials continue to investigate whether the death of an elderly Hagerstown woman is linked to the nationwide
At least three children enrolled at a Van Buren daycare center have been diagnosed with 
Fresh spinach started trickling back onto local grocery stores shelves this weekend and will slowly continue its produce section homecoming throughout the week, according to the Monterey County Herald.
The state is allowing a Fresno County dairy to resume producing raw milk products after a three-week investigation into four cases of 
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that allows California public health officers to notify the public of the names of retailers that receive USDA-recalled meat and poultry, so that consumers can better protect themselves from food-borne illnesses, reports Common Dream Newswire.
Cases of 
As the FDA narrows the search for the cause of a nationwide outbreak of 
Ted Keany of the Washington Post also works at Keany Produce Company in Landover, Washington. The day after the FDA's national warning for consumers to not eat fresh bagged spinach, the produce company wondered what to do with the spinach they did have.
A New York Times editorial comments on the recent spinach-related 
Thomas Bartlett of the Washington Post recently ordered some raw, unpasteurized milk from a Tennessee dairy that offers raw milk as pet food.
Despite the recent 
California health officials said Thursday that they still hoped to locate the source of the 
The state has revoked the milk-producing license of a northwestern Ohio dairy farmer accused of illegally selling raw milk after two people who drank raw milk from the farm became ill.
State officials yesterday continued their quarantine of raw, unpasteurized milk products produced by Organic Pastures of Fresno because four children, including two 8-year-olds in San Diego County, became ill after consuming them.
A Snohomish County, Washington girl is ill from 
Test results show that a 2-year-old who died after eating spinach was sickened by 
Seattle-based attorney Bill Marler, who says he represents 86 victims in 25 states, called the payment of out-of-pocket expenses "a good first step." Marler -- who has made a career representing victims of food-borne illnesses, beginning with the 1993 Jack in the Box 
When she was 10 years old, Brianne Kiner became the public face of one of the country's worst outbreaks of food poisoning.
Two bags of Dole baby spinach that tested positive for the 
The company at the center of the 
The Monroe County resident sickened by eating 
The local health department began an investigation after more than a dozen people came down with a severe stomach ailment. We first brought you the story when doctors diagnosed three of deputy Mark King's children with an 
More bags of spinach tainted with toxic 
According to a statement released by the FDA, 183 cases of illness due to 
A second case of 
A bag of Dole-brand baby spinach bought in western Pennsylvania is the third one in the nation tied to a deadly 
The spinach business came to a slamming halt when the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers against eating all fresh spinach due to 
A Canadian woman was recently hospitalized after eating spinach from the United States tainted with 
A bag of spinach bought in Utah in August has tested positive for 
After a story ran Friday in The Morning Herald and The Daily Mail, reporters and television satellite trucks waited outside the home of Warren and Corinne Swartz of Hagerstown.
Public health officials tell the San Francisco Chronicle that it's impossible to know how long 
Medical News Today reports that of the 166 cases of 
As reported by the Associated Press, 171 cases of illness due to 
The federal disease detectives now tracking bad spinach heard the first alarms on an otherwise quiet Friday, 14 days ago.
Maine health officials told Maine Today they have found a third case of a resident becoming sick from the same strain of 
The San Jose Mercury News reports that investigations into the latest in a 10-yr string of 
California produce growers and processors hope to salvage what's left of the spinach season and stop millions of dollars in losses by drafting new food-safety measures. 

It's likely to be at least another week before federal and state investigators conclude their search of Salinas Valley farms, looking for the source of the nationwide 
Even as government health experts urge Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables, federal rules for protecting consumers from such hazards as the current 
The spinach-packaging company in the cross hairs of an investigation into a nationwide 
Organic Pastures of Fresno County is the subject of a statewide recall and quarantine order announced by California State Veterinarian Dr. Richard Breitmeyer and reported on KSEE-TV NBC 24 Fresno.
It took exactly 14 days, says The Washington Post, from the time state health officials in Wisconsin noticed five cases of 
KUTV of Salt Lake City is reporting that an Idaho toddler has died in a Utah hospital from a kidney disease associated with 
Like fine wine and cheese, spinach could be labeled with a place of origin to reassure shoppers jittery about an 
West Virginia Media reports that the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department announced today that an Ohio County resident is said to have 
California produce growers and processors worked to draw up new food-safety measures as government investigators trying to pinpoint the source of the deadly 
Governor Napolitano says it'd be wrong for Arizona to try to gain an agricultural advantage over California because of the nationwide 
The expanding 
Late last week, the spinach industry came to a halt as 
The Harford County Health Department is awaiting the results of a culture taken from a 5-year-old boy who may have contracted the strain of 
Once a readily accessible media darling celebrated for its eco-friendly business practices and humble beginnings, Earthbound Farm shied away from public scrutiny almost entirely Wednesday after investigators found 
The state laboratory in Frankfort has confirmed a seventh case of 
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced Wednesday that a test on a Denver resident showed that that person's 
When food turns deadly, old-fashioned detective work, modern technology and an appropriate sense of urgency are the best weapons to fight back. All have been employed in an outbreak of 
Health officials in New Mexico positively identified a deadly strain of 
Earlier today, the New Mexico Department of Health announced a link to 
The investigation into an outbreak of E
Two possible cases of 
The nationwide 
The New Mexico Department of Health announced today that it has linked the first spinach sample in the nation with the outbreak strain of 
First published in 1997 but still pertinent today, the Institute of Food Technologists' scientific status summary on 
With fresh spinach linked to an unusually virulent outbreak that has killed one and sickened 130, the region has vaulted to new fame: the 
Two year old Lily Lavender of Mobile, Alabama was diagnosed with 
The Laboratory Services Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has confirmed the first case of spinach-related 
Twenty-one states have been affected by the national spinach-related E. coli outbreak. Of the 131 cases nationwide, 66 people have been hospitalized with acute 
Underberg and Kessler, a western New York law firm, has been hired to represent people who got sick after eating spinach contaminated with the 
A Seattle attorney and advocate for change in the produce industry says, though convenient, maybe bagged produce isn't such a good idea after all, reports Ed Yeates. As the probe continues into 
Federal health officials were uncertain as to whether the bacterial strain that contaminated spinach and infected people coast to coast is unusually virulent, but more than half the reported cases have required hospitalization.
Tainted spinach is not the only source of E. coli to infect local residents in a recent outbreak, reports the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Five of the seven 
Supermarkets and salad bars throughout the New York metropolitan area stopped selling prepackaged fresh spinach yesterday as New York joined the growing number of states reporting confirmed cases of 
Health authorities in Ohio are investigating a death that may be linked to the nationwide outbreak of bacterial illnesses caused by contaminated spinach harvested in California's coastal valley, reports the Knight-Ridder Tribune.
Michael Greger, the director of public health and animal agriculture for the Farm Animal Welfare division of the Humane Society of the United States, wrote a letter to the editor of the Stamford Advocate regarding a recent article about the recent national 
Leafy vegetables are the second leading source of 
Drew Falkenstein of Marler Clark LLP in Seattle is representing 15 to 20 victims of the national spinach-based 
Shaila Leafty and her young son have joined what is expected to be a growing number of people who are suing a California spinach producer blamed for a national 
Arizona resident Emily Gruenberger, 9, was diagnosed with 
Gwyn Wellborn of Salem is recovering from a brush with death from 
Right on the heels of the nationwide 
The Milwaukee Health Department is searching for the source of 
The Manitowoc County Health Department is investigating seven cases of 
Seven cases of 
Farms in the Salinas Valley are being evaluated to determine why leafy greens grown in the area, often called the "Salad Bowl of the World" are linked with 
Some of New York state's apple cider producers still don't have equipment to treat their product to prevent 
A report on the need for cleanliness in the meat production chain, from farm to plate, to control the potential scourge of
Regarding the recent outbreak of 
Food safety experts are meeting in Dublin, Ireland this week to discuss international standards they hope will cut back on the rising number of infections caused by the deadly enterohaemorrhagic 
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority announced Friday that more than half of the 40 
Lanie Smith, the 4-year-old Fallon girl who was stricken with 
The Hamilton County Health Department and the United States Department of Agriculture are working to trace back the source of an 
In an unprecedented effort to monitor the Salinas Valley lettuce industry, federal regulators announced Thursday they will inspect local fields, coolers and packing plants starting Monday, reports the Monterey Herald.
Cambridge-Guernsey County Health Department is investigating three confirmed reports of 
The Minnesota Department of Health is focusing its investigation into an 
The Minnesota Department of Health has been investigating an 
Federal and state regulators, researchers and lettuce industry representatives are scheduled to meet in Salinas for a foodborne illness outbreak summit, reports the Monterey Herald.
A woman from Longville, Minnesota, who apparently ate contaminated food at a church supper, has become the first Minnesotan recorded as dying of E. coli complications in at least three and a half years, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
The State Fair of Texas announced that its much-loved petting zoo will return to the fairgrounds this year. The attraction, which had been part of the fair for at least four decades, was axed last year because of insurance restrictions, according to The Dallas Morning News.
With only a few weeks remaining in barbecue season, local public health officials are urging people to cook hamburger properly and clean or discard anything that has come into contact with raw meat.
15 cases of 
Two children have been treated for the potentially deadly 
Last year, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report encouraging venues where the public has contact with animals, such as
Four people contracted severe 
Drinking raw (untreated) milk or eating raw milk products is "like playing Russian roulette with your health," says John Sheehan, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Division of Dairy and Egg Safety. "We see a number of cases of foodborne illness every year related to the consumption of raw milk."
An 
New hand sanitizer dispensers are mounted in every animal barn at the Clark County Fair this year, more than 150 in all. Abundant signs posted in two languages warn visitors to leave food and drink outside barns, and to use the gel upon exiting.
According to the Deseret Morning News, the Bear River Health Department cannot say for certain what caused a spate of recent 
The South Dakota Department of Health has said that the 16 cases of 
The Weber-Morgan Health Department has refused to disclose the name of a Weber County restaurant where three people contracted 
The N.C. Board of Agriculture has announced that they have approved rules governing 
Cider pressed from this year's apple crop will be the last that can be legally sold in New York state without being treated to kill 
Consumers should only eat ground beef patties that have been cooked to a safe temperature of 160 degrees F, reminds infoZine. When a ground beef patty is cooked to 160 degrees F throughout, it can be safe and juicy, regardless of color.
Good news comes in from Knoxville, where two daughters of a Hamilton County deputy have undergone treatment for 
An unusually high number of 
61 people in the US die of E. Coli infections each year, according to WFMY News 2.
The Associate Press reports that a hospital patient has died after receiving a unit of blood platelets tainted with 
Food Production Daily reports that researchers at Purdue University have developed a new system that analyzes scattered laser light to quickly identify bacteria for applications in medicine, food processing and homeland security at one-tenth the cost of conventional technologies.
The Little Business Academy has defended its decision not to close the school after an
A two-year-old girl died in Scotland after contracting a strain of the severe stomach bug 
Three children from one family became ill with 
Health officials are urging South Dakotans to practice food safety precautions and good hygiene to protect themselves from the threat of 
The Chattanooga - Hamilton County Health Department has reported that two children in their county have contracted 
Unless care is taken, says the Belleville Intelligencer, that summertime favorite, hamburger, can lead to sickness, perhaps even a stay in hospital or worse.
All 11 members of the state Board of Agriculture, the policy-making body for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, approved new sanitary and signage rules for petting zoos Wednesday.
The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline reminds consumers preparing ground beef products to heed the following advice:
The Manchester Health Department found 
State investigators remain unsure about the exact source of the infection that sickened at least four children at the Here Wee Grow day-care center in Sidney, Nebraska.
Health investigators are trying to find out how three toddlers who attend the same day-care center in the Nebraska Panhandle contracted the 
A study has found that the food-contaminating bug 
A lawsuit was filed Thursday against Quincy, Massachusetts-based Stop & Shop, on behalf of an eight-year-old boy who became ill with a severe 
The Health District hopes to soon know more about how a young Yakima county child got sick from 
Newschannel5.com reports that two more children from a day care had to be admitted to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital because of complications from 
Vandalism that occurred the night before at Midland's Plymouth Pool has some parents concerned that 
The May issue of the Journal of Food Science discussed the adequate cooking of meat in order to inactivate microbial pathogens such as 
When it comes to eating our greens, many Americans are willing to pay the extra cost of buying the ready to use bagged salads for the sake of convenience and because it is believed they do not need to be washed before serving.
Though it's illegal in Ohio to sell or distribute to consumers, federal and state agriculture officials are aware raw milk is being used by farm families.
Anita and Michael Puckett, owners of Dee Creek Farm, the dairy that caused an 
The University of Guelph's Food Safety Network is advising summer barbecuers to pay close attention to internal cooking temperatures when cooking meat.
Last spring, at least 26 children and four adults contracted life-threatening
An editorial on The Herald Online in South Carolina discussed those of us that prefer to eat their hamburgers on the rare side, and a new bill being introduced.
One family has found 
A hot lettuce market caused by decreased supplies blurred any impact that might have occurred following the late April report on NBC's television program "Dateline" linking several cases of 
The latest outbreak of 
Today, a new instant screening test for harmful levels of 
European food safety group safefood is urging consumers to be extra vigilant when cooking meats that have been minced, skewered or rolled such as burgers, sausages and kebabs. These types of meats should be thoroughly cooked and never served rare or pink in the middle.
All 17 people infected with the potentially fatal strain of 
Jennifer O'Connor of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in Norfolk, Virginia, wrote to the Arizona Daily Star regarding a recent article about petting zoos.
On The Early Show on CBS, Dr. Richard Raymond of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has plenty of advice about avoiding food poisoning while cooking outdoors.
Brent Solomon of WALB TV warns parents: is the pool that your child goes swimming in safe?
USDA has awarded $1.2 million to a collaborative research effort to identify sources and risk factors of 
Summer is prime time for grilling and enjoying foods outdoors. But Leslie Beck of the Globe and Mail warns us against the possible risks involved with barbecueing foods.
The grandfather of one of the children who suffered kidney failure in the Fife nursery 
University of Guelph food scientists have found a more effective way of cleaning vegetables that can dramatically reduce the risk of contamination, according to The Fountain Pen.
Milton Ingram, the general manager of the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair in Goldsboro, N.C., thought back to his days as a schoolteacher to come up with a creative way to attract children to wash their hands at the fair.
LA Times writer Janet Cromley knows that people, especially children, love going to the zoo. But she cautions visitors to animal exhibits about the risk of 
The numerous outbreaks due to 
WHDH TV's Bryon Barnett reported on produce that can be contaminated with bacteria such as 
Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, have developed a system in which a treated silicon chip is combined with a digital camera to identify 
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold public meetings to discuss issues related to the further development of a more robust risk-based inspection system.
Recent outbreaks of foodborne illness from bagged salad have resulted in 26 cases in three Midwestern states with 10 similar cases occurring in Minneapolis hospitals in three days.
The May edition of the Journal of Food Protection studies D- and z-values of 
The May edition of the Journal of Food Protection evaluates the efficacy of ultrahigh-pressure homogenization for inactivation and/or sublethal injury of two strains of 
The May edition of the Journal of Food Protection discusses a study to investigate the adequacy of the 60-day minimum aging to reduce the numbers of viable pathogens and evaluate milk subpasteurization heat treatment as a process to improve the safety of Cheddar cheeses made from unpasteurized milk.
The May edition of the Journal of Food Protection discusses Shiga-toxigenic 
Janice Okun of The Buffalo News says: "So now it's lettuce that can make you sick. Who knew?"
"Dateline NBC," an hour-long program that averages about 8 million viewers per show, will feature a segment on Salinas Valley growers and what the agricultural industry is doing to prevent another 
Benjamin Chapman writes in the April issue of Food Protection Trends about the 
Health experts warn that salads sold in bags may come with a potential risk, says the Daybreak Anchor.
Lea Thompson, chief consumer correspondent for NBC News, had a chance to interview Amber Brister and her mother, Lori Olson.
A study published in the British Medical Journal revealed that of 88 children who had contracted 
American retailers sell almost 6 million bags of prepared salad daily.
Karen Shideler of The Wichita Eagle reminds everyone that federal health officials warned a year ago that petting zoos, fairs and similar gatherings are potential sources of illness. 
According to the Associated Press, a researcher at Texas Tech University applied a mixture of four different lactic acid bacterium to ground beef and found the combination reduced the presence of salmonella and a harmful 
When Christen Doane was 17 months old, her mother, Juanita Boyd, took her for a quick dinner at a local fast food restaurant, hoping to get back home in time to help her three older children with their homework. She ended up admitting her only daughter to Shands at the University of Florida for three months as a result of 
Courtney Duquette wrote a strong letter to The Ontarion at the University of Guelph, regarding the actions of restaurant workers at the Grill House on the University campus.
David Schoenbrod, a former Natural Resources Defense Council litigator, was prompted to write an article based on his friends' experience with the Federal Department of Agriculture's decision to ban the sale of unpasteurized apple cider.
Foodservice.com's Lacie Thrall posted a great quiz about food safety in regards to beef preparation on the website. The beef industry has been making strong steps to protect our beef supply, although we still have some foodborne outbreaks from bacteria such as 
An abstract in the April 2006 Journal of Food Protection discussed a Spanish study that investigated the presence of 
Janet Cromley of the Los Angeles Times reminds visitors to zoos that although the animals may look cute and cuddly, they may be harboring bacteria that may not be as fun, such as 
A rapid method for detecting and identifying very small numbers of diverse bacteria, from anthrax to 
The Poughkeepsie Journal has provided a rundown on the foodborne illnesses that abound in our daily lives, including 
Robert H Shmerling, MD, from Harvard Medical School, was questioned about the results of three studies concerning 
The Department of Agriculture is making a proposal that could ratchet up the pressure on processors, to ensure that the meat and poultry they sell isn't contaminated with harmful bacteria. 
The Food and Drug Administration announced in their press release that they have published a draft guidance document for producers of fresh-cut produce entitled "Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-cut Fruits and Vegetables."
The Washington State Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Program has sent out a final report of their field investigation into Dee Creek Farm, after an 
The Barren River District Health Department and Red Cross Elementary School, who recently had an outbreak of 
Heather Sokoloff of the National Post, with files from Adrian Humphreys and Lee Greenberg, reports that two planeloads of children stricken by an 
The Associated Press reports that about 1,000 residents of a remote northern Ontario Indian reservation have been evacuated after Indian leaders and medical officials say 
David Rice of the Journal Raleigh Bureau reports that each October, approximately 800,000 people visit the 
Recent outbreaks of 
See: 
CBS reports that children roaming about petting zoos, surrounded by animals, are now a thing of the past at state fairs across the nation fair organizers and visitors fear E. coli outbreaks.
Jennifer Kern of the 
There are major changes at the 
Chick Jacobs of the 
Tim Boyum at 
The Freedom Raleigh Bureau reports that North Carolina state agriculture officials will be implementing safety measures aimed at protecting fair-goers to prevent a reoccurence of last year's E. coli outbreak at this year's 
Residents in Durham, Ontario, are being warned not to consume unpasteurized apple products from a second local farm, after three cases of 
With 
Valerie Miller of the 
Andrea Weigl of the 
Tim Nelson of Channel 11 News in Raleigh reports that when people go to the 
WNCT-TV 9 News reports that for many families, the word "
Shelby Sebens and Michelle Robbins of the 
The 
Erin Nicholes of 
The Dallas Morning News reports that insurance companies have raised their rates for fairs and events that have petting zoos as a result of the increase in 
Firms supplying food to the South Wales schools hit by an 
The Associated Press reports that fewer of the events at fairs in North Carolina will have petting zoos due to an E. coli outbreak at last year's 
The 
The Associated Press reports that U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co. plans to work with India's Gangagen Biotechnologies to develop a drug that uses benign viruses to kill the deadly 
KOMO News reports that England's Health Protection Agency says a new strain of 
The war against pathogens and food-borne illness still rages on, but the meat, poultry, and allied industries are making significant advances.
The Tribune reports that 
Essex Junction News reports that the 
The Associated Press reports that There's a new attraction at the 
Idaho State Journal reports that Idaho State University researchers have detected Shiga toxin in six of seven cattle fecal samples that were collected from cattle feedlot and dairy operations between Twin Falls and Boise.
This month's Journal of Food Protection (Volume 68, Number 8, Page 1566-1574) reports that currently, several beef processors employ test-and-hold systems for increased quality control of ground beef. 
The 
The 
The 
Zena Edwards of 
The 
Nearly 30 state, county and community fairs are scheduled before the end of September all around the country.
The 
The 
Scientists at Cornell University have developed a rapid, less costly and sensitive new technique for detecting group A streptococcus, the bacteria that cause scarlet fever. The technique can be applied to a wide variety of bacterial pathogens, including 
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (
In a recent article about 
The 
The 
The 
According to this month's 
Animals are always a big draw at fairs, both for sale, show, and petting - and so their 
Seth Slabaugh of the 
For fair managers, livestock exhibitors, animal health officials, and the public, this is the time of year to prevent such problems as 
Angela Eckhardt of the 
The 
As 
While it's a pleasure to cook and eat outside during warm-weather months, the risks for contracting food-borne illnesses are higher when you prepare and serve a meal out of doors. There are several ways to make sure you don't unwittingly infect yourself and your guests with dangerous illnesses like salmonella, 
Two-year-old Aedin Gray was among the 43 people contracted E. coli at a petting zoo at the 
Many people turn to cranking up the grill outside during warmer months, which is also when most food poisoning cases happen. Warmer weather is the perfect environment for bacteria in food to multiply rapidly so it's very important to take those extra precautions for safe food handling during this time, especially when you're preparing perishable foods such as meat, poultry, seafood and egg products, and salads that contain mayonnaise.
The Associated Press reports that "Aedin's Law," a bill to set stricter sanitation requirements for petting zoos, awaits North Carolina Governor Mike Easley's signature after winning final approval by the Legislature.
An estimated 73,000 cases of infection and 61 deaths occur in the United States each year from 
Use a food thermometer to make sure food is safe.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are 76 million cases of food-borne illness a year in the United States. The problem sends nearly 325,000 people a year to the hospital; 5,000 a year die from it. The young, the old and the immune-compromised are hit hardest.
A new review by the 
The Allegheny County Health Department is offering free signs to community fairs and festivals that have 
School's out, and summer vacations being planned. If there are little ones in your household, the probability of visiting fairs, zoos, theme parks or child-oriented special events are probably high on your list -- including a petting zoo. Despite the recent cases of 
Today's 
After handling or petting animals, whether it be at the zoo, the fair, or a rodeo, the most important thing to do is wash your hands.
The Blade News reports that the 
''Wash your hands, guys,'' said Mike Lindsey, stopping some students who had wiped their hands on their pants after feeding some goats, the Detroit Free Press reports. Lindsey was helping to supervise the Crouse Elementary School class visiting the Akron Zoo.
The 2002 ConAgra recall was one of this nation's largest beef recalls. Tainted meat was linked to the sickening of dozens of people through E. coli infection. 
The Associated Press reports that small meat processing plants feel the pressure from USDA inspections far more than their larger corporate counterparts, as John Munsell of Montana Quality Foods and Tom Osterloh of Galligan Wholesale Meat Company learned. 
The Wall Street Journal reports that the FDA says developing stricter safety standards for sprouts -- which include mung, alfalfa, clover, broccoli and radish seedlings -- is a top priority to reduce diseases rising from 
A Cornell University research group has created a system in which food pathogens can be tagged with "nanobarcodes" that fluoresce under UV light that can then be read by a computer scanner or fluorescent light microscope.
Before you fire up the grill this summer, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns about dangerous food-borne diseases that can be transmitted by the consumption of improperly prepared foods..jpeg)
A growing market of food shoppers are becoming sensitive to how their food is made.
While well-intentioned, the Illinois Department of Agriculture's recent hand-washing guidelines simply may not be good enough to protect children from 
People's love-hate relationship with fast food holds a special place in our catalog of food fears. We love fast food, but we're afraid of germs and food contamination. We're afraid of getting fat, so we stop eating for pleasure.
This summer, as with every summer, children will be visiting fairs, zoos, theme parks or other child-oriented places such as 
UCLA has been awarded more than $6 million over four years by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to support research for countering threats from bioterrorism agents and infectious diseases. UCLA will be a major component of the Pacific Southwest Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research, a consortium of more than a dozen universities and research institutes in California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii.
Contact with animals at 
Last month, 
Q: Our family is going to visit the zoo this summer. Do we need to be concerned about touching the animals?
It's not just petting zoos that can make kids sick. Some pets are proving risky too.
Experts say following a few precautions can keep food poisoning from being an uninvited guest at your summer picnics and cookouts. Food-borne illnesses such as salmonella and 
Tracy Wheeler, Beacon Journal medical writer, reports that recent federal study covering 1990 to 2000 blamed 
The Allen County Department of Health has no business shielding the location of a 
The 
The E. coli bacterium has hundreds of strains or types. Most are harmless, and a couple of pathogenic E. coli strains cause only uncomfortable yet benign symptoms such as diarrhea. However, 
Old McMicky's has been a favorite field trip destination for Bay area schools for 14 years, the Tampa Tribune says today. Janice and Earl Rodda provide an interactive farm experience where children can milk cows, ride ponies and feed chickens. 
Typical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (
The Associated Press reports that in a split decision, Wyoming Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit seeking damages against the town of Alpine for an 
Parents may wonder if taking their kids to petting zoos might not be a good idea due to the recent 
According to new research from 
Kayla Nicole Sutter's death in March was once thought to be linked to the recent 
Group Health researchers in the May issue of the 
Many diseases carried from animals to humans show no signs in the animal but can be potentially fatal to humans, such as ringworm, cat scratch fever, bacterial diarrhea, and E coli. All of these diseases can be prevented by common sanitary practices, especially hand-washing.
Extra caution has been enforced recently by reports of an 
"Wash your hands", though simple, could help keep E. coli from ruining your family's next visit to the petting zoo, the Courier-Journal reports.
Both the Louisville Zoo, which has a year-round petting zoo, and Huber's Orchard & Winery in Starlight, Indiana, are determined not to let E. coli spoil their patrons' fun.
Today Darla Carter of the 
Bill E. Wambeke, a writer for American News, reports that Brown County Fair Manager Larry Gerlach told Idaho commissioners Tuesday that after attending a seminar in Wisconsin earlier in the month on how animals can spread E. coli to small children, the fair board considered 
The recent 
Food safety experts say the war against food pathogens is far from over. Microbes evolve, and produce now comes from all around the world, including countries that have ineffective sanitation.
New guidelines set by the Department of Agriculture will now require visitors to reach through fences to pet the animals at petting zoos and animal exhibits, and carefully wash their hands afterward, in response to recent 
A coalition that includes the Maryland Association of Agricultural Fairs and Shows, the Maryland Cooperative Extension Service and the state agriculture and public health agencies is demanding that county fair operators should place hand-washing stations near livestock exhibits and limit public access to animals to prevent 
The Times Democrat had an editorial today on the many theories why the current 
Ohio State University veterinary researcher Jeff LeJeune has found that the kind of bedding that cows sleep on affects the volume and survival rate of potentially deadly 
The negative publicity associate with the recent 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have filed a report that shows important declines in foodborne infections due to common bacterial pathogens in 2004.
Due to the 
Dr. Lester Crawford, administrator of the Food and Drug Administration, and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns were keynote speakers at this year's U.S. Food Safety Summit, held recently Washington. The topics of issue at this year's summit were food defense and 
A 
At this weekend's Lake County Fair, a scheduled petting zoo will be replaced by racing pigs, 
Dr. Bharat Sangani, MD, is a Doctor of Cardiology Disease and Internal Medicine with practices along the Mississippi Gulf Coast who also writes a health column for The Sun Herald. He answered a few questions about travel safety in relation to food and drink, especially a condition known as "traveler's diarrhea":
Here are some statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center:
With recent 
The following is some basic information on E. coli, as well as helpful tips on how to avoid E. coli infection, provided by the US Department of Agriculture:
Dr Heather Allison, from the a University of Liverpool's School of Biological Sciences, has discovered how the food poisoning bug 
An estimated 73,000 cases of infection and 60 deaths occur in the United States each year due to E. coli infection. Consumers can help prevent 
For those planning a trip to Florida this spring, they might want to think about packing a few extra items - like hand sanitizer.
Florida health officials reported last week that over 20 people there who visited agricultural fairs with petting zoos have developed a kidney condition called 
Kids and their parents had been looking forward to seeing Boo this spring. Boo, a 28-inch-tall miniature cow, amongst other animals, were planned to be part of this year's Springtime Tallahassee festivities at Kids Park in West Peck Green Park on Saturday. Instead, they will be playing video games, tug-of-war and sack-race events, attending a book swap, and jumping inside inflatables - things that are at every other festival all across the country. 
Most consumers are used to pasteurized milk - the rapid heating and cooling kills most of the organisms, good and bad, and prevents disease-causing agents such as campylobacter, salmonella, 
The Lake County Fair, which runs April 7 to 16, will not be offering a petting zoo this year, in response to news of multiple cases of 
Mike Thomas of the 
Dr. Marlene M. Coleman, MD, is a Board Certified Pediatrician with an emphasis on adolescent medicine and a subspecialty in travel medicine, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Southern California Medical school, and an attending physician at the California Institute of Technology. 
About 76 million Americans this year will suffer from food-borne illness, and at least 5,000 will die. That's according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Most families try to avoid this by eating healthy foods, but that's not enough - Debra Holtzman, JD, MA, a nationally recognized safety and health expert, warns that there are hidden dangers in even the healthiest of foods.
Douglas Powell of the 
In January of 2002, John Munsell was notified that a sample of ground beef from his company, Montana Quality Foods and Processing, Inc., had tested positive for 
The 
Last week the 
As I touched on in my last post, 
Just over a decade ago, public knowledge surrounding 
Alex Cukan, 
Helen Puttick, a Health Correspondent for 
Ten-year-old Brianne Kiner spent 40 days in a coma in 1993, while teams of medical personnel worked round-the-clock to keep her alive. Brianne has little memory of the 118 days she was on kidney dialysis or the 80 units of blood she received, nor does she recall the numerous times the doctors told her mother that Brianne wouldn't live through the night. What Brianne does remember is that her hospital ordeal left her with the dubious recognition of being the sickest child in the United States to survive 
Jessica Rocha of the 
Even though California's fresh produce industries have a good record in voluntary compliance, federal regulations for microbial food-safety are on their way, according to 
Why are children more susceptible?
Last month I posted about John Sowell's 
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The federal government reports a dramatic drop in the number of illnesses caused by a potentially deadly bacteria found in ground beef. It also reports a dramatic drop in the number of contaminated meat samples discovered -- even with more samples tested. 
The 
Chris Tribbey, 
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich today announced that hospitals, doctors and other health care providers now can electronically report infectious diseases to the state and local health departments as part of a continuing effort to improve the state's ability to respond to public health emergencies:
The 
CIDRAP News reports that the use of gloves by fast-food restaurant workers might be expected to result in cleaner food, but that isn't necessarily the case, according to a recent study published in the 
From a 
According to an 
A human rights group has looked closely at a major industry in one country and found safety conditions like those of a century ago, systematic disrespect for workers' rights and widespread disregard of international labor standards. Yes, conditions for U.S. meatpacking workers are scandalous.
PETA had hoped to place its brand-new billboard-- showing a middle-aged couple next to the tagline "Meat Causes Cancer ... Go Vegetarian"-- in Southern Pines in time for the North Carolina Meat Processors Association Conference next week, but it was rejected by the area's outdoor advertising company, despite the fact that the ad has been displayed in Baltimore, Houston, and Trenton, N.J. PETA wanted to remind residents that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.".jpg)
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Animal-borne diseases can cause tremendous disruptions in the global economy. More than half of all emerging viral and bacterial diseases that threaten humans now come from animals, according to medical reports. 
The Star-Ledger reports that the source of 10 E. coli infections confirmed in the Hunterdon County late last year was an agricultural product grown in California. John Beckley, Hunterdon County health department director, described the source only as "fresh, raw produce," declining to identify the food until the investigation is complete. 
Today the North County Times (in Vista, California) did an article about local eateries, diners who carefully scrutinize restaurants before venturing in for a bite to eat, and how much work goes into keeping food safe.
Although 
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did a story today on 2004 Jefferson Award winner Nancy Buck:
Houseflies on cattle farms may contribute to the spread of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among animals, their food supply and potentially humans say researchers from Kansas. Their findings appear in the December 2004 issue of the journal 
SteriFX Inc., based in Shreveport, has gained USDA approval on FreshFx, a low-pH antimicrobial solution, for on-line reprocessing of poultry carcasses. This will give commercial poultry processors a new tool for preventing contamination of poultry by microorganisms such as Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli..jpg)
The Salinas Californian this morning says, "from a full year of front pages, it's not easy to pick the events and issues with the most dramatic, sweeping or long-lasting impact for the readers we serve -- but it's always enlightening to try."
A Times Editorial says the surprising part of Tommy Thompson's recent warning on the vulnerability of our imported food supply isn't that he waited to deliver it with his resignation, or that he failed to act on the knowledge while in office. What is baffling is that the Health and Human Services secretary didn't recognize the government's repeated failure to protect Americans from dangerous food grown and distributed right here at home. 
The MSU News Service reported today on research being done at Montana State University. Researchers there have been studying the relationship between a strong immune system in calves and safer meat in the grocery store. The approach is a new one in the fight against 
Diane Turbyfill of Lincoln County's Home Newspaper reports that when the Lincoln County Board of Education policy committee met Monday night, food safety was among many topics discussed.
The Tribune reports that restaurants and other eateries in Indiana that fail to meet the new Food Handler Certification requirement by Jan. 1 may be fined up to $100 per day.
Most of us have experienced a bout of food poisoning: an episode of stomach pain or upset often associated with diarrhea and in some cases vomiting. Such encounters are usually inconsequential, of limited duration and rarely do we think to bother our general practitioner with them. Most of us assume it's something we have eaten or drunk, shrug it off and get on with our lives. Minor bouts of upset stomachs have become so common as to be something we all expect to experience sooner or later, and we rarely question their origin. 
The Daily Journal reports that:
Montanans, remember this name: John Munsell. 
