On Restaurant Grades: Giving an F to Josh Ozersky
In coming up with topics for my opinion-pieces here at Food Safety News, I have been trying not to be so critical--which is to say, trying not to build a...
Contributing Writers
Denis Stearns
Marler Clark LLPSeattle, Washington
—http://www.marlerclark.com/lawyers/view/denis-stearns
—dstearns@marlerclark.com
Denis Stearns, a partner at Marler Clark, earned a BA in philosophy from Seattle University, and his law degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He graduated from both schools with high honors, and won numerous awards for service and academic excellence. Prior to being a partner at Marler Clark, Denis worked as one of the lead attorneys on the defense team that represented Jack in the Box against the hundreds of claims and lawsuits arising from the historic 1993 E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. In this role, he obtained extensive knowledge of the meat and foodservice industry, health and safety regulations, HACCP and other food safety systems, epidemiology, and foodborne illness. He is a frequent speaker and writer on issues related to food safety law, administrative regulation, and public health policy.
Articles Written by Denis Stearns
The 4th of July Picnic: Jell-O Salad
It's Independence Day, and since the Food Safety News team is spread out across the country, we're having another "virtual potluck" for our first 4th of July celebration. Our first...
The Perils of Punditry: Everyone Has an Opinion
Back in the day, when I was studying for my degree in philosophy, during my senior year I was required to take a 400-level seminar on Plato and Aristotle, which,...
What the Oil Spill Can Teach Us About Food Safety
The tragedy of the huge and ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the source of much controversy, multiple competing narratives, and unashamed finger-pointing by nearly all involved....
On Civic Agriculture: Why Backyard Chickens Matter
"She had no way of knowing it, but that plain country woman, whose name I have long forgotten, taught me one of the most important lessons of my life: food...
Keeping Tradition Alive (despite the risks)
There is much to be said for tradition, especially as it relates to food. When my mother was alive, her tradition at Christmas was to make twice-baked potatoes, which she...
On Cooking Burgers: Out, damned E. coli! Out!
For decades, the meat industry has insisted that pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 are inherent to raw meat, that there is no way for the manufacturing process to eliminate the...
Tender, but Deadly
E. coli O157:H7 and Mechanically Tenderized Steaks By now, most people have come to understand that a lot of industrially produced, mass-manufactured ground beef sold in the United States can be...
Blame-Game: How Cargill Pointed the Finger
A lawsuit was filed on December 4, 2009, against Cargill seeking at least $100 million to compensate Stephanie Smith for the tragic, life-changing injuries that she suffered as a result...
Losing the Face-to-Face in the Global Food Market
On Tuesday, November 3, 2009, I made a presentation at the Fourth International Conference on Food Safety and Quality. The presentation was one of two keynote speeches given that morning,...
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics . . .
More Meat Industry Dissembling on E. coliOn October 3, 2009, the New York Times published a lengthy and compelling story about Stephanie Smith and the E. coli O157:H7 infection, and...
Freedom Means Never Having To Be Logical . . .
Rebutting Michelle Bachmann on the 2009 Food Safety Modernization Act. Twenty years ago, when I was in college and studying for a BA in Philosophy, one of the courses required...
RIP Gourmet Magazine: You'll Be Greatly Missed.
Although I am not terribly fond of the term, I must admit at the outset that I am a "foodie." The confirmed symptoms are undeniable. Rarely (if ever) does a...
What The Restaurant Industry Should Do . . .
. . . in Support of National Food Safety Education Month--That is, if it was really serious about food safety.You may or may not know this, but this month, September...
Public Comment on Proposed FSIS Policy
In this public comment on a proposed change in policy by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, I offer strong support for the idea of requiring all meat and...