Every hour of every day people around the world people are living with and working to resolve food safety issues. Here is a sampling of current headlines for your consumption.
They’re not just shuckin’ corn in Nebraska
Scientists in the Corn Husker State earned recognition yesterday for their leadership on a seven-year research project to reduce foodborne illnesses caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.
The researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have been a driving force for the Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) on E. coli, which involves 51 collaborators from 18 institutions across the country. Their goal is to reduce the occurrence and public health risks of E. coli strains that can contaminate beef and cause life-threatening illnesses.
The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture selected the project to receive its Partnership Award for “integrating research, education and extension for the benefit of agriculture, the environment, communities or people.”
Top food cop plans to stay put at FDA
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb took himself out of the running this week for the top job at the Department of Health and Human Services, even though he wouldn’t confirm that he had ever actually been in the race.
In an interview with Reuters, Gottlieb said he thought he could best serve President Trump’s Administration by staying put at FDA. He stopped short of telling the news service whether the president had actually asked him abut the cabinet post.
In recent weeks, Gottlieb’s name has been among those floated as a replacement for Tom Price, who resigned from the post of Secretary of Health amidst a million-dollar debacle involving his use of government money to travel on private planes.
Gottlieb wasn’t the best choice to lead the FDA, according to many in the food safety arena, who say he is neglecting the food part of the agency to focus on high profile drug topics.
Ben & Jerry’s says no to glyphosate
Even though the New York Times is reporting that scientists say the detected levels seem “totally irrelevant,” officials with Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc. have promised to stop using ingredients made with glyphosate-dried crops.
The ice cream company’s plan calls for it to stop sourcing ingredients that have been made with crops chemically dried using glyphosate by 2020. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s trademarked Roundup herbicide and many other companies’ products.
“Ingredients like wheat and oats are commonly sprayed with glyphosate as a drying agent before harvest,” according to a company news release. “We understand and share our fans’ desire to limit the amount of chemicals in the food system, which is why this step is important. In addition, we intend to advocate for policies that would end use of glyphosate as a chemical drying agent.”
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