First off, yes, 2018 seems to be – and we are just 1/2 way into it – a very Big, Bad year for foodborne illnesses.

Second, I am not sure why.

It could be better surveillance by state, local and national health authorities utilizing cutting edge tools such as PFGE and WGS.  It could be a lack of support for inspectors.  It is certainly possible that it is more imports with a greater supply chain with a great chance for contamination or temperature abuse. It also could be more mass produced fresh, ready to eat foods without a “kill step.”

It also could be none of those things, but it seems to me to be more than just random events. Here are some of the highlights of 2018:

E. coli

Romaine Lettuce – 218 sick in US and Canada with 96 hospitalizations and 5 deaths.

Cyclospora

McDonald’s Salads – 163 sick with 3 hospitalizations.

Del Monte Vegetable Trays – 237 sick with 7 hospitalizations.

Salmonella

Jimmy John’s Sprouts – 10 sick.

Kratom – 199 sick with 50 hospitalizations.

Fareway/Triple T Chicken Salad – 265 sick with 94 hospitalizations and 1 death.

Go Smile Coconut – 14 sick with 3 hospitalizations.

Rose Acre Shell Eggs – 45 sick with 11 hospitalizations.

Caito Cut Melons – 70 sick with 34 hospitalizations.

Kellogg’s Honey Smacks – 100 sick with 34 hospitalizations.

Hy-Vee Pasta Salad – 21 sick with 5 hospitalizations.

Raw Turkey – 90 sick with 40 hospitalizations.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Venezuelan Crab Meat – 12 sick with 4 hospitalizations.

And, we are only 1/2 way through the year.

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