Dear Editor,
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was founded due to the need to use scientific principles to ensure the production of safe food. This was presented in excellent fashion in the book “The Poison Squad” by Deborah Blum. The FDA has continued to utilize science and logic in
Continue Reading Letter to the Editor: Time to part ways with Part 114
— OPINION —
The Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) have been working for the last month to investigate an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened 14, killing one, likely linked to a local Wagu ground beef producer. The
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: E. coli, please go away — again
— OPINION —
By Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports, and Frank Yiannas, Former Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy & Response, FDA
Both of us have dedicated our careers to advancing food safety and protecting the public. Collectively, we’ve done so at the height of federal service, in
Continue Reading Better food traceability – We can’t stop now
Over the last thirty-plus years of practice, I have been a vocal advocate for robust public health involvement in disease prevention—especially foodborne illness. It is beyond me to comprehend why public health would remain mute in the face of at least 165 sick, 20 hospitalized, and 40 percent of the
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: California Department of Health failed in its Mission
— OPINION —
Florida stands alone in criticism of FDA, CDC and 30 other states in determining the source of a Salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers.
According to press reports, the Florida Department of Agriculture (FDOA) called the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) tracing of a Salmonella outbreak to
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: Florida Ag Department off base with comments on cucumbers
— OPINION —
In the landscape of food safety, the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) represents a monumental shift towards preventing contamination rather than merely responding to it. A new element of FSMA is the Food Traceability Final Rule (FSMA 204), which is designed to enhance the ability to
Continue Reading Undermining food safety: The threat of legislative rollbacks on FSMA 204
— OPINION —
By Steve Gibb, MS
Science needs a publicist, and badly. How badly? One can only conclude from reading newspapers that false narratives are increasingly considered normal and acceptable. And we’re not talking about selective emphasis here but bald-faced untruths. Dishonesty is problematic not only because it’s disrespectful
Continue Reading Why science needs PR: Meeting the moment
The recent Supreme Court decision to eliminate Chevron deference marks a pivotal shift in how federal agencies interpret and enforce laws. Established in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (1984), Chevron deference allowed courts to defer to Executive Branch agencies’ interpretations of ambiguous statutes. This principle provided
Continue Reading Safeguarding food safety post-Supreme Court’s decision on Chevron Deference
— OPINION —
In case you missed it, among the Supreme Court’s panoply of precedent shredding opinions last week was one that overruled the court’s watershed 1984 decision in Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council. Under Chevron, federal courts deferred to an agency’s interpretation of a law
Continue Reading What’s Chevron got to do with food safety?
— OPINION —
Thirty years ago this summer I went to work as administrator of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) after the landmark Jack in the Box outbreak, caused by hamburger contaminated with a dangerous form of E. coli. Four young children died and hundreds of people
Continue Reading The clock is ticking on poultry safety
