I thought it might be helpful to see a few cases where a food borne outbreak brought the attention of the US Attorney’s office. “Forwarded is Forearmed.” Odwalla_logo.106170247_stdOdwalla:  In 1998 in what was the first criminal conviction in a large-scale food-poisoning outbreak, Odwalla Inc. pleaded guilty to violating Federal food
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: A Bit(e) of history of outbreak criminal prosecutions

It has been a busy past several weeks for public health investigators (and lawyers) and uncomfortable (and sometimes deadly) for food poisoning victims, as well as for the management of several companies. Here are just a few of the outbreaks hitting the news: Mexican cucumbers in boxSalmonella Cucumbers: As of Nov. 18, 2015,
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: Time for More Criminal Prosecutions in Food Poisoning Cases?

The third-party food safety auditor that gave a passing review to Jensen Farms just weeks before its cantaloupe caused a deadly Listeria outbreak in 2011 also gave a positive audit to the farm that shipped romaine lettuce implicated in a more recent E. coli outbreak tied to Trader Joe’s branded
Continue Reading Auditor Gave Positive Food Safety Reviews to Farms Later Linked to Outbreaks

As the result of numerous national and international outbreaks of foodborne illness, food industries worldwide have come under increasing pressure to ensure that their products are safe, wholesome and meet government standards. FDA and USDA have the primary authority for our food supply nationally, while individual states typically regulate local
Continue Reading Process and Substance in Third-Party Food Safety Audits

It has been almost three long years since dusty Holly, Colorado, became the epicenter of a Listeria monocytogenes human tragedy. Many are painfully aware that litigation has been ongoing since the fall of 2011. The litigation stems from one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history. At least
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: Three Years Since People Died From Cantaloupe

It was called an unusual move last year when the Colorado cantaloupe growers who relied upon the Primus Group sued their third-party food-safety auditor, claiming that the inspector the company sent them provided misleading advice and “erroneously” represented himself as having “professional” expertise. Last week, however, a third-party auditor being
Continue Reading Kroger Claims Primus Has Primary Liability for Deadly Listeria Outbreak