USDA’s decades-long eradication and containment strategy is being put to the test
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Quick bites from around the food safety arena this week
- An outbreak of E coli O157:H7 infections linked to ready-to-eat multi-ingredient chicken wraps has affected 50 patients, up from 35 reported by the FDA just one week ago. Neither the FDA nor the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reported what brand is involved or where the wraps were sold. The FDA says the wraps have already been removed from the market while an investigation of ingredient level contamination continues.
- Consumer Reports is calling on the FDA to disclose more information about its response to this year’s Cyclospora outbreak. In a letter to the agency’s deputy commissioner, the consumer organization urged the FDA to “address the systemic inefficiencies, communication breakdowns, and regulatory leniency that have hindered [the] response” to the outbreak.
- A Ukrainian egg company linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Enteriditis in the United Kingdom has urged people to avoid drawing premature conclusions about the situation. UK authorities said a strain of Salmonella Enteriditis detected in a batch of eggs from Ukraine has been linked to 36 illnesses in England. The shipment of products from the Ukrainian company, Yasensvit, has been suspended during the investigation.
- Beginning in 2027, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is implementing a new inspection program for establishments that process ready-to-eat deli meats. Inspectors will begin collecting food-contact and non-food-contact surface swabs into addition to product samples The program was prompted by a deadly 2024 Listeria outbreak traced to Boar’s Head deli meat.
- The New York Times investigation of the aquaculture industry is worth a read for insights into toll the industry takes on those who work in it and the way it affects the global seafood market. Since more than 80 percent of the seafood consumed in the U.S. comes from outside the country, it’s worth knowing what happens (and doesn’t happen) at each step along the way.
Today’s Topic: NWS
When it approached the U.S. border, we were concerned. When it resurged in the U.S., we were troubled. But four months after its arrival, the New World screwworm looks like it may be coming under control.
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