With COVID-19, what will 2020 bring? According to FoodNet data published in the recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, in 2019, compared with the previous 3 years, the incidence of infections caused by pathogens transmitted commonly through food increased (for Campylobacter, Cyclospora, STEC, Vibrio, Yersinia) or remained unchanged (for Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella). These data indicate that Healthy People 2020 targets for reducing foodborne illness will not be met. Serotype Enteritidis has been the most common cause of Salmonella infections at FoodNet sites since…

Infections from five of eight pathogens tracked by the CDC are on the rise.  See MMWR this week. Initial analysis of data comparing the period from 2016-2018 with numbers for 2019 (see table below) shows that the federal government’s Healthy People 2020 targets for reducing foodborne illness will not be met, according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bad news could be…

So says the press release from the Department of Justice today. Here is something that I wrote almost 5 years ago today: After watching the Blue Bell Listeria Outbreak unfold over the last months – especially after reading the FDA’s 483’s, I think it is time for the President and CEO of Blue Bell to consult with criminal counsel.  True, perhaps he did not know that his Broken Arrow Plant had Listeria positives going back…

Our offices have been essentially empty for the last month. We have been successfully working remotely since early March and all lawyers and staff have continued to work hard and produce the high quality legal work that Marler Clark is known for. We are starting to plan for the “new normal.”  Here are some thoughts.  I know I have a number of very smart subscribers, so feel free to give me any input that will…

Up from last months count of 39 , the CDC announced today that a total of 51 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O103 were reported from 10 states – Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Florida, Virginia and New York. Illnesses started on dates ranging from January 6, 2020, to March 15, 2020. Ill people ranged in age from 1 to 79 years, with a median age of 29 years.…

Recognizing the impact on our communities, we have donated nearly $100,000 to local food banks.  We have also donated $20,000 to area restaurants to serve people in need and to help keep restaurant employees employed.  We are honored to also be serving dinners and lunches to local Police and Fire departments and a local medical clinic that is doing COVID-19 testing. We need to do more, and we will.  We all need to do more,…