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Making U.S. food safe, II: Tracing the sources of bad food
The United States lacks a system for effective tacking and tracing of food supplies as they are distributed throughout the country; one expert says that “Right now the technology [for tracking food] exists, but it’s not being used widely because companies aren’t required to use them”
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Making U.S. food safe, I: FDA not moving fast enough
The recent outbreak of tomatoe-borne salmonella poisoning moved legislators to charge that the FDA has not made good on its promise last year to make food safer for U.S. consumers
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Background: More on tomato-borne salmonella
Recent census of produce outbreaks between 1996 and 2007 counted no fewer than 33 epidemics from Salmonella-contaminated fruits and vegetables; in five of them, tomatoes were the culprit
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New method to treat deadly water-polluting fish disease
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) has caused massive declines in population among fish species, ranging from walleyes to salmon, in all of the Great Lakes except Superior; new water treatment method could help keep a deadly fish disease out of Lake Superior
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FDA warns of tomatoe-bornes almonellosis
The Food and Drug Administration warns U.S consumers, restaurants of salmonella poisioning causes by three types oftomatoes; 145 cases reported, with 23 requiring hospitalization
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Tyson destroys 15,000 chicken infected with H7N3
Arkansas poultry giant destroys 15,000 hens after routine tests discover antibodies to H7N3, a mild strain of avian flu; company says there is no threat to humans
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Making the world's food supplies safer
Researchers study how silver nanoparticles exert their antimicrobial activities by testing QSI-Nano Silver for its ability to interact with microbial cells; goal of project is to develop food-related applications such as microbe-resistant fabrics or non-biofouling surfaces
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Meaningful farm bill reform effort fails yet again
Current law allows subsidies to farmers with annual adjusted gross income of as much as $2.5 million; the administration and many legislators wanted to to end payments to producers with adjusted gross incomes greater than $200,000; agribusiness industry plowed more than $80 million into lobbying last year — and defeated the measure
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Western companies eyeing India's $90 billion processed food market
The globalization of food supply is a two-way street: More and more Western food companies sell their products in the growing Indian market; rising standard of living and working mothers drive the demand for pre-packaged and pre-prepared food, but local culinary preferences, and government bureaucratic practices, die hard
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FDA criticized for ignoring health problems in spinach packing
You may want to think twice before ordering spinach next time: Inspections of sixty-seven facilities found inadequate restroom sanitation, litter piles, and indoor condensation posing a risk of food contamination by microorganisms; the bad thing is that the FDA has taken no action to correct these breaches
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Company involved in largest U.S. meat recall admits it was at fault
In February Hallmark/Westland Meat was forced to recall 143 million pounds of meat — the largest recall in U.S. history — after it was revealed that the company processed cows which were potentially sick; a week after the recall, the company went out of business; company’s president admits company was at fault
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HSDW conversation with Marion Nestle
Professor Nestle on food safety in a globalized economy, the threat of bioterrorism, government regulation of the industry, and genetic modification
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FSIS exemplifies growing inadequacy of U.S. food inspection regime
Decline and fall: In FY 1981, FSIS spent $13.22 per thousand pounds of meat and poultry inspected and passed; by FY 2007, the figure had fallen to $8.26 per thousand pounds; in FY 1981 FSIS employed about 190 workers per billion pounds of meat and poultry inspected and passed; by FY 2007, FSIS employed fewer than 88 workers per billion pounds
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FDA needs to move with the times
The FDA tasks and responsibilities grow as its budget and resources are cut; FDA commissioner says agency needs to adapt to changing safety concerns and technological advances in both industries
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Congress urges companies to do more on food safety
There are 303,556,795 million people in the United States, according the U.S. Census Bureau (the figure is accurate for yesterday, 3 March); of these, 76 million people — that is, 25 percent — get sick every year with some sort of foodborne illness; 5,000 die; as food imports increase, these grim figures increase apace; Congress wants industry to be more diligent
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