Have sprawling outbreaks become the norm?
The phrase When it rains, it pours isn’t one you like to see applied to outbreaks of foodborne illness, yet here we are. The summer started with a diarrhea-causing parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis, which infested iceberg lettuce. Then came news of Shiga toxin–producing bacteria in organic frozen berries, and a Salmonella outbreak linked to Whole Foods guacamole that eventually got traced to tainted jalapeños. (Pico de gallo, salsa fresca, and a variety of spicy dips have also been implicated.) Ricotta-style cheese was recalled for Listeria. Both Salmonella and E. coli were found in products from the aptly named Everything Sprouts. And 10,000 cases of lightly fried tofu were flagged for potential contamination with printing ink.
This flood of food-contamination events comes at just the time when our systems to prevent such outbreaks may be hobbled. Since last year, three cyclospora-research projects at the Department of Agriculture have lost either their funding or staffing, the CDC team that tracks the parasite’s genetics has nearly disappeared, and experienced government employees responsible for food safety have left their job or been fired.
