US Regulators Have Failed to Prevent Deadly Salmonella From Circulating in the Food Supply
An investigation from ProPublica discovered that contaminated chicken is currently being sold to consumers
The nonprofit newsroom, ProPublica launched an eight-month-long investigation into the possible contamination of America’s chicken supply from a dangerous salmonella strain.
What they found is disturbing.
In May 2018, a “rare and virulent strain of salmonella” began showing up all over the country. According to the ProPublica article, chicken with this now pervasive strain of salmonella is still being sold throughout the country.
What’s the story?
According to the article, food safety inspectors traced an outbreak of salmonella to chicken breasts, sausages, and wings. What was odd about the outbreak was that it was occurring not in one location, but all over, from Illinois to Texas to Missouri.
The strain was so severe it was causing hospitalizations with severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
The strain is the multi-drug resistant Salmonella infantis. And it’s no longer rare but is now prevalent across the country.
An article published in PubMed.gov reports that drug-resistant Salmonella infantis is rapidly spreading and combining throughout the U.S.
According to ProPublica, nine months into the government’s investigation of the Salmonella infantis outbreak, the CDC shut it down. The USDA did nothing.
Chicken contaminated with the dangerous strain is being sold in grocery stores today.
How did ProPublica conduct its investigation?
The investigators at ProPublica used public record requests and linked them with genetic data available to the USDA of Salmonella infantis samples to determine where the infected chicken was coming from.
An eight-month ProPublica investigation into this once rare, but now pervasive form of salmonella found that its unchecked spread through the U.S. food supply was all but inevitable, the byproduct of a baffling and largely toothless food safety system that is ill-equipped to protect consumers or rebuff industry influence. — ProPublica
Why didn’t the CDC or the USDA or any government regulator do something about the outbreak?
According to the article, “One internal CDC presentation noted that this single strain is ‘responsible for an estimated 11,000–17,000 illnesses per year.”
But, as the article points out, the CDC is powerless to enforce companies to take action. And the USDA can only request companies to recall products.
Additionally, a court ruling in the court of appeals from December 2001, Supreme Beef Processors v. USDA, ruled in favor of the meat processors, stating the USDA cannot shut down a plant even after repeated findings of salmonella contaminations.
How did Europe combat their salmonella problem?
Europe had a salmonella problem as well. But the European Union greatly reduced salmonella poisoning in its resident’s food supply by targeting where the outbreaks originate. On the poultry farms.
The U.S. has not followed Europe’s lead on handling bacteria contaminations that originate from its source.
How to prevent the spread of salmonella
You can follow these steps from the CDC to help prevent salmonella:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds after handling raw meat.
- Place raw chicken you are buying at the grocery store in a disposable bag to avoid contamination with the rest of the items in your cart.
- Do not eat raw eggs or meat. Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a food thermometer for accuracy.
- Prepare raw chicken in a separate area from your already cooked foods or produce. Wash counters and cutting boards in hot soapy water after preparing raw chicken.
- Don’t wash raw chicken. When you wash it, bacteria from the surface can splash up and contaminate surfaces around you.
- Don’t eat undercooked chicken in a restaurant. This is a time when it is perfectly acceptable to send your food back to the kitchen.
Check your chicken with ProPublica’s online chicken checker
ProPublica developed an online database to let consumers see how often salmonella was found at the plant where their chicken was processed.
Check it out here.
ProPublica reports the USDA is considering changing how it handles salmonella
According to the article, the USDA said they will “set up pilot programs” and “hold meetings” to devise a plan to better control salmonella in the food supply.
If you would like to learn more about ProPublica’s findings, you can read the full article here.
