News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – A contaminated multipurpose building apparently was the source of Escherichia coli O157 exposure for at least 19 people who got sick after attending a county fair in Ohio in 2001, according to a study published this week.

(CIDRAP News) – Leaders of the US beef industry last week released sets of recommended "best practices" for eliminating Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination at slaughter plants and in grinding operations.

(CIDRAP News) – Cattle that were vaccinated against Escherichia coli O157:H7 in trials the past 2 years showed significant reductions in prevalence of the pathogen, according to a Canadian company that hopes to market the vaccine as a food safety measure.

(CIDRAP News) – A report by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) inspector general blames both federal meat inspectors and ConAgra Beef Co. for errors that led to a multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections and an 18 million–pound ground beef recall last year.

(CIDRAP News) – A drug that researchers hoped would offer the first effective treatment for hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)—a sometimes fatal kidney condition that can result from eating food contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7—has proved ineffective in a major clinical trial.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found Escherichia coli O157:H7 in fewer ground beef samples this year than in past years, suggesting that a year-old initiative to keep the pathogen out of meat is paying off.

(CIDRAP News) – Supporters of irradiation as a tool for preventing foodborne disease are dismayed by a generally negative evaluation of irradiated meat in the August issue of Consumer Reports.

(CIDRAP News) – Stampede Meat, Inc., Chicago, is recalling about 739,000 pounds of frozen beef products because of a possible link to five Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections in Minnesota, Kansas, and Michigan, the US Department of Agriculture announced yesterday.

(CIDRAP News) – The debut of irradiated ground beef in school cafeterias grew more likely yesterday with the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) announcement that it will make the product available to schools starting next January.

(CIDRAP News) – Preliminary data for 2002 indicate that the nation is making progress against some major foodborne diseases, including Campylobacter and Listeria, but not against others, including Salmonella, one of the most common.