News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – A recent outbreak of E coli O157:H7 infections was traced mostly to a petting zoo at the North Carolina State Fair, even though the zoo had posted signs and provided facilities to promote hand hygiene.

(CIDRAP News) – Irradiating fresh cilantro and sprouts can reduce levels of potentially dangerous microbes without affecting flavor or other sensory attributes, according to two studies published recently in the Journal of Food Protection.

(CIDRAP News) – More than 12% of passenger aircraft contained Escherichia coli or coliform bacteria in a recent round of testing, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found.

(CIDRAP News) – Calling for better prevention from catchment to consumer, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sep 21 issued new guidelines to ensure drinking-water safety worldwide.

(CIDRAP News) – Four cases of infection with Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Colorado have led an Illinois company to recall about 406,000 pounds of ground beef and beef steaks, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

(CIDRAP News) – Five cases of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 infection in Minnesota and Wisconsin have been linked with beef that was recalled by a Nebraska packing plant this week, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

(CIDRAP News) – California researchers triggered brain disease in mice by injecting a synthetic form of prion protein into their brains, providing what the researchers call "compelling" evidence that prions alone cause diseases like bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

(CIDRAP News) – A recent comparative study of organic and conventionally grown produce on farms in Minnesota showed that the organic produce was virtually free of pathogenic bacteria but was more likely to have fecal contamination from manure used as fertilizer.

(CIDRAP News) – Food workers with a potentially infectious intestinal illness would be sent home under a recommendation adopted recently by a group that advises the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on safety guidelines for the retail food industry.

(CIDRAP News) – The incidence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections dropped 36% from 2002 to 2003, and long-term declines in the rates of several other common foodborne illnesses continued in 2003, the CDC reported today.