Food Hazards Elude Private Inspectors

Made in big batches and left sitting out, dips can cause trouble

(NEWSER) - As guacamole and salsa become more popular, they also account for a rising number of cases of food poisoning, new statistics show. The dips once represented 1.5% of foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurants and delis, but between 1998 and 2008, that fraction climbed to nearly 4%. Part of the problem: Salsa and guacamole often sit out at room temperature, and they're prepared in such large quantities that contamination can spread to many people, reports MSNBC . More»

(NEWSER) - The FDA would gain broad new powers to oversee food safety under a far-reaching bill passed by the House yesterday, the Washington Post reports. The measure—representing the first major changes to food safety laws since the 1930s—would give the agency vastly increased oversight of the nation's food chain from field to store, and would boost the number of food-related inspections. Support for the bill was sparked by a string of serious food-borne illnesses the last three years. More»

Preplanned inspections, loose oversight kept company in business

(NEWSER) - Angry salmonella victims and their families are asking how the government missed the Peanut Corporation of America's flagrant health violations that killed eight people, reports the New York Times. The company and government inspectors overlooked rodents, leaky roofs and lukewarm roasters, while minimum-wage temporary workers paid little attention to health code procedures, according to reports. More»

'I did see roaches and rodents,' employee says

(NEWSER) - At least one employee alerted management to the sanitation problems at a Georgia peanut plant linked to the deadly salmonella outbreak, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. “I used to tell them all of the time, ‘We need to shut down and really clean this place,’” said Anne Bristow, a sanitation worker at Peanut Corp of America. “I did see roaches and rodents.” More»

Investigators eying other salsa ingredients for source of outbreak

(NEWSER) - Jalapeno peppers have pushed tomatoes off the top of the FDA's suspect list in the recent salmonella outbreak, reports the Wall Street Journal. Investigators believe salsa may be the culprit in the rash of illnesses, and after a drop in tomato consumption failed to halt a rise in cases, they switched focus to other ingredients—especially peppers. The agency says tomatoes aren't in the clear yet, but the hunt is on for tainted jalapenos. More»