Yesterday, we reported on the spread of a Salmonella outbreak tied to a series of chicken products from Foster Farms. The outbreak has been tied to facilities in California, and at the time that the Food Safety and Inspection Service announced its initial findings, 278 people from across the country (many of them in California) had reported becoming ill in conjunction with the consumption of chicken.
But that’s not the end of the story. With the government shut down for over a week at this point, safety agencies that investigate the outbreak to protect the general public will not be able to carry out that essential functions. Under normal circumstances, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would spring into action in order to determine the severity of the threat.
A new report outlines how this can be a detriment to public health. For instance, if this Salmonella outbreak proves to be more far-reaching than has been initially estimated, or if the particular strain in question turns out to be resistant to antibiotics, a serious health threat is posed. Without having the CDC available to organize quarantine and preventative safety efforts, the danger increases even more.
To understand how Salmonella and other types of foodborne illness can adversely affect health, please be sure to visit Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP’s food poisoning resource center.