We're Food Safety Lawyers. Here Are 3 Things We'd Never Eat

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year about 1 in 6 Americans get sick from a foodborne illness, which also hospitalizes about 128,000 and kills 3,000. Food safety lawyers represent people who have become ill due to foodborne illnesses, and they sometimes advise food businesses about regulatory compliance. Some of their largest cases have been the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak in 1993, in which undercooked hamburgers sickened more than 700 people and killed four children."

"A more recent example happened at several Chipotle locations between 2015 and 2018, when 1,100 people became sick from E. coli, salmonella and norovirus. If your daily work is all about the harm that food has caused clients, it has to be a challenge to trust the food you eat. With a food safety system that seems increasingly under assault, we checked in with people who know how serious foodborne illnesses can be."

""My job has turned me into the most cautious diner you'll ever meet," Garcia said. "I've seen the worst-case scenarios, so I don't eat mindlessly anymore. I take small bites, chew slowly and inspect every forkful before it goes in my mouth." He ruefully conceded, "I'm that person at the table." Another member of the Careful Plate Club is Jory Lange, a food safety attorney in Houston, who said, "After over 20 years of practice, I tell people that I'm a terrible person to have lunch with.""

Foodborne illnesses cause widespread sickness, with estimates of 1 in 6 Americans affected each year. Many cases lead to hospitalization and death, including severe outcomes like organ failure, coma, and death. Food safety lawyers handle claims for clients who become ill and may also advise food businesses on regulatory compliance. Major outbreaks include the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli incident, which sickened over 700 people and killed four children. Between 2015 and 2018, multiple Chipotle locations reported 1,100 illnesses involving E. coli, salmonella, and norovirus. People with food safety backgrounds often adopt careful eating behaviors such as small bites, slow chewing, and inspecting food before eating.

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