The FDA's recent handling of a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to lettuce has raised significant concerns regarding transparency in food safety communication. An NBC News investigation revealed that the FDA allowed a serious outbreak, which sickened 88 people and resulted in one death, to quietly conclude without public notification. As the agency shifts away from regular inspections and lays off communication staff, the lack of transparency is alarming, particularly as it hinders public awareness and undermines trust in food safety protocols.
Just in case you weren't already worried enough about the state of our food supply, the Food and Drug Administration has apparently decided that telling American consumers about deadly food-borne illness outbreaks just isn't important anymore.
An investigation by NBC News uncovered an FDA report from November 2024, when people started coming down with serious illnesses after consuming lettuce that was contaminated with E. coli bacteria.
Instead of telling the public about this outbreak, which sickened 88 people and killed one, the FDA simply - and quietly - closed the investigation without providing any further information to the public.
Why should the FDA be transparent about foodborne illness outbreaks? The first reason is obvious: When an outbreak spurs a recall, people are more likely to throw away contaminated food rather than eat it when they are notified of an outbreak.
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