Meat Recall, More Salmonella Egg Recalls: Is Florida Food Safe to Eat?

Meat recalls. Egg recalls. Nationwide food recalls continue to make the national news, and this story just keeps getting bigger and scarier. Walmart meat has been pulled as Walmart announces a nationwide Walmart meat recall of 380,000 pounds of deli meat that may contain Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes listeriosis, a potentially fatal disease.

Meanwhile, the enormity of continuing Salmonella egg recalls is jaw-dropping: two Iowa egg producers have already recalled over 500,000,000 eggs and it's assumed that there are more egg recalls to come.

The Evil Egg Man? Austin DeCoster has a lot of explain' to do.

The latest news? Investigation into the two egg companies has exposed one man, Austin DeCoster, who may be responsible for the entire Salmonella poisoning outbreak.

Apparently, Mr. DeCoster not only owns Wright County Egg Company, the egg producer that issued the first two recalls, but Austin DeCoster also owns Quality Egg, the supplier of both the chickens and the chicken feed for both Wright County Egg and the egg producer that issued the latest recall, Hillandale Farms of Iowa.

People Getting Sick From Food -- How Safe is Florida Food to Eat?

So far, the USDA is not reporting anyone becoming ill with listeriosis from Walmart deli meat. Salmonella poisonings continue to be tallied by the CDC, although their numbers lag about a month behind so it's not clear how many folk are been poisoned, and are continuing to be poisoned, with Salmonella-tainted eggs today.

What we pointed out last week -- that the government recall process merely shuts the barn door after the horse is out -- is being recognized on Capitol Hill, as FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg is using the egg recall as an basis for her request that the FDA be given proactive powers for a "preventative approach" to food safety.

Preventative approach to food safety? Isn't that what the American Citizen assumes is in place already? What with these two major food recalls -- eggs, meat: it doesn't get more basic than that -- maybe we all need to ponder our assumptions.

Is Florida food safe to eat?

Properly cooked, properly prepared, properly stored: sure. Bacteria is killed if the food is cooked property, it can't survive the heat. Washing hands during preparation, keeping a clean kitchen and a chilly fridge -- these all go into safe and health food for our consumption.

Things you can control at home. Things you place in the trust of others at restaurants, fast-food drive-thrus, and even at your reunion picnic.

The national food chain is revealing itself not to be all that safe. Recalls aren't protection - they're warnings of bad things that have already started happening.

Just something to ponder when you're planning your weekend - and your Labor Day Holiday festivities. Maybe it's safest to cook your own meals at home for now and if you're eating out, make sure you opt for well-cooked items.

And, keep your receipts. If you or a loved one gets sick from eating bad food, you will need proof of the purchase to substantiate your claim.

For more information:

Zimco Press Release regarding Listeria meat recall

FDA Egg Recall List of All Brands and Product Numbers in the egg recalls

By Bryant Esquenazi on August 24, 2010 12:38 PM