Shutdown Salmonella

[marmar]

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON (AP) — The government shutdown has slowed or halted federal efforts to protect Americans' health and safety, from probes into the cause of transportation and workplace accidents to tracking foodborne illness. The latest example: an outbreak of salmonella in chicken that has sickened people in 18 states.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that it was recalling some of its furloughed staff to deal with the outbreak, which has sickened more than 270 people. Before then, the CDC had only a handful of scientists working on outbreak detection, severely hampering its ability to track potentially deadly illnesses

With federal workers on leave, the states have had to pick up much of the slack.

In the case of food safety, state labs are investigating foodborne illnesses and communicating with each other — without the help of federal authorities, in many cases — to figure out whether outbreaks have spread. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/government-shutdown-salmonella_n_4066149.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000037

[Warpy]

1. Cook all meat thoroughly. Yes, even that steak you usually eat bloody

You can braise it and it will still taste lovely with a reduction for au jus gravy made from the braising liquid and a little wine.

i know if I ate a lot of red meat, I'd make sure it was cooked to death until the CDC and the FDA are back on the job.

[kestrel91316]

2. USDA FSIS, which inspects all US packing plants and slaughterhouses, is up and running (for now).

So meats from the US are as safe as ever, which isn't saying much these days. DO NOT consume any meats or fresh produce from any other countries that have a history of contamination problems, because that inspection is FDA's job and they are shut down.

My understanding is that, come the 17th, USDA FSIS will also cease operations. At that point, no US meat should be considered safe.

[Warpy]

3. I consider it unsafe now

I suppose after the 17th, I should consider it inedible.

Still, I don't eat red meat and I tend to overcook my chicken.

[kestrel91316]

4. That's a not insignificant part of why I am mostly eating like a vegan these days.

When I do eat meat anymore, I crockpot it do death.