600 Cases Of Rarely Seen Parasite In 19 States, But CDC Hamstrung By Spending Cuts - Freedumb!

[hatrack]

EDIT

Further confounding officials is the extensive nine-day on-farm investigation conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at Taylor Farms’ operations in central Mexico. The FDA — which works with states and the CDC to solve foodborne illness outbreaks — reported finding no trace of the parasite and noted that the farm was operating “in accordance with known food safety protocols” — unusual praise after an on-site investigation for an outbreak. The agency said this week it does not know how Cyclospora might have contaminated the salad mix blamed for some of the illnesses.

Taylor Farms, which is the largest supplier of leafy greens in the U.S., said its operation has undergone more than 1,800 tests, and every single one of which has come back negative for the parasite. After voluntarily suspending operations for two weeks, the company has resumed operations and instated regular testing for Cyclospora. Meanwhile, CDC officials are circling around another possible explanation. “We’re coming to the conclusion that this may be two separate outbreaks,” said Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases. “It’s very difficult to come up with any explanation that connects the two.”

Significantly hindering the CDC is that it does not have the technology it needs to conduct the “genetic fingerprinting” that would tell investigators which illnesses are linked to a common source, Tauxe said.

The Obama administration is seeking $40 million in additional funding for CDC in fiscal year 2014 to address the issue, with an Advanced Molecular Detection initiative, but the continued focus on cutting discretionary spending in Washington makes boosting funding at any agency a challenge.

EDIT

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/food-parasite-probe-hindered-by-budget-deficiencies-96028.html

[eppur_se_muova]

1. I was half-expecting it to be elephantiasis ...

I suppose, in some (dis)figurative sense, it is.

[KurtNYC]

2. I think the CDC should be fully funded but this particular issue should be

the burden of Taylor Farms de Mexico and Olive Garden / Red Lobster.

It is not up to a taxpayer funded US agency to figure out what is wrong in the GAP and chain of custody on these salad greens.

[kestrel91316]

3. Yes it is. Why on earth would you trust a corporation with $$$$ at stake to do the necessary

sleuthing that may very well find that said corporation is 100% at fault??

[KurtNYC]

4. It is already established that Taylor Farms and/or the chain of custody is 100% at fault

Perhaps you would like us to pick up the tab for McDonald's horsemeat tests as well?

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2013/02/27/mcdonalds-ordering-dna-tests-from.html

Why on earth would you want to put even more corporate expenses on the public tab ?

[hootinholler]

5. Fuck we can't build 2 fewer cruise missiles?

That would about cover the cost.