Government Resources
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): The FDA investigates foodborne illness outbreaks, usually in conjunction with local and state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The FDA also announces recalls of contaminated, non-meat food products.
FDA’s Office of Foods: The new Office of Foods is responsible for providing all elements of FDA’s Foods Program leadership, guidance, and support to achieve the Agency’s public health goals.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The CDC investigates foodborne illness outbreaks. The CDC website is a wealth of information on foodborne illness. Below are links to CDC information on specific foodborne pathogens:
CDC’s Food Safety Office: The Food Safety Office helps lead CDC in the prevention of illness, disability, and death due to foodborne diseases.
Food Safety Inspection Service: The FSIS is an arm of the United States Department of Agriculture. It is responsible for recalls of meat products and meat safety.
FoodSafety.gov: FoodSafety.gov is the gateway to food safety information provided by government agencies. It has recently been updated, and is a valuable resource.
Bad Bug Book: This online handbook provides basic facts regarding foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins. It brings together in one place information from the Food & Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, and the National Institutes of Health.
Food Safety Organizations
S.T.O.P.- Safe Tables Our Priority: is a nonprofit consisting of food borne illness victims, their families and friends, and individuals and organizations concerned about the threat of emerging microorganisms in our food supply.
Center for Science in the Public Interest- This site has an excellent food advocacy section. CSPI is a nonprofit organization funded through private grants, donations, and newsletter subscriptions. They do not accept corporate or government grants.
Eric’s Echo – This is an informative Web site devoted to the owner’s son, who died as a result of an E. coli infection.
Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention: The Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention was founded by Barbara Kowalcyk and Patricia Buck after the death of Kevin Kowalcyk, the 2-year-old son of Barbara and Michael Kowalcyk in 2001 from complications due to an E. coli O157:H7 infection.
The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP): The CIDRAP website is a globally-recognized source of information on foodborne illness and other infectious diseases.
Food Safety Blogs
CDC Public Health Blog: This blog is not updated often, but it is interesting.
The Pump Handle: This is a public health blog that was started by epidemiologists and has a wide range of contributors.
Barfblog: An irreverant but intelligent look at food safety news, and a companion to Kansas State University’s Bites, one of the best sources for food safety news online.
FoodPolitics.com: This blog is written by Marion Nelson, Professor of Sociology at New York University and author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health (2002, paperback 2003) and Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism (2003, paperback 2004), both from University of California Press.
Food and Society Fellows Blog: The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Food and Society Fellows Program has a blog with some food safety posts, but also posts on good health, environmental issues, worker justice and other issues.
Pritzker Olsen Food Poisoning Law Blog: This blog discusses foodborne illness outbreaks, recalls and news.
E. coli Information: Pritzker Olsen provides information on E. coli news and research.
E. coli Lawyer: Pritzker Olsen provides information on E. coli outbreaks and E. coli litigation.
