This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Jack in the Box multi-state E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that sickened over 700 people, and resulted in 171 hospitalizations and 4 deaths. The four people who died were all young children ranging in age from 17 months to 6 years old. The devastation this outbreak inflicted on the sickened, and their families, will last a lifetime.
I just finished reading the book Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak that Changed the Way Americans Eat by Jeff Benedict. This book gives a detailed account of the outbreak linked to Jack in the Box, and the impact this outbreak had across the nation. It is a great, although heartbreaking read. As a mother of a young child, who very much enjoys eating his hamburgers, reading about the deaths of children caused by a tainted burger, brings tears. No parent should ever have to experience this devastation.
This book is a good reminder that foodborne illness is much more than just a short bout of the stomach flu. Despite the U.S. having one of the safest food systems, each year 48 million people in the U.S. become stricken with a foodborne illness. Many people will recover, but many will be faced with life-long severe health issues or even die.
At the time of the Jack in the Box outbreak, I was a 20-year-old kid who had already spent six years working in food service in another state. Never once had I received any food safety training, yet during those six years, I had personally handled food that was ultimately consumed by thousands of people. (Note: I never worked for Jack in the Box.) Bare hand contact with ready to eat food was the norm, and handwashing rarely occurred. I was never told to not report to work if I was experiencing vomiting or diarrhea. I never recall anyone temping food to ensure it was being cooked or maintained at a safe temperature. A food safety culture was not at the forefront of operations.
At the age of eighteen, I became the manager for a local pizza outlet. I was responsible for all of the food leaving my establishment, yet still had never received any food safety training. There were certain “rules” we were supposed to follow, such as first in-first out, but the rules were vague, and seemed more focused on reducing the food establishment’s food costs than on safety. My first encounter with a sanitarian, was my first encounter with food safety. It was terrifying, because I suddenly realized that I really did not know what I was supposed to be doing to prevent the wrath of the health department, and prevent people from becoming ill.
A lot has changed in 25 years due in large part to changes implemented following the devastating 1993 E. coli outbreak. FDA retail food codes are updated every few years to reflect the latest research in foodborne pathogens and best food safety practices. In Washington State, all food workers are required to have food safety training before handling food that is served to the public, and must pass the State of Washington exam on food safety basics. As for myself, I am now a Ph.D. microbiologist and food safety specialist, and spend my days working to educate everyone on prevention of foodborne illness and proper food handling.
In 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law. This sweeping legislation is intended to change the face of food safety by preventing foodborne illness from occurring rather than just responding to outbreaks as they occur. These regulations focus on a very large part of our food system; from the growing and harvesting of produce, processing of food, import of ingredients, and even transportation.
Despite these promising changes, there is still much more work that needs to be done. Food safety is the responsibility of everyone, from growers and processors, to retailers and consumers. No one should have to experience the loss of a loved one, or life-long health issues due to contaminated food. We all need to educate ourselves, and take the necessary steps to ensure that the food meant to sustain us, does not result in harm.