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A summer of recalls exposes holes in the nation’s food safety net
Federal officials linked more than 17,000 cyclosporiasis cases to processed iceberg lettuce as experts questioned reduced outbreak surveillance.
- Since May, a record-breaking cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to processed iceberg lettuce from Mexico has sickened more than 17,000 confirmed cases, resulting in at least 922 hospitalizations and two deaths.
- The Trump administration reduced the CDC workforce by 28% and FDA staff by 23% since December 2024, while terminating $5.78 billion in federal CDC grants appropriated by Congress.
- Parasite surveillance staff at the CDC was downsized from 11 people to three, and the administration scaled back FoodNet tracking while delaying new food safety rules that could have expedited outbreak investigations.
- Sandra Eskin, of Stop Foodborne Illness, likened the cuts to removing blocks from a Jenga tower; White House spokesperson Allison Schuster claimed the administration has not cut frontline food inspectors.
- Michigan, at the outbreak's center, sued over federal funding cuts and now uses local resources to bolster response efforts; experts warn sustained public health investment is essential to prevent future vulnerability.
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17 Articles
17 Articles
As food recalls mount, experts warn Trump has hollowed out America's food safety system
Jalapenos. Frozen berries. Beef. Alfalfa sprouts. A summer of food recalls, including the record-shattering cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce that has sickened thousands, has raised many Americans’ fears of contracting a foodborne illness. The recalls have focused attention on the Trump administration’s decision to cut funding and staff at several public health agencies, and […]
Coverage Details
Total News Sources17
Leaning Left14Leaning Right0Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution93% Left
Bias Distribution
- 93% of the sources lean Left
93% Left
L 93%
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