Talk to John Salazar, and you won’t have to wait long to hear him praise Rocky Ford cantaloupes.  In the past, Colorado’s agricultural commissioner has told me about traveling to far-flung corners of the country and world, only to be surprised by people who rave about the famous Rocky Ford melon.  For Salazar and the growers he and his staff have been advocating aggressively for since September, when news of the outbreak first came out, there’s no time to waste, and no reason to hide under a rock.

In particular, growers are distancing themselves from Jensen Farms, arguing that Jensen was never truly "Rocky Ford" to begin with.

For starters, Rocky Ford growers have gone blue in the face trying to convince the industry and the public that Jensen Farms isn’t even in Rocky Ford proper. Not even close.

I hope that the Colorado growers do rebound, and sell lots and lost of pathogen free cantaloupe.

Listeria — and any foodborne illness for that matter — is very dangerous for you and the baby when pregnant. The immune system of is different for pregnant women than it is for non-pregnant women. Listeria is known to have the ability to cross the placenta to the baby and can cause infection or blood poisoning, which could lead to miscarriage.

Here are some things to think about to avoid listeria and keep the baby safe.

• Pâté — Meat spreads or refrigerated pâtés should be avoided. Canned pates or shelf-safe pates would be OK for pregnant women to consume.
• Lunch or deli meats and any processed meats (such as hot dogs) are known to contain listeria. If you want to eat these foods, they must be cooked throroughly until steaming hot.
• Smoked seafoods, such as lox, Nova style, kippered or jerky, are known to carry listeria as well. If these smoked seafoods are cooked into a meal, like a casserole or soup, they are safe to eat.

In light of this, some food-safety tips directly on point from Dr. David Golden, Ph.D. of Food Microbiology at University of Tennessee is welcome.   Some of the salient points from Dr. Golden:

"Rinse it, blot it and cut it," says Golden, referring to the steps of cleaning the cantaloupe. He also suggests avoiding the use of the same cutting board when cutting off the rind, or simply wash the cutting board before going to the next step after removing the rind.

Dr. Golden also re-iterated a point made here before - due to the long incubation period, the numbers of ill persons may continue to climb:  "We may continue to see ill effects of the contamination maybe even up through Christmas because of the slow onset that may occur."

Laboratory testing by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified Listeria monocytogenes bacteria on cantaloupes collected from grocery stores and from ill persons’ homes. Product traceback information from Colorado state officials indicated that these cantaloupes also came from Jensen Farms. Laboratory testing by FDA has identified L. monocytogenes outbreak strains in samples from equipment and cantaloupe at the Jensen Farms’ packing facility in Granada, Colorado. FDA is working closely with CDC, the firms involved, and public health authorities in states where illnesses occurred to determine the exact cause of contamination. Cantaloupes from other farms have not been linked to this outbreak.

Although Jensen Farms issued a voluntary recall of Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupes on September 14 and the recalled cantaloupe should be off store shelves, more ill persons may be reported because of the time lag between diagnosis and laboratory confirmation and also because up to 2 months can elapse between eating contaminated food and developing listeriosis.

We are the husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and children of some of the 109 people from 24 states whose lives have ended, or been permanently and grievously transformed, because they ate contaminated cantaloupes grown and sold by Jensen Farms. We write to you today to echo Representative Waxman and DeGette’s request for an investigation and hearing regarding the recent cantaloupe Listeria monocytogenes outbreak, and ask that you consider this additional request, from us—the consumers, the victims, and the families of many who remain too ill to speak or are simply not among us anymore.

As you know, this outbreak has now become the nation’s deadliest foodborne illness outbreak in more than a decade. At least 21 people have died as a result of eating cantaloupe. Some of us know the pain of these deaths first hand, and some of us are still caring for family members who remain hospitalized with uncertain prognoses. With the number of Listeria outbreak victims increasing weekly, you can be certain that more families will join our ranks before this outbreak is finally over.

Like victims of prior foodborne illness outbreaks traced to foods such as spinach, peanuts, and eggs, we seek answers to this tragedy. It is our hope that through public hearings involving the grower and distributor of these Listeria-contaminated cantaloupes and investigators from the public health community, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration, your committee can shed some light on the origins of this foodborne illness outbreak and provide the cantaloupe industry with information necessary to prevent outbreaks from occurring in the future.

Very Truly Yours,

Listeriosis is a rare but serious foodborne illness caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Some groups of people can be more seriously affected by this type of food poisoning than others. Pregnant women and their unborn or newborn babies are at most risk, as well as the elderly and those with conditions that affect their immune system,

In addition to cancer, diseases of the liver, kidney and connective tissue (e.g. Lupus) as well as alcoholism, diabetes, high blood pressure and inflammation of the intestines (e.g. Crohn's disease) were also found to increase the risk of developing listeria.

Those receiving cancer treatment or suffering from a variety of conditions, including diabetes, kidney or liver disease, should be offered appropriate health advice on how to avoid listeria. At present this is given passively and mainly to pregnant women, but clearly there are other groups of people who need to be advised on what they can do to protect their health.

Listeria can cause serious illness or even death in those people who have serious underlying health conditions. Taking steps to avoid infection is a very important part of managing their health and these groups need to be made aware of how they should do this.

The current public health advice to vulnerable groups on preventing listeria is to avoid the following:

- Prepacked or delicatessen sliced meats

- Soft cheeses - brie, camembert and chevre (goat's cheese)

- Smoked fish

- All kinds of pate including vegetable varieties

- Pre-prepared cooked and chilled meals

- Pre-prepared sandwiches

- Unpasteurized milk

Yuan Yao, an assistant professor of food science, altered the surface of a carbohydrate found in sweet corn called phytoglycogen, which led to the creation of several forms of a nanoparticle that could attract and stabilize nisin, a food-based antimicrobial peptide. The nanoparticle can then preserve nisin for up to three weeks, combating Listeria, a potentially lethal foodborne pathogen found in meats, dairy and vegetables that is especially troublesome for pregnant women, infants, older people and others with weakened immune systems.

Controlling Listeria at deli counters, for example, is especially problematic because meat is continually being opened, cut and stored, giving Listeria many chances to contaminate the food. Nisin alone is only effective at inhibiting Listeria for a short period - possibly only a few days - in many foods.

Yao and his colleagues are working on using other food-based antimicrobial peptides and nano-constructs to combat Listeria other foodborne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 and salmonella. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Science Foundation funded their research.

On human cells, internalin B activates a receptor molecule called "Met", thereby signaling the host cell to take up the pathogen. Inside the cell, Listeria uses the host cell's nutrients and is somehow sheltered from an immune response.

Until now, the researchers did not know how the bacterial invasion protein activates the human receptor. To solve this question, the structural biologists from the HZI first analysed the crystal structures of the single internalin B molecule and of its complex bound to human Met. "In X-Ray structural analysis we noticed that in protein crystals two internalin B molecules align characteristically," says Hartmut Niemann, assistant professor at the University of Bielefeld. Professor Dirk Heinz, head of the structural biologists at the HZI, explains: "This gave rise to the idea of a dimer - two congregated internalin B molecules - playing a pivotal role in the activation of the Met receptor."

Minor changes in the internalin B molecule confirmed their hypothesis: inhibiting the congregation of two internalin B molecules prevented the activation of Met. On the other hand, strengthening the interaction resulted in particularly strong receptor activation.

These results may lead to the development of new protein drugs in the future. "Met plays a major role in the body, for example during wound healing," says Heinz. "Thanks to the extraordinary ability of the internalin B dimer to strongly activate Met, therapeutics for improved wound healing may result someday."

Marler Clark is the nation's foremost law firm with a practice dedicated to representing victims of food poisoning.

Since 1993, Marler Clark's lawyers have represented thousands of clients in litigation against restaurants and food companies whose food was traced as the source of illness. The Marler Clark food poisoning lawyers have brought claims on behalf of individuals sickened as part of outbreaks - cases involving multiple people sickened by a common source - and individuals whose illnesses were considered "isolated," yet could be traced to a particular food source.

Report a Food Illness

www.rusick2.msu.edu

This project is being conducted by researchers and epidemiologists at the National Food Safety & Toxicology Center at Michigan State University. The Developmental Steering Committee had scientists from the Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Department of Agriculture, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Mid-Michigan District Health Department, Barry-Eaton District Health Department, and the Ingham County Health Department.

Since the rate of reporting foodborne illnesses is very low (about 1% - 2%), we are striving to increase the reporting of foodborne disease. This website helps visitors to recall their food exposures and allows them to organize information regarding their foodborne illness. It also gives assistance on how to contact their local health departments. By reporting foodborne illnesses to local health departments, we hope to prevent others from becoming sick from eating the same food items.

www.badfood.org

This site provides reporting and record keeping processes for incidences of food borne illnesses and unsanitary conditions. When you add a record to our system it is used primarily to gather statistical information. For cases of food borne illnesses you can at your option forward the information to the local health agency where the illness occurred. At your option, you can file a fully anonymous report. Unsanitary condition submissions provide information on specific trends and the system tracks this information for patterns that may identify a serious problem.

Support Groups

S.T.O.P - Safe Tables Our Priority

S.T.O.P. -- Safe Tables Our Priority is a non-profit grassroots organization devoted to victim assistance, public education, and policy advocacy for safe food and public health. The organization was founded in 1993 by family and friends of people who became ill or died from exposure to E. coli 0157:H7 and other pathogenic bacteria in meat and poultry. S.T.O.P.'s mission is to prevent unnecessary illness and loss of life from foodborne contamination. This is an excellent informational site, but also a critical resource for people whose lives have been affected by these deadly bacteria.

E. Coli Help Organization - Eric's ECHO

This website was created by a father, Rainer Mueller, in honor and remembrance of his son, Eric Mueller, who died after eating a hamburger contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. In addition to be a valuable source of information about these deadly bacteria, this site is also a heartbreaking reminder of tragic human-costs inflicted by foodborne pathogens. This site is also particularly well-designed, and contains much helpful and needed information about food safety and foodborne illnesses.

Medical Services

The Medical Reporter

In our travels on the Web, we have had an opportunity to look at a LOT of sites about medical care and health, and this is one of the best. The Medical Reporter is an independent, educational, non-profit health magazine for enlightened healthcare consumers. Published solely in cyberspace since April of 1995, The Medical Reporter emphasizes preventive medicine, primary care, patient advocacy, education and support of interest to men and women alike. Please check it out and tell us what you think.

Centers for Disease Control (or, CDC) homepage

The CDC is at the heart of the government's fight against foodborne illness outbreak. When an outbreak occurs, the CDC will inevitably be part of the resulting investigation into the cause of the outbreak. This website contains a lot of useful information, both general and technical. You can also find the online version of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review (or, MMWR), which is the government's primary publication for disseminating information about communicable disease statistics and other epidemiological research.

INSTITUTE OF FOOD TECHNOLOGISTS

The Institute of Food Technologists (or, IFT) was founded in 1939, and is a nonprofit scientific society with 28,000 members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia and government. On several occasions, the attorneys at Marler Clark have been asked to give presentations at an IFT national or regional convention. THE IFT IS AN EXCELLENT ORGANIZATIION, AND WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS WEBSITE AS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF RELIABLE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION.

National Institutes of Health Main Homepage

The National Institutes of Health web site is huge, with links to countless other sites, all having to do with (you guessed it) HEALTH. In particular, the sections having to do with HEALTH INFORMATION and SCIENTIFIC RESOURCES are both impressively vast, and typically quite helpful. You can do no-cost Medline searches here as well, and link to on-line catalogs, journals, and learn about ongoing research projects. You could spend hours surfing this site, and learn tons.

Foodborne Illness: What Consumers Need to Know

Part of a website designed to provide health and safety information for HIV-positive individuals, and persons living with AIDS, this web-page provide simple, yet important, information about foodborne illnesses and how best to avoid them.

National Center for Food Safety and Technology

The NCFST is a consortium organized to address the complex issues raised by emerging food technologies. It includes academia, industry, and the government to combine resources and encourage cooperative efforts to ensure the continued food safety and quality of the nation's food supply. This is not necessarily the prettiest site around, but it contains a good amount of helpful information, especially about available educational programs.

Educational

The Food Safety Network

The Food Safety Network (FSN), housed at the University of Guelph, provides research, commentary, policy evaluation and public information on food safety issues, from farm-to-fork. In addition to four daily list serves, FSN offers consumer, student and industry outreach services, information research, on-line resources, collaborative projects, evaluation and analysis, and a capacity to address current and emerging food safety concerns.

Food Safety for Consumers - Washington State University

Food Safety Cooperative Extension Service - Washington State University

Washington State University now has two food safety information resources relating to Food Safety for Consumers and a web site for their Food Safety Cooperative Extension Service.

The Penn State Food Safety Web Site
Food Safety throughout the Food System

The Penn State Department of Food Science has recently created a new information resource for extension educators, the food industry, and consumers interested in the safety of our food supply. The Penn State Food Safety Web Site combines a user-friendly environment with a farm-to-fork approach for quick retrieval of food safety information pertaining to the entire food system. Unique to this site are two databases with over 1300 links to online food safety resources.

Ask a Food Safety Expert

Web site designed to answer common food safety questions with more than 600 frequently asked questions and answers. More than 100 food safety experts available to provide peer-reviewed answers to consumer and foodservice food safety questions.

Food Safety Information from Iowa State University Extension

Iowa State University Extension believes that resources are needed for consumers, educators and students to access research-based, unbiased information on food safety and quality. The goal of the Food Safety Project is to develop educational materials that give the public the tools they need to minimize their risk of foodborne illness.

HACCP Information Center

Collection of HACCP information for meat processors, juice processors, foodservice operations, and on-farm operations. Compiled from current research conducted at Iowa State University.

Home Food Safety

This web site covers food safety issues that arise during normal preparation of meals in the home. It is aimed at consumers but makes a great training tool for educators and health care providers as well!

Kids World - Food Safety Page

A beautifully animated site that is full of helpful food safety information for children. We especially like the food safety coloring book and the quiz, both designed for school-age children. Along with the FIGHT BAC! program, this site is an excellent resource for families who are trying to educate their young children about food safety.

The FOODSAFE Program homepage

Sponsored by the University of California, at Davis, this website provides an incredible amount of useful information about food safety issues. Two things make this site stand out: (1) a huge food safety database with powerful search capabilities, and (2) the most extensive links page we've yet managed to find. We use this website all the time at Marler Clark.

International Food Information Council Homepage

The International Food Information Council (or, IFIC) provides reliable scientific information on food safety and nutrition to journalists, health professionals, educators, government officials and consumers. Because this website is updated regularly, the information it provides is always quite current.

Bugs in the News!

Both lighthearted and informative, this is a great site to learn all about "bugs" of all kinds -- and we don't mean flies, and spiders, and bees! Don't be fooled, however; this site contains load information -- science, even! The creator of this web-site is John C. (Jack) Brown, Professor, Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Kansas. While you are there, be sure to check out the GREAT article "What the Heck is E. coli??????"

Food Science Links Page

Sponsored by the University of Kentucky, Lexington, this is arguably one of the most comprehensive lists of WWW links we've yet found. Divided into easy-to-use sections, e.g., Law, Microbiology, and HACCP, you should be able to find out everything you need to know by beginning your internet journey here.

Salmonella & Egg Safety

Sponsored by the American Egg Board, this website offers excellent information on the safe use of eggs and egg-products. As might be expected, however, the information slightly downplays the risks associated with Salmonella and the use and consumption of eggs. We would suggest that you also read about salmonella in the "Bad Bug" book. REMEMBER: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD SAFETY.

The Food Safety Consortium

This consortium combines the collective talents of researchers from the University of Arkansas, Iowa State University, and Kansas State University. The Consortium was established by Congress in 1988, and was charged to conduct extensive research in all areas of poultry, beef, and pork meat production, from the farm to the table. Most of the information contained at this site is scientific and technical -- but it is important information, and worth the time it takes to understand and appreciate it.

The National Safe Kids Campaign (Safe Kids)

The National Safe Kids Campaign operates with the beliefs that there is no such thing as an "accident", and that ALL unintentional injuries of children are preventable. Their website offers many practical and useful tips on preventing even the most common childhood injuries.

FOODNET

Sponsored by the Food Institute of Canada, this web-site provides a wealth of information on the food industry, while also offering a global perspective. The Food Safety resource page is quite good, as is the site's section on laws and regulations.

IFSE's Food Safety Information and Links Page

This site, which is sponsored by Texas A&M's Institute of Food Science and Engineering, collects a large number of articles and informational sites on food safety, in all its forms, including topics related to E. coli 0157:H7.

Northern Virginia Alliance for Safe Food

The Northern Virginia Alliance for Safe Food is a working partnership between several public agencies charged with the oversight of food safety and the private food industry. The site is nicely colorful and easy to navigate. It also includes some excellent resources for educating young children about food safety issues like hand washing.

Kid Source Online

This well-designed web site is a great source for in depth and timely education and healthcare information. Easy to navigate, and with a broad range of topics covered, we think this site is a good first-stop on the internet for any parent looking for answers. This site also has excellent search capabilities and an extensive list of resources on a wide range of topics.

Government

The "Bad Bug" Book

This online handbook provides basic facts about foodborne pathogens, and brings together in one place information from the FDA, CDC, National Institutes of Health, and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. IT IS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE THAT WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

U.S.D.A. Economic Research Service

The Economic Research Service (or "ERS"), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides economic analysis on issues related to agriculture, food, and the environment. Not all of its research reports are available (in full-text versions) on-line, but the reports are easy to order, and definitely worth reading. Of particular interest is the ERS research on the medical and productivity costs of foodborne illness in the United States. So, next time your hungry for some numbers, this is an excellent place to look for some.

USDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center

The USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center provides information about foodborne illness prevention to education, trainers, and organizations. Here you can find the Educational Materials Database, which includes everything from posters, games, computer software, and teaching guides for elementary and secondary schools, as well as training materials for managers and employees of the food industry.

The Gateway to Government Food Safety Information

This is a gateway website that provides links to selected government food safety-related information. Not every government website is listed, but it is still an excellent place to begin your research for more general information.

Government Accountability Project

This excellent site is for the rabble-rouser in all of us, providing an internet resource for information about whistle blowing, government wrongdoing, and official misconduct of all kinds. Be sure to check out the excellent section on food safety, which features an expose' of the substandard food that sometimes makes its way into the National School Lunch Program. Do you REALLY know what your kids are eating at school?

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (or, FSIS) is the public health agency that is responsible for ensuring (or trying to ensure) that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled. Not without its critics, this website is still a helpful resource for finding out more about the regulations that govern food inspection.

USDA Food Safety Index

This is a list of websites that the USDA selected as being of interest to persons in the food safety field. It has been our experience that this page is not routinely updated, so several links no longer work. Still, if you are looking for food safety information on a particular topic, this is a good place to start.

FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

This government website is primarily devoted to the information available from the FDA, including press releases, proposed changes in food safety regulations, and other more technical information about the FDA's regulatory activities. It provides helpful information about how to contact several of the FDA's agencies, how to propose regulations, and how to make Freedom of Information Act requests.

Non-Profit

S.T.O.P - Safe Tables Our Priority

S.T.O.P. -- Safe Tables Our Priority is a non-profit grassroots organization devoted to victim assistance, public education, and policy advocacy for safe food and public health. The organization was founded in 1993 by family and friends of people who became ill or died from exposure to E. coli 0157:H7 and other pathogenic bacteria in meat and poultry. S.T.O.P.'s mission is to prevent unnecessary illness and loss of life from foodborne contamination. This is an excellent informational site, but also a critical resource for people whose lives have been affected by these deadly bacteria.

E. Coli Help Organization - Eric's ECHO

This website was created by a father, Rainer Mueller, in honor and remembrance of his son, Eric Mueller, who died after eating a hamburger contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7. In addition to be a valuable source of information about these deadly bacteria, this site is also a heartbreaking reminder of tragic human-costs inflicted by foodborne pathogens. This site is also particularly well-designed, and contains much helpful and needed information about food safety and foodborne illnesses.

INSTITUTE OF FOOD TECHNOLOGISTS

The Institute of Food Technologists (or, IFT) was founded in 1939, and is a nonprofit scientific society with 28,000 members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia and government. On several occasions, the attorneys at Marler Clark have been asked to give presentations at an IFT national or regional convention. THE IFT IS AN EXCELLENT ORGANIZATIION, AND WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS WEBSITE AS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF RELIABLE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (or, CSPI) is a nonprofit education and advocacy organization that focuses on improving the safety and nutritional quality of our food supply and on reducing the damaging health affects associated with the abuse of alcoholic beverages. CSPI promotes health through educating the public about nutrition and alcohol; it represents citizens' interests before legislative, regulatory, and judicial bodies; and it works to ensure that advances in science are used for the public's good. This site is an excellent clearinghouse for up-to-date information on food regulations; it is also a good way to participate in grass-root lobbying efforts.

Institutional

Food-Safety-News.com

Is a monthly online newsletter produced by food-safety.com.au for the retail food industry: e.g. restaurants, fast food outlets, hotels, motels, cafeterias, etc. Their newsletter focuses on a wide range of issues such as food safety plans, food poisoning, food safety, contamination, and customer service improvements. Advice of each issue is sent via E-mail to registered users.

The Food Research Institute

The Food Research Institute (or, FRI) is based at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and is both an independent research institute and an academic department in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Usually on the cutting-edge of food safety research, the FRI is a top-notch resource for obtaining the most recent scientific information about food microbiology and toxicology. The attorneys at Marler Clark regularly retain the experts here at the FRI for help in ongoing foodborne illness litigation.

National Food Processors Association homepage

The National Food Processors Association (or, NFPA) is the principal scientific and technical trade association for the food industry. While we normally advise people to be cautious when relying on information provided by trade associations, we have found that the NFPA remains an excellent source of information on food safety issues of all kind, both scientific and regulatory. The Marler Clark attorneys gave a presentation at last year's NFPA national convention in Chicago, Illinois, and came away quite impressed with the organization, and its commitment to food safety. We recommend this site without reservation.

Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management homepage

This excellent website is packed with food safety information and research, with a particular focus on the retail food industry. There is also lots of information about food safety at home. Created by Dr. Pete Snyder, one of the country's leading and most outspoken food safety advocates, this website is a treasure trove of useful and important information.

The Inspector.Com

Sponsored by the Midwest Council of Food Inspection Locals, a labor union that represents meat, poultry & egg inspectors, this site is informative, eye-opening, and unabashedly opinionated. With a perspective developed on the front-lines of the food safety war, this site does not pull many punches. For example, if you want to be shocked (and maybe even appalled), check out the article entitled "Edible S**t" THIS IS A GREAT SITE!

American Meat Institute homepage

The American Meat Institute (or, AMI) is a national trade association that represents approximately 70% of the Nation's meat packers and processors. The AMI provides legislative, regulatory, and public relations services on behalf of the meat industry, and also sponsors scientific and economic research, and some public education programs. While this is not a website that we would recommend for researching food safety issues, or seeking unbiased information (there are several better sites for that), it is still an excellent way to find out what the meat industry is up to.

Food Marketing Institute homepage

Like the AMI, the Food Marketing Institute (or, FMI) is a national trade association, this one representing food retailers. This website has limited utility unless you are interested in learning more about the food retailing and the laws that regulate it.

Outbreak Inc.

Started by three of the attorneys at Marler Clark, Outbreak Inc. is a resource for companies in the food industry. In their roles as Outbreak consultants, the Marler Clark attorneys visit food companies, and attend food industry conventions and trade shows, offering practical advice on how to avoid litigation related to foodborne illness outbreaks.