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Foodborne illnesses are conditions that occur due to the consumption of contaminated products. While there are multiple illnesses categorized as such, it is important to mention one of the most common and dangerous ones, Salmonella. Salmonella is a bacteria correlating with adverse health effects that can negatively impact ones well-being. In the last decade, there have been several outbreaks in the US linked to this particular illness. In this paper, the 2022 incident will be discussed regarding its background, the changes it facilitates, prevention measures, and its impact on the food market.
The incident occurred in 2022, in October. Until December, when the outbreak was finally addressed, almost 40 people had been reportedly affected by Salmonella in 4 different states (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 2022). The reason for the outbreak has been linked to raw fish supplied to several restaurants in Arizona and California. When the state authorities started receiving reports of a possible outbreak, the root of the issue was traced to the aforementioned supplier. Samples were taken and examined, which allowed for an understanding of the nature of the issue. Mariscos Bahia, Inc., the organization supplying the fish, as well as restaurants working with this supplier, have voluntarily recalled a number of goods to avoid the further spread of the bacteria among individuals. As a result, the crisis was effectively managed and minimized, which only took several months. The victims, while experiencing the negative symptoms, have not surpassed 39, and no cases were reported in other states in which the fish was exported.
The illness, however, could have been prevented or further minimized. For example, stricter food regulations would not allow fish to be supplied in the first place. Moreover, a more well-organized communication channel between different entities would lead to a faster recall. The method has already been successfully implemented in the European Union and correlates with positive illness minimization (Ehuwa et al., 2021). Last but not least, informing the public about the dangers of consuming uncooked fish would also have positive effects.
In regard to legislative changes, no new implementations were generated as a result of the outbreak. Nonetheless, at the time, individuals who may have consumed the fish containing the bacteria were contacted by the food retailer and informed of the dangers. In regards to government regulations, no additions were exemplified, perhaps due to the fact that the outbreak was minor and no fatalities took place. At the same time, such events can impact the food market from two perspectives. On the one hand, FDA may impose stricter restrictions, which would mean that food suppliers would suffer from higher costs as well as a more challenging work environment. On the other hand, consumers may lose interest in a particular food due to the high risks. As a result, suppliers will not be motivated to invest in supplying individuals with said goods.
A food safety misconception that is not often brought up is the balance between the quality of the food and the avoidance of foodborne illness. In the video, poverty leads to nutritional deficits as ones diet is described as consisting of bread and salt (Gravitas, 2022). However, the consumption of foods such as eggs, fish, meat, and raw vegetables and fruit may be linked to foodborne illnesses. Thus, a misconception that was previously considered correlates with the idea
that poverty is linked to a higher chance of consuming contaminated food. A question that would be interesting to receive an answer to is the areas of the world in which foodborne illnesses are more common.
References
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Outbreak investigation of salmonella: Seafood (October 2022). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Web.
Ehuwa, O., Jaiswal, A. K., & Jaiswal, S. (2021). Salmonella, food safety, and food handling practices. Foods, 10(5), 907. Web.
Gravitas (2022) Living on One Dollar a Day [Video]. YouTube. Web.
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