It isn’t just the lettuce. Under the Trump administration, which sees no legitimate reason for regulation or–for that matter–governance, food safety has taken a real hit.
I didn’t realize just how big a hit until I read the opening paragraph from an Arwa Mahdami column in the Guardian. Mahdami was examining a phenomenon that Americans often described when traveling in Europe–they ate as much or more as they did at home, but frequently lost weight, prompting a lively discussion about why that might be. Mahdami dismissed theories about the makeup of flour (!) and suggested that the weight loss was probably due to the fact that a visit to Europe usually involves more walking than we Americans do in our car-dependent home towns.
Be that as it may, it was her first paragraph that grabbed me.
It’s not just the mass shootings you have to watch out for in the US, it’s also the lettuce – a dodgy bit of iceberg could leave you sick with cyclosporiasis. And then there are the frozen blueberries, recently recalled because of a “reasonable probability” they could “cause serious adverse health consequences or even death”. And the alfalfa sprouts that may harbour salmonella. And the fruit bars that may be contaminated with glass. I could go on: there’s been a surge in foodborne illnesses in the US this year and food recalls have been getting a lot of attention.
This growth in food-borne illnesses can be directly traced to the Trump administration’s cuts at the FDA, and its reduced oversight of food production. As an industry publication, Food Navigator, recently reported, deep personnel cuts have resulted in fewer inspections, a loss of institutional memory, and a worrisome increase in food-borne illnesses.
CBS reports that, just so far during Trump’s second term, the FDA has lost about 20% of its staff. The cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are worse; that agency is down 25%. The CDC used to have 11 scientists tracking food parasites; it now has three. The report quotes Susan Mayne, an adjunct professor at the Yale School of Public Health:
“We had a national advisory committee, a committee that advised FDA and USDA on how to prevent microbial contamination in food,” said Mayne. “That advisory committee was disbanded. We used to convene meetings with our Mexican counterparts on how we can work together to improve food safety. That entire team was let go.”
When asked about the cuts, Health and Human Services director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. simply lied. He told reporters the reports of cuts were “invalid.”
Kennedy, of course, is a noted crank who has made the Trump administration a disaster for public health and medical research. Recently, Moderna and Merck announced positive results from a major clinical trial of a cancer vaccine–potentially, an enormous breakthrough. But as the Bulwark and other media outlets have reported, along with the excitement, “there has been concern and even alarm—not about the treatment itself, but about the threat Donald Trump poses to the research ecosystem that made its creation possible.”
The fear stems from the administration’s broad and persistent attacks on American science–including cuts and rule changes that have negatively affected precisely the sorts of grants that financed the research that laid the foundation for the vaccine’s development. As the linked article reports,
The administration has also attacked this specific type of vaccine. The Moderna-Merck treatment uses mRNA technology—as did two of the COVID vaccines—and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has singled out mRNA for particular vilification. Last year, he canceled hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for the research and development of mRNA technology, including Moderna’s work on what was supposed to be a new platform for vaccines against influenza.
As the article notes, Kennedy’s animus toward mRNA vaccines is based on wild, unsupported conspiracy theories tying COVID shots to harm and death. Scientists in the field report that Kennedy’s crackbrained hostility is already having a chilling effect on research into mRNA for other purposes, including cancer. Meanwhile, the broader cuts to grant funding made by this administration have set back numerous promising avenues of research.
More interference is on the way. The administration has plans to change the grant approval process to require sign-off from political officials, rather than relying on intensive peer review by actual experts in the field.
There’s a book by Rick Wilson titled “Everything Trump Touches Dies.” Everything, evidently, includes us.
The crap we allow on our crops is banned in Europe. While I’d like to pin all the blame on Trump and/or Kennedy, they are just following orders. As in all other industries in the US, we’ve allowed too much wealth and power to concentrate in too few hands.
Don’t even get me started on Big Health and Big Pharma. When they tell the government how to operate, we have gone far beyond “free markets within capitalism.”
This was how democracy died, but it wasn’t in the darkness. It was in plain sight for everyone to see but did nothing about.
p.s. As for “killing off the population,” what happens when tech does all the work for the owners? Why would they want to feed all the leisurely crowd? 😉
Oh Todd; Trump and Kennedy are ISSUING the orders that are being followed. Not only the “fresh” produce in stores are problematic but it is now in canned and frozen foods to maintain profit levels. The core of pineapples is used in canned crushed pineapple and the too-tough-to-chew stems are in frozen broccoli. Just two areas but they cover the span of frozen and canned sections in store brands and recognized brand names.
I have been wondering if there is any food value in what we are eating today in all forms on the market. I got tired of throwing out fresh produce with no flavor or too tough to slice or chew to enjoy a salad. I used my Olive Garden salad dressing to marinate chicken breasts (will low results) but put two bags of croutons in my 3-cup food processor to make bread crumbs to use in meatloaf. Do a little experimenting with “recycling” fresh foods rather than tossing out.
“It’s not just the mass shootings you have to watch out for in the US,…” How sad that my local Kroger has to be closely monitored for dangerous foods, and my Kroger is the only source other than the Hispanic market, for my area of Indianapolis. It also has glass-walled-off the personal care, over-the-counter medications, herbal items and for some reason, batteries, which has it’s own required checkout separate from the ONE open cashier line. I have asked a number of other Kroger shoppers about their local stores and no one else has this to deal with than the East 10th and Shortridge Road Kroger.
over the last 3 decades, calif row crops have been decemated by a drought. the best is to save the vines and the tree. though, drilling for water became a real issue, i was hauling bees to calif central valley 10 years back. they said the floor of the valley dropped 3 inches due the water use. then that stopped. but to keep the greens flowing, they moved operations to Mexico. thats American food corps under assumed new names. hense, since trumps cuts, food inspections are many times, by the producer. the idea of self inspections, well, lets all say we should keep a lawyer and doctors name by your phone. ever hear of hydo-cooled? (ive hauled a hundred loads of this stuff out of the central valley)thats how ya cool greens and some vegs quickly. they take a pallet, stacked water resistant boxes of greens, put them in a folding cabinet, and flow cooled water upwards thru the greens. then open the bottom up and let it drain back into the same place the water was cooled. and ya wonder why ya get this unfriendly gut bugs. now if ya dont monitor that water, ya get issues.now thats Mexican water, and we all heard of Montazumas revenge eh? anyway. the lack of government oversite, and corp profits, they dont give a rats ass if your sick, because no ones left to investigate the issues, after the fact. salad bar anyone?
Another sleepless night, adding to my list of age-related issues plus my double disability of total deafness and physical handicaps. What will I wake up to each morning as I turn on CNN, then MS NOW for information. I have family members who are targeted Trump enemies in numerous issues and levels he considers to be his enemies. Will I be denied my right to write a check at Kroger for my low quality foods and personal products, will I receive my mail-in ballot and be allowed to use it, have any of my targeted family members been approached by ICE, and the list goes on. Yesterday I received notice of my AOL Windows is no longer protecting me; being severely electronically mentally challenged; will I be able to follow my daughter-in-law (who is currently and for 2 years been primary care-taker of my dying son) and resolve this problem on my own? Why are we all faced with these electronic sanctions to get through the simplest of our once day-to-day actions with the escalating cost to access them?
My fears are not of being burglarized or again mugged and robbed on my own driveway at 11:00 a.m. on a Monday morning, or even the escalating cost of basic needs. My fears are deeply rooted in my mental and emotional stability being hacked by our own government and loss of my income along with my civil and human rights along with my continuing to pay-for but lost medical care rights. We are becoming a nation of Americans with these same fears causing serious declines mentally and physically with little or no medical care to seek help…readily available to the billionaire level with millionaire levels now in possible jeopardy.
We are also dealing with the earth and the environment rebelling against us due to the weather and disaster related conditions caused by laziness and greed at the top level of this government with the possibility of nuclear attacks, or loss of protection by former allies, looming over us.. Don’t the deaths and lost hikers in flooded Grand Canyon tell you the level of lost protections we need to fight for to reestablish EPA regulations and all of the losses Sheila lists in todays blog?
“Plop, plop, fizz, fizz” is no longer a working solution for relief.
As per his first administration: “When you elect a clown, expect a circus.” But, when you elect one a second time, expect something like “A Blood Wedding!”
RFK, Jr. poses a threat to the health and well-being of the entire world. We know that Orange Jesus (OJ) has no belief in anything, except his own “greatness”. That’s why he’s letting the freak show run rampant.
We no longer cooperate with the World Health Organization. Even if they are getting updates, they ignore them. The last recall was of the beef that was imported, not inspected, and shipped to grocery stores across the US. We should also note that we don’t even know where the beef came from.
We are up for a reevaluation of our Measles status. We’re certain to get downgraded. As long as none of OJ’s family dies, it’s not a problem. I’m betting that they have all been vaccinated. Heaven forbid that any MAGAT parent should be forced to do anything for the common good.
The government has no business forcing people to do anything, unless of course, you happen to be a pregnant woman, or a parent seeking care for your genetically different child.
I’m praying that the Democrats don’t find a new way to lose this year. I’m also praying that, if the administration takes radical steps to affect the outcome of the election, we are all ready to stand and fight.
THINK,
VOTE!!!!
The Trump administration is acting very much as if voters’ opinions don’t matter anymore.
When it comes to nature we seem to be a country that has its priorities out of order. Nowhere does this show up more readily than in our relationship to the food we buy. We demand storybook looks and get mush for apples and blandness for tomatoes. We insist on inexpensive and get sawdust fillers and warehouse ripened. We want out of season and get produce grown in countries we deport families to not imagining any of their farm worker relatives just might piss on the produce they ship to us.
When we stop seeing our food as status and start seeing it as our nourishment we may return to the real deal. We may even begin to grow some of it ourselves in earnest in our own backyards and not as a hobby to be abandoned mid-season because of the heat. We may even stop using lawn chemicals. We may just change our relationship to Nature and learn to co-exist with it and stop trying to control every aspect of it. We may finally see ourselves as a part of Nature and not above it.
My question remains, if Big Pharma helped put him in office, couldn’t stop RFK Jr.’s appointment, and now have lost hundreds of millions in grant money, how are the rest of us supposed to change that? Millions have already died across the world directly or indirectly from the consequences of their actions and inactions.
The loss of trust in nearly all aspects of goods and services, dependent upon the regulation is gone. How long, if ever, it is restored will mean millions more will suffer and/or die.
We have witnessed for decades how producers and providers continue to put profits over safety when left to self-regulate.
Wealth will not protect those who have undermined that trust. They have to use the same sources of air, food, drink and medicine as we all do.
The U.S. has become criminal enterprise run for the benefit of the billionaire class. The intimidation is clear. “You have a really great government. Wouldn’t it be a shame if something happened to it?” Now take that to the personal level for all of the civil servants, office holders and citizens, never mind those seeking asylum legally or holding a green card, having skin the wrong color, or sharing the truth of the criminal actions.
What happens when the rest of us have nothing left to lose?
Of note: The bosses may issue orders. They do not act on those orders themselves. Those who carry out the orders are the true traitors for whatever the reasons.
The individuals that financed this administration don’t give a damn about food safety. I wonder why?
Charlatan is good description for Bobby Kennedy. His brain has to be affected negatively from all the hard-core drug use he did over forty years (that’s been reported from his own testimony) He’s in way over his head and unable to discern science from conspiracy theory. trump is using him for his celebrity and the stories he can tell about famous people.
I just heard that the flu shots are available and plan to get the senior double dose one soon.
We’re careful about the fresh produce we buy and always wash and cook to germ killing temperatures. We avoid whatever is latest recall items.
I don’t like how Kroger’s offers discounts/coupons that you have to access on your phone. I don’t have that kind of phone. like a lot of younger people have and feel like agism, or lack of technical know-how puts me at a disadvantage.
JoAnn, I’m in my late seventies in age and hope when I’m your age, if I live that long, that I’ll be as sharp minded as you are. I identify with some of the same hassles that you write about.
Jack Smith, it’s so interesting about how the produce is cooled at first and the water is reused. There must be more rinsing when the produce reaches the distributer or stores? You carried bees. Wow. I’ve read bees are a prime indicator on how healthy the environment is or isn’t.
It comes down to we have to look out for ourselves, do research on just about everything, compare notes and make the best decisions we can. Trusting unreliable sources is a problem.
Rose, Kroger still sends me paper coupons in the mail.
Rose, like Pat, Kroger regularly sends me packets of paper coupons. I have written checks at my Kroger since 2001 and get coupons for specific items, Kroger and national brand items, they know I buy regularly. A bit of “shared” personal information these days that I don’t mind at all. That and continuing to allow me to pay by check. At my age, Rose, reconciling my checkbook monthly is about the only use I make of my brain in this electronic frenzied age. The blog does spur me to action, for that I thank Sheila and all of you here daily.
Rose, if you ask your Kroger cashier to scan coupons that you can’t access, they will do that. That’s how I take advantage of discounts.
Pat &JoAnn, we also receive coupons in the mail from Kroger’s, usually items that we have bought there on a regular basis. I’ve also seen sale signs for items I don’t have a coupon for, that says scan bar code for phone coupon to use at register. Anyway, I should upgrade phone and learn how, but that’s just another expense I don’t want right now.
DiAnne, thanks for the info.