Category: Media Coverage
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DOJ Warns of Criminal Prosecutions for Food-Safety Lapses
In a recent Associated Press (AP) interview, U.S. Associate Attorney General Stuart Delery warns that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will pursue criminal penalties against companies that sell poisoned food. AP cites the recent prosecution of Peanut Corp. of America executives along with actions against the producers of tainted cantaloupe and eggs as evidence of…
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New Yorker Sounds Alarm on Avian Influenza
A June 9, 2015, New Yorker article warns that the latest strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cut a swathe through the domestic poultry industry despite the best efforts of health officials and scientists working to contain it. Arguing that bird flu poses a greater threat than Ebola to human health, the article notes…
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CSPI Executive Director Pens Article Linking “Big Food” and “Big Tobacco”
“Food is not tobacco… But the public health community is concerned about both diet and tobacco use for a very good reason,” writes Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Executive Director Michael Jacobson in a June 2, 2015, Huffington Post blog post claiming that both industries “share some common bloodlines.” Jacobson claims that…
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NHS England Chief Executive Dubs Obesity “The New Smoking”
During a May 31, 2015, interview with BBC One’s “The Andrew Marr Show,” National Health Service (NHS) England Chief Executive Simon Stevens called on industry stakeholders to reduce the amount of sugar in food and beverage products. In particular, he claimed that “one in three of our teenagers are drinking high-energy, sugary drinks,” urging “responsible…
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New York Times Explores English Monks’ Caffeinated Wine
Buckfast Abbey, an English monastery approaching its millennial anniversary, has drawn criticism for its production of a sweet caffeinated wine, The New York Times reports. The beverage, which the abbey sells in 750-milliliter bottles through a distributor, is 15 percent alcohol and contains more than 300 milligrams of caffeine. The fortified wine was originally sold…
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Atlantic Profile Questions Value of “Food Babe” Tactics
The Atlantic’s February 11, 2015, profile of blogger Vani Hari—also known as “The Food Babe”—highlights the growing rift between the scientific community and consumer activists who position themselves as dietary crusaders, despite having “no training in human metabolism, toxicology, or environmental science.” Titled The Food Babe: Enemy of Chemicals, the article by Atlantic Senior Editor…
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New Yorker Examines Role of Litigation in Food Safety
A February 2, 2015, New Yorker article following the career of plaintiffs’ attorney Bill Marler examines how litigation has shaped the food-safety landscape in the absence of robust regulatory oversight. Viewing the U.S. inspection and recall system through the lens of a 2013 Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak that reportedly sickened an estimated 18,000 people, Wil Hylton interviews…
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NPR Explores “Non-GMO” Label
While laws mandating disclosure of the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on food labels are debated in statehouses, independent organizations such as the Non-GMO Project are offering certification for non-GMO products. NPR tracked how a food company earns the “Verified” label from the Non-GMO Project, beginning with an Iowa-based company called FoodChain ID that…