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Is the U.S. food safety system really all that safe?

Mar 19, 2024
The Food and Drug Administration oversees about 80% of our food supply, and facility inspections are few and far between.
Trader Joe's is known for eclectic products sourced from smaller producers. Landman says these smaller producers may not have as high quality assurance standards at their facilities, resulting in more recalls.
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Salmonella testing can be a slow process. These researchers want to change that.

Aug 29, 2023
A research team from multiple universities is developing technology that can detect salmonella contamination in a matter of minutes. They aim to take the results from sensors and pair them with other data to strengthen the safety and resilience of the supply of chicken.
University of Missouri Ph.D. student Mai Abuhelwa demonstrates how one of the new sensors detects salmonella contamination on July 28, 2023. This sensor uses a laser and fiber optic cables to sense small concentrations of the bacteria.
Eric Schmid/Harvest Public Media

Is takeout food safe during COVID-19?

Apr 2, 2020
As more states issue restrictions on restaurants, here’s how to support local businesses while keeping you, your family and the restaurant workers safe and healthy during COVID-19.
An employee at a San Francisco restaurant hands a takeout order to a customer through a window on April 1.
Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Why is more plastic showing up in processed foods?

Jun 18, 2019
In the past two weeks alone, polymers have shown up in branded pasta sauces and chicken products.
There's been an uptick in the plastic contaminating processed foods recently.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

China's professional shoppers

Apr 4, 2019
They're making a living ... undercover.
People walk between buildings at a shopping mall in Beijing on October 18, 2018.
Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Flour recall teaches us not to eat raw cookie dough

Jul 26, 2016
General Mills expands a recall of flour products tied to E.coli outbreak.
General Mills is expanding its flour recall after more cases of E.coli were reported in the Midwest.  
Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images

What happened to Chipotle's unique selling proposition?

Mar 17, 2016
Chipotle's trying to deliver on its "fresh" brand while improving food safety.
Chipotle faces brand issues after their fresh and healthy image was tarnished by virus outbreaks. 
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Hey, lunch at Chipotle? Not today.

Feb 8, 2016
After illness outbreaks, Chipotle closes for lunch to review food-safety protocols with employees.
A sign showing a Chipotle Mexican Grill in Boston, Massachusetts, which closed on December 8, 2015 after 80 students at Boston College had gotten sick from eating at the fast food chain. On Monday, February 8, 2016, Chipotle will close for lunch to review food-safety protocols with employees.
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