In their latest misrepresentation of facts, the CDC blames workers for food poisoning ("Foodborne Illness Outbreaks at Retail Food Establishments, ...", click here). Although their data indicates a correlation between worker illness and food poisonings in restaurants, their analysis does not even explain how any type of illness is related to the transmission of food poisoning illnesses. More importantly, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) analysis does not address the fact that these illnesses must have a source, where people do not contract food poisoning without contact with that disease. As stated in an earlier Op Ed, the CDC and the EPA refuse to investigate the actual cause of food-borne illnesses (The CDC Should Stop Drinking-Water Dangers - Stop E. Coli and Listeria Disease Outbreaks and Lead and Copper Poisonings!,).
The CDC Cover-up
An Associated Press article, spawned numerous spin-offs to blame workers for illness ("Sick workers tied to 40% of restaurant food poisoning outbreaks, CDC says").
'Norovirus and salmonella, germs that can cause severe illness, were the most common cause of 800 outbreaks, which encompassed 875 restaurants and were reported by 25 state and local health departments.
Investigators with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for better enforcement of "comprehensive food safety policies," which emphasize basic measures like hand washing and keep sick workers off the job. '
'About 48 million people a year in the U.S. are sickened by foodborne illness, including 128,000 who are hospitalized and 3,000 who die, according to the CDC.'
The CDC report and follow-up newspaper reports failed to provide any scientific connection between worker illness and the spread of infectious disease in restaurants. Even so, the limited data that was reported indicates that there is some type of probable relationship between worker illness and violent diarrhea and vomiting.
Of greater significance, Table 1 shows that there are many illnesses that can be transmitted from ill workers, but the primary causes of food-borne illnesses are transmitted through viruses that make workers violently ill, where such illnesses typically incapacitate workers. Many different foods can be contaminated, as shown in Figure 1. All in all, the CDC showed no scientific relationship between food most poisonings and worker illness. Such deceit constitutes a cover-up of the actual food poisoning causes.
Table 1. Annual U.S. food poisoning death and illness estimates
(Image by U.S. Center for Disease Control) Details DMCA
The Real Cause of Food Poisonings
The CDC has spent a great deal of money to fund the research for this report, yet they fail to spend any money to prevent the root cause of food poisonings and lead and copper poisonings ("Our Water Mains Contaminate Us With E. coli, Lead and Copper - Illness and Death Follow", Click Here).
'Research concludes that a phenomenon referred to as water hammer breaks underground water mains, and underground E. coli [and Listeria] enter water mains during power outages or pressure losses to distribute E. coli to our homes, businesses and irrigation systems to drive E. coli outbreaks. People die from E. coli, and illnesses and deaths are preventable.'
'The most important research conclusion is that E. coli [and Listeria] infections will stop by controlling water main-break destruction and controlling water operations after power outages and water pressure losses.
A parallel health concern relates lead and copper contamination of water supplies to water hammer-induced water main breaks. Another important finding proves that lead and copper contamination of drinking water systems can be minimized.
Stop Illness and Deaths
The CDC blames workers for this major public health hazard, where significant cash was spent to fund this study. Money would be better spent to investigate and stop the cause of food poisoning. Lives can be saved, and illnesses can be drastically reduced.
In short, food poisoning - plus lead and copper poisonings - can be drastically reduced if the CDC changes their focus and budget from cover-ups to solutions.
(Article changed on Jun 04, 2023 at 12:02 PM EDT)
