How Safe Is the Food We Eat?

Abstract

In this issue of JAMA , three useful studies are presented that demonstrate the potential of transmission of bacterial enteropathogens through food vehicles destined for public consumption. In the first, 1 an impressive number of Campylobacter jejuni outbreaks were reported to be associated with drinking raw milk (the outbreaks were most common among young children during school functions). In the second, 2 a multistate outbreak of Salmonella javiana and Salmonella oranienburg was caused by contaminated cheese from a single manufacturing plant. In the third, 3 an extensive Shigella outbreak occurred as a result of consumption of contaminated cold sandwiches prepared in an airline flight kitchen and served on a commercial air carrier. The fact that the airline-associated illness involved a professional football team brought the outbreak to the attention of the health authorities. See also pp 3203, 3208, and 3228. While the reported outbreaks relate to different bacterial enteropathogens and vehicles