Woodburn Independent Online

Oregon families seek food safety reform after salmonella contamination, recalls

Two recalls have been enforced in Oregon recently

• By: Amanda Newman  
• Published: 1/28/2010 2:37:37 PM

With salmonella once again a concern in Oregon, evidenced by recent recalls, two Oregon families affected by the disease are helping the campaign for food safety legislation, petitioning their senators to pass a bill awaiting their vote.

On Jan. 14, one year after the nationwide outbreak of salmonella poisoning from Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) products, which killed nine and sickened more than 700, a group representing 28 of the victims sent a letter to the Senate asking for resolution. Food safety legislation was passed by the House of Representatives in July 2009; the Senate version was unanimously passed out of committee last year but is awaiting a vote on the Senate floor.

The proposed legislation would effectively change food safety law from reactive, where the government pursues violators after the fact, to preventative. Food safety experts say this would help prevent future deadly outbreaks of food poisoning.

Among those signing the letter were the parents of Jacob Hurley, now 4, of Wilsonville, and Gavin Salitore, now 9, of Gresham. Both boys were sick for days after eating PCA products ... and their parents continued feeding them the contaminated snacks throughout their illness, not knowing they were the culprits.

About 80 percent of the nation’s food supply is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, explained Sandra Eskin, director of the Food Safety Campaign for The Pew Health Group. But “these regulations haven’t been changed for over a hundred years.”

The proposed legislation would require companies to develop food safety plans and identify and address possible points of contamination, making them primarily responsible for their own food safety. The laws would make it easier to trace contamination back to the source, which could then be dealt with. And the government would enforce the laws and inspect facilities, “which FDA has not done regularly ever,” Eskin said.

Peter Hurley, Jacob’s father, became involved in the food safety reform effort shortly after his son’s illness. He and his wife, Brandi, testified in front of Congress last year; he is returning to Washington, D.C. in February.

“Ever since Jack got sick from the salmonella through the PCA outbreak, we have learned that the FDA does not have the resources (to prevent outbreaks),” he said. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the FDA needed some help.”

The proposed legislation would give the FDA some key enforcement tools, such as mandatory recalls. Currently, the FDA cannot order a company to recall its product, even if contamination is suspected, Eskin said. “For FDA to do its work, it really needs this legislation.”

Eskin explained that many companies routinely test their products for contamination, even though this is not currently required. When such a system is in place, contamination is often caught and the problem can be quickly identified and addressed. If the contaminated product has already gone out to the public, an immediate recall means fewer people get sick ... as evidenced by other recent salmonella recalls.

A salmonella-related nationwide recall is currently underway for pepper-coated salami products manufactured by Daniele, Inc. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 184 salmonella cases, including eight in Oregon, as of Jan. 23. The cases began surfacing in July 2009, but delays in identifying the source of the disease meant it was a long time before a recall was even possible.

On the other hand, Newberg’s Willamette Shelling recalled more than 100,000 pounds of shelled hazelnuts last month after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found the product was contaminated with salmonella. The contamination was only discovered in one production lot, but the company chose to recall all nuts processed at its facility over a recent six-week period, distributed throughout Oregon and California.

A month later, the Oregon Department of Agriculture had received no reports of illnesses related to the hazelnut contamination. Eskin said that was likely thanks in part to the quick discovery of the contamination and the company’s move to immediately recall the product.

Peter Hurley said he and Brandi are “more diligent” now about the food they serve their family – he carefully checks the food and stays on top of recalls that have been issued. But he thinks if the proposed legislation had been in place a year ago, mandating food testing and recalls, Jake likely wouldn’t have gotten sick.

“I think that people should really take a look at (the proposed legislation),” he said. “Most people think these are the things the FDA already has the power to do. They don’t realize the FDA doesn’t have this power.”

He said Oregon’s senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, seem to support the legislation. But he urged Oregonians to contact their senators about the proposed bill, S. 510, anyway – although it seems to have support in the Senate, it might need a push to get it onto the floor.

“It’s just interesting that a year after the big PCA outbreak ... we haven’t fixed this,” Eskin added. “But we have made great progress.”

Eskin said if the legislation had been in place at the time of the PCA outbreak, it either wouldn’t have happened or would have been less severe. Safety plans and routine product testing would have made contamination less likely, and a mandatory recall would have gotten the contaminated product off the shelves before it affected so many people.

“There will continue to be outbreaks. We understand that,” Eskin said. “(But) you need all of these pieces.”

For information on food recalls, visit www.fda.gov/safety/recalls. For information on food safety, visit www.foodsafety.gov or www.foodsafetynetwork.com.

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