Responsible for Food Safety: Agriculture

Foodborne illnesses are a significant public health problem in the United States. Too often those illnesses are caused by contamination that could have been prevented. Agriculture growers and processors are required to ensure that the food products they sell are safe, wholesome and accurately labeled. In the past decade, however, outbreaks of human foodborne illness associated with consuming raw vegetables and fruits and meats have increased in the United States.

If you or a loved one has suffered serious complications from a foodborne illness, contact the experienced foodborne illness lawyers at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault for a free evaluation of your situation. Our attorneys have been advocating for food safety for more than 25 years and we can use that experience to help you recover from a serious foodborne illness. Damages can include medical bills, lost wages, and money for your pain and suffering. Contact us at 1-800-256-1050 or use our online contact form.

Food growers, packers and shippers share responsibility for safety in the production of meat and fresh produce. All parties must handle food safely to minimize bacterial contamination, the nation’s most significant food safety threat.

Raw meat may become contaminated during slaughter if meat processors fail to prevent meat from coming into contact with animal intestinal contents that include feces. Harmful strains of E. coli and Salmonella bacteria may be present in the intestines of livestock and poultry.

Federal law sets out sanitation and temperature standards for slaughterhouses to ensure that meat is wholesome and safe. Federal and state inspectors inspect animals and poultry intended for food before and after slaughter. Under federal regulations, meat and poultry processors must have a written plan for meeting their sanitation responsibilities and develop a hazard analysis plan. Slaughterhouses must regularly test for E. coli to verify that their procedures are preventing fecal contamination, the main source of bacteria that cause human foodborne illness. If slaughterhouses do not adhere to food safety regulations, they may be legally liable for foodborne illnesses caused by their products.

Fresh fruit and vegetables may become contaminated with bacteria if growers wash or irrigate their crops with water contaminated by animal manure or human sewage. The contamination of fresh spinach with deadly E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria in 2006 caused one of largest and deadliest outbreaks of foodborne illness in recent years. Illnesses were confirmed in 26 states, more than 100 people were hospitalized, three died and 31 developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a serious complication that can lead to kidney failure. Investigators traced the bacteria to water samples and animal feces on a California ranch near crop fields, indicating the importance of clean water for crop irrigation.

Food growers and producers have a responsibility to provide safe food products free of contamination. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious foodborne illness, you need a safe food advocate on your side to help you get back on your feet. The food poisoning attorneys at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault have helped people harmed by contaminated foods or beverages, including clients in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and across the country. Contact the attorneys at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault to discuss your situation. We understand the serious consequences of foodborne illnesses. Call us at 1-800-256-1050 or use our online contact form.