The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Nasima Hossain, Public Health Advocate
Office: 202-546-9707 ext. 316
nhossain@pirg.org

Listeria Contaminated Eggs Yanked From 34 States

Statement of Nasima Hossain Public Health Advocate, on the continued danger of our food system

WASHINGTON

Friday's announcement of widespread listeria contamination in eggs produced in Minnesota underscores the need for food inspections to happen at more regular intervals. Over one million hard boiled eggs in 34 states were involved in this recall. "This incident underscores the need for food inspections to happen at more regular intervals and for the Food Safety Modernization Act to be fully funded, so that foods with dangerous contaminants are kept off store shelves."

"Listeria is a disease that can fatally affect young children, the frail and elderly. Healthy people may also suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. In pregnant women the infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Minnesota was also the site of a huge egg recall in August 2010. Clearly egg manufacturers have not improved their food production practices and this makes it imperative for our public health and consumer safety protections to continue to be enforced and not weakened."

U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitols across the country, we take on the special interests on issues, such as product safety,political corruption, prescription drugs and voting rights,where these interests stand in the way of reform and progress.