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10 23 24 CoPIRG's Danny Katz talks about McDonald's Quarter Pounder E coli outbreak
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At least 49 people are ill across 10 western states, but the most cases are here in Colorado and Nebraska. Joining us now on the KOA Common Spirit Health Hotline is Danny Katz, the executive director of CoPerg. Danny, thanks for coming on with us this morning. Just to start this from a more 50,000 foot level, do you have growing concerns about food safety in general in our country and in Colorado? Yeah, thanks for having me. I think this is just becoming too common that we hear about these food recalls or food board illnesses outbreaks from the food that we're eating. I definitely think that companies need to do a better job in making sure the food we're eating is safe. Danny, you said company is there, but do we know who is really to blame for these growing food safety concerns? Are we seeing more manufacturing issues, handling issues? What is really going on with all of this? When you're talking about things like E. coli and salmonella, the contamination can comment any point in the chain. Some of this is originating on farms. Some of this is in the processing systems and some of it is when it's being prepared and served, whether it's restaurants or grocery stores, it's important that more is being done to ensure that the food we're eating is sanitary and safe. Danny, is it more of a problem coming from the farm to the actual restaurant? In this case, are McDonald's? Is there something in between? Is it more about how McDonald's is dealing with it? Where does the greater responsibility lie with making sure there's not the E. coli to be passed on in the first place? I think ultimately the companies that are serving us the food have the responsibility of making sure that food is safe. Now that food oftentimes is coming through a number of different steps and like I said, we've seen foodborne illness outbreaks originate from farms that are growing too close to places that could be contaminated. We've seen it in the processing systems where they don't have enough sanitary conditions in those processing facilities and we've also seen it when it's being served. I mean, things as simple as it's important employees are washing their hands. That's why we see those signs in the restaurants when we eat there. I think there's problems throughout the system that we need to address. Well, this is something that consumers really shouldn't have to worry about or have to think about when ordering food, but can you detect any type of food concerns or contaminations to combat it, to make sure that you don't get sick or don't try anything that could hurt you? Yeah. The awful thing about food poisoning is we don't know it's there. You can't really see it or smell it and so we do have to rely on companies ensuring that the conditions are safe and that the food that they're serving us is safe. One thing you can do is sign up for food recall alerts or alerts from the CDC around foodborne illnesses and that way you can at least ensure you're avoiding food once that's been identified but that oftentimes can happen a week or two weeks after you may have purchased the product or even eaten the food. Danny, I think going back, I think you said something to the like that we're seeing more of this, I believe, and I may be paraphrasing there. What is the reasons behind that? Is there less regulation, less careless oversight when it comes to this? Yeah, we did an analysis last year and we found that there have been hundreds of recalls and some of those are foodborne illnesses. Some of those are allergen related and so I think it just points to, you know, any one of these is one too many and there are improvements we need to make across the system part of it is resources making sure that there's inspectors and health professionals at every step of the chain but it's also ensuring that companies are doing more to have the kinds of practices and systems in place, you just don't need to have, I think you can do more to ensure that people will be safe and the food will be safe when it gets to them. When it comes to what we're seeing with the quarter pounder at McDonald's, I bet in the matter of days we'll hear more cases of illness across many more states. However, how are these usually detected? How are they reported? And if you feel like you could also be a victim of this, how do you report it? Yes, so it's important to know that this announcement that happened just yesterday, so far the illnesses that they've identified were from folks who ate these quarter pounders in early October, so it does take time to trace a foodborne illness that somebody may have in a hospital back to what that potential product would be. So it is possible. There'll be more announcements of more people who have gotten sick. It's also important to know a lot of the people who have gotten sick, got sick because they ate this weeks ago, and I believe in the announcement they talked about cooperation with McDonald's. So I think, you know, always be safe if you have eaten a quarter pounder recently and you have serious digestive issues, then that would warrant contacting a medical professional just to make sure there's no problem there, but this is something an outbreak that did happen a few weeks ago, and so McDonald's has already started to take steps to address this according to the CDC. Executive Director of Copurgets, Danny Katz, thank you, Danny. Thank you. Well, there's only one feeling like knowing your banker personally, like growing up with a bank you can count on, like being sure what you've earned is safe, secure, and local. There's only one feeling like knowing you're supporting your community. You deserve more from a bank. You deserve an institution that stood strong for generations. Bank of Colorado, there's only one member FDIC. When you need meal time inspiration, it's worth shopping king supers for thousands of appetizing ingredients that inspire countless mouth-watering meals. No matter what tasty choice you make, you'll enjoy our everyday low prices, plus extra ways to save, like digital coupons worth over $600 each week and up to $1 off per gallon at the pump with points so you can get big flavors and big savings, king supers, fresh for everyone, fuel restrictions apply. [BLANK_AUDIO]