Health Law

Food Poisoning Is Not a Laughing Matter...

By Marler Clark

....unless you are the Simpsons.    Last night's season finale for the Simpsons was right off the front pages of Marlerblog.    The episode set up?   "Ogdenville's economy takes a stumble after tainted barley is discovered in Krusty's veggie burgers..."  The episode even featured an on-camera investigative journalism report that revealed the dark underside of the make-believe town's vital barley industry.   

Thankfully, the sickened members of the Simpson family appraently quickly recovered, as is often the case with cartoon mishaps.  In reality, the losses associated with foodborne illness are much more sobering.   Take for example the outbreak of Salmonella linked to peanut products produced by Peanut Corporation of America, a farily obvious source for last night's episode idea.   Of the 714 confirmed ill in thePCA outbreak, at least 9 deaths were reported.  Many more were hospitalized.

Not even Matt Groening or the Simpsons writers would have drawn a laugh with that story line.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on May 18, 2009 (boomark / email).