The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "listeria" ...
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No title (id: 19386)
When 21 people died from eating contaminated meats, it was the nation's most lethal food safety epidemic in 15 years--and one of the quietest. Why didn't the U.S. Department of Agriculture blow the whistle sooner on Sara Lee?
Tags: Ball Park franks; USDA; CDC; listeria; Sara Lee; contaminated meat; Bil Mar Foods; food safety
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Outbreak
The Washington Post Magazine investigates the failure of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent 21 deaths caused by contaminated meat from Sara Lee Corp. The story reveals that the contamination occurred because of moisture problems in the cooling section of "the giant Bil Mar Foods meatpacking plant in western Michigan." While deaths were tolling, the USDA was leery to issue a press release for fear not to face the legal implications of wrongly accusing the meatproducer. Even though Bil Mar quietly recalled the deadly products from the market, people were still eating meat kept in refrigerators or supermarkets and contaminated with the dangerous Listeria bacteria, the magazine reports. A major finding is that government lacks regulatory power to recall unsafe foods, as well as penalties system for repeated violations in the food industry.
Tags: health; FDA; meat; bacteria; contamination; Sara Lee; CDC; listeria; sanitation; immune system; pregnancy; hot dogs; deli meats; consumers; lawsuits
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Meat Processing plants fail tests, yet stay open
A Des Moines Register investigation revealed that "meat and poultry processing plants that fail to meet food-safety standards have continued operating for months after problems were detected, shipping products to consumers while additional testing was done."
Tags: health meat processing inspection business Department of Agriculture salmonella listeria USDA
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Poison Package
The Washington Post Magazine looks into a deadly disease outbreak that started from negligent behavior at a Michigan meat-packing plant. The outbreak of listeria killed at least 21 people and caused a multi-million dollar recall. The reporter cites other investigations where journalists used FOIA requests, interviewed sources across the country, and reviewed more than 10,000 pages of documents.
Tags: food; safety; meat; Bil Mar Foods; health; disease; Sara Lee
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A Killer In Our Food
The Detroit Free Press, in an eight-month long investigation, looks into a deadly disease outbreak that started from negligent behavior at a Michigan meat-packing plant. The outbreak of listeria killed at least 21 people and caused a multi-million dollar recall. The reporters used FOIA requests, interviewed sources across the country, and reviewed more than 10,000 pages of documents. The Free Press used a federal database of citations at U.S. meat plants, court and company records, e-mail traffic between federal and state health officers and state and county health records to complete this investigation. The investigation found that this meat-packing plant was similar to many plants across the nation.
Tags: CAR food; safety; meat; Bil Mar Foods; health; disease; Sara Lee recall processed meat USDA Department of Agriculture FSIS Food Safety and Inspection Service FDA Food and Drug Administration
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On the Trail of A Killer
The Grand Rapids Press finds that the Centers for Disease Control has linked nine deaths, three miscarriages and more than sixty illnesses to Listeria pattern E, a bacteria which has been found in meats recalled by Bil Mar foods - a division of Chicago-based Sara Lee Corp. that produces deli meat under that name.
Tags: Listeria; bacteria; food production; meat recalls