More on the blog poll question

Still 18 hours to vote on the blog poll question, and I think it will already set the record for participation. In any case, the question was admittedly imperfect, and I have come to see more of its flaws revealed in the discourse of the question on a couple of discussion boards. From the Food Safe Group:

Professor Frank Hartman wrote:

I believe we are missing the true problem. Every refrigerated container carries a massive number and variety of pathogens, Take three perti dishes and place them in any truck container for food or plants. the entire refrigerated container system is contaminated.

http://www.zp-research-group.com/FoodBornePathogens-1.html

More on trucks from Roy Costa:

This is very true. Transport is a missing link and we are involved in a risk assessment study now to define the parameters for safe transport. Should be published in the Federal Regitrar this fall or early winter.Roy E Costa,



TK: On the question of consumer "blame," from Robert LaBudde:

Attempts to blame FBI illness on consumer behavior are typically pure conjecture. And there is no scientific evidence to support these conjectures, except a feeling that "it must be true".
Having said this, there are situations and pathogens where consumer (and restaurant) behavior plays a key role. Backyard barbeques and E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef are an obvious example. In this case, however, the extreme carefulness to avoid cross-contamination and to provide proper cooking are an unrealistic expectation (implied by FSIS' rules) for consumer behavior.


TK: The result of the poll is perhaps incidental to the discussion of the problem, but if you are keeping score at home, the poll tally at about 9 pm central on Sunday night: "Consumers" top the vote as the "most to blame" with 39% of the vote.