You heard it here first: Changing our food borne illness public notification process

November 13, 2015.Reading time 8 minutes.

Since June, we’ve written in this space about a spate of food borne illness outbreaks that have kept all hands on deck here at Public Health – Seattle & King County and at times across the state – the salmonella outbreak connected to pork from Kapowsin’s slaughterhouse, the E. coli O157 outbreak linked to food […]

Health officials say E. coli cases may be linked to Chipotle restaurants in Wash. and Ore. [UPDATED 11/25/15]

October 31, 2015.Reading time 6 minutes.

Want to keep track of this investigation? Check back here regularly, follow us on Twitter at @kcpubhealth or on Facebook. Update 11/25/15: Based on an updated case definition, King County’s current count of individuals tied to the E. coli outbreak has been reduced to four. No new cases have been identified in King County since […]

Public Health investigates E. coli outbreak

September 1, 2015.Reading time 10 minutes.

Public Health is currently investigating an outbreak of E. coli O157 – one of the most serious foodborne illnesses you can contract. Our thoughts are with the families affected by this outbreak, and we appreciate the support of the community as we work to protect the health of the public. A person can get an E. coli […]

Cutting the (trans) fat: Health policy-making in action

July 8, 2015.Reading time 4 minutes.

Trans fats, typically found in partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), have been used in foods because of their unique ability to remain solid at relatively high temperatures. These properties keep food tasting fresher longer, but they also make it harder for our bodies to metabolize them, and that poses serious health risks. But, unlike other hazardous […]

Why I love family-run restaurants: Insights from a food inspector

February 19, 2015.Reading time 4 minutes.

By Eyob Mazengia, PhD, RS, Food Protection Program When I started as a food inspector, I was assigned to the International District. And I liked it. It was almost like walking into a new culture, a new era. What humbled me was that as a public health worker, when I went into restaurants to ensure food safety […]

Food inspection grades: A – B – C, easy as 1 – 2 – 3 … or is it?

December 19, 2014.Reading time 3 minutes.

New York City has them, so does L.A. Even Toronto has them. So why aren’t there food safety inspection grades posted outside of restaurants in King County? The answer? Food safety performance placarding is coming, and when it does, it will give patrons and establishments alike information that is meaningful, clear, and motivating. Diners need […]