Provide names of other journalists involved.
Maureen O’Hagan, Seattle Times staff reporter
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Octover 30, 2011
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Deliciously Deadly: From chicken to organic spinach, the food you eat can kill you if you won’t watch out Do you care what you put in your mouth? Of course, you’ll probably answer. But most people haven’t got much of a clue. Even here in Washington state, where an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak tied to Jack in the Box hamburgers sickened 500 and killed three, consumers continue to be lackadaisical. This Sunday magazine story looks at what has changed since that 1993 outbreak–called the “Pearl Harbor for the food game”¬–and what has remained the same. We warn consumers that they can’t expect corporations or the government to protect us; they need to understand that the bugs are out there, and what they can do about it.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
I read clips and interviewed victims of the 1993 Jack in the Box outbreak. I read studies on the outbreak itself, and researched the laws that have changed since then. I studied the CDC’s data on foodborne illness outbreaks nationwide, and saw that burgers are far from the biggest problem. And I researched recent foodborne illness cases, to understand the current state of affairs. The story did not require FOIAs.
Explain types of human sources used.
I interviewed scientists, government officials, food safety experts and victims of foodborne illness, including the parents of a toddler killed in the 1993 outbreak that made E. coli a household word.
Results:
Readers really responded to “What you eat can kill you.” It was on The Seattle Times’ “most emailed” list for three days, and the online discussion was both thought-provoking and lively. In online comments and emails, scores said their eyes were opened by the story. “I did not realize meat could test positive for salmonella and still be sold,” one reader wrote. Some called for more government regulation; others said they would change their own eating habits as a result of the story, and take steps to protect their families. Others debated the merits of hand sanitizers, discussed GMOs, grass-fed vs. grain fed meat and dairy, and the role of the county health inspector. “I thought the article did a good job of reminding us of an important lesson,” one reader wrote. “Most people say they know about food safety, but people still take risks or act like idiots with others’ health.”
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
n/a
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Foodborne illness is a huge topic. It also has the potential to affect everyone, yet most people seem to think it can’t possibly happen to them. So our mission was twofold: find focus amidst the massive amounts of information, and figure out a way to make readers care. We chose Jack in the Box as a focal point. And we used a conversational writing style to really draw readers into the topic.