Health

Food Safety Jeopardized by Onslaught of Funding and Staff Cuts

Published

8 months ago

March 19, 2025

Food Safety Jeopardized by Onslaught of Funding and Staff Cuts

In the last few years, foodborne pathogens have had devastating consequences that alarmed the public. Bacteria in infant formula sickened babies. Deli meat ridden with listeria killed 10 people and led to 60 hospitalizations in 19 states. Lead-laden applesauce pouches poisoned young children.

In each outbreak, state and federal officials connected the dots from each sick person to a tainted product and ensured the recalled food was pulled off the shelves.

Some of those employees and their specific roles in ending outbreaks are now threatened by Trump administration measures to increase government efficiency, which come on top of cuts already being made by the Food and Drug Administration’s chronically underfunded food division.

Like the food safety system itself, the cutbacks and new administrative hurdles are spread across an array of federal and state agencies.

At the Food and Drug Administration, freezes on government credit card spending ordered by the Trump administration have impeded staff members from buying food to perform routine tests for deadly bacteria. In states, a $34 million cut by the F.D.A. could reduce the number of employees who ensure that tainted products — like tin pouches of lead-laden applesauce sold in 2023 — are tested in labs and taken off store shelves. F.D.A. staff members are also bracing for further Trump administration personnel reductions.

And at the Agriculture Department, a committee studying deadly bacteria was recently disbanded, even as it was developing advice on how to better target pathogens that can shut down the kidneys. Committee members were also devising an education plan for new parents on bacteria that can live in powdered infant formula. “Further work on your report and recommendations will be prohibited,” read a Trump administration email to the committee members.

Taken together, there is concern in the food safety field that the number of outbreaks could grow or evade detection. By limiting resources, the cutbacks pare back work meant to prevent problems and to focus efforts on cases in which someone was already hurt or killed, Darin Detwiler, a food safety consultant and associate professor at Northeastern University, said. His toddler son died in an E. coli outbreak in 1993.

“It’s as if someone, without enough information, has said, What’s a good way to save money on our automobiles?” he asked. “Let’s just take out the seatbelts and airbags, because do we really need them?”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s health secretary, has a keen interest in food. He has already pledged to get color additives out of food and started an effort called “Operation Stork Speed” to examine the nutritional content and potential toxins in infant formula. Yet some of the most dangerous food problems in recent years have been from pathogens.

Last year, nearly 500 people were hospitalized and 19 died from foodborne illnesses with a known cause, double or more than in the year before, according to the U.S. P.I.R.G. Education Fund, an advocacy group. (Most food poisoning is never reported or traced back to a particular food.)

Government cutbacks affect a number of areas that officials were shoring up to prevent repeats of recent outbreaks. Here are the details of some of the changes:

Key committees shut down

Often in response to a deadly outbreak, a joint F.D.A. and Agriculture Department committee dived into the details to seek ways to improve detection and to limit illness and death. The committee has also examined how to deploy rapidly changing technology — including artificial intelligence and genome sequencing — to protect public health.

The Trump administration abruptly shut down the committee earlier this month, citing the executive order on reducing government bureaucracy. It demanded that work stop for the panel called the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods and also for the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection.

The microbial committee was studying how to more accurately identify infants who would be most at risk from cronobacter sakazakii, the deadly bacteria that contributed to the decision to temporarily shut down an Abbott Nutrition infant formula plant in Michigan in 2022. The committee planned to then provide advice to caregivers who should use sterile liquid formula instead of powdered formula, which is not sterile.

Abby Snyder, a Cornell University food scientist and co-chair of a subcommittee on infant formula, said she was disappointed by the decision to discontinue the committee’s work. “Safety of powdered formula for infants is of critical importance and I think important to most people,” Dr. Snyder said.

The F.D.A. did not respond to a question about whether Kyle Diamantas, its food division chief, was involved in the decision to axe the committee. A former corporate lawyer, Mr. Diamantas worked on cases defending Abbott over claims of harm related to infant formula.

Michael Hansen, a scientist and member of the committee from Consumer Reports, an advocacy group, said his team on the committee was trying to pinpoint certain types of E. coli that were most likely to cause bloody diarrhea and kidney failure, among other efforts.

He said the decision to end the committee was a shock and destroyed almost two years of work on harnessing genomic sequencing — technology that is now widely available and affordable — to limit outbreaks. The team leveraged hours of volunteer work from the top experts in the field, he said.

“It makes no sense that they were getting rid of this committee,” Dr. Hansen said, “because if you want to do a full cost-benefit analysis, all the work that we were doing was actually free of charge.”

Spending freezes

Scientists at the F.D.A.’s product and food testing labs said they were barred from some routine use of their government credit cards because of an executive order backing the efforts of Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

An exception has been made for “critical activities,” an F.D.A. spokeswoman said.

That has slowed or stopped some testing of grocery items for hazardous bacteria and monitoring of shellfish and food packaging for PFAS, chemicals linked to cancer and reproductive harm.

Credit cards can be used in an investigation of listeria in frozen supplemental shakes dispensed in elder care homes that have been linked to a dozen deaths. For other work, staff members have encountered red tape, agency scientists said.

“Even hours can matter in an outbreak,” said Susan Mayne, an adjunct professor at Yale School of Public Health and a former F.D.A. food official who had heard from current employees about the situation. “Any delay is unacceptable when you’re dealing with a product that can kill someone.”

Food safety inspections

In a recent letter to lawmakers, F.D.A. officials said that the agency employed about 443 food safety inspectors — far fewer than the agency needed to inspect every food processing facility at the pace Congress mandated. The agency estimated that it would need about 1,500 more workers to inspect 36,600 food facilities, foreign and domestic, once every five years or once every three years for high-risk producers.

At this time, those inspectors are largely exempted from losing their jobs.

However, one team of outbreak investigators is vulnerable, according to Jim Jones, the agency’s food division chief in the latter part of the Biden administration. This team, known as CORE, coordinates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to link a cluster of sick people to a specific food plant or farmer’s field. The team tracks inspections and efforts to ensure that tainted food is removed from store shelves.

Mr. Jones said the team was recently built up as a fully remote operation that would most likely be affected when orders to return to work at federal offices were put in place this month. Workers who live more than 50 miles from an F.D.A. office have until late April to begin working at a federal site.

“So their choices will be you either move so that you can go to a federal facility, or you leave,” Mr. Jones said. “There’s nothing strategic about who gets caught in that pickle.”

Across the F.D.A., inspections plummeted during the pandemic and have not returned to the higher levels before 2020. At the same time, the amount of imported food has risen, including clams that have repeatedly found to be contaminated with PFAS.

Cutbacks to States

Once the F.D.A. identifies a factory that was the source of contamination, it often relies on state inspectors to investigate on site. In criticizing the reductions, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, pointed out that state inspectors performed about half of the inspections at food processing facilities, 90 percent of the produce safety inspections and all of the retail store visits.

The F.D.A. also turns to state and local public health officials to pluck potentially tainted foods from grocery store shelves and test them at a network of 55 public health labs throughout the United States. If a product is recalled, the state officials also audit grocery stores to be sure the food has been removed.

A move late in the Biden era sharply limited the funding that the F.D.A. sends to states and to the labs that do critical work. The latest $34 million funding reduction applies to states and to those public health labs. The agency said in a letter to Mr. Blumenthal that the cuts were being made because the food division had a flat budget and costs were increasing because of inflation.

Thom Petersen, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, said F.D.A. food safety funding had fallen steadily since 2019, with the latest cut striking deeper and possibly leading to layoffs. He said the funding loss could slow the important work of taking bad food out of stores.

That work proved particularly important after officials discovered extremely high levels of lead in cinnamon in applesauce pouch snacks for children. The F.D.A. ended up sending a warning letter to Dollar Tree over its failure to quickly pull the pouches.

“Timing is the important piece,” Mr. Petersen said. “We want to take care of those and work on that.“

The public health labs reported that the money amounted to about 30 percent of their funding, which helps them respond to outbreaks more quickly than the F.D.A.

In the Boar’s Head listeria outbreak, for instance, lab officials in Maryland and New York bought liverwurst at stores that tested positive for the same strain that sickened people. A trade group for the labs predicted that the budget cuts could delay responses — and lead to more people getting sick.

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Health

Alzheimer’s risk declines sharply with one daily lifestyle change, researchers say

Published

11 hours ago

November 28, 2025

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Alzheimer’s risk declines sharply with one daily lifestyle change, researchers say

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Increasing physical activity in midlife or later may reduce the chances of developing dementia by up to 45%, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open.

Researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health analyzed data from more than 4,300 people in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring, all of whom were dementia-free at the start of the study.

The individuals completed a questionnaire reporting their amount of sleep and level of physical activity (sedentary, slight, moderate or heavy), according to the study report.

DEMENTIA RISK COULD BE LINKED TO WALKING SPEED, STUDY SUGGESTS

Study design and key findings

The researchers analyzed the individuals’ physical activity throughout three life stages — early adult (ages 26-44 years), midlife (45-64 years) and late life (65-88 years).

Increasing physical activity in midlife or later may reduce the chances of developing dementia by up to 45%, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open. (iStock)

They followed the participants for an average span of 37.2, 25.9 and 14.5 years, respectively, to monitor the onset of Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.

Those in the top two quintiles of midlife physical activity were associated with a 40% lower all-cause dementia risk over a 26-year period, compared to those with the lowest activity level.

RATES OF DEMENTIA ARE LOWER IN PEOPLE WHO EAT THIS SPECIFIC DIET, RESEARCH SHOWS

People in the top two quintiles of late-life physical activity were associated with a 36% to 45% lower dementia risk over 15 years.

Thise with the highest midlife physical activity were associated with a 40% lower all-cause dementia risk over a 26-year period, compared to those with the lowest activity level. (iStock)

“These results may help to inform more precise and effective strategies to prevent or delay the onset of dementia in later life, and support evidence that the benefits of physical activity on the brain may extend to earlier in life than previously thought,” study author Phillip Hwang, Ph.D., from the Department of Epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health, told Fox News Digital.

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Higher activity in midlife was associated with lower dementia risk only in people without APOE4, a genetic variant linked to higher Alzheimer’s risk.

However, this was not the case with the late-life higher activity group, which showed reduced dementia risk among both APOE4 carriers and those without the gene, according to the study.

The exercise-brain link

“There are several possible mechanisms through which physical activity is thought to lower the risk of dementia, such as improving brain structure and function, reducing inflammation and exerting benefits on vascular function,” Hwang told Fox News Digital.

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Physical activity may also directly impact Alzheimer’s disease pathology, such as the buildup of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain, according to the researcher.

Physical activity may also directly impact Alzheimer’s disease pathology, such as the buildup of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain. (iStock)

“These potential mechanisms may contribute to facilitating cognitive reserve, which can delay late-life cognitive impairment.”

More research is needed to understand whether these possible causes all happen at the same time throughout a person’s life, or if different causes emerge at different stages, the researchers said.

Expert reactions

Dr. Cathryn Devons, M.D., who specializes in geriatric medicine at Phelps Hospital Northwell Health in Sleepy Hollow, New York, was not part of the study but commented on the findings.

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Exercise can lower the risk of hypertension, stroke, vascular disease, cholesterol levels and diabetes — “all the things that put you at risk for circulatory problems to the brain,” she told Fox News Digital.

The doctor also noted that exercise is known to help to reduce inflammation, which can protect brain health.

Study limitations

One limitation of the study is that physical activity was based on self-reporting, Hwang told Fox News Digital.

Physical activity may also directly impact Alzheimer’s disease pathology, such as the buildup of toxic beta-amyloid in the brain. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

“While we can say from these results that higher levels of overall physical activity are associated with reduced dementia risk, these results cannot translate well to recommendations about specific exercise types,” he said.

Also, the level of physical activity in early adulthood was not linked with all-cause dementia or Alzheimer’s dementia.

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“We may have been underpowered to detect associations with early adult life physical activity due to the small number of dementia cases in this age group,” the authors noted.

Devons agreed that while the study may have limitations, it supports the idea of exercise lowering the risk of dementia.

Amy McGorry is a contributing health writer for Fox News Digital. Follow her on Twitter @amymcgorry.

Health

Stop heartburn before it starts: 5 dinner mistakes to avoid, from a GI doctor

Published

1 day ago

November 27, 2025

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Stop heartburn before it starts: 5 dinner mistakes to avoid, from a GI doctor

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The holidays are a time for family, food and festive cheer — but for many people, they also bring an unwelcome guest: heartburn.

It’s no coincidence that cases of reflux spike this time of year, according to Dr. Mark Shachner, medical director of the Broward Health Coral Springs Heartburn Center in South Florida.

“Heartburn tends to flare up during the holidays because we often eat larger portions, enjoy richer foods, and indulge in more sweets and alcohol than usual,” he told Fox News Digital.

HEART SURGEON REVEALS WHAT TO EAT (AND NOT EAT) FOR OPTIMAL CARDIAC HEALTH

Combine those rich holiday foods and drinks with overeating, late-night meals, and lying down too soon after eating, and you’ve got what the doctor calls “a recipe for reflux.”

“Heartburn tends to flare up during the holidays because we often eat larger portions, enjoy richer foods, and indulge in more sweets and alcohol than usual.” (iStock)

Below, the doctor shares five common mistakes people make that can trigger heartburn — during the holidays and year-round.

1. Eating too much and too fast

Shachner recommends eating smaller portions, chewing slower and resisting the urge to go back for seconds until you’ve had time to digest.

GUT IMBALANCE MAY BE DRIVING AMERICA’S FOOD ALLERGY EPIDEMIC, EXPERTS WARN

Staying upright for at least two to three hours after eating helps the stomach empty more efficiently — and keeps acid where it belongs.

“Moderation and timing make the biggest difference,” Shachner added.

2. Indulging in late-night snacks

It’s tempting to grab one last cookie or slice of pie before bed, but Shachner recommends allowing two to three hours between your last bite and bedtime.

Going to bed too soon after eating is one of the biggest culprits for reflux, since lying flat makes it easier for stomach acid to creep upward, he said.

Portion control is key to not only maintaining a healthy weight, but also preventing heartburn. (iStock)

3. Not moving after meals

Walking or other low-effort activities after a big meal can make all the difference, according to Shachner.

“A gentle walk after meals helps digestion and reduces reflux,” he said.

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Even light activity helps the stomach process food and reduces the pressure that leads to heartburn. No matter how appealing it may seem, Shachner recommends avoiding the post-feast nap.

4. Not knowing your triggers

Some foods and drinks are more likely to cause trouble. Common triggers include fatty or fried dishes, tomato sauces, citrus, chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, coffee and carbonated drinks, according to the doctor.

“Everyone’s triggers are a little different, so paying attention to which foods cause discomfort is important,” he added.

Staying upright for at least two to three hours after eating helps the stomach empty more efficiently and prevents acid reflux. (iStock)

5. Ignoring symptoms

An occasional bout of heartburn isn’t usually cause for concern, but if you’re having symptoms two or more times a week, or if over-the-counter remedies stop working, the doctor said it’s important to pay attention.

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“That’s when it’s time to see a doctor for a full evaluation,” he said.

Chronic reflux can signal gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can cause long-term damage if left untreated.

Frequent heartburn can signal something more serious, but it’s often treatable. (iStock)

The doctor also cautioned about relying too heavily on antacids or acid reducers. “It’s best to use them under the guidance of a healthcare professional who can identify and treat the root cause rather than just the symptoms,” he advised.

Advanced relief options

For people with chronic reflux, there are now minimally invasive, FDA-approved treatments that provide lasting relief without traditional surgery.

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“One example is the LINX® procedure, which uses a small ring of magnetic beads to reinforce the lower esophageal sphincter,” Shachner shared.

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Another is transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF), which restores the natural barrier between the stomach and esophagus through the mouth, with no external incisions.

Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.

Health

Judge rules West Virginia parents can use religious beliefs to opt out of school vaccine requirements

Published

2 days ago

November 26, 2025

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Judge rules West Virginia parents can use religious beliefs to opt out of school vaccine requirements

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A West Virginia judge ruled on Wednesday that parents can use religious beliefs to opt out of school vaccine requirements for their children.

Raleigh County Circuit Judge Michael Froble on Wednesday issued a permanent injunction, saying children of families who object to the state’s compulsory vaccination law on religious grounds will be permitted to attend school and participate in extracurricular sports.

Froble found that a state policy prohibiting parents from seeking religious exemptions violates the Equal Protection for Religion Act signed into law in 2023 by then-Gov. Jim Justice.

West Virginia was among just a handful of states to offer only medical exemptions from school vaccinations when Gov. Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order earlier this year allowing religious exemptions.

ALABAMA, KANSAS TOP LIST OF MOST ‘FAITH-FRIENDLY’ STATES; MICHIGAN, WASHINGTON RANK LOWEST: REPORT

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said that the ruling “is a win for every family forced from school over their faith.” (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

However, the state Board of Education voted in June to instruct public schools to ignore the governor’s order and follow long-standing school vaccine requirements outlined in state law.

The board said following Wednesday’s ruling that it “hereby suspends the policy on compulsory vaccination requirements” pending an appeal before the state Supreme Court.

Morrisey said in a statement that the ruling “is a win for every family forced from school over their faith.”

Two groups had sued to stop Morrisey’s order, arguing that the legislature has the authority to make these decisions instead of the governor.

Legislation that would have allowed the religious exemptions was approved by the state Senate and rejected by the House of Delegates earlier this year.

The judge found that a state policy prohibiting parents from seeking religious exemptions violates the Equal Protection for Religion Act signed into law in 2023. (Julian Stratenschulte/dpa (Photo by Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance via Getty Images))

The judge ruled that the failure to pass the legislation did not determine the application of the 2023 law. He rejected the defendants’ argument that religious exemptions can only be established by legislative moves.

“Legislative intent is not absolute nor controlling in interpreting a statute or determining its application; at most, it is a factor,” Froble said.

A group of parents had sued the state and local boards of education and the Raleigh County schools superintendent. One parent had obtained a religious exemption to the vaccine mandate from the state health department and enrolled her child in elementary school for the current school year before receiving an email in June from the local school superintendent rescinding the certificate, according to the lawsuit.

In July, Froble issued a preliminary injunction allowing the children of the three plaintiffs’ families in Raleigh County to attend school this year.

FEDERAL JUDGE RULES PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL VIOLATED CHURCH’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS

State law requires children to receive vaccines for chickenpox, hepatitis B, measles, meningitis, mumps, diphtheria, polio, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough before attending school. (iStock)

Last month, Froble certified the case as a class action involving 570 families who had received religious exemptions in other parts of the state. He said the class action also applies to parents who seek religious exemptions in the future.

Froble said the total number of exemptions so far involved a small portion of the statewide student population and “would not meaningfully reduce vaccination rates or increase health risks.”

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State law requires children to receive vaccines for chickenpox, hepatitis B, measles, meningitis, mumps, diphtheria, polio, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough before attending school.

At least 30 states have religious freedom laws. The laws are modeled after the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was signed into law in 1993 by then-President Bill Clinton, allowing federal regulations that interfere with religious beliefs to be challenged.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.