Part of my work includes looking back and taking time to reflect on an incident and thinking in terms of food safety's "last mile." Then there are times, like this week, when we are speeding down the highway of an ongoing outbreak or recall. It's during these times I find myself making several references to the past when discussing a current event.
On September 16, Food Safety News published my guest editorial Lessons Lost in which I discussed Boar's Head in relation to the fact that this company started an entire year PRIOR to Upton Sinclair publishing his landmark novel The Jungle in 1906 (and the resulting new regulations for meat inspection and food safety. The long legacy of Boar's Head was not enough to prevent the situation are in today.
On September 17, I joined fellow "Poisoned" documentary participants Bill Marler and Sarah Sorscher (from The Center for Science in the Public Interest) on NPR's 1A radio show, where again Boar's Head listeria outbreak conversation found comparisons being made, but this time with the 1993 Jack in the Box outbreak.
Since then Fast Company also published a piece regarding the Boar's Head outbreak and recall that drew quotes from the 1A radio show about the comparisons we made.
Even though the specific foods or the company involved may be different - comparing the causes, the sizes of a recall, the impact on consumers, or even the penalties imposed is a natural thing to do. It's not enough to simply look at the past and question about the effectiveness of incentives or penalties. What's important is that the lessons from past events are leveraged in determining likelihood and severity, in solidifying corporate priorities, and in cultivating courageous leadership.
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