Food Safety Report (E. coli outbreak – Washington)

October 28, 2012 Filed under Human Disease Posted by James Smith

Sunday, 28 October 2012

Another E. coli outbreak is being reported this time it is in Washington State. Currently there is no fatalities for this incident. But reports are still coming in at this time.

The sad fact of this type of outbreak is that is completely avoidable. It all comes down to proper hygiene practices. Animals in general are not very clean and children go to these petting zoos, touch the animal or try’s to feed the animal their “sippy cup” and the adults think it is cute. Then what dose the child do, “well since the animal didn’t want it I will drink it!”

No one ever thing of the germs that the animal might be carrying. Once the child become sick the parent wants to either sue the zoo or shut them down. Personal hygiene is not the zoo’s responsibility, it is ours. We must wash our hands after touching an animal in a petting zoo. Granted the zoo management can help themselves by maybe posting signage throughout the petting zoo or even making hygienic hand wipes available at the exit of the zoo, but ultimately it is up to us as parents to make sure we wash our children and their stuff before they place it back into their mouths.