Pressure Systems edition
Salmonella Outbreaks and Poultry Megaplants Strain Global Food Safety
August 31, 2026
What this edition shows
US regulatory rollbacks and administrative cuts intersect with mounting salmonella and cyclospora outbreaks across eggs, lettuce, and produce, while international agricultural hubs face parallel pressures. In Croatia, local communities mobilize against industrial poultry complexes backed by Ukrainian oligarchs, exposing the material limits of centralized food supply chains.
Reporting and analysis behind this edition 9 sources
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Why Food Keeps Making Everybody Sick This Summer
While Trump administration cuts have contributed to the epidemic of foodborne illnesses this summer, there are also deeper issues that make the American food supply chain susceptible to parasites and bacteria outbreaks.
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Did DOGE cuts make America’s food safety problem worse?
The US has recorded more than 160 food recalls this year, as a Cyclospora outbreak has sickened nearly 11,000 people.
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Why does it seem like food recalls are out of control this year?
Just weeks after Taylor Farms issued a recall of its iceberg lettuce amid a massive cyclospora outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration recalled more than one million eggs that may be contaminated with salmonella. The eggs, which come from Midwest Poultry Services, were distributed to Kroger and s…
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Want to Make Food Affordable? Tackle Food Waste
There’s a $58-billion hole in Canada’s new policy to support farmers, families and small businesses. And it stinks.
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Salmonella Is Everywhere
From granola to guacamole, a wide variety of foods have been recalled lately over salmonella risks. Experts say common-sense precautions go a long way.
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How does ‘Salmonella’ contaminate everything under the sun? A food safety specialist explains how you can stop its spread
Will salmonellosis turn your eggs sunny-side up into a biohazard? wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Does it feel like Salmonella is contaminating everything these days? From the food you eat and the pets you love to the surfaces you touch and the recreational areas you enjoy, this deadly bacterium c…
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The quest to save the bananas we love so much makes scary reading
Without serious technical efforts, banana crops faces collapse worldwide. James Woodford enjoys a passionate plea from leading researcher James Dale in his new book, The Future of Bananas
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How Croatian communities are taking on planned poultry slaughterhouses
Backed by Ukrainian oligarchs, the projects would dramatically increase the country’s poultry output and place a significant burden on local lives and natural resources.
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Shifting the cleanup cost of packaging waste to companies could encourage greener packaging – but only if states are aligned
Some state legislatures are seeking ways to alleviate anxieties about plastic waste. Rowanswiki/Wikimedia Commons Standing in your local retail store, it can be mind-boggling to try to weigh the pros and cons of all the packaging options. Take shampoo, for example. Shampoo can come in a rigid plasti…