Baltimore City Council
File #: 11-0303R    Version: 0 Name: Informational Hearing - Food Safety Technology
Type: City Council Resolution Status: Adopted
File created: 6/20/2011 In control: Health Committee
On agenda: Final action: 10/17/2011
Enactment #:
Title: Informational Hearing - Food Safety Technology FOR the purpose of calling on representatives from the Health Department and food safety researchers from Morgan State University to appear before the Council to discuss advances in food safety technology and how these new technologies can be used by the City to improve the health of Baltimore’s citizens, ensure that food served by the City is of the highest quality, and more effectively enforce food safety laws.
Sponsors: William "Pete" Welch, Bill Henry, Warren Branch, Belinda Conaway, Mary Pat Clarke, Sharon Green Middleton, Edward Reisinger, Helen L. Holton, President Young, Robert Curran, Rochelle Spector
Indexes: Resolution
Attachments: 1. 11-0303R - 1st Reader.pdf, 2. Health - 11-0303R.pdf, 3. 11-0303R - Adopted.pdf
* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*

CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmember Welch

A RESOLUTION ENTITLED

A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Informational Hearing - Food Safety Technology

FOR the purpose of calling on representatives from the Health Department and food safety researchers from Morgan State University to appear before the Council to discuss advances in food safety technology and how these new technologies can be used by the City to improve the health of Baltimore’s citizens, ensure that food served by the City is of the highest quality, and more effectively enforce food safety laws.
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Recitals

Food-borne illness is a serious health concern both worldwide and closer to home. Each year, millions of Americans are sickened by something that they ate and reports of serious food poisoning outbreaks lead to panic. Even incorrect rumors about food-borne illnesses can be devastating - for example, the misattribution of the recent deadly E. Coli outbreak in Europe to Spanish produce is reported to have caused more than $200 million in damage to Spain’s economy.

Many of these outbreaks are easily preventable if food is handled and stored properly. Clear and comprehensive records also can make it much easier to zero in on the source of a disease rapidly, and thereby reduce both the human and monetary costs of food-borne illnesses when they do occur.

Unfortunately, the widespread use of antiquated pen-and-paper monitoring and record ...

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