Listeria Victim's Son: "Food Safety Should be Paramount in this Country"

Video Read time:
Projects: Safe Food

Navigate to:

  • Table of Contents
Listeria Victim's Son: "Food Safety Should be Paramount in this Country"

This video is hosted by YouTube. In order to view it, you must consent to the use of “Marketing Cookies” by updating your preferences in the Cookie Settings link below. View on YouTube

This video is hosted by YouTube. In order to view it, you must consent to the use of “Marketing Cookies” by updating your preferences in the Cookie Settings link below. View on YouTube

Paul A. Schwarz, Jr., of Kansas City, Mo., was a World War II veteran who earned two Purple Hearts. In 2011, a food he regularly enjoyed for breakfast -- cantaloupe -- happened to be contaminated with the dangerous bacteria Listeria, and it eventually killed him. Unfortunately, his story is not unique. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year 48 million Americans are sickened and 3,000 die from foodborne illnesses. Full implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, the largest overhaul of the nation's food safety system since the Great Depression, will help to reduce the number of Americans who suffer from foodborne infections.

Schwarz's son, Paul F. Schwarz, 63, is now a tireless advocate for food safety. Here's his story about his dad and the foodborne illness that took his life.

For more information, visit http://www.pewhealth.org/projects/food-safety-85899367097.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Article June 13, 2023

37 Scientists Pioneering the Future of Biomedical Research

Quick View
Article June 13, 2023

Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.

RELATED
Projects
Safe Food

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

A man wearing a checkered, collared shirt leans in and touches the shoulder of a man in a blue collared shirt with lights in the background.

Article

September 22, 2023 The Power of Lived Experience in Suicide Prevention
An Aedes aegypti mosquito, characterized by the white-and-black striped markings on its legs, stands against a dark background

Article

August 15, 2023 Pew Scholars Examine the Biology Behind the Mosquito's Bite
A person sitting in front of a computer in an office talks on the telephone and tracks notes on papers on the desk.

Article

July 27, 2023 Opportunities and Challenges Remain for 988 Crisis Lifeline

MORE FROM PEW

A woman and her grandchildren on a sunny afternoon. Courts Can Do More to Help Families Seeking Guardianship
Sunlight streams into the blue waters of a vibrant coral reef. Yellow, black and blue, and orange fish swim near red, green and bright coral. To Save Biodiversity, Community Funds New Plan
Four yellow school buses emit smoke as they travel a road crowded with cars, construction vehicles, and scaffolding. States Race to Win Federal Clean School Bus Grants
A photo illustration of an empty defendant’s chair, indicating that the person did not show for a virtual hearing, and the plaintiff’s lawyer sitting in a chair beside it. The one person faces forward toward an iPad with a gavel. The illustration has a blue background that shows the exterior of a courthouse. Debt Collection Cases Continued to Dominate Civil Dockets
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?