US food safety under scrutiny amid outbreaks and government job cuts

The US is facing a series of recalls of fruit, vegetables and meat as an outbreak of food contaminations makes more people sick at a time when jobs focused on food safety have been cut. Michigan's largest lettuce producer, Revolution Farms, saw a decline in sales after the largest outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to lettuce in Mexico hit the state, with more than 14,000 cases reported, nearly 400 hospitalisations and two deaths. Other foods recalled this summer include salmonella in jalapenos, eggs, mangoes and chicken, and E. coli in frozen berries and sprouts. While the number of food recalls is on par with previous years, health experts say contaminations and the level of risk are increasing. The Trump administration has faced scrutiny over hundreds of cuts to jobs focused on food safety, including labs that respond to cyclospora outbreaks. Farms are now seeing more interest in local sourcing and fresher ingredients as consumers seek reassurance.

Al Jazeera's Matthew Torres reports from Caledonia, Michigan.

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