Hamburger E. coli Traceback Wins Times Reporter Michael Moss a Pulitzer
National food safety law firm Pritzker Olsen congratulates reporter Michael Moss and other members of The New York Times Staff for winning a 2010 Pulitzer Prize in journalism for relentless reporting on E. coli O157:H7 in hamburger and other food safety issues.
The Times entered the combined stories for a Pulitzer in investigative reporting, but the Pulitzer board deemed the work more fitting for top prize in the explanatory journalism category.
The crown jewel in Michael's assortment of stories was his lengthy Sunday cover story that traced the meatpacking lineage of a particular batch of ground beef. When a hamburger from the batch reached the plate of young Minnesota dance instructor Stephanie Smith, it was contaminated with living microbes of E. coli O157:H7 that infected her to the point of paralyzing her.
One of the astonishing findings in the story was that slaughterhouses have unwritten agreements with grinding plants not to perform E. coli tests on the beef they ship. Tests on the incoming meat -- primarily trimmings and cheap cuts -- are not required.
Instead, the government requires E. coli testing at the grinding plant on finished hamburger. But by then -- because each batch contains meat from multiple suppliers -- there is no way to identify where the pathogen originated. The trick spares slaughterhouses from costly recalls.
The final citation from the Pulitzer Board said the combination of stories is a "distinguished example of explanatory reporting that illuminates a significant and complex subject, demonstrating mastery of the subject, lucid writing and clear presentation.''
Click here to see the complete collection of award-winning food safety stories.
