You may not know it, but your journey has already begun, a voyage through a dangerous place called “foodborne illness”.
Our families are here to walk you step-by-step through key landmarks ahead, to direct you through the rough patches, and to deliver you safely to recovery and healing.
You are your family member’s (or your own) best advocate. This advocacy will take on many forms in the days and weeks ahead.
Right now, at this moment, you need to find your bearings.
We believe you’ll find them in this Guide.
Our Peer to Peer program is comprised of constituent-mentors who are available to offer compassionate insight based on their personal experiences. They understand how emotional, overwhelming and chaotic your world has become and they are available to offer a listening ear.
Whether you are establishing a “new normal”, trying to manage physical pain or figuring out how to communicate with family and friends about your illness and possible long-term consequences, our constituent-mentors are willing and able to provide insight, and so much more.
The story of STOP began with a terrible event and mothers and fathers who’d lost children, and suffering families who were grieving and angry.
Together, they felt compelled to turn their isolated losses into something greater than individual tragedy.
Whether it's putting your story in writing, speaking it out loud publicly, or making a video, your story is your voice.
With facts and emotion, personal stories have empowered all kinds of people to change the world.
Did you know?
In foodborne events, symptoms typically occur within 6 to 72 hours after consuming food or beverages that may have been contaminated. Symptoms can range from mild to serious and can last from a few hours to several days.
Most people use the terms “food poisoning”, “foodborne illness” and “foodborne disease” interchangeably. All these terms are defined as an infection or irritation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by food or beverages that contain harmful pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, or viruses.
• Each year, an estimated 48 million (1 in 6) people in the United States experience a foodborne illness.
• Foodborne illness is an infection or irritation of the gastrointestinal tract caused by food or beverages that contain harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, or chemicals.
• Common foodborne illness symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and chills.
• Most foodborne illnesses are acute, meaning they happen suddenly and last a short time, and most people recover on their own without treatment.
• Occasionally, foodborne illness may lead to more serious complications especially if you're a child, an older adult, are pregnant, or immunocompromised.
• Foodborne illnesses cause 128,000 hospitalizations and about 3,000 deaths in the United States annually.
There is a wealth of information available on STOP's website that is free for the taking.
"Poultry contaminated with Salmonella in violation of USDA's current 'performance standards' can still be sold with USDA's 'mark of inspection," says STOP's board co-chair, Mary Martin.
Stop Foodborne Illness was born out of individuals demanding that there be food safety policy reform to protect consumers.
As such, we continue in our founders’ tradition of advocating for safer food, increased transparency and better communication to consumers.
Returning to our roots, STOP collaborates with partners in consumer advocacy organizations, academia, the food industry and government to address concerns such as:
• food recall modernization
• the misguided movement claiming that raw milk is healthier and safer than pasteurized milk
• the scientifically outdated and unenforceable FSIS performance guidelines pertaining to Salmonella in poultry
• the burden of illness associated with E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria in fresh produce.
