Listeria’s Lasting Damage: A Food Safety Wake-Up Call | Episode 122

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When foodborne illness becomes a life sentence, who carries the burden? 

In this gut-wrenching episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine share the devastating story of John Trahar - a once-vibrant entrepreneur now reduced to a shadow of himself after a listeria infection caused bacterial meningitis. It's not just about pathogens and paperwork; it's about people. This episode puts a very real, very human face on why preventing foodborne illness isn't optional.

In this episode:

💩 [05:20] Introduction to Bill Marler

💩 [05:57] Listeria strikes again: backstory on the Mexico potato connection

💩 [07:54] The devastating effects of listeria

💩 [14:32] What bacterial meningitis means for a human body

💩 [19:00] John’s wife’s emotional reality

💩 [22:10] Family fallout: Impact on their teenage son and family business

💩 [28:43] Where's the FDA? Lingering questions about traceback and accountability

💩 [30:51] Why storytelling matters in food safety culture

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Check out Bill Marler’s blog: https://www.marlerblog.com/ 

The case that we’re talking about today: https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/a-tragic-listeria-illness-and-the-search-for-the-cause/ 

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“ Dying from listeria is probably one of the worst ways to die. [...] It's perpetual pain.” – Matt Regusci

“ I wouldn’t want to live with listeria. I would prefer to die.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

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